Chapter 1. Junebug and her son.

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

Chapter 2. Parental confessions.

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Chapter 2

“Seriously, if the boy had a horn and dark gray coat, he would be a near spitting image of me,” Barricade sighed and rubbed his forehead tiredly. “And he has his mother’s emerald eyes.”

Barricade lay on a bench in an office, nearby sat a blue pegasus with a candy cane colored mane. The mare smiled at him sympathetically, then she lifted a clipboard closer and jotted down on the paper fastened to it.

“You’ve always stayed away from Junebug and Cooper I understand, this was the first time you ever saw him?” she asked curiously.

“Yeah, first because I just wasn’t that interested and later… because man… I treated June bad, she was still practically a filly, still in trade school. Then she fell in with the group I was in, working for Caballeron, I did my usual charms on her…” Barricade sighed even deeper. “I didn’t really care at all; she was just convenience to… ugh I don’t want to even say it. And this was just a year or so after what I did to Fuzzy Cloud.”

“You don’t have to say it if you don’t want to, you at least understand what you did to her,” the pegasus said gently.

“You don’t mind me barging in here, Dew Doe, wanting to talk?” Barricade looked at her. “I mean it’s the weekend and all.”

“I told you already, Barricade. Foxy and I are now helping you and whenever you need to talk, our doors are open. So, no I don’t mind,” the pegasus smiled, then she gestured him to go on.

“I just had to come… I mean I knew about Cooper, I didn’t even ask questions, just started to pay support. Then seeing him there, living a happy life, he’s a rising star in his soccer team. Junebug gave him a pretty good life. One part of me is sorry I missed it, the other part keeps telling me if I had been involved, I might just have ruined it, like I nearly did with Dinky and Coal,” Barricade shook his head.

“Oh Celestia, I hope Junebug didn’t see me in Ponyville.” The stallion suddenly cringed as he realized the mother would naturally be around there as well.

“Would that be so bad?” Dew Doe asked carefully. Barricade looked at her sadly.

“Look, the way I treated Foxy and Derpy… seriously, I treated them like queens compared to Fuzzy and Junebug… or…” The stallion grimaced, his voice lowered. “Sunny Daze.”

“Sunny, that’s Chisel’s mother, right?” Dew asked and received a nod in confirmation as a response. “You’ve never met either of your sons.”

“Nope. Probably wouldn’t have met Cara if Fuzzy hadn’t dumped her in an orphanage that later delivered her to mom and dad. Yeah, I just stay away from Sunny and June. Chisel and Cooper do not need to meet the pony that hurt their mothers,” Barricade muttered then groaned as he realized that technically, Cooper already had.

“It is good that you now recognize the damage you did and the potential damage if you were to force them to allow you to meet your sons. It shows how far you have come, Barricade, I’m impressed,” Dew said with a smile.

“Yeah, getting knocked around by King Sombra certainly helped,” Barricade grunted and winched a little as some unpleasant memories surfaced. “I’m still getting nightmares. I’ve never felt so helpless before, even when you guys stopped me from doing stupid stuff.”

“King Sombra was very good at that, making his victims feel helpless. You’ve always had an aversion from being controlled, haven’t you?” the pegasus asked, again Barricade nodded.

“It was bad enough in that military school I was sent to, I hated taking orders and being punished if I didn’t obey them instantly. I just felt like I wasn’t allowed to be myself. It makes me sick seeing royal guards and think I was almost brainwashed into that blind obedience,” the stallion grunted then closed his eyes. “Yes, yes, I know it isn’t really like that, it just…”

“Feels like that to you,” Dew Doe finished. She had heard this before from Barricade during previous sessions. This had finally solved a long-standing mystery in his family, why Barricade was so uncomfortable with the royal guards. He associated them so strongly with being controlled it had managed to work into a fear.

“Then that smoky jackass comes along and what does he do? Makes me into a blindly obedient sentry,” Barricade shuddered.

“Your worst fear,” Dew said, her smile turning more sympathetic. The unicorn looked at her, glanced towards the floor then nodded. This was old talk, but she had a long-standing rule of just letting her patients talk, just let it all out and Barricade tended to ramble when he was uncomfortable. What was important was that he was being open and honest. She could already see why Barricade had switched to this subject instead of, the mares he had hurt and all the children that he had.

“You want to see Cooper again, don’t you?” she asked, Barricade started to look really uncomfortable.

“Yes, when Rainbow Dash started bragging about him, how he got his cutie-mark, the game…” Barricade sniffed, stubbornly held back a tear. “I was so proud of him. My son is accomplishing something he clearly loves. And I don’t dare take part in it, because his mother obviously does not want me in his life.”

“Well you do have certain legal rights…” Dew Doe started but wasn’t surprised at the glare she immediately got from her patient.

“I’m not forcing Junebug into anything. I messed up; I made this bed. I’m sleeping in it,” Barricade grunted, arching his brow when Dew was still smiling.

“I was going to say that, those rights aside, we could still work something out if Junebug was willing. She would not have to meet you, but you could still see Cooper,” she continued, Barricade still glared not very sold on this idea. “However, we won’t do anything, without your consent.”

“We?” Barricade scowled.

“When we first learned that you were Dinky’s father and knowing already about Cara, we looked further into your history and learned about Cooper and Chisel. Your parents and Private have been keeping subtle tabs on them, without interfering with their lives,” Dew Doe explained. “It was mostly done at first if you tried anything like what you did with Derpy, so we could intercede more quickly. Then when you started to change, we’ve more been waiting to see if you were ready.”

“Well, I still think I best stay out of the way, Cooper is happy, I hope Chisel is happy?” Barricade hesitated, since he really didn’t know that much about this younger son.

“I have it on good authority that he’s not living a bad life,” Dew Doe chuckled.

“Good enough for me,” Barricade claimed firmly.

“Perhaps you should stay out of the way, but you have been apologizing to a lot of ponies you have hurt in the past. You don’t always have to apologize in person,” the pegasus smiled now knowingly. Barricade slowly raised one eyebrow.

Cooper sipped on his smoothie, deep in thought. Yesterday he had noticed his mother was acting a bit odd, like she was worried about something but trying to hide it. He couldn’t recall seeing her like this before, at least not in a long time.

There had been times when he was younger, when ponies asked who his father was that Junebug would get a strange look and just say she left him before Cooper was born. The boy had never really worried that much about who his father was, he was happy enough with his mom.

That hadn’t stopped Cooper to wonder sometimes, but he never really dared asking, not when remembering the strange look his mother got when other ponies asked. Nobody in Ponyville seemed to know, then again, how could they? They had moved here when he was four.

The colt was roused from his thoughts when seeing Dinky, Coal and Tootsie sitting down at a close by table in front of the diner. He remembered hearing that the violet filly had some trouble with her dad in the past, but everything seemed fine now. He had even arrived yesterday to deliver Coal. Cooper couldn’t help but feel the fillies were very lucky to know their dad.

“Well I think it is a good idea,” Dinky declared with a huff.

“You always think your ideas are good,” Tootsie grumbled, she stole a glance to Cooper’s table.

“I think we need an impartial judge.” Coal nodded smartly. “Someone not biased by a familial connection.”

“Hey Cooper!” Dinky turned in her seat to address the colt. Tootsie’s eyes bulged out in shock.

