Chapter 7: "How does that sound?"

"She did what?" Madam jumped from her pristine chair. Her disturbed elegance is reflected by the marble floor. Smearing her disdain, discourse and her utter appall into the ground. She eyed up her options, clearly being worried. I mean can you blame her? As if she were a rubber ball, she darted back and forth. Back, worrying imagining the dire consequences, and forth. Back, realizing the council would be highly displeased with the situation, and forth. Back, the council will have her neck if she kills the ace of the grim reapers and fort. Suddenly amidts her ball bouncing, a tall, absurdly handsome figure makes himself apparent. 

"Madam, you called?" He was a bruting figure, a voice that could only be compared to smooth bassist butter. Ruby's eyes pricing the tension, with a long scraggly coat adorned onto him, which intern hid his mannered moonlit vest and tie, the color matching his long flowing hair, which only obscured minute parts of his face. A golden sheath hung from his waist, hiding a dangerous blade. He was the number one, the top dawg. He was 

"Number 1, looking as handsome as ever. I have an assignment. "

"Well, I may be beautiful, but never as true beauty as you, madam" He bows, a pure smile etched on his face. "I am, at your almost service"

Back to Nicola. 

Running through the cloud district. Both me and Akira were left gasping at what happened. Thoughts, fears, and ideas running through our minds. Running to the beat of our step. Why? Why would Shiori leave us in the cloud district? Did she betray us? No, it can't be, if she did, then why did we 

"Nicola? What's wrong? You've been wide-eyed for a while?" Akira asked, realizing that I hadn't taken a step. "Anyway, look there's a bar, maybe we can ask a way on how to get back. "

I wander cautiously into the bar, Akira wanting to stay outside. Eying all the cloud folk, rum in their hands, cheering, enjoying life. The bar was old-school, taking inspiration from ancient Romans, with warm stone slabs decorating the space, however, it was clear that it got a kiss of modern-day technology. Mood lighting, refrigeration. All the jazz of modern-day party nightlife.

I walked up to the bartender, my breath was stunted, my palms sweating, and my heart beating in six-fours. "Uh, excuse me!"

Her eyes darted before finally focussing on me. Her eyes were sharp, a poignant shade of sky blue. With long brown pigments of hair, which flew in the wind. She wore a suited toga, mixing the beauty of Greek goddesses, with the fitted chic of a suit shirt and blooded tie. "Oh it's you" She replied. Her voice is rough as sand, yet soft as if it were a calm desert under the night sky

"You know me?" I jumped, the sweat slowly drowning me.

"Yeah, madam frequents here all the time. And as of recent, she was rambling about this special child ."

"Anyway, we need a way out of the cloud district."

"Ah, away out. Sorry, only council members or grim reapers know a way out. Sorry kid. " I turned to leave, trying to hide my disappointment. I see Akira in the distance, just outside the door. 

"Anything?" Akira asks, I shrug he evidently starts mirroring my disappointment. 

"Hey, I didn't say I wouldn't help." The bartender chuckled, taking out a pocket watch from her pocket. She smiled.

And with a snap of her fingers, we disappeared from where we stood. 

Back to Madam.

"Reports just came in, things aren't looking good" Madam exclaimed 

"Specifics? " he asked. 

"Well, little missy thought she could take on Taurus by herself."

"Really?" He laughed "That's my sister for you!" He laughed once again, this time much boisterous 

"Remember if things goes, too sour-"

"I know, I know. Don't need to tell me"

The pristine door bursts open flooding with three notable individuals 

"Know anything about these kids madam?" A night desert sky-sounding voice boomed from the door.

"Ah, you finally found them, Irene? " Madam said, a mixture of relief swelling down her throat. She rushes to Nicola, still dazed and scared from the sudden teleportation. 

She holds Nicola, as you would a scared lost child, glaring deep in his violet eyes. "Nicola, dear I need you to save the reaper girl?, how does that sound?" 

Nicola, shied away from her gaze, as it became too apparent, to intimate. "Okay, I will." He mutters under his breath 

"I'll bring your friends, and number one. Just tell me when your ready" She lets go off Nicola, standing by her desk in preparation. 

"I have a question first?"

"Yes, what is it?" The boy thinks for himself, a single thought forming in his head, yet...

"Never mind, I'm ready to go." Madam smiles, knowing with their odds, the Taurus demon will finally be taken out. After millennia, after body after body. This is their one chance, Number One, the best of the best grim reapers, Nicola the first of his kind, and Akira?

"Alrighty, this will take a while, get ready now." She said. 

"Are you okay with this Akira? " Nicola said, expressing concern, as he never had gotten into a fight till now. And still, they do not know the threat of the Taurus demon. Akira nods, his deep trust in Nicola lighting a fire underneath him, his eyes lighting up. Gripping the devil's weapon which he still possesses in his bag. 

"I'll tell you if anything bad happens alright?" Akira said a careless smile etched on his face.

"Pleasure to meet you, Nicola." The man with a golden katana said, reaching out a spare sword towards Nicola, as he was still unarmed. " So you're the one my sister was entrusted with. " He stood proud, hands on his hips, a manly boisterous ear-to-ear grin, a grin so wide it became partially disturbing how someone can smile that widely. "And I thought he would be bigger!" He laughed, this enthusiasm leaking to Akira and Nicola. 

"Okay boys, 10 seconds left, before you get shot back to the ground district," Madam yells

The three finally prepare, Nicola places his chunky headphones on, playing no music yet. Akira stretches, the clicks of his body being followed by odd sighs of relief. Finally, The number ties a blindfold. completely blinding him. 

"Hey, why do you wear a blindfold?" Nicola asks Number One. 

"Wha?" He says as they start being beamed back to the earth district.

Within the blink of an eye. They were there, back at the front of the school gate. Shiori stood proud, her body bruised, beaten, and burned. Yet she still stood through gritted teeth. The man was their too, his body bruised, yet still lit a flame.

I need to kill this demon