Blissful Griffon isolation
Paul was laughing madly at his report. The German empire had finally fully industrialised and westernised, capitalists present in every state, bureaucrats enforcing rule and order, labourers extracting their endless natural resources, workers producing in factories, the reduced but more efficient farmers producing food surpluses, soldiers... Soldiering, and intellectuals researching. Paul grew louder.
Bismarck tried to ignore Paul, focusing on his reports. He was glad that he didn't have to participate in diplomacy again; his greatest talent, but also his greatest tragedy. He had grown tired of it a long time ago, his only motivation being the continued prestige and peace for his vulnerable German Empire.
Currently, he was reviewing the state of his army; he had built it up ever since their proclamation as a state and had racked up to 6 million soldiers in total, (including reserves). "6 million..." Bismarck pondered, "I could take over the entire world with this... Bismarck wondered, his endless columns of men marching into the Equis continent with impunity. "No... That would stretch us to our limit..." Bismarck retracted, not wanting to make the same mistakes as the Romans did; overextend.
Bismarck began to re-read the encounter their tank squad had described in meeting the other civilisations throughout their journey and was glad that they were primitive at best. However, the idea of magic still confused and shook him, as he still did not know what 'unicorn magic' was capable of.
"Shall we reach out to these 'earth ponies'?" Bismarck asked the cackling Paul, who coughed violently in response. "...we have already left a good impression... And it would be nice having a satellite state to protect our future colonies," Bismarck explained the still-coughing Paul.
Paul finally stopped and cleared his throat. "It depends on how we will 'reach' out." Paul implored Bismarck to specify, the thought of sharing knowledge leaving a bad taste in his mouth.
"Perhaps a basic trade agreement; we give them food for exchange of natural resources." Bismarck deliberated, thinking he had finally found the use for the surplus wasted food.
"From the reports, these 'earth ponies' are all farmers. I highly doubt they would buy food." Paul countered, still adamant in isolating the German empire from any foreign politics or stage.
"...Then perhaps we could give them primitive weapons? Or maybe the equivalent weapons everybody else is using." Bismarck offered, thinking of giving early-medieval or ancient weapons to the primitive 'earth ponies'.
Paul began to ponder the proposal but quickly dismissed it, as it would look awkward for a modern griffon to sell primitive spears to 'allies' whilst wielding a gun and riding a tank. But he quickly gained a devilish idea. "...I have a better decision..." Paul leaned close to Bismarck, confiding it near his ears. Bismarck simply raised a brow in interest and leaned in as well.
"Gunboat diplomacccccccy..." Paul hissed ominously, chasing Bismarck to realise the prospects as well.
"You mean zeppelin diplomacy?" Bismarck corrected, as there were no large rivers or navigated bodies of water to travel and enforce their demands.
"My point stands." Paul shrugged, leaning back. He would finally get the opportunity to use their flying airships; an improved design with an extremely thick hull thanks to a 'magical' gas that could lift the airship x30 more than helium or hydrogen could. Paul madly grinned.
The SMS (Equivalent to HMS, except sounds less British and cliché} Moltke and SMS Johanna landed at their last stop before their departure; the airports of Strasburg for a final refuel and picking-up of the experienced soldiers that had already traversed the Equis lands; Nina and her squad.
Albert was adamant about staying, however, was tempted by the prospects of gaining more joints. Harold was given the green light from his parents to embark once more, and hopefully, see Green and Little again.
Nina's crew were quickly brought to the brig of SMS Johanna to begin advising the admirals of the destination of the earth ponies on their unfinished map. Planes already buzzed through the air in practice for the days to come.
The zebras and diamond dog would think they were hallucinating for the days to come...
"Why wouldn't you let me go?" Bismarck groaned, limped in his seat.
"Because you are integral to this nation's governance!..and I'm not going to be the only one suffering..." Paul turned and whispered the final bit, causing Bismarck to raise his brows in curiousness.
"What?" Bismarck's asked, wanting a repeat,
"What?" Paul asked as well, looking around innocently.
"Huh-?" Bismarck hesitated.
"Huh-?" Paul feigned hesitation.
Bismarck rubbed his temple in frustration, as Paul began to annoy him, as Bismarck always underestimated Paul's pettiness. "How are we supposed to 'negotiate' without an experienced diplomat then?" Bismarck asked, his he'd still sore from Paul's antic.
"Oh! Don't worry about that! I got that covered!" Paul reached under the desk and pulled out a wired telephone, placing it in front of him.
"You need wires connected to the airship phones to communicate moron..." Bismarck face-clawed, Paul's stupidity having made him say something unposh for a long time.
Paul simply winked.
Bismarck blinked.
"Did you seriously run a wire in the air on a moving airship?" Bismarck asked through blinks, ready to shoot the stupid griffon in the face if he confirmed his guess.
"Of course not! I made a ground crew dig a line while they follow the airship! I'm not that dumb!" Paul defended; he had planned on having the airship crews descend to the wire team to communicate back to them.
Bismarck sighed in relief, which made Paul pout due to its implication. They began to exit their conference room. "Who knew ruling in peace would be so boring and repetitive?" Paul asked the experienced Chancellor, who wore a grin at his question.
"You will learn to treasure this moment one day friend," Bismarck told the naive Paul who nodded in response. "After all, mediocrity is best. And chaos destructive."
The SMS Moltke and SMS Johanna began to travel just as Starswirl arrived at the northeastern territories of Equestria.
But I will be rolling back time to see what happened to Starswirl in his journey next chapter.
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Ngl not proud of this chapter.
