May Training

[brynwieldr]

Who: Everyone
What: Information and Training
When: May 23rd 2017
Where: Odin’s Temple
Summary: Training and informational sessions for newly arrived gods and shinki; bonding opportunities for all other gods and shinki

Gods and shinki who arrive at the meeting hall are, for once, not led to the back for an introduction to their new roles. They’re instead rounded up and shown the way to Odin’s Temple, where "Odin" is waiting for them. Hopefully the sight of a twenty-something in loose pants and a t-shirt isn’t too shocking compared to the formally dressed old gods.

Basic Information

Unlike previous introductions, Leo has all the newcomers meet in the front room. There’s chairs and a sofa and ottomans for anyone who wants to sit, and they’ve brought in a dais of sorts for Leo and Kairi to stand on.

"Welcome to Heaven, or the Far Shore as some of the older gods call it. I am Leo de Borel, formerly a prince of the Kingdom of Nohr and currently the god Odin. This is my shinki, Kairi. The old gods have asked me to host training this time, but before we do that, you should know what you’re getting into. Some of this information is not my own, but was gathered by my husband, Aymeric de Borel. Unfortunately he's currently down with a sleeping sickness and couldn't join us today."

Leo then launches into basic rundown of Heaven and how things work here--the gods answer prayers, the shinki assist them, ayakashi are the monsters they fight and are generally the main thing causing the people on the Near Shore grief, and a brief summary of the greatly diminished cult--and asks for the gods and the shinki to follow either him or Kairi, depending on which they are. He’ll help anyone who’s not sure which they are figure it out, and then he and Kairi take their groups outside where Leo has set up some training grounds.

God Information

As they head outside, Leo explains a god’s role a bit more in depth to any newcomers and will answer questions should anyone else ask them. Once they get outside and most of the important questions are answered, Leo hands out pamphlets he had made that summarize most of the important information shared today, with an emphasis on not telling a shinki about their past no matter what, and tells them that today is mostly going to be about them figuring out their powers and perhaps finding a shinki or two they work well with, should they not already have one. If they have any other questions, they’re welcome to come find him and ask.

Shinki Information

All of the shinki, no matter how recently they arrived, are treated to a parallel speech by Kairi, but it’s with a bit of passion focusing on god-shinki bonds and what they could be, which she hopes applies to brand new shinki as well as shinki who are only as "new" as she is. She cites a shinki’s ability to help their god/dess with prayers in more ways than as a vessel, for one thing, and that temple structures will vary with the gods themselves. Some become families, for instance - here she looks to both Raichi and D2 - and deep friendships that can last beyond any struggle you can imagine - she looks at Lance and Dust. She explains how there was a time when just being attached to the same pantheon as your god meant that another temple might help you, and some of the new gods may still feel that way. Her point remains that if there’s a specific sort of bond you’re looking for, that god might be out there waiting for them, and she encourages them to ask an older shinki for advice if they’re uncomfortable in their current temple setup. "No one will understand better than your fellow shinki," she insists with a smile.

Speech over, she offers pamphlets to those who might not have received one previously and directs any shinki still struggling with spellwork to where Leo has arranged for a few of Amateratsu’s shinki to teach them how to cast a borderline. More experienced shinki are welcome to assist, but once you think you’ve got it the shinki are welcome to join the gods in the training grounds. Kairi tells the newbies the same thing Leo told the gods: their main goal for today is to get in some practice and maybe find a god they work well with.

Physical Training and Pair Ups

It’s a simple set up this month, since Leo’s yard isn’t really built for this sort of thing, but the basic set up is what you’d expect; there’s dummies for more solo practice, a sparring circle for some one-on-one training, and food laid out for anyone who gets hungry. (And if anyone asks who did the cooking or otherwise thanks Leo, he will direct them to Yoon because he did all the cooking, except for the pizzas. Praise him.)

Once everyone is more or less at the training area, Leo asks everyone to hold a moment so he can explain one last thing.

“The Heavens have asked that my shinki and I do our best to pair unpartnered gods and shinki up, be they new or old, in hopes of making stronger, more lasting bonds. If you meet someone you think you might work well with in the long term, please let either Kairi or I know and we’ll make a note of it.”

And that’s the last you’ll hear from Leo officially, unless you have questions.

Battle Tactics

Or maybe not. For those of you with a partner or who are just interested in learning new techniques, Leo’s arranged for something a little unique this month.

