//------------------------------//
// Chapter 14. Building bridges. 
// Story: In old Manehattan 
// by Askre 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 14

Ponyville.

“Welcome, one and all to the Summer Play of the Unicorn Sisters!” Dinky raised one hoof high in the air where she stood on the makeshift stage in Ponyville Park. In front of it were scores of ponies watching. The violet filly then took a flourishing bow before gesturing to her right.

“And now let me introduce the players. On my right, Tootsie Flute, still sharing a room with me… wait,” Dinky rose up and looked at Tootsie. “Why are we still sharing a room?”

“Because our house is too small!!” Tootsie Flute shook one hoof into air, faking an angry scowl. This caused some chuckles from the audience.

“Yeah, our house is too small,” Dinky frowned thoughtfully, before gesturing to her left. “And to my left, all the way from Fillydelphia, Coal!”

On her left was a black filly with a silver gray mane and a golden heart cutie mark. She bowed as well and got applause from the audience. When Coal rose, she looked at Dinky.

“Coal, you came all the way from Fillydelphia to be in our play. How are you feeling?” her sister asked.

“Tired, you know how far it is between Fillydelphia and Ponyville?” Coal said with an indignant snort.

“You didn’t take the train?” Tootsie asked, Coal faked a shocked gasp.

“There are trains that go here?” the black unicorn sounded indignant. Then she looked towards the audience, specifically where a maroon-colored pegasus mare with a white back and muzzle stood. “Mom. You lied to me! You tricked me into exercising!”

All she earned was a tongue from her mother and laughter from the audience. The fillies themselves were trying very hard not to giggle themselves, maintaining as serious faces as was possible.

“Alright, alright, that’s enough horse play. Let’s get this play on the road!” Dinky declared as the girls began their act.

In the audience, the maroon mare, Coal’s mother Foxy, was really trying not to laugh too loudly at the antics happening on stage. With her was Derpy, but also there was Foxy’s sister Dew Doe, a smaller blue pegasus with a white and red mane and tail. Standing next to her was a dark gray unicorn stallion with a blonde mane and tail, Private Iceland. Usually he was seen with a fairly bored expression, but he was actually smiling slightly as he watched the play.

“They have been rehearsing this for weeks. I’m glad so many ponies showed up for it,” Derpy whispered to the ponies from Fillydelphia. Foxy nodded in agreement.

“I would ask where they get their ideas, but considering their mothers,” Dew Doe teased, earning mock glares from the other two pegasi mares.

The ponies were so intent on watching the play that they didn’t notice three more entering the park along with Applejack. The apple farmer looked around, spotting what she needed to see, she started towards the back of the crowd, but was intercepted by a pony who did notice them coming.

“Applejack, what’s Barricade doing here?” Twilight Sparkle asked, sounding concerned as she landed in front of the newly arrived group. Behind the farm pony were Barricade, Cara and Barbell.

“Ah met Barricade while in Manehattan. He’s here to make amends,” Applejack told the princess.

Twilight looked at the unicorn whose attention had been caught by the fillies on stage. Cara was also watching and actually chuckling at some of the jokes thrown around.

“I wish I had a little warning with this…” Twilight cringed slightly but didn’t elaborate further what she was worried about. “Come on, I know where those he needs to speak with are.”

Applejack nodded. She had actually spotted the ponies, but allowed Twilight to lead the way, planning to inquire later what had Twilight so nervous. Through the crowd of ponies they headed towards where Derpy was with the Fillydelphia ponies. The first to notice them was Private, who frowned when seeing who was walking behind Applejack. Dew Doe, Foxy and Derpy were next and they looked really shocked.

“Hi ya’ll. I got a pony with me here who wanted to talk with you,” Applejack addressed them, noticing that Twilight was glancing around, looking at every shadow.

Before any of the pegasi could say a word, Private stepped forward, holding out his hoof to the mares in a signal, before looking past Applejack and right at Barricade whose attention was still mostly on the stage. He had to be gently nudged by Barbell to finally look towards his twin brother.

Private arched his brow when seeing the solemn expression on Barricade before he nodded and then gestured with his head for them to walk out of the crowd and further to the back.

Barricade took a deep breath before following his brother with Cara and Barbell. After them went the three pegasi mares. Applejack and Twilight stayed behind. The princess was still glancing around, but the farmer knew that Barricade was on his own now.

