"Gray! Gray wake up!"
Gray stirred as the new noise assaulted his eardrums.
"Gray! GET UP!" Natsu grabbed Gray by the arm and pulled him out of the bed. Gray fell to the floor with a thunk.
He scrambled to his feet and glared into the eyes of what had to be the most annoying person in the world, Natsu. 'What do you want? I was sleeping!" Gray shouted into Natsu's face.
"It's time to leave for our mission, ice skull!" Natsu shouted back.
"What did you call me, kindle for brains?" Gray spat.
A red headed woman rolled her eyes and grabbed Natsu's and Gray's necks, slamming their heads together.
"OW! Erza! What was that for?" Gray shouted while rapidly rubbing his head.
"Because, you two were being idiots, now get ready and meet us out front in 5 minutes."
Gray continued to get dressed and slide his coat on. After he exited the building, he was greeted with a tight hug from Lucy. "Good Morning, Gray!" She released and stepped back adjusting the strap on her shoulder bag. Lucy was one of Gray's good friends as well as a member of his team, along with Erza, a magical warrior, Happy, a Flying blue cat, and Nastu, an annoying pain in the butt. He knew that Natsu was powerful, but he irritated Gray to no end.
Gray nodded at Lucy, "Morning, what was this mission that you seemed so excited to take for the group but not willing to share about?"
Lucy giggled, "It's a surprise!"
Gray rolled his eyes and sighed, "Alright then, lead the way, I suppose."
O-O-O-O-O
"How much longer until we get there?" Natsu groaned.
"It shouldn't be too much further!" Lucy giggled as she strode ahead of the group.
Erza quickened her pace to catch up to Lucy and spoke in a soft voice, "Where are we going Lucy? This seems to be a very long journey for just a surprise mission."
Lucy leaned in, "Promise not to tell Gray or Natsu?"
Erza blinked, "Oh yes! This is what girls do isn't it? They share secrets! Yes, I promise."
Lucy giggled, "We have a mission from some magical trolls that have asked for our help to train an inexperienced ice mage. I thought Gray would love to have someone to teach his magic to."
"Lucy, that's a kind gesture, but you can't use guild resources and members in such a wasteful way." Erza scolded.
"I didn't want to let on that this trip was just for Gray, and I thought we could use a vacation while Gray earns us our money! Of course, we'll help where we can, but how much help do you think we will actually be with ice magic?"
Erza slammed a fist into her other hand, "Yes! We could be targets for training for Gray's student! Fantastic idea Lucy!"
Lucy looked up down the path. There was a clearing that seemed to be opening up and it was filled with stones and boulders of all shapes and sizes. Lucy dashed ahead of the group into the clearing, almost stumbling over the stones.
"Hello? We're from Fairy Tail. You asked for us?" She turned slowly, looking into the woods in hope of finding the trolls that had sent notice.
The rest of the gang huffed into the clearing.
"Lucy, where's the trolls?" Natsu looked around, "Maybe they forgot because they're a little dense- OW!" Natsu had stubbed his toe on a boulder. "HEY! Was that there before?"
"It's a boulder, rock for brains, it can't move" Gray sighed.
"What did you just call me?" Natsu started shouting at Gray
"Boys, calm down." Erza spoke sternly.
"Aye…" Natsu and Gray muttered before they each got one more hit in.
Happy flew over and plopped on Lucy's head, "Lucy, did you mess up again?"
"What do you mean again!?" Lucy shouted.
Every one of the boulder suddenly started to shift and move. The group shouted in shock as the boulders rolled to surround Lucy. Erza changed into her battle armor, Natsu's fist ignited, and Gray's hands started to radiate frost. The boulders rumbled to a stop and then started popping open to reveal strange grey creatures with grass jewelry and large noses.
Lucy looked at them, "You're the trolls!"
A troll started to roll towards Lucy and the others made way for him. He popped open and looked up at Lucy with a large smile. "Ah, I'm glad you are here, I am Pabbie."
Lucy smiled, "The pleasure is all mine!"
Pabbie looked at the rest of the group. "You are here to help our young magic user?"
Lucy nodded, "Uh-huh! Gray is the one that will be teaching!" She held a hand out to a very confused and very naked Gray. "Gray! Where's your clothes?!"
"I'm sorry, what?" Gray stuttered. "Teaching?" He asked as he noticed he was in nothing more than his thin shorts. "Aah!" He ducked behind a tree to redress.
The trolls looked at each other and then up at Lucy.
"Eh heh," chuckled Lucy, nervously, "He's a great ice wizard, if that helps…"
Pabbie chuckled, "He will be just fine." Pabbie looked over at Gray as he emerged from the woods, dressed again. "Would you be willing to demonstrate your powers for us?"
Gray glared at Lucy, who shrugged and waved her hands, "Go ahead!"
Gray took a big sigh and closed his eyes. Making a fist on the palm of his other hand, he shouted, "Ice Make, Lance!" his hands became engulfed in ice as it poured from his hands and extended to his sides to create a very well-crafted lance. Gray turned and launched the lance into the air and returned to his original position, "Ice Make, Ice Cannon!" and a huge orb of ice launched from his fists and flew through the air, shattering the lance. The remaining ice pieces snowed down over the group. He turned to look at the trolls. "Does that suffice?"
Pabbie smiled, "Let's ask the snow queen herself." And he motioned to another path that lead into the clearing. A girl, with blond hair that trailed from her cloak hood, emerged from the shadows with a look of cautioned awe on her face.
"You… you have the ability to control ice as well?" she whispered as she held her gloved hands to her chest.
Gray looked over at Lucy, then Erza, silently quizzing them with his eyes and then back to Elsa. "Yes…"
Elsa's smile spread across her face, "You're the answer to my problems…"
