It is common knowledge that everypony has a special talent that defines who they are. As a reward for making this self-discovery, a mark appears on your flank for all the world to see. That mark told everypony who you were and what set you apart from all the rest. It is something that should be worn with pride and loved. However, that wasn't the case for me. I remember getting my cutie mark when I was a filly, as most ponies do at that age. My parents used to tell me all the time that I was bound to get something related to my colorful imagination. I spent most of my time day dreaming about some far away land or pretending I was an adventurer saving ponies from an ancient evil. It was all my teacher could do to keep my attention in the classroom. It had gotten so bad she had called my parents into her office to warn them I was setting myself up for failure if I didn't stop wandering in my own world. It was strange being scolded by the very ponies who had told me to nurture my imagination. Perhaps that's where the seeds of doubt had first been planted.
I remember how painful the next day had been, how mind numbingly boring. Miss Goldenflower was teaching us about the Royal Civil War and I was actually trying my best to pay attention like a good, little filly. That lasted about as long as you would expect. By the time lunch rolled around, I was staring at the chalkboard with unseeing eyes and a steady stream of drool oozing from my mouth. The bell broke the spell and I galloped as fast as I could to escape the mental prison my classroom had become. Eating my lunch, I began to devise a way that I could still enter my fun world while not tipping off Miss Goldenflower. It was then that colt who sat behind me (Sky Blaze, I think his name was) walked by with a notebook balanced on his back. Something excited him and his wings gave a flutter, throwing the book to the ground right at my hooves.
"Hey, Blaze, you dropped… your…" I called out but stopped. I stared at the notebook with its empty pages and lines just waiting to be filled with words. That's it! After returning the lost notepad to its rightful owner, I darted back inside and rummaged around in my saddlebag. Mom had gotten me a notebook at the beginning of the year but it had remained in the bag, unopened until now. Why had I never thought of this before? The bell rang, its sharp scream announcing the end of lunch. Sitting at my desk, I watched the other students come back inside with their heads low as they tried to mentally prepare for the next boring lesson. Miss Goldenflower came in after them and gasped when she saw me already sitting obediently at my desk.
"Well now, it's nice to see you actually on time, Novella," she said as she trotted over to her desk. Several giggles came from my classmates and I blushed with embarrassment. I was renowned for being tardy from recess. It wasn't my fault! It took way longer than thirty minutes to save a princess from an endless maze. I looked at my hooves as numerous eyes watched me. "Alright, class, settle down. Now then, who can tell me how long the Endless Night actually lasted…"
Opening up my notebook, I floated up my pencil and began writing. For Miss Goldenflower, it would appear as if I were just jotting down some notes. But for me, I was painting a picture with words. In my mind, I saw the pirate queen standing at the helm of her ship, navigating the vessel through a dangerous storm. Her crew weaved through the ropes like spiders as they unfurled the sails to catch the salty air. The pen danced around the page as it swiftly wrote what I saw, leaving no detail out. Writing down the day dreams I often had seemed to come so naturally to me that I hardly noticed an hour had passed by. Then, two. All the while, Miss Goldenflower remained oblivious to the adventure I was having.
I remember thinking how much I loved this newfound skill. Suddenly, a burst of light illuminated the room, blinding myself and my classmates! I felt a tingling sensation throughout my whole body and then, just as suddenly as it had started, it was all over. I opened my eyes to see the teacher staring at me with wide eyes, her mouth agape. Oh no! Had she discovered my little plot? Then, I heard Sky Blaze gasp behind me, causing a few others to follow. I turned and saw that, once again, all eyes were on me. I felt my face turn hot as the blood rushed to my cheeks.
"Wowee, Novella! That's an amazing cutie mark!" Blaze said.
What? My orange eyes turned down to my flank and sure enough, right there for everypony to see, was my cutie mark. My jaw dropped. I couldn't look away. It was beautiful! A flower with red petals sat above an ink well, a drop of ink on the tip as if it were ready to write my next adventure. "I-I-I got my cutie mark. I GOT MY CUTIEMARK!!" I cheered loudly, unable to keep my excitement down. The other fillies and colts danced excitedly with me. Even Miss Goldenflower joined in the mini-celebration. It was impossible to pay any attention to the rest of the lesson and the teacher knew it. Rather than droning on and on about a war none of us cared about, she changed the lesson to her own cutie mark story. I didn't hear a word of it. I couldn't stop staring at my flank.
