Добро пожаловать в Саппоро.
It was February 11, 2001. Sapporo, in Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, looked like a snow-covered continent drifting quietly at the edge of the world. To the Grigoriy Clan, it felt like home.
The artistic members of their clan who had relocated there welcomed them in the hidden labyrinth. Moving around unnoticed was easy, since the drop in visitors had left most of the staff on vacation.
Inside the train, everything was warm enough to make passengers drowsy. The conductor’s announcements arrived in calm rhythms, softened by the hum of the rails gliding on the snow beneath the floor.
As the train moved farther north-east, the landscape narrowed. Frozen rivers reflected the pale sky like strips of brushed steel. Small stations suddenly emerged from the snowstorm, revealing a lonely platform where one person waited, snow accumulating on their boots. Then the doors closed, and the station vanished again into white silence.
As dusk drew near, they reached Akabira, the new home of Artist Grigoriy and Crafter Grigoriy. They concealed themselves on the roof of the bus stop until their ride arrived. Despite the harsh weather, a bus arrived exactly on time, and they rode underneath it unseen.
A tired worker arriving home caught sight of the Pacific golden plovers perched atop the bus, but dismissed the sight as a trick of exhaustion after a long shift.
The bus stopped near a beautiful modern castle, as it did every day at the same time, to pick up workers from the business. The Grigoriy Clan signaled for the plovers to meet them at the castle.
They have the entire place to themselves! The artist and crafter introduce everyone to their friends, Hana and Hina, who warmly welcome everyone and offer a tasty meal.
Hana and Hina shared they’d love to visit Hawaii Island someday after overhearing the humans talk about the island’s abundance of fragrant, sweet fruit. Observer Grigoriy later confirmed by presenting a highly detailed map of every known fruit farm across the island.
“He knows what matters,” Commander Grigoriy said with a laugh. “We’re never going to starve.” He vowed to establish a secure base of operations in Hawaii, ready to accommodate the mice whenever they deployed to the islands.
Artist Grigoriy was completely on board with the plan; it had always been his dream to sketch an active Kīlauea. Meanwhile, Crafter Grigoriy couldn’t stop thinking about hala leaves ever since he’d found one in Japan and woven it into a sleeping mat.
After the meal, they toured the six-story modern castle.
The first floor features an elegant souvenir shop and a live doll-making demonstration area.
The second and third floors showcase a doll exhibition, including classic hina dolls.
The fourth floor is home to a traditional Japanese restaurant.
The fifth floor displays replicas of samurai armor and helmets. The first thing that came to Technician Grigoriy’s mind was a samurai-themed version of that iron-suited comic book man.
The sixth floor showcases vintage collectibles, including tobacco memorabilia and stamps, and offers stunning views of the town. Observer Grigoriy swept the landscape with his binoculars.
The hosts led their guests back to the fourth floor, their winter refuge, which remained warm due to the oven's exhaust drifting through overnight. Soon, their dreams would become reality.
Пока, увидимся снова.