"Were you hit, Mako-chan?" Minako seemed quite concerned.

"Yes. You?"

"Mm-hmm."

"So did I..." "Me, too..." "I couldn't get out of the way fast enough."

We had all been hit.

"And yet, I felt nothing," mused Usagi. We were back at my apartment. I lit sterno cans beneath the various pots of fondue, but I didn't expect the original enthusiasm to return.

"It's been very nearly half an hour. No side effects yet." Ami was looking at us through her computer. "Nothing seems to be different that I can tell." Suddenly, her face took on a very strange look. "Did you hear that?" she inquired, looking around.

"Hear what?" I blew out a match.

She shook her head. "I must be hearing things... I thought I heard a voice."

"Usagi-chan was talking," suggested Chibi-Usa.

"No. I thought it was... someone else. From a long time ago." She frowned, shut her eyes, and then opened them again. With a big smile, she stabbed a piece of toast and dunked it in a pot of still-lukewarm fondue. "It doesn't matter."

***

That evening, I was lying in bed. My friends had all left, the kitchen was clean and spotless, and I was tired. But I couldn't fall asleep. My mind kept turning over the presence of our new enemies. I had described the symbols I had seen on their clothing, and Luna had identified them as Sagittarius and Taurus, respectively. Two more of Lady Saga's court in our midst... And Ami had assured us that both the Horseshoe Nebula and the Lagoon Nebula were located in the constellation Sagittarius. And Sagittarius was the Archer, which explained the arrows-- but what was the function of those arrows? I didn't feel different. I didn't feel weakened, or changed in any way. What was their function?!

I shut my eyes and buried my face in my pillow. Then I felt a touch on my arm. I very nearly shot out of bed, it was so unexpected. There was a man sitting next to me, with brownish-red hair which reached to his shoulders, and kind blue eyes. He wore a pair of spotless white gloves, and was sitting with a glass of red wine. But he was not sitting on the edge of my bed in my room; he was sitting on a stone bench in a garden. And I was not wearing my Hello, Kitty! pajamas which I insist upon wearing although if my friends ever found out about that... I was wearing a long, green, flowing gown, and looking like a princess. I was a princess. I was the Princess of Jupiter. And that was...

"Neflyte," I breathed, surprised. He was dead. I had killed him... And yet, here he was. This wasn't the Neflyte who had been brainwashed by Queen Beryl for the purpose of setting Queen Metallia free. This Neflyte, one of Prince Endymion's generals, who was sincerely in love with me, during the Silver Milennium, and often visited me in the Moon Palace.

"Princess," he smiled at me. "It's been a long time. I've missed you."

"Neflyte," I repeated, slightly awkwardly. I fidgeted with a green ribbon from my dress. "How did you--"

"His Highness gave me leave. I believe he's with Princess Serenity. Three's a crowd, so I decided to come in search of you. And yet you found me!" He smiled charmingly at me, and I relaxed slightly. This was all so familiar...

"How...how did I find you?" I inquired.

He gave me a puzzled look. "Do you know, I have no idea. I was merely sitting here, thinking, 'Where can Makoto-sama be?' and suddenly, you appear!" He took a dainty sip and smiled. "Isn't it nice, having your wishes granted so promptly?"

"Perhaps there's a genie lurking around," I remarked with a smile. "Tell me, Neflyte-kun. What would you wish for?"

"To have the honor of spending more time with you," he proclaimed gallantly. "Yes, it's quite an honor to be one of Endymion's four most trusted generals... but it's even more of an honor to spend quality time in the company of such a beautiful young lady. The Princess of Jupiter. Tell me, Princess, do you ever miss your family?"

I frowned and puzzled the question over. "We-e-ll," I said hesitantly, "To be perfectly honest, I don't think too much about them. I'm always busy with Princess Serenity. You know how our court is arranged as well as I do, and I think it's quite an honor for me to be chosen to be not only the protector, but also the companion and friend, to Queen Serenity's daughter."

"Do you ever wonder why older girls weren't chosen to protect Princess Serenity?" asked Neflyte, gazing off into the distance. He absently poured me a glass of wine, too, and passed it to me.

I accepted. "Sometimes I wonder... but what are the odds of someone attacking our Princess?" I laughed at the ludicrous thought and took a small sip. I approved it and took a slightly larger sip. "I think that Queen Serenity's primary concern was that the Princess have friends her own age to grow up around. And just because we're young-- as young as she is, anyways-- doesn't mean that we aren't in full command of our powers. We're quite capable of destroying any youma or daimon or monster who manages to make it to our Moon Kingdom."

"I'm not slighting your powers in the least," Neflyte was quick to assure me. "For such a beautiful Princess, I'm quite sure you could easily destroy myself-- or Kunzite-- or Zoicite-- or Jadeite-- if you wished to. Which makes me happy that we both look out for the good of the Moon Kingdom, each in our own way."

He broke off when he caught sight of Rei passing by, holding hands with Jadeite as they meandered through the gardens.

"I heard my name?" inquired Jadeite in a friendly voice.

