Author's Note

Warning ⚠️: This alternative ending could change your perception of how you read Project Horizons & Homelands.

Alternative Ending: Inception (Break Out Plan)

Fallout Equestria: Project Horizons
Chapter 1: Inception
“Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria…”

War. War never changes. It devoured our home, a conflict driven by foreign invaders until horrific and powerful magics reduced the world to ash and cinders. Our steadfast devotion to the Princesses was the only thing that saw us through that dreadful war, just as our unwavering faith in the Overmare sustains our survival beneath the earth. Trust the Overmare; obey the Overmare.

The alarm pierced the quiet of my sleep, rudely yanking me from a particularly steamy dream involving Midnight. Just when it was getting good, the blasted thing had to go off. With a groan, I reluctantly peeled myself from the comfort of my bed. I couldn't afford to be late for my security mare shift.

"Good morning to all the mares of Stable 99, I hope you all have an exciting day today," echoed the voice of the Overmare as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. It was the usual greeting, but it had a way of sticking in your head.

I had a whole routine to get through—washing up, grabbing a quick bite to eat, and then making my way to my post. Two hours seemed like plenty of time, but time had a way of slipping away when you least expected it.

I dragged myself out of bed, my red eyes dirty with blemishes, wanting to stay closed. If I got distracted, those two hours would slip away, leaving me with just minutes to get everything done.

I headed to the bathroom, my horn glowing white as I turned on the faucet of the hoof washer. I extended both hooves and splashed fresh water on my face, closing my eyes, letting the water do its job of washing away the blemishes.

After five splashes, I turned off the faucet, shook the water off my hooves, and trudged back to my room.

The floor was littered with my uniforms, which I should have washed last week. But the line for the laundry was so damn long, I was gonna fall asleep in the hallway. Sometimes I'd rather work in a uniform stinking of ass than wait in a fucking line all day.

With my magic, I lifted the uniforms. As usual, I chose the least dirty and least smelly of the bunch. Sniff... sniff... no, this one reeks and has semen stains on the sleeves—probably from my turn in the breeding queue. Sniff... sniff... ew, this one smells like vomit. Must be from that day I got drunk with Daisy and Marmalade, and Daisy puked on me. Sniff... sniff... this one is more tolerable.

I pulled the uniform over my head. It was blue and yellow with the number 99 emblazoned on it. I couldn't forget my bulletproof vest either.

I headed to the door, placing my hoof in the print reader to unlock it. As the door slid open, the first thing I saw were the murals of the Overmare hugging a bunch of foals, with the phrase "We are all the Overmare’s Friends" written above. The murals were positioned right outside each room, so every time we stepped out, we'd have to stand on two hooves and place one front hoof on our foreheads, saluting like soldiers.

As soon as I finished my greeting, the first thing that caught my eye was Midnight's fine flank as she trotted to the right. Watching it shake from this distance made me feel a twinge of arousal.

I quickly snapped out of my reverie and focused on the task at hoof. With a determined trot, I headed towards that alluring sight, eager to claim it for myself.

"Midnight, wait up! I just want to give you some good cunnilingus!" I called out, my words echoing down the corridor. Some might call it sexual harassment, but as a security mare, I knew I could sometimes bend the rules and get away with it... if luck was on my side.

Upon hearing me, Midnight whipped her head back, her dark blue eyes wide with surprise. "Stay away from me, Blackjack! I've told you before, I don't want anything to do with you!"

"Aw, come on, just a quick session! Who wouldn't want cunnilingus from a security mare like me?" I shouted back, disregarding the rule against running in the hallways. When it came to chasing a fine flank, rules could be overlooked.

Midnight seemed to outpace me, perhaps from all the times I'd coerced her into exercise. But that wouldn't deter me; as a security mare, I was trained to catch fleeing subjects, especially ones with such enticing flanks.

"Damn it, Blackjack! Do we have to do this every day? If you touch my flank, I'll beat the shit out of you!" Midnight's voice rang out as she ran, already beginning to sweat. So soon?

