Hello and welcome to another RetRollSpective, where we reflect on the history of marble sports teams that have competed in the tournaments of Jelle’s Marble Runs. This time, we’re going to focus on the Bluefastics, a team that blends in with the history of the Hubelino Tournament. Read on to find out how this team has amped up the competition!
The Bluefastics origin story is one of fascination; fascination for movies, as all four of the original members met as workers for the Non-Descript Entertainment Company in Melbloue. Baloo worked as a design director, and designed sets for most of the Non-Descript Entertainment Company sets. Dory was a stunt double most of the time, and often worked with fellow stunt doubles Violet and Salvia, future members of the Valiant Violets. Gonzo helped in the scriptwriting department, working alongside another future marble athlete, Rambutan, of the Silver Lychees. Mako was an actor, generally one of the leading roles.
The four all worked on numerous film projects throughout their career but didn’t work together until 2015, with the release of the blockbuster film, The Foresters Awaken; a cinematic masterpiece detailing the age-long rivalry of the Foresters and Flaming Cobras; two teams that compete in The Bourne Network’s Marble Games.
“It really was quite the experience,” Mako said. “Baloo was the design director for the project, Dory and I were actors, and Gonzo did the scriptwriting with Lantana (another future Valiant Violet); all of our specialties, really. We really all became much closer after it.”
The Bluefastics continued to work on films into early 2016, most notably their own movie, Into the Big Blue, an action movie starring all four of the team members. Baloo described it as “the most fun any of us had ever had.” The team would direct one more film in 2016, which detailed the history of the Knikkegen Marble League. The Bluefastics starred as the winning team of the league that year, which helped develop their love for Marble Racing. The film was so well done that it caught the eye of Jelle Bakker, who hosted the league. Jelle had seen some of the team’s other films, and upon seeing The Knikkegen Performance, offered them a chance to compete in the Hubelino Tournament.
“It would be an honor to compete in such a high level of competition. We haven’t explicitly trained for it, but since we have been given this chance, we weren’t hesitant to accept it.” The team stated in a press release. Upon acceptance of the invitation, the Valiant Violets announced that they too would be competing in the Hubelino Tournament, joining the Bluefastics from their film days. Unfortunately for the Bluefastics, tragedy struck back on the home front shortly before the competition. There was a rumor that there had been a tragedy within the families of two team members, who would miss the season due to it. While it was never confirmed which two members stayed, the Bluefastics were now down half of a team. Frantically searching for replacements, Razzy and Rozzy, two members of the Raspberry Racers, were accepted onto the team and took the pseudonyms of the two members who had to withdraw for the season.
“It was a desperate situation, but we hope that we can make the most of it.” An anonymous team member remarked.
The Bluefastics competition experience did not start off well. A fifth-place finish in Funnel Spinning was a respectable result, as was their fourth place in the Catwalk. However, the team would have three consecutive bottom-three finishes in the next few events; the Halfpipe Crash, Elimination Maze, and Quartet Jump.
The team turned it around in the Pursuit Slalom with a gold medal, their first of the tournament.
“Our first ever gold medal…it’s rather spectacular.” The team remarked. “Outside of acting and stunts, we don’t really have that much experience in the competitive sports world, so we were a little stunned!” They would follow that up with another podium performance, earning a silver medal in the Swing Wave.
“That was a solid result, and we hope we can keep the momentum up.” The team stated afterward. A fourth-place finish in the Combination Race scored five more solid points for the team, which they followed up with a fifth-place result in the Halfpipe Dash.
“While we may not be contending for the lead, we’re still happy with our provisional fifth overall,” the team released in a press conference. “After all, this is our first ever tournament.” The team put up another fourth-place finish in Event 10, the Relay Course. The tournament went on a break after this, as Jelle Bakker was preparing to host the pinnacle of marble competitions: the Marble League.
“We figured that we might as well root for the Oceanics; a fellow blue team. We were relatively pleased with how the results turned out as well” One of the team members said. Following the conclusion of the 2017 Marble League, the team returned back to the Hubelino Tournament for its final two events: Block Push and Ball Battle. They would end the tournament in sixth place with 62 points, a respectable outcome for their first ever experience in the competitive field of marble sports.
“Certainly not the result we were looking for, but we cannot say that we are surprised. We did, after all, have no prior experience in competitions, so we managed with what we could,” the team stated in a press conference after the Closing Ceremony.
