A/N: Happy new year! I hope everyone enjoyed themselves. During the traditional countdown I was busy napping. That's my way of celebration.

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, all characters belong to Hiro Mashima, but it'd be amazing if this were used as some kind of omake.

Erza's Strawberry Gateau

By Yuzuki-Rei

It was a normal day at the Fairy Tail guild—normal being the most reasonable term. The atmosphere was very much vibrant with a festive resonance that echoed throughout the miniature building. Drinks were poured, glasses were clinked, and live chatter filled the air. Some guild members watched on as another meaningless brawl ensued between the dragon slayer and the ice wizard.

A certain scarlet-haired woman sat by the bar in high spirits, enjoying her third helping of dessert. She distinctly heard the scuffle between the pair and huffed in mild displeasure. "Imbeciles," she grumbled, slipping the spoon into her mouth and instinctively shivering at the taste of chocolaty goodness.

"Aren't you going to stop them?" Mirajane questioned, using disinfectant on the surface of the counter before wiping it with her trusted cloth. She had been watching the woman perched before her, wondering why she hadn't requipped into her Purgatory armour and attacked the two combatants yet.

The Titania glanced up. "I have no time for their childish bickering. It's best to leave them alone."

"Wow, you've really changed," Lucy commented. Then she realised it was only because of the cake that she was currently engrossed in. If it were any other circumstance, she would practically be killing the pair by now.

Erza smiled, content with her delicious dish as she continued to eat, and humming in delight at the chocolate flakes that rested on her tongue. Bits of charred wood and frozen furniture were seen ricocheting off the wall. Lucy ducked as a smoking table leg rapidly flew past her. She sighed at the normal turn of events.

"They're hopeless," she grumbled before facing Mirajane, who was busy drying a glass. "How are things with you, Mira?" she asked with an amiable smile.

The barmaid dodged a shard of ice before replying: "Not too bad. What about you? Have you met the man of your dreams yet?"

Lucy sputtered into her beverage and a blush darkened the pale skin of her cheeks. "Wh-What brought that on?"

The Take-Over wizard simply smiled, feigning naivety. "You know I'm always interested in everyone's love life."

If anyone knew that, it was definitely Lucy. "No kidding," she muttered. "I...haven't got a boyfriend, if that's what you're wondering."

"What about Natsu?"

A lump was suddenly lodged in her throat and she squelched down a gasp. Already she was feeling somewhat uncomfortable with the interrogation. "Why would you even mention him?" she hissed in low tones.

Mirajane tittered in return, her eyes displaying nothing but playful banter. "You two get along so well. I definitely see a future for the both of you."

"She's right," Erza intervened, taking another spoonful of cake and licking the frosting from the spoon. "You two would make an exceptional couple."

"But..." The blonde teen turned to the dragon slayer, who was now spewing fire from his mouth and chasing his rival around the guild hall. Gray had already stripped down to his boxers, frightening poor Wendy as he rushed past her table. Lucy hoped Gray didn't strip anymore, otherwise Erza would really be mad and Juvia would probably faint. "Yeah, I'm not interested," she concluded.

"You would be so amazing together," Mira sighed dreamily. "Maybe have 32 babies."

"What?" Lucy snapped. How could she say that in such a casual tone?

"I can imagine the bedroom romance now," Cana chipped in followed by a hiccup. The inebriated brunette had heard the entire conversation, and wanted to offer a few words of wisdom to her comrade. "Just make sure you use other positions besides missionary; laying in one place for a long time can really cramp up your leg."

Lucy's face flushed redder than Erza's hair. "Wh-What are you talking about?"

"But after the first few babies it would be best to try some kegal exercises." Lucy spun around on the barstool to see the female member of the Raijinshū sauntering closer with a smug smile on her face.

"E-Evergreen? Where did...?"

"It's true," Bisca added with a sage nod. The green-haired woman rested by the counter-top on the other side of the celestial wizard. "After Asuka was born it was like a canal down there."

Lucy's cheeks heated and she found herself covering her mouth.

"Lu-chan! Could you name your first born girl after me?" Levy beamed with a hopeful gleam in her eye.

The blonde's eyes bulged in response. Where the hell are they coming from?

