AN: Part two of the karaoke arc! Probably even more slapsticky towards the end as the last one. With big surprises just all over the place! Seriously, what did I just write?

All I really have to say is that whatever happens in this story shouldn't be taken too seriously. It's a light-hearted piece and there won't be any drama, just good old crazy fun and insane stuff that won't leave anyone heartbroken, believe me. I'd hate bringing drama into this piece, so just take it as it comes and don't feel bad for anyone, there's no need. Everyone will have a happy ending in this story, I promise.

Lucy and Gajeel are such tsukkomis in this, it's not even funny.

And about Lisanna... I- I don't even. I just. I don't.

This story is just completely blowing out of proportions, but I kind of love it for that. xD

Disclaimer: Yes, I'm Eiichiro Oda. What, this is the wrong fandom?! Well, at the least I'm not Hiro Mashima, so... ha-ha.

Chapter 10: Karaoke Extravaganza II

The air inside the party room of the Karaoke Parlor was incredibly suffocating all of a sudden. Or maybe Lucy was the only one who felt like she couldn't breathe. That girl, that damned pretty girl who suddenly returned, the sight of her porcelain face and her graceful appearance, and the way Natsu was looking at her - everything culminated as a painful knot inside her chest.

Why was he looking at her like he was about to cry?

"...Lisanna," he whispered under his breath, but Lucy heard him clearly. Heard the emotions that the syllables held. She couldn't remember the last time she had heard him use that voice.

Lisanna lowered her head, but kept looking up with a sheepish smile, hands locked behind her back. Lucy had to admit that it was one of the most adorable things she had ever seen a girl do. She really had to memorize that pose. Chin down, eyes forward, cute smile, hands behind- What the hell was she thinking?! That was not the moment for this! Stupid Lucy, stupid!

Lisanna's saccharine voice snapped Lucy out of it. "Hey guys," she said sweetly. "I'm home."

"Surpriiiise!" Mirajane cried out in absolute glee, and Elfman joined in with a thunderous, "MAAAN!"

And finally, that seemed to breathe some life into everyone in the room. Especially into Natsu. Next she knew, he jumped up, a huge grin almost threatening to split his face in half as he practically lunged at the ivory-haired girl and enveloped her in a bone-crushing hug.

"LISANNAAA!" he shouted out, only hugging her tighter as he started twirling her around. "It's really you! Man, I've missed you, dude!"

Lucy could only gawk speechlessly. Did he just call her DUDE?!

"Oi, watch it with the twirling, dipshit!" Gajeel snarled when Lisanna's feet hit his bottle of beer. Good thing his reflexes were good enough to catch it before it could land on Levy next to him.

Natsu put her down, and Lisanna giggled as she ruffled his hair. "Hee hee. You'll never change, Natsu. Even though you look grown-up, you're still a kid inside."

"Hey! I'm super grown up, I even have a girlfriend now! Lucy, come here." He whirled around and grabbed Lucy's arm forcefully, so she practically stumbled to a halt at his side - oh great, she looked like a clumsy cow next to Lisanna. "See? I win this round."

Lisanna's eyes went wide, and a squeal bubbled out from her mouth. "No way! She's so pretty!" She bent forward, and winked at Lucy with a mischievous grin. "Be honest, you're just humoring him, aren't you?"

Natsu glared at his childhood friend. "Lucy, meet Lisanna. Don't look her in the eyes, she might steal your soul."

"Ooh, I'm a witch now. Clever. But don't expect me to finally give you a brain, Scarecrow."

The blonde couldn't help but laugh, but quickly covered her mouth with a hand. What was she doing? This was her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend, for crying out loud. She should hate her! But she seemed so nice, and a lot of fun. Well, of course she would, she was Mirajane's sister after all. And truth be told, Natsu and Lisanna didn't really act like they dated at any time. They acted more like... siblings. Nothing more, nothing less.

Gajeel's grin couldn't be bigger. "Gihi, I already like her."

"Oh, we haven't met," said the youngest Strauss sibling to him.

Levy smiled widely, grabbing Gajeel's arm - which, to everybody's amusement, made the delinquent actually blush - and showing the victory sign. "This is Gajeel, my boyfriend."

"Are you serious?! Levy, you sly snake, I never knew you had a thing for bad boys!"

"Welcome back, Lisanna," Erza said to her with a smile. "I hope you enjoyed your year overseas."

