July Training

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone
What: Information and Training
When: December 22nd
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 more experienced god and shinki volunteers.




Meeting Hall

God Training

Newly arrived gods are escorted into a small meeting room, with tatami floors and a stage 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. Paper and pens are provided to all the attendees as an unsubtle suggestion to take notes on the information they're given.

The speaker delivers his welcome speech in a rather bored tone, occasionally stumbling and checking his own notecards. He particularly dwells, towards the end of the speech, on the fact that an unauthorized god has recently tried to access the Heavens, and any contact from other gods asking to access the Heavens through their temples should be immediately reported. 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.

A variety of weapons are available in the dojo for shinki and their gods to practice with, and a row of straw targets are set up along one wall. Outside, in an area carefully roped off with red ribbons, are six animated training dummies, also made of straw and dressed in plain cotton jackets and trousers. They will immediately engage anyone who enters the area marked with the ribbon, but will not pursue opponents outside it. A white-robed shinki nearby keeps a sharp eye on the animated dummies, and will intervene if anyone tries to destroy one.

Physical Training

A race track has been laid out, winding through the gardens to a towering pole, 9 meters in height, planted in the center of a pond with a cluster of pretty ribbons tied at the top. White-robed shinki are standing by with stopwatches: anyone who wants can race their friends along the path, with the first one to return to the starting point with a ribbon winning the challenge, or solitary racers can recruit a shinki to time them and try to beat their own speed. But be careful not to fall off the pole! The pond isn't dangerously deep, but the bottom is very muddy, and in late December, it's also very, very cold.

On the lawn near the dojo, a wide circle has been marked out in white paint, and big baskets set around the circle are filled with sachets full of chalk dust in a rainbow of colors. Pick your color, grab a handful of sachets, and join the fray! Anyone inside the circle is a fair target to have one of the sachets thrown at them, and on impact, they splash out enough brightly colored dust to mark the spot they strike. Head or torso hits are an automatic out, leg hits mean the target isn't allowed to move from their position, and arm hits mean they can't use that arm. Borderlines -- and any other magic -- are allowed, and the game can get intense.

Rest and Refreshments

The weather outside, although not freezing, is quite chilly, and in the middle of the afternoon, the shinki will invite everyone into a prepared banquet hall for food and to warm back up. Charcoal braziers set in the center of square tables radiate warmth, and are covered by grates; other shinki bring trays of fresh ingredients, both meat and vegetable, that can be grilled over the hot coals.

After the meal is finished, one of the white-robed shinki, a middle-aged woman with her hair cut in a fashionable modern bob, enters the room with an expression of great, if restrained, delight, pushing a cart with a portable karaoke machine and speaker on it. She sets up the karaoke machine at one end of the room, and begins encouraging others -- both her fellow shinki and the newcomer guests -- to join in with a song. Whenever there's a break, she puts in music selections of her own; she has a trained, jazzy voice and a great fondness for midcentury enka.

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, sing and barbecue
• Have fun~

Comments

[myblueskies]

Shinki training

Romeo had come to the training again, it was always good to come and practice things! Once again he was practicing borderlines. He was getting better! He could hold one now. Draw a line and keep it up. Not for a very long time, not like he had seen some of the other shinki do.

But that was what he was practicing today. "Line!" A borderline that he concentrated on, counting as he did so. He got a bit fuzzy on the numbers after twenty but that was fine, he could just start again from one!

He also asked politely for one of the pamphlets, he hadn't got one when he had first arrived and he was interested in what it said. So when he wasn't practicing his borderlines he was sat crossed legged reading through it slowly and carefully.

Racing!

After all of that brain work Romeo was ready to do something more active! Running and climbing were really fun and so he's stood at the starting line looking around for any of his friends, or anyone really. Anyone who looked like they wanted a race to grab a ribbon.

"Do you want to race me?" He could ask to be timed but running and climbing with friends, old or new, was much more fun!

