The elevator slowly ascended to the first floor. Although it would have been easier for Dash to open a window and fly out of the building, such behavior would have been rude and inappropriate given the place she was in. Manehattan was a city of ponies with its own rules and etiquettes of behavior. In the past, Dash hadn't cared about respecting those rules, but now she was a respectable adult mare, a member of the Wonderbolts, and a close friend of the current ruling princess. The latter was something to be very mindful of, as in a city like Manehattan, which thrived on rumors and scandals, her misbehavior could well tarnish not only her own image but also that of her friends.
Dash didn't want to take those risks, although a part of her really wished to leave immediately. She chose to stay and follow the routine. Besides, there was something else weighing on her...
Until that moment, she had remained calm and relaxed. But once the elevator doors closed and it started to descend, so did her confidence.
"What should I do now?" she exclaimed anxiously. "Think, Dash, think!"
But nothing came to her mind. Only distressing memories...
Several months ago, Dash had visited the main DN building (shared headquarters with White Horse Publishing), to pitch the idea of a book based on her journey around the world. This was a project she had kept secret from all her acquaintances, including her best friends. She had taken so many precautions not to be discovered that even when she showed up at the publishing offices, she did so in a ridiculous disguise of an elderly, wealthy, eccentric pony, who was a relative of hers.
After being recognized and struggling with the security guards, she negotiated with the sales manager of the publishing house, eventually reaching an agreement to publish her book "Rainbow Dash: Unstoppable Around the World," a book aimed at spreading friendship and personal empowerment that a pony could achieve if they dared to explore beyond the known limits of Equestria.
Of course, this was the justification Dash offered to the publishing house and repeated to herself to avoid admitting that the entire story of the book focused solely on her and her incredible adventures.
However, the real reasons for embarking on this task, so contrary to her personality, were partly different.
Almost three years ago, she and her friends had committed to do a special activity for the newly crowned Princess Twilight at the "Festival of the Two Sisters." This holiday was important for all ponies and represented an excellent opportunity to spend time together away from the tasks and responsibilities of their daily lives.
The special activity consisted of randomly selecting one of them. The chosen pony would have the responsibility to prepare a gift or lead some festivity on that same day, directed, of course, at Twilight as the main focus.
Until that date, two of them had already fulfilled that promise with honors.
In the first year, Rarity had organized a banquet in record time with the most important intellectuals from all of Equestria. That dinner featured the admirable participation of Starswirl the Bearded and Stygian. Dash suspected that her pink friend had something to do with how she had gathered them in such a short time.
The following year, Applejack surprised everyone by holding an impromptu outdoor concert in the main garden of Canterlot Castle. Hearing Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and Twilight sing together was an experience that no pony present at the celebration would forget.
Luck had it that Rarity and Applejack's turns had passed, and Dash could only thank her own good fortune for not having been chosen. It's not that she didn't want to organize the event for her friend, but she couldn't think of anything cool, and all she could do was try to hide her panic in the middle of the draw. Time passed, and the bar set by her pony friends only got higher.
With all this in mind, and setting aside the jealousy that was starting to creep in, Dash came up with a brilliant idea one day: she had had an incredible adventure traveling around the world, and Twilight loved books and stories. If she combined both ideas, she would achieve the success she was looking for: to publish an unpublished book of her journey in lavish detail and make a special copy for her princess friend on the "Festival of the Two Sisters" day.
Excited by her own ingenuity, and without thinking too much, she proceeded to pour all her travel experiences into manuscripts. She wasn't a writer, but she figured that narrating her own experiences wouldn't be difficult. And although she was disappointed that it took her months of work, once her task was finished, she personally sent them to the White Horse publishing house to be turned into a book.
What followed was a string of misfortunes that would haunt her to the present day.
The initial manuscripts she sent were rejected due to their poor writing. The advisor in charge of supervising her work never showed up for "personal" reasons, according to J.J. Jelly. The White Horse publishing house had all their best editors working on the new Daring Do book, which was set to premiere in the same week that Dash was supposed to publish hers. Finally, the first chapter that had taken her so much effort to redo was rejected again, leading her to today's appointment.
The elevator continued to descend slowly, and Dash no longer had the energy to carry on with that project. She didn't have a story to share; everything she had done seemed like a waste of time, and she was also running out of time.
"No, Dash! There's still time. You just need another editor who can fix this... or come up with something even cooler for Twilight. But what?" Dash, dejected, muttered as she sat down and looked at the closed elevator doors. The answer definitely wouldn't come from there.
"I know someone who can help you," replied a voice behind her.
Dash immediately turned around, surprised. Next to a stack of boxes she had ignored when entering the elevator stood a mare. She had short, tousled mane of a bright chestnut color. She wore a neatly pressed black jumpsuit that hugged her body perfectly, revealing a slender figure. However, the most striking thing about her wasn't her perfect figure, but the delicate features of her face. Dash couldn't be sure, but she seemed to be wearing no makeup or accessories. It was probably her natural beauty that made her stand out, especially her scarlet eyes.
