It was Summer's first day, or well the end of it. She had largely spent her time avoiding people for her initial day and surely there would be plenty of time to really greet others, plus club activities that she could sign up for and not be at the mercy of her grandma's whims over. Her biggest challenge was now approaching steadily and she could feel her stomach flutter with anxiety- she had to find her way back to the dorms. She had an absolute terrible sense of direction, and each new classroom blended together with the next, forming some horrible nonsensical mess of a maze of which she'd have to spend time unraveling.

Right now what she was desperately praying for was a guide of some kind, she could bring herself to talk to someone if it meant finding her way around. After that, she considered a nice hot shower to relax in or maybe finding somewhere secluded and practicing playing her flute- anything to ease that uncomfortable fluttering in her stomach.

As she walked around very clearly lost, she let her hands play with her charred brown locks, coiling the silken, tropical smelling hair around her finger idly- almost giving off the air of one of those preppy girls who were bored when in reality she was anything but that and just needed to fiddle with something to help distract her.

It wasn't often that Aegir hit the campus. The damn light was too bright on most days. Variety was good from time to time and it wasn't everyday that he could encounter his favorites out in more shady areas. Not unless he preplanned things ahead of time. Using his suggestive powers was always an option though by preference he avoided using that ability. Plus it wasn't much of a surprise.

He slowly moved around quit familiar with the campus. He moved out in the open, one of his minds working to alter the perceptions of those near him so they saw a non descript student making her way along. The short mouse haired girl looked lost or distracted going back and forth. The project moved about his true area quicker than he actually moved himself so that nothing looked amiss.

Able to multi task given the number of brains he had Aegir casually siphoned through surface thoughts in much the same way that one would flip through radio stations. Ah, well not so much now with the humans advancing to do most things digitally.

He lived through their advancements and achievements. Then he paused. That was an unusually flavor. So much so that he dug deeper into the memories and experiences of that one. A psion was rare among the students. There were those that practice the arts accomplishing many of the same things in a slightly different way. Lacking the confidence to just mentally command these forces they had to train their minds through ritual to accomplish things that should have been second nature.

She wasn't even aware of her abilities for the most part. On top of that she was lost. An idea hit him as he riffled through those memories. Deviating from his path he sought Summer out. Only thing was that he altered her perceptions in a different way.

Through illusions he slowed her down so that he could catch up. Only when he did a pair of human hands covered her eyes from behind.

“Guess who?” A very familiar voice would say. Breasts pressed up to her back. The hands lowered when she made her guess allowing her to turn around seeing someone that certainly shouldn't have been here. Yet there she was with a matching Shokushu uniform on. Grace ...

Summer scratched at the back of her head for a moment, her fingers snaking through her silly charred brown hair. She was confused and between the confusion and it being her first day of classes, she felt lethargic and was tempted to find an empty class room that she could nap in. A nice nap, in the sun, with one of the many cute students that the school had. How she wished for that, to just feel warm and to drift asleep in a tangle of softness, with the sweet smell of perfume to further relax the two in her day dream. Her mind wandered further, as the girl was Grace and one step further, the sweet cherry of her chapstick was on her lips as they shared a drowsy kiss together. A small jolt of pain snapped her out of the day dream, remembering that she was forced to part from her former Lover. No, she’d just have to continue on until she could find her room- she definitely would shower she told herself as she moved along slowly as the lethargy worked its magic on her.

But then something happened and her heart stopped along with her legs. She tried to process the voice that she had just heard, and the warm softness pressed against her back as her mind raced. She could feel energy course through her, as the person she was just longing for had basically just popped out of her daydream- and while her mind furiously questioned this, her body didn’t seem to care as she relaxed against the softness of the warmth against her, “Grace..!?..When-“ she wanted to question it, but she didn’t as excitement overrode her senses. She wiggles against the mounds against her and turns around to see the woman- her heart fluttering wildly.

Seeing her face was just the best thing to the poor woman, as she fell for the illusion hook line and sinker despite the screaming in the back of her head. She lost herself in Grace’s vivid emerald green eyes, the sight of her slightly reddened lips sending the desire to kiss her into overdrive. One hand raised up and cupped a soft round cheek in hand as a finger played with the corner of Grace’s thin lips and then up to finger strands of her deep red and silky hair. Grace was the most beautiful girl at their school, and insanely popular unlike herself. People always would tell her that Grace was way too good for her, and would just say such nasty things. They were of course just jealous- her mind raced as she wondered if it would be like that here as well.