"Stop! This is ridiculous! None of that will ever happen. We're just friends and that's all! No more advice, no more crazy ideas! Just...just stop, okay?" The blonde exhaled deeply before going back to her drink, still feeling mildly flustered. The girls of Fairy Tail all shared a glance before departing one by one, all except for one.

"Lucy," Erza piped up once more. "You two are rather close."

The blonde sighed. "So are you and him, and you and Gray! Didn't you guys used to shower together?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean anything." Lucy sweat-dropped, now feeling defeated. What good was it trying to explain when no-one was listening to reason? So what if she and Natsu were close? They were nakama and nothing more. Lucy focused on her glass, now refusing to look anywhere else.

Mirajane giggled, much to Lucy's chagrin. Seeing the expression on the blonde's face was rather amusing. "Ah, young love." Her cobalt-blue eyes sparkled at the thought. "It's so exciting, ne?"

"I wouldn't know..." Lucy hastily turned away, sighing inwardly.

Erza finished her chocolate cake and immediately brought out a thick slice of strawberry gateau from her treasured bag. Since being a regular customer at the local Magnolia Cake Shop, she had attained the cakes half-price. "We should take up a job," she suggested, now using the same spoon to consume her fourth dessert.

Lucy nodded. "I'll go check the board." She hopped off the barstool and walked towards the request board, managing to dodge a burnt chair that flew past. Nab was hanging nearby; arms folded over his chest as he peered at the variety of requests.

"Found anything?" Lucy questioned.

He simply grunted in return. "I must find one that is suitable for me," he insisted.

"Gimme a break, Nab. You've been hanging round there for the past seven years!" Wakaba chimed in, the pipe pendulous from his lips.

Macao chuckled. "No wonder he's the same size as Droy."

"Hey, I heard that!" Droy grumbled indignantly from a nearby table with a chicken bone in his hand. Lucy continued to scan the board.

Evil villain wanted...

Find the Holy Sword...

Lift curse off monarch ring...

"Oi! No fair, that's cheating!"

"This isn't a game you flame-tard!"

"Shut up, ice bastard!" Using months of practice, Lucy was able to drown out the choleric voices of the two rivals and continued scanning.

Rescue maiden from Mt. Hakobe...

300,000 J...

That's it!

Her eyes brightened. She ripped the paper off the board and grinned. This amount of Jewel would cover her rent next month!

Just then a piercing scream was heard, followed by a loud cracking sound, causing the blonde to spin around. Silence had befallen the entire guild in wavering dread as everyone watched the spectacle before them. In the center of the hall lay a crumbled slice of upturned strawberry gateau. The frosting had turned to mush on the floor and the fluffy sponge layer of the cake had a massive footprint embedded.

The Titania stared at her half-eaten dessert, completely skeptical at the fact that this has happened for the umpteenth time. Her narrowed eyes cast over to the culprits cowering by the broken table beneath them. A frightening blood-red aura emanated from her body as she bared her teeth in a vicious snarl.

Lucy noticed a red haze casing her eyes as her hands clenched into tight fists. She gulped, already empathising with the pair of careless boys her bestial anger was aimed at. A protruding vein throbbed in Erza's forehead as she glared at the teens, all the while gnashing her teeth together in searing rage.

Natsu and Gray clutched eachother as she stepped closer, the threatening red aura flailing wildly around her. Some guild members briefly thought to step in and help, while others sat still, waiting to see how the scene would play out.

Then she growled and requipped into her Heavens Wheel armour in a gleaming flash; the large metal plating of the billowing skirt as sharp as the metallic wings jutting from her back. "Insolent fools! You dare to ruin my gateau!" A dozen different weapons and swords surrounded her instantly. "I can't allow such treason to go unpunished," she seethed fiercely.

"Gomenasai!" They squealed in unison.

"W-We didn't mean to, Erza...-san," Gray muttered ruefully.

Natsu trembled. "Yeah, please don't punish me! Just Gray! He started it."

Said boy quickly sneered in his direction. "Oi!"

"I say you give 'em a beating they'll never forget," Happy proposed with an evil glint in his eye.

Lucy gawked at the blue Exceed, "sadist!"

Elfman nodded with folded arms and a wry smile. "That's a man."

