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

[pure_radiantics]

Well, a little strange, but maybe that's just me - as someone who only remembers one name. Maybe it's closer to 50-50?

[That's what she seems to recall across her five months, anyway.]

Oh! Well you might know at least two of them already if you can do that.

[She laughs a little.]

I call them styles or forms just because some people get confused when I saw you can use the same thing - Borderline - both defensively and offensively, as a ranged attack and right up close too.

[She starts by drawing a Borderline of her own: ]

LINE!

[Then looks at him through the barrier.]

For instance, this one's the Wall.

[swordofzero]

[Suzaku nods, filing away the information.

He listens as she explains, styles or forms of borderlines where they used the same thing for different purposes.]

LINE!

[He draws his own, it's getting easier each time he does it as he practices more.] The Wall. That makes sense. It is a wall or barrier after all.

[pure_radiantics]

Exactly.

[She lets that one disappear. Next...]

LINE!

[And this time she holds her hand tucked at her side, a little bit of energy building there.]

This one I call Dagger form, since you can hold it in your hand and attack close range.

[Maybe that one will also make sense to him?]

[swordofzero]

[He let his own barrier disappear as well and watched as Kairi drew another line. This was one he had not seen from Ginia. He watched the energy in her hand and nodded.]

Dagger form. [He tried himself] LINE [This time he tried to make the swipe small and close, it didn't quite work though, a line attack like those he had been practicing with Ginia hit the floor.]

[pure_radiantics]

Nice! You got it!

[She lets her Line dissipate and claps her hands.]

The last way is just throwing this energy outward- oh, wait, let me get that back first...

[She easily summons the Borderline energy back again, and then pulls her hand back to throw the energy forward like a bowling ball or softball pitch.]

Line!

[It juts forward and rises up to form a short wake as it goes, flaring out higher and higher with each inch it moved forward before dissipating eventually.]

I've also done that straight upward and made it hurt someone like an uppercut punch!

[swordofzero]

[He had? He didn't think he had but he nodded. He could always practice later until he felt it was right. He let the energy go and watched as Kairi showed him the way to throw the energy.]

Line!

[He makes sure to aim somewhere where no one is standing, not that he need worry. The energy flared out but it only made it a foot or two before it dissipated. Another thing to practice]

I see, it's a useful weapon then.

[pure_radiantics]

[She tries to be supportive when people are heading in the right direction, since everyone's been so kind to her about the same thing. She kept judging her sword abilities against Sora and Riku's despite being so much newer to the skill, which only made her frustrated. So now she tries to keep that in mind when she's on the teaching end.]

Right.

[She nods.]

Whether you shoot it out like that or hold it in your hand, it's a weapon that you can summon at a moment's notice if you're separated from your god. Most people consider that to be a shinki's most vulnerable situation.

[swordofzero]

I understand [It was important to practice and be good at it then, now that he had the basic understanding of how to use them then he could work on improving.] Thank you for showing me them.

[pure_radiantics]

Great!

[She claps her hands together, pleased to have been able to help a little.]

Anything else I can help you with on your first day?

[swordofzero]

I think I am okay [He smiles at her again, grateful for her help. It was nice that so many people had helped him, it made him feel less lost, less confused about everything.] Thank you very much.