[color=f26522][h3]Gregory Irving[/h3][hr][hr][/color]Noting the odd noise that accompanied each of the child's movements, Gregory quirked a brow as he looked downwards at the kid. A few moments passed, during which the kid began to search for something, before he sighed quietly under his breath. [color=f26522]"Sorta,"[/color] he admitted with a slight shrug despite the kid paying him little attention as he wondered who the hell ha- Actually that line of thought was probably just going to be depressing considering the location. 

Focusing on the candy that the kid offered him, Gregory tilted his head a bit before he reached out to take it. [color=f26522]"Thanks? You give some to everyone you scare?"[/color] While normally he would have just torn the caramel free, he instead listened to the kid and gingerly unwrapped it. It was a bit silly to him, but hell it was a child doing something childish. He could go along with that at the least. 

[color=f7976a]"Rosa said candy tastes better after a good scare,"[/color] he held out his hand for the wrapper, smiling broadly.

[color=f26522]"Of course she did,"[/color] he murmured as he looked over the candy wrapper, noting the details, before he placed it into the kid's hand. [color=f26522]"So..."[/color] Trailing off, he blinked a few times, pursed his lips, and then continued with a shrug. [color=f26522]"I'm Gregory, or Greg if you want. What's your name?"[/color]

[color=f7976a]"Hector!"[/color] the boy replied, tucking the candy wrapper back into his pocket. [color=f7976a]"And that's Miranda!"[/color] He pointed proudly at the three-story lamprey woman peeking out from behind the building. [color=f7976a]"She's shy."[/color]

Following the finger to the massive being, he seemed a bit bewildered at Miranda's behavior. It was hard to wrap his head around something with that appearance acting... well, shy, and he ran a hand through his hair with a sigh and then rubbed at his temple. [color=f26522]"Right, I can roll with this,"[/color] he muttered under his breath before he turned his attention back to Hector. [color=f26522]"Better than enthusastic with her size,"[/color] he remarked as he stepped further from the building's entrance. [color=f26522]"So how'd the two of you meet? And do you care for a walk?"[/color]

[color=f7976a]"Miranda?"[/color] Hector cocked his head at Gregory curiously. [color=f7976a]"I didn't meet Miranda. I made her."[/color] He turned back to beckon the creature forward and it slid towards him at a glacial pace. Fully revealed, its dress-like outer layer seemed to be a part of its body and instead of walking, it smoothly glided across the ground. [color=f7976a]"Let's go for a walk, Miranda!"[/color]
[hr]
[color=f26522]"Didn't want to assume."[/color] He looked up as it slid out from behind the building, and noted its ability to drift almost soundlessly towards them; guess that explained why he hadn't noticed it approaching the building at all. Looking back at the guards for a moment, when it didn't seem like there would be any trouble, he took up the lead at a somewhat sedate pace, with the occasional glance towards Miranda. [color=f26522]"You scare all the new people that move in?"[/color]

[color=f7976a]"Just the ones who look funny,"[/color] Hector pointed at Gregory's hair, [color=f7976a]"like that."[/color] He stared at the long, golden tresses with awe as they walked. [color=f7976a]"How did you make it so long? Even the girls I know don't have it that long."[/color]

Leave it up to a kid to point out his hair when they were in a place filled with superpowers of all kinds he supposed with a small grin. [color=f26522]"By taking good care of it for a long time. Mostly genetics though,"[/color] he added after a moment before he looked at Hector and wondered if he knew what the word meant. Running a finger down the back, he hooked the hair tie and pulled it free, shaking his head a bit to let the hair fall freely.

Hector's grin widened at the sight and he turned to Miranda, cupping his chin with a hand thoughtfully before he turned back to Gregory. [color=f7976a]"I'll put it on Miranda!"[/color] True to his word, his eyes flickered into a jet black that encompassed both iris and sclera just as Miranda's stringy, white hair morphed into Gregory's luscious locks, on a much larger scale. [color=f7976a]"What do you think?"[/color]

Curious to see how Hector's powers worked, he nodded encouragingly in response. The pair of black pools surprised him for a moment, but the sight of a very familiar hairstyle appearing atop Miranda's near featureless face was far more distracting. He rubbed his chin for a few moments, but shook his head in the end. [color=f26522]"Think it looks better on me. Seems... a bit out of the place on her, but huh. That was quicker than expected. You can change things about Miranda that quickly?"[/color]