"You and I both know you won't do that. You can't attack a security mare!" I laughed, my gaze fixed on the path ahead and, of course, on Midnight's ass.

Midnight tried to throw me off by pretending she'd turn left, but I knew that trick too well. She kept running straight, slowing down just enough for me to almost catch her fine flank.

From here, I could see her pussy, wet with her fluids. Was she touching herself, thinking about me? The sight made me horny as hell, and the fact that her tail was coated in her juices didn't help.

I was about to jump and finally get my hoof on her when—bam! Hoofcuffs appeared on both my hooves, causing me to crash to the floor. At least I got a face full of Midnight's ass out of it.

"No running in the fucking halls, Blackjack! We've told you a thousand times, but you never listen," Daisy cackled, her grin wicked as she sauntered past.

"Even if you're chasing some sweet pussy and a security mare, you can't go breaking the rules," Marmalade chimed in, her hoof resting on Daisy's shoulder. Those two were always together, cuntblocking me at every turn. But right now, I had to focus on getting these damn hoofcuffs off.

With all my effort, I tried to make the hoofcuffs disappear with my magic, but nothing happened. My horn only glowed for a moment before fizzling out faster than a blown light bulb.

"What's the matter, Blackjack? Can't even manage a simple spell like that? Hahaha!" Daisy jeered, her laughter ringing out as she mocked my lack of magical prowess.

"She's so stupid, her brain must be filled with air. Maybe then you could at least fly, Blackjack! Hahah!" Marmalade chimed in, joining Daisy in laughter.

"You sons of bitches, just wait until you both have a good flank to chase! I'll do the same to you and see if you like it," I retorted, shooting them a determined glare as I struggled to rise onto two hooves.

Despite the teasing and occasional insults, the three of us were still laughing together. It was just how we got along.

My name is Gin Rummy. I am thirty-six years old and I have been deeply worried about Blackjack. She has been missing for months, not answering my calls or messages. I am so, so worried about her.

At first, I thought she might have committed suicide. Glory and I searched everywhere in the mansion, but there was nothing. We also checked for any signs of a break-in, but everything seemed in order. It doesn't seem like she was kidnapped. This is all very strange. What happened to my daughter?

"There has to be an explanation for this... maybe she committed suicide in a place where nopony would look for her," Glory said, placing both front hooves on the couch, where she was sitting.

"No... I don't want to believe that. I refuse to believe it." I clenched my hooves, trotting on two hooves around the room. I'd been like this for half an hour without getting tired. The worry, confusion, and sadness weighed so heavily on me that my body ignored the exhaustion.

"I'm just trying to be realistic, you know? Blackjack was struggling with loneliness. Maybe she's given up." Glory lowered her voice, looking down and tapping her front hooves lightly.

I stopped behind Glory, pointing a front hoof at her. "No... my daughter can't be dead. I love her too much. I've made so many sacrifices for her for you to tell me she's dead." I continued my trot around the room.

"I just wouldn't want to fill you with false hopes. It's been months, and we don't know anything. The 'missing' posters aren't giving us any results," Glory said. Unfortunately, she was right. We had been handing out posters, and nothing. Nopony had any idea where Blackjack could be.

"Maybe she's gone somewhere and her PipBuck got damaged. It has to be that," I said, desperately trying to hold on to the little hope I had left. Oh, Blackjack... where are you? Will I have to ask myself these questions every single day?

"Now that you mention it, we couldn't find her PipBuck either. She almost always had it on... I wouldn't know what to tell you, Gin Rummy. If Blackjack was going somewhere so far away, do you think she would have warned us? She probably would have said something to you. You know, since she and I had our conflicts. I still loved her as a friend." Glory put a hoof to her chest, her voice beginning to break.

