July Training

[unlucky7]

Who: Everyone
What: Information and Training
When: June 22nd, 2017
Where: Ebisu’s temple, Nagashima Resort on the Near Shore
Summary: A chance for gods and shinki to put their skills to the test… at a water park?



The morning of training, a mass message is sent out to everyone on the contact list.

Training will be conducted on the Near Shore today. Please meet at Ebisu's temple for an overview and directions.

Please see the following list for what to bring.

The list of what to bring is a short one: a container to carry blessed water, sunscreen, a swimsuit and towel, a bag for an outing, comfortable shoes and clothes for moving in... the list sounds like something suited for a to a beach or an amusement park.

(Spoilers: It is.)

A map with directions to Ebisu’s temple is also included.



Introductions

Everyone is led to a large conference room in the temple. There's a long table set up with food and drinks: assorted rice balls, bread, pastries, simple assorted bento boxes, tea, coffee, water, fresh juice. There is also a table with shinki pamphlets and maps to the area if anyone wants one. There are chairs set up facing a projection screen.

Once it seems like there are no further arrivals and everyone has had a chance to mingle and get any refreshments they want, some of Ebisu's shinki encourage people to find a seat. The lights dim slightly as Ginia, dressed in a sharp black suit with a dark green tie, steps in front to address the crowd in sign language, another shinki interpreting for her.

"Thank you all for gathering. Today's training format will have a different approach. As we all know, ayakashi are a common problem on the Near Shore. While reports of larger ayakashi have dwindled, small and some medium-sized ayakashi remain. They are drawn to areas with a high population of humans and where negativity or strife can brew.

Everyone, today we're putting our skills to the test and hunting ayakashi. "

Ginia pulls a remote from her pocket and displays a map of a sprawling entertainment complex with an amusement park, onsen resort, water park, shopping center, and hotels on the screen.

"This is Nagashima Resort, one of the most popular vacation and entertainment destinations in Japan. With an amusement park, shopping centers, a water park, botanical garden, and onsen resort, it's a destination for all ages year-round. Because of that, it’s ripe for ayakashi causing trouble.

"The first part of training is reaching the amusement park. You'll teleport to the Near Shore to one of Ebisu's shrines. From there, four paths in increasing difficulty are marked out with ribbons and flags: white, yellow, red, and orange. If you wish to bypass the course entirely, you're welcome to reach the location through public transportation or other means, the choice is yours.

"Once at the site, you'll want to keep an eye out for ayakashi. Flushing them out with borderlines and blessed water is an option, as is seeking out areas problems might occur. Keep in mind the large number of children around means our actions will be noticed, so take a subtle approach or pull the fight to where it won’t be noticed. Also please keep property damage to a minimum.

"After you've had your fill of hunting ayakashi, please enjoy the location's facilities. Full admission and ride vouchers will be provided for everyone as well as a stipend for food and souvenirs."

Ginia grins and gives a thumbs up.

"Do your best and have fun!"

God and Shinki Training

With no new arrivals, gods and shinki are encouraged to work with their temple or other temples to figure out strategies. Or make plans for how to spend the day, there’s no judgment at all. Ebisu, Tsubasa, and Chris are around to provide support and information for gods. Any shinki that want last minute borderline practice or a refresher on light moving can talk to Ginia or Ebisu's shinki.

Physical Training

Beginning at the entrance of Ebisu's shrine, the four routes are clearly laid out. All four take advantage of the lightness all shinki and gods can tap into to jump higher and longer distances and stand on just about anything. The easiest route, white, is a longer route that’s more street-level, but requires using some leaps across the road or use of lamp posts to cut across areas.

Yellow is entirely crossed with lamp posts and electrical poles can be managed without ever touching the ground. It's a pretty direct route and easy for someone focused on lightness the entire time.

Red moves higher, mixing up lamp posts and signs to bound off, as well as a few rooftop runs. It requires a few tricky jumps that can be easier with borderline bridges or teleporting, but still entirely possible with the right planning. Like the yellow route, traversing means never touching the ground until reaching the entertainment complex.

Orange is the most physical of the courses, requiring precise jumps or teleports along rooftops, vertical wall jumps, and a few blind drops or teleports downward to get to the next section. A shinki who can make bridges with their borderline can test their skills with bridging some of the larger jumps, while a god can test out flying in tighter areas or teleporting.

Race other people, help out someone struggling on a route, or skip this portion entirely, the choice is yours.

