𝓕𝓮𝓮𝓵𝓼 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮
ᴹⁱⁿⁿᵉˢᵒᵗᵃ ᴺᵒʳᵗʰ ˢᵗᵃʳˢ

❆₊˚｡౨ৎ₊˚｡❆

The Ducks entered the massive arena, eyes wide with awe as the North Stars players skated effortlessly across the ice, practicing for their upcoming game.

The sheer size of the rink, the bright lights, and the giant scoreboard looming overhead left them starstruck.

"Boy, this is great," Charlie murmured, his voice full of wonder.

Connie tugged on Juliet's arm, her eyes lighting up. "Guys, look! It's the North Stars!"

Jesse elbowed Peter. "Oh, man. That's Mike Modano!"

Connie leaned closer to Juliet, whispering, "Look at Mike Modano. Jules, he's even cuter in real life!"

Juliet wrinkled her nose, barely suppressing a laugh. "Okay, that's just disgusting now."

Connie rolled her eyes. "We just have opposite taste."

Juliet smirked, glancing pointedly at Guy, who was standing nearby. "Very opposite."

Connie followed her gaze and grinned. "Hey, Guy is cute!"

Juliet snorted. "No, he isn't."

"I'm not gonna argue with you on this one," Connie said, shrugging.

Meanwhile, Goldberg was nearly bouncing with excitement. "This is too cool. I can't believe we're actually here!"

"This place is humongous," Connie said, spinning in a slow circle to take it all in.

Charlie glanced at Bombay, curiosity written all over his face. "What are we doing here?"

Bombay smiled at his team. "It's a little playoffs present. Enjoy it."

As the players finished their practice and began leaving the ice, two of them skated straight toward Bombay.

The Ducks collectively froze, their jaws practically hitting the floor.

"Hey, Gordo!" Mike Modano called out, a wide grin on his face. "Gordon Bombay, right?"

Bombay looked pleasantly surprised. "You remember me?"

"Of course!" Mike said, nodding. He turned to his teammate, Basil McRae. "This guy used to rule in Pee Wees."

Basil chuckled. "I heard you were a farmer."

Bombay laughed. "Not quite. I became a lawyer. But now I'm coaching Pee Wee, and this is my team, the Ducks." He gestured proudly to the group of kids staring up at the players like they were seeing gods.

"Ducks, this is Basil McRae and Mike Modano."

Mike grinned at the team. "Hey, Ducks! Listen to this guy. He knows what he's talking about." He turned back to Bombay. "If you ever want a shot, I'll get you a tryout in the minors."

Bombay looked stunned for a moment before nodding. "Thanks. I appreciate it."

"No problem," Mike said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Good luck, Ducks. Nice seeing you, Gordo."

The Ducks stood in stunned silence as the players skated away.

Juliet turned to Noah, her mouth hanging open. "Did that just happen?"

Noah chuckled at her expression, and Charlie, standing next to him, did the same.

"Alright, Ducks," Bombay said, clapping his hands together. "The ice is ours for a little while. Let's have some fun!"

With the ice cleared, the Ducks scattered to make the most of their time.

On one side of the rink, Charlie, Fulton, Noah, Adam, and Averman played a small, competitive game of hockey under Bombay's watchful eye.

Their shouts echoed in the arena as they passed the puck back and forth, laughing and teasing each other.

Guy and Connie skated hand in hand on the other side of the ice, Connie giggling as Guy tried to show off a new move, only to stumble slightly.

Jesse, Terry, Goldberg, Peter, Karp, and Tommy had set up their own mini-game, with Tammy keeping score from the sidelines.

Their laughter and competitive banter filled the air as they slid across the ice, determined to outscore each other.

In the center of the rink, Juliet was lost in her element, performing a graceful figure skating routine.

Her movements were fluid and elegant, her spins and jumps capturing everyone's attention.

Slowly, the noise of the games died down as one by one, the Ducks stopped what they were doing to watch her.

