Author's Notes:

IMPORTANT!

Hello my readers, freinds, and fellow writers alike!

So from the last chapter we saw that Mary was blackmailed into some sort of agreement with Roseluck and Bon Bon, now today we see the repercussions of what they agreed upon.

Now, that being said, I know A lot of my former followers and readers don't like how i leave things open ended and sometimes, open to suggestions as I have done in the past. So, with that in mind I warn you all that this chapter may seem a bit... "OFF". I had so much planned but when I started writing I realized it sounded a lot better in my head then when I wrote it down. Sorry if the chapter isn't the best I've done thus far, but I hope you enjoy it all the same!

Happy reading!

Mary happily trotted along the dirt path heading for home. She had a bright smile on her face and a slight sway in her hip. She giggled at the thought of Rose and Bon Bons reactions to the new mayor would be. With any luck, they'd be finding out soon enough. Boy was she looking forward to that.

She stopped along the way to get a coffee from the La Petite Cafe, before continuing on home where her newly formed herd awaited her arrival. After leaving the office Trixie went ahead of her to begin packing the home. After a lengthy talk they all decided to move in together out of Ponyville to get some much needed time away form the chaotic lifestyle they had come to know.

They had decided to move to the small town of Rockyshores. It was a nice earth pony community that was mostly farming communities. But it was peaceful. And peace was what all four mares agreed they needed to get plenty of while they established their herd. Plus, it would give Maud and Trixie time to mend old wounds.

After Gabby Gums paper on Trixie Igneous, according to Maud, had been going through some troubles with his wife. It made her feel uneasy wondering what lay ahead for them.

All these thoughts plus the idea of reuniting with her old friend filled her with even more excitement as she turned the next corner. She stopped suddenly at quite the miserable sight. Carrot Top's home and stand. What was once a quaint little hut and carrot garden now lay in ruins. It burned her inside, knowing who was responsible yet was powerless to stop them for fear of hurting her mates.

She had considered going straight to the Princesses in Canterlot to deal with the situation, but she knew if she was gone too long Rose and Bon Bon would have acted. Now, she could go to Twilight and just send the Princesses a message, and she was going too, but her idea of making Derpy mayor was just an act of spite rather than desperation.

But she knew Derpy and trusted her plan.

These were going to be hard times for her herdmates but she was use to it now. After the last week she had gotten use to trouble being around the corner on a daily basis.

She dismissed the thoughts and returned to her journey home. When she arrived she found her home was all packed and the three other mares were resting at a makeshift table composed of old boxes and a piece of wood. They were eating lunch when the sound of approaching hooves caught their attention.

Mary stood at he doorway panting, smiling at them.

"Hello ladies." she greeted them.

"Welcome home Mary!" Trixie jumped from her seat, hugging the mare kissing her.

Platinum then interrupted the kiss, by shoving Trixie aside and kissing Mary in her place. Trixie scoffed in annoyance as Platinum got the full force of the kiss. Breaking away she gave the tan mare a cheeky grin.

"Hello."

"Hello Platinum." Mary giggled. "You know you shouldn't be so mean to Trixie. She'll get back at you."

"Yeah, well, Trixie knows she can't out maneuver me!" the silver unicorn said with pride.

"I don't know. I think out of all of us, little moon, can out perform us all in bed." Maud said in her usual monotone.

The content of her sentence brought blushes to all of them, even herself, not realizing she had spoken without thinking. Trixie pulled the rim of her hat over her face hiding beneath as she began chuckling. Platinum looked away rolling her eyes, while Mary simply looked shocked, Maud did the only thing she cold think of. She walked up to Mary and gave her a quick kiss before retreating from the house saying she had some errands to run, and winked and Mary who winked back.

Mary was dumbstruck as was Platinum, but Trixie rolled on the ground laughing so hard her sides hurt. She gripped her sides as she tried to gain control of her laughing but found it difficult, while the others glared disapprovingly at her.

"What? It was funny!" the blue mare chuckled laying on the floor.

"Besides, Trixie can't deny it." she said in a sultry tone, wiggling her hips.

"Oh, Trixie." Mary shook her head. She could already taste today's liquor.

But, Platinum was not about to let her off easy. "Hey! We all know I perform the best!"

"No you don't! Trixie does!" the blue unicorn replied.

Mary then thought about it, and the truth was none of them, as far as she knew, had ever "performed" together in bed before. In fact, as far as she remembered the only ones who came close were Maud and Trixie, but Maud claimed to have never done such things before.