"We were merely discussing how powerful the Princesses are. Which includes you, Princess Rei-sama. Tell me, Jadeite-kun, do you think your Princess could destroy you if she wished?"

"Such an unpleasant topic!" protested Rei, wrinkling her nose with a sour look. "Why on earth would I wish to send Jadeite to a fiery death? Let's talk about something else."

"What a very beautiful dress that is," I admired. "Red always does so much for you-- tell me, Rei-chan, do you ever miss your family?"

She was taken aback at this question. "I remember Phobos Deimos Castle, the day I left. My older brother didn't want me to leave. He said things wouldn't be any fun without me. I told him that the Princess needed me. Yes, I miss my parents, and the rest of my family, but we're all very proud that I'm performing a service not only to my Kingdom, but to my Princess. It's a matter of priority, I guess."

I nodded emphatically. "That's the way I feel, too... and to be perfectly honest, you-- and Ami-chan-- and Serenity-chan-- and Mina-chan-- are all like the sisters I never really grew up with. Queen Serenity-sama is like a mother to me. And as for Luna and Artemis, well... perhaps an aunt and an uncle?"

"A stern aunt and uncle," laughed Rei, squeezing Jadeite's hand merrily. "Tell me, Jadeite-kun, I forget. Have you met Luna and Artemis?"

"I have heard our Prince mention them a few times, but never any specifics."

"They're always so busy, keeping track of the many things which go on in the kingdom," I said. "They're hardly ever around, and when they are, it's in some private conference with Queen Serenity."

"They're two cats," agreed Rei. "If you ever see a black queen with a crescent moon on its forehead, or a white tom with the same mark, you'll know it's Luna, or Artemis, respectively."

"We'll take great care to remember that," agreed Neflyte, with a quick kiss to my hand. He glanced as two more newcomers joined us. "Well, well, well! Princess Minako-sama. Kunzite-kun. This is quite the party today."

I stood up instinctively. Minako, while "just one of us", was the leader amongst Princess Serenity's guard, and demanded additional respect as such. But she waved me back into my seat with her good-natured grin.

"A little early, aren't we?" she asked, cheerily indicating the glass at my elbow. "The feast doesn't begin until 8 o'clock tonight."

I threw back my head and sighed. "I don't feel like feasting tonight. Do you know what I feel like? Ice skating... Neflyte, tell me. Do you ice skate?"

"A little," he answered, taken off-guard.

"Tonight, if we can get away from the party-- or tomorrow sometime, if we can get away from Serenity and Endymion-- we should go out and try it. There's a lovely new ice rink which Queen Serenity installed hardly two months ago. We all spent gobs of time skating on it.at first, but now it's primarily the Princess and myself who use it. She's very good."

"I believe if I were the judge, I might be a bit biased in your favor," Neflyte smiled.

"Oh, he's good," grinned Minako. "Hang on to that one, Mako-chan."

"Please," I begged her, giving her the Raised Eyebrow Look.

"Well, I am the Senshi of Love and Beauty, aren't I?" she teased back. "And speaking of which, I can hardly seem to walk fifty feet in this garden without stumbling onto a happy couple. I saw Ami and Zoisite down that way, by the rose hedge. And the Princess and Endymion were wandering past the fountains. And here you four are, by the topiary."

"Admit it. You were just looking for privacy with Kunzite-kun?" teased Rei.

Minako gave her general a hug. "I admit it," she sighed. "And all the best spots are taken, thanks to you people."

"So tell me. Do you think Serenity and Endymion have any long-range plans?" I inquired, taking on a conspiratorial tone. We all leaned forward involuntarily.

"I hope so," remarked Kunzite. "Because if they didn't, we'd have no excuse to see our own lovely princesses."

"Kunzite-kun!" smiled Minako, hugging him spontaneously. I hid a smile, noticing that she blushed at the compliment.

"He always speaks so highly of her," said Rei. "I think it really could be true love."

"Yes, but what about the ban on those of the Moon Kingdom intermarrying with those from Earth?" I frowned. "It's never been done before. Who knows what would happen if Endymion and Usagi-"

"Usagi?" Five voices spoke together in confusion.

"I'm sorry. I meant Princess Serenity. I have no idea where that name came from. It just popped into my head..."

"It's all right. The wine has muddled your thinking," said Neflyte consolingly. "You should be better if you eat a little something, although I really think you should've eaten first."

"I crammed myself full of fondue before I... no, wait. I guess that was just a dream I had." I frowned. I just couldn't think straight. Everything seemed so confusing! "Do you hear something?" I could hear a slightly ferocious voice in the back of my head, commanding me to do something.

"I'm seriously concerned about you, Mako-chan," said Minako, looking bewildered. "Neflyte!" she said sternly, turning upon him. "Did you put anything into her drink?"

"No!" he protested. "See? I've been drinking from the same bottle all this time." He even finished off my glass to prove how harmless it was.

"Perhaps she's sick?" hazarded Jadeite, feeling my forehead.

"I'm fine. Just, that voice---" It was fuzzy and distant. Then suddenly, it said in a clear, peremptory tone-

"Makoto! Wake up this INSTANT!"

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