The words that came from Shizuka’s mouth projected deeper than expected. He rehearsed this notion in his mind, but hearing it out loud in his assertive tone made it harsher than what was initially thought of. He instantly regretted the way it come out, but it needed to be said. Regardless, as selfish as it sounded, the Fullbringers were the Shinigami’s objective. They didn’t have a purpose in the end of goal of the Soul Society, as directed by the Captain Commander himself. Any potential upbringings or business decisions the Quincies had with them were of no concern to Shizuka. His intentions were clear cut, he needed them eradicated.
“Do you understand what you’re asking me to do?”
The Lieutenant saw the duress that hung onto Blume’s face after his statement. His own emotions wavered slightly. She began to stave off his grip and move away closer from him. Shizuka knew it was a telltale sign of a disagreement, but he needed to save face. Carry on the confidence that allowed him to speak with such force in the first place. He could obviously tell she was taken aback by such demands. Her once welcoming presence soon became confused, drawn away by the demanding words that he uttered into existence.
“Yes, I know it’s interfering with the business relationship you have but, we need to-“
BANG
Shizuka, so caught up in the emotional conversation with his woman, completely ignored the looming presence of the man who just bust into the manor with no regard for anything. The Lieutenant's elite level of sensory would’ve caught the trespasser from miles away, especially with the way his reiatsu was leaking from his soul. This just showed completely the casual effect Blume had on the Vice Captain. Whenever she was in his vicinity, even the world didn’t matter. He felt completely safe within her grasp, capable of surpassing anything. The only thing that he cared about was the beautiful and transcendent being in front of him.. Whether that would spell his utter downfall in the future, remained to be unseen. Though the issue of her bodyguard arriving at such a key time, proved to be more concerning for the two.
"Empress--”
Shizuka eyes immediately darting his eyes towards Dominic. The young quincy looking as if is his own life was in peril.
[“I was just attacked by a Shinigami Lieutenant and his troops. Unprovoked, they wanted to detain me and drew their blades. I… Don’t take kindly to that, it's like having a gun drawn on me so… I took them out. They are dead. These Shinigami are hostile now, we can’t trust them, especially one that is this close to you…”
Shizuka was dumbfounded, it was impossible to digest the words coming from Dominic's mouth without any blatant reaction. Shizuka loosened his grip from the Empress and reached to his side to hold a firm grip on his zanpakuto. The thoughts swirling in his head from Dominic's claim were, indescribable.
“Why were you attacked?”
“Why are you uninjured?”
“Who was the suspect?”
“How did you escape?”
All these thoughts plagued his mind as the quincy barged into the room, interrupting his spiel. Shizuka took a quick moment to fully survey, Karakura Town in his limited range. While hindered he could only sense the majestic reiatsu of Blume, but everything came full circle once he began to focus his technique. He sensed the presences of predominate forces, the likes of Saiko Junsui and 1st Division’s lone janitor Kiku Shunkai. Something was missing though, Lieutenant Katsuo Toshiyuki should’ve been stationed in the vicinity. His reiatsu was vividly clear, and brimming before he made his movements to Blume’s manor. In Shizuka’s mind there’s no possible way Toshiyuki-san would’ve been defeated so quickly without him noticing. His reiatsu would obviously flare up to an extent if he was facing an opponent like Dominic. Why was this transaction so quick? Shizuka needed answers, and the grip on his Zanpakuto tightened as he yelled to the young bodyguard.
“You took down a Lieutenant?! So quickly?
How is that possible?”
Shizuka was obviously distraught. The tables were going to be turned against him. Blume would most likely lose trust within the lone shinigami, and things would escalate to heights that it should’ve never reached. He still couldn’t wrap his mind around why any Shinigami would attack Dominic blatantly. The Captain Commander’s order were targeting humans in general, but it was mainly against the Fullbringers themselves. The Quincies were completely out of the question at this current moment. Anyone with knowledge upon the Soul Society's past would understand the threat of the Quincy’s true power. A power that fell a Captain Commander, and multiple souls of high ranking. If it weren’t for the great
Ichigo Kurosaki himself, there’d be no Soul Society to even exist in. Why would Toshiyuki-san start a blatant fight with a Quincy, knowing the consequences. If the Lieutenant of 13th did survive and killed Dominic, he’d break the thousands year long ceasefire. If he didn’t survive (Which Shizuka assumed) , Dominic would be blamed, and his entire race would be subject to hostility. Obviously though, the man at question didn’t care about any consequences. It seemed the only thing he was ready to do, was combat.
