Hi guys! I'm sorry that it has been so incredibly long. I did not forget about this story, but I have not had the time or ability to write for a while. Let me fill you in on what's been going on with me, and hopefully you will forgive my deficiency. The past two years have been crazy, but guess what? I just finished grad school. I am officially a Mistress of English! Honesty, the amount of reading and writing that I was doing left me so drained that I could not even work on anything creative. I've also had a terrible case of writers block. However, I have appreciated the continued reviews and interest. I have every intention of finishing this story. Thanks for all the support, because it has been very motivating. Once again, I apologize for the ridiculous wait. Hopefully, you guys are still interested. Let me know if you are and what you think in the review section.

Finally, I do not own Sailor Moon, but I do own any new characters introduced.

The Tenoh Karuizawa home was a large modern structure fronting the lake with a dock and boathouse. With a private road and access, it was secluded from the other lake homes by the woods and boasted unmatched views of Shiraito Falls and the mountains. It was exactly what Haruka needed to get away from everything and everyone. There would be no way for the paparazzi to find them here. After they were sighted the first day in Ginza, the town was swarming with those leeches, eager to capture a picture of the new family. They were the most famous couple in Japan at the moment, but Haruka did not want Hotaru to be part of that fame. While their evasion of the reporters was a relief to her, Haruka could not enjoy it. All she could think about was the Meiohs. How could they just approach her like that? Why did they talk to Hotaru? Sure, she knew they were Setsuna's parents, but they gave up any right to be in Hotaru's life when they disowned their daughter for her pre-marital pregnancy. They called her a disgrace. They called her a waste of the love they gave her and the money they spent educating her. They called her a blemish on their family name. As if Suna could be a blemish to anyone or anything. And now they suddenly want to pop up and talk to her daughter. They had plenty of time to make amends when Setsuna was alive. They didn't. They never even wanted to see the baby.

"Haruka-papa!" Hotaru called, ripping her out of her thoughts. Dripping wet, she was running toward where Haruka sat before the grill with Michiru close behind. Michiru had more of a saunter than a run and approached dripping wet as well. Haruka smiled and couldn't help but think about how her lover looked when she stepped out of the shower. The pair had been swimming in the pool, as the water in the lake was too cold by now, and Hotaru's swimming had improved with Michiru's instruction. "Michiru-mama can swim soo good!"

"So well," Michiru corrected, as she wrapped herself in a towel.

"Un," Hotaru continued. "And she's so fast. She's like a mermaid!"

"A mermaid?" Haruka smiled, now picturing Michiru in a seashell bra. "I'd like to see that."

"Yes, I'm sure you would," Michiru said with a smirk, before leaning over and kissing Haruka's cheek. She knew her lover's mind well enough.

"And Michiru-mama is going to teach me to play the violin just like her," Hotaru continued, oblivious to the muted conversation between the adults. "And she's going to teach me how to draw and to paint, so I can be an artist just like her when I grow up."

"What?" Haruka quickly turned back to Hotaru, the last comment recapturing her attention. "An artist? I thought you wanted to be a racecar driver, like me." She finished with a bit of a pout. Somehow she never thought of this. Don't get her wrong, she was ecstatic that Hotaru had finally accepted Michiru. The past few days especially, Hotaru could not seem to get enough of her. Whatever Michiru did, Hotaru wanted to do. She followed her everywhere. Haruka got much more time to herself to rest and think than she had expected. She began to understand why parenting worked so well in pairs. While it was amusing to see Hotaru's attachment to Michiru and it confirmed all her previous assumptions, something in Haruka started. Like Hotaru, she was not accustomed to sharing affection either. She was accustomed to being Hotaru's entire world. Now, with Michiru, there was someone else who captured her attention and love. But isn't that what she wanted—she reminded herself—for Hotaru to love Michiru as much as she loved her? Didn't she want Hotaru to have what every child needs: two parents to love who love them in return? So why did she feel a bit hurt at the idea of Hotaru choosing something of Michiru's over something of hers?

"Oh, I'm still going to be a racecar driver," Hotaru began. "I'm going to be an artist in the off season." She finished.

Haruka and Michiru both laughed, and Haruka realized immediately that her jealousy made her appear more childish than her daughter. She had never seen Hotaru so playful and confident. How could she have had a moment's hesitation?

"Okay, miss off-season," Michiru said, still laughing as she wrapped Hotaru in a towel and began drying her off. "How about we go get changed?"

"But, I have to pick flowers first," Hotaru said escaping the towel and running off toward the tree line.

"Make it quick. Dinner is almost ready," Haruka yelled after her, as she leaned forward in her chair and tended to the grill.

"Haruka-papa! Come!" Hotaru screamed.

Michiru arrived first, but the alarm in Hotaru's voice had Haruka and her cane quickly making her way toward her. She reached the pair, her face red, huffing at the unexpected exercise. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, dear it's a bird." Michiru answered.

"What's wrong with him?" Hotaru cried.

