The youma was on fire. Literally.

Sailor Grus sprinted to the center of the shopping block, where the fountain bubbled and shot water into the air before it fell gracefully in an arc to the main pool, only a foot or so deep. There were people, oh so many people. Because the youma couldn't wait for a Monday or something when kids had school to terrorize the place. Nope, how about a busy Saturday just before summer, when everyone was out buying new bathing suits and flip flops?

Shop goers wondered when she ran past. They screamed when the youma rounded the corner, a bear that ran by, it’s brownish fur ablaze. Grus skidded to a stop in front of the fountain, and turned to face the approaching fireball while people ran away, or pulled out their phones.
She leapt onto the fountain edge, running along it while the monster roared. In a few strides it caught up with her, and swung a paw at her legs. And suddenly she was face down in the fountain. She righted herself, gasping and grasping for one of the spouts that projected the waster upward. Holding onto it, she rose, glaring at the beast. It growled and reached for her, but did not touch the water. She splashed at it, and it growled in pain as the water sizzled where it touched. Then the bear swung again.

The side of the fountain erupted in a spray of water and..whatever the fountain itself was made of. It's structure had been compromised, and slowly, to Grus' horror, the whole thing toppled over, sending a geyser of water into the air, and all over the bear.

It wailed but, as it's fire was extinguished, it slowly rolled into a ball, and then collapsed into dust. Dust that mixed with the overflowing fountain water and made it murky and gross looking.
Grus had fallen with the fountain, and sat in the water, her entire body drenched. Some people still remained, taking pictures of the solo senshi sitting in the fountain. A few people let out nervous laughter. Many just stared.

All it took was for one teen to say "She would have lost if it hadn't hit the fountain." For her nerve to break. She rose quickly; ignoring the masses of wet feathers on her fuku, and ran. She slipped once, and landed on her knees, gasping while the tears threatened and then came. She let out a sob, stood on shaky legs, and sprinted away, down the road and up a fire escape. Once at the top of the building, she hid behind an air vent and powered down. Her hair was still soaked, but at least her normal clothes weren't clammy and uncomfortable. She leaned against the vent, slowly slid down it's metal surface and once she hit the ground, she cried.

What is wrong with me!? I can't even beat a youma on my own without something happening to save my skin! She cried out her frustration, letting the tears flow free.

It was true. She hadn't once defeated a youma or enemy without something circumstantial cutting in and helping her out. It was confusing. Being a superhero was supposed to be fun! It was supposed to be rewarding! She was supposed to WIN! Castille understood that, as a new senshi, she would have to learn, to adjust, and she would lose sometimes. But it was three months ago that the guardian cat ********* had awoken her, told her that she was supposed to help people.

All she'd managed to do today was destroy a very nice and probably expensive fountain.

She wasn't without help. Kallichore had helped her, and Nifhel and Camelot had talked to her. She'd met others with advice of their own. But Castille wasn't good with advice. She had a hard time listening to others when she could just as easily figure it out herself. She could have fought that bear...
Except for her inability to throw a punch without puking her guts out right after. Even now, with her tears slowing, the thought of kicking the bear, punching it, anything, filled her with dread. She shivered, grabbing her arms.

It wasn't supposed to be this hard, was it?

WORD COUNT: 709