Last of Earth

I awoke to the pulsing sound of electronic music. I felt something covering my eyes and reached up to grab it. The object in question was a scroll. I grabbed it off my face and opened it up. Official pledge of allegiance of Equestria.  I rolled my eyes and sat up. I heard the trotting of hooves and looked to my left to see Twilight coming through a pair of double doors that led into the kitchen.

"Oh! Good, you’re up."

"Yeah, but I wish I were still asleep." I responded.

"Oh come on. Today you start a new life! A clean slate as it were. You’re becoming a citizen of a great country." She said.

I sighed and stood up. I grabbed my helmet from the latch that it was attached to from my back and put it on.

"Great country my ass. First thing that happens to me when I get here, I get attacked by some crazy Alicorn sisters, thrown in jail, then get turned into a small horse and.....WHERE THE HAY IS THAT MUSIC COMING FROM!" I shouted in rage.

Twilight rolled her eyes. "The music is from the local DJ, Vinyl scratch. She always wakes up Ponyville like that. And besides, what would you do if a strange alien landed in the middle of your garden and then proceeded to trounce almost all the guards in the castle?" She had a point.

I nodded. I decided that I would ask that DJ to keep the music down. I liked electronic music, but just not that loud. I cracked my back and shoulders, at the sound of which Twilight flinched, and started for the door intent on getting that music turned down.

"HEY! You can't go out like that!" Twilight yelled. I turned back and noticed she had meant my human form. I sighed and concentrated my focus on me becoming a pony. Green magic flashed out of my horn and my form once again shrunk into the four legged creature I despised. I shook myself and got used to the feeling of four legs again.

"How do you do that so easily?" I heard Twilight say form behind me.

I turned to her and explained that Luna had, for some reason, made me able to just think about what I wanted to look like and I would change into it. She nodded and muttered something about Luna being too fascinated about changelings.  Having nothing else to talk about, I proceeded outside and trotted toward the sound of the music, and knocked on the door.  After a few moments it was opened by a grey mare with a nice black mane. She looked startled at the sight of me and I realized I hadn't deactivated my armour. That and the fact I was at least a head taller than her. She recomposed herself and greeted me.

"Hello, my name is Octavia. Might I ask why an armored pony is at my door?"

I noted she had a slight English accent. "My name is Atom. I have received some complaints about the music you are playing. Specifically, the volume." I replied.

"Ahhh. Yes.  Well, you would like to talk to my roommate then. She is the one blasting the music."

"Would you mind getting her for me?" I asked.

"Of course, please feel free to come in if you would like." She said.

I shuffled in and started noting a sort of division in the house. One side was clean and tidy while another was somewhat a mess. I won't say that it was uninhabitable, but a hurricane could only dream of the destruction caused on the side. I paused and waited at the base of a set of stairs as Octavia called for Scratch.

"This is strange. I am detecting high energy readings coming from upstairs and the room to your right."

"Sexy? About time you were back on." I commented inside my sealed helmet.

"Can't stay offline for a turn-on like you. On the other hand, or hoof as it seems to be, you seem to have gained a few new looks. Care to explain?" She asked.

I heard hoof steps and the music stopped.

"Not now Sexy. I will explain everything later."

I heard an audible "Humph." come from Sexy.

A moment later. The pony that had been playing the music trotted down the stairs and stopped as soon as she saw me.

"Now that is some bad ass armour."  She said.

I rolled my eyes inside my helmet and deactivated it. The helmet slid back and revealed my coal black face and muzzle. I coughed for a second as the fresh air assaulted me. I had been using my helmets filters almost all the time I had been alive and my lungs where not yet toned to the overly freshness of the air here even though I had slept in it. Guess I'm just weird like that. I recovered and went straight to the point.

"Some of the neighbors around you are complaining about the loudness of the music coming from this house. I am here to just make sure that you promise to keep it down."

"Yeah, well, I guess I can turn it down. But I need to practice for the sweet party Celestia is throwing tonight for some new citizen. I don't know who it is, but I can tell yah one thing, the music is going to be awesome tonight."

I nodded my head. I Liked this pony. "That's very good and all, but just keep the volume down okay?" I asked.

"Sure thing...uhhh... what’s your name?"

"Atom. The names Atom." I replied.

"Huh. Weird name. But whatev. I have to get a play list ready so I guess I'll see you tonight if you’re coming to the ceremony. Seeyah!" And with that she trotted upstairs.

I shook my head in annoyance. Why in the world would the princess want to throw a party for me? Again I shook my head and started to make my way out when Octavia stepped out from behind a corner.

"I hope she was not too rude to you. Vinyl can be rather blunt."

"No. I rather like her. Reminds me of a friend I once had." I guess I zoned out for a sec.

"Atom, are you all right? You look like you just saw a ghost." Octavia questioned.

I snapped out of my daze. "You can't see somepony if their dead. Just keep the music down all right." I left before she could ask questions.

