Things weren't looking great for Smith. She was just settling down in a nice coffee house, enjoying her favorite drink when everything went to hell mere minutes after. Sometimes this job can be a real hassle.

Smith hurried around a corner, a panicked look on her face. Her long legs carried her in a sprint, her breathing battered and rapid as she ran. From behind her, plumes of smoke erupted from the end of the hallway along with crashing noises and filled up the darkness as she kept running.

"What is that thing?!" Smith yelled, questioning to herself. That thing looked human but it was far from it, with its hollowed eyes and round mouth with many sharp teeth.

It was all an accident. Her rear view mirror shined its reflection on the...creature and showed its discolored, slimy skin. It was too fast and caught up with her, taking out her tires with its bare hands!

'What kind of monster is it? It's nothing I've seen before during my work... Has it left its host and gone rogue, perhaps?' She tried coming up with explanations as to why it attacked her all of a sudden.

A blank hallway she was greeted with, the coordinator keeping up with her own pace in desperate measures to keep her distance from that anomaly. Her legs were growing weary by this point after having been running for what seemed to be a lifetime. She could only chalk it up that it has super stamina or something to keep chasing her like it is still.

Now all seemed hopeless when she met a dead end, metal crates and boxes all around her along with a small window that shined the moon's luminous light through the clear glass. Smith's mind raced with possible escape routes, grabbing a box and laying it under the tall window.

In her jacket she pulled out her gun and aimed it at a lock that was keeping it shut and shot at it. The metal lock broke apart and fell on the floor behind her, Smith opening the window and squeezing through the small frame with surprisingly zero effort.

She grinned in relief and fell on the plushy grass below, sighing tiredly. But soon, she heard a twig snap as she shot up in her position, her eyes widening at the sight. It was a light-skinned woman with long dark brown hair and matching eyes, wearing a red jacket and a black skirt along with tan brown boots.

The woman's mouth stretched into a hungry grin, the red lipstick glistening in a seductive manner, "Trying to escape me I see..."

"What? How did you–? You were behind me!" Smith yelled in disbelief. How did she get outside so quickly? Is she familiar with this rundown site of a building or something?

"Well, it is my home. I would be pretty stupid to not know the ups and downs of my settlement, right?" The woman asked in a way that Smith suggested she was lying.

The black-haired coordinator reached behind her and gripped a black handgun from her back, trying not to draw her attention to it. The woman, however, rolled her eyes at Smith who backed away and up against the building's brick wall.

"That won't work, honey..." She trailed off, Smith gritting her teeth. It was her life or the woman's. It did not settle well as she had to shoot at a monster who she suspects has left her home and becoming a rogue. All she wants to do is to question her, wanting to know what she wants.

Her eyes left the woman for a second and looked to make sure the hammer was down, only for the young lady to appear right beside her. Smith shrieked in surprise as the woman lifted her from the collar and threw her far, the coordinator hitting a random tree to the side.

Smith coughed and arched her back in pain at the harsh impact, falling on her face in the unforgiving dirt of the earth. The lady smiled viciously and crouched down, her mouth stretching wide to show rows of teeth in a round mouth. Her eyes turned swollen and became empty, hollowing in to where her eyes completely disappeared.

Kuroko groaned and managed to get up only to meet with the woman's true form as she crawled to the side, stalking Smith. The black-haired coordinator cringed at the horrific sight with wide eyes.

"Hey."

The two heard a masculine voice, the monster turning her head to the right. Her hollowed eyes met the end of the barrel of a shotgun as it shot her in the face. She reeled back from the shot and cried in momentary pain before growling sinisterly.

Smith breathed out in relief when she saw someone else with her. All the worry in her mind faded away as she went to get up hastily, brushing herself off of the dirt and grass stains.

The gun was lowered, a shadowy figure coming into the fray. It was a tall male that looked to be in his mid-twenties with a thin and muscular build, neutral light skin, short dark blonde hair in a faux hawk, and deep forest green eyes. He wore a dark beige jacket with a diagonal zip and black collar, black slim-fit jeans, and plain white high-tops. His ears were pierced with black stretched lobe piercings.

The newcomer twirled the shotgun in his hand, watching impassively as the woman growled in pain. He flipped it and held it as a bat and whacked her on the side of the head before pushing her to the ground with a front kick to the chest. The man narrowed his eyes as he got a good look at her face, recognizing the ugly features right away.

