//------------------------------// // You´re Fired! // Story: The Journalist // by redspark //------------------------------// Chapter 1 You´re Fired! The bustling morning in the streets of Canterlot was something not everypony could tolerate. It was almost impossible to walk in, tripping into somepony´s legs was an easy thing. The ponies that did walk in the mornings though, were used to that; they walked pretty easily through the massive crowds of ponies going to work, or for their morning coffee. Such was the case of a cobalt blue earth pony named Nimble Hoof. She had a cloak with an aquamarine tone, her mane being in between blue and purple with a line of pretty intense blue. Had she not wore a cloak, she would be showing her cutie mark, which consisted of two blue pens crossed. She had a neutral face as she passed with an almost professionalism between the ponies of the main street of Canterlot. Her hooves moved swiftly, avoiding tripping over anypony. She managed to evade a pony that was running against the current of ponies, sighing, she wondered why a pony would ever run against “current”. She finally saw her destination: A tall, old-looking building with a huge sign painted in a bronze color. It read “THE DAILY HOOF”. Nimble Hoof got out of the street and towards the building, wondering what might await her inside. She had some papers tucked gently inside her cloak, which she had looked a lot of times, making sure they were still there. If they were as good as she thought, her writing career was going to go up instead of keeping on the edge of a cliff in which she almost fell upon. If they weren´t as good as she thought, she would wave a good-bye to her job. She pushed open the entrance door, taking her inside the now-familiar interior of The Daily Hoof´s building. She didn´t really paid much attention to it now, but when she had first entered trying to apply for a job, she had stared in amazement at the giant chandelier that hung by the ceiling, or at the front desk that shone because it was made out of crystal. Now, it was a familiar sight (and a sight she never wanted to stop seeing). She smiled at a brown and red security guard. She didn´t remembered his name, but the guard did and for some reason he had taken a special liking on her, because every time she entered, the guard smiled and greeted her. “Hello there again, Miss Hoof.” He said, the normal smile on his face. “Oh, Hello!” Nimble said, smiling back. The guard then stopped smiling and made a slight gesture. Nimble was pretty good at catching little details, and that gesture had meant for her to get closer. She was sure a normal pony would have immediately ignored that. She got close to the guard pony. “What is it?” She asked lowly. The guard pony looked around, making sure nopony was watching them. “I needed to tell you, miss Hoof, that your boss is pretty tired of your… err… How should I say it?” He scratched his chin. “...Well, he said he was going to fire you today if you don't bring a good story for him.” Nimble nodded. “Thanks for the notice. Don´t worry…” She patted her side where the papers could be seen. “I brought something good this time.” The guard smiled again. “I hope it is Miss Hoof.” He turned again to the door. Nimble walked away towards the elevator, but when the doors closed she abandoned the smile she had on her face, replacing it with a worried expression. It was that bad?! She looked at the papers and read some of the words throughout them. Now they didn't seemed so good… Was it enough to please her boss? She didn't had much time to think as the doors of the elevator opened, revealing a large hallway full of doors to each side. Nimble stepped outside as the door of the elevator began to close. After a couple of seconds just standing there, she finally managed to walk forward, right to a door on the other side of the hallway. She reached it in some seconds, but to her those seconds seemed like entire minutes, even hours. She rose her hoof and knocked. “Come in!” said a strong and demanding voice. Nimble gulped and opened the door, entering the office. It was a pretty lit up place, and had one of the best views of Canterlot, which was the only reason Nimble never fainted when entering. She guessed that, should her boss´s office be in another, less lighted room, she should have passed out that very instant. Her boss, an old, grey Pegasus, stood up and smiled warmly at Nimble. Nimble knew better than to trust his faces, she knew that underneath that smile was a raging storm, waiting to come out. She also noticed that her boss was biting bubblegum. She now remembered: her boss had this strange… ehm, how to say it? Addiction to bubblegum. He always had to have one on his mouth, and he always carried at least three boxes of them with him. Surprisingly, that day Nimble only saw small pack in the desk. She wasn´t sure if that was good or bad for her. “Nimble, I was expecting you. Please, sit down.” He sat down. Nimble walked silently to the seat in front of her boss´s table and sat down too. “Now, I do believe you have a story for me?” Nimble nodded, passing him the papers. Her boss took them and began to read them. Nimble expected a reaction on that old Pegasus´s face, but he remained expressionless throughout the reading. Nimble had begun to sweat. He boss finally lifted his gaze off the papers and placed them in the table, looking straight into Nimble´s eyes. Nimble felt something horrible was about to happen. “Miss Hoof, when had I ever asked this piece of…” He seemed to try to find the right word. “This, Miss Hoof, is the perfect example of what I DON´T WANT!!!” he said, raising his voice. Nimble began to sink deeper into her seat. Her boss seemed realize that he had shouted, he closed his eyes and calmed down. “I´m afraid this cannot get