How AAOOOSC! Got Started!

Chapter 20 The New Teammate

"You're whaaaaaaat, dude?!" Patrick gaped at Antti.
Brian, Antti, and Patrick are all gathered at Brian's house, where Antti just told them that he was being traded to the Shaks.
"I"m being traded," Antti repeated, answering Patrick's loud question.
"Oh no, man, you can't! The team'll miss you, dude!!!" Patrick cried.
Antti sighed. "Sorry, Patrick, but it's something that has to happen. I didn't want it to happen either."
"You'll do fine without him, Patrick," Brian came in. "But you guys are still gonna be together since you're both in the GHP with me."
"That's right, man..." Patrick's blue eyes widen with awe. "...we're still gonna be together, dude! Yea!" He brought his fist down slowly.
"But we can still be in contact with our intercoms when we're apart--don't forget about those," Brian told them.
"Don't worry, I still have mine." Antti rolled up his sleeve, revealing it.
"Oh, man those things are so much fun, dude ! Now I can track Jon man!"
"Jon? Who's Jon?" Brian made a confused look.
"Jon! Jonathan! Jonathan Toews, dude! He goes to interesting places, man...."
"Typical," Antti muttered.
"The purpose of the intercom is not to track your teammates or family members down, Patrick. Stop messing around with 'em--they aren't cheap to replace." Brian gave Patrick a grave look.
"At least it's in good condition, dude." Patrick patted his intercom that was wrapped around his wrist. "So you're now going to San Jose, Antti man?"
"Yup. I leave tonight."
"Gonna miss you, dude." Patrick reached over and patted Antti's shoulder.
"Same here. But we'll see each other, no doubt about that."
"Yup, man." Patrick got up. "Well, gotta go, dudes, I have a Jon to catch." He began to make his way to the door.
"What?" Brian turned around, facing Patrick.
Patrick turned around. "Jon thinks it's okay to go to my house and borrow my stuff without permission, man. I think it's not okay, dude. Just because he has the keys doesn't mean the stuff inside the house is his, man...."
"How do you know he's at your house?"
"By this, dude." Patrick held up his arm perpendicular to his body and pointed to his intercom. "Bye, man." He walked out of the house.
Brian turned back to Antti. "So you're fine with going to San Jose?"
"Yea, since you know, there's no stopping it and we can still be in contact."
"Okay, I'm glad you're doing well with it. You should get going now."
Antti got up. "Okay. Thanks, Brian."
"Any time. Glad I can help."
Antti began to walk to the door when Brian said, "Wait, one question."
Antti turned around on his heels. "Yes?"
"How do you say 'Thank you' in Finnish?"
"Kiitos."
"Kee-toes?"
"Yea, kiitos."
"Huh, sounds like 'Cheetos.' Kiitos..." Brian chuckled. "That's cute. Alright you can go now, that was just something that was on my mind."
"That's fine, you can ask me about Finnish words. Good bye." Antti left Brian's house.
"Kiitos...," Brian muttered. "...kiitos, kiitos, kiitos...."

"I'm glad that you can make it to our team," Coach Todd McLellan of the San Jose Sharks told Antti as they were walking down the SAP Center's hallway that led to the locker room.
"Oh, it's a pleasure," Antti said.
"But I should warn you about the teammates... They're a bit...rowdy."
"Rowdy? Like in Flyers' rowdy?"
"No, no, no, no, those are the fans. We're talking about the teammates here. They're just loud...but great to work with at the same time." McLellan stopped at the door that led to the locker room. "Here is the locker room, I'll bring you in." He walked into the bright locker room with Antti besided where all the Sharks were suiting up for practice. "Okay, guys, we got our new goalie. Please welcome Antti Niemi!"
All the Sharks turned to look at Antti. "NEMOOOO!!!"
"Wait, Nemo?" Antti made a puzzled look.
"Yea, they make nicknames for every player. I guess your's is Nemo." McLellan chuckled at the name. The Sharks ran up to Antti and began to greet him and tell him their names and nicknames.
"Holda, holda, holda," shouted Joe Thornton. "I thought we agreed on 'Rico' as Antti's nickname!"
"No, we all like Nemo!" Logan Couture snapped. "You're the only one who agreed on Rico!"
"Fine." Joe crossed his arms. "You guys can call him Nemo all you want, but I'm gonna call 'im Rico!"
"That's better than all of us calling him Rico," Joe Pavelski told his teammates.
"Do you like Nemo as your nickname?" Tommy Wingels asked Antti.
"Oh, it's cute, I'll stick with it."
"What about Riiiiiicooooo?" Ryane Clowe asked for Joe.
"I don't mind both of them; they're both good."
"Ha, see, I can call 'im Rico if I like," Joe pointed out. "Thanks for asking, Clowebot."
"Okay, Antti, you can go get ready." McLellan patted Antti's back and Antti walked over to the shelf that had his last name on it with his new Sharks goalie equipment and jersey. "Practice starts in eight minutes! Get ready!" He walked out of the room.
"Whoa..." Antti looked at his Sharks jersey. "I'm gonna have to get use to wearing blue and orange."
"They're cool colors," someone next to Antti told him.
Antti looked down and saw his new goalie buddy strapping one of his leg pads to his leg. "Oh, yes, they're...an interesting color combination."
"You're Finnish, right?"
"Yes, why?"
The goalie pointed to his lastname that was on his shelf; it read 'Niittymaki.' "Olen suomalainen samoin."
(I'm Finnish as well.)
"Ai kiva, että on hyvä tietää. Mikä on nimesi?" (Oh nice, that's good to know. What's your name?)
"Antero. Ja sinun nimesi on Antti; se on jotain, jota ei saa hukata." (And your name is Antti; that's something that couldn't be missed.)
Antti chuckled. "Kyllä... Pidätkö täällä?" (Yes.... Do you like being here?)
"Ai niin, tämä on hyvä joukkue on sisään. Pidät siitä, luota minuun." (Oh yea, this is a great team to be in. You'll like it, trust me.)
"Okei, uskon sinua. Ja mikä tekee siitä entistä parempi on, että siellä on joku suomalainen täällä!" (Okay, I believe in you. And what makes it more better is that there's someone Finnish here!)
"Joo, jo oli aikakin!" (Yup, it's about time!)
They both laughed and continued talking in Finnish.
What a great way to start the day as a new teammate!