Well, despite what I said prior, I managed to get this one done a few days early.
So, this chapter is based on the episode, "Ice Princess," which is another forgettable episode in my opinion. I don't have much to say about it, really. The story is a little bland and the song is just okay. It's just not very noteworthy. The best part about it was the character of Sonia Davis and I really wish she got a few more speaking appearances in the show because she deserved more time in the spotlight, so to speak. But speaking of Sonia...
As I said in my author's notes of the last OMDW chapter (which let's be honest, I doubt anyone read), I did have some difficulty with casting again, this time with Sonia. Originally, I was going to have her be played by Nicole Noelle-Cadaver (if that's how you spell her name), the ghoul Casper had a crush on in the episode "Rebel Without a Date." But then after rewatching her only appearance, I realized she really wasn't the best fit. So instead, I went for the next best option. Instead of casting one of the "Casper" characters, I decided to create an original character that was somewhat inspired by Nicole. And when I say she was "inspired by Nicole," I mean she has the same French accent as her. Otherwise, she essentially acts the same as Sonia Davis if Sonia was attracted to Scratch (you'll see what I mean later). Part of me wishes I had thought to create an original for Ezekiel Tugbottom, but live and learn, right?
Without further ado, let's begin.
Stretch, Stinkie, & Fatso: Muahahahahahaaaa!
Molly: Can't believe you're all mine
Fatso: Uh, what?
Molly: You and me for all time
Stretch: No way!
Molly: I'm never, ever, EVER gonna be alone again
Stinkie: This stinks!
Molly: It's just you three and me
Fatso: For all eternity?!
Molly: For all ETERNITY!
Stretch, Stinkie, & Fatso: NOOOO!
Molly & Ghostly Trio: It's the Ghost-Ghostly Trio and Molly McGee
Fatso: We've been cursed!
Stinkie: It's the worst!
Molly: Now you're stuck with me
Molly & Ghostly Trio: We're never gonna be apart
Stretch: Is there a way to hit 'restart'?
Molly: Nope!
Molly & Ghostly Trio: We're the Ghost-Ghostly Trio and Molly McGee
Molly: That's me!
Stinkie: Well, that's she. Hee, hee, hee!
Molly & Ghostly Trio: Ghostly Trio and Molly McGee!
Fatso: Oh yeah!
Chapter 23
Later Skater
A chilly gust of wind blew over the McGees as they walked toward Brighton Bargain Bag, the local department store. The holidays may have been over, but there was still much to be celebrated during the remaining winter months, especially during the third week of January. For that week marked the beginning of the Global Games, a worldwide sporting event that the majority of the Earth's population watched every year. And Molly and her family were definitely in that majority. In fact, the whole reason they came to the store that morning was to stock up on the Global Games' official snack, Yim-Yums.
"I can't wait for the Global Games!" Molly said once she and the others reached the store. "They enhappify the whole world all at once!" she noticed a cardboard cutout of the Global Games mascot and gave it a hug.
She was soon joined by Pete, Sharon, and Darryl, who all gave her amused smirks. Molly's friends, the Ghostly Trio, hadn't accompanied them this time around because they opted to stay at home due to the weather. Molly didn't understand this at all since the snow wasn't coming down that hard, but decided to let them off this time. The McGees were probably better off shopping without them anyway, since the last time they came along, they spent the whole time complaining. Plus, Fatso got a little carried away swiping all those free samples.
Sharon looked over her shopping list.
"Are you sure we need 26 boxes of coconut Yim-Yum bars?"
"Uh…yes!" Molly insisted. "It's the official snack cake of the Global Games, Mom!"
"Yeah, Sharon!" Pete agreed. "It's what the athletes eat!"
Darryl nodded, his mouth full of the coconut-chocolate combo.
"But why 26 boxes?" Sharon inquired.
"Because this way we'll have enough for everyone." Pete mentioned. "You know how the Trio are. Those guys go through those things more than they go through walls!"
Darryl chuckled. "I get it. 'Cause they're ghosts."
"You have a point." Sharon walked into the store. "Okay, 26 boxes it is. But no more than that! I don't want anyone going…crazy?"
The mother of two looked up from her list and her eyes widened at the sight in front of her. The inside of the store was practically a madhouse. People everywhere were running back and forth down the aisles, climbing the shelves, and grabbing as many products as they could fit into their carts and pockets. One man had dozens upon dozens of donut boxes, and even stuffed a few in his mouth. At one point, an employee came out with a tower of toilet paper and the next thing she knew, she was being ambushed.
"Uh…what's going on?" Molly wondered.
Pete became worried. "Everyone's panicking. Should we panic? I'm panicking. I'm totally panicking!"
