Intuition

At the moment, Nikki's evening gown's compatibility for straddling William's motorcycle was the least of her concerns. He was driving rather fast and the way they had to lean into the curves forced her to have a tight hugging grip on his waist. She had to exert effort to not be overcome with giddy pleasure at having her arms around him for the first time. She simply took a moment to enjoy it before making a mental note to document it in her journal later. They were on their way to one of the main streets in Death City and so far the streets they passed were unusually empty for a Saturday night. William slowed down when they did manage to spot citizens who were running in the opposite direction. Nikki held her hair over one shoulder and looked around. There was nothing they could see that would cause mayhem.

William came to a stop in an intersection and addressed a passerby who was following the few they had passed before at a quick pace. "Hey, what's going on? Why are people running?"

The older man only looked behind him and pointed with a rasping, breathless shout. "Kishin monsters!" With that he kept running out of sight around a corner.

Nikki looked ahead. "That way?" At that moment, the students were met with a powerful wind that raced between the buildings and a blinding light that came with it. William shielded his face and Nikki ducked behind his shoulders. And just as suddenly as it came whistling down the streets it was gone again. Many blocks ahead the light faded back into a shrinking dome that retreated behind the tall buildings.

William stared where the light had disappeared to and where the wind had come from. "That was Grim's soul wavelength."

"You're sure? So, he's out here?"

"I'm sure." He torqued the throttle and sped away down the street again—but not far. William hit the brakes and his bike went sideways as it slid to a screeching stop at the feet of a tall pinkish-gray skinned monster that leapt down in front of them. It met the students with a hissing slurp, a long black tongue reeling back into its unholy maw. William quickly shuffled away from his fallen bike with Nikki and stepped back. "Shit."

The beast took a step forward, its neck stretching forward with a series of audible pops.

"What do we do," Nikki clenched her fists and set her feet apart, her instincts telling her to prepare to fight though she wasn't sure whether that was the smart thing to do without her meister.

William eyed his motorcycle, gauging his chances of picking it up and escaping. However these chances were snuffed out like a candle with the beast stepped over it with a menacing growl. "Turn into your weapon form."

"You're going to—" Nikki was cut off by the Kishin mutt's lunge forward with a swipe of its claws. The students jumped out of the way.

"Now!" He struck out his hand to her.

Her frosty eyes flicked back to their engaged opponent before she jumped up with her body glowing. She spun into his unfamiliar hand in her sleek shuriken form as her light broke away. William immediately swung her, slashing at the monster's face when it lunged again. It angrily returned with another swipe of its claws, which William deflected by holding Nikki like a shield in front of him. The Kishin minion leapt onto the corner of the nearest building and scrambled across the wall like a gecko and its tongue struck out like a slithering black spear. He held the shuriken up again to block the attack though it sent him sliding on his back over the cobblestones.

"Ah!" Nikki's blade began to bubble with a silvery purple film. "Gah, what is this? Is it black blood?"

William hurried back up to his feet. "No. I think its saliva is acid."

"Well, quit using me as a shield and use me like a shuriken!" She growled, her reflection near his hand that gripped the hollow center bearing blood on her forehead.

"Lay off, I'm not a meister!" He swung his arm and her blades sliced the demon's tongue when it lashed out again. It squealed in pain and sharply backhanded him, this time tossing him into the other building. William grunted with the breath was shocked from his lungs. Before he could even try to stand up to counter, the beast clapped its hand to his front and pinned him against the brick and pressed Nikki against the wall with his arm, too. It leaned in close and opened its jaws lined with deadly teeth. "F*ck, hang on, hang on," He let his arm begin to glow, hoping to slice through the giant hand that trapped him.

Before his arm took the form of his black blade, a yellow ball of light crashed into the Kishin monster's side and sent it rolling in the street. Dr. Stein stood in its wake, his fist crackling with his soul wavelength.

"Professor!" Nikki shouted from her blade in relief.

"William," He swiped off his glasses and stuffed them in his pocket and held out his hand to him.

There wasn't time to argue. With a glance at the beast that had picked itself up and was now bounding back towards them in rage, he took his zanbato form and let his light fabricate the handle in Dr. Stein's grip. Before the light had completely left his form, the scientist leaned into a mighty swing.

Christian leaned a little closer while the music still boomed around them. He hadn't let his smile down since they had started dancing and it seemed to make a difference. He put his chin in his hand and gazed into her cerulean eyes. God, they looked so beautiful with her bright red hair, which really was a perfect mix of orange and strawberry. He could name a shake after her. It wasn't until after he saw her eyes change that he realized he must have said that out loud.

"A shake?"

He blinked while his stomach finished doing a somersault. "Yeah! I was thinking about your hair. Really, I was." He figured honesty was probably the best way to go this time, though the problem may be that she wouldn't believe him. "It's like orange and strawberry."

Thank God she giggled. "Really?"

"Yes. I would… love an orange-strawberry milkshake. That… just sounds really good." He cringed internally, trying to avoid words like 'yummy' or 'delicious' long enough to get off this topic.

She nodded, still grinning. "It does sound pretty tasty."

Okay, she said it first. It was fair game. "Yeah, it really does." In the moment she kept watching his eyes and he kept watching hers, his heart started to beat faster. Was it an opportune time to try to kiss? He wasn't sure. But he knew he wanted to. He opened his mouth to test where else the conversation would go and see if he could get to a better kissing range, but he was cut off by his heartbeat again. This time it wasn't out of excited anticipation. This was anxiety. Panic and worry. Nikki's face came to his mind's eye and he sat up straight.

Odette blinked. "What's wrong?"

The blonde looked around. "… Where's Nikki?"

She looked around their vacant table then to the dance floor. Kian was showing Rachele and Katy some basic swing dancing moves and Tim was helping himself to the refreshments again. "I don't know. I don't see William either."

His chest started moving visibly under his vest. "Something's wrong."

The redhead wrinkled her brow. "What?"

He stood up. "I'm sorry. I really really want to continue this conversation but… I godda find my sister." He started towards the door.

She stood, too. "Christian, I'm sure she is just doing her own thing. I know William is so maybe he just took her with him."

"Something's not right, I think she's in trouble." He rushed out, slinging his jacket over his shoulder and disappearing into the hall.

She followed him and stopped at the door and looked after him down the hall. "How do you know?"

"It's a twin thing!" He hollered as he raced down the steps.

Odette sighed before taking off her heels and tossing them in the floor and running after him.