Stele: Hey, Grizz, can you tell us a bit about how we are doing this story?
Grizzly: Well, we decided that since the plot was my idea, that I would write the first chapter and as we got to talking we figured we would alternate chapters. Meaning that if you're reading an odd chapter you get to see me, but if you read an even chapter then you're reading Stele's writing.
Stele: Right!
Grizzly: Now Stele I have a question for you.
Stele: What's your question, Grizz?
Grizzly: Now seeing as we already have 20 followers I feel we should give them a bit of a reward if they review. We already have 6 reviews so what do you say that if we can get 5 or more reviews for this chapter we will give the readers a sneak peek for chapter four?
Stele: A sneak peek?
Grizzly: Yea, I've seen a few other authors do it. And basically the idea behind it is that if you, the readers, want to see more of this story you have to leave reviews. Since we got six reviews for chapter one, at the end of this chapter where I sign off there will be a sneak peek of chapter three.
Stele: Ooh, sounds fun!
Grizzly: Now there's not much left to be said without ruining the fun for y'all so with the usual Follow, Fave, and review for sneaks we give you Chapter Two.
Chapter Two
On The Second Day
The next morning, Lucy wakes to an icy chill running up her body. She shivers, sitting up and glancing around the sunlit room. A scowl settles into place when she see's the window has been left wide open, and Natsu, who's rummaging through her fridge for the second time in two days.
She flings the covers aside and stalks across the room with clenched fists. Amazingly, Natsu doesn't hear her approach until she Lucy Kicks him right in the rear. He falls head-first into the fridge with a curse. He spins around with a fist flaming, before he registers her stormy expression. He lets the flame die out and gives a toothy grin.
"Oh, hey, Luce!"
Lucy growls before answering. "Natsu, do you realize that it's WINTER?" She puts her hands on her hips and raises her eyebrows haughtily at him.
"Well, duh!" He answers with a roll of his eyes. Hers narrow in response as he continues. "It's snowing out there, you know." He says this like it's new information.
"I know," She replies flatly. "The window is blowing cold ass snow into my bedroom!" A gesture at the still-open window. He glances at it with an unconcerned expression.
"Yeah, you should probably close that." He suggests, before turning back to raid the fridge again. Lucy balls her hands into fists again and groans loudly before stomping across the room to close the window.
"I'm going to take a shower." She announces. "Take what you want and then get out. And use the front door!" She adds. "You better not be here when I come out."
"You want some help in there?" He offers with a suggestive wink. Her face goes beet red as she races into the bathroom. Just before she closes the door, she hears him chuckle.
When Lucy finishes her shower, she hesitantly cracks the door open and peeks out with narrowed eyes. When there's no sign of the Dragon Slayer, she pushes the door open and steps out in only a towel. The air is still chilly from the open window, and she shivers as the coldness hits her bare, wet skin like a bunch of ice shards.
She hurries over to her dresser and pulls out an outfit before racing back into the bathroom, where the steam from her shower still hangs in the air. She slams the door shut behind her, still shivering.
Once the shivering dies down, Lucy pulls the towel from her body and instead wraps her hair up so that the dripping strands don't stick to her naked body. She quickly slips on a pair of simple, lavender panties, followed by a pair of thick, dark purple leggings and a black skirt. She pairs this with a black long-sleeved top that has a purple cross pattern, with scattered flowers done in silver metallic ink around it. Thick black socks keep her toes from turning to ice, and a pair of black knee-high boots completes the look.
After she towel dries her hair, she blows out the rest of the remaining water and then pulls it back into a half side-ponytail before daring to venture back out into her room. When she does, she finds that it's not quite as cold as it was when her skin had still been wet, but since it's still on the chillier side she decides to light a nice fire to heat up the small area.
She kneels by the hearth, careful not to get soot on her outfit, and reaches to the place next to it to grab her matchbook. Her hand freezes mid-air as her eyes land on a small box wrapped in purple star wrapping paper, the exact wrapping as the bracelet she had received the day before.
