2465/Speak up, Emi Hoshino!

Speak up, Emi Hoshino!
Date of Scene:	12 April 2025
Location:	Radiant Heart Academy
Synopsis:	Emi calls Hinoiri aside to tell her about witnessing the Salarymen taking a poke at Kirakirafantastica, a name she can hardly bring herself to utter.
Cast of Characters:	Emi Hoshino, Hinoiri Kirara

---

Emi Hoshino has posed:
Having had a nice little chat with Amy over boba tea, Emi still had something to talk to Hinoiri about. She'd decided to give her a little space to recover and get some actual rest, which she was absolutely sure she needed. Now, she sits on a bench at entryway to her dorms, texting. Mostly, she is in various group chats. 'Kyoto-Girls21', 'Loose-id-dreams' 'night-terrors' 'Sleepless in Tokyo'. It'd be pretty obvious why Emi might be part of groups like this, but there are a lot of them and she spends quite a bit of monitoring for people who she can try to help. She's learned to recognize certain signifiers that often come up when people are dealing with capital-n Nightmares. She's not always right, of course, but over the last year she's developed a pretty good batting average.

Today, however, she's striking out and there doesn't appear to be anything up. Maybe things are calming down a little? She still isn't sure why so many nightmares broke through into reality, or why they were *so* powerful in the first place.

It's a point of concern.

Still, this leaves her with just one thing to do. She texts Hinoiri. She scrolls through her contacts list (it's surprisingly long!) and finally gets to her, tapping 'Uniquecorn' and opening up the messaging window.

Emi TXT: You up? I got something I wanna talk with you about just because you should know.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara had been sleeping after that night, but well... Now? She still had a bad case of insomnia. That hadn't faded in the slightest. Not having Double Trouble around and then getting kidnapped IN her dreams didn't make sleep easier, who knew?

So instead of sleeping like a good little unicorn, she was instead on patrol. When the message came through?

Hinoiri TXT: Yeah, patrolling. Wanna meet up?

Emi Hoshino has posed:
Emi TXT: Yeah. Let's meet up and get snacks or something?

Snacks are good. She likes snacks. Who doesn't like snacks?

Either way, she picks herself up from her spot on the bench and grabs her bag and parasol, twirling the other over her head before she looks down to find Hinoiri's response. Once they've settled on a place to grab snacks, presuming she agrees, she'll meet her there.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri TXT: Sure, it's a date.

Of course, once they chose a spot... In this case, somewhere just outside the school, later night ice cream shop (odly VERY popular near magical girl central), she'd arrive not too long after. Landing down as Cure La Licorne, before diving out of sight, de-henshioning, then heading back out to see her. "Heeeeey. Emi-chan. What's a rabble rouser like you doing at a joint like this?" she asked in a teasing tone before ordering herself... banana split shake. Leaning against the counter while they worked on it. "So, what did you need to talk with me about?"

Emi Hoshino has posed:
"Even delinquents like ice cream," answers Emi, having a drink from her already ordered classic japanese sundae covered in azuki paste, dumplings and with matcha. She seems very happy with it at the moment, a little bit of ice cream clinging to her upper lip that she hasn't noticed and a touch of whip cream on her nose. She delicately wipes that last one away, at least.

"So, while you were, uh... being ... detained, the rest of us saw something that I figure you should probably know about. It looks like they were trying to... trying to get into ... "

She mumbles.

But it sounds a little like someone who just couldn't bring themselves to complete the words 'kirakirafantastica'.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara blinked a few times and barrrrrely suppressed the urge to grin. "Huh? They're trying to get into who? One of our friends? Well, which one? We need to warn them! Come on, Emi-chan, spit it out!"

And yes, she did call Emi Emi-chan now. She was her little delinquient kohai.

And took a sip of her drink to mask how amused she was watching the girl try and say... something.

Emi Hoshino has posed:
Emi Hoshino wrinkles her nose at her in irritation. She knows what Hinoiri is trying to do here and she Does Not Approve.

"You know exactly what I meant!" Hinoiri is going to make her say it, isn't she. The glare at her is full of daggers. Daggers with blunted tips, but still daggers none the less!

Fine. If that's how you want it, Hinoiri, FINE!

"K.."

"Ki..."

"Kirakirafantastica," she finally mutters, defeated, but at least its stated clear enough to understand.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara snickered a few times, then started to full on *laugh*. "Oh, then they are going to be in for a rude awakening when they get there. Dark energy doesn't work in Kirakirafantastica," Hinoiri said. "Riventon came with me once and he said it felt all levels of weird, since the dark energy parts of his body were just gone. If they go there? There won't be any dark energy for them... and we *have* dream magic. Sure, we don't use it a lot. But if they try launching an attack? They're going to find a lot worse than some sleeping, magic-less people to pick on." She took a small sip of her drink.

"Kirakirafantastica is led by ponies... in a world of dragons, griffons, sea serpents and all manner of horrifying creatures by your standards. There's a *reason* for that."

Then, however, she sighed. "But... You're probablyy right. I should probably... go home... and... warn them... ugh..." she mumbled softly.

Emi Hoshino has posed:
Emi stares at her for a long moment.

