Amber arrived at the Museum of Natural History about an hour before it was set to close. It was still light outside but since it was the middle of the week and not yet tourist season, her time spent outdoors wasn't long enough to pose a problem. She wore black robes so the colour wouldn't catch any unwanted attention. Today of all days that was going to be important.

Amber had been itching to expand her selection of forms ever since returning to Sanctuary but that was easier said than done. It required the actual handling of a fossil and no scientist or security guard was likely to let some strange mutant into the back of the museum to view all their pretty little bones. Thus, a little ingenuity would be required and luckily ingenuity was something the shifter just so happened to have.

Amber walked up to the woman in the booth selling tickets to get inside and handed over a few bills in exchange for her entrance. The plan was fairly simple, as plans went and mostly involved looking at the various exhibits until close time, shifting into something very small and unnoticeable and then waiting for the building to clear out. After that she'd be free to enter the exhibit areas and even if they sported replicas instead of actual bones, hopefully she'd be fortunate enough to gain entrance into the research areas. Security alarms were something of a concern, of course, but she would deal with those when and if they came up.

Once inside, Amber couldn't deny that she was looking forward to the time before close. Nervous she might have been about the night's endeavors, but that didn't mean she couldn't enjoy herself while waiting. Of course the dinosaur section of the museum was her favourite for personal reasons, but the entire natural world, prehistoric and modern, was a fascination. She had goals in mind for tonight's adventures, hopefully finding herself an Allosaurus fossil and Pachycephalosaurs fossil, but that didn't mean she couldn't keep her eyes open for future inspiration.

It was a fairly quiet day at the Museum of Natural History, as Evelyn wandered through a gallery of skeletal creatures. The Hall of Vertebrate Origins was her current location of exploration, and the creatures surrounding here were nothing but bones, but they had so much they were longing to share. A Pterosaur was above her head, long bat-like wings spread out to either side of it's spine, and a Coelacanth sculpture was close by. Evelyn's echoes were relatively quiet for now. They could only use the information in her head to analyze the creatures, so mostly she heard information about colors, aesthetics, and composition. She knew a handful of names, (she knew the pterosaur was NOT a pterodactyl like many of the younger kids tried to claim, and she knew the Coelacanth was similar to a land mammal and less fish like than it looked). But she came here to learn, and that was what she was trying to do. The only away she could expand her knowledge of the world was this continuous research. Once she saw, read, and in-took information, she would have that later when she needed it.

So she wandered through the hall, moving from this exhibit towards the next. There was still Hall of Ornithischian Dinosaurs, and the Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs... so much to study, so much to take in.

Pushing her hair from her face, she paused at another fossil, and started scanning for an information plate to inform her. While she was used to being an expert in her own museum, this one was stumping her, so she had to surrender her pride and learn the old fashioned way: reading. As she did, she heard nearby footsteps, and turned to observe her surroundings.

The Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs was to be Amber's ultimate destination but since she had some time to kill there didn't seem to be a need to go there immediately and instead she began with Hall of Vertebrate Origins. It was something out of her area of expertise and fascinating all on her own. Why her ability to shift was limited to those reptiles of the Mesozoic era she didn't know, but that was the truth of the matter. While she called herself a dinosaur shifter, that was not and never had been strictly true. In point of fact she could shift into almost any reptile of the appropriate era so long as she had its print but, no matter that she had tried previously, it seemed she couldn't shift into anything from any other era of past or present. There were times she was envious of some of those potential forms that could never be hers but she knew to be grateful for what she had. After all, most people couldn't shift into any other forms let alone the near infinent variety that she could.

Stepping up to another exhibit, Amber nodded towards a white haired woman standing beside her, only slightly taller than she was. Until it got closer to closing time, it was best she be polite and not draw any undue attention to herself. Her eyes and sickly appearance were attention drawing all on their own to a certain degree, but if she were nice to the people she encountered perhaps that might be enough to negate any suspicion directed her way. With the current sentiments towards mutants that might have been wishing thinking but it didn't hurt to try.

It was the Pterosaur display that really caught Amber's eye and she smiled up at it, her mind returning to her own experiences of flight in her own pterosaur form. Truly, she was blessed to have the power she had because how many others could claim to have felt the air under their wings, caressing her and bringing her higher and higher into the air? "I bet they were beautiful creatures to behold in their natural time," Amber spoke wistfully.

