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]

I guess. It'd be easier if they could find the real thing for us to train again- five.

[At least someone was creative in putting them high up.]

[kagenonadeshiko]

So just one more and we get a prize. I wonder what they're giving out.

[She hadn't paid much attention to what rewards were being offered. This game had just sounded like fun to try.]

Maybe they're worried about throwing newcomers into a situation they're not ready for?

[If only she had her memories of her previous life in the Heavens.]

[kokuyoyo]

....I had to go to a festival and then animated corpses began attacking everyone.... so I guess it's about time they learned that at least...

[Will he ever stop being salty about that? Never.]

...But real threats.... sometimes help smash it into people's heads. Especially with how revolting ayakashi are.

[kagenonadeshiko]

I agree with you. The reality of ayakashi is different from simply hearing about it. If nothing else, these little cutouts could be animated like the dummies were. But I suppose they want to build skills one bit at a time. Still, experience is the best teacher and danger's the best motivator for learning.

[Spotting another 'ayakashi' between the branches of a nearby bush, she hurries over to fetch it. Kind of disappointing it was so easy to find.]

And there's the last one. Wanna go again or look for something else to do?

[kokuyoyo]

There are plenty of weak ayakashi as well... So long as people were careful, and they were annihilated at the end of the day, I think it would be fine.

[Staying behind as Ayumu runs ahead, Chikusa tilts his head to the side.]

...I thought you were interested in the prize...

[kagenonadeshiko]

I am. We can redeem these along the way.

[Ayumu shrugs as she retrieves the cut out.]

Training with weak ayakashi isn't a bad idea, you know. And I've been curious how you managed to capture one.

[He had gotten through to her that day, even if it might not have seemed like it on the surface at the time. And she is trying to better herself and be open to new possibilities these days.]

[kokuyoyo]

[...Oh. So she paid attention to that. Waiting for her to come back around with the cutout, Chikusa tilts his head to the side.]

...We can talk more about it... away from here.

[He doesn't really want to let too much slip about his ayakashi capturing and blight poison while around any of the old guard's shinki.]

[kagenonadeshiko]

[She figured as much so she'd kept her tone hushed and waited until all the old guard shinki were preoccupied with other people before saying anything. Ayumu returns with her share of the prey, smiling.]

Well, I hear they're directing us toward a festival for breaks this time. It might be a good opportunity to slip away undetected.

[kokuyoyo]

Mm. I just hope no corpses show up this time...

[Sighing, he starts to shuffle towards where the prizes are apparently being distributed.]

[kagenonadeshiko]

[Ayumu marches up to the supervising shinki and hands out her cut outs, indicating that he do the same.]

I'm sure the festival will be safe enough. Isn't that right?

[Ayumu smiles a little too pleasantly at the old guard shinki in charge of handing out ribbons.]

[kokuyoyo]

[Probably because everyone knows what clusterfucks can happen, the guard is quick to give an affirmative that it will be safe.]

[Chikusa doesn't believe it, but he at least stays quiet instead as Ayumu is handed.... a ribbon?]

....Girls like ribbons... right?

[kagenonadeshiko]

I guess so. I was hoping for a treat or something actually useful but this is nice enough.

[Yay, a ribbon?? She nods a thanks to the shinki and moves toward the exit and presumably a shrine to transport them near the festival.]

[kokuyoyo]

I think.... treats are probably why they're shoving us elsewhere.

[Then again, he understands being too lazy to want to cook for too many people. He's not really complaining anyway, shuffling after her. It's only when they're off of Bishamon's temple, and on the Near Shore where the bustling sounds of the festival reach them even at the place they've arrived at. Chikusa lets out a breath.]

Finally.....

[kagenonadeshiko]

It's good to get away from all of that, isn't it?

[And also to get her mind off of her present troubles. A festival might be just what she needs. Of course, spending time with her family is a plus, too.]

Looks like there's quite a bit to experience today.

[Performances to see, food to try out, and surely some ayakashi around to hunt and potentially capture.]

[kokuyoyo]

Mm. As long as the experiences aren't troublesome ones...

[No zombies. He refuses. He's leaving if zombies happen again.]

Is there something you want in particular...?

[kagenonadeshiko]

The takoyaki smells delicious. I think I'd like to try that first. You should probably have some, too! You're still too skinny.

[So what if shinki can't actually starve? Ayumu will never stop trying to stuff her loved ones full of food.]

I'm curious about some of those performances. It'd be fun to grab something to eat and go watch one. And then maybe you can tell me a little more about how you made that poison of yours.

[kokuyoyo]

...I can't help being skinny....

[Lord knows he eats enough. Still, he shuffles past the line, watching the meat grill. Would she judge if he just nabbed one... or is she of the Hakkai school of thought...]

That's fine... It should work out in that case.