Chapter Four- I Promise

That night, it was hard for Nova to sleep. He kept remembering how he saw her get hurt and then, without seeming to think about it, he had jumped from that high roof and started running. He had absolutely no idea why, because she had specifically told him not to do just that, but he couldn't not do it.

Aira was laying down, fast asleep, in the 4th Division as her wound healed. She had Nova cuddled in her arms as she breathed slowly and dreamed vastly. Her dreams were different than they had been before. One was a nightmare about Nova being crushed by Ichinose right in front of her eyes as he ran towards her. Another was about him finally showing her his face. And the final one was horrible.

Nova, in his human gigai, being torchured by someone without a face. She didn't know who this person was, his face was blotted out by the dark shadows, but she could see how he constantly beat Nova, over and over again. He kept him alive, probably knowing that even if his gigai died then Nova's soul would still live. Nova was bruised and bleeding on the ground as she ran for him. He reached a hand out towards her before both him and the other man disappeared.

"Nova!" She screamed. "Nova! Come back!"

She screamed it over and over, hoping and praying that somehow he would come back to her.

But her eyes suddenly opened and she saw the boring interior of a 4th Division patient room and Nova's little turtle face looking at her with a worried look in his little eyes.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" She laughed dryly as she sat up and rubbed her acheing head.

Nova jumped onto her lap and looked up at her. "You kept saying my name."

"Oh." Aira covered her face with her hair, a bit embarrassed. "It was just a dream."

When she laid down, Nova jumped up and sat on her chest. "You dream about me?"

"Of course." She smirked as she patted his head. "I dream about everybody. Now, come here."

She grabbed him and cuddled him again before closing her eyes.

Nova was confused, but he closed his eyes as well. And with her steady heartbeat in his ears, he fell asleep.

~^.^~

"Captain!"

Hisagi ran towards her as she walked towards the 9th Division headquarters with Nova on her shoulder, full healed.

"Yes?" She asked as she turned.

"The Bounts have gotten past the gate our Division was guarding." He told her.

She stopped breathing. "Is everyone alright?"

"No, ma'am." He shook his head. "They're all dead."

Aira growled to herself. "No one kills my subordinates and gets away with it."

She turned back to Hisagi quickly.

"Alright, Hisagi." She said. "Thank you for the information. I need you to go to the 4th Division and see how many of our men are injured. Got it?"

He nodded. "Yes, Captain."

He turned and ran for it.

When the Hell Butterfly flew up, Aira was plotting exactly how she was going to gut those God-forsaken Bounts.

She looked up at it instantly.

"All Captains are to be on guard for Bounts wandering through Seireitei. By the information we've gathered, Captains have the best chance to beat them in battle. Additionally, the 9th and 10th Divisions will be in charge of circuting through Seireitei and hunting down the Bounts. That is all."

Aira smiled to herself. "Looks like we got a job, Nova."

She lifted her finger to her ear where her headset was. "Hisagi, change of plans. Meet me at the 10th Division."

"Yes, Captain." His voice answered back.

When they got to the 10th Division, Hitsugaya and Matsumoto were getting ready to move out as well.

"Are your people organized?" Shikyo asked them.

"Yes." Hitsugaya answered with a nod as Hisagi walked up. "Yours?"

"My people are always organized." Aira smiled. "I'm not messy like you."

Hitsugaya sweatdropped.

"Hisagi, I'm putting you in charge of communications with the separated squads." Aira told him before turning back to Toshiro. "I'll take the west half if you've got east."

"Got it." He nodded.

"See ya." She threw him a peace sign. "Let's go, Hisagi."

Nova was about to fall off Aira's shoulder as she jumped into the air. They only stopped when they were on the west side of the Senzaikyu.

"All squads report in." Hisagi said when they landed on top of a building close to the 13th Division headquarters.

Aira sighed as Hisagi listened to them, her eyes scanning the grounds.

"All squads are good, Captain." He told her.

"Ah, good." She wiped her forehead. "It sure is hard to jump so far when you can't gather Reishi under your feet. That's one of the things I liked about the real world. You can jump as far as you want and walk on air."

Hisagi smiled at her. "I would carry you but-"

"There's no time for flirting, Hisagi-kun." She pinched his nose. "I do believe we have a case of soul-suckers infecting the walls of my beautiful Soul Society."

Nova poked his head around her neck and gave Hisagi a "look."

"What is that thing?" He asked.

"It's a Bount sensor." She said, plucking Nova off her shoulder and petting his head. "His name is Nova and he's my new favorite turtle."

