June Training

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone
What: Information and Training
When: December 7th
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 rear of 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.

Once they've had a chance to have things explained, they'll have the chance to relax and enjoy an afternoon party.




Meeting Hall

God Training

Newly arrived gods are escorted into a much nicer room than the warehouse where the last set of new gods got their informational speech. It's a smaller meeting room, with tatami floors and a small dais at the front of the room where the speaker stands. A minor deity is giving the speech, and none of the white-robed shinki enter.

The speaker delivers her welcome speech with the intonation of someone who's practiced it many times. Newly arrived gods 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. They are allowed to remain in the room as long as they wish, should they want to discuss questions with each other or with more experienced gods who are here to help out.

Shinki Training

Various shinki in the white-and-gold of Amaterasu's hosuehold are stationed around the dojo, passing out informational pamphlets that have been freshly printed. They will be happy to answer any questions or instruct the newcomers in the use of the borderline. They also accompany their answers, or lessons, with 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.

The dojo is back to its old, fully functional self; a set of motionless straw targets line one wall, to be used by people practicing with any of the weapons spread out on tables or hanging in racks on the walls. Outside, six animated straw targets wait in an area marked off with red ribbons and warning signs. Anyone entering the marked area may find themselves in combat with one (or more) of the magical training dummies. Those who leave the marked area, though, won't be chased.

Physical Training

Beyond the dojo, a scavenger hunt has been set up throughout the grounds of the Meeting Hall. Brightly colored plastic balls are hidden in shrubbery, tucked into support beams, floating among reeds in the ponds, and lurking in even cleverer hiding places. When a god or shinki gets their hand on one of them, they will burst open to reveal a hidden prize, such as candy, small toys, or accessories. How many can you find?

As well as the scavenger hunt, the white-robed shinki are engaging in more serious physical training and will be happy to let new gods or shinki join them. Sparring matches with practice weapons from the dojo, jogging laps around the hall, sit-ups, push-ups... or, for the younger shinki, competing to see who's the fastest to climb a tree.

Rest and Refreshments

Midafternoon, once the last of the scavenger-hunt prizes have been found, the white-robed shinki will turn their hands to clearing away the training equipment and laying out a lovely buffet table. Bright lanterns are hung from the trees, and a few shinki even take up a station on one side of the training area and begin playing shamisen, koto, wooden flute and drum. Although their instruments are traditional, their music selection ranges from some very classic Japanese tunes to others that sound surprisingly modern. The koto player can really rock!

Old and new gods and shinki alike are welcome to circulate, socialize with their friends, partake of the buffet food and enjoy the music. There's even room for those who feel inspired to dance, and plenty of privacy offered by the extensive garden for those who would rather retreat with their new partners to have a serious conversation.

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
• Relax at a party
• Have fun~

Comments

[unlucky7]

[Ginia bows her head and smiles.]

I'm Ginia. Just Ginia. [Is it strange having a single name? Maybe no stranger than the rest of her temple and she's certainly met others with a single name, but it stands out still.] It's nice to meet you.

[Yes, she's a first name basis person right off the bat. It's what you get when you have one name and a casual etiquette.]

I guess I am approaching my second month. It's not much compared to others, but things move fast around here.

[justclaws]

[He is used to it now.

[Yes, it probably was too much to hope that missive he had sent to the Gods of this world - the one in which he had stated, he believed quite categorically, that he did not want or need another shinki - had had the desired effect. Every time, he compares it to the tug that he feels from his brothers' presences, the intensity of the sensations that swept over him and dragged him under when first he laid eyes on the Princess: every time it comes up lacking, an inferior, a - what was the term? - mass-produced version of something his own world had done first and better. Very well. Here we go again.

[A young man, this time. Dark hair, determined eyes, training (in the absence, Kija presumes, of a name) with a staff. He watches for a time, wondering once again what the protocol is in these situations; he decides that continuing to watch would be impolite. He steps forward. He wonders if he should be looking welcoming or businesslike.]

Excuse me. I believe we need to talk.

[unlucky7]

[Ginia watches the ribbons of metal cut through the straw, noting the way it moves. It's the kind of weapon that seems less effective against an armored opponent, though still seems capable of snaring a weapon with enough speed. She nods at his words, considering the options before typing up a new message.]