"He's sick honey," Michiru explained.

The young bird flopped on the grass, weakly crying in pathetic squeaks. Its right wing was turned upward, perpendicular to its body, and there was blood on its side. It was definitely broken. It could have been attacked or fallen out of the nest or perhaps thrown out to conserve food for healthy the chicks that were going to make it, but Haruka couldn't tell Hotaru any of those possibilities. She didn't know what to do or what to say.

"I'm sorry hime-chan. But you have to leave it alone. There is nothing we can do."

"But why?"

"Because we can't fix it," Haruka answered, looking at the extent of the damage. There were no vet clinics nearby, and even if they kept the poor creature, she was certain it would not last the night. Its small size and weak demeanor hinted at malnourishment or perhaps some inherent health defect. This was probably why the runt was abandoned in the first place. It was sad, Haruka knew, but if they kept the bird and it died over night, Hotaru would be even more upset. She just hoped she could distract her this evening, and by tomorrow, when the bird was gone, she would tell Hotaru that the bird must have gotten better and flew away.

"But, I want to help it," Hotaru continued.

"Hotaru don't touch it!" Michiru said, as she understood Haruka's concern, but the only thing worse would be the creature dying in Hotaru's tiny hands because she held it.

Hotaru did not listen though. She dropped to her knees and scooped the little bird in her hands, which, from the pain of being moved, began to cry more.

"It's okay," she whispered, stoking its head. She clasped her hands around its body and closed her eyes. The bird's crying had ceased. The entire forest around them seemed to assume a reverent silence.

Both Haruka and Michiru watched in mutual awe at Hotaru's clasped palms, which looked as though they were encircling a violet bulb. She lifted her hands above her head and threw the bird into the air. In less than a moment, it spread its wings, flapping strongly, its grey body—now filled out and healthy—making a wide arch against the amber hued evening sky, before disappearing into the trees.

"Kami-sama," Michiru whispered.

Haruka was silent.

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Haruka and Michiru lay in bed, neither knowing how to begin the conversation about Hotaru. Michiru was afraid to, and Haruka was not sure if she wanted to talk about it. Hotaru, after setting the bird on its flight, ran back toward the sizzling meat on the grill and through her meal, the evening activities, and bedtime stories behaved as if nothing was amiss, while the pair of adults remained dumbfounded. Hotaru behaved as though everything was entirely normal, and that she did not just heal a bird with her bare hands.

"But that's impossible," Haruka finally said with an exasperated sigh.

"It may be impossible, but it's true," Michiru answered.

"But how," Haruka asked, turning her body to face her lover, the pain eclipsed by her bemusement. "Did we really see that? I mean, did that really happen?"

"It must have. We both saw it. Hotaru must have some kind of…of special gift or something. I mean, I don't know how, but it's…it's fascinating isn't it?"

"No. It's not fascinating, Michi! It's scary."

"Scary?!" Michiru sat up, "Ruka, how can you say such a thing? Are you afraid of her now?"

"Don't be silly," Haruka corrected, realizing the interpretation of her words. "I am not afraid of her. I am afraid for her. This is not normal Michiru. I know what the world is like for people who are not normal. Why would I want that for her? And this…this is…"

"I know what you mean, but—"

"Perhaps we were mistaken," Haruka proposed.

"How could we be? We know what we saw."

"But, do we? What did we really see? What do we really know? For all we know, the bird's wing was never broken at all. As a person who is accustomed to being battered and bruised, I know that sometimes an injury can look worse than it really is. Maybe that's all it was. Maybe that's all that happened," Haruka continued, painstakingly trying to justify Hotaru's actions and cement them in the safety of logic and normalcy. "Maybe the wing was dislocated. I've dislocated my shoulder a few times and all it takes is a pop to get it back it place, and then it's like nothing ever happened. Maybe that was it. Maybe she is gifted in that way. Both, Setsuna and Tomoe were scientists, so it's possible that she just has an inherent gift for biology or anatomy or something. Look, Ami's mother is a great doctor, and even when we were younger we could tell that she would be a great doctor as well. Maybe it's just genetics."

"Maybe," Michiru began, seeing the desperation in Haruka's eyes. "Perhaps, you're right. Maybe it's too early to tell. It could be anything. There's no point in worrying about something that may not be anything to worry about. Let's go to bed. We have to leave early to get back to Tokyo tomorrow."