"That's nice, Captain..." Hisagi raised an eyebrow at her.

"Don't go thinking I'm crazy, Hisagi." She advised him. "We're way beyond that."

"Yeah-" He started, then stopped speaking, listening to his headset. "Captain, Squad three had encountered a Bount just north of here. What do you want them to do?"

"Stay idle until back-up arrives." She told him. "No exceptions."

"Yes, ma'am." He nodded as he redirected the order to the squad.

"Let's go, Hisagi!" She demanded as she jumped off the roof and began to sprint down the path.

He followed her as she ran towards the site.

When she got there, her men were scattered across the ground, moaning in pain. She groaned.

"Did I not say stay idle until back-up arrived?" She asked them, putting a hand on her hip.

"She attacked with provocation, Captain." One of them said.

"She?" Aira hit a hand on her head. "If it's that blue-haired chick again...Hisagi, I want you to get these guys to 4th Division. I'm gonna go after chick-a-dee. Did you guys see which way she went?"

The concious ones all pointed further west than they already were. She nodded before taking off.

"Nova can you sense her?" She asked the stuffed turtle on her shoulder.

"I've got her." Nova said.

"Where?" She asked frantically.

"Lost it." He sighed. "Wait, I have it again."

"Where?"

"It disappeared again." He told her. "Wait, it's-"

"Where?!"

"No, I lost it."

Aira grabbed Nova off her shoulder and held him tightly in front of her face as she skidded to a stop.

"Are you screwing with me, Nova?!" She yelled.

He shook his head as he blushed and hid his face in his shirt.

"What good are you when you-" She stopped and took a deep breath, loosening her hold on him. "It's okay. It's okay. Sorry, Nova."

"It's okay." He told her, still hidden.

"Where's the last place you sensed it?" She asked him quietly.

He poked his head up and pointed right.

She smiled before placing him carefully back on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you back there, Nova." She said as she ran. "I have a very bad temper."

"That's okay." He said quietly.

As they ran past numerous buildings they were both silent. Aira's eyes probed for the Bount as Nova held onto her shoulder tightly.

"Wait!" Nova suddenly yelled.

But it was too late.

They were both thrown back as something crashed into the ground right in front of them. Aira reached frantically for Nova before they both slammed into a nearby wall, hearing the crack of the stone resisting.

"Nova, are you okay?" She asked him as he brushed himself off. He nodded and she brought herself to stand. "You stay right here. No moving this time."

Nova nodded as she limped to her feet and stood to stare into the flying dust.

"I know you're there!" She cried.

"Oh, do you?"

It was the same voice of the woman who had attacked Rukia, and when the dust began to seperate, Aira could could even see the long dark blue hair billowing in the wind.

"Hey you." Aira smirked.

"Hey right back." The girl smiled.

"I see you recovered from last time." Aira taunted. "Did it hurt so bad that you want to attempt revenge?"

"Revenge isn't my thing." The blue-haired Bount smiled. "You just seemed to have some strong Spiritual Pressure, so I figured I'd drop by and test my strength."

"Hmm." Aira hummed. "Well, I'm sorry to tell you, but you've already failed."

"Really?" The girl giggled. "Well, may I ask your name, teacher?"

"I'm Captain Airashii Shikyo of the 9th Division." Aira stretched lazily. "And yours, old woman?"

"Yoshi." She sneered. "But names aren't important in the end are they? You're still going to die."

"We'll see, Yoshi-chan." Aira licked her lips.

Yoshi jumped for her, but Aira dodged it with a quick flash-step and brought her hand down in a sharp chop on Yoshi's back. Yoshi's body hit the ground with a crash, breaking the ground underneath her.

"Slow, slow, slow." Aira crossed her arms. "I'm a very impatient girl, Yoshi-chan. If you're so good, then kill me already."

Yoshi hissed. "I was just going to beat you bare-handed, but now that you've pissed me off, I won't be so nice."

"Yari, yari, whatever shall I do." Aira said sarcastically.

"Come out, Nieder." Yoshi demanded.

Suddenly, Yoshi held a sword in her hand, connected to a jian with an extending chain. She held the jian forward and the fan back. Aira quickly observed that the jian was her offensive weapon as the fan was most likely defensive.

She laughed.

"You think those little things can beat my Denkihime?" Aira crossed her arms.

"That's rather insulting." The jian commented.

"I don't like her." The fan added.

