The Sons of Barricade. Part 1. Cooper

by Askre

Chapter 1. Junebug and her son.

Author's Note:

This story came about when I figured it was high time I addressed the two remaining kids that were name dropped in In old Manehattan, we've met Barricade's three daughters, Cara, Coal and Dinky, but not his two sons, Cooper and Chisel.

This story focuses on Barricade elder son, Cooper. It's not a long story, probably just few chapters.

Junebug is from the show, her only speaking role is in Secret of my Excess from season 2 and has appeared in the background since then.

Chapter 1

Derpy Hooves landed with a thud in front of a small house. Her mailbag was full to the brim and thus a bit heavy, but it was nothing she couldn’t manage. This was just the start of her route and the bag would get lighter as the day passed.

Humming happily, the pegasus approached the door and opened the small mailbox attached to the wall next to it. Then she opened her mailbag and started to get the letters for the recipient.

“Let’s see, Junebug, Junebug… ah, there she is,” Derpy mumbled as she pulled out three letters and put in the box. Job done, the gray pegasus turned around to fly away. She paused when hearing the door open behind her.

“Hey Derpy, mail’s here?” Junebug asked as she peeked out. The yellowish earth pony stepped out to the front step, smiling at the mail-pony.

“Yup, it was three letters,” Derpy told her, smiling as well. “How’s Cooper?”

“Growing, can’t believe in one year he’ll be a teenager. Celestia help me,” Junebug chuckled and started to retrieve her mail from the box. “How are the girls?”

“Oh, up to their usual mischief.” Derpy shook her head with a laugh. “And their sister is coming today for a visit.”

“Really?” Junebug looked at her, the smile faltering a little. “It was, uh Coal, right?”

“Yep,” Derpy confirmed with a grin, she didn’t spot the hesitation coming on the earth pony. She glanced at her bag. “Love to chat, but I have to continue with my rounds.”

“Yes of course.” Junebug nodded, resuming her smile but it looked more forced now. “Sorry for keeping you.”

“Eh it’s okay, always nice to chat a little,” the mail-mare assured her and spread her wings.

“Derpy,” Junebug addressed her, causing the pegasus to look at her quizzically. It was like the yellow mare wanted to say something but was finding it difficult to say. Then she shook her head and waved her hoof dismissively. “Ah never mind, it isn’t important.”

Derpy raised her brow a little, but before she could inquire about this, Junebug had already turned back into the house and closed the door. Shrugging the mail-mare took to the air to head over to the next house in her round.

Inside the house, Junebug was sitting down in front of the door. She held the mail up against her chest, her eyes closed as she tried to calm herself down. The mare then slowly removed her hoof so she could look at the letters.

Bill… bill… she counted and then stopped at the last letter. She opened it and pulled out from it a check. Her expression got sadder. Child support payment.

“Hey mom?” a voice addressed her. The mare looked up, a young colt had arrived from a nearby room. He was an earth pony like her. His coat was grayish amber while the mane and tail were blonde, but he had green eyes like hers. On his flank was a soccer ball cutie-mark.

“Yes, sweetie?” Junebug quickly put on a smile again and stood up, placing the three letters on a nearby small table.

“I can’t find my training shirt, is it in the wash bin?” the colt asked, on his back was a saddlebag.

“Probably, I haven’t done the laundry yet,” his mother said and tilted her head a little. “You have training today, Cooper?”

“Oh no, the guys and I were just going to do a few rounds down at the park. I guess I don’t need it,” Cooper shrugged with a grin.

“I’ll have it washed today; you go have fun,” Junebug told him and stepped out of the way of the door. Cooper nodded and trotted to the exit after saying goodbye. The mare watched her son leave before glancing back at the letters, especially the check.

Pay 800 bits to Junebug, for child support for Cooper. Payer, Barricade. The mare sighed, grabbed the check in her mouth and found her purse on a chair nearby. She quickly put it in there, making a note to go to the bank as soon as possible.