Before she could think of a response a loud and obnoxious knocking came from the front door. It was fast and very loud, like somepony was -about to die and required a sanctuary from their impending doom. Mary trotted to the door at a brisk pace. The peep hole blocked, she opened the door to reveal a very upset looking mare. Roseluck.

"Ah, Miss Roseluck!" Mary greeted her in a overly kind voice, "HOW are YOU?"

But the rose maned pony wasn't amused. "You, know damn well what is up!"

"Now there's no need for that kind of language here." she growled at the earth pony.

Glancing around, she found no trace of Bon Bon. Satisfied the cream candy mare wasn't there, Mary returned her attention back to Rose.

"Now, what are you doing here? I'm busy packing."

Roseluck's eye twitched as a vein began throbbing on her forehead. "Wh-wha-WHAT!? You're leaving NOW!?"

"Yes, and you don't need to shout, I'm right here." she said rubbing her ears.

"Why did you make Derpy the mayor?!" she continued screaming at the tan mare, despite her protests. "You have to remove her from office now! She's a flying disaster house and now she's going to run Ponyville to the ground!"

By now, Trixie and Platinum, made their way to the door drawn by the sounds of an angry mare. They stood beside Mary, glaring daggers at the rose maned pony. Trixie, however, was secretly hoping her magical armband would reappear so she could vaporize Roseluck. Sensing this, Platinum looked over to her and whispered, "I don't think it'll work like that Trixie."

"Trixie, can hope and dream."

Mary ignored them and continued to speak in a calm manner to Roseluck. "As you are very aware, I as a citizen of Ponyville can't remove somepony from office. I no longer hold that authority."

Roseluck's eyes shrunk to pinprick sized at that news. Suddenly there was an explosion, again, off in the distance as Bon Bon rounded a corner heading straight for them. She skidded to a halt when a loud roar came from where she had come from .

She panted, sweat covered her body, and she was covered in a layer of frost and dirt all over her body. She babbled pointing to herself then back to the corner several times no pony could make any sense of what she was saying. Finally Rose took hold of her and slapped her snapping her out of her child like babbling.

"Speak Bon Bon! I need grownup words! Not babbling like a foal! What's happening now?"

"Fro-fro-frost.... FROST SERPENTS! They're everywhere!"

"What?! Where? When? HOW!?"

"I don't know! It's a disaster out there!" Bon Bon cried in Rose's cream fur. "Th-they almost ate Lyrahaha!"

Now, Rose was in full panic mode. She desperately looked between her crying marefriend and Mary. The older mare gasped dramatically at the news as did Trixie and Platinum.

"You have to do something!"

"What can I do!?" Mary yelled clearly frustrated.

But something seemed off about her demeanor to the two mares behind her. They couldn't think of any rational explanation jut that they knew she was hiding something.

Rose was desperate as ponies ran around fleeing the frost serpents. Bon Bon pulled away from her sanctuary in Rose's fur just in time to see Lyra being chased by a group of frost serpents. They resembled cobras, but were white with blue eyes and were easily three times the size of even the biggest of stallions.

Trixie was familiar with these beasts, and made it an effort to never cross paths with them. The serpents nature was one of violence and insatiable hunger. But hey were only found far north near the frozen tundras. Why was there a whole pack of them here? And further more, what did they look so odd?

As she watched the carnage she saw one pass by up close. It's scales were oddly shaped, being more of a diamond shape rather than smooth like the scales were suppose to be. And the eyes look...flat. Just hen, Lyra yelped, turning back to run from a second serpent that cornered her.

Bon Bon cried out to her friend but only got a blood curdling scream as Lyra ran around a corner and one of the serpents lunged around it. The candy mare promptly fainted, her eyes rolled in the back of her head, as she placed a hoof over her forehead. Roseluck caught her fanning her.

"Please! Mary you knew how to handle these situations! Do something! Ponies are dying out there! How can you stand there and do nothing?!"

Suddenly Trixie and Platinum looked very nervous. But Mary held them back before they could bolt out the door. Before they could say anything, Maud came from around the corner at a casual pace. Ponies ran past her chased by the serpents, completely ignoring what was going on as she strode up to the house and beside Mary.

Roseluck, Trixie, and Platinum looked at hem dumbstruck, as Maud whispered something into Mary's ear, making her giggle. A few seconds past after which Maud gave Mary a quick kiss before entering the house. Mary then returned her attention to Roseluck, still holding the unconscious body of Bon Bon.

