Scene #2837: Giddy-up?

Owner	Pose
Mamoru Chiba	The subdivided and curtained cavern of a living room at Mamoru's place is honestly a great place to have an afternoon sleepover party because it's way nicer to wake up on a cushy antique soft velvet couch instead of on the floor in a sleeping bag. (Not that there's anything wrong with sleeping bags, but there's a definite comfort level change.) They've gone through Mamoru taking a rose out of his hat and giving it to Hinoiri, everyone having snacks and being hydrated, setting up signs and sending texts that say to keep it down because there's people sleeping in the living room. They've gone through falling asleep, without the benefit of Emi's 'get everyone sleepy' aura. Now Prince Endymion-- the shorter, tanner, curlier-haired Prince Endymion that Serenity remembers, wearing incredibly expensive street clothes in the caftan and hose variety-- is leading them through a door in a dark, undefined place into a quiet, warmly lit place with the acoustics of a very large area indeed, and the fragrances of sanctity and incense. "We're taking a shortcut," Endymion's voice comes, "to an enclosed courtyard with grass. Well, if we were awake and it was the end of the Pleistocene, it would be a shortcut. I guess it's a longcut since we could just have started out there? I just haven't poked in there for a while and didn't want to lose the way." They walk a little way longer, and it's through a literal city temple, columned and flickeringly lit with torches in sconces on the walls, an altar at the front-- Endymion ignores it all to lead them to a small door that does, indeed, open up to a big grassy lawn enclosed in stone wall and trellis; the plants and fruit trees of a Mediterranean climate hang over the walls and climbing roses drip from the trellises like curtains. "Okay," he says, closing the door behind them, "So I've never been able to look like not-me in dreams, but 'me' is variable enough that I've got wiggle room in appearance. You should have more wiggle room."
Hinoiri Kirara	Hinoiri Kirara would, normally, have preferred to have done this near the Crystal Heart itself... however... In this situation, as the goal was to get her grounding and allow her a bit more... grounding on cementing herself as a pony in the dream-world so she could help figure out how to amplify the heart itself to radiate out into the dream world? Being anywhere was about the same. And being at a cat cafe... well, the apartment above a cat cafe, seemed about as good as any. Getting a rose, well... "Man, this brings me back," Hinoiri mumbled. Sadly, the portal hadn't opened yet. But she had managed to send a message back home and it DID sound like the idea was sound. Yuyami and Runa were looking into it, to do what they could... But she'd likely need to do her part... Which meant she needed to figure out how to be a pony. And unfortunately, it seemed 'wanting to be one' didn't make it happen when she fell asleep. It seemed a tossup with her. Sometimes she was one, sometimes she wasn't. And it was annoyingly inconsistent. "Yeah, I've been lucky in that I do seem to have a pretty firm grasp on the two 'me's' as it were," Hinoiri said. "The problem is it still seems to be random which one I come here as. And..." She snapped her fingers. "As useful as fingers are... they just aren't as good as horns when it comes to pony magic. Not that your magic isn't useful, it's just... you know. Not the same," Hinoiri said. She sat down on the grass and closed her eyes, trying to focus on it... "So... have either of you ever like... changed what you were during a dream before?"
Usagi Tsukino	Usagi is pretty much always willing to do something with Mamoru, and she's equally always ready and willing to help a friend. The fact that this is something that allows her to do something with Mamoru, help Hinoiri, ''and'' nap, all at once? Well, let's just say it was exceptionally easy for her to fall asleep, cozy and comfortable on Mamoru's couch. It's even easier for her to wake as Princess Serenity - the Princess Serenity that they had seen in the memory bubble, a little taller than Usagi, a little thinner too, slight as a sprite, her silver hair and extremely pale skin glowing with the faint ambience of a star in the night sky. She's wearing not The dress, but A dress - an entari, specifically, with a white underlayer and a rich blue and gold stitched overdress, belted at a high (but not imperial high) waistline and flowing. She would never be mistaken for ordinary, but in that attire, one could see how she might pass for merely a wealthy noble, and not a foreign princess. If one ignored the glowing and the crescent moon on her forehead, anyway. "I'm usually just my regular self in some kind of costume," Serenity admits readily enough. Not usually Serenity, but not always Sailor Moon. When Mamochan is Endykun, I'm more likely to look like this, I think? But I've only ever changed by becoming Sailor Moon."
