A/N: Hi, guys! Hockey is technically ice skating, right? This was probably the hardest chapter to write; I don't know why, but no matter how many times I edited it, it simply did not feel right. What do you think?
"Okay babies, let's start!" Bickslow whistled with fingers. The hockey sticks - three opposite to him and two by his side - lowered themselves until they were scratching the surface of the lake. Each one aimed at the puck in the middle of their improvised rink.
"And play!" shouted Bickslow and skated forward to the puck. He aimed to hit it, but one of the sticks attacked first and pushed the puck towards Bickslow's goalpost. With sudden turn that would make Ever proud, the wizard changed direction. It was bound to be an interesting game - like every time he played with his babies.
Another stick - Peppe's soul - blocked the puck in front of the goal and hit it in Bickslow's direction. "Thanks for the pass!" shouted he and pushed the puck forward, skating behind it. Poppo tried to steal the puck; Bickslow hit it and passed it to Pappa. "My team always loses! Now it's time to go all out!"
No time for speaking; the puck had already passed half the rink. Dashing over the ice and feeling the icy air in his nostrils, Bickslow raced for it. He could not make it too oblivious - his babies liked it more when he seemed to try his best. With his tongue out - in spite of the freezing coldness - Bickslow prepared to score. One second too late…
Pippi took the puck under Bickslow's nose. He laughed; every year they got better and better. Soon, he should start getting serious; his babies were going to see a real player's abilities. But there was still time; Bickslow stole the puck and raced over the ice to the goal.
"I said I'm not going easy this time! Ready to fight the beast!" A burst of manic laughter was in place, even if Bickslow was going to have a sore throat for days after that. He hit the puck with the stick repeatedly, the wood almost shattering due to the force. Eh, he had promised to go all out; next year he could always buy a new stick. Tiny splinters broke off. Time to end the show.
Bickslow raised the stick, ready to score. Pippi and Puppu guarded their goalpost; where was Peppe then? Pushing his visor up, he grinned. "Ready to wrap this up, guys?" The puck flew through the air, hitting the ice and spraying fine frost everywhere. So soon, huh? Maybe he shouldn't have hit it with so much force…
Peppe blocked; the puck hit the stick with enough force to break it in half. That sent it in the opposite direction - to Bickslow's goalpost.
"And we have a winner!" shouted Bickslow. He skated to the broken stick and put Peppe's soul back in the doll. "Honestly, Pe, I don't know who's supposed to be the crazy guy anymore. But the next time I'm going to win! Once I find equipment that can survive both of us."
"I said I'm not going easy this time! Ready to fight the beast!" A burst of manic laughter was in place, even if Bickslow was going to have a sore throat for days after that. He hit the puck with the stick repeatedly, the wood almost shattering due to the force. Eh, he had promised to go all out; next year he could always buy a new stick. Tiny splinters broke off. Time to end the show.
Bickslow raised the stick, ready to score. Pippi and Puppu guarded their goalpost; where was Peppe then? Pushing his visor up, he grinned. "Ready to wrap this up, guys?" The puck flew through the air, hitting the ice and spraying fine frost everywhere. So soon, huh? Maybe he shouldn't have hit it with so much force…
Peppe blocked; the puck hit the stick with enough force to break it in half. That sent it in the opposite direction - to Bickslow's goalpost.
"And we have a winner!" shouted Bickslow. He skated to the broken stick and put Peppe's soul back in the doll. "Honestly, Pe, I don't know who's supposed to be the crazy guy anymore. But the next time I'm going to win! Once I find equipment that can survive both of us."
