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

[nopixiedust]

A - Shinki Training

[On one hand, Wendy could be doing some really important shinki training right now.]

[On the other hand, she's bent over a magazine with a lot of seriousness, squinting at it. Originally, she'd come for the idea of taking some fun tests to see what a flimsy piece of paper could say were her best attributes but..]

Hey! What's the deal with this thing about nora?

[Does she have to fight someone? She will.]

B - Physical Training

Hey, watch out!

[This would be a very serious warning, if not for the cackling that is a part of it, and also the simple fact that Wendy is riding the shoulders of one of the straw dummies.]

[Is... Is she helping to steer it?]

[Right towards poor unfortunates?]

[....Listen don't judge her]

C - Rest

Hey, hey!

[Are you taller than her? Not taller at all? Well, the seemingly young girl over by the jenga set is waving her arms about anyway.]

I need help with something!

B

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki is, fortunately, not the person in the dummy's path. That's someone else. She's off to the side here, with her tea and a magazine that merits more careful consideration. (Today's chair features a luxurious red carpet beneath it. As is only fitting.)

But she does look up when Wendy rides by. At first, she stares. Then she takes a sip of tea and doesn't even bother to hide her smile. ]

[nopixiedust]

[Wendy is definitely having way too fun being a slight terror, and the peals of her laughter will get to hang through the air for a nice long while as Hibiki relaxes.]

[Eventually, however, she spots her god and waves with one hand.]

Hey Hibiki! What are you doing?

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki lowers her teacup when she's indicated. Depending on where Wendy's riding, she may see that Hibiki has her substitute doll prepared behind the chair, just in case. It is also reading a magazine. ]

Gathering information. [ A frown for the periodical in her hand. ] This magazine is imbecilic.

[ She has now read every issue. Every. Issue. ]

[nopixiedust]

Oh, definitely, but why do you think so?

[For Wendy, it's about the disparaging tone the magazine seems to take whenever it even faintly refers to nora, or taking on more than one name.]

[But this is Hibiki, so who knows what nonsense has caught her attention.]

[priforprince]

Their articles are all on meaningless topics. Why include an anonymous column for a community plagued with an especially banal BBS?

[ Hibiki has opinions about jamjar network comms. She swirls her tea. ] It neither entertains nor educates.

[nopixiedust]

I mean... have you ever seen shinki that belong to the old gods talking on the BBS?

[Wendy sure hasn't, and she crosses her arms over the had of the practice dummy still running rampant.]

[priforprince]

They must know better.

[ Hibiki is completely fine with holding a polite conversation with Wendy while she's riding a moving practice dummy.

...For now. If she gets too hard to hear, or zigzags too far away, Hibiki's patience might wear. ]

[nopixiedust]

I dunno, I met an old god, and they seem like they can get pretty dumb.

[But the practice dummy is starting to wander too far away.... Wendy yanks at its head, guiding it forcefully.]

[priforprince]

[ Wendy met one? She has her god's full interest. ] You did?

[ When Hibiki leaves Ando to his own devices, he fraternizes with other goats. She suspects he also grazes.

It seems Wendy uses her time more productively. ]

[nopixiedust]

Oh, yeah- I told you I'd be out for a little while a while ago, remember?

[But only after Hibiki got her tea, of course.]

My friend Dust wanted to go see one of them to talk about Orihime, so he invited me and his own god. His exemplar seems pretty nice.

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki nods along: she recalls this now. ]

Were you successful?

[ Orihime is a fine Princess who maintains that title in Hibiki's heart. ]

[nopixiedust]

You know.... I'm not sure. [Huffing, Wendy leans back with her arms crossed.] He said he'd talk to the other gods of fortune or whatever.... but we all owe him a favor just for that, I guess.

His exemplar is pretty nice, at least.

[priforprince]

The wheels of change turn slowly.

[ Hibiki considers this. There's a poetic beauty to the Tanabata story, but if Wendy feels strongly enough on Orihime's behalf - and Hibiki also wishes for Princesses to smile... ] After the revolution, I'll assist.

[ Wendy's steed is getting a bit too close for comfort. Hibiki props up a shield so they can keep talking. ]

[nopixiedust]

Don't rush or anything! Dust is-

[Oh, this thing really is getting too close. Wendy twists her legs around its neck and she yanks on its head again.]

Dust is pretty reliable! I thought he'd start a fight but he didn't.

[priforprince]

Then all is well.

[ And she doesn't have to mess with her preferred pace. Even better. ] You're my shinki. Your efforts are sure to bear fruit.

[ Talented people learn by exposure. Hibiki would not have agreed to an untalented shinki. Wendy spends a lot of time around Hibiki.

Really, Wendy's superiority to all other shinki is therefore simple mathematics. ]

[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.

[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.

[nopixiedust]

Great!

[Then, with the kind of vicious shove only children are capable of, Wendy pushes herself off of the dummy with a flip- an act which has it shoved forward onto the ground.]

I can't wait! They'll probably love the kind of fancy food we had at the hot spring that one time.

[priforprince]

We'll outdo even that.

[ A legend, broken, for a happily-ever-after! Brought to you by the temple of Apollo, by Shikyoin Hibiki('s shinki)!

Yes, she's on board. ]

[nopixiedust]

Great~. I'll be sure to tell Dust, then.

[In fact, he's probably around here somewhere... Wendy starts to hurry off before pausing.]

You won't have any trouble with these dummies, right?

[priforprince]

Such paltry nuisances cannot disrupt me.

[ A smirk. Go wreak...whatever sort of amusing havoc you have in mind. ]

Bring over any magazines you find.

[ Her pile is incomplete. And this is unacceptable. ]

[nopixiedust]

Will do!

[It'll be fun, like another scavenger hunt. With a playful salute, Wendy turns on her heel and goes to leap upon the poor dummy that will have no rest.]

[COME, HER TRUSTY STEED]

B

[boneofsword]

[Archer steps away from the path with a chuckle.]

I see you've found a new steed.

[nopixiedust]

[Grinning as he dodges one swing, Wendy waves.]

Hey! Pretty fun, isn't he?