S2E2: The Return of Harmony, Part 2
Season 2 Episode 2 - The Return of Harmony, Part 2
Princess Celestia General Hospital, Canterlot
A piercing sliver of light barged its way into the darkness. Blurry images began to form out of the ether, slowly focusing, the world slowly coming into view.
Beep. Beep. Beep. The unmistakeable sounds of a heart monitor disclosed to the tan pony where she was. A hospital – but where are the nurses? Where is the bed? Where’s the-
The creak of a creasing agenda, seemingly on the Mayor’s face, provided the answer. Quick as a flash, Mayor Mare pulled it off. Ah, Mr. Ribbon, so reliable, she thought:
The Agenda:
1. The Discord Incident. [ ]
A) Secure Discord’s Statue. [ ]
2. LONG TERM - Secure political control of the Legislative Council. [ ]
-wait. Crimson never crossed his Ts. And I don’t recall his handwriting being so fancy…
“I hope you don’t mind,” Princess Celestia responded from the side of the bed.
“P-princess?” the Mayor looked sideways in shock. “B-but… oh, Discord!” her eyes widened in sudden horror, her brain scrambling to remember what happened before her mind went blank. Some vague discussion… some brown rain… some galloping rabbits…
A warm chuckle from Her Highness. “Do not worry, Mayor. Ponyville is safe.”
The tan pony heaved a sigh of relief as she surveyed her surroundings for any sign of Discord-generated damage. “Oh, that’s good to hear, but- wait. Why am I in Canterlot!?”
A small pause. “O-oh,” the alicorn stammered, barely stifling an embarrassed laugh. “Well. We found you in the gardens: in good shape, mind you, but you were… well… ” It was all the Princess could do to only let out a brief snigger. “Anyway. That’s not important. What I’m going to ask from you, however, is.”
The gray-maned mare felt that ignorance of her own antics was probably bliss, in this case. “Whatever you command, Your Highness.”
The Ruler of Equestria gestured nonchalantly at the agenda. “As you now know, Discord has been defeated and his chaos contained. Every pony will remember Ponyville’s contribution to his demise.”
“We praise Your Highness.” The tan pony wondered what task the Princess was buttering her up for.
The God of the Sun nodded gracefully. “Credit mostly to your citizens, Mayor. In any case, the situation we have now is this: Discord has been turned into stone, and as far as we know, ensconced in some Ponyville safehouse. Now, my sister and I have plans for the Lord of Chaos- ”
“We will return him to Your Highnesses as soon as possible,” Mayor Mare quickly responded, seeing a golden opportunity to curry favor.
The white alicorn halted her speech. She raised a suspicious eyebrow. “Can you guarantee me that, Mayor. Returning Discord.In one piece.”
Now it was the bespectacled mare’s turn to look puzzled. “Well of course I can!”
“Are you sure?” Princess Celestia seemed unconvinced. “After all, I realize you’ll now have to get that through Ponyville’s Legislative Council – which is an encouraging step forward for Equestria, let us get that straight.”
The gray-maned mare sensed a touch of insincerity accompanying the sovereign’s words. “Ponyville will guarantee it, Mayor. After all, they wouldn’t defy with your orders.”
A moment of silence as Celestia waited for Mayor Mare to reconsider. “Very well, Mayor,” she concluded at last. “I trust you.”
*
Outside the Town Hall Atrium, Ponyville
Filly Buster, Majority Whip in the Ponyville Legislative Council, knew where his loyalties lay. But even his adherence to Mayor Mare was being sorely tested in this case. “You want us to just let Discord go?” the silver-maned pony argued incredulously, his normally-sonorous Manehattan voice softening into a hush. “How are we going to justify this to the citizens?”
“These are Celestia’s orders!” Mayor Mare asserted to her hoofpicked Councilor. “The citizens will understand.”
“But Lyra will- ”
“Filly Buster!” the tan pony hissed. “Before you became Whip, you were just some low-level clerk back in the Office!”
