thenearshore | June Training

[ooc: both bracket tagging and prose tagging are A-okay by me!]

Shinki Training

Joss blinks down at the pamphlet in his hands. It isn't very helpful, as far as pamphlets go. Some of it is insultingly basic--who the hell doesn't know how Google works?--and the rest utterly mystifying. The boy doesn't know much, but he knows that he doesn't like being spoken down to and he would dearly love to punch the smug smile off the face of the teenager who won't shut up about these borderline things.

He needs to get away, or there will be violence. And soon. Especially because he's currently being told that it's okay if he can't get it on the first try and that a lot of shinki are just as bad as Joss's feeble attempt had been at first. Joscelin is backed into a corner, listening to this obnoxiously chipper person lecture him on something he'd just failed at. He's quite certain that he hates failing almost as much as he hates being spoken down to.

All right, there's going to be violence.

Joss smiles sweetly up at the teenager, a dangerous gleam in his eye. "Well then. Shall we try again?"

Physical training

Games? Games Joss can do.

And he wants to do them better than anyone else. This may or may not lead to Joscelin shoving other shinki out of the way or flat-out stealing prizes once they've been found. He's surprisingly fast and strong for one so small. This could end in tears.

Rest and Refreshments

Joscelin is starving. Every few moments he finds his attention straying to the necks of those around him, but instead he gets himself a large bowl of noodles instead. Trying to figure out how to use chopsticks is distracting enough that he momentarily forgets his fascination with fascia. The slippery udon noodles keep eluding him and he frowns at it, too proud to give it up as a bad job and find something less challenging. Or get a fork.

[ I. Physical Training ]

This is today's childishness?

[ Shikyoin Hibiki, being perfect at absolutely everything, has easily located a scavenger hunt ball. She leans over to fetch it. ] It doesn't seem to merit much excitemen---

[ POP!

Hibiki is left with confetti streamers draped over her face, holding a handful of colorfully-wrapped hard candy.

Nobody say anything. ]

[ II. Rest and Refreshments ]

[ Someone is sitting in a plush purple chair off to one side of the revelry, enjoying it with a cup of tea at their side. They have apparently also enjoyed the repast too much, as they're looking....stuffed.

Hibiki usually isn't one to miss a party, but she has something on her mind today. So she has left an Extremely Convincing Substitute in her place.

Except there's a trail of ripped-up paper scraps leading away from it. Piecing the scraps together, any curious individuals will be left with - pages from what appear to be several different scripts. All feature, however, a dashing hero and a spitfire young lady. The sort of role only a real firebrand could perform. ]

[ III. And Now, For Something Completely Different (Apollo's Temple) ]

[ Following the paper scraps noted above leads you to Apollo's temple, also in the Central District - but about as far stylistically from the Meeting Hall as one can get, being a giant white castle with too many turrets and a purple roof. The door is unlocked, and the paper continues until you reach a study with the door slightly ajar.

More ripping-paper sounds can be heard from within. ]

Rgh! Why?!

[ There is the sound of something clattering to the floor as Hibiki tries to swipe a stack of papers off her desk and takes a few pens out with it. She grits her teeth, snapping the piece of hard candy she'd been sucking on in half. ]

Why does a part for her keep surfacing?!

[A: Physical Training I]

[Shun isn't much for the scavenger hunt idea, especially since he's already had his frivolity for the morning by way of making that BBS post, but the fact that there's actual shinki around to spar with is a welcome change of pace. He's currently sparring with a younger male shinki using naginata, and the shinki seems to be becoming a little overconfident in his moves once he notices the fact that Shun is still lacking experience with this specific weapon.

The man thrusts his blade forward and Shun slips to one side, catching it on the shaft of his own weapon. But rather than follow through using that, he takes one hand off his own weapon and grabs his opponent's, twisting and dragging it harshly from his hands. It's a powerful enough retaliation for the shinki to stumble, and Shun drives the shaft of the weapon he just stole hard into the shinki's stomach, knocking him backwards and over.

By the time the man has fallen, Shun is standing over him with one blade at his stomach, and one at his neck.]

