Pt 3

The computer screen displayed a black and white image of two ponies in an elevator, captured live by one of the security cameras. As I watched closely, the enigmatic figure of a mare, hidden in the shadows, displayed a satisfied smile.

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

The sweet taste of cider quickly faded on Rainbow Dash's palate. The second lunch offered by Tomy Star and the rest of the Average team had provided the energy boost she needed to continue her day. However, the satisfaction of the delicious meal had been overshadowed by the intriguing and somewhat dark conversation they had afterwards.

"Another Starlight Glimmer..." Dash whispered thoughtfully as she tried to remove a bitter taste spreading in her mouth with her tongue.

"Um... excuse me, did you say something?" responded the young pegasus disguised as a bee timidly.

"Mmm... it's nothing, Air, I just remembered something," Dash replied to her companion with the bushy and short pink mane.

"Oh... okay," Air responded with a whispering voice, her cheeks slightly flushed. Although she was looking in the opposite direction, Dash could feel the furtive glances Air was throwing at her.

This pony was Bee, the latest member of the Average theater group. The story behind the shy pegasus disguised as a bee was astonishing, even Dash was very impressed. Tomy Star, who introduced her to Dash before lunch, narrated 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 biological parents had been actors, and from an early age, she had felt a strong attraction to the theater. However, her path to becoming an actress was filled with setbacks and obstacles. Although her Cutie Mark clearly represented a colorful pink theater stage with lights, she had been unable to develop her talent due to stage fright and fragile health. Nevertheless, she didn't give up, and it wasn't until a year ago that she met Magazine Doublereport during a motivational talk, and everything changed. After several months of hard training and guidance, she managed to overcome her fears and improve her physical health. Finally, she was able to fulfill her dream of acting by joining the Average children's theater group. Dash smiled, this was the kind of story of overcoming adversity she admired the most.

"Aaaa... aaa," Airela whispered and exhaled from one corner 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 friend Fluttershy.

"Hey, I didn't mention it before, but you remind me a lot of my friend..."

"GIVE ME YOUR AUTOGRAPH NOW!" Airela suddenly shouted at Dash with a completely hysterical expression.

Dash remained unfazed, in a way she was already expecting it. Her Average teammates had warned her about how big of a fan the pink-maned pegasus was. In fact, when they met recently, Airela almost fainted from excitement. Despite being a huge admirer 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.

"Alright... do you have somewhere to sign?" Dash said calmly with a tone of maturity.

"ON MY SKIN."

"Uh... sorry," Dash responded somewhat nervously.

Airela seemed to regain her composure and immediately blushed again. "NO, NO, WAIT... I meant on my peachy 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 highly cherished personal item.

"Okay... hold on a second," Dash quickly took out a marker for autographs from her own saddlebag. She proceeded to sign Airela's blanket. And once she finished, the pink-maned pegasus started jumping up and down while holding the blanket, repeating "Yes, yes, yes" every moment. She looked like a filly who had just received her first birthday gift. This didn't bother Dash at all, who watched her with a smile, as she had grown accustomed to reactions like this from her fans.

The elevator that had been ascending until that moment came to a stop.

"Well, I guess this is the floor. I can explore the whole place as long as I have this ID badge, right?" Dash said as she fiddled with the identification pass hanging around her neck. At the same time, the elevator doors finished opening.

"No, wait..." Airela's expression of joy vanished in an instant, and now she had a look 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 become better and..."

"Wow, calm down," Dash quickly responded as she approached her and put a hoof on her shoulder. "I'm not going to harm her in any way, I'm just going to have a chat with her, pegasus to pegasus."

"Do you promise?" Airela asked anxiously.

"Yes, I promise. Rainbow Dash's word."

"Oh, thank you!" a relieved Airela replied. "I knew you were a pony to be trusted."

"Excuse me, ladies... Are you finished?" a peculiar old voice was heard.

Both turned 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 finished," Dash quickly responded as she stepped out of the elevator, leaving her new friend behind. Immediately, the cleaning staff entered, and the elevator doors began to close.

"See you another time!" Dash said, waving one of her hooves as a goodbye.

"Okay, see you. Take care!" Airela responded excitedly.

The elevator doors finished closing. Inside, a disconsolate Airela stood there, watching them. She felt like crying at that moment. Even a few tears were starting to well up in her eyes.

"Wow... that pony looked totally awesome!" the old cleaning pony abruptly said.

"Yes, she really is," Airela said as she wiped her eyes with her autographed peach-skin blanket and carefully stored it in her saddlebag.

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

Dash sighed as she watched the elevator doors through which the young actress had departed. Airela resembled 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 continue. She already had a simple plan in mind: explore the entire administrative floor and leave Magi for last. However, before she could take a single step, she came face-to-face with two sturdy security guards blocking her path like a concrete wall.

