Author's Note
Okay you guys. This is my first fan-fiction so bear with me. I am using the Japanese names for everything. I promise Hotaru will be the center of the story but I needed another senshi and I had to introduce her somehow. The Inners and Sailor Moon are not a big part of this story. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please email me at [email protected] and entitle it Fan-Fiction.
Chapter 1: Trouble

Haruka heard the door slam and the light sound of feet running through the house and another door slam with the muffled sound of crying. She looked at Michiru who was sitting across the table, with knowing eyes. Michiru got up from the table and walked out of the room to the second slammed door. She opened it slowly. "Hotaru-chan?" she asked.

Hotaru's tear stained face looked up from her pillow. "Why do they hate me?"

Michiru sat down next to Hotaru and stroked her hair. "Who hates you?"

"The other children at school all stay away from me because of what I am. I know I have been able to tolerate it before, but it's starting to get really bad. I miss Chibi-Usa." Hotaru lapped into silence, tears falling silently down her cheeks.

Michiru sighed. "Hotaru-chan, I don't know. I guess they just don't understand and are afraid to." Michiru squeezed Hotaru's shoulder. She felt Hotaru's body tense and heard Hotaru's sharp intake of breath. She saw a new sensation of pain in her eyes. "Hotaru-chan, what's the matter?"

"Nothing Michiru-mama." Hotaru said quickly.

Michiru pulled her hand away from Hotaru and saw blood on her hand. "Hotaru!" she exclaimed. "You're bleeding. Take off your jacket."

Hotaru sat up. "I can take care of it," she said quietly. She took off her jacket and put her hand to her shoulder and watched as it slowly healed.

Michiru took the jacket from Hotaru. "Here. I'll wash this for you. Why don't you take a nap?"

Hotaru was very drained. She nodded weakly, lay down, and was asleep before Michiru left the room.

Haruka was waiting for Michiru outside the room. "What's wrong with-Michiru-chan! You're bleeding!"

Michiru looked distractedly at her hand. "No. I'm not hurt. Its Hotaru-chan's blood."

Haruka looked at her incredulously. "What?"

"She says the kids at school are getting meaner towards her. I think they're hurting her."

"What?! Just let me catch them!" Haruka was about to run out the door but Michiru caught her. "Hey, take it easy. You know that won't help."

Haruka heaved a frustrated sigh. "I know. But what can we do?"

"What can we do about what?" came a voice. The front door opened and there was Setsuna.

"Oh Setsuna-chan. It's Hotaru-chan and the kids at her school. They're being mean to her again only this time they're hurting her." Michiru stated.

"What do you mean 'hurting her'?" Setsuna asked with worry in her voice.

Michiru quickly went over what had happened earlier. "We don't know what to do. Its just that-" Michiru was cut off by a bright light and the sound of an explosion coming from Hotaru's room. "Hotaru!!" they screamed. Setsuna quickly opened the door and was enveloped by smoke. "Hotaru!" she screamed again. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder. As the smoke cleared, there, amidst the dying wisps, stood Super Sailor Saturn with a fully restored glaive.

"Sailor Saturn?" Setsuna gasped.

"What? What's going on?" The mingled voices of Michiru and Haruka floated into the room.

"Its okay. I'm all right. You can come in." Hotaru told her two guardians.

"How did it happen?" Setsuna asked.

"I don't know. I was having a dream and there was Chibi-Usa. But she wasn't little anymore. She was the queen. She just smiled at me and handed me my glaive back and said, 'You'll need it.' Then she hugged me and left. I touched the glaive and suddenly there was this loud explosion and here I was." Sailor Saturn looked at Setsuna gravely. "Something is going to happen."

Michiru and Haruka looked at each other with worry. Suddenly, Saturn looked exhausted. Setsuna said gently, "You had better power down. It looks like all of this has worn you out." Saturn nodded and soon she was Hotaru. Before she went to bed that night, Setsuna told Hotaru to be careful at school. "You may have enemies there we don't know of."

Hotaru smiled. "Don't worry Setsuna-mama. I'll be fine."

"I hope so."

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*end chapter 1*