W.A.F.E.

by DNA Hochburger

You're almost worse than Zoro.

White wakes up when something pulls her hoof... hard. Her eyes shoot open, she goes in a fighting stance, dagger drawn and looks around. The first thing she notices is the loud terrified shriek next to her. She looks down to see... What was her name again? Oh right, Serena crawl as fast as she can forward. The armmaster looks ahead to see the little ones destination and finds DNA strangling an other human with the same chain that connects her with him.

He stops when he hears the shriek and turns to the white pony. They look into each others eyes for a couple of seconds before he says, "Good Morning, White."

She sighs, closes her eyes and when she opens them again she asks, "What's going on here?"

"Training," is his simple answer.

"And you think I believe you?" Instead of an answer he simply points to the side. She follows with her gaze and finds five ponies standing at the side. They are five of the six trainees she'd read about. But there is something different about them, at least about two of them. The bulky dark green unicorn Shadow Slash has a large X-like scar across the entirety of his chest and the darkish blue unicorn Night Light is missing part of the tip of his left ear.

She turns back to him and sees that he in the meantime freed the other human and took Serena onto his arms. "And I assume he is FREEZER."

"Yeah," answer DNA before turning to the others. "So what have we learned today?"

"That we shouldn't underestimate you?" throws Night in.

"Yes also, but?" says DNA while pointing at Flash.

"FREEZER can't defeat someone that is restrained by a chain?"

"No! That was only because he fought against me. Gleam!" the black clad human points at the pink earth pony.

"Because you're an EP master!" his answer is the most confident of them.

"Ding ding ding. We have a winner! Correct! Okay enough gawped. Go reading." And with that the trainees including FREEZER leave the rooftop as DNA settles back to the place where he sat the previous night with his daughter in his lap. She sighs before sitting herself next to him. She glances over to him and sees Serena frowning at her.

When the little creature notices the armmaster starring she begins to squirm. DNA noticing his daughters discomfort unfurls his wings, making White flinch in surprise and puts them over his legs to shield her.

"Sorry again for her. She is an empath and I guess she isn't getting a good vibe off of you," says the earth tamer.

She tsks. "I don't blame her." She puts her head on her hoofs and closes her eyes enjoying Celestia's sun, or would have when she notices the one end of the chain on her leg. She gets out the keys and unlocks both ends before lying down.

They stay like that for some minutes when White lifts her head and looks at him. "So are there any plans for today, besides sitting here?"

"Actually yes. Later on FREEZER's gonna take over watching and I... I mean we will be going to Ponyville."

"Huh. So you said yesterday that you observed something. What is it you observe?"

"The progress of Dark Voice. As you might have noticed he wasn't with the others, because he's on his fire trial." At her confused eyebrow he elaborates, "It's quite simple. I put them one by one in the Everfree. When they survive this they should in theory survive the training."

"Is that how the two unicorns got these wounds?"

"Yes! And while it is in my range of capabilities to fix them they are something to be proud of. I gave them of course the chance to fix it, but they refused."

"So when you did this trial, did you get one?"

He deflates a bit. "Sadly, no. Everybody gets some reminder of their trial and after they get back they are fully healed before their training continues. All except me of course. The thing I needed most was a shower. My worst injury was a bruise and a cut I got accidentally. And both were almost healed when I came back."

She isn't sure how to reply so they just lap back into silence.

The hours pass and FREEZER finally arrives. As the two humans stand facing each, with the bigger of the both holding Serena with one arm while putting the other on his green haired counterpart's shoulder. "Do you think you can manage a couple of hours without me?"

The air tamer looks at him with an indifferent look before saying, "I hate you." Then a smile comes to his. "Have fun in Ponytown."

He chuckles. "Sure will." And with that he spreads his wings before turning around and hopping off with White close behind him.

---

DNA knocks at the door and shortly after a sing song voice answers from the other side. "It's open~."

The human pushes open the door and has to duck a bit due to the small frame and is greeted my a somewhat circular room. The room is placed full of mannequins dressed in different dresses and one or two suits mixed in for good measure. On the right side is a stairway leading to the second floor. The side of the room opposite of the entrance is covered by a large curtain, blocking sight to space beyond. There is a door beneath the stairs, probably leading to the basement or some kind of storage space.