At the end of the day, I galloped home to show off my new cutie mark to my parents. They were so happy for me! I told anypony who would hear about how I had gotten it and I knew, without a doubt, what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was going to be the best author in Equestria!
Big words for such a young filly.
Looking down at the blank page, I sighed. It was always hard to think back on those days and remember just how easy it was to dream such big dreams. Back then, I couldn't have known just how many writers there are in Equestria. Each one a talented pony who could weave an unforgettable tale of romance or excitement, finishing more and more books to be tossed onto the shelves for their fans to enjoy. It was a little intimidating, to say the least. I had worked hard to perfect my talent so I, too, could share my world with the ponies who loved to read. When I finished my first book, I felt an accomplishment that rivaled the joy I felt when I got my cutie mark.
I'm sure other authors sat outside of the bookstore on the first day their book was published just to watch the horde of ponies that would buy a copy. I refused to think I was the only one as I watched the store like a hawk. All day long, ponies walked in and out, carrying bags filled with the colorful pages of another's hard work and imagination. From where I sat, I couldn't see if any had bought mine. I could clearly see the window display showing the cover of my story and a few copies resting on a table below it (I paid a little extra for that part). At one point, I watched a young colt pick up a copy and skimmed the pages, only to pull a face and toss it back on the table. My blood turned cold, but I tried to rationalize it. My story was a romance novel and he was just a silly boy. All that mushy stuff was bound to make him gag. Yeah, that's it. I relaxed a little and continued to wait.
Finally, I couldn't stand it anymore! I leapt off the bench and trotted into the store, bowing my head in greeting to the clerk at the counter. The smell of new books wafted into my nose and I found myself breathing it in deeply. I made my way slowly through the shelves until I reached the romance section where I knew I would find my story. Sure enough, there it was. My ears drooped. Not a single book had been removed. They were still packed tightly with the other masterpieces of other authors. That was okay, right? It was silly to think they would sell on the first day. Maybe the next day.
Or the next.
Or the next…
A week had gone by and still my book remained untouched. This time, I couldn't hide my disappointment. As I walked out of the store, a pair of fillies walked in, excitedly talking about the newest Daring Do adventure.
"Can you believe A.K. Yearling released another book? That's like two in four months."
"I know! I'm so excited. I heard that something really bad happens to Daring Do in this one!"
"Shh, Sunbeam, no spoilers."
I found myself following them back into the bowels of the store. Maybe my work just needed a little more advertising to get somepony's attention. I levitated a copy from the dusty shelf and trotted up to the fillies as they browsed through the extensive Daring Do collection.
"Hello! Might I ask, are either of you interested in romance novels?"
They stared at me a moment, not sure of what to make of this strange unicorn standing in front of them with an awkward smile.
"I guess, why? Who are you?" Sunbeam asked skeptically.
"My name is Novella and I just so happen to have written my own book. It's on sale in this very store. Here, why don't you take a look."
The novel floated towards them and Sunbeam took it in her hooves. She looked at the cover then back up at me. "I've never heard of you before."
I tried hard to keep the smile on my face, but it was beginning to falter. The other mare, whose name I didn't know, eyed me like I was some sort of crazy pony. Perhaps I was. "Yeah, are you, like, a good writer or something?"
What kind of question was that? "Well, I wouldn't say I'm in the same league as A.K. Yearling, but I do alright, I guess."
"Alright, fine, we'll give your book a read. 'Kay thanks, bye!"
The smile returned in full force. "Oh, thank you! Please, if you see me again, let me know what you think!"
I turned and trotted away, feeling as light as a feather. Finally! Somepony can now share in the magical adventures that I often dreamed about as a filly. I was so excited… maybe a little too excited. Quickly, I found the little fillies room in the back of the store and entered a stall to do my business. Suddenly, I heard two familiar voices follow me in.
