Prompt: Cosplay at LiveJournal's sm-monthly community.
Dedication: Dedicated to Takagi Nao and Asami Yuuka who made me believe in real life Haruka/Michiru. And to Takeuchi for creating a universe so fascinating that I often find myself hoping that the Senshi actually live among us in disguise.
Notes: I intend no harm with this fic. I do not want to demean any of the other actresses that have played Uranus and Neptune throughout the run of Sera Myu, I just found it plausible that if she could indeed go, Haruka would prefer seeing an original story line rather than seeing her own fight acted out. It so happens that most of the original storylines features Nao as Uranus and Yuuka as Neptune; it also just so happens that they are my absolute favourites. The lines in italics are from the musical "Last Dracul Jokyoku" (spoken lines are from the scene where Uranus confronts the vampire-bitten Neptune, the last line is from the song "Chou Bi – Uranus to Neptune") which is one of my all-time favourite Sera Myu musicals. It was fun making just a little fun of it and yet still loving it to bits. I do not intend any discredit to Takeuchi-sama for this. It's simply my humorous attempt at imagining what it would be like if Sailor Moon was more than a manga. I have written this because I love the original, not because I want to disgrace it.
Chou Bi (Super Beauty)
Another and quite different daughterofmars production
Uranusu watashi no koto...
Uranus, that's who I am...
"This got to be a joke."
Haruka stares at the four tickets that Michiru has neatly spread out on the tabletop in front of her; the elegant black strokes of the hiragana inviting her to the premier of "Shin/Henshin – Super Senshi e no Michi – Last Dracul Jokyoku" at the Sunshine Theatre the next day.
Straightening up with both eyebrows raised sceptically, she looks from first Michiru to Hotaru-chan, meeting Setsuna's gaze last. Both of the latter have adopted similar expressions of disbelief, though Hotaru-chan seems to be on the verge of clapping her hands animatedly and Setsuna about ready to excuse herself with a headache.
"No, Usagi and the others have asked us to join them at the show tomorrow," Michiru confirms what the offending tickets have already so plainly hinted at. Feeling her glare soften at the gentle amusement visible in the violinist's eyes, Haruka crosses her arms over her chest with a sigh. Of course Michiru is all for going. It really shouldn't surprise her.
"Michiru," she tries anyway, even though she already has a nagging suspicion about what the outcome of this argument will be (because Michiru always gets it her way in the end). Noticing how Setsuna nods softly in the direction of the youngest member of their little family, however, Haruka's words die on her lips. Hotaru, at least, looks excited.
Still…
Normally it wouldn't be such a troublesome thing for Haruka to go watch a theatre performance with the others, but this is different. This is Sera Myu, just another branch of the "Sailor Fever" that has raged in Japan ever since the Princess allowed that Takeuchi woman to publish their story under the cover of a harmless shoujo manga.
And even so… Haruka could deal with the manga. It's just drawings and despite its heart-breaking accuracy at times (even on the matter of the future; Takeuchi-sama and Setsuna grew rather close over time), drawings can't hurt her pride. She could even handle the way Hotaru obsessively bought each and every volume and still has a bad habit of letting them lie about the house for the Sky Senshi to stumble across, leading to her having skimmed more than just a few pages of the thing. After all, she looks quite good as a sharply outlined, black-and-white school girl (and so does Michiru).
The anime she never watched, but Usagi and her friends have told her that the two women voicing Michiru and herself were really good and even got close to the real thing at certain points – often in little more detail than Haruka would like, mostly in terms of Minako-chan and Mako-chan agreeing on the unequalled sexiness of Ogata Megumi's voice. For weeks the Princess and her friends (and Hotaru, whenever she could find an occasion to join in) spoke of nothing else than the weekly episode of Bishoujo Senshi Sera Muun. Judging from Hotaru-chan's sudden interest in TV when the series was aired the first time around, it really wasn't half-bad.
But this… this Haruka can't do to herself. She values her privacy too much to watch some actress playing Sailor Uranus jumping around, dancing and singing (instead of fighting, sweating, bleeding and crying) for the entirety of two hours. Her vanity probably plays a big role in this aspect as well.
No, she can't.
