The Old Gray Mare

by Thornwing

Rating: everyone
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Mayor Mare, Twilight Sparkle, Slice of Life
Length: 5345

Mayor Mare comes to terms with her diminishing role in small town government.

Ever since Twilight came to town, Mayor Mare's position as leader of Ponyville has been slipping. With her destiny overshadowed by the new princess on the block, it's time for the old gray mare to move on.

Originally submitted as part of the February 2015 Writeoff "Closing Time".

**Now with dramatic reading by Goombasa!**

Cover art by harwicks-art.

Published 2015-02-20 01:30:02 UTC
Last updated 2015-02-20 01:30:02 UTC

The Old Gray Mare

I stared down at the parchment underhoof. You would think by now I would have gotten used to this sort of thing. In all my years in office, I’d planted my hoof on so many documents I’d lost count. This one was different. This one was final. It took most of the morning to get it written up.

Nothing too complex; it said what it had to say. If nothing else, I always stuck to the simple form in official documents. I was one of those crazy bureaucrats that the lawyers loved to hate. No loopholes, no vague interpretations, nothing unclear in the slightest. Still, the words felt foreign, like they couldn’t possibly have been written by me. One last look confirmed my fears.

I, Mayor M. Mare, do hereby resign as Mayor of Ponyville, effective immediately.

The playful mares that graced the top of the page as part of the official Ponyville crest seemed to wave goodbye, an innocent smile spread across their faces. With a heavy heart, I scribbled the date to the right of the signature line and stamped my hoof to the page. Staring at the line below that, I felt my stomach turn in knots. Nopony else knew about this, but there was one official that I had to inform. One last piece of business, and I could ride off into the sunset leaving everything I loved behind.

I sheathed my quill and rolled up the parchment. Fixing my pouch around my sagging flank, I added the scroll to the pocket. With a sigh, I took one last turn around the office. How many years had it been? Twenty? Thirty? Certainly too many to count. All those years I’d spent behind a desk came crashing down around me. This was all I had to show for my life. A stack of papers, my official ribbon cutting scissors, my inkwell and hoofstamp pad—none of it mattered. Breaking the shackles of office had to be the hardest thing I’d ever tried to accomplish, and it scared me more than I cared to admit.

Stepping out into the hall, I closed up my office for the last time. A rattle of the latch and a shake of the frame plainly showed the door’s age. We built things to last in Ponyville, but nothing lasted forever. The gold letters would need to go; maybe just the Mare part though. Perhaps they would do something silly and make the office some kind of memorial. Making such a waste of good office space wouldn’t come as a surprise. It was hard to envision what would become of this building, much less the one room that grew to be as familiar to me as my own bedroom. There wasn’t much use for it now with the new castle in town. City Hall was my home, but it was time to move on.

I shuffled past the front desk and smiled at the receptionist. “Feel free to take the rest of the day off. I’m heading out early.” She looked a little surprised, but nearly made it out the door ahead of me. Hopefully she could find a new job with the incoming administration. I’m sure I could put in a good word for her if I remembered. I still hadn’t officially made up my mind what my next step would be. Perhaps by forcing the issue, I would find the decision would be made for me. That seemed to be happening a lot more lately.

My short walk through town carried me up Mane Street. A thriving community hurried about the business of the day centered in and around the town square market. Dozens of ponies gathered to trade and gossip away the morning, the biggest news of the day having yet to break. Drinking in the excitement in the air, the thought occurred to me that I might open a stationary shop. That thought quickly vanished considering I would be hard pressed to find a vacant space in a town with a near one-hundred-percent occupancy rate. That, and there was always Quills and Sofas; I knew Davenport well. It wouldn’t feel right to compete with another pony’s livelihood. I knew how that felt.

Passing the trade district, I sauntered up the lane straddling Everfree Park and a row of two story brownstones. The park looked deserted, overgrown and a little wild for being situated so close to the center of town. Green space was important to a growing city, but maybe they could use the acreage for more shops or houses. Ponyville wasn’t getting any smaller, after all. I could barely keep up with the times, and the times were changing fast. What once felt like the surest of convictions left me with a small cleft of doubt that perhaps I had not made the best choice for the city. I quickly brushed those thoughts aside. That was something for the new leadership to consider.

