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

[deathmetalist]

"Shin-senpai!"

She didn't know if he was here or not, so she was glad to see him. And even more elated that he was able to see her performance. The fact that he had been there to watch set a nervous butterfly off in her stomach, and she hoped she had performed at her best. He was really talented, so she wanted to impress him.

"Really? Do you think so?"

Now that she was off stage, she lifted a hand up to her chest.

"I'm relieved! It was so so fun but then I felt nervous after the fact!"

[bass_instincts]

Shin smiles, "There was nothing to be nervous about, you were great!" Shin can play guitar, but his focus is the bass. He didn't really have much in the way of suggestions for improvement, at least not from that one performance.

He puts a hand on her shoulder, "If you have a bass part, I'd be happy to back you up next time."

[deathmetalist]

[ . . . !! ]

Senpai-! [That's the best idea ever!]

We should play together! We'd have to figure out a song we can both play, but-- that would be so awesome. Everyone would be moved by your killer bass, we'd knock em' dead!

Eh?

[She lifts a hand up to her chin in thought]

Or deader? More dead. . . ?

[bass_instincts]

[Shin can't help but laugh cheerfully at her conundrum.] You mentioned you liked Seether, right? I checked out their music. I was surprised at how much I liked some of their music. They had a duet, Broken, we could sing that.

[deathmetalist]

Right? Seether is pretty great.

[And Amy Lee's voice is amazing. It's haunting and beautiful and her music is pretty great to listen to as well. She's already putting together a collection of all her favorite hits and bands.]

Broken would be... that would be perfect! [She doesn't usually get to hear him sing, either. He's always so focused on his bass.]

I've been playing the music recently, and-- let's do it! We don't have a whole band yet, but we can show everyone that we deserve to! And have fun along the way.

[bass_instincts]

I actually really liked the subtle work on the bass in that track. It's easy to miss that there's a bass at all with how well it carries everything else.

[Shin's excited as always to talk about music,] I prefer taking a more active style, but it's been a fun thing to toy with. I could probably work some of the other melodies in.

[bass_instincts]

You bet! [Shin smiles brightly,] That's the important part!

And nothing's more fun than performing live, right? [Maybe that's why he practiced out in the open while on the Far Shore so much.]

[deathmetalist]

Yeah... [Even though it was just her up there, a rush was felt. It's nerves and excitement mixed together, and it all blends into how you sing or play the instrument. Performing live really is the best feeling. Music can move all kinds of people.]

Your bass is great, though. Somehow, it carries so much emotion in it. Without it, a song is completely lacking.

[bass_instincts]

[Shin blushes a little, laughing with his nerves.] You think so? I love how the bass holds together a song. You might not always notice it, but if you take away the bass, you know it's missing. But I want to be able to play a bassline that people can feel in their stomachs.

[deathmetalist]

We'll do that then.

[She means it. She's determined about this.]

Once we finish getting our band together, let's create something that no one will be able to forget.

[bass_instincts]

We'll make something so good even the living will notice us!