Author's Note: Hello! Christmas Break sure feels good...I didn't do anything yesterday. Anyway I hope you're enjoying the story, here is chapter three!

Also, I do not own Fairy Tail.

Chapter Three - On the Third Day

"No way, you're actually gonna leave this place for once?"

Laxus Dreyar couldn't help but grin as he noticed Nab Lasaro sitting inside the guild bar and packing up his bags for a brand new road trip.

Nab snapped back with confusion. "Hey! It's not like I sleep here or anything? I have a life outside of Fairy Tail, and I leave here all the time!"

Laxus waved his hands and chuckled at the back lash. "Look, you don't have to tell me. You go do your thing."

The Lightning Dragon Slayer laughed in support of Nab's bold move as he sat at the bar waiting on Mirajane to bring him a new beverage.

Once Mira delivered his order, she looked over to the guild doors and smiled. "Oh I think it's wonderful you all are going shopping together!"

The kind Takeover Mage looked on with glee as Nab was being joined by a rather goofy Vjeeter Ecor as he made for the door, and right behind them came Reedus Jonah as he smiled back to Mira.

"Oh I can't say we're all shopping. These two were the ones who wanted to go to Hargeon and buy their gifts. I just plan on using the nice ocean scenery to make mine!" Reedus smiled again as he held up his famous magical paint brush and palette.

Mira giggled with joy. "Oh that's so clever, Reedus! Enjoy your trip!"

As they all left the guild hall, Mira's face quickly went from warm to rather salty as she hit Laxus softly on the arm.

Laxus snapped back. "Hey what did I do?"

Mira sighed. "You know Nab gets uncomfortable with travelling! You shouldn't have said anything."

Laxus paused and rolled his eyes. "Yea, you're right…but it's not my fault this guild has a few odd balls here and there. Which reminds me…" He looked around with suspicion as he went to continue.

"Where did that nut Juvia go, anyway? Two days ago she was yappin' about finding Gray's slip of paper. Now I can't even hear her anywhere."

Mira's charm returned with that thought as she smiled. "Oh, she went up to Mount Hakobe to find her gift."

Laxus cringed. "Geeze, what crazy person did she get to help her climb that death trap…?

Mira looked rather uncomfortable as she continued washing a glass. "Actually, it wasn't Juvia's idea. Her partner volunteered her to..."

As Mira and Laxus continued enjoying their conversation inside the warmth of the guild, we quickly come to find a rather cold Juvia trekking through the deep snow on the frigid peaks of Mount Hakobe.

With her is none other than Erza Scarlett, who appears to be a woman on a mission in her hunt for her Secret Santa gift.

Erza smiled through the icy air and let out a loud sigh as if this was paradise. "Mhmm Ahhh! Isn't this atmosphere just the greatest?!"

Although her partner was sort of freezing, Juvia seemed to be handling the icy temperatures rather well. "Well, I must say it's not as bad as I thought. I expected it to be colder this time of year."

Erza turned to Juvia and smiled. "Well, I'm glad you said that. Usually when we come up here one of our team members is whining about the cold…and it's usually Lucy."

Juvia grinned and uncontrollably laughed. "Oh well no wonder. She's too week to handle the cold…"

However, Juvia actually finished the rest of her phrase in her mind. "...And far too weak to handle my icy hunk, Gray!"

The Rain Woman began rubbing her hands together with a sinister look in her eyes as Erza spoke up. "Is everything alright, Juvia? You seem to be a bit off."

Juvia snapped back into reality. "Oh I'm perfectly fine! Let us go on with our hunt!"

Erza nodded as they fought through the icy winds once more and climbed further up the mountain.

As a long hour passed and the wind began to howl, Juvia had to yell in order to communicate with her partner. "SO WHAT ARE WE DOING UP HERE, AGAIN?"

Erza yelled back, but kept her eyes forward. "TRYING TO FIND SOME OLD FRIENDS!"

Juvia felt some sarcasm in that answer, and as they continued walking the mighty Re-quip Mage traced the scene around her for any sign of life she could find, that is until she came across a dimly lit cave just ahead.

She smiled and yelled back to Juvia. "THIS WAY! I'VE FOUND OUR FIRST LEAD!"

Once Erza and Juvia finally made it to the small cave on the side of a large mountain crest, the red haired Titania entered first. Yet as soon as they made it inside, Juvia jumped in fear as she collected the scene.

"VULCANS!?"

As the Water Mage yelled out in fear, a horde of nasty Mountain Vulcans all turned away from their small camp fire and looked over to gaze at the blue haired beauty.

The closest beast then smiled. "Well well well, looks like we got some womens here, now." The large brutish primate stood up and went to march forward, but not before Erza drew her sword.

"Enough! Foolish apes, I have no quarrel with you. I am in need of your brethren, the Gorians of the forest."

The entire group of mountain apes began laughing with rage and amusement; that is except for the one who stood up.

This daunting gorilla now looked like a tiny monkey as soon as he noticed Erza's presence. "NO! She freaky warrior woman who loves strawberries!"

