DISCLAIMER: Any political views seemingly expressed in here are for comedic purposes and are in no way to be taken seriously as most of them are dictated by ten-year-olds who have no idea what they're talking about.
Rarity was in the kitchen with her two daughters, using her magic to feed the younger while helping the elder with her homework, when her husband came in and slammed his hoof on the table.
"Every pony," Fancy Pants announced, "I'm running for Mayor!"
His family, including the baby, looked up at him in surprise.
"You're doing what?!" Rarity exclaimed.
He raised an eyebrow. "You make it sound like I'm not cut out for being Mayor."
"No, no! You'd make an excellent Mayor, darling, just…why the sudden decision?"
"And what's wrong with being a stallion, Daddy?" Gemstone asked.
Rarity chuckled. "No. He means Mayor of Ponyville. But still, darling, why?"
"Well," Fancy Pants said, beginning his speech by pacing back and forth, "it has come to my attention that since we moved to Ponyville, I've been…how do I put this? Inactive. I haven't attended any races, auctions, gallery openings or dinner parties in the last year. All I've done is sit around the house, read the paper and do taxes. The only social interaction I get is with your friends and their families. As charming as they are, we don't find much to talk about.
"Meanwhile, you've been running this boutique all while nursing a foal. While I love having all this time to spend with the fillies, I need to get out, have a career. Not for the money but for the principle. Now that the Mayor's term is ending, candidates are needed for the upcoming election. And then it occurred to me. I am now a citizen of Ponyville, I've resided here for over a year now, I have plenty of money, I minored in Political Science at Canterlot University, and I'm a good speaker. So why not be Mayor?"
"If you become Mayor, Daddy," Gemstone said, "does that mean you get to tell every pony what to do?"
Fancy Pants laughed and patted her head. "Not exactly, dear. It's the City Council that makes the local laws. I would just determine whether or not they should be made legal."
"Oh. But you'd still be the boss, wouldn't you?"
"In a sense, yes."
Gemstone brightened and flung her hooves around his neck. "Oh, Daddy, this is wonderful! Wait. If you're the Mayor, what would that make me?"
"Oh," Fancy Pants said, tapping his chin. "You'd be…you'd be the First Filly of Ponyville."
"Gah!" Jewel shouted angrily.
"Oh, very well," her father laughed, ruffling the foal's mane. "You both can be First Fillies."
"I think it's a splendid idea, darling," Rarity said, kissing him on the cheek. "And as your wife and campaign manager, I will support you all the way!"
Fancy Pants blinked. "Campaign manager?"
"But of course! You didn't think I was going to let you handle the campaign all by yourself, did you?"
"Darling, I…"
"Alright. The first thing we need to do is get you a new suit. Honestly, dear, you've been wearing the same style for years! Then we need to make posters. We need a slogan! Let's see. Then there's the issues that need to be addressed, the debate, the campaign party…"
She continued to say her thoughts aloud as she walked out of the kitchen, leaving Fancy Pants with a worried look on his face.
"What just happened?"
"I just figured out the answer to Number Four," Gemstone said, making a mark on her paper. "Oh, and Mummy's your new campaign manager. Good luck with that."
"What does it say?" Gemstone asked Prism as they were putting up campaign posters the next week.
"Don't Be Chancy," Prism read. "Vote for Fancy."
"What does 'chancy' mean?"
"Heck if I know. Your mom wrote it."
"Oh, I'm so proud of Daddy," Gemstone said as she stuck another poster to the wall. "He was the most important pony in all of Canterlot and now he'll be the most important pony in Ponyville too!"
"It's cool that your dad's running for Mayor. I thought he was too much of a stiff to work." Prism shrank from under the unicorn's scowl. "Well I was wrong, clearly. What's he gonna do when he's Mayor, anyway?"
"Daddy said he's going to increase spending on education. I think that means he's giving more money to the school."
"Huh. We could use new art supplies. The crayons are down to their tips."
"He also said he was going to give money to the hospital. They need better equipment. Then there was something about taxes so they could afford all this. No idea what that means."
"Sounds like your dad has it all planned out. And just think, I'm gonna be the Mayor's daughter's best friend!"
