December Training

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone
What: Information and Training
When: March 8, 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 midafternoon, once 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, which are spreading out even further with the onset of Spring. Strangely, there are many fewer flowering trees than might be expected.

Shinki Training

A well-appointed dojo has been prepared for newcomers to practice the 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 what look like old clothes and sheets rescued from the rag pile and hung from trees or stuffed with straw to serve as targets. Some of the children are trapping their straw-stuffed targets by dancing in circles around them, hands held as they sing the Kagome song; others are using cutting borderlines to bring sheets fluttering down.

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 interact with one of them or if you have any questions about handwaving an interaction.

Physical Training

The cherry blossoms that had begun to bloom across the Meeting Hall grounds seem to have experienced a mysterious mishap. Buds and half-opened blossoms alike have rained down from the branches, carpeting the fresh spring grass below with soggy brown and black rot. Several gardener shinki, with their sleeves tied back and sensible heavy aprons to protect their white uniforms, are raking up the fallen blossoms and trying to coax the trees back to health with powders and straw wraps to protect the trees' trunks from nightly chill. They need help: climb the trees and sprinkle the knots along the branches with invigorating powders to encourage fresh buds, or help the gardeners hold the straw in place around the tree trunks while it's wrapped with cloth, or just help rake up the dead flowers.

Besides the cherry problems, the gardens are beautiful and just beginning to burst into spring bloom. Tulips, crocuses and daffodils are sprouting everywhere, and once the borderline game is done, the child shinki are quickly organizing a garden-wide game of hide-and-go-seek. Find the best hiding spot you can, and make a break for home base as soon as you're sure the seeker is too far away to catch you! But don't run into anyone on the way.

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. A fresh springtime menu is available: lightly flower-scented teas, plum wine, and a variety of little savory or sweet snacks to nibble on while waiting for dinner. Dinner turns out to be okonomiyaki: bowls with mixed batter and a plate full of tasty add-ins are brought out, and griddles at the center of the table heated to let every guest set out their own favorite add-ins, pour batter over, and make a savory pancake. It's a little tricky to flip with the tiny spatulas provided, but it should only take a few pancake disasters to get the hang of it, probably!

After eating, a few doves will flutter into the room, dropping off scrolls to certain people, and the frazzled-looking adult shinki from the earlier training session dashes to the front of the room to try to keep everyone occupied. He's reading from a handful of printouts with corporate icebreaker ideas: pin a secret card to the back of everyone's shirt and ask whoever you meet for clues to figure out what it says! Fill out a bingo card with different skills or experiences your fellow gods and shinki have! Figure out how to stack every piece of furniture in the room onto just one table... play a game where you're only allowed to reply with questions... switch tables every five minutes and see how well you can get to know the other person there before your five minutes are up. Wait, isn't that speed dating? He seems to be running out of ideas.

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 some icebreakers
• Have fun~

Comments

[mithrarin]

I almost think it would be easier if it were moving.

[A faint hint of humor creeps into his quiet voice, amusement that she's instructing him on techniques to hit an opponent. But he knows she means well, is trying to help, and doesn't know him, so he isn't mad in the least bit. Instead, he makes a point of embracing her suggestion, focusing for a moment before snapping his hand out from rest once again.]

[The line slashes through an edge of the rag, leaving a strip of cloth to flutter away.]

[trustheart]

... Moving, huh?

[Chris takes hold of her pendant, and sings, "Killter ichaival tron!" before transforming into an armored warrior. The armor on her arms extends and expands, taking the form of a pair of launchers.]

If you want, I can use this to shoot some moving targets. Kind of like shooting skeet, you know?

[mithrarin]

[Dust lifts one hand slightly in surprise, before his fingers curl in. That armor -- he knows it, or rather, knows its style.]

...Sorry, but -- are you a god, or a shinki?

[trustheart]

... I'm a god. [She raises an eyebrow.] What does that have to do with anything?

[mithrarin]

[She must be fairly new if she doesn't understand why Dust needed to be cautious about that.]

Because I didn't want to ask you this question if you were a shinki, and had no memory. Since it would just lead to bad things. Do you know Maria?

