Pinkie and Sonata came stumbling through the front door giggling and laughing. Maud (who had been home working on a class assignment), looked up at them and raised one eyebrow. They looked an absolute mess. Covered in what looked to be a mixture of sand, mud, and frosting; the two gave the appearance of a couple who had been through an extremely interesting story but one which was better left unheard. Still, that did not stop Maud from asking.

"What happened to you two?"

"Oh nothing," Sonata said in a voice that was dismissive yet full of whimsy.

"Yeah, we just went to the beach, got in fight, smashed cupcakes in our faces, and dumped sand over each other. You know, friend stuff," Pinkie added as almost an after thought.

Maud just blinked and then returned to the book she was reading from. "Just clean-up," she said with her last dying bit of interest.

"Okie-dokiey wokie," Pinkie said and then took of running. "Race you to the shower!"

Sonata started running after her. "No fair, you got a head start!"

Maud slightly turned her head in their direction and then looked down at her somewhat expanding belly. She placed one hand on it and whispered, "At least your aunts Apple Jack and Bloom are normal."

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

"You know, I'd forgotten just how wonderful hot showers were," Sonata said as she washed Pinkie's back.

"Really? I've always loved them."

"Oh, I liked them, but I forgot how awesome they were. For most of the time I've been here, warm water was rare. Heck, baths were rare. I remember," Sonata stopped as she handed Pinkie the wash cloth and soap, and turned around so Pinkie could wash her back, "the first we ever had a warm bath. Like, in running water and not boiling a bucket or cauldron of water and pouring it in cold water you got from a creek or river. It was amazing. We must have fought for almost an hour over who would get in first."

"Wow. You must have lived through so much. I mean I know you're old, but, to put you in history, it's weird."

Pinkie finished washing Sonata's back and Sonata turned around.

"It's weird for me too. Like, I don't think about it a lot. But sometimes I'll just catch myself thinking this or that. Like how much better everyone is. Like for realzies. I mean, sure, you all still kill each other at rates that would imply some sort of species wide mental illness; but compared to how you all were just one hundred years ago? - waaaaayyyyyyy better. I think it's because you all smell better."

"Really?"

"Sure. If you stink and everyone around you stinks; how can you be happy? You can't. You just go around miserable and wanting to punch people."

Pinkie shrugged. "Makes sense."

"Now, people smell so good. For the most part. You have mouth wash, deodorant. It's hard to be mad at someone who smells nice."

"I think you may be on to something there Sonnie. Wow, you're really smart."

"Thanks Pinkie. You're the only one that thinks that, but that's enough."

"Awwww, Sonnie! Thank you."

The two hugged and then Pinkie stepped under the shower head to get her hair completely wet (no small feat considering the shear amount of it), stepped back out, turned around, and Sonata applied shampoo to her hair and started washing it.

"Even this, shampoo, is amazing. You wouldn't believe all the things we had to do just to keep our hair even somewhat clean and vermin free. Most didn't work."

"Sounds awful. I'm so glad I'm alive now, in this time."

"Being on the run like we were; it was like living in the old days. Except worse. Without our powers to get people to do what we want, we really were peasants."
Sonata stopped, Pinkie returned to underneath the shower head to rinse her hair out, then returned as Sonata applied the conditioner.

"So why did you run? You know we would have forgiven you?"

"I wanted to stay but the others wanted to go. I haven't been without Aria or Adagio in centuries. I guess I just couldn't see me without them."

"And now?"

"It's strange. Ever since my first night here, I haven't really thought of them. I mean, I did see Aria on the second night. But, I don't think about them that much."

Pinkie rinsed the conditioner out of her hair and traded places with Sonata. Sonata wetted her hair and Pinkie put in the shampoo.

"Is that a good thing?" Pinkie asked.

Sonata thought for a second. "Yeah, I think so. Honestly, now it's you I can't see myself without. I keep saying this, but I've never met anyone who understood me the way you do."

"I feel the same way about you too Sonnie." Pinkie then hugged Sonata from behind.

Sonata raised her arms and wrapped them around Pinkie's. She then rinsed her hair and Pinkie applied the conditioner just as Sonata had done. And this pretty much was every shower. They washed themselves in front and washed each others backs and hair.

Soon they finished and got out. They dried off, went to what was now effectively "their" bedroom, got dressed, and went downstairs.

