[b]London, England[/b]

Bombastic fanfare sung out from the streets of London, accompanied by the sounds of the populace shouting and cheering. A gentle breeze caused the flags mounted on the sides of almost every building to flutter, as people sitting behind rope and police on the sidewalks waved arms and hats over the threshold, trying to get the attention of the black convertible driving down it. 

Standing up in the back of the vehicle was a man in a suit and top hat, just slightly over fifty. Short, peppered hair stuck out from above round ears, matching the large, overgrown eyebrows that sat atop a pair of wizened blue-green eyes. A large, porous nose between them seemed to hang on to a wiry mustache, which, in turn, held up a well-kept pointed beard. 

As this man smiled and waved back to the crowds, their enthusiasm only grew, making the police's job of holding them back just that much more difficult. They, however, didn't seem to mind for this man. After all, he was the leader of their glorious nation, who had promised to restore it to it's former glory.

Today was the official anniversary of the day that Owen Pyke took control of the nation, following the famous Price scandal-the attempt by Martin Price to install a socialist agenda into the country. 

Being such an important day to the people of Britain, it was declared a national holiday, and one of the few days that the factories weren't being worked. So people actually were able to get out of bed and breath in the fresh air, lending more to the reason for the excitement. 

Once the car reached the end of it's trail, it stopped, and Pyke stepped out of the vehicle, and up onto a large stage that had been constructed. He looked out as those who had been further down the road steadily flowed in, waiting patiently for them all to arrive before he spoke. Finally, when the stream of people had slowed to a trickle, he began.

“Hello, my fellow people!” he began. “And thank you for being here today! I am happy to be here with you, especially on a day as nice as today! It seems like luck smiles on us, seeing as we have a bright and sunny day, today, of all days. Wouldn't you agree?

The question was met with cheering that took over a minute to die down.

“Now... I know that all of you aren't here just for a thank you. You are all here because of the promise that I made you all last year. The promise that, within a years time, the restoration project would begin, correct?”

Again, the question was met with boisterous applause.

Laughing, Pyke raised his hands, moving them in a vertical motion to calm the crowd. “Well, then. It is my pleasure to announce that, thanks to the hard work from all of you, from the British people... Our dream will soon be a reality. I can't divulge specific details just yet, but, know this. Soon, we will rise. Britain has been dormant for far too long. Soon, we will wake, and remind the world just who it was that owned so much of it for so long. We will have to start out small, but I promise you! Soon, Britain will return to be the center of the world stage!”

One more time, there was applause, loudest as it had been yet. 

“But, know this. It will not be an easy task. Sacrifices will have to be made, and this will not be as easy as I feel many of you think it will be. However, if you truly have the will of Britain in your hearts, anything will be possible. Thank you.”

With that last statement, Pyke stepped down from the stage, and made his way back to the vehicle, watching as the police literally had to make a wall using their own bodies to hold the people back. Pyke couldn't help but laugh, and give them one final wave before the vehicle drove off.

In the back seat of the vehicle, Pyke grinned, as he spoke indirectly to the others inside.

“The fires in their hearts have been lit, which in turn, will light the fires in the factories tomorrow. A motivated people are an unstoppable force, that will give anything to see their dream come true. This is how we will succeed. We may not be as powerful as the Spanish, or as proud as the Prussians, but we have a will stronger than any other. The British people have been shamed, and they know it. To erase that from their hearts... They will do whatever it takes. And that is how we shall achieve our goal. We are a people united under a dream, and we will not let anyone prevent our dream from coming true.”