27TH AUGUST 1939
-------------------------------------------------------10, DOWNING STREET, LONDON----------------------------------------------------------
Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain was having a rough day, and it was not even 10:30am. The threat of war was looming imminent over Britain, with Nazi Germany's mass military mobilization concerning Britain and France that they may be planning to invade their ally, Poland, and if so, they would have to declare war against Germany. As if that was not enough, the war between China and Japan was heating up, and was starting to spill into their overseas territories of Burma and India, and the British had to send soldiers from these two countries to intervene.
Chamberlain was just about to get up from his desk for a quick tea break, when one of his assistants came rushing in, and his telephone started ringing. "Mr. Chamberlain! Mr. Chamberlain! Ships and aircraft have reported that an unidentified large landmass, pretty much an entire continent, has appeared in the Atlantic Ocean, just about 300 kilometers from the coast of Ireland! It has just appeared out of nowhere!" reported the assistant, panting as if she had completed a 2,000 meter Olympic race. Chamberlain just couldn't believe it.
"Wait, what? Are you telling me that an unidentified continent just appeared out of nowhere in the Atlantic Ocean?" he asked angrily, thinking that his assistant was wasting his time.
"No, sir! I have proof. Some sailors on a cargo ship in the vicinity took pictures of this continent, and the pilot of a small squadron of our Hawker Hurricane fighters conducting long-range training flights in the vicinity also flew close to the continent and took these images!" said the assistant, taking out a large folder, and giving it to Chamberlain.
Chamberlain was in for a shock when he opened the folder. The pictures showed a large continent the size of a quarter of America, all clearly taken, and definitely not faked. The pictures taken from the cargo ship didn't show much, but the pictures taken from the Hurricanes showed that the continent seemed to be inhabited, showing multiple cities and towns with tall buildings, showing a pretty advanced civilization, but there were horse carts, and only a steam train, showing that their technology level was very primitive. But the most shocking thing about it was the inhabitants. They were horses. Some were regular horses, but others were unicorns, and pegasi, creatures that were only present in old legends and stories, and these were clearly intelligent, to have built such cities. Just as he was closing the folder, another assistant came in, and the phone rang. "Sir, the American President is on the line, asking about this new continent. He would like to speak with you right away."
All thoughts of a tea break gone now, Chamberlain replied briskly as he picked up the phone, "Fine. I will talk to him right away." "Hello, Roosevelt, how is it going over in America?" asked Chamberlain pleasantly into the receiver.
"Chamberlain! Did you see that new continent this evening, or morning over there?" came the booming voice of Franklin D. Roosevelt.
"Yes, sir, some of our aircraft flying near that continent took pictures, as well, would you like me to mail them to you?" asked Chamberlain.
"No, I already got some from an American cargo ship that was sailing in the region, but they don't show much. Do the pictures from your aircraft show more?" asked Roosevelt.
"Yes, they show some pretty strange things. I wouldn't be surprised if you had a heart attack after I tell you this." replied Chamberlain.
"I don't care. Show me anyways. I would like to know what kind of a threat we are dealing with here." came the reply.
"Fine. This seems to be an advanced civilization, but with primitive technology. The inhabitants aren't human. They are..... horses. Not just any horses. They are unicorns and pegasi. The creatures from our old myths and legends are real." explained Chamberlain.
"I see." replied a surprisingly calm Roosevelt. "Assemble a meeting. We will continue this call in the meeting room, and get ready to send our respective militaries to make first contact. I will see you there." and the call was cut. Chamberlain instantly ordered his assistant, "Tell all the military heads and call the King as well. Tell them to assemble in the meeting room within fifteen minutes."
"Right away, Mr. Chamberlain!" came the reply as they ran off instantly to inform them.
Fifteen minutes later, everybody was assembled in the meeting room, and President Roosevelt was on the phone line, and at exactly 10:40am, Prime Minister Chamberlain began the meeting. "All right, everybody, no time for introductions now, we have a crisis on our hands. At around 8:00am this morning, a large unidentified landmass suddenly appeared in the Atlantic Sea, around 300 kilometers from the Irish coast, after a large storm. A small squadron of the Air Force's Hawker Hurricanes that was conducting training flights in the area took these pictures, showing that this land was, in fact, inhabited, but not by humans, but by horses. Unicorns and pegasi. Their cities seem to be large, but their technology seems to be primitive. I'll let you take a look at them now..." reported Chamberlain as he began showing the photos on a projector.
The entire top brass of the British military was here, including King George VI himself, and they were shocked by the photos. "Oh my god.... this could be a civilization from another planet.... " speculated King George VI, which sent the entire meeting room into an uproar, until Chamberlain pulled out an air horn and blew it making the meeting quiet in an instant.
