Becoming Heartstrings

Day 4

I’m not sure how long I sat alone in that alley, silently crying for my lost father. The alley itself had trash in it, but I didn’t care. I probably stank like moldy cheese from sitting next to the trash itself for so long. I didn’t care. The one person in my world who I had to lean on when things got tough for me had just been stolen away.

What do you do when your pillar of strength is stolen from you? I’m not sure I know the answer to that question. I had an extremely rough childhood in school. My doctors made me use a special backpack because of a disability I had. The same disability hinders my hand motor skills, which impairs my writing. The school itself gave me a laptop which didn't help me from hiding from bullies. I stood out a LOT from the average student. That made me a prime target for bullies.

I’d come home from school upset, and he’d be there to comfort me. I eventually learned to ignore the bullies, but they persisted for a long time before they gave up. I guess thats why I don’t let anybody in anymore. I couldn’t risk letting anybody know how I truly felt when they insulted me, or it would just lead to more insults. So I locked away my emotions and only ever let loose around my father.

But now, that wonderful man who kept me on the straight path. That man who didn’t allow me to follow down the same path of darkness many others had, was taken from me. I had no idea where he was taken or even how to find him. For the first time in an extremely long time, I felt completely and totally helpless.

The sun had gone down by now. I must have been there for what felt like hours. I heard my stomach remind me it was time for food a few times. There was some radio chatter followed by some footsteps coming from the left towards me, but I didn’t dare look up. I didn’t know who it was, but I frankly didn’t care. I almost wished it was that old man come to take me as well. At least then I could’ve gone to see my father. If we could stand together, we’d get out of whatever trouble he was in.

“Hey, are you alright?” He asked, kneeled down next to me.

No. I wasn’t alright.

“You really shouldn’t be sitting in the trash you know. Aren’t you one of those people who had been turned into ponies?”

No, I was wearing an extremely elaborate cosplay outfit and sitting in the trash was part of the dress.

“Hold on a minute.” The man said again, as he turned. “Dispatch, this is Officer Parks. I’ve found one of the Ponies mentioned on the news a few days ago. This one looks like she’s been through a rough spot.”

I heard some radio chatter come back through, but couldn’t understand what was said.

“Acknowledged. I’ll see if I can get her to come back to my place and get her cleaned up. I’ll keep you informed if I get any information.” He responded back before turning back to me. “Listen, I can’t really help you if you won’t talk to me. But I can at least offer you a warm bath, food and a place to sleep for the night.” He said to me, offering me his hand.

I looked up at his hand. I part of me wanted to brush it away and walk in the other direction, but that was the path to nowhere, and that’s a place no man should walk. Besides, it was better than sitting in trash. I brushed his hand away, but walked with him anyway out of the alley, all the while staying silent.

“I had just come out of the coffee shop when I heard you in the alley. My car is just over there.” He said, using his free hand to point to a black and white police car.

We walked over to the car and he opened up the passenger side. He leaned down to help me, but pushed him away as I jumped into his car. I felt a little guilty sitting in his nice clean car when I was literally covered in trash and smelt terrible, but it was his idea.  Mr. Parks walked around and got in his side of the car, and started it up.

We drove for about ten minutes, during which he kept trying to get me to talk to him. He must have been a brony because he knew my name. Or rather, Lyra’s name. Lyra is one of the background ponies whose name never gets mentioned, so you could only know her name if you actually looked. He went on to talk about how odd people have been acting around the neighborhood ever since the pony business started.

I ignored him for the most part. Since I wasn’t talking, he continued to talk about his home, since we had been heading there. He mentioned living alone in a small white house on the edge of town.  If I had any sense, I’d be kissing his feet for dragging me out of the trash. But typical stubborn Zeik wouldn’t allow for that. Nope.

We arrived a short time later. He pulled the car up the driveway and placed it in park. He jumped out and walked around to help me out, but I had already had Lyra open the door for me. We walked silently up to his doorstep as he fumbled around in his pocket for I assume his house keys.

When we stepped inside, I was more than a little surprised. The place looked extremely well kept. I’m not sure what I expected coming from a neighborhood like this, but then again I wasn’t exactly in a pleasant mood right then.

He lead me into his kitchen, which had all the standard items you’d expect to find in a kitchen. “Listen, I gotta go get this gear off. I’ll report back to dispatch that you’re going to stay here for the night. When I get back, I’ll help you get cleaned up.”

Another example of when I should have been expressing my gratitude, but instead I just kept looking at the floor. He was right though, man I stank. Just like that smell that the old expired meat from my old job. (Don’t tell Lyra.) Parks walked off into the hallway and entered a door. I heard him talking to “Dispatch” again about me, but I wasn’t listening too hard as to what exactly he was saying.

A few minutes later he came back with a white shirt on and some pants that looked pretty similar to the shorts I had put on yesterday. Heh, yesterday. That seems like it was a year ago.

“Alright, first thing you need is a bath.” I couldn't argue with that. “You know Lyra, you can talk to me if you need anything.” See? What did I tell you, he’s a brony.

“My name is Zeik.” I said in a quick, annoyed voice.

“Aha, so you DO talk! What happened to you?”

“…”

“Not ready to tell me?”

Nope.

“That’s fine. Let’s get you into the shower.”

I’m not going to describe how a random stranger led me into the bathroom and washed me head to hoof because that’s kinda weird. Just know that Mr. Parks did, and he was incredibly thorough and careful about it. I removed my own pants/shorts and he threw them into his hamper. I guess he was going to wash them off for me. The whole process took about an hour or so, because of how dirty I was and the fact that fur takes FOREVER to dry off.

