August Training

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone
What: Information and Training
When: August 15
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

Unfortunately, Bishamon is away on business today, but her shinki as well as Amaterasu's ever-present shinki and any volunteering gods will offer 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 receive as orientation 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 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. It is encouraged that shinki group up together to practice what they've learned and discuss their ideologies.

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.) This is vital for 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.

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

[fortunesmiles]

Me? Oh, it's way too dangerous for me to actually pick up a weapon! Not unless I want someone to die, at least. And who knows who it might be? It's better not to tempt fate any more than I have to.

Besides, I don't usually need to defend myself that much.

[kokuyoyo]

...Are you clumsy or something...?

[Because, really, what kind of response is that?]

[fortunesmiles]

Oh, no - I have Ultimate Luck. Both the good and the bad kind! So if I picked up a knife, you might trip on something and fall throat-first onto it...who knows what could happen? Although I'd probably have to have something particularly lucky happen to me first, before my luck would bring about something that unfortunate...

I never get good luck without bad luck, you see. Or vice versa. It can be pretty hazardous!

[kokuyoyo]

[....The Far Shore brings about such weird bullshit, he swears.]

Then why not just do bad things to yourself constantly...

[fortunesmiles]

I've tried it before, honestly. Sometimes it does let me manipulate my luck a little...but it's rarely so predictable. Besides, if I hurt myself enough, then I'll be at the mercy of my luck while I'm recovering...and my luck isn't very cooperative. Especially if I go too far with it...I spent years waiting for it to kill me, but it wouldn't let me die. [He smiles.] I actually played Russian roulette wrong, with five bullets chambered instead of one, and I still won...

[kokuyoyo]

Weird...

[But then he glances down at the knife at his hand.... and sloooowly drags his gaze back up to Komaeda.]

What if someone else tried to hurt you?

[fortunesmiles]

Well, they might succeed in hurting me. Especially if I wasn't resisting. But if they tried to kill me, well...the last person who tried to kill me wound up accidentally killing someone else entirely, even though I didn't do anything to defend myself! It's really ironic, because I was the one planning to kill someone and he was trying to stop me! And instead, I never got the chance to kill anyone, and he killed someone he didn't mean to and then got executed as a murderer...so I guess that's just about the worst luck you can have, isn't it?

I was terminally ill while I was alive, you know. My luck wouldn't even let that kill me. I only managed to die at all because I killed myself, and I had to go through a lot of trouble to make that work. So it's likely that anyone or anything that tries to kill me will fail...and that's the best case scenario. Their bad luck might be a lot worse than just not succeeding in killing me.

[Komaeda's smiling, not looking the least bit threatened by Chikusa's considering gaze and the knife in his hand. Of course, considering his story - which there's no flicker of indication that he's lying about - perhaps he doesn't have much reason to fear.]

I wouldn't mind if you wanted to hurt me, really. I'm sure I'd have some good luck in my future if you did! But is there really any point to that...? A little good luck or bad luck here or there...it doesn't really accomplish a whole lot, does it? Weak luck just leads to weak hope, and weak despair, things that can be changed or forgotten in the blink of an eye...there's no lasting impact. That's why I don't really bother hurting myself much, even if it could give me consistently good luck. On so small a scale, it's all meaningless. Especially when you know that nothing that happens is because you earned it...you're just lucky.

So if you were going to do something to me, I'd much rather you try to kill me. I mean, something bad would probably happen to you, and I've enjoyed talking with you, so it's not like I want you to die...but whatever happens, it would be big! The despair from the consequences, and the hope that rises to crush that despair...! That would at least be worth seeing!

[Komaeda's eyes have definitely taken on a wild look.]

And maybe you would manage to kill me...maybe being killed isn't considered all that unlucky for a god. That would create hope, too...!

[kokuyoyo]

[All that rambling, all that mania, and what does Chikusa say?]

....You talk a lot.

[Amazing.]

[Which isn't to say Chikusa hasn't been paying attention to Komaeda's words. In fact, he's been quite attentive, and his eyes haven't left the other ever since he first began. Yet if there's anything beyond that simple listening, it's lost behind the dull glaze of his eyes.]

It... was only a hypothetical anyway.

[fortunesmiles]

Haha! I suppose I do, now that you mention it! Forgive me for wasting your time with my worthless talk...

I'm a little disappointed, though. Dying isn't pleasant, but without despair there won't be any hope either...if nothing happens, nothing changes.

[kokuyoyo]

It probably wouldn't change much here.... Considering death apparently isn't permanent.

[Although Chikusa has only heard this secondhand, and not experienced it for himself in any capacity... fortunately.]

It'd have to be something else...

[fortunesmiles]

That's true. [Komaeda considers this.] I'm not sure if there's anything in particular you could do to me that would cause so much despair that it would result in suitably powerful hope to overcome it... [He sighs.] How meaningless my existence has become, that even my death can't be productive now...

[kokuyoyo]

So you'll have to actually do work if you want to change anything.

[Not that Chikusa can't understand wanting to be lazier. Who the fuck wants to actually do things?]

[fortunesmiles]

Well, even a worthless, talentless person like myself can have value if they assist those with talent in some way. And since my life is of no value, I was always willing to do whatever it took to be of use, even if it meant my death. But that's not to say that's the only way I've ever thought of to be useful to people!

For instance, I could help someone figure out what knife would be the most beneficial weapon for them.

[He smiles.]

It's not much, but it may not be completely meaningless, either. It certainly can't be more meaningless than my existence when I'm not helping anyone!

[kokuyoyo]

Mm. I guess so...

[What a complete weirdo, thinks the guy who fiddles with poisons as a hobby and whose partner eats raw animals that cats bring him. Chikusa isn't savvy enough with people to really understand what Komaeda's deal is.... but he can spot a weird sense of self worth when he sees it. For the time being, he just accepts the knife he's settled on and steps away.]

[But one last question.]

God or shinki?

[fortunesmiles]

Ah...I suppose we never did introduce ourselves, did we? [He smiles at Chikusa.] I'm Nagito Komaeda. Current incarnation of Averruncus - the god of averting and causing disasters.

[Judging by what Komaeda's told Chikusa, the heavens certainly seem to have picked the right man for the job.]

[kokuyoyo]

[God titles sure do seem to be fitting sometimes, Chikusa has to admit. There's a faint noise of acknowledgment even as he's turning away.]

Kakimoto Chikusa.

[And he's just.... There he goes.]