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Date: May 29th, before sunset
Location: Outside the manor
Status: Public (Dustfinger?)
Summary: Raphael's pets welcome him home

Raphael laughed as his owl playfully swooped down to just barely touch him. So that's the way it was going to be, eh? Racing across the lawn, Fella at his feet (and being very active for a living pillow) and careful not to knock over the bowl where Filayo was swimming inside watching from its place on the steps, he continued his game of tag.

The bunny managed to knock him over and both dropped to the ground. "Hey, you cheated!" But he petted the animal anyway. They were such fun creatures. Come to think of it, wasn't there another resident that owned a pet? Dustfinger, wasn't it? Yes, he was certain he had a pet. Maybe someday they could meet and their animals could play together.

That, he decided, would be perfect. All the animals of the manor in happy bliss.

((*))

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"It's quite alright," he said to him, setting his fish down and stepping back. "I will show you."

Slowly inhaling he closed his eyes and let his aura extend to its full power. The edges of it were as green as emeralds and immediately the plants around him began to curl around his ankle and trail along his legs. Above him the sky rumbled with the disturbance cracking in the air. There was a soft Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty... echoing as if coming from the angel's very soul.

He opened his eyes and grinned. "If I truly unleashed my true form I'd look partly like a lion and I'd have hooves." And with that, he let his aura slurp back into himself like a sea anemone. "That is what it looks like when it is manifested through me," he said.

"Wow", Dustfinger said. "With that trick you could earn money at a fair. People would pay good to see that."

He continued stroked the bunny.

"I just dance with fire and juggle."

"I used to do a few circus tricks myself," the Archangel beamed. "Do you mind showing me what you do?"

"My things are inside", Dustfinger said. "If something is there that I can use then I can juggle a bit. The fire things are in my bag, in my room. They don't look so nice when it isn't night too."

Raphael miracled six balls in different colors and began tossing them to him. "How about some juggling now, fire later? The sun is setting so it won't be long before it's night."

"Okay", Dustfinger said. He put off his coat and the top pullover he wore and threw the balls into the air to juggle them.

He liked the fire better, but juggling was okay, too.

If he could maybe earn a little money if he made a show for the manor?

Raphael's new wings flapped happily. He miracled his own colorful balls and began juggling them too.

This was so fun!

Dustfinger had put the show smile on his face when he started to juggle.

Now it was a real smile. He moved without stopping to juggle until he stood looking directly at Raphael. If he could get the other's attention and give him a sign maybe they could toss some balls between them in the juggling.

Raphael was already on the same track. He began tossing his balls in Dustfinger's direction and noticed that the last of the sun's rays were beginning to disappear into the night. Shifting to juggle with one hand he miracled another ball, this one on fire.

He shot him a grin to make sure it would be okay.

Dustfinger changed his rhythm to swap balls with Raphael. He hoped maybe they could do this more often in the future.

When Raphael made the new ball he asked: "You do fire, too?"

He caught the juggling balls and put them on the floor.

"I'll get my things", he told Raphael. "It won't take long. Can I leave Gwin here for a moment?"

He lowered his juggling things and made out the fire.

Raphael was quiet for a moment. To him, the Manor had become his home. As an Archangel, Heaven was his real Home but the longer he stayed at this place in Lower Tadfield the more he realized he never wanted to leave.

Dustfinger noticed Raphael reacted. He was not sure what he should do or say so he waited for a bit.

Then he said: "I have a wife and two daughters there."

Raphael thought of Atlan and Rose, how they had been separated from family. He thought of Loki, how his sons had been killed. Dustfinger had family and a home that he missed too. "Where is your home?" he asked.

"In a book", he said. "I have it but I can't go back inside without help."

Raphael was curious about this. Dustfinger lived in a book? Well, the manor did have beings from different worlds but he had never heard of someone coming from a book. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Just that", Dustfinger said. "I was read out of a book by a Silvertongue. Someone who can make things to come out of a book and other things to go into it. My family is in there. A wife and two daughters. I want them back. I do not like this world."

