The following day, Yuki had gotten up early to do some cleaning. He was about to receive a new guest, after all, and he didn't want a bad first impression. Then again, he also didn't really know what to expect. For all Yuki knew, it might be a chronically messy Orc, or a Centaur who would make the house smell like a barn. That was probably racist, but he also knew it was a legitimate concern.
He finished cleaning up at about eight in the morning, and quickly began a pleasant meal for himself and the still-sleeping Peach. He had decided on omelets this morning.
"Okay, house is cleaned, breakfast made, I'll need to pick up some eggs at the store tomorrow… what else did I need to do today?"
"You could greet me."
Apparently, Miss Smith was a ninja. You never notice her arrive, only when she decides to make herself known. Yuki suspected she was part liminal, or maybe a ghost come back to haunt the homestays of Japan.
"When did you get here?!" Yuki shouted.
"I don't know... An hour ago, maybe?"
"You've been here for an hour and I never saw you?"
"You looked busy, so I figured I wouldn't bother you."
"I don't like the idea of a random person, my coordinator or not, being in my house without me knowing."
Smith smiled while holding out a mug, and giving an expectant look to the Baker. Yuki took the mug and filled it with Coffee.
"Anyways, I came to clarify a number of things. For example, how much do you know of the Interspecies Exchange Act?"
"Well, I haven't exactly had enough time to catch up on my required reading. I know I can't hurt them and they can't hurt me, but that's it."
"I see. Well, as a Host, it is your job to teach your homestays about Japan and its customs. They can also only leave the house with you in their company."
"Oh, that doesn't sound too-"
"And no sex."
"Why?" Yuki asked, his brow scrunched up in confusion.
"Well, Liminal girls tend to be very passionate. And besides, your internet history and credit card bills are beautifully decorated with-"
Before Smith could finish her sentence, Yuki placed his hands over her mouth. He was about as red as a field of roses, and profusely sweating.
"I get the picture, stop talking."
"What was she talking about?" Peach asked, having finally woken up.
"Nothing! Nothing at all! Say, who's hungry? I know I am! Let's eat and talk about something else, okay? Okay!"
"A new conversation, eh? How was the latest issue of-"
Yuki's screams could be heard in the next building over.
After a minor ordeal involving a frying pan, a rolling pin, and a miraculous traffic cone, Yuki stood in a corner, a decently-sized black eye and a look of defeat and shame on his face as Smith and Peach began discussing a… special magazine Yuki enjoyed, and only bought in the next town over.
As Noon rolled around, the home stay arrived.
"Alright, Mister Yuki Saito, meet Chica. Chica, meet Yuki."
"Um... isn't she a little young?"
Standing before Yuki and Peach was a rather tiny Harpy. Poultry Harpies are small, even by Harpy standards; the standard Harpy goes up to your chest, but Chica only came up to his stomach. She even acted like a small child, hiding behind Smith.
"Chica is a Harpy. A lot of people think they are younger than they actually are, but she's actually only a year younger than yourself."
"Okay... Well, come in, I'll show you around the house and let you pick your room, sound good?"
Smith grabbed the harpy from behind her and placed her face to face with the baker. He gave a kind smile, but everyone was blissfully unaware that Peach was feeling rather angry, mostly because she had practice hiding her emotions. Someone was taking Yuki away from her, and that made her blood boil.
"Uh, yes. That sounds nice. Thank you."
"Alright, come on," Yuki said with a warm smile, leading Peach and their new guest upstairs.
As Yuki showed Chica around, Peach began silently watching them, often from behind a corner, almost as if she was studying the other girl.
"Well, those are the rooms. Now we just need to pick out your bedroom, put up a sleeping bag, and buy some actual furniture tomorrow. Sound good?"
"Ah, yes... That does sound good... But, um, can I use your restroom?" Chica asked somewhat desperately.
"Um, you don't need to ask. It's down the hall, to the left."
As soon as Yuki finished speaking, Chica darted for the restroom and slammed the door. After she had been in there for an hour, Peach decided to check on their guest, and maybe get a few questions answered. Peach marched towards the door and opened it while Yuki was lugging a desk up the stairs.
"So, Chico, I want to get something out of the..."
Peach went silent at the sight of Chica, naked and struggling to suppress her moans, a small white egg nestled between her legs, her eyes teary, and locked with Peach's.
