The arrival of the old generals White Nightmare and Dark Moon

“So, can you repeat me what the heck I’m doing here?” asked the annoyed Pipsqueak to Twilight Sparkle; what looked like a beautiful day, perfect to rest from his duties as Equestria’s new prince, turned into an strange expedition to the old Princesses’ castle.

Twilight rolled her eyes and chuckled.

“Come on, Pip, you know Princess Celestia detected some source of strange energy on this site. Besides, I know this isn’t your problem being an earth pony, but is important to Princess Luna, so just make your wife happy"

Pip grumped and continued exploring the old place with Twilight while he thought in all the things that changed with time. First, Twilight Sparkle finally turned into an Alicorn Princess and now she ruled Equestria along with her old mentor and Luna. Princess Luna and him somehow became closer with the years and before any of them could react, they became a couple and a year and a half they married. By her way Rainbow Dash joined to the Wonderbolts and Spritfire named her commander after she quit; Pinkie Pie was a famous party organizer; Rarity was now a world famous fashion designer; Fluttershy managed to open a veterinary clinic with great reputation; Applejack’s apples were now export all over the world.

In a few words everypony made their dream come true and now they were living the happiest moments of their lives.

“Why are you smiling, Pip?” asked Twilight.

Pip winked an eye. “Just thinking about things; don’t put me so much attention”

…

In the other side of the castle, Celestia and Luna were exploring the basement of their old home; trying to find that energy source.

“Great, this is just great” Luna complained. “If wasn’t for the Everfree forest’s magic surrounding us, we could find that energy sooner but no. This is going to take forever!!”

“Quit complaining my dear sister; besides Twilight Sparkle, you and I are her to control the situation in case something bad come here”

Luna nodded. Then, they heard somepony approaching.

“Luna, Princess Celestia” Pip called, “come quickly. Twilight found it!!”

Celestia sighed. “Pip, I told you a thousand time you should call me just Celestia; stop adding the “Princess” please. We’re family, remember?”

Luna decided to cut off the stupid discussion of everyday between her husband and sister.

“Where is Twilight Sparkle, Pip?” she asked.

“In the dungeons. Come on, hurry!"

They followed the boy throw the old castle to get the dungeons. It supposed one time the old chamber was used to retain prisoners; but the Princesses never had to use it because they believed the forgiveness was the better way to reform enemies. But the strange chamber was always there; even before they born and nopony knew it was used at least once.

Twilight was already waiting for them: fascinated by the strange lights she was looking.

“I’ve being observing this for a few minutes but I can tell you I can feel two powerful presences trying to get out… of another plane of existence” explained Twilight.

Luna frowned. “It requires a lot of magic power to create something like this, a connection between worlds. What you say? Shall we use our power to help whatever or whoever is trying to escape or shall we use it to seal it forever?”

Celestia thought by a few instants but finally she made her horn glow with all intensity. “We’re going to help the presences to cross to our side. I have an strange feeling that that’s what we have to do. Besides, if is an hostile we can restrain it easily; it already used too much of its power creating that portal. Pip, go to hide to a safe place!”

The earth pony obeyed; in fact, it was exactly what he was about to ask since he saw the portal. Then the three Princesses combined their power to pull whatever was trying to escape from that place. It was really difficult and drained half of the energy of each Princess, but they were making it. Finally it happened.

A powerful explosion sent the three Princesses to three different sides of the chamber. Pip ran to his wife. “Are you okay, Luna?”

“Yes, I’m fine” Luna nodded. “What about the others?”

“We’re okay” announced Twilight and Celestia at the same time.

They, Pip saw them. Where the portal was a few seconds before now there were two unconscious ponies.

He was a pegasus as big as luna, with the same color coat and mane; except his was a normal mane and no that ethereal thing the Princesses had. His Cutie Mark represented some sort of black cloud making a red lightning. And judging by the muscles and the black armor he was wearing, he was a warrior.