In the middle of it all is a unicorn mare with a pristine white coat and rich purple mane and tail colors which are styled in an extravagant way. "Oh DNA! What a pleasant surprise. What brings you to my humble shop?"

He smiles back at her. "Well for one I came to have you meet someone." He goes into his knees and holds out Serena for her to see.

The mares eyes widen as she steps closer. "Uuuuh what an adorable little thing." She stretches out a hoof and its immediately grabbed by Serena. She looks up to DNA and asks, "What's her name?"

"Her name is Serena and she is my daughter."

The mare gasps as she looks at him in disbelieve and says in a tone that matches her expression, "No."

"Well she is more my adoptive daughter, but I don't love her any less because of it."

"I am so happy for you, darling. How old is she?"

"She hatched about a week ago. But..." he goes upright from his position and continues, "There is somepony else I'd like you to introduce." He steps to the side revealing White. "Rarity, this here is Armmaster White. She is my personal bodyguard." He points at the white maned mare while looking at the other. The completely white pony gives a curt nod. Then his gaze and finger switch targets. "This is Rarity. Element of Generosity, fashionista and most fabulous mare in Ponyville."

The purple maned pony gets the slightest of blushes. "Oh DNA, don't flatter me."

He grins back. "I do my best. Anyway I got another thing I came here to do."

The fashion designer raises a curious eyebrow. "Oh? Please do tell, what it is."

"I need clothes."

Her eyes light up again. "The day gets better and better. What do you need?"

"I need dresses."

Rarity has to do a double take. "I'm sorry dear. I thought you said you needed dresses?"

"Oh, I should have made myself clearer. They aren't for me," begins the human.

The fashionista lets out a sigh of relief. "I was confused there for a second."

He just continues like he hadn't heard her. "I need them for my students." The two mares look at him quizzical wanting him to elaborate, but he doesn't.

The alabaster unicorn clears her throat a bit awkwardly. "Well... It isn't my position to question that. Now I'd just need their measurements to get started."

"I have them right here," he reaches behind him bringing out a clipboard with multiple pieces of parchment fixed to it and holds it out for Rarity to grab, which she does in her light blue magic.

As she looks at the data and notes on it she can't help, but to be impressed. Sure it's a bit hard to read, but the information itself is great. She looks up at him before saying. "I do have to say. I am a bit surprised at how detailed these are. Do all humans know so much about fashion?"

He shakes his head. "No. While it is true that a lot of humans are concerned with how they look, not everybody knows so much about them. And actually I didn't write them. FREEZER made them."

Rarity's eyes bulge in surprise. She looks down at the papers again to look over them and then back up at the black clad biped. "DNA, I not mean to insult you, but surely you are messing with me?"

He shakes his head again, chuckling a bit. "No, I'm not. I know it doesn't seem like it at all, but FREEZER is actually really good with fashion."

"Well if these are really from him, I think I just got a lot more respect of him. Perhaps him and me can find something we have in common."

"I would advise against it," states DNA scratching the side of his head.

She cocks her head in confusion. "But you just said..."

"I know what I said Rarity, but just because he knows about it doesn't necessarily mean he likes it. In fact he hates fashion."

"Oh," is all she says to that.

"Yes. Now I'd like to stay a bit, but I have somewhere to be," says the human.

"Don't get held up by me. Be on your way," excuses them the fashionista.

They make their goodbyes and DNA's group leaves the boutique and continue on their way. The armmaster trots up besides her target. "Where are we going now?" Her voice isn't cheerful, but more flat with a hint of curiosity.

He looks down at her not stopping. "Now we will meet, Celestia's personal student."

"And why would you need to meet them?

"Because I need to learn the magics," he replies before turning forward and opening the door in front of him.

White hasn't even noticed that they arrived at their destination. She follows him over the threshold into the library. The circular room is almost completely covered in books, except the stairway leading up, a closed door on the other side of the room and a hole in the left side of the wall leading to another room. In the center of the room stand two couches opposite each other with a table between them. On one of them sits a lavender unicorn reading a book and on the other sits a baby drake reading a comic.

Hearing the door open Twilight looks up a begins to smile. "Hello, DNA." Right afterwards she tilts her head in confusion already putting the book on the table and standing up. "What's that on your arm?"

He waves at her. "Hey Twilight. This is my little adopted daughter, Serena."

