December Training

[godsoffortune]

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



Gods and shinki arriving at heaven's meeting hall are, should they allow it, guided to Bishamon's temple, where a reception area and a traditionally styled dojo and training ground have been made available for the day. 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 Western-styled reception hall within Bishamon's temple 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 instructed to guide their new shinki appropriately.

Shinki Training

Various shinki volunteers, both in the white-and-gold of Amaterasu's shinki and in Bishamon's red-piped black uniforms, are stationed around the dojo, passing out helpful informational pamphlets. They will be happy to instruct the newcomers in the use of the borderline as well as offering an explanantion 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 perspectives.

Someone has brought two overflowing boxes of back issues of From Ama, the Heavenly magazine, which includes profiles of successful shinki and gods, historical tidbits, and the occasional magazine quiz to help shinki determine how well they're currently working with their god or what their greatest strength might be.

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.

This month, a clever shinki magician has created a dozen straw-stuffed training dummies, some with sword-length sticks and some with polearm-length sticks, that have been enchanted to really fight back. Unfortunately, the spell isn't perfect yet! They're good training partners, but sometimes they might go a little haywire and try to smack passersby.

Rest and Refreshments

Along with bottled water, there are several large boxes of energy drinks and vitamin drinks in small amber glass bottles, and an array of protein bars and meal bars. One particular shinki in white, a bespectacled twentysomething man, is explaining the health benefits of everything on the table (even the water!) with great enthusiasm to any guest who looks even a little confused. It takes great tact to discourage him.

Party games have been set up on the lawn near the refreshments table: Twister, Kubb, lawn Jenga, and more.

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
• Play some games
• Spectate if you want
• Have fun~

Comments

[doodlebuginette]

That sounds like a lot of fun. They don't hold them as often anymore?

[She wanted to ask why, but something told her it might not be the best idea. But when the subject shifted to cooking, she was immediately interested. She did notice the other girl's reaction to that question, though, and couldn't help feeling a little bad. Had she said something wrong?]

I could try to show you, if you want?

[She'd never really attempted to teach someone to cook before, but she liked to think she was good enough that she'd be able to if the need arose.]

Eating healthy is important. But I'm a firm believer in everything in moderation.

[It was right on the tip of her tongue to ask about this person of hers, but she supposed it might do more harm than good, especially if he was someone she didn't remember clearly, or if it was painful for her.]

[kokuyoyo]

[This whole mess is just going to escalate. Again.]

[Silence ends up being an hour and fifteen minutes.]

[kuroi_taiyo]

[ Just wait until next time, Chikusa. Just. Wait. He's continuing to look smug due to the promise of how that future will go. At least as it stands in his head.

He's on the fast track for learning this stuff, given his god was a shinki that also knew these spells that you're using on him.

Given the large groan from his stomach, however, it seems that Judar has to go first to get some food. Because someone had him go through a bunch of his own energy. ]

[reformedsinner]

We both will.

[He doesn't have to; Hakkai is here to say it for him. Still, he nods briskly, moving past that question. He can ask for details about fighting Nataku later, if necessary; for now, whether it's real or not, it doesn't matter for the purpose of getting them out of here.

If it's even possible to break out, it's more likely to be clues inside this world that get them to that point than clues outside.]

Have they assigned you a shinki?

[doodlebuginette]

[He certainly didn't say much, did he? It wasn't a bad thing, but he was probably one of the most laid back people she had ever met.]

I know how to make a lot of things, but that isn't one of them.

[Did he know how to make one? It certainly made her wonder. Now that she'd contented herself with trying to hit the branch, she was back to idly toying with the yoyo.]

How about you?

[It couldn't hurt to ask, right? Maybe he'd even answer!]

[kokuyoyo]

I.... think so. I maintain mine.

[There's just never been any reason to make a new one. Still, now that he's brought it up... Snapping his yoyo back up into his hand, he searches for his phone. It's more effort than he'd normally like to deal with, but...]

If you found the materials... I could try.

[This is the sort of skill he should know for certain that he has. Better before he really needs to know, like if his yoyos get destroyed.]

[nopixiedust]

I hope so. Fuujin seems kind of dumb, since he doesn't understand girls at all, so it might take a couple of tries!

[Okay, she's done now. Carefully, she pulls herself up to balance her feet on the dummy's shoulders.]

I'll let you know how it goes.

[doodlebuginette]

[Oh wow. She hadn't even been expecting an affirmative. This was great! She was just going to assume that he hadn't made the ones he had, though he'd literally just admitted to not knowing where he got them. So... it was possible?]

If you want to. But I'm definitely going to try and find- ... oh. What would I need to get?

[At that thought, she's glancing down at the yoyo in her hand, chewing her lip in concentration as she considers the unorthodox weapon. True, she had a good deal of experience in crafting various things, but she'd never really been good at trying to guess what something was made out of.]