Ayakashi Attacks

While there are no large ayakashi to fight on top of a roller coaster, the amount of ayakashi around is still plentiful. Crying children, stressed parents, dates going poorly, there are plenty of reasons for negativity to brew and ayakashi to latch onto or encourage the behavior. Common are small ayakashi; tick ayakashi irritating people, coin purse ayakashi making people spend more, bird ayakashi enhancing bad moods, all sorts causing minor mishap. Medium ayakashi, such as slender shadows unnerving children or ayakashi latching onto mirrors and showing one’s worst self, are less common but still lurking about.

Rend them and keep the day lively and fun for everyone, but don’t get caught by any children in the area. If you do, better come up with a story fast. Some kinds are as persistent as ayakashi when it comes to getting an answer.

Rest and Refreshments

Before leaving Ebisu's temple, everyone is given vouchers to exchange for tickets for the parks and 10,000 yen in spending money. There’s plenty to do at Nagashima Spa Land. The water park with its multiple slides, wave pools, lazy rivers, and swimming pools is the perfect way to beat the heat and the main attraction. However, for those who want to stay drier, there's also a full amusement park with rides for all ages and excitement levels. From merry-go-rounds to haunted houses, a giant ferris wheel to thrilling roller coasters, the 40 rides across the park should be the trick

For those who want something a little more relaxing, there's a botanical garden to stroll through with beautiful illuminations at night. There is also a large onsen resort with multiple pools for a nice long soak. There’s also a large shopping center nearby and plenty of food options across the entertainment complex.

In Summary:

• Try racing against others through the city
  
• Put the skills you’ve learned to the test against ayakashi
  
• Enjoy a day at a water/amusement/spa park
  
• Have fun~

Comments

[unlucky7]

I think people were trying to keep it a secret since you're my friend.

[Poorly, though. It explains a lot of the giggling and knowing looks, as well as continued sighing at Waver's taken status. But for as much as the temple loves its gossip, everyone knows who should be the one sharing the news too.]

I suppose it would be poorer for me to find out second hand than from you personally. I can forgive being two days behind. I imagine the day after was spent basking in the afterglow.

[hypomeneo]

[Waver suddenly flushes. Listen... they are them, okay? Iskandar is a Greek God and their relationship is very Greek as well.]

Aha... you could say that.

[MOVING ON.]

I appreciate their restraint; I wanted to tell you myself. [Then he chuffs, amused.] And them not ambushing me the moment I walked in the Temple. Though I bet a few of them were tempted.

[He heard the giggles. He's seen the hiding of grins. He knows who you are! Alas, the hearts of those young men in all those departments. He keeps breaking them!]

[unlucky7]

[Ginia realizes the double entendre after the fact and blushes a bit herself. Ah. Yes. Right. She's happy for the love lives of all her friends and it's also something she doesn't want to think about.

MOVING ON.]

I imagine being around for decades has a way of tempering things. For the most part.

[Some personality traits will never die. If people aren't exploding from excitement and hiding secrets, it's probably because everyone is too tired.]

Though once you begin making wedding plans, be prepared for opinions.

1/2

[hypomeneo]

Wedding plans. [Waver slowly drags his fingers down his face, sudden realization dawning.] Christ, I know nothing about weddings. I never expected to be married, unless roped into an arranged match. Shit.

I mean, Iskandar's been married three times already, but I'm sure he didn't actually do any of the arranging. The Susa weddings were hu---

[...

This is the moment where Waver's mind locks up and metaphorical sparks come out of his ears. Reboot. Reboot.]

2/2

[hypomeneo]

We don't have the bloody money for anything like that.

[Things you have to consider when marrying the King of Conquerors.]

[unlucky7]

[Ginia covers her mouth as a tiny laugh escapes. There's truly the look of a man getting hit with a whole bunch of realizations all at once.]

If you want a grand spectacle, time to save up. You could always work full-time for a bit.

[There's an easy way to get some money, though even that might fall short of a ceremony fit for a king.]

Though does it need to be so fancy? It seems like all a wedding needs is the location, someone to perform the ceremony, and maybe a celebration after.

[hypomeneo]

[GINIA, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND. The Susa Weddings lasted five days! It was lavish even for a state wedding! (partly because so many people got married, but! But!) It was THE event of the ancient world during that time.]

Or raid Fort Knox. That might just about do it.

[Waver looks faint.]

In my opinion, no. It's not a state wedding; we don't need lavish displays of wealth to display power or for other political reasons [Susa was very political after all.] that really get bloody ridiculous the more you look at them. I think what's going to hang us up is custom and ritual. Ancient Greece, Persia, and Egypt don't really have guidelines for marrying men, and god knows, us Mages like following the old ways.

We just might have to make our own. Maybe incorporate some customs from here. Opinions are welcome.

[Natsumi, Terumi, ever want to have serious veto power on a godly wedding? Here's your chance!]

