Chapter 8: The Revealment

The next morning Usagi woke to the alarm's beeping in Mamoru's arms. Mamoru grumbled and shut it off in his sleep. They were both facing each other and completely naked but Usagi didn't care. Mamoru mumbled in his sleep again as he buried his face in her hair, wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her up against him. She could feel his whole front, from collarbone to knees pressing against her. Reaching up, Usagi buried her slim fingers in his silky sable hair and brought his head down for a kiss.

Mamoru awoke to the kiss of his lover. After savoring it he pulled away slowly and rose to a sitting position.

"Good morning to you too, Usako." He said as she sat up and stretched her back and shoulders out slowly. "You know, if you don't stop that, I'll be tempted to do something about it." He commented mildly, gesturing to the position of her body

"Oh, sorry Mamo-chan, I forgot that I was naked. But as for the temptation I so cruelly set upon you…" Usagi said as she reached forward quickly and tickled his ribs and waist. He shrank back laughing. Usagi grinned, jumped out of bed and headed towards the shower.

"Cheater!" Mamoru accused as he quickly got up and followed her. Somewhat later they emerged from the bedroom fully dressed and groomed and ate breakfast.

"We two will stay here to watch the store and film the news." Artemis stated as he and Luna changed to human form.

"Okay it's 9:45 and I feel them coming up here," Usagi said, her eyes closed. Mamoru and she went out into the hall to greet them.

"Inside everyone and we will get started." Mamoru said, shooing them though the door. Once the door was shut, Helios appeared out of thin air.

"Everyone…henshin!" Usagi said, remembering all the times she had said that phrase. Clasping hands with Mamoru, the two lovers transformed into Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion.

"Mercury Crystal Power..."

"Venus Crystal Power..."

"Mars Crystal Power..."

"Jupiter Crystal Power..."

"Saturn Crystal Power..."

"Uranus Crystal Power..."

"Neptune Crystal Power..."

"Pluto Crystal Power..."

(All) "MAKE-UP!" The room was briefly filled with multicolored lights. Then the Eternal Senshi of the Sol System all turned to their princess and prince (I know it's supposed to be 'prince and princess' but their main leader is the princess, not the prince) and bowed slightly. Next Sho, Kiyoshi, Ryuu and Isamu each pulled from his neck a miniature (as in very small, thin links) chain necklace. On each necklace hung a mineral about an inch by a 1½-inch by a ¼ inch in size (the minerals were zoicite, kunzite jadeite, and nephrite) that each man gripped in his right hand as he would grip a sword hilt. Holding the chain in his other hand (that was right beside the other hand), each of the four raised their hands up to nose level, and, holding it in a position that would have the blade parallel to the ground if they had swords in their hands, pulled their right hand down and slightly to the right. The mineral elongated into a titanium and diamond alloy blade with black hilts that had pommel nuts of the same mineral (AN: kunzite for Kunzite, Etc.), while the chain disappeared. As their swords simultaneously lined up in front of their right legs, they smoothly brought the swords up to the right in an arc that carried the swords and their arms up to a parallel position to the floor. The Shitennou then swiftly turned the tips of their swords towards their sheaths, which had formed over their left hips (similar to Endy's) and smoothly sheathed their blades. As they completed this maneuver in unison, the four morphed into their Shitennou uniforms. Endymion nodded and everyone turned to face Nori and Takashi. Takashi raised his right hand and wrote a rune (the Saturn symbol) in the air in front of him with a sparkly dark violet magic (which looked like sparkling dust or powder), closed his silver eyes, and crossed his arms over his chest in an 'X' (with his fists clenched). The rune became a miniature whirlwind that surrounded Takashi with dark violet power. Protector Shadow opened his eyes after the transformation was complete. Nori did the same, but he drew a black rune (the Pluto symbol) and was surrounded by a black whirlwind. Protector Chronos opened his eyes and they were ready. Endymion stuck his head out the door, saw that the coast was clear, and signaled everyone to follow him to the elevator.

"I propped the elevator door open so that we would not have to wait for one or worry about anyone being in it." Mercury said, removing the brick that was on the door rails.

