The sun sank slowly on the horizon, casting a rosy pink glow over the lake of the park. A small flat rock bounced lightly over the water and startled a flock of birds into flight.

Four days, Lita thought. Four days and no sign of Spirit or Breeze. I'm ready to kick some serious bad guy butt.

She sighed and skimmed another rock over the surface of the lake. This is crazy. I can't just sit around here waiting for Breeze to get a clue. I've gotta do something. Lita threw her last rock and stood up, brushing off her skirt restlessly.

"I'll be damned if I'll let anything happen to Peter or Cassie," she growled under her breath. "They've been too important to me. Peter's the closest thing I've got to a family..."

Ten-year-old Princess Makoto of Jupiter gazed at her surroundings in awe. Trips to Earth were so rare for any citizens of the outer planets, with the added navigational hazard of the asteroid belt; Makoto had never expected to be allowed to accompany her mother to this conference.

Makoto ran a tentative hand over the truck of a tree in wonder. "How do they get so big?" she inquired.

"Earth's got lots of them," replied Ami, the little Mercurian princess. "Good soil and growing conditions." She wrinkled her nose. "And Earth's not too close to the sun, so they don't get burned up."

"Or too far away, like Jupiter," Makoto added. She liked the other princesses; she had been told upon meeting them that they would all work together someday to protect Moon Princess Serenity. The idea didn't sound too boring.

Rei stood quickly, smoothing her scarlet skirts. "I'm gonna explore," she announced. "You guys wanna come?"

"Yeah!" The sunny little Venusian princess, Minako, jumped to her feet. "Maybe we'll finally get to meet Endymion. Mom keeps telling me about him -- he's older than us. A whole four years."

"Are you coming, Makoto-san?" Ami asked, hesitating.

"Nah. I want to see more of these trees -- they're so pretty. You guys go on, you can tell me about Endymion if you find him."

With a final wave, the other three young girls scampered off. Makoto sighed happily and began to wander around the gardens.

A twitching azalea bush caught her attention, and she approached it tentatively. Parting the branches, Makoto peered through the thick leaves.

A pair of shocking blue eyes blinked back at her. Makoto yelped and leapt back, startled.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to frighten you!" A figure emerged from the bushes. It was a young lad, probably a few years older than herself. He was several inches taller than Makoto, and a few stray azalea leaves clung to his mop of brown hair. The blue eyes that had so surprised Makoto were apologetic.

"'Salright," Makoto answered, regaining her composure with childlike dignity. "I thought you were an Earth animal, but you're a person." She blinked up at him owlishly, noting his finely woven (though somewhat rumpled) clothing. "Are you Prince Endymion?"

The boy laughed. "No, sorry. I'm Xander. Alexander of Argos."

"I'm Makoto," the little girl replied instinctively, dropping into a slightly wobbly curtsy. "I'm visiting from Jupiter, for the conference."

Xander's eyes widened. "Jupiter? You're the little princess, aren't you? Princess Makoto?"

"That's right," she answered, flashing him a bright smile. "They let me come along so I could meet the other princesses. We're all gonna be sailor senshi someday," she finished matter-of-factly. Makoto peered at the boy curiously. "Why were you hiding in the flower bushes?"

Xander scowled at the ground. "Kunzite told me to keep out of the way. Just because he's older than me, he thinks he can boss me around."

"Who's Kunzite?" Makoto inquired.

"One of Endymion's future generals. He's been in training for a few months now, so he's gotten really snooty lately. He doesn't think I should be allowed around Endymion."

"Why shouldn't you?"

"You sure ask a lot of questions, don't you?" Xander eyed the girl suspiciously.

"I'm ten," Makoto scoffed. "Nobody tells me anything unless I ask."

Xander laughed, and Makoto smiled shyly. "So why doesn't Kunzite want you around Endymion?"

The smile on Xander's face turned bitter. "'Cause I'm a bad influence. Endymion's the First Order Prince of Earth, he shouldn't be associating with illegitimate princelings!" He mimicked the absent Kunzite mercilessly.

