//------------------------------//
// Agony 
// Story: W.A.F.E. 
// by DNA Hochburger 
//------------------------------//

"Life is nice, isn´t it?," thought Celestia out loud, as she stood outside of her balcony in Canterlot, raising the sun like she did every morning. "But I can´t help and feel that I forgot something," she added with a slight frown while thinking about it, "Well if I can´t remember it, it couldn't have been that important," she declared with a happy smile.

Her day continued. First eating breakfast with her sister, Luna, then going on doing her royal duties. The day was normal and quiet. It was actually a really nice day, even for Equestrian standards, you could think everything was normal and you would be correct. But something bothered her and she couldn't put a hoof on it.

In the evening she sat together with her sister again, to eat dinner this time, and you could probably see the concern on her face because Luna asked with slight worry in her voice, that was almost completely masked by her rather cold demeanor,  "What is the matter, sister? Are you not feeling well?"

Celestia looked up from her meal to meet Luna's gaze, before answering: "It´s nothing of concern my dear sister. It´s just... Luna do you have the feeling that we have forgotten something important?"

Before responding, Luna gave her a confused look, "Whatever do you mean sister?", while tilting her head slightly to the right.

"I don´t know how I should explain it, Luna. Since I woke up this morning I just have this weird feeling that I have forgotten something, but I don´t know what and it´s driving me a bit crazy."

Luna took a sip from her tea, before replying, "I´m sorry, but it seems I don´t know what you mean."

Celestia sighed and downed the rest of her tee. She stood up and said,  "Maybe I just need some sleep. I will go to bed early today. Goodnight Luna."

"Goodnight sister."





The next morning came too fast, at least for Celestia. She stood up from her cozy bed and made her way to her balcony with a yawn. She opened the door and raised the sun like normally. While she did, she thought to herself, Yep the feelings still there. She looked down from the balcony onto the statues. She let her gaze wash over them, some of them recalling more pleasent memories than others. But her glance gots stuck on one statue specifically.

She let out a long sigh while facehoofing herself. "How could I forget this? How in Equestria could I forget it?"

Immediately she turned around and stormed out the door while commanding the two guards, that had been standing there,  "ONE OF YOU GO AND CANCEL ALL OF MY APPOINTMENTS TODAY AND TOMORROW!", and with that, she was gone.

The two guards looked at each other in confusion, before playing 'hoofwrestling' on who had to go.

In less than a minute Celestia was at Luna's room and stormed in.

Luna shot around in surprise and yelled, "Sister, what is the matter? Why are you visiting my domain at such a time?"

Celestia still panted for air, when she answered "Luna... I-I re-remembered what we forgot. Never again I´m going to run here this fast."

"So, what did we forget?"

Celestia raised a hoof and took some more deep breaths before her breathing slowed down enough for her to reply. "I really need to exercise more. All that cake can´t be good for my endurance. Oh yeah, the thing we forgot. Do you remember the creature we sealed in stone about 2000 years ago?"

Luna put a hoof to her chin and responded, "You mean the one that did that thing to you?"

Celestia's cheeks turned the most modest tint of red at the thought of what had happened that evening and responded, "Yes that one."

Luna started laughing. She laughed for quite a while actually, before finally saying "Of course I can remember it, dear sister. How can I forget what it did to you, it was hilarious."

"Yes reallllly funny. Luna grow up already. Can you remember what it said when we sealed it?"

Luna's laughs begin to cease until it stopped, "You mean other than 'I´m sorry!', 'Make it stop!' and 'Do it already!'?"

"Yes, other than that," with a slightly annoyed tone.

Luna thought again for a second and replied then: "No, I can´t remember nothing else other than the screams it let out. I can still hear them sometimes when I lap to deep into my thoughts. "

"Well good that I recall what it said then." With a hint of pride in her voice.

"Then, by all means, please enlighten us, dear sister."

"He said and I quote: 'You will get a student at one point named Twilight Sparkle. She and her friends will wield the Elements of Harmony once again. When this happens release me again.' I totally forgot it until now."

Luna's expression turned into one of shock, as she said, "You don´t mean...?"

Celestaia let out a sigh and then returned, "Yes, I mean that we free it."

"But that´s ridiculous. As far as we know it has powers greater than those of even Discord," argues Luna.

"It knew that with Twilight and her friends. I think it could be a great help when it knows the future."

"And when it decides to destroy everything?"

"It had the chance last time and now we are even more powerful than all these years prior."

Now it was Luna's turn to sigh, before saying, "You really want to take the risk?"

"Yes, I am willing to take it. It can be a great benefit for us all."

"If you think it´s a good idea I shall not oppose you."

"That´s good to hear. I´m going to inform the Elements."







For Twilight it was a normal day like any other. She had already gotten accustomed to her life in Ponyville a couple of weeks ago.

