Chapter Nine: Worse Problems:

-July 11th, 2011-

7:35 a.m.

Tsuzuki got on the phone back to Ju-Oh-Chu.

“Hello?” Tatsumi asked on the other end of the line.

“Oh good,” the older shinigami said. “We’ve got a problem.”

“Yes, we’ve got the news this morning,” the secretary said. Tsuzuki rubbed his forehead.

“How bad is it?” he asked.

“Really bad. More and more bounty hunters keep showing up. The price for the high-risk souls are a nightmare.”

“Is it really half a million?”

“Higher.”

Tsuzuki’s eyes widened. “You’re kidding?”

“And the prizes increase every time you and Kurosaki-kun capture them.”

“Damn it! Who posted the bounty?”

“We’re working on it,” Tatsumi said. “In the meantime, keep looking for those remaining souls.”

“Right. Hisoka’s tracked down the next one already.”

“Anything else?”

Tsuzuki shook his head. “No.”

“I wish you luck.”

“Thanks. Goodbye.”

“No, I really mean it. I wish you luck.” Tatsumi hung up on his end. Tsuzuki stared at his phone nervously laughing.

Gee, thanks, he thought. Maybe, Hisoka had better luck.

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-Thirty Minutes Earlier-

Hisoka stood in the middle of Shinjuku. The morning crowds could not see him. The shinigami couldn’t sense Thanatos or Eros anywhere. Still, they weren’t the only ones to watch out for. How many more bounty hunters were out looking for the high-risk souls?

Hisoka adjusted his focus. Best to hurry and find the next soul in the district. That’s when he felt someone watching him.

Huh? Who’s there?

The shinigami’s eyes shifted left and right. People walked around in their daily lives. Hisoka battled their emotions inside of him.

Come on, where are you?

His eyes locked onto something, or someone, ahead of him.

It’s you.

A girl in all white stood across the street, staring at him. She trembled as the rain started to fall. Her eyes widened when she saw Hisoka staring at her.

You can see me?

Yes.

Wait, are you dead too?

I am a shinigami.

The girl took a step back. Are you here to take me away? The rain froze in suspended animation. Hisoka lowered his gaze.

I have to. You could kill innocent people. You do not belong in this world.

She began to shake. Why can’t you people leave me people?! The shinigami about jumped at her tone.

What do you mean? Who else is after you?

Strange men.

What do they look like?

The girl shuffled her feet in the puddle. Scary-looking pirates dressed in black.

And are you sure it was all men?

Yes.

And there were no women with them?

No.

How many where there?

Three. Suddenly, she froze. It’s them. They’re here. They found me!

What? Hisoka turned to his left. Three teenaged boys dressed in black stood, snickering.

“Found you!” their leader shouted. “Come quietly with us. You have nowhere else to run. We will keep chasing you down otherwise.” Their target panicked and took off running.

“Damn it!” the leader shouted. “Come back here!” The bounty hunters took off after the high-risk soul. Hisoka groaned and threw back his head.

“I don’t need this!” he complained. Still, the shinigami had no choice but to join the chase.