Kiyoshi Tomoe- First Born

Chapter Two-

Hotaru had to drag herself out of bed the next morning. Yesterday had been such a wonderful day, and now today she just felt like it sucked. She went downstairs to find Setsuna and her boyfriend in the kitchen sipping on some hot tea. They were giggling about something. Hotaru paused momentarily, wishing she had someone to share inside jokes with. She shook her head getting the pesky thoughts out of her mind. She reached for a bowl and then scooped up a big heaping amount of hash browns that had been prepared.

She sat down at the table by Setsuna and Arihiro, of whom they called Hiro. Their eyes both fell onto Hotaru. "You're always delightful to see in the mornings." Hiro said, ruffling Hotaru's messy hair.

"That she is...delightful," Setsuna laughed.

Hotaru shot Setsuna a death glare. Setsuna acted weird, Hotaru thought, whenever Hiro was around. Maybe it was just because he brought a side out of her that they rarely saw. "What are your plans today?" Setsuna asked.

"To write a five hundred word page essay!" Hotaru stuffed some hash browns in her mouth.

" You'll have that done in no time." Hiro said.

"Did I say five hundred words?" Hotaru asked. "I meant five hundred pages."

Setsuna shook her head, "Calm down there Firefly. No matter how long it is, I know you can get it done in no time."

"What's she scowling about this weekend?" Haruka asked, coming into the kitchen to get her coffee.

"Same ole' same ole'." Setsuna said, with a smirk on her face.

Hotaru's weekend didn't seem to pick up, it dragged on by, and when she had finally finished all her homework the weekend was gone and it was time for bed. Oberon came into her bedroom as she was getting ready for bed. She bent down and picked the dog up and sat him on her bed. His tail wagged happily as she petted him.

"Your life is so easy. You chase your tail, run outside, and then back in. You eat whenever you want. You get treats. Others squeal over your cuteness," Hotaru sighed. This was making her depressed. Oberon barked, as if he agreed with what she was saying. "Do you miss Kiya?"

Oberon whimpered and placed his head on her lap. Hotaru smiled and patted him on the head. She finished getting ready for bed and when she went to lay down Oberon jumped off. Hotaru often found it interesting that Oberon didn't sleep beside anyone, except for Kiya at that time. The two of them must've had a really strong bond. Oberon didn't even sleep next to Michiru.

Sleep was difficult for Hotaru. It didn't come easily, as she was often thinking about what the future looked like. She wished she were the Senshi of Time on somedays. Then she could read the timeline and just know what would happen, who she was supposed to fall in love with, who would be the father of her baby Chou, what kind of house she'd have, career, car... Hotaru let out a gusty sigh. This wasn't helping her to fall asleep any quicker.

When her eyes finally did shut and her mind had finally relaxed it was awoken by this horrible siren sounding alarm. She jolted out of bed, glaring at the alarm clock. "Eight-thirty. What? What? Why didn't anyone wake me." she scrambled to her closet and pulled out a pair of black jeans and a fitted purple tank. She slipped them on. Went back to her bed and slammed her fist on the alarm clock to make it shut up. She picked her shoes out from under her bed and then ran out across the hall to brush her teeth. When she went downstairs to go out to her car she realized that it was very quiet in the Manor. She went into the kitchen and found a note lying on the counter. She picked it up and read it to herself.

Good Morning Firefly,

I made you blueberry muffins. I took Oberon for his checkup. Setsuna is out and Haruka is gearing up for a race. Have a good day at school.

Love Michiru-Mama.

Well that explained why no one had woken her. She grabbed a muffin and went out the door. She sighed when she saw it was rather cloudy outside. She patted her car sadly, she wouldn't be able to ride with the hood down. She sat down in the front seat and started up the engine. She groaned, and pulled the gear into reverse. She sped down the roads, as she was already late. When she arrived to school she snatched her bag out of the back and tried running toward her class, but she was feeling exhausted already. She slowed her pace down. She was just going to have to take on her professors disapproving look of her arriving late.

When she slid the door open to his class she could tell he was very irate by her entrance. He glanced at his watch and then up at her. "I'm sorry, Professor." She went to hand him her report, but he only looked at it as if she were intruding on something.

"What do you want me to do with this? I collected these thirty minutes ago." he said.

"I- I said I was sorry. I just woke up late." Hotaru said.

"Ten points docked," he said taking the research paper. "Your lab partner is the new fellow in the back of the classroom. Don't lead him astray."

Hotaru nodded and took her seat next to the new kid. She barely paid any attention to the new kid. He tried to hand her something but she just shoed him away with her hand. She wasn't really interested in what ever he was attempting to give her. The Professors lecture ended and the students started moving around in the classroom setting things up. Hotaru sat there in a state of confusion. She finally turned to her lab partner who only shrugged.

"I'm sorry." Hotaru apologized.

He shrugged again. Hotaru looked at the Professor who glanced at her for a moment before turning back to help a student. "Come on, please tell me what we're supposed to be doing?" she begged him. "My life is depending on this class."

"Is that why you were late?" he asked.

"I woke up late!" she sighed. "Fine, I'll just go up there and ask the Professor myself."

Hotaru stood up and started walking toward the front of the class. "I wouldn't do that- Oh never mind." he said, with a smirk.

Hotaru tapped on the Professors lab coat, "Excuse me sir, but what is it we're doing today?"

He looked at his watch again and shrugged, "If you were here forty-five minutes ago you would have known."

"We're dissecting a humans brain. To see how it operates." One gentleman said. Hotaru scrunched her face up in disgust. "Do you want to be the volunteer?"