Further up the lane, the school bell sounded, and the foals rushed inside their classroom. Miss Cheerilee looked after them all with such diligent care. The next generation would make a fine showing in society under her guidance. My days in the old schoolyard sat far in the past, barely a flicker on the edge of my memory. I chuckled to myself considering the idea of volunteering at the school. I could never be as good as Cheerilee. My talent lay in politics, not education. The closest I’d come to mixing the two was being elected class president. That felt like two lifetimes ago.

I turned my step up the path toward the towering edifice proudly looming over the next rise. Each step I took felt like tugging a lead-weighted hoof through a swamp. I grit my teeth and held my head as high as I could. One hoof in front of the other brought me that much closer to the end. Without even realizing it, the castle doors barred my next hooffall.

I held my breath and closed my eyes. The minutes ticked away as only seconds passed.

I knocked.

My legs felt like gelatin left out on the counter overnight. I hardly gave notice to the state of my mane and tail, and silently chided myself for not dressing more formally. With the distraction of drawing up my resignation, I even forgot my official’s collar back at the office. Hardly a problem, seeing as I wouldn’t need it anymore, I took a step back to consider retrieving it.

The door swung open.

The Princess smiled and held out a hoof in welcome. “Mayor Mare, how wonderful to see you. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I-I’m sorry to bother you, Princess.” The words caught in my throat. I forgot my rehearsed speech. “It’s nothing really. I only meant to drop this with your assistant.” It took me three tries to unfasten the flap on my pouch and extract the scroll. With a deflating sigh, I passed it over. “You don’t have to deal with it right now, but I will need your signature before close of business today.”

The Princess took hold of the scroll with her magic. I turned to walk away.

“Won’t you come in?” She sounded hurt. Maybe it was my old mind playing tricks on me. “It’s been a while, and I would love to catch up, if you aren’t busy.”

“I’m as far from busy as they come, Princess.” I stopped and turned back. “If it’s all the same, I must politely decline your offer.”

The Princess approached with a look of worry in her eyes. “Is something wrong? You look like somepony just trampled your garden.”

“I’m sorry, Princess.” I had a hard enough time getting to this point, and this encounter was making it worse. “I have a lot on my mind, and I really should get home.”

“Please, come in and sit down.” Her gestures made the invitation seem less compulsory that I knew it was. “We’ll have some lunch, and you can tell me all about it. What kind of friend would I be if I wasn’t here to listen?”

A friend. The Princess was a good friend. I wasn’t sure why I needed to remind myself of that. “Alright, but only a short lunch. I still have a few bags to pack before the evening train.” Once I was on that train and far away from town, I should be at peace with my decision. Nothing held me here except simple formality. I chose to stay and have lunch; it was my own decision.

I slid past my host and into the castle foyer. The door shut behind her, and she waved me over to the side room. “Are you taking a trip? A vacation perhaps?”

“You might call it that,” I replied, stepping into the sitting room and eying a velvet-topped couch. “I have some family in Manehattan. Been meaning to visit for years.”

“That sounds like fun.” Princess Twilight walked around the couch and settled into a high back chair opposite my bench and across a small, crystal table. “I’ve thought about taking a vacation, but I can never find the time to get away.”

“It only gets worse the longer you put it off.” I said the words and immediately wished I hadn’t.

“How long has it been since your last vacation?” She asked as plainly and innocently as she could. Her words tore open the wound I hid carefully inside.

“I’ve never taken one.” The pillow-soft cushion underneath felt like cold stone against my belly. I flicked my tail to the side and tried to adjust my seat. It didn’t make me feel any more comfortable.

“Never?”

“Never,” I replied. The sting of those words struck a chord. My work was my life, and I had little to show for it after so many years with my muzzle to the grindstone. There were so many things that I never found time for in my work-a-day life. Love, family, a foal—vacations were the least of my problems. The opening of the wound let all those feelings of regret flow from my heart.

“Well you certainly deserve some time away.” Twilight conjured up a tray of light sandwiches and tea. “The town should be able to hold together for a few weeks, at least, with you gone.” A pair of cups and sandwich plates floated over to the table between us.

