Talk To Me Bud [Liltotto, Solomon]

"..Thank you very much."

She was at her usual quiet corner cafe, having done due diligence to call ahead a day or two before she intended on coming by there; while they were used to taking her larger orders, she always made sure to tip extremely well and give as much a heads up of them as possible. Her training and work had kept her away from most enjoying things, but she was willing to give herself an excuse this time; apparently one of her younger colleagues wanted to meet her for something.

Solomon.. She'd done some field work with the young man before, she remembered him well enough. Seemed like a good kid, so she was perfectly fine with meeting up with him to talk, having given him a date, time, and place, all the fixings of an arrangement of course. He was also one of the Vandenreich combatants against that arrancar, she remembered that hospital visit pretty well. Maybe wanted to ask about how to improve himself or something, a subject she was willing and able to chat with him about if it came to that, but she'd let him conjure that himself.

So she waited, sitting at a table and already eating some croissants.

When presented with an opportunity to learn from an established warrior who had seen her fair share of combat, Solomon knew it would be utterly foolish to let this opportunity pass him by. Compared to a veteran like Lukas, who was irritably insufferable, Liltotto was someone the Sternritter actually viewed in a favorable light.

He was grateful to secure the opportunity to speak with her, to learn the tools of the trade, and see where he could yet improve in his repertoire of techniques. Since the hospital visit, he had been planning to meet her for some time, and after securing a suitable outing for the both of them, now was the time to meet up with his fellow peer. After preparing himself for the day ahead, he quickly made his way to the cafe. His stride was quick, purposeful, as he arrived within moments. Pushing the door open politely, his azure gaze observed the nearby surroundings until his eyes locked onto the familiar woman at the table for two, enjoying a croissant. Placing in an order at the register, Solomon headed towards the table, taking the unoccupied seat as he smiled at the woman.

"Given how busy things can get, I didn't think I'd get to secure a meeting with you like this. How have things been Liltotto?" He had ventured to perhaps extend formalities, but even in their meetings prior, she never really struck him as a woman who engaged in the song and dance of formality. Thus, he engaged her the only way he know how. A genuine man with a genuine spirit. Outside of all that Richter nobility, that was the side he enjoyed displaying the most.

She was absentmindedly chewing at one of the pastries in one hand as she scrolled through her phone with the other, til her eyes did a momentary peek to see who entered the shop, calmly raising a hand in wordless greeting to the young man as he'd pick her out from the patrons and come, gently motioning to sit across from her. Her jaws parted and the delicate bread vanished past her sharp teeth - no point in savoring it anymore if she was about to chat with somebody, as good as it was even cold.

"Ah sheesh, quit acting like you're sitting with a celebrity or whatever, it ain't that big a deal," She seemed slightly flattered by the sudden tick in warmed hues on her face, "Just a plain ol Sternritter just like you, I don't mind having a sitdown with anybody. To answer your question though... Meh, could be better."

She'd shrug, digging through the large bag at her feet for another pastry, placing it on the plate in front of her and gradually working at it. Maybe she should reccomend this place to Inanna.. Kids like sweets right?

"So, what's on your mind? Hit me." Lounging in her chair, she'd point at him with a slight fingergun gesture.

"Heh, I suppose so. Still, it's nice to share your company in a setting that doesn't involve the typical duties we Sternritter engage in."


Solomon chuckled quietly as he shuffled his feet, running a hand over his hair. Perhaps he really was approaching her like a celebrity, but that was almost to be expected. Though he was certainly prideful in his own skills, he held a great measure of admiration for those who shared his lot in the Sternritter. Liltotto was of no exception. If anything, he quite enjoyed her casual nature about everything. She was older than all of them, with history that traced back long before he was even conceived, and yet the personality she commonly displayed was decidedly laid-back. It was a breathe of fresh air, all things told. As the waitress brought him his coffee and a large piece of Tiraimasu, Solomon brought the heated cup to his lips, taking a light sip of coffee before he placed the cup to the side. Right. He did request her presence for a reason. Where did he begin?