“I didn’t think I’d ever get to see you again..” She nearly whispers with such a sweet and longing tone; clearly ignoring the memory of their break up when she found out she was being sent to a whole other country to attend school. Also in the background, ignoring some doors that happened to slam closed almost in time with the spike of excitement from seeing Grace.

Aegir was able to allow the students a taste of their past. He could even bestow fantastical dreams to them. He took that to the waking world as well through the gift of illusion and other innate abilities he had. Telekinesis to simulate touch, altering perceptions so his target would see and hear what he wished. It took more effort when they were awake but not much more.

“I knew something was a bit off. So I did a bit of digging. Made a few assumptions and well if I were wrong this is going to be rather awkward. I mean, I guess I could transfer out or something -” Grace teased.

Despite it being frowned upon in public she couldn't help but show a little public affection. Setting a hand upon her hip she held Summer close. Her eyes remained in contact with her own all the while.

Aegir studied her. He felt that she was ignoring caution despite this all being too good to be true. A quick look at the involuntary reactions her brain controlled told him all about that spiking heart rate. She was excite for sure. While he assumed he would have no trouble in drawing her in for a kiss right there he figured that it would be sweeter for her if he teased it out a little.

“Lot's of darn rules here that I don't agree with.”[/color She glanced about looking for the notorious prefects that stuck out with their sashes. [color=#BFBF00] “But I'd be damned if I flew all this way not to taste those lips again.”

A smile before Grace disengaged. Taking her hand she pulled her away from that spot. “Too many witness around. Don't want to break the rules the first day. Or maybe,” Grace glanced back over her shoulder. Sporting a devilish grin. we find a quieter place. Did you get your dorm assignment yet?” Not that it mattered. Aegir already knew that answer. In fact he didn't even have to have communication in this crude fashion already knowing each answer and whether or not the student attempted deceit. Humans found it easier to use language so Aegir used the pretense of language.

He also knew these grounds well enough. From prior visits coupled with stolen memories so he had plenty of ideas where he could bring her that happened to be much closer than the dorms themselves.

She gave Grace a perplexed look, she was about to question what sounded odd- she had explained the situation to her. That, her grandma had convinced her parents to send her off here. But, past that she didn't seem to question it and gave her the brightest smile, "Rules? Oh right, I guess they do frown upon that huh..But yeah, I got my dorm assignment." She looked down at the ground awkwardly, she didn't want to have to admit to her that she was lost.

Still- her mind couldn't help but tell her something was off and it was finally curbing her excitement over seeing Grace. She gave the woman a smile and started after her, "I thought you wanted to get into law? Does this place offer that sort of curriculum?" her hands cupped together in front of her lap as she glanced at the other students walking past the two.

Her mind went back to some of their arguments. They were never fights, but just silly arguments where they tried to get the other to admit defeat. Grace loved to argue, and she always had a strong sense of right and wrong. It's one of her qualities that always attracted her to the other, it was the way others treated her that made Grace first talk to her and subsequently protect her from some deceitful students who wanted to get Summer to do questionable things in order to sleep with her. The red head had torn apart their arguments and outted their attempt with just some clever wordplay.

Summer shook her head as she cleared the memory, her eyes traveling up and down Grace for a moment and then asks, "What was there to dig into?"

Aegir cold feel her doubts and uncertainties. Adjusting on the fly not that he sought to project the best illusion. It only needed to be good enough. Still the more she bought into things the more fun she would draw out of the encounter so he continued with the charade as long as he could manage it.

The problem was collecting the mass of memories. Had he observed her for days he would have all the information he needed. As it was working on the spur of the moment he only gathered a fraction of that past. Even he was limited by how much information he could siphon through at a time. Couple that with maintaining the illusion he had less brain power to dedicate to the project.

Still he knew that she was well and truly lost. That gave him more options. He could bring her virtually anywhere. Still he asked the most obvious question to determine ahead of time their destination.

“Great. Have they assigned you a roommate yet?”

After that question had been answered Aegir went over his options. Then he answered her question. “Well they have some courses but aren't known for a strong cirrculmn. I figured I could do a few years year and then transfer out if I'm really digging it.