“Actually, I was thinking about something more permanent.” I wasn’t trying to hide it, but the conversation was heading into territory I didn’t want to confront. I needed to take care of business and be on my way.

“I’m not sure I follow?” Twilight looked up from the tray and floated the scroll over from the side stand. “It wouldn’t have anything to do with this, now would it?”

“Actually, it does.” It was no use, the truth had to come out sooner or later. Expressionless, I stared straight ahead, focusing mostly on the wall behind the Princess. “I just need you to sign and date at the bottom.”

Twilight unrolled the page and read the single line. The parchment dropped from her horngrasp with a light rustle, partially rolling up as it hit the floor. Her eyes met mine. I could tell she had a number of things she wanted to say, a million questions to ask. All that came out was, “What? Why?”

My eyes wandered. My friend and nemesis both, I couldn’t bear to look at her straight on. “I thought about finishing out my term, but there’s really no point. You can probably forgo elections altogether. Ponyville doesn’t need a mayor with a princess in town.” I surprised myself with my own bluntness.

The moment slipped away in eerie silence. I felt a hoof gently slide over my shoulder. Shuddering under the contact, my professional defenses melted. Her words broke the dam. “I’m sorry, Mayor, but I can’t accept your resignation.”

“Why not?” I brushed her hoof away. “I’m perfectly within my rights to resign at any moment I feel unfit for duty.”

“There’s a bigger problem here.” Twilight backed away. Pausing, she hung her head. “I’m sorry, Madame Mayor. I never meant to overshadow you.”

“You can forgo the title, Princess. Call me Mary, Mary Mare.”

Twilight’s mouth hung ajar. She turned to look my way, but nothing escaped her fog of confusion.

“Just sign the form, and I can go back to being plain old Mary, the not-mayor, Mare.” It felt weird hearing my own name come out of my mouth.

“I-I never knew you had a first name,” Twilight said, reeling in some kind of shock. “You’ve always been Mayor Mare.”

“I’ve had the title for so long, I’d practically forgotten my own name.” I stepped down off the couch and went to retrieve my resignation form. “I suppose I should get used to using it again.”

Before I could take up the scroll, Twilight’s magic closed around it. “Mayor, we need to talk about this.” Her worried stare felt unsettling in the already turbulent state of unrest swirling around my decision. “I can’t let you resign. Ponyville needs you!”

“No, Princess Twilight. Ponyville needs you,” I said with as much emphasis as I could place on redirecting the honor.

“You’re wrong,” Twilight said. “And call me Twilight. I don’t want you calling me princess if it means that you don’t see yourself as mayor.”

“Actually, you’re more mayor than I ever was.” I casually circled around toward the window, my practiced lines getting a chance to make my case. “You’ve taken over Winter Wrap-Up Day, saved the town from countless disasters, become the go-to pony for all problems great and small, and now, you even have a better office than City Hall. I’ve been mayor for decades, and what have I got to show for it? A pile of paperwork?”

“I think we should take a walk,” Twilight said and motioned toward the door.

It didn't feel like I had a choice in the matter, but I needed to head back into town anyway. If she wanted to tag along for the trip, I really couldn't stop her. With a silent nod, I headed toward the door.

Leaving the castle, the view of the town sent a tingle down my spine. My quiet, little village all tucked away at the edge of the Everfree Forest waved hello as well as goodbye. Twilight stepped up beside me as we walked down the path together. A royal escort was hardly needed, but who was I to decline such an honor.

“Ponyville won’t be the same without you.” Her comment gave me a moment’s pause.

“Of course it will,” I said. “The town’s bigger than any single pony.”

“Not when that pony is you,” she replied. “You’ve done more good for this town than anypony I know, myself included.”

“That doesn’t mean I can’t be replaced.” My reply drew a stalemate. The tap of hooves on hard-packed dirt added to the swish of tail and mane. I knew my time had come; there was no denying that.

Retracing my steps into town, we passed by the schoolhouse. Twilight stopped by the fence and waved over to Cheerliee sitting at her desk just inside the door. Cheerilee waved back. I stepped up next to Twilight, curious to see the lesson of the day written across the chalkboard.

“I hear you were the one responsible for this,” Twilight said.

