DISCLAIMER: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of its characters.

Author's Note: It's been a painfully long time since I've written anything! So... conclude what you will from that statement. Or, read a bit and drop a review. Or... both!

CHAPTER ONE

Akinomoto Stadium

The growl of engines echoed against the stadium's walls, mingling with the screams of tires against pavement, the commentator's shouts and the distant roar of the crowd. The sun beat down from above, eliciting sharp glares of light that bounced off the vehicles that sped around the track, haphazardly darting around one another in a deadly game of tag.

The effect, Michiru Kaioh decided, was only remotely interesting.

"As you can see, Kaioh-san, we have plenty of upper-echelon entertainment here. Our stadium is renowned for its innovative design and not only houses one of the most popular racing circuits but also, one of the largest."

The young aqua-haired woman allowed a demure smile to pull at her lips, her hands remaining lightly clasped in front of her. "Ah, is that so?"

"Yes!" the small, rotund man beside her exclaimed enthusiastically, evidently unaware of his companion's polite disinterest. "We are capable of holding several thousand more spectators in comparison to our closest competitor, all while remaining within fire regulation specifications and still providing our audience with the greatest comfort and, in turn, the greatest experience. Why, just recently we received the rating of highest—"

"Now, now, Kobayashi-san," a young man interrupted as he approached the pair, "I'm sure Kaioh-san doesn't need to know all the ins and outs of the place, regardless of her father's gracious donation. I'll be happy to complete the tour for you. Don't you have a meeting with another possible benefactor?"

"Oh, I nearly forgot!" The short man turned hurriedly, throwing forward an almost clumsy bow before scuttling away, horn-rimmed glasses nearly toppling off of his nose in the process. As the new arrival watched the man's hasty escape, Michiru's smile widened with mirth, her hand rising to cover the display of near-laughter.

"I apologize, Kaioh-san." The smartly-suited man turned and offered a polite bow in greeting to the daughter of Seiji Kaioh, a name that had become nearly immortal in the Ajinomoto Stadium in the months past. "I didn't anticipate Kobayashi-san's desire to give you such a lengthy and informative tour… it took me nearly thirty minutes to discover your whereabouts!"

The stadium was an impressive one, standing at a height that nearly doubled its original size. It had long stood in the heart of Tokyo, being the site of many spectacular events before eventually falling into disrepair. A war had then ensued, conducted by various corporations that saw a business opportunity in the aging entertainment center: offer the highest donation to help the stadium surpass its prior greatness and, in return, have a venue that worshipped and spouted your name at every given moment along with plastering it all over the walls. The family that happened to be "fortunate" enough to afford such a hefty price had been none other than the Kaiohs themselves.

The Kaioh family ran a multi-billion dollar corporation that produced a well-recognized line of cars that had soared to popularity over the past several decades. The business had been handed down within the family for years, it having been first founded under Hiroshi Kaioh, a dedicated mechanic that decided that after years of dealing with poorly designed automobiles, it was time for him to take a shot at making a "road warrior" himself. After receiving funding from several well-meaning and wealthy friends, he attempted many designs, most of which failed. It wasn't until 1915 that he found success, his model skyrocketing in popularity across Japan. In 2010, the Kaioh family was still reaping from the fruitful successes of their ancestor… and Michiru wasn't the least bit interested by the thought of it.

"Kaioh-san? Are you alright?"

Michiru blinked, shaking her head softly as she drew herself out of her reverie. Refocusing on Toru Yoshida, she offered an apologetic smile, one lithe finger brushing teal hair back to tuck behind an ear.

"I apologize, Yoshida-san. I don't seem to be all here today."

Toru offered her an equally apologetic grin, a knowing look appearing on his face. "I understand that this probably isn't very interesting to you. I mean… someone of your sophistication…"

Michiru laughed gently, shoulders rising in an indifferent shrug. "It's quite alright. My father was very insistent that I learn at least a thing or two about his most recent business venture. I suppose he's trying to encourage my enthusiasm in regards to the family trade."

"And your fame as a violinist isn't enough?"

As the young Kaioh shook her head in reply, Toru stopped by a nearby door, opening it and gesturing the woman inside. The pair continued was soon meandering down a long line of wide-set stairs, Toru neatly dodging several well-dressed yet hurried men that offered polite nods to the Kaioh daughter as they rushed by.

