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

[bass_instincts]

Shin shrugs a little, "I guess you're a shinki too, then." He kept getting that same feeling himself, knowing what things are without being able to explain how he had come across that information.

And that meant this kid had also died, and died young. Shin felt he was the kind of soul that really deserved a second chance. Not himself. If he's wearing a prison uniform he figures he probably got what he deserved. Shin didn't think he would kill someone, but the truth is, for all he knows, he was executed on death row.

His own name is rather easy to see emblazoned on the side of his neck, but Shin hadn't noticed yet a name on the kid. "Did you find a god yet?"

[dredefulchilde]

"That's what they keep telling me," Joscelin says with another shrug. He'll parse the mysteries of this new universe later. "I got the same 'hello, you're dead!' pamphlet as everyone else."

He can't help but eye the prison uniform curiously. It seems to be unique to Blue Hair; he can't spot any others in the crowd. (Joss himself is wearing something neat but thoroughly unremarkable, though the "bruise" color palette isn't doing his already sickly pale complexion any favors.) "What do the numbers mean?"

Joss frowns. "No. I haven't. They tell me someone's been assigned and I'll be meeting them later, but I'm not sure what that means."

[bass_instincts]

That was messed up. They just let this kid wander around lost and on his own?

"I think it means you'll randomly get assigned a god." Shin makes a bit of a scowl. He'll just have to be the one to stick with the kid, then. At least until he knew he was okay.

He lets out a little breath, his expression pulling towards shame, "The numbers are like a name, I guess, but for prison." He didn't see the need to lie, even if its shameful. Joss would eventually learn anyway, and how would one shinki not knowing help when he's sure most others could tell.

[dredefulchilde]

Joscelin shrugs again. He hates being ordered around so he's not in any particular rush to meet his assigned god. Except, he realizes suddenly, he is. He looks at the symbol on Blue Hair's neck. He wants one of those. He wants to have a purpose. He doesn't like the idea of not being anyone or anything--besides the spirit of a dead boy--one bit.

Something about Blue Hair has lowered his defenses a little. Maybe it's because he hasn't talked down to him yet. All the grown ups so far have talked down to him; he hates that just as much as he hates orders.

"Do you have a name besides a prison ID? I'm called Joscelin, but I think I'd rather you called me Joss."

[bass_instincts]

"It's Shinichi, but you can call me Shin," he offers Joss a smile. "I could ask my god if you can at least stay with us until your lazy God shows up." Because, seriously, who just leaves a kid hanging like that?

[dredefulchilde]

"Shin. Right." He holds out a hand to shake.

"Is your god going to give me a name?"

[bass_instincts]

Shin takes his hand and shakes it. "Honestly, I don't know. I don't really know him that well, but he seems like he would at least keep you safe."

He looks down at Joss thoughtfully, "would you want him to?"

[dredefulchilde]

"Safe from what, though? I've been led to believe that Heaven is already a safe place." He smiles sardonically, in a way that seems to belie his apparent years. "I believe I can fend for myself in that regard." He turns out his pockets to reveal his treasure horde, which he reclaimed after his run in with the Robotic-Voiced Bitch. "These were laughably easy to get. Would you care for some candy?" He holds out a fistful of chocolates to his new...well, friend may be too strong a word for it, but Shin is a person he doesn't yet have cause to be annoyed by. That's rare.

As for the naming...

"...but wouldn't that make me a Nora? Those seem to be rather frowned upon."

[bass_instincts]

"You haven't been named yet, have you?" He smiles slyly, "from what I gather, it's first come, first served. It's the second name that would make you a nora, and your assigned god would probably just have to find another shinki."

He shrugs a little, "I think Adrien would know better. Want me to ask him over?

"Oh," he adds, showing his own stuffed pockets, "I got a bunch too. Maybe we can trade?" Because even though he might have fought over some of those prizes, just accepting the chocolate when he has some seemed like taking advantage of Joss.

[dredefulchilde]

Joss smiles.

"I'll consider it."

Ah, how disappointing. And here he was, trying to be all nice and magnanimous with his stolen candy. Joscelin examines Shin's bounty. "I've found I'm rather partial to chocolate-covered caramels. Have you got any? I ate all of mine."

That icon XD

[bass_instincts]

Shin starts shuffling through his own candy, pulling out a few chocolate covered caramels, "Do you have anything cherry? Or strawberry?" Those just sounded really good right now, even if he's not sure why. "I wouldn't mind some chocolates, either.

The PB really pulls off the Creepy British Child thing very well.

[dredefulchilde]

Joscelin sits on the ground, the better to organize his candies with. He’d really been focusing on the chocolates, but there are a couple of red lollipops that he figures must be berry flavors of some sort. The same should be true for the hard candies, too.

