Chapter 108 - 98 - Field Medic
Shouri's group arrived at the stadium a little past one in the afternoon. As such the crowds were more troublesome to pass than they had anticipated.
"What the fuck?!" Rebecca cursed, beholding the crowds with annoyance. She had a hand covertly wrapped around the bottom trim of Shouri's jacket.
"It is like halfway through the lunch break so people are getting snacks and stuff." Pacifica had hold of Shouri's right sleeve.
"So many people." Taika had claimed the entirety of their Maestro's left arm.
"I wanna go back to the hotel and sleep," Shouri grumbled, only a hairpin trigger away from just storming out of the packed facility.
Slowly but steadily, the quartet proceeded through the masses of people to make their way into the stadium proper. However, they managed to burn thirty minutes in the process, giving them less than thirty minutes to figure out where they were going.
None of them had even seen the main arena, much less knew where the staff entrances were. Finally, they just gave up and asked someone.
"Oh! Yeah, you need to head down this walkway and talk to George, he'll get you down to the field," a helpful staff member directed the group.
Sure enough, they found "George" who showed them the service corridor they needed to pass through to get down to the field.
"Finally," Shouri let out a big dramatic sigh as he plopped down on one of the benches provided for them.
They had been stationed in one of several "dugouts" that dotted the perimeter of the battlefield. All members of the staff outside of the referee were stationed in these little rooms, protected not only by the stations being slightly below the field but also by the protective Vatonium fencing that allowed them to observe the battle without having to dodge stray spells themselves.
"Woah…" Rebecca's shoulders caught slack as she stared blankly at the field in front of her. Currently, several earth Resonators were working the grounds, using magic to restore it to a flat, neutral state.
The fire fox took in her surroundings further, her head swaying from left to right, taking it all in. The crowds were getting thick again as the spectators moved into their seats, though at this distance they looked more like specks jostling about amongst the many chairs that flanked the field.
"It's much more impressive being on the field huh?" Pacifica commented.
"Just a little bit," Rebecca breathed out, her eyes still wide.
"You could have been out there," the otter pointed out.
Rebecca slowly shook her head. "No, I'm not like them," she mumbled. "Not anymore."
Pacifica's lips turned up, as she placed a hand on her fellow Resonator's back.
"Sho, are you okay?" Taika asked, sitting next to her Maestro on the bench.
"Probably could use some water." He glanced over at the water cooler provided to their dugout.
"Oh! Let me get you that!" Taika hopped up and rushed over to get him a cup of water. The boy leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes for a moment.
The idle hum of the spectators, announcements over the PA system, the movement of dirt and earth, and many other sounds – it was just plain loud in here. Just what he needed right now, a cacophony of noise to drown out his intrusive thoughts.
"Sho."
Opening his eyes, Taika held out a plastic cup for him expectingly. "Drink," she demanded.
"Maybe I am a bit dehydrated." He smiled at her, accepting the cup.
It was at that moment that Shouri noticed the earth Resonators were now leaving the field and with it, the referee for the round took their place in the booth prepared for them.
The next round was about to start. There were sixteen teams eliminated in the first half of the day. Sixteen more would follow in their footsteps. The difference between the preliminary rounds they had witnessed before and the battle that was about to start now was the format.
"It's a full team battle," Rebecca noted.
"Like the one we saw when we got here, right?" Pacifica asked.
"Yeah."
The Renard was specifically looking at the Maestro on the right, who was walking in with her three Resonators. A raven-haired woman, clad in whites and yellows, her outfit was bright, but reserved. It was as if an angel had descended upon the battlefield.
Behind her was a squad of all girls.
A red mouse, a blue cat, and a lime fox. The cat-girl was keeping her mousey counterpart in line, though Shouri's Resonators couldn't hear it, the mouse-girl was getting an earful from her fellow Resonator, while the fox was in no uncertain terms telling them both to shut up. The Maestro in question was seemingly oblivious to her Resonator's quarreling behind her, looking around the stadium in wonder.
Opposite of her stood a man with his trio, who stood focused, unlike the squabbling Resonators on the other side of the field.
A beep from Shouri's tuners prompted him to pull one from his side.
The tournament staff app had updated.