The two jumped as a bright yellow poster was suddenly pasted next to their dark blue one. Gemstone couldn't make out the words, so Prism read them aloud for her:
"Vote for Cheese. You'll Be Pleased?"
"Hey, you guys!" Cherry chimed as she and her sisters smoothed out the corners of their poster. "What you doing?"
Gemstone blinked as she stared at the picture of Cheese Sandwich. "Um…putting up posters for my daddy's campaign for Mayor?"
"What a coincidence!" Blueberry exclaimed. "We're doing the same thing!"
"We're passing out buttons too!" Raspberry piped. "Show them, Lemon Drop!"
The unicorn colt walked around the Tri-Pies. Around his neck was a tray of orange buttons with a picture of a chunk of cheese.
"Made them myself," Lemon Drop said, levitating one out of the tray.
"Hold on a second!" Prism exclaimed, looking bewilderedly at the Tri-Pies. "Your dad is running for Mayor?"
"Sure!" Blueberry replied. "Why not?"
"There was a spot open," Raspberry explained, "and there are so many rules that Daddy doesn't agree with."
"Like the lack of unicycle lanes!" Cherry chimed. "I mean how can you avoid crashing into ponies with your unicycle when there are no unicycle lanes?"
"Your parents are the only ones in town who ride unicycles!" Gemstone protested.
"No!" Raspberry insisted. "They're teaching us! And Lemon Drop!"
Prism raised an eyebrow at the colt. "Why?"
He was about to answer when Raspberry ruffled his mane and said, "What good is a coltfriend if he can't ride a unicycle?"
"Daddy's also going to make more holidays," Blueberry declared, "so we can have more days off from school and have more parties!"
"But," Gemstone stammered. "My daddy's going to be Mayor!"
"Nuh-uh!" Cherry said, shaking her head. "Our daddy's gonna be Mayor!"
"What makes you so sure?"
"Every pony loves Daddy," Blueberry claimed. "He's a lovable pony who every pony gets along with."
"And no offense, Gem," Raspberry piped, "your dad is nice and all but he's kinda boring."
The unicorn filly gasped and scowled. "How dare you?!"
Cherry shrugged. "He kinda is."
"Really? Well…well…your father's an out-of-control party animal who doesn't take anything seriously!"
"Hey!" the Tri-Pies shouted angrily.
"Daddy takes a lot of things seriously!" Blueberry insisted.
"Name three!" Gemstone dared.
"Family!"
"Friendship!" said Raspberry.
"And parties!" Cherry added.
"Well!" Gemstone huffed. "My father is a respectable colt and actually knows a thing or two about politics!"
"Uh-huh," Blueberry said, crossing her hooves. "And what are those things?"
The unicorn paused. "I don't know! He at least knows more than your father does!"
"At least our dad knows how to read!"
Gemstone, Lemon Drop and Prism gasped, while Raspberry and Cherry let out an "Ooooooh!"
"Okay, guys, that's enough!" Prism declared.
"Yeah, there's no use fighting over this," Lemon Drop agreed. "After all, your dads are competing against each other, not you."
"Let the grown-ups decide who's better suited for Mayor."
The Tri-Pies looked apologetically at Gemstone.
"They're right," Blueberry said. "Which is why we're gonna get more voters than you!"
Gemstone narrowed her eyes. "Oh, I don't think so! My daddy's campaign is going to be so spectacular that the only vote your daddy will get is one!"
"Why you…wait. Why only one?"
"Even I know your mother would never vote against her husband."
Blueberry charged for her, but her sisters held her back.
"Save your energy for the election, Blue," Raspberry growled.
"Yeah, we'll get her in time," Cherry said, gritting her teeth.
"We'll see about that!" Gemstone exclaimed, grabbing Prism. "Come on, Prism! Let's make some more posters!"
"You can't even write!" Blueberry spat.
"Why do you think I have Prism?!"
"Well, you may have her, but we got Lemon Drop!" Raspberry hollered, snatching her boyfriend. "Come on, honey bunch! We need more buttons!"
