"Because Owen and Ianto would just look silly wearing a dress. I mean, I've got the legs for it, but Gwen, Martha and I don't... have the right look." That was Jack's diplomatic way of saying that it was Toshiko's Japanese background that they needed. Reasonable enough, but her embarrassed annoyance wasn't being placated by the thread of humour in the Captain's voice.
Generally speaking, Tosh was proud of her heritage, of her family and ethnicity. However there were SOME stereotypes of Japanese culture she'd have preferred to do without. Standing there before a mirror to put on the finishing touches of her costume, quite a list came to mind. Starting with... "Well, whose BRILLIANT idea was it to transmit 'Sailor Moon' into outer space, anyway?" What little calm Jack had kept broke into a muffled snicker, audible through the door between her and the rest of the team. Three more voices' laughter joined in. Only one voice was conspicuously missing in the amusement. Doctor Harper remained silent, though she knew he was there, with the rest of them. "OWEN?!" Her tone was both questioning and chastising. She couldn't believe it! Her best mate was the cause of all her current woes.
"Well..." the man in question stuttered a a moment, like a child caught in the middle of causing trouble. "How was I supposed to know you were using THAT particular console to communicate? I just wanted to..." He froze, afraid of further incriminating himself by admitting he watched kids' shows. "I found some unlabelled DVDs and wanted to see what was on them." At least he had the foresight not to write what was on the disks. It was embarrassing enough as it was. For both of them. Still, always better to turn the tables away from him. "Besides, I'm sure you look smashing in that costume." Return the focus to Tosh, and the whole matter of why he was watching Sailor Moon in the first place would be forgotten.
Annoyance superseded embarrassment as the tech slammed the stall door open, hands resting in fists against her hips. "And you NEVER thought to use your OWN computer?!" She took a furious step forward, nearly falling in the tall, red, knee high stiletto boots.
A new wave of stifled giggles erupted from the other two women, earning a glare from their team-mate. The furious look just brought about Jack's laughter, as well. "Careful, girls... or in the name of the Moon, she will punish you." The intonation was a perfect match to the anime character's catch-phrase, which got him more than a few curious looks.
No one was going to even bother asking why he knew the anime girl's motto. They learned long ago it was better 'don't ask, don't tell'. Most of the time, they didn't WANT the answers.
Toshiko muttered something in Japanese, the only recognizable words being Uke, baka, teme, and nani. The rest was lost in the string of irritated asian obscenities. "Fine. I'll do this... But you owe me, Owen." She glares at the rest of them. "And another giggle and I'm making JACK do it."
"I promise, I'll put the dress on AFTER we've dealt with the aliens. I'll even talk in the high pitched voice and everything." The last bit derived a groan of irritation from everyone. "Okay, okay... maybe not the voice. But I'll put on the dress." After a pause, in which Tosh tried gaining proper footing in the impossibly irrational dress, Jack added. "Reminds me of that time on Verasia Tiran in the middle of a lunar revolution... only I wasn't in a dress... more like shackles. But I did get to use that catch-phrase..." Again, his words were met with bemused silence.
"Right, let's get this over with," Tosh said, breaking the stretch of silence.