A/N: I don't own Sailor Moon
*********************************************************************
"We shall not fail or falter; we shall not weaken or tire...Give us the tools and we will
finish the job."
-Sir Winston Churchill
Mizuno Ami Versus Sailor Mercury
By Veronica Cereta
******************************************************************
Ami cut through the swimming pool, throwing all her energy into reaching the finish. She had
always felt at home under water, it was probably the senshi of water in her that called her to the
deep. The water rushed around her, welcoming her, absolving her as she swam. With a final
burst of energy she dove to the side of the pool. In a spray of droplets she lifted her head above
the water and looked over at the large man in Bermuda shorts who had been timing her.
Oshi Sunao looked at his stopwatch, then down at Ami, then at his watch again. He couldn't
believe it. When he had received a call from a girl, who had never swam professionally and
wanted to try out for the Olympics, he figured she was a dreamer without a chance. In fact he
had only agreed to watch the girl because he wasn't coaching anyone at the moment. His career
had taken a dive after one of his swimmers had been found using steroids. As he looked at her
time, he realized that he had been mistaken about the girl's odds. "You just completed the 400
meter free style in three seconds under last year's gold medal winners time," he remarked, still
staring at the watch. Ami smiled to herself as she got out and toweled off. Sunao had lots of
questions for this shooting star that had fallen into his hands. "Why haven't you been entering
competitions?"
"Well there just hasn't been time. I have been so busy with classes and. . . other things."
"How did you learn to swim?"
"I mainly taught myself. I've had a few lessons, but nothing very formal."
"What events are you interested in?"
"I love to swim all kinds of strokes, freestyle and backstroke are probably my favorites though."
"Can you commit to a rigorous training schedule?"
"No."
"What?"
"Swimming is my hobby, not my life. I can give you one hour a day and I need to be free to
leave during that hour if an emergency arises."
"Okay, but I don't understand. You could be unbeatable if you worked at it. However, if you
have come this far on your own, I would be pleased to work with you for an hour a day. The
Olympic trials are in a month though. So we will be working hard. I am going to go register you
now. I think the 200 and 400-meter freestyle and backstroke should be right. It will be tough
getting you in on such short notice, but it's worth a try. We'll train again tomorrow. Same
time?"
"Sure!" said Ami as she moved to gather her things.
"What do you think your doing? You promised me an hour a day. Get back in the pool. Swim
freestyle for half an hour as hard as you can. Then switch to back stroke."
"Hai!" Ami jumped back into the pool.
******************************************************************************
An hour later Ami's lungs were burning, her muscles sore, and her eyesight cloudy with
chlorine. She gave her last burst of energy as she reached the wall on her final lap. She lifted
herself up onto the ledge and wobbled to a nearby chair. She collapsed into it and lay there
panting for a long while. Though her eyes were closed she sensed someone standing over her.
'Just one more minute.' She paused before opening her eyes. Ian was smiling down at her. She
took a second to take him in. His short blonde hair was dripping with sweat; his blue eyes
sparkled with enthusiasm. He had sweats on with a gym bag slung casually over one shoulder.
"How are you, Ami?"
"I'm okay."
"You looked like you were swimming very hard."
"Yeah, it helps me clear my head. What are you doing here?"
"Same thing as you, clearing my head. Only I do it by running."
"Oh."
The boy looked like he was trying to say something but couldn't quite work up the courage.
"Well I better get going. I've got to study for the calculus test tomorrow."
"Oh, the test! I almost forgot! I have to go." Ami jumped up and grabbed her bag. Waving to
her abandoned classmate, she ran to the locker room.
**********************************************************************
"Ami, I need help studying."
"Usagi, I am sorry. I can't help now; I have to study for my own test." Ami had arrived home
less than an hour ago. Earlier that day her friend had left their study group early to meet
Mamoru at the mall. If she had stayed Ami would have been happy to go over her test with her,
but now it was time for her to do her own work.
"I am going to fail history! Besides I want to hear about your first swimming practice."
"Okay, I'll be right over. But we are studying, not chatting."
"Yeah, okay fine! See you in a bit!"
The blue haired girl sighed heavily. It was going to be a long night.
"Mom, I'm going to Usagi's."
"Okay, do you have all of your homework done?"
"Hai." Ami figured a small lie was necessary in order to save her friend's history grade. As an
after thought she added, "I'm also trying out for the Olympics in a month."
"That's great, dear. We'll talk more about it later. Just don't let in effect your studies."
*************************************************************************
The next day was exhausting. After staying up much of the night helping her friend, then doing
her own studying, Ami had not gotten nearly enough sleep. She staggered into calculus a bit
later than usual that afternoon.
