May Training

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone
What: Information and Training
When: July 15
Where: Bishamon's temple, the Far Shore
Summary: Training and informational sessions for newly arrived gods (although there's none this time) and shinki



The product of many meetings and recommendations, at last it has taken shape. On this day, in anticipation of the new arrivals who appear in a recognized pattern, Heaven has partnered with the new gods and shinki to organize a very helpful informational reception.

The shinki arriving at heaven's meeting hall are, should they allow it, guided kindly towards Bishamon's temple. And in that vast complex they are brought to a traditional-style dojo.
Here the newly arrived gods are gathered, so finding their partner is more simple. The gods and shinki are free to take their time during this day to learn about the aspects of their new life from Amaterasu's shinki, or from the many veteran new god and shinki volunteers.




God Training

Bishamon herself, as well as Amaterasu's ever-present shinki and any volunteering gods, will be the foremost source of information regarding being a god and what is expected of them, such as prayers. It is encouraged that gods group up together to practice what they've learned and discuss their ideologies.
Newly arrived gods are still expected to communicate to their shinki the information* they themselves get oriented with when they arrive.

Shinki Training

Various volunteers are stationed around the building, 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 and some of the basics of what is expected of a shinki. It is encouraged that shinki group up together to practice what they've learned and discuss their ideologies.
Bishamon's lead shinki Kazuma offers a lecture to new arrivals that will thoroughly cover some essential points about teamwork with both shinki and other gods.

Physical Training

The dojo is stocked with a wide variety of practice weapons, traditional and modern. There are volunteers here as well, willing to assist in basic training. (Or even more advanced sparring, depending on the volunteer.) Essential for gods who, for example, find themselves with a sword shinki but are at risk of cutting off their own toes.
Also useful for veteran new gods wishing to train with their current partner shinki.

Rest and Refreshments

There is a garden off the dojo that is free to be used for rest and conversation.
Should anyone wander outside the designated area, some shinki of Bishamon's will attach themselves to them and not leave them be until they return to the dojo.

There is a refreshments table provided. It is covered with light snacks and various kinds of hydrating drinks. There is a little sitting area set up for people to relax in after they have finished their training or if they're just taking a quick break to cool down. Even hand towels are provided by Bishamon's helpful shinki. The Heavens wants everyone to stay in good condition!

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

[reformedsinner]

God Training

[It's not so much that he doesn't know the ropes as that he's adjusting to the disorientation of their suddenly being relevant to him... and all of the other disorientation, of course. His memory is as intact as it's ever been. It's this place that is, bizarrely, familiar.

It feels as though he's been gone for a long time, but he doesn't know how to judge, when he hadn't remembered it until just now. He's sitting at the side of the god training area, flipping industriously through a pamphlet, and trying to delay the moment when he's going to have to go and collect his shinki.

His shinki.

If anything feels truly, deeply wrong about this, it is the idea of being so wholly responsible for another life, but he can't exactly refuse. He will, at least, give her a choice when they meet.

There are several people he needs to talk to, and his shinki is going to be one of them.

He exhales sharply, closes the pamphlet, and tucks it into his pocket as he starts to leave. Better catch him quick.]

[bussounoshima]

[As Hakkai goes to make an exit, there's an orange abruptly thrown in his direction from the refreshments table for him to either catch or get a bump on the head from. His call. If he follows where it came from, he'll see Sharak Sanzo leant casually against the wall with her arms crossed, watching him expectantly.]

You should eat something before you leave.

[And that's all she's saying until he gives her some other cue. He'd been looking at the god information, but that doesn't mean he is one, and even if he is it doesn't mean he'll remember her. Still, it's odd that he's back already.]

[reformedsinner]

[He turns, hand flashing up to catch the orange... and then follows its track back across the room to spot Sharak standing there. Surprise flashes briefly over his face before he offers a polite bow and heads towards her.]

Sharak Sanzo. Well, I suppose it's good to see that you're still here, although I saw you quite recently elsewhere....

[Enough cues? He splits the orange rind with his thumbnail and begins to peel it.]

How long has it been?

[bussounoshima]

[Enough for now. Sharak nods in approval and takes a step forward to meet Hakkai.]

Two days or so. I'm going to go grey worrying about you boys. [She says, likely leading to her wondering whether or not she cursed herself when she wakes up tomorrow morning.

Sharak tilts her head towards the exit, indicating that they should continue this conversation as they make their way out.] Tell me what you remember.

[Even between gods, there are gaps in their knowledge. Gojyo had proven that.]

[reformedsinner]

[Hakkai glances casually around: no Gojyo in evidence. And no one else paying too much attention to their conversation either, even as they move towards the exit.

