AAOOOSC! Rivalry!

In the white-coloured, average cafeteria, the four power players are sitting around a table on benches, munching on submarine sandwiches as their lunch.

One one side next to Hilary, Emily is babbling about a story with her half-eaten submarine in the air and her free hand making motions:

“And then, we were all stylin’ and ridin’ in our holiday sweaters, ready for our video promo. Now the lines were extremely hard to memorize. And it was harder that the sweater was kinda itchy, like it itched right here” --she points her free hand toward her middle back-- “yeah right here, but the holiday spirit never fails!” She throws her free hand up in the air along with her other occupied hand.

Across from her, Nicole swallows and points at her. “I’d give that video an award. It’s up there with the Sharks.”

Emily’s eyes light up. “Really?”

“Yeah!” The goalie straightens up with a smile. “I love you guys’ enthusiasm!”

Emily gives her a massive, toothy grin. “Aw, thanks, Nikki!”

“That video was something else,” Hilary mutters with raised eyebrows.

Directly across from the Master, Katie holds her index finger in the air. “I conjecture that if it was further planned out, maybe with a compelling plot, it would’ve been better.” She rotates her hand in the air. “The lighting was a tid bit off and there was a lack of synchronism with the dance number.” She places her arms back on the table. “Other than that, it was fine.” She then takes a bite from her submarine.

Emily beams at her. “Thanks!” She then faces the others. “But anyway, when we were about to shoot the--”

Ring ring ring ring ring ring! a ringing sound is heard buzzing in the air.

Hilary immediately drops her submarine lifts her wrist to her eye level, getting a good look at her intercom. “It’s Dani.” She then presses a button on the side of the gadget and holds her fist out toward the middle of the table.

A teal-tinted hologram of Dani standing up appears on top of the intercom.

“What’s up?” Hilary asks the founder with a nod as the others stare at the hologram attentively.

“Terrible news has just broken out,” Dani begins as static flows through her. “Sami and I couldn’t reach an agreement to merge as one league, therefore we’re forced to cancel both of our leagues.”

The four ladies’ jaws instantly drop as their eyes grow as wide as pucks.

“WHAT?” Hilary spits out.

Katie stuffs half of her submarine into her mouth.

Emily lets out a heavy sigh. “Well, time for Plan B: be an orca whale trainer.”

“Hey, no worries!” Nicole tells the others with optimism. “There are other women’s leagues we can go to like the one in Finland and England!” She throws an index finger in the air. “I also found out there’s one in China too! And maybe over time, our league will come back!” She flashes them a smile.

Hilary gawks at the hologram. “Wait, so...that’s it?”

Dani dips her head as she glitches. “Yes, I suppose.”

Emily frowns at the founder with slanted eyebrows and wide eyes. “This is hard stuff.” She turns to the others with a worried expression. “The orca whales are gonna eat me!”

“You’re not obliged to become an orca whale trainer,” Katie points out gently, her submarine already finished.

The small skater casts her eyes down. “That was my Plan B though…”

Nicole runs her fingers through her hair. “Aw man, which country to go to: Finland or England…?”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa” --Hilary waves her hand in front of her-- “it can’t end like this! We-we didn’t even get our database! We don’t even know who the true GWHP--”

“We both fall, Hilary,” Dani states sadly. “No one wins here.”

Everyone stares at the founder with different degrees of disappointment and sorrow.

Emily slumps in her chair with only her eyes up visible over the table. “I liked it better when the CWHLers robbed our database,” she mutters.

Nicole turns to the hologram. “We get packing?”

“I suggest you do.” Dani clasps her hands in front of her chest. “There’s nothing else to do here in Boston.”

“My home away from home…,” Hilary mutters with her eyes cast aside.

“Well, better get going!” Nicole stands up happily. “Ah, I love adventures!”

“Thank you for the news, Rylan,” Katie tells the owner with reverence. “It was a pleasure working with you.” She stands up as well and snatches the submarine’s wrapper from the table.

Dani nods her head. “Same to you all. I better go now. Goodbye.” With that, the hologram zaps into nothingness, leaving the four team-less power players behind.

Hilary shakes her head, her eyes on where the hologram once was. “No. It-it can’t end like this.” She snaps her eyes to the others. “Our careers--our PAYING careers--can’t come to an end like this.” She slams her fist against the table. “We were setting up for the second season!”

Emily shrugs. “Better luck next time.”

Nicole places a hand on the Master’s shoulder. “Hey, see this as an opportunity: we can explore new places, meet new friends, and maybe this will become a great event after all!” She ends with a bright smile.

“Thank you for the enthusiasm, Stock,” Hilary grumbles with a scowl ahead.

“I’m all stocked up on it!” The goalie gives her a thumbs up. “Get it?”

Emily points to her excitedly. “I get it!” She bursts into fits of giggles.

“These puns ought to go…,” Katie mutters sternly from next to the other goalie.

Ring ring ring ring ring ring!

Ring ring ring ring ring ring!

Ring ring ring ring ring ring!

Ring ring ring ring ring ring!

The four ladies peer at their own intercom since they are all ringing.

“‘Unknown caller,’” Emily reads from her intercom’s digital screen. “That’s an odd name…”

“Someone not registered in the intercom system is calling,” Katie explains with her eyes on her intercom.

Nicole flicks her eyes up at the goalie. “Should we answer it?”

“Yes.” Hilary presses a button on the side of the gadget and holds her fist out in front of her.

