He sat in the cave as he heard the gentle lapping of the waves outside against the shore of the beach. His nodes had told him everything he had needed to know about the student that they had spied on from afar, sinking into her mind and relaying that information to their parent through their telepathic bond.

Quickly thinking over all the information that they had revealed to him he knew that his slow speed had assured that she would elude his grasp. And how about the effectiveness of his own illusions? He hadn't be sure if she would elude him or not in an alternate state but there had been no harm in trying.

It had been early enough to try his hands er tentacles at the dorms should he fail, but not to know had been eating him up, the not knowing.

So he had veiled himself in an illusion choosing an aged man of Japanese decent. Hunched over he had been bald and held onto a knotted walking stick made of some dark material while his attire had been a simple obi that had seen better days given that it had been frayed at the edges.

Slowly he walked out of the cave as his sandled feet made there way across the sands. One glance towards the serenity of the ocean than back along the beach as he reached out with his mind to discern Taisie's surface thoughts and the direction she had been in.

It wasn’t often the kunoichi found herself alone; being in such a big college, there were students all over during the day time. She had few classes today and was free for the rest of the time. Finding that her studies and work outs have soaked up so much of her time, she found she needed a break from her long days of non-stop work.

Instead of staying in her room, she had taken a turn towards the beach. Maybe to slip her toes into the cool water, or just to have some time to herself, it was her choice when she got there. The thought of soft sand under her feet sounded pleasant enough.

Her trek from her room came after changing into one of her Japanese attire that allowed her blossomed chest some breathing room. Passed the dorms, passed the field that surrounded the college, and passed the small line of trees, she finally made it to the gentle sound of waves caressing over the salted sand. The beach on Shokushu was very beautiful for eyes to look upon.

As her small journey ended, the woman takes a seat on the sand that wasn’t wet so her clothes wouldn’t get wet. A soft sigh escapes her lips as she ponders about her problem back home when she graduates.

Honing in on her thoughts Aegir had feebly made his way forth, his walking stick sinking into the soft sand as he hobbled along, masking his slowness with his "disability". He sank into her thoughts as she formed them in her mind analyzing her past as she did so.

It had seemed that such matters had been far off though preparing for it now and the effects that she had to endure had been a wise venture. He found himself thinking about her situation and how he would handle it though the idea of family and friends had eluded him. Even with his mind being tainted as his kind had told him he wasn't able to fully get the reference that he had now been witnessing as it played out in her head.

His eyes had been keen, though the weather had been clear as the brightness of the sun had bothered him as he found himself squinting He could see her sitting on the beach off in the distance, he continued to approach until the keenness of her own eyes would notice him off in the distance. His slow pace taking him down the beach though he had been closer to the water's edge as his eyes focused down on the salty waves lapping at the shore. His gaze did look up at her as he dug deeper into her mind realizing that she had not had any encounters with the monsters on this island as of yet. That would work in his favor, he thought, considering that she wouldn't be as weary as seeing him upon the sands of the beach and while his gender may have given rise to feelings of strangeness it had been nothing that he couldn't smooth over.

Thus he had continued down the beach as if he belonged here, doing nothing unusual as he approached closer still.

For the moment she thought she was alone became an obvious factor that she wasn’t. She was trained to feel the presence of another from far away. Her eyes immediately turn to the old man on the beach. She rises to her feet and brushes herself off before looking to the elderly man in wariness.

Was she not told no other males were here except for staff members? She furrows her brows for a moment, but having no proof something was wrong she decided to approach the elderly man. He seemed to be struggling with a walking cane and for a warrior, she was not supposed to simply wave off someone, especially the elderly.

From his attire and appearance, he appeared Japanese in origin. Unsure of whether he knew English or Japanese, she bows to him for a moment before looking at him curiously. Of course she was not very close to him either. Her instincts always said to keep a three foot radius with anyone she was not familiar with.

“Konbanwa Shi-sama. Daijoubu? Tetsudaimasuka? Good evening, Grandfather. Are you alright? Do you need any help?” she politely puts, trying to see if he understood either. She was unsure what she could do to help, but Japanese etiquette demanded one show absolute respect and possible assistance to the elderly.

He had found himself smiling, a cautious one he had observed by her stance, his mind filtering through her words as his telepathy had allowed him understanding of both tongues. His dark brown eyes flowed over her as a smile had lit his features.

"You know Japanesse?" he acted a bit surprised as he tugged at his obi in order to straighten it out. His back straightened as well and despite her small frame he had only been a few inches taller than her. His brown eyes focusing on her knowing full well that he would have to get this one to relax in order to get her off guard if that had even been possible.

"Nah, I don't need any assistance. Just taking in the view during my morning walk. You from the school?" His head craned in the direction of the school as if he could see it from her. Of course he couldn't and it hadn't been long before his eyes had flowed back to her mismatched ones.

"But where are my manners? Hoturi Gutan at your service." He bowed slightly, his eyes shimmering as they did so but never leaving her visage as if studying her. Already his mind had reached out to her as he read the surface thoughts about it as he spoke with the charming girl.