Honour doesn't have a place in a real fight. [Point made, he casts the shinki's practice weapon back to him and begins to stride off, out of the area. Some of the younger, prouder shinki look a bit scandalised, but there are some looks of amusement among the others.]

--

[B: Physical Training II]

[The fact that the animated straw dummies are back now gives Shun a useful opportunity that he didn't have last time, and would have very much liked to. As soon as he steps into the marked area, not visibly armed, two of the animated targets turn their heads towards him and begin to head towards him at an identical pace.

After a moment of gauging, Shun takes a half step back and reaches underneath his coat, several plain silver throwing knives visible in his hand when he withdraws it.

The first shinki takes three blades to the head, chest and stomach. The second takes the same to the neck, one shoulder and the opposite knee. Now that he's familiar with the particular weighting of throwing knives, Shun's existing aiming and projectile skills have taken over, and the straw targets wobble for a moment before dropping backwards.

Shun gives a faint hum, as if of approval.] Easy enough.

--

[C: Rest and Refreshments (except not really)]

[Once it comes time for a break, Shun takes a bottle of water from the food area like he usually deigns to do, but immediately heads off into the garden rather than linger around the table. He has other things to practice today, and he'd rather not do it too openly.

Somewhere near the very back of the garden, Shun takes up a seat on the edge of a fountain and focuses his attention. It takes a few moments to get it quite right, but one by one, three round robotic birds appear, their maroon and gold bodies effortlessly hovering in the air as they begin to circle Shun's head in a seemingly cheerful manner.

After a few moments of holding that, though, Shun lets them vanish, and the white light they dissolve into begins to reform into something else. Again, one-by-one, the three birds are replaced by three red and silver birds with a multitude of blades sprouting from them. The timing of this change happening to match with the timing of anyone approaching is purely coincidental. Especially considering they all turn to face any newcomers at the same time Shun himself does.]

I picked somewhere out of the way for a reason. [i.e. He didn't want an audience.]

--

[D: Wildcard (Sparring)]

[[As per usual, Shun is willing to spar with other characters who offer, or give them pointers in general combative movements. He's best and hand-to-hand, acrobatics, and dagger fighting or knife throwing, but he's also passable at using swords, naginata or tessen.]]

[God Meeting]

[ Yui stares at the pamphlet shoved into her hands, ushered forward in a daze. Her feet naturally trail after the individuals in white. So she's dead. She gets that. It's strange because even while she lifts a hand to her chest to feel for a heartbeat there isn't one, which is kind of creepy and weird. There is nothing she can do about that, but. . . isn't there something wrong with this setup!?

A pamphlet of all things?

Shouldn't there be a pearly gate or cherubs? Halos? Harps...? Not that those sound all that exciting. Maybe wings! At least she can do something with those. Or what about reincarnation? There has to be something more than just a pamphlet. It's so uncool and anticlimactic. She stares at the back of the tall woman who prompts her forward.

Lacking! This whole place is totally lacking. The woman said something about training, but--]

Ya know- instead of a pamphlet I could really do with a change of clothes.

[She's in a hospital gown. It isn't like that provides a lot of protection, you know!? That's when she notices the eyes of someone else upon her, a girl around her own age with glasses and long hair. Moving forward Yui abandons the guide, hands clasping either side of the new girl's shoulders.]

AH! I'm not alone! [Oh thank god there's someone else her own age here too!

. . . Or maybe that isn't a good thing for the other girl either, but nonetheless...!] Where did you find a change of clothes!? [Everyone else is dressed decently except for her!]

[Shinki Training]

ALRIGHT MAGGOTS! Listen up-!

[Standing atop a table Yui puffs up proud, hands on hips.]

It's boring to just shoot lines around! We should make teams and practice! The winners get bragging rights! So what lucky individuals want to join my team? [She's tiny! Pink! And at least she seems... energetic? The point is she wants to do something more fun than just throw her hands out a million times and then repeat. At least make a game of it.]

Who's with me?

[Physical Training]

Ahahaha~ I found another one!!

