Having walked Blue home, Storm trotted across Cloudsdale as fast as he possibly could. He was hurting and aching, from both his injuries in Canterlot and from the forty-five-minute-long flight from Ponyville. In fact, by the time they had landed at Blue's house, Storm had grown so tired and weak, Blue and Star (Solar still being away at work) offered for him to stay at their house until his injuries healed and he regained his strength. Storm respectfully declined, knowing that he had to be back home as soon as possible. And yet, the longer he thought about coming back home, the more he became unnerved. He knew that his parents would probably make a huge fuss about his injuries, especially his dad, who'd probably ground him for a couple of weeks minimum. Storm had never really been grounded for long periods of time (the longest he was grounded for was for a week, and that was for a fight he had with Hurricane), but he knew that his dad wouldn't be so kind to him if he found out what happened in Canterlot. While Equinox was far more lenient and understanding when her kids did something wrong, High Wind was a lot stricter.
Another thing Storm was worried about was his family finding out that he earned his cutie mark. He was still in complete shock to see that it had finally appeared after several years of waiting, but he knew that he probably deserved it for sticking up for that mare back in Canterlot. However, what unnerved Storm even more, was thinking how High Wind would react to the new mark. Over the past year that Storm had been working at the factory, his father had been putting more and more pressure on him to succeed, and while he became popular with his superiors, including Tornado, he wasn't enjoying the job. However, whenever his dad asked him about how was work, Storm usually masked his inner dislike for the job by saying it was great.
After arriving at his street and walking by the homes of some neighbors, who eyed him suspiciously, he had finally arrived at his house. Rather hesitantly, he tapped the door gently three times, and a couple of moments later, Equinox opened the door.
"Come in---oh my gosh." she gasped, looking at the slightly blood-covered stallion before her. "Storm, what happened?"
"Uh...it's nothing, mom." Storm replied.
"It's nothing?" she asked. "You look like you fell down the side of Canter Mountain! Where the hay were you, son?"
"In Canterlot..." he replied.
"I know you were...I just want to know what you were doing in Canterlot." Equinox stuttered.
"Mom, like I said; it's no big deal."
"Storm, don't give me that." she said, sternly. "Did you get involved in a fight? Do I have to call somepony's mom and dad?"
"No, mom..." he sighed.
"Well?!"
"You're right...I did get into a fight..."
"With who?" asked Equinox. "That Hurricane kid?"
"No, mom... Hurricane's cool." replied Storm.
"You two friends now?"
"I don't know if we are, but he's a lot nicer to me nowadays than he was in the past." explained Storm.
"I see." Equinox replied, still retaining her stern glare. "Alright Storm. Tell me what happened. I won't get angry or anything if you do."
And so, Storm proceeded to tell Equinox about how he rescued a tourist mare from a pair of street thugs. As he told her the entire story, his mother's glare seemed to be replaced with an understanding, yet still worrisome smile.
"Oh Storm..." sighed Equinox, pulling Storm into a tight hug. "I'm just so glad you're back home...and what you done in Canterlot, was a pretty brave and noble, yet dangerous thing to do."
"Mom, I couldn't let an innocent pony suffer." explained Storm. "She needed my help..."
"I know, son, but still. If you didn't come back home safely I don't know what I'd do...In fact, you know who you're beginning to remind me of?" asked Equinox.
"Who?"
"Your birth father." begun Equinox. "Before we left for the Griffon Empire almost twenty years ago, your father was a Royal Guard, whose day-to-day job was protecting innocent ponies..."
"He was?" asked Storm.
"Yep." sighed Equinox. "But he always wanted more...he always wanted to do something bigger and better...and that's why before we left for the Empire, he joined the military."
"So he wasn't drafted?" Storm raised his eyebrows.
"Nope." replied Equinox. "It was his choice... although, not a very good one... Anyways, Storm... even though what you did was very noble... I'm going to have to ground you."
"For how long?" asked Storm.
"Maybe a week..." replied Equinox. "I don't want you getting involved in violence, even though it may help somepony else. Remember son, violence is never the answer, even though it may have been for a good cause. You could've just easily called the Guard, instead of getting involved in a fight."
