"Come on, you two, get on the floor and shake it up a little!" Willow laughed as she watched them sitting behind a small round table in the corner of the bar. "You look like that big cabal, stuck in his couch!"

"Calus?" Jayden tilted his head to the side with his arms folded. Zara, her eyes glued to her glass, gave a small smile.

"Yeah, that's what I was going to say." The body of the Hunter was moving to the rhythm of the music. "But he at least knows how to have fun!"

"We were having a lot of fun before you came to annoy us."

"Is that true, Zara?"

"Huh? Well, yes, of course."

Willow stopped, hands on her hips and a jaded expression on her face. "You're hopeless, you know. The whole City is celebrating the death of Ghaul, and I find myself with the only fireteam in the system that cannot dance!"

"It's not that I can't dance," Jayden replied with a sarcastic smile. "I'm just afraid that you might trip over your cape trying to compete with me."

"Says the one who walks around with a towel on his belt."

"It's a mark." The Titan's gaze hardened. "I didn't compare your old torn cape to a dish cloth."

"Oh, so you're going to make me pay for it, are you?" A smile appeared on Willow's lips. "I cannot wait to see it."

"Okay, puny Hunter. I'll show you how we fought in the Dark Age."

Jayden rose abruptly and stepped onto the dance floor, followed by Willow. Zara, suddenly captivated, raised her eyes from her glass and watched the singular scene that was about to unfold.

The floor was made of tiles changing color to the rhythm of the music. The side of the bar facing it was equipped with various light fixtures, projecting shapes through the smoke-filled atmosphere. Civilians and Guardians moved aside to make room for the two opponents and began to exchange bets. Zara noticed that most were siding with the Hunter and smiled: Jayden should not be underestimated.

The music changed, becoming more aggressive. The battle began, each opponent rivaling the other in technique: Willow moved with the grace of a feline, making supple and lively movements, showing all the flexibility of the human body and bouncing as if she was mounted on springs. Her style was passionate, at times reminiscent of the postures of a fencer, and electrified the audience. She concluded her performance with a somersault and landed with a split on the edge of the counter, a flash of defiance in her eyes.

Jayden was standing firm in front of his opponent. The Titan unfolded his arms and rolled his mechanical muscles, then performed a dance based on the abrupt locking of the movements and the precise positioning of each limb, which corresponded perfectly to his nature as an Exo. It was not very original, but the Titan excelled in his performance. Every impulse was perfectly calculated, yet the choreography seemed random, as if a Tower frame suddenly went off the rails. He concluded his turn with a return to his original position as precise as the mechanism of a rifle.

The audience exulted, delighted to have been granted such a show. The two opponents returned to stand in front of Zara, out of breath.

"So, who won?" The Hunter leaned on the Titan's shoulder, a triumphant smile on her lips.

"How do you...?" Zara searched for her words with a shrug. "You didn't even dance in the same style, how can I tell you apart? Besides, it's not like I'm an expert... You could just ask Cayde."

The duo followed the Warlock's gaze and noticed that the Hunter Vanguard was circulating between the tables at the other end of the bar, busy amassing a small bundle of shiny cubes. "Given the amount of Glimmer he collected, he probably knows who the audience preferred."

"Zara, it's your opinion we want." Willow exchanged malicious glances with Jayden. "But you're right, you're not an expert."

Suddenly, her friend grabbed her by the arm and pulled her out of her seat.

"Willow, what are you doing?" The Warlock, suddenly panicked, tried to resist and return to her table. "Let me go!"

"Jayden, help me." The Exo shrugged with an air of defeat and gently pushed into Zara's back as she could not escape the iron grasp that dragged her to the dance floor. "It's time to get your nose out of your books, girl. We're going to show you the basics."

Zara struggled as hard as she could, called Willow all the names of the Hive gods she knew, but ended up standing in the middle of the floor, surrounded by dancers.

"You won't get out of here until you show me some moves," the Hunter said. It sounded like a threat.

Zara swallowed with difficulty, standing awkwardly on the bright floor. Her head swayed to one side and then to the other. The movement extended through her spine, then to her feet and hands. She wiggled as she could to the rhythm of the music, feeling her face blushing a little more each moment.

At the end of what seemed like an eternity, the music stopped, and the Warlock took advantage of the break to slip away and join his table, where his friends were waiting. Her throat was dry, and her muscles were shaking as if they had been through a long battle.

"How was it?" she managed to articulate between two sips of ice-cold water.

"It was awful." Willow elbowed Jayden's ribs.

"He means interesting. You did beautifully, Zara!"

"It was the last time I would let a hunter two centuries younger force me to do such a thing." she mumbled.

"Oh, come on, it wasn't that bad!" Willow got up and gave her a pat on the shoulder. "We've got an eternity to learn how to dance! Let's show these City youngsters how to celebrate a victory!"

And the Hunter returned to the dance floor.