by Haruka

Zoisite couldn't help but stare. Setsuna ... Sailor Pluto ... looked incredible. Her uniform was mostly black and white, from her black knee-high boots with the spiked heels and white trim to the short black skirt and matching collar. Between the collar and skirt, the form-fitting material was white and sleeveless, but she wore elbow-length white gloves with black cuffs. Two big rust-brown bows accented the uniform, one across her chest and the other just above her bottom. A black choker with a red jewel dangling from it encircled her throat, and a gold tiara with another red jewel was visible under her long bangs. Red earrings and matching red lipstick courtesy of the earlier star sparkles added just the right touch. In her hand, she held a long staff shaped like a key, at the top of which rested a beautiful red orb.
"Setsuna," Zoisite whispered, unable to take her eyes off the young woman. Except for her clothes, she didn't really look different, yet at the same time she _was_ different. Zoisite could sense the power within her, and that coupled with the spectacle before her strengthened her admiration and desire for Setsuna all the more.
"I think she believes you now," Haruka quipped.
Zoisite stood, looking Sailor Pluto up and down. "You're stunning," she said honestly. "Can you forgive me for not believing you?"
"Of course." Sailor Pluto smiled. "I was telling the truth about the mooncats, as well, so don't be shocked when they speak to you."
"I'll try, but no promises," Zoisite said, shaking her head. She noticed Haruka and Michiru and studied them thoughtfully. "You guys are scouts, too?"
"Yep," Haruka replied. "I'm Sailor Uranus and Michi is Sailor Neptune."
A slow grin spread across Zoisite's face. "Your uniforms resemble this one?"
"More or less," Michiru confirmed.
The grin was now mischievous. "Haruka wears a skirt?"
"Whoa, look at the time!" Haruka glanced at her watch and darted out of the room. Michi followed with a smile.
"No, wait, I want to see you transform!" Zoisite laughed, then winked at Sailor Pluto, who returned it.

Haruka, her head propped up on one arm, gazed down at Michiru as she slept peacefully beside her. She'd awakened before the alarm could go off, and took the opportunity to savour Michi's beauty uninterrupted.
Uh oh, she thought suddenly. I have to sneeze. But if I do, I'll wake her up. Haruka looked around desperately for a way to muffle the inevitable explosion, and finally had to bury her face in her pillow. When the sneeze came, the sound was indeed muffled, but she jostled the bed so violently that Michiru fell on the floor.
"Hey!" she cried.
Haruka's head popped up. "Michi? Where'd you go?"
"Down here, where else would I be?" Michiru dragged herself onto the bed. "What happened?"
"I, uh, sneezed," Haruka admitted sheepishly.
Michiru gave her an amused look. "And you blew me out of the bed? Really, Haruka, you should learn to cover your mouth."
Haruka chuckled and put her arms around Michi, who pressed against her for a moment, then frowned. "Haruka, are you hot?"
"You bet I am."
"I don't mean hot for me, I mean hot as in feverish." Michiru put her hand on Haruka's forehead, then her cheek. "You _are_ hot!" She scrutinized the blonde closely. "How do you feel?"
"Fine," Haruka insisted.
"Then why does your voice sound raspy?" Michiru fixed her with a stern look. "Open your mouth."
"You just said I should _cover_ my mouth."
"Haruka!" Michiru said in her best no-nonsense tone. Haruka recognized the warning signs and wisely opened her mouth. Michi turned Haruka's head toward the light and peered inside. "Hmm, your throat is red. Does it hurt? And don't say no!"
"But what if it doesn't hurt?"
"It does, you just winced."
"Did not."
"Haruka, you did so!"
"I didn't wince, I have something in my eye."
"You may be right," Michi agreed, switching gears. "They do look puffy."
"Hey!"
"Haruka, you are sick." Michiru stood and pushed the taller girl back onto her pillows. She pulled the blankets up to Haruka's chin. "Stay right here, I'll fix a tray for you."
"Michi, I--" Haruka started to protest.
"You are going to stay in bed, do you understand me?" Michiru pulled on her robe. "I'll be back in a few minutes. I want to take your temperature."
"Will you give it back?" Haruka cracked.
Michi shot her a pained glance. "It must be serious. Even your jokes are sickly."

