Sweet Pies

[Phillip Piper]

Pippin rolled down to Edelvine's Bakery quite early in the morning. His mother was out shopping for the first time in many weeks, and he was supremely grateful to leave even in the chill early morn if she would just buy food. By this he meant food for him; his mother and father ate out if he wasn't cooking, and they locked the fridge when they did. This meant that sometimes he skipped a meal, which wasn't the best if mother had forgotten to give him money for the bakery. Today he was lucky. There was barely a whisper from the metal wheels of the wheelchair as they rolled over the smooth tiles, but Rosa looked up anyway.

"Hallo Pip. You after a chicken and vegetable again?"
Pippin smiled at the serving girl at the counter and his cheeks went rosy. Roda Edelvine was quite pretty, and was the daughter of Margarette Edelvine who owned the bakery. He was a regular customer here and they knew each other well by now. Like most people in the Wizarding Markets, she was quite fond of Pippin and often baked an extra pie just in case he came in that day.

"Actually, I feel like something a bit sweeter today," replied Pippin in his usual quiet and gentle voice. "How's that caramel tart?". Several minutes later after a lot more blushing and some pleasant exchange, he exited the store and wheeled out into the street with the tart nestle securely in his lap. There were a few waves and 'Hello!'s sent his way which he responded to merrily as he made his way to Forgotten Grove on the outskirts of the Market. This tiny nook of forest on the edge of town had lovely overhanging trees. He looked into the canopy and sighed. Today was a little lonesome, but it was alright. A moment without mother, thought Pip and he closed his eyes and smiled.

 

[Anika Lebelnamenth]

Anika strolled slowly throguh whart felt like hard ground, and she waved her cane back and forth. She desperately needed to sit down, because her feet were aching for what seemed hours and she was disappointed that she had mostly concentrated all her will and energy in just finding a place to rest. Julius wasn't around to guide her, since he was getting pampered at the local treatment centre. A light tear rolled down Anika's cheek as she became frusterated with her sightless eyes. She heard the sound of a bell, and moved closer to the source. She moved her hands along, until she felt ruogh, jagged cement and the glass. She pushed on the glass and it moved, she waved her cane around again just to make sure she wasn't opening a window, and was relieved that it was a door. As soon as she opened it an aroma of pastry filled her nose, and she smiled. She had a couple of galleons in her pocket, and thought it best to maybe buy something for Julius and herself, as a secret treat, for her mother didn't like it when she ate something sugary.

These surroundings were new to Anika so she felt she had no choice but to call out for help. "Hello?" She called her glss eyes glistening with tears.

"Yes!" Someone answered, and it was the voice of a woman. Anika heard footsteps approach her. "Oh my dear. Are you alright?" She asked. "Yes, but I am in great need of some where to rest." Anika replied. "How about I walk you down to a pleasant spot down the road, you may like it there, it has a lovely atmosphere." The woman offered acts of kindness which Anika took well in to her mind. "That would be lovely, thank you."
The woman lead Anika to a spot, and the air felt cooler, and Anie could hear the swish of branches in the breeze. The woman took Anie's arm and told her to sit down. Anika was now sitting on a bench as she so felt, when she brushed her hands across it. "Will you be alright my dear?" The kind woman asked again out of concern. "Oh yes, very much, thank you."

 

[Phillip Piper]

Pippin looked up with his mouth half full of tart and stopped in shock. A crumb fell from his lip as he blinked in awe at the sight before him. Margarette Edelvine was at the entrance of Forgotten Grove, leading someone beside her. Soon Margarette was gone on her way, but the beautiful figure beside her remained. Pippin had stopped himself beside the bench when he entered, and the girl sat almost right beside him on his side of the bench. He had never been so taken with someone at first sight, so he kept his mouth shut, fearing he'd say something stupid if he opened his mouth.

The girl was blind it seemed. She was holding a cane and apparently she had been taken here, so perhaps she was a little bit lost. She looked about Pippin's age, and had soft brown hair that fell past her shoulders. Unknowingly, Pippin was smiling, and if she had been able to see him she would have laughed at the crust of tart still in the corner of his mouth. He finally realised and swallowed, embarrassed. Should he introduce himself? No, that would be too rude, thought Pippin. Perhaps she just wants to be alone. But I don't think she knows I'm here yet, so maybe I should make my presence known.