As the two teams stormed off in opposite directions, the Tri-Pies turned their heads and stuck out their tongues. Although it was unladylike, Gemstone did the same.
"We'll show them," the four of them grumbled.
A few hours later, Gemstone walked back into town with a skip in her step. Prism was slowly coming up behind her, balancing a tower of posters.
"Uh, Gem?" the pegasus uttered as she attempted to look at her friend. "Isn't this a bit much?"
"But of course not!" the unicorn bubbled. "We need to be able to cover the whole town with pictures of Daddy! That'll show those Tri-Pies!"
"You know you've got that magic, right? Couldn't you have carried…?"
Gemstone suddenly stopped with a dramatic gasp. Prism crashed into her and fell backward. She groaned at the unicorn, but she seemed unfazed by the paper storm.
"A warning would've been nice!" the pegasus exclaimed.
Gemstone pointed to the wall of City Hall. "Look!"
On one of their posters, Fancy Pants' lip was decorated in a large, black moustache, and his eyes were framed in black circles.
"Look what they've done to my father!" Gemstone squealed. "They've disgraced him with that horrid moustache and glasses!"
Prism stood up and raised an eyebrow. "Doesn't he already have a moustache and that monocle thing?"
"Yes, but this makes him look ridiculous!" The unicorn huffed like a bull that'd just laid eyes on a fluttering cape. "Oh, it is on! Quick, Prism! Run home and get every black marker you own!" She smiled mischievously. "We're going to beat those Tri-Pies at their own game!"
The Tri-Pies growled up at the only poster of their dad that wasn't under Fancy Pants' face. Lemon Drop walked up to them and jumped when he saw where their anger was directed.
"Whoa!" he exclaimed. "Who did this?"
"Who do you think?!" Raspberry grunted.
"That little brat is copycatting us!" Cherry hollered.
"And look at what she wrote over the slogan!"
The colt's eyes widened. "Ooh. Where'd she learn that word?"
"What does it even mean?" Raspberry wondered.
Blueberry whispered in her ear and steam came out of Raspberry's nostrils.
"Oh no, she didn't!"
"But wait," Cherry said. "I though she couldn't write."
"Clearly she got Prism to help her," Blueberry huffed. "The villainess! Taking our oldest friend to the dark side!"
"We should draw bunny ears on her dad!"
"No! If we keep sabotaging posters like this, we'll just be painting the town black!" Blueberry rubbed her chin. "We gotta concentrate on gaining sympathy from the voters."
"Vote for my daddy, pwease?" Blueberry sweetly asked as she held out a button.
Her lip was curled into a puppy-dog pout and her eyes were wide and glassy. The stallion she was pleading was putty in her hooves.
"Aw, how cute!" he said, taking the button. "Sure I'll vote for your dad, little filly!"
He lightly patted her head before departing. Blueberry grinned impishly as she glanced at her sisters.
"I just gave out ten buttons!" Cherry chimed.
"I gave out twelve!" Raspberry piped.
"What I tell ya?" Blueberry snickered. "Nothing can outmatch our atomic cuteness!"
Lemon Drop tapped on her shoulder. "I wouldn't be too sure of that."
He pointed across the street at Gemstone, who was talking to a unicorn mare.
"Vote for our daddy, Miss?"
The filly held out her sister Jewel, who cooed happily.
"Aw, aren't you just the cutest things?" the mare said.
"Daddy takes good care of us," Gemstone added, "all while running his campaign."
"And yet he still makes time for family?"
"That's our Daddy, a family stallion."
"Gah!" Jewel exclaimed.
"Well," the mare said while levitating a button out of Gemstone's tray, "he's got my vote."
Gemstone smiled sweetly. "Thank you ever so much, Miss!"
When the mare turned her back, Gemstone smirked at the Tri-Pies and stuck out her tongue.
"Ooh!" Blueberry grunted. "Curse the unbeatable cuteness of babies!"
"That's it!" Raspberry exclaimed. "Cherry, get a pacifier, diaper and baby bonnet big enough for Lemon Drop!"
"What?!" Lemon Drop shrieked.
