A white van with the logo of Channel Nine on its side drives through Skaia to the regal houses of the area. The Peixes House is lit up from the inside out with other cars parked around. A closer look from the outside can reveal several servants caring for guests; the guests on the other hand range from classy to common citizens.
Field reporter, Aradia Megido steps out from the van and calls her cameratroll over, "Right here." The other troll sets up his camera ready to capture.
"Ready when you are Aradia."
She nods back at him and holds up her hand, "Start in five . . four . . three . . two . . And good evening Skaia. It's Election Day in Skaia and I hope you all voted. The polls are closed and all that waits is too tally up the results. I'm outside The Peixes Manor that, as you can see behind me, is filled with eager citizens waiting for the results of tonight's election. I'll report back with candidate Peixes for an interview."
"And we're out," the cameratroll says. Aradia's mood deflates and she rolls her eyes to the mansion.
"Let's get this over with," she responds tucking her microphone in her side bag.
Her coworker is busy with the equipment, "You go on while I make sure the footage is sent and we can begin working. You can-"
"I'll find her. I know my job." Aradia leaves him and walks into building.
A servant offers to take her coat as soon as she enters, and another one offers her refreshments. Aradia accepts both causing her to give up her coat and grabs a glass of white wine; she carefully sips the beverage as she scans the room.
The mansion holds approximately three hundred people in various rooms; there is a television in each room presenting the numbers. The guests all spend their time conversing with one another and all together having a pleasant time. Feferi is no doubt hiding in one room entertaining a group, but Aradia finds someone else of interest.
The reporter walks over to the tall, boxy troll who has his back to her. Aradia moves light on her feet over to him; she lets out a loud cough to grab his attention.
Chief Zahhak turns around shocked by her appearance, "Ara-Miss Megido. What a surprise."
She knows better and takes a sip out of her drink, "You shouldn't lie to me Equius, I know better." Aradia's deadpan face looks around, "Isn't this the type of scenery you've always dreamt of taking me too, if I was a blue blood of course."
He starts to perspire, "You mustn't talk about that with so many people around."
"You worry too much." The reporter lamentably replies, "I know this crowd, they're all too busy with this affair to pay attention to our extinct one. Besides, how strange is it for a reporter and the chief of police to be talking? I could be asking you about tonight's events."
"Why are you talking to me at all?" he whispers. "You've been distant to me and Nepeta since your . . ."
"I remember Equius, I still have scars." Aradia lowers her turtle neck to show the marks on her neck; almost purple in color. She withdraws her hand, "Tell me, do you love having Vriska above you in bed?"
Equius coughs, "Nothing like that has ever happened!"
"Really? I thought she would have jumped on you the first opportunity she got."
"I don't love Vriska."
"Pleaaaaaaaase," Aradia responds imitating the spider troll. "When we broke up that must have been a dream come true for you. Finally, you can be with a blue blood and not be held down by some lewd rust blood."
"Aradia you know I didn't love you because of your blood; I'm more than that."
"Lies aren't true if you repeat them. And as much as this conversation has been fun, I have to find a certain sea dweller."
Equius touches her shoulder stopping Aradia, but he can't say what he needs to so he asks a common question used tonight, "So who did you vote for?"
"Scratch," she answers dully.
He is curious, "Why did you vote for him? At least Ms. Peixes would support our type of relationship."
"Grub Equius, our relationship isn't illegal despite what you think. But I voted for Scratch because I know that he is the best for mayor, and he will win."
The chief looks up at the numbers, "It's too close to tell at this point, what makes you so sure?"
"Because the spirits tell me so."
Equius hides his panic, "Why do you listen to them when they aren't good for you."
"One, don't tell me what's good for me. Two, because I know they are right. They are always right."
"How do you even know if they are right?"
Aradia glazes blankly at him, "Because they tell me that they are right."
"Aradia, are you even listening to yourself?" Equius whispers, "You used to never act according to what they say."
"Well I guess we both are doing what higher beings tell us to do." She looks past him, "Excuse me, not that this conversation was lovely or anything, but I have to go."
The reporter walks past him to a pair of horns she hopes belong to Feferi Peixes. She is right; the sea dweller was busy conversing with a small party before being interrupted by Aradia.
Feferi turns surprised, "Oh! Hello Ms. Megido. It's lovely having you here."
"Wonderful party Ms. Peixes," she greets bring a relaxed smile to her face. "I'm here to talk to you and report on the night."
"Oh sure! Would you prefer sitting or standing? And call me Feferi."
"Sorry Ms. Peixes but I prefer to stay detached; also standing somewhere would be nice." Feferi looks at her a bit strained, but shows her a quieter but public area they can record.