"Who are you?" exclaimed Dash, puzzled. She couldn't understand how she hadn't sensed that pony before. Dash had been somewhat disconnected until shortly before, but not enough to let her guard down.
Then Dash realized the obvious. "Wait a moment. You heard everything I said!"
"Don't worry, I didn't hear anything, but I think you're a pony interested in the publishing market. Maybe this will interest you..." said the striking mare softly as she magically levitated a red card with white stripes towards Dash's hooves.
Dash curiously observed the colorful card marked with a large letter 'A'.
The mare approached her and whispered in her ear, "True winners aren't afraid to take uncharted paths, right?" Those words, from her own book, puzzled Dash. She was about to respond, but at that precise moment, the elevator doors opened. The mysterious mare quickly exited just as a tumultuous group of office ponies flooded in.
Pushing through the ponies, Dash stepped out of the elevator and quickly began to search for the mysterious mare. But she only found the large crowd of ponies entering and exiting the grand lobby of the DN tower.
Dash scratched her head. "What was that?" She again checked the card she had received. Then she noticed an important detail. The mysterious mare had given it to her with magic! But she wasn't a unicorn but an earth pony.
Furrowing her brow even more, Dash scanned her surroundings again. Her instincts told her she was being watched. Uncomfortable with that feeling, she flew out of the building. Her strong wings easily propelled her high into the sky in a matter of seconds; she stopped and began to contemplate the immensity of the city.
"Averages Tower, right? Alright! I'll be there." Accepting the challenge, Dash dove down towards the metropolis.
The afternoon progressed like any other in the bustling city of Manehattan. In its lively streets, ponies carried on with their daily routines, hurrying from one place to another to get to their jobs, make necessary purchases, or simply enjoy a moment of leisure in one of the city's numerous venues.
However, as the sun steadily advanced in the sky, a striking rainbow trail suddenly appeared between the city's buildings, disrupting the normality of the day. The zigzagging rainbow trail abruptly halted over a large building under construction near the coast.
Up there, atop the building, was a Pegasus like no other in all of Equestria.
"Aha! Finally found you!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash excitedly before descending onto the tower.
That building, which was slightly taller than the others around it, was undergoing a major facelift. From above, Dash could see all the worker ponies toiling away at what seemed to be a massive letter 'A' on the side of the building facing the coast. Both the color and the design of the place matched the card that mysterious mare had handed her that morning.
Rainbow Dash was 100% sure this was the right place.
As Dash descended, she began to notice more and more unusual details in the infrastructure. The rooftop, for example, had a special fence for Pegasus landings and aerial vehicles. There were also large antennas and modern equipment subtly disguised as artificial vegetation. She even glimpsed what could be a greenhouse in one of the corners next to a small kiosk.
Dash smiled even more excitedly. This was the kind of modernity she liked. The place made the DN tower look like a boring museum.
Excited, Dash performed a somersault in the air and, wasting no time, landed perfectly on the Pegasus landing fence.
"Wait a second... Is the track made of cloud rubber?" exclaimed a surprised Dash after tapping her hoof against the ground. "Okay, this place just got 20% cooler!"
Dash had initially thought about heading straight to the main offices of the Average Tower, but quickly changed her mind. She felt obligated to explore the place in more detail.
Without further ado, with a big and sincere smile, she made her way towards the kiosk she had seen moments ago. It was empty, which didn't surprise her since she had noticed from above that there didn't seem to be anyone attending, nor did she find any products on its shelves. However, she was struck by the abundance of Power-Psoas energy drink and Jumy cookie advertisements. Unconcerned, the Pegasus continued forward and came across the greenhouse. Using her hooves, she cleared a portion of the transparent glass wall to peer inside. It was a fascinating sight; inside was a bio-garden full of juicy carrots and all kinds of vegetables gleaming with vitality. All the vegetables were stacked in individual soil cubes connected to small hoses and wiring. Someone had certainly taken their time to take good care of this place and make it self-sufficient.
Dash's stomach growled for a moment. Her light lunch had been too little for the appetite she was beginning to feel.
"Ugh... I think I need a recharge," said Dash as her stomach growled louder. Then she noticed that a skylight in the greenhouse was open. "If I take some vegetables, they won't mind... right?"
Prompted by her sudden hunger, Dash ascended and searched for the entrance on the greenhouse roof. It didn't take her long to locate it and curiously poke her head inside. A fresh aroma emanated from the skylight, causing Dash's stomach to growl even louder.
Excited, Dash placed her hooves on the window to open it fully and enter, but she stopped. She caught another scent that made her forget her pressing hunger. It was a faint smell of incense smoke. Dash cautiously observed again from the window opening. This time she noticed four rocks inscribed with runes at each end of the greenhouse, with small incense offerings placed next to them. She also noticed hidden security cameras among the vegetable leaves.
Dash furrowed her brow. "Well... this is very interesting." As she descended from the greenhouse and returned to where she had been before, she thought that the owner of the place was not only forward-thinking but also very cautious and mysterious.