She draws in a quick breath as she walks up to DNA, who is squatting already to give the mare a better view of the child. She gets closer and just like her white friend reaches out her hoof which is quickly grabbed by the little hands of the creature.

"And what are you?" inquires the purple librarian in a not baby voice, quill and parchment floating next to her scribbling furiously.

"Her race is called pokemon and she's about a week old." But before the unicorn can question him further he continues already standing up, "And this here is Armmaster White, my personal bodyguard."

"Oh hello Armmaster White, nice seeing you again."

"Miss Sparkle," responds the military pony with a curt nod.

"You two know each other?"

"Kind of. We saw each other sometimes when she met with the princess," explains Twilight.

"I guess that makes sense. So about that magic lesson?"

"Yes, of course. Come in," says the unicorn while magically shutting the door behind them. As they all settle down on the couch Spike sits and greets them, Twilight in the meantime levitates the other couch away and teleports a chalkboard in. "Let me begin with some of the basics."

---

"And that concludes the basic theory of magic," stops Twilight, while turning away from the full board and turns to her student. "Now do you understand everything so far?"

"Yeah." He looks down at his daughter. "Did you understand everything so far?" She looks up at him and tilts her head in question. He giggles and rubs her head to which she squeaks delightful.

After snickering herself she asks, "Okay DNA, you ready to practice what you just learned?"

He nods, stands up, puts Serena on the couch and in a swirl of pink smoke turns himself into his pony persona with a horn. White jumps in shock when she sees his power at work.

Twilight looks also mildly surprised, but not so much that she forgets to take notes. Spike on the other claw just looks over the rim of his comic, raises an eyebrow before rolling his eyes and continues reading.

The baby dragon can't understand what the fuss is about with these humans. They are just dragons without scales and fancy stuff.

The purple unicorn levitates a metal ball onto a stand she conjured and then points at it while addressing the now black unicorn stallion. "This is a device that shows what your magic affinity is. For example if it were to light up purple it would mean you have an affinity for arcane magic like me. And depending on how bright it is determines if you're leaning more towards light of dark magic. Now just concentrate your magic on it like I explained it."

The black stallion nods and closes his eyes, focusing on extending his magic to the gray ball. As soon as it does the sphere lights up in a light gray glow.

Twilight quirks an eyebrow before saying, "You can stop, DNA."

The glow stops shortly before the normally human opens his eyes. "So how'd I do?"

"You got gray, which is strange. I haven't heard of anypony with such an neutral magic. There were instances where somepony had neutral magic, but they had at least some affinity." She taps her chin in thought and murmurs to herself, "Very peculiar."

"And what does that mean for me?" asks the earth tamer. His voice doesn't show any worry, simply curiosity.

The lavender mare looks up seemingly surprised that there is someone else here with her. "Oh... Uhm no. It's still a prototype. It could be that it is broken or that your affinity is so weak that it can't detect it. I'll have to contact the other scientists who work with me on it."

"Well then I better let you to it then. I have a couple of things to do still too."

"Of course. If you want another lesson just come by whenever. I'm sure I can make time for you."

He bobs his head and while he walks over to the couch to let Serena on his back who readily does so. He opens the door, but before stepping through he turns around and says, "By the way? You made a spelling mistake." And without waiting for a responds he is off, with the Armmaster on his heels.

Once they are far enough that he is sure Twilight won't chase them he stops. White lands next to them and asks, "What was that about?"

He starts to walk again, this time at a leisurely pace, while he begins to explain, "Twilight is a highly intellectual mare. Everything she does she tries to do perfect. So pointing out such a simple mistake can take her down a bit, make her learn from her mistakes and it gives me something to tease her with. It also creates a bit of chaos, which is also always fun."

White nods in silent responds and notices that they are aiming for a building that looks to be made out of sweets and desserts.

The black stallion pushes open the door to the bakery and they are hit with a wave of pleasant smells. The inside is relative open with a few tables standing here and there with cushions around them. The whole left side is the counter with a door leading into the kitchen. In the back right are the stairs leading to the second floor.

The group approaches the counter where a lanky yellow earth pony stands. "Hello Mr. Cake, do you know where Pinkie is?"

He nods. "Sure, she's in the back. You want that I get her for you?"

"I'd be grateful for that. Thanks."

