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

R&R

[welcome_home]

[ Nanako is almost always at Training Day, and today is no exception, but there's a familiar figure halfway between the refreshment table and where the shinki have set up an area for music.

Blinking in surprise when she realizes she recognizes him - she'd looked for him off and on this month because he seemed nice and she wondered where he'd gone, but hadn't managed to locate him. Several of the others had only been here for the day last month, after all - including her brother. Seeing him again here today makes her smile and she bounces off in his direction to greet him. ]

Hi again! You're still here! I wasn't sure I'd get to see you again!

[21kingpuddings]

[Oho! Today definitely seems like a far less hectic day than the one he showed up on, and with less chaos and fewer people to get lost among, spotting people he may have met before is pretty simple. Even someone as small as Nanako, with that kind of Big Enthusiasm, it'd be impossible to miss her.]

Nana-chan! [Good to see her again...!] Why's that? Were you worried I was going to disappear or something?

[Maybe that 'fewer people' point hasn't fully sunk in for him yet... Ah.]

[welcome_home]

[ Impulsively throwing her arms around his waist in an impromptu hug. ]

Yeah! A lot of the people from last month didn't stay.

[ ....She actually looks really sad about that fact for a moment. But then she smiles again, not wanting him to get sad, too. ]

But I'm really glad I get to see you again!

[21kingpuddings]

[So small... Tamaki bends over a little to reciprocate, though what she says comes as something of a surprise.]

They didn't stay...? [It begs the question of where they would have gone, but if she seems that blue over it, it might be a question better asked of someone else.] Well, I'm not planning on going anywhere. [As if he'd have a choice?] They even told me I have a partner to look out for this time!

[welcome_home]

[ That has her pausing, wondering if that little pull this morning before Training had been tugging her towards him? She peers up at him in surprise. ]

You didn't have a god yet?

[21kingpuddings]

Do you remember how everyone was extra busy last time?

[Frustrating as it was, keeping in mind that 'Ammy is always so busy,' he can't bring himself to be too completely sour about it anymore (thank you Nanako).]

They said they had a bunch of people they weren't ready for. But this time, when I got here, they told me to, [And here, he straightens up, putting on a professional air as if to imitate the person who had given him the instructions,] "Look for Nanshe-sama."

[welcome_home]

[ Her mouth drops open at this. ]

But I'm Nanshe!

[21kingpuddings]

[ :o ]

Eh? For real? [Why couldn't they have just told him that in the first place?? Or, rather, isn't it fortunate that he was supposed to be finding someone he had already met? Ah, well, either way,] So the two of us get to work together, right? [That's exciting...!]

[welcome_home]

Yeah! [ Her entire face lights up as understanding dawns. ] So that means you're my new shinki, then? Oh, yay! That's even more exciting!

[ Exuberant, she impulsively throws her arms around him in an excited hug. ]

[21kingpuddings]

[Tamaki is fully prepared to catch and return the hug, and once he can manage to, he crouches down in order to more properly match her height. At this point, they need to be serious, even if just for a second!]

Okay, if I'm your shinki, that means I'll be protecting you, right? [Despite being left in the dark about the finer details of all of this for so long, that seems like a reasonable conclusion to come to.] I'll do my best, so I want you to be able to count on me for anything you need, sound good?

[welcome_home]

[ When he crouches down to her height, she gives his words very serious consideration before nodding - but not without her own addendum. ]

We protect each other! If you're my shinki, it means we're partners now. So I want you to count on me, too, okay?

[21kingpuddings]

[Does it feel irresponsible to be relying too heavily on someone clearly much younger than him? A little. Just a little. She did say that she had been here for a long while, at least, so surely she knows what she's talking about.

Any concerns are easy enough to shrug off, at least. If they're truly going to be partners, then they need to look out for each other, simple as that.]

It's a deal. [And what better way to seal a deal than with


A pinky swear]

Let's both work hard, okay?

[welcome_home]

[ Her face lights up when he doesn't argue. And when he offers her his pinkie. Her eyes go a little wide as she reverently lifts her hand and wraps her own pinky finger around his. This is the most reverent kind of promise, after all. ]

Okay! I promise!

But if we're gonna be partners now, I need to give you a shinki name. That's what calls you as a vessel, and also shows you're my partner. It doesn't hurt, though.

[21kingpuddings]

[The shinki pamphlet didn't mention anything about anything involving god and shinki pairing to be painful, and something as simple as 'getting a name' doesn't sound like something that'd hurt either... It's probably for his sake that she assuaged that thought before he could even possibly think it up, but it does make him wonder a little,]

Why would it hurt? [How odd, but he doesn't sound totally invested in getting an answer. It's more important that they get this matter settled first, probably.] It's gotta be different from my name now, right?

[welcome_home]

Because it's like, umm.... [ She thinks real hard for a way to describe it, having never experienced it personally, only given Names before. ] It's like a tattoo, sorta! But a magic one!

And yeah, it's a Name only I can call you, when I need your help, and you'll change into something else so we can fight the bad spirits together. Everyone becomes something different!

[21kingpuddings]

Oh, that's those markings that some people have, then...?

[He gets the general gist of the situation, so Nanako's explanation makes enough sense to him that he doesn't need much further elaboration on what all is going to happen. The logistics of the name being a 'magic tattoo' is really curious, but he's pretty sure that Nanako's giving him as clear of an idea about them as she can.

Maybe he'll understand it more when he gets his? The only way to find out is to wait and see, probably.]

Okay, so how do you pick out a name? Do you need me to help...?