That is not to say that there aren't those who deserve to die. There are...

And so is there any being better fit than a god to execute those mortals unworthy of life?

And what of the gods unworthy of their immortality? Who to execute them?

Wallowing in irony, Tenpou thought of his other self. Why, a mortal of course.

He took a moment to indulge himself in a strange vanity, that the mortal man he will become will be unordinary, that part of humanity chosen from the rest because he is of celestial background...

"I only believe in my leading idea that men are in general divided by a law of nature into two categories," Tenpou once read. It still held a certain, egotistical truth with him. "inferior (ordinary), that is, so to say, material that serves only to reproduce its kind, and men who have the gift or the talent to utter a new word. The second category all transgress the law; they are destroyers."

But if such a one is forced for the sake of his idea to step over a corpse or wade through blood, he can, I maintain, find himself, in his conscience, a sanction for wading through blood.

"But I hate blood."

"What a coincidence," someone said behind him. "So do I." A cold hand brushed over his hair, causing the clinging snowflakes to shimmer down, only to disappear as the wind whisked them away to nothingness. "So does he. But he's used to it- seeing it every time he looks at me. And I'm used to it- seeing it every time I look in the mirror. Which leaves you." Gojyo settled down behind Tenpou until they were back to back. "Apparently you haven't been looking at me enough to realize that I'm not-"

"Of course you aren't." the marshal cut in. "Nor did I ever expect it of you."

"Ah, then why cuddly moment?"

"I was making sure. And now I am sure that you are not Kenren Taishou."

"How so?"

"You simply aren't."

"Does he smoke?"

"Yes."

"Does he drink?"

"Quite a bit."

Gojyo didn't get it. "So what's the difference?"

"Simple."

"What?"

"He'd let me lie to him." Tenpou stifled a laugh as he leaned into what little warmth he could feel from the half-breed's skin.

Gojyo snorted. "What a pushover."

"I'll quote you on that next time I see him. Usually I am the one who is...how do you say..."

"Pushed over?"

"So to speak..." Tenpou drifted off, his mind dipping itself once again in a pool of reminiscence. He would like to think it was all for the sex, because it was good sex. Nothing Gojyo wouldn't have been able to provide had he asked at that moment three days ago. Not just physical release...

"So..." Gojyo struck up the conversation again, this time around feeling less uncomfortable. "Does he...you know..."

"We don't use that word in heaven."

"What a coincidence, we're reluctant to use it here too. But does he?"

"Most likely."

"And you?"

There were some things he just couldn't get around. "I do."

I do. My god, it sounded like...

Tenpou felt an elbow jab him playfully in the back. "Oi, Tenpou."

"Mh?"

"You wouldn't happen to have a cigarette on you, would you now?"

"Actually...I do."

****

"Taishou. Hey, you awake?" Kenren felt a hand slapping his face, not all to gentle, but not like a pissed off woman either. Opening his eyes, he found himself staring at the great fabricated sky of heaven, dotted with numerous stars disappearing with the encroaching dawn. "Taishou."

He couldn't move his legs. "What?"

"How's the sky look from down there, eh?" Zenon asked.

"Shut the hell up. Where's Tenpou?" he added without thinking.

"Around, playing things by ear." the fiery haired man as he hauled Kenren up to a sitting position. The two of them were situated on a hill overlooking the Western Army's living complex which was, as per orders, surrounded by the recently vacated troops.

Kenren blinked away the blurriness of sleep and registered his surroundings. The entire building was shut off...the doors, windows...everything. And attached to each closed opening was a white slip of paper with neatly stroked characters on them. Spirit wards. "What the hell's happening?"

"We're just enacting the military's containment policy over our own grounds. It's a quarantine." Zenon responded, his one eye perusing the premises like a hawk. Off to the side stood Shien, arms crossed and as still as ever, right next to Goujun. They looked like a pair of pale statues from his vantage point. At the opposite edge sat Homura who, as always, was trying to keep a low profile.

"A quarantine? That's only necessary for the containment of a disease." Kenren objected. "And we're kami. We don't get-"

"It all depends on how you define an infection. Because according to high sources, we have been infected by youkai. And so we are containing them."