//------------------------------// // Chapter 41 // Story: Equestria: World War II // by The Unseen //------------------------------// -------------------------------------------------------10, DOWNING STREET, LONDON---------------------------------------------------------- It was now almost 12:00pm in London. The ponies were just getting out of their cars after arriving at the British Prime Minister's official residence, at 10, Downing Street, in London. They would meet Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain today, and later go down to Buckingham Palace to meet the British Royal Family. Despite Equestria and the Crystal Empire having been on Earth for a few months now, the princesses were still surprised by how well democracies worked on Earth, as the numerous attempts back on their home planet, Equis, had not worked at all. They seemed so efficient and fast here on Earth. 10, Downing Street surprised them a lot, as it was rather simple for the home of a head of state. It was a two-storey building made of classy-looking black bricks. One of the Prime Minister's guards had opened the door for them. The ponies walked into the reception of the building, and were surprised by how simple it was, considering it was the home of a head of state. It just had some portraits, and a small shelf to store your shoes, if you wished to take them off. The ponies continued walking into the main corridor of the house. Along the way, they noticed the portraits of the previous British Prime Ministers, from the first till the most recent. The ponies walked up the main staircase, into the Cabinet room, which was a large conference room. Prime Minister Chamberlain was already there. "Ah, your Highnesses. Welcome to my humble abode. It's nice to see you again." said Chamberlain, warmly greeting them. "It is nice to see you again, also, Prime Minister Chamberlain." replied Celestia. "Alright, let's get down to business. So, soon, your countries will be entering the war. I assume the equipment for your modernised militaries has begun arriving?" asked Chamberlain. "Yes, the first batches have begun arriving." replied Celestia. "Good. Hopefully, the whole batch of equipment arrives soon, to train your citizens for the the battlefield, and gets you into the war. But now, it's time to go confidential. Okay, close the door and draw curtains on all the windows. All non-essential personnel must leave the room NOW." said Chamberlain, and all of that was soon done. The only people left in the room after that were Celestia, Luna, Cadance, Chamberlain, and a few of their guards. "Your highnesses, I assume you have made some headway in figuring out where Discord is, or how to defeat him?" asked Chamberlain. "We haven't made any headway in finding his location, but we have made some headway in finding a method to defeat him." said Celestia. "Wait, what? What is this method?" asked a stunned Chamberlain. "Well, we have found about an artifact called the 'Destroyer of Discord'. It is a gem, which gives its wielder enough power to defeat him, once and for all. It was created by mine and Luna's mother, the pony goddess, Faust, who used to defeat him millennia ago." explained Celestia. "Wow, that does seem fantastical, and as much I don't believe it, I didn't believe pegasi, unicorns, and talking ponies existed before your arrival on Earth, so I am convinced. Have you figured where this Destroyer of Discord is located?" "Well, we have figured out I hold one half of it here, on my necklace." said Celestia, showing it to Chamberlain. "Huh. What about the other half?" "Well, about that. As it turns out, more than 2,200 years earlier, our mother broke the Destroyer of Discord in two halves. The first half was kept in my necklace, which she gave to me after I was born more than 200 years later. The other half was split into four pieces, which were placed over Equestria, and some places on Earth." "Wait, so you're saying that the pieces of a highly powerful artifact could be located, somewhere on Earth?" asked a stunned Chamberlain. "Yes, definitely." said Luna. "Well, shall we begin a joint expedition to find this artifact?" asked Chamberlain. "To find the pieces of the Destroyer of Discord, yes. To use it to defeat Discord, however, I shall do that, along with Princess Luna." said Celestia. "Your Highnesses, are you sure that you should be the ones to defeat Discord? This might be his plan, so that he can kill you." "Yes, I am sure. Discord does not know the location of the Destroyer. Also, our mother made sure that I and my sister are the only ones worthy of wielding the Destroyer of Discord." said Luna. "Well, then, I hope you're sure about this. If we are to organise a search for it, then it will be the most confidential treasure hunt ever. The records of each person involved in this search will be checked multiple times, to make sure they are not spies working for the Axis, right from their birth certificates, their bank accounts, even their shopping bills, if that's necessary! This will be off-the-books, to make sure Discord doesn't find about it, and it will be so, no matter what it takes." said Chamberlain. "It will have to be so, Prime Minister." agreed Celestia, and the four heads of state made an agreement right there, to keep this treasure hunt off the books. "Come on, let's get ready to inaugurate your new embassies, we don't want to delay it any further. Guards, you can open the doors and curtains." said Chamberlain, as he got up. Luna noticed that he seemed rather weak for some reason. He seemed ill, for some reason. "First, some lunch. Let's head to the dining room." said Chamberlain, as he began walking towards the building's dining room. It was now around 1:20pm. The ponies, along with Chamberlain, walked into the rather modestly-finished dining room, and sat down in their chairs. Lunch was brought about, which had been expertly made by a hired chef for the occasion, and they made vegetarian versions of the cuisines of Britain's colonies, such as India, Yemen, and Hong Kong. The food was extremely well made, and was enjoyed by the ponies. Soon, the ponies, along with Chamberlain, were heading towards the Rolls-Royces that had brought them here, to go to their new embassies, at Crawford Place. This time, the drive would last just around 15 minutes. At 1:50pm, the ponies and Chamberlain got into the cars, which started up, and soon, the vehicles were all on the road, heading towards Belgravia. The cars left Downing Street, and took a right turn. They drove by Clock Tower, a large clock tower, known to the residents of London as Big Ben, which was 75 years old. They also passed by Westminster, the house of the British Parliament, and multiple other government buildings. At around 2:05pm, the cars reached the heavily crowded area where the embassies were located. The whole place was swarmed by crowds, except for a path that had been barricaded off for the cars. As they drove along, they noticed policemen arresting multiple people. They had been holding signs, which were now scattered everywhere. The signs all read