//------------------------------//
// 23. Parental Control 
// Story: Millennia: Eye of the Storm 
// by Thunderblast 
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Taste in ponies never changes, it seems. Villa Nevis packed out completely, just like it did back in the day. Waiting benches on either sides of the door outside of the restaurant seated ponies, while others stood around, waiting for an electronic timer to buzz and so they may finally snatch a table. 

Mom and Dad booked a table in advance, meaning just one was left open for their arrival. Issue was, not enough chairs were available to place around it for the four of us and meant we would have to wait possibly as long as these other ponies.

Much to our surprise, and relief, the catering manager stepped out to inform us of our table having been prepared. As it turned out, an entire stack of chairs in the restaurant's backroom went unnoticed. Somepony would be leaving tonight without a job, that's for sure.

An ambiance of conversation, laughter once in a while, and classical symphony playing through small, almost unnoticeable speakers on the ceiling, all of this set the warm, welcoming, albeit high-end, fancy atmosphere of Villa Nevis. Replicas of famous paintings originating from the Eastern Kingdoms decked an entire wall toward the rear of the restaurant, inside a dining room expansion that simply had to have been added in recent years. It certainly was not there last time.

A large, vacant rounded table waited for us, complete with six chairs and a flickering candle in center wrapped neatly in plastic grapevine. Some of us received looks by fellow patrons making our way past them, and even a couple of snobbish scoffs—something one would expect least in Coltlumbus, a city what most Equestrians conceived as a podunk town encompassed by miles upon miles of corn and wheat fields which, to be quite frank, wasn't totally inaccurate.

Many took the supposed ritzy environment a bit seriously, some going as far as donning classy suits or dresses only short of renaissance-type. And then there was us—Mom modeled nothing but her sky-blue pearl necklace, the only thing Dad wore was the same grumpy look. 

Night typically despised wearing clothes outside of his uniforms, Ash went with a baseball cap that, in some way, matched his appearance and personality all in one. Anchorage sported a t-shirt with the word 'NAVY' in bright bold silver left of center, while I exhibited a mixture of annoyance, stress, and a touch of anxiety.

Each of us took our seats—with Anchor going as far as sliding my mother's chair out for her respectfully. It received him a friendly kiss on the cheek, a cold stare from my father, and a groan from me, as well as rolling my eyes and raising the menu booklet up to hide myself.

A quiet period fell upon our table while everyone read their menus. The waitress serving us took drink orders and had them out in under a minute. For how busy staff were, they had their stuff together. Not once has their speed faltered on evenings such as tonight, and I had to credit them for that.

The silence broke as soon as flaps closed and ponies decided their choice of meal which, in all actuality, wasn't big on options beyond types of pasta. That embarrassingly enough left me alone with my menu open and held vertically so as to keep myself hidden. That didn't stop Mom, though.

"So, er... Star..." she began anxiously, my ears vaguely perking. "H-how long... have you had this job?"

My answer was another question for reference. "From enlistment or graduation?"

She momentarily paused between her response. "When did you sign up?"

"Next month. A year next month. So, I graduated in..." I lowered the menu to look over at my buddies, specifically Nightpath. "September, was it?"

His eyes darted ceilingward in brief thought, nodding. "September, yeah. Early September."

I nodded as well. "So, yeah, September is when we finished basic. He and I hated each other during that time," I gestured my head toward him, receiving a glare in return from Night.

Mom had to laugh a little at that, scratching an itch on her muzzle above her lips. "How was it? Hard, I imagine?"

"That would be an understatement. A big one," I grimaced faintly, closing the menu and crossing my hooves on the table and leaning against it.

"What is it you do?" questioned Dad, these being the first words he has spoken since before walking in.

My gaze shifted to him. "Right now I am working for geologists in Manehattan, as requested by my section sergeant and commanding officer."

"Commanding officer?" Mom blinked. "I knew you had a friend in the Navy. Same pony?"

I nodded again. "Yes. In fact, he offered a station on the bridge of his ship, the Eclipse," motioning my hooves as I explained. "Nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and the pride of the Lunar Fleet."

"Hah! You're full of it. Marines don't go on ships. They are a branch of the Navy, but they do not share a vessel!" Dad exclaimed, hooves crossed and leaned back into his chair. "Stolen valor is a shitty thing to do, Star, and you can be punish—"

"Actually, he isn't lying, sir," Anchorage cut in. "Eclipse is my home ship, too. We have shared berthings since Star's first deployment."

