DISCLAIMER: I don't own any part of the Mighty Ducks.
Thank you all so much for your helpful reviews, I'm glad you're enjoying the story (sorry 'banks'gurl', I'll try to have more Banksy in it from now on!) Keep up the reviews, and I give me guidance, suggestions, etc. if you think I need them!
CHAPTER II
Over the summer The Mighty Ducks tried to forget what happened in their last league game. They went out together to have fun and after a few weeks their moods brightened up now that they had gotten hockey off their minds. They even paid a visit to the baseball park one day and tried their hand at that sport, Fulton finding out a hockey puck wasn't the only thing he could send flying at light speed.
But the bad times always return, and September soon rolled on for the Ducks. They were all very anxious about returning to school, as they had not seen Coach Orion since the end of the last game, where they left as soon as possible, and he did not return to the changing room to debrief them on the game. Not even 'captain' Charlie, whose trust in his coach was at its best before the game, had any desire to speak with him.
But one person the Ducks had not seen for over a year now was the man who made them who they were – Gordon Bombay seemed to vanish off the face of the Earth to them. They thought he was way too engrossed in his 'Junior Goodwill Games' job – they remembered how the sponsorship corrupted him when they played there, so the same had probably happened now.
But Charlie did not forget his old coach. Even though the Ducks joked about 'the return of Captain Blood', he knew Bombay could not possibly have succumbed to something like that again – he remembered the very words – "I'm back. BELIEVE me." So that couldn't have happened. Not again.
Charlie had been keeping good contact with Bombay up until a few months before that final league game, where they phoned each other less and less frequently and then it just stopped. He wondered whether or not Bombay heard about the game. He was expected back in Minnesota for the summer but did not turn up. Was that why?
School began on a warm autumn's day, and Eden Hall was at its busiest ever, with a whole new JV team brought in for their first year. The Ducks, now starting their third year, were high up in the school so were respected by most of the students by now.
The academic day progressed nicely, but them came 4 o' clock and a dismal mood hit the air – the first practice of the new season.
The Ducks made their way cautiously to the school rink and changed into their gear. Nobody had seen Coach Orion for the whole day, and he was not waiting for them in the changing room as he usually did.
After waiting for his arrival for almost an hour, the Ducks decided to find out why he wasn't there. Charlie went to find Dean Buckley to see what was up.
"I'm afraid Ted hasn't been in all day, son." The principal told him. "He didn't call in sick or anything. Last I saw of him in person was at your last game back in June."
When Charlie returned and told the team, everyone was totally bewildered. They had no idea where he could be.
"He's left us for sure now." Averman said.
"Hey Julie, you know what that means!" said Goldberg in an excited way, "I get my fair share between the pipes again!" He looked very happy with himself. "Sorry, cat lady!"
"Shut up, Goldberg." Julie 'The Cat' replied in a more serious manner. And judging by the looks on the Ducks faces, they were with her on that. Goldberg just looked away in defeat.
"Alright, so what do we do now?" asked Guy. "No coach, bad hockey reputation with other teams, no more trophy, hell, we don't even have OUR full team here!"
The Ducks followed Guy's eyes to where a set of equipment was laid out but no one there to occupy it. Dwayne, who was sitting next to the kit, looked on the back of the shirt. Number 99.
"Where's Banks?" Guy continued. "Anyone seen him today?"
The Ducks were surprised as they looked around to see no-one had seen or heard from Adam all day.
Then Kenny blurted out "oh hang on, I saw him in, what was it, my history class just before lunch."
"That's it?" asked Charlie, the captain slightly worried.
"Yeah. 45-minute history class, then I guess he must have just left. Ken seemed less worried than some of the Ducks who had known Adam longer.
Connie tried to ring him on his mobile, but it was off.
"Ah don't worry about it," Goldberg started again, "just thinks he's too good for us! He'll be back when he realises we could wipe the floor with him any day!"
"Cake eater!" Russ commented. The team laughed and decided to just practice by themselves. They did a few drills and had a mini game at the end. They left the changing rooms contented – the hockey had done them good.
Charlie, however, was more than a bit concerned. First Bombay stops calling, then Orion disappears, and now the Ducks top scorer, the person who took his game probably more serious than anyone, had seemingly forgotten about practice. Banks was definitely not the kind of person to do that.
When Charlie got home he called all three people but could not get through to one of them. "I don't believe it." he said with a sigh. What was up with Banks? Why hadn't Orion said anything about leaving them? And maybe Bombay HAD finally forgotten about the Ducks. All these problems and yet there was only a week until their first game of the season...
