Re-Evolution: Episode 2: In the Blood

To say Greg was pleased when he ran into Callisto in the gym during free hour wasn't exactly right, but he *had* promised to apologize and he intended to follow through on that. He gave her an awkward wave as he approached.

Callisto was by one of the punching bags, laying into it with heavy punches that nearly took it off it's chain, and kicks that threatened to punch a hole in the thick fabric. She was fast and hit hard. facts which he had already gotten a firsthand lesson in last night.

She glanced up, the faint trace of a blue glow in her eye as she noticed him, and waved back at him. 

"Hey." She pat her chest as she paused in her workout. "Ribs okay? I was worried I hurt you."

Greg prickled, as his pride rose to take the comment as an insult, but he fought it down taking a breath. 

"Don't worry about it."

"Cool." She nodded and leaned against the punching bag's pole, looking him over for a moment, before gently closing her visible eye. "So what's up?"

He shook his head, and looked away, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I just...." ‘Why is this so hard for you? Just swallow your pride and apologize’, he urged himself. He took another breath. "I wanted to apologize. About last night."

Callisto smiled slightly, and nodded her head. 

"Thanks." She crossed her arms. "Sorry too. I could have backed off, but your sister seemed unhappy."

"Yeah." Greg sighed heavily, his posture stiff through the uncomfortable conversation.. "We're... okay now. We talked."

Callisto opened her eye again to glance at him. 

"That's good." She glanced off to the side. "...Look, I know what it's like to have a sister you care about."

"you do huh?"

"Yeah." Callisto nodded firmly, but didn't offer any more explanation.

"...right. Well, uh, thanks," he mumbled, not sure why that thread of conversation had died. "Anyway, like I said. Sorry for starting shit."

"No problem. Sorry for letting it go so far." She paused a moment before she added. "Maybe we can fight again some time, in a different kind of context."

"Yeah... I'd be up for it," he nodded. "Didn't see you at the MMA club..."

Callisto shook her head. 

"I train independently. The club seems fine enough, but I'd rather not risk hurting some human." She tapped her temple and her eye glowed the faintest trace of blue. "Just in case."

"Ah, right." Despite the little reminder of the blow to his ego he agreed, "Probably a good idea."

"But I noticed you're not quite human yourself. Like your sister and those shadows of hers." Callisto gave him a sidelong glance as she turned back to the punching bag.

Greg grimaced and looked around to check if anyone was listening-- thankfully there was no one nearby. 

"Keep it down," he murmured. "But it's true..."

Callisto started punching the bag again. 

"I can tell. When you get angry, you smoke."  She punched it harder, and the chains groaned in protest "...there are some of us who can't hide it as well as you or I, you know."

"If you're noticing it I don't think I'm hiding it very well," he grumbled,feeling himself start to flush. This was not the conversation he wanted to be having at all. This girl really knew how to go for his soft bits. He wondered if she was doing it on purpose. .

"Maybe not," she agreed with a half laugh. "...You may want to work on your control some."

"Yeah, I'm... working on it," he admitted, some of his irritation leaking into his tone.

"I can help. I've had years of experience practicing fine control. If you ever want advice." She punched the bag again, and her fist tore right through the fabric, blowing a hole in it as the sand poured to the ground, her eye a vivid blue. 

 "What do you mean though? About others?" Greg and his pride ignored the offer, instead he thought of  Ororo, who seemed to hide things just fine. He grimaced at the busted training bag.

"...I mean the Morlocks. They live in the sewers under town." She shook her fist out, looking at the ruined punching bag. "They're like us, but their mutations are often more severe. Physical mutations or dangerous gifts."

"That's something that can happen?" Greg felt his stomach churn at the very thought. He was starting to realize he didn’t know much about what was happening to him and his sister at all.

"Yeah." Callisto nodded, looking back at him. "Morgan, Todd and yourself may be slightly odd shades...and my eye may glow, but there're people down there who've changed so completely. Grown scales from head to foot, have wings on their backs...can melt through solid matter with a touch of their hand. All sorts of people."

"Fucking hell," Greg breathed, feeling his jaw tighten. What if something like that happened to him? Or to Morgan? "That's.... not great."

Callisto shrugged her shoulders. 

"What isn't great is the way people treat them. Forcing them to live down there in the dark. I'm up here...so I can maybe do something to help. Bring food to the table, so to speak."

. "Jesus....." He grimaced, feeling uncomfortable and exposed. He paused. "Look... we probably shouldn't be talking about this in here..."

Callisto shrugged. 

"Nobody's here. But I understand, it'd be awkward if someone walked in. Truce? Now that we've both said sorry?"

She offered her hand to him and he took it, albeit a little awkwardly, but without real hesitation. Callisto, despite their differences seemed… okay…. For the most partl.

"Yeah... truce. I'm not looking to make enemies or anything."

"Good. Because it looks like your sister and I are going to be hanging out."  She briefly looked almost amused. "At least if Todd has anything to say."

"Ugh, are you serious?" Greg scoffed before he could stop himself.

Callisto cocked her head, looking at him blandly. 

"Yeah."

Greg made a low, frustrated noise. 

"Am I the only one who thinks he's a creep?"

"I wasn't aware you've met him." Callisto said. "He's kind of a goblin, but he's our goblin."

Greg shook his head. 

"That's.... great. Heh... alright.  So. I'm gonna like, do some reps before I kill the whole period complaining, yeah?"

"enjoy." Callisto said, saluting him before turning to grab a faded old military jacket off the ground 

"See you around, Gregory."

"It's actually just Greg," he offered lamely, giving her a wave. "But yeah, see you around."

"Oh." She nodded "Well, you can call me Mukuro."

She waved once more as she walked out, coat slung over her shoulder