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

[dredefulchilde]

Joscelin shows Romeo the crumpled up pamphlet he’d shoved rather unceremoniously in the back pocket of his jeans. “That’s what they tell me. Haven’t met my god yet though, so I suppose I’m not yet official.”

He pops another candy in his mouth.

“What’s it like, having a god?”

[myblueskies]

Romeo peered at the pamphlet with interest. No one had given Romeo a pamphlet when he had arrived. There was a lot of words on there though so he didn't get much from the short time he had to glance at it.

"It's good, my god is called Elfnein and she's our age too. She's really smart and her temple is a library. She's really friendly, she didn't know I was her shinki at first and it got to night time and no one had found me and she let me sleep in her temple so I wouldn't be outside all night and then in the morning we realised I was her shinki and I was meant to be with her."

He smiled and then realised that he might have just scared Joss. "But don't worry! I think it's really rare to not find your god by the end of the training!"

[dredefulchilde]

Our age.

For some reason, that makes Joss bristle. He's suddenly tempted to shove Romeo back onto the ground and run off somewhere else, just for saying it, but he resists.

But why does hearing it make him so angry?

"May I see your mark?" he asks, trying to change the topic a little. "Do you really turn into something when your god calls your name?"

[myblueskies]

Romeo nodded at him, still smiling and pulled down his t shirt far enough that the red shinki mark in the centre of his chest could be seen: 林檎

"I do! I turn into a weasel. We only did it once when Eldnein first gave me a name. It's strange because you can see everywhere all at once and when you talk it's just in your gods head!"

[dredefulchilde]

"...a weasel."

Joscelin gives Romeo a flat look. "Truly? A weasel? That's..." He starts to snicker. "That's hardly awe-inspiring. No offense." Not that he cares overly much whether or not offense was taken in the first place, but.

"I thought we're supposed to be weapons to fight the aya-whatsits."

[myblueskies]

"I can fight ayakashi as a weasel!" He pulls a face at Joss, not liking that he is being laughed at. There's nothing wrong with weasels! Elfnein hadn't laughed at his vessel form.

"Shinki take lots of different forms, but they can all be used to kill ayakashi and help their god!"

That's what he'd been told, he'd never actually fought an ayakashi before.

[dredefulchilde]

Sorry, Romeo, but Joscelin is going to continue to laugh. Oh, this is precious. The other boy is entirely too easy to tease.

“And have you ever done it? Run up to an ayakashi and clawed its eyes out?”

[myblueskies]

"Not yet!" But that doesn't mean he couldn't! "But I could! Me and Elfnein are a really good team so I bet we could destroy lots and lots of ayakashi!"

He doesn't like being teased, especially since this boy is older and bigger than him and he already pushed him over!

[dredefulchilde]

"Hmm, I'm sure." Joss has stopped laughing, but there's a distinct smirk on his face. He crouches down on his heels, looking up at the other boy.

"What's it feel like, being a rodent?"

[myblueskies]

"It feels great!" He puts his hands on his hips and looks down at Joss, still a little annoyed at being teased. There was nothing wrong with being a weasel!

"Anyways I like being able to run around, I think being an object would be strange!" He pulled a face but then grinned again, nothing kept Romeo's spirits down for long, not even teasing.

"I wonder what your vessel form will be!"

[dredefulchilde]

Joss smiles thinly. "Something awe-inspiring, I'm sure. I want to be a weapon."

It's all he can think about now that he's running into more and more shinki with gods and vessel forms of their very own. He wants to attack, to hurt. He doesn't want to be a cute fuzzy creature or a useless teapot. He needs to do something.

[myblueskies]

"I bet you will be!" A child crueler than Romeo might have teased back but Romeo just grinned at him, he was sure that if Joss thought he would be semething awe inspiring he would be.

"I hope you find your god soon because then you'll find out what you are!"

[dredefulchilde]

“I do too.”

Joss looks away for a moment and then pulls a colorfully-wrapped candy out of his coat pocket. He shoves it towards the other boy.

“Here, Weasel-Romeo. Compensation for the one I took. Maybe you can beat me to the prize next time, if you’re fast enough.” He smiles cockily. “If.•

[myblueskies]

Romeo took the shiny treasure with a bright smile and put it in his own pocket before reaching out to grasp the boys hand firmly.

"Told you, you won't beat me twice!" He was grinning though, "I'll see you again Joss! I hope your god is nice!"