Bonfire night

"Well, my parents aren't exactly happy with the fact that I'm here now as well but that's only because they really care about me and wouldn't want anything to happen to me, I think that's the same for your dad… So you shouldn't really get so upset with him, he's only doing that cause he's scared of losing his daughter to some crazy thugs."

Okoye explains after which she places her palm on Ilara's hair and begins to stroke it.

"Thanks, I needed that."

Ilara says with a smile.

"You're welcome."

Okoye replies with a smile of her own.

"Anyways, tell me something."

Ilara begins.

"What's that??"

Okoye asks.

"why are you here??... What made you decide to take part in the exams??"

Ilara asks as she munches on her snack.

"Well, I guess I needed to legitimize my trade."

Okoye responds as she looks down on the plate she was holding.

"trade??... What do you mean by that??"

Ilara asks with curiosity.

"Well back home due to the lack of development and well also cause we are kinda cut off from the larger populace, we suffer from a group of bandits, they are quite dangerous and they normally attack us to collect taxes and extort my people, it started when I was six but I was never able to do anything then, when I turned sixteen they attacked again and demanded for money but that year was a bad year so we really didn't have much to give, they got upset and started attacking us, I got really mad and I fought back, I beat down a few of them that day."

Okoye narrates calmly.

"How did you do that??"

Ilara asks.

"Well I always wanted to protect my people the same way my parents protected me but when I found out I had no variant genes I was really upset but then my dad made me feel good about myself and told me I had potential to be a Weaponmaster if I wanted to so I started training since I turned ten, trained for that day and I finally did some damage… After a while I rallied a group of our youths to go take the bandits down seeing that the authorities were not willing to do anything but then I later found out that the bandits had men in power who ended up taking me into custody for vigilante works.. After I got bailed I was approached by an agent who offered me an alternative to help my people against the bandits without having to go against the law on vigilantes so that's why I'm here, unfortunately I was the last picked in my team and my other teammates are from the neighboring city so they kinda view me as a low class individual."

Okoye says while trying to keep a calm composure.

"Wow that's a lot to take in… you know you are really cool yourself."

Ilara says after noticing a drop in Okoye's countenance.

"You think so??"

Okoye asks as she raises her head up and stares intently at Ilara.

"Yeah I do."

Ilara replies with a smile causing Okoye to give her a tight hug.

"Thanks… I guess we are friends now."

Okoye remarks as she hugs Ilara tightly.

"Not quite there yet."

Ilara replies with a smile as her mind rests at ease…..

"Things seem to be going well as of now, the new participants seem to be settling in nicely."

Yakob remarks as he and another seated figure gaze over the activities occurring at the lounge while atop of a nearby hill.

"Yeah, I guess it was a good decision the head administrator took with regard to hosting a bonfire to put the participants at ease, but there doesn't seem to be any interesting entrant at this year's exams."

The seated figure responds with relative calm.

"You might want to swallow your words with regards to there not being any interesting entrants at this year's exams."

Yakob replies with a smirk.

"Hey guys."

Ilara calls out when she finally sets her sight on Dan and Sai.

"Hey baby."

Sai comes forward and holds Ilara by her waist with Okoye can't help but let out a mischievous grin.

"Hello."

Okoye waves to Dan who doesn't pay much attention to her.

"I'm Okoye, What's your name??"

Okoye asks with an outstretched hand, Dan casts a menacing gaze at her before finally relaxing and putting out his hand to shake Okoye.

"I'm Dan."

Sai and Ilara are a tidbit surprised by Dan's actions towards Okoye.

"Whoa, who knew you could be so nice, I'm impressed."

Sai remarks with a tease, Dan doesn't pay much heed to his words and disengages from the handshake before finally walking off, Okoye turns to face Sai and Ilara.

"He seems nice, are these guys your teammates??"

Okoye asks inquisitively.

"Yes they are, Okoye this is Sai and Sai, this is Okoye."

Sai and Okoye shake hands rather firml.

"Okoye sounds rather peculiar as a name, where you from??"

Sai asks.

"A town close to the coast, Arca."

Okoye replies.

"Oh wow, I've never actually been to a coastal town, you must tell me all about it…"

Sai remarks with an inquisitive look.

"Yeah of course, whenever you're ready."

Okoye replies but the little chat is interrupted by the arrival of Okoye's teammates.

"Oh wow it seems our local teammate seems to be making friends with her kind."