My Parasite Skill System

–Clumsy Babe finally was done with her never-ending waving.

Meanwhile I was here. I just stood there, in the street, beside her, doing nothing.

The wind blew through our hairs, passing by our ears, murmuring about rustlings and whisperings to us both. The passersby went their respective ways, either tapping, planting, or dragging their legs across the roads.

When that cold waving hand stopped its dance and was placed upon my right shoulder. My skin shuddered and hardened when the cold fingers pressed it:

"Shall we go too, now?" she softly said.

And I nodded with my head. Two times.

"Do you know the way, mm?" she asked, tilting her head, then she brought her face nearer to me, letting her blond hair hang on the side.

Observing the beautiful strands of hair, I shook my head. Three times.

"Little boy shall follow my lead, then."

And I nodded two times again.

"What are we waiting for, then?... shoo~ let's go~"

Playfully opening the way, bringing her tightly clenched fist before us two, pointing at the direction we'd go towards, we marched on.

Her two long parading legs assured her steady walking. The legs marched on. And I followed them.

The wind blew in our backs. Walking onward, she breathed deep, her eyes fixated on the horizon we would conquer.

She crossed her arms below her breasts. so as to secure them, maybe. Or prevent them from jiggling.

Well, we walked.

Along the way, Clumsy Babe got to talk to me:

"And so … how weird that is again, my boy. How do you not know the way to the Guild? Haven't you come here, already? I mean, you must have, right? So how very weird that is again, mm-hm."

"But it's just … like I told you, big sister. … Me, I've mostly been around the quarters of the Guild right next to the Institution. That's why. Am not weird. No, no."

"Mmm … of course, of course–and I mean of course you are–you haven't yet to see them, then, I guess."

"Yes."

"–but anyway, that isn't important either. Rather, let us talk about … um, we're going there.

Down to the Guild. Because you wanted it. You want it. You so much passionately … and eagerly wanted to go there, in order to know more (and figure things out, you said) about … skills in general … right?

"Yes."

"Yes, yes. So, what were you telling us about your 'skills' thingy again, my boy?? It interests–"

"–It was nothing."

"Huh. … Some stuff about some 'Skill Interface' … or tabs or whatever … am I correct?"

"Hm, yes. But it was nothing, really."

"Oh, are you sure?"

"I am."

"Not convinced. … No, you aren't, dear little boy. Wasn't it right at that time; when you said you just remembered 'it' after Bumped (this rude kid, I know right, ugh) kept mocking you for, I quote, 'having nothing else better to do than imagining yourself all these skills' and whatnot; that you started to ask us all about our abilities and stuff?

"… well, let's just say that, since I'm accompanying you, I wanna know more about it."

"Sure … but really, the damage dealer was right. Me, I only made it up at the time, y'know."

"Oh?"

"All up."

"Okay, sure, if you say so. (Still not convinced, though.)"

About that, Old Sipping also said I shouldn't let people know since it wasn't a normal thing. So I won't tell anyone! Even though I'd really wanna. I only brought it up 'cause I wanted to make sure of one thing.

That it was right other people didn't have it. And that I shouldn't tell anyone since I didn't want to get ostracized.

… but Clumsy Babe was a very talkative lady. Us two still steadily walking side by side, she continued to talk:

"And anyway, you were so much hyped up about all these funny skills of yours, hey.

"I could count so many stars in your two … shining eyes when Bumped actually got to break down all his abilities to you … whoa!–and here your eyes go again huhu!

"You're so … pfft!–I know you don't like when I say it, but; that's kind of adorable, you know, my boy.

"You really can't help but let your little jaw fall off like this in awe, huh??? With your full-rounded sparkling eyes!

"That's cute–and why do you say nothing, eh?–have you grown shy, now … hey–poke!"

"Ouch!"

"There you go, there you talk! At last."

"Meanie."

"Huh … what, what?... you need some more again?? I need to poke some more again, hah??"

"Not cool. What you do."

