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// Letter Reactions 
// Story: Re-Election in Ponyville:  Defending Her Turf 
// by StormLuna 
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One week had passed since the filing deadline had passed and Celestia had sent mail out to all the candidates, mail that included the debate dates, the election dates and who they would be running up against.  When the mail arrived and Amethyst saw the letter from Celestia, she quickly opened it but would be surprised by what she saw. 

As she read the letter, she couldn't believe it when she saw that Applejack was able to run after all.  She couldn't help but snicker, "So Applejack was able to run after all?  Oh boy, I bet Miss Mare is going to be so upset when she sees this!" 

Sea Swirl heard her snickering and asked, "Amethyst, what is so funny?" 

Amethyst held the letter up and laughed, "Get this, Applejack made the ballot after all!  I knew this election wasn't going to be overly challenging but with two traditionalists going up against one another in the primary, neither one may even advance to the general!" 

Sea Swirl had always supported her friend in all her endeavors, both political and non-political but she couldn't help but be concerned over her statement.  She suggested, "You know Amethyst, you may not want to count them out yet.  The only other one besides you is Iron Will and I doubt hardly anypony is going to vote for a Minotaur." 

Amethyst could understand where she was coming from but knew how the town had changed.  She replied, "Sea Swirl, the town isn't like it was four years ago when the idea of a unicorn mayor was thought of as absurd.  We have a diverse electorate now and ponies have seen for themselves that the old traditional ways were just that, old."  She couldn't help but laugh, "Could you just imagine if those two traditionalists took enough votes away from one another that I'd be going up against Iron Will?"

The fact that Amethyst was acting like she was already guaranteed a spot in the general election did concern Sea Swirl.  She suggested, "Amethyst, you're acting like you've already advanced!  I would advise you not count your chickens until they have hatched." 

Amethyst sighed, "Oh you're right as usual."  She looked up at the clock and gasped, "Oh great, if we don't hurry up, we'll be late for work!" 

Sea Swirl took a look at the clock and gasped, "You're right, we better get going."





The same morning that Amethyst got her letter from Celestia, Miss Mare would as well.  When she began to open it, she was expecting to see a shorter electoral schedule but would not be thrilled when she saw that Ponyville would be having a primary again.  She yelled, "What, a primary again?"  She then took a look at the list of her opponents and screamed, "How can Applejack run?  She doesn't even live in the city limits!"

Miss Mare was not pleased with this at all and decided that she was going to go and set things right.  She stormed over to the one place she hoped to occupy again soon, town hall.  When she arrived she was greeted warmly, "Hello Miss Mare, how may I help you today?"

Miss Mare asked in return, "Is there any way that I could take a look at a map of the current city limits?"

Sea Swirl gave her a smile, "You know, Applejack asked the same thing last week."  She turned around and continued, "You can't take a direct look but I will make a copy of the most recent map." 

This did shock the former mayor a bit because when she was in office, ponies were allowed to look at the official documents, not simply have copies made.  She thought to herself, "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, she altered everything else so why not this...." 

Her thoughts would be interrupted when Sea Swirl would return with the copy, "Here you go Miss Mare, you have a pleasant day." 

When the former mayor took a look at the new boundaries, she was not thrilled but she was not surprised either.  As she exited the town hall she mumbled to herself, "Oh great, now the traditionalist vote is going to be split."  She became more agitated as she continued, "Thanks to her running, it could easily be Iron Will and Amethyst in the general!" 





At Sweet Apple Acres Applejack was in a much better mood than normal after checking the mail.  After opening her letter from the princess and seeing herself on the ballot, she was quite pleased.  When she headed back into their house, everypony else saw the smile on her face.  Apple Bloom was the first to say anything, "Sis, what is the smile about?"

Applejack held her letter up and motioned for her family to come take a look at it, "Come here y'all.  I got on the ballot after all." 

While two of them were happy, one was more concerned.  Granny asked, "Applejack, I know you're happy but with you and the former mayor both running, that Iron Will feller could wind up getting enough votes to advance." 

Applejack protested, "Granny, I highly doubt that many ponies are going to go voting for that Iron Will feller." 

Apple Bloom suggested, "You know, you may not want to count him out, the town is a lot different than it was four years ago." 

Granny added, "Apple Bloom makes a good point.   We have a lot of other creatures living in town that could go towards him, unicorns make up half the population if not more now and will likely vote for Amethyst and I know some of the pegasi that are still left enjoy not having to change seasons." 

Applejack replied, "I know that."  She paused for a minute and continued, "Then I'm really going to have to ensure that I will return things to how they used to be and get them to think that the old mayor may not.  I'll have to be a pure traditionalist to win over all the other traditionalists and maybe some other types of ponies that miss the old ways."

Apple Bloom suggested, "And you need to reassure them you will restore winter!  Amethyst ordering that weather mage to keep it warm year around has taken away all the fun we used to have at Hearth's Warming!" 

Big Mac, in a very uncharacteristic moment stated, "I will admit, warmer winters have gave us an extra harvest each year, we have made bigger profits and" he pointed towards Granny and added, "allowed us to get Granny's hip fixed." 

Applejack and Apple Bloom both gasped in shock.  Applejack asked, "Are you saying what I think you're saying big brother?"

Apple Bloom added, "Are you supporting AMETHYST STAR?  Are you going to support re-electing a unicorn as mayor?"

Big Mac replied, "Yes, I am."  He then pointed towards Granny and added, "And I don't know why you wouldn't.  It is because of her that we made enough of a profit that we could get your hip fixed." 

Granny had always been one of the staunchest traditionalists and despite the extra harvest each year allowing them to have the funds to fix her hip countered, "Big Mac, I know that but tradition is what is important and that Amethyst pony has taken all of that away." 

Applejack added, "Because of her, Ponyville isn't even what it used to be.  We were an earth pony community full of tradition and now it feels like we don't even have an identity anymore, we're just a mix of everything!" 

Big Mac knew that getting his family to listen about how Amethyst had improved things for them was not going to happen so he decided to drop the issue.  While he knew that he should support his sister, he just couldn't.  Amethyst's way of running things had aided the Apples too much for him to vote against the hooves that improved things for them so much. 





It was business as usual when Iron Will checked his mail.  He was pleased to see that he had got a letter from the princess regarding the election but would be pleasantly surprised when he saw that there were two traditionalists on the ballot.  He said to himself, "Iron Will sees that two traditionalists are on the ballot and there will be a primary." 

Iron Will knew about how the process worked with primaries and snickered, "If Iron Will plays his cards right, it will be Iron Will advancing to the general!" 

One of his zeppelin captains, another Minotaur, heard him snickering, "Boss, what it the snickering about?"

Iron Will held the letter up and replied, "Iron Will has received word that another traditionalist is running in the primary so chances are Iron Will will advance to the general election." 

The captain suggested, "I know you're glad boss but that doesn't guarantee....."

He was quickly interrupted, "Iron Will is certain that he will advance.  Iron Will will worry about Amethyst later, he will worry about the farm pony and the former mayor now."  Iron Will pointed towards one of the zeppelins and ordered, "We have a cruise set to depart in thirty minutes.  Don't worry about Iron Will and the election, Iron Will knows he will advance." 

Iron Will was happy when he saw that the traditionalist vote would be divided but what did not please him was the fact that one of his employees would question whether he could win or not.  While he knew that Amethyst would likely win the primary, his primary focus would be on trying to appeal to both sides.  He thought that if he could appeal to those who have benefited because of Amethyst's financial reforms and those who miss the old traditions, a top two finish would be guaranteed.