AAOOOSC!: Gulls' Adventures!

The Gulls are now at their new practice facility, Poway Ice Arena. The team is huddled next to the benches, around their coach, Coach Dallas Eakins.

“Okay,” Coach Dallas starts, “before I go on about the first drill, per request by your captain, I’ll let him do his captain speech.”

The team lets out a series of groans as their captain, Joe Piskula, hops up to his skates.

“Oh, goodie!” he exclaims jauntily.

He glides over to the front of the huddle, braking next to his coach. “Hello, everybody!”

The majority of the team replies back with dull mumbles of “hey”s and “hi”s and “‘sup”s.

“Joe!!!” Bryan Moore calls out, waving his hands at him.

“Oh, hello, Joe!” Joseph replies ebulliently with an excited wave. Brandon eyes him from his side.

Joe beams proudly at his team. “This is such a great day to play the wonderful sport of hockey!” He hooks his arm across his body. “We’re gonna be amazing, helping each other play better and building chemistry! I’m so happy we can building friendships while we play!” He raises his stick into the air. “Here’s to a merry practice!”

Joseph raises his stick into the air as well. “Yes, indeed!”

Coach Dallas glides next to the captain. “Alright, thank you, Joe.”

Joe nods to him. “You’re oh-so welcome!” He then skates back over to the back of the huddle.

Coach Dallas then drifts over to the whiteboard. “Alright, so for the first drill, we’re gonna do passing and shooting.” He begins scribbling all over the whiteboard’s surface with a black dry erase marker. “We’ll have two nets on each end, a quarter of the left wings go to the left side, a quarter of the right wings go to the right, centres can choose their side, defencemen go by the crease, left wings go around the face-off circle one time, receive the puck from your partner, pass three times with your partner then shoot at the net, any questions?”

He turns back to face his team. The whiteboard behind him is virtually black with all the markings he made on it while instructing his team. His team is returning him gawking expressions. Well, most of the team members.

“I got it, Coach!” Joseph exclaims with a smile.

“Alright, good.” Coach Dallas puts the marker down. “Now go, go, go!”

The skaters and goalies lift themselves up to the blades of their skates and disperse deeper into the ice. After minutes of figuring out where to go or what they are suppose to do, the drill finally gets under way.

After skating around the face-off circle, Nick receives the puck from Bryan and begins passing it back and forth with him. On the third time he gets the puck, he shoots it toward the shelf of the net; the puck strikes the crossbar and flies completely wide of net.

From the back of the line, Joseph is watching and encouraging his teammates.

“Hey, it’s harder to hit the crossbar!” Joseph tells him happily.

The next pair comes along; Matt ends up snappily snatching a puck from midair with his catcher glove.

“Nice save!” Joseph exclaims.

Stefan Noesen wrist shots the puck over Matt’s leg pad.

Joseph pumps his gloved fist in the air. “Beautiful shot!”

Bryan cradles the puck smoothly as he skates around the face-off circle.

“You surely have cupcake hands!” Joseph calls out to him.

Brandon, who is by the crease, pokes his stick out at the puck as Harry Zolnierczyk slaps it past his blade.

“Aw, no worries, pal, you’ll get that next time!” Joseph assures him enthusiastically.

Nick goes again. This time, he receives the puck and as a one-timer and knocks the puck at Matt’s arm. The puck deflects away from the net.

“You’re getting better every shot!” Joseph exclaims.

Suddenly, some fainted mumbling of multiple people echoes through the atmosphere of the small ice rink’s room.

Joseph’s eyes light up with a massive smile growing his face. He instantaneously whips out a classical guitar and starts strumming it. Then, he begins to sing with a carefree, yet dramatic tone.

Remember the day we were giving up,
When you told me I didn't give you enough,
And all of your friends were saying I'd be leaving ya.

He drifts out of the back of the line and begins to skate aimlessly down the ice.

She's lying in bed with my t-shirt on,
Just thinking how I went about it wrong,
This isn't the stain of a red wine, I'm bleeding love.

Joseph transitions and begins gliding backward, peering at his staring teammates.

Please believe me, don't you see,
The things you mean to me?

He then drops to his knees, letting his momentum have him coast down the ice smoothly as he cranes his head upward and his guitar close to his chest.

Oh I love you, I love you,
I love, I love, I love Olivia.

He hops onto his skates, throws his guitar to aside, and starts skipping around the ice equivalent to a figure skater.

I live for you, I long for you, Olivia!

He jumps up and does a twirl in the air, ending it on one skate perfectly. He glides backward with his other skate lifted completely parallel to the ice.

