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

[revolutionfalcon]

[A: Physical Training]

[Considering Shun prefers to fight an opponent that can actually fight back when he's training, he's quick enough to take a round with one of the moving straw dummies. Since it's still not a real opponent, though, he's using one of the weapons he's less familiar with, a naginata with a short blade. It's a bit easier to get the hang of than other polearms since it still uses some motions similar to a sword, so he figures it's best to start there before he dips into polearms he's less familiar with.

Since the dummies are only wielding sticks, it's not exactly what he would consider a dangerous spar, but he's been paying enough attention to know what's about to happen when the dummy abruptly turns away and lurches towards the next-nearest person. As it swings the stick, Shun spins the naginata up and blocks it just before it gets close enough to risk hitting whoever the unlucky target was.]

I wouldn't get too close to these things unless you want to fight them.

--

[B: Rest and Refreshments]

[Shun is definitely not standing anywhere near the refreshments table with his water given the annoying rambling shinki there, so he ends up around the edges of the lawn instead. He's been out of things long enough to not recognise most of the games they're offering, and the only reason he even recognises the Jenga is because he had to play it during a prayer recently. Still, it means he's eying off anyone actually playing the games with a slight frown, as if he's trying to figure out the process and rules just by virtue of staring really hard.

He's not moving to play at any point, but he's watching intensely enough that it might get disconcerting after a while.]

--

[C: Wildcard]

[[Shun is generally around to spar or train in a variety of things - he's willing to teach people hand-to-hand, knife/dagger fighting or acrobatics and spar with sword users of any level since he's been learning that for a while now, but he's still picking up polearms and tessen so may approach people with experience in those instead.]]

A

[appealingdame]

Eeek!

[The young woman- dressed in what is probably technically armour, though what it would protect her from no one knows- shrieks as the dummy goes to attack her. She looks distressed, but her hands are in position to actually catch the staff, before Shun blocks it. She drops the stance and looks at the dummy with a mildly curious expression before turning to Shun to quickly evaluate him.

Well. He's not a bad starting point. Suddenly there are tears in Charlotte's eyes and she rushes to Shun's side.]

Oh! Thank you so much! [She clings to Shun's arm and leans against him.] I had no idea- it really scared me for a minute! You looked so heroic though...

[revolutionfalcon]

[The detail that she was poised to catch the staff is one he notes more than her look of distress, because it's those kind of details he notices about someone first - ones indicative of a readiness to fight. Shun pushes the dummy back hard enough to overbalance it and make it fall over before turning to face Charlotte properly, giving her a calculating look up and down. What he can see of her build lends itself to the theory that she's a fighter of some kind, as well as the...it's probably supposed to be armour, but god knows what it would actually do in a fight.

As soon as she moves towards him, he tenses up, and outright flinches at the contact - his arm jerks sharply as if to throw her off, and definitely in a reflexive motion. The abrupt stop might indicate that he manages to restrain it before it turned into something worse, but he still doesn't look impressed with her clinging to him like that, and he shifts aside to try and open a bit more distance between them.]

As if I was going to let it run off and attack someone. But you seemed ready enough to catch it yourself even if I didn't get there in time.

[Someone is extremely straightforward about this sort of thing. Then again, he's generally fairly wary around new people, especially someone clearly trying to flatter him.]

[appealingdame]

[That flinch is definitely a sign of embarrassment over having a cute girl throw herself at him. Yeah, Charlotte is going to have this guy wrapped around her finger before long.]

Oh... Me? No, I couldn't possibly do something like that!

[Crap, this guy is really observant! She'd been instinctively ready to grab the staff and break it apart in her hands, but something tells her that wouldn't have been particularly endearing. People don't like girls who do stuff like that. The last thing she needs right now is enemies.]

I wouldn't know the first thing about dealing with an attacker, I'm sure!

[revolutionfalcon]

[This time, Shun is a little more direct about removing himself from her, pulling his arm sharply downwards and then stepping aside. The fact that she's acting so innocent about it means he feels like it's unlikely she's going to drop the act if he just lets it slide, so he levels her with a very flat stare.]

If you're trying to convince people you're a noncombatant, try wearing something that covers the fact that you've got the build of a fighter. There's plenty of idiots here who'll fall for it, but the ones who don't aren't going to get a good impression out of you walking up and lying to them immediately.

