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

[kokuyoyo]

...What do you have against the baskets.... It's free food....

[Which, coincidentally, helps a lot with him and Ken putting up with Hakkai. Among other things, like how they don't have weird passive aggressive nonsense with him.]

[revolutionfalcon]

I don't trust him, so why the hell should I take gifts from him? And he does it on purpose, anyway.

[Considering how Hakkai's first attempt to give him a gift basket went, he definitely knows by now that Shun isn't receptive to any part of that scenario.]

[kokuyoyo]

....do you really think he'd poison it or something...

[Hakkai and Chikusa have a lot in common, but the teen is pretty sure that poisoning people they have minor grudges against isn't one of them.]

[revolutionfalcon]

The person he expects me to pass them on to is someone he cares about more than me. But just because it's not poisoned doesn't mean I want anything to do with it.

[So basically, Shun only figured they weren't poisoned in the first place because Hakkai knew Ren was likely to end up with them, and now it's just something that happens every so often that he has to put up with.]

[kokuyoyo]

....Wow. That's... petty for no reason.

[Chikusa is almost impressed.]

[Chikusa is also trying to snap one leg up to kick the spear away from him and maybe vault the cat at Shun's face.]

[revolutionfalcon]

If you're in the habit of owing people you don't trust, I'm not going to stop you. [He says that rather dismissively, since the core of the problem is basically that Shun thinks it's stupid to have any kind of debt to someone like that.

Unfortunately for Chikusa, Shun reacts quickly, and also doesn't need two hands on the spear to hold it up. As soon as Chikusa's leg gets anywhere near the spear, his hand snaps out to grab it.

The nekomata seems decidedly unimpressed with that proceeding, bristling at Chikusa.]

And what do you think you're doing? [It's just going to. Try and hop off the spear and onto Chikusa now.]

[kokuyoyo]

[Dammit. Now stuck in an awkward position with a cat on him, Chikusa sighs.]

You wanted to be closer to him anyway.... [He didn't ask for this.] Why don't you go bother him instead?

[Listen, he can try to logic at a cat.]

[revolutionfalcon]

[Since the cat is at its destination now, Shun withdraws the spear...though keeps holding onto Chikusa's leg for a bit longer, since the cat now appears to be trying to hone its claws against his shirt and general torso area.]

Because you're more impertinent than he is, and impertinent people make excellent scratching posts.

[Cat Logic is apparently in full force on this one, and Shun shrugs slightly.]

It was already bothering me, so now it's your turn.

[kokuyoyo]

[As long as Chikusa's beanie isn't damaged, the shirt can die all it wants to. Chikusa doesn't seem to react much to any scratches on his actual person. He just frowns down at the cat.]

He was trying to wave you around.... how is that not more impertinent than me.

[God damn cat logic. And Shun, too, for still holding onto his leg.]

[revolutionfalcon]

You tried to attack me, human. [Apparently even if that kick was more aimed at Shun, the cat is quite well offended by it. Shun himself, apparently having gotten bored of holding Chikusa in an awkward position, drops his leg unceremoniously and steps back out of retaliation range.

...Actually, it kind of looks like he's just going to walk off.] Looks like you've got another one now.

[kokuyoyo]

That was towards the staff...

[Why must cats be so unreasonable? He swears. Sighing, Chikusa at least takes his newly regained stability and balance for what it is... and reaches up to tear the cat from his shirt so that he can fling it at Shun's back.]

[He doesn't want it.]

[revolutionfalcon]

[It's a good thing Shun typically keeps an eye on people he doesn't quite trust while he's leaving, because it means all he really has to do is swipe the tumbling cat out of the air and set it back on the ground next to the weapons racks, where it slinks away under a sword frame.]

Do that again and I'll break your leg instead next time.

[There's no actual irritation in his voice, but it's a very firm and clear warning as he departs.]