August Training

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone
What: Information and Training
When: January 6th, 2017
Where: Outside the Meeting Hall, the Far Shore / the Ryukyu Islands
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 her welcome speech in the monotone of someone who's practiced it far too often. Hopefully no one's feeling sleepy! She adds that gods should be cautious of anyone on the Near Shore who might ask to use their shrines to visit the Heavens, and should instruct their shinki to be cautious as well. There is an unrecognized god who the Heavens believe to be attacking them. 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. Each of the shinki is wearing a brightly-colored sticky name tag reading HELLO, MY NAME IS ________, and all of their names appear to end with the syllable "mei."

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. The white-robed shinki appears to be a particular expert in magic, and will occasionally offer to help out anyone who's practicing a spell more challenging than the Borderline, especially if they look quite lost. His nametag reads HELLO, MY NAME IS SABIMEI. (To interact with Sabimei, please comment on the "NPC REQUEST" thread below! If you prefer, you may also handwave his assistance or advice with your character learning spells.)

Physical Training

Two of the white-robed shinki, whose nametags mark them as Toumei and Kimei, are standing off to one side of the training area near a pair of large, curtained tents. They each have an enormous wicker basket full of clean, folded beach towels, and a rack of what appear to be wetsuits and swimsuits in a variety of styles and sizes. Once suited and toweled, new and veteran residents of the Heavens alike will be handed a pretty white-and-gold cockade that can be pinned to their suit or tied around their wrist by its ribbons, and either Toumei or Kimei will escort them to a beautiful, but rocky, Near Shore beach. Tropical plants, palm trees and high grasses surround the area, and although the sounds of cars are audible from a road not too far away, the only sign of human presence on this beach is an ancient, rotting fishing boat pulled up well past the high tide mark.

It's quite chilly, with a brisk sea breeze, but there's room to run up and down the beach, a net set up for beach volleyball, younger shinki building sand castles, and showers for the brave souls who venture into the water. The surf is impressive today, so swimmers will get the chance for some serious exercise. There's also the chance to climb through the wreck of the old fishing boat; inside, piles of old seaweed and drifting sand host curious crabs, and a curious explorer could even find treasure... although nothing more valuable than large seashells, old one-yen or five-yen coins, and bits of weathered sea glass.

Rest and Refreshments

When sunset comes -- early, at this time of year -- the shinki bring giant picnic-sized bento boxes with five or seven layers of carefully packed foods, and pile wood for bonfires that leap with flames edged blue-green from the salt. The bento boxes contain a wide variety of traditional foods, many in the style of traditional New Year's dishes: sweet potato and chestnut, slivered carrot and burdock, whole fish, toasted mochi, sliced lotus root and more. A fireworks display starts over the ocean once full night falls, fountains and bursts in every color imaginable, some so ornate that it's hard to believe they're not helped along by a touch of magic. The display lasts half an hour.

After the last fireworks, the shinki will guide everyone back to the Meeting Hall to return to their homes. The wind is getting chillier, and gods or shinki who stay too much past the firework display will notice the tiny, creeping forms of glowing ayakashi no larger than a fist, looking like little jellyfish on land. They don't seem hostile; instead, they're fixated on the boat, and will climb on it and settle onto the rigging and wood of the boat, chirping quietly to themselves and snuggling in so that the whole boat seems to glow with an unearthly blue-white light. They can be fought and defeated, but if attacked, will fight back: and be careful! Those jellyfish tentacles spread blight instead of stinging, and they're longer than they look.

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 at a beach (isn't it winter?!)
• Relax and watch the fireworks
• Have fun~

Comments

[goingbananas]

He grins at that reaction, as if Chikusa totally isn’t used to compliments or something. Gosh.

“Really? I like it. It makes you look like some kind of mascot.” But in a good way.

[kokuyoyo]

Just a little, Chikusa's lips stick out. He's not sulking, or anything, really. Just, how do you take that kind of comment?

"I don't think anyone would want me to be a mascot..."

[goingbananas]

He laughs at that reply, which is so typical of Chikusa, and yet it almost sounds as if he’s disappointed.

“You sure about that? I think you could get into it if you really wanted to.”

[kokuyoyo]

"Mascots need to have energy... And be personable." Chikusa slowly points at himself.

"I'm not." In fact, if he had the option and wasn't so paranoid of other people, he'd go to sleep right now.

[goingbananas]

“Really? I thought they just needed to be interesting.” He sees Chikusa’s point, however, but he can’t help but tease anyway.

[kokuyoyo]

He has no idea how to respond to any of this but, in his way, that only shows in the quiet tilt of his head. "...I'm pretty sure you're one of the only people who thinks that." Then again, it's not like Chikusa knows what other people think of him anyway.

[goingbananas]

“But you don’t have a problem with that, do you?” He’s sure Chikusa doesn’t—he’s just such a great, chill guy like that to begin with!

“C’mon,” he adds, giving Chikusa a gentle pat on the back. “Smells like they’ve got a barbecue going over there. You wanna get something to eat?”

