AN: Hello All! Wishing everyone good health and happiness! Thanks for all the amazing reviews, and I'm happy so many of you enjoyed the Nalu! This Part is going to have a lot of it, but the actual bonded confession is… err… going to take a while. Hiding behind couch while you all throw rotten food at me Sorry! But this story has already been written that way, and there are a LOT of things that have to happen (at least in my crazy, twisted mind) before they can happily be together. But they WILL get together, and there will be an entire Part (or two) that will describe how they get through a lot of tough stuff while being in a loving relationship (and to all you pervs out there, yes there will be lemons)

I also wanted to address a very good question brought up by one of my reviewers - Yes, Lucy did not wear her necklace on this trip. I originally had a whole paragraph explaining why she didn't, but I just couldn't fit it into the flow so I left it out. Amazing catch there! The reasoning was that she had NO idea how the meeting would go - although she knew Grandine - and to a certain extent Igneel - liked her, it wouldn't have helped her much if the other dragons were decidedly against her. She knew her friend (whom she was sure was a normal dragon-citizen of Alagesia) would defend her no matter what, and if she were to wear his symbol, many dragons might openly challenge him on his claim. Therefore, she took it off to protect Natsu. And now she knows her best friend is the most powerful and feared dragon in all of Alagesia :-D So she'll start wearing that necklace again for sure ;-) (Although I may not explicitly mention it that often, you can assume that she is.)

Also, in the future if you guys have a really good question, feel free to PM me! I'm pretty bad about keeping up with the reviews these days, so I may miss some of these amazing catches - feel free to keep me honest in a PM.

Enjoy!

The sun shone bright overhead, its rays bathing the bustling Alagesian market. The dragon merchants basked in the warmth, booming out prices and bargains on their wares with only a slight flourish for the benefit of their new, fascinating visitor. Her hair the color of the sun and cousin to the rich gold trinkets on display in various booths, the Princess of Pergrande moved with a gentle grace among the marketmen, pausing occasionally to ask a question or praise an item. By her side floated a famous and well known figure in Alagesia - the Prince's exceed companion, Happy. His luxurious, fluffy white wings coasted the gentle breeze wafting through the busy market, his eyes alight with mischief and humor as he teased the human monarch.

"Now I know why Pergrande is experiencing a money crisis - their beloved Princess is terrible at bargaining!" Happy commented blithely after the young maiden handed over a bag of silver to a cheerful dragon merchant for a single mackerel.

The golden-haired woman simply rolled her eyes. "Hush, you insufferable cat! I'm not here to bargain - I'm here to represent Pergrande and earn the trust of the good beings of Alagesia - and generosity is one of the most important traits a good friend could have." Lucy turned up her nose at the hovering exceed, jerking away to hide her amused smile.

Happy pouted. "Aye, I agree! Then shouldn't you be generous towards me, who is already your dear friend, and buy me a mackerel too?"

Lucy let out an undignified snort. "Happy, you are my best friend. Therefore, I won't try to please you - I'll do what's best for you whether you like it or not."

Lucy grinned, poking his rounded belly with a slender finger.

"And you, my little exceed, are growing a tad corpulent thanks to all the fish you 'bargain' out of these poor dragon fishermen. No more fish for you."

Happy's gasp of mock horror was drowned out by the friendly guffaws of the surrounding merchants, many of them pausing their morning routine to listen to the lively exchange.

Happy pouted again, before his expression of chagrin morphed into a teasing, evil grin.

"Doesn't matter how many fish I eat, Lucy, there's still no way I'd ever achieve that perfectly rounded derriere that you seem to have! Why, your butt is so fat that I caught Natsu staring at it the other day…"

Lucy shrieked, her cheeks flaming so red they looked almost purple. The dragon merchants nearby exploded into another bout of friendly laughter, their mirth increasing as they watched the human girl launch herself at the chortling exceed.

"A-apologize, you fiend! Else suffer the consequences!" She exclaimed breathlessly, laughter threading her threat as she tickled him mercilessly.

"N-never!" The wriggling, chortling exceed retorted, struggling to escape her grasp.

"You'd do well to apologize, Sir Happy - it isn't chivalrous to upset one so fair as the Princess of Pergrande."