"She almost never talks to me. The last time I talked to her, she told me about a pony she met named Candy. She said Candy made her feel happy, alive, but I don't know what happened. Maybe that pony has something to do with it. Do you know who she is?" I asked. Blackjack used to mention her very often. Could that pony have done something bad to my daughter?

"I have no idea. Blackjack never told me anything about a pony with that name... at least I'm glad to know she had a friend," Glory said, placing her hoof back on the couch.

No matter how much we tried to gather clues, we didn't get anywhere. We don't know anything about that pony. Could she be my daughter's murderer? Did she possibly do something to her? I don't know. I just want to see my daughter. I need something to blame to help me deal with all my emotions right now.

I highly doubt Blackjack went somewhere alone. If she did, she would have responded to my messages.

Blackjack! WHERE ARE YOU?!

"Guten Morgen... Morning Glory... you must be Blackjack's mother," said a unicorn I had never seen before.

"Who the hell are you?" Glory asked, rising from the sofa, directing a look of distrust towards the pony.

"I'm Candy. I'm Blackjack's friend. She didn't respond to my messages. I thought she was busy with something and decided not to bother her, but she never responded, and I got very worried... where is she?" said Candy. So, she was the pony Blackjack was talking about.

I trotted quickly toward Candy. "My daughter disappeared! We don't know anything about her. Do you know something? You must know something, Candy. Tell me, tell me now!" With my front hooves, I began to shake Candy, desperate for answers.

What I was doing surely wouldn't help, but I couldn't stand this intense pain anymore.

"Calm down! I'm vundering ze same thing too! I don't know where she could be," Candy said as I stopped shaking her. Damn it, no pony has any idea where my daughter is. Blackjack... your mommy misses you so much, please...

"The last time I saw her, I told her that I was going on a trip, and she... didn't want to be alone. She sent me messages all the time until, suddenly, she didn't contact me anymore. When I returned, I came as quickly as I could because I thought something had happened to her."

"None of us know where she is... maybe, just maybe..." Glory shook her head, pressing her hooves to her face, "she committed suicide."

"Don't say that, Glory..." I dropped to my knees in front of Candy. I couldn't keep standing; I felt like I was about to burst right then and there. My eyes started to glaze over, tears threatening to escape.

"I mean, she was very lonely. We were the only connection she had, and the fact that Blackjack found comfort in Candy and then she had to go on a trip, leaving Blackjack alone again... It's possible that she just couldn't take it anymore. Possibly she has gone to a secluded place where nopony will find her body so that we wouldn't suffer. But even so, that doesn't help because it leaves us confused about her true whereabouts," Glory said, her hooves squeezing together as she stopped flying and approached Candy and me.

"Blackjack... Nein... We were just getting to know each other... but I loved you!" Candy exclaimed in shock, putting a hoof to her forehead as she was about to cry.

"And how the hell are we going to have a funeral?! We couldn't even do that because there isn't even a body!" I said, hitting the ground with my front hooves, with all my strength.

"Nein, Blackjack, nein... you can't be dead. I was going to help you with your loneliness," Candy wailed, lying face down and crying into her hooves, covering her eyes.

Seeing her like this made me feel even more guilty. I had my suspicions about her, but it was clear she felt a deep affection for my daughter.

"I'm so sorry, Gin Rummy. I'm so sorry... I wish there was a solution to all this," Glory said, using a hoofkerchief to dry her tears.

"It's okay... there's no use looking for excuses or ways to deny it. My daughter is missing, possibly dead." I couldn't hold back anymore and I started to sob uncontrollably. All my sacrifices, everything I did for Blackjack... It shows what a terrible mother I've been, living in ignorance of my daughter's suffering. Despite my deep love for her, I've failed to give her the support she needed.

"BLACKJAAAAAAAACK!" I screamed to the heavens, raising both of my hooves as tears fell like a waterfall down my face. Wherever you are, Blackjack, I hope you're no longer alone. Your mother will always love you, even if you're no longer physically with us.

"We have art in order not to die from the truth." - Star Bright