Disclaimer: I don't own Buddyfight. If I did... I dunno, there would be more giant robots.

Hmm... That sounds like an idea.

Anyway, welcome to The Bond Between Buddies! This is gonna be a rollercoaster of emotion and stuff. Maybe? It's definitely gonna follow (most of) the plot of its source material, First time. If ya haven't read it, don't worry. The first few chapters are pretty much gonna follow the same plot as the original. Though, you should go and look at it. It was the father of this clone story, after all.

ALSO! Everyone is aged up about five years. This is so that Gao isn't 13 as he's getting married. Basically, the plot of the actual series remains unchanged, except that everyone's older.

Also, this is set right after Season 1, but there's some blatant references to Season 3 (alle-Bay oleil-Say) and possibly Season 2 coming up soon.

Chapter 1 – The Big Day

"This is Tamako Haneda on tonight's Buddy News Network. Tonight we will be covering the biggest event in the world of Buddyfight: the wedding between Earth's Gao Mikado and Dragon World's Fang Slade XIV."

"Remind me why I have to be in a dress again…" Gao Mikado, the Mighty Sun Fighter, squirmed uncomfortably. He looked at the mirror in front of him, inspecting his look. His wild navy blue hair was carefully combed, save for the red spikes that defied gravity even after going through several showers. His dress was a light, pastel yellow – Yellow! Gao couldn't even fathom that the dress could be anything other than white! – with his shoulders and arms completely exposed. In lieu of jewelry, the oranges and red of the Mighty Sun Fighter's insignia were carefully sewn onto his chest, with the yellows around it seemingly brighter than at the fringes, giving off the impression that he was lit up by the sun. The dress part of his outfit was actually a massive collection of translucent strips, carefully ruffled in tiers that covered his legs. The fabric was very slightly reflective, making his legs shimmer as he walked, bathing him in light. Atop his head, a yellow veil was held up by his hair spikes, flowing carefully over his face, also shimmering slightly.

"Well, it was either that or to be put in a giant kimono with your face painted with an inch of makeup, Gao. I think you're lucky." Gao's father, Takashi, brushed his son's hair once again, struggling with the spikes. The older man was in a perfectly tailored black tuxedo, a rose with yellow and red petals over his heart. His slate gray hair wasn't put through the same torture that Gao's was, though it had been combed somewhat. His square-framed glasses reflected a bit of the light, making it almost impossible for Gao to see his eyes in the reflection of the mirror. "Besides, be glad that you don't have to wear heels in that dress. Your mother nearly tripped a few times during our wedding, you know."

Gao sighed. He felt nervous; the eyes of millions of people were on him to save Buddyfight, and everything had to go perfectly. He just had to wait until it was time to start.

"It's about to start!"

Everyone in Sitri's bar, situated in Magic World, waited with nervous energy as the broadcast from Hero World started. Normally, no one would bat an eye at a wedding, but there was so much more at stake in this one. If even the slightest sign of trouble appeared, Dragon World would immediately cut off all ties with Earth, and Ancient World and Legend World would go along with it. Hero World, Dungeon World, Danger World, and Katana World still promised their support for Earth, and Magic World was more on the fence, but the way things were going, everyone was hopeful that this wedding would smooth things over between the worlds.

Qinus Axia should have been focused on all of that, the bigger picture, but he couldn't help his thoughts from drifting over to the grooms. The normally immaculate blue dragowizard was a disheveled mess, his coiffed hair now a tangled mess across his back. He had changed out of his armor and graduation gown for a more revealing mesh shirt and shorts, desperate for some sort of distraction to take his mind off his troubles. Instead of his staff, he had a mug filled with some burning liquid that did not help at all. Even his monocle was lying next to him, having fallen off his eye the moment he slumped onto the counter.

*Oh Drumkins… I should be happy for you, right? But… Even if it's Gao-wow …*

"Need an ear?" Axia looked up from staring at stain on the bar. In front of him was Sitri himself. The leopard-headed demon was dressed in an immaculate white suit with hints of red, with a red fedora placed neatly between his ears. His feathered wings flapped softly, gently blowing a breeze into the dragon's face. He had a washcloth in his hand, softly rubbing at the stain that the dragon had noticed.

"You don't need to trouble yourself, Sitri." Axia forced himself up. His back ached a bit. He hastily forced the monocle back onto his eye, muttering, "I wouldn't want to bring you down on such a tense day."