Perhaps you and your partner aren’t really fighting optimally, no matter what you do, or are just getting outmatched by some of the more intelligent ayakashi and have to resort to brute forcing your way through them. Leo has offered to spar against those who want to work on their teamwork (with or without his own shinki) or otherwise observe a fight so he can offer advice afterwards on how you might improve your teamwork.

If you don’t have a partner or are just interested in something not physical (which Leo totally gets), Leo’s also set up a few things inside. There’s a couple of chess sets out (always a good option) as well as, oddly, a few video games. Leo found a game that allowed him to set up simulated large scale battles if you want to try your hand at that sort of thing, as well as games to encourage cooperation between a god and their shinki. This includes a game where up to four people are trying to run a restaurant and one game that has one person reading from a manual and the other trying to defuse a bomb.

Have fun!

In Summary:

• Be baffled by this millennial looking god
• Attend the information meeting
• Train
• Eat, meet people, maybe find a partner
• Play video games
• Have fun~

Comments

[unlucky7]

[He's a regular sleeping beauty today, and she'd tease him more about the lack of sleep and what might be causing it if she didn't have hunches of the less fun variety. There's plenty of sugar in that juice box.]

I could always run and get you an iced coffee. Or any number of energy drinks from my temple.

[Ginia diligently wipes her hands off between bites of pizza, still scarfing down the slices. Flying is sure a hell of a workout.]

Tsubasa. Keeping family ties close, maybe.

[hypomeneo]

I might take you up on it. It's never been so bad before.

[There's a in-joke about cosmic defying power and Troy he could crack, but he's not up for it. Instead he goes straight to trying to drain the juice box.]

Chris's friend.

I don't know her well, but I've liked what I've seen of her. Iskandar is better acquainted.

[He huffs, softly.]

Don't tell any of them, but it's my evil plan for him to adopt her too. He's already done so with Chris... so...

[unlucky7]

[Ginia scoffs lightly.]

Of course you need to adopt both of them. They're a package deal.

[Can't adopt one and leave the girlfriend out after all. Not that they're girlfriends. Yet. But it's damn obvious to anyone who sits down and talks with them for more than a few minutes.

Ginia gives Waver's foot a gentle smack, expression falling a little more serious. She never wants to see anyone in pain, even more so with Waver. With all the conversations they've had, she worries constantly. There's no one else so close to a fall; not because of any action, but because he's too smart for his own good, because he's shoved in a role he can't fit into without fracturing the box closing around him. With how worn he looks right now, it's impossible not to worry.]

I'll get you some drinks, you give me a coin for our jar and unload your thoughts, okay?

[hypomeneo]

[Waver smiles slightly. Knowingly.]

They sure are.

[... give him a flock of children. The want is out of nowhere but Iskandar attracts them, so Waver is content to indulge the small ones when they come. Teenagers are different beasts, but still there's the impulse to guide.

He must of zoned out for a while, because Ginia's nudging his foot, and Waver automatically fishes in his pockets for yen and holds it out.]

Okay. [Yawn.] Better get the strong ones.

[Christ, were the strong ones with the gold caps. Urrrrrrrgh.]

[unlucky7]

[Ginia takes the coin and tucks it into a front pocket. She rises and runs off to her temple, long bounding leaps to cover ground. There's enough time for him to enjoy another brief nap before she returns with the promised drinks. There's one of the energy drinks with gold caps - thanks, Natsumi - as well as a few assortments of canned coffee. Extra sugar, extra cream, black, espresso, a treasure trove of caffeine goodness. No shortage of that at the temple.

She's also picked up more juice for herself. It seems like the kind of day for talking and drinking. Ginia downs her first juice box before starting on one of the new ones.]

All right, lay it on me. What has you so exhausted?

[hypomeneo]

[His eyelids raise slowly as he looks at her, and he yawns again. It makes him look younger, softened by clinging sleep.]

It's a combination of things.

... I told you that I knew that my former life had been very... painful. One of the ways I know are the nightmares. I can't remember a thing of them, so that's telling.

I can't remember any of my dreams.

[Did Caster ever tell you Heroic Spirits can only dream the past (there may be one or two exceptions), Ginia?]

But since Satya's disappearance, they've taken on a new viciousness. Last night was very bad.

[unlucky7]

[Is there a shinki among their generation that isn't plagued by nightmares? No, not everyone had horrible lives. That much is certain. Ginia's expression softens as she leans back on her hands. She looks upward, slowly exhales.  Is it better living with the dread and uncertainty or knowing? Her hands ease away from the ground and back to her phone.]

You aren't the only one that doesn't remember your dreams or nightmares. I don't know if any shinki does.