“Yes?” the colt looked at them, having stopped paying attention to the fillies shortly after they sat down.

“We need an impartial judge about an idea I have to surprise Sparkler, her birthday is coming up,” the violet filly explained to him, Tootsie was sinking in her chair.

“Sparkler doesn’t like surprises,” the opal filly peeped, avoiding eye contact with the colt.

“And the last birthday we held kind of ended with Ponyville cursed. Not directly our fault but we don’t want to take any chances,” Coal remarked with a grin.

“Uh okay, what’s your idea?” Cooper shrugged, he might as well play along, keep his mind off things for now. He rose up when Dinky waved him over to their table and he moved to sit with them.

Dinky didn’t quite get a chance to tell her idea just yet, a waiter arrived and Coal ordered three juices for her and her sisters, paying with money Barricade had given her. When the waiter was gone, the attention turned back to Cooper.

“Sparkler loves to organize, so I was thinking we should ask Fluttershy if she can ask Discord since they are friends, to rearrange her room so she can organize it all over again,” Dinky said with an eager grin.

“We’ve already pointed out the many flaws in that plan,” Coal said with a sigh, Tootsie was silent.

“But it’s the perfect gift, we don’t have to buy her something new and hope she likes it. She gets to do what she loves,” Dinky protested, flailing her hooves as she did.

“Um,” Cooper blinked. Like many in Ponyville, he was aware how mischievous the unicorn sisters could be, but this sounded a bit too much, even too him.

“I think that would just make Sparkler mad,” he finally said. Dinky folded her legs and harrumphed. Tootsie grinned and Coal just shrugged.

“Yeah that’s what we figured, though I was on the fence at the off chance it might be funny. But yeah, I think it will just make Sparkler mad,” the black filly said and gave her grumbling sister a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

“Sorry I couldn’t be of more help,” Cooper said and took a sip from his smoothie.

“Oh, no you were very helpful,” Tootsie said smiling warmly at the colt. The juices arrived and the three fillies started sipping their drinks.

“So uh, your dad, Barricade, he looked pretty cool,” the colt mentioned, figuring since he was now sitting at their table he might as well ask about the unicorn stallion from yesterday.

“Yeah he’s pretty good, especially when he stopped being a jerk.” Dinky nodded, Coal agreed.

“He didn’t used to be like this, visiting like that unannounced or well do anything with us. But he changed, we gave him another chance and he’s stuck by it,” Coal added in.

“He’s not my dad, but he still gives me presents if he gives Dinky presents,” Tootsie mentioned, her sisters smiled.

“He doesn’t want you to feel left out,” Dinky told her.

“So, wait. He was with your mom and your mom?” Cooper furrowed his brow as he realized that the fillies had different mothers. The girls nodded in confirmation.

“He was with my mom first, but he was a super jerk with her so Uncle Private chased him out. Well okay, he was not with my mom actually first, there was Cara’s mom, but dad doesn't like talking about her,” Coal explained as she thought this over.

“Then he came to Ponyville and lived with my mom, but he left before I was born. He was pretty mean to mom as well,” Dinky sighed and shook her head, then resumed her smile. “But he’s apologized and he’s a much nicer dad now.”

Cooper frowned a little in thought, Barricade certainly had gone around. He was about to comment on that, but fell silent when thinking the unicorn in question was approaching their table. But this one didn’t look right, he had blue eyes, his mane was longer and bit messier and there was a book on his flank. He also didn’t seem as fit as Barricade.

“Uncle Private!” Dinky waved enthusiastically to the arriving stallion. Coal jumped from her seat and rushed over to hug her uncle, who never changed his neutral looking expression. Tootsie waved as well.

“Derpy told me you girls would be here,” Private said, his voice dry and quiet, but there was a small crack of a smile on his muzzle.

“Just brainstorming ideas for Sparkler’s birthday next week,” Coal explained and returned to her seat. Her uncle just nodded, then he looked at Cooper. The colt could have sworn there was recognition in his eyes.

“This is Cooper, Tootsie and I know him from school,” Dinky introduced the young earth pony.

“Hey, nice to meet you,” Cooper greeted the stallion.

“Hey,” Private greeted him, the fillies glanced at each other unsure.

“Wait, did Uncle Private just greet somepony he’s meeting for the first time audibly?” Dinky whispered to Coal. The fillies were far more used to their quiet uncle just nodding or grunting a greeting to strangers.

“Well, I gotta go, uh nice meeting you, Private,” Cooper said, his smoothie cup empty by now.

The colt jumped off his seat and tossed the cup in a nearby trash bin, the fillies said goodbye and even Private did, causing the girls again to look at him oddly. Cooper then trotted off, figuring he should go and find some of his friends and hang out before heading home.

Applejack opened the front door of her home and was mildly concerned to see the yellow mare standing on the front porch, tears streaming down her cheeks. Without another word, Junebug stepped forward and grabbed the orange mare in a hug.

“S-sorry, didn’t know where else to go,” Junebug cried softly.

“Hey, hey it’s alright Sugarcube, come on in,” Applejack gently assured the mare, patting her back. The farmer then gently led her inside and took her to a nearby couch.

Applejack kept a leg around the upset pony, allowing her to cry. Patiently waiting for Junebug to calm down to tell her what was wrong. The noise did catch some attention, Granny Smith came out from the kitchen.

“Here now, what’s all this hubbub about?” the elder asked, frowning in concern when seeing Junebug.

“Ah don’t know yet, Granny, Junebug was just arrivin’,” Applejack explained to her grandmother.

“I’ll go make some ginseng tea, that should help the youngin calm down, was just puttin’ the kettle on anyhow,” Granny offered and slowly returned to the kitchen.

Applejack returned her attention to Junebug who kept crying. The orange pony wondered if something had happened related to Barricade, recalling how scared the upset mare had been when seeing him. Eventually Junebug did start to calm down, the sobs began to die down and finally she freed herself from the apple-farmer’s leg and sat upright.

“S-Sorry… it’s just…” Junebug sniffed and wiped her wet cheek.

“It’s alright, Sugarcube, Ah told you to come to me if you needed any help,” Applejack told her.

Granny Smith arrived back from the kitchen with a steaming cup of tea. The old pony offered it to Junebug who accepted with a quiet thanks and carefully sipped her drink. The yellow pony felt a little embarrassed having come here to cry her eyes out.

“There now, that’s better. Now why don’t ya tell us what is bothering you?” Granny asked and got seated in her rocking chair.

“I was scared. I just realized that the foal support payments are coming directly from Manehattan, instead of being forwarded from Baltimare by my friend,” Junebug whispered, closing her eyes tight.

“Barricade knows where Cooper and I live.” Her voice got even lower.

Applejack blinked then grimaced slightly, realizing this was probably her fault. She of course had no idea that Junebug was getting her support payment through a different address.

“Barricade? Wasn’t that the young hoodlum who lived here some years ago and treated young Derpy Hooves like some third-grade sack of corns?” Granny Smith asked, scowling slightly.

“The same, but he’s been changin’, Granny,” Applejack told her, then she looked apologetically at Junebug. "Ah’m mighty sorry, Junebug, Barricade knowing where y'all live might be my fault.”

“W-what do you mean?” Junebug asked surprised.

