Summary: Why can't Nova come out of his gigai? When he goes to see Urahara, after almost getting killed by a weak hollow, about his defective gigai, he learns something that may change his little modified life forever. What happens when a mod soul becomes more than just a mod soul?
Pairing: NovaxRangiku Motsumoto
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters. Though, I do own Nova's cute little green heart
Note: For those who may be confused, his name is Nova, not Noba. The only reason it's pronounced with a "b" in the Japanese version is because "b"s and "v"s sound alike. If you call Nova, Noba, then you should also call Lirin, Ririn, because that's how it's pronounced in the Japanese version. See where I'm getting at? Ririn isn't her name, and Noba isn't his.
In Chad's apartment, Nova had been put in his stuffed turtle for the night and sat next to his gigai. He didn't require sleep, nor did any of the other modified souls, so he was content on making sure nothing happened to Chad while he slept. For most of the night, it was quiet, giving him time to daydream about the well-endowed woman he had grown accustomed to zipping his mask to.
Her sparkling eyes and charming attitude would have made his heart thump… if he had one. Even as a modified soul, he had emotions and could feel pain, or at least, something that resembled pain. Right now, he was feeling that pseudo pain in the very core of his little green pill. She could never love something like him.
Suddenly, a light shone across Chad's window. It came again. And again. Curious as to what could be disturbing the dark, Nova climbed onto the bed and peeked outside. The light came and Nova found himself blinded.
"Nova? Nova!" Striking green eyes shot open to the face of Chad. Carefully sitting up, the bewildered mod soul looked down at his gigai. How did he get into it? Had Chad put him there? But he would've remembered… right?
"How did I get into my gigai?" Nova looked up at Chad, who looked just as confused as Nova felt. A shrug was the only answer he needed for now. A knock on the door signaled the start of a new, busy day. Orihime and Claude had come to get them to go to Urahara's place.
The door opened and Orihime smiled sweetly, Claude hanging in his usual place at her hip, "Good morning! Hope you slept well, Chad." She glanced at Nova and tilted her head, "Why are you in your gigai? It's just a casual meeting, right? Is there something I didn't hear?"
"No. I woke up and found him like that. We're going to ask Urahara about it." Chad said simply, receiving a half-hearted grunt and nod from Nova.
"Hmm?" Claude looked at Nova's face, which seemed a little tired and worn, "Are you alright, Nova?" The red-haired boy just zipped his mask, not happy that his emotions could be read so easily.
The group hadn't even been walking for 5 minutes before a hollow decided to show itself at the near by park. It was already turning out to be a bad day. Chad released his arm while Orihime readied her fairies. Not wanting to be useless, Nova jumped to the top of a telephone poll to pull its attention away from a wandering soul. Fortunately, it worked. Unfortunately, a strange feeling in Nova's midsection made him hesitate. Just as the hollows claw was coming down to cut him from his perch, he teleported away. When he appeared again, it was only a few feet from where he had originally been. The claw not only sent him flying into a wall across the street, but also left two gashes in his clothes and skin.
"Nova!" Chad called to his friend, before shooting a punch right at the hollows mask, breaking it easily. Soon after, he was at Nova's side, pulling him from the rubble. The masked boy was obviously shaken. The pain he felt just then was different, but he couldn't say why. He actually felt as if he could've died right there. He was feeling fear, as well as pain.
"I-I'm fine."
"That's not like you, Nova! Is your gigai acting up?" The odd purse at Orihime's side flailed with consern. With a little support from Chad, Nova stood straight, holding his hand where the hollow had cut him. It stung and there was more blood than usual.
Putting her hands to the clips at the sides of her head, Orihime stepped forward, "Let me heal your injuries quickly."
Again, Nova whispered, "I'm fine."
Urahara's shop was only a few minutes away now and Nova was relatively sure he'd be fine, at least, until they got there. Then, Urahara would be able to repair him.
As the group arrived, they found that everyone else had been there for quite some time already. Ichigo and Lirin, Ishida, Renji, Rangiku, and Yoruichi were all sitting patiently around the table… mostly. Almost immediately, Lirin started squaking, "You know, it's very rude to make people wait like this! We've been here for who knows how long-"
"10 minutes." Ishida said, looking at his watch.
"Shut up, four eyes!" Lirin barked back, "Anyway, as I was saying-" She became quiet, as did everyone else, as Nova came into view, "Oh dear… what happened? Did you run into a hollow?"
Chad helped Nova to the floor and looked to Urahara, "Urahara-san, can you look at Nova's gigai? I think it's dysfunctional."
"Ah, it can't be helped…" The blonde man stood and walked around the table, kneeling next to the injured mod soul, "First of all, let's get you out of this gigai." He tapped Nova's chest with the end of his cane, watching for the little green pill to fly out of his back. It never came. Suddenly, Nova's eyes widened and he leaned over, blood spewing from his mouth and onto the floor. Her clutched at his chest, coughing and trying to catch his breath.
"Nova!" Many people called out his name and came to his side.
Urahara stepped back, rubbing his scruffy chin, "Well, now, that's quite interesting. Ichigo, take him to the back room so I can give him a full check." In a matter of minutes, the barely conscious Nova was laying on a futon in the back room, Urahara sitting at his side with a few strange tools. Nova's mask was removed, as was his shirt.
The group waited impatiently for any news, all of them staring through the open, rice paper door. Different noises of understanding and curiosity came from the shop owner. Finally, he stood, covering Nova's body with a blanket after wrapping his wounds. Everyone was holding his or her breath.
"Well, as far as I can tell… other than the non-life threatening injuries from the hollow, he's a perfectly healthy boy." He grinned. Everyone let out a sigh of relief and sat back.
Yuroichi stepped up beside Urahara, "That is to say…" The group became tense again, waiting for the news…
"He's human."
Please R&R!