Hesitantly, and in a very shy and gentle voice, Pippin said "Hello,"

 

[Anika Lebelnamenth]

Anika smelled... tart.. and the scent was exclusively close, she heard the delicate chewing noises from a closed mouth, the sound of breathing could only sum up the estimation of someone sitting next to her. Anie's eyes remained forward as they always did. "Hello," finally, a gentle male voice spoke up to give the inaniment sounds to form a person. "Hello. It's a beautiful day today." she chirped pleasantly, and felt glad she wasn't alone.

 

[Phillip Piper]

Pippin couldn't help but smile. It appeared that she was friendly and didn't mind speaking to him, which he was extremely glad of. Once again he looked up into the dappled sunlight above to enjoy the pin pricks of light. He turned his head and the light fell on her prettily. He smiled, blushed, turned his face away and felt like hiding it in his hands. "It is a beautiful day," he agreed as he composed himself. "I'm Pippin," he introduced himself politely as he moved his wheelchair around to face her. "What is your name?"

He hoped that she would tell him very much. A little company was just what he had been looking for, and though he got a little bit nervous with strangers he was glad to have found someone friendly to chat with. Generally people in his age bracket didn't come to these markets, as the surrounding town was populated mostly by adults with very young families. Pippin was almost the only teenager there. This girl probably went to school as well, so perhaps she could tell him a little about where she went as well. This stranger had been looking a bit tired as she walked, but her face was brightening and it was a good sign.

 

[Anika Lebelnamenth]

"Hello Pippin, it's wonderful to meet you!" Anika grinned brightly and raised her hand awkwardly to offer a hand shake. "I'm Anika, but you may call me Anie." Anika didn't know what to say. Not many people came out and started to speak to her before. Anie yawned, letting go of her cane briefly to cover her mouth, she sudden;y heard a clatter of metal on metal and it startled her. "Oh boldish bergajermot!" she hissed at herself in a peculiar type of substitue for obscene language. She grabbed on to [art of the seat and slowly lowered herself down, and felt around for her cane.

 

[Phillip Piper]

Pippin took her hand in a soft handshake with his cheeks glowing like the sun. It was so nice to know her name. Anie looked terribly cute when she yawned, but he was startled as she dropped her cane. He had to swallow his chuckles as she used some very odd words to swear. Pippin never swore in any shape or form because it seemed quite rude to him, but her kind of curses were sweet. "Oh no, don't worry about it," he stopped her as she began to feel around for the dropped metal. "Here, I'll get it for you." Pippin leaned down as far as he could, just spotting the cane that had rolled to the back of the bench. He bumped her knee slightly, and with an embarrassed "Sorry!" he just managed to lean far enough to snatch the cane up in his small hand.

With another smile, although Anika could not see it, he placed the cane back into her hand with his skin just barely brushing hers. "There we are." In a hesitant voice, Pippin decided to ask her one more question. "How old are you, Anika?"

 

[Anika Lebelnamenth]

Anika failed in gaining her cane back, but Pippin quickly dived in and reached for it, bumping her knee slightly, and he hastily apologised although she just laughed. She felt the comfort of the cold metal rest back in to her hand and felt secure once again. "Oh, thank you," she said smiling. "I'm 14, how about you, Pippin?" she asked sweetly and smirked, as she slid along the bench a bit more so she was closer to him. She felt a warmth in her heart, that she'd never felt before, the only friend she had was Julius and her parents but never anyone who was a complete stranger to her before hand.

 

[Phillip Piper]

"I'm fourteen as well!" he replied a little too enthusiastically. He was just excited that they were the same age, of course. He didn't have another friend his age, and hopefully Anika might become one. But then again, perhaps it was better that they didn't. She was so pretty that Pippin probably wouldn't be able to keep up a proper conversation without falling all over himself. Whatever the case, he didn't have a family that he could go back to and tell them about a girl (only because he was thinking about what it would be like when he was older). Mother would probably lock him up somewhere. It wouldn't matter that if he was older, he would still be too frail to resist. It's not as though he could run away anywhere.

"Sorry, but do you live around here? I've not seen you around before," he asked. His heart leapt as she smiled to him, which only made him blush harder.

 

[Anika Lebelnamenth]

Pippin raised his voice with excitment and Anika smiled, still searching for the right words to say to this young lad, she wondered what he would look like if she could see. But Anika was never anyone to judge people by their appearance, for she didn't even know what she looked like. "You speak nice." She came right out front and centre, dazed in a emotional grip with happiness and a powerful conection she indistinctly felt in the core of her soul towards this boy. "Oh I live around here. I just haven't been out at all much."