"No. They deserve much more," Erza noted with a huff. The weaponry vanished as she faced the gaping blonde teen. Suddenly the red haze was gone and her anger had simmered down. "Lucy."

The celestial wizard jolted under the intense glare. "Y-Yes ma'am?"

"Have you picked a job?"

She nodded quickly. "Rescue maiden from Mt. Hakobe."

Gray pouted. "Mt. Hakobe? What the hell is a girl doing there all by...?"

"Be quiet!" A polished sword pinched at his throat. The Ice-Make wizard gulped and remained perfectly still. "We shall take that request," Erza bellowed. Then she scowled at the pair on the floor. "And you two, you're coming with."

"Yes, Erza-san," the boys warbled in unison. A brightened flash later she was back in her Heart Kreuz armour. The boys watched on as the redhead padded to the request board to join Lucy, who was smiling nervously. Both Natsu and Gray exhaled deeply in sighs of relief, leaving the remaining guild members very much bewildered.

"That's it? No beating?" Max wondered aloud with a raised brow.

"Pfft! This is Erza we're talking about. She probably has something in store for them later." Cana held her keg up and gulped at the beverage.

"It pretty much is like Erza-san to ripen their body layers," Laki commented.

Lisanna laughed tensely. "How is that, exactly?"

The scarlet-haired woman paced to the bar. "Mira, we're taking this," she announced, handing over the request flyer.

Mirajane noted it down and cheerfully smiled in return. "Okay, have fun!"

"Are you not reading the atmosphere here?" Lucy muttered.

Erza faced her team. "Let's head out." Her attention turned to the half-naked teen beside her. "Put some clothes on."

Gray scratched the back of his head in a nervous gesture. "Sorry..." He bent down to retrieve his discarded shirt and pants.

A certain rain woman watched the scenario from behind a pillar. "Juvia wants to go with Gray-sama." She pouted at the sight of her beloved dragging on his top as he exited the guild hall with the rest of Team Natsu.

The journey to Mt. Hakobe was treacherous. Lucy trembled, unable to quell the ominous feeling that pooled in her stomach. Although she was used to taking on missions with the team, she could hardly help but wonder how things would turn out. Her hands rubbed over her arms, feeling the numerous goosebumps on her skin. Thankfully, Natsu was quiet throughout the bumpy carriage ride, occasionally retching and gasping for more oxygen. Erza controlled the vehicle while the rest sat in the back. Lucy was unsure how her red-haired friend was able to tolerate such alpine climates in just her armour. It was easy for Gray to endure such temperatures since he was an ice wizard. Naturally the sickly dragon slayer could warm himself up, so he was able to bear the cold, too. And, well...Happy had enough fur to keep him warm.

"You think Erza's still mad about the whole cake thing?" Gray asked.

Lucy peered up at the half-naked teen. "I don't think so. She seems fine to me."

Fine being the most reasonable term...

"Gray's just scared he'll get a beating!" Happy chimed in, his speech slightly muffled by the fish in his mouth.

The ice user sneered at the blue Exceed beside him. "Shut up."

Lucy tittered. "Maybe you guys were worried over nothing."

The team had split up, each member assigned with their own mission to accomplish. Erza discovered the maiden's location. She had apparently been kidnapped and was hidden in the snowy cavern that was guarded by a myriad amount of villains belonging to an unknown dark guild. With the help of the ice wizard, Erza was able to wipe them out effortlessly before heading forth into the shadowy cave, Gray and Happy in tow.

Fortunately for Natsu, he had bagged the culprit responsible for the maiden's disappearance. The raging encounter continued between the dragon slayer and his commendable opponent. He had already dished out his finest attacks, and was quickly running out of options. Still in fighting stance, he took the time to examine his adversary. He was a large man, standing over 6 feet tall. His bulky exterior compensated for his lack of muscles. Natsu's eyes fell onto the man's bulging stomach. He appeared slightly unkempt, which didn't exactly surprise the dragon slayer.

He remembered facing such a hefty opponent before, back on Tenrou Island. Thoughts of Kain Hikaru and his agile speed came to mind, and suddenly Natsu's ears perked up. The man was muttering something with a sly grin on his murky face.

"Speak up, big guy, can't hear ya."

"I said you've nearly reached your limit."