[Okay in contrast to before the ridiculous pink girl is dancing around the grounds, bouncing around like a ball with each new prize she finds. Another ball pops confetti and this time reveals candy. Wow, this is her kind of game! Lifting a hand up to shield her eyes from the sun as she searches the area around her, she lifts onto her tiptoes and debates where to look next. The water probably isn't practical, but...]

Do you think they hid some in the trees?

[Rest and Refreshments]

[However strange the situation is, Yui-- is taking it rather well, all things considered. If she's tired after running around all day it doesn't show. Not yet. Her eneregy is one of her strong points. Instead, she has acquired an instrument-- and she hasn't stollen it, honest. The player had said she could borrow it for a bit. Something called a shamisen...? A guitar would be way cooler in her eyes, but she wants to try her hand out.

Situating herself up in a corner, she holds the plectrum in hand and strums the instrument off stage. The sounds are sure unique. It's kind of fun playing around with the cords and different sounds it can produce. Given enough time, she even manages to produce a short, simple tune.]

And the audience goes wild-

[Okay-- well maybe she's a little ahead of herself there, but it isn't meant to be heard. She doesn't realize anyone might be watching. She doesn't know how to professional play this instrument, of that she is sure. For whatever the reason though, the general shape and weight feel good in her arms. Eyes closed she smiles while she slowly listens to the sounds it produces and does what she can try to play a few chords.]

Encore, Encore~

Edited 2018-06-17 06:25 (UTC)

[ god training ]

[It's just a bit too much to take in.

Even long after all the information and the speeches end Alisaie sits there feeling dazed. She has her head bowed and her hand to her temples, staring in silent disbelief at her feet. She hasn't moved since she was ushered in here and urged to sit down. As everyone moves around her, chattering and introducing themselves, she sits there stone still. Honestly this feels like a bad dream but no amount of pinching her arm seems to work.

'You've become a god' are words enough to make her blood run cold when she thinks about it too hard. There are many reasons but the larger one is because there is only one type of god she's familiar from home and she is quite certain she doesn't want to be like them. But this is a different world all together, from what she gathers. Gods are probably very different and yet...

There's just no way she can believe it. She can hardly even pronounce her supposed god name. This is stupid.]

[ physical training ]

[There's no better way to take out your upset than with aggression, really.

Regardless of this whole situation Alisaie finds her rapier still at her side and her magic in working order so that, at least, brings some comfort. She has located a striking dummy here and has decided it will be her first victim. A few of the figures in white robes try to approach her but she can be observed sending them away rather harshly. Afterwards she attacks the dummy, lashing out with swift but powerful strokes of her rapier. She draws plenty of attention to herself when she occasionally casts a spell, striking it first with a dark lightning bolt and then setting it on fire immediately afterwards.

By the time she's finished the dummy collapses into pieces, completely destroyed. However sitting among the remains is a bright yellow ball.

Regardless of why you might be staring--either because you've noted the yellow ball or because she has been making a scene ever since she stepped in here--she notices you.]

Take it if you want it. I've no need. [She knows the ball is related to some kind of scavenger hunt and so she assumes you are staring because you want it.]

[ wildcard! ]

[[Feel free to tag in with a different prompt if you have one in mind! Alisaie will also be eating many sweets at the party so she can be found there too. Although she will not be actively socializing much. But honestly anything is game here!]]

i. shinki & physical training

[ Ryoma is not going to do the scavenger hunt of his own volition, thank you kindly. He's not wearing the armor, at least, though someday soon the lobster-tank will ride again. He did, however, bring Raijinto... just in case. He's hoping to not need to use the strange lightning blade; it is highly effective at what it does, and leaving it in its sheathe is a sign that things have gone well for once, right?

Right.

He picks a training katana when he finds his way to the animated dummies, because straw is flammable and Ryoma's magic stat is modest-to-low with regards to replacing the dummies. It feels good to practice again; he was out of commission for a while after the incident in the forest, and he's usually being swung around as a sword instead of doing the swinging. He'll warm up on a dummy with the sword, intense and well-practiced in the art of kicking something's ass with a piece of sharpened metal. Sparring is familiar and meditative, and he'll eventually work his way over to crossing swords with the white-robed shinki.

