Preparations... [Mei] [Finished]

[Kouzetsu Gin]

Sitting at his desk, Gin was doing calligraphy, executing every stroke with fluid proficiency, like he was wielding a sword against a parchment opponent. As he finished Gin looked down at the result of his labors, and beautiful work of art had been produced. "Ahh, nothing is more perfect and pleasing to the eye than the subtle beauty of well crafted penmanship." Gin commented as sipped his tea, pleased at his ability to to perfectly replicate his own name with excellent proficiency.

Gin then commend to remove the parchment filled tome from his desk, and commenced to retrieve a stack of official papers from the corner of the desk. Gin then dipped his lustrous sterling feather quill, taken from his own wing, into a vial of golden ink, signing his own name to authenticate the important paper work. "Lord Mei will be pleased to see that I have agreed to began an extensive training program for our Elite Malakite warriors." Gin said as he pressed a button on the console of his desk, signaling in a young servant to his office.

The servant nervously shuffled into the office, looking quite unkempt as he struggled to hold all the various parchments and scrolls that were currently in his hand. "Sir... you... summoned... me..." the young angel said, nearly out of breath.

"Indeed I did, return this parchment to Lord Mei, and tell her she can find me in the forest, in my favorite clearing perfecting my form, she'll know where to find me." Gin said as he walked toward the weary servant, placing the parchment among the mess the young had to organize. "And for straighten up your robes, and button your shirt, an unkempt uniform can be deemed unlawful, by the strict rules of the dress code." Gin added grabbing his sword of the mantle near the door of his office.

"Yes sir!" the young man said in an exhausted voice, running out as Gin held the door for him.

"Walking through the halls is acceptable, not running." Gin said within an earshot of the young man, the sudden stop while trying to maintain holding all the paperwork causing him to topple over. "Rules are made to be followed, not to be broken for convenience." Gin said as he walked past the young angel buried in a mountain of paperwork, off to hone his nearly impeccable skill with a blade.

[Isurugi Mei]

Walking through the halls, Mei was on her way to her bedroom from her bath to change out of her robe. She had took a bath to collect her thoughts, too many things were happening now and she really had no time to relax. But she needed it.

However Mei decided that she would do a quick check up on things before she went to her room. She walked through the hallways when she notice that there was guy picking himself off the ground and the scrolls that he had dropped. "What happened here and why is your look so untidy? I'm not in the mood to have all of my servants making this place look bad with bad behaviors and appearances that look awful. Fix it my dear."

[Kouzetsu Gin]

"Yes my lady... here Master Kouzetsu has ordered I returned this parchment to you." the young Angelic clerk said, sounding much relived to be in the presence of someone not as rigid Gin. He gathered himself and neatly organized his paperwork in one stack, lifting it carefully, making sure the papers didn't hamper his vision. As he stood he cleared his throat, "My lady, I believe master Kouzetsu would like to meet with you as you just missed him, as he said he was going to train in his favorite clearing in the forest." the young cleric said as he bowed before the Heavenly King, taking care to not drop any papers, as he walked away to continue his assigned tasks.

[Isurugi Mei]

Mei took the scroll with a quizzical look on her face. She then nodded at the forwarding message she received from the clerk. As he went to walk away she too turned and walked away to her bedroom.

As soon as she got in, she threw the scroll on her bed and took off her bathrobe to put on her clothes. She didn't want to leave the castle looking like she did, it wouldn't be right for one to make such an appearance outside their castle.

She left her room with the scroll in hand and went down to the main entryway of her castle where she nodded to the guards that were stationed there. Spreading her wings, she flew up into the sky and went back down to the clearing of the forest where she saw Gin. She made a slight bow when she gracefully planted her feet to the ground and tucked in her wings. "You wished to see me?"

[Kouzetsu Gin]

Maintaining his stance was crucial to the Kata Gin was performing, perfect execution of the set of moves would be the only way Gin felt he could end the myriad training session he was engaged in. As he moved with exquisite grace and poise, he firmly held his Nandao, thrusting in one direction, while fluidly changing the position of his feet to guard, switching to a feint, and finally ending the move set with a quick turn of the edge of the blade, followed by a short stab and follow through.

As Gin stood there, standing to bask in his own sense of accomplishment, this wind brought in two thing; a refreshing gust to cool the minute beads of sweat that had accumulated on his brow, as well as the person he wished to see that day, the King of the Third Layer of Heaven, Isurugi Mei. Gin looked toward the sky as he saw her decend, planting his blade firmly in the earth, he broke his otherwise perfect stance to address that his superior had landed before him.

