A Blurry Reflection

On the peak of Mount Huaze, two marbles stand. Hidden in the mist, in the midst of training. When one speaks up.

“Do you think I made the wrong choice, Sensei?” Hazy asks.

Blurry responds, “I do not, but I must ask, why do you hold such uncertainty in your decision?”

“I…I can’t help but feel I just turned my back on my team when they needed me most. I just resigned like a coward and left Misty and Murky without guidance.” Hazy responds.

“Hmm, tell me Hazy, why did you resign?” Blurry asks.

Hazy answers, “I saw that my performances were not up to par with the rest of my team, so I decided to take a year off to improve myself.”

“Exactly,” Blurry continues. “You chose to leave the team so that both you and the team could improve. You saw the state they were in and chose to put your ego aside for the sake of your team. Such an act is not a show of cowardice, but of bravery and leadership. You recognized your shortcomings and decided to work on them instead of staying stubborn on a rocky path.”

“I…I never thought of it like that, it just always seemed like the sort of thing I should have done as their leader.” Hazy comments.

Blurry responds, “You did such an act through instinct alone, without even noticing it, proving that these traits have already been long ingrained in your heart. You already embody the traits of a true captain. Now you just need to obtain the skills of one too. Come now, these rocks aren’t going to move themselves.” They chuckle a little, then roll towards another peak.

Hazy gives Blurry a smile, then gives chase. And so, the two grey marbles roll down the mountain, resuming their training once more.

Special thanks to Icy for contributing this story, and to Toffeeshop for illustrating the featured image.

Credits

• Writer: Icy
• Artist: Toffeeshop
• Release: 18/08/2022