At that moment, a loud whistle sounded behind Dash. One of the landing platforms began to light up with red danger lights, causing Dash to elevate into the air and instinctively look around. She soon discovered the cause of the alarm: a flying ship was rapidly approaching from the north towards the rooftop.
With caution, Dash approached the platform and carefully observed the aerial vehicle approaching. It was slightly larger than others of its class, marked with a distinctive letter 'A', and had striking red and purple colors intermingled with white and black stripes. But the most impressive were the superficial modifications that gave it a futuristic design.
"Wow," was all Dash could say as she watched the sleek and perfect landing of the modern flying ship.
Once on the ground, the main door of the ship opened, and from it descended a striking group of ponies. Dash examined them carefully twice; she didn't recognize who they could be, but the only thing she was sure of was that they were all equines.
The first one, who seemed to be the team leader, was a pony clad in a complete suit of golden armor. It looked so tight and studded at its edges that it gave the impression of being a brass robot-pony.
The second was a handsome white Pegasus with a golden mane. Although he also wore armor like his leader, his design was more traditional and colorful. He wore a helmet and a bulky hammer on his left side.
The third was a large pony of a complete green color, a shade that would make Rarity faint. In addition to his remarkable size and muscular build that made him look like a horse, he wore tight purple shorts that seemed more like a joke for his figure.
Lastly, there was a pony who might be the strangest of all. He was a unicorn wearing a full-body, tight-fitting suit of red with black lines, but the most striking thing was the helmet he wore—it was practically spherical and covered his entire head, with antenna-like appendages. Dash had the impression that he resembled more an ant than a pony.
So Dash watched from above as that group advanced toward the rooftop elevator in a slow pace that resembled an extravagant fashion parade.
"Hey, Tomy..."
"Yeah?" responded the team leader with a mechanical voice to the Pegasus with the hammer.
"About what you mentioned before, that this tower belonged to the city mayor, did Magi really buy it?"
"Yes, that's right, Thur."
"How?"
"She bought it, plain and simple."
"But a place like this, don't you think it's too expensive for just one pony?"
"Not when you have backers..." The brass pony stopped and looked at his companions as if gauging the atmosphere. "It's 'common' among business ponies."
"But the mayor built the tower just a year ago as part of a hospitality project. Why would he sell it to Magi, who is openly opposed to him and his policies?" Interrupted the pony who looked like an ant with an inquisitive voice.
"Look, Hant, she... she has ways to persuade her potential clients..." The brass pony lifted his head as if pondering what he was about to say. "Listen, everyone, I know all this raises suspicions. But I was there and saw the paperwork. Everything's clean. So you can trust that nothing illicit is going on and that the company is sound, as are its contracts. Are we agreed?"
The two ponies looked heavily at their leader. It wasn't a good moment, but then a loud rumble echoed across the rooftop. Immediately, the three looked at the largest one among them.
"Not me," said the confused big green horse.
Once again, a crunch sounded, and the four equines turned their heads toward the Rainbow Pegasus flying a few meters behind them.
"Um... hey, guys?" said Dash with a smile, lightly tapping her rebellious stomach.
The team of ponies exchanged confused looks among themselves.
"Well, this is a surprise..." said the brass pony, taking a few steps toward Dash. "Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but... are you Rainbow Dash?"
"That's right, same old me," replied Dash confidently.
"Oh!" exclaimed the other team members, surprised. They began to murmur among themselves, while the brass pony remained impassive, probably due to the helmet covering his face. However, after a few seconds, he started to remove the helmet that covered his entire head.
"Sorry for not recognizing you earlier. This suit doesn't have good peripheral vision," said the brass pony, revealing a stern face with thick eyebrows and a well-groomed beard. Combined with his black mane and peach skin, he gave off an image of a respectable and attractive pony. "I'm Tomy Star, leader of the traveling children's theater group 'Average'. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Rainbow Dash."
"You don't have to apologize, I should have introduced myself earlier and..." Dash's stomach grumbled again. "Do you happen to have anything to eat you could offer me, please?"
"Of course!" said the proud white Pegasus, raising his hammer in the air and striking a flashy pose. "It would be an honor for us to invite such a renowned friend of the esteemed princess of Equestria to a grand feast."
"Hey Thur, quit acting, we're not on the job," whispered the pony who looked like an ant.
"Let it be, Hant..." The brass pony turned to the largest member of the team. "Hey Brice, do you mind if we share your food with our guest?"
"Well... I..."
"Excellent! Come along, Miss Rainbow Dash, our offices are a few floors down, if you don't mind."
"Of course! I'm starving and... just call me Dash," said the Pegasus as she touched the ground again.
"Alright, 'Dash'. Let's get going," said Tomy, leading Dash towards the elevator entrance. The rest of the group followed suit, bombarding Dash with questions like "Do you know the princesses? What's Princess Twilight like? Do you have a partner?" Dash had no trouble answering their questions, except those related to her marital status.
