Serena panted as her body heated and flushed. She was barely aware to catch his next words. "He must be worried sick…. His poor poor fiance away with the filth of the universe."

To lie with dogs, her mother would say.

Leaning heavily against the rough walls of an empty Citadel hallway, Serena was lost in her thoughts as she tried to catch her breath.

She could remember the feel of satin against her naked skin and the warmth of his body as he buried his face in her neck moaning that he loved her.

"It wasn't real," she tried to comfort herself. "None of it was real"

"Running again, I see."

Serena froze.

The leather of his glove against her bare skin left her shivering.

When he finally turned her around to look down on her, Serena was a bundle of nerves.

"What're you doing here?" Her tone was accusatory.

He rose a silvery brow as amusement entwined with offense. "Your mother the Queen saw fit to invite me." He let his hand slide along the length of her arm before taking her hand in his, once again examining the ring on her finger. "Looks like I'm moving up in life. From fodder to entertainment." His smirk was pure malice.

"That's not true! You were never a body to me."

"And yet you play the doting partner to the soon-to-be king of the moon…" He let his judgement linger in the air between them.

"I am no longer that girl you left behind." Her tone lacked any real confidence.

Dimande leaned forward until they were a nose width a part. "Liar…" He whispered as his warm breath tickled her lips.

"Please don't…" She whimpered as her heart thundered in anticipation.

"If only your 'fiance' could see you… Your body begging for me in that gilded cage your Mother insists on keeping you in." The words were a bolt of clarity in the fog of her feelings.

Blue eyes narrowed as she pulled closer to the wall at her back. "How did you…?"

"My birthright allows me much in terms of influence…" He dipped his head forward his lips grazing her own, making her stiffen. "But your response was your own." Any space between the two was gone as the White Prince reveled in the effect he had on her. "To think you'd allow your Mother to sell you off like common chattel…" The armor he wore bit into her skin as he pressed against her. "Or perhaps you like the Earth Prince after all…"

The scent of musk and leather filled her nose making her light-headed.

"Why're you doing this?" Serena felt a mess.

"You made me promise," he reminded before all pretense of civility was replaced with his anger. His fist came down on the wall beside her. Indigo irises burning as his handsome face twisted with an icy fury.

Serena jumped at the action and the dark tendrils of power that began to leak through his veneer of control. The feeling was intoxicating and persuasive, despite the cloying heaviness in the air. He opened his mouth to speak but the two were interrupted.

"Princess! Your fiance-"

Before she could blink, his weight was gone and his control was firmly back in place.

"-looking for you…" Mina appeared from around a corridor and immediately halted.

While the Nemesian heir didn't look happy to see her, the relief upon Serena's features made her step forward as her gaze narrowed. "Is everything alright?" She asked pleasantly enough, despite being on high alert.

Dimande faced the arena, presenting his back to the two. "Simply reminiscing about better times."

"Serena?" Mina urged her to respond.

Serena took deep breaths before straightening. "Yes," she stuttered. "But time stills for no one and we are no longer the children of our past." Serena stared at the image he made in the catacomb-like structures of the Coliseum.

"So you say. Good day to you Princess," He snorted and took his leave.

Serena fell back against the wall and Mina rushed to her side.

"Are you alright?" She asked in obvious concern.

"I'm fine," Serena assured. "Just overwhelmed by the heat."

Mina eyed her suspiciously, but accepted her weak excuse. "They're looking for you," she said instead and offered her arm to lead her back to her seat.

"Let us return," Serena managed as she accepted the assistance.

The White Prince of the Dark Moon simmered in his rage as he strode back towards the blinding light of the arena.

How could she allow this other man the sanctuary of her heart?

It's never too late to take what you want, a voice reminded. Dimande rolled his neck in preparation for what was to come, trying and failing to focus on the task at hand.

It could be so easy, the voice continued. To steal her away and chain her to yourself. Admit it… You don't care about the Silver Millenium, you desire its Princess.

