He didn't see her stiffen but he knew he might have made her uncomfortable. Most normal folks did at least a little bit. He was a stranger after all, a stranger with a power they didn't have. It could be dangerous for them if it was some mutant who didn't have control. But thankfully he never once lost control, never once injured someone unintentionally. So he was proud to say that he was pretty safe to be around.

When asked about how his constructs were made he wondered if he should give her the full details. However, that would be rather lengthy explanation. "Hmm, how about I just show you instead?"he suggested. He grabbed a few handfuls of grass, crushing the strands a bit so they'd stick together. For show he waved his hand over the material which broke down into particles before reforming into one large winged butterfly. "Organic matter to organic life."he said holding out the delicate creature toward Shelby.

"In theory, I can make any living being I'd like given enough material and my own energy state."he explained. "But it's just a theory right now. I haven't really gotten a chance to really push myself..."

Arching a brow at him quizzically, she watched him as he worked. The process, and result, were spectacular enough to earn a slight gasp from the girl. Her eyes widened a fraction of an inch behind her glasses, and she leaned in slightly. Hesitantly, when he offered the butterfly to her, she reached out for it.

..It felt real. It's legs tickled her skin, tugging at the invisible hairs on the back of her hand. She stared at it for an uncomfortably long while, taking in the patters on its wings, it's delicate antenna, and the soft, fluffy hair on its body... while struggling internally to come up with the proper words. "...neat!"

Rolling her eyes mentally, she shifted her gaze from the butterfly to the bird, and then to the boy. She really wanted to ask how he did it... like... how he changed one item, like glass, into something so different and complex. Or, for that matter, if it was really life. He couldn't just make like, after all. Right? Could Mutants do that?

"So it is just a shell? Like, a pretty outside, but nothing inside? Or is it the whole package?"

Could it eat? Mate? Die? She glanced at the hawk again. Does it taste like chicken?

He smiled at her gasp, her wonderment, it made him feel proud of his abilities. His mutation was like magic to a lot of people, especially when he left out details, the cold hard facts behind it. "Yeah, it's pretty awesome huh."he agreed. Neat wasn't the best word he had heard for it, but it was good enough. He wasn't about to take it for granted.

"So it is just a shell? Like, a pretty outside, but nothing inside? Or is it the whole package?"

He grinned further at the questions. "The whole package. Heart, brain, guts, it's all there. Even the spiracles on the abdomen."he said pointing with a gentle finger, "Though unfortunately, all that doesn't make them real animals. They don't need to eat or sleep. They have me to do that for them." He went back to eating what food was left. It had gone cold by now but he still needed the energy, so it would be worth it.

"I've spent the last couple of years working at it but it barely feels like I scratched the surface."he grinned, "With some luck I might be able to completely cut the cord and have the constructs be totally separate from me."

The whole package. Huh. Guts and all. He was a virtual cloning machine, then? Eying the small creature, she shifted her attention between him and the insect. "You eat and sleep for them? A mental connection?"

She wasn't exactly sure how that would work, but considering all of the vastly different mutations out there she supposed she had no right to question it. Even though her brain was firmly centered in reality, she knew that there were some things that defied explanation.

"If you don't eat or sleep, does it affect them like it would you?"

He nodded in confirmation, "Yeah, it's they're all connected to my noodle." He held out his hand for the butterfly, which flew back to him with easy. "And if I don't eat or sleep, I'll pass out and loose my connection to them. They'll turn to dust and I'd have to start over. But as far as affecting them. It doesn't seem like it. Though..."

He rubbed his chin in thought, "Well there was this one time. I don't remember it too well because I was really, really sick. But I think I may have accidentally made a construct that walked into a fire. I remember seeing the flames and the sensation of burning. But it might have been just a dream."

He shrugged and relaxed against the tree. "Honestly I don't know how deep the connection goes or how independent my constructs are from me. Sometimes it like they have individual thoughts and feelings. Other times they're just mindless recreations of real life. It's kind of hard to explain."

"That's... terrifying." She couldn't imagine being connected to something in that way. If she were him, she would have dearly hoped it was just a dream.

"That would frighten me." She fidgeted, watching the animals around him. Then, on the meager meal he had stolen for himself. "You can't have gotten much energy from that. It's not exactly a ribeye. You won't lose them, will you?"

She nodded to the rats, but was thinking about all of the constructs in general. She hated seeing things die, even if they weren't real animals. It'd be like watching pinocchio turn back into a puppet, or sawdust, if his 'dust' description had any merit.

Alex decided to keep some of his more closer to death stories to himself. He didn't want to concern this woman too much. No need to tell her about the times his constructs had been shot or run over.

At the mention of his meal he looked over at it. It had been a meal for two. High in calories but little else of value, given that it looked pretty cheap. He calculated in his head what he needed, what he had, and what was left. It was barely enough for himself. Maybe a pound of food with 1000 or so calories.

Ace needed at least a whole 2 pounds of food, upward of 800 calories, Pick and Pocket needed around a cup of food, about 400 calories each, and he himself needed at least 3 pounds, around 3000 calories each. 4,600 calories, 6 pounds of food at minimum to keep up his three constructs and himself up.

He looked back at Shelby and shrugged with a smile, "Probably will. You're right, it's not exactly the best meal and this place is proving harder to hunt in than I thought. Especially since I can't start a fire without someone calling the cops."

