Valentine's Dance
by MGL HoneyBee20
The annual demon hunter association dance. A dance event that had both the common masses, heroes, adventurers and demon hunters at the edge of their feet most especially the men. It is said that the world traveller elder of the demon hunter association once wanted to help his friends to find their other half.
He wanted his friends subordinates to find love and happiness despite their gruelling life long career of subjugating demons. They say the very first time the dance was held most of the people in the land of dawn quickly got over their fear uncertainty against the demon hunters just so they could have an invite and find their destined mate as well.
The elder at that time probably never imagined there would come a time that the sappy event he made at the spur of the moment for some of the lonely hearts in the association would someday become one of the most powerful mysteries in the land of dawn. For some unexplicable reason those who have danced together at the event and confessed to the one they love have all found their own versions of a happy ending.
The dance had to be specially held on the 14th day of the second month. The elder said it was February 14, Valentine's day. Later on the various merchants in the land of dawn started to count the days towards Valentine's Day from the very first day of the year. Numerous flowers epecially the roses were carefully tended and prepared for the special day. As instructed by the elder long ago, chocolates, cakes, roses and the most brilliant songs had to be prepared as soon as possible at every demon hunter association most especially at the headquarters dance hall.
The decorations, music food must all be the very best for the event. Tradition says the girl must send the dance invitation to the man she is most interested in and the guy must gift a specialized present for the girl together with roses chocolates. The couple will then dance and share their feelings to each other at the specially prepared dance hall.
Harley at the present was carefully levitating some white candles with bows of red, yellow, white and pink all over the wide expanse of the demon association's dance hall. The candles were part of the tradition shared by the elder, it is said the interested party must capture a candle with a red bow and present it to their sweethearts who if reciprocated their feelings or is interested enough, would gift them an invitation a year after. The rest of the candles with the different colored bows are to be given for their family friends able to bring luck and health.
Last year Gusion had fought with Lancelot over a candle that had a braided red bow over it, the candle was in the end taken by Zilong who presented it to Freya much to everyone's surprise. Zilong Freya had ended up becoming official at Christmas and have been preparing for the Valentine's Day dance since then just like Odette Lancelot. Approaching the carefully decorated tables Harley set up spells to ensure that the cutlery and food will magically right themselves should any shy couple were to cause harm to the decorations and table.
Sighing, Harley remembered last year how a certain mage assassin had nearly undone his spells in his hopes to find his step sister Lesley who had activated her stealth hopping from one table to another trying out the different deserts laid. Massaging his head, Harley tried to erase from his memories the scene of Gusion out of some madness had activated his seeking skill to blink near Lesley nearly overturning some tables just to present a candle with a bright red bow with black lace on it, good thing Harley's spells were all layered and strengthen. Harley decided right then and there to reinforce his spells on the next dance so he won't find himself blacklisted by the demon hunter's association for ruining a tradition.
Harley was happy for his step sister getting a chance to finding love and happiness. She had always carefully watched over him to the point Harley was starting to worry if she will ever find someone to heal her heart and show her there is more to life than missions and taking care of her baby brother. Harley had quickly leveraged his position as part of the designing committee for the dance to acquire an invitation and had nagged Lesley to not keep Gusion on pins needles. Harley had spent considerable amount of time to explain to his step sister the history of the dance and how its quite alright to just be interested in a guy.
When Harley had learned that Lesley had given out the invitation he had promptly dragged a confused Angela and Chang'e for a celebration and asked them for a favor to lead his step sister to a known dressmaker for the dance. He had already arranged with the dressmaker to prepare a somewhat gothic but highly feminine outfit for his sister. He then convinced Lancelot and Odette to somehow pass the color scheme to Gusion so he could get some clothes to match and Harley figured Odette would surely get Lancelot to help should Gusion not have any good ideas to match his sister for the dance.
When night time arrived the dance hall was bathed in the warm glow of the numerous floating candles and bouquets of roses garlands of baby's breath were decorated all over the tables in the hall. Couples were sweetly smiling and dancing all over the dance hall. The ladies were visions of beauty and the men were dashing. From a safe distance Harley was happily watching the scene of Gusion approaching Lesley with a special rifle made to have the appearance of a dainty laced umbrella. When Lesley accepted the special present, Harley smiled happily.