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]

"I guess if it's what you enjoy you don't need as much of a break," Shin admits. When he moves his head to look over the training area, the name on the side of his neck becomes a lot more visible. It's actually the same character for 'shin' as used in his name. "I guess when you find something you like it clicks, even without memories," he muses softly. "Are you new here too?"

[swordofzero]

Suzaku saw the kanji and noted that it was the same as the Shin in Shinichi, that seemed strange but he guessed there was nothing to say that their vessel names could not be similar to their actual names.

At least he didn't think so. "I've been here just over a month, so I guess I don't count as new anymore." He shrugged, he still felt like there was a lot he didn't know. But at the same time he had learned a lot in a month.

"Your god has found you already?"

[bass_instincts]

"Yeah, I met Adrien a little earlier today." He'd been good to him so far, and neither really had spent any time fussing over his outfit. Adrien got him out of the restraints he'd arrived in and even bandaged where the leather had been bitingly tight. He's glad that his death injuries didn't carry over, or he would have suspected that it would have been much worse.

Of course, his god being Adrien meant that his vessel name was also a pun. Not that Shin really minded. Of course he doesn't know that Suzaku already knows Adrien, or their history here. As far as Shin knows, there's little reason such an industrious shinki would go without a name, so it seemed obvious that "You must have a god too, right?"

[swordofzero]

"Adrien is your god?" It hasn't been that long since Suzaku had learned of Adrien's change from being a shinki to being a god. He is glad that Adrien has found a shinki so quickly, he wouldn't want Adrien to be alone after all. Not that he thought Marinette and Snake would leave him to feel lost or confused.

He shook his head. "Lady Grell, my goddess, disappeared a weak ago. That happens sometimes. People disappear from the heavens. No one is certain on where they go."

[bass_instincts]

One of the other ways to read the Kanji on his neck is also 'mao', or cat. With Adrien's sense of humor, Suzaku might be able to figure it out, or at least that Adrien made a pun while naming Shin.

The idea of someone just disappearing though, or more specifically the possibility of Adrien just disappearing, has Shin suddenly feeling on edge. "Anyone can just disappear? Is there no warning?"

[swordofzero]

Suzaku is somewhat aware of Adrien's odd sense of humour, he has been on the wrong side of cat puns at least once. He makes no comment on the name. Either Shin knew and was alright with his gods sense of humour or he didn't or wasn't and Suzaku didn't want to embarass him.

Though in hindsight embarassing him over cat puns would be preferable to scaring him. "No there's not. It happens frequently enough to be worrying and no one knows where they have gone, though many people seem to believe they are sent back to their homes. Sometimes people return. There is a lot we don't understand about this place."

[bass_instincts]

"What do the people who return say?" He was worried about the thought of just waking up unnamed and alone. Before he'd gotten a name he really didn't think he cared all that much, as short as that time alone had been. But now that he'd gotten a god, the idea of being abandoned tugged at a spot between his chest and his stomach.

[swordofzero]

"I'm not sure." He shrugged, Lady Grell had actually been someone who had disappeared in the past and returned but she had never spoken about it to him. She had not been the one to tell him in the first place.

"I know that Hakkai Cho was once a Shinki before he became a god, he said he didn't remember anything inbetween even though he disappeared for a short time. Adrien also was a Shinki until a few days ago, though he did not disappear and return."

No one knows. That was the only certain thing Suzaku had learned in his time here. No one knew what what was going on.

[bass_instincts]

That wasn't all that reassuring. He's pretty sure it wasn't meant to be, and while it wasn't comfortable, it was fine. It was at least something that felt a little familiar, though that just worried him more.

"Are you friends with Adrien, then?" He didn't really want to dwell too long on something he couldn't get answers for. There wasn't really any reason to keep focusing on it. Maybe if Suzaku was friends with Adrien he could get a better sense of what he's like. He'd only seen what he's already is pretty sure is just one side of Adrien. A side that was treating him just a little bit like glass, even if Adrien also seemed to be trying not to.

[swordofzero]

Were they friends? Suzaku supposed they were. Adrien was very friendly and seemed to see him as a friend. So perhaps they were. He nodded.

"I am. He has helped me a lot in the last weak since Lady Grell disappeared. He's been looking after my kitten for me."

Adrien was just a bundle of kindness and Suzaku still wasn't too sure what to make of that. But he was glad for his help and could only hope that one day he would be able to repay him. Though of course he didn't wish such a situation where Adrien needed so much help on him.

