The door unlocked and swung open with a slight creak as my father stepped through the front door, dressed head to hoof in naval blues. He removed the cover atop his combed azure mane and hung it on the hat hanger beside the door, then made his way into the living room, where my mother napped peacefully on the couch. Sea smiled, placing both hooves on the back of the couch and leaning down to softly plant a kiss on Hazy's cheek, which made her eyes gradually open. She gave a warm, tired smile once she saw her husband above her.
"Sleep well?" Asked my father, nuzzling her stomach a bit and walking around the couch to take a seat at her hinds.
"You know I did," yawned Hazy, sitting up and nestling to Sea's side with a smile. "How was work?"
"Same old. Nothing all too new. Where's Anchorage?"
"Probably upstairs or down. You know how he likes going in your little stallion cave sometimes," Hazy smiled and yawned once more.
Sea chuckled softly. "I'll go look, then I'll start dinner."
"Sounds great, honey," Hazy pecked his cheek, watching Sea with a loving smile as he stood up and trotted to the basement door behind the love seat.
⚓
I sat in the six-wheeled office chair, elbows rested against the light-tan desktop, eyes set on the small black screen with a green grid across it, and a single line that slowly spun from the center with multiple blip signatures moving gradually with every rotation. I never quite understood my father's need for a radar as well as a maritime radio to listen in to broadcasts between boats nearby. Not that I minded at all. It was his, after all. The whole basement was, practically. Everything down here was nautical-themed. On the wall hung pictures my father or others have taken of naval vessels.
A three-story shelf stood to the right of my father's little bridge, as I had called it, which held medals of his grandfather's military service as well as some trophies he had won in his high school days. It was quite impressive to say the least, and much of the shelves were full. Not necessarily full as in no room left, but close.
I rested my chin on the desk, listening in to the radio calls as they came in every few seconds. It limited itself to a certain amount of calls to ensure it wasn't cluttered with activity, little did I realize the hoofsteps coming from the top of the stairs all the way down.
My father cleared his throat, watching with a gentle smile. That faded after a moment, and he cleared his throat again. I still hadn't noticed he was even home. So slowly, he approached the back of the chair, his faint shadow casting over the desk.
"Enjoying yourself?"
I jumped, whipping the chair around and hoof resting on the back of, breathing a sigh of relief. "Don't scare me like that!"
"I cleared my throat twice, Anchorage," my father replied in a stern tone. "You may want to work on listening to your surroundings, son."
With a sigh, I nodded. "Yes, Dad. I'm sorry."
He slowly grinned. "I'm kidding, Anchorage," then looped a hoof around my neck and pulled me in for a hug out of the chair. Surprised by the movement, I returned the embrace and smiled. He then asked, "How was school?"
"The usual," I replied as a matter of fact.
"I see. It makes me suspect—"
"Yes, I was out at the marina."
"Just as I thought," my father grinned more. "Did your mother catch you?"
I nodded without saying a word.
"Huh. And I could have sworn me and her had this discussion a week ago. Perhaps we'll have to have it again at dinner..."
"Don't worry about it, I talked to her already."
My father blinked twice, making direct eye contact. "You did?"
I nodded again. "She apologized as well."
"Wow. You have a way with words, don't you? It didn't happen to involve any swears, did it?"
I shook my head this time. "No, sir."
A hoof gently whapped me on the ear. I jumped slightly and winced. "Don't call me sir, I'm your father. I won't do what many others do."
I rolled my eyes and stood up straight. "Whatever, dad," then grinned.
My father gave a single nod, then smiled, looping his hoof back around me. "Come on, I'll get dinner started and I'll tell you about my day at the table."
⚓
Balancing two dishes on his wings horizontally with a third in his hoof, my father slid the dinner plates down onto the table before me and Hazy, carrying the third to his seat on the end of the table, where he sat down. "Dinner is served."
On the plate were large cooked carrots wrapped in fresh lettuce, along with a side of sliced cucumber and dip—one of my mother and fathers' favorites and something they shared when they were still dating. Taking one of the lettuce-wrapped carrots, I bit down into the savory vegetable and munched on it until it was no more. The chips I'd had earlier didn't touch my hunger all too much.
"Everything taste fine?" My father asked before he could begin eating. He did this every night.
I gave a quick nod, chewing on the second carrot. Simply saying yes with food in my mouth would have been extremely rude.
My mother nodded, gulping down a bite she took and smiling. "It's wonderful, honey. Thank you."
"My pleasure," Sea replied with a warm smile in return, cutting his carrot with a knife. "How was your day?"
"Like clockwork, love. I took your knife to the blacksmith like you asked and stopped by Rocky's, then came home after grabbing Anchorage."
"From the marina, yes?" Sea grinned.
Hesitantly, my mother nodded. "Yes, from the marina. We talked, and I apologi—"
"I know, honey. Anchorage told me," my father said, lifting his fork to his muzzle and chewing the food quietly.
"Now, what about you? How was your day?" Hazy asked, taking a slice of cucumber and dipping it in some ranch.
"Long, and busy, to put it short. Construction crews are beginning to lay out the foundation for a sixth and longer dock."
"What for?" I asked, looking to my father as I took another bite.
"I couldn't be happier you asked," Sea grinned. "The Navy's newest destroyer is to make port in a couple of months and we need to be ready for its arrival. The raffle to determine where to station it picked our home base, and it will leave Baltimare along with its crew. Once that is said and done, somepony will be chosen after a series of small games, where the Head of the Navy will decide who the commanding officer of the ship will be."
"Do you think they could pick you?" My eyes widened just before I spoke.
"Possibly, if I score above the others. Although, currently, I'm not of rank to be put in position of a destroyer. Not yet, at least."
"Wow..." I sat back in my seat. "That's... really awesome, dad. When are the games?"
"The middle of August, just before school kicks back in. Why?"
"Perhaps me and Anchorage could come and watch, if that's okay," Hazy smiled at my father.
"Oh..." His one ear fell backwards. "I... don't think so."
"What? Why not?" I put my hooves on the table, my grin fading.
"They don't allow families on base unless it's for homecoming. I'm sorry."
"That's nonsense. Surely they'd allow friends and family to spectate the games. How many will be participating?"
"Just about everypony will. It's not just about deciding the new commanding officer, it's more of a competitive thing the Navy's had with other stations around Equestria. The concept is, in my opinion, extremely pointless, although it allows ponies from all over to give everything they've got in the conditions handed to 'em," my father shrugged. "I will have to check with the base commander to see what will happen. I'd assume allowing families in would be chaotic."
"Well, I for one would enjoy watching you compete with other sailors. It would be exciting, wouldn't it, Anchorage?" Hazy's focus shifted to me.
"Of course it would! Not to mention, how amazing would that be to become captain of the Navy's brand new destroyer?!" I was beginning to geek out.
Dad simply chuckled. "Now, now. Don't get your hopes up too much, Anchor. That's still quite a ways away. But yes, I would love you two to be there. I just hope that will be the case."
I couldn't help it. The thought of my dad commandeering a giant ship such as the one being built and transferring to Gander Cove was too much. It was a shame naval vessels didn't always pass through the town's harbor knowing the base was situated opposite of the town, as I would always be down at the marina watching them go by, and even wave at my father when he left or returned from deployments.
Man, being a sailor must be so awesome, I thought. Maybe I should do something like that when I'm older!
And that was how it all kick started. It was then where I began thinking of what it would be like in the Navy, what I would be like, where I would go, what I would do, everything.