---

Dinky and Tootsie Flute watched, one filly more intently than the other, the soccer game going on in the park. They weren’t alone, few other ponies had gathered around to watch. What had started as just a few foals kicking around a ball, had turned into a small match when the two of the Cutie Mark Crusaders had joined in along with Rainbow Dash.

“Why are we watching this?” Dinky asked, sports didn’t interest the violet-colored filly much.

“It’s fun,” Tootsie claimed and cheered when one of the players almost scored between the two sticks serving as a goal.

“Fun, is not one of the words I would describe this,” her foster sister muttered, then she smirked. “You just want to watch Cooper, don’t ya?”

“Shut up,” Tootsie grunted and blushed, her eyes were, in fact, most often paying attention to the amber colt.

Dinky just grinned at her denial, it hadn’t escaped her at all how Tootsie often watched Cooper dreamily from the distance, writing his name on her homework, trying and failing to strike up small talk in school.

“There goes Scootaloo,” Dinky remarked, watching the orange pegasus tear across the playing field, followed closely by Cooper.

“You can do it, Cooper!” Tootsie called frantically. “Tackle her!”

Cooper did catch up as Scootaloo did have to slow down as she got closer to the goal. The colt expertly weaved past her and kicked the ball away to Apple Bloom who immediately rushed back with it the other way.

“WHOO HOO!” Tootsie shouted and jumped up and down.

“Cooper is on my team next time, Apple Bloom!” Scootaloo angrily growled as she was forced to rush back to help with the defense.

“Hey, you got Rainbow Dash in goal,” her fellow Crusader shouted as she kicked the ball to another teammate as her side got closer to the opposite goal.

Tootsie was on edge as she watched, Cooper was given the ball again and he almost danced past the defenders. Then he gave the ball a mighty kick towards the goal. Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes and jumped, slapping the ball away with her wings. The opal filly groaned and slunk to the ground; her foster sister rolled her eyes.

“Cooper! You’re telegraphing again,” the rainbow pegasus snapped.

“Sorry coach!” Cooper called as he rushed to follow the opposite players back over to his goal.

“Rainbow Dash! He’s on the other team!” Scootaloo pointed out in a huff.

“Sorry, a force of habit,” Rainbow Dash chuckled. This generated some laughter both in the audience and the playing foals.

“So close,” Tootsie sighed deeply.

“You’re being dramati…ack!” Dinky was suddenly tackled down by a black filly with silver-gray mane and tail.

“Coal!” Dinky forgave everything when realizing who that was, perhaps now she was saved from watching the soccer match.

“Dinky!” Coal laughed and let go of her sister, then she promptly hugged Tootsie who had jumped up when the tackle happened.

“You’re here early,” Tootsie mentioned when they parted, half her attention was still on the match.

“We took the early train, what better way to surprise you?” the black filly grinned mischievously. Behind her, dark gray shape of a unicorn came into view.

“Hi, uncl… uh, dad?” Dinky blinked, she had expected her uncle, but when seeing the more trimmed blonde mane and indigo-colored eyes, the filly realized she had the wrong family member in mind.

“Hey princess.” Barricade smiled and stepped over to hug his daughter. Then he nodded to Tootsie. “Hey, Toots.”

“Hi Barricade,” Tootsie greeted him, her eyes once more peeled on the game.

“Jeez, what’s got her so captivated?” Barricade noted how absent-minded the filly was and glanced over. “Oh, a soccer game.”

“Yes, please save me!” Dinky grabbed her father’s leg and clung on. Coal giggled at her dramatic sister.

“Oh my, you do look like you need saving,” Barricade chuckled, glancing down at his daughter who nodded frantically.

“Eh, looks like it’s over,” Coal mentioned, she had been casually watching but with no more interest than her violet sister had been.

The two teams had indeed stopped the match, though few were still rolling the ball between them. Rainbow Dash took to the air but didn’t go far, in fact, she landed right in front of the three fillies and the unicorn stallion.

“Heeey Barricade!” Rainbow smirked and hoof-bumped with the unicorn. “How’s it going?”

“Can’t complain, dropping Coal off to visit her sister. Her uncle will pick her up tomorrow,” Barricade explained to her, then he nodded to the former playing field. “You play soccer?”