 

[Phillip Piper]

"Really? You should," said Pippin, finally calming himself down again. "Where do you go to school?" he asked her politely. Somehow he felt like he was the only one who didn't go to wizarding school. After all, even muggle kids who were in a wheelchair were able to learn like everyone else. Those who had more difficulty could even go to a school just for kids like them; but not Pippin. Pippin only knew what he had learned from a muggle primary school and scooting around the markets. If a customer or shopkeeper had time, they'd teach him a spell or a new maths equation that he picked up with astonishing ease.

Either way, Anika didn't seem to have any reason not to go to school so, he didn't feel rude in asking. Perhaps later she'd permit him to buy her lunch, maybe chat for a little while longer.

 

[Anika Lebelnamenth]

Anika frowned as she listened closely to Pippin's words. "I don't go to school. My mother will not permit me to be enrolled, because she fears and has doubts that I'd be able to do much." Anika brushed a lock of hair that had suddenly fallen loose from her bobby pin, it tickled her face, annoying her.

She had a tender feeling for this boy's voice and it made her feel calm. She felt like asking him over to her house, but knew her mother wouldn't approve. She was still speechless and over come with embarassment. She wished she could see, what he saw.

 

[Phillip Piper]

Pippin was shocked. There was another child out there who couldn't go to school like him? He would have told her that his mother felt the same way, but for some reason he just couldn't lie to her like he had to with other people. So he decided to say nothing, though it pained him to conceal it from her. "That's such a shame," said Pippin sympathetically, and it sounded as though he meant it with his whole heart. "I don't know how much magic you've been taught, but..." there was a pause as he looked at her nervously. "Well, I guess I could teach you what magic I know. Only if you wanted."

Sometimes he wondered why he didn't have the Trace on him, but that was probably because he wasn't a registered school student. Most likely he didn't even exist within the Ministry's system. It wouldn't surprise him that his parents hadn't gotten him registered. He barely existed to them let along in a government file. Whatever the case, none of this mattered when he was by this girl's side. Anika seemed to brighten his day up more than he could have imagined. "Say...you wouldn't want to get something to eat with me, would you? I'll pay if you'd like."

 

[Anika Lebelnamenth]

Anie listened to Pippin's every word carefully, and she nodded her head, not really knowing what to say until. Magic? She heard the word and it sent tingles down her back. "You know magic?" She asked enthusiasically, she felt all around her neck get hot, and her fake eyes just stared ahead, as she felt embarassed even more. "Oh no, I couldn't...." Anika's cheeks grew hotter and she smiled, flattered at Pippin's offer. She didn't want to implode with emotion, but felt strongly worried but excited that a boy was offering to take her to have a meal. Her mother always restricted her from ever going out. Anika was born with a beauty that her mother did not posess, and she all her life, has been jealous and over protective of Anika. She never wants her to go out because she knew that boys would come up to her, see her eyes, and one day hurt her in ways that she didn't ever want to think of.

Anika was afraid of taking and accepting Pippin's kind offer for lunch, because what if her mother found out. But Anika felt more excited, safe, and free than she'd ever felt before in her life. Maybe just this once she'll dis obey her mother's rules and go away with this young fellow to an outing.

 

[Phillip Piper]

"Oh yes, do!" Pippin said to her encouragingly. "It shan't be for too long if you'd like, but..." There was a little pause as he gathered to courage to say something quite unlike anything he'd said before. "...but I'd like to get to know you a bit more, if that's alright." Even though Pippin was embarrassed at his blushing in this situation, it warmed his heart as he noticed that she, too, was going quite pink. It made him feel wanted somehow. "Yes, and I do know magic! At least, some" This was something he was enthusiastic about. Perhaps Anika couldn't see the magic Pippin was able to perform, but she'd be able to feel it. There were so many things he wanted to show her.

"But don't be afraid of me hurting you," he said in his achingly gentle voice. Timidly he reached over to take her hand, hoping not to scare her with the movement and her couldn't help but hold it for a moment before placing it on the wheels of his wheelchair. Carefully he ran her hand over the frame and on the arm rests either side, showing her what she couldn't see. "I suppose I'm like you a bit. So you know there's not much damage I could do when I'm like this." he laughed, the sound like a soft hum and a whisper through the trees. "Will you trust me?"

 

[Anika Lebelnamenth]

Anie felt the warmth of skin around her rist, and her heart fluttered, sending electrical sensations down her spine. Her face reamined serious, as hard as stone, as she concentrated on the feel of something unfamiliar to her as he ran her hand over something smooth, metal, leather, and cloth of somesort and rubber, but mostly metal. "What is that? I'm sorry?" Anika tried to picture the thing in her mind, but it was just a mangled mess. She'd never come across something like this in her life, she was really curious to see what it was, and what Pippin needed it for, and why 'he wasn't so different from her'. She lifted her head and smiled. She nodded her head, and felt like hugging him.