"But how does it _feel_ to be a cat?" Zoisite pressed as she crouched in front of Luna.
"I've never felt like anything else!" Luna exclaimed. Artemis chuckled from his hiding place under the kitchen table.
Ever since Zoisite came downstairs, she'd been barraging everyone with questions about their scout abilities, past battles, and how it felt to have such power at their control. Rather than unnerved, she'd been delighted to hear the mooncats talk, and was still following them around ten minutes later. Setsuna looked on in mild amusement, but made no move to intervene.
"There've been questions that people have wanted to ask animals for centuries!" Zoisite declared. "Don't you want to educate us?"
"We have our paws full teaching the scouts," Luna stated. "The rest of the world will have to manage without us."
"Besides," Artemis put in, "we're not ordinary animals. We're mooncats."
Zoisite peered under the table at him. "There you are!" she grinned. "I wondered where you'd gotten to!"
"Breakfast is ready!" Lita announced.
"Saved by the breakfast bell," Artemis murmured to Luna as Zoisite took her place at the table by Setsuna.
"You know what's really funny?" she said. "When I first met Mina, I thought she looked a lot like Sailor V in the video games, but figured it was just coincidence."
"Other people have mentioned that to me," Mina admitted. "I tell them that I was the model for the Sailor V games and movies because I look a lot like her."
"Good morning." Michiru came into the kitchen. "Haruka won't be coming down, she's sick."
"Anything serious?" Setsuna looked worried.
"No, but she seems to be running a fever." Michi began putting a tray together.
"Maybe Amy should take a look at her before leaving for school," Luna suggested. "She may not be a doctor yet, but she's done a lot of studying."
"Would you, Amy?" Michi asked hopefully. "Maybe she'd behave for you."
"Of course, if you want me to," Amy said modestly.
Zoisite was surprised. "I didn't think sailor scouts could get sick."
"We can get sick, we can get hurt, and we can die," Setsuna told her.
"Most of us have already done all three!" Serena laughed.
"You've ... died?" Zoisite said uncertainly.
"Reincarnation," Lita answered the unasked question.
"We're like that battery bunny," Raye joked. "We keep going, and going, and going ...."
"Well, I'm going back up to feed Haruka, if she'll take it," Michiru remarked. "All I know is she'd better be in that bed when I get there."
"I should stay here and look after her while you're at school," Setsuna decided.
"Are you sure?" Michiru asked. "I don't want you missing classes."
"It's more important that you not miss any," Setsuna replied. "I can make up lost time more easily than you can with the high school structure."
"But with you and Haruka both here, who'll drive us to school?" Mina asked.
Setsuna answered without hesitation. "Zoisite."
The seventeen-year-old stared at her. "Y-You'd let me drive your car?"
"Sure." Setsuna grinned. "I'm not Malachite, you know."
Zoisite smiled back. "No, you're lightyears away from being anything like Malachite."
"Actually, I would have offered you use of my car days ago, but I haven't wanted you to go off alone in case Malachite showed up." Setsuna looked at her thoughtfully. "I hadn't really noticed before, but you haven't been anywhere other than school since you got here. You must be going stir-crazy."
"You too," Zoisite pointed out. "You've been hanging around the house with me when you could have been out shopping and having fun."
"I think you both need a change of scenery," Lita piped up. "Why don't you go out tonight? If you go together, Zoisite won't be at risk, and that way you'll both get some time out of the house."
The two older girls faced each other. "Sounds good to me," Setsuna said firmly.
"Me too." Zoisite grinned. "Let's do it!"

"Thanks for the ride, Zoisite! See you later, Michi!" Serena waved after the two as they left the locker room to go to their first period art class.
"Zoisite's really a good driver," Lita commented as she removed some books from her locker.
"Yeah, at least as good as Setsuna," Raye agreed. It's not like riding with Haruka, where a trip to the store is like the Indy 500 trials."
"Speaking of Haruka, did you get a chance to check on her, Amy?" Mina inquired.
"Yes, I did," Amy said. "She's definitely got a fever and her glands are swollen. Some antibiotics, a couple of days in bed, some T-L- C, and she'll be okay."
"I have a feeling that even with T-L-C, the patient will be a B-R- A-T," Raye said. "Bed-ridden is not a comfortable state for Haruka."
"Unless it's Michiru's bed," Amy murmured.
The other girls all turned to stare at her. "What did you say?" they asked in unison.
Amy blushed and became flustered. "Well, um, it's just that, uh ...."
"Spit it out, Ames," Lita told her. "Do you know something we don't?"
"Just that, well, when I went to check Haruka--" Amy's blush deepened. "She was in Michi's bed. Her own hadn't been slept in."
The scouts exchanged wide-eyed looks of amazement. "You know, I'd wondered if they were doing that, but I never knew for sure," Raye said.
"Same here," Lita admitted.
"I guess now we know," Mina remarked.
"I don't think either of them realized that I'd noticed, although Michi asked why my face was so red," Amy confessed. "I think she thought I might be feverish, too."
"We shouldn't let on that we know," Serena said sagely. "And if they realize we might, and ask us about it, don't act like it's a big deal. Only little kids would get all freaked out about it."
"I guess that makes me a little kid then." Amy sighed. "Because I'm still embarrassed just thinking about it."
"Don't feel badly, Amy." Mina put an arm around her shoulders. "It's making me feel a little weird, too. But the thing we have to remember is that they've been in a committed relationship for a long time. They already wear wedding bands."
"True," Amy conceded. "They are deeply in love."
"Just like Setsuna and Zoisite," Raye remarked. "Although they're being really dense about showing it."
"Yeah, they spend all their time together and are obviously crazy about each other, but they haven't even kissed yet." Lita sighed.
"I think they're both afraid that confessing their feelings to the other will scare her off," Amy said.
"They need a push in the right direction," Serena said decisively. "Otherwise they'll just stay neutral and safe forever."
"But what can we do?" Raye asked.
Mina smiled. "I have an idea. It'll take some luck, and the co- operation of Michi, Haruka, and the mooncats, but if it works, Setsuna and Zoisite will finally be a couple."