In an act of desperation, Pete piled on top of the shoppers who were still mauling each other for TP. The employee crawled out from under the savages and Sharon approached her.
"Excuse me, what's happening here?"
"Haven't you heard?" the store worker replied. "The storm is coming!"
"What storm?"
"What are you, new in town? It's the curse of the Ice Princess!"
Suddenly, a cart came out of nowhere and shoved a random shopper. The one who had pushed the cart was Patty, one of the residents of Brighton Hills Retirement Home.
"Aw, that's just a myth." she insisted. "But the storm is real. Happens every four years like clockwork."
The employee rolled her eyes at Patty's denial. "Right. A storm happening on the same day every four years? That's gotta be a coincidence. Nothing supernatural about that at all." she turned back to Sharon. "But either way, I'd suggest you stock up before it's too late. Which reminds me…"
Pete, meanwhile, had retrieved a roll of toilet paper after nearly getting torn apart by the store's merciless patrons.
"Yes!" he cried triumphantly.
"Yaahhh!"
Out of nowhere, the store employee who had just been speaking with Sharon pounced on top of Pete, knocking both of them into a stack of cans. One of the cans rolled toward Darryl's foot and he picked it up. He, Molly, and Sharon stared at the chaos around them and, realizing they needed to be quick if they wanted their groceries, immediately sprinted into action.
An hour later and the McGees returned home with all of the supplies they could salvage from the traumatic event. Pete slammed the door behind them, the toilet paper he had snagged hanging out of his mouth. All four set down their bags and panted heavily, praying they wouldn't have to go back out anytime soon.
The first thing Molly noticed upon arriving was the Ghostly Trio laying under a heat lamp with sunglasses on.
"Well, well!" Stretch greeted, lowering his glasses slightly. "It's about time you bone bags got back!"
"What took ya so long?" Stinkie demanded. "Can't ya see we're starvin' to life over here?"
Sharon glared. "Maybe next time you can get the groceries yourself…"
The Trio dove into the bag Molly was carrying and tossed some of the cans that were inside.
"Hey, what gives?" Stretch complained. "Canned peas? Potted meat? Where's the coconut Yim-Yums?"
Stinkie popped out of the bag. "Where's the garlic-flavored sardines?"
"Where's the money, Lebowski?" Fatso asked randomly.
"Can it!" Stretch threw a can at Fatso's head.
"We were lucky to get anything." Molly explained. "People were going crazy trying to stock up on supplies! Dad nearly lost an arm just to get that roll of toilet paper!"
"Huh, that sounds a lot like Black Friday." Fatso noted. "Or that other event we're not supposed to talk about."
"Well, this time it's because of the storm that's coming." Molly informed him.
"But not just any storm, Molly…" Darryl spoke in an ominous voice. "It's the 'curse of the Ice Princess'…"
Sharon took a few cans out of her own bag. "You heard Patty. There's no such thing."
"What the heck are you talkin' about?" Stretch questioned. "Of course there is!"
"Whaaaat?" the McGees went.
Stretch smirked. "Don't tell me you fleshies have never heard of the Ice Princess."
"Why would they?" Stinkie pointed out. "She was just some pathetic figure skater."
Pete spat out the toilet paper in his mouth. "Figure skater?"
"Ya see," Stretch began. "Back before the internet and TV…ya know, the boring ages…fleshies had to find other ways to entertain themselves. So, they decided to watch dumb stuff like figure skatin'."
"And the most popular figure skater of all was Frostina Winterflakes. AKA: the Ice Princess." Stinkie added. "She was originally from Paris, but for some insane reason, thought movin' to Brighton was a smart idea."
"She was so good, she went all the way to the Global Games." Fatso continued. "But her whole routine was ruined when she fell on her last…uh…what's it called? The move where ya spin yourself midair?"
"A triple axel?" Pete answered.
"Whatever it's called, she messed it up and ended up losin' her medal, her career, and her left skate!"
"We're talkin' epic humiliation here!" Stinkie claimed.
"So now, every four years when the Global Games come around, her ghost skates across Brighton pond in a desperate attempt to redo her routine with no mistakes. But the only thing she succeeds in doin' is creatin' a storm so powerful, it shuts down the entire city!" Stretch finished.
"Gosh," Pete shook his head sadly. "It must be hard reliving the worst moment of your life over and over again like that. Beating yourself up for not landing that one big jump…I mean, you're basically landing blind on the edge of a knife!"
The rest of the family gave Pete blank stares.