The elevator arrived quickly, and the group of ponies entered it. However, not everyone could fit in. Despite the spaciousness of the elevator, the big green horse was left outside, looking to see if his companions would make space for him.
"Sorry, Brice, there's not enough room. You'll have to take the stairs," said Tomy.
Brice didn't respond. Although he didn't seem angry, his face bore the expression of an abandoned pet.
The metal doors of the elevator closed, and it began to descend. As they chatted, Dash felt the comforting air conditioning envelop her coat and the soft music that felt very familiar. It truly was an elevator in a luxury hotel.
"Excuse me, Miss Dash," Tomy interrupted Dash's conversation with her other companions, "but I was wondering what brings you to this pleasant encounter... Are you just passing through, or do you have some business to attend to at the Average tower?"
"Well... now that you mention it, I need to meet with Magazine Doublereport. I believe she's the owner of this place. Do you know her?"
A silence filled the elevator.
"Did the princess send you?!" nervously asked the ant-like pony.
"Hant!" reprimanded the brass pony sternly.
"No," replied Dash, confused by Hant's question and Tomy's demeanor. "I'm here more for a business matter. Is something wrong?"
"We'd better continue this conversation in our offices," said Tomy coldly, casting a wary glance at the security camera on the elevator's ceiling. Quickly, everyone, including Dash, understood the brass pony's comment. Without saying another word, the group continued descending in the elevator.
Several floors above, the big green horse named Brice descended slowly down the tower's stairs. At that moment, he felt quite calm, but it wouldn't be until a little later that he would erupt in anger at how empty Dash had left his pantry.
The computer screen displayed a black-and-white image of two ponies in an elevator, captured live by one of the security cameras. From the shadows, an enigmatic figure of a mare, seated in an imposing executive chair, watched attentively, with a barely visible smile of satisfaction in the darkness.
The sweet taste of cider quickly faded on Rainbow Dash's palate. The second lunch that Tomy Star and the rest of the Average team had offered her was the energy boost she needed to continue her day. However, the satisfaction of the delicious meal was overshadowed by the intriguing and somewhat dark conversation they had afterwards.
"Another Starlight Glimmer..." muttered Dash thoughtfully as she tried to rid her mouth of a bitter taste that spread.
"Um... excuse me? Did you say something?" timidly responded the young Pegasus disguised as a bee who accompanied her.
"Mmm... it's nothing, Bee, I just remembered something," replied Dash to her companion with a thick and short pink mane.
"Oh... okay," responded the pony with a whispery and somewhat blushing voice. Although she was looking in the opposite direction, Dash could feel the furtive glances she was getting.
This pony was Bee, the latest member of the Average theater group. The story behind the timid Pegasus disguised as a bee was surprising; even Dash was very impressed. Tomy Star, who introduced her to Dash before lunch, told her that the full name of this simple pony was Airela Font Dival. She was the adopted daughter of one of the city's most important officials. Her real parents had been actors, and she too, from an early age, had felt a great attraction to the theater. However, her path to becoming an actress was fraught with setbacks and obstacles. Although her Cutie Mark clearly represented the stage of a colorful pink theater with lights, she had not been able to develop her talent due to her stage fright and fragility in health. Nevertheless, she didn't give up, and it wasn't until a year ago that she met Magazine Doublereport in a motivational talk where everything changed. After several months of hard training and coaching, she managed to overcome her fears and improve her physical health, finally fulfilling her dream of acting by joining the Average children's theater group.
Dash smiled, thinking about her own experiences; this was the kind of overcoming story she liked the most.
"Aaaa... aaaa," whispered and exhaled Airela from one of the corners of the elevator.
Of course, the description of 'overcoming her fears' was somewhat relative. Everything about that Pegasus, even the colors, reminded Dash of her slightly brave friend Fluttershy.
"Hey, I didn't mention it before, but you remind me a lot of my friend..."
"GIVE ME YOUR AUTOGRAPH RIGHT NOW!" suddenly shouted Airela towards Dash with a completely hysterical expression.
Dash didn't flinch, in a way she was already expecting it. Her Average teammates had already warned her about how big a fan the Pegasus was. In fact, when they recently met, Airela almost fainted with excitement. Despite being a big fan of Dash, due to her shyness and her responsibilities in the theater, she had never dared to meet her in person or attend any of her performances as a Wonderbolt.
"Okay... do you have a spot for me to sign?" said Dash totally calm and with a tone of maturity.
"ON MY SKIN."
"Uh... sorry," replied Dash somewhat nervously.
Airela seemed to regain her composure and immediately blushed again. "NO, NO, WAIT... I meant on my peach skin, yes, yes, that..." At that moment, the Pegasus pulled out an old peach skin blanket with a golden border from her saddlebag. It seemed to be some kind of valuable personal item.
"Okay... sure, give me a second," Dash quickly pulled out a marker for autographs from her own saddlebag. She proceeded to sign Airela's blanket. And once she finished, the pink-maned Pegasus began to bounce while holding the blanket, repeating "Yes, yes, yes" at every moment. She looked like a foal who had just received her first birthday present. This didn't bother Dash at all, who watched her smiling; she had already gotten used to reactions like this from her fans.
