Princess of Ice

Tuesday Afternoon 5:00pm

Usagi, Minako and Rei arrived at Ami's front door on this special Tuesday prepared for a night of fun instead of business. Makoto was at home preparing a surprise feast as the other girls kidnapped the birthday girl for a night of festivities. Rei had wondered ruefully if the plan was really to get Minako and Usagi out of the kitchen, since the last time they were there, suffice to say it wasn't pretty.

"Girls, Ami will be a little late home today, come in and make yourself comfortable, she'll be back soon."

"Mrs. Mizuno, aren't you staying for Ami's birthday celebration? Makoto-chan is cooking tonight and we were hoping that you would join us." Rei smiled.

"There's a little emergency in the hospital, the Emergency Ward, I have to go and make sure that everything is alright. At least I'm sure that she will have friends to celebrate with. I'm sure that she will have a good time with you."

"Celebrate?" Rei asked.

"Oh, it's nothing. I heard that you had a new student in your class, nice boy?"

"Very nice!" Minako answered enthusiastically as her mind drifted to that dimpled smile that adorned his face.

"That's always good to hear. Will you tell Ami to call me when she gets back?"

"Sure." They close the door behind Mrs. Mizuno as she left.

"Guys," Minako suddenly said, "let's go and take a look at the dress she was talking about today."

"I wouldn't think that it would be a good idea to look through someone else's things without their permission."

"Rei-chan! I'm sure she won't mind and it's not like we have anything to do."

Opening her white wardrobe they saw no trace of a white dress as they searched through her clothes. Turning around they opened her brown wardrobe at the foot of her bed. "Wow, Akiyama-san's poster! It's addressed to her as well! I can't believe it! That was... 5 years ago, he was only a starter then, hardly anyone knew him. And look at this one, 2 years ago!"

"Look at all those tapes. They're all tapings of skating competitions; she must be like his greatest fan! I never knew she liked ice skating."

"Well it is kind of her element."

"Wow! Here's a white dress. That's... a bit... revealing."

They gathered around Usagi to look at the body-hugging dress. It was sequined with a wide neck just revealing her shoulders. The long bell shaped sleeves was made from crepe and lace, and a crepe covering that went from the end of the sleeves to around the shoulders, giving the effect of wings. An embroidery of butterflies and flowers made from a mixture of light and dark blue thread spread from the left side of her stomach down to her left hip. The length of the skirt, it was made with a swimsuit bottom and the skirt itself was flared and barely covered the wearer's backside.

"Oh my god! This is so un-Ami! No wonder she didn't want to wear it to the social."

"Jackpot!" Minako yelled as she pulled out a wooden box that Ami had kept hidden. They opened it to find saw letters, newspaper clippings, photos...

"Look's this one's from Ashuri, the one she got last week! Akiyama-san's photograph... of him skating! Where did she get it from?"

Pulling out the letter from its envelope, they scanned to the bottom. "Signed by someone called AA? Wow! I can't believe this, it must be from Akiyama-san."

Minako leaned forward to look at all the other envelopes, "they're all from him. All these photos, and letters."

"This is huge! It's like the treasure of the century. Can you believe it? They've known each other like forever. This was written when... Ami was about 9, 10. Look at that photo, Ami must have been about seven then, they're skating together! Primary school photos..."

They spun around and dropped the incriminating evidence of their snooping at the sound of a loud crash behind them. Whilst they had expected some sort of reprimand from Ami, what they hadn't expected was the person in their company. Asuka, who was behind her, looked at them with pure curiosity. "We thought you were thieves."

"Umm... Ami, your mum let us in. Oh, she said call her."

Ami shook her head, advancing the mess that was made from her carefully arranged wardrobe, and the skirt that was lying on her bed. "I can't believe this."

"Not my fault!"

"How could you Ami? You never told us you knew him in real life!"

Ami raised an eyebrow uncomprehendingly at Minako's outburst, not really understanding what the fuss was about, she answered, "I didn't think it was important."

"Is this dress yours?"

"Itsmyskatingdress." Ami mumbled.

"What?"

"She says 'its her skating dress.'" Akiyama-san pronounced proudly.

"Ami, I can't believe that you can skate, hey, where are the boots?"

"It's in my bag, I had an exam today."

"Exam? How did it go?? Wow, cool, look at those photos!"

"Usagi, please put them away." Pause. "Put them away please, NOW!"

"Okay, okay, you don't have to be so touchy about it. By the way, I really like the skirt."

Asuka grinned at Usagi's favorable critique. "See, I told you and you wouldn't wear it. Wear it on Thursday? So, what's everyone doing here?"

Ami blushed. "Nothing! Its habit."

"Lying is bad for your soul Ami! Akiyama-san, it's her birthday."