Evelyn looked up as the woman next to her spoke. Her eyes instantly sank to a dull grey color as her echoes moved to take in the new figure. She was pale, body covered by black robes, and her eyes were a dark color, inky black with no sign of iris or white. [Skin lacks colors or exposure to sunlight; sensitivity to light, or just sun?] Odd they would focus on that detail, not the fact the eyes were different. But her mind didn't need the echoes to tell her the other female was a mutant. A visible mutation like that was elementary to deduce from.

"They are quite beautiful. The elongated crest of the scull and bone structure alone are elegant, I can only wonder what one would look like alive and in flight. They've always struck me as being a graceful creature; and powerful."[/b] Evelyn remarked, gazing upward at the creature. Out of the corner of her eye she watched the actions from the other female; facial expressions, movements, whatever happened she could study. A living person could tell her so much more than a mounted skeleton alone could.

It always had a slightly unexpected feel to it when someone who appeared human spoke to Amber as an equal and one not to be feared. In recent times, humans hadn't been entirely accepting of the mutant presence in the city, not that they had ever been. Still, it had gotten worse and especially so for those whose mutations were advertised on their skin. She knew she didn't have it as bad as some but it was still enough to draw often times unwanted attention to herself.

"They're more adept at gliding than true flight," Amber replied. Whether the woman took her knowledge as that of someone who was simply a little dinosaur obsessed (a common misconception after all) or actually took it as a hint regarding her own power didn't really matter. Maybe if she looked normal it would, but as it was she was clearly a mutant and that was that. "They're flight is similar to that of a vulture or other large predator bird, jumping from high places and powering up with their wings and then catching air drafts and gliding." She smiled, knowing this truth in a way she knew so many others would envy. Envy was half the reason humans hated them, or so she believed."

Amber looked towards the clock and felt her pulse quicken just a little. Soon she would have to find a way to extricate herself from the crowd and hide. It wouldn't do to have anyone else catch her shifting nor to have to leave the museum with the rest of the crowd.

Evelyn listened to the woman carefully,and the words caught her attention and her curiosity. A persons eyes could reveal a lot about them, but the black coloration didn't allow her to watch eye cues and the subtle darn of the minds process. There was still a slight motion, and facial expression though she could try to focus on. Her echoes waited a paid attention, and quietly whispered their findings: she was speaking from experience, not from imagination. There was more to her mutation than simply her outward appearance.

"You must enjoy spending time as one...." She said softly, keeping her face neutral but her now colorless eyes giving a small twinkle. "I ventured here to try to learn more about some of the more prehistoric creatures. Knowledge is sort of something I collect, and I felt I was lacking in this area. For once, you probably know more than I." She had a soft wistful tone as she spoke the sentence, but then gave a smile, glancing to see how her acquaintance reacted. She made not of the attention on the clock, as well as the gradually diminishing crowds in the museum. She should probably get going soon.

But if she was right, there would be no better way to learn about dinosaurs than from someone who had firsthand experience.Perhaps she could linger for just a moment more....

It wasn't so much a surprise that the woman had managed to deduce that Amber had been a pterasaur but it was a surprise at the conviction when she stated as such. She studied the woman carefully for a long moment, suspecting that there was more to this stranger than there appeared to be on the surface. Well and good, there were many who held secrets and she didn't seem especially bothered by the conclusion she had come to.

Finally Amber smiled wistfully. "I don't get to spend as much time as I would like in that form. It doesn't see well at night and humans tend to react badly to dinosaurs running around the city or flying over it." She didn't think twice about hinting at humans being other to her because that's exactly what they were. Other. Not family. Not kin. Not pack. Not to be hated, of course, but not to be fully embraced either because they could and would never fully embrace mutants.

Amber glanced once more up at the clock, starting to feel time ticking down. Soon she would have to find a quiet corner, but she could afford a few more minutes. "I guess you could consider me a sort of expert on dinosaurs in a strange way. There aren't many who possess the type of knowledge I do." Perhaps there were none; at least there were none that she had ever met or even heard about.

The woman's face showed the faintest traces of surprise. Even without the eye cues Evelyn watched the slight arch of her eyebrows, the almost unnoticeable movement of the head and the closer inspection that she was being given. Curiosity; that was what her echoes were reading coming from this stranger. But it was not an unusual thing for people to have for her. They often found her bewildering, unsettling even, when she voiced her echoes aloud. There was a time she would have minded. Frankly, she still minded, but she had grown annoyed enough being judged for what she could do she had grown more reckless with her displays. Mutant. There was no reason she should be called such a hate filled word. She was smart, and observant. There was nothing frightening about that. Was there?

