Chapter 7

"Alright Illenia, that's enough! Stop asking unnecessary questions!" Jason cut in, with a harsh tone.

"But, but aren't you curious as well? I am just stating the obvious here. I'm sure it's what everyone else is thinking." Illenia hurriedly said, as she shrank back like a scared cat.

Jason had always been sweet and loving to her and though she was only younger by a year, he had always treated her like his precious little sister. This was the first time that he had ever spoken to her in a very harsh manner.

"Well, it's arrant nonsense! It doesn't matter what means or method Douglas used, the fact is that he's here. He has already been certified and approved for the tournament and nothing is changing that. Any other conjecture is just utterly useless." Jason sharply said.

"But Jas-"

"No buts Illenia! I don't want to discuss more on this issue and neither do I want to listen to such foolish nonsense been spewed from your lips. You are better than this. Douglas is a contestant and that is that!"

Jason's consistent forceful tone triggered Illenia to shrink more and seal her tongue from speaking further. She had never for once experienced this sort of scolding from Jason before, or any form of scolding for that matter. She knew Jason was naturally hot headed and had a sort of temper about him. It was common for flame manipulators to have such attitude, as most were always too forward, hot headed and would flare up easily over things of minute importance, due to the intensely hot aura burning in their bodies. She too had this sort of attitude, as a fellow flame manipulator herself, though hers was a lot milder. But still even with this, Jason had not so much as raised his voice at her before, for any reason. And she had annoyed him a lot worse than this. This sudden harsh outburst from him was really outlandish to her and it scared her silly. She also indistinctly feel some tiny bit of jealousy welling up from within her, because she had a feeling that Jason valued his friendship with Douglas, more than his close familial relationship with her.

The trio walked in awkward silence for some minutes, without anyone among the three uttering a word to each other. Douglas could no longer ignore the guilt pricking his conscience. He believed that he was the main instigator of this awkward ambience and he felt he had to make amends in some way, to at least change the mood between them. Besides, he desperately needed information and if he didnt smooth things over right now, he wouldn't easily get what he wanted. He sighed deeply within him and then he broke up the silence with a soothing, genial voice,

"Look, you guys don't have to fight or have some disagreement over wee me, okay? It's not really worth it .You guys are really cool and it's quite shitty how things are looking a bit weird right now." Douglas chuckled dryly right after saying that, then he faced Illenia seriously and looked her squarely in the eye, without avoiding eye contact," I would have loved to tell you everything about my process and my means of been here, competing in this tournament, but I am sorry I can't. Exposing such to you guys might put you both at a risk of been an accomplice and I am not willing to do that to my friends. Don't get me wrong though, I didn't use any despicable means or something. I just had help from someone, though I cant disclose the persons identity as well.

If such were to come to limelight, I wouldn't be able to alienate you guys from trouble, if I divulge my secret. So please try to understand. I am sure Jason's just trying to protect me that's why he was a bit harsh. So don't think too much about it, okay?"

Illenia nodded to confirm that she understood, but it was very much evident on her expression that she was wound-up and upset. Douglas scratched his short, dark hair, in a bid to rack his brain on what to do to cheer her up. This was really not his forte. Punching, kicking and beating up people; he was a pro at that, but this, this one really eluded him.

Jason frowned and then he suddenly moved over and stood in front of Illenia, with just a tiny distance of about a meter or so separating them. Illenia was about to reflexively spring backwards, due to this weird action by Jason, but Jason's lighting fast hands caught her wrist before she moved. Deftly and precisely, he swished from her front to her back and then he began to, in an unhinged fashion, tickle her sides with his fingers.

At first, Illenia held back the bubbling laughter welling up in her, but then she couldn't hold it back any longer, as it burst forth, in one fell swoop from her like a dam escaping its enclosure.

"Jason, stop HA HA HA HA HA HA!!! We are in the HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!! We are in the middle HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!! of the street!"

She tried desperately to fight off Jasons tickles, but it was to no avail. Jason was completely relentless with his purpose. After a very short while, Illenia gave up the fight from the weakness of the incessant laughter, as she inhibitedly laughed so hard that tears began trickling from her eyes. She was so weak that her knees gave out and her small bum hit the paved street in one fell swoop. Jason tailed her. He bent low and continued his deft tickling. There was no escaping for Illenia.

Douglas embarrassingly watched this two idiots go at it in public without shame. He couldn't keep his face from severely cringing, when passersbys chuckled, scoffed or stopped for a brief moment to stare at the scene with a bit of interest in what was going down. And unfortunately for him, there were a lot of passersbys at this very moment! It was like the street decided to vomit more people, just for the purpose of embarrassing him the more, with a whole lot of audience.

Some of the passersby, whom were from the provinces and were in the Amphitheatre, instantly recognized Douglas. Disgust and derision evident on their expressions, they avoided that area, like a plague and continued on with their business. Most of those whom stopped for a brief moment to watch the show were the citizens residing in Victoria City.

Douglas was able to effectively and absolutely ignore the curses, insults and public defacement in the Amphitheatre. Those were people he had no idea about and they had nothing to do with him. But this, no, this was really embarrassing! No matter how much effort he put in to act normal, he just couldn't. He absolutely couldnt! This was incredibly senseless!

Honestly, if it were up to him he would have left and disassociated himself from those two, but people had already seen them rolling together and more importantly, he didn't know the layout of the city to navigate his way. So, he just stood there like a fool. He just woodenly stood watching his two friends embarrass themselves in public and also in the same vein, embarrass him as well, for been associated with them. He wished he could have found a hole to crawl into.

Jason stopped tickling after a while, and he sat down smilingly beside the sprawled Illenia, who was panting heavily to catch her breath from the severe, incessant laughter that had brought pain to her sides and had completely weakened her whole body from her head to her toe. He then caught sight of the twisted, annoyed face of Douglas, staring daggers at him and he threw back his head and burst into his own loud, guffawing laughter at the sight.

Douglas gave him a hard kick to his hip and rained insults, while moving away from their radius,

"JASON, YOU SHIT INFESTED MORON! YOU ABSOLUTE BAGGAGE OF BUFFOONERY! YOU FUCKTARD! YOU ARE JUST THE WORST! JUST DIE!!!!"

The insults only made Jason to guffaw harder and louder.