Summary: Takes place immediately after D2. Virtually a continuation of the Jr. Goodwill Games, with a surprising twist for all. Important note: my previous MD fics have NOT taken place in this context. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Sadly, no one and nothing is mine.
Author's Note: Well, I must say I'm not sure how far this one will go, but the ideas are there, so I figured I'd give it a whirl. Plus, I actually just got back from a nine day vacation in Iceland and am therefore itching to start something new in the MD fandom for obvious reasons, lol. Feedback is always appreciated, and I hope you enjoy!
The Mighty Ducks: All Stars
Chapter 1: A Surprising Twist
"All right, team, listen up!"
Coach Gordon Bombay's voice called for silence as his championship Team USA congregated together in the locker room for a special meeting. They had just come from a press conference officially recognizing them as "world champions," and morale couldn't have been higher.
"I know you're all excited," Bombay went on once he was certain he had the attention of his players. "You guys played an incredible game last night – all of you – and I'm sure you're all looking forward to going home."
"Why do I sense a 'but' coming up here?" asked Lester Averman of no one in particular.
Gordon threw him an amused, sidelong glance before continuing. "But I have just been informed, and therefore instructed to relate to you, that the Jr. Goodwill Tournament is not over."
"It's not?" The inquiry came from virtually all the young players present.
"No. The Goodwill Games Committee has decided that this year they want to add a special twist to the end the competition, separate from the main tournament – an All Star Team."
The new hockey champions looked at each other. An "All Star Team" sounded cool enough…but what did that mean for them?
"What that means," their coach conveniently elaborated, "is that there will be one All Star Team to start with, and that one team will take on any and all challengers in a week-long, sudden-death tournament. Whatever team is left standing at the end will be declared the ultimate 'All Star Team.' The matches will only last for one period, since there will likely be so many, and the teams will consist of only six people from any country entered in the tournament. And best of all, you players get to pick your own teams; the coaches won't really be involved at all.
"So it's all about meeting new people, working as a team, and learning how to play off of each others' strengths and weaknesses. Now, I know you all can do that already with each other, but I'm truly hoping that you'll branch out and look into forming teams with some of these other exceptional players from around the world."
"I suppose we could think about it," Dean Portman said with a casual shrug. "But let's get right down to the real question here: who gets to be on that first All Star Team?"
It was indeed the question that had been nagging at everyone's mind.
"Yeah," Fulton Reed added excitedly, "will it be all players from Team USA? I mean, after all, we did win the championship."
Coach Bombay idly scratched the back of his head and slowly began, "Actually, Fulton…the Committee has decided that they wanted the initial All Star Team to consist of three players from each team that played in the final championship game."
"What?" Team captain Adam Banks was indignant. "You mean they want three of us to play with three of them – on the same team?"
"That is the general idea," Gordon admitted rather sheepishly. He'd just known this whole aspect of the affair would go over like a lead balloon.
Choruses of "this stinks" and "that's not fair" rose up in a loud din until Goldberg's commanding voice shouted out above the rest.
"And let me guess, the 'Committee' get to pick those six players too, don't they?"
"Well, not quite," came Bombay's cautious reply. This was the part they really weren't going to like. "The Committee has already chosen the All Star Team captain, and then the captain will select the other five players on the team."
"Oh, well that's okay then," Connie Moreau spoke up cheerfully. "Julie won the game for us last night, so it's got to be her! Isn't it, coach?"
Gordon hated knowing that his next piece of information would extinguish the joyful light shining in her eyes. "No, Connie, I'm afraid not."
There was a collective gasp.
"You see, Julie may have been the MVP for the championship match, and rightfully so; but for this All Star Team, the Committee needed to look at players' overall performance for the entire tournament. And sadly, I do have to agree there was really only one choice."
Longtime Duck captain Charlie Conway slowly sighed and dared to voice aloud the name they all were thinking.
"Gunnar Stahl."
"That's right." Bombay nodded, and despondence suddenly loomed over the room like black storm cloud.
"So, who's he picked?" Jesse Hall queried at length on behalf of all his teammates. "Or has he even decided yet?"
"He has," their coach answered. "They showed him our team roster, and he made his choices pretty quickly. From his own Iceland team, he's picked…"
"Sanderson," Portman broke in matter-of-factly. "Of course."
"Yes, Sanderson," Gordon affirmed. "I don't think any committee would be able to separate those two. And also number seventy-four: Gustav Uberjavik. I have no idea if I'm pronouncing his last name correctly, but I do know he played very well in both games against us. But they do still need a goalie, so he's wisely chosen…Julie Gaffney."
