New Management
Chapter 1
"First impressions"
"Oooooooh, I'm so excited! Aren't you guys?" Pinkie asked in her usual happy tone.
"Pinkie, this isn't a celebration," Twilight answered, causing the pink mare to stop bouncing long enough to listen, "We're here to find out what's happened to Mayor Mare, nopony's seen her in weeks..."
It was true. The whole of Ponyville had gathered in town square, eager to find out what had become of their beloved mayor. It was fall, after all, a busy time for everypony, but without the mayor to instruct them, things had been falling apart.
"Oh relax, darling" Rarity cooed, "I'm sure she just took a short break. All this stress is hard on a lady, don't you know?"
"Yeah, sure," rainbow dash said, rolling her eyes, "OR, she got kidnapped by a monster, or changelings, or Zecora!"
"Dash, Zecora is our friend now, remember?" Twilight glared.
Rainbow Dash shrugged, "Sorry, old habits die hard."
The five of them stood in the ocean of color that made up the crowd around them. Fluttershy was nowhere to be found. Her irrational fear of public gatherings kept her FAR away, she'd hear the news later. It was hard to hear one another over the sound of the crowd as everypony grew more and more unruly. Twilight tried her best to be patient.
"Ughhhh, I'm bored..." Pinkie complained, looking down at the ground.
"I know!" She yelled, bringing her head back up just as fast, "I'll sing a song!"
"Uh, I don't think that'll be necesarry!" Rainbow interjected, shoving a hoof over Pinkie's open mouth.
"Why not?" She managed to mumble through he covered mouth.
"Uh, um...." Rainbow Dash began to sweat nervously before pointing toward frantically toward the stage, "Oh look! Ms. Cheerilee's here to make the announcement!"
Pinkie quickly turned away to face the stage, to see the familiar purple pony make her way onstage, adjusting the microphone.
"Ooooh!" Pinkie jumped out of dash's grasp and bounded her way in front of the crowd to get a closer look.
Rainbow Dash was shocked, "Well whaddaya know, she really is there..."
"Nice save." Applejack remarked sarcastically.
"Attention everypony!" Cheerilee spoke through the microphone, causing the crowd to go silent, "I know that you are all probably wondering about the whereabouts of our beloved mayor."
This was met by numerous nods of agreement from the crowd.
"Well...I don't know." Cheerilee announced sheepishly.
The crowd became unruly again.
"What do you mean, you don't know?" yelled an angry pegasus.
"What are we supposed to do without our mayor?" remarked another.
"It's Fall! we need directions!" Inquired a mint green unicorn.
"Lyra?" Rainbow Dash spoke up.
"Yeah"
"Did you just talk?"
"Yeah, what of it?"
"Nothing."
Cheerilee continued her announcement.
"Now I realize you're all upset," She began, nervously, "But don't worry, we won't go without a mayor!"
This was met with confusion on the crowd's part.
"You have a replacement?" Twilight asked, stepping forward from the crowd.
"Well, where are they?" Applejack spoke, impatiently.
"He's getting ready to adress you all, in fact I think he should be ready," Cheerilee looked toward her associates for confirmation.
"He?" Twilight mumbled to herself.
Cheerilee walked her way over to the door to town hall, stopping with her hoof on the handle.
"I now present, without further adieu, You're new mayor..."
Suddenly the door flung open, hitting Cheerilee square in the face.
"ME!"
Lights flashed and fireworks went off as a rather strange stallion stepped out confidently from inside town hall.
Top hat, round tinted glasses, coattails and cane, he was the picture of confidence.
He began to trot happily around the stage, shaking hooves and kissing mother's foals, while keeping a wide smile with a noticible gap between his teeth.
He slowly strode his way up to the microphone, adjusting his bow tie before speaking into the microphone.
"Hello everypony!" He spoke happily.
It was silent. Only the sound of Cheerilee finally hitting the ground from the door's impact breaking it.
The crowd looked at the unconscious mare, and then back at the strange stallion standing in front of them.
He looked back for a moment, before turning back toward the crowd with a nervous smile.
"Ummmm, she'll be fine." He assured, as paramedics lifted her from the scene.
"Who the hay are you?" Rainbow Dash spoke up in a rash tone.
"I," He replied, removing his hat and taking a bow, "Am Madcap. but you can call me cap." he finished, placing his hat back on his head and winking.
"I'll call him mad." Applejack whispered to Rarity, elliciting a small giggle.
"But you can all call me mayor." He spoke looking at the baffled crowd around him.
"Oh, come on Ponyville," He started, looking out toward the crowd, "Why so down? Smile! This is going to be fun!"
"Smile?" Pinkie piped up, jumping up and down ecstactically, "Oooh! Oooh! I can smile, see!?"
Pinkie put her biggest smile on display for all to see, causing a small circle to form in the crowd around her.
"See?" Madcap spoke, pointing his cane at the pink pony, "She's got the right idea!"
Crowd members traded glances, unsure of how to react to the strange stallion who was now to be their mayor.
"Ok, Mr...Cap was it?" Twilight began, approaching the stage, "What do you suppose we do about the Fall situation?"
Madcap looked up, confused.
"The what?"
"Fall is an important time, here. Everyone is relying you to make sure everything goes smoothly. Firstly, the pegasus need to-"
"Yes, yes I'll get to that," Madcap replied, waving her off, "But right now, It's time to celebrate!"
With a tap of his cane, Mr. and Mrs. Cake rushed to his sides.
"Free cupcakes for everyone!" He yelled into the microphone.
Pinkie's jaw dropped to the floor, as she nearly exploded with joy.
"CUPCAKES!"
Mr. and Mrs. Cake began to hand out cupcakes to each crowd member, everyone accepting reluctantly, with the exception of Twilight, who refused to touch one.
"And my first order as mayor," He recited confidently, "Is to give everypony a day off!"
The crowd began to smile and nod in acceptance, but Twilight remained the same.
"That's right, Ponyville! You deserve it!" He smiled again, "Now go, have fun!"
the crowd began to happily disperse, when they were inturrupted by the high pitched scream coming from a very angry unicorn.
"WAIT!" Twilight screamed, "What about the Fall chores!? We can't just stop now!"
The confident stallion rolled his eyes, and lept off the stage, trotting toward Twilight.
"Ah, give it a rest sister," He spoke, handing her a cupcake, "Live a little."
Twilight fumed, as the stallion gallantly walked away, followed by an entourage of happy ponies.
"Applejack, don't you think he's a bit strange?" Twilight asked, hoping for agreement.
"Strange, yes. But I don't recon he's a problem." Applejack replied, biting into her cupcake.
"Maybe you should take his advice."
Not the answer she wanted to hear.
"Rarity, Rainbow Dash, tell me YOU see something wrong with all this!"
"Dear, I think you're being overdramatic," Rarity replied, dabbing her mouth with a napkin, "Besides, how could anypony so well dressed be bad?"
"Rainbow Dash?" Twilight pleaded.
"Nah," Dash replied in between bites of cupcake, "Seems legit."
Twilight glanced over at Pinkie, who was now part of Madcap's entourage.
lost cause.
"FINE!" Twilight yelled, "I'll prove it! I'll show all of you! All of you!"
She ran off in the direction of her home frantically, she would prove them wrong.
She had to be right.
