Dreamfinder had been in his Dream Machine over the Middle East, inspiring kids and adults with imagination. It was his purpose, after all.
He stopped, taking a break in Palestine.
There was now six days to go until Christmas, but not being a Christian majority country, Palestine would not be celebrating.
That was all well and fine for Dreamfinder. The more he travelled, the more he learned about traditions around the world and how everyone celebrated different holidays and how they celebrated those holidays differently from each other. And from Eid-Al-Fitr to Yom Kippur, Holi to Diwrnod Santes Dwynwen, he found them all wonderful in their own ways.
But with each one that passed, the lonelier he felt without anyone to celebrate them with. And the more he missed Figment, his purple dragon creation.
It had been twenty-one years since he and Figment had last seen each other. That was longer than the time they'd been together, but he still longed for another day with his creation.
As he watched the sun rising over Bethlehem, and Jerusalem as a whole, beautiful scenes and ancient buildings in front of him, Dreamfinder found himself wondering whether Figment ever thought of him too.
Yes, Bethlehem is in Palestine.
Bethlehem also has about a 40% Christian population.
It made sense to set a Christmas fic in the Middle East given that's where the whole birth of Christ thing took place. If you believe that. I don't. I'm actually an agnostic athiest secular Buddhist.