AN: Hey guys, know it's been awhile but I really don't write that much anymore. This was just an intruiging idea I had though, so I'm running with it. Unfortunately, I don't own Haruka Tenoh, or any other Sailormoon character. That would be Naoko Takeuchi, not Dez Wicked. Whilst I admit January Mercer is a combination of sorts of two characters (Ivy from Soul Caliber II and Jan from Sol Bianca), she's my character along with everyone else you haven't met before. This is a sort of AU, running with the idea that the Senshi were never allowed to awaken, and someone not Princess Serenity is leading Tokyo to a dire future. Read and review pretty pretty please with caramel mochas on top?
If We Never Knew: Chapter 1
Haruka easily breezed past the finish line on her motocross bike, a wide smile on her face. Maybe with the earnings from this race, she'd be able to buy her first car, since she was finally legally allowed to drive. True Haruka had been driving for a couple years already, but nobody was supposed to know about that.
She pulled into her 'pit' area and pulled off her helmet, shaking out her short hair. A second later there was a white towel being handed to her. Haruka smiled gently and looked over at the person holding the towel, her ten year old sister Sakura.
"Thanks Saki," Haruka said as she accepted the towel and wiped the sweat from her forehead.
Sakura beamed at her older sister. "That was a great run, Haru! I mean, the other guys didn't even come close. You had at least two seconds on the rider behind you.!"
"You've been hanging around here too long," Haruka teased as she dismounted from her bike and started walking it back to their uncle's truck. "You're talking like a pit chief now."
"Nothing wrong with that, Haru," their uncle, Washi Tenoh replied as he walked around and helped Haruka lead the bike into the back. "Just means your sister's learning something, aren't you Butterfly?"
Sakura blushed at the use of that nickname, "Hai it does Uncle Washi."
"Hey if you two've got it here, I'm going to go wrap everything up then dinner is on me," Haruka interrupted, flashing a cocky grin at her family.
"Of course we've got it," Washi replied, rolling his eyes teasingly at his oldest niece. "You seem to think we're helpless without you."
"Well, hopeless at least," Haruka teased right back as she gave Washi and Sakura each a quick hug before jogging off. The remaining two Tenoh's just smiled at each other and shook their heads. Haruka was always like this after a good race. Adrenaline high, they'd dubbed it.
"Hey kid, you're pretty good," a person Haruka didn't know called out as she walked towards the officials' booth.
Haruka paused and looked at them. Whoever it was seemed a bit too well-dressed for a motocross race, wearing a black suit with a navy blue shirt and dark sunglasses. The sun shone off the person's longish white hair, which fell across one side of their face and barely reached their collar. "Thanks," Haruka replied.
"You ever race cars?" the stranger asked.
"Not in awhile," Haruka replied, only half kidding. She'd maxed out her uncle's usual car a few times, but never in a real race.
"There's a race this weekend, you should show. Do well and you could have a future with us," the stranger said casually, taking a card from a pocket in their jacket and handing it to Haruka.
"I don't have a car," Haruka returned hesitantly taking the card but not looking at it yet.
"Call that number and that can be remedied. See you there." The stranger smirked as they turned and walked away.
Haruka watched the stranger walk off before glancing at the card. It had the logo from Lotus Automotive on it, with the name January Mercer printed below and a phone number. She blinked- Lotus was known for outfitting the local illegal street races around town, and everyone knew it was a pretty shady place. You didn't go to Lotus or the club Yomi unless you were looking for trouble or knew the right people.
Haruka shook her head; she couldn't possibly be seriously considering this. That was definitely not something she could even think about. Sticking the card in a pocket of her racing suit, she jogged off to the official's booth to collect her winnings.
"Haruka, where are you off to?" Washi asked over his paper as Haruka walked past. It was unusual for her to be going out as dressed up as she was, with a single gold hoop in her left ear and a semi-nice navy blue shirt.
"Just out. I'll be back before curfew, promise," Haruka replied, hands stuck in her pockets.
Washi raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. Haruka was sixteen now and had always been a pretty responsible kid so there was no reason not to let her go out on her own. "Fine, make sure you are."
"I will. G'night," Haruka returned as she headed out the door and started walking towards Lotus.
About halfway there, a blood-red car pulled up beside her and the driver's window rolled down. "You Tenoh?" the driver called.
Haruka stopped and looked over at the car. "Maybe, what's it to you?"
The driver laughed, "Well you've certainly got the attitude. Hop in, I'll give you a ride to the race. That is where you're headed, right?"
"Why should I just get into a car with you?"
"Cool it Speedy, Mercer sent me."
"That makes it so much better. Buzz off," Haruka replied hotly as she started walking again.
The car pulled up alongside Haruka again, this time a gun sticking out of the window, aimed right at her. "Enough with the toughass games, get into the car."
Haruka's eyes went wide at the sight of the gun and she froze momentarily before climbing into the backseat as she was told. This had to be one of the stupidest things she'd ever done, now Haruka got the feeling she'd be lucky to be alive by the time the night was over.
Before long, the car had pulled up to a good-sized alleyway that was nearly packed with cars already. It seemed every speed enthusiast in the city had gathered to show off their custom tuned machines, and Haruka momentarily forgot to be scared as she looked at the cars around her. She barely noticed when they pulled to a stop and the mysterious driver got out of the car and opened the back door.
"Come on kid, time to go play," the driver smirked, taking off his sunglasses and tossing his leather jacket into the front passenger seat to reveal a few tribal tattoos down each muscular arm, perfectly framed by his sleeveless shirt.
