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The whole team sat in the Cardinals' locker room, Coach Bombay had called them in early to have a special talk.
Casey sat next to Charlie, as per usual and they both looked up at her dad as he started to hold up the new jersey, some of the boys snickered, causing the older Bombay's smile to fade just a bit.
"Man what brander came up with that stupid name." Peter said, laughing.
"Actually, I did." The coach said putting down the jersey. "I didn't have a choice, we're being sponsored."
"By who? Donald and Daisy?" Averman said, causing everyone to laugh, even Casey.
"Hey! You don't wanna be ducks? you would rather be District-5? A stupid number?" Gordon asked them, hoping they would go for the animal.
"Better than some stupid animal." Peter retorted back, Casey rolled her eyes at the boy who always had something to say.
"I'll have you know Peter, that the duck is one of the most noble, agile and intelligent creatures of the whole animal kingdom." Gordon went on to explain.
"They don't even have teeth." Guy exclaimed.
"Either do hockey players." Casey pointed out, helping her dad on persuading the team to like the new name.
"Thank you!" Casey's dad said, glad someone was on his side, "have you ever seen a flock of ducks flying in perfect formation? Pretty awesome how they stick together. Ducks never say die." He finally finished off, slipping off his coat to reveal his own jersey.
Giggles filled the room, "I'm proud to be a duck, and I'm proud to fly with any one of you. Who's a duck?" The coach asked the kids, it was silent for a moment till Fulton stepped in,
"I'll be a duck." He said, stepping forward and smiling over at Casey, since she was the one to convince him to join the team. She smiled back, nodding.
And as everyone join in, Bombay held everyone up, "Wait, wait, I have another thing to announce, I'll like to call up my daughter." He said.
Casey looked over at him confused, this wasn't in what he rehearsed to her before they left the house... she stood up and walked over to her dad, her hands on her hips, still very confused.
Her dad clapped his hands on her back and gave them a little squeeze, "This young lady has been helping us all through our conditioning, and it's safe to say she's made us a better team, so I would like to proudly announce my daughter, Casey Bombay, our new team manager." He said, the whole team smiled at the thought of Casey having at least a name on the team.
They all clapped and whooped for her while she stood in shock, a big smile took over her face, she was happy, really happy. Gordon pulled out a jersey and extended it out to his daughter, "so what do you say? Wanna be the Ducks' new manager?"
Casey giggled, "yeah, I mean I guess." She said jokingly, her dad handed the jersey to her, number three, her very own number. (au:gif)
The rest of the team came up to grab their own jerseys, congratulating her as they did.
This was the happiest she's ever been in a while.
•••
After the tied game, Gordon took Casey over to Harv's, apparently he had spent a lot of time there when he was a kid, Casey enjoyed hearing about her dads younger days.
She sat behind the counter, swinging her short legs from the stool she sat on, she was reading the multiple news articles and posters that were hung upon the wall.
"You beat the Huskies, you make the playoffs." Casey heard Harv say, but kept on reading the wall, she found one that had the lake on it, where she had met the team, and as she looked closer she saw that at the bottom of the poster her house, and the boundary read District-5.
She smiled, knowing that even now if she were to play hockey she would be a Duck.
"Their a tough team, nothing's changed since I've left the team." Casey heard her dad say, she didn't have to be a genius to know that they were talking about the Hawks.
But of course, Casey had to correct her dad when he was wrong, "Actually dad, one little kinda has changed," she said facing him then back to the poster, pointing at it. "You wouldn't have even been a Hawk now, I'm guessing the re-did the lines recently. So, looks like the lake isn't the boundary anymore." Casey looked back at her dad as he looked at the poster.
Harv smiled down at the young girl, she reminded him so much of how Gordon was when he was little. "You'd be a Duck." Harv told them both as Gordon realized they had a chance.
Casey didn't realize that her dad was forming a plan, a plan that would be bringing a certain Hawk who lived two houses down, to becoming a mighty Duck.
•••
authors note: sorry I haven't updated ! schools back from winter break and I've been working hard haha ! but next chapter should be a good one :)
