June Training

[priforprince]

Who: Everyone
What: Information and Training
When: June 7th, 2017
Where: Apollo's Temple, The Far Shore
Summary: FIRST-CLASS ENTERTAINME---er, training for extant gods and shinki



Determining which temple to visit for today's training is not difficult. For one thing, Apollo's Temple is setting off fireworks periodically to entice newcomers through its high, Hibiki-statue-flanked doors. For another, anyone leaving their own temples will find themselves immediately confronted with an adorable purple goat robot wearing sunglasses and a bow tie. The goat has a silver platform suspended above it, atop which has been set a single purple rose and a brief note:

I shall be maa-ttending you today. Follow me.

Said goat will continue to follow your character until they give in and do as the note suggests. In fact, even once they do, the goat shall accompany them for the duration of today's log, seeing to their every need. Ask the goat to fetch something, and it shall be fetched. Ask the goat for directions within Hibiki's castle - "Where is the god training?", "Isn't there an amusement park in here?" - and guidance shall be provided maa-ccordingly.

It seems, today, everyone will receive a full Celebrity Maa-xperience.



Introductions

Incidentally, Hibiki's temple does indeed contain an amusement park. Everyone shall be directed there first, to enjoy the roller coasters, spinny teacups, and merry-go-round to their hearts' content until all the TVs in the area switch on at once. (Should your character not be positioned by one of the many televisions scattered throughout the area, have no fear. Your maa-ttendant has just rolled away and come back with one.)

"CelePara Prince Hour!"

Hibiki's face appears on the screen. She's a decent amount of space back from the screen, for once, and seated upon her throne. There's a brilliant sun motif on the wall behind her - or is it a crown? It's both, perhaps.

"Everyone, it's been a while. Shikyoin Hibiki here. Have your hearts been astonished by the peerless excellence I've delivered to you today?"

The maa-ttendants all nod. Which is hard for robots without neck joints to do, so they rock in place on their wheeled platforms instead. Clatter, clatter. Hibiki, for her part, nods back as if she's witnessed this occurrance.

"Splendid. The three characteristics of divinity are - Majestic. Unparalleled. And...Possessing great love." A smirk. "It's as if the position exists just for me. But those of you tasked with a duty you're currently incapable of fulfilling need not despair. I've arranged a variety of beneficial exercises for gods and shinki alike. Engaging in them is best, so we can create it."

She raises an arm, as if showing everyone ascending from her beneficial guidance. "Together with me - the ultimate puniverse!"

The TVs switch off. Those closest to gods display, on a map, where the god training is. Those closest to shinki display the shinki training. All indicate the physical training and the refreshments. The refreshments seem to be.....outside? With a time marked for dinner?

Pay that no mind. It's probably fine.

God Training

Hibiki isn't at the god training, either, which is taking place in a banquet hall. And which appears to be, ah....a swanky tea party. With a sign indicating there's a sauna next door. She does, however, appear on a large TV a bevy of spygoats push into position once any new gods have entered the room. Behold!

"So-called gods, glad you could make it. Yours is the tremendous task of assisting me, the God of Fortune Apollo, to bring radiance to the scrap-heap puniverse known as the Near Shore. As satisfying your followers with anything less than a Top-Class showing is insufficient, I'll give this chance to steep in a celebrity atmosphere to you. The chosen deities require no throat-drying or sweat-inducing hardship. Open the new celeb world."

And, with that, the tea party begins. Those not wishing to enjoy the top-class light sweets or delicious first flush teas may rid themselves of their average-person cares in Hibiki's special detoxing sauna. Those seeking an example to follow may take in a movie (in a theater featuring opulent reclining seats) starring Shikyoin Hibiki, or enjoy that the Shikyoin Hibiki History Exhibit has returned for a limited time only to this wing of the temple. Learn all about her many accomplishments, and be inspired!

If you're looking for Hibiki, however.....Well. Your maa-ttendant is willing to show you the way, especially if you're a shinki or a god seeking suggestions for a matchup. But there are two obstacles to reaching her. First, you have to successfully kick a soccer ball past a spygoat goalie. Second, you have to read from a college history textbook provided by a spygoat in a pasteboard hat - and get all the kanji right.

Or you could force your way through, or raise a fuss until Hibiki emerges, but who'd conceive of that?! Clearly everything will go as Hibiki intends!