Unleash lobster. It's a perfectly viable strategy. He'll also content himself with watching a few of the practice matches in between participating, because every day is an opportunity to better learn a new way to absolutely rake an opponent over the coals of a battlefield. Even old lobsters can learn new tricks. ]

ii. rest and refreshments

[ When the ~~madness~~ day's events begin to wind down, Ryoma will partake of a cup of tea and something portable and edible and immediate advance in the opposite direction of the higher occupancy areas. He lingers by the musicians a while as he eats his food, though when he's finished eating he'll excuse himself to go wander the gardens instead.

He spends time listening to the distant sounds of music and the murmur of chatter, enjoying the sights of the garden for a while until he decides to settle for a minute of rest, sitting seiza as he ~~takes a nap in the world's most awkward position~~ tries to clear his head for a bit of meditation. Two hours before the sun isn't enough meditation; there's a lot of mental cobwebs that need a'clearing. ]

iii. wildcard

[ Hire a sammerguy, find him wandering around doing stuff. Make him get a scavenger hunt piece on a high shelf. ]

I God Training

[Adrien sat through the lecture and suddenly so much made sense. Why Marinette never told him she knew him, sometimes the way she looked at him that was kind of sad. So he'd died? Or come close to it and that was why he was here - or nearest he can assume. When all is said and done he's still a tiny bit confused as he so he's taking a minute or two to sort through his phone.

He's making a mental note to text his friends and tell them about his own temple and everything. Even if his temple did join to Marinette's he didn't want anyone to go looking for him and disturb her. He also might be looking up about his god assignment. What surprises him is how suddenly there's a purring Plagg perched on his shoulder.]

What's gotten into you?

'This is so much better no secrets.'

II. Meeting & Naming {Shin Only}

[Seeing as he knows from experience how difficult it could be waiting for your god, hoping you'll be found. He doesn't want to make his Shinki wait. But figuring out which one is his is going to be a bit tricky he suspects. But maybe - just like becoming Chat it's something he just will know? Yeah he's going to go with that.

Worse to worst he's going to end up with a soulless one. Which is fine by him for now. Either way, he's moving his way through the new arrivals, scanning the crowd here and there. Surely there's something or someone that'll stick on to him in such a way that he can't ignore it or them. Then he finds him.

He sticks out like a sore thumb in the sea of people. Adrien slips past the people between them to Shin. It's not just the drab uniform with the numbers on his chest or the chains - thought those were enough to grab his attention on their own - but there's a skittish air to this guy, a creeping panic in his eyes... Adrien can't ignore that, his shinki or not someone should help him.]

"Come here. I'll get you out of these chains."

III. R&R

[Shinki found and named, Adrien is settling down feeding Plagg a bit of something and watching everyone move and interact. It's nice. The music is definitely something different. He likes it - the variety of music is something that has Adrien's interest as he idly snacks and reflects about the sudden new changes]

IV. Wildcard
[Exactly what it says anything you want to do lay it on me.]

Edited 2018-06-17 21:56 (UTC)

I Shinki Training
Shin really wasn't sure what to expect from this training session. It felt strange, almost dreamlike to be here. He knew his name, and that he had been in prison -- and is still wearing the grey shirt with a serial number on his chest -- but that was all he had as his identity. Meanwhile there were these strange shinki in white and gold going on and on about the responsibilities of a shinki to a god and a god to a shinki. He starts tuning it out early on, feeling like it was a lecture he heard a hundred times already.

Finally it came to actually drawing a borderline. Shin's name is already emblazoned on his neck, and he's distinctly aware that Adrien had been keeping an eye on him this whole time. It was causing him a dull sense of anxiety he barely registers himself as he policies his actions and movements. It was making his borderlines rather unstable and inconsistent as well.

II Scavenger Hunt
Shin was instantly into the idea of a scavenger hunt. His eyes go wide when he's told what the plan was, and the sad, angsty teen quickly melts away. Shin perks up and a rather charming and childish grin spreads across his face.