On top of the intercom, a teal-tinted hologram of a young man appears. He has his dark-shaded hair brushed back, revealing his large forehead, and soft eyes; his attire consists of a light-coloured, long-sleeved, button-up, collared shirt, a belt, dress pants, and dress shoes.

All the ladies gasp at the sight of the man.

“It’s-it’s-it’s…,” Emily stutters with fright.

Nicole knits her eyebrows at him. “You look awfully familiar.”

“Guys,” Katie states flatly to the others, “it’s Auston Matthews.”

Emily scrunches her eyebrows at the goalie. “Who’s he?”

“NHL’s number one draft pick of 2016,” they hear Auston Matthews’s sophisticated, arrogant-toned voice saying.

They revert their attention back to his hologram self.

Auston clears his throat with his fist to his mouth. “Ahem.” He then begins pointing to each one. “Knight, Pfalzer--yes, I got the pronunciation right--Stock, and Fitzgerald.” He clasps his hands in front of his chest. “Greetings.”

Hilary narrows her eyes at him with suspicion. “What do you want, Matthews?”

Auston flicks his hand at her. “I’ll get there, I’ll get there.” He then turns to the others with a pitiful expression. “I see the sadness on each of your faces…”

Emily drops her jaw once again. “You know?!”

“Yes.” He nods his head dolefully. “The NWHL has been cancelled.”

“So has the CWHL!” the defenceman cries out, throwing her hands from her sides.

“Yes.” Auston purses his lips with a frown. “Practically speaking, ALL of professional women’s hockey has been cancelled.”

“Aren’t you sad about that?!” Emily wails, sounding like she is about to weep.

Auston glances at all four of them with a serious expression. He then suddenly breaks out into a wheezy laugh, swooping over and slapping his thigh. “HAHAHAHAAA!!!”

All the ladies exchange looks of bewilderment and uneasiness between each other.

He lets out a heavy sigh while straightening himself quickly. “Why should I be moping with you guys that your pathetic teams are gone when I was the one who staged them to be cancelled in the first place?!” he squeaks quickly before bursting into another round of laughter.

The ladies are now gawking at him.

“WHAT?” Hilary snaps in disbelief.

“How did you do that?” Emily cries out in surprise. “Were you there with Dani and Sami? What did they think about you being there? Why--?”

“You’re behind all this?” Katie questions sternly.

Nicole’s eyebrows shoot up. “Impressive! I would’ve never had guessed!”

Auston calms himself back down, running his fingers through his hair. “Yes, yes, put all the blame on me. I’m the one who put” --he shifts his voice into a goofy tone-- “professional women’s hockey” --he brings back his normal voice-- “in its rightful place: in nonexistence. You’re welcome.” He ends with a sickly smirk.

Hilary gives him a look of disgust. “Do you have something against women’s hockey?”

He shrugs, stuffing his hands in his pants’ pockets. “Eh, well, not really, except for the fact that hockey is a guys sport.” He shoots her a grave expression.

“Since when?!” Emily snaps incredulous.

Auston faces her. “Since it first originated!” He throws his hands out in the air as he begins listing: “The speed, the endurance, the hitting, the skill, it’s what guys only have. Girls playing hockey is an oxymoron--it’s like watching a bunch of turtles playing!”

“Maybe that’s because you had the slow motion on!” Nicole points out before laughing at her own joke.

Emily chuckles with her eyes on her. “Good one, Stock!”

Hilary glares at the young man. “Look, Mr. Matthews, I don’t care about your opinions--WE don’t care who you think should play hockey--but you have no right to cancel OUR leagues to support YOUR claim.” She jabs a finger at him.

Auston is now facing her. “Too bad, I already did.” He adjusts his shirt’s collar. “Yet, if you guys are all for ‘girls can play hockey too’ then wouldn’t you salvage your leagues?” He cocks an eyebrow at them.

Emily swishes her eyes from side to side warily. “But they’re gone already--?”

“Shhh!” Hilary presses her index finger against her lips with eyes on the other skater. “I think he’s leading us onto something.”

Auston nods his head. “Oh yeah, I am.” He throws his index finger in the air. “I’ll tell you this: Find me, battle against me, and whoever wins will get it their way.”

“Oooo, so you’re challenging us to find you for a four-on-one game?” Emily rubs her hands in excitement.

“Game?” He knits his eyes with a frown at her. “No, supernatural battle.”

Hilary raises her eyebrows at him. “You have powers?”

After tapping into her sense of strength to read Auston’s abilities, Katie turns to the Master and nods. “He does.”

“I do,” Auston confirms with a nod. “Since I know I’d cream ALL four of you girls in a game” --he slices his index finger across him, pointing to all four-- “I’ll make it fairer with powers, since you all have powers, right?”

“Yes, we do!” Nicole flashes him a bright smile.

“Very well.” He nods his head. “For now, having fun finding new jobs!” He gives them one final smirk before disappearing in a zap.

The ladies then revert their attention at each other.

“Who would’ve known that an eighteen-year-old is behind taking away our jobs?” Hilary states bitterly, pulling her arm back to her side.

Emily is now on her smartphone, swiping her finger vertically against the screen. “Well, he does retweet stuff against women’s hockey!”

Nicole frowns at the smartphone with crossed arms. “How rude.”

Katie then turns to the Master. “So what’s the plan: retrieve our database or retrieve our careers?”

“Well…” Hilary scratches her head. “Since the CWHL is apparently in the same boat as us, should we give them a call to see if they got Matthews’s memo?”

Notes