• Published 10th Nov 2015
  • 8,936 Views, 165 Comments

Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité - Ponelover



Equestria is at war, Princess Celestia deploys the Royal Guard to fight off the Changelings. But the appearance of a certain European nation changes the equation entirely. (being rewritten)

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7th November, 2015 (Edited)

The Damned Explorer, 3:30 AM

As the ship approaches the weird looking city, Daring Do and captain Rough Waters notices that the differences in technology between Equestria and the unknown civilization is becoming apparent. There are those weird gyrocopter machines straight out of Leoneighdo da Vinci’s manuscripts flying around the half bridge and weird looking two legged creatures wearing weird uniforms as well. They’re also apparently holding signs which shows the right arrow, probably telling the ship to move right of the bridge if they want to dock into the city.

“Those creatures look weird” as a random crew member observes the bipedal looking beings in the strange uniforms.
“Looks like some skinny hairless minotaurs” exclaimed another one

“Forget the looks of the creatures, look at that gyro!” as Daring Do replied, she never thought that gyrocopters would work at all! Sure there are several prototypes done by a certain pink pony she saw once when she was on vacation in Ponyville but they are just that....prototypes. And by the looks of it these people have been perfecting gyrocopter technology for quite a while. “I need to take a look at it.” as Daring Do flies towards the huge looking gyrocopter, as she approaches the gyro she notices the word ‘gendarmarie’ blazoned at the side of the gyro, wait Daring thought why are they using a long dead language? The Empire of Prance was long dead even before Celestia and Luna’s ascension! This is impossible!

Daring flew over the side of the gyro and then the gyro starts moving, she was originally taken aback by the sudden movement of the gyro but smirks a little. So the gyro wants to play eh? Well two can play that game as Daring thinks that she is being challenged by the gyro on an aerial competition. After a couple of minutes of aerial maneuvering, she finally relented as she gave the gyro room to move about. "Darn gyro's too agile" she quietly muttered to herself as the helicopter moved a fair distance away, she never thought that anypony could build a machine with an agility that matches a pegasus nor a gryphon, and has been using it for quite a while by the looks of it.

Eventually the gyrocopter also gives up and starts to land, sweet! I might get to see the locals up close as Daring do lands in the grass. The loud sound of the gyrocopter is obvious but Daring still couldn’t help but stare in awe at the sight of the giant flying machine.

Suddenly a figure opens the door at the side of the helicopter and steps out, and Daring, always the good explorer congratulates him for a job well done. “Heh nice flying there, name’s Daring Do, what’s yours?”

She was met with only shocked stares, did she offend him? (the figure looks like a male) Did she did something wrong? Did she just break an unknown taboo these people created? The tension stayed for a couple of minutes but she finally got her answer when a female biped walks behind her and taps her back.

Originally she was shocked and bit surprised by the sudden gesture, but when she said the words “We need to talk pony” in perfect Equish. She knew that this day is going to get a LOT longer.

Edge of what remains of the Pierre-Pfimlin Brücke bridge, Strasbourg, France, 3:30 AM

Now with reinforcements coming in from the rest of the city, Camille clearly sees that the ship is now approaching the city, police helicopters are now being called in and nearby Eurocorps personnel are readying their diplomatic team and will arrive in ETA 15 minutes. As the ship approached the shore just right off the bridge, Brigadier Camille sees an oddity, the crews manning the ship doesn’t look like anything Camille has ever seen. They look less like humans and more like pastel colored horses if Camille’s binoculars are to be believed.

“Can you confirm visual sighting of the…uhm….ponies?” Camille asked the rest of the assembled police team, where the hell are the Eurocorps personnel? They’re the ones that should be dealing with this not us!

“Sighting of the…...ponies on the deck confirmed, they look so cute too!” as a nearby policewoman confirmed the sighting of the ship.
Camille was about to say something about pastel colored horses (ponies?), when one of them was seen flying towards the police helicopter. Seeing a potential incident, Camille radioed the helicopter and ordered the heli to conduct evasive maneuvers and land if possible.