Suddenly Natsu's fists ignited in an enlarging flame, a smirk on his lips. "Actually, I'm just getting started." In one rapid action he launched forward, impulsively diving back into the battle with a blistering Fire Dragon's Roar. To his annoyance, his attack was brusquely countered with the use of Snow Magic. Natsu shielded his face as the chilling wind whipped towards him; mildly irritated by the fact that his competitor had similar magic to the guy he despised the most.

The dragon slayer persevered, dishing out his hardest blows and aiming directly for the opponent's chest when utilising his Fire Dragon's Claw. His feet ignited in large flames to increase the power of his kicks, only to be swatted away with a flick of the hand by his huge enemy.

He stood with wobbly knees, now feeling the effects of the cold. "Dammit," he panted heavily, his shallow breath clearly visible as large amounts of cold air puffed out into the chilling blizzard. "Who the hell is this guy?" he grumbled with a sneer.

The scoundrel chuckled haughtily, seemingly amused at the upturn of his victory. "Damn runt. Ain't you had enough?"

"Nowhere near." Natsu gestured the man closer in a taunting manner. "Come at me, asshole!"

The villain's brows tightened atop narrowed eyes. Then his face softened, now adopting a somewhat playful expression. "With pleasure." Suddenly he raced onward, his right arm extending with his hands open. "White Blast!" Still running forward, he placed his left hand on his right forearm, prompting a medium-sized snowstorm to generate from his right palm and shoot towards the unsuspected dragon slayer.

Natsu saw the increasing snowstorm advancing towards him. Using enhanced reflexes, he quickly produced a fire in both hands. "Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame!" He brought his hands together, creating a giant searing fireball, before launching it towards his enemy.

Lucy watched by the mouth of the cave, eyes wide at the result of both attacks colliding at great speeds and generating an immense explosion. She cringed, her body slightly shifting backward from the aftershock. Once the frosty haze cleared, she saw Natsu stood in place, panting heavily, while his adversary had been pushed back a few feet, seemingly unaffected.

"There's no way I'm gonna stand back and watch this." She retrieved one of her keys and held it upward.

The villain saw Lucy's action and sneered. "Annoying bitch," he murmured. Before allowing her to take any course of action he quickly extended both arms frontwards. "Snow Fall!" A huge magic seal appeared, enveloping the immediate area around him in a large snowstorm. He splayed his fingers, pushing the snowstorm outward and closer to the blonde, freezing her in her summoning pose instantly.

"Lucy!" Natsu roared. He ran to her aid, only to be throttled by a large boulder of snow.

"Stay where you are! I'm not done with you yet." The bulky man approached Natsu, who now lay dishevelled in the snow.

Natsu winced. "Damn." He attempted to get up, but a firm boot landed on his chest.

"I said keep still. You Fairy flies piss me off, you know that?" He chuckled at the sight of Natsu's struggle. Combing his grubby fingers through his silver locks, he smiled. "I'd never allow you insects to meddle in my plans. What I do with the princess is none of your business."

"P-Princess?" Natsu wheezed out. That wasn't mentioned in the request flyer.

"Yeah? What of it? She'd do great in the business. Trading ain't easy, y'know."

"Trading?" Natsu echoed, then his eyes bugged. "Y-You...wanna sell her?"

He sniggered. "Women don't come cheap, buddy. I could make a lot from a rich girl like her." He licked his lips. "Or I could keep her for myself. Who knows? Either way someone gets laid, and I get the cash."

A growl erupted from Natsu's throat, "Bastard!"

"Oh be quiet." He pushed him further into the arctic snow. "I got a nice trick to show ya. Ever been buried alive?" He gave a leering grin as his hand formed a crystalline ball, only to be shattered by a flying ice arrow seconds later. He paused and glanced up to see a half-naked man stood by the entrance of the cave with an ice bow in his hand.

The man smiled and the bow vanished. "Pretty good aim, huh?"

He snarled. "Another one?"

Gray sauntered closer. "Guess I have to step in again. How many times do I have to keep saving you, flame-head?"

Natsu heard the familiar scolding voice and his face contorted in disdain. "Just kick his ass, Gray," he sneered from the pale snow. "The bastard uses Snow Magic."

"Snow?" A smile crept up on Gray's lips. "That works out perfectly."

