Elwood Tenkaichi: An Arthur Story

Chapter 19: Meet to Compete!

High above Elwood, three streaks of light soared against the sunny blue sky.

Molly led the V formation, Fern and Marina at her sides. Prunella studied each of their faces as she held onto Marina: Each one so much more mature, more determined. All the uncertainty from just a few days ago was gone without a trace, replaced only with a palpable confidence.

Crazy times, she wondered to herself with a smile.

"You gals sure you're ready for this?" she teased aloud, her voice raised as they hissed through the air.

Molly didn't bother responding, her eyes forward like a soldier on the march.

"It's been a long time coming," Marina said, "But we've all prepared."

Molly noted Fern's silence, looking back at her. She was lost in thought again, her eyebrows furrowed.

"So what was it you wanted to tell us about the tournament?" Prunella finally asked Fern.

"It can wait until we reach the others," Molly stated, trying to take the load off of Fern for at least a few moments. "Everyone needs to hear it."

Eventually, Marina couldn't help but ask, "Should we be worried?"

Fern and Molly's silence was all the answer she needed.

"...That sounds like a lot of people," Marina suddenly exhaled in awe.

"...I don't hear anything," Fern admitted, seeking the source of whatever it was she was talking about.

"Just wait for it," Prunella sighed, a knowing smirk on her face.

It wasn't long before the muted sound of music booming in the distance filled their ears, growing clearer and louder as Crosswire Stadium loomed on the horizon, with what looked like a sizeable blimp floating over it.

Their auras snapped off with three loud pops as they halted over their destination, looking down on the massive, clamorous throng of attendees that were massed outside the entrance, filing into the stadium. In the parking lot, vendors were hawking food and merchandise--T-shirts with their faces on them: Binky, Marina, Sue Ellen, etc. News crews from various networks could be seen covering the commotion, their vans forced to park side by side. There simply wasn't enough space.

"Woah," Molly heard Fern say under her breath.

"Did...Did all these people come just to see us?" Marina wondered.

"The entire city must be here," Prunella laughed.

"No kidding," Marina said, soaking it all in.

The stadium was a horseshoe design, colossal in size. In its center was the ring, or lei tai: a raised platform without any railing. It was made of stone tiles forming a wide square that spanned the heart of the field. Above hung a branded Crosswire Motors blimp with gigantic jumbotron screens across both sides, their feeds linked to cameras below. For now, though, they were running an incessant ad for Ed Crosswire's used car dealership.

"C'mon," Molly rallied, descending into the crowd.

"Uh," Fern stammered, "d-don't you think we should touch down somewhere more..."

It was too late. They'd already gained attention as people gawked up at them. To Molly's credit, the crowd parted itself as she made her way into the stadium.

"Beats pushing and shoving," Prunella chimed as they followed in her wake.

"Look!" an onlooker gaped. "That's the blind one!"

"Blind," Marina agreed as they walked past him. "Not deaf."

"S-Sorry," he blushed.

"That's alright," Marina smiled, as she always did.