The Bluefastics were invited to the Marble League 2018 Qualifiers, but Razzy and Rozzy, who had helped the team win two medals in team events, left to return to Rubow and reform the Raspberry Racers. The other two Bluefastics declined the invite, stating that they felt they weren’t ready for such a high echelon of competition yet. They returned home to Melbloue to reunite with the other two members of the team.
“We were happy to be together again,” Gonzo remarked. “The two of us who stayed here are ready to give the Hubelino competition a shot.” And so they did. In late 2018, the Bluefastics set off to compete in the second edition of the Hubelino Tournament, and this time, they found more success.
“Perhaps it’s that chemistry, of all four of us being together again,” Dory exclaimed. The Bluefastics started off strong, with a bronze in the Swing Wave, and a silver in the Catwalk; two events they had done well in the prior season. The Bluefastics let off the gas slightly in the next two events, with Mako taking fifth in the Funnel Race, and Dory placing fourth in halfpipes. But the team won their first gold of the season in Block Bumping.
“We’ve found a newfound focus this year, and I think that is helping us with our results,” Baloo said. “Plus, some of the new events just seem to fit our strong suits. We’ve found we’re rather well suited for strength events.”
The team never left the top half of the overall standings, and never placed below sixth place in an event. They finished the season in fourth overall, with 52 points, as Gonzo placed sixth in the Maze, and Baloo finished the finale in fourth.
“I’m rather happy with myself,” Baloo said while the podium celebration took place. “Sure, I didn’t podium, and that stings a little bit. But I still did my best out there, and as a whole, the team is still in a solid spot.”
“It was a marked improvement,” Mako remarked. “I was looking forward to competing again next season, but we’ve received word that the tournament is shutting down.”
While fourth was still a top-half finish, the Bluefastics were just one point away from the treasured overall podium, which would have been an outstanding effort from the team if they had managed to secure a podium, despite only participating in one competition beforehand.
The only slightly disappointed Bluefastics returned back home to Melbloue, seemingly retired from the competitive scene. They returned to their roots in the film industry, and produced several more blockbuster hits throughout 2019, including Captain Marble.
Baloo stated that “It was nice to have a little break from competition…film has always been a passion of ours. Plus, we haven’t really found any competitions that have suited our interests of late with Hubelino being closed.”
This statement would be proven false just one year later when the Bluefastics were visiting Bermenghank for a summer vacation. Word had gotten out that a local league was starting up, called the Marble Games, run by SuperJackJack. The Bluefastics had been planning on shooting some film of the competition for a movie, but word had gotten out that the tournament was lacking one more team, and would be unable to start until another team filled the vacancy.
“We kind of played it by ear,” Gonzo said. “Might as well give it a shot, no?” And so the Bluefastics were accepted into the inaugural season of the Marble Games. Their debut started off strong, with a second in the Track Race, and a first in Block Pushing being their shining moments. They ended the tournament in fourth, a respectable debut after a year out of the competition.
The Bluefastics had enjoyed their success in Season 1 of the Marble Games, and were overjoyed to participate in Season 2! Ultimately, their record in Season 2 would not be as impressive as their debut in the tournament, but Mako did manage to win a gold in the Tarmac Rally!
The team would finish in 12th, a noticeable decline from the first season, but their first tournament with more than eight participants. “It certainly added a new layer of challenge,” remarked Dory. “But I think we handled it the best that we could.”
By now, the Bluefastics’ cravings for the competition had kickstarted into high gear. During the offseason between Seasons 2 and 3 of the Marble Games, the team had been planning on building training grounds back home in Melbloue. It was during the construction of this training facility that the team became acquainted with Stitch, a former athlete of the Knikkegen Marble League, who had been in the documentary that Bluefastics had released in 2016. Stitch had taken an interest in the team after their performances in the Marble Games, and offered to help coach them, and give them tips.
“I’m honestly surprised we made it this far without coaching,” Dory remarked. “So yeah, we accepted Stitch’s offer pretty easily.” The team began training harder than ever under Stitch, in preparation for their third season of the Marble Games. But before that, they received an invitation from none other than their old Hubelino friends, the Minty Maniacs! They had been invited to participate in the Herbotamia Reunion, hosted by the Maniacs.
“We’re hoping our experience in the Marble Games over these past few months has been enough,” Baloo stated. “We’re, admittedly, kind of shocked that the tournament is happening. We had thought all hope of that was lost after 2018.”
