Icemare grabs the lower edge of his visor and pulls it up, pulling up the front part of his goalie helmet as well. Once the mask is settled on his head, the face behind the visor is fully revealed: round face, mellow, brown eyes, brown hair that is brushed to the side, some stubble around his chin along with pale skin.

“Or am I?” Dustin asks slyly.

His teammates gasp at him with massive eyes and dropped jaws.

---

Dustin gives him a sickening smirk. “Brandon Montour. Monty Muffins.” He then launches at Brandon and snatches his arm, pulling him away from his friends and toward the darkness.

“GAAAAHHHH!!!” Brandon cries out, holding out his free hand toward his teammates. “Help!”

“NO!” Joseph yells. He then rushes up to Dustin and lunges at him.

Right away, Dustin spins around to face the flying teammate and emits a blast of icy cold wind straight at him.

“GAH!” Joseph cries out as the ice strikes his eyes. He gets thrust backward due to the force, flinging back to his teammates.

“Joey!” Matt holds up his arms and catches him in a cradle position.

---

The card is displaying Bryan’s smirking headshot with all of his basic information in it. On the last line, are the words: Toronto Maple Leafs - National Hockey League - accepted - accomplished

Brandon knits his eyebrows at it. “Bryan...is in the...Leafs?” To get rid of the bafflement, he swipes to the next card.

This card has Joe’s smiley headshot is on the card, including his basic information and the words. The last words below are: IF Leksands - Swedish Hockey League - accepted - accomplished

“Joe’s going to Sweden?” Gawking, Brandon pulls up the next card.

This card has the nostalgic headshot of Max including his basic information and the words: Montréal Canadiens - National Hockey League - accepted - accomplished

Brandon’s jaw drops; he turns still. “Dustin...traded...Maxi…?” He peers at the other stacked cards he went through. “And he’s trading Joe and Bryan…?” He turns his gaze at the other cards he had not flipped through yet. “And he wants to trade...more?”

---

Standing in the doorway is Nick, Brandon’s teammate. He is also wearing a modern business suit just like the hostage, except he has a black tie and a majestic black cloak.

“Ni-Nicky?” Brandon stutters with shock. “Wh-wh-what are you doing here?”

“Getting closer to my ultimate dream,” he replies with a dreamy tone.

Nick sighs at the thought of the answer, lifting his eyes upward. “It’s a big dream, but I’m getting closer to it with every trade there is.” He clasps his hands in front of his chest. “I want to become the owner of the Anaheim Ducks…and turn it into the Anaheim Ritchies.” He lowers his eyes back down at him. “That’s my dream.”

Brandon aimlessly throws his hands in the air. “I can't believe this,” he mutters. “I just can't.” He eyes him sharply. “You traded Maxi...you want to trade the others...AND you knew about the curses all this time.” He shakes his head while stepping back from him. “No. No, Nick, I can't work with you to fulfill your dream. That's it.” He then breezes by him, striding toward the doorway.

---

Getting the message that Brandon will not listen to him, Nick halts with a somber expression. He then pulls his arm back, revealing a roaring ball of bright fire conjuring in his hands, and tosses the energy into the hallway.

The streak of fire blasts through the air, past Brandon, and suddenly expands, latching itself onto all four borders of the hallway into one rippling, radiant wall of orange fire.

“Get me out!” He steps toward it, yet immediately retracts, feeling the intense heatwaves emitting from it, rushing up his face. “Nick!” he shouts over the crackling of the walls of fire. “Get me out!”

---

“I’m blind…,” Joseph growls. “Tokarski made me BLIND!!!” He launches out ahead of him like as if Dustin is right in front of him.

---

Before Brandon could conceal the telescope, an idea pops into his mind: Nicky has powers. I should have powers to be on the same level as him. This can give me powers…

With a small smile, Brandon returns to the cursed telescope and places his whole hand over the lens. He then removes his hand and holds it out before him. He makes his hand into a fist, stares at it with hope, then opens it. Instantly, fire bursts from the palm, crackling and popping without making a single mark on him.

With his smile growing, he closes his hand, extinguishing the fire.

---

Inside, Nick is gawking at the sight of his supernatural-appearing friend. “You can fly.”

“Thanks to one of Dustin's curses.” Brandon crosses his arms. “I'm not trading anyone else. I'm not furthering the damage.” He lifts his eyes back up at him. “And you're not gonna trade anyone else.”

With that, the flames beneath his shoes burn brighter and propel him out of view.

---

Brandon taps his fork by the edge of his plate. “That he wanted to take over the Ducks. And rename them to the ‘Ritchies.’"

“And how is he going to make the ‘Anaheim Ritchies’ an actual thing?” Joseph asks.

“By trading most of us,” Brandon answers with his eyes on him.

“Like Dustin,” Ryan breathes out in realization.

“That's why they're working together,” Brandon concludes with his hands out in front of him.

“Wait, ‘most of us’?” Stu knits his eyebrows at him. “Who does Ritch have compassion for if he wants the whole Ducks’ organization?”

Brandon shifts in his seat, stuffing his hands underneath him. “Um...me.”

---

“I want you,” Dustin starts growling, “to get Brandon back and make him propose his trade to Buffalo again.”

Without moving, Nick states, “I don't wanna trade Monty. I don't wanna do this anymore, not with Monty being traded.” He then turns away from him and exits the room.

---

Dustin taps on the table and hunches over the table, becoming closer to it. He then says lowly, “Troppster. You’re in.”

---

Brandon opens the front door, spotting who is on the other side. His eyes immediately fly open.
On the other side is Nick with his typical small smile.

“Hey, Monty,” he says in his warm, dull voice. “Am I still welcomed here?”

Notes

Recap of E.18 "The Ones Behind It All"