The Chosen One

[Hayden]

"Psst. Kid. Look over here."

The girl from the village stopped in her tracks, her eyes tracing over the figure loitering between buildings on the beachfront. She looked around, seeing if there could possibly be somebody else he was addressing. Her brown hair and big, brown eyes reluctantly went back to him, and she swallowed nervously as she pointed to herself. "Me...?"

"No, the invisible girl right next to you." She started to turn her head to check, when he snapped her attention back. "Of course I mean you! Who else could I mean?"

"I'm not supposed to talk to strangers..."

"That's not important now," Hayden shot down her concerns they moment she voiced them, trying to keep her off guard. "I'm here to help you, kid."

She blinked. "Help me?" Her voice was confused, still maintaining its skepticism but something in her tone indicated interest. "I don't understand."

"We don't have much time," Hayden warned, producing what looked to be an ordinary stick from underneath his sleeve. "This is your magic wand," he insisted. They girl's lips crooked, and Hayden scowled. "I'm almost hurt that you don't believe me," he countered. He raised the stick and a small flame erupted from its tip. "Believe me now?"

She nodded cautiously, stepping closer to them man. "It's... mine?"

"Yes, yes it is yours," he asserted, handing it to her. "The wand chose you. You're the chosen one, for that chosen wand."

She grasped it, looking at it contemplatively. "Why me?" A fair question.

"Later today, there is going to be a gathering," Hayden told her. "A gathering after the sun has settled, on the island off shore among the children who have gained wands. There, they will compete in the Wonder Games to discover who among them is the most chosen of them all."

"That didn't answer my question."

"Listen here you genre-savvy little- ahem, because this wand chose you at birth using its connection to the universe. This is destiny."

"Oh... like, sharing a paupau fruit?"

"Yes. Yes, exactly like sharing a poopoo fruit."

"Paupau."

"Whatever. Just take the magic stick and fulfill your destiny."

"You're really pushy about this."

"I'm on a schedule and you're making this take too long."

"Well, sorry that I don't want to just take sticks from strangers."

"Then you're going to hate life after you fail high school kid. Now, get. Remember: meet tonight on the island." The girl huffed and left, clutching the stick in her right hand. Hayden chuckled to himself as he loitered a bit more, catching a young man this time. His eyes fell upon him sharply. "Psst. Kid. Look over here."