The qualifiers had been tense, but as Amethyst rushed out of the last split path they had never been so nervous. Here they were, a newcomer to a tournament they had obsessed over since its original season, and they had just taken the lead from the Marble Rally’s first ever champion in the final stretch of their very first race. Desperately throwing block after block at Ghost Plasma and Wisp of Darkness, the rookie was in shock as they rolled across the line in first place.
Catching their breath as the rest of the racers arrived at the finish, Amethyst turned and saw Ghost Plasma brushing the sand off their glass close by. Still in disbelief at what had just happened, Amethyst rolled over to the veteran, excitedly stammering, “I’m a huge fan, by the way.”
Ghost Plasma laughed. “So you’ve told me! I have to admit, though, after that display the feeling is definitely mutual. It’s been a long time since I’ve had that much of a fight on my hands.” They weren’t kidding – after the crushing end to their title run the previous season, Ghost Plasma had been looking forward to this first race for what felt like an age. They were more than happy with a silver medal for their comeback – it made quite the statement. Besides, there were plenty of races to go, and Amethyst had more than earned the top spot.
As Ghost Plasma started guiding the exhilarated Amethyst over to the gathering crowd of fans for some victory autographs, nearby Wisp of Darkness was smiling. The last time they had even qualified for the Marble Rally had been 2017, back at the height of their emo phase, and even then they had never had a particularly impressive track record. Being in the background since the beginning had taken its toll, but as the race organizers came over to direct them to the podium to receive their bronze medal, Wisp of Darkness couldn’t help but think that all the obscurity just made this moment of glory more special than ever before.
Credits
- Writer: GhostDM
- Photographer: Jelle’s Marble Runs
- Reference: Marble Rally S6 – Race 1 | Jelle’s Marble Runs
- Release: 17/02/2023
Project Marblearth 