Setsuna bent over her sewing machine and stepped on the foot pedal. She carefully pushed the material under the bobbing needle.
"Hi!"
"AAAH!" Setsuna cried as the needle nicked her finger. She stuck in her mouth and sucked on it, glaring up at Haruka. "Vut er ou ouigg ow uf ved?" she demanded.
"I'm bored," Haruka said quietly, her voice resembling that of a pubescent frog. "I'm sorry if I made you pierce your finger."
Setsuna took her finger out of her mouth and looked at it. "Oh, it's just a scratch." Her expression softened as she studied Haruka. She was wearing boys' pajamas, slippers, and a robe, her tousled hair falling into apologetic green eyes. Setsuna turned off the sewing machine and stood up. "Come on," she said gently, putting an arm around Haruka and steering her out of the room. "Let's go back to your room and I'll stay with you for a while."
"I want to go down to the couch," Haruka told her. "At least there I can watch tv and play video games."
"Okay, as long as you keep a cover over you at all times." Setsuna escorted Haruka down to the living room and got her settled on the couch, pulling a warm quilt over her and handing her the remote control. Haruka turned on the tv and laid back on her pillows.
"It was nice of you to stay home with me, Set, but you didn't have to," she said. "I could have looked after myself."
"Uh-huh." Setsuna smiled. "Tell me, did you take those antibiotics yet?"
"You mean that horse pill? I don't need it." Haruka began to cough uncontrollably and massaged her throat, wincing.
"I knew I should have stood over you and made sure you swallowed it," Setsuna told her. She went back upstairs and retrieved the pill from Haruka's bedside table, then returned to the living room with both the pill and a glass of water. She held them out to the younger girl. "Down the hatch, kiddo."
Haruka made a face, but Setsuna was firm. "Don't make me pinch your nose shut to force you into opening your mouth."
"Oh, okay," Haruka grudgingly accepted the pill and popped it into her mouth. She grabbed the water and made a show of drinking it all to get the large pill down, then held out the empty glass. "More, please. I think it's stuck between my swollen glands."
"I think you're pushing your luck." Setsuna sat down in the nearby armchair while Haruka put the glass down and got comfortable again. She studied Setsuna thoughtfully.
"So you and Zoisite are going out tonight, huh?"
"Who told you that?"
"Amy, when she checked me earlier."
"Well, it's no big secret or anything." Setsuna shrugged. "We just decided we ought to get out for a change."
"Is this an outing for two friends or an actual date?"
Setsuna looked at her in shock. "A date?!"
"Good, it's about time." Haruka sneezed. "She really likes you a lot. You should stop leading her on."
"We should check your temperature again, I think you're losing your grasp on reality," Setsuna said firmly. "I'm not leading Zoisite on."
"Then answer me this." Haruka pulled herself into a sitting position. "Are you or are you not attracted to her?"
Setsuna was quiet for several moments, then murmured, "What if I am? Is that such a crime?"
"No, Set, it's great." Haruka smiled. "But wouldn't it be nice to let Zoisite in on it?"
"I think she already knows I like her," Setsuna replied.
"Yeah, but there's a difference between knowing someone likes you and knowing someone _likes_ you."
"I don't want to rush her. She's had a lot of upheaval in her life recently."
"But that was the best thing that ever happened to her, even she's said that." Haruka grinned cheekily. "All that's missing is a girlfriend."
"Who says she wants me, though?" Setsuna argued. "She's very popular, and could have anyone she wants now that she's free of Malachite's oppression."
"Yet she still doesn't flirt with anyone at school or otherwise advertise her availability," Haruka pointed out. "Doesn't that tell you something?"
"You know, the more you talk, the more you're convincing me."
"Really?" Haruka smiled brightly.
"Yes, you're convincing me that your voice is getting raspier and you should be resting your throat." Setsuna got up. "Also, we really ought to check your temperature again. We have to monitor it carefully to make sure it doesn't climb any further." She headed out of the room.
"You're avoiding the subject, aren't you?" Haruka called after her.
"Stop straining your voice!" Setsuna answered. "And be ready to open your mouth when I get back or I'll find somewhere else to stick the thermometer!"
Haruka made sure Setsuna was well away from the living room, then pressed the button on her wrist communicator. "Step one accomplished. I got her to admit she's attracted to Zoisite. She wouldn't confirm whether or not she'd tell Zoisite that, though."
"One thing at a time," Mina's voice came through the communicator. "Michiru will be working on step two right about now. If she can convince Zoisite to tell Setsuna how she feels, we may not need to resort to step three."
Zoisite noticed Michiru gazing wistfully at Haruka's vacant desk in Modern Japanese and shook her head. Her friend had paid more attention to Haruka's absence than the lesson so far. She nudged her. "Michiru?"
Michi looked at her and smiled ruefully. "I guess it's obvious my mind is elsewhere."
"I'm sure she's all right," Zoisite said. "And if there was a problem, Setsuna would call you on your communicator."
"You're right, of course," Michiru agreed. "But I can't help worrying about Haruka." She smiled. "That's what it's like when you love somebody."
"You two are so lucky," Zoisite said enviously. "To be in love like that and know total devotion."
"Your relationship is closer to that than you realize," Michiru told her.
"My relationship?" Zoisite blinked. "Am I having a relationship?"
"Well, the devotion is there. All it needs is for you to tell Setsuna how you feel."
Zoisite's mouth fell open and she stared at Michiru, who returned her gaze calmly. Finally, Zoisite sighed. "And you said you were obvious."
"Lita figured it out a while ago, and having seen you and Setsuna together, we believe it," Michiru said. She placed a reassuring hand on Zoisite's. "She feels the same way."
"How do you know?" Zoisite asked. "She's been wonderful to me, but that doesn't mean there's romantic interest."
"Just trust me," Michiru said. "Setsuna is in love with you."
Zoisite knew Michiru wouldn't lie. She thought about Setsuna and felt an exciting little thrill shoot through her. "She's the most incredible person I've ever known, Michi," she said dreamily. "Smart, beautiful, brave, talented--"
"And in love with you," Michiru added.
"I know you believe that, but how can I?" Zoisite asked. "Yes, she's sweet to me, but she's a sweet person."
"The only reason she doesn't come out and say it is probably because she thinks it's too soon," Michi remarked. "Setsuna wouldn't take advantage of anyone, and that's likely what she's afraid of now." She leaned closer. "But if you told her how you feel, she could be honest, too."
Zoisite sat back with a thoughtful expression and Michi suppressed a triumphant smile.

