The Next Morning [Finished]

[Isurugi Mei]

After Gin stepped inside Mei's tent, he promptly started to apologized to her about being with her sister in a state that was bit intimate than she had ever see him in. But she felt that an apology from him wasn't necessary; it was she that should have been apologetic.

"No Gin, you don't need to do that. I should apologize for my sister putting you in such situation. I probably should have warned you about her. She's the type that doesn't care about anything but being with a guy she lays her eyes on. I don't why she is like that or how she became that way. All I know is that as soon as she started to act that way, that it sort of separated us.

"We were close when we were growing up in the palace of my aunt Na'ame. We would play together, studied together, practice our magicks together... We would even sleep in each others rooms from time to time after staying up laughing about all kinds of things. We would get in trouble of course by our mother who would always scold us for being late to our studies in the morning."

She ran her fingers playfully as she was remembering her younger years. She gave Gin a concerned look on her face afterwards as if she just remembered something disconcerning. "You should be careful not to fall in love with her. I don't know my sister like I use to and so I don't know why men she always laid with seemed to be... I don't know...tossed aside or they'll leave her. She seems to be unaffected though and just moves on to another guy. I don't know what is wrong with her. It think maybe its just a game to her. Mother seems to think that she's really hurting on the inside and refuses to show it. If it is, she's doing a good job hiding it."

She then realized that maybe she had been ranting about her sister; she always does that when she would talk about her sister. It wasn't like she wanted to talk about her sister. "Sorry for just gabbing like this. I hope I didn't take too much of your time."

[Mikage Tsubasa]

Tsubasa followed Gin out of the tent, running into Mei who gave a longwinded explanation to Gin about something that was unimportant and a waste of time, as per usual. However, she had said something in Tsubasa's defense earlier, although it had been unnecessary, so Tsubasa said nothing about Mei's lackadaisical attitude at this point.

"Isurugi, I specified earlier that I needed you present to speak with you about your Realm's record and processing statistics. We recently ran a report to see how much paperwork is processed per layer per day..." Tsubasa also looked at Gin. "I realize that you have not yet had the chance to thoroughly read the report, Ha-ou, but it is important that you do as soon as possible. I would like your backing on the reinforcement of policy for paperwork. Much of it has overflowed into the proceedings of the Fifth Layer, and it is not my job to pick up the slack for every other Realm's records department."

Compared to Military proceedings, this wasn't an important issue, but it was the task that Tsubasa was currently charged with, and she was going to get things done as quickly as possible. "I am prepared to speak with the other kings regarding their individual reports."

[Isurugi Mei]

Mei completely forgot that Tsubasa wanted to talked to her too and was confused about why she wanted to speak with her. But hearing that she needed to talk to her about her realms paperwork immediately made her nervous; she was concerned if there were errors that she had done or that her servant had done. She started to wonder if she had missed something, there was a lot of records and reports that needed to be done since the death of Sasuke.

She gulped before she spoke. "Uh...there weren't anything wrong with them? Perhaps I might have missed something..." She trailled off hoping that there wasn't anything seriously wrong.

[Mikage Tsubasa]

Tsubasa appreciated the sentiment of Mei assuming that she had done something wrong. Perhaps she realized that such was the case most of the time. However, in this case, her work had resulted in less of it for Tsubasa, and that was something that she was not going to scold her for. "Your realm is doing fine," she said, "in catching up with what was left from Sasuke's reign. That's a lot of information to record, in terms of logging what can actually be found, and even the statistics let me know that your effort is paying off. You are making a lot of progress, and you will be up to par in a few months if your records department actually continues this pace of work and holds newcomers to this standard as well. Good job." She said, her voice flat. She was not used to giving out compliment in a cheery tone, but her appreciation was genuine; it was nice to know that someone else cared about Heaven's work, and chronicling was an important part of it.

"However, the sixth layer is falling behind. Every day they are getting less and less work done," she said, now addressing the both of them. "Lailis is not doing his job. Not at all. I don't know what he's doing up there, but the sixth layer is worse than now than it was after Fi left." There was no amount of bribery or torture that could be used to get her to utter Ren's name, and so she referred to his reign through referencing the king before him.

[Kouzetsu Gin]

"Love?" Gin said in mild shock to Mei's warnings as to the nature of his relationship to her sister Amelia. Smiling, Gin looked at Mei and sighed quietly, "Mei, please do not be so juvenile to think that any and all physical contact can be perceived as the foundation of love. I find your sister interesting, even to the point of fraternization, but the word love is to far off from anything I had to offer as far as Amelia was concerned. She is much to immature for such emotional depth, as I am sure you know, and the limits of our relationship go no further than physical flirtation."