Without hesitation, the man shot at the woman again at point-blank range, taking off her left arm. The monster roared in agony, clutching the hole in her shoulder. Smith cringed at the sight, wondering if this is a violation of the Bill. But...she was attacked and could've been dead by now if it weren't for the man... She'll let this one slide.

With cold, dead eyes, the man kneed her in the nose and stomped on her head. He aimed his shotgun at the woman, holding it to his side.

"I'm guessing you're the mother. This is quite the turnaround, isn't it?" The man spoke, betraying all emotions for this one moment.

The woman huffed rapidly in pain but smirked weakly, "You think you have me beat... But there's more out there like me, waiting for the opportune time to strike. You alone won't stand a chance..."

The man hummed, looking to the side. His facial expression then turned for the worst, his eyes growing more cold and unyielding than before, scaring the monster to no end.

"You have it all twisted. You see, as long as I'm here and still breathing," The man knelt down and pressed the cold steel barrel against the slimy skin on the woman's forehead as she shook in her spot, "everything that you and your monster pals stand for will become nothing worth standing for."

The man moved the barrel and shot her in the eye, the monster screaming as a reaction. He then quickly lit matchsticks from his jacket and threw it onto the monster who began burning to ashes, her remains lost in the dirt on the ground.

Smith gaped at the scene. She found it hard to even move, even more harder than before when she faced off against the now dead monster. Her eyes fell on the man who met her gaze, not one of them moving for a short while.

Kuroko decided to end the long and dreaded awkward silence, adopting a. curious but cautious look, "...What's going on here? Who are you?"

The man held his firearm to his side, the barrel pointed at the ground. He blinked once before answering her.

"Well... My name is Kenta Fujiwara...and I'm a hunter. As a hunter, it's my job to kill things like that."

Kenta pointed at the spot where smoke was still rising from the ashes, Smith not taking her gaze off of him. She shook her head in confusion at what he was saying.

"Your job? What kind of job is that? How did you know what kills her?" Smith asked. She remembered the woman specifically saying that her gun wouldn't work on her but yet Kenta's shotgun seemed to have affected her clearly.

Kenta squinted his eyes, "Oh, you're holding a pistol." Smith nodded and moved her hand up to lift her gun a little to show it to him.

He continued, "She was merely bluffing to save herself. That's what they all do."

Smith scoffed. She should've known that was the case all along. But Kenta killed her with fire, which is an odd and specific method of killing for such a common thing.

"Kenta, was it?" She earned a curt nod, "What was she exactly? How did you know fire would work?"

"That was what I would call a Changeling. I knew fire would work because I've faced dozens before and it's one of their most common weaknesses among a little few." Kenta answered without missing a beat.

Smith thought all of it was crazy but she can't really say anything. The term 'changeling' is very different than what she's used to hearing. She looked up and found it was really late, the moon halfway in the sky.

"Do you think you can tell me some more? I would very much like to know about this 'hunter' job that you mentioned." Smith asked. After a long pause on Kenta's part, he slowly nodded at her question which made Smith beam a smile.

"Yes, but not out here. I don't want to risk both our lives again." He said before turning to the building and walked around it. Smith followed him to a car and mentally slapped herself on the forehead. She just remembered her car being totalled by that...changeling. She believes that's what he calls it.

Smith and Kenta stood in front of a nice black car, her eyes shooting up behind her glasses, "Woah... This is a beauty."

Kenta rose an eyebrow at her sudden compliment before shrugging it off, entering the driver's side. Smith smiled and entered the passenger's side, the car immediately driving off from the dark area.

A half hour later they arrived in front of a house on top of a hill. Smith whistled at the house which was a neat three-story pacific lodging with a dark brown exterior, tall windows, a wide balcony, and a huge view of the city.

Kenta went up a small slope and into a driveway, Smith looking out to see lights hanging from the front porch that were illuminating the front of the house where glass cobblestone on the floor shined and reflected the orange light.

"I gotta say this is a really nice home, Kenta." She said while still staring out the window.

Again, Kenta blinked at her compliment, not responding and continued to park the car. The brown wooden garage door opened, sliding up from a button Kenta pressed in his car. He parked in there and the two got out. As the car beeped, Kenta motioned Smith to follow him in a door to the house.

Inside, Smith was impressed again, looking at the clean wooden interior. They entered a common room with a high ceiling and a chandelier hanging in the center. Kenta threw his keys in a small basket near the door and walked past Smith.

"I guess...make yourself at home." He gestured to a couch facing a wide TV connected to a wall. Smith happily obliged and sat down, sighing at the soft cushioning.