"Huh. Don't get too excited, though, little man. We haven't arrived yet, are we?"

"You're making fun … of me. Meh."

"Hahaha!–but hey, I'm not, my boy–I am not. I'm for real, hey."

"The skills, big sis', the skills. They're important! To me they are."

"Oh-ho? Well, I guessed that. Hooray to me."

"You guessed it? I guessed it too!... and I guessed it first. Hooray to me first!"

"No, shush, I did; so it's me first–tell me more about your skills now, my boy."

"Nope. 'Cause you will make fun, big sis'."

"I mean, what do you like about skills. About abilities."

"Won't say."

"Why?"

"… won't–"

"So you haven't even chosen your class yet? I mean, before, with your party, what was your role, mm? Just a mascot, I'll bet, kuhuhu. You know you could be ours, from now on!... No? Not funny? I'm better with toddlers."

"… I'm laughing, y'know."

"Oh?"

"Inside."

"Oh."

"…"

"…"

"How does it work anyway, big sis'?"

"How does work … what, my boy?"

"How to … do you learn the skills? Or abilities. You say abilities. You learn them? How?"

"The Guild's headquarters. You will see from there. I will explain to you."

"No … explain me now. Please."

"Hmm, so, okay: you really don't see how it works? You're a total newbie?? You really don't know anything??"

"I … do know stuff. But explain all over. Just as if I'm a total newbie. Okay? Please."

"The skills you so much love, um, the masters will be teaching you. If you want, that is. And if you pay, too."

"Pay? Pay whom? I want and I pay … or you can pay. … How do you pay? Is it like with the noodle maker? You hand over coins?"

"Uh … well, you join a guild first. Then you pay them. You give them coins, indeed. This isn't a charity: they require your money. If you provide them so, they will make you one of their members. Yes, you join a guild, basically."

"Oh, hm … why do you say 'a guild,' though, big sis'?"

"Why?... as in?"

"As in, we're going to the Guild right now. The Guild Bureau. The headquarters. There's only one guild, right?"

"Oh, okay. I get it. Hmm…"

"You do?"

"We call them that way, and that's all. That's what they are. They are guilds. … Um, basically, the Guild, that's the guild for adventurers."

"Ah?"

"Right, okay. And there are others. Other guilds. They aren't other guilds for adventurers, though. They're just guilds. How to explain?… it's simple. Do you really not know that, though. It's only commonsense here.

"Okay, I'll explain. In the first place, a guild could be anything–you follow?–anything as in, a group of people; an association; an organization; a federation; a group, basically; well, they can simply be called guild if they call themselves so.

"Now, people don't necessarily call themselves guilds, of course, they don't. … But out here, it's common sense for us to refer to the Guilds as 'guilds,' you see.

"I guess they named themselves that way because we all–whenever this adventurers' business got to be a thing–started to refer to them as such. See?

"There's the Guild. The main one. Where the adventurers get the quests and whatever. … And then there are the guilds which bestow upon adventurers classes and training.

"There are … for instance … Bumped's guild. The renegades. That's what they call themselves. Well, that's his class. And his skills come with it, you understand?

"Now, they're rare. Very rare. They aren't much. For what reason … well, you'll have to ask someone who understands that better than the little me–but anyway, the main guilds are the ones of warriors, archers, mages, and thieves.

"Well, thieves are a different matter, too, now, with the recent events … but anyway; that's about guilds."

"You … did understand, right? Wha–what are those fumes coming off of your ears, my boy???"

"I … too much … info…"

"Ugh."

"Don't 'ugh' me! You don't explain, big sis'."

"Ugh, ugh, ugh. A hundred 'ughs'."

"No! Ugh yourself … or you explain all over again!"

"Shush, no … and take this!"

"Ouch!"

"I barely touched you … shush again!"

"Ouch, ouch, ouch–"

"Shush now boy. … And about it all, this … so much learned and magnanimous big sister of yours shall make you into a learned man, too, very soon!"

And I waited for that.