Clearing his throat, Solomon would pinpoint the most pressing matter.

"Well, I'll be honest. I've since learned to temper my emotions concerning the battle with Ichigo Kurosaki, but as you well know, I'm not nearly at a level to say I could be of genuine use to my companions should such a threat appear again. My peers told me that not even our strongest would have been enough to defeat him, but still..." He trailed off a bit, gazing down at the cup before his gaze grew determined, staring back at her. An expression clearly representing how grave a matter this was to him.

"I'd like to grow stronger, to learn more so I can better protect those around me. As someone whose seen their fair share of battles, I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions. Quincy techniques, battlefield strategy... anything you are willing to offer. If you teach, I will learn. To start, let's talk about Blut. My reishi absorption and Hirenkyaku have improved significantly, but that skill seems to elude me so far. I know the barebone mechanics and utilize it well enough, but no more than that..."

A gentle cringe formed on her face at Solomon's despair toward the situation as her teeth sunk into her food, though she quickly willed it to vanish. She understood the feeling too well, having not been present for the invasion and having worked herself to physical wear to make up for it, practicing the Quincy techniques she had held in nothing but pure knowledge til now. Her lacking in the capability for spellcraft only further frustrated her in her push to diversify her skill in any way she could. She didn't appear capable of growth in more conventional ways, how limited she felt currently just adding to her depressive state, but Solomon's situation was nowhere near as complicated as her's. She certainly could share something that'd help him.

"Don't feel down about that, from what i've gathered you, no, everybody fought their hardest against that thing," She'd place a reminding hand in front of him, "No need to get down, that was practically like trying to stop a nuke from hitting, and turns out, you guys managed to minimize casualties and damage. Who knows how fucked up things would've been if you weren't already pretty up there in strength - City could've fallen into the ocean and everyone would be dead, worst case."

She'd catch herself, leaning back with a sigh, "Sorry. Don't mean to sound so depressing when i'm trying to be encouraging. I kinda suck at motivational speech."

Hearing the man out, she'd hmm a bit at his words. He really was curious of a lot.. Though she wasn't sure if she could answer all of that unless he was specific enough - thankfully he seemed to start off on an easier foot than anticipated; Blut.

"Oh, that's not too hard. Ya just gotta exercise it. Blut's like any other technique - you just gotta keep pushing yourself to use it and over time the reishi networks in your body will develop with use."

She'd tilt her head, "Your really should focus on practicing one system at a time, though, especially if you've only got the bare basics down. Pick the one that suits your way of fighting best, and use the other as a supplement to it until you get better at switching between and using them. I'm sure there's training facilities for practicing either at whatever level you need."

Solomon understood the intention behind Liltotto's words well enough. It was quite similar to what all his other peers had told him. To even combat with him well enough to avoid absolute destruction was all they could have hoped for. Her nuke comparison was exceptionally accurate. He was a mobile instrument of destruction who would have stopped at nothing to have what he desired. No matter how stubborn he was, he had enough mind about him to count his blessings.

"No worries, Liltotto. You're just being honest. I understand that. Inspiring speeches aren't quite my forte, either," he humored before settling into the mode of listening ears as he received instruction. Her answer provided helpful insight into his theoretical approach. In her words, Blut was something akin to a muscle. For one to truly enjoy it's finer nuances, they had to exercise it, work with what ithey specialized in most, and go from there. So far, Solomon had only ever used it defensively. He couldn't recall a time where he mixed it in with his offense. Perhaps a spar was in order to test that out. One system at a time. Locking that into memory, Solomon nodded thoughtfully.

"One system at a time. That makes sense. Work with what I specialize in most. To tell the truth, I've only ever used it reflexively to defend myself from anything I find particularly dangerous. I like the idea of mixing Blut Arterie in tandem with my offensive repertoire. I'll certainly have to try it out."

