Author Note: Yay! Beautiful reviewers, beautiful reviews! I'll have a shout out list at the end of the chapter ^_^ *sniffle* I feel so special! Anyway…I'm adding something new to the polls!
Okay then, the poll results so far are:
Hotaru/Legolas = 9
Hotaru/Aragorn = 1
Hotaru/Boromir = 2
Hotaru/Sam = 1
Hotaru/Made-up = 1
Hotaru/Frodo = 1
We can obviously see who's winning ^_^. But, since everyone has been so wonderful with their reviews…my new addition to the polls will be for a love triangle or a love hexagon or whatever. So, if you want it to be a love-triangly story then vote for it AND include who you want the triangle with…for example: Legolas/Hotaru/Frodo. Or Legolas/Hotaru/Sam/Frodo/Aragorn/Boromir (Like one of those fics that she has all the guys attention). Or something, whatever you guys want! So, you may go and read chapter two of my story! Have fun and enjoy.
Ages:
(I'm sticking closer to the movie with this part…I mean…who would want Frodo to be 50 years old with a pot belly? …Not me. So yeah.)
Hotaru: 18
Legolas: and the prince of Mirkwood is 2390 (Thank you, Me for telling me that. That sounds weird. lol) He looks to be in his early 20s. (I'm sticking to the movie about how he looks you heard my reasons in chapter one.)
Frodo: 23
Peregrin (Pippin): 24
Samwise (Sam): 23
Meredoc (Merry): 24
Gandalf: …old.
Boromir: 28
Aragorn: 29
Gimli: 33
The others are all around the same age except the grown-ups and the elfs.
Hotaru Goes to Middle Earth
Chapter Two
By:
Vale (Saturn Angels)
Last time…
"But…why Setsuna? I thought she was happy here, with us! Where will she go? Where will she go if she is not to be reborn here? Setsuna? Where?"
Setsuna shook her head slightly, "Honestly Haruka…" she sighed in melancholy, "I honestly do not know."
~*~*~*~*~
This time….
Hotaru sighed slightly her right hand twitching slightly as she began to wake up. This fact of course confused her as she was supposed to be dead. Maybe she was in heaven. Or hell. Though she hardly thought that her life would be allowed to end so that ruled out both heaven and hell. She could be in a hospital barely breathing, though that too was unlikely, as she felt perfectly healthy. Maybe she went in a coma for a year or so therefore was completely healed? She sighed heavily, no that wasn't it either she would just have to open her eyes and find out exactly where she was.
She opened her eyes slowly as they felt a bit heavy…like she had been sleeping for a while and was still tired. She quickly awoke completely though as she opened her eyes and sunlight practically blinded her. She raised her right arm so it cast shade over her eyes although she still had to squint to see her surroundings without being temporarily blinded. It seemed as if she were in some strange little village, honestly a little village. She slowly got to her feet and looked around a bit more, it seemed like a normal village…for small people. She felt a bit like Snow White finding the seven dwarfs home. Everything was much smaller then a normal city, the houses that were there, one being built inside a hill, seemed like houses for children. She suspected she could fit in them easily enough…if need be. (Author Note: She's about a foot and a couple of inches taller then the Hobbits. Plus, Gandalf could fit inside and he's taller then her.)
It was a quaint little town, whoever lived there seemed to not care much for politics and things like that. It seemed peaceful enough though, like one of those towns where everyone knows one another. It was then that it came to her attention that she did get in a car accident, and of course if she were found in a town like this all bloodied and bruised…well it could cause some commotion. She looked down at her clothing-she was still wearing what she had been to the party: denim flares with two black belts that crisscrossed, a baby blue halter-top, black combat boots that went up to just below her knee, and a black long coat. The only odd thing about what she was wearing was there weren't any tears, or traces of blood on it. She examined her skin closely looking for any small scratches or any wounds at all, but found none. "Oh great. Maybe I'm a ghost and this is the future or something…" she muttered as she began walking around a bit, "There doesn't seem to be anyone outside right now…where am I?" she asked no one in particular as she looked around for any people.