"Boy you look beat," came a familiar voice.
"Ian, I have been studying."
"I can tell. You know you really should get your rest before exams."
"Really?" Ami's voice was dripping with cynicism. She didn't like being this grouchy, but she
was tired.
The teacher interrupted "Ami, would you put last nights homework problem up on the board so
everyone can see the right answer before they begin the test." The model student almost lost it
then and there. She had been up until all hours of the night studying and had just completed the
homework at school that morning. She hadn't had time to check it, and for once she wasn't sure
if it was correct. The teacher still assumed that she had the right answer. She wasn't allowed to
make a mistake. She was Mizuno Ami.
Mustering all her remaining self-control she walked slowly to the board. Carefully she formed
the numbers with the chalk. The teacher stared at her answer for what seemed like an eternity.
Ami hadn't realized that she was holding her breath until the teacher spoke and she allowed
herself to breathe again.
"See class, that is how you do that problem."
Ami sighed heavily and took her seat.
The test didn't go as well as Ami would have liked. She was having trouble concentrating. She
was still positive that most of her answers were correct, however it took much longer than usual.
After she handed in her test she headed for cram school. It was actually a relief go there instead
of a study group. Being a bit annoyed at Usagi and much too tired to be cheerful, she welcomed
a little respite from her blonde friend.
Cram school was better. She studied the material she was given, loosing herself in Cicero's
treatise and Hawkins's theories.
Practice was wonderful as well. Sunao had managed to get her into the trials, though he
complained bitterly about the strings he had had to pull. Ami swam with all her might, and the
water welcomed and cleansed her as always. She shaved two hundredths of a second off her
time from the day before. After her hour was up Ian was waiting. They chatted for a while
before she went home to study.
The month leading to the trials passed quickly in this manner. Ami seemed to effortlessly juggle
school, swimming, and her friends. She made only minor sacrifices of swimming and study time
to fulfill her duties as the Senshi of Mercury. All of her friends marveled at how she kept up her
grades, practiced swimming every day and still had time to help them with their studies. Only
one person noticed the change in Ami, the tired hollowness behind her eyes, the weary way she
carried herself, the hint of exasperation as she looked at her friend with the Odangos. But then
this friend had been watching her intently for months before he had even gathered the nerve to
talk to her that one day after class.
*********************************************************************
"We shall not fail or falter; we shall not weaken or tire...Give us the tools and we will
finish the job."
-Sir Winston Churchill
Mizuno Ami Versus Sailor Mercury
By Veronica Cereta
******************************************************************
Ami cut through the swimming pool, throwing all her energy into reaching the finish. She had
always felt at home under water, it was probably the senshi of water in her that called her to the
deep. The water rushed around her, welcoming her, absolving her as she swam. With a final
burst of energy she dove to the side of the pool. In a spray of droplets she lifted her head above
the water and looked over at the large man in Bermuda shorts who had been timing her.
Oshi Sunao looked at his stopwatch, then down at Ami, then at his watch again. He couldn't
believe it. When he had received a call from a girl, who had never swam professionally and
wanted to try out for the Olympics, he figured she was a dreamer without a chance. In fact he
had only agreed to watch the girl because he wasn't coaching anyone at the moment. His career
had taken a dive after one of his swimmers had been found using steroids. As he looked at her
time, he realized that he had been mistaken about the girl's odds. "You just completed the 400
meter free style in three seconds under last year's gold medal winners time," he remarked, still
staring at the watch. Ami smiled to herself as she got out and toweled off. Sunao had lots of
questions for this shooting star that had fallen into his hands. "Why haven't you been entering
competitions?"
"Well there just hasn't been time. I have been so busy with classes and. . . other things."
"How did you learn to swim?"
"I mainly taught myself. I've had a few lessons, but nothing very formal."
"What events are you interested in?"
"I love to swim all kinds of strokes, freestyle and backstroke are probably my favorites though."
"Can you commit to a rigorous training schedule?"
"No."
"What?"
"Swimming is my hobby, not my life. I can give you one hour a day and I need to be free to
leave during that hour if an emergency arises."
"Okay, but I don't understand. You could be unbeatable if you worked at it. However, if you
have come this far on your own, I would be pleased to work with you for an hour a day. The
Olympic trials are in a month though. So we will be working hard. I am going to go register you
now. I think the 200 and 400-meter freestyle and backstroke should be right. It will be tough
getting you in on such short notice, but it's worth a try. We'll train again tomorrow. Same
time?"
"Sure!" said Ami as she moved to gather her things.
