"Yahoo!" Black Star called out as he ran up to Soul and Maka in the less-than-crowded assignment hallway, where everyone looked on the board to receive their graded missions or 'assignments'. "We're back! Sorry to take you away from me for so long."

"Its fine Black Star." Maka said. "We actually just got back from a mission ourselves."

"Yeah, so keep your pants on, 'superstar'." Soul said as he nonchalantly walked over to the flashy 'superstar' and gave him a formal fist-pounding.

Black Star. The last remaining ninja of the Star Clan. He wore a sort of white-on-black Shinobi outfit, with white-gray trimmings and black boots. His blue hair was done up in a star-like pattern. But the only thing more obnoxious than his outfit was his attitude.

"Well, this 'superstar' is gonna surpass God one day." Black Star jerked his thumb towards his chest as a statement to his stardom. "Once I make my partner a Death Scythe by letting her eat 99 Kishin egg souls and a witch's soul, then I'll prove my stardom!"

"We know that, Star." A gentle voice came from behind Black Star. His weapon, Tsubaki. With her style of outfit matching his, but only with a more tan-to-black color scheme, and her hair done up in a ribbon-like ponytail, her beauty was only second to-

"Black Star." Black Star said dramatically. "The only name you need learn to get far in this world."

As the team was laughing and appraising Black Star, the loudspeakers rang in the hall, and a clownish voice rang out. "Team Albarn and Team Star to the Death Room, Please." The four exchanged looks of confusion fixed by nervousness.

"What could Lord Death want with us?" Soul said, raising his hands behind his head in a cool-kid fashion.

"Maybe he wants to admire my amazingness!" Black Star said with a pose.

"Whatever it is, it doesn't feel right." Maka said. She had that same feeling as from the night before during her and Souls Kishin hunt mission.

"One way to find out." Soul said, and he began walking down the hall, motioning for the others to follow. The group gave an approving nod and set off.

"Hey! Hey-a! Hi!" Lord Death said, clapping his big white blocky hands together. The big, black, angular mass with a skull mask and a ridiculous voice standing before the teams was the proprietor of the DWMA and Death City, Lord Death. "How's it hanging?"

"Well... you called us for something." Maka said.

"I'm sure he was just lonely without me-" Black Star's rant was interrupted by Lord Death bringing his hand down firmly on Black Stars head.

"No, Black Star. That is not what I needed." Lord Death said, bobbing around happily.

"So... What do ya need?" Maka asked.

"Hmmmm... I want to give you all something."

"What's that?" Soul asked.

"An expulsion notice." Lord Death chanted. At this, everyone stopped dead. The whole group collectively dropped their jaws as far as they would go. Lord Death just bounced around. "Just kidding. Ya ya!" Sighs of relief filled the room. "But seriously, I have a mission for all of you."

"Mission?" Tsubaki's ears perked up.

"Ya! A special assignment." Lord Death pulled his blocky hand out from under his black cloak, and threw them the photo in his hand. "This man has been spotted around the city a few times. But he doesn't show up on the registry."

"So maybe he's from out of town..." Soul suggested.

"Let me rephrase that: he doesn't show up on any registry." Lord Death said warily.

"How?" Maka asked.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Black Star said in confusion.

"It means that I checked with all the other Death Scythes that watch out for certain areas the world, and he's never been seen before anywhere." Lord Death explained. "No birth records, no family, no anything!" He snapped his angular fingers for effect.

"So he... doesn't exist?" Tsubaki asked.

"Ya! He didn't exist until a few days ago. We've received some eyewitness reports of him popping up around the city at random times and at random places."

"So... you want us to track him down?" Black Star said, raising his fist to his palm.

"Just bring him to me." Lord Death said. "I need to have a word with him."

"Got it." Everyone said.

"Oh, and Maka?" Lord Death called.

Maka glanced backwards. "Yeah?"

"Do be careful. Or else..."

"Or else what?" Maka asked.

"You might need a doctor."