A Kind of Magic[Hannah, Solomon]

The long-awaited day was finally here. There was a degree of difficulty in ensuring everything came together efficiently. Preparations were key. The first obstacle was being granted permission to visit Karakura, though that hardly proved difficult in execution.

There wasn't a heavily forbidden rule that denied him entrance, but due diligence dictated that he follow everything to the book, even if such precautions were ultimately unnecessary.

He was a visitor to this part of the living realm, after all. With an outfit he found suitable to the occasion, Solomon stood at the lady of the evening's door, politely pressing a finger against the doorbell. He realized for a moment just how out of his element he was here, but that was neither here nor there. True bravery was tackling all manner of obstacles, after all.

The door opened with an invisible hand as the doorbell rung, and Hannah was stood there in the middle of the room. Her hair was freshly washed and put up, there was light makeup accenting her features, and a beautiful red Qipao adorned her features and showed off the sword necklace she always wore. She had quite obviously seen him coming, and decided to put on some theatrics for him.

"Solomon. I had worried you had run away after our last meeting. How have you been?" Hannah would ask, stepping forward and holding out a silk-gloved hand for him to take and lead her on his well planned date. Probably.

"Now, why would I run away from the charming woman who said I ought to expand my horizons, hm?"

Solomon replied with a playful tone, bowing down to kiss the gloved hand that was offered. He was abundantly aware of what Hannah was referring to, but that hardly dampened his opinion of the woman, even if the perceived glee with which she obliterated him was enough to give one pause. Of course, to say any fault lied with her would have been gravely dishonorable.

He agreed to endure the unendurable, and the following results played out as expected. Again, all of it was inconsequential in the grand scheme. Solomon learned from that experience as he did all battles. At this moment, the only thing that mattered was treating the well-prepared lady of the hour to a fine evening. Guiding her forward with utmost care, he posed a similar question in response.

"I've been well. I've continued to operate as what befits my station as a member of the Sternritter. Outside of that, there's been little else of note. How about you, Hannah? I take it time has treated you well?"

"Ohh, you know. Being murdered several times, suffering humiliating defeats, getting used as a test dummy to try out new powers and see the extent of what the other can actually heal. The usual"

Hannah would give him a coy smile, and then follow him forward, letting him guide her. It was nice, to take the load off and not have to focus so intimately on being the sonar that let her 'see'.

"As for me, I have been inert lately. The Soul Society is on lockdown. Even more so than it was previously, and so I have been unable to commute there for my tutoring and assistance. Elyss would probably want me to join so I can get in and out, but I....I did that. It would just be treading old ground. So mostly it's just been hanging with Tessai and talking shop. But even that is plateuing, since we are reaching a point where I am not enough to keep up with him"

"Do you truly believe that was enough to push me away? If anything, I consider that a testament to my willpower. To endure everything the most illustrious mage in this realm has to offer in a battle of that magnitude was an honor. That said, I have no desire for a repeat anytime soon."

Solomon replied with ease, matching her coy tone with his own hint of playfulness. Though her humor held some merit, the perilous battle between them did little to bother him. Was she a woman to be feared? Of course. Did that have any bearing on their current date?

No. It hardly held weight in his mind outside of the lessons he learned from her. Shifting his focus to her words, he gently guided her ever forward, moving along a pleasant path to their destination, one illustrated by the lovely breeze of the wind and the chirping melody of songbirds. A pleasant distraction, but not nearly enough to sway him from her words.

"Lockdown in Soul Society? That's my first time hearing about this. Then again, with me being but a mere personnel member, and a Quincy at that, I imagine that information would never reach me of all people. On another note, it's hard to imagine there is someone who can outclass you in a contest of demon arts."