Thank you all so much for your helpful reviews, I'm glad you're enjoying the story (sorry 'banks'gurl', I'll try to have more Banksy in it from now on!) Keep up the reviews, and I give me guidance, suggestions, etc. if you think I need them!
CHAPTER II
Over the summer The Mighty Ducks tried to forget what happened in their last league game. They went out together to have fun and after a few weeks their moods brightened up now that they had gotten hockey off their minds. They even paid a visit to the baseball park one day and tried their hand at that sport, Fulton finding out a hockey puck wasn't the only thing he could send flying at light speed.
But the bad times always return, and September soon rolled on for the Ducks. They were all very anxious about returning to school, as they had not seen Coach Orion since the end of the last game, where they left as soon as possible, and he did not return to the changing room to debrief them on the game. Not even 'captain' Charlie, whose trust in his coach was at its best before the game, had any desire to speak with him.
But one person the Ducks had not seen for over a year now was the man who made them who they were – Gordon Bombay seemed to vanish off the face of the Earth to them. They thought he was way too engrossed in his 'Junior Goodwill Games' job – they remembered how the sponsorship corrupted him when they played there, so the same had probably happened now.
But Charlie did not forget his old coach. Even though the Ducks joked about 'the return of Captain Blood', he knew Bombay could not possibly have succumbed to something like that again – he remembered the very words – "I'm back. BELIEVE me." So that couldn't have happened. Not again.
Charlie had been keeping good contact with Bombay up until a few months before that final league game, where they phoned each other less and less frequently and then it just stopped. He wondered whether or not Bombay heard about the game. He was expected back in Minnesota for the summer but did not turn up. Was that why?
School began on a warm autumn's day, and Eden Hall was at its busiest ever, with a whole new JV team brought in for their first year. The Ducks, now starting their third year, were high up in the school so were respected by most of the students by now.
The academic day progressed nicely, but them came 4 o' clock and a dismal mood hit the air – the first practice of the new season.
The Ducks made their way cautiously to the school rink and changed into their gear. Nobody had seen Coach Orion for the whole day, and he was not waiting for them in the changing room as he usually did.
After waiting for his arrival for almost an hour, the Ducks decided to find out why he wasn't there. Charlie went to find Dean Buckley to see what was up.
"I'm afraid Ted hasn't been in all day, son." The principal told him. "He didn't call in sick or anything. Last I saw of him in person was at your last game back in June."
When Charlie returned and told the team, everyone was totally bewildered. They had no idea where he could be.
"He's left us for sure now." Averman said.
"Hey Julie, you know what that means!" said Goldberg in an excited way, "I get my fair share between the pipes again!" He looked very happy with himself. "Sorry, cat lady!"
"Shut up, Goldberg." Julie 'The Cat' replied in a more serious manner. And judging by the looks on the Ducks faces, they were with her on that. Goldberg just looked away in defeat.
"Alright, so what do we do now?" asked Guy. "No coach, bad hockey reputation with other teams, no more trophy, hell, we don't even have OUR full team here!"
The Ducks followed Guy's eyes to where a set of equipment was laid out but no one there to occupy it. Dwayne, who was sitting next to the kit, looked on the back of the shirt. Number 99.
"Where's Banks?" Guy continued. "Anyone seen him today?"
The Ducks were surprised as they looked around to see no-one had seen or heard from Adam all day.
Then Kenny blurted out "oh hang on, I saw him in, what was it, my history class just before lunch."
"That's it?" asked Charlie, the captain slightly worried.
"Yeah. 45-minute history class, then I guess he must have just left. Ken seemed less worried than some of the Ducks who had known Adam longer.
Connie tried to ring him on his mobile, but it was off.
"Ah don't worry about it," Goldberg started again, "just thinks he's too good for us! He'll be back when he realises we could wipe the floor with him any day!"
"Cake eater!" Russ commented. The team laughed and decided to just practice by themselves. They did a few drills and had a mini game at the end. They left the changing rooms contented – the hockey had done them good.
Charlie, however, was more than a bit concerned. First Bombay stops calling, then Orion disappears, and now the Ducks top scorer, the person who took his game probably more serious than anyone, had seemingly forgotten about practice. Banks was definitely not the kind of person to do that.
When Charlie got home he called all three people but could not get through to one of them. "I don't believe it." he said with a sigh. What was up with Banks? Why hadn't Orion said anything about leaving them? And maybe Bombay HAD finally forgotten about the Ducks. All these problems and yet there was only a week until their first game of the season...