"You're gonna have to move faster than that," Big Mac called up the ladder Aria was on.

Aria had been put to work picking apples. She had to carry her own ladder and a giant satchel. Once that was filled she would go and carry back to the truck and dump it's contents in. The truck driver would keep track of each load that was brought over and mark it down. At the end of the day, everyone's tally would be added up and they would be paid accordingly. So far Aria was woefully behind.

"Does it look like I'm built for the kind of work Hick?" Aria scowled in defiance. Her body was drenched in sweat, every muscle ached, her skin was already starting to burn from the sun. She was miserable and had no qualms in letting everyone else know it.

"You coulda gone to school with A.J. . You also could saved some money up over all them years y'all was here. Don't go complaining about the stepping in your own poop." Big Mac wasn't angry but he wasn't sympathetic either. Whatever circumstances brought Aria here; he was going to treat her like any other employee.

Aria wanted to explode. She wanted to bury a knife in his chest and walk off. She wanted kill all of them: Adagio, Sunset, Sonata. But she had barely survived as part of a trio over the past eight months, she had no idea how she would make it on her own. The spirit was there, she burned with fire; but with only a sixteen year old's body, a body that while slim and beautiful, was untested by work with muscles soft as jelly.

Aria grit her teeth in the acknowledgement that this actually was the best thing for her. She had food, water, shelter, and the physical work would build her strength. "Fine. I'm here by my own making, but I am still a teenage girl physically. And one that hasn't done this type of work since she was a whelp. SO BACK OFF!"

Big Mac shrugged. "I have goals everyone here needs to meet. You meet them or your out. No further discussion."

"What about me?"

Mac didn't even need to turn around. He knew that dead pan voice anywhere. "Maud!" he said in genuine joy as he did turn around and walked up her. "May I give you a hug?" he asked. He too was covered in sweat and didn't know if Maud would want him to hug her.

"Always," Maud replied emotionlessly but with a faint hint of a smile on her face.

"So what brings you out here?" Big Mac asked as they disengaged from their hug.

"I need to talk to you." Maud then looked over her shoulder to Aria.

"WHAT?" Aria called out angrily.

Big Mac looked at Aria and then at Maud. "Oh she's just, . . ." Big Mac started to reassure Maud as to who Aria was when Maud interrupted.

"She's one of the sirens. I know. The one with the blue hair is staying with us. That's what I want to talk to you about." She then looked at Aria. "And possibly you as well."

"Fine. Talking about the idiot is better than this crap." Aria climbed down the ladder and walked over to them.

Big Mac was annoyed by Aria and her not working but figured if it would help Maud, he would put up with it. "So, what's goin' on?"

Maud looked at Aria for a bit and then bluntly asked, "Is Sonata a lesbian?"

Aria started choking, then coughing, then finally laughing. It was about ten minutes before she could speak again. "Sonata, HA! Please. In all the time we've been here, heck even back in Equestria, I don't think she ever got with anyone. You've heard of the forty year old virgin? I think Sonata is the fourteen hundred year old virgin."

"But all those dance moves you had?" Maud asked in her monotone voice.

"We taught her all that. Yes. Ok, she knew how to act flirty, but she's an idiot. Listen, I don't know if she's gay or bi or straight or not into anyone. I just know she's never shown any interest in anyone while I've known her. And that's a very long time.

"Why?" Aria asked in a taunting voice. "Afraid she'll put the moves on you and that sister of yours? Maybe she'll get her to develop a taste for tuna?"

Maud blinked once and flatly replied, "Yes."

Both Big Mac and Aria took a step back and looked at each other stunned. Neither could believe what they had heard.

Maud went on. "This morning, I found them in bed together. They were both fully clothed and Pinkie said it was only because Sonata was having a nightmare."

"She does have a lot of those." Aria almost hissed as she spoke. "I felt like strangling her a few times because it was almost impossible to get a goodnight's sleep around her."

"Then they got up and showered together," Maud added.

"Oh," said Aria in an almost hushed voiced. "I don't think that was because of a nightmare."

"I listened to outside the bathroom door just to see if I could hear anything. They joked, laughed, talked about school, but that was it; nothing sexual."

"I told you, Sonata's an idiot."

Big Mac put his hands on Maud's shoulders. "What is it you really wonderin' there pokey."

"Po . . . " Aria started to tease until both Maud and Big Mac looked at her.

"I'm afraid Pinkie might be gay and I'm afraid that I'm homophobic." The idea that Pinkie might be gay (or bi) had never crossed her mind. In fact, the idea of Pinkie being attracted to anyone sexually never crossed her mind. But now, she found the idea to be as close to scary as she could feel.

"I see," Big Mac drew out with a smile. "Tell me, would you love Pinkie if she was a drug addict?"

"Yes."

"A serial killer?"

"Yes."

"A prostitute or stripper?"

"I'm surprised you put those two after drug addict and serial killer, but yes. And all those are not mutually exclusive."

"Ok, al the above them?"

"Yes."

"IS being gay any worse than all those?"

"Once again, none of those are mutually exclusive; but no."

Big Mac nodded his head. "So why do you feel your feelings might change for Pinkie if she was gay; which their is no evidence for by the way."

"I don't. I just don't like the fact I'm evening questioning it. You know how I was raised. My parents are super religious and I want to be nothing like them."

"And your not," Big Mac said, putting his hands on Maud's cheeks.

"Especially since your pregnant and I don't see either of you wearing rings," Aria added from behind.

Both Maud and Big Mac looked at Aria in shock.

"How, how could you know that?" Big Mac asked frightened.

"I've been here over a thousand years. I've seen millions of pregnancies. I kind of have an eye for it." She then looked at Maud a bit. "Going on month three I'm guessing."

Maud flatly replied, "The end of."

"Eh, close." Aria shrugged. "You tell anyone yet?"

"Not yet," Big Mac said.

"Listen, Sonata's only dangerous around Adagio and I. As for your little bun, I'll keep quiet if you slack of on my rear about these apples. I'll still work, but you got let me go at my pace."

"That won't be long. We were planning on tellin' everyone next month; when we announce the weddin'. So you can slack off a little, but only `till then," Big Mac said in frustration that this person would seek to take advantage of him.

That's all the time I need, Aria thought to herself ash she began to plan her escape.