Mamoru Chiba	"I've never been anything but human," admits Endymion, unable to help himself from snaking his arms around Serenity from behind and leaning forward to put his chin on her head, hug, envelop... "I love this outfit, by the way, we should get you one in the waking world. I liked it then and I like it now." He extremely reluctantly lets go, but it's just to sit down on the grass and start picking blades of it, idly, as he talks. "But changing from one me to another me is pretty easy." He closes his eyes, and slowly, details change. First his hair, still fluffy but less curly; his clothes; his skin, his face, his height. There's no transitional stage and it's not a blink-change, it's just like, oh, that's what he's been wearing, oh, that's what he's always looked like, but knowing it's not true. As he changes he talks. "I looked in the mirror this morning and combed my hair with water, and it mostly stayed straight. I had omurice for breakfast and expensive Shindo-san coffee before getting ready for school, putting on my uniform. I think about my handwriting in Japanese, instead of the global lingua franca or High Court Elysian. I think about Usako's yellow hair and the cute clothes she wears that drive her dad bonkers. I think of the here and now that I'm grounded in in the waking world, and my external appearance shifts to mirror it. So maybe if you thought real hard, with your eyes closed, about your life in Kirakirafantastica...? Or ate some grass."
Hinoiri Kirara	Hinoiri Kirara couldn't help but snicker lightly. "I mean, you were both ponies once," Hinoiri said. "But I get it. It wasn't really pivotal. Honestly, I'm surprised that I'm a human in my dreams at all sometimes. I guess I've just been here so long at this point it was bound to happen. I used to only ever see myself as a pony, you know. The first few months. But then one day I guess it just shifted. I wonder when it happened?" While the two of them were dressed as regal as ever, she... was... well... definitely not. She was casual as could be. Skirt, boots, spiked jacket. Relaxed as could be. Then again, she'd grown up amongst royalty, so seeing them dressed to the nines didn't really bother her... And she knew the both of them weren't really the type to act out over it. And the only time she'd likely call them 'Your majesties' was when she was teasing them. "Honestly, the grass in your world tends to suck, it's just not sweet enough," Hinoiri said with a sigh. "Flavor is just... all wrong. Thinking about growing up, though... Hmmmm..." Slow, deep breath. Crossing her legs. Deep breath. In... out... Air in... worries out... "Think... pony thoughts... Pony magic... Lifting the sun and moon... All of that good stuff..." she mumbled. "About waking up in your bed in the castle... about acing magic tests or studying hydras... pony things..." Hinoiri mumbled.
Usagi Tsukino	"That's true! I was a Pegasus, twice, even, but - huh, you know, I never thought of dreaming about ''that''... maybe because it was something different, instead of something like... me?" She scrunches her nose, and watches as Endymion becomes Mamoru, demonstrating the process. She could try it herself - but this is about Hinoiri, and Hinoiri has a pivotal job. She doesn't want to distract her. "Maybe it's because this place started to become a second home? The school, the friends you made, the work you were proud of... so if you think about home, and the things you'd do if you were there... the people you would be seeing... the grasses that are apparently sweet..." Suggestions, as she settles to watch and wait.
Mamoru Chiba	"I'm willing to bet that dream Earth grass from 12,800 years ago, being not nearly so purposely bred for decorative lawns, is a lot sweeter than regular modern Earth grass," Mamoru says dryly, starting to weave together the grass he's been picking, an idle thing to do with his hands while he watches Hinoiri, and then he falls silent, settling in to wait as well.