Shinki Training

The good news for the shinki in attendance- or any gods who ran away from Hibiki’s tea party to see what else is happening- is that they don’t have to further deal with Hibiki. Or being proper. Instead, everyone’s maa-tendants will guide them to a large indoor space that has been purposefully, uh, repurposed for today. As there are a lot of big extravagant rooms in Hibiki’s castle, it wasn’t very hard to change it into what is essentially the inside of an acrobatic circus. Wendy will already be waiting for everyone to arrive, seated happily on top of some push up bars. “That’s everyone, isn’t it? Alright then!”

Since there are no newcomers as far as Wendy can tell, she gladly skips over “how to shinki” issues and instead offers some quick explanations and instructions to everyone in attendance. People are more than welcome to do the usual borderline practicing, of course, and Wendy will give a quick instruction for those who somehow missed that particular lesson. But that’s the boring way, and she didn’t set up all of this to be boring. In fact, there’s a particular shinki trait that she feels not a lot of people have really utilized: the strange shared trait that they’re all extremely light and can do things like leap ridiculous distances.

So everyone will be encouraged to use the various pieces of equipment that are around. People who are unsure of themselves can use basic things such as monkey bars, low balancing beams, and the other sorts of things that they’ve seen Heaven use in their training sessions such as jumping from stump-like platforms to another. There are even some trampolines for those who want to see how high a shinki can go before their head cracks into the very high ceiling. (And an almost extravagantly large bouncy castle for the kids and kids-at-heart.) But they’re really encouraged to use things that are a little more… high skill. Such as the tightrope extended high above the ground, or the swinging trapeze set. For those who want a bit of a challenge, Wendy even has a route set up where they have to go through just about everything that’s set up in the space… while she has another person practicing throwing borderlines at them to either dodge or deflect. Also the goats might get in the way. Is that part of the training, or is that just how the goats how?

Any random god that comes in will hardly get a blink besides Wendy ushering them in with an off-handed, “Sick of the tea, huh?”

Self-Improvement Training

Those looking for something less...extreme...than Wendy's contribution will find it in Hibiki's gaming arcade, which has been newly restocked with a row of PriPara arcade machines. These machines encourage you to create a customizable character and dress them up, then perform a rhythm game with the character dancing in the background. Successful completion earns you a ticket with more clothes that can be used on your character. It seems that a sense of rhythm improves intuition, which is useful for gods and shinki alike.

Also of use to all: the ability to ad-lib with a partner in an unusual environment! Which is what anyone who ventures into this concert hall will find. It looks like there's an improv contest going on. Grab a partner and be assigned a random scenario. You now have to act out that scenario in hopes of getting perfect 10s from a row of extremely Judge-Looking spygoats (they are wearing berets and glasses, to look Artsy, except for one who got the kind of judge wrong and showed up in a powdered wig instead.)

Now, pick your chosen field of battle! No sparring prompt is required to hone one's competitive urges and divine might.

Rest and Refreshments

Anyone desiring a change of scenery, as well as everyone once the sun begins to set, will be guided out the back of the temple by their maa-ttendant. A splendid dinner table has been set out upon the pirate ship in Hibiki's backyard, and everyone has a place reserved just for them. Why, their favorite drink is already awaiting them in their glass!

Food is available from a variety of sources. For those who prefer self service, a buffet table has been laid out next to one railing, arranged with a variety of high-class, gourmet foods. Filet mignon? Caviar? Lobster? Fugu? Vegetable delicacies? All are available (though none come with instructions - do have fun with the lobster). The maa-tendants are also happy to double as waiters and fetch food, for those who prefer the full service celebrity treatment.

Those seeking a more low-key, though no less eclectic, dining experience can find it along the other side of the deck, set up on a nice table with a tablecloth and some flowers for decoration. It seems one of Hibiki's shinki has decided to grace everyone with a bountiful spread! Poke, acai bowls, salad, malasalada, chocolate macademia, strawberry mochi, and manapua are all available, with placards indicating what each dish is and any potential allergens. This entire temple devotes itself to hospitality.

Still missing, however: the host, though there's a throne awaiting her at the head of the table, a cup of tea already in place. Music is also being provided by goats in the corners, who seem to have full stereo systems hooked up where the maa-ttendants have trays. Baroque classical music recordings softly waft over the diners, lending the entire experience a distinctly elegant air.

