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Backstoryfic!
Title: Time Dance
Authors: Dark Puck and LexKixAss
Fandom: Sailor Moon (with hints of The Dresden Files)
Rating: PG-13 to be safe
Genre: Mahou Shoujo/Romance
Summary: As he lives out the life of a normal human, Saffir, now Orimoto Satoshi, encounters Aino Minako, Sailor Venus.  If he isn't careful, she'll figure out who he is and kill him -- and yet he is drawn to her, and her to him...  (Backstory for Time Warp)


He still hadn't managed to regain all of his old powers, the former heir-prince of Nemesis reflected as he watched the concert from the farthest corner he could. If he had, this task would be much, much easier. Saffir sighed and ran a hand through his dyed brown hair. He still didn't recognise himself in the mirror, and he'd been trapped in this body for six years now. On the other hand, this meant that the Sailor Senshi he'd managed to catch up to certainly wouldn't figure out who he was -- especially as the last time he had seen her, he had been in his late twenties.

Aino Minako, he thought, watching the blonde from a distance. How do you keep up your duties as one of the Sailor Senshi and yet manage to be a teen idol?

Of course, the population did refuse to see what they didn't want to. And with her beauty and her voice, he didn't doubt that there was quite a bit she could get away with.



One good thing about being a college undergrad (more at Artemis, Michiru, and Haruka's insistence than that of her own parents) was that in order to flunk out of Tokyo U, you practically had to commit murder. Not that her friends would allow her to slack off (much). So Minako was enjoying a 'short break' in her otherwise tedious studies by holding a few concerts on campus that were primarily open to students but also open to the public. And wow, was the place packed. It was heady, the sensation of so much emotion, of so much power that made the air thrum more than the base ever could. And she revelled in it. Not just because of how her powers worked, feeding off so much positive energy, but because she was genuinely happy to be doing what she loved, what she had always dreamed of doing, and she was making other people happy in the process.

It also helped that the revenue she brought to the university helped them to be a little more, how do you say, understanding when it came to her assignments. She always completed them, early if she could, but she rarely got points taken off for late grades. Exams she did take on time. But school and studying and exams were completely not on her mind. Her mind was on her song, on her fans, and on the sheer fun she was having.

And the fact that that weird power she had been feeling sometimes on campus and sometimes on the street was unusually strong, meaning the owner was close. Not making trouble at least, but that feel of--of darkness and earth magic was unnervingly familiar, but she couldn't place it. For now she would let it slide so long as the person housing the power didn't start doing things that would require her to henshin. Maybe after this set she would send Artemis out to investigate. The rafters were certainly more suited to a cat, and he could move around much less conspicuously than she could. And yet, habit had her pale blue eyes scanning the massive crowd, just in case.

She couldn't really see the source of that power, but whoever it belonged to, he - or she - was in the back of the room. Harder to see, especially with lights glaring into her eyes.



Saffir continued to watch the blonde, long past when he'd intended. What are you doing? he wondered. Why stalk the Senshi now? What will you do when you confront her, Erbeprinz? ...well, maybe he could find out what had happened to Demando.

One of his hands clenched into a fist, and he closed his eyes and turned away. Even six years later, it still hurt.




When the concert finally ended, Minako allowed herself to get distracted by the fans wanting autographs and the occasional picture from a camera. She supposed it was lazy to sign her name in English instead of the five kanji required, but she found it saved her wrist at the end of a concert. After about twenty minutes, however, she gave a signal to her manager and with the help of some actually very nice security people she managed to get back inside to her dressing room. The respite and quiet was great, and Artemis was keeping an eye on their 'friend'. Once she had a chance to slip away and use her old compact to alter her appearance enough to not be noticed (amazing what a simple change in hair and eye color could accomplish), she'd go out and see about finding this source of power herself.

It was hard not to smile when she saw that some people were still milling about. It could also be she was still riding a light buzz, herself. It was strange, this being more 'in-tune', she supposed, with herself. Not that she particularly enjoyed getting her 'star seed' ripped out of her (hadn't she just had her heart crystal shot out of her not a year before that?) coupled with the weird sensation of her body dissolving, but after Galaxia and after everything had been set back to rights courtesy of Usagi and Sailor Cosmos, all of the Senshi had noticed a change in their powers. For the better, surely, but it was still a mite unsettling even years later. Given the peculiarities of her 'elements', she was among the last to adjust. So it would figure once she had her powers under control she would start feeling odd things.

She really needed a reminder how Haruka managed to remain a Christian of all things in light of everything. Of course, on the other hand, ignorance was probably bliss.

But that was neither here nor there. There was a mystery to be solved, and Aino Minako was now on the case!

