A/N: Hello, readers! Welcome to another chapter!

Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail, I only own my OC's.

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE: RAINBOW CHERRY BLOSSOMS

In the Fairy Tail guild, Master Makarov is lecturing his guild members about what it is to be a Fairy Tail Mage and to celebrate their work done for the past year, they will hold the long-awaited Hanami Party. A pre-celebration begins, and Mira tells everyone to take it easy. All over the guild, everyone is excited for the Hanami party and about the annual Bingo. There is a shortage of jobs since clients also know of Fairy Tail's resting period during the Sakura season. However, Team Natsu along with Wendy and Carla are gone since they accompanied Wendy on a job.

In Mt. Hakobe...

"Open, Gate of the Clock! Horologium!" Lucy called out, summoning her clock spirit.

"I ended up in light clothes again... It's too damn cold!" Horologium speaks for Lucy as she shivers while sitting inside him. "...she says."

"I-It is cold..." Wendy shivers as well, walking in the deep snow.

"Oh, come off it. This isn't bad. You're embarrassing yourself." Carla scolded.

"Wendy, come inside too! You'll catch a cold." Horologium said. "...she says."

"Really? Then I'll take you up on that offer..." Wendy accepted. "How about you, Carla?"

"I'm perfectly fine, thank you." Carla declined. "Personally, I think cold is something you can manage if you mentally prepare yourself."

"The weather seems to be clearing." Erza informed.

"I'm starving! Is there any fire 'round here?" Natsu questioned.

"It's warm in here!" Wendy finally joins Lucy inside Horologium, but Lucy continues to tremble even though she had a blanket wrapped around her.

"I wanna go home now!" Lucy pleaded.

"Crap... It's hard to walk when it's piled up this high." Aira complained, wearing his usual attire.

"Aira, can I have your scarf please?" Horologium said. "...she says."

"Not a chance." Aira answered.

"Hey, Natsu... You think there really is a herb as useful as that?" Happy asked.

"Who knows? The request bill said it was here, so it probably is, you know?" Natsu responded.

"But that part about how steeping it as a tea or baking it into a cake can temporarily magnify a wizard's magic power, I think it's just a bunch of malarkey." Happy said. "You know what they say: there's always a tasty fish to catch!"

"You mean to say 'there's always a catch'." Erza corrected.

"Erza corrected me!" Happy jumped back in surprise.

"Whether or not it is effected, the request was to gather the herb from the mountain." Erza informed. "And if we gather quite a lot, we can use it as a prize for tomorrow's bingo. Everyone will be pleased."

"Hey, herbs! If you're out there, say somethin'!" Natsu shouted.

"As if, idiot." Aira muttered.

"What'd you say?!" Natsu exclaimed in anger.

"Don't just say whatever pops in your head!" Aira said. "And I don't even know what the hell you're saying, idiot!"

"You're gonna get it, water breath!" Natsu growls at him as he clashes his forehead into his.

"Shut the hell up, pants-wettin' flame freak!" Aira growls back at him.

"Enough!" Erza easily breaks up their fight. The two Dragon Slayers jump back in surprise but they obey Erza's orders.

As they travel, Lucy and Wendy talk about the upcoming Hanami inside Horologium while the other three, Natsu, Aira, and Erza, beat up the Vulcans that ambush them. After Horologium disappears, Wendy and Lucy hug each other, complaining about the cold.

"Oh, man..." Aira's not amused with them.

"You two should go search now!" Erza gets irritated as she orders them to help the team.

"But..." Lucy began to whine.

Natsu picks up a scent. "I can smell it! That's definitely the smell of herbs!"

"Just as good a nose as usual." Happy commented.

"Wait... Have you ever smelled these herbs before?" Carla asked.

"Nope. Never smelled 'em, but I'm sure." Natsu starts to run towards them. "Let's go, Happy!"

"Aye, sir!" Happy flies after him.

"H-Hey!" Lucy watches him disappear in the distance.

"Man, who lit his ass on fire?" Aira mumbled.

"Anyway, let's follow him." Erza said. "His nose is nothing to sneeze at."

"My nose is just as good as his..." Aira told her.

"Then why didn't you smell them in the first place?" Lucy sweat dropped, mumbling under her breath.

"Maybe it's my imagination, but I have a really bad feeling about this." Carla said.

"Your instincts are usually correct, Carla." Wendy commented.

Natsu runs up a mountain; when he reaches the top, he finally finds the herbs. Natsu and Happy cheer together.