The elevator, which had been ascending until that moment, stopped.
"Well, I guess this is the floor. I can explore the entire place as long as I have this ID, right?" said Dash as she toyed with the identification badge hanging around her neck. At the same time, the elevator doors finished opening.
"Yes! I mean no, wait..." Airela's joyful expression vanished in an instant, replaced by one of concern. "I heard what the others told you, but I believe Magi is a good person. She has helped many ponies, including me and many others. Her teachings have changed our lives; she is helping the city to be better and..."
"Wow, easy there," Dash quickly responded as she approached her and placed a hoof on her shoulder. "I'm not going to lay a hoof on her; I'm just going to have a chat with her, from Pegasus to Pegasus."
"Do you promise?" asked Airela anxiously.
"Yes, I promise. Rainbow Dash's word."
"Oh, thank you!" replied a relieved Airela. "I knew you were a pony to be trusted."
"Excuse me, ladies... Are you finished?" came a peculiar old voice.
Both looked towards the door. There stood a member of the tower's cleaning staff. He was an old pony with thick glasses and a bushy short mustache, waiting to enter with his bulky cleaning cart.
"Ah, yes... we're done," Dash quickly responded as she stepped out of the elevator, leaving her new friend behind. Immediately, the old pony entered, and the elevator doors began to close.
"See you another time!" said Dash, waving one of her hooves in farewell.
"Alright, take care! See you!" responded an excited Airela.
The elevator doors finished closing. Inside, a despondent Airela stood watching them. She felt like crying at that moment. Even some tears were starting to well up between her eyelids.
"Well... that pony seemed quite Excelsior!" abruptly said the old cleaning pony.
"Yeah, she really is," said Airela as she wiped her eyes with her autographed peach skin blanket and carefully stowed it away in her saddlebag.
Dash sighed as she watched the elevator doors through which the young actress had departed. Airela bore a striking resemblance to her friend Fluttershy in figure, colors, and even personality, but at the end of the day, she wasn't her.
"It's time to get to the bottom of this," Dash said aloud, determined.
She turned around, ready to proceed. She already had a simple plan in mind: to explore the entire administrative floor from top to bottom and leave Magi for last. However, before she could take a single step, she was met with two burly security guards blocking her path like a concrete wall.
"Miss Rainbow Dash, please come with us," ordered the two agents.
From the other door of the second elevator, a squad of fully armed security ponies emerged, preventing her exit. More security agents poured out from the hallways and emergency exits, while the doors and windows automatically sealed shut, and the security alarms began to blare loudly.
Under intense red light and surrounded by an army, Dash shook her head and sighed.
"All right, gentlemen, what's the way?"
The steel corridor in which Dash was being escorted abruptly ended in a spacious waiting room with a single reception window. The window was protected by thick transparent glass, and inside sat a clerk who continued typing on her typewriter. She was a short earth pony with a bulky and disheveled brown mane that partly covered her face, although her shiny freckles and slightly flattened nose were visible.
As Dash observed her approaching, she was surprised to notice that, despite her unattractive features, she bore a striking resemblance to the same pony who had handed her the brochure to reach the tower that morning.
The security ponies escorting her stopped, and then she and the one who appeared to be the highest-ranking among them approached the reception window.
"Here's Winter Solid reporting in, complying with pass 489. We've brought Miss Rainbow Dash to offices 2A on the third level," said the agent in a martial tone as he deposited a paper into one of the window's openings.
Inside, the clerk paused her typing and lifted her head with a somewhat uncomfortable expression. After a moment, she slowly approached the window, received the paper, and mechanically stamped it. Then, she opened a folder where she stored it. Additionally, she approached a machine from which she took a new paper and handed it to the guard.
For Dash, just watching her move so incredibly slowly was torturous.
"Thank you very much for your hard work. I'll guide Miss Dash from here. You may continue with your tasks," said the receptionist with an indifferent and nasal voice.
Immediately, all the security ponies began to withdraw.
The receptionist exited through one of the secondary doors. She was shorter than she appeared. With a slow pace, she stood in front of Dash and after observing her for a moment, said, "Follow me, Miss Rainbow Dash. Magazine Doublereport is waiting for you."
"Is it far?" Dash responded, growing increasingly impatient.
"No," the clerk responded curtly. She turned around and headed towards the large doors on the right side of the room. Using her card, she unlocked the security sensor, and the doors swung open wide, revealing a room shrouded in darkness. Beside the open doors, the receptionist simply extended one of her hooves, indicating to Dash to enter.
"THANK GOODNESS!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash, relieved to finally be done with that boring reception, but her joy was short-lived as she noticed the receptionist's stern gaze upon her.
Quickly, Dash adopted a serious and professional posture.
"I suppose this is the end of the road. Thank you very much."
Rainbow Dash ventured into the dark room. Behind her, the receptionist closed the doors and returned to her routine.