Colours!

Well this looked like a really fun game! And really good training as well! Romeo was inside the circle ducking and running to try and avoid the bring powder! He had one arm held by his side, covered in bright powder. He's determined to not be hit again!

Teamwork was important and so he thought it was important to help the others in the circle as well.

"Watch out! Behind you!" A called warning as a sneaky packet of powder flew towards someone's back!

Rest and Refreshments.

This was a fun way to eat a meal! Romeo had some meat that he was carefully grilling, kneeling up on his chair so he could reach the brazier. He was keeping a careful eye on the meat, he didn't want it to burn!

It had been a really fun day! The only sad thing was that Elfnein hadn't come again. She was so busy with her research and Romeo was a little sad that she spent so much time indoors! He thought she would have had fun if she had been here and he was thinking of ways he could maybe help her take more breaks!

"I could take her some yummy food back, that would keep her spirits up." It was an importan part of being a shinki, making sure his god was happy and not working too hard!

[rockthemonkey]

A. Monkey no Jutsu

[Goku first pokes his head into the God information meeting, hoping for a glimpse of someone familiar. It's not like he's looking for anyone in particular, of course. No way. But he heard this speech back when he first arrived and he barely listened to it then, he's not going to pay attention now. But when the speaker mentions an "unauthorised god" Goku bites his lip and looks away. He's just going to let himself out now...

The training the shinki are doing looks way more interesting anyway! He eyes everyone practicing with their weapons and sparring with the dummies eagerly before hesitating. Now he thinks about it... Goku heads into the roped off area and squares off against one of the dummies. He seems weirdly focused, considering the opponent. After a few seconds, the dummy moves towards Goku, ready to strike and Goku furrows his brow in concentration before- he punches the air well before the dummy is within his reach. This does, however, seem to trigger a golden, translucent copy of the young man to appear in front of him. The copy copies Goku's punch and knocks the dummy back before dissipating. Goku grins.]

It worked!

[He keeps sparring with the straw dummy, sticking to punches and kicks and occasionally getting a shimmering clone darting in to assist. They don't stay for long and sometimes seem to miss their mark entirely but Goku seems thrilled by them anyway.]

So cool!


B. He's always hungry

Barbecue!

[Goku knew he smelled something delicious. After that workout, surely he's earned something to eat? Clearly he thinks so, as he rushes around the banquet hall, filling a plate with a tower of meat (and a few vegetables- see how mature he is?) and claiming a brazier for himself. He very carefully arranges the food on the grill but he's still quickly running out of room... Is he eating all of that by himself?]


C. Wildcard

[Not writing anything for the other prompts because I'm lazy, but feel free to drag him off to race or throw chalk! We can plot on plurk if you want.]

[brokenlight]

[A. God Training]

[Ventus is…confused.

He listens to the speaker, though given the bored tone and the stumbles, it has him looking around more about this new place. He was sure he was still inside of Sora’s heart, so how…did he get here? But his attention is grabbed when the speaker mentions something about trespassers. Ventus tilts his head, listening a little more intently until the speaker is finally done and he approaches the closest person.]

This isn’t how they always greet everyone, is it?

[B-1. The Races]

[While the introductions could use a little more work, Ventus thinks they didn’t do a bad job when it comes to the training part.

He’s taken quickly to the race track. While some people are most likely faster than him, he’s pretty quick on his feet, too, and doesn’t have much trouble going through the track. Ventus even sports a grin on his face as he jumps onto the pole and then jumps off, a ribbon clutched in his hand. He seems to be enjoying himself at least!]

[B-2. Basket of Sachets]

[Ventus isn’t in the circle, but he is looking at it curiously.

He blinks and turns to the nearest person.]

So how do you play this game?

[C. R&R]

[The warmth is good.

The food is delicious.

