At the Mizuno household

Jadeite sat at a table with Ami, discussing the invitations with her. Ami was the only of the Senshi who had learned to read the letters of the Ancient Kingdom of Earth, the only letters Jadeite knew how to write properly, and she often volunteered to translate. Although, with the invitation, even Ami had problems.

"You know, Jadeite, it's a party. This is an incredible formality level for some barbecue. If we write it like this, the girls will think they have to turn up in ball gowns."

"I'm sorry. I don't know how to write different invitations. That's how we were taught to do them at home."

"That's okay, Jadeite. I will be happy to contribute to the party by helping you with the modernized version. So, what will the formality level be like? Very formal with dresses and tuxedos, or a summer party with casual colorful party outfits, or a day at the beach in bikinis and bathing trunks?"

Jadeite stared at her with big eyes. "I hadn't really thought about it, actually. When we do birthday barbecues, we usually go to an uninhabited place and go fishing or hunting, and our clothes will be... (off at the first occasion anyway) functional.

Hm... I love the formal ball thing, it would be like in the old days, but I don't have the budget for it. The beach party sounds awesome, but... Kunzite and Zoisite are a bit oldfashioned... I don't know if they'd get over the sight of the Senshi with almost no clothes on... they loved to watch dancers back then... but it's the Senshi after all, that's different... so that leaves us with... what the hell are 'casual colorful party outfits'? I am not going to wear anything that's not black!"

Ami held a hand in front of her mouth and giggled.

"I gues we girls can see to the colorful part, and you guys just go casual."

"Without the sash and the jacket?"

"Without the uniform! Civilian clothes, Jadeite, please!"

"Just joking! So I get to pry Zoisite out of his uniform? Hm, I think I like that idea. He owns exactly one t-shirt that he stole from me. Hope that counts as casual."

"Sounds good."

A key clicked in the door of the appartment, and Ami flinched.

"My mama is back already. Please act normal!"

She dashed out and greeted her mother, telling her that a friend of Nephrite and Mamoru Chiba ("you know, Usagi's fiancee") was here, and brought her mother into the living-room.

"Mama, this is Jadeite. Jadeite, this is my mother, Saeko Mizuno."

Jadeite greeted her as if it was the most normal thing in the world that he knew about today's politeness levels (that had been a hard piece of work).

What Ami didn't like though was the enthusiasm in Jadeite's smile. He grinned so much he looked like a total dope.

Ami could see her mother thought the same, she reacted even more reserved than usual around strangers.

"Excuse me for being curious, but are you related to Nephrite?" she asked. "Because of the name..."

"Er... actually, I think we might be... his grandmother's aunt is my great grand uncle's..." he caught Ami's angry stare. "Hm, it's maybe not that important. You could call us cousins, probably."

Ami's mother nodded.

"And you're a friend of Mamoru Chiba?"

"Yes. And I am the party planner!"

He beamed at her.

"Party?" asked Dr. Mizuno.

"Mamoru-san's birthday party. We plan a barbecue, and Ami is helping me with the invitations. I'm very sorry if we are blocking your living-room, Dr Mizuno."

Saeko was softened a bit, although a small bit. Something about the way he was looking at her...

"So, which school are you attending, Jadeite?"

Jadeite grinned. "Oh, thank you, but I am a bit older than I look."

"Really?" Dr Mizuno didn't buy it. "How old are you?"

"Twenty-four."

"Twenty-four! And you are sitting here with my daugher!"

"Please, Mama, calm down. We are just preparing invitations for a party."

"So I take it this will be a party with boys - and twenty-something men?"

"Mama! I will go there with Nephrite, and you know he'll watch over me. Mama, please... these are my friends."

"Well..."

"It's Mamoru's birthday party, Usagi's fiancèe, you know him, mama. He's very nice. His friends will be there, and Usagi's friends. It's just a barbecue."

"Well then... if you promise me not to drink and be home timely..."

"Yes, Mama."

"So, Jadeite... I can see Ami is helping you out with kanji. Writing is not your strength then?"

"Actually..."

Ami shot him a warning glance, but he continued, too busy to smile broadly at Dr Mizuno. "I learned a different alphabet as a kid, kanji is pretty new to me."

"So you're not from Japan? Your Japanese is excellent."

"Oh, thank you, you're very kind. Languages are a talent I have. I'm from Siberia."

Ami blinked, hoping her mother would buy that at least.