Hector continued adjusting the hair's sheen and volume for a bit longer before answering. [color=f7976a]"Some things. Not all. But I like your hair! If you ever die, make sure you give me the hair, okay?"[/color]

[color=f26522]"I'll note that in my will,"[/color] Greogy muttered dryly as he watched the hair shimmer in the moonlight with each of Hector's adjustments. Raising his arms skyward, he stretched out his body and groaned when he felt something pop. It was a slight comfort, and he'd take any in this place where death wasn't something a child blinked at. Then again, they were supposed to be pretty malleab- Ignoring that line of thought, he came to a halt and took a look at their surroundings. [color=f26522]"Candy, scaring the funny looking ones, hanging out with Miranda. What else you do Hector?"[/color]

[color=f7976a]"I clean up corpses,"[/color] Hector was staring at Miranda with a pout as he answered, wondering if she needed a better dress to match her new hairstyle. [color=f7976a]"I don't know dresses, though,"[/color] he continued the rest of the thought out loud, the dress-sheath on Miranda's body morphing into chimeras of gowns, shifts, and evening slips at random.

[color=f26522]"Well that explains things..."[/color] A foot tapped idly as he watched the kid try to piece together more suitable attire for Miranda. It was interesting to see how the material seemed to shift and morph rapidly at his whim, but the results seemed rather jarring. That probably had something to do with the rest of Miranda's appearance though... [color=f26522]"Can't help you with that. I just make'em. Rosa might?"[/color] 
[hr]
Hector laughed audibly at that. [color=f7976a]"So what's your power?"[/color] he asked Gregory, looking the taller boy up and down as if he could find the answer that way.

[color=f26522]"Or not."[/color] With a shrug, he continued to look around aimlessly before Hector's question gave him pause. The path was fairly clean swept, and he turned to one of the nearby trees before judging it too much effort to break a branch off. [color=f26522]"I touch things, and then launch them. Doesn't look like there's anything good to demonstrate with around though..."[/color] More importantly though was he didn't even really know how this cuff worked. Was his ability completely suppressed?

Hector pulled a quarter out of his pants pocket and handed it to Gregory. [color=f7976a]"I want some of your hair as payback."[/color]

Looking at the quarter, Greogry tilted his head slightly before nodding a few times. He should be able to make this work... [color=f26522]"Not going to make a voodoo doll or something are ya?"[/color] Despite the question, he reached out to take the offerred quarter anyways.

[color=f7976a]"I feed everything to Miranda,"[/color] Hector deposited the quarter into Gregory's open hand, stepping backwards in anticipation of the display.

[color=f26522]"That doesn't give her the urge to eat everything else I hope."[/color] Holding the quarter so its edge lined up perpendicular to a tree trunk nearby, Gregory breathed in slowly and visualized the magic circle springing forth from his hand to suspend the quarter. When he opened his eyes and saw the lines drawing themselves slowly, their glow weak, he scowled at the cuff and closed his eyes again to focus. 

Feeling the metal was no longer against his skin, Gregory opened his eyes and huffed in annoyance. Yeah the quarter was floating now, but that part wasn't even supposed to require any effort on his part. Crouching to touch the ground, he traced a circle several times ontop the paved path. This part at least came smoothly and he sighed as the path's glow intensified, layered on top of one another. With a small flourish, he broke the circle and ended the path pointed straight at the aimed tree and the coin began to whirl about beside him, mirroring the drawn path and building up speed.  A moment later and it flew from the loop where physics took over instantly as the air caused the coin to flip and tumble through the air. It struck the bark with a small crack, but rather than embed itself edge first in, it seemed to only make a small imprint. [color=f26522]"Well that's disappointing..."[/color] he mumbled as he stood up and walked over to get a better look.

[color=f7976a]"That's so cool!"[/color] Hector ran to the mark on the tree, examining it with both fingers and eyes. Miranda had slowly caught up to them by now, her size making up for the slower speed. As it reached Hector, he extended an arm, eyes glossy darkness once more. The creature shook before folding in on itself, body collapsing down until it was the same size as Gregory. And then the same shape. With the same clothing. What remained consistent, however, was its mouth-face, which turned to Gregory curiously while Hector scratched at the tree crack with a finger. Finally bored, the brown-haired boy turned around, grinning at his latest trick. 