“Help train the Ponyville youth team actually,” Rainbow boasted and placed a hoof on her chest. Then she dropped it down and glanced back. “Though this was just some fun.”

“Hey, you have got to meet my star player,” she then added and turned to the field. “Hey Cooper, come here a sec.”

Barricade blinked when hearing the name, then he watched the amber colt come trotting over. The stallion inwardly cringed, outwardly just put on a smirk as the boy got closer. Tootsie was looking giddy on the other hand.

“Barricade, meet Cooper, he got his soccer cutie-mark under my training.” Rainbow Dash beamed with pride as she presented the colt to the stallion.

“Hey,” Cooper greeted, crossing his front leg and grinned.

“Hi Cooper,” Tootsie peeped, it was almost inaudible. Dinky just shook her head and Coal arched her brow.

“Sorry I missed the game. I was just arriving with my daughter to visit her sisters,” Barricade told the boy with a small chuckle.

“Eh, it’s okay, just a little fun in the sun. Wasn’t expecting Coach Dash to join in.” Cooper shrugged, then he looked at Rainbow. “Uh sorry about the telegraphing.”

“We’ll talk about that during training.” Rainbow gave him a mock glare but still smiled. Then she turned her attention to Barricade. “Seriously though, two goals, twenty assists in the last game against Baltimare youth league. I’m telling you, dude, that colt is going to be a star.”

“Oh please.” Cooper blushed a little at the compliment.

“I’m sure he will, must make your parents proud.” Barricade nodded. A hesitation came over the colt.

“Ah, parent. I live with my mom. Don’t know who my dad is,” he said and frowned a little but said no more.

Yeah I can imagine why, Barricade thought to himself. Then he looked down at Dinky and Coal. “Well, it was nice to meet you, Cooper. But I better take these girls to get some ice cream before I have to leave for Manehattan.”

“Hey, good to see you around, Barricade,” Rainbow Dash said and bumped hooves again with the stallion.

“Now there are words I never expected to hear in Ponyville,” Barricade laughed then started to walk away. Tootsie had to be dragged at first by Dinky and Coal, as she shyly waved goodbye to Cooper while the colt was turning to Rainbow Dash to speak with her.

---

Junebug walked out of the bank, eight hundred bits richer on her account, although that money was meant to help raise her son. It was money that could buy groceries that fed him and pay for other things he did, like his soccer training.

The mare was careful with spending that money, focusing it on giving her boy the best life she could give him. She wasn’t too badly off, but flower decorator in a small town like Ponyville didn’t pay that much and she had an extra mouth to feed.

Yet she always dreaded seeing the monthly check, which in the past had sometimes been late. However, it had always come on time for a long while now. Junebug just couldn’t help it, bad memories were associated with the name that was paying it.

Junebug had been young, still learning her trade in Baltimare. Then she fell in with a bad crowd, Barricade had been there. She thought it was love but it turned out he had just been using her to satisfy his selfish needs. The mare managed to break free in the end but soon found out the stallion had left her a parting gift.

Her parents who were very traditionally minded threw her out, calling her a slut. Thankfully she had friends who took her in, later Cooper was born. She stayed in Baltimare to finish her education, then moved with her son to Ponyville, wanting to make a fresh start somewhere new.

She worked up a nerve to write Barricade and inform him of the child. She never got a written response back, just suddenly began receiving foal support. Junebug wasn’t sure if Barricade had simply accepted it or if something else lay behind this. So far though, nothing and for that the mare was glad.

Junebug stopped by the apple stand. She did need some fruit and now had the money to buy it. It was being manned by Applejack as usual, the yellow mare greeted the orange one with a smile.

“Howdy there Junebug, how’s it going?” Applejack asked, watching Junebug examining her selection of apples.

“Oh, it’s going fine, got some extra money for groceries and other things,” Junebug responded. “How are you?”

“Doing pretty fine, filling in for Big Mac for a little while, then Ah have to run to get ready for the friendship school on Monday,” the apple-farmer told her.