Beyond the doors, in the most important room of the entire Averages tower, Rainbow Dash found herself walking into a spacious hall that, in its profound emptiness, made her wonder if it should really look like that. There were no paintings, ornaments, or furniture on the walls or columns, just desolation and an overwhelming silence shrouded in darkness. The floor was the only thing notably striking, resembling a vast frozen river in shades of purple, red, and emerald. The translucent and colorful background of the floor, combined with the darkness enveloping the place, gave the visitor the sensation of walking on a moving space vault.
However, Rainbow Dash was not intimidated by any of this and continued to move calmly through the room. As she advanced, she began to notice mysterious runes subtly drawn hidden in the walls and columns. She also observed security cameras hanging from the ceiling that tracked her movements. But none of that fazed her, and she pressed on, her eyes fixed on the far end of the hall.
There, at the end of that ominous room, stood a large desk that stood out in the exterior light filtered through the transparent glass walls at its back.
As she approached, Dash could clearly distinguish the two chairs accompanying the desk, one larger than the other. And to her slight surprise, in the large executive chair sat comfortably the dark silhouette of a pegasus. As Dash got close enough, the dark figure of that pony stood up, and immediately the light in the room grew brighter, revealing the figure of the mysterious mare.
"Welcome, Miss Dash! I'm Magazine Doublereport. You can call me Magi. I am the owner and CEO of the Averages consortium. I am also a reporter, writer, motivational speaker. It's an honor for me to welcome such a heroic, amazing, and friend of Princess Twilight Sparkle," said Magi with a smile from ear to ear as she took Dash's right hoof and greeted her warmly.
This was Magi, a white-coated pegasus with a red and black mane. She wore large emerald glasses with thick white frames on her head and a shiny yellow tie around her neck. Her Cutie Mark was two red and black books dancing together. She wore nothing else, giving her a simple appearance. However, her gaze of bright purple eyes seemed to convey a wild and dominant spirit.
"Pleasure to meet you..." Dash felt fluttery inside and could only think: "Oh, hoof... here we go again."
"Come, please take a seat," said Magi as she released Dash and returned to her own executive chair. "And tell me, what brings you to visit? Are you interested in any of our amazing products or services?"
"Well... look, I..." Dash didn't have a prepared speech. She hadn't thought much about it herself, even as she was being transported to that place. After futilely thinking for a second, she gave up. "You know, I've had a long day, so I'll just be direct with what I say, alright?"
"...okay," said Magi, somewhat puzzled.
"This morning, I was approached by one of your peculiar sales agents, so I came here to learn more about this place. At first, it seemed great, and on the way, I met some of your workers. They told me about you and your business, and that's when I started to realize that maybe this place wasn't so great after all. Then I went to your administrative offices to check if what they told me was true, and that's when I was stopped by your GUARD ARMY. They brought me here because YOU obviously ordered them to, and now we're having this chat about everything I just told you," Dash finished speaking clearly annoyed.
"Well, that... I had no idea you'd been received so poorly. Security was supposed to escort you here only. I sincerely apologize for my security personnel's discourteous behavior," said Magi with a tone of regret as she lowered her head.
Dash couldn't determine if she was acting or genuinely distressed by what had happened. However, her instincts told her to believe the former.
"Look, there's no need to hang your head. I get that guys like those get excited when they have the chance to do their job, but do you really need that many?"
"It's necessary to have a regular amount of security personnel for each floor of the building."
"Even if the vast majority of the floors are completely empty?" Dash questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"Ah, I see! I suppose that's what you were told by the workers you met... and I'm sure they also told you even more things," Magi corrected.
Dash nodded indifferently.
"I'm very sorry about all this," said Magi, closing her eyes for a moment. "I didn't expect things to have come to this point."
"You didn't expect it? Secretly aligning with the most unpopular ponies in the city, engaging in their dirty business, and hoping nobody would find out. I also heard you were quite clever," Dash said with a mocking tone.
Magi frowned. For a moment, she seemed annoyed, but quickly composed herself.
"You know, Miss Dash, succeeding in this city is not easy. Not all of us have the fortune or friends to rely on..."
"Yeah, yeah, heard that one before," Dash interrupted, yawning blatantly.
Magi, with a displeased expression on her face, seemed to understand the situation. It was clear that Rainbow Dash wasn't taking her seriously.
"Would you give me a chance to start over?" said Magi, looking gravely at Dash.
"Alright, I'm listening," responded Dash, adopting a more serious stance.
"I am Magazine Doublereport, that is as true as the sunrise. I was a worker at DN and one of the best reporters J.J. Jelly ever had. But due to a political scandal he refused to cover, I decided to leave that news house. I founded my own publishing house, and shortly after, I joined the Averages consortium, of which I became the leader. Since then, I've done everything possible to stay ahead of my competitors, using new technologies and better working methods. I've fostered talent and unity among my employees to increase my company's capital and strengthen the consortium I lead," so spoke Magi, almost banging the table with her hooves. She had a stern expression on her face reflecting great determination and will.
Then there was a tense pause as both ponies stared at each other.