The rival smirked back. "Such an arrogant fool." He straightened up and cast another stance for his new competitor. "Alright, you're next."

A haze of ice gathered between Gray's palms as he took a new pose. "I won't go easy on you..." then he noticed the man's bulbous stomach, "...or that baby you're carrying."

The snow user grimaced. "Funny guy, eh?"

"Tch." Then Gray rushed forward, the ice in his palms now emergent. "Let me show you my first gag," he bellowed, running towards his opponent. "Ice Make: Sword!" A limpid sword appeared in his hands, just as he neared his target. Without giving him a chance to counter, Gray swiftly lashed his sword in circular motion. He managed to slice the villain's cheek, who had jumped back just in time before any great harm was caused.

He felt his cheek before growling fiercely. "Fucking pest."

Gray's smile never faltered. "I have a lot more jokes up my sleeve."

Meanwhile, Natsu was now active and had thawed Lucy from her snowy encapsulation. The blonde's skin had turned pale and the tip of her nose shined red. She hugged herself in an attempt to get warm, but to no avail.

"Argh, that c-creep!" she seethed irately, her teeth chattering.

Natsu noticed her frustration and helped her to step out from the remaining clump of snow. "You okay?"

"Hell no! I'm freezing c-cold here!" She sighed, her breath visible in the icy weather.

Natsu crossed his arms, now in thought mode. "I think Erza has the girl and is heading back to the carriage, but for now..." He glimpsed at the battle between Gray and the enemy before facing his shivering comrade. "I can't let Gray have all the fun. Let's finish that bastard."

Lucy gave a curt nod. "Right!" She held up the same trusted key from before. "Open: the Gate of The Lion! Leo!" In a glowing flash, Loke appeared, donned in his usual three-piece suit and azure-tinted sunglasses.

He faced Lucy, greeting her with a chivalrous bow. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

Lucy pointed a finger to the hefty enemy a few feet away. "I need you to help Gray!" she ordered sternly.

He nodded and adjusted his glasses. "Of course." Then he hastily leaped into the battle, jabbing his target whenever the ice wizard prepared for his next Ice-Make attack. Now the enemy was struggling, and Natsu couldn't wait to join the fray.

The dingy villain whipped his silver bangs aside and scowled with clenched fists. "Don't toy with me!"

Gray smirked. "Someone's losing their patience."

His boiling rage erupted and a strained howl left his throat. "Snow Fang!" He swung both hands forward into a claw-like position, summoning an aggressive attack towards the raven-haired teen. Gray quickly dodged the spell and jumped aside, leaving the man open in all areas.

"Now Loke!" Lucy yelled.

Loke took a casting stance at his owners command. The ground beneath him shook as he gathered huge extents of energy to the centre of his body. "Lion Brilliance!" An enormous amount of light emitted from his body, covering a wide radius. The enemy, being in the vicinity of the spell, staggered back and shielded his eyes from the prominent gleam of rays. Such a gaping bright light managed to damage his vision and momentarily blind him.

"Argh, fuck! My eyes!" He took a few more steps back.

Natsu saw the opportunity and quickly jumped in. "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" Both fists became engulfed in great flames as he sent a striking blow to his adversary's jaw, knocking him backwards and sending him flying. He landed in lump of snow by the dank cave, fully unconscious.

Lucy fist-pumped and high-fived the Lion spirit. "Yes! Good work guys!"

Natsu gave a thumbs up in return, sporting his trademark grin, while Gray gave a modest nod.

Loke flashed a coquettish smile. "On the contrary, Lucy, we couldn't have done it without you."

Lucy beamed at the supplement, then waved her hand dismissively. "Awh c'mon. I barely did anything."

Gray shook his head. "You summoned Loke, which was more than enough."

Loke smirked. "By the way, that outfit isn't exactly appropriate for such chilling weather, Princess. Not that I'm complaining, I can see your nipp—"

"Goodbye Loke!" Lucy forged a smile as she forced his gate closed. She quickly swiped her hand and Loke vanished back to the Spirit World with an illumined after-glow. She let out a huff before placing her key away. "Dumb lion."

Soon the damaged wizard was brought back to the carriage and tied up, courtesy of Erza and her unique knotting skills. The princess was unconscious, but showed no signs of injury. She was placed in the back with a blanket and Happy was in charge to watch over her incase she woke up.