This aura of peaceful refinement shall remain until everyone who seems inclined to go aboard has done so (the goats do seem to maa-ccomend you board, but it is not enforced - sit this out, if you wish). At that point, all goats will roll up to their gods or shinki, carrying another sign - Please take care. The music dies down. So do the lights.

And beneath everyone, the Starship PriPirates's...rocket engines...rumble to life. And a triumphant peal of laughter, high above everyone - rings out!

In Summary:

• Delight in your precious new robot BFF (maa-ttendants are OK to NPC & adopt!)
  
• Learn absolutely nothing from anybody actually charged with hosting this informational session
  
• Engage in various "training" activities with no ulterior motives behind them whatsoever
  
• Be kidnapped by pirates?????
  
• Have fun~

Comments

[hypomeneo]

He didn't propose. He did however, perhaps accidentally, go through all the steps involved in a proposal, including whipping this out in a little black box. I'm not sure Iskandar even knows what marriage customs in this age are.

... [Then Waver goes BEET RED ALL OVER as he shows off the red jade ring.] It would be yes. Always yes if he did.

[But he doesn't expect that for a lot of reasons, starting right at male. Those expectations might end up getting blown out of the water too.]

And... he is my king. And once upon a time I was his Master. And... now we are both Heroic Spirits. [There's a pause, like he's wondering deeply about something.] Myself in full, I think, now.

[unlucky7]

[Ginia stands on her tiptoes to get a closer look at the ring, a smile forming. It's a beautiful ring, Waver is happy, it's perhaps the sort of thing that could only happen now that they're both gods.

If her smile wavers a bit, it's not because of anything around that. It's around the word Master. Heroic Spirits. A system she's heard of and tried to detach herself from in some way. Waver is a Heroic Spirit and in hindsight his class is so, so, very obvious.

So is perhaps the Heroic Spirit he is. Ah. Another god here as himself. And again, Ginia feels a sense of sadness. Waver is Waver, but how well does she really know him?]

If his actions were all the steps of a proposal but only missing the full intent, I still think that counts as a proposal. You should go over the customs with him.

[hypomeneo]

[It's more complicated than that, as he hinted before. And one of the reasons why being shinki was torture. To cope with a joint consciousness on top of all that mess was incredibly hard.

There's a soft look that turns luminous. Marriage... well... marriage that he wouldn't be forced into as a means to insult the other party. A marriage for love. Until Iskandar had given him the ring, he would have never considered marriage. Especially not as a shinki.]

I better not dally on that, then. [Who knows how much time they have. But even so, even this scant amount of time with Iskandar has been precious. To know he's loved that much.] Though don't be surprised if he decides to make a grand production out of the official one if it comes. Iskandar loves drama and showmanship as much as Hibiki.

[unlucky7]

[Godliness suits him, but gentle joy suits him more. Savor that love, Waver, grab it and revel in it and live in it for as much time they have, here or elsewhere. Live in it because she can't. Not right now. Maybe not ever.

When he's distracted in his joy and conversation, Ginia keeps her hand still but lets the borderline fade away.]

I'll try not be as much as an embarrassment at your wedding as I was at Aymeric's.

[hypomeneo]

Oh? [He's hovering by instinct, pacing back and forth, and he feels the give but caught up in everything, it and the height doesn't force its way into awareness and jolt him to sudden fright.] What happened there?

And hey, come on. You're competing with us! Trust me, anything will be par for course.

[unlucky7]

Wait, Natsumi or Terumi didn't show you?

[Hm, maybe one assumed the other showed him. Or assumed someone else showed him. Looking for the video is a perfect excuse to ignore the other half of his statement.

Because please, there's no competition. She's known Kimi for six months and dated him for three. Who knows how long he dated Aomi and they definitely didn't get married. The idea of marriage is so far away for them Ginia can't even bring herself to consider the idea as even a silly dream.

Ginia holds up her phone and shows the video Unmi took at Aymeric and Leo's wedding.]

[hypomeneo]

We are all individuals of discernment and discretion and taste. [Mock cluck as Waver sticks his nose up a little, before reddening, because he doesn't put on airs or joke like this often, but the three of them are all gossips together and he loves them for it.] Besides, they have a good sense of when spreading something would really bother someone, so no, they didn't tell me.

[They're competing on who can be the biggest idiots and Waver will always bet on Iskandar and himself. He whistles as he watches Ginia chase Kimi and kiss him.]