"Well, uhm. Huh. How about that. That said, it didn't look like they got very far because a .. a ..."

She closes her eyes and her face scrunches up, "... other ... pony with like... wings showed up and made pretty short work of them, so yeah, it looks like they're *fine*, but that doesn't mean that there's *no* potential dangers or --..."

"I just thought you should know."

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara gave her a small smile, shaking her head lightly and taking a drink. "Thanks, Emi-chan. You know... that really is sweet of you to like... keep an eye out, though. But... just... so we're clear... You know I'm only so hard on you because you're hard on yourself, right?"

"The whole trying to be a delinquent thing because you think it'll scare people off thing? Doesn't work. It's silly... and nobody is going to be leaving you alone to carry all this on your own ever again. Got it?"

Emi Hoshino has posed:
Emi Hoshino looks a bit ruffled. She is too a big bad delinquent!

There is, at least, a long-suffering sigh from her. "I really appreciate everything everyone did for me. I won't forget it... and I really appreciate your trying to help me, Hinoiri. I really do." She offers her a smile, mismatched eyes going to the sundae in front of her for a moment.

"I'm just really glad you're okay, and I just don't want you having any more trouble on my account."

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara blinked a few times before sighing and resting her elbow on the table and her chin on her hand. "Oh Emi... I will always ge in trouble for you. Just like you'll keep gettin in trouble for me. We're friends. If there's one thing this world has taught me, it's that friends get in trouble for each other all the time. And... you're worth it. And I bucking know I'm worth it now. So stop trying to act like it's a big deal. Besides, this wasn't even your fault. Of course those jerks wanted me. Who wouldn't? Just about every does," she said with a playful, arrogant wink.

"... Thanks, though. For coming for me. It... really did suck. Feeling like... I was alone again. It helped me figure something out, though. I'm.... not going to get rid of my memories. They.... are a part of me. Even if they hurt. and I don't want that to go."

Emi Hoshino has posed:
"...well yeah, of course I was going to. It's my duty," says Emi, attempting to playfully puncture that arrogance with a slight smile on her face. "but, you know, you were only ever exposed to them because I made a miscalculation." She sips her Sundae through her straw as she mulls over what to say next.

"You were never really alone," she says after a moments thought, "... and I'm glad to hear you're not getting rid of your memories. I can understand the desire to. There are things I'd love to forget from dreams I've visited for example."

A haunted look briefly flashes over her eyes. One can only imagine what secrets she's been privy to, or worse. "So if it matters, I believe you're making the right choice for yourself. Look at you, all personally growing and stuff."

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but they might have come at me anyway. I am a magical beacon. And not exactly a lot of unicorns-turned-humans here, are there? I'd have drawn their gaze before long." She took a sip of her shake and... "So, like, isn't it hard to drink a sundae through a straw?" she asked, cocking an eye.

"... But... thanks. It's... not an altogether easy choice. I think... I'll have to deal with this pain in another way. A way that... involves... less running away. And more facing it. Ugh. Which, frankly, sucks. Running from problems is sooooo much easier, you know?"

Emi Hoshino has posed:
"We *have* been sitting here a while, you know," points out Emi. "If there is one thing Sundaes do, its melt." She scoops a little spoonful out and offers it over to Hinoiri for a taste.

"And, yeah.... yeah. Running away *is* easier, I suppose. For a little while. Then all the stuff you ran away from decides to pile on, right?" Is she speaking from experience? Mmmmmaybe.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara blinked and then shrugged, leaning forward to take a bite(slurp?). Even offers her a sip of her shake. "You know, it's a silly thing. But your ice cream melts faster in this world. I wonder if it's because of the magic, or if it's just due to how our magic is made. Maybe Sora's ice cream melted to often so they tried to find out how to make better ice cream," she joked, giving a light snicker.

"And... yeah... I guess we have been hanging out here a while, haven't we? Its.... been kind of nice. You're a fun person to hang around. When you're not trying to force it... so... I'm curious. Why are you so set on being a delinquent? Like... did you see it on some movies and decide you thought it looked cool?"

Emi Hoshino has posed:
She'll take a sip! Milkshakes are good, even if her tummy will regret it later, probably. Good thing she has those lactaid pills.

"You're not so bad yourself, you know, when you're not picking on me," she huffs.

She raises a finger and pulls the lid of one eye down in a little bit of playful rudeness. "What's the matter with being a delinquent, huh? I'm good at it! And its fun! All I need is a leather jacket and a motorcycle to complete the look when I'm a little older and I will be super awesome and mysterious. The Motorcyclist with Heterochromia, wandering the Tokyo speedways, crossing the boundary between dream and reality. Could be a cool anime, maybe even a tokusatsu if we wanna go low budget live action."

She lets out a breath. "... I'm not really so ready to talk about it," she finally admits, her voice crackling with resignation and pain. "but there are a lot of explanations I could give you, all of which would make sense in a certain way -- but think about how you found me at the library. In a place I shouldn't be, in a situation which could get out of hand easily, and with no protection, and no explanation beyond the magical that no one is going to believe, or the wrong people might believe. 'Oh, I'm just a delinquent', is a better explanation, and most people won't question."

