This chapter is dedicated to all of the people that died in the terrorist attacks in N.Y. and Washington. Mostly though, it's to the people that died in the plane crash in pittsburg. I feel that they are being forgotten, but they never should be. They sacrificed themselves in order to save thousands of more lives, that that is a debt that we can NEVER repay. They are modern heros, and should be treated as such, even though they are gone from this life.

May god be with you all in this time of tragety.



Inner Strength
Chapter 11
By: Siren

Authors Notes- Sorry about the last mix-up. It was a computer error, and it uploaded the wrong chapter. Enjoy the new chapter, and remember, the more reviews I get, the faster I write!
Disclaimer- None of the animes used in this fic belong to me. The story however, does, so please don't use it without my permission.
Contest- For the person that writes the longest review. I will give them the 'oracle.' That means that this person can ask me one question that they have been wondering, for however long. I will answer the question as simply as possible, so the more complex a question you ask, the more detailed the answer. Just take my advice, and don't ask a question that will ruin the story for you.

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"Don't call me Wu-man!" Wufei shouted at Usagi. Then after a moment of stunned silence, her words registered. "What do you mean 'I did'?" He asked in a less angry, but more shocked voice.

"I meant exactly what I said," Usagi stated. Then she turned to everyone in the room, who had all helped her in different ways. She looked them all in the eyes for a long moment, then said. "I most sincerely with all of my heart thank you for your kindness. You all found a perfect stranger, dying, and with no hope. You took her in, and did whatever you could for her. The fact of the matter is though, that wasn't necessary. It would have been better for all involved if you had just left me there."

No one said a word for a long moment, then Duo, in a typical Duo like manner, broke the silence.

"What are you crazy!?" He shouted. "Why would you possibly want to kill yourself? Do you know just how many people want what you have, a chance at a full life!" He just couldn't believe her words. She seemed so innocent, so angelic...now he had to find out that she was a suicidal maniac!

Quatre however, didn't say a word. He just walked out of the room, and didn't do anything.

Usagi looked at his retreating back, with a wry smile on her face. Finally she was proven right with what she thought. Every one was essentially evil, and his retreating back just served to prove her point. Sure she had thought for just a minute that this pure hearted boy could be good, to her, but no one with a pure heart could ever accept her.

No one else in the room could believe that Quatre had left either. He was the one that they would all expect to be the most kind, and understanding. That he would simply walk out on her was simply unbelievable!

Quatre was unaware of their thoughts, as he walked through the hallway. He entered the desired room, and looked for the object that he was trying to find. He picked it up, and started walking back.

The girl was still lying on the bed, without a expression on her unreadable face. He walked over to her, and handed her the object.

"I want you to take this mirror." He started. "And I want you to look long and hard at the image that you see. I want for you to examine closely the image, and think, how could you do this to yourself? Think of all of the good memories that this face has!"

Usagi barely listened to the words. She was looking shocked at the image. 'But...this isn't me!' Usagi frantically thought. Sure the facial structure was kinda similar, and if you really looked, you could almost recognize her. The rest was impossible to tell. It was almost like she was a not quite finished painting before, and a brilliant artist came up, and changed a few things, and finished her. She looked so right. Like she had always been supposed to look. She had always felt that something was wrong with her...and now this feeling was gone. The person in the image was beautiful in the most classic sense of the word. That wasn't the most dramatic change though. Her eyes, which before were a pure light blue, were dark blue/black, and they had silver flecks in them! Then there was her hair...that was probably the biggest difference. Her hair was now SILVER! A pure, almost like quicksilver shine in the long tresses. 'What happened to me!' her mind screamed.

She quickly shoved the mirror back to Quatre, who was cut of in his ranting of looking for the familiarities in the image, and searching for the child there, and all of that nonsense.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She told him. "I also don't know where you got this mirror, or what's wrong with it, because that." She took the mirror back to show them all the image, "isn't me." With that said, she passed out cold.

Wufei still couldn't believe the girl. First she tells them that she's suicidal, and they should have let her die, and then she says that her face isn't hers! And THEN, she passes out!

Quatre was shocked too. He had a way with people, and he could usually tell if a person was bad or not. There was a goodness in the girl, that was like nothing that he had ever sensed before. For the first time in his life though, he was beginning to doubt his instincts. Her actions, hardly go along with what his feelings are telling him she should be! This girl should be carefree, and happy. There was something about her that simply screamed it, but for some reason, she just wasn't.

Quatre then looked at all of the other guys, and the still quiet Sonya and said, "Come on guys, we need to talk."

Duo and Wufei nodded their heads in agreement, and Sonya indicated that she was going to stay with the mysterious girl.

They all went out of the room, and Quatre showed them to a quiet room where they would talk and not be heard.