"Miss Rainbow Dash, please come with us," the guards said.

From the other door of the second elevator, a squad of fully armed security ponies emerged, preventing her exit. More security agents came out from the hallways and emergency exits, while the doors and windows sealed shut automatically, and the security alarms started blaring loudly.

Under an intense red light, Dash shook her head and asked, "Alright, what's the way, gentlemen?"

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

The steel passage in which Dash was being transported abruptly ended in a spacious waiting lounge with a single reception window. The window was protected by thick transparent glass, and inside was a clerk who kept typing on her typewriter. She was a short earth pony with a bulky and messy brown mane that partially covered her face, although her shiny freckles and slightly flattened nose were clearly visible.

Dash was surprised as she observed her. Despite her unattractive features, she bore a striking resemblance to the same pony who had handed her the invitation to the tower earlier that morning.

The security ponies escorting her stopped, and only she and the one who seemed to be of higher rank among them approached the reception window.

"Here, Winter Solid reporting in, carrying pass 489. We have brought Miss Rainbow Dash to the secondary offices 2A, third level," the agent said in a martial tone as he handed a paper through one of the openings in the window.

The clerk inside seemed uncomfortable with the interruption. After a few seconds, she approached the window, received the paper, and mechanically stamped it. She then opened a folder, where she stored it, and handed the guard a new blank paper.

"Thank you for your hard work. I will guide Miss Dash. You may continue with your tasks," the receptionist said indifferently.

Immediately, all the security ponies began to withdraw.

The receptionist stepped out of the window through one of the side doors. She was shorter than she appeared. With slow steps, 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 replied, growing increasingly tired of the formality.

"No," the clerk responded. She turned around and headed towards the large doors on the right side of the lounge. Using her card, she unlocked the security sensor. The doors swung open wide, and the clerk simply extended one of her hooves, indicating for Dash to enter.

"Well... I suppose this is the end of the road. Thank you very much," Dash said with a serious expression as she walked through the doors that had opened especially for her.

Beyond those doors lay the most important room in the entire Average Tower.

The vast hall that unfolded before Rainbow Dash was so deep and empty that she began to wonder if it should really be that way. There were no paintings or decorations befitting a room of such grandeur. Only the floor stood out prominently, with its appearance of a great frozen river in shades of purple, red, and emerald. Its translucent backdrop combined with a striking shimmer seemed to give the visitor the sensation of walking on a moving space vault.

Dash didn't feel intimidated and began to make her way through the room. After a few steps, she started noticing the mysterious runes drawn on the floor and subtly hidden on the white walls. She also observed that at the end of this ominous room, there was a large desk that stood out with the light from outside filtering through the glass walls at the back of the hall.

As she approached, Dash could clearly make out the two chairs accompanying the desk, and to her little surprise, in the elegant executive chair sat a pegasus. When Dash got close enough, the dark figure of that pony stood up, and immediately the desk changed its color from black to a bright white, revealing the figure of the mysterious mare.

She was 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 consisted of two red and black books dancing with each other. She wore nothing else, giving her a simple appearance. However, her gaze with bright purple eyes seemed to convey a wild and dominant spirit.

"Welcome, Miss Dash! I am Magazine Doublereport. You can call me Magi. I am also a reporter, writer, motivational speaker, and the owner and chief executive of the Averages Consortium. It is an honor for me to welcome such a heroic, amazing, and friend of Princess Twilight Sparkle," Magi said with a smile as she took Dash's right hoof and greeted her warmly.

"Nice to meet you..." Dash felt restless inside and could only think, "Oh, helmets... here we go again."

"Please, have a seat," Magi said as she released Dash and returned to her own executive chair. "And tell me, what brings you here? Are you interested in any of our amazing products or services?"

"Well... you see, I..." Dash didn't have a prepared speech. She hadn't thought much about it herself, even as she was slowly being transported to that place. After futilely thinking for a moment, she gave up. She had already had enough formalities for one day. "You know, I've had a long day, so I'll be straightforward with what I say, okay?"

"...Sure," Magi said, somewhat taken aback.

"Well, then, this morning I was approached by one of your weird sales agents, so I came here to learn more about this place. At first, it seemed cool, but on the way, I met some of the workers here. They told me a bit about you and your business, and that's when this place stopped seeming so cool to me. Then I went to your administrative offices to see if what they told me was true, but I was stopped by your ARMY OF GUARDS. They brought me to this floor because YOU obviously ordered them to, and now we're here having this conversation about everything I just told you," Dash concluded, clearly upset.

"Wow... I didn't know I was so poorly received. Security was only supposed to escort you here. I sincerely apologize for the very uncourteous behavior of my security personnel," Magi said with a remorseful tone as she lowered her head.

