Disclaimer – I own nothing of RENT or the Olympics. They belong to their respected owners. I can say that I own my original characters (coaches, teammates, parents, etc) and the plot. 'Nuff said.

Italics are thoughts and flashbacks.

A/N: In honor of the Olympics going on now, I decided to write this story. No idea how long its gonna be, so bear with me. Will update my chapter stories, so don't worry. I don't know much about qualifying for the Olympics, so I'm making most of it up. In the spirit of the Olympics, it takes place in London.

A/N 2: The competitors and their location:

Roger – America – Equestrian

Angel – Canada – Tennis

Mimi – Spain – Swimming

April – Italy – Archery

Alison – England – Gymnastics

Joanne – Austria – Track

Mark – Australia – Volleyball

Benny – Germany – Water Polo

Collins – Ireland – Basketball

Maureen – Argentina – Soccer

Summary: AU: Follow nine children as they hope to compete in the Olympics. You'll meet potential Olympians from America, Canada, Spain, Italy, England, South Africa, Australia, Germany, Ireland and Argentina. Witness their triumphs, tribulations and the amazing friendships they form, despite from being from around the world. Rated T because I'm paranoid. Takes place in 2012.

Genre: Friendship/None

Rating: T

CHAPTER ONE
(chapter title – Roger, part 1)

"Now riding for the American team, number 01127 Roger Davis riding Prima Donna." A voice announced as I entered the arena. I could hear thousands of cheering fans as I waved to them. I still can't believe that I was riding for the American team in the 2012 Olympics in London. This was my first Olympics and all twenty-three-years of me were nervous, but I didn't let it show, because then Prima Donna would be nervous and wouldn't clear the jumps properly.

The bell ringing for the routine to begin sounded, startling me out of my daydream. Everything we worked for led up to this moment and I could not afford to mess it up. If I did, my coach, Tony, would absolutely kill me.

I was competing in the finals – to see who would win the gold, silver and bronze medal. The American equestrian team had already won a gold and bronze. I had won a silver for individual dressage, along with my dressage horse, Grenade.

"And it's a clear round for Roger Davis! He has the best time of the afternoon!" the person on the loudspeaker announced. The audience was on their feet, chanting my last name. I smiled and pulled Prima to a trot and waved to everyone as I exited the arena. I nodded to the German rider as she entered the arena riding a beautiful black horse. It was America, Germany and Greece competing for the medals.

I stood in the aisle way, straining my ears to hear the results. The next thing I knew, I heard the Americans in the audience cheering and applauding. I grinned, mounted Prima and cantered out of the aisle way.

As the official placed the medal around my neck, I thought about the first time I rode a horse. I was three-years-old at the time.

My three-year-old self watched my ten-year-old sister, Grace, ride her Irish Thoroughbred mare named Gwen. I really wanted to ride, but I had to be four before I could ride by myself. Luckily for me, today was my birthday. My wish for my birthday was to ride a horse, which was unusual

A moment later, Grace's riding instructor, Rose, came towards me. She was leading a storm-gray pony under English tack. Rose smiled and led the pony to the mounting block. Mom held my hand as Rose helped me onto the pony.

"Roger, meet Holly." Rose told me. Holly turned her head towards me, revealing a kind brown eye. I smiled and hugged her neck. Rose helped me sit up and led me around the arena, Mom walking next to me.

When I turned six, I outgrew Holly and started riding a bay Welsh Pony gelding named Sarge. Sarge and I became great friends – I was learning how to jump and could do a little dressage. Rose had entered me in my first horse show at the end of the week, so I was preparing for it. She had entered me in the walk/trot class, but I was too advanced for that. She had entered me in Baby Green – the beginning jumping class. She felt that Sarge and I were ready.

She was right – we took first place in Baby Green and second place in Showmanship. I was extremely happy with Sarge and honestly thought he was the best pony, besides Holly.

A year later, I decided to give up horses for a while – I met some new friends at school and they wanted me to play football and baseball with them. They claimed that anything to do with horses was considered girly. That made me mad, but I decided to let it slide.

After a while, I got bored of my new friends and considered the horses I knew and loved. Rose was angry that I took some time off and made me shovel out stalls and groom horses instead of riding.

Two years later, at ten-years-old, I went through a growth spurt and was now too tall for ponies. I was now riding a pure white Arabian mare named Ghost. Ghost was excellent at dressage, but hated jumping. I loved jumping more than dressage, but I would never admit it out loud.

After three attempts to go over a double oxer, Ghost threw me. She bolted around the arena while I cradled my right arm. Rose chased after Ghost while Grace came over to me. She was now sixteen and had gotten her license a week ago.

I couldn't ride horses for two months, which I was not happy about. In those two months, I focused on my schoolwork, which I had fallen behind on.

Two months later, I was back on the newest horse – a reddish-brown Purcheron/Thoroughbred gelding named Grenade. He was Rose's dressage horse, but she was expecting a baby, so she couldn't ride him. After my lesson, Rose walked with me while I cooled down Grenade.

"I talked to your mother and found out your birthday is next week." Rose started. Usually, we would talk about my lesson and what I liked and didn't like.

"So?"

"I was thinking about selling Grenade, but after I saw you ride him – if it's okay with your mother – I would like to give him to you for a present." Rose told me.

I felt honored that she would give her prized dressage horse to me – a scrawny ten – almost eleven – year old boy.

"There's another thing." Rose said, tears in her eyes. "A friend of mine has a training barn in Michigan. I think you have potential to be on the Olympics and she can help you more than I can."

"Y-You mean I would have to leave Florida and move to Michigan?" I asked. Rose nodded. "Do my mother and Grace know?"

