Okay, so here we are, Usagi's chapter! After this we get to hop around to check up on the rest of the crew. Thanks to everyone who has been reviewing, and please do it again. Yes or No, should Usagi hook up with Mat?

Time of the Senshi

Moon Act I

The blonde warrior of love and justice was flat on her back lying in a bed. The mattress was of poor quality, and Usagi found herself wishing for her futon that was up in the closet at home. She sniffled, tears threatened to spill over but she wouldn't let them. "I guess what the others said about me was true. I'm a cry baby no matter how hard I try." A small but steady stream of tears made their way down her face.

She turned over to look in the mirror that stood on the tiny wooden desk. Her long golden hair that had once been her pride, now lay around her. She twirled a strand of it, noticing how much shorter it was. Just last week the yellow locks could have easily reached her ankles, now they hung to her stomach.

The brass doorknob turned sharply and in strode a woman with brown hair wearing a blue dress with red panels. Twin lighting bolts had been stitched into panels of the dress. "Buni," said the woman. "Today we will test your strength in the power."

She crossed the room and snapped a silver bracelet on. A silver, six foot long led connected to the silver necklace that encircled Usagi's neck. Usagi shivered as a feeling of motion sickness came over her, out of the corner of her eye she could see her sul'dam become unwell too. The princess of the moon smiled. One victory, but that one victory kept them from bothering her too much.

"I assume it is time for lunch, Mara?" Usagi asked as she dusted off the gray dress she wore.

Mara gave an affirmative grunt, still queasy. They walked downstairs and past rows of small rooms. Different people, different ages, but all female. They entered the mess hall and took seats. A serving girl kept her eyes down and placed trays of stew on the table. Usagi licked her lips; her eyes followed the bowls of food with rapt attention. She reached for a crust of bread.

A small shock, like when you rub your socks on the floor and touch something, coursed through her. Usagi dropped the bread, glaring at Mara. The other few sul'dam in the room observed it with satisfaction.

"Buni, bad Buni. You do not eat before your sul'dam. As punishment, you will not be allowed the use of forks or spoons for the next week."

Usagi looked at the stew in front of her, them back to the spoon that was being taken away. "Okay. Fine with me, foods food." She answered back smartly and tipped the bowl into her mouth. Don't matter. The one joy that cannot be taken away, and that's stuffing your face.

She effectively guzzled down the juice and asked for a second helping. Quickly wiping her mouth with a hand she smiled to the serving girl who looked just as shocked as the other people in the room. "That was really good. Tell the cook I said so, okay?"

Mara looked at her damane while she spooned warm broth into her mouth. "It is good you have such an appetite. Most new damane refuse to eat, and you are far to slim for that. I expect you to be ready for testing in ten minutes."

"What are we going to do?"

"I will not do anything. You will be working, and getting your exorcise, hopefully before it rains."

"Awww. But I can't run," here the Senshi began to tick off her fingers. "I'm not good at any sports, I tire easily, my aim needs work, can't land on my feet, heck I can't even walk for long periods of time."

"Well then, this will do you some good." Mara rose from the table dragging Usagi with her.


Outside it was cold. There was no snow but a harsh chill hung in the air. Mara pointed to a wooden post fifty feet out. "Burn that."

Usagi looked at it and shook her head. "I can't. I don't know how." She was about to add 'That's Rei's forte' but caught herself. She didn't want to endanger her friends.

"You didn't even try. Focus only on the wood, now burn it, that's it, feel its pulse. Feel the paths the fire can travel. It is only fuel. Focus in the wood."

Usagi sighed and decided to give it a try. She stared hard at the post. She concentrated on it with all her might. A warm feeling came over her. The Senshi of the moon gasped. It felt wonderful; this feeling was like she was drawing in the power of the moon. She smiled to herself and concentrated on the wooden post once more.

Life lines crisscrossed all over the wood, she could even see where long ago someone carved in their initials. With the paths in her mind Usagi unleashed the power that was hers by birthright.

A solid slap echoed in the courtyard. Several people had stopped and no one spoke. Usagi held one hand to her face where it was red. Familiar drops of water beckoned her.

"What did you do." Mara accused her in a whisper.

Usagi didn't comprehend a thing. She shifted her head around, still in shock from the slap, to look at the post. It wasn't a post anymore.

What had always made the Moon such a fierce opponent was a simple matter. The moon was life. The strength of a fighting spirit, willing to die for the ones it loves is one of the most powerful weapons. Usagi was a child of the moon, it's heir and as such her spirit cared and fought for life.

The post had grown into a tree. Roots burrowed deep within the earth, but not disturbing the foundation of surrounding buildings. Branches thrust up in defiance to the sky, showing that the post had been a cedar tree. The sweet smell filled the yard. The most amazing thing however, was the carving. Long ago children had carved into a sapling, that sapling grew and in time grew over the damage. Now, on the trunk of the awesome cedar was the carving, H.J. and K.D. forever. Around the wording were hearts and moons. What scared everyone was how natural it all looked.

"What did you do?" Asked Mara again.

"I-I don't know. It just happened." Usagi stammered. She had never done something like that before.

"Don't give me that." Mara warned. She concentrated and Usagi howled in pain. The truth was the Mara was afraid. She never heard of a single damane having this much skill or power.


At another end of the courtyard a man was riding a horse. The horses name was Pips, but that isn't important. The man had brown hair, and his sides were obviously bandaged as if a house had fallen on him. His eyes hardened as he saw the pain the girl was being put through.

"I'm glad Olver and the others are out of the city today, I would hate them to see this." He muttered to himself. Inside he marveled at the new tree. "I need to talk to Tylin about it, but she never wants to talk." Anger burned in his eyes. He so wanted to leave, but with his injuries it would be a while yet.

The man watched the mental torture, he owned the poor girl that much. Something slinked out of the shadows and over to his horse. He looked down just in time to see a black cat jump into his lap. He was about to push it off when it hissed at him.

"You must get her out of here. I can recognize the signs; your chance is almost here. Be ready."

Mat gulped. Rand was the one supposed to go crazy, not him! "What-" He never got to finish his sentence, because at that moment a wail echoed through the yard.


Usagi could feel her walls cracking. Walls that until a few years ago had never been there. She remembered all the fighting she had been through, and knew one thing, the Negaverse was never this bad. Sure they killed and drained energy, but they never tortured or forced you to their side. She gritted her teeth and prepared for the only attack she could think of.

Usagi opened her mouth just as the flood gates on her tears broke. She cried and cried, her shrieks could be heard even in the loud bustle of the city. She felt Mara striking her more, but she just raised her voice. This is like the first time I had to fight, and I still hate it. Mara was now telling her to shut her mouth. Usagi felt days of sadness release themselves as she hit new decibel levels.

Something cracked. Actually several something's began cracking at once. First people dropped to the floor clutching their ears, then glass began scattering.

Usagi took a deep breath, she didn't care how immature she sounded it was how she felt. The blonde carefully opened one eye as she felt the collar around her neck loosen. Normal glass had shattered long ago, and now the silver a 'dam's cracked. Suddenly every leash and bracelets set in a two-mile radius turned to dust.

Usagi looked down, for the first time noticing that she was in her princess garb and not the gray dress they made her wear. She turned toward the sound of horse hooves when an arm scooped her up. Usagi looked into the dark eyes of the man who grabbed her. Luna felt her forehead with a paw.

"Are you alright, Princess?"