"That is impossible," growled my father, clenching his teeth. "Marines never rode on boats back in my day—"

I jumped right back in. "Dad, they do now. They have for quite a while." 

"Apparently so. Since what, Luna's return? Her meddling has screwed up our military entirely. You are telling me that her sister simply let her take full control over the lower half of our armed forces and RENAME them? What, so she could rub her name in and plaster it on everything?"

"Dad, no, that isn't how it is," I straightened my back. "She demanded reform of the military, and as such, she re-implemented her so-called 'Lunar Republic'—" motioning my hooves in quotation, "—and that is where we are now."

He leaned forward slowly, head tilting an inch to the left and his unwavering scowl hardening. "Tell me, if you are such an expert on this... New Lunar Republic. What good has it done for Equestria?"

"Technological advancements, decline in crime around occupied cities and threats made towards them, strengthening in numbers of service members... need I go on, father?" I sat back, hooves crossed, a smug grin emerging on my muzzle.

He instead grumbled and sat back, looking off away from any of us. Mom stroked his shoulder with a hoof gently.

"You asked him, honey. He knows what he is talking about, I'm sure of it," she said in attempt to calm him, receiving further incoherent mumbling in response. She turned back towards me, smiling. It seemed more genuine now, but with evident concern still prevalent. "So, you live in Manehattan now. For how long?"

"Technically, I only work there." I corrected, hoof motioning again.

Night thought it would be a good idea to continue for me. "Technically, he and I split a dorm on base, but he lives in Canterlot." Immediately, a hoof threw to the side, punching him in the shoulder. "Ow!"

Dad snapped his gaze back, eyes narrowing. "Canterlot... that is where you have been all of this time?"

I looked back at him, blinking, nodding a short moment after. "Yes."

"Why Canterlot of all places? The rich, snooty scumbag capital of Equestria?"

My stare turned flat with irritation. Always something to say, Dad. "Within running away-distance, plenty of work opportunities, diversity, stuff like that."

"Diversity?" he chuckled. "Like, the rich-and-the-poor kind of diversity?"

By now I simply determined to go along with what he says. "Yes, Dad, precisely," rolling my eyes.

"How is it to live there?" smiled Mom.

"You know, decent," I shrugged. "Plenty of warm ponies, everything's within walking distance, gorgeous... expensive."

"I bet!" she agreed. "How could you afford it?"

The real answer to that inquiry was not my proudest. Saying it would most certainly bring out my father's unrelenting criticism.

"Ah, you know... nice office job, collar-and-tie sort of thing..." That raised eyebrows between friends who questioned my reply. Truthfully, they weren't much aware of my life prior to the Marines. Lying to my parents was lying to them, too. At least I could bear to be more honest around them.

"So, what made you join the Marines then? Why abandon a decent job?" Mom cocked her head with bewilderment.

Night, Ash, and Anchor shifted to me. They wanted to know as well.

I felt my cheeks begin to warm just slightly. Damn it, Star, and your stupid ass mouth...

"I... needed a change." That was at least accurate. "I made good money, yes, but... I... wasn't happy with myself. I felt like I needed to take a step back and think about things. Figured I would take a new approach to work and learn a few skills along the way."

"Surely you could not have had that job for long, could you, Star?" questioned Ash, squinting slightly.

"Yeah, what he said," Night concurred. "Tie-collar positions typically open up for young adults. You are only nineteen..."

I threw up one hoof to correct him. "Twenty next month."

"Twenty, whatever. You joined right after your birthday last year, didn't you? Was the job just... not good enough for you to where you thought about this?"

All eyes focused on me now. Shit, now I've really dug a grave for myself. Why didn't I just say I was unemployed? Maybe Dad's lecture on living off of benefits would be better than this shit. Our orders soon came, dropped off by the waitress, although, nobody began to eat, anticipating an honest answer.

"It just... wasn't for me, I guess."

"Of course it wasn't. Not for you! You hate dressing nicely. Why do it daily for work?" There it was from the obnoxious father himself.

"Well... it takes time to find the purpose everypony enjoys, Star. Is this what you like?" asked Mom, responded to with a nod from me. She smiled. "Then, if you are happy, I am, too."

"What about a marefriend? You got one of those yet?" Dad's eyebrow raised.

I froze, about to take a bite of a freshly-baked garlic bread stick when my eyes opened wide. Right then and there, any clue of what to say vanished from my head. I thought telling the truth about my life in Canterlot would not end well? This bought the ticket.

