March Training

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone
What: Information and Training
When: October 25th
Where: Outside the 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 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 what looks like an old, large warehouse behind the Meeting Hall for an informational meeting covering the basics of proper god behavior. Several chairs have been moved in, but they're squeezed together between packed shelves and boxes of old ritual clothing, scrolls and rusty or chipped household goods. 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.

Back copies of the "From Ama" magazine, including puff pieces about new or rising gods or successful shinki, advice columns for resolving problems between gods and shinki, temple photographs and other articles of interest to gods and shinki, have been brought out in boxes and piled up next to a table holding a few remaining copies of the shinki questionnaire for any new shinki who want to keep one around until they can answer the included questions.


What is your name?

What is your god's name?

How do you see your duties as a shinki?

What is your favorite part of life with your god?

What is your least favorite part of life with your god?

What advice would you like to give your god?

Do you wish to be assigned to a different god? []Y []N

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 white-robed shinki are still busy cleaning and preparing the Meeting Hall for the big annual meeting of the gods. They'll recruit anyone who looks as though they're not too busy in order to help scrub floors, weed, sweep paths and walkways, and shoo away any unwelcome little spirits that are hiding away in dark corners of the hall. Heavy lifting is good exercise... right?

Rest and Refreshments

There are casks of fresh, cold water near the dojo to make sure no one gets dehydrated, but for those who've finished working, hot tea and enough seasonal treats are available to make it look as though the Heavens bought out an entire sweet shop. They're being distributed by a few shinki in indigo-blue and plain brown robes with the sleeves tied back, who aren't above teasing the newcomers a bit.

Young shinki are playing in the nicely manicured garden, trying to catch crayfish at the lake edge, dashing around playing tag and hide-and-seek. Just be careful you don't get caught in the middle of a game of "Kagome"! If you do, you'll really be stuck until you guess someone's name.

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
• Enjoy a traditional tea
• Spectate if you want
• Have fun~

Comments

[tadaishi]

[Complete destruction is one way to deal with them--unless you're that one shinki, apparently. Tadashi laughs at that, trailing off as he glances at the other shinki, who repeats "Don't!"]

It's good practice...it'd be better practice if I had more of an idea what I was doing.

[Not that he's bad at fending off the dummy's attacks, but he's a lot better at dodging than offense here.]

I think it's getting better...

[He dodges another stick to the face, and makes a break for the edge of the training area and away from the dummy and it's shinki caretaker.]

[redotiertwo]

Yeah, see, it's not that hard. [Davesprite knew they'd get somewhere eventually. He's not really that nitpicky himself, but it'd be kind of weird if there were no problems at all to speak of here.]

It doesn't have to be some massive treatise or stuff that's a huge deal, just...stuff they could be doing better.

[revolutionfalcon]

[Well, clearly Eric hasn't gotten too close to the proceedings at all, and Shun puts his fruit down for a moment to point over to the shinki in indigo and brown robes, handing some of the boxes to another shinki.]

They're handing them out. That's the entire reason they're here. [From the sound of his tone, Shun can't imagine why that's what they're here for, but the fact is that they're being handed off to newcomer gods and shinki for some reason or another.]

[revolutionfalcon]

[Shun shrugs a little.] The shinki who makes them gets annoyed about people breaking them, but that's as "bad" as it gets. Nobody cares that much.

[Well, except for the shinki, but as far as Shun's concerned, if he can't build dummies that actually hold up against the level of power some people here have, then that's his problem more than anyone else's. Certainly not the problem of some random shinki trying to figure out how their powers work.]

[irishfriskey]

...I see.

[He sees what this boy is, at least. And he doesn't fully agree.]

Then I thank you for your help.

[Oblivious, he's not. Thankful, however, he is.]

[irishfriskey]

Yes. But please don't get the two mixed up. Archer is the one that cooks.

[And Caster will make you catch fish all day and not really cook them.]

My name is Lancer. I am pleased to meet you. [Halfbow.]

[irishfriskey]

I hope you learn something important from him. His archery abilities are incredible.

[He always wants to praise them. They're the two men he's closest to and the two men he appreciates the most.]

If you're by the temple, please come find me and say hello!

[irishfriskey]

Oh really? And what did he say?

[Talking is a good way to keep up stamina for a fight... as well as to distract.

He sees the low sword and quickly begins to dash around. His speed is fast, and he moves towards Doku's side before slamming the edge of the spear against him to knock him off kilter.]

[lightninglobster]

[Damn it, Tsuzuki, you had one job... in the context of this conversation... somebody in this relative space had to know how phones worked! We were all rooting for you!]

I--all right.

[Ryoma tapped the button, squinting at the phone suspiciously as it... stopped. The screen went back to the step before, the various... buzzings and such ceased their incessant jiggling. Everything was still. With another fortifying breath for courage, Ryoma very carefully began to scroll the phone down, looking for some arrangement of characters that matched Tsuzuki's name.]

This is entirely too complicated.

