September Training

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone
What: Information and Training
When: August 25
Where: Bishamon's temple, the Far Shore
Summary: Training and informational sessions for newly arrived gods and shinki



In anticipation of the latest round of new arrivals, Heaven has partnered with the new gods and shinki to organize a very helpful informational reception.

Gods and shinki arriving at heaven's meeting hall are, should they allow it, guided kindly towards Bishamon's temple. In that vast complex they are brought to a traditional-style dojo. The gods and shinki are free to take their time during this day to learn about the details of their new life from Amaterasu's shinki or from the many veteran new god and shinki volunteers.




God Training

Newly arrived gods are escorted into a hall near the dojo for an informational meeting covering the basics of proper god behavior, although the minor deity conducting the meeting is in too much of a rush to take questions afterwards. They are encouraged to discuss the information with each other and ask questions of more experienced gods, as well as to guide their new shinki appropriately.

Shinki Training

Various volunteers are stationed around the dojo, passing out helpful informational pamphlets. There are many shinki, including Bishamon's and Amaterasu's, who will be more than happy to train in using the borderline as well as offering a lecture on the basics of what is expected of a shinki and the importance of teamwork with other shinki and with gods. Shinki are encouraged to work together to practice what they've learned and discuss their ideologies.

Targets have been hung up just outside the dojo for people practicing borderlines of both the defensive and cutting variety. They've clearly been made by kids: they're big, crayon-colored butcher paper cutouts of ayakashi, carefully detailed. Some of Bishamon's child shinki are working on more towards the side of the practice area, with crayons scattered all around. They could use some help from anyone with an artistic bent.

Physical Training

The dojo is stocked with a wide variety of practice weapons, traditional and modern, to offer some practice opportunity to gods who, for example, find themselves with a sword shinki but are at risk of cutting off their own toes. It's also useful for veteran new gods wishing to train with their current partner shinki.

Bishamon's shinki have gone all out this time and created an obstacle course for physical training as well. Climb walls, crawl through mud, jump across randomly spaced stumps, find your way through a maze and collect one of each of five different-colored ribbons being handed out by shinki attendants for completing each section within the allotted time.

Rest and Refreshments

Since the obstacle course is even messier than the usual training session, one of Bishamon's shinki will show anyone who asks the way to the showers to get cleaned up afterwards. There are hydrating drinks and light snacks available outside the dojo, along with fresh, lemon-scented towels.

In Bishamon's garden, a proper English tea has been laid, with a long table containing sweet and savory nibbles, and small wicker tables with two or three chairs set out all over the lawn. Gods and shinki can sit down for a talk here, get to know each other, and adjust to their new situation.

Bishamon's shinki do seem a little overworked, though, trying to serve tea all around. They'd welcome anyone, new or old, willing to put on one of the crisp white aprons and help serve some tea.

In Summary:

• Get all the information you can handle
• Veteran new gods and shinki are welcome to volunteer showing the ropes
• Get in some training
• Don't get dehydrated
• Spectate if you want
• Have fun~

Comments

Lann | OTA

[trapperkeeper]

Shinki Training- Borderlines

[Lann didn't waste any time at all wondering about being dead or looking for his new god or listening to explanations he's going to wish he had paid attention to. Nope, he heard word one about borderlines and rushed off to learn them. Because they sounded cool. And he can use them against those um... kayak...cashews? Something like that.

What he lacks in intelligence Lann tends to make up in talent, so it only takes him a few tries to get a good borderline going. Maybe a little too good. He... just sliced right through his training dummy into yours. And almost into you.]

Whoops! Sorry, dude. My bad.


Physical training- Obstacle course

[Lann was doing just fine in the obstacle course, running, jumping, climbing... all things he can do just fine. But then he got to the maze. The horrible cheating maze that he's pretty sure is out to get him. It turns out that making turns more or less at random is a pretty good way to get lost. And to go around in circles about a dozen times.

Not that he's noticed he's going around in circles. It's totally the maze's fault anyway. And he just turned a corner to see yet another dead end.]

Aw, what the honk?! Doesn't this thing ever end?

Choose your own adventure

Got a better idea? Go for it. I'll roll with whatever.

Obstacle Course

[welcome_home]

[ While Nanako hadn't been doing the obstacle course and maze herself, she'd been having fun watching - from her vantage point above it. The little girl is floating overhead with tiny angel wings fluttering and a halo tipped to one side as she watches the other gods and shinki explore the very complicated-looking maze.

When she hears the boy exclaim in frustration, she gives a giggle, floating down a little to hover over his section of it. ]

Are you stuck?

Re: Obstacle Course

[trapperkeeper]

No!

[He sounds offended by the very idea.]

The stupid maze just never ends.

[And then he takes a good look at her. Wait a second.]

Wait. You can fly? No fair!

[welcome_home]

[ She giggles before lowering down to join him, landing carefully, because she's still perfecting that part of flying. At least there is less... falling with style these days? ]

Yeah! Sorry, I guess it is kinda unfair for the maze, huh? Do you want help? Or would that be too much like cheating? It's why I was watching instead of doing it, too.

[trapperkeeper]

[He's tempted. He's so tempted. But...]

Nah. I guess I should play this fair.

[But he's gonna be here fooooreeeever!!! Ugh.

Oh. Wait.]

Hey, maybe you can help me anyway. Want to try the maze together? Without the flying, I mean?

