𝙽𝚢𝚌𝚝𝚘𝚙𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚊 {𝙳𝚂𝙼𝙿𝚇𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙳𝙴𝚁}

𝟸. 𝙰 𝙳𝚎𝚊𝚕'𝚜 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚎𝚚𝚞𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚜

A/N

You have chosen to accept Nikki's Invitation.
You will not be leaving. Good luck.

ت

Forcing myself not to look over my shoulder at a particularly snide businessman, I nodded slowly. Nikki smiled again, rejoicing at my acceptance and reached her hand out to me. "Really, I think you will love speaking to Fundy before Wil gets sorted." I passed a glance behind her shoulder to see Wilbur fiddling with the microphone rested on a small stand, a contrast to his tall frame.

Before taking her hand I swallowed, looking to Fundy swinging on a particularly high railing of the fenced area. "Nikki," I sighed, chewing on my cheek. I wasn't afraid of Fundy. Far from it. But we didn't exactly have the best relationship. "Me and him never really..." I struggled to find the correct wording. "Clicked."

Nikki's hand flew to her mouth, containing laughter bubbling up in her sweet face. "Are you sure? You and Fundy always seemed so close during The Revolution, never staying far from each other." I sighed, turning my gaze back to her hair to make it easier.

She was exactly right. We never strayed far from each other at all. But not for the lovely reasons Nikki may be thinking though. Only just months ago we were at eachothers throats for the recognition of L'manburg's President. He was a master at code, I was a master at stealth. Fundy had wanted to prove himself to Wilbur as a son. I had wanted to prove myself to Wilbur as a soldier.

It's ironic how things turned out.

Before I had time to answer her or take her hand, Wil had finally figured out his microphone problem. "Hello? Is this- ah." he had found the switch and was now working on the height of the stand. Tommy's laughter beside him at his own mic was unmistakable.

Nikki had dropped her hand when Wilbur finally began to speak, abandoning the notion for me and Fundy to speak again. The murmurs in the crowd subsided when he tapped the functional microphone again.

"Thank you all for coming here today to witness a historic moment- the passing over of the presidency for the first election of L'manburg." Wil delayed, reaching into his pocket again to draw out a book and quill. "I have with me the election results of the four parties Swag 2020, Pog 2020, Coconut 2020, and Schlatt 2020."

The world seemed to still. This was it. The fate of a nation was held in Wilbur's hand. It seemed surreal. I had spilled blood for this country. But at what cost now? Who would consolidate power? Who would rule over a nation that had fought so hard for their freedom? A nation I fought so hard for. And would they care for it, or would they damn the consequences?

He paused again, I assume for dramatic effect. If there was one thing Wil knew how to do that was put on a show. "There was one issue in the ballots, 120 thousand of them were tainted by a running mate." The crowd below gasped, scrutinizing the candidates above as if they would see cracks in their facade. Fundy had long jumped from his fence and was now approaching an open mic on the right of Wil.

The fox coughed unsteadily, "You know Wilbur I think you should just leave the-" He swung his head to his son, his favor for him long forgotten. "Coconut 2020 was the party who were counted with fraud." The crowd broke out in dismay, damning the two candidates to be brought to justice.

Tommy's brows furrowed a grin escaping. "I hate to say it, but there seems to be one coding member among Coconut 2020." He choked out, using his chair to stabilize himself in his laughing fit.  I heard Schlatt let out a laugh himself, but I didn't dare take my eyes off Wil. Fundy didn't seem that amused at the accusation.