Solomon would take a piece of tiramaisu with a fork, leaning against the chair to think of another question. The thunderous sternritter had contemplated broaching the subject of archery. Even in his adult years, ranged combat was not particularly his forte. He could direct his bolts of electrified reishi as though they were arrows, but certainly no more than that. Compared Al'in or Cyrus, his archery was painstakingly porous.

"You've engaged in your fair share of battles, Liltotto. Based on your experiences, what did you favor most? Settling into the default archery of your peers or some other means of combat? As you've seen before, I am... no bowman. Archery isn't my strong suit. Primarily speaking, I rely on my swordsmanship and reishi manipulation, but it's certainly something I've been working on... at least in my own way."

Of course, his own way was still nothing close to a true archer. He would create pillars of electrical energy, coat his sword in it, and thrust it forward, launching it forward like a bolt of lightning. Yet, it lacked the measured focus of a quincy archer's arrows.

She saw the thoughts tick behind Solomon's eyes with her advice, laughing softly with his decision to try to mix the two, "Just pace yourself. It takes a lot of individualized practice with either or to eventually use both properly. You'll hurt yourself forcing it; just start with what you're comfortable and then get into the uncomfortable later."

Tearing the cinnamon roll she got out into smaller, squished pieces, she'd eat the shreds one at a time as she let the young man hit her with anything he'd like to know, before his sentence made her slowly stop her pace, teeth lightly pressed on a piece of the sweet dough before finishing and having a bit of a look to her face, eyes suddenly to the side,

".. I mean, there isn't really a thing I favor, exactly," She'd shrug as those experiences came back to her, "Most times I was fighting for survival, not fun when I was younger. I don't enjoy fighting, but I treat the need to with respect. It's like... Ah... A knife. If you're careless with it, you'll hurt yourself, but if you're too hesitant to use it, you're depriving yourself of an important tool. Oh, actually, that's a good thing to have in mind - knowing what tools you have at your disposal. I know plenty well i'm not gonna be throwing explosive hits, but I can outsmart, outspeed, and outlast others."

She'd softly nod, "Keep your soft skills and your hard skills in mind, especially if you wanna work on yourself. Like, for instance, I took up archery coz I didn't have any methods of long distance attack, and i'm too physically weak to risk anybody getting close to me. Well, short of biting them, but I avoid doing that unless there's no other option."

Soft skills and hard skills? Solomon leaned against the chair, studying the words with a thoughtful expression. Her words held quite a bit of merit, to be certain. His swift rumination confirmed that there was no particular flaw in her advice. As a whole, he hoped he was honoring her time by approaching this studiously rather than adhering to the train of thought a rookie might typically fall prey to - that is, blindly following direction without truly registering the content that might lie beneath the surface.

If Solomon were to describe himself from a battlefield observer's point of view, he would swiftly declare that the majority of his techniques could easily be categorized as hard. In battle, there was nothing soft about his approach. Like a raging thunderbolt, he pursued his enemy with unrestrained ferocity. Of course, he sincerely wondered if his relentless aggression in battle was sustainable.

Not every enemy would meet him in an all-out clash. Not every battle would be one in direct combat. To adapt to the unpredictable, to open himself up to a myriad of possibilities - that ought to be the approach moving forward. That was, in no uncertain terms, why he sat here now trying to learn the tools of the trade from a veteran like Liltotto.

"Well, perhaps it is crucial that I start incorporating a soft skill dynamic in the repertoire. Archery seems like the ideal route, but perhaps I'll apply my own version of it. I've hardly practiced with a bow in years. In fact, my initial issues with bow formation is technically why I fight with a blade now," he commented, a derisive grin forming along his lips. He leaned forward with a curious tilt of his head.

"Given that you've fought as much as you have, would you recommend stepping out of one's comfort zone? As a warrior, I believe adapting for every scenario is important. Conversely, I think fighting to one's strength is equally conducive to victory. What's your opinion, Liltotto?"

