Tiffany stood outside the door of the head girl's room, pondering her next move. She looked down again at the sheet of paper in her hand. It had been part of her orientation folder. Part of it read, "...for minor issues not requiring the administrative supervision of the faculty, students are encouraged to seek assistance from a prefect or head girl..."

On the back, there was list of names. One of those names was Vera Matsumoto. Tiffany still wasn't sure what to do. This was certainly NOT a minor issue. She had been attacked. Not just attacked, but attacked by something... not human...

If she could have, she would have called the police. The Army. The FBI. But, even she could do any of that... what would she say??? She had already told the medical staff here at the school about the first... "incident"... and they had convinced her that she had injured herself and the whole thing was just some sort of vivid nightmare. Until it happened again that is. There was something out there on this island. Maybe more than one somethings... but how could she report such a thing without sounding like a complete and utter lunatic? She thought that maybe it would be better to talk to another student. Maybe something similar might have happened to one of the other girls. A prefect or head girl could be a better idea, because they would know who to contact in a school wide emergency. Unless they had her locked up for being mentally unstable that was...

Slowly an idea came to her... a way to breach the subject without sounding totally crazy...

Tiffany knocked on the door...

The tower was where staff and admin stayed. But, there were a select few students who stayed in the suites at the near top levels of the building. Head Girls, students who showed great promise and now work directly under one or more Headmasters. Despite the renown position, Head Girl presence on campus was limited. Vera Matsumoto was currently the only one working on Shokushu while the others were off tending to other projects that were beyond any student's knowledge.

The silver haired woman always ensured that students joining Shokushu were aware of her suite up in the tower. It was her home but she also treated it like her office, always welcoming any student willing to see her for any matters or concerns. But, most students either disliked her or were intimidated by her. Vera was strict when it came to rules and order. There have been a few rumors about her methods of correcting students. At the same time, there were students who were once troublemakers becoming Prefects under Vera so perhaps her methods do bear fruit.

One thing was for certain though, Vera's office was a bit inconvenient to go to. A student had to enter the tower then take an elevator up to the suites. Not exactly the most ready of access. But, traffic was limited on this isolated island and Tiffany would find herself before Ms. Matsumoto's door.

Vera already knew someone was lurking outside her door. The emotional auras led her to believe whoever was out there was human. The Head Girl had unique abilities that gave her an edge when it came to communication and negotiating. She could read the emotional auras radiating from humans. Alien monsters seem to be able to mask such things or perhaps their emotions were too different for Vera to sense and comprehend.

When the knock finally came, Tiffany almost immediately heard a voice from the other side. "Come in."

The door was unlocked and beyond it, Tiffany was welcomed to a large suite that put any dorm room to shame. Tile floor led towards the carpeted living area that was beyond Vera's desk. Doors flanked both sides of the tiled area. In the living area, Tiffany could see a large flat screen TV along with a stereo system, both off. There was a table and chairs set up as a dining area. Bookshelves held several books ranging from business, economics, and computer science to older books that lacked any obvious labels.

Vera's desk had her chair along with a few chairs in front of it for visitors. She had a computer and a keyboard which she was typing on currently. Beyond that, the desk was kept rather neat and tidy, not many files or notes cluttered its surface. "Please close the door behind you," the Head Girl added, not yet looking up from her console, "Have a seat. Would you like something to drink, Ms?"

The Asian beauty looked up to take in Tiffany. A rather attractive woman though that was a norm here in Shokushu. This one was not a new student but not one Vera had met one on one. This student most likely had not caused any issues that warranted demerits which is a sure way to stay out of a Head Girl's radar. Tiffany would see Vera was in a matching school uniform that seemed to be extremely well kept. Unsurprising, the blouse was a bit tight but Vera showed no signs of discomfort. The woman stopped typing and brushed a few strands of long silver hair back behind her shoulder.

So far so good. Tiffany got through the door. Vera seemed a bit cold but did make an effort to welcome the student to her office and home. But if this student was not here about demerits, what was she seeing a Head Girl for? Was this a different problem or was this one asking for some sort of boon or favor?