“Oh yes, Twilight’s new school. How are things going there?” Junebug wondered and started to point to apples she wanted, the orange pony began dutifully bagging them.

“Can’t complain, kinda fun actually,” Applejack responded and finished bagging the apples. “That’ll be ten bits.”

“What only ten?” Junebug blinked, the apple-farmer smiled knowingly but didn’t otherwise respond. The yellow earth pony shook off her surprise and paid, figuring best not to question the lower price, she was pretty sure this should be fifteen bits.

After accepting the bag, thanking her and saying goodbye, Junebug turned to see what other stands were open. She considered going over to Carrot Top’s to get some carrots. The mare was about to walk over when she froze, her eyes bulged out and then quickly she dove behind Applejack's apples stand to hide.

What Junebug had seen was a dark gray unicorn stallion accompanied by three fillies, heading to the ice cream parlor. The indigo-colored eyes and brick wall on the flank had been all too familiar.

“Hey, Junebug, you alright?” Applejack asked in concern as the other mare carefully peeked over the stand.

“I-I’m fine,” she lied, watching as the unicorn disappeared into the building along with the fillies. A hoof was gently placed on her back.

“Sugarcube, you’re not fine,” Applejack said, having spied what the other mare had been watching. “It’s Barricade, isn’t it?”

Junebug shrunk down, her eyes drifting towards the ground. She slowly nodded. Applejack’s smile turned more solemn and she gently patted the frightened pony.

“Cooper’s his son isn’t he?” the apple-farmer asked, although she was privy to that information. She had just chosen not to reveal it, knowing Barricade was keeping his distance out of respect. Not surprisingly, Junebug nodded again.

“Ya got nothing to worry about, June, he’s changed. Ah saw the changes when Ah met him in Manehattan a while ago. It isn’t the same stallion you met and treated you badly,” Applejack told her. “But you don’t have to meet him and neither does Cooper if you don’t want it.”

“I know… I heard about it,” Junebug whispered and sat more properly down on the ground, hanging her head low. “I’ve overheard Dinky talk about him and heard Derpy say he is being more of a father to his daughters now…”

“But he still scares you.” Applejack wasn’t surprised to see another nod. She reached over again to give the mare another reassuring pat.

"It’s silly, he’s left me alone, aside from the monthly payments, I otherwise hear nothing. I always worried he would demand to see Cooper or have it proven that he was the father. But I know he is, I haven’t dated anypony since him. I’ve just been too busy raising Cooper,” Junebug whispered and sniffed a little.

“It’s not silly. Ah’m familiar with Barricade, he was with Derpy remember and lived for a short while in Ponyville, so Ah’m all too aware of what he could do. How about you rest here a spell and Ah go check if he’s staying long,” Applejack offered.

Junebug looked up at her, part of her just wanting to rush home and stay there for the rest of the day. Then she figured it might be good to know how long Barricade was in town, she would rather avoid him if possible. The mare nodded.

Applejack put a closed sign on the stand but still asked Junebug to keep an eye on it. Then she trotted over to the ice cream parlor. The yellow mare watched with heavy anticipation as the orange pony disappeared into the building. She felt it took agonizingly long, even if only about five or so minutes passed.

Junebug held her breath when Applejack came back out and returned to the stand, the apple-farmer smiled reassuringly to her as she got back behind the stand and removed the sign.

“He’s just staying for another hour, waiting for the Manehattan train. Dinky’s uncle is then going to pick her sister up tomorrow,” Applejack told her, this caused the yellow mare to breathe a sigh in relief.

“Thanks, Applejack,” Junebug mumbled and rose up, feeling a little braver knowing Barricade wouldn’t be in Ponyville for long.

“No problem. Just let me know if ya need anything else,” Applejack told her.

Junebug smiled and thanked her again before heading over to the next stand. She continued with the groceries before heading home. Thankfully in her mind, she saw no further sign of Barricade.

---

Junebug grunted at a particularly stubborn spot on the kitchen counter. After returning home with the groceries, she had decided the kitchen needed some cleaning. One particular stain was being very stubborn. The mare wondered if the counter was simply becoming worn and showing its age. The house she lived in was old.

