With a cane he could move around the castle and valley. Using his muscles was key, after many years of inactivity had left him significantly weaker. Standing on a large hill James looked on at the large windmills. The large fans turned with the wind as he drew closer. Reaching the door he peeked in. It was completely empty inside. Moving on he looked around. The grass shifted underneath his shoes as he whistled. The diamond necklace plays the pawn, He sang in his head. Hand in hand some drummed along, oh. To a handsome mannered baton. A blind class aristocracy. Back through the opera glass you see. The pit and the pendulum drawn. Columnated ruins domino. Canvass the town and brush the backdrop. Are you sleeping?. He broke into a hum of the song as he walked. Quickening his pace he could began back towards the castle. He was expected by Mito.

Reaching the hanger area he saw the older man waiting. James had already seen the plane and it was a piece work. It was capable of landing in water, sand, reaching 386mph. It's wings locked in place. It that had been slanted or could be swung back it could go far faster. Unfortunately that would mean taking the whole thing apart and remaking it's design.

"So what's on the itinerary?" James asked.

"Just a tune up and getting you familiar with the engine"

James nodded. It was a good start. Go easy and work up towards the harder stuff as time went on. He eyed the craft and wondered if he could get it to run better. He wasn't a plane guy... he fixed car engines for lords sake. The two weren't that close.

"Yeah," James said. "Let's see what's under the hood"

Moving over he found the engine hatch. Mito approached with a tool box. Placing the toolbox on the wing he proceeded to help James. Popping it open he and Mito removed the cover. The engine was a jet based engine and something James wasn't familiar with. He felt very out of his depth. Mito could see the bewilderment on the boys face. Kids still got much to learn. He thought as he grabbed a wrench.

"Don't worry I'll walk you through it"

James looked and bit his lip. "Just how old is this thing?" he asked.

"I dunno," Mito replied. "Not many engines are made these days. Most of them are salvaged from the old world"

James shivered at the thought. The engine being far older than him and far more worn down. It must've been impressively designed to last this long.

"Holy shit. This is gonna be a rough one" James dryly said.

"Don't worry so much. It can't be that much different from what you've been working on" Mito reassuringly said.

James bit his lower lip. "I hope so," he said. "Do you have any idea what Nausicaä's looking for?. Someone named Teto if a remember"

Mito looked at him for a long moment. Then it hit him like a brick going mach 3.

"He's Nausicaä's pet fox squirrel. I'm certain he'll turn up eventually"

James then turned his attention to the engine. "So where do we begin?"

"Just a tuneup. I'll keep things simple" Mito informed him.

James nodded. Can't be too hard. He mused as he eyeballed the engine.

She was ready to call it a day. Teto had alluded Nausicaä thus far with success after success. She'd checked just about everywhere except the hanger in the castle. Moving up the main road she saw others going about their day. Some of them she recognized from the Pejitei ship from over a year ago. They continued their existence in the valley. Asbel was gone with Yupa and she hadn't seen either of them in over a year. She could only imagine when they would return to the valley. Shaking her head she forced herself to banish the thought. Patience was the key.

She received nods and waves as she continued up the road. There was a lot of gossip in the town. Most of it was regarding James and herself. It was already known she had to pull the spores from his lungs. They saw no problem because it was to save a life. There was still disbelief on his story however. His clothes and shoes where alien and his knowledge of the world was minimal. Nausicaä had seen the lab, the machine which kept him alive and young. She knew it was real. It would take time and both She and James had the rest of their natural lives. He should be with Mito right now, She mused. It wouldn't hurt to check in on them. She concluded. It took her a while but she reached the hanger and reached the side door. Just beyond if she could hear metal on metal clanging and clinking.

"I can't wait to get my hands on the guy who rebuilt this," James voice sounded. "Seriously this entire thing is outta tune"

"And you said you weren't good with jets" Mito responded.

"I know when out of tune engine when I see one" James shot back.

Nausicaä felt a smile forming. The two were beginning to sound like a married couple. Opening the door she stepped inside. Her entrance went completely unnoticed due to the sounds of metal on metal. Closing the door it thumped against the frame. Both men stopped and looked. They saw the princess and both relaxed. Both Mito and James were covered in engine grime as they looked.

"Princess what brings you down here?" James said with a dry tone.

Nausicaä strode in her gaze meeting James. She sat on the wing and smiled.

"Just Nausicaä. We're long past the point for that" she told him.

"Ok. Are you looking for anything in particular?"

She nodded. "I can't seem to find Teto," she said. "I have a suspicion he's watching you"

James did a double take. "R-really?. That's creepy"

Mito agreed. "He doesn't like strangers" he said.

Wiping his hands clean James then turned his attention back to Nausicaä. "So how do we flush him out?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I dunno. Any idea's Mito?"

Mito also shrugged. "No clue. Maybe we should tie him up and cover him in chiko nuts" Mito chuckled.

James rolled his eyes. "Very funny," he said dryly. "But I doubt that will do it"

"He's right, let's just look around" Nausicaä said.

