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As Emma finished her exams she sat for a moment, contemplating them. She had [i]thought[/i] that she had done a good job. Apparently Lawrence had thought so too, or at least she looked like she was, judging by his earlier remark. She had always been a good student but there was some degree of disquiet in her mind regarding the test- perhaps it was just the fact that they were tests to determine her place in what was effectively a prison? 

She glanced around at her roommates. In truth she hadn’t really been paying attention to what they had been doing while she was finishing. Emma had the ability to focus if nothing else. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. She had another plethora of messages from concerned friends and family. She had long since put her phone on silent to avoid the annoyance of the constant ringing and beeping. She scrolled through them quickly, looking for that one message in particular that she hoped to find. 

Of course it wasn’t there. Emma chewed her lip, whether It was out of either concern or stress she couldn’t say. In truth it was likely a caustic combination of the two. She turned off her phone and placed it back in her pocket, turning herself towards Hazel. From what she had seen the girl was the odd sort- from her hairstyle to her stripping episode this morning to her odd manner of speaking. Most people don’t respond to an invitation by saying ‘I have no objections to that.’ Emma shook away those thoughts. Surely she was just overthinking things, Hazel was probably a normal person like everyone else and Emma would do her very best to be friends of her.

[color=8A3DFF]“Hazel, you ready to go?”[/color] She asked with a smile. She began collecting the papers that she had to turn into the office- whether Hazel was coming or not she was going to go drop them off before they inevitably got lost or forgotten.

Blinking, Hazel put away all the papers on her table in a neat pile, separating what she had been working on from the ones she had not touched. She had been working on those for quite a bit, though she knew not the answer for most of them. Of course, considering it was a test, she filled in what she knew, which was admittedly very little. Standing up, she turned to Emma.

[color=fff79a] "Yes. Please lead the way."[/color]

[color=8A3DFF]”Alright… we’ll be back soon, okay Lawrence?”[/color] She said to her other roommate. Emma lead her newfound follower out the door, closing it softly behind her. As they headed out the dorm building Emma tried to muster up all the small talk she could. [color=8A3DFF]”Let’s stop by the office first so I can drop off all my paperwork… speaking of, how are you doing on the test? I saw you weren’t quite finished.”[/color] Emma said, trying her very best to sound polite and cheery.

[color=fff79a]"Yes. I am doing my best on the tests." [/color]That was all Hazel answered as she followed the girl out of the building. It was not because she was being unfriendly, or actively trying to avoid Emma, but simply Hazel answering what was asked, and only what was asked. For her to offer any more information beyond what was asked was unlikely.

[color=8A3DFF]”Uh-huh…”[/color] Maybe it was Emma’s fault for expecting something more? Maybe Hazel didn’t want to talk about the test? That must’ve been it, Emma decided. [color=8A3DFF][i]Maybe if I ask her something else…?[/i][/color] Emma was putting her all into maintaining her smile. She had resolved to be friends with Hazel, and she wasn’t going to stop now. [color=8A3DFF]”Sooooo… where are you from, Hazel?”[/color]

[color=fff79a]"I don't know." [/color]It was a simple answer, and correct in every way. Hazel did not know where she came from, for she had forgotten. She did not know where the facility was located, because she was not told its location. Even if she did know where it was, that question would require the person asking to at least have a Beta level clearance.

****

By the time they had arrived Emma had assaulted Hazel with a barrage of questions, receiving answers not dissimilar to what she had gotten so far: Simple, concise, non-conversational responses. Trying to get to know Hazel was like an interrogation so it seemed. This was partially Emma’s fault, as she didn’t once push Hazel for further explanation out of fear of rudeness. Emma was not sure if Hazel’s brevity of speech was due to a dislike of talking to her or something else. Although she generally felt that she was pretty decent at reading people Hazel seemed an enigma to her, although to Emma’s credit not once did she sigh in frustration or lose her amicable smile. 

The store that they had arrived at could best be described as ‘run of the mill’. It was a simple budget department store that Emma found courtesy of her phone’s internet. She had resisted her first inclination to go for something more extravagant; her family was not exactly poor and she was used to fancy brand name clothing. Despite this she had the sensibility to not spend all of her money on one outfit. She would also need food and likely a number of other things, so she would have to be sensible when it came to shopping. Emma glanced at Hazel, [color=8A3DFF]”So… Hazel, I’m assuming you need clothes too… where should we start?”[/color]

[color=fff79a]"..start?"[/color] Hazel tilted her head questioningly. If it was about clothes, she had enough, and she had certainly no real need for more clothes when the ones she had now suffices. If anything she was more interested in what was going on around her, though she remained as reserved as always. It seemed like the first time she had ever been to such a place, with so many people just walking about minding their own business. To at least not seem rude to Emma, she glanced over the clothings, and determined that there was no armor, airtight suits with gas masks, or the likes being sold. Only clothings that didn't offer anything else over what she had already. [color=fff79a]"Do I need clothes?"[/color]