"Oh, they talk?" Aira raised her eyebrow. "That's a little creepy, but okay. Come at me, Yoshi-chan. I'm waiting."

Yoshi was suddenly behind Aira, and Aira smiled. She drew Denkihime and blocked the attack from the back as she whirlled around. Thier blades meant and Aira smiled.

"You're pretty good." She said.

"As are you." Yoshi answered.

"May the best win." Aira bowed her head slightly.

"I intend to."

Yoshi cut back before striking numerous times. She was trying to get past Aira's defenses with no avail. Her cuts were quick but had no power behind them, at least none Aira couldn't handle.

Soon, Yoshi stepped back and fell into a defensive position. She struck again before Aira fainted to the left, hitting the open spot in Yoshi's defense and slicing her side open.

"You need to be quicker." She told the girl seriously. "I know you have power, but you need to take it and concentrate it into your strikes. Hitting over and over again will do nothing but make you tired faster."

Yoshi growled as she gathered Reishi particles, healing her wound completely.

"Impressive." Aira commented. "But it will do you no good if you have no energy left."

"I don't need you to tell me how to fight!" Yoshi yelled.

Suddenly, her right arm was covered in some kind of armor. In her hand were six glowing yellow jians.

"That's more like it." Aira smiled.

Yoshi threw all six of the swords at Aira and as Aira blocked them, Yoshi jumped for her with another jian in her hand. She flipped over Aira and sliced all the way down her back diagonally.

Aira cried out as she felt the warm blood trickling down her back. She growled as she turned on the Bount.

"Alright, that hurt." She said harshly. "Hidoi shi, Denkihime!"

Denkihime glowed a light blue for a second before Aira released her full reistsu. The ground shook with the power of it, almost knocking Yoshi down. Nova was thrown back against the wall and rubbed his head as he fell behind a rock, blocking the Spiritual Pressure.

Yoshi stood up straight before she charged at Aira. Aira jumped into the air and kicked at Yoshi, who was too slowed down by the high Spiritual Pressure to dodge.

Yoshi was knocked to the side, but quickly stood.

"Sutoraki, Denkihime!" Aira yelled.

Yoshi's eyes widened as she quickly switched to her defense. The fan grew armor on her arm and widened into a shield bigger than her own body.

Aira glowered at the fan as it slowly closed.

"My Nieder is inpenitrable." Yoshi called.

"Guess that's true." Aira sighed. "Oh, well."

Aira ran for Yoshi and they both collided with Yoshi's jian after Yoshi switched to offense. Aira struck from the side as Yoshi went to the other, breaking through Aira's defense and cutting up her shoulder. Aira was thrown towards the wall, close to Nova. She had crashed through it, dust surrounding her as the once cracked wall was crushed into peices.

"Aira!" Nova called as he ran towards the hole in the wall.

Yoshi laughed. "You see? You Shinigami never give up. You'll never win."

"That's exactly right." Aira's voice called from the dust. "We never give up."

She jumped from the hole and pushed Nova back with her foot. "Get behind those rocks."

"But-"

"Now, Nova!" She demanded.

Nova obeyed and climbed through the hole into the other side of the wall.

"Well, well, well, Yoshi-chan." Aira lifted her head to look at the Bount. "Looks like you have a little more power than I expected."

Yoshi's eyes narrowed at the Captain and Aira positioned her sword in front of her face.

"Bankai." She whispered before thrusting her Zanpaktou behind her. "Jouchaku..."

She twisted the blade forward, towards Yoshi before crying out. "Soshite Denka, Denkihime!"

Yet again, Denkihime scattered into thousands of little electrically charged blades. They surrounded Aira and gave her a certain glow. Nova, who was peeking around the wall, couldn't take his eyes away.

"Wh-what?" Yoshi starred at the particles with wide eyes.

"Take care of her for me, Denkihime." Aira said as she bowed her head and closed her eyes.

Denkihime swirled forward as Yoshi put up her shield. But the shield didn't surround her entirely. The blades went around her shield and made contact from the back. Yoshi's shield fell away as she was held in mid-air, electrified.

"Denkihime." Aira looked up.

Denkhime came back to her at once.

Aira walked up to where Yoshi lay on the ground, black with electricity.

"Sorry, but I really can't let you leave like I did with that Ichinose kid." She said softly. "I'll give you one last chance to stand and defend yourself."

Yoshi cried out as her jian appeared in her hand and she stood.

"Denkihime, shokku sukoshi." Aira said.

Denkihime charged at Yoshi. Yoshi tried to block, but there were too many of them. They sliced at her skin and sent electric shocks through her blood.