"If there is anyone I love, it would be my citizens and my nation, and sure that your sister would have some time coming second to that fact. besides, if matrimony does lie in the future, Tsubasa could toss posies at our ceremony." Gin said with a mild chuckle to Mei turning back to Tsubasa.

Gin was in agreement with Tsubasa pertaining to work, and how efficiently it was being carried out. "I agree with Tsubasa, and I would like to commend you Mei on your work in maintaining your Realm. Both you and Hotaka have worked diligently alongside myself and Tsubasa and Satori in speeding up the rebuilding of our nation. As far as the Kingless realms go, I am currently working on a solution to that problem, any thoughts from either of you." Gin said to both Tsubasa and Mei.

[Isurugi Mei]

Feeling assured that Gin wouldn't become another victim to Amelia's ways, though it she still worried this physical flirtation would still go wrong. But she smiled when Tsuabasa told her that she was actually making progress with her work. But she felt bad that the other layers were lagging behind because of them being without a ruler especially the sixth layer. She immediately became confused though when a name was uttered that she was unfamiliar with.

"Fi?" It came out when she didn't mean to say the name at first but she vaguely remembered her since she had been busy adjusting to the Heaven Realm, getting her people to trust her and playing catch up with everything. Shaking her head to help her move on she turned to Gin. "We could possibly hire people in the layers that are doing well to help out with the layers that aren't. It seems that they need someone to help out, especially the sixth. Perhaps that there is something wrong Lailis. Maybe thats why the sixth seems like its slacking. When is the last time anyone seen him since the investigation in the second layer?"

She started to get a sick feeling in her gut and it almost knocked the wind out of her. She sat down on her bed and was thinking that maybe he suffered the same fate as Haruhi. She held her stomach and sighed to calm herself. "We should send someone to check on him."

[Mikage Tsubasa]

"I have no suggestions about the Kingless layers other than that elections for replacements should have been held long ago. I'm not sure if you recall, but that was a matter that I expressed concern for early on in your Kingship." She tucked her hair behind her ears to give her free hand something to do. Turning to Mei, she said, "Yes. Fi. Kotani Fi, Cherub, King of the sixth layer and then moved to the second. Retired soon after. Her. I do believe that she was in office when you were instated...as far as your comments about Lailis. He has always been a lazy fool, and his lackadaisical nature is beginning to grate on my nerves. I will check on him myself, unless Gin would rather have the honor."

She clasped her hands together. "I sent Mizuki to disperse individual copies of the reports to their respective Kings. Gin should receive his detailed report shortly, and so will you, Mei. She will also be able to confirm whether or not Lailis is actually doing anything. Unless either of you have any other requests for me, I will be taking my leave."

[Kouzetsu Gin]

"Very well Tsubasa, I do look forward to reading Mizuki's delivered report. You shall be briefed on the changes in the governmental structure prior to there implementation, all elders and kings not present to these meeting face harsh consequence, but this is a conversation for another time and place. If we are done here, we shall take up no more of your time Mei, please be prompt, from the ramblings I heard in your sister's address to her men, their may be a mutiny among the Fae if she is not told to cease drilling them before they can finish their meals." Gin said, holding the tent flap for Tsubasa as she made her exit.

Smiling at Mei, Gin lowered his head as Tsubasa exited in the distance, his glasses slipping from his eyes and onto his nose as he looked at Mei, "I did have on more question for you Mei, where does the relationship between your sister and I leave us?" Gin asked, a one sided smile as his face as he looked at Mei, half inside her tent.

[Isurugi Mei]

Mei was glad that there would be news on Lailis after they get their reports from Mizuki. She said her good bye to Tsubasa as Gin held tent flap for her. There was going to be another meeting of some changes taking place. She wondered if there would be new kings coming to fill in the empty seats.

Gin then asked her about his relationship between her sister and him. Or was he asking about him and her? She felt confused and a little flustered at thought of some kind of relation between him and herself. She felt her face get a hot a bit as well. "What do you mean? I'm afraid I don't understand your question."

[Kouzetsu Gin]

"Don't be coy Mei, it's only you and I here. You cannot deny that we have grown... close since your tenure started in Heaven, I am merely questioning whether or not it shall remain in light of your sister's interest in me, as well as her willingness to consolidate her position in proximity to me?" Gin said, batting a charming smile at the Fae Heavenly King, his dark eyes seemingly softened, almost to the same degree as his voice and tone.

