Every team has their members and their colors but the most important part of any team is their mascot. The mascot is in the background cheering from the sidelines to raise their team’s spirit. While Bryan High has Thor the Viking, the Norseman staff has their own mascot – one that has been around since I joined the Norseman Staff my sophomore year.

His name is Phranklin Prime lll. Not Franklin with an “F”, but Phranklin with a Ph. Prime, because, like Optimus Prime, he is a transformer, being both a pillow and a pet. III, because the Norseman staff is just that nerdy and 3 is, in fact, a prime number.

Phranklin’s story dates back 3 years ago and is one of grace and pride. While on patrol in the halls of the school, Legolas, our sentry, now found in the window overlooking, found Phranklin overturned, struggling to return to his feet. Legolas helped Phranklin off his shell, and he immediately felt great affection and gratitude towards Legolas. It was then that Phranklin pledged his unfaltering loyalty to Legolas and the Norseman Staff.

“How can I repay your kindness?” Phranklin asked.

“I shall explain on the way.” and with that, Legolas lead Phranklin to a safe haven. Room 6160. On the way, Legolas told of the strange beings he pledged to protect after stumbling upon the great Dominydore. Having nowhere to go after his homeland was destroyed by Tigers, Dominydore agreed to let this warrior reside in her room and in return, alongside the Vikings, he would protect the Norseman staff from the same savage Tigers that destroyed his former life.

When Phranklin finally arrived and saw everyone from a tall giraffe to a he was dumbfounded.

“How can so many beings with different personalities live in harmony?”

Dominydore explained of all the poor souls there were lost in life. They didn’t have a path to follow, for they were so different. They asked for her help and she guided them to a place where everyone had their strange ways, but nobody judged them. “Still, they feel they are being treated unfair,” Dominydore said. “We have no mascot for our ragtag group.”

“We’ve had others try to become the mascot,” Legolas said, “But unfortunately, no one could pass the test – To watch guard while sitting on the couch of slumber for a straight 48 hours. Countless have tried, but no one could get past the couch’s plushines.”

Phranklin quickly saw an opportunity that he couldn’t pass up and accepted the challenge.

He had an advantage the others previous to him hadn’t. His shell prevented him from feeling the couches embrace.

On the end of day two, Phranklin returned and was praised. Everyone agreed Phranklin was more than capable of the responsibilities of being a mascot.

So this day, Phranklin has been apart of the Norseman family. When we need ideas, a friend, or just a pillow to rest our head on, Phranklin has been there for all of us. A mascot is more than just a person in a costume, they are the embodiment of who a team is and what they will one day become.