"Well, I guess we are. Unless it's different in your years..if you have any." the girl replied as she continued to listen as he spoke and answered when it had seemed appropriate. "Yeah, it's not that...actually I don't know how far it is from here, I sort of fell asleep on the way here..nor have I been able to find my cell phone since I exited the plane...I hope someone found it. I'll ask about that later."

"Wait, you've never been off the island? Well I don't think that would make you ignorant, but it would be nice to see other parts of the world." she listened as it sounded as if he were interested in the subject of sports, in which Tamae could go on about continuously, but decided to keep it short. "I excel in a few, such as gymnastics, soccer, basketball, track, tennis...others I will probably won't be bad, but not as good as I would in the ones I mentioned."

She turned back towards Birch as he seemed on intending to ask her a question "Um, okay. Sure..."

Birch pointed toward the sun. One revolution to a year so we mark the passage of time the same. It is your world so I'm assuming the ages are equivalent unless I am wrong about how I've tracked it. He looked back at her. It would be a shame if he let her go and she didn't come back but that was the risky part in his plan.

Cell phone … oh, I recall them, those speaking devices that the scientists used. I'm sure it will turn up.

I have only once been outside of this jungle near the beach though I only got eighty yards or so outside of it's boundary,

And abducted Meredith from the beach. That was fun, he quite enjoyed her taste but that had not gone so bad for him either, he introduced her to new pleasures though she did not surprise him when she did not return either for it would have been more surprising if she had.

She was being short but cordial not that he blamed her. It was not everyday you got to make first contact with an alien entity after all and she was being guarded.

I seek information about the world outside this place. He gestured about him. It would be rather convenient for some to stop by from time to time with news.

The student glanced over towards the slowly downing sun as the tops of the trees were beginning to shade over with darkness, signifying that it was nearing dusk as she glanced off in the direction where the sun was setting, peering at it through the trees.

"Yeah, I hope so. I've had a habit of losing it before..but the last time I had it was within my pocket before we took off..I think?" she said as she glanced to her side yet again intending to check and see that if her cell phone was here. It wasn't after all she had checked her pockets before taking that brief shower...

She nodded slightly to his request "News? You mean as when certain events are happening at the school?" she was trying to make sure what did he mean by news as she was somewhat baffled if he "was" a plant alien why would he require news from an all-girls school? "Well, I just started here today, so I don't know much about the school as of yet...but if I do hear of anything, I'll try..." the girl said. Their conversation thus far was rather pleasant, and unexpected to say the very least.

Tamae's attention once again turned to the over looming shadows of the trees from the sunset "It's getting dark..."

Perhaps you left it in Japan. He added as if to get her to doubt the matter a little more. He knew that the phone was probably taken in a sweep of their initial belongings. He wasn't overly concerned with the device since he never used one himself he only knew the short of it. You could speak over long distances with it.

He desired to make this pleasant, he wished to see if this one could be made to come back. Hopefully he could get a hold of something useful at the labs to promote her return. For now he was trying new things at least and while there was always going to be a hint of risk he would take it from time to time.

Oh, any news or gossip. I do not leave this domain so just about anything will be new to me. Interesting. It is not often that I chance upon people that are willing to speak. Most times they go rushing off though none have remembered me I guess or are too afraid to come back. I was thinking after you get settled that you could come with news or gossip, whichever, say in a few days time.

Yes, a few days, that would give him time to prepare something. He had been thinking that this time was going to be a little different he hoped.

He nods unsure if the girl was brushing him off or not. She might return seeing how things did not go too badly, yet, and when she returned he had hoped she would do so again and again. It was an experiment after all.

I will walk you to the edge of the jungle if you would like. He of course was protecting his own interests here, if other creatures saw her with him they might assume she was unavailable and he so much wished to savior her taste. He was not positive she was a virgin or not but if she was he was taking a risk in passing up such a delicious taste. Hopefully she would be overlooked for a few days yet.

Pondering on the suggestion which was placed by Birch she shook her head in decline "No....I'm sure I had turned it off prior to boarding the plane..." she said as she reached to her pocket in which the device would have been in as she now openly doubted herself "Did I?"

Once again, the student shrugging it off. If she had misplaced it, she expected it would turn up in a few days time, unless of course she did leave it at home, which she is beginning to question as she usually carries her phone with her prior to leaving home for any reason...

"Okay, I'll see what happens every now and again. I'm not really much of a gossip girl, though sometimes you can't really help but listen." she somewhat gathered that Birch rarely or possibly if ever left the forest, and probably because of his appearance. After all, Tamae's first reaction to him wasn't the most greetable.

Hearing Birch's offer as she grunted slightly upon rising from the rock and stretching lightly with a slight yawn. Not that she was tired, just an aftereffect of getting up from sitting for a while "Huh? Oh, no. I'm sure I could find my way out of here...if I looked for it." she said as she paced to the sides slightly in order to garner a detailed look upon her surroundings to find the path in which she took before...

