A/N: This is one of the chapters that's most likely to get shifted around later, as there should happen a lot of other things before this happens. But for now, I'll just give you the chapters that are finished yet. Sorry for not giving you the actual Minako/Jadeite action yet (I'm not getting it how I want it to be like), but you get lots of adorable Makoto/Motoki instead, my favourite het couple, such a pleasure to write for.

"Stop right there!"

Surprised, Jadeite stopped. His eyes opened wide when he saw the two determined girls that blocked his path.

"You have made this big scene because Rei kissed a boy, and made her feel all horrible about it, and then you went and kissed Ami's mum! And you have the nerve to call Ami a hypocrite?"

"In the name of Jupiter..."

"In the name of Venus..."

"...we'll punish you."

Jadeite reaction was an automatical one, he materialized his uniform and his daggers.

"Yeah right," he smirked and lowered his head to his battle stance. "I'd like to see you try."

"You will," said Minako coldly. "We won't allow you to make Rei unhappy. It should have been clear to you that by going after Rei, you'd be in great trouble if you even think of hurting her. We look after each other, especially when the likes of you appear."

"Mars and I have made up. Do you think it'll make her happy if you spank me now?"

"What?" said Makoto.

"Isn't that what you're here for? Venus, you always liked that 'love me whip' a bit too much. I can see you still wear a belt the same way today. What do you think when you put it on? Do you sometimes let it glide through your hands and get all wet by the thoughts of what it could do on bare skin? Do you sometimes practise how to use it?"

Minako gasped for air.

"You dirty little pervert," she breathed.

"That wasn't a 'no'," grinned Jadeite. "And Jupiter, what a coincidence, I remember you used to have the same kind of belt. But you weren't wielding it with the same passion, so I guess you just came to hold me down and let Venus have all the fun."

"Ew, you're so disgusting," said Jupiter and her lips curled in contempt.

"Jadey, you're scared. I can see you sweat," said Minako.

For a second, Jadeite didn't answer.

"And you like it," he then said calmly.

"Shut up, you creep. You should be scared out of your mind right now, because you hurt Rei. Our best friend, who had given up on men entirely, and the first time she trusts one again, he isn't worth it, and blows it, just for the fun of playing games with her. You have no idea what this kind of thing does to Rei. But I will make sure you'll feel the same pain, and I'll teach you never to do anything like that again."

"Minako..." said Makoto uneasily. "Let's just punch him and go home."

"No," said Minako. "That'd be too good for him. He's so full of himself. Time to teach him a lesson. Listen, Jadey, you brought it upon yourself. You can give me half an hour, to have a little talk to you and emphasize my arguments. Or I will go to Rei and tell her all about you. I have watched you. I know you can't pass any living being that's not up the trees at your sight without getting your dirty little thing out of your pants.

I'm the Senshi of Love, and I hate you and your disgusting behaviour. Am I making myself clear?"

"Yeah."

"So what do you say?"

Jadeite bit his lower lip, looking quite unhappy.

"Please don't tell Mars. She knows I don't live like a monk. But she really doesn't need to hear the details."

"Jadey, I think you still don't get it. I am the senshi of love, and I am Rei's best friend, and I love her more than any person I could name. I have no idea what she sees in you, I tolerated the two of you as long as I thought it'd do some good to heal Rei's wounds that other careless men have left on her. But Jadey, the very second that I get the impression that you are fucking it up, I will end this thing. I will go to Rei and tell her to ditch you, and she will do it, because she isn't stupid and knows very well that I know more about men and love than she'll ever be able to guess."

Jadeite stared at her. His fear was now more than obvious. But he wasn't giving up yet.

"And you think it'll make her happy? You think she can take it to be hurt again? She'll be so disturbed that she'll probably stay lonely for the rest of her life."

"Rei will never be lonely. She has friends. She'll get over it. But how about you? Will you get over it?"

Now she had him. Jadeite tried to get the idea out of his head again, but it was too late. Fear, deep and powerful, fed by the memories of rocks falling and earth shking, flared up in his heart like a bushfire, eating away whatever came in its way. He clenched his fists, and froze to the empty shell he had been for so long.

"No," he finally said. Automatically, he got down to one knee, like so many times before, in earlier times, and laid his daggers at her feet.

"Don't take Mars away from me. Please, Venus. She's my life. I am nothing without her."

Jupiter covered her mouth with her hand. She knew what he was talking about. She'd say the same about Motoki. Even angry Minako would have to be moved by that confession, right? But Minako didn't soften one bit.

"Does that mean you're ready to apologize for being such a piece of scum now?"

Jadeite looked up to her.

"And then you'll forgive me?"

Minako looked at him thoughtfully. "I don't know, Jadeite," she finally admitted. "You hurt my best friend," she said. "You disgraced her, cheated on her, and made her feel like crap, and it was all just a game for you. I think if you want forgiveness, you'll have to earn it."

He didn't take his eyes off her.

"Anything it takes," he said.

"Then you know what you have to do," said Minako, her voice cold as ice.

"Minako... Jadeite..." stammered Makoto. "Jadeite, you can't possible want that?"

He cast his eyes down. "Anything it takes... I just have one condition."

"You are in no position to negotiate conditions," sneered Minako.

A glint of anger shone up in Jadeite's eyes when he got up again and unfolded into his full height. Jadeite looked small next to the other Shitennou, but he was tall enough to tower over Minako. "I could have teleported out of this a hundred times already. My condition is that you let me detransform to human."

"So you can just transform out of it afterwards?" snapped Minako.

"Of course. I have a pretty busy schedule. You are very angry, so I guess this is going to be a tough one. I can't be too stiff to move all week, I have duties."

"Sorry, Jadey. that's not good enough."

"Minako, let him."

"No."

"Then I'll be out of this."

Makoto turned to leave, but Jadeite's hand closed around her arm. "Please stay," he said with a pleading look. "Don't leave me alone with her."

She looked at him, he sure was scared now.

"I really shouldn't do that..." she murmured.

"You don't have to. I can handle this creep on my own," said Minako, her dark eyes sparkling with anger.

Makoto sighed deeply. "I agreed to go after Jadeite with you, so I better see to it that things stay civil. We're close to my place, and Motoki is still at work. We can go there. We shouldn't be seen."

Minako nodded. And so it was decided.