Fleur had sat in her assigned seat in the classroom, idly looking over the contents of a book as Fir scans her bookcase for a book on the men. Dave sat properly in a seat at the front, a model student when compared to Fleur slouching at her desk in the back. Dave seems fascinated with her basic sleeveless white robe with long red skirt down to a few inches above her feet. “Bloody hell,” Dave whispered just loud enough for her to hear, “That's a cute Miko outfit, I think it’s called.”

  “My outfit is an augmented Miko dress crafted by hand by my father, a human from Earth, Japan.” Same as Fleur, Fir had also overheard him and was more than happy to inform him of its origins. “A kosode, my robes.” She holds out her yellow wings to give him a proper view. “And a skirt in place of hakame, a form of pleated trousers.” She turns around to show the back, a section of her shoulder length hair affixed in a ponytail with a white ribbon. A thin black belt stood out against her bright outfit, three holes in the front.

  Dave nods in approval. “From the same world as me! I’m from Britain.” He smiles, genuinely happy to have recognised something from his world.

  Fir nods, smiling as well as she goes back to scanning the bookshelves. “My class is [Priestess], trained from [Light Mage] in one of the Shinto Shrines my father helped create.”

  Dave nods his understanding before a question comes to him. “How were [Priestess]es made before that?”

  “The Old World Harpies keep that shit a secret.” Fleur snaps, slamming her wing on the desk by accident. “I became a [Magic Archer] through training in the Magic Academy in Brightwood. My sister became an [Adventurer] in the blacksmithing area of that same academy.” Dave’s somewhat confused look prompts Fir to scramble for a book on her desk, flipping it to a certain page with practised ease.

  “Ahem.” Fir clears her throat, very excited to explain to an actual captive audience for once. “Every level 10 base class can train in one of two questlines in unique areas to become a tier one class. For example: a level 10 [Fighter] can train in a Gladiator’s Arena to become a [Barbarian] or in a Noble’s Estate for [Knight]. These can be built or found, depending on what you are looking for. Fleur.”

  Fleur startles, looking up from her book. “What?”

  “[Soldier] into [Halberdier].”

  “Uhh, I know this one.” Fleur ignores the pointed look levelled at her before slamming both her wings on top of the desk. “Noble’s Estate! [Basara] is Shinto Shrine! See, I pay attention!” The last line is shared with venom, practically a hiss.

  Dave idly watches the two interact, becoming increasingly nervous as the two almost stare each other down. There’s a small pause before Fir turns her attention to Dave. “First, I shall teach you how the menu works. It is localised to the new men of the world. Fleur. You’re going shopping in my stead.” A list is practically slammed on her desk, at knee height. Dave doesn’t quite know how he's going to write. Fir walks in front of Dave, turning to face him. “Now then. To begin, Hold out your hand. Hold out your index finger and relax the rest of your fingers. No. Don’t hold them in a fist. Loosen them like feathers.” Having given up, Fleur gets up and stuffs the paper into her pocket. Fir places a small coin purse on the table which Fleur swipes as she passes. “Yes, New man-”

  “Dave.” He corrects.

  “Swipe up and flick your finger up as well.” Fleur pauses at the door, turning just in time to see what she can only describe as a lime green bunch of rectangles fade into existence in front of Dave. Squiggles occupy the menu which neither girl can read. “Fleur. Go.” She only scowls at Fir before leaving.

  Fleur wanders the markets, genuinely upset that she wasn’t there to witness Dave learn about the menus. She’d only known him for almost twelve hours but she felt connected to him. For a moment she wondered if that was the [Party] feature but it was quickly dismissed. She passes by some harpies at a stall, idly talking.

  “Seriously, That Daji girl is a loose cannon. She discovers the secret to the [Kitsune] class and all of a sudden starts using the [Ghost Trick] or whatever it was called to prank harpies.”

  “Oh my gawds. That shrimp got a rare class? And isn’t it called Spectre Trick? Can’t see the Old World Harpies appreciating that much.” There’s a small giggle between the two before they continue. “That orc man of the centaur has been proving a pain at the Goose Lakes. Apparently a town was taken.” Fleur stops, almost out of earshot when the last word is said, turning on her heels to get it verified. “Oh yeah, gal. Oh! You're that merc, Fleur, right? The mayor was lookin’ for some help with centaurs that crossed the border.” As Fleur turns again, this time to go back to the classroom to drop off what she had, the conversion continues.

  “Seriously, Becky? Where did that part about the orc come from? We aren’t even talking about him?”

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  Fleur practically kicks open the door to the classroom, bag in her wings. “Hey, the Mayor wants some help with local issues so i’m,” She pauses at the sight of an older harpy, brown feathers speckled with grey spots and what Dave would simply describe as an old British military uniform if it were made for harpies, sleeveless and shorts. “Oh. Hey there, Major. I was hoping you’d hire me to deal with your centaur problem.” The Old World Harpy, nearing 50 years of age, turns around to face Fleur as Dave gets out of his seat.

