Author's Note: This is a bit of a shameless plug... There is a bit of sneak peak at an enemy I have been creating for one of my series, and a lead-up to the 'Cataclysm' that begins Crystal Tokyo.

Crystal Tokyo Gazette
A Love Shots Story

The Truth Behind The Myth
By TL Keene
Crystal Tokyo Gazette

Meeting Neo-Queen Serenity and Neo-King Endymion is an experience no one could ever forget. Recently I was allowed into the Crystal Palace for an interview with the royal family. It was one of the most incredible days of my life.

Expecting a simple sit-down talk, I was pleasantly surprised to first meet Sailor Mercury, who gave me an exclusive tour of the palace, including the rarely seen family wing. From the outside, the palace is an incredible, and rather daunting, edifice. Inside however, it is warm and welcoming. In spite of crystalline floors, walls, and ceilings, the palace boasts beautiful designs and architecture, colorful rugs, and flowers that take your breath away.

Among all the beauty of the palace, you will also find the occasional tricycle, push toy, teddy bear, or doll. While the royal children are well-mannered and proper during state functions, they are happy, delightful creatures behind closed doors. The youngest girl, Kousagi, took to me instantly. I became her favorite toy within moments, and spent much of my time in the palace in her presence.

The interview was interrupted several times as the royal couple kissed skinned knees, tied kite strings, and helped knock down a tower of blocks. I didn't mind in the slightest as it gave me a rare glimpse into the real lives of the people we've chosen as our rulers. I had a list of questions at the ready, but to be honest, once I started asking questions, their answers only gave me more questions to ask, so the interview went rather longer than I had intended.

) O (

T: Thank you so much for letting me interview you.

Neo-Queen Serenity: You're very welcome.

Neo-King Endymion: Of course.

T: So let me start by asking the question everyone wants the answer to. Are you two expecting another child?

Neo-King Endymion: (Laughing) No. We're expecting two. Identical twin boys.

T: Wow! Plans for more?

Neo-Queen Serenity: No. Absolutely not!

Neo-King Endymion: Yes, definitely. (Laughing)

I want to make a note here that the conversation devolved slightly. Apparently this is a bit of a running joke between our King and Queen. He insists only a dozen will be enough, while she says that will only happen if he goes through labor for her. Sailor Mercury informed me that he does, in fact, feel her labor pains, as apparently all the others with Soul-Bonds do.

T: The next big question is about when you first ascended the throne. We all learned about the Cataclysm in school of course, and most of our parents remember it. What do you remember most about that time?

Neo-Queen Serenity: (Sighs) It's still hard to talk about it. We knew something was coming. We had been warned. Unfortunately, no one was able to tell us what it was, or when it would come. We were young adults, newly married with a couple toddlers underfoot, and I guess we figured we still had more time...

Neo-King Endymion: That's an understatement. We were caught off guard. We'd just learned she was pregnant again, and I was excited to tell our friends. Then she went into a sort of trance and suddenly the Senshi and Shitennou were teleporting into our living room. Before we had a chance to really think about what was happening, my wife had to go into a sort of protective mode.

Neo-Queen Serenity: I always thought I would be alone when it happened. I wasn't. Oh, the others were sleeping, but they were with me. I wasn't really in my body anymore. My consciousness was out there (the Queen points up towards the moon) among the stars.

T: Was it as lonely as people say?

Neo-Queen Serenity: Yes. Very lonely. You have to remember, even though the others were around me, they were in a deep sleep. As was the daughter I was carrying. My own body was sleeping, frozen in time just like everyone else.

T: How did you know it was coming?

Neo-Queen Serenity: I didn't. Not really. We only knew that something was going to happen, not what it was, or precisely when. I was completely shocked when the old systems began working. I wasn't even aware when the others appeared to give me their strength. It was automatic. Like an alarm system. It's there, but you don't think about it. I knew about the Net, of course, but it wasn't enough. I had to shift the orbit of the earth, and the moon.

T: I've seen pictures. The moon used to be much farther away, didnt it?

Neo-King Endymion: It was farther away. However, debris clogged the former path the moon took in it's orbit, and the queen was forced to leave it in the closer orbit it has now. We know it has had an effect on the tides, but as you know, the barriers make sure no one is harmed by a great wave.

T: Were you frightened?

Neo-Queen Serenity: (Pauses) Not really. Mostly sad. I knew that we would make it through. I'd been to the future. I guess the hardest part was missing everyone.

T: Switching gears now, what do you think your greatest accomplishment is?

Neo-King Endymion: I would have to say creating an alliance of star systems. We've been able to help so many people. I feel as though we've done great good out there. We get a call if the Creation Crystals are needed. And our children have friends on several different planets, including Kinmoku.

