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

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki debates this. Hibiki decides that what she, Shikyon Hibiki, feels like doing is always more important than any other rules that might have been in place about what information is disseminated, and when. Or in general. Any rules in general.

Hibiki hands over her script. ] Be my guest.

[ It's a very bad movie. ]

[unlucky7]

[Ginia's baseline for what's "good" is fairly low given her eclectic experiences with media and easily entertained nature, but as she begins to skim through the script, even she can tell it's... lacking.

Does Hibiki know? What if Hibiki doesn't know? Ginia looks for a diplomatic response as she returns the script.]

It's great they made a sequel, but it seems to lack flair.

[priforprince]

That's impossible.

[ She doesn't sound angry, just sure of herself. And a bit confused. Hibiki pages through the script again herself. ] I've lent my name to this franchise. The quality cannot help but rise as a....

[ The pages flutter shut. Hibiki closes her hand around the script, and thinks hard. Ginia can probably see the light dawning on her face. Could....could that be it? Could she be feeling this malaise

because her soul longs for a grander production? ]

[unlucky7]

I'm sure it'll be a nice movie, but it's a bit slow.

[There's certainly value in slower paced scenes and using time for emotional impact, but a ten minute travel scene may be a bit much for most audiences. Sure, it's a ten-minute scene where everyone can admire Hibiki's excellent horsemanship, but...

Oh. There's that look. There's a realization.

Oh dear.]

[priforprince]

[ In Hibiki's defense, she could totally sell a ten-minute horse-riding montage in her home puniverse. And there are doubtlessly audience members here who'd appreciate it too. especially if there were close-ups of her legs.

She herself, however, is indeed connecting the dots in her head.If she doesn't drive both Shores' entertainment to greater and greater heights, even if PriPara's eventual arrival is an inevitability, how long will she have to endure this separation....? Intolerable.

So, then, what is the ultimate entertainment masterstroke? What is the role her heart truly yearns to play....

Hibiki lifts her script and tosses it off to the side without looking. It lands in a cardboard box marked "No," nearly tipping it over. If Ginia looks over quickly enough, she'll see there are tiny dolls of various Far Shore residents in the box already.

She has hit upon

an Idea. ]

[unlucky7]

I take it the sequel is off?

[Why is there a box of tiny dolls in a "no" box that is so weird and concerning? But at least Hibiki seems to have come to a decision about something, more of her usual energy back.

The door opens as a child shinki peeks back in.

"Um, are you going to stay in here? We need to move some things and your chair is in the way."]

[priforprince]

I was just leaving.

[ She says, as if that were the plan all along. And then she gives a sidelong smile in Ginia's direction. ] It seems the sun's rays are particularly brilliant today.

[ See? She remembered. And now she is taking your advice!

She definitely just thought of something amazing. ]

[unlucky7]

[Huh. Well, with Hibiki heading out, Ginia decides to follow suit.

"Are you leaving your chair in here?"

Ginia steps a bit faster to get out of the warehouse. Look, she's had enough heavy-lifting for some day. Though that said...]

Are you going to leave your chair behind?

[priforprince]

There are movers I can summon. [ If they kept the phones she gave them. Hibiki dials and puts her phone to her ear.

And waits.

And waits.

Somewhere out in the Far Shore, there are a pair of spirits who died in the samurai area fascinated by the small singing boxes that god gave them. ]

[unlucky7]

[~ring~

~ring~

~ring~

...]

Do you want me to move your chair for you?

[It's not that Ginia actually enjoys moving stuff around, but she's already standing here and there's nothing immediately pressing. Better to move things for a god that might actually appreciate it than being at the beck and call of Amaterasu's shinki, right?

Right?]

[priforprince]

Strange. [ Not you. She's removed her phone from her ear and is staring at it, as if it's blocking her connection on purpose. ] Why won't it connect?

[ Ginia moving the chair instead might be. Prudent, yes. ]

[unlucky7]

[.......Sigh. Consider this a favor just this once.]

It'll be faster if I get your chair for you. Where do you want me to move it to?

[Preferably a location within reason.]

[priforprince]

Ah....In view of the training arena.

[ She's going to spectate. Instead of participate. This, too, is Celebrity Life.

Hibiki sends a text to Wendy's phone, which beeps in her pocket (she carries it around to give to Amaterasu, when next she sees the Little Shining Princess. She had promised Wendy she would deliver the phone to that esteemed maiden, but Amaterasu keeps refusing it! Bizarre). So that still...works.

Ah, well. She'll fiddle with the phone later. Away it goes. She's ready to focus now. What are we doing? Or, rather, what are all of you doing that she can supervise? ]

[unlucky7]

[Training area, right. As Hibiki tests her phone, Ginia jogs back into the warehouse to move the chair for her. The shinki cleaning inside are all to happy to help her move the purple monstrosity out of the space, though once she's outside, the lifting falls on Ginia's literal back.

Oh well, it's unwieldy more than heavy and Ginia's own muscles and nanotech make hauling a breeze.

A part of her still wonders why she's volunteering to be Hibiki's personal pack mule, but better she take care of it now than have it fall onto some other shinki, right? Besides, currying favor with a god can't hurt. To the training grounds!]

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki, for her part, shall fill the important - nay, necessary - role of supervisor, which mostly means standing back and watching everybody else do all the work, and then forming opinions about it.

A sample opinion: Ginia....is a very capable lady. This is useful information to have, as is all information when in the hands of a cunning genius. She shall remember it.

When they've reached a spot with the Perfect balance of sunshine and shine: ] Here will suffice.

[unlucky7]

[Good. Finally. Ginia might have the muscles and tech to make carrying an over-sized upholstered armchair easy, but that doesn't mean it still isn't annoying. She'll set the chair down with care and brush off any dust on it.]

Anything else before I head off?

[priforprince]

[ She brushed it off. This is encouraging. Ginia is definitely someone whose acquaintance is worth cultivating. ] No, that should be all.

[ She needs her doll boxes, technically, but she'll find Wendy to take care of that. Hibiki smirks. ] This encounter has proved inspiring.

[unlucky7]

[Inspiring. Sure. Since her job is done, Ginia raises a hand in farewell before heading off. Hmm, maybe some food will be nice, those snacks do look good.]

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki nods in reply, pleased.

Now. To ride this inspiration as far as it will take her.... ]