Lucy released the exceed immediately, a bit startled by the new voice close behind her. She rose from her undignified position on the ground, brushing debris off her simple, long-sleeved, high-necked gown before she whirled around to face the unknown speaker. She came face to face with a fire dragon - not as well built as Natsu, but fit and muscular in his own way. His grey eyes held obvious admiration with a hint of lust as they gazed into her own chocolate orbs, and Lucy took an involuntary step back, immediately reverting to her polite, professional Princess mode.

"Thank you for your kind thought, sir dragon, but it is unnecessary. Sir Happy and I have a friendly rapport, you see, and I take no offense when he jests with me. It is all in good fun."

Happy clambered up from the ground as well, his expression polite but wary as he took in the newcomers.

"Dragon Lord Racour. What are you and your friends doing here? I thought you would have accompanied Natsu to the training grounds?"

The dragon shrugged, glancing back at his companions leisurely strolling towards the group before addressing Happy offhandedly.

"We opted not too. His majesty does not order me and my companions about - I was his most loyal and fearsome warrior on the field, after all. His right hand so to speak…" The dragon man trailed off, smiling at Lucy and giving her a rather suggestive wink. He took a step forward, grasping her dainty hand and raising it to his lips.

"We came by the market when we heard you would be here, your majesty. And we would be honored to show you around Alagesia before the event at the stadium begins."

Lucy raised a brow. "Err… I am flattered that you would put yourself through so much trouble, but I would rather continue my tour with Sir Happy."

The dragon man frowned, turning to regard the exceed with contempt. Happy qualied a little under his stern gaze, his own eyes rooted on the dusty ground of the marketplace.

"Your majesty, why would you wish to waste your time with a disrespectful, lazy, fish-obsessed prankster when we could show you far more sights of Alagesia before he could even drag himself away from this fish market?"

The dragon's companions burst into laughter at the taunting words, the dragon man smirking proudly at his own supposed joke. Lucy's eyes flashed with fury, but before she could form a cutting retort, a soft, restraining paw landed on her shoulder.

"Ha ha! G-good one, Sir Racour!" Happy smiled at the group of fire dragons, the action not quite reaching his eyes.

"And normally, I'd agree with you! But it was not Natsu who ordered me to accompany Princess Lucy, but King Igneel and Queen Grandine. So I guess we'll just have to meet you at the training grounds in a few hours then?"

Happy spoke the words as a question, but his tone of finality made it clear it was not. Racour frowned, but backed away - the titles the young exceed having mentioned commanding far too much respect to allow further questioning. With a stiff nod at the exceed and a low bow to the Princess, the dragon took off into the sky, his companions close on his heels.

The moment their forms faded into the clouds, Lucy whirled on Happy.

"Why did you stop me from putting those awful dragons in their place, Happy? How dare they speak to you so disrespectfully?! Why I had half a mind to slap those disgusting grins right off their smug faces…" Lucy fumed, reaching out to absently pet her friend's furry head.

"That wouldn't have helped you much in your goal to 'earn the Alagesian's trust', Lucy. Fire dragons have an awful temper and I'm pretty sure slapping some of them would have started an international incident." Happy joked, his usual high level of glee noticeably absent from his voice.

"Although we would not have protested had you done so, your majesty." An elderly dragon merchant approached the pair, a genuine, sympathetic smile on his face. "Not all us fire dragons approve of the callous and indifferent treatment that has recently been meted out to the noble exceed Happy by some of our younger brethren. It is a matter of great shame for us."

Lucy gasped. "How long has this been happening Happy?!"

Happy hesitated, shuffling his feet and refusing to look into Lucy's eyes. "Ever since the war, a few of the younger fire dragons have been jealous of Natsu's power. But they're too afraid to challenge him directly. So they kind of take out their frustrations on me instead…"

Lucy's eyes softened with understanding and sorrow.

"Oh, Happy…"

"But that's ok!" The exceed exclaimed proudly, his chin raised high in the air. "I can handle it! I'm a warrior too, Lucy, and I don't want to make Natsu feel bad by telling him this sort of stuff… So please please promise me you won't say a word to him."

Happy fixed her with the most pitiful puppy eyes he could muster. Lucy groaned.

"Happy!"

"Pleaassseee…"

Lucy sighed.

"Oh alright."

"Yay!"

Happy zoomed straight into Lucy's bountiful cleavage, nuzzling her soft mounds and purring with joy. Lucy shook her head, slowly lifting her arms to encase the exceed in a warm embrace.

"Silly little cat."

"How many times must I tell you, I'm not a cat! You know, you're pretty dumb for a human."

