Author's Note: After more consideration, I've decided I'm not happy with the dream sequence in this chapter. Because of that, I've decided to rewrite it.

Pascal was in her room, happily working on the construction of… something. She put down her hammer and regarded the seemingly random amalgamation of parts before her. What had she been trying to make? After a moment's thought, she went back to work. It'd probably be something good. She'd worry about exactly what it was later.

It was at that moment she realized Poisson was in the room with her.

"Hello, Pascal." Poisson said in her usual, matter-of-fact tone.

"Hey, Poisson. When did you get here?"

"Just now."

"Ooo, did you come to take a look at my new…" Pascal gestured toward the jumble behind her, "thingie?"

"While it is nice to see you again, I am afraid that this visit is entirely on a professional matter. I am pleased to inform you that you have been selected for work in a new research project we're starting."

"Cool, sooooo… What is it? One of the other Valkines? The Lastalia? Maybe something on Fodra?"

"No, the project will be something entirely different. We are launching an extensive project as to the efficacy of bathing."

"What." Was the only response Pascal could muster. It was less a question than an interjection.

"Yes. It is a very important subject on which we have little data. It is expected to last for eight years."

"Are you kidding me? What-" Pascal perked up as a new thought occurred to her. "Oh, I must be in the control group, right? I just have to get a few check ups and not bathe, right?"

"Oh, no. For your part, you'll have to take a bath every day."

"Nope. Nu-uh. Not going to happen."

"I see. In that case, you will have to be punished." Poisson said before handing her a spoon.

"What's this for?"

"You will have to use it to remove all snow from Mount Zavhert."

Pascal, dumbfounded, stared at the spoon for a long moment before she began screaming inarticulately. "AAAAHhheiothiahegwiewuhgauighaghiuargh-"

"STOP!" Came the familiar scream of her sister, Fourier. "You don't have a damn thing to scream about."

"B-but, she just said I had to-"

"It doesn't matter what she said."

"Why not?"

"Because you're dreaming." was Fourier's matter-of-fact response.

"What do you mean, I'm dreaming?"

And with that, Pascal awoke to an unfamiliar surrounding. Her mind took it in in fits and starts; a window with bright sun shining through, so it was well past dawn; the walls were simple and unadorned; it was full of old boxes and furniture under sheets, all covered in a layer of dust. And kneeling over her, holding a wet brush was...

"Oh, you're awake." Said Sophie Lhant, with seemingly little emotion.

"Sophie!" Pascal attempted to give the other girl a hug, only to find herself getting pulled back down. It brought to her attention one other thing about her surroundings; she was currently laying in a large basin full of soapy, brackish water. "What's going on?"

"Could you lift her arm up?" Sophie said to the maid who had restrained Pascal. Sophie started scrubbing under Pascal's arm before replying. "You smelled awful. Mom wanted you to take a bath today. I want her to be happy today, so I promised her I'd make sure you took a bath."

"So you chucked me in some tub," Pascal paused to examine herself, "with my clothes still on?"

"Your clothes were dirty, too. This seemed like the fastest way to get everything clean."

"Sophie, that's brilliant. I always knew you had some awesome ideas. Hows about we-"

Pascal's attempt to leave the basin was once again thwarted, this time by a brush pressing down on her torso.

"You're not getting out until you're clean." Sophie said, sounding remarkably stern.

Pascal gave up with nothing more than a mild obscenity.

Author's Note: Trying out some new forms of comedy in this one. I've been wanting to write a dream for a while. This one probably won't be my last, though it will be the only one in this story. I kind of like how it came out, but I want to write something a bit crazier.