Abandoning the fire for now, she takes the box over to the table where the golden bracelet still sits in its own box. She sets the new gift next to it and sits down in a chair, frowning over the two packages.
Who could these be from? She wonders. She picks up the smaller, still-wrapped parcel and examines the wrapping job. It is finely wrapped, almost professionally so, and a tiny, silver bow sits on the top left corner. She jangles it near her ear, listening, but no sound comes from inside.
Beyond curious, Lucy carefully peels back the wrapping paper to reveal an identical cherry-red box, though this one is dwarfed by the first one. It is maybe an inch from top to bottom, roughly the size of a dollar coin. She lifts off the lid of the box, and finds neatly packed cotton inside, concealing the contents of the package. That explains why she couldn't hear anything when she shook it earlier.
She pulls out the cotton, careful not to drop whatever item lay inside. Hidden inside the white material, lies a golden pendent in the shape of a flame. Lucy gasps, running a thumb over the smooth surface of the pendent. 'No,' she realizes, not a pendent. 'It's a charm.' A small, delicate hook is connected to the flame.
Realization makes her suck in a sharp breath. She pulls out the golden bracelet, studying the small, gold links. She takes the flame, holds back the hook, and connects it to one of the links before holding it up.
"A charm bracelet," She says aloud. "But what could it mean?" She sets the bracelet on the table before taking the smaller of the two boxes into her hand, pulling out the remaining cotton to reveal a small, folded up note. She takes the note and unfolds it.
On the second day of Christmas, I give you a flame. The note reads in swirling script.
A flame that symbolizes more than just simple heat.
On the third day of Christmas, look for a charm that can fly like a bird.
Your Secret Santa.
"Hmm." Lucy taps a finger to her chin as she frowns in thought. "Why does this only make me feel more confused than I already was?" With a groan of frustration, Lucy stands up, swiping the bracelet off the table as she does. She shrugs on her black pea coat, then takes a deep breath before braving the snowy world outside.
XxX
At the guild, Lucy, Levy, and Mira are all hovering over the new addition to her bracelet.
"What do you think this means, Levy?" Lucy turns her gaze on her best friend, who is still frowning at the golden bracelet and charm. The blue-haired script mage picks it up and examines it with narrowed eyes.
"I don't know, Lu-chan," she answers after a long moment of thought. "Let me see that note again." She holds her hand out, and Lucy places the piece of paper into her open palm. Her green eyes scan over it a few times before they flick back to Lucy's. "These notes don't give you much to go on." She says with an apologetic smile. Lucy sighs heavily.
"Why don't you just go around and ask everyone?" Mira suggests with an exaggerated wink. Lucy frowns.
"I guess I'm going to have to, because I have no freaking clue what any of this means, or how I'm supposed to figure out who's sending these." A gesture at the bracelet in Levy's hand.
"And why," Levy adds, passing the bracelet back over.
"That, too." Lucy agrees with a small smile.
"Hiya, Luce!"
Lucy scowls as the familiar voice drifts over to her. He sits on the stool next to hers, and offers her a wide grin, to which she responds with a glower. His smile falters the tiniest bit. "Whatcha doin'?" He asks, ignoring the seething look in her eyes. She heaves a sigh, slipping the bracelet onto her wrist so she doesn't lose it.
"We're just talking, Natsu." She replies tiredly. It's only ten, and already she feels exhausted. All this Secret Santa stuff is too much. "Mira, I need a pick me up." She gives a flick of her wrist. The white-haired mage straightens up immediately.
"What will you have, Lucy?" She asks with a serious expression, pulling out a notepad. Lucy frowns at it, trying to remember if she's ever seen Mira use a notepad before. "A strawberry milkshake?" She suggests when Lucy doesn't speak up. The blonde shakes her head.
"No, it's too early. And it's too cold." As if response to her statement, her body gives a sudden shiver.