“As Ah told you yesterday, when the Crusaders and I went to Manehattan several months ago, we met up with Barricade and saw how he was changin’ his ways. Before we left, Ah asked him how many foals he had, he mentioned Cooper and Ah was so surprised, Ah asked if it was your Cooper and he confirmed it,” the farmer explained and sighed deeply. “Guess he must’ve corrected the address he sent the payments when Ah confirmed y'all lived in Ponyville now.”

“Well… that explains it then,” Junebug hung her head. She didn’t even have energy to be mad at Applejack over this.

“He met Cooper yesterday,” she then whispered, sipping her tea. Applejack looked alarmed, but Granny just raised an eyebrow.

“At the park, where he was playing soccer with his friends. Rainbow Dash introduced him, is Rainbow really his friend?” Junebug asked, glancing at Applejack.

“Uh, sort of. They were both captured by King Sombra back when Ponyville was cursed by him. Starlight told us Rainbow and he helped the rescue team get the rest of the prisoners away,” Applejack explained. “Rainbow has referred to him as her ‘kickin’ King Sombra’s rump’ buddy.”

“Yeah, Rainbow sure likes hangin’ out with them rough and tough types, like that Gilda girl,” Granny retorted and rolled her eyes. Applejack tried not to chuckle; her grandmother was no doubt remembering that mean prank the griffon had played on her quite a while ago.

“Ah,” Junebug just nodded. She was feeling a bit better now and continued to drink the tea. “Barricade apparently didn’t say anything to Cooper about being his father. I just can’t help wondering if he showed up to try and meet him.”

“Maybe, but Ah don’t think it was. Dinky does live here and he’s trying to be a better father to the girl, he probably just decided to drop by to surprise her. Ponyville is a small town, he was bound to run into Cooper at some point,” Applejack told her.

“I suppose,” Junebug sighed. “But now what… I’ve never sent Barricade pictures of Cooper. Told him nothing about him. Just accepted the support payments. Now Barricade knows how he looks like. What if he wants to see him?”

“If this was the old Barricade, Ah’m not sure. The new one? Ah don’t think he will, not without your approval,” the apple-farmer said confidently.

“Well, what does little Cooper want?” Granny asked, prompting Junebug to look at her startled. That hadn’t even occurred to her to consider.

“It be none of my business, tellin’ y'all what to do. But little Cooper, he ain’t going to be little for very long, growing like he is. If he ain’t askin’ already, he will one day, wonderin’ about his kin,” the old mare said, smiling warmly at the younger one.

“Granny has a point, what does Cooper want?” Applejack wondered.

Junebug cringed as it dawned on her. She had been so focused on just giving her son the best possible life, she hadn’t even entertained the thought that he might want to know who his father was. Cooper had never asked, but what if he was afraid to ask?

“I… I don’t know,” she swallowed nervously.

End chapter 2

Chapter 3. Junebug's tale.

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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

Chapter 4. Meeting Barricade.

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Chapter 4

Blaring music assaulted Junebug’s ears when she entered a gym called The Barricade, deep in Hoofington Manehattan. All around were ponies exercising, lifting weights or working on machines. The mare found this place strangely appropriate to find the father of her son.

Applejack had provided her with the info where to find Barricade, even offered to come with her and Cooper. Junebug accepted, however, she felt she needed to do this bit alone at first, make sure Barricade was like he was portrayed in the letter. So the apple-farmer and Cooper stayed behind in Hooflyn were Applejack’s relatives lived.

Junebug almost jumped when a big greenish opal earth pony mare appeared right in front of her. The stranger’s white and dark greenish mane were braided up and on her flank was a barbell. The pony gave her a friendly smile.

“Hello and welcome to The Barricade, you here just for the day or want to try for a membership?” the mare asked.

“Uh no…” Junebug was a little taken aback, this new mare looked rough and tough. “I’m actually here to look for Barricade, I was told he’s here during the day.”

“Oh, you need to see the boss, what’s it about?” the mare asked curiously.

“Can you tell him that Junebug is here to see him,” Junebug said, causing the other pony’s eyes to bulge out in shock.

“Wait… you’re Junebug?” the opal pony asked hesitantly and cringed when the yellow mare nodded.

“Come with me, I’m Barbell by the way. I’m Barricade’s wife,” she then introduced herself, causing Junebug to raise her brow a little.

He’s married? Junebug couldn’t say she was expecting that. Barbell took her to an office door further inside the gym, knocked and opened it to look inside.

“I’m busy,” a voice said that caused Junebug to grimace a little, she hadn’t heard that voice in a long time.

“Pull your head out of these bills, somepony here to see you,” Barbell said and backed away from the door, gesturing Junebug to go inside.

Inhaling deeply, the yellow mare slowly entered the office. She hesitated when seeing the big dark gray unicorn sitting at a desk, surrounded with papers, some held up in his magic aura. Barricade froze, his jaw dropped and the paperwork he was holding up dropped, scattering around.

“Hey, Barricade,” Junebug whispered, the office door was closed behind her. She couldn’t believe she was now alone with him, after all these years.

“J-June… what are you doing here? Didn’t you get the letter?” Barricade asked and looked about ready to dive out of the window behind him.

“Oh, I got it.” The mare reached into her saddlebag and pulled out the letter to show him, then returned it back into the bag. “I… had to come… see if it was really true.”

“It is,” Barricade nodded and looked down, he used his magic to start picking up the scattered paper. “I am really, really sorry for what I did.”

“What changed?” Junebug asked, still feeling unsure about all of this. But so far Barricade was keeping his distance and that made her feel a little safer.

Barricade sighed and finished stacking up the loose papers. Then he glanced at two picture frames that were on his desk. The unicorn grabbed them with magic and turned the frames so Junebug could see. One was a picture of Coal and the other was of her sister, Cara a grayish brown pegasus filly.

“I got my senses knocked into me and I realized that those two needed a better father,” he said, he picked up a third frame from a shelf, this one had Dinky on it. “I’m still getting to know Dinky all over again, was even worse father to her. I had to change for my little girls. Cara almost got hurt because my past caught up with me.”

“But Cooper?” the mare wondered and sat down, looked like she wasn’t going anywhere for the time being.

“I decided to continue to stay away, because I was just too scared to approach you and apologize,” Barricade confessed, arching his brow a little when Junebug had to hold her mouth as a giggle almost escaped from her mouth.

“Look, I treated you very badly. When you sent me a notification that you had born a child, I was a very different pony and didn’t really care, but figured I had to be the father, no use questioning it. So I just started paying the foal support I owed. Then as I said, I felt I should just stay away, the boy didn’t need to meet the pony who hurt his mom,” the unicorn explained and placed all three frames down on the desk.

“He didn’t need to meet the pony you were before…” Junebug shifted a little, then she frowned. “Wait how many kids do you have?”

“Five, Cara is the oldest, then comes Cooper, Coal is few months older than Dinky and then there is finally a boy named Chisel. I’ve not met him either, all I know his that he and his mother live in Vanhoover, obviously to stay as far away from me as possible,” the unicorn shook his head. “Yeah, I know, I got around when I was younger.”

“Five, how are you paying for all this foal support?” Junebug looked around the sparsely furnished office, the gym clearly had customers, but this didn’t look like the ritziest place either.