“Otherwise I'd find something else. Truthfully I rather be studying you.” Grace smiled then tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Oh the digging? The real reason that your grandma is being such a bitch about everything. I could tell you all about that. But that's not the reason I came all this way.” Grace grinned then reached out taking her hands in her own. Her thumbs traced against the back of her own. “Why don't we get going. People are starting to look at us funny.”

Summer shook her head lightly to the question, she hadn't been assigned a roommate yet of which she was thankful for. She always saw in movies how much of a toss up that could truly be- and what if her roommate was so pretty that Summer couldn't focus on her schoolwork? She would be so easily distracted, like how her thoughts were now of Grace, "Not yet, think my admission was rather spur of the moment."

Eventually though she relents and nods, walking faster to keep up with Grace as they move hand in hand. The warmth and softness of her lover's touch easing her doubts, or at least blocking out the nagging sensation that was more likely due to whatever latent psionic potential she had. All in this moment was bliss for the young woman. She kept glancing over at Grace as they walked, how she longed to play with her hair or even just cling onto her arm. But, they were already getting looks at for the mere act of lewdly holding hands. Though, in truth Summer was sure it was because most people always considered Grace out of Summer's league.

"Well if you transfer out, make sure to take me with you? This place may seem like paradise, but it has given me the creeps.. something is just.. unsettling and I can't explain why."

Her cheeks fill with a rose-redness as Grace flirted with her, her heart missing a beat from the comment, "Well, as you know that was always an exclusive course, but as it happens no one else has bothered to fill it up after..". How had she forgotten? They broke up, Summer was convinced she was not going to see Grace again and was told that she'd not be able to keep in contact with her friends- but she quickly waved a hand dismissively, "Well you're here now so I suppose it doesn't matter anymore huh."

She let go of Grace's hand and quickly took off a bit in front to take the lead as slowly she started to piece together where she was. While taking the momentary lead, she moves with an exaggerated grace- almost as if teasing Grace with flashes of her very non-school regulation panties; flashes of lace and red being teased as if to entice her onlooker.

No roommate for now at least certainly made it easier. The rooms were sound proof and while he had a number of options it was the most convenient. Needing little to persuade her. Aegir project the illusion of speed through a subtle use of deception. Tinkering with her perceptions the scenery moved around them at an accelerated rate in order to match his slower pace. Still it wasn't much more as long as she didn't brake out in a run he could press himself enough to nearly keep pace with her.

Should Summer run she would easily evade him. Of course he had several different options outside of speed. For starters he could stretch his limbs and tentacles to an insane degree as well as generate illusion to cut her off from taking safe routes forcing her into more treacherous terrain allowing him to catch up.

“I'm not sure how they're assigning rooms. I suspect they pack them with the new arrivals in time. Enjoy it while it lasts. Only the prefects and head girls wind up with singles. Maybe some of the seniors, I'm not sure on that. I would call for a room reassignment but neither one of us would get much studying done.” Grace flashed her a smile making it clear where this rendezvous was heading.

“Of course if I transfer out I'll take you. Admittedly I thought I'd have to convince you,” she grinned again. Following along most of the glances they received now were mere illusions. It was common place for the girls to form relationships with one another behind closed doors. Flaunting the rules was bad of course and initial reactions reflected this. Now Aegir manipulated things to stress the fact that they should get more secluded.

“This place is a bit off now that you mention it. I was down at the beach earlier. No gulls. No animal cries from the jungle. Nothing.” There were no animals on the island outside of those beings brought with them and those for nourishment. Not every student picked up on the lack of animal life. Even insects were absent.

Aegir got plenty of glimpses. Foreshadowing what he was about o unwrap. Now that things were coming back to her he allowed her to lead while taking in that view. Whenever she glanced back she would see a familiar grin on Grace's face. When at last they got to the dorm room she wasted now time.

With the door sealed behind the pair Grace had her pinned to a wall. Her full lips upon Summer while a slow but heated touch ran along her sides. Dancing up and down along the fabric of her blouse, fingers sweeping over the defined curve of her breasts.

“Mmm … you taste better than I remember ...”

