04-09-2016, 07:11 PM
Days passed as the trio honed their skills and abilities. It didn’t take long to settle the team into defined roles. Zack was easily the well-rounded player who could do a little bit of everything. Ranger was far more mobile than his teammates and made for an offensive weapon. Wall, lastly, was a defensive machine with his ability to effortlessly impede forward movement and block shots.
They had developed a strong dynamic, but could only hope it was enough. They didn’t know much about Ashton’s team, as they trained in a completely different place, but had heard through the grapevine that the man’s two teammates were of the Koopa species known as Shy Guys and Dry Bones. It didn’t help them much, but Stone was able to formulate a few plays based around what they were likely to do. Anything was better than nothing
The time to practice had ended, though. Tomorrow was the big game. Word had spread about two outsiders serving as team captains in this unusual sport, and it had drawn some interest. Tickets were selling out and a news crew was even going to broadcast the game. That alone was a bit of a rarity, but it was probably as much of a morale move as it was a financial one. Zack remembered how boring and destitute the outer reaches of Bowser’s domain were.
The gym was empty and dark, lit only by the glow of the absurdly dangerous lava moat some engineer had insisted on building around the playing area. Zack stood near the edge, throwing the ball up at a red mark on the wall that simulated where the bomb would have to connect to score a point in the coming game. He caught each rebound, and threw it back up over and over. It was just last minute, mindless practice that focused on the fundamentals.
“Fair?” the voice of Ranger called out.
Zack looked over to see his two teammates entering the gym and approaching him. He stopped shooting the ball and instead caught it, turning to greet them with a smile. “Hey, guys.”
“What are you doing here so late?” Ranger questioned, curiously.
“Ah, couldn’t sleep. Might as well prep a little more,” Zack shrugged. “You guys?”
“Same,” Wall admitted with a scoff.
Zack chuckled. They seemed to be on the same wavelength, again. That had to be a good thing. So, he decided to press it a little further.
“What exactly do you guys have riding on this game?” Zack asked, passing the ball to Ranger as he did. “Were you just ordered to play, or is there more to it?”
“Both, really,” Ranger admitted as he caught the ball. “I like the sport. Always wanted to be a pro athlete. Getting to play on the big stage is a dream come true.”
Zack smiled as Ranger passed the ball to Wall, who fumbled it for a moment in his short arms. That was something they’d been working on, but the Whomp’s anatomy wasn’t very forgiving.
“For the unit,” Wall answered upon catching it. “Anything to strengthen us. Having a prime as our friend and ally? I will endure the challenge alongside you, so that you might save my brothers and sisters another time.”
“I like the honesty, guys,” Zack said as the ball was passed back him. He tossed it up and down for a brief moment as he thought. “I think we’ll do alright. And I’m looking forward to fighting alongside you, should it all work out.”
Zack held up the ball and looked it over. It was hard to believe this would be replaced by a live bomb tomorrow. He didn’t like dealing with explosives in all of his military days. There was simply too much that could go wrong and so little control one person had over it. He’d have to get used to it, though.
“Bombs. Craziest thing,” Zack muttered his thoughts aloud.
“You should have seen it before,” Ranger commented, offhandedly. “We used to play with Bob-ombs, but there was a strike and a small rebellion, so we have to settle for standard, bouncy bombs. They don’t have quite the same lift, but it works.
“I…” Nope. Zack decided to not even touch that one. This was already weird enough.
“For now, we should rest,” Wall decided, noting that their leader was once again overwhelmed by the proceedings. “Our opponents will be challenging, and we should be prepared and energized.”
Ranger bobbed his head and began to depart, while Wall followed after him. Zack smiled and looked at the wall, tossing the black ball at the markings one last time before following after them. One way or another, tomorrow would be very interesting.
They had developed a strong dynamic, but could only hope it was enough. They didn’t know much about Ashton’s team, as they trained in a completely different place, but had heard through the grapevine that the man’s two teammates were of the Koopa species known as Shy Guys and Dry Bones. It didn’t help them much, but Stone was able to formulate a few plays based around what they were likely to do. Anything was better than nothing
The time to practice had ended, though. Tomorrow was the big game. Word had spread about two outsiders serving as team captains in this unusual sport, and it had drawn some interest. Tickets were selling out and a news crew was even going to broadcast the game. That alone was a bit of a rarity, but it was probably as much of a morale move as it was a financial one. Zack remembered how boring and destitute the outer reaches of Bowser’s domain were.
The gym was empty and dark, lit only by the glow of the absurdly dangerous lava moat some engineer had insisted on building around the playing area. Zack stood near the edge, throwing the ball up at a red mark on the wall that simulated where the bomb would have to connect to score a point in the coming game. He caught each rebound, and threw it back up over and over. It was just last minute, mindless practice that focused on the fundamentals.
“Fair?” the voice of Ranger called out.
Zack looked over to see his two teammates entering the gym and approaching him. He stopped shooting the ball and instead caught it, turning to greet them with a smile. “Hey, guys.”
“What are you doing here so late?” Ranger questioned, curiously.
“Ah, couldn’t sleep. Might as well prep a little more,” Zack shrugged. “You guys?”
“Same,” Wall admitted with a scoff.
Zack chuckled. They seemed to be on the same wavelength, again. That had to be a good thing. So, he decided to press it a little further.
“What exactly do you guys have riding on this game?” Zack asked, passing the ball to Ranger as he did. “Were you just ordered to play, or is there more to it?”
“Both, really,” Ranger admitted as he caught the ball. “I like the sport. Always wanted to be a pro athlete. Getting to play on the big stage is a dream come true.”
Zack smiled as Ranger passed the ball to Wall, who fumbled it for a moment in his short arms. That was something they’d been working on, but the Whomp’s anatomy wasn’t very forgiving.
“For the unit,” Wall answered upon catching it. “Anything to strengthen us. Having a prime as our friend and ally? I will endure the challenge alongside you, so that you might save my brothers and sisters another time.”
“I like the honesty, guys,” Zack said as the ball was passed back him. He tossed it up and down for a brief moment as he thought. “I think we’ll do alright. And I’m looking forward to fighting alongside you, should it all work out.”
Zack held up the ball and looked it over. It was hard to believe this would be replaced by a live bomb tomorrow. He didn’t like dealing with explosives in all of his military days. There was simply too much that could go wrong and so little control one person had over it. He’d have to get used to it, though.
“Bombs. Craziest thing,” Zack muttered his thoughts aloud.
“You should have seen it before,” Ranger commented, offhandedly. “We used to play with Bob-ombs, but there was a strike and a small rebellion, so we have to settle for standard, bouncy bombs. They don’t have quite the same lift, but it works.
“I…” Nope. Zack decided to not even touch that one. This was already weird enough.
“For now, we should rest,” Wall decided, noting that their leader was once again overwhelmed by the proceedings. “Our opponents will be challenging, and we should be prepared and energized.”
Ranger bobbed his head and began to depart, while Wall followed after him. Zack smiled and looked at the wall, tossing the black ball at the markings one last time before following after them. One way or another, tomorrow would be very interesting.