“Orders understood Brigadier” as the pilot of the helicopter hears the command. The helicopter begins moving sideways, upwards and downwards with the pony seemingly following it’s moves. The pilot was impressed by the pegasis agility and complete disregard for the laws of physics, the pegasis wing to body ratio is way off and although it looked admittedly cute, the pilot was now having a hard time evading the flying pegasus.

I need to land and fast! the pilot thought as he tries to maintain control of the helicopter against a seemingly increasingly aggressive pegasus. It took some four minutes before the pilot finds a suitable place in the fields to land. As he lands he sees the pegasus landing on the ground and as the noise from the engine of the helicopter dies down and police cars race to meet them. The pony says something helicopter pilot Kevin Clement thought impossible.

“Heh nice flying there, name’s Daring Do, what’s yours?” the pony said in pure English

Elysee Palace, 4:00 AM

Jean Yves Le Drien rushes himself to the Murat room as the situation becomes ever clearer, like every other person living in Paris, he clearly saw the white light engulfing the entire city at midnight. At the moment he thought that it was just some fluke of nature and went back to sleep, but thirty minutes later he got a call from the former ESA Director Jean Jacques Dordain that something major had happened in France. When Jean was told that the former director cannot contact the current director in Germany and learned that through some fluke of science, French Guiana has been ‘displaced’ and is now only some 2500 kilometers south of france, he thought the former ESA director has gone mad and simply told him to go to sleep.

One hour later he was called by Army chief of staff Jean Pierre Bosser and Navy chief of staff Admiral Bernard Rogel. Jean Pierre Bosser was saying that somehow, all the French military bases abroad was ‘teleported’ just outside Charles De Gaulle airport, while Bernard was saying that the De Gaulle carrier group was spotted off the coast and contacted Brest naval base, confirming reports that the carrier was somehow transported back into French waters while doing combat missions in Syria and Iraq, all flights accounted for.

By that point he knew that something’s gone wrong and changed his clothes before ordering his groggy eyed driver to go to the Elysee Palace. As he reaches the palace he saw Emmanuel Macron, Minister of Economy, Industry and Digital affaris and Laurent Fabius, Foreign minister of France arguing about what happened at midnight. He was later briefed by both his colleagues that France was somehow displaced and the President, upon hearing it ordered a full meeting at his residency ASAP. How the displacent happened is still an unknown factor but Jean Yves le Drien had no time to waste as he reaches for the handle and enters the Murat room.

He opened the door and was met by President Hollande’s entire cabinet. “Right” he says as he takes a seat, the aura of the cabinet is one of extreme confusion but also one of extreme fear, it’s like the entire cabinet (President included) has met the boogeyman and told them that god is dead.

“Mr President,” the former ESA director Jean Jacques Dordain spoke, “at 2400 hours, a bright white light has somehow ‘displaced’ not only Metropolitan France but also all French overseas departments,” as he shared a satellite image of France and a bunch of weirdly positioned French overseas territories just next of it, forming an archipelago encircling France. “We also found out that this event has only affected France and not the entirety of Europe, further satellite imagery also revealed that France was displaced not only out of Europe, but to regions unknown. Some analysts have even gone as far as to suggest that we’re on some compeltely different world entirely.” as he shared another image with all the ministers, showing that France was ‘displaced’ in a unfamiliar ocean between two continents. The continent to the east showing what appears to be lights and the continent to the west showing bright lights (albeit a bit dimmer) as well.

“As we can see from this picture,” the former ESA director continued, “France has been displaced, though we are double-checking to make sure this isn't some sick joke, but if what some of the analysts are claiming is true, these photos show some signs of civilization other than France, type of civilization is currently unknown.” as the Jean Jacques Dordain finished.

There’s also unconfirmed reports from the Strasbourg Police suggesting that they might have encountered a ‘native’ from the eastern continent.” the defense minister also said

“Then confirm it le Drien, any word from our communication satellites Dordain?” as Francois Hollande questioned Jean.

“Yes sir, alongside France and all her dependencies, all communication satellites belonging to the French government, the ESA and French companies have also seemingly been displaced. Their orbits appear to be stable and we are currently trying to attain further information on our situation.” Jean replied.