"My liege Isurugi-sama, so glad you could meet me here, it would seem we have much to discuss concerning the appropriate training of Heaven's military." Gin said, pushing his glasses on his face, delving straight to the very subject, in which he sought this meeting for.

[Isurugi Mei]

Mei was glad that he said something about that, she was concerned about the kind of training her army was getting. Sure he servants had helped to get a portion of her army trained before her attempt at trying to take down the Hell King in the 4th Layer. But with the lack of planning on her part and the inadequate training, the men that she brought with her sadly perished.

"I'm glad you're thinking about that because i'm concern with the training my men are getting. What do you have in mind?" Mei asked while she scratched her chin with the scroll that Gin wanted to give her. "Oh I forgot I had this. Whats this about anyway?" She opened up the scroll and started looking over it.

[Kouzetsu Gin]

"Ah yes, As you can see noted within the parchment I have agreed to personally see to the special training the Malakite warriors, the emphasis on this training will focus on tactical combat engagement as well as a rigid and strict clinic on proper swordsmanship and weapons proficiency. These areas were the weakest among my inspection and subsequent evaluation of our current military status my liege. Hopefully, after these improvements, the already capable elite warriors of the Third Realm can quell any insurrection, and provide the utmost efficient protection of the Heavens from the droves of Hell." Kouzetsu said firmly as he addressed his superior, his words flowing with impeccably phonetical accuracy.

"The Leader of the 'fallen'..." Kouzetsu stated, using a petty euphemism to acknowledge the Ha-ou of, "moves have become unpredictable as of late, and I cannot adequately access his/her motives, starting with this false peace initiative, and becoming involved with another of our Heavenly Kings, the Yamazaki Seishi Ren, leading me to take the appropriate precautions in securing Heavens stability." Kouzetsu finished, as he walked toward Mei.

"Let me ask you my liege, what did you hope to accomplish when you ventured in to the 'fallen' leaders realm, and what may I asked transpired during the altercation the ensued shortly afterward." Kouzetsu inquired, now looking directly in to his leaders eye's.

[Isurugi Mei]

Mei stared back into his eyes and she could see all the people lives that were lost because of her foolish attempt to get rid of the leader of the Fourth Layer of Hell. She looked away as if it was a way to deny the truth but she knew she couldn't.

"I..I..It all started with a wedding. A wedding that was suppose to bring together Heaven and Hell peacefully. But I guess the Hellion people just couldn't have that. They wanted destruction and chaos, not peace and serenity."

She looked down to the ground. "I gathered a group of my men and had my servants trained them before I went out to Hell, to the Fourth layer. I sent out letters to all the other Heaven Kings for them to meet me there. However when I should up with my little army, only one other King came with her army. Another showed up just to watch, and the other came too late. Too late for my men who were easily destroyed in one attack by the leader of Hell, Tomo.

"Because of me," She looked up to Gin with tears in her eyes. "my men who trusted me with their lives lost them. Because of me, A King who came to help out, never returned."

Mei dropped to the ground. She felt so terrible for the loses that she caused. She felt even terrible that she couldn't stay composed and is now on the ground crying. What kind of leader is that? She felt like a failure. All that she tried to do ended up in failure.

[Kouzetsu Gin]

Kouzetsu watched silently as his commanding officer fell to the ground in a sudden display of emotion. A slight breeze came through the clearing, blowing Kouzetsu's robes as he stood by stoically while his leared poured her heart out to him. Kouzetsu learned many years ago to distance himself from emotions, as they hamper the judical process and and cloud the very difined world of which he adheared to, the law. Sensationalism was the antihesis to which he stood for, but Kouzestu himself was not without understanding. He knew and well understood how Mei felt about the invasion attempt into hell, and though he didn't show it he was quite displeased. He himslef had to document and see to the paperwork for those few slain in the attempt, blaming the Ha-ou for his inabilty to control his own subordinates. But above all else, Kouzetsu was aware of Mei's origins, she was a Fae, not a celestial like himself, and understanding this he knew Fae were prone to being emotional. He couldn't expect one such as that to easily seperate themselves into the emotionally neutral world of the law, it would be unfair if anything.

"Stand my lady, such displays are unbecming of a King, I understand your angish and lament as well, there should have been a stronger backing to follow you, but the leader of the 'fallen' has her clutches all throught the Heavenly order, you cannot allow yourself the full blame when we are surrounded by 'fallen' sympathizers and sicophants, extending to all of those which choose to be bedfellows literal and figuratively with the 'fallen commander." Kouzetsu said, walking over to Mei, extending a hand to aid her in stand back up.