"Siberia? Ah, that explains your Eurasian appearance. And what are you doing here in Tokyo?"

"I'm a shaman."

Ami was dumbfounded, not only because of the information, but also because of the confidence Jadeite had said it with. Obviously, he had planned to impress her mother. Unfortunately, he couldn't have picked a profession that Ami's mother despised more.

"A shaman?" she breathed shockedly, hiding her mouth behind her hand. "But they... I mean... there is absolutely no scientific evidence for healing properties of the likes of..."

Her voice trailed out before she could bring herself to utter anything rude, but her demeanor said it all.

Jadeite just flashed her another smile.

"Oh, I don't give medical treatments, if that's what you mean."

"But still, isn't it living off the dupabitlity of people, intimidating the gullible, and frankly, I think there is no such thing as ghosts or spirits... and even if they were there... I wonder... why would they listen to humans?"

"Because I'm listening to them first. And I don't do commissions from the gullible. I'm not an errand boy."

"Oh..." said Dr Mizuno. "So what do you do then?"

Ami was surprised to see how serious Jadeite answered that. The big grin was gone, and for the first time, he actually looked - well, not twenty-four, but not fourteen any more either.

"I'm listening, as I said. Mainly, I'm a watcher, but sometimes I have to interfer. A shaman is mainly concerned with balance. One reason why I would hate to do commissions for humans is that the spiritual world as I find it is horribly unbalanced in favor of humans already."

"So you are taking the opposite side?" asked Dr Mizuno, but it wasn't as irritated as before. She even raised an eyebrow which was her attempt at humor.

"Dr Mizuno, humans need balance too. We're all connected to each other. We need each other. Raiding the other side is not beneficial for anyone."

Dr Mizuno seemed to like that, but Ami didn't.

"Jadeite, how can you justify youmas, they're so harmful to humans!"

"Youmas are a part of the world," said Jadeite. "Their existence doesn't need to be justified or defended. Just dealt with."

"Oh, Jadeite," said Ami and sighed. She didn't want to fight with him in front of her mother. "You never change."

Jadeite grinned. "I should hope so."

Dr Mizuno had used the little distraction to return to her usual composed self.

"Now that is certainly an interesting topic, but I'm afraid I'm too tired to contribute much to it. If you don't mind, I will leave you to your invitations now and get some rest."

"Thank you, mama. We won't take long."

They sat down again, but weren't really finding back into it.

"Ami, I know you don't like it, but... could I go outside and have a smoke?"

Ami smiled knowingly. "As long as you know it's not healthy and quite addictive."

"Nothing a rematerialization spell couldn't fix."

"Then... what about Minako? Why was she affected by her disease in her transformed state?"

Jadeite stopped. "No idea. But bad habits are currently the least of my problems."

"You can go out on the balcony, if you want. Just use an ashtray."

"Can I take my coffee mug? It's empty."

"Sure."

Jadeite stepped outside and enjoyed the view and the cooling evening air. He didn't have the urge to smoke at the Shitennou's house, where Kunzite would give him endless lectures about his health and ecological implications of tobacco farming, and his youmas would be disturbed by it. And he sure knew better than to smoke at Rei's where everything radiated purity.

But man, did he enjoy a nice smoke in town. That was something he loved about this times. The vices were so much more interesting than in the old days.

He went to the kitchen to clean his mug, only to find Ami's mother there, sitting at the small breakfast table, holding a cup of tea and pretending to read a newspaper.

He put the mug down and took a seat at the opposite side of the table, not waiting for an invitation.

"You look sad," he said.

"I'm just tired."

"It's not a bother that I'm here? I don't want to disturb your evening."

"You're not a disturbance. I am always happy to get to know Ami's friends. I'm sorry if I was a bit rude before. As I said, I'm tired. I didn't want to insult you."

"Not at all! And for a doctor, you were extremely polite about it, I've really heard worse. You didn't insult a) my hair b) my sanity c) my father or e) the sheep that he must have begotten me with."

Ami's mother held a hand in front of her mouth and giggled.

Jadeite grinned back.

"So, what's the matter, Mizuno-san? Why do you sit here like this? Out with it, because I intend to do something about it."

"Jadeite! I had a long day, I am really just tired."

"You're a liar, Mizuno-san. But that's okay. I'm a liar too."

And with that words, he got up from his chair, bent over the table and kissed her.