[bass_instincts]

Shin smiles a little at that. He shifts a little to get more comfortable and says, "He mentioned being good to the kittens and snakes in his rules. I guess that means I'll be helping too."

He keeps smiling, "I hope we get to be friends too."

[swordofzero]

"He has a lot of cats. Five or six I think." Snakes as well. He had mentioned that his and Marinette's temples were joined and so he didn't doubt that more animals would probably be added to their combined temples.

"I am sure if you are his shinki he already considers you his friend." He is that sort of person.

[bass_instincts]

Shin laughs a bit, "I meant with you, he made it pretty clear that he wasn't going to let me be anything less than that."

He hasn't gotten to see Adrien's temple yet, so he is a little surprised about the number of cats. Mostly surprised that it's not more with him being the latest incarnation of Bast.

[swordofzero]

Suzaku is not surprised at all that Adrien would consider his shinki his friends. Both because Adrien had been a shinki just days prior and because that was who Adrien was, he seemed to be friendly to everyone.

He blinks a little bit in confusion at the offer of friendship but he smiles a moment later. "I hope so too." They had only just met but Shin seemed as friendly as his god and Suzaku would not mind getting to know him better.

[bass_instincts]

Shin smiles to hear that Suzkau wasn't going to try to be difficult when it came to at least trying to be friends. "How long have you known Adrien, then? You said you've only been here for a bit over a month?" It wasn't exactly what he'd consider long enough to get to be real friends with someone, but he also figures that sometimes people just click.

[swordofzero]

"I met him on the day I arrived." He told Shin with a small shrug. "He was friendly then and we met a few more times."

It was very quick to be friends with someone, but since Adrien had declared them friends when Suzaku had been at Marinette's temple Suzaku wasn't going to argue.

[bass_instincts]

"He seems to see people as his friends really fast," Shin says, unknowingly agreeing with Suzaku's line of thought. "I don't know why that makes me worry," he admits with a slight shrug, "but he seems to think I need a friend. Maybe he thought the same about you."

[swordofzero]

"Perhaps." It was a little worrying, but Adrien seemed discerning enough that Suzaku would hope he would not trust anyone not worthy of that trust. And if he did befriend someone who might hurt him he had enough other friends to look out for him and protect him.

[bass_instincts]

Shin is worried that he's just that kind of person to not be worthy of that trust. It's been a knot in his stomach since he'd let Adrien name him. He lets the silence linger a little long before saying, "But I guess I should trust in him."

[swordofzero]

Suzaku nodded, "He is worthy of your trust." Not that Shin had much choice. Not that Suzaku thought Shinki should trust their god no matter what but as a new god, with no memories and still figuring himself out Shin had little choice in having to trust those he knew already, primarily his god.

"I'm sure you will do fine. Adrien is kind as are Marinette and her shinki Snake." A reassuring smile. "Do you know how to operate a mobile phone?" Now that he knows everyone is from different worlds Adrien asking him that on his first day made sense, there were a variety of technology levels represented afterall.

[bass_instincts]

He pulls out the one he had been given, "Ah, it's a little strange, but yeah." He looks at Suzaku curiously, "Did you want to exchange numbers?" It didn't really explain why he asked if he knew how to use the phone, but he could ask that if Suzaku didn't catch onto the source of his confusion and explain it without prompting.

[swordofzero]

"They are already programmed in. All you need to do is know someone's name. Gods are listed as their god name but shinki are listed with the our actual name."

He smiled at him, "If you need any help don't hesitate to contact me."

[bass_instincts]

Shin smiles back, "I will, thanks." He pauses for a moment, uncertain if he should bring it up. But Suzaku is a friend of Adrien's so he hesitates. "There's one thing I've been a little worried about."

[swordofzero]

"What is it?" He is happy to try and help with any worries as well as answer any questions. After all it's not been that long since he arrived and he remembered how confused he was that first day.

[bass_instincts]

"It's about Adrien." He looks surprisingly serious now, "He's being too harsh on himself. I got him to agree that he would try not to be, but do you think you can tell me if he still is, and try to get him to stop?" He wasn't going to tell Suzaku what he said he would do if Adrien didn't stop trying to be perfect while refusing to treat Shin that way. He didn't know if the other Shinki would listen if he did, and Shin worried it might be the only way he'd be able to get it through Adrien's head.