“I don’t know what you mean,” I replied. “Responsible for what?”

“For building the school.” Twilight shot me one of her signature grins.

“Hardly. I merely headed the commission to address the issue of the lack of public education options in town.” I stepped back from the rail. “The funds practically raised themselves.”

“And you convinced Cheerliee to teach when she had offers from some of the most prestigious universities in all of Equestria.” Twilight’s smile broadened, like she thought my actions worthy of praise. “She’s a particularly brilliant teacher, and she’s here thanks to you.”

“The case was made that she would have more of an impact on the future leaders of Equestria by teaching foals in the country than dealing with the hard-headed academics in Canterlot.” I turned to head into town. “She made her own decision.” Twilight followed. I knew what was going on.

Back on the road, I tried to get some things off my back. “Twilight, I know what you’re trying to do. You want to show me that I’ve somehow made a huge impact on Ponyville, and that nopony could ever replace me.” Our walk took us past the houses and park as we neared the center of town proper. “I’ve made a few enemies over the years, and not everypony thinks so highly of me.”

“Oh, really?” Twilight said. “I can’t imagine anypony taking issue with building a school.”

“It wasn’t that,” I said, a small chuckle in my voice. “I got in quite the scuffle with Filthy Rich about his big crate, super shopping center that he wanted to build right over there.” I pointed toward the park. “Fought him hoof and tail, and ended up having to designate the land as ‘green space’ before he finally backed down. He hasn’t forgiven me; thinks I’m halting progress.”

“Well, that’s just it,” Twilight said. “Nopony else would have stood up to him. Without you, where could ponies run and play? How could we sit and watch the pegasi roll the clouds by? Picnics in the park are one of things I enjoy most of all with my friends—our pets need the space just as much as we do.”

“We live in the country,” I said, my pragmatic side coming out. “You can do all of those things without a designated park.” The noise of the bustling town square drowned out the sound of our hooves.

“So, why did you make one?” Twilight asked.

“Because of this.” I raised my hoof and pointed around. “If I allowed one pony to build a one-stop-shop store right here in town, all of these ponies would be out of work. Not only that, we’d lose the interaction that comes from gathering in the town square. That’s the real heart of Ponyville, not some washed up old mayor.”

“I take it back, you’re not a good mayor.” Twilight walked out ahead and turned back after taking in the view of the whole square. “You’re the greatest mayor Ponyville could ever hope for.”

“That’s very nice of you to say, Twilight.” I could feel my cheeks blushing, my glasses sliding off the end of my muzzle. “You put me on a pedestal, and it makes it harder for me to go. Even so, I know I’ll leave Ponyville in good hooves. Who better to take over for me than a princess?”

“So you’re just going to leave?!” Twilight’s frustration drew the eye of the crowd.

I smiled back at the onlookers and lowered my voice to a whisper. “I’m headed to Manehattan to help my brother with his reelection campaign. Who knows, I may end up back in Ponyville when I’m done with that, but my time as mayor is over. I’ve done what I needed to do. I had a good run, and now it’s your turn to lead.”

“But… But Ponyville needs you,” Twilight said, pleading with all she could muster. “I need you…”

“I’m sorry, Twilight, but I’m just not the mayor I used to be. I can’t compete with a princess. As much as I might want to stay and help run the town, all I’m good for now is smiling and waving.” I glanced up at the City Hall clock tower. The afternoon was quickly slipping away. “I really have to get going. There’s a good deal to pack before the train leaves.”

“Isn’t there anything I can do to convince you to stay?” Twilight asked, with one last pleading gesture to the town’s first, last, and only mayor.

“I don’t think there is,” I said, giving a smile to let her know there were no hard feelings. “Thank you making the effort to try and get me to stay. You’ve made the decision easier and harder at the same time.”

I left her in the square and continued on to my house around back of City Hall. The sting of her gaze bit into my flank. In truth, I pitied her. The one thing I couldn’t bring myself to mention would be something she would have to face for herself. For all my years of devoted service to the city, my only regret came in not having a family of my own. I feared the same future for Twilight.

