Rapidly always loved to watch Speedy race. They’d always favored exhilarating sharp turns and aggressive chases, clawing for positions until the very end. Even after all this time, they still ran every race like it was their first – like they still had something to prove.
A lot had happened since that first race. Back then it was the most important thing in the world to Speedy who’d begged and pleaded for weeks on end to convince Rapidly it was for the greater good that they skip class to go to the local competition. In actuality, Speedy had felt left behind in the Maroon Missile’s winning streak and just wanted to have a trophy to put next to Rapidly’s mounting collection.
“You know you’re a little small to be running in this category,” Rapidly had warned as the pair rolled side by side down to the arena. “They won’t go easy on you.”
“I won’t be going easy on them either,” Speedy had chirped. “I’m gonna win for sure!”
Rapidly grinned. “Maybe like a nice 15th?”
“15th?! Only 18 marbles are competing!”
“I’m messing with you.” Speedy had scowled at their reply. “Speedy, wherever you end up, I’ll always be cheering for you, okay?”
Rapidly had cheered louder than anyone else at the podium ceremony, laughing as Speedy had struggled to hoist the trophy – nearly dropping it off the stage. But today, with the help of Swifty, they held it up firm and proud.
They wondered if Speedy could still see them from up there.
It would be a while later until they’d get their answer, waiting patiently in the paddock until the champions could finish their media duties.
Swifty spotted them first, calling out for them through the crowds as Quickly and Speedy needed to catch up. “You never mentioned coming to Veglass,” they cried, lifting Rapidly up into an embrace.
“I didn’t know I was coming until Quickly sent me tickets last night,” Rapidly chuckled as Swifty spun them around, red streaks blurring their vision.
When the world stopped spinning, Speedy and Quickly had closed the gap to Swifty. Rapidly held their breath. They hoped whatever reaction Speedy had would be as large as the distance between them these past few months, but to their disappointment, they just blankly stared.
Rapidly stared back.
Ten weeks apart and neither of them could think of what to say. On Rapidly’s part, there was nothing to say – they’d trained, cooked half as much, grew chamomile in the windowsill, and waited for calls. Nothing had changed for them, but Speedy should have been bursting with stories, teeming with pride, ready to talk after all this time.
“Um… good work out there,” Rapidly nodded.
“Yeah, good work Speedster!” Swifty beamed, giving them a light bump. An awkward silence followed as Quickly shifted their gaze between the two siblings and sighed.
“Well… Rapidly we’re glad you could make it,” Quickly paused. “We were just about to go out to celebrate, why don’t you tag along?”
Rapidly swallowed, hoping that Speedy would at least second the suggestion, but they remained unreadable. They got the message.
“I’ll catch up with you later – I’m a little tired from the flight over,” Rapidly said, forcing a smile.
“Whatever you say, Maroon Missile!” Swifty cheered, dragging Speedy away with them.
Once they’d dipped out of sight, Rapidly crumpled like a soda can in a hydraulic press. This wasn’t how they wanted things to play out.
“They still think I’ve made the wrong choice,” Rapidly sighed. “I’m an idiot.”
Quickly crouched down beside their athlete. “I don’t think that’s quite right.”
“I know Speedy better than anybody. That’s got to be a disappointment – they don’t call, they don’t text, now they won’t even talk to me. They think I’m a quitter.”
Quickly suppressed a laugh. “Rapidly, what does Speedy do when they disagree with me?”
“Argue?” They groan, remembering all the flights stuck with the two.
“Right, argue. Argue with me on the phone, over text, and face-to-face. If they think you’re wrong, they’ll let you know loud and clear.”
Quickly patted them, but Rapidly still wouldn’t face them.
“ If I’d just tried a little harder, practiced more, didn’t get so inside my head I could have made it work. Speedy spent all that time convincing you to give me another chance and in the end, I chose to leave. They have every right to be angry with me.”
“They aren’t angry with you,” Quickly said. “They might not fully understand your choice, or even agree with it, but they respect that it’s what you wanted. That you made the right call for yourself.”
Rapidly tried to mull it over, but their mind drew a blank. That was okay, though – they didn’t have to say anything until they were ready.
“I am a bit hungry,” was their reply.
“Well then, we better get going. Those two are bound to get lost in the city if we don’t catch up to them,” Quickly faintly smirked as they made a motion for the door.
It was going to work out. Not today, but Rapidly knew it was going to work out.
It wasn’t gold, but it certainly felt like it.
It was all a blur if Bumble was being honest. Finales were always emotional, and this one was no different. For now, they stood atop the podium with dizzying elation. A silver. Bumble’s silver. Red Eye, Speedy…Bumble. Red Eye had blitzed past them with their signature terrifying speed, of course, but it didn’t change the fact that they were standing next to them now.
Stinger had rushed down to the track and enveloped them in a tight hug, the fans’ screams of delight echoing around them. Once upon a time, they’d stared each other down with animosity; today, they were lifting each other and celebrating together. It was the worst first attempt at popping the champagne in marble sports history, but Bumble didn’t care.