"Right," Haruka agreed absently as Michiru adjusted the pillows behind her. Michiru was right. There was nothing to worry about. She was probably overreacting over something that can simply be explained. She was probably right about the dislocated wing. After all, if human bones can dislocate why not those of other animals? And bird bones were tiny. Those things must get dislocated all the time. Yeah, see, logic. The day was exhausting, and Haruka's eyes were heavy. As she began falling asleep, the clouds shifted the sky, flooding the room with the new moon's radiant light, and her closing eyes caught the blurry glow of the lunar illumination on her lavender silk pajama top. She may have slept for two nano- seconds before her eyes snapped open. The glow! It was the same glow she saw before falling asleep when Hotaru was hugging her in the hospital. It was the same glow she saw escaping from the cracks of Hotaru's fingers as they were clasped around the broken bird. Impossible! She used her good arm to feel her chest and stomach, remembering the unendurable pain she felt the first night. Haruka had a high threshold for pain, but this was a pain that doses of morphine only managed to lessen but not abate. The only time she wasn't in pain that day was when she was unconscious. She also remembered the pain being entirely gone the next day. It was like going from midnight to noon. She remembered poking her chest, but the pain from her supposedly broken ribs and internal pain in her torso was nonexistent. More than that, she remembered Ami and then Momaru doing similar tests, a strange expression in their eyes by her lack of reaction as they poked and prodded her to no avail. In the end, they agreed that her injuries were less extensive than originally diagnosed, but now Haruka could not help but wonder: Was there something more to the sudden disappearance of her pain than they let on?

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Haruka sat in her office—her office; even the sound of it was disturbing—on the executive floor of the Tenoh Corp headquarters. Michiru had convinced her to give her father's offer a try, since she had nothing to do while she was recuperating anyway.

"Michiru, I can't do this," she complained into the speaker phone.

"Haruka, I already told you. You won't know how good or bad it can be until you try," Michiru answered. "No, those go on the far wall! Where the toy cars were."

"Toys?" The movers were there, and Haruka was also upset that she could not be at home while Michiru was moving in. Suddenly, the realization dawned on her. "No! You don't mean…Are you taking down my collection of-"

"Toy cars? In the living room? Haruka, really?"

"Those are not toys, Michiru! Those are authentic replicas of legendary Formula One racecars. They have even been signed by the drivers themselves!" Haruka complained.

"That's why I am being very careful about where I put them," Michiru answered with more than a little condescending teasing in her tone. "Now, you should get back to work, or I will never be moved in by the time you get home."

"I probably won't even recognize it when I get there," Haruka grumbled. How could Michiru remove her cars? Those were pieces of history. "Hey Michiru, maybe I can come home and help. There's nothing for me to do here anyway. I'm not cut out for this whole office thing. I'm a racer. It's my life."

"It's not your life, Haruka. It's your job. " Michiru said, quoting her lover.

"Really? That's how you are going to play this one?"

"Okay, how about we make a deal?"

"What kind of deal?" Haruka asked.

"Well, if you promise to give working at the company a chance—a real chance—then I will not get rid of your to—your cars. How does that sound?"

"How long do you mean when you say, a real chance?"

"At least a month."

"A month?! That's forever!"

"A month is nothing, Haruka."

"I don't think I can last a week. This is my first day, and I already want to quit."

"Fine, how about we meet at the middle and say two weeks? If you could go to work, every day, for two weeks, do all that is required of you with no complaints, then we have a deal."

"Two weeks?"

"Don't worry. I know you can succeed at anything you put your mind to."

Haruka could see Michiru's triumphant smirk through the phone lines and knew she had to give up. "Fine," she sighed.

"Aeshiteru," Michiru said sweetly.

"Yeah, yeah. I love you, too."

Haruka leaned back in the soft leather chair. At least the executive offices did not want for comfort. Her broken leg was propped on the large mahogany desk (she had to keep it elevated, right?), and her broken arm was settled on the plush armrest. Okay, back to work. She was very focused, chewing on her tongue as she lined up her view just right. She raised her good hand and closed one eye, to make certain she could see accurately. Accuracy was one of the most important skills necessary for what she was doing. Finally, with a quick flick of her wrist she yelled, "Fire!," and propelled one of her business cards from its position between her index and middle finger, watched it sail, twirling in mid-air before landing perfectly into the wastebasket.

"Yes!"

"Is everything okay Tenoh-sama?" Haruka's assistant asked standing in the doorway, a look of surprise on her face.

"Jun, I told you don't call me Tenoh-sama," Haruka said for the third time that morning. She looked up to see that Katashi standing in the doorway beside her assistant, the disapproving expression she had come to expect on his face.

"Is this how you plan on spending your time?" Scowling at the collection of cards around the wastebasket that had not benefited from her aim, he entered the office.

"I'm working on my hand-eye coordination…and depth perception," Haruka answered. "I am rehabilitating you know." She threw another card, which hit the rim of the wastebasket before toppling inside. "Yes!" Haruka cheered.

"That's all," Katashi ordered Haruka's assistant, who stood by, her surprise turning to wonder at Haruka's disregard for the generally fearsome Matsuda Katashi.

"I see you don't plan on taking this seriously," he began. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Look, Katashi I'm not in the mood for a lecture. I'm here aren't I?"

"Just barely."

"What do you want me to do?" Haruka argued. "I've spent the past two days tortured by the most boring meetings. Seriously, I think you guys have found the cure for insomnia. We should bottle and sell that."