"Wow that was, like, beyond weird," Sunbeam said.
"Tell me about it. What kind of self-respecting writer just stands around in a bookstore trying to pawn off their second rate book?"
"Everypony thinks that just because their cutie mark is a quill or pen or whatever that they can suddenly become a famous author. Psh, as if."
"Good call telling her we'd buy a copy just to get her to go away."
They continued but I had stopped listening. Tears were streaming down my face as I burst out of the stall and galloped out of the bathroom, leaving them in stunned silence behind me.
The blank page continued to stare at me, as if begging me to write something, anything, on it. And yet, I had nothing. No images came to mind, no tales of heroes and villains, no love stories that swooned the heart. It was an empty wasteland, drained of any life. What did it matter? I was never going to be as good as A.K. Yearling or the dozens of other famous authors. My tales would never be known to the ponies of Equestria. A drop of water splashed on the page and I realized I had been crying. Sobs racked my body as the truth of my failure hit me full force. All this time, I thought my cutie mark made me special, but it just grouped me into an overcrowded cliché of other ponies who were way more talented than I. How could my light shine if all the other lights shined brighter? With a growl, I tossed the pen and paper to the ground. I was never going to write again!
I couldn't be near my desk so I grabbed my saddlebags and left my tiny apartment. The autumn sky was dark with clouds as the pegasi of Manehattan prepared for a storm. I ignored the chill as a gust of wind blew through my green coat. My mane and tail flapped uselessly in the breeze like red flags. I hardly noticed the ponies galloping past me as they tried to beat the storm before the rain fell. I was far away from them. I was thinking, again, of the day I had gotten my cutie mark. I wished I had grown to be as special as I thought I would back then. Suddenly, a drop of rain fell on my nose, snapping me out of my memories. Within seconds, I was drenched. I raced through the streets until I found a place I could wait out the storm. Without seeing the name of the store, I burst in.
"I'm sorry, I hope you don't mind if I wait-" I stopped midsentence. I was back inside the bookstore! Of all the places I could have gone to, it had to be this place, didn't it! The clerk looked at me from behind the desk, taking in my soaking wet coat and saddlebags.
"There's a bathroom in the back if you want to dry off, but please, don't get any of the books wet."
I nodded my thanks and carefully made my way to the bathroom. It took a lot of paper towels, but I finally managed to dry myself until I was at least presentable. As I walked back to the front of the store, I saw my book resting on the shelf, still untouched. Without thinking, I levitated a copy out and brought it up to the front and placed it on the counter. The mare looked at me and shrugged her shoulders before ringing me up.
"That'll be twelve bits."
I reached into my wet saddlebags and brought out the golden coins. The book followed me as I waited for the rain to stop. It took a few minutes, but the heavy drops finally turned into a light sprinkle. Seeing my chance, I left the store and made my way through the city streets. I had no idea where I was going, but I let my hooves carry me and my book away from the hustle and bustle of Manehattan's busy streets. The next thing I knew, a small park appeared before me just as the rain started to pick up again. Grumbling, I had no choice but to park myself under a rundown gazebo until the storm calmed down again. Behind the clouds, the sun was starting to sink lower in the sky as Princess Celestia prepared to end the day. Soon, Princess Luna would be raising the moon and I would have to make my way home in the dark. Oddly, I didn't mind that thought all that much.
I pulled the book out of my bag, not even concerned that the damp cloth had warped the pages. Aimlessly, I flipped through it, looking at the words I had worked with day and night. I remembered the beautiful images my mind painted as I wrote. Two lovers sitting on the edge of the world silhouetted by the setting sun. The sky above them was as fiery as the passion they felt for one another. Slowly, the stars emerged from the velvety night around them as they each proclaimed their undying love for the other.
With a sigh, I tossed the book into the nearest garbage can.
"Excuse me," came a voice.
