Advice (Setsuna/Open)

[Isurugi Mei]

[This is after the "Inspection" thread]

Mei was having trouble with everything. Just as soon as she started to get a handle of things in her realm, the Queen, her aunt, sent half of the troops from the Dream Realm to Heaven for training. While she tried to juggle both her celestial work with training and keeping an eye out for her sister, Amelia, the Queen also sent her mother to do an official inspection. It was quite taxing, even though she was getting help from her mom and her servants back at home. She started to feel like Setsuna, always busy, which brought her here. If anyone knew how to handle such a big workload, it was her. To Mei, she seemed to have a handle on her busy schedule and she hoped that she could help her. Plus she never really had a chance to really know her so this would be a prefect opportunity to change that.

She got to Sestuna's place and was escorted to a room where inside there was a lady sitting behind a desk with a computer. She walked up to the desk and said, "I'm here to see Setsuna, I was hoping to talk to her. Is she in?"

[Shirogane Setsuna]

Ami looked up from behind dark framed spectacles. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a very straight and professional ponytail.

"Oh hello, King Mei," she appeared a bit startled and bowed slightly. Ami didn't know what to make of this sudden change of events. People rarely visited Setsuna from outside her realm. "I'm Ami, Setsuna's personal assistant. If you'll follow me, I'll take you to her straight away."

"Normally she's bit busy," Ami added, checking her time keeper, "but she didn't go down to judge today..."

[Isurugi Mei]

Starting to feel unsure, Mei hesitated, she didn't even consider that she might be too busy to talk about her problems. But since the assistant told her to follow her, she thought that she might as well do what she was told to do since she was making her go through the trouble. Mei stayed close behind her and noticed her how she was dressed and how her hair was done, everything seemed different from back at home in the Dream Realm. Things were a bit loose than they were here. Thinking back now, even the some of the jokes Gin had said when he loosened up a bit were a bit rigid as well. But was still nice to see him smile.

Mei shook her head and thought about how she was going to present her problem to Setsuna. She might think that she was being silly or think that she was wasting her time and started to worry a little.

[Shirogane Setsuna]

Ami led King Mei down a series of corridors, some new and some old. She climed the back staircase and headed down another hall. Towards the middle of the hall sat Setsuna's personal chambers.

Ami knocked in three short bursts on the wooden door.

"Who is it?" a voice called from inside.

"Ami. You have a visitor, King Mei. She wishes to speak with you."

"Enter," Setsuna said after a short pause.

Ami turned the handle and held the door open for Mei. "Please enter," she said smilling at Mei.

[Isurugi Mei]

Mei looked in wonderment as they walked to Setsuna's chambers, just like when she first came to Heaven. She started to think that maybe she should do some redecorating in her realm but realized that each King seemed to have their personal taste as she recalled as how the other realms she traveled too look like.

They soon reach their designation and it seemed pretty reclusive by how far they had to walk just to get to the personal chambers. Ami knocked on the door and the King's voice could be heard on the other side before Ami opened the door for her to enter. "Thank you Ami."

She took a couple of steps into the room, feeling that she made an error by coming unannounced to her realm. "Hello Setsuna. I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time, I just wanted to speak with you about a problem that I'm having." She suddenly started to think that she was probably going to judge her, as if she was incompetent of her doing her kingly duties. She played with the fabric on her sleeve nervously waiting for Sestuna's response.

[Shirogane Setsuna]

[Sorry it took me so long to post]

The room was surprisingly plain compared to other chambers in the house. In the outer room, where Setsuna was, sat a 'living room' of sorts. Complete with seating, shelves of books, and a few decortive features. There was also the door to both the bathroom and Setsuna's inner chambers where there was a bed, fireplace, and pair of closets.



Setsuna looked up from a mass of files covering her lap and coffee table.

