Minion was honestly curious, the group had arrived at the Hungry Moth where they were escorted to a table for four. It certainly was an interesting place, even if the building is made of mud just like the rest of the town. The whole restaurant had many patrons, and as expected, a few had glanced their way. They too were curious, it's not exactly every day they would see three strange ponies gathering in one place. Though Kirin isn't exactly a pony.
Stoic was currently speaking with Quick Fuse who had taken the seat next to him. She was the mare that had decided to befriend Golden Star, but her efforts only made Minion see Fuse as a bother. But Fuse and Stoic seem to have some things in common. Such as the fact that both are dangerously interested in explosives. Didn't surprise Minion that Fuse liked the subject so much, Fuse's cutie mark is two sticks of dynamite with lit fuses. Minion will need to be careful around the mare.
Kirin was busy reading the menu, even though the group had already decided to have a pot of fondue. As for Minion, she used her time to read her cookbook just to avoid any interaction with Stoic and Fuse. She didn't care if it was kinda awkward, she just didn't want to talk with the two ponies.
But much to her dismay, Kirin was the one who was trying to initiate a conversation with her.
"These are all mouth-watering, right Star?" He said.
"Reading right now, don't disturb me."
"Now don't be rude," Stoic said. "we should all get to know each other. As a member of the Institute of Peace, I am an expert in creating a connection among other creatures. I shall start with a question." He cleared his throat, his eyes snapped towards Minion and caused her to flinch. "Star, what is your favorite food?"
Minion stiffened, though it was just a simple question, she couldn't help but feel uneasy from the way he looked at her. "Lasagna." She said the first thing that came to mind. Lasagna, a pasta dish that she was actually hungry for. When she gets home it will be the first thing she makes.
"Oh, I like hayburgers!" Fuse answered before Stoic could ask her. "Best style of a sandwich if you ask me."
"Interesting," Stoic hummed. "I am fond of potatoes. Any recipe is fine, hash browns, prench fries, anything. What about you Kirin?"
"Fried rice, I like to add a fried egg and a lot of garlic." He answered with a smile.
Stoic mimicked Kirin's smile. "See? It's like we are the best of friends. Would you all like to answer another question?"
Minion shrugged her shoulders. "I guess,"
"Alright," Stoic nodded.
Before he could ask a question, a pony had come by with a trolley. On it was a large pot, a plate with bread sliced up into cubes, and four forks to be used. Some crackers and chips, perfect for the occasion. But something else also came with their order, it was a bucket of ice and a bottle of white wine.
"Hey, Shamrock!" Fuse greeted the waiter.
"Hey, Fuse, a pleasant day for some fondue." Shamrock greeted her back as he set up the fondue stand along with a burner.
"Sure is!" She said, "Oh, we didn't order wine." Fuse told Shamrock as he placed the bottle on the table.
"I ordered it," Stoic informed them. "Wine goes great with fondue. It just goes well with cheese perfectly and we would be a fool to forget it."
"That's true!" Shamrock supported Stoic's claim. "Anyways, I hope you enjoy it!"
With that, the waiter left to retreat into the kitchen.
With the fondue pot set up, Stoic wasted no time and lit up the burner. The melted cheese started to heat and bubbles rose from the bottom of the pot. Stoic had also poured everyone a glass of wine, to which Minion quickly accepted. She took a sip and was greeted by a whole new experience. This was the first time she had tasted wine, and it honestly wasn't bad.
"Now don't go drinking it in one go, we still have some cheese to try!" Fuse said gleefully.
Right, the cheese. Fondue was a concept Minion had just recently discovered, at first, she didn't think much about it, it's just a pot of cheese and you dip stuff in it. Then her curiosity got the better of her. Back then the idea of putting a flower between two slices of bread was strange, but then she tried one. And it is safe to say that she would try another when she feels like it.
She paused as a hiccup was heard, surprised, Minion turned towards her "friend" only to be met by a goofy-looking smile from Kirin. His cheeks were slightly pink, and the wine glass in his hoof was empty. "Did I ever tell you that you're pretty...?" He said out of nowhere.
"Uh, you did..." Minion looked over to Stoic with a look of suspicion. "Alright, what was in the bottle!?"
Stoic arched a brow. "Is this the first time you've seen someone drunk on wine? It would seem that our friend, Kirin, is a lightweight. It means that he cannot handle his alcohol, I'm surprised, I would have thought he could handle it. Is this the first time you had wine, Kirin, Star?"
"Yes, I had never tried wine before." Minion admitted. But unlike Kirin, she took her alcohol very well. Even if it is her first time.
"Me...? Nah... Nah..." Kirin chuckled. "My first time... I uh... had rice wine before. Drank like... a dozen bottles... was awesome man..."
"Rice wine? Interesting." Stoic was quick to write Kirin's words down.
"The cheese is ready!" Fuse announced excitedly.
"Ah, it is." Using his magic, Stoic lifted his fork with a piece of bread on the end and dipped it into the pot. He was the first to taste the delicious sweet cheese, and it surprised everyone that his expression changed. From a passive look to one of satisfaction. "Excellent." He muttered.
