[OPEN] Shinki practice time!

[shockshot]

Who: Open to everyone!
What: Shinki practice!
When: All day May 25th!
Where: An abandoned temple on the Far Shore!
Summary: In light of some recent events, Masaki has offered to do some practice with various shinki. And, afterwards...muffins?



With the talk of attacks from gods and ayakashi, Masaki decided to step up and see what she could do to help herself safer, and practice her abilities. In a single call, she found there were more then she realized that wanted to learn, and many who didn't know. And even more that were interested in free food. 

So she sought to arrange things so that her fellow shinki could learn, and practice together. And after, gods and shinki could relax together, with a kind of after party. 

Arrival

From the directions that can be found on the text message that Masaki sent out, people can find themselves heading to an abandoned temple. The inside of the touch is untouched; the focus is instead on the outside, on the sand garden.Not that there's much but arrows indicating where to go, and a table with...muffins and clear bottles of water? 

How bizarre. On testing, it will turn out that the water is in fact holy water! And the muffins are all the ones suggested on the feed: blueberry, double chocolate, apple cinnamon...no mackerel muffins. 

But there is, surprisingly, rice balls, and one of them is labelled to have mackerel inside. The food is fresh and well made but don't touch! It's for after practice.  

Practice

This is mostly a practice for borderlines, but for those who don't know, they will be given a very quick lesson on how borderlines work, and how they are to defend themselves with it. 'Line', two fingers cutting a line into the sand, and the intent to keep whatever is on the other side away. 

And then it's onto practice! There's no tiny ayakashi (simply because they're a: gross b: can't be contained without borderlines and c: way too dangerous) but there is incentive to use the borderlines. Why? 

Because your partner has either a water gun, water balloons, or both. And depending on how mischievous your partner is, they might not have just water inside! 

After party

All the practice done, the food is now a free for all! Help yourselves to the food brought in, the towels that have been brought out, and now you can talk, exchange bits of advice, and enjoy yourselves, and the food. 

Comments

OTA

[redotiertwo]

[A: Practice]

[Well, Davesprite sure did leave actually learning borderlines way longer than he should have. In theory, he has the excuse of Hajime's repeated shinki losses after he arrived serving to distract him in favour of trying to help her out, but as far as he's concerned he has no excuse. It's not another notch to add to a list of failures, but that's mostly because he has the feeling of having too many to even try to keep track of.

However, he also has slightly less incentive than some others to actually use a borderline for this practice, what with his wings and all. While he has been practicing, he's also been doing a bit of casual trolling by choosing to fly around the trajectory of water guns or balloons.

And after another semi-successful attempt at a borderline, he responds to a thrown water balloon by whipping it with the end of his tail. It's not quite fully tangible, which allows the balloon to remain whole from the impact, but it definitely goes flying back in the direction of the thrower.]

Okay, time out, I'm not standing around like an asshole after this trying to dry my wings out when that holds all the juicy entertainment value of watching paint dry on growing grass.

--

[B: Afterparty]

[After suggesting apple and cinnamon muffins, Davesprite is absolutely taking that chance while he can get it, and presently he's hovering casually over the food table while eating one. His wings are outstretched, but not actually moving, since natural sprite levitation works wonders for not shedding all over the table.

Still, he reaches down to pluck a fallen orange feather out of the air as it threatens to spin down onto the table, flicking it to the side and quite possibly in the direction of someone else. Sitting up a little in mid-air as he notices, he folds his wings in a little awkwardly.]

Yeah, I guess I could've thrown worse at you, but still, my bad.

A;

[moonfang]

[Apparently, wearing NO clothes when in public is frowned upon in this society. Even if the activities involve water and being wet. What a pain. So instead, Zangetsu is wearing a pair of swim trunks. He dodges the returned water balloon and tosses another up and down in his hand... careful not to touch it with his claws]

So then, Day-Glo, what do you suggest? [a grin] Something a little more.... hands on? We might get in trouble.

[redotiertwo]

[Even if he'd chosen not to wear pants, he'd be in good company there with Davesprite, but as it is they can just be the single article of clothing club. Zangetsu's suggestion isn't bad, either, and Davesprite gives a casual half-shrug as he runs a hand up the hilt of the sword sticking out of his stomach.]