Lisanna's eyes started sparkling. "Erza! You've gotten even more beautiful!" Her eyes flitted over to Jeral. "And this is... Don't tell me, he's..."

Jeral smiled politely. "My name is Jeral. I'm Erza's date."

"I can't believe it," Lisanna whined, pursing her plump lips to a cute pout. "Everyone has someone one way or another. When did you guys all become adults? I feel like I got left behind."

"You shouldn't have just left like that then."

Everyone immediately silenced at the sound of the unexpected voice. Lucy blinked in confusion, turning her head to find Gray sitting upright - albeit almost naked - on the couch, still a little pale, but scowling bitterly at the ivory-haired girl. How did this guy recover so quickly?! He was puking his insides out over the karaoke machine just seconds ago! And why's he looking at Lisanna with that cold stare...?

Lisanna flashed him a grin. "Hello to you too, Gray. What, missed me?"

"Pfft. Natsu was the only one crying when you left."

"HEY! I didn't cry!" Natsu shouted out him, his ears gleaming red. Then he turned to Lisanna, "I didn't cry, I didn't! Something flew into my eyes. B-both of them. Moths, really big ones. At the same time. Y-yeah, they were like monster-moths!"

I'm glad he sucks at lying, Lucy thought, looking beat.

Lisanna was now looking at Juvia, smiling friendly. "Oh, another new face. Hi there."

"Hello," Juvia retorted sceptically, arching a brow.

"Are you Gray's girlfriend?"

Before Juvia could open her mouth to answer anything, Gray had already flung his arm around the bluette's shoulders and pulled her into him. Closely. So close that Lucy actually feared that Juvia would faint just from how red her face was glowing. That much heat couldn't be good for a human. And then Gray said something that shocked the crap out of her and pretty much everyone else in the room.

"Yes, she is. Juvia's my girl," he said in all seriousness.

WHAT?! When did that even happen?!, Lucy's inner voice cried out, but she could just gape at the scene like everyone had gotten insane.

Juvia's eyes practically turned to hearts at this point, and her body into goo. "Gray-sama! Juvia is so happy! Was it when you threw up on Juvia's hair? Was that your way of marking your territory?" she squealed.

"Th-that's right. I thought that was obvious."

"Oh, Gray-sama, Juvia knew!"

GROSS! That's the worst birth of a couple ever!, Lucy screamed internally.

Lisanna smiled. "I see. Good for you."

"Yeah."

They stared at each other, for a long time. Until Gray threw up on Lisanna's shoes.

"EWWW!"

"Oh my, what a welcome," Mirajane giggled, rushing to Lisanna's side.

.a.a.a.

After the first moment of shock had been over, Lisanna couldn't stop giggling. Even now, in the bathroom, she was still laughing as Mirajane and Lucy cleaned her shoes and she herself tended to the lower half of her pants. Lucy was thoroughly baffled. If that bastard had thrown up on her shoes, he wouldn't even be living to see the next day, let alone another minute.

"I can't believe Gray threw up on me. How lame is that?" Lisanna managed through giggles. "I thought that kind of thing only ever happened in movies. That guy is so freaky!"

Mirajane looked over to her sister, a knowing smirk on her lips. "I think it's cute, though. Even though he's sick, he still came just for Juvia. That's really sweet of him, don't you think?"

"Really?" Lisanna giggled along. "That's so like him! And his girlfriend is really cute!"

Lucy arched a brow at Lisanna. There was something weird between this girl and Gray going on, that much she was sure of. She just couldn't put her finger on what it all had to do with Natsu. Wasn't she his ex-girlfriend? Yet she seemed really happy when Natsu had introduced her to Lucy, and Natsu hadn't shown any qualms about it either. But when it came to Gray and his... whatever the hell that weird thing with Juvia was, something seemed off.

Shouldn't it have been the other way around? This was really ominous.

Something was positively strange about this girl.

"I'll go see if one of the shops are still opened and get you a new pair of shoes," Mirajane said, kissing her sister's cheek. "Be good while onee-san is away, all right?"

Lisanna wiped her cheek, scowling angrily. "Gee, stop that! I'm not a kid!" Mirajane was already gone, though, and all that was left for Lisanna to do was sigh. Yet she smiled. "Nee-chan has been way too clingly ever since I came back."

