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Elpis patrolled nightly, which, in her mindset, wasn't really a mistake as much as something to do to mind people who couldn't mind themselves - mostly, civilians. Being helpless still weighed on her mind, and she usually kept quiet about it, the Senshi walking along the route of the night calmly. Trouble wasn't common - either they talked or it was simply not present, be it fate being kind, or... Elpis being Elpis. She wasn't sure, but it certainly didn't boter her much.

She had a job to do, and that was what mattered, and tonight it seemed her job was nudging her, the sensation of another aura - chaos at that - nearby, and Epis decided to approach slowly, letting them move first.

.....Hopefully, it wouldn't be a mistake.

The aura was coming, and Sailor Elpis cringed inwardly, mentally gearing for either route. Growing closer, though, she had the feeling this wasn't an afent, and Elpis swallowed, turning before seeing the senshi- right when his attack struck.

Her skin itched, felt cold and in some aspects wrong, and while not easily alarmed, the feeling of dread wasn't pleasant, the rational portion if her mind warring with the rest it was a magical attak - from a senshi with holes. Another Corrupt or whatever they were called, and Elpis felt the reaction to the notion made the unease rise, and her stomach did flipflops anxiously, warning herself there but for the grace of God..., and she shivered, managing a fist as she internally dug to go over her magic.

She wouldn't uswe it, not yet, but the senshi launched for the other, hissing.

"Whelp," She grumbled. "You must not be much of a talker then!"

She wouldn't risk a chance at being killed or worse.

She felt uneasy though.

He ran. That alone was a good sign and Elpis shivered, letting him run a moment. She had no idea what he'd done, but the fright of seeing a corrupt - the panic attack of a corrup senshi made her brake a moment once he was out of visual range, though the aura was thin, distant, but noticeable, and she shivered again, swallowing down a panic attack. She could have ended up like that. Holes, or something in her head and chest, unknowing who her father was, possibly hunting and killing and...

And Elpis made a small noise of fear before deciding to track with a whine, moving just enough to be felt, but taking to the branches of a tree to try observing. Still, her attack bubbled at the front of her mind and if a civlian drew too near the impromptu battleground, she'd fight if needed - even if she was afraid as piss and wanted to hide in her room clutching her goberian and rocking. Something about Corrupted Senshi felt just wrong, and while she couldn't place what, she hoped the Dark Mirror didn't feel the same if she met one powered.

Still, Elpis was more cautious now, observing the area calmly for signs of the other being near civilians. Would he attack again, or run...?

Well, hopefully, she was well hidden. In reality, likely not.

Elpis remained on her perch, shifting her weight slowly to look around. Without people, she wasn't as inclined to do more than watch, and a portion of hair drew her eye as she frowned internally.

Well, we're both eyecatching as ********> The senshi noted internally. She wasn't sure what he was planning, but she did glance before carefully moving some, gripping a branch as she waited. Now what are you going to do?

Hopefully, not jump at her - she was un nerved enough and really just hoped he ran away. Corrupt senshi were... Creepy.

So very creepy, and she hoped she never ended up among them.

She never budged, never made any efforts to dodge the small soul advancing toward her. It touched her, passed through her, and dissipated without a trace. She showed no outward damage. What had he missed? What had he done wrong? The magic cast, and it connected with its target, but nothing came of it. Did his magic constitute a boon to whoever received it? Was he buffing his enemy just now, and building her strength to great heights?

If that were the case, small wonder she didn't move.

Ochre cursed himself, but urgency commanded that he concentrate further, that he sift through irreverent thoughts and find another piece of old, innate memory that might explain the lack of effects. Come on, he urged himself. She's not going to just sit there forever while you figure out what the ******** you're doing. What was it that was taught back in my hometown? Release my thoughts to the leaves, the stars. What remains will ripen your secrets in earnest. Breathing a sigh, Ochre closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind of the detritus that clouded it - the doubts, the confusion, the indignation at his lot.

And what remained was a simple phrase, one fading quickly from mind.

Iron Spray Surprise.

Ochre might've questioned it if the urgency behind it didn't spur him into quoting the words. He repeated them quickly, and in his hands formed fragments of iron ore. They lay thickly against his palm, looking rather unassuming save for their solid shape. He knew not what to do with these. Instead of attempting to suss out an answer, Ochre reeled arm back and threw the chunks toward the senshi that lingered in the trees. Maybe she'd get pegged with one and find herself too disoriented to pursue him.

Not only did the ore veritably explode on impact, but the shrapnel shards sprayed over the senshi in the lively burst. She defended it rather well - and Ochre wondered if she knew the attack. So much of it felt surreal; where had the magic come from? Was it born from his attack? Stylized after the senshi he hit? Did the magic belong to the senshi he hit? Was it a random attack bestowed upon him from the ether? Was it based on his surroundings? A flurry of questions struck him, but time and place offered no solace to pour over his inquiries.

The senshi, irate as she was, dropped from the trees immediately in obvious search for blood. Ochre managed little more than a hissed expletive. I've got to get out of here, or do that attack again-

Except she was upon him in a flash.

Fostering no time to think, Ochre dropped into reflexive action, hoping that blocking or backing up might mitigate the already poor foray into magic exploration. But the redhead lacked the quick reflexes to block punches launched in quick succession, which left him to the fate of finding an out.

But what was there to ponder for it, save the supple branches that grew from the start of spring?

Ochre's legs buckled beneath him with the added weight of his attacker and he soon found himself on the ground, pinned, and in the worst of situations. It differed little from confronting a rabid dog, with the way she struck at his face with unmitigated fury. Each strike drew sharp pain, a strained grunt, and occasionally blood. He scrambled to raise arms over his face, but it offered little support. No, his attacker was beyond defensive deterrent now, wasn't she? The way she angled for his face, the hiss of derision in her voice...

Even rabid dogs fostered less disgust for their targets.

I can't just sit here like this, he reminded himself beneath each blow. Sometimes his arms caught her strikes, which would lead to thick bruises. His bones hummed where knuckles met with thinned flesh. Unless I want my face beaten in. And wouldn't that be obvious for spotting the Negaverse senshi you pounded the s**t out of yesterday. I'm not about to die for the good of the Negaverse or its directives.

One arm left defense of his face to search out any makeshift weapon - a rock, a broken branch, some toy left behind by a playful child. He didn't care what he found. Couldn't care. Even if he managed only a handful of dirt, a quick spray into her eyes might find him some time to get out from beneath her. Once fingers crawled from dirt to cold, unforgiving metal, he seized the object that presented itself. The links of it made themselves apparent when knocking together, and he recognized soon afterward that he held a length of chain. Discarded bike chain? A good enough weapon for this fiasco.

He whipped the chain toward his attacker, hoping to strike her in the face to both return fire and hopefully swell one of her eyes shut.