the slogans of the Equestrians Not Allowed, or the ENA. Celestia sighed. She wasn't surprised at all. Bret Stiles would definitely have sent people to oppose the opening of the embassies. They passed by the ENA people, who were being hauled away by the police, and arrived at the two embassies, located adjacent to each other on B310. The two buildings that were the embassies were large and white, with three storeys. The only thing that marked them apart were the flags on them. The cars pulled up outside the embassies. A stage had been set up for the speeches. A large amount of soldiers were also around, to protect them. The princesses, followed by Chamberlain, walked up to the stage. As the ponies and Prime Minister Chamberlain prepared to inaugurate the new embassies, the atmosphere was filled with anticipation and a hint of tension. The ENA protests were a reminder of the challenges they faced in integrating with Earth's societies, but the princesses remained determined to forge ahead. Celestia, Luna, and Chamberlain stepped onto the stage, where they were greeted by the applause of the gathered crowd. Despite the gloomy weather, spirits were high, and the crowd's energy was high. They were eagerly waiting for the inauguration. Chamberlain came up to the microphone, and began speaking. "Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, and dear friends, it is with great pleasure that I stand before you today to inaugurate the new embassies of the magnificent lands of Equestria and the Crystal Empire. Our special guests, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Princess Cadance, have graciously joined us to mark this historic occasion." Chamberlain paused to take a breath, and then continued speaking. "As you all know, Equestria and the Crystal Empire have forged an alliance with Earthly countries in the face of adversity, and this symbolic step further strengthens the bond between our worlds. I must express my gratitude to the citizens of Great Britain for their warm welcome and understanding during these trying times. We have witnessed some protests by the Equestrians Not Allowed group, but I urge everyone to remember that progress often comes with challenges. We must learn to embrace our differences and work together for a brighter future. Now, I present to you, the new embassies of Equestria and the Crystal Empire, a testament to the unbreakable friendship between our nations. May these walls stand tall and strong, as a symbol of unity and hope for generations to come. Please join me in welcoming Princess Celestia. Princess Luna, and Princess Cadance, who will now share a few words with us." With a smile, Celestia and Luna stepped up to the microphone. "Thank you, Prime Minister Chamberlain, and a warm hello to everyone present here today. We are truly honored to be a part of this special day. Our journey on Earth has been filled with many surprises, and we have learned so much about your world and your people." said Celestia. "Equestria and Earth may be different in many ways, but we have discovered that our shared values of courage, friendship, and determination are what truly unite us. The opening of these embassies signifies our commitment to fostering peace and understanding between our worlds. We understand that there have been some challenges along the way, and we appreciate the support and understanding of the people of Earth." continued Luna. Then, Celestia finished off her talk "Together, we will overcome these obstacles and continue to build a brighter future for all. Lastly, I would like to express my gratitude to the people of London for their warm welcome. We are truly humbled by your hospitality. Thank you." said Celestia, as she stepped off the stage, with a large amount of cheering by the crowd. Princess Cadance followed Celestia and Luna, her voice echoing through the crowd. "Greetings, dear friends. I stand before you today, filled with hope and anticipation for what the future holds for our two worlds. Our journey on Earth has been nothing short of extraordinary, and we are grateful for the opportunity to learn from and grow with you. The opening of these embassies is a significant step towards bridging the gap between our cultures and fostering a deeper understanding of one another. We must remember that it is through our differences that we can learn and evolve. To the citizens of Earth, we extend our hand in friendship and ask for your continued support as we face the challenges that lie ahead. Together, we can create a world where harmony and understanding prevail. Thank you, and may the bonds of friendship between our nations continue to strengthen and flourish." As the speeches concluded, the crowd erupted in applause, showing their appreciation for the princesses and their words. Then, the official inauguration began. Celestia, Luna, Cadance and Chamberlain cut the ribbon that closed off the doorways, officially opening the Equestrian and Crystal Empirean embassies. Then, the national anthems of Equestria and the Crystal Empire played, and the whole crowd, except the remaining ENA members, stood in attention. After the national anthems were over, Duke Moon, the newly appointed Equestrian ambassador to Britain, stepped to the microphone began his speech. On stage, he was also joined by Amber Night, the newly appointed Crystal Empirean ambassador to Britain. The duo expressed their gratitude to the people of Great Britain for their warm welcome and support. They highlighted the importance of the newly inaugurated embassies in strengthening the bond between Equestria, the Crystal Empire, and Earth. They also addressed the ENA protests, emphasizing that progress often comes with challenges, but they must work together to overcome them. They concluded their speech by reiterating the commitment of Equestria and the Crystal Empire to fostering peace, understanding, and cooperation between their worlds. Following Duke Moon's speech, Prime Minister Chamberlain and the princesses unveiled plaques that would be placed in the embassies, symbolizing the official opening and the deepening friendship between Equestria, the Crystal Empire, and Earth. As the ceremony came to an end, the crowd continued to cheer, and the atmosphere remained filled with excitement and hope for the future of their newly formed alliance. Soon after that, the time had come to head to Buckingham Palace. Originally, they had planned for King George VI to inaugurate the embassies, and not Prime Minister Chamberlain. However, the Royal Family had another commitment, due to which they couldn't show up. Chamberlain wouldn't be joining them at Buckingham Palace, as he had to deal with war-related things. The ponies got in the cars, except for the new diplomatic teams who would be living in the embassies, who had gone in to explore their new home. It was now 4:30pm, as the cars began heading towards Buckingham Palace, which was a drive of less than ten minutes from there. As the cars left Crawford Place, little did the ponies know that at Buckingham Palace was a piece of what they were looking for.