Voice to the Chorus

**"Voice to the Chorus"**is the fifth episode of *Justice* and the 23rd episode overall.

It was published on June 26, 2018.

In the episode, the Toons across Toontown cast their votes in the first Election since the return from Exodus and the advent of the Cogs.

## The Episode

===Toon Hall===

=Election Day=

Eileen Irenic scratched her nails on the mahogany desk and listened absently to the report Mata Hairy was giving her. It was Mata's first report since her infiltration, and it would also be the last update Mata would give to Eileen as Mayor. The four weeks of the election cycle had been quite productive. The proceedings progressed just as Eileen had remembered them for Flippy's reelection. No mudslinging, clean campaigns, quick and easy literature distributions, friendly door-to-door interactions.

The Council elections were by far the most contested and the only ones that featured an ounce of hostility, focused around Mortimer Myles and Paula Behr. They were almost threatening people to vote for them.

The primary two weeks ago resulted in a Mayoral race between Constance Miller and Vidalia VaVoom, the latter of which proved to be a shock. Vidalia had actually made some strong points in her introductory speech. She said that she had spent the last few years getting to know the Toons of Toontown and now that she's connected with so many, she felt comfortable serving them. She cited Eileen and Flippy as Mayoral inspirations. Constance had a powerful case as well, having served as the Chief of the Toon Patrol and worked directly with Eileen.

With Constance running for Mayor, Aleck Harding was a shoe-in to win the Chief of the Toon Patrol. Ideally, in Eileen's mind, Constance would win Mayor and Aleck would be the Chief, allowing the three of them to continue working together as Toon Resistance, Toon Patrol, and Toon Council.

"Madam Mayor?" Mata said, knocking Eileen out of her thoughts.

"Yes," Eileen said as a statement, rather than an inquiry.

"You seem distracted. The election, I presume?"

Eileen didn't even bother trying to hide it. Mata was too observant.

"Yeah. Today’s the big day. Did you get a chance to vote?“

Mata folded her paws neatly over her lap, her posture as-always perfectly erect.

“After this I will. I intend to vote for Constance Miller, Aleck Harding, and Ichabod Irving from Dreamland. Is that the outcome for which you hope?"

Eileen nodded slowly. "It is."

Mata blinked.

"With all due respect, I see no need to dwell on the matter further. It is out of your hands, surely. In the coming week, you'll be out of office. I suggest we continue on with my report, which is far more pressing."

Eileen was not even taken aback. Mata's bluntness and candor was part of her charm. If you could call it charm.

"Go ahead."

"Thank you. I haven't had much success getting close to the Chief Financial Officer, simply because the lights are out and no one knows what to do. The CFO is too busy trying to curry favor with the Chairman to talk to any other Cogs. His chambers have been sealed shut for weeks. I was able to break in, of course, but the CFO was not home. I'm not sure where he is."

She paused. She seemed to be thinking.

"There's a chance he isn't in Cashbot Headquarters at all. He can't fly; he has to travel by the trains. But the trains have no power. So maybe he was stranded during the blackout. Or maybe he's with the Chairman."

Eileen mulled it over. That was certainly a possibility. They wouldn't know for sure until they found the Chairman. Wherever Bossbot Headquarters was. Scuba divers had been unable to find the underwater headquarters. The pictures Eileen had received from Ahab depicted the tunnels, but they seemed to go in a circle around the Bay and back toward Lawbot HQ. So then where were the Bossbots located? Bossbot Headquarters increasingly seemed to be the solution to all their problems. It was where the Chairman was, where the Togs were, where Ash Ingalls and other potential survivors may be.

"What would an attack on the Cashbot Vault look like?" Eileen asked. Mata didn't even hesitate. She had her answer prepared.

"The elevator has a capacity for eight, just like at Sellbot Towers. Since I'm there, you wouldn't have to wait in the lobby to be called. I can get you a code to use at the elevator. The Cashbots don't have a doorman at the elevator, so anyone can board, but you need a code to ride it. I can get eight Toons into the Vault where the CFO works. He'll be unsuspecting and we can easily defeat him."

"He has Cogs in his underbelly, yes?" Eileen asked, her eyes wandering to a sketch of his design on the wall. No one had seen the CFO in person besides Mata, but Bradley and Alice had seen Dr. Molecule designing his carcass.

"An underbelly with a larger capacity than the Sellbot VP. It'd be a longer battle, so high-level gags are a must."

Eileen made note of that and asked if Mata had a physical report to give.

"Of course," Mata said and removed a file from the folds of her dress. Eileen couldn't help but gape. Where had she kept that? It was as if there was a drawer in her skin. This monkey was bizarre.

Mata stood after giving Eileen the file and gave her trademark regal bow.

"Thank you, Madam Mayor."

Mata backed out of the office. Eileen grinned as she filed away the report with the rest of the Cashbot Headquarters documents.

===Lobby of Toon Hall===

“Fold your ballot and slide it into the box,” the lavender dog named Bree Sinct said to Clarabelle Cow, who followed the instructions and cast her vote for Vidalia. Clarabelle didn’t really care much about who won Chief of the Toon Patrol or even the Council election, as long as Vidalia was victorious. She couldn’t believe that Vidalia had even made it onto the ballot! She was so proud.

Everyone was saying that this new Mayor was going to lead Toontown through the victory over the Cogs. But Clarabelle knew better. Victory was not going to be an easy grasp.

War was coming.

===Piggy Pie’s Estate===

“Hog, help me with the plates.”

“Right away!”

Hog and Piggy Pie carried the trays of snacks out into the living room, where the guests were arriving.

“Go on,” Hog said to his sister, “play hostess. I’ll get the rest.”

“Thanks, Hog,” Piggy Pie said. “Get Muddy and Potbelly to help you too.”

“I’ll try,” Hog said, though both knew all too well that Muddy and Potbelly were more likely to eat the snacks than carry them out.

Piggy Pie took off her apron, having been cooking all afternoon, and greeted Alice Carver and Bradley Wolfe. It was their first Toon Election in which they could vote, and their first to truly experience. They were too young when they were taken to fully understand the concept of democracy. It was a momentous night for them as well.