Hotaru shook her head frantically and scurried back to her seat. Her lab partner had a huge grin on his face. Hotaru wanted to smack him on the back of the head, but she wasn't a violent person.

"I'm Ikurou," the boy extended his hand.

Hotaru looked at it as if she didn't know what to do. He sat there with his hand held out a little bit longer and then sighed. He reached up, grabbed her hand, and connected it with his. "And then we shake." he moved their hands up and down the entire time Hotaru was wondering if this guy was an idiot.

"Do you know what we're supposed to be doing?" she asked.

Ikurou shrugged, "Not really. I was fifteen minutes late."

Emasai, a boy that Hotaru had known when she was in school, came up to them. "We're just checking out everyone's reflexes." he held up the tool that was used for it. He was very shy and quiet. When he walked away Ikurou looked at Hotaru with a look that said explain.

She shrugged, "It's Emasai."

"Is he always weird like that?" Ikurou asked.

Hotaru shrugged and looked at Emasai. He wasn't weird. He was just scared of her. She was surprised that he had even bothered to come up to them. The two of them didn't speak to one another after that. They attempted to try out the reflex tool, but Hotaru was tired and didn't feel like doing it anymore. Ikurou handed her a worksheet that he had tried to hand her before. She looked at it and sighed. Ikurou seemed to be filling out his worksheet rather fast. He stood up, his bag over his shoulder, and winked at Hotaru.

"I'll see you Thursday." Ikurou went up to the front and handed his work in and then left. Hotaru looked at the sheet again. She was wondering if she would ever pass this class. She finally chose to scribble down some answers and then handed it to her Professor. She found herself alone. She took out the picture of her and Chou. Why couldn't she be normal? She should be enjoying her College years, going out to the movies with gentlemen, and maybe a party here and there.

Hotaru continued through her next four classes at a slower pace than before. She couldn't focus on any of the things her instructors we're telling her. Neo-Queen Serenity would have her baby June 30th, but what would happen after that? Hotaru remembered when they had came to the past, this time she had brought kids along with her, and things had been majorly different than ever. Chibiusa had told her a secret that she was not meant to know. Hotaru felt bad for knowing what was to come to Neo-Queen Serenity's family. Though, she was certain that King Endymion knew something was going to happen he just didn't know the full details.

"Hotaru, sweetie..." a woman's voice cut through her thoughts.

Hotaru looked up at her instructor. She was a petite woman and very kind. Hotaru noticed that the class had already left. Her instructor bent down to her level. "Is everything going okay? I've noticed that you've been a bit distant these past few weeks."

"Oh, I'm fine. I've just had a lot on my mind recently." Hotaru said and started gathering up her things. The picture of her future daughter slipped out of her binder. Her teacher quickly picked it up and was about to give it back to her when she noticed the resemblance of the girl in the picture and Hotaru.

"She looks beautiful! Your little sister?" she asked.

Hotaru smiled and took the picture back. She looked at the picture, "Something like that."

"You're close to the Queen, aren't you?" Instructor Rinoka asked.

"Yes ma'am." Hotaru answered politely. "I really should be going." She felt uneasy being questioned about her friendship with the Queen. Eventually, someday, she may go live in the Palace. It was something that she, Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna had talked about. Especially when they started their own families.

"Is she as nice and graceful as everyone says?" Rinoka asked.

Hotaru laughed a little. Graceful wasn't a word that she heard often to describe Neo-Queen Serenity. Sure, she had become a little less clumsy than what she was in the past, but she slipped up from time to time.

"She is the most loving, special woman you will ever meet. I've never met anyone like her that has as much love as she does." Hotaru said. Though, she knew as she said these words that they weren't completely true. She knew another person who was as loving as she was. Small Lady Serenity. Mother like daughter was true in that case, but not with the clumsiness.

"She's going to have a baby soon, isn't she?" Rinoka asked.

"Yes, she is. I can't wait to hold the infant in my arms." Hotaru said. Instructor Rinoka's next class started coming in.

Rinoka looked at Hotaru sympathetic, "Any time you need to talk to someone I am here."

"Thank you," Hotaru said and stood up. She made sure she had the picture in her binder before she left the classroom. It was finally time to get out of the College. She headed down toward her convertible, relieved that the day was over, but not so grateful that she had homework to complete. She tried to remind herself that someday this would all pay off.

That evening everyone, including Setsuna's boyfriend, met up at the track to watch Haruka race. Hotaru cheered along with everyone as Haruka was coming in first. It was an exciting race, as most of them were. After Haruka received her medal they all met up with her on the field.

Haruka was staring at her car. Hotaru looked in the car to see if there was something in it. "I remember the first race I had to forfeit."

"Sora threatened to tell my identity to the world!" Haruka laughed. "I was so livid that day, but it's all worth it."

"Megumi brought me and Hiro together." Setsuna said. She rested her head on Hiro. Hotaru was slightly jealous. Setsuna already knew who would be the father to her daughter, and Hiro had already met his daughter. He was the only father-figure to actually meet his future daughter. Of course, he also knew Setsuna's identity and had never freaked out about her being a Senshi.

"I stole a picture that I had painted." Michiru said. "I can't believe it's already been five years."

Haruka wrapped her arms around Michiru. Things had been difficult for them back then. Having different wants with starting their own family back then. When they were landed with the children at the time Haruka had been very against things changing. By the end of their stay though she had grown attached to them.

Hotaru absentmindedly tried to wrap her own arms around herself, as if wishing for someone to wrap her in their arms. Haruka slinked her arm around her daughter and pulled her in for a family hug. She then looked up at Setsuna and Hiro, "Come on you two."

They looked at one another rolling their eyes and shaking their head. They joined in on the family hug.