Dash couldn't determine if she was acting or genuinely distressed by what happened. However, her instincts told her to believe the former.

"Look, there's no need to lower your head. I understand that guys like them get excited when they have the opportunity to do their job, but do you really need that many?" Dash said, slightly less upset.

"It's necessary to have a regular amount of security personnel for each floor of the building," Magi responded after raising her head.

"Even if the vast majority of the floors are completely empty?" Dash raised an eyebrow, questioning.

"Ah, I see! I suppose you heard that from the workers you met... and I'm sure they told you even more things," Magi corrected.

Dash nodded.

"I'm really sorry about all this," Magi said, closing her eyes for a moment and then opening them again with a tired expression. "I didn't expect things to have come to this point."

"You didn't expect it? Secretly aligning yourself with the most unpopular ponies in town, engaging in their dirty business, and hoping nobody would find out. I also heard that you were quite cunning," Dash said sarcastically.

Magi frowned. She seemed momentarily upset but quickly regained her composure.

"You know, Miss Dash, succeeding in this city is not easy. Not all of us have the fortune or friends to rely on..."

"Yes, yes, I've heard that before," Dash interrupted, then let out a big yawn without a care.

Magi, with a displeased expression on her face, seemed to grasp the situation. It was clear that Rainbow Dash wasn't taking her seriously.

"Would you give me a chance to start over?" Magi said, staring intently at Dash.

"Fine, I'm listening," Dash said, changing her expression to a more serious one.

"I am Magazine Doublereport, that is as true as the sunrise. I was a worker at DN and one of J.J. Jelly's top reporters. But due to a political scandal he refused to cover, I decided to leave that news outlet. I founded my own publishing house and shortly after joined the Averages Consortium, of which I became the leader. Since then, I have done everything in my power to stay ahead of my competitors, using new technologies and better working methods. I have fostered talent and unity among my employees to increase the capital of my company and strengthen the consortium I lead," Magi concluded, wearing a stern expression on her face that reflected great determination and willpower.

There was a tense pause as both ponies stared at each other.

"And why do you do this?" Dash asked without changing her stance.

"I have a vision," Magi quickly responded.

"Is that so?"

"I believe that 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 brightly and march together fearlessly towards the future," Magi's eyes gleamed with genuine excitement as she spoke these words.

Dash sighed. That was the dream of winners. In the past, she would have been thrilled with a project like that, but now, after her experiences with her friends and her journey through the world, she could only think that it was a very challenging dream to fulfill.

"And do your new partners share this vision?"

Magi wore a bitter expression, as if she understood where Dash was heading. "No, not all of them do."

There was another pause between the two ponies.

"Do you have something 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 of them opened their cans and began to drink.

During that interval, Dash started to reflect as she looked out the window and sipped from her can.

After listening to Magi's speech, Dash could confirm her striking resemblance to Starlight Glimmer. Although they had taken somewhat opposite directions, unlike the lavender-maned unicorn, Magi wasn't seeking to unite ponies in a community with an ideology that suppressed talent. Instead, she cultivated the individual talent of ponies to use it as capital for her company. However, in both cases, they undertook such efforts because they perceived it as the most effective means to achieve their goals. On one occasion, Starlight had been asked if she had a plan in case her community project failed. She had responded that she had no plan. She was so convinced that she was doing the right thing that she never contemplated that possibility.

The evening light cast its glow 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 soaring through the sky towards a new performance in some part of the city.

"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 get to know them, you might..."

Dash raised her right hoof.

"That's enough," she said firmly.

Magi looked at her bewildered. "I beg your pardon?"

"I said that'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. I don't hold a grudge against you for the reception I received. Well... maybe a little. I just wanted to get to know you and make sure you genuinely care about your employees."

"Are you serious?" Magi asked, surprised.

"Yes, I am," Dash responded firmly.

"I'm very grateful. You truly are an amazing pony," Magi said, moved.

"Indeed, but you also have some great ponies on your side," Dash replied.

Magi seemed like she wanted to say something but held back. Instead, she averted her gaze and stared at the distant door of the lounge for a while.

"Indeed, I have some great ponies..." she said, releasing an oddly mischievous smile.

Dash didn't quite grasp the meaning behind that smile, so she decided to ignore it.

"Well, on another note, I'm interested in your editorial service. Do you have anything to offer me?" Dash asked, her interest in continuing the conversation already dwindling.

Magi seemed slightly startled, as if she had snapped out of her thoughts. "Ah, yes... give me a moment."

Quickly, Magi retrieved several papers from her desk.