“There you go Zeik, you’re all nice and minty fresh again.”

I bet he think’s thats funny.

“Alright, so are you going to talk to me or do I need to feed you first?”

My stomach replied before I could. I hadn't had anything major to eat that day, and I’d lost my bags while running from the old man. He just laughed at me and led me back out into his kitchen, which had a dirt spot on it from where I was sitting earlier, which made me feel worse than I already was.

Parks reached into his fridge and pulled out a few apples and some lettuce, placed them in front of me on a paper plate.

“Now then, you can sleep on the couch in the other room.” He said. “I’m gonna go ahead and wash your pants for you. You’ll get them back tomorrow.” He said as he walked into the bathroom to do so.

“It’s pretty late, so I think I’m going to head off to my bed when I’m finished.” He yelled. I could hear him well enough through the house. “If you need anything at all during the night, just ask.”

I wanted to say I wasn’t hungry and keep on being stubborn, but my stomach reminded me I hadn’t eaten all day long, so I dug into the plate full of food with my mind still on my missing father. I had no idea how I was going to find him. I didn’t even know what had happened other than that man chasing us.

I know one thing, and that was I was tired. After finishing what was on the plate, Lyra used her magic to levitate it into a nearby trash can. She then took a napkin and attempted to wipe the dirt spot off the floor.

You could at least clean up after yourself. That man has been extremely kind to you.

I just ignored her. I walked into Parks living room, which consisted of a coffee table, an entertainment center with a TV in the center, a lazy boy chair and tan couch of which I threw myself on. I’m not sure how long I laid there. I was certain I wasn’t going to sleep with the thought of my father lost on my mind, but it did eventually find me.

“Wake up!”

I felt a hand smack me across the face which instantly got my attention. As for where I was, I’m pretty sure it was my old Elementary school. As soon as I saw Lyra standing in front of me, I knew what was going on, I was having another lucid dream. I was wearing the same get up as I was last time this happened, except this time Lyra had mechanical arms.

“What the hell happened to your front hooves?” I asked a little surprised.

“It’s a dream, I can have whatever the hell I want first of all. Second, I called you back in here because we need to talk Z.”

Oh good, I’m about to get lectured by the mint green talking pony. Great, just what I need. Can’t even sleep anymore.

“Alright fine, I’ll listen. I don’t think I have much of choice anyway.” I said, shrugging my shoulders. “I don’t think I could leave even if I wanted too.”

“Not in my dreams you can’t. Listen Zeik, you need to get ahold of yourself. Do you not realize what just happened?”

“You smacked me?” I asked sarcastically with a smug look on my face.

“No, you cocky bastard. You’ve been so busy feeling sorry for yourself that you’re letting a perfect opportunity to get your father back get away from you!”

That language kinda surprised me. “Since when did you swear like that?”

“Since I started to merge with your subconscious.” She responded. “It’s not my fault you have a low vocabulary.”

“Wait, what? I’m not merging with you at all. My personality hasn’t changed...”

“Not that you know of! But it has, and you’ll notice it sooner rather than later.” She said, pointing her metal finger at me. “If you're wondering, it started when you finally let down your emotional barrier.”

“Emotional barrier? You mean when I... cried in the alley?” I asked, turning away ashamed.

“Exactly. You’ve been so busy making sure nobody see’s your “weakness” that you’ve been bottling up own emotions for years. Now I understand why, I’ve read into your memories, but that doesn’t mean you should just sit there and do nothing about it.”

“Who gave you permission to read my mind?” I asked a little annoyed.

“Trust me, when you're sitting inside your own body and unable to interact with the world at all, there’s not much to do but reflect on old memories. Even when they aren't yours.” She replied.

“I’ll repeat what I said earlier, you’re letting your chance to get help and find your father get away. Mr. Parks is a COP you idiot, they deal with kidnappings all the time. If anybody can help you, they can. All the things he’s done for you tonight he did because he was a caring man who saw a pony in need, and instead of repaying him by letting him help you, you’ve been shutting him out.”

I turned away in shame, but she was right. Instead of letting him help me, I was just being the stubborn asshole I’ve always been.

“I understand what it’s like to feel like an outcast, believe me I do. How many ponies do you think can even play a lyre? How many ponies live with a CHANGELING?” She said growing angry with me.

Wait what?

“Changeling? What are you even talking about?”

“How else do you think Bon Bon can have five different voices and switch between earth pony and Pegasus? Anyway, that’s not the point. The point here is, you need to wake up and smell opportunity when it kicks you in the face.”

I couldn’t help but feel shamed.

“That Parks man fixed up your coat, brushed you, gave you some much needed food, and you snuffed him. I think you owe him an apology, followed by an explanation.”

“...You’re right.”

“I know I’m right.” Lyra said, walking towards me and giving me a hug with her metal arms.  “Listen Zeik, you need to learn to let people in when they’re here to help you. And try not to bottle your emotions up so much. You depend so much on your father, but you had the strength to stand on your own the entire time. You just need to stop being such a stubborn hard ass and see it.”

She broke off the hug and looked me dead in the eyes. “But you're never going to get your father back and fix this mess if you don’t talk him.”

Her words hit home. “You’re right Lyra, I’m sorry I’ve seen such a... well, me.”

“Good. Now, when you wake up, you better start talking to him, or else I’ll use my magic to slam your face into a wall.”

Yeah, I was definitely rubbing off on her.