Alice-Miranda in Japan 9 (8 page)

 

Dolly Oliver had enjoyed a leisurely morning wandering through the bustling streets around her hotel. Shinjuku was a vibrant part of the city, with enormous electronic billboards on every corner and stores selling everything from computers to silk fans and kitsch novelties. It wasn't often that Dolly was on her own. Even when her employers were away, Shilly was always about and Millie's grandfather, Ambrose, spent a lot of time with her these days too. She rather wished he'd been able to join her on the trip, but he was in the process of selling up his farm and had to oversee the livestock sale. He had recently bought himself a delightful cottage in Highton Mill on the edge of the Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones estate. He told people that it was so he could be closer to facilities in case of an emergency but everyone knew that it had more to do with Dolly than any doctor.

Dolly had taken great delight in speaking to the shopkeepers in Japanese. She'd chatted away easily as she bought gifts, including a pretty wooden
kokeshi
doll for Alice-Miranda and a silk purse for Shilly. By her calculations the effect of the tablet was due to wear off at any minute. The opening speech for the conference would commence at two o'clock, giving Dolly enough time to take her parcels back to her room.

In the auditorium foyer, Dolly scanned the growing crowd. She didn't recognise anyone and she was beginning to feel a little intimidated. A tall Japanese man walked towards her and bowed.

‘Good afternoon, Mrs Oliver, it is very pleasing to make your acquaintance,' the man said. ‘I am Nobu Taguchi from the Japanese Ministry for Invention and Innovation.'

Dolly smiled at the young man and extended her hand. He was the one who had telephoned her last week. She thought him very handsome. He was tall and muscular, and reminded her a little of Lawrence Ridley.

As she began to speak, she answered his question in perfect Japanese – except that on this occasion she hadn't meant to. She wanted to speak to him in English as he had done with her.

Nobu smiled broadly and complimented her excellent language skills.

Dolly gulped. Something was wrong. She could think in English but she couldn't speak it.

‘We are blessed to have many participants from around the world – but I must warn you, Mrs Oliver, that not many will be as skilled in the use of the Japanese language as you,' said Nobu as he guided her towards a group of delegates.

Dolly undid the buttons on her blazer and fanned herself with the program as Nobu interrupted the huddle and brought one of the men out to meet her. She began to wonder if the air-conditioning was working properly.

‘Professor Dimble, may I introduce Mrs Oliver, the inventor of JAW,' said Nobu. He extended his arm towards a portly gentleman whose eyebrows resembled a pair of fuzzy caterpillars. The man wore a yellow waistcoat with a matching cravat and a pair of round glasses perched on the very tip of his nose.

‘Oh, yes.' The professor looked at Dolly and nodded. From the tone of his voice and the slight curl of his lip, Dolly didn't think he was especially pleased to meet her.

She smiled back and bowed slightly, not game to open her mouth.

‘Now tell me, Mrs Oliver, – it is
Mrs
Oliver, not Doctor or Professor, isn't it?' he said with a sneer. ‘What on earth possessed you to use baked dinners? That's a very pedestrian meal, don't you think?'

Dolly looked at the man. She pressed her lips together in an awkward smile.

‘Mrs Oliver, are you all right?' Nobu prompted. He thought perhaps the woman was a little hard of hearing.

‘Mmm,' she nodded.

‘What's the matter, Mrs Oliver? Cat got your tongue?' the professor asked. He wondered if the woman was as stupid as she looked.

Inside, Dolly was seething. She couldn't help herself. She launched into a detailed response to the professor's initial question – except that it was in perfect Japanese. ‘In our family a baked dinner has always been the ultimate comfort food and I could think of no better place to start – of course you do know that we've expanded into other meals including curries and stews to better suit the markets we've entered.'

Nobu gave her a quizzical look. Professor Dimble looked as though he had just sucked a very large lemon.

Dolly asked if her Japanese friend would translate what she had said. Nobu frowned and nodded, then explained to the Professor.

‘I see,' Professor Dimble said with a smirk. ‘I don't suppose Mrs Oliver could have just told me that herself. Then again, I'd probably feel a little out of my depth here too, with all these
real
academics.'

