April Training

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone
What: Information and Training
When: May 8th 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, 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.

Once the speech is over, new gods are joined with the rest of the gods in a larger room, although it still has a raised stage and tatami mats. There are worried whispers that they might be given another questionnaire to fill out as was the case a month and a half ago, while others are wondering if this is an impromptu conclave to follow up on Suijin's findings on behalf of Amaterasu.

Well, after a few minutes, Fuujin arrives - with Kaede close behind him. "I hear you all plan on sticking around, so listen up." He crosses his arms and walks towards the front of the stage. "You want to prove we can trust you so much, you can pull your own weight. This whole time, we've been training you and your shinki. Time to show us what you've learned and just how much effort you're willing to put in off the battlefield. Kaede, explain." Fuujin steps back, and Kaede steps forward.

"What my Lord Fuujin means is that we will begin accepting volunteers for temples of the New Gods to host these training sessions. Training should continue to cater to the needs of God and Shinki alike. Prospective Hosts should contact me, Lord Fuujin, or one of the other Counselors Lady Suijin and Lord Raijin, if they are interested in opening up their temple, so that we might make recommendations based on your planned activities." Kaede bows to the crowd. "Lady Suijin and Our Lady Amaterasu also send their regards in this matter."

Although Fuujin harrumphs a little at that final remark, Kaede steps back. "Alright, that's it! Go on if you've got other business."

Shinki Training

There are stacks of informational pamphlets sitting out on tables around the dojo. There aren't very many of the white-robed shinki around, but the few who are present 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. Outside, in an area carefully roped off with red ribbons, are six animated training dummies, but they are damaged in a way that doesn't make them terribly useful as targets. A couple of shinki are trying to repair them on the fly without success, all by hand.

Physical Training

Amaterasu's shinki took the time to reassemble Bishamon's obstacle course on these grounds! Climb walls, crawl through mud, jump across randomly spaced stumps, find your way through a maze and collect one of each of five different-colored ribbons being handed out by shinki attendants for completing each section within the allotted time. Every so often, Amaterasu's shinki high-five each other for setting a good example for future training sessions and sound excited about being allowed to participate in trainings instead of managing them all the time.

There's another segment inside the hall though, away from the noisiness outside. There is a place set up to do low-strain stretching exercises called Rajio Taisou. Afterwards, this includes a duration exercise for practicing seiza sitting position. Those who succeed for at least 15 minutes are treated to an immaculately prepared hot drink of traditional green tea, or a similar sort of beverage upon request, then another at 30 minutes, and so forth. Don't worry, the drink cups are the traditional size - slightly smaller than a modern mug.

Rest and Refreshments

While the usual refreshments and snacks are available, for those who are still up for it, Amaterasu's shinki have one more session that everyone can participate in. They'd originally planned for it to be shinki songs only, but say they decided to make it more general singing practice. They'll sing a handful of kindergarten-age songs twice-through each as warm up, and then move on to some popular enka tunes as well. They have light koto accompaniment, a small piano, and a drum.

In Summary:

• Get all the information you can handle
  
• Discuss with your temple-mates if you'd like to volunteer to host training
  
• Choose your style of physical training: high- or low-impact
  
• Enjoy singing together
• Have fun~

Comments

[thetopofthefoodchain]

[Da Qing stretches as well, arching his back. Just to fit in. As much as a cat could in a dojo. He could transform but if he was in human form someone might try and make him actually train.]

This morning I think, maybe yesterday. He knows though, he's sure. [A god thing.]

I've tried everything. Talking to him, feeding him, I even sat on his lap. [A sigh.] Yunlan left me a note, it said to kick his ass if he got moody but... It would feel like kicking a kitten.

[hypomeneo]

He's going to be grieving for a while. There's no getting around that. The first week will probably be the worst.

[STREEEEEETCH.

Okay, here's all the sum of his experience talking about love, being in a relationship, managing the emotional burden of having to keep a secret without speaking to the god about it, and god wrangling itself.]

I want you to think of all his friends and contact them. Get them to handle prayers for you, bring food, and keep him company for now. What Shen Wei needs to do is concentrate getting through the worst of it, and that means focusing on himself and allowing himself to mourn.

If his lover's other god is up to talking, see if you can get them in the same room so Shen Wei can start getting some of his grief out. Same with any other friends who knew the couple well.

[SIGH]

You also need to take that time to just be there and not do anything else. You're doing the right things: talking, feeding, and sitting on his lap. I'll tell you some things you might try saying in a moment, but you also need to contact your friends. It's going to be bloody rough for you, so have people there you can vent to.

[thetopofthefoodchain]

[Da Qing is very lucky. It seems he has found the most useful human this place has. At least when it comes to matters of broken hearts.

Find all of Shen Wei's friends. He's not actually sure who Shen Wei's friends are. Zhu Hong but she's gone now as well. He can find out though, he's good at finding things out. Contact Yunlan's other god. Get him and Shen Wei in the same room so they can talk.

It was a relief to know he was doing the right things though. Talking, feeding, petting. It seemed humans and cats weren't all that different in that regard at least.]

Right, right. I'll do all that. His friends, Yunlan's god, my friends. [Does he have any friends? He still doesn't know all that many people and truthfully Yunlan was one of the people he was closest too, just because they shared a god. But it's fine.]

This is good advice. You said there were things I should say?

[hypomeneo]

[He thinks he's heard that name before somewhere, but...]

Yes.

[Now let him think very carefully on what advice is safe. What one shinki can handle might send another wandering down paths that may be best not tread.]