"Er…" Pete chuckled nervously. "At least that's what I imagine this Frostina Winterflakes is feeling right now…right? I mean, what do I know about this whole skating thing? Nothing! That's for darn sure! Heh, heh, heh…"
Molly raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "Okay…well, if the Ice Princess is real, maybe there's a chance we can get her to stop the storm!"
"Yeah, right!" Stretch scoffed. "Frostina Winterflakes has a stone-cold heart! What makes you think you can make nice with her?"
"I did it with you three, didn't I?" Molly hugged the Trio.
"Barely." Stinkie argued.
Molly dropped them. "Well, 'barely' is good enough for me! C'mon, gang! Time to go defrost the Ice Queen. Uh…I mean, 'Princess.'"
So, the family changed back into their warm clothes and headed off to the Brighton pond. Sure enough, skating across the pond was a tall, slender ghost with blonde hair tied up in a ponytail. She wore a glittery leotard with a fluffy skirt and a ton of makeup on her face. The McGees had no doubt that this was the dreaded Ice Princess, Frostina Winterflakes.
Frostina skated past them and did a triple axle, accidentally sending a barrage of icicles at Fatso and putting a bunch of holes in his ectoplasmic body, including one over his eye.
"Whoa, check me out! I look like Swiss cheese! And also…ow!"
Stinkie sniffed him. "Too bad ya don't smell like the real deal."
Darryl handed Fatso his missing eye, which was now encased in ice.
Molly stepped onto the pond. "Uh…excuse me, Miss Winterflakes?"
Frostina skidded to a halt beside Molly, kicking snow in the latter's face.
"Hi," Molly greeted, wiping off the snow. "I'm Molly McGee. Proud Brightonian, decorated Wilder Scouts, and as you can see by my undead BFFs over there, a good friend to ghosts!"
Frostina bowed slightly. "Bonjour, Molly McGee. It iz, 'ow you say, a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Now, if you do not mind…" she suddenly became bigger and scarier. And louder. "GET OFF OF MY ICE!"
Molly flew backward into a pile of snow.
"Whoa." Stretch whistled in an impressed way. "She and Ms. B must be related."
"I only get zis pond to myself every four years." Frostina continued. "I need it to perfect my routine, you see."
Molly sat up. "Yeah…about that. Every time you skate, you sorta create a huge ice storm in Brighton."
"Ah, oui." Frostina nodded sadly. "I am aware. But you do not understand. Ze Global Games were my chance to be remembered as ze greatest skater of all time. But because of zat un little mistake, I am only remembered as a failure. Ze way I see it, ze only way I can be at peace iz if I skate my routine perfectly and prove myself to ze world." she sighed. "But it iz so hard. Zis ice is très unforgiving and I am all alone…"
Molly approached her. "Well…what if you weren't alone? What if you had a partner to skate with you? I know I always feel better when I have a friend with me."
"Hm…" Frostina scratched her chin. "I have never thought of zat. Perhaps it could work."
"There you go!" Molly encouraged. "And I know just who your partner should be!"
Pete shivered nervously. "Um…and who might that be, Molly?"
"Who else? Me!" Molly answered, making Pete relax.
"You?!" Stretch guffawed. "Have you even skated a day in your life?"
"Well…no." Molly strapped on a pair of skates. "But that doesn't mean I can't learn a lifetime of skating skills overnight! Watch!"
She stepped onto the ice and immediately fell on her face.
"Ow…okay, no problem. Let me try that again." Molly got up and held out her arms. "See? I can be graceful! Just gotta…whoa, whoa, WHOA!" she slipped and landed on her back.
Stretch chuckled. "Oh yeah, you've got grace all right, Moll. The grace of a newborn giraffe!"
"No offense," Frostina told Molly. "But you are not exactly what I am looking for. Is zere anyone else?"
Sharon put a reassuring hand on Pete's shoulder, giving him a small bit of confidence.
"Well, actually-"
"Sure!" Molly interrupted, shoving the Trio in front of Frostina. "I bet one of my ghost buddies would be happy to take the job!"
"We would?" Stretch snarked.
Molly stretched out the Trio's bodies and created legs for each of them. She then slapped some skates onto their feet and planted them onto the ice.
Frostina looked at Fatso first. "Hm…not him. He would just crack ze ice with his enormous weight."
"Hey! That's body-shaming!" Fatso shouted.
Just then, the ice broke and Fatso's torso fell through it.
"Huh…must be some really thin ice."
"Well, how about Stinkie?" Molly suggested.
Frostina sniffed and gagged. "Absolutely not. He is just as likely to crack ze ice."
"What? I'm as light as a feather!" Stinkie retorted. "How would that happen?"
When Stinkie spoke, his halitosis created a stink cloud that melted the ice under his feet. Like Fatso, he also fell through.