While she was about to walk close to a small clearing she could hear people gossiping, and just laughing and talking. She quickly dug around in her subspace pocket gripping her henshin wand readily incase anything should happen so that she would need it. She paused hiding behind a large oak tree as she viewed what the people were doing. She gasped as she saw that the people looked more like, well…children. Yet they had the faces of adults, some had very old looking faces. She furrowed her eyebrows as she also noticed that they all had bare feet. She looked closely and had to blink and rub her eyes a few times to make sure what she saw was true. They all had…well hairy feet, even the women. They all had curled hair; the hair was curled on their feet as well as on their heads. It was then that she looked away from the people to look at what they were doing. It seemed as if they were getting ready for some huge celebration.
Two of the men put up a banner that read, "Happy Birthday, Bilbo Baggins."
Hotaru shook her head slightly wondering what kind of a name was Bilbo Baggins. 'who in their right mind would name their child Bilbo?' she thought quietly. It was then that she noticed a group of people heading her way she quickly scrambled up the tree careful not to be seen until she had known more about these people. She watched quietly trying not to make a sound as they walked ever closer. Then to her disappointment they stopped right underneath the large oak, which she was hiding on, to chat.
"A very nice well-spoken gentlehobbit is Mr. Bilbo, as I've always said," one man said, they all looked to be a bit older then the ones who were standing and chatting in the fields.
'What is a gentlehobbit? Is that what these people are called or something? Or is it just a word they created or something?' Hotaru wondered still being careful not to make any noise, sure she didn't think it was right to eavesdrop but she had no other choice.
"But what about this Frodo that lives with him?" asked another, "Baggins is his name, but he's more then half a Brandybuck, they say. It beats me why any Baggins of Hobbiton should go looking for a wife there in Buckland, where folks are so queer."
Hotaru blinked in confusion, 'Baggins…that was the name on the banner. So it must be some well-respected family here or something. Hobbiton must be the town I'm at…and I'm guessing Brandybucks are some other family in a different town which isn't very well liked here. Though I've never heard of it…and Frodo, who would name their child Frodo? Most likely the same one that named Bilbo…, must be half Baggins and half Brandybuck or something'
"And no wonder they're queer," said yet another one, "If they live on the wrong side of the Brandywine River, and right agin the Old Forest. That's a dark bad place, if half the tales be true."
'Brandywine River?' Hotaru wondered growing more confused and frustrated by what the strange people were talking about, 'Exactly where am I? And what is it with them and alcohol? Brandywine River, Brandybuck…It's a great place to be after a car accident with a drunk driver, isn't it?' she thought bitterly as fate seemed to mock her no matter where she went.
"You're right, Dad!" said the first one who had spoken, "Not that the Brandybucks of Buckland live in the Old Forest; but they're a queer breed, seemingly. They fool about with boats on that big river…and that isn't natural. Small wonder that trouble came of it, I say. But be that as it may, Mr. Frodo is as nice a young hobbit as you could wish to meet. Very much like Mr. Bilbo, and in more than looks. After all his father was a Baggins. A descent respectable hobbit was Mr. Drogo; there was never much to tell of him, till he was drowned."
"Drowned?" asked several voices in unison.
"Well, so they say," the first said. "Though I'll need some food and drink to be able to tell you the story-my throat has gotten dry."
It was then that finally the people all began walking further down the road and Hotaru could faintly hear them asking questions. One statement caught her ear though which was, 'I hear there are going to be fireworks at the party! Fireworks!'
"Hmm…this is a strange town with a lot of gossip." Hotaru noted as she brushed off her pants which had gotten a bit dusty in her descent to the tree branches, "Where am I? I feel as if I've strayed into a dream of some sort. Hobbits, brandy, parties, rivers, good hobbits, strange hobbits, drowned people, fireworks being a rare thing, short people with hairy feet…it's all very confusing!" she said extremely frustrated as she stamped her foot in a childish manner.
