Chapter 3

After the group got back from Ponyville, there was still one question to be answered. Why did the Princess send them to Ponyville? "She's gonna pay for breaking my face!" Ash exclaimed. "I think it's safe to say she had nothing to do with that." Pen said. "Well, way I see it if she hadn't sent us to Ponyville I wouldn't have gotten kicked in the face!" he explained. "That, and maybe if you didn't act like an ass." Pen commented. "Regardless, I think we should ask." Print said.

They made their way into Celestia's throne room. "Well hello there Damage Inc. Enjoy your trip?" she asked. "Cut the crap! There wasn't anything wrong with Ponyville! Expect a few mares who wouldn't know a good time if walked up and bit em in the face." Ash said. "I beg your pardon?" she asked. "What Ash means Princess is, Ponyville was quite fine and your student had no idea what I was talking about." Print explained. "Oh?" she asked. "Yes, either the information you have is old or you were fed false info." he said. "Are you questioning me?" she asked. "No ma'am, I just..." He started. "FOOL! I am Equestria's ruler and a goddess and you'll respect me as such!" she demanded. "Princess, this isn't like you." Sabbath said. "Silence worm! I am the all powerful Celestia and you will..." but before she could finish the door opened to...Princess Celestia? "Um...I'm not scientist or anything, but shouldn't there be one Celestia?" Dewey asked. "What is going on here?" the other Celestia asked. "Um..." Damage Inc. said unsure as what to say. "Clearly this Celestia is an impostor and I demand you destroy her at once!" the first Celestia demanded. "What do we do boss?" Windy asked Print. Print was long in thought. "Alright, I'm going to ask a question, a question only the real Celestia would know." he said. "Alright." Both Celestias agreed. "Now, who founded Damage Inc.?" Print asked. "To be honest I don't really know." the second Celestia answered. "Uh...42?" the first Celestia answered hesitantly.

"Yep, she's the fake!" Ash said pointing to the first Celestia. The fake Clestia quickly looked around and her horn glowed, then she disappered in a poof of smoke. "Where'd she go?" Windy asked. "Search the area, she couldn't have gotten far!" Print commanded. The group separated and searched around for any sigh of the fake princess.

While looking Dewey came across a pair of limbs, one looked like a hoof the other looked like a claw which were behind curtains. As he was about to pull them back it spoke. "No one here, but us tacky curtains." they said. "Oh okay." he said walking away. Pen rolled his eyes a drew the curtains back to reveal Discord. "Discord! What do you think you're doing?" Celestia asked. "Um...cleaning?" he said with a fake smile. "No, you weren't. You posed as me and sent my team far away, and for what?" she asked. "Hmm, the funniest thing ever?" he explained. "Plus, being you wasn't that great. You really need to exercise more my dear, you're getting a big in the rump area." he said. Princess Celestia didn't say anything but she looked like she was fuming. "Well, this was fun. But I believe I've overstayed my welcome. Bye Damage Incompetent." Discord said before disappearing. "I'm glad, that's over with." Celestia said. "Ma'am, is there any problem that we can help with?" Print asked. "Hmm, sorry. No, nothing comes to mind. Sorry about Discord, he just loves pushing buttons that shouldn't get pushed." she said.

"So what now?" Dewey asked. "Well, I'm going home. The rest of you do what you want." Print said. "I know I have a couple gifts for a couple wonderful ladies in my life." Pen said. "What about mom? Isn't she important?" Dewey asked. "I never say they were the only!" Pen protested. "Well it sounded like you did." Dewey said walking away with Pen. "I'm going home, laying down, put a bag of ice over my eye, maybe take an aspirin or two." Ash said. "Well you wouldn't have gotten beat up if you didn't act like a pig." Windy said. "Shut up." Ash said walking home. "See you two in the morning and my Celestia bless." Sabbath said. "So you want to come over and you know?" Windy suggested. "Actually, I think I'll go home has well. After the ride home and the events of today, I'd really like some shut-eye." Cotton said.

Upon returning to his apartment, there were boxes getting tossed out of room. 'Hmm, I wonder what poor smuck incurred the wrath of Mr. Molotov this time?' he thought, until he realized that the apartment the boxes were coming from was his. He rushed over and found his red coated, black maned Unicorn landlord packing up his stuff and throwing them into the hall. "Mr. Molotov, what are you?!" Cotton asked. "You no pay, I kick you out." Molotov explained. "I was going to be paid tomorrow, couldn't you have wait?" he asked. "No, other tenants pay. You, don't! You lucky I don't break stuff and face!" Molotov said. "What am I supposed to do? This was the cheap apartment I could afford!" Cotton stated. "Not my problem." he said going back to his room. Cotton sighed and gathered up the boxes.