Besides. That's embarrassing? I'm sure Iskandar would say it's proper wedding behavior.

[unlucky7]

[Ginia playfully rolls her eyes as she closes the video.]

I suppose they were being kind to me and keeping things in the temple. Unmi took the video, but I personally uploaded it to the temple's network as a favor to him.

[The text explosions in all the temple chat groups she's a part of were definitely something to behold.]

A fair point. The lead up to that was playing the pocky game.

[hypomeneo]

The most dangerous game. I shiver in fear - or is it anticipation? - of when Iskandar learns of it.

[You're family, Ginia, though Waver knew Natsumi and Terumi wanted Waver to come to Ebisu's Temple if anything happen to Iskandar. It's not just being kind.]

How badly did the betting pools explode that time? [Waver rubs his chin.] There were some pretty nice pots going around. Not that I keep track.

[SURE WAVER. You don't bet on the Mi clan's private pots, because that's just for the Temple, but there's a few for outside employees.]

[unlucky7]

For the record, I didn't play the pocky game with Kimi.

[It wouldn't have been the worst first kiss and moving past that threshold, but what happened was ultimately better.]

Also it seems to miss the point playing with your significant other. There's no risk there.

[Or maybe it's because Iskandar and Kimi are both shameless individuals and it'd become an excuse to make out in front of everyone.]

As for the betting pools, significant gains were made though it wasn't specific to the kiss.

[Barring permission from the individuals involved, there's an unspoken rule about the betting pool of no bets of a personal or invasive nature. It's one thing to bet on people in a reality show, another of the family in the temple. So while betting on if/when Ginia and Kimi would kiss was off-limits, a friendly wager on whether any of the four going to the wedding would do anything cute or affectionate or embarrassing was fair game.

Frankly, the video of Ginia playing the pocky game with Ebisu caused a bigger stir. Ginia chasing down Kimi was considered far more impressive than the kiss and settled a few bets over her speed.]

By the way, settle a tiebreaker for me. Kiji or Jiki?

[hypomeneo]

There's all the risk there. Iskandar is Greek.

[Waver is working on getting the point across that modern people don't consider lovemaking appropriate in public. The ancients... were not prudes.]

Kiji.

[Huh, is this about what he thinks it is about?]

[unlucky7]

[Hm. Point. A different kind of risk then, Ginia can concede to that.

She pouts a little at the choice and sends a quick text to her temple. Sometimes you need to have casual arguments over ship names. A small flurry of texts and stickers reply back before she changes apps.]

You're staying in the air. Getting any easier?

[hypomeneo]

[He stands by it. This is how it should be for the ship.]

It's getting more natural feeling. Though I don't want to look down anytime soon.

[BABY STEPS.]

[unlucky7]

[Baby steps are the things that keep someone going forward.

With her borderline freed up, Ginia bounds over to the course and climbs up so she's about the same height as Waver. She places another borderline bridge a foot up from where he's standing.]

Try floating up to the borderline without moving your legs. It's solid if you need to rest for a bit.

[hypomeneo]

[Waver wills himself lighter and he begins to rise. And drift a little in the air until he steadies as he imagines himself travelling and his body follows the trajectory his mind laid out.

Still. W-woah. Whoops!]

So... how have you found Hibiki's training so far? I have to say as a Brit, she sure knows how to throw an Afternoon Tea.

[No savories, so not a High Tea as first thought. No scones and clotted cream and jam, so not a Cream Tea either.]

[unlucky7]

[Ginia watches him, making sure he's not about to rocket into the ceiling or fall and smack his face on her borderline. Wobbly but righted is as good as anything.

The topic earns a tiny frown. Not unhappy or displeased, but it's something she's been thinking on a lot.]

It's what I expected, though I'm waiting for whatever further plans she has.

[Considering how the god hasn't made a personal appearance, there's definitely one more thing planned. A performance, perhaps? Ginia can't imagine Hibiki not performing with people gathered at her temple.]

Though the lack of new arrivals bothers me.

[hypomeneo]

Mmm... same.

[On both counts. It's bothering everyone by the tone of his voice. But he's not sure it's everything on her mind.]

Things haven't quite had that Hibiki razzle dazzle yet. There's no way she isn't setting up a show stopper.