For a brief moment, Tiffany was too stunned to reply to the head girl's question. She was like a rock star. Long, silver hair framed her exotic features. Her uniform looked less like what a girl would wear to school and more like what a celebrity would wear to an awards show. The cut of the cloth accentuated her curves provocatively, yet remained fashionable... professional even. And her suite was like something you might find in a world class hotel. Coming from a wealthy family herself, Tiffany was so impressed with what she was seeing, she almost forgot why she was there.

"What? Oh... sorry... no, I'm fine thank you. I love your hair... that's really a good look on you. This place is amazing... do all head girls live like this?"

What was once an aura of worry, fear, and reluctance suddenly brightened with a different emotion, awe. Of course, the blonde student's reaction told much even without Vera's empathic ability. It was pleasing to see a young student take in the Head Girl's life of luxury in such a way. Students had no clue what prices Head Girls paid to live like this. But, the silver haired student was more than fine with letting these young girls imagine and enjoy what power Vera had.

"Ah... Thank you," Vera replied, "All Head Girls have their own suite. How they furnish their's is up to them. Not all use them as an office like mine."

Vera waited for the student to sit down. Since the drink offer was not accepted, the Head Girl remained seated. She had stopped typing at her console. "I hope you did not come here just because you were curious about my living arrangements," the woman stated, "I trust you know who I am. What brings you to my office? Introducing yourself would also make my job easier, Ms."

The student did not seem to notice the previous time Vera hinted for the woman's name so she decided to be more direct this time. If the Head Girl was annoyed by this, she was not visibly showing it. Sitting behind her desk, her light blue sash was not visible as she wore it loosely around her waist rather than draped across her body like the other Head Girls and Prefects. The woman leaned forward a bit, fingers folding in front of her as she waited to hear what this student came here for.

"Oh... again, I'm sorry. I just... I didn't expect your office to be so... well, lavish. I'm Tiffany. Tiffany Sterling."

Now that her initial shock of how nice the head girl's office/room was, Tiffany remembered what she was here for and her trepidation and uncertainty returned immediately. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. Vera seemed very important, moreso than Tiffany would have guessed. If Vera thought she was crazy, she might get annoyed... and Vera didn't strike her as the type of person that Tiffany wanted to annoy. She would have to be extremely careful...

"I'm sorry to bother you Ms. Matsumoto, it's just that I have a small problem that I wasn't sure I should bother the faculty with. It's a little hard to explain though..."

Tiffany paused for a brief moment trying to decide exactly what her next words should be.

"If you don't mind me asking, do a lot of new students have trouble adjusting to the isolated environment here?"

Tiffany began to grow uneasy and nervous once things returned to business. It was not uncommon for students to have second thoughts as they come before Vera. The serious focus and formal way the Head Girl spoke tended to not lead to very light tones of conversation and students can be a bit uncomfortable or intimidated by such a unique presence. It was not often a college student meets someone closer to their age that was once an owner of a large business.

Still, Vera was not one to ignore potential nor good behavior. Already, Tiffany was responding in a more formal way such as using Vera's last name and appropriate English honorific. The Head Girl could also tell this one was doing her best in choosing her words. That was certainly an improvement over other students who tended to speak first and think later.

"I do not mind," the silver haired woman replied, "Yes, there have been students that have had difficulty adjusting to their life here in Shokushu. This school is rather unique in its environment. There are other schools out there that only have one gender of students but none are as isolated as this. Our system relies on this isolation to give students the least amount of distractions from their studies in order to produce the graduates that Shokushu prides itself on. But, we are aware that isolation such as this can create issues with students. Some students have difficulty acclimating to this isolated environment."

"The closest physical example I can say is some people handle high altitudes differently," Vera continued, "Some are able to breathe just fine as if nothing has changed while others may nearly suffocate from the change in environment. Social acclimation is a bit less clear as it involves the person's emotional and mental states and experiences. A person's social needs can vary as well. An island full of women with little to no contact with the outside leaves certain social aspects unavailable to people. Some people who are used to such aspects being available may struggle as they are unsure how to handle the sudden deficiency. This can happen even if a person did not participate in those aspects themselves."