He's quick to start searching high and low for the magic plastic balls. It's not too long before he's got white rabbit candy in his mouth and a pocket full of other candies, trinkets and toys. He might have had to fight with someone over a few of the prize balls, but that let him feel all the more proud of his spoils. It isn't until there's few prizes left to find that he gives up his search and switches to trying to figure out how to get the hang of the kendama while slowly consuming a sugar stick that he keeps grabbing at like a cigarette.

III Rest and Refreshments
Shin was fairly impressed with the buffet layout, even if he's probably already rotted a hole in his teeth from the candy he'd found earlier in the day. Even with that, he thinks he can use a bit more food. He sends Adrien a message as he gets on line so that his God knows where he is and they can start planning when and where to meet back up and when to go home.

In the meantime, Shin gets food and finds a place to sit near the music. Even the traditional instruments he's appreciating, his foot finding the beat in the base line. Shin might be wearing a grey shirt with a black serial number over the chest, but even with that, he looks far more welcoming than he does standoff-ish. Sure, he has blue hair and holes where piercings should be, but he doesn't look like he's trying to be tough like might be expected from someone dressed like him.

IV Nicotine Nausea
There's a few times during the day that Shin just has to stop, taking a deep breath and holding his stomach. He's not sure exactly what it is he's looking for, but he keeps holding these candy sticks like a cigarette. It wouldn't be all that hard for just about anyone close to a smoker to catch onto the little tics in the way he plays with his pocket like he's fighting the urge to smoke, or the way he starts making a lighter-flicking motion when he has to wait somewhere, even if he keeps doing it by his chest.

V Wildcard

Edited 2018-06-18 09:42 (UTC)

Shinki Training

[Even though Romeo was not new he knew it was important to keep learning and to keep practicing things. Now that he had a name and was Elfnein's shinki he could use borderlines. Technically. It was still really difficult so he was listening very carefully as the white robed shinki explained how they worked.

Things seemed a lot more organised than a few weeks ago when Romeo had arrived. He found a space and made his hand into a halberd.] Line!

[A tiny spattering of energy. He frowned but only for a moment. He just had to practice really hard and he would be able to do it!]

Line!

[He stood for a while, face set in concentration and determination. Each attempt was better than the last.]

Line! [Something distracted him and as his hand came up, a burst of energy flew outwards across the room, instead of downwards to make a barrier. Romeo's eyes widened, he hadn't meant for that to happen! Hopefully it didn't hit anyone!]

Physical Training: Scavanger Hunt.

[Once one of the shinki had explained to Romeo what a scavenger hunt was he was very excited to try! He began looking for the colourful balls that were hidden around. He's also looking for anyone he knows because this game looks fun and it's definitely one he would like to share with those he has come to consider his friends. Even the grown ups because they all deserved fun as well!

The first time he finds a ball and touches it he jumps backwards as it bursts open. He picks up the brightly coloured wrapped sweet and looks at it. He has absolutely no idea what it is but it is bright and shiny. Just like treasure should be!]

Physical Training: Tree Climbing

[Scavanger hunting was fun but there was lots of other things happening as well. He was soon drawn to the crowd of younger Shinki climbing trees. At the call for a challenger he skipped forwards! Climbing looked fun! He stood at the base of the tree and on the call of Go began to climb.

He's good, even though he is the smaller competitor he climbs well and quickly, a smile on his face the whole time as he pulls himself up through the branches to the top. It's a close race but he smiles brightly when he reaches the top just before the white robed shinki. He thanked the other boy for the race and made sure he knew that he had climbed really good as well!

You get to challenge next. He was told as they returned to the bottom and he nodded looking around.] Anyone want to race to the top?

Rest and Refreshments

[After all the training there was more food! As usual there was very little that Romeo actually recognised but he was happy to try new thing. He was sat crossed legged on the floor with a bowl of food listening to the music, humming along at times.]

Edited 2018-06-18 13:13 (UTC)

( a. shinki training )

[ Minako is trying. Really! This situation feels super weird - is this what she would have imagined things would be like when she'd die? She has no idea, considering her head feels really empty right now - and she knows that these pamphlets are really important, or at least the information on them is. And she could really use any information at all about this situation since she has no other idea about what's going on at all here.