First, I want you, when he starts coming out of his shell, to tell him that you're here for him and you'll listen if he wants to talk. Remind him he has people he can talk to if not you. And tell him if he's not ready, then you'll be still here for him while he goes through this.

The important part is that he doesn't feel alone. Be patient during this. Shen Wei might try to push you away or act otherwise in a manner that might hurt. This is where your friends are going to be very important. Talk to them, especially if you feel worn down or hurting. Caring for someone going through this will be exhausting. And talking to them will help alert you if things are suddenly going to a place where more direct intervention is required. Sometimes it's very difficult to figure out on your own, especially if you're struggling through your own emotional turmoil.

[He's not experienced this directly, but his own experiences have led him to understand this is necessary and the rest is extrapolation.]

That's the first thing. There's more.

[thetopofthefoodchain]

[He's already tried that, but he will try it more. Remind Shen Wei that he has people to talk to. But he should do the next bit, remind him he will still be here when he's ready. Don't let him feel alone even if he tries to push him away.]

Right right, so be there for them and talk to people in case it gets more serious, if they need to intervene. What's next? [Maybe he should have brought a clipboard to take notes.]

[hypomeneo]

Haa...

[The sigh that leaves Waver is weary and long drawn out. Now comes the hard, tricky part. Assume the worst case scenario, tailor the advice to match.]

Right now it sounds like he's in shock. But sooner or later he's going to start processing the loss. He may blame himself on some things. There will be regrets about not doing this or not saying that.

Yunlan was a shinki. Shen Wei will be struggling not only with how to go on now that he's gone and dealing with the fact he's dead - sometimes Gods go and forget - but what does he do if he comes back and doesn't remember.

I want you to tell him that Yunlan loves him and will always love him. That if he comes back with no memory, that doesn't make the time they spent together any less real or diminish the feelings that they shared.

That love will always exist.

It won't make any of it less painful. But even if Yunlan's gone right now, it doesn't mean it's necessarily the end of their story.

[thetopofthefoodchain]

[He really should have brought a clipboard. But it's fine. Cats are great at remembering! Except when they die and forget their whole life.

Yunlan might come back and not know them again? That is a sad thing. Sad for Da Qing who was just Yunlan's friend. Sadder for Shen Wei. But Da Qing can do this, say all of this. Remind him that Yunlan loves him and even if he forgets it will not make their time any less real.

Love will always exist. It's a nice thought.] Do you think they could fall in love again? Even if Yunlan forgets?

[Of course they had fallen in love the first time, so perhaps it really would happen, maybe once you love someone that never goes away but Da Qing's not sure. He loved fish and he was sure he had loved fish when he was alive, but that's... that's not the same as two humans loving each other.]

[hypomeneo]

Anything is possible. Shen Wei is Shen Wei, Yunlan will always be Yunlan... memory loss or not. That alone lays the foundations.

Besides... some things run so much deeper than memory. They shape the soul itself. [Waver's lashes lower as he carefully keeps his thoughts on the issue at hand and do not allow them to wander elsewhere. This conversation is... delicate. For many reasons. And requires every bit of a Mage's discipline.] It could be that what they shared was something like this, and that connection will remain, even if Yunlan will not know what it is.

The prospect may be terrifying, really, to face. Because if Shen Wei loves him again, he might lose him again, and it may turn into a cycle where he has to face continual bloody heartbreak.

There's no easy answer to that fear.

[Except to find a way to break the cycle.]

Only a question. How much is that love worth to Shen Wei?

[thetopofthefoodchain]

[To love each other over and over again, even if Yunlan forgets time after time. No matter how many times they will always love each other.

The idea is so hugely romantic that Da Qing doesn't know whether to cry or roll his eyes. He's not sure he even believes it, but he wants to. For Shen Wei's sake.]

I think that's only a question Shen Wei can answer, but I think it is a lot. I've never seen someone be so much in love as those two were.

[Okay he... Doesn't know all that many people. But the point remains.] It would speak to him I think, a love that shapes the very soul. It's the sort of thing he would like, even if it is painful.

[hypomeneo]

[Good. That addresses the stickiness of the past well enough as well as the present. Waver may like to deny it, but he is a huge romantic. But he can't deny the torture in it as well.

He knows ties like that exist, connecting two people beyond space and time. In untold timelines Iskandar and him meet and part, though of course he can say nothing due to his lost memories.]

There's a certain poetry to it. [He'll allow that, though there's a somberness to his voice because the positions this place puts people in is nothing sort of sadism.] But it's also something that if true requires an incredible level of support, especially if Yunlan does return. He'll be needing you more than ever in that time.

But that's the future and a possible one of many. This is best taken day by day. Don't worry too much about the long term now.

[thetopofthefoodchain]

One day at a time. I'll focus on letting him feel everything he needs to feel at the moment and make sure he has friends around him as well as food.

[He can be supportive, if Yunlan returns or not. He can take things day by day, hopefully so can Shen Wei.]

You've been very helpful. I don't even know your name.

[hypomeneo]

[It's at the core of a lot of advice he gives. One day at a time. Waver nods.]

It's Waver Velvet.

[thetopofthefoodchain]

Waver Velvet. [A good name and one he will remember as he has given him so mcuh good advice.] I'm Da Qing.

[hypomeneo]

[A name Waver has some inexplicable faint distaste for actually. But it's his and the only one that matters in this place.]

It's a pleasure, despite what we were talking about.

[Heartbreak is never a pleasure. Unless you're his 'sister'.]

[thetopofthefoodchain]

Indeed, hopefully we will meet more times in happier circumstances. [Despite it not being the best of subjects Da Qing is glad it is Waver he found, he has given some very good advice.]