Last of Earth

I watched as Twilight levitated two plates full of food in front of her while walking back to the table that was reserved for the me and the rest of the girls. "How do you do that?" I asked.

"What? Levitate items? It's quite simple really. It's one of the first things a unicorn learns to do. All you have to do is think about something, say a plate floating towards you, and then imagine that happening. Sort of like what you do when you.....change." She said, keeping my special "talent" hidden from the prying ears of the ponies around us.

I nodded. "So, can I try it?" I asked.

"As soon as we get back to the table. Then after the party I can lend you a couple of books on what you can do with magic."

I nodded. Soon enough we came to our table where the rest of the girls were. I pulled out Twilight's chair for her and she set down her plate of food as well as mine and took a seat.

"Ahhh, Atom, so good of you to join us. I must say I was rather surprised to hear you swear yourself to Luna like that." Rarity said from across the circular table.

I grinned. "Yeah, well. Celestia might be a bit angry with me, but I think it was a good idea on my part. Besides, I'm now the captain of the New Lunar Guard. So at least I have a job now. I guess it works out perfectly."

"Yeah. Dude, you totally should have seen Rarity's face when you did that. It was priceless!" Rainbow dash laughed from beside Rarity.

"I was simply surprised that Atom would tell her highness that he refused so bluntly." Rarity responded.

"Well ah don't know ‘bout you all, but I have to say that it was a very brave thing. Not as brave as facing the king of chaos, but still pretty brave." Applejack said from beside Rainbow.

"King of chaos? Who's that?" I asked.

"His name was Discord. He was the God of chaos before we used the elements of Harmony on him and encased him in stone again." Twilight answered.

"What are the elements of Harmony?" I questioned.

"Well, the elements are six different elements of existence I guess you could say. Each one of us is an element.  I'm the element of magic, Rainbow is the element of loyalty, Rarity is generosity, Fluttershy is kindness, Applejack is honesty, and Pinkie is laughter." She answered with a smile.

I simply nodded my head in understanding. Personally, I shouldn't believe what I was hearing. But after everything I had seen so far, I was willing to believe in almost anything.

"So Atom, Where exactly did you come from anyway? I mean, Twilight said you were from far away, but where exactly?" questioned Rainbow.

I glanced at Twilight and she nodded at me to go ahead. "I come from a place called Earth. Actually, it should be "came from" instead." I answered.

"What do yah mean by that?" Applejack questioned.

"Exactly what I said. I used past tense because of the fact that the place where I come from is no longer there."

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?" She questioned again.

I face hoofed. "I will attempt to put it into plain wording. My home, the place where I grew up and lived, is destroyed. Gone. Not in existence. Obliterated. Shattered. Any other ways to explain this?"

All the girls just stared at me. One of them, Fluttershy, moved to comfort me. She put a hoof around my shoulder and drew me into a bone crushing hug.

"That must be horrible for you. Oh, I wish I could do something for you."

"AIR!" I wheezed out.

She released me and blushed red as she apologized to me.

"It's fine. Not the worst thing to happen to me." I responded.

I began to look over the contents of my plate and noticed there was no meat anywhere in it. I frowned but thought about how horses where herbivores, not omnivores like me. I sighed and began picking at my food with a fork. I still had no idea why these hooves broke the laws of physics, but it sure was helpful. I took a bite and my mouth exploded with flavour. My eyes widened and I immediately began to wolf down the rest of the salad. Rarity looked at me in revulsion.

"Must you eat with such.....how do I put it? Alarming manners?" She asked.

"I haven't eaten in two days. And I am still lacking in several important vitamins and minerals." I responded.

Rarity looked taken aback by what I had said. I simply pushed my empty plate forward a bit and instead turned to Twilight.

"Twilight, I have something very important that I need in my bag. It's still at your place unfortunately. Is there any way that I could get my bag?"

Rainbow Dash answered for her. "I can grab it. They don't call me the fastest in Equestria for nothing. I can have it here in ten seconds flat."

"Ten seconds? I highly doubt that." I said.

"Oh yeah? Time me. Where's your bag in her house?"

"By the front door."

With that she zoomed out of her chair, startling several diners in nearby tables, and disappeared. I began counting and had just gotten to ten when she was back in her seat holding my bag out to me.

"See, Ten. Seconds. Flat." She said smugly.

I took my bag from her with an eyebrow raised. I reached inside and withdrew a first aid kit which I opened and produced a hypodermic needle filled with a green substance.

"Atom what are you do...." Twilight's trail of speech ended abruptly as I stabbed the needle into my neck and injected myself with the green substance. I winced at the pain and saw everyone's faces pale at the sight. I finished and withdrew the needle and put it back into the case. The hole the needle left in my neck was quickly healed by the nano-mites in my blood. I snapped my neck to the side and put the case back into my bag.

"Sorry you had to see that." I said apologetically.

"What did you just do to yourself?" Twilight asked.

"So many questions, can't they just NOT question me every second I do something." I thought. "To answer you, I injected myself with what I call a "Nutri shot. What it does is it gives me the proper vitamins and minerals I need to survive in a new environment. And no Rainbow Dash, there is no other way to take it."

Rainbow Dash's face looked green as did everyone else's. Applejack, wanting to change the subject I believe, asked a very important question.

"So Twilight said you were a soldier. Why exactly would yah join an army? I mean, I can understand it has good pay an all, but doesn't that mean yah have to...yah know...kill ponies?"

I sighed. I knew eventually the question would be asked. "Yes, Twilight was correct when she said I am a soldier. The pay was good along with several other benefits. But yes, I did have to kill ponies. Most of them where in defence though. They always attacked me or one of my squad-mates first."

"I'm sure that Atom joined his army for a noble deed. Most ponies’ do. Personally I admire such brave pony's willing to risk their lives for the protection of others. They are hero's that never ask for anything." Rarity said.

I laughed out loud and pounded the table with a hoof. Rarity gave me a perplexed look. "Isn't that why you joined?" She asked.

I stopped laughing and took a drink of water from my glass. "No Rarity, it is not. I joined for revenge. I had no righteous reason to join; I only joined so I could kill the bastards that took my parents’ lives away. And I did it to."

Rarity looked horrified. "You beast! How could you just kill somepony because of a personal vendetta!? You disgust me!"

I leaned across the table and looked her in the eyes. "Before you pass judgement, let me explain to you why. I was born in a wasteland. We had nothing. We lived in constant worry about where our next meal would come from. I was fourteen when two robbers busted into our house and MURDERED my parents’ right in front of me. I saw my mothers head cut off; I saw my fathers head smashed in with a sledgehammer. The blade across my pack is the blade that murdered my mom. I could do nothing! NOTHING! To save them! I hid in a closet for four hours till I had the courage to come out. The kids at school teased me about being a chicken and hiding while my parents were slaughtered. THAT'S why I joined. So I could prove that I had what it took to find and kill the bastards that took my parents." I shouted the last part loudly enough that everypony stopped. I withdrew from the front of Rarity's face and got out of my seat.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I need a stronger drink." I said.

I went to the bar that had opened while we had talked, grabbed a bottle of what looked like booze, and trotted off back towards the Library. Once I had opened the door, I opened the bottle and drank. The burning and numbing effect of hard cider eased my pain as old memories tried to surface. I sighed and took another drink. I stayed like that till I passed out drunk on the couch.