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WHO: Duo, Claire, and Mr. Muggles
WHEN: backdated to the afternoon before the blizzard happens as well as during the worst of the blizzard
WHERE: Underground Mall
WHAT: Claire was planning on helping Duo find out what his power was for one night, and then all of a sudden the weather took a turn for the worst. Uhh-- Also, killer cyborgs will show up at some point for a bit.
WARNINGS: nothing??? will update if needed

She'd told Duo to meet her at the Mall for some 'power discovery'. She still hadn't managed to think of a good word for it, but it would work for now. She sat on a nearby bench, holding Mr. Muggles in her hands and trying to feed him a treat. He really was spoiled- any of the 'bargain brand' treats she tried to feed him, he wouldn't take unless he was nearly dying of hunger.

Franz had no doubt kept up the tradition of her mother spoiling him to death. Not that she minded, really; she wouldn't break her bank to make sure he had the best treats. It was his own fault if he didn't want to eat it at first.

The thought of Mr. Muggles having an ability of his own crossed her mind as she sat there waiting for Duo. The idea hadn't even occurred to her until Helen and Haruhi had mentioned it, and now it wouldn't go away. Though, really, how likely was it that she would be the owner of a super-powered dog?

... On second thought, maybe she didn't want to think something like that in a city like this.

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"Oh." She adjusted her weight onto her other leg. "Have you tried lifting anything heavy lately? Maybe you have enhanced strength."

"Ehn!" Duo made a buzzer noise, shaking his head. "Every day at work. Trust me, it'd make my job a hellauvalot easier if I could."

She chewed on the inside of her lip, glancing up for a moment. "Okay, then, have you noticed any headaches recently? Or hearing people talk but they aren't?" She paused for a second.

"Not like if you were insane, before you ask."

"Nooope," Duo shook his head slowly, giving a hapless shrug.

"I think we're gonna run out of powers before the night is up... are you sure I ain't just one of the unlucky saps that the Core forgot or something?"

"No, you'd be surprised how many there are." She read a textbook on a lot of them, once. She turned her body to the left, tugging on Mr. Muggles' leash.

"I have a feeling the Core gave you one." Actually, no- for all she knew, he might have been right. But what was the harm in trying? "C'mon, I have an idea. Follow me."

"..."

Duo quirked an eyebrow at that, but followed obediently. It couldn't be any worse than standing around throwing out ideas that weren't getting them anywhere.

That's right, Duo, follow the short little blonde to your destiny--

Which, as it so happens, was into a candle store. She glanced back at Duo, nodding with her head for him to follow her into there. She crouched down and picked up Mr. Muggles, fully intending on smuggling him into the store.

This would be strangely reminiscent of something from his past... if she wasn't... a she.

He followed her in to the store, wrinkling his nose a bit at the smell.

"... what's this?"

"Candle shop." She liked the smell; it reminded her of her trips to the mall with Sandra in California. There were always weird tropical smells in the stores there, even the non-candle ones. She made her way to the back, glancing over her shoulder to make sure Duo was following and no employees were watching them.

"Have you heard of pyrokinesis?" She stood in front of a cabinet of lit candles, glancing over at him.

"Uh... that crap where people throw fire or whatever?" Duo ventured a guess, canting his head to the side.

Claire scowled at him. "Yeah, something like that. Some people can make it or just control it."

She gently picked up one of the lit candles, holding it out for Duo. "Here, take it. Just concentrate on moving the flame and see what happens."

Duo was... less than convinced this was a good idea, but he had agreed to go along with this and complaining now would have just upset her.

He took the candle and stared at the flame intensely, but... nothing happened. it just flickered.

"Try it again. Think of a strong memory and see if it does anything." That was the only advice she could give, really. She glanced off to the left, checking to make sure the employees were still busy. They were, thankfully.

There was only one memory that was really strong as of late - the one that had been in his globe at new years. Watching Sister Helen die again had dredged up a lot of painful things he just wanted to ignore again, but his dreams hadn't been so kind lately.

Focusing on it, on the smell of charred, hollowed out buildings and burned skin and that coppery tang of blood in the air just made him feel queasy, and nothing happened with the damn candle. He handed it back to Claire after a time, shaking his head slowly.

"Sorry..."

Claire simply shrugged, putting the candle back. "It was worth a try."

She moved to leave the store, keeping her back turned away from the door and her jacket unzipped to cover up Mr. Muggles. She'd been yelled at before for having him in a store and didn't intend on it happening again.

"Let's try electricity?" A small grin directed his way. All they'd need is an outlet, really.

Oh boy...

"... sure."

Duo swallowed hard and forced whatever memories had risen to the surface back again, following her out of the store with hopes that he didn't look as pale and shaken as he suddenly did.

"Are you okay?" It wasn't hard to notice a sudden drop in color in Duo's face. She wondered if it had to do with the memories she had asked him to tap into, or the thought of dealing with electricity.

"Don't worry, we'll just be dealing with an outlet. I'm not going to let you hurt yourself."

Duo shook his head, looking away and clearing his throat awkwardly.

"It's fine. I'm not worried 'bout it..." was all he said, not really wanting to go in to it any more than that.

Claire stopped outside of the store, hesitating and looking at Duo with a slight look of concern in her eyes. It wasn't any of her business, and she knew that, but... She crouched down to let Mr. Muggles walk on his own.

"There should be one around here. Help me look for one." Another glance at Duo, then she walked along the wall, looking for an outlet to try out. Mr. Muggles was interested in everybody walking by Claire, and somehow managed to keep from barking at everyone he saw.

Edited 2012-02-12 07:23 (UTC)

He wanted to force a smile, to do something that would convince her he was alright, but nothing came out. But she didn't push the issue either which he was grateful for.

"Uh... I think there might be some in the food court..." he ventured, though hesitantly since there was a lot of people there.

"Do you really want to hang around an outlet in the food court?" A grin flashed on Claire's face. "Weird things happen here a lot but I'm sure that would raise some eyebrows." It's harmless teasing, mostly to help him get out of whatever funk she had accidentally put him into by asking him to access a strong memory.

"Ah- here!" She glanced around, trying to be casual as she pulled a potted plant in front of where they would be around the outlet. It was in an alcove between two stores, currently unused. "Okay, so this one might be a little tricky."

She looked over at him. Mr. Muggles seemed content to just sniff the corner a few feet off to the right, and Claire was fine with leaving him there.

"Yeaaaah that's what I was thinking." Duo said, scratching his cheek. He followed her gaze around the area before she landed on the potted plant and headed over to it. As before, he followed quietly, still having his doubts that any of this was going to work.

"... okay. What you got in mind for this one?"

"Put your finger right up to the socket without actually sticking it in. Can you manage that?" A grin flashed on her face and looked up at him.

"If you concentrate on it, I think something should happen."

It... sounded ridiculous. More so than anything else she had suggested thus far. But... she was sticking this out until the end, which meant he owed her the same courtesy since she was doing this for him after all.

Sighing, he crouched down and held his finger out, half expecting a sudden arc of electricity to come out and shock him in to a bad white guy afro or something equally cartoony. But nothing of the sort happened.

Instead... the lights in the entire mall flickered. All without anything coming out of the socket. He blinked and looked up, just as the entire place was plunged in to darkness and people yelled in surprise.

"... that was NOT me..."

"Are you sure?" She stood immediately, calling for Mr. Muggles, who had begun to bark once the lights switched off. There were shouts and the sounds of something crashing. It was pretty obvious that something was happening.

"I wonder what's going on." She felt around in the darkness for Duo's shoulder. She felt vaguely responsible for him in case something happened.