~

It took a bit of retracing so as to reacquire the semi-familiar feel, but finally she found herself a tall brown-haired, blue-eyed man looking a little lost and despondent. She eyed him speculatively a few moments, then lightly tapped a finger against the compact in her pocket that removed the glamour that hid her from fans. It was dark, and though blondes were unusual and more easily seen in the light of the sporadic lampposts, she still felt better being (literally) herself. She smiled and called out to him in a friendly manner. He certainly didn't act very threatening. Good for him. "You look a little lost," she continued sunnily as she walked up to him. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Not with this," he muttered before looking up. When his eyes landed on her, they went wide, and something very similar to fear flashed through them before they shifted to flat unreadability. The ripple through his emotions was equally unidentifiable - part fear, but there were so many tangled up into just a split second that she didn't have time to identify them. He touched his forehead then ran a hand through his hair in what appeared to be a nervous habit before adding, "I - I just have... trouble letting go, sometimes."

She knew loss when she saw (and felt) it, though that didn't explain the flash of fear in his eyes. Still, she was sympathetic. "I'm sorry," she said quietly.

That ripple felt more like anger, just as inexplicable as the fear, and suppressed even more quickly. "Thank you," he said softly. "Aino-san." A touch of wryness to his voice now, that was interesting.

"You're welcome, ...?"

"Satoshi," he supplied. "Orimoto Satoshi."

She beamed at him. "You're welcome, Orimoto-kun." The flashes she felt didn't make much sense to her. Why the fear, and more, why the anger? The puzzle that was Orimoto Satoshi intrigued her, and her stubbornness wouldn't let her simply let it go. "And now that we have done our introductions, excepting you obviously already recognize me," here she winked teasingly at him, "I vote we go have tea. My treat. What do you say?"

Artemis would probably have a fit if he were here, but that was his problem. She could feel nothing that screamed youma or the like from Satoshi, so she was willing to give him the large benefit of a doubt. And maybe she'd figure out why that feel she did get from him felt so damned familiar.

Now he felt - and looked - purely startled. And that one lingered awhile, as did the slight blush her wink had put on his face. "I- yes. All right." He rose and looked down at her, and his smile was somewhat rueful.

Satoshi's ruefulness was simply another piece of the puzzle. Minako would be a liar if she said she wouldn't enjoy finding the pieces. The fact he was almost freakishly tall did little to perturb her; as someone who regularly hung around Mamoru and who had spent her formative years in London where most everyone was incredibly tall it wasn't the shock it could be to her fellow Japanese. Heck, if it weren't for the slant of her eyes and her own short stature, she could pass for a gaijin herself. How she managed to avoid torment in junior high when she and her family moved back to Japan was anyone's guess, though she did have bigger problems to worry about as Sailor V. So Satoshi being easily a foot taller was not something she took overmuch notice of as she blithely threaded her arm around his.

"Fantastic," she smiled back at him as she began to lightly pull him along. "Now, there's this spiffy little shop near the exchange students' dorm that serves some of the best tea I've had since leaving England. I think you'll like it, too."

"Is it Western or Eastern tea?" he asked her, keeping step with her. His blush was slightly darker, but his smile was genuine, if a bit guarded.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have progress, she thought triumphantly in English. "Western, probably to keep the gaijin happy. I don't mind; I sometimes miss Earl Grey and so it's nice to have a place that will serve freshly brewed pots instead of simply selling teabags."

He laughed a little. "I think my parents would disown me if they knew, but I picked up something of a taste for Western tea after high school. Not so much Earl Grey, but I do enjoy English Breakfast." His pronunciation of the English words was almost flawless.

Her smile grew along with her curiosity. Native Japanese speaker, to judge by the accent and local dialect, yet almost perfect English. How interesting. "Feh," she scoffed playfully, "I suppose we can't all be perfect."

The little tea shop, being on a campus in close proximity to students with cash, was open late and mostly empty but for the staff and a few kids with school books, notebooks, and either cups of tea or mugs of coffee. Some looked up and there was the recognition, but they remained seated and returned to studying. Their focused enthusiasm reminded her now that she had a report due next week on Meiji Era politics and their effects on domestic policy before and during the war. She could see herself spending the weekend here to finish her reading and start translating her notes into an essay. Meanwhile, the staff beamed at her.

Looking up at her companion whose arm she still had trapped, she asked, "Cup or pot?"

"Just a cup, please," he said. "I despise any tea that has been decaffeinated, with the unfortunate side-effect that after a certain time of night I can't have any, or I'll never sleep." He grinned down at her, seemingly more comfortable by now.

"I can completely understand," she said, going to the counter to order a cup of Earl Grey and a cup of English breakfast. She placed her money in the tray, took back her change, and picked a table away from the windows. Their fresh-brewed tea would be a little bit, so she decided to fill any void with conversation. She was curious, no matter what the saying involving cats. "Saa, Orimoto-kun, tell me a little about yourself."

A brief flash of-- something-- through his emotions, though by now his face and eyes gave no hints at all. "There really isn't much to tell, Aino-san," he replied. "I suppose doctors find me fascinating, but..." He shrugged lightly. "I left Hokkaido to get away from them."

"Aa, sou," she responded, again sympathetic but choosing not to push. All in good time, yes? "Now that you're in Tokyo, what are your plans?" She smiled again. "I'd say the people in Hokkaido would have a bit far to travel to find you again."

