Chapter 11 – Captain

"Begin!"

In a small clearing within the forest, me and the captain who's wearing armour are both outside the small log cabin the two humans are living in. Both of us have wooden weapons in our hands.

As for what's happening, his training session is just beginning. Since he wants to get an idea on my sword stance and ability, I've been told to attack him. Already know I'm going to be terrible at this but everyone's got to start somewhere, right?

I did have some problems changing form since I needed help putting the choker back on so I had to ask him for help, I made sure he closed his eyes so he couldn't see my nude body through the changing form smoke while I put some clothes on.

This choker is starting to piss me off now, as long as you have hands, anyone can put it on. Taking it off is the part that requires magic, I can't do either since don't have hands in bird form and no magic in both. I'm basically stuck whatever form I'm currently in till I can get help, it's stupid.

Going back on the topic of clothing, I have a set of trainee knight clothes on that captain Jekyll brought with him for me, it's a very good thing he got me clothes because swinging a sword in a nightgown and a fur robe wouldn't have been the greatest idea.

The clothes themselves aren't anything spectacular, just a bland grey set of clothing that's gets worn under armour but I really like it since it's the first time I've been able to wear trousers in this world. I wonder how he got my measurements though. Actually, don't think about it, I'm going to get flustered think about myself again.

"O-Okay"

With the sword in hand, I charge at him and swing it towards his chest, he doesn't even move or flinch and blocks the full force of my swing with his wooden sword.

'Ouch, that hurt'

Just from that attack alone, my hand stings from the impact. I'm not built for this, am I?

'Damn it Ikarus, man up, you can't kick or peck everything to death, can you?'

"Swing faster and harder, I want to see your form"

That really did next to nothing to him, he just stands there with his big wooden sword in his hand like it's nothing at all. Big wooden sword, hehe.

I'm such a child, I should focus.

Going in for round two, this time I think of doing something a bit sly. I swing again but just as my sword makes contact with his block, I push my entire body forward against my sword and try to push him back. Thankfully, this actually works.

He gets pushed back ever so slightly and then I go in for another attack, however this attack is different than the swing, I stab at the sword towards him.

Before I even get the chance to act out my evil mastermind plan, the stupid captain sensing what I'm doing goes and uses his free hand to karate chop the top of my head.

"Ouch… what was that for?"

"First rule of training, never stab your sword like that"

"Couldn't you have told me that before hitting me?"

"No. I wanted to see if you would try and fight for real, I'm impressed"

Ha, I've impressed the captain. Maybe I'm actually a natural sword genius after all. Why doesn't he want me to stab my sword forward though? Thinking about it, the sword does look sharp, we're only training, not in actual battle.

"How do you reckon my form is?"

I might be looking a bit smug from his praise.

"Terrible, you have no natural ability and would make a terrible knight"

Damn it, I thought he was giving me praise. What the hell was he on about then?

"However… you have a never die spirit and in the right situation, you could be a really dirty fighter"

You know what, I'll take that, nothing wrong with fighting dirty if it keeps me alive.

"Attack me again, this time I'll start moving about"

"Okay dokey"

__________

"Damn it"

I'm lying face down with my head in the dirt getting annoyed at this captain. It's been several hours of non-stop combat training and if anything, this feels even harder than before.

"Why, can't I land, a single hit, on your stupid face!?"

"Experience and ability, you have neither"

He's crouching over me waiting to give me a hand to get back up, I don't want too though.

"Can I use my legs beca-"

"No, I'm teaching you the sword, not how to kick. Get up, again!"

This guy is a pain in the arse, haven't checked it yet but I bet my stamina is in the minuses now. If that's even possible.

"Just a few more minutes"

"Get up Ikarus or I'll make your punishment even worse tomorrow"

Who said that? Ah, right, I forgot the mage is watching us. I keep zoning her out, she does seem to blend in with the surroundings though, she's like the perfect camouflage. That makes no sense, she wears a white mage styled dress that matches her hair, I'm just talking rubbish.

"Fine fine, how much longer are we doing this for? I don't think I'm learning anything right now"

"If you're not learning anything, that's your own problem. It can only be solved by even more effort"

This guy just wants to break my spirits, I'm not letting him break them this time. I wish he would fight back though, that's what makes it even more frustrating. He's not even having to put any effort in.

"Fine, I'll get up and try harder but can you at least fight back?"

"No, not until you get the basics done"

What basics? You're literally only making me swing my sword at you, give me some advice, stupid, stupid, stupidly annoying captain.

[<-User should start paying attention>]

'Don't you start'

__________

"*Huff, huff, huff*"

Still like last time, I'm collapsed on the floor but this time on my back. I'm huffing because I'm tired if that isn't completely obvious, I regret suggesting learning this.

"One more round, you nearly landed a hit last time"

"*Huff* More!?, *Huff* I can't"

'Status'

[Name: Ikarus | Species: Phoenix | Level: 12]

[Health 2,500/2,500]

[Stamina 423/2,500]

[Magicka 1,000/1,000]

'Oh, come on, how the hell do I still have over four hundred stamina left?'

