Niko is at home, sleeping, when she hears an aggressive knock on her door. Right after that she hears Nero, Potek's youngest, calling for her hysterically.
“Niko! Niko!” Nero pleads as he knocks on her door. Niko rushes to open the door, thinking he is hurt.
“Are you okay?” Niko worriedly asks, stumbling to open the door as she checks Nero up and down for injuries.
“I'm fine, but there is a group of guys making fun of Akit on the beach. Teyluk and Nevan came, and I think they're going to fight.” Nero adds, talking fast as he is nervous, as Niko's face tenses.
“Take me to them, NOW.” Niko demands, letting the kid run in front of her as she follows.
As Nero leads her to where they are, she notices that they are outnumbered. There are about five guys, standing in front of the Poteks. They are poking them, calling them freaks, outcasts, and telling them they don't belong here. Once she arrives, she tells Nero to stay back and not come any closer. Niko is feared among the village, by the young especially. She sees that Akit is standing behind Nevan and Teyluk as they are about to fight, Niko walks over to them.
“What's going on here?” She asks as she goes to stand in front of Teyluk, holding his arm as she pulls him back behind her. He looks down at her holding his arm but remembers to focus on the situation on hand.
“Niko! Good morning, sleepy head.” Ruko, the leader of this group, says sarcastically while Niko glares at him.
“Nothing here concerns you. But we were giving them our traditional welcome to the village.” Ruko adds sarcastically as the rest of his friends laugh.
“Aren't you a little too late for that though, it's been a month already.” She says sarcastically smiling and adds, “Plus, If it concerns them, it concerns me.” She says looking at him and his friends with a tense face.
“And if it is anything like the welcome you used to give here when we were younger.” She adds standing closer to him, inches between them. “Then we'll be having problems.”
“Oh, feisty.” Ruko smirks as he takes a step forward, “What are you going to do? Fight us? You're outnumbered.” She chuckles as she crosses her arms.
“Idiots, outnumbered by a bunch of idiots.” She adds smirking, “Now, go.”
“Am I supposed to listen to you now, do what you say. I'm not scared of you, you know.” Ruko adds testing Niko.
“I'm trying my best to be polite, but if you come near them again. My dragon will be playing catch with you.” She says staring him dead in the eyes, ready to pack a punch.
“The girl needs her dragon to protect her,” one of Ruko's friends adds mocking her.
She feels Teyluk taking a step forward behind her as in to defend her, but Akit holds him back. Niko smiles subtly and when Ruko turns away to laugh with his friend, his face meets her fist as she punches him to the ground. He is surprised as he falls on the sand, his friends step forward to fight back.
“Do you want matching black eyes?” Niko snaps at his friend as he stands in front of her, ready to fight.
Ruko holds up his hand to stop them from fighting and signals them to walk away. As Ruko walks away from the confrontation, Niko can't help but wonder what's going through his mind. Despite his reputation as a bully, she always sensed that there is more to him than meets the eye. Perhaps deep down, he is just looking for acceptance and validation like everyone else. Despite her curiosity, Niko knows better than to let her guard down around Ruko. She has been on the receiving end of his taunts and jabs for far too long to trust him at all. Ruko is looking at her the whole time, she doesn't break eye contact until he does. She knows he is never going to fight her, not when he likes her sister, Dhati. She doesn't reciprocate those feelings though; he becomes mean and a bully ever since they have been kids. The only reason he stopped bullying her when they were younger was that Dhati told him to stop one time, and of course, he listened to her.
After they leave, Niko sighs then signals to Nero that it's safe to come out now. Nero comes running to Akit and hugs her legs, he looks at Niko and smiles as she responds with the same smile.
“Are you okay?” Niko asks Akit.
“Yeah, thank you.” Akit replies smiling.
“We didn't need your help, we had it cove…” Teyluk is saying when Nevan nudges him in the stomach.
“Can't you say thank you for once? We didn't have it covered.” Nevan says under his breath to Teyluk, Niko hears and smiles at the floor.
“Fine,” Teyluk mutters. He looks at the floor avoiding eye contact with Niko and mumbles. “Thanks.”
“Sorry, what was that?” Niko says putting her hand on her ear, as if trying to hear better, teasing Teyluk.
“Hey, don't push it.” Teyluk snaps pointing his finger in her face as she turns around, laughing, to go back to bed.
