"I'm getting it!" Eshe Kioi crowed as she finally got the hoverboard to fly forward a couple of feet before falling off and landing with with a loud oomph! on the shop floor.

The Russian archaeologist, Ruslan Hasanov, held out one of his powerful hands. "Let me help you up."

With a quick tug, he easily pulled her to her feet. Their faces met a few inches apart, and Eshe saw Ruslan's normally guarded eyes softening as he gazed at her. His thumb gently caressed the top of her hand.

Although they ran into each other regularly, she'd seen more of him over the past year than all ten previous. Being a renowned archaeologist it wasn't hard for him to visit dig sites, but it was uncharacteristic since it meant he couldn't lead on any of the digs and instead usually hovered in the background...often near her.

Flashing a nervous smile, she slowly pulled her hand from his, but remained close to him as she quickly collected the hoverboard from the floor.

Her smile went ear to ear when she turned to the gadget's creator, Masahiro Tonibashi. "I can't express how grateful I am."

The Japanese shopkeeper and inventor bowed deeply. "The pleasure is all mine to help the woman who finds so many priceless treasures. I'm grateful Joey-san contacted me. It is my honour to serve such a noble person."

Masahiro also bowed, but less deeply, to his old acquaintance, Joey Adams, Ruslan's assistant.

Eshe felt her cheeks heat. "I just do what anyone would."

Ruslan grunted. "No. Most would try to profit financially when asked to locate even the smallest fossil. You ask only a decent paycheck for using your gift."

Your gift. The words echoed in Eshe's head but she didn't let her smile falter. They wouldn't call it that if they could feel the terror and pain from the dead who'd died during the WWII bombings lying not far beneath their feet. Only years of practice blocking emotions allowed her to walk anywhere new.

She'd known coming to Japan would be difficult, and had avoided it for years, but the lure of a hoverboard and being able to travel without needing to psychically shield herself had tipped the scales. Once she got the hang of riding, the world was her oyster.

She clutched the hoverboard to her more tightly, causing Ruslan to briefly lay a hand on her shoulder to check if she was alright. She gave him a small nod and smile. He gently squeezed, which echoed delightfully in her heart, then pulled his hand away.

Joey shook his head. "I know I'd ask for more money! Just the dinosaur fossils alone could have made you insanely rich. You could have so much bling!" His eyes shone with imagined riches.

Eshe gave him a tight smile. "Where would the world be today if Fleming had patented penicillin instead of gifting it to the world?"

Joey shrugged and folded his arms over his chest. "Sure, but I still think you should be asking way more."

"Eshe-san follows the way of bushido, of the samurai," Masahiro said, bowing even lower to her this time. "Come! I know a park nearby with more room for Eshe-san to practice in."

As Leora followed their host from the cool air-conditioning out into the blistering summer heat, she asked, "Can we get more sushi? I expected it to be good, but I didn't expect it to be so melt-in-your-mouth. I think I ate too much, though!" She laughed and held her bulging stomach.

Masahiro chuckled as he led them down the street of Den Den Town, past shops stuffed with the latest electronics and otaku merchandise. "Later I'll take you for takoyaki. It is octopus in fried balls. Osaka is famous for it."

Joey lightly punched Masahiro in the shoulder. "I ate takoyaki every other day when I lived here. Man, I've missed it!"

Leora gave a thumbs up. "If it's as good as the sushi, I'm in! Except blowfish. I'm not interested in food that can kill me."

The whole group laughed loudly at that, drawing a mixture of disapproving and curious stares from several Japanese people they passed.

Masahiro lead them through a maze of closely packed streets of houses and shops. Every nook and cranny seemed stuffed with vending machines carrying anything from beverages to anime paraphernalia to rice to underwear.

"How do you find your way around here?" Eshe asked.

Her mind had made her own map by automatically logging the trail of the hidden and dead that lay beneath their feet. Her mind had segmented out the WWII dead so she could ignore that layer, so she read deeper to the graves of dead samurai, ancient houses and even farther down some fossil fragments.

Except from animals who died a natural death of old age, she'd never experienced the level of peace and serenity mixed with fierceness that characterized the ancient warriors.

She sighed happily. She would have to come back later to explore them further before getting Ruslan to pass the information on to the appropriate authorities through his archaeological contacts.

She glanced sideways at him. Technically Ruslan wasn't needed on this trip since it was his assistant Joey who had connected her with his old friend Masahiro. Leora mentioned he'd even left a dig in Peru to come.

Ruslan slid his blue eyes sideways to catch hers, then turned his whole head to look at her with a burgeoning smile that curled warmly deep in her belly.

He glanced at her hand, then back to her eyes before he began to lift the arm closest to her, spreading the fingers.

Eshe's breath caught in her throat in anticipation - then she choked on the held air and fell forward with a strangled sound, crumpling to her knees and dropping the hoverboard as her psychic defenses were overcome.

"Paper!" she croaked to Leora.

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