13. Suddenly Famous
The next several days were so crazy that Miki couldn't tell her head from her toes. Between visiting her father in the hospital, keeping their home tidy and looking for people who needed a model, she didn't have time to breathe let alone make a phone call. She finally found a moment-and her phone rang before she could dial it.
"Hello?" Miki answered.
A pleasant tenor voice replied, "Good afternoon, Miss Saegusa. I'm Daisuke Himura."
Miki almost dropped the phone. Daisuke Himura was a big-name photographer, most famously known for the photos he caught of Godzilla in the water and on land. Just about every news image of Godzilla ever taken was captured by this man's camera lens.
"Mr. Himura, it's an honor," Miki sat down so her legs wouldn't buckle. Her awe escaped into her voice, "What can I do for you?"
Daisuke's voice had a smile in it, "First off, how gutsy do you think you are?"
Miki's eyebrows raised, "I'm not afraid of blood, guts and scaly things. My father is a fisherman. I used to help him with the dirty work."
"I'm glad to hear that. H. Naoto got a hold of your mermaid ad, and he wants you for an editorial. I have a great idea for the shoot."
H. Naoto? Miki's stomach did a flip-flop. He designed many of the looks on the goth and punk scene. His ads were always out there, and only the best appeared in his clothing advertisements!
"I'm all ears."
"Great!" Daisuke replied. "A few days ago, Godzilla was spotted swimming around about ten miles east of Odo island. Now, I've talked to several kaijuologists-they say he's perfectly safe to be around as long as you don't provoke him, and he's only dangerously radioactive when using his bad breath. Anyhow...are you brave enough to take a boat close to Godzilla and have me take photos with him in the background? That's if he cooperates and doesn't swim off...but we'll have to see."
Miki's heart jumped past her cranium and flopped back into her chest. She couldn't stop smiling. "I'm not afraid of Godzilla at all." She adjusted her grip on her cell phone. "I've always wanted to get my picture taken with him, anyway."
"Ha, ha! Wonderful, that's wonderful! Are you available tomorrow at six-thirty?"
It'd be an early morning...but worth it.
"I'll be there. Where do you want me to meet you?"
"The docks are fine. We're borrowing a boat from the Hideo Saegusa Fishing Company."
"Oh, that's my dad! Okay, that won't be a problem at all."
"Good to hear. I'll see you tomorrow, Miss Saegusa."
"See you then. Bye." Miki shook as she hung up and immediately dialed Godzilla's home phone. He picked up after two rings.
"Hello?"
"Hi!" Miki chirped, smiling.
"Miki!" Godzilla's silky voice immediately brightened. He coughed a little. "How's Hideo?"
"It's not as bad as Wagura thought, but I'll have my hands full helping him around the house. But I've got more news that's really going to tickle you." Her eyes twinkled, "Any chance you can be 'napping' about ten or so miles east of your island? The best spot would be that little shallow where you can stand up and keep your head above water."
"Uhh...why? What's going on?"
"I'm doing an ad for H. Naoto tomorrow, and the photographer wants to do a shoot with you in the picture. It's Daisuke Himura."
"That guy? I've seen him on top of buildings I've passed."
"How would you like to shock his socks off?"
She could practically hear Godzilla grin on the other side.
"I'll be there by six. Always wanted to see you work."
Miki giggled. "It's a date. See you tomorrow."
The rest of the day went by Miki in a blur. She visited Hideo and they ate dinner together in his hospital room. He didn't look pleased when she informed him of the photoshoot, but he didn't make any efforts to stop her from doing it.
Miki returned home and retired to bed early after setting her alarm for four o'clock. She slept fitfully, waking with the alarm. It left her enough time to take a quick morning jog, shower and shave her legs. This shoot was big time, and she didn't want to waste Daisuke's time by showing up looking like a cactus. The sun broke the horizon when Miki left the house.
Daisuke wasn't hard to spot at the docks. Everybody else wore ratty, dirty shirts and Daisuke-tall and thin-wore a clean gray polo shirt and crisp blue jeans over his black loafers. His dark hair was slicked back off his face, showing a streak of gray. He had boyish, pouty lips and very narrow eyes that appeared closed from a distance. His skin didn't reflect his age until he grinned, then the crow's feet appeared.
"Daisuke Himura," Miki said, smiling.
He dipped his head in a slight bow. "Good morning. Ready?"
"Yes."
They climbed onto the boat together with the rest of Daisuke's crew. It was one of the bigger boats that could comfortably hold several men on deck. Below deck became the dressing room. Miki wasn't at all bothered at being hustled down to get ready; nobody knew how long Godzilla would stay put, so she had to be prepared to start posing the second they got into position.
