A/N: Just to let you know something, since you're probably wondering, there is a LOT of lead up in this story. I have four months of events to cover, Hotaru being crowned, the 'secret ceremony' and a Budokai before Recoome even shows up. There's a few reasons for this. I'm trying to build on Hotaru's character some for one. And for two, I'm trying to remove the "Fight, travel/heal, repeat" pattern of my stories by inserting some interaction in there as well. Lastly, there was a typo in chapter one that I just now noticed. I said she'd be crowned in "three months" when I'd meant "two weeks". Don't ask me....

Chapter Four - The Big Day

It was a cool, clear, and beautiful day. There was a gentle breeze blowing in from the east and everyone was in high spirits. Outside the window the three women could hear the sound of laughing and partying and the drifting notes of music from the band. All it did for Hotaru was make her even more nervous as she gazed into the mirror at the gown she was wearing.

It had taken the tailor nearly 12 hours to make it but it had been well worth the effort in Hotaru's opinion. It was a soft sky blue color with straps so thin they were invisible. It was fairly loose fitting and flowed all the way down to her ankles. The top of the dress merely ended simply but the bottom had folds of purple and white fabric in the shapes of flowers wrapping around it.

"Would you stop trying to adjust it." Sora said. "It's perfect, there's nothing to worry about." She came over to her and turned her around. "Now, we're going to start in just a few minutes. Take a deep breath and relax, there's no reason to be nervous." Sora grinned. "Not yet anyway. That comes later." Outside the sounds of the band ended for a moment and then a new song started.

"Anyway, I need to get out there and tell the band to end after this song." She turned to Sango. "You make sure she doesn't fidget herself right out of her dress."

"No problem."

"Good." Sora nodded and walked out of the room.

"So, are you going to tell me yet?" Sango asked. Hotaru turned back and looked at her friend. She was in a simple ruby red dress that ended just above her knees.

"Tell you what?"

Sango rolled her eyes. "About what it is that's got you so nervous! I mean look at you, you're practically shaking your gown off of you and don't tell me it's the coronation. I know you better than that, to you it's just another matter of state. So, what is it? What's the big suprise?"

Hotaru shook her head. "Y-you'll just have to wait like everyone else." she said nervously before taking a deep breath to calm herself. Her head jerked toward the window as the song the band was playing came to an end. She bit her lip and closed her eyes trying to relax.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Sora stood on the platform waiting for the band to finish up their song. The stage was opposite where she stood so no one in the crowd even knew she was there yet. The breeze came through and ruffled the fabric of her dress. It was an 'inverted replica' of Hotaru's. The main gown was purple, the bottom ended simply, and the top was wrapped around with sky blue and white fabric in the shape of flowers. As the song closed out she stepped up to the microphone. The band's lead singer asked everyone to turn around and the loud noise of the party on the beach instantly died away to a low murmur of excitement.

Her mind ran through the whole of her speech quickly making sure she remembered it all. Hotaru and Yamcha had told her all about their adventures on Earth and Namek, the course of events that had led them to where they were today. It had been an amazing tale that reminded Sora greatly of their peoples ancestors. Hearing that both of them had been killed in the course of it all had been numbing, even though Hotaru was back now the thought that she'd almost lost her daughter for good was painful.

Sora waited a moment longer before she began. "Ladies and Gentlemen, today is a day of celebration, a day of relaxation, a day for the history books." she started. "I was crowned thirty years ago and I have sat as your Queen for twenty-six years. A lot has changed in that time. When I was born... it was on our home world. When I was crowned... it was on our home world. When my parents died... it was on our home world. When I became acting Queen... it was on our home world." She looked over the gathering of people along the beach wondering how many of them even remembered their old world.

She paused and waited a moment before continuing. "We have been through much since I became Queen. A little over twenty years ago our world was attacked by the Ginyu Force and we were forced to flee. A once proud and powerful warrior race was forced from its own world with the threat of extinction. During that trip through space, a long six month journey, my daughter was born. Not on our home world and not on our new world but during the transition.

"And it wasn't just a transition of worlds. It was a transtition of our people too. Her birth held more meaning than any before it. She marked the first of our royalty that would not be born on our world, that would not be crowned on our world, that would not be Queen of our world, that would never set foot on our world. I saw the resolve in the eyes of those with us then, the resolve to never let such a thing happen again."

Her voice was laced with emotion as she spoke and the crowd had gone completely silent now. "It was that day, twenty years ago today, that our people decided we would not run again, we would not fall from our past any further, we would reclaim who and what we were... what we are! And then we got here. We settled down and started to build ourselves a new home. And the report came in. My husband, the King, was dead. The fire still burned in me and I transformed... but the fire had been squashed in most everyone else by this news.

"We resigned ourselves to eke out a life here, to ignoring the universe, and to letting our warrior heritage fade even further. There were a few who fought against that for a few years but then, they too, gave in. But there was a person who would not let our past die. One who had never even walked on the world of our ancestors. One who fought against the defeatist attitude we had accquired at this second great blow to our pride. That person was and is my daughter.

"Over the years she trained constantly, perfecting her skill so that come her eighteenth birthday and the advent of her power she would be ready to become a powerful warrior. No one had any idea what this drive of hers would lead her to or the powerful difference she would make. Not just on our world but across the entire galaxy, and all before she was even crowned.

