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

[kuroi_taiyo]

Pretty sure he doesn't care what's good. The guy handed this stuff over while saying what it could do for me, which sounds like bullshit.

[ Sounds more and more like the twentysomething shinki was a health nut more than anything else. ]

I'm doing everyone by getting rid of this stuff. Hey, how about we just overturn the table? No one will have to deal with this stuff then.

[ Judar, some stuff is packaged tightly or in plastic bottles. The modern world is sturdier than a tossed table. ]

[declamando]

If he handed you something saying what it would do, wouldn't you just complain that he was lying to you because it didn't do it as soon as you drank it?

[There's a certain tired note to Maria's tone, as if she's dealt with troublesome attitudes like that before. Right now, it just looks like this boy is intentionally starting trouble.]

That would ruin the things people actually want as well. Don't act like a brat just because you didn't like something.

[kuroi_taiyo]

Wouldn't believe him in the first place.

[ That's... Not entirely true. It's more accurate to say that the things the guy was claiming weren't in Judar's interests right now. If the stuff smelled or tasted good, he'd have fallen for it entirely. He also would've had most of the contents on the table if that were the case. ]

Nah, it's not just that I don't like something. I'm kinda curious about what this guy would start pushing or talking about if all his precious health foods were gone.

[ He'll freely tell you that he's trying to start trouble. ]

[declamando]

[Maria merely raises a brow somewhat disbelievingly at that, but doesn't remark on it. There's not much point arguing how he'd react to something when he could give any number of answers.]

There's really no need for that. However wordy he might be, he's clearly passionate about the subject, so if you have so much of a problem with it, walk away.

[Her tone is mainly polite, if firm, but there's a steel edge to those last words. It's not quite threatening, but it's definitely not the tone of someone who's going to be complacent if he doesn't reconsider.]

[kuroi_taiyo]

Is he, or is he desperate to follow an order to be like that? I noticed that some of the people here are really weird.

[ Like some part of them was broken, or missing. He couldn't explain why, but it really made him want to twist and see how things would go if they were forced to do something else. ]

If he really cared, don't you think he would've stopped or tried to persuade me against making a mess himself?

[declamando]

That's not the kind of knowledge you get just from being given an order to seem interested in something. [Most people don't know in-depth the health benefits of even things they eat regularly, let alone the variety of offerings on the table here. Maria won't deny that some of the shinki are off, but this one doesn't seem like one of them.]

Shinki native to this world don't like to start trouble. They're very polite, unlike you. Not to mention there's the risk of angering a god if, for some reason, they actually took your side on this.

[kuroi_taiyo]

Yeah, well shinki native to this world are pretty damn boring.

[ He... Doesn't seem to care about whether or not he angers a god. Maybe it's one of the things he was aiming for- if so, he's got a skill for it. Especially if you ask the other people that have come across him. ]

I'd rather be rude and make things more interesting.

[declamando]

I think you're confusing making things interesting and making people angry. Or perhaps you're only interested in what you find interesting, not what anyone else does. Does that sound right?

[Maria's tone is getting more and more direct each time she remarks on him. While it's rare that she finds people who particularly rub her the wrong way here, she's never been the sort to just dance around that subject when it comes up.]

[kuroi_taiyo]

Actually, I kind of find it interesting how people react when they're put in a situation that gets them frustrated or pissed off.

[ He's rather unapologetic about the whole thing. Making it both a unique skill and interest of his, which is an unfortunate combination. ]

[declamando]

So yes, you only care about what you find interesting. Selfishness won't make you many allies in a new world.

[He'll be lucky if his partner tolerates it one way or another, she imagines, but that part isn't really something she's prone to pry into.]

[kuroi_taiyo]

So?

[ For some reason, he doesn't actually mind that. Which Judar's almost just as puzzled about, but won't back out of it. He already committed. ]

Should I pretend and act like I'm someone nicer or better to trick people into being allies? I mean, I could.

[declamando]

You could always make an effort to change. [Maria's tone is a little dry, as if he doesn't expect him to take her up on that suggestion, but at least she said it. Though as an idol, she's had some experience with faking something for long enough that it starts to become real.]

But for the moment, if all you're going to do is cause trouble for this shinki, just move away from the table.

[kuroi_taiyo]

I could?

[ He'll think about it. Just as he's considering and picking up one of the bottles of water. He is actually thirsty and hungry, but this stuff just felt like enough of a betrayal where he decided to lash out and cause the weird shinki more distress and trouble. ]

You say that, but after just showing up, I'm still figuring out more of who I am. This could be how I deal with stress. That or I'm that kind of a terrible person. Could go a bunch of ways.

[ So you just... Ah, twisting the top broke whatever kept the bottle closed. It wasn't like popping off a cork or cap. ]

Is there even anything fun to do, or does everyone just train and prepare all the time?

[declamando]

Maybe it is. And I'm sure you'll find out as it goes on. But for now, all I can tell you is what it looks like to an outsider. You can use it when you come to your own conclusions, if you want.

[Maria is the sort who prefers to see people change through the people around them rather than having to be told to. As annoying as this guy's behaviour is, perhaps it'll turn out to be something a little deeper. And maybe with more time here, he can discover ways to lessen that.]

The Heavens aren't really "fun" in themselves, but if you cross to the Near Shore - the mortal world - there's plenty of fun things to do whatever your tastes. These training meets are just run when newcomers arrive to settle them in more easily.

[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.

[declamando]

You can, yes, but others aren't going to tolerate it. [And others might not be brave enough to stand up against it, which might just lead to yet others deciding to not tolerate it on behalf of those people instead. It's an ugly little cycle, the way she's thinking of it.

Maria nods a little in agreement with his assessment.] Not quite, but close enough. This is where we all live, but answering prayers or doing just about anything that isn't part of our line of work happens on the Near Shore. I own a dance studio there, for example.

[Owning businesses is rare, admittedly, but Maria knows she isn't the only one from people advertising on the BBS.]