Cotton let out a deep sigh as one of the guards closed the massive castle door behind her. She unstrapped her saddlebag and let it drop to the floor, her haunches doing the same before she let herself fall onto her side like a toppled statue.
“Hey, sweetie!” Spike came trundling down the stairs with a smile just as she entered. “Great timing. How’d the opening go?” He walked up to her and craned his neck down to face her. “You look exhausted; must’ve been a pretty hectic day, huh? How many customers did you get?”
Staring straight ahead as her cheek rested on the floor, Cotton grunted, “None.”
Spike’s eyes widened as his smile fell. “What?”
“None,” she repeated. “Nobody came. All day. Nobody.” She rolled over onto her back and looked up at him. “Not even the ponies from the court.”
“What about the ponies from the court?” Spike turned his head and found Celestia approaching from the hallway. “I just— Oh! Cotton! How did the opening go?”
Cotton closed her eyes and let out a breath. “Terrible.”
With a flinch, Celestia’s eyebrows pinched as she asked, “Why?”
“No customers,” Spike replied simply. Cotton nodded in confirmation.
“Oh Cotton, I’m sorry.”
“About what?” Twilight asked as she came down the main staircase, on her way to Dusk Court.
Celestia turned to face her. “Cotton didn’t have any customers at the bakery today.”
Putting a hoof to her muzzle, Twilight let out a small gasp before she walked up to join Spike and Celestia in hovering over Cotton, who still lay on the floor. “Oh, I’m sorry, Cotton.” She tilted her head before she added, “Did you at least eat lunch?”
Cotton groaned as she narrowed her eyes at Twilight briefly, then she answered, “I had some of an apple pie that I made.”
“That isn’t exactly—”
“Twilight,” Spike interrupted her, “I agree with you, but that isn’t helping.”
Putting a hoof up, Twilight responded, “I know, I’m sorry. Still, I don’t think your own stock is the best lunch.”
“I didn’t wanna leave the store in case somebody showed up.” She let out another deep sigh. “By four there was nobody on the block, so I closed early and walked everything down to the orphanage.”
“The orphanage?” Spike asked. “Your orphanage in Central Canterlot?”
Cotton nodded. “Mhm. You saw the store location; it’s actually not that far. The orphanage is on the east side of Central, and the shop is in the upper east side. It was like, a fifteen-minute walk.”
Celestia tilted her head. “How did you get everything there?”
“Well, I realized I should’ve thought of that before, but the Dancers have a wagon they let me borrow.”
“Who?”
“The ponies upstairs. Shuffle Step and Hover Hop,” Cotton replied.
Twilight nodded. “Yes, they’re a very nice couple. I hope you thanked them.”
“I did. They said I can use it anytime. I might need a bigger one, though; some of the pies almost fell out ‘cause I had to stack them pretty high. And actually, I forgot—they stopped into the shop in the morning and got a couple slices of pie. And my landlord came to pick up the cookie fee, but that was it.” Finally rolling over onto her stomach before sitting back up on her haunches, Cotton let out another sigh. “At least Mother Matron and Tender Care were happy to see me. Some of the kids were, too.”
“Well, I can’t imagine why they wouldn’t have been. They’re always happy to see you,” Spike responded.
Cotton shrugged. “I guess.” After a moment, Spike and the princesses were relieved to see a small smile creep onto her muzzle. “At least some of the kids that were there last time were adopted. There was one colt who was almost as old as I was when I left. Glad he found a home. A couple of fillies got adopted as sisters, too. And a colt that had barely gotten out of a highchair.”
“Well that’s good to hear,” Twilight said. “How are Mother Matron and Tender Care?”
“Good,” Cotton replied. “Still ‘filling out meals, chasing paperwork, and cooking children,’” she added with a little mirth.
As the princesses laughed, Spike let out a snort. “Yes, I can understand saying something like that.”