And with that the taller one of the two stallions leaves through the door to the kitchen. A couple of seconds of later a pink blur appears revealing a non-smiling, saluting Pinkie, "Are you here for the goods, sir?"

He nods, his serious expression matching hers. "Yes."

They stared at each other for a moment longer before they both snort, their smiles returning. "Sure, I'm gonna get it." She returns with a large bag. "Here's everything you ordered."

He passes her the bits before putting the bag behind Serena on his back. "Pinkie, I'd like to introduce you to Armmaster White."

"Oh I've already met her. We bumped into each other when she came into Ponyville."

He bobs his head. "I guess that makes."

The pink mare began to vibrate with excitement as she asks, her smile widening, "So, how's Serena?"

His own grin enlarges. He turns his body sideways to show the child on his back. Pinkie leans over the counter and tickles her stomach, which brings laughter out of the kids mouth.

Just then Mr. Cake comes from the kitchen and says, "Hey, Pinkie, can you stay at the register? I'm going upstairs to look after Mrs. Cake."

"Sure."

After he is gone DNA turns to his pink friend, "Is Mrs. Cake sick?"

"Yeah. She isn't feeling too well, but is eating a lot lately. Well more than normally that is."

DNA nods, almost absently as he looks at the stairs. "Then tell her a quick recovery for me. Will ya?"

"Sure will do."

He lifts his hoof which she bumped with her own. "See ya, Pinkie."

"Yeah, see ya."

They leave the bakery and walk out of town, but not in the direction of the Everfree. The black unicorn transforms himself, with a puff of yellow smoke on his forehead and his back that also partially covers Serena, into a pegasus. He stretches his wings to get a feel for them and turns back to his white companion. "Ready for a little flight?" She just nods in responds.

---

They land in front of the cloud home with DNA tripping and almost falling. He gets his bearings before he goes to the door and knocks. They wait for a bit before he knocks again. After some minutes of waiting and no responds he turned around, "Well, seems like she isn't in." And they leave.

---

The two pegasi with the pokemon touch down before a small cottage next to the Everfree. The black coated equine knocks on the door and they wait a couple of moments before it opens revealing a bear. White's body reacts for her as it pulls out her dagger, throws herself at the mammal, knocking him to the ground and letting the weapon rush towards its throat.

It takes her a couple of seconds for her to process what she hit. Instead of penetrating the fur covered throat of the animal the metal completely pierced a black wing, the point sticking out of the other side. He gaze turns left to the owner of the wing and finds DNA smiling at her. With a flick of his injured wing he throws her backwards farther than it should be possible with just one wing. The deadly tool stays in it.

He turns to the bear still smiling. "I'm sorry about my friend here. She can be a bit jumpy. Could you bring Fluttershy, please? I need to talk to her. Tell her I'm DNA."

The bear gets up, nods and walks away, glancing back to them every now and then along the way.

When the stallion is sure the bear is out of earshot he pulls out the weapon and throws it in front her, blood staining the blade. Without turning to face her he tells her, "Stop being so jumpy. I understand you are scared, possibly even think that you are overwhelmed by the task, but if you so far as hurt anything I care about or anything they care about then... I will find something appropriate for you." His voice never leaves the happy tone, but she knows just how serious that threat is.

She tsks as she gets to her hooves and picks up her bloody dagger. Then she additionally gets out one of her special vials and lets a couple of drops of the red life liquid drip into it. After, she cleans her weapon with a clean cloth before putting it away.

They wait until a butter-yellow pegasus mare approaches them. In White's eye she looks shy as she tries to make herself as small as ponyly possible. Behind her is the bear from before and on her back stands a white rabbit his front paws crossed over his chest. When she began talking her voice was meek, "Is that you, DNA?"

"Yes it's me, Fluttershy," responds the black stallion with a calm smile.

She lets out a sigh of relief as she straightens herself a bit, a smile coming to her face. "Thank goodness. I was worried there for a second."

"I'm sorry to have worried you then. I just wanted you to meet someone." He turns his body sideways like he'd done at the bakery. "This is my daughter Serena."

She gasps and rushes over to his side, causing Angle to have to grip her fur to not fall off, leaning in close to the child. "Oh aren't you the cutest little thing."

As soon as her snout is in range it is grabbed by the baby with all four appendages.