But as she starts reading, her eyes are already glazing over by the third or fourth line or so. It's not that her attention span is too short to take in the information, but all of this just feels too heavy. Like the sort of thing that's better to take in together with someone else rather than read by yourself and brood over it.

So.. you know what? She figures maybe that's just what she should do right now. Minako tries to grab the attention of whoever is nearby, practically waving the pamphlet straight into your face, if it happens to be you. Sorry. ]

Hey, let's talk about this together! [ It doesn't even sound like a request anymore as much as it sounds like a really enthusiastic demand.. ]

( b. rest and refreshments )

[ Maybe the best way to process all this new information is to just relax, even if it's only for a little bit. To just let go. If not just for a little bit. She can always get back to figuring out more of this later on, right? Not like there's a time limit on this.

Besides, there's music, and it almost instinctively feels good to just get up and dance along with some of the other people who have taken up the dance floor.

And it's all pretty good fun, until Minako gets so caught up in it that she doesn't even realise she just stepped on your toes. Either because you're on the dance floor as well, or because she's just drifted to the edge of the dance space so much that she stepped on the toes of someone nearby it. Whoops. What do you do. ]

Shinki Training

Line!

[Nia has a knack for Borderlines, a real knack, because when you get right down to it, they're just like manipulating ether, really, except you usually leave them around for longer so you've got to be prepared for the concentration that takes. Not really a big deal, not to her, now that she's had a little practice. So today Nia's gonna push her limits.]

[She slashes with one hand, yanking up a Borderline next to her, then twists in place to bring her other arm forward in the same gesture.] Line! [A second one springs up as the first one falls, though this one isn't quite at the angle she intended -- but hey, it'll do in a fight, which is where she'd need this, right?]

[The Borderline falls as she lets them go, and then she sweeps her hands back behind her, then brings both of them forward so her extended fingers meet right before her.] Line! [The call brings up two walls that form a V, protection for her front and sides.]

[Nia holds it, appraises this protection for a second, then lifts her voice to call out in that thick accent of hers.] Hey, someone try and smash these or something. I need to know how much they can take!

Let the Driver Drive (closed to Shizuo)

Look, I just want to help out against those ayakashi things, and I think you're underselling me.

[Having at last managed to pin down Shizuo through stubbornness and not a little luck, Nia faces him with crossed arms and more than a little awkwardness. She's still mad and he knows she's still mad and she knows he knows that, and she doesn't know how to tell him that it's not him she's mad at and have her believe him.]

I can't just stand around and let them threaten people, especially kids, and we're the only ones who can really stop them, right? A god and shinki working together, I mean. So if you'd at least... try it out a little...

[Okay, this is really awkward. Sometimes Nia wishes she was a little less... her. Might make everyone's life a little easier...]

Physical Challenge

[After that... exhausting diversion with her Driver -- err, god -- Nia hasn't got any energy left to fight. Instead, she's purloined a long spear from the training weapons, and is using it to prod a ball tucked into the joint of two support beams.] Ah, there we go. Almost got -- uh-oh.

[The ball pops free with a little more force than she intended, plummeting downwards, and all Nia can do is throw up a hand and look away so she doesn't have to see it clock someone on the head.]

Edited 2018-06-18 16:18 (UTC)

Shinki Training

Not having a name Suzaku couldn't join in with the borderline practice this time and so he focused on physical training. The investigation of the forest in the mountains had made it clear that he really should carry a weapon with him. He was skilled in unarmed but he couldn't fight ayakashi with his fists.

Actually getting a weapon would be difficult but something like a staff would be easier to get hold of than a sword so it is a staff he is practicing with today against one of the moving practice dummies.

He's moving fast, using both ends of the staff as he keeps the dummy at a distance. It was much better than fighting against a straw target.

Physical Training

Even better than fighting moving dummies was fighting actual people and so Suzaku was happy to join in the sparring with some of the white robed shinki in lieu of the scavanger hunt. Though he thought the hunt was a good idea for some of the younger shinki and gods, the children probably learned faster when it was presented as a game.

