November Training

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone
What: Information and Training
When: February 21st, 2017
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 brought into small one-on-one meeting rooms as they appear, with a white-robed shinki offering them an explanation of their current role, the name of the god they will represent or the god they will serve, and directions to the temple that will be their new home.

They are cordially invited to a training session beginning in early afternoon, after they've had the chance to return to their homes, meet their new partners, and have their questions answered.



Morning/On the Road

New gods and shinki are being packed off to their new temples for the morning to settle in and meet their partners -- this is also a good time to visit with new neighbors or explore the area! What does your new temple look like? Are you headed straight there, or taking the scenic route to get a better sense of your new surroundings? The Western District is still scarred from the aftereffects of a recent volcanic eruption and earthquake, with fissures in some of the roads and burn scars in the wild landscape. The volcanic ash, though, seems to be serving as fertilizer for vast swaths of unfamiliar and colorful wildflowers that line the roads despite the fact that the weather is late-February chilly.

Shinki Training

A well-appointed dojo has been prepared for newcomers to practice their physical or magical arts. Outside, there are two impromptu target practice areas: one is for long-range weapons, with targets set up against hay bales at the other side of a wide, grassy area and a line drawn for the weapons' wielders to stand behind. The other is for borderlines, and a number of young children wearing short coats marked with Amaterasu's golden chrysanthemum on white are dashing around practicing their own borderlines against scary paper masks tied onto bushes or other haybales. The game seems to require a cutting borderline that will cut the mask without damaging the gardeners' hard work on the bushes.

Inside the dojo, there's room for several pairs to spar, and weapons are set up all along one wall, everything from polearms to rifles, chakrams to broadswords. They're all meant for practice, with edges dulled or padded to avoid any accidental deaths, but sparring partners will still have to be careful to avoid injury. Although there are many fewer white-robed shinki here than usual, except for the children, there is one adult shinki keeping an eye on things inside the dojo and one keeping an eye on things in the yard. They are willing to answer questions, help with borderlines or teach shinki new spells on request. Comment to the NPC REQUEST form to request a thread with one of them or if you have questions about handwaving an interaction.

Physical Training

The last vestiges of winter have melted away from most of the Heavens, but one section of the Meeting Hall grounds appears not to have gotten the message. Snow is piled waist or even shoulder high, the trees and bushes show no sign of fresh leaves, and an ornamental pool is frozen as hard as a rock, with the drifting shadows of koi barely visible under the thick ice. It's the perfect opportunity to play in the snow, and many of the shinki children are already taking advantage of it, sliding on the ice or throwing snowballs.

For those who brave the heavy snow, they may discover an an old woman in the center of the frozen area. She's wearing heavy white makeup and a straw coat, and humming cheerfully as she pounds rice into mochi. Anyone who finds her will be offered freshly made mochi and a cup of warm sake to fortify them for the snowball fights!

Rest and Refreshments

Gods and shinki who are finished with their training can step into a large room in the Meeting Hall that has been set up with comfortable cushions and low tables. Tea, liquor and a wide variety of savory dishes are available, with the drinks already set out on the tables and the savory dishes set up in chafing dishes on a buffet table along one wall. Guests can help themselves, settle in, chat, and make new friends. There's even a dessert table, well-stocked with plenty of chocolate, most of which seems to be mysteriously heart-shaped.

After eating, there are a variety of board and card games available for guests to play. From classic games like shogi, go and mahjong to more modern ones like Trivial Pursuit or Pictionary -- or Cards Against Humanity -- there's something for everyone.