"Oh…think I got the picture."
Stretch laughed.
"Ya know, I think I'm startin' to see the appeal in this lousy sport. Wait here. I'm gonna get some hot cocoa."
The lankiest ghost turned around and started to skate off the pond.
Meanwhile, Sharon was trying to encourage Pete to volunteer.
"C'mon, isn't this the opportunity you've been waiting for?" she asked him.
"I don't know…do you really think I can?"
"Trust me. You got this."
"Okay…here goes nothing."
Pete took a breath and began to approach Frostina.
"Um…excuse me, Miss Winterflakes? If I may-wah!"
When Pete stepped onto the ice, he failed to notice Stretch walking in front of him and the two collided, causing them to uncontrollably slide across the ice. The pair screamed as they zoomed past Molly and the other ghosts.
"Oh my," Frostina observed. "What iz zis?"
Pete and Stretch proceeded to spin around rapidly in midair before Pete landed on top of Stretch's shoulders. They kept sliding until Pete hit a tree branch, sending him flying. He ended up falling into Stretch's arms, and when that happened, Stretch collapsed from his weight, doing a split in the process. Once the two had stopped, they noticed everyone else staring at them with dropped jaws.
"Uh…what's with them?" Stretch asked Pete.
"I'm not sure." Pete opened his mouth wide. "Do I have something in my teeth?"
After getting over the shock, Frostina skated over, clapping her hands.
"Bravo! Bravo! Such beauty! Such skill! Such grace!"
Pete turned red. "Gosh, you think so?"
"Oh, oui oui! You are a natural! Ze perfect partner to do my routine with me! So…will you?"
Pete grinned. "Well, when you put it that way, how can I say 'no'?"
Frostina suddenly laughed. "No, no, no! You misunderstand. I do not want you to be my partner. I want him." she pointed at Stretch.
The others gasped.
Stretch dropped Pete onto the ground in shock. "Me?!"
"Look at you," Frostina wrapped herself around Stretch and tugged on his arms and body. "Your angular body. Your posable arms. Your gorgeous, violet-colored eyes."
Stretch was beginning to get creeped out. "Okay…not sure what that last one has to do with skatin'…"
"And not to mention zose incroyable moves you do. So…magnifique…"
Frostina pressed her face against Stretch's, making him more uncomfortable than he was already.
"Lady, you're scarin' me." he said. "And not in a 'spooky' way either."
Frostina didn't reply. She just smiled at Stretch in a longing way and then winked at him.
"Guys?" Stretch began to sweat. "What's happenin'? Why does she keep starin' at me like that?"
Stinkie and Fatso pulled themselves out of the ice.
"Isn't it obvious, Stretch?" Stinkie teased. "The sweet smile? The goo-goo eyes? The flirtatious wink? There's only one possible conclusion…she likes you!"
"What?!" Stretch's eyes widened.
"Aww…" Fatso cooed. "A winter romance is blooming. Ain't love grand?"
"Love? No way!" Stretch pushed away Frostina's face. "Look toots, I hate to break it to ya, but I'm already taken by the one and only Ms. Banshee. And as much as yer scream sounds like hers, you'll never be her, got it?"
Frostina frowned. "Perhaps I was not clear…" she grabbed him again and slowly transformed back into her monstrous state. "You will be my skating partner. We will do ze routine together on ze first day of ze Global Games. Because if you do not, I will cover your town in ice…FOREVER!"
Her booming voice sent even more icicles towards the McGees, to the point where Fatso had to guard them with his huge body. Frostina then turned back to normal and tossed Stretch toward the family.
"Now zen," she giggled. "Shall I see you tomorrow for our first practice session?"
Stretch was still dazed from the throw. And a little terrified. "Uh…yeah, sure…whatever, I guess…"
"Good." Frostina blew him a kiss. "Au revoir, my Snow Prince…"
And with that, she disappeared in a tornado of snow.
"Well…" Darryl said after a moment of silence. "That just happened."
Later on, the McGees were back home and Stretch was panicking about his situation.
"This is a complete disaster!" he vented to the others. "She wants me, me of all ghosts, to be her skatin' partner! And why is that? Not because I'm good at skatin', but because the gal is attracted to me! Can you believe it?!"
"That someone is attracted to you?" Sharon remarked. "Yes, I will concede that is unbelievable."
"Hey, I'll have you know lots of ghouls have the hots for me!" Stretch snarled.
"Yeah? Like who?" Stinkie interrogated.
Stretch paused, realizing he didn't have an answer for that. "…That ain't the point! What matters is she wants me to skate with her and who knows what'll happen if I do a good job? She'll probably want us to get…married!"
