ML2023 Memo #4: The Weight of Victory

To lose the battle but win the war. It was an expression that Stinger had once heard, though they were long past remembering the context for it. As it had been explained to them, it meant to give away something of relatively minor importance but ultimately emerge the victor in a given conflict. 

If defeat was merging with the Bumblebees but staying in the Marble League was the war, Stinger could tell themself the Hornets disbanding was not the worst thing in the world. 

But the truth was that it hadn’t been an easy transition. Not only were they used to the Hornets and their management and their facilities, but they were used to being captain. A captain still had to be a team player and take into account the perspectives of their teammates wherever possible, but the position came with different responsibilities and privileges. They had taken the role for a reason, and it wasn’t in their nature to sit down and let anyone- let alone Bumble, who they’d regarded as their biggest rival- tell them what to do and how to do it. They’d won the war, but to lose the battle gracefully wasn’t easy. 

When is it going to start working out? they’d asked Swarm, who’d returned home and started coaching a junior team in the neighborhood where they’d grown up. 

It will, they’d said, and you’ll know it when it happens. But you have to be patient. 

Looking down at their shiny new gold Block Pushing medal- the first gold medal they’d held that was truly theirs- they wondered if this was it. Though they hadn’t managed to keep the record the team established in the very first run of the event, their consistency as a team had allowed them to surpass the Wisps and claim their very first gold medal on their home turf. A battle lost, a war won. 

“Hey, are you planning to stand there and do nothing all evening, or what?”

“Huh?” Stinger blurted, quickly putting the medal away. It’s Hive’s voice. Even back when they were their captain, Hive made sure to keep Stinger alert. This was going to be no exception. 

“We’ve got fans at 12 o’clock, and they’re looking for us.”

They shuffled out from the corner they’d barricaded themselves in and emerged to the crowd that had gathered in front of the stadium, baying for the home team to show themselves. Upon seeing them, the assembled fans erupted into cheers. 

“Please form an orderly line by the stadium walls!” Bumble called out, their voice ringing out above the din. The entire crowd obeyed immediately, allowing the other teams still barricaded inside to filter out freely. “We’ll get to you all soon, so be patient!” 

“They’ve got a voice on them, haven’t they?” Stinger said, turning to Hive. 

“Careful with that,” Hive quipped. 

“Hey, I meant it in a good way!” Stinger grumbled. They didn’t get to say anything else before Bumble approached. 

“So, you think we worked together as a team today?” the Bumblebees captain asked. 

Stinger smiled. “Uh, duh. Block pushing is the team event, right?” 

“Well, it’s not over yet. See that line over there?” they said, gesturing to the flock of fans who had formed an orderly queue that extended as far as Stinger’s eyes could see. “All of them want an autograph from one of us, and we’re not getting out of here until they’re satisfied.” 

“O-Oh. Can we really handle this?” Stinger asked, suddenly beginning to sweat. 

“We can if we work as a team,” Honey added, overhearing them. “Swax is setting up the signing desks right now, so get yourself ready.” 

Stinger gulped. “What if we get overwhelmed? There’s a lot of folks out there…” 

“We won’t,” Bumble said confidently. “Because we now know how to split up the burden the best, right?” 

“Yeah,” they said, turning their gaze to the crowd. Though most of the fans wore yellow Bees merchandise, there were plenty amongst them wearing Hornets merch or the new black Bees merchandise. But in the end, it didn’t matter. They would give out signatures all the same. “We’re totally gonna rock this.” 

It was all bravado. But amongst their teammates, they could almost believe it.

Outside of Buzznya lies nature untouched by the city’s development; such places made for perfect settings to escape the scramble of urban life and the post-event tensions the Marble League carried.

Enjoying the natural world was and always will be important to the Midnight Wisps; they wouldn’t have become a team if they hadn’t taken a roll through the forest so many years ago. Taking a small hike after an eventful day with their friends on the Savage Speeders made it that little bit more enjoyable, even if those friends were the enemies of so many.

Wospy wasn’t sure where the rest of their team and the Speeders went; all they knew was that they and Velocity were farther up the trail.

“Did you all see us push that block!?” Velocity belted out into the night. “We just rolled up to it and… POW! We totally would have won if it wasn’t for your team making that last push!”

Wospy laughed. “It’s not like we won either…”

As if on cue, Velocity gave Wospy a bump. “But you still did awesome out there, taking your record back and all!” They sighed, a clear twinge of nostalgia in their voice. “Y’know… I missed this.”

“Like, going on hikes-“

“No,” they interrupted, “competing with your team like it’s the Aquathlon in 2020 or Hockey in 2018 again. Competing together when your drive to win is back and more alive than ever… that’s what I’ve missed.” The Speeder rolled ahead further up the trail, leaving Wospy alone.

For Wospy, images of last year came flooding back; the feelings of uncertainty and heartbreak over last year’s performance in the same event were still fresh in their memory, but feelings of optimism and a sense of pride for being a Midnight Wisp for the first time in what felt like years were determined to overwrite the misfortune bit by bit.

“Hey, Wospy.”

They turned around to see Rapidly, their smile one of genuine pride.

“Nice job out there,” they said with a nudge to the Wisp. “It’s just like I said last year, isn’t it?”

It was at times like this where Wospy wished they could express even a fraction of the gratitude they felt towards the marble who had been by their side through both highs and lows despite their team differences; they made a mental note to begin writing it down once again someday.

“The clock will strike midnight again…” Wospy filled in, and a matching smile found them. “…Yeah. It will. Thank you.”

Em stands outside the Superhive Stadium, around the corner from the entrance, away from the eyes of security.

Ruu crouches next to them, surveying the area using a pair of binoculars made of two toilet paper rolls.  “Looks like the guards at the door switch out every hour, so you have a five-minute window to get inside.”

“Alright, thanks!”

“Now, my payment?”

“Right. Here.” Em tosses a packet of raspberry jellies at their red-hued friend.

“Pleasure doing business with you,” Ruu replies, quoting one of their favourite television shows before turning and rolling away.

Em, now alone, sits down on the grass. Their quest has been going slow but steady; a chance encounter in an ice cream parlour and another at the local diner brought them their first two autographs. Suddenly, an unexpected marble approaches them.

“Hey, the Speeders got your bee-gram,” Minty Fresh says chipperly to the wide-eyed Em. “I wish you good luck!” They hand the young marble a piece of paper with a wrapped mint attached to it and the phrase “Stay fresh, stay minty” scrawled across it.

“The bee arrived just before their heat, so they can’t reply now,” Minty Fresh continues. “But I heard a rumour that they might be going for a hike after the event. If you can find them, I’m sure they’d be happy to oblige you.”

The minty marble rolls away, leaving Em stunned silent but beaming.

After a moment, they rush home to find their compass.

Credits

• Writers: Flamigiri, Millim, Momoikkai
• Copyeditors/Editors: Fouc, Ramen Powder, Stynth
• Graphic Designer: Flamigiri
• Photographer: Jelle’s Marble Runs
• Reference: Marble League 2023 Event 4: Block Pushing | Jelle’s Marble Runs
• Release: 30/10/2023