"No, wait!" Cherry said as she rubbed her hooves together. "I've got a better idea."
"Muffins!" Cherry called in the streets the next day. "Get your muffins! Vote for Cheese Sandwich! A vote for Cheese is a vote for muffins!"
"Ooh!" Derpy exclaimed, zipping over to the Tri-Pies. "You got my vote!"
Gemstone growled as she watched ponies flock towards the triplets and their muffin trays.
"They think they're so clever! Well, they won't win an election by giving ponies cavities! Am I right, Prism?"
She turned to her friend and gasped when she saw her chewing on a blueberry muffin. Gemstone scowled, which made Prism stiffen.
"What?" she said with her mouth full.
Gemstone slapped her on the back, making her spit out the muffin.
"Don't encourage the enemy!"
"It's just a muffin!" Prism exclaimed. "Not like my vote counts anyway."
"We need to do better than them! To the kitchen!"
"Gem, we can't bake."
"You're right." The unicorn tapped her chin. "We'll have to think something else that will lure in the voters."
"My, what lovely bracelets!" a pegasus mare said as she peered in Gemstone's tray.
"Made them myself!" the unicorn filly said proudly. "They're for my daddy's mayor campaign! See? They spell 'Fancy Pants' in letter beads! Want one?"
"Absolutely!"
"So you'll vote for my daddy?"
"I'll consider it."
The mare took one of the bracelets and left. Gemstone turned to Prism excitedly.
"That's the third one today! We're on our way here, Prism!"
"I've gotta hand it to ya, Gem," the pegasus said. "These bracelets are pretty sweet."
"There's no way the Tri-Pies can beat us now!"
They turned with a start at the sound of a trombone. Their jaws dropped as the Tri-Pies paraded down the street, each playing a number of instruments. Cherry blew a trombone while bouncing on her back legs, resulting in the cymbals tied to her back hooves to clang together and the accordion on her head to stretch and collapse with each bounce. Blueberry had a bass drum strapped to her back as her lips alternated between a trumpet and a flute. Raspberry had a large sousaphone, which she tooted as her tail shook a maraca. Behind them, Lemon Drop levitated a large banner that read: Vote Cheese Sandwich for Mayor.
"Now that's sure to get attention," Prism commented.
"Ooh!" Gemstone grunted. "It's not fair! It's four against two!"
"Well, you can't expect Lemon Drop to go against his girlfriend's dad."
"We don't need to turn Lemon Drop to our side. We just need reinforcements." She smiled wickedly. "And I know exactly where to get them."
"Think the voters will go for our cookies?" Raspberry asked the next day.
"How could they not?" Cherry said as she held one up. "They're shaped like Daddy's head!"
"Besides, they already loved our muffins," said Blueberry. "The quickest way to a pony's vote is through their sweet tooth!"
Lemon Drop stopped in his tracks. "Uh, guys? I think some pony beat us to the punch."
The Tri-Pies gaped at the scene before them. Several colts from their class were marching around with signs telling ponies to vote for Fancy Pants.
"Don't be chancy!" they chanted. "Vote for Fancy!"
"How in the world…?" Blueberry started to say.
Gemstone then appeared, a flirtatious look in her eye. "Keep it up, boys, and afterwards, you can all treat me to a milkshake at Sugar Cube Corner."
"Anything for you, Gem," Dunkin said dreamily.
The unicorn glanced at the Tri-Pies and winked.
"She's finally done it," Cherry grumbled. "Used her bedazzling good looks for evil!"
"Well," Blueberry snorted, "four can play at that game!"
"Five, even!" Raspberry exclaimed. "Lemony, quick! Get that filly over there to come to our side!"
"What?" Lemon Drop uttered. "I'm not flirting with other girls for your benefit!"
Raspberry grinned. "Aw, you're so sweet, Lemony." She scowled. "Quit it!"
"Look!" Cherry pointed. "Kicks and Pin Cushion haven't joined them yet!"
The Tri-Pies zipped up to the two colts, alarming them. The triplets batted their eyes and flipped their manes.
"Hiiiiiii, booooys!" they said slowly and sweetly.
Kicks rolled his eyes. "What do you want?"
