He was looking to accomplish something a bit different. Since his arrival upon the island Aegir had primarily spent his time engaged in hunting feeding his enormous appetite though when he could brake away from such pursuits he had preferred hunting in an entirely different matter altogether. This island had been riff with succulant fruit drawn from all over the world he no longer had access to. Longing for earth there could have been no finer substitute for the entity known as Aegir than Shokushu. Here he could at least continue his research and in time, perhaps after eliminating the remainder of his species, he could return to the very planet that had become his favorite stomping ground. But that was neither here nor there. Besides it could be decades, centuries, milleniums even before he accomplished his aims.

In the few weeks he had been here Aegir had not hunted all that many students. He tended to be selective and while he had his brushes with an opportunistic victim from time to time he preferred concentrating his efforts and attentions upon a rare few. Those that contained the very qualities he was after caught his eye. Today though he was acting upon the guidance of his nodes. The miniature versions of himself, extensions of his own being that would one day mature into independant beings of their own, were the perfect spies. They were easy to overlook considering their diminiative size being that of only a half dollar coin at most. They would have excelled as scouts if speed had not been a factor for they were slow moving just like the being that had spawned them.

As word spread throughout the campus, as people began questioning things it was likely that prey would dry up. Some students had been aware, some dimly, that they were being preyed upon. Rumors and gossip got around, Aegir was certain of this. How many believed the attacks upon them were hallucinations, nightmares or things far more real was hard to say. Had he been here longer he may have had his tentacles upon those answers but the issue had not concerned him overly much. All that had been important was that with more and more attacks caution would become greater and greater. He would have to extend his reach if he wanted to continue his research which meant that he would have to draw upon every talent that he possessed.

While versed in the realm of illusions Aegir had disdained using all but the most minor elements of such matters. Instead he preferred to manipulate minds, to lure people into the snares that he set then patiently spring them on those that had been unsuspecting. It was time for him to practice those little used skills least he loose them. In the long run they could have been quite useful or even necessary.

So it was through the news of his nodes that he had found a canidate in which he could harness an elaborate illusion, to get in some well needed practice and further add to his impressive arsenal. Days had gone by in which the nodes followed his precise instructions probing into the minds of students, looking not for another research canidate but someone that was skilled enough to a legitimate challenge for piercing his masquerade. If he could dupe them then he could stand to broaden his horizons, to expand on his abilities and draw upon different aspects more readily. And if he failed, well he would have to simply brush up on his skills until he got them right.

Who finer than an actress to pierce the veils of deception? Someone that worked in the guise of other beings, someone that dealt with individuals in various disguises and roles? So when his nodes pointed him in the direction of one of the newer students, Severity, Aegir knew that he had found his guinea pig. He took a few days to patiently lay out his trap. Creeping into the campus during the dead of the night Aegir spent a good portion of time in seclusion. Hiding in the basement, in the dark recesses of the buildings broom closets, storage rooms, even under the occassional student bed. His ability to squeeze through cracks and condense his body really came in handy during the tenure that he spent familiarizing himself with the classrooms that he had been planning on using as his snare. He took his time for what could rush a being that had eternity on their hands?

The theater would be where he would bait his trap. Though that was where he had intended on luring Severity he still was in need of a morsel to entice her. So he drew upon one of his nodes sending the thing into her bedroom late one evening. Using little more than a scrap of paper the node extracted from one of her notebooks Aegir was able to channel his own abilities through the node folding and manipulating that simple sheet into something far more elaborate.

The node remained as hidden as Aegir was even if they were buildings apart. See, Aegir had used his time in the buildings to learn when the theater was in use and when it hadn't delving into various minds searching out the answers to his very questions. It was here that he was hidden in plain site cloaked in an illusion that had masked him as a professor. Oh, he would have the room set up splendidly. Illusions of fellow students, drawing some directly from her mind as people she interacted with or had been acquainted with, others being new faces, a stage set with props ready for the fictional audition he had set into being. The morsel ... the bait ...

For on that scrape of paper was a time and a place. The header calling out for auditions for Shokushu's upcoming performance of the Shakespearean comedy A Midsummer's Night Dream. The time and place spelled out, the paper transformed into a rather regal looking sheet with gold trim and large flowing letters making it look both printed and written by hand. The time had been set for late evening, 8 o'clock, when Aegir knew she had no other classes due to the subtle mind probes his nodes had used upon her.