**

Usagi, was in a bad mood. Something had happened to her, and she wanted to know just what that was. When she passed out, she took herself to the shadow world. Just like when she was with Heero, she took herself to the lake. There she knew that she could find the man that she needed to talk to. He had something to do with this all, and she would get him to tell her, no matter what it took.

"Kanshisha, where the hell are you!?" She shouted. Seeing him sitting calmly by the lake, her temper rose even more. 'The gall of that man! Sitting here for all the world like nothing was wrong, and to think that he knew all along!'

She went over to him, and angrily stood in front of him. She gestured to her body, and shouted. "What is this?! I know that you know!"

There was an almost undetectable smile at her words, that only made Usagi even angrier. He apparently didn't notice her glowering, because he laughed! The nerve of the man!

Finally noticing her glare, he smothered his laughter, and put on a straight face. "I see you finally noticed the um...changes." He said. At her even more intense glare, and her angry nod, he continued. "I'll bet you want to know why you look like that, don't you? You look great by the way..."

"Don't try to change the subject!" She snapped at him.

"Your right, I do know what happened to you. I was going to tell you before, but I decided that I would let you find out yourself. Do you know anything about how you came to the different dimension." Kanshisha said asked Usagi.

"Sure I do." Usagi said. "I made a wish on the silver crystal, and it took me there."

Kanshisha nodded in agreement. "That's true, but you don't know everything. When you went to another dimension, you passed through here. You see, like I said before, every world casts a shadow, and that shadow is the dream world in that particular dimension. My domain is where all of those shadows meet."

Usagi nodded impatiently. "Ya, sure, I know all that! That doesn't tell me why I look so different though!"

"Patience, I will get to that soon princess!" Kanshisha said. "Some people can use my realm as a gateway between dimensions. There are many different ways, but the end result, is that they get to another COMPLETELY different dimension. To get there, they need to pass physically through the shadow. That is why I'm here. I protect this gateway, so only a bare few can go through. I can also make portals between dimensions. I allowed you to go through, since you are Serenity's daughter. For a very good reason though, when you passed through the gate it had the strange effect you see in the mirror. You passed through the shadows, and they in effect, made you their own. They are very particular for their person, which is why they haven't had one for thousands of years. You are now a daughter of the shadows, and they marked you to show the world. It was like you passed through fire, and you were completely purified of all unpurities, scars, etc. I am like you, in a way. I was chosen, but for a guardian. I'm part of the shadows, but I wasn't marked physically by it like you are. That is because no one sees me, and you're meant to be seen by all the world. Everyone is to know what you now are.

Everything has a 'warrior' there is one for good, and one for evil. There is also one for the shadows. Your mother, Serenity was the warrior of light, and I believe that you are the warrior of light as well. One thing that has a lot to do with the warrior chosen, is the blood. There are certain families that just have the needed magic in their blood to be the chosen ones. You are a mixture of two types of bloodlines, the shadow, and the light, so you have the abilities to use them both. There was once a legend of one such as you, but you don't need to know about that right now."

Usagi's eyes nearly bugged out at his words. One thing that he said stood out before all other mind boggling information.

"What do you mean mixtures of bloodlines? Do you know who my father is?!" She whispered in shock.

He looked at her, immense sadness in his eyes. "Yes...I knew your father. He was a good man, and I know that he loved you very much. He was the previous warrior of shadows, and he married your mother the warrior of light. That is where you get the blood from. I'm so sorry, but I can't tell you anything more about him at this time, so don't ask."

Usagi's mind was taking too much information in at once. It was so overwhelming, and so confusing... "You talk of the shadows, as if they're people." She said. "What do you mean by that?"

"Shadows are not people." He answered. "They are purely elemental. They are a force, that has a semi-conscious mind. I would continue explaining this to you, but I can feel you waking up. Just let me tell you these last things. You were given a chance to start a new life. Now is your chance to do everything that you have always wanted to you. The shadow has marked you, and now you have no limits. You can do anything, and if you find that you have talents, try to develop them. Try not to waste your life, and take advantage of every moment. You never know when it's going to be taken away from you without a moments notice."

Usagi nodded in agreement. There were so many things that she had always wanted to do, but had never believed that she could do it, or she never had the chance. She had always wanted to learn how to sing, and how to play instruments, and so many other things. Without all of the pressures, now might be her chance! These were the things that she had always thought that 'someday' she would do...but the day never came. Now she realized just how short life really is, and if you really want to do something, you should do it now before the chance is taken away from you.

And then she faded away.

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Confused? Well you should be, or I'm not doing my job!

Remember to review! I hardly got ANY for the last chapter! What, did you guys give up on me or something?

Email me at sirencalling@yahoo.com