"Really Haruka, you shouldn't complain about it." Her reasonable voice ebbed through the other sailor senshi's frustration. "I've always thought you looked cute in the fuku." She smiled sunnily, but her partner's gaze was far away.
"Cute." Said Haruka flatly, staring out of the window. "Cute? Cute is for kids, like dumpling-hair and her friends." She looked back at Michiru, eyes smoldering. "You wouldn't call Tuxedo-Kamen 'cute'."
"I guess not." Michiru shrugged, inwardly sighing once more. She didn't think that she'd be able to talk Haruka out of her mood, this time. The best thing was to let it ride itself out, like a storm at sea. But she kept her smile turned on her partner anyway.
"These costumes are ridiculous." Haruka flicked the huge yellow bow in the middle of her chest. "Oh, for you it's all right, you're beautiful in any skirt, even a kid's outfit."
"Thank you." I think Michiru's smile broadened. Haruka, please, let this go...
But Haruka's aura kept darkening, her voice gaining in intensity and thoughtfulness. "You know, I remember in Crystal Tokyo... Prince Endymion wore armor, like a real soldier. I should have something like that."
"But then, you wouldn't be a sailor senshi, love," Michiru pointed out reasonably.
"No? Do you really think the clothes matter that much, in doing what it is that we have to do?" Haruka arched an eyebrow.
"If they don't matter, then why are you complaining?"
Haruka stared blankly at Michiru for a few moments, then, leaning against the window sill with a wry grin, looked down at her ankle boots.
"It's a guy thing."
Michiru facepalmed.
"So what do you want to do about it?" She'd meant that to be discouraging, but alarm crept into her features as she regarded Haruka's calculating, thoughtful expression.
"Mamoru's armor... he doesn't usually change into Prince Endymion unless he is with Neo-queen Serenity, right?"
"What are you planning, Haruka?" Michiru asked suspiciously.
"Unless, of course, it was the past or the future. Then he's Prince Endymion all the time."
"Haruka..." Michiru got up out of her chair. "...why don't we go out for some sashimi and then dancing, or to the beach, hmm? I think we've been working too hard." She put her hands on Haruka's shoulders, smiling prettily up at her. "We need a holiday."
"A holiday..." Haruka looked up, her gaze faraway. "I think we should call Setsuna, and arrange a little visit."
"Setsuna?" A feeling of dread began to grow in Michiru's stomach. "Haruka, if you care so much about it, why don't you just get Luna's disguise pen from Usagi and do it that way? There's no need to drag Sailor Pluto into this."
Haruka looked down at her partner, arching an eyebrow. "Come on Michiru, where's your sense of adventure?"
"The same place you left your common sense, amata." Michiru stepped back, crossing her arms. "You've been hanging around with Sailor Jupiter too much lately."
"Jealous?"
"No, worried. If you're so concerned about looking like a child, then you should stop behaving like one. The Gates of Time aren't a toy."
Haruka looked down expressionlessly, and Michiru held her breath, hoping a little bit of that at least had gotten though.
"Okay, Okay, you win, Michiru." Haruka heaved a sigh, then looked up at her partner. "I'll drop it. You're right, it's a stupid thing to let bother me. We have much more important things to worry about."
"Like saving the world, for instance."
"Right." Haruka flashed one of her rakish, charming smiles at Michiru, and the other girl allowed herself to worry a bit less. The blond senshi glanced down at her wrist communicator. "speaking of which, look how much time I've wasted already with that foolishness. Come on, we've got work to do.""Right." Michiru nodded, giving Haruka's hand a fond squeeze, grateful that the crisis was over.
Or so she thought.