"He is quite pleased with my accomplishments," Michiru eventually continued as they neared the end of the long stairway, a distant blare of light causing her eyes to fall into a slight squint. "But I believe that he views my musical endeavors as more of a hobby, while he views this, and our cars… as real work."

Toru let out a low rumble of an awkward chuckle, a hand lifting to scratch the back of his head as he guided the violinist outside. "How unfortunate…"

"He passes by shooting through the middle! Wow, what an impressive yet daring move by the newcomer! Here is Yamamoto, making an attempt to regain lost ground by cutting in on the inside… no! Number 99 has blocked him off, Yamamoto losing valuable time as he readjusts to make up for the brutal halt! And here it comes, here it comes… yes! Ladies and gentlemen, Tanaka in 99 has taken the win again!"

A roar rose around the stadium, reaching an unbearable pitch as the remaining cars zoomed by, coasting to an eventual stop. Toru joined the commotion, clapping as he shot a sidelong grin at his companion.

"Now, I'm sure you're wondering why we're here," he began, beginning to walk forward once more, towards a distant plume of dust and smoke.

"Ah," Michiru began, her head tilting as she examined the man that led her easily forward. "Considering my prior experiences with your associate, I must assume… we are here to learn of just how many racers have used this track, yes? Perhaps the security measures that have been implemented to protect them in this risky sport?"

Toru laughed, shoving his hands into his pockets as he ambled to a gradual stop. "I see that Kobayashi-san has taught you well! But… no." Turning on his heel, the dark-haired man gestured to the just-formed rows of vehicles and their riders that had began to circle out before them. "Your father specifically requested that I introduce you to a racer or two, in hopes of… perking your interest," the man ended oddly as Michiru lifted a delicate eyebrow. "He didn't specify anyone in particular, so I thought I would allow one of my good friends to bask in your presence… hey, Haruka!"

Inwardly, the violinist sighed. She had a feeling that her father's odd request had something to do with not only the family business but also, her single status. An unusual number of nights at the family dinner table had ended with Seiji proclaiming that one ought to marry one's work in more ways than one… and what better way to do that than for a car manufacturer to marry a car enthusiast?

*And what better car enthusiast than one that races them,* the woman thought grimly, her face settling into one of trained determination as a distant figure turned upon hearing Toru's shout, a hand waving in reply. The Kaioh girl forced her lips to form what she could only hope was an exceedingly polite smile as the man approached, ruffling his own blonde locks as a helmet dangled carelessly from his free hand's extended fingertips.

If Michiru wasn't so distracted with irritating thoughts of her father's possible interference in her romantic life, she would have considered the approaching figure to be surprisingly handsome. Golden hair fell in messy waves over his head, some strands whisking over strikingly green eyes that looked like they held the capability to piece through steel at any given moment. He was tall, and somewhat muscular… though not brutish or barbaric, from what she could tell. *Not barbaric at all,* she thought idly, her intrigue somewhat perked despite her reluctance. *Actually, he moves with the grace of a cat…*

"Toru!" the man greeted, a dazzling and toothy smile appearing on his lips. Michiru was interested to note that the newcomer seemed completely indifferent to her presence, a reaction that was uncommon due to not only her popularity as a violinist but her looks as well. "Where have you been for the past hour? I could've crashed and died miserably, and you would've never known."

"Save the theatrics, Haruka," Toru grinned, slapping his friend on the shoulder cheerily. "You know I've sometimes got more important things to do than watch you walk all over the veterans' egos and see them cry about it. I actually had some business to attend to…"

The violinist felt the flicker of green eyes settling over her form and, again, felt the rise of internal defenses as she prepared for a possibly crude onslaught. Unfortunately, her father's prior choices in potential suitors had often lacked charm and subtlety, and many had found themselves suffering grievously from the Kaioh's wrath.

"…this is Michiru Kaioh, the daughter to Seiji Kaioh. He's the one that helped finance the most recent developments to the stadium," Toru added hurriedly, catching Haruka's look of mild confusion before it was replaced with knowing nonchalance.

