Future Warnings from Midnight

Chapter Six: Mary, the Children, and Mister Manchester

Off they traveled to the hotel that their father had been staying at. Mika had made a point to protest the direction of a hospital from Mary. The child insisted she be returned to their father as she was caught up in tears. Yuki had agreed with his sister that he would see no other person, but their father. Mary had been pressed by the tears of the children to deliver them to their legal guardian. As they walked, Mika whimpered over the soreness of her feet. Mary had to give the little girl a piggyback ride to the hotel. The detective planned to call from the hotel to the situation to make a status report about the circus and the children. Any further action now would have to be conducted by Magic Constabularies Squad. Mary was just part of the normal affairs of Kaito Police Department. 

On walking they went, it was not a terribly far walk back to the Starry Way Hotel. Mary ran over her plans of getting together her report for the Police Department. She walked inside of the fancy hotel and the well made up doorman, Yuki stopped outside the door. Mary turned to the boy and he narrowed his eyes as he looked back in the way of the circus. Yuki looked back at the detective and his sister. He sluggishly walked as if he was dragging a heavy weight behind him. Mary studied the boy and knew something was gravely amiss. Right away the hotel manager recognized the children and dialed at the desk. Mary heard him calling their father. The detective walked the children to the elevator and she asked the elevator operator for the top floor.
The elevator operator was an elderly woman wearing a blue uniform. She stopped to stop the two twins the detective. She shook her head at the children's presence and prepared to press the button for the top floor. Just as the door for the elevator started to close the detective spotted a crowd of royal guards entering the lobby. The elevator operator sighed, "That would be the royals from a foreign country, and they have been causing a lot of grief around here. I heard from the manager that the princess runaway. It would seem that she was not the only naught children at our fine establishment."
The doors closed as Yuki sighed. He looked up at the elevator operator, "You know ... He sent me to do something."
"Your father may indirectly own the Starry Way Hotel and he may be very powerful. But he does not give you a right to run about."
"Hmph."
Mika quietly said, "We are sorry, if we caused any trouble since we left."
"Don't apologize to me! You best apologize to your nanny and your father. They have been worried sick about you. Just look at you. What trouble did you get you and your sister in?" The elevator operator sighed.
Yuki sulked in the corner of the elevator as the doors opened to the top floor. However, this time it was not the entry to the suite Mary had seen before. It was the inside of a junk shop. Mary blinked in disbelieve as they walked off the elevator. The junk shop had many different crates, shelves, drawers, and tables filled with stuff. It was a mish mash of goods. Mary could see lamps, toys, old fans, check boards, vacuum cleaners, radios, cook ware, fake fruit, outdated books, glass wares, and odds bits of metal. The ceiling was not spared from being taken over there were all sorts of wind chimes, baskets, and dangling bits. The junk shop was in complete disarray of items and there was little room to walk. The lights in the place flicked on as the elevator door closed behind them.
Mary turned around in surprise. She had read about some of the oddities of the magic realm. Her introduction book to Magic Constabularies Squad History had made mention of hidden places in the city. Doorways and interlinking places in time and space which could lead to other areas. It was legal with the right permits, but not everyday citizens were supposed to have access to this level of magic. Mary assumed now the millionaire's wealth could a lot him this type of permit and access. She wished she had studied more on the magic aspect of her courses. But the detective had decided to focus more on modern approaches to crime solving. Mary stiffened up as she faced forward and allowed Mika to walk. The girl twin ran forward into the shop as she cried, "We are back! We are back!"
Mary gazed over the boy twin who kept his head down. From the back of the shop, Mary spotted the woman she had meet as the children's nanny. The old woman had a purple dress with large white flowers embodied on it. Her long gray hair was combed back in a ponytail. In her shaking hands the old woman carried a tray of tea and snacks. Her glasses slid down her nose somewhat as she spotted the two children. The nanny gave a very warm smile with her pearl white teeth and her weathered face. She put aside the tray and hugged Mika, "Sweet children, do not run off again!"