But he didn't feel like playing games. He still feels strange, slightly lost and he focusses on training to distract him.

He's not just sparring, he also runs some laps, does push ups. He's focussed but he nods politely at anyone nearby, those he knows even get a smile and he is happy to pause to help anyone who needs it.

Shinki Training

[Refreshing oneself on the basics is never a bad strategy, so Edge has snatched up a pamphlet to compare it to everything he's come to understand during his time in the Far Shore. Shinki stuff, borderlines, spells --]

[Spells?]

[There's a number handy, but why go calling someone who might just be five feet anyway? Edge flips the pamphlet shut and turns to the nearest person.] Hey, what's this about 'stronger spells'?

Physical Training

[With a pair of practice blades in his hands, Edge whirls through an agile practice routine that feels natural to a ninja and the fighting style he finds he understands through his body's cues more than anything. The cape flows behind him, helping to obscure his movements and make him harder to read when it twists and flutters, and his attacks bespeak skill and ability.]

[The routine ends with a spinning slash that would cut any normal foe in twain from two strikes of the reverse-grip swords, and he plants his foot to give the practice weapons a confident twirl in his hands.]

Anyone feel up to a spar? I've got some energy to work off today!

The Feast ~~of a Thousand Beasts~~

Tell me this music isn't great!

[Something about those modern tunes on more traditional instruments really grabs at Edge, and despite his efforts to be the cool and calm ninja he's tapping his feet and all bright-eyed. Probably smiling beneath the mask, too. He plays at keeping it cool, but he's not really that good about it.]

[Occasionally he shoots a glance over at the dance area, checking to see if anyone over there is in dire need of being swept up. Or being too wallflowery. Can't have that!

God Training

[New gods, huh? As always, Zetta shows up promptly, determined to make sure no one he knows has appeared here (and get the initiative on them if they do). Floating in midair, the book surveys the room with a smug sort of confidence. No mana powers he should care about, no Pram the Oracle, and no anybody else, many of which will not be mentioned by name, the jerks![

Hyaaaha ha ha ha ha! I'm still on top of the heap!

[...But he couldn't do anything with his power! The thought makes him freeze, which gives the comical impression of his book form going very rigid indeed, before he slumps in midair.] Damn. I've got to get these people working to find that renegade god or whatever the hell!

Physical Training

[Hoo boy. There's a lot to unpackage here.]

[For one: Zetta himself is overseeing what appears to be a tournament between several of his minions, all of whom have been given ridiculous names on the leaderboard he's set up nearby. Right now, "Biceps McBicepsbiceps" is facing off against "Phat Doggy Dogg Dope X Doggy Dogg", the latter fresh off his fight with "The Manila File Thrillaphile That Takes Like Vanilla, Kyle" and the former having won by her opponent, "Placeholder MacAbsentia," unexpectedly no-showing.]

[And by 'overseeing' we of course mean 'running an extensive and almost certainly unlicensed gambling operation', as Zetta cheerfully calculates odds on the fighters and lays out several extensive scenarios running from the vanishingly unlikely (7,000,000:1 odds on an undefeated streak for "The Comatose Kid") to the extremely probable (1.5:1 odds on "actual violence erupts as the gods attempt to eject this extremely problematic event") to the deliberately insulting (10 quadrabizillion:1 odds on Hibiki marrying a Prinny). Zetta and his helper Prinny will cheerfully take whatever you wish to bet, or even allow you to enter in the tournament some handicaps may apply) yourself if you want to.]

Edited 2018-06-18 18:06 (UTC)

A: Shinki Training

[ "Happy to answer any questions," they said, informational pamphlets they said. Satya finds them still very lacking, a bare-bones, it is impossible that such little training can prepare them - any of them - for the responsibility of the role.

She patiently waits until the end of lectures and then can be found interrogat-- questioning any available shinki around. As her impatience grows, the responsiveness of the person she talks with wanes, and soon she's left with no one to talk to-

-aside from you! Yeah, sorry, this elegant woman with a metal arm is now moving in your direction. ]

Do you happen to have a moment to spare? I wasn't expecting the established shinki to be so- [ fragile ] -short of time. I still have a few questions regarding my new position.