[And when they do, it's never just a dream but a slice of a forgotten life slotting back in.]

How do you feel when you wake up from a nightmare? Mine are always a sense of dread. Disgust and despair sometimes.

[It's easier voicing things to other shinki sometimes. She's never told things to any of her gods because what's the point? There's nothing to tell when she can't remember, when they're just blurry dreams with lingering feelings behind. She's not the only one having nightmares in Ebisu's temple anyway.]

I sometimes try to remember they're only dreams. That they can't hurt me. But that's kinda a hollow sentiment at times.

[hypomeneo]

Well... that's both reassuring and concerning.

[That every shinki is stuck dreaming of the past and allowed nothing else. But it does make sense in a very twisted way...

A way Waver doesn't dare utter.]

But how I feel... dread. Horror. Terror. Ripping grief. Guilt.

Helplessness.

[Pressure. There's the dread all shinki feel, but for Waver it's transmuted into pressure mostly. There's pressure before the dread, pressure in the dread - the sensation of mental barriers being tested.

It's instinctual to turn away... at least it was as first. Now... it's different. Waver knows how the barriers are constructed in his bones. Can feel the weak points and the spiderweb of fracture points without pushing. What to reinforce.

... perhaps no other shinki has so intimate knowledge of this without the fall. It's so very close.

But he's a shinki in form only. He is his own God. He will endure. He has to.]

... I know.

Being so strung out is harm of its own, really. [He bites his lip.] I know there's medication for dreamless sleep, and I'm going to pursue it for both my sake and Iskandar's... though, it'll only ease things for him.

[Stalling tactics. Possibly won't work on a Heroic Spirit.]

But it'll be something at least.

[unlucky7]

Forget making things better for Iskandar, you need to make things better for you.

[Were it only so simple. It's a controlled, annoyed outburst on her end, a rare moment of typed honesty. Improve things for yourself, make it easier for your god, it's the same line Heaven feeds over and over. Yes, the god-shinki relationship is important, but it's not the only thing either.

Ginia taps her phone against her knee. It's Waver. She doesn't know how much he knows, but she knows he knows far more than anyone else. So her next question needs to be a careful one because he could easily bring her crashing down too.]

Satya's disappearance aside, is there anything else worsening your nightmares you can talk about?

cw; discussion of suicide

[hypomeneo]

Iskandar is actually a reason why I'm so wrung out, though, and it's feeding into the nightmares.

[Quietly.]

It's not his fault... or my fault. [Progress.] But it's a positive feedback loop. But I see him deteriorating, and that is putting more strain on me, which in turn puts more strain on him.

I told you he doesn't do well with being helpless, and given all this is stressing my condition, he isn't coping well. Who could? But... a snap from him could mean people dead or him killing himself at worse, and that's what I'm fearing. It's a place he won't come back from...

How badly he reacted to the death of Hephaestion is on the Temple walls. Worryingly there are other incidents I know of that aren't.

[Waver sighs... rubs his arms.]

I don't want to lose him too.

[unlucky7]

["Then ask him to release you."

What does it say when that's her first thought? Ginia keeps it to herself. It's not helpful in the moment, not what she truly believes is the right option either. It eases the burden of the feeling on the god, but it's not about that. It's asking to break something precious and sacred. 

'Only ask to be released if you'd truly be happier, not from duty.' Kiwami's words have stuck with her since the festival along with the other words of her temple. They will let her leave if that's what she truly wants, but they'll stand by her even if she's in trouble. Even if she's trouble.

However, she's not dating her god. Perhaps this is why Heaven sees such a relationship as taboo. It's a lot of emotions, a lot of intimacy in so many ways, and there's no escaping the power imbalance inherent in the system. But if they can weather through it... isn't love supposed to be worth it?

When there are no meaningful words, let actions do. Sorry, Waver, you're getting another hug from her. It's all she knows what to do in the moment.]

[hypomeneo]

[Iskandar would not release him and Waver knows a release means his death. It's something he can't tell her, because the next question is why would another Name kill you.

He knows it'd drive him to guilt. He knows he knows far far too much. That has been true since the first day.

Tears soak into her shoulder as Waver weeps silently and wraps his arms around her. He is a move away from facing checkmate.]

... there's no option but to keep fighting and trying to get both of us to a safer place.

[...]

... I just am scared I won't pull us back in time.

[unlucky7]

[Ginia holds on tight, a hand rubbing soothingly over his back. She needs a hand free to type, but she still keeps her arm close.]

What has Iskandar been doing for you lately?

Not accusing or criticizing, trying to understand the situation more.