"And why... do you do this?" Dash asked without changing her posture.
"I have a vision," Magi responded quickly.
"That's it?"
"I believe this city can be a better place. A place where ponies have the opportunity to discover their talents. A place where those with talent can reach their full potential. A place where all ponies can shine on their own and march together into the future without fear," as Magi spoke these words, her eyes sparkled with genuine emotion.
Dash sighed. That was the dream of winners. In the past, she would have been excited about a project like that, but now, after her experiences with her friends and her journey around the world, she could only think it was a very difficult dream to fulfill.
"And do your new partners share this vision?"
Magi put on a bitter expression, as if she understood where Dash was going. "No, not all of them do."
There was another pause between the two ponies.
"Do you have anything to drink?" Dash asked, trying to lighten the mood.
"Yes, of course. Here, I have some drinks," Magi responded as she rummaged through one of the drawers of her desk and pulled out some cans of Power-Psoas energy drinks.
It wasn't what Dash wanted at that moment, but she settled for it. Both opened their cans and began to drink. However, as they did so, neither took their eyes off each other.
"She's on guard... maybe she's thinking the same thing as the others," Dash recalled as she drank. When she had met with the Average team, several of them had insisted on asking her if she was on a mission on behalf of the princess. Even though she explained to them that she wasn't and that she was only there for business, it didn't seem like she had convinced them.
Probably Magi was thinking the same way, Rainbow Dash reflected.
On the other hand, about Magi's speech... Dash could confirm its great resemblance to Starlight Glimmer. Although in a way they had taken opposite directions, unlike the lavender-maned unicorn, Magi wasn't seeking to unite ponies in a community with an ideology that eliminated talent, but rather she cultivated individual pony talent to use it as capital for her company. However, in both cases, they only undertook such efforts because they perceived that using others was the most effective means to achieve their goals. On one occasion, they had asked Starlight if she had any plans in case her community project failed. She had replied that she didn't have any. She was so convinced she was doing the right thing that she never contemplated that possibility.
The sunset light projected on the glass walls. Perhaps there was less than an hour until dusk. On the horizon, the Average team's flying ship could be seen flying in the sky towards a new theater function somewhere in the city.
Finally, both ponies finished their drinks.
"Phew," Rainbow Dash exhaled, refreshed, she had already decided what to do next.
"Mmm... Miss Dash," Magi interrupted, placing her can on the desk. "You know, a new company has recently joined our consortium. I think if you meet them, you might..."
Rainbow Dash raised her right hoof.
"That's enough."
Magi looked at her perplexed. "Excuse me?"
"I said it's enough. You don't have to feel threatened by me. I'm not here on a friendship mission or anything like that. I'm not going to report you to the authorities. Nor do I hold a grudge for the reception you gave me. Well... maybe a little. I just wanted to get to know you and make sure you really care about your workers."
Magi blinked a couple of times before responding.
"I didn't ask if you were on a mission from the princess or not, but... are you serious?" asked Magi, suspiciously.
"Yes, as true as my name is Rainbow Dash," exclaimed the Pegasus firmly.
For a moment, Magi seemed to hesitate, then, for some reason that Rainbow Dash didn't understand, Magi opened one of her desk drawers as if to check something.
Then, a look of relief spread across her face.
"Thank goodness! I don't know what to say, well yes, I'm very grateful. You really... are an amazing pony," said Magi, moved.
"Indeed... but you mustn't forget that you have very good ponies on your side!" declared Dash firmly, pointing at her with her hoof. Perhaps she was being too lenient with her, but Rainbow Dash had already decided, besides she had promised Bee.
Magi seemed to want to say something, but she restrained herself. Instead, she averted her gaze and stared longingly at the distant door of the room.
"That's right, I have very good ponies..." she said, releasing a strangely mischievous smile.
Dash didn't quite understand the meaning of that smile, so she decided to ignore it.
"Well, changing the subject, I'm interested in your editorial service. Do you have anything to offer me?" asked Dash with genuine interest.
Magi seemed to startle a bit, as if she had emerged from her thoughts. "Ah, yes... give me a moment."
Quickly, Magi pulled out several documents from her desk.
"A sales agent mentioned to me a few weeks ago that you were working on an autobiographical book with White Horse Publishing. Is that correct?" asked Magi.
"Yes, that's right," replied Dash, not surprised that Magi was already informed about that.
"Very well, Miss Dash, I propose this deal: if you agree to transfer the rights to your book to my publishing house today, I am willing to give you 95% of all the revenue generated from its sales, as well as offer you an annual premium package with all the services and promotions that the Averages consortium offers," proposed Magi with a confidence and vigor that contrasted with the defeatist attitude she had shown a few moments ago.
Dash was impressed by the proposal. She wasn't a math expert, but 95% was only 5% less than 100%. Even White Horse Publishing had offered her only 30%.
"It's really an interesting deal, but..." Dash's intuition began to sound her alarms. "Does it mean you'll be able to have my book finished this week?"