Fluttershy pulls her head back in surprised, but the pokemon's grip stays firm as she holds onto the nose. The mare goes crossed-eyed as she tries to focus on Serena and giggles. She takes the baby off with one hoof and holds it in the crook of her leg. "Oh you are so adorable." The animal caretaker turns her gaze away from the Ralts to the born human. "How old is she?"

"She hatched a week ago."

She looks back at Serena bouncing her up and down making her laugh.

The pink haired mare turns back to DNA when he begins to talk, "Fluttershy, I'd like to introduce you to somepony else." He points at the white pegasus behind him. "This is Armmaster White, she is my personal bodyguard for the time being."

The good mood vanishes immediately as Fluttershy's smile disappears and she presses the child closer to herself.

Serena reacts in reaction to the shy mare as she hugs her for comfort.

The armmaster nods to the other mare who nods back almost not discernible. After a couple of seconds of awkward silence the timid pegasus steps forward puts Serena on the stallions back says, "Goodbye," slams the door shut and then they hear a soft, "Sorry," from the other side.

DNA turns to his companion. "You're not good with ponies, are you?"

"Only with civilians."

---

DNA as human with Serena in her spot under his cape and White land on the rooftop of the Castle of the Elements.

"And FREEZER anything interesting?" asks DNA his smaller counterpart who lays on his back.

The air tamer doesn't open his eyes while he answers, "He had a little run in with what I think were timberwolves. He got away, but is now walking in the wrong direction."

"Hmm," hums the earth tamer. "Could be that he tries to avoid danger."

With a single hop FREEZER is on his feet. "He's not walking like that. I think he's lost. Anyways I'm getting food." And with that he jumps off the roof.

DNA shakes his head with a sigh before sitting down on his usual spot with White sitting on his left.

She looks at his face with his eyes closed and remembers what he told her the day before. Deciding to try it again she closes her own and listens. She hears the wildlife in the forest below her. The predators predating trying to catch prey, the prey being prey trying not to be caught by the predators, the wind sweeping over the leaves of the trees rustling them and a roar from some kind of predator. But there is another sound that doesn't fit in with her surroundings. It's like someone is whispering to her in a language she can't understand and that whispering has a pull to it. It isn't a physical pull, but more like a mental one.

She can imagine it: Herself standing in a pure white plain with nothing in it except her and the sound.

She looks around to locate it, but can't see it. After a short pause to think she moves in the direction where she thinks the source is.

---

White doesn't know how long she walked already. It could have been minutes, hours or even days, but eventually she stands before a wooden door. There is nothing behind it, she checked… twice. It isn't a normal door she can tell, even without the black smoke that comes from wherever it leads to. The mare is getting angry at the door with it's stupid whispering, luring her here. So to get revenge on it she opened it.

---

White awakes with a jolt, sweat plastering every part of her body, her breathing ragged and heavy. She looks around frantically. It's night, the moon high in the sky, the air chilly . On her right sits DNA with Serena sleeping in his arms a smile on both of their faces.

When the human notices stirring next to him he turns to look at her concern replacing the previous happiness. "You okay?"

She takes a moment to get calmed down before she answers, "I… I just had a bad dream. Mind if you could come with me that I can take a shower?"

DNA just nods as they stand up and walk to the door. After a while of them walking side by side in silence he asked, "So what was the dream about?"

She sighs, dipping her head staying silent for a moment longer before starting to explain. And while he doesn't show it DNA gets increasingly worried.

---

A couple of days later Dark Voice pushes open the front door of the castle. On top of his head sits the upper half of a timber wolf's head, his body incredibly dirty and filthy with a smell so pungent that it could make some Canterlot noble pass out.

In the lobby is everybody that lives in the castle waiting for his return minus Trixie and Scootaloo. Some manage to hide their disgust while some fail miserably.

DNA is the first to speak up as he steps forward, "Welcome back, Dark. I hope you're happy to know that you passed, even when you needed a whole week, but hey this isn't a race."

"Yay," replied the brown earth pony, his voice tired and exhausted.

"Take a shower you earned it." He turns his head to the others. "Gleam why don't you help him," he suggest completely aware of where this can end.

The pink earth pony jumps at the idea and is immediately at his coltfriend's side leading him towards the showers.

When they are gone DNA addresses the others, "The rest of you are free to do what you want for the rest of the day except Nice. You're with me." With that everybody went their way with White and Nice Guy following DNA.