Daisuke's crew dressed Miki in a black vinyl corset style gown that had a diaphanous purple chiffon skirt and matching sleeves-a gothic version of the dress Disney's Snow White wore. Her hair was pulled back into a bun, using hair sticks with dangly crystal charms on the tips. On her feet, she wore vinyl knee-high stiletto boots. The makeup artists sponged on matte foundation slightly paler than her natural skin tone, gave her smoky gray "cat" eyes and painted her lips deep purple. She looked in the mirror and mused at how easily she'd fit into the Harajuku district.
"Okay guys, head's up. I've sighted Godzilla about two miles west!" Daisuke called down the trap door.
The poor makeup artist began to shake in her boots. Miki took the petite woman's hands, smiling, "It's going to be okay. Godzilla won't hurt civilians."
Sparkling ocean greeted Miki when Daisuke helped her climb onto the deck. Ladders weren't easy when mixed with stilettos and delicate tulle. Not far ahead, Godzilla's dorsal spines rose from the water like abstract sculptures. They glistened a little in the orange morning light. Miki could tell Godzilla's head was towards them by observing where the biggest dorsal spine was in relation to the others.
"Okay guys. We have to be quiet from here on out." Daisuke readied his camera. He didn't look scared, yet Miki noticed him licking his lips and checking his equipment over and over, like somebody controlling nervous excitement. "Ready, Miki?"
Miki nodded. She wasn't the least bit afraid.
Daisuke gave his camera one last check. He told her, "Turn up the sex appeal. This is an edgy shoot. I want delicate with spice. You're a rose-but you have thorns."
"Gotcha."
Miki leaned back on the prow railing and took on one of her well known poses-angling her arms and shoulders to look like a broken down doll. She changed it up by turning to the side, putting one spike heeled boot on the railing to show some leg and tilting her head back. Godzilla's dorsal spines were huge behind her.
Suddenly, the water shifted, rocking the boat. Everybody grabbed something to keep their balance. Godzilla lifted his head out of the water, gave it a shake and his white eyes peered down at the people on deck. He came right up beside the prow where Miki still held the railing.
"Damn!" Daisuke hissed. "Miki!"
"It's okay," Miki hissed back. She heard Daisuke scramble up on top of the cabin, and refocused on Godzilla. "Hey there."
Godzilla arched a brow ridge without speaking. Talking was off limits and they both knew it. He offered Miki a subtle nod in approval of her attire, which made her giggle inwardly.
Miki glanced at Daisuke. He was shooting frame after frame. She knew this would be the moment to make this photoshoot even better. Turning to face Godzilla again, she beckoned him closer. His head was the size of a small house, but Daisuke was far enough way that he'd get everything in the shot he needed. Miki reached up and petted Godzilla's snout. She saw his mouth curl into a grin-his snout was ticklish-and she gazed unafraid at fangs longer than she was tall.
"Yeah! Oh, God, Miki!" Daisuke whispered. "Looks like he's smiling at you...keep that going!"
He IS smiling, Miki mused. She popped her left leg up like a woman in a romantic movie, parted her lips as if about to receive a kiss and leaned up so her face was mere inches from Godzilla's huge teeth. Her mind drifted to the photoshoot in his bedroom-and afterward. They'd been more intimate than this, and he'd touched her just like a man.
Were you human once? Miki wondered when Godzilla's snout came even closer. She tilted her head back to expose her throat and his teeth brushed against her. A being of such power and destruction, touching her gently like a feather.
"You are so awesome for this," Miki whispered, knowing Godzilla's acute ears could hear it.
Godzilla responded with a quiet sniff of a laugh. He leaned back to let out his characteristic roar and the sound vibrated every bone in Miki's body. His tail rose, splashed down on the water's surface and he was suddenly gone, his dorsal spines speeding away until they vanished under the sea.
The water calmed. The boat stopped rocking. The air stood absolutely still.
"Holy shit!" Daisuke cried. "Miki, you are crazy! You are crazy! That was incredible! If you were scared...it didn't show at all. Wow!"
"I wasn't scared." Miki turned back to him, grinning from ear to ear. "Why be afraid of somebody you understand?"
Daisuke didn't get her statement. He shook his head, also grinning. "C'mon, let's go back these photos up. I have dozens of great shots."
There were several fantastic pictures. The picture chosen was the one where Godzilla touched Miki's neck with his giant fang-she'd turned slightly towards the camera, and her head was thrown back as if in ecstasy. Daisuke got Godzilla's entire face in the shot, smile and all.
The ad ran a fortnight later-on billboards, in magazines and as website ad banners. One of Daisuke's assistants caught the whole thing on his camera phone, and the video popped up all over the news.
"Now, look at this image," a female reporter said on TV. "You might think this is digitally enhanced. Think again. More on this incredible 'Beauty and the Beast' moment at eleven!"
Miki shut off the television, smirking. If only they knew Godzilla like she did.
