AAOOOSC!: Gulls' Adventures!

Joseph rolls to his side and scrutinizes Brandon’s bad detrimental condition: his blue-tinted skin is cold to the touch; his breathing is light; there are no signs of becoming conscious.

"Monty…," Joseph whispers to him with worried eyes, "are you okay? Can you hear me? Please be okay…"

Brandon responds by continuing having his eyes closed with a relaxed expression on his face.

Joseph leans closer him with examining eyes. "Are you breathing?" He quickly pulls away, sitting himself up, and peers down at the tablet.

With all the graphs the tablet is displaying, it is difficult to figure out which stands for what. Yet with the big red text Failing Respiration blinking across the screen, it is easy to determine there is something definitely wrong.

Joseph’s eyes fly open to the size of pucks. "No, no, no, no—" He throws himself back to Brandon, his upper body hovering over him. "—Monty, please breath better, please. We need you, we can’t lose someone as…"

He halts his panicked pleading as he mentally processes the reality and the parallel of this predicament. "…as great as you again. First, it’s Maxi, don’t let it be you next…" He dips his head down with slanted eyebrows and bared teeth. "…please," he breathes out.

Tears begin slipping from his eyes and rolling down his cheeks. He sniffs. "I would do anything to make you better…" He then closes his eyes, sensing his tears streaming down his cheeks as his mouth quivers.

Suddenly, a smooth, rippling droplets of water majestically flow out from all around him. The drops float through the air delicately, levitating toward Brandon. They make contact with his blanket-covered self, absorbing into him and disappearing from sight.

Joseph lets out a sniff, not moving away from his roommate. The last bit of water slips out from him, soaking into the injured man.

Brandon instantly takes in a shuttered, deep breath, regaining a regular breathing rhythm and depth.

Joseph then pulls away from his embrace, peering down at his friend with tear-stained cheeks and watery eyes. He spots Brandon breathing more deeply along with a warmer skin tone.

A light of hope appears in his eyes. "Monty?" He snatches the tablet from the bed and peers at it.

The tablet is now displaying the still words Stable Respiration in a calm green colour.

Joseph lets out a heavy sigh of relief and wipes his eyes. "You’re gonna be okay…"

"I do actually feel okay," he hears Brandon point out from next to him.

Joseph whirls to his left with wide eyes.

Next to him, Brandon has already sat up, revealing the hospital gown he is wearing with the blankets still covering his legs. He has a small smile with his normal tan skin tone.

A surprised expression sweeps across Joseph’s face. "MONTY!" He throws himself at him, engulfing him in a hug. "You’re alive!"

"I’ve always been alive," Brandon points out in a confused tone, patting his shoulder.

Joseph pulls away from him, his hands grasping onto his shoulders. "YOU WERE FROZEN AND BARELY BREATHING, YOU WERE PRACTICALLY DEAD."

"Well, I feel fine now!" He shrugs. "In fact, better!"

"Don’t ever do that again," Joseph growls with lowered eyebrows and a serious expression.

A bewildered expression comes across his face. "What?"

"Don’t ever freeze yourself like that again," Joseph explains.

"I didn’t freeze myself— Dustin did."

Joseph lets go of his shoulders and points at him. "Don’t let Dustin freeze you again."

Brandon nods his head with pursed lips. "I’ll try."

Joseph stares at him with his typical stern expression for a few seconds before dropping it into a relieved expression. He pulls him back into a hug. "I’m just relieved you’re back."

"I am too." Brandon rubs his back. "We’ll be okay."

"Because you’re here," Joseph adds in as a mutter.

"Monty?" Kalle’s voice is heard calling out.

The two pull away and turn to face where Kalle’s voice came from. Kalle, Scott, Nick, Matt, and Ryan are standing by the doorway.

"Guys!" Brandon exclaims happily.

Everyone makes excited expressions, throwing their hands in the air. "MONTY!!!" They all rush up to him and pull him into a group hug.

"You’re alive!" Matt speaks out cheerfully.

"You’re okay!" Ryan shouts.

"My buddy!" Nick points out warmly.

"My friend!" Kalle says sweetly in his Finnish accent.

"My master," Scott tells him with reverence.

"Our household leader," Joseph finishes off sincerely. He pulls away from the hug as everyone else does, peering into Brandon’s eyes. "And Maxi would be proud of you."

Brandon has the biggest smile he can pull off on his face. "Thanks, guys." He peers at each of his teammates. "But what’s up with Dustin and Corey?"

"Long goners!" Ryan answers coolly, flicking his hand in the air.

Matt excitedly jumps into the process of how they are "long goners:" "We used Memory Erasure on them, so now they don’t have any memory of taking over the Ducks organization, or powers, or any hatred toward us! They’ll just think they’re regular AHL hockey players that get along with their teammates!"

"If only we can forget all they did to us…," Brandon mutters.

"No." Joseph shakes his head. "Having powers is awesome. And Maxi still wouldn’t be here."

"This is gonna be weird now…," Nick points out with a sorrowful look.

Brandon peers up at him with pursed lips. "Tell me about it…"

"So that’s it?" Joseph asks flatly, darting his gaze at each of his teammates. "We’re done with the Terrible T’s?"

"Yeah!" Matt gives him a sweet smile,

"It’s about time!" Ryan remarks with his bent arms out from his sides.

"We can now celebrate!" Nick points out with a small smile and a fantasizing expression on his face.

"But Maxi’s still not here," Joseph murmurs solemnly.

Brandon’s eyes immediately light up as an idea pops into his mind. He turns to Joseph with a smirk. "I think I got an idea…"

Notes

E.20 "Ready Or Not
Part 9/10
Episode 20/20