In all reality, Ray and I technically still were just "friends". We have only hung out with each other a few times since first bumping into each other by accident. Apart from that, and the sole time I chatted with him over a computer on the ship, not much could be proved. Nonetheless, the feelings were there. Maybe I am just still confused and not used to being around somepony like him.

But there was just something about Ray that struck a chord. He is cool, he is kind, he is handsome, he is a good pony to be around overall, just like the guys. I simply couldn't name what was so... different about him, what made my heart beat faster around him and brought a smile to my face just by thinking of his name.

...Is this what it is like to have a crush on another stallion? And had I just admitted to it?

My response eventually came almost a full minute of silence later, which felt more like ages. "I'm sorry. I... need a moment," sliding my chair back and standing up, heading for the door.


***


I went wherever my hooves took me. Out the front-facing exit, gaining a quick pace passing through the door and veering right, then around the corner into an alleyway bordered by a hedge and some trees shrouding another building beyond them, and the side of Villa Nevis.

Coming to a halt beside a closed dumpster, leaning my shoulder against the white-painted brick wall, I let my gaze lower to the ground, where a couple of old magazines sat, wrinkled and practically pressed fully flat to the cement. My eyes fixed on them but my mind focused elsewhere.

A deep, composed sigh of remorse let off orally. I don't know why I chose to come. Coltlumbus is my home, my true home, and yes, I have missed it so. With that long to see it again came hope of not encountering my parents. This was exactly what I had feared on the train ride to here.

Despite sober reasoning, they did not care. They didn't understand. They might not still, to this very moment. I'd described the matter to Night some time prior, so, he at least had some idea. The only reason Anchor and Ash play along and neglect to discern the forbidding hostility between my father and I is because they are getting a free dinner out of it. That would ultimately explain the behavior they display.

Damn it, of course. As reluctant as I am to come to such a conclusion, I was used. A long ass day of traveling, followed immediately by a hectic check-in at the Mareaton, and by pure luck my parents just so happened to be strolling by when they noticed me left alone on a bench, waiting for my acquaintances to come out and we grab food and settle in for the night. Who knows? Perhaps we might have missed them by a minute had Ash and Anchor finished what ever it was they were doing and stuck together the whole time

My lips curled into a frown, eyes and brows narrowing. Acquaintances? Is that what they are now, Star? That's cold. They are your friends, the only ones you have, unseparated even in the toughest of times, and the face of death itself.

A cider would do me well right about now. Hard, bubbly cider, topped off with a yellowing foam spilling over the edges of a tall mug, and alcoholic as ever to drown my desolation. I knew I was beginning to plunge into some form of a depressive state when the desire for a drink packed to the max with alcohol topped my want to go lock myself in a dark hotel room until the week is over and we can go home.

I brought a hoof up to my forehead, rubbing while very slowly moving my head side to side, eyes closed. A soft groan slipped out, trailed off with a deep breath through the nostrils. 

It will be just fine, Star, you will be fine. You've been in this type of position before. All you have to do is get through tonight, and the rest of the week will fly right on by. No parents, no drama, nothing.

I wish it could work right this minute, to not be forced into seeing them. I could only hope. I wasn't ready to flat out ditch on them and my friends, that just isn't a me thing to do. Right now, it felt like it would be, but it wasn't.

Then, a deep voice cleared from behind. An ear swiveled, picking up the noise, prompting me to look over my shoulder. I felt my muscles tense when I did.

"It's rude to walk out on friends and family at dinner time, Star." Dad stood many feet away, observing for who knows how long, retaining a stoic expression that boasted the authority he believed himself to be.

I straightened my posture, turning around to face him directly with an eyebrow hardly furrowing. "I needed a breath of fresh air."

"You don't need anything. What is the matter with you? You've been like this all day."

"We only just met an hour ago." My brow further raised. "Am I not allowed to express feelings either? Last I checked in a mirror, I wasn't a cyborg."

"If you truly are who you insist yourself to be, then you should be fully capable of controlling your own emotions," he strolled closer.

"Tell me, father, in what world do being a Marine and showing no emotion whatsoever coexist? Oh, wait a minute, your own little world! The same world where you believe EVERYTHING that you do and that only your thoughts count! Fuck off, Dad. Seriously. I am ashamed to even remotely share parts of my name with you. If Mom had her way—"

"Your mother is undeserving of such. Mares should not have a say, period. Not at home, not at the store, not at work, not even in politics! They only exist to keep civilization thriving for those who are truly in charge. You fail to understand the abilities a mare possesses in our country. They outnumber us three to one!"