The triplets grunted.
"Okay, here's the deal," Blueberry whispered. "We need you guys to help with our dad's campaign."
"What's in it for us?" Pin Cushion asked, crossing his hooves.
Blueberry leaned closer to Kicks. "Remember those little snapshots I showed you a while ago?"
"Uh-uh!" Kicks declared. "No way are you loonies bluemailing me again!"
"Again?" Pin Cushion asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Very well," Blueberry said calmly. "Pin Cushion, if you join us," she pushed her red sister forward, "Cherry will go out with you."
"Really?!" the brown unicorn exclaimed excitedly.
"Really?" Cherry cringed.
"He's been crushing on you for months," Blueberry whispered. "Just go with it."
"But I don't even like him."
"You want Daddy to win, or not?"
Cherry grinned nervously at Pin Cushion. "Pick me up at seven?"
When Gemstone saw what the Tri-Pies were up to, she elbowed Prism.
"They're trying to corrupt Kicks and Pin Cushion! Stop them!"
"Why me?" Prism groaned as she massaged her side. "You're the one with the charms."
"Use your own powers of persuasion! Your hooves!"
Prism rolled her eyes as she trotted over to the colts.
"I'll go to the Foal-Free Press!" Blueberry threatened Kicks.
"I don't care what you do!" the pegasus colt said firmly. "I'm not getting tangled up in your dirty work again!"
"Join our campaign or I'll pumble ya!" Prism exclaimed, raising her hoof.
Kicks smirked as he turned away. "Your threats won't do anything either."
She threw her hoof over his shoulder and pulled him close. "Look, if you help us out, you can buy me a shake later."
Kicks grinned as he followed Prism to the rally.
"See ya, losers!" he called to the Tri-Pies.
Raspberry, Cherry and Pin Cushion gaped in surprise while Blueberry narrowed her eyes.
"Okay, no more fluffy stuff. Cherry!" She held out her hoof. "Megaphone me!"
Cherry pulled a megaphone out of her mane and handed it to her sister. Blueberry cleared a nearby soapbox and stepped up.
"Citizens of Ponyville!" she said through the megaphone.
Several ponies turned their attention to the blue filly.
"Look around you! Look at how dull and unpredictable your lives are! What, with your jobs, your responsibilities, you could be doing so much more, if only your government would allow you to! Do you want freedom?"
"Yes!" a few ponies shouted.
"Do you want excitement?"
"Yes!" some others chimed in.
"Do you want fun?"
"Yes!"
"Do you want Cheese Sandwich?"
The crowd murmured amongst themselves.
"Uh," one stallion responded, raising his hoof, "I'm lactose intolerant!"
"No!" Blueberry said, holding up a poster of her father. "I meant my dad, Cheese Sandwich, for Mayor!"
Gemstone scowled and held her hoof towards her friend. "Prism! Megaphone me!"
"What, you think I carry a megaphone around with me wherever I go?" Prism replied.
"Uh," Jelly Legs squeaked, slowly lifting his hoof. "I have one."
"Thank you, Jelly Legs," Gemstone smiled as she swiped the megaphone from his hoof. "Kicks, Dunkin, hoist me up!"
The two colts crouched down in front of her. Gemstone lightly stepped onto their backs and they lifted her up.
"Every pony!" she said through her megaphone. "Would you elect an out-of-control party animal who went under a different name for ten years? Or a respectable, reliable, noble stallion who is actually serious enough to be Mayor?"
Blueberry rolled her eyes. "Reliable, huh? Didn't your parents have a falling out last year because your dad was seeing some pony else?"
"You know very well that that was a misunderstanding! At least my father didn't lie about who he was!"
"Dad was running away from his ex-girlfriend!"
"Who was only trying to give back his scarf!" Gemstone smiled at the crowd. "If you elect my daddy, you'll be getting more money for schools and hospitals!"
"Ooh," some of the ponies uttered.
"Oh, yeah?" Blueberry grunted. "Well, if you elect our daddy, you'll be getting more holidays!"
"Ah," the crowd gasped.
"Well my daddy can actually handle the job!" Gemstone spat.
