lumberlady | Noctium

[She frowns at Konoha and then looks at the skirt... thing, brow furrowed. ne hoof stamps nervously again before she tries to take a step forward.

While one leg goes fine, when she tries to move again, her legs shake and two try to move at the same time, making her flail her arms and her body go still. She squeaks and gives Konoha a helpless look]

[To be honest, Konoha had never thought about how to walk before. Now, though, after coaching several people through their first centaur-like transformation…]

Ah… maybe try thinking of yourself in halves this way… instead of up and down.

[She gestures down the center of her body, vertically not horizontally, divided into left and right. Demonstrating, as she slowly walks closer.]

Both on one side are found to move before the other side… back starts… then front… back… front…

[Again Miu frowns and looks skeptical, but she stares down at her self and tries to think of it like Konoha says.

After a few seconds Miu attempts to do it as she says, taking a few tentative little steps. While she still wobbles a little purely form how odd it feels, at least she's not falling all over the place.

She breathes a little sigh of relief and then glances to Konoha.] ...Sorry... This must be really annoying for you.

[As Miu considers the motions and begins to attempt walking as she’s suggested, Konoha simply moves closer and keeps her hands up, ready to move to brace or assist if she should be needed to prevent a stumble or fall. The lower half of the other woman’s new form might be different than her own, but she’s not particularly heavier or bigger… and she could support a grown stallion as long as he was helping and wasn’t just dead weight, so… no problem!

But there she goes… one hoof after the other, then the opposite side…]

No, it’s not any trouble, really… I taught my daughter how to walk, so it’s not any worse to teach someone else…

[She chuckles a bit bittersweet at the memory, although-]

… Well, she didn’t need much help, jinba babies pick it up really quick, it only takes a month or so, but… you get it…

[The point is she’s not annoyed! But she is holding up the fabric she’d brought.]

Want me to put the skirt on?

So I'm slightly below an actual baby in terms of skill. [THANKS KONOHA. But her tone is just joking enough-- she isn't really that put out by it, but she has no doubt that Konoha's toddler child could run circles around her right now.]

I'm pretty sure it takes human babies like... 4 months just to be able to sit up without falling over. [But she practices a little more, moving forwards and backwards a couple times before she feels a bit more confident about it.]

Okay. Sure. [She sighs, a little dramatic.] Konoha-san, why couldn't you have been my mom?

[That first comment makes Konoha laugh despite herself, even as she starts unfolding the skirt she’d brought.]

Well in your defense, you did just start today… and you’re human, you’re used to having like a whole year to learn!

[Moving behind the other woman, she lays a hand on her flank as a physical warning of where she’ll be, not wanting to get accidentally kicked.]

There’s no need to rush too much… our babies have to learn fast because the herds don’t travel until they can walk.

[And with the combination of equine and human-looking parts… they couldn’t walk the same day like a horse foal, but thankfully didn’t take months and months like a human.

Fabric unraveled, with a little “excuse me” Konoha starts dressing Miu in the skirt, expertly (but slowly, to show how it was done) trying and draping here and there with a thoughtful hum. Mothers…]

I’m not that much older than you, Hinasaki-san… But if you don’t have a mom…

[She sure could try???]

[Miu turns to look and watch with the skirt, her tail twitching anxiously as she watches. It feels weird to be touched at all, but somehow a bit soothing? She does feel a little better once she has the skirt on though, letting her relax a little.]

Wouldn't it be weird? I don't know, Konoha-san. Raising a teenager is a lot of work. [She's still half-joking, one hoof knocking nervously against the floor.]

I don't... seem to have a good track record with mothers... You really probably shouldn't. I might be cursed.

It would be a little weird, sure…

[In between a little chuckle at that half-joke in turn, Konoha points out how she ties the cloth so that it rests comfortably like a belt around Miu’s new barrel in front of her hips, twisted then back along her rump so that the draping fabric part can be run beneath her tail and provide more modesty. That way, even if she flicked or lifted her tail, no nethers would show, and a simple loosening of a knot on the “belt” part would let the fabric slip down far enough to not I interfere with. You know, bathroom things.]

There we go… all done.

[Another little pat to the flank signals completing the dressing, which turns into… just a hand resting there a moment. Cursed…]

Well, if you don’t have good luck with mothers… I make a pretty good elder sister, I think…

[Miu turns and looks at the drape of fabric, reaching out to touch it lightly and see it better. Touching her own fur is--weird. There's an odd dissonance of 'oh, that feels nice' and 'oh god that's me I'm petting' that makes her cringe and shift about nervously.]

