AAOOOSC! Junior Powers!

To The Purpose

The six young hockey players stare at the four older holographic men with different degrees of shock.

"Wh-what is going on?" Matteo manages to squeeze out in stutters.

Tommy gives him a warm smile. "We should first introduce ourselves." He places a hand on his translucent blazer-cladded blue chest. "I'm Thomas Patrick Gorman, if you want my fancy name. Yet, you can call me 'Tommy' for short. I am the founder of the NHL."

Kailer knits his eyebrows at him. "Wasn't the NHL founded in 1917?"

Tommy nods his head. "Correct."

"So how are you still existing?"

"Oh, I have already passed." The NHL founder waves his hand aimlessly. "Yet I am still here, hence my appearance." He holds his arms out from his sides, showing his holographic aspect.

"Ah." The small skater eyes him with raised eyebrows. "Fascinating."

From Tommy's left, Ed steps up toward the hockey players. "I am Ed Chynoweth, the founder of the CHL." He holds out toward each of the CHLers. "Mr. Yamamoto, Mr. Clague, Mr. Howden, Mr. Pietroniro: glad to have you under my leagues."

Harold then steps more into view from Tommy's other side. "And I am Harold Anderson, founder of the USHL." He just his chin toward Jeremy. "Good afternoon, Mr. Swayman."

"Hey." Jeremy gives him an uneasy wave.

President Roosevelt lines up to Ed, since he is next to him. "And I am President Theodore Roosevelt, the founder of the NCAA." He holds a hand out toward the tallest hockey player. "My power player representative from Boston University is Jake Oettinger."

Jake gasps with excitement, stuffing his stick horizontally between his leg pads and pants. "Teddy!" With his now free hand, he slides his helmet from his face, revealing his enlivened expression. "I'm a big fan of you! I read all about you in my history books!"

Kailer eyes the four founders in suspicion. "Who is even actually deceased then?"

Tommy clasps his hands behind his back. "Now, I shall explain to you young gentlemen as to why you are here. We all called you together in this rink not to play stick and puck, although it sounds fun to do. We brought you here to inform you about your powers."

The hockey players' eyes grow wide.

"How do you know?" Kale asks under his breath.

"We bestowed them to you," Ed replies, apparently hearing Kale's question. "We chose you to have powers—specific powers—for a reason."

"That's so cool!" Jake bellows, pumping his gloved hands in the air.

Tommy adds on with a hand out from his side: "And your powers have a purpose to be used! Which is what we shall discuss right now." He drops his hand, becoming slightly more serious. "We have brought you here to form a supernatural society of junior—and collegiate—power players to battle against the evil forces of the supernatural universe. In other words: you young men are the guardians—"

"—OF THE GALAXY!" Jake interrupts loudly. "I love that movie!"

"Of the junior and collegiate galaxy," Ed corrects, "if you wanna put it that way."

Tommy waves his hands in front of him, attempting to guide everyone back on track. "Literally speaking, you men are the guardians of your leagues, protecting them against villains."

"There are villains?" Kailer asks, eyeing them.

"There can be." The NHL founder begin to pace in front of the row of hockey players, defying the slippery surface of the ice. "They can be anyone posing a threat to your leagues. That is why you must be in a society to defend your league against them at any time: the Good Junior Hockey Players' Society or the GJHP."