Little Chikaru wandered curiously through a sea of expensively clad legs. For a while she was fascinated by the adults that twirled elegantly on a humungous gazebo that served as the dance floor for the wedding reception of one of her older cousins. Then, she had stared in awe of a towering masterpiece of white confection that had a tiny ceramic couple perched atop. After stealing away a few sweets in her pocket from a table laden with pastries, she continued to explore the sprawling garden strewn with paper lanterns, and gaily decorated with ribbons and clusters of white roses. Adults in their finery were everywhere. Western formal was the norm as her cousin had married a foreigner of some repute who had pioneered something in an obscure field of medicine that would bolster the Minamoto Pharmaceutical Division of the Minamotos' vast conglomerate.
This celebration was also, in a way, serving as a business function hosted by the Minamoto clan for their partners and prospects. Happily the union, though not entirely spontaneous nor romantic, was a genial one, between two people who were comfortable with each other, in their place in society, and their intellectual compatibility. All in all the Minamoto clan was ecstatic that their eldest bachelorette had finally settled down when they had begun to despair that she might become a spinster.
There weren't a lot of children present, and most of Chikaru's other cousins were teenagers who held no interest in babysitting their mischievous little cousin when they could engage in whatever tomfoolery that teenagers got into. So Chikaru was pretty much left alone to explore to her heart's content despite the occasional pat and coo that she received from elderly relatives. Having just escaped an uncle who thought peek-a-boo was still appropriate entertainment for her age, Chikaru turned and caught sight of a porcelain doll dressed in a tiny lacy dress with flounces.
It was sitting primly on one of the seats around a table occupied by the groom's party. It was dressed in immaculate stockings, adorably tiny white shoes, pearly gloves, and white ribbons to hold up platinum blond curls framing a cherubic face tinged with pink.
Then it yawned. Chikaru gasped in surprise at it's tiny crinkled nose and the little "o" that it's mouth formed before it snapped shut. Entranced by the perfect little girl, she slowly approached. As Chikaru came nearer, pretty cornflower blue eyes turned to her and watched owlishly.
"Are you alive?" was the first thing Chikaru said when she had sidled up to the doll-like girl.
The little blond girl tilted its head slightly, not at all understanding what Chikaru had said. A young woman in a nanny uniform, who was watching over her little ward's bewilderment, kindly leaned in to Chikaru and explained in perfect Nihongo that the young miss could not understand the query as her family just moved in from Germany. Fascinated, Chikaru grinned at the doll-like girl and offered her sweets from her pocket. A love for sugar, after all, is the greatest common denominator of every kid in the world.
Chikaru's diplomatic talents manifested early.
The blue eyed girl smiled sweetly at Chikaru, as she took the proffered marzipan ball and unceremoniously gobbled it whole.
Chikaru was smitten and began chattering away to her uncomprehending new friend.