//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Miss Sparkle Goes to Canterlot // by Fon Shaolin //------------------------------// Ponyville, usually the sleepy little town it appeared to be, was slowly beginning to set that image aside as the morning sun rose higher in its celestial trek. First light had revealed quite a few travelers streaming into the town from both ends of the Royal Highway that fed into the town. There were farmers, merchants, well-dressed nobility – ponies of all shapes, sizes, and creeds were mingling around the shops and streets of Ponyville and the town was rapidly becoming quite crowded, even before midday. Outside of Sugarcube Corner, six ponies were huddled together closer than limited space dictated. They were an unusual mix of two pegasi, two unicorns, and two earth ponies and, upon closer examination, the group also included a tiny dragon. They looked to be avoiding the worst of the hoof traffic by standing next to the Corner’s bay window and out of the way. “This is simply the worst crowd I’ve seen in all of my years here!” Rarity, the white-coated unicorn, grimaced at the hustle and bustle. While it was good for business (she owned a downtown dress shop) the jostling and jockeying of all the ponies was kicking up a terrible amount of dust. It seemed like she was constantly combing her mane to keep it dirt-free. “Twilight, I simply must say that we should put this off until everypony else finishes.” Twilight Sparkle, the other unicorn in the group, shook her head. It looked as if she was barely keeping her giddiness in check. “How can you girls not be excited?! This is the first time Ponyville has hosted the ballot in twenty years!” She looked at her circle of friends, expecting to see them as awed by the whole process as she was. Pinkie Pie, the pink earth pony, might have been wound up because of the ballot, but it was more likely that she was just being Pinkie Pie – this many ponies meant that, sooner or later, a party would spontaneously break up somewhere; Rainbow Dash was hovering off the ground a little ways away, in an argument with Applejack in a separate conversation about whether Manehattan or Cloudsdale could hold this many ponies without even noticing; Fluttershy was trying her best not to be noticed by anyone and was hiding behind Rarity, shivering slightly. This was certainly not the type of reception that Twilight had been expecting from her friends. When Ponyville had been randomly selected to hold the district’s elections for representative to the Parliament, Twilight had been over the moon with excitement. Canterlot, despite being the political center of Equestria, didn’t have a direct representative. It was, under the code of law, a “neutral administrative body” that served as the capital of the nation. Princess Celestia had always looked out for the city and saw to it that it didn’t have many problems, so no one questioned the arrangement. What was disappointing for Twilight, though, is that because of that arrangement she never got the chance to vote! Until she moved to Ponyville she had been a permanent resident of Canterlot. Finally – today would be the day she did her duty for society by casting an actual ballot! It was hard for the little purple unicorn to keep from hopping up and down. “Ah really don’t see what’s so excitin’ about this here shindig,” Applejack groused. She was giving up a whole morning on the farm to come downtown and fight the crowds. “Mah candidate isn’t even here. I hope Mr. Huckaburr isn’t too upset ‘bout how everything turned out.” Rainbow Dash snorted – apparently this had been the topic of their most recent spat. “Yeah, I bet he’s spitting mad since he didn’t get on the ballot. I don’t trust a pony that smiles that much – he’s hiding something!” “You’re just mad cuz he said he don’t think pegasus ponies should mess with the weather as much as they do! Admit it!” Twilight shook her head as the two friends started bickering again. She was happy that they were getting into the spirit and all, but wished they could at least try and get on the same page. Did they have to be so contradictory in everything they did? Huckaburr was a nice enough pony, Twilight supposed, but he had been eliminated in the preliminary voting for his party early on by one of Celestia’s ex-guards who was mayor of Trottingham. That pony was just one of a half dozen from the major cities included in the Briarwood District, though. Briarwood was the name of a large settlement that had been located around the Everfree Forest, but after the capital was moved to Canterlot the ponies had spread out, founding more than a few cities in the area – or so