Quistis never wanted to see a picnic basket again.
Selphie's request had seemed oddly innocuous, at least for her – four flavors of cupcakes, fifty cupcakes each, each flavor decorated with a different fondant topper – until it came time to make the decorations. Emmy and Zell were a tremendous help in that regard. Emmy churned out diminutive pairs of sunglasses and tiny palm trees at an astonishing pace, and Zell assembled the prettiest bouquets of miniature flowers Dollet had seen. Quistis took it upon herself to make the picnic basket decorations for the peach cupcakes, but by the time she had completed the first dozen, she realized that had been a mistake. And she had only herself to blame.
She'd made the design far too detailed, from the weave of the basket to the tiny food that went inside. She knew that, outside of Selphie, most people wouldn't spare the decoration a second glance, but she hoped to impress the people who did. She considered changing the design and scrapping the first baskets, but she couldn't bear the thought that the hours spent on those would have been in vain. She had always been stubborn – though, until recently, those who remarked on it couched in more positive terms, like "tenacious," or "driven"—and she was determined to finish what she'd begun, no matter the cost to her dexterity, or sanity.
With two weeks remaining until the party, Quistis worked long hours at Qake, staying well beyond closing, and often leaving after nightfall. She completed the final basket during a late-morning lull, then pulled off her gloves with a heavy sigh.
"Wow, you did it!" Zell said, abandoning his post at the register to investigate the sheet tray lined with baskets.
"You sound surprised." Quistis rose and walked to the sink to wash her hands.
"I am, a little. There's just so much to each basket, I definitely thought you'd go crazy making something like this over and over and over." He frowned. "And then you refused help. Me and Emmy would've been happy to work on some of these. Why didn't you let us?"
"Because the baskets were my job, as we agreed at the start of this project. Both of you did your respective jobs very well. It wouldn't be fair for me not to do the same."
"Yeah, but these baskets were insane! I wouldn't have thought you were being unfair, and I don't think Emmy would've, either. You know, it's okay to admit when you're in over your head."
"Excuse me?"
Zell looked at the floor and rubbed the back of his head. "Ah, I mean … sometimes, you overestimate what you can do. We all do that. Heck, I was known for doing that back in Balamb! I got into so many stupid scrapes when I was a kid … But there's nothing wrong with owning up to it. The way I see it, you can swallow your pride every now and then, or you can drown in it."
"Or, you can learn to swim." Quistis leaned against the sink and crossed her arms. "I appreciate your concern, Zell, and I know both you and Emmy are always willing to help when I need it, but I try very hard not to ask for more than what I need." She smiled and straightened. "At any rate, the picnic basket nightmare is behind us. Let's get these decorations somewhere they can properly dry, and focus on running the shop, until it's time to fill Selphie's massive order!"
•o•o•o•o•o•o•
"Welcome back, Qake crew!" Selphie met the van as Zell pulled into the porte-cochère, and craned her neck to get a view of its contents. She was dressed more casually than the last time, in a polka-dot sundress and sandals, her characteristic flip pulled into a ponytail. "I've got this neato display stand ready in the great room," she went on. "The company I bought it from said it can hold up to two hundred and fifty cupcakes, so there should be plenty of space! And I've got some extra decorations to fill in any empty spots."
She waited for Quistis and the others to unload the first batch of cupcakes, then led the way inside, humming to herself.
"Neato, indeed," Quistis murmured, upon seeing the display stand. For once, Selphie's superlatives had failed to adequately describe the object at hand. Quistis doubted any words could. The display stand was a massive, seven-tiered tower that stood taller than Quistis. Each tier had a border of yellow rope lights, which cut inward to snake around the central support, before culminating in a large circle at the top. Small clusters of fiber optic lights protruded from along the circumference of the circle, cycling through shades of yellow and orange, apparently meant to represent the rays of the sun. Meanwhile, a thin garland of artificial ivy was hung in festoons around each tier, and small bunches of flowers, also artificial, were tucked into the lights at even intervals. The whole thing stood on a massive, checkered picnic blanket.
"Yeah, it came Wednesday, and I've been decorating it ever since." Selphie stepped back to survey her work proudly. "And don't worry, I gave it a good wipe-down just this morning, so it's ready to do its thing!"
