Everyone cowered in fear as Lulu's piercing eyes swept across the group. One hand was dominantly on her hip, adding to her already frightening air. The other hand was held up angrily in front of her, a pair of lacy, black panties dangling from the tip of her long, lacquered nail. "Where is it – someone tell me now." There was no question in her tone. It was a demand.

Rikku, whom had first been waiting from her spot between Kimahri and Yuna for something to happen, now did not think anything was funny anymore. Lulu could be terrifying when she was angry, and right now she was enraged. Even Auron looked uncomfortable about the whole ordeal.

"It matches these panties," Lulu continued, her tone dangerously low. When no one came forward with a comment or answer, she picked up her Onion Knight doll and scowled. "Don't make me get physical."

"Eh, wouldn't it be more like 'magical'-"

"-Tidus," Lulu interrupted warningly, causing him to jump in fright. "This isn't funny…so someone tell me where my bra is. Now."

Again, there was nothing but silence. Rikku was beginning to feel her palms sweat, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood in fear. She was starting to think that taking Lulu's bra and placing it in someone else's pack was a very bad idea after all.

Lulu stormed over to the first person she suspected of the crime – Tidus, the smart-alecky Zanarkandian. He leaned back in panic, causing himself to fall backward off of the log that served as his seat. "Where is it, Tidus?" the black mage growled, her face a mere inches from his now as she towered menacingly over him.

"I-I didn't!!" he sputtered back, holding his hands up in front of him to protect his face.

"Tell me!"

"No, I-I didn't take anything!!" he cried out, wincing. He waited to get blasted in the face with a powerful spell, but none came. Carefully, he opened his blue eyes and looked cautiously around, but Lulu had moved away from him and was now back to her original position before everyone.

"This is stupid," she spat, looking over each person in disappointment. She pointed to Yuna, and the Summoner flinched. "I know you wouldn't have done this, Yuna, so get behind me."

The Summoner nodded, trying to remember the last time she felt so scared of her Guardian, which was never. Until now. Once she was safely out of Lulu's firing range, a powerful wave of relief washed over her.

Lulu looked around the camp further, studying each person, until her crimson eyes stopped on Kimahri. "I know you would never do something like this, Kimahri. You may get behind me, as well."

The Ronso nodded, looking as though he hadn't been fazed at all by the event. But he had. After carefully and safely making his way behind the dangerous black mage, he stood protectively by Yuna, just in case Lulu decided she wanted to explode and take everyone out with her.

"You." Lulu pointed to Auron, whom stood cautiously and joined the small group behind her. She then looked over at the remaining party of Tidus, Rikku, and Wakka with a deep glare. "One of you is guilty… One of you took my bra… I need that bra – you don't understand. I need it. And if I don't get it…I will HURT YOU."

The three before her flinched. Rikku was now faced with a serious dilemma. Should she confess to the crime and pay with several rounds of Thundaga, or keep quiet and pray to machina that she didn't kill them right then and there?

"Alright. Fine. Seeing as no one knows where it is, I will have to look through your bags." Lulu picked up the front of her dress and stomped over to the first sack – Rikku's. The bra wasn't in there, so the thief would be safe for now, but she did have a few items there that she didn't want anyone else seeing, so she did object to it.

"No, wait!" the Al Bhed cried out, jumping to her feet. Every eye singled onto her, and she whimpered.

"Ah-ha… It was you," Lulu spat, her voice resembling a growling lion who found its prey.

"No, I mean – no, my stuff is in there!" Rikku sighed, balling her fists at her side. "All my stuff is in there," she explained again, "and, um…you know, stuff that's private."

Lulu still looked suspicious, but she dropped her venomous gaze and gave Rikku a slight nod. "I still have to look, but I won't speak a word of anything I see inside."

That was good enough for Rikku. She would much rather have that happen than admit to stealing the undergarment, for the lashing would be one to remember for all time. She sat back down on the flat rock and kept her fists at her chest nervously, watching the black mage sift through her belongings quietly. Once she was finished, she turned and pointed to the teen. "You may go stand over there with the others."

Whew. She made it, just barely. Once she was safely with the others, instinctively staying just behind Kimahri and Auron, she watched with renewed amusement as Lulu went to the next sack.

"Go ahead, I don't have anything in there," Tidus remarked, trying to keep his calm as Lulu dug through the sack. At one point, her eyes widened slightly, and she looked up to give him a momentary look of disgust and bewilderment. Tidus only chuckled nervously. When Lulu was finished, she announced that there was nothing of hers in there and ordered him to stand by the others. He, also, stood behind Kimahri and Auron, just in case.

Lulu set her gaze to kill as she glared at Wakka. The man was looking utterly relaxed, as best as he could anyway, and waved a casual hand to his sack. "Go ahead – you know you won't find nothin' in there, ya?"

"We will see."

The black mage searched through the bag by Wakka's feet, and after a few moments she stopped. Everyone waited in anticipation. Rikku could have sworn that even Auron's dismissive expression had a little curiosity hidden somewhere in there. Finally, Lulu looked up at Wakka, but with her back turned toward the rest of the group, they could not see if she was giving him a death gaze or another form of stinging hatred. To Rikku's astonishment, she stood and turned back to everyone with an apologetic look on her face.

"Please, forgive me." She bowed deeply. Everyone sighed in a chorus of relief, but Rikku was the only one who didn't join in. "I just remembered that my bra is in the very bottom of my bags… I'm sorry."

Slowly, everyone walked back to their seats and sat down quietly. Rikku didn't budge. Why did Lulu admit to a lie? She never lied… Rikku had hid the bra in Wakka's bag the whole time, and it was in a very obvious place, too! What was going on?

The black mage eventually made her way gracefully toward the little thief, a smirk hidden within the coldness of her features. Rikku couldn't help herself. She had to ask, to find out why Lulu had lied and ruined the hilarious beating that Wakka would have taken. "You did see it in there, right?"

Lulu nodded softly, a grin slowly forming on her plum colored lips. "Yes."

Rikku frowned, disappointed, and put her hands on her hips. "But why did you lie about it? Why didn't you beat him up?"

"I would like to see the look on his face when he finds it tonight," Lulu replied quietly.

The black mage turned and walked back to the others calmly, leaving Rikku to stand in confusion. That doesn't make any sense, she thought. Her plans had been totally spoiled, and she had been thinking about that trick for days! Grrr….

With a pout, Rikku walked back over to her seat and plopped down, obviously upset. Eventually, everyone began to talk comfortably again, as they had done before the missing bra incident. That's when the thief suddenly noticed something out of the corner of her eye. Lulu was sitting closer to Wakka. She was smiling to herself, though it seemed as though no one else saw it. The Al Bhed put a hand over her mouth as she gasped, realized that Lulu liked Wakka. Holy machina…

A/N: Credit for this idea goes to my good friend Faithanne, whom helped me to think of this in the first place. She said she was going to write it, but never did, so I took the initiative and I'm giving full credit to her. Much loves, Faithy-Waithy!

PS

Haven't you always wondered what would happen if Lulu exploded one day? -giggles-