"Ah, Isurugi Mei, how nice to see you again," Setsuna paused to remove the files from her lap and stack them neatly on the table, "Please do be seated." She indicated an array of seating with a sweep of her hand to two parallel sofas and an armed chair direct opposite of the one she was currently occupying.

Setsuna turned to Ami, "Thank you, Ami. Hold all calls, messages and appointments, please." Ami nodded curtly before leaving the room.

"King Mei, what can I do for you?" Setsuna asked removing her glasses.

[Isurugi Mei]

She saw that Setsuna was in the middle of work and she regretfully walked over to where she was and sat on the sofa. "I'm sorry if I interrupted your work, its just that I'm having issues with my work. I still got some catch up work that the previous King had left me and work that I need to do in my layer, there's also the training I'm involve in with both troops from the Dream Realm and troops from my layer, and now the Queen has me working on paper work for inspections on the army." She stopped herself, fearing that she sounded like she was whining about work to a person that seemed to not have a problem doing a lot of work.

"I guess what I'm saying is that you seem to always have a lot on your plate. How do you do it? How do handle so much and not feel frustrated? Are there any tips you can give me?"

[Shirogane Setsuna]

Setsuna smiled a knowing smile. "Don't worry about it King Mei, if ever there is a need, you can come to me," she paused finding the correct words to express her feelings on Mei's overload situation, "It is always like this in the beginning...You probably feel as if there is not enough time in the day."

"Personally, I rarely sleep--it is not a requirement of the Elohim, so those extra hours are at my disposal. But it is mostly about plannnig and priortizing. I created special boards to help with work I do not necessarily have to be directly involved with. Each board has a leader hand choosen by myself and my staff. Delegation, that would probably help."

"And also, I have Ami. She really does keep me on task with conferences, meetings, visitations, inspections, and even with reminding me off my daughter's recitals or school conferences. A good friend and personal assistant, is an invaluable asset."

"Never feel like you must do everything yourself. For example, with me, it is my duty to judge souls for the afterlife. There are always numerous souls. So I created a special board of Elohim with as good as judgement as myself to work in my absence. Everyday I do not have to spend time doing that; this frees time for other things......"

Setsuna paused to make sure Mei could continue to voice her opinion on the issue at hand.

[Isurugi Mei]

Mei sat and listened to her, taking mental notes of how she handled things around her realm. Setsuna mentioned how she shouldn't take on her task on her own so much, how she had people to aid her in her duties. She did have trusted servants back in her layer of Heaven, but there was that one that didn't want to do she asked her to do and always things her way. Mei frowned a bit, perhaps she should just replaced her with two more servants that would be willing to do their jobs and help out. Maybe should just hire her own people from the Dream Realm for aid, that's if Heaven wouldn't object to it.

Her thoughts went back to when Setsuna mentioned her daughter. "Do the children here even have busy schedules? Things seem a lot busier here in Heaven than back home."

[Shirogane Setsuna]

Setsuna shifted in her seat, "Each realm of Heaven conducts their own measures towards the education of children. I would imagine the 4th layer's education system is much like the other 6."

"Here children attend school during their childhood. At first general knowledge is taught. During teenage hood, children have the option to learn more specific things according to their employment plans. Some are allowed to travel abroad, surely to other Celestial layers, and some to Earth. A very few have gone to other non-human layers for training amongst the youkai."

"For Kirara, she is currently taking a wide range of topics from Angelic History and Government/Politics,to Mathematics. She is also training in self defense and weapons. Eventually, when she is ready, Kirara will train under my old master."

"Here, all children of Royals and parents who work for the government must learn how to defend themselves properly."

[Isurugi Mei]

Thinking back to her childhood, Mei recalled how her studies seemed to intertwined with daily activities. It didn't seem like work and she wasn't pressured into combat training. She heard of the study abroad thing though, she believed that a cousin or two went off to live with a master of dream weaving in the Mortal Realm before going off on their own. She started to feel inadequate in her abilities considering she never had an intensive education like Setsuna or military training like Gin. Though it seemed that Gin saw that she was fitting in quite nicely. She started to blush a little about the thought, which lead her to another issue she had.