[His tone is blunt, but not dismissive - he imagines there's a point to the disguise, because he's never met anyone who does that kind of thing without a reason, but his years on the battlefield and the tactics of his enemy have made him fairly adept at identifying fighters by things other than their outward personality.]

[appealingdame]

[Charlotte falters backwards, taking a step back when Shun does. She stares at him, apparently confused and batting her eyelashes... When suddenly she glares.]

Oh, fine! You got me! [Puts her hands on her hips and just about snarls.] Damn it, I was just trying to be nice! Anyway, it's not like I know if I'm a fighter or not yet anyway! I just got here!

[Sure, she has a few clues already, but she only has about an hour or two's worth of memories. Maybe she just liked going to the gym and walking around in heavy armour.]

[revolutionfalcon]

[That's quite the difference. Shun doesn't seem particularly bothered by the change in tone, though - if anything, he seems a little more at ease talking to someone with this kind of attitude. If she just got here, it's pretty understandable she'd be annoyed about that.]

Shinki, right? [There's typically only one reason someone wouldn't remember whether they're a fighter or not, and with an aside glance over to the straw dummy to make sure it's not getting up again, Shun sets down his polearm.] There's one way to find out if you're a fighter. If you don't want others to find out, I can fight you in a quieter part of the dojo.

[It's something that would probably feel a lot more like a thoughtful offer if Shun's tone in saying it wasn't so blunt.]

[appealingdame]

Obviously I am.

[Why the hell else would she not know if she's a fighter? Keep up, Shun. She hesitates at the offer and thinks it over.]

Well... I guess I don't want people to know if I'm only okay at it. [If she's bad, that's manageable. If she's great, well, she'll figure out what she's going to do next. If she's only okay, that doesn't help anyone.] Yeah, alright, let's see if I can kick your ass.

[Shun's clearly a lost cause anyway.]

[revolutionfalcon]

Smart move. [Shun had never had the problem courtesy of being a god, but revealing an inability to fight to just anyone could be dangerous. At least in this case, it can be minimised.

Turning away, Shun raises a hand to indicate she should follow, and starts heading towards another part of the dojo. It's shielded from view a little by piles of mats and other equipment, and there's nobody training in it at the moment since it's well away from where the borderline training and practice dummies are set up.]

This is about as good as we'll get for keeping it quiet in here. [He turns on his heel, his posture shifting naturally into a combative stance. His legs are spaced for good balance, but he's holding himself in lighter manner, prepared to move in reaction to attacks rather than focus on holding his ground.]

[appealingdame]

Yeah, all right.

[Charlotte look around, checks they're not within view of anyone else, and then turns to face Shun. So. She guesses they're doing hand-to-hand. That doesn't feel like a bad thing. She gets into a stance as well, first trying to mirror Shun before she adjusts it. Something more aggressive, like she's ready to leap forward at any moment.]

You ready then?

[revolutionfalcon]

[Hand-to-hand is what Shun's most experienced in, but he figures that even if she's trained in a weapon, she'll probably have foundation in hand-to-hand anyway. It's rare that he encounters anyone exclusively able to fight with weapons.

It seems she might already be unconsciously finding her own style, though, and her question initially just gets a raise of the brow from Shun.]

Whenever you are. [Usually he'd snipe about asking a stupid question, but it's unlikely to help her focus if she gets angry with it.]

B

[fullcowl]

[Izuku's only looking at the array of games here. They seem familiar... Having partial memory loss is weird, and that's really all he can think about it before his mind wrenches away from it like it would burn him.

But he is fairly sensitive to people just staring so he looks up and finds... Shun?

He shuffles uncomfortably for a moment.]

Did you want to play?

[revolutionfalcon]

[Well, Izuku was always going to get some extra staring. Shun's still not really used to him being a shinki instead of a god, and he imagines it'll be a good long while before he is, and even longer before he stops resenting the fact.

Still, when he's addressed, he lets out a slight hiss and turns his head a little.]

Why would you think that? [Clearly he was staring in that direction for other reasons.]

[fullcowl]

[It's not like Izuku knows any of their shared history. So here he is, looking uncomfortable with extra attention on him.]