A couple times Summer found herself needing to stop suddenly-usually causing gravity to do interesting things with her skirt and allowing for additional shots of her crimson panties. She’d give Grace an embarrassed smile when she did; she was never clumsy, usually far from it but Grace always had away with flustering the girl. Even more so as she could sense the others eagerness- though it felt odd if she had at all stopped to consider it. It wasn’t what she was used too, then again she never really understood how she knew these things, just that she had flashes of it.

“Well, then we best enjoy it while it lasts I suppose. Trust me, you’d have to convince me to stay if I had a choice of it.” Her voice was warm with desire. How she desired her Grace. Leaving her was the hardest thing she had ever done, and she had spent a good week crying. She was sure she cried herself to sleep on the trip here as well.

“Here we are.” she finally chimed and then quickly pulls out a key, by pulling apart her vest and taking it from within her bra. She makes a small show of pulling it out, allowing the Illusion a taste of what was to come; a lacy red bra that was clearly meant to show off cleavage if her uniform had allowed for such.

The door opened and allowed the two girls in- Summer’s room was pretty plain as if she had only unpacked and nothing more. On her desk was a flute, and hanging on a wall was a long bow and an empty quiver, as well as a few gold medals from likely archery competitions. The woman turns to face Grace, and pleasantly found that her lover was just was as excited for this as she was. She let the firey haired girl push her against the wall, biting her lip just before their lips connected, one arm wrapping around her neck to loosely drape around, fingers twirling locks of that soft red hair. This close to Summer, Grace could smell the scent of vanilla around her.


“Not wearing your favorite chapstick?” Summer almost pouted, the taste of cherry still resonating in her memory like it should be there. “Maybe I need another kiss..” she says heatedly before pushing her lips back to Grace’s, her lips parting as if inviting her partner’s tongue in for an impassioned dance, the hot melting dampness so alluring. It was at this point that Summer’s other hand went around Grace’s waist and found it’s way down her bum and grabbing at it as if you do be sure she was in fact real. Another particularity would happen as well; a thrum of psionic energy buzzing within the woman, as if triggered by her emotions and serving to amplify what ever emotion she’d feel to the unknown creature.

Aegir could feel her uncertainty at times. Little had she realized that she had potential. A danger sense if you will. It told her that something was off. Subconsciously something didn't add up. But her conscious mind overrode these sensations.

So the bra matched the panties. Aegir wondered who she intended to show the set off to. Maybe it was her favorite pair. It didn't matter.

From a quick observation of her room he confirmed the things he had collected about her on a surface level.

The fragrance of vanilla was enticing as he was drawn close. Grace smiled at her. [color=#BFBF00] “I could have sworn I packed it but haven't found it yet.”[/i] Grace implied that she was in the midst of unpacking herself.

She took that moment to brake away from her hold. With one hand on her hip she kept Summer pinned there. The other flipping up her skirt as Grace fell to her knees. Once her head vanished beneath that skirt she then pulled aside those crimson panties.

A teasing lick followed. Around that labia. Then tracing her tongue along that slit as if priming it. Slow licks drew the student's taste in before that touch deviated. Grace's tongue swirling over that clit promoting it out of it's hiding place. Two fingers pressed against her heated entrance. Tracing against those petals briefly before they pressed in slowly to claim those depths as her own.

Summer pouted a little as her kiss wasn't returned, but that didn't last long as Grace eagerly fell to her knees and disappeared under her skirt- Summer's legs part as if to offer Grace full access view of her favorite panties, "Ah!" she gasps out as she feels the burning heat of Grace's tongue waste no time in tasting the woman.

"Some one is eaaah." she couldn't help but moan as her clit was then teased, a jolt of electricity strongly coursing through her body. Her womanhood was quickly becoming slick with both Grace's saliva and Summer's own arousal. Her back presses against the wall and her hips eagerly push forward as if begging Grace for the attention, it had been awhile now since she and Grace had done anything, and when it came to her, Summer was always a little bit of a slut.

Nimbly she began to unbutton her blouse, having never bothered to fix her vest earlier and let it fall open to reveal her tits- her own hands reaching up to grab and squeeze at them while her lover explored what was under her skirt, "Fuck, ahh..how I missed you.." she moans out to the red head, her hands pulls the cups of her bra away to reveal her small pert nipples, standing to attention from the sudden escalated attention Grace was giving her and Summer yearning for it. Her fingers grazed over her nipples as she felt two digits play with the puffy excited lips of her eager pussy.