As soon as they got to the bottom of the steps; they saw Maud waiting for them.

"Oh, hi Maud," Pinkie said. "What's up?"

"Dad called. He said he's coming for a visit."

Pinkie looked at her sister with a confused expression. "He was just here for my birthday. Why would he come back so soon?"

"He's meeting with some investors out here. He's looking to expand operations into fracking as well as just mining. He said fracking is where the future lies. So instead of paying to stay at a hotel; he's going to stay here."

"Oh," Pinkie said quietly.

Sonata went up and put a hand on Pinkie's shoulder. She knew she and her dad had a complex relationship. She loved him; she really did. She also feared him. He was a religious zealot who disapproved of everything Pinkie did. Her music, her dyed hair, her bubbly, party girl personality.

"I'm not happy about it either," Maud said. The sentence itself was unintentionally funny considering that Maud never seemed happy about anything. "I'm still early enough to play off my baby bump as just weight gain. You and Sonata,"

"Me and Sonata what?" Pinkie asked defensively.

"I think it's best if Sonata either stayed somewhere else or at least slept downstairs."

"WHAT? Why?" Pinkie was both confused and angry.

"Pinkie, you and Sonata sleep together."

"Yeah, so. We're two girls Maud. I could see if Sonnie was a boy how Dad would get mad, but how would me sleeping in the same bed as another girl bug him?"

Maud raised her eyebrow. "Pinkie, you two sleep in the same bed together, shower together . . .,"

"But we're both girls Maud! Friends. Best friends."

"Pinkie, don't you think that Dad might get the impression you and Sonata are lesbians?"

"Not this again Maud. Jeez,; now I know how Rainbow Dash feels. Look; Sonnie and I are just best friends. Yes, we sleep in the same bed, shower together, occasionally kiss on the lips, and, and I'm not helping things aren't I"

Both Sonata and Maud shook their heads.

"Pinkie, I love you either way. You're my sister. Even if you're not a lesbian, I don't want Dad to even to begin to suspect it. We're so close to getting away from him. I'll graduate in spring, I already have a job lined up for after. Once I get that, we won't need to rely on him for any support and we can get away completely. He won't have anymore power over us. Until then, I don't want to do anything that might risk it."

"You mean like getting pregnant?" Pinkie asked, mean and bitter

Maud just stared blankly at Pinkie for a second. "Touché," she simply said.

"Oh Maud, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that," Pinkie said almost in tears.

"It's ok. Maybe Sonata can stay here; but if she does, she has to sleep in a sleeping bag on your floor. Also, no more showering together. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Pinkie said sadly and looked down at the ground.

"I'll do whatever it takes," Sonata said with sad resolution. "If you think it's best I stay somewhere else, I will. Whatever you think is best."

"Thank you Sonata. And just so you know Pinkie; I really don't care one way or the other if you and Sonata are together. Frankly, you could do a lot worse. You have two more weeks until he gets here." With that, Maud walked off.

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

Pinkie and Sonata just laid in bed, not able to sleep, staring up at the ceiling.

"It won't be that big of a deal," Sonata said, trying to sound hopeful. "I mean, I'll still be right here. I'll just be on the floor. And we really don't need to take a shower together. I mean, yeah, it makes getting our backs cleaner, but it's not like I can't wash my own back. We'll have to get up earlier in the morning though. That'll suck. I guess we could always just switch to night showers. Or one could get a shower in the morning and another at night. Who ever got one at night would just need a little extra DO the next day but still . . ."

"Why do I feel so sad?" Pinkie flatly asked. "I've known you for what, three days, four days? Why does the idea of you not being beside me at night make me feel so lonely and sad?"

"I don't know Pinkie. But I feel the same way." Sonata rolled over and wrapped her arms around Pinkie and laid her head on her shoulder. "I'm still here now and will be for two more weeks."

Pinkie in turn wrapped her arms around Sonata. "I'm glad," she said and the two finally fell asleep.

Author's Notes:

I was planning on another split chapter with Twilight and Flash but the Pinkie and Sonata section ran so long, I decided to save Twilight and Flash for next week. And if you're getting bored, this part has a few more chapters in and it'll end on a really sad note. I'll kick it over to Equestria for a bit to check in on Sparkle and how she's coping. Then it'll be the final part.