Charlie stood still, mesmerized, his gaze never leaving Juliet as she finished her routine with a final, flawless spin.

Noah, standing nearby, noticed Charlie's expression and smirked knowingly.

When Juliet finally stopped, she realized everyone was clapping for her. Blushing furiously, she bowed dramatically, as if she were onstage at a theater.

Skating over to Noah, she muttered, "That was embarrassing."

Charlie skated over with a big smile. "You're really good, Jules."

Juliet couldn't help but smile back and blush slightly . "Aw, thanks, Char."

Noah chuckled to himself, watching the interaction with amusement.

The puck dropped, and the Minnesota North Stars exploded into action against the Hartford Whalers.

The air in the arena was electric, thick with the sound of skates slicing the ice, the thud of bodies hitting the boards, and the roaring cheers of die-hard fans.

The Ducks, sitting in their two neatly organized rows, were spellbound, their eyes glued to the ice.

Juliet shifted in her seat, practically vibrating with excitement.

Her attention flicked to the massive Jumbotron hanging above the rink, and her jaw dropped. "Guys, look up there!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the surrounding noise.

The entire team craned their necks toward the screen, where bold, glowing letters scrolled across:

"WELCOME GORDON BOMBAY AND THE DUCKS."

For a moment, there was silence as the realization hit. Then, chaos erupted.

"That's us!" Jesse hollered, jumping out of his seat and pumping his fist.

"Yeah, Bombay!" Averman added, cupping his hands around his mouth to amplify his voice.

Bombay, seated in the middle of the group, smiled sheepishly, giving the kids a modest wave, though a hint of pride sparkled in his eyes.

The game carried on, and the Ducks settled back into their seats, though the excitement still bubbled under the surface.

The players darted across the ice in a blur of green, white, and blue, the puck zipping between sticks like a silver bullet.

Juliet glanced to her right, where Connie sat beside her.

She raised an eyebrow as she noticed Connie's hand intertwined with Guy's.

Connie's face was locked on the game, oblivious, but Guy caught Juliet's gaze and flashed her a smug grin.

Juliet leaned toward him, mouthing, "Real smooth."

Guy shrugged, his grin widening as he mouthed back, "You know it."

Connie, still blissfully unaware of the exchange, suddenly clapped her hands as a player broke away toward the goal.

"Come on!" Charlie leaned forward, his voice taut with anticipation. "Make the shot!"

"Do something!" Terry echoed from the row in front.

On the ice, Mike Modano snatched the puck and cut through the Whalers' defense like a hot knife through butter.

His movements were fluid, a masterclass in precision and control.

Juliet felt the tension rise like a wave, her body leaning forward instinctively.

"Oh, fuck," she whispered, grabbing Charlie's arm as Modano lined up his shot.

The puck flew off Modano's stick with a deafening crack, sailing past the Whalers' goalie and into the back of the net.

The arena erupted, the goal horn blaring as the North Stars took the lead.

"Yes!" Juliet screamed, leaping to her feet with her arms thrown high.

Around her, the Ducks did the same, their cheers blending into the cacophony of the crowd.

"Way to go, Modano!" Averman shouted, clapping furiously.

Charlie, caught in the heat of the moment, grabbed Juliet's hand and squeezed it.

She looked up at him, startled at first, but then her face softened into a warm smile.

Bombay, standing at the edge of their row, noticed the interaction.

His eyes twinkled with amusement as he smirked knowingly at Charlie.

He said nothing, letting the moment play out, but his expression was clear: Nice move, Conway.

The Ducks, still buzzing from the goal, broke into a chant, their voices echoing across the stands in perfect unison:

"Hey! Hey ! Hey"

Juliet couldn't help but laugh as she joined in, the sound blending seamlessly with the roaring crowd.

Around her, her teammates were a blur of waving arms and unbridled joy.

The arena lights reflected off the ice like glittering diamonds, casting the team in a warm, golden glow.