Lucy sighed as Natsu moaned out loud again. "It'sh shtill shpinning Rucy….." He was affected by motion-sickness once again, and the place he chose to wallow in misery was of all places, her lap.

"Just try to stay still, okay?" The blonde sighed crossly, but with a tinge of warmth as Natsu buried his face in her stomach. "Yoo shmell good Rucy…." He drifted off to sleep right there and then, much to Happy's amusement.

"Can't believe the guy made it without upchucking." Gray commented, munching on a chicken leg. "That carriage ride was bumpy, even for us."

"It was the only form of transportation worthy for this fancy ball." Lucy gazed around the marble hall so sparkly it made her eyes tingle. "It was kind of the king to host a Mage's Ball like this."

"And Natsu misses out on the grub because he's too dizzy to put one foot in front of the other." Gray sighed gustily and continued to eat from the buffet table of heaven laid out on the sidelines. In the center of the room were a whole slew of Mages dancing and stepping to the music from the band.

Lucy caught a sight of romance in the air as couples danced sheepishly with each other; Elfman demanding a manly dance from a disgruntled but blushing Evergreen, a bored Laxus twirling a laughing Mira, Alzack and Bisca staring dreamily into each other's eyes (Asuna watching raptly from the background) and Romeo and Wendy trying out their first waltz together. Even Gajeel was doing a little dance with Levy, much to the other Shadow Gear member's despair.

"Everyone's having so much fun." Lucy smiled appreciatively. "Even the other guilds are having fun."

"Dammit, Lyon's trying to hook up with Juvia again." Gray tossed his suit aside and marched towards his fellow Ice Mage in nothing but his boxers. Lucy smirked to herself. "Gray is getting possessive…" She observed. Natsu replied with a queasy "Mmm."

Sting was absolutely butchering the steps for the dance, and was grumbling about it under his breath as Yukino smiled encouragingly, her hands holding his in a grip of companionship. Rogue and Kagura were nowhere to be seen; Lucy wondered what the two were up to.

Hibiki and Jenny were garnering much praise for their elegance and beauty; Ren and Chelia were not only dancing but kissing passionately, making Lucy's cheeks heat up. Minerva was dancing with this partner then that partner, as the men she waltzed with dropped like flies for a mysterious reason.

Speaking of dancing demons, Erza was now currently dancing with an unfortunate green-haired boy who had asked the wrong girl to waltz with; he was now clinging to life by a thread as her…peculiar…dancing techniques set him spinning and dipping like some out-of-control flying saucer. Lucy pitied him from the bottom of her heart.

When the dance ended and the couples bowed to each other, the green-haired (and now green-faced) boy certainly bowed to Erza; more like keeled over. Erza hauled him over to the counter and set him upright on one of the bar stools. "You lack the spirit, but you have the courage." She told him with the air of a general addressing his troops, buying him a drink.

"Another man falls, eh Erza?" Lucy joked. Erza turned to Lucy with some surprise. "Oh, Lucy, I didn't see you there. Why aren't you dancing with the…oh." Natsu was still sick, occasionally letting out a groan.

"The Troia spell is losing its ability to cure Natsu really rapidly." Lucy mourned. "Now I have to babysit this guy every time his tummy rebels."

"But yoo like it, Rucy." Natsu's muffled voice startled them both. "Ah shure do." He was looking blearily up at her with a big grin, arms tight around her waist.

"You heard him." Erza smiled as Lucy's face equaled the color of a cherry. "Now, to find someone who has spirit enough to last the whole next dance…." Her eyes searched the hall, analyzing body weight, magic ability and muscle strength.

"May I have this dance, Erza?"

Erza turned at the familiar voice, her eyes widening and her mouth falling slightly open. Jellal was standing just behind her, slipping a motion-sickness potion to a grateful Lucy. "Jellal?!"

"It's good to see you again." Jellal's eyes were warm. "Meldy insisted to come to this event, as she was anxious to meet Juvia again. The others are somewhere…" He gestured vaguely at the crowd "…and I just happened to run across your latest victim. He warned me not to confront you, but I was sorely tempted to meet the Dancing Demon for myself."

"And you shall." Erza rebutted, with a slight toss of her hair. "Though we are longtime friends, I will not lower my standards for you. You will dance, or you will fall. I only go two ways. Remember that."

"I'll be sure to do so." Jellal drew her out onto the floor, smiling at her flustered expression when his hands gripped hers. "This next dance is quite active. Be sure not to trip."

"Huhn….?" And the dance started, a hot and wild tempo ringing through the hall. Someone whooped and somewhere Minerva began a mass genocide of her partners almost as fast as they came. Gray was able to snag Juvia away from Lyon and the Water Mage was in danger of dissolving with sheer joy as Gray led her through the steps of the dance.

Lucy watched with interest as Sting yelled, "Finally! A dance where I can MOVE!" and began throwing himself in the dance wholeheartedly. Yukino was letting out startled yelps as he tossed her in the air and spun her with no regard of safety whatsoever, though judging from the look on her face she was enjoying this as much as he was.

Alzack and Bisca were now adding their daughter to the mix, laughing as she rode on her daddy's shoulders calling, "Yee-haw!" Elfman was dancing "like a man!" and Evergreen was actually smiling. Laxus was more spirited now, dipping and spinning Mira within an inch of her life, much to her delight. Romeo and Wendy were both out of breath but grinning, and Levy was screaming and laughing as Gajeel ran around the floor with her on his shoulders.

And of all things, Jellal was not only keeping score with the Dancing Demon, but was the one leading her through the dance. Lucy almost choked on her drink when she saw how swift and sure Jellal moved in time to Erza, and how he not only spun her once, but swung her around in his strong arms, both of them laughing. "Strike me pink…"

"Why do you wanna be pink?" Natsu asked, onyx eyes bright and now nausea-free. Lucy jumped. "Geez! Don't scare me like that! Oh, are you feeling better?"

"Yup. Jellal's potion did the trick. I'm all fired up!" Natsu was now doing a jig on the counter much to the bartender's consternation. Lucy grabbed his arm and pulled him down. "Come on, Firebreath. You owe me a dance for babysitting you earlier."

"I didn't need a babysitter!" Natsu protested indignantly, but Lucy laughed and pulled him on to the floor, already bobbing her head to the catchy beat. "Come on, Natsu!"

And as Natsu relented and began dancing with her, Lucy watched Erza as her red-haired friend danced with the only partner life intended to give her with a joyful smile all over her face. And Lucy was not even surprised when Erza up and kissed Jellal when the song ended, making the blue-haired mage flush but hug her back gently. It was too cute.

"Oi, Lucy!" Natsu's loud voice shattered whatever reverie Lucy had in her dreamy mind. "What, Natsu?"

"The dance is over. Do you want to go eat?" He was already eyeing the long train of food on the buffet tables with drool trailing out of his mouth.

"Honestly, you have a stomach for a brain." Lucy said irritably, but suddenly blushed when he took her hand and looked down at her with a gentler smile. "Please Lucy? They have cake!"

Lucy sighed but nodded, her heart thumping the tiniest bit. "Alright, you fiery idiot." She murmured.

And the music continued, flowing through the room like liquid moonlight, and the whole world felt almost perfect.

Well, almost, since Natsu tried to fight Erza when he found the six-tiered cake half gone by the time he reached it, resulting in a full-on manslaughter as everyone gleefully joined in to the fight (with fighting music to match. The band was truly talented.).

But, in a way, it was still perfect.