“Almost all profit I get from the gym goes into that. I help run an apartment complex to makes end meet. Although, dad has been helping me with the support after the two of us started talking again,” he told her. “Of course, I don’t have to pay support for Cara since I have custody of her, but I don’t bother her mother about paying support.”

“You really have changed,” Junebug said and looked at Barricade who just shrugged.

The mare wasn’t sure what to think, part of her had expected this all just to be a ruse. Yet the way he talked and behaved, this sounded so different from what she remembered. Junebug wasn’t even sure if she was talking with the same pony at all.

Finally, she reached into the saddlebag and pulled out the photo album. Junebug rose up, album held in her mouth as she walked closer to the desk and placed it on top of it. Then she looked at the unsure unicorn with a solemn smile.

“Pick a few, you’ve left me and Cooper alone all these years… I think you deserve them now,” she said and gestured to the photo album.

Barricade eyed the album. Then carefully lifted it up in his magic aura and opened it. He began on the first page and slowly worked his way through, a smile slowly crawling on his lip as he did. He turned the book to face Junebug, he had reached the one with the broken window.

“Dare I ask?” he chuckled.

“He was playing with his soccer ball and kicked it right through the window, even if I had told him not to kick towards the house,” Junebug explained, giggling a little herself. “He claims the ball took a live on its own.”

“Yeah, that sounds like my kid,” Barricade laughed, he looked at Junebug who seemed puzzled at this statement. “Oh, trust me, mom can tell you stories for hours of all the excuses I made when I was caught doing something.”

I guess it makes sense that something from him is in Cooper. Well at least the good parts, the mare shrugged, then again all parents could usually spot something in their kids that made them recognize something from themselves.

Barricade flipped the book back to himself, then he went back to the beginning and started to select a few pictures, five in total. Junbug noted he had decided to take the broken window one. The mare didn’t mind, she still had the negatives.

“So uh, now what? I don’t want to assume anything,” Barricade wondered and gave the album back to her.

“I’m going to accept your apology, I’ve never hated you, I was just scared of you. But I see I have no need to be,” Junebug sighed as she put the book back in her saddlebag. “I loved you, you know.”

“Yeah… I kind of gathered that back then,” Barricade nodded. “You sure it wasn’t just a teen crush?”

“Maybe, I don’t know. After you, I just put all my focus on Cooper, never looked back,” the mare muttered, silently admitting that she wouldn’t have minded knowing this Barricade instead of the other one.

Junebug expression turned more neutral, that was probably not going to happen. Apology or no, this was still the stallion who had hurt her. However, he hadn’t harmed Cooper.

“Cooper is here in Manehattan too, he’s with Applejack’s family in Hooflyn right now. I felt I should come here first, make sure things were different as your letter indicated. I think I’m ready to allow you to meet him more officially,” she said, once again Barricade’s jaw dropped.

“You really don’t have to,” Barricade said but fell silent when Junebug raised a hoof.

“If you were still the old Barricade, I would definitely not want it to happen. But I think Cooper can meet the Barricade I’ve been now talking to for the past half hour,” she stated and now smiled. “He’s your son and he does want to meet his father.”

“Oh boy,” Barricade muttered, already feeling nervous.

Junebug and Cooper got seated at the outside area of a café. The mare got herself a coffee and cake, while the colt got an apple pie slice with ice cream and some hot chocolate to drink. Applejack had opted out being present after hearing that Junebug’s initial meeting with Barricade had gone well.

“So, I have four siblings, this Cara, Dinky, Coal and somepony named Chisel,” Cooper counted up as he thought over what his mother had told him on the way to the café.

“That’s what Barricade told me,” Junebug nodded.

“And he’s going to meet us here?” the colt glanced around.

“Yeah, since we dropped in a little unannounced, we figured a brief meeting at first then a more proper visit later,” his mother told him. “We’ll just see how it goes for now.”

“It’s a little weird, just few days ago I didn’t even know if my dad was still around,” Cooper muttered and scooped up some ice cream.

“Well, to be fair, I wasn’t around,” a voice addressed them, arriving at their table was Barricade, he seemed more composed now than when Junebug first met him in the office. “Hello again, Cooper.”

“Hi,” Cooper said, little unsure how to feel. Not surprised, since he had already met the stallion, maybe a little wary. Even if the unicorn had apologized, he still remembered his mother’s account of how she met him.

“I will just go to another table and let you boys talk,” Junebug said and grabbed her refreshments and quickly trotted to another table not too far away. She really wanted to be next to Cooper during this, but realized he needed to meet his father mostly alone right now.

“So,” Barricade had been about to protest but Junebug was already gone before he opened his mouth. The unicorn sat down on the opposite side of the colt. “Heard the news and all that.”

“Yeah…” Cooper slowly nodded, then he frowned a little. “You were not joking when you said you were sorry you missed the game in the park did you?”

“No, I knew who you were the moment Dash introduced you. Wouldn’t have minded seeing you play,” Barricade said and smiled sadly. “However, I had decided to just stay out of the way. I didn’t want to just suddenly step in if your mother didn’t want it.”

“Why were you so mean to mom, or well any of the moms?” Cooper asked and took a bite from his pie.

“Whoa, that’s a loaded question,” Barricade whistled and cringed a little. Then he rubbed his forehead for a moment, trying to think of the right words.

“I was a messed-up pony. I was angry at my parents for sending me to a military school, angry at the world, I just wanted to lash out at everything. I was stupid, just saw others as obstacles to get what I wanted,” he started explaining, feeling embarrassed when he remembered all of this.

“Your mom and the others got caught in the crossfire. There is no excuse for what I did, sadly they suffered for my selfishness and childish temper tantrum,” Barricade sighed and shook his head. A waiter arrived and the unicorn just ordered some coffee.

“I used to wonder who my dad was, but never really wanted to ask, because every time I saw other ponies ask, she got upset. Now I’m not sure if it’s a good idea to know.” Cooper looked down.

“Look, kid,” Barricade leaned forward, resting his front legs on the table, staring pointedly at the boy. “I’m not the best father, I fully admit that. Dinky can tell you things about me for sure. If you don’t want me to be your father, that will be that, end of story. I will accept that.”

“If you hate my guts for what I did to your mom, then well, can’t say I blame you. If you want me out of your life, consider me gone. I won’t even address you when I visit Dinky in Ponyville,” the unicorn told him and he looked down at his legs, he was fighting back tears. “I’ve burned many bridges in my messed-up life. I have to accept there are some I can’t rebuild.”

“But I still want to tell you, that I’m really proud of you and what you have already accomplished. If you managed to make Dash proud, then that’s saying something. You’re the only one of my sons I’ve met and might be the only one I will meet, even if this is the only time,” Barricade raised his head again, a tear did manage to break through and trickled down his cheek.

Keep it together moron, no running away. Face the music, he has every right to be angry at you, he thought as the unicorn watched his son who still stared at him with a thoughtful frown.

“Actually, I have overheard some of the things you did when Dinky ranted about you with her friends,” Cooper confessed and glanced towards his mom’s table, Junebug was really trying to appear she was just enjoying her coffee and cake and not listening in at all.

“Yeah… I’m not surprised,” his father smiled weakly, then with a grunt wiped away the tear, still stubbornly holding the rest back.