No.

Watching the smile cross the woman's face, she listened to the confirmation that her guesses were correct. It also added more clues to the woman's behavior and lifestyle. Evelyn was fascinated by mutants in general, and in trying to understand them. Despite the fact that she mostly regarded them as 'other' from herself, she still had an appreciation for their unique lifestyles and abilities. Transforming into a dinosaur would certainly draw a few eyes, and she could understand trying to keep that out of daylight hours. "Humans tend to react badly to anything that's different. Their nature is to treat different as a threat and act accordingly. While I could imagine seeing a dinosaur would be an impressive sight, few would really appreciate it." She said with a slight nod of her head.

"You could consider me an expert on... a number of things. While I don't possess your own unique form of knowledge, I try to stay educated on what I can." She gave a glance across the room, and her eyes focused on a young female trying to convince her son it was time to leave the museum. "People, for instance, as easy enough to read. Body language, behavior patterns, dress, language: reveal enough in themselves." She gave a slight smile, studying the woman. [Single mother, over pampers her child in an attempt to make up for lack of father figure. Tries to be both mother and father. Works long hours, wears flats instead of heels=long days. Does not wear make-up, no time to try to meet someone new.]

"I with I could gain so much information from the long gone as the living." She admitted, turning away, her eyes taking back there blue hue.

It sounded like the woman knew a little bit about what it meant to be different. That didn't mean she was a mutant, of course, as there were many reasons one might feel out of place but Amber appreciated her understanding either way. "I hope that one day people might learn to better accept one another, despite their differences." It was, after all, what she had decided to dedicate her life to try and make happen.

"Its important to remain educated," Amber agreed, her eyes following the eyes of the other woman. Seeing the mother trying to convince her son that it was time to leave reminded Amber acutely of just why she was there. As much as she was unexpectedly enjoying the conversation she had found, she wasn't here simply for leisure. It was time to go and find a place to hide.

"I'm sorry, but it seems to be almost time to close. It was a pleasure to meet you." For one who knew her, Amber couldn't quite hide the nervous energy in her body. Nerves were something she had learned to deal with and, indeed, even to use to her advantage but there were always signs even for the most outwardly calm individual. Her skills had always lay in directions other than disguising what she was thinking and feeling. Social skills were for other people and other mutants; she was hear to find herself a true battle form.

While the conversation had progressed, Evelyn's echoes had been focusing on more than one thing. While she had gathered quite a bit of information about the other patrons in the museum, there was some interesting information that she got coming from the stranger as well. [Impatient behavior, nervous shuffling. Eyes glancing in the general direction of the clock, close watch on other patrons and early leaving, perhaps looking for place to hide until closing. Behavior matches that of a thief.] Well, Evelyn may be no super hero, but she certainly wasn't just going to stand by while someone robbed the museum, even if it was another mutant. She gave an all too pleasant smile as Amber started to depart, her eyes back to their colorless grey.

"Of course, it probably does not help the case teaching others to accept one another, when one resorts to stealing." The last word was emphasized, a small warning she knew something was up. She turned towards the skeletonal displays on the wall, and felt a small bit of sadness that the new acquaintances was considering such behavior. At least, that was what the echoes were hinting at.

She hoped they were wrong this time.

"The problem with staying educated is sometimes you learn things that aren't always encouraging." She said in a sad tone, and watched the other female's actions from the corner of her eye. Would she deny what she was thinking? Would she admit? Would she run? Evelyn wasn't certain what she should do if the encounter turned sour.

"Of course, it probably does not help the case teaching others to accept one another, when one resorts to stealing."

Amber froze and gave the stranger a long hard look. It had been a leap of logic to deduce that she could, in fact, change into dinosaurs but to suggest that she was here to steal something? That was uncanny and she began to suspect that there might be a little more to the woman than appearances led her to believe. Not, of course, that she intended to steal anything.

"I am not a thief," Amber answered, her voice frigid. "I don't need to steal." Not that she wouldn't if it ever did become a necessity, but between the money her family had and the fact that she could hunt her own food, that didn't seem all that likely.

"The problem with staying educated is sometimes you learn things that aren't always encouraging."

Amber frowned at the woman. "And what do you think you've learned about me? That I'm a thief, apparently? Because I'm a mutant I must be up to no good, right?" She couldn't disguise the bitterness in her voice. If mutants were actually trusted she wouldn't have to go through this ridiculous deception anyway but because they weren't she was stuck breaking into places and being accused of stealing. The world wasn't fair.

