That's One Way To Get It Out

Diomedes stands in the doorway waiting expectantly for a response.

“What can he do?”  Writer Lady asks.

“Be the one who gets poked with those horns for one thing.”  Tinkletoes says.

“He does have thick skin and scales.  The dragon has a better chance at survival than the rest of us.”  Carp agrees.

“We could tell him, show him what the problem is, and see if he has any ideas.”  Writer Lady says.

“Mi'lady?” Diomedes calls, waiting for permission to enter the room.

“Come in Diomedes, please.”  She answers.

Diomedes enters the room, passing the couch, and entering the demon's line of sight.

“AAAAAAAA!”  Damon bellows upon seeing Diomedes rising from the couch to his full height.   Stopping Diomedes looks at the demon and studies him closely. “Hello.”   He says.

“AAAHR!”   The demon rumbles more loudly.

Diomedes' skin begins pulsing, changing from the dragon's current green color to a dark gray.

“Did that thing just change colors?”   Tinkletoes whispers to Writer Lady.

“Yes Diomedes did just change color.”   Writer Lady says correcting him.

“Why?”

“Being a mythical creature Diomedes is not limited to the parameters of form and color that we are.”

Tinkletoes keeps looking at Writer Lady waiting for more information.

“I wrote him that way.”   She says looking at Tinkletoes and rolling her eyes. “Diomedes is not your typical dragon.  His colors and powers change along with his environment, living conditions, and immediate needs.  Being born in an enchanted forest the bright green color is his default color.  The dark gray means he is faced with a potentially volatile situation.   Everything works really fast in dark gray.  Diomedes has heightened sensitivities, sharper and faster thinking skills, and wicked fast reaction times.  Every color he can turn has its own powers.”

“That's quite a weapon you built there.”  Tinkletoes says.   “What else can he do?”

“I really don't think this is the time...”

“You can't remember can you?”

“I have notes.  Somewhere.”

“It's all that coffee you drink.  You drink way too much coffee.”

“Bite me.”   Writer Lady says.

“One of these days you're going to say that to the wrong person.  There are zombies.”  Tinkletoes says.

Writer Lady rolls her eyes.  “There are no zombies.”

“Art imitates life.   There wouldn't be so many zombie shows and movies out there if it wasn't really happening.  Think about it.”   Tinkletoes says, tapping  the side of his head with his finger.

They watch as the dragon and demon stand facing each other.  Damon ready to...well, whatever it is a demon does in this situation and Diomedes ready to respond.

“What happens if he turns red?”

“There are several shades of red that he can turn but a bright, true red is the worst—destruction by fire.”  She answers without looking away from the situation at hand.

“Only the enemy, right?”  Tinkletoes asks.

“Um...not necessarily.”  She answers, her voice lowering by the time she has reached the end.

“He won't just destroy everything will he?”  He asks.

Writer Lady looks at Tinkletoes.  “This from Mr. Destroy first and ask questions later?”  She asks.  “I'm thinking that it's up to Diomedes because when I created the character I never really specified.”

“You never specified?   That's an important detail isn't it?" Tinkletoes shakes his head.   "When a commander chooses a team for a mission they know everything about those soldiers their background, their training, how well they take orders, how well they improvise in a combat situation.  The soldiers know what their mission is, exactly what they're supposed to do, and what they're not supposed to do.”

“I don't write that way.   I create a rough sketch of who my character is, put them in the situation I have created, and follow them around writing down what they do.   I find out more about them as I write down what they do.   If I want to know other things I figure out the answer when the question arises.”

Tinkletoes runs a hand down his face.

“So the rough sketch that is Diomedes?”  Carp asks.

“He's just a big ol' mood ring.”  Writer Lady says grinning.   “Right now a storm is brewing.”

“Cool!”   Ray says.  “I think we need popcorn.”  He says crossing the room to the kitchen.

“Ray!”   Tinkletoes yells.

“I know, I know, sit down.”  Ray says returning to his original spot.

“It seems you have a problem sir.”  Diomedes says looking at Damon.

“AAAAAR!”

“Might we remove that for you?”  The dragon asks.

Damon bellows again, raising a hand to his face, smacking himself on the outside of his bulging nostril.

“Yes.”  Diomedes confirms.  “We would like to relieve you of that.”

“AAAR! AAAARR!”  Damon bellows hitting himself with so much force that sunblock squirts out of the demon's nostril coating his nose and splattering across Diomedes' torso.

“What a mess.”  Writer Lady says.  Disappearing from the room she returns with towels for both the demon and the dragon.

“Thank you Mi'lady.”  Diomedes says taking the towel from her and wiping himself off.

Writer Lady steps over to Damon with another towel.   The demon screeches at her and takes a step back.

“Leave him.”  Tinkletoes says.

Writer Lady looks at him questioningly.

“He wants to be left alone.  Don't push it.”  He says.

Letting out a sigh, Writer Lady takes a step back.  Damon growls a couple of times taking in sharp breath, then another.

“I know that sound.”  She says.

Writer Lady, Tinkletoes, Carp, Dobby, Ray, Dylan and Peter all take turns looking at each other.  Damon takes in another sharp breath.

“DUCK!”

Everyone hits the floor putting as much space between themselves and the demon as possible ending up dog piled on the far side of the room.

“Aaa-CHOO!”

The bottle dislodges itself from the demon's nostril making a resounding thud when it hits the front door.  The demon himself traveling in the opposite direction makes a much softer noise when he lands.  After several seconds Diomedes' voice calls out, “Mi'lady.  It is safe to rise.”

Writer Lady looks up to see Diomedes standing in front of the wall, holding Damon up by his shoulders.  There is little mess other than the sunblock covering the Damon's face.  The table holding TP in his glass has been overturned as well.

“That's one way to get it out.”  Tinkletoes says.