“Hai, watashi wa nihongo wo hanasemasu,” she replies to his first question before looking him over once more. Once he had straightened his back, she was quite surprised he was taller then she was despite his age. It was a small surprise, but nothing to question the elder man about. She gives a respectful smile to the man as he introduces himself and his means of being here. But she was still wary as to why an elder man like Hoturi was here.

“Hai, I am Taisie Toshibie, a sophomore at Shokushu. Hoturi-sama, to what manner are you on this island? I was informed there were no males except for school staff here.”

She couldn’t help but ask the question eating at her mind. What was an elder gentleman doing at an all girl college? That was the main reason she continued to keep her distance, not just out of respect for the man’s space.

“Gomen nasai for my questions, Hoturi-sama. I am just surprised to see you here after the information I was given. I don't believe I've ever seen you before either.”

"There is a reason why you haven't seen me around, it's because I had been ship wrecked her nearly a year ago living off of my training as a niten master and using my magic to get by. I did locate the school and the fauctulty here and could have been sent home though I chose to stay here rather than return to Japan. Less people here and the scenery is divine,k it's to die for,"

His lips had graced her with a small smile.as his words had been baited, his eyes taring away from her for a moment so as not to stare upon them as he hunched back over as he leaned heavily upon his walking stick.

"I don't bother the professor's and they choose not to bother with me. It's an understanding I have with them outside of simple trade once every other week, fish and such for old clothing from the drama department and a few things that I can not make myself. It's been awhile since I last traded with them," his yes pooled over his tattered clothing before looking back to her as his customary smile clung to his lips as if that hadn't been too important.

"One could say the same about you being so far from the school. I have only encountered the occasional student out this far."

“Shipwrecked?” Taisie asked, the word sounding strange even just saying the word. For someone who had nearly lost his life had it not been for this island, the old-timer was making the best of a worst scenario situation. She had no reason not to believe the man and his story. It made sense even though it was a bit of a stretch. The person she was talking to was an old man, but she never could be too sure of what may happen associating with a shipwrecked victim. Her trainer for ninjutsu and defense classes was up in years so she knew to expect anything from the wiser generation.

“Gramps, I can’t help but feel some need to help you, though. I mean I understand the hustle and bustle of one of the world’s most populated cities, but there are easier ways to get ways to go about it then staying shipwrecked. Don’t you have family that worry over you or do not know where you are?”

She could understand his need to get away from such a populated city. The few years she stayed in Tokyo, she was never given the privacy while her family chose to stay in the competitive business. She was one who would applaud him for getting away on a stroke of chance that his ship sank and that he was given a second chance, but the man was never sure of what tomorrow would bring or if he would catch food by then. Especially giving the appearance he could hardly walk without his cane, she found it hard to believe he had lived so long catching fish when he seemed to be struggling.

“As for myself, I was just on a walk to the beach so I could just get a lone for a little while. There are a lot of students around so it was either my dorms or the beach. I like the outside better then staying inside all the time so here I am.”

"Yes shipwrecked. I was a deck hand on the Sea Star though it wasn't for long seeing how it scrapped up against a coral reef," he shuddered as if remembering the event. "Unfortunately I have no family. Being an only child and all. My parents died several years back from various complication, my father from cancer and my mother in an auto accident.

"I did have a son once though I buried him last year when a private plan he had been flying went down in the mountains. It took nearly two weeks to find the charred body and the downed plan. So to answer your question it's a no."

His glance at drifted towards the direction of the school as he nodded in response. "I can very much understand wanting to get away from all the hustle and bustle."

His mind had reached out to see if there were others in the area though he had only reaffirmed his earlier thoughts that she had been alone, there had been no other minds close by that he could sense, just the firing of Taisie's neurons as he tapped his walking stick against the sands, his eyes glancing towards the sea. "My magic and of course ninten had kept me alive over the course of the year despite being a bit slow. I have managed to adapted in my older years."

“You know magic do you?” she asks with a questioning glance. It was amazing to her he knew of such art that he freely spoke of it. Perhaps it was his senility catching up with his age, but surely he knew how the more normal people felt about the use of such gifts. Of course she wouldn’t dare disrespect the elder man by saying her thoughts out loud.

“Be careful with what you say, gramps. A lot of younger folk here don’t seem to grasp the concept of how amazing gifts such as that are and tend to look down on those who use it. I of course am not such a person, but I wouldn’t want to see someone disrespect you if you happen to say something in front of the wrong person.”

She follows his glance to the direction of the school. The elderly gentleman was pleasant to speak with, but she should probably get back soon. She didn’t seem to need to worry since he seemed to be able to take care of himself with a cane incase of animals. Perhaps she should’ve brought a stick herself…

“Well, Gramps, I’m happy to know you’re alright and happy yourself. Unfortunately, I have a busy schedule with work outs and studies I desperately need to catch up with. I beg your forgiveness to be excused. Please take care.”