"Our dad is actually fun!" Blueberry exclaimed.
"My daddy minored in Political Science! Wasn't your daddy an elementary school drop-out?!"
The Tri-Pies gasped.
"What now?" Raspberry whispered.
"Move aside!" Cherry chimed, grabbing the megaphone. "This'll make 'em lose for sure!"
She lifted the megaphone to her mouth and hollered, "FANCY PANTS IS AGAINST GAY MARRIAGES!"
The crowd gasped in horror.
"What?!" Gemstone yelled. "No, he isn't!"
"Then why'd he cringe during Lyra and Bon-Bon's Welcome Back to Ponyville Party?" Cherry demanded.
"Because he'd just had your mother's lemon-lime-grapefruit punch!"
Blueberry took back the megaphone. "Would you have a mayor who can't even sign his own name?"
Gemstone put a hoof on her hip. "Oh, now you're discriminating against ponies with disabilities?!"
The crowd gasped again. A mother threw her hooves around a filly in a wheelchair.
"So you wanna play rough, huh?" Blueberry demanded. "Okay, then! Do you want a prim, pompous, pretentious pony for Mayor?"
"What'd she say?" Gemstone whispered to Prism.
"What do I look like?" Prism replied. "A dictionary?"
The unicorn looked desperately at her groupies. "Quick, does any pony know any big words I can use?"
"Uh…" Jelly Legs raised his hoof. "I might, uh…"
"Tell me!"
She leaned down as he whispered in her ear. Gemstone smiled and lifted the megaphone back up.
"Would you reduce this city to an anarchy?!"
"Oh, how typical of you conservative capitalists!" Blueberry retorted. "Just because we want a little leeway, you assume we're gonna crumble the country into chaos!"
"Give me some more big words!" Gemstone whispered to Jelly Legs.
After he gave her more suggestions, the unicorn's eyes blazed with fire.
"Socialist!" she called.
"Communist!" Blueberry countered.
"Fascist!"
"Republican!"
"Monocrat!"
"Federalist!"
"Oligarchy!"
"Any idea what they're talking about?" Raspberry murmured.
Cherry and Lemon Drop shrugged.
"Aristocrat!"
"Terrorist!"
"Tax collector!"
"ENOUGH!" two female voices shouted.
Every pony turned to the white unicorn and pink earth pony.
"Move along, folks!" Pinkie hollered. "Nothing to see here!"
"All of you!" Rarity commanded. "Shoo!"
Gemstone and the Tri-Pies ditched their megaphones and tried to disappear into the crowd.
"Not so fast!" Rarity snapped.
The fillies turned around and smiled up awkwardly at their mothers.
"Now, Gemstone," Rarity said, crossing her hooves, "when I said you could help me with your father's campaign…"
"And when I said you three could go crazy…" Pinkie said to her daughters.
"This isn't what I meant!" the mares finished together.
"But they…" Gemstone said, pointing at the Tri-Pies.
"But she…" the triplets said, pointing at Gemstone.
"No buts!" their mothers shouted.
"When Pinkie and I heard our husbands were running against each other," Rarity continued, "we didn't think it would drive a wedge between you girls!"
"Yeah!" Pinkie nodded. "Rarity and I agreed to keep the competition friendly, but this, girls, is not friendly!"
"Where'd you even learn those words, anyway?"
"Books," Blueberry muttered.
"Jelly Legs," Gemstone whimpered.
"Name calling is not nice!" Pinkie scolded. "Especially when you use words you don't know the meaning of!"
"And you shouldn't let silly things like politics get in the way of your friendship!" Rarity said firmly. "This election is between your fathers and should in no way affect you girls at all! Understand?"
The girls hung their heads and groaned, "Yes."
"Good. Now, the big debate is tomorrow and it is important that you girls be on your best behavior!"
"Yeah, so no more badmouthing each other!" Pinkie commanded.
"We won't," the four fillies grumbled.
"Pinkie Promise?"
"Cross our hearts and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in our eyes."
The mares looked at each other and grinned.
"Alright, girls, let's go home then," Pinkie said. "We've got a lot of baking to do for tomorrow!"