Haruka climbed out and glared at the guy, not caring that he seemed twice her size. "Call me kid again and we'll see how many teeth you've got left," she growled.
"Ooh, check this guys! New kitten's got claws!" the guy called to the crowd around them, some of which started laughing.
"That isn't all this kitten's got," Haruka returned as she punched the guy, cleanly breaking his unsuspecting nose.
"Why you little bitch," the guy snarled, wiping some blood from his nose and punching Haruka squarely in the stomach. Haruka gasped, but she was angry now aimed a high kick at his jaw, which connected soundly. That was the last hit she got in however, because a couple of the guy's friends grabbed her and held Haruka back as the guy punched her stomach again and then her face.
"Hey kids knock it off," a voice came from the crowd, causing the guy and his friends to back off and release Haruka. The teen fell to her hands and knees, spitting out a little blood and gasping. She looked up to see a pale hand in her face, which she accepted and stood to face the stranger from her motocross race. This time however, the stranger's hair was held back by her dark sunglasses and grey blue eyes looked at Haruka kindly. "The Boss wants to see what this kid can do, so leave her alone," the stranger continued, glaring harshly at the onlookers before turning back to Haruka. "You alright there?"
"Yeah never felt better," Haruka returned, wiping a bit of excess blood from her split lip. "Who the hell are you anyway?"
The stranger laughed, "I'm Jan, Jan Mercer. And you're obviously the spitfire from the dirt track, though I'll have to let you in on a secret. It's not usually wise to walk in here and pick a fight, especially with Dante over there."
"I didn't pick anything, he practically kidnapped me," Haruka returned.
"If you'd come quietly he wouldn't have had to. Now are you racing with us tonight or not?"
"If you've got the car, I'll race it," Haruka replied her nervousness and excitement building.
Jan laughed again, "That's what I wanted to hear. This way."
Haruka quietly followed as Jan led the way to a navy blue sports car trimmed in gold. With a smirk on her face, Haruka walked towards it, circling it slowly before popping the hood and examining the engine while Jan stood back and smiled.
Finally Haruka looked up, "This'll do, since I assume I don't have time to tune this more than it is."
"Hey, that thing's top of the line," a guy from the crowd stepped forward, giving Haruka a dirty look.
"Obviously not, since you missed a few things," Haruka returned coolly, "but I'll do what I can with it."
A laugh rose from the crowd, and the guy glared at Haruka before walking off.
"You'd better be nice to Max, he's one of the best mechanics around here," Jan told Haruka, a smirk on her face.
"I'm not going to lie about cars," Haruka returned, facing Jan. "So when do we start?"
A whistle sounded in the distance, and the crowd started separating into their cars.
"Apparently now," Jan replied, hopping into the passenger side of Haruka's new car, while Haruka slid easily into the driver's seat. "Just follow the trail, they'll take us to tonight's locale."
The rest of the night passed by so fast it seemed like either a dream or a nightmare to Haruka. She was able to easily win the race, narrowly avoid getting into another fight, and she was allowed to keep her car as a prize. Jan seemed to be the only nice one of the bunch, saying that The Boss would be pleased with Haruka's performance and might have a job for her. Haruka wasn't sure who The Boss was, or even if she wanted to work for them, but Jan promised the pay would be more than adequate and that she should take the offer. Haruka knew the family could use it, but she had a bad feeling that she shouldn't get any more involved than she already was.
About a week later, a gleaming silver car was parked by Haruka's in the high school parking lot. She waved her friends on as Haruka cautiously approached the car, relaxing only a little when she saw Jan waiting.
"Hey Speedy, got a present for ya," Jan grinned as she handed a thick envelope to Haruka. "It's been sealed so don't even think about looking inside, just make sure it gets where it needs to go."
"And if I refuse?"
"This is a job directly from The Boss. You don't want to refuse."
"Sounds like some sort of Godfather movie. Look thanks but I'm just not interested." Haruka tried to step around Jan to get into her car and pick up Sakura from her school.
"You'd better get interested real quick, Tenoh. The Boss wants you, and so The Boss will have you."
"That sounds a little steamy," Haruka replied sarcastically. "Who the hell is The Boss anyway?"
"That's nothing for you to be concerned with. Look Tenoh, it's just a courier job, just take it so nothing happens?" Jan seemed to be almost pleading.
"Nothing's going to happen, because I'm not doing it," Haruka returned coldly as she tossed the envelope at Jan before getting into her car and driving off.
Haruka had all but forgotten about the meeting the next day when she and Saki came home from school. "Uncle Washi! We're home!" Haruka called as she tossed her keys on the coffee table, which she knew she wasn't supposed to do.
"Uncle Washi! Hm that's funny, his car's in the driveway," Sakura commented as she and Haruka looked around the house. "Uncle Washi?" Sakura asked again as she pushed open Washi's bedroom door, and screamed.
"Saki?" Haruka asked as she came running and froze as she saw what Sakura was staring at. Washi Tenoh was lying face down on his bed, a puddle of blood soaking the sheets underneath him. Haruka quickly spun Sakura around, holding her close so her younger sister wouldn't have to see anymore.
"Haru," Sakura sobbed, gripping her sister tightly. "Why him, Haru?"
Haruka merely stroked Sakura's hair silently, as if in shock. She knew then that The Boss, whoever it was, meant business.
Later that night, after the police had been called and Sakura was asleep, Haruka got out of bed and dialed one of the numbers from the card she still kept. "Hey Jan? Tell The Boss I'll run that stupid envelope. Bring it by my high school tomorrow morning."