She bows respectfully to the elderly man before she steps aside to walk back to the direction of the school. She gives the man a glance to see if perhaps he may need something at the last minute. She had to say she still felt she should do something for the man, but he told her he didn’t need help. Pity, she hadn’t done her good deed today.

Aegir had read deeply into the thoughts that had floated through her mind. While he hadn't been too creative he knew what he had to do. He feigned a smile, dipping his head slightly as if in a bow though he either refrained from doing so too low because of his back or had thought that his station had been higher than hers and he had no need of bowing deeply.

He took in her words as easily as he had drank in her thoughts. "Bah, most would think that I am a crazy old coot. But thank you for such kind words. It isn't often that I encounter anyone out this way."

He had allowed her to get a few paces away before he had did it. Knowing that he had to adequately distract her if he were to be even remotely successful he had feigned losing his grip up his walking stick thrusting it outward from his body as he fell to the sands of the beach. Aegir had not been too practiced in prat falls seeing that his form had no legs and it was damn tough to knock him off balance unless he had supported his weight on only one or two tentacles.

Landing harder than he had intented his aged hands had gone too his knee as he had grunted out, curses in his native dialect passing from his lips before he had seemed to compose himself as best as he could.

“Hoturi-sama!” she calls to him, turning her head to see him with one hand to his knee. It was obvious he had fallen and for a moment she was more then willing to come to his aid to help him. But she stops mid-way as she sees him begin to compose himself. Such a stubborn man may find it rude if she touched him or attempted to aid him in getting up. She puts two hands together and bows before watching him to see if maybe she needs to ask if he needed help.

“Hoturi-sama, are you alright? Do you need help getting back up?”

She was unsure what was strange- the dialect he spoke or his rather deep grunts that seemed unlike an old man. She watched him carefully, knowing full well he may not need her help at all and perhaps his falls happen often. Being ship-wrecked and out here for almost a year, he probably survived a lot of falls and injuries living such a hard life.

“Now you understand why I am so concerned with you, Hoturi-sama. Forgive my bantering, but a man of your age shouldn’t be trying to make a life for himself like this. I do not think you’re crazy, I just think you need to understand your own mortality. Are you sure you want to live out here?”

He had looked up as his mind had reached out to her as he had been prone before her, reading the thoughts that had come upon her mind as well of taking solace of her spoken words as she uttered them past her lips, beautiful ripe lips that had called out to him as if they had begged to be kissed.

He smiled at her, his smile soon vanishing as if a spasm of pain had rippled through him. He feigned a grimace as he composed himself. Dark eyes flickered up to her as he spoke his mouth moving in time with his telepathic speech that he had been using as a means of concealing the fact that he had been speaking to her in such a way all the time.

"Perhaps it is best for the venerable to head the wisdom of the young in this case. Please help me up and escort mme to my home, it is that way.: He pointed with a finger down the beach though the cave that he called "home" could not be seen from this point.

His hand rubbed at his knee as he took the walking stick in one hand, the smile slipping from his face as he gazed upon her. "But I am too set in my ways to leave this place. It is my home now and is likely to be such until my dying day."

The kunoichi could only sigh as the man began acting more strangely then before. Even though he was acting strange for an old man, she could not deny him some help. She bows once more before invading his space and took his hand gently in hers to help him up. His skin felt odd, but no doubt it was because of this living on the edge life it felt so strange.

“Hoturi-sama, I’ll take your arm over me and help you to your home. Just take it easy.”

His feigned grimace was caught by her eyes. She was unsure why, but the old man had been feigning a few things so far. Even the smile he gave her before was so fake. She was trained to watch body language… Hoturi seemed to be hiding something.

“Are you alright, Hoturi-sama? You’re acting strange you know.”

She takes his arm over her arm and begins to walk with him while allowing him to keep his stick incase he needed it. She saw a few false body languages… but the fact he was an old man made her second guess her wary nature. Although, older gentlemen were wise in trickery. She learned that the hard way with her mentor.

“Hoturi-sama, after I take you to your ‘home’, I’m really pressed for time. I can come and visit to say hi tomorrow, but really, gramps, you’re something else,” she said with a head shaking smirk.

A hand brushed the sand off the beach off of him as he rose with her help slinking an arm around her. So warm and tender, he had hardly been able to restrain himself as lustful sensations had budded up inside him though she had been to weary even if he could touch, feel her, breath her aroma in with his nostrils.

She hadn't be trusting or rather her guard had still been subconsciously up. His ears registering her words as they passed from the sweetness of her lips, his head canting too the side in order to get a better view of her visage as they walked along the beach.

"Thank you. I realize that you're probably pressed for time and that the school is a way of as it is. If you must make it back to a class then don't allow me to hold you up. I should be capable in making it back to my home. I didn't brake anything after all."

He shot her another feigned smile as he concluded his words, his mind already scheming as to his next move. The cave, it would serve him we;; for the completion of his ruse. Though oddly something had nagged at the back of his mind, something that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

Guilt? Possibly from all the minds that he had consumed in his day. Though he had shoved this feeling away quelling it as if it where an annoying gnat.