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

[abgrund]

[ He nods, his hair echoing the movement of his head, a waterfall of grey and green. ]

Take as much as you like...

[ The task given to him was to distribute all of it, after all. ]

[festal]

( Give her a moment to reach into her bag-- a small purse slung over her shoulder-- to find a handkerchief. She'll take one, two, and three skewers to share with each of her shinki when she finds them. )

Th-thank you. ( And she gives another small bow. ) Oh.....

( One moment. She has something else in her purse and... she offers it out to him with a nervous hand. A vial of holy water with a rolled, sheet of paper tied to it with a ribbon. )

It isn't much... b-but I help at a clinic here. I-if you ever ever need anything or know someone who needs help, p-please come.

[abgrund]

[ He hesitates when the vial is held out to him, unsure if it's his place to accept - but if he did not, she would no doubt go into a fluster, and that was not acceptable.

So he does, blackened fingers closing around the bottle's neck, firm but gentle. ]

Thank you...

[ Idly, he wonders if the liquid will burn him, given who he is. ]

... do you enjoy helping others?

[festal]

( She steels herself when he reaches for it. She... she won't be afraid. When he accepts it, she lets out a sigh of relief and takes back her hand, adjusting her bag's sling a bit and just... generally trying to busy herself a bit, )

Do I...? I... Yes, I do v-very much. I'm... rather good at healing i-if I say so myself.

[abgrund]

[ To heal people and reduce their suffering... somehow, it feels like a good thing to him.

People should not suffer, though he is aware that he isn't allowed to use his beliefs in this area. ]

Hm...

[ Ain hums, a soft sound reminiscent of a low, rolling note. ]

... please continue doing it.

[festal]

( It's the one gift that sets her apart from her siblings so it's only natural she'd be a little proud. He hums and she notes how interesting it sounds. What kind of spirit is this Ain...? )

I will! ( It's the most confident she's been since they've met, ) I try to help as m-much as I can!

( And she winces. SHe hasn't been very helpful now, has she? She can't let her own fears get the better of her, )

I... I've never seen you before. Are you new? Did you... find the person you need to meet?

[abgrund]

[ The fact that she still remains here to speak with him is a testament to her tenacity, in his opinion. If it mattered more to him, he might have voiced it - but his passivity has those words in a tight, caged grasp. ]

I did. He's... looking for someone else, now.

[ Add had a strange expression, when he came to meet him. He doesn't know why. ]

[festal]

Oh, thank goodness. ( And a beat. He's looking for someone? So this person Ain met was able to recall enough to go looking for others without him? ) You're a shinki, then?

[abgrund]

I am.

[ He's aware it means something to people, but lacks the understanding for it. ]

His name... is Add.

[ The god who had taken him in. ]

[festal]

Add?!

( Well, there's a name she certainly knows and she has to look over Ain all over again. So he was a new shinki of Add's? Would he be okay? Would Add be okay? )

I mean... good! Y-you've already met him. Have you met Rin-san too?

[abgrund]

[ Her outburst gets a slow blink from him, his curiosity piqued. ]

Not yet...

[ He can ask, right? ]

What about Add?

[festal]

Ah... Rin-kun is his other shinki. He's a good person s-so please count on him. I'm sure he'll help you.

( Really. As for Add himself? )

We're friends. ( Of course. She can say that much without hesitation. ) We've spent time together recently.

( A rather nice way to say "he hecked up and had to stay at my temple for a bit while he recovered." )

[abgrund]

[ 'Friends'. The word tinkles through his perception somehow. ]

He looks.... unsettled. I do not know why....

[ This should be relevant to her, so he'll mention it. ]

[festal]

Does he? ( She sounds quietly surprised. Had something happened? She hadn't heard anything from or about Add in awhile. ) I wonder what it could be...

He... isn't the type to explain himself openly to others but... ( She can't help but bow a little as she makes her following request, ) Please, take care of him.

I'll check on him b-but if you or him need help, don't hesitate to ask me.

[abgrund]

[ Ain nods. If they are friends, then Sakura would be naturally concerned. He'll be sure to remember what she says to him. ]

Okay.

[ Though words come to his mind, unbidden: ]

You too... I can help.