The Sons of Barricade. Part 1. Cooper

by Askre

Chapter 3. Junebug's tale.

Chapter 3

When Junebug returned home, she found Cooper in the living room. The colt was drawing on a sketchpad. It was maybe not his special talent, but he liked sketching when not out training or playing with his friends. The mare had several drawers full of his sketches and some were even framed and hung on the walls of the house.

For a while, Junebug had actually thought he would get his cutie-mark related to art. Then he started to show more skill in his favorite sport and one day after training, he came home beaming with his new soccer cutie-mark.

“Hey mom,” Cooper greeted her when seeing her arrive.

“Hey Sweetie,” Junebug responded and smiled weakly, she had managed to mostly calm down at Sweet Apple Acres, but Granny Smith’s question kept repeating in the back of her mind.

Junebug walked over to a bookshelf and grabbed a photo album from it, then she walked over to a couch and sat down. The mare opened it and stared sadly at the pictures within as she slowly turned the pages. They were all of Cooper at the various stages of his development, from a tiny infant napping in his cradle, the first time he showed interest in soccer and the most recent ones taken in Baltimare celebrating with his team.

“Mom?” Cooper looked up from his sketching, there was no question about it now, something was bothering her. The colt put his pencil and sketchpad on the coffee table, dropped from the chair and walked over to the couch.

“Oh look, did we ever solve this mystery?” Junebug showed him a picture, it had six-year-old Cooper whistling innocently in front of a broken window.

“Erm… I still say the ball took a live on its own,” Cooper mumbled and sat down next to her, blushing a little in embarrassment.

“Yes, you swore up and down you weren’t kicking towards the house, even if I told you not to do that,” Junebug chuckled a little. “Earth ponies have stronger kicks than the others, even when this young.”

“Yeah I know, Coach Dash always tells me to be mindful of how forcefully I kick or tackle,” the colt grumbled, unicorns got magic lessons, pegasi got flight lessons, earth ponies got lessons in learning their own strength.

“You still have problems with that?” the mare asked, glancing at him. Cooper shrugged.

“I’m getting better,” he assured her. Then the colt looked at her concerned, he could still see that something was bother her. “Mom, what’s wrong?”

Junebug sighed and closed the album, she couldn’t delay this forever. She had hoped to distract herself with the photo album, but her visit to Sweet Apple Acres was still very fresh on her mind.

“You have never asked who your father is,” she said and put the album down next to her. The mare looked at her son, who was appearing more unsure now.

“I… never wanted to ask,” Cooper confessed and rubbed one leg. “Not after seeing how upset you looked when other ponies asked in the past.”

Now Junebug felt a little guilty, yes she had not been comfortable with bringing Barricade up, yet it wasn’t supposed to discourage her son from maybe one day want to know. Then again maybe deep down that is what she had wanted, but what did her son want?

“You want to know who he is?” she finally asked, no use dragging this on. Granny Smith indeed had a point, so far everything had been done because of what she wanted, but she had no idea what Cooper wanted.

“I guess… I’ve been curious,” her son told her.

I should have known, yet I probably just ignored it, Junebug thought, feeling even more guilty now.

“Honey… that unicorn you met yesterday. Barricade,” her voice lowering with every word. “He’s your father.”

Cooper blinked, too stunned to say anything. Suddenly, Barricade’s words made much more sense. Why would that unicorn be sorry he missed an impromptu game in a park? Did Coach Dash know? Is that why she called him over? Did Barricade even know?

“D-does he know?” he whispered, still just staring forward with wide open eyes.

“I never sent him pictures of you. Just receive foal support payments from him,” his mother told him and placed a leg around the colt. “He probably had no idea what you looked like until you two met yesterday.”

“Wait, he’s Dinky’s dad… oh… is that why you never told me about him?” Cooper frowned a little, a lot of things were starting to make sense now. He had in the past overheard the filly rant about her awful father to her friends.

“Yes… I was one of the many mares he mistreated and cast aside…” Junebug confessed and pulled her son into a hug. “I’m sorry I never told you… I’ve just always been so scared of him.”

“What did he do?” Cooper asked, hoping his mother would tell him now that she had confessed who his father was.

Junebug took a deep breath as some uncomfortable memories began to surface. She wasn’t even sure if it was fair to be telling it, not if it was true that Barricade was changing. Yet perhaps it was time her son got to know who his mother had used to be.

“Believe it or not, I used to be a bit wild,” she started, causing Cooper to look at her skeptically. His mom barely cut a rug at Pinkie Pie’s parties; he just couldn’t picture his mother as anywhere close to wild.

“When I was in trade school, I met a few ponies… they were supplying alcohol for the ponies at school, for the parties and all that. They were also recruiting and well, I showed up at one of those recruiting meetings,” Junebug continued and shook her head over how she had behaved when younger.