It was then that loud laughing and excitement caught her attention and she turned to locate where the noise was coming from, what she saw seemed…slightly strange, then again everything else was so let's add more confusion to Hotaru's head. There were a bunch of children--which looked normal enough apart from their feet- running after a cart that was driven by an old man who, to Hotaru's delight, was normal size. The old man was dressed…a bit strangely though. He wore a tall pointed hat, a long gray cloak, and a silver scarf. He had a long white beard and bushy eyebrows. She decided to follow the cart as well, maybe get some answers from the only seemingly normal person in the village. But how would she follow the cart without anyone seeing her? 'Oh screw it.' She thought frowning, 'If they see me and attack me or something I'll just henshin into Sailor Saturn and protect myself. They didn't seem to be angry about the old guy's presence…' so she gripped her henshin wand and ran after the cart. As soon as the children saw her they stopped and looked at her curiously whispering forgetting completely about the old man in his cart. Hotaru stopped when the old man stopped his cart and walked through the gate which had a little sign that said, 'No Admittance except on Party Business.' She guessed he was the one who brought the fireworks or something and that was why the children seemed to be so excited. She thought it wouldn't be right to walk in following the wizard without permission or anything so she went around to the side quickly and quietly to where she could sit comfortably underneath the windowsill without being seen, noting that the person…or hobbit whoever lived there had a nice garden. Sure, it wasn't anymore right to eavesdrop then it was to walk into someone's house without permission but she needed to find out as much as she could about this strange place.
"How bright your garden looks!" exclaimed one of the men from inside, she guessed it was the guy with the pointy hat since he didn't live there.
"Yes. I am very fond indeed of it, and all of the dear old Shire; but I think I need a holiday." The homeowner said.
'No! More confusion! I thought this was Hobbiton? But he just called it the Shire!' Hotaru thought furrowing her eyebrows.
"You mean to go on with your plan then?" the guy with the cart asked.
"I do. I made up my mind months ago, and I haven't changed it." The guy living there replied.
"Very well Bilbo. It is no good saying anymore. Stick to your plan-your whole plan mind- and I hope it will turn out for the best, for you, and for all of us."
"I hope so, Gandalf. Anyway I mean to enjoy myself on Thursday, and have my little joke."
"Who will laugh, I wonder?" said Gandalf.
"We shall see, tonight when the fun begins." Bilbo replied.
Hotaru blinked slightly, all she had really learned from their conversation was unimportant stuff, so she thought. All she had learned was that the guy with the pointy hat and the cart was named Gandalf. And the guy who owned the home in the hill was the one who was going to have his party seemingly starting that night. Sure she wasn't invited but that wouldn't stop her from going. (A/N: What? Do look at me like that! I don't want to have her running around in Hobbiton secretly for days until the party starts so sue me.)
~*That Night*~
Hotaru walked to the field where the party, by the looks of it, was being held. There was a large pavilion, so large that a tree actually fit in it and on it hung a bunch of lanterns, she was just about to pass the gate when she noticed a hobbit, Bilbo, stand there with a smile greeting everyone. When she was about to pass he looked up at her curiously and inquired who she was.
"A…friend of Gandalf's." she said trying to sound convincing.
He obviously accepted this answer and gave her a present an opened the gate for her.
"It's someone's birthday and we get presents? Wow. I like this place already." she said with a small smile. After about half an hour or so and everyone was inside, there were songs, dancing, music, games, food, and drink. Hotaru was having a lot of fun even if she was just sitting and watching the people have fun, the people or hobbits had welcomed her presence most saying the more the merrier and very merry it was.
Then the fireworks started, Hotaru had seen fireworks before so wasn't as excited as the other people who all stopped what they were doing to watch Gandalf begin the fireworks. After he sent up the first one Hotaru was astonished and soon became as excited as everyone else at the beauty and uniqueness of the fireworks. She had never before seen anything like it. The first was of rockets. The second looked like green trees with trunks of dark smoke, then the leaves opened and their shimmering branches dropped glowing flowers down upon the astonished people and when the flowers vanished a sweet scent replaced them. 'It has to be magic' Hotaru thought as she smelled the air. The next that Gandalf did was of a group of butterflies that danced around the children before flittering up into the treetops where they disappeared. Then there were a bunch of pillars of fire that turned into eagles, or ships, or swans. Hotaru was clapping and cheering along with all of the other guests. Then Gandalf went to go and start more simple fireworks for the children who were jumping around excitedly as the others went to eat.