"What's that mean?" Makoto asked, her eyebrows puckering in consternation. "It doesn't sound very nice."

Xander sighed. "It means I don't know who my father is. He was from Jupiter -- some nobleman. But that's all I know about him."

"Your dad was a Jupiter noble?" Makoto echoed, surprised. "Hey, that means you're related to me!"

The frown on Xander's face softened. "I suppose so," he answered.

"What about your mother? Is she from Earth?"

"She was," he said softly. "My mother was a Princess of Argos. She died six months ago."

"Ooh... I'm sorry," Makoto murmured. She remained silent for a moment, lost in thought.

"I wonder which of my relatives is your father," Makoto piped a few minutes later. "Maybe Uncle Anthy..." She tilted her head thoughtfully. "Nah, he's too old. Cousin Taran? That would make you my third cousin, once removed..." Makoto sighed and shook her head. "But he's too cranky. Maybe cousin Dorico, or Samuel, or Nifal..." She trailed off, considering.

Xander gave a strained laugh. "Why does it matter? I've lived thirteen years and never known who he was -- why do I need to know now?"

"So I can figure out what to call you," Makoto answered simply. "Cousin, uncle, brother..." She lit up. "I know! Since we don't know who your real father is, I'll adopt you! You can be my little brother, and I'll take good care of you!"

Xander blinked and squinted down at the ten-year-old. LITTLE brother? I'm older than she is! He considered for a moment, and a shy smile blossomed across his face. Why not? I've never had a sister before.

Grinning, he reached down and tugged on a lock of her brown hair teasingly. "Okay, Big Sister. So what do we do now?"

Makoto giggled. "You take me to meet Endymion. The other girls will be so jealous!"

With a laugh, Xander nodded and turned to lead the way. Makoto followed happily, chattering to her new "adopted" sibling.

Lita blinked, returning to her senses. Weird, she thought. All these random memories resurfacing. I wonder if the other girls are having flashbacks, too...?

Lita bit her lip. Peter may be three years older than me, but he's still my little brother, she thought adamantly. And I won't let ANYONE threaten his happiness.

Silently, Lita turned away from the lake. She strode rapidly out of the park, her jaw set and a determined glint in her eyes.

Ready or not, Breeze -- this time I call the shots.

Night had completely fallen, and the shadows shifted threateningly on top of the abandoned office building. The wind swept violently across the rooftop, tugging on Sailor Jupiter's high ponytail.

"Breeze!" she shouted into the wind. "Are you afraid of me? Your siblings have gone before you -- are you so much of a coward that we would let them be destroyed unavenged?"

The wind howled angrily, but Jupiter pushed on. "Do you intend to hide from me forever, Elemental? I get bored easily -- I might just come looking for you. And you won't like it if I have to look for you. Face me now, Breeze -- or are you afraid of a fourteen-year-old?"

The air shimmered before her for a split second. "I am not afraid of anything!" Breeze snarled as he leapt at her.

Jupiter rolled out of the way, delivering a sharp kick to Breeze's exposed side. The Elemental grunted as he hit the ground hard.

Jupiter stuck a booted foot on his prone form, preparing to roll him over. Seizing his chance, Breeze grabbed her ankle and twisted. Sailor Jupiter jumped, letting the motion spin her rather than break her ankle.

She landed on her side, jarring her shoulder. Before she could regain her feet, Breeze charged her again. A neat somersault got her out of his path and on her feet once more.

Breeze attacked furiously, throwing a series of punches alternately at Jupiter's face and abdomen. She blocked them deftly and caught his fist, using the momentum to flip him over her shoulder. Breathing hard, Breeze stared up at her hatefully.

"Are you finished?" Jupiter asked cooly.

"Hardly," he spat. His foot lashed out, catching her in the knee, but a last minute weight shift saved Jupiter from any broken bones. Breeze lurched to his feet, grabbing her arm before she fell.

