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

Shinki Training

[reformedsinner]

Have you considered doing that outside?

[Hakkai's tone is almost obnoxiously helpful.

It's not that failed borderlines are a problem, as such. On the other hand, failed borderlines on fire don't mix well with wooden floors.]

[risingdarkness]

[Kagaho scowls (even more than usual). There's something about that voice or that tone or...something that puts him on edge.]

I'm not doing it on purpose.

[Not that that really answers the question, but at least it's the truth.]

[reformedsinner]

No, I didn't think you were! Borderlines sometimes can call out your own magic, if your magic is similar enough.

If you happen to have a power related to fire... it's better to practice outside.

[He looks around the dojo: wooden flooring, paper doors.]

It's a little flammable in here.

[risingdarkness]

It wouldn't be any different outside.

[Or, at least, he's pretty sure it wouldn't. To tell the truth, he's very confused by his flames and how they're supposed to work. As far as he can tell, other shinki who had some sort of magic power in their past life seem to remember what the hell it's supposed to do.]

It's not like I care what happens to the building, anyway.

[But of course, why should he ask questions that might help him figure out the problem when he can try to sound too cool for all of this?]

[reformedsinner]

The magic certainly wouldn't be any different, but I've spent days cleaning this week. I care what happens to the building.

[The landscaping, on the other hand, is someone else's problem. Hakkai steps to one side, waving Bennu broadly towards the dojo door.]

And perhaps I could give you some suggestions on refining it while you practice outside.

[risingdarkness]

[He crosses his arms, rooted to the spot for the moment.]

Why?

[Given how many things he's simultaneously being stubborn about, it occurs to him that he probably needs to clarify that question.]

Why bother cleaning this place for them?

[reformedsinner]

Why not? [Hakkai's smile is as steady as though it were molded in plastic.]

It might seem demeaning, but it needs to be done. I appreciate their asking for our help.

[risingdarkness]

Yeah, with that mindset, I can see why they must like you.

[If he starts a fight here, Nephenee is going to be really pissed at him. He's aware of that, but he really doesn't know how much he cares about it. She's only his boss because someone decided to assign him to her. If she wants to ditch him for causing trouble, he'll just get assigned to someone else.]

Heaven's janitor. You must be proud of yourself.

[reformedsinner]

Picking fights with strangers won't help you feel any more at home.

[He's still smiling.]

[risingdarkness]

[But that's pretty much the only thing he did at home, not that he remembers, and old habits die hard.]

At least it's a better way to spend my time than being someone else's servant.

[reformedsinner]

Is it really, though? One of those activities earns you information and good will, and the other only earns you a broken nose.

[For a weedy man in glasses, an inch or two under six feet, he seems strangely unruffled by Bennu's air of threat.]

[risingdarkness]

And what are you going to do with all that good will? They decide you're a good little toadie and what? Promote you to running errands for them?

[He's hitting his stride at this point. This, more than anything, is Kagaho's favorite topic.]

Or do you actually think any of those old gods are going to let you join their little club?

[reformedsinner]

Are you new? There's one particular older god you're going to want to avoid....

[He blinks guilelessly.]

[risingdarkness]

I don't plan on hanging out with any of them. I've got the god I'm supposed to serve and I only listen to her if I feel like it. Everyone else should just stay out of my way.

[You can't find a more loyal shinki, but you certainly can't tell it from how he runs his mouth.]

[reformedsinner]

By not doing any work where you can see them? My, my. That's going to be a difficult standard for you to enforce.

[Loyal? Maybe, if he's separating out his own goddess from the ranks of random targets of scorn already. That won't stop him from being squashed, Hakkai knows, by, say, Fuujin.]

[risingdarkness]

Hey, it's not my job to enforce it. Just my job to deal with it if someone's foolish enough to cross me.

[He's not particularly attached to living or dying, so if a fight goes the wrong way on him, then that's how it goes. Nephenee hasn't really said that she needs him to protect her and, to be honest, except fighting ayakashi, he's not really sure what she expects of him to begin with. So this is fine.]

[reformedsinner]

I see. Too bad! In my case, you're just going to have to...

[He pauses delicately, and adds:]

... deal with it.

[risingdarkness]

Is that so?

[He cracks his knuckles.]

Are you try to start something? Or would it be better for me to deal with the problem by burning this place down?

[reformedsinner]

You're the one who's been trying to start something. You should really stop. At this rate, you'll offend someone.

[He raises his eyebrows, and adds:]

I don't think trying to burn this place down would end well for you.

[risingdarkness]

And what will they do? Kill me? I'm already dead.

[And that's not something he's struggled with. He's not sure why, really, but it's the "pressed into service" part of the "dead and pressed into service" thing that gets to him, when it seems like it's the other way around for most people.]

[reformedsinner]

Don't think that means you can't be killed.

[He raises his eyebrows, and adds:] Gods and shinki can both still die. Sometimes, we come back.

[risingdarkness]

So there's a way to make it permanent?

[That's the best thing he's heard all day.]

[reformedsinner]

Nothing that you can do voluntarily. It seems to be random.

[What a charming young man. Hakkai suspects he knows where to look next if the Heavens suffer another rash of serial killings.]