Mr Destiny Islands

Chapter three: Sizing up the competition

Authors note: For those still daring to continue reading (I applaud your courage), let's carry on with the assumption that everyone is four years older than they really are… That is, so that they really look like they are teenagers. Let's just continue making more assumptions.

Disclaimer: I don't own them! I really don't have the rights to KH characters! 

A bouncy and visually dramatic ball of sunflower yellow energy skipped and hopped down the path leading towards the only place of entertainment on the island. Around the girl's slender neck was thick black strap that held a camera as it bounced precariously against an undeveloped chest.

The heady display of young liveliness came to a sudden halt as Selphie paused in front of her target: Destiny's Café.

Destiny's Café belonged to Ms Destiny who was unfortunately, in contrary to her name, an elderly woman of poor luck and possessed a temper that many were afraid to rile. The only reason the Café managed to remain the premiere meeting place for the island's inhabitants was because of Ms Destiny's only talent in baking the most delicious of crumpets and brownies. Patrons realised that as long as they kept their voices at the minimum, and had paid the exact amount stated on their bills, they would be able to have a nice tea without suffering the wrath of Ms Destiny. (On certain occasions, when an unlucky tourist comes for a spot of lunch, local customers learn to rescue the poor holidaymaker before his overly bright smile caused the active volcano to erupt.)

Selphie burst through the wooden swing doors into the sunlit café.

"Ms Destiny! Are you around? I really~ miss your lovely, lovely cupcakes! Oooo… I brought my camera! Can I take pictures of your pretty café? I wish I had such a darling place of my own… Ms Destiny?!" Selphie exclaimed in her bright and chirpy voice.

Under normal circumstances, Ms Destiny would storm out with her broom and chase anyone who talks, much less screams, over a certain whisper. But remember, this is Selphie we are talking about. Nobody above thirty can resist Selphie's sweet smile and innocent personality. And Ms Destiny positively melts under Selphie's adoring gaze for her pastry. As Kairi had explained before, this frighteningly adorable girl has the innate ability to charm anyone. Thank heavens that this ability is coupled with an equally honest and true personality of optimism.

Ms Destiny, with a rare smile reserved only for Selphie on her face, came out of the back kitchen door carrying a tray of cookies.

"I am here, Selphie dear, so you can stop flattering little old me. Here try this freshly made cookie."

The girl gingerly took the offered cookie into her small hands and looked up with a tear filled gaze of gratitude.

"Thank you Ms Destiny! And you are not at all old! So stop putting yourself down." Selphie took a bite into the warm cookie, and said with a mouthful of the scrumptious titbit, "Oooo… this is fabulous! Can I have some to carry home for my friends? I would like to share this fantastic stuff with all of them. I have three coins is that enough?"

Selphie held the remains of the cookie by her mouth as she fumbled through her pockets for her three coins.

"Oh Selphie! You can have a bag of these cookies on the house. They are just test products for my new menu, so I am not taking a single coin from you. Here, let me get a paper bag." Ms Destiny replied to the endearing girl.

Selphie smiled gratefully at the little old lady as Ms Destiny bagged the whole tray of cookies for her favourite customer. Suddenly, Selphie remembered her task. She was supposed to be looking for information on the other nominees for the Mr Destiny Islands contest.

"Ms Destiny, I have some questions for you! Do you know anything about the Mr Destiny Islands contest?" Selphie flashed an inquisitive grin at the café owner.

"Oh, what a dreadful competition! I have a poster that I took off from the side of my café. Inconsiderate people, how can these competition organisers just leave their posters around without asking for permission to put them up on my property? Do you want me to get it for you? But I am afraid I might have accidentally crumpled it as I was really upset with the people who put it up."

Upon seeing Selphie nodding her head enthusiastically, Ms Destiny happily went back into the kitchen in search of the poster in question. Selphie took this time to walk around the medium sized café and socialize with some of the regular patrons having their late afternoon tea. The helpful girl took the initiative to man the counter in Ms Destiny's absence and even managed to sell half a tray of cupcakes to some people who came into the café to purchase some munchies. 

Finally after twenty minutes, Ms Destiny emerged from the kitchen looking slightly frazzled. But the brilliant smile Selphie gave to the elderly lady immediately reenergized her tired body.

"Thank you Ms Destiny! I have helped you sell some of those cupcakes will your were behind. I put the money in this drawer. I hope I got the price correct…" Selphie said in uncertainty as she took the poster from Ms Destiny.

"Oh, don't worry about that. Just little details. Now you take your cookies and give it to your friends before they get too soft."

Selphie flashed her signature smile and delivered a farewell.

Ms Destiny watched the delightful girl skip off before opening her money drawer. Apparently, Selphie had charged some unsuspecting customers five dollars a cupcake, as she misread the price list that states each cupcake being priced at fifty cents. Nobody who bought the cupcakes from Selphie had the heart to correct her misassumption, so they paid the five dollars in full.  A generous smile creep onto Ms Destiny's wrinkled face. And she did something that nobody in the café believed would ever happen.

"Everybody gets a complimentary cup of coffee. On the house!"

All in the Café said their silent thanks to Selphie, the island cherub, as she once again performed a "miracle".

*

"Kairi! Kairi! I got a list of the nominees!" Shouted an excited Selphie as she rushing into her cave.     

"Watched the camera!" Kairi warned as she watched Selphie nearly trip over a stray cushion.

Selphie smiled sheepishly as she regained her balance and Kairi released a soft sigh of relief. Waving a rolled up poster in front of Kairi's face, Selphie plopped down upon the vacant space in front of the coffee coloured haired girl. The cavern was empty except for both girls. Sora and Riku had been forced by Kairi to carry out there 'popularity campaign'. But Kairi highly suspected that both boys are playing blitz ball instead. 

Kairi accepted the poster and unrolled it.

On the big blue poster were the names and pictures of the nominees involved in the competition. Kairi's pretty face deepened as she concentrated on comparing each nominee with her charges, Sora and Riku.

A dramatic silence engulfed the cave.

Finally, Selphie could not withstand the tense atmosphere.

"Kairi?"

The silent girl looked up into a face full of anticipation. She did not let Selphie down as she allowed the excitement and hope reflect from her sparkling eyes and said with a grin growing wider with each passing second, "I actually think that Sora or Riku might just be able to clinch the top prize."

*