“But hearing Dinky talk about you now, I guess you really are trying.” The colt turned back to him. “I mean even Coach Dash likes you and I know she can hold a grudge.”

Cooper silently groaned, finding it really difficult what to decide. He continued with his meal for a moment, he felt like everything hinged on him. The colt eyed Barricade again who was sipping his newly arrived coffee.

“I really do not like what you did with mom and it might take a while to forgive you that,” Copper finally said. “But Dinky and Coal said they decided to give you another chance with them and they look happy. I think I want to give you a chance with me.”

“I can’t really ask for more,” Barricade said and hid his relief. “When is your next game?”

“Next Saturday in Ponyville, we are playing the Appleloosa youth league,” Cooper told him.

“I’ll be there,” his father promised him and produced a smirk. “Small steps?”

“Sure,” Cooper nodded satisfied with that.

Applejack regarded the two ponies sitting in front of her in the train car. Cooper looked contemplative and had been mostly silent since the meeting at the Café. Junebug appeared almost relieved like some heavy baggage had been lifted off her.

Mother and son had met up with the apple-farmer at the train station, the plan had been to head back to Ponyville once the meeting was over. Applejack had been rather glad she hadn’t been really needed this time, Junebug seemed to have handled everything well.

“So, Ah take it Barricade is being given a chance?” Applejack asked, they still hadn’t really given her any details on how things had gone.

“Yes, we are starting small. He said he would be at the game next Saturday,” Junebug responded and eyed her son. “Cooper did very well.”

“You alright there. Cooper?” the apple-farmer turned her attention to the boy.

“Yeah, I guess.” The colt shrugged a little. “He sounded like somepony I want to meet again.”

“But?” Applejack furrowed her brow. Junebug put a hoof on her son’s back.

“I know he apologized, but he did hurt mom.” Cooper turned to look at his mother, she smiled.

“Yes he did, honey. But I saw a completely different pony in that office of his. I don’t know what happened, all he said was that he had his senses knocked into him. But I just couldn’t fear that pony, he didn’t try or say anything that made me feel unsafe, kept his distance and seemed ready to accept whatever I decided,” Junebug told him and took a deep breath.

“I’ve lived in fear for so long over what he might do if he found out where we lived, but he’s known for months now and even then nothing happened.” Her smile became happier. “I think I’m finally able to put it behind me.”

“You have forgiven him?” Cooper asked unsure. His mother chuckled and pulled him into a hug.

“Maybe forgive is too strong a word, that might still take a while. It’s more that I don’t resent and fear him anymore, I’m ready to see how much he’s changed, then maybe later I will be able to forgive him fully,” she explained to her son. “I just want you to be happy, that’s all that’s important to me. For all the things Barricade did, he still gave me you and you are the best thing that happened to me.”

Applejack looked pleased, this sounded much more like the Junebug she knew. The apple-farmer had been very worried about her since the yellow mare had knocked on her door yesterday, crying and upset.

Cooper looked happier now too, it just didn’t seem right to see the colt so serious. This had been quite a weekend for him, learning about his father and the pain Barricade had caused his mother.

The farmer was also glad for Barricade. She had used to resent that pony for a long time after what he did to Derpy. But having seen him break down in Manehattan, tear through Hoofington to search for his daughter and showing clear signs that he was changing his tune, Applejack felt he deserved a new chance to at least try to rebuild some of these bridges he had burned.

Looks like you aren’t so bad at building bridges after all, eh Barricade? she thought, recalling her exchange with the unicorn months ago, where he had told her he was far better at blowing them up.

End chapter 4

Chapter 5. The Game.

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Chapter 5

“I can’t believe it. He’s your BROTHER!?” Tootsie cried, she looked almost pleadingly at Dinky, hoping she was just joking.

“Hey, I’m just as stunned as you are,” Dinky remarked and glanced up at Barricade who sat next to them. “Seriously, this isn’t a joke?”

“Nope. I’m Cooper’s dad,” her father told her with a smirk. “Junebug had a good reason not to tell anypony, I respected her wish to not have it known.”

Tootsie groaned and covered her face with her hooves. Coal, who sat on her other side, reached to pat her reassuringly on the back. The unicorn sisters and Barricade were sitting on seats that had been arranged around a playing field just outside Ponyville. A soccer game was coming up. Already few other ponies had gathered to watch it. On the other side of Barricade sat his brother, Private Iceland. Junebug could be spotted closer to the benchers were the teams would sit, she was sitting with the flower triplets, Roseluck, Daisy and Lily Valley.

“Dare I ask what this dramatic performance is about?” Barricade asked, glancing down at his violet colored daughter. She was already looking bored at the prospect of watching a soccer game.

“She has a crush on Cooper,” Dinky simply responded, ignoring the glare from her foster sister.

“Ah,” her father understood and then looked at Tootsie. “You know, Toots, you’re not his biological sister, so strictly speaking, it’s alright.”

“I don’t have a crush,” Tootsie grumbled and folded her legs in a huff.

“Yeah, sure,” Barricade chuckled then turned to his twin brother, who was just watching everything silently and with his usual neutral expression.

“So bro, I was told you knew who Cooper was all along,” he said, his daughters leaned forward to stare shocked at their uncle, Tootsie did as well. All Private did was nodding.

“Oy, that explains why he greeted Cooper with a normal hi instead of a grunt.” Coal shook her head in disbelief, Private actually grinned slightly at that.

“Any more secrets we need to hear before the game starts,” Dinky snapped and mock glared at her father.

“Well you have a younger brother named Chisel, but I doubt you’ll ever meet him anytime soon. His mother also has a good reason to stay far away from me,” Barricade told her, this caused Dinky to blink.

“I’m not the youngest?” She grinned almost eagerly.

“Hey, you’re only few months younger than me.” Coal stuck her tongue out at her sister.

“That still made me the younger, even Tootsie is older than me,” the violet filly snorted. Tootsie snickered.

“Speaking of, anything you would like to share with the class, bro?” Barricade eyed his brother again who just shook his head.

“But you know how Chisel looks like?” Barricade asked, Private nodded. “But you haven’t met him or Sunny?”

Barricade sighed when his brother just shook his head. Even he could sometimes forget that Private really was the quiet twin.

More ponies were arriving, so the five ponies had to shift a little to make more room. Barricade resisted an urge to smirk when hearing an annoyed grunt from Private, who really did not like crowds around him. He was past making fun of his brother over this.

“Ladies and gentlecolts, let’s hear it for the Ponyville Soccer team youth league,” a voice sounded from the loudspeaker as a team of local foals began filing into the field, headed by Rainbow Dash.

“WHOO HOO, GO PONYVILLE!” the crowd for the home team roared.

“Yay Cooper!” Tootsie cheered and this time her sisters joined in. The opal filly glanced at them unsure when she realized that.

“What? He’s our brother,” Coal pointed out and Dinky nodded. Barricade smirked at their response.

“And let’s give a warm welcome to our guests, the Appleloosa youth league,” the announcer sounded as the visiting foals started to come in with their coach. The cheers were a little less enthusiastic from the locals, but the Appleloosa ponies who had arrived to watch cheered loudly.

“Okay, I’m a little rusty on soccer, that’s the one where no magic and no flying is allowed, right?” Barricade asked, his daughters just shrugged but Tootsie nodded to confirm that was right.

