My Parasite Skill System

I'd stopped right where I stood right now, yesterday, after we'd come back home.

Looking around, though, there was no one to be seen.

I didn't click my tongue just yet. Maybe they were the ones being late, right?

After a few seconds passed with me restlessly looking over to each side I could get to get my eyes on, peering even more than twice at some spots making sure to leave nothing … "Little man!"

Oh!–but the big boy's voice, also known as Leader, just reached my ears!

Turning around to where it came from, "Oh– oh, if it isn't my party!"

"Your favorite party ever, right, right??" Bumped stepped forward, greeting me with an ample bow of his upper body. "I got something for ya!"

The five of them were here, coming forth towards me. Quickly, from the opposite side of the wide and open road, they were getting to me.

As I was getting to them, too, Leader waved me to stop and wait for them around the sidewalk.

Nodding, I jumped back twice and waited for them to make their way through the many carriages' path.

"Little man, aren't you here finally."

"I … am here finally, Leader."

Should I tell them I wasn't given any time or anything, though?

"Hi, Emerald," Clumsy simply waved.

I responded with a wave of my hand, too.

"Little … man, hello," bowed Slug when I bowed back.

"Emerald," and finally simply greeted Sorceress.

"Sorceress, hello."

And that's how we met back again. I figured they would wait. Obviously, when I hadn't been indicated at what place and time the Party would meet–they wouldn't just go 'bye-bye' without me.

Clumsy Babe closed in on me as she'd usually do, placed a hand on my shoulder, and spoke.

Was I ready today, too? And of course, I was. That goes without saying.

That was great: on this occasion, I wouldn't just be following without doing anything, she said, patting my head and showing her white teeth.

Without just doing anything, she said? I didn't even have time to think of battling. No. She quickly directed my eyes towards Bumped.

I saw him with the gear he put forward for me to see. A big enough backpack he held with his two hands stuffed with either super tiny or big great many sorts of tools.

As I looked upon that, both she and Leader commented that it was to be the Porter's gear, basically. Tools for looting going along with that inventory (that's how they called the backpack) for it to be complete.

"Usually, Slug and Bumped shared that role together," Leader explained.

I didn't even have enough time to think of battling, when big sister said I'd not just be doing nothing, on today's occasion since she clarified it pretty quickly for me … yes–and even then: my eyes were set on fire!

"Now, though … maybe you could do it?" Leader continued.

"You don't have to do it, Emerald," whispered Clumsy, still forcing her smile and laying her eyes on Bumped that presented the porter's gear to me.

"Mmm," and Leader picked up, "you simply tell him 'no,' little man."

And what were they actually talking about?? My eyes were set on fire, for goodness' sake!

Hurriedly nodding my head up and down, not daring to get my eyes off of that gear–my gear!–lest it ran away, I said "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes…!"

"–Yes!" shouted Bumped, clenching his fist in victory.

"Ha??" and Clumsy was just about dumbfounded.

"–Told you guys the little man'd say 'YES!'–hahaha!–he's in on that!–and so it ain't for me (or my dear old friend Mindful Slug) to carry this stuff for now no more, hah! My back thanks you, my dude Little Man!–and Slug's too, bah!"

"I mean, Emerald, you don't have to do it, though, right?" added Babe, gripping on both my shoulder from slightly behind me. " … Although, yes, it's kind of yourself."

"Well. Didn't think he'd accept either if I'm being honest … but sure, why not?"

"I know right, Leader–not like he ain't got the strength or anything, heh!"

"Hmm. Why though?"

"He's not your usual kid."

"True."

"And the fact that he wants to join in, too!"

"Sure."

"And the fact that my back–and Slug's, too–also was in on that for sure, too!"

"Heh, I could have done it, expect you guys wouldn't want that–and you must rather mean … little man?" Leader turned to me.

"Leader?"

And he knelt to me, bringing himself to my height. He and Clumsy often did that, bringing themselves to my height. As I kind of liked that, I smile.

Meeting my smile with his, he spoke softly. When would it be that I receive my adventurer's license back, he asked.

Err, but I was at loss about that matter. I actually didn't even know what that was in the first place, an 'adventurer's license.'

Seeing I didn't reply, he continued bringing up the matter of my recent joining their party, kind of 'all of a sudden,' he said. Would it be correct to assume things would stay that way for a long time still?

Again, what to say to that? I guess it would be correct to assume that, yes, probably, maybe, if the future feels like it, I don't really know for sure.

The man took it as a yes, giving me a thumbs-up.

I was still attending school and whatnot, he said, but in the meantime, then, why not come along the better part of their adventuring time.

My nodding head agreed with him. Except that it also thought that maybe and probably too, tomorrow, 'all of a sudden' (as to quote his own words) maybe, again, if the future felt like it, they'd all be dead, given the fact they were both so weak regular people and adventurers at the same time.

When that time arrives, my head thought, well, it would be parting time, then.

But yeah, mostly, I agreed with him.

And so, there I got it. I would be the Party's porter on today's occasion. Picking up the stuff we got from the monsters (but not from me, hehe), looting them and getting them ridden of anything they got. That was me. Probably.

Mindful Slug really didn't want to bother me with that, though. Ever since the beginning of that introduction, he wasn't so much enjoying it all.

In his way of coping with things, he sweat and groaned, mostly. But at some point, he approached me, performed one of the many iconic bows he'd usually go with, and told me he would take care of it.

But no, I explained to him I really was cool with that. And it most probably already got as fun as it gets for me. I wouldn't pass.

Clumsy and Sorceress thanked me for my help, saying I'd require a share of the Party's wage, at the end.

And when Leader agreed to that, we finally set off down the track towards … I don't know where.

I followed them.