I can see it working well with a shield. A longer handle too if it was supple to help carry the motion of the swing. With blessed water, I could see this being a good deterrent against ayakashi.

[swordofzero]

[They were joined? That was good. Adrien and Marinette were so close it was good that they would not be seperated even now.

Bast though. It's not a god he has heard of but he nods at the description, god of cats, protector of children, women and families. It suited Adrien.]

I am sure you will do well at it.

[purr_ince]

[Adrien smiles happily peering at Suzaku.]

I will do my best. I can promise that. Though technically, Bast is a goddess. I don't think gender matters much when it comes to assignments though. And I honestly don't mind. It fits so I'm content.

[justclaws]

Ah--!

[It exploded.

[Did he do something wrong? Blinking, bewildered, confetti in his hair and dusting his shoulders and the front of his robes, Kija stares down at the gaily-colored shell in his hands, at the shining... things inside of it, nestling on a bed of oh this is ridiculous yet more confetti. There is confetti on his hands. He cannot rule out the possibility that there is confetti down his sleeves, as well.]

I... am not sure I can use these.

[Maybe he comes from a world which has left him no stranger to jewellery, but Kija has been in this one quite long enough to know that this sort of thing, over here, is the near-exclusive preserve of young girls. Glancing about himself, his gaze settles on a very good example of the breed, a girl with bright hair and her hands full of candy.]

Miss? May I show you something?

[swordofzero]

[He's been training for hours, training was a good distraction. He had a lot to think about. Even though he had known strange things happened here knowing a thing and witnessing a thing were very different. He wasn't sure what to think about Adrien suddenly waking up a god. Just as he still wasn't sure what to feel about Lady Grell's disappearance or about the fact he would be assigned another god. Probably today if people were to be believed.

He is moving through movements with the staff when he realised someone was watching him. He stopped just as the man spoke and brought his staff up so he was holding it against him, but not in a threatening way. His posture is very much like that of a solider.]

Hello. Can I help you?

Re: R&R

[towards_okeanos]

A marvelous steed.

[He saw a motorcycle before. Not at all like this one for this one is different. More ... organic? Not reflecting light as normal metal would but rather absorbing it? Interesting.
He smiles.
One can only wonder has fast it can be. When he would finally be able to summon Bucephalus. Ha! He should find this mysterious lady then. Maybe she would agree to a race.]

[swordofzero]

I am sure you will. [A goddess. He's pretty sure Adrien is right and gender doesn't matter at all when it came to assignments, or at all really. He never had gotten his head round why William had been so insistant on calling Lady Grell a man.]

I think any god or goddess of cats fits you well.

[justclaws]

I hope you can.

[How else is he supposed to put it?

[It never gets easier, that is another charge to add to the extensive list of grievances Kija has about this whole business. He never knows how best to break it to another man that he is supposed to give up his humanity to fight for him. Perhaps there genuinely is no good way.]

My name is Hakuryuu Kija. I believe that we are to be partners.

[He sighs. Adds, because it never gets easier, because he sees no reason not to:]

I am sorry.

[boneofsword]

[Archer quickly finds another triple staff amongst the multitude of weapons.]

I'm not overly profficient with this kind of weapon. [he warns before attacking one of the straw dummies, showing most basic moves. First close combat, then middle and long range. Straw flies as Archer neatly finishes the dummy. Sure, he's not a master, but he clearly knows what he's doing.]

[disciprined]

Extremely. And please, don't worry about it.

[Yes, that was a sigh.

[Mirei has read the leaflets. She has listened, repeatedly, to the introductory lectures. Some things, however, you can only learn by doing: logic of a chemistry class, of standing wearing safety spectacles over her own glasses over a tube of hot copper sulphate. Nobody had mentioned this, had thought to tell her that the first thing she would be doing when faced with a shinki was scrambling to find the poor girl clothes that fit!

[She wouldn't be finding those here. Mirei looks the other girl up and down, she nods: close enough. They will have to find her things of her own as a matter of urgency, but until then--]

I'm afraid this is going to seem strange, too. I need you to take my hands.

[Here. Mirei holds them out to her, palms up. Please, just take my word for this.]

[disciprined]

I should stick with you then, pri! Sounds like you're a lucky charm, pri~!

[Smile.

[Smile, smile.

