HQ blackout

Twas a dark and stormy night at headquarters. The rain hitting the fortress's walls filled HQ with a dull roar. Every time lighting struck, the thunder reverberated loudly within the castle's walls. The power was knocked out during the storm leaving the stronghold in complete darkness except for frequent flashes of light from the lightning outside.

Unable to sleep from the roar of the storm among other things, Collin wandered the dark hallways alone lighting his way with the dim glow of his spherical innocence. He could see the faint flickering of candlelight from beneath some of the closed doors to the exorcist's sleeping quarters.

'So I'm not the only one that can't get to sleep.' he thought to himself.

White jumped at the next crash of thunder, trembling as she walked down the dark halls. She had stayed out too late, and had come back when the power went out. Now she was hopelessly lost…confused…and frightened. Grey was humming a lullaby to her in “their” head, Champion’s soft buzz comforting as well. The black haired girl sighed, looking at the flickering candle lights under the doorways.

“People are so, I dunno, not scared,” White mumbled. “Umm…where was my room again?” Grey gave an irritated growl.

I’m telling you, we passed it a few doors back! He snapped. White flinched, but continued walking…only to give out a squeak of surprise as her inattentiveness made her slam into somebody.

Collin spun around quickly in surprise to find a person standing behind him. A sudden flash of lightning blinded him and the accompanying thunder made him jump. After a few seconds Collin's eyes readjusted to the near darkness and he recognized the individual.

"Oh. It's you, White. What are you still doing up?"

"Oh...Oh...uh.....Who are you?" White asked, frowning. She slowly looked up the figure she ran into though....and screamed.

The girl's scream made him reciprocate with one of his own as he fell backwards onto the floor.

"It's me Collin. Remem..." he trailed off, "Never mind." he said scratching his head. "Do you need help finding your room?"

White breathed heavily, eyes wide until the gentle man from the gate registered in her mind. "Oh, Oh! Collin...I'm so sorry!" she got up, holding her hand out. "I...yes...I think I'm lost..."

I can find it for us! Grey shouted, but White ignored him. She helped Collin up, a small blush on her face.

"I'm sorry...it's just that I'm so new and everything is so big and..." she trailed off, biting her lip. "I'm sorry." Another crash of thunder made her shriek and latch onto Collin's waist.

Collin blushed from the close contact and stood there frozen for a second. He had had no close contact with anyone since he joined the order.

"U-um. hey its ok." he said nervously patting her head, "It's just lightning."

"Anyways, I think you already past your room if I'm not mistaken." he said unsure while looking back and forth down the long dark hallway.

White blushed a well, embarrassed that she was afraid of a storm of all things. Another bolt made her yelp. She peeked up embarrassingly at Collin, "I-it is...thanks..."

Don't pull the puppy dog eyes!

"Shut up Grey," White mumbled, and reluctantly let go of Collin. She was trembling all over, her fear very apparent on her face.

Even in the dim light given off by Glutton he could see that White was scared.

He stood there for a minute thinking of how he could help her feel better. Collin thought back to what he used to do to comfort the kids on the caravan when they were scared or sad. He finally said, "H-hey! Don't be scared." Collin put his hand on white's back. "Come on. I'll walk you to your room."

White smiled shakily,"T-thanks..." Before they could start walking though, White gasped, clutching at her chest as she shivered all over. "Grey," she hissed between her teeth, "Not now..."

NO WAY IN HELL AM I LETTING HIM TOUCH YOU!

White bit her lip, eyes watering, but bearing the pain. Grey's anger soon calmed from her thoughts, and she smiled at Collin. "L-let's go," she mumbled, though she was still scared.

Collin stood there speechless as she seemed to be in pain. He heard her mumble something about Grey before she seemingly went back to her version of normal. 'I wonder if this Grey doesn't like me.' he thought to himself.

As they began walking toward her room Collin asked, "So.. Why are you so afraid of storms?"

White fidgeted with the edge of her skirt, biting her lower lip. Should she tell him? She trusted him...but...

Don't tell him, Grey snapped. There's nothing to tell him! He's strange! He's foreign! He isn't me or Champion!

"I...I trust him!" White said. She gulped, flinching at another blast of thunder. She turned to look at Collin...and gave a sorrowful look. "The reason I'm afraid of storms," White started. "Is because the day my Mom transformed into an akuma to kill me...it was storming. The worst storm Northern Louisiana had in years...I almost died..."

Grey hissed , White! Stop!

No.

"Is that so?...."

Collin stopped walking down the hallway. He pulled white to him and hugged her as lightning struck again.

"I've listened to the stories of many of the people here. Everyone has suffered loss or had to leave a loved one behind. Everyone here is familiar with sorrow. Just understand that at the Black Order, you are never alone. And as long as you are here there's no reason to be afraid."

White's eyes widened as she felt the fabric against her face. A sob shook her form, followed by a sniffle, and soon White was crying in Collin's jacket. Her hands clutched at the fabric like an infant would its parents, her shoulders shook violentyl, and White's loud wails were almost drowned out by the storm.

"I-I," she started, hiccups escaping her mouth as she tried to make a coherent speech. She started crying again, grip only tightening on Collin. The lightning or thunder didn't make her jump at all, what did was the horrid memories of her own blood on the ground, the despairing cries of her mother...how horrid she was when she killed the one who raised her...and the gentle voice of Grey.

