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

[revolutionfalcon]

[The tension doesn't go unnoticed by Shun - since it's Eric, he figures he's worried about drawing ire just as much as he is about scaring the birds away. He's certainly being careful enough about it, though the birds seem a bit wary of Eric from what Shun can see.

After a moment or two, Shun picks up an intact orange.] Catch.

[That's all the warning he gets before Shun throws it - underarm, like someone would throw a ball. It's also accurate enough that even if Eric doesn't catch it, chances are it'll end up in his lap anyway.]

[redstray]

[ Eric watches the birds as they begin to come closer to him again, seeing that he wasn't any trouble.

When he hears the word he gets prepared, grabbing whatever was thrown to him. He blinks, looking what he had caught. He looks back at Shun. ]

Birds eat oranges?

[revolutionfalcon]

Most birds will eat fruit if it's there. Oranges aren't that hard to find in the wild.

[Considering some people are only too happy to grow citrus fruits in their backyards, he'd find it weirder if birds weren't eating them.]

If you don't have a knife, you should be able to pull it apart with your hands anyway.

[redstray]

Huh...that so?

[ He tilts his head as he tries to get the orange open, frowning in concentration. But in the end, he decides to bring out his knife and cuts it open, using his fingers to peel the rest.

The birds become more interested as Eric brings one slice to a bird. He watches as it hops towards him, plucks the orange slice out of his fingers and hops excitedly away. ]

They really do like it.

[revolutionfalcon]

[Shun merely continues splitting apart his own fruit with the knife as Eric fights the orange briefly, giving some pear out to some of the birds. He does watch the proceedings, though, and Eric's apparent surprise at the fact that they do eat the fruit.]

I wouldn't be giving it to them if they didn't. [It'd be a waste of time and of food, neither of which are things Shun is in the habit of wasting. Though on the subject of abundant food, he gives a sidelong glance in the direction of the refreshments area.]

Have they tried to force any of those sweets on you yet?

[redstray]

Guess that's true...

[ It made sense anyways, but it still was fun watching the birds enjoy the slices of oranges.

He follows Shun's gaze as it goes towards all those sweets. He shakes his head, his attention going back to the birds. ]

Uhm no...not yet, anyways.

[revolutionfalcon]

[At least they're taking the hint that not everyone wants sweets shoved at them during a training session, he supposes. Shun shrugs slightly and goes back to cutting his fruit.]

You might as well take some back to your temple later, since you're more interested in that sort of thing than I am. It's going to be a waste of food otherwise with the ridiculous amount they've got out.

[This may or may not be a particularly oblique way of reminding Eric that he also lives with someone else who would hate to see sweets go to waste. Even if Shun just sounds derisive of the fact that they brought this many sweets to hand out in the first place.]

[redstray]

[ He blinks at the suggestion, a bit surprised that Shun even mentioned it. ]

Ah, you can just, take them back? That's okay?

[ Ren did like sweets after all, and he didn't mind them either. But still, to just take them, he wasn't sure.]

[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.]

[redstray]

[ Eric watches as he points to the shinki, his head tilting. He finally nods, because, well, his god does like sweets. He didn't mind them either. ]

Guess Ren would like a couple...if they're just handing them out.

[ He looks back at Shun. ]

Are you getting some for him, too?

[revolutionfalcon]

I doubt he needs them from everyone. [Not to mention Shun prefers to put more thought into the things he gives people than just passing things on, which is part of why Hakkai's gift basket schemes annoy him so much.]

It makes more sense for you to do it since you live together anyway. [They can get things they both like, and presumably everyone wins.

The other obvious point here is that Shun doesn't know nearly enough about sweets for him to trust that he'd be able to pick something decent out.]