“Yes, it’s hooves only. That’s why this game is more popular with earth ponies,” she then added. Indeed, most of the foals were earth ponies but there were a few unicorns and pegasi in both teams. “Although pegasi who are goalkeepers are allowed to use their wings to block, but they can’t fly to reach the ball, they must only jump and not glide or anything.”

“Lickety Split and Noi are the strikers, Toola Roola, Cooper, Archer and Cotton Cloudy are midfielders, Mocha Berry, First Base, Carrot Crunch and Pipsqueak are defenders and Firelock is in goal,” Tootsie explained the lineup and who was who in the Ponyville team. “Adult games are usually ninety minutes divided into two forty-five minute halves, but since this is the youth league they only play fifteen minutes each half.”

“You are really into this game, aren’t you?” Barricade looked at Toostie impressed.

“She’s just into Cooper,” Dinky chuckled mischievously.

“Shut up!” Tootsie growled, glaring at her sister.

“Now, now, that’s enough,” Barricade said sternly. Dinky smiled sheepishly then apologized to her sister who accepted it happily.

Their attention was soon on the playing field. The referee had just started game. Lickety Split had the ball but soon passed it onto Noi. She managed to weave the ball closer to the opposite goal before having to send it to Toola Roola who quickly passed it to Cooper.

Cooper quickly danced around two defenders with the ball but was faced with two more, he sent the ball to Archer who immediately passed it to Lickety Split. The colt was close enough to the goal and made an attempt to score.

The unicorn goalkeeper cringed and fired up her horn to grab the ball as it rocketed towards her. The referee immediately blew his whistle and pointed at the penalty area.

“Ooh, magic grab within the penalty area,” Tootsie cringed. “This must be her first game; they usually go over this in basics.”

The players stepped outside the penalty area and Noi stepped up to the spot. The goalkeeper looked nervous and shifted a bit, already embarrassed for having fouled so early in the game. The whistle blew and Noi ran for a kick, hammering the ball into the far corner of the goal.

“GO NOI!” all three unicorn sisters cheered along with the rest of Ponyville residents who were watching. Dinky and Coal then looked a little surprised that they had cheered at all, Tootsie was grinning.

The players resumed positions on the field and the game restarted. Now it was Appleloosa on the offense. Two of their players were quickly dangerously close to the goal. One shot but First Base blocked it with his wing. Again, the referee whistled.

“Wing block, not allowed if you are an outfielder, free kick,” Tootsie continued to explain to those not too familiar with the game.

“First Base, watch those wings!” they could hear Rainbow Dash snap from the bench.

The Appleloosa team prepared for the free kick, few of the Ponyville team formed a wall hoping to block the shot. An earth pony filly took the kick, the ball sailed just above heads of the defenders going straight for the goal. Firelock jumped and kicked the ball out of the danger zone. The crowd cheered.

Cooper managed to get the ball and immediately rushed back towards the Appleloosa goal. As two of the opposite team approached, he passed it to Noi who then sent it to Lickety Split. The colt got in trouble as three defenders began surrounding him. Split bounced the ball up and used his head to pass it to team member.

It was Cooper who just barely won the ball as another opponent jumped at the same time as he. The colt dashed off, weaved past two defenders and then gave the ball a hard kick, tearing it into the goal.

“GO COOPER!” the unicorn sisters bounced up and down as they roared his name along with the crowd.

“That’s my boy!” Barricade shouted, grinning ear to ear, his eyes met with Cooper who had looked up to the stands. The colt smiled before rushing back to join the defense.

It was soon halftime with Ponyville having scored two goals. Each team gathered around their benches to rest, stretch and drink some water. Rainbow Dash also used the opportunity to talk with the team, congratulating and giving some well-earned critiques.

“Thanks for the low down on the game, Toots, I would have had no idea what was happening otherwise,” Barricade used the opportunity to thank the filly who was beaming.

“Okay so I guess this game can be kind of fun,” Dinky relented, she hadn’t been too thrilled when her father and Coal arrived in Ponyville and told her they were going to attend the soccer game. She had mostly come when hearing that Cooper was her brother, that just changed everything. Then she just got caught in the excitement of the crowd.

“Yeah, it has its moments,” Coal nodded, eyeing Tootsie who was smiling more smugly now. “We are never living this down, are we?”

“Nnnope!” Tootsie cackled in glee; she had been quite enjoying seeing her sisters enjoy this ‘boring’ game.

“Say, why did Cara not come?” Dinky decided to change the subject. She hadn’t had a chance to inquire about their oldest sibling.

“She had already planned to go visit her grandparents this weekend last week, she said she would though tell them about what happened and they might show up later,” Barricade explained, his eldest was very close to her grandparents, having lived with them before moving in with her father.

“Huh, the game is starting already?” He looked to the field when seeing that the foals were positioning themselves on the field again.

“Oh yeah, youth league games only have five minutes half time,” the opal filly nodded.

The Appleloosa team had changed their goalkeeper, this time a pegasus filly was guarding the goal. On the bench sat the unicorn, looking a little downcast, her coach was sitting by her and seemed to be trying to cheer her up. Rainbow Dash had made no changes on the Ponyville team.

The game began again and the Appleloosans began the offense. This time they looked a little more determined and managed to get past the defense. Their striker tried for a goal; Firelock just barely managed to bat the ball away. However, another opponent managed to get the ball and quickly shot and scored a goal.

“Oh… unlucky,” Tootsie muttered, the Ponyville crowd got silent but the Appleloosa one cheered loudly.

Ponyville went on the offense, Cooper and Archer passed the ball between themselves before it got sent to Lickety Split. The colt pressed forward getting past a defender before passing it to Noi.

The filly passed it to Toola Roola who just barely managed to send it further to Cooper. The colt quickly sent it once again to Archer with a high ball, she used her head to knock it over to Lickety Split who raced straight for the goal. He met three defenders on his path and was forced to pass the ball to Noi who struck the ball hard towards the goal.

This time the Appleloosan goalkeeper managed to punch the ball away, however it landed on Cooper, he immediately sent it to Lickety Split who was wide open. The striker kicked, just barely missing the goal as it was sent to the stands.

“Aw, so close,” Tootsie grumbled.

The game went on, the Appleloosans tried to press one but the Ponyville team tightened its defenses, not giving their opponents any openings. Then Barricade noticed Noi nod to Cooper who nodded to Lickety Split.

Cooper suddenly dove in a tackle, managing to kick the ball to Noi, she immediately passed it to Lickety Split who quickly sent it back to Cooper. The three foals then continued doing this in almost a triangle formation as they made their way back to the Appleloosa goal.

“Ooooh, they are doing the Triangle!” Tootsie squeaked in excitement.

“Triangle?” Barricade asked confused.

“Cooper, Noi and Lickety Split have this game plan sometimes, where they pass the ball between each other in triangle as they make their way to the goal. It doesn’t always work, but it can confuse the other team sometimes,” the filly explained.

The Triangle got closer, Lickety Split made a quick pass to Cooper who managed to get past the defenders who had been forced to split up. The colt aimed for a shot at the goal. Barricade frowned, it looked a little obvious where his son was going to shoot.