"I can't get it right..." Kirin complained.
Minion glanced over to him and was honestly disappointed. Kirin was trying to dip his piece of bread, but for some odd reason that Minion has yet to understand, he kept missing the pot. Perhaps this was because he had a bit of wine in his system. But what does Minion know? This was the first time she ever drank alcohol.
Not wanting to waste any more time, Minion pierced a piece of bread and brought it to the pot. One dip coated the bread with a layer of cheese, it was thick and it held onto the crusty surface. Minion then tossed it into her mouth where she was greeted by a new world of flavor. The cheese was sweet and mild, the toasted bread boosted the flavors nicely. The flavor just danced on her tongue as the music started to play in her mind, it was soothing, she could just sit there and just savor the moment.
But alas, her moment would come to an end as she swallowed down her food. Though it isn't the end just yet, there was a whole plate of other snacks to enjoy. Chips, crackers, she was free to try everything. And it would seem the others were enjoying the fondue as well, except for Kirin who kept missing the pot.
Fuse, the only earth pony in the group, held a chip in her teeth and would dip her face down on the pot just to get some cheese. Minion was glad to choose a unicorn for her disguise, it would've been weird if she copied Fuse with her method.
Minion then glanced over to the actual unicorn, Stoic. As she expected, he was well mannered. He would allow others to go before him, he makes zero noises when he eats. And he always took his time to enjoy the cheese, Minion couldn't help but notice how defenseless he was. His head was tilted up, his neck exposed. Instincts tempted Minion to just pounce and sink her teeth in and be done with it. But no, she knew the risk. Though it would look like he was open to attacks, Minion knew better than to just underestimate a unicorn.
Unicorns are the most powerful race among the ponies just because they can use magic. Sure they don't have the speed of a pegasus or the strength of an earth pony, but magic is still a deciding factor. If Minion remembered correctly, a changeling would need to break a unicorn's focus before they can cast a spell. That means hit them on their melons and bite their throats.
"So Star," Minion was pulled away from the darkness of her thoughts by Stoic. He eyed her carefully as he held his hooves together. "Where are you from? Canterlot, Manehattan, or...?"
"A small town named Silent Falls, ever been there?" Minion answered as honestly as she could. Of course, it was a lie, but her species was the definition of deceit.
"No I have not, it must be quite a small town if I have not heard of it before. Perhaps you can't point it out on the map later so I can request it to be added, any settlement in Equestria is useful for wayfarers or merchants." Then his eyes narrowed. A sense of dread crawled on Minion's back as Stoic glared at her. "You can do that, right?"
"Um..."
With no hesitation, Stoic flipped the table into the air. Shocked and confused, Fuse and Kirin could only watch as their food was littered around them. Minion stared with disbelief, the whole thing turned to chaos. But that was not the end of it, her eyes widened as Stoic emerged from below the table's edge, fork poised to strike.
Pure instincts flooded her head, and her body worked all on its own just for self-preservation. Right then and there, Minion was engulfed by hellish flames that painted the whole room green. Stoic's face turned into a scowl as his fork landed on something tough.
Right where Golden Star was supposed to be, sat a kirin with her back facing towards Stoic. Her black dragon-like scales acted as a shield that absorbed Stoic's attack. Minion glanced back, a wrathful fire burned in her eyes.
Everyone was already staring at the group the moment the table was in the air, but now they were speechless as the unicorn before them just transformed into a kirin. It was nothing anyone in town had ever seen before, there were legends of unicorns having power beyond mortal comprehension, perhaps this is it. But that was what they perceived, being sheltered from the outside world does that to you and you'd believe anything you hear these days.
We know the truth, of course, Minion was a changeling, and Stoic had no doubt of that.
"Changeling," Stoic muttered with distaste, the name was like poison on his tongue.
Fuse cowered in her seat, unsure of what to do in this situation that has not happened before. The chefs came out of the kitchen to see what the ruckus was about, and much to their surprise, a unicorn assaulted a kirin. But the fact that there were two was what confused them the most. One tried to defuse the situation but a dome was formed around Stoic and his party.
"Evacuate the building, I will deal with this insect," Stoic ordered them.
Not questioning him any further, the chefs and other employees proceeded to do as they were told. The patrons of the restaurant were ushered out, all equally confused and unsure of what exactly was happening. Soon enough the whole place was empty of any ponies, only the four creatures in the dome.
Stoic and Minion stared down at each other, waiting for anyone to make a move. Stoic had removed the dome once everyone was out of the building, and Minion felt insulted by it. The way she sees it, Stoic was confident in his skills so much that he didn't need to entrap Minion in a small space where he could easily wipe the floor with her. It was obvious that he was skillful compared to her, and any mistake Minion makes could be fatal. So it was best to play it safe until an opportunity arises.
"Heh," Minion laughed. "Guess there's no point in hiding it anymore, huh?"
