Despite their lack of facial visibility Hugo could feel the way they smirked down at him without saying a word, his nervousness taking it as a queue to begin speaking. But what was he to say?

'Hello there, stranger, I was just about to kill myself. You know, being a murderer and such'

He stumbled over himself as he desperately tried to start a sentence, each one cutting short as he failed to think past the first three words.

A light chuckle broke through his mindless stammering, slicing the tension that had built in half. His eyes darted towards the figure as he watched them remove their hood and goggles.

They had short Auburn hair, messily cut to a length that fell to their chin. Their eyes were smaller than his with a much more slim face. Whereas Hugo was malnourished and boney they seemed well cared for in comparison.

"I am Aster. And I am not gonna kill you" Spoke the figure in an accent that only added to their mysteriousness, their words sounding different and yet familiar. He had heard someone speak like this before, however he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He'd of asked if he wasn't so terrified of offending them. They were a girl, that much was clear.

"Hugo. I'm Hu- they ca- I'm named- Fuck." Hugo was forced to take a moment to collect himself as the adrenaline that had once acted as his stone protector now inhibited him. With a huff and a puff he began. "My name is Hugo. Hugo Scottsman."

She nodded in response and slowly looked over his form, inspecting him slowly and precisely. She looked at him not as a person, but a question. Her eyes were filled with curiousity boy empathy.

Hugo stiffened up almost immediately as she paced around him, he straightened his back and held his arms firmly by his side's despite his brain wanting so desperately to cling to himself. 

"What... Are you?" She finally asked, now standing still Infront of him just as they had moments before. The question threw the boy off for a moment, not understanding how it wasn't obvious. However once he took a moment to look over himself as she had he began to notice the changes.

Blotches of purplish grey had began to appear on his skin, like patches of poisoned dirt clinging to the poisoned youth. Further down and he would notice the way his clawed hands seemed to have grown sharper. While he would still be easily recognised by those within his village, someone who had never seen him before would definately not think him human. How could he answer a question he didn't know the answer to? Perhaps he should merely tell her what he would become.

"Grem, miss. Filthy, Dirty Grem" Spoke the previously timid boy, his sense of fear overshadowed by the boiling hatred he felt for himself. He witnessed the way her face seemed to grow confused, he believed she was taken aback by his sudden change in demeanor. However, she gave him another quizzical examination before proudly denouncing this answer.

"I do not think so." She would reply without hesitation.

"What?"

"Chu are not Grem, The Gremification process is fast. The body does not change until ze mind is lost" Aster replied in a matter of fact tone, smirking as if she had just won some sort of spelling bee. Proud of her smarts.

"That doesn't make any sense! I had been human no more than a week ago. It has to be Gremification!" Hugo stated in an almost hysterical tone. He had to be turning, be can't be a psychopath. It wasn't him. It wasn't. 

He wouldn't accept it.

Her eyes sparkled for a moment as Hugo's wavered, tears welled up and began to pour over his cheeks. Despite his silent crying she seemed more interested in his physical condition. Something about her began to scare him, either her unwavering curiosity or the way she could shut his feelings out without a care. He wondered how far she would go if given the chance to dissect him.

"Amazing! Chu say Chu were human? And yet you show an amalgam of traits. Indeed you Seem to be turning but at a remarkably slow rate. This is completely unprecedented, I must accompany you on your Journey!" The girl called out in glee, clapping her hands and jumping on the spot. Her excitement continued despite the fact he continued to cry, his condition being confirmed did nothing to soothe his feelings.

"I was actually trying to kill myself, so if you don't mind... I'd like to make amends for what I've done, Grem or not."