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

[unlucky7]

[Ginia frowns a little. Seems like the seconds got the short end of the deal. They're the ones who reconcile and come together, save everyone, and the leaders that nearly destroyed the world with their petty bickering still get to keep their jobs? Even if they did learn their lesson, it would seem there should have been some kind of... reelection or something.

But there's no sense with arguing over a history long past, especially with someone nice enough to tell their nation's history.]

That's four out six accounted for. What about the other two?

[Sorry, those are the kinds of things Ginia gets hung up on. No hanging details!]

[letteropener]

Private Pansy... was quite happy where she was. And Clover the Clever... [Celestia smiles, but it's a little sad.] Well, she went on to great things, which are another story. But history has forgotten her deeds after, I'm afraid.

[unlucky7]

[It's a strange thing to think you can become involved in something so big, but then fade into obscurity after. But in the great reach of history, isn't that an inevitability too? Ginia looks at the people below. Who knows how many of them will ever become notable. Maybe none of them. Maybe all of them.]

Do you ever wonder if you'll be remembered you when you're gone?

[Though of course Celestia will be remembered; it's hard to forget a ruler and the one who raises and lowers the sun.]

[letteropener]

[Celestia shakes her head, and turns to face Ginia fully, her smile all the more ancient.]

If I am not remembered, it is because I did my job so well I did not need to be. But I do not think I will be easily forgotten. And so long as I live, I will remember others in turn.

[unlucky7]

[Despite her youthful appearance both as human and pony--though Ginia supposes she doesn't know how ponies age physically--she feels the age and the weight that comes with it from the ruler's expression. And in that moment, she feels small. Not insignificant, but in the way a new sapling looks against an ancient tree. The sapling may grow into an ancient tree itself, but for now it is small and simply is.

Ginia looks away, fingers resting on the screen.

'I don't think I want to be remembered. Rather, I don't think there's a point if I'm remembered.'

But she can't will the words into physical form. They're thoughts best kept to herself anyway.]

You are very wise and kind.

[letteropener]

[Too late, Ginia.]

[You will be remembered.]

I do my very best. And I have had a lot of practice. But I am very far from perfect, and that is important to remember too.

[unlucky7]

[That can't be right. Ginia shakes her head and frowns, vaguely unsettled by Celestia's casual deceleration of imperfection.]

Don't you want to be perfect?

[letteropener]

It's literally impossible, so I try not to want that too badly. I just try to be the best I can be, and forgive myself when I fail.

[That last part is not always easy, and some things she has not forgiven herself for, nor is she likely ever to. But she tries.]

[unlucky7]

[Ginia pulls her legs up and wraps her arms around them, chin resting on her knees as she stares off into nothing. Being able to accept failure so easily, it's remarkable, admirable. Because even the thought of failing makes her stomach turn and her back and shoulders tense. Is this how everyone feels? Celestia is so much stronger or is she just more fragile?

Ginia mulls over the thought as she picks up her phone, suddenly hating herself for ruining the mood. Again.]

Sorry.

[Is all she writes, setting the phone face up on the cloud.]

[letteropener]

Never apologize for asking questions. How else would you ever learn?

[Experience, of course. And mistakes, and failures. Celestia knows perfectly well she owes her current state to all the mistakes she made along the way... but also, her willingness to learn.]

[unlucky7]

[Ginia understands the logic of her statement. Celestia doesn't seem angry--her voice isn't even any louder--and she's still seated on a cloud. Nothing has actually changed.

It still doesn't stop the feeling everything is going to come crashing down at any second.

Ginia reaches for her phone and pokes out another message.]

I should find my god. They're probably looking for me.

[letteropener]

Or enjoying the festival. Or training. But I can take you back if you like. [Moments like this, Celestia thinks, are too precious to hurry through. But then, Ginia doesn't remember any of her moments before this, so her concern is quite understandable.]

[unlucky7]

[Maybe they are. Maybe they are enjoying their day. Maybe they don't even know they have a shinki.

Maybe she doesn't have a god.

The thoughts send Ginia spiraling deeper into her own doubts, but she keeps her head enough to nod at Celestia. Yes, she'd like to go back now.]

[letteropener]

[Celestia spreads her wings, then with a great flap, uses them to push down against the cloud. It slowly drifts towards the ground, even as Celestia regards Ginia with a gentle smile.]

I'm not certain what you are thinking... but it will be all right. I promise you that.

[unlucky7]

[Will it? For Celestia's sake, Ginia forces a smile and a nod. The moment she can reach ground, she slides off the cloud. There's an urge to run, to disappear into the busy festival crowd and become another ignorable body.

But she owes Celestia a goodbye after all her kindness. So still forcing a smile, Ginia bows her head.]

Thank you for everything.

[letteropener]

It was my pleasure, and a pleasure to meet you as well. I'll see you around, Ginia.

[Celestia inclines her head with a gentle smile, wondering just what's going through her head still and yet. But she won't let Ginia slip away for good. Celestia is far too savvy to allow that.]

[unlucky7]

[Ginia nods again before she turns to go. It was a nice conversation. What a nice god. With no expectations of ever seeing Celestia again, she hopes her own god is as kind as she blends back into the crowd of the festival.]