Reincarnated as a Phoenix

Now that the meeting with the empire has concluded, it's time to go head elsewhere. Me and Petra agreed to meet back up at that bar we've already visited back in the red-light district of the capital, Jekyll should be waiting for us there. Knowing Petra though, she's arrived early and is already talking with him.

Just as I arrive to the bar, I can't help but take a quick glance to the brothel on the other side of the street. For once, there's nothing on, no workers working or having fights outside, I guess they're having a particularly peaceful day for once.

Entering the bar, I notice very quickly it's pretty empty compared to usual, there's a few tables taken and one of them happens to be where Petra and Jekyll are sitting. They seem to be deep in conversation right now, I'll wait a second before joining in, they clearly are talking about the situation with the capital but are purposely leaving bits out as to not draw attention, even if this place is practically empty.

Oh, Jekyll is wearing training clothes and has even grown a slight beard as well now, he looks even older than usual. The empire do be doing that to you, down to stress probably.

"... Look Petra, I really don't understand how you'd even do such a task, it's basically akin to suicide, you already know how powerful those people are"

"You leave that side of things to me, that's less of an issue than you'd think. What I need from you is to find a person suitable for what comes after, that's your role Jekyll"

"You say that as if there's a long list of people who'd be suitable for such a task. Other than yourself, there's barely anyone who's capable and that's even if they're still alive. Still don't understand why you don't consider taking the role yourself?"

Even Jekyll thinks Petra is suitable to leading, that's still not happening though. The empire can't have her since she's mine, I'm inflexible to sharing. That was a joke but still, I'd rather her not have to lead an empire. If she wanted to though, I still would have to accept it.

"There's no chance of that ever happening, maybe a while back I'd consider it but not now, it's not fair on her"

"What are you two talking about?"

That seemed to be the perfect opportunity for me to enter the conversation seeing that Petra was definitely talking about me. It definitely was about giving me loads of attention, right? It better be...

I take a seat alongside Petra and am instantly greeted by her little laugh and a smile.

"Heh Ikarus, was wondering when you'd join us, thought you'd like that last part"

Of course she knew I was there, she does have overpowered senses after all. I was right about that last part as well, I'd should get embarrassed over such a thing but in all honesty, I'm pretty giddy she said that.

"It's been a while Ikarus, how's your swordplay going along?"

"Much better now thanks to Petra excellent teaching, yours sucks by the way"

It's a shame Petra doesn't really have any reaction to me giving her praise, it would be so much better if she got flustered or embarrassed like I do but there's got to be something that'll make her go red. I just haven't found it yet. I will eventually tease her effectively, just need to find out what causes it...

"Yeah, the methods we use aren't the greatest, it's purposely always been style over quality. I still hope you picked up the pure basics though, there's only so much I could realistically show you while in front of the witch"

At least he can admit to it but then again, if the empire is telling him how to fight then it's to be expected. As for what he just said about a witch, it should be obvious who he is on about being the wicked white-haired bitch of the east. The empire is technically in the east part of the four continents so that works, bitch does sound better than witch after all.

"You dislike that bitch as well?"

"Dislike doesn't cut it Ikarus, I have pure hatred for that despicable witch"

Okay, I like Jekyll a lot now, turns out common hate can make you the best of friends. I remember thinking once I should set those two up, how the tables have turned. He really seems pissed now though, obviously he can't go into too many details about the mage but still, he even looks like he's gritted his teeth during that. He really is a good actor to be able to put up with her while he was training me, that would have been an annoying experience for him.

"Getting back on track though, what do you suggest I do Petra? This is a little different then leaving the key under the doormat to let you in. This is actually directly searching for a package"

Key under the doormat? I think he means allowing Petra access to sensitive information, the other thing might be trying to find someone to take over the empire, I think.