Rose nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks. I had lived in Florida all my life and wasn't about to go ahead and pack up everything I love.

Mom and Grace eventually talk me into going to live with Rose's friend in Michigan. On the eve of my thirteenth birthday, I packed up all my stuff, got Grande into the one-horse trailer and drove with mom to Michigan.

Rose was right – her friend, Mia, made sure I rode the best dressage patterns and told me what I was doing wrong. She would often demonstrate this by having me dismount Grenade and show me how to do the dressage moves on him. I would often smile, get back on Grenade and try my best to mimic what Mia was teaching me.

"You still need a jumper." Mia told me. I nodded and walked with her down the long aisle of the barn. On one side of the aisle were the jumpers. On the other side were the dressage horses.

I tried three different jumpers – King Midas, Fools Gold and Prima Donna. I didn't connect with the other two like I did with Prima Donna. I found her rhythm right away and knew what she liked and what she didn't like.

Prima Donna is a fifteen-year-old chestnut Dutch Warmblood mare. She has a narrow blaze running down her face that ends in a snip at the end of her nose. She also has two front socks. She stands 16 hands at her withers.

"I feel a connection between Prima and I." I told Mia one afternoon after I was done riding Prima Donna. Mia smiled and patted Prima's shoulder.

"I know you two will make an excellent team." She told me as I walked Prima around the arena. I had been riding since 5:45 in the morning. It was now close to 9:00 at night.

When I was sixteen, an Olympic official showed up one day at the barn. I was riding Grenade at the time and was working on extremely difficult dressage pattern. As I trotted down the center of the arena, the official caught my eye.

"Looking good." The official told me as I finished the pattern. I smiled and bowed to her. She smiled and had me come over. Grenade's ears were pricked forward – I'm sure he was curious about this newcomer as I was.

"Did Mia ever talk to you about riding in the Olympics?" The official – Sandra – asked me. I nodded my head – she had trained some of the top riders in the state. "I think if you improve on your dressage, you might have a shot at the Olympics."

"Really?" I asked, my heart thudding loudly in my chest. This was every horse lover's dream come true – to ride in the Olympics. Sandra smiled and nodded.

"May I pet your horse?" she asked. I nodded and told her a little about Grenade. She smiled at him then smiled at me. "He's really stunning."

"Thank you." I thanked her. I dismounted and looked over my shoulder – Mia was putting four jumps together. She was setting up two oxers – one wide, one narrow; a water jump and a vertical. I quickly untacked Grenade as Sammy – Mia's daughter – brought in Prima Donna.

After a moment of talking quietly to Prima Donna, I mounted her and walked her around the edge of the arena. I didn't want her to go over the jumps – I wasn't ready for that yet.

"Roger, eyes forward and two-point three strides before she jumps." Mia instructed as Prima and I galloped around the arena. I went into the two-point position as Prima approached the water jump – her favorite. I felt as though she had sprouted wings as we soared over the jumps.

The official smiled and wrote something down in her notebook. She then shook Mia's hand, then mine. Finally, she patted Prima on the shoulder before exiting the barn.

I went to Eaton Rapids for the Olympic qualifying test and passed both of them with flying colors. I also met the other three people who had qualified as well – Mandy, Skylar and Dylan. The three of them were horse-crazy triplets who accepted me as another valued member of the team.

I also got to meet their horses – Surfer and Dixie (Mandy's horses), Sugar and Katniss (Skylar's horses) and Love Never Dies and Sunny Side of Life (Dylan's horses).

I knew the four of us would be great friends.

"Roger!" a familiar voice called as I headed to the volleyball arena. I turned around and saw Mandy cantering to catch up with me. I smiled at her and waited for her to catch up before we started walking.

"Hey Mandy! Great round today." I told her, stopping occasionally to pose for photographs or sign autographs.

"Thanks. I think that Surfer spooked a little at the water jump." Mandy said. I shook my head.

"I think Surfer was great – you steered him a little too far to the left at the final jump, but other than that, excellent round." I told her.

"So, where are you off to?" she asked, pulling her ink-black hair into a ponytail.

"I was gonna watch some men's volleyball. It's Australia versus Italy. A friend I met at the opening ceremonies – Mark – is playing on the Australian team." I told her.

"Sounds like fun." She told me. Both of us showed our badges to the gate operator. He smiled at us and told us to sit anywhere. We found a spot close to the action and sat down.

At the opening ceremonies, I had met eight other individuals from all around the world – Angel was from Canada and she played tennis; Mimi was from Spain and she swam; April was from Italy and she did archery; Alison was from England and she did gymnastics; Joanne was from Austria and she ran track; Mark was from Australia and he played volleyball; Benny was from Germany and he played water polo; Collins was from Ireland and he played basketball; Maureen was from Argentina and she played soccer.

When I wasn't riding, I went to go support my friends in their sports. When I did dressage, I saw April, Collins, Benny, Joanne and Angel in the stands, cheering their loudest for me.

Australia ended up winning the match – 21 to 13. I liked how the teams hugged each other after their matches. That was true friendship and team spirit right there.

After the match, Mandy, Mark and I went to get sodas then took a ride in the London Eye. It was beautiful, especially when we got stopped at the top. I took pictures of my friends and the scenery below me.

I wanted to stay in the London Eye and didn't want to leave – London was so beautiful and there's so much that I want to learn and explore.

I'm now in my hotel room, which I share with Dylan. He's Skyping with his family while I'm reading my book. I haven't gotten much of a chance to read while I'm here in England.

The following morning, I have nothing planned, so I decided to go see Joanne compete in some track events. It rained half the day, which the eventers and spectators were not happy about.

Rain or sun, I want to support my new friends, no matter what the weather is like.