"Hey FF," Sollux whispers, "Good luck!"
Karkat nods his head approvingly, "Don't let any pointless shit-bitching's talking get to you." The sea dweller turns around to smile at both of them.
The two male trolls soon after follow her to the interview where others are watching; while they are standing, Sollux turns to Karkat, "You've been doing a good job helping Feferi out."
Karkat doesn't turn to look at him, "Yeah I guess."
"She's been really confident lately, and happier."
The other troll just sips his alcohol.
"Listen to me," Sollux lowers his voice, "If you dare try to take her away from-"
The other troll turns to him, "What the shit-fucking piss are you spitting out at me? Do you really think I would try to fuck her?" The two trolls realize that Feferi is occasionally glancing at them so they try to remain calm.
"I'm not worried about Feferi, but I am concerned about you. You did cheat on your last wife."
It takes everything Karkat has not to scream at him, "Fuck you Sollux you piece of ass fucking shit. I think you should be more concerned about yourself if you're so insecure that you'll lose your girlfriend." Sollux looks down embarrassed. "Yeah fuck you. Tell Feferi I'm going outside to smoke, if you know you can trust her not to come rushing out to fuck me. I thought you were my friend," and Karkat leaves outside ignoring all around him.
"-And the idea that we can swim with fish during school is too amazing not to try!" Feferi says.
The reporter smiles back, "Thanks you Ms. Peixes." Aradia turns back to the camera, "We'll report back when the decision is made for Candidate Peixes to make her speech." The camera then shuts off, and Aradia stretches her back, "I'll find you later." Without waiting for any response from Feferi, she leaves grabbing a drink on the way out into the crowd.
The sea dweller continues to smile as she walks back to her matesprit, "How did I do?"
"Perfect," he responds, "not that it matters. They already voted for you."
"Oh it'll always matter. Hey Sollux, where's Karkat?" Feferi wonders searching the crowd.
He brings her face over to his, "He needed some time alone."
"Well if he insists." Sollux appears to Feferi like he's distant, so she grabs his head to look into his eyes, "Hey, I love you my little guppy."
The officer opens his mouth to reply, but Feferi is tapped on the shoulder by one of her servants, "Ms. Peixes, you have someone requesting you in your office."
"Who?"
"I apologize Ms. Peixes, but he preferred to be anonymous."
"Well can it wait?"
"I don't believe so."
Feferi sighs, but tells Sollux that she'll be back soon and follows her servant.
Inside her office, Feferi finds someone she didn't expect at her event, "Mayor Vallens?"
The man holds up his hand, "Please, just call me William. I don't want any titles to come between us here."
"What are you doing here? You should be at your own party!"
"There's not much point of a party if I'm losing," he points to the television in the room that shows Feferi barely ahead of Scratch in the votes so far, but Vallens far far behind. "Besides, nobody really ever noticed me."
"It's only fifty-five percent so far, you could still win."
William laughs, "Not this time. But don't fret for me, I didn't even want to win this year. In fact that's why I came here; I wanted to wish you luck."
"I'm sorry but I don't understand."
"I hated being mayor. I thought it was all democracy and the system was a wonderful process. But it's not. It's a corrupted idea that makes me the dog to Skaia's cruelest."
Feferi is startled, "I never knew that you identified Slick and the Midnight Crew."
"Of course, I'm not an idiot, but I did have to pretend to be so everyone was in the same boat as you. But to go on everyday like he was my friend. Giving him what he wants to save my city. Watching him . . . flirt with the woman that I love, but I'm too cowardly to tell her how I feel so she thinks I'm an idiot. That's all that I am at this point, a cowardly idiot. But I'm too much of one to trust someone else to take my position. I didn't know if they could go through what I do. So I'm here asking if you can. I know that Scratch will only make this city worse, but you are the only candidate that I've met who actually wants to save this city. There are good people in this town who will sacrifice something that they love in order for the peace of Skaia. Will you sacrifice for this city?"
"I will William."
He smiles relieved, "Thank you Feferi. I wish you luck on this election. Do whatever you can for the good of Skaia. I'll leave you now."
Feferi nods back and returns to her party quickly finding Vriska and Jade.
"There you are Feferi!" Jade exclaims. "I was wondering where you disappeared to."
"I had some business to handle."
Vriska is chewing on some appetizers, "Well you and Scratch are neck in neck still with eighty percent of the votes in."
"Any minute now."
Jade pats her friend on the back, "Hey, we're here for you no matter what."
"You guys have been great throughout this whole ordeal, thank you."
"And all you have left is your victory speech!"
Vriska is able to keep a server standing right by her while she eats, "I wish there was a channel that didn't have all these fucking commenters. As if I care about their predictions." Feferi smiles at her friends graciously.