The trap baited, Aegir would get a chance to play out his illusion to see how well it would hold up. Course if she saw through it he would have to drop the illusion, if not, he would drop it at some stage anyway. There was little reason to set up such an elaborate ruse if he couldn't have a little bit of fun afterwards ...

"Damn damn damn damn damn damn damn!"
Severity was running as fast as she could to the theatre, the elegant invitation clutched in her hand. It was already five past- she had gotten caught up in doing math homework, which had always been a challenge for her.
"Sorry!" she called, almost bumping into a group of girls. Her waist-length red hair was messy, as was usual. As she turned the corner to the theatre's door, her short skirt flared up, revealing her clean white panties. "Sorry I'm late," she called as she entered. She hadn't made much of a good impression, had she?

Attempting to capture the imagery as best as he could Aegir had thrown himself fully into the illusion. His compound mind would allow him to multitask with ease but for the moment he had refrained from splitting his attention too much in order to capture the essence of reality through his creation. The thing was that Aegir's species, as long lived as they were, had essentially no creativity of their own. They were beyond the keen of mortal understanding as Aegir was once himself. Though now tainted by the consumption of human brains Aegir had an amalgamation of memories all clashing within his mind for dominance. He did not possess split personalities or schizophrenia for his kind had been exempt from mental illness. Rather it was the plethora of thoughts and experiences, the effort of sorting out what was his own experiences and what had belonged to another. Over time he took on traits haphazardly without even realizing it. Naturally this had lead to his exile and further problems with the few remaining members of his species but in time he would set things right.

A group of illusionary students were murmurring in the back, giggling about some matter as Severity stormed into the theater. Others were busy on the stage rearranging things at the prompting of a thin man with long white hair that had been tied back into a pony tail. His gray-blue eyes were filled with a certain timelessness that bespoke of much wisdom though hidden within those orbs belayed a certain benevolent kindness. Though he appeared old, perhaps in his early 60's the man had no apparent wrinkles except on his otherwise smooth brow and near the corners of his eyes. His attire was neat bordering on regal. Black trousers with an equally black jacket buttoned up front despite the warmth in the room. His shoes were well polished to the point that they gleamed making one wonder if he were a lecherous old coot in disguise given how close he was standing to one of the stage hands for all it would take was a single dip of his gaze to the hard wooden floor and his feet to see the reflection upon those shoes. A reflection that would have captured a glimpse of the panties of the student he was standing next to.

But to his credit the old man hadn't gazed down at all so either he wasn't a lecherous old man after all or was simply too entranced in what he was doing to care or notice such things. His hands were adorned by ivory colored gloves while an ebony walking stick topped with a golden image of a dolphin leaping out of the waves rested in his relaxed grip. Turning towards the sounds of the commotion the old man granted Severity a rather warm smile.

"Don't fret miss. As you can see we are yet to get started. Seems that I wasn't expecting quite the turn out and I had to have April rush off to fetch a few extra scripts from my office. An oversight upon my part as I should have been better prepared," he spoke though while his mouth moved freely to the syllables that he had produced the words were actually projected straight into her mind through Aegir's telepathic ability. Unless she was sensitive to psionic manipulations she probably wouldn't have known any difference. "Ah, here she is now."

Aegir's illusionary self shifted his focus back to the door from which she had just burst through regarding another student. Of course another illusion that was laiden with a few spare scripts further adding to the rather elaborate deception. His eyes turned back towards the late arrival studying her for a measured second as his hand rested upon his chin in thought. "Would you be so kind as to help April pass those out Miss ..." he trailed off deliberately allowing the silence to fill the void that his words left allowing her the opportunity to insert her name. He had already known it of course for Aegir tended to thoroughly study his targets before making even preliminary moves against them but he had to keep up appearances after all. Only know did he begin to press his mind into her own reaching out to scan her conscious thoughts so as to monitor her reactions to the illusions she was immersed in.

"Severity," she replied, relieved that they had let her try out anyway. "And sure..." She began handing out the scripts, smiling a bit to herself.

"Severity ..." he tried out the name upon his tongue then let a renewed smile spread over his lips. "... quite an unusual name, but pleasant nevertheless."

Turning his attention from her as she passed out the scripts he addressed those that were assembled. "If I may have your attention people," pausing as the girls continued to murmur in the back he cast his blue-gray eyes in their direction, cleared his throat and waited a few more seconds until their conversations died down before continuing. "Thank you. As you may know the roles of the men for our production of Midsummer's Night Dream shall be played by women. What irony, seeing that back in William's day plays were performed exclusively by men but it does have a certain poetic justice to it, don't you think?"