The white stallion’s complexion drooped as he tacitly admitted his political debt. “But everypony else thinks its suicidal to vote like this… ”
“No ifs, ands, or buts, Buster!” Mayor Mare declared, raising her voice to normal pitch. “I personally picked all of you to serve in LegCo! You will deliver me that vote when I call for it!”
Filly Buster realized that continued complaining was only going to jeopardize his position further. “Yes, Mayor Mare,” he sighed as he slunk out into the chamber.
*
Town Hall Atrium, Ponyville
Pending the completion of a proper Council Hall, the legislature was to hold its deliberations in Town Hall. A hundred councilors sat in a semicircle, a wide gap three-quarters through the arc separating Lyra’s Councilors from the pro-government camp.
Mayor Mare walked down the aisle. Her hoofsteps ricocheted through the stillness – the deadening, deafening silence. The atmosphere was eerily tense, considering the momentous occasion: the opening of Ponyville’s first ever parliament. But there was too much at stake for any of the politicians to feel the weight of history bearing down upon them.
The tan pony climbed onto a central dais and took her seat as Convener of the Ponyville Legislative Council. “Fillies and gentlecolts,” she announced, conscious of the intense attention being focused on her. “Due to recent events, let’s skip the niceties and go straight to business. First on the agenda: how to deal with Discord.”
The chamber fell quieter, assuming that was even physically possible.
Mayor Mare cleared her throat uneasily. “Now, I know a lot of you are thirsting for revenge at the… monster, who very nearly put an end to our great town. But I have just received a request from Canterlot- ”
Sullen mutterings and hisses ruptured the stillness. The tan pony saw Buster look around worryingly.
The bespectacled mare had little choice but to press on. “- that we hand over the statue of Discord to them, undamaged and unharmed. It is my opinion that we should do so as soon as- ”
“What!” the shrill shriek of a Councilor – coming from the pro-Mayor Mare side of the chamber – signaled the unwelcome beginning of debate. “After all that he has done to us? Are the Princesses crazy?”
“Councilor Neighgel!” Twilight Sparkle – inevitably one of Mayor Mare’s first choices for legislator – jumped quickly to the defense of her mentor. “The Princesses have good reasons for asking this of us… ”
“Psh!” Lyra Heartstrings interrupted. “The Princesses live in Canterlot, Councilor Sparkle! What do they know about the troubles we went through? You’re here to represent Ponyville, not Canterlot- ”
“Excuse me!” the magical pony defended herself. “As a pony who helped defeat- ”
The lime-green mare was no longer listening. She turned around and began addressing the floor. “Fillies and gentlecolts! The Equine Party – the Party of Lyra Heartstrings – we know what Ponyvillians want! We know they want revenge! We know they want Discord to pay! So let’s vote to keep Discord in Ponyville, for all to spit at and abuse!”
That struck the correct chords. “Whooo!” Ponies from both sides of the aisle hollered and stomped the ground in a show of bipartisan solidarity. Filly Buster looked around again, worry spreading like a cancer across his face.
Lyra, thus emboldened, escalated her demands. “In fact, let’s hack one of Discord’s arms off! That’ll teach any creature to mess with our great city!”
“Ly-ra! Ly-ra! Ly-ra!” The councilors were being skilfully whipped up into a vengeful delirium. Filly Buster looked around, body betraying all the classic signs of panic. He looked at Mayor Mare in desperation. “Stop them,” the equally unsettled Convener mouthed. “Stop them!”
Things were fast developing out of control. “We’ll show Canterlot who are the real masters in Ponyville now!” Lyra shook her hoof in righteous indignation.
Filly Buster broke eye contact with Mayor Mare and turned back to the crowd, an abrupt thought barging into his mind.
“We’ll show those Princesses that the will of the Ponyvillians is to be respected!” the lime-green pony roared, confident of popular support.