Saeko Mizuno would never have thought that she would enjoy the kiss of someone who smoked, talked to ghosts and needed help to write a simple sentence. But she did. It wasn't a greedy or demanding kiss. It tasted bitter and toxic, but it felt sweet and comforting. It was exactly what she needed right now.

"Thanks," she said when the boy parted from her after a few moments.

He shook his head. "Feeling better?" he asked.

She smiled. "A bit, yes."

Jadeite came round the little table, stood before her and smiled back. "That's not good enough," he said. "I guess I'll have to do better."

He leaned closer again, but didn't close the distance. It was her who did that, before she even realized what she was doing. She grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulled herself up and kissed his lips, while her other hand went straight to the bulge in his trousers. She was relieved he didn't even flinch, but only continued the kiss. Maybe he really wasn't the young innocent boy he looked like.

Jadeite couldn't believe it when she opened his fly and reached in. He grinned at her shocked hesitation when she realized he didn't wear underwear, and deepened the kiss. That helped. She readily answered to the tip of his tongue playing with her lips and kissed him passionately. Her fingers closed promising around his hardening cock, and when his hand reached up to cup her breast, she leaned into it, and buried her free hand in his hair, pulling him closer.

Jadeite moaned happily.

He loved a woman who knew what she wanted.

It was a shrill shriek from the door that drove them apart.

"Mama! Jadeite! What are you doing there?"

Saeko flinched and drove away from him, and Jadeite hurriedly closed his jeans again and combed his hair back with his fingers.

Ami trembled, but it was from rage rather than fear.

"Jadeite, how could you! I know you're into older women, but that's my mama!"

"She's not an older woman, she's just gorgeous."

"Jadeite!"

"Ami-chan, please calm down."

But Saeko Mizuno's soft voiced approach was crushed by Jadeite who didn't take Ami's interruption very well.

"Mercury, don't be such a damn hypocrite, will you?"

"What?" shrieked Ami.

"Come on, Mercury, you bring your boyfriend home and kiss him here, but when your mother kisses someone, you make a huge fuss. If you're old enough to do the one, you should be old enough to deal with the other as well."

"Ha!" was all Ami could answer to that one. She just... she just... she...

She turned around and ran out of the kitchen.

Before her mother could react, Jadeite had already gone after her.

He caught Ami at the door of her room.

"Mercury, wait."

"Don't call me that in front of my mama!"

"Why not? It's your name."

Ami opened the door, but then hesitated. Jadeite would follow her into her room. She didn't want him there. Definitely, definitely, definitely not.

So she just stood in the open door, ready to dash into her room and slam the door shut.

"My name is Ami Mizuno. And that was my mama!"

"And I kissed her. So?"

"Kissed? You were halfway into... into each other."

"Mercury, we just kissed. You're still half a kid, you can do the sweet and pure ones. Your mother can do it the way she likes, don't you think?"

"But not with you. Not. With. You."

"What, I'm not good enough?"

"What about Rei? I can't believe I catch you cheating on her! She'll die! But first, she'll kill you!"

"Rei kisses whoever she wants. And so do I. Don't talk to me about cheating, do you think I don't know about the senshi games?"

Ami's face became even redder than it already was. Now she really wanted to slam that door shut, preferably right in his face.

"You... you..." she stammered, but couldn't bring herself to scream a swear word.

"Mercury, there is a reason why your mother and I are drawn to each other. You should accept that. And why don't you tell your mother about Sailor Mercury and the whole guardian business? Do you inted to hide Nephrite's true face from her forever? What do you think it's like for Nephrite? You should tell her. I thought women talk among each other about everything. I always thought you and your mother, you were so close to each other."

Ami took a breath that almost sounded like a sob.

"What do you know? You dont know her at all. It would scare her. She wouldn't understand."

Jadeite smiled. "Oh, I think she would. After all, she's one of us."

"What?"

Ami stared at him. But then she suddenly felt calm and cold. Now he had gone too far into the ridiculous territory.

She lifted up her chin. "There is no way she could be a senshi. Who do you think she is, Sailor Neptune?"

Jadeite smirked. Slamming the door into his face suddenly became very attractive again.

"That'd be awesome," he said. "But I didn't mean she is one of you lot. She is one of us. She's a Guardian of Earth."

"She's not! How wouldn't I have known about it?"

"How would you? Does she know about you?"

"Young man, whatever you are talking about, I have nothing to do with it!" said Dr Mizuno with all the authority she possessed as a leader of a hospital's department.

