Eminence Front
Graveyard Shift
By TDR
Eminence Front
Millstone perked one ear at the squee coming from the group further in the orchard. That was either Naunet, or Ginger. Honestly he wasn’t sure which, nor did he really care at the moment. Skulking off had been easy. Ginger tended to draw all attention to herself and then drag everyone nearby along for the ride. Lockheed wasn’t going anywhere, simply to make sure nothing happened, Mesa was still enjoying the attention of the cute yellow Pegasus and the others were likely hanging around due to having nothing else to do.
Millstone had a book he had brought along to read, and wasn’t a fan of other ponies anyway. He got along somewhat with his teammates, but he got easily annoyed around others and needed to seek solitude in order to calm down if he got too overwhelmed. Honestly the others all understood and Locasta did the same at times, though she was much more intent on being seen and accepted than he was.
Finding a tree within ear shot, but far enough away he could only hear them as more than muffled voices if they yelled, Millstone settled back against a tree, his spine curving in a way most would wince at but was comfortable for his somewhat elongated form, before he drew out the book from his hooded robes and started to read.
The book was a newer retelling of an old Sherlock Hooves story, though admittedly one he had never read before.
Still it was easy to lose himself in the mystery and forget everything that was going on in the world and just let himself be drawn in, it was an ability that served him well for years, tuning out that which sucked to focus on something enjoyable.
It was due to this that he didn’t notice the mare until she spoke.
“Don’t turn the page yet.”
Millstone blinked looking up from the book letting out a yelp and flinging the book away as he dove away from the tree. There was a purple unicorn mare hanging by her back legs from the tree he was leaning again, reading over his shoulder.
A purple glow surrounded her horn and she caught the book and the page he was on before it hit the ground.
“Hey be careful how you treat the book.” The mare chided, her one good lavender eye regarding him with a bit of a frown.
“The book!? Mare you nearly gave me a heart attack, don’t read over peoples shoulder like that!”
“I was already in the tree when you sat down.” She sighed tucking a bit of paper he had been using as a book mark back into the page he stopped before closing the book and offering it back. “And I haven’t had a chance to pick this one up yet. I’ve read the original, but I wanted to know if the reprint changed anything.”
“Right, still a little warning would have been nice.” Millstone grumbled taking the book back and tucking it away, noting how the mares eye seemed to focus on his paw as he took the book.
“Yeah sorry. Not really used to being around other ponies yet. I’m, Twilight Sparkle. I think I saw you briefly in the group with Applejack’s cousin. At least before I spotted the sna…. The ….. the long one…..”
Millstone raised an eyebrow at that as the mare stumbled over the existence of Naunet. Seemed like a phobia of some kind. “Naunet won't hurt you. She's the team medic in fact, she tends to take that oath of theirs seriously.”
“Logic and knowing something do nothing to calm a phobia.”Twilight huffed.”Trust me I've tried.”
Millstone shrugged a little, the effect odd. “Not sure what to tell you aside from not to bother with immersion therapy, that often makes the situation worse.”
“I know I've read quite a few books on the subject and it's a bit horrific.“ Twilight sighed. “ Any way sorry about that. Like I said I'm Twilight Sparkle.”
She offered a hoof and Millstone stared at it a moment before sighing and reaching out to accept the shake he then tensed as she noticed his paw.” Millstone.”
“Are you an Abyssinian.. but your face is equine. Oh this is interesting, a chimera of some kind or mixed parentage? I'm curious can I see.. what's that?” Twilight asked feeling some sort of magic.
“Fuck off.” Millstone snarled turning and storming away pulling his hood closer around his head.
“What?” Twilight blinked watching him stomp off. ”What did I do?”
“You expressed interest in his condition. He has issue with that.” A voice stated before a dark furred stallion stepped out of the tree line.
“What I wasn't picking on him or anything.... who are you?” Twilight frowned.
“Stigma, I'm one of his team mates, came over here at the yell. He has issues with his condition, it drew a lot of attention when he was younger and he's hated it since. Thing is he doesn't react like a normal pony, he gets angry rather than depressed or anything else, and it's a bad idea to actually get him angry.”
The stallion points to the tree Twilight had hidden in. Twilight looked up her eyes widening as the apples that had covered the tree were now strawberries, the leaves a cream color and the bark a faded pink.
“Luckily his control seems to be improving as you are not a strawberry yourself.” the stallion smiled showing off a pair of fangs. Twilight raised an eyebrow at that, curious on this one too, not that fangs bothered her, she had seen Spike eat since he was a hatching after all.
Stigma closed his mouth raising an eyebrow at her for some reason.
“I wasn't trying to do anything....” Twilight began. “ I didn't mean...”
“I know that, and you know that, shards, he might even know that, though with what little I know that he's been through that's not much of a factor he can control well.“ Stigma sighed. ”Much like your fear of snakes in fact. I'll go have a word with him and we'll head back to Canterlot. You may want to stay away from the farm house for a bit, Nahnet is still there.”
Twilight frowned as the stallion started off in the direction Millstone had gone.
She pondered a moment before coming to the conclusion she couldn't let this stand. Friendship had defeated Nightmare Moon and she had just screwed it up.
She needed to fix this.
