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Fundy fumbled with his paws — or hands, he guessed.
He stood on top of the platform, Niki by his side. He eyed Schlatt and Quackity, watching as the two conversed with their own party partners.
He felt the ball of anxiety in his stomach grow.
He hoped they didn't get it. If he couldn't win, he hoped none of them could, too.
Everything quieted down as Wilbur stepped onto the platform, walking towards the podium, stopping before it, bringing his hands up to grip onto and rest on the side of the stand.
"The turnout of this election was 220,000 votes,"
He heard the gasps that filled the air, attendees whispering among themselves before Wilbur cleared his throat, the attention once back onto him.
"I will say, though, there— There was some voter fraud,"
Another round of gasps, yet this time, tainted with shock and surprise.
Fundy licked his lips nervously, looking down towards the ground.
He heard Quackity ask Wilbur a question, suspicion and shock evident in his voice. Fundy felt his skin start to get itchy.
"Some people have used Google forms to spam votes for parties,"
Fundy looked over at Niki, shock painting her face. He hoped she didn't hate him after this. She was a good partner for the election, and an even greater friend.
He would be devastated to lose her.
Commotion started to rise, angry remarks flying past him, but not at him, and that lessened his anxiety, even if he knew he would soon face their wrath.
Wilbur banged his hands on to the podium, everyone's attention once again being ripped away from their stress induced paranoia, and being brought back to him.
"Are you not going to let me finish what I'm saying?!" Silence.
"Everything needs to be redone," Fundy whispered. He felt Niki pat his back. He didn't know if it was of agreement of comfort, but he did know that he had to physically restrain himself from leaning into the touch.
He was so fucking scared.
"At one hour intervals, after I noticed we were having spam votes, I had taken screenshots of the percentages," He felt his skin itch even more, his ears twitching slightly at the discomfort.
"What I've done is I've collated the votes, minusing the ones that have used the same IP address,"
It was then Fundy stilled.
IP address.
Fuck.
Fuck.
No way he had forgotten a VPN.
He heard Tommy agree with Wilbur, faking a sense of authority.
"Do you want to know what party had votes spammed for them?"
A chorus of agreements rang out. Fundy could feel the floor beneath him cracking.
Wilbur looked to his right, staring at his son, his kin, his blood.
He hoped that the floor beneath him would swallow him whole.
Fundy couldn't even look him in the eyes.
He heard the surprise that laced their voices. He felt the disappointment they stared at him with.
He was too far gone to stop.
"I think we should continue with the votes,"
The candidates burst, taunts and insults being thrown. A cacophony of hate that he more than deserved.
Wilbur gripped the podium.
"You have had 120,00 disqualified votes!" Fundy nearly flinched at the snarl Wilbur let out. Nearly, but he stopped himself. He was brave.
"I think—" He stepped forward, hoping his mask of determination was worn correctly. "I think everything is fine and we should count the votes as they were,"
He couldn't have felt more fake.
He heard Tommy point him out as the only coder in Coconut2020. He couldn't even hide the shame that flickered in his eyes.
"Is this true, Fundy? Is this true?" And oh Niki, sweet, gullible Niki.
He betrayed her.
He knew this would cost them their place, yet couldn't stop himself.
He just wanted to win, to help build L'manberg back to its prime glory days.
He never wanted to do this.
He heard them all ask him, if the speculation and alleged actions were true.
He looked towards Tommy, words stuck in his throat.
He didn't mean for this to happen.
He just wanted to bring L'manberg back to be the happy place it was.
He turned, ignoring everyone's cries for him to tell the truth.
He walked.
He left.
"—No matter what happened, Quackity would pool Swag2020 votes on with Schlatt2020 votes. Pog2020 got 45% of the popular vote, meaning that the coalition government of Schlatt and Swag2020 got 46%,"
Cries of disbelief rang throughout the crowd.
"Meaning that tonight, ladies and gentlemen, that Tuesday, the 22nd is September, Schlatt2020 has been inogurated,"