Regression: Isekai of Equestria

by JackofEquestria

Chapter 49: Election Day (Last Edited: 5/17/2022)

November 3, 2020

Ponyville Town Hall

The turnout for the election was higher than anyone would have thought. In every town, city, and village ponies of all strides gathered in mass around the administrative buildings. Non-ponies too were eager to have their voice heard. Ponyville was no different and Mayor Mare was struggling to maintain order around where the booths had been set up.

“If everypony could please form into ten single file lines around the booths,” she said. “No shoving and no peaking, you’ll all get your turn and it’s nopony’s business who somepony else votes for!”

“Ooooh, isn’t this so exciting, girls?!!” Twilight squealed as she and the rest of the Mane Six stood formed into their lines.

“Not the word I’d use,” Rainbow Dash said, with a bored sigh.

“Don’t worry, Dashie!” Pinkie giggled. “We can throw an election day party later!”

“I guess that makes it worth it,” Rainbow Dash said. “I still don’t get what the big deal is. It can’t make that much of a difference who wins right?”

“You don’ know what yer sayin’, Rainbow,” Applejack said. “These farm subsidies the Liberals are goin’ on about could be a real game changer for mah family.”

“And can you imagine if Three Arrows were to abolish private industry?” Rarity asked. “My dream of opening a Boutique in Canterlot would be ruined! What do you think, Fluttershy?”

“Um well, I…” Fluttershy began. “Don’t you think it’s a little unfair?”

“Unfair?” Rarity asked.

“Well not all peasants were able to do as well as us in Ponyville,” Fluttershy said. “I mean you were able to run a successful business, but what if you lived in the slums of Canterlot?”

“Well, I suppose it would have been quite a bit more difficult dear, but I worked hard to get where I am,” Rarity answered. “I only recently paid off the loan I took out, would it be fair for somepony to take that from me because some ponies are worse off?”

Fluttershy’s Cottage

School had been canceled across Equestria for election day. The teachers had to vote too after all. As such Jack was lazing around the cottage. He briefly glanced at the ballot in front of him before going back to playing Majora’s Mask 3D. Since he was legally a minor he couldn’t very well go out and vote with everyone else. As such a ballot was mailed to him. He could fill it out and have Spike send it to Canterlot any time he wanted, so there was no point in rushing. Best to wait till everyone else had gone home anyway. Or at least that’s what he told himself.

In truth, he still couldn’t help but see some reason to Three Arrows' views. He knew those ideas had been tried and failed multiple times throughout human history, but the more he read up the more he thought the biggest factor to socialist failure was humanity’s tendency to abuse any power they have over others. Perhaps, just perhaps, the ponies could make it work. Celestia had ruled for well over a millennium without any manner of abuse, she’d even voluntarily given up much of her power to the Royal Court and now was poised to give up her remaining power in the name of Democracy. Then again Celestia was only one example, he’d seen others in Equestria abuse their power the same as humans. Jack sighed at the thought and redirected his focus to defeating Twinmold.

Bon Bon’s Confectionary

Sweetie Drops was casually sorting through her stock. She knew that today was the election day, but she figured it’d be best to go later when the crowds died down. Besides she had a lot to think about and tending to her shop had a clearing effect on her mind.

“If there is a demon pony still alive, why would it be here?” she asked herself. “More importantly why would it make contact with Jager?”

She was so focused on her thoughts she didn’t notice the bell signaling a customer entering the store.

“Sumimasen?”

“Huh?!” she gasped noticing the filly at the desk.

“Pinkie Pie-sama asked me to pick up her order,” the filly said.

“Oh yes, of course,” Sweetie Drops nodded, rushing to the back to wheel out a massive cart full of candy. “15 sugar sticks, 20 pounds of taffy, 70 chocolate bars, 30 pounds of sour balls, 5 pounds of candy corn, 90 lollipops, and 20 pounds of gummy worms. Did she send the bits with you or did she want this on her tab?”

“She opened a tab at a candy shop?” the filly questioned.

“Yes, she currently has a running tab of 2000 bits,” Sweetie Drops answered.

“I don’t have nearly enough bits for all this, so I’ll just add it to her tab,” the filly decided.

“Ok, Pinkie Pie’s tab is now 2650.71 bits,” Sweetie Drops calculated. “Will you need assistance transporting your purchase?”

“I have a wagon for it outside,” the filly said. “Mind bringing it out for me?”

“Of course,” Sweetie Drops nodded. “Just wait outside.”

As the filly walked out Sweetie Drops finally noticed how unique she looked. Bat wings, a spiked tail, like thestrall but not.

“Huh!” Sweetie Drops gasped. “It couldn’t be!”

As she wheeled her cart out to the filly’s wagon and began unloading, she couldn’t believe her luck.

“Is something wrong?” the filly asked, seeing Sweetie Drops staring.

“What’s your name?” Sweetie Drops asked.

“Sakura Blossom,” the filly answered.

“Well, Sakura Blossom, since you came here on Pinkie Pie’s behalf, I’ll need to accompany you to Sugar Cube Corner to make sure you aren’t pulling some kind of scam,” Sweetie Drops lied.

“I understand,” Sakura agreed.

Ponyville Town Square

It had only been an hour and things at the polls were already getting tense. A group of labor supporters and a group of nationalists had been bickering for the past half hour. Words turned to hooves, hooves to rocks, and rocks to blasts of magic.

“What brutes!” Rarity gasped.

“Somepony oughta stop ‘em!” Applejack shouted, reaching for her lasso. “They’ll wreck the town at this rate!”

