Round Two Puck

Lights and sounds were bright and dizzying as they exploded throughout the place, the occasional squeals of laughter from parties adding to the din. Energy bounced around the place and held tightly to the fun goers in the arcade, Tikanni right alongside everyone else.

Watching a crazy match going quick back and forth with hockey, he all but jumped at the chance to snag a space once the couple using it was done. But, he needed someone to go against.

”Heya, wanna go,” Tikanni asked loudly over the noise, waving a paddle up to grab the attention of a passerby.

You know, Ethan was actually on his way to go for another five rounds of Galaga, but like.

This guy seemed like he needed a friend! And Ethan wasn't above filling the need. He wasn't lonely, per se. Just preferred to be a pal.

"Oh yeah dude, I'll bite," said the baby vampire, and it wasn't too long before he realized his attention on this guy was for a few reasons.

One: sorta familiar!

Two: a little more than sorta "familiar"!

Luckily, that managed to do it and his face burst into excitement and starry eyes. He could practically hear them make sound effects too! ”Hell yes!”

As he got closer though, Tikanni’s face scrunched up in some comprehension, vampire senses tingling. Wait. Waitwaitwaitwait. WAIT. ”I think I oughtta know you. My name’s Tikanni,” he said, hoping he was right. This had to be another clutchmate right?

Thank goodness someone around here was competent. Now, where had Ethan heard that name before?

Duh- in your contacts.

"Ohhh shit you're Tikanni! Hi! Ethan!" he exuberantly thrust his hand forward to shake. Another chill dude like Samuel, hopefully?!

Understanding was a fun thing to watch slap onto the guy’s face before he repeated his name right back at him.

Laughing, he shrugged with a nod, feet moving him side to side. Hi, yes, that was him! And, oh! ”Nice to meetcha,” he said meaning it to the very extent of the word, hand taking the offered one and shaking cold to cold. ”It’s amaze-balls to finally put a face to your name.”

Amazeballs.

It was amazeballs, Ethan. He had the smiling confusion on his face for a moment, before he reminded himself of something very important.

He was talking to a vampire!

"Amazeballs!" he echoed. "What is that like... 50s? 60s?"

70s? 80s? Surely not 90s. Was it???

Yeah! He nodded, letting the hand go and never dropping his smile.

”Um! I think, the two thousands?” Yeah, that sounded right.

There, that earned another double take. "Whaaaat?? I have never heard that."

Then again, he was pretty young during most of the aughts. Maybe it was more of a high schooler thing.

"Alright. Who's starting?"

That got a light laugh out of him. ”Yeah, man!” Lotsa weird sayings had happened then and he’d jammed with them all.

At the question, he went to his end checking. ”I think the thingamajigger is on your side.”

Oh oh. His go. Okay.

He set it — well, first he made sure the thing was on. Okay, but he set the puck down, felt the vibrational hum of it floating on the aerated surface. Always a fun feeling.

"Okay, ready? Figure we could go like. First to ten."

Anyway, he shot out the puck at an angle, trying to get it into Tikanni's, uh, goal... slot.

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no goal

His own paddle at the ready, the air flowing up against his hands just slightly, Tikanni nodded. ”Works for me! Ready!”

And bam, right away it was fast.

As it ricocheted towards him, he countered with an abrupt slide towards it with a nice and successful smack.

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no goal either

Ah!! He also made a scream that sounded like that. Maybe it was a little girly. Don't be rude about it.

He reacted rough and it flew out of the rink almost, just to land back on Tikanni's side.

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