Okay guys, I had to get this chapter out because of the news in China. As some of you may have heard. The people are protesting over the rule of the CCP. If I remember correctly, they have been welding people inside apartments and buildings due to covid lockdowns. And this had the unfortunate cost of at least 10 Chinese citizens dying in a fire because the fire department couldn't get to them.
I usually don't care about world events. I have always believed that America should mind its own business and take care of its own. But China is one of those countries I always wished would be able to shake off the influence of the CCP. And to see this happening has really made me hope that this is the beginning of the end for Xi Jinping.
I don't even know if anyone in China can read this, the government probably censors it. But I hope eventually you're free. Just as I hoped Hong Kong would be free.
Fight like hell boys.
"Holy shit..." Jem had his hands on top of his head as he saw Lion Skelter read off the results.
He actually won?! He figured he would at least get 15% of the vote. But people really wanted him to lead? Adrenaline was coursing through his veins as he paced back and forth in his living room just muttering to himself. He couldn't actually believe it! He was a little flattered. But this was something he never expected to happen after he saw the latest polls. He was honestly sure Robyn was going to win. He just figured he gave it his all but things would not work out like he thought.
And now he was elected to a seat on the council. He had officially become what he hated most in life.
A politician.
"I don't believe it." Winter didn't WANT to believe it.
She was absolutely certain Robyn was going to win! As much as she loved her boyfriend, he was just too crazy to run for office. And now the people had decided that they wanted him?! They thought he was a better option than Robyn?! Obviously he was a better choice than Jacques, but Robyn? She could only imagine what General Ironwood was thinking right now. He was one of the first to think that Jem running was dangerous. But he never thought he would get this far! And nobody could have imagined that he would have won!
Jem didn't know what to think. He was nervous. But he couldn't help but feel honored. He knew his biggest supporters were in Lost Liberty. But did they really have that big of an impact that most of Mantle wanted him in office? What could he even do? He was going to be honest, he wasn't entirely sure about what powers he would have as a council member. Was he a representative for a certain district? Was the council like congress? How was this going to work?
He really should have done more research on this. But now he had something else to do.
"Well..." He turned to Winter.
"Well..." SHe said as she was still in shock.
"This is awkward." Willow said as Nala was prancing around all happy.
"Dad won! Dad won! Dad won!" She was celebrating like she had just won a free meal at a steakhouse.
"Boy...would I love to see the look on Jacques face right now." Jem said as Willow had a sudden realization.
"Well...actually." She said as she pulled out her scroll.
"I may have had all these extra security cameras installed months ago." She said as Jem and Winter rushed over almost immediately.
Sure enough, Jacques was throwing a shit fit. He was throwing plates, books, you could see his study was in complete disarrary, he was NOT having a good time. He kept yelling about how this was going to be bad for business. A man who couldn't even beat an inbred hillbilly was in charge of a large dust corporation?! It would be insane!
"Willow, isn't this bothering you?" Jem asked as she smirked a little.
"No...No I don't think so." She said as she saw a notification from Whitley.
"I'm packed, but whats this about? Why is father angry?" Whitley asked as she frowned a little.
"Get on the bullhead as quick as possible, come to this address." She sent him the address.
Jem noticed the notification from Whitley.
"Whitley? You're talking to him?" He was honestly surprised.
Sure he knew Whitley wasn't as big of a douche as the show made him out to be in the earlier volumes. But he was honestly surprised that Willow had already invited him out. Then again this whole day was full of surprises, so what was one more?
"I need to get him out of there, I know what its like to be around Jacques, I don't want any of my children to be around him anymore." She said as Jem could agree with that.
Especially since he ended up teaming up with Salem and Watts in the show. So good riddance to bad rubbish. There was just one problem. How was Whitley going to adjust to being here? This wasn't exactly the Schnee Mansion, and while he knew the kid had potential, he wasn't sure how he would get along with him. Hell, not too long ago he had a dream that he was in the Schnee mansion hanging him from his underwear. He didn't know why he had that dream but it didn't seem like it was a sign that he would get along with him.
"Okay, but just let him know one thing, everyone pulls their weight around here." He said as Willow raised an eyebrow.
"What about me?" She hadn't been asked to do anything so far.
"Simple, you're our babysitter." He said as she looked at Nala playing.
"That doesn't sound hard..." She said as both Jem and Winter smirked.
"Just wait. You haven't seen her hyper yet."
Okay, now that sent a shiver down her spine.
Robyn Hill's Camp
The mood in the camp was depressing to say the least. The Happy Huntresses might as well change their name to the Severely Depressed Huntresses. Because that was the mood there at the moment. Robyn had isolated herself in her quarters. Unable to deal with the loss. The entire camp was silent, but her main friends and supporters were all sitting around a table. Unable to believe what had transpired.
"Why?" May said as she clenched her hand into a fist.
"We did everything for them! And they turn around and stab us in the back like this!" May was pissed off.
All that time they spent helping the people of Mantle, and they bit the hand that fed them! And now they had turn over power to that wannabe soldier!