"Those meetings were to get you acquainted with what we do here," Katashi continued. "This is a real job, Haruka. It is not playing around with cars and bikes. We have hundreds of people, in this building alone and thousands of people in Japan and the U.S. whose salaries and pensions are dependent on what we decide in those boring meetings, so show some respect for people who actually work for a living."

"Look Katashi, it's obvious you don't want me here so why did you come up with this stellar plan?"

"You're right, I think you being here is a waste of time. Even though otou-san seems to think some magic will happen to you if you are in the building and that you will finally have some positive contribution to the family business, I know better. The sooner your prove me right the sooner I-"

"Try to remember, Katashi," Haruka interrupted. "The name on the building says Tenoh. It's Tenoh Corp, not Matsuda."

"You should remember it as well," her father said entering the room. "Perhaps, it will help you stay awake in those meetings."

"What could I have done to warrant a visit from you both? Was I snoring?"

"Katashi, I would like to speak to Haruka alone."

"Of course, otou-sama." Seething with anger, Katashi made a quick bow and exited the room.

Tenoh-sama took a seat opposite Haruka, and sat back in the chair. "So, we are trying to bore you to death are we?"

"Look, otou-sama, you know that this whole corporate rigmarole is really not my thing. Sure, I like the actual products that we make; I've always loved anything to do with cars, but I am not involved in any of that. This is a series of meeting after meeting, what do you expect me to do? Suddenly become someone else? Katashi?"

"I do not expect you to become someone else, Haruka. I expect you to be yourself."

"When have you ever wanted that?" Haruka mumbled. "Look, I think maybe this was a mistake. It's just-"

"Not your thing?"

"It's not." Haruka was silent, and her father's silence caused her to look in any direction but his. She knew she promised Michiru two weeks, but that was before the tag-team judgement of her father and brother-in-law. Was she supposed to expect this every day? Two weeks here would feel like two years in the Inquisition. Her father clearing his throat made Haruka finally meet his steely gaze.

"Well then, it's a big company. Why don't you look around and figure out what your thing is and contribute that?" Her father said, before he rose to his feet and headed for the door. He paused for a moment at the threshold, and turned to Haruka before exiting with a hint of a smile. "After all, like you said, the sign does say Tenoh."

Haruka sat stunned, staring at the door from where her father left. Okay, so it wasn't a love fest, but it was the first conversation she remembered them having in a while that did not end in an argument or a general feeling of dissatisfaction. She could not imagine that her father was that happy enough to have her at the company that his entire demeanor changed. Her mother probably had something to do with that. Still, was that almost a smile?

Haruka knew she shouldn't read too much into it. So he had an almost smile. That didn't mean anything. It certainly did not mean that he was proud of her. And, even if it did, what did that say about him if he could only be proud of her when she was doing what he wanted? What did that say about their relationship? Still, it was not the worst feeling to think that she was making her father proud. She had spent so long being a disappointment that she had given up on that.

Haruka and her father were inseparable when she was growing up. He never had a son, and Haruka suspected he always wanted one. He always denied it when she asked, answering what could he do with a son that he couldn't do with her? He thought it was great that she showed such an interest in the business, engines, and cars and what would normally be deemed boy stuff. He was an avid Formula One fan too, as many people in the automobile business, but Tenoh Hiroshi was devout. Haruka became interested in racing because of him. He took her to her first race, where she saw Giovanna Amati race. It was amazing: the cars whipping by. The speed. The control. There was nothing she could imagine loving more. They went down to the pit, and she got to meet and talk to her. But, it was in the Grandstand in South Africa, when she met Desire Wilson—the only woman to win an F-1 championship—her decision was made. It was amazing to her, to see them: women in such a male dominated sport, and to be so much better than the majority of men around them. It awakened something in her that she did not even know was asleep. It was the first time she realized that she didn't have to follow the path that was expected of her, simply because she was born female. It was the first time she realized that it was possible to live her life unrestrained by society's rules about what a woman is supposed to do or supposed to be. Those women were so glamorous, so female, and so strong. Most importantly, they were in charge of their own lives. They weren't beholden to a man or society; they didn't step back or force themselves into a mold they didn't fit out of fear of judgement. No. They pursued their dreams with vehemence, just like men of the world were expected to. And they didn't apologize.

Her father didn't mind when she wanted to start racing bikes. He thought it was cute. It was another thing they got to do together. But, when Haruka started getting older, she was supposed to abandon all that rough and tumble and start behaving like a proper lady. When she didn't, it became much less cute, especially for one in her position in society. He soon realized that she wasn't growing out her tomboy phase as he thought she should, and the whispers that surrounded them made him painfully aware that others had begun to notice as well. He tried everything from cajoling to condemnation, but like him Haruka was stubborn, especially when it came to being true to what they believed. Their relationship had gotten progressively worse since then, and Haruka had long abandoned any hope of reconciliation. He was not willing to accept her as she was, and she was not willing change to gain his acceptance.

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"So, how was your first day at work?" Michiru asked, as they sat down to dinner.

