Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon, or any related Characters.

Author's Note: A story request from t-rex989.

My Tyrannical Master

Prologue

The air in Neo Tokyo was charged, the proverbial grapevine abuzz with discussions about today. A large group of families had gathered in the center of the city. If you looked hard enough, you could just barely see the remains of the old buildings beneath the new. Dominating the Neo Tokyo skyline was a single fixture. It stretched high into the sky and shone like a shimmering beacon night and day. It was a place known as The Crystal Tower, a spire of pure quartz crystal which seemed to grow from Hell and pierce the very fabric of Heaven itself. Everyone gathered about the base of the tower couldn't help but stare up in awe. This is as close as the average citizen was usually allowed to be, and almost never in this number. Today was a special day.

The Crystal Tower was built... more like 'grown' ten years ago. During time, known as the Last Sunrise, the people of earth were actually free, not this cleverly constructed sham of 'freedom' they live with now. It was then that he came. He arrived on earth with no alarm, and no fanfare. His grip was swift and his judgment merciless. No one even knew his name before the defenders of the world... human or otherwise, lay decimated before him. He was a plague for which there was no cure. And then, almost as fast as his reign of terror began, it ended. His demands were simple and to the point. Appoint his King of Earth, and humanity shall live.

When you're presented with that kind of option set... is there really a choice? So humanity gave up. They did as he asked and appointed him King. He built the Crystal Tower, and has been ruling from within these last ten years. Things were fairly tame the first years. Humans did as they were told, kept their noses clean, and they did not suffer... but soon, he grew restless, and a desire burned within him. And so, one morning, a declaration had been played throughout his home fief of Neo Tokyo.

"I require the finest daughters of the planet to join me in companionship." Vague, yet very to the point. What could humanity do? They, once again, complied; and seven families said good bye to their daughters, never to hear from them again. You'd think that would be the end of it... It wasn't.

A year ago, a message arrived in everyone's mailboxes, addressed from the desk of The Rightful Ruler of Neo Tokyo And All of the Earth... the man had a penchant for winded titles. The letter stated that in the coming week, every family that received a letter had been entered into a drawing. The prize? The lucky family would - once again - be forced to say good bye to their eldest daughter. Some accepted willingly, while others grumbled and griped.

It's been a year since that lottery, and the wounds till bleed red. A year has come and gone, and a similar letter arrives in the mail almost a year to the day. Which brings us to now. The families who corralled at the base of the Crystal Tower did so not by their choice, but by decree. They had all been chosen for this year's lottery. Some accepted willingly... while other grumbled and griped. As the time progressed, and midday was struck at the distant bank, the balcony above their heads, the only visible entrance into the Crystal Tower, opened. Out strode the Green Menace, The Jade Monster, The Emerald Behemoth himself.

He stood six feet tall, his impressive silhouette struck powerfully against the clear quartz of the tower. He stood on the balcony, his body covered in the same frightening armor he always wore, the menacing red bison glowing with pure malice as all felt his eyes upon them.

"My subjects." He began in a strong, bass tone; his tone carrying far and wide betwixt streets and across rooftops. "My... loyal... subjects." In his hand he held the crimson blade which the people had recognized as the instrument of so much death. "Another year has come and gone. I am pleased at the turn out for my little... name drawing ceremony." He paused as his figure gently pivoted, looking at the crowd below him. "I have ruled you fairly these last ten years. I have stopped war. I have ended famine and hunger. I have improved the quality of life you humans enjoy, and I have only ever asked two things in return." His words were cold comfort to all present, as they knew well of the price they paid to enjoy their Eden. "Both of which you have provided of the graciousness of your hearts." A man laughed in the crowd, but he ignored him. "But ow I must beg of you another boon."

He placed his hands upon the railing and seemed to mellow out, his powerful voice becoming softer, yet still as present. "As you are aware, I have set up another lottery. I have no ideals in my mind that you... disprove of these. Well, I shall place your mind at rest here - and now. After today... I swear there shall be no more lotteries... under the condition the young girl who is chosen is delivered as I request."

Cruel, unimaginably evil... yet viciously strategic the man was. He knew the promise would put pressure on the family to comply. He, as always, had a plan. The crowd instantly began to chat quietly amongst themselves. Was it true? Would their overlords uphold his end of the bargain? Why shouldn't he? He's made good on every promise since. The chatting died down as he turned towards the open door, a young raven-haired girl approaching. A woman gasped in the crowd and a man cried out o his daughter.

