FAIRY TAIL CHRISTMAS WEEK ~ DAY ONE
When I think of winter and snow I think of all of the pretty scenery and what goes with it. Making snowmen, drinking hot chocolate and sitting by a fireplace, something I used to do A LOT when I went skiing up in upstate New York with my family when I was a kid.
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Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?
In the lane snow is glistening
A beautiful sight oh we're happy tonight
Walking in a winter wonderland
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WINTER/SNOW
Title: The Snow Family
It was a well-known fact that Lucy Heartfilia did not like the cold, mainly when it was during a mission in the mountains. She always seemed to forget to wear proper clothes.
Today was different. Today surprisingly, she welcomed the snow and cold. It was December 19th and a blanket of white covered the streets of Magnolia. She put on her warmest clothes, gloves and all accessories, and made her way over to the guildhall. She walked slow leaving her footprints in the snow and gazed at the snowflakes that were still falling down. Lucy also marveled at how the snow perfectly piled itself on all of the rooftops on her street and smiled at the distant sound of sleigh bells ringing.
A few minutes later, she was outside of the entrance, stomping her feet to get the snow off of her boots before she opened the door and seeing the mass amount of people, mages and townsfolk alike gathering to keep warm.
The guildhall was decorated to the nines with lights, a large tree that Natsu found in the woods, and other smaller items on the tables. There were also beautiful poinsettias all around the hall that some of the townsfolk donated. It wouldn't be long until the annual Fairy Tail holiday party for the mages and their families.
Lucy smiled at the sight of all of the people and headed over to the bar as she took off her gloves and put them in her coat pocket.
"What do you have, Mira, that's warm?" She asked as she sat down on the wooden stool.
"Well, Lucy," the white haired barmaid started, "I have been experimenting with different flavors of hot chocolate." She answered and then added, "Want to be my guinea pig?"
"Uh – sure?" Lucy replied hesitant. "What flavors have you come up with?"
"Well, they aren't 'original' original." Mirajane replied as she brought over five mugs and then five different pots. "I have the basic hot chocolate still, but my new five are a double-chocolate, a peppermint flavored one, a white hot chocolate, a salted caramel, and brownie flavored one."
"Oh, wow! They all sound so delicious!" Lucy replied as Bisca and Alzack approached with Asuka. "I may have a hard time deciding."
"The brownie one is my favorite!" Asuka replied with a big grin. "May I have a refill Mira?" She asked as she climbed on a barstool.
"Sure thing hun!" Mira said with a smile.
"Say, Lucy, can we ask a favor?" Bisca inquired hopeful.
"Sure, what's up?" Lucy responded as she thought about which flavor to try first.
"Can you watch Asuka while we do some shopping?" Alzack asked quietly. "We'll only be gone a few hours."
"Sure. It's fine! Have fun you two." Lucy agreed with a smile.
After the Connells said their thanks to Lucy and their goodbyes to their daughter, they headed out of the guildhall.
"So, Asuka, which should I try first?"
"Hmm...I think you should try a little of each. She did bring five mugs out." The little girl answered smiling wide.
Lucy smiled back and looked at Mira.
"A little of each to try at first?"
"That's what I was hoping you'd say!" Mira exclaimed as she picked up each one of the pots and poured about an ounce in each mug.
Lucy picked up the first mug to her left and Mira told her what each one was as Lucy took her one ounce sip from each mug slowly.
"They are all so delicious, Mira! I love them all!"
"But which one is your favorite?"
Lucy wrinkled her nose and pursed her lips as she thought about each one.
"I'd...have…to say…the salted caramel one. It was different and pleasing to all senses." Lucy finally stated. "I'll have a full mug of that."
"Sure thing!" Mira replied as she filled the mug up as Kinana came over and picked up the four remaining to be washed.
After Lucy finished her salted caramel hot chocolate, she turned to Asuka who had also just finished her second cup.
"So, munchkin, what do you want to do?"
"I don't know." Asuka answered sounding a bit down.
"Then how about we go outside and build a snowman?" Lucy suggested causing the young girl's eyes to get wide with excitement.
