That lizard was hard to see. Each time, Raven thought, he had found it, Juan disappeared – just to reappear shortly after elsewhere. "Out!" Raven laughed. "So tickling!"

Then his laughter died away. "What?"

Rusty let his arm sink.

"That Chihuahua?!" Raven scratched his armpit. "Has he...? Don't you know when to walk the dog?!"

Rusty drew nearer, amusement crossing his face. "Oh, already over? Well... May I have the pleasure of the next dance?" Rusty's fingertips has barely touched his shoulder, and Raven could feel the lizard moving, running towards its owner. The curse was lifted.

"There!" The lizard remained stock – still on the back of the hand. Was it immobility that inspired the artist?

"Let's show how to dance, shall we?" Rusty cooed and started to rock back and forth. Raven had the itch to go fetch his camera, but his muscles were failing him. If he went now, he would miss something for sure.

"Tell me... How did you plan to make those hotheads team up?" Rusty asked.

And Raven told.

"Not gonna work," Rusty said.

"Why not?"

"Because Smile chose Tiger as his muse. And artists -"

"Never got more than one, Raven finished the sentence, Coal Bone..."

"Having a hard time, anticipating his moves?" Raven nodded.

"I... Some help would be appreciated."

End of the dance. "Fire away!"

"The painting..."

"Don't - "

Crack. "Oops. the carbon pencil cracked. You don't happen to - " Coal Bone said in a low voice.

"The entrance hall is over there," Raven replied with a chilling gaze, pointing towards the door."

"Fine, I'm leaving, Coal Bone grumbled, but only if he, he nodded towards Rusty, is as well. After all, he -"

"Enough!" Before Raven realized what he was doing, he was right in front of Coal Bone, shoving him outside with the same ease, he took the trash out every morning. Rusty whistled. "Now I see why Sonya loves you," he mumbled.

Balancing Juan, Rusty turned towards the desk. "Where did he put that painting?" One by one, they were sent to the floor: Paper, boxes... Even a small snow dome.

"You can't blame the gecko. That guy was right: You are a lousy dancer, Rusty heard Coal Bone saying, if you only could hold still, drawing you wasn't such a pain."

This quarrel would go on. Without rushing, Rusty continued his research. Raven had neither accepted the deal nor declined. Which could only mean...

The drawers were next. "What has become of you, Raven?" Rusty wanted to take a pile of note books out – and paused when he saw dark stains on one front cover. Brown stains that... could be anything really. He sniffed the leather and tried to scrape the dubious material off with his fingernails, then placed the notes onto the desktop.

The book fell down onto Rusty's head. If there was any silver paper, it would be stored not far. Either Raven had grown out of the habit of collecting garbage or... Anyway, chocolate could be delisted.