CHAPTER 061: Platform fighter Tuesday, pt. 2

"In the triangular corner, Mistress Stunlock!"

Upon teleporting in, she immediately faced the large platform. The John, having teleported next to her, could feel the tension between them.

"Lynn, you aren't mad about last night? Are you?"

"No, just remain silent; last night still looms large."

He wanted clarification, but the crowd soon provided it. Their loud AWWs even prompted a response from the announcers.

"It appears everyone is familiar with the shocking video her team posted last night. What do you make of it, Ventriloquist?"

"There will be plenty of freshmen here who take a lackadaisical view to the press. Clearly, Stunlock is not one of them. I think whoever she has hired as media consultant needs a raise."

"Okay, I see your point," the John said before continuing to talk.

"I'll just say two things; watch out for the trapezoidal corner, and let's talk over lunch."

"Yes Dmitri," she relented before looking in that direction. There, Midnight Diver could be seen looking back at her. The old fisherman stood next to him, checking his watch every so often.

"Finally, a chance at a rematch!"

"Sure, sure. Just remember, we're going to the light house the second this is over."

"I promise!"

"Good," the old fisherman mused.

"So do you have a plan?"

"Uh..."

"Seriously? Okay, you see underneath the big platform?"

Midnight Diver suddenly gasped.

"You can't mean waterfall at noon!?! But it's only 9 o'clock!"

"Hey! Who's the coach, here? Oh right, me! Don't give me that look, it's better than whatever improv you had in mind."

"Yes, coach."

DING!

The four fighters jumped, but only Midnight Diver remained crouched upon landing. He closed his eyes and, far below them, the shadow of the platform churned. It took on the consistency of brackish water, and splashed ominously at the borders.

Mistress Stunlock, who was approaching him, cursed and dropped on all fours.

SPLASH!

Out of the shadow, a polka-dot whale surfaced. Its massive head smashed the underside of the platform, flipping it. Blues Kicker, one of the two fighters in the middle, stomped his feet hard into the concrete.

"Thank god I thought to buy these cleat attachments. You won't knock me out so UGGGGHHH!!!!"

A high voltage current was the cause of his interruption; it originated from Stunlock's position, and covered the entirety of the platform. She had electrically charged it, so as to stay magnetically attached.

There were only two fighters left on the still flipping platform. Midnight Diver was partially submerged into his own shadow. This prevented him from being shocked, and kept him from falling, but kept him otherwise immobile.

"Hold it in! Do not vomit, do not vomit," he chanted loudly.

Stunlock likewise had a chant, which she said religiously while dragging herself towards him.

"Just a little bit more! Just a little bit more!"

CRACK!

Finally within range, she lashed out with her whip. Unfortunately, the flipping of the platform threw off her aim. It merely grazed Midnight Diver's shoulder and, despite almost falling, he ultimately held on.

"I'm not losing again! THINK!"

One of his coach's long lectures on fish flashed in the swimmer's head, and Midnight Diver immediately knew what to do.

"Spring eel, GO!"

He submerged himself above the waist and, in the shadow world, he achieved two breakthroughs at once: transforming into something other than a dolphin, and holding fish form into our world. From out of Mistress Stunlock's shadow, a spring-like tail pushed her off.

But, she wasn't one to give up either. She locked the tail between her legs, and shouted,

"You're coming too!"

"Wait! Don't pull!"

With the platform still flipping, she couldn't heed the request if she wanted. Being pulled through two shadows overloaded Midnight Diver, causing him to pass out.

Unfortunately, they were falling at the same speed, and he was above her. If she couldn't land after him, it would still be a loss.

Burning her synapses to think faster, Stunlock finally found the path to victory.

CRACK!

Her whip struck a nearby stabilizer, knocking it out of the platform. She reached out and grabbed it, using the water cooler sized device to slow her fall.

DING! DING! DING!

The crowd roared in applause, and standby heroes flew every which way in attempts to stop the flipping platform.

"Would you look at that! Talk about a nail biter! Let's give the ground crew time for repairs, and then it will be time for match 5!"

The next two matches featured Yuki-Ohno and Spicy Mofongo, respectively.

Yuki swept her competition, freezing the surface of the platform to make them all slide right off.

Mofongo, likewise, had an easy match. His fire breath swept entire corners of the platform at a time; the other fighters could find no respite from the flames, except over the edge.

After the match, Spicy Mofongo returned to his hotel room. There, two live chickens were waiting for him. He took one and gutted it, letting the entrails spill into a bowl.

"Guide me, oh gizzards of fate! Have I met the man I seek?"

The entrails spun, forming the word "NO" in the bowl.

Spicy Mofongo sighed, then gutted the second chicken.

"Guide me, oh gizzards of fate! When is the place this contest shall end?"

"ASK AGAIN LATER..."

"Shit," he cursed before searching through his luggage. He pulled out a small amulet, and splashed a drop of his blood on its surface.

The engraved eye opened, and the image of another person could be seen inside it. This person was old, Caucasian, and dressed in a bishop's robe.

"Reporting in, Canterbury."

"Hold on! First, state the secret password."

"Oh my god... 'The future isn't fixed until we measure it.'"

"Good. Continue your report, agent. Have you located the precedent?"

"Nope! I still don't know if this 'ask again later...' is a person, object, or event yet."

"Then why bother reporting in!?!"

"... I need more chickens."

"Request approved, just bring back receipts!"

The amulet abruptly powered off.

"Jerk," Mofongo replied, tossing it across the room.

"Just you wait, 'ask again later...' I will discover what you are!"