The rain poured down with a mission to hurt. Celestia, who was controlling the weather? The last time Galaxy Guard had been in Ponyville, it was raining then too. She sighed, looking at the building in the distance she was approaching. She had tried to avoid this. Going back here. Back home. She was overjoyed when she moved to Canterlot to be with Firefly and closer to her job. But she was also relieved that she wouldn’t have to come back to this stupid castle.

Finally, Galaxy arrived at the front steps. She sighed, lifting her hoof to the door and knocking. She heard her mother’s voice echo inside the castle walls.

“Sorry, I’ll be there in just a second!”

Galaxy waited patiently, staring at the ground. She hadn’t exactly left on good terms with her mother, and wasn’t ecstatic to see her reaction to seeing her. She heard the door open, but kept her gaze down.

“Hi, I’m sorry, I was just-”

Her words cut off, and Galaxy knew Twilight Sparkle was looking directly at her.

“Galaxy?”

Twilight spoke softly, and the pegasus barely looked up to see a…was that a colt? Her curiosity overcame her fear as she stood upright, looking at the teenage colt standing beside her mother. A pegasus with an orange coat, blue mane, and blue eyes. She had seen him now and then in passing, she knew he was Dusk’s kid, but it was only now that she really realized how much he looked like…her father.

“Grandmother?” The colt cocked an eyebrow. “Who’s this?”

”I’ll explain later, Oz,” Twilight answered him, before looking up at Galaxy with sad eyes. “I’m assuming you’re here for a reason, so come in. It’s raining outside.”

Duh, Galaxy thought in response to her mother’s comment.

The alicorn turned to walk inside, and Galaxy followed. Twilight marched towards the stairs, about to call out for Dusk, yet the unicorn stallion had already heard the exchange from upstairs and stood tall at the top.

“Mother, what’s wrong? Oz? Is everything-” His voice paused as he laid his eyes on Galaxy. His shocked and concerned expression quickly turned to a disgusted one. “Orange, I’ll need you to go with your Dad for a bit.”

“But Pops, what is going on-“

”Now. Please. I’ll tell you later.”

What the fuck is going on?

Firework trudged out of a door upstairs, rubbing his eyes and groaning. “Ugh. But like, why? I was just in the middle of a nap-” He saw Galaxy and seemed to immediately understand. “Oh.”

He flew down the stairs at a moderate pace, landing at the colt’s side. “C’mon, bud. Let’s go find something to do while Pops takes care of stuff.”

The colt was about to protest, but closed his mouth after a warning glance from Dusk. He followed Firework up to a room and the door closed behind them.

The moment it did, Dusk’s entire demeanor seemed to push forwards in a threatening stance. His body language showed that Galaxy was not welcome and she knew that.

“Why are you here, Galaxy?” He started to make his way down the steps, glaring at her the whole way. Galaxy glared back. Two can play at this game.

“I need a place to stay.”

“What makes you think you can stay here?” Dusk spat, bitterness overtaking him.

Galaxy was surprised. He looked older…stronger…wiser. The years had done things to him. Good or bad, Galaxy didn’t know.

“Because I’m family.” Galaxy scorned with an unfaltering glare.

“It sure didn’t seem like that when you decided to run off to Canterlot for the guard to be like dear old Dad!” Dusk yelled. Galaxy was about to retort when Twilight spoke up.

“Stop! Both of you! Neither of my children will yell in my home in front of me! This is my house and you will respect my rules! And my ears, for Celestia’s sake. I’m an old mare, the last thing I want to waste my hearing on is you two bickering!” She raised her voice and her children went quiet before her. Dusk was quiet in sudden guilt from his outburst, while Galaxy was fuming in silence, ready to explode.

“Galaxy, why in the name of Celestia do you need a place to stay?” Twilight asked, her voice still stern, yet soft. Galaxy sighed.

“I…did something that Firefly…didn’t really approve of. So she kicked me out and suspended my job and bank account. So I’ve got nothing and nowhere to go.” Dusk scoffed at Galaxy’s excuse.

“What did you say this time, Galaxy?”

She was about to respond, but instead bit her tongue. She had messed up, hadn’t she? But she was looking out for her daughter! It was her daughter’s own fault that she got disowned. She was doing the right thing…right?

“So, nothing to say?” Dusk voice grabbed Galaxy’s attention.

“I might’ve messed up, yeah. But I’m asking if I can stay.” She closed her eyes, avoiding eye contact with both of them.