I've been idolizing the light in your eyes, Olivia!

He then spins on the apparent picks of both of his skates and lowers himself down.

I live for you, I long for you, Olivia,

He ends up spinning slowly on one blade with his other leg sticking out before him.

Don't let me go,

His spins stops, causing him to plop on the ice.

Don't let me go.

Joseph then scrambles to his skates and zooms off the ice.

In a matter of seconds, Joseph appears in the foyer of the ice rink with his guitar in his possession once again. He sings while strolling toward the exit:

Say what you're feeling and say it now,
'Cause I got the feeling you're walking out,
And time is irrelevant when I've not been seeing you!

He then strolls out into the parking lot of the ice rink through the opened, tinted door. The cloudy skies part right above him, letting the sunshine’s rays illuminate over only him.

The consequences of falling out,
Are something I'm having nightmares about,
And these are the reasons I'm crying out to be with you.

He crosses the driveway to get into the rink’s parking lot, making the cars coming and going stop for him.

Please believe me, don't you see,
The things you mean to me?

He halts in the middle of the driveway and bellows:

Oh I love you, I love you,
I love, I love, I love Olivia.

He begins bobbing in place happily.

I live for you, I long for you, Olivia,

People start getting off from their cars and dancing along with him and his tune.

I've been idolizing the light in your eyes, Olivia.
I live for you, I long for you, Olivia.
Don't let me go,
Don't let me go.

Joseph throws his guitar to a nearby person and sprints off.

As the violins play in the background, the people follow Joseph like a massive march up the street the rink is located. Once they get to the top of the street, another scenery comes into view:

Picture-perfect, vibrantly-green, crystal-clear hills appear with majestic mountains in the background. The yellow and white wildflowers sway softly to the sweet breeze and the puffy clouds drift down the pure, blue sky as Joseph, who is now in a crispy, white tuxedo with a black bow tie, crosses through the breathtaking view.

He raises his right hand up.

When you go,

He raises his left hand up as he puts his right hand down.

And I'm alone,

He swoops over and plucks a white wildflower from the meadow.

You live in my imagination.

He lifts his head up to the sky as a flock of birds past by overhead.

The summertime,

He reverts his head to in front of him, where a group of colourful butterflies flap past him.

And butterflies,

He spreads out arms as he takes in the view the mountains.

All belong to this creation.

He places a hand on his chest.

I love you, that's all I do,

He throws his hands out from the sides and spins around as he faces the sky.

I love you!

He then straightens up, revealing that he is on a grand, polished stage with his guitar and a microphone. Behind him on the stage is a massive, filled orchestra with the woodwinds, brass, percussion, and strings, and the band members themselves, One Direction.

I live for you, I long for you, Olivia!

He strums a few notes on the guitar as One Direction vocalizes in the background.

I've been idolizing the light in your eyes, Olivia!
I live for you, I long for you, Olivia,

Below in front of the stage are all the people whom he attracted; they are all dancing to the song.

Don't let me go,

From the back of the audience, Brandon and Nick are gaping at him.

Don't let me go,
Don't let me go.

Joseph then spins around one last time with his guitar as One Direction vocalizes the “go” angelically. He then halts with his hands thrown into the air.

They are back at the practice rink, like as if a full-blown music video hadn’t just happened.

And Joseph flashes smile in his showy position.

All Brandon can do is stare at his deranged teammate with pure terror. What is going on--?

Brandon gasps loudly as his eyes fly open. His heart is pounding aggressively against his chest as his breathing is heavy and laborious. He is frozen on his bed, laying flat on his back. His eyes dart around the dim room with rising terror.

Wait, I’m still on my bed...it’s night time…

He immediately relaxes with a soothing exhale. It was just a dream...good… Then with a sigh, Brandon gradually closes his eyes. Nothing to fear, all that didn’t happen… Just go back to sleep… He then lets himself go back sleep.

Brandon stares wide ahead: a pack of Ontario Reign skaters are stampeding toward him down the ice.

And they have the puck.

He hears the overwhelming cheering of the fans from the other side of the glass; he feels the sharp, cool air zip through him with every breath.

The opponents have full advantage of the puck. He has to stop them.

Brandon begins skating backward with power like he always does, lining himself up with the puck’s owner and his stick ready to be used as a wall.

He glances from left to right, quickly realizing that he has no one by his side: Brandon is on the only Gull on the ice.

Surprised and upset that it is a one against five play, a strange, newfound anger bubbles from inside him. “Come on, guys, help me out here!” he shouts with his eyes glued on the puck.

Then he hears that familiar, cheerful voice: “You can do it, Monty Muffins!”