Snorting, she shifted on her knees and stood. "I don't like watching things die. Even... even if it isn't real death, or whatever." She'd feel bad for the little rat, who seems so energetic, and for the hawk. Not really for the bug, since it was just a bug. Her sentimentality didn't extend that far very often.

"I'm supposed to catch a bus a few blocks from head to head over to the museum. would you... uh... wanna come with? They have a killer club sandwich at this little sub shop."

Fiddling with her bracelet, she waited anxiously for his response. It wasn't often that she made offers like that to perfect strangers. Actually, she never made offers like that. Usually she just gave people money, or bought them food and brought it back to them. She didn't like most people knowing where she liked to hang out. Maybe it was this guys age, or the power he held, but she knew she'd beat herself up over it later if she didn't at least offer.

He was human, after all. A mutated human, but it counted nonetheless.

He was surprised by her admission and would have corrected her that she didn't have to worry about them dying. That it wasn't a real death since he could just recreate them as if they had never gone. Then she was offering him a trip to a museum and food on top of that. How was he supposed to say no to that? Usually he could only see the inside of such places through the sight of insect constructs. But seeing one in person was a completely different story.

He nodded excitedly, "Sure! That's really generous of you Shelby, thank you." He stood as well, dusting himself off quickly. Good thing he had cleaned up earlier, wouldn't want to look too out of place. He grabbed his backpack and opened a pocket for the two rats to climb inside. Ace trilled and hopped up on his shoulder. He glanced at the butterfly and sighed. He hated cutting off constructs but it was extra energy he couldn't afford to waste, even if it was just a little. So with just a thought, the construct went still and broke down into dust.

He frowned a little, like he had eaten something sour, "That always feels weird."

His reaction to cutting off the connection with the butterfly gave her reason to tilt her head. There was no way for her to empathize with that feeling, whatever it was, so she shrugged it off. "It's not much, really. Just a little corner cafe. And I get free admission to the museum, since I'm a student."

She'd be paying for food, and admission for one, but his thanks made her flush slightly all the same. She didn't like when people recognized her doing things for them. It made her feel self conscious.

"Have you ever been to an exhibit before?" She wasn't sure how the staff would react to his bird, er... ace... but they could deal with that problem when they came upon it. For now, she jerked her chin toward the sidewalk and started back out toward the street.

He was grateful nonetheless, it wasn't everyday that someone not only treated him to food but an experience as well. He would have to remember to pay her back somehow.

Picking up his trash, he followed her back to the sidewalk and tossed it in a nearby trashcan. "So your a student, what are you studying?"he asked curiously. They had been talking about him this entire time so he barely knew a thing about her. It actually made him feel a little shameful, it was kind of self-centered not to ask about this kind stranger.

He wondered what museum they were going to. The Natural History Museum maybe or perhaps one of the several art museums around the city. He could probably hazard a guess what kind from what she was studying.

"Um... Art. I'm about two and a half years away from my degree in fine arts." Years away, and dozens of classes. History, painting, photography, sculpture, you name it. Math. Ew. And an assortment of other useless classes she wasn't interested in.

"Gonna open up my own Gallery someday, er... after I have my degree. There's a new art exhibit set up at the Modern Art Museum."

Fishing in her bag, she dug out a recorder and a pad of paper. "My assignment is to find three pieces I like and write a piece on them."

She hated doing assignments like this, especially on Modern art pieces. In her opinion there wasn't any real talent in most things considered 'Modern Art'.

"That's cool, I've never been to a modern art museum. Actually I don't think I've ever seen modern art up close."He had a vague idea of what modern art was. He knew from what he over every once in a while that people were starting to think of graffiti as modern art. Why they would start thinking that he had no idea.

At the assignment thing he paused a moment. "I hope I'm not gonna get in the way of your assignment." Because that would suck. Shelby was nice and he didn't want to potentially ruin her grades.

Actually, he hadn't really thought about it but she could be meeting other people there. What were they going to say when she appeared with a stranger at her side? 'Hi I picked up this mutant kid on the side of the road, hope you don't mind if he tags along.' Yeah that would be great.

He shook off the thought though. She invited him, presumably with the knowledge that if she was meeting someone there she might have to explain him. Or have him explain his own presence. If worse came to worse he'd just say he was a distant cousin or something.

"It's nothing special, in my opinion."

Maybe he'd have a different take on it. She kinda hoped he would, in fact. It would make things more interesting having someone tolerable to debate art with.

"Naw, don't worry about it. If anything you'll help me out. I can bounce ideas off of you and see how your opinion reflects against my own. Helps me concentrate on things." Boring things, at least. Besides, maybe with him there her classmates wouldn't feel as obligated to come over and force socialization on her.

"Isn't much to do in a place like this than wander from one place to the next, tilt your head at 'art', and pretend you fit in with the other snobs who show up to look sophisticated." Snorting at own words, then quickly recovering with a cough, she hastily added, "Besides eat, that is."

Well that was a relief at least, he could be useful to her in some capacity. Maybe, the jury was still out if he understood this modern art stuff or not. "I'll do my best to be interesting. Heh, but don't expect much. I know next to nothing about art."

At the snob bit he couldn't help but wince. He had met a few before and they were never fun to be around. "So people only go to art galleries to look sophisticated?"he asked, voice edging on a laugh. He was teasing her of course. He knew for some people art was expressive of themselves and for others it was just a way to make money.

Looking ahead the bus stop was now in sight with plenty of people crowding under the only shade available on this hot day. He wondered if he would be allowed to take Ace on the bus or if he would be forced to have the bird follow them in the air.