"Boy, did her information help. I thought the perimeter's counterspell would be quite a problem."

Samus's ponytail sways gently from side to side in the cool nighttime breeze.

So far, we've managed to slip through the magical shield network undetected and sneak into the Smash Mansion. Still, this inner region can make for some pretty rough travel.

Samus, Ike, and I comprise this party of three...

It's been something like three years since Samus and I met. Back then I was a drifter, wandering wherever my music led me. During my stay in the remote town of Regiorra, I ended up running into a girl who later joined me, leading to the beginning of all this.

That girl was Samus...

Samus was a bounty hunter, of course.

Not even twenty-five years old, already she's widely renowned as a top professional. To make matters worse, she's cute, devilishly stylish, and has a sparkling personality. And boy, can she cook... if you ask her, that is.

Well, to be completely honest, she has her share of problems as well. She likes to think of herself as a kind of Robin Hood, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, but that's just not the case.

At times her sharp tongue can get the best of her, viciously lashing out at anyone who stands in her way. She exaggerates every other word, and sometimes lies outright... and as for listening to other people, well, forget it.

When it comes to money, well, I've never met anyone greedier in my life. Her relentless pursuit of wealth is ironic, considering she's a nomad, like me...

I don't know, maybe I'm being too hard on her. She has her good points, too.

She can really shine sometimes, when she wants to...

Glancing back over my shoulder, I notice a silhouette silently emerge from the grove.

Ike...

This associate of Samus's is known to us only as 'Ike of Crimea'.

I know next to nothing about him, except for the fact that he somehow knew Samus before I came into the picture.

A high-class swordsman of some sort, he looks to be about twenty one. He usually keeps to himself, though.

The top half of his face is covered with a mask at all times. I've never even seen what he really looks like.

At times, it seems as though I'm hanging around someone from another world - traveling with this pack is definitely an interesting experience.

Samus's quiet about her past too, but it's like I know her entire life story compared to how little I know about Ike.

From time to time I find myself wondering who he is, where he came from, and so on. I'd ask Samus, but I get the impression she knows as little about him as I do.

You might be wondering, how did I end up where I am now? Well, there's a lot of reasons, I suppose...

I guess you could say that life doesn't always go how you plan.