Kakashi found the errant woman perched in one of the surrounding trees, her countenance tight with frustration. He flared his chakra a little to get her attention, but she was too deep into what she was doing, Kakashi shook his head then, that was a dangerous position to be in as a warrior. She didn't even seem to have an automated response for no weapon was flung at him at his approach. It was a glaring error, one that needed to be fixed if she hopes to survive in their era, but right now the woman had more pressing problems. "Do you have a plan?" He asked, and sound seemed to break her from her trance.

"A rather slap-dash one, but it will have to do." She responded slipping off the tree branch. "I'm out of time." Usagi added. "Most of it will have to be on the fly anyhow, I know next to nothing about their abilities." She finished while absently turning her full body toward him.

"I know a little about them." Kakashi admitted.

"It's their secrets to keep, to them, right now, I'm an enemy." Usagi stated and stretched. "Tomorrow is the do or die day and my brothers are counting on me." She whispered more to herself than her companion. "Just like every other major battle I've faced my family is on the line." Usagi muttered shaking her heard. "It breaks me every time, but it also brings out the best I've got." She finalized and turned her attention to the horizon. Kakashi didn't have anything to say to that, so he just kept silent offering a standing support. Usagi sighed turning her head a little toward him and gave him a half smile. "Guess I better get home, I did leave in a bit of a rush and quite rudely too." She said in a strained light tone. Kakashi just nodded, he knew the doubts before battle, he's had them his whole life. He did offer to teleport them back, but Usagi opted to walk saying she needed a clear head.

Kakashi reappeared in front of his anxious team, half his attention on the approaching chakra of the woman he just left. He looked down at them, still just so young and his humanity wanted to reassure them. His cool logic, born of need and training refused, lying would get them no where they were in for a fight.

"Well?" Sakura prodded the jounin who stood before them silently. His was weighing something, she knew, his exposed onyx eye showed her that, this coming battle was going to border on crisis.

"We are just going to have to trust her." Kakashi finally answered, but he was pensive, his team could tell. The topic of conversation finally strolled up, a smile on her face, but there were strains on its corners.

"I'm sorry, I've been a terrible hostess, please forgive me." Usagi said as the first words from her lips as she approached. Now Team Kakashi could understand the stress so the apology was pointless if not for tradition.

"You are forgiven." It was Sai who spoke the team's thoughts and Usagi bowed to them before smiling even wider.

"I think we should retreat inside for now." Usagi suggested, leading the way back into the trio's home. The rest of the day passed in tense silence and even though Sakura wanted to stay over Usagi urged she would be better off returning home tonight. Kakashi retreated a little after the dinner meal sensing that this was a needed family time, besides he had nothing more to contribute to the woman, she would have to find her own way.

Amazingly it was Sasuke who broke the tense silence, not Naruto; though it could be he had dealt with this in his previous family. "Onee-sama?" He prodded quietly rousing Usagi from her quiet ponderings.

"Yes?" She responded, one hand curling and uncurling subconsciously.

"Are you going to succeed, is everything going to be all right?" He asked he needed the assurance; he couldn't lose his just stabling life now. Usagi knew the answer he wanted to hear, as well as Naruto who was focused intently on her, but she couldn't give it.

"Things will turn out the way they are supposed too." She finally answered, Sasuke just turned his head, it was a cop-out answer. Naruto stood from his chair loudly, stalked over and hugged Usagi around the waist.

"You don't have to do this Nee-chan; I've been fine on my own." Naruto spoke, maturity coloring his tone. Usagi turned her head to him with a fierce expression on her face.

"That doesn't make it right, that doesn't make them right." She spoke; silently her words had assured the boys that she did not regret adopting them or the problems that they came with when she did. Sasuke joined them, not the hug, instead keeping vigil over the two, tradition making him the man of the family for he carried a crest of a clan head. His mind was working on secondary plan just in case of failure, he would not loose his family again. Silently they all stayed together that night, keeping a steady and touching reassurance.

Usagi's dreams were troubled so she retreated into her semi-conscious letting her body rest, but keeping her mind active. "You're in a pickle." She heard Shukaku's voice as her corporal eyes opened. "I still don't see why you don't just blast them all to kingdom come, heck, I'd even let you channel my power to do so." He stated tossing his sandy blond mane back. Usagi glanced at him with a begrudging smile of indulgence.

"As easy as it would be to use my powers like that, there are consequences." Usagi reminded the being of one-tailed power. "Nor do I think I could actively channel your power well if at all." She stated.

"I still don't see why not, you are my vessel now, basically it seems like my immortal keeper." He said with a shrug, it was Nibi who caught her confused glance.

"We were sealed into your soul, not your body as it was your spirit that was summoned first." She explained and Usagi merely sighed.