Baloo later received a call from the Valiant Violets, stating that they too had been invited to the Reunion, and were overjoyed to participate. The Bluefastics accepted the invitation, but noticing that they needed a reserve member to compete in the tournament, the team put up an advertisement in Melbloue, announcing an open tryout at their training grounds for the final spot on the team. The ad gathered a fair amount of interest, and at the end of the day, the team unanimously agreed on selecting Sulley, a local journalist, and former track star, as their reserve.
“I’m thrilled to be participating in the tournament, and joining the Bluefastics in their journeys!” Sulley beamed. “I’ve journaled about the team a little bit in my spare time, so to meet with, and now be a part of them, is something special!”
The team participated in the Herbotamia Reunion, hosted by the Minty Maniacs, but were not allowed to speak to the public about their results, as they were held to an NDA. They did remark, however, that they were “extremely thankful to the Minty Maniacs for hosting this splendid tournament, and would gladly do it again.”
“We were really grateful for it,” Mako said. “Honestly, we were really shocked to be able to return to a tournament that we had all but moved on from, so it was a little bit surreal.”
On their return to Bermenghank, the Bluefastics’ Season 3 audition for the Marble Games was a disaster. They failed to qualify and then placed dead last in the subsequent showdown. The team refused to comment on their performance and stated that they would be training for upcoming seasons harder than ever. In the meanwhile, reserve member Sulley suggested taking a break to film a movie, as it could help clear their minds, and get them back on track.“Honestly, when Sulley first suggested that, I was a bit hesitant. But I realized…maybe this is the break that the team needs to be kick-started in the right direction,” stated Stitch. The team returned to Melbloue and set off to shoot their newest film, a nature documentary titled I’m Blue, which detailed the environmental changes happening across Marblearth. There were rumors of a potential collaboration with the Jungle Jumpers in helping with an environmental protection fundraiser, but there was never a collaboration between the two teams.
“It’s a very important topic to raise awareness of,” Baloo remarked. “I’m glad that our film was able to reach so many marbles, and that we were able to spread the word of environmentalism.”
The Bluefastics returned for Season 4 of the Marble Games and managed to get through the qualifiers this time. “We’re excited to be back on the big stage again,” Mako stated. “When we were filming I’m Blue, it was a refreshing break, for sure. But now that we’ve completed that, our eyes are locked on that trophy again.”
“You really feel that competitive flare just running through you as you zip down a race course, ya know?” Baloo exclaimed. “Here’s to a more successful season than last time.”
Unfortunately, the Bluefastics’ Season 4 would be nothing to write home about. They would finish in 12th place overall, tying their placement from two seasons ago.
“It stings a bit, but we assure you, this isn’t our peak.” Coach Stitch said to the fans back home in Melbloue. “We will finish in the top five next season. We will pick up at least three podiums. We will be contenders, just like we used to be in the Hubelino Tournament. You can quote me on that.”
And then, the Bluefastics began one of the most magical runs of their career. And arguably, one of the most magical runs in marble sports history.
“Looking back on it…it’s really special. I still can’t believe that we pulled it off.” Gonzo, whose eyes glimmered as they recalled the moments, stated. “It was…otherworldly.”
After advancing out of the qualifiers, the magical run started with a fifth-place finish in Collision, to which Baloo remarked “A strong showing in a strong event to start us off…I’m rather pleased with that.” The Bluefastics would score eleven more points with another fifth-place finish in the Track Race, followed by their first medal of the season; a gold in Funnel Endurance.
“We were overjoyed at that,” stated Coach Stitch, who met with the large swarms of Bluefastics fans who had made the journey to Bermenghank. “This team has been training day in and out for this, and we’re happy it’s finally coming together.”
The Bluefastics continued their dominant, magical run with a fifth-place finish in the Penalty Shootout, followed by a bronze medal in the Long Jump. A fifth in Catwalk, fourth in Elimination Race, and silver in the Snow Rally ensured that the Bluefastics would finish the first half of the season with all of their finishes in the top five.
The Bluefastics’ dominant stretch was eventually heard of by Cable Marble Media (CMM), who sent a duo of reporters over to interview the team at the halfway point of the season.