Another pleased moan escaped from her lips as her sex was claimed by her former lover once again; the hot wet walls tightening around the fingers that now explored her the depths of her womanhood. Summer's heart raced in delight, it was so hot and she was always weak to Grace's assertiveness- the girls building excitement started to pool up in her stomach, that thrum of energy within her slowly building and allowing whom ever to feel the heat that Summer was starting to feel.

Aware of what was going on Aegir could only imagine the state of her undress. Hearing buttons unfastened among those heated moans he continued to work unhindered. Often he had to play with minds to generate such arousal but in this case he had no such need. Maybe he would later but that was a problem for another time.

His cool tongue continued to toy with that clit. Circling the hard point while those fingers advanced into those crushing depths. Glad that he had no bones he didn't feel any discomfort. He could compress himself to such a degree hat one would think that it was impossible. His own psionics gave him structure making appear as if he had bones. It was a minor form of telekinesis keeping him from being a mass of ooze and tentacles on the floor. At this point in his species evolution it was akin to breathing in humans done involuntarily. At the same time he could hold his breath so to speak in order to squeeze through the smallest of openings.

Sensing what she enjoyed came easy to him. Mentally he gathered that information as he worked her over. When Summer got close he backed away some. Enough to keep her on edge. At the same time he continued doing what he was doing pressing her steadily towards that finish line at a slower rate.

At last he allowed her to cum. His fingers stilled inside her then twisted sharply before they extracted. His mouth then moving over her sex as he sucked against it. Teasing her slit by wiggling his tongue against that opening as he collect almost all of that release. Of course leaving some behind for lubricant would serve hem both in a moment.

When Grace's head came back into view she cast her gaze up with a grin. Her tongue slowly flicked against her lips.


“Yummy.”

Summer continued to grope and kneed at her breast as Grace finger fucked her under her skirt, her lover expertly hitting all of right spots as if the two hadn't ever been apart. Her fingers roll and tug at her nipples in between small gasps and drawn out moans, her legs spreading all the more wanting without risking tumbling over. At this point, small beads of sweat were starting to dampen her skin lightly and locks of hair sticking to her.

"Oh Grace..it feels so fucking good..ahhh.." she moaned and mewled- the pit of pleasure in her stomach swelled and grew, her eyes fluttering shut now. As she was brought closer and closer to orgasm but never fully over, at the various heights of Grace's careful attack things would start to float up and drop subtly, one of the medals hanging from the quiver falling onto the desk.

The sound caused Summer's eyes to open, but just as she did the pleasure that Grace had been carefully nurturing finally overwhelmed the poor girl. One hand let go of her tit and slammed against the wall and pressed her weight into it just as the heat of an orgasm was allowed to wash over her body. Her finger nails scratches at the wall as she moaned out, "Oh god..like yeah, fuck..like that...ahh...i'm cuming..!!" as a sweet tasting liquid sprayed just barely inside of Grace's mouth.

Her other hand fell from her tit and pressed to the wall as her breasts rose up and down from labored breathing- while it wasn't the most intense orgasm she had, Grace could tell it had been awhile, likely that the last time they had sex was it for Summer. The young woman looked down at Grace as her head emerged from under her skirt, her lips curling into a dazed smile.

"Yeah? I hope you still have room for the main course." she said in a playful tone, not knowing the danger she was actually in right now. All she wanted was her Grace, and all she wanted to do was be a slut for her. The psionic thrum within her seems to die away during the afterglow of the orgasm; anyone would could feel Summer's emotions during that state likely found them far more heightened than normal.

Her taste graced Aegir's lips. The student being nice and primed. His eyes roamed over those heaving breasts that begged for some attention so as he rose back up his fingers took each in hand. Pressing against that warm flesh his palms rolled over those hard peaks briefly until he bent.

Giving them attention he sucked and licked at one then the other. When he finally broke away he smiled at her. Finally answering that question.

“Oh I saved room for dessert. Missed the in flight meal on the plane,” Grace teased.

Aegir felt the ease in her mind here in the afterglow. He had yet to manipulate her pleasure. Feeling what she did that pleasure or pain looped back to himself. As a preference he enjoyed creating pleasure more. Even if he could stand up more against punishment than mere humans.

It was best when he was receiving pleasure. Feeling his own while feeling his victim's at the same time provided twice those thrills.

