Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Ami Mizuno and the Exam Battle Romance! ❯ Chapter 2

Ami Mizuno and the Exam Battle Romance! Part Two

"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.