[unlucky7]

If you're planning a heist, I do have a growing list of people who could stand to have their assets put to better use.

[Serious or joking, who can tell. It's true though, Ginia is vastly underestimating the size and scope of such an event.]

It is your wedding. The two of you are free to make it whatever you want. If you want ideas, you could talk to Aymeric and Leo and see how they handled things.

[She smiles at the memory.] It was a very lovely ceremony. Ebisu officiated it. Great dessert selection.

[hypomeneo]

[Waver raises a finger. Puts it down. Actually...

Satya would smack him right now. Because he doesn't have as much of a problem with that idea as he should.]

Let me get back to you on that.

[That could swing from serious to joking on his end as well.]

I think we might do that. It'd give us a good idea on how to start. [Then he laugh-sighs because he remembers a few frustrated BBS posts.] And what not to do while putting it together.

You think Lord Ebisu wouldn't mind officiating again?

[He can't think of anyone else they'd want to ask. And it'd be a cold day before they'd ask Amaterasu or her retainers.]

[unlucky7]

[Millionaires and billionaires make so much money they won't even notice if some of their funds are diverted. Besides, it's a crime how much they horde, they're doing everyone a favor.

The chaotic good spirit lives on.]

I don't think he'd mind at all. He was quite delighted to help Aymeric and Leo. I imagine he'd be even more delighted as the two of you have helped his temple out.

[A sly smile forms as she taps her chin.]

Make sure you have a platform for him to stand on. Something with a railing for safety. Don't mind one of his shinki standing by him just in case.

[hypomeneo]

[It's for the economy! Do it anyway!]

I'm glad.

[Beat.]

Aaa?

That bad, huh? [Waver smirks a little in humor.] I'll even put up a Bounded Field. Don't want to take any chances.

[Okay, that's enough ribbing. Ebisu is too pure and triggers all his Must Protecc instincts for Waver to really want to give him a hard time.]

[unlucky7]

There were no problems at the last wedding, but he is small and uncoordinated. Expected as he did have to grow his limbs. A pity coordination wasn't part of it. It also doesn't improve much as an adult from what everyone says.

[On the other hand, as Ebisu's shinki, Ginia is all too willing to lovingly tease and share all the gossip about the tiny old god.]

He'd use Kunimi all the time if he could get away with it. Have you met him, Ebisu's exemplar?

[hypomeneo]

Only in passing to get forms signed off on. I don't know how he ever escapes the office. Half the time I meet him, I'm wondering if I'm going to have to dig him out from underneath the paperwork when it inevitably collapses on him.

[That's Lord levels of paperwork. Truly terrifying.]

[unlucky7]

I'm pretty sure he doesn't leave the office unless he's accompanying Ebisu somewhere or sending a message on his behalf. I can't say I envy his position.

[The trials and tribulations of being the newly assigned exemplar to a God of Fortune. Ginia has a lot of respect for him but would never want the responsibility he has.]

From what I've heard, he's the crush of those who like their men tall and broad-shouldered.

[hypomeneo]

Neither do I.

[Waver's lips curl up because not only does he know Kunimi has a following, he knows who are the followers.]

But.

Well... on that, what's heard in the baths, stays in the baths. I will confirm he is very popular. Valentines will be good to him. Well, better than in years past given all the sighing.

I'll see if I'm right on who makes first move.

[He's on that pot.]

[unlucky7]

I'll have to ask Kimi for all the kitchen gossip around Valentine's. I was only there for a month and got plenty of chocolate, I can only imagine what the pile on Kunimi's desk must look like. Though I wonder if a few might make moves around Christmas?

[Couple's holiday and all. She'll have to figure out what to get Kimi, if she's still around. It's a hope she's clinging to, because giving up is too depressing. A tiny sigh escapes as Ginia frowns.]

I have no clue what to get him for Christmas. I have no idea what to get anyone for Christmas. Is it too soon to worry?

[hypomeneo]

Christmas is when most of us think the moves will start.

[Waver's eyes drop.]

I'm going to take Iskandar to see the Northern Lights for Christmas. I don't think it's too soon to worry. I think it's good to plan for the future. Living in the moment is all well and good, but a soul needs more. It needs that hope of another tomorrow.

... besides, it will only be the end if you wish it so. For those of us left... you will have a choice. That's how I see it working out.

[unlucky7]

You're a god. You have space to hope.

[The words spill from her hands. Ginia freezes for a second, but she doesn't take them back either. Can't take them back. She'll grab onto every shred of hope she can and push on for one more day, but the signs are obvious.

They weren't meant to be permanent. They are a flicker of change, an inconvenient year for the old, and then life will continue on.]