"Let's not talk about that," Haruka said. "How was it moving in without me? Did everything go well?"

The house took a far less dramatic turn than Haruka had imagined, though there were some definite Michiru-an influences. Haruka's cars were replaced by some of Michiru's sculptures and curios, and there was more art on the walls. The family-room was largely the same, aside from some certainly more genteel touches with decorative pillows. Before, what was supposed to be the formal dining room was largely a game-room, but now it had the elegant air thanks to Michiru's furniture. Haruka was afraid to ask where the pool table and other game items from that room had gone, imagining it on a truck on the way to a dumpster somewhere, but she was pleasantly surprised when Michiru showed her the basement. Having a basement was rare, and it was one of the reasons Haruka bought the house. However, since it was just her and Hotaru, the rooms downstairs were largely unfurnished. Michiru had converted the basement to a great entertaining space and the pool table and all the other game items, made a nice addition to the pool, which with its retractable glass roof and mural made people feel as though they were transported to a resort in Fiji. On the opposite side of the pool there was a glass enclosed cabana which Michiru had set up for her artwork and violin. It was far away enough from the main rooms of the house that, even if Michiru was playing violently it would be dulcet tones once it made its way to the house.

"Everything went fine," Michiru stated. "Now that I've answered your question, how about you answer mine? How was work?"

"I'm sure you don't want to know."

"I want to know," Hotaru chimed. "Did you have fun with Ojiji?"

"Fun?" Haruka looked at her daughter as if she had started speaking some alien language where human words mean their opposite. "I don't know if I would use the word fun, hime-chan. But, it was…something."

"Don't worry. You'll have fun." Hotaru assured.

Haruka looked down at her daughter, who was smiling with a confidence that could only be the result of blissful naiveté. Of course, Hotaru only saw the nice Tenoh, so she had no idea what an intolerable, insufferable beast her father could be. If she knew the truth, she would not be smiling so confidently. Imagine, Haruka having "fun" working at Tenoh Corp. She turned to Michiru—

"Two weeks," Michiru answered, before she could ask the question.

"But Michi!" Haruka complained.

"Two…weeks," Michiru repeated, using all the muscles in her face to hold back her smile, especially when it was obvious that Haruka made no attempts to hide her frown.

"Don't worry, papa," Haruka began smiling. "Remember when I was afraid of going to school, and you said that I would make friends and then everything would be fine? You were right."

"Hai," Haruka answered.

"When you meet the correct person, then everything will be fine with you too," she finished with a smile.

"The correct person, huh?" Haruka agreed, more for Hotaru's benefit than because of her belief in her words.

"Don't worry. You'll meet him." Hotaru smiled.

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Seven work days had passed, and Haruka was impatiently counting down her last three days to meet Michiru's two-week requirement. She really had been trying to give the job a chance, but so far that mostly amounted to keeping her complaints internal rather than voicing them. She went to the meetings, and though not falling asleep was still a Herculean challenge, at least she went. She was beginning to think that Katashi was purposely making the meetings extra-boring in an attempt to smoke her out. Well, she only had three days left. Three days and then she would be free. Three days and she never had to see this building or her father and brother-in-law as colleagues again.

"Tenoh-sama," Jun said entering the room and interrupting her musings.

"I told you, Haruka," she reminded.

"Gomen. Haruka-sama?" Haruka could see that even if she could get Jun to drop the Tenoh, she would not get her to abandon sama. Since at least no longer sounded like Jun was talking to her father, she reluctantly acquiesced and allowed her to continue.

"Tenoh-sama and Matsuda-sama are waiting for you."

"Waiting for me? What for?" Oh, please don't say I am expected to have lunch with them daily as well; she worried, looking at the time.

"For the meeting…at the Nagano factory," Jun explained. "I put it on your calendar."

Haruka did not bother to double check, as it would be the first time she would be checking it in the first place. Why her father wanted her to go on this trip was beyond her. She didn't know anything about the purpose of this meeting, so what use would she be on the site visit? She was trying to think of a way to get out of it, but she could think of nothing convincing or that would not lead to an argument. Fine, Haruka thought. Two weeks. She promised Michiru she would give it two weeks. Whatever the hell that meant. But, if she was going to do it, she would have to do it for real. The question was what. What the hell was she going to do? Since it was obvious she couldn't do anything sitting here, she needed to get out of that office.

From the Tenoh headquarters in Shinagawa, Tokyo, it took over an hour to reach the Nagano factory, by chopper. Haruka was forced to have lunch with the pair after all, since it would take about two hours for the assistants to get there, as they were travelling by car. The group was immediately greeted by the factory's head, Okamoto Atsushi, and began touring the grounds before heading upstairs for a more extensive meeting. Haruka had lagged back from the group a bit, and with Jun following her, she walked towards the factory itself rather than the office.