“So you're looking for some pony?” Fluttershy asked glancing over at Rainbow Dash who was pestering the stone griffon.
“Indeed fair one, a soul that I lost long ago. One that I was quite partial too after our repeated encounters. But it was I suppose centuries ago by your recollection that I last caught their tune.” Mesa considered. “Occasionally I have caught a hint of their music, but little more, as if something in passing has chanced upon the soul I seek and is humming the tune they heard.”
“Do you think you can find them?” Spike questioned.
“Perhaps. Though what they may be in this era is any ones guess, they might be a pony, a bird, or perhaps if I am cosmically lucky, a nice young vixen, but my song is in no way that good.”
“I am sorry you mentioned music a few times, but I don't quite understand.” Fluttershy offers.
“Ahh quite alright. I speak of the Kotodama. It refers to the belief that mystical power dwell in words and names. Equestrian translations include "soul of language", "spirit of language", "power of language", "power word", "magic word", and "sacred sound". The notion of kotodama presupposes that sounds can magically affect objects, and that ritual word usages can influence our environment, body, mind, and soul. “ Mesa offered.” At least that is the definition as spoke by those who only wish to document and not really feel. The Kotodama is the music that guides the universe. Everything has a song, every blade of grass, every beast, every soul that exists has it's own song and all of this together is the grand song of life, the Kotodama. Each tune is different and easy to tell apart for any that choose to listen.......”
Naunet sighed. “I hope you have the time. He will go one with thissss for quite ssssome time.”
“Sokay it seems pretty interesting so far.” Spike shrugged as he leaned back against the naga's coils to listen.
“It issss the firsssst dozen timessss one hearsss it.” Naunet rolled her eyes at Spike's seating arrangement, the little dragonling was lucky he was small and cute.
“So yer working fer her?” Applejack asked watching Rarity talk with the centaur further out in the grove with her eyes narrowed before she glanced back at her cousin.
“Pretty much, Celestia dun like it, but pfft what ever. S'ides a paycheck ah ain't never had much tah do with her, even as a ranger.” Ginger offered.
“But isn't she.... “ Bright Mac frowned and looked at AJ. “How ken yah trust her after she did this?”
Applejack rolled her eyes.
“Welp given she's supposed tah be cured from tha nightmare whatever, from what ah ken see she's doing is trying tah right thing.” Ginger offered.” Can't ask more than that in truth.”
“Ain't enough?” Bright Mac huffed and Pear Butter nodded slightly as well.
“Then what would yah have her do? Banish 'erself fer a few more millinia? Jump in a volcano and leave her sister tah handle everything?”Ginger sighed.”From what a'hm hearing from Jacky here is Celestia sent an untrained mare with no idea what tha Tartarus was going on down here tah save tah day. Add in tha fact that Celestia wants me an mai crew pretty much dead or banished or dead where ever she's gonna banish us too? Ah'm inclinded tah trust tha one trying tah do something directly with a trained Guard unit, rather than some young thing straight outta school.”
Bright Mac remained annoyed as he glanced between Apple Jack and Ginger.
“Ain't no easy solutions cuz.” Ginger sighed sparing a glance around noting the only ones left in the farm yard were Mesa, Locasta, and Naunet of her team, as well as the yellow pegasus Fluttershy, Rarity, and a sleeping Spike. “Looks like mai teams waited around long enough. Nice talking with yah'll, but we gotta report back. Ah'll try and stop by again sometime when ah can, prolly around cider season.”
Ginger smirked at that sparing a glance to the scowling Bright Mac and the frowning Pear Butter. Applejack at least seemed to be considering her words. Not that she could blame the parents for wanting to protect their daughter or being angry at the one who hurt her.
“Locasta time tah go, Naunet grab tha fox, we're heading home.” Ginger called to a relieved looking Nahnet, Mesa had been going on for hours.
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I can see Mesa and fluttershy (and probably zecora if/when she appears) being great friends. Millstone And twilight would probably be great penpals. Not sure about the rest
This is so League of Extraordinary Gentleman, and I love it.
Welcome Back!!!!
Time for some rereading.
Probably Wizards, i find that a good answer to anything i don't understand or don't know, is wizards.
I am happy to see this continue after… *looks at the time between this chapter and the last, letting out a whistle*.
Not the longest I’ve seen between chapters for stories on this site lol.
Hope Twilight doesn’t further drive a wedge between her and Millstone. Also kinda want Twilight and Lockheed to have a moment where she realizes he’s the stone griffin statue she read stories to when young lol.
Also Pinkie Pie hasn’t returned yet to throw them a “Welcome to Ponyville!” party, so that’s gonna be fun to see too.
Noooooo!!!
Stigma: "You're... parents?"
Okay, time to get worried...
Because most ponies get uncomfortable when they see fangs, you don't
Because she tends to be a lot more honest than her sister
THIS IS FRICKIN AMAZING!!!!!
11360481
Fair but at the same time you tagged a story that wasn’t a comedy with comedy lol I’m just saying you do you
11360765
it is also tagged with Gore, Violence, and Dark. It has the comedy tag because I cannot help add such things in, and thus it falls under comedy
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When is this likely to see the next chapter of this?
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This story is a bit random in that regards my main focus is on WALK and TGaP