Alice-Miranda in Japan 9 (20 page)

Alice-Miranda couldn't keep quiet any longer. ‘So where's Princess Kiko? Do you mean she's out in Tokyo all alone?'

Millie shushed her. ‘Yes . . .
Oooh
. Hatsuko gave Kiko her grandfather's address to try to get her to run away. But the old man's not there – Hatsuko's saying she had him moved to some retirement home.' Millie gawped at the pendant around Alice-Miranda's neck. ‘Hatsuko says that Kiko sold her necklace to the antique dealer in the Senso-ji market, Alice-Miranda! She's telling the man to ask the antique dealer if he remembers Kiko. Now the man's all excited and thinks he knows where Kiko is. That's weird. He's gabbling about some . . . about a boy in an alleyway in Asakusa. Hey, that's where we're staying.'

S
huffling noises came from the grate in the floor, followed by a loud bang.

‘They're gone. How did I do that?' Millie said, stunned. ‘How did I learn Japanese in two days? It's a miracle. Or I'm a genius and I just didn't know it.'

Alice-Miranda shook her head. ‘I think I know how it happened. When you asked Mrs Oliver for a mint, what did she give you?'

Millie frowned. ‘I don't know but it wasn't very minty. I wondered if she'd invented mint-less mints.'

‘Oh my goodness, she gave you one of her language pills – she's just trialling them. That's why you can understand what they were saying.'

‘Language pills? That's ridiculous,' Jacinta said.

Alice-Miranda shook her head. ‘No, it's not. Mrs Oliver is one of the cleverest people I know and I promise it's true. She told me herself.'

Jacinta rolled her eyes and huffed. ‘Why has she been keeping
that
to herself? It would have made life much easier since we've been here.'

‘Because they're not ready yet. She took one and it sort of malfunctioned and she could only speak Japanese for the next few hours even though she was thinking in English.'

‘I wonder if that will happen to me,' said Millie, biting her lip.

‘And why isn't mine working?' Jacinta said. ‘I had a mint too and I couldn't understand any of that.'

Alice-Miranda shrugged. ‘I guess that's why they're still at the trial stage. Anyway, that's not important now. If what Millie said is true, Princess Kiko is in grave danger.'

‘It sounds like she's planning to kill her,' Jacinta said.

‘Or at the very least, lock her away forever,' Millie said.

‘We have to tell the Emperor,' said Jacinta.

‘No,' Alice-Miranda said. ‘I think I know where she is too.' Alice-Miranda pictured the child in the photograph Emperor Jimmu had shown her.

‘But how?' Millie frowned.

‘Just trust me. We need to get there before those men do.'

 

The girls sped out into the hallway, almost bowling Mrs Oliver over in the process.

‘I wondered if you'd got lost in here,' the old woman said, smiling.

‘Mrs Oliver, we have a problem. We need to talk to you – in private,' Alice-Miranda said. She'd just noticed that the young woman who had escorted them to the toilet was still waiting.

Millie walked over to the woman. ‘Excuse us, you don't have to wait. Mrs Oliver can show us the way back,' she said in perfect Japanese.

‘What was that, Millie?' Dolly frowned at the child. ‘Oh my heavens, did you just speak Japanese?'

Alice-Miranda nodded. ‘She's very good at it too.'

‘In there. The lot of you. NOW!' Dolly pushed open the powder room door and the children rushed through.

‘Millie took one of your tablets by mistake,' Alice-Miranda began.

Deep lines creased Dolly's forehead. ‘But that's impossible!' She opened her handbag and fished around for the pill case. She pulled it out and then reached for her glasses. ‘I know exactly how many of those tablets were in here. Now let me see, there were three of everything except the Japanese tablets – there were two of those left. Oh dear. And now there's only one.' The woman gulped. ‘How on earth did that happen?'

‘What about me? What did I take?' Jacinta asked anxiously.

‘Not you too,' Dolly groaned. She counted the other pills. ‘Well dear, I suspect you could be very good at Spanish in a little while.'

‘Gracias,'
Jacinta said. ‘Oh, how exciting. I think it's started to take effect.'