My head tilted a little. "Is there a point somewhere that you are attempting to make? Because I am not seeing it."

"I would expect nothing more out of you," he snarled. "The princesses enable mares to be dominant. It's no wonder stallions are moving away to other countries, because there, their leaders don't encourage domestic violence!"

"Just where are you receiving this information from? That biased-as-hell news channel that everypony I know strongly dislikes? The one that fakes their headlines to grab attention and spread conspiracies to ponies like you?"

He just kept going, as if there were no end to it, ignoring everything I said. Like always. "Your mother is at least knowledgeable enough to understand her position in this world. It is bad enough that she is a pegasus, and I could not have been more disappointed to learn you would be, too!"

"Sexist, are we, Star? Racist, too? Huh. Your coworkers would just love to hear all of us. You claim Mom doesn't have the right to say or do anything. I say I have no reason to call you my father." And that was that.

As I went to walk away, a force knocked me to the cold hard ground. I scrambled to stand, only to be pressed down by a single hoof. My gaze stared coldly toward my father, who stood above threateningly.

"I do not recall allowing you to refer to me by my name, nor do I remember granting you the power to talk back against your family! It seems what I have taught you, spoke only when spoken to, all of that was pointless. Perhaps I must attempt other methods to seal that into your tiny ass brain! As I have said before, I am your father! YOU WILL ADDRESS ME AS SUCH!"

I hacked up a ball of saliva, shooting it up into his face. "Go fuck yourself with a cactus, or your shotgun! Pull the trigger too while you're at it!"

"You useless sack of shit, I'll put you where you really belong! The fucking aborted foal morgue!"

He yanked me upright with his hoof, immediately tightening his grip around my neck from behind. I kicked my legs and threw my forehooves back defensively. It was no use. He squeezed my neck in a headlock, not enough to cut off air or blood circulation, albeit strong to the point of no escape. Not without somepony's help, that is.

"Say it..." he snarled.

I continued to squirm, grabbing his arm with one hoof and struggling to pry it off, grunting in effort.

"Say it!"

"Fuck o-off!" I shouted, jerking upward to try and headbutt his jaw, but failed.

"RESPECT ME AS YOUR DAMN FATHER!"

"FUCK YOU!"

"STAR SCRAPER!"

I fell to my stomach, chin inches from the concrete surface. My body trembled with rage, and the slightest tinge of fear, chest heaving in large, audible gasps. 

My head to the right slowly, eyes focusing now on a tearful pegasus mare standing at the foot of the alley. Behind her hurried my friends, coming to a halt and observing. Even Anchorage was hovering above her.

"What the fuck are you doing to him?!" she cried, running up beside me.

Scraper grit his teeth furiously. "He needs to learn his place, Diamond. He needs to understand his place in our house."

"He's not... in our house! He left us five damn years ago! Star is an adult now, he doesn't need us—no, he doesn't need YOU—to tell him what to do, or... what ever the hell it was you believe he needs to comprehend! This isn't how you treat your foals!"

"This is how my father raised me. I will do everything in my power to ensure I raise MY son the proper way!"

"I AM NOT YOUR SON!" I screamed. My hoof snapped up, catching Scraper directly in the throat. He stumbled backwards, choking and wheezing, as if he could not breathe at all.

Eyes grew wide between the only witnesses around. Out of reflex, Ash rushed up to position himself behind Scraper, raising a hoof, and smacking right into the rear of his neck. The force jarred his entire head forward, but also managed to unclench his airway.

The gasp of air he took in was enormous. He began to breathe once more, relieving everypony—including myself. He rubbed a hoof back and forth along his apple, attempting to croak out words, though was unable to.

Mom moved up to Scraper's side, rubbing a hoof gently on his shoulder. His livid mint irises fixed on to one thing in particular: me.

In the moments following a lengthy silence, I rose to all fours slowly, narrowing on him with equivalent fire. "Don't bother with the police. They'll let him out the next day, anyways, those ass kissers. Come on, we're going."

That was the final thing I'd spoken before turning tail and striding between Night and a now-grounded Anchorage, who parted to make room, observing as I walked away.


***


My walk took me far from the restaurant. Eventually my route brought me along the riverfront just north of the city center, where I strode along, ears flat to my head, chin low, and eyes on the sidewalk a couple paces ahead of my hooves. Had it not been my natural eye color, one might have thought I am going psycho-insane. Deep down, I felt as if I just might. I already was internally.

