Looking for her fated master.

Only three years ago, Japan passed a legislation known as the Interspecies Exchange Bill. The bill was enacted to allow interaction between humans and non-humans that, until recently, were kept secret by the governments of the world. Protected from human persecution by law, many of these races have actually been interacting with human society for centuries albeit in secret, while others had long ago withdrawn from public knowledge due to humanity's racial prejudices. Since the release of the legislation, many previously thought mythological human, humanoid, demihuman and pseudohuman races have been revealed to the general general public. The result is that over the past three years, Japan's society has experienced accelerated cultural exchange, with no major conflicts caused by the adjustments so far.

However, the demihumans are in Japan for diplomatic reasons, not permanent residency or tourism. Any human who physically harms a demihuman is in strict violation of the terms of the Interspecies Exchange Bill. But this also goes both-ways. A demihuman harming a human is just as much in violation of the legislation, and would result in the demihuman being permanently deported.

Demihumans also require human host families for their stay in Japan, complete with ID cards to show the demihuman's cultural exchange status, who their host family is, and where they live. The host family must never leave the demihuman unattended. If the demihuman wants to leave their host family's home, a member of the host family is required to accompany the demihuman, sticking close to them and making sure they have everything they need, while also keeping the demihuman out of any trouble the culture clash may cause. Many demihumans may feel like a fish out of water in Japan. Some aquatic species more literally than others.

Centorea Shianus, however, had special permission from government agent and Cultural Exchange Coordinator Kuroko Smith to be out by herself, so long as she avoided crowded and densely populated areas. This was due to the centaurs, a proud, honorable, and willful race with a longstanding tradition of chivalry, having a tradition of seeking out their own "masters" to serve. Mistaking "host family" for something akin to a noble house that a knight might serve, Centorea was insistent on finding her own host family during her stay in Japan, and Ms. Smith caved when the centaur proved unwilling to budge.

She had to find one soon, though, lest she be deported for not having a host family. Centorea at least studied up on Japanese culture before her arrival in the land of the rising sun... Granted, it was all anime and manga.

Thus, Centorea found herself wandering the residential district of Asaka City in the Saitama Prefecture, first thing in the morning, hoping to avoid the crowds but meet her fated master.

Her blue pleated skirt was specially made for centaurs to surround the upper parts of her horse lower half, while the white pinstripe blouse with its red ribbon struggled to contain her massive, centaur breasts. Two thin black belts around her waist, where her human upper half met her horse lower half, held her sheathed sword. It was purely an ornamental replica, however. Under the Interspecies Exchange Bill, she wasn't allowed to carry a real arming sword in public, but she felt naked without some kind of knightly weapon, so a ceremonial blade would have to do. Aside from her horseshoes, she wasn't wearing anything else except for the thin black ribbon tying her hair up into a long ponytail. It wasn't necessary to wear lower garments when her genitals were equine and centaurs traditionally didn't wear bras, as evident by her nipples leaving bumps in her thin, tight blouse.

As she trotted down the neighorhood streets, Centorea missed the sign warning of a purse-snatcher in the area...