In Summary:

• Get all the information you can handle
• Veteran new gods and shinki are welcome to volunteer showing the ropes
• Practice sparring or shinki magic
• Enjoy a buffet dinner and party games
• Have fun~

Comments

[priforprince]

[ Pringle Bells ]



[ Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh
Through the Shore she goes - so get out of the way!
Apollo's on a jaunt to see what she can see
So leave the road before she has to swerve and spill her tea... ]

[ Prisical Training ]

[ Tightly-packed snow such as this is ideal for a certain celebrity pastime. And thus it is that anyone walking past a particularly picturesque portion of the snowy grounds will see an ornate golden sign proclaiming everything past it to be "SKIPARA". Dawdle too long in awe at this opulence and you might get encounter a small stuffed purple goat toy on a wheeled platform, sliding out of control down the nearest hill. Wheeeeee!!!! There it goes, right past....

Cutting a much more elegant (and controlled) swath through the powder is a graceful figure in a purple coat and gleaming white ski pants. Her purple-and-gold skis shoot a majestically-arching spray of snow up as the skiier comes to a stop, pushes up their ski mask. Brilliant green eyes flash. ]



Hey. I see my charm has attracted you here.

[ Rest & Prifreshments ]

[ One can only ski so much before the chill sets in, and thus it is that before long, Hibiki can be found nursing a proper mug of tea for once - it's seasonally-appropriate. She takes a sip and settles back into a cushion in the corner, ready to comfortably engage in another enjoyable pastime:

spying.

Namely, on everyone who's playing games. She has to admit, her hopes aren't high. But how are you all faring? No one here would be a match for her, of course, but the need to scout from the Far Shore's newcomers is deeply ingrained. Even though her movie is almost complete - one never knows.



Or perhaps one is just very cozy and slightly bored. ]

Prisical Training

[holygrailed]

[Skipara? Irisviel is walking around and admiring the beauty of the snow-covered landscape when she spots the stuffed purple goat sliding down. A hand covers her mouth as it intersects the path of the skier. Snow flies through the air and flutters down in Hibiki's wake.

At her comment, Irisviel giggles, a hint of red touching her cheek.]

My, aren't you skilled.

[priforprince]

This merely skims the surface of my talents.

[ And this smile does not betray whether or not she meant to make that pun.

Though.....Tch. Idiotic as the god meetings had been, they at least gave Hibiki a convenient place to assess each crop of fresh arrivals. She will have to make up for her lack of prior information somehow! ]

You're a newcomer?

[ GENIUS ]

[holygrailed]

I am. I am Irisviel von Einzbern.

[She smiles and gives a dignified curtsy. Of the newcomers there's definitely one polite one.]

Who do I have the honor of speaking to?

[priforprince]

Shikyoin Hibiki.

[ Her voice caresses the syllables of her own name with obvious pleasure, and she reaches for Iri's hand. ]

When meeting such a fine lady, the honor is mutual.

[ Another of those talents she'd mentioned above:

kisses. Particularly kisses on the backs of hands. ]

[holygrailed]

[Irisviel covers her mouth and giggles, charmed by the kiss to her hand. Are all people around so charming and polite? (Well, she wouldn't say her god is quite charming in the same way.)]

You must have countless admirers here. Are you a shinki or god?

[priforprince]

Of course, I'm divine.

[ And...one more flourish. To demonstrate that she is so very clever, she knows the answer to the lady's next question! ] None have ever been so suited for the role of Apollo as I.

[ Including, apparently, the original Apollo. If he were any good at his job, she wouldn't currently have it. So there. ]

[holygrailed]

Apollo...

[Irisviel mulls over the name, a contemplative hum escaping. A shinki cannot remember their past, but that doesn't mean knowledge is forgotten.]

I've heard of that name... The Greek god of music?

[It's a strange thing to realize you know something but not why.]

oh boy iri tripped This Gag

[priforprince]

Preek.

[ HIBIKI ]

[trustheart]

[Skiing has always been something Chris has been curious about. Someone named Yukine liking the snow? Imagine that. Her parents had talked about taking her when she was older, but fate had obviously put a damper on that, and sadly, globetrotting as a Symphogear afforded her few opportunities even if circumstances had once found her in the mountains. But she'd ridden a space shuttle down a mountain once before... it couldn't be more harrowing than that, right?

In any case, that's what's driven Chris to come and see what this is all about.

