Shadows & Mirrors // f.hargreeves fanfic

:::: Forty-Four ::::

Muffled voices were the first things that Nova heard as she drifted back into consciousness. She hoped that she had only been out for a few minutes. The blackout hadn't been from a need to heal any physical injury but more from her using entirely too much power at once. Protecting five people from a blast like that had sapped her energy and left her running on E.

"If you're ordering a pizza for the love of God do not get mushrooms on it," Nova groaned as she pushed herself into a sitting position. Someone had apparently moved her from where she passed out in the lobby because as she looked around she realized she was in one of the tacky hotel rooms.

"See?" Luther gestured in Nova's direction before doing a double take. "Nova! You're awake, how are you feeling?"

"Like I got hit by a bus," Nova deadpanned before she noticed Sloane watching them carefully with an ice pack wrapped around her arm.

"At least you're still breathing," Sloane muttered and Nova tilted her head in confusion.

"Who stopped breathing?" Nova asked.

"My siblings: Alphonso and Jayme and Manuela," Sloane responded bitterly but Nova could see the tears in the woman's eyes.

"Manuela's not dead," Nova said with a frown on her face.

"What is this some sick joke? Of course, my sister's dead! We checked for a pulse and everything," Sloan exclaimed angrily.

"Just wait, it's only her first death, it may take longer for her to gain the strength to revive herself," Nova responded dismissively.

The girl really didn't have the energy to explain the whole immortality thing to Sloane who was probably about to throw some sort of tantrum. Instead of waiting for Sloane to respond Nova pushed herself off of the couch with another groan as she stretched her stiff joints. Without another word, she began to make her way out of the hotel room.

"Nova wait!" Luther suddenly exclaimed and Nova paused her movements. "You can't leave. What are we supposed to do with Manu?"

"Leave her there," Nova shrugged before she suddenly remembered who she was talking to. "Just come get me when she wakes up and please do not lock her in a cage like you did to me that one time."

"Hold on, you did what?" Sloane screeched and Nova couldn't help the slight smirk on her face as she left Luther to deal with the repercussions.

::::::::

Nova didn't really have a destination in mind as she roamed the halls of the hotel. The only person she actually wanted to talk to wasn't even there. She couldn't help but wonder if Five and Lila had finally caved and killed each other. Anxiously the girl chewed on her lip as she thought about it. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to encourage those two to go to the Commission together with no buffer.

"Well, it turns out it did have a price, Dad, and that price was $35 for meth, thank you very much," Klaus's dramatically condescending voice snapped Nova out of her thoughts.

His voice was coming from down the hallway. Upon further inspection, the girl found her friend leaning against the doorway of a random hotel room. A maid's cleaning cart blocked her from entering the room. However, that didn't stop Nova from peering over the cleaning supplies to see Stanley dusting various items in the room.

"Laundry duty doesn't sound that bad," Stan shrugged.

"Well, it is when you know what your brothers do into their socks," Klaus spits out bitterly before taking a swig from the tiny mouthwash bottle he was holding.

"Ew, what are you two even doing here?" Nova interrupted as her nose and eyebrows scrunched up in disgust.

"I don't know if you've heard but Diego's spawn nearly burned down the hotel lobby," Klaus began to explain.