A sly smile was fast creeping over the white stallion’s mouth. Uh oh.
Lyra could feel another set of demands coming on. “Actually, come to think of it, let’s- ”
“Let’s smash the statue of Discord into dust! That’ll send the best message to our enemies!” Filly Buster, sacrificing Mayor Mare for the sake of political expediency, roared.
No!
“Ponies, ponies!” A fast-foundering Mayor Mare tried her best to salvage the situation. “Maybe we should leave this vote for another day- ”
The demands of the legislature were not so easily sated. Mayor Mare’s defecting Majority Whip turned towards his erstwhile political patron. “These are our rights, Mayor!” Filly Buster pointed an accusing hoof. “You cannot withdraw this motion!”
“We’re voting on it, Mayor!” Lyra chimed in as Twilight Sparkle facehoofed in despair. “We’ll veto your decision!”
All too late, Mayor Mare surveyed the sea of angry Councilors in front of her. Yep, honeymoon period was definitively over.
*
Ponyville Park, Ponyville
“Falling out of love with democracy so soon, Mayor,” Security Chief Delta Force commented, as the duo observed Discord’s statue being hauled onto a wagon, express-bound to distant Canterlot. “Doesn’t bode well for your future.”
“That is, if I still have a future, Captain Force,” Mayor Mare pawed the ground nervously. “This is political suicide. All because of the Princesses and their amazing plan.”
“Mm-hmm,” the red stallion stubbed out his cigarette. “Well, you are defying LegCo’s voted desire to destroy this statue. You’ll be getting the impeachment notice soon, I reckon.”
Mayor Mare let out a bitter laugh. “Thanks for the encouragement.”
“Whatever.” With somepony else to shield his fall, the red stallion wasn’t too worried about the political prospects of his boss. He turned to the driver. “Get her going to Canterlot, then. Celestiaspeed.”
*
Town Hall, Ponyville
Filly Buster, being the leader of Mayor Mare’s ex-party, was mentally sizing up the Mayor’s office as he read out the impeachment declaration. “… and I hereby call a vote on the following motion: the impeachment of Mayor Mare, Mayor of Ponyville and Convener of the Ponyville Legislative Council, for her brazen declaration of contempt towards the same Council.”
Mayor Mare continued to sit in stony silence, trying to eradicate any trace of emotional weakness within her. Most of her own party members – the ones that owed their places in the legislature to her – now expressed nothing but pure contempt for their political benefactor. Councilor Twilight Sparkle, weighed down by apology and remorse, proved to be an exception. And for that, the other ponies were resolutely ignoring her as well.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the aisle, Lyra Heartstrings closed her eyes and smiled in diabolical anticipation of what was to come.
“… and may I remind you.” Councilor Buster could barely conceal his glee. “It takes eighty votes for an impeachment to take effect! Eighty votes, fillies and gentlecolts! So raise your hooves when called, and let’s kick this treasonous Mayor back into the gutter!”
The bespectacled mare closed her eyes, trying to squeeze a tear out from her eye. None came.
“All those voting ‘nay’ to the impeachment of Mayor Mare, raise your hooves!” the silver-maned stallion bellowed confidently.
One purple foreleg slowly surfaced over the mass of pony Councilors, prompting angry whispers and cries of ‘Shame!’.
“And those voting ‘yea’, raise your hooves!”
The sound of many hooves shooting up into the air. The gray-maned pony kept her eyes shut, slowly savoring the last few seconds of her political career.
That time I got beat up by Granny Smith…
That time we made up the height of Mt. Annaponya…
That time I got thrown into Ponyville Jail…
That time I almost got kicked out of office because of hot water-
Wait a minute. This was taking a bit too long.
“Lyra, your Councilors need to raise their hooves if we are to hit eighty,” Councilor Buster’s Manehattan voice remarked impatiently.
“I’m thinking, Buster, I’m thinking,” came the collected response.