"Michiru," Haruka repeats, the slight pause she makes before opening her mouth to decline all the opportunity the Senshi of the Sea needs to cut in and break her resolve.
"Haruka," Michiru says in a soft voice, brushing a lock of blonde hair away form Haruka's face and looking as understanding as ever (how Haruka hates when she does that on purpose), "this time it's an original storyline. It has nothing to do with us or our mission…"
"Besides the obvious," Setsuna interrupts, her purple eyes betraying her reluctance beneath the otherwise resigned air around her. Haruka can't keep a slight leer at bay. Setsuna doesn't want to go any more than Haruka does; that alone could make her reconsider her answer.
"Onegai, Haruka-papa…" Hotaru-chan grabs hold of her arm, meeting Haruka's gaze with those big, dark eyes of hers. How's Haruka to say no to such a request?
Sighing, she rolls her eyes. "Fine," she complies, sending Michiru a dirty look over her shoulder as Hotaru clings to her out of sheer happiness. The innocent smile on those carefully painted lips doesn't fool Haruka. She has known the other woman for too long to not see the quirk at the corner of her mouth, turning her smile into more of a smirk. It's quite clear that Michiru would have settled with nothing less.
Haruka knows she is going to regret that she's so easily manipulated when it comes to the women she considers family. As a matter of fact, she regrets it already…
As Haruka looks around the audience rows, she realises they really needn't have bothered with disguising themselves. No matter which way she looks, horrid yellow Odango-wigs (or something worse, like the sickly orange one a little Uranus-girl was wearing in the entrance hall) burn her eyes or the colour of a Senshi skirt reflects the light. If anything, people would just have thought they were really good cosplayers.
Apparently coming to the same conclusion, Ami takes off her hat some seats away and next to her, Michiru frees her hair from the tight bun she's styled it in for the evening (the bright teal colour of it looks darker and closer to black when she doesn't wear it loose). Noticing the attention, Michiru sends her a small smile and since Haruka isn't one to bear a grudge, she ignores the fact that she should still be irritated with her girlfriend and returns the gesture. Leaning in, she murmurs in the shorter woman's ear, her voice carrying the faint trace of teasing:
"So, who's doing me?"
Michiru's chuckles at the wording and as she retrieves the colourful brochure from her purse, she gives Haruka one of her Looks out the corner of her eye. Snorting at the unsaid implication, Haruka waits for the other woman to answer, but when the pregnant silence starts stretching out between them, she frowns and slowly turns her attention back to her partner. Michiru's fingers have come to a halt on the photographs of the actresses, seemingly caressing the orange-blonde wig of the one playing Sailor Uranus.
Focusing on the small letters underneath the picture, Haruka reads aloud: "Takagi Nao." Raising an eyebrow thoughtfully, she searches through the rest of the pictures, quickly finding the actress she's looking for. "And Asami Yuuka." Contemplating the small avatar of the very green-haired Neptune, she can't help her smirk. Meeting Michiru's eyes, she notes in a low voice: "She's rather pretty."
"Ara, Haruka-san," Michiru purses her lips, though in her gaze the traces of laughter are evident, "are you trying to make me jealous?"
"And if I were?" Haruka responds, Michiru's only reply a small giggle that quickly dies out when Hotaru-chan shushes at them. Looking up, Haruka realises that the curtains are about to rise and the performance about to begin.
She settles back in her seat, already expecting the worst.
After the first couple of confusing scenes, Haruka starts catching onto the feel of it. She still finds it utterly weird seeing "herself" on stage (though, she must admit, Nao-san does quite a job at portraying her), especially when watching the three Outer Senshi first appear on stage with a "Springtime of life. Running." Finding herself smiling despite of the utter craziness of it all, she meets Michiru's eyes and snorts at the raised eyebrow her girlfriend presents her with, admitting defeat. Yeah, okay, it wasn't all that bad; though it had to be anyone's guess what vampires had to do with Professor Tomoe…
As the plot thickens, Haruka actually starts liking Nao-san. The colour of her wig is too bombastic to be anywhere close to Haruka's real hair colour and her voice is a slight notch off (not too light, not too dark, just - ), but there's something about her... Michiru might be the true narcissist between the two of them, but Haruka has always disliked looking unattractive and if anything, Nao-san easily draws attention due to her looks alone; she's unique. As she turns to face Yuuka-san who's now trying to push "Neptune" out of her acting, instead embracing the cruelty of the vampires they've experienced on stage, Haruka can't take her eyes off her.