I hadn't bothered to check behind and find out whether or not the others have been following. Frankly, I didn't care regardless. Intent on looping right back around to the train station and hop on the next ride to Canterlot grew with every passing minute I strolled, while hundreds of thoughts ran amuck.

A burning, pained throb pulsated in my heart, which continued to beat heavily and paced quicker than what could be considered healthy. Emotions mixed into a deadly concoction that waited to be unleashed on somepony. A part of me argued heading back for a second round, but without remorse for my father this time. I knew doing so would end with me behind bars. Though, in the end, it might pay off after holding these feelings in for so long.

It was a shout from a fast-approaching Ash from a ways behind that brought a grumble of frustration out in response. Three pairs of hooves thumped—one set in particular heavier than the rest—came rushing, replaced with a trio of soft pants from the stallions.

"Star, what the hell was all of that back there?!" huffed Anchorage, fanning himself by rapidly stretching a part of his shirt with his hoof. The tone of his coat flushed pink all across, damp and salty with sweat from the day's lingering heat in tandem with the span of their run to catch up.

"Yeah, what was with all of that... hostility?" Ash questioned, chest gently rising and falling while he caught his breath.

I came to a sudden halt ten or so feet in front, slamming my rear to the concrete and grabbing my temples with both hooves, teeth clenched furiously.

"Because I fucking hate them! Both of them! They have been... shitty... my entire colthood!" I threw my hooves down from my head. "My father was a piece of shit from the moment I was born, he fucking... abused me mentally, setting my mind on to believing that I wasn't good enough for him, and my mother... she just let it happen! What kind of parent does that? Oh, right. Mine, apparently!"

Ash cocked his head, bewildered. "Star, have you perhaps considered the idea that, maybe, your mother didn't do anything because she is afraid of him?"

"Bullshit! She would have left him a decade ago if that were the case. She just doesn't... care..." my flanks slumped to the ground after my hinds gave out beneath them. "I hate them... I hate them with a burning passion! And, you... all of you... forced me to relive all of it, deal with their constant drama and listen to them drone on, asking why I left and the way I act! This is why I did not want to come to Coltlumbus in the first place. This is exactly why!"

The white pegasus and the green earth pony exchanged looks, before shifting to Night, who shrugged and held his hooves up, stepping back.

"You know, Anchorage, my father strongly despises sailors. I am purely shocked that he made no comment on your shirt," I added, closing my eyes.

"We're sorry, Star. We thought—"

"You thought? You thought what, exactly? That I wanted to see my parents after five years of being away? That, suddenly, because you dragged me back into unwanted memories, perhaps I would be interested in speaking to them?"

They both coiled back, struck by my words. Their ears no longer stood on their heads and were almost too afraid to speak.

"Star, to be the fairest of the fair, it was you who volunteered to come along. Neither of us forced you, we never have." I snapped my head toward Night, glaring intensely. He threw up a hoof to halt me before I could cut him off. "That being said, we should not have spoken for you. This will not happen again. Right?"

His eyes moved over to Ashfall and Anchorage, silent where they stood.

"Right?" he raised his voice.

"Y-yes... no... this won't happen again. Not now, not soon, not ever. We promise!" Ash sputtered.

"It will not," Anchorage added.

"It better not," I sneered, looking back across the river, reflecting off the color of the dusk sky past the sun's setting, creating a gorgeous, picturesque scene. 

The water had no ripples, no rocks poking through the surface, not even the slightest of motion. It was as if the whole waterway had been drained and replaced with mirror glass in either direction it flowed, around each bend and twist the river took.

The three gathered on both of my sides, staring out over the water and to the buildings that rested on the opposite side, shrouded by trees that stood one or two stories, sometimes four or five in height, all silhouetted with the remaining daylight beyond them. Above glowed the moon and the countless shimmering stars emerging in the bluish dark that crept across the sky, twinkling individually. All of it combined served as a reminder that the world hadn't ended yet.

"We came here to have fun. I'm not willing to let this stand in our way and ruin our time," I paused, eyes glassing over, choking on my words before saying, "Solar wouldn't have wanted it that way."

All three nodded in agreement, turning up to the orange, yellow, pink, and blue sky. Thin cloud layers and contrails stretched in all directions, spanning for miles overhead, like somepony took a paintbrush, dipped it in fine silver, and glided it across the heavens.

For their sake, and my own, it was time to turn this trip around—for the better. There still was much to see and do.