"Well, I don't care much for the things that happen outside my bar. So, I would say that you're my top priority, Mr. Dragowizard. But if you'd like to mope about alone, I still have to clean up this stain. It's a tough little spot."

Axia huffed and went back to his drink. He quickly placed the mug to his mouth, downing it all at once. The glass fell back to the bar with a soft thump. He pushed it towards the bartender, asking for another refill.

"Maybe you'd have better luck getting some tail if you didn't look like you'd just come back from war."

Axia snorted. "Love is war," he said, sipping his drink again. He was still only barely buzzed.

"It is."

Axia noticed the stain was gone by now, but the demon still hadn't left. With a sigh, he started talking. "I should be happy that those two are going to save the worlds. But, selfishly, a part of me can't help but be focused on the fact that I loved him first!" He growled, his fist clenching tightly. Small droplets of blood started to seep between his fingers. He opened his hand, silently using his magic to close the small wounds caused by his own claws.

"So you're looking to drown your sorrows in booze, eh?" Sitri pulled out a dirty glass and started to wipe it clean. "Well, that isn't going to fix your problem, isn't it?"

"I don't need you to tell me how to cope."

"I guess not, but you do need to lay off the booze. No one wants another dragon getting drunk while spiteful, not after Burning Wand set fire to half the academy before anyone was able to stop him."

Axia huffed and drank slower, humming softly. "So you're cutting me off?"

"Only until you get that chip off your shoulder. Seriously, Axia, you're practically the heart of Magic World, with your enormous heart and love for everyone. No one wants to see you depressed."

Axia sighed, slumping back onto the counter, toppling his mug over. His drink spilled out, pooling into another mess that Sitri had to clean up.

"'Sides," Sitri started, "I heard that they're doing it out of obligation. They might not actually love each other like you think they do."

"They do. They're Buddies. Their bond is unbreakable."

"You won't know until you see for yourself."

"I… suppose you're right." Axia glanced at the clock on the wall before him. "I need to see them again. If only to hear it straight from their mouths."

The blue dragon stood up with only slight difficulty, and only barely lightheaded. He dropped some money onto the counter and quickly strode out of the bar, eyes shining with purpose and mouth set in a small frown. He needed to get cleaned up.

The wedding march was playing. Gao walked slowly down the aisle with his father by his side, his body somehow still moving despite the paralyzing fear somewhere in his back. He felt like everything was in slow motion. His eyes darted over to the left and then the right, looking at everything.

The wedding was being held in Hero World, the perfect neutral ground between the worlds, in what was an audience hall turned into a chapel. It was a closed room, with multiple screens proudly displaying either the emblem of Dragon World or an image of the Earth. The ceiling was raised high, possibly to accommodate many the enormous Brave Machines indigenous to the advanced civilization.

The wedding was going to be a fusion of Dragon World and Earth traditions. Of course, most of the ceremony was going to be from Earth, as Dragon World had few actual traditions that were commonly held between all the clans. Since Fang Slade XIV – Drum – was of the Drum Bunker armordragon clan, that meant that the whole event had to be overseen by at least fifteen or so of Drum's clansmen. Looking to the left, Gao could see at least that many Drum Bunker dragons standing tall, with their arms folded across their chests. A snippet of a conversation emerged from the recesses of the human's mind.

"We stand tall to show that we truly believe in something! To us Drum Bunker clansmen, sitting or lazing about in any important event is a disgrace to even think about!"

Gao looked closer at the dragons, seeing that they all had thick blue bowties tied around their necks. Judging by how some of them were adjusting them, they were clearly not used to the garment. But one of the human traditions being observed was the need for formalwear to be worn. Despite being in practically the same outfit, the dragons could all be identified by their hair color and differing shades of armor color.

*Though… They look more or less the same if you ignore their hair colors…*

Looking to the left, Gao could see a small army of humans that he recognized. Tetsuya, Zanya, Genma, Doai, Mr. Neginoyama, Suzuha, Jin, Kiri, Kazane, Akatsuki, Megumi, and so many more from Aibo had come out to see him get married. They were all standing, as per the Drum clan's traditions, and they, too, were all dressed up fancily.

Just ahead, Gao could see his sister Hanako, dressed in a flowing yellow dress almost like the one he was in, scattering petals in front of them. She was too old to be the traditional flower girl, but seeing her face light up in excitement at the thought, she was chosen.