Rose was now completely bewildered as were the other two mares by the two earth ponies casual attitude, or rather Mary's sudden casual attitude to ponies dying around her. Just then Twilight and her friends came running through the town fighting off the serpents.

Twilight fired several spells at the serpents, but it bounced off them harmlessly. Rarity and Pinkie threw various objects at them while Fluttershy cowered behind Applejack who bucked any that came near. Mean while, Rainbow Dash flew above tackling and kicking any that came near the group. Strangely, Pinkie Pie was nowhere to be seen.

The group of Harmony made it's way to the house where they met the already formed group of ponies. Twilight ran up to Mary seeing Bon Bon was unconscious.

"Mary! It's horrible! We can't fight off the serpents!" Twilight cried out. "They're too powerful! And they don't even behave like frost serpents! What's going on?!"

Mary shrugged. "I have no clue. Rose just came to my house screaming nonsense when the serpents started attacking. How should I know? I've never even heard of these creatures."

The group made it's way inside the house barricading the door as quickly as possible. Maud strode in to help but did so at a casual pace. When the door was successfully barricaded Trixie ran up to the student unicorn.

"What's going on here Sparkle? Where did all these frost serpents come from?"

Twilight flinched slightly rubbing her neck. "Well, you see..."

*Earlier at Ponyville Library*

Mayor Derpy was watching as Twilight concentrated on a spell for long range teleportation. It was very hard to do and took a lot of energy to cast. Derpy simply watched in awe a safe distance away while Twilight cast the spell. A bright light emanated from her as her purple fur turned white and in a bright flash of light, vanished.

Derpy watched the spot where Twilight once stood, as did Spike. A minute later the received a letter, via Spike's dragon fire saying that Twilight made it to her destination in the Crystal Empire. Just as they responded Maud came into the library covered in dirt. She dusted herself off before entering the library and was greeted by both Derpy and Spike.

"Hello Maud!" Spike greeted her happily. "How's it going? Need something?"

"Actually, I'm here to speak to Twilight and the mayor if that's, OK?" Maud said in her usual tone.

Derpy fluttered over to her with a wide grin. "Well, she should be back any moment now."

The grey pegasus winked at Maud who's lip curled slightly. Suddenly a bright flash came into the room and in seconds revealed Twilight Sparkle and a good amount of snow. She was covered in a layer of white frost and shook it off with a loud, BURR!

"It was cold there!" she wined. "And I never want to do that again without being properly clothed again!"

"Should I make a note of that for future teleportations to the Empire?" Spike asked pulling out a large book from the shelves with a quill in his claw.

"Please and thank you Spike." she turned to see Maud near by. "Maud! So good to see you again!"

The two hugged. It still felt odd hugging the mare being so opposite from her sister Pinkie, but she still considered Maud a friend.

"So, Maud what brings you here?" Twilight asked.

"I was going to talk to you and mayor Derpy about the move from Ponyville to Rockyshores," she paused looking at the ground. "But it seems you brought back some, friends." she emphasized the last word while Derpy chuckled.

Before Twilight could respond the ground shook as the snow and ground caved in as several large frost covered serpents sprang from the ground. They looked at eh ponies and dragon. Twilight and Spike screamed running out of the library as the creatures gave chase. Derpy flew away to evade call for help and Maud stood in the library alone.

She cracked a smile.

"Roseluck is going to hate us so much." she said, exiting the tree and heading for home.

*Present time*

Rose was very angry now. She was using every ounce of will power she had not to pounce on Twilight and rip off her horn. It also helped that Bon Bon was holding her back.

"You brought those creatures back with you!?"

"Hey!" Rainbow Dash yelled standing between her and Twilight. "She said it was an accident!"

"Yeah an accident she caused! AGAIN!" Rose stomped the ground cracking it. "As far as I can tell, you six cause more trouble in this town than anyone has since Derpy's accident!"

"Hey! Leave poor Derpy out of this!" Rarity butted in. "She can't help it if she's disorganized a bit!"

Roseluck grumbled taking hold of Bon Bon's hoof calming herself. She then turned to face Mary again.

"Which brings me to my original point. Why is Derpy mayor? What benefit could that have been?"

"Because I had no time to find a proper replacement." She paused looking at Twilight. "Actually I had somepony in mind, but they refused to take the offer. Such a shame that they didn't. The pony in question is very organized. Well liked. And has royal support."