"Barely over five months after her eighteenth birthday her power had already grown by leaps and bounds... and she left our world in the silence and darkness of the night. She refused to merely stand aside and allow another world to fall to Frieza as ours had and she went to Earth to aid them in their fight. She arrived on Earth and entered in their tournament and won, defeating their strongest fighters, and then lent them her help fighting against Zarbon and his men a year later."

She smiled, her eyes sparkling now as she continued. "She risked her life to help them save their world. And when that battle ended she went with their warriors to Namek to revive their fallen friends. On Namek however, things did not go smoothly. Only moments away from accomplishing their mission the Ginyu Force arrived."

The crowd grew noisy again. They'd yet to hear the full account of what had occured in the time Hotaru had been gone. They knew she'd gone to Earth and Namek and they knew of the reasons for both trips but not of the actual events. The Ginyu Force on Namek with their Princess was a big matter, especially since she survived. "Guldo was defeated quickly." Sora resumed. "And then Hotaru, the Human named Krillin, and a half Sai-jin named Gohan, stood against the power of Recoome."

The noise rose again, much higher than before. Hotaru had fought against Recoome! The man that had killed her father, the former King. She had fought against him and yet, she was here still. "Beaten but not quite dead the rest of their allies arrived and made quick work of the Ginyu Force. But that wasn't the end of the problem. Frieza arrived soon after. Still, Hotaru did not yield, did not run, did not hide. She stood and she fought him. Though the odds were against her she stood up against Frieza." Sora paused for a second. "And she paid with her life."

The murmur of the audience rose into a loud roar now. They'd learned a few days ago the powers of the Eternal Dragons. What they hadn't known was that Hotaru had ever been killed, until now. "She sacrificed her own life in that battle to save the life of a young Namek who'd been aiding them by healing their injuries. I know that you all have been told about the powers of the Dragonballs, they are why Hotaru is here with us today. There's still more. The end result of that battle. A Super Sai-jin was born and... Frieza was defeated."

Cheers resounded through the crowd at this news. Sora waited a moment until they'd calmed down a little before continuing. "This past year and a half or so has been a trying and proving time for my daughter. And I believe, with all of my heart and pride, that she is ready to be crowned. I have no doubt she will be the driving force that returns our people to the great warrior race we once were. It won't happen overnight but she has already set the process in motion."

Sora paused again, a broad smile on her face now, as the people cheered again. "Ladies and Gentlemen." she said after giving them a moment to be loud. "Princess Hotaru." Sora moved aside and stood behind the simple throne on the platform as the crowd went silent and the band began the soft traditional tune played at every coronation.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Hotaru stood fidgeting by the door listening to her mother's speech. At several points she felt her eyes mist up at her mother's words. As she'd recounted the events on Earth and Namek it all played back in her mind as clear as if it had only been yesterday. It was hard to believe it hadn't even been three months yet since Freiza was beaten, since she'd spent a few hours dead. Hearing it all recounted... it was hard to believe so much had happened to her.

She took a deep breath as the cheers sounded out again, her mother's speech was almost over. She listened closely to her mother's final words listening for her to be called out for the ceremony. "This past year and a half or so has been a trying and proving time for my daughter. And I believe, with all of my heart and pride, that she is ready to be crowned. I have no doubt she will be the driving force that returns our people to the great warrior race we once were. It wont happen overnight but she has already set the process in motion."

Hotaru's eyes widened a bit as they misted up and stung as the tears flowed slowly. "She's... she's proud of me?" Hotaru thought. "I... I wont let you down mom. I promise." She brushed the tears off her check quickly as her Mother called her out and the crowd went silent. She took one last deep breath and walked out the door. Rounding the corner she moved down the hall a short distance before emerging into the sun light.

She had to conciously keep breathing as she moved toward the platform. Swallowing, she climbed up the stairs and moved toward the throne. Sora motioned and Hotaru sat down facing out at the crowd. Akira floated down and landed to her right. "Princess Hotaru." he said kneeling for a moment. After a few seconds he stood.

Hotaru knew this ceremony inside out. Her Mother had gone over it with her for the last few days and walked her through the whole thing. Still, she was nervous now. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to talk through her emotions when the time came. Blinking a couple times she realized Akira was standing now and about to start speaking.

"Princess Hotaru, do you solemnly swear to abide by the traditions and laws laid forth by our ancestors for governing of Tanaria and her people?" he asked, calmly, clearly, and loudly so that the crowds could hear.

"I do." Hotaru replied in the same calm, clear, and loud voice.

Akira remained silent for a long moment and then nodded. "You have my approval." he said taking a step back.

As he did Sango landed on her left. "Princess Hotaru." she said kneeling. After a moment she stood again. "Princess Hotaru, do you solemnly swear to protect and defend our world and our people to the best of your ability?"

"I do."

"You have my approval." she said stepping back.

From behind her Sora spoke up. "What is your pledge?" she asked.

Hotaru took a deep breath. "I pledge to do everything I can to to keep my people safe from harm, to be fair and just in my rule, and to begin leading our people back to our former glory and restore us to our heritage." she said.

Sora smiled. "You have my approval."

Then the three spoke together. "You have been tried and you have passed. Do not stray from your path and the people shall follow you." As they finished Sora picked up the silver tiara like crown that symbolized that she was Queen but not actively ruling. Holding it over her head the three spoke again. "We find you worthy of the crown. Wear it proudly and bring it honor." Sora lowered her arms and placed the crown on Hotaru's head. As she removed her hands cheers sounded through the crowd again.