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

[wildguardian]

"Fuck--" Zhao scrambles to get his balance and sweep his hand down for a line, but the knife is moving faster than he can, and he has to throw himself sideways as it leaves the boy's hand. It still tumbles by close enough to slash his shirtsleeve and score the skin below.

Some kid, he thinks, a little bitterly. So much for taking things easy to start out with.

"--all right, let's try that again. If you've got another one." He straightens up, hand at the ready this time.

[dredefulchilde]

The expression of dismay on Zhao's face as he scrambles to get away from the throwing knife pleases Joss immensely. That will teach him to pry, won't it?

Laughing, he opens his coat to show Zhao that he has two more knives hidden away, plus a space where the third one had been.

"My goddess," he explains as he retrieves the other knife, "was a ninja before she came here. She was training me before they took her away. Here, take this."

He shoves it at Zhao. "Try attacking me again. I want to get this right."

[wildguardian]

Small children are evil, but, even by those standards, this small child seems unusually evil. Zhao takes the knife, testing its edge on his thumb and wincing as it leaves a pinprick of blood: it's sharp.

He stares at Joscelin for a long moment, and then half-shrugs, lifts the knife, and flips it around, using the hilt to weight his hand instead of attacking with the edge.

"Go," he says, and throws another, faster punch.

[dredefulchilde]

Joscelin is evil, all right. He's also fast--just not with his spellcasting.

The line he casts barely glows a bit before fizzling out, and now there's an adult fist right where his face was seconds prior. He jumps back with a hiss, and then laughs. This is actually rather fun, and it's helping to lift his spirits after being (justifiably) bullied by the white robed shinki.

"Excellent! Well done, you almost got me."

[wildguardian]

"Right," Zhao says dryly, and steps back. "Your turn, then. Quit with the knives, I like this jacket."

Apparently, he notes, there's nothing to worry about after all.

[dredefulchilde]

"Spoilsport."

Joscelin does away with the knives and puts on a little extra burst of speed, trying to get into Zhao's space. He's at a severe height and weight disadvantage, but maybe he can use that to his advantage.

The bigger they are, the harder they fall...right?

Joss leaps and suddenly his nose is inches from Zhao's, a tiny fist all balled up and ready to hit him on the jaw.

[wildguardian]

The bigger they are, the harder they fall, but Zhao isn't all that big; he's tall but wiry, and better at speed that raw strength. He's dodging as the kid practically levitates to head height-- not enough to dodge that fist to the jaw completely, but enough to turn it from a square-on blow to a glancing one.

Fuck, Joss is fast.]

[dredefulchilde]

He's fast and he's strong, but it's been ages since he last got to eat his fill of ayakashi lifeforce and Joscelin's energy is flagging. There's a little glisten of sweat on that disturbingly pale brow, and he's breathing more heavily.

Ridiculous. Is he really this weak?

He jumps back and wipes his forehead with his sleeve.

"Let's go back to spells, shall we?"

[wildguardian]

"Done. Cast first, test later?"

The boy's first borderline had been fast, but not that strong -- certainly less strong than his physical attacks seem to be. Zhao rubs a hand over the reddening spot on his jaw, and grins.

Borderlines might exhaust the kid less than jumping around like that, too. The sweat's standing on his face.

[dredefulchilde]

"Sounds all right with me. Line!"

Another weak borderline shimmers on the ground between Joss and Zhao, but it too glimmers and fades quickly. No matter what he does, the boy can't seem to make one that lasts worth a damn.

The frustration shows on his face.

[wildguardian]

"Hey-- how long have you been working on these?" Zhao frowns at the spot on the ground where the glimmer had faded last, absently patting his pockets as he looks for a lollipop. He's out, damn it.

[dredefulchilde]

“Weeks,” he snaps back.

He’s still so pathetic at magic. Why can’t he do this?!

[wildguardian]

"That's not all that long," Zhao points out, giving up on his lollipop hunt and turning his attention back to Knife Boy. "So you'll get better. -- Seems like you're having trouble keeping the right mindset, though. What do you think about when you cast them, anyway?"

This all feels bizarre. He's no magician and he doesn't think he's much of a spiritual type, either; but this magic is practical. All that airy-fairy shit about mindset and motivation has a real effect and he's noticed it already.

He can swallow his pride and sound like some kind of mystic if he has to, because it might help the kid. He's sure got the reflex speed that Zhao's still working on himself. It's just the spell itself that's failing him.

[dredefulchilde]

Joscelin rolls his eyes. "How stupid they are. I'm a weapon; what need have I for defense?"

That's not it at all. Since waking up here, the only thing he's discovered he can't do, the one skill that he utterly lacks, is magic. His borderlines are flimsy and easily overcome. It's a skill most brand-new shinki can master in a few hours, but more than four months in, he can't even get the basics down.

It's pathetic.

Joss turns abruptly towards the door. "This is useless."

[wildguardian]

"Oh yeah?" It sounds more like the kid's lashing out because he's embarrassed about not being able to maintain a solid borderline, but if he's done practicing, Zhao's not his teacher or his father. He's not going to insist.

"Me, I think they're pretty useful," he adds, "but I'm still working on holding them myself. I hear it's about your mindset more than anything else."

[dredefulchilde]

Joscelin pauses on his way out.

"That's what they tell me," he says, sounding a bit exasperated, "but no matter what I do, it doesn't seem to change anything. Perhaps I just wasn't meant for magic."

[wildguardian]

"Or maybe there's some other part of it you need to work on," Zhao suggests. "Look -- I've only been doing this a few weeks. I don't know what kind of advice I should be giving you."

And it's clear Amaterasu's shinki aren't interested in talking to him, which means that's not going to be an option. He frowns, straightening up as he thinks.

"Why don't you see if any of Ebisu's shinki can give you tips?"

[dredefulchilde]

Ebisu and his shinki had helped during Joscelin’s ablution, and Ebisu is...if not a friend, then an acquaintance with whom he can speak comfortably and semi-candidly. It’s not a bad idea. Joss frowns, considering.

“That could work,” he says finally.

“What about you? Will you also ask for help, Zhao Yunlan?”

[wildguardian]

"I already am." He spreads his hands, breaking into a brief grin. "Look, I'm not too proud to ask, and I'm three times your age. Anything that'll help, right?

"Between the ayakashi and all the other shit going on here, we don't have time to waste."

[dredefulchilde]

"Do we, though?"

Joscelin starts flipping one of his knives idly, considering. "Heaven has no qualms about using us as tools, and given the rate at which some shinki seem to come and go--at least based on the message board--it seems we're disposable ones. Why give them the satisfaction of conforming to their schedule? I fight ayakashi because it's fun--" and because he needs to eat "--not because Heaven wants me to. And how do we know that the other strange occurrences aren't their doing as well?"

[wildguardian]

"Whatever they plan on doing with us," Zhao shoots back, "I'd rather make the most of my time than let a monster eat me early just to fuck up the calendar."

Heaven's plans are a mystery all on their own -- although if Joscelin thinks of them as behind everything that's happening, that goes a long way to explaining how he'd made such firm enemies -- and he'd rather stay under the radar.

And alive, for certain values of "alive" that are better than "dead and buried."