 

[Phillip Piper]

Pippin looked at her in surprise, and he was so embarrassed that he didn’t want to say it aloud. But poor Anika had no idea what was going on, and so, taking a deep breath, Pippin told her. “It’s...it’s a wheelchair, actually.” Never once in his life had he ever felt ashamed of his state, but being so vulnerable like this to a girl had done crazy things to his mind. She wouldn’t care ... would she? There was a jolt in his ribcage as Pippin realised that he was still holding her hand, and he placed it down carefully and flamed red once more.

“I’m sorry, it must have been strange...” he apologised to her. “But if you keep your hand on the bar, I could take you somewhere ni-" Pippin paused in alarm and changed tact. “Well, for lunch I meant. Would you...would you like that?” He smiled to himself and reached out to take her hand again, placing it on the arm rest. His hand was warm on hers, and this time he had an excuse not to let go, so as to guide her.

 

[Anika Lebelnamenth]

"Oh, a wheelchair... That's interesting, I've never felt one before..." she said quietly as she took all of it in. "So you sit in a chair.. and it has wheels on it... must be a form of vehicle..." Anika got down on her knees and brushed her hands on all the joining parts.

"So it's a small vehicle, used for sitting in... It moves.. You can't use your legs like I can?" Anika was fascinated by this amazing contraption. She'd never met anyone who needed one of these things, and she couldn't help but wonder, and puzzle, and ask questions hoping for immediate answers. But Anika knew it wasn't very polite to go into things too deeply, or she might get into trouble.. "I would love it Pippin... Oh what's your last name?" she asked kindly.

"I have a special computer at home where I type letters, and they print, and I can owl them to you!" Anika became more excited. She felt his hand on her arm and she breathed in lightly.. She liked it when she held her hand. "Oh I'm sorry. Was that wrong?" She asked, confused and worried she might've offended him. She got up off the ground and felt the hard leather underneath her palm.

 

[Phillip Piper]

"No, I can't," answered Pippin, shaking his head even though she could not see him. "I was born weakened, and I suppose I could have gotten therapy at an early age, but..." he paused, seeming uncomfortable. "My parents weren't interested in all that, so I use this to walk instead." Pip added a smile to his tone, just in case Anika felt that she had made him feel bad, which she hadn't. He blushed a deep cherry red, again, when his new friend seemed pleased to go to lunch with him. "My last name is Piper," he added in a shy voice. "What is your last name? I hope we can be friends." He felt very bold to add that last line, and he felt quite a bit better.

Pippin listened in amazement as Anika described her computer at home that could do some amazing things, it seemed. Of course, he had only heard of computers, for what did wizards have need of them in a house full of magic? He wondered if they were useful for things beside printing letters to owl. Most people wrote on parchment anyway, but he understood why Anika used this method. He calmed her with his gentle touch, and said "No, it's quite alright. Would you like to walk with me?"

 

[Anika Lebelnamenth]

Anika smiled, and replied with a sweet voice "Lebelnamenth, and yes I would like to come with you," she loosely held onto the arm of the wheelchair. Anika pondered the fact that Pippin's parents wouldn't help him become better, and she wished there was a way that she could. Another thought pondered on her young brain. Pippin and Anika bonded instantly. Both of them had lifestyle difficulties that made something in their lives harder. Anika wanted to say something to show her sympathy but she didn't know how. All she could give Pippin, was words of certainty, for she didn't even really understand what 'not being able to walk meant' she felt helpless because she instantly wanted to help him, even when she knew that she couldn't because she wasn't able to do anything to make anyone's lives important.

Anika's mother always made her believe that she'll never be able to do anything important or worth while in her lifetime. Once in a blue moon, Anika's mother was an actress, and everyone adored her, men even wept at her rejections. One night one of her dates took her by force and lethaly left Anika's mum mentally unstable, as she soon fell pregnant with a baby girl. Anika was born with a chronic eye deformity, and they wanted to remove them because the doctors said they could be dangerous for they were infectious, and could've spread an awful disease to the front of Anika's brain. Anika has always been blind, but beautiful. Her mother scorns her and herself by locking her up in the house all the time, and never letting her have any friends.

Anika's mother has a pathological fear of Anika becoming the way she had been, and she knows that someone, someday will want to take Anika away because of her beaiutiful soul, and extravigant face.