Kenta walked slowly to a stool under a marble counter, sitting as he stared at Smith blankly, "Alright."

Kuroko paused and laughed nervously, sitting up in her seat, "Yeah, so, a hunter? From the way you put it earlier, I'm guessing you're not the type that hunts regular old deer and bears, huh?"

The hunter nodded curtly and clasped his hands in his lap, "The type of hunter I classify as could be anyone, but they're typically a human. We hunt down the supernatural and save lives from monsters, demons, ghosts, you name it. We're there to save the day."

Smith lowered her glasses down to show her brown irises lighting up in newfound curiosity, "Demons? As in horns, pitchforks, wings, ugly mugs and the like?"

Kenta squinted his eyes while staring at the ceiling, "That is a common misconception... Can I share with you a story?"

Smith narrowed her eyes in confusion but nodded nonetheless. Kenta sighed as he bowed his head to collect his thoughts, clenching his fingers unconsciously.

"The world has become immensely infected and swarmed by these freaks all because of one person. That person was forced to follow another demon's orders to open a Devil's Gate that unleashed thousands of them into Earth. After this, monsters followed their example and have become more active in their plan to destroy this world. That's how I got my start. My town was infected with a demonic invasion that spreaded fast and eventually took over my family..." Kenta trailed off, his voice wavering for a second.

Smith sat up, looking at him questioningly in concern. She took off her sunglasses and placed them on the table, waiting for him to continue. Kenta cleared his throat.

"I thought it was all over... But I was damn lucky my godfather was there in town to visit to save me in time. He taught me how to kill these demons that took over my parents and I...was forced to take their lives in order to save others. We then left town and made base somewhere up north here in Japan and I was brought under his wing in the ways of the 'hunter life'." Kenta stated, cracking his knuckles with narrowed eyes.

Smith gasped in shock at what she was hearing. This man killed his own parents to save others? There must have been some other way to avoid murder. But she didn't have the right to pry in anything. Her eyebrows perked up, "Then...why are you here and not...there with your godfather?"

"Because you're in trouble," Kenta said which surprised Smith, "you and your Cultural Exchange business. I've been chasing them down all across Japan for months now, the monsters I hunt... Once they catch wind of your little program where these other monsters want to coexist with humans, they'll view them as pathetic traitors and want nothing more than to kill them in cold blood for wanting something like that. As a matter of fact, this town is already under attack."

Kuroko furrowed her brows, looking down at the floor and shaking her head. Her eyes glazed over in fear for what may happen to her and the liminals if that ever does come to fruition. She snapped her head up to Kenta in hope, intertwining her hands together.

"Are you here to help us by any chance?" She asked which earned her a nod from the hunter. Her face broke into a wide smile as she stood up and faced him.

"Wait...I know you now. Kenta Fujiwara...twenty-five years of age and college graduate. You are one of the applicants for the Cultural Exchange Bill. You mean to tell me that you want to volunteer to help a liminal?"

"That's the plan. It's also the reason why I've settled down in this lodging. I want to ensure one of their safety at least." Kenta admitted, spreading his arms a little. Smith nodded eagerly.

"That's amazing, Ken! My name is Kuroko Smith and I guess I'll be your cultural exchange coordinator starting today! Okay, well...expect my next visit to be your official start as a homestay host!" Smith yelled happily before looking around the house.

"...It's a pretty decent size. But, I can make it a little bit better." She smirked knowingly, a glint in her eyes. She picked up her glasses and opened them, flipping them back on with a smile.

Smith walked to Kenta and stuck her hand out, Kents slowly taking it in his, "I look forward to doing business with you, Ken."

"Can you refrain from using that name to address me by?" Kenta asked, or more like stated.

"Too late Ken~" Smith laughed. Kenta sighed and showed her the front door, the coordinator turning to him suddenly.

"Oh, before I forget! Let me get your number! This way, I can call you when I think you're ready to start." They exchanged their cells and made their way to the door.

The coordinator smiled, "I know my way, or at least I'll find one. You live awfully far from the city." Smith remarked.

"Will that be of any complication in my volunteering?" He asked quickly.

"No! In fact if what you said ever happens, I would want them far from population. I mean, you never know what could happen." She chuckled softly. Smith nodded in goodbye before walking off. Kenta shifted his eyes everywhere before closing the door behind him.

He stepped back inside his home and breathed out. It was then a thought struck him badly, a pang of worry hitting his heart, "Since I've been here, there hasn't been any reportings on deaths of any kind in town, so... Where did a mother Changeling come from so suddenly?"