Just as quickly as it had become a triumph, it had become a tragedy. One week finished in pole position had led to a week struggling to escape the bottom two, and all the work put in to escape had not been able to save Mallard from a DNF and a redemption win from the once-struggling Saucer.
Perhaps it would be easier to stomach if they hadn’t flown in to congratulate me, thought Mallard. The venue’s windowless designated quiet room was not the best place for Billy and Bombay to end what was intended to be a trip to watch their victory lap; nevertheless, they’d joined them there to comfort them in the aftermath.
Bombay still had them in a hug, the warm and familiar sort they remembered from childhood. Their composure, shattered from the elimination, had slowly put itself back together there. “Are you feeling any better?” asked Bombay, loosening their grip.
“Better,” Mallard repeated, sniffling. Now they were only grody and headachey from the tears. “I should go and get a drink.”
“I can get it for you,” offered Billy.
Mallard got out of their seat and shook their head. “I’m fine, honestly. There’s a vending machine just down the corridor.”
“If you’re sure,” Billy said, and Mallard was sure, leaving quietly.
Just the short walk cleared their head some more. It wasn’t the end of the world to earn a middling finish in a new tournament. By the time they reached the vending machine they were almost ready to declare themselves over it all—until they saw Saucer there, and Saucer saw them too.
The brief eye contact they shared made Saucer freeze, and all of a sudden the air was even heavier than earlier.
“I’m… sorry,” Saucer began, unsure, after what felt like an hour of silence. “I got lucky.”
“That win was all you. And if it had been earlier in the week, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation,” Mallard replied.
Saucer blinked, puzzled yet relieved.
“Did you think I’d get mad?” Mallard asked, frowning.
“Well, not mad. But I know you never took your 2019 loss kindly, so forgive me for assuming you’d give me an earful about it all.”
“Oh, that…” Mallard’s face fell. “I get it. I wasn’t mature enough to accept it back then. Now… even if I’m not happy, I have to take these things with my head held high. That’s reality.”
“Ah. I’m glad,” replied Saucer.
“You’ve got a second chance, and that’s great,” Mallard smiled wearily. “I’ll be rooting for you, so make the best of it, alright?”
“Of course,” agreed Saucer, smiling. They turned again to the vending machine. “A drink on me?”
“I’d love that.”
Meanwhile, in a penthouse bar that overlooked both the shoreline and the bustle of the city below, Ace—who had long since departed the course—sat surrounded by the rest of the Black Jacks as they clinked slim flutes of champagne together. Upon realizing that their reserve’s elimination was likely inevitable, the entire team had also cut their business short elsewhere and flown in to support them.
Heart, who had brought the fine vintage from home in the first place, relaxed into one of the black leather seats. “So, Ace. Did you have fun?”
“Oh, definitely,” Ace giggled as they sipped. “This sort of thing should happen more often.”
“I’m glad. It’s the least we could have done to send you here,” Heart continued. Polite nods and murmurs were shared throughout the rest of the team. “I hope you’re not too upset to have been eliminated.”
Ace thought on the matter briefly. “Perhaps a little. But I’ve got things to go back to, haven’t I? 52Styles doesn’t run itself.”
“I should know—I’ve been running it!” laughed Diamond jovially, clinking their glass against Spade’s. “Really, though, I’m honored you’ve trusted it with me. You were doing us proud out there.”
“Absolutely they were,” professed Spade, “because who else can say they won an event with every single other team competing on equal footing?”
The nodding agreement between the other team members only grew, peaking with an impromptu exchange of toasts around the table, continuing until everyone had exchanged their congratulations with the team’s junior member. Despite it all, the mood was good.
“Will you miss it?” asked Club. Nobody spoke until Ace had thought the question through.
“Sure. I don’t know if I’ll ever do something like it again.” They paused. “I’ll miss Minty Mint and Swax. It was nice to get to spend some real time with them.”
A somber mood settled briefly over the room, but Heart met it with a fond smile. “That’s the value of great friends, isn’t it? Having people who are worth missing.”
Credits
- Writer: Millim
- Editors: Evolution, Phoenix, Stynth
- Artist: Steel
- Reference: Marble Race: Marble Survival 100 – R42 ELIMINATION ROUND
- Release: 02/06/2024 (Happy Birthday, Jelle!)
Project Marblearth 
🙂
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