Quistis, Zell, and Emmy arranged the cupcakes on the stand, with occasional input from Selphie. When they were finished, Selphie inspected the fondant decorations and smiled.
"This is exactly what I imagined," she said. "They're all so cute, and does the picnic basket actually have tiny food inside? Quisty! That is such a cool touch! Everyone's gonna love these. They all just scream, 'summer!'"
"I'm very glad you're happy with how they turned out," Quistis said, rearranging several cupcakes to fill in an empty space. "I hope your party goes well tonight."
"What? You're not staying?"
"One of the advantages of cupcakes is that they are self-service items. You don't need us to stick around this time."
"But I want you to stick around. All of you! What kind of party is it if your friends don't show up? Come on, let's go to the courtyard. The band I hired for tonight should be here any minute to run through their soundcheck, and the catering team is setting up. There'll be so much food! Hamburgers, hot dogs, steaks, salads, chips – you name it, Selphie's got it!"
Zell perked up at the mention of hot dogs. He looked from Selphie to Quistis several times, panic creeping into his features at the very real possibility of missing out on a serving of his favorite food. Once they reached the courtyard and the smell of warming charcoal wafted toward them, Emmy joined him, adding a longing gaze at the catering team to her silent appeal.
Selphie snickered. "It looks like you're outnumbered, Quisty. You can't let your employees down."
"I suppose not, though I don't want a repeat of last time." Quistis motioned to Zell to hand over the keys to the van. "I'm going back to Qake to clean up, and I'll be back here before the party really gets going. This way, we can all enjoy our evening, without work hanging over our heads."
At the bakery, Quistis wiped down the counters and work surfaces, and swept and mopped the kitchen. As she moved to the front of the store to do the same, she noticed a black car pulling away from the curb, and a piece of paper wedged into the door frame. She unlocked the door to retrieve it, and unfolded it to find a note.
Closing early? That's never a good sign. And I was going to let Raijin buy a cupcake this time, too!
Two months, Ms. Trepe.
– Almasy
Quistis crumpled the note in her hand, grinding the paper against her palm. Soon, however, her fury gave way to laughter as she realized the absurdity of the situation. Seifer truly felt threatened by her little shop, so much so that he had made a special trip into Dollet to check on its status. She'd never have guessed he was serious about the three-month timetable, but he apparently had so little else to think about that he was adhering strictly to it. Quistis ultimately took it as a compliment that she and her business frightened him so, and tossed the remains of the note in the trash. She turned on the radio behind the counter, and finished cleaning the shop to upbeat music, quietly singing along.
This was one time Seifer Almasy would not get his way.
•o•o•o•o•o•o•
The following Saturday, Quistis delivered an order of camping-themed cupcakes to Rinoa's bookstore for a special event. Rinoa, wearing a scout leader's hat, greeted Quistis and led her to the back area of the bookstore. Designed for workshops and readings by authors Rinoa could never seem to attract, the space had been transformed for the day into an indoor campsite. Potted plants lined the walls, jutting inward at unexpected angles; evergreen boughs made of wooden dowels and dark green pipe cleaners hung from the ceiling; a three-dimensional plastic campfire stood in the middle of the room, a hidden fan inside tossing around the thin "flames"; and a recording of crickets and frogs looped in the background, punctuated now and then by the howls of distant predators.
"I want the experience to be as authentic as possible," Rinoa explained, helping Quistis arrange the cupcakes on the tabletop stand. "Selphie suggested I bring in a few insects – in cages, of course – but that's where I drew the line."
"And not at the sound of carnivorous creatures in search of their next meal?" Quistis asked with a grin.
"Children need to understand that the wilderness can be dangerous. Where else do you think spooky campfire stories come from? It can also be beautiful, though. Watch this." Rinoa dimmed the lights in the room, and tiny stars began to glow on the ceiling.
"Very pretty. You have created quite the atmosphere back here."
"Well, business has been kind of slow, so I've had a lot of time to work on this."
Quistis frowned. "Will the store be okay?"
