Parasite was determined that she’d be able to convince her mother this time. She was feeling cheerful and confident, her posture refined and graceful as she pranced her way into her family’s living room for the first time in months. For once, she had faith that she could get through to her mother.

“Hey Mommy! How ya doin?”

“Uh huh…Paragon?” It took Galaxy Guard a double take to look up from her newspaper and realize who was talking to her. She slammed it down and jumped up as her daughter approached her.

“Paragon! Where have you been?”

“I was just doing some thinking!” Parasite had a smart-alec grin on her face as if she was hiding something, something very big.

“Ah! I see!” Galaxy gave her daughter a playful nudge. “So you’ve finally come to your senses about your little friend and decided to come back to us? Great!”

Parasite giggled sweetly and shook her head, looking back at the door and slowly trotting over to it. She gave the doorframe a three quick knocks as if signaling someone to come out. “I came to my senses all right! I realized that I should listen to my heart and proposed to Holly! I came back to invite you to our wedding, and I may have a little surprise in store too.”

“You…” Galaxy’s smile fell and her eyes narrowed scornfully. “You PROPOSED? To the spawn of a KILLER? What were you thinking!?”

“Thinking that…that I’m in love! And I didn’t just propose! We got some help and I’m pregnant! If you can get over yourself and come to the wedding, then you can be in your grandfoal’s life!”

As soon as Parasite said this Holly walked in and draped a wing over her wife. “Did you tell her yet?”

Galaxy glared coldly at them. “Yes. She told me everything. How she dared to disobey my orders. How she’s allowing our bloodline to mix with her grandfather’s killer.” She shook her head. “I’m disappointed, Paragon. I thought you were smarter than this.”

Holly furled her brow in anger as she noticed Parasite begin to tear up. But as soon as she went to open her mouth, Parasite slapped a hoof over it. “I may not be the smartest, but I’m intelligent emotionally. I know what I’m feeling and I know what’s best for me and my foal!”

Galaxy lowered her head and stayed eerily quiet for a long, agonizing moment. And then, in a low growl,

“Get out.”

“What? Are you serious? You’re gonna kick your daughter and your grandfoal from your life? You won’t ever see me-” Before she could finish her sentence Galaxy snapped at her again. Holly took this as her que to swoop up Parasite and head out.

“I said GET OUT!” Galaxy stomped with a loud crack. “Anypony who sympathizes with a killer doesn’t deserve to be part of this family! You made your choice, now GET OUT, PARASITE!”

As Parasite sobbed into her back, Holly stopped dead in her tracks. “YOU don’t deserve her.”

Then the two of them were gone, not to be seen for a long, long time.