DrSpin turns to a tiny but bloodthirty redhead close by. "You will be my second, Alexis?"
"Oh, kind Sir, I would be much honored," Alexis burbles.
To one side, Oosh mumbles, "If I were Alexis, I think I'd want to know what happened to the first." She continues, softer still, "Sorry, not wishing to interrupt the blood-feast..."
Flushed with the excitement of her new role, Alexis busies herself selecting the proper dueling implements. With a slight sigh of disappointment, she sets aside the foil and rapier and pistol, and instead chooses a highly polished Mont Blanc pen and several pieces of fine writing parchment.
In her most innocent and disarming of voices, she turns to her opponent and purrs, "Selena, dear? Are you up to the challenge of seconding? After all, he IS up against the most formidable of opponents. I'm not sure you've chosen the winning side. Being new to these parts, I feel obliged to help steer you in the proper direction. This would be a very good time for you to back out gracefully and come join us."
Selena smiles sympathetically. She didn't know Alexis was new to these parts.
"Hmmm," she thinks. "Mont Blanc has been chosen on the other side... very traditional... very safe. No doubt best for them. Perhaps an Underwood? Urfe's flying fingers need something more... vigorous than a mere fountain pen. Something with moving parts."
"Oh, Alexis?" Selena calls to her counterpart, as an afterthought. "You might want to get out the Band-Aids. For Spin, I mean. This is going to be good."
Alexis responds, her eyes a-sparkle, "Oh dear. Well, there are none so blind, they say, as those who will not see.
"You seem to have choosen your side, and as unfortunate and misguided as your choice may be, there comes a time when one must allow you to stand on your own and fall bravely with your champion.
"So, dear, you just take your little mechanical writing thing and go flutter by your writer. If he needs mechanical assistance for these things, then we should let the poor dear get to writing. I'll stick with someone who can work with his own equipment."
"He's going to take time to work with his own equipment first?" thought Selena in mild surprise. "And here I thought he was going to write some flash fiction. Well, there you are, maybe he's nervous and needs to relax."
"Selena, Selena, Selena. Don't you worry your pretty little neck about Spin's state of nerves. We ARE talking 300 word flash fiction. It's not like we've asked them to write an award-winning recurring character series or anything.
Selena fluttered her fingers at Alexis, a smile quirking one side of her mouth. "Best, dearie. See you Wednesday. Don't run out of ink, now, will you?"
Others have been discussing the intent of "Being new..." but Alexis, the Veteran, gives the discussion only passing interest.
"Oh, wait. Sorry, dear. We'll let that one pass. I'm just surprised that you feel your (ahem) 'champion' needs so much extra time.
Continued...
