My Parasite Skill System

I was ready to get it done.

And, stepping inside the tiny empty gymnasium, I got near the instructor:

"So?" he said.

There was a skill I was interested in. That man used it. Who better to ask than himself, I thought. I was interested in it, and as the man was my guild's instructor (sounded like both he and the System were agreeing on that), he must teach me.

I explained which one I wanted, describing it to him, but couldn't finish explaining.

"What of it?" he cut me short, asking.

I asked for it to be taught to myself. And I didn't even have to say 'please'–I had money.

"Heh~"

At this point, I had gotten beside him. He was still sitting down. Only his face watched me from down his place.

Today, I was the one looking down at him. Maybe things would be different, then, I thought.

"Get up," I continued. "I have money."

"–No, but…" he playfully smiled at me, continuing with, "aren't you forgetting something, youth, hm?"

"… no, I don't think I … oh?!"

"That is the correct answer; 'oh?!', haha."

And I stood beside him still!

As the man smiled, he slowly slid the hand that rested on his bokken off of it. Right away, he placed it just next to it, I couldn't see on top of what, exactly, but…

There was no mistake then–my nostrils had picked something up.

That sweet fragrance!

And he slid it again! From behind his lap, as it was hidden on the part of the ground I couldn't see, he pushed something forward.

And my nostrils puffed and my nostrils stirred the air–I had jumped up and landed right in front of the instructor … getting ready for the FOOD.

Now it made sense! Of course I'd forgotten something. Of course, of course, of course … how foolish would I actually be!

I sat formally just like him, this time about–but, 'oh?!' again!–it seemed I forgot to take off my shoes by the entrance, today again, though.

"Hm-hm," he nodded at me, "that's yet another thing you seem to have forgotten, isn't it."

"A– ah, sure."

"It's all right," he reassured. "Just you go and leave them by the entrance … right around that corner."

"Sure."

I got up and did as he asked. Making sure my boots were orderly, I brought my knees back up and went back to my place.

I sat back–"And you don't have to sit so formally," he explained to me again. "Undo that?"

"No. It's fine. I want to."

"As you please."

Well then, there was food! What about food, sir?

"Onto the 'right' thing you seemed to have forgotten, now."

That lunch box–it was just the same as yesterday's one. Most likely it was the same. What did that human say again–he used that human female of his in order to get food as he wished?

Thinking I should adopt his methods, he unpacked it; my mind's attention shifted to eating only.

He unpacked it, placed the whole in front of both him and me. Adjusting his position, bringing his knees closer to mine, he organized the food just like yesterday.

On one hand, there was the main container which was for me, I think. And on the other hand, there was the lid upside-down within which he hardly even placed more than a third of the whole lunch.

I shook my head, this time about. I disagreed with the fact I should get more than himself. But he shook his head again. He said I needed more than him.

So be it, I thought. I won't refuse, human.

Seeing I had agreed without any second hesitation after my first disagreement, he laughed aloud.

"You aren't so talkative, today."

I said no.

"Well. Let's eat."

He washed his hands, then was ready to eat.

In his lunch box, there usually only was a fork and a knife. Today, was different: a fork, a knife, and a spoon.

Yesterday, for lack of what's best, I ate with my hands. Today, I chose the spoon.

The instructor had the fork and knife–aiding his eating maneuver with themselves, he pinned the food down, cut pieces off it, and ate the pieces one by one.

I didn't eat yet.

But he paused: "… What is it? You don't … eat?... no way," expressing his disbelief, he continued saying, "seriously though, you don't have enough, is that it?"

"M– me too," but I simply hold out my hands to him. "Please. Wash, wash.

"Ah, haha. Okay."

Old Sipping did this for me, occasionally. With his magic, combining different elementals of some sort, he helped me wash my hands.

I thanked him. Our food was to be eaten by us.

It didn't more than five minutes. I actually, by myself, hadn't taken more than two minutes. Five minutes weren't long either, though.

I waited for him, and he was done eating.

"Well," he said.

I got up. "Well," I said, too.

And he got up after me.

"So … you wanted to dance?"

Hm. Wasn't that clear already? Why did I come here again? The only thing I needed from this guild instructor was to learn a skill.

"Learn a skill."

"'Learn a skill,'" he repeated. "Right," he concluded after he leaned in, picked up his wooden sword, and spoke again: "Of the things that haven't changed, too, is your sword there," he pointed with his bokken to my right.

Lying beside the wall, the sword I used while fighting with him yesterday still was there, outcast, and as if pondering on its defeat.

"I know that."

"You know that," he repeated after me. He often did that. He continued saying, "But, what of it? Won't you rather pull off that same trick as yesterday? Get a new sword? One that hasn't been humiliated?"

"Heh," I laughed a little. "One that hasn't been humiliated," I repeated, doing just like himself. "I won't. Besides, this one sword hasn't been humiliated."

"But your hand has."

"Tsk. … Is humiliation then not fixable?"

"Hah," he sighed, amused. "It isn't."

"Tsk. With respect, you will wish it is, sir."

"You're an amusing youth."

"And–you know what, just do as you intend to do. You 'dance' if you want. I will learn the skill I want to learn as we go."

"Hm."

"Enough blabbering?"

"Enough blabbering," he repeated, agreeing.

And that was about it. Like both he and I said: enough talk. All I needed him to do from now on was to fight me.

He fights and I fight back. Or I fight and he fights back.

The only point I had unanswered was, how to learn a skill, then?

But I talked with the adventurers. And, among other things, all I need to do is mimic.

Mimic him.

Do just as he does.

And then, a skill becomes mine.

That's how humans get to learn them–the skills. And I can't just go the 'insectoid-parasite' way as it would kill (I think) the human.

It sure wasn't that practical, I guess, but for at least this one time, let's just do it this way.

"Oh!.... let me not forget my sword, though."