Julie grinned at her coach's compliment but still wasn't sure if she should be interpreting this as good news or as a pending disaster.
"I'll bet old Gunnar was just too scared to play against her again," Charlie commented aloud, earning not a few snickers from his colleagues and a modest blush from Julie herself.
It would certainly be a different experience playing on the same team as the two Icelanders she most despised. Even after the championship game, her opinions of Stahl and Sanderson hadn't changed much since her first unpleasant encounter with them. Well, perhaps Gunnar had at least been a good sport after losing last night, but that one thing alone was hardly enough to redeem him in her eyes. As for Olaf Sanderson, there was no way Julie or any of the Ducks could ever forgive him for what he'd done to Adam and Connie, among others. Simply no possible way.
"Who else has he picked?" Charlie pressed again. Deep down, he secretly hoped he would be one of the (un)lucky three chosen to play on the All Star Team. And considering Gunnar's personalized congratulations last night, perhaps the "Captain Duck's" hopes were not too terribly unfounded.
But Coach Bombay continued, "For his next pick, Gunnar must have remembered their first game against us when only one goal – one very impressive goal – was scored against them: by Adam Banks."
Banks nodded his acknowledgment of the special recognition, but already he could feel an unhappy knot tightening in the pit of his stomach. This would be another excellent opportunity to prove himself, yes…but was it worth playing on the same team with the one player he'd been most anxious never to see again? He unconsciously flexed his right hand and rotated the wrist experimentally. It didn't hurt him now, but who knew what would happen once he was out there on the ice with his new "teammates"?
"His last choice took the longest," Gordon went on, "and I can certainly understand why. You guys are all such fabulous players, it's impossible to just pick three. But in the end, his final pick was Connie Moreau."
All eyes turned to Connie, who simply sat there with her mouth agape. She didn't understand – how could this happen? Gunnar picking Julie as his goalie was entirely understandable, of course, but…
"Why me?" she managed at last. "Why me? Why didn't he pick another enforcer like Portman, or someone with an amazing shot like Russ or Fulton?"
"I'm afraid you'll have to ask him that yourself, Connie, because I honestly don't know," Bombay answered. "He didn't explain his reasons."
"But why else would he want me on the team if not to make my life miserable and try to embarrass me again? He knows they can do it too, between him and Sanderson."
Poor Connie was getting herself worked up into a veritable frenzy. This was the last thing she would have expected! Or wanted. And her "good friend" Guy Germaine, from where he sat beside her, looked as though he was ready to destroy something. How could those Viking brutes do this? Wasn't it bad enough the way they'd tried to humiliate her during the championship? And if he'd bothered to look, Guy would have noticed that Luis Mendoza and Dwayne Robertson both wore faces of equal indignation.
"You know, I really don't think that's the case," Coach attempted to reassure her. "Those Icelanders are a proud bunch, and Gunnar's got something to prove now, after losing the championship last night. I can't see him doing anything out of spite at this point."
"But it's still crazy!" Portman protested, voicing all his teammates' sentiments about the whole situation. "How can you expect us to just stand by and send these three – the two girls and the scrawny rich boy – off into the clutches of those jerks?"
"Yeah, that's right!" many voices rose in agreement, but Bombay merely shook his head.
"Portman, I'm sure nothing terrible is going to happen. Besides, that's part of the whole idea behind this All Star week: to get you guys playing with kids from other countries."
"Well, I guess as long as we only have to see them during the games, it won't be so bad." Julie tried to be optimistic, as was her wont, but even that was shattered when their coach dropped the next bombshell.
"I almost wish that were the case," he sympathized. "However, the Committee has also decided to provide the All Star Team with special accommodations. The six of you will be sharing the nicer RA dorms in a different building on campus."
"No way!" exclaimed Guy, a fire in his eyes. "There's no way I'm letting Connie stay there with them."
"Don't worry, Guy, there are three bedrooms, so Connie and Julie will still be able to share," Gordon consoled him. "This is all still part of the Goodwill Games, so I'm sure there's nothing to worry about."
But if the collective looks on his players' faces were anything to go by, the rest of the team clearly did not agree with him on that account.
"Well," Adam finally broke the silence with a deliberate glance at Julie and Connie. "I suppose we should start packing."
Author's End Note: Well, whaddya think? Is it a concept worth continuing? Thanks, everybody!