Round 2 Match 16: @artistically-gay vs. @a-walnut
âPoindexter?â Â Danny frowned at the ghost who was flanked by two security guards. Â One guardâs uniform had a sparkly sash that read Fantasma-Exspiravit. Â Â The other guardâs helmets had Verbally-Situational-Irony bedazzled on the front - that was one of the phighters whoâd lost earlier. Â Was that what losing meant? Â You had to sell yourself into servitude at the Dennyâs?
âYes, Iâm back,â Poindexter grumbled. Â âBut not for the reason youâre probably thinking.â
âI donât know what weâre thinking, actually,â Tucker said. Â âSo why are you back?â
âWell.â  He tugged on his collar.  âI did actually get my egg cream, you know.  And I saw a bit of this⌠âPhightâ through the window while I did.â
âAnd?â Â Danny raised an eyebrow. Â Poindexter sighed.
âYou were right. Â All the ghosts have actually been swell to each other, given the circumstances.â Â He frowned. Â âThough I do have some concerns about their taste in music.â
âYou can blame Matsu for that one,â Tali said with a small smile. Â âSo, you want to stay for the last round?â
âI guess,â Poindexter said, though he quickly accepted the open seat. Â The two left with a nod. Â âThis is a pretty good idea, yâknow. Â Giving these ghosts an outlet to release their aggressions.â
âPretty swell, huh?â Â Tali smirked. Â âEnough of this mushy stuff though, weâve got a Phight to finish! Â So on to round sixteen!
âYet another phighter whoâs survived the horrors of the Carnivorous Outskirts and can dance like nobodyâs buisiness: Artistically-Gay!â
The Ghostbusters theme began to play from the speakers as this ghost flew into the ring.
âHuh, Iâd think a bunch of ghosts would be offended by those movies,â Tucker said.
âAnd our last phighter of the night, yeeting herself here all the way from the Far Frozen, itâs A-Walnut!â
A-Walnut entered the ring with a few squeaks of her clown horn, disrupting the tempo of the music.
The opponents flew at each other, and Tucker thought theyâd finally try for a physical fight for once. Â He glanced at Poindexter, wondering how the ghost would take it, but he was sitting on the edge of his seat. Â Maybe it was nice to see someone other than himself get beat up for a change.
But no punches were exchanged. Â Instead A-Walnutâs clown horn clashed with Artistically-Gayâs Ghostbusters-themed cross. Â They struck and parried with the short weapons as if they were tiny swords. Â The clangs rang out in time with the music.
âYouâre⌠a⌠formidable opponent,â Artistically-Gay grunted as they fought.
âYou too,â A-Walnut said with a squeak of the clown horn. Â It broke Artistically-Gayâs focus, allowing her to sweep his feet out from under him.
âTHATâS RIGHT, GET HIM!â Â Poindexter shouted. Â All eyes in the VIP box went to him, and he coughed into his hand. Â âI mean, letâs keep it clean, folks.â
They all laughed, almost missing the peak of the match: Artistically-Gay caught himself on one knee, then struck with a bolt of energy from his Ghostbusters cross. Â A-Walnut went flying back, her clown horn squeaking sadly in defeat.
Tali dooted her kazoo for the last time that night.
âA-Walnut is unable to battle! Â Artistically-Gay wins!â
The crowd whooped and whistled before flying off into the void of the Ghost Zone. Â At least that was one nice thing about a ghost arena; you didnât have to fight a crowd to leave.
Tali yawned and stretched. Â âAnother successful Phight, Iâd say. Â Thanks for making it Danny and Tucker. Â And you too, Poindexter. Â Iâm glad you had a good time.â
âAww, shucks,â Poindexter blushed.
âThat wasnât something I expected to see,â Tucker said to Danny. Â âAnyway, you think we can get some food before we go? Â I forgot to order while we were watching.â
âI guess so. Â You might not like whatâs on the menu, though.â
âYou like neon green Shrek cupcakes?â Â Danny asked.
âStill probably better than your parentsâ cooking,â Tucker pointed out.
âEh, fair enough. Â Sure, letâs eat.â
âIâve got to handle some hiring decisions, so Iâll see you two next round!â Â Tali said with a wave. Â âAnd youâre welcome to come back too, Poindexter!â
âWhat do you know, maybe I will.â Â He smiled and straightened his bowtie. Â âSee ya on the flipside, folks!â