Ok… here's the second chapter in "Loves Icy Journey". Gee… a fic about Ami and Minako that uses the words love and ice… original, eh? Almost as good as my Ami Makoto, "touch of wood, caress of water".

Also, before you start reading, you might recognize a lot of this text. That's because, when I get an idea for a fic, I often write a core piece… basically the chunk of story that first flashes into my mind. This was the piece that came to mind when I started thinking about doing an Ami/Minako romance. At the time, however, I was trying to get a fic done for entrance into a contest, so I made a quickly wrapped up ending and posted it as the fic entitled "Beginnings". It wasn't a bad story (in my somewhat biased view), but it wasn't what it should have been.

So now you all get to see what the story was supposed to be… And trust me, this is –for the most part- the last of the major use of material that formed beginnings. Chapter one was a prequel to it, this is the body, and the next chapters will all be spin off sequels to Beginnings.

One last thing. This story has gotten some mixed reviews so far. I still want to write it, but if no one likes it –shrugs- I don't know. Right now I feel good about it, but most of my chaptered stories tend to get to a point where the original enthusiasm fizzles out, and its only pushing by readers for more that gets me writing again. Dark Moon Rising sounding familiar to anyone right about now?

Loves icy journey

Chapter two: Acceptance

By Michael Treiber






"No."

Minako blinked in confusion.

"What do you mean, 'no'?"

Ami's voice was firm when she replied.

"I mean just that. No, I am NOT interested in going on a date with you. Just because I don't date a lot of men does NOT mean that I'm a lesbian." She paused in thought for a moment. "And since when are you?"

"I'm not... well, I don't think so..." Minako knew that this wasn't going to be very good explanation, but she had to try.

"You see, I was talking to Haruka the other day...what?"

Ami was giving her a flat, expressionless stare. When she finally spoke, it was slowly and careful, as if to a child.

"Minako... Haruka is extremely lesbian. She thinks that all girls have the same sort of tastes she does, and just don't realize it. Just because she told you that you're probably a lesbian doesn't mean that you are. And what makes you think that I would be, anyway?"

"Like I said, we were talking. She said it was interesting how I'd never really had luck with any of my relationships. Then I told her it was because I got these quick little crushes that just kind of fizzled out."

Minako took a deep breath before continuing.
"Then she asked me if I'd ever had anyone I was interested in for more than just a few days."

Ami had a pretty good idea of where this little story was going by the blush that had bloomed on the blonde's face.

"I told her that I'd had a crush on HER for a long time." A deep sigh. "She just patted me on the top of my head and said that that was cute. Then she asked if I'd ever had any feelings like that toward other girls. I don't know, I said. And SHE said that maybe I should try going out with a few women and see how I liked it. That's where we are now."

"Ok." Ami said. "That was a very pretty story. But it still doesn't answer my question. Why are you asking me?"

"Oh, that's simple. Since we never see you with any men, we all figure that you're just in the closet."

Ami was speechless. Well, nearly.

"Who is 'we'?"

"Hmm? Oh, everybody... the other senshi, all your friends, your mom..."

"My mother!?" Ami was shocked. Why would her mother...?

"Its not that big of a deal." Minako answered calmly. "Its just that you've never had a long term boyfriend, and not to many short term one's either, and your mom is just kind of worried that you two aren't close enough for you to feel comfortable telling her."

Before Ami could come up with a reply, Minako glanced at her watch and said,

"Oops! Lunch is over... time to get to class. Anyway... think about it, ok?"

Ami called out to Minako's retreating back.

"The answer is still going to be the same!"

*****

"And she just... shot you down?" Haruka was slightly amazed. She'd have thought that Ami would have been a little gentler... Especially with sweet, gentle Minako.

The blond just nodded, her eyes downcast. It was almost four hours later and, even though she had tried to stay cheerful in front of Ami, the icy rejection still stung.

The two were sitting in Haruka's apartment's living room. Michiru was in the kitchen, so the two were completely alone. The silence hung heavily between them for a moment until Haruka broke it.

"Well..." She said. "You'll just have to work that much harder to win her over then!"

"I don't know..." Minako was despondent. "That 'no!' sounded pretty final. She didn't even try to make it a little easier. Just flat no."

"Oh please." Haruka said in an almost offhand tone. "If I know anything, its how to seduce unwilling young women. Now... here's what you do first..."

*****

Michiru waited until Minako was gone before entering the living room.

"What do you think you're doing?" She asked her lover.

Haruka just grinned at her.

"Oh, nothing..."

Michiru raised an eyebrow, but chose to let it slide.

*****

"First things first..." Minako muttered to herself. "Flowers."

As she entered the shop, Haruka's advice fluttered through her head.

'One of the reasons some girls say no is because they're afraid that their family will be angry. If you can show them indisputable proof that its not true, that's one obstacle out of the way.'

Minako waited patiently for a clerk to help the person in front of her in line, and then made her request.

"One dozen roses. Red, long stem."

Normally the price would have been an insurmountable obstacle, but Haruka had given her some money. She said that she'd think of some way for Minako to pay her back later. And even though Minako didn't really understand what she meant, Haruka had also said something about needing to pick up some film for her camera...

"Also, I'm going to need a card with those. It's to read, 'To my dearest Ami...Love, Minako'"

*****

After ringing the doorbell, Minako only had to wait a few moments for an answer.

"Hello Mrs. Mizuno... Is Ami here?"

The older woman shook her head.

"I'm sorry... she's at a cram class this afternoon."

"Oh..." Minako flooded her voice with false regret.

"Well, when she gets home can you give her these?" Minako held the roses out to Ami's mother.

"And can you tell her that I'm sorry if I was a little to, um..." She forced an artful blush before continuing. " A little too...fast... yesterday?"

Without saying a word, Ami's mother slowly closed the door between them, her face frozen in an expression of mute shock.

Minako was almost floating as she walked away from the house.

*****

"Phase one, complete." She told Haruka, radiating satisfaction.

"Good." Haruka replied. "Now you just have to wait and see how she reacts."

She didn't have to wait long.

Ok… that was chapter two. I really am sorry that this was all reposted material, but… well…I explained in the intro notes. Suppose that since this chapter took five minutes to write, I have no excuse about chapter three, eh? Well… One tiny excuse. I'm might have to go home for some family business coming up, and if I do I wont be writing much. Also won't have access to the net.

Chapter three will be a blend of old and new material. If you've read beginnings, you kind of know what comes next. Basically, same situation, but I'm actually going to write out the interaction between Ami and her mother over the roses. Should be fun.

BTW, I'm experimenting with a new style of formatting. I've never been happy with the format when posting of ff.net… the stories always look so much better in the original MS-word 2000 pro version…