“Good” as President Hollande continues the meeting. “Any other news we all should be made aware of?”

“Mr President, after the events that has transpired at midnight, the airspace of Paris and to a lesser extent Brest was filled with French fighter planes essentially wondering what the hell happened, by 1:30 I, alongside Thierry Mariani personally ordered all planes to be grounded until further notice, by 2:00AM I ordered the mobilization of the French Army, Navy, Air Force and Gerdarmarie in order to get some sense as to what happened. And despite the improbability of what’s happening, I can give you some good news. The De Gaulle carrier group has made contact with Brest Naval Station stating that they somehow got displaced to within sight of the coast. All combat flights reported present and accounted for. Additionally its been confirmed that the same unknown force that affected the De Gaulle has also managed to put all foreign bases in the open areas outside of Charles de Gaulle Airport. Though that had to be confirmed by runner. We are waiting on a full headcount since they appear to be without power or communications for now.”

The president listens attentively as he is informed of the current state of what appears to be a mass displacement of military personnel and equipment, appearing in a place where they had no business right now. Eventually he nodded and then looked to his Minister of Economy, industry and digital affairs. “I trust that you have ordered all stock trading to be suspended until further notice?”

“Yes Mr President, and I would also like to report that despite the event knocking out telecommunications lines for some time. We have managed to get at least basic internet connection restored. Efforts are being made to bring the rest back online.” Emannuel Macron replied.

“Very well then,” said Francois as he finishes the meeting, “meeting is adjourned, I will address the nation at 6:00 AM, let’s hope that I have more detailed information to give them by then. Oh and Mr Dordain? Congratulations, you just got your old job back as director of the ESA. Temporarily of course until we sort things out.”

As the cabinet finishes the emergency meeting, Jean Yves met with foreign minister Laurent Fabius and says the only thing worth saying, “We need to send De Gaulle and her battlegroup out into the unknown. Maybe scout the eastern continent, learn what there is about our surroundings and report back anything unusual.”

“Don’t worry, I’m already working on a proposal about the same thing, I was just about to ask you to come with me in the morning but I’ve got a feeling you will come.” Laurent responded.

“Might also convince the President to get more funding for the military as well, we can still finish the PA2 if circumstances are right” Jean Yves mumbled to himself as he departed back to his quarters to get some shuteye before dawn.

President Francois Hollande addresses the nation, 6:00 AM

Good morning France, I am here not to make any promises but instead I will tell you the honest truth. At 24:00 hours an event has transpired which transported the Republic of France and all of her dependencies onto a brave new world, a new world of opportunities but also danger. I must agree that I am scared of this new world, it hosts untold riches and unique cultures for proud Frenchmen and women to explore. But it also hosts dangers we have yet to know. I am addressing you now not as the President of France, but as a fellow Frenchmen to another Frenchmen, please stand your ground. Whatever happens in this world the French will show solidarity in these tough times. We are a nation of pioneers, scientists, leaders and innovators. Do not let this legacy fall to waste! As President of France I announce that travel outside France and her dependencies are as of now restricted. But as a Frenchmen I must ask you to stand strong, show solidarity and please return to your daily routines, the military is alerted and it is our duty as the government of France to protect and ensure the security of it’s citizens from this brave new world. We will inform everyone when we have better information to share. Until then brave Frenchmen and women, Vive le republique et Vive la France!

******

The President of France has ordered all French military Assets to be placed at high alert pending conflict

Foreign minister Laurent Fabius proposes a plan to send Aircraft Carrier Charles de Gaulle and her battlegroup to the eastern continent in order to investigate the locals and get in touch with any form of authority in the eastern continent. The request is approved.

Daring Do interacts with the French Police and eventually Eurocorps personnel, she figures out that this land is called ‘France’ and she is now residing in the city of Strasbourg. Eurocorps authorities have contacted President Francois Hollande and she is immediately sent by TGV to Paris.

The rest of the crew of the Damned Explorer was eventually ordered to stay in their places and asked to not leave.

Author's Note:

Here's the second chapter, hopefully you enjoy it.

not much else to say really, constructive criticism is still much appreciated though :twilightsmile:

Last edited on the 20th of November, 2015