"Shut up," he hissed to no one at all. It was no wonder the Queen looked down on him.

He was mad.

The thought alone was enough to drag him back to his senses.

He had come to make a statement, nothing more. He would deal with the Princess in his own time. Not a moment before.

Finally he stood in the open arena taking in the sights around him. Warriors from around the galaxy waited patiently for their match to be called.

Diamond focused on the Queen's box.

Endymion stood by her side as Serena had yet to join them.

It'd be so easy to snap the Earth Prince's neck he thought watching the man interact with those around him. His mind thought back to the bloodied battle field his corpse had been retrieved from.

It wasn't until he heard the sound of his name called that he truly paid attention to the spectacle before him.

"The White Prince of Nemesis shall battle the Sailor Guardians, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and Mars!"

Serenity smirked as the Earth Prince read the drawn cards.

The gasps and cheers were deafening.

Serena had finally returned to her booth, only to be shocked by the match that had been announced.

She stared at the Nemesian box to find Sapphire, his father and Lady Esmerelda calmly composed despite such an announcement. Another man, she'd never seen before stood off to the side, his face obscured by the ornate dress and hood he wore.

Her gaze tore to the Prince in question.

Aloof as always, his only reaction was the tight clenching of his fist.

"What is the meaning of this?" Serena asked her mother immediately.

Serenity kept her attention on the crowd at hand as she gave her final address in regards to the first match. "In light of the Dark Moon's Prince status as a War Hero, we thought to show off our ally in the most prestigious light. It is an honor to be showcased against the Senshi tasked with protecting our galaxy's greatest treasure: Princess Serena."

"They could kill him!"

"Relax, my darling, it's only an exhibition."

The people watched as the Senshi strolled into the arena and halted.

Rei frowned as she glared at the man standing across from them. The Queen's words buzzed in her ear.

"Look at him," she said to the trio next to her. "Who does this Negaverse scum think he is?"

Lita snorted, tugging at her dress. "A pretty little prince, near as I can tell."

"Almost as pretty as Mars," Minako quipped, coming up to stand near her friends.

Rei clenched her fist. "He won't be so pretty when I'm done with him."

"Settle down" Ami piped as she gave their foe a once over. "Let him think he has the upperhand."

The white prince folded his arms across his chest more so annoyed than amused at their chatter.

"Funny it takes the four of you to replace the likes of me. This- What did you say earlier- Negaverse scum."

"At least you know your place ," Jupiter said stepping forward and rolling her shoulders. "I heard they made a memoriam for you back on your planet. How'd you like to become an integral part of it?"

Dimande uncrossed his arms.

"It'd beat being stuck on this rock." He crinkled his nose as if a foul smell was in the air. "I never did care for the wild crudeness of your planet."

"And Nemesis is such a hidden gem." Rei snarked haughtily.

"I recall the Princess saying so-"

Suddenly, a torrent of water roared towards him, the force sounding like a train in motion.

The water collided where Dimande stood shaking the area, splintering the ground and making a roar of excitement and shock break out across the stands

Lita folded her arms and turned to Mercury with a raised brow. "What was that?"

"I thought you said we were going to string him along." Rei chimed in.

Ami shrugged. " He should've known better than to slander our Princess." Her interaction with Serena played vividly in her mind.

Suddenly, Minako tugged at Lita's dress causing the other to snatch away from her. "What is it!"

"Pay attention," Mina admonished, prompting the others to follow her gaze.

The other senshi whipped their heads around to see a very much alive and dry Dimande perched against debris inside of the arena.

"Struck a nerve, did i?"

All but Venus were stunned.

"Theres no way he's that fast!" Rei seethed.

"Quite the feat," Mina observed nonchalantly.

"Not getting wet?" Dimande acknowledged. "Nothing special about that I'm afraid."

She smirked. "The teleportation trick," she corrected. "Ya know, we have tricks of our own we'd be happy to show you."