They were both silent for a moment before Peach found her voice.
"You know what? I'm gonna just... yeah..."
Peach gently shut the door and went into her room, and falling face-first onto her bed, trying to forget what she had just seen. Unfortunately, after what felt like hours, she only remembered it with greater detail. She recalled seeing another egg on its way out of the harpy as Peach closed the door. The Tuffle doubted she could handle something like that; the poor harpy had it rough.
As night fell upon the household, Yuki was wondering how he miscounted the eggs in his refrigerator.
"Jeez, I thought I had more... I guess I could just run out and get something, but what? I can't just get anything... Wait, is it even okay to eat eggs with Chica here? I hope so, I kinda need them for baking."
Yuki continued to ponder as he closed the refrigerator door, placing his hand on his chin as he left to get some dinner.
The following morning, Yuki was greeted with a surprise upon preparing breakfast.
"I don't remember getting brown eggs..."
He plucked one from the container. It felt like a normal chicken egg, but it was kinda slimy and smelled strange.
Yuki pondered the mysterious egg before he realized a few things.
One, he was living with a harpy.
Two, Harpies are birds and lay eggs.
Three, it smelled weird because it was freshly laid.
Four, it was slimy because of where it probably came from.
As soon as he realized all that, he quickly placed the egg he was holding in the sink. He would have thrown it away, but he was afraid of hurting Chica's feelings. Peach came downstairs early this morning, and quickly got swept up in his panic about the egg.
"What do I do?!"
"Why are you asking me?"
"Because I'm just a baker! You're a super-smart alien!"
"I'm good at building and fixing things, not figuring out what to do with-"
"With what?"
Both Yuki and Peach almost jumped when they herd Chicas soft and innocent sounding voice
"Um, with you! I was wondering if I should have you help around in the Bakery."
"Oh, Chica would love to go! But why didn't Muffin ask Chica in the first place?"
"It was going to be a surprise; you weren't meant to hear us. Wait, Muffin?"
"Chica can't remember Muffin's name, so Chica decided to just call you Muffin."
"...Alright. Um, get dressed, we're going to the store today. You get to pick anything you want to take, okay? The Cultural Exchange is paying. Just remember that it has to fit in your room!"
"Yay! Chica gets to go out with Muffin!"
The harpy quickly ran to her room to get changed.
"Peach, can I count on you to do something about those eggs while we're gone?"
Peach's face was blank, but she was screaming inside. She may not show it, but she was really close to making chicken salad out of that bird. She didn't want to lose Yuki to someone who looked like a five-year-old.
"Consider it done... imbecile."
Peach muttered. Chica then rounded the corner once more, but this time wearing hotpants and a long blouse.
"Come on, Muffin! Chica wants to go outside!"
"Alright, Peach, I'll see you tonight when we get home. Try not to get into trouble, okay? I don't want to come home to a disaster."
That was all Yuki could say before Chica pulled him outside, leaving the young Tuffle alone. As soon as the others were gone, she shouted at the top of her lungs.
"God damn it! Shit!" She paused for a moment, then realized something.
"I know how to make him pay attention to me!"
Peach sprinted up to Yuki's room and began raiding his 'secret' porn stash. She grabbed a stack labeled 'Sci-Fi' and began scanning it for ideas.
"Chica, slow down! I know you're excited, but we've got plenty of time!"
He actually wanted her to slow down to get a better look at her. Her chest might not be anything to write home about, but her ass was magnificent. Her hips swayed as she walked, her rear bouncing with each step. And her thighs, they were glorious!
"But Chica wants to get home soon! Chica is scared of crowds..."
"Huh? Why?"
"Chica always gets lost. Chica can't fly like other harpies."
"Chica, we'll be fine. Just hold on tight and you won't get lost, okay?"
"Okay!"
Chica leapt up onto his head, straddling his neck and all but humping his face.
"Chica, not that I'm really complaining, but you're digging into my shoulders, and people are staring."
"But you said to hold on you so I don't get lost."
"This is gonna be my whole day, isn't it?" Yuki muttered to himself.
Seemed like his life was going to get a lot harder from now on.
Meanwhile, far above the atmosphere, a strange, spherical object drifted forwards, headed straight for the Earth.