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

[priforprince]

....Hm?

[ Hibiki blinks. This surprises her, as she'd been too caught up in her own suffering to realize salvation could have possibly been at hand. Minako has an idea...?

Could salvation...be at hand....? ]

[reloves]

[ The problem is that Minako's ideas are not always very.. good. But at the very least there's some real genuine effort and intentions behind it. And maybe this time the plan isn't so terrible - it's not as over the top as some of them, anyway, if there's to be any standard of quality.

Because when Minako gets back (still running) a few moments later, she holds something out in her hands to Hibiki triumphantly - it's a set of ear plugs.

(They're very pink.)

She smiles widely. ]

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki stares at Minako's open palm. Her eyes go wide. Then they narrow.

Then they close entirely, and she sighs. That, right there, is almost a good idea. As expected of her fan!! And yet.

And yet....!! ]

....I can manage.

[reloves]

[ AND YET....

She was close. Yet so far. Minako looks proud for another moment, but then Hibiki's answer slowly seems to dawn upon her. Which makes her give Hibiki the saddest possible puppy eyes. ]

Y.. You mean you don't need them..?

[priforprince]

Taking my leave is likely the best option.

[ Hibiki raises a hand in explanation. It slowly moves to try and nudge the earplugs away. ] No gathering so uninspiring could possibly be worth even my peripheral involvemen....

[ .....wait

is she

is she being given

a face ]

[reloves]

[ There is a face. There is most definitely a face.

In fact, the face only seems to get even more sad-kicked-puppy-y as Hibiki continues to speak. ]

But I thought we could maybe.. participate.. together..

[ Can you deny that joy to one of your most loyal fans, Hibiki?! ]

[priforprince]

Wh--

[ oh no

oh no

OH NO

what.....what is this tremendous....sense of pressure....??? Minako hadn't only sought to aid her, but....

Hibiki's hand begins to lower, palm down. It is not quite over the earplugs, yet, but its "refusal" trajectory has definitely been interrupted. ]

[reloves]

[ Minako sucks in a loud breath as Hibiki's hand lowers a bit. Almost like someone watching a movie and getting really into it, except this is real life. This is actually happening to her. Yet Minako can't help but still react so visibly anyway.

And even though Hibki still hasn't given in, hasn't even verbalized that in the slightest, Minako already seems to take this small, starting gesture as acceptance. ]

Oh, H.. Hibiki-sama, I just knew you treasure me in your heart too..! [ She looks like she's about to cry.

At least it's in a good way this time? ]

minako needs to teach this to natsuru

[priforprince]

....But of course.

[ --and suddenly, just like that, Hibiki is smirking and twinkling. No, really. The air around them is making glitter noises.

She scoops up the earplugs without looking at them and tucks them into a pocket. ] Blending our passions in any sort of pastime is bound to quadruple them.

is hibiki truly ready though for an army of fangirls she can't say no to?

[reloves]

[ Score.

What Minako wants, Minako gets. At least she didn't do it with bad intentions - she just wants Hibiki's attention! That's a natural thing! As far as Minako is concerned, needing Hibiki's attention is like a basic need. Like needing air to breathe.

She may not be aware she's slightly deviating from the norm there, but who cares. She's stuck in Hibiki's glitter field. This is truly heaven. ]

B-Blending.. our passions..!

[ She's repeating those words with a little too much enthusiasm. Her mind is probably way off into fantasy land. Just keep it out of the gutter, Minako, you're both children. ]

Don't worry, I'll make sure you only get to play the best games! I'll make sure to tell the shinki in charge that Hibiki-sama is present among us, he'll understand right away!

hibiki's readiness is primmaterial

[priforprince]

Such sound judgment reassures my heart.

[ Hibiki offers Minako a hand, so they may enter and partake of the, ah. Well, if there is high-quality play to be found, they shall locate it.

Perhaps....perhaps then this won't be so bad. Besides, now she's committed, so she shall triumph!

A tilt of her head indicates where they're headed: ]

To our overwhelming victory.