“Thank you for inviting us,” Alice said as she hung up her coat on the rack. “It means a lot.”

“Of course,” Piggy Pie said. “Now that you’re working with the Toon Patrol, we’ll be colleagues. I want to get to know you both better.”

Bradley grinned.

“Please, make yourself at home.”

Piggy Pie returned to the kitchen to check on her brothers. Hog was berating Truffle Pie for eating half a platter of shrimp.

“You don’t even *like* shrimp!” he cried. Truffle hung his head in shame.

Piggy Pie checked the clock. It was 7:00 and the polls were now closed. She hurried to turn on the TV. As the screen filled with color, Dr. Byte and Dr. Sensitive arrived through the door. They carried tins of cookies.

“Oh, you didn’t have to bring anything!” Piggy Pie said.

“Nonsense,” Dr. Sensitive said. “We were happy to do it. It’s so generous of you to host this whole shindig. How many guests are you expecting?”

“Uh…” Piggy Pie said. She had originally expected about a dozen, her own family making up half that number. But word had spread and she found herself inviting more and more people. The only ones who had said no outright were Slate Oldman and Professor Pete, who were attending a separate watch party in the Brrrgh. Slate was up for the Council election and wanted to be around his potential constituents. Aleck Harding, Constance Miller, and Eileen Irenic were watching the results at Toon Hall but said they may show up later. Clara Clark was also a potential maybe, but since several of her siblings were up for election, she was likely to be with them at the large Clark Estate.

The guests arrived nearly altogether once the clock struck 7, since the results were due shortly thereafter. Horace Calves, Tori Dorrance, Clara Clark (who arrived after all), and…

“VIOLET!”

Piggy Pie bounded over to Violet Vance and wrapped her arms around the purple duck. It had been so long.

“Have you been? How’s the Pet Shop? Oh, I’ve missed you!”

“How are *you*? How is your gag training? I was so sorry to hear about Doctor…thanks for inviting me!”

The two friends went into the living room to sit next to each other the couch. Piggy Pie’s brothers emerged from the kitchen with the rest of the food and everyone sat together around the television. A still image of Toon Hall was shown with a graphic scrawling “ELECTION NIGHT” across the screen. At 7:15 exactly, the familiar anthem of the news station played and it cut to a live video of Toontown’s most reputable news announcer and event host, Declan Antlin. The tall, light blue dog reminded Piggy Pie of Flippy and she felt a pang in her heart. Flippy would have been here tonight. He would have loved to see the election play out without worry of his own political fate.

Declan Antlin was gorgeous. It was known. He was tall, handsome, charming, direct, unafraid of the spotlight. He hosted elections, sporting events, delivered urgent announcements over the television. He had rebranded what television in Toontown was. He made the news enjoyable, he became a friend in every Toon home. He loved interacting with Toons and he was a dedicated fighter of the Toon Resistance. He never shied away from actively recruiting for the Resistance. He made an impassioned plea shortly after Flippy’s death that the Toon Resistance should not even have membership, as every Toon should be taking up gags in arms against the Cogs. Piggy Pie loved him.

“Good evening, Toontown,” Declan said and literally the entire room swooned. So many Toons wanted to capture this single dog and lock a marriage down.

“I want him so bad,” Tori said as if to echo Piggy Pie’s own thought. The room laughed. It was not exactly the norm, but often that Toons would date and marry, and even be attracted to, Toons of the same species. Toons could only have children with another of the same species. It was biologically true. While many married outside their species for lack of a want of children, or because they were content using the surrogate or adoption methods, others exclusively dated within their species to ensure the option would remain open for a family. Marrying other species was once taboo in the Kingdoms. The War was even started over it.

But no one cared about that when it came to Declan. Piggy wondered who, if anyone, Declan had dated.

“Tonight is Election Night,” Declan said, “Our day of democracy. On this joyous occasion, we the Toons of Toontown add our voices to the chorus and cast votes for our elected representatives to lead us faithfully, impartially, courageously through whatever trials and tribulations abound. This is the first full election since Exodus, since the Cogs’ arrival in Toontown, and since our town has been ripped apart by strife. Before we begin, I would like to offer a moment of silence for all those who have fallen in the Final Battle, in the Cog Buildings, on the streets, in the Playgrounds, in Exodus, for all who have given their lives in the fight to save Toontown from the evil within. I will personally reflect on the late Mayor Flippy Flopper’s life and his final sacrifice which directly led to the period of Cog absence we have enjoyed these past weeks. As you wish, bow your head in silence.”

Declan dipped his head and closed his eyes. Piggy Pie did the same.

She thought about Flippy mostly, but also the others she had known to have perished. She knew Eileen Irenic would be thinking of her family, and Professor Pete of his. Without the late Dr. Nimbus, there never would have been an Exodus. Piggy wondered what the number was, the total death toll.

“Thank you,” Declan said and Piggy raised her head.

“I’m so excited,” Alice whispered. She was smiling more than Piggy had ever seen. She was usually so somber in Council meetings, though the mood was never one of delight there.

“For some of you, this may be your first Election,” Declan said. “Therefore I will go over how tonight will work. Behind me, you will see the seat of the Election Committee, Toon Hall.”

Behind Declan, the lights were illuminated, but one window was brighter than the rest.

“That window on the second floor is the Election Office. It is only used by the Election Committee and tonight it will be getting its first use in nearly seven years. The Election Committee is comprised of Chairwoman Pearl Ament, Bree Since, and Ballot Boxer. The three of them have now collected all of the ballot boxes and have secluded themselves in the Election Office. The door is locked and no one gets in or out. Only the three of them touch the ballots and they will painstakingly count each one. As you can see, the window is open and a chute is attached to the building. When the results have been realized and all the totals are tallied, Pearl Ament will drop an envelope containing the results down the chute for me to read and announce to you all. Tonight we will only be announcing the winners for the Toon Council, Toon Patrol, and Mayor. The minor neighborhood election results will be posted in tomorrow’s newspaper.”