"I am so happy to be back, Nan," The old woman pat the girl's head.
"Ah, Detective Oakland, thank you for bringing back both children!" Nan looked over the two twins, "But look at you! You are a mess. Come along we must take care of you at once."
"Excuse me," Mary began, "I would hatred to interrupt right now. But I would like to speak Mister Fujita about the situation of his children's kidnapping and the... " Mary motioned to the junk shop, "Current choice of surroundings as this does not look like the House of Dragon estate or suite."
"Oh yes, Detective Oakland, I will be happy to call upon him. Mister Manchester was dealing business. Er... Magic sorts of enchantments and such," Nan grinned as she went to pick her tray again.
"Mister Manchester? Do you mean Mister Fujita? Or is Mister Manchester the owner of this place?" Mary raised an eyebrow.
"... Please follow me to the study. I do believe he would answer you better," Nan sighed, "Now, children, please go and neaten yourselves before you see your father."
"Yes, Nan," Mika scurried off down the aisles of the junk shop. Yuki followed after his sister in a slow pace. Nan turned toward Mary and gestured for her to follow her down the aisles to another doorway. The nanny stopped at the door and gave a series of loud knocks. She then rotated the doorknob and walked in. The room was more orderly than the junk shop. There were shelves and shelves of ancient looking books. There stood a large clock with a pendulum swing back and forth. On its face was an image of the different planets and stars. Mary scanned about the hard to see in room. The window showed outside as the dead of night. Mary puzzled on the appearance of night as it was still morning when she entered the Starry Way Hotel. Mary looked up at the high ceiling as saw what looked like the night sky above. Yet it was clear there was ceiling. The floor boards creaked as Nan and Mary entered.
Nan called out to a dim room, "Mister Manchester, your guest has arrived. Detective Oakland has gotten the children back!"
A single lamp burned far off in the back in the room. There did not sit two figures. Only one and it was clearly not the small and cheery man known as Andrew Fujita. There was a tall man of seven feet in height. He wore a black coat and a well-worn fedora. The part of his face Mary could make out was horribly scarred. His yellow cat like eyes peered back at the detective and his voice was flat, "Thank you, Nan. Please go see to the children and make sure they are well."
"Yes, Mister Manchester," Nan came to the desk and dropped off her tray. She pointed her finger at him, "Be sure to eat and not sit in here too long. It is not healthy for a young man like you to be coped up in here."
"Of course, Nan... Now to the children, please. I am sure I have much to speak to about to Detective Oakland," Mister Manchester stood up as Nan left the room.
Mary moved closer and held out her hand to the tall man. He blinked and in the dark room his eyes smiled. He took her hand and shook it. Mister Manchester offer Mary a chair and sat back down in his. Mary walked over to her own in the strange room. She looked over at the desk and saw a feather pen, a notebook, and a crystal ball resting on a green pillow. In the light of the lonely lamp, Mary saw more of the stranger's features. His face seemed like he suffered from horrific burns once his life. He still had jet black hair poking out from his fedora. He crossed his long legs and picked up a smoking pipe. Mister Manchester stopped, "Do you mind if I smoke?"
"No..." Mary watched his habits. He fidgeted about with his foot in the air like Andrew Fujita. He even had a similar pipe. The detective came to a simple conclusion, "I have meet you before, correct Mister Fujita?"
"Yes, detective, we have. And please not think I fibbed about my name. I am also known as Andrew Fujita when I have business to conduct outside of my shop. Here I am Ard Manchester," He said, "It is a pleasure to have your company."
"Mister Manchester... If you are a magic practitioner, I will have to surrender my case to Magic Constabularies Squad as it is beyond me," Mary took out her notepad and went over the events so far. It was truly over her head. The Commissioner would be laughing his head off at her rookie's mistakes. She reviewed the room once again and saw models and images of Kaito city and various museums. She understood Andrew Fujita was famous from his role with establishing museums and research to the ancient occult. The House of Dragon was well respected for their charity work with orphanages and preserving historic texts and libraries. However, her case with the children had presented itself without the complexity of the now.