It was one thing to be totally absorbed with your work. It was quite another to have it frighten away any potential suitors. I thought back on my life and the possibility of a thrilling romance, the sound of a newborn foal gracing the office at City Hall. That life was never for me. Even so, it was too late for all that now. I’d let the opportunity pass me by. Ponyville was my foal, and I’d watched her grow into a lovely young mare. It was time for me to take my leave and let my little one fly on without me.

Formalities aside, it felt good to be free of my job. I had been a good fit for the position, but situations had changed. A long train ride to visit my brother awaited, and I found myself packing only a fraction of what I thought I should bring. In a little under two hours, I found myself standing on the platform at Ponyville Station with two moderately full saddlebags and a small suitcase. I could hardly be seen as packing for a weekend getaway, much less carrying what amounted to my entire life in a few bags.

As I stared down the tracks watching and waiting for my train to carry me forward to the next chapter, the Princess swooped in around the corner, coming to a stop a little out of breath.

“I’m…so glad…I found you,” Twilight managed to say. “You weren't at your house, and I thought maybe you’d caught an earlier train.”

“No,” I replied, a little more casually than I intended. “Didn’t take me as long to pack as I thought it would, though.”

“Anyway, I’m not here to stop you,” Twilight said folding her wings in and taking a few steps to the end of the platform. “But before you leave, there are a few ponies that wanted to say goodbye.”

“I’ve already said my goodbyes, Princess,” I said, shaking my head. “I closed up City Hall and left instructions for the items I left behind. I can’t think of any loose ends left to tie up. You did sign my resignation form, did you not?”

I turned to glance down the track with the rumbling sound of an approaching engine growing louder. Either the train was incredibly early, or I had misjudged how long it took me to pack. To my surprise, I couldn’t quite make out anything of the sort. I turned back to Twilight and her innocent looking smile spreading across her muzzle.

“I hope you won’t be mad,” she said, the corners of her mouth rising into a cheesy grin, “but I sort of invited the whole town to see you off.”

“But…” I took a step back, bracing myself for the worst possible situation. “I don’t want to make a scene, and I certainly don’t want to face all those ponies…”

“Don’t worry,” Twilight said, raising a hoof in a calming gesture. “I already explained everything, and we’re all good with you leaving. We just couldn’t let you go without giving a proper sendoff. Pinkie Pie insisted.”

The thunder of hooves grew louder. A chorus of singing floated along the afternoon breeze, Pinkie's voice leading the charge.

“For she’s a jolly good Mayor,
For she’s a jolly good Mayor,
For she’s a jolly good May-y-yor,
Which nopony can deny!”

The singing continued with the flood of ponies pouring out of town toward the station. I staggered to the bench and marveled at the line beginning to form leading back by the dozens. One by one, they each stepped up to the platform, the chorus continuing unabated.

“Mayor Mare,” Rarity said, being the first to approach, “I wish to thank you for granting a business license to a very young filly. The confidence you placed in me meant the world in starting my shop.”

I gave a nod, not able to bring myself to say anything in return. The next in line stepped forward.

“Hey there,” Rainbow Dash said, always the mare of eloquence, “thanks for rezoning the airspace on the east side of town. Don’t know how I’d get along without my own place in the clouds. Made all the difference helping me feel right at home here in Ponyville.”

All the bottled up emotion I’d saved over the course of the last few decades came rushing out as I greeted each pony with a wan smile and an airy wave or hoofshake. Every citizen of Ponyville had some little quip or experience to share. Twilight stood by my side through it all.

“Thank you for supporting my shop.”

“My foals love the park.”

“Winter wrap up won’t be the same without you.”

“You’ll always be our Mayor.”

Overwhelmed, I could do little more than smile and wave. It was, perhaps, all that was needed. Something to acknowledge each pony and make note of how I had touched their life in some way, large or small, it kept the line moving. Nearing the end, my train pulled into the station. I almost failed to notice the arrival with everything going on. The last few ponies passed by offering their parting words and well-wishes. At the end of it all, one last stallion stepped up with a young filly at his side. Out of everypony in town, I expected him least of all.