“I love how they’re locked in the office,” Violet said. “So secretive.”

“Remember that one year when Declan dropped the envelope flying out of the chute?” Clara asked, snorting with laughter. Piggy Pie giggled at the memory. Not even the cameraman was able to keep it together.

“Right now,” Declan said, “the Committee is hard at work counting. They will release Council results first, as I said, but in no particular order. In the meantime, I shall read an announcement from Pearl Ament, the Chairwoman of the Committee.”

Declan shifted his microphone to the other paw to read the announcement handed to him from offscreen.

“Greetings, Toons, and happy Election Day!” Declan read in his cheerful voice. It was deep, firm, strong. “I am pleased to have the honor of serving once again as Chairwoman of the Election Committee. I am humbled by the opportunity and I eagerly look forward to revealing the results of this democratic night. Sit back, relax, munch on a few snacks, and rest assured you’ll have the results in a jiffy! From Bree, Ballot, and I, thank you for voting.”

Declan smiled his trademark grin and patiently stepped toward the chute.

“Seven years ago, at the last Election, a dramatic showdown occurred between Flippy Flopper and Slappy Quackintosh. It was a rematch battle, as the two had previously faced off four years prior. Flippy once again reigned victorious and became our Mayor for a second term.”

Declan plowed onward, knowing that if he paused, many would use the gap to accuse Flippy of bringing the Cogs to Toontown.

“Slappy ran again for the third time this year, but lost in the primary vote. Instead, Vidalia VaVoom and Constance Miller vie for the Mayorship. This is the second time two female Toons have taken place on the top ballot. Outgoing Mayor Eileen Irenic wishes both contestants the best of luck.”

“Cheers,” Dr. Byte said, raising his glass.

“I bet he’ll do his history lesson next,” Truffle Pie said, standing, “so I’m going to hit the bathroom.”

“Piggy, do you have any protein powder in the kitchen?” Horace asked.

“Uh,” Piggy Pie said. “No.”

“We take these Elections for granted,” Declan said, even though no one took the Elections for granted. “Where did this privilege come from? When the initial 500 settlers arrived in Toontown from the mountaintops after an arduous journey from the war-torn Kingdoms of Cartonia, all they knew was monarchies and hereditary governments. Crowns had passed from one head to another, either peacefully or through wars and coups, for centuries upon centuries. The first Mayor of Toontown, Maximilian Walters, knew upon arrival on this glorious peninsula that there could never be a monarchy here. And thus the democracy was born. They devised the system we still use today. They built Toon Hall and cordoned off the Election Office, devised the first Election Committee, constructed the Toon Council and established the Toon Patrol. We owe them literally our entire lives, this town, our home. And so I dedicate this Election, as always, to them. And to Maximilian Walters, the First Mayor, and all Mayors beyond him.”

“How many Mayors have we had?” Muddy said with a yawn.

“I think 50 or 51,” Clara said.

“52 if you count Eileen,” Horace said in his gruff unyielding voice.

“I do count Eileen,” Hog Pie said. “She’s great.”

Declan was checking his watch.

“We should be expecting the first envelope at any moment. The Council elections this year were hotly contested. We have a large amount of candidates from each neighborhood, with the exception of Dreamland which only put forth four. All incumbents are running except Christine Colette of Melodyland, who has withdrawn from politics after four years on the Toon Council. Having overseen Exodus and the implementation of the Emergency Portal, she will be best remembered for her moving and poignant funeral she arranged for the late Mayor Flippy with whom she had worked so diligently.”

“Ah,” Piggy said, “Christine. One of the apathetic ones.”

“Better than the belligerent ones,” Alice muttered, causing Bradley to laugh. She was referring to Ahab Ishmael, Mortimer Myles, and Paula Behr. All of their fates already sealed, awaiting delivery.

“THERE IT IS!” Tori screamed as the first envelope was seen falling through the chute. It hit the bottom soundlessly. Declan gracefully turned around, opened the clear glass door at the bottom and retrieved the envelope. It was sealed with a wax stamp of the sigil of Toontown.

“I have in my hand the results of the Council election for Dreamland.”

He undid the envelope and slid out the result slip.

“Four candidates put forth their names for election this year. Challenging the incumbent Ichabod Irving are Zari Zazzle, Waylon Ware, and Willow Whispers.”

Hamlet Pie spat out his drink. Piggy Pie hit her head in embarrassment.

“*Zari Zazzle?* That schmuck is on the ballot?”

Tori looked at him in confusion.

“Aren’t you a resident of Dreamland? Shouldn’t you already know that from your ballot?”

Hog shook his head.

“Hamlet, let me guess. You traipsed into the voting station unaware and voted for Ichabod Irving and whoever came first alphabetically for the Chief and Mayor positions.”

Hamlet opened his mouth to protest but decided to give up and accept that the jig was up.

“Yeah…”

“You’re the reason Dreamland has a negative connotation of being lazy as hell,” Piggy said. “The incumbent always has an advantage.”

“Shhh!” Tori said. “Declan’s talking!”

Piggy Pie listened as Declan explained that with only 43 Councillors in history, Dreamland has the fewest total number of Councillors. In fact, of all the Dreamland Councillors, only 2 had not served two terms. *That* was how lazy the residents were. They couldn’t even bother to vote someone out of office.

Piggy had voted for Willow Whispers. She was an invigorated Toon Resistance fighter.

“I will now read the results,” Declan said. “With 79% of the vote, Ichabod Irving has won reelection and will return to his position as Councillor for Dreamland!”

Piggy Pie and Hog groaned.

“Don’t fix it if it ain’t broke,” Potbelly said with crackers in his mouth.

“Hamlet,” Tori said, “why don’t you like Zari Zazzle?”

Piggy snorted.

“Who *likes* Zari? He’s so bizarre.”

Hamlet nodded.

“Always sending out these weird notices to Dreamland residents about things that start with Z. One time I got a thing in the mail that just said Zebra, Zest, Zigzag.”

“Zebra?” Alice said.

