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

[reloves]

That still means the two of you are so close though! You're practically touching all the time!

[ Not that she seems to think it's scandalous though. Maybe her words might give that impression, but a moment later she's already playfully shoving against Natsuru's shoulder a little, and adding-- ]

Lucky you...!

/returns from RL things eating up all my time

[thirdbeauty]

Well... when she wears me, yeah...

[Dammit, Minako, stop making her talk like being worn is a perfectly normal thing! Also she somehow manages to turn even more red at Minako's playful little nudge.]

It's not just touching, though. It can get tiring holding in her che-... er, wh-when she... moves a lot...

[This may not be helping your case, Natsuru.]

[reloves]

[ Honestly, Natsuru, you're just making it worse for yourself at this point.. ]

... You actually really enjoy it, don't you?

[ It's hard to not assume that when Natsuru is saying stuff like that!! ]

[thirdbeauty]

N-Not like that!!!

[She's. Very good at making things worse for herself. And being accidentally honest about embarrassing things. Like how she realizes about half a second too late that the way she said that makes it sound like she does really enjoy it.]

It's not because of her body! Er, not that her body isn't nice! She's... [Hold on, she's not about to go discussing Maria's body with someone she just met. Even if she is another girl!]

I-It's just... I have to be some kind of vessel. And the way we are... I mean, the way we work together, we're completely in sync, and it's... nice to have that with her?

[She did it, she explained a feeling.]

[reloves]

[ At least that takes away some of the embarrassment of this conversation.. Although it definitely does not take away all of it. Minako can be just as embarrassing talking about people's feelings with how shameless and excited she is. ]

That's so cute! [ Like how she's just squealing here about it. Pretty loudly. With tons of other people around. ] So you want to be close to her! You guys sound like you have a beautiful bond!

[thirdbeauty]

Eh?

[This is the first time Natsuru's ever spoken those feelings out loud. It was just... less embarrassing than what Minako was assuming, at first! It feels like she's exposed something even more deeply personal, and yet...

... Minako just thinks it's cute??? Now she's blushing for a different reason.]

Ah... you, um... really think so?

[That was a compliment, right? Maybe encouragement too? She's really been thrown for a loop in this whole conversation.]

[reloves]

[ Of course it's a compliment! What else is the word "cute" supposed to mean, Natsuru?

Besides, Minako looks so excited about it that it just has to be a compliment. She's about to start bouncing on her feet with all this beautiful information she's getting here. At least you're giving her some hope about being able to actually end up with a nice god or goddess and being able to form a bond with them. ]

Why wouldn't I? You two sound so close.. It sounds like you've gotten lucky that you ended up with her!

[thirdbeauty]

Y-Yeah, she's amazing! I-... I'm really glad we're partners.

[She can't believe she's admitted to liking anything about her vessel form and she's getting genuinely complimented and called lucky for ending up in the situation she's in. She's really happy to be able to talk about this without it causing a misunderstanding! Well... not for long, at least.]

Oh yeah, you haven't met your god yet, right? I hope you get along too!

[reloves]

Hehe, thanks. I sure am hoping so!

[ Because if she ends up with some old fart who's way too set on rules, she might have a problem.. But she's trying to think of this positively. All options are still on the table. ]

I guess I should go look around to see if I can find them now though. I'm sure I'll talk to you again some other time!

[thirdbeauty]

Ah... yeah, probably.

[Natsuru likes this girl already, but also needs a moment away from this conversation to process... everything. She didn't even know she needed someone to admit her feelings about the bond between her and Maria to until now.

Impulsively, she finds herself blurting out her information so the blonde can find her again.]

I'm Natsuru, by the way! I live with Maria-sama in Nuada Airgetlám's hollow in the Northeast District... if you ever need to find me...

[She can't imagine why, but. Look. She wants to be friends and she's not good at initiating that sort of thing!]

[reloves]

[ Naturally Minako doesn't mind any kind of impulsive blurting out. "Impulsive blurting out" might as well be Minako's own middle name, after all. So she doesn't seem weirded out at all by the sudden information thrust at her - she just giggles. ]

You mean you want me to come visit you sometime? You could just ask! [ She's just teasing, really. But if Natsuru would ever want to hang out for real, it's not like she'd mind. ] You know I have no idea yet where I'll end up, but my name's Minako, at least!