I am back here. After a while. Last we left off, Natsu and Lucy texted each other, and we had some nice family time with Natsu and Wendy. Let;s keep that Natsu train rolling, shall we? Although Natsu would probably want to barf if he was on it. But enough of that, time to write! Or in your case, read. As always, I do not own Fairy Tail.

(Natsu's P.O.V.)

I walked into Dragon Tail Bakery with one goal in mind. Design an awesome float! Just hoped that Luce would have some ideas, because I sure had none! Though that might be because I wasn't thinking about it all that much. I was too busy trying to figure out why her name was so familiar. I'd tried putting it out of my mind, but that didn't work. Though I could probably just ask her.

"Hey idiot, watch where you're going!" Gray shouted as I bumped into him.

"Well maybe you shouldn't be in my way!" I replied.

"Maybe you need to look where you're going!"

"Are you calling me blind!"

"You must be if you're walking into someone that ain't moving!"

"You wouldn't know movement if it hit you!"

"You can't hit me, so what does that say about you!"

"I can hit you just fine!"

"QUIET!" Laxus roared. Both of us went silent. I looked and saw that everyone had gathered in the front room."Today we'll be having the Fairy Sweet girls over, so on your best behavior, got it? We may be rivals but that's no excuse to not work together to make this festival work, got it? I'm going to read the most updated rules for this festival, and you're going to listen because I'll only say it once. Each team can only make one float, meaning that between us and Fairy Sweet, we get one float. Next, the float must represent both partners equally. Meaning we can't just cover it in Dragon Tail Bakery stuff and put a Fairy Sweet sticker on the side. Equal representation. Third, as many employees as possible must contribute. This festival is for the workers, so they design it. Meaning Mira and I can't do any actual work, as we're managers. But if you need help, ask. Fourth, they will not be providing a base for the float for the wealthier companies. That includes us. We have to design our own base, wheels, and whatever. Third, the float must be at least one street lane in width, up to three, and the maximum length is half a block. Minimum is 15 feet. Fifth, Work delegation is up to the teams, but it is expected that everyone contributes equally. That's all that he wrote. Some rules that Mira and I made, as you all know, is that you've been paired up. I assume that you've all at least texted your partners?" Everyone nodded. "Good. When they get here, find your partner. Mira will take over the explanations after that. They'll be here in an hour, so until then it's business as usual."

After that, we dispersed. I was on oven duty today, which basically meant I had to preheat them and make sure everything was cooking correctly. It gave me a lot of free time so I used it to text Lucy.

Hey Luce! No response. Luce. Luuuuce. Lucyyyy. LLLLLUUUUUUUUCCCYYYYY.

I'm working, Natsu! Finally, a response!

So am I!

Then do your work!

I heard you people are heading over today

Yeah, Mira told us. Now hold on, I've got things to sort.

Noooo, I want to talk to you, I'm bored!

Do your job, Natsu!

BUt talking with you is so much more fun :)

But we have jobs for a reason. And they need doing. Like your job. Do it.

Hmph. Killjoy.

I am not a killjoy!

Then talk to me :D

No.

Killjoy :(

I'm just going to ignore you so I can do my work.

I pouted. How could you leave me to this cruel, cruel fate? Woe is me. I shall perish an unknown, unloved man who accomplished nothing.

Now you're just being dramatic. Like you said, I'll be there in a bit. Just hold on until then, and I'll bring you candy.

Candy?

Yes. The sweet stuff. Sugary goodness. A godsend to any and all who live.

Jeez, what a weirdo.

You're the one who was being all dramatic, how am I the weird one?!

Because.

Wow, what a sophisticated explanation.

See? Only a weirdo uses that kind of language.

It's called the English language, Natsu. We both speak it. Now shush. A bakery needs to bake things right? Go focus on your dough.

I'm on oven duty right now, actually. I watch the ovens.

THEN WATCH THEM!

Alright, fine, jeez.

I turned my attention back to the ovens. After some time, I heard the front door open.