"Coffee?" Mira asks. Lucy wrinkles her nose in distaste.
"Can't stand the stuff." She replies. "Too bitter."
"Hot chocolate!" Levy crows, and she and Lucy share a grin.
"With peppermint," Lucy adds, and Levy shoots her a thumbs-up.
"Coming right up!" Mira chirps before disappearing into the back.
"So," Natsu says after a moment of silence has gone by. "How's the search coming along?" He gestures at her left wrist, where the gold bracelet hangs delicately. Lucy sighs audibly.
"It's not," she twists the bracelet until the flame charm is on top, then adds, "It's all so cryptic."
"Say what?" Natsu scrunches his face up in confusion.
"It's confusing." She rolls her eyes at his idiocy, then swivels in her chair to peer around the bustling guild hall at all the potential Secret Santa's. There's too many to count, making Lucy feel even more overwhelmed than she already was. "Well, at least I can count Gray off the list." She mutters, watching as the black-haired wizard arm wrestles with Elfman across the room.
"You can count me off, too!" Mira chirps, as she comes back out with two steaming mugs of hot chocolate. She sets them down in front of Lucy and Levy, then gives a girlish giggle.
"Gee, thanks for that, Mira." Lucy deadpans, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Because I was really starting to suspect it was you." Levy giggles. Natsu cackles loudly.
"Same here," Levy agrees through giggles.
"Well, sorry to disappoint you!" Mira grins at them both.
"Yeah, it's a huge bummer." Lucy says dryly, taking her mug and sipping the hot liquid.
"You should ask my brother!" Mira suddenly exclaims, blue eyes widening at the aforementioned white-haired wizard still battling it out with Gray. Lucy follows her gaze just in time to see Elfman crush Gray's arm against the table. He lets out a roar of victory.
"Yeah! And that's how a real man does it!"
Gray sulks, walking away while grumbling unintelligibly under his breath.
"Uh, you really think it could be him?" Lucy asks, trying to picture the burly man wrapping a dainty parcel like the one she found by her fireplace that morning.
"Oh, yes!" Mira drops her elbows onto the table, hearts in her eyes as she gazes at her brother. "Isn't he just the cutest?!"
Lucy chokes a little on her hot chocolate, and Natsu smacks her back until she can regain composure.
"I don't think it's him, Mira…" Lucy finally manages to get out.
"Well, let's ask him!" Mira suggests. Lucy opens her mouth to protest, but she's not fast enough. "Oh, Elfman!" Mira calls out loudly. Her brother turns toward her voice, then smiles widely before trudging over to their group. Lucy slinks into her chair, closer to Levy, hoping she would suddenly become invisible. Then again, that hadn't exactly worked out so well for her the first time…
"Hey, Mira," Elfman says, as he stands near them, chest puffed out before them. "Did you see my manly show of power back there?" He jabs a thumb behind him where he and Gray had been arm wrestling.
"Uh-huh!" Mira answers. "Hey, Elfman, Lucy wants to know if you're her Secret Santa!"
Lucy's cheeks flush bright red at Mira's bold question. 'No need to beat around the bush, Mira!' Elfman's gaze falls on Lucy, and his eyes, so like his two sisters, lights up.
"Uh, yeah!" He says with a grin. "Of course I am!" Lucy narrows her eyes suspiciously. Natsu makes a sound that's somewhere between a laugh and a choke. Levy and Mira exchange a wide-eyed glance.
Lucy hides her left wrist behind her back before she speaks. "Okay, Elfman," she begins. "If you're my Secret Santa, then tell me what today's gift was." She waits with a triumphant expression as Elfman opens and closes his mouth like a fish.
This time, Natsu does laugh. Levy and Mira share disappointed looks. Lucy points behind him with a harsh glare. "Leave." He pokes his lip out and mutters something about being "not manly" under his breath before turning and heading in the opposite direction.