It turned out to be, the goalkeeper saw where the shot was going and immediately positioned herself so she could jump and kick the ball away. Cooper cringed and started trotting back, his ears downcast.

“Come on, Cooper! You can do it!” Barricade shouted loudly and cheerfully. The colt looked up to the stands, meeting eyes with his father again.

Cooper grinned, his ears perked up and the colt rushed back to join the defense. Rainbow Dash looked up, spotting Barricade, the mare smirked and then returned her attention back to the game.

“Cooper has a little trouble with telegraphing his shots sometimes,” Tootsie quietly said she had winced when seeing how easily the goalkeeper had seen the ball coming.

“We all make our mistakes, some more than others,” Barricade responded, smiling when seeing Cooper manage to steal the ball and send it to Lickety Split. “And some we can fix.”

It was a tense moment as Lickety tore across the field back to the Appleloosa goal. The time was ticking and there wouldn’t be a lot more chances for another goal. The colt then passed it to Noi, who passed it to Cooper. The three foals were doing another Triangle.

Noi kicked the ball to Cooper who had a good chance at the goal, but the colt instead sent it to Lickety Split who caught it with his head, sending the ball into the goal. The goalkeeper hadn’t noticed in time, having had her attention on Cooper who had looked in far better position to try and score. His pass had been quick and unexpected.

The crowd went wild, cheering Lickety Split. The Appleloosans quickly got ready to restart the game, now with only very few minutes to spare and they were now again two goals under.

The Appleloosa team made a desperate attempt to scora, but Firelock managed to kick the ball easily away. Then the referee blew the whistle and there was roaring cheer from the Ponyville crowd and the foals began running around as they celebrated their victory.

Barricade smiled proudly, then looked at his brother who had watched everything silently. The quiet twin was smiling and Barricade could see he was no less proud than him.

As the crowd started dispersing from the stands, the unicorn brothers made their way down to the benches with the sisters following. Rainbow Dash was talking with the team and various parents were also present, hugging or otherwise congratulating their foals.

“Dad,” Cooper broke away from his mother and rushed over to the arriving ponies, stopping in front of Barricade. “So you came.”

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Barricade said as he stepped closer to ruffle the colt’s mane with a hoof. “You did very good down there.”

“Thanks, too bad I telegraphed again,” Cooper sighed a little, still a bit miffed at himself for that.

“Hey, it can happen,” Barricade assured him, then he gestured to Dinky and Coal. “I think you have already met your sisters.”

“I have actually,” Cooper looked at the fillies with a grin. “Sorry I didn’t say anything already, but mom and I decided to save it for a surprise when dad came to see the game.”

“Eh it’s okay, I like surprises.” Coal shrugged and Dinky nodded.

“And this is your Uncle Private Iceland.” Barricade nodded his head towards Private. “I think you can tell that we are twins.”

“Yeah I figured,” Cooper chuckled, he looked back when noticing Rainbow Dash and Junebug were walking over.

“Barricade!” Rainbow Dash grinned and hoof bumped with the stallion. “What do you think of your boy now?”

“The same as I do with all my kids, couldn’t be prouder,” Barricade responded with a smirk. “I can see he has a very good coach.”

“Of course he does,” Rainbow puffed her chest. “Did you see that Triangle? I taught them that.”

Tootsie Flute felt a little like the odd one out right now. Dinky and Coal were now barraging Cooper with questions, Junebug had joined Rainbow Dash and Barricade in the conversation, talking about the colt’s game.

The filly felt weird, she had always looked at Dinky as her sister since they grew up together, as Derpy was her foster mother. It had been easy to view Coal as such as well.

However, as much as Tootsie denied it, she had always had a bit of a crush on Cooper and it had really helped that he was playing a sport she enjoyed watching. But now he was suddenly her sisters’ brother and she wasn’t sure what to think.

“You okay?” a quiet voice asked her. Tootsie glanced up, Private had approached her.

“I guess,” the filly sighed. “Dinky and Coal having a Cooper as a brother, Barricade is their dad. It feels kind of weird.”

“Doesn’t have to feel weird,” Private said, the filly looked at him then sighed in exasperation.

“Okay fine, I do have a crush on Cooper,” Tootsie whispered, eyeing the others to see if they were too close.

“You are a young, you saw a somepony you like also playing a game that you love, it happens,” the stallion told her. “You can love and admire him as a brother instead.”

“But he isn’t my brother,” Tootsie sighed sadly.

“Wait here,” Private just said and walked over where Barricade was still talking with Rainbow and Junebug.

Tootsie arched her brow as she watched Private speak quietly with his twin. Barricade looked at him, unsure before turning to look at the filly. Tootsie wondered what was going on as her sisters’ father started walking to her.

“So, Toots, word on the field is that you are feeling a little complicated right now,” Barricade said smirking a bit.

“Yeah I guess,” the filly grumbled and started poking at the ground.

“Well I do need somepony to help me explain the sport when I go watch Cooper’s other games. Soccer is not Dinky and Coal’s thing, they are only here because I wanted them to more officially meet their brother,” Barricade raised his hoof to rub the back of his neck, the glanced at where Cooper had gone over to Junebug and Rainbow with his sisters.

“Really? Even the away games?” Tootsie gasped, so far she had only been able to watch the home games.

“Yeah I think I can strike a deal with your mom. I have five kids, but you know, I think I already have six.” He dropped his hoof down and looked at Tootsie again.

Tootsie’s jaw dropped. She had never expected this, she had managed to conceal it much better, but the filly had sometimes been a little jealous that Dinky had a dad. Well, she could technically consider Time Turner her dad now, since he was with Derpy, but it never really felt the same.

“But that would mean Cooper is my brother…” Tootsie frowned as she considered this. Then she shrugged. “Eh, he sounds more fun as a brother anyway.”

“So I can call you dad now?” she then looked at Barricade with a grin, the unicorn chuckled.

“You always could before,” he said and smiled when the filly rushed over to hug him. “Now go join your sisters before they drown Cooper with questions.”

“Ack, I’m coming brother!” Tootsie cried and charged to her siblings, she also realized Dinky would probably be trying to subtly hint at her crush.

“Six kids?” Private had been quietly watching and finally spoke up.

“Yeah, Derpy reluctantly admitted to me once that Tootsie was sometimes jealous of Dinky going to visit me. Time Turner is a good guy, but the girls never seem to look at him as a dad,” Barricade told his brother as he watched his kids, chuckling as Tootsie was angrily glaring at her sisters over something, probably more teasing about her crush.

“May have to speak with them about that, say it’s alright for them to look at Turner as a dad too. Nothing wrong with having two dads,” Barricade then shrugged as he walked back to Rainbow Dash and Junebug.

“Did we hear right, is Tootsie calling you dad now?” Junebug asked skeptically as the twins came closer.

“Jeez, Barricade, how many kids do you have?” Rainbow Dash teased.

“Ugh, why do I have a feeling I’ve been answering that question all week,” Barricade grunted, but then laughed along with the other adults.

End chapter 5

Epilogue. Digesting the changes.

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Epilogue

Junebug and Cooper finally arrived home as the sun was setting. After the game, Pinkie Pie had invited the whole team for a party at Sugar Cube Corner to celebrate their victory. It gave Cooper a better chance to talk with his father and get to know his sisters a little better, though he practically knew two of them somewhat already from school.