“An extinct species, I think,” Horace said. “Didn’t they live on Equine Isle before they went extinct?”

“Something like that,” Violet said.

Everyone turned their attention back to the screen, where an image of Ichabod Irving was fading to reveal Declan reaching into the chute to pull out another envelope.

“I now have the results for the Gardens Councillorship. Fifteen Toons were in the running for this position. Heidi Babel is the incumbent, having served on the Toon Council for four years.”

Violet leaned forward. She was the only Toon present who lived in the Gardens.

“Who did you vote for, Vi?” Piggy asked.

“Professor Chortle,” Violet said. “She’s such a strong fighter. And she’s so knowledgeable about laff.”

Declan was listing the names of all those running for the position, but Piggy Pie didn’t know any of them that well except Heidi, Professor Chortle, and Honey Dew who ran a marriage counseling service on Oak Street.”

“With 42% of the vote,” Declan said with a dramatic pause for effect, “Professor Mulaney Chortle has been elected as the 65th Councillor from the Gardens! Heidi Babel has not won reelection, but we humbly thank her for her service to Toontown.”

Violet threw up her wings and cheered.

“She’ll make fighting on the Toon Resistance a priority,” Violet said to the others. Piggy Pie nodded enthusiastically. That’s what the new Council needed: persistence in their defense from the Cogs.

“Ah,” Declan said onscreen, “here comes…oh! Here we have *two* envelopes! Both the…Brrrgh and...Melodyland! I suppose I’ll read them in that order.”

Horace puffed out his chest as the Brrrgh’s envelope was undone.

“Who’d you vote for?” Dr. Byte asked as he reached for another slice of pie.

“I was torn,” Horace said, not taking his eyes off the screen. “I was deciding between Slate and my buddy Toboggan Todd. But in the end I chose Slate for his physical prowess.”

“He’s an old Toon who can control the snow,” skeptical Muddy said. “Not exactly the definition of fitness.”

Hog rounded on his half-brother. “And how many blizzards did you bring to save your neighborhood when the climate changed?”

Muddy shrugged.

“Sixteen Toons,” Declan said, “ran against incumbent Paula Behr to claim the Councillorship for the Brrrgh. With 50% of the votes, just nearly a majority, Slate Oldman, the Blizzard Wizard himself, has been elected the 60th Councillor of the Brrrgh!”

The room clapped, Horace loudest of all. Slate’s decision to run was certainly a surprising one. He was asked quite frequently in years past. After all, two of his ancestors had served as reputable Councillors from the Brrrgh. Glaucous and Azure Oldman were two of the original settlers. Slate was now known for his powers to control the snow, but recently his development of Level 7 Gags and their destructive power had earned him the reputation as a powerful member of the Toon Resistance. He and Professor Chortle would almost definitely bring vitality to the Council. And, just as Eileen had hoped, Paula Behr had been unseated.

“We thank Paula Behr humbly for her service to Toontown, and her eight years spent on the Toon Council.”

Declan passed the envelope offscreen and opened the one for Melodyland. Now Tori was eagerly listening. She had campaigned extensively for her friend, Anastasia Anderson, to win. Anastasia was one of the Toons Eileen had considered to temporarily replace Doctor on the Toon Resistance’s payroll.

“From Melodyland, we have twenty-two Toons vying for the Councillor position. To repeat, Christine Colette is *not* running for reelection.”

Declan recited the names of those running. There were several that Piggy recognized, including both Doe and Ray Clark from the Gag Shops.

“With 39% of the vote, a clear plurality but certainly not a majority, Doe Clark—”

“DAMN IT!” Tori shrieked.

“—has been elected the 74th Councillor from Melodyland. Congratulations, Doe! So far, of all her siblings, she is the only one to clench victory tonight.”

Tori sheepishly looked toward Clara Clark, who was trying to contain her excitement and pride for her sister.

“Sorry for my outburst…” Tori muttered. Clara waved her hand.

“You were supporting your friend; it’s fine!”

Tori stood and looked toward Piggy.

“Do you mind if I use your phone to call Anastasia? She was really scared about the results.”

“Go ahead!”

Tori scuttled into the kitchen.

On screen, Declan was digging his hand in the chute to pull out another envelope. The Election Committee was blitzing through the results. They knew Toontown was waiting.

“The Docks,” Declan said simply, showing the neat print on the front of the envelope. He removed the results and cleared his throat.

“An unprecedented 41 Toons ran against incumbent Ahab Ishmael for the honor of serving as the Docks Councillor. Ahab Ishmael himself was elected upon return from Exodus after the tragic death of Councillor Melville Jesop in the Final Battle. If Ahab wins reelection, he will be able to fulfill an entire term. Without further ado, here is the list of all those running.”

Piggy Pie waited patiently through the *loooong* list. This was Doctor’s neighborhood. He was unable to vote due to his captivity. Who would he have supported? Certainly not Ahab Ishmael.

“Oh, right!” Dr. Sensitive said, shaking Piggy from her thoughts of Doctor. “You two live in the Docks now on the Vavarro estate.”

“We do,” Alice said, “but Bradley lived in the Docks before…”

“Here it comes,” Bradley said, not wanting to talk about the “before.”

“With 33% of the vote,” Declan said, “narrowly edging out Ahab Ishmael, Barbara “Barnacle Barbara” Carnivale has been elected the 76th Councillor from the Docks!”

Alice and Bradley clapped, clearly pleased.

“Not who we voted for, but she’ll be great,” Bradley said.

“That’s all the neighborhoods except Toontown Central,” Clara said. “My homeland.”

“If Mortimer Myles wins…” Dr. Byte grumbled.

“He won’t,” Dr. Sensitive said. “All the incumbents except Ichabod have lost. The Toons are sick of apathy.”

“Yeah,” Tori said. “But your options weren’t too great. Franz Neckvein and Big Bruce? The two biggest idiots on the ballot? Who’d you end up voting for?”

Dr. Byte and Dr. Sensitive exchanged glances.

“Well,” Dr. Byte said. “I voted for Lawrence down at the Library. He’s a genius.”