Twilight had read. At some point, the group had begun to move with the crowds. It was almost noon and the ballots would be opening soon. Rarity was in the lead, walking slightly ahead of Twilight, since she seemed to know how to navigate a crowd. She didn’t hesitate to give a shove every once in a while as the ponies packed in on all sides to get into the main square. She caught Twilight’s eye over her shoulder. “They’re still going at it,” Rarity muttered with a sigh, looking back at Applejack and Rainbow Dash. “I could use Applejack up here to help find us a spot; Rainbow Dash should have known better than to say anything bad about her favorite pick. Didn’t she remember that giant Huckaburr banner Applejack had over her cart for weeks?” “I’m sure they’re not serious, Rarity. Councilpony Huckaburr didn’t really have that much of a chance, anyway, since he was from Fillydelphia. They’re getting their own district next season, so voting for him now wouldn’t be that smart.” Twilight was careful to keep her voice low enough that her friend couldn’t hear her, though. “Well of course, darling. Huckaburr is no O’Banga!” O’Banga, a zebra from a small community in the Whitetail Wood, had been causing quite a stir. Twilight had never heard Rarity mention him before, though. “You think he has a chance? He hasn’t exactly been really clear on what he wants to do.” Rarity turned around, which was difficult in the crowd, to look at her purple friend properly. “Clearly you missed his speech the other night at the central pavilion! The other candidates tried to match his articulation but, of course, it was impossible. He has such an otherworldly character about him and he’s so exotic!” The unicorn seemed slightly flustered and she caught herself. “You really should have came with me to see him, Twilight. You have to be there to see how much good he’d do for us.” The purple unicorn didn’t know about that. She hadn’t seen O’Banga in person, but she had read a few transcripts of his speeches. He never talked about anything other than how bad their current councilpony was. Granted, Ranger Shrub wasn’t the best of representatives, but wasn’t an election about what you were going to do differently? Then again, maybe she was wrong. Twilight looked around and saw that a lot of the ponies were wearing O’Banga pins, hats, stickers, and vests. In fact, most of the ponies Twilight’s age looked to be supporters of the zebra. “Oh, are you guys talking about O’Banga?!” Pinkie Pie was hopping over to them from out in the crowd. Twilight hadn’t even noticed they’d lost her in the walk to the town square! How the earth pony managed to keep her signature hop was beyond Twilight. Pinkie was so decked out in O’Banga merchandise that it almost covered her pink coat. “You went with Rarity to see him?” Twilight asked once their friend had joined them. The earth pony nodded so frantically her white and black striped hat nearly catapulted off her head. “Yep, yep, yep! He’s so amazing! You have to go and see him, Twilight! All of you should! He’s doing a speech right now on the stage!” “I think we should go and listen, Twilight.” Something soft and fluffy poked Twilight on the leg and she looked down in disbelief. “He even sells giant foam hands?” Spike’s said O’Banga #1 in giant red and white letters. “Why do you even want to see him, Spike? You can’t even vote!” “If I could I’d vote for O’Banga!” Twilight groaned, but faced with three instant O’Banga supporters she soon found herself pushing her way through the crowds yet again, this time into an even denser part of the square. All of the various candidates had been given an opportunity to have one last stump speech before everypony ran to the polls. The other candidates were off to the side of the stage, but it looked like O’Banga’s staff was setting up equipment. “Isn’t he handsome?” Rarity gushed. Twilight followed her friend’s gaze and caught sight of a middle-aged zebra doing a microphone test. He stood a few spans taller than any of the other ponies onstage and he did cut an imposing figure. Currently, he was reading some lines into the dead mic as he read them off cue cards held up by an assistant in the crowd. The group found a decent space right in front of the stage thanks to Rarity’s pushing and shoving. No one was willing to say no to the unicorn when she was on a mission. Spike and Pinkie crowded up beside their friend and began waving around their foam hands even though nothing was really going on. Oddly, though, Fluttershy was also up by them, though far more timid. “You too, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked. Pinkie and Rarity she could understand getting