Hey, it's supposed to be practice, if they get uppity about a couple of people choosing to swing swords or fists instead of going for weapons of mass dousation then they're probably missing the point by at least a car-length, maybe a van if we're being less forgiving here.

[A serious comparison of two very serious length metaphors.]

[moonfang]

[clothes are for losers, truly.

Zangetsu also appreciates that Davesprite stores his weapon in his chest. If that's not one of the most badass thing he's ever seen...

He tosses the water balloon away and holds out his hand, summoning his own (giant, completely ridiculous) sword in a burst of black and red flame]

I'm up for it if you are. I have to warn you though. I don't hold back. Do you think your little borders will be able to handle it?

Shuusei Kagari | OTA

[latentforlife]

[Practice]

[Shuusei's got the "make a line" thing almost down. He's still got to get used to this sort of thing though and what better way than with flying targets.

He volunteers to throw first, already setting up his small bucket of water balloons. He's more than willing to rotate through partners and even try his own hand at putting up a barrier though. Either way, this should be fun!]

Ready when you are!


[After Party]

[Shuusei went straight for the blueberry muffins. Snagging one quick just to make sure he got one to happily munch on. He's got a big appetite though and seems to gobble food quickly, so he's going to be well onto his second muffin pretty quick.

He's avoiding that mackerel rice ball and gets some words out between bites.]

I can't believe we're doing actual magic.

Practice

[misterfrumpyface]

[This is Erk's first experience with borderlines, but he's getting the hang of them quite quickly. There's really not much to it. Still, he knows that being able to use a technique is not the same thing as being able to put it into actual practice and use it effectively.

He has to admit, he's a little relieved they aren't practicing with actual ayakashi on his first time. But even though it's harmless water balloons being tossed around, he's not taking this any less seriously.

He stands a balloon's throw away from Shuusei, readies himself, and nods once.]

Ready.

[latentforlife]

Okay, here's my best shot!

[And with that Shuusei's tossing a smaller water balloon like a baseball, though it doesn't quite release right and doesn't fly too straight.

All in all he's hoping to either catch Erk off guard or at least give some sort of challenge.]

[misterfrumpyface]

[And catch Erk off guard, it does. He was expecting a nice, gentle toss for his first try at this, and his eyes widen as he realizes that balloon is coming much faster than he'd expected... but that's his own fault for making assumptions. He should know better; doing so in an actual battle could get him killed.

It's at the last possible second that he recovers himself and draws a line, and while his technique is sloppy and the barrier is weak for having been rushed, it's enough--the balloon bursts against the borderline, and he remains dry, but only just.

...So that's how it's going to be, is it? Well, let it not be said that he shied away from the first sign of a challenge. Encouraged by his success (even if it was just barely success), Erk shoots his partner a hint of a good-natured smirk.]

Is that the best you can do?

practice

[secrowtary]

[They both agreed that Hibiki would be the first to practice, that's why he's standing a few steps away from Shuusei and prepares himself as well, even though there's not much to be done in his case. At least not yet—since he's still not sure how long he can keep a borderline up, Hibiki decides to wait a little before setting it.]

Ready. Let us begin.

[To prove it, he puts his hand up, showing him the extended fingers.]

practice

[latentforlife]

Okay, here it comes!

[Shuusei prepares, waiting for Hibiki to be ready before firing off his first shot. As far as firsts go, this one is an easy one. Shuusei under hand lobs it to see what happens.

It might not even have the power to break upon the barrier.]

[secrowtary]

[It lands a step-length before the barrier, even though Hibiki himself wasn't sure whether it'd manage to hit it or not in the end.]

There's no need to hold back, I assure you.

[Will his confidence pay off, though...]

OTA

[toremainbehind]

Practice:

[Training with Kensei helps, especially when it comes to learning how to create borderlines. After everything that's happened, Izumo figures it'd be much safer for him to at least focus on creating borderlines instead of unconsciously using his own powers to fight.

His borderlines are stronger, lasting a bit longer before it falls just seconds before a water balloon is thrown and he's drenched.

He sighs, shaking his head briefly to move his bangs aside to see clearer.]

I think a break is in order.

After Party:

[Relaxing a bit was a good thing, and anyone can find Izumo on the far side, cigarette lit and breathing out smoke.

