October Training

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone
What: Information and Training
When: February 6th, 2017
Where: Outside the Meeting Hall, the Far Shore (and optionally, the slopes of a recently erupting volcano)
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 at least one unrecognized god who the Heavens believe to be attacking them, and another recent incursion by an unrecognized god ended in his defeat and the extinguishing of the volcano he had caused to erupt. 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

There are stacks of informational pamphlets sitting out on tables around the dojo. There are five or six white-robed shinki present, who will willingly answer any questions or instruct newcomers in the use of the borderline. They accompany their answers, or their 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. Both Sabimei and his animated straw training dummies are absent from this training session, but standard, inanimate straw targets have been lined up outside, and a few rings are laid out on the frozen ground for friendly sparring matches. (Shinki characters who are interested in learning more about the borderlines or want to learn new shinki spells or songs may approach any of the training shinki for advice or instruction. Please remember to comment on the Shinki Spells page when your character begins to learn a new spell, excluding the borderline.)

Physical Training

There is still clean-up left to work on from the volcano's eruption. Two tengu (one of whom characters might recognize as the hot springs' proprietor) have volunteered to help transport any gods or shinki who are willing to help clear trees, dig or wash away ash on roads and roofs, and repair damage to occupied temples. The abandoned temples that were damaged by the earthquake and volcano are being left to decay, although anyone who's curious about them could take the offer of a free ride to explore some of those abandoned and damaged buildings as well. Some might contain old books or mementos of the long-vanished owners; others have nothing left inside but dust, mold, and curious spirits.

Back at the training ground, characters who aren't helping clean up the Western district have the option of playing sparring games to test their reflexes. The white-robed shinki are organizing them into pairs in the marked circles and explaining the rules: each participant is given 10 seconds on offense to score a hit with any weapon of their choice, from bare hands to sparring weaponry to shinki magic, while their partner is only allowed to dodge or defend. After five rounds, the person with more points gets to declare a penalty for their partner: drawing on their face with a marker, ordering them to do something silly or embarrassing, making them fetch tea... it's up to the winner!

Rest and Refreshments

After the gods' training lecture is finished, a few of the white-robed shinki bustle back in to set up craft tables and a buffet area. This time, the theme seems to be a sweet English tea: little cakes, scones, jams, cookies, tiny finger sandwiches and a vast array of chocolates are available, as well as many different teapots, with hot water dispensers and loose tea available to let everyone brew to their own tastes as they venture in to rest or talk to their new partners.

Over on the craft tables, there's all kinds of art and craft supplies available, from construction paper to calligraphy brushes, glitter to gouache. Signs on the tables encourage gods and shinki to show their appreciation for each other with a valentine letter or card. It's a bonding exercise! There is a lot of glitter. And glue. Hopefully, no one's wearing their nice clothes.

In Summary:

• Get all the information you can handle
• Veteran new gods and shinki are welcome to volunteer showing the ropes
• Explore damaged temples or practice sparring
• Enjoy a tea and make some valentines
• Have fun~

Comments

[mersunary]

Physical Training
[For those who haven't gone out to help with the clean up efforts, the offered training exercises seem like quite a fun and interesting alternative to simply sparring with a partner or one of the training dummies. Soleil may find herself a tiny bit out of her league in such an activity as compared to the Far Shore residents with combat enhancing powers available to the, but really, with such low stakes, there's no reason not to at least give it a shot. What's the worst that could happen?

Anyone looking like they may be contemplating trying their hand at the activity are likely to be approached by Soleil, sporting an easy and friendly grin.] Hey, wanna try attacking first, or defending?


Rest and Refreshments I
[Ah... ah, now this is her kind of refreshments spread. Cute cakes and finger food, paired with an expertly brewed cup of tea, it's exactly the kind of thing that will do wonders in picking her up after a day of training.

Having artfully arranged a plate of snacks and fixed a perfectly fragrant cup of tea, Soleil is completely content to soak up every moment of her training break while people watching. Passers by will have a cheerful smile directed at them, and anyone who happens to wander close enough is likely to feel a vague pick-me-up in their energy as a result of her god power pulses out.]


Rest and Refreshments II
[As far as Valentine's day goes, Soleil's familiar enough with the concept - spending enough time in a world where these holidays are Big Deals gives one an idea of the beats of them all after a while, especially with followers offering prayers for love and luck in these clearly very pressing times. Flowers, chocolate, big displays of affection...]

A card wouldn't be a very impressive gesture, would it? [Skepticism or not, she is still pondering the supplies. She might be able to do something grander if left to her own devices, but something like this does drive home how important the holiday must be. If Heaven is encouraging it, then it's probably a big deal.] Is it necessary for everything to be so sparkly?