[color=#80BF00]Perhaps then you just set it down somewhere.[/color] He added about the phone though he was aware that it was long gone. The only satellites he figured that were here were for the school focusing on long range communications and such. There were no cell phone towers that he had been aware of anyway.

News, gossip … whatever you find out or if you would lie to just tell me of the day that you had. You shall find that I am not picky.

Stealthily he would follow her out of the jungle. At best he could hinder other attackers enough where she may escape, doubtful but it gave him a chance to protect his interests. Then again he might just watch the defilement rather than interfere in it at all. He sees her off safely then prepares. The following day is rather busy with so many girls exploring their surrounds he feasts well. Mostly he anticipates her coming back and wanted a mostly clear head.

Her defilement, should she return would be as sweet as the nectar that he had been steadily drinking that the labs supplied him with. A field test for an experiment that the scientists had been interested in. Nectar that was absorbed by his frame.

By the third day he gets a little ency second guessing things. He shouldn't have let her go, yet another one he would not see again.

"Maybe...I'm hoping it turns up." she replied. Not being without her phone meant she couldn't contact others, particularly her parents & friends back home, but of course there were probably other phones about the school she could use...

"I'll try and find out something as soon as I can, bye Birch! Nice meeting you!" she said as she regained a bit of her normal attitude upon leaving seeing as her encounter with the hybrid alien went rather smoothly. Perhaps he was simply misunderstood as she waved farewell to her first associate and made her way casually back through the jungle, peering back every now and again having a slight feeling that something was following her, but didn't feel too concerned about it as she continued on with a light smile on her face.

"Not bad today...odd, and unexpected, but not bad..." Tamae thought to herself as the dormitory came into view once more as she glared up at the night sky as she approached closer before bringing her head back down as she reached the door, and went inside back to her room, nodding and waving to the few students whom looked upon her as she passed, and proceeded to return to her quarters.

It was a risk that he worried about on the third day but it took a little time for the nectar he was drinking to absorb into him. He felt no different though the aphrodisiac he had learned had come from another plant-like creature her on the island along while ago.

The scientists were working on a means of a serum, as a means of injecting it into the body directly though he did not have the gland to produce it he was capable of storing it until he ejected it as he so often did with that sweet enzyme he produced to numb pain which he felt she might appreciate if she ever came back.

He had left her with a pleasant feeling for now at least. If this worked as he intended though he could inject her with a steady stream of this mildly addictive aphrodisiac. Like a junkie she would kick the habit though it may take some work … chances were she'd keep returning to the source and as long as he got more aphrodisiac to store in his body then things would work smoothly.

If she didn't return he could try this out on another girl though he was hoping that she came back. He already established a brief rapport with her and regardless of how it went the next time around she was almost guarantee to come back if it worked that is ...

Since then, it had been three days whilst Tamae went on about starting her first semester here at Shokushu. Which of course contained introducing the newer subjects, which was rather a pain to her. While she her grades were rather high, she definately had to place more effort than most.

As the ebony-haired student went about her school day, a reminder had pecked the back of her mind as it replayed to her as the final bell for the day had rung "I'll try and find out something as soon as I can, bye Birch!" after which she addressed the reminder. "Oh yeah, I should go and see how he's doing. I did say I would bring news..." the girl thought, but there hadn't been much news as of late. At least to her nothing of major importance.

Walking back to her dorm room and plopping down the satchel upon the bed in which she carried the books in which she required for certain classes then collapsed upon the bed itself, groaning slightly from the walking that she did. It was however short lived as she arose again minutes later. A breather of sorts as she resituated her newly worn school uniform and once again, as if reliving her first day set off towards the forest area in the same manner.

Arriving at the lake and glancing down to the now bright shimmering waters, since the sun was higher in the sky than it had been the previous visit and simply basked in the tranquil beauty of the water which casted her reflection quite vividly. "I wonder if he remembered as well?" Tamae thought to herself not knowing if Birch would even show up today or not.

Beautiful, isn't it. He was not meaning the water or the scenery but her. Of course he did not explain that though he dared approach a little closer than he did the other day, not too close mind you. He would gradually close that distance until she was comfortable having him close enough to touch her though his command of plants made it unnecessary.

He did take her in. That school uniform was tight in all the right places as he appreciated her figure better than he had the other day. He did not linger, glad that he fed so well these last few days so he wasn't ravenous. He was going to take his time to enjoy this.

You remembered ... He cast his gaze out over the lake before moving towards it barely sticking his feet in to absorb some of the water there. Of course this was not the nectar he was after but it slaked his thirst for the time being.

He grinned and looked back. I am happy. You are the first to come back. What news do you bring?

The girl was preparing to get lost in her thoughts, until she heard that familiar low-tone and turned around, surprised that he didn't announce himself or something as she glanced back to the water and spoke "Y-yeah. It sure is" she said of course believing that he had meant he view of the lake.

