[ OT ] Writing Workshop # 23 : Natural Dialogue

*this exercise was hard* 
 
 -- -- 
 
 The magic dripped from his fingertips. I mean, if you could call that crackling discharge a dripping. The girl next to him looked at the discharge from his dark skin with a bemused expression. 
 
 “ That some sort of puberty thing? ” 
 
 “ H-huh? ” 
 
 She flicked his arm and an arc of magic rebounded uselessly. “ Having trouble keeping it down? ” she snarked. 
 
 He glared. “ Like you ’ re one to talk. ” 
 
 “ What? ” 
 
 “ Why ’ d you run out of chemistry class like that? ” 
 
 “ I ran to the bathroom. Think I ate something bad this morning. ” 
 
 “ And then the fire alarm went off. ” 
 
 “ Yeah, that was annoying. ” 
 
 “ And your clothes were burnt. ” 
 
 “ I was near the fire. ” 
 
 “ You threw up your breakfast as lava, didn ’ t you? ” 
 
 She shrugged. “ It was a *really* old carton of milk. ” 
 
 “ You ’ re going to have to face it soon. ” 
 
 “ Face what? ” 
 
 “ Your father was a dragon and your mother wasn ’ t human. ” 
 
 “ No, one-hundred percent human right here. ” 
 
 “ Zero percent, and you got the worst of both worlds. ” 
 
 “ My father- ” 
 
 “ Nearly ate me. ” 
 
 “ You deserved it. ” 
 
 Behind them, their two friends were watching the two magic users get more and more heated. 
 
 “ They ’ re like an arguing couple, ” the tall girl with circles under her eyes observed. She may not have been wearing shorts under her sweater. 
 
 “ That is *my* boyfriend, ” the short one with freckles and pigtails said darkly. 
 
 “ I was kidding. ” 
 
 “ Either way, my glorious knight is correct. She should just accept her place as the great demon queen. ” 
 
 “ Please don ’ t call me that, ” the girl in front of them called back. 
 
 “ It fits, ” the boy mumbled as his fingertips crackled. 
 
 “ Go to hell. ” 
 
 “ Irony, seeing as you ’ ve been there. ” 
 
 “ Actually, it was a pretty nice place. You weren ’ t there. ” 
 
 The girl without pants but with circles under her eyes leaned in. “ It wasn ’ t actually was n't a hell sorta hell, it was more like the underscape. ” 
 
 “ How the hell would you know? ” 
 
 “ Um, best friends since forever? We tell each other everything. ” 
 
 “ Then can you tell her she ’ s a demon? ” 
 
 Pantsless girl looked at her childhood friend wearing a scorched jacket. “ She looks human to me. ” 
 
 “ Thanks, my B.F.F. ” 
 
 “ No problem, my B.F.F. ” 
 
 “ You two are the most dense people I have ever met. ” 
 
 His fingers crackled more intensely while he quietly bubbled with frustration. 
 
 “ You really should get that under control, ” the not-a-demon-queen told the boy. 
 
 “ Again, look who ’ s talking. ” 
 
 “ Tall and pantsless back there is more powerful than you and never had issues. ” 
 
 The one with circles under her eyes nodded. “ Sup. ” 
 
 “ Tall and pantless has been living with you ‘ since forever. ’ ” 
 
 “ And you ’ ve been actively using your power, and obviously can ’ t control it. Remember when you cursed me- ” 
 
 “ Broke one of the seals on you. Accidentally. ” 
 
 “ And half the school blew up? ” 
 
 “ Your fault for being unable to control yourself. ” 
 
 “ Excuse me? ” 
 
 Behind them, the pantsless one and the freckled one with pigtails were talking again. 
 
 “ What about her puppy? You remember him? ” pigtails with freckles asked. 
 
 “ Of course. He was cute and his puns were hilarious. You couldn ’ t ‘ paws ’ that little dork! ” 
 
 Pigtails took a moment to find her balance after the terrible flashback before continuing. “ I did much research and was unable to find a breed of talking dog that was both skinless and on fire. ” 
 
 “ Obviously, because it ’ s rare. ” 
 
 “... You ’ re just in much in denial about her being the demon queen as she is. ” 
 
 The demon queen turned. “ I told you to stop calling me that. ” 
 
 “ Rebecca, a demon appeared in front of us the other day and literally bowed to you. ” 
 
 “ Figuratively, ” the demon known as Rebecca corrected incorrectly. 
 
 “ No, literally. Figuratively is my dad breathing fire when I stay out late. Literal is *your* dad breathing fire when I stay out late. ” 
 
 “... But your dad doesn ’ t breath fire. ” 
 
 “ You have the two words mixed up. ” 
 
 “ Whatever, they literally mean the same thing. ” 
 
 They stopped walking. 
 
 “ I know that you are my friend and that I have sworn my soul to you, ” the pigtails girl looked up at her queen, “ But you are such a *moron*. ” 
 
 The group stopped talking and stood still as the short girl walked off angrily. Pantless glanced unsure and ran after the pigtails, leaving the two magic users alone. 
 
 They stood quietly. 
 
 “ So... you want to duel? Like, spend some of your excess magic? ” 
 
 “ Kinda. What about you? ” 
 
 “ It actually was some bad milk. ” 
 
 “ Oh. Sorry. ” He paused. “ Well... let ’ s start? ” 
 
 “ Awesome. I ’ ll destroy you. ” 
 
 “ We ’ ll see. ”
