1. Yah, the usual. I don't own Sailor Moon. And I'm definitely not making any money off of this.
2. Japanese names here, except for some non-Japanese characters of my own invention. Also, I use "Black Crystal," "Silver Crystal," and "Tuxedo Mask" instead of the Japanese names. This is in accordance with the Rule of Schmeerps, which goes roughly like this: If it looks like a rabbit, acts like a rabbit, and tastes like a rabbit, it's a rabbit. Don't confuse the issue by calling it a "schmeerp" just because it happens to be on another planet. "Black Crystal," "Silver Crystal," and "Tuxedo Mask" are descriptive and easy to understand.
3. Chapter 1 of Book 1 also appears on my site (and elsewhere) as the short story "Vigil," so if it seems familiar, that's why. Other portions, particularly in the Silver Millennium arc, may seem familiar if you've read my other stories, especially "The Life That Awaits" and "Sanctuary." I'll admit, I steal shamelessly from myself. So did Bach and Mozart. I really like the bits that I've re-used, and wanted to get the best use out of them.
4. This story is deeply rooted in my own personal religious beliefs. However, this is a piece of fiction, not a religious tract, so some things have been fudged, blurred, or otherwise changed around a bit. Of particular importance is the belief that everyone on earth existed as unique, individual spirits prior to birth and that we continue to exist as unique individuals after death. I don't believe in reincarnation, but it's such an integral part of the Sailor Moon universe I've kept it in the story. A warning: if you refuse to consider the possibility of a higher creative intelligence, even for the time it takes to read a novel, you're going to have a hard time with this story.
5. This story gets rather more limish than my other writings, though I've still stayed within my guideline against explicit sex. That and the violence rates this story a solid "R" rating.
6. I've exercised some artistic license and fudged a few minor points of the Sailor Moon story. Well, besides the fact that Nephrite doesn't die when Zoisite sends his youma after him. Also, I've ventured into Crystal Tokyo, which I'm not real familiar with. I've sort of slid my Crystal Tokyo arc into the early years of that era, before all the trouble with the Black Moon Family starts.
7. I'm far from an expert on Japanese culture and society, but I've done a little bit of research, and I've tried to get the spirit right, if not all the details, particularly in areas such as the educational system, weddings, and funerals.
A big thanks to dalles, the Goddess of Graphics, the Diva of Photoshop, for the spiffy graphics and banners.
Thanks to my e-pals (you know who you are ~.^) for putting up with me dropping hints whenever I got so excited about this thing I couldn't contain myself any more.
Thanks to my husband for his patience, which goodness knows I've been stretching very thin. That man puts up with a lot.
Thanks to my husband and my parents for teaching me about happy, loving marriages, and to my sons for providing the inspiration for Hoshiko's personality.
And finally, thanks to my muses, Nephrite and Naru, who never once abandoned me during this project.