Stepping inside the hanger of the factory, the sight of concrete and corrugated steel felt warm and inviting. It was much better than the starkness of marble and glass, the coldness of plush leather chairs in the corporate office. The beeps of smartphones and tablets were replaced by the clangs of metal and machines, and the stench of expensive cologne was replaced by the intoxicating aroma of motor oil and sweat. It was beautiful. Haruka took a deep breath and sighed. She was home.

"Are you sure we should be here?" Jun asked, interrupting her reverie.

"There's no place I'd rather be right now," Haruka answered, as she began walking through the large hanger, her voice echoing.

At the sound of her voice, the person closest to her looked up. Perhaps it was more that he felt the presence of someone else, rather than hearing her over the reverberating noise, but he suddenly dropped his tools and turned off his machine.

"Tenoh Haruka-sama!" The large strapping man looked up at her in surprise.

Jun looked on concerned and even Haruka was not certain what would happen next.

He took off his gloves, and with the beaming smile of a fangirl meeting her favorite idol, turned to Haruka and bowed.

"I am such a big fan! I was so sorry about your accident. You would have won if it wasn't for that Finnish fool! I know it!" he barked, waving his fat arm for emphasis.

Haruka chuckled. "Well, I guess we'll never know."

"Ah, no one doubts that."

"Haruka-sama!" another voice said, as a scrawny tall man moved toward them. "I can't believe it is really you."

"Please let me shake your hand," said another.

Haruka looked up to see that all the men in the workroom were turning off their machines and making their way to see her. Everyone was excited to see Tenoh Haruka, wishing her a speedy recovery and asking for autographs. Some were just happy to shake her hand. Everyone took pictures until Jun had to corral them to get them to take pictures in groups rather than individually. It was the first time Haruka had felt truly welcomed at Tenoh Corp, and she would have been there all day if it wasn't for Jun. For such a small woman, she could be commanding.

After the impromptu meet and greet, Haruka began wandering around the rest of the factory. It was there, in an office in the back, as she was looking for the bathroom, she stumbled upon an interesting contraption. It looked like an engine but it was put together all wrong. The person working on it, a long thin querulous looking young man was so intensely focused that he did not even see Haruka inspecting his machine. He was probably the only one in the factory that did not know that Tenoh Haruka was there. The sound of her clearing her throat to get his attention startled him, and he fearfully dropped his tools and quickly tried to cover and put it away his contraption. Not allowing it, Haruka immediately asked what he's working on as she didn't see that or anything similar in her prospectus of current projects. She was actually so bored the past few days that she started reading company documents just to have something to do.

"Gomenesaishimasu. Gomenesai." Nervously bowing, he began apologizing profusely for working on his project with company tools. "I swear, I only work on it during my own time: during lunch and before and after work. I make sure that it does not affect my job performance. I-"

"What's your name?"

"O…Okamoto…Okamoto Yoshito," he answered.

"So, this is your own project. It is not something that we plan to put into production?" Haruka asked, knowing that he would continue if she did not stop him.

"No, Tenoh-sama," he answered, bowing again, "but I only work on it during my own time, and I assure you never during company time. Gomen. Gomenesiashimasu. Please don't report me."

"Stop apologizing," Haruka said, catching his shoulder to physically stop him from bowing again. He looked like an oil pump, and his constant up and down motion was beginning to make her dizzy. "Now, you are not getting reported, but you might if you keep bowing and don't tell me what you're working on," Haruka joked. Seeing that jokes were entirely lost on him, who nervously adjusted his goggles, Haruka assured him that his job was safe and that it was only her curiosity that was in danger.

He swallowed hard, before taking a breath to calm his nerves and began to explain that the project he was working on was an improved H-Cell engine. "You see the problem with most non-gasoline powered engines," he continued, "is that they do not give the driver the speed and power they desire. My idea is that by adjusting the intake, the additional oxygen can give the engine the power it needs, making the car go faster. But, it's just a theory, and I am still working on the most efficient hydrogen to oxygen ratio." He quantified.

"But, this looks considerably different than one that would go into a compact car," Haruka observed." It almost looks like a racing engine."

"It is," he answered eagerly. "Well, not entirely. But it seemed to me, since speed is the key that is holding back many converters, if I were able to get it to work on the type of speeds necessary to power a racecar, it would be easier to adjust the math for the results of the reduced speed of a consumer car. Additionally, if I could make a cleaner racing engine, it might be possible to introduce an entirely new engine to that market as well."

Haruka stood, mesmerized as she inspected the engine more thoroughly. She wanted to see more. "Why haven't you shared this with anyone? It sounds like a really interesting concept."

He bows his head unable to make eye contact or say anything in response that might sound as though he were criticizing his employer. It did not take much for Haruka to realize the truth.

"I see. You did pitch it, but it was rejected."

"Actually, it never got that far. The Vice President's office said that this factory should be focusing on improving our productivity, not on creating new products. Perhaps, if I had listened to him, we would not be closing down."

"What? Shutting down? When? Why?"

