“I’m late!” those words echoed throughout the apartment. “I’m late, I’m late!”
Rejoice Enigma, a green colt with a flowing electric blue mane, born and raised in Fillydelphia. However, above all, he saw himself as the next big thing in literature. Being an earth pony, he was always thought less of. After all, how could a lowly earth pony possible do anything besides farm work? This never brought down Rejoice; he knew that he had a talent, even if his flank said otherwise.
Rejoice was hurriedly running down the road that led into town, stopping only to catch his breath momentarily. He had a meeting with one of the biggest book publishers in the city today, this was his big chance.
Rejoice had the ultimate dream of having his stories read by millions, each reader with a smile on their faces. He told stories of Elves and Trolls that fall in love, Dragons that are part-time DJs, and even humans that dress as ponies! (Obviously, he had quite the imagination).
As he reached the door of the gigantic office building where the publisher awaits, he checked the clock to see that he was indeed late, but only by a couple minutes. “I really hope he’s still there” Rejoice muttered under his breath. He opened the door and saw a receptionist sitting behind a desk, popping her bubblegum loudly.
“Can I help you?” she asked monotonously. “Um, y-yes, I’m here to see Mr.… Quill?” Rejoice replied hesitantly. The receptionist looked down at the list of appointments and then back to the green stallion.
“Are you Rejoice Enigma?”
“Yes, ma’am”.
“Mr. Quill will see you now.”
“Ok, thank you very much”.
Rejoice’s face seemed calm, but his heart was a speed bag being demolished by a boxer. He trotted carefully down the corridor until he reached Room 104, Inked Quill: Publishing. He rapped the door with his front hoof and quickly received a stern “Come in!” from within the room. He pushed open the door and headed into the chilly room.
Inked Quill, an older Pegasus, a caramel-color coat, darker brown mane, very well dressed, complete with spectacles. He was the type of stallion that you KNEW he was rich.
“Have a seat, sir.” Mr. Quill stated.
“Thank you, sir” Rejoice responded.
“You’re late, you know.”
“Yes, I know, I, uh, got a bit lost on the way here…”
Quill’s eyes were glued to Rejoice the entire time. “Hm, quite. It’s in the past now. So, you’re here about your book, I suppose?”
Rejoice gulped. “Y-yes.”
“I went over it, and I have a few questions about the subject matter”.
Oh Celestia, he hates it, I can tell.
“Hm, where to start…” Quill said glancing down at his notes. “First off, the main character in this story is… an elf?”
“Yes, that is correct” Rejoice said as sweat was beginning to form on his brow.
“What even is that?” Quill replied in a spiteful tone.
Rejoice’s heart sank. “Th-They’re horses with pointed... um... y’know... ears, and they’re... well... mythical”. His words were having trouble escaping his mouth.
“So, you want to have a serious story about something that belongs in a nursery rhyme?”
“Well, there are plenty of stories about characters that are known for being ‘Childish’.” Rejoice retorted.
“This is true…”
Finally, Rejoice felt like Quill was on his side.
“However,” Quill said, interrupting Rejoice’s thought, “These stories you submit, they make no sense at all.”
“What do you mean? They make perfect sense!” At this point, Rejoice was more than hurt, and it showed on his face.
“You start one idea, but it goes nowhere, eventually just fizzling out.”
This was true, Rejoice was type of pony who would start something, but then get another great idea and just transfer over without finishing his last one.
“We just can’t have that type of writing here; we need competent writing, not your scattered thoughts about some mythical horse”.
“What did you just say?” Rejoice’s temper flaring.
“Oh, I didn't mean anything by it, just that I’m sure that this is the best that your tiny Earth Pony brain could do.”
Rejoice was 110% done with Quill. “Ok sir, if that’s the way you feel, then I promise you've seen the last of this stupid Earth Pony”. Rejoice then walked right out of the office, out of the building, and trotted right back to his house.
“That’s it, I can’t take this anymore.” Rejoice lamented. This is a unicorn and Pegasus town, I just don’t belong, but where to go? Rejoice then remembered, a town where anyone could go for a fresh start, Ponyville. He quickly packed his bags and left his old life behind.
He walked down the main road for days, stopping to eat at local restaurants and sleep on park benches. He knew that this may be rough, but it would get better from here on out. After a week of travel, his legs were about to give out when he looked up and saw it, the sign that invigorated him like none other.
Welcome to Ponyville.
“Finally, I made it!” Rejoice stated with pure excitement in his voice.
Rejoice trotted into the colorful town and felt instantly relieved, it was like all of his troubles melted away. He waved hello to every clerk and the salespony that crossed his line of vision… that is until he heard a loud explosion from behind him. Rejoice yelped and got down on the ground, thinking that a building had just collapsed, however to his surprise, he found confetti drifting down from the air.
“Wh-what is all this?” Rejoice said nervously. Suddenly, a bright pink pony appeared behind him. “Hi, I’m Pinkie Pie, what’s your name?” she asked energetically.