"I guess..." sighed Storm. "Sorry mom..."
"It's alright, son..." she sighed as well. "Just...don't get involved in things like that again. I'll ground you for a week, alright?"
"Okay..." Storm's ears drooped slightly. He followed Equinox into the house and flipped the light switch, illuminating the hallway leading up to the stairs.
"Anyways, I have hay pizza in the oven." she smiled. "Go get yourself washed up, and I'll get you a bandage. It'll be ready in twenty minutes."
"Okay." He replied, walking up the stairs. However, just before Equinox went to the kitchen, she managed to catch a glimpse of Storm's cutie mark.
"Storm, can you come down here for a second?" she asked. Storm turned to face her and walked back down the stairs.
"What is it mom?" Storm asked.
"You finally got it..." Equinox smiled. Storm smiled rather awkwardly, backing away towards the stairs.
"You like it? I mean---" he stuttered, an embarrassed blush forming on his face.
"It's beautiful, son." she replied. "I'm so proud of you... How did you get it?"
"Well..." he begun. "I think I got it after I stuck up for that mare..."
"You did?" Equinox raised her eyebrows. "Sweet Celestia..."
"What is it?" asked Storm.
"Nothing, nothing..." replied Equinox. "You're just like your father, son..."
"What do you mean?" Storm raised his eyebrows.
"I think you're cut out to be a great Royal Guard, son. If protecting ponies is what you really want to do, then I think there should be nothing stopping you." she replied, smiling warmly at him. However, her smile soon faded away in to a solemn and emotionless expression. "Just don't tell your dad... who knows how he'll react."
A couple hours later...
"Quin, kids! I'm home!"
Storm shot up from his bed in shock, and looked around his darkened room. It was 11 PM and he was desperately trying, and failing to fall asleep. After a twelve-hour long shift, High Wind had finally come back home, and Storm was both excited and absolutely terrified at the same time. He was way too busy thinking about how his dad would react to what happened today, and within seconds, he came to the conclusion that he was about to find out, mentally preparing himself for their meeting.
"Storm, you asleep?" asked High Wind, from behind the door.
"No..." Storm shivered in fright.
"Can I come in?" he asked.
Storm immediately jumped back into bed. "Sure."
Suddenly, the door opened slightly, and High stepped into the room, flicking the light switch on. "Hey sport." he smiled.
"Hey dad." replied Storm. "How was work?"
"Oh, you know... the usual." explained High, before noticing the bandage on Storm's forehead. "How was Cant---What the hay happened to you?"
"I had a little accident." Storm fibbed.
"What kind of accident?" asked High, sitting down at Storm's desk chair.
"Uh, uh..." Storm said, trying to think of a reasonable explanation. However, High noticed his awkwardness, and the worried expression on his face was quickly replaced with a sneer.
"Storm, did you get into a fight?" he asked.
"Sort of..." he sighed, realizing that he cannot fool his stepfather, whose sneer was in turn replaced with a glare, which seemed to growmore furious with each passing second.
"What happened?" he asked. "Was it that Hurricane kid?"
Why does everypony think that?
"No, dad..." sighed Storm. "The truth is that I got into a fight to help a mare."
"Help a mare?" High Wind raised his eyebrow.
"Yep."
"What happened?" he asked.
"Well, there was this mare...and she was being harassed by a pair of thugs...so I stepped in and fought them," replied Storm. "Dad, I couldn't let her suffer..."
"And you think that by fighting fire with fire you're going to achieve anything?" asked High, narrowing his eyes onto Storm.
"No, but dad... she needed my help." he replied.
"You know what, it's always 'help' this, 'help' that... No matter where it is or what the circumstances are... you can't just stick to yourself, can you?" growled High. "You can't do anything right."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Storm growled as well, his blood beginning to boil in anger.
"What I mean is that you spend way too much time focusing on other ponies, instead of focusing on succeeding as a weather pony."
"Dad, maybe being a weather pony was only a part-time thing..." Storm angrily replied. "And I couldn't just leave her there! I needed to do something! Why are you...so blind?"