"Yuuka-san might be pretty," Michiru whispers in her ear as Nao-san steps forward, reaching out her hand with a soft, painful expression edged into every of her features, "but I do think you've just found your reflection, Haruka."
Haruka doesn't answer. Her eyes are fixed on Nao-san as the woman's voice wavers despite what appears to be her hardest effort to keep it level and somewhat soft. Her words come out in little clusters of sounds; too many pauses breaking them up, though their meaning seems to linger in the quietness in between. It scares her to admit it, but Haruka recognises this particular fight for control over her body from herself. This desperate battle of keeping stormy emotions at bay.
"You are the pretty Soldier of Smiles with the ocean in her eyes… but…I am a Soldier of Battle."
Holding her breath, Haruka waits for the next sentence to follow that last harsh exclamation. She's never been the vocal type. She's never been good at voicing her feelings, but luckily Michiru seems to understand so many things without being told. Normally Haruka would have hated seeing an outsider so blatantly supposing they could reflect something this private between Michiru and herself; between Uranus and Neptune. However, for some unexplainable reason, it doesn't particularly trouble her to see Nao-san verbally reaching out, pretending to be someone she's not. Pretending to be Sailor Uranus. Pretending to be Haruka.
"That's why I couldn't say… arigato… "
The last word is more of a sob. Haruka has only one recollection of breaking down like this. And that was the one time she saw her world fall to pieces, unable to do anything about it. Clenching her hand into a tight fist, she wonders what she would do if she ever had to face Michiru in this way…
She exhales. Slowly. And blinks. Furiously. Michiru's argument might have been that this had nothing to do with their mission – that doesn't change the fact that Haruka right now feels as if she's watching her heart being thrown in her face. She doesn't exactly like it, but neither does she feel like getting up and leave. Normally she wouldn't allow anyone to be so presumptuous as to assume they knew anything about her (or Michiru). Yet… this isn't "normally". This is something else. Something entirely different.
The warmth of fail fingers gripping her hand surprises her, though she doesn't show it. Feeling Michiru's gentle squeeze, Haruka turns her head and let's herself be bathed in the small smile, her lover presents her with.
"Do you still think it's a joke?" Michiru's question is in a low voice, but her tone is gentle with only the faintest hint of teasing; more evident in her eyes than in her words. Haruka manages a chuckle in spite of the feelings piled up inside. Michiru is (always has been) an expect at pushing the right buttons in just the right way; so that it doesn't hurt Haruka, but neither does it lull her into a false sense of security. And Haruka likes the challenge; ever since they first met (in collision) she's liked this strange sensation of fighting between them.
"Of course," she says, her voice dark and amused. There's no trace of her inner conflict. On stage the plot moves towards its climate and as an upbeat battle song starts, Michiru raises an eyebrow at Haruka in the dark, clearly not convinced by her lover's abilities as an actress.
"I know you better than that," Michiru comments and looks back towards the actresses, the battle song now accompanied by a series of complicated-looking dance steps. With a small smirk, Haruka feels Michiru's hand grasp her own tighter. They're both bad at lying; Haruka because she's honest by nature, Michiru because she hates indulging people. Feeling her smirk morph into a soft smile, Haruka acknowledges that words aren't needed between them (not even a word such as "arigato"; not even a word such as "aishiteru").
Truth comes without saying, doesn't it?
"Watashi wa Saturn, hametsu no Saturn, inochi no Saturn…" Hotaru-chan hums as she leaves the theatre, closely followed by Odango Atama, clinging to Mamoru-san's arm with a mystified look on her face.
"Demo, Mamo-chan," she says, her voice insistent, "are bad people really weak against milk?"
Watching Mamoru-san open his mouth helplessly, Haruka almost feels sorry for him. Fortunately for him, Rei-chan decides to take action, smacking Usagi-chan on her head.
"Baka, Usagi," she barks, leaning in with her lips pursed irritably, "it's just a play."
