About

Legend states that the council members of each region of Etharia are born from the soil itself, created by the vitality of their respective regions, and destined to lead Etharia into the future. Hotaru can neither confirm nor deny such statements- to be honest, she wouldn't find it too farfetched if that even was the case. In fact, her first memories were of waking up in Emelle Woods to siren song, bathed in the soft glow of the fireflies that eventually had led her to the outskirts of Alvarna. It was there that she was taken in by a young couple, who soon decided to keep her as their own. Hotaru grew up genial and carefree, but her very existence still brought much curiosity to those she considered her friends and neighbors. Many thought her damned, or even a warning of something worse to come, but her newfound family thought otherwise, believing wholeheartedly that Hotaru would be the one of legend to lead the region of Firefly Valley.

Unfortunately for Hotaru, the muted whispers and rumors affected her social life greatly, some of the kids refused to spend time with her or even invite her to play due to their parents' warnings. Hotaru truly never understood how someone could be so comfortable ostracizing another, wishing with every part of her soul that she would one day be seen as an equal amongst her peers. She spent most of her early years working hard to make valuable connections with those she shared Alvarna with, hoping that it would strengthen trust and gain the favor of those who doubted her intentions. For the most part, it worked- many of those who had given her the chance found that she was quite a joy to conversate with and admired Hotaru's drive to make her presence a welcoming one.

By the time Hotaru had graduated high school the rumors had slowly faded, and she had gained quite the reputation for being a strong presence in Alvarna. But despite gaining most of the village's favor, there were still strong-willed skeptics who wanted her out. It had gotten so out of hand that Hotaru had been forced to leave for her own safety, bidding her parents farewell and making her way to the nearby village of Aurelia, which had slowly been developing over the years she was in school. She called Aurelia her home for a few years, the village welcoming and loving, and slowly but surely Hotaru made her own way in her new world, becoming one of the many overseers of the village's development. Aurelia flourished under her guidance, catching the attention of the council members of Isosia and Grento, who just so happened to be around her age. After much conversation and deliberation, it was made clear that Hotaru had deemed herself worthy enough of the title of a council member, becoming the next representative of the region of Firefly Valley. Upon hearing the news, the region had rejoiced, her skeptics fleeing into hiding and Alvarna welcoming her back with open arms. At present, Hotaru still oversees the region's overall development, strengthening ties between Alvarna and Aurelia as sister villages; but at the end of the day, Hotaru finds it most important that she still be seen as equal to those she cares for, not ever more or ever less.