"QUIET! ALL OF YOU! Yes, this could be a civilization from another planet, but first we must find out if they are friendly or aggressive! Here is the plan for the first contact protocol. The Americans have a similar plan as well. Take a look." said Chamberlain, distributing some files marked, 'EXTRATERRESTRIAL CONTACT PROTOCOL' to everyone, who instantly began reading.
"Alright, a pair of B-17 bombers took off from America about half an hour ago, and will reach the rendezvous point in eleven hours, just about 32 kilometers, or 20 miles, away from the new continent. There, a pair of the RAF's Supermarine Spitfires will meet up there, and make an overflight of the continent, after which all four aircraft will return to the shores of Britain. The planes are not armed, as we don't want to make the inhabitants of the new land think they are under attack. Once the threat level is determined, we will send five ships to the continent to make actual contact. The U.S. Navy's three Colorado-class battleships are underway from Washington D.C., escorted by seven of the U.S. Navy's Bagley-class destroyers and will arrive at the second rendezvous point in two days, and the Royal Navy's two Nelson-class battleships, escorted by eight of our Admirally-modified V-class destroyers will join them there. We have made sure no commercial ship or aircraft go near the new continent until we can figure this out, so skies and waters are clear enough for you guys to go in." repeated Chamberlain, after around ten hours of the staff deliberating how to carry out the protocol, and figuring out what ships and aircraft to use for this.
"In the meantime, let us get ready on how to break the news to the rest of the world. Mr. Roosevelt, can you call up the presidents of Canada and the South American countries, while I call up the presidents of countries in Europe and Asia to let them know about this. For now, over and out." said Chamberlain, grabbing another phone, getting ready to call up the French president.
"Sure thing, Chamberlain. As of now, over and out." came the response from Roosevelt. Chamberlain sighed and dialed in the French president's number. It was going to be a long next couple of days.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------CANTERLOT----------------------------------------------------------------------
In the Royal Castle, Princesses Celestia and Luna were just waking up after the strange storm after it had hit Equestria and the Crystal Empire. "Ugh, what the hay just happened? That strange storm...." groaned Celestia, who was the first to wake up.
"I don't know, sister, but that storm definitely did something to us, because I do not feel so great." groaned Luna, who woke up next.
"We need to get in touch with the rest of Equestria, right now. The storm seems to have dissipated, so let us go down to the throne room and tell everypony that it is safe to go out now." observed Celestia, looking at the sky. The two alicorns then ran into the throne room. When they reached the throne room, they were met by a barrage of complaints asking how long it would be till they could go back outside.
"All right, everypony, the storm has dissipated. You may now go back outside." said Celestia, after they had restored order and quietened everyone down. However, they were in for a shock. When they opened the doors, all the ambassadors that Equestria had assigned to their neighboring nations such as Gryphonia and Yakyakistan, who had all been outside Equestria when the storm struck, were outside the door, demanding to know why they were back in Equestria.
"We were minding our own business when a bright light came out of nowhere, knocking us all out, and the next thing we know, we are back in Canterlot, where the Gryphonian embassy was supposed to be, with none of the Gryphons that were in the embassy in sight! We demand an explanation for this!" yelled the Equestrian ambassador to Gryphonia. Similar stories where being told by the other ambassadors, leading Celestia to realize that the storms somehow had magical properties, and decided to write a letter to Cadance, asking if the Crystal Empire had also suffered something similar, when the ambassadors said that all their attempts to write letters to their respective assigned countries had failed, as none of the letters were being sent. Celestia decided that she would also write to Twilight, asking her to figure out what the storm had done, and why this had happened.
In the meantime, while they were sorting things out, Luna noticed something. "Is it just me, sister, or is the Sun moving by itself, without your magic?" she observed.
"Really now, Luna? Your brain is probably still a little scrambled from the storm. Why don't you go and take a quick nap?" But Luna was adamant.
"No, sister. I am sure that the Sun is moving by itself, without the help of your magic. Take a look." she insisted.
"Fine, fine, Luna, although I am sure that your brain is still playing tricks on you." chuckled Celestia. But when she took a look, she nearly had a heart attack. The Sun was moving, and she wasn't even using her magic. "Oh my God, Luna, you are right! It looks like the Sun is moving by itself! Hang on, let me try and stop it!" said a shocked Celestia, as she began trying to restrain the Sun with her magic. However, no matter how hard she tried, the Sun would not respond to her magic, and she eventually gave up, drenched in sweat. "Oh, Luna! The Sun doesn't seem to be responding to my magic, no matter how hard I try! If the Sun is not responding after that strange storm, I am guessing the Moon isn't either! We must tell Twilight and Cadance! Tell them to come to the Royal Castle, right now!" panted Celestia.