Seeing that he approached her, she wasn't finely paying attention to how close he was today, as long as it wasn't too close for her liking. "Of course, I did say I would." she replied to the plant-hybrid with a small smile her gaze once again turning to the water momentarily as her eyes shifted to his reflection in the water.

He had already expressed his feelings upon her coming back, and was already awaiting the news. Sadly, she didn't have anything immediately due to school having just started so she hoped that he would be satisfied just with the rather boring content of her day.

"Uh, well there isn't much to comment on today. Just some mid-morning stumbles, and falls from people just waking up. The introduction courses of some of the classes, others just jumping directly into the subject. I have one of those classes, it somewhat irritates me cause I have to pay closer attention and take notes constantly...Around lunch, not much again. One of the girls who I sat by must have really liked her sandwich...it's not that she didn't eat it, it was that she sounded rather...uh...how would I put it..."excited" about eating it." she said trying to stifle a laugh, and then stopped abruptly. That's mean to talk about someone behind their back. She cleared her throat and continued "After lunch classes, pretty much the same as morning...although one of the girls left cause of a stomachache and didn't return. I hope she's alright...Anyway, that's pretty much my news for the day." Tamae replied as she turned back around to face Birch as she had a unconscious habit of pacing about as she spoke if she weren't sitting down.

It doesn't matter if not much happened. None have ever come back so whatever new or gossip or idle chat would be sublime, an unexpected part of the sap – Tamae. He was catching himself a lot instead of calling her sapling. He knew her identity now. But he listened to what she had to say interjecting only once as she spoke about lunch.

Some people enjoy a good meal, Tamae. I for one get passionate about mine. True, the sun nourishes me to a minor extent and the waters her quench my thirst a little the only thing they truly do is delay the inevitable hunger that builds up inside me.

But he would leave discussions of his food for later. It was bound to come up again. Though he looked at her and grinned. Standing up to his ankles in water he observed her. I want you to know that I appreciate you returning, Tamae. But since you do not feel as if much has happened today, humor me. Did you have a … what are they called ... he thinks but seems to draw a blank on the proper word and frowns disappointed that he can't remember. What is your counter part called? I am drawing a blank.

Birch was calculating the moment in his head but he was in no immediate rush just yet. Soon, after all she came all this way and he wouldn't disappoint her. He was interested in seeing if the aphrodisiac worked. Of course he was afraid that it might not too, but such was science.

Tamae was rather grateful that her news had to Birch been sufficient enough. Perhaps it was more of company he requested instead of news...either way it kind of made her elated that she brightened up someone's day.

She had remembered the occasion as Birch spoke "Well, I mean I like food too, but I don't think I've had such a revelation with it as she had...perhaps she's intending to become a chef or something. That would explain her passion for food..."

"Did I have a...?" she said as she attempted to piece his sentence together for him until he said something about a counter part in which she immediately gave an answer "A boyfriend?" she chuckled slightly, but shook her head "No, no. When I was playing sports I was told to be cautious of guys, mostly cause a relationship would have interfered with my performances...there have been somewhat of a few that I tend to actually have liked..but to ultimately answer your question, no. I haven't had a boyfriend." the student answered.

Company was more what he was after than anything. She could have recited a grocery list though he enjoyed hearing what she was up to, what life was like beyond this place. A chef? He knows the term but has to think since he does not have to cook his meals, still it could be argued that he had to prepare them.

An exacting palate, I know the type. Slarr was sooo into his blondes …

AH, YES! He is excited at the word being added back to his vocabulary after being reminded of it. That was the word. You've never had a boy friend, Tamae? His interest got perked of course by a factor of ten. His eagerness grew at knowing the sweet taste he stood to receive … maybe.

And no girlfriends I assume, though an all girl's school would lend well to that if you are so incline.

He considered for a moment, a few vines inching eagerly closer though it takes a good deal of effort not to grab her just yet, this could be a false alarm.

Virgins just tasted so much sweeter, Meredith was the last he got to sample but that was some time back now and he was not about to make the same mistakes if he could get a food supply to keep coming back so be it.

Nodding once again as if to affirm what she had just said "No, I haven't." she once again replied stretching ever so slightly from standing still for too long as her gaze went back to her reflection upon the lake until Birch brought up somewhat of an unexpected term "G-girlfriend? Er, well of course no..." she replied with somewhat of a blush as she was more surprised that he would have known that and brought it up.

The vines on the ground would have been unnoticed for the moment. Tamae was rather enjoying the conversations with Birch today, mostly because the last encounter had went surprisingly smoothly, she decided to be somewhat lenient with her attitude today, which showed in her speech today she wasn't shuffling her feet or seemingly straining to answer.

"Well, I understand that I don't think girls aren't cute or anythi- I mean that I wouldn't mind it bu-" she stopped mid-sentence in order to catch herself as she was beginning to possibly put things way out of proportion as she calmed herself with a steady breath and looked to Birch with a sheepish grin plastered upon her face "Can we find something else to talk about? Please?" she requested, obviously wanting to leave the subject of relationships alone for the moment.