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// The Debate part 0.75: Shenanigans 
// Story: My Little Civil Activist: Equality is Magic 
// by GrouchoMarxDisciple 
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The doors were open, and the makeshift auditorium was beginning to fill up. Carmel had already taken his seat behind the speakers, along with the rest of the campaign staff. It was pretty loud, with many conversations occurring at once. The room was already approaching capacity, and the line didn't seem to be getting any shorter. It was shaping up to be a standing-room only affair.

Twilight was just about to take her seat near the back when she was hailed by a friend. 

"Twilight, darling, how good to see you here. Come on, I have an extra seat handy!" the Element of Generosity shouted, barely audible over the roar of the crowd.

"Rarity!" Twilight made her way down to the front, and the two shared an embrace. "You were saving me a seat?" 

"Of course, Twilight. I knew with absolute certainty that you would show up to this thing, and I figured since I helped set up the place, I might as well reserve a seat for you." Rarity responded as the two took their seats. "Unfortunately, it appears that we are the only two Elements who will be making an appearance today."

"It's just us?" Twilight cocked an eyebrow.

"It used to be just me. Applejack thinks debates are a waste of time, Pinkie Pie always has something or other to plan, Rainbow Dash came once and was asleep before the thing even started, and Fluttershy doesn't do so well in crowds. I find the entire thing fascinating, and I love to listen to the two candidates duke it out for my vote." She exhaled. "Although I admit," with this she looked around, "This is a larger crowd than we usually draw."

Twilight nodded. "There are some important things on the ballot this year. I bet that has something to do with it."

Rarity nodded. "That rabble-rouser Carmel has been up to his old tricks again this year. He even has a seat in this auditorium." She pointed to where he was conversing with Golden Harvest, behind the Moon podium.

"Rabble-rouser? Carmel has always struck me as the kind of stallion that would avoid such... 'rabble'." Twilight said, in her most unsure tone. 

"By the by, Twilight, I've heard from a few... sources... that you have become a little bit involved with this, *ahem*, 'Stallions Rights Movement', as they choose to call it. Some even say that you 'converted' Rainbow Dash, leading to the commission from Cloudsdale. Please tell me these are simply nasty rumors. It wouldn't be the first time the Foal Free Press misled me on important details." Rarity's eyes caught Twilight's, and a moment of silence ensued as the latter tried to come up with a response.

"No, that's basically correct. I talked to Dash, and got her to see her stance wasn't valid. I hardly consider that a "nasty" story, Rarity." Twilight said, her tone darkening.

Rarity nodded, slowly, once or twice. "You do realize the implications of the bill passing, I hope." She spoke in a cold, measured tone.

"Implications?" Twilight raised an eyebrow. "What in the wide, wide world of Equestria are you referring to?"

Rarity fake smiled. "Well, for starters, many precepts in the Ponyville charter would need to be re-written. The Ponyville Constitution in effect would become outdated. Now think hard, Twilight. Who would the job of re-writing the Constitution fall to? What provision is there?"

A moment passed as Twilight searched her knowledge of the constitution. "I can't think of one."

"Precisely my point. There is an amendment process, but the amount of amendments and repeals required to comply with the bill as written would take time. Time and organization. An infrastructure that Ponyville simply does not have."

"But... the purpose of voting is to tackle the big issues, and let the government find a way to implement them." Twilight responded, quickly.

"This brings me to my second issue. Twilight, you will have to simply trust me when I say this: I have known Carrot since we were foals. She is a slimy, no-good, dirty, uncouth, unladylike ruffian who cares about nopony but herself. I wouldn't vote for her if she was the last pony on earth. She is running on the Stallions Rights platform, correct?"

Twilight's voice was weak. "Correct."

"I do not trust that mare any further than I can throw her." She stopped for a moment. "No, scratch that. I don't trust her any further than Snails could throw her. She is bad news. My issue is this: in implementing this new infrastructure, how many chances will Carrot get to try and 'back-door' in her own agenda?"