"Right away, sister! In the meantime, you sit down for some time, while I write the letter to Twilight!" said a concerned Luna, as she grabbed a scroll and a quill, and began to write.
------------------------------------------------------------------------PONYVILLE------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was now around 7:00pm in Equestria. Twilight was worried. First, the storm had hit, and now, Celestia and Luna were reporting that the storm had caused all the Equestrians outside of Equestria to come back home, and all foreigners, like the Gryphons and the Yaks, had vanished from Equestria. And now, she had gotten the letter saying that the Sun, and probably the Moon as well, were not responding to the princesses' magic, and had to come to Canterlot right away. She was just finishing packing up her items, when her friends burst into the Golden Oak library.
"Twi, where ya going? Weren't ya supposed to be investigating tha' strange storm?" asked Applejack.
"Sorry guys, I need to leave for Canterlot right now! The Princesses have called me there, so I must be there soon! Cadance will also be coming, and we may have a crisis on our hands! I'm sorry I can't continue my efforts here, but can you guys help everypony out while I'm gone?" asked Twilight.
"Sure thing, Twi, we can deal with it." replied Applejack.
"All right then, see you later!" said Twilight, and instantly teleported out for Canterlot.
----------------------------------------------------------------THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE-----------------------------------------------------------------
Cadance was really close to having a heart attack. Ever since the storm had passed, all of the Crystal Empire's ambassadors and embassy staff had been transported back home to the Crystal Empire, and all the embassies of other countries there, except for that of Equestria, had also disappeared there. To make matters worse, Celestia had informed her that the same thing had happened in Canterlot as well, and that it had most probably been caused by the strange storm. Scouts were also reporting that about 5 kilometers from the Crystal Empire, where it was supposed to be all frozen north, it was now a huge ocean-like waterbody. And just ten minutes ago, Celestia had informed her that the Sun was not responding to her magic, and the same thing was probably likely with the Moon as well, and they may soon have a crisis on their hands, and she had to come to Canterlot right away. She was just finishing packing when Shining Armor came in to her room.
"Don't worry, Mi Amore. I'll keep an eye on the Empire, while you're in Canterlot. I'll get some experience in politics this way, and you won't be worried, OK?" said a nervous Shining Armor, as he had never handled the Crystal Empire by himself.
"First, I hate being called that, and second, I have full faith in you, Shining, OK? You'll do great. I need to go now, so have fun ruling!" said Cadance, and she teleported to Canterlot.
----------------------------------------------------------------------CANTERLOT-------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was now 9:00pm in Equestria, just ten hours since the storm had first been sighted, and now, the three princesses, with some help from Twilight, were now deliberating how the storm could have caused such after-effects. Luna wasn't with them, as she had gone into the balcony for a few minutes to get some fresh air. Twilight was showing everyone the effects of a magical storm that had left Zebrica in chaos over 2,500 years ago, and was speculating how something similar could have occurred, in a one-off phenomenon, when Luna came rushing in, with a shocked expression on her face. "SISTER! SISTER! I THINK SOMETHING REALLY BAD HAPPENED TO US!" shouted Luna.
"Calm, down, sister, and tell me what happened." said Celestia, concerned that her sister may have suffered a Nightmare Moon hallucination on the balcony, due to the stress of the current situation. "Sister, we are no longer on planet Equis, we have somehow been transported to another planet entirely!" panted Luna.
"WAIT, WHAT? HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?" shouted Celestia, Cadance, and Twilight at once.
"Its true. I decided to do some stargazing on the balcony, and during that, I realized that while Equis' planetary system has only three planets, this system has eight, including this one!" said Luna.
"No wonder, Luna...." said Twilight. "I haven't sensed one drop of magic, ever since that strange storm!" she exclaimed.
"We are no longer on Equis, sister, we are on some other planet, one without magic at that, and we have to break it to our little ponies!" said Luna.
"Yes, I know, Luna, but first, we may have another problem." said Celestia. "If this planet is inhabited, we first have to find out if the inhabitants are friendly, or if they are even ponies, for that matter. If they are hostile, we must defend ourselves." said Celestia. "I will tell the cities on the coastline to keep an eye out for suspicious ships, and I will get ready to break the news to everypony. Cadance, send a letter about this to Shining Armor, and get him ready to tell everypony as well." ordered Celestia. "I hope the inhabitants of this world aren't hostile......." worried Celestia.