This is an MD&T oneshot. It revolves around the time that the Mad Dog football players are boarding the three charter buses to go to South Panola for Game 1, but it tends to focus the farewells on other characters that aren't part of the Kim Possible universe as well.
Disclaimers: Tino
Tonitini, Mrs. Tonitini, Lor McQuarrie, and Petra Tishkovna "Tish"
Katsufrakis are all characters from "The Weekenders". Doug
Langdale created the show. I own no rights to the show, for all
rights are controlled by Disney.
Steve Barkin and Middleton High School, the Mad Dogs mascot and logo, are all from Kim Possible and created by Bob Schooley and Mark McCorkle. Disney owns the rights to this show as well.
I once again do not own South Panola: school or mascot.
In the middle of the student parking lot, there stood three charter buses, waiting to take the Middleton Mad Dogs into Batesville to face up against the best high school football program in the nation: the South Panola Tigers. Parents gathered around their young boys who played football for the Mad Dogs as they said their tearful goodbyes to them.
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"OHHHH!!! MY TINO!! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME!!!!" Mrs. Tonitini cried out for her son. Her discarded Kleenexes littered the green late-November grass that was covered with dew and tears. It felt like her son was going off to war to fight against an enemy that was far surperior in terms of sheer talent over the Mad Dogs.
She witnessed South Panola firsthand when she and Tino stayed in Batesville for a couple of days with his divorced father.
Tino Tonitini's straight blonde hair was blowing furiously in the winter winds. The sophomore third-string linebacker/safety was wearing a long-sleeved blue polo shirt and purple MAD DOG athletic warmups. His number 6 jersey, helmet, and contact pads was stored in Bus One.
Tino was surrounded by two of his best friends at Middleton High, Lor McQuarrie, a junior who was a decent athlete on the Lady Mad Dogs basketball team and Tish Katsufrakis, who was in the same grade as Tino.
"It's OK, Mom. I'll be fine." Tino said as he stared into his mother's teary eyes. "Everything is going to be fine. I'm not in harm's way or anything."
"But, Tino, our team is going to face up against South Panola! You know how good they are!" Mrs. Tonitini exclaimed.
Tino hugged his mom and comforted her. "If we have strength and confidence in each other as a team, I think we can beat South Panola."
Lor looked on as the two embraced each other and sighed. "I wish if I had a mom who paid attention to me all the time, considering I have eight other brothers."
Tish shuddered. "I can't even imagine the idea of you being the only sister to nine siblings. Besides, how big is your house?"
Lor blushed on her cheeks. "About 2,500 square feet with six bedrooms. My dad had to buy bunk-beds for my brothers. I'm just simply lucky that I don't have to deal with sleeping above one of my brothers. It's quite disturbing."
Meanwhile, the head coach of the Mad Dogs, Steve Barkin called out to the Mad Dog players who were not aboard the charter buses. "We're leaving in five minutes!! We absolutely do not want to leave any players behind!!"
Tino and his mom hugged each other one more time before the two parted. Lor and Carver approached Mrs. Tonitini as she watched her son board the charter bus.
As the charter buses revved up the engine and the hydraulic doors closed, Tino, from his charter bus window, waved good-bye to his mom. The glass served as a barrier between mother and son.
Lor and Tish waved back to their long-time friend, who was heading off, 4 hours from now, into Tiger territory.
Mrs. Tonitini waved good-bye to her son. She briefly chased the bus but collapsed on the sidewalk pavement. Mrs. Tonitini was sobbing on the ground. She was all alone. The year-long divorce from Mr. Tonitini had taken a heavy toll upon her.
Tish helped up Mrs. Tonitini and escorted her to the backseat of Lor's car. An old ballad was playing about two family members being separated for long distances. Reminding her too much about her son and her husband being away from her, Mrs. Tonitini continuted to weep incessantly in the backseat of the car.
Discarded white tissues were everywhere.
