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

[reformedsinner]

I like edged weapons myself.

[So, there's no need to stop looking at the knives just because Hakkai's over here... he steps up next to Felix and considers the table. Some of them are blunted for practice, but others -- like the throwing knives -- are dangerously keen.]

I'm Cho Hakkai, by the way. Is your sister here, too?

[iron59]

[Though he doesn't move away from the weapons, he doesn't reach out for any of them either. His attention is focused on his companion, and as it becomes clear to him that there's no network to tap into, he starts looking increasingly upset.]

Um, no. At least, I don't think so. Call me Lucky.

[He sticks out a hand suddenly. Maybe touch will make this easier.]

[reformedsinner]

[The boy looks agitated, even upset. Hakkai blinks at him -- is it the subject of his sister not being here that's bothering him? That would make sense, but Lucky's reaction is still a little odd.

He reaches out to take Lucky's hand to shake.]

It's a pleasure to meet you.

[iron59]

[His handshake is steady and firm, though he holds it perhaps a little long. A sigh, as he lets go, and his smile is back. He half turns to the display and leans in.]

Do you actually use these? Or do you just like how they look? I've never even seen knives this big outside of the kitchen before.

[A lie, but he says it cheerfully, at least.]

[reformedsinner]

[That's a better handshake than Hakkai's general attempts: his is a bit weak, partly from inexperience and partly because he makes an effort not to appear quite as strong as he is. It would damage his mild-mannered glasses-wearing teacherly image.]

Oh, well, I mostly see them in the kitchen myself! But you may find that learning how to fight is a good idea here.

Even if you don't go looking for fights, the ayakashi on the Near Shore tend to look for us.

[iron59]

[He doesn't think about what his handshake means about him, rubbing his hands together. He shrugs a little.]

What kind of fighting? They said something about those things. How tough are they?

[He glances over, for a moment, then looks back at the knives.]

Have you ever fought one?

[reformedsinner]

Yes, a few. They're fairly fast, and can hide well -- I don't recommend letting yourself be distracted around them.

[It's never gotten him killed; he's not stupid enough to let himself be distracted around a large ayakashi. Even little ones, though, will draw blood if they have the chance.]

You won't be able to destroy them unless you have your shinki with you.

[iron59]

[He thinks about this for a moment, then reaches out to pick up the knife he'd been looking at earlier.]

That's usually bad in a fight. Without a...um. Shinki? Without one, what could I do to one? Hurt it? Slow it down? Or just distract it and run?

[He looks down at the knife, which he's holding with a great deal of familiarity for someone so young.]

If one of them finds me, I mean.

[reformedsinner]

[So he has learned how to fight with a knife, it seems. At least a little.]

You can hurt them and slow them down with normal weapons, but they can blight you to the touch-- blight is like a poison. In other words, they'll likely hurt you more than you can hurt them if you hit them.

It's best to run.

[iron59]

Don't get touched. Are they fast?

[He looks over, frowning a little.]

I'm sorry if I'm bothering you.

[reformedsinner]

Some are faster than others-- [He blinks at the apology, and waves a hand in dismissal.]

No, please don't worry! I promised a friend of mine I'd help orient the newcomers a while back. I don't mind answering questions at all.

Some ayakashi are quite fast, and others are slower, but all of them seem to be particularly attracted to the scent of gods and shinki. They can't follow us onto the grounds of a temple, though, so if you need to escape it's best to run for the nearest temple.

[iron59]

[He rolls the knife in his fingers, looking at some of the larger blade on display, as well. He shifts his weight from one foot to the other and back, rocking slightly.]

That's not always bad, though. It means we can draw them out, right? Get them away from crowds or into an ambush or something.

[He looks up, smiling.]

You just have to pay attention, right?

[reformedsinner]

Exactly.

[Hakkai favors the boy with his best approving-teacher smile.]

It sounds like you know what you're doing.

[He's young to be speaking with that kind of assurance about tactics; but, sometimes, children learn young. In a place like this one, where it's possible that he'll find himself fighting for his life, Hakkai almost thinks it's better to have children like this boy, or like Goten. Children who think of battle as a challenge to be faced, not a threat to fear.

It's not much of a childhood, but it's better than being eaten by ayakashi.]