"We'll be fine. We're still bringing in enough to cover the cost of operation, and Watts' wages. I've had to cut back Rosalie's hours, but with fall comes school, and with school comes book reports, so I'm looking forward to increasing them again, soon." She arranged a stack of thin paperbacks next to the cupcakes. "I'm also looking forward to selling a few of these today: The Hasberry Howler and Other Creepy Tales. Kids eat up scary legends and tall tales like candy. Or cupcakes. And, it's illustrated!"
Misshapen figures and terrified townsfolk appeared every few pages as Quistis flipped through the book, but nothing was as frightening as hearing that her friend's business was struggling, as well. "Did I mention that I got another visit from Seifer?" she said.
"No. When was this?"
"Last Saturday. I came back to clean the shop before heading to Selphie's party for the night, and I saw his car driving away. He left a note in the door, saying that closing early was not a good sign for my business."
"Hah! If he only knew why you closed early that day, he'd have blown steam out of his ears!"
"He also mentioned his timetable. He said three months, and he meant it." Quistis chuckled dryly. "It's so ridiculous, I couldn't help but laugh. Though I can't deny that knowing he's watching Qake makes me uncomfortable. I realize that's his intention, and I shouldn't let it get to me, but I find I've been working harder to make sure the shop, and my employees, look happy and successful at all times. It's tiring."
"And that's exactly what he wants. He's trying to wear you down, and you're right when you say you shouldn't let it get to you." Rinoa tapped a finger against her lips, thinking. "You need a little pick-me-up. Tell you what, why don't you bring down any leftover cupcakes after you close, and I'll see if I can get any of these kids' parents to spring for some. And bring some business cards and brochures, too! Many locals simply have never gotten around to our shops, and offering them a taste is a good way to snag a few new customers."
"That's a good idea. I will. Thank you, Rinoa."
"It's nothing. Besides, you'll be here just in time for our grand finale – Selphie's dramatic telling of a campfire story of her own!"
"I'm intrigued. I'll see you then."
At three-thirty, with Qake cleaned and locked up until Monday, Quistis carried a tray of assorted cupcakes halfway down the block to Sant'Angelo Books. Angelo greeted her as soon as she stepped through the door, tail wagging, and retired to her bed beside the counter when she realized Quistis had no free arms with which to pet her. Watts offered a greeting of his own, and directed her to the workshop, from which giggles and the occasional shriek could be heard.
"And Bunny was mad 'cause Kitty ate all her cookies, so Bunny was gonna scare Kitty," a little girl said, her brow furrowed in concentration as she rattled off her own "scary" story. "So Bunny hided in Kitty's closet, and Bunny put a blanky over herself so she would look like a ghost, and then Bunny waited. Kitty opened the closet and Bunny jumpeded out and Bunny said 'Boo!' Kitty fainted and Bunny was sad. But then Kitty waked up again and said 'Sorry, Bunny. I won't eat no more cookies, 'less I share with you.' And they were happy. The end."
She sat back and smiled, satisfied with her effort.
"Thank you, Mirla," Rinoa said. "I like happy endings. See? Scary stories can have happy endings, too, as long as they're spooky along the way."
"Pssh, that wasn't scary," a boy on the other side of the room said. "It was what, two fluffy animals fighting over cookies."
"Different things are scary to different people, Galdan. I know I'm scared of having a fight with my friends, even if they don't dress up like ghosts. I'll bet you're scared of something you don't want to admit."
"Nuh-uh. I'm not scared of nothin'!"
"We're all scared of something, and that's okay. Now, who wants a cupcake? Everybody grab one – just one! – and then sit on this side of the story circle. Our guest will be arriving soon!"
As the children scrambled to the table, Rinoa walked over to Quistis and took the tray from her.
"You work really well with children," Quistis said. "I wouldn't have had any idea how to handle that situation."
Rinoa shrugged. "Children are just tiny people. You treat them the way you would anyone else."
"I'm not so sure. They seem far more unpredictable."
"You say that, even knowing Selphie?"
"Good point. Where is she, anyway?"
"She's in the stockroom, rehearsing. She's taking her appearance here very seriously." Rinoa turned back to the children, wrangling them into more or less one area, then glanced back at Quistis. "Stick around. This should be interesting."
A soft whine behind Quistis alerted her to Angelo's presence. She reached down and scratched behind Angelo's ears, then gave her a firm pat. Angelo sat down, as if even she wanted to see Selphie's performance.