"Always the clever one," Serenity said fondly, smiling at her. Helios got in first and stood by the control panel as everyone else, in pairs, filed in, the royal couple last. Once the doors closed Helios bent down to press the rooftop button. The elevator announced their arrival with a ding and the door slid back to reveal the wide-open sky. Everyone filed out quickly. Helios then called Pegasus (AN: Pegasus doesn't have a horn either). After Pegasus landed and folded his great white wings, Helios closed his gold eyes and concentrated. A chariot with delicately wrought silver wheels and rose etched silver front appeared. Pegasus trotted up to Helios, wearing a light harness and hackamore. Helios connected the harness to the chariot and mounted Pegasus. Grabbing the reins, Helios looked at Endymion and nodded his head towards the chariot. Endymion easily stepped on and handed Serenity up. With Serenity to his right, the prince wrapped his right arm about her waist and grabbed the hand bar with his left hand. Serenity placed her right hand on the hand bar, wrapped her left arm around Endymion's waist and leaned against him. Finished and secure, the couple glanced at the Shitennou and two protectors. As one, the Shitennou, made their white capes disappear and summoned bat wings that matched their hair color. The Protectors banished their capes and sprouted either black or deep violet bat wings, and the Senshi sprouted their cloud white angel wings.

"Okay, let's go," Uranus said, launching herself joyfully into the air (for she was the senshi of the sky and loved flying the most) as the rest followed. Once in the air the warriors formed a sphere around the royal couple and set off.

"Look it's a news helicopter." A begoggled Mercury said, pointing to the dot.

"Well, they know we're coming. Let's drop down and fly quickly to INN." Serenity replied as everyone complied. Serenity giggled as they flew above the street, seeing people stop and stare at them. Coming up to the INN building, the senshi, Shitennou, and Protectors dove to create a safe place to land and a barrier against the people that were boiling out of the building like angry ants. Once on the ground they banished their wings and gestured for the royals to land. Which they did, smoothly and quickly. Dismounting gracefully, Serenity and Endymion thanked Helios and Pegasus. Helios nodded his head, Pegasus neighed and the two of them disappeared, along with the chariot.

"Well, here we go," Endymion muttered as the warriors formed a double line to the entrance of the building.

After a remarkably short time all sixteen of them were seated in the largest interview room.

"Thank you for coming, all of you. But where are Eternal Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen?" Naomi (Naomi means "honest beauty" in Japanese, see if you can't guess where I got my pen name from, hehe) Li, the hostess asked politely.

"We're right here." Endymion replied as he and Serenity briefly transformed into their battle forms (Eternal Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen) and back again.

"I am Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom and this is my fiancé Prince Endymion of the Earth Kingdom." The others took the hint and introduced themselves, the senshi also giving their royal name and briefly reverting to their royal forms, and stated their positions. The questions and answers continued briskly, going from their powers and past to the changes in their fukus. Naomi once asked for a demonstration of their powers but Serenity said

"That wouldn't be a wise thing to do inside this room, Li-san."

"Oh, well, then why don't you tell us about this 'Silver Crystal" that you are rumored to possess?" And the questions continued until Naomi asked:

"What about your civilian identities? You obviously have them." All of the warriors jerked and looked at their Princess and Prince.

"Should we reveal ourselves Endymion?" Serenity asked quietly.

"I'm not sure, love. I don't have any immediate family that would be affected, but you and the others…"

"Do you think it's safe to? Not only from enemies, but from newsies and other people?"

"This is your decision, and we can always call on diplomatic privacy for ourselves and our friends and family. And they do have a right to know."