But Ventus doesn’t know how to react to the sudden singing that’s occurring. He keeps to himself near a corner, watching in amusement while he nibbles on a piece of meat. Ventus hasn’t eaten in….years so it’s a little weird to actually be eating again. His stomach doesn’t know how to handle it again.

He powers through though, and smiles slightly when people go up to sing songs.]

[D. Wildcard]

[Hit me up with a prompt of your own!]

[onehandsomeslickninja]

Physical Training 1

[Edge paces up to the starting line from the wrong side. Quite sensibly, the ninja has walked the track and studied it, judging the twists and turns and looking for potential spots to shave off time... and now he's ready for a challenge.]

Hey!

[Anyone who looks like they can pose a potential challenge, he's calling out! Of course, he's not going to turn down other comers either -- the Far Shore has taught him that people he wouldn't expect to be a physical threat can be some of the most dangerous of all.]

Physical Training 2

[Throw objects at other people? Dodge thrown objects in turn?]

[This is ninja heaven.]

[Edge scoops up several of the sachets as he steps into the circle, practically radiating confidence and delight as he tosses them into the air. One quick hand-over-hand juggle to show off, then he tucks some into his belt and keeps all the rest but one gripped firmly in his left hand. The little juggle hadn't been all for show; he'd tested the weight and tumble of the satchets, the better to pinpoint his throws.]

[And then without warning, he pelts one at a competitor, aiming for the legs with as much precision as one should expect from a ninja.]

Closed to Kairi

[The pamphlet had said to ask Kairi about advanced shinki magic, so fair enough; a quick text or two later and they'd agreed to meet up not far from the training dummies.]

[It occurs to him somewhat belatedly that he has no idea who precisely he's looking for, but hey! He's really distinctive, isn't he? Who else around here can be described as a ninja as effectively as he can, with the mask and cape and all?]

[So Edge busies himself practicing a Borderline, bringing it up and dropping it as fast as he can, as he waits.]

Closed to Minako

[Honest truth: Edge has spent a little while quietly worried as all hell about this. Sure, things had been going well -- surprisingly well, all things considered, but the line between just flirting and an actual date can be a tricky one to cross. And Minako is very cute and very charming and his luck has been very bad.]

[So at the appointed time to meet, when Edge makes his way to the front of the temple to await her... well, he's very glad for his mask, which does wonders for hiding the way he's quietly biting his lip. It helps him put on a casual, confident pose otherwise, as he takes up a lean against the wall near the doors.]

A

[sassywelshcatgirl]

You have no idea how that trick of yours works, do you.

[Enter the judgment of one cat-eared shinki, who regards him with flat skepticism and her arms folded across her chest. Behind her, a strangely artificial-looking wolf-dog-thing, more like a golem than a living beast, sits and regards the svene far more passively than she.]

[rockthemonkey]

Not really!

[Not that Goku seems particularly bothered by that; he barely glances at Nia as he keeps sparring with the dummy. Still, he manages to demonstrate what barely passes as a neat trick- a golden clone appears behind the dummy, kicking it in the legs and bringing it's head down to the perfect height for Goku to deliver a spinning kick that sends it flying. Goku does a backflip to land outside the roped off area next to Nia with a grin on his face.]

But it's really cool!

[sassywelshcatgirl]

Shinki Training

[Stalking on up to the marked area, Nia pulls her two ring-blades free from her belt, then twists her wrists to limber them up as she grips them. Then she turns to look at the strange artificial-looking beast at her side, who regards her with a look of quiet patience.]

All right, then. You ready for a proper workout? It's about time I put you through your paces.

[The creature nods, and with that, Nia steps into the cordoned area, her Blade right behind her. As a dummy turns to approach her, she lifts her weapons, just as a shimmering line of blue light bridges the gap between the Blade and her.]

Here we go! Eeeeeiiiyaaah! [Her lunging strike comes with a twist that looks faster than ought to be possible, and the ringblades slash into the dummy with ferocity. The transfer of power in play is obvious; her companion creature is augmenting her.]

