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

[gentilitea]

He could just walk away. He could just walk away and ignore him. But oooh, the smugness dripping from that guy’s voice…

“What sort of a half-baked shinki strikes another unawares?” After dusting the remains of that attack off of his shoulders (ugh, to think he’ll have to present himself to his god in such a state), he can’t help but add, “Is your aim so poor that you cannot fathom approaching your target on even ground?”

[onehandsomeslickninja]

Another insult might have worked him up more, but trying to zing Edge's aim just made him smirk. Luckily, that was hidden behind his mask, and couldn't escalate the situation further. "If you step into a battle, letting yourself be caught unawares is going to earn you just that! Actually," he added thoughtfully, lifting a hand to touch his temple, then running a finger down his cheek in thought. "If this had been an actual battle I absolutely would have done that for the sake of a guaranteed clean kill. The more enemies you drop, the fewer can hurt your allies."

[gentilitea]

He smiled, though there was no humor behind it. “Oho, underestimating others so soon already?” He’ll even let the fact that he was standing clear outside the borders of the game slide. Between the two of them, Edge wasn’t the only one who had had to tangle with enemies smarter than your average ayakashi.

“Not that it matters much to me. I don’t have time to indulge in anyone’s childish whims today.”

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"You think training is a childish whim?" Edge asked, his voice casual enough and yet holding a core of challenge and steel, as he idly twisted his hand so the cachet he held rolled across his knuckles and back into his palm.

[gentilitea]

He crossed his arms, endeavoring to look as unruffled as possible. “I certainly would consider it childish if you are aiming outside of the scope of your training.”

He took a pointed look at the line between them, for effect. “Or were you trying to impress your allies with your talent for friendly fire?”

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"We're right back to the aim again?" Man, what did you even say at this point? "You know, the purpose of training is to learn something, and I'm not sure you're going down that path properly..."

[gentilitea]

“Then keep ‘training,’ if you must.” That sardonic tone of voice definitely implied nothing good about the word. “I’ve had experience enough in the field that I can do without.” And frankly he wasn’t even sure why he was still talking to this guy when they both had better things to do.

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"Anyone who had real experience in the field would know there's always room to grow!" Edge countered with obstinate cheer. "I'm guessing you're new here, right?"

[gentilitea]

Okay, that cheer made his eye twitch. Ugh, nothing really gets this guy down, huh? Great.

“Wrong again,” he scoffed in reply. “I’ve been a veteran shinki for quite some time.”

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"Wait, really?" Okay, that</i threw Edge for a loop, and the smug look in his eyes vanished to be replaced by surprise. "And you really think you -- don't need to train and have it all handled?"

[gentilitea]

“Of course not!” Okay, it’s hard not to feel a little sense of satisfaction at Edge’s surprise. Finally, he thought, he’s being given the respect he deserves.

“I merely meant that there were more efficient ways to train than some silly game like this.”

damn html

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"Oh." Now it all made sense, and Edge relaxed slightly as the world fell into more familiar patterns. "You're the 'no fun' sort. Well, I'm going to debate you in one no-fun aspect -- there are not many readily-accessible ways to practicing anticipating a living target's motions. This causes no harm, while still relying on actual human motions rather than anything simulated by a target dummy. That makes it an excellent practice for anticipating and leading."

happens to the best of us

[gentilitea]

Jakob scoffed at that reply. No harm, indeed! He’d have to go through the trouble of making himself look more presentable when he inevitably finds his god later on, and to a butler, presentation counts for a whole lot.

Besides, even if it were true, he couldn’t help but feel a little irked at being labeled as “no fun.” Does your depravity know no bounds, Edge?!

“Be that as it may, not all forms of training will benefit all shinki. If you must persist in your foolish little game, then you can do well to leave those uninterested out of it.”

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"How do you know it won't benefit you if you don't try it?" Edge countered, not in the least bit willing to lose this argument no matter how cheerful he kept himself in pursuing it. His pride manifested in its own ways, after all.

[gentilitea]

Jakob just gave him the most deadpan look for that. Guess he had to see that question coming, with the way things were going.

“Then I suppose I won’t.”

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"See, I think you just think it's beneath your dignity!" Edge said, as if he'd made an incredible and insightful point. "Which is really a shame. Dignity is the first thing to get compromised in a good fight."

[gentilitea]

Well. He’s not wrong.

“And you propose to do the same to me?” It’s hard not to read that reply as a challenge, after all. “Hmph. What a pity.”

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"Uh... You're already there, more or less," Edge had to point out. "Which is kind of my point. Dignity's too fragile to hold onto it easily, and you kind of lost yours when you got upset."

[gentilitea]

To his credit, only the barest twitch of the eye gave any indication that he was absolutely mortified at this response. He hated getting one-upped like that, competitive bastard that he was, but he also didn’t want to give Edge the satisfaction of showing that it had indeed rubbed him the wrong way.

“And?” he demanded, crossing his arms. “Are you suggesting that I should let go of it entirely?”

[onehandsomeslickninja]

Edge shook his head.

"Strengthen it. Honestly, what more dignity could there be in getting beaned with a messy bag and simply smiling and congratulating your assailant on their excellent shot. That's classy and elegant! The only people who don't respect that sort of behavior are the ones who only respect the sort of behavior that's beneath a dignified man to perform!"

[gentilitea]

There’s a lot about that last sentence that he wanted to argue with, but he decided that he was at his limit. Being assaulted and then criticized on his decorum wasn’t really how he was intending to spend his day here at the Meeting Hall.

But he didn’t object to the heart of the matter as well. He’s still enough of an asshole to refuse to admit it to whom he considered an impudent stranger, however.

“I’ve had enough of your prattle.” At least he didn’t say “nonsense”? “If you truly wish to impart such wisdom upon others then I suggest you do so in a less hostile manner the next time.”