Prologo

Rainbow Dash trotted quickly down the main hallway of a spacious office, ignoring the chaotic atmosphere filled with business conversations and secretaries. She arrived at office 101, which was easily recognizable for being at the end of the hallway and having a unique golden plaque throughout the room.

The environment was bustling with work, as it was the headquarters of the White Horse publishing company 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 organization was the renowned J.J. Jelly, known for his stingy and irritable personality. Dash had personally met him months ago, and although the meeting was brief, she had a bad memory of him.

Fortunately for Dash, J.J. Jelly was in a work meeting that day, so it would be his main secretary who would attend to her in the scheduled meeting. Previous meetings had been handled by her sales agent, so it was the first time she would meet with her, and she had to make a good impression.

She paused for a moment in front of the office doors and took a small breath.

Dash entered the office cautiously. Although the noise from the neighboring areas was still audible, the difference compared to the other offices was remarkable. It was completely tidy, clean, and above all, harmonious. Elevated pots of blue roses were placed on both sides of the door. The background of the office was adorned with the "Two Sisters" crest, and sitting 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-haired unicorn pony with a mustard-colored coat. The signs of age were already evident on her face, along with her thick glasses, but they were not relevant to such a calm expression. She was dressed in a simple white shirt adorned with a golden brooch in the shape of 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, I'm fine, Mrs. Maypage Chestnutfree..." Dash almost stumbled over her words trying to pronounce that name written on the identification card, "... but please, just call me Dash."

"Well, if that's what you prefer, then I would also like you to call me May," May replied with a smile.

"That's much better... I mean, ahem," Dash tried to awkwardly correct herself. "May, if you don't mind, can we start with the meeting topic?"

"Of course, Dash," May immediately set aside the teapot and took out some thick sheets of paper from one of the compartments of her desk.

Meanwhile, outside, the buzz of the offices continued unchanged. Office workers were going back and forth, and ink-stained papers were piling up on top of each other.

//-------------------------------

"FOUR MONTHS!" Dash exclaimed, agitated.

"I apologize on behalf of Mr. Jelly and the entire staff at White Horse Publishing, but as I just mentioned, the 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 people at the publishing house have high expectations for this project," May calmly but somewhat wearily replied as she adjusted her thick glasses.

"But, but..." stammered a devastated Dash, trying to process what she was being told. "But four months is a long time. Couldn't you at least, I don't know, release the first chapter this week?"

"We can't. We adhere to a strict quality system that ensures 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 launched in the market. Releasing only the first chapter wouldn't be an appropriate solution in this case. Besides, we must consider other projects that are already in progress and our commitments to our current authors."

Dash puffed out her cheeks, and for a moment, it seemed like she would burst into anger. But after a few seconds, she sighed resignedly, knowing there was nothing she could do to change the situation.

"I understand that this is disappointing. We would really like to do more for a friend of the princess. If you'd like, we can send you some incomplete draft samples, but that's all," May said.

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 that 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 reach out to us if you need anything else," May replied with a comforting smile, although her face also bore traces of sadness.

Dash returned the gesture but didn't feel strong enough to continue the conversation. After a brief farewell, she left, completely dejected. As she walked out, she bumped into J.J. Jelly himself, going in the opposite direction, shouting threats at his employees. Dash passed by him without paying any attention, and he didn't even recognize her.

She reached the entrance of the building, 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 an enraged tone.