"Ohh, your flattery is noted but incorrect. I am at most, the third most illustrious mage in the realms. Joint third. Unohana and Tessai are my superior, and Kisuke is relatively equal. He likes his toys and such just as much as his Kido, so it's hard to gauge his true capabilities. Tessai, is the greatest Kido user to have ever existed, and Unohana is the most talented pupil of Tenjirō Kirinji, the inventor of Kaido. I am simply trailing behind those two when it comes to such things"

It was understandable that Solomon had heard nothing. She only knew because she got locked out when she went to commute one day. All the details were not hers to know, so she just didn't even ask.

"Still, third most is nothing to sneeze at, and it is a title I shall take with pride! Though I dislike braggery, one must always be sure to acknowledge themselves and how far them have come since the beginning"

"To share the same breath as them is no less an honor, I'm sure."

Solomon chuckled sheepishly at the thought. Masters above her? What were they? Those who could warp reality at a whim? What a frightening thought to consier. As they conversed, Solomon continued to guide her along the nature-laden trail. Their coordinated stride would eventually lead them toward the first part of their date. The first sight, unbeknownst to Hannah, to greet them was a finely decorated table, carved from the finest wood.

Bedecked with a pair of wine glasses and the finest bottle of wine money could offer, it was certainly a sight worthy of awe. Guiding her forward, sliding a chair outward for her to sit properly, Solomon set the table before Hannah, pouring her cup with care. Finishing the gesture with care, he sat at a table opposite her as he responded to her words.

"When one has earned it, I think they're allowed some measure of self-assurance in their abilities. To even stand in that realm of magecraft is no small feat, I imagine. I hardly lasted an hour."

A proper gentleman, it seemed. How delightful. Hannah would certainly bump the man up a few notches here, for sure. She had never much thought about who she was interested in, romantically. Hime was a contender, but she was with Elyss so that just went by the side. And Freyja had turned her down politely after their first meeting, so now she was face to face with the first possibility of actually getting anywhere with a person.

"It's been a long road, that's for sure" Hannah would take a sip of her wine, and then cough, and look up at Solomon with a more startled gaze. "That's...not a normal bottle. You, didn't fork out a boatload of money on this, did you? First dates are meant to be small, gentle. Probing..."

She would stare at the glass in her hand, like that was ever going to do anything. Habits died hard, it seemed.

"Huh? No, n-not entirely so..."

His voice confirmed his guilt, as though he had seemingly been caught red-handed. In truth, Solomon had never experienced a genuine date up until now. Under the household he occupied until he found a permanent home in the City of Lights, his were often arranged in the name of strengthening bonds between neighboring families. Thus, his experience was flawed to some degree. He hardly meant to startle the woman. Drifting toward assuaging her worries, he simply admitted to his minor fault.

"Pardon my inexperience, Hannah. Up until now, a genuinely conventional first date has eluded me. In my attempt to make a good first impression, it seems I've made a slight misstep."

Solomon pondered his next words. Consuming his wine in quiet contemplation, he simply chuckled sheepishly. Hopefully, the impression was still salvageable. Excusing his inexperience was crucial if he wished to pursue this further.

"Expensive wine aside, everything else is far more tame in comparison. Since I didn't wish to overwhelm you with some grand event, I thought it more worthwhile to enjoy a view of the place we first met. The words of guidance you shared, and the humor you experienced at my oblivious nature."

"Mmm. More is not always better. You can reach a point of overpressure where more becomes worse" Hannah would reply, holding out her hand and creating a small ball of red light. The light shimmered, as if refracted some how, but it was not evident. The ball grew brighter and brighter until with a crack, it exploded. And hit the barrier that had been put around it so nobody would be hurt by the explosion.

"The trick, is to see where the peak is, and not push past that. The same, can be said for everything. Train too hard, eat too much, come on too strong" Hannah would continue, her teaching soul never at rest.

And then she seemed to perk up as if someone had whispered something to her.

"That last one was me, by the way. With someone else. Not you. This is cute, and is an embodiment of your passion and will to do your best" she would ease his tension by floating some food onto his plate with a gentle wave of her hand, and a warm, if amused, grin.