"Ms. Peixes?" Another servant walks up to her holding a phone, "I'm sorry but I have a call for you." The troll idly picks up the phone and brings it to her ear.
"Good evening Feferi Peixes, are you having fun at your little get-together?" a cool voice asks her.
Feferi is immediately unnerved yet entranced, ". . . Who is this?"
"Yes. I suppose that we haven't had a chance to talk personally without any cameras to watch us. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Doc Scratch. For this conversation you'll refer to me as Doctor Plushy-Bottom."
The sea dweller looks around expecting some type of prank, "What."
"We wouldn't want anyone to overhear our conversation would we?"
"I get that, but why Doctor Plushy-Bottom?"
"Because no one would ever suspect that you're talking to me."
Feferi is tempted to hang up, "Is this a prank?"
"No my dear, while I do love pranks, I wouldn't use such tactics on a serious occasion as this one. Now look at the screens that I'm sure you have set up all over your mansion." Feferi glances up, she is barely leading with the votes. "Isn't that a nice feeling? The belief that you could ever beat me, but you're not going to win."
She gulps, "I will."
"No. No you won't." Those few words were able to give a sickly feeling in the bottom of Feferi's stomach. "You never stood a chance. This election was never intended for anyone but me to win. Tell me, how do you feel? I am a certified doctor."
"I feel horrible Doctor Plushy-Bottom," she found herself willing tell him.
"I know you do. It's never good feeling to believe that you're going to win only to be defeated by someone you never stood a chance against. One day you might understand, but for now I have some options for you and I know you'll accept them."
Feferi moves to a nearby chair to sit down, and her friends take notice of her fatigue. Jade kneels down, "Feferi? Are you alright?" The troll only shakes her head at the woman. Even Vriska leaves the food to comfort the candidate.
"Hey Princess, why are you so down?" Vriska jokes. "You're ahead the polls-" she looks back at the screen to see that Scratch was winning with only three percent remaining to be tallied . . . two percent . . . one percent . . .
Commenters appear back on the screen announcing the winner and new mayor of Skaia. Feferi ends her conversation and puts the phone down. She stands up and walks to the stand in the room to address her supporters, and her two nearby friends have nothing to say to her.
Karkat is able to run up Feferi before she reaches the stand, "Look we can-" She ignores him completely creating a befuddled Karkat.
Sollux is by the stand and gives Feferi a required hug. She embraces him tightly and walks up the stage.
Feferi looks at the crowd from behind the podium and takes a long drink of water from a glass on the podium.
"Citizens of Skaia, I will be forever grateful for what you have done. The support has encouraged me throughout this election, and I couldn't have gotten this far without you. I realize that we have lost, but that does not mean that this is the end. In fact," she stops herself for a second, "In fact I believe Dr. Scratch will be a wonderful mayor. One of the best there is." There is muttering within the crowd. "And that is why when Dr. Scratch takes his position, I'll be standing beside him as his deputy." Now there is total uproar by this small piece of information.
"And that ends Candidate Peixes," Aradia address the camera, "But it brings new life to Deputy Peixes. How long has this been planned? Well perhaps that'll be answered by our new mayor. This is Aradia Megido reporting live from Peixes Mansion saying goodnight."
Feferi heads down from her stage to lean on her matesprit. He doesn't say anything, he just holds her close to him.
Jade, Vriska and Karkat hurry over confused. "Feferi," Karkat starts, "what the actual fuck were you thinking? You didn't tell me any of this! And you can't work for Scratch!"
The sea dweller continues to rest on her matesprit, "I do appreciate you, all of you, but I just can't right now. I-I need to be with Sollux right now." Already guests are exiting her mansion.
"Feferi . . ." Jade tries to come up with something to say, but she can't think of anything. The ex-candidate and her partner leave the three, and Karkat shortly after returns home bitter thus abandoning Jade and Vriska alone.
The spider troll looks down at her friend, "Are you okay?"
"I-I," small tears start to falls from Jade's face, "I don't understand what happened! Why is Feferi just-just giving up?" Vriska is startled, but takes quick action by hugging her friend. "Feferi is my friend! Why didn't she tell me?" Jade cries while Vriska escorts her out of the mansion. "Damn it! Why do I always fuck things up? Why am I so weak?" She gets calm in Vriska's arms, "He was right. I should never have left."
Vriska slowly raises her hand and carefully paps her friend's head, "Shoooooooosh, no you're not weak. You are a strong woman, and Karkat is wrong like always."
Jade starts to calm down in Vriska's embrace, "It's not . ." She would finish but she is far too happy with Vriska's comforting.
"Don't worry Jade, I'll always be here for you."