"Alright, we're here!" I heard Mira say. I looked and saw a large group of women walk into the store.

"Come on everyone, let's go find your partners." Laxus said

"What about the ovens?" I asked.

"Keep watching them." Laxus answered. "Mira can send your partner over to you."

"Aw man!" I said. Mira whispered to one of the girls, a blonde with a side ponytail, and pointed to me. The girl nodded and walked up to me.

"So you're watching the ovens, are you?" She said. "I'm sure you could probably guess, but I'm Lucy."

" Hi!" I said, enthusiastically waving my hand. "Nice to meet 'cha in person!"

"Same here."

(Lucy's P.O.V.)

"I almost got in trouble because of you." I said, crossing my arms. "The only reason Mira wasn't mad was because you're my partner."

"See? You easily could've texted back, no problem!" Natsu said. "Anyway, did you hear about the rules?"

"Yes, I heard." I told him. "Have any ideas on what we're doing?"

"Not a one." Natsu told me. I sighed through my nose.

"Alright, we have a month." I told him. "Plenty of time. I'd limit us to three weeks though, since we'll need time to actually build the float and decorate it with what we want to put on it."

"Well, Gajeel's going to probably be making the float. He's pretty good at handling metal." Natsu said.

"Alright, that's useful. That's one job we don't have to do." I said. "Hold on a moment." I rummaged through my purse and grabbed a pen and notepad. "Let's start listing things. We know the five rules we have." I paraphrased them at the top of the paper. "One float, size limits, equal representation, everyone works on it, and we make our own float."

"Why do you have that on you?" Natsu asked.

"Reasons!" I huffed. I was NOT going to tell him it was because I wanted to be an author one day and carried it around for when ideas struck me. "We have to focus on this."

"Hey Lu!" I heard Levy call. I turned and saw her walking over with a tall man with long black hair. The most interesting part was that he had piercings. All over his face. In his eyebrows, his nose, his ears, just everywhere. "Look at my partner! His name is Gajeel."

"That's Gajeel?" I asked Natsu.

"Yup." He answered. "He's weird. Almost as weird as you."

"I am not weird!" I told him.

"Looks like you and your partner seem to get along." Levy chuckled as she reached us. "Who is he?"

"His name is Natsu." I answered. "He's the guy who was texting me while I was busy."

"He almost made you drop that box of taffy." Levy remembered. "Anyway, Gajeel says he and I are going to be making the float. With my knowledge and his experience with metal, we'll make a really good base, I'm sure of it!"

"Totally!" I agreed. "You two will do great! Unfortunately, Natsu and I don't know what we'll be doing."

"Pyro here could decorate, gihi." Gajeel smirked.

"You laugh because you know I'll make your base look like crap compared to the awesome stuff I'll put on it!" Natsu said.

"Not happening! My base will be so great it could be a float on its own with nothing on it!" Gajeel shouted.

"Oh yeah?" Natsu asked. "I'd like to see you try! The rules say we have to decorate!"

"No, they say we need to make our own! There was nothing on there about decorating!" Gajeel said.

"BOYS!" I heard Erza shout from across the room. "We're supposed to be working together! That means no fighting!"

"Yeah?" Gajeel yelled back at her. "What're you gonna do about it?"

Levy and I just backed away as Erza approached. "I don't think I need to. The rules state we must work together and that everyone contributes equally to design this float. That means we need to work together. We can't do that if we're fighting."

"Well maybe the idiot here needs to learn his place." Gajeel said.

"I'm just saying that I'm going to make a better contribution than you!" Natsu said. "Right Lucy?"

"Hey, don't rope me into this!" I said. "I'm not a part of your competition!"

"Yeah Erza, that's all it is!" Levy said hastily. "A competition! Just friendly competition to motivate each other to do well!"

Erza paused. "I see. Competition is good, just make sure it doesn't escalate into fighting, got it?"

"Yes ma'am!" Levy and I said, and Erza walked away.