“I don’t think you deserve to, but…it isn’t my choice. Mother?” Dusk asked, turning to Twilight who had been listening quietly. Galaxy opened her eyes again to look at her.

“Galaxy….I love you. I really do. You’re my daughter. But…I think that there are a few apologies in order that you have to make before I’d feel comfortable with having you in my home again.”

“W-what?” Galaxy stuttered in angry disbelief.

“Please, Galaxy. It’s two words. ‘I’m sorry.’ That’s all. It won’t fix everything, but it’s a start.” Twilight smiled, holding her hoof out to her daughter.

Galaxy wanted a family again. She’d been without one for months and it was so hard. She slightly smiled at the purple hoof, beginning to lift her own. Just apologize. Apologize and everything will be okay. Or, at least it would’ve been if all the bitter memories of her father hadn’t resurfaced in that moment. Galaxy swatted her mother’s hoof away.

“Say sorry for what?! Calling you out for fucking betraying my father for a schoolteacher?! You disgust me! The fact that you just forgot about him and didn’t even mourn-”

“I told you he would’ve wanted us to move on, Galaxy!” Twilight cried, rubbing her sore hoof.

“And I told you that’s complete bullshit-”

“Enough!” Dusk yelled, his horn sparking. “You will not talk to Mother like that, Galaxy!”

“Oh, shut up,” Galaxy rolled her eyes. “It’s not my fault Dad loved me more than you. It got really annoying to hear you throwing a pity party for yourself almost every night over the fact that our father didn’t care about your stupid little spells and books, because they don’t matter-”

“He is not! My! Father!” Dusk screamed, his voice breaking at the last word, tears streaming down his face. Galaxy blinked in stunned silence.

“W-what?”

“I…had an affair.“ Twilight stepped forward, eyes glued to the ground in shame. “Your father and I…it wasn’t a good time for us, Galaxy. We constantly fought and the spark that was there once was just….gone. I had an old friend that helped me. I got pregnant with Dusk and Flash realized the math just…didn’t add up. It’s why Flash never…really acknowledged Dusk and spent so much time with you. But my friend…he made me feel appreciated and respected and…loved. Something your father…didn’t do often, Galaxy.”

Silence hung in the air for what seemed like an eternity as Galaxy chose her next words.

“Did you regret it?” Galaxy’s voice was barely above a whisper.

“What?”

“Did you regret cheating on your husband with another stallion and enjoying it like a fucking whore?!”

Dusk remained deathly still as Twilight let out a soft gasp, her hooves covering her mouth as tears formed in her eyes from the last word Galaxy spoke. She had called her mother…the mare who had given birth to her…a whore.

“I knew it all along….” Dusk suddenly spoke up, his voice cold and harsh. “You really never cared about anyone, did you? Your father constantly ignored me or pushed me aside. And you never helped me. You watched it happen! You heard me cry myself to sleep almost every night and did nothing! The father you put on such a high pedestal was a complete jerk, and no father of mine. You should feel proud, Galaxy. You always wanted to be like him. Now you’re following in his hoofsteps of being a total asshole!” Dusk yelled, his voice seemingly becoming….raspy. Galaxy growled.

“How dare you talk about my father like that!”

Rage suddenly fueled Dusk as his horn lit up and he grabbed Galaxy by the throat and held her up with magic. He didn’t even hear his mother’s protests in the background telling him to stop.

“No! How dare you talk about OUR mother like that?! How dare you call her a whore! How dare you disrespect the mare who gave you life!” He realized what he was doing and dropped Galaxy to the ground, who was left gasping for air in her lungs. He was clearly in shock at his action before he closed his eyes and let out a breath.

“Y-you d-dick…” Galaxy coughed, scowling at her brother who stood tall above her.

“You’ve hurt this family enough. Now get the fuck out of this house.” Dusk spoke in a frighteningly calm tone.

“You-” Galaxy started.

“Now.” Dusk ordered, stomping his front hoof on the ground. “Or I will make you leave myself.” His horn flared with magic and in sudden fear, Galaxy stood. She walked out the door, seeing the rain stopped. She turned back to face Dusk.

“Fuck you-”

And the door was slammed on her face. She scoffed as she turned and began to walk away. Yet as she walked, the overwhelming stress got to her. Losing her wife and daughters, her two closest friends, and now her mom and brother…everything.

And she cried. She cried so hard walking down the quiet street of Ponyville that it felt like it was raining again. Her body shivered seeing the dimly lit lights inside a house, wishing for its warmth and comfort. Her teeth chattered against the gentle breeze.

She was cold.