The Head Girl typed a few things into her console as she brought up Tiffany's file. It seems this one had recently joined the pool of students that are free game for the island's guests. The blonde woman was still a freshman and her classes lacked focus. There was some leaning towards business and marketing which were fields Vera herself was familiar with. But, was that really what Tiffany wanted to work towards?

"I am not a psychiatrist so I will not claim to know all the details of how the human mind works," Vera added as she turned her attention back towards Tiffany, "But, I have been working on this island for some time now and I can safely say that any students that are struggling to acclimate to this island have nothing to be ashamed of. You are not the first to ask this, Ms. Sterling. Any students that are struggling are more than free to seek a Head Girl or a staff member for aid. There are nurses and counselors here to help those in need, that is what they are there for. May ask if this question is due to you finding yourself or someone you know struggling here on the island, Ms. Sterling? I can understand if you do not wish to answer. If you are more comfortable speaking with a counselor, I can help you find one to set up an appointment with."

"It's a little embarassing, but I was actually asking for myself. I've been having... well... nightmares, I guess... since arriving here. I know that sounds rather immature, and I'm not one to complain about something like that normally, but these are exceptionally VIVID nightmares... so much so that they almost seem... like memories... like they're REAL....

I have actually seen the medical staff about it once before... and I know I'm probably just being paranoid... stressed out by the transfer here most likely... I was just curious I guess... if any other students had had a similar issue...

And just so you know... I'm not crazy... it's just... nothing like this has ever happened to me before..."

When Tiffany first began to explain her "issue", she was watching Vera's face closely to see if there was any noticeable reaction... surprise, shock, annoyance, etc., etc.,... but as she recalled the memories of what had happened to her, she found herself becoming emotional. She had to stop for a moment to keep herself from breaking out in tears. She didn't want the head girl to think she was weak or childish...

The silver haired Head Girl did not show any signs of shock nor annoyance. This woman listened intently to everything Tiffany had to say. Vera knew what was going on and this was not the first time a student came to her claiming that real monsters were on the island. Most students came in already thinking that the school was behind it while others think that it was all a cover up. This led to less than pleasant behavior that forced the Head Girl to lay down the law. But, Tiffany was doing her best to think this through rationally or at the very least try and have this conversation diplomatically instead of making accusations.

Vera rose to her feet. Her light blue sash hung around her waist as her short skirt brushed against her thighs with every step she took. The woman circled her desk and approached Tiffany. She leaned in closer, long silver hair pouring before her shoulder. A hand came up, lightly brushing a tissue on the student's cheeks to collect her tears. "You are not crazy nor are you paranoid," Vera stated, offering the tissue to the blonde woman, "I cannot reveal what other students have or have not experienced. Confidentially is important. But, I will say there is no reason to feel shame for experiencing what you have been experiencing. I am not an expert but the human body is beautiful but bears many flaws. This new environment, the stress of being isolated and away from things you considered normal, it can wear on a person. Your body and mind are trying to compensate but it may not always do it in a way you prefer."

"You are a smart and beautiful woman, Ms. Sterling," Vera said softly as she stood upright, "Someone who would be called crazy would not be trying to calmly rationalize what you have been experiencing. You said it yourself, you are not crazy. And now, you are making an effort to push through this. You will not let this beat you."

The Head Girl offered a hand to Tiffany to help her out of the chair. "Come," she calmly ordered, "Lets continue this conversation somewhere a bit more comfortable." If the offer is taken, Vera would lightly squeeze the student's hand and lead her beyond her desk into the living area beyond. There was a kitchen over on one side of the area and the other side led to large windows and a balcony. She guided the student to sit on the couch with Vera joining beside her.

"This is not my field of study but I am here to listen to what you have to say, Ms. Sterling," Vera reassured the woman, "You can stop this conversation at any time. You may just sit here and relax for the moment if that is what you need right now."