Trixie cast a odd glance at twilight and her friends. The it donned on her what Mary was trying to do. Quickly she got up and walked over to Twilight who was holding Spike, and was held by Applejack. Trixie smiled at them nodding to them and pet Spike on the head. He smiled back at the blue mare giving a respectful nod.

But Platinum was as oblivious as always.

"I don't get it, who could you possibly mean?" she asked looking around.

"She means Twilight Sparkle." Trixie said beside the mare in question.

"Me?"

"Yes, miss Sparkle. You"

Roseluck and Bon Bon couldn't argue with that. Aside from the events they complained about moment earlier, they had to admit Twilight was possibly the only pony suited for the job.

"But why me? I'm not that special."

"Twilight, you are special. You are also my friend." Mary said sitting beside the unicorn. "Ever since you came to Ponyville our town has grown in such a way that would not have been possible had you not been here. This town has seen growth in way s i could never have made myself. I can not express enough how much that means to me." Mary said encouragingly to the young mare, making her blush. "Sure you've made mistakes in the past. I have too. We all have."

Mary turned to face Trixie, all eyes fell on her, she then hid her face under her mane in embarrassment.

"I once failed to help the citizens of Ponyville, I lost my first election because of it. I learned from that mistake. As have you from yours. You can be a great politician, you have the skills and you have the smarts. You also have something I didn't have when I first started. Friends."

"You really think I can do this?" She asked looking over her friends.

They all gave supporting nods and words of encouragement. But Applejack had the most to say of them all.

"Twi, if you ever ran I'd vote for ya." Applejack said, earning a kiss from her lavender mate. "Well, shucks, if you were mayor,ah'll bet you'd make this place grow tenfold in no time!"

"Really?"

"Really."

"That's all fine and dandy but how do we deal with those frost serpents!?" Roseluck butted in. "We still have them running amok and they're eating ponies!"

Suddenly the walls burst apart reveling several of the serpents looming over them. Everypony stood still not wanting to make any sudden movements. The serpents parted as a loud growl was heard and a large serpent slithered forward. It was easily as tall as the buildings and towered over the little ponies.

Like it's smaller counterparts, it was long scaly and very ridged looking. It's body had sharp curves and points to it rather than a smooth look. Trixie was sure she'd seen it before. Somewhere. It's head was long and narrow coming to a point a secondary head identical to its other one, but much smaller stuck out to the side almost like an arm. That was when Trixie realized what it was.

"That's no frost ser-OOF!" she stopped talking as Mary shoved her elbow into the mares side.

The best loomed over them turning to face each of them one at a time. It stopped when it ran it's face over Roseluck and Bon Bon. With a loud hiss, it's head split open revealing four mandibles filled with teeth as crystalline tentacles ripped out grappling Bon Bon and Roseluck by the legs dragging them towards it. A stinging sensation filled their legs as the crystal tentacles wrapped around their legs digging into their flesh.

The two mares cried for help as the dug their hooves into the ground to slow their decent towards certain doom. Twilight and her friends piled on top of them trying to hold them back, while Trixie fired several stun spells at the fol beast. Maud stopped forward gripping the mass of ponies with her forearms and dug her hind hooves into the ground holding them in place.

"Hang on!" Trixie called to them as she ran up to the serpent to buck it. When she did, her legs felt like she kicked the side of a cliff. Her knees buckled and a shearing pain ran through her legs making her fall over gripping her legs while screaming in pain.

"Trixie!" Platinum ran from the group to the downed mare. "Are you alright?"

"Trixie's ... fine." she lied patting the silvery mares shoulder. "Thanks."

Bon Bon whimpered looking back at the mouth of the serpent about to eat her and her lover. tears fell freely from her eyes down her cheeks as she contemplated everything she ever did in her life. So this is my penance for the misdeeds I've done? she wondered thinking this was some cruel fate brought onto her by the gods.

"No! No! It can't end like this!" she cried digging her face into the fur of Rose who was holding her and the group of ponies. "I don't want to die here!"

"You won't! Not on Trixie's watch!" the blue unicorn claimed jumping onto the serpent digging a conjured sword into it.

The serpent roared suddenly thrashing about pulling at its captives legs violently. Rose and Bon Bon felt like hey were about to break their legs off at any second now and Bon Bon in her panic she began to say things she otherwise wouldn't have.

"Mary! Mary if I don't make it I want to say I'm so--ahh! sorry for blackmailing you!" she cried.

