Anii was already waiting for Damian when she saw him walking up the stairs. "How is your grandfather? Is he stable? I haven't been told anything other than we are in a state of emergency due to these recent coordinated hollow assaults. Captain Unohana told me not to worry but I can tell that things are not normal right now."
"He is stable but will be out for some weeks. If anything, my father Dokvaro is more shaken up. But it will take more than that to kill a Captain of the Gotei 14." Damian responded with a hint of pride in his voice. Anii merely nodded. "Are you called back to duty? Do you want to go on a walk and talk?" She reached out to him and he took her hand then dropped it after a moment.
"I just came to make sure you knew what was going on. I suppose telling my grandfather about our relationship simply has to wait after the insanity that happened. I was going to talk to Captain Sutiramaru but he can wait until morning as there probably isn't anything he doesn't already know about the situation. A walk sounds great. Lets go."
Non-Bleach Universe, Dominik's POV:
Dominik was staring at the ground waiting for his father to begin speaking. Surely this is some kind of elaborate joke... but Dominik's line of thinking was rapidly approaching one conclusion. Either his father knew kido and somehow wasn't a Shinigami from Bleach, or he was. And deep down Dominik hoped it actually was true, because it meant he could possibly be a Shinigami. What anime fan would pass up superpowers? Especially from their favorite anime?
Although Dominik knew that being a soul reaper was not such a simple and carefree task. It is a tough, dangerous life filled with violence and death. A far cry from a day job or only having to worry about basketball practice and college coursework. Not something to be taken lightly- essentially you are joining a military organization for the rest of your life and could get eaten by a hollow or killed in some kind of civil war (Aizen shenanigans) or some Quincy empire seeking revenge.
"Your mother and I came to this place through a strange portal- almost like a naturally occurring Senkaimon or Dangai precipice world. In truth it still boggles both of us, as such a thing should not exist. Originally we thought we just ended up in our World of the Living. Oh man, I can remember just how many times I raised my sword and said "Unlock". But nothing happened. I never felt any sort of connection- it was as if the world had just stopped working."
"Luckily, I can still communicate with my Zanpakuto whenever I meditate and I can still release Shikai, but there hasn't been any reason to ever do so. As far as your mother and I know, there are no Hollows in this world. At least no spirits that I can see."
His father sighed and looked out the window again. Dominik suddenly heard a knock on the door and assumed it was his mother. Sure enough he heard her voice. He got up and strode quickly to the door and opened it to see his mother standing there with a pizza in her hands. "Brought food since we are going to have a long night ahead of us. Your father texted me and told me tonight was the night we told you everything. I hope you wait to judge us until after we are done explaining."
Dominik simply remained quiet and took the pizza and put it on the coffee table and his mom sat next to him on his right. His father looked somewhat greedily at the pizza. "All right, Anii! Meat lovers from Papa Johns huh? Not bad!" Dominik couldn't help but grin at his fathers attempt to lighten the awkward atmosphere. Suddenly his father looked at him with a stern face- a fake stern face which would always make his son laugh. "What's so funny son? You think this is a joke? Pizza is no laughing matter. All soul reapers are taught how to eat pizza properly and with reverence."
Dominik stared as his father and for about ten seconds both men simply stared hard at the other. Then Dominik couldn't take it anymore and laughed first. His father laughed and then took a huge bite of a slice. Anii just shook her head and got up to get some drinks from the fridge. "You're both idiots..."
Bleach universe:
Damian and Anii began walking out of the Seireitei. The two planned to visit Anii's old house in North Rukongai District 9, Yukiyama. Damian was somewhat on edge because his last mission had been here, but he had slain the Adjuchas seemingly in charge of the group of Hollows and no word from the area suggested anything else after he had come back to the Seireitei.
Of course, his soon to be wife was pregnant and although she could still perform Shunpo, and Damian was no fool to think she was defenseless, it would be best if she did not exert herself in a fight. If any danger arouse, no doubt she would prepare a powerful Kido and he would charge in, no taking any chances. Regardless, Damian just wanted a break from everything in the midst of the troubling past few months.