"Um... What about... relationships? And friends? How do you deal with that?" Feeling embarrassed, she began to fidget with her dress.

[Shirogane Setsuna]

Setsuna's cheeks began to turn ruddy in color. She quickly stuffed down the blush, adverting her eyes before returning them to Mei.

"Friendships, here are like anywhere else; though making 'friends' with the Elohim is a bit difficult. We tend to be marginally emotionless, but we still have relationships like any other. In fact, I myself have a number of friends, including Ami, who I can trust. They are not all Elohim--and some are human--that makes for a more fulfilling interaction.

"Interesting enough, I had to learn to be more compassionate when I received my daughter.

"As far as...relationships are detailed, I encourage those living here on the 4th to continue the line of Elohim as they see fit..." Setsuna cleared her throat, trying to put things as carefully as possible. "Umm...yes. So they have children like other species of Celestial and non-Celestials alike. In that way, I am sure they can maintain some sort of romantic relationship.

"But it is difficult; the Elohim have no problem with commitment, but love is an entirely different matter.

"I know people personally who have gotten into a bit of a strained relationship because one was not an Elohim and loved and the Elohim had difficult with the concept.

"It is possible for us to love, but that might cause us to fall. It is like a balancing act--love with boundaries..."

[Isurugi Mei]

"What about Celestials and non-Celestials?" Mei asked without thinking and started to regret it but since it was thrown out there she felt that she had to continue. "Here in Heaven, what about relationships between a Celestial and a non-Celestial...? Is it considered strange for the two to be friends and then one of them starts to feel... uh...I don't know...a bit more than friends?"

She may not have a problem of being emotionless but she felt that she was having difficulty with interpreting her feelings towards Gin. She wanted to remain friends and keep things professional between herself and him but she just couldn't shake these feelings that she couldn't believe that she was having. However she didn't know if she should say something about that to anyone if relationships between Kings shouldn't cross over to romantic ones considering what she observed with Hotaka and Tohru.

[Shirogane Setsuna]

"Well.." Setsuna began, "it is not entirely uncommon for Celestials and non-Celestials to come together, although it is more common for different species of Celestials to have such a relationship. It has been done before, and it happens now. However, I do believe that currently, everyone has become more open to the idea of Celestials mixing in romantic relationship with non-Celestials, especially allies like the Fae and certain clans of Youkai.

"It is the union of Celestials and Humans, I believe, have some Celestials worried. Though, neither Fallen or Upright Celestials, sans a few, were actually supportive of Sanada's union with Chiyo.

"I believe it is entirely up to the two individuals in the relationship. And I do not believe there are heavily enforced laws in places to prevent the union of Celestials and non-Celestials.

"Everyone should be allowed to explore these relationship as they personally see fit."

A knowing smile played on Setsuna's lips as she looked directly in the eyes of King Mei. She recongnized it almost instantaneously.

"You're in love," she said, not as an accusation, but as a declaration and as someone who knew the emotion. "You're in love with a Celestial."

[Isurugi Mei]

"I..." Mei's turned so red that it could have gotten lost in a bushel of tomatoes. "No I'm not! That's not it at all! I just have a lot of admiration for a fellow King and his abilities. He's a great guy. He has a this great personality that makes it easy for someone like me to look up to him. I..." She paused as thought about how these thoughts got into her head.

"Honestly... I never really thought of him in that sort of way. But he brought it up one day and it seem like ever since then these feelings..." She looked down onto her lap, avoiding eye contact with the other King, "Maybe I did had some sort of feelings for him before he asked me about it... I don't know... I don't know any more..."

She felt that these feelings sort of crept up on to her while working closely with Gin. She wished she knew clearly how she felt because now that she told him that she wanted to be friends with him, she felt that she pushed him away. A frown formed itself on her brow and she sighed at her actions.