[iron59]

[He smiles a little at the praise; he can't help it. Praise isn't something he received a lot of growing up. When it did come, it usually meant something bad had either happened, or was about to, but that's not been true for a couple of years now.

That's why he doesn't flinch away.]

It's pretty easy, isn't it? I mean, it worked on...

[He trails off, and shrugs.]

It works. So that's good.

[reformedsinner]

Yes, it's a good strategy. You do have to be careful that you don't attract more of them at one time than you can handle, though.

[And-- because he hasn't asked yet -- he adds:]

Do you have a shinki?

[iron59]

Yeah. That's good advice anytime.

[He flips the blade up, and it vanishes into the sleeve of his coat with a practiced ease.]

I don't think so. Which means run, right?

[reformedsinner]

That's right. You'll want to practice teleportation -- every god can do it, and it's the best way to run if you're being attacked by ayakashi.

You can also ask other shinki to work with you, too, if they're willing.

[iron59]

[He is quiet for a moment.]

I know they talked about what we could do, but after they started in about shrines, I didn't catch it all.

[He runs his hands over his head and looks up with a bashful smile.]

Is there maybe someone I could...uh. Practice this stuff with? Mom says I need help listening sometimes. Heh.

[reformedsinner]

It's a bit much to take in all at once. [He chuckles.]

In fact, I run a school in the Western District for tutoring and different subjects. If you'd like to drop by to practice, you can find me there Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons.

[He produces his phone, then pauses.]

-- Have you been given one of these yet? And do you know how to use it?

[iron59]

[He shrugs a little, turning back and looking over the knives for a moment. He looks back at the mention of school, though he doesn't seem curious as to why a teacher would be looking at knives. At the pause, he starts to ask a question and then...then there's a long, long pause as he just stares, before pulling out his phones, the new one and the one from home.]

It's dumb and I can't sync with it at all, but it works. I think.

[His other phone, one not Heaven-issued, is powered down, but is thin, without buttons or ports of any kind visible. There isn't even a screen distinct from the surface that can be seen before he tucks it away. He keeps the more recognizable one out.]

I mean, I got it turned on and everything. It's really old.

[He frowns down at it, then looks up.]

Why?

[reformedsinner]

Ah, you seem to be one of the people from a more advanced world. [Hakkai laughs easily, tapping through his own phone to display his number and turning it so the boy can see.]

That's my number; feel free to call me if you have questions, or need a hand.

[Especially if he doesn't have a shinki.]

Some of the people who arrive here have never heard of any kind of phone, so I thought I'd ask.

[iron59]

I haven't met anyone who even has nanites. Everyone has nanites.

[He pokes at the phone, frowning a little as he struggled with the stupid thing. Finally, he smirks and looks up.]

Okay. Got it...um. Can you spell your name, sir? Please?

[reformedsinner]

Cho, like "boar." Hakkai, "eight precepts." [He holds out his hand, tracing the characters on his palm with his forefinger.]

And I'm afraid I'm from one of those worlds where even these cell phones are unimaginably advanced... so you'll have to explain what a "nanite" is. Something small?

[The root must be from nano, mustn't it?]

[iron59]

Right. Boar.

[He focuses on the phone intently, and doesn't say word one about having no idea what "precept" means.]

Contacts. New. No. Add. Um, nanites are little robot things that are like really, really little. They're the coolest nanotech on the market, because no, don't close they keep you from getting sick and they help you with food and sleep and contacts. Contacts. they, um, help with memory and stuff.

Damn it. Uh. Sorry.

[He looks up, and actually looks upset with himself.] Dad asked me to be careful with that. It's my aunt rubbing off, he says. Uh.

[He takes a deep breath.]

IlostcontactsandIhavenoideawhereitisandusuallyIjustsynctoaphonewithmynanitesandIcan'tbecausethisonedoesn'tand...

[He takes another deep breath, and holds out his phone.]

Would you please add your number?

[reformedsinner]

[Hakkai stares for a moment.

Then he chuckles, not unkindly, and reaches out to take the phone from the boy.]

It's all right! -- And please, don't worry about swearing around me. I promise I don't mind.

[So, robots that can control your bodily functions and allow you to connect directly to advanced technology. That sounds...

... less convenient than unsettling, really. To put one's life wholly in the hands of one's "nanite" manufacturer? To rely on it for not just convenience, but food and sleep?]

I don't think this world has that kind of technology, although others may.