Fiona wasn't angry. She was depressed. She had cut off her friendship with Jem and Lost Liberty over this. And it had all turned out to be for nothing. She thought that maybe after Robyn won that maybe she could repair at least some of the friendships she made. But now she didn't know anymore. Jem had cost Robyn the election. How could they ever go back to normal after that? Sure he may have done some good for the people, but he hadn't nearly put in the same amount of blood, sweat and tears that she had!
All of the campaigning was for nothing! Cutting off her relationship with Lost Liberty? Nothing! Telling Jem she didn't want to talk to him again? Nothing! It was all crashing down on them all that they had made sacrifices to try and help the people. But in the end it had all been a great waste of time. Joanna had always been the stoic of the group, but if you could see inside her head, you would see that her thoughts were just as worrisome as everyone else.
While they should be celebrating that Jacques had been defeated. Their mood was not improved. An outside had just won a seat in the council. What good could he do for the people?
A breeze ripped through Robyns quarters as she stared at the TV.
Half a percentage point.
That was all she lost by.
Half a fucking percentage point.
The polls were completely wrong. They said that she was going to win in a landslide because Jem had taken support away from Jacques! How could they be so wrong! Why did the people choose him over her? She couldn't figure it out. But one thing was bothering her. Would Jem want revenge? She knew he had a grudge against her because of the whole 'accusing him of kidnapping' incident when they first met. That was the whole reason he brought it up in the debate. Was that what caused the shift? Did people see their truthful savior had actually been lying? Did that mean she had lied to them about multiple things? Was that the straw that broke the camels backs?
Was it her attack ads? She knew she had been over the top with calling him a Tyrant. But she figured it was just part of the game! That couldn't have been what turned people away. The man literally threatened Jacques on st-
Suddenly it clicked.
Jem didn't once threaten her. All he did was show a fatal flaw she had.
He spent more time antagonizing Jacques than her. And what had she done?
She had been so angry about being caught in a lie that she spent all of her time attacking him! Not Jacques.
Suddenly a horrible realization came over her.
She had lost not because Jem was a better candidate.
But because she spent the rest of her campaign attacking a man who was on the side of the working class while ignoring the actual corporate thug.
She had just been so angry about being caught in a lie that she hadn't thought about the possible repercussions. She put her face in her hands and tried to stifle a cry as she realized she had lost the support of the people because she had forgotten who she was fighting for. While Jem never forgot who he was running for. If she had spent as much time attacking Jacques as she did Jem, she would have won for sure.
But it was too late to go back and fix that. Whats done is done.
Now all she could do is watch. And hope Mantle wasn't completely ruined by him.
"Robyn..." Fiona said as she peeked into her quarters.
"They're about to televise his speech..." Fiona almost looked guilty as she said that.
Robyn didn't want to watch it...but she felt compelled to.
"Alright...lets get this over with." She said as she stood up and went out to her team.
You could tell nobody wanted to watch this victory speech. The air was ripe with bitterness and anger.
They saw the TV switch over to a shot of Jem walking over to a podium. Still dressed in his rancher jacket and cowboy hat. His Colt now proudly being open carried by his side.
"Well everyone, here we are. The people have spoken. And they have chosen me for a seat on the council." Jem's speech was interrupted by loud thunderous applause.
"Thank you, thank you! I'll admit, I was expecting Robyn to win, so I didn't really prepare a speech." That made the entire group flinch.
Some of them couldn't help but get pissed thinking that he was mocking them.
"In all honesty, we have to give them props, they ran one hell of a campaign. And she was a worthy adversary." Jem seemed to pause for a bit as he looked out towards the crowd.
"Let me say that I have gone through many things in life where I was anxious and scared out of my mind, but through all those moments, I learned how to overcome my own fears in order to make my own life better. But nothing could have prepared me for this moment. Its not just my life I'm trying to make better, but the lives of all the citizens of Mantle. I have have been elected to the council of Atlas, but my priority will be the people of Mantle. For too long a small group in the flying city in the sky has reaped the rewards of government, while the people have borne the cost. That all changes starting right here and right now!" Jem said as he could once again hear the crowd going nuts.
"For too long the government of Atlas has enriched themselves while the people of Mantle forage for scraps! For too long has the government of Atlas spent most of their time prioritizing their castle in the sky, while those of us down on Earth are left behind! Well today we learned that the people will not tolerate this kind of treatment any longer. Let any corrupt politician, any corrupt business tycoon and anyone who seeks to take freedom away from the people of Mantle. Hear my words."
"We do not want war. We want people to have the right to freedom of speech, and the right to bear arms. If thats too politically extreme for you. Then theres the door, don't let it hit you on the ass on your way out." Jem had to thrown in a little cussing to know that he wasn't just reading off of a script.
"And to those of you watching. I make this final promise."
"We will make Mantle strong again!"
"We will make Mantle safe again!"
"AND WE WILL MAKE MANTLE GREAT AGAIN!" (1)
The roaring applause was deafening. But Robyn's group was tuned out to it.
(1) Okay so Jem's speech was a mix of my own words, a mix of a Trump speech, a little bit of Jstark1809, and a little bit of SSG Bellavia