“No need,” Twilight sighed as a squad of royal guards descended upon the crowd. “Princess Celestia suspected this kind of thing might happen. That’s why she tasked the Royal Guard with securing the polls.”

The Mane Six watched as the rioters were engulfed in a magic bubble and lifted away from the town square.

Stream outside Fluttershy’s Cottage

Jack dipped his toes into the water as he looked through the ballot. There was a total of three positions to fill out, President, Senator, and Representative.

For president Labor had put forth Three Arrows with a mare by the name of Starry Plough as his running mate. The Nationalists had put forth Prince Blue Blood with Hoity Toity as his running mate. Finally, much to their chagrin Princess Celestia and Princess Luna had been shoehorned into the Liberal ticket last minute. It was a good strategy. Princess Celestia in particular had almost universally high approval ratings throughout the nation, but at the same time, this ticket somewhat defeated the point of regime change.

For the Everfree Province, there were two seats in the senate open. Labor was running Lyra Heartstrings and Zecora. The Nationalists were running Filthy Rich and pegasus stallion named Gold Rush. Finally, the Liberals were running Time Turner and Mayor Mare.

Finally, Ponyville was the site of Everfree District One which along with all other districts would have a single representative. Labor had nominated a local gardener named Red Rose, the Nationalists had nominated Filthy Rich’s wife, Spoiled Rich, and the Liberals had nominated Cherry Berry.

Putting the ballot aside Jack gazed across the stream to where his turtles were basking on a log.

“Heya, Jack!” a voice from behind him said.

Leaning backward he could see the Crusaders had gathered behind him. “Oh, hey, girls,” he greeted. “Didn’t see y’all coming in.”

“We went to the front door first, but nopony answered,” Sweetie Belle said.

“They wanted to leave, but I said we should check here first,” Scootaloo said.

“Nuh-uh,” Apple Bloom said. “You were gunna leave too, ya jus’ saw him when we were goin’ over the bridge.”

“Was not!” Scootaloo exclaimed.

“Were so!” Apple Bloom countered.

“Enough!” Jack interrupted knowing they’d go on for a few minutes if no one intervened. “What’s on tap for today’s crusading?”

Sugarcube Corner

Once they arrived at Sugarcube Corner, Sakura and Sweetie Drops began unloading Pinkie’s candy.

“So, Mis Blossom,” Sweetie Drops began. “You’re from Neighpon, yes?”

“Hai,” Sakura affirmed.

“What brings you to Ponyville?”

“I’m an orphan,” Sakura answered. “Pinkie-san took me in.”

“That so?” Sweetie Drops asked. “It just seems weird that a Neighponese orphan would wind up in Equestria, let alone Ponyville of all places.”

“My oka-san died while we were on a trip to Manehatten,” Sakura lied. “I have no other family to go home to so I was left to fend for myself. Eventually, I ended up in the Everfee and that’s where Pinkie-san found me.”

“Did you get that tail and your wings from her?” Sweetie Drops asked. “Your mother, I mean.”

To say Sakura was like a dear in a headlight would be inaccurate. For only a moment, she seemed like a viper backed in a corner and poised to strike. Fortunately, she thought better of it.

“She-she was a thestral,” Sakura said. “I’m half thestral.”

Sweetie Drops left the store soon after, confident in her analysis. Sakura was a demon pony. The last of her kind. Her connection to Jack was unclear, but she was a major threat that must be dealt with.”

That Night

Once the voting was done Pinkie invited everyone in town for a post-election party. They wouldn’t know the results until tomorrow as they were to be announced at the Gala, but spirits were high.

Applejack and her family handed out samples of their famous cider, a rare treat out of season which Rainbow Dash took more than her fair share of as Scootaloo gleefully watched her take shot after shot. Twilight, Cheerilee, and Mayor Mare got into a heated discussion on politics. Pinkie Pie worked out a payment plan for her tab with Bon Bon, while Sakura unenthusiastically hung around with her peons. Sweetie Belle gave her a quick sour look, before turning her attention to the dress Rarity had been relentlessly showing off to anypony she could.

Jack and Spike were in the kitchen, out of sight of the crowd.

“Can we hurry this up?” Spike asked. “If I’m not careful some other guy might ask Rarity to dance!”

“This’ll only take a second,” Jack said pulling out an envelope. “Can you send this to Celestia?”

“Oh, uh, sure,” Spike agreed.

In a flash of green flames, the letter disappeared. Jack watched with lingering uncertainty as to if he made the right choice.

Author's Note:

I think this one could still use some polishing, especially at the end. I'm certainly enjoying being a park ranger, though I wish the state of South Carolina would understand that a 30 cent per hour raise is nothing with prices the way they are. I'm not gonna push my luck by asking for 15 an hour (even though they asked for a degree to qualify for the position), but I don't think 12 is too much to ask for. Donating plasma gets me a few hundred extra per month, but my CR-V is having a rust problem on one of the doors. Probably gonna have a junkyard visit in the future. I think it will probably be cheapest to buy a new door entirely and then take it to a body shop so they can put it on. Just seems like the labor cost of cutting out the rust and welding in new metal would be too expensive.

Next Time: Celestia announces the election results at the Gala, where the Mane Six and Jack try their best to enjoy themselves. Unfortunately, the Nationalists choose now to make their move, as do the Elements of Chaos. The final arc of Regression: Isekai of Equestria begins!

Comments

[anomoly]

11248746
didn't notice, but ok. He's still a dick.