Smiling, Aegir continued in a rather confident manner. Things seemed to be going rather smoothly so far. "As you all may know I am new to the staff here given the recent resignation of Miss Cymoore. Clive Burrows is the name and while other professors may require a certain decorum you will find that I am much more down to earth. I'll be your resident Puck if you will, drawing you through a realm of creativity. Of of magic and awe ... one of dreams most splendid and real. Here you will be free to shed your skins, to acquire an escape from the realism of life. Now with that said I'd like to know which parts you have all come to audition for and if you could move off into selected groups that would be great. If you take a look around you will see that each row is marked at the end of the aisle ... this row here is for those trying out for Oberon, Titania in the second row, Puck, Bottom and so on and so forth so if you can give me just a brief introduction of who you are, what part you're auditioning for and take the appropriate seat we can get these auditions underway. The other professors would have my head if I kept you girls up to ungodly hours after all."

Aegir wrapped up with another warm smile as he surveyed the illusionary class, directing them to answer, move and reach in according fashion. He pretended to pay attention to it all though it wasn't until he cast his gaze upon Severity that he actually did begin to pay attention seeing that everything he spoke of was simply made up by him on the fly.

Severity waited her turn patiently, a bit nervous, despite herself.
"Right," she said, offering a smile that was certainly more confident than she felt. "I'm Severity Raylin, still. I'm interested in the part of Hermia, but I'm open to pretty much any part if you find someone better."

Those blue-gray eyes of Mister Burrows close, his hands resting atop his walking stick as he rocks back and forth upon his heels considering Severity's words while absorbing himself in reading her thoughts and feelings. She was nervous, as was to be expected for Aegir had learned long ago that athletic contests, auditions and try outs proved to be taxing on the stress levels of humans for one reason or another. He might not have understood why nerves played up at such times but he did know what they had entailed. It was a boon really. Why? Well for starters it meant that she would be distracted in determining that this was all as fake as Jenna Jameson's tits. Her nerves further relayed to him that she was treating this like the real thing for if she had not thought that this was a real audition there wouldn't have been any real emotions or sensations emitting from her.

Eyes opened, he looked upon her with a warm smile stretching out over his lips. "Ah, so Miss Raylin likes to be the center of attention. Caught up in a love triangle, hm? Hermia's part is a very interesting one indeed. Everyone seeks to control her, from her father Egeus who wants to govern her life making arrangements for her to wed Demetrius, to the man that she loves in Lysander. Even merry Puck has his hand to play in her life temporarily blinding love's affection and otherwise making a mess of things. But I digress ..."

Aegir got the parts that the other students desired to play, arranging the last of the students into their proper seats. He ran through a few reads braking students into small groups to read from a particular scene. It was a trival exercise considering that it had not mattered though Aegir made a display of matters going so far to gasp and spring to his feet proudly proclaiming that he had found his Titania in one of the tall students with long wavy blue hair, an impressive actress in her own right.

As auditions continued Aegir dismissed indivduals so that there were less illusions to worry about and keep track of. Slowly the walls were closing in on his victim. So far so good. Glancing up from a clip board where he was taking notes he scanned the few remaining students before his eyes came to rest upon Severity. "Miss Raylin," he called out displaying that he had an acute memory for not once had he failed to produce the right name to each student despite having said that he was new here and despite his apparent age. If there were a flaw to his illusion it might have been the fact that it seemed too perfect though Aegir had not placed any stock in that notion just yet.

"Hermia, correct? Come down to the stage and turn to act two, scene two, right after Oberon's exit after he rubs the flowers upon Titania's eyelids. Brooke you'll read the part of Lysander and I'll assume the role of Puck. April, take Helena's role and Sandra read for Demetrius." Directing the illusions Aegir took his place just off of the stage since the only two characters present would be Lysander and Hermia. Soon the veil of this illusion would drop like the final curtain upon the stage.

Severity smiled a bit at his first comment- she was hardly ever the center of attention in real life. That was one of the main reasons she enjoyed acting, in fact. People were looking at her, for something positive (as opposed to because she had just done something unbearably klutzy. Again.) She went and sat down, with a polite nod at Mister Burrows. Something seemed odd about him... She pushed the thought away, reminding herself that he was an actor, and that she had been cast with far worse.