Evelyn listened carefully to the edge in the woman's voice, and her echoes started to asses the tone and inflection they held. She had offended her. Well, that was always the risk when one was as outspoken as Evelyn tended to be. She wasn't terribly bothered by the irritation, and blinked her eyes slowly, glancing back at the woman. Her eyes were grey again.

"I don't judge anyone by anything other than their actions. Mutant, not. It's a distinction to me like a hair color, I don't take it to heart. Your behavior is what I judged. You act nervous, watching for the other patrons to leave. You glance at the clock, waiting for closing time. Yet the direction you start to head is not for the door. You keep facing deeper into the museum. The behavior patterns match those of a would-be thief. If you are not stealing, your actions still are suspicious. I apologize if I've offended you, but I don't make a habit of sitting back and watching anything happen to a museum. They are one of the rare places I feel at home." She turned back to the exhibit, her face calm and collected.

Amber listened to the woman's explanation and had to admit that she was impressed nor could she fault the conclusion come to, given the facts she had somehow managed to pick up on. The question was, did she trust the woman or not? Would she regret explaining exactly why she was acting the way she was. Maybe, but perhaps it was worth the risk.

"I'm not here to steal anything," Amber reiterated. "All I want to do is get in there and touch a few of those bones," Amber pointed towards a nearby display. "I don't need to take anything, just a touch will do. It kind of has to do with my power."

There, she had said it. She had admitted her devious intent and had now placed herself in the hands of a stranger. Stupid thing to do, probably, but it was done now.

Evelyn watched the stranger's body language. If there was one thing her echoes were good at, it was picking up a lie. The slight flicker of an eye movement, the slight twitch of a hand, uncomfortable shuffle or tense posture could be red flags she would snatch up and evaluate. But this mutant seemed cautious, if nothing else. That was the response she was hoping for. Cautious showed she was considering admitting something, and the words that followed had a ring of truth to them.

Evelyn felt herself giving a small smile. "Good answer. I am fairly protective of the museums in this city, and should I ever cross path's with a thief, I may find myself rather cross with them." There was a mild joke lurking beneath that sentence, and then she turned, and started skimming the crowds for a figure she knew would be lurking there. After a moment, she glanced at Amber, and lightly held her left wrist with her right in a rather formal resting position before speaking.

"What if I told you I could let you see whichever bones you'd like, provided they don't leave the museum? You've already shown a bit of trust, and it would take a small amount more, but at least then you wouldn't have to sneak around and risk legal confrontation." She glanced towards where the security guard was talking to a rather boring looking gentleman, and waited for the woman to consider the possibilities. She wasn't sure what she would do in a similar situation. A stranger, offering her help after accusing you of being a thief. But Evelyn was always a rather...unique character. The way she spoke and her actions had an uncanny confidence, like she was constantly carrying a dozen dirty secrets, playing with puppet strings and finding a way to do what she wanted. Perhaps, sometimes she was. She had moments where she was a spoiled brat as a child, and occasionally when she wanted her way badly enough she may resort to being more manipulative. But the problem with reading the world like she did was she saw all the consequences of her actions. She saw who she helped, and who she hurt, and she never forgot the look of pain on a person's face when she betrayed them.

Evelyn may see and learn hundreds upon thousands of things.

But she never forgot one of them. And that was the caution that kept her in check, and made her the person she was.

"I have a soft spot for museum's myself," Amber stated with a faint smile. "Believe it or not, I have nothing but respect for science and anthropology." In a way she knew she was living science, so to speak, but even though few could experience the things she could first hand, that was no reason not to embrace the learning of others. At least as far as they were physically capable of learning given their limiting factors.

Then the woman offered to help Amber and she gave her a long studied look. Why would she want to help was the first question that flashed through her mind and was this a trap was the second. Yet, the woman hadn't reacted badly to her being a mutant nor had any of her words or actions suggested any malice of intent. Would she regret accepting the help of the clearly remarkable woman or was this a sign that help was something she should be more up front in seeking out?

"Why would you offer to help me?" Amber asked. She wasn't quite ready to say no but she needed more information before she was prepared to say yes. If she could read people half as well as this stranger seemed able to it might have been an easier decision to make, but reading people was never one of her gifts. It was tempting indeed to accept an invitation to have access to all the fossils she might desire but life's hard lessons had taught her to be weary of temptation.