"I'm hungry!" Serena whined as she glanced at the living room clock. It was almost seven o'clock, and dinner had been postponed so the girls and mooncats could see Setsuna and Zoisite head out on their 'date'.
"We'll eat soon," Lita promised. "Everything's all ready, we just have to heat it up."
Haruka coughed, then lay her head back down in Michiru's lap, where it had been since the green-haired girl got back from school. Michi seemed content to stroke Haruka's hair, occasionally leaning down to kiss her temple. Mina watched her wistfully. "Michi, aren't you worried that such close contact with Haruka will give you her cold?"
"I'll take my chances." Michiru smiled fondly down at Haruka, who snuggled against her.
"Hey, they're coming!" Raye declared. Everyone quieted down and heard Setsuna and Zoisite approaching. When they entered, a collective gasp met them.
"Wow, you two look beautiful!" Serena exclaimed with stars in her eyes.
"Did you make that dress, Setsuna?" Amy asked.
"Yes, I did." Setsuna smiled modestly and smoothed down the ankle-length skirt.
"You look good with your hair down, Zoisite," Haruka mumbled sleepily. "But if your hemline gets any higher you'll be arrested."
"I'll bet it's not as short as your Sailor Uranus skirt," Zoisite replied impishly.
"Leave me alone, I'm sick." Haruka closed her eyes. Michiru stifled a giggle.
"We'll see you two later," Artemis said to Setsuna and Zoisite.
"Have fun and don't be too late," Luna added.
"Okay," Setsuna said. "Bye, everyone!"
The other girls called out goodbyes, but as soon as the door shut behind the pair, they exchanged looks.
"I didn't notice that anything had changed between them, did you?" Lita asked.
Michiru shook her head. "If either of them had declared her love to the other, they'd be showing it."
"Or maybe even telling us outright," Raye said. "People in love can't contain themselves."
Mina sighed. "I guess we'll have to resort to step three after all."