"Relax," Darryl assured him. "Once she finds out all those moves you did were by accident and you can't really skate to save your afterlife, she'll probably dump you. Then again, she'll probably also curse Brighton with an eternal winter…"
"Then it looks like we'll have to prep Stretch with as much skating knowledge as possible!" Molly concluded. "We'll deal with the whole 'one-sided romance' issue later."
"Yeah, but who do we know that has enough experience on the ice to make me into a pro skater?" Stretch asked.
Darryl looked around the kitchen, realizing there was one family member missing. "Hey…where'd Dad go?"
Curious, Molly and the others went upstairs to find Pete. The first place they checked was his and Sharon's room, after they heard a voice from behind the door.
"Hey, not bad, Blades. You still got it."
The family peeked through the door and saw Pete admiring himself in the mirror. He was wearing a sparkly red-and-yellow uniform and skates on his feet. Molly, Darryl, and the Ghostly Trio were absolutely stunned. Fatso covered his eyes.
"It burns like a thousand suns!"
"I can't believe it still fits after all this time." Pete told himself.
Sharon noticed her husband's gut sticking out of the suit. "Mostly."
Pete jumped upon hearing her and turned around. "Gah! How long have you been standing there?"
"Long enough to find out you've been a figure skater this whole time and you never told us!" Molly answered.
The Trio surrounded Pete.
"Yeah, Petey!" Stretch sneered. "Why you've been hidin' this for so long? What's your secret?"
"What's your story?" Stinkie questioned.
"What's your sign?" Fatso prodded. "Me? I'm a Capricorn."
"That makes sense, 'cause you're really gettin' my goat!" Stretch transformed into the aforementioned animal and used his horns to headbutt Fatso.
Pete sighed. "Okay, I guess it's time to come clean. Yes, I was a figure skater. In fact, I was one of the best. They called me 'Blades.' I loved every second of being out on the ice. It was practically a second home for me."
"Then…why'd you stop?" Molly asked.
"It was because of…the incident…"
Pete sat down and began to recount the last time he had skated.
"It happened when I was fifteen. I was a shoo-in to win Regionals. But I was nervous. All my siblings were in the front row."
Pete recalled one of his older brothers, Billy, calling out to him while he was performing.
"Hey, Silly! Don't choke!"
"I tried to ignore it. But the taunts eventually got to me."
Tears filled Pete's eyes as he remembered messing up the landing to his triple axle and crashing headfirst into an advertisement for a plumber…right where the toilet was.
"Flush, why don't ya? Hahahaha!" his brother laughed.
Pete's heart sank at the horrible memory. "After that, Blades lost his edge. I never skated again…"
"Wait, wait, wait…" Darryl interrupted. "You had a cool nickname like 'Blades' and went back to 'Pete'?! What were you thinking?!"
Molly put a hand on her brother's shoulder. "A fair point, Darryl. But not the point. Dad? We need your help. You heard what Frostina said. She wants Stretch as her partner, but he doesn't know the first thing about skating! He has to be perfect or else Brighton will be covered in snow forever! So, do you think you can teach him?"
Pete shrugged. "I don't know, Molly. It's been ages since I've been on the ice. What if I don't have what it takes?"
Stretch grabbed him by the collar. "You better have what it takes! Otherwise, we'll all be popsicles!"
"Huh. That is a convincing argument." Pete noted. He took a moment to think about it and then smiled. "All right, I'll do it!"
The other McGees cheered.
"Don't worry, Stretch." Pete promised. "With my help, you'll be doing salchows like the pros in no time. Now, let's see if I still remember some of my old moves…"
Pete attempted to perform a trick, but he ended up losing his balance, causing his skate to fly off and slice Stretch in half with its blades.
"…I am so dead…" he stated.
"'Deader', you mean." Stinkie corrected.
"Practically the deadest." Fatso added.
Stretch used the two halves of his body to smack his brothers heads together.
The next morning, the McGees went back to the pond so Pete could give Stretch a few skating pointers.
"That's it, Stretch," Pete encouraged. "C'mon, you can do it. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."
As it turns out, Stretch hadn't even gotten onto the ice yet. He was too nervous.
"Whoever said that obviously never stepped onto a frozen pond!"
Sharon was growing impatient. "Will you just go already? For Pete's sake!"
"For his sake? What about my own sake?!" Stretch misinterpreted.
Sharon's only response was to forcefully push Stretch onto the ice. As soon as his skates touched the pond, he immediately slipped and slid right into Pete, knocking him down. Pete remained patient.
"Maybe our first lesson should be on how to brake…"
"I already know how to 'brake.'" Stretch claimed, getting up and turning in the other direction. "In fact, I think I'll take one right now."
