The blackness of nothing fades to reveal a faded yellow monochrome picture of a battered and damaged cybernetic alicorn mare staring into the stars as small motes of light dance around her with the world crumpling down in the background, she gives a smile and cries, wither of happiness or sorrow will forever only be known to her.
As the picture begins to fade a graveled aged voice carrying a sorrowed happiness begins to speak to a black void and any that will listen and try and learn from him.
“And so ends the journey of Security, she never got her happy ending, but through her sacrifices she gave the Wasteland a chance for one,” the voice continues over the darkness.
“Security gave mind, body and soul as sacrifice to the Hoof..., sometimes willingly, other times against her will. However, it wasn't these sacrifices that made her the hero she became, if was how she responded to them.”
Another monochrome photo of the Security Mare showing the unicorn body she was born with begins to fade into focus as the disembodied voice speaks.
“Through her body she was able to preserve some measure of innocents and give hope in the Hoof, no matter how brief it might have lasted. Even when her body was violated by ponies or replaced with the weapons of war, she preserved and tried to do better. Fighting and refusing the horrors inflicted through any means, she endured and was never truly stopped,” the voice gives in somber tones as her body changes to show the damage inflicted upon it before being slowly being replace with the cold unliving technology of the past to repair her physical form before this photo too faded away.
“Security may not have been the brightest of ponies, but on many occasions she helped bring change through her choices, wither for better or worse, it was change. Even when she questioned her sanity because of the choices made by those around or her own, she kept true to her beliefs as best she could... regardless of the cost to herself...,” the voice began anew as a different monochrome and aged picture showed the mare sitting on her throne with her crown of whiskey, weighing heavy. Below her crown showed a tired face as she focused on her pain, failing to forget it and leave it behind her as she held her Sword of the Stars in her augmented fore hooves. Like tears in rain the photo was soon lost before the voice moved on.
“The Maiden of the Stars very essence was offered to the Hoof and nearly succeeded on many occasion in taking it completely. The Wastelands and her own choices assaulted and damaged her soul regardless of the body it inhabited. The horrors of the Waste failed to take it completely, but took enough to never allow it to heal...,” was spoken to those listening as the souls of those she killed and lost followed her as she moved over the broken landscape of her world with her friends and family standing at her side giving her strength but they soon began to fade as the speaker started his story again
“As nearly everypony she knew left her, she questioned what she had become and if what she was doing was worth the kingdoms of dirt the ponies of the Hoof fought over... and at the end a simply security pony made her choice...,” was offered to those that decided to listen as the monochrome picture of the Mare of Stable 99 walking away from the mare carrying her children, given to her in spite of the Wastelands and every loss, with determination and dwindling loved ones and friends at her sides.
“In the end Blackjack sacrificed her own happy ending, no matter how small and fleeting it may have been, so the Wastelands of Equestria and the ponies that lived there may one day have one,” was told to those remaining as a picture of the Star Maiden standing in the heart of Hoofington's Core was shown looking over it as TOM fell from the heavens before disappearing with a flash of light.
“Now it's time for those she left behind to carry on her ideas. Will they ante up and Do Better,” the unknown speaker purposed as a photo, of shades of gray and yellow appeared.
“Security showed us all that everypony, hero or villain, can change, for better or worse, they can change...,” The voice of the unseen stated as the photo focused and had ponies, past and present, allies or enemies, family, friends or lover, showing they knew nothing except the existence of the horrors of war or of the Wasteland in which they stood.
For several seconds nothing was said as the ponies slowly changed to be replace by ponies that never had to live and suffer through the Great War or knew nothing of the Wastelands to be replaced with full vibrate colors standing in a field full of life, showing they knew the meaning of Harmony, sadly the photo could not exist in the world as it was, disappearing into darkness, much like their happiness as hateful, malevolent green bale fire consumed the simply photo with the ashes being snatched by the winds.
“What will the changes brought on by a simply security pony be... Will Equestria start again for a better future... or will it be the old familiar sting of war...” The graveled aged voice ponders as a new image full of color and meaning begins to take shape.
As the Ace and Queen of Spades, the cutie mark of the Hero of Hoofington, fades into a momentary existed before being lost forever, the voice of an unseen pony spoke on final time as it did.
“As we all know ponies can change, but war...? War never changes...,” was offered in conclusion with a small dark defeated tone that at the edges gave the impression it hoped for a better future...
Author's Note
Its been years of small victories, larger setbacks and defeat before a bittersweet ending, but I've finished my time in the Hoof... I finally stand relieved...
It's hard to put into words the feels I experienced during my readings of Somber's leviathan Projects Horizons, but it was all worth it.
I didn't review this too much as I was downing beer and listening to the Man in Blacks Hurt on repeat as I typed this up after completing the Project, so it's going to have all types of problems with it. Let me know and I'll correct them.
Hope y'all enjoyed the Project as much as I did and my own drunken rant, thanks for the time and reading, I'm out!