“A stallion started accosting me, no matter what I said, he wouldn’t leave me alone. Then a magic aura wrapped around his throat and tossed him to the side. That’s how I met your father, he told the stallion to buzz off and that I was clearly not interested. He was one of the higher ups of this group, not in charge but had some say in matters,” she sighed deeply.

“I just fell flat for him. Keep in mind, I was young and naïve, he had just rescued me from a guy who clearly couldn’t take a no for an answer.” Junebug looked at Cooper who was listening attentively, only a furrowing his brow slightly.

“He was very charming, made sure I was all right and escorted me home. We started meeting after school. He took me to parties… I sometimes stayed the nights at his dwelling.” the mare hesitated to say that last part, but Cooper was old enough to know how foals came about.

“Then he started to occupy all my free time, kept me away from my friends, made sure I was always with him when not in school. I was stupid, I didn’t notice it at first.” Junebug fell silent and for a moment didn’t say anything. The mare was coming to the part that had finally opened her eyes and she was trying to think of a child friendly way to explain it.

“I was under orders by him to come to where he lived after school that day. I still don’t know why, he usually just picked me up after school. Anyway, I went there and when I arrived, I heard a ruckus inside the apartment. I worried something had happened, so I rushed to open the door and saw…” the mare gulped and subconsciously held her son a little tighter. Cooper could feel his mother tense up, so he put his own legs around her.

“I saw Barricade with few other ponies. There was this earth pony there, he seemed to be in charge. I can’t remember his name, he had a foreign accent, golden skull for a cutie mark. On the floor was a unicorn, badly beaten up, surrounding that unicorn was Barricade and two other ponies I had never seen,” she slowly explained, grimacing at the memories.

“They noticed me before I had fully comprehended what I saw. The foreign stallion snapped something at Barricade, I think he was telling him to get rid of me or something. Barricade grabbed me in his magic aura and dragged me to the bedroom, threw me in there and locked the door. I was trapped.” Junebug could feel the tears returning.

The mare had to take a moment to calm herself down again. She really hated telling her son this darkest moment in her life, yet he had finally asked and Junebug felt she owed him to tell. Cooper for now just seemed to be digesting everything she was telling him, his frown turning a little deeper.

“I banged on the door, asking to be let out. Nothing happened. I heard more noise and voices, before everything went silent. Then finally Barricade opened the door, staring at me with these cold eyes,” Junebug shuddered, those eyes still sometimes haunted her.

“He grabbed me in his magic again, slammed me to the wall, asking in a furious tone why I hadn’t knocked. I shouldn’t be barging in like that. I tried to explain, tried to tell him I had heard the ruckus and worried something had happened. He didn’t listen, slammed me to the wall again told me that he didn’t care, next time I knock,” she kept going, the story was near its end, she couldn’t quit now.

“He didn’t toss me out, just let me go and walked out of the bedroom. I tried to leave but he forbade me and I was too scared to disobey. He kept me in the apartment for the entire weekend, I wasn’t even allowed to go outside. If I tried, he would lock me in the bedroom again. I was finally allowed to leave when it was time to go back to school,” Junebug closed her eyes, sniffling.

“Then… after school he wasn’t there to pick me up. I was confused, he had been such a constant presence in my life for weeks I just didn’t know what to do or say. So, my brain just steered me right back to his apartment… yet as I did, I suddenly found I didn’t want to meet him anymore, I wanted to leave yet wasn’t sure if I could.” The mare started to frown herself.

“When I arrived, he was there. Didn’t say a word to me, probably figured he had brainwashed me enough to just come automatically. I somehow worked up a nerve to tell him I wanted to leave, I couldn’t do this anymore.” Junebug looked at Cooper, who was starting to look a bit upset himself. She hugged him tighter, nuzzling his mane to reassure him.

“He told me didn’t care, he didn’t need me, said I could just buzz off.” she started to finish her long tale. “I was so shocked; it just came so apparent how stupid I had been. I left and… I never saw him again. Later I found out I was pregnant with you.”

Having finally finished telling her son everything, a heavy load seemed to have been lifted off her mind. Now she was worried this had been too much for the colt to hear. He was clinging to her now, looking sad and was tearing up.

“Do I remind you of him?” he then whispered, the boy had just realized where he had received his blonde mane and tail.

“No, of course not, honey,” Junebug assured him gently and smiled warmly. “I loved you the moment I first laid my eyes on you. You were so cute, I couldn’t but cuddle you all day long.”

“I vowed to give you the best life I could possibly give you, even with the limited money we have,” she told him, she reached to lift his head so she could stare him in the eyes. “I have no regrets with you, you’ve made my life happier and the only thing I do regret is not having told you this sooner. You had every right to know who your father was and why I do not like speaking about him.”