"Psst!" A whisper cut through the chatter, and Selphie stuck her head through the doorway, making a slashing motion across her throat. "Cut the lights! Quisty, tell Rinnie to cut the lights!" Quistis relayed the message to Rinoa, and the workshop grew dim, lit only by the stars on the ceiling.
Suddenly, ominous music began to play, and a shriek startled everyone in the room. Angelo barked, and several children dropped their cupcakes, only to pick them up and continue eating. Another shriek, and this time, Selphie stumbled into the room, looking over her shoulder and shining a flashlight behind her. When the children recognized her, they began cheering and clapping. Selphie started and spun around, as if she hadn't noticed them there before.
"Oh, thank goodness you're all here!" she said, sitting in a chair across from them. "Something was chasing me through the woods, but with all of you and this nice warm campfire, that nasty monster knows he can't mess with me anymore. Hi, I'm Selphie Tilmitt, and I've got loads and loads of stories to tell, from the frozen ground of Trabia to the Hasberry Plains on a full-moon night. Who wants to hear a story?"
Another round of cheers and applause.
"All right, now hold onto your cupcakes, 'cause this is gonna be a wild ride." Selphie took a deep breath, then continued in a low, sinister voice. "It was a dark and stormy night, and the moon was filled with blood …"
Even in the darkness, Quistis could see Rinoa grow pale. Rinoa cleared her throat. "Um, Selphie? Maybe tone it down a bit?"
Selphie frowned. "Oh, all right," she said in her normal voice. "Everybody, forget about that story, okay? My boss wants me to tell you a different one. Hmm, let me think …"
"No!" shouted a little girl in the crowd. "We wanna hear the scary story!"
"Yeah," cried a boy, "we want the one about the blood moon!"
"Uh-huh, spooky story!"
"Blood moon! Blood moon!" the children began to chant in unison. Selphie cast a panicked look at Rinoa, then laughed weakly.
"Heh, well you see," she began, "it's really not all that bloody. In fact, that line about the moon is the only blood in it."
"But why?" one child asked. "Why is the moon full of blood?"
"Yeah, why?" another echoed.
"Oh, ahem, well actually," Selphie went on, "the moon was full of blood because … because it was really a heart! Yeah, a giant monster heart! And all the people walking around under that moon, all the kids playing, and the boyfriends and girlfriends holding hands, and the old people and the mommies and daddies, they're actually walking inside the monster's stomach, and …"
Rinoa groaned and slapped a hand to her forehead.
"How did she manage to make it worse?" Quistis wondered aloud.
Rinoa simply shook her head and whimpered, drawing Angelo's attention. Angelo wandered over, one step too close to the children. Mirla, cowering in the back row, reached out and flung her arms around Angelo's neck. Angelo gave a quiet yelp, then, somehow sensing that Mirla meant no harm, relaxed.
"Good doggy," Mirla cooed. "The story is scary. Good doggy will proteck me."
Fueled by sugar and ignited by the possibility that they really were living in the bowels of a giant beast, the children erupted into a frenzy of hyperactive play and heated debates. Rinoa tried to contain them, but with each new theory they posited, Selphie expanded on the world she had created, driving them further into their cupcake-enhanced delirium.
Parents cast questioning glances at Rinoa as they collected their supercharged children, and helped themselves to cupcakes in compensation for the evening that lay ahead of them. While Rinoa could not get them to pay, she did manage to force business cards into their hands, along with a coupon for her store and a humble apology.
Rinoa looked around at the mess that remained, then pulled off her hat and let it drop to the floor. Quistis offered to help her clean up, and strongly suggested that Selphie do the same. Rinoa wasted no time in designating Selphie the trash collector, while she and Quistis set about folding chairs and wiping down tables. Angelo had made herself scarce during the ruckus, and now curled in her bed by the front counter, satisfied that all was right in her world once more.
Quistis was wandering the children's section to reshelve the copies of The Hasberry Howler that had not become hopelessly coated in frosting, when a customer walked through the front door. Since Watts had stepped away from the register to help move the tables and chairs into the storage room, Angelo took it upon herself to greet this customer. She rose, stretched, and trotted to the door.
"What?" a man's voice said. "What's a dog doing in here? Hmph. You seem friendly enough."