Neo-Queen Serenity: I agree. We've reopened several of the settlements on other planets to give those from destroyed worlds or solar systems a new home. The Children of the Makai on Jupiter. The remnants of Mau on Pluto. And our own people have been able to make it out into space, visiting other worlds. It's given us incredible technology and medicine as well as really teaching us who we are as a people.

T: Why do you say it teaches us who we are as a people?

Neo-Queen Serenity: Three years ago we came across the people of Abosa. That sickness had spread among their people and they were dying. What did the people of our Solar System do? We had doctors and nurses lining up, ready to help. We had volunteers to cook and serve food, even though they had to learn the dietary needs of an entirely different species. Volunteers came from all over, and not just in our Solar System. They came from everywhere. After the Sailor Wars and everything that happened out there all of us learned that we really aren't better off alone. That makes me think we've all grown.

T: That brings up an interesting question. We've all heard that several of the children the Senshi are raising came from worlds destroyed when Galaxia was under the control of Chaos. We now know how many others of those children fell to earth just after the destruction of their planets. I know some of their home worlds have been found in ruins, and others simply seem abandoned. Is there any hope of finding their families?

Neo-King Endymion: The truth is, even after all this time, we don't know. Galaxia has restored as many as she could and is currently working to protect our galaxy from the threat of invaders. We've found no more star seeds in the cauldron that have the ability to be restored. My personal belief is that there are no more to be healed, though I know my wife hopes to find more. But those children have families now. Many of them are grown, and the others are happy. It's all we can ask.

T: The invaders you're talking about. Those are the ones who attacked the planets near the outer edges of our galaxy. Do the people of this solar system need to be worried?

Neo-King Endymion: Short answer. No. Not yet at least. There are dozens of Planetary Protectors working with Galaxia. At the moment they have everything well in hand. And we all know that if it got any worse my wife would step in.

T: That brings me to a question that you've never answered on the record. Who was the worst enemy you've ever faced? Most think it was probably Metalia, or perhaps Galaxia, but I've always had my doubts.

Neo-Queen Serenity: (Stares off into space) Those were difficult battles. Metalia destroyed the Silver Millennium and most of the solar system during the rule of Queen Serenity the 8th. And through her Beryl killed Endymion. Even after we were reborn the greatest threat she posed was in removing him from me. But no, she isn't the greatest threat we've faced. Only the first. And Galaxia was difficult to face because of what happened to Endymion then, being trapped in his Crystal. But in the end, it was neither of those. I have to say the worst enemy we faced was King Diomedes.

Neo-King Endymion: We both had nightmares about it for years. Some of his creations were horrible, but what he did himself... I don't know if you can ever really forget something like that. He twisted everything, and it wasn't just for us. There were people all over the world affected by him.

T: This was shortly after Galaxia was healed, wasn't it?

Neo-King Endymion: It was. We thought everything was going to be quiet until the Cataclysm. It seems as though we were destined to fight almost right up to the very moment the Net went online.

T: Even I want to change the subject. To this day you have all protected your original identities, though there are people who live and work in the Crystal Palace. Have you ever been truly afraid you'd been discovered?

Neo-Queen Serenity: Several times. (laughing) As a matter of fact, in my first year as Sailor Moon my identity was discovered by no less than four people. Thankfully those people all cared about me enough to help me hide it, and they gave me some rather good advice. (looks over to the Royal Advisor, Luna) Basically they said that when I was transformed, I should never let anyone use my real name (laughs again).

T: When you discovered you had powers you were still quite young. The books say anywhere from twelve to eighteen. We're you ever tempted to use them in ways that you weren't supposed to?

Neo-King Endymion: We both did, to a certain extent. I tended to hide in trees and listen to a little blonde I had a crush on (looks at the queen), while she had an item that could change her appearance and once used it to spy on me.

) O (

Unfortunately, after this question there was a report that came in about a group of ambassadors from one of the planets who are not yet part of the Alliance of Stars, and the interview had to be cut short. I said my goodbyes as there was a flurry of activity around Neo-Queen Serenity and Neo-King Endymion. On my way out however, Mercury walked with me and did give me another little tidbit to put on the record.

According to the Senshi of Mercury there will be an Awakening party the likes of which Crystal Tokyo has never seen. As happens every year for the Awakening ceremonies, there will be guests from all over the world who remember that time, but this year we will see the Empress who holds the Jade Dragon Crystal. She is coming back to the Earth for an entire week. Sources say that she has been friends with Sailor Moon since just before the last battle with King Diomedes.

This writer would just like to say thank you to our King and Queen for always protecting your people.