A Daughter's Goodbye
By
Cahira of the Dawn (cahira_dawn@hotmail.com)

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon in any form, nor do I
earn any money from this fic. Depressing ne?

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It was a beautiful day. The soft light of dawn seared across the clear
sky, illuminating the earth with a warm glow. Leaves of gold and russet
spiralled through the air like delicate birds in flight as a gentle  
breeze swept across the empty landscape.

Well, almost empty.

She was a single, solitary figure, all alone in the frosty chill of an
autumn dawn. Thick black hair framed her pale face as large violet 
eyes gazed nervously at the sight before her.

Graves. They littered the ground like slabs of some broken church. 
She could almost feel a shadow hanging over the graveyard like the
death that filled it. She shivered and pulled her coat a little 
closer to her body. She didn't want to be here. She wanted to be
back in her room; back with the soft light of her lamps and the
comforting silence.

But she couldn't go. Hotaru had to this. 

She kneeled down and carefully placed a bunch of flowers upon one
grave. They were roses. Large beautiful roses of a pure white. 
Hotaru stared down at them for a moment before slowly raising her
gaze to the words engraved on the tombstone. A name instantly
captured her attention; the two words filling her with a flood of
memories: Tomoe Keiko.

"Hello Mamma." She whispered, "It's been a long time hasn't it?"

She took a deep breath as she tried to calm down. What should she
say? Could Mamma really hear her?

"I brought you some flowers. I know that Papa hasn't brought any
in years. He would have if it was possible. I would have too. But its  
been hard and things have changed a lot." Hotaru smiled wanly, 
"I've made some good friends and they've taken care of me. You 
would have liked them, especially Chibi Usa-chan. She's a very 
sweet girl."

Silence. It was so awkward; talking to someone she couldn't see, 
hear or touch. But still, Hotaru carried on.

"I know I haven't visited and I'm sorry. But I've never forgotten 
you. Even when I was lonely and scared... I could still imagine 
you were near, wishing that you could keep me safe. 

Sometimes I hated you for dying. If you hadn't then none of it
would have happened. No Mistress Nine, no Pharaoh Ninety. If you
had been alive..." She blinked back tears, "If... Then I would
have had a Mamma."

She rubbed her hand roughly across her eyes. She wouldn't cry...
She shouldn't cry...

"It makes me feel guilty when I think like that. It wasn't your 
fault that you died. You couldn't have stopped the fire. But it
still hurts. And it isn't fair. But... I guess life is never 
fair.

"What I really want to say is... goodbye. You've been gone so long
and in truth, I was never able to let go. I think in some way I
always hoped you would come back. But I've accepted it now. You 
won't come back. And... Neither will Papa. He's gone to." She 
stifled a sob, "Your both gone."

Hotaru stood up and stared up at the sky. The sun had risen high
into the blue heavens. It was still cold though, and so unlike her
feelings. All those bottled up hopes and pains. Those secret
dreams had escaped from her soul leaving a chaotic mass of emotion
in their wake.

"I love you Mamma..."

And Hotaru walked away, tears streaming down her face. 

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Author's Notes:
This fanfiction was inspired by Masked Maiden's To My Hotaru (I
hope she doesn't mind). I wanted to write something concerning
Hotaru and her Mother so here it is! Do send me all you comments
okay?

cahira_dawn@hotmail.com