“What’s goin’ on with you?” Applejack asked her friend.

“I can only say right now that certain parties would be very interested in learning that both Private and Barricade are here. I’ll tell you more later. Let’s make sure things don’t get heated at this impromptu meeting,” Twilight told her and started towards the back, but still kept a respectful distance.


Outside the crowd, further back, Barricade was now face-to-face with his brother. Cara stood next to him and so did Barbell. The pegasi mares kept a respectful distance, but were still listening.

“I just wanted to say that…” Barricade started, eyeing the three mares that stared at him suspiciously. “Look, I know I am the last pony you want to see. I know I treated you all horribly. I know nothing I say will really fix what I did in the past. But I still want to say that… I’m sorry for all of it. I really am."

“After I got back from the Crystal Empire…I finally understood all the pain and torment I had caused all of you. I started to hate what I had done. I am a jerk, there is no denying that. I was a bully and should never have done what I did. My daughters deserve a better father than me, who is never around, makes false promises and thinks he can buy their love with gifts,” Barricade sighed. For the first time ever he was really having problems with words.

Private still showed no expression and the pegasi still looked suspicious - Derpy especially looked resentful. Further back, watching were Twilight and Applejack. The princess was very impressed hearing what Barricade was saying while Applejack was smiling, knowing this time the jerk wasn’t putting on a show, this was genuinely coming from his heart.

“I’m not asking for another chance. I just wanted to say I’m sorry and you can take what you want from it,” Barricade finished.

Suddenly Private walked forward and to the shock of everyone who knew him, he put a leg around Barricade in a hug. The pegasi mares looked especially stunned. It was very well known that the silent unicorn was a strict non-hugger. Even Pinkie Pie had realized that.

It was then that Twilight and Applejack noticed the silence all around them. Looking back they saw that the entire crowd of ponies were watching, most were puzzled or curious. On the stage however, the three fillies had stopped, two of them were staring at their father and uncle, mouths hanging wide open.

Tootsie was the first to come back to her senses and promptly shouted. “Uh, impromptu Intermission.”

“You two wanna go to them?” she then whispered to Dinky and Coal.

Dinky and Coal blinked out of their astonishment, glancing at Tootsie before looking at each other, then promptly jumped off stage and rushed over to where their family was.

“Dad?” Coal still couldn’t believe it. Private had let go of Barricade by now.

“You came to our summer play, even if we didn’t even invite you?” Dinky wasn’t much better than her sister, wondering if she was dreaming.

“Uh… heh… yeah, couldn’t miss it, could I?” Barricade turned to them, smiling weakly. “Look girls, I came to apologize. I’ve been a rotten father and not much better in dealing with your mothers. I can understand if you want me to leave.”

Dinky and Coal looked at each other confused, questioning if this was their father at all but a changeling in disguise instead. Then they looked at their mothers, who now looked unsure but reserved. Dew Doe had a more indifferent expression now.

Finally the fillies glanced at each other, put on determined looks and nodded. They marched over to their father and promptly hugged him, much to his surprise as the others around him. Then the girls looked at him, smiling.

“Alright, one more time,” they both said.

Barricade felt strangely relieved hearing that. He looked at Foxy and Derpy who still looked reserved but made no protest over their daughters’ declaration.

“Uh, Dinky, I don’t think you’ve ever met your sister, Cara,” Barricade gestured to the pegasi teenager.

“You told me about her,” Dinky looked at Coal who nodded.

“She used to live with Grandma Mirage and Grandpa Hard Shovel, then she moved to live with dad,” Coal explained, then glanced warily at Cara. “We never got along.”

“Uh… yeah, sorry about that,” Cara looked a little sheepish. “I wasn’t the best pony myself, but hey consider who I lived with.”

“Hey!” Barricade faked an indignant snort but all three fillies giggled.

“Okay, we’ll talk later. We have a play to finish.” Dinky realized that there was still a crowd of ponies around and Tootsie was still alone on the stage. The two unicorn fillies quickly made their way back to the stage.

Barricade watched the fillies go and resume the play. The pegasi mares wasted no time joining the crowd again. The stallion looked at his brother who still stood near him. Private gestured for him to come with him, followed by Barbell and Cara. They were stopped on their way by Twilight and Applejack.