"I knew that!" Usagi retorts. As their argument soon develops into an immature contest of tongue-poking, Haruka ignores it, instead sparing Michiru a glance out the corner of her eye. The aqua-haired girl looks very smug. In fact, way too smug for Haruka's liking – something that doesn't get better as she realises the same expression is reflected in Setsuna's features.
"Nani?" she asks, defensively, looking from one woman to the other. Setsuna's smile is almost undetectable. As always her feelings are well disguised, but Haruka hasn't been living with her for more than two years for nothing. She knows the signs. Setsuna feels like laughing; probably just as much as Michiru does.
"You seemed to be enjoying the show quite a bit," she notes indifferently, though the way she and Michiru exchange looks is anything but. Haruka rolls her eyes, feeling a slight blush creep into her cheeks.
"It wasn't horrid," she observes; not directly agreeing, but neither is she saying that she hated it. She's not a good liar. Neither of them would buy it. "And Asami Yuuka was pretty." The last comment is a casual provocation, very purposefully thrown in Michiru's direction. Because she may have won round one, has Kaioh Michiru (this time around), but Haruka is all for a rematch.
"Takagi Nao-san was so kakuii, wasn't she?" Minako-chan chirps behind them, pressing her hands to her chest melodramatically and spinning around in an inelegant pirouette. "I think I could die happy if she looked at me the same way she looked at Yuuka-san. I mean, she's almost as attractive as Haruka-san…" Looking up just in time to catch sight of Haruka's raised eyebrow, Minako's words die out; an embarrassed smile forming on her lips and a nervous grin following it, almost drowning out Mako-chan's reply:
"She reminded me of my old sempai…"
Linking her arm under Haruka's, Michiru suppresses a giggle, drawing the blonde's attention back to her. She hasn't bothered with styling her hair back into the tight knot on the top of her head again. In this crowd, no one will question the alternative colouring of her hair anyway.
"They didn't assume too much, did they?" The Sea Senshi's question is honest. She saw Haruka's reaction to Nao-san's speech and no matter how well Haruka might have covered it up, she is perfectly aware what an impact it had. Haruka shrugs lightly, catching sight of a poster on the wall on her right, Takagi Nao and Asami Yuuka staring out at her, both clad in Senshi fuku a great deal too fluffy and pompous to be of any use in war. Nevertheless, they make a good pair.
"It doesn't really matter, does it?" Haruka asks in return, letting her gaze linger for a second longer on Nao-san's piercing eyes with the hint of vulnerability. "As you said: It has nothing to do with us or our mission…" Next to her, the violinist comes to a halt, forcing Haruka to follow her example. Michiru glances over her shoulder, seemingly searching for the others in the crowd. During their little conversation, the other Senshi have fallen behind, engaged in animated talking (at least, some of them – Setsuna as always the quiet spectator). As they wait for them to catch up, they study the poster together in a comfortable silence.
"Maybe," Michiru begins softly, Haruka cocking her head as she waits for the continuation, "I should be the one saying arigato."
Haruka's eyes widen slightly. Turning around, she is about to open her mouth and say something, but Michiru raises her face to meet her gaze, shaking her head with a half-smile. "I already know, Haruka," she murmurs, only meant for the Senshi of the Wind to hear as the others finally join them, Hotaru-chan skipping past them, a new melody on her lips.
Staring into Michiru's eyes, Haruka acknowledges that even though she wants to say it (but can't), it's not necessary. The two of them aren't cosplaying actresses on a stage, aren't animated colours on a screen or thin lines of grey in a manga volume. When it comes to the real Haruka and Michiru, most of what mattes is hidden between the lines, never said out loud. Haruka likes it that way, though sometimes she wishes her life didn't fit quite so well into the world of magical fantasy…
Identifying the melody Hotaru is singing, Haruka rolls her eyes, letting the matter drop as they follow the crowd lead by Mamoru-san and Usagi through the streets of Tokyo. Soon Setsuna falls into step next to them and, little by little, Hotaru slows down her speed as well. She doesn't stop singing and as Michiru joins in with her light voice (eyes laughing at her partner), Haruka pushes all thoughts of pride aside.
If being a super heroine gives you the right to have a catchy theme song like that, maybe it isn't so bad after all…
Tsukete kita no ka?
Is the end of our journey near?