She stared out of the window, her eyes fastened like a vice on the city below. So this was where something was calling her... A strong force. What was she looking for?

"Kazen Kaki-kun," the teacher said, presenting the new student to the class. "She's just arrived from living in America for most of her life, and I want everyone to treat her kindly."

"Kawaii," Minako whispered, leaning back towards Usagi and Ami. Usagi nodded silently in agreement, Ami shrugged.

The girl smiled at everyone, not arrogantly nor shyly. She really was quite cute. She had short red hair, with a hairband in it, and her eyes were a burning red, like fire.

"Kazen-san, why don't you go sit next to Tsukino-san?" the teacher said, indicating the girl with the blond odangos.

Kaki nodded her head, moving immediately towards Usagi.

"Hi, I'm Tsukino Usagi," Usagi said cheerfully, putting her hand out towards the girl.

"I'm Mizuno Ami," Ami said, leaning across the aisle.

"And I'm Aino Minako," Minako interjected, turning around in her seat.

Kaki looked at Minako blankly, then laughed. "Hello," she said, in a slightly accented voice, shaking Usagi's hand.

"Where exactly did you move from, Kaki-chan?" Usagi inquired. Then she blushed, adding hastily, "I mean Kaken-san."

The red haired girl giggled, saying, "Kaki-chan is quite all right, Usagi-chan. I was living in California for about seven years."

Minako and Usagi's eyes both took on glazed, vacant expressions. "Ca-le-forn-i-a?" they said slowly.

"It's a state in America," Kaki said, smiling.

"Oh, of course," Ami said. "On the west coast, ne?"

"Oh yeah, right," Usagi and Minako said together.

"Mizuno-san, Tsukino-san, Aino-san, Kaken-san," the teacher said sternly, "do you mind? We've started class... Save your conversations for lunch."

The four girls blushed, sweat dropping. They immediately faced the front, all red as everyone else stared at them, Makoto sighing from across the room.

The golden crystal around Tanrei's neck began to vibrate softly. Tanrei and Araki looked at it with a start, pausing in their studies in the school library.

"So one of them is finally here," Tanrei murmured, putting her pencil down.

"It's about time," Araki replied. "We need to reunify ourselves before we can challenge the Destructor and the Black Silencers..."

"Oh," Tanrei laughed softly, "that we do... I suppose it was rather foolish to think we could do it ourselves..."

Araki gave her a sharp look. "Not foolish, unprepared... But now we must find her."

The other nodded. "I just hope that she is already looking for us."

"So we eat lunch right here?" Kaki exclaimed, surprised.

Usagi, Makoto, Minako, and Ami all blinked. "What else would we do?"

"Well, in America, we can already drive and we can usually go eat someplace else," Kaki explained.

Usagi frowned, shrugging. "Why on earth would you want to do that? None of us can drive... And Mako-chan's home cooked bento lunches are better than anything you can buy."

"Oh, really?" Kaki asked, kneeling down on the grass next to the others.

Makoto gave Kaki some of her curry rice, who ate it appreciatively. "It is good," she admitted. "I'm afraid that I have to readjust to living back in Japan."

Kaki sighed, leaning back against the tree that the five of them were sitting underneath, staring at the sky.

Usagi stopped eating, looking at her. "What's wrong, Kaki-chan?"

Kaki smiled, shaking her head. "It's nothing, really..."

"Are you sure?" Ami asked, a bit concerned. Kaki looked oddly depressed.

"Yeah, I was just thinking... I was wondering how can you look for someone you've never met before..."

The others looked puzzled, Kaki shook her head, smiling to herself again.

"Never mind..."

Quasar studied the chart carefully, her red eyes flaring slightly as she noticed the odd readings on the graph.

"Quasar-san," a voice said timidly from behind her.

Quasar sighed, removing her glasses. "What is it, Nebula-san?"

The girl with short blue hair and timid blue eyes peered at her from behind thick rimmed glasses. "Uh, I, uh, needed to borrow a few test tubes... Is that ok?"

The other motioned impatiently with her hand. "Go for it... For God's sake, you'd think you had to ask my permission for everything."

Nebula smiled wobbly, taking a few test tubes, then turning around and hurrying to her table.

"Geez, what a geek," Quasar said to herself, but not softly enough.

The blue haired girl stared at Quasar's back, her blue eyes cold, calculating, filled with an apparent freezing hatred.

"Ara, what a beautiful school," Kaki said, her eyes noticing the Gogyu Gakuen Academy building.

She was walking home with Usagi, Makoto, Ami, Minako, and Rei, her new friends.

"That's where Tanrei-san and Araki-san go," Usagi said.

The red haired girl gave her a puzzled smile. "Are they more of your friends?"

"Yeah," Usagi answered, gazing at the tall building, which extended high up into the sky. "They're really nice, you should meet them."

"They came back from being in America too, isn't that a coincidence?" Ami remarked.

"Yes, quite," Kaki said thoughtfully. Closing her eyes for a moment, she let loose some of her mental energy towards the school, in hopes of finding those she sought... An immediate response sent her mind reeling, but she controlled her outward appearance for her friends... She had felt some sort of energy from inside... Two energies, really, one presence welcoming, the other threateningly ominous...

