February Training

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone
What: Information and Training
When: October 15th
Where: Meeting Hall, 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 the Meeting Hall, 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 traditional reception room within the Meeting Hall for an informational meeting covering the basics of proper god behavior. A minor deity is giving the speech, and none of the white-robed shinki enter. 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 in the white-and-gold of Amaterasu's hosuehold 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 explanation 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.

A training game has been set up through a section of the Meeting Hall gardens, with little cut-outs of ayakashi hidden in the landscaping, tucked into bushes or taped under bridges. Prize ribbons are being offered for every ten "ayakashi" a shinki (or team) discovers.

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. Several magically animated straw-stuffed training dummies, many of which have been carefully mended and patched with neat black stitching, are set up on the lawn with a white-robed shinki hovering nearby to watch over them. They make good training partners, although anyone who comes too close risks being targeted for a sparring match whether they wanted one or not.

The pond behind the dojo has had dozens wooden poles sunk in it, spaced a few feet apart, with a bunch of brightly colored ribbons tied around the pole in the very center. Some of the white-robed shinki are practicing scaling the poles and leaping from one to the next, until they get close enough that they can snatch a ribbon from the center pole, and several have fallen in and are being teased by their fellows.

Rest and Refreshments

Instead of snacks being served at the training session, this week, white-robed shinki with little flags are conducting groups of newcomers and volunteers down to the Tokyo Daijingu shrine and into a street festival currently being held in Tokyo. Traditional dance troupes are performing on street corners, and vendors have every kind of fall street foods, from barbecue to takoyaki, chocolate-dipped bananas and red-bean pancakes. New arrivals will get a white-and-gold envelope with spending money for the fair, although gods and shinki who have had some time to settle in will have to handle their own lunch expenses.

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
• Go to a festival
• Spectate if you want
• Have fun~

Comments

[kokuyoyo]

...What is it about frosting? ...And I guess if you're using homemade or not...

[He knows something about cooking and such, after all, so excuse his interest.]

[letteropener]

Homemade, of course! Getting the frosting just right is a challenge. I tend to make it too thick... or not thick enough. But I'll get it right.

[kokuyoyo]

...Milk.

[letteropener]

In very precise quantities. [She nods.] Too much or too little and it's all over. But what really trips me up is accounting for the spread on the cake. I frosted one cake too soon and it got all melty.

[kokuyoyo]

....Oh. That's your problem.

You don't chill.

[letteropener]

I was a little too impatient, yes. Lesson very much learned. [Celestia chuckles at herself.] In the fridge right away, then?

[kokuyoyo]

Mm. For a couple of hours.... or overnight. And the frosting should be room temperature...

[letteropener]

Well, the lesson to be learned here is that even ancient alicorns can be a little impatient. [Celestia grins in a show of rare unreserved amusement, allowable because it's self-directed.] Do you have any other advice?

[kokuyoyo]

Ah... [His gaze drifts away.] It has to be thick enough to stay... So if it's too runny... Either add powdered sugar or, yeah, refrigerating...

...What tools do you have?

[letteropener]

Nothing fancy. Bowls, measuring cups, spatulas, that sort of thing.

[It is far easier to mix things by hoof when one has magic.]

[kokuyoyo]

...Turntables help if you want to work on frosting.

[letteropener]

I -- not the musical ones, I am certain.

[Though Celestia is ancient and wise and has seen many things, the inside of a kitchen is something she has very little experience with indeed -- whereas music crosses her path far more often.]

[kokuyoyo]

...That's Davesprite.

[Not even a lie.]

It's a small platter held up... and the platform turns. When you put a cake on it, you just spin the turntable around and can frost it easier that way.

[letteropener]

Oh! A literal turntable! [Celestia finds that a little more amusing than maybe she ought to, lifting one hoof to hide her smile and keep a giggle tucked away.] No doubt the original one at that.

[kokuyoyo]

[Did he... make a joke? Or is she just finding strange things funny? Chikusa stays quiet for an awkward moment, unsure of how to react.]

...Yeah. Anyway.... There are other things, but... for basic frosting... that's helpful.

[letteropener]

[Mostly, she is laughing at herself and her lack of comprehension for such a simple concept. Celestia tries not to take herself too seriously.]

Thank you. I appreciate the help and advice very much.

[kokuyoyo]

....Mm. Sure. My god... is Hestia. So... I guess I should know at least that much.

[letteropener]

Hestia? A god of cooking? Or perhaps of cake? [She doesn't actually think that's possible, but it's good to dream!]

[kokuyoyo]

...Of Hearth.

[Celestia seems smart enough, so he won't bother to clarify what a 'hearth' is.]

[letteropener]

[He's quite right to not do so. Celestia lacks no comprehension.] That would do it, yes. Though I do wonder how many cakes the gods here oversaw in the times when their influence waxed greater.

[kokuyoyo]

Probably... depends on the god. And how much they care about cake.

[letteropener]

But I don't think cake was quite as common back in the days the gods here were most prominent, or at least, so I understand from what I have read.

[kokuyoyo]

...It depends on what you count as 'cake'.

[letteropener]

Well, for one, I imagine it requires a little more processing of the flour than occurred in far older times.

[kokuyoyo]

As long as there's been bread... people have figured out how to make it sweeter. At least... Apparently. The Greeks definitely made them..

[Trust him, he knows. Greek god.]