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

[onehandsomeslickninja]

Well, it would be a little silly of me to say all that and not offer. [Edge's amused grin reaches his eyes, even as his mask hides it. But he's not in this just out of the goodness of his heart. (Partially, but not entirely!] Actually, I was watching your technique and wondering how to defend against it, and I think I have an idea.

[spellswords]

[She assumed as much but had he somehow said otherwise she would've volunteered him anyway. But he's willing and she's glad because he's piqued her curiosity.]

Oh? I'd be most intrigued to see what you came up with after such a brief display. Very well. [So she takes a few steps back to create some distance between them. When she turns back to face him she takes her stance with rapier and crystal in hand.]

Be my guest. [He gets the first move if only so she can judge what he might be capable of in return. It was only fair considering he had already observed what she could do.]

[onehandsomeslickninja]

[The crystal is the key. That's what he figures, anyway.]

[Edge draws both his blades, then with a light little twist spins the hilts in his reverse grip so the backsides face out. The slight curve goes the wrong way like this, but it's just a spar; he doesn't need to be at his best and he definitely doesn't need to actually cut her.]

[Crouching slightly, he offers little warning before he springs forward, bringing one arm around as if he's going to slash at her. The move is a feint; he knows perfectly well that her extender rapier is perfectly poised to intercept him if he commits, so he intends to bait it out of her and switch the slash to a parry that will bring it out of position.]

[spellswords]

[He wields twin blades even. Oh yes, definitely similar to Yugiri... and to Thancred too, she thinks, although she knows his way is slightly different. Neither of them she has ever sparred with but she has certainly become familiar with their techniques fighting alongside them for so long.

Even so Edge's skills aren't going to be the same and she falls for the feint, intercepting the blade to parry it in return only to get caught off guard. She stumbles for it, just slightly, and the crystal floating in her other hand is dislodged. Or so it seems. It drops to the ground from the blow yet before it connects it bounces back up like a magnet being repelled. It stops short near her and floats faithfully above her shoulder even without the support of her hand.

She retreats quickly, leaping backwards, but slashing forward in a perfect Z as she goes. The crystal follows her. He has the right of it that it powers her magic though and she cannot so easily cast with it if he keeps it as his target.]

[onehandsomeslickninja]

[That's quite a trick, and it certainly explains how that particular style can work. Magic is interesting indeed.]

[He'd seen her move during her bout with the dummy, so Edge is taking no chances at all with that rapier -- he retreats rather than advancing, sidling carefully to one side as he does to look for the moment where he's no longer in direct line with her blade. Now is when he'd normally open up with a fan of shuriken or some ninjutsu, trying to keep her crystal under control, but... well, he's interested to see if his idea will play out.]

[spellswords]

[The moment he moves to the side she turns too and recovers the crystal medium bobbing near by. She uses this brief window to attach it to the rapier's hilt. Now that it isn't under direct attack she will use the opportunity to cast. While he may have observed her instant casts against the dummy he may have also noted that she has to long cast first beforehand.

Except her cast this time is instant, a brief spell that almost seems to warp time, followed by another instant cast. She launches a blast of green/white wind right at him, a well aimed Veraero in hopes to throw him off balance.]

[onehandsomeslickninja]

[You ever have a great plan, a perfect sequence of attack and defense in your head, and then your opponent just pulls out some stunt that spoils it all?]

[Yeah, Edge had been counting on that second-and-change of cast time.]

[The Veraero smacks straight into him; he only has time to cross his arms in front of him to absorb some of the blow before it sends him back several steps, cape billowing madly behind him. Off-balance but not down, he's already moving to protect himself from the next spell he's sure will come his way.]

[spellswords]

[She's no tactical genius like her brother but isn't a slouch either when it comes to quick thinking in combat. Lucky for him that's not a trick she can pull off in succession.

Yet as he predicted she is quickly to instant cast a second spell as a follow up. Out of no where forms stones that she hurls at him with a quick flick of her rapier, crystal still attached to its hilt.

The defensive stance he takes may not help too much against sudden chunks of earth being hurled at him but then perhaps he is stronger than she gives him credit for.]

[onehandsomeslickninja]

[Hey! Just how little strength does she actually give him credit for?!]