excited, but not the timid pegasus. Fluttershy looked far more reserved than her three compatriots. “Oh, well, he’s a really good speaker. I started going to his events because I wanted to get better at talking to other ponies, but it just kind of…stuck. Have you listened to any of his speeches? He’s so confident and sure of what he wants to do.” Twilight thought back to the transcripts she had read, but nothing in particular stood out as being revolutionary-enough to get Fluttershy in a titter over. “What about Longhaul? He’s smart, witty, clear and concise about his policy positions—” “—Old, boring, slightly senile.” Rarity ticked off the same points everyone brought up when discussing the genteel doctor from Foal Harbor. “Come now, Twilight! He wants to put the currency back on the apple standard for Celestia’s sake! Surely you know that won’t work.” Applejack’s ears perked up. “Hey! The apple standard was good enough for Equestria for over a hundred years. Why in tarnation wouldn’t it work again? It’s a might bit more stable than the gem standard we’re usin’ now.” While her two business-owning friends went at each other about monetary policy, Twilight lamented that Rarity had a point – Dr. Longhaul wasn’t a serious contender in most ponies's eyes. In the name of friendship, she chose not to make any snide remarks and just wait for O’Banga’s speech to get over with so she could go check out the ballot machines. Her friends eventually did stop arguing when the speakers next to the stage blared to life. One of the zebra’s assistants tapped the microphone with his hoof to get the crowd’s attention and, after succeeding, turned the stage over to the equine himself. O’Banga cleared his throat and took a moment to look over the crowd assembled before him. Twilight had to admit he looked more “congressional” than any of the other ponies sharing the stage with him. The zebra had a black dress vest on as well as ornate horseshoes that glittered in the sunlight. He was all smiles and waves as somepony adjusted the microphone for him and the crowd seemed to really be warming; standing tall and confident, it was hard not to like him. “My fellow ponies,” he began, “it’s great to see so many of you braved this horrible weather to come out to vote.” There were quite a few laughs from the crowd and Twilight felt herself smiling along with them. “Well, here we are in the final stretch of this campaign and the end is in sight. We’re close to finally yanking the cart out of the ditch. I’ve got on the bit and bridle for it and now I just need you to give me a push. We’ll put it back on the road, together, and get things working again.” As the ponies around her began to cheer and clap, Twilight realized why Fluttershy found him so appealing – he was a really good speaker. She had heard Princess Celestia give speeches, but never like this. The princess was kind and patient, but O’Banga was inspiring. He went on for what seemed like an hour about how he was going to turn the faltering economy of Briarwood into the best in the kingdom or how he was going to push the Royal Assembly for more events to be held in the area - a party in every public square kind of thing. It was a pity that Dr. Longhaul never made speeches like this. If he had, it might have been him standing up there. Suddenly, as he was winding down, the zebra’s eyes locked on something in the crowd. “Is that Twilight Sparkle in the audience?” O’Banga put a hoof over his eyes to see through the noon sun. “If it isn’t my stripes aren’t black! The personal protégé of Princess Celestia herself, as well as the young filly who single-hoofedly saved Ponyville from a rampaging Ursa Major! I’m honored!” Twilight suddenly was the center of well over a thousand ponies' attention. “It – it was an Ursa Minor,” was all she could squeak out before the crowd erupted into cheers. “Come on up here, Miss Sparkle. All of us are just dusty old politicians – you’re a pony that actually deserves some recognition.” Flashbulbs were going off everywhere as journalists from every major settlement in Briarwood – half on Twilight and half on O’Banga. He, unlike the unicorn, was smiling through the attention. “Come on, don’t be shy! Stage is big enough for the both of us no matter how tall I am,” he quipped to the delight of his fans. Ponies were starting to nudge Twilight on and she was practically pushed to the front of the crowd. As she ascended the steps of the stage, she noticed the other candidates, some that had gone before and some still waiting their turn, gauging her. O’Banga’s time was nearly up. They politely clapped along with the crowd, though. The zebra personally helped Twilight