No pursuit!

“Baba is a criminal?!”

Contrary to my startled reaction, I wasn't that shocked by the wanted poster. I’m familiar with what this rabbit is capable of doing. However, the amount offered for him is excessively high. The person who issued this needs to reconsider their priorities.

“We need to act fast!” urges Tenchō, unusually anxious. “They don't play around, Ru. If they catch him before we do, our chances of saving him will be slim to none. They are ruthless, vicious monsters but are trained to be both meticulous and discreet. We would never find—”

WENWENWEN!

Tenchō is interrupted by a deafening megaphone blasting on top of a hideous yellow-fluorescent pickup truck covered by wide flame stickers on the sides. It cruises in front of us at breakneck speed. I read the bold letters printed on the front and rear doors:

“Wanted? Not for long! Our five-star reviews don't lie! Call this number if you notice suspicious behavior!”

To our horror, at the back of the truck, Baba is unconscious in a small cage.

“Baba!" I shout.

“Get in!”

Tenchō suddenly appears before us inside the bakery’s van. How he managed to pull that off in an instant is an enigma. Trying not to think much about it, I carefully placed the collapsed Yada in the backseat.

“Why are you coming with us?!” I ask as I spot the emu sitting on the other side.

After fastening my seat belt on the front passenger seat, Tenchō immediately takes off. So fast that my body is pulled back against the seat.

We are in a high-speed pursuit of the rabbit nappers. Right and left, up and down, the boss doesn’t let the truck get out of sight. I’m getting so dizzy that I’m about to throw up.

“Someone is tailing us, Bro!”

“They must want our catch! Don't worry, I'll lose them!”

They led us through increasingly narrow streets and even areas where cars weren’t supposed to go. Down flights of stairs and through hanging clotheslines, trying to throw us off. We entered high-traffic roundabouts, but Tenchō's driving skills allowed us to navigate around the cars and keep them at bay. Eventually, we crossed a bridge and began traveling through mountainous paths.

“Jackson, get the cannon ready,” Tenchō asks, glancing at him through the rearview mirror.

The emu nods in agreement and sticks his head out the window. He frowns and takes a deep breath, pulling as much air as possible into his lungs. He seems immensely bloated.

“Now!!” Tenchō orders.

Acting as a machine gun, the bird projects bread and cake from his beak against the car we are pursuing. You would expect a powerful blast, but that wasn’t the case. The projectiles wouldn’t go far and fell flat, barely reaching their car.

Luckily, a single cupcake lodges itself in the truck’s wheel, causing it to swerve until it skids, overturning against a sturdy pine tree. A thick cloud of smoke obscures the outcome of the crash.

Out of the fumes, two hefty men emerge, coughing but completely unscathed. They both have matching mohawks and are wearing black leather jackets, with chains coming from their belts, pockets, and shoulders. One is holding the cage containing Baba, who is also unharmed.

Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, they are close to their destination. In the middle of the woods, a towering skyscraper was just a few steps away, and they could easily walk into it.

“Stop right there! Bounty and Hunter… I should have guessed you were the ones behind this!” Tenchō speaks in English, a skill I wasn't aware he had.

The duo turns around, smiling grimly.

“Please, save your English. What an honor! The legendary bounty hunter stands before us, Ten “Destroyer of the Wretched” Chō! Word on the street is you once apprehended a criminal using only a pencil. One day, things went south, and you wound up losing your leg. I thought you had quit this life. Eh… As expected, you don’t choose this life. This life chooses you!”

“You are mistaken, Hunter. I’m just helping a friend. Please hand over the rabbit. You don’t want to do this the hard way.”

“I'm just doing my job like everyone else! Stop talking like we are the bad guys here! We are the ones hunting these diabolical sinners, society’s biggest scum! Take him, Bounty! I'll be enough to take care of him.”

“Go! I’ll keep this one busy!” Tenchō proclaims.

The emu carries Yada on its back as I run alongside him. The other rabbit-napper had already entered the building when we reached the automatic doors.

“Welcome to the Bounty Hunter Association. How may I help you?”

“Our pet rabbit was taken inside! There must have been a huge mistake! Sure, he's a petty thief, but not a horrendous felon. Please let us in!”

“I’m deeply sorry. I'm afraid I can’t let you in without an appointment or a Bounty Hunter Membership Card.”

Security seems tight, and a forced entry would be a big mistake. Isn’t there any other way in?

“Emu! L! Jackson! Am I seeing correctly?” A sinister man in a suit approaches us.

Does everyone know each other around these parts?

“Good morning, Director!” The secretary bows.

“How dare you show your face here—” He walks aggressively toward the emu.

We’re doomed, it’s the end. Haha… Sorry, Baba. Sorry, Yada. I did my best.

“—Only now? Why didn't you visit earlier? And where's your amusing friend? Hai, was it? Such a delightful little girl! That night in Australia, while completely inebriated, she patiently listened to my awful brand-new business ideas. I kept asking if they were any good, and she answered, “Yes!” to every single one. And guess what? I'm even richer now because of them! Tell her she has my utmost gratitude! Please do come in and have a drink!”

“Pardon me, sir. Could I have your attention for a second?” I frightfully ask.

“Sure! A friend of Jackson’s is my friend, too!”

I explained the situation as best as I could.

“Indeed, I recall the elimination of an uncanny offender was scheduled for today. It's happening as we speak. I can use my authority to halt it until we look further into it. If we’re quick enough, we may be able to get there in time! Come with me!”

We followed the director, who hastily strode across lengthy corridors. We took a private elevator reserved for VIPs to reach the top floor faster. There were over thirty floors, and the time between each felt infinite.

When we finally arrived, the director opened two gigantic iron doors. The room was pitch black, but in the distance, you could see Baba's cage ready to be dropped into a giant shredder.

Yada was awoken by the emu dropping her on the floor. He tries to charge at Bounty, who’s standing in the center of the room with his back turned on us, but is blocked by security.

“Stop the machines!” pleads the Director.

It was too late. Before he could finish, the cage was dropped into the shredder and was destroyed.

“Nooooooo!”

Yada's piercing scream permeated through the silence. We all stood there shocked.

“It’s over… He’s dead… Baba is dead… He was a real pest, but I never wanted something like this to happen.”

Yada is shaking uncontrollably. She starts crawling towards Bounty with killing intent.

With his back still turned on us, looking at what he has done, he begins to talk.

“When we were children, my brother and I were so poor that we lived on the streets. Most people treated us like trash. They’d beat us up, spit on us, and even steal the little we had. We swore revenge, especially from the most detestable beings on this Earth. That's why we became bounty hunters, to exterminate the worst of this society. No villain shall be forgiven.”

He pauses for a moment.

“Although… In those days, there were some who treated us as equals. A pack of stray dogs. They were kind and shared food with us. They slept beside us on cold winter nights. So, we promised never to harm any animal. We couldn't do it. Hunter told me to exchange the rabbit for a stuffed animal before handing it over.”

He turns, holding Baba in his arms. A snot bubble in his muzzle bursts and scares him, waking him up. He wasn't even unconscious all this time. He was just sleeping!

“Not to mention we played poker with him and lost, so you know what that means…” Bounty adds.

“Wait, what does that mean? Well, it doesn’t matter. I'm so relieved! Baba is alive!!” I express.

When Baba sees Yada, who is already getting close, he starts fussing and releases himself, jumping to her.

Unexpectedly, she propels herself from the ground and gets up to grab him in her arms before falling again.

“Baba!” she tenderly hugs him with tears of joy.