"Oh no you don't!" Sharon threatened. "You step off that pond and Brighton being frozen won't be your only problem, bucko!"
"What iz zis?"
The family noticed Frostina skating toward them.
"Stretch, my darling phantom, what are you doing with zis lowlife fleshie?"
"'My darling phantom'?!" Stretch repeated. "Oh no, it's already started!"
Pete smiled. "Oh, we were just practicing your routine. Gotta make sure we get it just right on the day of the Global Games, you know?"
Frostina scoffed. "Oh please. Why should Stretch waste his time with an amateur like you? He should be practicing with someone who matches his skill level. Like moi."
Frostina grabbed Stretch by the hands and tugged him to her side.
"Hey! What do you think you're doin'?!" Stretch demanded.
Frostina tickled his chin. "Come, my little snow-specter. Let us show zese pathetic humans how it iz really done, no?"
"'No'! Exactly! That's my answer! Now lemme g-wahhhh!"
Frostina ignored Stretch's protests and began twirling around with him. Molly and the others watched as Stretch was subjected to pair lifts, throw jumps, and spin combinations. The whole time, he let out yelps of fear and discomfort.
"Hey! Watch the nose! Ow! Don't squeeze so hard! Whooooaaa!"
For her finale, Frostina took Stretch by the hands, spun him around rapidly, and threw him into a nearby tree trunk. The rest of the McGees winced at how painful it looked. Molly rushed over to help.
"Stretch! Are you okay?"
She reached for his hand and pulled him up. But when she did so, his back made a cracking noise.
"Aagh! My back! I think it's broken!"
Frostina skated over. "Do not be ridiculous. Ghosts cannot break bones because zey do not have any. You are fine."
"No, really! I mean it!" Stretch groaned while grasping his back. "I'm in agony over here! There's no way I can skate now!"
Frostina rolled her eyes. "Stop exaggerating."
Stretch then fainted into Molly's arms, writhing in pain.
"Frostina, I think he's telling the truth!" Molly worried. "He can't skate!"
Frostina scowled. "Hm…I see. Well, in zat case…I hope Brighton has a high tolerance for ze cold…"
Her eyes started glowing and a tornado formed behind her.
"No, wait!" Molly begged. "Stretch can't skate with you, but maybe someone else can!"
Frostina calmed down. "Like who?"
Molly turned to Pete.
"Who, me?" Pete shook his head. "Oh no! I couldn't."
"Dad, you have to! If you don't, Brighton will be doomed!"
"I know, but…after 'the incident' I'm just not sure I can bring myself to skate again…"
"But…but…"
Frostina shrugged. "It iz probably for ze best. He iz not fit to be anyone's partner, let alone mine. Look at him! I bet he has never set foot on ice in his whole life."
This statement was enough to make Pete mad. So mad, that he wanted to prove the stuck-up spirit wrong. So, he searched through his mind for all of the old routines that he still remembered. And then, he demonstrated them. As soon as Frostina saw how incredible he was, her jaw dropped. Everyone else was impressed as well. Stretch sat up in Molly's arms.
"Wow…he's graceful."
"He's powerful." Stinkie noted.
"He's like a bird glidin' over a tranquil sea…" Fatso narrated, creating an awkward silence. "I mean…if you're into that sort of thing…and…so what if I am?"
When Pete finished showing off, he took a bow while giving Frostina a smug grin.
"Not bad for someone who's never set foot on ice in his whole life, huh?"
Frostina didn't reply. Her mouth was still wide open from shock.
"You see, I may have never been to the Global Games like you," Pete began. "But I was a Tri-state Junior Skate champ. Which is basically the same thing."
"See?" Molly boasted to Frostina. "He's perfect! Admit it, you were impressed, weren't you?"
Frostina closed her mouth and grumped.
"Hmph! Fine. You are…adequate. And tomorrow iz ze anniversary of my routine…all right. I will give you a chance to be my partner."
Frostina reached out her hand for Pete to shake. But when he did so, she gave it a tight, threatening squeeze.
"But! I warn you…if you are ze reason I fail again and we are anything less zan perfect, not only will I cover Brighton with ice…" she became monstrous again. "BUT I WILL PERSONALLY SEE TO IT ZAT ZE SUN NEVER SHINES IN YOUR WORTHLESS TOWN AGAIN!"
With that, Frostina skated away. Pete gulped.
"Right…no pressure then…"
By the time the following morning came around, Pete was a complete nervous wreck, at least more than he usually was. He hadn't slept a wink the night before and kept demanding cup after cup of hot cocoa from Sharon.