Quistis peered around a shelf and bit her lip to keep from laughing when she saw Squall Leonhart kneeling next to Angelo and scratching behind her ears.
"Sant'Angelo di Roma," Squall read from Angelo's tag. "Is that your name? Is this store named after you? You must be pretty important, then." He continued scratching, and Angelo nudged him with her nose. "Hey. Down, down. There's a good boy."
"Actually, Angelo's a girl," Rinoa said, walking up from between the shelves. "But she still appreciates your comments, don't you, girl? You didn't know Squall could be so friendly, did you?"
Squall shot to his feet, color rushing into his face. Quistis had heard the expression "deer in the headlights," but she had never seen it on a real person until now. Squall stood, stiff-backed, his eyes wide and fixed on Rinoa.
"I didn't know that, either," Rinoa went on, looking at him. "I also didn't know he was such a good dancer. Well, after he relaxes a bit."
"Seamlessly integrate yourself into the world of your target," Squall said, his voice constricted. "Undercover assignments require such levels of subterfuge."
"So, it's work-related, then? That's too bad."
Squall shrugged. Rinoa grinned.
"Welcome to Sant'Angelo Books. How can I help you?"
"Huh?"
"Were you looking for something in particular? Or did you come to ask me to dance, this time?"
Squall's blush deepened. "No."
"No, to which question?" A giggle rippled through Rinoa's voice.
"The firs—the second. I'm here to buy a book. A magazine."
"Just so you know, we don't carry naughty magazines in this store. You can find those in the shop next to the Shining Bomber."
Quistis wondered how many more shades of red Squall's face could turn before he suffered some type of medical emergency.
"That's not what I'm looking for at all," he said. "I'm looking for the latest issue of Tactical Weapons Quarterly. Nida said you carried it."
"Yes, we do. It's in the shelf along the back wall with the rest of the periodicals, third section from the left." Rinoa pointed toward the shelf. Squall didn't move. She reached up and gently took hold of his shoulders, then turned him in the appropriate direction. "That way. Don't worry, you won't get lost. Even if you do, Angelo's trained in search and rescue!"
Quistis watched Squall walk toward the magazine section, averting her eyes as he walked past. She finished shelving the books, then went up to Rinoa.
"Who'd ever think he'd just wander in here?" Rinoa said, smiling and biting her lower lip.
"You really flustered him," said Quistis. "I've never seen anybody blush that deeply."
"I know. Isn't it cute?"
"You definitely got to him, but I'm not sure in what way."
"Oh, I am. Though I think I'll let him cool down a bit before making another move. And now I know what types of items to order."
"Rinoa, you can't reorganize your stock based on the likes of one man you hardly know."
"I know that! But it can't hurt to have a few copies of items he might like. Something to keep him coming back."
Quistis raised an eyebrow. "And something for you to look forward to, right?"
"Exactly. Hey, you should find one for –"
"No."
Selphie dragged herself to the front of the store, her face streaked with frosting. "That's all the trash," she said. "Gosh, those kids were super messy!" She looked at the bemused expressions on Quistis and Rinoa, and drew her brows together. "What, what? Did I miss something?"
"Just a new customer for Rinoa," Quistis answered, taking Selphie by the elbow and leading her toward the door. "And now, I think it's about time we let her get back to work. She still has a few hours to go before closing."
Rinoa nodded. "Thank you both for showing up, and for helping," she said, "even if Selphie did bring her own brand of chaos to the afternoon."
"That's my trademark," Selphie boasted, grinning and walking backwards out the door. Quistis bid Rinoa goodnight, and joined Selphie on the sidewalk.
"That was quite a performance," she said.
"Thanks! I had tons of fun, and it seems like the kids did, too!"
"I feel sorry for their parents."
"Eh, they'll survive. This can't be the first time their kids have been hyper. You can't tell me that Galdan kid isn't a regular troublemaker. It's written all over his face!"
Quistis laughed, and she and Selphie chatted as they walked down the street. When they passed Qake, Selphie skipped a few steps ahead, then turned to face Quistis.
"I'm glad we have a chance to talk, Quisty," she said, "because I just got an excellent idea for my next special order, and I can't wait until Monday to tell you!"