I thought back to one of my squad mates, Wubs, who had died because of an ambush. She had always loved the electronic music that this "Vinyl scratch" pony played. But she was gone now. Along with the rest of my squad, my friends, hell my whole world is gone. I shook my head to try and clear some of the unsettling thoughts that where going on inside it.

I trotted back to the Library and talked to Twilight about the party. Turns out it's more like a feast then an actual party. The feast came first after the ceremony, then came the party after all the foals and parents had left for bed. I nodded and fell asleep on the couch.

"Sir, I don't like this. This cave is way to quite."

"Just keep walking Wubs. We need to get these civilians to the next town, and this is the fastest way." I replied.

"Yes sir. I'll signal the rest of the squad to be on the lookout though."

I nodded and performed another scan on the tunnel. Even though I hated to admit it, Wubs was right, this place didn't seem right. My scan was blocked by something. I held up a fist and everyone stopped. I took one step forward and was suddenly on my back from an explosion.

"AMBUSH! EVERYONE BACK NOW!" I heard Wubs scream.

The sound of a heavy machine gun blasting away ahead of me was what got me up. I heard screams as the bullets tore through civilians and my squad. I turned and saw Wubs start to fire back in the direction of the gun emplacement, only to be blown back a moment later by the guns bullets. She fell to the ground as blood pooled under her. My anger finally broke. I bellowed a war cry and dashed towards the group of Wreckers that were manning the gun. I pulled my fist back as I leaped through the air and swung downward with all my weight behind the fist. The armored fist went straight through the head of the Wrecker manning the gun. I activated my nano blades and swung them around to decapitate another Wrecker. Blood spurted out of the neck of the decapitated Wrecker. I countered a swing from a sledgehammer and broke the arm of the Wrecker. I twisted it around his back and sliced his throat with my left blade. I let him drop and turned to face the last Wrecker. I stopped as I saw the detonator in his hand.

"If I can't survive, no one will." He pressed down the trigger.

I awoke on the couch panting and sweating. "It was just a dream." I thought to myself. I shook my head and went upstairs to the bathroom Twilight had told me about me when I had gotten home before I fell asleep. There, I showered and prepared myself for what was to come.

(Four hours later)

"You ready Atom?" Twilight asked me back stage.

"Yes. The question is though, can I do it? I've never been fond of crowds." I responded.

"You'll be fine. All you have to do is answer the questions Celestia gives you, pledge your allegiance to her. And then walk off stage after she says yes. See, easy." Twilight smiled.

I narrowed my eyes. Celestia, right. Out on stage Celestia and Luna where both giving speeches on how I had come from a far off land (Which was complete bullshit) and how I might not understand some of the traditions around here.

"And now to introduce you to the stallion of the hour. Please give a warm welcome to Atom!" Celestia pointed a hoof at me as I trotted up the stage, without my armour I might add. I felt uncomfortable as all the eyes of the crowd turned to look at me. I swear, the ratio of males to females in the crowd was about one to ten. I walked up to the podium and bowed before Celestia and Luna. They bowed in return.

"Atom, you are here today to present to us your loyalty to Equestria. Do you swear to uphold all the laws set upon this nation?" Celestia asked me.

"I do."

"Do you swear to honour the authority and not cause trouble in this kingdom?"

"I do."

"And do you swear your allegiance to me, the princess of the sun and co-ruler of this land?"

Here it goes. I had thought about this for a long time and had come to a decision. I just hoped it would not get me killed.

"No."

There were shocked gasps in the crowd and Celestia looked offended.

"Explain yourself then." She said.

"Why should I swear to you when you have done nothing for me? You never apologized for having your guards attack me. You never apologized for putting me in chains and sending me to the dungeons. Therefore Celestia, I will not swear my allegiance you. I WILL however swear my allegiance to the one princess who did apologize, who did not have me thrown in prison, and has actually gotten to know me." I replied.

I walked over to Luna. "Princess Luna, You have shown forgiveness and the pursuit of friendship with me. Therefore, I swear my allegiance to you as my princess and ruler. I will gladly lay down my life for you. Will you accept my offer?" I bowed and questioned.

The crowd gasped again and whispered among themselves.

"Silence!" Luna said. The crowd stopped whispering.

"I accept your offer on ONE condition. I have seem your ability's at war, and I would like you to join my lunar guard and become captain of it. I seem to be missing my old one and I do believe it is time I got a new one."

I nodded from my bowed position.

"Then rise, Lunar stallion."

I rose and the crowd began clapping. (How the hell did they do that with hooves?)

Luna spoke again. "I hereby accept you as a citizen of Equestria and the captain of the New Lunar Guard."

I smiled and bowed again.

Celestia silenced the crowd and spoke. "And now, let us feast in honor of our new member of society!"

And with that, tables were spread out and food was whipped out of nowhere. All the ponies began to file towards the tables and I exited the stage. I noticed Twilight give me a smile before she beckoned me forward to her.

"That was quite the courageous move out there. I don't know if Celestia is angry or just shocked." She said.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Either way, it doesn't look like we will be getting along anytime soon."

She laughed and tugged me towards the food line. Together, we both made our way to the feast. Little did I know that tonight was going to get pretty interesting.