[Yep, he's asking a little kid to help him figure out this maze. It's actually the smartest idea he's had all day.]

shinki training

[artificialrose]

[From where he's nearly been hit, Garry has frozen up and needs a moment before he lets out a slow shaky breath.]

So that's how Davesprite felt...

[Shaking his head, he looks for the apologizing culprit.]

It's good that you're apologetic, but try to keep an eye on where you're aiming, okay?

Re: shinki training

[trapperkeeper]

[Lann scratches the back of his head and offers a sheepish grin.]

Yeah still working on the aiming thing. These line things are pretty cool though. I can't wait to try them out on one of those... Aya...

[He frowns then, reaching for the word.]

...Ayakayak things.

[Nailed it.]

[artificialrose]

[Still calming down, Garry manages to smile slightly.]

Ayakashi. Still, you'll want to be careful... They can be pretty scary! And gross...

[trapperkeeper]

Pfft. I'm not scared of them.

[Mostly because he's never even seen one. Nothing like baseless confidence, right?]

Besides, isn't killing them our job? That's why we're here, right?

Borderlines

[freezetheheavens]

[Toushirou steps to the side, watching the Borderline slide through another dummy that was behind him.]

You may need to try to work on your aim.

Re: Borderlines

[trapperkeeper]

I'll uh... keep practicing.

[He does look apologetic, at least.]

So are you any good at this stuff? Got any pointers?

[freezetheheavens]

I'm afraid I'm unfamiliar with Borderlines.

[That's a bit of a hint that he's a god, right?]

But is there anything you're thinking about in particular as you try it out?

[trapperkeeper]

[That's okay. Have a little pat on the back.]

Aw, don't worry about it. You'll get it eventually.

[A hint that Lann will never get. Ever. He's not really a hint kind of guy.]

Thinking about...? Nah, I wasn't really thinking about anything.

[All of his problems in a nutshell.]

obstacle course

[dragonflood]

[Sensing the general direction that her partnered shinki is isn't difficult for her to learn. But eventually she gets tired of trying to pinpoint him through a maze and just hops up onto the walls of it instead.]

[It helps that, unlike the first time she'd done this, she knows his face and name without a shinki having to come deliver it first.]

[She jumps down when she finally spots him.] Lann. [She's certain she has the right person, but just in case...]

Re: obstacle course

[trapperkeeper]

[His first reaction is something like surprised disappointment. Because...]

Aw, dude! Why didn't I think of that?

[Walking on the walls of the maze would make it so much easier.]

Wait a sec. How'd you know my name?

[dragonflood]

[The answer to the first question is easy—] Because you weren't supposed to. [It just didn't matter to her, since she doesn't care about the ribbons...]

[The second question is harder; the issues she has with shinki in general (as a concept, really) haven't gone away... But after meeting a few of them and getting a dressing-down about it from Butch, she's not as against the idea as she used to be.]

We're to work together. [She tilts her head.] Nice to meet you. I'm Rekka.

Have you seen the shinki pamphlet?

[trapperkeeper]

Huh?

[A confused blink lights up into a grin as understanding dawns.]

Oh! You're the god I'm teaming up with, right? I didn't read any pamphlet, but they did mention you. Um.... you're the god Ragtime, right?

[Yeah, he was going for Rangda. Not even in the ballpark there.]

Obstacle Course

[challengesfate]

[Oh, yes, this is definitely something Lucina is happy to participate in once word about another training session gets around. She's only on her first time through, but she does plan to go in a couple of times, if only to test herself and work up a good sweat.

...Though it'll probably be necessary if she wants to get all of the colored ribbons, because so far this maze has her very confused. She's hit another dead end and she's staring at it with narrowed eyes, mumbling to herself.]

Left, then right, then left...then right? Or left again...how do I return to the start?

[However, Lann's exclamation is definitely something that breaks her concentration, and she turns.]

Huh? A..."honk"?

Re: Obstacle Course

[trapperkeeper]

Huh?

[He turns around to see a fellow captive of this evil maze.]

Oh! Perfect! Hey, do you know how to get out of here?

[challengesfate]

...I...am not completely certain, no. What do you mean by a "honk"?

[Really honey are these your priorities]

[trapperkeeper]

[Those are perfectly sensible priorities.]

Huh? Oh, you know...

[It takes him a minute to think of an example.]

Like... what the honk is going on? Or... where the honk am I?

Obstacle Course

[lookingforhead]

[There's the sound of footfalls behind him and then someone else comes running around the corner. She stops when she sees him and the wall and then looks back the way she came. Then back to him. It seems he's not the only one having trouble right now.

Exasperated, she throws her hands up in annoyance and then leans against the wall, arms crossed and helmet dipped as she sulks.]

Re: Obstacle Course

[trapperkeeper]

[Yeah, that's a good idea. After a moment, Lann joins her against the wall with a heavy sigh.]

Tell me about it. This maze is totally nuts!

Re: Obstacle Course

[lookingforhead]

[Celty glances at him, but the black plastic of her visor doesn't betray any emotion or expression. Still, it does seem like she's agreeing with him.

The helmet tilts up to look around the walls and then she looks back the way she came. After a moment the helmet shakes in frustration and she holds out her hands. Shadows stream from her sleeves and make a staircase from the floor up to the top of the wall itself.]

Re: Obstacle Course

[trapperkeeper]

[Lann just gapes at the shadow stairs for a moment. It takes him a moment of shocked sputtering before he find words.]

Wh- what the honk!?! You can do that? Is that even allowed?!