Kimono Code (8 page)

‘Quickly, the pink powder,' said Kuramiko, her lips hardly moving now. ‘Quickly, spray, it's the antidote. You…' Kuramiko's lips stopped moving. She was completely immobilised.

‘You really need to slow down, Kuramiko, think things through,' said EJ, smiling. ‘But, don't worry, there will be time for that in
SHINE
detention.'

EJ walked over to the pink powder-filled spray flask and sprayed powder over the snow monkey. In just seconds, the monkey blinked and then screeched and jumped up on EJ.

EJ laughed. ‘You can come with me, little one,' she said. ‘I know someone whom you will like.'

EJ opened her phone and dialled in another pick-up for
SHINE
Delivery. Then she texted both EK12 and KM12 from the Transport Division.

With Kuramiko safely on her way to
SHINE
detention, EJ wheeled the Blossom Unblock vat out of the laboratory and pulled it up the long set of stone steps, down the path, back through the trees and into the clearing where she had been dropped. It was hard work, and the snow monkey sitting on top was encouraging rather than helpful, but EJ didn't mind. She smiled when she saw EK12 and KM12 talking as they waited there beside their mini-choppers.

‘I see you two have met,' said EJ. ‘We have some work to do. Do the mini-choppers have crop-spraying capacity?'

‘Oh, yes,' said KM12. ‘
SHINE
mini-choppers are fitted with pretty much everything! We can even pick up water for fighting fires. What do you want us to do?'

‘This is concentrated Blossom Unblock,' explained EJ, wheeling the vat closer to them. ‘I need you to split it up between you, dilute it with water and spray it over the cherry trees of southern Japan. IJ12 and Professor TR55 have confirmed that, when the spray hits the air, it will disperse over the trees and release the blooms that Blossom Block has stopped. But, you will need to fly low and fast. How fast can you go?'

KM and EK looked at each other, grinning.

‘Oh, we can be really fast,' said EK. She and KM laughed as they began loading the Blossom Unblock onto their choppers.

‘That's great,' said EJ, ‘and we have two other deliveries before you start. Me to Tokyo and this little one to Akari's temple in Kyoto.' As she spoke, the monkey jumped on to KM12's shoulder.

‘I guess I'm off to Kyoto,' she said, laughing. ‘Let's keep in radio contact, EK.'

‘Rosie that, KM,' replied EK12. ‘Let's go, EJ!'

EK and EJ climbed on to the mini-chopper and flew towards Tokyo. As they approached the outskirts, EJ tapped EK on the shoulder.

‘Start spraying, EK,' cried EJ. ‘The Blossom Unblock will also accelerate the blooms, and if we do it quickly, the
hanami
can go ahead this evening, right on schedule after all.'

‘Rosie that, EJ,' said EK, pressing the SPRAY button, then the SONIC button, on her handlebars as she swooped the mini-chopper down over the city of Tokyo. ‘We'll be done in no time!'

And they were. Thirty minutes later, EK landed in a small laneway near Ueno Park.

‘Thanks, EK,' said EJ. ‘I'll meet you back at the airport after you have finished spraying. I need to check everything is okay and to see the blossoms. I promised someone I would.'

The sky was blue, and the spring sun was warm. EJ walked into Ueno Park, and then her excitement got the better of her and she began to run. When she arrived at the cherry blossom tree avenue, she was out of breath but overjoyed by what she saw. Blossoms—there were beautiful cherry blossoms everywhere. White and pink petals were bursting from every bud of every branch of every tree. Thousands of blossoms, all blooming on the trees all at once. It was an explosion of colour, and one of the most joyful sights EJ had ever seen—and she wasn't alone. People were flooding into the park from all directions to see the much longed-for bloom of the cherry blossoms.

Everywhere, people were walking, smiling, taking photos of the blossoms and setting up their celebration picnics under the branches and the yellow lanterns that swung gently in the breeze. EJ looked at her blossom map: all of southern Japan was now pink. She checked the
Sakura
Front news bulletin on her phone. She smiled as she read the subtitles.

EJ saw her reflection in her phone screen and noticed her black hair: she had forgotten all about her wig. She slipped it off, pressed the small ED button on the inside of the cap, and then left it underneath a cherry blossom tree. The Eco-Deco process would break down the wig, which would make excellent compost. EJ put her hands in her pockets and happily joined the crowds strolling under the blossoms. She felt a piece of paper in her pocket. It was the fortune from the Tokyo temple.

‘Hmmm, “Mists will fall and flowers will bloom,”' read EJ. ‘Perhaps it wasn't just luck after all.' But then her thoughts were interrupted.

‘EJ12, up here!'

EJ looked up.

‘Over here, in the tree!'

EJ peered up into the hundreds of blossoms. She could just make out a pair of blue eyes peering out.

‘It's me, Agent RD12.'

EJ looked again. ‘Great disguise, RD12!'

‘Thanks, it's a blossom blouse,' said RD12. ‘EJ, here's a message from A1.'

‘Thanks, RD12,' said EJ, taking a rather large petal from RD's outstretched hand.

What does that mean?
wondered EJ. She was trying to work it out when her phone beeped. It was a normal text message from Hannah.

EJ was thrilled for her friend. She texted her straight back.

Hannah sent a photo. The puppy, a white poodle, looked very familiar.

EJ's smile could not have been wider. She looked at her wooden bracelet and saw the little Buddha CHARM on her bracelet. She hadn't used it. She twisted it, and the CHARM enlarged and an inscription appeared, just as if it were a heart charm.

‘And it is,' said EJ to herself, as she strolled among the blossom trees. Everything was perfect, back to how it should be.

Well, nearly everything,
she thought.
There's still Nema.