The Sailor Senshi clustered around each other, huddled underneath a tree in the outdoor courtyard of Juuban Junior High School. Rei and Mina had hurried over from their respective schools during their lunch breaks for a quick Senshi meeting.

"What was that thing yesterday?" whispered Mina. "He said he was from the Elements -- Just what is that supposed to mean, anyway?"

"We don't know, Mina," Rei said impatiently. "If we knew the answer to that question, things would be a lot easier now, wouldn't they?"

Lita cracked her knuckles menacingly. "I'd like to get my hands on that Blaze character -- he makes me so mad!"

Amy studied the other senshi. "I have a few theories as to what that creature meant by 'the Elements,' but I think it's best if I finish my research before jumping to any conclusions."

Serena flopped down on the grass with a sigh. "It's just not fair, we've just finished off the Dark Moon, why do we have to fight again so soon?"

"I don't think we really have much choice, Serena," retorted Raye. "It's not like we can pick and choose when our enemies show up. We just fight 'em."

Amy stared into space thoughtfully. "What was it he said? '...the Elemental of Fire and one of the four great warriors of the Elements.' So I guess it's safe to assume that there are others. Three others, to be precise. And then he made a reference to 'our master,' so there's got to be someone at the top pulling the strings. I think we've got the same general situation as the rest of our battles on our hands again: four generals and an overlord. The overlord must have some source of power -- but I can't imagine what it might be..." Amy trailed off and refocused on the other senshi. She was normally a soft-spoken, quiet girl, but when she launched into Sailor Mercury mode, she could lecture without a qualm. Amy was in her element trying to figure out the new enemies motivations. "We've got to pin down what we're up against, guys. We need to find out all we can about this Star Sapphire; I think it's safe to assume that they'll be back for it."

The other girls nodded, lost in thought.

Surrounded by darkness, the glowing red eyes focused on Blaze. "Well, Elemental of Fire, have you come up with a way to rid the Earth of those blasted Sailor Senshi?"

Blaze bowed slightly. "I have, Master -- but I will require the aid of my sister, Marine." A pair of icy blue-green eyes flared into existance beside Blaze, and the shape of a female Elemental emerged from the gloom.

"Ah, Marine. The Elemental of Water. Of course." An unseen hand waved at them from the shadows. "Fine, Blaze; do what you will, but I want the senshi destroyed. They interfere with my quest for the Star Sapphire. You have located the princess, I presume?"

Marine stepped forward fluidly. "I have, Master. She was reincarnated with the other senshi after the fall of the Moon Kingdom, but has not yet awakened. It will be simple enough to capture her and take the Sapphire from her."

The red eyes glittered. "Go, then. Do not fail me."

Marine and Blaze bowed once more and vanished with a swirl of unseen air.

Cassie met Serena, Lita, and Amy after school in front of the building. She smiled brilliantly, waving to them. "Hi, guys. Thanks for doing this, you have no idea how much this means to me."

Serena laughed nervously. "No problem, piece of cake. Speaking of which..." Lita groaned, and Serena stuck her tongue out at the taller girl.

With a sigh, Amy turned to Cassie. "You'll have to forgive Serena -- her main concerns are her stomach and shopping. But, we'd probably worry about her if she were to change, so I guess it's pretty routine."

Serena began to whine. "C'mon, guys, I'm hungry. Let's take Cassie to the arcade, she can meet Andrew and we can get her a chocolate shake!"

At the mention of Andrew, Lita immediately agreed, so Amy nodded with a smile. Serena and Lita took off, with Amy and Cassie breathlessly in tow, laughing all the way.

A few hours later, the four girls left the arcade, giggling and chattering. "Really, Serena, how do you manage to eat so much?" Lita eyed her blond friend with humor.

Serena pouted for a moment. "I'm a growing girl, you can't expect me to go hungry!"

Cassie laughed and grinned mischieviously at Amy. "I must admit, I've never seen anyone put away an entire ice cream sundae and three milkshakes! Whew!" She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand in mock exhaustion. The other girls laughed, even Serena. They soon reached the park and collapsed onto the ground, joking with each other.