Beads of perspiration began to trickle from Dolly's temples and she could feel the heat rising in her neck. Professor Dimble was the rudest person she'd met in a very long time. Who did he think he was, questioning her qualifications, making her feel as if she didn't deserve to be there? She wondered what his contribution to the world of science had been.

Nobu could see her agitation. ‘Would you like me to get you a glass of water, Mrs Oliver?'

Dolly politely declined and excused herself, walking at top speed towards the powder room.

Apart from feeling as though she could strangle Professor Dimble, she was worried about the tablet. She'd never had this problem before. Although she was thinking in English, no matter how hard she tried, it was Japanese that formed on her lips.

She looked at her watch. In the past, the effects of the tablet had worn off in about four hours. But that was before she fiddled with the formula again last week. She'd taken the tablet at half past seven and it was now almost two. Something had gone terribly wrong and Dolly hadn't a clue how to fix it. She'd been working on a neutraliser to take in the event of such an emergency, but it was still in the laboratory at home, waiting to be perfected.

The powder room was a large and extravagant affair with a chaise longue in the corner of the entrance vestibule. She'd just have to sit it out – at least until the delegates entered the auditorium and she could scamper to the lifts and back up to her room.

 

In their basement den, Yuki and Yamato hadn't taken their eyes off the screen for over an hour. They'd stared intently as the pulsing red dot wound through the streets of Asakusa. Then suddenly it had disappeared. They'd stared at the screen as if by willpower alone they could bring the dot back to life.

‘Where did it go?' Yamato groaned. He'd leaned forward, his nose almost touching the monitor.

Yuki had anxiously phoned the technician who'd set up the display.

‘Mmm, I thought this could happen. That tracker has always been faulty,' the man had said.

‘Does Hatsuko know this?' Yuki asked.

The man sniffed loudly. ‘No. This technology hasn't been tested for years and I forgot it was even there. She'd forgotten too until you mentioned the necklace. I fitted it years ago to keep track of the girl and make sure that she was safe. But now we know better . . . I'll come by when I'm finished with the car.' And with that he'd hung up, leaving Yuki and Yamato staring at the blank screen.

The blip had sprung back to life a while later. It was now a long way from Asakusa. The men were surprised to see it heading towards them and wondered if Kiko had changed her mind about running away.

The two of them were concentrating so intently they didn't hear Hatsuko enter the room.

‘What do you see?' she demanded, leaning in between them.

The two men almost leapt through the roof.

‘Sumimasen,'
they said as they composed themselves.

‘Kiko has travelled this afternoon. She is not far from here,' said the taller man, Yuki, as he pointed at the dot on the screen.

He had his other hand on his lap, crossing his fingers that the blip stayed alive while Hatsuko was present.

‘I see,' she said, peering closer. ‘So why hasn't one of you gone to find her?'

‘You told us not to,' Yuki gulped.

Hatsuko glared at the men and shook her head. ‘That was when she was miles away. She is too close to home now.'

Yamato looked at his partner. ‘I will go,' he said, without moving from his seat.

‘Well, what are you waiting for?' Hatsuko growled.

Yamato made a dash for the door.

‘Remember, I don't want her back – under any circumstances!' Hatsuko shouted. She paced to the other side of the room. ‘Especially not now that my destiny is finally within reach,' she whispered under her breath.

 

Yamato cursed the traffic as he turned into the street opposite Harajuku railway station. He parked the car and fed the meter, then whispered harshly into the speaker on his wrist. ‘Where is she now?'

Yuki stared at the screen. The blip was making its way along the street that Yamato said he was standing on. ‘She should be close to you.'

Yamato looked around. All he could see were girls dressed in wacky costumes that would have looked more at home in Disneyland than on the streets of Tokyo. He scanned the other side of the street. ‘I'm outside the crêperie. Which way?'

‘She should be heading towards you from the direction of the station,' Yuki replied.

‘She's not here. Unless she's taken to dressing as one of the Harajuku girls – and where would she have got the money for that?'

He turned around slowly. Among the throng was a group of Western tourists. Three were young girls, who were talking loudly. As they passed by, there was a loud crackle of static and Yamato's eardrum almost exploded. He leapt into the air and the tallest of the children, a blonde girl, laughed out loud.