Brandon perks up while skating, seeing that it is Joseph who is cheering him on from the benches. “Joey! Get out here, I’m the only one on the ice!”

“That’s because you can do it alone!” he replies in the same ecstatic tone. “The only player the Gulls need is you! You can do this alone! You can carry the team alone!”

“I can’t do everything alone!” Brandon cries out, feeling his ire building up dangerously to its boiling point.

“Yes, you can! Block that shot! Get that puck! Go through those skaters! And juke out that goalie!” he hears Joseph pointing out buoyantly.

Brandon attempts to end this predicament quickly by poke checking: He jabs the blade of his stick at the puck, yet he appears to be out of reach. “I can’t get it!” he bawls. “This is too much, Joey! Get over here!”

“No! You do it all on your own!”

Then the Reign skater releases the puck, having it soar over Brandon’s stick and out of view. He failed at his only job: to defend.

“That’s IT!” Brandon thrusts his gloves at the ice, charges at the Reign skater who shot the puck, and clutches the collar of his black jersey. He shoves him at the ice effortlessly, then throws himself on top of his and begins plummeting him with punches as his built-up rage pours out from him.

His fist slams the skater’s face again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And--

Brandon snaps his massive eyes.

He is lying still on his bed. Quickly, he notices that it is now morning with the sunlight radiating through the blinded windows and toward his room in the wall.

He lifts himself up to a sitting position, leaning against the wall. “Oh man…” He runs his hands down his sweaty face. “Those dreams…” He peers down at his blanket-covered self. “This isn’t a dream, right?” He fingers the velvety fabric of his blanket. “Nope, I can feel.”

With a sigh, Brandon crawls out of his hole in the wall and down the ladder, hopping onto the carpeted flooring.

After washing and dressing up, he pads down the hallway warily, ready to combat any signs of wackiness from Joseph singing happily to him himself fighting. Yet when he makes the bend slowly, he halts with wide eyes ahead.

Then lets out a well-needed sigh of relief.

The kitchen is empty, like how it is suppose to be.

So Brandon moseys through the living room and dining room then stops behind the island. He whips out the everyday breakfast, the only breakfast, he can make for the three.

Unfortunately, having Nick on food duty is not the brightest move to make, unless the two do not mind having their breakfast delayed for two hours.

Which they do mind.

Brandon takes out three bowls and spoons, a carton of milk, and a box of cereal. Milk, cereal, spoon: Cereal for breakfast is served.

“Breakfast is ready!” he calls out as he pushes the three bowls across the island’s granite surface.

Right away, Joseph comes stalking down the room. His eyes pierce through the room with his thin eyebrows lowered and his frown much more noticeable. His stare could almost kill anyone.

Brandon lets out a smaller sigh of relief as he feels his heart drop back to its normal rate. Yeah, that’s Joey all right. “Good,” he breathes out.

Joseph swings himself on the chair behind the island. He glares at the bowl of cereal, then back up at his roommate. “Who told you to make breakfast?” He then gets up and rounds the island to get to the refrigerator.

Instead of feeling upset of another bowl of cereal being made for nothing, Brandon actually feels grateful. He would rather have the regular, grumpy Joseph he knows of than the happy-go-lucky, blithesome Joseph his mind for some reason gave him. At least this Joseph sticks around with him.

A bewildered expression then crosses Brandon’s face. Wait, I have a dreamcatcher. Dreamcatchers are suppose to keep bad dreams away. What I had was far from a bad dream. How come I had a nightmare--TWO nightmares--with my dreamcatcher?

Brandon then senses himself being stared at. He flicks his eyes up, spotting Joseph giving him an incredulous expression while munching on a kremidopita on his seat. “Now you realize how terrible your cooking skills are?” he mumbles. He then tears another piece of the small hand-held pie with his teeth.

Brandon shakes his head. He must have been staring at the floor with trepidation. “I-I’ll be back…!”

He then rushes down room, makes the bend into the hallway, and streaks to Nick’s bedroom. He clamours back up to his small bedroom and crawls onto his mattress. He then kneels on his mattress, coming face-to-face with his dangling dreamcatcher.

“Sorry,” he mutters as he undoes the dreamcatcher’s string from the ceiling. “But, I got a nightmare, two nightmares, with you.” He brings the object down and places it delicately on the palm of his head. “Something’s wrong with this…” He then reaches over to his night table that is next to him, pulls open the drawer, and slips the dreamcatcher into the drawer.

Then with one last look, he pushes the drawer in, removing the cursed object from sight.

Notes

E.3 "Happy-rossa"
Part 3/4
Episode 3/20