//------------------------------//
// Not This Again 
// Story: Ponytics 
// by Pickle 
//------------------------------//

	Celestia sighed as she watched her student meticulously look over all her paperwork. Sheets of paper piled up around the room, all proofread at least twice by Twilight. Since finally spilling the beans to Twilight, Celestia had spent the last week lounging around her castle, waiting for the unicorn to complete all her preparations. Of course the elder alicorn had attempted multiple times to convince her student otherwise, but she was set on setting up this democratic system. 

"And... finished!" Twilight floated the final paper down. She trotted over to the former Princess, who rested on her ironically king-sized bed. "Now Celestia, you are positive that the first step in this election is for ponies to nominate candidates?"

"Yes Twilight, I'm positive," the older mare replied, knowing this process like the back of her hoof. 

"Great." Twilight poked her head out of the bedroom and whistled for the servants to come. Promptly, one worker cantered to the bedroom. 

"Yes, Miss Sparkle?" 

"I have completed preparations for the election. Please assemble a team of pegasi to deliver a letter to each major city and town in Equestria. The letter requests that the mayor holds a nomination for each member to decide on who is best suited to rule Equestria."

Yes, Miss Sparkle. Right away," the servant responded.

Twilight levitated a bag of letters to the servant and sent him off.

"Twilight, mind if I ask you a question?"

"Of course not," the unicorn said as she went back to reviewing paperwork. 

"What is your plan if one of those letters doesn't get delivered?"

Twilight hesitated for a moment. "I trust that your workers will be able to get the job done." She smiled and went back to work.

"That's not what I asked Twilight..."

Twilight stopped and glanced at her teacher. "I-I guess I would send them another letter."

"Well what happens if a town disobeys your request?"

"Then they don't get to participate."

"But what if they get mad that they don't have a say?"

"Celestia, you aren't making any sense! Please, stop with the needless hypothetical questions. I've already taken the appropriate precautions, so let me work."

Needless hypothetical questions? Celestia thought to herself. That's what Luna thought too. The bright pony watched her student as she worked towards the impossible goal, or at least that's what it was in Celestia's perspective. She's so much like Luna... I only hope she won't suffer the same way.


~~~~~


For the next few months, Twilight Sparkle dedicated her time to organizing the rest of the election process. It seemed that every town contacted with a letter promptly returned the nomination results by the deadline that was specified in Twilight's letter. Twilight recruited workers to read through the lengthy nomination lists and create a list of all the ponies that had received a significant amount of votes. Another minor election would be held to decide which five ponies from that list would be able to be elected as ruler of Equestria, so everypony began to advertise themselves for votes. Eventually, Twilight successfully completed the minor election and Equestria was down to five candidates to be the ruler. 


~~~~~


Celestia and Twilight waited in the grand hall. Celestia was planted in her former royal throne/overpriced chair and Twilight stood next to her. Twilight yawned. The long days and nights overseeing all the campaigning and keeping updated with all the news and informing the public of that news really took a toll on the fairly young unicorn. 

One of Celestia's workers galloped into the room and announced, "Miss Sparkle, all the candidates have arrived."

"Thank you very much," Twilight replied. "Please show them in."

"Yes Miss Sparkle." The worked trotted back and around a corner.

A few moments later five ponies, who were all chatting, approached the room. Twilight thought they had sounded a bit familiar. And they should have, for once they entered the grand hall, Twilight was overcome with joy.

"Hey Twilight!" Pinkie Pie yelled out, the call resonating throughout the massive room. Twilight moved toward her five friends as each one of them gave their own greeting.

Hugging all her friends, Twilight said, "It's so good to see all of you! I've been so busy with the election that I've only been to Ponyville three times in the past five months."

Celestia, who remained in her chair, grinned softly as she watched her student express a sincere happiness. Twilight, I sent you to Ponyville to study friendship. I never would have guessed that I would be the reason that you would slack on those studies. 

"Darling Twilight," Rarity began. "We know dear, that's why we were elated when we heard would be able to see you"

Twilight pulled away from the hug, realizing something. "Wait a minute. If you are all here, then does that mean you five are the candidates?"

Rainbow Dash was the first to laugh, but soon the other four joined in.

"Twilight, do you really think we're suited for ruling Equestria?" Rainbow Dash laughingly asked.

"Excuse me, Rainbow Dash, but I think that I would make a magnificent Princess!"

As Rarity posed as though she was royalty, Fluttershy giggled at her amusing claim. Rarity immediately glared back at the quiet pegasus.

With a tiny smile, Fluttershy squeaked out, "Sorry."

"Anyway," Rainbow Dash said, drifting back on topic. "We're here to support Applejack." With a small shove, Applejack was moved in front  of the others with a small blush on her face."

"Wow. Congratulations Applejack!" 

"Thanks Twilight. Ah'm still a bit surprised myself," the apple farmer modestly admitted.

Putting a reassuring hoof on her friend's should, Twilight stated, "Well I'm sure you will be a truly great candidate, Applejack, but just remember that I must remain impartial."

"Of course. I wouldn't expect anything different from ya, Twilight."

"Good. Now I need to kn--"

Twilight got silent as she saw a shadow approaching from around the corner. Her friends turned around to look at the arched door way too. Slowly the silhouette turned into a white-furred unicorn, with a mane like water washing over his body. 

"Shining Armor!"Twilight sprinted over to her older brother as he entered the room and hugged him sweetly.

"Hey Twili! I've been looking forward to seeing you." 

She let go of Shining Armor and confirmed, "You're a candidate?"