Hotaru was a bit disappointed as that meant there were to be no more grand fireworks. Maybe she could request some from him later or something. It was when she stood up that she noticed two hobbit-boys seemingly not much older then herself up to mischief. One heaved the other into Gandalf's cart, where he had all of his fireworks stored in, and the one in the cart searched around for a firework to start. The one in the cart held one up and the other shook his head no and pointed at a different one. The one in the cart held another up and the one standing on the ground nodded. It seemed to be a big firework but she wasn't so sure that they knew how to fire it properly. And she seemed to be right as they ran inside one of the tents and could hear a bit of the conversation.
"There I lit it."
"It's supposed to be in the ground!"
"It is in the ground."
"Outside!"
"This was your idea!"
Then suddenly the firework went up, bringing the top of the tent with it, which fell in the firework's descent upwards, and the firework went up in smoke, which morphed into a mountain which began spewing green and scarlet sparks designed to look like flames. Then out came a red-gold dragon from the mountain, which looked extremely life-like, fire came from it's jaws and his eyes glared down at the people, there was a loud roar and the dragon whizzed three times over the crowd causing many to fall over onto their faces. The dragon passed once more and did a somersault then burst over the field with a deafening explosion.
Everyone began clapping wildly and Bilbo stood up, "That was the signal for supper." He said a bit confused as it wasn't supposed to happen right at that moment but the people seemed to be even more delighted and all jumped from their places and ran to their tables. All except the two who lit the firework…who Gandalf grabbed by the ear and made them wash dishes for the night. After everyone had eaten, minus Hotaru who wasn't at all hungry Bilbo went up for a speech. To which everyone began chanting, 'Hear, hear, hear'
Bilbo stood on a chair underneath the large tree one hand in his waistcoat pocket the other in the air signaling for silence so he could continue his speech. The crowd soon quieted and Bilbo began, "My dear Bagginses and Boffins, and my dear Tooks, and Brandybucks. And Grubbs, and Chubbs, Brockhouses and Proudfoots."
"Proudfeet!" shouted one of the Proudfoots from the back of the pavilion whose feet were exceptionally large and hairy.
"Proudfoots," continued Bilbo, "Also my good Sackville-Bagginses that I welcome back at last to Bag-End.
'Another name to call the place.' Hotaru thought shaking her head slightly as Bilbo continued his speech.
"Today is my one hundred and eleventh birthday! I am eleventy-one today!"
The people cheered and pounded on the table joyously.
"I hope you are all enjoying yourselves as much as I am!"
Cries of yes (and no) and then people began dancing and the orchestra playing as if it were the end of his speech.
Bilbo grabbed a horn from one of the younger hobbits and blew it three times until the noise subsided, "I shall not keep you long" he cried, there were loud cheers from the assembly, "I have called you all together for a purpose!" Everyone quieted and watched Bilbo curiously now paying attention, "Indeed for three purposes. My first purpose is to tell you that I am immensely fond you all, and that eleventy-one years is too short a time to live amongst such admirable hobbits." There were tremendous outbursts of approval, "I don't know half of you as well as I should like; and I like less then half of you as well as you deserve."
There was some scattered clapping, but most were trying to figure out if it was a compliment or not. Hotaru sweatdropped slightly as she seemed to be the only one who got it, she giggled a bit but no one seemed to notice.
"Secondly to celebrate my birthday. Or should I say OUR birthday as it is also the birthday of my heir and nephew Frodo. He turns 23 today." More cheers and clapping, "Third and finally I wish to make an ANNOUNCEMENT"
He spoke his last word so loudly that some of the people stood from their chairs.
"I regret to announce that -though, as I said, eleventy-one is far too short a time to live among you -this is the END. I am going. I am going NOW. GOOD-BYE!" He then stepped down from the stool and vanished into thin air astonishing most hobbits and of course Hotaru as well. Then they all began talking among themselves remarking that it wa a bad joke and saying how mad and odd Bilbo was. Hotaru was confused though, when he vanished she had felt some energy. It seemed to her that it was no ordinary prank. So of course she was even more suspicious when she glimpsed a shadow of some sort moving out of the pavilion that vanished once into the darker field. She furrowed her brow and followed it to the house in the hill that Bilbo and Gandalf were speaking in earlier. The door was left ajar and she was about to walk inside when she heard someone, coming down the road. She guessed it would be the firework-maker Gandalf and decided that something was awfully fishy so she darted to the side and watched as Gandalf walked into the house leaving the door half open. Hotaru peered through and saw Bilbo and Gandalf she listened closely.