He sighed and let the shoulders hang. "It is loud and dirty and smelly and everything is not allowed. I do not understand a lot of things, and it is just not where I live."

Raphael's expression was sad. "I... I'm so sorry."

For a moment he lifted his head and gazed at the sky, the night... Heaven. He thought of his winged brethren, of his Father. He remembered how badly he had missed them when he was Exiled here. But that had been for a Purpose, he knew that now. But Dustfinger's wife and child were in another world. That sadness must be so much worse for Dustfinger.

"Would you like me to try to see if I can read you back into your book?" he asked.

"Have you ever read something out from a book?" Dustfinger asked with hope in the voice.

"Er. No," Raphael admitted. "But Father spoke the Universe into Existence and He didn't have a book yet. How hard can it be?"
"Okay", said Dustfinger and looked at the door to the hotel. "Do you stay here when I get the book?

Raphael nodded, picking up his owl. "I'll wait here," he told him. He hoped it would work and that he could help Dustfinger.

Dustfinger walked into his room and to his safe in what he had the book hidden. His hands trembled when he took it out. Maybe... Maybe he could soon go home.

He walked faster on the way back outside. He tried not hope, but in a way he still did.

"Here", he said when he came back to Rapahel. "This is the book."

He held it up but he not give it to the angel right away.

Raphael tilted his head slightly, admiring the aesthetic beauty of an old book. It amazed him how something as simple as pages sewn together and bound could hold so much... Like a tapestry of words, a curtain waiting to be drawn back to reveal a new world. Raphael was of the belief that people who didn't read really didn't live, not really.

He began to wonder of the world that Dustfinger came from, brought into existence by the imagination of a man and squeezed into words to create. Like Dustfinger. Had the author created his personality first or the story? Was Dustfinger one of those characters that grew on his own as the plot progressed or was he planned?

Suddenly realizing with a shock of guilt that he had onc again strayed from what was important about a person, he offered a smile. "What would you like me to read? Just start from the beginning?" he asked. Selfishly he wished Dustfinger wouldn't have to go, but if his family was in another world... The angel's heart ached for what Dustfinger must be going through. Raphael understood missing family but he knew he'd see them again. If this didn't work and Raphael couldn't read him back, who knew how long it would be before Dustfinger would see his family again?

The uncertainty was heartbreaking, and despite not wanting his friend to leave, he didn't want him to be away from his family either.

Then an idea hit him.

"Dustfinger... Have you thought of having your family read from the book? Coming here?"

Dustfinger shook his head strongly. "They are home", he said. "They do not belong here. I do not belong here, too. I don't want they being here. I want to be there. Where they are now."

Raphael quietly nodded, tiny wings drooping further as if suddenly it was too tiring to hold them up. "I understand," he said quietly.

Dustfinger sat down on the stair and put his head in his hands.

"It's all so frustrating", he said. "It's in there, my world, my people, my family, my life, and I'm out here and can't get in. I don't want to be in this place. I don't belong here."

Raphael moved to sit beside him. He stretched a tiny wing to go around Dustfinger's shulder but it didn't quite make it. Oh well.

Sadly, Raphael felt the exact opposite, as if the manor could be his permanent home.

But then, he was an angel. An angel's home belonged in Heaven. Didn't it...?

"It sounds like we are both trying to find home," he said quietly. Dustfinger wanting to go back to his world, Raphael wanting to stay in this one. He perked up, trying to lighten the mood. "Hey, would you like something to eat? Or drink? Tea perhaps or hot chocolate?"

Dustfinger shrugged. Then he nodded. "I could use a drink." He admitted. "What's the home you have to find?"

Raphael stood, picking up his bunny again. He looked up at the building they stood in front of, seeming thoughtful.

He let the edge of his lips quirk up. "Maybe I've already found it," he smiled.

"Sound nice," Dustfinger said. "But I've found mine, too. I just can't get inside into it."

Raphael didn't know what to say. He followed Dustfinger and wondered if the manor could truly be his home.

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