Thank you all for the wonderful reviews ^_^ Here's Chapter 2. I'm so sorry for the long wait...finals are coming around (this week actually) so I've been stuck with school work. Without further interruptions, l present to you "Weirdos & Lizards"

Sunlight filtering in the window awoke the young princess from her slumber. A yawn escaped her as she rubbed her eyes. Suddenly she froze. This wasn't the palace! She jumped out of her bed in alarm only for the recollection of yesterday's events to hit her. Once everything came flooding back she let out a sigh. It looked like it was going to be a lot of work for her to adjust to her new surroundings...And life

Lucy decided to get ready for the day, picking a light blue sundress to wear around the tower. Since she was no longer under royal customs she decided to wear her hair down. The only problem now was finding something to occupy her time. She sat in the chair at her desk for a few moments before deciding to leave and go explore around the tower. She made a mental note on how to return to her room and left the door open, hoping the aroma of her perfume would lead her back with ease.

Slipping down the hallways, the princess began peering behind any of the unlocked doors. Many turned out to be empty while some seemed to be storage closets or bathrooms. It seemed to become a bummer until she located the kitchen. The grumbling of her stomach reminded her that she hadn't eaten breakfast at all and she made her way inside. Opening the refrigerator, she noticed it was stocked with food. There was only one downside to the problem...

"Living life as a Princess didn't teach me how to fend for myself," Lucy sighed. Her voice quickly grew to a wail. "How am I suppose to feed myself if I don't know how to cook?"

After many attempts, Lucy finally managed to fix her a fried egg sandwich for breakfast. It wasn't what she had a taste for but it was about the only thing she could manage at the moment. After all, she didn't want to burn the tower down. She would have to remember to ask Virgo to bring her a cookbook during her next visitation. The Princess's curiosity had led her all the way to the bottom of the tower. Opening the door, she was greeted by the strong blast of hot air from outside. She sighed. Another thing she would have to get use to.

Lucy walked outside nonetheless. Gazing around she noticed a bridge which connected the land she was one to the other side across the moat. A smirk crept to her face. This was just too easy of an opportunity. Her father had left her to be able to leave the tower and cross the bridge with ease? She could easily escape and go travel the world on her own; that way she would find her own true love!

"This is just too perfect," Lucy said chuckling as she walked towards the bridge. "All I have to do is cross it and I'm set to -"

I wouldn't do that if I was you...

Lucy froze. Was it her or did she just happen to hear a voice in her head? The Princess shook her head. That was impossible. It had to be the heat that was messing with her. She began making her way towards the bridge again.

Are you really that stubborn?

"Who are you?" Lucy demanded looking around wildly. She didn't see anyone...so how could she possibly be hearing another voice? She edged closer to the bridge.

Whatever you do, do not touch that bridge.

She bit back a growl, noticing the speaker had clearly ignored her question. "And why is that?"

Because...it's powered by lacrima. If you set one step on that bridge you will be sent an electric shot. It is only powered to attack you.

"That sounds stupid," Lucy scoffed making her way to the bridge. "How can a bridge possibllllly! - "The girl's words grew to a shrill before she was sent flying back to her side of the bridge. She landed with a loud thump onto her back and coughed before finishing her previous sentence. "Attack?"

I told you...are you alright?

The Princess sat up, rubbing her head. Minus the tingling feeling her body still had she felt fine. There weren't any bad burns or scratches. Actually, she was more shocked then anything. "I'm fine," she replied. "How did that happen anyway?"

Lacrima is a magical item. The lacrima in the bridge, however, are magically charged.

"I knew this place was surrounded by magic," Lucy murmured, closing her eyes. None of that made sense. As much as she had a fascination for magic as a child, her father practically forbidden it from the kingdom so she didn't get to learn much about it as she had liked to. Lucy still remembered the time she would study it secretly with her mother as a child but once she passed away the sessions ended. If he hated it with such a passion, why was he protecting her with it? Suddenly she felt something touching her arm. Opening one eye cautiously, she stared in shock at a giant scaly red nose pressing against her skin.

Well you seem okay but you don't smell okay. The dragon pulled its nose away and peered down at her before blinking. Why are you looking at me like that?

"You're-you're th-the dragon!" Lucy stammered. She quickly edged away towards the door of the tower. "Stay away from me!"

But-

The door quickly slammed and the princess began to make her way up the stairs. She ran as fast as she could back to her room, closing and locking the door behind her. She then slumped to the floor panting. She couldn't believe she had met the real dragon that was supposedly protecting the tower. And it touched me! Lucy stared at her arm it had touched, noticing the marks the electricity had left was now gone. She blinked, turning her arm over a couple times. How was that even possible?