"I'm afraid not, Miss Dash. We have standards to meet as a publishing house, but with the advisors we have, I can guarantee that your book will be completed in two months."
Dash sighed. She had already imagined such a response. She had no choice but to set aside the hope of finishing her book quickly and focus on looking for other options.
"Tell me, what does that premium package you mentioned a moment ago include?" Dash asked.
"It's a set of exclusive services that we offer to our most distinguished clients. It includes discount coupons for products from consortium-affiliated stores, as well as free packages for food, health, travel, accommodation..." explained Magi enthusiastically.
"Does it include travel?" Dash's ears perked up at the possibility, thinking of Twilight's special day.
"Yes, indeed. Here's a brochure," said Magi as she passed Dash a set of travel brochures. "I must mention that all our premium package clients can make an immediate reservation and will have priority in the queue."
Dash quickly flipped through the brochures. Although the destinations weren't the most famous, they offered guaranteed transportation and accommodation services. If Rarity were there, she would probably rate them as 'ordinary.' However, for Dash, they were the best option available at the moment.
"All right, I think this convinces me more, but..."
"Excellent. We can proceed to sign the contract right away," said Magi without waiting for Dash's response, pulling out a document of thick white paper with golden edges and a horseshoe emblem in the background.
"Is this for real?" asked Dash, incredulously.
"Of course. All our clients who access the premium package must sign this contract to formalize the agreement," replied Magi with an innocent smile.
"That's a real binding contract!" exclaimed alarmed Rainbow Dash.
"Yes, indeed," replied Magi, unfazed.
Rainbow Dash looked coldly at the cheerful, unscrupulous saleswoman in front of her.
In Equestria, a "real binding contract" was a legally binding document that could even land an alicorn princess in prison. There were many infamous stories about these contracts, and it was believed that only the sheep used them in their trades.
"I think I've heard enough. I'm not going to give up the story of my book and sign a contract like this just for some cheap commercial promotions or a slightly better deal. If you have nothing else to offer, this conversation is over," exploded Dash, tired and annoyed, as she stood up from her chair.
"Wait!" exclaimed Magi, unsettled. "I have something else, I'm sure you'll be interested."
Dash didn't believe it, but after considering the possibilities, she sat back down. If it wasn't a treacherous attack that would give her an excuse to kick her flank, then she would really leave that place very upset.
"What is it about?" asked Dash, with a harsh tone.
"Give me a moment." Immediately, Magi began to search one of the drawers of her desk. "Well... it's this."
Thick stacks of paper fell onto the table, catching Dash's attention.
"What is this?"
"These are the original drafts of A.K. Yearling's latest book: 'Daring Do and the Unfinished Journeys,'" replied Magi calmly as she sorted them on the table.
Rainbow Dash was speechless at that moment, with a stunned expression on her face as she tried to process what was in front of her. Magi took advantage of the moment to sit back more comfortably and continue drinking from her soda can.
A few weeks ago, Rainbow Dash had learned about the upcoming book by her favorite writer, A.K. Yearling (alias Daring Do), and excitedly decided to travel immediately to her writer friend's house. However, upon arrival, she found the house empty and no signs that anyone had returned. She didn't understand why her friend A.K. Yearling hadn't informed her about her upcoming release or, at the very least, hadn't sent her a letter indicating that she had returned. She had really hoped to meet her to help her with her personal project. After waiting in vain for several days, she had no choice but to return to her own home with empty hooves. Even in the central building of White Horse Publishing, they knew nothing about her. They only knew that months ago she had personally delivered the drafts of her book to J.J. Jelly and then disappeared without a trace.
And now, those unpublished documents that should be the best-kept secret of any publishing house were in front of her.
"How did you get these?" asked Dash, trying to hide the anxiety that overwhelmed her.
"It was a stroke of luck... Let's say that a former DN employee sent them to me as a donation. He was probably very upset about how he was treated by his former boss," replied Magi with a knowing laugh.
As Rainbow Dash turned her gaze back to the documents, she began to feel a familiar sensation, similar to when she made stupid decisions. Decisions like betting her house, auctioning off her friend Fluttershy without her consent, pretending to be Twilight for a dubious charity fundraiser, and other mischief she always ended up regretting.
Slowly, that feeling began to fade, and a dangerous idea implanted itself forcefully in her mind.
"Can I review them?" asked Rainbow Dash anxiously, sweat forming on her forehead.
"Of course! Since you're a close friend of A.K. Yearling, you should be able to verify that they're genuine," said Magi, with a playful look on her face, like a cat that had caught a mouse.
Without even responding, or thinking about how Magi knew the latter, Dash immediately began to review the pages. Her breathing intensified as she discovered that, indeed, the documents bore the signature and writing style of her favorite author.
Rainbow Dash's anxiety grew even more. She no longer thought about her friends or the gift she needed for Twilight. She only had one thing on her mind: she NEEDED those documents, and she didn't care what she had to pay for them...
"Well, Miss Dash, what do you think? Do we have a deal?" questioned Magi, leaning back in her seat with a triumphant grin.