"At least I'll have some company when I'll be reborn again." She murmured ironically.

"Mostly likely deemed insane by your peers because you'll be hearing voices in your head." Shukaku sung sadistically, Usagi swatted at him but did not connect. Her two soul companions frowned, they had seen glimpses of her power while residing in her soul, and she should have been able to hit him. "Wow, you really are all tangled up about this coming battle." He murmured.

"You are still amazingly insensitive." Nibi stated before sitting beside the silent silver-haired woman. "Though I am a bit confused with your reasoning about not using Shukaku's plan against the coming trial." She prodded.

"Using my powers for personal gain in destiny's major plan is a big no, and the consequences that are deemed accordingly are often more then I'm willing to pay." Usagi spoke. "More often than not, it is not me who suffers, but those I love and care for, sometimes they even go straight for the heart of the blue star." She explained. "Most of my lives take place on Earth; sometimes some of my companions are gifted with longevity or immortality, so Destiny would attack Earth in consequences to my actions." Usagi responded.

"Hmm, you must be pretty important then." Shukaku avowed folding his arms behind him.

"I'm Cosmos, light personified, if I become careless I release Chaos from its chains." She explained. "Every big move I make in using my personal power for gratification gives power to my opposite." She affirmed. "Destiny set its rules along time ago; I have to play the field evenly with the skills available to others." Usagi spoke. "Right now I know there will be a whiplash for Asuma's revival, and it probably will not be aimed at me." She finished, lying down with a concerned expression. "I'm almost willing to bet that Destiny will go after their child." Usagi stated.

Shukaku and Nibi returned to silence and shifted further into her soul to give her space. "Setsuna, what I wouldn't give for you guidance right now." She whispered softly, deep in her space pocket the garnet rod flashed, its orb whirling with an amass of colors; Destiny had made its move.

Usagi woke early beating the sunrise by several hours and decided on cleaning house to soothe her nerves. It was an old trick that Rei had taught her on one of her many visits to the shrine. Suffice to say though, she still did not willing clean her own room, but a little snap of her fingers kept it just fine. She was joined an hour later by Sasuke as he had awoke to find her not there, Naruto stumbled out a little after that. It was around five-thirty that she decided to make breakfast and did so, the silence amassing around them.

However, they were content to be in each other's presence doing things normal families do during the day. Another two hours of random doing things they decided they had squandered enough. Naruto pulled his family into a hug, Sasuke not resisting and then they set off for the arena. They were joined along the way with the rest of Team Kakashi, Iruka, and Jiraiya. Usagi did not say a word, but she did nod hello and accept the prepared pouch from Sakura. She got a rushed explanation about chakra pills, blood pills, and numerous other things in the pouch from Sakura, but precious little made it into her brain. The south side of Konoha was abuzz and people were beginning to pack around the arena in anticipation. Usagi felt her stomach leave her, as none of her battles had spectators and she did not know what effect that may have on her ability to fight. She had large base spells for damage and could only work the basic chakra techniques that were shown to her yesterday. Suffice it to say the council had planned their move well.

The group spilt apart silently at the entrance, Usagi heading into the field of the arena alone while the others ascended into the stands. Gazing around she noted the amazing amounts of civilians that were packed into the seats, along with numerous other shinobi that were sprinkled around. Usagi refused however to meet the eyes of the tense Hokage for it would be her apprentice should would be fighting first, nor did she lock eyes with her family she would collapse if she did. Usagi gave a silent acceptance of respect for the sheer cunning of the council; they really had played their hand well.

At exactly eight am the arena went silent, and two judges stepped forward. Usagi could only fathom that one was the council's pick and one was the Hokage's pick. The rules were explained and the conditions repeated for the benefit of the crowd, then her opponent descended. Her dark hair arching behind her like an alighted wing before it fluttered against her face gently when she touched ground. Dark eyes locked with hers as they each tersely bow to one another. The word begin flickered in their ears, but not a single muscle twitched from either of them, Usagi only had twenty minutes to succeed in her objective against Shizune.

Judging from the woman's posture she was not going to make it easy, and for a second Usagi wondered over what the council held over the woman. Her eyes caught a flick of light, and she side-stepped the first barrage of long thin needles. Usagi recoiled slightly in her mind; she was never good at sighting thin, barely noticeable attacks. Usagi's only mind frame to work with was she couldn't fight long distance with a needle user, and she couldn't fight short distance either for Shizune was a medic user. This left her mid-range one of the areas she was desperately lacking in, having very little experience in it and not having to many attacks that work at that range.

She had twenty minutes, she had basically no skills in the area needed, and she desperately needed to win. Shizune was her worse possible match up in the draw she had, and she had to conquer her first. Not to mention, Usagi was sure that her other two opponents were watching with a critical eye to her abilities.