She woke up to the sun of her teacher, like every morning. She got up, heading to the bathroom. After taking a nice, hot shower and drying herself with a short burst of magic went down into the kitchen and was about to make herself breakfast, when she heard Spike calling from upstairs.

He came running down the stairs, as she inquired "Spike that´s weird. You usually never get up that early. Did something happen?"

He held up a letter. She grabbed it with her magic and opened it. "My faithful student, Twilight Sparkle, I need you and your friends to come to Canterlot a soon as possible. You don´t have to hurry too much, but I would like you to get here soon. Princess Celestia."

Twilight looked at Spike with a confused look, before saying, "I will get the others." He just nodded.

I didn't take as long as one would think to get all six of them in one place. On her way to Rarity's, she met both Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, who volunteered to get Applejack and Fluttershy respectively.  In about thirty minutes they were all in Twilight's library.

"So why are we here, Twi? I was about to try out a new stunt I thought of," demanded the cyan pegasus, to know.

"I received a letter from the Princess, to meet her in Canterlot," answered Twilight.

"And why when Ah can ask?", asked Applejack.

"I don´t know why it just says we should go there as fast as possible," replied Twilight, while looking over the letter once again.

"So let's get going then," suggested Rarity, with sparkles in her eyes, at the thought of Canterlot.







When the six of them arrived in Canterlot the sun was already at its peak. They made their way through the city at a brisk pace, which was still too slow for Twilight, and eventually reached the castle, where the princesses were already waiting for them.

Twilight ran up to Celestia and gave her a hug, which the princess eagerly returned, before Celestia said, "It´s nice to see you again my faithful student. I´m glad you and your friends could make it so fast."

"What happened? Was there an attack? Is everypony okay?", asked Twilight frantic with glimmers in her eyes.

"Everypony is fine. We called you here for a different reason. Please follow us and we will show you," answered Princess Celestia and turned around, everypony following her.

They walked to the statue garden and to one statue in specific. The statue was weird to Twilight and all of the rest. It had a long cape over it, so most of it was impossible to see.

The statue stands on a pedestal or better kneels on it. There is a golden tag on it saying 'Agony'.

"Princess, what do we want here? That´s just a statue," questions Twilight her mentor.

"This is not an ordinary statue. You all have to know not all of the statues here are just stone. A lot of them contain living things." Gasps can be heard going through the mane six. Celestia continues: "They were all turned to stone by the Elements of Harmony and all of them against their will, exept this one. It begged us to use the Elements on it."

"And why´s that?", asks Rainbow.

"Rainbow, do you know what agony means?", replies Celestia.

"Of course, it means a lot of pain, right?", returns Rainbow unsure.

Celestia nods, before saying: "That is correct. When we found this creature it screamed under pain. It hurt just from listening. But before we turned him into stone he told us, that I will have a student named Twilight Sparkle and that she and her friends are goining to wield the Elements of Harmony. That was about 2000 years ago."

Twilight interfers with a concerned look: "So it told you the future 2000 years in advance? That´s unbelievable. But why did you just turned it into stone? It was no danger to Equestria, so why did you do it?"

"That is not entirely correct young Twilight Sparkle. He let the earth around him shake and he had enough power to... change my sister, Celestia, a couple of times?" answers Luna.

"Ah don´t understand. What ya mean with "change" princess?", inquires Applejack.

Celestia coughs quietly, while turning her head to the site with a slight blush, before answering: "I don´t want to go into detail on that." Luna chukles a bit. "Anyway I want you to use the Elements on it to free it."

Twilight gets an even more confused look than before and then asks: "But you just said he was really powerful and could even change nature."

Celestia turns away from them to face the statue. She lets out a long sigh: "I don´t know, but when it was lying there on the floor and saying to us we should free it when you and your friends are gonna wield the Elements I believed it. So will you help me?"

Twilight turns to her friends to look what they thought of it. All nod in approval, even when some nod heavier than others. Twilight turns around to look at the princesses, before answering: "Yes, we are going to help you. Besides that, it doesn´t seem evil, just a bit scary."

Celestia turns around to them again and repling: "I´m happy to hear that."

Celestia and Luna move out of the way, behind the Elements and charge their horns, that when whatever comes out of there wants to harm them, they can deal with it.

The Elements charge and fire a familiar looking beam of power onto the statue.

A large smokescreen appears and spreads around the whole group. Everypony coughs as their lungs fill with smoke and more than one puts a protective hoof infront of their eyes against the dust.

When the smoke slowly fades away a bipedal figure can be seen standing on the pedestal. It doesn´t seem to notice the group as it is more concerned with itself.