published.” He said, pushing the papers into a trash can beside the table. He walked to the window. Nimble remained seated. “Miss Hoof, as much as this pains me, you have not got me any good stories for a long time now. I´m afraid you are now no longer working for me, nor for anypony inside The Daily Hoof.” He turned to look at her. Nimble was staring in horror at her boss. “You´re fired.” Nimble couldn't believe what she had just heard. It was impossible! How could she ever get fired? She felt tears trying to escape her eyes. She was almost in a mental breakdown… No, she couldn't give up, not after so much she had fought to get that job. “Sir, please, give me one last chance.” She said, trying to sound pleading but at the same time professional. She had learned that the way she used her voice was something important in getting jobs. “I promise I can get you a great story, one that you'll love.” The grey Pegasus shook his head. “Sorry Miss Hoof, but it´s too late. I have already given you too many chances.” Nimble tried again, this time desperate. “Please sir! I swear I can get you one. This time it is true!” She had forgotten to use her professional voice this time. She realized that too late as she felt her voice coming out in an almost cry. The old Pegasus stared at her for some time, then he turned to the window. “Please approach here, Miss Hoof.” He said. Nimble looked confusedly at the Pegasus before standing up and walking towards the window. “You say you want another chance?” he said, not waiting for an answer. “Tell me, Miss Hoof, what do you see here?” he asked. Nimble looked outside. “Can… Canterlot, sir?” She said, more in a question than in an answer. “Yes, Canterlot. And what do they want us to give them?” he asked. “Stories.” Nimble said, this time more confident. “Yes, stories, exactly!” he said, looking at Nimble. “You have one week, Miss Hoof, to bring me the best story I´ve ever got. I want something new! I want something never heard before!” He lowered his voice, because excitement had made him raise it. “You have one week to surprise me, Miss Hoof. If you are able to do that, You´re back in. If you fail…” He left the next word hang in the air. Nimble nodded and shook her boss´s hoof happily. “Thanks! You will not regret this!” Nimble said. Her boss seemed slightly surprised by her reaction, but he returned to his serious face. “I believe your time is already ticking.” He said. Nimble nodded and ran to the door. “You won´t regret this sir!” She said, opening and closing the door behind her… * * * * Nimble opened slowly her flat´s door, her ears flat on her head and her gaze at the floor. She had a very un-optimistic look around her. After closing the door, she went up the stair to her flat, not bothering to open the curtains when she finally made it upstairs. She went directly to her sofa and laid down. How was she supposed to get a story like the one she had promised? She had no idea how she was supposed to do that… She was going to walk to her room when she heard a voice from behind her. She had not heard that voice in a long time, not since the graduation. She gasped when she recognized who had made it. “Hello Nimble. Nice to see you again.” Said a light brown unicorn stallion with a green cloak. Nimble jumped up and turned at the newcomer. “Day!” she said happily, embracing him in a warm hug. The stallion, Day, smiled and hugged her back. “It´s been some time, eh Nimble?” he said, letting go of her. Nimble walked back one step. “Yes! I thought you were gone off for good.” She said. The stallion smiled slightly. “I thought I was, but now I´m back on a visit to my parents. They are in a… eh, rather weak condition.” He looked around. “So this is your place.” He said. “I remember you always wanted to live close to The Daily Hoof´s building, I can see you did it.” He smiled at her. “And I presume you also got the job?” Nimble felt her ears drop again. Day noticed it also. “What is it Nimble?” He asked, getting closer to her. Nimble sighed. “It´s just that they… they will fire me if I don´t get a good story in a week.” She looked at day. “I´m sorry your visit came in such times. Sorry, don´t mind me.” Day looked at her concerned. “Don´t mind? Nimble, You are my best friend, how could I not mind?!” He said. After some seconds he walked over to the curtains. “I think we need some light in here.” And he opened them. “Now, tell me, what exactly do your boss wants?” He asked. Nimble cleared her throat. “Err… he wants a story never heard of. He wants something new…” She looked down. “But I don´t know about anything like that.” She said. Day looked outside. Suddenly his stare was not concerned, but troubled. He saw the streets of Canterlot and then he smiled. “I have a great idea!” He said. “I know of a place you could find something good!” Nimble´s ears rose, as also her spirits. “What?! Where?!” She asked. Day walked to her. He smile “You see, Canterlot is known for being the capital of Equestria, but it is also known by its safety. That is wrong. There is a place in Canterlot where there is no rule. Not even the princesses’ rule gets there. It´s a dark place, where only the lowest of thieves and outlaws go. No one knows much about it, except for the outlaws and thieves, naturally.” “And that will help me because…?” she asked impatiently. “Well, isn´t it obvious? You get your stories from down below. From the one and only silent place in Canterlot. From the one and only place where no newspaper has gotten stories before: Lower Canterlot…” As a last thing, thanks a lot to Joel Leclerc for checking out this first chapter, pointing out my mistakes and recommendations. I don´t know if he has a fimfiction account, so I´ll place a link to his YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/user/lkjoeldev/about]Joel Leclerc