A slightly defeated sigh escaped her lips, not in that she was disappointed in him but rather that her words were mistaken. Good god these younger guys just wanted to rush for a bruising, her thought nothing but fond. Waving her hand slightly, she'd shake her head,

"No no; when I say soft skills, I mean the stuff you do with your head and your self. Hard skills would be like.. Yeah, sword wielding, spellcraft, stuff like that. You don't gotta pick up archery just to fill the void in skill, you just need to pick up something you'd actually be good with.. Like.. Umm..."

She'd place her index finger on her chin to the thought, eyes lazily scanning the ceiling before ending the thought with a snap and point gesture, "Throwing it. Knew a couple guys like you in the past, better with melee than ranged fighting; the most common solution was just forming a weapon they could throw and really fuck up their opponent. Sure they aren't as numerous as arrows could be but.. It's something."

She dwelled on the thought a bit longer, trying to remember her old colleagues, "..Yeah there was that one guy who made his weapon split into arrows mid-throw but I think that's a bit tricky to pull off if you aren't super great at manipulation and direction.. Aim goes to pure dogshit I think was the outstanding issue with that? Kinda not worth the extra effort if only half the arrows hit the target instead of one big "arrow" hitting them."

A look of surprise dawned on her face, "Oh, crap, I kinda went wildly off subject didn't I? Well, to answer your last question... Go out of your comfort zone if it makes sense. Don't waste energy on random garbage that you aren't sure of, but also don't let your skillset stagnate. You'll get predictable if you aren't careful with your cards, and now's a terrible time to be overly presenting."

She'd go through another bite of her pastry, looking down at her hands on the table, her tone suddenly shifting to a much grumpier one, "Shit, why do you think I didn't show for that dumbass tournament? Might as well give a detailed dossier of my strengths and weaknesses to the next shitbrained hollow I fight."

Judging by Liltotto's slightly defeated sigh, Solomon discerned that perhaps he may have misunderstood something during her light exposition on hard and soft styles. Soft, according to her, had next to nothing to do with the body, but rather one's mind. The crucial aspect of battle did lie in the mind to a considerable degree, and Solomon confirmed that he understood her completely through a soft nod of his head.

From there, he simply listened along to each piece of advice. Her next piece of advice caught his interest. In her words, there was no need to pursue archery entirely, he simply needed to work within his own strengths. Throw a projectile towards the weapon and press the offensive.

Well, that was his professional way of wording it compared to Liltotto's more coarse expression of the idea. Truth be told, the curt and harsh approach was a breath of fresh air compared to the long, drawn out explanations his teachers taught him back in his hometown. He continued to listen to her with a composed silence. Though, by the time she finished, he found himself raising a curious eyebrow at those last few words. Come to think of it, when he observed and studied who his opponent would be in the tournament, Liltotto's name was indeed absent from the participation display. He supposed that he shouldn't have been all that surprised, truth be told. Among all his peers, Solomon never particularly viewed her as someone who was fond of the Shinigami. To some degree, he certainly understood the sentiment considering their troubled history, but he viewed the Shinigami he fought with a great deal of respect. Chucking softly, he offered a bit of humor to her grumpy comment.

"Well, then, I fear I've lost the advantage in that aspect for participating in it, then, haven't I? All things told, I found my match pretty entertaining. If I may be so bold to ask, do you still view them as our enemies in spite of the attempt at bond-strengthening?"

To be certain, Solomon had felt he'd learned all he needed to know concerning her last pieces of advice. This was a rather interesting matter to sink his teeth into instead, and so he simply decided to transition into more deep-seated matters of the conversation. Perhaps a history lesson or two, if she was willing to expend such knowledge at his leisure. As he waited for an answer, he consumed the rest of his Tiramaisu before washing it down with the rest of his coffee. He raised his hand towards the waiter, requesting another cup. They sold a nice brew here...