Sometime later that afternoon…

Jun walked a short way down the corridor before she was marched into another store room by Ken she remember what happened the last time they were together in a store room alone. He was standing close to her again, but she also noted the tense look on his face.

"What do you think you're doing Jun?" He demanded. "This is not just some fashion parade-"

She knew she had to explain this to him quickly because they didn't have a lot of time." I know Ken, but some of the contestants have gone missing…Dr.Nambu said people had gone missing from the Fair...Remember the list of names he sent through as we landed." She searched his face for a moment and he indicated for her to continue, she had his full attention.

"It turns out some were officials for the Paget and entrants. I saw a list of people involved but all it says next to some names is-"Ken was nodding and his hand was still on her arm as he finished her sentence." I know Joe and I found the same information a while ago; they all quit the Paget…according to the organizers. But someone reported them missing to the police. "Ken mused." I wonder who reported it."

"I don't know but I now have 15 minutes to find a dress, do my make-up and hair and be on stage!" Jun declared in a panic as she ran her fingers through her thick locks she looked at him for a second." One more thing, your fashion sense is as bad as my cooking."

Ken smiled. "I know… But I do know where you can get a dress for this stage presentation, the rest you'll have to wing it." He took her hand and led her to a dressing room a few doors down. "I came across this dressing room in my search for a base."

"You are resourceful." And she could have kissed him again as she looked at the dress hanging on the wall. It was close to her size she figured as she went behind the screen to change.

Damn the zip was stuck. When she looked up she noticed she could see Ken in the mirror, Ken was leaning up against the wall looking into the side mirror of the dresser. She smirked as she realized the mirror was positioned in such a way he could see behind the screen.

"Ken." she called out, and she noticed he jumped a little and he blushed.

"Yes Jun" He stood up straighter as if he had been caught out perving on her.

"I need your help doing up the zip…" She could see him fumble a bit as he made his way over to her.

She had her back to him as he fiddled with the zip that was only done up a little bit. She could feel his fingers touch her back as he tried to do it up. Pleasant shivers went up her spine.

"Oh I see what's going on." He muttered as he solved the issue of why the zipper was stuck. She drew in a breath at how tight the dress was when it was finally done up.

"Thanks." She rushed over to the dresser and found a brush and some make-up in a draw and she began to fix up her over all look.

Ken picked up some fishnet stockings that were in a packet sitting on the dresser." I ahhh, think you…ahhrhumm. You may need these. I noticed the other girls wearing them." He shyly handed them to her.

Jun was surprised that he knew what they were, but she took them and the red suspenders she found and she sat down and began to roll the stockings up her leg, she noticed that he tried to look away, but from the corner of his eye he watched her, so she made a deliberate show of her legs and flashed her panties as she was attaching them to the red lacy suspender belt.

"Shoes Ken…I need red shoes to go with this dress…" She instructed in a hurried tone as he began to look around the room quickly.

"These look like the same ones the other girls were wearing…maybe." He handed her the red sequin stilettos and she crammed her feet into them, they were a half a size to small.

"Oh." She moaned as she looked at her hair. "This is so unfair; I have no time to curl it up nicely."

"Your hair looks great Jun…It always looks lovely, red suits you…"She turned and looked at him; he had a shy smile on his face, so he did notice her after all.

"And this outfit…my Fashion Co-ordinator." She teased as she did a turn for him.

It was as short as her Birdstyle, the Miss Christmas dress bright red velvet with white fluff around the top of the bodice and the hemline, and Santa hat completed the outfit.

She wondered if she should do a deliberate panty flash like she did at times when she knew he was watching when she was in Birdstyle.

"You look great…but we have to go." He gave her a nod of approval.

They rushed out the door and she made it just in time for the introductions…

Miss Iceland had just been introduced and Jun realized they also asked a series of questions by the host as they stood with him at the front of the stage.

"And what is you talent?" He asked the blond beauty as she smiled gracefully at the crowd." Why I'm a singer, I love to entertain crowds…" And a cheer went up as she smiled at the audience again. Jun observed that she made a special effort to smile at the judges, and then the penny dropped as she looked at the panel from behind the curtain.

