height
They pounded the pavement, Sela and Dan attempting to keep up with the longer strides of their white haired companion.
"Not so tough outside of a Big Foot, are you?" Iceman taunted over his shoulder as he easily bounded down the court, the ball flying from his fingertips. He effortlessly scored another , bringing the score from 2-1 to 3-1. Then, as Dan finally caught up, the taller man jumped, slamming the ball into the net in a perfect slam dunk.
"Iceman!" The redhead growled, lunging for the taller man. "You - "
"Dan!" Sela interrupted. "Can we take a break?" Her sentence was labored and her breathing heavy.
"Of course not! The game ain't over yet!" Without looking at either of his companions, Dan grabbed the ball and started towards the other side of the court, ignoring his own physical state. He only stopped when he realized that neither of his companions had listened. Sela and Iceman had already started for the sidelines, ignoring Dan as per usual.
The perceived insult, added to the sting of Iceman's arrogance only infuriated Dan more. He started to demand his team return to the court, but as he opened his mouth the would twisted, and the young man hit the ground. The last thing he saw before he blacked out was his friends running towards him, just as he had asked.
----
Iceman reached Dan first, pausing to check his pulse before hoisting the boy to his shoulders and carrying him off the field.
"He passed out." Was all the explanation he gave to Sela. It was hardly an uncommon occurrence on the courts. Dan had a tendency to push himself past his limits; what he needed now was rest and a few minutes in the shade.
The two remaining teammates packed up and headed home, Iceman carrying Dan and Sela carting the bags. They walked in silence for a few minutes before Iceman finally spoke. His tone was concerned rather than patronizing, the shift only possible with Dan's 'sleep'.
"Neither of you were preforming well today." The statement was blunt, causing Sela to wince slightly.
"You're right."
"Why?"
They walked in silence for a minute before Sela respond. "You were right, you know, about us being 'not so tough outside a Big Foot'". A bag was hefted more firmly onto her shoulder. "Both of us are much better at basketball when we've got our mech."
Iceman glanced at her quizzically. "But your techniques are good..."
"And that's what make us good at BFB. But on the court..." She trailed off, looking down.
"What?" He prompted her.
"Damnit, Iceman! You're tall!" She burst out, then slammed her mouth back shut, leaving her companion shocked.
"I don't understand?"
Sela managed a glare before answering. "It should be obvious. Even if you do ignore the fact that you have years more experience than either of us, you're older, taller, and stronger than either me or Dan." She sighed, then continued. "Technique and control only make up for so much. Its fine when that's all that really matters - like when you're in a Big Foot. But outside of it...well, there's a reason why basketball players are all tall. It gives you an advantage that we simply don't have."
Iceman remained silent. He had never thought of it in that way - but he rarely practiced with the two younger players, and this was the first time they had practiced in a warmer climate. He had noticed his teammates normally being far more out of breath than he, but he had always attributed that to their lack of practice, not some physical difference between them.
"The Big Foots equalize everyone, you know? When you're in one of them, it doesn't matter how tall you are, or how strong you are. I can go up against you, or Falcon, or any number of the other guys, and it doesn't matter that I'd be at a marked disadvantage off the field." Even confident Sela could admit that there were somethings that, as a petite young woman, she simply could not achieve. Dunks were a hell of a lot harder when you had to travel double the distance to get to the hoop.
"Not so tough outside of a Big Foot, are you?" Iceman taunted over his shoulder as he easily bounded down the court, the ball flying from his fingertips. He effortlessly scored another , bringing the score from 2-1 to 3-1. Then, as Dan finally caught up, the taller man jumped, slamming the ball into the net in a perfect slam dunk.
"Iceman!" The redhead growled, lunging for the taller man. "You - "
"Dan!" Sela interrupted. "Can we take a break?" Her sentence was labored and her breathing heavy.
"Of course not! The game ain't over yet!" Without looking at either of his companions, Dan grabbed the ball and started towards the other side of the court, ignoring his own physical state. He only stopped when he realized that neither of his companions had listened. Sela and Iceman had already started for the sidelines, ignoring Dan as per usual.
The perceived insult, added to the sting of Iceman's arrogance only infuriated Dan more. He started to demand his team return to the court, but as he opened his mouth the would twisted, and the young man hit the ground. The last thing he saw before he blacked out was his friends running towards him, just as he had asked.
----
Iceman reached Dan first, pausing to check his pulse before hoisting the boy to his shoulders and carrying him off the field.
"He passed out." Was all the explanation he gave to Sela. It was hardly an uncommon occurrence on the courts. Dan had a tendency to push himself past his limits; what he needed now was rest and a few minutes in the shade.
The two remaining teammates packed up and headed home, Iceman carrying Dan and Sela carting the bags. They walked in silence for a few minutes before Iceman finally spoke. His tone was concerned rather than patronizing, the shift only possible with Dan's 'sleep'.
"Neither of you were preforming well today." The statement was blunt, causing Sela to wince slightly.
"You're right."
"Why?"
They walked in silence for a minute before Sela respond. "You were right, you know, about us being 'not so tough outside a Big Foot'". A bag was hefted more firmly onto her shoulder. "Both of us are much better at basketball when we've got our mech."
Iceman glanced at her quizzically. "But your techniques are good..."
"And that's what make us good at BFB. But on the court..." She trailed off, looking down.
"What?" He prompted her.
"Damnit, Iceman! You're tall!" She burst out, then slammed her mouth back shut, leaving her companion shocked.
"I don't understand?"
Sela managed a glare before answering. "It should be obvious. Even if you do ignore the fact that you have years more experience than either of us, you're older, taller, and stronger than either me or Dan." She sighed, then continued. "Technique and control only make up for so much. Its fine when that's all that really matters - like when you're in a Big Foot. But outside of it...well, there's a reason why basketball players are all tall. It gives you an advantage that we simply don't have."
Iceman remained silent. He had never thought of it in that way - but he rarely practiced with the two younger players, and this was the first time they had practiced in a warmer climate. He had noticed his teammates normally being far more out of breath than he, but he had always attributed that to their lack of practice, not some physical difference between them.
"The Big Foots equalize everyone, you know? When you're in one of them, it doesn't matter how tall you are, or how strong you are. I can go up against you, or Falcon, or any number of the other guys, and it doesn't matter that I'd be at a marked disadvantage off the field." Even confident Sela could admit that there were somethings that, as a petite young woman, she simply could not achieve. Dunks were a hell of a lot harder when you had to travel double the distance to get to the hoop.