A smaller child with long chocolate curls smiled at Yamato and darted around him.

‘Sumimasen,'
she said with a smile.

Yamato stared at her and Yuki's voice buzzed in his ear. ‘Are you still outside the crêperie?'

Yamato rubbed his ear and shouted ‘Yes' into his sleeve.

‘Then she should be right next to you,' said Yuki. He wished he'd gone instead. Sometimes he wondered how his partner had acquired his position.

Yamato looked up and down the street. He peered through the shop window at the diners. There was no sign of her. The tracking device must be faulty – perhaps it was giving signals in the wrong locations now too, as well as switching off intermittently.

‘She is
not
here,' he whispered savagely.

 

The girls were delighted by their afternoon tea, with Millie declaring that Japanese crepes were definitely on par with the French. Michiko explained that the next stop on their tour was one of the local shops, where Alice-Miranda and her friends would be given a complete Harajuku makeover.

Inside the shop, five staff members swooped on the three girls and presented them with various outfits to try.

‘While the children are playing dress-ups, I've arranged some tea for the adults – through here.' Michiko pulled aside a green velvet curtain and revealed a perfect little room with a
tatami
floor.

‘How lovely,' Cecelia said as she, Hugh and Ambrosia removed their shoes and followed the woman inside.

Michiko indicated that they should all sit down around a shiny black lacquered table. ‘I will tell you about the tea ceremony,' she began.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the wall, Alice-Miranda, Millie and Jacinta were having a wonderful time choosing their outfits.

Alice-Miranda held up a blue dress with a sailor-style collar. ‘What do you think of this one?'

‘I like it,' Millie nodded. ‘Isn't it like Sailor Moon's?'

‘It will look much better when we accessorise,' one of the staff said. ‘That is the key to Harajuku dressing.'

‘What about this one?' Jacinta pulled out a pink confection that would have looked right at home on the miniature bride on top of a wedding cake.

‘Pretty,' said Alice-Miranda.

‘Hey, look what I found,' Millie called from the racks on the other side of the shop.

Alice-Miranda and Jacinta raced over to see.

‘It's Itoshii Squirrel!' said Alice-Miranda, grinning.

‘Ick, that awful creature.' Jacinta wrinkled her nose in disgust.

‘It wasn't the squirrel's fault that the boy in the shop was horrible,' Alice-Miranda said. ‘Come on, Jacinta, you have to admit he is adorable. Those eyes are huge.'

‘Like yours,' Jacinta said.

‘Hai,'
said the girl who'd been helping Millie. ‘Do you want to try it?'

Millie frowned. ‘I think I'd feel a bit silly.'

As she spoke, a trio of Hello Kitties and a young man dressed as Astro Boy walked past the front window of the shop.

‘No sillier than them.' Jacinta smiled and raised her eyebrows. ‘I think anything goes in Harajuku.'

After lots of fussing and giggling the children were finally ready. Their own clothes had been wrapped and bagged as beautifully as if they'd just been bought and now the girls were waiting for the adults to return.

‘How long does it take to drink a cup of tea?' Jacinta asked.

One of the women shook her head. ‘It is not just drinking the tea. Tea ceremony is about preparing the tea, serving and then drinking it. It is very special green tea. I hope you get to go to tea ceremony too.'

Millie pulled a face. ‘Oh, green tea is not my favourite.'

‘Maybe we should practise walking in our outfits, like in a fashion show,' Jacinta suggested. ‘So we can show off for the grown-ups.'

The staff nodded enthusiastically. One of them ran to another room and came back carrying a roll of carpet. She put it on the floor and unfurled a long red path for the children to use as their runway.

Just as Jacinta was about to lead off the rehearsal, the green curtain was pulled aside and her mother stepped out.

‘Oh my goodness, look at you,' Ambrosia exclaimed.

Hugh and Cecelia followed her out.

‘Where are the girls?' Hugh joked as he cast his eye over the children. ‘Excuse me,' he said, turning to one of the shop assistants. ‘Have you seen three children? A blonde, a redhead and a brunette.'

The girl bowed and smiled. ‘I think you are very cheeky, Mr Hugh.'

‘Yes, you're right about that,' said Cecelia.

