//------------------------------// // Optional Epilogue - Meanwhile in Fillydelphia // Story: The Time Keeper of Ponyville // by Askre //------------------------------// Optional Epilogue Fillydelphia Dew Doe opened the front door when there was a rapid knocking on it. The Pegasus mare frowned a little when seeing who it was before opening the door fully and gestured to a pony wearing a body covering brown cloak to come in. “Just typical, you show up now. We could have used a little assistance yesterday,” she grunted as the pony passed her. “I got a little busy and well things didn’t go quite as planned and oh you know how it is and things turned out alright didn’t they?” the guest said with a chuckle and disappeared down the hallway and entered the living room. Private lay by the unlit fireplace, next to him was little black unicorn filly with gray mane and tail, she was drawing with crayons. Foxy sat on a couch and was reading a book, they all three looked up when the pony entered the room. “Where were you?” the maroon mare grunted. “I had the worst day yesterday. Sorry, we had the worst day.” “I was held up, couldn’t help it. But you all went didn’t you? You met them?” the pony asked excitedly. “We did,” Dew Doe said as she now entered the living room. “Let me guess, you suggested to Swift Mane to send us to do that case, didn’t you?” “No, no no…. yes.” The pony finally took down the hood of the cloak from his head, revealing a that he bore a striking resemblance to Time Turner, except the coat was a bit lighter shade of brown and he was bit taller. “It needed to be you, only then would we truly know if Barricade was really being docile and settling down. Besides now you have met Turner and Derpy, now you know how they know you,” the pony explained, he only received unimpressed stares, except from Coal who just continued to draw once she had seen who had arrived. The pony’s smile dropped a bit as he observed the ponies in the room and sensing that the room was rather grim. He finished taking off his cloak and began wrapping it up as he considered what to say next. “I know this was very difficult for you all and especially Coal to learn how her father really is. But you know me and you know I protect those I care about and sometimes to protect you, I need to show you the hard bitter reality. I would love it myself if Barricade finally turned around, it would be brilliant to see him finally show some real remorse for all the things he’s been part of and done. I know deep down he has good qualities, just right now he isn’t really showing them. One day we might be able to help him bring them forth and one day he might even become a decent enough pony,” he said and smiled now more gently, almost fatherly. “And considering what happened yesterday, that isn’t happening yet. The whole thing was a trap set up by him to see if we would interfere in his business,” Dew Doe muttered “I sometimes hate when you’re right.” “Yes it’s infuriating, I know,” the brown pony chuckled and approached Coal and Private. “So Coal, you now understand why we are so reserved about your father?” “Yes,” the filly looked up and sighed. “Now what kind of a face is that on a little filly,” the brown stallion said and sat down in front of her. “You are young and still with many hopes and dreams, you wanted your daddy to be a good pony and really wanted to believe that. But chin up, you still have your mom, your aunt, your uncle, your grandparents, your grandmother and have they told you about your sister in Ponyville?” “Yeah, but I’m not sure, what if she doesn’t like me? Cara doesn’t like me.” Coal asked looking unsure. “Not like you? You? What are you talking about, I can tell you that she will love you, her mother is a wonderful pony who never judges you and you’ll be drowning in muffins. Heck you’re not just getting a new sister, you’re getting a new aunt I’m sure,” the pony assured her while gesturing wildly with his hooves. Dew and Foxy watched while the brown pony tried to cheer up Coal. It had not been easy for them to explain to the filly yesterday when they picked her up from their mother. However, to their surprise the girl hadn’t really cried as they had expected her to do, just glumly accepted it that she wasn’t after all going to her father. Now a thought occurred to Dew that could possibly explain it. “He showed her, didn’t he?” Dew Doe whispered to Foxy. “That’s what I’m guessing…” Foxy nodded in agreement. “Doctor, did you show her what happened yesterday?” The blue Pegasus decided to ask. “Aaaah… uuuh…ehehe.” The brown pony glanced back at them with a half innocent and half nervous smile. “With your mother’s approval and she was there too just so you know before you do or say anything too rash.” “So that’s why mom looked so relieved to see us,” Dew grunted. Foxy folded her front legs and was glaring at the brown pony, but before she could say anything, or do anything as she was tempted to, Coal rose up and quickly walked to the couch. “Mommy wait… I sort of told him to show me… or it was more I was telling granny that I was going to see daddy next weekend, granny was surprised it hadn’t just been cancelled because daddy always breaking promises,” the filly said and climbed up to the couch to sit with Foxy. “I told granny I would prove to her that it wouldn’t be broken and I asked the Doctor to show us.” Coal hung her head looking a little ashamed. “I swear, Foxy, that she was never in any danger and your mother managed wonderfully to keep her from doing anything. I really wanted to come over and help you but Turner and Derpy were there as well and they haven’t met me yet and I couldn’t risk it. Thus I managed to attract the attention of Tango and lead him to you. Even though he made some mistakes in his life I knew he was still a formerly trained officer and could take care of sticky situations like these,” The Doctor told the mare, once again he had the gentler expression from earlier. “Alright fine,” Foxy relented though mostly only because she heard her mother had been involved. She reached to grab her daughter in a hug. “And you little mischief, I’m sorry you had to see all of this.” “No, I’m sorry I never believed you.” Coal hugged her mother back. “I don’t want to see dad ever again.” “So you want to go to Ponyville next weekend instead?” the maroon mare asked and chuckled when the filly nodded her head eagerly. Dew smiled, happy to see that her niece’s spirits were going up again. Her attention thought was quickly brought back to the Doctor who had turned to Private and was speaking to him and suddenly gave an indignant snort: “What did he mean worthless? We ourselves used those coins back when we were stuck in ancient Spartacornia.” The end… for now.