Up ahead, at the altar, was Tasuku Ryuenji and his Buddy, Findar the 100th, a Jackknife Dragon. They were the ones to officiate the wedding, as they were well respected across all the worlds. They, too, looked nervous, adjusting the white collars around their necks. Jack brushed the blue-haired man's hair back discreetly, muttering soft assurances that only he could hear. Seeing Gao, Tasuku smiled softly, a gesture that the Mighty Sun Fighter returned.

To the right were his closest friends; Noboru Kodo, Baku Omori, and Kuguru Uki, his bridesmen and bridesmaid. The two males were dressed in black suits that faded to a bright yellow at the bottom, vaguely in the same style as Gao's dress was. Kuguru was dressed in a form-fitting dress that went similarly, from rich orange to a bright yellow, exposing her knees downward and with thin straps that hung over her shoulders, holding it up. Baku's headband was nowhere to be seen, and his brown hair was gelled back. Kuguru left behind her hair lamps, instead wearing her purple hair in a long braid over her back. Noboru's black-striped yellow hair was also combed carefully, his stripes perfectly aligned. The three gave Gao a warm smile as walked closer.

To the left were a few dragons that Gao didn't recognize, though he did know they were of Drum's clan. Standing at the front of the groomsmen was Fang Slade XIII, Drum's father, smiling softly with his arms crossed over his chest. His graying hair was combed into a long ponytail, his usual visored helmet gone. He, too, had a bowtie on, with a red gem placed in its center, glowing as if on fire. His usual armor was replaced with a fitted metal chestplate made of silver, with a long orange cloth depicting the Drum Clan's pride, the Salamander Engine, hanging down and over the fundoshi that protected his decency. Both of the fathers seemed to exchange a look as the humans finally made it up to the altar.

Gao bowed slightly to Tasuku and Jack, before turning his eyes to the dragon he was going to marry. Fang Slade Terrestrial the XIV, whom Gao had always known as Drum, smiled upon seeing the human. Judging by the sweat on his face and the ways his eyes seemed shrunken, Gao could tell that his Buddy was paralyzed with fear. But he did look really amazing. His yellow hair was framed by a spiked helmet, being laced with some form of shining dust; it sparkled and glowed just as brightly as Gao's dress did. Instead of his chestplate, spiked gauntlet, and tattered cape, Drum was instead covered in a very polished golden chestplate lined with silver flame designs. The gauntlets that covered both of his arms were slim instead of bulky, with the claws being short and golden instead of sharp and silver. Drum's cape was a rich scarlet, threaded with the Dragon World flag in gold on his back. The cloth that hung over his pelvis was much like his father's, but it was also red and gold, with gemstones embedded down the center. His legs were covered in skintight black tights, with his feet covered by clawed armor.

Tasuku cleared his throat, and the ceremony began.

Azi Dahaka was unconcerned by the wedding itself. The three-headed dragon stood inside of a research laboratory large enough to accommodate his size. Standing just to his side, quickly scanning through screens of data was the eccentric scientist Elf Kabala.

The green-haired scientist had forgone his usual frilly attire for a simple lab coat, dress shirt, and pajama pants, having been forcibly awakened to follow the dragon's demands. He yawned into one of his hands. "Mmn… Azi Dahaka, can you please at least explain to me why this cute little egg is important to Master Kyoya's plans?"

"Within that small thing lies the tool I require to return to my original power. It is the essence of my most hated enemy, Balle Soleil." Azi Dahaka spoke with a deep rumble, his heads simultaneously turning to look at Elf.

"And what do you plan to do to this… Balle Soleil?" Elf pressed a few buttons and looked at the egg in question: a small, unassuming little thing almost triple the size of a football. A sun-like design was on one side, glowing softly.

"Awaken him." Azi Dahaka, despite the condescending baritone with which he spoke, held a high respect for his eternal opponent. For millennia, the two had fought, triumphing and failing against one another. And they would continue the trend until existence itself denied them their presence.

"It seems very unbecoming to wake up the bane of your own existence. Almost self-defeating, in a sense." Elf sighed as he pressed a few more buttons. The machine he was working with flashed errors. Elf sighed. "It's just not possible. Even with the Disaster Force, there's no way that we can force little Soleil awake.

A new voice cut into the conversation. "If we can't force him awake, then we only need to feed him through a natural process, shouldn't we?" Kyoya Gaen walked into the room, his striped white suit perfectly pressed. He brushed a hand through his white hair highlighted with red streaks.

"Kyoya." Azi Dahaka nodded his heads at his Buddy, turning to face him. "What plots are you forming now?"