"And we have some signs to make, Gem," Rarity said, pushing her daughter in the opposite direction.
As the girls went their separate ways, Pin Cushion quickly caught up to Cherry.
"So, we still on for tonight?" he asked hopefully.
Cherry narrowed her eyes and pushed him away. "Get lost."
That night, at City Hall, two small figures cloaked in black bodysuits were creeping along the walls. A security guard came through the front door and started looking around with a flashlight. One figure pulled the other through the door before the guard could spot them. Inside, the stage was set up for tomorrow's debate with two podiums standing beside each other.
"Gem, I'm not so sure about this," Prism whispered.
"Don't be silly!" Gemstone exclaimed as she levitated something out of her black saddlebag. "We just have to put this slow-drying superglue on Cheese Sandwich's desk thing and when he puts his hooves down, he'll find himself in a sticky situation!"
"But you Pinkie Promised that you wouldn't…"
"That I wouldn't do any more badmouthing! I didn't say anything about sabotage!"
Meanwhile, backstage, four more foals dressed in black were digging through a bag.
"So you see," Blueberry finished explaining, "we won't be breaking any promises."
"I can't believe you guys talked me into this," Lemon Drop whispered. "What if we get caught?"
"We'll just say we were sleepwalking!" Cherry chimed.
"Dressed as ninjas and carrying…what is that stuff?"
Blueberry smiled as she pulled out a bundle of wires. "Just the equipment we need to ensure our victory. After a bit of rewiring, Fancy Pants' microphone will make him sound like a chipmunk!"
"And then the election will be mine!" Gemstone declared.
"Mine!"
At the same time, the two fillies let out dangerously evil laughs, which made Prism and Lemon Drop shrink in fear.
"Gem, you're really starting to scare me," Prism whimpered.
"I think you're taking this whole election way too seriously," Lemon Drop quivered.
"Come, Prism!" Gemstone said, trotting up to the stage. "We have work to do!"
"Come, sisters!" said Blueberry. "And Lemon Drop! We have mayhem to wreak!"
The triplets and Lemon Drop crawled up to Fancy Pants' podium while Gemstone and Prism approached Cheese Sandwich's. When the two teams caught sight of each other, they shrieked in surprise.
"What are you doing here?!" Gemstone demanded.
"Us?" Blueberry replied. "What about you?!" She gasped when she noticed the superglue. "You're here to sabotage our dad's debate!"
The unicorn scowled at the pile of wires. "Apparently, so are you!"
"Who cares?! Our dad's gonna win no matter what it takes!"
"No mine is!"
"Ours!"
"Mine!"
"Ours!"
"Mine!"
"Ours!"
"Mine!"
The doors burst open and flashlights blinded the foals.
"What in Equestria is going on here?"
The voice belonged to Fancy Pants. When the flashlights were lowered, the foals could see that the other flashlight was held by Cheese Sandwich.
"What I tell ya?" he said as they approached the stage. "My Cheesy Sense was right on the bat!"
"Gemstone, what is the meaning of this?" Fancy Pants demanded.
"Girls, what's with the wires?"
"And why are Prism and Lemon Drop here?"
"It's not his fault, Daddy!" Raspberry insisted. "We made Lemon Drop come here!"
"And I asked Prism to come!" Gemstone added.
"But what are you all doing here in the first place?" Fancy Pants asked again.
Gemstone and the Tri-Pies looked down at their hooves.
"Well, uh…" Blueberry uttered.
"You see…" Gemstone murmured.
"No need!" Cheese Sandwich exclaimed. "I know what superglue and wires mean! You're trying to sabotage the debate!"
Fancy Pants put a hoof to his head. "Oh, Gemstone! Your mother told me you were going overboard with the campaign, but I didn't think it would be this bad!"
"And girls! What did I tell you about pranking ponies for evil?"
"Not to mention breaking and entering! And getting your friends involved in such foolishness?"
"Shame on you!"
The four fillies hung their heads.
"We're sorry, Dad," Blueberry said.
"I just wanted you to win, Daddy," Gemstone said apologetically.
