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

[priforprince]

[ I. Basic Information ]



A pertinent summary, acceptably told.

[ Once again, Hibiki is in the back of the room for the express purpose of judging the speaker at one of these events. She is particularly interested today, since it seems the pristablishment has caught on they're COMPLETELY USELESS and has begun farming out their adprinistrative duties. Hibiki had thus arrived expecting the worst, and yet! And yet! ]

Having idiot cutglasses prepared may prove unnecessary.

[ Hibiki happens, you see, to be in an enormous, stylish, yet thick and opaque-looking set of very snazzy shades today.

Can it be? ]

[ II. Physical Training ]

[ It can indeed. Hibiki's fancy new sunglasses contain facial recognition software in the lenses that scans people's faces and matches them against a database of her doll boxes. Anyone whose doll comes up in the NO, IDIOT, or VULTURE box has their face obscured completely. (This is absolutely how one should make use of being cartoonishly gifted at creating high technology, without question.)

There's just one problem. This isn't Hibiki's home puniverse. And thus it seems that her code...is not functioning quite as intended.

Basically, this is the part where you get to watch Hibiki smack into a wall. And then yell at it. ]

What?! Someone dares bar my way?! Remove yourself!

[ She runs into it again. This...does seem odd, but her cutglasses only obscure idiots, not anything else. The consistency of this obstacle notwithstanding, an idiot, therefore, MUST be in her path! For her work is flawless! ]

Again.....Is there no end to your cheek?! I DEMAND A DUEL!



[ Hibiki winds up and tosses her spare glove. Except Hibiki has a terrible sense of direction. And her lenses have blacked out.

Enjoy a glove to the face! Apparently, it's time to d-d-d-d-d-d-dduel.... ]

[ III. Games ]



Hm. As expected, my victory is complete.

[ The cutglasses are nowhere to be found now. Instead, Hibiki is sitting in her throne, across from a chess set. It is...not one of the chess sets provided. It is Fancier, made of marble. A comfortable chair sits across from her, upon which multiple pillows have been stacked so a spygoat with a grabber may play. Said spygoat has just lost. ]

It seems my staff remains far cry away from passing a Puring test.....You.

[ Yes, you. Person walking by with no interest in chess. ]

My mood remains somewhat sour. I'll have you offer yourself for obliteration.

[ For the grand goal of making Hibiki feel better after - let's not talk about what this is after.

ARE YOU NOT HONORED?! ]

II

[brynwieldr]

[Leo barely dodges the random flying glove as he comes over to see what all this yelling is about.]

You just smacked into a wall. Several times.

[What the actual hells.]

[priforprince]

[ The glasses partially clear, identifying someone whose YES box space had been confirmed earlier today by his assembling a competent training log. Which makes what he’s saying all the more stupefying. Why would a qualified host....? ]

Impossible! My idiot-blocking cutglasses are of first-class construction. They obscure no obstacle!

[ A wall......it can’t be! She, Shikyoin Hibiki, could never.... ]

[brynwieldr]

I didn't realize your...whatevers could change the architecture of my temple.

[priforprince]

I refuse to consider such an error!

[ And therefore it cannot possibly be so! And yet. Someone having the gall to block Shikyoin Hibiki’s path without a word is every bit as impossible as an idiot cutglasses breakdown.

Hibiki turns towards the obstacle, her entire view shorting out once more. And contemplates this phenomenon. ]

A wall, you say.....

[brynwieldr]

You can refuse to consider it all you want. That's not going to change the fact that this--

[Leo reaches out and raps a hand on the wall.]

--is a wall. It's been a wall since I moved my temple here. It will remain a wall until such a time that I decide to remodel. Clearly whatever those glasses are supposed to do doesn't account for things like basic architecture and landscaping.

1/hibiki

[priforprince]

[ That rapping sound is....disconcerting. Hibiki squares off against the obstacle, slowly raising a hand to touch the wall.

Which feels like a wall. ]

It....can’t be......

[ Her free hand begins pushing the cutglasses up onto her forehead.... ]

2/hibiki

[priforprince]

[ Said glasses fall to the ground with a clatter. ]

Hibiki/3

[priforprince]

[ Let us make a deal, Leo. Hibiki shall forgive your temple the presence of this particularly inopportunely-placed wall

and you shall never speak of this again. ]

[brynwieldr]

[Deal.]

There's plenty of food and drinks outside. Would you like me to show you the way?

[priforprince]

That would be best.

[ When Hibiki turns around, she’s trying to banish a Mysterious Headache of a Completely Unknown Cause, Wouldn’t You Agree? ]

Refreshment is indeed required.




[ meanwhile, trying to be as silent as possible, a spygoat with a grabber rolls up behind them to retrieve the cutglasses.

none of this ever maaaaaaa-ppened ]

III

[disregardeddagger]

[There have been many strange sights today, new things to learn, words that draw blanks in her mind, lost to memory or never known at all. Most things Nesir has taken in her stride, noting them, moving on, sometimes asking questions if people are willing.

The sight of someone playing chess with a goat stops her in her tracks. She's not even sure that is a goat, it's not... It doesn't look real and yet it is there, moving pieces around a board whilst sat on pillows.

She's so surprised that it takes a moment to realise that the woman is talking to her. The tone, the demands make Nesir frown when she realises they are aimed at her.]

You're very confident that you can win.

[priforprince]

But of course. “Winning” is a genius’s everyday occurrence.