"More…" he requested.
"Hon, don't you think you've had enough?" Sharon asked worriedly.
"I said…more!"
Sharon sighed and reluctantly poured him another mug.
"Hey!" Stretch called from the living room couch, where Stinkie and Fatso were fanning him. He was laying on top of a stack of pillows and holding an empty mug. "I could use a refill over here, too!"
Sharon grumbled while pouring him some cocoa. "You may have a pain in your back, but you're being a pain in my neck."
Pete slammed his head against the counter. "What was I thinking? I haven't skated in years and now the fate of the whole town is riding on these rusty old skates! Maybe it's not too late to move to Perfektborg…I hear it's sunny there year-round."
Molly patted his back. "Don't give up, Dad! You can do this! Everyone loves a comeback!"
"Yeah, Blades!" Sharon agreed. "Reclaim that ice!"
"Show us ya don't stink at everything ya do!" Stinkie added.
"Show us those fancy whirly jumps!" Fatso did a twirl.
"Show me another pillow!" Stretch commanded. "I need elevation here!"
Molly placed another pillow underneath Stretch.
"Look Petey," he continued. "I get that ya got a lot on yer shoulders right now. I mean, bein' the sole determiner for whether yer home lives or dies has gotta be stressful. And I'm gonna be brutally honest here, your chances of succeedin' are low. If ya go out there, you'll probably mess up and doom all of Brighton. But if ya don't go, you'll end up doomin' Brighton anyway. So tell me, which is worse? Failin' to be a hero but bein' commended for tryin', or not tryin' at all and bein' considered a coward?"
Pete took a minute to process Stretch's speech.
"…You know what, Stretch? Even though your idea of motivation is a little harsh, you're absolutely right. This is my big chance to redeem myself! To take back the ice! To be Brighton's savior!"
"Unless, like he said, you fail and Brighton will become frozen for all eternity." Darryl stated bluntly.
Pete's face fell and he went back to gulping down hot cocoa. Then he fell off of his chair. Molly gave Darryl an annoyed look.
"Sorry…" he apologized. "Guess I misread the vibe there…"
Hours later and it was time for the big event, so the McGees headed back to the ice pond, hopefully for the last time. Molly, wanting things to feel like the real Global Games, set up an announcer table for herself, Stinkie, and Fatso. Meanwhile, Sharon, Darryl and Stretch watched from the sidelines, the latter sitting in a wheelchair because he insisted on it. Molly took her seat and put on her earmuffs as if they were a headset.
"Greetings sports fans!" she announced to the pretend audience. "And welcome to the Global Games!"
"Of Brighton." Stinkie finished for her. "Ya can't really call it the 'Global' Games if it only takes place in one puny little city."
"C'mon, Stinkie. It may be small, but that doesn't make us weak! Anyway, enough about that. Here come our first and only skaters!"
Pete and Frostina skated into view.
"Presenting…Frostina Winterflakes!" Fatso exclaimed. "Most of you know her as the Ice Princess, but we know her as Stretch's girlfriend."
"I heard that!" Stretch yelled. "You're lucky I'm indisposed!"
Frostina gave him a flirtatious wave. Molly took over. "And joining her today is Pete "Blades" McGee! The hot rod with a dad bod!"
"He really should work out more." Stinkie muttered out loud.
Darryl pressed a button on a nearby pole, turning on the street lamp above it. It shined down on Frostina and Pete like a spotlight. Then Molly put a CD on her stereo and some calming music began to play.
Pete gave her a nervous smile and held out his hand. "Well…this is it. Ready?"
Frostina sighed. "Let us just get zis over with."
And so, the two began their routine. They started off slow with a few basic twirls and poses. But once the music really started picking up and Pete had grown more comfortable skating with Frostina, the pair started to do more complicated moves. It was impressive and rather beautiful to watch.
Like a phoenix from the ashes
Rising up, taking flight
On a quest for redemption
In a leotard too tight (can't unsee the tush)
We've got a second chance at glory
We'll write a new end to our story
Pete scooped Frostina into the air and carried her around the rink. The more he skated with her, the more his confidence grew. Along with an intense pain in his right heel. Frostina seemed to be enjoying herself too, despite her reluctance to skate with him at first.
I know our passion will ignite us
If this plantar fasciitis
Doesn't flare
We're almost there
Pete did his best to ignore the growing pain in his foot and spun Frostina around while holding her hands. Fatso gasped.
"Check it out! A double flyin' flippy-dip!"
"What the heehaw is that?" Stinkie asked him.
"It's the term for what Pete and Frostina are doin' right now."
"You just made that up, didn't ya?"