“And I,” Dr. Sensitive said, clearly disagreeing with Kilo’s decision, “voted for Mary Goround. She wants to revitalize the transport network, though Professor Pete seemed a bit miffed by her.”

Declan Antlin was now pulling the final Council envelope out of the chute. He had not lost his vigor throughout the evening. He was just as excited as he was at the start. He broke the seal.

“With 46% of the vote,” Declan said, “Mortimer Myles has won reelection to the Toon Council! Congratulations, sir!”

Kilo, Hyla, and Clara sat with mouths agape. Tori, Horace, and Violet shook their heads.

“No,” Piggy Pie said. “*How?*”

“This is some bull,” Tori said.

“Unbelievable. He ran such a dirty campaign,” Dr. Byte grumbled with ire.

“He’ll still be outvoted by the new Councilmembers,” Hyla said as she bit her lip.

Declan Antlin paused the program so that everyone could take a breather after the results. It was customary not to interview the winners on the night of their victory, as doing so could result in unsportsmanlike behavior toward the losers. Declan would be the only face they would see—besides the Chief-Elect.

“He’s back!” Clara announced. Several scurried in from the kitchen and bathroom.

“We will now continue,” Declan said, “with the Chief Election. We have three candidates running for this position, which is the only one which is restricted. Only Toon Patrollers can run for this office. The three candidates are: Deputy Joy Buzzer of Toontown Central, Deputy Aleck Harding of the Toon Patrol, and Deputy Fa Milan of Melodyland. I should note that Aleck Harding is currently serving as Deputy under Chief Constance Miller.”

“Go Aleck!” Alice cheered. Bradley clapped when his name was called.

“This is how the Chief Election will work. As you are all aware, the six Deputies of Toontown work in tandem with the Chief, who in turn has their own Deputy who oversees all of Toontown. The winner of tonight’s Chief Election will succeed Constance Miller and assume control of the Toon Patrol. They will then select from the pool of six elected Deputies who they want to be *their* Deputy.”

“What?” Bradley said. “What’s going on?”

“It’s confusing,” Piggy said, “mostly because they don’t have a different title for Deputy of a neighborhood and Deputy of the Toon Patrol.”

“Yeah,” Violet said. “Think of it this way. Every neighborhood has a Deputy who’s in charge of that district. Above the six of them is the Chief and their Deputy. The Chief chooses their Deputy from the six lower Deputies. So tonight, when the Chief winner is announced, they’ll have to pick one of tonight’s six electees to serve as their top Deputy.”

Alice stared.

“Well then what happens to the vacancy in the neighborhood with the chosen Deputy?”

“The runner-up usually gets it by default,” Truffle said with a yawn. “It’s the one system that we need to fix I think.”

“Before we get to the Deputy results,” Declan said, “let me announce the winners of the neighborhood Deputy elections so you know who is eligible for the Chief’s Deputy tonight.”

He kind of struggled to open the envelope.

“From Toontown Central: Professor Wiggle McDiggle…”

Truffle, Muddy, Potbelly, and Hamlet descended into raucous laughter.

“Wiggle!”

“Mc*Diggle!*”

“SHHH!” Tori shushed loudly.

“From the Docks, Rocky Shores. From the Gardens, Susan Fletcher. From Melodyland, Marshall Ihob. From the Brrrgh, Paul Pickaxe. And from Dreamland, Linda Lawla. Congratulations to our new and returning Deputies!”

No one clapped. They weren’t being rude, they just didn’t hold much interest in the neighborhood Deputy elections.

“And now…the moment of truth! Who will be your new Chief and Deputy? Behind me in Toon Hall wait the three candidates who, again, are Joy Buzzer, Fa Milan, and Aleck Harding. When I announce the winner, they will emerge and announce their choice for Deputy.”

“Why do they do it the night of?” Bradley asked. “It seems so sudden.”

“As I said,” Truffle said. “We need to fix this part of the system.”

“With 67% of the vote,” Declan said with bravado, “Deputy Aleck Harding has been elected the 49th Chief of the Toon Patrol! Come on out, Aleck!”

The room cheered as Aleck sheepishly walked out of Toon Hall and gave a polite little bow to Declan.

“Congratulations, Deputy!” Declan exclaimed. “Or should I say—Chief Harding! Constance must be proud of her protege.”

Before Aleck could respond, Declan turned to the camera and began telling Aleck Harding’s life story.

“When Aleck Harding joined the Toon Patrol eight years ago (not including Exodus, mind you), he was but another humble citizen seeking to make our town safer. He elevated through the ranks quickly enough and was elected Deputy of Toontown Central in the last election. Seeing his potential, Constance Miller chose him on her reelection night four years ago (not including Exodus, again) and he’s been a loyal Deputy ever since. Now, he is Chief of the Toon Patrol!”

Aleck just stood awkwardly by Declan’s side as the charismatic host lit him up with compliments.

“Chief Harding, now we must ask. Who will serve as your Deputy for the next four years?”

Declan handed Aleck the microphone, who took it gingerly.

“Um, thank you, first of all. You’re very kind, as are the Toons of Toontown. I hope I can serve you with honor and grace. All six Deputies are so skilled and dedicated. But I have enjoyed a solid relationship with Deputy Susan Fletcher of the Gardens and I choose her to serve alongside me as Deputy of the Toon Patrol.”

Violet pumped her wing in the air.

“YES! Bring it home for the Gardens, Susan!”

“Thank you, Chief Harding. We will now conclude our night with the announcement of tonight’s most exciting event—the Mayoral election.”

“Finally,” Muddy said. Piggy and Tori shushed him simultaneously.

“Come on, Constance,” Hyla said.

“CONSTANCE! CONSTANCE!” Kilo and Horace chanted.

“As a reminder,” Declan said, “tonight’s Mayoral election is between outgoing Chief Constance Miller of the Toon Patrol and Vidalia VaVoom. Without further ado, I shall read the results.”

As if on cue, the envelope slid down the chute. The faces of Pearl Ament, Ballot Boxer, and Bree Sinct appeared in the window from which the chute dangled, their work finally complete. They looked exhausted.

