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

[futhark]

[ Ah, so that kid has an understanding of duty that runs a lot deeper than usual. While the system here does give some leeway, with the ability to transfer in place, the purpose they all have never really changed. ]

Perhaps. [ Yep, not going to deny the logic behind that statement ] But if you can find something you enjoy in it, you'll do your job much better.

[ Speaking from experience, working under master one does not like makes everything feel like a pointless drivel ]

Besides, no one ever said that duties can't be fun.

[cloak]

[Although Roxas hears what he's saying, he finds that he doesn't agree with it. Maybe it would be nicer, even ideal, to like what he was doing. But regardless of whether he did or didn't, the purpose for which he now exists would surely remain the same.

That's how it seems to him, anyway. What he is now is only owed to the expectation that he do what he is intended to, isn't it?]

Maybe it'd be nicer that way, but I think I'd still do what I was meant to.

[futhark]

[ Amazing... ]

Nice conviction you got there [ There's a hint of respect in his voice, and he does not intend to argue this statement. Ultimately, he's not disagreeing with it. ] Just keep in mind that "life of duty" doesn't have to equal "no fun allowed ever"

[ There are way too many people who think like that ]

So who's your god, if you don't mind me asking?

[cloak]

[Roxas doesn't know whether he has conviction, or what that really means to the man he's talking with. But it's something he's ill-equipped to debate. And the subject moves right along to something else, anyhow]

He said his name's Add.

[That, at least, is easy to answer]

[futhark]

[ Oh brother... of all the people ]

Ah, that guy. [ How getting a shinki like this will work for Add only time will tell. Someone willing to go with his every idea without question would probably be a scary possibility but- eh, this will be a mess to deal with if or when it happens ] Did he give a good first impression?

[cloak]

[His pensive silence might be answer enough, only reinforced by the way his shoulders sag]

He seemed... [Roxas fumbles for words, finding it difficult] Sad? Bothered? I'm not really sure.

[The thought that he may have been disappointed with the shinki he'd gotten hasn't left him]

But he said we're partners now and told me I could learn some useful stuff here.

[futhark]

[ That's a sigh of relief. Good job Add, that's a correct answer. The sad and bothered is a unique reaction, though. Better to keep the motivational though ]

He's not wrong, that's what it is, after all, a partnership. Teamwork go! and all that.

[ Of course there is an element of power, since shinki are subordinates -< i>weapons -, while gods are the ones revered by mortals, but that part Caster's unbothered by. Doesn't look much different when you either was the ruler or someone serving one ]

And his reaction, don't take it personally

[cloak]

[Roxas supposes that if there's a general consensus on this matter, he doesn't really need to question it. As much as he doesn't particularly mind the idea of not being an equal, for whatever reason, it seems important to others that they're regarded as such.

Maybe it's part of how this system works]

I'm just not sure how useful I'm going to be.

[That concerns him more than Add's initial reaction. He does think the guy was being reasonably kind to him, in light of the circumstances, but the reaction was difficult for him to observe, though he doesn't know why]

[futhark]

Huh, why. Are you worried because you've got some non-combat vessel form?

[ Shinki are god's weapons, and one could easily argue that god without a shinki is kind of useless, at least when facing ayakashi. But he knows that shinki who are not literal weapons are sometimes frustrated by that fact. ]

Don't be. My Exemplar's form is a pendant, and we've defeated many enemies together.

[ Archer isn't around, so he can say a nice word about him where he won't hear it. ]

[cloak]

[A pendant...well, that sounds smaller than what he turns into, and surely offers less coverage. If a vessel form like that can be useful, maybe it won't be so bad with him.

Although he doesn't know what sort of ability he even has, so it might be too early to judge that]

I wish I knew what I did. I'm just a coat, so far.

[Just like the one he's wearing]

[futhark]

[ Have a friendly pat on the back shorty- And a very encouraging words ]

Coat? That's great! It means your form offers full-body protection.

[ A shinki with weapon form doesn't get blighted when striking ayakashi. The vessels forms are only what is allowed to touch, and hurt this menace after all. So that means a shinki-coat might not protect the force of the hit from an ayakashi, but it will protect from getting blighted by contact much better than any clothing would.

And what kind of power he bestows? That only time can tell ]

There you go, status: incredibly useful.

[cloak]

You think so?

[Roxas' tone is a little too flat, too subdued, to convey anything quite like hopefulness. And yet it's apparent that he's listening to what this guy has to say. Truly, being useful is the first thing that's really stood out to be important to him. The second surely has to be having some kind of purpose.

And both of these things, so far as he understands them, go hand in hand]

[futhark]

Ayakashi attacks can shred or melt normal clothing. Sometimes, you could get blighted even if the material of your outfit is untouched. [ Caster explains helpfully. The kid is new here, and there is a lot to learn about the new weird role after all. A real teacher would do better, he's sure of it. But something is better than nothing. ]

But they don't blight shinki in their vessel forms. [ So there, that's how a coat vessel form is useful. ]

[cloak]

Oh, so... I'm more like armor?

[It's a curious thing to consider, but at the same time, he finds the thought encouraging. If he can keep someone safe, even if he can't damage an enemy, he can see the functional utility in it.

And he does, at least, seem to cover a lot]

That'd be okay.

[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?

[cloak]

[The change in subject comes as a surprise, but Roxas has observed that people ask this question a lot upon first meeting someone. So it seems like a normal enough response to encountering a person for the first time]

I'm Roxas. [And, since this is a thing people do] What's yours?