“What’s your order, Empress, I can’t kill this man if you don’t back away from him.”
“Tuh, assuming you could even do that.”
Shizuka always respected Dominic’s job, as well as his power. The Lieutenant was unaware of the power, the bodyguard gained over time. That didn’t stop his advance though, because Dominic was foolish to think he could even attempt to kill him when his own power had been flourishing for 100 years.
As Shizuka was ready to unleash his Zanpakuto, Blume relinquished his grip from him and ran towards Dominic. Shizuka, dropped his guard and released his hand from his Zanpakuto. Witnessing as Blume scurried over to Dominic to make sure the man was okay, caressing his face to make sure he was unblemished. Like a mother watching over her child. Shizuka was foreseeing his end in the equation, maybe the Empress didn’t need much to lose faith in the Shinigami. Maybe his faith in the woman wasn’t justified over years of their relationship. In the midst of this, Shizuka felt like a hopeless fool. The Vice Captain watched as Blume did a secure check on her bodyguard, making sure no scratch was found on him before sending him away to another room.
“You’re okay. That’s all that matters to me right now.”
“Stand outside. I’ll be fine.”
After waiting for Dominic to remove himself from the room, the two were left in an awkward silence. The young Hyouzoku couldn’t explain to Blume, what had transpired. For he did not know himself. His transaction with the woman caused him to be oblivious to the outside world. He couldn’t control what happened to his fellow Shinigami, much less what happened to Dominic. He was stuck in her submission, any leverage he had within the conversation all dissipated with Dominic’s arrival. He was in the wrong.
He watched as the love of his life paced back and forth,
away from him. He could tell she was still distraught from the news. All he could do, was stand silently and let the woman go through her due process. She finally made her way back to the shinigami though, but with a different energy. One that was more assertive and less forgiving. Shizuka could sense the parallel that struck him when he decided to meet her, to how she is feeling now. The Empress had made a decision, a mandate if you must. She gripped the Lieutenant’s shihakusho, pressing her forehead together with his own. Her forceful gaze, administering complete contact with his own gaze. He was completely under the woman’s subjugation.
“All your rules that you shinigami have set in stone, we have followed for nearly two-thousand years, keeping your balance in order and doing everything to keep the peace between our races because I know what people like me can do.”
She spoke no lies. Shizuka never wanted to say it out loud, but Blume had the capabilities of shattering the Soul Society’s elite easily. Himself included, within the massacre. She was a dominant force, but to him it was expected. Her power was reminiscent to what was told in legends, about the Quincy King himself Juha Bach.
“Tell me, Hyouzoku-kun...”
He was listening intently, nothing could interrupt the words she was about to speak to him.
“I have kept my promises for the last ten years. However, your men attacked one of mine, but I'm not making a spectacle as of yet. This can be an easy fix where both of us can get what we want... I can give you the information that you need, but I want him safe; I want my people safe. Can you do that? Would you protect me? Protect us?"
Her hands guiding his own, to her stomach. He could only assume one thing, yet he was hesitant to accept. There could be no possible way he—
How long ago did she—
It was important, but for the current situation he couldn’t be too distracted on that topic. Even though his heart beating with fear and excitement. With that type of deadly persuasion, combined with the love he already he had for her. He didn’t have much of a choice but to agree.
“Okay my love, I promise you and Dominic will be absolved from the situation. I give you my word.”
Ultimately as she made her mandate, he had already made his. He was going to walk the line between righteousness and order. All for the sake of the shinigami. He continued to rub on the stomach of his Empress, mesmerized by his own thoughts. After coming out of his trance, he made his final statement.
“The shinigami are probably in a scramble now, with what Dominic just did. Let me out through a secret way, so I can avoid suspicion from the Shinigami. When I retrieve my device, I need you to relay extensive information on these Fullbringers we need to track down. Also i’m going to need you to have someone deployable to help if we really get outgunned.”
He moved his hands towards Blume’s right hand and cusped them before lifting them up to his lips.
“You don’t need to do any work.”
He finished off his sentence, stealing a kiss from his beloved. Slowly waiting for the Quincy Empress to direct him to a proper exit.