"Hmph. And you're a cat, you jerk."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The air in the stadium was charged with energy and excitement as the citizens of Alagesia waited for their favorite event to commence.

An Ally's Challenge.

In the royal box, King Igneel bounced on the balls of his feet, chatting exuberantly with the young Princess of Pergrande whilst his calmer, most beloved queen observed the exchange with amusement.

"It is truly unprecedented, young one, to find two representatives from our allies willing to engage one of our citizens in a mock battle." Igneel beamed down at the human girl.

Lucy laughed lightly, her gaze flickering to the amused Prince of Dragons before returning to his excitable father.

"Oh your majesty, the pleasure is all ours. Your fascinating custom gives us the chance to display our skills against a challenging opponent - how could I not wish to participate alongside Laxus? How could I let my cousin have all the fun?"

Igneel grinned.

"Smart girl. Would you like to go first?"

Lucy shook her head, chancing a glance at her imposing, stoic cousin who had just entered the royal box alongside his handsome elf fiance.

"Nay. As the future king of Pergrande, it would be far more appropriate for Laxus to accept the challenge first."

Igneel smiled, directing his buoyant expression toward the tall, sandy-haired human.

"Well, sir Laxus. Have you chosen your opponent?"

Laxus nodded solemnly.

"I have, King Igneel. I would like to challenge Natsu of the Fire Dragons."

Natsu crowed in delight as Lucy slapped her forehead and Freed visibly paled.

"Yes!"

"No! My beloved, he's far too violent!"

"Laxus, you idiot! We discussed this! Natsu is not a good option as an opponent from a political standpoint or a personal one! He's the Prince of the nation we are trying to befriend, not to mention an extremely skilled and supernaturally enhanced warrior! Your chances of winning in battle against him are slim to none, and even if you manage to pull off a miraculous victory, it would only serve to make our relationship with Alagesia awkward. I see absolutely no use in challenging my idiot friend…"

"Hey!" Natsu glared at the golden-haired girl, forcing a scowl on his face despite the glow of pride he felt at her hidden words of praise. Lucy glared back, not in the least bit intimidated by his black expression.

Laxus interrupted their intense staring contest with a well timed cough.

"Hmph. Thank you for the vote of confidence, my liege, but you didn't give me the chance to explain my reasoning last time we 'discussed' this." Laxus directed a pointed look at Lucy, as the young woman in question merely huffed in annoyance.

Laxus continued solemnly.

"I've had the chance to observe dragons during the war, and know a little about their customs myself - especially with respect to battles. A dragon values the effort put into a fight far more than the result. Even if a being were to lose against a much tougher opponent, they would look upon that with much more respect than if he won against a being much weaker than him."

"He's right Lucy." Natsu interjected with a grin. "My people would consider Laxus a hero if he were able to just hold his own against me for a few minutes. Battles are ways to prove our worthiness, not endeavors that must be won."

Lucy's eyes glazed over as she fell into a pensive look. Her cousin and friend regarded her curiously for a few minutes until she snapped out of her strange trance. She rounded upon Natsu with a less threatening but more pointed glare.

"I swear Natsu, if you get carried away in this battle and add even one more damn scar to my cousin's face, I will haunt you till your dying day!"

Natsu chuckled.

"I'll try not to. But I can't make any promises. It's harder for me to hold back since I can't take a basic form…"

"WHAT?! Do you mean to say that Laxus must fight you in your true form?!" Freed yelped, paling even further as he moved to stand protectively in front of his beloved. Laxus placed a restraining hand on the elf man's shoulder, his expression soothing.

"Relax, Freed. Have a little more faith in me, my love."

Freed let out a frustrated hiss, the tension in his handsome form ebbing away despite his ardent efforts to worry.

Lucy stared at Natsu, her look curious and contemplative.

"Why?"

Natsu's smile faded a bit as he addressed Lucy with as much nonchalance as he could muster.

"I've never been able to take my basic form because of the 'curse' - which we now know is demon magic. After that blasted battle against Acnologia, I've lost the ability to take my full form as well. I can't afford to take any form other than my true one, because my demon magic may overpower my dragon. I'd lose myself to the demon…"

Natsu held his breath, waiting for Lucy to recoil in horror as most beings who heard this tidbit of information usually did.

He was stunned when the Princess smiled excitedly, leaning in closer to examine him.