A hollow powerful enough to seriously injure a Captain is no joke. And the Head Captain was furious, his voice had been professional but his eyes and demeanor suggested the old man was livid. An old enemy of his...
Anii and Damian moved quickly in the air heading over District 1 North Rukongai continuing through until they saw the large bridge over a small mountain that served as the natural border from District 8 to District 9. A few minutes later, the pair made it to a large village area next to a major river.
The large wooded area near Anii's old village was kept safe. The village was nestled in the border area closer to District 8, composed of roughly five thousand souls. Anii was somewhat of a legend in the village as she was the only one to become a Shinigami in an entire century from the village, especially as she was a high ranked officer. Damian spotted a young girl run up to Anii and hug her.
"Aunt Anii! You're visiting!" An incredibly beautiful, teenage-looking brunette girl with big brown eyes ran up to the pair where she had been picking weeds around a garden. The young girl then looked at Anii's torso and saw how far along she was. She was not Anii's actual niece but Anii had known her since she was a child and had acted as an older sister/aunt figure before she had to leave when she finally chose to go to the Academy. Damian also spotted a man roughly a hundred feet in the distance who was smoking a pipe and watching the river.
The girl put her hands on Anii's stomach. "Wow! You're going to have a baby!" She then looked at Damian and bowed. "Hello sir, are you Aunt Anii's husband-" The man who had been smoking and watching the river suddenly appeared and interrupted the girl. He was a middle aged-looking man wearing overalls and work clothing and he strode up to the trio wiping his hands off on a towel. "Raja, dear. Give the woman some space. You folks here for some food? Heard there was some trouble in the District regarding Hollows. Anything the village should be made aware of?"
Damian and Anii recognized the man, one Arko Lujiamoro. Arko was essentially the leader, or at least the most powerful man of the village, as he owned half of the businesses and had lived there for four centuries. He was the de-facto "mayor", if such a position existed. "Hey Arko. Just off for a walk. We have extra Shinigami near the middle of the District in the trouble areas, monitoring it closely. Hopefully nothing to worry about, should get resolved sooner rather than later."
Damian hated not being able to divulge the full truth to the man, but he could not risk some sort of panic that would spread like wildfire about soul reapers not able to do their jobs properly.
Arko grunted and then began walking off towards the river where a boat of traders and supplies had just arrived. He waved over his shoulder and Damian saw Anii tell Raja she promised to spend time with her soon. The couple then entered the main general store of the village and purchased some food and camping supplies before making their way northwest towards the huge forest.
"How is that girl doing? Does she still want to become a soul reaper?" Anii sighed and looked at Damian. "Well, as much as I want to try and talk her out if it, she does have at least enough spiritual power to become an unseated member at some point. If she wants to I wont stop her, but damn if she wont get chewed up. She is too nice and trusting, and I fear for her because of that. You know how people take advantage."
Damian nodded and understood her hesitation. He also expressly understood Anii's protective nature towards the girl, considering she no doubt saw herself in her. "If she does, she could always join the fourth division. Assuming you aren't too hard on her-" Anii then interrupted him after a scoff. "If she proves herself and passes the Academy and joins my squad, ill go ten times harder on her than anyone else. I won't let her fail. Not out of hatred but out of love. She is the beating heart of this village, and I know her grandmother would never forgive me if I didn't try and teach her."
"Anii, you can't control everything at once. Don't blame yourself even if something did happen to her. I know- she knows that you would do everything you could to take her under your wing. Might just want to keep her away from boys, though." Anii's already naturally pale complexion possibly went whiter, thinking about how many "suitors" the pretty girl would have in the future. "Don't remind me..."
The couple walked at a leisurely place for roughly half an hour before coming to a nice clearing next to a waterfall with a great view of the river. An incredibly gorgeous piece of nature that Anii had often tried to paint pictures of, but her artistic abilities, despite Damian calling them "great" were painfully average in her opinion. Damian started a fire with a kido spell and starting roasting some of the meat he had bought from the store.
