The senshi looked up at Marine defiantly. "And who exactly are you?" demanded Sailor Jupiter.

Marine curtsied with a mocking flourish. "I am Marine, the Elemental of Water. I believe you have all met my brother, Blaze. Unfortunately, he couldn't come greet you personally, so I have the honor." She raised her cold blue-green eyes to stare at the senshi angrily. "But this is not a pleasure meeting, I assure you. What have you done with the Star Princess?"

Sailor Mars glared back at the Water Elemental. "What Star Princess? Honestly, are you guys trying to sound stupid, or just it just come naturally?"

Sailor Moon placed a hesitant hand on Sailor Mars' shoulder. "Umm, Mars? I think -- I think she means Cassie." The other senshi turned to stare at Sailor Moon in disbelief. "Well, when Mercury and Jupiter were unconscious, and before Venus and Mars showed up, that thing had grabbed Cassie. It -- it was calling her 'Princess' and telling her to give him the Star Sapphire. I thought I saw something before he dropped her, but I might have been mistaken..."

The senshi transferred their stares of disbelief to Marine, who smiled slightly at their confusion.

"Ah, yes, Cassie -- so that is her name now. Funny, you humans usually don't seem to choose names so similar to your old ones when you are reincarnated. Cassiopeia, Cassie -- the connection is so obvious!" Marine laughed shrilly, causing the senshi to wince. The Elemental sobered quickly. "But really, enough with these games, where is she? I really must have that Sapphire, you know..."

"Well, why don't you come and get it then?" Marine and the senshi quickly turned to face the newcomer.

She was dressed in a sailor fuku, with a black skirt and collar, and pale yellow bows. Her tiara and the bow on her chest were surmounted by bright blue stones, but that was not what drew their attention -- the senshi, as well as the Water Elemental, found their eyes drawn to the Sapphire clasped around her neck in the place of the usual choker; it was easily as large as the Silver Crystal, and just as brilliant. It seemed to pulse with a life of its own.

"Cassie!?" The senshi cried in disbelief.

The girl smiled slightly, her red-gold hair moving slightly in the breeze. "Perhaps. Though it might be more accurate for you to refer to me as -- as Sailor Andromeda." She leapt into the air, landing in a crouch a few feet from Marine.

"Well? Here I am. Is this what you're looking for?" She touched the jewel at ther throat lightly. "You won't get it without a fight."

Marine blinked, then sneered at the new senshi. "Well, well, Sailor Andromeda. Never expected to see you alive again. So, you've started to awaken -- it's about time. But there's nothing you can do now, my master is already exerting control over this world, just as he influenced your kingdom so long ago. And this time the Star Sapphire will not be enough!" Marine struck, shooting a massive column of water at Sailor Andromeda.

Andromeda leapt out of the way nimbly. " I defeated your master once before, I can do it again. Would you like a taste of what I can do? Andromeda Galactic Surge!" A huge blast of silver energy erupted from Sailor Andromeda's outstretched palms, slamming into the Water Elemental.

Marine cursed. "This is not over, Sailor Senshi! I will bring back my brother Blaze, as well as our other two siblings. And you will pay for this humiliation!" With that, she faded from sight, leaving the senshi facing their newest ally.

With a nervous laugh, Sailor Moon stepped forward. "Well, um, welcome to the Sailor Senshi, Cassie -- er, Sailor Andromeda, I mean."

Sailor Andromeda smiled reassuringly, and her sailor fuku dissolved in a flurry of gold and silver ribbons, leaving Cassie Starr standing in the middle of the clearing in her school uniform. "Glad to be here -- Serena!"

Astonished, Sailor Moon and the other senshi detransformed. Cassie laughed lightly. "You guys didn't think I wouldn't put it together, would you? I knew I recognized you guys the first time we met -- I just didn't know why. I guess it's because I'm a senshi, although this is the first I've heard of it!" She smiled ruefully. "To be quite honest, I have no idea what's going on. All I know is that monster attacked me and before I knew what I was doing, I had transformed." Her brow puckered in thought. "I wonder what she meant -- about my kingdom in the past? Oh, why can't I remember!?"

Amy laid a comforting hand on Cassie's shoulder. "It'll come back to you in time. You're newly awakened -- we all went through it when we first became senshi, your memories of the Silver Millenium will return in time." She glanced at the others quickly. "Just like I'm sure we'll remember you in time."

Cassie glanced up, startled. "You mean you guys don't remember me from the past either?" Embarrassed, the senshi shook their heads. Cassie sighed, then laughed weakly. "Well, at least I don't have any expectations to live up to. A Star Princess, huh? Sounds interesting enough." She wiped her forehead, exhausted. "I think -- I think I should go home and get some rest. A lot's happened today. First day at school, first day as a champion of love and justice, it wears a girl out." She turned to go, but was stopped by Amy.

"Here. You might need this." Amy pressed a communicator into Cassie's hand. "Call us if you need us -- we may be able to help you."

Cassie took the communicator with a tired smile. "Thanks. I'll remember that." She turned and walked off, leaving the senshi to stare after her, bemused.

From the nearby bushes, another pair of eyes watched Cassie's departure. Unblinking, the crystal clear blue eyes followed her retreating form -- blue eyes the color of brilliant sapphires...

Marine reluctantly stepped into the circle of dim light in front of her master.

"Well, Marine? What is your excuse?" The blazing red eyes bore into Marine's quaking blue-green ones.

"No excuses, Master. My youma failed to capture the princess, and by the time I got there, she had discovered the transformation power of the Sapphire." Marine paused for a breathless moment. "Master, she is strong, but I don't think she understands the full power of the Star Sapphire yet. She did not react to my taunts about her past -- I believe she is not fully awake yet. Perhaps if we were to capture and destroy her before she discovers her full powers--"

The gravelly voice cut her off. "That will be all, Marine. I am really very disappointed in you, you know. What you say may be true, so you will be spared. But I think it's your sister's turn to tackle the senshi, don't you?"

Marine gasped as a pair of smouldering reddish-brown eyes appeared beside her, and a new figure materialized.

"Terra?" The Elemental of Earth stepped forward into the dim light, smirking evilly.

"Hello, sister dear. Miss me?"

End of Chapter 2; Continue to Chapter 2: Guardian