I sighed. "Great. Now Erza's going to be watching everything we do."

"I don't think so." Levy said. "She'll be too focused on her own job to do so."

"Alright everyone!" Mira said in a chipper voice. "It seems you've all found your partners. Now that that's taken care of, I do believe I have some announcements." We turned to see her as Natsu pulled something from the ovens and set it out to cool. "Laxus and I have been discussing and we came up with a few ideas for what we could do for this float. I know that we're technically not allowed to, but I think these ideas are fun! Laxus had the wonderful idea of potentially gifting our products during the parade. Meaning that we would need teams to prepare an appropriate amount. There have been ideas of multiple layers on the float, as no rules were said about that, we'll need teams for decorations, an idea was made to have dancers on there, but that might be a bit much. But an idea that came from that was having people making some of the more flamboyant and flashy things while on the parade float, so that sounds fun!

"I want to make things!" Natsu shouted.

"You're motion sick, lame brain!" someone shouted at him. "You'll just puke all over everything."

"I was talking about the stuff we toss off the thing, Ice Freak!" Natsu said. " That stuff needs to be made in advance, doesn't it? And Lucy can take care of the candy!"

"Perfect!" Mira said. "Although I think having another team help would be best."

"We'll do that!" Cana said. She was standing next to a well-dressed guy with long green hair "Freed and I will help out!" The guy, Freed, nodded.

"Shrimp and I will make the thing." Gajeel called out.

"Alright, we also need decorations. Who will handle that?" Mira asked.

"We will." Juvia said. She was standing next to the guy who'd shouted at Natsu earlier.

"Jellal and I will help." Erza said.

"Alright, so Jellal, Erza, Juvia, and Gray are on decoration duty." Mira said. Wo will be the ones on the float?"

"We can take care of it!" Elfman shouted. He was next to Evergreen, so I assumed she was partnered with him. It made sense. Evergreen didn't work well with strangers, so Elfman was at least someone she knew.

"Hey guys!" Someone said as they walked through the door. It was Lisanna.

"Lisanna?" Mira asked. "What are you doing here, shouldn't you be in college?"

"They let us out for winter break." Lisanna explained. "I looked at the shop but it was empty. Then I saw you over here, so here I went. What are you doing?"

"Gramps is throwing a festival in a month," Laxus said, "so we have to build a float for it. We were just deciding who would do what."

"Oh I love festivals!" Lisanna said. "Can I help?"

"Sorry, but-" Laxus started before Mira interrupted him.

"Certainly!" she said. "We had an uneven number anyway, so Bickslow didn't have a partner. Would you mind working with him?"

"Not at all!" Lisanna said. "But which one is Bickslow?"

"He's over there by Cana and Freed." Mira said, pointing to a guy wearing a mask. "It's pretty convenient you came along! Why don't you and Bickslow be up on the float with Elfman and Evergreen?"

"That's fine with me!" Bickslow said as Lisanna walked over.

"Alright, I believe that's everything then!" Mira announced. "You all have your jobs. Time to start working!" Everyone dispersed, Cana and Freed walking over to Natsu and I.

"Good luck Lu!" Levy said before going off with Gajeel.

"So, the four of us will be working together." Freed said.

"Yep!" Natsu said. "Alright, this is getting good!"

"So we have a month to make everything. How much should we make?" I asked.

"Well, this parade is for the whole city's workers, meaning thousands of people will be there." Cana said. "That means a lot of time management."

"Well, Laxus did say we can ask for help if needed." Freed mentioned.

"That's good." I said. "I guess the next question is what will we be making? Candy's pretty easy to package, but baked goods aren't so nice."

"It's a good thing we have a long time to experiment." Freed said.

"So let's get started!" Natsu said excitedly.

And so the teams have their jobs. I definitely did not put Lisanna there because I realized I had an uneven amount due to miscalculations. Not at all. That would be ridiculous. Anyway, that's chapter four. Turned out a lot longer than I anticipated. I could've split it into two chapters, but I just didn't feel like it.