It coughs a few times, before taking a couple of deep breaths and saying: "Air! Wow I never thought it would feel that good to breath fresh air. That was an experience I do not want to repeat. So lets see what we got here. Hands! That´s good," looking down at his hands, moving them, "Don´t know why I´m suprised by that. Hair: White," pulling down his hair so it can see his hair, "Nice! I like it. Eyes. Okay I gonna need a mirror for that. How about equipment?", it looks down at itself, "Clothes: black and awesome if I might add, but I also need a mirror for that. So first thing I have to find a mirror or at least a pond so I can look at myself. Oh there´s the dagger I found," it pulls out a dagger from its steath.

The dagger looks almost normal. While the form seems simple, exept a coin at the end of the handle with weird runes at both sides, the blade seems to be made out of some kind of black crystal.

The creature investigates the dagger between his fingers and says: "It´s not like I remember it, then again it´s been over 1500 years so it is possible that I forgot one or two things. Well it still looks cool," with that he lets it slide back in the steath and looks up towards the castle, "Seems like I´m at the castle. I wonder why I was unturned, I didn´t even try to escape. Should I go in and say 'Hi' maybe? Well seeing that I have not much to choose at this point I guess this is my best option. Now the only question is how I should make my entrance?", he puts his hand to his head and thinks.

Nopony has said something until now, because all are stunned of this entity. But then Celestia pulls herself enough together to clear her throat to get the beings attention. It turns around to face all of them, but its happy expression doesn´t alter in the slightest. And it greets them: "Oh I´m sorry didn´t see you there. Hello, it´s nice meeting you," and takes a bow. He is completly dresed in black exept a white pentagram over his left shoulder.

"Hello there creature. My name is Princess Celestia and this is my sister, Princess Luna," welcomes it Celestia, while pointing first at herself and then at Luna,"And who are you, if I may inquire?"

"Oh I´m sorry princesses. Where are my manners. My name is DNA Hochburger, but please just call me DNA and I´m sure you have plenty of questions towards me," he replies, "but first could you be so kind and tell me what colour my eyes are," and then leans forward, that Celestia can see his eyes better.

Celestia takes a step back, because of how close it is to her, before answering: "I don´t know what this question is, but ok. Your eye colour is red, a deep blood red."

It straightens itself, before continuing with an even happier face than before: "Ah that´s great. Expected, but great none the less."

"Could you maybe answer us a couple of our questions now?" puts Luna in carefully, so to not destroy the good mood of him, remembering what happened in their first encounter.

He looks at her with a smile, as if it would look at a friend: "Sure, but I would prefer if we could go inside. Can we do that maybe? Also I don´t know about you, but I´m feeling a little bit intimidated, that you two are pointing fire ready horns at me. If you couldn´t do that... please."

"We will lower our weapons when you dispose of yours first," replies Celestia, while pointing at his dagger.

He first looks down at his weapon in confusion, before answering: "Sure I have no problem with that. When you want it you can just take it."

Celestia nods slightly and takes the weapon out of it´s holding place, floating it with her magic in front of her face.

DNA jumps down from the pedestal and they all want to go inside the castle, when DNA says: "Oh before I forget it. Celestia, because it looks like you are going to experiment with it, I don´t know what other 'properties' it has. So I wouldn´t advice you or for that matter any other pony here to touch it anywhere, but the handle."

"Thank you for your concern DNA. I appreciate it," thanks Celestia DNA, being carful to just grab it at the handle.

And with that, they begin to go into the castle with DNA walking between Celestia and Luna.



-----



They are all sitting at the large dining table where Celestia and Luna normally eat their meals together. They all have a nice hot cup of tea sitting in front of them.

Celestia takes a sip from her tea, before asking DNA: "So DNA, could you please inform us about what you are and why you are here?", while taking a glance at the dagger now lying peacefully next to her on the table.

"Like I already said my name is DNA Hochburger. I´m male if anypony wonderd and the race I´m from is called humans," he takes a sip from his tea, before continuing, "But you won´t find this race on this planet. I do not know for certain how I came here, but I can assure you that I don´t mean any harm," he finishes by taking another sip of his tea.

"Do all humans look like you?", questions him Luna for details.

"No and yes. From the general figure yes. While all humans have a similar structure from the body, we all are slighty differences. Our hair, unlike you ponies, can only have specific colours ranging from black or dark brown to blonde. But occasionally in a few cases the hair colour can be light red to orange. The skincolour can range from almost white to almost black. Also even when our bodies are very similar each body is unique, even when you can´t see it with the pure eye," DNA finishes, before taking another sip of his tea. 

"That is is certainly interesting. Anything else?", digs Celestia further for answers.

"For one we don´t have wings or horns. And second we don´t have any kind of magic," answers DNA.

Celestia and Luna each raise an eyebrow at his answer. Out of curiousity, Celestia questions him: "But how can your race accomplish anything or to say better surive, without pegasi controlling the weather or earth ponies growing food?", also sipping on her tea a bit.