"Ohhh, I wonder what kind of demon you would make? Wouldn't you like to find out?"

Natsu's jaw dropped. "Lucy! Becoming a demon is not a good thing!"

Lucy raised a brow, her smile softening into something tender and indulgent.

"It's not a bad thing either, Natsu."

Natsu just gaped, his mouth opening and closing like a fish's. Lucy snickered as she observed his dumbstruck expression. From a few feet away, Natsu's parents watched the entire exchange in breathless silence, as did many others of the dragon court.

The Princess of Pergrande was special indeed, if she could speak so compassionately about a side of the Dragon Prince that everyone else loathed and feared.

Natsu wrenched his gaze away from the golden haired monarch. With a pointed cough, he gestured to his opponent to follow him, the pair promptly making their way down to the stadium floor, Natsu allowing himself only a brief glance back at his golden haired beloved.

He could not afford any distractions. He would fight this battle well, just to show Lucy what an honorable warrior he could be.

He took an attacking stance, his gaze focused on the sandy-haired man a few feet before him. Laxus, in turn, took his own offensive pose - his broadsword glinting in the harsh, afternoon sunlight as he drew it from his scabbard. They took a few moments to size each other up, as they waited for King Igneel to signal the start of the fight.

At last, the ruler of Alagesia threw back his head and a loud roar echoed in the stadium - the signal for the battle to commence.

Laxus lunged at Natsu.

The fire dragon Prince side stepped at the last possible moment, avoiding the swipe that could have skewered a regular man. The pair began their deadly dance, each targeting the other with such precision and speed that they were nothing more than a red and yellow blur to most of the watching crowd.

Lucy held her breath. She was torn - on one hand, she felt compelled to support her cousin since he was, after all, representing their beloved Pergrande. On the other… her heart yearned to support the exuberant Dragon Prince. A particularly close blow from Laxus had Lucy gasping, her heart in her throat as an involuntary cry of warning to Natsu issued forth from her.

Natsu heard it.

With a smirk, the Dragon Prince charged his opponent - feinting to the side at the last minute just to land a vicious blow to Laxus's right arm. With a growl, Laxus switched his sword hand - he swung his trusty sword with equal skill in his left as he lunged at the Dragon Prince once more.

Natsu took the hit Laxus landed on him straight to the gut. Before the human male could crow in triumph, a hiss and a stench of burning metal arose…

As the very sword Laxus wielded melted into a heap of metal against Natsu's abdomen. With a curse, Laxus flung the disfigured weapon to the side, lunging at the fire dragon with his bare fists instead.

Natsu did not attack, but instead parried each blow with ease, marveling a little at the tenacity and strength of his human foe. The pair continued the fight, Laxus refusing to back down despite the obvious fatigue that quickly began to plague him. Natsu fought with equal solemn focus - his expression morphing into an uncharacteristically grave one as the fight progressed much longer than any had expected.

At last Laxus stumbled, his legs buckling a little under the strain. He fell to his knees breathing heavily, surprised when he observed his dragon opponent do the same just a few feet away.

"I-I yield. It is your victory, oh Prince of the Dragons."

Natsu flashed him a huge grin.

"Nay, human. You fight with the spirit of a dragon, and your battle skills are exemplary - had you met any other dragon on this field, I reckon this battle would have gone in your favor. In reward for your talent and tenacity, I suggest we call this fight a tie…"

A loud round of cheers arose from all the beings in the stadium, as many stood in their seats to applaud both the combatants.

Laxus sported a grin of his own as he rose to his feet, striding forward to clasp Natsu's forearm in a gesture of friendship.

"I'd be honored, your majesty."

Natsu grinned back, risking a fleeting glance up at the royal box to see how his pronouncement had been received by a certain human female. He was rewarded with a look of awe and affection, as Lucy's gaze held both emotions and was solely trained on him, her eyes sparkling with joy.

"Thank you."

The words were soft and barely discernible even to the dragon ears beside her, but Natsu understood. He turned to shoot a soft, warm smile, his own gaze holding affection.

The stadium around them seemed to fade away in that instant as the dragon and the maiden locked gazes, each conveying a wealth of emotion in their glance, despite the stronger emotions each kept hidden away in their hearts. Natsu found his feet drawing him away from the field and back to the royal box - back to the side of the fair human maiden who had captured his heart and soul.

The rest of the stadium continued rejoicing, oblivious to the tender moment that had just occurred.