“I’m very proud of you, Barricade. This was a very brave thing of you to do,” Twilight said smiling warmly. “Though I think you should have done this a few months ago in the Crystal Empire.”

“Eh, what can I say, it always takes me a while to get the hint,” Barricade chuckled. Even his brother shook his head, smiling at that remark.

With that both Twilight and Applejack disappeared into the crowd, but not before Barricade received a nod of approval from the farm pony. When they were gone and their attention was mostly on the play, Barricade glanced at his brother.

“Say uh, are Dew and Foxy still social workers that deal with ponies newly out of prison?” he asked. 

Private glanced at him. “Yeah though Foxy is moving to more projects involving troubled foals and Dew Doe is taking on more psychiatric projects,” Private told him.

“I got two tenants that could use a little extra help. I know Manehattan isn’t in their jurisdiction, but I figure they could help reassure them and even get them better connection to help them,” Barricade said quietly. “I’ll explain better when the play is over.”





A few weeks later in Manehattan.

Tango was sitting down in the living room with a newspaper and Snow Heart was lying on the couch when there was a rather rhythmic knocking on the apartment door. The two ponies looked at each other confused, before the stallion rose up to answer.

Outside stood Foxy Stripes and Dew Doe, the blue pegasus smiled warmly while Foxy grinned eagerly and waved one hoof.

“Hi Tango, nice to see you again,” Foxy greeting the stallion cheerfully.

“Ah, Foxy, Dew, what are you doing here?” he asked confused, recalling back when he had helped these two ponies along with Derpy, Time Turner and Private.

“This time we are here to help you,” Foxy declared. Dew Doe chuckled.

“May we come in? We can explain more in private,” the blue mare asked.

The stallion arched his brow but then shrugged and let the mares in, taking them to the living room where he introduced them to a puzzled Snow Heart.

“So what are you here to help us with?” Tango asked when everyone was seated.

“We have been talking with your old parole office and investigating your situation. We found several things in both your cases that have been seriously mishandled in your parole. Granted you are both off parole, but Snow Heart is still free on several conditions,” Dew Doe explained.  The couple just nodded. “You are both still unemployed I understand?”

“Yes,” Snow Heart sighed.

“Yeah, that’s one of the things that were seriously mishandled. The local council here is required to assist you in getting jobs. Also, we found little evidence that there were protests over either of you being housed in other cities. It seems to us that the ponies handling your case just wanted to dump you off in Hoofington and forget all about you,” the blue pegasus continued. Snow Heart and Tango frowned and briefly glanced at each other.

“But never fear, we are here!” Foxy declared before smirking. “After some more investigation and actually talking to certain ponies that do know you, we are prepared to have you moved and even have jobs lined up for you.”

“Wait what?” Snow Heart blinked in confusion.

“Yes uh, one Parasol, Mulberry, Filthy Rich and Major Mare have vouched for you and Princess Twilight Sparkle has given the strong impression that you can be moved to Ponyville and start anew there,” Dew Doe told them as she looked over some papers from her saddlebag.

This time Tango and Snow Heart were too stunned to even speak.

“But how can I move back to Ponyville?” Snow Heart asked once she was over the most surprise.

“Oh that’s easy. Just take the train,” Foxy smiled and grinned when Dew Doe elbowed her.

“I know it sound strange for you, but well…” Dew pulled out a very thick scroll from the saddle bags and gave it to the couple. “Princess Twilight went around and asked ponies if they were against or for the two of you coming back. She asked those who wanted you to come back to sign. It has over two hundred signatures.”

“Over two hundred but, Ponyville has… just over two hundred…” Tango unfurled the scroll and was surprised to see so many familiar names immediately at the top of the list.

“They want us back even after what I did?” Snow Heart blinked.

“Eh, from what I hear, they said others did worse to them. Something about at least you didn’t try and take over the town or make it into chaos capital and such,” Foxy Stripes shrugged before resuming her grin. “So what do you say? Ponyville?”

“I guess we are going back to Ponyville.” Tango looked at Snow Heart who actually smiled genuinely for the first time in ages.

“Parasol wants me back,” she whispered. On top of the scroll was Parasol’s name.

End chapter 14