... You're uh... You're staring.

[revolutionfalcon]

I don't know most of those games, so I was wondering why the hell someone put them out.

[It's technically accurate - he was staring in large part because he was trying to pick up the rules from anyone who happened to be playing.]

[fullcowl]

It's to take a break from training. And maybe to make some friend? I don't know most of the people here, so... I don't think it's a bad thing they're out.

Um... do you want to try?

[revolutionfalcon]

There's nothing wrong with fighting people to do that. [Then again, Shun has a somewhat different definition of what makes a friend than most people do.]

Hard to know that unless I know the rules of the games. [He's not getting involved in anything ridiculous if he can avoid it, and the tower one just seems inane to him from when he last played it.]

[fullcowl]

[Izuku gives him an odd little look.]

Not everybody is good at fighting or wants to. It's fine. That's what heroes are for.

But if we're all here anyway, we might as well find some way to bond. At least... that's just my opinion on it.

[revolutionfalcon]

[Shun's jaw clenches a bit at the mention of heroes, but he goes on regardless.] There's no point showing up to this if you don't want to fight, unless you're a newcomer. And even then there are better ways to approach others. Playing some party game isn't going to form any real bonds.

[It's definitely not going to replicate the manner in which he and Izuku ended up getting to know each other more, though he wouldn't really wish that on anyone.]

[fullcowl]

[Even without his memories his fondness for heroes remains. But he's admired them ever since he was five, it'd be strange if it evaporated for something as simple as death.]

Shinki usually show up here to begin with anyway. It's a good way to get to know people who aren't your god. Or, um, aren't your shinki. It's better than nothing, anyway.

No, maybe they won't be the deepest bonds. But there's nothing wrong with starting relationships with something small and then deepening them later. Especially if you're new here... People are more likely to ask people they've met for help. Um- I mean, you don't have to listen to me if you don't want to. That's just how I think about it.

[revolutionfalcon]

You can't tell if someone would be able to help you just because you played a game with them. [It seems illogical to him, even though if it was Duel Monsters they were talking about here, his attitude would be wildly different. But then, he has a hard time just considering that a game anymore.]

Besides, we already looked into that store together. We've already met, so it's not starting a relationship. [Not to mention Shun knows a lot more about him than that, but he's still not letting that on yet.]

A

[redstray]

[ Eric heard something approaching and quickly and it took a moment for him to see a straw dummy coming straight for him. He's quick to react at least, drawing one hand up to block, just in case while the other grabs the knife that was hidden under his sweater. If he could slice the stick away...

Before he has the chance though, it was already disabled. He glanced over to see Shun with some kind of spear weapon. ]

I'll...keep that in mind.

[ He lowers his arms as he begins to put his knife back, noting to himself to stay away from the practice area here. ]

[revolutionfalcon]

[Shun hums slightly in acceptance of that answer, before spinning the naginata to properly whack the straw dummy back the way it came. The effigy soars a short distance, manages to land on its feet, but then overbalances and falls onto its back anyway.

Shun only observes it long enough to make sure it's gone before turning back to Eric.]

I don't see you at these things often. [He knows Ren doesn't often come to them either, or at least not to train, so that might have something to do with it.]

[redstray]

[ Eric watches as the dummy collapses almost snorting at it's antics. His attention goes back to Shun as he begins to speak and he can only shrug at the response. ]

If I come, it's to practice my shinki abilities or my aura.

[ Although he's sort of stopped those practices recently, there didn't seem to be much use for them. Or he had hit a wall and wasn't exactly sure where to go from there. ]

You use spears?

[revolutionfalcon]

Right, the fire thing. [He's met more than enough of Mikoto's lot (and Reisi's lot, for that matter) by this point to know what Eric means by the aura, though there's a faintly exasperated note to his tone. He's met plenty of fire users here even outside of them, and even his own most recent shinki grants him fire abilities of a sort.

At the question, Shun spins the weapon in his hand. It's smooth, but there's something careful about the motion - it's not quite natural for him yet.] It's a naginata. Lavi taught me how to use a polearm a few weeks ago, and because I've already been learning how to use swords, I figured something like this with a mostly straight blade would be best to practice with until I got better with them.