Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
July 11, 2017
Late Afternoon

A fist is held up to the wooden surface of a polished orange door. It bangs on it three, sturdy times then retracts out of view.

Sidney eyes the door in anticipation as he brings his fist back to his side. Next to him is John, who is looking ahead in a calm manner.

The clanking of the knob becoming unlocked and the jiggling of the knob itself is heard from the other side of the door as it is quivering. The door then swings open, revealing the wanted skater on the other side.

Toews appears to be himself, wearing a T-shirt with jeans, which contradicts with the other two skaters' super suits.

"Jonathan!" Sidney throws his hands up in the air. "We need you!"

Toews's eyes immediately fly open with shock. "Whoa...you guys are from another reality?"

Sidney promptly drops his hands and turns to John. "How does he know?"

"He does possess nigh-omnipotence," John replies placidly with raised eyebrows.

Sidney makes an "o" with his mouth. "Ohhh..." He slowly turns back to face Toews. "Right."

"How did you guys get here?" Toews continues asking, gripping onto the doorjamb. "Realities are not supposed to be crossing each other like this."

"McDavid," John states, waving his hands in front of him. "He fabricated his individualized physical existence. This is not the veritable physical existence." He points to him. "We necessitate you to regress this physical existence to the veritable physical existence."

Toews appears taken aback with a slight frown and wide eyes. "But this is the actual reality. Nothing's changed..."

Sidney lifts his eyes up to John and whispers, "He's from this reality, so that's maybe why he thinks this is the real reality."

John shakes his head at the skater. "Tsk, tsk, tsk..." He steps up to him and places a firm hand on his shoulder. "Smalls, this might dawn on you as being cockamamie, but this isn't the veritable physical existence."

Toews has narrowed eyes at him as he processes the said information. "The true reality is better, eh?"

"Much better!" Sidney exclaims from behind John. "The Penguins actually win back-to-back!" He holds two hands up in the air.

John peers behind his shoulder and down at the skater. "That's not an iota of preference." He turns back to Toews. "You are the victor of the Cup thrice."

Toews gives him a look of happy surprise. "Whoa! Really? No way!" His face drops into confusion. "What about the Oilers, though? They win all the time."

"Oh man, they hadn't won since Gretzky's time!" Sidney answers, flicking his hand aimlessly across him.

Toews reverts his gaze back at John. "Oilers don't win that much in your reality then, eh?"

John nods his head. "Not latterly. Taking into account the Islanders." He purses his lips at the miserable inadequacy of his team.

Sidney then bounds up next to John, gazing up at Toews. "So, do you want to make things go back to normal?" He holds his hands out from his sides.

Toews lifts his eyes up in a deep thought while rubbing his chin. "Well, I consider THIS normal, but your reality sounds a whole lot better." He reverts his gaze back at John. "You'd actually help me change this reality?"

John nods his head genuinely. "That's correct, kid."

"Wow." Awe fills Toews's face. "I never knew you, John, would give me permission to do such a drastic change!"

"There are aberrations," John replies dryly, clasping his hands behind his back.

"Then in that case—" Toews nods his head with a small smile. "—I'll help you guys out."

"Yes!" Sidney pumps his fists in the air. "We can finally get outta here and defeat Connor!"

Toews's eyebrows instantly shoot up. "'Defeat Connor'? He can't be defeated—he's the NHL ruler here forever. No one can take his place."

Sidney drops his fists and eyes him with concern. "But weren't you the NHL ruler?"

"Before he came into the NHL." He shrugs. "I still have the NHL ruler's powers, but I'm not the NHL ruler."

John nods his head with an intrigued expression. "Surprising McDavid entitled you to retain possession of your extramundane potentialities."

Toews nods his head from side-to-side. "Yeah, well, he mastered his full power, so even if I try to do anything to do, he'd roast me."

"Not when you manipulate reality!" Sidney exclaims, hooking his arm across himself.

"Ugh!" Toews instantly stuffs his fingers in his hair. "That's right! I have to master reality manipulation!" He drops his hands with a weary expression. "Don't you know how long that'd take?"

"If McDavid can effectuate it, you can effectuate it," John states, lowering his index finger at him.

"And we'll definitely help you!" Sidney gives him a massive grin. "Although we don't have powers as great as yours, we'll do anything to help out!"

Toews lets out a sigh of relief. "Thanks for the encouragement, guys." He begins scooting back into his house to the rhythm of his voice. "But it will take a long time. A really, really long time." He halts on the other side of the doorway.

John steps closer to him. "I'll assist you at this moment." He holds his hand out toward the interior of the house. "May I?"

Toews slowly nods his head. "Alright. Yeah." He then slides out of the way.

John ambles into the house and through its foyer. Toews rushes up from behind him to lead the way.

Sidney darts to the doorway and pokes his head into the dusky inside. "I'll go get the others!"

He then turns around, speeds down the porch steps, and halts in the middle of the cobblestone pathway, which cuts through the front lawn. He whirls to his left, spotting the rest of his group loitering on the grass, conversing with each other.

"Come on, boys and girls!" Sidney shouts at them, swinging his hand behind his shoulder as a signal to move. "Let's go inside! Jonathan is helping us!"

"Oh, goodie!" Jake exclaims, jumping in the air for joy. "We can finally get outta here!" He pulls Brett into a tight hug, rubbing his cheek against his hair. "Aren't you so happy?!"

"Yes," Brett wheezes. "But let's not celebrate yet..." He slowly pulls his bestie away from him.

Jake continues holding his smile at him as they follow the group up the front yard, through the porch, and into the house.

Kale is about to step into the house when a realization comes across his face. He peers behind his shoulder, spotting Reid trudging up the stairs of the porch.

"Come on, Duker." Kale jogs back to him to align himself with his friend. "This isn't a hard flight of stairs to go through."

Reid takes in a deep breath as he watches himself take another step up. "Yeah."

Kale eyes him in silence as they gradually make their way up to the porch. "Are you okay?"

He steps again, one step closer to the landing. "I'm fine."

Kale takes the same step after him, holding his gaze at him. "You've been quiet lately coming and waiting out here."

Reid lifts his leg up to the landing and pulls himself onto it. "I know."

Kale aligns himself with him again; he gives him a concern look. "What's up?" He nudges his shoulder.

"The sky we'll be under forever," Reid answers bitterly as he brushes past him.

With bewilderment at his reply, Kale follows him with his eyes, watching him stride straight into the house and leave him behind.