"If you really can't think of someone Jekyll, then just find the bastard"

"Are you mad Petra? Sorry, you know I didn't mean that, just trying to find that guy is like trying to find a needle in a haystack, he could teach a spirit or a ghost a few lessons about hiding and even when he does appear, it's normally pure chaos"

It's a good thing he apologized then, only I'm allowed to call Petra mad and it's always in a joking way, might've kicked him if he hadn't.

"Who's this bastard guy you're talking about anyway?"

(Petra) "The blonde man you dislike Ikarus, that's his older brother"

The prince Alistair has an older brother? That definitely wasn't a secretive way of speaking there, is there another secret royal or something?

"Then why isn't that guy in pow-, no... why doesn't he have his brother's job?"

I was about to say something suspicious to any ears that aren't nearby, those two are being careful so I should be as well.

(Petra) "Illegitimate child with a woman who was basically a mistress, it would've been bad for public opinion so he couldn't exist, at least in the public eye"

So that emperor we're going to kill had a secret woman that he got pregnant before the twins Alistair and Blake were born? That's pretty interesting, I wonder if she's also dead like his current wife but that's a pointless thought. I'm a little curious on why this is supposed to be a good idea.

"Wouldn't that go against what we're trying to do though? Would anything even change?"

I know a good plan, let's remove the illegitimate prince and replace him with his older brother who could be the exact same, enslaving dragons probably runs in the family at this point.

"The bastard is a completely different person then you'd expect Ikarus, he was never brought up around the witch and was always kept secret till he decided to flee from his own accord. He would've been dead if he hadn't left"

"That still doesn't answer how I'm supposed to find him though Petra, you have any ideas where to look?"

Captain Jekyll can't help but get slightly stressed, this bastard guy that we're now trying to put in power is obviously going to be a challenge to find. I'm still a little against the idea of putting another royal back on the throne but knowing Petra, this guy is the complete opposite from the royals. I'm curious on what he's like.

"Last time I heard, he was skulking around with a bunch of pirates to the east. Your holiday over there should provide more than enough reasons to start asking for him"

Holiday must mean the war he's currently commanding forces in, they are definitely pirates that roam the eastern ocean so I think that's not secretive. Is that guy a pirate or something? Heh, let's put a pirate in command of an empire, let's see how quick that fucks up. He might just be hunting them like a vigilante though.

"*Sighhh*, you still sure that guy is suitable for this? He was always a little rough around the edges"

"Perfectly, that's why he's suitable"

I guess that looks to be the route we're taking then, we just need to convince a guy who probably doesn't want the throne and could be a pirate to become the next emperor after we clean house of the royals. As stupid as it sounds, I'd still rather do this than allow the dragon hunters to stay alive.

I'll always put my full trust in Petra but I do wish maybe there could be a better alternative, maybe this bastard guy is alright and I'm needlessly worrying, that's probably the case like usual.

"Since I've now got an idea what to do, it's probably best we should part ways early then, I'll send you an update once I go back on my holiday. Bye Ikarus and Petra"

The captain gets up while speaking and heads out of the bar, he does have a point, it's probably best to not be seen around Petra for too long, he is a soldier of the empire after all. I'd like to know one day how he removed the empire's enslavement crest but today isn't going to be the day to ask.

(Petra) "Bye"

(Ikarus) "See ya Jekyll"

Now that he's gone, it's just me and Petra alone. I still feel like there's loads more to discuss though.

"Does that sort everything Petra? Shouldn't we decide how we're going approach the thing that comes after?"

I'm of course talking about the plan to kill the prince, mage, princess and emperor. We've got to do it all in one go but that's still easier said than done.

"Heh, in all honesty Ikarus, the biggest concern with that is secrecy and the timing. What you're worried about is no longer an issue, strength isn't a concern now"

If I'm right, she's basically saying the royals no longer hold any physical threat towards us, is that right though? I know I'm pretty powerful now but still, they've got a load more experience than I so for all I know, they could have secret abilities that kick my arse.

