Maud looked up from the book she was reading. Someone was knocking on her door. She glanced over at the clock on the side table by the couch. The time read 9:30. It was late, much too late for any of Pinkie's friends to be coming around. Besides, Pinkie always told her when she was expecting company.

The knock came again. A little louder. She was curious as to who it could be. Big Mac? No. He called first before coming over. He also knew she had a big test to study for. This was her final year in college and that she had to pass if she was ever to get out from her father's thumb for good.

"Maud, Pinkie, it's Sunset. I need to talk to you." A voice called out from outside.

So it was Sunset Shimmer who was at the door. Maud was curious as to why she would be coming around so lat or as to why she was asking for either her or her sister as opposed to just Pinkie. Maud decided it was best to find out. She stood up, walked to the door, and opened it to find Sunset with three familiar looking girls with her. Maud couldn't figure out who they were only that she felt she had seen them before and that they looked (and smelled) terrible.

"Maud, hi, I . . ." Sunset started to say nervously but Maud cut her off.

"Pinkie is in the shower. Come in."

Sonata leaned over to Aria and whispered "I'm frightened."

Aria jabbed her in the stomach and whispered back, "Shut-up and come on."

The four of them walked inside. In the light, Maud was able to get a better look at Sunset's three companions. "Wait, you're the Sirens aren't you?" Maud's mono tone, emotionless voice freaked the Sirens out more than her actually figuring out who they were.

"Yes, they are." Sunset said, fear growing inside her that Maud would tell her to get out before she could even ask if Sonata could stay with her.

Just then Pinkie came down the stairs. "Oh hey Sunset. What are you . . . IT'S THE SIRENS!" she shouted. "Man you guys look horrible."

"Well we've been homeless since we left here." Sonata replied back.

"Didn't you save any money? From what Twilight told us, you guys should've been here like a super duper long time."

"About a thousand years, give or take. But who needs money when you can just get whatever you want by singing? It's not like we were expecting to get blasted by a giant Steve Miller Band album cover come to life and lose all our powers."

"True. I see your point. So why'd you leave? I mean we forgave Sunset, and she even caused property damaged."

"We were scared. You gotta remember, we're used to people burning people like us at the stake. Although, all things considered, we probably should have."

"Probably. I'm Pinkie Pie by the way." Pinkie stuck out her hand.

"Sonata Dusk." Sonata took Pinkie's hand and shook it.

"Hi Sonata. Wanna play tag?"

"Ok."

"Tag, you're it!" And with that the two took off running.

Sunset, Adagio, and Aria looked on with mouths agape in sheer surprise. Maud just at them with her typical blank expression and said, "It's Pinkie."

Sunset cleared her throat. "Um, yes, well, anyway; the reason I'm here is . . ."

"The Sirens have come back to seek redemption and you can't take all three of them in so you're looking for places where the other two can stay," Maud said flatly.

Sunset blinked a couple times in astonishment. "I guess it really does run in the family," she said.

"Simple deductive reasoning." Maud answered back. "I'm not sure though. Our dad pays for most of the bills here. I'm not sure he would approve of us taking someone in and I don't make enough to cover rent and everything if he'd decide to pull his financial support."

Sunset felt a sting of depression when she remembered something Pinkie had told her. "Wait, your dad is a hardcore Christian right?" she asked.

"That would be an understatement even by my standards," Maud replied.

"Well just tell him you're trying to help a poor lost soul to reach Christ. How could he say no to that?"

Adagio was impressed. She had used similar tactics to gain food and shelter in the past. Once was a brief stay at a nunnery back in the thirteenth century. She always marveled at how easily fooled religious people were. But she supposed that's why they were religious in the first place. Sunset definitely had the makings of a master manipulator. She felt a weird pride and even a somewhat kinship to the girl. But she knew she had to bring her down if she wanted to avoid eternal suffering at the hands of Queen Chrysalis.

"That could work," Maud said. "Who did you have in mind to stay here?"