"The answer is rather simple really. You could compare the world I come from to the Everfree forest. Plants grow on their own, the sun and moon 'raise' and 'lower' themself and animals are not always peaceful. We couldn´t control nature, but we tried or try. I have to admit I don´t know how time changes between universes. But I digress. As I already stated we tried to control nature and we managed it partially, but we were never able to do it completely," replies DNA.

"You mentioned a different universe. Could you clarify yourself, please?", wants Celestia to know.

DNA downs the rest of his tea, before saying: "I could make speculations about it, but I would rather wait for some kind of evidence, that confirms my theory. Anyway I think you didn´t just free me to ask me such questions. Am I right Princess Celestia?" 

Celestia smiles again and responds: "Why do you think it was me who had the idea to free you?"

DNA snickers shortly and answers then: "There is or was an incident, where something similar happens or happened."

Celestia nods, before questioning him: "Is that also one of your powers?"

"I guess you think I can predict the future. That is not the case. Lets just say I know from somewhere somethings about this world. Anywho, before we get off topic to much I would like to make a small request," he simply states.

"And what would this small request be?", wonders Celestia and thinking a bit about him. He comes from an other world, as he says himself, gets imprissoned in stone for nearly 2000 years and sits now here in her castle, on her table, drinking tea with the two rulers of Equestria, as it would be normal and makes a request. He certainly is interesting.

"It´s nothing really. I would just like to speak to your faithful student for a minute or two," states DNA his request.

The amusement she has clears itself to give space to worry with just a hunch of aggression. The reason being him knowing that she calls her student faithful. "As long as I am there, when you speak with her, I see no problem with that.

DNA turns to Twilight and the other Elements. None of them said one word up until now. They just sat there calm drinking their tea, even Pinkie.

DNA begins the conversation: "I have expected you and your friends to be more exited and ask more questions."

Twilight sits down her cup, before replying in a more than calm tone: "Me and my friends decided it´s best to let the princesses handle you. Seeing that nopony has ever interacted with something like you, we thought it is best to let Celestia and Luna do the main talking."

"So that was a privacy spell. I wondered what that was when we walked here. Huh," says DNA a bit suprised.

"That is correct. Is there a problem with that?," asks Twilight in return.

"No not at all, just curious. So I am going to name a couple of events. I don´t want that you look to either Celestia or Luna during that time. Are you okay with that?", respondes DNA.

"Sure, I see no harm in it."

"Good first: Sombra.

"The name says something to me, but I can´t remember who it is."

"Okay. Next are bug like ponies that can transform."

"No."

"A giant, white, ice snake that wants to cover the world in ice."

"I don´t think so."

"Discord."

"There is a statue with a name tag on it named Discord, or?"

"The Grand Galloping Gala."

"Yes, I and my friends went to it."

"And last but not least: A blue frog as big as Canterlot with seven eyes, red hair, wings, five legs from a pony and tentacles with thorns on them, that let everything burn when they touch something."

The last line gains him wide eye stares and more than one open mouth. But Twilight manages to get a hold of herself and answers: "I´m pretty sure we would know about that."

"Okay thank you, that would be all for now," thanks, DNA her and turns back to Celestia and Luna, to see Celestia's eye twitch slightly.

"DNA, I have a question. How in Equestria do you know all this creatures, some of them even I never heard of?," asks Celestia, trying to keep calm.

DNA gets a little smile and answers: "Like I said I know somethings about this place. I won´t say anything else for now," but then adds, "But I guess you will figure it out in the next couple of weeks."

Celestia sighs, before responding: "You won´t tell me anything when I would ask you, right?"

His smile widens, as he replies: "Yeah," he pauses shortly, before continuing, "but there is something I want to do. Celestia could it be possible, that I´m allowed to train a bit."

He gets a confused look from everypony and Luna asks: "And why is that, DNA?"

DNA starts explaining: "You remember 2000 years, when I arrived in this world?", the two sisters nod,"Good. When I arrived I couldn´t control my powers, because they were at 100%. But while I was in stone I figured out a way to put a limiter on myself. At the moment my powers are at zero to one percent. The thing is I don´t know exactly what they are, that´s why I think it´s wise to at least try them out and figure out what I´m capable of. Of course just at a low percentage."

Celestia puts a hoof to her chin and thinks. After a couple of seconds she says: "I think it´s good that you try and figure them out too, so that you can´t accidently use them."

"So, where can I train? I don´t think it´s clever to train in the palace," returns DNA.

"I guess you can use the training grounds the guards use. Will that be sufficient?", responds Celestia.

DNA nods, while saying: "That will do just fine."

With that, they all finish what little is left in their cups and make their way to the training grounds, with DNA walking in-between Luna and Celestia again.