Chapter 154 - Random Encounter

---Should be back to regular scheduling this week but don't hold me to it, head is better but still not great.

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"Sorry about last night Ikarus and Petra, I had no idea Zeki would do something like this. I've already inflicted punishment on him for you"

"Punishment? What have you done to him Ariza?"

"Heh, Ariza only gets involved when she feels she has to Ikarus, this is going to be pretty bad"

Having spent the night together and returning to our party's camp the following morning, Ariza immediately greets us with a slight guilty look to her. She obviously feels bad for what Zeki did and is for some reason taking the blame upon herself. There's not really much blame to take though.

Considering just how great last night was, I've already lost interest about the 'poisoning' that Zeki did to us for payback. I was going to get my own back giving him a little power kick but like I said, lost complete interest now. Love potions are an excellent thing to use in the bedroom, or in this case under the night sky.

"I'm not proud of it, but I shared words with Mr Loki and he thought this was the best course of punishment. I'm not too sure but Zeki seems to know he's done wrong..."

'Oh God, can already tell what Zeki's punishment is now'

"...Zeki! Will you stop hiding behind that tree already?"

"Fuck's sake... you and that God are pure evil brother"

...

"Heh"

"Hahahaha..."

The second I lay eyes on Zeki, the American but Amazonian queen, I really can't help but crack up and nearly collapse from laughter. He despises that body so much!

Zeki has obviously become female again but what makes me crack up is what Ariza has got him wearing. Or more specifically, the lack of clothing only involving a certain green bikini I've seen someone else wearing before...

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https://i.ibb.co/qnkPfP1/Zeki-Bikini.jpg

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"Hahaha... *sighhh* Oh, you devilish Ariza, why did I fall in love with Petra when you were capable of such atrocities?"

"Heh, I'd normally call you out for that Ikarus but even I'm loving Ariza right now"

"I fucking hate you both... can I please have my clothes back brother?"

"No Zeki, you're staying like this till those two decide"

Ariza's letting us decide when Zeki gets something way less revealing? She really shouldn't grant us this power...

"Those potions last a month, right Ariza? Might as well make our money's worth then"

"Seriously orangey!? How fucking evil are you!?"

"You have no idea kid..."

His embarrassment obviously turns to pure rage when he finds he may have to wear that outfit for a month, he could just refuse but I really couldn't see him defying Ariza like that.

I actually find it pretty funny how both Nathan and Charlotte really don't seem to care by the literal perversion around the camp, they're even used to this sort of thing by now or know Zeki deserves this. Maybe not for the poisoning but there must've been something nasty or evil deed he did that justifies some sort of karma.

"Erk... Look, I can deal with this body for a while but I seriously can't have a month in this, right!? You have no idea what the cow is going to do to me..."

'Is that... fear in Zeki's eyes? Okay, maybe we should be a little less playful with this, he clearly doesn't want a month of being Ria's plaything, she'll never leave the party if she witnesses Zeki like this'

"Heh, Ikarus was only toying with you Zeki, even she refused to wear a piece of enchanted armour when it was bikini shaped"

"Yeah kid, we'll probably get bored of you like this in a day or two. We're not counting bird form though so you better work showing off that body for us!"

He absolutely despises me mocking him for all this but at the end of the day, this big ol'tsundere had this coming. Who doesn't love the twin planet version of Zeki anyways?

"Erk, if you weren't so overpowered orangey, you'd be getting it..."

"Yeah yeah kid, you're all talk to us lot and you know it"

He just goes to a corner of the camp and sulks knowing full well Ariza's going to be flying most of the day now. I really would have left it but if Ariza decides he deserves a punishment, then Zeki deserves a punishment. I always thought she was the kindest of us but hey, I guess even she has a nasty side. Maybe it should be obvious, she does have a sort of mind control ability after all, even if she refuses to use it.

"So then... how's the other couple this morning? Those two seem to have handled that dungeon well enough, but haven't actually asked you two yet"

That gets a scoff out of Zeki but everyone's ignoring the Amazonian woman now, I'm still not sure if Nathan is good after everything though. He now seems alright but you never know, that transformation did seem to shock him a little.