They’d remember this day forever.
The celebrations were still ringing in their head when they stepped back into Buzzpig. Their teammates were waiting for them outside – at first sight, Honey and Swax had nearly tackled them to the floor in joy.
“You brought out everything for the last race, didn’t you?” Honey said, smiling warmly.
“You know it,” Bumble affirmed. “Gotta give it everything you got, no matter when and where. It was tough for most of the season, but it paid off.” As if hearing their words, their new medal glinted in the sunlight.
Swax was wearing a more casual grin, but no less proud than Honey’s. “Obviously. It was bound to happen eventually.”
“If you say so,” Bumble laughed. “I don’t know how to describe it, but I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
“Racing stays with you, even when you leave,” commented Swax. “It’s part of you.”
Bumble held up the medal, letting it gleam in full sun. “I’ll take it as a sign that there’s more to come in the Marble League. If we’re hosting, we’d better make it one to remember.”
Honey leaned in. “You haven’t caught up at all for hosting! They’ll remember it, alright – there’s no way we won’t impress after everything we’ve done.”
Swax glanced at them. “Are we still talking about the League or your baklava recipe?”
“My baklava recipe has nothing to do with this,” said Honey.
“You’ve been modifying it for years when it’s already perfect. You even made a batch this morning -”
“You did?” Bumble interrupted.
Honey froze, then glared briefly at Swax. “That was meant to be a surprise.”
Bumble laughed. “I figured the celebrations weren’t ending soon. Where’s Stinger and Hive? They need to join in too…”
Elsewhere, Stinger and Hive watched the other half of the Bumblebees team.
“What was it like?” Hive asked.
“It could have been better, but I don’t regret it,” Stinger admitted. “I appreciate the second chance, though. I don’t mean M1 – I didn’t think I’d get to wear this uniform again at all.”
“That’s what second chances are for, right?” Hive said. “We’re Bumblebees now. And Bumble’s right – let’s make this upcoming Marble League one to remember.”
The mad marble is really gonna do it again. This wasn’t the first race Red Eye had ever won, and given it was their fourth podium of the season, there wasn’t much reason to be shocked that the Crimson Cat would lay another one down at the end. But Yellow Eye found themself thinking it anyway, wondering why they were ever in doubt of their teammate clawing their way onto the final podium.
Yellow Eye peered out onto the track from the Crazy Cat’s Eyes’ pit room to cheer Red Eye on as they flew past the grandstand along the straightaway and weaved through the final turn to finish three seconds ahead of Bumble.
“It should’ve been you out there all along.”
Yellow Eye turned around to see Blue Eye roll up behind them and raise an eyebrow.
“This season, I mean. We probably could’ve hit the podium if you raced last week instead of me.
Cheers erupted from the stadium, contrasting Blue Eye’s somber face. Blue Eye must have picked up on this dissonance from the quizzical look on Yellow Eye’s face because they continued, “I just can’t help but think after this win, how much higher we could’ve gotten if some marble better than I raced, you know?”
“Hey, you showed me up at the Turnpike!” Yellow Eye joked. When Blue Eye’s expression changed, Yellow Eye sighed.
“I’m serious. You raced that track better than I did in two seasons. And yeah, it wasn’t perfect, but you taught me what works and what doesn’t.”
“I only knew that because I watched you through…”
“Exactly. That’s how a team works, silly,” Yellow Eye pressed. “We watch each other. We learn from each other. You’re careful and methodical. I’m headstrong and fast. We both have flaws and strengths and if I return to the circuit next season, I’ll be better for taking this year off and learning from you, even if you had more missteps than me. Have you seen how Swifty never took their eyes off Speedy on their weeks off? Even this sport has a team championship for a reason.”
Yellow Eye could see Blue Eye’s mind processing what Yellow Eye had just said. Yellow Eye had always been fine charging into the next race even after repeated stumbles, but Blue Eye needed a bit more of a cerebral pep talk to pick them up once in a while.
“You know Red Eye has been watching you all season, right?” Yellow Eye said. Blue Eye looked up, a hint of surprise on their face. “Just like they watched me. I know it’s hard to play second fiddle to a legend, but Red Eye’s where they are in no small part to spending all these years learning from us, too. They’re no different from us in that regard.”
Blue Eye slowly nodded, brightening a little and chuckling. “When did you become the smart one, huh?”
Yellow Eye grinned. “Let’s go and cheer for our captain at this closing ceremony. We might catch them saying something cheesy, like ‘I’d never have gotten here without my teammates.’”
Credits
- Writers: Nonagon, Thinkdoodler, Toffeeshop
- Editors: Smacg13, Stynth
- Photographer: Jelle’s Marble Runs
- Reference: Marbula One S4 GP10 Casino Square FINAL RACE – Jelle’s Marble Runs
- Release: 14/07/2023
Project Marblearth 