"But... But the Princess would not stand for any sort of abuse of power, especially a self-serving one. Surely she would intervene if something crazy happened."

"And that would effectively end Ponyville's Democratic Experiment." Rarity finished. "We would end up just like Manehatten, with a royally-appointed mayor." She nodded. "I cannot support Carrot Top, and stallions as well-intentioned as Carmel don't realize the implications of their actions."

Twilight closed her eyes for a moment, processing. Carrot Top? Could it be she is playing the whole town? Are we really that gullible? Or... She slowly opened her eyes once more, and began to refute.

"Rarity, I know you. You are smarter than this. There are multiple issues with that argument, the first being it hinges on a fallacy: 'Slippery Slope'. In your argument, you basically say that Carrot Top's election means the end of democracy."

"I didn't-"

"Let me finish." Twilight cut her off. "Secondly, the fact that the Princess hasn't intervened in this whole 'Stallions Rights' mess and brought Ponyville up to date on par with the other cities is proof that she is taking a more 'hooves-off' approach to Ponyville. You can't possibly convince me that she would completely suspend democracy, not unless Carrot Top declared herself Princess of Ponyville."

"But if you just-"

"And, there are alternatives to simply letting the mayor run the gambit. We could create a council, or even an oversight committee. A bill being passed does not give an official the right to suspend democracy, and in a place as small as this it should be quite obvious if something that serious is happening."

Rarity was staring at the ground at this point. There was no response from her.

"So Rarity, I want to ask you. Really. Why are you against this?"

Rarity sighed deeply, and paused a moment before beginning to speak. "I suppose my argument could have been a little better thought out."

"So, there's something else?" An awkward pause.

Rarity perked up. "I believe there is somepony trying to get your attention, Twilight." She said, pointing.

Directly behind Twilight stood a large, imposing stallion. He wore a suit and sunglasses, which gave him the appearance of a high-scale bouncer. 

"Miss Sparkle?" He said in a gruff tone. His eyes were imperceptible through his sunglasses, and he was completely stoic. "The Mayor would like to speak to you. In private." From his tone, Twilight could tell he was not there to argue.

"Is something wrong?" She ventured, as calmly as she could. In response, she got nothing but silence, his expressionless face revealing neither anger nor malice. After a short moment of silence, Twilight finally nodded. "I trust the mayor." She smiled at her friend. "I'll be with you in a moment."

She stood up and followed the stallion behind the curtain, and out of sight. Rarity simply sat there, lost in thought. Why don't I just tell her?

---

Carrot Top nodded at Carmel thoughtfully, as they stood behind the curtain. "I will certainly try my best. But I am a political candidate, not an evangelist. I can't make my entire platform about this one issue."

He nodded. "I get that. I'm just letting you know, I made a little speech outside. They seemed receptive."

"Thank you." Carrot Top smiled. "Hey, I just want to give you a heads-up."

"What about?"

"The nature of politics means I may have to... "soften the message". It's part of appealing to a broader audience. I just want to let you know, if it seems like I am 'straddling the fence', it's just because I am 'playing to the crowd'. I'm with you guys all the way, even when it sounds like I'm not."

Carmel shifted uncomfortably. "That doesn't seem totally honest..."

"That's politics. You have to be willing to bend the truth a bit, or you'll never get anywhere. You know what I mean?" Her expression softened. "Hey, this doesn't change anything. Let me buy you dinner afterwards."

He smiled back. "And after that?"

She laughed. "Who knows? I missed you more than you know, Carmel."

He nodded. "I just don't know why we can't tell anypony about... us. I'm sure there is a good reason?"

She nodded. "Just until this nasty election is over. Then we'll go public. Might even get engaged." She beamed.

He laughed. "Who can possibly wait that long, hmm?" He leaned in and planted a peck on her cheek.

She blushed. "Can't you at least wait until afterwards? I don't want anypony to see us."

He didn't even think to ask why.