"We're fine and happy enough Ikarus-sama, Nat's a lot better as well"

"Yeah, it's not worth worrying about so we're all sorted Ikarus. Just give us the heads up and we'll be ready whenever"

To be fair, Charlotte is cuddled against Nathan so I'm probably worrying about nothing as they've sorted it themselves. As self-elected party leader, it's kinda my job to check the welfare of the party, even if it isn't needed and I'm unsure why I'm the leader. If Petra the protagonist spoke up a little more, she would be but she does sometimes go quiet around other people. Obviously not me though, I make her speak through annoyance and love...

"Oh, you two are already sorted then? We'll head off as soon as possible then... I've just realized I'm a huge idiot"

You know when you have a massive brainfart and realize that stupidity can never truly leave your brain? Just because I've developed so much means jack shit when I have moments like this.

(Petra) "Why's that Ikarus?"

"I could've been flying you all using dragon form..."

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Okay, maybe this wasn't as much as a brainfart than I first realized. Sure, the carrying capacity is higher allowing everyone onboard but my main worry was about speed and how we could travel faster. Turns out, I'm just a fake dragon really, flying extremely fast is pointless as I'm the same exact speed like this. If anything, I feel a little slower but I do have five little mortals on my back. Look at me turning into my ol'lizard.

Anyways, we're now on course to the next dungeon which could still a few days away and this dragon needs a little bit of mental stimulation, overlooking the forgotten continent is cool and all but it's mostly just endless plains right now.

<Hey Aesa, how comes you didn't say anything snarky about me forgetting dragon form?>

[<Aesa didn't say anything since Ikarus shouldn't always be the one on carry duty. Irrelevant of our love for carrying Petra, rest so comfortable>]

<Eh, I guess you've got a slight poin-, hey, let me get this straight one second Aesa, we don't love carrying Petra. We like it great deal but might be little far when we're basically being ridden wyvern... Hmm, does feel too natural for her to on my back though>

[<*Sigh* >]

It takes me a second to realize why Aesa sighs at me but Petra pretty much confirms it.

"Heh, we can hear your side of the conversation Ikarus. That's always great to know you like being ridden though"

"Uh... huh?"

"Didn't want to know that orangey"

"It's nice to know you like carrying around Petra-sama, Ikarus-sama"

(Nathan) "I'm staying out of this"

Okay, it turns out I can't use thoughts as well as I thought in dragon form, you'd think I'd be able to filter it but alas, fake dragon over here. As if I'd care about this, everyone already knows this constant ongoing joke that never gets old...

<Whatever, I really don't care right now though...>

Feel like I've forgotten something else as well... oh yeah! That last dungeon and the reward.

<...Yo Aesa, what was the reward for that place anyways? I really neglect sort of stuff too much now>

[<Ikarus has unlocked the ability -lovers embrace- and Ikarus will be just as disappointed Aesa in this>]

<It's crap then? What's it do?>

[<New ability named -lovers embrace- allows Ikarus to gain a minuscule amount of EXP from sexual experiences with chosen partner or partners. In all honesty, this is terrible considering how normally levels. It has provided single level up that Aesa been waiting show now though>]

[Name: Ikarus | Species: Phoenix | Level: 567]

[Health 166,666*/166,666*]

[Stamina 39,686*/40,000*]

[Magicka 166,666*/166,666*]

[You currently have 16834 unassigned points]

<My OCD still can't stand the fact my numbers don't have zeros any more but forget it, thanks anyway Aesa... Oi, fellow birds, did you three get that shit ability as well?>

"Yeah Ikarus"

"Uh huh"

"Yup orangey... I'm also still hating my existence up here as well"

Huh, so we all got that crap. I guess it's kinda cool to be rewarded for being a sex fiend but still, as if me and Petra are going to do it for levelling purposes other than enjoyment. Passive EXP will be pointless if I ever get to max level though.

It probably requires five times the amount of intercourse compared to normal people as well because of the phoenix discrimination EXP has... for the record, I'm not complaining but I was more than justified until I became encouraged to kill. If I hadn't unlocked sacrificial lamb, I doubt I'd even be half way to a level hundred right now.