[clothes_make_the_man]

It is. You must put a lot of work into grooming it.

[all_seeing_eye]

That kind of thing usually freaks people out.

[risingdarkness]

[But that's pretty much the only thing he did at home, not that he remembers, and old habits die hard.]

At least it's a better way to spend my time than being someone else's servant.

[untodeath]

[ While Grell still, and may always, find the sensitivity of this new generation to be a bit perplexing, she can't resist smiling at the title. Pressing a finger to her lips, she hums. ]

Kali had been known as the Divine Mother - a creator, but also, a destroyer. She is life and death, as it were - and a ruthless fighter.

[ Can you tell which of the two she prefers? ]

To put it simply, it is not my purpose to uphold peace and a sense of geniality. Being in my service, I do hope you'll be comfortable with representing that.

[untodeath]

What would that say about your interests, then, mm?

[ Leaning a shoulder back against his, she shoots him a coy little smirk as she busies herself with removing the cap from her water bottle. ]

In any case, I think you're making good use of the shinki you have now.

[death_glare]

[ Her coy look gets a cold one in return. He can't exactly deny what she's implying, after all. ]

My god power here is helping substantially. It is still a bit awkward using such a short weapon.

[untodeath]

[ While Grell would argue that Will has always had a talent for the tease, knowing that he means precisely what he says adds an entirely new and exciting element to things! Her heart may even skip a beat!

She takes her stance, one foot placed behind the other; prepared to raise her sword and react, in kind. ]

Give me your all, okay~?

[death_glare]

[ William is just going to assume that comment applies to both training and their potential late night activities.

The next round starts with William taking a simple, and rather predictable swipe of his blade directly in front of Grell. Though a basic move like that isn't quite as effective with a curved blade, it's merely a distraction. A moment before he strikes, his image blurs and he's coming up beside Grell, instead, the rounded hem of the sword poised just shy of making contact with her neck. ]

[untodeath]

[ Merely pleased by getting such a rise out of him, as it were, Grell triumphantly takes a swig! As she swallows, she presses a finger to her lips, nodding along to his observations. ]

Yes, well, you've used your modified scythe for how long now? It's a matter of readjusting!

[ Holding her water to her chest, Grell briefly closes her eyes to take in precisely how content she is, in this moment. She feels dangerously close to having it all - which is why, at first, she doubts that the melodic trickle of children's laughter is even real! Sitting up, she looks past William, to the gardens; wistfully sighing. ]

[untodeath]

[ His first move does earn a quirked brow from the redhead, but she prepares to deflect his attack, regardless - the move leaving her just shy of running into the point of his blade.

Craning her head back with a lick of her lips, Grell chuckles. ]

You've been learning all sorts of things, haven't you?

[ Without further warning, she steps back to bend away from his sword, swinging her own to forcibly guide his arm away from her. If William isn't quick to regain composure, he will be faced with an onslaught of heavy blows. ]

[death_glare]

There would hardly be a reason for any of this if I weren't.

[ He recovers just quickly enough to block each swing. Unfortunately the force of the final one requires both his arms to block, and he's fast to grip onto the back of his weapon's sharpened edge to do so.

He keeps eye contact with Grell as her sword presses dangerously close to him, just as he'd done to her moments before. Eventually he's able to push her back, and takes the opportunity to steady himself again. ]

[death_glare]

Over a century.

[ The question didn't really need answering, as Grell was well aware how long it'd been. But it doesn't quite matter anyway, as William's cut off from adding anything further by Grell suddenly being distracted. He follows her gaze to see what it is she's suddenly so fascinated by. ]

What are you looking at?

[iron59]

You have to work together or...or it's bad.

[He falters at the thought, missing his turn and almost tripping over his own feet. Fortunately, she's taking a moment to stretch, so he tries to play it off like he just stopped a little too quickly on accident, stretching a little himself. No one here was going to beat either of them for getting it wrong, at least.]

Really? That's kind of cool. Spells, I mean. Can you do any?

[As quickly as his face flashed with memory, the look is gone, his smile back as he looks up at her. After all, hey! Magic!]

[futhark]

Even more than just okay. [ It's kind of fascinating how many different shapes and forms shinki can take. But one is for sure, every and each one of them is incredibly useful. It's sad to see someone so discouraged on their very first day over their own uniqueness.

But the mood seems to have lifted a bit, and perhaps introductions are in order ]

Say, kiddo, what's your name?

[abgrund]

[ He shakes his head quickly, letting the cloak drape back onto his shoulders. It frames his body in an odd contrast to the rest of him, white against black and green.

The implicit 'I can carry it myself' conveyed (in his opinion), he starts leading Roxas out of the hall grounds and into the space outside.

It might be a bit hard to find an open space, so they have to walk a short while ]

[abgrund]

[ Somehow, the concept of friends seems alien to him, something that he knows applies to people but just does not seem like something that would apply to him.

Thus, it prompts him to speak more than usual ]

What do you do... if you are friends?