No, Petra wouldn't say that if they were extremely powerful, they obviously are compared to normal people but not compared to phoenixes that have five to ten times more stats than them. I still feel like I'm lacking ability wise but if she's telling me it'll be fine, I'll trust her like the usual. It hasn't backfired just yet.

"Now that's sorted, we've got some time to kill before meeting back up with those two tomorrow, got an idea for something fun to do while we're here"

"What you thinking of Petra?"

I guess we're done then, I'm kinda hoping she's thinking of having a drink in this bar for a while but unfortunately, that couldn't be further from the truth.

"Seeing that we're in the empire and they're known for their quality clothing..."

Oh no, I think I know where this is going, why are women like this?

"... How about we go shopping and let me pick out some clothes for you to try on?"

Oh, that's not what I expected, I thought I'd have to go clothes shopping with her and spend hours sitting around waiting for her to try things on... Wait, this is potentially worse!

"Why would I want to do such a thing?"

"I've got to get a few bits and besides, you'll look happy and cuter with some different outfits every now and then"

...

Urgh, I've got to ban her from using that word, Petra has used the attack known as cute and it's way too effective for this dumb bird to withstand. Ikarus has fainted and needs a revive.

"*Sighhh*, fine, just don't be buying too much, my storage is already filled with other crap so putting extra clothes is a waste of space"

It's not actually filled right now but I'd rather not be carrying a load of clothing around especially when I'm only ever now using this one set of clothing. Oh, there's also something I never added since it's fucking dumb. This bastard enchanted clothing I'm currently wearing is really fussy, I can wear everything that completes my current look like my choker, boots and stuff like that, there is one very noticeable exception that it doesn't allow. Underwear.

I mean, it's not that big of a deal since going commando has always been a choice I've been doing every now and then for a long time but still, it would be nice to have the choice. Egos suck, I guess my choker and dagger are alright though.

"That's fine Ikarus, got my own storage space tucked away in a portal I can access"

"Wait, you have a storage item as well!?"

I may have said that pretty loud, it's a good thing this place is basically empty. I'm rightly a little annoyed why I'm the carrier of the group yet she also has a storage item, there better be a good reason why I've only just found out about this.

"No, it's an ability that gives me a tiny room that sits in the higher realms. Heh, it's only about the size of a small desk so it's really not all that useful, can already tell what you're thinking Ikarus"

"I'll let you off the hook then, I'm still not agreeing to carry loads though"

At least that makes sense why I'm carrying everything important then, I have an elephant worth of storage space, she has a desk. I'm guessing she uses it to store everyday essentials like underwear and stuff like that then? Actually knowing Petra, she probably goes commando as well...

(Petra) "Fair enough, let's go shopping then"

I can already tell I'm going to regret this; more fan service incoming...

__________

"I hate you at times"

"Heh, I'm not forcing you to do anything"

"You are though! Using compliments as bribes is literally the same thing!"

"Heh, can't help complimenting you when everything you wear suits you, just stop looking good in everything and I'll stop"

"Urgh, you're terrible at times!"

We're currently in a kinda empty fancy clothing store and wouldn't you know it, my worry of what Petra wanted to do was right. I'm basically her dress up doll at this point.

The evil woman has gotten me dressing up in loads of different types of everyday clothing, costumes, uniforms and God knows what else. I never even realized how modern some of the clothing looks in this world but now wearing so much of it, I unfortunately know.

If I were to go through everything she's gotten me to wear, it would be too big a list. Some noticeable outfits include a Chinese looking dress, a Japanese looking uniform and something that resembles a nurse looking outfit. I swear Petra just wanted to visit places that had costume looking things in, I would get a bit annoyed at her but in all honesty, everything does kinda suit me. That literally makes this entire experience even more embarrassing!

She even tried to get me into a wedding boutique as well but I refused successfully there, that was a step too far. Ikarus the bride is something that is NEVER happening, EVER! Compliments aren't strong enough for bribes for something like that, that's something I'm unsure I'd ever be convinced on.

