thenearshore | May Training

Entry tags:

May Training

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

prayers

Shinki Training

informational pamphlets

borderline

Physical Training

Rest and Refreshments

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~

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[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.]

[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.

[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.]

[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.

But that's impossible.

[The words tumble out reflexively. Again, there's no... resentment or anger in them and instead they're an awed sort of suspicious. The suspicion, actually, not aimed at Hakkai either (there's an awful, horrible lot of nothing to fight against when the Heavens decree... anything at all, and that is clearly what has happened here). For someone who prides themselves on cool composure, Neji's fairly certain he'll never hold back much around Hakkai. He wonders briefly why that is.

But then some tension rolls off of him and his glare simmers down to cold uncertainty.

His gaze slides off to one side in a dreaded show of-- something.] I can understand a god being made into a shinki. Not this. [Thought why he confesses it, is a mystery.]

[It's been a while since Hakkai saw Neji so unsettled -- although, briefly, he finds himself unsure of how long. It's difficult to organize his memories, except that it seems much longer than the few days his phone calendar reports.

There could be a hint of trust in Neji's willingness to reveal that emotion to him, or it could just be contempt. Regardless, he shakes his head, thoughtfully watching the young man's face.]

I'm afraid I can't understand it either, but, it seems, it's not impossible.

[He doesn't want... his brows to furrow, his frown to deepen, to react at all to this huge confession of confusion. In a last-ditch attempt to gather any information, his gaze wanders back to Hakkai and Neji finds himself being watched. That makes his jaw tighten in (again) reflex. But anyway, much more importantly, Neji again finds himself with nothing to protest and only Hakkai's words to trust on the matter. There was certainly nothing on the youkai's face telling him that there was an explanation being kept from him.

Not that he was owed one, he knows.

So what, then? The Heavens do as they please (of course they do, Neji isn't baffled by that) and they tell no-one why. And they... fabricate new fates for the old lives of their servants? No, it was

nothing worth pondering now.

He huffs out a breath, something that should be a scoff. Anyway.] You still should let Ixtab-sama know you've returned, as soon as you can. [Oh, but Yuri's... scolding comes back to Neji just then, too. He takes a quick second to rethink telling a god what to do and] If you don't, then I certainly will. She hasn't stopped worrying over you. [It was horrible.]

[Hakkai glances down at that, a faint smile touching the corner of his mouth. Still worrying about his goddess first -- as he should, of course....

Well, Neji's always been a very dutiful shinki. Hakkai wonders, absently, what his shinki will be like, and how on earth he's supposed to adjust. He's a stubborn person with a terrible personality, after all: and he doesn't enjoy being the one officially in charge.]

I've spoken with her. I am sorry it's been troublesome -- although I'd rather have continued as things were myself....

[Mildly, he adds:]

Thank you for looking after her.

['Continue as things were'? Well, ha and] I'm not convinced this new charge of yours isn't somehow for the better. [ha.] It may not be to your liking but it might help those around you. ['Your liking', 'our' liking. 'Those around you', and 'the one that matters'. Same diff, and Neji knows it would do him better to just plow through to the next item on the table. He's still burning with questions to ask but maybe that's just the figurative heat from the bridge he's half-assedly maybe attempted to set fire to.

Damned curiosity isn't something he's used to indulging, he guesses. Why?

Moment of silence, please, as he realizes Yuri is the brave, adventurous one of the two. And that feels good to say again: 'of the two'.

Anyway, Neji doesn't think it's entirely respectful to say aloud but there's no one near enough to hear except Hakkai and if anyone would understand it, it has to be him.] It's a shame she isn't any better at looking out for herself. She could be a match for the brighter gods otherwise. Until then, I haven't got a choice but to do it for her, have I?

Oh, yes. I'm sure I'll be far less troublesome this way.

[He sees those insinuations you're making there, Neji; in fact he can't really say that they're wrong. He'd been trying to control his guilt and his tendency to act independently, but he doubts he'd have been able to continue that way indefinitely. He'd at least spent a few days as a decent shinki.

Hakkai smiles, genuinely amused.]

Really, Neji, just take the compliment. Although I suppose it's true you don't have a choice.

[He can agree that Yuri's self-preservation is not what it should be. Not when she'd chosen to completely ignore his wishes in a long shot to save his life. She can't even be forced into looking out for herself, it seems....]

[No.

Though he does now look a little embarrassed. Exasperated. Whatev--] So what I am supposed to call you now?

[Embarrassed is how he looks, all right. Hakkai spreads his hands in a small shrug.]

Cho Hakkai will do. I'm still the same person, after all.

[So there. Although Li Tieguai isn't nearly as much of a mouthful as some of the divine appellations he's heard, it's not his name, and knowing Neji's stubbornness about calling Yuri 'Ixtab,' he's putting his foot down now.]

If you were the same person, you'd still be a shinki. [He'd fit the same mold.

The surge of questions fights against the dam that is his throat to escape. Neji's stubborn, though. He kills the curiosity that will only leave him infinitely more unsatisfied if he pokes at it. He figures Hakkai would know he'd rather have the god-name, too.

Remnants of embarrassment morph into mild annoyance.] 'Hakkai-sama', then. [With an air of finality that really makes Neji wonder if he shouldn't be feeling a little stronger about having to now address a man he was shortly an exemplar over as his superior. He hated the man and possibly still does, but

a title's a title. What's there to fight?]

Speaking of shinki, you're right. It may be best if you find yours soon. [What with the dread of Something hanging in the air and all.]

Do you become a different person when you die? I suppose it's possible.

[But, if so, he's that different person now. The death Sharak had told him she'd seen had been less than final, in reality; it's in his past.

After a moment, he shakes his head firmly.]

I'm not your god. If you want to stand on ceremony --

[-- and this is definitely a teasing glint in his eye as he continues:]

"Sensei" will do. But you're right. [There's something in the air today, despite the pleasant weather; it's not exactly youki, but it raises the hairs on Hakkai's neck in a similar way.] Soon would be best. It is, believe it or not, good to see you again, Neji.

[He's not desperate enough to voice his uncertainty so the question has the privilege of staying as rhetorical as it'd been meant to be. Neji does, however, make a sorry excuse of an attempt to keep from rolling his eyes

(he won't ever stoop that low)

and he clicks his tongue in distaste at Hakkai's joke and turns his head to avoid commenting. Hey, he might not be brimming with the idea to pick a fight but even on his best days he's not as-- friendly. As others. Neji just feels as if biting out that he wouldn't be caught dead as a student of Hakkai's will win him nothing. And besides, he's much too old for teachers, for school. Ah, well. Moving on.] Yes. Likewise. [Said carefully, as he turns to nod to... the newest new god, he guesses.]

Being made a god... [While fucking incomprehensible-] I suppose there are worse ways you could have used your time.

There certainly are.

[The eye-roll is no less than Hakkai'd expected. If only Neji had a better appreciation for morbid and insulting jokes, it would be so much easier for Hakkai to get along with him; his reflex for making light of awful situations always seems to go wrong.

Well, they'll get used to each other or one of them will wind up punched in the face eventually, he thinks, and returns the nod.]

Although I can't take credit, I won't complain. Please take care.

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May Training

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