"The 'fallen' choose to think heaven is weak, inserting the seeds of inserection with vairious nefarious agents, it would seems the one who has no control over their own realm will not rest until desention permeates all of existance, this why I feel we should be prepared for anything. Those whose faith still lies in the Heavens will not stand idly by as our own Realm is treated as second class to those not fit to continue living by the very laws that govern all that is right. Even if this means the disposal of the very Kings who have been, courupted by the 'fallen'." Kouzetsu said, pushing his glasses back on his face with his other hand.

[Isurugi Mei]

He was right, she had never seen her aunt acted in such a way so why should she. She looked up and took his hand. His hand unlike his facial expression was soft. She got up and dusted herself. She also knew that she shouldn't put all the blame on to herself but she still felt that she at fault.

She sighed. She stood there wiping her eyes as she listen to him and straighten herself out. "I agree, it would be shameful to have such Kings on our side. But I don't think we should act like brutes and kill off our own kind if had to come down to it. I heard stories that the Shijin were locked up. We could do that to our fellow Kings if we have to."

She realized that she was sidestepping now. This wasn't what he wanted her for. "But that isn't why I was summoned here for was it? You wanted me here to talk about improving our defenses. I say go for it. Do whatever you can so that we don't caught off guard by some sneaky Hellion being."

[Kouzetsu Gin]

"I agree my lady, I am aware that in these uncertain times we must be prepared for any and everything those who wish to see the Heaven's torn asunder have to muster, you must be strong my Lady, your are King of the Layer that houses the most capable warriors that Heaven possess, and you are a capable warrior yourself." Kouzetsu said softly as he caressed Mei hand.

Letting go of Mei's hand gently, Kouzetsu went to retrieve his sword from the earth, pulling a satin cloth from his pocket, he removed the earth from his blade before placing it in his sheath.

"The program I seek to implement will be an arduous one, my Lady, please send me a list of those warriors you fell special enough to lead, as they will be drilled by my Einjheriar and I, eventually leading the remaining ranks of the Heavens after the program is completed." Kouzetsu said as he stood before Mei.

"I assure you my Lady, you need not worry about solitary battles against the 'fallen' again as I give you my word guided by the very Laws I live and abide by, the next time such an event takes place, I will be by your side, and my divine blade will taste the anguish of our foes."

[Isurugi Mei]

Such determination, Mei was impressed. "I have three that are in mind right now. My most trusted servants that are sisters to each other. There is a fourth, the eldest sister. But I'm afraid that she isn't any good to us at all. She still has strong ties to the previous ruler I guess, but its no excuse for her to act out in such a way. She has really rubbed me the wrong way. The insolent child had the nerve to come into my quarters as if it was her own and disrespect me. No, she is definitely not qualified." Mei hadn't realized that she was held her hand in a tight fist by her side and that she was starting to turn red.

She then remembered something. "Oh. There is another. She is also a Faerie, Rosey. I believe she resides in the Mortal Realm though. But she is a skilled warrior and her abilities as a commander I hear were very impressive. I'm sure she would be more than happy to be able to fight again."

Truthfully though, she didn't really know Rosey would be happy to be working under her. She doesn't seem to be very fond of her for some strange reason.

[Kouzetsu Gin]

"In any case, I am truly happy to see such progression in the advances in the progression of reestablishing Heavenly might." Kouzetsu said, smiling at his leader, her resolve returned to her, aided by his words praise, encouragement and reassurance. "I am quite satisfied with my training here today, come my Lady allow me to escort you for Tea, I know of place in Israfel that brews a special blend of leaves native only to the Ahabiel, they are quite exquisite indeed." Kouzetsu continued, placing his hand on her shoulder.

[Isurugi Mei]

"Tea? That sounds delightful, I would love to have some tea. Its been awhile since I had some anyway." Mei beamed a smiled at him. To think that she was frighten of the people here in Heaven when she first arrived and now she is having tea with them and have talks with them about various things going on with the war.

"Please, lead the way. I'm still unfamilar with some of the areas in Heaven. I'm afraid that I haven't stepped foot outside the castle much."

[Kouzetsu Gin]

Kouzetsu smiled at Mei's acceptance of his invitation, "Right this way my lady, I think you'll love this particular blend, very pleasing to the palliate." Kouzetsu said, leading they way out of the clearing in the forest, to relish in his triumph of legislature, as well as partaking in the ambiance of tea and a colleague. "You know my Lady there is something else I've been pondering..."

[Dialog brought to light in The Celestial Conference]