"Aw, I thought for sure it would be Elfman!" Mira pouts, looking utterly disappointed that her assumption had proved to be incorrect.
"That oaf?" Natsu scoffs. "Pfft. I'll help you out, Luce, if you want?" He offers. His eyes light up with an expression that looks almost hopeful. Lucy is immediately suspicious.
"Why?" She asks, and the Dragon Slayer shrugs. He pulls her hot chocolate in front of himself and takes a drink of the hot liquid before speaking.
"Because we're a team!" He finally answers. Lucy's glare softens. She steals back her cup and takes a long sip. The warm, sweet liquid gives her the energy she needs, and she's grateful that Levy suggested the beverage. She already feels less stressed, and not to mention warmer.
"Yeah, you're right, Natsu. We're a team!" She returns his smile, then finishes off her hot chocolate. "Well, then, let's get to it!"
"Right now?" He asks with a comically bemused expression. She rolls her eyes.
"No, Natsu, let's wait until my Secret Santa magically appears in front of me and then ask him." She sasses. He pouts.
"That's not a bad idea!" Mira sends Natsu a suggestive wink behind Lucy's back. When Lucy turns to look at the white-haired mage, Natsu sticks his tongue out at her.
"What do you mean?" Lucy asks with a frown.
"Oh, nothing!" Mira grins innocently.
"I think she means that your Secret Santa is probably closer than you might think." Levy suggests with a shrug.
"That's not exactly helpful." Lucy sighs. "Anyway, come on, Natsu. Let's go back to my place."
"Ooooh, you loooove him!" Happy snickers, suddenly appearing at her side.
"It's not like that, stupid cat!" She exclaims, giving him a death glare as he hurriedly cowers behind Natsu.
"Natsu, save me!" He shrieks as Lucy bares down on him.
"Better run, Happy!" Mira suggests with a giggle.
"Yeah, I can't save you from Scary Lucy." Natsu says apologetically. Happy looks over at him with a betrayed expression.
"How can you say that? I thought we were buddies?"
"Yeah, but she's scary." Natsu shrugs.
"I'm going to kill both of you idiots!" Lucy lunges, but Happy quickly dodges, flying up into the air so she can't reach him. Lucy lets out a furious groan of frustration.
"Come on, Scary Lucy!" Natsu puts his hands behind his head and starts walking casually from the guild hall. "Let's go before the snow gets too high."
"Why you-STOP CALLING ME SCARY LUCY!" Then she stomps after him, sending up puffs of dust from the unswept floors. Someone sneezes where they lie half asleep on the floor. Someone else chuckles.
"Two hundred jewel says they're gonna go make out!" Cana calls out from a table.
"Three hundred says she murders him before they even get there!" Max slams some money down on the table in front of Cana.
"You're on!" She lifts her beer mug and takes a long swig, then asks, "Anyone else?"
At the beginning of the chapter I said y'all would get a treat for leaving six reviews for the first chapter so here it is:
"What the hell? This makes no more sense than the rest of the clues." Lucy screeches after finishing the note.
"Hey, Luce, you coming to the.. Is that the new clue?" Lucy turns at the question to see Natsu jumping off the window ledge into her room.
"Yes, it is, and it makes no more sense than the other clues did." He walks over and picks up the note, eyebrows furrowing as he reads it.
Now remember if you want to see a sneak peek of chapter four, then y'all readers need to leave a review. Five or more equals a sneak peek.
Y'all are so lucky I can type with one hand or else I would never be able to get this done. You see I recently got a puppy. His name's Diesel and he's the cutest thing on Earth, the only downside is that he'll only sleep in the crook of my arm. But I could never turn him away, I mean I already have a little hellion of a cat, a rottweiler that thinks she's a lap dog, and a chihuahua that is as picky as they come when it comes to dinner time. And I've completely forgotten where I was going with this. Ugh. 'Til next time.
Grizzly out for the night.
P.S. When you get a puppy, buy A LOT of puppy pads. Or better yet.. Adopt.