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]

There are two reasons to dance. [Edge turns slightly, the better to deliver this speech from a more melodramatic angle as he looks at her sidelong. A hand flicks up to unfold fingers for the count of two:] To be seen dancing, and to have fun dancing. This isn't the former, where style and form count for everything. So it only counts if you need it to have fun. I don't.

[thirdbeauty]

[Such dramatic delivery! She appreciates where he's coming from, though. It's just... hard for her to really wrap her head around. She technically can improvise, but she's really self-conscious about it.]

I... guess that makes sense, but...

I've never, um, tried it this way?

[onehandsomeslickninja]

I got the feeling. Still, how can you learn if something's fun or not without trying it?

[Lots of people around here seemed unwilling to step outside their comfort zone! He has to wonder why that is, when just being here is so out of the ordinary.]

[thirdbeauty]

[If only he knew just how much Natsuru's had to go outside of her comfort zone just by her mere existence as a shinki. He's very right about that.]

M-Maybe, yeah, if I had someone to dance with...

[That's the closest to a concession she's going to make right now. She can't argue against his logic, but she's still not about to go out and embarrass herself alone.]

[onehandsomeslickninja]

Ha, wow, I've been horribly unclear.

[Bowing his head, Edge places a hand on his chest and offers her a hand, humbly offering himself up as that someone.]

SORRY RL ate me for like a week

[thirdbeauty]

[Oh...

... Look, she's terrible at taking a hint sometimes? But hey, she just said if she had someone to dance with, maybe she'd try. And here's someone offering.

So yes, she's going to ever so gingerly accept the offered hand.]

[onehandsomeslickninja]

[Everyone in the heavens is ultra hard mode, apparently. At this point what can Edge do but laugh to himself? And keep trying, of course, as he turns to lead her out onto the floor, such as it is.]

You have an advantage out here, too, you know.

[thirdbeauty]

Huh?

[She's still confused, yet she looks a little more at ease with someone accompanying her.]

... What do you mean?

[onehandsomeslickninja]

Why, you're a very pretty girl. [Not too far out, for the sake of her shyness, he turns to her so they can start the dance.] That means even if you make a small mistake, it will still look amazing.

[thirdbeauty]

[Oh. Yeah. That. Cue the blushing again. Natsuru exists in that weird space where she knows she's not bad looking, can be reasonably confident in her appearance, and yet it still baffles her when someone else finds her attractive.]

I, uh... I'm not sure it'd be amazing...

[There's a nervous little chuckle that sounds... maybe almost pleased? Look, she's weak to quality flirting most of the time.]

[onehandsomeslickninja]

Well, I'd find it so at least. [Hand on his chest, he bows slightly towards her as a beginning and as punctuation to his statement both.] Then again, you're already so pretty I'm easily amazed anyway.