Lucy smiled absent-mindedly at her, and proceeded washing the shoes. She knew that Mirajane, Elfman, Natsu, practically everyone had missed this girl so badly. They had always told her she reminded them of Lisanna, but other than that, the issue had not been brought up. Nobody had seemed to want to talk about her much. Maybe because they had missed her so much. So Lucy had never really asked, especially not Natsu. One time, she had brought it up to Erza in a mail, but she didn't want to tell her anything either, just saying she should ask Natsu directly.

She never did. Lucy had been way too scared to find out why.

"You're really nice, Lucy. You don't even know me, yet you help me clean my stuff," Lisanna suddenly said, grinning at her. "I'm really glad Natsu's found such a good girl for himself, 'cause he's a really special guy, y'know? I'm happy to see that he's... well, happy."

Lucy blinked at her, a slow blush creeping on her cheeks. She gave a court smile, then quickly turned away.

"He talks a lot about you, y'know. So I feel like I already know you."

How nice, they were in contact this whole time, Lucy thought bitterly, trying to ignore the sting of jealousy in her chest.

"He's difficult, but sweet, right? He's so protective. I bet with you, he's even worse."

Well yeah, they were dating after all. Lucy was glad that he showed his jealousy. It would be weird if he didn't. It just meant her really loved her, right?

"Hey, why won't you talk to me? You haven't said a single word since I've been here."

The blonde dropped the shoe she had been working on into the sink out of shock, soaking the fabric entirely. "OH CRAP!" she cried out as she quickly shut the water off, holding the dripping shoe up.

Lisanna burst out laughing, holding her stomach. "Ahaha! The first thing I hear from you is that! Oh gee, this is rich, you're such a weirdo!"

"I think you're the weird one, though."

The ivory-haired girl grew silent, and Lucy was beyond taken aback that she had said that out loud. Oh god, what was she doing? She didn't even know her, and had just blurted out something like that so bluntly. This was so not polite. Why had she said that? And why couldn't she stop?

"You... and Natsu. I mean, I've heard you were... But then you and Gray. And... Y-you're so nice to me, a-and," Lucy lowered her head so that her bangs covered her eyes, "What's up with that? Weren't you Natsu's girlfriend? You should hate me, right?"

Lisanna stared at Lucy, intently, and then leaned against the sink with a sly grin. "You think Natsu and I were dating before I left?"

"W-well, there have been rumors..."

"Natsu and I were best friends. Still are, I hope. But that's all there ever was," said the white-haired girl.

Lucy blinked at her. And continued blinking. Until it finally sunk in. "Seriously?!"

"It's Gray that I dated."

"Oh, I see. Okay then." Tick, tack, tick, tack, tick, tack.

Tick.

Tack.

Tick. Ta- "YOU AND GRAY?!"

Lisanna grinned. "Surprised?" She gave a chuckle, bracing her head on one hand. "We dated for a couple of weeks before I left for the states."

The blonde was sure she looked like she had just been slapped across the face with a deer. Lisanna and Gray? Lisanna and Gray? This was too much. Her brain couldn't grasp all these weird new informations. Lisanna and GRAY?

"I guess he's still pissed at me because I'm into girls."

Lucy smiled brightly at her.

Lisanna grinned back.

"Uhm, come again?" said the blonde, oddly saccharine.

"He must be still pissed at me."

"A-and what came after that?"

The littlest Strauss sibling blinked, then smirked mischievously. "Oh, you mean that I'm into girls?" she breathed mysteriously. "It's true, I like girls. I'm not joking. I always thought of girls that special way, but I guess it's only when I actually tried to date a guy that I completely realized that I was gay."

"...And that guy was Gray?"

Lisanna smiled broadly. "Yup! I owe him a lot. I'm sad that he hates me."

Of course he hates you, he thinks he made you GAY!, Lucy screamed internally. Wow, now it really made a lot of weird sense that Natsu had been calling Lisanna 'man' or 'dude' and stuff. Or why nobody wanted to talk about her. The puzzle was finally solved. Lisanna had left with such a boom that even Lucy couldn't quite keep up with her. She didn't even want to start with how the others must have taken it back then.

"Oh right, Mira-nee and Elf-nii don't know about it," said Lisanna with a cute wink. "So could you be a doll and keep this a secret? Pretty, pretty please?"