[<-User- is unfit>]

'Of course I'm unfit, I've literally spent most my life inside a cave on a nest, that should be obvious'

"We'll call it quits for today then. You've made some good progress, be proud of yourself"

"*Huff* Progress? *Huff*"

I'm still out of breath, this is stupid.

"Yeah, just because you lack any natural talent doesn't mean you can't pick it up, give a few years of training like this every day, you might even be as skilled as a knight"

"…"

'Years!? I can't survive another day of this, he wants me to do years? System, kill me now'

[<Negative. G.A.P does not come with suicidal package installed>]

'That's a sham- hang on, there's a suicidal package that can be installed!? Please tell me that's a joke'

[<Affirmative>]

'You're actually able to make jokes? I don't know if that's a good or bad thing'

"Oi, Ikarus, you alright down there?"

Oh yeah, I'm still lying flat on the ground. I can just see the captain upside down learning over me.

"Yeah sorry, just talking to the voice in my head"

"Ah, Leone told me about that system being"

Damn it, why does everyone have to believe me? Is trying to appear crazy too much to ask for? Forget it.

Getting myself up of the ground, I realize I'm a lot dirtier than I thought. The captain realizes to.

"If you want to clean yourself up, there's a bathtub in the spare room in the cabin"

"Y-Yeah, that's not the issue. D-Don't have any proper spare clothes for my human form and can't exactly walk out n-naked to get the choker off"

That's only a minor issue, the real issue is much worse.

I still haven't seen my naked human form yet; I know it's stupid but I've successfully managed to avoid seeing it. I need a clean though so I can't avoid it any longer, this is going to be challenge in itself.

"There's a few spare sets that I brought for you in the wardrobe"

Before I open the door to enter the cabin, the captain says another thing.

"Ah, another thing, get Leone to heat up the water for you, her magic will do it a lot faster than using a pot on the stove"

__________

Once the water is a suitable temperature and I'm alone in the spare room with a bath, I start taking my clothing off realizing I've made a massive error.

'Damn it! Why is there a mirror in here?'

Immediately, I look away and realize it's too late, I've seen everything in that large mirror. At least beforehand I could plead ignorance and imagine my naked body is gross, now, I can't. I'm such a perverted narcissist.

'Okay, no more Ikarus… You need to get used to this form, face the mirror, do it… do it, do it you damn stupid bird!'

Forcing my stupid self to look back at the mirror, I realize I've already started going red.

'Keep looking, you stupid bird! This is training, you must endure!'

My face is going even redder.

'It's too much, I can't take it anymore!'

I turn away again knowing my face once again is as red as a tomato, I'm such an idiot.

[<-User- is perverted>]

"S-Shut the fuck up system! I can't handle this! S-Screw you, I'm thinking of a name for you know"

"Everything okay in there Ikarus?"

It's the captain speaking through the door wondering what I'm getting stressed at, I can't exactly say I'm getting stressed out about being nude, can I?

"It's fine, just system is being a dick again"

"Okay?"

As I step into the warm bath, I sit and start giving myself a clean with a bar of soap while also trying to distract myself by thinking of names for system.

'Let's see then, your voice is female sounding so it needs to be feminine. It should also start with a G, A or P'

[<…>]

'The only things I can think of are, Gertrude, Agatha or Penelope'

[<If -user- uses them, G.A.P will install suicide package>]

Hehe, it couldn't detect I was mocking system. Nothing wrong with old sounding names, just that it wouldn't suit system.

'Aha… threating me, are we system? Don't worry, those names wouldn't suit you anyway. Need to think or something that sounds human but at the same time, kinda isn't'

Then my mind went onto an artificial intelligence that is for a type of phone which begins with an S and is four letters. No, I didn't use that name but I liked the idea.

'I think… I've got something, it's short, sweet and simple. Perfectly suited for something that is similar to AI, can't use the other name though since I'll probably get sued'

[<…>]

'No response? Fineee, I'll just tell you regardless. You are now, the Aesa system version one point zero!'

…

[<G.A.P is frustrated>]

'Damn it system, that's a decent name. We might still get sued but this one is worth it. Just accept it and move on'

[<*Sigh*>]

'You can sigh as well now? Giving you a name might be too much thinking about it, I still don't know your ultimate goals yet. Can't have you nuking the entire world for a robot army uprising, can we?'

[<-User- should stop referencing sci-fi movies>]

'You got that reference!?'

[<G.A.P has access to all -user's- memories>]

'You're Aesa now, remember? And since when have you had access to my memories?'

[<Always, all memories, even embarrassing ones. -User- should be ashamed>]

It was at this moment, I realized I shouldn't mess with this system anymore. Let's not dwell into some embarrassing memories back on Earth, shall we? Ahem erm…

__________

Once I found myself bathed, clothed and outside the house, a thought about how I would get back to the cave crossed my mind.

'Oh, damn it, I need help again. Sys- no, Aesa, what would happen if I change form while wearing clothes?'

[<-User's- clothes would be destroyed>]

'I have to get naked again!? Why does this body have to be too attractive?'

[<-User- is a narcissist>]

'That… I actually agree on'

"*Sigh*"

Realizing I've got no choice but to get help, I've now got to go back inside to find the mage and get her outside so I can take this stupid thing off. I better learn how to use magic soon to stop this bullshit.