"Michiru Kaioh," the aqua-haired woman spoke with an elegant bow, a movement that had clearly been perfected over the years of her life. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. And you are..?"

"…Tanaka," the man spoke, albeit with slight hesitation before he awarded the woman with a forced and yet disarming smile. "Haruka Tanaka." And just like that, his attention snapped back to Toru, whom – Michiru would later decide – was doing a very poor job of hiding his amusement. "Sorry to cut things short, but I've got things to do."

The man strode off, back towards the cloud of dust that eventually revealed the car numbered 99, a series of shouts rising up from the crew surrounding it as they congratulated the blonde-haired man on his well-won victory. Toru uttered a quick and short laugh, a little bit surprised at his friend's antics – normally, Haruka was the first to hop on with an absolutely disgusting degree of charm and seduction when it came to beautiful women – but he shrugged it off, instead shooting a look to his charge instead. The Kaioh daughter appeared, at the very minimum, to be somewhat surprised.

"You must excuse my friend there," Toru apologized readily. "Normally he's… very talkative when it comes to women, but I guess it's my fault." When Michiru looked at him questioningly, he shrugged. "I don't often bring them onto the track to meet him. Actually, now that I think about it, I don't often bring them to him at all." His lips twisted into a lopsided grin. "If I wanted to lose any chance with every pretty woman that I met, I would do that. But really, I just spend most of my time hiding my dates from Haruka."

That was enough to startle a small chuckle out of Michiru, to whom Toru shot a somewhat guilty look.

"Ah, sorry, that was a bit out of line… but! Moving on." Toru began to stride away from the track and its line of vehicles, the violinist gradually turning away from the distant silhouette of the wild-haired racer and his crew to follow her guide. "I'm sure he'll be much more up to company tonight at the banquet dinner. You are going, aren't you?"

"Yes," Michiru conceded with a small nod. "As my father has other obligations, I have consented to take care of his duties for the night. But… I didn't realize that tonight's dinner would also present your stadium's racers. Are many others going to be present?"

"Oh, that's right," Toru muttered, more to himself than the woman beside him. "You don't follow racing… to answer your question, no, many others will not." The man turned, drawing forth a card from his pocket and offering it to Michiru. "Take a look."

The woman played the card over in her hands, holding it lightly by the edges as she flipped it from one side to the next. The front held the name Ajinomoto Stadium in large, bold letters, along with a decorative backing that she recognized as the newest logo, intended to generate interest in the stadium's new design and events. On the other side, several names were scrawled across in designer font, Haruka Tanaka being listed near the middle.

"These are the names of some of our latest features, and, interestingly enough, the Haruka that you met is one of them," Toru explained. "Tanaka is originally from Japan, but has been in America for the past several years. Haruka has been making headlines over there, racing and besting some of the top-recognized American NASCAR racers on the circuit. Haruka returned to Japan just recently, and we're the first stadium that he's graced with his professional presence since that return flight back. To honor his return and to also thank him for the additional business and fame this has surely given us, he has been invited as one of the "celebrity names" for the banquet." Toru hesitated, grinning a bit before continuing. "We tried to offer Tanaka a banquet that was dedicated to his return, but… he didn't like the idea of a bunch of paparazzi and executives fawning over his every movement. This was the closest we could get to giving him the recognition that we believe he deserves."

"Interesting," Michiru murmured softly, flipping the card to and fro once more. "You wouldn't think that, just from looking at him…"

"He does a good job of hiding it. Now, Kaioh-san." Toru straightened and turned to face the woman beside him fully, giving a slight incline of his head. "As I am sure you are disappointed to hear, your tour of Ajinomoto has been completed. Your chauffeur is waiting outside with all due patience, and he has already been given directions as to how to reach the banquet's destination for later tonight. Now, I must take my leave." Toru bowed again as Michiru hid a small grin underneath lithe fingertips. "You may go right on through the doors to your left, which will take you through our celebrity entrance and lead you out to our VIP lot. I will see you tonight."

As Toru departed, his easy pace in stark contrast to the hurried look of the of the other businessmen that Michiru had seen that night, the woman turned and headed out of the stadium that had taken three hours of her day and several million of her family's fortune, a look of intrigued anticipation flickering over her previously placid features.