Hinoiri Kirara	"I guess that's true," Hinoiri said. "At the end of the day... you people are as much a home for me now as Kirakirafantastica. Even if you're weird. Fingers, man. I will never think they're not weird. Cool. But weird. They just. Five of them on your hands. Just popping out to do whatever." She wiggled them to demonstrate. As if snapping her hooves made ANY more sense. "And... maybe. To be fair, our grass has likely been purposely bred to taste better," Hinoiri said. "Probably not as big a deal for you guys. I will say the stuff you guys have done with savory foods, though? To die for," Hinoiri said with a grin. "Even the non-meat things. Definitely have us beat in spicy and sour, too... I imagine having a sovereign who really likes her sweets may have steered our development of sweets over the generations," Hinoiri admitted. She closed her eyes, leaning back... relaxing... slowly. She leaned her head back, feeling the wind on her face, the sun beating down on her. She then snorted before getting to her feet and stretching out. "Well, that's an unpleasant thought..." she mumbled. "My first thought was maybe it's because I'm not alone anymore. And all my pony memories are of that. But... that's not really true anymore, either. Sora and I hashed things out. I just need to... think... Maybe... pony thoughts... pony thoughts... what's the big difference between being a pony and a human..?" Hinoiri asked. "... Honestly, I don't think there really is one, that's the problem. At least, for me." As the unicorn paced in place, looking thoughtful. "I guess like. Unicorns have magic horns. Humans have fingers. Both have pros and cons, now? But I don't think I really like one more than the other? I really like both." She had yet to notice.
Usagi Tsukino	Serenity let Hinoiri talk - let her work the problem out in her own head, wriggling her fingers along with Hinoiri's little complaints about how fingers don't make sense - she doesn't understand what doesn't make sense about them, or how having fingers that can hold things makes less sense than hooves that ''don't'' - But that's not the point. The point is letting Hinoiri get it aaaaall out, the words, the thoughts, the feelings. "I wonder if Neo Queen Serenity and King Endymion did anything like that. If Mamochan had his way, all the mushrooms would probably be gone from all the hotpot and everything else in the next millennia..." She's teasing, lightly, but teasing, keeping the conversation light, following where Hinoiri's thoughts go. And then it happens. Her eyes widen, pale brows and lashes lifting as Hinoiri's change happens, slow and then all at once and then its as if there had always been the unicorn and never the girl resting in front of her, just as there had always been Mamoru instead of Endymion, and she - Wait, she didn't notice? Um. Hm. If she told her, would she lose it? Like dreaming of flying and then remembering you can't do that? um... "You're comfortable with both, so that kind of makes sense... um, does it ''feel'' different to be a pony instead of a human?"
Mamoru Chiba	The centipede's dilemma. The second you think about it you're done for. Mamoru's just grinning at Hinoiri, making-- what? A grass bracelet, apparently. He takes Serenity's hand and puts it on his knee, and starts to weave it around her wrist. He's still grinning, and hiding his face more the more she talks and doesn't notice. "Every mushroom would be toast," he says, laughter in his voice, bubbling at the edges of his words. When Usagi doesn't tell her, the laughter doesn't quite break out, but... "Hinoiri-chan, can you do snap-pointing fingerguns? Like not just snapping, not just fingergunning, but snappoint fingergunning. And I really do suggest trying the grass. You never know, it could be spicy."
Hinoiri Kirara	Hinoiri Kirara couldn't help but snicker at the idea of that. "Not a big fan of mushrooms, huh? Funny. Sora never liked chickens. Well, roosters. Haaaaated them. They freaked her out. I think it's because lifting the sun requires concentration and having someone yell in your ear when you do it is probably disrupting and annoying," she said with a snicker. "It doesn't really feel... that different? At least any more? Then again, Kirakirafantastica ponies are a lot different from your world's ponies. We can walk on two legs for a short bit, we can pick things up with our hooves. That annoys Riventon so much. I love it. And I guess it feels a bit different. Like... my face feels... a bit softer? I feel... warmer? If that makes sense? More durable." She then made a snap point. Then paused. Blink. Snap point again. There was a snap point, with full snap, no fingergun. Before... face hoof. "How... how long?" she asked. Then picked up some of the grass and chewed on it for a few moments. She then just looked very confused before spitting it out. "It tastes like Usagi's twintails!"