She was a pure white unicorn as big as Celestia. In fact, if it wasn’t she doesn’t had wings and her Cutie Mark was different, she was the exact copy of the Princess. Even her mane was made of that ethereal and mysterious material the Princesses’ mane was. Her Cutie Mark was an ax made of fire; what that supposed to mean? And finally she also was wearing an armor; a golden armor with a sing of a black unicorn with red eyes.

“It can’t be” mumbled Pip.

The three alicorns, after exchange a concerned look, levitated the warriors with their magic and left them out of the castle. Outside, the guards started to exchange comments about the discovery but Celestia shout them with a single look. She was more serious than usual; so as Luna, but she had Pip to calm her nerves a little. Twilight felt out of place and decided to walk by her own back to Canterlot but her mentor called to her side to talk for a while. They avoided to talk about the strangers to not make any conclusion yet; but it was too late. Everypony had the same idea in their mind.

…

The pegasus was the first one in open his eyes.

“Where am I?” he asked.

“You’re in my private wing of Canterlot Hospital” said Princess Celestia walking to him with her wings extended.

The pegasus tried to incorporate but he hasn’t the strength. Whatever happened to him drained too much of his energy and the only fact to be awake meant a lot of effort to him. Before he faint again, Zecora, who was called specially for the occasion gave him a strange drink with a putrid smell.

“Come on and drink this. It shall recover a part of your strength. Enough to talk…”

“Enough to talk, but no to attack in case I’m a hostile. Clever” said the pegasus before drink the whole infusion at once. He almost threw up but he could resist. “Horrible. Whatever, what’s your name strange creature?”

“My name is Zecora and a zebra I am; just offering my knowledge for those who need it; I mean no harm”

The pegasus laugh a little before incorporate this time with a better result. Then he saw Celestia who was staring at him expectantly. The pegasus smiled and a tear came down from his eye.

“Celestia… I never thought I ever see you again. Yes… I still remember… you were only a foal when the damn Dragon King separated us from you and your sister. Look at you now, so mature, so beautiful and powerful. You’re the living portrait of White Nightmare”

“What’s your name?” asked Princess Luna approaching

The pegasus turned to Luna and once again he smiled. “Luna… my little Luna; look at you. You’re… well, just like Celestia is exactly like her mother there’s no doubt you look like my. This is so great… I never thought I ever came out of there and see you any of you two.

He started to cry of joy.

“I asked your name” said Luna trying to control herself.

“I’m General Dark Moon form the Pony Empire” said the pegasus after controlling himself a little. He was trembling, his body temperature was too low and he couldn’t heat by himself.

Two doctors approached and connected the electrical blanket in the patient’s bed. He made a satisfaction noise and closed his eyes slowly. Then he incorporated again very excited.

“White Nightmare!! If I’m still alive, that means her…”

“She lives” said Luna. “She’s still unconscious but alive. Now, tell me; who are you? If it wasn’t you doesn’t have a horn and you’re an stallion you were exactly like me. Don’t tell me you’re our…”

The pegasus nodded. “Yes, I’m your father”

“THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE” shouted Princess Celestia.

“I understand you doesn’t believe to Dark Moon, but he’s telling the truth. We are your parents, separated from you because of Flames; king of all dragons”

They all turned to the white unicorn who just awoke. She smiled weakly while Zecora gave her the strange potion that she drank at once just as Dark Moon. Once she could incorporate, she smiled to her daughters.

“No pressure Celestia my child; you don’t have to believe us if you don’t want to. But we’re telling the truth. King Flames locked us in that dimensional prison when you had only one year and Luna two months; so you don’t remember anything about what happened or about us”

“That’s what Flames wanted” said Dark Moon coldly. “But still, if you don’t accept us as your family…”

The both of them raised difficulty, ignoring the doctor’s protests and bowed respectfully to their daughters.