Rei glanced at Kaki, feeling that something was odd about her, seeing her flinch the barest second, but said nothing.

From inside the school, Tanrei noticed the girl with the Usagi and her friends. Red hair, red eyes, a powerful amount of familiarity in her blood... Could she be...?

Quasar gave a quick glance outside the window, where one of the other girls was staring at something. Hmph, Tanrei-san- bright and nice, but she didn't like her. Something too weird about being around her. It was a pain, really, to pretend being a student at the school, but it was a good chance to find some victims.

Say now... That red haired girl on the street... Fascinating... She had an unusually high amount of energy... She could have the Celestial Crystal...

The bell rang, and Quasar gathered her books, leaving the room in a hurry towards the laboratory, with a new victim in mind...

"Bye, Kaki-chan!" Usagi and Minako yelled at the same time, waving to the red haired girl, who was entering her apartment complex.

Kaki laughed, waving back, as she entered the inside of the apartment and disappeared from view.

The Inner Senshi all smiled, then turned around to find the four Outer Senshi standing there, studying the building.

"Sugoi!" Minako exclaimed. "How'd you do that? I want to learn!"

Everyone sweat dropped.

"Err, I'll teach you sometime," Haruka muttered.

"What are you doing here?" Makoto asked them.

"We've been watching this area..." Hotaru said simply.

"Kaki-chan's a nice girl, you should meet her," Usagi said naively, not understanding what the Outer Senshi wanted.

Michiru laughed. "We've been watching her too..."

"What? Why?" Ami exclaimed. She turned to look at the apartment building. "Is there something about her that we don't know?"

The Outer Senshi were silent, then Setsuna finally remarked, "Did you notice that there are five complexes around this area?"

The Inner Senshi were surprised, then nodded as they realized the accuracy of her statement.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Minako asked.

"Isn't that Tanrei's apartment complex over there?" Usagi pointed out to one of the five that was a little far off, then to another complex, even further away, "And that's where Araki lives now, since she moved last week..."

"That's very observant, Usagi," Michiru smiled.

"This is also where you used to live..." Rei noticed. "The Delta Zone...?"

Haruka nodded. "Yes... And in the very center, before the other two buildings that are the farthest off, there's Gogyu Gakuen Academy..."

"Is it?" Mako said. "I never noticed that..."

"We walk home this way everyday, so we picked up on that," Michiru said vaguely.

Rei and Ami immediately recognized her attempt to cover something up, and, surprisingly, so did Usagi.

"But what does this have to do with watching Kaki-chan?" Usagi demanded, her voice exasperated.

Setsuna answered. "She's a very unusual girl... She has power, undeniably, more than normal people, almost equal to the amount that we Sailor Senshi exhibit..."

"She what?!" Usagi cried out, nearly dropping her folder.

"You mean she's as powerful as we are?" Makoto rephrased. "How can that be? She isn't a Sailor Senshi..."

Setsuna looked uncomfortable, but Hotaru said, "No, she isn't a Sailor Senshi... But she could be..."

She fell silent, glancing at Haruka and Michiru who shook their heads.

A scream reached them, coming from the complex Kaki had just entered.

"That's Kaki-chan!" Ami said, horrified.

"Minna, henshin yo!"

Kaki entered the lobby, seeing it empty. She sighed, thinking to herself that what she was doing was impossible... She didn't even know what she was looking for. Some crazy chase around the world for something elusive.

Footsteps from behind her caused her to turn around. Two girls were standing there, one pretty, the other on the handsome side.

"Kazen Kaki," the girl with black hair said.

"Yes?" she answered. "Do I know you?"

"You've been searching for us, haven't you," the boyish one said in a statement.

"Yes," Kaki answered automatically, realizing that she had been looking for _them_. "But I don't know why..."

"I'm Kinzoku Tanrei," Tanrei said, "and this is Araki Kei."

"Close your eyes, Kaki," Araki said quietly, and the other did so without question.

Tanrei held out the golden crystal to touch Kaki's forehead. Her hair blew around it, as the red kanji for 'fire' appeared.

Tanrei smiled, as did Araki. "We've finally found you, Kaki-chan... Or should we say, Elemental Senshi Fire..."

Kaki's eyes opened, filled with things she hadn't known before. "Tanrei... Metal... Araki... Wood... God, I'm so glad to see you!" She gave them hugs, which they willingly returned.

"I'm sorry to interrupt this moment," a voice drawled, "but I'm afraid I must..."

The three girls saw some from the shadows step out. They froze, wondering if she had heard everything.

"Now, Kazen Kaki," Quasar said, "I must relieve you of your Wakusei Crystal."

"Who are you?" Araki snapped.

Quasar frowned, her next statement showing that she had not heard their talk of being Elemental Senshi. "What are you meddlesome children doing here? Get away."

She motioned with her hand, and a Demon appeared in front of Tanrei and Araki, using its huge arm to smack them out of the way. They were thrown across the lobby, which to tell the truth, was the size of a hotel lobby, so that was pretty far.