"That's definitely the winner, Ikarus the maid beats all. You really do look perfect in everything"

Yeah, I'm kinda wearing a full-length maid outfit right now with all the other crap that comes with it. I know I look good in most things but still, this is so freaking embarrassing, stop complimenting me! I clearly struggle to deny Petra when she gives me a compliment, this is becoming abuse now!

We've already gone through several stores and she keeps manipulating me to wear more! I know girls sometimes have this weird thing about this type of crap but still, Ikarus the maid's face right now is redder than it's ever been. I'm getting my revenge soon, mark my words!

"Heh, think that's enough for today, already seen more than enough for a lifetime"

Good, I can finally take this stupid thing off now... Hang on, she's made me put loads of crap on, it wouldn't be fair if I'm the only one doing this...

"No no no, don't think we're stopping just yet. You've gotten me wearing all this shit, now it's your turn"

A devilish smile must appear upon my face, it's time for my revenge. Petra is even looking a little unsure and maybe potentially afraid, she should be.

"What are you thinking of?"

"Just thinking of the most absurd thing I can make you wear; it's just repaying the favour after all"

Maybe not that absurd but... it definitely has its effect, muhahaha...

__________

"Ikarus, this is a little... perverted"

"This is my masterpiece, you so adamantly wanted to see me in that damn bikini so much, this is just me repaying the favour from long ago"

I've gotten the sweet and lovely Petra into something that even I would think twice about wearing... black lingerie! Yes, she decided to force me into wearing all that crap, it's only fair she repays the favour with something that's extremely revealing and sexy. I don't even care how beautiful she looks in all that, this is more important!

I made sure to get the full works as well, stockings, garter thing or whatever that's called as well as the basic parts you'd expect. Obviously, we're both in the changing room right now otherwise we'd be getting looks from any shoppers in here. Unfortunately, she isn't having as much as an embarrassed reaction as I was hoping. If anything, she's enjoying this right now.

"Heh, didn't think you were so into clothing like this so much but I'll keep that in mind for the future Ikarus"

Urghhhhhh! Even though she looks slightly flustered, she can still tease and flirt even while wearing that! This woman cannot be beaten under any means, I give up. I'm done trying to tease her now, it will only ever fail.

She really be looking... no, doing this was not to admire Petra, this was completely one hundred percent to get revenge on her using me as a dress up doll. Unfortunately, it appears to have massively failed. It does suit her and match her long black hair though...

"*Sigh*, let's just go, you've bought everything you needed already, right?"

"Sure but not just yet, just let me get clothed and buy this, then we'll leave"

Huh? She's going to buy that? I mean, lingerie is more suited for people who work the streets at night if you catch my meaning in this world, no one wears this stuff, at least for everyday wearing so I'm a little unsure why she wants to buy that. It's not practical for combat as well, I guess she could wear it under her robe but lingerie is supposed to be sexy, not comfortable, right?

"You're seriously going to buy that?"

"You seemed to like how I looked in it so why shouldn't I?"

...

Her reasoning cannot be argued unfortunately, I want to but I can't think of a way to argue that.

"Ah, fine then, suit yourself"

I was going to offer to buy it for herself but let's not go down that rabbit hole, money issues and all that.

"I'm also buying you some stuff as well Ikarus, that isn't negotiable"

"I'm not carrying it though"

"That's fine, can fold it up and I'll hold onto it for you"

I've just realized, she's still carrying some of those previous outfits from earlier, Ikarus the maid doesn't need to exist Petra! Sigh, it's her money so I'll just let her get on with it. She only has limited storage space after all.

Ah whatever, she's enjoying herself way too much so I'll just deal with it, it's not like this was the worst day ever since we got to spend some more time together.

Let's go find an inn and meet back up with the party tomorrow, I reckon I need to get that image of her wearing that lingerie out of my head now...