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]

-- in that case, please excuse my rudeness!

[He bows, manufacturing a realistically embarrassed chuckle.]

There's a strange energy around you, and I was concerned that something had happened.

Ah... then I suppose I should say, it's a pleasure to meet you, shouldn't I? I'm Cho Hakkai.

[abgrund]

[ This person doesn't run away, nor exhibit any sort of fear. It's surprising, a curiosity that he tucks away in his memory.

Still, it solves the problem of having to deal with rumours later... ]

... Ain.

[ He has a longer name, but for some reason he doesn't want to think about it anymore. ]

You... are not afraid.....?

[reformedsinner]

Should I be? [Hakkai considers the other man for a long moment, gaze sweeping up and down over black-glittering, unraveled limbs.

He's seen worse. At least there's no gore involved with whatever it is that's happened to Ain; and the energy, while worrying, doesn't seem to be an active threat.]

I'm not human myself.

[abgrund]

[ That's also a good question. Maybe there's another reason as to why others are fleeing from him. ]

I see.....

[ If it's Hakkai is fine with it, then there's no problem. However, the silence trails on for a little longer - he doesn't have much else to say, merely regarding the other man with a blank stare. ]

[reformedsinner]

[The silence stretches, as Hakkai waits to see if Ain will say anything further.

Eventually, though, it becomes clear that he won't.]

Have other people been frightened of you, so far?

[abgrund]

[ Hakkai will probably have to prod him a little into conversation, unfortunately. ]

Yes... they run.

[ Probably scared away by his aura even before he comes into view. However, his expression doesn't seem to suggest he's upset by it. ]

[reformedsinner]

[It seems Ain's not the chattiest of people, but he also doesn't seem particularly unwilling to talk. Or particularly emotional about this subject at all, which is a little bit odd.]

Hmm, I see. -- Well, perhaps I'm not the rudest of the people you've met today, then.

[He flashes Ain a dryly amused glance, inviting him to join in the joke, and shrugs.]

Ah, I forgot to ask: are you a god or a shinki?

[abgrund]

[ Hakkai's glance only gets a blink from him, though this time it's textured with a slight delay suggesting that he takes a bit longer to process the joke.

No response to it, though. ]

Shinki.

[reformedsinner]

Ah, I see. [So, in addition to whatever strange effects left him looking like he looks, and reeking of some kind of chaotic, if not actually malicious, energy, he doesn't remember anything before today.

It's no wonder the poor man is so quiet.]

I'm a god, myself -- though when I first arrived here I was a shinki. It's a difficult adjustment, isn't it?

[abgrund]

[ Really, it's great that Hakkai is so patient. Otherwise, Ain might not have had a single person to talk to for this whole day save for his god. ]

... I don't know what to do.

[ That much, he'll admit freely ]

[reformedsinner]

Mm. That's not unusual, for someone who's just arrived. Have you met your god yet?

[His tone is mild, despite the way that the energy surrounding Ain is grating at his nerves. Who is he to treat someone differently for having been affected by strange forces, after all...?

Some people become bizarre space-time anomalies. Some turn into youkai.]

[abgrund]

[ This question gets a swift answer, at least ]

He told me to not get in trouble when he looks for someone else.

[ More or less, he's quoting the exact words. But it's an order that's vague, all the same. ]

[reformedsinner]

That's not very helpful. Did he say who he was looking for?

[Is he someone who wound up with two new shinki? That's unusual.]

[abgrund]

No........

[ and he didn't think to ask, because it didn't seem important ]

[reformedsinner]

Did your god give you their own name?

[His tone is very helpful. Mostly, he's just curious, though.]

[abgrund]

[ Ain shakes his head, his hair swishing a little ]

Not yet.

[ .... was that supposed to happen? ]

[reformedsinner]

[That was probably supposed to happen. Hakkai blinks, dubious.

He hopes Ain's god isn't terrified of his appearance, too; or of whatever they might have seen of him when they saw his death.]

Ah, I see... well, I suppose you'll have the chance to get to know each other later!

Is there anything I can help you with, in the meantime? I'm sure you must have some questions about this place.

[abgrund]

[ It's a question that is posed to him, even if the question is a prompt for more questions. He has a couple, but articulating them might take a few moments. ]

... is this the real world?

[ The physical realm, reality, stuff like that. It's not the void, that he can be sure. ]

[reformedsinner]

That's a surprisingly challenging question. It's the Heavens, but not the mortal world.

Nor does it seem to be the world many of us come from.

[He glances at Ain, and raises an eyebrow.] My species isn't known here, for example.

[abgrund]

[ Ain nods, though the way his single eye glazes over indicates that he needs a bit of time to process this. Those names, Heaven, Far Shore, they meant nothing to him - save for the an undercurrent of belief that has pricked at his skin since his memory here began.

But, how to give voice to it? ]

... I don't belong here.

[ He holds out a hand before his face, looking at his palm. Wisps of darkness peel off from his blackened skin, rising a few inches into the air before dissipating.

He's not one of the proper world, that much he knows ]

[reformedsinner]

Perhaps you don't.

[Hakkai watches the darkness peel away from Ain's skin with a thoughtful gaze for several seconds, before lifting his own hand to sweep a few fingers through one of the wisps.]

I don't think any of us do. But there's no way to leave voluntarily. Even death isn't reliable.

[abgrund]

[ The slivers of shadow feel noticeably cold when Hakkai touches them, though not uncomfortably so. ]

You cannot die...?

[ Him not belonging is one thing, but - everyone not belonging... means that they're all the same.

A thought that hasn't occurred to him before. ]

[reformedsinner]

[So they are tangible, slightly. He lets his hand fall back to his side.]

I can die, but I haven't stayed dead. Death isn't permanent for everyone, only for some of us.

[abgrund]

[ Death not being permanent - somehow, it rings a chord within him, the impression of something wrong. ]

.... why?

[ A frown, or as much as he can frown ]

[reformedsinner]

I don't know.

[He's silent for a moment before continuing, more slowly.]

But it seems this place won't let us go until it's ready.