"Mama!"

"And Ami-chan, maybe you can explain me about "Nephrite's true face"?"

"Ah...uhm... " Ami was speechless.

"Don't bother," said Jadeite. "It'll be easier if I show her."

"Jadeite, no!"

But he already was encased in lime green energy, and came out of it in full Shitennou garb, black and gold, pink and purple, glittering and shining with every movement he made.

He put a white gloved hand on his chest and bowed with a smile.

"Jadeite of the Shitennou, Guardian of Earth, serving under Master Chiba Mamoru."

He stood upright again, stretched out one hand and summoned a crystal dagger.

"I fight the evil. Like Nephrite."

He turned his head to Ami.

"So does Mercury, but she's currently retired, for a lack of proper spell power."

"Hey!" protested Ami, but then she blushed. She realized too late that she had just confirmed his tale, and disturbed her mother even further.

Dr. Mizuno was very pale and trembled.

"Ami-chan... what's the meaning of... it can't be. It's impossible."

Jadeite stretched out his dagger to her, handle first.

"Take it. It's real."

Dr Mizuno didn't want to, but at the same time was morbidly fascinated. She knew a sharp blade when she saw one. She couldn't say why she took it in the end.

She examied it intensely, end then looked up, even more confused.

"What is this? And I don't believe in magic!"

Jadeite still smiled when he took the dagger out of her hand again, and transformed his Shitennou suit back into his human clothes again. The dagger vanished separately.

"A trick..." whispered Dr Mizuno, not believing her eyes.

"It doesn't matter. Please forgive me if I have scared you. You have nothing to fear from us. Let Nephrite show you his transformation, he looks awesome."

Ami thought of Nephrite's long sword and how there was no way, no way on Earth her mother would accept it... "Jadeite!" she hissed. "Why did you have to interfer? I told you, now she's scared."

"I'm... not..." said Dr Mizuno weakly. "Just... very... surprised... And... you think I should be able to do it too?"

Jadeite shook his head.

"Not the transformation thing, or the advanced spells. But working for humankind, yes, and being able to handle some magic now and then, yes. There must have been occasions when you have been able to see or feel things beyond the abilities of others. Like when you kissed me and knew for certain you could trust me.

There must have been times when you achieved more than you could have expected, and didn't know how. You magic isn't trained or refined, it's woven into your personality and into everything you do. It's nothing you need to fear."

"But... that's... that's not proving anything. I could just be very, very good at what I do. And intuition and subconscious information processing aren't magical at all. It can't be!"

"Oh man, I'm no good at this first contact thing. If we find a new Guardian, we usually get Zoisite to do the introductional speech."

"You know him, mama," said Ami quickly. " He's Shiroi-san. The pianist."

"Shiroi-san?" squealed Dr Mizuno and an unvoluntary smile appeared on her face. "Really? He's one of them?"

Jadeite nodded and took a small business card out of his pockets.

"This is my office in Tokyo, but you can reach him under that number as well. Please consider us your friends. If you ever need anything, or just want to get to know us, you can leave us a message. I will tell him to meet you soon anyway, he's better than me with explanations."

Dr Mizuno took the card with trembling hands.

"I will be friends with... Shiroi-san..." she said and smiled.

Jadeite grinned. "But don't count on him to kiss you, too," he said.

Both Mizunos turned deep red.

"I... I would never..."

"Although I can't say for certain. I've always wondered why exactly his introductions go so smoothly."

He nodded to Ami, and then gave Saeko one of his long stares.

"I'll see you again," he stated with a grin and teleported out of the room with the maximum of effect he could come up with.

Which Ami of course couldn't help recognizing.

She faced her mother again, but didn't dare to look her into the eye.

"Mama, please don't be mad at me..." she said meekly. "Please... I can't tell you everything about it right now, but... my friends were always there to save me, and Nephrite too... and I can't do it any more anyway so please don't worry... please... Mama?"

Saeko still hadn't recovered from Jadeite's teleport, but Ami's voice brought her back.

"Sure, Ami-chan... I... I believe you... I guess I... I guess I will have to let it sink in... I'm certainly relieved that I'm not left guessing any more... but I don't know what to think about it... Ishould go to bed now, and I think you wanted to study all evening, so... why don't we talk about it later? I want to know what kind of people these Guardians are, you must tell me all about them. But for today, I think I've heard enough."

"Of course, Mama, get some rest. Thank you, Mama..."