It's really rushed
10839936
still looks good to me
I enjoyed it. I do have to agree with Mauser that it's better to have someone suffering along with you while managing an empire.
I love that two unrelated envoys are reaching out to the Jacobins are the same time which are both not expecting to encounter the other.
The Unicorns and the remains of the other Founder Tribes will be horrified at the German's technological advancements and military might. They would also be very worried at how warmly the Jacobin leadership receives the German envoy.
10839936
Tis blatant. My tired eyes percieve no spelling errors, however.
Love the airships, needs more steampunk.
Weird story.
What about Celestia and luna what are their role in this story as so far? they seem to be pushed in the background.
10840054
To be fair, they are still fillies and are Starswirl's apprentices rather than being rulers. We have seen that the events in the story are having an effect on their world view and on their view of the existing leadership of Equestria.
Luna and Celestia sympathize with the Earth Ponies and the Jacobin cause, they hate Princess Platinum and how the Unicorn nobles exploit others, they hated Hurricane and the Pegasi generals for being murderous thugs, and they were disgusted by Puddinghead and her gluttony.
These events and disillusionment with the those in power could lead to Luna and Celestia taking a page out of the Germans' and Jacobins' book and remove all traces of the old Pony Tribes to start a new.
10840054
They will (hopefully) be significant later on in the story. I should've clarified in the description, but eh.
10840041
I'll take that as a compliment
10840085
If only Green and Little will allow them to erase them.
But Tia and Lulu would probably outlast them.
I can just imagine Bismarck being insulted by some annoying Duke only for him to kick the guy's ass and demand a duel.
The madman fought in 29 of those and only got hurt one time, and on accident.
If he wasn't such a good diplomat he would have been a monster in the military lmao
10840749
I'm pretty sure he attended some general staff meetings during the Franco-Prussian war
10840749
Also yes, thanks for the idea. Now I'm definitely going to do it when the two nations actually meet.
10840613
If when Celestia and luna do become rulers I think they will try to use green and little as examples in future classes and stories on what it is to be an equestrian rather than be forgotten.
As green and little are still very relevant and would have an impact on them regardless if the meeting with the jacobins with the Germans and starswirl ended up backfiring on platinum face that she intended to happen.
After all they would try to make being an equestrian appealing, a place of true harmony rather than being another form of slavery of hurricane or puddingtop.
And uniting people with a shared identity had worked, like being an American, French Germans, British or soviet/Russian at their heights it was considered a point of pride and I see that Celestia and luna would try to emulate that in equestria in how Bismarck and Paul doing with the griffins in the German empire, unity through a shared national identity regardless of ethnicity or former warlord citizen.
10840811
Oh. I was just going to pull a Japanese and make Tia and Lulu erase every single memory or recording of the era like how it seemed to happen in the show.
But your idea seems more interesting and less fire and death, so I probably might make them base their government/society heavily off of Bismarck's.
Words can't express how much I love this story. Only one question: why the hay this was rated TEEN?
10842570
Eh
What should the mane 6's ancestors be?
Nobles? Generals? Peasants? Philosophers? Inventors?
10843752
Different depnding on position.
Rarity has an ancient bougeoise upstart, learning the art of tailoring under an old master. They have married an earth-pony miner which is why they no longer run through the nobility and have to tear through the remains with a monetary knife.
Applejack's familyof apples and pears and oranges are still together, on a great pre-enclosures farm under a bastard lord.
Twilight continues to be the descendant of minor nobility, some group thats managed to bounce off the revolution by providng cash and material for the obvious Jacobin victory - smart scribes and scriveners who know which way the wind is blowing.
Pinkamena Diane Pie's are tired miners destined to benefit from the revolutions brought by the gryphons that affected our world - gas and water pumps.
Fluttershy's are druids who have been in the area for fdar longer than any other group of ponies or religions, people who have a deeper connection the land. Headhunters, Cymru - Bretons.
Dash's family are perhaps suffering weatherponies, damaged by the war much akin to those soldiers after waterloo. Even though they have already lost the brutal treatment leaves them with an ambition that sides with more romantic ideals of libertas than the communal ideas of the earth ponies. They try to use what they know, but they struggle.
Hope this works, I have no idea how to do pony names.
10843826
Thanks for the suggestions, they're like coal for my freezing brain. Gotta keep them engines churning.
-Really like the Fluttershy idea though, cause it could also justify why Discord is so fond of Fluttershy in the show, as their ancestors might've encountered him and bonded with him in the everfree or other remote forests.
10844966 But Bismarck and Mauser aren't exactly anything but eccentric peasants in the eyes of everyone else, correct?
10845592
Your "aren't exactly anything but" is throwing me off, probably because of my lack of sleep and me reading your response during the dead of night making my brain a bit deady.
But I'm gonna guess you asked if they are (or look like) peasants, and that would be correct, except Bismarck is holding a stick that goes big boom and make hole.
Hett wouldn't like the odds of the holeness being in his brainness.
(I'm high)
10846480 ...I feel like my question is being deflected rather than answered.
10846739
shhhhhh....
10847383
I have no clue on what i'm doing...
10847384 Honesty is typically the best policy, my friend.
10847469
Sometimes you gotta lie to please the most amount of people
10847488 In this case, I don't think it was a good idea. Not that I'm mad, I just feel an honest answer to constructive criticism is what should be given.
10847491
Your big words are confusing me, especially because my brain is melting from tiredness, but what would you want me to do with Hett then? I tend to skip boring questions or dialogue and go straight to the point.
They have crossbows and pikes though