The Anthropologist

by Weavers of Dreams

-85- Secrets Go Splat

"So, it was your mom who taught you how to fight?" Lyra asked, bemused, as she and her son walked down the gangplank.

The colt nodded, standing up on his hind legs and throwing a couple mock punches to demonstrate. "Yeah. See, I used to twist my fists... when I had hands, like this whenever I threw a punch." He demonstrated for her in a rather comical fashion. "So she taught me to keep my fists straight so I wouldn't hurt myself."

Lyra laughed at his cute display. "Well, good for you. That's one lesson that's gonna benefit you for life."

Dropping to all fours, he gave her a grin. "Really?"

"Really really," Lyra nodded in assurance, tussling his mane in the fashion he never seemed to get used to. His annoyed expression was all too precious. "And, come summer, I'll be signing you up for some self-defense lessons."

His mouth dropped open in shock and his eyes sparkled. "Really?"

Lyra rolled her eyes with a sigh. "Again, really. Learning to defend yourself and your loved ones is very important. I dare say slightly more important than school." She noticed the new look on his face. "But that, by no means, means that you're getting out of school, kiddo."

"Ahhh," Henry groaned, disappointed.

"Don't worry, that won't be until spring," the mint mare reassured him. "Besides. Cheerilee's a good teacher who understands the difference between colts and fillies. How else can you explain how Snails is a straight A student?"

That caused Henry to pause. "Him? Are you talking about the Snails I think your talking about?"

She nodded. "Yep. Cheerliee's quite the multitasker when it comes to educating her little students. That lanky colt's going places... once he matures a bit more."

Henry made a thoughtful sound and then leapt upon his mother's back. "So, um, uh... where are we going?"

"To a doctor's appointment," Lyra stated, adjusting her shoulders a bit.

"A doctor's appointment? What doctor?"

"Why, me, of course," Lyra chuckled. "When you're a doctor, every appointment you go to is a doctor's appointment. Never thought about that, now did you?"

"I thought you were an antrpolu... polu...gift," Henry butchered the word quite expertly.

"Anthropologist, dear," she corrected him kindly. "And, yes, I am Lyra Heartstrings, a doctor of anthropology. Kind of a pointless degree, due to recent events. But, at least I got you out of the deal, huh?"

The colt's only response was to squeeze the back of her head in a fond embrace.

The Western Isles. Not like the book... much. Sure, there was still an active volcano on one and another appeared to be covered entirely in spider webs, but... it wasn't as dark as Darkest Darkness had written. Well, that could have been because the airship had docked at a tower that poked quite a ways above the leafy canopy below.

It was always weird to step on solid ground after being aboard a boat for an extended length of time. Four days certainly qualified.

"Woah," Lyra muttered as her hooves touched the concrete. "Feels good to be on solid ground again. Albeit, the kind of solid ground nightmares are made of."

"So, are we gonna find Daring Do?" Henry asked, giving his hat a quick check. The card was tucked away in the band that lined the interior of the rim. He stuck it back on his head and looked about for a pegasus in a pith helmet.

"Probably our best bet," she responded her a curt nod. "C'mon, work that earth pony magic and have her meet us here, kiddo. Oof. Oops, sorry about... uh...um..."

The pegasus mare shook the stars from her eyes and coughed politely. "No-no. My fault. I tend to run into things head on. Hehe. Get it? Because I'm..."

"Daring Do," both Lyra and Henry cried out in unison.

"That's me," the adventurous mare proudly confirmed, putting a hoof over her heart. "Sorry, can't stop to chat. I'm here to meet the winner of... a special contest." She paused a moment to give Lyra a quick onceover. "Have we met? You look very familiar to me."

"Well, I have been featured in media before," Lyra smiled back as she proceeded to fish her son off her back. "But, first, I believe my son has..."

"Lyra Heartstrings, that's it," Daring stopped a hoof triumphantly. "You're Lyra. Duh. Been a while, hardly recognized you."

"So you do know who I am," Lyra smiled, slightly abashed at the recognition from the world's foremost archaeologist.

"Of course. Your parents talk about you all the time," Daring chuckled, reaching out to pat the colt's head absentmindedly. The long silence that followed made got awkward fast. "Um, hello?"

"You know my parents?" Lyra managed to ask around her limp jaw.

Daring blinked. "They never told you about me?"

"I think I would remember if they did."

The pegasus sat down with a plop and rubbed her head, looking a little lost. "Seriously? But, we're good friends. Why wouldn't they tell you about me and my freelance work with the Equestrian government. You're their daughter for crying out loud."

"My parents don't work for the government, they own toy stores," Lyra blurted out, sitting down as well. "Y-you have to be making a mistake."

Daring shook her head. "Lyra Heartstrings, daughter of the Canterlot thestrals Mercury Melody and Baritone Bass. World renowned anthropologist and graduate of Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns." She released a frustrated breath and huffed. "Why would they keep you in the dark like that? That's like... like... uh..."

"One of the stupidest tropes in the book?" the mint unicorn suggested, looking equally frustrated.

"Exactly," Daring nodded. "And, as a writer, I should know. When I see them again, I am so giving them an earful about doing such an irresponsible thing."

"No need," Lyra said, shaking her head. "I think I've got enough to say for the two of us."

Henry, on the other hoof, had different thoughts in mind.

"Grandma and grandpa are spies? That's so cool." He clapped his hooves together in glee as he sat between the upset pair.

The mares couldn't help but give a couple small smiles at his coltish innocence.

Comments

[pahnazd]

Well, the cat's out of the bag. One pretty much innocent slip of the mind, and Lyra now knows. Maybe not all of it, but definitely something. That earful is going to be fun... once they all reunite.

Well, at least Daring is there to help. As long as she's the genuine article, that is.

And hey, Henry can be even more amazed now with not only meeting Daring, but her being actually friends with his family! Again, assuming she's the genuine article