[There is glitter like everywhere, come on.]

physical

[ofnovalue]

If milady insists, I can attack, but I've no talent for it. My abilities seem far more oriented towards defense.

[ Ovelia straightened out her dress before stepping into the circle, letting out a few calming breaths, her anxiety starting to spike as it always did before moments like this, before facing the other woman with a look that hopefully read for determination, and not how anxious she actually was. ]

[mersunary]

[Ah... Heaven continues to bring in some awfully cute newcomers. Soleil's smile brightens in the face of such an honest attempt at determination, hoping to put the girl at ease.]

Practicing something you aren't very good at could be advantageous, right? Even then, we can always trade off if it feels at though it isn't working out. [Here, she offers Ovelia a wink.] Does that sound good?

[ofnovalue]

I appreciate your encouraging words, milady, but I do feel more comfortable on the defensive end. [ She'd prefer to start off on a strong step. She could learn the basics of attacking later, she figured, from Agrias. ]

[mersunary]

[So polite, how is Soleil supposed to argue with that?]

Understood. There's nothing wrong with playing into your own strengths, after all. [So, one of the dojo's practice swords in hand, Soleil takes a moment to size Ovelia up. She knows better than to potentially underestimate an opponent, but maybe approaching this with a 'test the waters' sort of mentality would be for the best. And, goodness she's as charming to look at is she is with her words, going all-out right out of the gate wouldn't be very easy for her regardless.]

Whenever you're ready, we can begin.

[ofnovalue]

[ Ovelia gave a small nod, placing her hands together as if in a small prayer, a glow brightening between her hands before washing over Ovelia's whole form, leaving her with a sort of luminescent quality all around her, before opening her eyes once more. ]

I am ready. Have at thee.

[mersunary]

[Oho? Well, that's interesting. Soleil nods once, as if in approval of this development, before squaring up and preparing to rush in with a strike.

For all the caution she's exercising in aiming her sword, she's still swift in her approach, movements honed through countless sparring matches and fights alike, angling to strike at Ovelia's side. It's not a particularly stealthy move, but at this point, she's a bit more interested in seeing what that glow might be signaling rather than scoring any points.]

r&r 1

[kokuyoyo]

[Honestly, Chikusa hadn't come over to really exchange any pleasantries. Rather, he'd come over to ask if it's really necessary to arrange a plate like that. Sure, he gets the necessity of organizing a plate to get the most food as possible on it. After all, that's what he does almost all the time when he can manage it at these sorts of things. But this? This seems so much more.... Artsy? Is that the word? He's not entirely sure. Despite doing his best to work on writing, art appreciation tends to go over his head.]

[All of that, however, leaves his mind the second he gets close enough. The feeling of something giving him that small burst of energy... It reminds him a little bit of what Hakkai did to him, back during their investigation into the department store. Coming to an abrupt stop, Chikusa's eyes squint slightly shut and he just.... stands there.]

[Leaning a bit into air.]

[Sorry, he's enjoying this energy boost like a cat in the perfect patch of sunlight.]

[mersunary]

[This is a completely normal and fine thing to be doing, clearly, and Soleil finds no real offence to be had here. She does wait for a little bit to see if he's actually going to say anything along with his approach, but it seems like he's completely lost whatever he had in mind. That's fine, this is fine. She'll take the moment of quiet to finish off the pastry she's eating before initiating conversation.]

Enjoying your day?

[That... seems like what's happening here. She'll even hold out her plate of treats in an offering for him to take one.]

[kokuyoyo]

[Oh, right, Soleil is there. Chikusa opens his eyes to a barely wider squint.]

...Tiring as usual. [But he does reach over to accept a chocolate.] Is that your god power...?

[mersunary]

Oh, can you feel it from there?

[That seems to get her energy up a bit, that's pretty exciting!]

I must be getting better with it. It feels kind of like a quick cat-nap without the sleep, right?

[kokuyoyo]

Mm. Yeah. It's comfortable.

[So comfortable that it's almost enough to sway his paranoia. Almost.]

How long have you been doing this...?

[Does she just randomly practice like this? ...Can he be around when she does? Although maybe that would make him too dependent...]

[mersunary]

Today? Ever since I sat down for a break.

[It seems like the kind of day where sharing a little bit of relaxation is probably welcome, considering all that's been happening.]

R&R II

[tinygreen]

[Unlike Soleil, Pidge is actually having a grand old time with the cards she's making her friends. Mainly because they are glitterbombs. Except for Shiro's. Shiro gets a nicely made card that has a nice thank you in it and it'll get delivered with chocolate.

