Sugar and Spice

chapter 2

When Redleaf returned to his work in the Autumn woods he couldn't help but think about the delectable pie he had eaten and the baker who had made it.

How long had he been in Pixie Hollow, for Redleaf never to have seen him before. He didn't look very young, of course the age of a fairy is always difficult to read. Also bakers rarely left the kitchen so coming across him would have been harder.

He thought back to that first bite he had taken out of the pie, how the crust had been just the right consistency and how aromatic the apples had been, especially how the cinnamon had brought the flavor to life. He probably could subsist on the smell alone. He would certainly have to return as soon as possible.

Just then a rogue squirrel came careening down a tree, making a beeline for a mouse carting acorns across the woods. Redleaf raced towards it, wincing in mid-air as he heard the clatter, squelch and shouts of horror indicating the leaf painting fairies' paints had been knocked over.

As he caught up with the squirrel he reigned it in, stroking its nose soothingly and handed it over to a flustered Animal Talent, whom he gave a stern warning and a reassuring smile. His hands now squirrel free, he looked over the damage and sighed.

Maybe pie would have to wait.

~*~

The bustle of the kitchens never slows. Not that Peppermint minded, in fact in a strange way he found it soothing to be swept up in the work flow, everything ticking along like one of the tinkers' contraptions.

When he had first arrived he couldn't quite figure out how to click with the other kitchen fairies, but now he knows just when to pull buns out of the oven and exactly the right time to frost a cake, as well as when the biggest rush for meals would happen and how much extra he should make. It felt good to find his place in the kitchens.

"Pep...hey."

Plus, Garnish, despite her strict demeanor allowed any creative liberties her fairies took, as long as they didn't end in complete disaster. Peppermint's own specialty was anything sweet, especially cakes or pies.

"...Pep..."

He hummed as he pulled a tray of muffins out of the oven, they smelled divine.

"PEPPERMINT!" came a shout directly into his ear.

"Gah!" he yelped, trying to balance the hot tray which had been nearly thrown into the air, and also address the irritated fairy at his side. "Honeyglaze, don't shout!"

She huffs, "I'll stop shouting when you stop sticking your head in the clouds!"

Sighing he gently lays his tray onto the oven top and ducks his head in apology as he pulls oven mitts off his fingers. "Okay, okay, how can I help you?"

"Well..." she whispers conspiratorially, glancing over her shoulder, "I need you to do me a favor."

"Uhhh, I don't think..." Peppermint trails off uncertainly. If Honeyglaze was being this mysterious then she probably wanted him to break the rules, and Pep wasn't as comfortable forgoing rules as she was.

"No, no, look. It'll be fine for you. I've just snuck out too many times. Just please, take this cake to Rosetta for me? Pretty please?"Her golden brown eyes shimmered at him, "With a cherry on top?"

He caved, "Alright, but just this once."

Honeyglaze enveloped him in a hug and spun them around, "Thank you so much!" she sniffed.

He pulled away from the hug, stiffly,"You're welcome. Are you...crying?"

"No, well, maybe a little..."she giggled shakily, "this is just really important to me. Sorry for hugging you like that, I know you don't like it."

"Well, it's fine, I guess I have a delivery to make then." He smiled softly at her. Leaning down he picked up a basket from the ground, "Is the cake in here?"

"Yep, I hid it in a tea basket so you can say you're just making tea deliveries if anyone asks. I know how scared you are of sneaking out."

"I'm not scared! I...just don't think it's right!" He asserted, turning to leave.

"I'm just teasing!" she giggled, much more steady this time, "Come on get out of here, silly goose. She's in the Autumn woods helping paint the leaves!"

"I'll get it to her, finish up my muffins while I'm gone, would you?" Pep called over his shoulder. As he flitted out he heard a "Yeah, yeah" from behind him and he smiled, flying towards the red and gold crown of the Autumn woods.

a/n: hey, it's been a while, so i figured a quick update is in order. This was only supposed to be the first half of this chapter, but the rest is probably gonna take me another week or more to write because i'm a slowpoke, but I am off school so I should have an easier time.