Barricade oldest daughter Cara and her grandparents, Mirage Rock and Hard Shovel had then arrived. The older ponies revealed they had also known about Cooper and who he was the whole time. Hard Shovel had then taken Junebug to the side and told her that he had tasked Private with keeping an eye on her and her son, to make sure Barricade was in fact leaving them alone.

Cooper had been taken a little aback by his older sister, she was brazen, cocky and snarked like nobody’s business. She seemed happy enough with her brother, congratulating him on the team’s win. Junebug remarked that the teen filly reminded her a little of Barricade. Dinky and Coal had helpfully pointed out that it was no wonder, considering who she lived with.

“Well what a week this has been,” Junebug remarked as she entered the living room with Cooper. “To think just last week, it was only us two, now you have your father, sisters, an uncle and grandparents.”

“Yeah,” Cooper agreed, feeling a bit beat, not just after the game but meeting all these new ponies now in his life. He crawled to a couch and lay down on it.

“So what do you think about all of this?” his mother asked, she was rummaging through drawers, pulling out some paper.

“I guess it was fun to meet them,” Cooper looked up with a thoughtful expression.

“Looking forward to more?” Junebug asked, she was now holding a pencil along with the paper. She sat down in a chair as her son nodded his head.

“What are you doing?” he asked when his mother started writing on the paper. Junebug dropped the pencil from her mouth.

“Writing a letter to Tulip, explaining the whole address situation with the foal support payments,” Junebug smiled and rolled her eyes. “I bet she’ll rush over here, loaded with ice cream and chocolates as a peace offering, thinking it was all her fault.”

Cooper giggled as did his mother, her old friend back in Baltimare was a notorious worrywart and often ready to take all blame on herself. Junebug picked up the pencil again and resumed her writing. The colt laid his head down again, too tired to really think about doing much else. He chuckled quietly to himself when remembering what Tootsie had told him.

“Mom, did you know Tootsie had a crush on me?” he asked.

“No, I did not. I hope she didn’t take it too bad that you and Noi have been seeing each other for the past few weeks,” Junebug said, the dating was pretty innocent, they were still just foals after all, whether it developed into something more as they got older, only time could tell. But she was keeping a close eye on things.

“She was a little surprised, but I think she was also relieved. I think she just wants to be my sister; she likes watching soccer so at least I have a sister who shares my interest,” Cooper told her, his mother nodded.

“What did you think of your grandparents?” Junebug wondered, she had been amazed that Mirage and Hard were Barricade’s parents. The old ponies could talk for hours about anything, though especially their sons, sharing some rather embarrassing stories about the twins. Private and Barricade had been less than amused but kept quiet, knowing there was no stopping them.

“Oh, they were fun,” Cooper rose up a little and smiled, it faltered a little though as he remembered that he really never had grandparents. “Guess I’ll never meet your mom and dad.”

“Not if I can help it,” Junebug snorted and scowled. “Sorry, I just… I was scared of Barricade and resented what he did, but he’s apologized, went out of his way to not interfere with me, knowing I was scared of him.”

“But my parents? I’m not even going to call them your grandparents. They are not, Mirage and Hard Shovel are. My so-called parents kicked me out of a house and home and disowned me. If they can’t accept I had a child while not married, then we want nothing to do with them,” Junebug said firmly, Cooper couldn’t disagree.

Junebug turned back to the writing, she never told Cooper that her parents had tried to reach her again, when he was still an infant. However, they had called her son a bastard and told her that they would take her back if she gave him up for an adoption.

For all his faults, Barricade at least accepted responsibility when he learned he had foals, Junebug thought bitterly.

“Mom?” Cooper addressed her; the colt was rising up in the couch.

“Yes, sweetie?” She glanced towards him.

“Is it okay I make myself a daisy sandwich for dinner?” he asked as he dropped down from the couch.

“Oh, sure,” Junebug nodded, Cooper knew his way around the kitchen and could fix himself some food on his own. Then she considered for a moment. “Can you make one for me too?”

“Yeah, okay,” Cooper nodded and headed out of the living room.

Tulip would call this child labor, Junebug chuckled and continued writing.

When she was done with the letter, she put it to the side for now, intending to find an envelope later and mail it tomorrow. She had stamps so she didn’t need to wait for the post office to open on Monday and could just drop it in a mailbox.

Junebug rose from her chair and trotted out of the living room to join her son in the kitchen.

Vanhoover.

A tired dark orange unicorn mare walked down the steps of the apartment complex to go to the front area where the mailboxes were. Her lighter orange mane was tied up in a knot and so was her tail. Holding a key in her yellow magic, the unicorn opened the mailbox with her name on it, revealing a single letter.

The mare just grabbed the letter and closed the box, heading straight back up to her apartment. When she entered, she finally glanced at the letter. It had just her name on it, written in horn script.

Slowly she opened the letter while closing the door, but before she read it, the mare glanced down at the floor of the living room. A six-year-old unicorn colt was sitting there, playing with his toys. Bluish green, except his muzzle that was brownish and blue gray mane. His indigo eyes shone with delight as he had his toy figures battle it out.

The mare smiled tiredly before finally looking fully at the letter. The smile vanished and her brow sunk into a heavy frown.

Hey Sunny.

I know you of all do not want to hear from me, like at all. I know just hearing my name might send you into a fit.

I treated you worst of them all. I am so sorry. You saw me at my worst, you got to experience my rage and anger. I know you still glance at other stallions worried, worried that they might do to you what I did.

I know no amount of apologizing will make up for what I did to you. I do not even want to repeat what I did in this letter. Sunny, I’m really sorry and I will always stay away from you. Your boy does not need to meet the pony who sent his mother to a hospital, just because he could no longer control his drunken rage.

I swear this letter is the only time I even remotely contact you in any form. You will never hear from me again. I just wanted you to know that I am really and truly sorry, I do not beg for forgiveness, I fully understand if you burn this letter before even finishing it.

Take care.

B.

Sunny Daze stared with emotionless eyes at the letter. Then without a word, used her magic to burn it to crisp, barely even ashes were left of it. For a moment she closed her eyes, a tear crawled down her cheek and the mare felt for her side, a scar was hidden under her coat.

The mare reached up to dry the tear away. She opened her eyes and resumed her smile and trotted past the colt, looking down to him.

“Who wants cookies?” she asked cheerfully.

“Me, I want cookies.” The boy threw his toys away and jumped up to his little legs and scurried after her.

“Oh really?” Sunny chuckled as she made her way to the kitchen corner of the apartment. “Chocolate milk too?”

“Yes, please,” the colt beamed and started to run in circles in excitement.

Sunny Daze smiled warmly as she got some cookies out of the jar and rescued a bottle of chocolate milk from the fridge. She put all of it on the kitchen table, got a glass to pour the milk into and served it to her eager child. Then she sat down and watched the colt happily munch on his treats. She smiled contently, already banishing the letter from her mind.

The end

The Sons of Barricade. Part 1. Cooper

by Askre

Chapter 1. Junebug and her son.

Chapter 2. Parental confessions.

Chapter 3. Junebug's tale.

Chapter 4. Meeting Barricade.

Chapter 5. The Game.

Epilogue. Digesting the changes.