Declan undid the binding on the envelope.

“With a 97% turnout and 71% of the vote,” he said, “Constance Miller has been elected the 52nd Mayor of Toontown! Congratulations, Madam Mayor!”

“YES!!” Piggy Pie screamed, jumping to her trotters.

“GO CONSTANCE!” Kilo shouted.

The room erupted in cheers and applause. Hyla ran to the phone to call the new Mayor. After a minute on the phone, she excitedly turned to the partygoers.

“They’re on their way! Eileen, Aleck, and Constance!”

Now that the elections were over, the party officially began. Piggy Pie cranked up the music and the guests started dancing. When Constance and Aleck arrived, they instantly became the stars of the show. Everyone swarmed to congratulate them. Piggy made sure to keep refilling snacks and drinks and be a good hostess. Besides, it helped her take her mind off the burning reminder that Doctor wasn’t here.

For as much as she knew, Doctor was dead. Maybe he died the instant he flew away with the Chairman. And even if they could get Doctor back, how would they save him? There was that horrible green light on his chest. His laff was undoubtedly ripped out and destroyed…so how the hell could they cure him? They couldn’t even cure the 27 Togs in captivity beneath Toon HQ.

Piggy Pie set a tray on the coffee table and sat by the front door. She gazed absently at the carpet as she thought about Doctor, her friend, her best friend, lost.

“Piggy.”

Piggy Pie lifted her head and saw Eileen standing before her, holding out a drink.

“You look like you could use this.”

Piggy managed a smile and took the glass. “Thanks.”

“You’re thinking about Doctor.”

“Can you blame me?”

“Not at all,” Eileen said. “I’m thinking about my family. They never knew I was Mayor. Such a huge part of my life and the people who I loved most and loved me most never knew about it. And they won’t ever know about it because they’re gone.”

“I’m sorry,” Piggy Pie said. “I can’t even imagine.”

Eileen sat next to Piggy and gripped her arm.

“We’ll get him back, Piggy Pie. I promise you. I may be leaving the Mayoral office but I will not be leaving the Toon Resistance behind. The fight is far from over.”

Piggy grinned. Eileen was truly inspiring.

“We can talk later,” Eileen said, “but I want you to help me lead another attack on Cashbot HQ. If we plan this right, we can bankrupt the Cogs. I got a detailed sketch of the Cashbot Vault today from our inside source.”

Eileen was trying to help. She was. But the mention of another Cog battle just made Piggy Pie think about Doctor not being there to support her. The two of them had fought almost every battle together since the return from Exodus. She had never gone so long without him.

“I have to go,” Piggy Pie said suddenly, though as soon as she said it she knew it was true. She had to get out of this house. She stood too quickly and nearly knocked over an end table by the door. A vase toppled to the floor, but Eileen caught it before it could shatter on the floor.

“Beautiful vase,” Eileen said. “I have one too.”

It was the Toons of the World vase, depicting a mural of all species of Toons linking arms around the gazebo in Toontown Central. It was one of Piggy Pie’s favorite possessions. It was an embodiment of Toon strength and resilience. But maybe not so coincidentally, the bear and the pig were next to each other on the vase’s face. Piggy Pie stared sadly at it, then hurried out the door.

“I’ll be back,” she shouted back to Eileen, who quietly replaced the vase on the table and watched her go.

As soon as Piggy Pie breathed in the night air, she knew where she wanted to go.

===Toontown Cemetery===

The graveyard was darker than Piggy Pie expected it to be. She hadn’t ever been at night since it was so reportedly so eerie and depressing after the sun went down. She stepped through the gates and began down the long path.

Toons in Toontown were never buried after death, as there was never going to be enough space. Instead, Toons were cremated and their ashes placed in a tiny plot with a small marker. Toons could either be buried with family, by species, by neighborhood, which made it all very confusing. There was an extensive inventory of all the ashes at the front gate, but Piggy Pie knew where she was going.

For the first time, she walked past her parents. She of course paused to mutter a few words of respect for Charlotte and Boar Pie, but they were not why she was here.

The only other structure in the graveyard besides the markers and the front gate was the Mausoleum of the Mayors. All the Mayors had their ashes stored here. It was a fat marble structure with the seal of Toontown engraved on the front. Two iron-wrought gate doors were permanently propped open. Piggy Pie approached and stepped inside. There were flames around the roof that always kept the place lit.

The Mausoleum was one room with glass cases built into the walls. Behind each pane of glass, stacked on four shelves, was an urn containing the ashes of a deceased Mayor. A photograph of the Mayor was next to it, along with their name, years of service, and lifespan. There were hundreds of spots for Mayors yet to come. Whenever a Mayor died, their ashes were placed in a beautiful urn and set on a pedestal in the center of the Mausoleum. When another Mayor died, the urn on the pedestal was moved to behind one of the panes. But essentially the most recently-deceased was given a place of prime mourning.

Flippy’s urn was on the pedestal. The urn was cyan, like his fur, and embroidered in golden laurels. His picture beamed at Piggy Pie as she entered.

“Hey, Flippy,” she said. And then after a long pause, “It’s election night. Your favorite.”

It was weird to talk to the dead. Piggy Pie had never done it before.

“I’m sorry you’re not here,” she said, dropping her voice to a whisper as if people could hear her. “I wish you hadn’t jumped. I wish the Cogs never converted us into Togs. I don’t know if you ever met Doctor, but you decided to risk your life to help me save him. You were so brave.”

She paused again and shifted her weight to her other foot. Should she sit? Did she want to say long? It had been compulsory to come here, to be with one of the two people she had lost that day. She dreaded the thought of Doctor’s funeral and setting his ashes into the ground in the cemetery.

Piggy Pie stepped forward and placed her trotter on Flippy’s urn. It was sealed shut and made of reenforced porcelain so that no one would smash it. But that would be a *low* move.

“I miss you, Flippy. We didn’t know each other that well, but you needed a friend.”