"As you can plain see, your children are alive, nourished, healthy..." The girl smiled, which caused her father unimaginable pain. "...and happy." She held up a glass bowl, small slips of paper filling it to bursting. "I shall now read the winner's name." He slipped a gauntlets hand into the bowl and drew a single slip of paper. Breaths inhaled and held as he opened the paper. Everyone silently wished that the name that would be called would be their neighbor, or friend... anyone but their daughter. Girls... don't come out of that tower. He gazed upon the paper and paused. Then with a single breath, read the name. "Tsukino." A wave of exhales crashed against the crowd, but even amongst the joy, a single figure despaired. "Have your daughter made ready by midday tomorrow, I shall come for her."

Violet eyes watered as a hand gripped hers tight. In the crowed, the purple-haired woman watched the armored devil stride wirelessly back within the walls of his tower. She fought back tears on the outside, but could not stop the sobs on the inside. As the crowd dispersed, a little bit of the selected mother died that day.

The trip back was quiet as the pair drove in silence, attempting to remember which God they angered or which demon hated them. Upon arriving back home, they found their only daughter struggling as she often did through her homework. The pair of parents stood in the door frame watching their daughter struggle against interfere and fractions. The father spoke first, getting her attention. "Serena." He spoke simply, causing the girl to turn. "You don't have to do that anymore." He spoke, his words belying his feelings. "You won't have to do that ever again."

"Papa?" She asked, her eyes alight in a mix of fear and confusion. She had not been told of the lottery. "What do you mean?"

"There... was another lottery today." He spoke softly, sitting next to her on her bed. She blinked, then nodded.

"Who was picked?" A silence fell over the trio as the father struggled for words, the mother hid her pain and the daughter struggled for answers she would not want to hear. Serena looked to her mother, since her father offered no consolidations. "Mama?" She asked. It was all her mother could bear. Throwing herself from her daughter's room, the mother ran and hid, leaving the father the grim taste.

"Serena honey..." He spoke simply, his throat dry and eyes watered. "You were..." The young blonde girl looked at her father horrified. She was sixteen. How was she supposed to... She of course had no idea what happened inside the Crystal Tower - no one did - but she had heard rumors. Terrible, horrible, painful rumors. Pain, humiliation, abuse and torture just to name a few. She had no idea what kind of man The Rightful Ruler of Neo Tokyo And All of the Earth was... hell, she didn't even know his name!

"Papa?" It was sinking in too quickly for her, the color draining from her cheeks as the words replayed endlessly in her mind. She was picked. Of the hundreds... the thousands of girls who could have been picked in the city... It was her. She replayed what she could remember of the last ten years in her mind, trying to figure out where she went wrong, where she crossed the angel or swore at the devil. For the life of her, she couldn't find it. "I don't want to go, Papa. I want to stay here with you and Mama." Her father, ever the soldier, embraced his daughter.

"Oh, Serena... I know. I don't want you to go either, honey... but we don't have a choice."

"Yes we do! We can... we can tell them no! Say I'm sick and... and can't leave home!"

"Serena..." He tried to reason with her. "It's for the best... for all of us... if you just go."

"No! I don't want to leave you and Mama!"

"Serena." His tone was firm, as if he wanted more then life itself for her to have a chance to refuse. "You have to. If you go then... then no other family has to suffer like this... if you don't go for us... then please... be the hero I've always known existed inside you. Be that hero, and spare countless other fathers my pain." He was losing the fight with his emotions, his eyes clogging with tears as he stared into her blue eyes. Serena looked balefully to her father but, defeated, had no recourse.

"Okay, Papa." She nodded ruefully, trying to be strong for her father. He nodded and stood her up.

The hours passed as her father packed some things for her in a small duffle bag, and when that was done, she did her best to spend as much time as she could with her parents.

Night fell too fast for her, and sleep didn't come fast enough. She lay awake in her bed, eyes locked to the ceiling as she thought about the years to come. Her hand ardently stroked the cat curled up in her lap. "I can't believe this..." She mused to no one. "How could this have happened, Luna?" She mused, looking down at the cat.

"Mrow..." Purred Luna absenttly. Serena sighed, defeated.

"I suppose you're right." She picked up the cat and looked into her sleepy amber eyes. "I'm going to miss you..." She choked down tears. Luna glared an slowly blinked.

"Mrow-ow." The cat purred sleeping, almost sagely.

"You're right, Luna..." Serena mused, almost as if she had an epiphany from the cat's purring. "They can make me go... but they can't make me do anything..." She hugged the cat tight, who seemed completely indifferent about everything, and smiled. "I'll be the biggest pain in their rears ever! They'll have to get rid of me!" She smiled to the cat. "I know I can count on you, Luna."