“… please accept us to serve you as we served to my father Death Ride, the First Emperor” continued White Nightmare. “We leaded the Pony Empire to the most glorious conquers and victories. So please, make our military expertise and our great power yours. We will always serve you as your most loyal soldiers, my children”

“The Pony Empire?” asked Twiligth who was there but didn’t said anything until that moment.

The two warriors stared at her curiously; then White Nightmare saw her two daughters like trying to guess. She spotted Pip approaching to Luna and taking her hoof, and she accepted. Then the both generals stared at her eldest daughter and nodded. Celestia was about to ask something but Dark Moon changed the subject.

“So our lands are not called Pony Empire anymore, may I ask where are we now?”

“The name of my kingdom is Equestria” answered Celestia.

The warrior nodded. “In that case let us serve Equestria and you; just as we served the Empire and Death Ride in the ancient days”

Luna and Twilight saw at Celestia who was looking at the two strangers who claimed to be their parents. Finally she let escape a few tears of joy with a warm smile.

“Welcome to your new home… mother; father…”

They smiled and wanted to hug their daughters but they couldn’t; they were still too weak to do so.

“You may rest” said Luna trying to levitate them with her magic; but White Nightmare stopped her.

“Parents supposed to tuck in their children; so please don’t. We’re warriors; we’d faced lots of difficulties during the years. Let us”

“But mother…”

“White Nightmare is right. Probably pride is nothing but when you lose everything as we did, is the only thing that keeps you sane”

They nodded and let the generals back to their beds alone.  Celestia turned to the doctors.   “Today we recovered our lost parents, so I want you do everything you can to recover them quickly. Did I make myself clear?”

The doctors nodded.

“And now what, Princess?” asked Twilight. “Do you really think they’re your parents?”

She nodded. “Luna and I were our only company since always; our old Palace had a strange charm to made it take care of all our needs so as education. We never had contact with the world until one day the gates opened to Equestria and the ponies gave us our titles. But we always wanted to know about our origins"

“So why our parents abandoned us just like dad” said Luna worried. “There’s too much to ask; about the Empire, about them, about why the evil King Dragon locked them away from us”

They didn’t said anything else and keep walking to their Palace. Nopony noticed the Zecora’s disappearing.

***…***

A giant serpent kind dragon, as big as a mountain, was meditating when his servants announced he had a visitor. King Flames ordered to receive the visit while he shrank to the size of Spike. Zecora entered to the Throne Room and bowed to the king.

“Is great to see you again, Zecora.  I never thought I’ll ever see you again after seeing you crossing the Magic Barrier I put in around all Equestria”

“The Everfree Forest suppose to ponies content; in case they want to leave their lands prevent. But other species can cross it freely whenever we want. Or we can’t?

“Stop the nonsense riming and tell me what you want” ordered the Dragon King.

A shadow crossed the zebra’s face.

“The most heartless cold-blooded killers are free after all this time and reunited with their beloved daughters”

King Flames felt the wrath and hate growing inside him. Everything came back to him: the massacres, the pain, his people’s blood spilled by the ponies under command of those two.

“When did it happen?”

“Not much” said other voice. “I brought the zebra here so she could give you the message as soon as possible. None of us want the return of those monsters; I tried to warn the Changelling’s Queen as well but I can’t locate her yet”

“I see. Is good to see you Chaos Spirit” greeted the Dragon when the draconequs materialized before him. Hate and fear were bursting in the creature’s eyes.

“White Nightmare’s thirst of blood is only comparable with his husband’s; so be prepared” warned the King Dragon. “I’ll prepare my troops as well; and remember. Our tactical advantage is than Luna and Celestia already found their other half. I hate to use something as beautiful as love to destroy them forever but if they follow their parent’s way they let me no choice but destroy the rest of the Imperial Family once for all”

Discord smiled. “Luckily, your plan worked and what we have to do is find the way to warn the Princesses who their parents really are; made them our allies. The dark age of the Pony Empire will never return if we know how to play our cards well”

“But there’s no other solution. The killers must die” grumped the King Dragon.