It was almost Christmas in Earthland, and the whole town of Magnolia was covered with snow. Flakes of ice languidly poured from the skies, falling atop green trees and bushes like ice cream sprinkles.

The ponds and lakes located within the vicinity of the town became frozen overnight, and were immediately used as skating rinks by the townspeople. Tons of Christmas paraphernalia were hung on windows and doors of every building in Magnolia.

Children made snow angels with their little hands and feet, women sweep snow dust off door steps, and old men whistled merrily. Anticipation filled the air, especially when the Mayor announced that on Christmas evening there will be a Grand Dance in the town park, and every citizen of Magnolia were invited, mage or no mage. Free drinks and food and all.

Although the Mayor, who the citizens now knew was batshit crazy but extremely harmless, specified that his people were to wear traditional clothing during the Grand Dance. This meant that people who dare go to the dance 'under dressed', will be shunned immediately.

Clothing Shops were filled with folks since the news spread, and almost every stock of Kimono and Hakama were out at the end of the day that business owners were forced to order stocks exponentially.

Suffice it to say, almost everyone were thrilled by the upcoming dance.

And the Fairies were no exception to this.

Well, most.

It all started when Lucy brought 'Magnolia Today', the town's official newspaper, inside the guild.

The guild was packed.

Lucy was sitting opposite the bar counter, slowly sipping her hot cocoa and reading Magnolia Today with a bored expression on her face. Snowing and winter as it was, she didn't enjoy the season much. She preferred pleasant temperature conditions, and adored hot, sizzling summers. That way she could dress whatever and however she wants.

However, wishing for some things... or weathers, to go away, won't make them come true.

She grabbed her hot beverage by the handle and sipped, the viscous liquid scorching her tongue. She honestly didn't want to do anything except regulate her temperature and not drop dead from the cold. Earlier, Natsu asked her if she would want to go on a job, but she declined, because... duh.

Lucy yawned wearily and sunk her head on the counter, letting the soggy newspaper slip from her hands. The barmaid, Mirajane, who was wiping beer glasses in the corner, caught sight of her misery, and with her usual mother-like disposition, approached her and asked, "Lucy, are you O.K.?''

"I'm fine, Mira." Lucy answered exasperatingly, "I just have no idea what to do these days, you know? I hate winters."

Mira smiled her empathetic smile and said, "Well, why do you hate winters, Lucy? Snow is gorgeous."

"It's so cold and dreary and bleak and I'm not used to wearing too much clothes!" Lucy cried, erecting her head up from the counter.

"Perhaps Natsu can help you with the cold, Lucy." Mira replied innocently, contradicting the mysterious glare in her eyes.

"Ugh, not in the mood, Mira." Lucy waved Mira's suggestive reply away, before miserably letting her head fall atop the bar counter again.

Mira chuckled and glanced at the newspaper beside Lucy. She grabbed the paper and scanned through its pages. Some of the headlines were quite interesting to the white-haired maiden, but the line that grabbed her attention the most was on the second page. A red colored sentence screamed in bold, striking letters: GRAND DANCE WILL BE HELD IN MAGNOLIA PARK ON CHRISTMAS EVENING AS ANNOUNCED BY THE MAYOR. EVERYONE IS INVITED! Read below for further details.

The demon take over read the whole article, and reread it again. And again. Her head began to think of endless possibilities of dates. Dates that would be happening to her very own guild mates. She smiled, and walked towards the cabinet, and took a small kit.

When she opened the kit, its only content, a megaphone, gleamed beneath the light.

The megaphone was quite smaller than the usual, but it met her purpose just the same.

A horrid, screechy, cat-like noise coming from the back interrupted the Fairies' brawls. Natsu and Gray stopped killing each other and blocked their ears with their hands. Erza's strawberry cake fell on the floor as she tried to stop the weird sound entering her brain. Elfman stopped talking, and Gajeel spat his iron meal.

Levy, Juvia and Wendy, who were busily arguing whose hair was bluer, even hid under their table because of how ear shattering the noise was. Fortunately, the sound dissipated, and the voice of a sweet female took its place.

"May I have your attention, please!" Mirajane spoke through the megaphone, staring at the confused faces of her guild mates in amusement. "You're all maybe wondering why I'm talking through this. It is because I have read on the newspaper that there will be a Great Dance that will be held on Christmas evening, and it was stated that everyone is invited!"

Some of the members cheered, while others remained apathetic. A few even managed to yawn. Mirajane, seeing this, began to look tearful. "But... we're all going to have fun! There's free food, and drinks. And everyone gets to wear kimonos!"

Natsu, at the mention of food, began to get interested. "Can we eat as many as we can?" He asked.

"Idiot." Gray interrupted, "It's doubtful that the food's going to last with you attending."

"What did you say, Ice fucker?" Natsu growled.

"You wanna go, Fire fucktard?"

"SHUT UP!" Erza shouted, banging their heads. "Mira, that's interesting," Erza added calmly.

"Any more objections following these two idiots here will meet the same fate. Who objects to Mira's suggestion?"

Everyone shut up, and most people gulped. An uncomfortable silence followed.

"I said, who objects?" Erza repeated, a deadly glint in her eyes warning everyone that blood will be shed if they didn't give her an appropriate answer.

Hoard of 'Nobody' and 'Nah' and 'No one, Erza-chan!' answered the redhead back, and she nodded in satisfaction.

"All right then. Attendance to the Dance is mandatory, and everyone who gives excuses nor who wouldn't attend will face... consequences."

Everyone settled on the floor, or to their seats. Things looked quite... unpromising.

"One more thing. Everyone are to have their dates." Erza added, making Mira nod in agreement.

Almost everyone thought of protesting, but decided against it.

Because Erza was the epitome of painful death.