I've never had siblings. [She admits, thinking about and glancing almost shyly at Konoha.] But...I don't think I'd mind. If I had a a big sister, I would've liked her to be like you.

[It's not something Konoha can quite understand, not yet having changed into a shape so drastically unfamiliar than her natural one. Was she lucky? The opposite of cursed? She wasn't sure, but... She definitely didn't want to jinx it.

Instead, she smiles, one hand still resting on Miu's back as if to remind her... this is you. Temporarily, yes, but. It was her body now.]

Me neither! I mean... I might, I guess, but none I know about.

[So... that probably didn't count. Still-]

I can be your big sister here, if you want. You can call me any time you need help. Not even just jinba-type help.

[Miu tilts her head, curious about that.] ...Mm. Then you know it's the same for me too, right? I mean, that you can call on me. I'm not exactly big and strong, but I'm pretty good at talking my way out of trouble.

[She laughs a little about it and grins at Konoha, turning around so that she could tentatively put her arms around Konoha and hug her, just because, well, it felt nice.]

Konoha-san is too sweet for this place, we don't deserve her. [her tone is lightly teasing about it.]

Edited 2021-07-15 14:29 (UTC)

Ehe, don't worry... if it's just being big and strong I can handle that part...

[At least, she certainly had the confidence if it came to application of strength and size in a non-violent way. As Miu might learn as she explored what she was now capable of... there was a certain baseline capability for those who weight about half a ton. If she needed help in an actual fight, though... Well, you didn't need to be a psychic to tell that Konoha didn't have a single fighter's bone in her body. A defender's, perhaps, if pressed and cornered, but-]

Oh-

[A hug! She isn't about to turn away from that, squeezing back firmly but gently.]

I'm not sure about that, Hinasaki-san... I can be an awful busybody, you know...

[The tease brings a small laugh with it, she tries to demure, but. This place... the things it made people do, the fact that beneath all the trappings of luxury and being provided for they were all hostages, essentially, to a temperamental god...

She just considered it doing her part, the best she could. And while they're this close...]

Do you want to learn a jinba greeting... ? You're the right height now, we could do it easy...

[She eyes Konoha a moment, only a little skeptical. A busybody? Well...Yeah, probably, she could see it. Konoha kinda seems like the type.]

A jinba greeting? Sure. Is there anyone besides you I'd do it with though? [She doesn't know any other jinba or jinba-like people hanging around, after all. but she's curious all the same to learn it]

[She can't help it... She was raised by the most busybody woman in the entire village, and she cares too much to not accidentally push her nose where it doesn't belong. At least she apologizes once she knows she's not welcome, but-]/

Well, maybe not... but then it could just be our thing, if you want to think about it like that.

[If she was going to be a proper nee-san, she should do something like that, right... ? She's never been an actual sister, to her knowledge, she didn't know how many foals her broodmare dam might have sired in the breeding stables before her, but...]

We don't do bowing or handshakes in the mountains... We greet each other like this.

[She moves to face the younger woman head on, gently touching their foreheads together and lifting one arm to place the back of her forearm on Miu's shoulder, palm up and fingers cupped.]

Now you do yours the same way!

[Their own not-so-secret not-really-a-handshake? She smiles a bit and faces Konoha, watching her curiously. While she knew it apparently wasn't a handshake or a bow, she wasn't entirely ready for what it turned out being.

She starts a bit in surprise, blushing, but holds still as she watches and copies Konoha after hesitating a moment.] Like this...? [The contact makes her shiver a little, but it's... Nice. She doesn't mind it, and Konoha still being willing to make contact with her after the whole memory-reading incident from before makes it feel all the more special every time they do touch.]

It's nice. It's a bit... close, though. Do you know why you greet each other this way?

[Konoha is... admittedly really hoping this didn't end up with her reliving another bad memory from her past, but... she'll take the risk. Once Miu's forearm rests on her opposite shoulder she nods a little bit against her forehead, smiling (though the other woman might not be able to see it).]

I thought it was a little embarrassing, too, when my husband first taught it to me... But I like it now.

[Being close. Greeting friends and family in this way.]

It means "I see you". Not "see" like with your eyes, but... acknowledging the other person. That they exist, and they're welcome in your world.

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