"Battle of Alberta, right? It was my first game: Calgary, Edmonton. We would play them in the preseason, and you know—trying to make the team I'd always be asking him to fight in preseason, always. I'd be runnin' my mouth—like, tryna fight the biggest, baddest guys, tryna make an impression.
And he would never fight me. He'd always tell me, like If you make the team, I'll fight ya. You don't have to worry about that, but I'm not fightin' ya preseason. And I totally respect it, I'm not gonna chase him down. It is what it is. He's established—I'm looking for my chance.
So I get called up, we're playing Edmonton in Edmonton: Battle of Alberta. [He's] over there on the other side, and it's like the coolest thing ever... you know, the buildup was crazy 'cuz I knew if the opportunity presented itself—if the game went the way I hoped it would, I would get an opportunity to fight him.
I remembered in warmups tryna skate by the redline initially just kind-of gettin' a feel for it—to see if I have to say something or whatever... He's got no bucket on, his big, bald head is glarin' around, he skates by the redline with the biggest smile on his face, and just gives me the biggest wink...
At that moment I knew Okay, he remembers. It's gonna happen at some point.
We were up 1, I think it was 2-1 going into intermission or whatever—Oh, no, I think it was 1-1 and we had just scored so the position I'm like Yeah, I don't know if I can fight him now because we have the momentum and we're winning the game. I don't want to lose a fight, then we lose a game and now I'm, like, never getting a chance again.
You kind-of gotta play the game within the game like [...] there's an opportunity to fight, and there's an opportunities where you shouldn't fight. Things weren't looking good, then they score and now we need a spark. I'm like Fucking perfect.
I just skate by their bench and I'm like It's time, big boy! He jumps out, we line up, and he goes We squarin' up or we goin' right away?
I'm like I'm not fuckin' squarin' up with you right now! We're goin' right away!
Drop em, we go right away, grab each other. I know he's a lefty so he's gonna let go—let's go of my right arm before he throws one. I threw one. Big boy went down, he jumped back up pretty quick. I don't know, I tell people all the time, I'm like I would've been in the league fuckin' 2 years earlier if there was good footage of this fuckin' fight!
For some reason—For some reason, the cameras cut out. I don't know if [he] had his cousins working the cameras or something that night, or if they're in the video room or what happened.
That was my first NHL game.
It's funny 'cuz Chucky was there—Chucky's there and he knows, he saw, he always laugh when I say that I would've been in the league earlier 'cuz he knows how things like that go. You get a little bit of energy and buzz around ya, and then kind-of momentum takes you a little bit further but unfortunate[ly], I missed that opportunity but I don't regret a thing.
[...]
The opportunity was there, I just—unfortunately, for whatever reason, the Hockey Gods said not yet." (Ryan Lomberg reminiscing over his first NHL game/fight) (x)(x) (please go watch the second link to see lombos giant smile as he tells this story jfc)
and other genuinely bonkers things to say about a hockey player in your first fight... like why did this need to be said like that...what
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powerlessness - lynette
[random writing event] - requested by anon | ((contains spoilers of arlecchino’s story quest))
She knew she shouldn’t be here. Father would not be happy if she found out. Lynette told herself it was only for the tea. It was good, after all, and quite novel too. This was the first time she heard of tea containing balled tapioca and being served cold. It was the only cafe in all of Fontaine. Still, if she had to be honest with herself, the unique tea paled in comparison to the real reason why she came.
“Oh, it’s you again!” You greeted with that familiar smile of yours. “Would you like to try a different one this time? The Strawberry Milk Tea is quite delicious.”
“Sure, that sounds nice,” she replied with a smile.
After paying, she took a seat at one of the tables placed inside the cafe, one that got her a good view of you dutifully making her order behind the counter. She made sure not to watch you overtly. It wouldn’t do any good to make you nervous. But in the corner of her eye, she couldn’t stop watching as you went about pouring tea from different pitchers and stirring different pots. You moved with grace as you always did.
Though Father called it “death,” in truth, you barely changed. The way you hummed while you worked was the same, as well as the way your eyes crinkled around the corners when you smiled. Even the way you moved your hands felt as if she had witnessed it time and time again. Everything you did was so… you. And yet, no longer were you the same person she once knew.
“Here’s your order, miss,” you called out as you placed her cup of tea, as well as a scone she did not order. But before she could argue, you winked with that cheeky smile of yours, “This one is on the house.”
You were already on your way behind the counter before she could refuse. After all, it was a lemon scone. Her favorite. That wasn’t something you should know, so how… She sighed and took a bite. There was no use putting much thought into it. She knew how Father’s flames worked. It burned away everything. So your gift was all by chance. That was all.
So if that was the case…
A tear fell. Then another.
How terrible she was for mourning you. She had no right. Though you would always smile so brightly at her, she couldn’t protect you. She wasn’t able to preserve your happiness. Before her eyes she watched as the House wore you down, inch by inch. Every day that passed the light in your eyes grew more and more dim. Then one day you broke.
And she could not do a thing.
In “death,” Father saved you. In “death,” you were resurrected back to life. You could smile now. You could sing. You could be anything you wanted to be. By all means, she should be happy. It was the best ending she could ask for, wasn’t it? But watching you here made her long for the person that’d always roll your eyes when she broke yet another machine, the you that’d laugh when she went in standby mode to escape. She wanted the you she grew up with. The you she loved.
“Miss, are you alright?” You asked, holding out a handkerchief.
Taking out one of her own, she nodded while wiping her eyes.
“I’m alright. Something got in my eye. You don’t need to worry about me,” she replied.
Her heart warmed by the way worry reflected so clearly in your eyes.
“Well… if there’s anything I can help you with, please let me know.”
Unable to deny your request, she found herself speaking before she even realized it. She couldn’t stop herself even if she wanted to.
“Are you happy here?”
Your expression scrunched in confusion as you pondered her question, but soon you came to your answer.
“Working here, you mean? Yes, I’m very happy here. Couldn’t ask for anywhere better to be.”
As you spoke, your eyes lit with life as a smile came to your face. It was undeniably the truth. So as much as her heart ached, she also couldn’t deny the relief that filled it as well.
“I’m glad.”
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