Afterwords, Cotton sold a few of the boxes off to make a little money. But not enough to afford an apartment in Canterlot, for you know what they say: Canterlot, if you can't make here, you're better off living somewhere else. He still needed a place to sleep though. Along the way, he spotted Pen's house. 'Well, Pen's reasonable. Maybe I could I ask to say for a bit until I get another a place to live.' he thought. He walked up to the door and knocked. From the other side came barking. The door opened and Yorkie was barking and growling at Cotton. "Heel, Rusty." came a voice. The dog sat down and panted.

Cotton was greeted by filly, which assumed was Pen's daughter. "Can I help you?" she asked. "I'm looking for Penmanship, is he here?" he asked. "Hold on." she said and wandered off. About a minute later, Pen came to the door. "Cotton? What are you doing here?" he asked. "I...a...got kicked out of my apartment." he explained. "Oh, wow...sorry to here that. Would you like to come?" Pen asked. "Wouldn't be here if I didn't." Cotton joked.

"I'm actually surprised, I figured if anypony should take you in it would be Windy." Pen said. "You know how Windy is with me, if I lived with her I would never get a moments rest." he explained. "I think that might be a little harsh on her." Pen said. "Besides, she lives in that fancy apartment on River Street. Me being there would complicate things." Cotton said. "Dinner iz almozt ready, oh bonjour Cotton." Mint said. "Mint, do you remember if the spare room is clean or not?" Pen asked. "I don't know, why?" she asked. "Cotton needs a place to stay and I thought he could use the spare room." Pen said going upstairs. "I hope this isn't a bother to you both." Cotton "Not at all, you ztay az long az you want." She said going to check back on dinner. Pen came back down a moment later. "Room's good enough. You can stay there, upstairs first door on the right." Pen said. "Thanks, Pen. And this is just temporary I swear." Cotton said.

Later, they all sat down at the dinner table for dinner. "Zo, Cotton. I wonder, if you have a filly friend. Why don't you stay with her?" Mint asked. "It's complicated." he answered. "Are you staying long Mr. Cotton?" Vanilla asked. "I'm don't, maybe." he answered. "Oh, did you like you're dress? I know Pen bought you one when we were in Ponyville." "Oui, I did." she answered. "I got one too, and daddy said I look like a princess." Vanilla said. "That you do sweet heart." Pen said rubbing his daughter's head.

Later, Cotton settled into bed. He sleeping just fine, until he heard a noise. At first he thought it was his imagination, until he it again. It sounded like a tapping or bumping noise. He put his ear to the wall and heard it, along with a mixture of grunts and moans. Then he remembered that the room next to his was Pen and Mint's bedroom and took his ear away from the wall. Didn't sleep even long after Pen and Mint's 'nighttime activities' stopped, this was due to the fact Cotton was a light sleeper and the slightest thing could wake him.

In the morning Cotton sluggishly made his way to more. He hoped that he could have just five minutes of shut-eye. But he would need more then that. "Morning Cotton. Say, you left without saying goodbye." Pen said. "Oh yeah, sorry. I just think it *yawn* wouldn't have worked out." he said. "You alright, you seem tired." Pen stated. "No I'm *yawn* fine." he said. "Alright then." Pen said.

After the work day, Cotton thought of who could he stay with until he could find a place. 'If Ash does what Pen and Mint did last almost ever night like he says, then he's out. Sabbath? No, they're bells at his church and they're loud enough to wake the dead. Dewey? Maybe...' he thought. Just then Windy dropped down in front of him. "Ah!" he shouted. "Pen told me what happened." she said. "Told you what?" he asked. "He told me, you got kicked out of your apartment." she said. "If you needed a place to stay, you could've asked me." "I know, but I don't know...don't you think we're moving too fast?" he asked. "Cotton, we've been together for 3 years now. I don't think we're moving fast enough." she said.

Cotton would have disagreed, but he was too tired to care. They made it to Windy's apartment and she showed him in. "Alright, here's the living room, kitchen next to the front door behind this wall. Bedroom's this way, you relax and I'll work it out with my landlord so you...Cotton?" she said noticing him disappear. She then found him knocked out on the bed. "Aw." she said pulling covers over him and kissing his cheek.