<Oh well, dungeons are notorious for being hit and miss. Let's see if the next one has anything worth of value...>

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"Wow... this is the first time I've seen a jungle in person"

"Really Ikarus? Even back on Earth?"

"Nah Petra, I never really travelled that much"

"Is it really that impressive orangey? It's just trees, vines and a few mountains"

"Don't be grumpy Zeki just because you're on flying duty as well, this is the first time us two have seen this place as well"

"I've got to admit Ikarus-sama, it really is a sight"

"Yeah, me and Lotte would never have seen anything like this if it wasn't for you"

Off in the distance, stands a sprawling jungle vast as the eye can see combined with sharp, spikey mountains and density that could cause you to become claustrophobic travelling throughout it. I'm pretty sure there's even buildings carved into the mountains as well but that's pretty far away though.

Oh, we're back to the two flying phoenix system as Aesa was right, it's not my duty to carry everyone and I'll just get used to it again. It has been two days since we set off and now it's the other phoenixes turn to fly for the day. Us lovebirds are currently on Zeki while the others are on Ariza.

"Huh, looks like something is going on... Zeki and Ariza, we may need to land to investigate something"

"Wait, why orangey?"

"Uh huh, why Ikarus?"

Hidden within the depths of the jungle, I can just make out the remnants of a battle that's just gone down. I'm actually surprised I'm the only one who can pick this up but Petra's blindness sight does seem to have it's own range.

"Pretty sure a fight has gone down..."

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All of us are back to human and now heading to where the location I saw from the skies is at. Keep in mind, the isn't an easy task though, landing was difficult enough but actually traversing the thick underbelly of the jungle really isn't great. Sure, we could just burn everything around us away but probably best not to leave a trail of destruction everywhere we leave. Eh, we'll just stick to using our weapons like machetes cutting through the vines and stuff for now.

Oh, Zeki's also out of that bikini as well now, we're not that cruel to make him wear it around all the time. He's back in his normal outfit, albeit it's been heavily modified for obvious reasons.

"You're right Ikarus, there's definitely something ominous nearby... and oddly familiar"

'Petra's sensing something familiar? Wonder what that could be'

Travelling a little longer, we reach a pretty big clearing and what looks to be half a dozen mercenaries all standing around battered and beaten from a bloody fight that has taken place. It's pretty obvious they've won just from the fact there's bodies all around the place, some from their side but mostly from the opposing.

Judging from their clothes and the fact they kinda look like mercenaries, my best guess is that these lot may be related to the adventures gui-, actually, they definitely are from that guild. I've just unfortunately seen a familiar face as well...

"All of you, listen up! There's another wave of these bastards incoming and... what are the chances are running into you lot out here?"

Petra's ex, the vampire Melinda stands surprised at running into us so far in the middle of nowhere and can't say I blame her really. Out of all places to run into your ex again, you wouldn't expect it to be on the edges of a jungle.

Standing over a body with a slight amount of blood on her face, the black haired, red eyed creature of the night has obviously been fighting alongside these adventurers against these human enemies, yet I have no idea on the reason why. Can't forget vampires can still handle the daylight despite popular culture saying otherwise, it definitely weakens them though as Melinda looks pretty exhausted right now as well.

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https://i.ibb.co/yFBwwWq/Melinda.jpg

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Almost immediately, I can sense Petra's aura and gaze getting darker witnessing her vampire ex in the flesh once again, but at least she is willing to avoid attempted murder this time around. I'll just handle the communications between us because even now, this might be the only person Petra struggles to remain composed around.

"What's brings you all the way out here?"

"Sorry... erm, I think your name was Ikarus? There's no time to talk tight now, more of them are coming"

This vampire has a surprisingly professional attitude to this current situation and it makes me feel like she's the person in charge here. Actually, scrap that, I know she is because she already has a leadership role in this guild, so it should be pretty obvious that the vampire might be in command here.

"Them?"

"The denizens of this jungle Petra... fucking martial artists..."