Refreshments

[Nia looks uncommonly frustrated as she drops a long, thin slice of steak onto the brazier's grilling surface, followed by a slice of zucchini and then a few asparagus ribs. As she sits back, the muscles in her jaw work slightly -- then she finally throws up her hands.]

I hate to admit it, but this is actually bloody clever.

[sassywelshcatgirl]

And you were using it... [Nia just slumps, once again faced with insanity in the form of other people. Being the sane and normal one is a burden around here.] Never mind. So I guess you picked it up here then?

[She refuses to be impressed. Sure, it's a fancy trick, but she can do her own fighting now, and that makes her feel self-conscious about how little she'd done in their battle with that ayakashi girl. Now she could handle it without breaking a sweat, she's sure, so he doesn't get to feel like he's the great fighter and all!]

A

[letteropener]

I'm afraid so.

[The closest person is a pony, but he gets his answer nonetheless, along with a gentle and reassuring smile like sunlight.]

Though the warnings are new, since that happened quite recently.

[rockthemonkey]

[Fighting is his one useful skill, Nia, don't take it away from him.]

Mm, I guess so! I never did anything like that before. [Goku rubs the back of his head thoughtfully.] I still don't really get how it works, but I guess it happens when I wanna do something but it's kinda... outta reach? Or somethin' like that.

[He's working on it.]

[sassywelshcatgirl]

You sure will show all the people who thought they could safely put the cookies on the top shelf.

[No credit given for that cool move, ever. Especially not with an answer like that!]

Must be nice, getting handed a new trick just for showing up.

[rockthemonkey]

Well, I could reach them before too. I'm pretty good at climbing.

[And he says he's not a monkey. Sorry, Nia, he's still short enough that dry wit goes right over his head.]

You think that was it though? [Did he think he could always do this and it just hadn't come up before now?? Who knows.] No one said anythin'!

[sassywelshcatgirl]

Sure, isn't that how it works? Gods get nifty tricks, shinki get the short end of the stick?

[And theeere's the inevitable anger at the Far Shore.]

[rockthemonkey]

Oh- [She's a shinki. Well, blight sucks and Ayumu made it pretty clear losing your memories sucks too.]

... You guys can make those line things though, right? I can't do that! And you were really awesome with 'em the other day!

[sassywelshcatgirl]

Yeah, but you can get your shinki to do 'em for you while they're also giving you some extra power of your own on top of what you already get. [Nia shrugs, confident that her argument has made itself.]

[But... ugh, maybe she can be angry without pushing it off on anybody else.]

Wish I'd been better. Still, not much a lone shinki or a lone god can do against those things.

[rockthemonkey]

But you're fightin' together then, aren't ya? That's different.

[He and Gojyo had felt pretty equal, firing lasers and being super cool. And Ayumu had been completely independent in her vessel form. He doesn't have much experience with anyone else. His expression drops a little.]

Yeah, I know. We didn't really do much. [Not an uplifting sentiment, but an honest one. What a shitshow that day was.] ... I forgot to say thanks then. For helpin' and everything.

[sassywelshcatgirl]

[Having never gotten into a real battle with her god, Nia can't say. The best they've done is train together, but that didn't take advantage of some of her talents...]

What was I supposed to do, leave you to get eaten? [To judge by her scowl, she's trying to take offense. Nia is the type of girl you have to take based on what she does a lot more than what she says.]

[unlucky7]

Shinki Training
Come, pillars of frost, crossbeams of crystalline ice...

[Ginia sits cross-legged on the ground, a metal bowl with a small fire burning in it in front of her. She's signing at the bowl as she whistles a song. The fire flickers and dies a bit; was it the wind or something else? She stares at the flame, frowning before noticing company nearby. Ginia waves and gives a polite smile, grabbing her phone - or signing depending on the company - and typing up a message to play.]

Know anything about song spells?