But... "Skipara"? Chris is thinking this all looks like something for someone who has too much time on his or her hands, when suddenly, a toy wooden goat and someone with way-too-shiny-teeth skiis down in front of her.]

Uh. ... Hi? I don't know a damn thing about charm, or who the heck you are, thanks.

[priforprince]

In the face of my gravity, your ignorance is irrelevant.

[ And your attitude.....Is a blow. But she's weathered worse. ]

Are winter sports to your liking?

[ hibiki someone's ability to ski down a mountain has nothing to do with how well they'll serve as the last stuntperson you need for your film

you know that, yes

yes ]

[trustheart]

... [The face Chris makes would make a fine picture for a dictionary's definition of "bemused".] I just wanted to try my hand at skiing. I've never done it before.

[priforprince]

The highest-quality equipment has been prepared.

[ Hibiki gestures to a small golden tent, flanked by more stuffed purple goat toys. Inside, there are indeed a variety of skis and snowboards, etc.

hibiki this is a really lousy stuntperson snare, yes, there has been no answer to my earlier query

hibiki ]

You may fully enjoy it.

[trustheart]

[Chris looks at the tent. How had she not noticed that before?] ... What's with all the goats? And do you have, like, instructors or something?

[priforprince]

You don't think you can learn by doing?

[ Hibiki's chin lifts in a challenge. ]

[trustheart]

I'm thinking I don't want to tumble down the side of a hill and break my neck. Besides, I tried skating on my own and that... didn't go well...

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki sighs. A troublesome candidate, this one.

Not that she knows that's what she is. ]

So be it. [ Can't be helped, but in Hibiki. ] I'll accompany you down the first hill.

R&R

[myblueskies]

Hello miss Hibiki!

[Romeo waves at her with a big smile. He hasn't seen her in a long while, he knows she has been very busy making her movie.

He still remembers the fun they had in, what he know understands to be, her dream. Even though she was littler then he knows she is a very nice and fun person now! Even more so than he did before.]

Do you want to play a game with me?

[priforprince]

This pattern again?

[ Hibiki is too comfortable to feel an appropriately-apportioned sense of impending doom. She sighs. ]

There must be someone you stand a chance of defeating. Such futility is absurd.

[myblueskies]

How will I get better if I don't practice, miss! [He grins at her. He knows your secret now Hibiki. He knows that you were once a little girl who loved games and friends and cake.

Surely she was still like that inside somewhere!]

[priforprince]

Some activities don't merit improvement.

[ Hibiki huddles crossly deeper into her seat, all grown up and a grumpy snob.

A grumpy snob with a piece of gateau chocolat next to her chair, though. ]

[myblueskies]

[Don't be like that Hibiki! Romeo is downhearted for a moment but then sees the gateau chocolat next to her and grins, his spirits lifting.

She's not a shinki so he doesn't have to worry about reminding her of things. So he begins humming the PriPara song they had watched together. Romeo is quite tuneful though the song is from a memory of a dream so not... quite right. He begins setting out the board. He doesn't know how but he makes it up.]

[priforprince]

[ Ugh. Not only is he staying, he's putting the pieces out wro---

....

Hibiki blinks, suddenly at attention. ] That's....

How do you....that song?

[ A repressed memory stirs. All of Hibiki's dreams had been so absurd, her mind chose for her to not recall them. But.

Romeo knows...A PriPara song.... ]

[myblueskies]

We watched it remember? In a big house after we ate gateau and churros. [He smiles a bright smile at her and continues setting out pieces, making patterns with the colours.

He's watching her though, surely she remembers. Even if she was little in her dream she must remember. They promised to be friends!]

1/2

[priforprince]

Why would I consume such a chaotic combination....

[ But wait. Like a key turning in a lock, the doors to Hibiki's memory fling open wide. She stares at him, seeing him overlaid with a boy playing tag with her. A boy showing her how to clear the table.

A boy who'd taken markers, and paper, and - ]