"Well, it's over." Aira sighed. "Too bad. I was having fun."

Yoshi lay on the ground, obviously finished.

Aira held out the light blue hilt of her Zanpaktou. "Come back to me, sweetie."

Denkhime gathered and formed one blade.

"I'll make this quick." She said as she raised her electrically charged blade over her head.

She brought it down swiftly and it went straight through Yoshi's chest. Yoshi cried out as she began to glow green with a slight blue tent.

"Bye bye, Yoshi-chan." Aira withdrew her Zanpaktou and sheathed it as she watched the green pieces of Yoshi fly up into the sky."

Aira turned back to the wall and grinned at Nova. "Thank you for staying there this time."

He climbed over and ran towards her.

She leaned down to pick him up, but fell forwards. She landed on the ground with a groan.

"Itai..." She muttered.

"Are you okay?" Nova asked as his soft little cotton hand touched her face.

"Yeah, I'm good." She nodded. "Gotta get back to 4th Division. I'm spending way too much time in that place."

"You should quit getting hurt." He advised as he climbed on her shoulder when she stood.

"It's what I live for." She smiled. "Hey, you seem a lot more talkative when you're a stuffed turtle."

He blushed and hid in her hair.

"I take that back." She laughed as she shook her head. "Still as shy as always."

They walked up to the 4th Division, Hisagi visable outside.

"Captain!" He called.

Several of the men he had brought earlier turned to her.

"Captain." They said in unison as they kneeled down on one knee.

"Our apologies." One of them said.

"We shouldn't have let her escape."

"Doing that would be disobeying my orders." She said as she ruffled one's hair. "It's okay."

"Did you find her, Captain?" Hisagi asked.

"Yep." She smiled.

"Did you kill her?" Hisagi questioned further.

"No, Nova did." Aira sweatdropped.

"Who's Nova, Captain?" A subordinate asked.

"The stuffed turtle." She said, holding Nova in his face, who waved slightly. "And it was a joke. Of course I killed her."

"Oh." The same one blushed.

"Captain, can I ask you why you have a stuffed turtle?" Another asked.

"Cause he talks and he's just so darn cute." Aira pinched Nova's cheek and he blushed.

"He...talks?" The same one said, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, duh." She smiled. "Say hi, Nova-kun."

She held Nova forward and he raised a hand in greeting. "Hi."

Aira placed Nova back on her shoulder as her subordinants gasped.

"Well, you guys get back to searching." She told them. "I'm gonna go get this cut off my back."

She skipped forward and Hisagi gasped. "Captain, your back is all torn up!"

She looked at him over her shoulder. "Really? I really didn't notice."

"It looks like it cut into your bone." He commented, getting a closer look.

"Oh." She peeked over her shoulder at her back a little before grinning. "No biggy. Barely even hurts."

She walked forwards and into the 4th Division.

"You lied." Nova said to her.

"What?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

"It does hurt, doesn't it?" He asked.

"Hurts like hell." She shrugged. "But you can't let them know. It might discoarage them, and we don't want that."

Nova nodded. "You really should be more careful."

"Don't get worried." She nudged him with her head. "I'll be fine."

He sighed.

He decided from that moment, that no matter what he had to do, she would be the first one he would protect. He didn't have much power, certainly not as much as her, but he would find some way to save her. Somehow.

She wouldn't die if he was there.

~^.^~

Aira hugged Nova one last time as the gate opened.

Kariya was defeated and there wasn't any reason for him to stay anymore. They were all leaving now, and she would be left alone again.

"I'll miss you." She told Nova.

He blushed.

"And even though you won't say it," She smiled at him warmly. "I know you're gonna miss me, too."

He nodded before she hugged him again.

"Bye, Nova." She whispered. "I look forward to seeing you again."

She handed him back over to Chad and gave Chad a hug, too.

"I'll see you later, Chad." She told him. "Be safe."

"I will." He said before he turned.

As they left, she felt something inside her go with them. Not only with Ichigo and Orihime and Ririn. But especially with Nova.

She had missed being with him, if only for a day or two. She had felt comforted with him by her side. Sure, she'd pick on him and make him come out of his shell, but she did that all so she could be with him.

Aira bit her lip as the gate completely disappeared. She sighed before turning back. A part of her wished the gate would open again and he would come running back, but she knew he wouldn't.

So she kept her head held high as she walked all the way back to the 9th Division, think of how wierd it was to fall in love with a stuffed animal.