It's Grey Now [Johann/Lilith]

Lilith could only smile at that reaction. She walked over and pat him on the shoulder. “Calm down. Calm down…” she said, shaking her head and then chuckling. “I have no intention of solving it for you. I will just provide the opportunity to redeem yourself. If it happens and you fuck it up, once again, it would be on you.”

Lilith did not solve her “children’s” problems for them, but giving them the chance to fix their own issues would prove they grew up. Besides, if Johann found this young man to be his family, then by extension Nero was her nephew as well. She’d love to meet the young man that was brought into the family by Ida, herself.

“Now, before I meet my nephew… We have some business to talk about,” Lilith said, her smile fading as a more ‘business woman’ demeanor was brought about. In short, she got serious real quick. “Tell me… What the hell is going on in Africa and Brazil? And if you don’t know. Who the hell do I talk to about this shit?”

As Lilith walked over and reassured him that she wasn't intending on just solving the problem, Johann's fingers relaxed on the cane as he took in a deep breath, sitting back down and rubbing his temples. He knew what was at stake -- and that he would only get one chance to try and make things right. He had spent many hours trying to figure out what he wanted to say, and how to say it.

But, he'd figure that out in all due time, or even right at the moment of truth. He had figured that Lilith didn't come purely for a social call, especially not during his working hours. There was a story and a half to tell about Africa, but Brazil was something he, admittedly, was not too versed in.

"I'm not too knowledgeable about what's going on in Brazil. Admittedly, I didn't know there was something going on there. As far as I was aware, there was a settlement of Arrancar that weren't causing much trouble. I would assume you'd have to talk with someone from the Todgestalten."

He wasn't too certain on that, but, it was better than nothing, and frankly, their line of work would allow for an easier time investigating such matters.

"As for Africa...the now former nation of Vastime has collapsed into a crater. It's size is unprecedented, and, for quite some time, there were colossal Hollows coming from it. I believe in Japan, creatures of that size are termed as 'kaiju'. As far as I'm aware, they've been cleaned up around the hole, save for...one, one that I fought and couldn't finish off, so...I had to retreat and let it get away."

Even now after his recovery, Johann cursed himself at his own inadequacy. The assault at midnight, and then the second fight at the crater, both ending in failure. Yet, he had been so confident in himself when he was planning to return. Perhaps it was just another moment of life humbling him even further, to take away what little pride he had left.

Excluding the fucker that got away, most of what Johann told Lilith was information she got through her own contacts. She had hoped the Vandenreich were aware of something more, something deeper. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something bigger was happening behind the scenes. She just didn’t know what. Were these “kaiju” experiments of sorts? Why Vastime? It couldn’t be a coincidence.

“Did you hold back in your battle, Johann?” Lilith asked, her tone low as her one eye focused strongly on Johann. That was a certain part of Lilith, the drill sergeant part, that was staring at him. It was the part that trained most of his family for generations, even him at his younger age. Not many really liked that Lilith...

He recognized that tone -- one that felt more like a military instructor, a drill sergeant, more than the person he primarily remembered in his youth. As a boy, the tone always unnerved him, but was quick to make him shape up and shut up. Now, he had been in service to the Vandenreich for so long that it only meant that she was being serious, even more than usual.

With a frustrated sigh, his fingers once again coiled around his cane, one lightly tapping against the length of it. Even now, he wasn't the biggest fan of this side of her, especially not in this situation with her insinuation.

"When do I ever? Even so, everything I did only seemed to mildly bother it. It was infuriating. Sprenger, Seele Schneider, nothing did much of anything. Even my Letzt Stil, nothing."

Despite him keeping his composure, there was still a deep sense of anger and venom that burned with his words. He wanted to go back and find that Hollow, to drive an arrow right through its skull and watch it disintegrate into nothingness. Even against the Arrancar in the midnight assault, he felt more useful and felt as though he had been able to do more -- and they were evolutions.

The fact that he was so outclassed by an Adjuchas, comparatively, was nothing short of enraging.

Perhaps there were some embers of pride that could never be truly extinguished.

Lilith watched Johann for a few more moments and then smiled wide again. She was by his side pretty quickly and tapped the man’s shoulder twice before putting both fists on her hips. “Then you did nothing wrong! Sometimes things are just out of our reach, and that is a-okay. Either train up and do better next time or send someone with a different set of abilities to take this bastard out, but do not going beating yourself up unless you held back and then it got away.”

Lilith stepped in and gave Johann one of those famous "deal with it" hugs. "I'm proud of you, Johann," she said and then let him go, tapping both his upper arms. "I'll be in the city for a while. I left my number with your secretary, so if you need me, you can get in touch. I'm going to be checking on some things with this Brazil and Vastime shit, and of course my nephew, so if I leave the city, I'll let you know."

Did nothing wrong...he knew that was a lie. Perhaps if he had swallowed his distaste for the man he was partnered with and came up with a more proper strategy, maybe the tide could have been turned in their favor. Regardless, even if he did not face that particular creature again, he intended to get better, to do better. These old bones still had life left in them, after all.

So, with a soft sigh and lighthearted chuckle, Johann got to his feet to return the hug. Even if it was partly business, it was nice to see an old family friend. Though it felt strange for someone as old as he was to be praised and told that she was proud of him. Then again, she was even older than he was -- yet, it was likely that she still would never age a day for a long, long time.

"And if you need aid, you will, of course, have my full support, and as many resources as I can muster. Once you do leave the city, however..."

Johann's eyes softened as the thought of his wife came, his smile seeming more wistful in nature.

"Stop by the estate, if you would. Emma would love to see you again and catch up."

"Definitely!” Lilith’s eye brightened at the idea of seeing Emma. She hadn’t seen the woman in so long! Now, Lilith had yet another thing to look forward to. With a quick nod, Lilith made her exit and left Johann’s office. Once she was down the hall, the energy the woman had faded and her smile fell. She had a lot to consider here, but first she would contact her newest nephew and see that side of the story.

Pulling out her phone, Lilith called one of her trusted assistants, who answered quickly. “Yeah, do me a favor. Nero Arant, get me his location and whatever else you can find about him… No, it’s family matter… There are more stones I can look under about that shit, but family comes first. Thanks.” Lilith hung up the phone and left.