Lucy just gawked blankly at her. Is she coming onto me?!, she thought in shock, but quickly shook it away, that insane thought. Don't be all self-conscious just because she's into girls, Lucy you idiot!

The blonde gave a long, stressed out sigh of defeat when she couldn't stand Lisanna's puppy eyes any longer, "Okay, fine, I won't say anything. But that doesn't make me happy, okay? Mira's one of my best friends," she told the other girl sternly, "So make sure you tell her yourself soon, alright?"

"Yay! You're the best, Lucy!" Lisanna squealed and enveloped Lucy in a tight hug that muffled the latter's surprised yell. "It's too bad Natsu met you first. You're totally my type, you know that? And you're so nice, too."

"Th-thanks... I guess?" Lucy uttered, awkwardly patting Lisanna's back. I have every right to be self-conscious after all...

Somewhere along, Mirajane had knew because of the unmistakable fangirl-scream of pure and utter glee and bliss.

"Oh wonderful, this is great! You guys became friends!"

Lisanna grinned at her sister, still an arm around Lucy's shoulder. "Yup, I've completely fallen in love with her! I hope we can be even closer friends one day," she shot the blonde a meaningful smirk and practically purred, "I'd totally fight Natsu for a girl like you, Lucy."

Lucy gaped at her in pure horror while Mirajane's melodical laugh erupted. "Oh my, you and your little jokes, Lisanna!"

I don't think she's joking!, Lucy thought, absolutely horrified. NATSU, HELP!

.a.a.a.

"Honey, I missed you so much!" Lucy squealed pathetically as she flopped down - rather painfully - on Natsu's lap, circling her arms around his neck. "Did you miss me, too? Hm? Lucy-chan was so lonely~"

Gajeel promptly spit out his drink, which landed on Gray - thankfully, since he was out cold. It just barely missed Erza, and that would have been a blood fest.

Natsu turned both blue and green at the same time. "L-Lucy," he pressed out, hoarsely, squirming beneath her, "You're kinda squishing my ba-"

"GROSS, dude! I don't need to see that!" Gajeel snapped, pointing an accusing finger, before beckoning to Gray. "It's bad enough this guy won't stop barfing!"

"Graaaah...!"

"JUST GO HOME ALREADY, FOR FUCK'S SAKE!"

"Wh-what's up with Lu-chan?" Levy mumbled, wide-eyed and baffled, to Erza who was equally stunned. "She's normally not that agressive..."

Erza was in complete awe, blushing. "Are they already at that stage? I need to ask Lucy for tips in the matters of physical love later." At that, Jeral spit out his drink.

"Man! Natsu, you're really the man!" thundered Elfman, loudly.

"YOU JUST SHUT UP!"

Natsu quirked an eyebrow at Lucy who was both blushing madly and grinning nervously at the same time. "Oi, what's the matter with you? I'm happy, but..."

"Oh you! We're always so lovey-dovey, don't you be shy now, sweetheart!" Lucy giggled very weirdly, repeatedly slapping his arm. "I love you, I love you!"

"You're hurting me, though..."

There, you see that?, Lucy thought desperately as she whirled to look at Lisanna. So just give up on me, please!

Lisanna was smiling cutely at her.

So persistent!, thought the blonde, blankly.

"Another challange?" Juvia suddenly said, smiling wickedly. "Juvia and her boyfriend will still not lose to you, Lucy-san. Juvia and her boyfriend are hundred times as lovey-dovey as you and Natsu-san are."

Lucy just stared at her.

"Juvia and her boyfriend."

"You just like hearing yourself say that!"

"Bunny Girl's acting even weirder than usual," Gajeel uttered to his girlfriend, "Promise me you'll never act desperate like that, shrimp." Levy just mutely nodded her okay.

Mirajane smiled brightly, clasping her hands together. "You guys are just too cute! Go ahead and pretend we're not even here! Do whatever you feel like doing!"

"I'll fucking kill you if you listen to her!" barked Gajeel, terrified.

"Luuucy~" someone suddenly cooed from right behind her.

Ack!

Lucy's eyes widened, an awkward smile on her face as she slowly, very slowly turned her head to face a sweetly smiling Lisanna, who was bending down to her level (Lucy was still sitting on Natsu's lap, after all) and wiggling a microphone in front of her nose. Lucy's eyes flitted from the microphone and up to Lisanna's face, like, a zillion times, until it finally hit her. And to make the disaster perfect, Lisanna winked cutely at her.

