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

[subtract]

[Add stops yelling at the kids as soon as he hears that cheerful, obnoxious tone. Of all the people he'd like to see right now, Hakkai is one of the very last on his list. He shoots the other god a glare.]

As if I'd need help from you. Why don't you mind your own business? [No way he'll make himself look like some incompetent idiot in front of Hakkai. He can totally handle this on his own!

Add scoffs, looking down at the nearest of the kids who are still insistently urging him to guess a name. Well, teleportation hasn't worked for him, and the brute force "shove down children until he can break free" answer seems a little too crude to be proud of right now, but he does have one other possible solution... even if it is still kind of annoying. Ugh.]

Alright, alright, fine— but first you have to tell me your names, I can't play your stupid game if I don't know what I'm guessing.

[He steals a glance over at Hakkai while the children excitedly introduce themselves, speaking over eachother and giving way more information than he cares to listen to. Just you watch, Hakkai, he's going to rule at this dumb game for kids.]

[reformedsinner]

[This... this should be fun.

Hakkai's eyebrows flicker upwards for a moment, and then he glances around, and takes a few steps to the side to find a nice, comfortable ornamental boulder, and sits down on it.

He folds his hands on his knee. When the children are done with their babble of excited introductions, he raises his voice cheerfully.]

I'm afraid we left on a bad note the last time we talked, but I wanted to mention I was impressed by the results of your latest experiment.

[subtract]

[Remembering all the brats' names would be a pain, but it helps to have a brain implant that can instantly store data on his machines with a thought. He's just told them to shut up and get on with their game when Hakkai cheerfully interjects. Add scoffs, folding his arms.]

You should be impressed. There's no one else here who's even come close to what I accomplished, even with the mistakes. [He is absolutely not going to talk about the other thing Hakkai mentioned. Just thinking about it makes him feel embarrassed... and with Hakkai being Hakkai, it's impossible to tell if this is an attempt at clearing the air between them or reminding Add that he still remembers that humiliating incident. Is this black mail or an olive branch??

The children don't seem to care much about this boring conversation, though, so they've already started circling around Add and singing the little rhyme that goes with it. Add is barely paying attention to them as he waits for them to finish.]

[reformedsinner]

[The crane and the turtle slipped, the children sing merrily, circling, and Hakkai's gaze drifts briefly to them before returning to Add.]

Hmm, I'm not sure that this place could stand too many people making those kind of accomplishments... but you did uncover some useful information, too.

I'm glad to see you're still in one piece.

[subtract]

[He huffs. Okay, fine, so maybe he did kind of cause widespread destruction and chaos... but he's trying to look at things optimistically here. He did better than everyone else did at figuring out how to leave, so there.

As for being glad he survived—] Your shinki would disagree. [Yeah, don't think he didn't notice you hanging around when he got out of the core, Chikusa.

Who is behind you now? The children stop, staring up at Add eagerly. He sighs, closing his eyes for a few seconds, and...]

Haruna. [There are a few gasps from the circle. Opinions seem to be an even split of awe and disbelief. Evidently, his guess was correct. Clairvoyance can be pretty handy sometimes.] Alright, I played your game, now—

[... unfortunately, before he can get another word in the kids are already voting on a redo, and then passing it, and of course he doesn't get any say in this. Clearly it was a lucky guess! They should do best of three! Yeah!!

Add drags a hand down his face and groans dramatically like this is physically painful for him.]

[reformedsinner]

And my shinki is free to have his own opinion on the matter, of course.

[Chikusa holds grudges. Hakkai, as a master grudge-holder himself, is hardly going to object.

He might try to keep the boy from trying ill-advised murder plots, if he hears about them in advance, but still....]

Oh dear. [He raises his voice to weigh in, even though the kids are already singing.] That's hardly fair! Even if it's a guess, he got it right!