Hideo was released from the hospital three days after the ad ran. The next few weeks were spent juggling physical therapists and doctor visits. Between helping her father and managing the house, Miki found herself grabbing the phone several times a day. She had no idea the ad would rocket her into the spotlight. Everybody wanted That Girl Who Posed With Godzilla. She got asked to make TV appearances, called into interviews and even spoke to kaijuologists about her experience.
Her story always remained the same: "Godzilla doesn't go after civilians. I knew that since I was little-but people don't always seem to get that. If you respect him, he respects you. I've wanted to see him up close since I was a kid, and I got my wish. I'd do it again in a second if you asked me to. I wasn't scared. He needs to be understood, not feared."
The interviewer laughed, "Yeah, but he was all over you!"
She'd shrugged and smiled at that. "Not many people know that Godzilla has an intense sense of smell. I guess he liked my shampoo. If I see him again, I'll ask!"
Of course, the interviewer took it as a joke, but Miki let the truth hang in her smile. She just wished this catapult into stardom had better timing. The stress of so much at once left her nauseated and tired much of the day. Here she thought she'd be home with her injured father, yet her life chose this moment to take off and she had to go with it or be left behind.
Hideo understood-and often encouraged her.
"Your mother would be proud," he said. "You ride that spotlight, Miki. Ride it as long as you can. I'll be fine."
.o
Meanwhile, Godzilla dunked his head into the kitchen sink and let the cold water spray over his face. Once again, his fever had spiked. He was glad he'd finished his album-he doubted his voice would survive another song. It hurt to breathe. Earlier in the morning, he saw blood in the sink after a particularly intense coughing fit. Behind him, his laptop screen glowed eerily in competition with the morning light.
Miki hadn't called in almost a month. Godzilla didn't blame her-the photoshoot he showed up for was all over the news. He smiled and his heart flip flopped every time he turned on a news channel and saw her face. In the same instance, during its flip flops, his heart sank a little more each day.
Her dreams were coming true, and they didn't seem to involve him.
Godzilla gave his head a hard shake just as his phone rang. Without looking, he grabbed it and croaked, "Hello?"
"Morning!" Miki chirped.
His day got better instantly. "Miki! You're a star! I just saw you on Oprah yesterday!"
"Aw..." She giggled, and he could tell he made her blush. "You helped, you know. I'm sorry I haven't called more. My dad is in therapy for his arm and I'm in a million places at once."
"Oh, I understand." Godzilla tilted his head back and closed his eyes, muffling a cough.
"Are you still sick?" Miki's voice became worried.
"Heck of a bug." He said. "But that's neither here nor there. Listen, uh...I finished the album."
"You did?"
Her excitement made him smile. "It's all mixed and the cover is done. It'll probably be out in the next two months or so, but..." His smile became a grin, "You'll be the first person in the world to hear the single I'm releasing before the album. No questions, you'll see."
Miki sighed quietly, fake-pouting, "You love teasing me, don't you?"
"Of course. It's hard not to."
They both laughed.
"I really called to say thanks...and I'm sorry for being so busy." Her regret was plainly obvious; he couldn't be angry at her if he tried. She had no idea she was lifting his spirit when she went on, "I didn't want you to think I forgot about you."
"That's sweet of you."
"You're the sweet one." Miki said. "Oops, hold on, another call."
"I'll wait," said Godzilla.
Once her line clicked off, he moved the phone away to cough hard into the sink. He gasped for air in between and dropped himself into a kitchen chair. His gaze turned to the laptop on the table. Getting into government websites took little effort. It was how he stayed ahead of their advancements, but this time he ran into something he knew hadn't been published until recently. His white eyes roved over the laptop screen, and reflected in them was all of the information about Weapon X.
Miki came back, shrieking excitedly, "Oh, my gosh! Godzilla, I'm going to walk for H. Naoto in Japan Fashion Week! Oh, my gosh!"
"Really?" His heart plummeted while hers rose. "Oh, that is AWESOME! I told you you're a star!"
"This is so amazing! It's going to be on TV! I'll be doing runway, Godzilla! I've always wanted to do runway!"
"I'm so happy for you! That's-that's just awesome news, Miki!" Godzilla said. Then he coughed into his hand. He looked down at the blood all over his scaly palm. His fear didn't show in his voice, "I'll definitely be watching. I'd walk with you...heh, heh, but my big, fat ass would break the runway."
"You nut!" Miki laughed and shifted her phone around in her hand. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, Miki." He cleared his throat. "Hey, I have to go. I have calls to make and stuff...talk to you later?"
"Oh! Sure, sure! No problem. I have things to do, too." Miki was smiling. "Bye."
"Buh-bye."
Godzilla hung up the phone and pushed his laptop shut. God, just let me live long enough to see her walk the runway...I won't ask for anything else. Just give me that much.