Secret Service: Operation Anthropology

by Kaliann25

005

Michelakos residence, Philadelphia Monday 11:57am

The car stopped in front of a huge white house with two floors, a balcony and a huge garden right in front of the woods.

“We’re here” announced the woman turning to the green-haired girl. “Laura are you okay?”

Lyra shook her head, damn cars.

“I’ll be fine as soon as I get off this thing” she mumbled taking her backpack.

The woman nodded slowly and opened the door for her.
Lyra thanked the gesture with half smile and got down; now, the sooner this misunderstanding clears the sooner she’ll be free to plan her next move. In fact, why don’t tell her from now that there was no way she was her long-lost daughter so she could go now? She didn’t had to involve this family into her problems, they had suffered enough already.

“Excuse me… Miss Michakelos, you see, truth is I was thinking and…”

But the main door suddenly opened interrupting her, letting pass a dark haired man a little chubby with a gently-looking face. He seemed pretty excited and just like the woman first thing he did was catch Lyra in a deep embrace.

“Laura, oh Laura, I thought I would never see you again, that you were dead but look at you now! You’re back and… green hair? Okay that’s something, but you’re here! Oh Laura I can’t believe is that really you!”

Seriously, things weren’t getting any easier for Lyra. How could she tell this man this was all a huge misunderstanding?
Luckily enough Miss Michakelos came to the rescue and placed her hand on the man’s shoulder.

“Okay, let’s calm down a little. Even if we both are happy to have you back Laura, we’re still unsure if that’s really you so until we do the test we better keep this between the three of us. When you disappeared the media made a big deal of it and didn’t make things easier for us so let’s keep this as quiet as possible”

“Agreed!” Exclaimed Lyra tired.

Mr. Michelakos recovered composure and nodded.

“You’re right dear, not a word to anyone. And that includes Chloe, I hope you understand”

“Who is Chloe?” Asked Lyra.

“Your younger sister” explained the man. “She’s at school right now but you’ll met her later, I’m pretty sure she’ll be happy to have you around but still don’t tell her”

“No problem, now, is there any room where I can rest for a while? I had a long flight and for the first time I’m in a plane it was a little too much”

“Oh, sure, come on in!”

So she was guided inside the house by the two adults.
In the living room first thing called her attention was the giant painting of a dragon sleeping over a treasure, a small detail that reminded Lyra her true home. The creature was unbelievably well done since she was pretty sure that there were no dragons in the human world. So beautiful, the dragon itself seemed alive.

“Amazing” mumbled Lyra.

“Your mother made it” explained Mr. Michelakos. “We met when she began drawing the illustrations for my books”

Lyra nodded and walked a little backwards to appreciate the painting better. His books, now that she reminded someone mentioned that her supposed father was a relatively famous fantasy author; honestly she didn’t mind but now it was kind of a relief.
Then her eyes moved to a plastic figurine on the coffee table. She had to use all her self-control to not scream and faint again. Instead she took the small thing between her fingers to look it closer.

“No way”

Miss Michelakos smiled.

“Oh, that’s Chloe’s. You know how little girls are. Just about everyone goes through a unicorn phase, at least for a while. Personally I never outgrew mine”

Lyra gulped and put the figurine back where it was for her sanity’s sake.

“So is there somewhere I can sleep for a little?”

“Oh, right, sorry. Come this way please”

They showed her a room upstairs and gave her a moment alone. Lyra sighed, this entire day had been exhausting, but the toy was just too much. In an adrenaline rush she threw her backpack on the bed and began to make push-ups with just one arm. She didn’t know much she spent on a single arm, but when it began to hurt she switched to the other and kept going.

Someone knocked at the door.

“Laura are you awake?”

“Yes, come on in!”

Selena Michelakos entered to the room taking a small surprise when she saw Lyra exercising.

“What are you doing?”

“Training. Is the only thing that kept me sane during this days”

The woman shook her head.

“Well, since my husband just left to pick up Chloe I wanted to speak with you alone. During the last years at least three girls have presented claiming to be Laura, money is a powerful…”

Lyra stopped and sat on the bed.

“Miss Michalekos we both know that the test result will be negative, still this wasn’t my idea, it was those cops’ from Des Moines. First thing I wanted to tell you when we arrived was that this whole thing was a huge mistake and there’s no way I can be your daughter. But then your husband showed up and seemed really excited so I couldn’t help but play along. If I leave now I don’t know how he’ll take it”

The woman sighed.

“I know, that will affect him a lot”

“I’m sure I’m not that Laura, but he needs some proof. But believe me, as soon as the results arrive I’ll leave”

Selena looked at this girl’s eyes and smiled.

“So we have a deal, you can stay until Thomas’ doubts are clear”

Lyra nodded.

“Thank you”

“Thank you for understand”

They both sat on the bed.

“So what’s your real name young lady?”

“I’m Lyra and that’s all I remember”

The woman raised an eyebrow.