Or if you didn't want to do it for me, you could show me how? I wouldn't mind learning, honestly.

[purr_ince]

[Adrien nods his face serious.]

Kairi warned me about the blight. I would never do that to my Goddess. [Adrien's expression settles into one of determination.] I will learn and make them better. I'll do my best to learn and protect her.

[appealingdame]

[Getting a read on this guy is kind of hard. Damn.]

But... I thought ablutions were to do with us? Like, when we feel bad? [Charlotte gestures over towards the table with the shinki info on it.] Is it really that big of a deal?

[purr_ince]

Absolutely. Thought I talked to one of the other Shinki and she taught me a lot about some Shinki stuff. I think I'm good for now at least. But I'll still go with you. Maybe I'll think of something else I need to know.

Marinette, please. You don't need to apologize for anything. You were just kind of excited. It's okay. I do the same thing.

[Adrien smiles shyly rubbing at the back of his neck.] Uh.. Thanks? I guess it just helps to think of it that way.

It's just - thinking you're just kind of locked into a life you might not want and you don't have a choice seems kind of wrong, you know? [He smiles.] Good, we'll be good partners.

[Adrien nods.] And they told you we take on forms that you can keep with you all the time right? You'll find out what we are when you name us. The emotional thing is to help with the Blight. To make sure we wash it away and don't infect you or something like that.

That would be wonderful, amazing even. [He smiles brightly at her.] I'd love that.

Marinette and Adrien. Sounds like a great team right?

[yoshinocherry]

Hm, not terribly long, I only just got here with the last group of newbies. Either way, I think it's easier to get used to everything when you have someone helping you along, you know?

[It definitely helped her get a little more on her feet, that's for sure.]

[yoshinocherry]

I think the way it works is that you end up at a shrine for the god the temple belongs to, something like that?

[She's only ever tried it from her own temple, but that's what seems to be the case in that experience.]

Wanna give it a shot?

[risingdarkness]

[He crosses his arms and looks away. Literally the only reason he hasn't thrown a punch yet is because it would confirm that he really doesn't have any idea what's going on. Maybe if he can just cut the conversation off, he won't have to go through the headache of whatever they do to shinki who beat the shit out of other shinki at important meetings.]

[ittenbari]

[He hugs the doll to his chest. This poor thing! This is too much!]

What am I supposed to do now?!!

[declamando]

Also true...though I haven't seen Bishamon herself at these for a while. [She's fairly certain Bishamon used to lead the address to the new gods, but now it's another god she doesn't recognise, who always seems to be running off at the end.]

It's a good question. It seems too powerful for shinki magic, but there are a lot of things we don't know about the magic in this place.

[priforprince]

The definition of "god" here varies wildly in quality.

[ There are people like the people who enjoy these events.

And then there's her. ]

[priforprince]

The happy couple is invited to the temple once you succeed.

[ Hibiki also has no problems with speaking to her petit acrobat as she enacts this marvelous feat. ] We'll hold a celebratory dinner party.

[priforprince]

[ The doll has no ideas, but Hibiki, far from the party, sneezes. What? What has been happening with the ridiculous tickle in her nose recently...?

Is she going to have to return to the training so Wendy can find her a tissue? ]

Re: Training

[lookingforhead]

[Celty jerks a bit in response, wondering if she did something to offend. All she asked was...

And then she notices the way he's moving and that he's not looking directly at her or at her phone but...

oh

Hmmm

Kneeling down she gently taps his hand, trying to ask if she can take it.]

Re: Shinki Training

[lookingforhead]

Right. I guess it helps that I don't have many other memories cluttering things right now.

[There's an awkward beat before she types a bit more a bit faster.]

Anyway, what have you been up to? Not just training I hope?

[lookingforhead]

[She shrugs.]

Most everyone around here is a good person and just trying to do their best. Even the gods here aren't the originals but people trying to help fill in. I don't know the whole of it but I know we're all trying not to take this lightly.

Well most of us.

Is there something bothering you? I guess I should have asked that first.

I'm Celty, by the way.

[lookingforhead]

Maybe not.

But that's good. These things don't usually fight back like this.

[Maybe it's for more realistic training but there's a limit.]

[kuroi_taiyo]

Feels natural, huh?

[ This kid probably doesn't want to hear what feels natural, or what he automatically feels like doing. ]

Well, maybe I'll try jumping high later.

[kuroi_taiyo]

Yeah. Well, if it turns out that I'm just some asshole, I can deal with that.

[ The problem, which he's not bothering to see, is that everyone else will have to deal with that even more. It's more like part of him was refusing to accept the way things are and adapt with it. In this case, adapting into a more decent person.

Still, it is only the first day. A lot could still change. ]

So this realm's just a base and everyone hangs out elsewhere? Huh. Well, I guess I can get along with that, when I figure out this crossing over thing.