"The announcement has not yet been made, so I suppose it is not yet official. However, my father runs this factory; he has worked in this factory for over thirty years, and apparently the factory and its location is no longer considered profitable enough. It will be closed at the end of the year. What a nice Christmas present that would make," he said looking out the glass at the employees on the factory floor. He took off his goggles, his glasses almost coming off with them, and turned to face Haruka. "There are good people in this factory. Hard-working people. People who have given their lives to this company, to making it successful, and to think that they, that we could just be tossed aside like—"

A strategically timed cough from Jun, made him aware that he was becoming too impassioned.

"Gomenesai."

"No need," Haruka stated, impressed that the nervous sycophant could be so transformed by his passionate speech. "You know, I would be interested in seeing more of this new project, and how it would turn out if you were to finish it."

"Thank you for your interest, Tenoh-sama, but I don't think it would be possible to get a prototype or anything ready in time with the work I am doing now."

Haruka smiled. "I didn't say anything about your current or rather your previous work did I? You would have better and faster results if you use company resources and worked on it full-time."

"I don't understand."

"Like you said, we only have a few months before the factory is set to close. That means we only have a few months to see if we can get a working prototype and get it approved if we want to save this factory."

"Are…are you serious? You are not serious."

"I am always serious when it comes to cars."

"But, how will that be possible if the Vice President—"

"You leave that to me. From now on, your work will be this: finishing this prototype."

"Really? Do you really think it is possible?"

"Only one way to find out," Haruka answered. "I will give you a week to lay out the particulars, draw up a diagram, and explain the science behind it, before we have a proper meeting to talk about budget and manpower that you need. Also, I will send someone over to meet with you. If you want to work on the speed and the racing angle, it would help to have someone who knows his racing engines."

"Oh, allegato! Doumo Allegato!" he said excited bowing and shaking Haruka's hand. "I'll start working on it immediately."

"Good," Haruka answered whipping out her phone to make a call, as she began walking away.

"Tenoh—I mean—Haruka-sama," Jun began running after her. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Well, my father said to find something that I was interested in, right? Well, I found something." She said with a wink, as her call went through. "Oi, Mori, I've got a proposition for you," Haruka began, walking away with a daunted Jun following her. She looked back at Okamoto Yoshito and his unfinished prototype with a distrustful sigh. This factory is set to be closed, per Katashi's plan to trim the fat and get rid of less profitable dead weight. What would happen when he found out that Haruka was trying to challenge that?

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Haruka had returned to the office, and consequently was required to attend the meeting that was scheduled immediately after. As expected, its main topic was the closing factory. The visit had only confirmed Katashi's earlier decision, and the fact that the employees literally stopped their machines to meet Haruka—causing the company an additional loss—was further proof of their incompetence, on top of being just plain annoying.

"You are really going to close down the factory?" Haruka asked. Everyone turned to her surprised, because it was the first time she voluntarily spoke during a meeting, sounded like she was actually paying attention, and even more because she interrupted Katashi during his speech.

"Yes, and if you had been here or read any of the company briefings, this would not have come as a surprise," Katashi answered.

"Well, maybe I don't read jargon too well, either way are you sure that is the best plan? Why don't we try to work with them to make the factory more profitable? Perhaps there are possibilities within the factory that have not been considered. I met a guy who is working on a new engine. I mean this could revolutionize the car industry, and we could be the first one to create it. We could own the market on this if-"

"Tenoh-san," Katashi began, interrupting her in turn. "I know that this is a whole new world to you of numbers and statistics, but I assure you we know what we are doing. This is not a place for fantasy, pipe-dreams, and what-ifs. There is far more to cars than driving them you know." There was a slight chuckle amongst the board members, who did not all agree with Tenoh-sama's latest plan of bring his daughter/pretend son into the business. However, if the company would benefit to use the idea of a united family front, it was best if the racer sat quietly and let them run the business. She was just there for show, after all.

"Do you know that nearly a thousand people would lose their jobs if that factory closes?" Haruka continued.

"Of course, I know that. But, those are the casualties of business. It is necessary to cut off dead weight, so the rest of the company does not sink. Many more thousands of employees would suffer if we stubbornly hold on to every unprofitable albatross. It's insane to even suggest it."

"Well, if insanity is repeating the same action and expecting a different response, then your plan is the insane one, not mine," Haruka countered, causing a slight mutter of surprise among the group, and this time it was not directed at her.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means, that it seems like the order of the day is simply to close down sections of the company that aren't profitable. Personally, I think that's idiotic."

"Idiotic? And what business course taught you this gem? Oh, that's right, you've never taken one. Maybe you should leave the business decisions to those who know what they are doing. Some of us actually went to school for this and have been doing this for years." Katashi smiled, as the twitter of laughter showed that the members were on his side once again.

Haruka looked around at the vacillating group, and sat up a bit straighter in her chair. Her poker-face masked the pain it took for the motion in her arms. "No, I didn't go to school to learn business, but you don't need to go to school to learn common sense. If you are any proof, going to school might be a way to ensure that you don't learn common sense isn't it?"