“You don’t have to pretend with me”

“I’m not, I have no idea who I was or where I was when I first arrived to Des Moines; but still I can assure you I’m not your daughter”

The woman looked at her worried.

“So you don’t remember anything?”

“Nothing I can share without being taken as crazy. Anyway that’s why the cops sent me here even if I have enough problems for my own, last I need is to get involved in yours as well”

Selena Michelakos nodded still worrying for this girl but decided to walk to the door.

“Okay, so Chloe an Thomas will be here any minute now so please go take a shower so you can join us for lunch”

“Sure thing!”

So when Selena left Lyra did as she was told. Tomorrow she’ll do that so called paternity test and then she could continue with her life. But she was stuck with the Michakelos until the results arrive, how long would it take? Anyway she just changed her clothes and ran downstairs where the family were already eating.

“Excuse me” she said joining them.

A little girl with dark brown hair and chocolate-colored eyes turned to Lyra. Again the former unicorn had to use all her self-control to not to shriek at the sight of her blouse with a unicorn picture.

“Who is she?” Asked the little girl.

“Chloe, remember we told you we have a guest? This is Laura, she’ll be staying with us for a few days” smiled Mr. Michakelos.

“Hi Chloe” said Lyra softly offering her a hand. “Ehem… as your father told you I’m Laura but my friends call me Lyra”

“Why is your hair like that?”

“It grows naturally this way”

“Liar!” Chuckled the little one.

Lyra blinked surprised unsure how to react, but then she remembered that human hair only grew in a limited pallet of colors. Humans who had colorful hair (she’d seen green, pink, even cyan) had to dye it to make it that way. It was kind of weird.
But at the end Lyra managed to smile at Chloe.

“Got me, I just dye it recently”

Chloe smiled.

“I like this color”

“It’s because it’s cool”

All introductions done they ate lunch normally.

“So Lyra” mumbled Thomas Michakelos, “is that a nickname for somewhere?”

“I’m not sure, recently I’m not sure of anything anymore” sighed Lyra.

Tuesday 05:39am

“At which hour you booked the paternity test?” Asked Selena Michelakos.

“Well, seven thirty, why?”

“We better wake her up, don’t you think?”

The man nodded and were about to go upstairs but suddenly he bumped into Chloe.

“Chloe, why are you awake?”

“The guest is doing funny noises in front of my window and woke me up”

“What?”

Chloe’s room faced the backyard, what was Laura doing there?
The former unicorn was of course training her earth-pony martial arts with a tree, wearing an old hoodie, a black top and a legging Audrey gave her. Seriously, why humans had to wear clothes for almost everything including exercising? It was when she noticed she already had public.

“Oh, good morning”

Thomas Michelakos didn’t know what to think about this.

“Is that Karate or Kung…?”

“Kung-Fu, is no big deal. This is just the way I deal with my nerves”

The marriage stared at Lyra, this girl was full of surprises.

“Whatever, let’s eat and we’ll go to do the test”

This trip was the longest she had in human earth transportation but Lyra was getting used to.
Then they arrived to the hospital, seriously did she had to spend all her time in the human world in those buildings?

Anyway this time the procedure was fast: they took a sample of saliva, a quick reflex examination and released her.

“So you don’t remember anything?” Asked a doctor.

“How many times I have to say it? NO!”

“Fine, fine. Anyway, I know a certain psychiatrist who specializes in cases of children reunited with their birth parents. I’ll pass the number to your parents in case they decide to get you some help”

Your parents, the doctor seemed unsure of that part; but of course Lyra knew he was right.

“So how much until the results come?”

“A week more or less”

A week! Damn, but at least it’ll give her some time to think.
So the so called family returned home. One more week and she’ll stop dragging people into her problems, then she could find Sweet Pea and properly ‘thank him’ for what he have done once she return to Equestria.
A week more, just one more week.

Soon enough the Michakelos family was getting used to Lyra’s routine such as she was getting used to theirs. As a writer and an illustrator Thomas and Selena Michakelos worked at home, the only few times they go out was to buy groceries and go to Chloe’s school to drop her or pick her up, but this was about to end soon as long as Lyra new.
By her way she spent most of her days practicing, always practicing. A couple of times Mr. Thomas and Miss Selena showed her the city but that was it, nothing that caught Lyra’s interest.

One day she was reading one of this novels her supposed father wrote when Miss Michakelos interrupted her gently.

“So tell me Lyra, don’t you want to go out by yourself or something?”

The green-haired girl shrugged.

“I’m fine, thank you. Maybe a little tired since I spent two full hours practicing ‘Kung-Fu’ but other than that I’m perfectly fine, I don’t need to go anywhere at the time”

The woman sighed sadly.

“Precisely, you’ve spending your days exercising to exhaustion, then reading and then exercising again. Maybe I’m not your mother but still you’re worrying me Lyra. Go to take some fresh air, try to have fun please”

“I’m perfectly fine, don’t worry”

“No you’re not. Please, do me this little favor okay? Go outside for at least an hour. Here, take some money, just do it for me”

Lyra took the bills the woman was offering her.