It was then Pinkie came back down stairs. "Hey Maud, Sonie's getting a shower and I'm getting her something to eat."

"Pinkie," Sunset spoke, "we all just ate before coming here."

"Yeah, but not ice cream." Pinkie disappeared into the kitchen with a big smile on her face.

Sunset and Maud looked back to each other.

"Never mind," Maud said.

*******************************************************************************

"Absolutely not!" Applejack shouted.

"Listen here hillbilly, I'm not enthused about staying here either," Aria snapped back.

The two headstrong females stood centimeters apart, glaring at each other. Sunset stepped in between them, trying to calm them down.

"Ladies, please. Applejack, I know this is a lot to ask. I do. But it was just as much as when Twilight asked you to look after me."

"That's different." Applejack said in protest.

"No, it's not. Did they do anything that was really any worse than what I did? I caused dissention at school, caused you and the others to turn on each other. I was even going to enslave you all and use you as cannon fodder to overtake Equestria. I was horrible, a literal demon. But thanks to you and the others I've changed. Heck, I'm even a princess now. All I'm asking is you give them, Aria, a chance like you did with me." Sunset's voice was calm, soothing, down right motherly.

Applejack looked at Sunset with a mixture of anger and repentance. "But you was sorry as soon as you were defeated. You hung around and fought for our forgiveness. They turned tail and ran."

"And suffered because of it. Listen, I'll be honest, I'm having a hard time believing them as well. But if we don't at least try, then what? They go back to the streets? Go hungry? Worse? Could you live with yourself if that happened?"

"Sunset, I got a little sister . . . "

"And a big brother who would do anything to protect you both."

"Except hit a girl. So then what?"

"Well, then you go get Maud." Sunset put her right hand on Applejack's left shoulder as a sign of comfort and understanding.

Applejack shook her head and hummed around for a bit before saying, "It's got to be a group decision. Let me talk to Granny and the others. Stay here on the porch until I get back."

"I will. We will." Sunset said reassuringly.

Applejack went inside and Aria turned to look at Sunset and Adagio. "This isn't going to work you know."

"Aria," Adagio said with barely strained annoyance. "What else do we have? We've had tough times before, but we also had our powers. We don't anymore. Not only that but we're mortal. We can and will die Aria. And say what you will about pride and standing up for yourself, but is coming here really, and I mean REALLY any worse than what we've already been through? The things we've already done just to survive? I'm done Aria. Nothing is worse than the life we're living now. So grow up and get over yourself!"

Even now there was a power and nobility to Adagio that Sunset just had to marvel at. She had been where Adagio is now. Cast out, in a strange land, fending for herself. Sunset suddenly felt a proto-bond with Adagio growing. Maybe they could be friends. Maybe even best friends.

"Fine," Aria sighed, knowing she was defeated. "But if she comes out and says I can't stay, I'm gone. I'll go it alone, I don't care."

"If that's the case," Adagio answered back, "do as you must. I won't stop you."

Aria nodded and the three waited in silence until Applejack came back.

"Alright," Apple sighed, "she can stay; BUT she has to work. No free rides missy. You work from sun up `til sundown ya hear. You don't pull your weight around here, you're gone. Big Mac will look after you while I'm at school and I'll watch ya when I get home. And as soon as you all can, ya gotta get out of here and get your own place. Understand?"

Aria bit her lip, looked at Adagio, then back to Apple. "Understood."

"Alright. Now get in here. Sunset, I'll talk to you tomorrow." With that, both Apple and Aria went inside.

"Just you and me now," Adagio said, looking at Sunset with a slight smile.

Sunset looked back at Adagio. She felt an entire bag full of emotions from suspicion, fear, sadness for what they've been through, hope, and still a bit of anger. "Looks like," she simply replied.

Adagio looked down at the ground and then back up to Sunset. "Thank you." In that simple sentence was a ton of emotion and meaning.

Sunset just nodded. "Let's go home."