"You're right my love. I'll go first." Knowing that they might be asked this (and seeing as it was June and almost the end of the school year) the girls had dressed in simple spaghetti-strap sundresses in the pastel of their senshi color (the color of their skirt under ruffle), Usagi's was white. The men had dressed in black casual slacks and pastel versions of their colors (Mamoru-white Sho-blue, Kiyoshi-yellow, Ryuu-red, Isamu-green, Takashi-violet, and Nori -gray). With a sigh of her white silk-like mooncloth skirts, Serenity gracefully rose from her seat. Taking a deep breath, she faced the camera, closed her sapphire orbs and concentrated. Her dress faded away like mist in the morning sun, revealing her pure form (naked with all of her body curves, but no nipples, lower body hair or flesh detail) as in the manga (AN: nakedness to me symbolizes purity, for Adam and Eve were naked before they sinned), before her cloud white sundress faded into view and her crescent moon slowly faded away. Reopening her eyes, Usagi said quietly but clearly, "I am Tsukino Usagi, 16 years old, 10th grade at Juuban High School." Finished speaking, Usagi sank back down into her seat beside Endymion. He gave her shoulders a squeeze then stood up and de-henshined.

"I am Chiba Mamoru, 19 years old, freshman at KO University."

"I am Mizuno Ami, 16 years old, 10th grade at Juuban High School."

"I am Aino Minako, 16 years old, 10th grade at Juuban High School."

"I am Hino Rei, 16 years old, 10th grade at TA Girls Academy."

"I am Kino Makoto, 16 years old, 10th grade at Juuban High School."

"I am Tomoe Hotaru, 15 years old (AN: physically at least), 9th grade, home schooled."

"I am Tenoh, Haruka, 17 years old, 11th grade at Juuban High School."

"I am Kaioh Michiru, 17 years old, 11th grade at Juuban High School."

"I am Meioh Setsuna, 20 years old (AN: physically), sophomore at KO University."

"I am Mizuoh Sho, 19 years old, freshman at KO University."

"I am Aioh Kiyoshi, 19 years old, freshman at KO University."

"I am Hioh Ryuu, 19 years old, freshman at KO University."

"I am Kioh Isamu, 19 years old, freshman at KO University."

"I am Hogosha Takashi, 16 years old, 10th grade at Juuban High School."

"And I am Kara Nori, 21 years old, junior at KO University." After everyone sat back down, Usagi took a shaky breath and asked,

"Are there any other questions you would like to us to answer?"

"Oh yes. We have seen you fighting monsters and the like over the past two or three years and some really…abnormal things have occurred. Could you explain them?" Naomi asked quickly. As Usagi answered the question, her face slowly lost its paleness that it had acquired during the revealing.

"Will you show the public your Silver Crystal, Princess?" Naomi asked. Instead of answering directly, Usagi, without henshining, bowed her head, closed her eyes and placed her hands over the spot where her brooch normally rested (i.e. in between and slightly above her breasts). Slowly but steadily, a silver-white light formed beneath her overlapped hands. Opening her eyes and bringing her head up to face the camera, Usagi drew her still overlapped hands down in front of her, revealing the lotus shaped Crystal of legend that rested in her delicate palms. A collective gasp circled the room as the people in it saw the awesome (and by awesome I mean awe inspiring) beauty and light that radiated from the crystal. Then the Silver Crystal faded back into Usagi's body. Naomi was the first one to break the silence, asking about their individual talismans (including the inners; mercury harp etc.)

"These are all the questions we will answer. And as the royalty of the Sol System," all the warriors rose and took on their royal forms, "We ask and demand that NO ONE hound or even seek out us for interviews and the like, bother our families and friends in anyway that THEY define as bothersome, and do not hinder us in anyway, shape or form. If any of our family or friends wishes to talk to the public, they will come forward." Princess Serenity commanded, staring straight into the camera. "There will be…punishment for anyone who disobeys this order." Endymion came up to stand beside his love. "Thank you for your hospitality Naomi. We will be leaving now."

"Oh, shall I show you out?" Naomi asked, rising from her chair.

"No thank you. We are going to destroy two youmas with one blast. You wanted to see a demonstration of our powers, correct?" at Naomi's nod, Endymion continued, "We will show the viewers 'Sailor Teleport' and also leave without having to deal with the people outside." The girls henshined again, closed their eyes and concentrated, while the men (back in battle modes, i.e. Shitennou and Protectors), Prince and Princess lent their strength. Once each couple was surrounded by their energy glow (in their Senshi colors) the Senshi and Serenity spoke in unison:

"Sailor Teleport!" and vanished into thin air, as everyone in the studio stared.