He tilts his head in acknowledgment if anyone comes over to talk to him, but otherwise, he'll just be smoking in peace before he decides to go and fetch himself a muffin to munch on.]

practice

[secrowtary]

My apologies.

[The towel Hibiki took just in case along with the water balloons comes in handy when he passes it to Izumo.]

You did really well, though. Until the last one, at least. Shall we continue after the break?

[toremainbehind]

[He takes the towel, giving Hibiki a nod in thanks and proceeds to dry himself off.]

Sounds like a plan.

[A smile.]

Though, it'll be your turn.

[secrowtary]

Right.

[His gaze goes to the spot where he grabbed the towel before—only to find out that there are no towels left at this point. Somehow, the water balloons haven't run out yet.]

Will this really work, I wonder.

[Looking at his fingers, Hibiki's expression darkens a little. He hasn't tried that out yet and the possibility of getting drenched is real, maybe even too real to his liking.]

OTA

[misterfrumpyface]

[Practice]

[Erk catches onto borderlines quite easily. For something referred to as magic, they're much more straightforward than he was expecting; no tomes, no chants, no nothing. Just draw a line. Perhaps his natural inclination toward magic gives him an advantage? It's hard to say with certainty, but in any case, he's proving to be a quick study.

The same cannot be said, however, when it comes to throwing water balloons. One might say he throws like a girl... if one wanted to insult the girl. Even most of them have a better arm than Erk does. Clearly, he was never into sports.

As yet another balloon falls just short of his partner's borderline and bursts harmlessly on the ground, Erk lets out a long sigh.]

Are we absolutely sure there aren't any more of those "water guns"?


[After Party]

[Erk isn't too drenched. His cloak bore the brunt of the assault and sports some wet patches, but his clothes underneath--modern khakis and a button-down shirt--are reasonably dry. Still, he's toweling off his hair as he sits and eyes the muffins, debating whether or not to try one. Some of the flavours he recognizes, but others he's having a harder time identifying.

So if you happen to grab one, he'll ask about it.]

Excuse me. What kind is that?

after party

[secrowtary]

Oh?

[At the time, Hibiki happens to be holding the dark brown muffin, which could only mean:]

It's a double chocolate muffin, quite tasty, I'd say. To be fair, though, all of them are.

[That could mean that he has already tried most of them, if not all.]

[misterfrumpyface]

Double... chocolate?

[That's one of the kinds Erk hadn't been able to identify, but the name doesn't help much. What's chocolate? It certainly doesn't look like a fruit...

And Erk quirks an eyebrow at the rest of the response. Yes, it really does beg the obvious question:]

You've tried them all?

[Seriously, who eats that many muffins?]

[secrowtary]

Double chocolate.

[Even though he repeats himself, Hibiki tilts his head, thinking if saying that again is really going to help, given Erk's puzzled expression.]

Chocolate is made from cocoa beans. It can be either sweet or bitter.

[The question makes Hibiki clear his throat a bit too loudly.]

Just one per flavor. Just to see which ones I should try making myself later.

[It's true, but maybe he did go overboard with this...]

[takenwithhim]

[Practice]

[For all his initial distrust of his god and the confusion of this new world, Sousuke remained true to his nature: be the best. He was well aware of his limitations here; there were people with skills far beyond those of normal humans. While most of those skills lingered with the gods, considering most shinki had to rely on their gods’ permission to actually use their supernatural abilities, there were some who seemed to have gotten around that limitation one way or another. He was determined not to let that be a setback to him.

If shinki are relegated to one main skill on their own, then he’s going to master that skill to the point of perfection and throw himself into training until it is so. Creating a borderline and maintaining it are things he already knows how to do. He’s a fast learner and excels when he puts his mind and interest in something. But like any skill, it can be honed and needs to be. He wants to ensure his borderlines are the strongest, impenetrable. To ensure he can keep multiple borderlines up at once. And to make sure they stay up as long as he needs them to. And just recently he’s been introduced to utilizing them offensively. So all of that is what he’s focusing on here.

One motion, one borderline .Another motion. Another borderline. Another… and the first one starts to fade. He doesn’t have the adrenaline pumping through him as he had during that past event, so he’s finding it difficult to keep multiples up. But he’s working on it. Unfortunately, Sousuke’s never been the sociable type. So he’s the big stoic guy mainly staying by one of the walls, keeping an eye on the others while he works. After all, distanced or not, there’s no telling when some shinki might attempt something. And he’d rather avoid a balloon or stream of something other than water, thanks.]

