"A costume party?" Gajeel scoffed, examining the hand drawn flyer currently hanging in the gym. In his mind though, he couldn't wait to tell Levy that he was able to read the poster, even though it took him a good few minutes. It was early in the morning but everyone had gathered around by this point and was curious as to what was going on.

"Let me see," Lucy said, grabbing the paper off the wall. She'd staple it back up later, but for now, she wanted a closer look.

"What's it say Luce?" Natsu yelled from the back of the growing crowd.

"There will be two competitions held this Saturday. One will be a single entry costume contest and the other will be a couple's costume contest. Guests are invited. Please be as creative as possible," Lucy read aloud, causing everyone to start chatting loudly. It had been a while since their last competition, but they loved them.

"Oh, Gray darling!" Juvia squealed, clasping onto the swimmer's arm," We will definitely win the couple's contest."

"Who said we'd be entering as a couple?!"

"What's the prize?" someone yelled. Lucy looked at the bottom of the paper.

"Well, it says here that the couple contest winners will receive a spa trip to an unspecified location. The single entry winner will receive a gift card for any shop. For me and Natsu, this will also settle a little bet we have going on," Lucy explained.

"A spa trip!"

"Oooh! I need that!"

"Hmmm… are there any rules?" Lisanna asked amidst the chaos.

"The costumes can't be store bought." Lucy replied, causing everyone to groan," It has to be something you already own or homemade."

"But I can't make stuff!" Natsu whined, looking down at his hands in dismay. Lucy couldn't help but smirk and giggle in response.

"Well, we all have a week to get ready," Lucy announced, feeling even more confident.

Maybe she had a chance at winning this bet after all.

…

Mira smiled down at the sign up sheet in front of her. After she'd placed up all of her posters, she'd been swarmed with people wanting to enter. She'd eventually compiled two seperate lists.

Couple Contest Entries:

Gray and Juvia

Honestly, seeing those two together made Mira nearly faint from blood loss. Juvia had dragged Gray along to sign up. He'd seemed reluctant, protesting to anyone that would listen that he and Juvia were "just friends". Not by the end of this contest!

Elfman and Evergreen

This couple had puzzled Mira, who honestly felt pity for her brother as he was forced to pair up with the bossy woman. Plus they wouldn't have cute babies.

Gajeel and Levy

Now this was her winning couple! So cute! She'd heard from Gajeel (he was forced obviously!) about Levy and their dates. They seemed absolutely perfect for each other.

Single Entries:

Natsu

Lucy

Erza

Laxus

Cana

Mira had asked everyone about their costume ideas but they'd all been tight-lipped, refusing to even give her an idea about what they were going to wear.

She'd simply have to wait until Saturday.

…

"Uh, I don't know about this Juvia," Gray sighed as he watched the girl run around the crafts shop with her nearly overflowing basket," I mean, we aren't really a couple and…"

"Not yet," Juvia giggled, grabbing some sparkling fabric," beside's it'll be fun. And if we win, we'll get the prize!"

"I mean…"

"Also," Juvia smirked," You'll get bragging rights over Natsu if you win and he loses."

That was enough to get Gray onboard with the idea, despite the fact he and Natsu were in separate categories. Juvia wasn't about to bring that up though.

…

"5,6,7,8!" Evergreen called as Elfman wearily prepared himself for the routine she'd devised. Evergreen had been informed about the contest by Freed and had decided to enter. However, as she didn't work at the gym, she needed to find someone to enter with her. Thus Elfman found himself entered into the contest.

"Are you sure all of this is necessary?" Elfman grumbled, not happy with her plan. He hadn't even gotten an input in the costume ideas.

"Of course it is!" Evergreen snapped, glaring at him," We need to win!"

"But my injury…"

"Isn't going to be disturbed in our routine," Evergreen interrupted," Don't worry. I'm not that heartless."

The two shared a small smile at that, before looking away with a scowl.

…

After talking with Makorav, Mira decided that she and Freed wouldn't enter the contest. They'd be judges. Still, that didn't mean that they couldn't dress up too.

Mira was still debating about costume ideas when she received a rather formal text from Freed telling her to come over. She did so and was shocked by what he had in his closet.

"How do you have all these things?" she cried out, her eyes shining with excitement. She'd never seen such beautiful pieces of clothing before, not even in her time as an international model.

"I may have studied accounting but I was also part of a drama club my university ran," Freed confessed nervously, twisting one of his green locks," so I got to keep any costumes I made."

"Well," Mira grinned, giving the surprised man a peck on the cheek," These will be perfect!"

…

"I'm kinda confused," Lisanna mumbled, sipping her virgin mojito. She was chatting with Cana in the Fairy Tail Bar.

"About what?" Cana asked, pouring herself a beer, before hopping up onto the bar.

"Why aren't you and Laxus entering as a couple?" Lisanna exclaimed, putting her drink down.

"Ugh," Cana moaned, taking a sip of her beer before continuing," He and I can't agree on a costume idea, so we decided to just enter separately. Loser has to do whatever the winner wants for the whole weekend."

"Oh, that's a pity," Lisanna sighed," Good luck though! What will you make Laxus do if you win?"

"Buy me all the booze I want," Cana cheered, raising her glass in mock toast.

"Oh, Cana!" Lisanna chuckled," What's your costume idea anyway?"

"That would ruin the surprise," Cana laughed, before winking," Let's just say that I'll have Laxus wrapped around my little pinkie before the day's over."

…

Erza hummed happily as she walked into her large walk in closet. If there was something she loved more than Jellal or Fairy Tail, it was definitely clothes.

She had everything from costumes to armour to ball gowns. You name it, she had it.

Suddenly she spotted something glimmering from the corner of the room. A smile settled on her face as she realised she had found her winning costume.

"Hey, what's up son?" Igneel called out, hearing his son enter the house. Natsu had enough money to move out, but only into a cheap flat. His dad had given him the attic as a gift for his 18th birthday, allowing him to convert it into a small studio.

"Hey, dad," Natsu sighed as he entered the living room, bending down to rub Happy's ears. Happy was his cat who was surprisingly blue. He was a rescue from a lab that tested hair dyes on animals. No matter how hard they'd scrubbed, the blue dye never left Happy's fur. But that never seemed to bother the cheerful creature, so they let him be.

"Something bothering you?"

"Yeah," Natsu groaned, slumping into a chair," Me and Lucy are having a contest, but everyone's participating as well. I need to make a costume or something."

"And the problem is?"

"I can't make stuff!" Natsu exclaimed, glaring at his useless hands.

"Well," Igneel grinned," Maybe I can help!"

"Really?!" Natsu cheered, sitting up in the chair, a huge grin on his face.

"You bet, kiddo!" Igneel chuckled," Now where did I put that old face paint…"

…

Lucy grinned as she entered her cozy, well furnished flat. This competition was going to be like taking candy from a baby. Or lunch from Natsu for the next month.

Laughing to herself, she pulled out her trusty sewing machine and set to work. She already had the perfect costume in mind. Now it was a matter of time.