diff --git a/gameplay.js b/gameplay.js
index a6bbace..781a0d6 100644
--- a/gameplay.js
+++ b/gameplay.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { P, O, ball, score, crowd, G, court, other, deuceSide, setupPoint, sendB
 import { audio, pock, swish, whoosh, applause, voice, sfx, aww, zombieMusic, zombieDuck, menuDuck, splat, shriek, boom } from './audio.js';
 import { axisX, axisZ, takeFlickAim, touchPX, resetInput } from './input.js';
 import { W } from './render.js'; // runtime-only cycle (render imports gameplay), same pattern as input/zombies
-import { updateZombies, spawnZombie, spawnRacketZombie, spawnMachine, spawnChapterBoss, zombies, gore, explode, meleeSwipe, extras, parts, pellets, shots, playerGore, eatenBleed, resetZombies , firePellet , spawnBarrel , fireBeam , pops, popText } from './zombies.js';
+import { updateZombies, updateParts, spawnZombie, spawnRacketZombie, spawnMachine, spawnChapterBoss, zombies, gore, explode, meleeSwipe, extras, parts, pellets, shots, playerGore, eatenBleed, resetZombies , firePellet , spawnBarrel , fireBeam , pops, popText } from './zombies.js';
 
 // ------------------------------------------------------------- ballistics ----
 // Launch ball from (x0,y0,z0) so it arrives at (tx, tz) with horizontal speed s under gravity g.
@@ -742,13 +742,7 @@ export function startBossFight(chapter) {
   const art = bossArt(chapter);
   G.card = { title: art.name, color: UI.bad, t: TUNE.setCardT };
   G.flash = null;
-  if (!G.seen.boss) { // the rules change: a wall, and a thing that shoots back
-    G.seen.boss = true;
-    showModal({ title: 'IT BRINGS A MACHINE', color: UI.bad,
-      body: ['IT THROWS BALLS AT YOU', 'SWING TO RETURN THEM — OR SWISH TO BAT THEM AWAY',
-             'SWIPE SIDEWAYS TO STEP OUT OF THE WAY',
-             'A HIT COSTS BLOOD. WIN A DUEL TO HEAL.'] });
-  }
+  // (the four-line machine instruction modal is gone — people figure it out)
 }
 
 // the chapter boss is down: the parked game beat resumes and normal spawning comes back
@@ -767,7 +761,7 @@ export function endBossFight() {
   // long hold — the chapter and the crowd move down to the subs where they belong.
   // (no 'GAME n NEXT' line: the bar under the scoreboard prints the game number permanently, and a
   // card that repeats what the HUD already says is the clutter this pass is meant to remove.)
-  G.card = { title: 'YOU DID IT', color: UI.pick, t: TUNE.bossWinT,
+  G.card = { title: 'EPIC!', sub1: 'YOU DID IT!', color: UI.pick, t: TUNE.bossWinT,
              wait: TUNE.bossDeathT }; // ...after the body has finished coming apart
   ball.active = false;
   // a duel the handback just started owns the phase; otherwise hold the boss beat, and never
@@ -1500,6 +1494,7 @@ export function update(dt) {
 
   // --- zombies + transition timeline
   if (G.mode !== 'tennis') updateZombies(dt);
+  else updateParts(dt); // tennis has no zombies but its bounces still kick up dust that must settle
   tickTestMode(dt); // keeps the sandbox stocked and rolls it a barrel now and then
   if (G.meleeT > 0) G.meleeT -= dt;
   if (G.rackGlow && (G.rackGlow.t -= dt) <= 0) G.rackGlow = null; // the fresh-pickup pulse fades out
diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index 690fefe..309d80c 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -398,6 +398,6 @@
     </div>
   </div>
 </div>
-<script type="module" src="main.js?v=145"></script>
+<script type="module" src="main.js?v=146"></script>
 </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/zombies.js b/zombies.js
index 845fa2c..0151fb4 100644
--- a/zombies.js
+++ b/zombies.js
@@ -897,6 +897,21 @@ function bleed(zb) {
   }
 }
 
+// Split out of updateZombies because particles are NOT a zombie feature: the ball's bounce dust
+// fires in TENNIS too, and while this loop only ran in splatter, tennis dust was born, never
+// ticked, and sat on the clay forever — the "marks where the ball hit" testers saw.
+export function updateParts(dt) {
+  for (let i = parts.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
+    const p = parts[i];
+    p.t -= dt;
+    if (p.smoke) { p.vy = 0.55; p.vx *= 0.97; p.vz *= 0.97; } // smoke rises and spreads; it does not fall
+    else p.vy -= 14 * dt;
+    p.x += p.vx * dt; p.y += p.vy * dt; p.z += p.vz * dt;
+    if (p.y < 0) { p.y = 0; p.vy = 0; p.vx *= 0.5; p.vz *= 0.5; }
+    if (p.t <= 0) parts.splice(i, 1);
+  }
+}
+
 export function updateZombies(dt) {
   moanT -= dt;
   if (moanT <= 0) { moan(); moanT = 2.5 + Math.random() * 4; }
@@ -1295,15 +1310,7 @@ export function updateZombies(dt) {
     if (dead) extras.splice(i, 1);
   }
 
-  for (let i = parts.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
-    const p = parts[i];
-    p.t -= dt;
-    if (p.smoke) { p.vy = 0.55; p.vx *= 0.97; p.vz *= 0.97; } // smoke rises and spreads; it does not fall
-    else p.vy -= 14 * dt;
-    p.x += p.vx * dt; p.y += p.vy * dt; p.z += p.vz * dt;
-    if (p.y < 0) { p.y = 0; p.vy = 0; p.vx *= 0.5; p.vz *= 0.5; }
-    if (p.t <= 0) parts.splice(i, 1);
-  }
+  updateParts(dt);
 
   const boy = G.boy; // the boy mops any gore he passes over
   for (let i = gore.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) {