"That was fast." Lucy commented.

"Fast is good." Aira added.

"Impressive, as always." Erza praised.

"Yup, he's a beast." Carla muttered.

"Right then. Let's pick these and get home." Natsu is about to pick the herbs, but a large shadow flies over them. A Blizzardvern, also known as a White Wyvern, appears. It uses its wings to send Natsu and Happy flying away from its favorite food, the herbs.

"What a nice break. We can kill two birds with one stone." Aira said as his fists got covered in water. "Did you know that White Wyvern scales go for a lot of money?"

"All right then! After we get those herbs, we'll strip all its scales off!" Natsu said.

"Leave this to us. Lucy, Wendy, stand back!" Erza approaches them.

"I'll fight, too!" Happy volunteered.

"Requip!" Erza requips into her Lightning Empress Armor. "We'll draw it's attention. While it's distracted, you all go and gather the herbs!"

"Right!" Wendy replied.

"I suppose so." Carla agreed.

"Wait... Isn't this the most dangerous job of all?" Lucy questioned.

"I'm counting on you!" Erza shows her scary side to Lucy.

"Right! We'll do it, gladly!" Lucy shrinks back, frightened of Erza.

"Here we go, Natsu, Aira!" Erza and the Dragon Slayers charge at the Blizzardvern while Lucy, Wendy, and the cats crawl towards the herbs.

"Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame!" Natsu throws the large fireball at the Blizzardvern, but it deflects the attack back with air pressure. The fireball attacks towards where Lucy and Wendy are.

"Water Dragon's Gale Force!" Aira attempts to attack it, but the Blizzardvern defects it as well. It lands straight down at Lucy, almost drowning her.

"How about this?!" Erza attacks with lightning using her weapon, but it misses.

"Hey, whoa there..." Aira watches the lightning aim for something else.

"Wait, you!" Natsu screamed. The lightning hits Natsu and Aira, electrifying them.

"Fools! You should have dodged!" Erza shouted.

Aira's body is short-circuiting. "Uh, how about a little, you know..."

"Apologize first, damn it..." Natsu weakly said. The Blizzardvern then charges at Erza, but she shields herself by making a lightning shield.

Seeing her team fight, Lucy promises not to give up.

The Blizzardvern charges at Aira, who sends a wave of water at it. "Now!"

Erza attacks with lightning while Natsu attacks afterwards. "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" As they defeated the Blizzardvern, Lucy manages to grab the herbs. However, the sound of the attacks cause an avalanche that buries Lucy.

"Is everyone okay?" Erza asked. Natsu suffers from motion sickness as he lays on top of the Blizzardvern.

"Guess it has to be expected after going all-out like that." Aira commented.

"Yup, they're beasts..." Carla muttered.

"Huh? Where's Lucy-san?" Wendy questioned.

"Lucy, where are you?!" Happy called out.

Lucy's hand, carrying a herb, pops out of the snow as she shivers. "Cold..."

The Next Day...

Lucy caught a cold from being buried in the avalanche and so she isn't able to attend. Natsu and Happy leave Lucy's house to let her rest. They feel bad for Lucy since she was really looking forward to the festival.

Later, the festival starts. Everyone is having fun, drinking, eating, and laughing. Natsu explains Lucy's condition to the others. Happy suggests that Wendy should cast a healing spell on her, but it turns out Wendy already did and Lucy should be fine by tomorrow. After a while, the traditional Hanami Bingo tournament begins. Everyone except Natsu is participating and attempting to win. Happy tries to persuade Natsu to play Bingo, but he refuses.

During this time, Lucy lies in her bed at home, thinking about all of the experiences she had since the day she met Natsu back at Hargeon Town. She wishes that she attended the Hanami. Before she falls asleep, she thanks Natsu and the entire guild for being there for her and concludes that she joined a really great guild.

Later that night...

Lucy wakes up due to a commotion outside. Lucy opens the window to see what's going on and is surprised to see a Rainbow Cherry Blossom tree floating on a boat at the river right in front of her house.

The Next Day...

Natsu and Happy are Happy to hear that Lucy's cold is cured. Master Makarov is asking who was responsible for digging up the Rainbow Cherry Blossom tree, saying that the Mayor is really mad about it. Lucy realizes that it was Natsu and Happy who were responsible and thanks and hugs them. Meanwhile, the citizens of Magnolia look in wonder at the Rainbow Cherry Blossom tree that seemed to have been replanted.

A/N: Another chapter is finished!

Thanks for reading!

~ Kaleb.