[color=f7976a]"It's cool! You're cool!"[/color] he repeated, [color=f7976a]"So I made Miranda look like you, too! Oh, but I can't change her face. Or the way she walks."[/color] As if to demonstrate, Miranda slid slowly across the floor to Hector's side without taking any steps, looking uncannily like a video game glitch. [color=f7976a]"I usually put a dress on her, but that would look weird on--"[/color] he stopped, eyes wide as he considered the idea of Gregory in a dress. It never came to fruition as Hector bent over, shaking with laughter.

Pausing, he was a bit caught off guard by Hector's enthusiam and Gregory couldn't help but rub at the back of his head, slightly embarrassed at the difference in their reactions. Inwardly, he did note that the coin seemed to have been launched slightly slower? It was hard to actually tell given the conditions, but running a finger on the small crack gave him that impression. When he looked away and saw Miranda's new form, the flinch was practically impossible to stop. The uncanny valley effect was far too real for him when it was something wearing everything except for his own face.

Personal discomfort aside, he couldn't deny that it was a neat and cool trick though. If he saw it from behind, he probably would have thought he just met his own twin or something; ignoring the odd way it moved about, that was. He quirked a brow as the thought was apparently too funny for Hector to even finish his sentence, and just shook his head as the boy's laughter rang out into the night. [color=f26522]"Been there. Done that."[/color] Smiling afterwards, the expression fades for a moment as a chilly wind blew past them. [color=f26522]"Think that's enough of a walk for me,"[/color] he said with a shiver as he rubbed at his arms.
[hr]
[color=f7976a]"No way, let's keep going,"[/color] Hector didn't seem to acknowledge even the possibility of stopping as he continued forward, past the main cluster of buildings and towards the campus arboretum. [color=f7976a]"Only Cameron played with me before. And he died. So I need to find a new playmate. Or I'd get bored."[/color]

Miranda grabbed Gregory's arm, its grip far stronger than its form indicated.

[color=f7976a]"Play with me, Gregory."[/color] 

[color=f26522]"It's alre- Actually what time is it?"[/color] The last bit was muttered mostly to himself as he looked towards his watch. Looking back up, Hector hadn't even slowed down in the slightest and the distance between them was only growing. He could still hear what the other boy was talking about, grim as it was, and he wasn't about to just walk out on some k- Although Miranda's sudden grip on his arm made it seem like he suddenly had a lot less choice in the matter. 

Frowning at the strength coming from the thin limb, resistance was a fleeting thought in the face of something that could grow large enough to squash him like a bug. Nodding at Miranda, he began to follow after Hector once more. [color=f26522]"Right... what did you have in mind?"[/color]

[color=f7976a]"Hide and seek in the arboretum!"[/color] Hector called out, heading into the shadows of the trees. [color=f7976a]"Miranda will hunt you. If you can't find me before she catches you, she'll eat you!"[/color]

With that, Hector disappeared behind a tree, the sound of leaves crunching underfoot fading as he walked further into the man-made forest. Miranda held onto Gregory's arm for a long ten seconds before letting go. Then she hissed, the sound copying itself in broken cadence like twenty snakes hissing out of beat. And it was, without a doubt, the signal to begin.

[i][color=f26522]'Fuck this insane place...'[/color][/i] A pointless thought, but one that nonetheless played through Gregory's mind a few times as his stomach sank. Rationally, they wouldn't let someone this dangerous wander around right? Well unless he was more useful than the dam- Useless thoughts. He breathed deeply to try and refocus himself, and looked in the direction where Hector had walked off towards.

The eerie silence did little to help his nerves as the grip around his arm remained vise-like, and when she released him he didn't need any other signal to bolt. The hiss that intensified from behind him would have fit perfectly in a horror movie, and he could not help but mutter, [color=f26522]"10/10. Best start to a year."[/color] Raising both arms to shield his head as he broke into the treeline, Gregory stopped instantly and looked back to check on Miranda. Dependant on her progress, he'd spend some time to try and pick up any signs of where Hector might have gone. 

A thought came to him as he did so and for a moment, he truly considered sinking deeper and trying to force the progression of his Stigma. The maddening swirl of emotions did seem to bring some twisted sort of clarity with it... but he dismissed the notion. Miranda was right behind him, and it'd probably incapacitate him for too long.