The golden sun slowly creeps over the mountains in the distance, heralding a new day and a frenzy of movement in all of the harpy towns. They fly through the air, towels and small bags in talons as they descend on a similar looking building in all the towns. A wooden dome with lilac tiling on the ceiling, electric blue banners swaying in the gentle wind that advertised prices for private baths and additional amenities. A loaned towel for a single COL, shampoo for two coins, assistance for five coins and games for varying amounts. Chatter fills the air as harpies perch or land, eagerly awaiting for the doors to open. Many group up into parties that have stood since they were chicks, discussing local events and if they should shell out coin for their own rooms. In Birchlea the conversations are different as the girls notice a new addition, trying to blend into the shadows as he holds a pale pink towel and tries to distract himself with his menu.

  “Of course, we harpies are communal,” Fleur chats to him as she squats on a waist high wall, white towel draped around her neck like a scarf, “So expect a lot of meeting the townsfolk and washing hair. Dave. What's wrong?”

  “You want me to be naked in front of an entire town of harpies!” The nearby harpies giggle and their eyes wander his body, ignoring Fleur’s death glare at them. “I won’t be able to get comfortable. A private room is only ten COL here!”

  “And that's expensive.” Fleur idly mentions, looking up at the banner overhead. “You’ll be fine. The girls are mostly friendly and those who aren’t I’m willing to fight.” Her eyes go to a yellow speck approaching the dome. “More than willing.”

  “Steam!” A few harpies cheer at a shared yell from several, a vent starting to dispense steam into the air is shortly followed by the doors opening. Dave pauses at the four harpies that come out, all dressed in yukatas without sleeves. The girls fan out, raising the wing that's closer to the doors.

  “Open for business!” All four of them chant.

  “Do make a single file line.” The second in the four, with purple feathers and long straight hair that covers one eye remarks, easily looking the least interested.

  “Don’t forget today is bingo day! Fifteen COL for the chance to win a commemorative fan!” The third, adorned with short ash coloured hair and wings along with a lip ring and eyebrow piercings sings her words. The brown and lime green feathered harpies don’t speak, instead helping direct the harpies into a single file line. Fleur stands behind Dave, cajoling him into walking forward in line despite his embarrassment and his nerves from the previous day. She gently nudges him forward as the town slowly enters the bath house. The stones making the paths around the town seem much more interesting to him than the harpies around him as his eyes remain firmly locked on the ground. Fleur can’t help but chuckle at Dave, not quite understanding his trepidation.

  Once at the door the ashen harpy collects a coin from the harpy in front of her before noticing Dave and Fleur. Teal eyes go over him before she notices his nervousness. “Welcome to the bath houses!” He startles and looks up at her, a huge smile on her face. “First time?” He nods. “I’ll help you with this! Hey! Daffodil!” The purple harpy gazes over at her, in the middle of helping one of the girls move a box with the bingo game inside. “Fill in for me, new man!”

  “You just want to take him to a private room and fuck him. No. Do your job. My apologies, Mr?” She looks over at Dave before pausing, putting down the box to use her wing to remove her hair from hair covered eye, revealing heterochromia as an uncovered grey and previously covered blue eye regard him. “Well, I’ll be damned. Unclassed, right?” He slowly nods. “Well. Welcome to Terra, and Birchlea.”

  “Dave,” He politely answers her question, “I am indeed unclassed.”

  “Well, I’m afraid we can’t offer you a free private room or whatever, but I’ll make sure you aren't harassed. Enjoy your stay, Dave.” Daffodil covers her eye back up, picking up the box and walking away.

  “So,” The ashen harpy rolls her eyes, “My name's Forsythia, want to fuck?” Fleur chokes on her spit, and the few harpies in earshot cease all conversation at hearing this. Dave stares incredulously at her, embarrassment gone at how absurd the situation was. “I know what men like.” Fleur coughs, levelling a glare.

  “We’re here for the baths, not your apparent libido. I’ll take Dave there.” Fleur puts a wing behind Dave, shoving him along as Forsythia chuckles, although it’s clear she isn’t pleased.

  Dave’s embarrassment returned once she practically shoves him into the changing rooms, many harpies in varying states of undress. One even waves to Dave when she notices him, which he shyly returns. “Fleur,” He whispers, trying to hide his nerve-wracked tone, “aren't there changing rooms for guys?” At her curious look he guesses not.

  “Changing rooms that only rarely get used?” Fleur comments, sitting down on a stool in front of her locker, undoing the ropes on her shirt. “That sounds expensive. What's there to be embarrassed about? Scars? Burns? It’s a part of you. Not to mention a few of the girls here would love to hear the story of how it happened. I got a burn on my thigh from a Firespitter when I did the Alteresa dungeon a year ago. It's usually easy, but that burn didn't help.” He pauses, thinking back to when he walked in on her in her bathroom. She starts to undo the string on her shorts.

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  “Wait, how was the bathroom situation different?” He didn’t remember seeing a burn on her then.

  “Private bathroom.” Fleur deadpans. ”Man, even if that was just a day ago. You were so innocent. Damn Fir and what she did to you.” Fleur gazes over to Dave, who was looking straight ahead into his locker, shoes and socks inside. “Maribelle will cheer you right up. My sister is a real ray of sunshine.” She stuffs her shirt into the locker, missing a slow nod from him. He turns to ask a question, just to go stiff when he realises she’s also getting undressed. She watches him look down at her red strapless bra, hugging her small chest, and he practically gives himself whiplash looking away, just to refocus himself when he gets an eyeful of the nude harpy a few seats away quietly organising her locker.