“Get rid of this.” Aegir tugged at the skirt. Then went back to claiming those lips. Summer would taste herself on her lips. This time her tongue felt Grace's against her. It brought more of that taste as it danced with her.

Once that skirt and panties were removed he would take her hand pulling her toward the bedroom. Not that the layout was complicated but they were all the same whether double or single. There were a difference between the student rooms in comparison with the prefects and head girls that had more leisure items and space. Normally he did not frequent these himself but collected memory of these places.

Getting to the bedroom Aegir pushed her down on the bed. His eyes drank her in then he advanced. His mind working against hers in more ways than it was already given the illusion. It was nearly time to drop the deception. There was no way she would be able to get around him to exit the room least escape.

“Just where do I pick up from?” Aegir teased in Grace's guise while he slowly removed Grace's blouse. One button at a time until the garment was peeled away revealing a pink lacy bra that held those curves well. The shirt was discarded followed by the unzipping of the skirt that dropped to the floor revealing similar pink lacy panties.

A hand places on the back of Grace's head as she bent to suckle on her perky nipples, her fingers snaking through that silky red hair and lightly pressing her face into her twin peaks and purrs softly for the woman. But this only last for a moment as Grace rose up and passionately kissed Summer, the young woman eagerly returning the kiss as their tongues dances and intertwine- the taste of Summer's earlier orgasm filling her mouth and moaning in delight.

She almost forgot the command she was issued, or maybe she just waited until the last possible moment as she greedily enjoyed that tasteful kiss and without pause she undid her skirt and let it fall to her ankles. Next her fingers hooked around the band of her now wet, lacy red panties and pulled them down- thin threads of wetness connecting from the fabric of her panties to her wet pussy before snapping as the undergarment too fell to her ankles. It was clear that despite her orgasm she was still ready for more, Grace's assertiveness just turning her on even more.

"If only I had some whipped cream and chocolate syrup like the night we went camping.." She remarked idly as Grace led her to where her bedroom was. Summer quickly took off what remains of her blouse and properly freeing herself from her bra, and then got onto her once neatly made bed. She propped herself up with a pillow and then spread her legs for Grace's viewing pleasure as she undressed, a single finger sliding up and down her dripping sex as she waited for Grace. Her finger sliding into her pussy and her eyes rolled back just a bit before being pulled out and lifting said digit to her lips to suck on as if to entice Grace further.

"I don't care where you start..or I can eat you out instead." she says in a heated voice, her eyes eating up her lover's naked body when she was fully undressed. There was no shame in the woman, no hesitation or awkwardness- it was like she was much more confident. If this had been anyone else, she likely would have been much more shy or reserved, but she had loved Grace and she was united with her again.

Still, something nagged at her in the back of her mind, warning bells going off and screaming. It finally became overwhelming, there were so many subtle things out of place that only one who loved another would notice and she finally couldn't ignore it anymore, she shouldn't be here. The was a reason why.. They broke up, their fight was big. Grace didn't understand why Summer would choose her abusive family over running away with her. Her lips, her Chapstick, she always had it, she had various skin conditions and always needed it. Grace hated pink, always loved black- it contrasted well with her milky skin. She loved to tease Summer, work for it, and was always the more patient one out of the two.

She's not here. That's not her. She's Not Here. That's Not Her. SHE'S NOT HERE. THAT'S NOT HER. SUMMER SHE'S NOT HERE. YOU HEARTBROKEN LOVE-STRUCK IDIOT. GRACE-

There was a memory of a car crash a day after they broke up. Images of a fight with her grandma and parents- suddenly she blacked out, grogginess filled with whiteness and the feeling of euphoria- her head was ringing suddenly, as her mind tried to repair a broken and fractured memory. But it wouldn't come back together completely but one thing stood out; Grace died. Grief overwhelmed her senses at this point, though her mind still had to work through the haze of confusion. Instinctively tears started to well up while her mind to try to comprehend just why Grace was truly in front of her

"Who are you...?" she said in a tone that was a mixture of utter sadness and anger, her legs suddenly jolting shut and her arms covering her chest. Her stomach was in knots from outright anger and disgust at herself. "This is my grandma's doing isn't it.." her mind reached for anything, any reason, just..why. Things around her started to rattle and Aegir could feel that thrum of energy, albeit suppressed and lacking focus.