Michiko turned to the children and smiled. ‘Please show us your outfits.'

One of the shop assistants turned up the music and Jacinta strutted towards the adults.

She was wearing the pink lace dress with long pink boots and an enormous bow covering a curly pink wig. Heart-shaped sunglasses were perched on the tip of her nose and she had an armful of bracelets.

Ambrosia clapped wildly. ‘You look amazing, darling.'

Jacinta grinned widely.
‘Arigatou gozaimasu!'

Alice-Miranda walked down the carpet next in her blue Sailor Moon costume, complete with little blue Mary-Jane shoes and frilly socks. She had a matching blue headband and pretty purse. At the end of their makeshift runway she stopped and pressed her left forefinger against her cheek.

Last of all Millie sprinted through the middle of the shop, her red cape flying out behind her. She was covered in fur and wore goggles painted with giant brown eyes.

‘Oh my goodness, Millie, is that you under there?' Cecelia laughed.

‘
Hai! Watashi wa
Itoshii Squirrel,' came Millie's muffled voice. She was beaming, although no one could see it beneath the costume.

The staff and parents clapped enthusiastically as the children took a bow.

Hugh Kennington-Jones glanced at his watch. ‘It's getting late, I'm afraid. I think we should head back.'

Michiko nodded. ‘
Hai.
It has been a pleasure to meet you all.'

‘Can we have some photographs first?' Millie asked. She ran to retrieve her camera from her backpack.

The children gathered together with the staff and Michiko and Hugh snapped away.

‘Arigatou,'
said Alice-Miranda as she shook hands with each of the shop assistants and Michiko. ‘This afternoon has been so much fun. Thank you.'

‘It was my pleasure,' Michiko said.

‘Can we really keep the costumes?' Millie asked as the group headed for the door.

‘Hai,'
Michiko said. ‘It is my shop and it is my pleasure.'

‘So you're all staying like that for the trip home?' Hugh asked, shaking his head.

‘Of course!' the girls chorused.

‘Okay, I guess you'll blend in,' Hugh said.

‘Until we get to the subway,' Alice-Miranda grinned. ‘I haven't seen too many people outside of Harajuku dressed like us.'

‘Mmm, you're right about that,' Hugh said. ‘We could take taxis.'

‘That would spoil our fun, Daddy. And look at how much trouble Michiko and the other ladies went to,' Alice-Miranda replied.

‘Yeah,' Jacinta said. ‘I think we should go out for dinner like this too.'

‘Okay, if that's what you want,' Hugh nodded and grinned. The group thanked Michiko and her team for their generosity and bade them farewell, then gathered their parcels.

Hugh led the way out of the shop and onto the street. Within a couple of minutes, the children were attracting plenty of attention.

They heard
‘kawaii'
over and over as people passed by.

‘What does that mean?' Jacinta asked.

‘Cute,' Alice-Miranda replied. It seemed that Millie was getting more
kawaii
s than anyone else. She was stopped several times to pose for photographs.

 

‘So, do you see her?' Yuki hissed into the microphone.

Yamato shook his head. According to his partner, Kiko should have been inside the Harajuku store for the past hour or so, but he'd pressed his face against the window and seen only a group of foreigners being made up to look like characters.

‘No, she is nowhere. That tracking device
must
be faulty.' Yamato watched as the group of westerners left the store.

He didn't see Alice-Miranda reach inside her dress and pull out her beautiful new necklace. ‘Look Mummy, Daddy bought Millie and Jacinta and me presents this afternoon.' She held out her pendant for her mother to admire.

‘Oh, darling, that's lovely. Millie, is yours the same?' she asked.

‘No, mine's a cherry blossom branch,' the girl explained. Her necklace was hidden under her squirrel costume.

‘Do you like mine?' Jacinta showed Cecelia her paper crane.

‘That's gorgeous,' Cecelia grinned.

‘I bought them from an antique dealer in the market near the inn,' said Hugh.

The children and adults reached the subway and disappeared onto the crowded train.

Back at the palace, Yuki stared at the screen. ‘She's gone,' he said into the microphone.

Yamato exhaled. ‘Well, you'd better hope that she reappears before Hatsuko does.'