Becoming Heartstrings

Zeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeik.....

I heard my name called through the darkness, but I dared not look back. I didn’t know what I was running from, but I knew it couldn’t let it get to me.

Zeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeik....

I’m not even sure how I got in this forest, but that wasn’t really important, all I know right now is to keep running, no matter how far I had too. I felt every step the monster behind me took, rattling the earth.

Zeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeik....

Ok, it was definitely getting closer, and I’m not sure how much longer I could run for. I was feeling the strain from running for an extended period of time, and whatever was chasing me was definitely right on my tail.

Zeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeik....

Don’t look back. Keep running. Don’t look back. Keep running. Don’t look back. Keep runnin-

I ended up tripping on an upturned root, which seemed to grab at my foot. I didn’t have time to free myself before it was upon me.

Day 6

“ZEIK! Wake up!” Said Parks straight in my ear.

I shot up from the couch, and instinctively looked around for whatever it was that was about to smash me out of existence.

“You kicking and screaming in your sleep. Did you have a nightmare or something?”

I looked up at Parks wide eyed and a little relieved. “Wow... Yeah, I was being chased by something through some woods I didn’t recognize. I didn’t know what I was, but something told me to just keep running away from it.” It was then that I realized I must have been sweating pretty good. I was gonna need a shower.

“Thanks for waking me up, Parks. That’s a little unsettling, I normally don’t have nightmares, especially not like that. Either way, why aren't you dressed in your uniform?” I asked, hopping off the couch.

“I’ve got the day off today. I’m still gonna keep an eye on you today and keep my pistol on me, incase anything happens, but for the most part today is gonna be an easy day for us.” He replied

“What about my father?”

“Trust me Minty, I’m far from the only cop in this town. By now the entire state is out looking for that van. It shouldn’t be too much longer before they locate it. Besides, YOU look like you could use a few days to unwind anyway.”

I wanted to argue back about how finding my father was the most important thing to me, and it was. I also couldn’t argue that I had a lot of built up stress. These last few days haven’t been kind to me.

“Yeah... alright. But the second you hear anything about my father, we go alright?”

“Deal.” He said, and shook my hoof.

“....Wait, Minty?”

The rest of the morning was pretty standard as far as mornings go. I got a shower with Parks help again. I got a quick salad from him. I’d have to find my wallet and repay him somehow for all the things he’s done for me.

When the morning rituals had been completed, we headed out of the house. By now it was around noon ish. What can I say, I like to sleep a lot.

“Alright Zeik, where are we headed?” He asked me.

“Wait, you're asking me? This is your town, not mine. I don’t know.”

“Well... what kinda thing’s do you enjoy doing?”

“Well before this whole pony thing, I’d play games with my friends, so maybe an arcade or something. Anything to put my mind at ease at this point would be wonderful.” I replied back.

I tried my best not to show it, but I was still really freaked out by that crazy nightmare. And the fact that I hadn't heard from Lyra all morning was a little frightening.

“Well we have a small one down a little ways. Come on, lets walk there. It’ll be good to get you out in the city a little bit.”

“Why, so another random stranger can run off with me too?”

“Zeik, I’m a cop with a gun. I highly doubt anybody would be stupid enough to try something like that with me near you. You can think of me as your bodyguard of sorts till we get this all taken care of. Besides, fresh air is good for you.”

Couldn’t  fault him there, he was right again. I’m gonna start calling him Mr. Right if he keeps that up. Heh.

Arcades! Home away from home. Sure you could call me a bit of a no life loser if you wanted, but that’s my story and I’m sticking too it.

Coming to the arcade definitely helped me relax a little bit. I used to work inside one of these back in my hometown, so I knew all the little tricks to the insides of the machines and easy ways to “cheat.”  Hey, I never said I was honest. That’s applejacks job not mine.

The arcade itself was a little run down. The whole place have used a good dusting, but maybe that was old habits talking. The building itself was full of people, all of which instantly turned to look at me at once.

Seriously, I swear they all must’ve had microchip implants that told them when ponies got near, because it was probably the creepiest thing I’ve ever seen. I’ve never had the honor of being the center of attention before, so it wasn’t exactly helping my nerves.

“They are ALL staring at me. All of them. Every single one.”

