Updated: 11/22/01

Day 1

Haruka woke up at the crack of dawn to find Michiru was sitting on her bed. She was fully clothed and looking at Haruka intently. She wasn't angry anymore. Haruka was sure it was a dream, since Michiru usually never got Haruka up in the morning.

It took her a few more seconds to realize that Michiru was smiling gently because of the bet, and she was there to help Haruka out. Haruka bolted out of bed ready to use her long legs to bolt out of the door, but Michiru didn't make a move towards the door to block her escape.

Haruka was glad to be back in her room, but she didn't expect Michiru to sit so calmly. When Haruka tried the door, she found that it was locked. Michiru flashed the key to her door in her hand. Still smiling calmly like she did to any adversary.

Haruka sighed, and realized that she had to face her fears, she had to look like a woman, which she hadn't done in years.

Michiru said, still perched on the bed, "It won't hurt, really. You took that shower, as I asked last night, right?"

Haruka wanted to lie, but she knew that it was a rhetorical question. Haruka nodded slowly.

Michiru took control and forced Haruka to sit down at Haruka's, now clean, vanity table. Michiru emptied her bag of cosmetics that she collected and said, "I bought you a dress too! I have a few I'm sure will look good on you. Later, we can go out and buy some new dresses."

Haruka tried not to squirm, but she really couldn't stand the feeling of make-up on her face. Michiru spared no part of her face, even her neck was under the watchful eye of Michiru. Michiru applied foundation, powder, lip liner, lipstick, lip gloss, eye liner, kohl, eye shadow, mascara, and finally blush all over her face. When she was finished she said, "Well, that's light. It shouldn't be that hard to maintain."

If this was light? What was heavy? Even Sailor Uranus's transformation was better than this.. maybe a little lip gloss while she was going to battle, but nothing like this greasy disgusting stuff. Haruka was sure that her face couldn't breathe under this stuff. How did Michiru stand it?

Michiru dumped all the materials into a purse, which she gave to Haruka. It weighed a lot. Haruka wondered if Michiru had built any muscle over carrying so much stuff with her, since her purse usually contained several more of these things.

Now came the worst part: The dress and the heels.

Haruka could deal with wearing various types of boots easily. Even the ones with heels to them, what she couldn't stand were the strap backs and pumps. Michiru knew how passionately Haruka hated them. Michiru had chosen to go along with the summer dress (which was a bit big in the bust, since it was one of hers) and strap back heels. Haruka teetered on the edge of them and looked at her reflection in her length long mirror.

She saw the white hair was still tousled and boyish, but the rest of this girl was standing like a man in woman's clothes. Haruka tried to straighten herself out, but felt like Odango tripping over the sidewalk. She was starting to have a lot of empathy for Usagi and Minako right about now. The girl in the mirror was pathetic.

Michiru seemed to smile in half-satisfaction. She pulled out something from a shopping bag and said, "A friend of mine said that you could borrow this."

It was a collection of white hair attachments from what Haruka could tell. Sometimes Michiru used them in Hotaru's hair when Hotaru wanted to play dress-up. Haruka normally wouldn't go within a foot of those things, knowing that Hotaru would be tempted to attach them to her hair.

Michiru fluffed for a while and then fussed with it, when Haruka looked in the mirror she had long locks of hair.

Michiru said firmly, "We have to practice that walk of yours. I don't want you tripping and ruining your make up."

Michiru's concern about Haruka had seemed to diminish in the last few days. It made Haruka worry that Michiru was angry at her permenantly.

It was an hour of walking with "Etiquette for Female Idiots" on her head that Haruka finally broke down. Michiru was laughing at her. It was a musical gentle laugh that Haruka sorely missed, but it was all directed at Haruka. Haruka's pride was stung. Haruka said frustrated, "If you were dressed as a boy and were trying to flirt with boys this wouldn't seem so amusing to you!"

Michiru seemed surprised at first, and said, "Minako's impulsiveness must have worn off on you."

Haruka was tempted to beg forgiveness and forget her pride at that moment, because she could see Michiru's eyes shimmering and then she said, "I take this as a challenge, then. I bet that I will find a boy to flirt with me while I'm dressed up as a boy and that he will respond. If I win, I get to drive your car and motorcycle for once and you must confessed other friends that were girls I've known that you have flirted with. If you find a girl to flirt with that no one knows about and you're a girl in appearance at that time, then I'll do your chores for a week without complaint and you get to play my violin."

Now, at this time, Haruka was rubbing her feet and not really paying attention to Michiru. The strapbacks, she was beginning to realize why she hated them so much. Her feet were big, and didn't quite fit the shoes Michiru had gotten her. It really wasn't fair to ask Haruka such a bet at such a time, she reflected later, but that was Michiru in her vengeful mood. Her feet were aching and by the time she realized that Michiru had said something, she figured that the best way to get Michiru not mad at her for not listening, was to say, "Yes".

It was only a few seconds later when Michiru made her put on the heels again (because they coordinated with the outfit) that she realized what she'd agreed to. The heat.. it must have been the heat.. she wouldn't have said anything so stupid otherwise.. Michiru never lost.. never.

When Michiru and Ami raced against each other and she did a rematch, and tied again, Michiru spent another week in the pool training and beat Ami later, though no one talked about it. Michiru was a sore loser, and she would keep going until she won.

Haruka bit her lip gently so as not to get Michiru mad at her about messing up an expensive shade of lipstick and tried her hardest not to groan. She already missed groaning. (Since the stupid book said it wasn't lady-like... for all she cared she wanted to grunt the Japanese National anthem... if it weren't for Michiru.)

Michiru seemed to be finally satisfied. Michiru said, "Now, that your training is done, I want to choose your name. You will be Haruko. Teno Haruko... so you will be Hand of Spring Girl."

Haruka tried not to choke, but it suited her enough. As long as Michiru didn't pick anything more embarassingly girly.

Michiru said, "and I'll cut my hair and become Kaio Michirou."

Haruka looked at her surprised. Michiru sorted through Haruka's closet and promptly picked out some jeans and a t-shirt. She rolled up the jeans and then put on the loose t-shirt. She gathered her long silky hair up into a baseball cap and then talked with a lot of "Boku" and "Ore".

Haruka was completely appalled.. her girlfriend made a great looking guy... she was a better guy than Haruka was a girl.. Haruka felt the dispair set in.

It wouldn't have been so bad if Michiru hadn't opted for that second to open the door to find a pile of girls fall inside the room.

Minako was the first to raise her hand and say, "I'm a witness to the bet you two made!"

Usagi was a quick second, and Hotaru and Chibiusa were outside of the door holding ice cream looking totally confused by the change in clothing that Michiru and Haruka had.

It was going to be a long week.