Physical Training
[Armed with an armful of purple chalk satchels, Ginia lets her competitive streak run wild as she hurls a relentless assault of chalk bombs. She's fast with borderlines, slashing chalk bombs out of the air with slashing borderlines, popping up barriers to protect herself or popping them up in front of others to shield or hinder them. Think fast!]

Rest and Refreshments
[Ginia's never one to turn down a free meal, especially when it involves grilled food. With space and tables limited, she's glad to make space for anyone looking for a place to eat, stranger or friends alike. There's currently a spread of vegetables and meat set out on the grill, Ginia carefully flipping things over.]

Give it another minute and before you help yourself.

[She writes and plays through the phone at her side, the voice reading her message a digitized alto.]

Wildcard!
[Feel free to throw an idea at me or message me at cordially if you want to plot something out!]

[rockthemonkey]

I wouldn't've been eaten! I'm too tough! [But he's grinning again.] Anyway, 'm just sayin' thanks.

[Goku's not put off by shouting and scowling, apparently. He just smiles like it's water off a duck's back.]

Ayumu's doin' better now, by the way. So it worked out.

[Things might be rough still, but not in any way that Nia needs to worry about. Ayumu is alive and feeling better than she was before. That's enough.]

[gentilitea]

1. Physical Training (Open to All)
“Who threw that?” he exclaims, his pale hair now dusted in bright orange as he surveys the immediate area for the culprit. He hadn’t even been involved in the game in the first place, and had been intending only to pass through before someone, who clearly hadn’t been aiming right, had hit him in the back of the head.

And so help him he will have his revenge.

“Was it you?” he demands, turning to whoever’s closest.

3. Refresh—yeah, no (Previous CR Only)
He’d taken one look at that karaoke machine and noped right out of there. He could take the infodumps and the training because practicing the basics was never a bad thing, but karaoke? No, no. He’s not morally obligated to stay there when the god of fucking chaos is running amok somewhere and he has to rein him in before he does anything worse than he already has.

So Jakob finally finds himself right outside the Meeting Hall, the high pitched screeching of the microphone from wherever the karaoke session is taking place rends the air, as if objecting to his untimely exit. With a cringe, he turns around and immediately meets the gaze of someone familiar.

“You—!”

3. Wildcard!

[ OOC: Prose or action is fine with me! ]

[sassywelshcatgirl]

Yeah, sure you wou--doing better?! [She can't have heard that! No bloody way -- Nia goes from reeling back on her heels to up in his face uncomfortable quickly.] How the bloody hell can she be doing better?! She turned into an ayakashi!

rest and refreshments!

[gentilitea]

Normally, he wouldn’t bat an eye at amateur chefs who weren’t specifically cooking for his god, but that remark had struck a chord with him. Maybe it was because of Romeo’s age, maybe it was because of Jakob’s own passion for doing the shinki thing as perfectly as possible, but it was enough to get him to stop at the grill and cast a quick glance at the meat.

“Then turn it over,” he instructed. “It should be just about ready after a few more minutes.”

[smilingbullet]

Physical Training...ish
[ There is all sorts of old and familiar things going on at the training. D2 doesn't always attend because he can find better ways to pass his time elsewhere. But sometimes it's nice to just drop by.

Unfortunately(?) he was told to be mindful of the pond so he didn't fall in and, well, he's obstinate and lately his mind has been filled with annoying stuff. (No guilt to speak of, at least, so he doesn't have to worry about blighting Forrest on top of everything) and he decide that why not!

And that means, for some reason obviously, that he has to take off his jacket and outer shirt and shoes and step into the pond. He's from time to time diving down under the water though it's too shallow for his taste, to search for fallen and forgotten things in the mud. He deposits his findings on the side of the pond next to his discarded clothes. ]

Rest and Refreshments
[ D2 had some towels and dry clothes shoved at him by a white-robed shinki. He's a frustrating menace, apparently, not listening to what he's begin told and doing the exact opposite. But nobody but his god gives him orders, and rules are more like guidelines in these cases anyway. It's sort of strange to be wearing a yukata and a haori--and he's insisted on wearing his damp shirt underneath, possibly making him a further menace.

