Mr. Mayor, National Treasure

The following takes place following: Scenes from a Waldoverse Marriage

“TRAVERS DECLARED MAYOR BY DEFAULT”

By Jennifer Weary | The Waldopolis Chronicle

Following a string of misfortunes that critics have described as "coincidental at best and deeply suspicious at worst," Harris John Travers has today been formally declared the new Mayor of Widdlington, running unopposed under the automatic appointment clause of Article 7B, Section 14, Subsection (c) of the Widdlington Charter:

“In the event that all rival candidates are dead, missing, incapacitated, or otherwise unfit to campaign, the remaining candidate shall be declared victor by procedural default, pending confirmation by the City Council.”

Council Chair Annabeth Gulliver offered the following statement:

“While we would, of course, have preferred a competitive election process, the charter is clear. Mr Travers is legally the only eligible candidate. Whether this is a good thing is, unfortunately, outside the remit of Council comment.”

Travers’ path to the mayoralty has been marred by controversy, confusion, and the occasional corpse. His only serious challenger, celebrity cleaning product mogul Barry Scott, was fatally shot moments after a fiery live WTV debate. His running mate, Gail Platt, collapsed several days later from an apparent overdose—an incident widely believed to have followed her daughter Sarah Platt’s unexpected public endorsement of Travers. Gail remains in a medically induced coma. Her son, David Platt, briefly stepped in as a replacement, only to fall mysteriously ill two days before the nomination deadline.

Travers, who once served a brief prison term over the now-infamous Dragon Brand Butter contamination scandal, also recently dodged a sexual assault charge on a technicality—though he was found guilty of tax evasion. The presiding judge, convinced of Travers’ “astonishing ignorance of basic adult responsibilities,” imposed a fine in lieu of a custodial sentence.

Still, the goblin himself appeared unbothered by such criticisms as he addressed the public this morning in what now stands as his first official speech as Mayor of Widdlington:

“Hello good people of Widdlington, it is me, Mayor Travers. National Treasure, Attorney at law, war hero and oil change enthusiast! You have wisely chosen me as your mayor, and for once you haven’t spoken out turn. Ed bless you all...Thank you.”

Critics might note that the people of Widdlington did not, in fact, choose him—rather, they watched in collective horror as each alternative mysteriously vanished. But Travers, true to form, has never let reality interfere with a self-congratulatory press conference.

As one Council aide (speaking off record) put it:

“We were hoping this would be a temporary embarrassment. Now it looks like it might be a permanent one.”

Season 6 continues in The Sarah Platt Swallowgate Scandal