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April showers were supposed to give May flowers... but it seemed as though the showers had decided they did not want to leave! Eternal Sailor Pasiphae shielded her head against the sheets of water that rolled across the pavement. She was far from her normal patrol grounds, walking around the playground at Knightside Elementary. She was not looking for a fight as much as she was looking for cover from the torrent that had opened up around her.

She passed the see-saws and swings, carefully watching her step. As was to be expected, abandoned balls and other toys were scattered around the concreted area, and avoiding said abandoned balls and frisbees that could send her crashing to the ground was proving to be difficult. There was nowhere really to seek cover... except maybe under the picnic table? Not exactly the best position, and she would get muddy... but better than trying to find the way back when she could barely see in front of her.

So, the bead-laden Senshi crouched low and began scuttling beanth her shelter. It was not an ideal situation... but it would do until the storm cleared.

Pasiphae cringed against the mud that she settled into, keenly aware of the splashes around her very white boots and fuku. She hated the feeling of it against her... but it was only temporary. The drumming of raindrops on the tabletop were somewhat soothing, despite their vigor--it clearly indicated she was being kept protected, at least a little!

When a very angry voice bellowed for her to come out, the Eternal replied by pulling her legs further under the compact table. It was a quickly calculated move to buy more time. She was not afraid of him, necessarily... but she could feel Chaos. Peering out as best she could, she could catch glimpses of the figure... but nothing to give her a good indication of what he looked like. He felt as Carnelian did - another Corrupt Senshi?

Wrapping her arms around her chest to try and keep from shivering in the cold and wet, she called back, "If you want to talk, I'll come out. If you want to fight... I don't want to hurt you."

If her energy signature didn't give her away, then her call would. It was raining fairly heavily but she did not think the water or the wind would distort her location. Again, it was a stalling tactic. Pasiphae truly did not want to fight, despite all that she had been through. She would] if forced... but she would rather save the Corrupt Senshi instead.

When booted feet came near her hiding place, Pasiphae knew that her time was up. The Eternal unfolded herself out from under the table finally, mud clinging to her outfit. Her skirt and gossamer bow were weighed down and the small set of backwings featured splashes of brown that plopped down in blobs. She was certainly not an intimidating sight.

Her fists were raised, but she still did not strike. Instead, she swallowed back her fear and addressed him. The glint of starseed light was unmistakeable at this distance. Maybe... he would be like Carnelian? His earlier chuckle, and his tone of voice, made her fear that he'd be more like Euclase instead. "I'm Pasiphae, and... I'm not afraid."

The second part of her statement was untrue - she was terribly afraid of hurting him, of being forced to fight out here alone and covered in gunk. She just hoped he didn't realize that.

Pasiphae winced when he saw through her and responded to his threatening step forward by taking a half-step back. Only a half-step because the picnic table she had only recently been hiding behind bumped into her. Nowhere to run, and a fight was clearly brewing along with the storm.

As she had feared, there was no reasoning with him. Had he met her a year ago, when she had less power, or even before the Ambush when she had made her vow stop running... then she might have simply called on her shield and left him to hit at it. But since he seemed to signal very clearly that he would do anything it took to get to her... that mean she had to engage directly.

"You're welcome to try." Bold words that did not match her tone, but all she could think to say. She lunged forward and aimed her fist for his gut.

The blow, though glancing, was still satisifying in a perverse way. The Shame Senshi could distinctly remember when she could not hold her own at all in a fight... and while she was still a fairly weak fighter due to her preference for peace, at lest she could put up a fight.

Pasiphae tried to leap over the Corrupt Senshi as he charged. The mud on the ground, however, half-sucked her down and made her lose altitude. She could only leap high enough to trip over him. She landed face first in the mud with an ungraceful splash, catching herself on her hands. She clawed at the slippery surface, struggling to regain her feet.

Pasiphae yelped whenever a strong hand gripped her ankle. Despite the clawed marks she had left in the mud, she could not grab enough of a grip to struggle against his motion. She may have been the stronger, but down in the mud both were at a disadvantage!

She twisted as best she could in his grip, drawing back her free leg to kick at his hand and face. It was difficult and her aim haphazard, but she felt it her best strategy. "Away from you!"

Pasiphae gratefully took her freedom. The moment her ankle was released she pushed herself to her feet. She may have been a determined Eternal, but well-grounded was another matter entirely. The torrents of rain got caught up with the winds, pelting her even harder then they had before. As much as she tried to dig her boots into the slick mud, this added water and pressure made her slide back. She only maintained her balance through constant concentration and waving her arms around. Even then, there were times were she faltered and crouched only to rise again.

At this point, with the weather truly chasing her under the control of the Corrupted Senshi, there was only one thing she could think to do. "*Pasiphae Social Pariah!" As the maroon shield settled around her, it helped to block the water and wind. She knelt to catch her breath, trying to take the best advantage of this mmoment to catch her breath. What she would do when the shield fell... she would deal with when the time came.

*
A more powerful version of Shameful Isolation, Social Pariah allows the energy shield to exist for a longer period of time, anywhere from 30 seconds to 45 seconds depending on the amount and intensity of attacks absorbed. The energy shield can now activate around one ally; if Sailor Pasiphae chooses to do this, she cannot shield herself. Whoever Sailor Pasiphae shields will find their mobility restricted and unable to attack as long as the shield lasts.

In addition to shielding Sailor Pasiphae or one companion, whenever the weapon/her attacker comes into physical contact with her shield, it induces a deep sensation of shame which can actively affect the enemy for as long as the shield lasts.

NOTE: How each opponent experiences this shame differs based on their personality. For example, a proud warrior might feel shame at attacking a purely defensive opponent, whereas a chivalrous guy might feel shame for attacking a girl.

--Drawbacks -
Only works on 1 person
Only works for a limited amount of time
Reduces mobility, making it impossible to attack as long as the shield lasts
Can be broken by a powerful enough attack/multiple lesser attacks

Pasiphae had risen shakily to her feet safely within the confines of her shield, sighing in relief whenever it protected her from both ran and wind. She jumped all the same when Typhon's first ran into her shield... but nothing could prepare her for how he recoiled and collapsed into himself. Worst of all was the fear in his eyes, the defeat in his voice.

The Eternal Senshi looked over the kneeling Corrupted. She could only think of one thing to say. "I'm... I'm sorry." The words she spoke were genuine, if soft. She did not press her luck any further and dashed off as fast as her mud-caked boots would allow. The rain continued to soak her and threatened to make her slip, but she was determined to get away.

As far as she was concerned, this storm had caused enough damage.