‘But how did you?' Dolly peered into the bag and pulled out a very similarly shaped case. ‘The mints! Oh heavens, how utterly careless of me. I was so excited about coming to the palace, I wasn't paying attention. Girls, I am so sorry. I'm sure that you will be fine – in about seven hours.'

‘Mrs Oliver, that's not the problem. We need your help. Can you get us to the inn?'

‘Why on earth would we want to do that? We can't just leave, Alice-Miranda. It would be the height of rudeness.'

‘I'm sure that we can explain to the Emperor and Mr Kenzo as soon as we find Princess Kiko and bring her safely home.'

‘Find the princess? What are you talking about? What's she doing at the inn?' Dolly asked.

‘Come on. We'll explain on the way.' Alice-Miranda grabbed Dolly's hand.

 

Meanwhile, in the dining room, Kenzo glanced around at the empty chairs. He wondered what was taking everyone so long.

He motioned for the man behind him to step forward and whispered something into his ear.

‘Hai.'
The man scurried from the room to search for the missing guests and the princess.

‘Dessert will soon be served,' Kenzo announced. ‘Perhaps the children and Mrs Oliver have got lost out there somewhere.'

‘It is a big place,' the Emperor agreed. ‘One wrong turn and you could be gone for days.'

Hugh and Lawrence glanced across the table at one another. Hugh frowned. It wasn't like his daughter to take a wrong turn at all.

 

‘I'm driving this time,' Yuki yelled as he elbowed Yamato out of the way and scooted around to the other side of the vehicle. Their car was parked in the circular driveway behind the enormous limousine that had brought the guests to the palace.

Alice-Miranda, Millie, Jacinta and Mrs Oliver raced out of the palace. Alice-Miranda glanced towards the men as Yamato slid into the passenger seat and looked up. ‘What are those children doing?' he said. ‘And that old woman?'

Alice-Miranda looked at Millie in alarm. ‘Hurry! Millie, please ask the driver if he can take us.'

‘But I don't know how . . . Oh, of course, I do!' Millie thought about what she wanted to say then launched into near-perfect Japanese. She told the driver that she'd left something for the Emperor back at the inn and they needed to collect it before dinner was over. The driver opened the door and bowed.

She turned to Dolly. ‘Mrs Oliver, you are the cleverest woman in the world! This is the best invention ever.'

The girls and Mrs Oliver piled into the back of the limousine. The driver pulled out in front of Yuki and Yamato, blocking their path.

Yuki leaned on the horn.

‘Remember the men in black suits who were outside the inn? They're behind us,' Alice-Miranda said.

‘What are they doing here?' Jacinta asked.

‘Good heavens, young lady, what's been going on over there?' Dolly tutted.

Alice-Miranda tried to keep watch out the back window, but the black car behind them disappeared into the night. She had no idea if they were ahead or behind.

Jacinta was feeling very confused. ‘So why are we going to the inn?'

‘You know the boy who helped us with directions to the kimono maker?' Alice-Miranda explained.

Jacinta nodded. ‘Yes, what about him?'

‘He's not a boy!' Millie said, suddenly realising what Alice-Miranda already knew.

‘How do you know that?' Jacinta asked.

‘He's the princess, isn't he?' asked Millie.

‘Yes, I'm sure of it,' Alice-Miranda said. ‘Emperor Jimmu showed me a photograph of Princess Kiko in his fob watch. I was trying to remember why her face looked familiar and then when you explained that the men talking to Hatsuko said something about the inn and the alley, it all made sense. Do you remember that Yoshi seemed very interested in my pendant? I thought it was a bit odd for a boy to be so keen on jewellery. Yoshi is Kiko.'

‘Do you think she sold the pendant?' Millie asked.

‘Maybe. Or it might have been stolen,' said Alice-Miranda.

The limousine reached the inn in record time.

‘Oh no, the men from the palace are already here,' Alice-Miranda said as she caught sight of the black car in front of Obaasan's.

‘What are we going to do now?' Millie asked, leaning forward in her seat.

‘What about you and Jacinta go to the front door and try to distract them, and I'll see if I can get in the side door and find the princess,' Alice-Miranda said.

‘Right, good idea,' Millie nodded.

‘What should I do, dear?' Mrs Oliver asked.