"Oh, dear," Fancy Pants said, shaking his head. "I should've known us running against each other would cause friction between the children."
"Kids," said Cheese, "you know we both wanna be Mayor, but not through dirty tricks."
"Would you rather one of us win dishonestly?"
Their daughters shook their heads and replied, "No."
"That's right. We want a clean election."
"And no matter who wins," Cheese said, putting a hoof around Fancy, "we're not gonna let that get in the way of us being buddies, and neither should you."
"Now apologize."
"We're sorry," the four said.
The stallions crossed their hooves and said, "To each other."
Gemstone and the Tri-Pies looked at each other for a moment before moving into a group hug.
"Apologize to Prism and Lemon Drop too," Fancy demanded, "since you dragged them into this."
"Sorry, Prism," Gemstone said to her pegasus friend. "I guess I got a little carried away."
"Sorry, Lemony," Raspberry said. "I hope this doesn't mean we can't be boyfriend and girlfriend anymore."
Prism and Lemon Drop smiled.
"Ah, we forgive ya, guys," the pegasus said.
"Yeah," the colt nodded. "We love you guys no matter how crazy you get." He glanced at Raspberry. "Especially you, Razz."
Raspberry squealed as she squeezed her coltfriend. Gemstone did the same to Prism.
"Well," Cheese Sandwich grinned, "glad that that's all settled."
"Now let's all go home," Fancy Pants suggested. "Scootaloo and Lemon Drop's mothers are probably worried sick."
"Oh, by the way, you girls are grounded."
The unicorn stallion nodded. "Until the election is over."
Their daughters sighed. "Fair enough."
Several weeks later, the citizens of Ponyville waited outside City Hall in anticipation for the new Mayor to be announced. The candidates and their families stood in the front row.
"Good luck, old chap," Fancy Pants whispered to his opponent.
"You too," Cheese responded with a smile.
"No matter what happens, you were a worthy opponent."
"Ditto."
The door opened and Princess Twilight stepped out onto the terrace.
"Alright, every pony!" she announced. "The ballots have been counted! Would the candidates come up here, please?"
The crowd cheered as Fancy Pants and Cheese Sandwich stepped up to the alicorn's sides.
"It was a close race," Twilight said as she took each of the stallion's hooves, "but your new mayor is…"
A drumroll was played.
"It's gotta be your dad," Gemstone told the Tri-Pies.
"Nah, it's gotta be yours," Blueberry replied.
Then Twilight lifted the winner's hoof.
"Fancy Pants!"
Half the crowd erupted in applause.
"Yes!" Gemstone cheered, leaping in the air. "Yay, Daddy!"
The Tri-Pies momentarily hung their heads, but smiled at Gemstone.
"Congratulations, Gem," Blueberry said, shaking the unicorn's hoof.
Onstage, the candidates were shaking hooves too.
"I voted for you," Cheese whispered.
"And I, you," Fancy replied.
The unicorn was then tackled by his wife and daughters.
"I knew you'd win!" Rarity shouted excitedly. "I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!"
"Me too!" Gemstone squealed.
"Mah!" Jewel gurgled.
Pinkie and the triplets went to console Cheese.
"Sorry you didn't win, Dad," Raspberry said.
"It's okay, girls," Cheese said, giving his family a squeeze. "It's just as well. Fancy Pants knows a lot more about politics than me. Heck, I didn't even know what they were talking about when they asked me what I was going to do about the economic crisis! Besides, I already have the best job in the world."
"Running the party palace?" Pinkie asked.
"Nope. Looking after you girls."
"Awwwwww!" the Pie girls said as they moved to embrace the stallion again.
Prism and Lemon Drop looked on in approval.
"I think Uncle Fancy will make a good mayor," the pegasus said.
"I'm just glad every pony made up," said the colt. "Boy, I never wanna get mixed up in politics again!"
"How do you think it'll be when we're eighteen and we have to vote?"
They looked at each other and cringed.
"How about we avoid the chaos completely and not vote?" Lemon Drop suggested.
"Sounds good to me."
Scootaloo, who was standing nearby, rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure. That's the lesson that needs to be learned here."