As she walked on the stage, something seemed to change in the way she held herself. She seemed slightly more proud as she began to read.
"Be it so, Lysander: find you out a bed;
For I upon this bank will rest my head."

Scrolling through her surface thoughts had been an easy matter for one as skilled and experienced as he. Had he experienced the moment of doubt she felt, the feeling that something hadn't been quite right? Of course. He also picked up on the fact that she thought that there had been something odd about him as well. How right she was though he had not felt alarmed that his deception had been discovered. In fact it had seemed that she shifted over this detail readily enough which only reinforced to Aegir that he could indeed pull off an elaborate deception when the situation warranted it.

Sensing the growth of her confidence as she took the stage Aegir found it ironic that in a short few moments that he would strip away that self confidence through the simple act of drawing away these veils that he wore. Soon ... though like any good trap he waited until she was so entrenched in it that escape would not have been possible. The closer she got to the stage the further she was from the doors leading into the room which only meant that her flight path from this place would only be longer and more difficult once he decided to act.

His plan was simple for the scene would unfold, dialect would be delievered and in the end both Lysander and Hermia were to sleep before Puck's entrance. He would discover the two before delievering his lines and exiting from the scene and this played into Aegir's hands perfectly. Once she had been prone, once she had been further drawn into the snare of his trap he would spring it fully. This masquerade would come to an immediate halt. It would affirm in his mind that he could pull off complex illusions when the situation warranted it and while it would need a bit of refining in the future he would not fret about that for he had plenty of time on his hands to tweak his own skills and performances.

There was a small pause before Aegir prompted Brooke who he had deliberately caused to miss her que. It was in response to Severity's reactions to the illusion, just a little flaw to make things seem more real. "One turf shall serve ..."

"Oh ... sorry ..." Brooke looked a little flustered, cleared her throat then gazed down at the script in her hands. "One turf shall serve as pillow for us both; One heart, one bed, two bosoms, and one troth."

Aegir swept his gaze towards Severity using this opportunity to study her fully. He was already delving deeper into her mind syphoning out bits of knowledge as he worked through her past experiences. He had not been searching for anything in particuliar save for perhaps her abilities to defend herself for he had run across a few situations already where he had encountered rather spirited resistance in his hunts. He would not be surprised again, he was determined to learn from his mistakes after all.

"Nay, good Lysander; for my sake, my dear,
Lie further off yet, do not lie so near," Severity said, a firm edge entering her voice. This wasn't so bad as most cold reads that she had experienced, simply because she had seem the material before.

Her self-defence skills weren't very good at all- she had taken karate when she was about six, but then her family had to move, she had dropped out and promptly forgot everything that she learned. Now and then she would do a bit of yoga, but that hardly provided much muscle.

"O, take the sense, sweet, of my innocence!
Love takes the meaning in love's conference.
I mean, that my heart unto yours is knit.
So that but one heart we can make of it:
Two bosoms interchained with an oath;
So then two bosoms and a single troth.
Then by your side no bed-room me deny;
For lying so, Hermia, I do not lie."

Brooke delievered her lines and while she recited them she seemed a little stiff obviously not a trained thespian. She seemed just a tad nervous despite the fact that it was Severity auditioning the part rather than her, another little touch of realism that Aegir applied to the illusion though the bizarre entity was busy casting his eyes about the girls present, some of which were covering their mouths and trying not to giggle at the romantic exchange being delievered between the two young ladies.

Interjected himself for a brief moment Aegir brought order back to the class. "Focus, ladies, focus." He tapped the bottom of his walking stick thrice upon the floor the dull thud meant to grab the attention of the students and brake the mood of mirth that had begun to creep in upon the students. Aegir had hoped it seemed convincing enough, though if not there was little to worry about. It was nearly time for his big scene, the delieverance of his lines. Strange that like Puck he had mislead and deceived Severity. Unlike Puck he would not place a draught over her eyes to make her perceive the world in a different light. Rather he would pull away the veil of this elaborate ruse to allow her to perceive the very truth, a truth most horrorfying.

He liked what he found, the fact that she had nearly nonexistant combat skills meant that she would be an easy target. Though he prefered those with a bit of fight in them there was nothing like the occassional morsel that required little effort to obtain. He checked his thoughts though knowing full well that over confidence had lead to his undoing in the past. No, he would not underestimate her. He would not make such a harrowing mistake like that again.