A slight flush of embarrassment blossomed on Tiffany's cheeks as she realized that despite her efforts to not cry, a few tears had indeed escaped her. Despite her somewhat stern appearance, the head girl was remarkably gentle as she got up and dabbed the moisture from her face with a tissue. Tiffany couldn't put her finger on exactly what it was, but Vera had a very unusual quality about her. For a moment, Tiffany felt as though this woman could see right into her soul... like she really knew what the distraught student was feeling... she realized it would be very hard to lie to this woman because she felt like Vera would somehow sense it... and yet, she seemed to be very sympathetic.

Tiffany followed the head girl to the sofa without complaint, grateful for the reassuring squeeze the woman gave her hand. Despite the fear she felt of trying to conceal her thoughts from this unusual and exotic woman, Tiffany couldn't help but notice as they crossed the floor hand in hand how incredibly beautiful she was. She wondered if the girl had had work done. She seemed more a work of art than a living person. Tiffany felt a nervous flutter in the pit of her stomach as she watched the way the girl's long legs scissored gracefully back and forth as she moved across the room.

When they were seated and the head girl finished talking, Tiffany felt that strange sensation that Vera could somehow sense what she was feeling again... that somehow she would know if Tiffany tried to lie to her... like they were connected almost...

"I'm sorry... I'm not usually like this... I just... I don't know what to do... nothing like this has ever happened to me before..."

The blush of embarrassment on the blonde girls cheeks deepened as the tears began to trickle once again from the corners of her wide blue eyes.

Emotions were a fickle thing. Vera could read a person's aura but it was up to her to interpret exactly why those emotions were there in the first place. A person could be feeling relief or attraction but the colors would not reveal who or what the person was attracted to or what near miss brought relief. But, the Head Girl had plenty of experience reading people. Even without auras, everyone had tells that told much about their current disposition and feelings.

Tiffany was a wide range of emotions flaring and overlapping one another. Embarrassment, fear, relief, nervousness, perhaps even awe; Vera did pride herself in being one of a kind in more ways than one and now Tiffany was struggling on how to handle this Head Girl's presence. There was also always the fear of being called crazy or insane because of what Tiffany had experienced. Mental troubles always held a certain taboo among social circles. Vera so far has shown she did not fall under such predictions. She listened and responded to Tiffany's questions and concerns so far with professionalism and maybe even a bit of warmth.

"Shokushu is a new experience for everyone," Vera reassured Tiffany, "You came here to learn and overcome trials but, the trial you found was one you were not expecting or prepared for. I do not have all the answers, unfortunately. But, if you do wish to speak about this, let us find a topic you wish to engage in first. Would you like to speak of your experience so far here on the island and attending class? Do you wish to speak about the stress you mentioned before? Or would you like to talk about the nightmares you have had recently?"

Vera could only present some possible options. It was up to Tiffany to decide if she was ready to open up more and try and face these new problems and fears.

"You... you said I'm not crazy or paranoid... and I... I don't FEEL like I am... but... these nightmares... or hallucinations... or whatever they are... they feel so REAL...

I know it doesn't make any sense... but I can't shake this feeling that... that there is something wrong here... something... unnatural...

Ms. Matsumoto, do you believe in the paranormal?"

Tiffany knew she was doing exactly the opposite of what she had planned. When she rehearsed this in her head, she had thought to simply inquire about some of the clubs and elective classes that dealt with religion and or occult studies. (After the things that had happened to her, Tiffany was somehow less than surprised to discover there were many such groups at the campus...) But that sense that Vera would somehow see through such a pretext was so strong, Tiffany was sure that it was a certainty. She didn't know how she could possibly know that, she just did...

"To believe in the paranormal is to believe that there are things that science cannot explain," Vera answered, "I have yet to find things that are as such. Nightmares, hallucinations, visions; all are products of the mind. They could mean many things. But, to ignore them and immediately turn to the great unknown in hopes for answers is rather self defeating. Do you believe what is happening to you is not normal despite my words saying otherwise?"

Of course, even unknown things such as the occult could be studied with science. But, Vera had no reason to reveal more than that is needed. "Ms. Sterling," she continued, "I know it must be difficult for you to experience these nightmares as you call them. But, if you turn away from them, you will never learn what your mind is trying to tell you. Your body is trying to tell you something. This island has denied you something, something you may not have thought you needed until coming here."