She looked at Ken." Joe's one of the judges!" She was now very nervous.

"Yeah, I didn't get time to tell you, but he stumbled into that job as well…"Ken gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "You'll do fine, now I need to go and find out the rest of the Paget's program…stay close to the other contestants and see what you can find out."

"Roger…" She looked into his eyes for a moment and then he was gone. Miss Iceland was just answering a question.

"Miss Iceland, you have the chance to date any man in the world. Who would your ideal date be with and why?" The host gave the crowd a cheesy grin as he delivered the question to her.

She looked lost in thought for a moment." The Condor." And she grinned at the judges. "I'd love to spend and evening with him. He's so strong and mysterious…I bet those feathers of his could be put to better use. He's my hero. Why I could just hug him…to death….oh and to see his real identity just once." Miss Iceland shuddered excitedly as she talked about the Condor.

Jun had always wondered about his reputation, she was a bit shy herself when it came to men, but the yesterday in the storeroom with Ken…her shyness just vanished. She wanted to explore this more with him, now she just had to get the right moment again.

"Miss Iceland, what do you want most for Christmas…" The host asked her as he tilted the microphone over to her.

"Well I love birds." She cooed." All I want for Christmas if five cute little coloured birds, one blue, one brown with blue wings, one pink and white, one Yellow and a green exotic bird…all in canary cage." Miss Iceland looked straight at Joe and gave him a 200 Watt smile.

What a flirt! Jun thought as she stole a look at the Condor who was in his element. Miss Iceland was working the crowd well.

"Miss Iceland…but why five coloured birds?" The host asked still with his fake smile.

"Why I just think one would be lonely, and well five is my lucky number. Oh and I like to be environmentally friendly. I'm passionate about it." She tilted a hip towards the man as she flirted with him, Jun was disgusted.

"And is that all Miss Iceland…" He asked with a fake smile on his lips as he looked at her. "Why world domination…of course." Then she giggled and put her hand over her mouth as if it was the funniest thing in the world to say, and her short skirt flicked up as she moved, almost exposing her panties." I just joking of course…World peace on Christmas day."

Jun rolled her eyes; she could do a panty flick much better than that.

Oh pah leeeeazzze! Gimme a break, what an airhead, Jun thought.

She hoped Joe wasn't falling for it, surly he didn't go for bimbos like her. She wonder why it would matter her anyway if he did, she guessed she was being a protective friend.

"Well thank you Miss Iceland, I hope we got know you better over the next few days."

"I do too Barry…"The she waved at her public and walked over to stand with the other contestants.

"Next I'd like to introduce you to our last Contestant…" He put out a dramatic hand as the music started and Jun stepped out onto the catwalk to strut her stuff as she made her way to where the host was standing.

She gave her best 100 watt smile to the judges, and she loved the expression on Joes face as he realized she was Miss Utoland. She wondered if she was going to burst out of this skin tight velvet dress any minute as she did her best to look like she should be in the Paget.

Joe sat back in his chair, and artfully hid his smile; he did give a good up and down look and a nod of approval though.

That boosted Jun's confidence.

She was finally standing beside the balding host when she spotted Ryu and Jinpei looking at her with the jaws to the ground, they were still dressed as Santa and his little Elf.

It looked like the host was about to ask her the same questions.

"Well Miss Utoland, please tell us about yourself. What are your career aspirations?" Barry asked with that fake happy voice.

"Well." Jun began." She could see Joe from the corner of her eye leaning forward pulling thoughtfully at his chin as if he had a beard.

"Well, I'm aspiring to build a chain of restaurants world wide." Jun grinned at him and turned to smile at the crowd.

"That must mean you are a brilliant cook!" He declared. She say Jinpei nudge Ryu and laugh at that statement.

"Oh I've been known to burn a few things from time to time…but it's all the effort to improve on my skills." Jun was trying her best here; she didn't want to be out of the Paget before they found out why people were missing from the fair.