Good.]

We had just spoken to the Three Aspects about the War God's appearance, and were traveling back to your temple.

[He raises his eyebrows at her, curious.]

I couldn't ask this before, of course, but what do you remember, Sanzo-sama?

[onerous]

[She's here out of mostly curiosity, to see the new shinki and new gods and maybe hoping to see familiar faces.

She just wasn't actually expecting to see a familiar face. Especially not that one. he does a double take and then hurries after him, reaching out for him]

Hak-- [She begins to call out to him without even thinking, and then hastily stops, stops reaching for him, stops trying to follow. Her hand drops to her side, because there's no guarantee he remembers her or anything, and she stands there feeling awkward and anxious, watching him.]

[reformedsinner]

[Hakkai's head snaps up and around as Yuri's voice stalls on the second syllable of his name, and he turns. Surprise, and then a note of sharp sympathy, fill his face for just an instant before he controls his expression to a small smile and offers her a bow.]

Yuri. Good morning.

I hope I haven't been gone too long?

[onerous]

[The relief at his acknowledgement is almost painfully palpable as her shoulders slump and she releases a breath she hadn't been aware she'd been holding. A quick glance tells her that his shinki name is gone, but that hardly matters because he's here and alive and remembers her.]

You... It's only been a couple of days. [She hesitates a moment before approaching, brow furrowed as she looks him over] You're alright? Where did-- I mean... What happened?

[reformedsinner]

Yes, I'm all right. But that's a complicated question.

[He clears his throat.]

For one thing, I seem to be a god now. It's all a little...

[He makes a small helpless gesture, turning his hands palm-up, and raises his eyebrows at her.] Even my memories of this place were a touch confused when I woke up this morning. It is, however, coming back to me.

[shadowrevenger]

[Ren hadn't been planning on staying long. He was just going to be here long enough to find his new shinki and maybe see if there's anything new in the information being passed out (and maybe see if Shun is here), and then he was going to leave.

He pretty much forgets that leaving was what he was going to be doing as soon as he spots Hakkai, and he just stops walking mid-step too. He definitely hadn't thought he'd see Hakkai here. Hadn't that girl said on the BBS the other day that he'd disappeared?

He'd really like to go running over to say how relieved he is that Hakkai didn't disappear forever, but...if he really did disappear and come back, there's a good chance he has absolutely no idea who Ren is anymore, and he's not going to risk hurting Hakkai because of that.

So in the end, Ren just ends up standing there staring at him like he's seen a ghost, because that definitely isn't suspicious at all.]

[reformedsinner]

[Not in the least, of course.

Hakkai recognizes the face, though -- and not just the face, but the expression, which he suspects is very close to the one he'd given Gojyo to spook him so badly at first. It's not a subtle expression in the least, he's sorry to realize as he abandons his idea of getting out of the meeting early, and turns to head for Ren.]

Ren. Good morning. -- Please, don't worry, I do remember. And besides, I'm not a shinki any longer.

[shadowrevenger]

[Ren's shoulders drop in relief as soon as Hakkai says his name--obviously it's safe if he remembers that much, and while he probably could have talked his way out of that really obvious staring, he's so glad he doesn't have to. But he isn't relaxed for long, because he looks just as surprised by what Hakkai says last as he did seeing him in the first place.]

You're not?

[reformedsinner]

Believe me, I was just as surprised! But it seems they've brought me back as -- ah...

[He tilts his head back, gazing vaguely up at the ceiling as if in thought.]

Iron Crutch Li. It's a bit surprising. I'm not even a doctor.

[Much less the patron of all apothecaries -- although, to support his chi healing, he has been learning a thing or two about medicinal treatments.]

[goingbananas]

[ He’d only peered at the god training area to see if his own master had wandered in earlier—or worse, if he was already there, and was making a scene.

What had caught his eye instead was someone entirely unexpected, and he quickly made his way past a few other people, calling out: ]

Hakkai!

[reformedsinner]

... Sanada?

[He pauses, turning and shading his eyes with a hand as he gazes across the crowd. Yes, it's him, no question. Isn't he a shinki?

-- Of course, when they'd met, Hakkai had been a shinki too. He breaks, after a startled second, into a smile.]

It's a pleasure to see you. How have you been?

[goingbananas]

How have I been? [ Honestly, as comforting as that smile is, Sanada still can’t help his concern. ]

How have you been? You didn’t come to class recently, and then I hear about some guy going around wrecking temples…

[ Deep breaths, now. ]

I guess I’m just glad to see you’re okay.