The magic power of a dragon is a strange thing.

Lucy gasped, looking up to see the round amber eye of the dragon. "I told you to stay away!" she yelled.

That's stupid! We're stuck with each other for who knows how long until that human prince comes for you. Gee, you really are a weirdo.

"I am not a weirdo!"

Then stop acting like one.

The princess turned away and pouted. She was not a weirdo. She glanced over her shoulder and saw that the dragon was still peering into the window. Lucy let out a sigh. "What do I have to do to make you leave me alone? I told you to go away."

There was no reply. Lucy turned around seeing that the dragon was no longer at her window. She began to make her way towards it only to stop halfway across the room, tears beginning to develop in her eyes. She quickly slumped to the floor, sobbing. This wasn't the life she had planned. Being stuck in a tower with a nosy dragon was far from any princess's dream. All she wanted was to find love on her own.

Why are you crying?

"I thought I told you to go away," Lucy struggled between tears. She kept her head in her hands, daring not to look up in fear of seeing a golden eye staring at her.

Yeah but seeing someone cry isn't something anyone can ignore. It's probably best to talk about it.

"What good would discussing anything with a dragon do me?" Lucy demanded, looking at the window. The dragon's eye was peering in but receded as the dragon shifted to allow her to see its face. Lucy made her way over to the window, resting at the pane to stare down at it with her own intense gaze. "You could never understand what I'm going through."

Perhaps not as I'm no human, but I do understand emotions. It's because you're stuck here with me, is it?

"So you're not some dumb lizard."

I am a Dragon!

Lucy couldn't resist giggling. Apparently she had found a weak spot within the dragon's hard scales.

And now you're laughing...stop laughing at me! Why are you humans so weird?

"I'm sorry," Lucy replied, a smile developing upon her face. "And I'm a teenage girl, so what do you expect from me? I'm prone to being emotional and I am not weird."

And I am not a lizard.

The dragon let out a chuckled. This startled the princess as she began to realize something. The voice and the laugh were all in her head. How could this all be happening? Thinking about this for a moment, she thought of the different magically attributes people could have that she learned from her mother. Telepathy was one that came to mind...no pun intended of course. Is the dragon using telepathy with me or something?

'Fraid so.

"Gah!" Lucy yelped. "Get out of my head. Don't you know it's rude to listen to a person's thoughts?"

Your mind isn't protected well so it makes the task very easy. You humans are very strange creatures.

Lucy rubbed her head. "Well you dragon's aren't what I heard from the storytellers back at the palace, that's for sure. How are you in my head anyway?"

Your mind isn't protected...remember? Weirdo...

"Stop calling me that!"

The dragon's laugh echoed within her head. Okay, but yes telepathy is what I am using...mainly because I find you interesting.

"I'm interesting?" the princess echoed puzzled.

That's for another day. The dragon looked behind it towards the sky. I'm quiet hungry so I'd like to go find something. Good day, Princess.

The dragon turned to go, leaving her window. Lucy blinked in surprised. "Wait! We've been talking all this time but we didn't introduce ourselves." The dragon turned around to stare at her. The princess continued, smiling. "I am Princess Lucy, Lucy Heartfilia. What be the name of the dragon who protects me?"

The dragon hesitated. The name is...Igneel, it replied. And only Igneel.

Lucy watched as the dragon retreated to the lava where it disappeared from sight. She rested her head against the pane of her window, sighing. Igneel huh? She wondered would anyone believe her if she told them she actually had held a conversation with a dragon...her dragon. More importantly, it had told her its name. She sat there for a few minutes, staring out at the view before peeling herself away from the window and made her way towards her desk.

She had had enough for today and wanted nothing more than to take a nap. She decided once she was finished she would write about her day. There was so many questions that she still had for Igneel and she wondered if he could answer them all. Her gaze traveled back to her arm which he healed earlier. That would definitely be one of her first questions; the other having to do with sealing her mind. For all she knew now, Igneel could be listening in to her thoughts this very moment. I hope not...that would be just weird. I wonder can I contact him as well.

With practice, yes.

Lucy yelped. "So you were eavesdropping?" she demanded. There was no reply. Pouting, Lucy rethought the question.

No, Igneel replied. Your thoughts were rather loud. Now please try thinking quieter why I sleep.

You ate already? Lucy questioned.

Yes...now please Princess. We can discuss this another time.

Got it. The princess let out a sigh, tapping the pencil she held in her hand against the desk. Apparently all those stories she heard when she was a child were wrong. Perhaps there was more to dragons than she could ever imagine. She decided she would get to know Igneel a bit more. Maybe living here won't be so lonely after all.