"What? Oops! Umm...I thought it was tomorrow, the day after the badge test... Uh-oh..."

"I'm going to call my mum. Umm... Minako, can you put the dress back, please?" Minako hurriedly placed the dress back in the wardrobe as the rest left the room.

Tuesday Afternoon 5:15pm

"Mother? I got home a little while ago."

...
"Yes, I passed it."

...

"Uhuh, he came. He came and saw me do the test with Narai-sensei, and then came back with me. He's still here; do you want to talk to him? ... Asuka!"

He leaned over to take the phone out of her hand. "Hello? Aunty Mewagi. Yep, it's me, your favorite man!"

...

The girls looked at them in shock, not only were they friends but it seemed that Akiyama-san knew Ami's mother well enough to call her aunty. To them, it was strange in comparison for they had known Ami for so long and so well, yet not having the privilege to call her mother with such familiarity.

He chuckled, "yes, I'll take care of her. I can't believe that you didn't remind me it was her birthday!"

...

"Okay, okay, I promise I won't let anyone harm her. And I'll try not to burn the house down, but I won't guarantee anything else, that ok with you? Umm... You do have insurance don't you?"

...

"Ok, I'll see you later then."

"Akiyama-san, you KNOW Ami's mum?"

"Call me Asuka. You know, aunty Mewagi's cool."

"Well, we don't even know her all that well."

"So?"

"How?"

"I knew Ami since grade 1. I was in primary school with her, well, until..."

Flashback

Little Ami and little Asuka (about 8) playing together, holding hands like all little kids do. Jumping around and laughing and giggling. Suddenly an older girl comes over, and laughingly says "Ami and Asuka sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, first comes marriage, second comes...".

Ami jumps away, "am not!" and runs off, refusing to talk with Asuka.

"Until what?"

Asuka was startled by Usagi's sudden interruption to his thoughts, "umm... well..." his voice drifted away.

"So you guys kept in contact? Anything to remember by?"

"That comes on a need to know basis Usagi. Unless Ami wants to let you know, you won't." Asuka smiled at Ami, who looked down to her feet. The girls gathered around the poor girl trying to gather information off her.

Flashback

Their friendship flourished, but unfortunately it wasn't long until Ami was to move away to Tokyo with her mother. "Ami I want you to have this."

Taking the package from his hand, she slowly unwrapped it, a tear dripped from her cheek. Inside was a small concave medal, the first medal from the first competition Asuka had ever entered. "but, it's your lucky charm."

"It is, I just... I just wanted you to have it since you're going away, and..."

"I can't take this!"

"You have to! Hey, what about a deal?"

"What deal?"

"You give it back when you get your own?"

"That's crazy; I'm really had at sports."

"You're learning how, Narai-sensai says you're doing well."

"No I'm not."

"Deal is, we'll pair skate at competitions."

"Asuka, no! I can't."

"You're the one who keeps on saying that anyone can do anything if they put their hearts to it."

"This is different!"

"You just don't have the guts!"

"I do so have the guts!"

"Well then?"

"Deal!"

Little Ami stared at him furiously, her eyes flashed with determination as her little hands clasp around the medal. Asuka grinned as she turns away, and holds up his fingers for a brief victory sign. Success. It was something that he often did with Ami, her temper though mild, was from determination. "Hey Ami, wait up!" He ran up to her, took the medal from her hands and slipped it over her head.

Ami sighed involuntarily as her hand reached for the small concave medal she wore on her neck. She remembered that one-year in Tokyo High, no one had spoken to her; they viewed her as they would look at someone from outer-space (literally). True, she got the best marks, but they didn't seem to understand that she was human too. She was glad to transfer into Juuban High when she was 13; there she had finally found new friends, friends which were forever. It was where she truly belonged. The only sanctuary she had when she was in Tokyo High was the library and the skating rink.

"Well Ami?" Usagi asked

Ami smiled and turned away from their questioning faces. "nothing, its nothing, we moved around when I was young."

Asuka grinned at the girls. "You guys do know that she skates don't you? She's going in the Japan Figure Skating Competition"

"Asuka!"

Asuka grinned at her reluctance. "You guys think the skirt will look good on her? She's wearing it on Thursday, it's the trials. Of course, Ami-chan has been complaining about it being too short for her."

"Oh I'm sure she'll be used to it." Minako said as she eyed Ami, referring to the senshi skirt.

"She's skating with the 'Emperor'." Asuka announced proudly.

"The Emperor? You're skating with the Emperor of Japan?"

Rei immediately whacked Usagi on the head "he's talking about music, Piano Concerto Number 5 by Beethoven."

"Beethoven?... hmm... sounds yummy! Is it like honey?"

Ami covered her mouth and smiled. Before more could be said about honey and the emperor, Rei's mobile phone rang with an impatient Makoto on the other end.