In the sparkling expanse of the North Pole, the elves bustled in their usual flurry of activity. Workshops hummed, hammers clanged, and laughter echoed through the icy air. But lately, things had taken a curious turn.
Elves were falling in love left and right, and it was becoming a problem. Jingles, the head logistics elf, found himself writing heartfelt poetry instead of schedules. Tink, the most efficient toy assembler, was too busy daydreaming about a certain cookie baker to finish her tasks. Even Grizzle, the grouchy head of the reindeer stables, had started carving heart shapes into the sled rails.
"Something is not right," declared Peppermint, the North Pole's head investigator, during a council meeting. "Elves are naturally cheerful, but this is beyond that. Productivity is down by 40%!"
The room grew silent as everyone turned toward him. "I've been doing some sleigh-speed reconnaissance," he continued. "And I think I know the culprit." He held up a sketch of a winged toodler with a smug grin and a bow. "Cupid."
Gasps rippled through the room.
"What's she doing up here?" Grizzle grumbled. "Isn't Valentine's Day months away?"
Peppermint adjusted his candy-cane-striped glasses. "Apparently, she got bored of the usual routine and decided to spread a little 'off-season magic.' She's been flitting around, shooting arrows willy-nilly!"
The council devised a plan. They would confront Cupid and politely—but firmly—ask her to take her matchmaking somewhere else.
They found Cupid lounging on a wooden bench near the frozen candy cane forest. She was twirling her bow and giggling as a couple of elves stared dreamily at each other nearby.
"Cupid!" The elves called, marching up to her. "We need to talk!"
Cupid turned and flashed an innocent smile. "Oh, hello there! Lovely day, isn’t it? Everyone’s in love—so sweet, isn’t it?"
"Too sweet!" The elves snapped. "Your arrows are causing chaos in the workshops! Elves are abandoning their duties for love-struck antics. We can’t meet our deadlines!"
Cupid pouted. "Well, I suppose I might have gotten a bit carried away." She plucked an arrow from her quiver. "Tell you what—I’ll fix this. I’ll reverse the extra love spells and let everyone go back to normal. But you have to admit, it’s kind of nice seeing everyone so happy."
The elves exchanged glances and sighed. "Fine," they admitted, "but no more meddling, agreed?"
Cupid nodded and raised his bow, shooting golden sparkles into the air. The enchanted elves shook their heads, blinking back to reality.
"Alright, team," The elves said, clapping their hands. "Back to work!"
As Cupid fluttered away, she called out, "Don’t worry—love will find you when the time is right!"
The elves rolled their eyes but couldn’t help a small smile. Maybe the mischievous cherub wasn’t so bad after all.