“Rejoice Enigma” stated the flustered green colt.
“Well, I haven’t seen you around here before, and I know everypony around here, which means that you’re new, which means that you probably haven’t made any friends yet, so I’m here to be your first friend in town!” the bubbly pink pony said at a rate almost too quick to understand. “So, would you like a tour?”
Knowing that it would be rude to turn down such a nice offer from such a nice filly, Rejoice happily obliged.
“Well, this is sugar cube corner; I help out here with Mr. and Mrs. Cake!” Pinkie said with a giggle. “Sometimes they even let me help them bake!”
Pinkie then lead Rejoice a bit down the path to a giant purple house. “This is where my friend Rarity lives! She makes dresses.”
“Wow, she must be rich to live in a house like this!” Rejoice responded.
“Well, she mostly makes dresses and then gives them to all her friends, she’s so generous!” Pinkie added.
Rejoice was puzzled as to why somebody would just give away their products for free, but he had to remember that this wasn’t Fillydelphia anymore, not everyone was out to make a quick bit selling Ice Cold Water on the side of the road for barely more than it’s worth. The two continued on with the tour.
Soon, the two reached a giant tree where a purple unicorn was outside, practicing spells with a small dragon. “Hi Pinkie, who’s this?” the unicorn called out.
“Oh, hi Twilight, this is the new guy, Reverb!” Pinkie said ecstatically.
“Rejoice.” The green pony corrected.
“Oh yeah, hehe, Rejoice!” Pinkie replied with a gigglesnort.
“Well nice to meet you, Rejoice, my name is Twilight Sparkle!” the purple unicorn said with a smile glued to her face.
“Nice to meet you Twilight” Rejoice added, holding out his hoof for a hoofbump, which Twilight graciously accepted.
“Well, we better get on our way, many more stops left!” Pinkie shouted as she hopped away.
“Thanks for stopping by, Pinkie! And Rejoice, if you even need anything, feel free to ask!” Twilight yelled from afar.
Rejoice replied with a loud “Thank You!” and followed Pinkie through the town toward the outskirts. Pinkie stopped short and looked up towards a cloud, which puzzled Rejoice, until he heard “Incoming!” come from the sky, followed by a loud thud.
“Ugh, guess I gotta work on the landing, huh?” a light blue Pegasus muttered while holding her head. After regaining her composure, she walked over to Rejoice. “Well, you’re a new face, huh? Who are you?”
Rejoice replied with his name, which garnered laughter from the Pegasus. “Rejoice Enigma? Yeah right, there’s no way some hotshot writer from Fillydelphia would be here in Ponyville, now who are you really?”
“He’s really Rejoice, Rainbow Dash! Look! He doesn’t even have his cutie mark yet!” Pinkie yelped while pointing her hoof towards his flank.
“Whoa, it really is you!” Rainbow Dash replied. “You were the one that wrote that awesome story about me in the paper!”
“That’s right! You saved your friend and showed up even the Wonderbolts!” Rejoice remembered.
“The name’s Rainbow Dash, Ponyville… no… EQUESTRIA’S best flyer!” the pony said with much bravado.
“Nice to meet you Rainbow Dash” Rejoice said with an expression that said “Hey, I’m meeting one of the coolest ponies around, no biggie”.
After a hoofbump, Rejoice and Pinkie continued on and found a fork in the road. “The left path leads to Fluttershy’s house, she’s great with animals! And the right path leads to Applejack’s farm! She makes the tastiest apple treats!” Pinkie explained.
Rejoice simply smiled and nodded, he was taking in everything that Ponyville had to offer.
“Say, was there anything in particular you were looking for?” Pinkie asked politely.
“Well, I just need a place where I can stay, hopefully somewhere that will give me the right mindset to write.” Rejoice responded.
“I know just the place!” Pinkie said excitedly as she led Rejoice back into town.
They walked past several small buildings and shops until they came to a quaint little house right in the middle of town. “Will this do?” Pinkie asked, head cocked to the side.
“This will do great! But doesn’t somebody already live here?” Rejoice questioned.
“Yeah,” Pinkie replied, “But we here in Ponyville don’t mind sharing, especially with new friends!”
Rejoice smiled widely and happily agreed and they headed inside.
“Hey! Drifter!” Pinkie shouted into the candlelit house.
“That you, Pinkie?” a voice called out from within the dark corridors.
“Yeah! I have a new friend here that needs a place to stay! His name is Region!”
“Rejoice.”
“Oh, yeah! Rejoice! He needs a quiet place so that he can write!”
Just then several hoofsteps pitter-pattered down the steps as a stallion, a bit older than Rejoice, appeared before them.
“You write?” the stallion said in a hushed, yet excited voice.
“I sure do” Rejoice replied with a smile and a wink.
“My name’s Gale Drifter, and you’re free to stay with me as long as you like!” the new face said, smile from cheek to cheek.
“Thank you, Gale, my name is Rejoice Enigma, and it’s a pleasure to meet you”.