Eveypony looked at her, Roseluck scowled at her. "Don't say anything, Bonny, don't!"

"No! I won't die with this on my conscience, I hated the idea of blackmailing Mary! But my feeling for Roseluck overrode my better judgement! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

Mary smiled at the mare holding a hoof out. The cream mare took it as she pulled harder. Everypony looked on in shock at what was said by Bon Bon. Roseluck glared at her but returned her attention quickly to the serpent pulling at her legs. Mary nodded to Maud who gave a swift kick to the beast making it release Bon Bon and Roseluck.

Everypony except Mary Maud and Trixie looked bewildered at the serpent as it stared down at them unmoving. Maud then tapped the serpent and it rubbed her cheek purring. It's body shifted becoming more streamline and ridged turning into more crystalline it's head became longer and more narrow the scales melted together into one mass and it's tail split into two. Its body became more blue and green like the clear ocean waters but covered in tiny cracks.

Everypony ion the room recognized it.

"The hydranga." Trixie said.

Maud giggled as the beast licked her and turned to burrow underground and the other smaller ones followed suit.

"Well, done Maud." Twilight complimented the earth pony. Her friends looked shocked at her words.

"Twilight, what do you mean, 'good job?'" Rainbow asked accusingly. "You knew about... THIS?" she threw her hooves up in the air gesturing to the destruction.

"Yes, Rainbow I was." Twilight walked beside Spike who also seemed unaffected by what happened. "Spike send the letter."

Without a word Spike pulled out a scroll and with a deep breath, blew his magic fire over it sending it off in the distance to its destination.

"Message sent Twilight." He gave her a thumbs up.

"Great. Mary we should let Derpy know what's going on and I think I'm ready to take up the offer of mayor." Twilight said with a smile.

"Glad to hear it! I'm sure you will do great things for this town."

Now Applejack stepped forward clearly upset with not knowing what was going on. "What in tarnation's going on here?!"

"Mary stood before the whole group clearing her throat. "I guess we need to explain a few things don't we Twilight."

The exploitation took well over an hour to complete in detail. In short Mary after striking her deal with Bon Bon sent a message to Twilight via the magical candle that Trixie possessed to make a plan to get a confession out of Roseluck and Bon Bon about the blackmail. Twilight had prepared a letter that night to be sent to the royal sisters once they had claimed their confession.

But to get it they required the help of Maud and the hydranga. That night Maud went looking for the beast and found it had given birth to a whole nest of younglings. After making a deal of sorts, she claimed, they hydrangas sat idle waiting for the signal to attack Ponyville. Of course, no pony was to be hurt and none were. During the explanation Lyra had revealed herself to be unharmed and very much alive. Needless to say Bon Bon was relieved but Rose was very upset.

Shortly after the deal was struck Maud returned home to see that Rose and Bon Bon had come and went to the library to signal the hydranga to attack. Once they tracked down the two cream colored ponies the hydranga was to intimidate them into giving a confession about the blackmail. Of course, Bon Bon was the one to do so, Rose was to stubborn to do so. Once the confession was given, the attack was halted and the hydranga was left to its own devices.

"-and that's why I employed the help of Twilight and Spike." Mary said finishing her explanation.

The Elements of Harmony had no idea what to think or do a this time. Most everypony who was near heard everything and was too shocked by the explanation to say a thing many stood idly by waiting. Just then Pinkie Pie came bouncing down the street with several of the ponies that were running from the serpents all with deep frowns on their faces.

"So this was all a setup from the start?" Roseluck asked.

"Yes, it was." Mary replied smugly.

"You tricked us."

"Yes and Ponyville will be in good hooves in my absence." she gestured for Twilight to join her. "And I think this will be the start of a bright future for Ponyville."

"Thank you Mary." Twilight said shaking her hoof. "I promise to do my best for Ponyville."

"I know you will." Mary replied turning to leave.

Trixie joined up with her and was flanked by Maud and Platinum as they went back home. As they did a team of royal guards descended from the skies and a pegasus commander spoke with Twilight as Rose and Bon Bon were escorted elsewhere. Trixie craned her neck beack to see Twilight and her friends gather in a group hug smiling and cheering for their friend.

"You sure she has what it takes to be mayor?" she asked the former mayor.

"Indeed I do, Trixie." she kissed her blue mate. "After all, I had faith in you didn't I?"

The blue mare smiled brushing up against the tan mares side. As they walked home, the sun was at its peak and a warm breeze blew over them. And they knew it was all going to be alright.