Don't worry White, I'll protect you...always, right?

At the time she had answered "Always", but now. "T-thanks...I-I-I'm," White cut off again, crying harder.

Candy crept through the halls whispering to herself, pretending she was a fearless warrior in the pitch black darkness of a cave. candy loved blackouts, lightning and the strong boom of the thunder. "The cristals seemed to move as Candy jones shined her ultra, super duper flashlight on the walls beside her..." Candy imagined herself on a quest to find the missing cafeteria. She could not see where she was going so she was bumping into objects that one would normally find hard to bump into. "I just want a snack!" She whined as she hit her toe on a shoe that was sitting in the middle of the hallway... A shoe? she wondered, "Omgoodness! there's a leg attached to this shoe! Oh wait... it's just Collin and White... Hi Collin and white." Candy jumped to her feet and gave a quick wave. The two exorcists who were embracing each other struggled to get out of each others arms. She saw that there were tears in Whites eyes and immediatly frowned, "Don't tell me that you're afraid of lighting..." White just stared at Candy blankly after she questioned her, "Oh my gracious! You are scared of lightning! Well come with me," candy held out her arm and motioned for her to link it. "Let's go to the cafeteria, a midnight sweet always helps me sleep! Oh wait..." candy stuck her hand in her pocket and held out a weird charm, "Here, when I was living with my dad, things always frightened me, so if you wear this charm and hold it tight, you'll always be safe." Candy grinned and gave the colourful charm to White, Candy was a bit worried that grey would take over then but she knew that Grey probably cared for White's frights more than anyone else.

White blinked, still sniffing, at the colorful charm Candy held out to her. "I-I couldn't," she said. "It's something your father gave you..."

I can get us back to our room,Grey said. White shook her head. "I can do it," she mumbled. "Thank you for the offer to the cafeteria, Candy...was it?" White, on instinct for Candy reminded her of an old friend, gently patted the bubbly sweet's lover on the head.

Collin turned his head to face White "Well if you're going to be alright then I'll be on my way."

He started to walk away from the pair humming an Irish sounding song that could barely be heard over the roar of the rain.

"Goodbye Collin!" White said. "You sure you don't want to eat with us?" Though White was pretty sure he couldn't hear her over the rain.

That just leaves me with pretty lass here, right? Grey asked, a slightly devious tone to his voice.

You flirt, White thought, careful to keep this conversation to herself and not blurt it out loud. She's a friend...and you don't know how old Candy is! White flinched in agitation at Grey's laugh, but followed Candy to...wherever it was. The Cafeteria...right?

Candy looked at White with a confused expression, but she shrugged and took white by the hand. "Well comon! I saw Jarry make a fresh pot of stew and I want to get my hands on it before Allen does!"

"Stew?" White questioned. "I hope it's beef stew...I like that...It was like comfort food to me...and does Allen really eat that much?" Another strike of thunder made White lose her conversation, shivers racing down her spine.

Candy noticed the shivers in White's body and immediatly took her hand "haven't you ever been to the cafeteria before? he's always in there... or the training room... he kinda switches back and forth between the two places..." Candy trailed off of her senctance as she noticed she was rambling, "Well anyways, it's a mixture of beef and chicken.. yummmmmm!" candy grined as she rubbed her tummy with her free hand. She pulled White accross the hallway as another boom came from outside. Candy felt White jump again but she wasn't shivering anymore.

"Oh....sounds yummy," White said. She was glad, really, for all the friendship that Candy was showing to a new person like her. The jester exorcist, Candy, was just so energetic and Collin was such a gentleman...

It's a pity we'll forget their names soon, Grey said.

"I won't forget their names," White mumbled softly under the roar of the rain. "They're....friends...Champion won't eat those...right?" Grey's silence did little to comfort her, but Candy's presence did.

Auqustin was sleeping while the strom was starting a few hours ago.the bolt of lighting flashed out side his room and broke the tree outside his window."aaaaahhhhhhh!!!!"Auqustin fell out of his bed as the tree went crashing throut his window blowing wildly.He got up and discovered that there was now power when he went to turn on the light.the wind crashed and howled as he was walking by the window.the tree crushed his dresser and all his colths flew out the window with the wind at 300km/h.Auqustin gave up as he walked out the door he noticed that not even Komui was up in the night."I Hope this wasnt Komuis doin"Auqustin rolled his eyes and walked down the erey hallway to the bathroom.as he walked slowly and tired to the bathroom he noticed it was full of peaple camping out there becouse so many peaple had lit candles."OO My God."He sighed as he scrachted his head thinking these peaple have issuses."I really have to use the bathroom"He thout speeding down the hallway looking for a bathroom.Auqustin ran throu the door to the cafatria and fell in front of Candy and White/Grey."I have too pee"he whined trying to hold it in

candy looked at Auqustin with a confused look, "There's a bathroom right over there Auqustin-kun." Candy pointed to the kitchen that was lit up with candles. Candy then pulled the two other exorcists to the kitchen and pushed Auqustin in the washroom "Go pee and then jion us for some stew!" Candy yelled after him as she grabbed the pot out of the cupboard.

"That was...interesting," White mumbled as she watched the fleeing Auqustin. "He is very blunt...isn't he?" She sighed and took another sip from her stew.

And loud, Grey griped. White mentally scolded him. She took another bite from her food.

"Sir Jerry is a wonderful cook," White told Candy.