"I graduated from Tokyo University and got my MBA from Harvard! Do you really think you know more about this business than I do simply because your last name is Tenoh?"

Now Haruka was riled. Besides, Katashi was losing his calm demeanor at the prospect of losing the blind devotion of the board members as well. "You know what Katashi, I may not know more about business than you do. I don't know the acronyms or the statistics, but I do know this: sure cutting off your limbs might keep you afloat, but if you keep cutting off those limbs, you'll have no way to swim back to shore. We can either continue to unilaterally close portions of the business that are not as successful, or we can see where and why they are lacking, maybe from the people who are closest to it and know it the best—you know the actual employees—then maybe we can figure out a way to make them more profitable. I know I haven't taken any business courses, but isn't profit what businesses want? Isn't that what the Vice President of a business should want?"

"Of course, that is what I want!"

"Oh, I see. You just don't want to work for it." Haruka sat back in her chair triumphantly, as the room fell silent but for a few uncomfortable coughs, the board members afraid to make eye contact with Katashi, looking away uneasily.

"That's it! I will not be insulted this way in front of my-"

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is expected that we might have differing opinions, and I think it is wonderful to see our members so passionate and engaged," Tenoh-sama interrupted with what was for him a saccharine smile to stave off the tension. "However, this is not a meeting of strategy. Also, thank you for understanding and remembering that Tenoh-san is new to the business world, and excuse the lack of knowledge of business and meeting etiquette. If you would give us the room, I would appreciate it." The members of the meeting disbanded, quickly filing out every one taking a moment to glance at Haruka with expressions ranging from contempt to admiration at her showdown with Katashi, who kept his seat, his fury visible like steam rising from a pot of burning rice. It was obvious that he could barely contain himself, as he awaited the emptied room to explode at Haruka for humiliating him in a meeting.

"You too, Katashi," Tenoh-sama ordered.

"But…otou-sama! Am I really expected to put up with this kind of treatment?"

"No, you are not. But, I will deal with Haruka myself."

Katashi exited the room, Haruka surprised that he did not melt the hardware on the door when he touched the doorknob.

"Haruka, your behavior in the meeting just now, was unacceptable. Completely uncalled for. I know you have a silly feud or whatever with Katashi, but here he is not your brother-in-law, but the Vice President. You have to treat him with respect or you will be undermining his authority, and mine as well."

"Fine, I give up!" Haruka said, not in the mood for another argument. Of course, she should have known better than to think that they would even consider her plan or side with her against Katashi.

"I don't think that you should just give up, I just think—"

"Why did you want me here?" Haruka interrupted. "Am I just here to sit back and agree with everything you guys say? Or did you actually want me to do something? I hate being here all day as it is. If I'm going to be here, I want do something that I'm interested in, otherwise I'm just a prop, and, I might as well be at home."

"And this factory is something you are interested in? This engine?"

"Yes. I don't know, but I think I can really do something with this."

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay."

"Just okay?"

"What more do you want me to say?"

"Why are you agreeing so quickly? You never agree so quickly. You never agree with me anyway. Besides, you think Katashi is right, don't you?"

"I do," her father answered, "but, that does not mean that he is. If you feel so strongly about it, there must be a reason…so let's see what happens."

"Let's see what happens? You are making what could be a multi-million dollar decision based on 'let's see what happens?'"

"I know you think everything about the business world is boring. You have run away from it all your life with your…thrill seeking. But, all business is a gamble. You may have your projections and your numbers, but no one can predict the future. In the end you have to go with your gut. This is still a business, however, so we need to see some form of return. Guts alone won't pay the bills. You and Katashi have a difference of opinion, but as you may not know some of the best business decisions were a result of differing opinions. I am willing to give you six months to work on this, after that you will have to have something to show to prove that keeping the factory open is worth it. Also, you will have to convince the board. It is not going to be easy. It will be hard work. Katashi has a lot of support, as he should for he has done a good job so far. People trust him and his decisions. And, if you want to convince the board that your idea is valid, that it is worth the investment, you will have to do that with facts and not with emotions, insults, or pithy one-liners. You need statistics and data to support your argument. You need a business plan. My support will only get you so far. The rest is up to you."

The idea of committing to being at Tenoh Corp for three more months was daunting, but Haruka had finally found something that interested her. Besides, she had a special affinity for that factory. It was the first factory she visited with her father as a child, though he probably didn't remember that. It was fascinating to see the men working, making the intricate parts out of hunks of metal. Seeing the individual parts before the came together to make the car move was like pulling back the curtain that hid the wizard from view. It was the mechanisms underneath the beautiful exterior that made the machine exquisite.

"Fine," Haruka said rising, "I'll get to work."

Thanks for reading guys! I feel like this chapter didn't have a lot of action, but it did have a lot of foundation for later chapters. Hopefully, you are not disappointed after waiting so long...if anyone is still waiting for/interested in reading more. Let me know what you think!