Rainbow Dash trotted quickly down the main hallway of a spacious office, ignoring the chaotic atmosphere filled with business conversations and secretaries. She reached office 101, easily recognizable at the end of the hallway with its unique golden plaque.
The atmosphere buzzed with activity, as this was the headquarters of White Horse Publishing and DN, one of the most important newspapers in Manehattan, the largest metropolis on the east coast of Equestria. The editor-in-chief of this news outlet was the renowned J.J. Jelly, known for his stingy and irritable personality. Dash had met him personally months ago, and although the encounter was brief, she left with a sour memory of him.
Luckily for Dash, J.J. Jelly was in a work meeting that day, so it would be his main secretary attending to her scheduled meeting. Previous meetings had been handled by her sales agent, so it was the first time she would be meeting with her, and she had to make a good impression.
She paused for a moment in front of the office doors, taking a small breath.
Dash entered the office cautiously. Though the noise from adjacent areas remained unchanged, the difference with the other offices was noticeable. It was impeccably tidy, clean, and above all, harmonious. Elevated pots of blue roses flanked both sides of the door. The office background was adorned with the "Two Sisters" crest, and seated in the chair on the other side of the desk was someone who could be considered the right hand of J.J. Jelly himself.
She was a light-maned unicorn with mustard-colored fur. The age was already showing on her face, along with her thick glasses, but they were irrelevant in such a serene expression. She wore a simple white shirt adorned with a golden brooch shaped like intertwined leaves. Both her hairstyle and posture reminded Dash a lot of a certain princess.
She couldn't expect anything less from a former teacher of her friend Twilight.
"Good morning, Miss Rainbow Dash! Please have a seat. Would you like something to drink?" the receptionist said as she poured herself a cup of tea from a simple pink teapot.
"No, it's okay like this, Mrs. Maypage Chestnutfree..." Dash almost stumbled over her tongue trying to pronounce that name on the identification card, "Uh... please, just call me Dash."
"Well, if that's what you prefer, then I'd also like you to call me just May," May responded with a smile.
"That sounds much better... I mean, um," Dash clumsily tried to correct herself. "May, if you don't mind, can we start with the meeting agenda?"
"Of course, Dash," May immediately set aside the teapot and pulled out some thick papers from one of the drawers of her desk.
Meanwhile, outside, the office bustle continued unchanged. Office workers hurried back and forth, and ink-stained papers piled on top of each other.
"FOUR MONTHS!" exclaimed Dash, distressed.
"I apologize on behalf of Mr. Jelly and all the staff at White Horse Publishing, but as I just mentioned, current circumstances make it impossible for us to advance the publication date of your book. We truly regret that the situation has unfolded this way. Many at the publishing house have high expectations for this project," said May in a calm but somewhat tired tone as she adjusted her thick glasses.
"But, but..." stammered a devastated Dash, trying to process what they were telling her. "But four months is a long time. Couldn't you at least, I don't know, release just the first chapter this week?"
"We can't. We follow a strict quality system to ensure that every work we publish meets the highest standards. We understand it's difficult for you, Dash, but we need to ensure that your book is thoroughly polished before it's released to the market. Advancing only the first chapter wouldn't be an adequate solution in this case. Additionally, we must consider other projects that are already underway and our commitments to our current authors."
Dash puffed her cheeks, and for a moment, it seemed she would explode in anger. But after a few seconds, she sighed resignedly, knowing there was nothing she could do to change the situation.
"I understand this is disappointing. We really wish we could do more for a friend of the princess. If you'd like, we can send you some incomplete draft samples, but only that," said May.
Dash nodded sadly, grateful for the offer but knowing it wouldn't be of much help. "Thank you, May. I understand, I... well... I'll put all my effort into rewriting my manuscript... again."
"We're confident you will, Miss Dash. We know this project is important to you, and we want to help in any way we can. Don't hesitate to contact us if you need anything else," replied May with a reassuring smile, though her face also bore a slight sorrow.
Dash returned the gesture but didn't feel up to continuing the conversation. After a brief farewell, she left feeling utterly dejected. As she exited, she bumped into J.J. Jelly heading in the opposite direction, shouting threats at his employees. Dash passed by him without paying him any mind, and he didn't care either.
She reached the entrance of the hall, entered the elevator, and pressed the button for the first floor. As the doors closed, she could faintly hear J.J. Jelly saying, "MARKET, YOU'RE FIRED!" in a furious tone.