"Lysander riddles very prettily:
Now much beshrew my manners and my pride,
If Hermia meant to say Lysander lied.
But, gentle friend, for love and courtesy
Lie further off; in human modesty,
Such separation as may well be said
Becomes a virtuous bachelor and a maid,
So far be distant; and, good night, sweet friend:
Thy love ne'er alter till thy sweet life end!"

She finished, glancing down briefly. There- just one more line and she would only have to fake sleep. This really wasn't as stressful as she had thought it would be. She began to relax a bit, slipping into the part. The thought hit her- who would be likely to see this play, anyway? She hadn't ever heard of any parents coming here, and the other students hardly shared her interest in theatre. Twenty people, maybe... Oh well- nothing could be done now.

Aegir was able to feel Severity relaxing. Her body lulled into comfort, into the ease that rushed over her as she immersed herself into her role. While he had felt her thoughts weighing upon the matter of who would see this performance he grew concerned that she would work out the very fact that this was indeed a charade. But the moment had come and gone, she swept the thought aside like a professional actress. The crowd did not matter as much as the delievery of the performance whether the audience were a thousand souls or just one. It did prove that his illusions were failable. That his masquerades still needed a deal of work though overall Aegir had to admit that he was quite proud of his accomplishments here today. Such a simple thing yet at the same time it was quite difficult. How could one hope to master the fine arts of illusions when they lacked the creativity to imagine, to dream? It was a good thing that he had absorbed the memories of those he had dined upon for their dreams, aspirations and imaginations were readily accessible to him.

"Amen, amen, to that fair prayer, say I;
And then end life when I end loyalty!
Here is my bed: sleep give thee all his rest!"

He had barely heard Brooke finishing her lines for his complex mind could perform numerous tasks at once. The illusion had become somewhat automatic now, a tweak here, a little manipulation there and he had fine tuned it as it played out interacting with the victim that he was studying intently. All the while he pressed deeper into her mind deciphering general knowledge as he probed into her memories. Her likes, her dislikes, these things were like an open book for him to devour at his leisure. Just one more line now. One more little part and he would finally spring into action though honestly he could have done so already had he been inclined in dropping this false context that he had immersed her in. The only part she was to play tonight would be that of his victim. The only performance she would give, well she would soon find that out for herself wouldn't she ...

She nodded. This was it- "With half that wish the wisher's eyes be press'd!" she read, then lay down. That last bit wasslightly troublesome, as she had found the skirt was rather short, and pretty much any way she lay, he rpanties would show- at least a little. She settled with lying on her side, her legs pressed tightly together. Settling down, she closed her eyes, feigning sleep.

And Brooke did the same, laying upon the stage. Aegir of course was free to dispel the illusion the moment Severity's eyes closed. Students, illusionary props and the like were all wisked away though he had retained his form for a moment longer. His eyes were given free reign in gazing over the young woman settling for a glimpse of her panties though he knew full well that he would see her utterly, completely, in just the span of a few heart beats. That thought alone allowed a smile to part his lips, those blue-gray eyes of the form that he wore gazed upon his victim as he moved freely about the stage drawing closer to where she laid. This way he was within immediate striking range of her prone form, his tentacles would lance out to ensnare her and from there ... well he would have to summon up a bit of that imagination that he had absorbed now wouldn't he.

"Through the forest I have gone,
But Athenian found I none,
On whose eyes I might approve
This flower's force in stirring love.
Night and silence. - Who is here?
Weeds of Athens he dothe wear:
This is he, my master said,
Despised the Athenian maid;
And here the maiden, sleeping sound,
On the dank and dirty ground.
Pretty soul! she durst not lie
Near this lack-love, this kill-courtesy.
Churl, upon thy eyes I throw
All the power this charm doth owe.
When thou wakest, let love forbid
Sleep his seat on they eyelid!
So awake when I am gone;
For I must now to Oberon."

And like the very trickster he portrayed Aegir peeled back the very illusion that he wore like a second skin. Demetrius and Helena were suppose to enter the scene after he departed but there was nothing. No sound, no following cues nor any instructions on his part. He waited, lurking within easy reach of her. He had not struck, not yet for he waited for her to come to the realization that things had changed, that she had stepped out of reality into this twisted version of reality. When she was made aware of this fact then he would strike seizing hold of his prey in the final act of deception.