Cotton sighed as she stood up. “I’m gonna go to my room. I’ll see you all at dinner.” She picked up her saddlebag, and as she moved for the staircase, she added, “Good luck in court, Aunt Twilight.”
“Oh! Court! I need to go!” Twilight quickly turned tail and galloped off to the throne room. Spike let out a chuckle.
When Cotton made it to the top of the stairs, Celestia sighed herself as she looked up at Spike. “I know she asked me not to, but are you certain I shouldn’t say anything in court? She’s so disappointed.”
Spike let out a breath. “Not unless she changes her mind and asks. You know her; she doesn’t like getting special treatment. A royal endorsement would qualify.”
Celestia nodded. “Yes, I understand. It’s just such a shame. She was so excited, too. I hope this doesn’t discourage her.”
Shaking his head, Spike responded, “No, she’s a very resilient filly. I don’t think she’ll let one bad day of business keep her down.”
“Even her grand opening?”
“Well, Luna did tell her not to get her hopes up.”
Celestia let out a small chuckle. “You mean ‘lift her hopes.’”
“That too,” he grunted. “Despite her butchering of the Equish language, she is right from time to time.”
With another nod and another sigh, Celestia said, “It’s just a shame she was right about this.”
Ж
As Cotton lay on top of her comforter staring at the ceiling, the breeze from her open window gently fluttering the curtains, there was a knock at her door.
“Yeah?”
“Cotton, ‘tis Us! May We enter thy chamber?”
A small smile crossed Cotton’s muzzle. “Sure, Aunt Luna. Come on in.”
The door swung open as the Night Princess came prancing into the room, dancing on the tips of her hooves as she stopped beside the bed. “We intended to enquire of thee during supper— did fortune smile upon thy first day within thine establishment? Pray, tell Us of thy successes!”
Cotton sighed as her smile fell. She turned onto her side as she looked at her aunt from the edge of her bed. “There weren’t any.”
Luna’s hooves stopped in midair before she dropped them to the floor. She tilted her head as she said, “Nay, it couldst not be true.”
“Mhm. Nobody showed up.”
“‘Tis why thou wert silent at the table?”
Nodding, Cotton replied, “Yep. You were right, I shouldn’t’ve gotten my hopes up.”
“Oh, dear Cotton…” Luna slowly walked forward and nuzzled Cotton’s cheek. “We didst not mean—” She sighed as she shook her head. “We are most sorry, Cotton. T’was not Our intention to imply this wouldst be today’s result. Merely to be aware t’was possible.”
Letting out a breath, Cotton responded, “I know. It’s just…” A sniffle escaped her. “I was so pumped. I thought it was gonna be great. Everything was all ready. But…” A tear struggled down her cheek as she finished, “I-it was all for nothing.”
“Oh, Cotton, nay.” Luna sat on her haunches as she reached out a hoof and gently ran it through Cotton’s mane, the filly’s tears silently dripping from her cheek to her pillow. “T’was not for nothing. T’was only thy first day of business. There will be many more. Thou shouldst not let this discourage thee.”
“But… even ponies that knew about it didn’t come. Ponies that heard me talking about it when I was in court with Auntie Tia.”
Luna rested her hoof on Cotton’s shoulder as she wrapped a wing around her like a blanket. “Thou shouldst not rely on the memories of our petitioners. Sometimes they are only aware of what lay directly beneath their muzzles.”
“I… I guess.”
After nuzzling Cotton once more, Luna retracted her wing and looked out the window. “We must attend court, but…” She tilted her head and smiled. “…wouldst thou like Us to visit thee whilst We are on dream patrol?”
Cotton shook her head. “I’m sure other ponies will need you more. Thanks, though.” She sighed again. “Have a good night, Aunt Luna.”
“Sweet dreams, dear Cotton.” After running a hoof through Cotton’s mane one last time, Luna’s ears perked up as her eyes moved to the window once more. Cotton saw her let out a quick breath before she stood and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.