"Hullo! I wondered when you would turn up!" Bilbo said to Gandalf.
"I am glad to find you visible," replied Gandalf sitting down in a chair, "I wanted to catch you and have a few final words with you. I suppose you feel that everything is going according to plan splendidly?"
"Yes, I do," said Bilbo with a slight nod.
"You have wisely kept that ring secret all these years…"
"I expect you know best, as usual."
"I do -when I know anything. But I don't feel sure about this whole situation. It has now come to the final point. You have had your joke, and alarmed or offended most of your relations, and given the whole Shire something to talk about for nine days, more like ninety-nine more likely. Are you going any further?"
"Yes, I am. I feel I need a holiday, a very long holiday, as I have told you before. Probably a permanent holiday: I don't expect I shall return. In fact, I don't mean to, and I have made all arrangements. I am old Gandalf. I don't look it, but I am beginning to feel it in my heart of hearts. Well preserved indeed." He snorted, "Why, I feel all thin, sort of stretched, if you know what I mean; like butter that has been scraped over too much bread. That can't be right. I need a change Gandalf."
"No, that can't be right. No, after all I believe your plan is probably the best."
"Well, I've made up my mind anyway. I want to see mountains again-mountains Gandalf. And then find somewhere where I can rest. You'll keep an eye on Frodo won't you?"
"Yes, I will. Two eyes as often as I can spare them."
"I am leaving everything to Frodo."
"Everything? The ring as well?"
"Well…er, yes I suppose." Stammered Bilbo a bit nervously.
"Where is it?"
"It's in an envelope over there on the mantelpiece, if you must know." Said Bilbo impatiently, "Well, no! here it is in my pocket…isn't that odd?" he said quietly, "Then again…why shouldn't it stay there?"
Hotaru was confused now as Bilbo's attitude seemed to change drastically and there was some strange gleam in his eye that wasn't there before.
"I think, Bilbo…you should leave the ring behind, don't you want to?" Gandalf asked.
"Well yes-and no…" Bilbo replied as he looked from Gandalf back at the small ring which he held in his right hand, "Now that it comes to it I don't feel like parting with it. And I don't see why I should, why do you want me to?" he asked annoyed and suspicious, "You are always badgering me about the ring but not about other things I got on my journey! What business is it of yours to know what I do with my own things? It is my own. I found it. It came for me." He cried.
"There is no need to get angry…" said Gandalf
"Well if I'm angry it's your fault! It is mine I tell you. My own. My precious…"
Hotaru watch completely confused and slightly horrified at the sudden possessive look that came into Bilbo's eyes as he looked at the ring.
"it's been called that before…but not by you." Gandalf said standing up.
"But I say it now. And why not? Even if Gollum said the same once. It's not his now, it's mine. And I shall keep it, I say. You want the ring for yourself!" the hobbit cried reaching for the small sword at his hilt.
"It will soon be my turn to get angry," said Gandalf, "If you say that again I shall. Then you will see Gandalf the Grey uncloaked." He took a step toward the hobbit and seemed to grow tall and menacing his shadow filling the room, and Hotaru felt as if she were watching some sort of strange movie of some sort. What was happening? Everything was so happy and joyful before but now he was acting as if…as if he were obsessed with the gold ring he held.
After a long while in that position Bilbo finally relented and after a shorter while of talking Bilbo had decided to leave the ring to Frodo, he began walking out the door when Gandalf said the ring wa still in his pocket. Bilbo stopped and looked back nervously. "So it is…" he said quietly, "…" he dropped the ring, which oddly enough fell to the floor like a stone not even bouncing. Bilbo walked out the door after mentioning to Gandalf something about when he had the ring in his pocket he felt sometimes as if an eye was watching him. Hotaru hid behind the bushes and watched Bilbo leave.