"You understand, I am not permitted to carry on any further activities and I will need to report back to the department," Mary continued after some thought and started to jot down notes.
"Yes, I understand. I am grateful to have back my children," The man said without emotion.
"I do not understand why I am currently in a junk shop or why you have a different name here," Mary shook her head.
"Miss Detective, I know I can ask my children for the details of what happened to them and why. But I think I should like to answer your questions and hire you for a further case after I hear everything you saw," Mister Manchester's eyes lit up with interest.
"I will tell you what I know, but I cannot investigate any further. I am tell you I am not permitted."
"... I see... Please do enlighten me about the situation."
Mary explained to him as best she could. She even brought up the details with Sweet Pea and the photo. The man was quiet for a time. He put his hand together and leaned forward to Mary. She saw not the full details of the scars as the darkness hid his face. But his eyes burned with ideas as he remained silent. His voice was now smooth and soft, "You have come to the right of knowing me as both Andrew Fujita and Ard Manchester, because Mary I need a favor from you. I need you on my case and I can only hire you-"
"But the Magic Constabularies Squad can whatever it is you want looked into."
"You do not understand, Detective Oakland. This involves your man, Thursday, and it has gotten messy as it has gotten my children in this mess. Detective Oakland, I do not know yet the scale of which my sweet twins have mucked with Sweet Pea. But I do know they got poor Thursday in it," Mister Manchester sighed. He turned to the side and brought out a cage covered with a cloth. He removed the cloth and revealed a raven fluttering it wings. The raven was mysteriously mute and made not a single peep. Mary looked at the raven a felt a tiny hint of familiarity. The man went on, "He ended up like this... I managed to get him back from Sweet Pea at a high price. That fairy queen and I are not quiet even yet. We have stopped fighting for now. But I need your help Mary as something important of mine is missing, Sweet Pea's as well, and you have this to take care of."
"Pardon me, but you want me to believe that raven is Thursday? And you are in a conflict with a fairy queen?"
"You may take this raven to the Magic Constabularies Squad. You may talk to them about the whole case. They will prove for a fact this is your Thursday enchanted as a raven and they can help confirm me as what I say."
Mary bit on her lip. She hand stopped from taking notes, "What is your role in this?"
"I am the one and only wish weaver in the world. Yes, I do have the legal permits from the High Kaito League of Magic before you ask," Mister Manchester puffed on his pipe, "I am not always easily found by just anyone. My job as Mister Manchester is to assist people in gaining their hearts desire. I usually deal in trades. I do act as Andrew Fujita during times of slow business. I do not have a steady business as a wish weaver. Being Andrew Fujita gives me something to do."
"And the children? I heard them and Sweet Pea talk about them owe her something and their master, the Scarred Man."
"If you are asking, am I there father? I am their adopted father. They know of my magic dealings, it is better to keep children informed about important details. They tend to be very interested in everything around them," Manchester shrugged, "It is a clear by my appearance I am the Scarred Man, Detective Oakland. As for being their master, I still think of Yuki and Mika as my children."
Mary moved closer to the cage. The man watched her closely as she retreated back to her seat. She returned to her notepad and got up from her chair. She politely said, "If what you are saying is true. I would like to call the Magic Constabularies Squad now. May I use your phone?"
"Yes, please do," He picked up a phone hidden on the desk. Getting up to his towering height, Mister Manchester walked over to his bookshelves. He kept his pipe and his mouth as he took down another book. He nodded his head to Mary, "I will be off to check on Mika and Yuki. Pardon me."
Mary watched him leave as she dialed for the station. The phone rang and rang. At last, someone answered. It was Shannon the genius kid witch. She coughed, "Hello, you have reached the Magic Constabularies Squad line. This is Shannon. How can I assist you?"
"Hey Shannon, this Detective Mary Oakland. I need to report the Commissioner."