[trustheart]

... Yeah, I know Maria. Could you do me a favor and not share what we have in common? I don't know if she uses this here, and I don't want anything to cause trouble for her if she still knows what this armor is.

[mithrarin]

[Dust twitches another nod.] She used to. I don't know if she still does. She... was a god, before, but became a shinki.

[And forgot. Forgot everything, including that they were friends once.]

I wanted to warn you, but I think you get the idea.

[trustheart]

... It's fine. I really do appreciate it. [She frowns.]

Was she your friend? She was... is mine too...

[mithrarin]

She was, yes.

[Slight emphasis on was.]

Does that armor... run a risk for you, over time?

[trustheart]

... No. And I can explain to you why. Maria's armor uses a drug called Linker to boost her compatibility levels, but my compatibility level is high enough that I can transform without it.

[She holds out her arms, gesturing to the whole of her armor.]

I can transform without risking any damage to myself, except for the kind sustained in battle, or if someone sabotages my gear.

[mithrarin]

[That's more about Maria than she's ever voluntarily shared, and it explains a lot. As well as raising more questions that Dust isn't going to ask.]

Then I won't feel guilty about asking for the help you offered.

[trustheart]

[Chris smiled again.]

Don't worry, I'll let you know if there's anything risky about any help I offer.

Get into position, and I'll start shooting.

[mithrarin]

[There's another way she's a little different from Maria.]

[Dust lets his hand fall to his side entirely, fingers loose and muscles relaxed. That's all he needs to do, for what he's attempting.]

I'm ready.

[trustheart]

Alright then!

[Chris took aim, and fired off a crystalline spike from the end of each launcher; normally, she fired this in multitudes from her Armed Gear in crossbow form, but this time, it was only two. Two opportunities for Dust to hit the target.

They also normally broke apart into smaller spikes and raised down like hail on enemies, but today, Chris has disarmed that feature.]

[mithrarin]

[For just a heartbeat, Dust seems not to have noticed -- but then his hand snaps out, fingers and thumb in proper configuration as he invokes the Borderline. The cutting force slashes through one of the spikes; a moment later, he cleaves the second one as well.]

[Just as he'd thought. A motionless target didn't really spark the proper mindset in him.]

[trustheart]

Hey, good job! Looks like that was just what you needed!

[She readies another round in both her launchers.]

Want me to go again?

[mithrarin]

It feels more like an actual fight this way. Yeah. Please.

[Practice makes perfect. Improvement is necessary. He can't rely on just two shots as proof he'd achieved his goals.]

[trustheart]

[Chris nods, and decides to herself to up the challenge a bit. This time, she lets four crystal spikes fly.]

[mithrarin]

[As before, Dust moves from a neutral stance to cut two down -- but as he reaches the third, his instincts betray him, his body shifting forwards to put him into position to cut down the shards with his sword. The third cutting line goes wide because of that, and he doesn't even attempt the fourth as he arrests his forward progress almost violently.]

Urgh...

[trustheart]

Hrm. Don't feel too bad about that, alright? Not everyone is going to do perfectly each time.

[Her Armed Gear shifted as she prepared to fire again.]

Do you want to try four again, or stick to three for now?

[mithrarin]

I should stick to four. [No sense feeling like he's taking a step backwards. He knows what's wrong, and thinks he has an answer.]

[trustheart]

... If that's what you want.

[Chris finished loading her launchers, took aim, and fired, shooting four crystal spikes into the air, just as she did before.]

[mithrarin]

[Once he makes his first attack, Dust realizes, there's no reason to stick to a motionless pose. He no longer gains as much benefit from surprise as he does in the first moment, after all.]

[So his first Borderline comes out without warning, like a quick-draw, but then he whirls into motion, bring his arm around to stab it like a weapon in quick succession as he turns with the spikes' movements. Three shatter, but the line aimed for the fourth flies wide by a matter of inches.]

[trustheart]

[Another miss. But a miss by only inches.]

You almost had all of them. But... [She quickly reloaded.] There's only one thing for it, right?

[mithrarin]

I'm thinking about it too much. I have to just flow.

[Dust nods, a little smile twitching across his face as he settles back into his still, neutral posture. This girl understands pretty well.]