In a flash of green, Minion revealed her true form for all to see.
Fuse screamed in terror as the unicorn mare turned kirin was replaced by an unholy creature from the depths of tartarus. Black chitin with razor-sharp fangs and eyes like the stars which stared back at her. Fear overwhelmed Fuse in every part of her bone, it was something different, never before had felt such raw emotion in her life. Kirin on the other hand attempted to prevent a fight from breaking out, but he could not, he was having trouble with his seat due to a lack of focus. His hooves would slip off the seat whenever he tried to push himself off, Kirin wished he had not taken a single sip of wine today.
"So?" Minion smirked. "You got me, I am impressed with-"
The changeling ducked in time as Stoic's hoof sailed over her head.
"Hey, I was talking!"
"My hooves don't have ears." He replied.
"Guys, stop...! I need help off my seat..." Kirin attempted.
Though he was a unicorn, Stoic had resorted to his hooves. Minion tried to throw him aside with magic, but she couldn't get a hold of him at all. It was as if her telekinesis just slipped off the surface of Stoic's skin. She had hoped that magic would be enough to fight a unicorn back but here she was in a battle of fisticuffs.
Left, right, right, left.
Minion ducked and dodged every attack, there were perks of being a small changeling, it allowed her to be nimble. This was one of the few moments she thanked God for making her so short. The fighting style was certainly new to Minion, it was more fitting for a biped creature than a pony but somehow Stoic made it work.
She waited for an opening, just a small one, then she could perform a fatal strike. Then there it was, Stoic leaned too far forward with his left hoof extended out, Minion quickly wrapped her hooves around Stoic's and pulled to the floor. Where she then bucked her hind legs at his exposed stomach.
"Terminate." Stoic muttered.
Quickly, Minion pushed herself away, just in time as well. Electricity coursed through Stoic and lit him up like a Christmas tree, but the unicorn was unfazed. Instead, he glared at Minion more intently. He just shrugged it off like it was nothing, and it baffled their spectators.
Stoic continued to push back Minion, her attempts at a counter were met with failure and disappointment. She had to improvise, and it better be a good move. Minion reached over to a nearby table and threw a plate at Stoic. As he dodged the changeling used this moment to transform into a large eel before attacking. She coiled around the pony and constricted him, he attempted to electrocute once more but it turns out that Minion was no ordinary eel.
Outsmarted and trapped, Stoic gritted his teeth as Minion tightened around his chest. His forelimbs were locked in place and it proved impossible for him to break out with sheer strength alone.
"Oh, how the tables have turned." Minion chuckled. "Though I am feeling merciful today if you beg then perhaps I can let you live... to be my slave that is."
"Burn." He spat out.
Minion sighed. "Shame, I would've loved a fighter like you. Your style is something I have not seen before."
Her eel form smiled proudly, Minion wanted to relish the moment. It wasn't rare for her to succeed like this, no. She just love these moments. A rush of superiority fills her head just as she prepares for a killing blow. Stoic grunted uncomfortably as the eel tightened. And yet he kept his scowl, no amount of pain falters him, he stood his ground even in the face of death.
"Honestly, if you keep quiet like that, I won't enjoy this." Minion frowned. She moved closer to look him in the eyes so she could see the life drain from them.
But that proved to be a big mistake.
His jaw snapped open and Minion's face was assaulted by a thick black cloud that blinded the changeling. She staggered for a short moment giving Stoic a window of opportunity to escape. The grip around him loosened enough for him to break free.
Minion gasped, she tried to get the upper hand but Stoic bit down on the end of her tail and whipped her eel form around. In turn, Stoic broke a table in two with a single swing. This continued for a short while, countless plates and other breakable objects were destroyed in the process.
"Guys!" Kirin called out to them, he had just gotten off his seat and was rushing over to them. He was still under the table thanks to the white wine, so much that he could barely run in a straight line. "Stop fighting- urp... Dang it, why did I drink so much...?"
He ran as quick as he could, Kirin needed to stop his friends from fighting one another, or else this would end horribly. Though he was still plastered, he bet all his marbles on his trump card, but just as he dug his hoof into his floofy mane, Minion's head slammed across his with a loud smack.
Seeing this, Stoic halted and gave Kirin a worried glance. Minion was far too dazed to even notice what had just happened.
"Kirin!" Fuse cried out for her new friend.
No words were said, Kirin only stood there on the spot with his eyes wide open. It was as if his drunken self was slapped right out of him with the way he moved. His head slowly turned towards the two combatants, an empty expression written on his face.
Minion transformed into her true form unknowingly and approached the stunned creature. "Kirin?"
Suddenly a burst of fire erupted around Kirin and the whole place exploded. The destruction was massive, everything within the restaurant was incinerated beyond repair. Ponies outside screamed as hell's fire burst out the windows. The owners and employees could only watch in despair as their livelihood burned down. Questions were asked as the fire consumed the whole building.
And the one thing that truly sent fear through their bodies was the terrifying roar of a beast within the flames.