The Dawn of Serenity

                             Author’s Notes

	 
Question and Answer time! Yay!

How did you come up with the idea for this story?

	-Just incase no one was paying attention to my small author’s 
notes in Chapter 11 (which they probably weren’t because they were just
SO into the story, right?) this whole story came from a quote by Ami 
in the first arc of the manga. “Look you guys, the city is packed with 
ice!” I soon formed the incredible connection of Beryl, ice, Great 
Freeze, ice, ZOMG! And then from there, epic history was made. It’s 
not the most splendid and fantastic story of creativity, but, it got 
the job done.

There are a lot of plot twists, did you think of them all at the 
beginning?

	-I want to say yes to make myself look awesome and uber crafty,
but no, I didn’t. Some things were planned from the very beginning. 
Like Pluto’s story, but in a crazy way. As I was creating new power 
sets for everyone I had the most trouble with coming up for something 
for Minako and Setsuna. In the end I couldn’t think of anything awesome
for our friendly time senshi, so I was left thinking, “What am I going 
to do with her?” Being away and secretive she had no need to use her 
new power so thus, my major plot twist was formed. (If you have a good 
idea for a new Pluto power, be my guest. I may use it in the next story. 
;)

	Making a fake Minako was definitely not planned from the 
beginning. I reached the end of the first part and basically didn’t
know what the heck I was going to do. There was some goal I wanted to 
reach but I wasn’t sure how to get there. Which is BAD WRITING, so 
don’t do that. I also didn’t plan for Artemis, Luna and Helios to be 
the Leaders of Serenitas. I was going to make them original characters,
but while I was trying to find awesome names it just hit me-duh! So 
basically, the story was equal parts utter luck and endless research. 
How did I ever finish this?

How did you? This story is long!

	-I can’t believe it’s been over a year since this started. I 
came back from classes today and just sat down, realizing I didn’t have
a massive epic to finish anymore. It was the weirdest feeling ever. I 
feel like I should be writing, but it’s finished! Although there are 
many chapters they are not excessively long. I tried to keep the story 
in a fast-paced, balanced speed so no one would get bored and proper 
things needed to be say and done. But basically this story is done 
because I loved it so much, and I had an awesome support system to keep
me motivated. 

Many people have said they liked your OC’s. How did you manage to do 
that?

	-I can answer honestly that I have no idea. Even if I did I 
might not tell you, or sell it at a price to be discussed later. I’m 
sure plenty of people were not pleased with my original characters, but
they opened up a new world from a view that wouldn’t be seen by the 
main characters, who were handicapped in many different ways at the 
time. I think they all had easily relatable personalities, and who 
could honestly hate Shing? Best kid ever. 

Was Shing, Shingo?

	-I hadn’t even thought about this possibility until someone brought 
it up. But no, Shing is only Shing. Shing is actually a more stable and 
completely less psycho version of Shinji from Evangelion. I watched it 
while I was making the second part, and I’m sure its dark influence 
can be seen. No one was reincarnated in this story, but I just made 
it seem like that way for awhile. The other OC’s…Ben and Aleksei 
aren’t really based upon anyone. Irinushka was a mix of Makoto and 
Rei and Katarina was, of course, Minako’s double. But did they 
truly have the same personalities? We may never know. Or we may, 
if I decide to write a small piece on Katarina someday. 

They have some unique names. Besides Ben.

	-I actually had a method to naming all my OC characters. Me? A 
method? I know. When I decided to name them I realized that it would 
be easy for Beryl to find slaves near her before they were too frozen 
to be saved. So, all of my OC’s have Russian, Chinese or Japanese names
as a result. Except, of course, for Ben. I had to throw an American 
name in there because well, we’re noisy and everywhere right? That 
method fit in real nice when it came to naming Minako’s double 
Katarina. Sometimes I know what I’m doing… sometimes I just get lucky.

Why didn’t you follow that picture of the Senshi and Shitennou? How 
dare you!!

	-I’m not a real big pusher of the 10-some Miracle Romance with 
the Senshi and Shitennou plus Usagi and Mamoru. That’s ten right? I 
hate math. I don’t believe in the Setsuna/Mamoru romance either, but I 
don’t deny the possibilities with such scenes in the manga hinting at 
something that could possibly be there. I touched on the different 
romances, but also gave it some new life and switched them up a little 
with Nephrite and Rei having some kind of relationship in the past. 
Angel Electric is solely responsible for me thinking they could have 
some chemistry at all, by the way.

	The others, besides Minako and Kunzite, I did not intend to 
make their relationships romantic in any way, however. I let you think 
what you wanted about them, but it was not my intention to have all of 
them together. I mean seriously, Makoto and Jadeite would make a 
horrible couple. I mean WOW. It also seems unrealistic 10 people would
magically fall in love, even in the Sailor Moon universe, but they 
could be friends. I do think Ami and Zoicite would make excellent 
friends, and perhaps even Jadeite and Makoto would have some sort of 
crazy allegiance. It was fun to play around with them.

Speaking of romance, what the heck was up with this Danburite/Adonis 
character?

	-If you have not read the Sailor V manga, or never heard a 
summary of it, Danburite is a main villain in it. Minako has somewhat 
of a romantic involvement with him, and it is found out that he was 
once Adonis, a soldier in Venus’ army who joined forces with Earth to 
fight evil. He apparently had some sort of obsession with her, as well.
He became ensnared by that evil and became a henchman under the lovely 
Shitennou, getting his new name- Danburite. At the end of the Sailor V 
manga, he gives her an Ace of Hearts and tells her, her love will be 
hopeless forever. Having him give her the same card in the end 
symbolized her curse being lifted, and may or may not been a redeemable
deed by the crazy, annoying man.

So buddy, what’s next?

	The Dawn of Serenity answered a lot of questions, but it also 
raised some what ifs, at least to me and I’m sure to others. What 
happened between Pluto and Endymion, if anything at all? What happened 
that destroyed Mars in Rei’s vision? What the heck was up with Nephrite
and Rei anyways? How were the Black Moons involved in the past? Well, 
I hope you can see where this is going. My next project will be in 
connection with this story’s timeline, and will deal with the Silver 
Millennium’s creation and fall. After that, I have two other stories 
that will be interconnected with The Dawn of Serenity already planned 
as well, but you can’t know about those yet. I obviously love 
suspense…get used to it. My story, Savéol, is also connected, and I 
plan on making a few one-shots also. It is only the beginning!

I’ve left comments about certain things at the end of certain chapters,
so if you’re curious about other things I’m sure you can find the 
answers in my brief notes. If you can’t find the answers, then there’s
always email!

+

	I would like to thank all those that inspired and supported me 
through this story. Firstly, my fabulous editor Loki, who put up with 
my general crazyness and has helped me become a better writer. You’re 
truly a great friend and a great master of the written word and this 
story wouldn’t be as great without your lovely and needed help. Get 
editors/betas people! I’d also like to thank Araya for annoying me 
constantly. Without her, a lot of chapters would have come out later 
than they did. Thanks for being pushy and supportive, and helping me 
when I needed it! But seriously, can I have a break for awhile?

	And thanks to all those reviewers that left me constant and 
awesome reviews. They always inspired me to write faster and better, 
as well. I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I did!