"What was that all about!?" cried Hotaru once Bilbo had left completely forgetting that Gandalf was inside the house still.
Gandalf of course heard her exclamation and brought her inside by her ear, "What did you hear? Who are you?" he asked sternly.
"Ouch. Well if you continue pinching my ear like that I won't be able to hear much more." Hotaru replied.
He released her ear and closed the door so she couldn't escape.
Hotaru rubbed her ear and Gandalf repeated his questions, "All I heard something about an eye, and some weird stuff about a magic ring and something with Gollum or something. My name's Hotaru."
"You're of the species of men…"
"Yes. I am human if that's what you mean. Aren't you?"
"I am Gandalf the Grey."
Hotaru stayed silent as she stared at him.
"A wizard. You are obviously not from here judging by your clothes…I'm guessing you didn't come from this time either."
"Well you guess pretty well because I'm not. At least I think I'm not. I don't know, I was in an accident and I'm supposed to be dead…then the next thing I know is that I wake up in this place unscarred and people are saying things about gentle hobbits and there are short people with hairy feet. And you're the only seemingly normal one here but you say you're a wizard! I'm confused! Where am I? Are there normal people here?"
Before Gandalf had the chance to say anything Frodo walked into the home picking up the ring like nothing then looked up expecting to see Gandalf alone but was surprised to see someone wearing some…really strange clothing.
~*~*~
End Chapter Two
Vale:well? How'd you like it? ^_^ I like it. Sure that sounds a little selfish but I really do. So please review and leave your comments, your votes on who to pair Hotaru with (I favor Legolas right now with her…because he's my favorite, and I love Orli Bloom!), etc. and I will post the next chapter as soon as I feel I've gotten enough reviews. If you leave nice reviews the chapter will come along faster. If you leave bad ones… ; well…I'll sick Arnvid on you.
Arnvid: …er…what?
Vale: Yeah, I'll sick you on the flamers and you'll turn into your pretty black eagle form and peck their eyes out or something.
Arnvid: … *shakes head* Vale…you have surpassed all in stupidity.
Vale: …um…thanks!
Arnvid: …Anyway, please review, alright?
Vale: but not before my little shout out list! Here's the explanation of how it works. Anonymous reviews are italicized, signed in reviews are bold. Anonymous reviews that leave e-mail addresses count as being signed reviews. And answers to questions that anyone asks/asked will have the person who asked pen name/name thing and then my response or just comments to the review ^_^. Get it? Good.
So, big thanks go to: Makura Koneko, Pisces*Angel, Me (Thanks for reminding me how old Legolas was. ^_^), Goddess-of-Light, Celestial Sailor Pluto, kapies (Yup. That elf is cute! And mine! Mwaahha…I wish), Jenn, Rings of the cosmos, Tenshi Megami, Tenshi, Black Aura-Sama, CrazyJ Girl, Rona, Elenhiril, Ankle, Felina, ladydevimon, Twinsnake Coatl
To Goddess-of-Light: ^_^ Welllll, as you can see in this chapter she wasn't exactly reborn. She just…appeared (it'll be explained later) Of course she still has her memories, powers, and of course…what would Hotaru be without her glaive? I don't think I'll be bringing in the other senshi too much and they most likely won't go to Middle Earth though I will have a few paragraphs every now and then involving them. And you gave me a bit of an idea with the big brother statement, I still like them as a couple but I think to start with I'll have more of a friend relationship with them.
To Jenn: About Aragorn…hey, I'm an author right? With author powers! Mwahah! And Gimli…*shudder* yeah. Boromir dies, Sam marries Rosie…both things that can be worked around and who says things have to end happily? ^_^; well…the fans would kill me if it didn't…hehe ^^
To Ring of the cosmos: It's not a Legolas/Hotaru fic for sure yet ^_^ but that's what I'm sorta aiming for. Depends on reviews.
To Rona: The only reason there are so many Senshi/Legolas fics is because some people seem to be obsessed with Usagi (Serentiy)/Legolas pairings…though I don't really see why.
To Elenhiril: I understand Tolkien's work and stuff but if in the case I might need some assistance I'll be sure to ask you ^_^