“Madame Mayor,” Filthy Rich said, taking off his hat and bowing his head, “I-I want to thank you. If you hadn’t stopped me from building that store, I never would have taken stock of my life. My work was eating me up, and all I could think about was how to make more bits. You set me straight, and I owe you for that. I never would have seen the light, and I never would have found the time to start a family of my own if it weren’t for you. My little Diamond here means more to me than all the bits in Canterlot, and that’s all thanks to an amazing mayor standing up to a fool like myself. Sorry that it’s taken so long for me to say that.”

I stood there in shock. The tear froze in my eye not daring to leak out. All I could manage to say was, “You’re… welcome.” He replaced his hat and joined the others in the crowd.

Twilight stepped up on the bench to address the gathering. The singing petered out with Twilight raising her hoof for quiet. “Thank you all for coming. I want to personally thank Mayor Mare for all of her years of tireless service to this town. Countless ponies felt the benefit of her leadership, and I can’t imagine what Ponyville would be like today without her foresight and influence through the years. I join with all of you here in wishing her good luck in the future, wherever that may be. Before she leaves us, though, there is one last order of business to attend to.”

Twilight stepped down from the bench. Spike rushed forward holding a golden box.

“Mayor Mary Mare,” she began, “by the authority vested in me as a Princess of Equestria, I hereby relieve you of your duties as Mayor of Ponyville and present you with a gift for your many years of valiant service.”

The lid of the box opened under the glow of Twilight’s horn. A golden key with two tiny mares flanking a heart-shaped handle dangling from a bright red ribbon came floating out and hung in the air over my head.

“Please accept the Key to the City as well as our thanks for a job well done. You’ll always have a home here in Ponyville should you ever decide to return.”

I bowed my head as she placed the ribbon around my neck. Everypony cheered. I could hear the thump of my heart pounding in my chest above the roar of the crowd.

“Thank you, Princess,” I said, tears of joy matting the gray fur of my cheeks. I turned to the crowd. “Thank you, Ponyville.”

The crowd parted. A path to my waiting train opened up. My lead-shoe swamp trot soon found the waiting cabin. Taking my seat near the rear, I settled my bags and pulled down the window. With a wave of my hoof, the train’s whistle blew. I lurched forward as the wheels spun against the rails. Keeping hold of the window, I steadied myself. Looking out over the townsponies, a strange sense of calm washed over me. While the decision seemed to have been made without my actual input, I finally felt at peace with it. Maybe I just needed a little shove in the right direction. Manehattan was a town full of opportunities, and I was going to take advantage of that. Maybe I wasn’t so old and gray after all.

Pulling away from the station, I stuck my head out the window. With a smile and a wave, I departed my little town on the edge of the Everfree. A few hundred faces smiled and waved back, and I knew I would remember each one. “Farewell Ponyville, and thanks for all you’ve given me. I won’t ever forget you.”

Author's Note

So, this was something I threw together in a couple hours on a Sunday afternoon to submit for the February Writeoff competition. Since then, I've gone back and shored up the story points, expanded a few sections and hopefully brought the ending back around to a feel good conclusion.

The whole point of this story revolves around the season 4 finale line from Twilight:

I guess I just don't really understand why I'm here... All I seem to do is smile and wave.

Now that Twilight has found her purpose in life as The Princess of Friendship, it puts Mayor Mare in an awkward situation. Having a princess in town is one thing, but having the castle right next door tends to sway the public into taking issues to the highest power and bypassing the local officials. That leaves the Mayor with little more than a "smile and wave" kind of job.

I originally thought of this story along the lines of a "Mary and Gary" prompt (for the Writeoff). Mayor Mary Mare was going to resign her post in Ponyville and go live with her brother, Governor Gary Mare, in Manehattan. There was going to be some little bit in the middle about how everyone just assumed "Mayor" was her name and how the surname of "Mare" caused some problems for her brother. The whole "Mary (Sue) and Gary (Stu)" trope would have been left completely unaddressed in the normal sense. That never really panned out, but there's enough of it left that the original idea can be seen in the story that came out.

I'm glad with how things ended up, but I may continue writing something more that brings the story over to Manehattan and then back around to Ponyville. Let me know what you think in the comments.

As always, I enjoy hearing what people think of the story. Thanks for taking the time to read, and hopefully you find something here to like. Your likes and follows are greatly appreciated. Constructive feedback is just as important.