“I love you mom,” Cooper said and started to cry, he buried his face in his mother’s chest. Junebug held him even closer, tearing up herself.

“I love you too, Cooper,” she whispered. Junebug held her son in her legs for a while, focusing now on just calming him down.

When Cooper looked calmer, the mare asked if he wanted to go out and get some treats. The colt nodded and the two departed their home and went to Sugarcube Corner to buy some cupcakes and hot chocolate. Pinkie Pie was more than happy to serve them, she could already spot those two where looking more solemn than usual.

Junebug then took her son to the movie theater, a new movie had just been released about the adventures of Smash Fortune. Cooper had expressed some interest in seeing it, but his mother had always been stingy with the money and movie tickets were expensive. This time though, the mare figured it was well worth it.

It was getting late in the afternoon when mother and son finally returned home. Evening was fast approaching and Celestia was already in the process of lowering the sun. Cooper was clearly feeling better, kept raving on about the movie. Junebug had herself been bored to tears, grumbling silently about the cheesy dialogue, obviously fake sets and the badly concealed strings on the rocket ship. However, her son was happy, that was good enough for her.

When they arrived at the house, they were surprised to see Derpy Hooves standing there. The gray pegasus was dropping a letter in the mailbox.

“Derpy?” Junebug addressed the mail-mare who jumped a little and turned around with an innocent grin. “Bit late for a mail delivery.”

“Yeah… it was a special delivery,” Derpy chuckled and shifted on her legs. “You weren’t home, so I figured I just drop it in the box.”

“Really?” Cooper rushed to the box, opened it and pulled out the envelope. He arched his brow, it had no stamps or anything, just Junebug’s name written on it in a clear horn writing script.

“It’s from you-know-who,” Derpy whispered to the yellow pony. “I was asked to get it to you quickly.”

“Oh…” Junebug cringed, Cooper was giving her the letter since it was addressed to her.

“Don’t think it’s bad, they assured me it wasn’t. I find it really odd to say this, but he’s changed, for real,” the pegasus said and unfolded her wings. “But you know where to find me, if you want to talk. We’re kind of in the same club after all.”

Derpy then took to the air and flew away. Junebug and Cooper watched her for a moment before looking at the letter. Mother and son then went inside and walked to the living room and got seated on the couch.

“It’s from your father,” Junebug told Cooper, not even wanting to keep this a secret. If he wanted to be present when she opened this letter, he could.

“Oooh boy,” Cooper braced himself, yet still very curious what the letter said.

Junebug took a deep breath and opened the envelope and pulled out the letter inside. She unfolded it and started reading:

Hey June.

I know I’m probably the last pony you ever want to hear from. I wouldn’t blame you. The way I treated you, kept you prisoner in that dingy apartment I was living in, hurt and scared you. Kept you away from your friends and just dominated your life, when you should have just been focusing on your school and not worry about a jerk like me.

I’ve been making a lot of apologies and you are one I have not yet apologized too. I’m not asking for forgiveness and I will continue to stay out of your life and Cooper's life if that is what you want.

But I want to say I’m sorry. Really sorry, for all of it. You deserved better; Cooper deserves better. He does not need to meet the pony who hurt his mother. I’m really sorry I met him that other day when dropping off Coal in Ponyville. I was not expecting Dash to introduce him to me. She just likes to boast and she’s clearly very proud of the kid. What little I did see and hear, I’m very proud of him too. Bet he’s going to end up as a big soccer player star.

You have done good with him, given him a far better life than if I had been around to mess things up. You are very good mother.

I can’t promise to stay out of Ponyville. Dinky lives there and I am fixing things with her since her mother is allowing it. However, I promise to stay out of the way of you, not approach you or Cooper, even if I see you both.

If you haven’t crumbled the letter and tossed it away at this point, I just want to say. Keep doing what you are doing, you are raising a good kid

With regards.

Barricade

Junebug was stunned, this did not sound at all like the Barricade she had known. Cooper was now reading the letter, arching his brow. He looked at his mother who was still mentally going over what she had just read.

“Sounds like he’s really sorry,” he remarked and put the letter on the table.

“I’m going to have to talk with Cheerilee tomorrow,” the mare said suddenly and looked at Cooper.

“Uh why?” he asked confused, not seeing what talking with his teacher had anything to do with what had just happened.

“Yes, you need a day off,” Junebug said, she was suddenly filled with determination.

“What?” Cooper blinked, not that having a day off from school wasn’t wonderful idea, but he had a feeling there was more to it than that.

“Yes, we are going to Manehattan tomorrow,” his mother declared. “It’s time for me to face my fears and you… to properly meet your father.”

End chapter 3