"What do you think your doing? You promised me an hour a day. Get back in the pool. Swim
freestyle for half an hour as hard as you can. Then switch to back stroke."
"Hai!" Ami jumped back into the pool.
******************************************************************************
An hour later Ami's lungs were burning, her muscles sore, and her eyesight cloudy with
chlorine. She gave her last burst of energy as she reached the wall on her final lap. She lifted
herself up onto the ledge and wobbled to a nearby chair. She collapsed into it and lay there
panting for a long while. Though her eyes were closed she sensed someone standing over her.
'Just one more minute.' She paused before opening her eyes. Ian was smiling down at her. She
took a second to take him in. His short blonde hair was dripping with sweat; his blue eyes
sparkled with enthusiasm. He had sweats on with a gym bag slung casually over one shoulder.
"How are you, Ami?"
"I'm okay."
"You looked like you were swimming very hard."
"Yeah, it helps me clear my head. What are you doing here?"
"Same thing as you, clearing my head. Only I do it by running."
"Oh."
The boy looked like he was trying to say something but couldn't quite work up the courage.
"Well I better get going. I've got to study for the calculus test tomorrow."
"Oh, the test! I almost forgot! I have to go." Ami jumped up and grabbed her bag. Waving to
her abandoned classmate, she ran to the locker room.
**********************************************************************
"Ami, I need help studying."
"Usagi, I am sorry. I can't help now; I have to study for my own test." Ami had arrived home
less than an hour ago. Earlier that day her friend had left their study group early to meet
Mamoru at the mall. If she had stayed Ami would have been happy to go over her test with her,
but now it was time for her to do her own work.
"I am going to fail history! Besides I want to hear about your first swimming practice."
"Okay, I'll be right over. But we are studying, not chatting."
"Yeah, okay fine! See you in a bit!"
The blue haired girl sighed heavily. It was going to be a long night.
"Mom, I'm going to Usagi's."
"Okay, do you have all of your homework done?"
"Hai." Ami figured a small lie was necessary in order to save her friend's history grade. As an
after thought she added, "I'm also trying out for the Olympics in a month."
"That's great, dear. We'll talk more about it later. Just don't let in effect your studies."
*************************************************************************
The next day was exhausting. After staying up much of the night helping her friend, then doing
her own studying, Ami had not gotten nearly enough sleep. She staggered into calculus a bit
later than usual that afternoon.
"Boy you look beat," came a familiar voice.
"Ian, I have been studying."
"I can tell. You know you really should get your rest before exams."
"Really?" Ami's voice was dripping with cynicism. She didn't like being this grouchy, but she
was tired.
The teacher interrupted "Ami, would you put last nights homework problem up on the board so
everyone can see the right answer before they begin the test." The model student almost lost it
then and there. She had been up until all hours of the night studying and had just completed the
homework at school that morning. She hadn't had time to check it, and for once she wasn't sure
if it was correct. The teacher still assumed that she had the right answer. She wasn't allowed to
make a mistake. She was Mizuno Ami.
Mustering all her remaining self-control she walked slowly to the board. Carefully she formed
the numbers with the chalk. The teacher stared at her answer for what seemed like an eternity.
Ami hadn't realized that she was holding her breath until the teacher spoke and she allowed
herself to breathe again.
"See class, that is how you do that problem."
Ami sighed heavily and took her seat.
The test didn't go as well as Ami would have liked. She was having trouble concentrating. She
was still positive that most of her answers were correct, however it took much longer than usual.
After she handed in her test she headed for cram school. It was actually a relief go there instead
of a study group. Being a bit annoyed at Usagi and much too tired to be cheerful, she welcomed
a little respite from her blonde friend.
Cram school was better. She studied the material she was given, loosing herself in Cicero's
treatise and Hawkins's theories.
Practice was wonderful as well. Sunao had managed to get her into the trials, though he
complained bitterly about the strings he had had to pull. Ami swam with all her might, and the
water welcomed and cleansed her as always. She shaved two hundredths of a second off her
time from the day before. After her hour was up Ian was waiting. They chatted for a while
before she went home to study.
The month leading to the trials passed quickly in this manner. Ami seemed to effortlessly juggle
school, swimming, and her friends. She made only minor sacrifices of swimming and study time
to fulfill her duties as the Senshi of Mercury. All of her friends marveled at how she kept up her
grades, practiced swimming every day and still had time to help them with their studies. Only
one person noticed the change in Ami, the tired hollowness behind her eyes, the weary way she
carried herself, the hint of exasperation as she looked at her friend with the Odangos. But then
this friend had been watching her intently for months before he had even gathered the nerve to
talk to her that one day after class.