Emma was a little taken aback by the question. The confusion on her face was evident, her smile turning into a downturned line. For several seconds the awkward silence hung. [color=8A3DFF][i]… does she? Does she… need clothes? Does she need clothes?[/i][/color] Emma played the question over in her head several times. Did she mishear? No, she didn’t think she did at least. She knew that something wasn’t quite right was Hazel, even she was perceptive enough to pick up on that, even if she herself would deny her own observation as she found it incredibly rude to make such a presumption about another person. All the same even if she did except some degree of oddity the question did catch her off guard. [color=8A3DFF]”Well… I had assumed that everyone was in the same position that I was in and didn’t have much… I guess that’s my fault… uh, well, what clothes do you have?”[/color] Emma said with no small degree of awkwardness, trying her best to maintain a small smile.

Memories of the scientists arguing over which clothes fit her better suddenly resurfaced, brought on as she tried to remember how much she had. [color=fff79a]"A bag packed with them. Count unknown. Should you feel that my wardrobe is lacking, then please tell me what I should add."[/color] Being the way she was, all she noticed from Emma was her discomfort, though the reasons for that discomfort escapes her.

Emma blinked at Hazel, trying to ferret some possible explanation for Hazel’s behavior in her brain.

[color=8A3DFF][i]Has she… she hasn’t been shopping before, has she?
 
Restrictive parents?
 
Or maybe she’s one of those kids that was raised in the wild by wolves?
 
Or… maybe she was in some weird cult that didn’t let her go outside?[/i][/color]
 
The more she thought about it the stranger Emma’s explanations got. Emma resolved once again to help Hazel, as she clearly had some sort of deficiency when it came to independent behavior. Emma nodded, taking Hazel’s wont for command as an invitation to help her find clothes. She looked the girl up and down, trying to determine what kind of outfit would best suit her. [color=8A3DFF][i]Something… sensible, not too flashy… but it has to be cute… I should get a jacket for her too, it'll be winter soon... something timeless, not too complex... or maybe something bold and unusual for her… hmmm...[/i][/color]

[color=8A3DFF]”Okay, okay, wait here, I’ll be right back.”[/color] 
 
Emma soon returned with a small collection of clothes that would constitute one outfit: A blue cardigan with a plain yellow shirt to wear underneath, complemented by a pair of red leggings. Emma had a feeling Hazel's current clothing wasn't very colorful, so she was hoping that the vibrant mix would be a bit of a change-up for the girl. [color=8A3DFF]”Here, Hazel, try these on.”[/color] Emma said cheerfully. She remembered her earlier stripping episode and amended, [color=8A3DFf]”Go in one of the rooms over there to change… and, uh, lock the door behind you.”[/color] She said, pointing towards the fitting rooms.

Hazel already had her skirt open, before Emma suggested the changing rooms. Nodding, she took the clothes with her inside one of the open changing rooms. It was certainly different than what she was used to. The leggings alone took away the feeling of freedom she had, though the cardigan and shirt was comfortable. To her the clothing put together made little sense, for what purpose can these truly have? Warmth? If so, she would have substituted the legging for something else. Protection? These offered nothing over her usual clothes. But Emma did tell her to wear it, so wear it she shall. Fully dressed, she stepped out of the changing room. There was an odd gait to her movements, perhaps due to her unfamiliarity with the leggings.[color=fff79a] "Is this to your liking?"[/color]

Emma looked Hazel up and down as she emerged. She looked… cute, Emma supposed, albeit incredibly uncomfortable. When Hazel asked if it was ‘to your liking’ Emma shook her head slightly, not in respones to the outfit but to the question. She had by now accepted that Hazel wasn’t great at acting independently, although was still slightly taken aback by her odd mannerisms. [color=8A3DFF]”No, no, Hazel… you shouldn’t worry about what someone else thinks of your clothes… do you like it?”[/color] 

[color=fff79a]"I do not have any particular attachment to these."[/color] Came the answer readily. Pulling on the leggings to examine it, and exposing a bit of her underwear in the process, she continued.[color=fff79a] "It's hard to move in. If at all possible, I would have preferred a skirt. Did these have some sort of tactical advantage I do not know of?"[/color]

Emma nodded. [color=8A3DFF]”A skirt… of course, I should’ve noticed… I’ll be right back…”[/color] Emma started to walk away but quickly stopped and turned around. [color=8A3DFF]”Wait, tactical advantage? Uhhhhh… you should… uhhhh…”[/color] Emma paused. [color=8A3DFF][i]Okay… okay… she doesn’t… really get the point of clothing… alright…[/i][/color] Emma’s smile returned. She had to be nice. She had to, she told herself. [color=8A3DFF]”Have… have you considered… hmmmm… instead of looking at the, er, ‘tactical’ aspect of clothing… have you ever considered wearing what looks good on you? Like, something that people will think looks good…. Or something that you like wearing because you feel good wearing it?”[/color] Emma’s explanation came out awkwardly. She’d never had to explain the concept of fashion to someone before, and certainly had never prepared to. Despite this she was wearing her kindest possible smile. She really was doing the best she could.