[Look, this is an entirely innocent suggestion that is in no way motivated by the desire for a little bit of sweet privenge.]

Maybe you'll find a hairslide or something, pri. I got this one earlier, see?

[It's adorable. It would look ridiculous. And yes, Mirei is holding it up to your head, Hibiki.]

Maybe you'll find one, too, pri!

[towards_okeanos]

The handle is not for swinging! It's for grip! And it's too flimsy now. At least for me. Maybe for someone with smaller hands it would be enough.

For one on one combat I would still prefer a conventional sword or a spear. This thing? I see it has it's uses. A deterrent indeed. It could shine in combat against multiple enemies. It has better reach than sword and will not break as spear could.

Re: R&R and sort of wildcard

[towards_okeanos]

I believe I am.
I am Alexander or Iskandar. Either one is fine.

[He replies as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. He planned to look for his shinki when the crowd had thinned out a bit. The instructions were a bit vague. She thankfully spared him the effort. That's even better.]

Have a sit, listen to music, eat something. You do eat, right? This was a long day.

[disciprined]

You did, pri?

[That--

[She isn't sure if she should say it sounds like great news, but she's smiling anyway. Adrien knows who he is again, what he likes, what his dreams are. He knows who his friends are, too: there's no danger, now, in anything Marinette might let slip. He can be himself again. From where Mirei's standing, it's hard to imagine a downside.]

How are you finding it, pri? I guess it must be pretty different.

[deathmetalist]

[No matter what she's seen since her arrival here, the different styles are still so weird. Is he a priest or something? He's kind of pretty for that. Should she make a confession?

. . . Nah. She doesn't even know what she'd need to confess.

She blinks as he approaches. It looks like he's been searching for prizes too, judging by all of the confetti. It stands out against the white of his hair and robes. Her head tilts to the side, hands still outstretched as she holds her current haul]

Can I help you?

[deathmetalist]

[ . . . It's happened.

Yui suspects that she looks pretty good. Not that she's really looked in a mirror yet. And maybe a hospital gown isn't the most attractive attire to meet someone else in, but maybe that simply speaks even more volumes about her!
She lifts a hand up and quietly whispers-]

Are you...?

['That way...?']

[justclaws]

Well, maybe.

[He should probably have done something about the confetti first--

[No mind. He is here now. Kija holds his hand out to her (yes, really should have done something about that: he is spilling confetti over his shoes now, and possibly over the girl too), showing her the things in his hand.]

I do not think these would suit me. Would you be able to use them? Or perhaps a friend?

[disciprined]

[Please don't make this any weirder than it has to be--

[The best thing to do is to move swiftly on and pretend the implications haven't made her color, and not waste any more time than she has to wishing that there were only a way to go from here to there which didn't rely on this girl having to touch her.]

I have clothes at my - well, my temple, I suppose. This is the quickest way to get there but I need you to be touching me first, and if I'd been making this up I'd have said something far less ridiculous.

[priforprince]

[ From her position on her back, Rosalie lifts her head and begins grooming her own tummy. Her long fur gets stuck on her tongue. She tugs, going cross-eyed, and paws at the problem.

You might have to address your concerns on your own, Adrien. ]

[abgrund]

[ Reconnaissance means she wanted to spy on people. It makes sense to him in a roundabout way, given how he's also prone to using eyes to watch people. ]

You look like... you needed help.

[ The hand pops out from his fog again, holding out a piece of confetti ]

[priforprince]

[ Vein-pop effects appear everywhere Yui taps, and then some. Now all of Hibiki is twitching. ] Nnnk.

[ Can't get up. Chair. Chair. ]

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki tries to knock that hand away - begone with your frivolous frippery! ] Watch your sentence enders.

[ Will you give her time to fetch her cutphones? She had to prepare them herself, today.....They're around here. One moment.

Hibiki lowers her hands to retrieve this important instrument. For the moment, she is compritely unpritected. ]

[unlucky7]

As far as I can tell, your vessel name is only used by your god to call you or for targeting shinki spells. And borderlines aside, shinki spells don't seem to work on gods.

[A shame really.]

First thing, you want the right mindset. It was explained to me as you want a superior mindset against the person you're targeting. Mind over matter, in a way. Which also means if you're going up against a more experienced shinki, it might be harder.