up on the stage and led her over to microphone to stand by his side. “This,” he began, gesturing at Twilight, “is a true hero. This is the type of pony I know that each and every one of you has inside yourselves. This is also just the type of pony all the other gentleponies sharing this stage with me want to stamp out. Councilpony Dairy Star wants to cut education funding, funding of the same kind that helped Twilight Sparkle through school.” Wait, what? “The School for Gifted Unicorns is provided a royal stipend and I—” “Mayor Mac Lane has stated that he would support a curfew for young fillies and colts to keep them off the streets at night. Nights like the one where this brave young lady saved this fine town from an Ursa Major!” “It wasn’t actually that late…and, again, it was an Ursa Mi—” “And who could forget the speech last month from Administrator Mountroamer where he said we shouldn’t look to the capital for help. Where would we be if Princess Celestia hadn’t sent Twilight Sparkle to help with this town’s problems?” “I’m actually a resident now…” No matter how many times Twilight Sparkle tried to interject, the roars of the crowd silenced any of her objections. O’Banga smiled and nodded as the cameras went off from every possible angle, bathing the stage in even more light than the noon sun. The zebra certainly had stage presence. He was younger than all the other stallions by far and his stripes made him stand out amongst even the colorful ponies. Still, he hadn’t said anything in the speech that had outlined what he wanted to change about Briarwood. Everypony seemed to like him, but Twilight couldn’t figure out why. Still, she tried to smile and keep a brave face. She had never liked the limelight too much, but she didn’t see any resentful faces out in the crowd. Twilight, remembering her question from earlier in the speech, decided now was a good a time as any to ask so she leaned over. “Mr. O’Banga, could I ask you a question?” She was consciously avoiding the microphone so that she didn’t cut into his remaining time. O’Banga, on the other hand, had another idea. He gestured for the crowd to quiet down and nudged the microphone over to the flabbergasted filly. “Now, you guys out there listen up! Miss Sparkle has a question for me.” When they were quiet, he said, “Go right on ahead.” Decidedly uncomfortable with this turn of events, Twilight gulped. All eyes were on her again. “I-I just wanted to know more about what you were talking about earlier – about the roads program. Representative Ranger said he wanted to go back to the Everfree Forest and put a road through it to Trottingham. Are you going to cancel it?” The crowd was remarkably silent while O’Banga glanced at his staff. A few spattered conversations could be heard, but most were listening. “Well, of course we’ll…we’ll have to look at each program individually.” Twilight was on a roll, though. “And what about the town security programs he put into place? Do you have the latest crime figures? I couldn’t find them myself. Could you send me a copy for my library?” O’Banga’s cue card manager was making frantic cutting motions with his hooves and the zebra tried to get the microphone back. Twilight, quite caught up in her rambling, had already levitated it and was now pacing the stage. “You know, you said it was a failed administration, but now that I think about it things weren’t that bad. Are you going to stop the education push in the grades schools? What about the medical prescription plan he authored for the elderly? The mother of a friend of mine gets her medication through that plan. Are you going to restructure it?” The poor zebra was now following Twilight like a pecked hen, trying to get the microphone back. “I think I’m out of time right now, Miss Sparkle,” he said after stepping on the cord to get the purple unicorn to stop. However, the other three candidates had been in a huddle from the second Twilight started her questions. One of them, Mountroamer, cleared his throat. “I yield my time to Miss Twilight Sparkle,” he said. “We all yield our time to Twilight Sparkle,” Mayor Mac Lane called out. O’Banga looked like a rabbit facing down a stampede. The crowd was starting to whisper louder and the unicorn on stage didn’t look like she was ready to wind down yet. “Look, obviously there are some things we should keep—” Twilight’s face scrunched up. “But you said that it was a failed administration. Cart into a ditch and all that? I also want to know if the speech you made to Flankfurt is correct. If it was, then what you told Neighport last week was a lie – you don’t intend to support renegotiating the Lake Alfalfa Trade Accord