"This isn't the end," the snow user muttered. "The God of the Purest Land of White shall never be defeated! Just you fuckers wait and see!"

"Yeah right," Gray failed to stifle a chuckle.

The villain went on. "The great Yuki Shiroi will never be defeated!"

Natsu began to laugh. "Your name is Snow White? Pahaha!"

Yuki Shiroi snarled, bearing discoloured teeth. "Shut the hell up!"

Natsu's laugh rapidly turned into a guffaw. "What kinda big shot goes around with that name?"

Lucy rolled her eyes and Erza began to drag Yuki to the cart. "Good job, guys. Let's bring them back and collect our reward."

The train moved at an agile speed on the tracks as the team headed back to Magnolia. Lucy held onto a quaking Plue in her lap as she glanced out the window. Life itself was literally whizzing past, but she was just glad to be back in such warm surroundings. Team Natsu had learned of Yuki Shiroi's ruthless intentions. Lucy was especially horrified when it was revealed that the snow user wished to form a sex trade of some sort, with the young Princess being the first victim. The thought sickened Lucy to no end, and she was glad to see the God of the Purest Land of White behind bars. Her brows tightened and a pout formed on her lips as she remembered him sending her into a frozen state. Because of him, she was sure she had frostbite.

A sigh left her lungs. "Glad that's over," she mused gently.

Gray nodded in agreement. "I know what you mean. All that fighting really drained the energy outta me."

Lucy gawped at the raven-haired teen sat opposite her. "Put some clothes on!"

He glanced down at his fully-nude body and raised a brow. "Huh. Would you look at that."

"I'd rather not!"

"I'm amazed everyone managed to work so well together," Erza mentioned, the gauntlets of her armour clanking together as she folded her arms.

"Well, this isn't the first time." Gray claimed with a shrug. "Flame-brain here is always the damsel in distress."

The sickly dragon slayer heard the remark and managed to spit out, "s-shut up, icy freak."

"How about you make me, dragon breath?"

"Gray..." Erza intoned in warning.

His mouth shut instantly and he crossed his arms before faced the window again, now miraculously fully-clothed. Lucy tittered at his timorous reaction. Leave it to the great Titania to keep both teens in check. The train jolted abruptly, causing Natsu to gag and quickly cover his mouth, his face now turning slightly off-colour.

Lucy frowned at the sight. "We should've asked Wendy to cast Troia."

"Pathetic," Gray sneered at his pink-haired rival.

"Natsu?" When the suffering boy didn't answer, Happy landed on his lap and began to fan his face with a cloth.

"Maybe he should take the window seat," Lucy suggested, watching her comrade's jerky movements. The last thing she wanted was for him to mess up her cute new boots with vomit.

The Canis Minor spirit held up a single paw. "Puuun!"

"See? Plue totally agrees."

"I want you two to fetch my luggage," Erza proclaimed with a glare, completely dismissing everything that had just transpired. Both Lucy and Gray's eyes bulged.

"You mean...all of it?" Lucy asked in mild stupor.

The swordswoman nodded curtly. "They're in separate carts since I carried too much."

"No surprise there," Gray mumbled.

They both rose from their seats and headed to collect her things. It didn't take long before Lucy found a large mass of luggage by the back compartment of the train. She sweat-dropped at the amount. Most—if not all—of it was completely unnecessary and useless. The blonde couldn't understand why Erza carried so many things. She was certain she saw a moving fishtail squirming between a few suitcases.

"Jeez, look at all this," she muttered in skepticism. With much exertion she gathered the baggage and lugged it back to their car. She placed the containers and suitcases infront of Erza, who was sat there enjoying a slice of vanilla soufflé.

"Thank you, Lucy."

"It's no big deal," she lied, ignoring the extreme ache in her lower back. She took a seat and noticed the rest of the luggage was already there. That meant Gray had beaten her to it. The stellar wizard glanced around, expecting to see the half-naked teen. "Where's Gray?"

"I assume he's still searching for my things."

"But..." Lucy raised a brow and then shook her head. Maybe there was even more that he had to go back and fetch. After all, Erza carried tons of gear.