“You can’t abstain, Ms. Heartstrings,” Filly Buster pressed harder.
Another pause.
Lyra cleared her throat slowly and deliberately. “Fine then, Buster. We vote ‘nay’.”
A stunned respite. “‘N-nay’?” came the awestruck stammer. "B-but... "
The opposition leader savored the delicious moment. “Yes, ‘nay’. That means sixty-nine to thirty-one then, I reckon. Motion dismissed.”
Mayor Mare pinched herself hard. Nope, she wasn’t dreaming.
*
Sugarcube Corner, Ponyville
Being approximately the same age as Twilight Sparkle meant that Finance Secretary Bit Coin was a bit more forthcoming with the lavender pony, compared with other bureaucratic heads. Of course, there was also the fact that Bit Coin’s cousin was applying to the Canterlot School of Gifted Unicorns.
“… so why would Lyra even do that?” Twilight poked mirthlessly at her salad. “It just doesn’t make sense. I mean, it’s a good thing – for me – but still.”
“Well, think about it,” Bit Coin explained in between munches of her veggie burger. “If Lyra impeach Mayor Mare, what would she gain?”
The unicorn’s response was all too instinctive. “Well, she’d get the Mayor out.”
The chestnut mare shook her head. “You’re not thinking politically, Twilight.”
A pause as the bookish mare waited for the solution.
The earth pony took another bite, gesturing vaguely all the while. “If Lyra kicks the Mayor out, Filly Buster would become the new Mayor. That doesn’t improve her position- ”
“Oh.”
“- at least, not to the extent as having Mayor Mare utterly dependent on her for political survival.”
Twilight pushed the salad away, cursing herself for not realizing the ploy earlier.
“Poor Mayor,” Bit Coin shrugged, devouring the remainder of her meal. “We did warn her.”
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Wait McCain wanted to bomb Hong Kong? Since when does a Republican want to do anything bad to China? That sounds like something Obama or a Democrat would do but not a Republican, not that it matters. (McCain honestly thinks I'll re-elect him after a stunt like that? I want my representives to know when to back off thank you very much.)
And here I actually think Princess Celestia is in the right. If the ponies try to destroy Discord's statue they're no better then he is. If only she wouldn't try to stick her nose in Ponyville affairs so often, then I'd actually believe she's not trying to screw with the town.
2782685 Yeah, search "McCain bomb Hong Kong" in Google. He called us a "nation", though, which is kinda cute. TBH, I can't possibly believe that he seriously thinks that's an option... it's just a stunt to make him look manly. And really, there are people in Hong Kong who would dearly love the US to 'liberate' us from China...
2782737 It seems like Republicans realize all they're good for is starting wars to drain us of money while they ignore everything else. I guess they figured since it worked with Nixon and it worked with George W. Bush it will work again. Alas they only prove how much they don't think.
Aside from Governer Christie I'm having a hard time beliving anyything that comes out of a Republican's mouth. The only issues I agree with them on are their stance on illegal immigartion and voter I.D. cards.
2782737
I thought wanted to bomb Iran. Anyway another excellent chapter. Wish there was movement on your other story though. Wanted to see how that would end.
Oh man the madness of Lesson Zero is next! Yay! Twilight may be kicked of the council and Celestia will have to visit Ponyville. AGAIN!
2782961 Yeah, sorry about non-movement on the other story. I am going to finish it though, I promise...
Confused. Why didn't Celestia simply command them to bring the statue to Canterlot? She's a diarch. Democracy might exist at the local level, but she's the top authority in the nation with Luna. She ain't elected.
2785823 Celestia did command them to, but the Councilors weren't going to obey the order because doing so would mean letting Discord go scot-free (which is a vote loser). In other words, they weren't going to be the fall ponies for the Princess' decision.
Even supreme autocrats will get challenged by legislatures from time to time (consider the struggles between European kings and parliaments, most notably in the run-up to the English Civil War/American and French Revolutions).