Suddenly, the air shimmered on front of the group of girls, and a menacing figure appeared. The youma was male this time, and instead of hands, he had pincers at the end of his arms. The girls gasped, but the youma Lobster darted towards them quickly.

Lita was the first to react. She threw herself to the side, scooping up a handful of dirt and flinging it into the youma's eyes. "Run, guys! We've got to split up, make it harder for him!" She leapt off in one direction, urging the others to do the same.

Amy and Serena caught Lita's implied warning; they couldn't transform with Cassie watching. Amy grabbed Cassie's arm and led her off toward the nearby bushes. Serena darted off in yet another direction, waiting until she was in the shelter of some low trees before transforming.

"Moon Crystal Power -- Make Up!"

Amy and Cassie crashed off into the underbrush, and suddenly Amy pulled the other girl into the shelter of a large bush. "We've got to try to confuse it. It seems to be after us, so the more we split up, the better!" Amy softly nudged Cassie toward the exit to the park, then took off in the opposite direction. Confused and disoriented, Cassie stumbled blindly in the indicated direction.

Meanwhile, Lita had transformed and was attacking the youma alone.

"Sparkling Wide Pressure!"

The youma dodged and the lightning of Jupiter's attack narrowly missed the youma's purple hair, singing it slightly at the tips.

"Need some help, Jupiter?" Sailor Jupiter looked up to see Sailor Moon, with Sailor Mercury close behind.

"Sure do! This guy's fast!" Sailor Jupiter picked herself up and charged the youma.

Growling, he caught her in his pincers and threw her negligently aside.

"Sailor Jupiter!" Mercury cried in dismay as she readied an attack of her own.

"Shine Aqua--" the attack was abruptly cut short as Lobster's pincers close painfully around her own waist. Like Jupiter, Mercury was tossed aside like a ragdoll.

Frantically, Sailor Moon activated her communicator. "Venus, Mars, come in, please! There's a youma here in the park -- I think Jupiter and Mercury are hurt pretty badly! Please, I can't do this alone!"

The youma advanced on Sailor Moon, but stopped short at a shout from the edges of the clearing.

"Hey, rocks-for-brains! Why don't you pick on someone your own size!"

Lobster's head swivled to focus on the lone girl challenging him from the side. It was Cassie.

Shocked, Sailor Moon tried frantically to regain the youma's attention. "No! Cassie, run -- that thing's not human!"

With a nasty grin, the youma caught Cassie up in his pincers. The girl struggled in vain, her green eyes blazing at the creature.

"So, you came to me, did you? Funny, I thought a girl of your intelligence would know better. No matter, saves me the energy of running after you."

Lobster absently sent a subsonic blast in Sailor Moon's direction, knocking her off her feet. "Well, now that I've taken care of those meddling Sailor Senshi, you can give me the Star Sapphire -- Princess!"

Sailor Moon weakly raised her head, staring at the youma and his struggling burden. *Princess!?*

A flash came from around Cassie's neck, and the youma's eyes lit up. "Ahh...!" He reached for the pendant around Cassie's neck -- a pendant containing a single stone, a magnificant blue gem that had begun to glow with a light of its own.

"Stop right there!" Startled, the youma Lobster dropped Cassie, and she fell weakly to the ground, unconscious. Sailor Mars and Sailor Venus challenged the youma from a small wall surrounding the clearing. Seeing that she had the youma's attention, Sailor Mars continued. "You leave that innocent girl alone, she has done nothing to you! I, Sailor Mars, will punish you!"

Not to be outdone, Sailor Venus stepped forward. "Honestly, you guys never learn. You can't just go around scaring innocent people! On behalf of Venus, I think it's time you learned a lesson!"

"Burning Mandala!"

"Venus Love Me Chain!"

The fire-enhanced golden chain sped toward the youma, disintegrating him. Venus and Mars hurried to help their fallen comrades, and once Mercury and Jupiter regained consciousness and helped Sailor Moon to her feet, they looked around in alarm.

"Where's Cassie?"

Unfortunately, Mercury's question went unanswered. For at that moment, the air shimmered and a new problem stepped into their world. Blue-green eyes glittering, Marine laughed at the exhausted senshi.