She overhears the rather pink haired lady nearby and shrugs.]

I dunno. We gave out cards in elementary school and those made people happy enough. Sometimes it just makes people happy to know you think about them on holidays.

[Or want to ruin their clothes forever with glitter.]

[mersunary]

[Soleil ponders this reply for a short moment, honestly still a bit baffled by it all.]

We did just have a gift giving holiday. I suppose it's a bit more that it's... unexpected to have something so similar happening again so soon. [She doesn't sound bothered by it, just that it seems to have snuck up on her.] This would be more of an excuse for smaller gestures over something big or intimate, then...?

[And, with that, she takes a moment to peek over Pidge's cards. Glitter is necessary? Or at least largely expected? That's what it looks like from where she's standing, anyway.]

[tinygreen]

You mean Christmas? That's a completely different holiday and theme. Especially if you celebrate for religious reasons instead of as a consumerist holiday. [Though Valentine's Day is a pretty consumer heavy holiday, too.]

It depends. If you have a significant other, you go by their tastes. And you can make things just for friends. [Having made one glitterbomb card, Pidge carefully writes the words 'Keith' on the envelope.] Or you can do what I do and prank someone.

[mersunary]

[During a holiday meant to celebrate love and friendships, you're pranking someone? How devious! Rest in glitter hell, 'Keith', whoever that might be.]

I see... [She still feels a little lost on the nuances, and perhaps seeing so few religious ties to the Christmas celebrated by the Near Shore residents (outside of their heavenly statuses, of course) makes the differences a little foggier, but... She supposes she can get behind this regardless.] Perhaps I'll plan something special for the day when it rolls around, but a card might not be a bad place to start, even if it is a fairly small token of affection.

[She regards Pidge's glitter bomb again with a faintly amused sort of smile.] Would that be a prank made out of affection, then?

[tinygreen]

[Keith will indeed rest in glitter hell.]

Knowing the people I do, some of them only want cards. Others would want chocolates, and three of them would be confused a holiday like that existed. They're aliens so there's not much to do about that. Different cultures and all.

[Glitter bomb number two is going to Lance.] Yep. These guys are like family to me. So why not prank them?

[mersunary]

[So mischievous! She won't ruin the surprise for these people, whoever they may be.]

'Aliens'? [Today's the day to learn about life on other planets, it seems.] People form other worlds, then...?

[If the cultures are that different, it isn't an unsafe bet, she figures.]

R&R II: the restening

[galrarm]

[ With a chuckle, he picks up one of the glitter shakers. A bunch of it's gotten spilled on the table, it seems; Shiro's careful not to get any on himself. Then again, it's glitter. It has a special talent for getting everywhere. ]

I can't say I'd be happy to get a glittery card. It'd take forever to clean that up.

[ He'd be finding glitter on his clothes for years...... ]

[mersunary]

[Soleil has already managed to get a slight dusting outfit on her gloves while simply investigating the table and its contents. A very talented and mysterious craft supply indeed.]

Hm, probably. [But, you know, maybe it wouldn't be a wholly terrible surprise?] I imagine getting something like this from someone you love would be worth the mess, though. [And since 'love' seems to be the theme of the holiday, well, that's probably a fairly likely outcome...!

But, oh... She's caught sight of Shiro's arm, and she can't help but stare. Not entirely baffled or off-put, but a bit like she's trying to work out exactly how it works before she inevitably asks him about it. How amazing!]

[galrarm]

[ Ah. He smiles a little, and at the back of his mind, there's a niggling thought of Adam at the back of his mind. But-- well, he doesn't want to burden a stranger with that. ]

True enough. I wouldn't mind it if it were someone I loved.

[ Ah. He raises his arm--the one she's staring at. ]

Trying to figure it out?

[mersunary]

[Soleil’s a bit unsure how well Berserker would take to something like a glitter deluge, given what she is and isn’t particular about... it’s a real mystery, maybe she’ll just think of something else to go with instead of a pile of sparkles glued to a card.

His arm, though-!] Is it magic, or something else? Do you know how it works? [Zero shame in asking a total stranger about his prosthetics, incredible..]

[galrarm]

[ He doesn't mind questions! Something like this is bound to draw attention, after all. ]

It's sort of magic. My friend back home provided the power source--a sort of stone from her tiara. [ He closes his fist, then opens it. ] It's completely compatible with my body, and draws some of its energy from it.

[mersunary]

[How very interesting...! And, now she has to know,]

Would you be able to fix it if it were damaged? Or know someone here who could?

[With the kind of enthusiasm she’s bringing forward, it’s almost like she has some personal stake in his answer. Hm.]