~0~

[After Party]

[So he may have gotten a little wet… or a lot. Water balloons and water guns tend to have that affect. One or two might have been his own doing, the self-reliant guy who tosses water balloons in the air and attempts to borderline them from hitting himself in the face. But Sousuke’s more focused on the food rather than completely toweling himself off. There’s something about being wet that’s actually not a bad feeling. Even if his white shirt does end up clinging in places.

Holding one of the rice balls in one hand, another being clamped between his mouth, he’s busy maneuvering the rolled up towel over the back of his neck so it can drape over his shoulders and down his chest to catch the drips. Again, staying towards the corner of the table with his plate of rice balls and muffins resting on the end. Sousuke’s starting to wonder what his god’s doing at the moment, considering this is probably the longest Sousuke’s stayed away from him since first meeting him. “Away” meaning “at a different location” rather than simply being across the temple or wherever else they both are.

There are a number of shinki here he’s kind of surprised to see. Lots of variety…]

After Party

[shockshot]

[Yeah, he's a little wet, but he was pretty good. She'd been watching him on and off, as she practised, and instructed the new about borderlines. It just gave her regrets that she hadn't learned the other spells useful for shinki.

But since he had been acting the part of the quiet lone wolf, she was very curious about him. And she didn't know if he was one of the people she talked to, or if he read and showed up. There was no way to know.

She really needed to learn how to audio someday, much less video. Seeing how he was lingering over the various food offerings, she slid up to him, head tilting up to watch his face.]

I'm glad you could make it. Was everything to your liking?

[Masaki watched him, hands clasped in front of her. She didn't know if she was a great hostess but, she tried, and that was the important thing about all of this. Or so she thought.]

[takenwithhim]

[While he’ll admit Rin and he had spent the first few weeks more or less exploring the castle and getting to know each other rather than religiously practice their abilities as god and shinki. However, after certain… events, that attitude has changed now and both of them are regularly working on improving. Sousuke refuses to allow himself to be caught up in a situation like that again without being prepared and able to defend himself.

He does keep to himself, even now at the after party. The water feels comfortable despite the occasional wipe of the towel. Sousuke has taught a few people who’d come to him for some pointers, but overall he’s stayed to the side and focused on his own training. Even if that meant tossing balloons in the air and attempting to “catch” them with borderlines without bursting them. Or using a gun to spurt a stream of water, then focus on how many of the spraying droplets he could cut through before they reached the ground.

Sousuke breaks from his thoughts when a voice pops up next to him and he glances down. Oh? This girl? He’d seen here a few times during the practice, but never thought much of it. Seeing her face, upturned, with her hands clasped in front of her, gave her the image of a curious hostess of sorts]

Aa.

[He gives her a few more seconds, watching her from his obviously higher-than-she-is standpoint. Teal eyes are almost cold and impassive; he’s not hiding the fact he’s judging her. Not… negatively, but more figuring out if he wants to bother. Ultimately, the frost seems to settle and he softens a little.]

Are you the one who called this?

[lilys_poise]

[Practice]

[Elise was eager to come to this party, but now that's she's here she's starting to have second thoughts. Everyone else is so good at this. And she still can't manage a single line.

Still... she came all this way. And she's not going to give up easily. But about a half hour into practice when she's soaking wet and still hasn't managed so much as a flicker, Elise is at the end of her rope. She may not be the type to give up, but she sure is the type to cry about it. And that's exactly what she does after the latest balloon finds it's mark.

A couple of soft sniffles are quickly muffled by her hands, but there's no stopping the tears now.]

Wh-why can't I....

[*Sob*]

do this? What a-am I d-doing wrooong??

[twiceinhabited]

[Turns out that Amane and Elise are partners for this practice?

Amane paused what she's doing, put the water balloons down and is making her way over towards Elise.]

Elise?

[She's crying... Amane place a hand on her shoulder.]

It's fine, you're doing your best.

[lilys_poise]

[Elise looks up at her partner with watery eyes.]

B-but my best isn't good enoouugh!

[And shoulder clasps are nice and comforting, but Elise is going right in for the hug. She buries her tear stained face in Amane's poor shirt, still sobbing.]