(REWRITTEN) The Super Nova

Chapter 4: Gather

A week had passed, and there was an event. Every patient for sanitization was getting put into one big group. It was just a check up, probably since the second month is almost up.

"Wake up Nova. You have somewhere to be."

Maya shook Nova awake. Her voice was loud so Nova heard. When she stood up she felt dizzy. She almost fell down. After a minute Nova felt confident enough to go. Maya walked her down, and when they arrived she sat in a folding chair. Tons of other sanitized were there. For a little bit, they were able to talk to other people. Nova didn't know until that one girl came up to her.

"Hey Nova! How's it going?"
"You know my name?"
"Yeah, you don't remember?"
"No."
"What about that time when Octavio was fighting that inkling when he kidnapped Callie?"

Nova suddenly knew who she was.

"And I kept running in your room."

Nova was going to respond but someone yelled for everyone to shut up and sit down. They went around to everyone sitting. When they got to Nova, they held her arm up and checked the yellow wristband. It said Nova ___. Then they looked at her eyes, and her tentacles. They nodded and moved on to the next person. It was just a check up.

Maya took her back to her room. When it was getting closer to night, Maya left. Nova got out of bed and made sure no one was around. For some reason they didn't lock the doors. Nova went out and walked around. She avoided any area sanitized octolings would be. After a few minutes, she saw two figures walking. They stopped after they might've noticed her. She couldn't see who they were but one had a pink ink color and the other had a yellow ink color.

The metro was cold. 3 and 8 felt alone, but that feeling quickly went away once 3 heard Marina speaking through the hero headset. For a second, they heard someone walking around barefoot. They continued walking but slower. They got closer to a corner and saw someone peaking around the side. It was a sanitized. The yellow wristband they had on showed their name. But they were just barely too far to see it. Before the sanitized left, 3 only saw the first letter. N.

"That might've been her."

8 was shocked. She used sign language to speak back.

"Then you were right about her being sanitized."
"I know. We have to get back before that third month then."
"You need sleep. I'll tell Marina and Pearl. Then we'll help make a plan quickly."
"I've done fine without sleep for a few days."

They started walking back.

"Weeks. But still, you need more sleep and to eat a little more."

3 rolled their eyes.

When they got back to 3s apartment, 3 immediately went to sleep (8 made them) and 8 told Pearl and Marina.

They started making a plan. Well, Pearl and 8 were. Marina was busy looking through octarian files trying to find Nova. It took a while but she finally found it. It said by age 13, she began to act different than she had before. One event that may have caused this was the Spicy Calamari Inkantation being heard. By age 16, she disappeared. The last person she talked too being a close friend. Marina showed 8 and Pearl.

"That's barely anything."
"I know. I wonder why..."

In the morning, 3 finally had gotten the sleep they needed. Everyone else didn't get any sleep but were energetic.

"Nova!"

Maya burst through the rooms door.

"A doctor is coming to see you in 5 days"

Nova nodded. Then brought a calendar up to her face and counted 5 days ahead. It'd be almost the next month by then. Maya brought Nova breakfast that she didn't eat. When she left, Nova looked at the shades on the table. They were all black with red outlining it and a red dot over the left eye. She couldn't see through them so she put them back. Then, Nova opened the ink tank and reached her hand in to see what was inside. Her finger touched it and she immediately took her hand back and closed the ink tank. It burned for some reason.