And…the usual disclaimer: Disney owns the Mighty Ducks. The name, the characters, Orion, the Varsity players, and Linda are not mine. However, I do own any characters you don't recognize…i.e. Ken's parents, Ken's grandfather, Elaine, Brian, Sky, Tony, Sonja, etc.
Ken jerked from his dream, sweat mixing with the tears pouring down his face. Just when he thought he'd gotten over his dreams, his trouble sleeping; the dream came back and forced him through that horrible night.
Ken looked at his alarm clock; it was only 3:27, he'd only been asleep for just over four hours. It was too early for him to go to the rink; he'd end up falling asleep in class, but he knew he would never get back to sleep right now; he couldn't face that dream again. He leaned over to his desk and grabbed a flashlight from his desk, intending to read for a bit; maybe he'd doze off and get a little sleep before school started. He turned the flashlight on, careful to keep the light low and away from Adam; not that he needed to worry, Adam was the soundest sleeper Ken had ever met. He scanned his desk for the book he was reading, but only found a notebook, several pens, an empty soda can and the newspaper clippings he had left there from earlier.
Picking up the top one bearing the headline, Olympic Skater Disappointed With Performance; Future In Jeopardy, and began to read the article.
After a solid performance in the Technical Program stage of the Men's figure skating competition; twelve year old Kenny Wu was the United States' only hope for a medal in the event. Wu had been skating consistently all week in practice and was seemingly oblivious to all the attention, publicity, and the 6,000 spectators that crowded into the Olympic Amphitheatre Saturday night, anxiously waiting for the next Olympic medalists to be determined.
Skating to a piece by Dmitri Shostakovich, Wu skated the opening minute of his free skate with the consistency he had displayed all week, completing a triple Lutz – triple toe loop combination. But after a fall on an over-rotated double Axel, Wu had difficultly finding his feet again, falling on a triple loop and a triple flip. He did manage to land a triple Salchow and two triple toe-loops, but his hopes for an Olympic medal were gone.
Limping as he left the ice, it appeared Wu injured his right ankle during the program. Neither Wu, nor his coach, Sonja Baker paid any attention to Wu's scores for the event, which dropped him to tenth place overall. After icing his ankle, Wu and Baker left the arena with no comments about the competition.
Four days after the event, the United States Figure Skating Team issued a press release stating that Wu had severely injured his ankle and would not be competing in the World Championships in March in Japan. Another member of the U.S. Figure Skating Team will take Ken's spot on the World team in March.
Several skaters and friends of Wu and members of the Ice Skating Club of San Francisco have stated that they have not seen Wu at the arena since the Olympics, leading to the question of whether the twelve year old will continue to compete after a disastrous performance in Norway.
Ken resisted the urge to tear the article into shred and placed it back on his desk. He remembered the time after the Olympics so clearly, he hadn't needed to read the article to recall it.
He and Sonja had left the arena before the event had ended, Ken walking on crutches, his ankle wrapped, in order to avoid the press. He had spent the rest of the night locked in his hotel room, refusing to see anyone. Most everyone respected that and his parents, Sonja and other athletes left him alone for much of the night. His grandfather, however, had somehow broken his way into the hotel room.
Ken had half expected his grandfather to yell at him, for disgracing his family and embarrassing his coach. But he didn't. Instead he put one arm around Ken, who was sitting curled up in a chair, staring out the window into darkness.
"My grandson…"
That was all he said, and the next morning he was gone, on his way home to China.
Ken and his parents left a few days later, not staying for the Closing Ceremonies. Ken just wanted to be far away from it all as possible and they managed to leave with few people noticing.
Back in the States, Ken's sports physician examined his ankle and told Ken while he would have to take a couple months off the ice, his ankle wasn't damaged permanently. He would also have to stay off his ankle completely for two weeks. So Ken devoted himself completely to his schoolwork and eventually, to physical therapy, avoiding everything that reminded him of the Olympics. He didn't even watch the World Championships on TV, or see Scott Davis skate in his place.
So it was a surprise to find himself sitting in the rink on a Sunday night after his ankle had heal and his physical therapy was finished, his skates sitting next to him on the bench. He wasn't entirely sure what to do. Part of him was filled with the need to be on the ice, to feel the cool air and the speed, but another part of him couldn't bear to face the humiliation all over again. Ken's parents sat on another bench off to the side. They had told him they would support him no matter what he chose, but the choice would have to be his to make. He couldn't see them right now, but knew they were still there, waiting patiently as he decided his future.
Staring at his skates, Ken heard footsteps coming from behind him and the sounds of fabric moving as he parents stood up from their bench.
"I'm sorry. We're not allowing members of the press to speak with Ken right now." He heard his mother say calmly. Ken turned and saw a short chipmunk-y looking man in an expensive grey suit.
"Hi, I'm Don Tibbles, Senior VP, Hendrix Hockey Apparel." The man shook hands with both Ken's parents, a cheesy grin plastered to his face. Ken could tell his parents were slightly stunned, by both the man's abruptness and having never heard of Hendrix Hockey Apparel, and Don Tibbles spotted this too.
"Ah, and here's Kenny!" He exclaimed, sidestepping Ken's parents and darting over to shake Ken's hand vigorously. Ken hung on to the bench for dear life while Tibbles wrung his other hand. Then, taking his arm back, he asked suspiciously, "Who are you?"
"Don Tibbles." The man replied, grinning broadly again. "Boy, do we have a great future for you."
Ken stared at Don Tibbles silently, wondering what in the world he was talking about. He had just blown the biggest competition of his life and this guy was talking about a great future?
Seeing the confusion on Ken's face, Don continued. "I'm senior VP of Hendrix Hockey Apparel, official sponsors of the Junior Goodwill Games Team USA Hockey."
Ken continued to gape at the older man.
"Kenny, my boy, have we got a deal for you. We've seen you skate; you've got some great talent and a lot of potential, that's why they want you."
"Who?" Kenny asked, still not following.
"Team USA!" Don Tibbles looked shocked that Ken didn't know what was going on. "We want you to play on Team USA! The Junior Goodwill Games! Hockey!"
"But…but I don't play hockey." Ken tried to explain. They, whoever they was, obviously had the wrong person. Ken had never played hockey a day in his life. He'd never picked up a stick, or shot a puck or even tried on the skates; he'd just never been interested.
"Ah…but you can." Tibbles told him, still grinning. "We know all about your little experience at the Olympics." Ken felt himself stiffen and saw his parents come stand on either side of Don Tibbles, their guard obviously up.
"And if you decide to continue in the sport of figure skating, it's evident you'll go places. But what about after that? I'm here to offer you the opportunity of a lifetime."