"Tanrei-san! Araki-san!" Kaki screamed, about to run towards them but was stopped by Quasar, standing in front of her.

"Now, Kaki, let's take a look at your Wakusei Crystal, dear," Quasar said, the Demon coming closer to Kaki, reaching out towards her with at least 15 arms.

Kaki screamed once in the hopes of someone coming.

"No one will save you, dear," Quasar said, red eyes flaring slightly with amusement.

"That's what you think!"

"Who's there?"

"I won't let you attack this innocent girl!" Sailor Wakusei Moon announced. "I am the pretty sailor suited soldier, Sailormoon! In the name of themoon, I'll punish you!"

"Shimatta," Quasar said, hitting her head against the wall. "Demon, attack them!"

"Ok, Quasar-san," it replied. It charged the Sailor Senshi, who proceeded to get out of its way while attacking, leading them further into the complex.

Meanwhile, Quasar was stalking Kaki menacingly. Kaki kept backing away from her, until she tripped on the rug in the hall. Quasar laughed, a staff like object appearing from nowhere in her hand. She threw it downwards towards Kaki.

A blast of leaves knocked the staff, the energy from the object flying towards the wall. A second follow-up of hot liquid metal slammed into Quasar's side, and she screamed as she was injured, burned, then vanished.

Metal and Wood ran over to Kaki, who still looked shocked and somewhat frightened.

"Are you all right, Kaki-chan?" Metal asked, worried. She helped Kaki stand up.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Kaki answered dazedly. She heard screams and hollers from deeper inside. "Are the Sailor Senshi going to be all right?"

"Don't worry about them," Wood said, somewhat brutally. "They'll be fine by themselves. We should get you out of here."

"But we can't just leave them!" Kaki exclaimed, her brow furrowing. "They tried to save me!"

Wood exchanged a glance with Metal, who nodded relentingly.

"Ok, we'll help them," Metal said reassuringly. She held out her hand, and in it appeared a red stick, with the kanji for fire near the top. "Kaki-chan, use this to transform into Elemental Senshi Fire. Say, "Fire Gogyu Power, Make-Up.""

"But-"

"If you want to help them, just do it," Wood said urgently. Her voice was forceful, and Kaki could see how much of a concession helping the Sailor Senshi was for her... Not that she could blame her, now that she remembered everything from their past.

"Right! Fire Gogyu Power, Make-Up!" Kaki yelled, transforming into Fire. She wore a red fuku, similar to Metal and Wood's. Her main skirt, collar, choker, bandanna, and short boots, were bright red, while her front bow was orange-red.

"Let's go!" Fire said, after absorbing the action, running towards the Demon and the Senshi.

Metal smirked, Wood shook her head, sighing. "She's back to her usual, impetuous self..."

"World... Shaking!" Uranus's energy ball sliced one of the Demon's arms off, but it had plenty left.

One elongated and grabbed the girl by the leg, several of the others snagging all the other Sailor Senshi. They struggled against it, against the shock that it was harshly giving them through its arms, screaming.

"Flare Searing Lava!" Fire hollered, throwing her hands into the air together, then bright burning fire flowed from her hands upwards, like a volcano erupting, towards the Demon, striking it in its center.

The action promptly caused the Demon to let the Sailor Senshi go, and they dropped gasping to the ground.

"Who... .. are you?" Mars managed to croak out.

Fire smiled, posing confidently at them. "In the name of the gogyu of the flames of the Earth, I am Elemental Senshi Fire!"

"Great, now there's a fire senshi too?" Venus muttered, coughing.

"Metal Ore Meltation!" Metal yelled, the blast of boiling gold metal streaming around her body, then striking the Demon.

"Sailormoon!" Wood snapped.

"Hai! Moon Rainbow Wakusei Blade!" The sword sliced neatly downwards, the Demon turning into dust and black diamond, then crushing away.

"Be grateful that Fire wanted to save you," Wood drawled, watching the Sailor Senshi recovering their health with mixed amusement.

Uranus looked ready to tell her how truly grateful she was, but Neptune and Saturn silenced her. [ ^_^; ]

"This is really becoming an annoying habit," Metal added, tilting her head, one finger on her chin. "Don't expect any other further intervention unless a Wakusei Crystal is involved."

Fire simply smiled, shyly, then turned away, leaving with her friends.

Mercury frowned, puzzled, as she saw them go. Fire... reminded her of someone... and when had she been a part of their team?

"Mystery senshi number 3 joins the puzzle," Jupiter said dryly. "And we're no where near to putting all the pieces together."

"That woman... Quasar," Pluto said, "she's our new enemy, for now."

Moon moaned in frustration. "What is this important Celestial Crystal that they're looking for?"

Pluto was about to answer, but she bit back her tongue, wondering if anyone had caught her slip. Fortunately no one had, everyone preoccupied with reassuring Sailormoon.

You almost messed up again, Pluto, she berated herself. When are you going to tell them the truth?

I can't. It would disrupt everything... when all is already so fragile. I have so little time left...