"You're so modest Miss Utoland; please tell us what you will be doing for the talent quest?" He tilted the microphone to her lips.

"My other passion is singing and playing the acoustic guitar, so that will my act for the talent quest."Jun wondered when the talent quest was going to be, since she didn't have her guitar with her or clothes for this, talk about being unprepared!

"Well we look forward to it, so Miss Utoland

"If there was one wish you could have for this Christmas what would it be?" He asked.

There was one, but she wondered if it would come true this time. Jun looked at the crowd of people.

"To be able to celebrate this Christmas with my family, and for them to have joy in their hearts despite any hurt they have had throughout the year…and for my little brother to have Santa bring him a special present." She felt a genuine smile come to her lips as she looked out a Ryu and Jinpei, and Joe looked down at his sheet pretending he didn't hear, but Jun knew he did…and when she looked over at the stage curtains she saw Ken's tear filled eyes and sad face, his eyes went an ice blue when he was emotional, he looked away too, and he went back behind the curtain.

The truth was they never celebrated much at all as a family, Ryu always went home for Christmas, and Joe would often be racing in other countries if he got the chance. Ken would come by for a while, and even give her and Jinpei a gift.

But she was the only one who put in a real effort and it was all for Jinpei, she tried hard to give him some of a childhood. Santa was at least something, together they would leave carrots out the front of the Snack J for the reindeers, biscuits and beer on the counter for Santa.(When he went to bed she would make it look like Santa drank the beer, ate the food etc. He would get excited about it the next morning.) Jinpei would put up the Christmas tree on the 1st of December, and decorated the Snack J. Christmas was always just the two of them, except for last year when Ken stay for dinner…

Jun would put a present under the tree from her when Jinpei was in bed asleep, and then she would sneak into his room and put a special present at the end of his bed from Santa in a special stocking he kept there. The next day they had a special lunch together.

For once she wanted them all to come together like a real family.

She was drawn out of her memories by the next question.

"Miss Utoland… Miss Iceland, you have the chance to date any man in the world. Who would your ideal date be with and why?" She knew the answer and he hesitated for a moment before she gave it.

"Gatchaman…and not because he is famous, or a hero. I bet that inside him he wants more out of life than just to fight bullies like Galactor…"She thought for a moment, why was Ken so driven to end this war." I bet he wants a family…but he will fight anyway and just so we can all live in peace. I want to be with a man who will stand up to bullies, and stay by his beliefs. I just hope he leaves room in his life for love…" Jun stopped, she hoped she hadn't gone too far, it just spilled out of her all the things she loved about him.

She also realized that she had become good at keeping her feeling to herself as well, so maybe Ken wasn't the only one who had changed over the past year.

"You speak with such passion Miss Utoland." Barry had lost some of the fake manner he had.

To cover herself Jun radiated a smile around the room and wave." I want world peace too of course Barry." She delivered her final statement in as cheery voice as she could muster, as she waved and joined the other women. They did a final turn of the stage and then they went behind the curtain.

Ken pulled her aside as soon as she came off the stage.

"You were great out there." He told her softly, he looked a little thrown off balance." I…Ahh…I have the itinerary for the next couple of days…" She could tell he was struggling with his emotions as he spoke, but she didn't interrupt him. She could tell that something she said had an effect on him.

"You're gonna need a lot of clothes…I don't know where to start, I never need to buy anything but clean undies…what do I know about women's fashion!" He was getting a bit panicked now.

Jun looked over her shoulder, "It looks like they are doing something now, a meeting I think with the candidates…Ken you need to go out and buy me a dress for tomorrow night for a start. I'm a size 6…10B bra of that helps. I need a swimsuit…"She was in a real hurry to catch up with the rest of them now." Oh you'll figure it out." She told him, as she went to leave." Ken you're in Paris it's one of the fashion capitals of the world! Charge it to the ISO if you have too…" Then she turned and ran off after the other candidates leaving him there with the list of what she needed wardrobe wise to be in the Paget. He stood there staring after with a helpless look on his face, she wondered what he would come up with.