“Thank you for waiting!” A waiter said, smiling as they placed a giant platter that resembled a painter’s palette on the table in front of them. “Here’s one Chef’s Palette for the both of you. Please enjoy!”
The food arrived in front of Rojo Uno and Frost who were chatting. They welcomed the food with a sigh of relief and relished in the vibrant sights as it lay before them, wondering if the rumor that Mary from Team Primary had suggested the recipe to the restaurant was true. The food was a sight to behold, as the viands were arranged in colors. Most notably, there was a red soup filled with crushed tomatoes, bell peppers, and kidney beans. A yellow chicken viand with a golden sauce covered the meat, potatoes, and carrots. But above all else, as Rojo Uno remarked in awe, the crown jewel of it must be the oddly colored rice, dyed blue by one of the many flora native to this area.
As Rojo Uno chowed down on the meal, they noticed that Frost looked more down than usual, staring almost beyond the place where Rojo Uno was sitting.
“Are you OK, Frost?” Rojo Uno, suddenly asked Frost, who still looked bereft, lacking any sort of emotion.
After a while, they finally spoke.“Say, Rojo Uno, how do you do it?”
Rojo Uno frowned, oblivious to any subtext beyond the question. “Do what?”
“Y’know, just… not having to feel scared all the time, I suppose,” Frost responded sheepishly, looking up with defeat etched across their face.
“Be scared?” Rojo Uno laughed. “There is nothing for me to feel scared or sad about. Sure, we were eliminated from the tournament, and I couldn’t keep up with Momomo, Yellah, Jump, or Bonbon for now, but it’s only a temporary time, y’know.”
“Sure,” Frost took a bite from the red soup, looking sad.
A moment of silence passed, then Frost continued, “It’s just… ever since 2023, I felt like I needed to own up to that mistake of being in 15th. We thought that if we revealed that we were hosting the next Marble League, it would make us feel better, but it only drew the wrath of some fans.” The impact of their words echoed heavily and they took a deep breath, studying Rojo Uno’s face for the reaction.
“I get it,” Rojo Uno spoke in a less carefree tone, grimacing slightly. “Sometimes things just don’t go your way. Trust me, I’ve been through that,” Rojo Uno looked down in a moment of vulnerability as they recalled the bitterness of their qualification struggles, as well as their run in 2021.
“Sometimes life is harsh, we all get the brunt of it. But that makes its rewards all the sweeter. You never know, you could make the best comeback we’ve ever seen!” Rojo Uno smiled.
As Frost listened, their expression began to lighten up. Then, they noticed that both had the same food on their plates. “I guess you snuck one up here,” Frost said rather slyly. “We’re eating the same food, does that mean you finally did our food pact properly?” they added, recalling their first time bonding together after the Legion March Wave.
Rojo Uno gazed down at the plates intently, then laughed.
“I guess I did, huh?”
Credits
- Writer: Steel
- Editor: Phoenix
- Artist: Evolution
- Reference: Marble Survival 100: Races 43-49 Compilation | Jelle’s Marble Runs
- Release: 12/06/2024
Project Marblearth 
🙂
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