"Let's sing a song together?"

"Great idea, Lisanna," Natsu said with a happy grin, nudging Lucy's side, "I want my two favorite girls to get along. Go sing something together!"

You have no idea what you're doing, Natsu!, Lucy internally snapped at him, but her front looked like the perfect lovely image as she politely waved it off, "I would love to, but y'see, Gray here threw up all over the karaoke machine, so it doesn't work anymore." She clicked her fingers in mock disappointment, "Damn, it's such a pity!"

"What? No, no," Levy said, grinning, "They switched it out while you guys were in the bathroom. We're keeping it over here now, and Gray's barfing into a bowl on the other side."

Lucy's face instantly fell.

"See? So come on already," Lisanna claimed gleefully, pulling Lucy up from Natsu's lap by the arm, "I'm borrowing your girlfriend, Natsu."

"Go ahead, go ahead." Natsu started squirming in his seat, tugging at his pants just between his crotch. "My family jewels really needed some space anyway..."

You REALLY have no idea what you're doing!, Lucy wanted to cry as she was dragged along to the karaoke machine where Lisanna picked up the song book and started browsing through. Lucy was praying to god that it would not be a love song. Please let it not be a love song, not a love song, please not a love song-

"How about a love song?"

Lisanna smirked smugly at her while Lucy just gawked in pure horror. You evil witch!

"Hellooo~!"

The door opened to reveal a very prince-like-looking Loke (as usual), followed by two squealing fans of his, a very plastered looking Cana, and a definitely annoyed Laxus along with his squad consisting of Evergreen, Freed and Bickslow. Cana immediately went for the beer on the table, Laxus nonchalantly flopped down right between Elfman and Mirajane (Mira blushed and Elfman started yelling something weird until Evergreen sat down next to him), and Loke just stared at Lucy and Lisanna.

"Oh, were you about to sing?" asked Captain Obvious. "Did we interrupt?"

"Yes, thank you!" Lucy beamed while Lisanna just pouted.

"Oi Gajeel, you drank almost all the beer," Cana seethed at him dangerously.

Gajeel nonchalantly sipped on his seventh bottle. "I was forced by the sheer amount of shittiness in this room." Levy elbowed him and he choked, "But I'm having the fucking time of my life, though." She gave a satisfied nod.

Suddenly, the whole room was loud and filled with bickering and laughter, and quite frankly, it was finally a full-out party. Lucy felt a smile tugging at her lips. It had been ages since all of them were gathered in one place, it really felt cozy and so fun. She had alwaysloved just watching her friends, trying to comprehend just how lucky she was to have each and every one of them in her life. She was really blessed.

"Such a cute smile~"

How Lucy wished it would have come from Natsu, but nope - Lisanna. She was leaning over in the ruckus while nobody watched them, sending Lucy a coy smile.

"It's gotten pretty crowded," she cooed. "Should we slip out, just the two of us?"

GYAAAAH!, Lucy screamed in her mind, her head whipping around to fixate her stare on Natsu who was currently picking his nose very devotedly. Oh god, was this guy serious? It didn't matter, she decided to suck it up. This was the guy she loved and Lisanna was being a nuisance, so...

"Watching you pick your nose really turns me on, Natsu!" she screamed as she practically attacked him, slamming her mouth against his. After a second of shock, he reciprocated in the same passionate manner.

"STOP MAKING OUT RIGHT NEXT TO ME!" Gajeel roared, but neither heard him. "You're making me join barfy over there in his mission to flood the room with puke! That's disgusting, after he picked his nose! No one can sympathize with you!"

"Such a cute couple," Mirajane squealed in delight.

"NOBODY ASKED YOU!"

"Another challange? Juvia and her boyfriend will-"

"THAT'S EVEN MORE DISGUSTING!"

Levy shot him a stern glare, "Gajeel..."

Gajeel paled. "I'm having a great time, though," he said and toasted with Cana. Only God knew what Levy blackmailed him with.

"Wh-what should we do? I-i-i-is it our duty to join in?" Erza stuttered, completely red, towards Jeral who spit out his drink again.

Laxus couldn't help a grin. "Still the same crazy kids," he remarked, and Mirajane smiled at him.

"But we wouldn't have it any other way, right?"

"Speak for yourself."