"Alright, Miss Dash, here's my proposal: if you agree to transfer the rights to your story about the world journey to my publishing company today, I'm willing to give you 95% of all the earnings generated from its sales, as well as offer you an annual premium package with all the services and bonuses provided by the Averages consortium," Magi said with unwavering confidence and a spirit that contrasted with the defeated attitude she had shown moments ago.

Dash was momentarily impressed. She wasn't a math expert, but 95% was only 5% less than 100%. Even White Horse Publishing had only offered her 30%.

"It's truly an interesting deal, but..." Dash's intuition started ringing alarms. "Does that mean you'll be able to have my book finished by this week?"

"I'm afraid not, Miss Dash. We have standards to uphold as a publishing company, but with the advisors we have, I can guarantee that your book will be completed within two months."

Dash sighed. She had already anticipated such a response. She had no choice but to let go of the hope of finishing her book quickly and focus on exploring other options.

"Tell me, what does that premium package you mentioned earlier entail?"

"It's a bundle of services we offer to our top clients. It includes discount coupons for products at consortium-affiliated stores, as well as complimentary packages for food, health, travel, accommodations..." Magi explained.

"Wait, did you say travel?" Dash's ears perked up. That could be a great option for Twilight's special day.

"Yes. Look, here's a brochure," Magi said as she handed Dash a set of travel brochures. "I should mention that all our premium package clients can make an immediate reservation and will have priority in the queue."

Dash quickly skimmed through the brochures. They weren't famous travel destinations, but they did guarantee transportation and accommodations. If Rarity were there, she would've called them 'ordinary'. However, it was the best option she had at the moment. "Well, I think this convinces me more, but..."

"That's wonderful. We can sign the contract right away then," Magi said, not waiting for Dash's response, pulling out a document made of thick white paper with golden borders and a horseshoe watermark in the background.

"This is a joke, right?" Dash asked, incredulous.

"What makes you think that?" Magi replied.

Dash looked suspiciously at the paper in front of her. "This is a 'real binding contract,' isn't it?"

"Yes, all our clients who access our PREMIUM PACKAGE sign one," Magi innocently explained.

In Equestria, a "real binding contract" is a legally weighty document that could even land an alicorn princess in prison. There are many infamous stories about such contracts, and they're believed to be used only by sheep in their business dealings.

Dash coldly eyed the unscrupulous, cheerful salespony standing before her.

"I think I've heard enough. I'm not going to give away 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," Dash said, tiredly, as she stood up from her chair.

"Wait!" Magi exclaimed, somewhat restless. "I have something else, I'm sure you'll be interested."

Dash didn't seem convinced, but she sat back down. If it wasn't a treacherous attack that would give her an excuse to kick her flank, then she would leave truly annoyed from that place.

"What is it?" Dash asked, with a harsh tone.

"Give me a moment," Magi said. Immediately, she started rummaging through one of the drawers of her desk. "Alright... it's this."

Thick stacks of paper fell onto the table. Dash looked at them, puzzled.

"What is this?"

"These are the original drafts of A.K. Yearling's latest book: 'Daring Do and the Unfinished Journeys,'" Magi calmly replied as she organized them on the table.

Dash was left speechless in that moment, with a stunned expression on her face, as she tried to process the significance of the documents 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, when Dash learned about the upcoming release of her favorite book series, she decided to travel to her author friend's house. But she found it empty, with no signs of her friend returning from her world travels. She couldn't understand why her friend hadn't informed her about the upcoming book or at least sent a letter indicating her return. She had truly hoped for her friend to come back and help her with her personal project. She waited at her friend's house, but the days passed, and she had no choice but to return to her own home with empty hooves. Even at the central building of White Horse Publishing, they knew nothing about her. They only knew that months ago, she had personally handed over the drafts of her book to J.J. Jelly and then disappeared without a trace.

"How did you get these?" Dash asked, trying to hide the anxiety that was creeping up on her.

"It was a stroke of luck... Let's just say that a former employee of DN sent them to me as a donation. He was probably very upset about how he was treated by his former boss," Magi replied with a conspiratorial laugh.

As Dash turned her gaze back to the documents, her loyalty began to waver in that moment. She needed a great gift for Twilight, but she had also committed to White Horse Publishing. However, White Horse hadn't delivered on their promises, while Twilight's former teacher had been genuinely helping her. She needed to do something that would surpass what her other friends had done. There was still time. Was there enough time? Could she find something better?

"You can review them since you're close to A.K. Yearling, you should be able to verify their authenticity," Magi said, with a playful look on her face, like a cat that had caught a mouse.

Without even responding, Dash immediately began reviewing the pages. Her breathing intensified, as if a part of herself desperately sought to deny the truth in front of her. Indeed, the documents bore the signature and writing style of her favorite author.

"Well, Miss Dash, what do you think? Do we have a deal?" Magi questioned, leaning to one side in her seat with a triumphant smile.