Once again rolling onto her back, Cotton resumed staring up at the ceiling. 'Sweet dreams.’ Maybe I’ll dream of sweets. And them not getting sold. A beat later, she sniffled as she wiped away her stray tears with a foreleg, then gently brought her opposite hoof to her face and dragged it down her muzzle. “How much did you hear, Tacca?”
After a moment, the noctis’s head slowly descended below the top of the massive window frame, his eyes wide. “H-how did you—”
“Aunt Luna noticed you. You’re lucky she didn't actually catch you. How much did you hear?”
“W-what do you mean? I’ve been on patrol. I just got here a second ago. You were talking to Princess Luna?”
With another sigh, Cotton said, “How many times have I told you you don’t have to sit outside the window? You can come in.” After he nodded and flipped himself inside, Cotton lifted her head and added, “For a spy, you’re really not a good liar.”
Tacca pouted as he took off his helmet. “You know there hasn’t been any reason for me to spy for months. Now I’m basically the papercolt. I didn’t think a Private First Class still had to do grunt work.”
Cotton flipped around to rest on her barrel as she smirked at him, cocking a brow. “So you’ve been practicing on me instead? That’s a little creepy, y’know.”
Tacca’s eyes shifted back and forth before he stammered, “I-I, uh—”
“Relax, I know you wouldn’t do anything stupid.” She chuckled darkly. “My dad would eat you alive if you did.” When Tacca went pale, Cotton added, “Besides, I like it when you pop in.”
He regained his color as he let out a sigh of relief. “Glad to hear. I was gonna say, you’ve never had any problem when I’ve knocked. Well, except that one time, but… nevermind. I don’t do it every night, I— okay, now I need to shut up.”
Cotton giggled at him. “I told you, relax. Just knock next time, okay?”
“Promise,” Tacca replied, holding up a hoof. His face flushed as the same hoof rubbed the back of his head. “Oh, but, uh…to answer your question… Yeah, I think I heard everything. You’re serious? Nopony came to your bakery?”
Cotton’s head dropped as she shook her head. “Nope. Well, other than the folks upstairs that came down to say hi in the morning. They got a couple pie slices and left. But they don’t count.”
“…Not gonna lie, that sucks.”
“Tell me about it. I know it was only my first day, but still, I figured at least one pony would show up. Enough ponies heard about it.” Laying her head down on her forelegs, she finished, “Obviously, I was wrong.”
Tacca sighed as he walked around and approached the foot of Cotton’s bed. “Hey, it’s just one day. Didn’t you tell me you’re only gonna take Sundays off? You’ve got six days to the end of the week. I’m sure somepony will come.”
“Five.”
“Huh?”
Cotton lifted her head and smirked again. “Five more days. Today would be the sixth. I may not be a fan, but I’m not that bad at math. Besides, I’ll have to get used to it working a register.”
Smacking his face with a hoof, Tacca responded, “See, this is why I signed up for the military; I don’t need to do math.”
“Really? That’s the reason why?”
“No, I just— I mean—” He let out a grunt. “You know what I meant.”
Cotton giggled. “I know, it’s just fun messing with you.” She stuck her tongue out at him.
Plopping onto his haunches, Tacca scowled as he crossed his forelegs. Then he stuck out his own tongue back at her. As Cotton giggled at him again, he chuckled with her for a moment before he stood back up. “I have to get back to patrol. Have a good sleep, okay?”
“Thanks. I’ll try,” Cotton replied with a shrug. Just as he turned to leave, she said, “Hey, Tacca?”
“What’s up?”
She crawled to the edge of the bed, then booped him on the nose, making him scrunch up his muzzle. “Thanks for dropping by.”
With a smile, he responded, “You’re welcome.” After making his way to the window, he returned his helmet to its rightful place, then looked back at her and added, “G’night.” Then in a wink and a flick of the curtain, he was gone.