B: Physical Training

[ Satya is not taking part in the scavenger hunt, but she is observing it from a distance with a slight puzzlement on her face. Are they truly expecting them to run into a pond and be rewarded with candy? That doesn't make much sense for a serious day as today unless- ]

This 'training' makes me wonder... Are most of the shinki expected to be children? [ The training is literally child's play, and there is a lot of youth around. And while it's impossible to say how many of them are gods and how many of them are shinki, those roles hardly seem to fit such young people. ] How ominous.

[ Or rather, sad. Is mortality rate among youths so high? That's unfortunate, surely something must be done about it. ]

C: Rest and Refreshments

[ She did not expect to stay on the training grounds so long, but here she is. Occupying one of the chairs, on the side conveniently away from any crowds. For now, she focuses on enjoying the music and sipping warm tea.

Should someone join her, she will thoughtfully give it a go at conversation starting. ]

Their repertoire is varied, but they seem to know exactly where their roots are. [ It's a praise- she enjoys both the classical songs, and the more modern interpretation and use of those instruments. ]

[ Yata had asked around a bit upon arriving today about where he could learn some of the advanced spells shinki were supposed to know. Judar had already used Silence on him once and that had been downright annoying. Considering it seemed the shinki he knew were getting more and more petty by the week, he figured it was about time he start evening the playing field.

Plus? Some of those spells sounded damn useful.

So after narrowing down who might know the most of them, he ends up wandering through the shinki training area before he spotted the person he was looking for. Heading for Kairi, he pauses a few steps away, looking uncomfortable as he shoves his hands in his pockets and averts his gaze. ]

Hey Kairi. You got a minute?

Scavenger Hunt(open)

[Scavenger hunt! This is waaay better than boring normal training as far as Yumoto is concerned. He's already got his pockets full of candy and dollar store toys and is looking for more.]

Ah! Found one~!

[He has indeed spotted a brightly colored ball, mysterious prize lurking inside. But he's not the only one. Because you see it too. And he notices you noticing it. So it's anyone's game. What do?]

R&R(closed to hellishrabbit )

[It was right after god training that Yumoto was informed that he'd been assigned a shinki. He was going to go find them right away. Really. But scavenger hunt. If he'd waited then all the good stuff would've been found already!

Anyway, with his ~~important god business~~ silly funtimes taken care of, he can start looking for his new shinki. A name and a description are all he has to go on, so it does take a while before he spots someone that fits.]

Hey, is your name Kamui?

God Training

[It all is actually not what Iskandar would have expected from gathering of the gods.
The meeting room is quite small and very conservatively furnished. Gathered crowd is mixed. Some in attendance look more experienced than others. Iskandar finds himself a good place to sit and notices a few heads turning.
While he's used to making impression on people impressing other gods is a pleasant surprise. In truth he does stand out. He's probably the only person who had to duck while entering. The architect of this place must have never considered having to admit people of his height.

The deity giving speech presents all the information in a way that shows signs of many previous rehersals.
It all gives an air of a impeccably organized and managed bureacracy. Less Mount Olympus and much more Persian court.
Good. He can deal with a court even if it's a bit disappointing. It maybe not the best idea to ask but he has to know. ]

I understand all that you're saying here but shouldn't you all be more godly?

Physical Training

[Iskandar ignores the kids' games and heads straight to the sparring area. The collection of weapons on display is pleasingly broad. He did see a lot of different instruments of hurt in his military career yet some of those weapons even he doesn't recognize. He picks the strangest looking one and turns to the nearest person.]
Tell me, friend, what is this and how one should wield it?

Rest and Refreshements

[Iskandar sits on the grass close enough to hear the band, far enough so not to be bothered. He already acquired a selection of curious treats as well as one mug of strange brown liquid. It isn't alcohol. It smells sweet. He had never encountered anything similar before and certainly hopes it tastes as good as it smells.]
Ha! This is one fine garden they have here!

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