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

[trustheart]

[Well that's a bit disappointing. But Chris nevertheless nods in the affirmative.]

Sure.

[The gear retracts, and forms into an advanced-looking pistol.]

Let's try this before the rifle.

[unlucky7]

Can you aim a little toward the right of the bullseye? I'm going to see if I can nudge the shots to the center. I could sense the bullets from the mini-gun, but I think they were moving too fast or were too many for me to do much.

[trustheart]

To the right? Got it.

[Chris positions her arm to the right side, off center from where she needs to hit the bullseye, and pulls the trigger, sending a single bullet shooting towards the edge of the target.]

[unlucky7]

[With one bullet, it's easier to focus. Ginia hones in on the bullet as its fired, feeling like she's grabbing and tugging with great force. The bullet's trajectory curves, striking to the left of where Chris fired, though not quite a bull's eye.

Ginia scoffs and frowns.]

My pride as a sniper won't stand for this. Fire again.

[trustheart]

Not that I mean to criticize, but I'm starting to feel like you have more influence on your own projectiles? I fired a lot of arrows in that battle and it was in the heat of combat.

[Chris felt any feedback was necessary at this point. But she's not going to deny Ginia a chance to satisfy her pride. She positions her arm in the exact same way as before, and fires again, as instructed.]

[unlucky7]

Honestly, I agree, and it would make sense.

[If the bow is herself and the arrows an extension of that, having the greatest control over her own projectiles makes the most sense. However, with Chris's wide spread of weapons, knowing her limits is good too. The fact she can affect Chris's bullets is good to know.

With a better understanding of the feeling, Ginia is able to steer the bullet toward center, getting a little closer but not perfect. Easier with understanding, but it still feels like it takes more effort. It'll do for now.]

Want to try firing with me now?

[trustheart]

Sure. I just... didn't want you to think I was doubting your abilities, you know?

[Chris drew the bow, and put her hands on the bowstring. After a moment, she realized something.]

Do you mind if I test something first? When I fired you for the second time, I created seven arrows at once instead of one. I wanna figure out what my limit is on that before I fire.

[unlucky7]

Don't worry, I get it.

[There's still a small personal sting to her pride she couldn't affect the bullets from the minigun and that her aim with the pistol isn't perfect, but time has tempered Ginia's dread of failure. The small gut reaction of expecting punishment or at least disappointment is still there, but it burns out faster. Don't think too much, keep on going.]

I noticed that too. Take your shot, I won't worry about affecting anything. I'm curious myself how it works.

[trustheart]

Alright. Let’s see here...

[Chris counts the number of targets. One, two, three, four, five... Chris draws back the bowstring, and sure enough, five energy arrows spawn along the shaft of the bow. But what she has in mind is trying to create more arrows than there are targets. She lets the bowstring ease back into position, causing the arrows to disappear.

Then she pulls it back again, trying to will the creation of six arrows instead. But only five appear.

Chris frowns. She repeats the process, willing only one arrow into existence this time. One appears. Then she begins to mentally add more arrows one by one. Just like before, she can’t make it past five.

At this, she eases the bowstring and sighs as the arrows disappear again.]

We can only shoot as many arrows as there are targets.

[unlucky7]

[Ginia feels the tension as the bowstring is pulled back. It's strange feeling it as an extension as herself, yet it isn't unnatural either. It's like the feeling of crouching before a spring, of bracing before taking a blow. Tension, release, the ebb and flow of a fight.

She feels the arrows too, her sense over them much more acute and sharper. Similar to the bullets, but a stronger sense. Ginia counts the arrows as they appear and disappear, comparing them to the target.]

It makes sense to me. Easier to keep track of that way. Anything else you want to check before you shoot?

[trustheart]

No, that was the only thing I wanted to be sure of. If I need more firepower than you have to offer, there's always my Symphogear.

[She took aim, and drew back the bowstring again, calling up five arrows, just as before.]

Here we go.

[She released the bowstring, and fired.]

[unlucky7]

[As the arrows fly, it feels less like Ginia is having to force the direction or tug, and more like she's guiding each other. Regardless of where Chris aimed, Ginia gathers the arrows into a neat clump, striking the centermost target with five arrows on the bull's eye.]

That was definitely easier. It felt like I was putting less effort into controlling the arrows.