"Especially as I neglected to mention I was leaving to all but my parents," he agreed. "As for my plans, I'm focusing at the moment on graduating. After that...," He shrugged. "I might travel the world a little. I've never been outside of Japan."

She nodded. "Sounds like fun." About to say more, she cut off when she noticed a splot of white at the glass door. Said splot was pawing almost frantically at the glass, though careful not to use his claws. "Excuse me a moment," she said, weaving easily around the waitress bringing a student their coffee. Pushing the door open with one hand, she easily scooped up the blue-eyed cat with her other. Returning to the table, she apologized and added, "This is my cat, Artemis. He likes to follow me everywhere. Fortunately, no one seems to mind too much."

"He's a handsome fellow," Satoshi replied, gazing at the cat. On seeing the crescent on Artemis' forehead, his emotions went wild again for a brief moment, then settled down. "That's an interesting patch of fur," he added calmly.

"He's my cute little squishy kitty who's unfortunately got a bald spot." Never one to pass up an opportunity to tease the cat who had been her guardian for approaching a decade now, she gave him a hug to let him know she didn't mean it. Well, the bald spot, anyway. Lack of youma meant more time he could spend lazing in the apartment. So he was a bit squishy. The cuddling also allowed her to get a measure of anything Artemis wasn't saying while she wondered at that flare-up his appearance caused in Satoshi. "Artemis, Orimoto Satoshi. Orimoto-kun, Artemis."

Amusement flashed through Satoshi's mind and eyes before he bowed politely to the cat. "Pleased to meet you, Artemis-san." A pause, then Satoshi backed his chair a little bit from the table. "He's glaring at me."

"..." Indeed, the furball was glaring. Ears were back, too, and he looked none too pleased with her also. "Quit it, furface."

"He's got quite the stare," Satoshi offered, turning his eyes back to Minako. He looked calm enough, but his emotions had gone turbulent again. "Does he do it to everyone, or just guys you buy tea for?"

"Personally, I think it's just guys in general." Since Artemis was only annoyed, but not giving her any cues that it would be expeditious to leave (aside from the glaring), she was going to have her tea. Either the odd mark or the cat himself was bothering Satoshi; whatever it was, both males would simply need to get over it.

"Ah," Satoshi said, nodding. "Jealous." He touched his forehead, then ran his hand through his hair again. He considered for a moment, then shrugged. "But I was never one to let that get in my way before. Especially not when a good cup of tea is involved."

Minako grinned. "Good to know." She added some sugar but no cream and stirred the tea with her spoon. "What are you studying here?"

"Mathematics, actually." He blew on his cup to cool the tea and took a sip. "Ah, bliss. But don't worry. I won't bore you with parabolas and functions."

"Thank you. Math is one of my worst subjects. ...Actually, the worst." No exaggeration. Ami, thank God, had been a life saver with her tutoring sessions. Minako still had trouble with some things, mostly the stuff she couldn't see as having any real-world value, but she managed to pass her classes.

"What of you, Aino-san?" he asked. "I can't imagine what would have drawn a... person of your fame to go to college."

Now it was her turn for a wry smile as she sipped her tea. "Fame doesn't last forever. I need something to fall back on for the day when I'm no longer an idol. It also helps to dispel any notion that I'm a 'dumb blonde'." More importantly, it would (hopefully) help in getting ready for Crystal Tokyo. No one (except the one who wasn't telling) knew how or when things would change into the new Earth-based Moon Kingdom, and they needed to be prepared in every way they could. Minako especially, to her mind, since she was the leader of Usagi's inner guard. The more she knew, the better, but at the same time it was just so incredibly tedious and boring. But for Usagi, she would do it.

A faraway look crossed his face. "Of the dumbest people I've known in my life, not one of them was blonde..." He snapped back to reality. "Still, it's nice to see people thinking ahead."

"Spoken like an old soul," she teased again.

A brief startlement flashed through his emotions, then subsided. "My mother always said I was an old man in a teenager's body," he replied, a wry tone to his voice. "But it's done me no harm."

"Especially if it saves you from stupid stuff," she added sagely.

They kept up the small talk while they enjoyed their tea and Artemis kept semi-flexing his paws on her lap. All too soon, the drinks were finished, and she bade Satoshi good night. With nary a thought she swung Artemis up onto her shoulder, the two of them intent for home.

As soon as they were out of earshot of anyone, Artemis spoke up. "I haven't felt darkness like that since our last encounter with the Enemy," he said, scowling.

She looked at him from the corner of her eye. He was more sensitive than she, and she trusted him, though... "I didn't get that kind of vibe from him. A sense of darkness, yes, and of earth, but nothing I would honestly say definitively is a threat."

The cat sighed. "I picked up the earth too. Or rather, Earth magic. He's human, and that darkness hasn't twisted him like it has the others we encountered." Reluctantly he added, "I don't think he's a threat. I just don't like him."

Minako stroked the fur between his ears. "So why don't we keep an eye on him? That way we can both be certain he isn't an Enemy, and possibly find out if he himself is aware of his magic."

"It's probably best if we do," Artemis agreed, then began to purr.

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