[reformedsinner]

Wait -- wrecking temples? I haven't heard anything about that.

[Hakkai lets out a breath.] I've been gone. It seems like it's only been a few days, but I'm not a shinki any longer.

[He's not yet worrying about all of the implications. One step at a time, and this first step is getting through this training session, finding his shinki and decamping to think about what he's going to do from here.]

[tuishou]

[Yuri's around here some...where, maybe, if she didn't decide enough was enough and had made her daring escape just yet. And, because Neji's mind has been nearly solely preoccupied with Yuri lately

because of reasons

he thinks it best to ignore the would-be unsettling air of everything around them and stick around the training event even though he's through, he thinks, with his own exercises. It's also the reason he even cares to look through to where the gods congregate, honestly (his duty is to Ixtab; what the other gods know or do not know about combat is... none of his concern. The same isn't true for shinki but that's tangent for another day). It's a very superficial look-over, which might explain why he almost doesn't catch sight of Hakkai at all.

Almost. ...wait, no, is the bas--] Where are you going to in such a rush? [And because, on occasion, he knows no tact:

(and because, wrong as it may be, Neji can't stand the thought of allowing the man to hide)] You've had people worry about you, you know. [But fear not! There is no ire, no fire to the words, loud as they might've been. Water's wet and the grass is green, after all.]

[reformedsinner]

[Hakkai turns, startled, and: of course. Neji. At least he's not turning that 'people worried about you' line into an accusation, which he would be within his rights, Hakkai supposes, to do.

His smile is polite, if a little thin.]

My, I'm glad to know I'm so popular.

[Of course people worried about him. It's no different from any sudden disappearance that way. There are his former goddess, his students, his allies....

He'll let them all know, but not, perhaps, within a few hours of his reappearance. He has things to do first himself. One of which Neji, with his tendency to stand on propriety, might even approve of.]

I was looking for my new shinki, in fact.

[tuishou]

[He's about to tell Hakkai to knock it off. It was rude to just-- dismiss all the people who (for some unknown reason) flocked to him. Though why Neji concerns himself with being offended on their behalf is beyond him. But he actually shuts his trap because he notices Hakkai's vessel name first. Before the next words are rolled off for him. Rather

he notices the lack of Name, just... there is nothing over Hakkai's eyes (nothing Heaven-given, anyway). So maybe that explains why Yuri couldn't find him. But then...] What are you talking about? [There is nothing for him to think 'god'... save for Hakkai's words. He's not entirely trusting.]

[reformedsinner]

[Rude -- well, yes, it is, he can't deny the message in the glare Neji's shooting him for that line. But it's not as if he has any more control of his disappearances than anyone else here.

He's still a little shaken by the reappearance part, and by the confusion of his own memories. It's not helping with his manners.

Of course, Neji'd never appreciated his attempts to be polite and conceal his thoughts regardless. He sighs, and waves a hand towards his blind side, where there is no longer a name scrawled over his eyelid.]

The Heavens have seen fit to bring me back as a god. It seems.

God Training

[royaltyloyalty]

[ At first, Dokugakuji approaches thinking that there's been some kind of mistake and he got paired up with Hakkai incorrectly. After all, he'd "disappeared" from what his goddess told him. And yet, the shinki around here don't really make mistakes with a goddess like Bishamon. ]

What's going on, Hakkai?

[Straight to the point.]

I was sent over here to train with you. God training.

[reformedsinner]

[Hakkai's immediate reaction is to tense warily -- but Dokugakuji is on their side here, isn't he. Mostly. His recent attack on Sharak Sanzo's fortress, and his several years of opposition to them, aside.

And he was trying to escape this training session anyway, not exactly being new...

He sighs, and tilts his head towards the door.]

Were you? I was just leaving. It seems I haven't been gone for too long, but there are a few things I have to sort out.

[royaltyloyalty]

[He heads in that direction as well.]

I'll walk a bit then if you want. Just trying to figure out why you're not getting paired up with shinki instead.

[Nothing in his speech suggests any additional memories to him, even tensing up. Well, now that he stops up closer... he does look a little perplexed.]

You're wearing those things again too.

[Sure he could've seen it further away probably, but he was more shocked about the god vs. shinki thing to notice at first.]

[reformedsinner]

Because I'm a god. [He doesn't react to the comment about his limiters; he supposes he'll have to come up with a reason, now, for wearing them again, but he's not too concerned about being rude to Dokugakuji. After all, Doku knows about the Minus Wave. He can probably fill in a dozen reasons why a youkai living among humans would feel more comfortable with limiters on.

-- and why he might have forgotten, temporarily, his reasons.]