"Yeah. Being the Captain of the Equestrian Guard really helped me to get votes." 

Even though Celestia was no longer Princess, many things did not change. Equestria still required the services that were preformed under Celestia's rule, so Twilight and Celestia just renamed the positions so that they did not have to do with Celestia being a princess. 

Shining noticed Twilight's friends standing behind her and asked, "Are any of you candidates?"

Pinkie Pie, hopping up and down, cheered, "Applejack is! Applejack is!"

The masculine unicorn trotted over to Applejack and extended a hoof to her. "Well I would like to wish you the best of luck with your candidacy." 

Applejack met his hoof with hers and replied, "Likewise. I'm happy to be running against a friendly face."

With all the camaraderie going on, no pony noticed that another pony had made his way into the room.

"Well isn't this just adorable?" the older stallion rhetorically asked as he entered. "It's good to see Equestria's youth taking initiative."

Twilight walked to the colt. "Good afternoon, Mr. Rich. I can safely assume that you are here for the candidates meeting?"

With a deep chuckle, the grayish-amber stallion said, "Please Twilight Sparkle, Mr. Rich was my father. You may call me Mr. Filthy Rich. And yes, I am here for the meeting."

"Alright. You are the third candidate to---" 

The grand hall quieted as an unrecognizable shouting was heard from the outside walkway. The yelling grew closer.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie does not require your petty directions! She already knows where to go!"

Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Fluttershy all gave a moan of frustration once they heard that voice. Celestia, still in her seat, Shining Armor, and Filthy Rich looked at the groaning ponies in confusion. Pinkie Pie, however, was guffawing almost like a maniac. 

"Pinkie, do you not remember who Trixie is?" Rainbow Dash questioned.

"No, I remember. Why?"

"You're laughing."

"Oh! My bad. Wrong emotion." Pinkie Pie then let out an annoyed moan.

Everypony would have stared at Pinkie Pie with massive amounts of confusion, had the great and powerful shadow not been growing closer. 

Twilight Sparkle closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Then she forced herself into a large, cheesy smile, not wanting to have any beef with Trixie. As soon as Trixie appeared in the doorway, she walked past the doorway, continuing down the corridor. 

"Uh..." Twilight didn't know how to react. 

Twilight poked her head around the corner and called out, "Excuse me."

The showpony turned around, caught off guard by Twilight's call. "Yes?"

"Are you here for the candidates meeting?"

"What else would Trixie be here for?" The mare snobbishly asked.

"Yes, well the meeting will take place in here." 

"T-Trixie knew that! She was just going to... admire this beautiful piece of art!" Trixie motioned to a portrait that hung on the wall by her. 

"Okay..."

"Trixie will join you now." Trixie strolled in the room with her head held high. No pony was too eager to great the magician.

"It's good to see you again Trixie," Twilight politely said using the best of her acting abilities. 

"Well of course it is! It is always an amazement to see The Great and Powerful Trixie!"

As always, Rainbow Dash was the first to speak up. "Amazement? Do you call getting you flank handed to you by---"

Twilight wasted no time to silence her friend. With a hoof over her friend's mouth, Twilight whispered, "Please don't say anything to Trixie, Rainbow Dash. I know she can be a pain, but I don't think she remembers us, so let's leave it that way."

Twilight removed her hoof off her friend's mouth.

"But---"

"Please Rainbow Dash!" 

"Fine..." The pegasus stepped back to her crowd of friends, scowling.

"That's right. Do not even try to mess with The Great and Powerful Trixie!"

Rainbow Dash groaned. 

Twilight rolled her eyes. "Now Trixie, you are the fourth candidate to arrive. The fifth one should be here any moment now."

"Trixie doesn't know why we are even holding this silly election. Everypony in Equestria knows that The Great and Powerful Trixie is the only suitable candidate for ruler of Equestria." 

Everypony in the room each gave Trixie their own look of scorn. Rainbow Dash bit down on her lower lip to keep herself from speaking up. 

Twilight was the only one still able to keep a fake smile and awkwardly chuckle to break the silence. 

"I think I here the final candidate coming," Twilight announced in order to draw everyponies attention away from hating Trixie.  

All eyes in the room gazed at the doorway as the final candidate approached. Finally, to complete the roll call, around the corner walked...


TO BE CONTINUED...


































































RIGHT NOW!


Around the corner walked one of Celestia's workers. Confusion swept throughout the room as no pony saw this coming. 

"Uh, are you a candidate?"

"No Miss Sparkle, but I am here to tell you who it is."

"Why couldn't they come themselves?"

"Miss Sparkle, they are already here."

"They are? But only four have arrived."

"Miss Sparkle, Celestia is one of the candidates."

Pinkie Pie gasped loudly, but then looked around at everypony else. "Was I the only pony who was surprised?"

Fluttershy murmured, "No Pinkie, but if you think about it, it makes sense that Celestia be a candidate. She has already ruled Equestria before."

"Oh yeah," Pinkie giggled. 

With wide eyes, Twilight asked, "C-Celestia?" 

Hearing her own name, the glorious white alicorn rose from her seat to join the crowd. 

Twilight thought about this for a moment and considered that there would be no harm in allowing Celestia to run. It would at least be fair. Twilight looked at the guard and ordered, "Will you please show my friends to the lounging area?"

"Yes, Miss Sparkle."

"Wait, why can't we stay?" Rainbow Dash queried. 

"We need to keep these affairs on the down low, so please just wait. This meeting shouldn't take too long."

Her four friends all agreed and followed the worker out of the room without anymore hesitation.

"Alright. Now that all five of you are here, we can begin our meeting."