  “Fleur. Not this time.” The Mayor politely lets her down, slowly shaking her head. Fleur almost scowls, managing to hold it back out of fear it would harm her job opportunities in the future. Her somewhat sunken brown eyes roll as she recognises what Fleur was about to do. “We have a new man. He’ll be sent with a party of my choosing when he’s chosen a class.”

  Fleur narrows her eyes as Fir stares into the back of the Mayor’s head, curious. Fir is the first to speak. “Dave already has two party members, Fleur and myself, Moss.” A glare has Fir scrambling to correct herself. “We only need two members, Mayor. I assure you Fleur’s rates are fair.” There's a short staredown before the Mayor simply sighs and sits down in one of the chairs.

  “Fleur?”

  “What is it, Dave? Still can’t believe the mayor refused to give us other party members. I know multiple of them are available.” Fleur adjusts her iron chestplate with her wings, before stretching as the three walk through woodlands. Fir, on Dave’s other side, hadn’t changed her outfit at all, except for her skirt which she wore a pair of red and white shorts that matched her outfit.

  “I forgot to pick a class. I need to be in a town to do it.” Both harpies pause at this, Fleur almost tripping over a stray root. She slowly turns to witness Dave’s nervous expression.

  “Are you fucking kidding me?”

  “Shut up.” Fir whispers, slapping a wing over both their mouths. Dave breathes in a feather and starts to cough, drawing back to try to extract the feather from his throat. Fir watches in mild concern as Fleur slowly peeks past the thick tree they're behind. She tenses at the sight of five armoured figures.

  The figures are armoured in steel from head to their hips, where they convert from humanoid to a large horse body covered in a cloak and draping shiny chainmail. The coughing clearly has their attention, but clearly the five are scanning the sky and trees for harpies. Dave finally hacks up the feather, leaning over as he breathes heavily. “We’re gonna be compromised in like ten seconds.” Fleur mumbles, trying to think of a way to save all three of them.

  “Then we know what to do.” Fir steps behind Dave, and to Fleur’s horror, pushes him out from behind the tree. “Fleur, we go.” She reaches for Fleur who slaps her wing away, genuine anger in her eyes.

  Dave gulps as the five spot him, complete silence as the two parties take each other in. He spots the zweih?nder on one of their horse bodies, strapped along the side. “Uhh, hello?” Dave manages to squeak out, mind clearly in a panicked frenzy. One steps towards him, reaching both hands behind their head, the sound of straps being undone before they slip the visor helmet off, a long brown ponytail falling to her waist.

  “I recognise a new human when I see one.” Her voice is surprisingly deep for her looks, with large baby blue eyes, spotless skin excluding a thin scar on her cheek and neatly tied up ponytail. “Those clothes are newly arrived, you haven’t even chosen a class yet.” The other four seem to get excited, murmuring among themselves. “I am Apatite, yes, named after the gemstone, not hunger.” She steps towards him, the two practically face to face. “You’re safe now.” She puts a hand in her void bag, rummaging around before pulling a spear that is clearly significantly larger than the handbag. Its wooden shaft is adorned with a flinthead point, cheap and fragile but still capable of doing damage. “Here. for your own safety.” She presents it to him, holding it on her fingertips with both hands. He tentatively accepts the gift.

  Fleur and Fir had migrated to the trees above them, Fleur increasingly worried Dave may leave them for the centaur. “This shit is all your fault.” Fleur whispers as she shifts from one branch to another. “You put Dave at risk for no good reason, you dibshit.”

  “You’re the fool who refused to retreat. We will always get another man.” Fir holds her wings close to her body, moving much slower than the camouflaged Fleur. “We could be halfway to Birchlea.”

  “I’m getting paid to kill these five you know, and so are you. Your insistence that the men are worthless is going to get Dave killed.”

  “He isn't even level 1. He doesn’t even have a class. He forgot to choose one. You got mad that he hadn’t chosen one.” Fir freezes, one of the centaurs below scanning the branches around her.

  “Disappointed, and I believe the men aren't worth sacrificing, especially for something so worthless as a group we need to kill anyway. I’m gonna [Seeker] the one furthest.” Fleur slowly pulls her magic bow off her hip, slowly sitting down so she can aim.

  “Fine,” Fir pulls a stack of ofadu, expertly fanning them out. “I brought the sheep spirit. I’ll-” One of the centaur startles, backpedalling and drawing a large silver dane axe.

  “Harpy in the-!”

  “[Seeker]!” Fleur smirks, shooting one magical bolt that splits off into eleven, yet only one flies straight.

  “Fucking two of them!” A large array of magical bolts fly out from the trees, one slamming into the chestplate of Fleur’s target, the rest suddenly homing in on her. Fir leaps from her spot, landing on the ground in the centre of the group. She scurries under the very centre centaur, slipping under her chainmail and pressing her back to the centaur’s horse belly. The centaur rears up, screaming bloody murder.

  “[Light Mage]!”

  Apatite glances between the two harpies and Dave, drawing her zweih?nder, before focusing her attention on Dave. “I am so sorry! Please forgive me!” She charges him, swinging her weapon at neck level. Dave screams and points his new gift at her, stepping forward and jabbing.

  Little to say, complete pandemonium.