[kokuyoyo]

Whoa- He wobbles a little bit at being patted. The personal-space-invading level of friendliness will never be something he gets used to. Still, can never go wrong with food... "Sure."

And while they're getting there... "What were you last here for...?"

[goingbananas]

Damn, and here he thought he’d been gentle. Guess Chikusa still can’t get used to it, huh?

But at that question, he chuckles. “Heh, you make it sound like I’m here for a prison sentence or something.”

[kokuyoyo]

"It depends, I guess..." Some people sure seem to view their existences as a prison sentence in this place. Chikusa can't say he particularly minds, in contrast. It's nowhere near as bad as his life in actual prison was.

"But... A lot has happened."

[goingbananas]

“I figured as much.” He shrugs. He doesn’t particularly view being a shinki as a prison sentence, at any rate—even after all the nasty things he’d gone through. But, returning to that question…

“But I guess I was here for training.” Aren’t they all? Not that Sanada’s doing a good job of actually training in here.

[kokuyoyo]

"Mm." That reminds him- "There hasn't been anything like our first day..." No corpses or anything like that. He tilts his head towards Sanada. "But... are you still practicing?"

With a knife, he means. It had been his recommendation, after all.

[goingbananas]

Oh.

There’s a moment’s pause, because he totally slacked off, as he grins sheepishly at Chikusa. Damn, fighting’s never really been his thing, anyway, and besides…

“Like fighting…like with a knife, and stuff?” Too obvious? Too obvious. “Only if it’s in the kitchen, I guess.”

[kokuyoyo]

A low huff leaves him, and there's a certain judging way to how he tilts his head to the side. "You're going to get in trouble if there's a fight again... I better not have to save you."

Honestly. He looks back to where shinki are unloading so many bento. "But does that mean you're cooking...?

[goingbananas]

“Relax.” As if that doesn’t appear to be Chikusa’s general state of being. “I’ll figure it out, you know? I’ve just never violence all that much.”

Or at least he doesn’t think he does. “Cooking’s more my kind of thing anyway, but I didn’t have the time to make that stuff.”

[kokuyoyo]

"I think you're too relaxed..." Unlike him, when he's always thinking of far too much. But whatever. Chikusa turns to more pleasant topics, peering around the shinki clad in white. They're probably used to his nosiness by now.

"So you're good at cooking...?"

[goingbananas]

He raises an eyebrow at that supposed criticism—hard not to find it amusing, coming from a guy like Chikusa, but he turns to the more pertinent question at hand:

“Yeah, I guess.” He shrugs. “It’s a lot more fun than fighting, y’know? And, heh, I’ve been able to help out a lot more people with it than I did with that knife back then.”

[kokuyoyo]

"You would be the kind to think that." It suits his character, Chikusa guesses, although he can't really be sure on that. People can be so hard to understand sometimes. Still, straightening up (partially), he considers something.

"...Since we met... I've been trying that kind of thing, too." He's not sure what he's offering here, and he pauses a moment. "...If you wanted to come over..."

[goingbananas]

“What, cooking?” He chuckles. “Or baseball? Either way, I don’t need much of an excuse to come and see you!”

[kokuyoyo]

"Don't most people need an excuse?" It's half a joke. He knows way too many impulsive people. Still, with the shinki unloading the food apparently done for the moment- or at least distracted by another matter, Chikusa won't question it- he moves over to grab one of the bento.

"Although I thought you would be busy."

[goingbananas]

“Nah,” he replies with a laugh. Oh Chikusa, you absolute card. But on a more serious note: “Why would I be too busy for a friend, huh? At this rate I’m just glad you’re still around.”

After all, he can’t say the same for a few other people he’s known back then.

[kokuyoyo]

Don't make this weird, Sanada. By which he means stop being so overly friendly, he still doesn't half know what to do with that. His shoulders hunch up a little bit, for lack of any better idea of what to do. Still, he knows how Sanada feels.

"A lot of people have left..." After all, he would know that the most. "But... There have also people who've stuck around. So. That's something, I guess..." His nose wrinkles faintly. "If too many people kept disappearing and new ones showed up, that would be too annoying."

[goingbananas]

“That’s what you’re worried about?” Oh, he gets it, Chikusa. He’s pretty sure, at any rate, that you’re just trying to hide that you miss the others. He knows your type all too well…

“Guess I don’t need to worry about you, then. I’ll be sure to stick around you more often—that is, if you don’t find it too troublesome…”

[kokuyoyo]

Don't you dare typecast him, Sanada. Even if he's technically already typecast himself, in other conversations...

It probably doesn't help that the request has him tip his chin down a little towards his chest, and he takes his sweet time in offering any sort of answer back. "I guess... It wouldn't be too much of a bother. It's not like we really have anything else going on at my temple..."

[goingbananas]

“Aw, c’mon! I bet you live in a fun place.” But more important things are at hand here, like food and catching up to a friend.

“Though right now I guess I should try and keep you away from it, if I wanna enjoy some mocha with our new beach mascot.”