But he's mostly dry (except his hair) and clean and he's zeroed in on the food. He's going down the no-meat route today since he doesn't know what's pork and what's not.

When the karaoke machine is wheeled in... His face lights up and some people might recall that he's told them that he's absolutely tone deaf (and that's why he's struggling with a shinki spell in song format he's trying to learn) but he's also mentioned that he loves singing. Some people might even have heard him sing. He's utterly terrible. But he still loves it. And he still will take a look at the options available; hopefully they'll have something in English. Maybe some old Eurovision song if he's lucky, he loves that kind of music. (He hasn't find any Eurovision songs in particular yet but he does find some Abba songs, and it's as terrible as it can get, but at least he's enthusiastic about it.) ]

[yasei]

Physical Training
[ Obi is always up for new things! And he's generally always up for games!

He's not going to go all out because what person shows, on public display for all to see, everything that they can do?

But he's decided to participate in the satchel throwing because it seemed fun, and he's got killer instincts (literally!) and reflexes (same!) and he's incredibly difficult to land a hit on.

Hitting people on the other hand, is not too difficult for him. He's really good at this sort of thing; his throws are fast, sharp, and he's got (again) killer precision. ]

Rest and Refreshments
[ Food! Who can ever say no to food! Not Obi, at least! He's not going to let it out of his sight. He's not going to let it all escape once the meal is supposedly "over" either, and is going to keep eating All The Food.

He has never seen a karaoke machine though so he's a bit confused, and it shows on his stuffed face. ]

What's that machine thing do?

[shalamayne]

[ Shinki Training ]
[ It's an absolute given that Varian gravitates towards the training, immediately interested in what's going on as if someone called him over. Fighting is in his blood, even as a shinki he's built for it, almost as wide as he is tall in stature and it's to no surprise when Varian picks up the largest sword he can. According to the information pamphlet he's received, there should be a God or Goddess around for him to meet but he's not going to wait for that. Nope, the previous King of Stormwind has noticed how those dummies come to life when someone steps inside that ribboned off area and he doesn't even hesitate, moving in quickly to strike with a two handed swing the moment one begins to move in his direction. Whatever is going on, no matter how new the place, one thing is for sure; Varian's fighting skills and battle prowess are still in top form as he begins to put everything into this training. So much so that he may not instantly respond should someone say his name or step into the area with him.]

[ Rest and Refreshments ]
[ The fact that a warm hall has been provided doesn't go amiss and it's with an almost thankful grunt that Varian heads inside, instantly trying to shrug off the cold as he finds somewhere to sit. The sight of food is enough to have his stomach audibly growling and within moments Varian is already picking up pieces of meat to put on the grate. What's that? They're not individual ones? Someone best let Varian know that. He idly considers putting some vegetables on there before thinking better of it. Meat is more than fine (though that would be reconsidered if there were apples to be had). Even when he's enjoying himself, Varian has a perpetual scowl on his face so anyone sitting near him can be forgiven for thinking the large male is annoyed at someone or something right now.]

Do they serve this every day? [ If they do, Varian is pretty certain he's probably never leaving this hall. Even now as he sits, surrounded by people he doesn't know in an unfamiliar place he can't help but enjoy the food that's on offer. He'd be suspicious of it if he remembered his previous life but for now the offerings are perfectly fine and he turns a piece of meat over, watching it cook with a thoughtful look.]

( + karaoke ) [ Once he's finished eating half his body weight in meat without breaking a sweat, Varian watches as someone approaches and asks if he wishes to join in. The machine gets a suspicious look but the gist of it isn't lost on the former king of Stormwind as he shakes his head and frowns.]

I don't think so.

[ Wildcard ]
[ ooc: happy with anything, if in doubt feel free to send a ping!]