James agreed with a nod. As long as he wasn't being used his as bait, he was fine with it. Mito cleaned off his hands before closing the engine compartment. It was all they could do for now. They squeezed as much power out of it which was possible. Kid did pretty good. He thought as he saw the others beginning the search at opposite sides of the room.

James was checking under a table with many boxes benefit. One by one he moved them.

"Here Teto, come boy" he softly said.

Another box he saw a patch of orange fur. James smiled as he leaned in closer. The little fox squirrel turned facing James. It's green eyes stared at him. Slowly he reached towards Teto. Nausicaä noticed it and moved up behind James. James could see her in the corner of his eye.

"If he bites you just let it happen" she whispered.

James acknowledged her with a nod. "It's ok Teto I'm not gonna hurt ya" he soothed.

Teto watched his hand. It drew closer as he eyed the human. He had watched him for awhile now. Nausicaä doing everything to keep him alive the night before. The hand was very close now. Nausicaä was behind the figure. Teto moved his attention back to the hand. The index finger was a lot closer than the others.

Without warning his finger was bit and James winced in pain. Damn she wasn't kidding!. He forced himself not to make a sound as the little fox squirrel let go. Licking the wound, Teto then moved out and jumped onto Nausicaä's shoulder. James rubbed his finger and slowly stood.

"You ok?" Mito asked.

James sheepishly nodded. "It's just a flesh wound," he responded. "Is that how he greets everyone?"

Nausicaä shook her head. "You smell very different than everyone else," She pet Teto as she watched James wiping his wound clean again. "You ok?"

James nodded. "I wouldn't mind a bandage right now. Jeez it stings" he half smiled.

Mito passed him a white piece of fabric. James wrapped it around his wound and tied it. Mito glanced to the window.

"How about we call it a night and have dinner?"

Both James and Nausicaä nodded in agreement. "Yeah," James said. "I'm down for that"

He was pretty down to eat anything. Nausicaä wrapped her arm over his shoulder and they began up the stairs. Mito walked behind them, watching the two as they walked. James gave Nausicaä a much needed friend, someone who knew her before being revealed a princess. Mito noticed how relaxed she was around him. It was nice to see her relaxed and calm. Maybe I can get a goodnight sleep. Mito smiled. James was petting Teto. Water under the bridge. The kid looked to be adjusting well.

The table was round with plates filled with food. It was roughly the size of what James used to get at home. It was a mix of bacon and potatoes. It was great. James was telling Mito, Obaba and Nausicaä about the old world from a thousand years ago. They listened closely as he went on. Teto was eating nuts not to far away.

"So you got to learn 5 days a week?" Nausicaä asked.

James nodded. "Yup, 5 days a week till summer and then we'd start back in fall" he added.

Nausicaä looked stunned. She never expected it. It sounded like a dream. She took a bite of some of her potatoes as she imagined it in her mind. If only I'd been there. She mused. Her own imagine making it more better than it really was.

"Very interesting," Obaba chimed in. "What did you think about it"

James didn't hesitate. "I would rather learn piano. It wasn't nice," he paused for a second. "Boring, outdated and I've haven't used sixty percent of what I learned" he explained his gripes.

Nausicaä looked at James. "Surely you're exaggerating?"

James shook his head. "I'm not and don't call me Shirley" he replied flatly.

Everyone looked confused by his words. James bit his lip. Should have thought that one though. He thought.

"It's a joke," James added. "I should have thought it though"

Mito then broke into a awkward chuckle. "I get it now!. Ha ha not bad" he laughed.

James felt his cheeks burning. Nausicaä still couldn't believe what he'd said about school.

"How outdated was it?" Obaba inquired.

"Well over a hundred years. They were making factories workers in an age automation"

Mito winced. Nausicaä now understood his gripes. It was astounding how outdated it was.

"I see your point," Nausicaä said, wanting to change the subject. "Can we change the subject?"

James nodded. "Of course. I never liked talking about school. I'm not my father" he replied.

Father, The only reason he was here today. The man who did the impossible and used it for a noble cause. I miss you. I regret not spending more time with you. Regret seeped into his soul as he took another bite. Did his father meet Nausicaä at the gates of the afterlife.

"Nausicaä, did you really die?" He asked.

He remembered her story. The invasion, the journey and the sacrifice. It was a Tolkien style epic. Nausicaä wasn't fully sure.

"I was close. The Ohmu fixed me up pretty good"

So she didn't cross over. James nodded. She didn't look like she'd been put though hell.

"You look great. Better than half the girls I knew" he said without thinking.

His face went pale at the realisation of what he said. Oh god damn it. He groaned. Mito and Obaba looked at him oddly. Nausicaä looked at him, her cheeks burning bright red.

"T-thank you" Nausicaä said as she avoided eye contact.

James blushed even harder. God take me now. He begged to no avail. He was gonna have to roll with it. Me and my big mouth. He thought dryly. He was gonna have to get a hold of that tongue of his.

"Any more questions you wanna ask?"

End chapter.