[color=fff79a]"Wearing my usual clothes feel good."[/color] Hazel affirmed, nodding as she did so.

Emma nodded again. [color=8A3DFF][i]Okay, okay, I can do this.[/i][/color] Emma turned around. She had been eyeing a skirt earlier, thinking that it might perhaps suit Hazel. She picked it off a rack and returned to Hazel, holding it up. It was blue, and notably shorter than Hazel’s usual skirt. Similar enough but also different, Emma had hoped.  [color=8A3DFF]”Do you like this, Hazel?”[/color] 

[color=fff79a]"I don't have any particular like or dislike for it."[/color]

Emma felt like she was proverbially pulling teeth at this point. [color=8A3DFF]”Well, uh, is there anything here that you do like?[/color] She said as nicely as humanly possible. She was [i]still[/i], by some great miracle, smiling.

Hazel looked around, but what her gaze lingered on was not one of the clothes inside the store, but one of the stores outside. It was brightly coloured, with cheerful looking people there. One of them, the one behind a counter, took out a colorful globe with a strange spoon and slapped it onto a disappointingly brown cone wrapped with tissues. Her curiosity piqued, but she turned back to Emma.[color=fff79a] "No. I do not think I have any particular interest in anything here."[/color]

Emma watched as Hazel looked around. She saw something catch her eye, but Emma realized she wasn’t looking in the store. Emma followed her gaze to find… [color=8A3DFF][i]Ice cream?[/i][/color] Emma nodded to herself. [color=8A3DFF]”Okay! That’s just fine. Head back into the changing room and put your regular clothes on, I’ll go and pay for my stuff while you’re doing that. Oh, and, uh, put that stuff back where it belongs, alright?”[/color] Emma said, gesturing to the clothes that she had given her. She spoke with a renewed vigor, her smile returning to her face in a much more genuine manner. [color=8A3DFF][i]I’m [b]going[/b] to make sure Hazel has a good time! It’s clear she doesn’t hang out with people often.[/i][/color] Emma resolved to herself once again. She nodded at her and turned to find the register.

Nodding at the command, Hazel disappeared once again into one of the changing rooms. She wasn't quite sure what Emma wanted to do with all those clothes, but she was never one to ask questions or probe. A single change of clothes would be quite enough for her, considering all she wore during her time in the facility was that thin white thing, which was more often than not discarded for some of the experiments and tests they ran on her. Wearing her own clothes once again, she went to find Emma at the register. [color=fff79a]"I have done as you asked."[/color]

As Emma arrived at the counter she greeted the cashier with a smile, and she returned in kind with… wide eyed astonishment? Emma was slightly confused as the clearly awed girl took her new clothes and began scanning them. Confusion turned to embarrassment as she spoke up, [color=f7976a]”So, you’re, uh… you’re one of those subnaturals, right?! From the la- er, the school, yeah?! You’ve got the X and everything!”[/color] Emma’s eyes narrowed slightly. [color=8A3DFF][i]Of course, the people in this town must see subnaturals… well, fairly often, but not too often, I guess? People probably don’t leave the school too often because of this…[/i][/color] Emma tried to maintain her smile as she rubbed the back of her head awkwardly. [color=8A3Dff]”Uhhhhhh… well, yeah, I am….”[/color]

Emma was not prepared.

[color=f7976a]”Oh! That’s so [i]weird[/i]! Can I touch your mark?! What’s your power?! Can I get your autograph… you know, in case you become one of the famous ones!”[/color] Most people when asked for an autograph feel like the subject of admiration, but Emma felt more like a zoo animal. [color=f7976a]”Also your total is 124 dollars and 46 cents…”[/color] The girl said awkwardly as a silence fell between them. Emma retrieved her card from her wallet and handed it to her. She was trying to think of something to say. Or maybe she didn’t want to see anything? Emma heard Hazel behind her, telling her she was done. [color=8A3Dff]”Great! Great, great, great! Uhhhh… Hazel we have to hurry… we’re uh, running late!”[/color] She gave an apologetic glance to the cashier, who angrily handed Emma her bags. The awe in her eyes was replaced very quickly by… Emma wasn’t quite sure… scorn? Or disappointment? It was hard for her to say. Emma hurriedly ushered Hazel outside, knowing she wouldn’t question if asked to follow. 