  Fleur is starting to wonder if this may be too much for him.

  The communal baths are huge, layered with three main tubs on different heights. The wooden palisades for walls made for a rustic view, with stone tiling and a sunroof of glass. Off to one side was a stream, with many chairs to its sides for proper bathing. Harpies frolic and bathe in the pools, splashing up water as they slap the water’s surface with their wings and shake them underwater. A magenta feather washes down one of the waterfalls to the largest pool, being caught in a grate and plucked out by one of the four girls that work there. The feather lands in a bin moments later before she continues on her way, a mop in wings.

  Dave covers his hips the best he can with the towel, Fleur casually walking in without. He quickly dashes it onto a bench before rushing in, glad for the mostly opaque white water. Fleur slips in next to him, holding some small boxes in her wings. She places them behind him. “I see you got a corner spot.” She casually observes. She nestles herself into the water proper, the water up to her neck instead of her chest, like almost everyone else. “Ah, that's the stuff. Don’t drink any if you know what's good for you. Some strong stuff is in this.” Casually patting the water to accentuate the statement she looks to the walls, admiring the waterproof paintings depicting a great battle. A harpy army meets a centaur army, two great figures in the middle duelling, the harpy figure defeating the centaur and the centaur rout. She gazes to the next wall, depicting another event. A harpy man receiving a sword from a dragon, made of tooth, he gains a large army as time goes on, eventually saving his homeland and defeating said large dragon.

  She looks past Dave next, that wall depicting a harpy losing his heart to a dragon, yet surviving the ordeal. He helped many people as he became stronger and stronger, and finally killed the dragon, regaining his heart. This one was clearly half completed, as it only spanned half the wall.

  Fleur wonders why the walls depicted male harpies and no female ones. The place had been built not long after the Death Aurora. There were no men to model for these, excluding the men from other worlds. She refocused on her surroundings to see the other harpies start to notice Dave, one partially brave pink harpy wading closer despite the well known green mercenary next to him. “Hi.” She manages to squeak out. He startles, startling her. “Eek! I just wanted to ask if you wanted me to wash your back, or your hair.” She cowers slightly under Fleur’s gaze, but tries to continue her proposition. “Or if you wanted to wash mine.” She nervously shuffles under the water, unable to meet Dave’s eyes. “If that's ok with you.” Fleur’s almost impressed at how brazen it is.

  His eyes unintentionally go over what of her he can see, then at Fleur. “Uhh,” He actually considers her proposal, honestly liking what he's seeing. Fleur’s glad he's getting used to it, but even she thinks she's too close.

  “Oi, space. I’m going to be teaching him to do that stuff. He’s new to all this. Arrived two days ago.” Technically two days and a night ago, but Fleur didn’t care for specifics. The harpy nods slowly, starting to move away when the door behind them opens. Forsythia and Daffodil walk in, the former with a large plate and the other with the bingo game. Both had exchanged their yukatas for one piece swimsuits, black and yellow respectively. Fleur looked behind her as Daffodil began calling out names, then flying over to them with a single board of metal. They nod at Daffodil before she goes back to call another name out.

  “Sakura?” Daffodil yells next, the pink harpy almost immediately gets up from her sitting spot, giving Dave a completely unobstructed view of her. He freezes for a moment before looking away, face as red as a tomato. Fleur merely watches Dave shuffle about, trying to ignore Sakura as she gets her metal for the game. She isn’t sure if he’s alright anymore.

  That didn’t last for long, Fleur resting in the baths as Daffodil spun a large ball, then called out a number. Dave and Sakura sat side by side, embarrassment forgotten as he helped her mark down which ones had been called. Fleur was happy he was warming up to their culture, but still found it awkward that he seemed to have forgotten about her so quickly. Dave learnt she was a level 4 [Warrior] and a shopkeeper that dealt in general goods. She’d abandoned fighting due to a wing injury that healed incorrectly and held her wing out to show the bald spot where important flight feathers would be. She still held the ability of flight but not for long distances or any type of acrobatics.

  Fleur didn’t want to ruin what the two had apparently going on, but time waits for nobody. “Dave. We should get washed and moving.” She sits up and stretches her wings before gesturing with a wing to a set of stools and small chairs. “I’ll wash your back and hair first, then I imagine Sakura would be ok with running you through the motions for me.” Sakura pauses at this, face flushing at the thought. After a moment she nods her agreement.

  Dave was not comfortable with the back washing as it turned out, the rough sponges and soap rubbed his back red as Fleur scrubbed hard. Sakura had to gently hold him still with her talons as Fleur tried to clean the squirming man, but soon it was over, with him gently slumping over, both girls uncomfortable with continuing with him.

  Fleur bathed mostly by herself after that, him retreating back into the changing rooms. Sakura sat down to bathe as well. It was an awkward silence between them. “How's your wing?” Fleur gestured to Sakura’s left wing.

  “It just sucks that I can’t fly well anymore.” She deadpans, thoroughly uninterested in this conversation. “I can’t even change class, since I'm not one of the off-world men. Stuck as a [Warrior]. At least the convenience store is doing well.” There's a small pause before the two continue. “I’m going to dry off. Did my hair yesterday. Make sure he lives, ok?” Fleur nods her agreement before continuing alone.