Gin closed the tent flap and adjusted his spectacles on his face, his view directly at Mei, who began to blush at his words. "What I'd like to say is, where do we stand Mei, and where were we going in our relationship, and have I complicated things between you and I?" Gin said, reading her mannerism like a text book, carefully choosing his words to not be misunderstood, stating them plainly as possible, given the delicate nature of the subject.

[Isurugi Mei]

Drawing her fingers close to her lips, Mei listened to Gin's question and this time it was clear as day. There was no mistake this time, there was no deny it either. She felt like her whole body was getting warmer by the second and there was a spot light on her despite being alone with Gin in her tent. She tried hard to think or at least say something, but all she could do was question herself.

It was true that since she's been here, she looked up to him for he seemed like an idea King for Heaven. But she had also looked up to the other Kings as well. She felt like an outsider among them and the only person she could relate to was now dead. She did her best so that she could gain some recognition to fit in more and since Gin been instated as King she always tried to measure up to him. The more she worked him however, the more she closer to him and the more she felt like she was considered as one of them now.

Or perhaps there was something more, something that she now try to deny as she stood there in thought with him waiting for a response. Her heart fluttered every time she thought of the possibility of them moving closer than friends. But how could she think of that of an colleague, someone who she looked up to, a person whom she thought never consider such things?

"I...I..." She tried so hard to speak but her mouth felt it dry and didn't know how to work itself. "I just...I think.." She sighed and shook her head, "Well, aren't we just friends? I mean I think..or thought of you as a friend. I mean you are a nice guy and everything and quite handsome and smart and have a sense of justice. And I like you, um, I mean like, not like like, er, its not like you're not likeable like that. I'm mean if there was a possibility of me liking you like that because you're very attractive and intelligent. I mean...I don't know..." She covered her face in embarrassment and turn around. She felt like dying right then and there. Not only did she held him up with her thinking forever, or so she thought, but she felt as if didn't make any sense at all.

[Kouzetsu Gin]

Gin chuckled at the sincerity of Mei's words, as much as she stumbled over them and turned away in embarrassment, her wounds were genuine enough to arouse a bit of laughter from the prudent king, his normally restricted demonor having had taken a backseat since the training began. Gin felt free and at ease here, in his natural element, away from the hassle of managing an entire of kingdom, in exchange for the rigors of military training. Walking over to Mei, Gin raised his hand and placed it on the Fae King's warm and reddened face, his smile matching her skin's temperature in warm.

"I understand Mei, it has been very... confusing to say the least in terms of our relationship. I will not say anything to force more embarrassing conversation from you, or guide our friendship into a place it was not meant to go other than this, I treasure our friendship greatly, and I am very fortunate to have been graced by your grace, humility, and beauty over the course of our friendship." Gin said as he turned her embarrassed faced toward his own.

[Isurugi Mei]

Hearing Gin laugh made Mei even more embarrassed but this was one of those rare times she had heard him laugh so she didn't take it personally. She felt his hand on her face and her heart seemed to missed a beat as he comfort her. It was odd feeling him touch her skin as they have never made contact before in such a way. Having her head turned to face him, she felt the blood rush to her checks again and she pouted.

"You're still embarrassing me" She told him in a small voice, "But you're a very sweet guy. I wouldn't want to ruin what we have either." She wanted to hugging in a friendly gesture but she felt that at this time it might confuse her more. Instead she moved away from him and headed towards the entrance of her tent. "I think perhaps its time to get today's activities started."

[Kouzetsu Gin]

"Agreed, I shall see you very soon then at the training grounds. You have my esteem for keeping the morale among your men high despite the difficulty they face in training yesterday. I can only hope to see that this conversation changes nothing between us Mei." Gin said as he removed his hand, walking back to the flap of the tent, opening and closing it securely to protect the privacy of the fae King.

Walking back to his own barrack, Gin saw Hotaka instructing his men, and Gin gave a curt nod of approval to his Archangel friend. Passing the barracks, Gin could overhear Amelia berating her men, her usually enticing voice now grating and offensive. Gin walked back to his tent where to of his Seraphic guards stood watch, entering to find his sword waiting for him, leaning against his desk. Picking the weapon up from its place on the ground, Gin partly unsheathed the blade and took the time to admire his handwork in both sharpening and polishing. "We have much work lift to do, today we shall trim the fat from the carcass of this army, and after that they shall be the hand that plunges us into the heart of our enemies." Gin said as he slammed the blade closed, placing the weapon at his side as he exited the tent to commence the days training.