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

[letteropener]

No, no, the pleasure is mine. [There's a certain expectant air in that statement, awaiting the courtesy of reciprocity.]

[unlucky7]

[There's a pause before Ginia realizes what is expected of her.]

I'm a shinki. It doesn't matter who I am.

[letteropener]

[Celestia shakes her head gently, though she isn't angry. If she finds out that perhaps someone told the girl this directly, well, then she will be angry.]

It does matter. Shinki or god, you are still a person.

[unlucky7]

[The gut reaction is to object and Ginia doesn't know why. Instead, she sits in sullen silence, mulling as she takes a few more bites of sushi. Where's the harm? Celestia may not be her god, but she's been nice for no apparent reason.

Most people have.

Eventually:]

Ginia

[letteropener]

That's a pretty name. I find I'm getting more and more used to human names as I spend time here. [She'll keep this conversation going by force if she has to.] Though really, I have found that ponykind and humankind are very alike, outside the obvious physical differences.

[unlucky7]

Is everyone a pony where you're from? What are pony names like?

[letteropener]

Oh no! Equestria is primarily ponies, but we have many other kinds within our borders as well. Donkeys, griffins, a zebra or two, and we even have a baby dragon as a citizen. But for ponies, well, my former student is Princess Twilight Sparkle, for example, and my niece Princess Mi Amore Cadenza goes by Cadence, and is married to Shining Armor.

[unlucky7]

[Ginia finishes off her first sushi set as she thinks over all of that. Cause HUH.]

No humans?

[letteropener]

Not a one. I'd never met a human before I came here. But Equestria itself is very, very different from human worlds in many ways.

[unlucky7]

What is it like?

[After asking, Ginia cracks open the second set of sushi.]

[letteropener]

[Celestia sweeps a hand around her to encompass everything, but particularly the sky.] The weather, the seasons, the day and the night -- we ponies take care of all of those things. It isn't like this world, where they just do whatever they wish, except in some deep and strange places in the kingdom.

[unlucky7]

[...Okay, that's definitely different. Ginia glances up at the sky and briefly imagines a group of ponies pushing the clouds around.]

What do you take care of?

[letteropener]

[The image is entirely accurate, honestly.]

I am the Princess of the Day. I raise the sun each morning, and lower it at night.

[unlucky7]

Are things okay without you there?

[Is there a backup? She mentioned a former student earlier so maybe things are okay? It's still a slightly distressing thought.]

[letteropener]

I have no doubt that my sister, Princess Luna, has risen to the occasion magnificently, with the help of her fellow Princesses. [And doubtless they worry about her, but maybe Equestria is realizing it won't collapse without her there. That would be a blessing, too.]

[unlucky7]

['What is it like having family?' Ginia types into her phone, but deletes the question just as quickly. The question feels too personal, too dangerous, and an uneasy feeling steers her away.

She lapses into silence again as she eats her second set of sushi. Still delicious. She finishes three pieces before finding a new, safer question.]

Do you like it here?

[letteropener]

[Celestia finishes a pair of sushi trays as well, with a quiet little avarice for delicious food that sneaks past her graceful and serene demeanor. She really must learn how to make these...]

For me, it is like a vacation. I am glad to be a Princess, and to help guide and watch over my little ponies, but it really doesn't leave a lot of time in the day. Here I've been able to sleep in, learn how to bake, and make any number of friends who don't see me as an unapproachable royal figure... just another pony.

[unlucky7]

[A small smile flickers back onto Ginia's face. It's nice Celestia is happy about things. It sounds like a nice day-to-day life at least.]

What do you like to bake?

[letteropener]

[One it's possible for everypony to have, she hopes.]

I've almost got cookies down pat. Cakes... I think I'm almost there. I just need to stop messing up the frosting.

[unlucky7]

Is it hard baking cookies?

[Beat]

I'm sure you'll figure out the frosting.

[letteropener]

If you follow the recipe exactly, you get good cookies. What's hard is learning all the parts that aren't in the recipe, and tweaking it.

Would you like to learn?

[unlucky7]

[Learn how to bake? Maybe? It could be nice and something to do. Maybe her god will like cookies.

Or maybe they won't.

Her will is the will of her god. She's here to serve them first and foremost.]

I should ask my god first.

[letteropener]

If you think that's best, certainly. [Quite open and obvious in that reply is the implication that she doesn't HAVE to, though as a matter of courtesy it is no bad choice to do so.]

[unlucky7]

['What if I don't know what's best?' Ginia stares down at her hands, unable to shake a sense of unease. What does she want?

To serve her god and be useful to them. To be a strong shinki for them.

But...

To eat delicious food again. To see another festival.

To learn a new skill.]

If my god says it's okay to, I would like to learn how to bake.

[letteropener]

If not, do let me know. I'd like to discuss with them, in that case, and understand their objections.

[Celestia puts this as gently and diplomatically as she can, because she would truthfully be very irritated indeed. She has particularly strong opinions on shinki and their relationships with their gods.]