Furious, Jupiter jabbed her fist at his face, and with one hand clamped on her forearm, he couldn't block the punch. Blood trickled from his nose as Breeze roughly jerked Jupiter closer. He shook her violently, giving her no chance to throw another punch.

"I tire of this, little senshi," Breeze growled. "Why can't you just die?" He placed the palm of his hand flat against her stomach and fired off an energy blast.

The force of the blow sent Jupiter reeling backwards, and she slammed into the parapet wall, unconscious. With a feral grin, Breeze loped to her side.

"Not so overconfident now, are we, sweet?" he purred, stroking her cheek possessively. "Not a good quality in a woman, I'm afraid." He pulled back, and raised an arm to blast her off the roof.

A single red rose streaked throught the air, catching Breeze in the left shoulder. He shrieked in pain and whirled to face his attacker.

"Someone tend to Jupiter!" Tuxedo Mask bellowed, flinging three more roses. Peter separated himself from the loose cluster of senshi and rushed to Jupiter's side.

Breeze waved an arm and batted the flowery missiles aside. Mars and Venus powered up, lobbing attacks at him simultaneously.

"Burning Mandala!"

"Venus Love Me Chain!"

The two attacks hit at the same time, but Breeze only stumbled.

"Those aren't the attacks to which he is most vulnerable!" Mercury shouted. "We need Jupiter -- she's the wind-linked senshi!"

"She's a little unconscious right now, Mercury!" Mars retorted through clenched teeth. "We'll just have to do the best we can!"

"Black Hole Absorb!" Andromeda threw her own attack at the Elemental. Breeze howled as the vortex sapped his energy.

Peter finally managed to wake Jupiter, and he supported her as she staggered to her feet.

"Can you finish it?" he whispered worriedly.

"You bet," Jupiter answered, her eyes flashing. "Takes more than a little energy bolt to knock me out of the fight."

Peter tactfully refrained from pointing out her lapse of consciousness, and Jupiter stepped forward steadily, arms outstretched.

"Sparkling Wide Pressure!"

Andromeda tracked Jupiter's lightning bolt quickly, adding her own energy.

"Super Nova Implosion..."

The combined attack enveloped Breeze and crackled viciously. The Elemental snarled in pain, and disappeared.

All of the senshi clustered around Jupiter and detransformed.

"Lita, why'd you take off like that?" Serena wailed. "We were worried!"

Lita shrugged. "I got tired of waiting for them to make the first move," she replied. "Besides, I told you guys where I was going."

"Yes, but it's a little late to be notifying us when you're already transformed and standing on the roof of a rundown office building, don't you think?" Amy shook her head. "You should have at least had Cassie along before sticking your head in the lion's mouth."

"Ah well, hindsight is always 20/20," Rei piped. "Just as long as you don't scare us like that again, Lita."

The girls turned to leave, and Serena whispered to Amy, "Twenty-twenty what? I don't get it..."

Peter glanced at Lita worriedly. He and Cassie lingered for a moment, letting the rest of the group go.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Peter queried. "That seemed like a pretty nasty blast."

"Eh, my stomach will probably be sore tomorrow, but I'm okay," Lita replied. She gazed out over the city's skyline, a faint smile hovering on her lips. "Peter -- do you remember when we were kids, back in the Silver Millenium? When I decided to adopt you, and promised to look after you?"

Peter started. "Yeah. It was really cute -- this little ten-year-old girl-child promising to watch out for me." He smiled fondly.

Lita turned to join them, her eyes twinkling playfully at Cassie. "Well, it looks like I've got double duty now. C'mon, Little Sister, let's get out of here before you two catch cold."

The three of them linked arms as they descended from the building and vanished into the night.

Alone in the abandoned throne room of the Star Empire, Spirit flet Breeze's life force flicker and fade.

"Fools..." he whispered, shaking with fury. "Impulsive, incompetant fools!"

A howl of animal rage erupted from Spirit, and his entire body burst into liquid flame. The room pulsed with a malevolent violet glow. Twin pinpoints of red fire burned deep in Spirit's eyes.

"Cassiopeia...!"