"But, I can understand if you do not wish to approach such matters," the silver haired woman added, "If you wish, you may speak with the counselor and nurse. There are medications that can help with stress that may help reduce your nightmarish episodes." Some students did not like the thought of popping pills to solve an emotional issue. But those who did take the pills usually improved over time, their memories frequently wiped of their encounters with alien guests. Less trusting students would never take anything from this school. But, perhaps Tiffany would prefer the simple solution over exploring other options. Studying the paranormal would not save this student, Vera knew that much. Then again, there were not many things that could save anyone on this island.

"I... I'm not sure I understand what you mean... are you saying that these episodes are because of something I miss back home? Like my family or friends? Or..."

Tiffany felt that odd little flutter in her tummy again as she began to realize what Vera meant. But how could Vera know that these "episodes" were sexual in nature? Tiffany hadn't had a chance to describe them yet... Even so, Tiffany was suddenly sure that Vera knew all the same.

"Boys... you mean boys, don't you? Because there aren't any here on the island... but... in my nightmares... its... its not boys..."

"I do not know what your mind is trying to make up for," Vera stated, "But, recognizing differences between this new home with your previous will give you more data to consider. And the island is not completely devoid of men. It is just the student body that is lacking. I am not claiming to know what is happening to you, Ms Sterling. Please remember that. I can only provide you with methods to analyze your issues. The fact you refuse to speak in much detail leaves me with only going off the questions you asked earlier about stress and difficulty adapting to the island."

"You say these are nightmares you are experiencing, vivid ones," the Head Girl stated, "Dreams are never obvious nor make complete sense. The important things here is you are willing to consider options on pushing forward. If you wish to analyze this further, then you have to be willing to look over everything and that includes yourself. If you immediately shut off an option because you are afraid of what you may find, then as I mentioned before, there are medical alternatives that may work."

Vera knew what Tiffany was experiencing but there was no hope in finding the actual truth. The constant repeating herself was a bit annoying but this student was at least not being unruly. This could take time and multiple sessions.

"Ms. Sterling," Vera said as she placed her hand over Tiffany's, "I do not know all the details and I know you are afraid. We as a society always put any mental matters in a bad light. But, I always take what you say seriously no matter how odd you may think it is. My role as Head Girl is to maintain order and aid students in finding their path through Shokushu. I said it before. There is nothing to be ashamed of. I do not know if it is boys or being away from your family or just the island environment itself. But none of those factors are something to feel bad about if they were a cause. I am not here to judge you, I am simply here to aid you in any way that I can."

"This is your first time visiting my office so I can understand if you do not want to reveal too much to a stranger," the woman said as she drew her hand away, "But, I can only help so much in that case. As was said before, you can stop this conversation at anytime. I want you to be comfortable and ease your stress if possible. So take some slow breaths, in and out. I will be here when you are ready. If you need more time to sort your thoughts, my door is always open for students in need."

Tiffany was somewhat bewildered and beginning to question herself. She had been so sure when she came here that the creatures that haunted her were real. But now this calm, collected, beautiful and extremely professional young woman seemed so confident that there was some other explanation. And that seemed to make sense, didn't it?? Monsters weren't real. Right?

NO! That couldn't be right... she had seen them. FELT them. If they weren't real, that meant she really was crazy... didn't it?

Tiffany was more confused now than ever. Still, she had to maintain her composure and keep up appearances. She took a deep breath and collected herself. Coming from an upper class upbringing, she knew how to conduct herself properly... despite her momentary emotional lapse. She sensed that with a woman like Vera Matsumoto, such a show of weakness would never do.

"Ms. Matsumoto, I think I understand what you meant now. I apologize for my momentary loss of composure. I am not afraid to explore every avenue available to come to a successful resolution to this issue. I hope I didn't seem as though I was unwilling to be forthcoming with any details. As you said, you aren't a psychiatrist and I didn't want to burden you with an issue that is outside of your scope of responsibility. Talking with you has given me a lot to think about. Thank you. Do they require head girls to take special training to handle such issues?"