"What's on your mind honey? Is it Raja? She will be okay. Arko is a good man, he looks out for her and lets her work at his main restaurant as a waitress. He makes sure that she doesn't fall into the wrong crowd or meets the wrong man. You know that."
However, Anii just kept staring at the river. "No no, its not that. I know that. Its the baby, Damian. I am scared of how to raise a child. Its just crazy, and I'm not sure I'm truly ready to do that. I want to, but at the same time, I'm just so afraid that something bad could happen, or that I wont be a good mother..."
Damian sighed and stood up and hugged her from behind. "I'm terrified too. But we both just have to try and be damn good parents. Raise him right and all that."
Anii then laughed and looked at him. "Him? Yeah right. What if its a girl?" Damian scoffed. "I bet its a boy. But what if its both? Twins maybe?"
Anii's face grew horrified at the thought of birthing twins and she yelped. "Don't say that! Augh!"
Damian just laughed and went back over the fire and took a large chunk of meat and began eating it. "You barbarian! At least cut it into smaller pieces!" Anii exclaimed and walked over to sit down on a log opposite Damian as the man laughed and took a huge bite.
Eight hours later, Fourteenth Division Captains Office:
Captain Raian Sutiramaru was currently eating but he wasn't really hungry. He sat at his desk and stared at the plate before pushing it aside and staring at the paperwork in front of him. Eight dead squad members in a single month. Its insanity! What is really going on here? Are the hollows really that organized? His rushing thoughts were interrupted by someone knocking on the door.
Raian's heart skipped a beat, normally someone knocking this late meant there was trouble. "Come in. What is it this time of night?" He saw his third seat walk in. "Takeo? What is it?"
His third seat just sighed and sat down on the couch. "Sorry to bother you this time of night, but I just cant sleep. I feel like I need to keep moving, need to be fighting, just doing anything other than sitting here. This hollow situation is getting out of hand and truthfully, I am afraid the longer we are unable to stop this ringleader figure it will keep getting worse. Any new information come in today?"
Captain Sutiramaru sighed and looked out of his window at the full moon. "Nothing. I don't know whether that is a good or bad thing. Truthfully, I agree with you. I await orders to move out any day now. Just have to be patient." The Captain then got up. "How about a chess game?"
Takeo sighed. His captain loved chess and was always asking his members for games, but Takeo had nothing better to do tonight. He made his way over to the cabinet and pulled it open. "Sure, ill get the board."
Four hours later, Vuokufaia Estate:
Dokvaro Vuokufaia quietly got up from his bed as to not disturb his wife and slowly made his way to the private study. His mind was incredibly troubled due to recent events but he did not show it on his face. It was still the middle of the night but he was going to be extra busy the next few weeks as he was essentially in charge of the Seventh Division for the time being. This meant more paperwork, and he was already behind.
His wife Raya wanted him to get more sleep but sleeping was for dead men as far as he was aware, because that is what he would be if his father found out he had not done everything to keep the squad moving at a steady pace and staying on top of their duties. And for now that was paperwork. He sighed and went to the kitchen to get some water as it would be a long night. He nearly grabbed the large bottle of Sake instead but thought better of it.
He sighed as he sat down at his desk being careful not too make to much noise and began working. His mind drifted off a few minutes later to the situation with his son and his girlfriend, and wondered how his father would take the news. Probably best he told Damian to hold off for a while, although he knew that it would be disheartening news. Something good like a wedding would be the perfect thing in this time of darkness, uncertainty, and possible war.
Earlier he had talked for hours with his brother, Mako, the fifth seat of the 1st Division, of the situation. Mako had taken the news of his fathers injuries a bit harder than Dokvaro, and Dokvaro felt responsible towards his younger brother.
Mako had not blamed him nor said anything to suggest it but Dokvaro still felt guilty, he felt weak. He was the damn heir of a legendary noble house, and the second in command of an entire Gotei division, but he could do nothing but stand there and fail to destroy his enemy, the one who had nearly cut down his father in front of him.
He nearly punched the wall in his rising anger but kept his cool. Breathing in and out he got dressed quietly and left a note for his wife, and made his way back to the Seventh Division Barracks.