“How are we doing this? Quite frankly, we don’t know!” Mako laughed, in an interview with CMM reporter Rambutan, now a member of the former Fruit Circuit and Orbit’s Marble Trials team, the Silver Lychees. “We’ve been training really hard with Coach of late, but even then…it’s still unfathomable that we’re doing so well.”
“We just need to keep pushing,” Baloo stated. “If we slow down now, we open the opportunity for any number of competitors to catch us.”
Rambutan, using their former scriptwriting experience with Gonzo, described the team as “a very well-rounded group, with high aspirations for the championship,” and predicted that they would go on to win the tournament.
The Bluefastics would start out the second half of the season with another fifth in the Sprint Race, followed by their first bottom half result of the season; an eleventh place in the Steeplechase. They would bounce back, firing off back-to-back silvers in the Timed Endurance and Obstacle Course.
“Years after the Hubelino Tournament ended, the Bluefastics are steamrolling the competition in the Marble Games.” Reported CMM. The team only had four events left to go, chasing their first championship. They would get fifth in Curling and Moguls, and an eighth in Diving, meaning that in the first 15 events, they had 14 top-half finishes.
“Unreal.” Coach Stitch reported. “I would say that I can’t believe that it’s happening, but I know these marbles, and I know that they have the talent to pull this off.”
And pull it off they did. An eleventh place finish in the Marble Marathon by Baloo secured the Bluefastics their first ever championship, with 207 points, a gold medal, three silver medals, and a bronze.
“We did it! We actually did it!” Baloo exclaimed, triumphant atop the final podium. The Bluefastics had won it all and decided to follow up their victory by going on tour. Sulley was in charge of planning the trip and booked visits to Belark, Rosaka, and the Agatia Woods. The team landed in Belark first, home of the former Fruit Circuit team, the Blueberry Bonanza. Belark was renowned all across Marblearth for its wonderful Blueberry Fields, which spanned across the excerpts of the region. Baloo managed to reserve a private tour in the fields with the captain of the Blueberry Bonanza; Bonza.
“It was an honor to give them the tour!” Bonza stated. “I’ve always been a big fan of the team, ever since the Hubelino Tournament back in 2016. Once the tourney halted I had thought they dropped off, but lo and behold I saw them on CMM detailing their tremendous season in the Marble Games!” Bonza laughed. “Glad to see ‘em on top of the podium there.”
The next stop on the tour was Rosaka, where the Bluefastics enjoyed several dance performances at the local theater.
“The culture here is really special,” Mako remarked. “I love the cherry blossoms that surround the city, too.” The Bluefastics rolled on out of Rosaka and headed to the Agatia Woods next, where they met with the Avocado Apes, another former Fruit Circuit team. The Apes and Bluefastics went on a woodland running excursion, where they participated in a dirt race together.
“We really had a blast on our tour, and in the tournament,” Gonzo stated, fresh off of winning the dirt race with the Avocado Apes. “And that means we auto qualify for the sixth edition of the Marble Games, too!”
The Bluefastics returned back to Bermenghank for the sixth season of the Marble Games, where they auto-qualified. Their championship title defense would not go how any of them imagined. The field was expanded to twenty teams for the season, and the Bluefastics would finish in fifteenth out of twenty. They put up a few solid performances, namely a fourth in the Obstacle Course, and a third in Block Pushing and the Solo Tower Descent. But nothing that would compare to their outstanding championship performance from Season 5.
“We are, no doubt, disappointed with our result.” The team released a statement following the conclusion of the season. “We hope to reverse the course for next season, whenever that may be.”
The Bluefastics, after a gauntlet of tournaments, finally returned home to Melbloue for a brief break.
“We wanted to return home to spend a little time with our friends and families before going back out there and training,” Dory said. “I think that’s one aspect of competitive marble sports that is often overlooked; just how demanding the life of an athlete is! But it’s worth every sacrifice, and that’s why we keep on persevering. As a team.”
In RetRollSpective, the Bluefastics are a team that has bonded over their love for film, as well as competition. They’ve managed to keep their flair for competition alive in the Marble Games, and also develop their films in the movie industry further beyond any of their wildest dreams. Best of luck to the Bluefastics in the near future, keep on rolling!
Credits
- Writer: The Emperor
- Editors: Bookity, Skyfall_707, Smacg13, Stynth
- Graphic Designer: MightyCucumber
- Photographers: The Emperor, JackJack, Jelle’s Marble Runs, PeskyBird
- Release: 04/08/2022
Project Marblearth 