"Let's build a snow family!" She said as she started to put on her coat.
After the two were all bundled up again, Lucy and Asuka made their way outside to the front of the hall.
"Where should we build them?" Asuka inquired as she and Lucy scoped out the perfect spot.
"How about here?" Lucy said as she found prime real estate to the left of the main entrance.
Asuka nodded as she started to make a snowball and packed it to make it larger. Lucy followed suit and started to build the base of one as well.
The two diligently worked, answering questions from fellow guild-mates, such as Levy, Gajeel, Juvia, and Gray, in the process, before they finished.
"They need hats, scarves, noses…" Asuka stated once she got a good look at the four.
"That we can help you with." Levy said from behind holding a bunch of stuff with Juvia helping.
"Oh Levy! Thank you! You too Juvia!" Lucy exclaimed.
Asuka took the items from the two girls and started to dress the snow family where she could reach. Gajeel came up from behind and lifted her to put the finishing touches.
"They are still missing noses." Asuka said depressed.
"On it!" Gray replied as he went back into the hall.
Five minutes later he came back out with four carrots.
"Will these do?" He asked as he handed them to Asuka.
"YES!" Asuka replied as she took them and Gajeel lifted her up again. "The snow family is complete Lucy!"
"I don't know. I think it's missing something. That Fairy Tail flare." Lucy teased as she looked at Gray and then back at Asuka.
"Fairy Tail Flare?" He questioned as Levy snuck back inside.
"Ooh! Gray! Can you make the Fairy Tail logo by them?" Asuka asked as she realized where Lucy was heading.
"Sure thing!" He replied. A moment or two later a two-foot tall ice logo was standing next to the child snowman and Asuka was beaming.
"NOW it's complete!" Asuka replied as she turned around.
Levy came back out with Reedus who positioned the girls and Gray by their masterpiece and quickly painted two pictures with his pict-magic to capture the moment and handed one to Lucy and one to Asuka.
"Come on. Your parents will kill me if I let you stay outside any longer."
"I want to do one more thing before we head inside Lucy." Asuka stated. The others walked back inside and Lucy followed Asuka to the back of the hall.
"What is it that you wanted to do?"
"Make a snow angel!"
Lucy let out a small giggle before helping Asuka on the snow flat on her back. She then positioned herself as well.
"Ready?" Asuka nodded. "Okay then. On the count of three. One. Two. Three!"
A few seconds later, Lucy got herself up before pulling Asuka up to see their snow angel masterpieces.
"Awesome job Asuka! Now let's get some more hot chocolate!"
"YEAH!" She replied and ran inside to the bar counter.
"MIRA! Two more hot chocolates! Asuka can order my flavor this time too!" Lucy yelled as she chased after the little girl.
"Coming right up Lu!" Mira yelled back.
After Mira served the two girls their hot chocolate, Lucy suggested sitting by the fireplace to warm up more. Asuka followed her as Lucy carried her hot chocolate and curled up on the sofa that was in the room. Lucy handed Asuka her hot chocolate back, but Asuka only took a few more sips before she put the mug on the table next to her and curled up onto Lucy's lap with a blanket and fell asleep.
Lucy stayed in that position until she felt a gentle tap on her shoulders. She looked behind her and saw Bisca smiling at her.
"Looks like you kept her busy."
"Yeah, making that snow family outside and some snow angels. I hope you don't mind, but she started to have a third cup of hot chocolate." Lucy answered Bisca as Alzack carefully picked her up off the couch.
"Nah, just as long as she had fun." Bisca replied. "Thanks again Lu for watching her." She added with a smile.
After another set of goodbyes, the little family made their way out the door and home. Lucy decided she should get up to go home as well, so she said her goodbyes to everyone and headed on her usual walk back from the guild.
Once inside her apartment, she settled herself down at her little writing desk and started to write about what had happened. If not for anything else, this would go down as one of her more memorable Christmas events.
A/N: So, here concludes my first entry for Fairy Tail Christmas Week. I am also posting this to my Tumblr account since that's where this whole theme originated from. I hope you enjoyed this.