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Penelope had hoped that a trip to the ice cream parlor would make her feel better, but not even a double scoop of pistachio helped clear her thoughts. A few days ago everything had seemed to be clearly set for her summer, but now... now everything seemed topsy turvy. She still wasn't quite sure how to handle the revelation that she had some kind of... supernatural power.

Absent mindedly turning a corner too early to get on the street back home, the teenager gasped and dropped her ice cream as she caught sight of a man strung up. He was upside down and blood oozed from his head, but his moans indicated that he was still alive, though in obvious pain.

Even if she had not been a Senshi, the girl would have felt some kind of responsibility to help someone so obviously in distress. But what could she do? She didn't have any way to treat his wounds or really help him down from whatever he was tangled in, and as far as she knew her new powers wouldn't allow her to complete either of those tasks. Someone else would be better able to help...

But even as she pondered these things, she could not ignore the man's pain, as he continued to moan pitifully. Glancing from side to side to make sure that no one else was around, Penelope bit her lip and nodded. She would go find someone else to help, another Senshi or even the police or an ambulance. She wasn't that familiar with the area, but she was pretty sure she wouldn't get lost. The teenager moved next to the man and touched his dangling arm, trying to give him some reassurance before she dashed off again, "Just hold on... I... I'm going to go get someone to help you, okay? I'll come back and wait until they come to help you, I promise."

Penelope jumped at the sudden sound of an object tapping the road of the alley and the appearance of a voice behind her. She instinctively turned around, not knowing quite what she expected to find but certainly caught offguard by the voice's owner.

It wasn't that it was a woman or even really her costume (although Penelope admitted it looked like a LARPer or some other theatrical get up --but who was she to judge based on her Senshi uniform?). No, what caught the teenager's immediate attention was the javelin, complete with tassle. It looked to be a real weapon and not a prop, especially given the sound it made when tapped. That set her on a higher alert and made her more nervous, as did the woman's movement towards her.

Every instinct told her to run, and her leg muscles tightened to meet that desire. Yet, she found herself standing in place, fearful of getting within range of the javelin as she squeaked, "I... was just going to help him down..."

A trickle of sweat beaded down Penelope's spine at the woman's words. She had never been seriously threatened before, but it did not take much experiene to know that this was bad. This was very, very bad. Before the teenager could respond or even fully process her current situation, her enemy simply disappeared! This turn of events was baffling enough, but pure terror spiked in her eyes when the javelin wielding warrior reappeared just as suddenly, standing between her and the man she had been trying to help.

Penelope did not hesitate at this point; she didn't think of cowardice or her duty as a senshi or a human being. No, she acted on pure instinct and fled down the alley as fast as she could, frantically seeking to put as much distance between herself and this threat as possible. She was aware enough to contemplate the henshin pen hidden in her purse but far too frightened to make any attempt to use it. Maybe if she got far enough away, was able to find a small hiding place where she had time to transform... but right now, she just needed to run!

The teenager could hear the taunting words of the woman behind her, and it only encouraged her to run faster down the alley. It was like a sick game of hide and seek, and thinking of it in those terms made Penelope reject several potential hiding places. Behind a dumpster? Too obvious. Down another alley? No, then she ran the risk of picking a dead end by mistake.

She eventually settled for ducking into an alley when she just couldn't find the breath to support her any more, but that could not be a permanent solution. From the sound of footsteps behind her, the woman with the javelin was takign her time, stalking, hunting. Penelope could feel panic clawing its way up her throat along with a the sick taste of bile. What was she going to do? What was she going to do?

Her hand touched the purse at her side, and Penelope dug into the bag, pulling out her henshin pin with trembling fingers. She had to do this. ********* had awakened her, told her of her duties and her powers and how she had to protect those in danger. She could think of a million excuses to stay cowering in her spot; she was not ready, she was too young, she was too inexperienced.

But the answer to all of her protests was the memory of that anonymous man who she had abandoned. She could sugarcoat it, say that she had been threatened and attacked, but the truth was that she had just left him there, either to be hurt again or, even worse, to die. Someone else would be better, but at the moment there was no one else.

Clutching the henshin pen in her sweaty palm, she half-whispered the words that surrounded her with transformative energy, "Pasiphae Power... Make-Up."

She just hoped this wasn't a mistake.

The one that emerged from the makeshift hiding place was Sailor Pasiphae, and even if she still felt somewhat foolish, she forced herself to stand tall and prepare herself for her opponent's strike. Maybe she could at least distract the javelin wielding woman long enough for someone else to find the wounded civilian. She knew she had little chance at a true victory, but a distraction was well within her power.

With this "plan" in mind, she sucked in a breath and called out the name of her attack, hoping that the sound and the sight of the maroon energy gathering around her would gain the javelin wielder's attention, "Shameful Isolation!"

Had Sailor Pasiphae called her attack just a little sooner, she would not have been hit. Her shield would have solidified into place, and the weapon would have bumped off harmlessly. As the case was, however, the blade of the javelin delivered a glancing blow, shearing the thin fabric of her bodice and leaving a gash about half an inch deep in her skin. Pasiphae cried in pain and instinctively placed a hand over the wound, feeling the warm blood soak through the material of her gloves to touch her trembling fingers. Her whole body began to shake, and the only thing that kept her from repeating her cry was biting on her lip until the metallitc taste of blood touched her tongue.

She tried to swallow back her panic and her fear, but she was certain that some amount of her true feelings shone in her eyes as she glared at her enemy through her protective barrier. How could it be otherwise? She had no experience in battle, save from her awakening, and certainly no experience dealing with such an obvious threat, one that had already hurt her. Distraction... she had to continue to be a distraction. She had to keep the enemy's focus long enough for someone to help that wounded civilian. With this in mind, she licked her suddenly dry lips and panted the first thing that came to her mind, "I... am Sailor Pasiphae. And there... will be no shame in my victory."

Sailor Pasiphae had to admit that, given the circumstances, her battle cry was not the best of come backs, but it had been the only thing she could think to say. She did not know how to confront this opponent, physically or verbally. Looking into those serious eyes, hearing the taunts that fell too naturally from her lips... any words of Pasiphae's own stacked up behind her firm grimace of pain like bricks. She had nothing to say to this woman. Nothing that was likely to make her situation better.

The Senshi's eyes turned to her barrier, knowing that it wouldn't stay up for too much longer. It had not taken any hits, so it would last the full amount of time, but that time was quickly slipping away. What was she going to do then?

Her mind raced as she tried to come up with an answer. Could she summon the shield again? She wasn't sure--she had never tried. Perhaps her opponent wasn't sure either. Perhaps she could trick the javelin wielder, make her throw her weapon for a second time before the shield fell and then run. The police station was some distance away, but if she got lucky, she could make it. Of course... she had no idea how the wound in her side would affect her mobility. It would certainly hurt to run, but how much would it hurt? Would it mean she couldn't run?

It was a long shot, but it might be her only shot. Pasiphae decided to chance it. True, none of her plans had done her any good thus far, but all she could do was continue to press forward. This loosened her tongue a bit, as she half-whispered, "We... will see..."

Then, without missing a beat, she started to murmur the name of her attack uncertain of what would happen next, "Shameful Isolation."