First Year Blues[Natasha, Stella]

"Respectable answer. I ain't any different, really. If my fellow man's beside me, I reckon I'll be hurtin' pretty bad for his rescue, too. Of course, yer missin' one crucial lesson, and I hate to play the role of the doomy'n'gloomy instructor, but even choosin' who ya get to rescue and who ya get to save is not in yer hands."

The end of her statement was blunt. Harshly so? No, not entirely. She recognized that Stella was no different from her to a degree in terms of the need to save others, but there was something decidedly flawed about her approach. She seemed almost too prepared to face death, a mentality that would invariably bring her to its door.

Like a film on repeat, Natasha envisioned the woman being all too willing to risk her life to save everyone and everything. Again, there was nothing morally incorrect about that view, and it certainly matched her whole "prepared for death" mentality, but... she would be remiss to say it didn't require some ironing out.

"Imagine this; In one scenario, you are told that you must be the one to retreat. Why? That soldier might share yer mentality. Will you go against his or her wish and stay? No, you live on and honor their memory. Even at yer strongest, no one is Superman, Stella. Ya gotta know when to fold em', know when to walk away. Nothin's despicable about a soldier's retreat."

"It's only a foolish train of thought if ya force yourself into a position ya could've escaped from, honey. Again, there ain't nothin' wrong with growin' strong and mighty to protect yer loved ones; the main lesson is knowin' when to run away, when to listen to yer superiors so you don't compromise each other."

The mark of any soldier was knowing their limits. Those were the principles she had come to learn, and although there was no written law that said one couldn't defy their limits, balancing one's priorities was essential. Natasha clicked her fingers against the desk as a bag of to-go boxes were brought to her table. There were several lessons she could impart on the art of battle in general, but she'd likely find herself spending an entire night with the young woman in this restauraunt.

"You've got a good head on yer shoulders, Stel. I ain't tryin' to sway you away from the heroics, but much like I'd tell that teacher of yours, Solo, there's nothin' wrong with knowin' one's limits. Whether someone rescues you, rescues you and saves themselves, or simply desires to see you make it out alive, ya gotta' know when to reel in yer emotion and let logic take over. Am I makin' sense, sweetheart?"

"Good. As long as you understand that, I reckon yer future's pretty bright. At the very least, yer not stubborn about it. An open ear is the hallmark of any strong soldier."

Imparting her wisdom on this woman presented a beneficial outcome in the grand scheme of things if Stella intended to follow it studiously, even if her harsh teaching left a poor impression of her overall demeanor. Solomon was a good man. Natasha hardly doubted his ability to accomplish great things as an instructor to this young woman, but he lacked the edge to be decisively harsh, to remind Stella of the grim nature of the battlefield.

War was unforgiving. War was relentless. Walking into it with a bright heart and eager spirit simply wasn't going to cut it. Therefore, it was up to those with a greater breadth of experience to impart their knowledge to the younger generation.

Pulling her bag full of food to her side, Natasha rose from her chair as her hazel eyes shot toward the window. It was getting dark. Better to end this conversation with positive reinforcement. Reaching over to ruffle her hair, Natasha flashed a parting grin.

"You've got a good head on yer shoulders, Stel. S'long as I'm here and you have people like hero boy lookin' over ya, the sky's the limit. Don't be a stranger now, alright~? I'm never far away if ya require some extra trainin'. Don't expect me to go easy on ya, though."

With that, she offered a parting wave as she stepped through those doors into the brightly lit city to enjoy the rest of her night elsewhere.