“I take it you’re a friend then,” a voice said from behind. Piggy Pie whirled around, not one with a proclivity for surprises and scares. She gaped.

“Mister Mayor,” she breathed as former Mayor Mickey Elias stepped into the tomb. The black mouse had wrinkled considerably since he had left office, but Piggy Pie had picked up on that when he stopped by at Flippy’s funeral. Mickey was holding a bouquet of blue roses. He walked past Piggy and set the flowers at the base of the pedestal. He lingered for a moment, staring at the offering, and then stood.

“Shall we sit?” Mickey said, gesturing at a bench just outside the Mausoleum.

“Uh…”

“Excellent,” Mickey said. “I’m afraid my legs get tired. You’ll also hopefully forgive my excitement. I’ve always wanted to meet the famous Piggy Pie.”

Piggy Pie’s mouth dropped as Mickey sauntered outside. How…

“You know my name?” Piggy said, her eyebrows scrunched. Mickey nodded.

“Oh, of course. You’re a legend in the Toon Resistance. One of the strongest fighters, an asset for Eileen Irenic and of course for Toontown. You were one of the four who went into that dastardly building on Loopy Lane. You were there when Flippy sacrificed himself.”

He sat on the bench and patted the seat next to him. Piggy Pie joined him. She couldn’t believe she was sitting with Mickey Elias. She remembered something she had heard, from someone…

*In another life, another time, another world, he could have been King.*

Was that true?

“You’re a legend too,” Piggy Pie said. “Everyone loves you. You’re probably one of the most beloved Mayors.”

Mickey snorted.

“I don’t know why,” he said. “I left Toontown in a state worse than I found it. I ruined the economy but no one knew because no one cared. I dumped all of that on my successor, on Flippy. My actions indirectly led to the rise of the Cogs. If I had been more responsible, if I had cared more about Toontown than I did about other’s opinions, I would have left Flippy in a position where the Cogs were not necessary. We could have prevented the Cogs. Maybe. Only for a little while longer. I consider myself to be as much to blame as Flippy. We bear the guilt together.”

He looked behind him, sadly into the Mausoleum. Piggy Pie looked down at her feet.

“I never knew,” she said. “I’m sorry.”

Mickey sniffed.

“I withdrew from public life,” he said, “after the Cogs turned for the worse. I couldn’t bear the thought of Toons digging deeper into the past and realizing how I and all my predecessors ruined Toontown. We’re to blame.”

Piggy Pie placed her trotter delicately on Mickey’s shoulder.

“That can’t be true.”

“Oh, it is,” Mickey fired back. “When we first got here, we were so focused on building a better place that we got too obsessed with it. By the time the second and third generations came around, all we cared about was fun. We wanted to shed the oppression and horrors of the past to move unnaturally into a future of light. And so every Mayor assumed the task of keeping the Toons happy. Our biology changed to develop laff. Literally our DNA rewrote itself to accommodate for the *need* to be happy. All Mayors knew the economy was teetering on collapse. I knew that unemployment could be rampant and that shops would close, ruining livelihoods. And yet I kept spending, plunging the economy into debt. Mayor Roy Law is just as guilty, but he’s less likely to admit it. Bless his soul, Sir Maxwell confided in me before his death that he regretted his politics.”

Piggy Pie sat back on the bench. She had a knot in her stomach.

“You make it sound like Toontown is a terrible place.”

Mickey laughed.

“It’s not terrible at all. It’s natural. It’s normal. It’s what the world should be. A bunch of problems that we have to solve, constantly adapting. There is no such thing as a utopia. All utopias are dystopias.”

Piggy Pie exhaled. She wasn’t sure what else to say.

“I’ve tried my best,” Mickey said, “to fight the Cogs and undo my mistakes. I practice my gags every day. I usually fight alone so as not to draw attention, but Eileen knows how much I support her. She probably won’t mention it to anyone out of respect for me and the office we’ve shared, but I’m something of a coward. I’m too scared to go near the Cog buildings or the Headquarters. I stick solely to street fighting, but I do my part.”

He sighed and crossed his arms.

“When I look back on my two terms, do you know what I think was the one highlight? I mean what do you think was my one major achievement?”

Piggy Pie thought for a moment. She remembered all of his grandiose speeches and rallying cries for Toons to pursue their quests for happiness. She thought about his education initiatives and ambitious street expansion project in Dreamland that ultimately failed to materialize. But then it clicked.

“The Emergency Portal,” she blurted.

Mickey smiled.

“Yes,” he said nostalgically. “When I went to see my good friend Dr. Cumulo Nimbus all those years ago, he was surprised when I said we needed an emergency contingency plan. He was wondering what brought this on. I think he thought I had gotten some sort of news that no one else was privy to, but in all honestly I just had a dream. I dreamt that the Vulpus foxes came to our shores. They came down through the mountains in massive armies and enslaved our population. And when they realized there was nothing down here for them, they slaughtered us all.”

Piggy Pie swallowed hard. It was not an uncommon nightmare. The Diary of War horrified Toon children every year.

“I didn’t know what to do when I woke up,” Mickey said. “I lay paralyzed in bed. But then I realized we had nothing, no plan in place for if the foxes did come for us. So I went to Cumulo and said we needed a plan. A way out. And he, plus Patrick Prepostera and Pete Ingalls, came up with that amazing Emergency Portal. Once it was devised, I could relax. I told Cumulo he was a genius, and I a mere bureaucrat.”

Mickey then started laughing.

“When the Emergency Portal was activated and I ended up in Fantasyland, he made me a town clerk. An actual bureaucrat. That was the role he chose for me in the new world. He thought he was being funny. I didn’t know his joke until after the three years had passed and the rain fell and our memories came back, but you can imagine the smirk on my face.”

He frowned.

“I was heartbroken to find Cumulo had died. Pete told me all about the terror. It was a devastating loss for us. He worked a true miracle. I never thought we’d waste the Portal on the Cogs, leaving us once again defenseless from the north.”

Piggy Pie stood to stretch her legs. She didn’t like the darkness of the conversation.