at all! Didn’t you get most of that season’s donations from the dock workers there? If you don’t renegotiate it a lot of them will lose their jobs!” “I work at Lake Alfalfa!” came a shout from the crowd. That one raised voice, from a middle-aged stallion near the front row, broke something in the assembly. More and more ponies started calling out, demanding to know what the zebra planned to do about the trade agreement. Just as many were trying to yell out questions about their medical benefits or if the No Foal Left Behind law would also be repealed. It was impossible to tell what part of the crowd the first vegetable came from, but the angry shouts were silenced for a moment as a bright, cherry-red tomato sailed over their heads. Transfixed on the surreal sight, O’Banga and Twilight watched it gracefully arch over the crowds and land squarely at the zebra’s hooves. “This,” he muttered, looking down at the ruined vegetable, “is not good.” The resulting wave of hurled produced proved O’Banga prophetic: he ran from one end of the stage to another, dodging carrots, apples, and tomatoes. When one particularly ripe squash nearly beamed his head, the zebra retreated to back of the stage by the other candidates. He couldn’t so much as look at the microphone without vegetables being readied. This left Twilight Sparkle in an odd position. She had been spared the vegetable pelting and nopony had been demanding she make herself scarce as well. Then again, she wasn’t really the current center of attention, either. Most of the ponies were in various states of anger or panic, yelling at each other now that O’Banga was gone. “You’re the one who wanted to vote for him so much!” “I donated half my life savings to him!” “Don’t blame me – I voted for Kodos.” The arguments were as varied as the ponies making them and Twilight could see tempers flaring all over the place. And, unless she missed her mark, those were uniformed police ponies approaching the ring of the crowd. Twilight’s magic lifted the microphone again. “Ponies! Please, calm down! I didn’t mean to– I mean, I wasn’t implying that Mr. O’Banga was a bad candidate! I just wanted him to clarify on some things! Give real solutions! I’m sure if he just explained everything that it would be alright.” She looked back at the zebra with a wide, panicked smile which faltered when she saw him frantically shake his head. “W-Well, there are still all the other candidates. You don’t have to give up just because one didn’t turn out a winner.” “And are their solutions any better?” somepony shouted. “If they aren’t, what do we do? Just accept some liar that’ll collect a paycheck from us!?” Honestly, Twilight couldn’t answer. She was naturally something of a cynic and her brain was telling her that nothing she had read suggested that any of the ponies sharing the stage with her would do anything differently. The only difference between a pony like Mountroamer or Mac Lane and O’Banga was that O’Banga was much more popular. After a few moments of silence from Twilight, Mayor Mac Lane braved the hostile crowd and stepped within speaking distance of the microphone. “I think I can offer something that will satisfy everyone,” he said. When it seemed like the crowd would allow him to approach, he did. Standing next to Twilight, the old stallion’s age was even more apparent than usual. He held himself up with as much dignity as a pegasus staring down a potential barrage of cabbage could. “We,” he pointed back at the other three ponies, an abashed O’Banga included, “were discussing how this could be resolved. The elections can’t be postponed with this many people traveling so out of the way for them and the law is clear – it has to happen today.” The old pegasus let that sink in. “Therefore, in the spirit of the democratic process, we’ve all come up with a solution – we’re going to stay on the ballot, but each of us will be putting in a percentage of our campaign funds to cover the entry fee of one more candidate that everypony seems to agree is a trustworthy and dedicated worker.” Mac Lane’s announcement was taken amicably by the crowd, which bolstered Twilight’s spirits. There was a reason these were the best ponies out of all of them! A part of her started fantasizing about Dr. Longhaul appearing from the big curtain at the back of the stage, announcing his candidacy. There could be real reform! Real change! A real difference! Ponies could prove that the power of friendship and harmony could prevail no matter what! “That’s why it’s my pleasure to announce the candidacy of Miss Twilight Sparkle for Briarwood Representative to the Court at Canterlot. May the best pony win!” Wait. What?!