Lil' Lost? [Liltotto, Hijiri]

Today felt rather uneventful, helping make up for plenty of menial tasks around the Vandenreich that may have slipped through the cracks following the disaster. She didn't mind doing so much busy work while there were still shortfalls in labor, in fact she had sort of welcomed it. No thanks or appreciation was sought for, she just needed stuff to do that didn't leave her alone with her thoughts, she was having some particularly irksome days on her own.

Though one thing was different as she was dropping something off, a favor asked to help some new guy out on getting around - seemed a little prone to getting lost she was told. Of course they'd ask her to help somebody with that, if anyone knew their way around this place it would be her, all those night walks were for something after all.

Normally she didn't mind helping newer recruits out, be it with training or questions, that was as normal as breathing to her at this point. What was problematic was the distinct, hair-raising scent that'd drive her to run normally, as she had gone up to greet the young man. She almost thought - that was a lie - begged her senses to be wrong, but as per, they weren't.

"You Hijiri Aramaki?" Her normally relaxed tone was a little strained, though it wasn't evident on her boring face, awkwardly reaching a hand out to shake, "..Liltotto Lamperd. Was told you needed a guide?"

What was a shinigami doing, joining the Vandenreich? How was this even allowed? Was he a runaway? She almost cursed the woman who asked that favor of her; could have at least warned her first...

This'll be quick, she decided to herself. She'd just get this over with. It's no more painful than getting through the five thousandth shitty dickrub of an office meeting at one of her old jobs.

"Jeeze man i'm not gonna bite your face off, you can cut the stuttering..." Eyes were squinted, her head slightly tilted in confusion to his sweaty behavior. This was gonna be a long day.

Was she a bit unnecessarily grumpy in her tone towards the young man? Yes. Did she feel bad about being so blunt? Pending emotion. Well, she might as well try to make a bit of a positive spin to this situation, ".. Nobody's gonna take you seriously if you're shaking like a leaf. Talk with more confidence."

That probably wasn't much better, especially with her unusually flat tone, but she'd try to help him along, "..Well first off, the working elevator is this way," She'd point in the direction behind him, "Unless you wanna trip on the stairs and have scattered papers to grab. Come on."

A motion in the correct direction, she'd lead the both of them to the functional elevator, taking time to note every turn they take so he can find his way there if he needed to next time, "Not sure why nobody would point you to the right elevator in the first place but, whatever. Things have been crazy lately, probably fell through the cracks."

She almost didn't want to go on, feeling her hairs standing on end, her skin clammy with discomfort, but she had to keep directing him. Swallowing her prejudices, they'd stand in the elevator side by side. She should ask what brought him here. She asked every newbie what brought them here.

"..So why'd you join the Vandenreich?" She damn near literally bit on her tongue to avoid speaking the snide comment of, 'Does the Gotei think we need to be babysat, now? Do they think we're that incapable?' or something along those lines.

Eyes narrowed and shoulders lowered, she'd look at him with a discerning expression with that answer, her response spoken shortly, "..Yeah, alright."

As per usual, even in the elevator, she kept majority of her actual feelings quite veiled, not that it was an excruciating effort, but she wasn't some perfectly still, cold statue; some things would leak past her subdued exterior even with her consciously preventing herself from expressing even a quarter of what she felt. Whether she liked it or not, he was a part of the Vandenreich, he absolutely had eyes on him, and she... Did not know what to do with any of that.

"That the kinda stuff they're teaching academy students?" She couldn't hold back her mild sarcasm, "Actually, I shouldn't be too shocked. Shinigami's way of thinking is as black and white as their uniforms. Good that you left before that set, I guess."

Was that a true statement? Absolutely not, even Liltotto wasn't that pigheaded about it, she knew full well her words were from perspective and emotion rather than fact; she simply didn't care.

"Dunno, maybe it's the fact that your cool hero guy from an age bygone went full dipshit and wrecked our city a few weeks ago," Was stated with a purely nonchalant attitude, hands in pocket and everything, but she herself seemed bothered and upset, even if her face didn't say it her eyes attempting to look away from him definitely did, "Showed up, arrancar'd out, wrecked the city, severely injured a lot of our guys, grabbed our grandmaster's advisor and dipped. Wasn't a pleasant thing to come home to."

The way she pointed everything out, it was almost as if she wanted the young man to feel bad for something that was ultimately out of everyone's control, she herself knew it was irrational to throw any blame on anyone, but she couldn't help but try to garner some feeling of control, even grasping at straws for it.

She thanked whatever force in the beyond that wove fate for the elevator finally stopping and opening. Being subjected to the scent of a Shinigami, whether friend or foe, was inevitably a fray on the nerves for her, as much as she was capable of remaining cool. It brought back all sorts of bad memories, a plague on her mind that wouldn't leave, and even with someone that appeared to be too young to have been involved with anything, she was unable to let go.

Uncertain emotions swirled inside of her as they'd progress into the mail sort, the dusty smell of paper and heat familiar to her. Her gratitude to having something else to put her senses on for a moment was interrupted when that question piqued her ears, her attention drawing away from the busy tubes and returning to him.

How should she even answer this? One nasty part nagged at her, but the sensible parts of her mind told her to give him some reassurance but to remain realistic. He didn't really deserve her ire, yeah?

He's a member of the Vandenreich, she'd breathe as she stressed her thoughts to herself, He's a member of the Vandenreich, you trust any who were confronted with this decision wouldn't be so foolish as to welcome in a suspicious entity, he is likely being monitored and kept track of either way, he has not proven himself to be a danger. He is a member of the Vandenreich just like any of the folk you train, work with, or befriend.

"If I were an idiot, i'd tell you it'd be fine," Her voice was kept calm and orderly, unable to betray her thoughts, "You're a Shinigami, amongst a people who have suffered extensively as a result of the Gotei. There's going to be an entire spectrum of distrust thrown at you for the entirety of your remaining here. You are a very unusual case - A Shinigami leaving the Gotei and coming here? Many would take that as an attempt by them to inject eyes into our ranks."

A rather pressing look lingered in her gaze as she went on, "There is zero guarantee that you will gain the trust of many. If you can make peace with that, then I suppose it will eventually be 'fine'. We aren't barbarians - there isn't anyone unstable enough to consider putting your life on the line that isn't also on watch, and even if something happened it wouldn't take too long to figure what happened, and that person punished."

She'd nod her head toward whatever he was doing, "You had a job down here, yeah? Go do it."