When they were once again outside Emma stopped Hazel. She knew she would have to clarify, [color=8A3DFF]”We’re not actually late… I just wanted to get away from that cashier… anyways…”[/color] Emma pointed at the ice cream shop, [color=8A3DFF]”Did you want to get some?”[/color]

Hazel did not resist when she was pulled away from the clothing store and towards the ice cream shop. It was all so colorful, looking like one of those nutrient paste she usually ate for dinner, but with firmer and more solid. As a result of her thinking to herself, she missed Emma's question about the ice cream. [color=fff79a]"Ah. Apologies, I did not hear what you said just now."[/color]

Emma pointed to the ice cream shop again. [color=8A3DFF]"Do... do you want to get some?"[/color] She repeated.

Hazel stayed silent for a moment, thinking, before she made a reply. [color=fff79a]"Yes, I would like to have some."[/color] She stepped forwards towards the counter, intending to get one for herself, but was almost instantly defeated by the sheer amount of choices they had.

Emma followed behind Hazel. Seeing her apparent confusion Emma elected to lead, hoping that Hazel would pick up the Emma’s cues. [color=8A3DFF]”I’ll have… a cookie dough cone, please.”[/color] The shopkeeper complied, but he had the same look that the cashier at the clothing store had before. Emma did her best to ignore it,[color=8A3DFF]”What do you want Hazel?”[/color] she prompted.

What did she want? Hazel turned towards the counter, eyeing the various treats in front of her. The green one looks interesting, but the one in a shade of red seems very enticing. The purple one sitting at the far side looks mysterious and appealing. What was that about the cones? Cookie dough? Were they cookies? She didn't even know of any types of cookies besides just 'cookie'. Clouded her mind might be, but slight panic still arose at the prospect of having to make a decision by herself. Reaching an epiphany, she turned to Emma.

She gave a slight bow. [color=fff79a]"I will accept any that you pick for me." [/color]

Emma nodded. She was slightly more acclimated to the subservient behavior now, even if she didn’t approve of it. She took it as a large enough victory that Hazel seemed excited to get ice cream. ‘Excited’ being used relative to how she had been acting so far, getting her to actually seem to want to do something was ‘excited’ enough. Emma glanced over the choices… she was eyeing Hazel as she had looked over, who seemed to be particularly enticed by a purple ice cream. Purple? The sign said it was yam ice cream. [i][color=8A3DFF]Yam? Hmmmm… that sounds good… and Hazel looked like she wanted it…[/color][/i] Plus Emma liked the color purple. By now Emma had been handed her own cone, she looked to the shopkeeper [i][color=8A3DFF]”We’ll also have a yam cone.”[/color][/i] 

Hazel took the cone handed to her after they paid, looking blankly at it. It felt... it felt slightly wrong. She glanced around, almost expecting disapproving faces looking at her, but finding none of the sort. She was still there, ice cream cone in her hand, and no one seemed to disapprove, or even care that she was holding a cone in her hands. No one seems to care about her breaking her usual strict diet. Imitating what she saw the other people doing to their ice cream, she had a taste of the purple ice cream she held. Her eyes widened slightly in surprise at her first taste of ice cream outside the facilty. It was somehow frozen but soft, creamy but easy on the tongue, sweet but not overwhelmingly so. A taste she could have never imagined she could have tasted again. Indeed she had forgotten the taste of everything besides the paste and the other things they fed her in controlled amounts in that facility.

Emma paid the cashier, who thankfully held back whatever comments he had about their super-powered status. Emma turned to Hazel, taking a lick of her cone and then telling her, [color=8A3DFF]”We should probably be heading back… how do you like it, by the way?”[/color] Emma had the odd suspicion that Hazel may have never had ice cream before.

[color=fff79a]"I don't have any particular like or dislike for it."[/color] Hazel continued eating away at the ice cream slowly. They had went here first to look for clothings, which she apparently lacks, and had instead went for the ice cream, with only Emma having bought any clothes. It was a rather large deviance from the original plan, but... it was not actually that bad.

[color=fff79a]"But I would not mind having more of these."[/color]

[color=8A3DFF][i]Well… I guess that’s the biggest victory I’ll get today. Hazel seems to have liked the ice cream, I think, so at least there’s that.[/i][/color] Emma smiled at Hazel, turning back towards the school. The walk back was quiet, absent of Emma’s interrogation; Emma suspected that Hazel would perhaps prefer to enjoy her ice cream in silence.