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]

“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."

[dredefulchilde]

Joss doesn’t want to look at Shin. Not when his eyes are burning and he feels weak, and stupid, and...

He lets out a breath and is surprised when it comes out as a ragged sob. This is ridiculous. Why is he crying? He’s angry, not sad.

“...damn it,” he swears softly, fat tears rolling down his cheeks.

[bass_instincts]

Oh shit, now Joss is crying. Shin looks at him with an awkward frown, uncertain what to do. His hand tightens around Joss's hand, but after a moment he drops to one knee so he could look in Joss's face. "Come on, let's get your hands cleaned up," he says with a sigh, putting his other hand on Joss's shoulder, curling his fingers to encourage him to move in for a hug if that's what he needed.

[dredefulchilde]

Joscelin keeps his eyes stubbornly downcast, not acknowledging Shin at all until the crying has quieted and only a stubborn sniffle remains. He scrubs at his face with the back of his bloody hand until he’s rubbed all trace of the tears away.

“If you tell anyone about this,” he says quietly, embarrassed by the display of maudlin emotion, “I’ll kill you.”

Only then does he look up and allow Shin to take him to get first aid.

[bass_instincts]

Shin smiles at him, standing back up. He'll let go of Joss's hand only once he knows Joss is following him.

"I won't tell anyone. As long as you don't go around stealing shit for no food reason," he barters.

[dredefulchilde]

Joss does follow, a few steps behind. He’s confused; all these unfamiliar emotions keep threatening to take hold. Why is he ashamed of himself? He stole those prizes fair and square. Now, after being yelled at by a single teenager, he feels shame. Embarrassment.

He wants to do better from now on. That’s odd.

“What should I do instead?” It’s almost a whisper. “I dont know who I am.”

[bass_instincts]

"I don't know who I am either. But I do know I'd feel bad picking on people weaker than me, even if I want that competition." He looks at Joss, "I can't really tell you for sure what the right thing to do is, but, trying to be good to other people is probably a good place to start." He's really not sure what he's doing right now. He's pretty sure he's not used to working with kids, or was at least really bad at it if he did.

He just keeps heading towards where Adrien had left the first aid kit, hoping it would still be there. It scared him just how much of himself he could see in Joscelin. He didn't want to see it. He probably deserved better.

[dredefulchilde]

"...I suppose so." This is venturing into lecture territory, and Joscelin doesn't like that. But he isn't feeling the same visceral hatred of being talked down to that he had earlier today. Maybe it's because he wants to keep his new friend. At least that's what he hopes Shin is. He wants so badly to stay Shin's friend, even though he's only known the other shinki for less than an hour. There's something honest about him that Joss trusts.

He wants to be better so that Shin will stop looking at him with those disappointed eyes.

[bass_instincts]

Shin doesn't plan on giving a lecture. He's not good at that kind of thing anyway. He just wanted to try to give Joss some answers, even if he didn't have many to offer.

He sighs with a bit of relief to see the first aid kit still by the side of the training grounds. He speeds up a bit, "Come on, let's get that cleaned up."

[dredefulchilde]

They both put on a little more speed and reach the first aid box. Obediently, Joss holds out his bloodied palms for Shin to inspect.

This is ridiculous, honestly. Joss is perfectly capable of taking care of his own minor hurts, but he doesn’t mind it. Bizarrely. What’s gotten into him?

“...sentimentality...” he whispers to himself.

[bass_instincts]

Shin starts cleaning him up, first wiping off the blood with some gauze, then going through the same basic things that Adrien had done for him. Somehow it felt like he was paying Adrien back for his kindness this way.

He looks at Joss a little confused. "Center Mentality?" He might have recognized the word in English, since even though he grew up speaking Japanese too, his vocabulary is better in English.

[dredefulchilde]

“Stupid, maudlin sentiments. Emotions,” Joss clarifies, wincing as Shin cleans the cuts on his palms. He looks away. “Weakness. Why am I so weak?”

[bass_instincts]

Shin laughs awkwardly, "I don't know the word 'maudlin' either." He pats Joss's shoulder, "I don't think that's weakness though. It's just a part of life. Everyone has emotions, or at least everyone worth talking to."

[dredefulchilde]

Joss frowns down at his palms. "Everyone worth talking to? I think that emotional people are bloody irritating." Not that he has much to go on, given that his memories go back all of about two hours at this point, but he has feeling that's the case. "But here I am, acting like a fucking child over a stupid toy." It's not the toy, of course. It's being called out and told that he's an immoral little shit.

"It's stupid."

[bass_instincts]

Shin rolls his eyes, "there's a difference between having emotions and being emotional." He looks down at Joscelin, brow quirked, "You are a child, though. You should let yourself be one sometimes. I won't fault you for it. And I'm not going to think less of you for it either. If someone does, tell me." Because he'll make them regret it. He might not be treating Joss like much of a child, but it's not like he was going to try to take his chance at it from him.

"It's way more annoying to see a trying too hard to be grown up," says the pot to the kettle. "Just stop worrying about it."

[dredefulchilde]

Joscelin obviously doesn't like being called a child, no matter how true it is, but the rather immature pout he has going on probably doesn't help his case any. He sighs, looking away.

"You're still a teenager, aren't you?" he points out eventually. "Why the big brother act?"

[bass_instincts]

Shin pauses, "I don't know." Because he doesn't. He can't remember anything that could make him the way he is now. He couldn't remember anything at all, and it left him feeling oddly hollow. It was a familiar feeling though, one that just seemed to have settled comfortably in the back of his mind.

He gives a little shrug, smiling softly, "Maybe I just want one myself."

[dredefulchilde]

“A big brother?” Joss asks helpfully. Why would Shin want one of those? It sounds like a huge inconvenience, being tied down all the time. Being obligated to be near someone.

And yet, oddly, the thought has appealing qualities.

[bass_instincts]

"It's not so bad to have someone to help you clean up your cuts and bruises, is it?" He smiles a little at Joss, taping his work carefully so it won't slide around. It doesn't look nearly as good as the job Adrien did for him, but it is a bit better than passable.

"Besides, a big brother's not like a parent. It's not like they can really make the rules, they can just tell you that you've messed up."

[dredefulchilde]

Honestly, Joscelin thinks that all this bandaging was a bit of an overkill for a few small cuts, but he's not complaining overly much. At least not about the first aid. He examines the taping job with interest, choosing it over having to make eye contact with Shin.

"I don't care for rules of any sort," he points out, as if his actions today hadn't already made it abundantly clear.

"I wonder what it would feel like to have a sibling, though."

[bass_instincts]

It probably was, but Shin is eager to pass on Adrien's kindness somehow. Especially to someone he finds to remind him uncomfortably of himself. He smiles at Joss and his hatred of rules.

"There's rules, and then there's morals, I guess. Usually if you make sure you have decently good morals things just go better. For you, for the people around you." He shrugs, "Rules don't have to be there to protect you."

He pauses, then smirks at Joss, "Is it working? I'm not sure I know what I'm doing."

[dredefulchilde]

Joss laughs. "Not really. But I appreciate the effort."

And he does. Just talking with Shin makes him feel lighter. Less...alone than before. He hadn't even really realized just how lonely he'd been, exactly, because he hadn't known what loneliness felt like, but now he finds it lifting.

"You really are a sentimental idiot, though," he says fondly.

[bass_instincts]

Shin can't help but laugh at that, "Well, that's the first quality I've been accused of so far." He figures that has to be a good thing, right? Maybe he's not as bad as he feels like he is. "I guess I'll take it."