Sometimes there were days that Amber greatly disliked her sensative albino skin. Most days she had learned to accept it and the fact that on those bright sunny days she would be confined indoors. Even with her veil and robes the damaging sun was a bane to her flesh, causing in minutes irritation that would quickly turn to burns. It was better on overcast days, at least then she got a coule hours before her skin would begin acting up but in truth it was during those nocturnal hours of darkness that she was most comfortable. It was only during thenight that she was able to safely explore the outside world without worlry about her flesh and on most days she had learned to accept that.

Most days, unfortunately, were not today because today all of the students of the Mansion had left on a field trip. All of the students, that was, except for Amber Thirsis. She wasn't entirely sure where they had gone, except that they had gone and that it was some sort of outdoor adventure. Had it been to a museum or library or virtually any other indoor location she would have been fine, her skin tolerating the few moments of direct sunlight as she travelled from one building to a vehicle and into a new building. But becauseit was outside, well, whatever they were doing was held from her and she was stuck alone, inside and bored out of her mind.

Amber found herself wandering the hallways of the Mansion, struck by just how odd it was that it was almost completely empty. Here and there she saw a teacher or one of the other adults, but they weren't the sort to alleviate her boredom. Surely she couldn'tbe the only student left in the entire building could she? With all the many mutant powers out there, surely she couldn't be the only one confined inside. With a dramatic sigh she continued wandering down the hallways, hoping to find a familiar face or, at the very least, a face that was around her age that might be willing to help kill some time.

Sometimes not being able to go outside in the cold was handy. Today the students and most of the teachers of Xavier’s Sister School for the Gifted were out on a field trip and Kate was excluded because she couldn’t spend more than half an hour outside in this weather. It was far too cold for her body to survive for longer. Kate was a fire elemental and as a result had a very high body temperature, so everything was about 20 degrees colder feeling to her then it was to others. This meant that during the winter she tended to stay inside and really only went out to go from the door to the car or vice versa, at least this year anyway, and bundled up nice and warm. Much like one would in Antarctica.

Today Kate chose to live up the fact that she didn’t have both classes and training to do, ever since Mrs. Taylor had caught her and Gawain out of class she had been forcing herself to go to everything even if she didn’t want to. She started the day with going through and reorganizing her entire closet, followed by watching Notting Hill for the 5 millionth time and then lunch. Now it was about 2 in the afternoon and she was doing the one thing learning related that she was always willing to do, playing the piano. She hadn’t practiced in a few days and today was as good a day as any. It was quite and she could dedicate a few hours to playing without worrying about being interrupted.

After warming up Kate sat at the piano and thought about what to play. She decided when it didn’t just come to her to just start and see where it took her. She closed her eyes and with the delicate hands of precision played a note and then another and another until a song was formed. She closed her eyes and lost herself in the music.

In the past Amber had often enjoyed days like that, in which she was almost the only person around and she didn't have to deal with any other person. That way she could do whatever she wanted without concern for others or how they might react. But lately she had gotten all of the alone time she could ever want or need, both at night while she was shifted and stalking the streets and, more and more often, during the day when others simply didn't want to associate with a potential plague victim. Or perhaps that second part was at least partially in her head, but she had certainly been feeling isolated. Was it really too much to ask to find someone that wouldn't be uncomfortable in her presence?

Amber was just preparing to give up and perhaps do some much needed homework when shesuddenly realized that the sound of piano music could be heard and piano music, naturally, meant that there must be someone around playing the paino music and if she was lucky that someone might serve to alleviate her boredom. With that thought in mind her wanderings took on a new purpose as she made her way in the direction of the music.

Amber halted a few feet away from the piano and its female player, listening in appreciative silence. As a musision herself, although her skills lie elsewhere with the violin, she could appreciate the skill it took to play like that. It would be best, she decided, to wait until the woman were done and noticed Amber one her own rather than interrupt because interrupting would be considered rude. So she stood there, a silent ghost in dark robes, watching and listening to the other woman play beautiful music.

Kate tapped each key delicately. She always loved Beethoven’s pieces. There was something about the way he used the music to tell his story that had this air of brilliance attached to every note. This song had always made her think of a young maiden traveling through a forest, running away from something. It started with the struggle between her and another that ended in a disagreement that caused her to run away and it is at this point that the song slowly gets heavier into the run. It then moves on to the two chasing each other. The right hand being the girl and the left the pursuer, always close and stepping in time but never catching up. Occasionally he would gain on her but then she would get away. In the end she would get out of the forest and he would be left there alone once more.

Kate’s eyes opened with the last note and she suddenly noticed that she wasn’t alone. She turned on the bench to face the intruder.

Amber hadn't really meant to be intrusive of the woman playing the music but when she heard what was coming out of the instrument she simply couldn't leave. She really did have talen and even if Amber wasn't an expert on such things, she knew enough to recognize it. Maybe one day she might even be able to convince the other girl that the two of them should try and play some manner of duet together. Piano and violen really did go well together.

Amber's cheeks reddened in embarassment when the other girl turned around and noticed her watching. "I'm s-sorry," she stuttered. "I d-didn't meant to intrude I just heard you playing and thought it was beautiful. Plus, you and I might be the only ones left in the Mansion today." She shrugged, hoping the other woman wouldn't take it too badly.

>> I'm s-sorry. I d-didn't meant to intrude I just heard you playing and thought it was beautiful. Plus, you and I might be the only ones left in the Mansion today.

Kate smiled at the girl, “That’s alright. To tell you the truth I thought I was the only one here. But your welcome to stay if you would like. I need to practice but I don’t’ mind the company at all. Pull up a chair.” Kate motioned for her to put a chair next to where Kate was seated at the piano.

Kate was used to being listened to. Back home it was very rare that she could practice for even a few Minutes without being watched. She loved the piano and tried to dump her entire self into it. Her teacher used to say that that was why people liked to listen so much.