Malachite squeezed the phone cord in his fist as Nephrite's latest report went from bad to worse. "A date?" he growled. "They're on a date?!"
"That's what I said," Nephrite replied, raising his voice to be heard over the loud music in the background. "They went to a restaurant and now they're in this club dancing."
"How are they acting toward each other?" Malachite demanded. "Like friends or lovers?"
"Well, they're obviously having a good time together, but there still haven't been any overt signs of affection. No hand-holding other than during dances, and no kissing."
"Hmph. I wouldn't count on that lasting. Keep a close eye on them."
"I'll do my best, but I can't get too close or Zoisite will see me. Don't worry, though, I'll keep them in sight."
"See that you do." Malachite slammed the phone down and knocked it off the desk in fury. He knew deep down in his gut that it was just a matter of time before either Zoisite or Setsuna made a move on the other. The very thought made his blood boil. How dare they flaunt themselves in public when all his college classmates knew Setsuna was his? Were they trying to humiliate him or were they so indifferent to his existence now that they simply didn't care? Either way, if things went that one step further and they declared their love, he would make them regret it.
In fact, so sure of their betrayal was he that he would begin arrangements for their downfall immediately. Then when the time came, his revenge would be swift and sure.

Zoisite fell laughing onto a stool and tossed back her loose hair. "This has been such a blast!"
"Absolutely," Setsuna agreed as she joined her. "I haven't had so much fun in ages."
"That's because you've been staying at home, guarding me against Malachite." Zoisite met her gaze. "You've been giving up your own life for me."
"What life?" Setsuna asked, smiling. "It's not as if I would have been running out to nightclubs all by myself, and I haven't had any other offers."
"That's just because no one realizes you've dumped Malachite yet," Zoisite remarked knowingly. "Otherwise there would have been people breaking the door down to ask you out."
"Who cares?" Setsuna said, her eyes shining happily. "I wouldn't have missed tonight for anything. Come on, let's dance some more!"
Zoisite grinned and shook her head. "I hope I have your stamina when I'm an old lady of eighteen."
"You should be so lucky!" Setsuna laughed and pulled Zoisite back into the thong of dancers.
Only a couple of minutes into the song, Zoisite felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned, prepared to tell whoever it was that they could go cut in on someone else, when she stopped. There were two people standing behind her--a boy and a girl. They both had shag haircuts, the girl's reaching past her shoulders. Her hair had a reddish tinge while the boy's was similar to Zoisite's colour. Both were attractive, and there was something familiar about the shape of their eyes ....
"Hi, Zoisite!" they chorused with matching grins.
She gasped in realization. "Ann? Alan?"
"Surprise!" the girl said. "Hi, Setsuna!"
"You two look amazing!" Zoisite exclaimed. "I know you said you could disguise yourselves as humans, but I didn't know it would be such a dramatic change."
"Well, we have to camouflage the pointy ears, green skin, hair and eye colour, so once that's all done, I guess it is pretty dramatic," Alan said, then looked her up and down. "And what about your transformation? You're always beautiful, but tonight you're sparkling."
"Isn't she?" Setsuna said fondly. Zoisite smiled at her.
"You're looking pretty gorgeous yourself."
Alan and Ann exchanged a knowing look, then Alan caught sight of something across the room. "Don't look now, ladies, but our reason for being here is watching us."
"What are you talking about?" Zoisite asked.
"Nephrite is here," Ann told her.
"He is?" Zoisite turned slightly as if to check her purse for something and stole a glance in the direction Alan had indicated. "He is here, the snake. That's too coincidental."
"Alan and I decided we weren't getting anywhere trying to eavesdrop on he and Malachite, so we thought we'd go after him and see if we could learn anything. This is where we found him."
"We didn't even know you were here until spotted you," Alan said. "And you're right, Zoisite. It can't be coincidence that he's here when you are."
"What makes you so sure?" Setsuna asked.
"Because he just took a picture of you."
All of them turned to stare at Nephrite then, and Zoisite started toward him. He quickly left before she could reach him.
"It would seem Malachite is bringing in outsiders to keep tabs on Zoisite," Setsuna said grimly.
"That creep needs to get a life," Ann commented in disgust.

End of Scouting Out Life Chapter 11

Story contents (C) 1997 Tenou Haruka

Sailor Moon characters (C) Naoko Takeuchi