“Are you sure? You and your husband are doing more than enough taking me in”

“Still go, for my sake go outside for a while, please. Try to have fun”

Lyra nodded sadly and walked to the main door unsure what to do to have fun at the human way. She wandered for a few minutes until a little store called her attention:

BELFIELD, used books.

Shrugging Lyra entered, reading was one of the few hobbies enjoyed by humans and ponies alike.

“Welcome to Belfield” greeted a human girl a little older than her. “Something especial you’re looking for?”

Lyra scratched her head, what to read now? That was a good question. Then it came to her, now that she was in the human world, why don’t try to verify how much of her nonsenses was actually accurate?

“History Books?”

“Any period or country in particular?”

“All of it?”

“World history then. Right this way”

She began to check the books passing pages paying especial attention to the illustrations. It seemed so familiar, it was practically the same stupidities she used to invent at home; but apparently she weren’t making all that up, no, it was almost completely accurate.
No, Lyra had to take this book no matter what. Then she noticed another book in the fiction section that called her attention: the last unicorn. Again she had to take it no matter what.

On the counter the employee raised an eyebrow.

“Unicorns and history, an interesting taste you have”

“However, I prefer this to stare at the black box humans have on their living rooms”

The girl smiled.

“You’re a dying breed. It’s always nice to find another find of good reading. I’m Monica”

“Lyra”

And suddenly Monica’s eyes widened.

“Wait a minute, you exist. You actually exist”

“What you mean?”

Monica chuckled.

“A friend of mine told me the other day he bumped into a strange girl with green hair claiming to be Thomas Michelakos’ daughter”

Lyra frowned in annoyance.

“So you know Paul. Look, I don’t know what he told you but I’m not claiming to be anyone. The police told me that; in the meantime I’ll have to play along until this misunderstanding clears up”

Monica looked at Lyra suspiciously.

“He also said you lost your memory”

“I did”

“No you don’t”

“Got me, still I can’t tell anything to anyone without been taken as crazy”

Lyra frowned when she noticed Monica’s eyes, what was that expression on her face? Concern. She was starting to get pissed of this situation. Why did everyone gave her that look? Audrey, the Michelakos family and now this stranger.

Monica noticed the girl’s anger and raised a hand.

“I know it’s not my business but if you have some grief in your heart the sooner you share it with the people you love the sooner you’ll feel better”

“That’s the problem, I don’t have anyone in here”

So Lyra paid and ran before Monica could say anything else. Damn it, usually she wasn’t that rude with people but this situation was too much for her to handle. She checked the watch the Michelakos lend her, she had being out only for fifteen minutes. Forty five to go.
Sighing Lyra wandered all over downtown until the hour finally passed.
She returned to the house pretty sure Miss Michelakos was going to scold her for not being out more, but again, what else she could do? But when she entered to the house immediately noticed something was off. The Michelakos marriage were at the couch looking at a piece of paper, apparently a letter they just received.
“Ey, did I miss something?” Asked Lyra.

“Laura?”

“Actually my name is…”

The Michelakos didn’t gave her time to explain herself, they just ran to catch her in a deep embrace like preventing her to leave them again.

“Sixteen years, you were gone for sixteen years” said the women with a trembling voice.

“What you’re talking about?” Asked Lyra, but then her eyes placed on the letter.

It was a large compilation of data that she couldn’t understand. However what was important was the number at the bottom of it:

Probability of parentage 99.124%

The whole world froze for Lyra. the girl returned the embrace the best she could but she was all sweaty and trembling. Her parents noticed the change and freed the embrace so Lyra took the chance to move to the backyard with robotic steps.

“Lyra where are you going?” Asked her father.

She turned. Her eyes were red trying to hold back the tears; not tears of joy nor sadness, of panic.

“I-am-going-to-keep-training” she said as an automat. “Excuse-me”

“You trained your Kung-Fu the entire morning” said her mother starting to worry.

“Still-I-need-to”

And at this point Lyra finally broke, she fell on her knees and began to scream while the tears were flowing throw her face.

“Laura!” Shouted her parents running to her.

“Damn it, damn it, DAAAAAAAMN IIIIIIITTT! WHAT’S GOING ON? WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?”

Her parents hugged her.

“Laura…

“THIS IS ALL OUR FAULT SWEET PEA! BUT WAIT, WAIT UNTIL I GET YOU!! I’LL SHOW YOU WHO IS LYRA HEARTSTRINGS, I SWEAR TO THE DEVIL!!”

Author's Note:

In this chapter Lyra's reaction differs the most from the original story even if I added a coulpe of winks too. Still I hope you liked it, and now the two worlds are closer than ever to colide.

Read ya' later!!

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

Why did you make this story anthro, when Anthropology isn't anthro?

[Kaliann25]

7707568 My mistake, already fix it

[lunarderpy1]

lyra is the unicorn toy.