Utena, Revolutionary Girl Fan Fiction ❯ Silly Utena Crossover Fic! ❯ Academic Blues One ( Chapter 24 )

Academic Blues Part One

Ami looked up in honest surprise at the attractive young woman who was standing in her doorway, before finally recovering enough to actually invite her inside. "Sorry," she blushed fiercely, escorting her to a chair.

"No problem," Juri said with a casual wave, "I should have called ahead." The orange haired beauty took the seat like it was her very own throne, claiming it for herself totally. She looked like royalty, too, dressed in the special uniform of the student council.

"So what can I do for you?" Ami asked.

The captain of the fencing team and newly elected leader of the student council looked vaguely uncomfortable. "I'm here about your ad," Juri explained.

"My ad?" Ami blinked. `Did Usagi and the others put that personal ad in, the way they keep joking?' she worried.

"For the tutoring," Juri reminded her gently.

"Right," Ami nodded with a little blush. She had put the ad up in the hopes of making a bit of spending money, but she hadn't gotten any responses so far. "What did you need help with?" Ami asked her curiously.

"Literature and Maths, mostly," Juri sighed. "With my student council work and the fencing, I've fallen way behind," she admitted.

"I should be able to help you with those," Ami nodded thoughtfully.

"Do you have any references?" Juri inquired.

"You have seen my posted test scores, right?" Ami asked pointedly. Even after her and the other Senshi's rather odd arrival here, her scores had stayed high.

"Highest in the school, right alongside Miki's," Juri nodded. She looked over at Ami, "The only thing you didn't ace was philosophy. Why was that?"

"The answer to one of the questions was debatable," Ami shrugged.

Juri chuckled softly at that. She produced a cheque with a flourish, "This should cover our first five sessions. That way, we can see how it goes."

Ami shook her hand, sealing the agreement. "I'll try not to let you down."

Juri shook the hand gently, looking down thoughtfully at Ami. `This is a really bad idea,' was what was running through her head at that moment.

Juri returned to her dorm, flopping down on her bed. `I really should have just asked Miki,' she admitted. She closed her eyes, and the cute blue haired young woman appeared before her eyes.

Stumbling across the ad up on the billboard earlier that day had been quite the stroke of luck. Juri wasn't close to failing, yet, but she didn't want to take any chances. And Ami really was great academically, everyone agreed on that.

`Problem is, that isn't the main reason I want to hire her,' Juri admitted. Almost as soon as she had seen the young woman in glasses studying, she had wanted to get to know her. Finding out she was a friend of her friends Haruka and Michiru should have helped, but didn't really.

Her next idea had been putting a few notes in Ami's locker. A bit juvenile, but it was a classic move. She had written Ami three of them, and had been planning to reveal her identity with her fourth one, when Haruka had casually pointed something out to her. Ami threw out any love letters she received without reading them!

Thankfully, Ami had been hanging around the fencing club lately. At least that gave them something to talk about, whenever Juri got the chance. But the girl was so focused on her classes Juri rather suspected that Ami didn't even notice her.

`I hope studying together at least helps me break her barriers down,' Juri thought. She smirked, `At least I'll get to look at her for awhile.'

Juri dozed off, thinking of how cute Ami looked with her glasses on.

The next morning, in the dining hall, and breakfast was being served. "You're tutoring Arisugawa?" Haruka looked over the teacup at Ami thoughtfully.

"Yes," Ami nodded. The Senshi were having their breakfasts together, before splitting up to go to classes. It was one of the good points of being stuck here in Ohtori.

Rei and Minako exchanged a thoughtful glance, then Rei asked her, "Have you considered Juri's reputation?"

"What reputation?" Ami looked surprised.

`Of course she wouldn't know,' Mamoru thought, looking at the bookish girl fondly.

"She's got a bit of a reputation as a playboy," Minako said gently.

"Really?" Ami squeaked.

"I'd take that with a grain of salt," Michiru said smoothly.

"Why?" Makoto asked.

"Most of those stories are being spread by Juri's ex-girlfriend," Haruka shrugged.

"But she does have girlfriends," Minako nodded thoughtfully.

"So do half the people here," Usagi chuckled, throwing a sidelong glance at Rei.

They talked for a while longer, then split up to go to their classes. `Juri had a girlfriend,' Ami mused, considering the famous duelist. She had thought her unapproachable, coolly remote even as she was so terribly beautiful.

Ami didn't want to think about it, but it haunted her throughout the day. The sun began to set, and the chime to her dorm room rang right on time. "Hello, Juri," Ami smiled up at her.

A slight smile teased at Juri's lips, making Ami wonder about what she might be thinking. "Good evening, Ami," Juri smiled at her warmly.

"Let's look at your books," Ami gestured them to the table. The two settled down to work, and Ami let herself be lost in her work.

Juri was mildly astonished at how Ami casually organized Juri's work. Problems that had looked almost insurmountable were broken into easily manageable pieces.

`Now if only she would notice me,' Juri despaired. They had quickly run through the first five sessions, and academically Juri had improved dramatically. Selfishly, Juri booked another five, hoping that her personal life might improve, too.

Ami bent over the table, looking at her papers intensely. "You're cute when you concentrate," Juri found herself saying.

Ami's head jerked up, her eyes wide, and Juri almost panicked. Then Ami smiled slightly, asking, "Was that a pass?"

Juri played along, "I don't know, was that a catch?"

"Maybe," Ami smiled. She took a breath, "I was wondering, would you like to come over for dinner one night?"

In her head, Juri was jumping up and down and cheering, but outwardly she tried to stay calm. "Sure, I'd love to," Juri smiled.

Appearing this Episode: Ami, Minako, Makoto, Usagi, Rei, Haruka, Michiru and Mamoru are all from Sailor Moon. Arisugawa Juri is from Revolutionary Girl Utena.