"You calling me blind?" he asked.
"What I meant is---"
"You calling me blind?" High asked again, this time in a much firmer voice.
"Dad!"
"Don't give me that 'dad' bullshit!" he shouted. "I'm not bucking blind! I want you to succeed as a weather pony, son! I want to see you do something great with your life, instead of being some crime-fighting vigilante!"
"Well, maybe I don't want to be a weather pony!" Storm rebutted. "For me, it's just flying around and through clouds! There's nothing special about it."
"You're too young to see the benefits a career in weather would bring, not only to you but to the rest of Equestria," huffed High. "Are you seriously telling me that earning $25 an hour working as part of a team isn't good enough for you? Are you seriously meaning to tell me that you don't want the associated benefits of being a weather pony; that you don't want good health coverage, for example? No quick promotions, no tax breaks, no nothing like that?"
"Dad, don't be an asshole," growled Storm. "Maybe being a 'crime-fighting vigilante' as you call it, is my destiny!"
He then kicked away his duvet, revealing his cutie mark adorning his flank. High's jaws dropped, and he got up from the desk chair and backed away towards Storm's wardrobe, stuttering slightly.
"You earned your cutie mark..." he stuttered, his eyes still fixed on Storm's cutie mark. "And it's not related to weather..."
"Of course it's not..."
"You traitor..." growled High. "How could you? You were meant to become a weather pony! I trained you for months under my wing to be the best of the best, and this is what I get in return?! What the buck, man?"
"I already told you, dad!" Storm growled as well. "I hate being a weather pony! And I hate you deciding everything for me! I'm seventeen, dammit! Don't you think I have a right to decide my own life for myself?! In fact, I hate you!"
"I hate you too," growled High with a furious nod. "In fact, I don't even know whether I should consider you my son!"
"That's easy for you to say," scoffed Storm. "You aren't even my dad, for Celestia's sake! You're just some guy who my mom liked and married."
"You're right...but I am trying to do what's best for you." growled High, relenting slightly as the harsh words Storm spoke began to break down his defenses.
"By what?" asked Storm. "By deciding my life for me?"
"I don't have time for this..." growled High, walking out from Storm's room. "You're grounded for three weeks. No TV, no going to Singer's house, nothing like that. End of."
The next day...
"So, what happened between you and your dad?" asked Blue, her head resting against Storm's body. They were sitting at a bench in the park in North Cloudsdale, Storm having managed to sneak out of the house (as both High and Equinox were away at a weather pony conference, and Gust and Mist were at a friend's house). Storm seemed pretty shaken and nervous about that argument he had with his dad the night before, and so to ease the stress, Blue decided to start up a conversation with him.
"It's a long story, Blue." sighed Storm. "I'm not sure you'd want to hear it."
"It's okay, Stormy." she nuzzled him. "I won't mind."
"You sure?"
"Of course."
"Okay..." sighed Storm yet again, unfolding his wing and wrapping it around Blue's body. "My dad is apparently angry because I don't want to be a weather pony after I leave school. That, and about what happened in Canterlot yesterday."
"So, he isn't proud that you've got your cutie mark?" asked Blue.
"Mom is, but he isn't." replied Storm. "And to be honest, I really don't care whether he's proud or not. I don't care about him at all!"
"Storm, stop." Blue said, putting her hoof to his mouth. "Think about what you've just said. He's your dad."
"I know..." Storm sighed. "But still...he's angered me enough. I'm not doing what he wants me to do with my life."
"I know..." Blue smiled. "But wouldn't it be better for both him and you to mend fences and somehow resolve this together?"
"I don't know..." replied Storm, looking rather unsure. "I don't want him to get even angrier..."
"Maybe you two just need to get to know each other better." proposed Blue. "What would you say?"
"Maybe..." he smiled. "It won't hurt to try..."
"That's the spirit." Blue grinned.
"But what could me and dad do to try and get to know each other better?" asked Storm.
"Hmm..." begun Blue. "Just try spending some time with each other. Go on a camping trip to the Whitetail Woods, visit Manehattan or Fillydelphia, go hiking... maybe you'll find out that you two aren't so different."