"You know, I think there's something odd going on with Ami,"
Usagi murmured, even as the slim blonde tried to balance a pencil on
her upper lip. There was a childlike innocence about Usagi that made
her even more beautiful, if that was even possible.
Rei, however, had long ago developed some immunity to Usagi's
innocent charm. Well, mostly immune. A bit. "Oh come on," she loudly
scoffed, "just because she's going to a few more practice exams
doesn't mean there's something wrong."
Usagi pouted, clearly unconvinced.
The senshi gathered at Rei's family shrine to study, as well
as have semi-official meetings. In reality, they were usually fun
gossip sessions and general gab-fests, but at least they studied some,
too. Ami was a harsh task master there, but under her guidence they
had all managed to pull up their worst grades. Even Usagi, a minor
miracle in itself.
But recently, Ami hadn't been sticking around very long to
talk with them after the study sessions were over. Explaining that she
was taking a new series of practice exams Ami would collect her books
and then leave, a glow of happiness in her cheeks. They hadn't wanted
to ask her about it, but it did seem that something was going on.
"Usagi might just have a point there," Makoto admitted to them
reluctantly, "I mean, we do all remember what happened with
Mercurious, right?" The amazonian brown haired young woman actually
smiled to herself slightly as she remembered the tizzy that Ami had
gotten herself into while competing against him.
"You think Ami's got herself another rival?" Minako smirked,
"Maybe this time he'll be really handsome and sweep her off her feet."
The beauty was kidding of course, but only a little. Ami really was
still a loner outside of the senshi, and the blonde soldier of love
was determined to see that Ami was matched up eventually.
"And there was that love letter Ami got," Usagi remembered.
All three girl's were suddenly right on top of Usagi, "What?!"
Usagi blinked up at them with her suddenly large innocent blue
eyes as she said, "Ami got a letter a few days ago from somebody."
"Who?" Rei demanded.
"What did it say?" Minako interrogated.
"I didn't get the chance to read it," Usagi popped one of
Makoto's cookies in her mouth and chewed happily, "Ami took it away
too fast." She brightened up as she added, "It was from somebody named
Sam, though. That I saw."
"Sam?" Makoto frowned.
"That it," Minako jumped to her feet excitedly, "Ami isn't
going to more of those practice exams! She's dating this Sam!"
"There's no way," Rei said weakly, but there was an odd look
on her face.
"Ami's got a boyfriend!" Usagi jumped up happily.
"I was ready to give her the shirt of my butt to help her get
a date," Minako cheered, "but Ami actually managed it herself!"
"Back," Artemis opened one eye to give Minako a look, "not
butt. Back."
"Whatever," Minako shrugged.
Artemis sighed, closing his eye once more as he and Luna
continued their catnap.
"Let's not marry them just yet," Rei said firmly, "I mean, we
don't even know if she and Sam are really dating yet."
Usagi and Minako exchanged a knowing look, then Minako softly
said, "Then I guess we'll just have to find out, won't we?"
"Oh, no," Makoto groaned, knowing what was coming.
"Oh, yes," Usagi beamed, "I mean, we have to make sure Ami is
all right. We don't want this Sam taking advantage of her or
something."
Rei raised an eyebrow at that as she asked, "Can you actually
see anyone taking advantage of Ami Mizuno?"
Completely ignoring that question Minako smiled, "We'll just
have to check this Sam out, make sure he's the right man for Ami."
"We're not going to be able to talk them out of this, are we?"
Makoto asked Rei with a sigh as Minako and Usagi planned excitedly in
the background.
"Probably not," Rei admitted, "I think our best bet is to tag
along with them and try to keep the damage under control."
Makoto sighed, "Right."
"Tomorrow," Minako pointed her hand up to the sky, "operation:
Make sure that Sam is right for Ami, will commence!"
"We're doomed," Rei sighed, and Makoto nodded glumly.
It was at lunch hour the next day that the plan actually
commenced. Minako crouched down in the bushes, Rei kneeling by her
side as they watched the couple sitting beneath the trees. The taller
redhead was gentlemanly, pouring Ami her tea from a thermos, her gaze
gentle on her. The two talked and laughed happily, quite unlike any
behavior they had seen from Ami they had seen before. There was only
one little problem.
Sam was clearly a girl.
She was a bit boyish, it was true. Sam's red hair was short,
her stance and posture were more that of a boy's than a girl's, but
that was all. The girl's school uniform revealed athletic but feminine
legs, and the curves of breasts could be seen.
"Well, I guess that settles that," Rei whispered to Minako as
they tried to stay out of sight, "Ami can't be dating Sam if she's a
girl."
Minako watched the two of them, an odd expression on her
beautiful face as she said, "Maybe not." When Rei gave her an odd look
she nodded towards them then instructed her, "Just watch them for a
minute."
Ami leaned forward as she talked, and their hands gently
rested together, fingers intertwining. Rei and Minako couldn't hear
what was being said, but the expresion on Sam's face was telling. She
intended to gaze at Ami as long as she would allow it.
"Wow," Rei murmured.
"Yeah," Minako nodded, "but what do we do now?"
That evening, they all waited until Ami was gone to see Sam
before talking about it. There was a certain amount of guilt about
talking about Ami behind her back, but they wanted to get their
thoughts clear on what was going on.
"So this Sam's in love with Ami?" Usagi repeated the
information. She sighed softly, a dreamy look appearing on her face,
"That's so romantic."
"Maybe," Rei quietly agreed with her, "but it's also going to
be big trouble for the two of them, once the news gets out."
"Then we'll be there to back her up," Makoto said firmly. Her
tone drew a thoughtful gaze from Minako, and she blushed slightly.
Minako had always wondered if there had been something between
the tall, strong senshi and Ami, but had ultimately decided that there
wasn't. But Makoto's tone made her wonder. She shook herself, "She
seems pretty happy with Sam, though."
"Then I'm happy for her," Usagi said.
Rei smiled slightly. Usagi could always bring things down to
their simplest form. Personally she was as bit... shaken, by Ami's new
romance. It wasn't that she was opposed to it, but it brought up
certain questions she really didn't want to deal with, about herself.
"So am I," Rei agreed firmly.
Minako grinned, "So when Ami does tell us about her and Sam
dating, remember to act all surprised, all right?"
Rei rolled her eyes, and Makoto chuckled softly.
Standing outside Ami Mizuno smiled to herself as she turned
away from the closed door. 'Guess I can get my books tomorrow night.'
She wanted to laugh as she hurried down the shrine steps, 'I should
have known they'd react like that.'
Sam looked up as Ami reached where she was standing, the
boyish redhead looking at her curiously as she asked, "Where's your
books?"
Ami chuckled softly as she took Sam's arm, "You've got to hear
about this."
Author's Notes:
Part One was inspired by the story, 'Ami's First Love' from the Sailor
Moon SuperS manga #2. I thought that it was interesting that Ami
didn't seem to mind that the rival she was obsessing over might have
been either male or female. I also wanted to address the
predictability of Ami and the other scouts lives, at least in some
ways. I know the ending is a bit inconclusive, but I sort of wanted it
that way. The situation with Sam is entirely new to Ami, and quite
unpredictable.
The Part Two came about from bits of commentary from several readers.
Quite wisely they pointed out that the scouts would notice that
something was going on, and probably look into it. I'm hoping that I
got the different senshi in character, more or less.
Back to Ami Mizuno and the Exam Battle Romance Index - Back to Sailor Moon Shoujo-Ai Fanfiction