“I don’t think we have to worry about the north,” Piggy Pie said. “You know how harsh the wastelands are beyond the mountains.”

Mickey nodded.

“No, you’re right. I like to believe the Kingdoms destroyed themselves in the War. The question is will we destroy ourselves in our war against the Cogs?”

Piggy Pie shook her head vehemently.

“No. We’ll win. I don’t care if we’re too happy. Happiness and light will always expunge the dark. Darkness cannot snuff out light forever, not as long as fire burns within us.”

She leaned forward.

“I will get justice for Flippy and for my friend, Doctor. I will get justice for Toontown.”

Mickey stood. He was taller than her, but he looked down into Piggy’s eyes.

“*We* will,” he said. “We are united, as Eileen always says.”

Piggy Pie smiled. She cast one last glance into the Mausoleum and to Flippy’s urn.

“Mister Mayor,” Piggy Pie said, “would you like to come back to my house? We’re having a bit of a party.”

Mickey grinned.

“I’d be honored.”

## Production

### Continuity and Story Arcs

Mata gave an update to Eileen about the CFO and Cashbot Headquarters, suggesting that the CFO may not be able to return to HQ because of the power outage.

Eileen mentioned that the pictures Ahab Ishmael had taken of the tunnels beneath the Bay of Toontown revealed no clues as to the location of Bossbot HQ.

The Toon Elections were conducted for the first time since the return from Exodus and the advent of the Cogs. A contest between Vidalia VaVoom and Constance Miller saw Constance being elected Mayor to succeed Eileen. Nearly the entire Toon Council was unseated, except Mortimer Myles and Ichabod Irving.

The new Toon Council is:

* Mortimer Myles, Toontown Central
* Barnacle Barbara, Docks
* Professor Chortle, Gardens
* Doe Clark, Melodyland
* Slate Oldman, Brrrgh
* Ichabod Irving, Dreamland

It is stated that one of the reasons the War started was due to interspecies marriages, which are perfectly legal in Toontown and common, but everyone knows that mingling outside one’s species will not allow natural breeding.

This episode marks the first mention of Cartonia, as well as Equine Isle. The zebra is said to be an extinct species.

Piggy Pie visited the Toontown Cemetery to pay her respects to Flippy and met Mayor Mickey Elias, befriending him.

Mickey Elias told Piggy Pie about a nightmare he had that triggered the creation of the Emergency Portal. This nightmare played out in "Equinox."

Laff, though integral to the Toons, only developed in Toontown through evolution. Therefore, before the Toons came to Toontown, laff was not a part of their biology.

### References

Declan Antlin’s name comes from Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, a British comedy duo and hosts of *Britain’s Got Talent*, more commonly known as Ant & Dec. In the original version of this episode, his name was Declan Anthill but the author changed it. He is somewhat based on both the duo and Bob Hope.

Declan says the Toons vote for representatives to “faithfully, impartially” lead Toons. This line is taken from the swearing-in speech every United States President makes at their inauguration.

The seclusion of the Election Committee is based on the seclusion of the College of Cardinals during Papal Conclaves.

Horace Calves asked Piggy Pie for protein powder, a joking reference to his build.

Professor Chortle’s first name, Mulaney, is a nod to John Mulaney, a popular comedian.

Anastasia Anderson is a reference to Anna Anderson, who masqueraded as the Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov throughout her life, though DNA evidence conclusively determined she was lying.

Barnacle Barbara’s surname, Carnivale, is the name of one of Carnival Cruise’s first ships.

Aleck Harding won election to the Chief of the Toon Patrol and chose Susan Fletcher as his Deputy.

The quote “all utopias are dystopias” is said by A.E. Samaan

## Trivia

* The title of this episode is derived from a quotation about elections: "By voting, we add our voice to the chorus that forms opinions and the basis for our actions." The quote is by Jens Stoltenberg, a Norwegian politician who served as the 13th Secretary General for NATO.
* This episode was written toward the end of May 2018 but was lost in a computer crash. The episode had to be rewritten basically from scratch, an arduous task considering it is one of the longer episodes.
* Originally, the Cogs launched an attack on the playgrounds the day before the elections and Constance Miller rallied the Toons together, something Vidalia was unable to accomplish. This helped lead Constance to victory. The author never really liked that story arc and when the episode was lost, the scenes were cut and not rewritten.
* Despite the loss of notes, the author still remembered who was supposed to win each election. The only difference was a change in viable candidates, as all of those were lost in the crash.
* This was the first appearance of Violet Vance since “Doctor Who?”
* A large number of Toontown NPCs and shopkeepers ran for office:

* From Dreamland:
	+ Lawful Linda, called Linda Lawla here
	+ Waylon Ware, Dreamland’s clothing shop clerk
	+ Whispering Willow, famously known for being the Toon to visit to get the Resistance Salute emote.
	+ Zari, of House of Zzzz’s
	+ From the Gardens:
		- Honey Dew, from Honeydew This! Honeydew That!
	+ From the Docks:
		- Rocky Shores, Able-Bodied Gym
	+ From the Brrrgh:
		- Toboggan Ted (here called Todd), of Toboggan or Not Toboggan
		- Pickaxe Paul, Shovel Hovel
	+ From Toontown Central:
		- Franz Neckvein, from Punch Line Gym
		- Library Larry, called Lawrence here
		- Mary, of Mary’s Go-Around Travel Company, called Mary Goround here
		- Joy Buzzer, Joy Buzzers to the World
		- Professor Wiggle, Professor Wiggle’s House of Giggles
		- Big Bruce, Inflatable Wrecking Balls
	+ From Melodyland:
		- Fa, Doe Rae, Me, Piano Keys. Her name is a reference to Fa Mulan, a warrior from the movie Mulan.
		- Marshall, Marshall’s Stacks Pancake House. His surname, Ihob, is a reference to a botched IHOP marketing campaign.
	+ Several gag shops clerk, of which only Doe Clark was elected.
* This is the first episode to not credit the Cogs as part of the cast.
* This is the last episode to be published from the east coast until "Hollow Crown."