“I hate to tell you this Minty but Ponies aren’t something you see everyday.” He said, patting me on the head.

“Would you stop that?!” I say, brushing his hand away. “Yes, I realize that I am abnormal, but come on, can’t a pony get any sense of normality?”

“Not when the pony is the one out of place, hah.”

“You are so not helping.”

We wandered into the arcade, searching for anything to keep my mind busy, which was still oddly absent of Lyra. I however quickly took notice of an old favorite of mine. They had a laser dome in here!

“Parks, we have to go play Laser tag.” I said.

“Laser tag huh?”

“Yeah, its an old favorite of mine. Plus, how many people do you think are gonna expect a small mint green pony to pop out of a corner?”

He laughed. “Well I suppose you have a point there. Lets go sign up.”

We headed off to the counter and signed up. The man running the place was more than a little surprised to see me, understandably. A few minutes of signing later, and he had us set up in the back. Getting a vest that fit me was a little difficult, but we eventually found one.

The game itself was nuts all things considered. Don’t ask me how I managed to hold the gun, because I’m not even sure how that worked. I assume ponies have some sort of super glue that they used to hold things with their front hooves. I would have asked Lyra to help me, but she still had not responded to my prodding.

As far as actually playing, well... lets say nobody was expecting Lyra Heartstrings to come around the corner and blast them. It was amazingly fun, even if we managed to lose most of the games we played in.

I finished the game, and I should have felt happy, I really felt like everything was great, but I just felt like I had woken up. I almost felt angry that it hadn’t somehow made me instantly happy.

My fear and bitterness returned quickly. I had to force a fake smile to keep Parks from asking what was wrong, and when he asked what we should do next, I drew a blank. I had no motivation.

I wanted to lay down and just stare at a wall. But I couldn’t tell Parks that. He was trying to help.

I could feel the bitter thoughts running through his... our head.

It reminded me of my own past, and I cursed the similarities that were pushing us together, no matter how hard I fought.

I had just moved out of my parent’s house...

It took me awhile, I managed to finally get a home in a small town called Ponyville. I lived it a rather nice house just a few blocks away from the local bakery run by the cakes. Paying for the home itself, was quite the challenge, however.

My parents gave me a few hundred bits when I moved out, but it wasn’t enough to sustain myself for too long without a source of income. For a while, I took my Lyre out to the middle of the local park and would just play. The Lyre was an incredibly rare instrument for a pony to play, so I’d manage to get a few bits that way.

It wasn’t enough in the long run, as the bill did eventually begin to pile up. I couldn’t find a job in the local area, and if I didn’t manage to do something soon I was going to be out of a house.

I started posting room for rent signs around the local town. It was a desperation move, in an attempt to not lose my house to the bank, but for the longest time nobody had responded to my ads.

I considered asking my parents for bits, but I wouldn’t let myself fall to that level. If I had known then what I know now, it might’ve made a world of difference. But then, if I had done that, I also would have never met Bon Bon.

She was the tan earth pony who eventually answered my ad. Back then, I was pretty sure it was already too late. The Bank was about to have me vacated due to lack of payment, but then Bon Bon came into my life.

I told her that I was about to lose the house, but she had an idea. We came to an agreement eventually, and she used her own money to buy the house from me, and pay off the bits owed to the bank, thus saving my house. Her house.

During the time before I met Bon Bon, I felt incredibly alone. But, here I was again, stuck in this boys mind alone without her. Now he had lost someone dear to him as well, and the similarities began to stack up.

The rest of the day was pretty much a blur of action. We left the arcade soon after the lazer tag, and Parks showed me around his little town. I kept a brave face on so he wouldn’t worry about me, but I was constantly trying to keep my thoughts my own.

He gave me a few worried looks but I brushed them off as nothing while we passed through the town. At one point I had my picture taken with a few girls who said they recognized me. Said they would post it on their facebook or something.

Before the day was over, I was pretty much exhausted both mentally and physically. We headed back to his place and checked the answering machine for any information regarding the mystery van. Apparently a few people rumored seeing it, but all of the leads ended in dead ends.

Looks like finding my father wasn’t going to be easy, and now I’ve got to worry about losing myself as well. Then again, nobody ever said life was easy.