"…Okay, maybe I did…but ain't it a beauty? It's like they're dancin' on a winter's cloud!"
"And here comes the moment of truth…" Molly anticipated. "The final jump!"
Sure enough, Molly was right. At that moment, Pete and Frostina jumped up and did several spins in the air for their grand finale.
Second chance at glory
We'll ride a-
"OW!" Pete cried as he landed hard on his right heel. "That smarts! Whoooaahh!"
CRASH!
The middle-aged man ended up toppling right onto Frostina as a result of his bad landing.
"And Blades goes down!" Stinkie observed. "Bad news for Brighton!"
Fatso brought out a weather chart. "Hope you folks are prepared for the longest winter of your lives. Tomorrow's forecast: endless blizzards and eternal frostbite. Scarves highly recommended."
Frostina stood up and started growing bigger and scarier. The winds also began to pick up.
"Peter McGee…" Frostina boomed ominously. "You…are…"
Pete scooted back. "I'm sorry! It was an accident! Believe me! I don't wanna be a popsicle!"
But then suddenly, to Pete's surprise, Frostina shrank back down to normal size and gave him a big smile.
"…ze best skating partner I have ever had!" she laughed giddily.
Pete uncovered his eyes. "Wait…what?"
Frostina helped him stand. "Perhaps it was not ze gold medal zat I lost. Perhaps it was my love for zis sport. For too long I have made myself miserable because I kept trying to be perfect. But maybe I do not need to be. You have helped me realize zat. Merci, Peter McGee. Thanks to you, I can enjoy ze art of skating once more."
Pete didn't say anything. He was still getting over the shock. Frostina skated toward the center of the pond.
"Farewell, my friends. And Stretch? Give me a call sometime. We can grab a hot cocoa at ze Ghost Café. Extra whipped cream."
She winked at the tallest member of the Ghostly Trio and then, she disappeared in a snowy tornado. Once she was gone, the sun came out and shined over Brighton pond.
"Sheesh, what a weirdo." Stretch grumped, floating out of his wheelchair. "I mean, I know I'm attractive and all, but that don't mean I'm up for grabs."
"Wait!" Sharon realized. "How are you flying right now? I thought your back was injured!"
Stretch snorted. "C'mon, ya didn't really believe that, did ya? Ghosts can't sustain injuries, ya noodlebrains!"
Sharon rolled up her sleeves. "Mind if I test that theory?"
"Whoa, Mom! Hold on!" Molly stood in her way. "Stretch faking being hurt was kinda crummy, sure, but he had a good reason for it!"
"Yeah? And what's that?"
"Obviously, he knew how much Dad secretly wanted to skate again. He understood how much it meant to him, so he wanted him to be the one to skate with Frostina, so not only could he save Brighton and be a hero, but he could relive his glory days and feel young again."
"Oh. Well, that's actually…kinda sweet." Sharon noted.
Stretch only chuckled. "What the heck are you talkin' about? I did it 'cause I didn't wanna be stuck skatin' with that complete lunatic!"
Sharon became angry again and charged at Stretch. But Pete held her back.
"Now honey, Stretch's reasoning isn't important. What matters is that I finally regained my confidence."
Sharon's smile returned and she hugged her husband. "I know. And I'm so proud of you. No matter what anyone says, you'll always be a champ to me."
Fatso formed a pair of legs and put on some skates.
"Hey Blades! Mind showin' me some more of those spinny moves? Or at least teach me the proper terminology?"
Pete laughed. "Sure thing, Fatso. Watch. This one's called 'the scratch spin.'"
Pete spun around and Fatso copied him.
"'Scratch spin'?" Stretch repeated. "What kinda stupid name is that? You're not even scratchin' nothin'!"
"I dunno. I kinda like it." Molly insisted. "'Scratch' sounds like it would be a cute name for a ghost."
"Oh please. Who would be friends with a ghost named 'Scratch'?" Stinkie asked rhetorically. "Sounds like a real loser!"
"Yeah, not cool like us, right Moll?" Stretch smirked.
Suddenly, Stretch was buried in a huge pile of snow that Sharon had knocked off a tree.
"Oh, you're cool all right. I'd say the coolest."
The others laughed at the joke while Stretch just grumbled.
"Very funny…"
Ghostly Trio and Molly McGee!
While I hate to be the bearer of bad news, there will be no upload next week because I am going away for my birthday. I will start working on the chapter for "Ready, Set, Snow!" before I leave, but it won't be ready until after I get back. Sorry for the inconvenience. I know it seems like I go away a lot and truthfully, I do. But staying in the same place all the time gets boring after a while and sometimes it triggers my depression, so...
Review if you can. I'll see you guys next week!