"... also, who do you think most needs my help?"

It's clear that this is not the whole story. Not even a thimble of it, but it suggests the shape of some things.

"Two of the kids on the list I gave you, they were also delinquents. Reiko was homeless, another kid's dad was no good, and a third was ... also the director of the neon labyrinth? He's the older brother of another goodball delinquent I know. He comes by and supplies cigarettes some days. People need help, Hinoiri, and you gotta be where they can trust you because you're one of them."

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara gave a shrug. "Nothing wrong with it, unless you use it as an excuse to hurt yourself. I don't mind you running around and being the tough girl... but when you do things like smoking, that hurt you? I don't like that."

She then smirked. "And... you know..." She motioned to her pleather jacket. "And I ride a motorcycle. If you idolize me that much, you don't need to hide it," she teased.

She was silent for a bit after that, watching Emi and gently sucking on the straw, in thought... finally...

"That's fair, but there's one thinkg you're forgetting. It's one thing to play the role for people who need it... but... destroying your life to live up to that character? I can't abide that..."

"... I get it, though. When... I was back home? I did all kinds of things I shouldn't have. And I really... desperately... wanted someone to reach out. To help me. And if Sora hadn't banished me? I likely would have ended up doing a lot worse. I WAS out of control. But it wasn't really me. Not who I wanted to be. Not who ANYONE wanted me to be... Sometimes we play the role we have to..."

"I just don't want you to feel you have to play that role. People here see you... and care about you. You're not alone. And none of us want you to face this alone. Any of it. So when you understand that? I'll stop picking on you. Until then? You'll either accept help, or accept the consequences and then accept help."

Emi Hoshino has posed:
"Delinquent," counter's Emi at Hinoiri in an accusing and amused tone while pointing at her after speaking of her 'idolization'.

"Mmmn.I'm so glad you're looking out for me, Big Sis," she tells her, a wry look on her face as she offers her another spoonful.

"I promise, as muc has I enjoy cigarettes, I don't have any anymore, and I won't be using them because you're very threatening -- though I may have to smoke one or two to get in with the right crowd. There's little in group signifiers you gotta be able to go with sometimes. Too up tight to play means too up tight to trust, right?" She casrefully turns the glass of her Sundae in her hand.

"You know I'm not great at asking for help, yeah, but everyone's been great about it. I know, and it means the world to me, you --" She stops herself from saying whatever it is was going to come next because no WAY is she admitting it.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara gave a light snort. "Oh, I am the ultimate delinquent. I ace most my tests and rarely skip school... but I have a license acquired by... maybe less than honest means, and I have broken sooooo many rules and laws since coming here," Hinoiri said with a snort. "I am the worst kind of unicorn."

And she took the bite, snickering. "And now I am stealing my kohai's ice cream. But... fine. I'll permit that one. Still dumb, though. There should be a lot of other ways that don't do permanent damage to your body."

Slowly, though, her grin turned more serious. "I... get it, though. I've never been good at asking for help. No matter how much I needed it... but... I was lucky. There were a lot of people out there who gave me help, even when I told them to leave me alone. I just want to be that for you, you know? Because, seriously? It'd break my heart if you got hurt because you went after a witch or something with a bat." She then stretched. "Though, on a related note... I could probably use some of your 'sleep peaceful' powers tonight... This whole thing has had me on edge like you wouldn't believe."

Emi Hoshino has posed:
Emi Hoshino looks marginally annoyed as being called 'kohai' again. "I don't even think you're older than me!" She protests. "Well, see -- now I know people who can deal with that. I promise not to fight anything with a bat if I can help it. It's a cool bat, though. We've been through a lot together." She tilts her head at her, though, at that last bit.

"You've more than earned it. We can head back to the dorms together and you can sleep in the spare bed tonight. Fortunately I have no roommate still. Weird how that works out, right? I'll protect you in your sleep, don't worry. Hopefully better this time."

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara nodded, getting to her feet and starting to walk away, letting the other girl follow along with her. "Yeah, let's do that. And who knows? We can watch a movie or something, too. Maybe help us relax a bit before we go to sleep. Make a whole night of it... just you and me," Hinoiri said, flashing that smile of hers.

"... And you know, when you want to get your license? I could give you some tips and lessons. It's really not that hard, and way easier to beat the maps challenge on a motorcycle than in a car," she said with a laugh. "since you can dodge and weave through traffic better."

THE MAPS APP WAS NOT A CHALLENGE!

Emi Hoshino has posed:
"Movies are good. You know, when I'm feeling stressed or anxious about something, I always try to put on the scariest movie imaginable. It works. Trust me. We'll find something that'll make you jump out of your shoes and you'll feel a lot better afterwards."

At least, it works for her.

"I mean, I'm still too young for my license, and unlike you, my delinquent ass is *already* in trouble with the law. That reminds me, I have to meet with Sato tomorrow. It's his check in date so if he comes by when you're still there, *be nice*." She jabs a finger in her direction. "But... yeah. Sounds great." She steals a last bite of melty ice cream and hops to her feet. "And maybe I can show you the academy in your dream -- you didn't get the chance and everyone else did."