Land and Sea (13 May 2013)
It's taken months of preparation, but the Colosseum has finally been made ready for the arrival of Altador Cup VIII. Fans from all over the globe gathered outside the historic landmark starting early this morning, straining their eyes in eager anticipation of which teams' bus would be the first to show. An audible gasp rose from the crowd as Team Altador's logo rolled into view, as AD has traditionally been one of the last to arrive. The surprise quickly turned to feverish speculation among the gathered spectators as to the reason for the early move from their local training facility, but King Altador remained tight-lipped about his strategy during the routine press conference, only saying that he felt his team's loyal fans deserved a chance to meet their favorite players before the upcoming Tournament overshadowed all else.
Team Krawk Island arrived close on AD's heels, and a rousing ovation went up from KI's fans when it was discovered that retired player "Dasher" Soley had been able to make the trip to Altador with the team this year. "He's just a legend in Yooyuball," one young Shoyru gushed. "Even after all this time, we want him to know that we haven't forgotten him, and how much we appreciate everything he's done for our team." Apparently still stung from an unpleasant interview during the off-season, KI's coach chose not to hold the traditional press conference, but he did allow reporters to speak with the players after they got settled into their team locker rooms. "It's been an interesting off-season, to say the least," Feldon "Dinksy" Collibridge commented to one reporter while lacing up for the first team practice. "There's been all kinds of pressure to get back on the podium this year, and Coach is determined that we're not going to lose to a last-place team three seasons in a row, so we've been training like crazy for months now. It's kind of a relief to get to Altador, since we're finally going to get to use everything we've been working on."
The halls of the Colosseum, now still and empty, lie eagerly awaiting the rush of fans anxious to see their favorite teams battle it out in the biggest event of the year. The countdown to Altador Cup VIII has begun!