[unlucky7]

And what a show stopper it'll be. Maybe the whole temple will turn into a rocket.

[Wouldn't that be a sight. Ginia's not quite sure temples are modular or moveable in that way, but if anyone around had a rocket, it'd be Hibiki.]

Think you'll run one of these sessions sometime?

[hypomeneo]

I wouldn't mind that. I may have set Saber's... the Richard one... heart on something like that at a dinner party recently. He wants to do a moonwalk.

Haven't seen him here yet, though.

[His head tilts as he considers that.]

If I can rope Iskandar into it and find somewhere to set up after I get a handle on everything. Neither of us really has the grounds to hold it, and I'm wondering if we should let people into Temple? The Stone Menace would have a riot teasing them and if you're not part of the household, it won't hold back. Even if I appeased it earlier with sacrifices. But setting up something in the abandoned temples should be doable for the training part at least.

[unlucky7]

I feel like escaping The Temple would be a good form of training.

[Ginia cracks a small smile. She never saw the more temperamental side of the temple, but she also kept it that way.]

I wonder who around even has the space to host training sessions? Or if it's maybe time to repurpose these into something else?

[Roles may change, but if no one new is coming, the onboarding portion isn't needed as much. Most people do physical training on their own or in smaller groups anyway. Only eight months, but it's sad to think how much has changed since then.]

[hypomeneo]

Temple would agree with you there.

[HUFF SMILE. Maybe they'll give Temple a chance to terrorize like a proper Egyptian temple one day.]

I think there's going to need to be some flexibility going forward. There's no telling if this is going to be a continuing trend or if there will be an upswing.

What I'd suggest is private onboarding and tutoring for anyone new and changing roles, and abolishing the God and Shinki separate training sessions and focusing on more group orientated sessions.

Hunting ayakashi for instance takes a bit more than combat skills. Sometimes you have to track down the beast, and the tactics needed in dealing with something like that are different than a human opponent. Especially if you're dealing with more than one. Or ones that require multiple pairs to defeat the creature.

I don't know of too many gods that hunt in teams or are really used to unit based teamwork outside of working with their partners. Iskandar's remarked on it too.

[unlucky7]

There are enough experienced people around too that even if new people come in, any large ayakashi would be manageable.

[Small ayakashi are a problem in groups and can be fast, but wouldn't be too hard for even a newcomer to handle. Anything larger is good practice. If no one else is coming in, might as well put skills to use.]

I've worked well with Shun plenty of times. Ayumeric strikes me as a natural leader. Chris and Tsubasa are a natural team too. Shen Wei has a large set of skills that would make him valuable in any group.

[Making connections, remembering people's skills, setting up alliances. It's what she's good at, but her expression falls a little as Ginia realizes where the skills came from too.]

[hypomeneo]

Combat with arms is very new to me, but I'm very good at setting up other people for the kill and dealing with the field in the meantime. It's what I do a lot with Iskandar here, and other Heroic Spirits elsewhere.

I like Shun and Shen Wei from the little we've interacted. Aymeric, I don't know him too well. We briefly encountered each other at the compound and that's it. I should reach out. Chris and Tsubasa, well... I shouldn't have to say anything there.

[Plan: Adoption is in full swing. Iskandar needs people in his life other than Waver... and honestly, Waver does too. He knows he's discussed this a little with Ginia.

... and there it is. Final confirmation there's more on Ginia's mind.]

You okay?

[unlucky7]

[Ginia nods absently, listening but only partially now. She's fought ayakashi on her own and knows she can tear through them with any of her gods or with a soulless shinki. She can survive well enough with borderlines alone too.

Luger is a gun for Chris, a rifle for her. The name is fitting as well, but did that come before or after the form. Does it say more about him or does it say something about her as well?

Now she knows definitely she's a sniper. Her specialty even. A low sigh escapes as she looks back at Waver.

Once, she might have said something. Thrown a coin in the cup and poured out her feelings.

But once Waver was a shinki and he's not now.]

Thinking about who else might have helped if they were still around. Trying to remember who else is around. Shiro too? He's pretty steady.

[hypomeneo]

Never met him before.

[Yeah?

Bullshit.

That's one of the terrifying things about the transition. Relationships tossed the air like salad and who knows where it all comes down.

In which... he's coming down to her level and quietly wrapping her in a hug.]

You need one.

[He should have given more during his life. But he can do better now.]