Dhati then suddenly appears from behind them, looking for Niko. She greets the Poteks and asks them why they have gathered, and when Niko tries to sneak away to go back to bed, Dhati stops her and tells her she has to get ready for the next day's competition.
“Wait here, young lady.” Dhati grabs Niko by the back of her shirt and drags her back to where she stood.
“Aren't you going to prepare for tomorrow's competition.” Dhati lets go of her to cross her arms.
“I am already prepared and trained, just let me go back to sleep.” Niko says trying to escape her sister, while the Poteks stand there confused.
“Fine, unless you're planning to let me kick your ass again.” Dhati says knowing this is going to annoy Niko into going to train.
“Yeah, right.” Niko says walking in the direction of where Ash rests, not her home.
“Where are you going?” Dhati asks knowing the answer already.
“None of your business.” Niko replies annoyed.
Dhati giggles, looking at Niko while she walks towards Ash. When she turns around she finds the Poteks standing there not understanding a thing, she forgot they were there.
“What?” Dhati asks confused.
“What competition?” Akit asks, eagerly.
“A hunting competition is held every six months. Where the participants, usually teenagers and boys, would gather and whoever catches the most fish wins.” She explains thoroughly, as they stand there still confused.
“So, what's training, doesn't it only depend on the number of fish in a specific are?” Nevan asks.
“Everyone would work on a different technique of collecting them.” Dhati adds getting cocky, “I won last time, and Niko has been salty ever since.”
“Can we join?” Akit asks getting excited.
“Well, of course. But I should mention that the competitors usually train for a long time and have extensive knowledge of the water currents. It's not an easy competition.” Dhati replies informing them that it's not going to be easy since they're not used to the water life.
Nevan replies excitedly, “Oh come on, we can handle it. We're pretty good swimmers.”
Dhati remarks, “Okay, fine. But I have to ask my dad first. He's the one who organizes the race and makes the rules.”
Akit calms down not wanting to get overexcited, “Sure, that's fair. Just let us know as soon as possible.”
Dhati then turns around and goes to notify her father, the chief, that the Poteks wish to compete. She knows he wouldn't reject, but he wants to make sure they're ready to participate, which they aren't. They are still attempting to make them at home, so even if her father refuses, she will make an effort to convince him to agree. Dhati sees her father sitting with his counselors. As she approaches, they become silent and focus their attention on her.
“Greetings.” Dhati says respectfully, bowing her head slightly.
Her father nods in acknowledgement. “What brings you here?”
Dhati takes a deep breath before speaking. “May we speak in private?”
The chief nods and excuses himself as he stands up to follow Dhati further away from his advisors. When they become far enough, Dhati turns around and lets out a sigh and starts to speak.
“I am going to ask you something and please don't refuse right away.” She says nervously.
The chief raises an eyebrow in suspicion. “What did you do?”
“Nothing.” She replies pretending to be shocked, but then adds, “The Poteks want to participate in tomorrow’s competition. Can they join?” she squints hoping he will agree.
“Hmm, I don't know. They need to be experienced enough to manage the currents and the distance.” The chief replies calmly.
Dhati says, “I told them that, but they really want to participate.”
“Okay, tell them they can join as a team since they are already at a disadvantage, But make sure to keep a close eye on them.” The chief finally agrees but asks sternly, worried for their safety.
“Got it, I'll let them know.” Dhati says excitedly.
She then turns and leaves to inform the Poteks of the chief's decision. She can already feel the excitement and anticipation in the air as the competition approaches. She appears to be more excited than they are. She arrives at their house, and when she knocks, Akit opens the door.
Dhati exclaims excitedly, “Hey guys,” she says as she notices Nevan and Teyluk inside. “So, I talked to dad, and he said you can compete, but only as a team.”
Nevan shoots up from his seat, “Awesome! We won't disappoint you guys.”
“Thank you so much, Dhati. We'll show your dad that we're up for the challenge.” Akit adds hugging Dhati.
“Hmm, well, I suppose you can't study the water currents in a day. You can practice swimming in open water as much as possible and think of ways to hunt the greatest number of fish.” Dhati recommends them as their excitement is already showing on their faces.
Teyluk adds for the first time to the conversation, “Yeah, we know we're at a disadvantage, but we'll train hard and come up with some good techniques.”
Akit states a little overconfident, “Don't get too cocky. You still have to beat us.”
Dhati adds confidently, “Bring it on, Akit. I'm not afraid of a little competition.”
ns 18.68.41.179da2