Turning, I saw a mare trotting under the gazebo. I believe she was an earth pony, though it was hard to tell with the large, purple cloak covering most of her body. Her mane, or what I could see of it under the hat she wore, was a colorless array of grays and blacks. Her light golden coat shimmered in the dying light of the gloomy day. To top it all off, she wore a pair of red rimmed glasses that seemed comically large for her face. My first thought was she was trying too hard to disguise herself, but in my somber mood, I found I cared little.
"I hope you don't mind if I share this spot with you. The pegasi are really letting us have it this evening, aren't they?"
I shrugged. "You're fine. I don't own this place, so I have no say in who can or can't shelter here."
She smiled. "Thank you. I'm A…Amberhoof. Nice to meet you."
"Novella. Same." Was she about to say something before her name? I shrugged the thought off much like the previous one.
"That's a pretty name. Are you by chance a writer?"
I saw her rose colored eyes gaze at my cutie mark briefly. I rolled my eyes. Everypony knew what I was thanks to that blasted mark. Too bad it didn't show them just how terrible of a writer I really was. "I guess you could say that."
"How wonderful! I fancy myself a bit of a writer too. Have you published a book yet?"
Great, another self-proclaimed author. She seemed cheerful enough that I didn't have the heart to tell her she was wasting her time. Instead, I just nodded, my orange gaze flicking to the wastebasket unconsciously. She saw the movement and trotted to the bin, reached in, and pulled the book free. Taking a hoof, she wiped a bit of grime off the cover and held it out for examination.
"It looks beautiful. Why on earth did you throw it away?"
"Isn't that where garbage goes?"
She looked like I had just smacked her across the face. "No! Books should never be thrown away!"
The passion she felt about my own creation made me look down at my hooves in embarrassment. "It's not that great. It hasn't even sold a single copy. I can't compete with the likes of A.K. Yearling."
She giggled at that and I turned to look at her questioningly. Returning my gaze firmly, she smiled. "Yes, she is a rather successful author, isn't she? But, did you know that she didn't start out that way?"
My head tilted as I continued to watch her curiously.
"It's true. I remember hearing a story about how hard it was for A.K. Yearling to publish her first Daring Do book. Nopony was interested in action adventure novels back then. Time and time again, she tried to get somepony, anypony, to read her grand tale, but they all walked by like she was crazy. Finally, when she had lost all hope that her story would never be read, a little colt picked up a copy and opened it to the first page. You can imagine the excitement she felt upon seeing his eyes light up with wonder as the first sentence drew him in."
I could imagine it. I saw my own book being held by a pony as they dug through the pages as if they would find a pile of gold at the end. It had been my life's dream to see that, but I knew it would never happen.
"You see, if you give up then your story will never be told."
Then, she did something I hadn't expected. She opened the cover and began reading the first page. At once, tears welled up in my eyes to see my very own book being read. As she continued, a smile formed on her face as her mind's eye used my words to create a picture. It's all I had ever wanted and now, it had finally happened.
"You have a very unique and beautiful style. Tell me, do you like what you have written?"
"Of course, I do. I poured my heart and soul into those words."
"Then you should be proud of what you've created, even if no one else is. You are a special pony, Novella, I can tell. Don't give up. You have a gift that needs to be shared with the world."
The tears continued with more gusto than before. I didn't realize how much I needed to hear those words. I never thought I would ever amount to anything, and yet here was this stranger, telling me that I could do great things. She believed in me even when I had not. All I could do was nod as she kept smiling. Somehow, I knew she understood what I was feeling.
All at once, the rain stopped, leaving the two of us in silence. Amberhoof sighed and tightened the cloak around her. "Well, I'm afraid I must be going. It was very nice to meet you, Novella."
"Thank you. It was nice to meet you too."
She trotted into the growing darkness and was gone. I, too, moved away from the gazebo as I made my way back to my apartment. With a jolt, I realized she had taken my book! My heart leapt into my throat. At long last, a pony had a copy of my book! I moved with a little more pip in my step as the lights of Manehattan illuminated my path. The bookstore lay ahead, its door locked, and in its window, I saw my book in all its glory. I placed a hoof on the glass and gave my reflection an accomplished smile. I had done it! I had done what I set out to do and I was proud of what I had done. Someday, I know others will be too.