D2: The Mighty Ducks Novel

RETURN OF THE MIGHTY DUCKS

     "Did you all enjoy that?" asked Gordon between periods in the locker room.

     "YESSSSS!" the kids shouted back.

     "Okay," said Gordon. "Well, so did they. Because they're still up by three, and we're one period away from defeat."

     Jesse shrugged his shoulders. "If we can't beat them, we might as well keep our pride," he said.

     "That's not pride, Jesse," replied Gordon. "Sure, when Dwayne roped Olaf part of me cheered. Believe me, I wanted to cream that guy who busted my knee in the minors, too. And I really wanted to get Stansson back." He shook his head slowly. "My knee will heal. But if I become someone I'm not, if I sink to their level, I've lost more than my knee."

     The kids looked at each other. Gordon was making sense.

     "We're not goons," Gordon reminded them. "We're not bullies. No matter what other people say and do, we have to be ourselves."

     Gordon turned to Portman. "You," he said. "Who are you?"

     "Uh, Dean Portman."

     "From where?"

     "Chicago, Illinois."

     "Nice to know you." Gordon turned to Julie. "You! Who are you?"

     "Julie Gaffney, from Bangor, Maine."

     "And don't forget it," said Gordon. He turned again. "You?"

     "Luis Mendoza, Miami, Florida."

     Gordon turned from one player to the next until he had run through the roster.

     "That's right," he said finally. "And I'm Gordon Bombay from Minneapolis, Minnesota. We're Team USA. Gathered from all across America. And we're gonna stick together. Through thick and thin we'll fly together because. . ."

     "We're Ducks," said Jan, who had been standing in the doorway.

     "That's right," said Gordon. "So, when the wind blows hard and the sky is black?"

     "Ducks fly together!" shouted the kids.

     "And just when you think you're about to fall apart?" asked Ms. MacKay.

     "Ducks fly together!" came the answer.

     "When everyone says it can't be done?" asked Gordon.

     "DUCKS FLY TOGETHER!"

     "Now," said Jan as he walked in from the doorway. "New Ducks and old Ducks must unite under a new banner. I thought perhaps something... like this."

     Jan slowly opened his coat. He was wearing a new-style hty Ducks jersey. The kids roared their approval. Jan brought in two boxes of jerseys. The kids went crazy.

     "Win or lose," said Gordon, "we go out like Ducks. Mighty Ducks."

     The Mighty Ducks skated out onto the ice to begin the third period. They wore their new jerseys proudly. The crowd cheered wildly when they saw them.

     Coach Stansson objected to the uniform change, but according to the rules there was nothing he could do about it. To divert attention from the Ducks, he began to lead the Vikings in their team chant. The Ducks replied by quietly intoning their own, whispering at first, but gradually building it into a loud crescendo of  "QUACK! QUACK! QUACK! QUACK! QUACK! QUACK! QUACK! QUACK!" The audience enthusiastically joined in, drowning out the Vikings chant.