[ As is acting, in her specific case. But she doesn’t need to act to seem sure of herself. In her own mind, Hibiki has as good as trounced this person already simply by existing. Under typical circumstances, that would render this bout unnecessary.

But today is a....special exception. ]

If you choose to doubt me, however, you’re welcome to test your skill.

[disregardeddagger]

[An actual eye raise at that. A genius? The casual arrogance annoyed her but also intrigued her. Was she as good as she claimed? Was it bluff? She looked at the board again and made up her mind, moving to sit.

A challenge sounded good and this woman was brash enough to intrigue her.]

Explain the rules.

[priforprince]

They’re as you see.

[ Hibiki gestures, somewhat dismissively, to a small purple robot goat wheeling up with a book atop its silver platter. The book is an immensely renowned guide to chess - the best in the business!

For her own part, Hibiki intends to sip this tea while her opponent reads. She’d taught Wendy the rules herself, but why should someone of unknown worth receive a personal lesson from Shikyoin Hibiki? That would be absurd. ]

[disregardeddagger]

[That is a lot of rules. Nesir raised an eyebrow and took the book from the goat.

They aren't alive. It's on wheels. But how is it moving? No one is pulling it, no one is riding it. Magic? She knows little of the magic of the gods, that much hasn't been explained yet.

But first, chess. She opens the page and begins to read. She doesn't get far. Though some of the letters are simple and make words she understands there are other symbols that she has no idea about. Clearly they are important because some of the sentences don't make sense without them.

But she can't show weakness and ignorance is weakness indeed. She did her best, luckily there were pictures along with the explanations and it gave her the gist.

Hope Hibiki doesn't mind waiting as she studies this book intensely.]

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki is unaccustomed to waiting! But considering the circumstances, she’ll benevolently permit a thorough scan of the text.

At first.

How long, exactly...will this take..... ]

[disregardeddagger]

[A while. Nesir can't see any reason why she would have been handed this book unless the woman expected her to study it before playing the game and if she has a book that explains all the rules then she will be expected to know them and make no mistakes.

So she is reading it carefully, as best she could. She will make no mistakes.]

II

[unlucky7]

[They're very nice sunglasses, but maybe they're doing their job too well if Hibiki is colliding with things. Ginia is about to intervene when the glove flies not into the wall, but lightly smacks her in the face. The glove falls harmlessly to the ground as Ginia blinks down at it. It was a harmless accident so she isn't bothered by it at all, but Ginia kneels down and retrieves the glove. Pulling out of her phone, she writes and plays a message as she sets the glove atop Hibiki's head.]

Very well, I accept your challenge. What sort of duel shall this be? Swords? Guns? A test of abilities against each other?

[Hey, this is a training session after all.]

[priforprince]

Ginia?!

[ But she’s not an idiot! How is this possible?!

Hibiki takes a step backwards in shock, barely missing running into the wall a third time. This cannot be! For Ginia to have slighted her?! For her cutglasses to have overperformed....?! ]

The one barricading my progress....was you?!

[unlucky7]

[Ginia carefully moves Hibiki by the shoulders so she further from the wall. There, slightly better.]

No, the one barricading your progress were a wall and your sunglasses. But you challenged me to a duel so I'm obligated to protect my honor.

[So the choice was made, so they must follow through. At least with Hibiki, she's not worried about something like a duel to the death.]

[priforprince]

A wall being blocked by idiot-cancelling cutglasses is ridiculous!

[ The glasses flicker. Yes, there’s Ginia...

Which is intolerable. Ginia has spent too much time associating with the rabble of the Far Shore. That is the only explanation for her current error.

Hibiki shall restore her senses, however! She points at Ginia. ] Even if my challenge went awry, I’ll follow through - to earn your vow never to spout such absurdities again!

[ ....correction. She is pointing slightly to the left of Ginia.

The cutglasses are increasingly incapable to withstand the strain of existing in a world operating on non-cartoon physics. ]

[unlucky7]

[Idiot-canceling... cutglasses...

This is like the headphone thing Wendy was talking about, isn't it. There's perhaps a critical flaw if the glasses are turning walls invisible.

...What would happen if Hibiki looked in a mirror while wearing the glasses?]

Very well. What manner of weapon then?

[priforprince]

What but a sword could be wielded by a Prince?

[ And she just....draws one, from nowhere. One must be thorough, when one is in the habit of being ready to challenge passersby to duels at all times!

It does not look like a practical weapon, though. Not like the sensible practice ones that happen to be sitting off to the side. (Some spygoats are subtler in their service than others.) ]

Now, arm yourself.

[unlucky7]

[One day, Ginia will ask where Hibiki pulls all her items from. Some she'd attribute to Hibiki's god power, but illusions have no tangible form. This she knows well. Some other method then. Well, maybe keeping some mystery around her only adds to her image.

Unable to pull weapons out of the nether, Ginia heads over to the rack and draws a practice sword for herself. Swordfighting is certainly not one of her fully trained skills. Sure, she was able to crunch enough to look decent for the movie. It's easy hacking and slashing with a machete when you're fast. But a full fight?

It may be Hibiki, but Ginia isn't ready to write her off. A dashing prince must know how to duel, or something like that. She gives a snappy salute with the sword before taking up position. The goats create a circle around them, helpfully keeping others out of the fight and keeping them in.

Hey, Hibiki, are you going to take your cutglasses off....?]