‘I think you should take that last Japanese-language pill and see if you can get our driver to call the palace and let the Emperor know exactly what's going on.'

‘Will do.' Dolly nodded decisively and opened her handbag. ‘I just hope that it doesn't take too long to work. It seems to vary quite a bit.'

‘Yes, my Spanish hasn't improved at all yet,' Jacinta said with a frown.

‘Come on.' Alice-Miranda opened the back door and the three girls spilled out like a line of
kokeshi
dolls.

Millie and Jacinta ran towards the front of the house, while Alice-Miranda dashed into the alley.

She was about to knock on the side door when it opened and Yoshi peered out.

But this time Alice-Miranda knew better. ‘Princess Kiko?'

The girl shook her head decisively. ‘No! I don't know what you are talking about. I am Yoshi.' Kiko tried to close the door but Alice-Miranda shoved her foot inside.

‘I know who you are and I'm afraid that you're in grave danger.' Alice-Miranda pushed the door and followed Kiko into the hall.

‘Go away. You're not meant to be in here. It's none of your business,' Kiko implored her.

‘Please, Princess, you must believe me. I've just come from the palace and those two men with the black car – the ones who were sitting in the alley all day – are at the front door now.'

Kiko gasped. She turned and crept down the hallway and then peered around the corner at the front door. A shadow loomed through the glass sidelights and the doorbell buzzed, followed by a thumping series of knocks. The colour drained from her cheeks.

‘I'm not going back,' she whispered. ‘They can't make me.'

‘Taking you back is the last thing they want to do,' Alice-Miranda said. She looked closely at the girl and said carefully, ‘Your aunt is plotting to get rid of you so she can become the Empress.'

‘That is not true. Women cannot rule in Japan.'

‘The laws are going to change tomorrow,' Alice-Miranda said.

‘How do you know these things?' Kiko asked.

‘It's a long story, but please believe me. I'm telling you the truth.'

‘But I want to go to my grandparents. They will take care of me. I don't want to be a princess any more,' the child explained. ‘My father doesn't want to see me and my aunt makes me study and hide in my room all day. She hates me. I want to be free, like Mari.'

‘Who's Mari?' Alice-Miranda frowned.

‘My songbird. I let her go so we could both be free.'

‘Boy, where are you?' Obaasan's voice echoed through the house. ‘I need some help in here. These old ladies want more tea – always more tea – we are drowning in tea.'

Alice-Miranda grabbed Kiko's hand and pulled her into the small bedroom Kiko had been using. ‘You have to listen to me. We heard your aunt talking to those men. She is planning to have you imprisoned, or worse. She wants everyone to think that you have run away and can't be found. Then she is going to have your father declared incapable of ruling and she will become the Empress of Japan,' Alice-Miranda said.

‘She was always hateful,' said Kiko sadly, ‘but I never would have imagined she was capable of this.'

There was a shuffling sound outside the bedroom. Alice-Miranda began to speak but Kiko put a finger to her mouth.

A man said ‘Hurry, Taro' in Japanese. Kiko recognised it as Tatsu, Obaasan's son.

‘What are we doing?' the boy griped. The shuffling continued. It sounded as if something was being dragged along the hall.

‘Getting rid of the evidence,' the man hissed.

‘What did they say?' said Alice-Miranda.

Kiko translated.

‘What evidence?' Alice-Miranda asked.

‘But why?' the boy whined. ‘It's heavy.'

‘Because of that boy your grandmother let into the house. He has reported me to the authorities, I am sure of it. They have been watching us and now we must burn the papers or we will have to pay back all the money from the old people.'

‘What old people?' Taro said.

‘Are you that stupid, boy? The old people who live in this house and the ones who used to live here too.'

‘Have you been collecting pension money for dead people?' Taro asked.

‘Exactly!' The dragging noise continued.

‘But isn't that against the law?' Taro said.

‘It is not my fault that the law is weak, and I am smart,' Tatsu snarled. ‘Wait until I get my hands on that boy. He will wish he never slept on our doorstep.'