Usagi Tsukino	Serenity's wrist is not moved from where it's been placed. No, instead she just wriggles her fingers at him as he starts weaving the grass bracelet around her wrist. "The mushrooms are innocent flavor friends who just want to give you umami! They're really good, but I'd never be able to convince you, so the world would be without mushrooms and carrots... I wonder if the Italians would hate us? ...mmm, no I think we could convince everyone." Light and teasing, and when Mamoru doesn't tell her either, but instead just offers another hint - "It really doesn't feel that different?" It's almost enough to make her want to try, but no, focus - aaaand then Hinoiri gets it. And she giggles, a little. "Just about a minute or so? After you closed your eyes. But see, it wasn't too hard!" She's grinning and proud and happy, which is probably why she deserves to hear that the grass tastes like her hair. "MAMOCHAN?"
Mamoru Chiba	"It does??" Mamoru's eyes go wide and his hands freeze in place just as he finishes weaving the bracelet, and he's a combination of mortified and disbelieving. "It does not! Does it??" And there we go, good gentles all, the Crown Prince of Earth and heir to Elysion has just ripped up a handful of grass and put it in his mouth. He chews once, then spits it out to the side. He is bright red and will not meet eyes-- oh no wait a MINUTE, he looks at Usagi, blinking. "Why does she know what your hair tastes like?" Then at Hinoiri. He wipes his mouth off on the back of his uniform sleeve and makes a face.
Hinoiri Kirara	Hinoiri Kirara sighed and then shook her head. "Of course it does. It's a dream. Why would it taste like grass? It's pure and cute... so it taste's like your wife's hair," Hinoiri said with a sigh. Hinoiri couldn't help but snicker as he ate some of the grass and she shook her head. "I mean, I also know what her tiara tastes like. And her magic, for the record. Though... most of that I know from when I was Sunbreaker... The hair is more because she can stop and turn very fast but momentum is a thing and hair? Hair does not always follow the same trajectory. An I? Do not always duck fast enough," Hinoiri said with a playful smile. "Still, this was a good test, all around. I think we'll probably need to run a few dozen more tests, of course." Oh gosh she was serious. "But once I've got it down, pat, I'll be ready to practice with Runa, then it'll be time for the next stage. We can probably go back for now, though. Thanks for the help, you guys." "... I guess this means we can just... sleep... normally now? How... does one... sleep... while sleeping? Without doing homework?" She looked right at Usagi. Going STRAIGHT to the expert for this one.
Usagi Tsukino	"You're not the only one who gets hit in the face with my hair, Mamochan," Usagi says - and it ''is'' Usagi now, actually, the glow of Serenity faded, the entari traded for oversized shorts and a tye-dye shirt tied in the front, her hair blonde and yellow, her wrist still bearing a braided grass bracelet. "I can't believe you ''ate it'', you're not a pony!" She's giggling at his mortification, mostly because it's a loving thing, the fact that the grass tastes like her hair, that he was thinking of her so much it leeched into the ground beneath their feet - Hinoiri echoing that she knows exactly what Usagi's hair and tiara and magic taste like just makes her cackle a bit, giggling wildly. "Oh, Hinoiri-chan I probably snapped you with a towel but with my hair a ''lot'' huh?" She regrets that, a little, but her voice is just as playful and eager and ''warm''. She drops back onto that sweet grass that apparently tastes like her hair and sighs, feeling her ribs deflate, her lungs empty, before sucking in a huge swell of air. "Next time we should bring some of the of the others, maybe. Get all the practice we can, later, because if you're going to be a Pony, we should make sure no one gets even a little surprised and wants to ask questions, or try it out, or ''anything'' when it's time to get serious." Hinoiri asks a very important question, and she twists onto her side, and looks her in the eye. "I've trained long and hard in this, so let me guide you, okay? Just consider me your senpai in laziness! This is how we start-"