Building a community-authored narrative for the world of Jelle's Marble Runs.
Watching Red Eye, Bumble and Pinky Panther vanish with their coaches into the podium preparation room, one they hadn’t come close to stepping into themselves, left Speedy feeling strangely deflated. Another championship was on the line and they’d only advanced a single place in the order. Keeping the overall bronze was a cold comfort, though they were sure they’d feel differently on the podium later.
It was Rapidly who approached them first after the race, bringing them off to the side.
One left, two rights. A full rotation and back to the left. Even now, they can remember it as clearly as day. “I need you to take over the team,” Rosa had asked, quiet and resolute. “My resignation letter is on Promise’s desk.” To say they hadn’t seen the resignation coming would be a lie.Continue reading “ML2023 Memo #12: Rolling Waves In The Tide of Change”
Under the fluorescent lights of the Superhive’s changing rooms, Kinnowin’s gold medal shone like the sun. Their entire team had gathered to celebrate its acquisition before they’d even made it back to the athletes’ village. “It’s a nice little reclaim, isn’t it?” hummed Tangerin, watching it bob as Kinnowin held it proudly aloft. “Of what?Continue reading “ML2023 Memo #11: Lost Ways in the Marble Maze”
“…so, as I was saying, we have this giant festival that takes place at one of our lakes, and if you go there you’ll see motorbikes for miles, everyone lined up in the mud and strolling between the rows talking. It’s awesome.” “Damn. You’re speaking my language.” “And if you buy the weekend ticket, youContinue reading “ML2023 Memo #9: Tri, Tri Again”
After a Balancing revenge victory seven years in the making, the Rojo Rollers expected Mellow Yellow to bring it up in the form of showing off the gold medals and constant reminders of revenge from 2016’s very first event; the furthest thing from actuality, which took the form of a party meant to celebrate bothContinue reading “ML2023 Memo #8: Hanging in the Balance”
During their MFC days, the Pinkies had begun a victory tradition. For each medal earned, they would get an at-table barbecue and follow it with a round of karaoke. It had continued until the 2022 League, where blowing their voices out after every piece of hardware earned quickly became incompatible with the sheer and suddenContinue reading “ML2023 Memo #6: All is Fair in Tug-of-War”
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 defeatContinue reading “ML2023 Memo #4: The Weight of Victory”
Buses drove the teams out to the Buzznyan Foothills for the Steeplechase. Reaching the inclines that the teams must race down required slow and cautious driving. If many athletes were getting bored, there was one exception: Team Plasma’s Ghosto, fidgeting with a contraption topped off by a weather vane. “Excuse me, but… what is thatContinue reading “ML2023 Memo #2: Whether You’ll Weather the Storm”
Superhive Stadium was abuzz after the first event of the 2023 Marble League season. Team Pursuit only ended a few minutes ago, but officials were already moving to disassemble the white plastic structure that gleamed under the floodlights. Lingering fans excitedly discussed the event from up in the stands, and athletes cooled down deeper inContinue reading “ML2023 Memo #1: The Thrill of Inertia”
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