She didn’t own it, the town did, the only reason she could afford renting it was because she was a single mother. Social service paid part of the rent. When she first moved to Ponyville, she had rented the basement where the flower triplets lived. But when Cooper got older, she had risked moving to this house.

“Mom, I’m home!” She heard Cooper call. Junebug continued to glare at the stain, it was slightly faded now.

“I’m in the kitchen,” she responded and decided to have one more go with the washcloth.

“Oooh, apples.” Cooper had entered the kitchen and spotted the bowl full of apples on the kitchen table.

Junebug held back a sigh of frustration as she sat down, turning towards her son who was grabbing an apple. She smiled, still finding it hard to believe her little boy was almost as big as her now, just a head shorter.

“Had fun at the park, sweetie?” she asked and tossed the washcloth to the sink.

“Yeah, Coach Dash showed up and we had a short match,” Cooper told her and took a bite from the apple while sitting down.

“Ooh, did you win?” his mother asked curiously.

“Nah it was a draw,” the colt answered after swallowing his bite, then his ears lowered a little in embarrassment. “I did manage to get a chance at the goal, but I telegraphed again. Coach Dash, who was in the goal, saw it coming a mile away.”

“Aw, I’m sorry. You are getting better, you scored two goals in Baltimare,” Junebug told him reassuringly. Her son’s passion for the sport was advertised on his flank, so he always felt a little down when he made what he considered rookie mistakes, often forgetting that he was still just a learning colt.

“I guess,” Cooper sighed and ate more of his apple. “Oh, Coach Dash introduced me to a friend of hers, he was dropping his daughter off to meet her sister, Dinky.”

“Oh,” Junebug frowned, slightly worried when hearing the name.

“Yeah, Barricade I think she called him. Coach Dash said she met him during the whole crystal curse on Ponyville thing,” the colt explained, grimacing a little when remembering the entire town encased in dark crystals. He and his mother had been trapped inside the house until Princess Luna had freed them.

“I see…” his mother hid her worries. “Did he say anything?”

“Nah, well did say he was sorry he missed the game, but I think he was just joking. He was there to see his daughter.” Colt shrugged and finished the apple. He went to the trash bin and tossed the core before trotting out of the kitchen.

Junebug let out a sigh in relief, hoping Barricade had not made the connection. Her foal support payments were sent to a friend of hers in Baltimare, who then sent them straight to her. She did not want Barricade to know she and Cooper lived in Ponyville. Then the mare froze for a second as something hit her. She rushed out to the front hall and grabbed her purse. She pulled out the envelope that had contained the check. Junebug gasped, usually the checks had been forwarded from Baltimare to Ponyville by her friend. This one had been sent straight from Manehattan.

Junebug went to her bedroom rushed to a desk, grabbing a folder that contained old foal support mail. She tended to keep them to have the dates, in case a check was late and she needed to send in a complaint. The mare started to go over the envelopes, her eyes grew wider, for the last several months, all her checks had come straight from Manehattan.

Why didn’t Tulip let me know? She would have noticed that the checks weren’t coming to her, she thought, then the mare gasped. Wait, a few months ago. Tulip did send me a telegram, telling me that a foal support check was being late. I sent her an answer back, telling her it had arrived. I just thought maybe she forgot she forwarded it to me.

Then… wait, she did ask me if I was still getting the checks, I just said yes. Junebug cringed as she realized the mistake. She had just thought Tulip wasn’t sure if the mail she was sending was coming to her, while Tulip probably thought she had just suddenly decided to stop having the check sent to her first. Then it fully dawned on the mare. Barricade did not only know she lived in Ponyville, he knew her address.

Junebug covered her face, holding back frightened sobs. Questioning how this could have happened. Was Barricade here just to deliver his daughter for a visit with her sister? Or was he trying to come to see her son? She was no longer sure.

End chapter 1

Comments

[IDontWatchMLP]

Congrats! You get a like.

[Askre]

9602564
Thanks.