CHAPTER ONE

King Endymion smirked, swirling his whisky as he saw in the crystal the still image of the Neo-Queen of Crystal Tokyo. Serenity. She was gorgeous. Large calm blue eyes, pale white gown accompanied by cream-colored wings, crescent blond hair spilling over her lithe body.

He felt himself harden. He could only imagine her nude, writhing body underneath him, crying out while he plunged roughly into her depths.

Rumor had it that she was untouched. Too preoccupied since taking over the rule of Crystal Tokyo after the unexpected death of her mother, she was a queen without having been with a man. Powerful, just, beloved. Neo-Queen Serenity.

He imagined pulling her shapely legs apart to plunder her, pounding her ferociously throughout the night until he'd claimed every trace of her innocence, until she cried and begged for more of him. And he would oblige. He would answer her pleas and give her the rough attention she sought.

Now was the perfect opportunity.

Crystal Tokyo was under attack by the Millennial Darkness Forces. She needed a savior.

He would gladly swoop in.

He would lay to waste an entire army for a taste of her body.

Turning to his generals standing on alert at the side of the throne room, he grinned.

"How much longer, Jadeite?"

"About half a day, my liege," the blond young man said, "Then we will make contact with the Moon."

King Endymion's floating fortress, called the Elysion, was a formidable force known throughout the galaxy, traveling at incredible speeds pillaging entire planets as he saw fit. He was known in many parts simply as the Dark King, for his ruthlessness on and off the battlefield.

"I want all four of you to lead the siege," he said, "Choke out the Millennial Forces swiftly, but don't destroy them. Then, I want to arrange a meeting with Neo-Queen Serenity."

"You can't go."

"I…" Serenity said.

She and Sailorvenus looked out at the balcony atop the capital Crystal Tokyo.

"King Endymion held back their forces," Serenity said finally, her features as ambivalent as her general's, "His four fleets saved us."

"He could be just another enemy," Venus said.

"If I don't go, he might pull back his forces and leave us vulnerable for the next attack," Serenity reasoned, "If I try to forge an alliance… it gives us some chance that he'll protect our troops from the next attack."

"Then we'll all go," Venus said, "The other senshi and I will accompany you."

"But his message…"

They stared at the words that had come through the crystal allay. It was ominously clear.

WE INVITE NEO-QUEEN SERENITY TO THE ELYSION FOR NEGOTIATIONS. SHE MUST COME ALONE. FAILURE TO COMPLY WILL BE INTERPRETED AS A SIGN OF AGGRESSION.

Venus' voice was filled with dread, "How do you know he won't kill you? Or capture you... Or worse...?"

Serenity bit her lip at her general's last words.

"I have decided," she said finally, "It is the best thing for our kingdom."

Venus' eyes were downcast.

Serenity straightened, "Ready the four armies. Be prepared. If something happens to me - if this is an ambush - be prepared for an attack by

both Endymion's army and the Millennial Forces…"

Venus almost shook with concern.

"Please be careful, my Queen," she said finally, bowing.

"I will…"

The sky was swirling with black and red around her. Serenity's heart pounded. Her shuttle had landed her at the foot of the fortress. As per the Dark King's instructions, she'd sent the pilot away.

The Elysion was like a small planet, with its own gravitational pull and sky. Swirls of black and blood-red energy cackled around her. She steeled her gaze.

She was all alone, but she wasn't powerless. She still had her powers.

She was here to negotiate.

She was here to save her people.

The fortress was close by, a massive structure with a large gateway, a huge wooden door standing several stories high.

Her heart raced, but she remained outwardly composed, her gown fluttering softly around her.

The massive wooden door of the Elysion loomed before her, an intimidating barrier. Then, it slowly creeped open.

As she approached the fortress, she heard the huge wooden doors creek open.

She stopped, her heart pounding.

Eight guards marched out, their helmets covering their eyes. They stood in two rows on either side of the path leading from the door.

Serenity felt a bead of sweat trickle down her spine despite the cool evening air. Her legs felt like they could barely hold her weight. The whispers of the wind played with her hair, sending shivers down her spine. She took a deep breath and began to walk, her eyes fixed firmly ahead.

The guards didn't move a muscle, their faces as unreadable as the stone they guarded. They were tall and broad, dressed in black and crimson armor that reflected the eerie light of the swirling sky. Each step she took echoed through the quiet night, sounding like the toll of a funeral bell. She couldn't help but feel like a sacrificial lamb walking to the slaughter.

Then a figure emerged, taller and broader than the rest of them. Her throat felt dry. It was him, the Dark King, King Endymion.

He strode towards her, his crimson cape fluttering in the unnatural breeze, his eyes gleaming like the polished black armor that encased his powerful form. Her gaze took in every inch of him, from the leather boots that clung to his muscular legs to the silver pauldrons that framed his broad shoulders.

He was as handsome as described in the legends, but also just as dangerous. There was something dark and disconcerting about the way he looked at her. Untrustworthy. Savage.

She felt small and vulnerable.

The guards fell back, creating an aisle that led straight to the king. His presence was palpable, the very air seeming to crackle with power.

"I've been waiting for you, Neo-Queen Serenity," he said finally, approaching her.

His voice was like velvet thunder, deep and resonant. It washed over her, sending a feeling of dread through her body.

"Thank you for receiving me, King Endymion," she said, staring up at him, feeling exposed in her queen's gown compared to his armored body towering at least two feet over her, "My kingdom is indebted to you."

He smirked, taking her hand. His touch was firm, and she couldn't ignore the heat that seemed to radiate from him, making her palm tingle with an odd anticipation. He brought her hand to his lips.

"You're as beautiful as I imagined," he said ominously.

She felt the pit in her stomach grow, shrinking as she felt his eyes rake over her body without shame. This was not a mere compliment. It felt more like a threat.

"I'm not a patient man," he said, voice deep and dangerous, "I wish for us to be acquainted."

He let go of her hand and turned around, his back to her.

He spoke to his guard instead of to her.

Dread filled her as he spoke.

"Bring the Neo-Queen to my chambers."

Serenity's eyes widened in shock.

"King Endymion-" she called after him as he started back into his fortress, "I... I wish to meet in a neutral-"

But he had already strode back into his fortress, disappearing into the darkness.

What did he mean? Was he really so bold?

She turned around, looking at the landing where her shuttle had once been. But she was alone now.

"This way, Neo-Queen Serenity," the guard said.

Reluctantly, heart pounding, she followed him. She had to save her kingdom. For the good of her people, she had to negotiate with the Dark King.

Vulnerable and defenseless, she walked into his fortress.

AN: Wrote this in response to a reader's request for a Crystal Tokyo fic. Bit of a half-baked idea so far - please let me know if you'd like me to continue!