[Okay, endurance is not his strong point in relative terms, but Edge has been to the depths of the Lunar Subterrane and back -- not that he remembers it -- and has endured worse than an earth spell in the course. Of course, somewhere in the middle of being battered by stone he has to wonder if it's just that she can't hold back on these spells, or if she isn't choosing to, because ow.]

[Much the worse for wear, Edge comes out the other side of the spell with his own trick: a swift gesture with one hand that seems to have no effect. The effect is in fact behind her, as a dagger coalesces out of nothing to stab for the center of her shadow. This, then, is the ninja art of paralysis, Shadowbind.]

[Honestly, he considers this a pretty cheap shot for a spar, but may he repeat, ow.]

[spellswords]

[More than he'd think but less than he hopes.

Alisaie doesn't quite know the meaning of the word 'restraint' and even when it comes to sparring she can be a bit rough. But that's always been her way even if that isn't a good thing sometimes. So it's the latter. Holding spells is certainly a viable option but where is the fun in that?

However he gets the last laugh with that trick and while it may be dirty she also isn't pulling her punches. So neither should he, really. She definitely doesn't expect it. She twists around to parry the dagger because she presumes it's headed at her. Instead it drops into her shadow and suddenly she can't move. The sudden inability to even twitch her nose somewhat frightens her too.

Definitely a dirty trick...]

Wh-What is...?

[onehandsomeslickninja]

[She's lucky she's just a kid. (Which sure as hell doesn't mean she isn't tough.)]

[Whirling in a blur, Edge steps and twists to bring his other hand forward, a fan of shuriken flying out from between his fingers. Two of them pass a whispered breath from the crystal affixed to her weapon, the third a little more generously missing her head.]

[Satisfied that he's made his point, Edge drops to his knees, slumping forward to prop himself up with one hand now that pride is no longer doing its part in keeping him going. And as the shadowbind spell dissipates, Edge begins to laugh.]

I like you!

[spellswords]

[She flinches inwardly--the way he has her frozen won't allow her to flinch visibly--as the shuriken only just barely miss her. She's glaring at him though and when he finally releases her she stumbles a bit since she isn't expecting that. She shifts her rapier aside and the crystal pops off, bobbing back near her shoulder. She still seems tense but relaxes her stance as she presumes the match to be over.

Alisaie looks grumpy and gives him a flat look. She thinks she's being patronized here and scowls.]

Hmph. That was a nasty trick. [She's familiar with binding spells but that had been pretty unique. She didn't like it one bit...

But fine, whatever. He totally won in the end she guesses.]

[onehandsomeslickninja]

Well, I am a ninja.

[Edge lifts his head, then straightens up with a little tremble in his legs. She might have 'lost', but he's sure coming out of this spar the worse for wear.]

What's with the sour look? You got me good, and that was with me watching you beforehand! [He's certain she'd gone no deeper into her repertoire than he had his own, too. In a real fight, she'd be damnably nasty to face, and he doesn't hesitate to admit it.] I -- well, I don't remember seeing much magic, but I keep expecting you to take a lot longer about the casting than you ever did.

[spellswords]

[Fair enough...

She's a bit of a sore loser which doesn't help but she seems to mellow a little as he continues and her expression softens. Honestly she had appreciated the challenge in the end and it had done wonders to give vent to her frustrations about her situation.

Right. Shinki have no memories of their previous life.] I see. Well, normally that is the case and any other magic discipline requires such. Red magic is a bit unique and allows for instant casts if you do it correctly. [And then sometimes you also have Swiftcast as your roleskill for even speedier casts, as she demonstrated.]

I am somewhat familiar with the ninja discipline although yours was different enough to surprise me. [Though it was still very similar to Yuigir's shinobi skills nevertheless.]

[onehandsomeslickninja]

[Edge also has a decade on her, spent in good solid training (and world-saving). Give her ten years more and she'll be an absolute terror on the battlefield, he has no doubt. Maybe half that.]

Oh, really? [Edge's eyes open wider for a moment, before he shuts them with a smile in his voice.] Well, you're doing better than I am. I had to figure out I was a ninja. Though luckily, everything from my clothes to my weapons sure helps make that clear, doesn't it?

[He doesn't go much for visual stealth, that's for sure.]

I don't know a thing of what your magic is like, but now I'm even more curious.