He hands them over.

“I was mostly focused on the chocolates,” he says by way of explanation, if not apology.

He does <3

[bass_instincts]

"Chocolates are good." He didn't blame Joss for focusing on them. He sits down next to him, pulling out the kendama he managed to get earlier. "Did you get any of the toys?"

[dredefulchilde]

"Hmm. A few." Joscelin looks dubiously at his collection. "Most of them seem terribly juvenile don't they? We're not babies; why give us baby toys?" Then, like a true twelve year old boy, he adds: "I wish they'd give us video games."

Joss picks up a balsa wood model airplane kit and plays with assembling it. It's flimsy and small, but maybe it'll fly.

[bass_instincts]

Shin can't help but laugh at that, "I don't know, I kinda like them." He didn't know that it was because he'd never had a chance to enjoy them when he had been the appropriate age.

He pulls out his own balsa wood plane, starting to build it. "We can try racing them, what do you think?"

[dredefulchilde]

"Do you think they'll even fly?" Joss asks dubiously, noticing how the wood bends under his fingers from the slightest touch. Really, he would've thought Heaven would have a better budget for their prizes, being Heaven and all.

He slides the wings into the body of his plane, careful to keep his touch light, and sends it on its maiden voyage. It nose dives.

"Hmm, doesn't get much lift. Maybe if I..."

A few quick tweaks later, and the plane is airborne.

"How about that race?"

[bass_instincts]

Shin works on getting his own to get lift, bending the wood a little. It takes him a few times, having never actually done one of these before.

He smiles when Joss asks for the race, "Yes!" He lines himself up next to Joss so that they're throwing from the same height. He starts getting ready to throw it, "on three?"

[dredefulchilde]

"One...two..."

Joscelin likes winning, as evidenced by the huge pile of prizes he's amassed. So he may or may not already be letting go seconds before "three," to get a head start on Shin's plane. It doesn't matter, though, because it catches an air pocket and plummets to the ground, breaking off its nose.

"What a piece of shit."

Well, that ends that particular competition.

[bass_instincts]

Maybe it was because he was surprised to hear that language from a kid, but maybe it was because he won, but Shin lets out a bark of a laugh. "I guess I win," he says as he moves to get his plane. It landed a distance away from them, and he's tossing it back towards Joss, "You can have this one if you want. I probably won't really keep it past today."

[dredefulchilde]

Joss catches the plane out of the air, scowling. He is nothing if not a sore loser and Shin’s offer does little to soothe his bruised ego.

“I’ll pass, thanks.” He shoves the plane back at Shin. “Give it to one of the idiots I stole most of this rubbish from.”

[bass_instincts]

Shin takes the plane, but hearing that he throws it back at Joss, this time looking angry, "Stole?" He hadn't been expecting to hear that, and it ticked him off a little. "Couldn't find enough of them yourself?" Okay, maybe he was being a little too harsh with the kid, but as far as Shin's concerned, Joss deserved it to steal something he didn't have to.

[dredefulchilde]

Joscelin just glares back.

“That’s right,” he says, setting his shoulders and ready for a fight. “I stole it. There wasn’t any challenge in finding the prizes; babies could’ve done it. So I made my own rules and I was smarter and faster and stronger than the others.”

[bass_instincts]

"Uh huh," Shin says, unimpressed, "and a cheat. You know some of them were pretty well hidden. You could have just waited on the trash to get collected before looking for the hard to find ones, instead of getting swept up with the garbage."

He leans back and settles in, "and did you take shit from kids younger than you, too, or did you at least have the honour to just try to get it from people older than yourself?"

[dredefulchilde]

“Honor, huh?” Joss’s voice is brittle, his tiny hands balled up into fists so tight that his fingernails are biting into his palms, drawing blood.

“What the fuck does honor mean, anyway? Yes, I stole from other children. I’m a cheat and a thief and a bully. Is that what you want me to say, O high and mighty one? You’re the one in the prison uniform, not me.”

It’s a low blow. He doesn’t care. Not when there’s a lump in his throat and his eyes are burning and he can’t figure out why.

[bass_instincts]

Shin stands, closing the distance between them in a stride. He roughly grabs Josslin's hand, opening it up to get him to stop hurting himself, even if it was accidental. "I'm not high, or mighty. I'm certain I've fucked up a lot of things, or I wouldn't have come here the way I did."

He tugs Joss a bit to get him to look at him, "Yeah, I'm a convict, but what does that mean if a convict is giving you a lecture on morals?" He sighs, "But doing something once doesn't mean that's who you are. This is a second chance at everything. A second life. Let's both try not to fuck it up."