Then, all the other Vulcans registered that thought and began running around in a state of panic.

Juvia's eye began twitching as she looked over to Erza. "Um…I'm lost. Please explain."

Erza sheathed her weapon and grinned. "Well, these silly perverts must have heard of my last visit with their sister-species, the forest vulcans. Panther Lily and I ventured up these mountains not long ago in search of a very delicious and very rare breed of wild strawberries, and I intend to use them in my Secret Santa gift…"

Juvia wanted to collapse to the ground. "You dragged me up to this cave…in search of strawberries…?"

Erza turned and smiled with joy. "Well, yes of course! These are very valuable, and I'm sure my gift recipient would love to try them in a cake or two!"

Juvia eventually did collapse to the ground and curled up into a ball. "No wonder my Love Rival is so insane…I would be too if I had to go on these ruthless missions with her all the time."

Erza ignored Juvia and grabbed her by the collar of her coat, yanking the Water Mage back to her feet. "Come on, we can't let them get away."

Juvia landed and shook her head as she geared herself up for an attack. "Right!"

The two fierce warrior women then unleashed a full range of magical attacks on the poor defenseless Vulcans, and as the dust flew high and the fighting became too intense to see, the chief Vulcan tried crawling away.

Sadly for him, Erza caught him by the leg and Re-quipped into her daunting Purgatory Armor in order to deliver the most frightening threat imaginable.

"Now, refer me to your brethren, and I might let you keep these cowardly limbs you call legs."

The chief snapped around and began kissing Erza's feet as he pleaded for mercy. "Yes, anything for Warrior Woman!"

After a short display of fierce battle and embarrassing cowardice, Erza and Juvia waited for the last storm to clear before they went in their new direction.

Juvia scratched her head and explained the thought currently stuck on her mind. "Well, they said your forest vulcans are right at the foot of this peak."

Erza looked on with determination. "True. Let's hope our information is correct."

Juvia then paused before she went to reply. "So, this strawberry sounds pretty rare."

Erza kept marching as she responded. "Yes, what about it?"

Juvia continued. "Well, do you mind if I ask who it's for? It must be an important person if you're willing to go through all this trouble."

Erza stopped and scratched her chin. "Actually, my selection for the gift exchange was Droy…I just noticed he seemed to enjoy his fair share of food these days, so I figured I would make him a tasty holiday treat."

Juvia looked confused. "Hold on, do you even know Droy very well?"

Erza looked back to Juvia. "Well, now that you mention it, we really haven't ever held a lengthy conversation. Except for the time I was over intoxicated on that training resort trip…"

Juvia silently laughed. "Um…I'm not sure that counts."

Erza smiled back. "Well, you agreed to join me on this quest. I imagine you must have an important member to find a gift for?" Even though Juvia never revealed her giftee, Erza knew exactly who the water mage had received in the secret santa gift exchange.

"Um…well actually I drew Gray's name." Juvia tried to sound innocent, even though she nearly assaulted Lucy just to get his piece of paper. She then continued. "Haha, I guess I'm pretty lucky."

Erza closed her eyes and smiled. "Yes, quite lucky…you know, I've tried talking with Gray about this whole…thing he does to you."

Juvia heart sank. "Um, I'm not sure what you're talking about?"

Erza looked puzzled. "Really...? Even after that whole anniversary thing you tried celebrating?"

Juvia looked up and let a slight brush of air roll over her face. "Oh yea...he didn't react the way I would have liked..."

Erza continued. "And there's also that moment you had where you saved him in Oasis on that mission with Nigel, and the time you two shared a being in that crazy video game Nigel had us test for his company, and the time…"

"OKAY! I get it, we do spend a lot of time together…and he does tend to treat me differently in each setting." Juvia didn't want to continue. "It's just…he's still confused, is all."

Erza took in a long breath and looked around as she explained her side of the story. "Juvia, it's been over a year, and he's still confused? Think about it. You two have shared some important moments with each other over the past year, and I imagine that's true on both sides of the relationship." The red haired woman then turned around and kept her eyes peeled as she tried carrying the conversation.

"Do you remember what you got him for that anniversary a few weeks back?"

Juvia paused and thought about her recent 413th anniversary of meeting Gray. "Well, everyone suggested some rather colorful gifts, but a lot of them were homemade…"

Juvia stopped on that specific word as large hearts filled her eyes. She then made her way to a very large chunk of solid ice that stuck out of the snow.

"I have been practicing my ice-sculpting lessons!" Juvia crept over to the large glacier as she began ranting about ice-sculpting lessons that never even took place.

Meanwhile, as a very short fuse of delusion was going out in Juvia's brain; Erza ignored it and went into her own world of crazy as she smiled and walked forward with hunger in her eyes. "Well there you go…now, I'll be right back."

The mighty knight held a sinister expression on her face as she spotted a crowd of forest Vulcans off in the distance, and there the reckless mage laughed as she drew her sword and charged ahead for a second ridiculous attack.

Well those two were a little off the chain...they almost made me feel crazy. I hope tomorrow's group is a little more "wound down." Chapter 4 tomorrow!