The side door opened and the voices disappeared outside. Kiko translated this too. As she did, her eyes grew wide as she realised exactly what Tatsu's piles of papers were all about. ‘He has been robbing the government. Collecting pensions from old people who lived here but who have died. I thought there was something strange about the birthdates on some of those forms. But I didn't tell anyone.' Kiko shook her head. ‘I have enough troubles of my own.'

Kiko slid open the screen and peered out to see Taro dragging a large sack across the alley to the dumpster. His father was already standing there with another one.

Tatsu lit a match and threw it into the bin. After a moment, there was a
whump
and flames erupted from the top. Tatsu heaved the first sack into the fire, and then the second.

Kiko was distracted from this strange sight by a new voice coming from the front hall. This time it was deep and raspy and Kiko knew it immediately as one of her aunt's personal bodyguards.

‘What do you want?' Obaasan was asking him.

‘I'm looking for a child. A runaway.'

‘What are you doing? Take off your shoes!' Obaasan demanded.

‘Where are you hiding her – I mean,
him
?' The man's footsteps echoed on the timber floor.

‘I don't need this. I am a busy woman. I have people to care for and Itoshii Squirrel to design. And I am tiiiiired. Yoshi, you come here now,' she yelled. Then she muttered under her breath, ‘Looks like I am about to lose my best helper and I've only had him for a few days. What are you doing? He is not in the kitchen. Come back here!'

‘Who's that?' Alice-Miranda asked.

‘It is Yuki. He works for Aunt Hatsuko,' the child explained.

Alice-Miranda glanced out the back door into the alley. The fire in the dumpster was raging and Taro and his father were busy watching it.

‘If we can get across to the inn, I'm sure we can hide there until the police come,' Alice-Miranda suggested.

‘But my father doesn't want me. I have nothing to go back to.' Fat tears welled in Kiko's eyes.

‘You're wrong about that. Your father loves you very much.' Alice-Miranda reached out and took the child's hands in hers.

Kiko wondered if that could be true. But there was something about this little girl that made Kiko want to believe it more than ever.

Outside, Jacinta and Millie had done their best to distract the two men in black who had come from the palace. Millie had intercepted them at the front door and asked a barrage of questions in her now perfect Japanese. At first the men seemed charmed by the child but a sharp buzzing in the taller man's ear refocused him on the task at hand. He told the other man to go around to the side door and make sure that Kiko didn't escape. The taller man had rung the doorbell until the old woman opened the door and he was able to force his way inside.

Alice-Miranda held Kiko's hand and together the girls made a dash for the back door but Alice-Miranda stopped when she heard Millie's voice outside. She was speaking Japanese very loudly.

‘That's my friend Millie out there,' Alice-Miranda whispered. ‘What did she say?'

‘She said that she had seen the boy who lives here run away down the alley earlier in the evening before you left to go to the palace.'

‘We can't go that way. The other one of your aunt's men must be out there with her,' said Alice-Miranda. She grabbed Kiko's hand and they headed back along the hallway. Alice-Miranda peeked around the corner to check if it was safe to make a dash past the entrance hall. She was surprised to see Obaasan standing outside the kitchen door.

Obaasan turned around and saw the two girls.

Alice-Miranda raised her finger to her lips and shook her head.

Obaasan snorted but said nothing. Normally she would have handed the child over. But something wasn't right. She might not be able to see too well, but she knew trouble. And this tall man in her house had no respect. He didn't even remove his shoes and now he was in her kitchen making a mess.

The girls sped down the back hallway towards the stairs. ‘Is there another way out?' Alice-Miranda whispered.

‘I don't think so.'

‘Is there somewhere we can hide?'

Kiko nodded. She grabbed Alice-Miranda's hand and ran up the stairs to the room at the end of the corridor. She tapped lightly on the door and poked her head around the corner.

‘Hai?'
Ojiisan looked at Kiko and beckoned for her to come in.

Alice-Miranda followed the older girl into the room. ‘
Arigatou
, Ojiisan. Please, may we stay here for a little while?'

The old man nodded. ‘What is going on down there? Obaasan is screeching even more than usual.'

Downstairs, Yuki was striding through the house, turning the place upside down.

‘Stop touching my things,' the old woman yelled. ‘Look! The boy you are searching for has made a run for it.' She pointed towards the side door, which was slightly ajar.