"It's quite simple really. What better way to awaken the Sun Deity than by implanting him into the one who claims the sun's power as his own? I propose that we use Gao Mikado to birth this… Balle Soleil." Kyoya spread his arms wide, as if making a grand proclamation.

Elf facepalmed. "Master Kyoya, that's biologically impossible. Even if we ignore for a moment the fact that adorable little Gao isn't even a woman, he's still only a human. As dragons are a species that lays eggs-"

"It will work because I say that it will. This world is but a canvas for me to paint to my design. If I demand that it will be so, then it will. Is that understood, Elf Kabala?"

Elf Kabala sighed, looking up wistfully. He longed for the more sensible world of sleep. "Yes, Master Kyoya. I'll get started on this project right away."

The first thing that Elf had to work on was how to make the process painless for the Mighty Sun Fighter. He may have no qualms with brainwashing Buddy monsters into servitude, but even the thought of a violent death-by-childbirth was a bit much for him.

*Oh, how I long for the days of working to create an army of darkness to destroy the world.*

"… per the tradition of the Drum Bunker clan, the Salamander Engine will now be passed to the betrothed."

From the side, Drum's father presented the weapon to Drum. Gao looked at the drill. It was in its smaller (and far lighter) SD form, resembling a simple single drill instead of its three-drilled form. The single cylindrical tube that extended almost as long as his forearm was simpler than the large mass of pipes and levers that did things that Gao couldn't even begin to understand.

Drum presented the drill to Gao, drill tip aimed at the sky. The human wrapped his fingers around his Buddy's hand, feeling the tight tension slowly soften at his touch. Together, both human and dragon turned on the drill, letting it spin.

To the side, Gao noticed, the Drum Bunker dragons in the audience all bowed their heads.

Jack cleared his throat. "And now, Fang Slade XIV, do you take this human to be your lawfully wedded husband, and live together under the Sun Deity's guidance in devoted bond? To honor, obey, and devote your life to fight beside him, in sickness and in health, and to remain by his side, on the honor of the Drum Bunker armordragons until death do you part?"

Drum looked deeply into Gao's eyes, his golden-bronze eyes meeting Gao's fiery golden eyes. With a firm voice, he said, "I do. I swear upon my honor, and the honor of the Drum Bunker clan, that I will be devoted to Gao, and only Gao, as my husband, and to fight by his side until the day that he becomes one with the Sun Deity."

Tasuku looked at Gao. "And do you, Gao Mikado, take this dragon to be your eternal mate, to fly by his side? To bear his burdens as your own, to love him, defend him, and become his fangs when he cannot, until death do you part?"

Gao took Drum's hand in his own and slipped a beautiful golden ring inlaid with enchanted rubies onto the larger dragon's ring finger. While he had his own ring, due to how the hybrid ceremony worked, he would have to wait until after to put it on. Gao felt tears form in his eyes as he said, "I do. I swear by the Mikado family's name, and on behalf of every human who shares a bond with their Buddy Monster, that I will devote every bit of my life to Drum until the day that we are forever separated."

Jack nodded. "You may now kiss your husband."

Drum made the first move, cupping Gao's chin and leaning down, pressing their lips together. Gao didn't know what to feel. It was his first kiss, and yet… he almost didn't feel anything. He focused on what he could feel physically. Drum's hand was rough and thick, his draconic skin far more tough than any human's. The lips on his own were equally tough, moistened and with a faint hint of pudding. Drum's tongue slipped into his mouth and gently slid his lips apart. Gao felt his face heat up, not expecting the kiss to be so intimate.

Drum's teeth lightly bit onto the human's tongue, merely holding it in place. With a deep, guttural growl, Drum breathed a bit of heat into Gao's mouth. The warmth slid down and nestled deep within the human's heart, burning softly. The two broke the kiss, allowing Gao to look down and see that his chest was glowing, the warm feeling actually a special type of flame that he now had inside him.

He could hear cheering and turned his head, seeing everyone applauding. Glancing up, he saw Paruko Nanana, the reporter covering the event and a dear friend, cry silently while in her Buddy's UFO. She gave him a thumbs up as she tried to hide her tears behind her magenta hair.

Everything seemed to be going well.

A/N: Aaaaaand things will definitely go wrong next chapter, aren't they? Hey, tell me how I did with the wedding stuff. I haven't been to one since I was young enough to be the ring bearer (not that I was one, mind you).

Also, tell me if you'd actually like me to continue this. I mean, technically this chapter is a T rating, but we all know that it's gonna earn that M pretty soon.

Oh, and throw ideas my way. ;3