Victory

Pamplemousse lost something near and dear to their heart the night they snuck into the Hazers’ building in the Athlete’s Village. When Hazy knocked them out of the building, their ticket to the final Marblocross event fell off from their side. Despite their insistence today, Pamplemousse was given a stern answer by the security marbles: “no ticket, no entry.”

The renegade Limer had to roll down to downtown Felynia, to a dive bar tucked between what is now named the Red Eye Honorary Boulevard. Packed like sardines inside were a variety of faces: Cat’s Eyes, solid coloured visitors and two dark green marbles at the bar table. Three large TV screens showed the sides of the Marblocross track and of the starting gate.

“Hey, I’ll bet you a mug of root beer Hazers won’t podium,” said Pamplemousse to the dark green marble next to them. “What a mouth you have,” said that marble. “I remember the sight of Hazy charging next to me on the Momotorway, and you have no idea.”

What a surprise to the whole bar, then, when Hazy could never get out of the bottom four, always beaten to the punch in the sand by marbles from Mimo to Rizzy. A table of ghost marbles rolled out of the bar before lap 10. Not even the Limers fans were happy that Limelime flubbed their opening lap.

But, for one brilliant moment, there was Pamplemousse bouncing up and down their bar stool. They were right. They called it. Not even any Limer commanded the attention they had at that moment among all the tourists across the world.

“You owe me a drink!” Yelled Pamplemousse to the marble next to them. “Whoever you are, if you lost to Hazy you must really suck!”

The dark green marble turned. “The name’s Hop, and by next year you’ll remember my name.”

Credits

• Writer: Fouc
• Release: 12/09/2021