Natsu was now leaning by the open window, his entire face flushed and his salmon hair fluttering from the breeze. "Need...t'get...off," he grumbled, retching once more.

"We're almost there," Lucy soothed. She noticed the blue Exceed was nowhere to be seen either. "Hey, where's Happy?"

"I asked him to assist Gray," Erza answered, licking her spoon. Right now she seemed reserved and complacent. Maybe Lucy was right, maybe Erza decided to let the whole gateau accident slide. The blonde felt slightly alleviated to know that the boys wouldn't suffer from the Titania's unforgiving rage. Soon the train came to a halt and the doors slid open. Passengers began to pile on. Both women stood up and Lucy turned to help Erza lift her excessive amount of possessions off the train. As the stepped off, Lucy struggled to hide the agony she was in. Her back was on fire from all the heavy lifting.

The doors closed and the conductor announced departure of the train. Lucy wiped the sweat off her brow and exhaled. "Looks like the worst is over."

Erza nodded in agreement. "I'm just glad we didn't cause damage to any towns this time. The reward money is solely ours."

Lucy laughed, and then paused. "It feels like we're forgetting something."

"How so?"

"I don't know..." she peered around, the odd sensation in her gut growing stronger. Then it dawned on her. "Gah! Where are the boys?"

Erza looked also. "Now that you mention it..." she mused, but didn't appear bothered at all.

Lucy stared at the authoritarian, now growing suspicious. "Erm, Erza..."

The redhead suddenly smiled gently. "For the record, you don't know what happened."

Lucy stiffened. She didn't know whether to class that as a suggestion or a threat. Quickly nodding, she acceded, "O-okay."

A pert smile appeared on Erza's face. "Let's head back, shall we?"

"Yeah..." They began to walk to the exit. Lucy turned back to view the train now speeding off. She then sighed and mentally prayed for the boys that remained stuck in the carriage.

Back on the train, Gray continued to bang on the solid door; teeth clenched in angst and eyebrows knitted together in awareness. "Dammit, this thing just won't budge!"

"Maybe if you freeze the handle?" Happy suggested. They had been stuck in the tiny compartment for a while. Gray knew something fishy was amidst when he and Happy entered to retrieve Erza's luggage to discover nothing was there. The compact room rocked along with the train as it continued to drift along the tracks.

"That wouldn't do anything," he scowled. "We've probably missed our stop by now. How the hell did the door close on us anyway?"

"I think someone locked us in."

Gray frowned at the notion. "What kind of sick bastard would pull such a prank?"

"Well, it couldn't have been Natsu. He's still sick."

Gray growled in annoyance and began to kick at the door, now running out of options. Strangely, the handle appeared to be jammed, as if something was obscuring it from the outside. "We need to get outta here, dammit!"

Streams of tears began to leave Happy's eyes. "I can't believe I'm stuck in here with an exhibitionist," he wailed.

Gray faced him with a sneer. "Hey!"

In the safe part of the train, a certain pink-haired dragon slayer remained slumped in the chair; eyes closed and steam leaving his mouth. A sudden jolt from the train left him hurling and resting against the window. Passengers watched on as he whined in desperation to be let off. He briefly wondered where everyone was and cursed once he realised he had been left on the train...again.

Natsu retched when the train picked up speed and felt tears leave his eyes at such cruel fate. "Need...t'get...off..."

Now back in the security of her quaint home, Lucy set her keys down on the table and untied her pink ribbon, allowing her blonde tresses to cascade her shoulders. She sat on her bed and faced the red-haired female who was now sat at the table and sipping some sobacha tea from the flowery mug; her armour clinking with every movement she made.

The blonde stared at her comrade, awaiting some kind of explanation. When nothing was said, she pouted. "So are we just never going to talk about this?" she finally questioned in low tones.

Erza sighed in satisfaction of the tea before glancing up at the summoner. Her eyes portrayed something other than happiness—more like pride and fulfillment. All of a sudden, she smiled. "That'll teach them for ruining my gateau."

The End

A/N: Poor Happy didn't deserve such a fate, but if Erza hadn't locked him in with Gray, he would've helped Natsu off the train.

The actual term for Snow White is supposedly Shirayuki-hime, but we can all agree that 'Yuki Shiroi' has a better ring to it name-wise.