Peppermints and Rose Petals
Fleur trotted down the main thoroughfare of the restaurant district in Canterlot. She couldn't help but feel excited about the evening ahead. The waning sun had given way to the soft glow of street lamps, casting a warm and inviting light on the bustling city. Her heart was still racing from the surprise that Minuette had left on her doorstep a few days prior.
"I respectfully request the presence of my beautiful marefriend at Le vent d'Armor three days hence for an unforgettable evening. Love Minuette." She recited in her head.
Over the year she'd lived in Canterlot, Fleur had lost count of the number of relationships she had partaken in. Most lasted just a night, but this one had kept her craving more. Buzzing with excitement, she'd spent the better part of yesterday shopping for something that would make Minuette's jaw drop. After numerous boutiques and countless outfits later, Fleur landed on a black, sleek dress with tiny pink crystals that lined the hem of the dress's trail with a unique swirl pattern. Despite her preference for more extravagant attire, she knew less was more with Minuette.
As Fleur neared the archway that led to the establishment, she spotted the azure unicorn waving enthusiastically. Her breath hitched in her throat as she was caught off guard by Minuette's radiant, form-hugging white dress laced with a brilliant assortment of crystals across her chest that could rival the nighttime sky. Even her mane had been done up, with two black sticks crossing through the base of a bun, framing her face like a beautiful portrait. Minuette somehow always knew exactly what to wear for Fleur to be infatuated with her all night.
She felt a warm glow in her chest as she looked at her bouncing marefriend. Unable to contain her excitement anymore, Minuette galloped over, bouncing up for a quick peck on the lips.
"You made it!" Minuette exclaimed, trotting in place.
"Of course," Fleur purred with a lustful smile. "I would never pass up an opportunity to spend time with my minty marefriend."
Minuette melted under the licentious stare, pulling her hoof up to cover her blushing cheeks. "You're doing it again."
"What?" Fleur asked softly, leaning tantalizing close to her muzzle.
"You know what." Minuette playfully batted her away.
"Désolée," she apologized, swishing her tail underneath Minuette's chin. "It's not every day I get to see this side of you."
Minuette cleared her throat. "That's because I have something special planned."
"Right, we can always have fun later," Fleur teased, giving her a wink. "But, I'm surprised that I've never heard of this place," Fleur said, looking for clues as to how long this place had been here.
Minuette giggled as her tail swished. "That's because it's a soft opening."
Fleur hummed in thought. "Usually, those events are reserved for special or influential guests. How did you get a table?"
"That would ruin the surprise," Minuette cheekily rebuked before taking her by the hoof and leading her toward the entrance. "I think you're really going to like this place. It's Prench!"
Fleur struggled to follow the excited mare, but she knew that not many ponies could keep up with her when she had something planned. Minuette's nagging zest for a fun and fulfilling life wasn't something Fleur was used to. Even when she wanted some alone time, the mare always brought her out of her shell to try new things and enjoy life to the fullest. It was an annoyingly endearing quality Fleur had come to enjoy.
As the pair passed under the archway, the flickering street lamps illuminated the soft yellow bricks of the building, giving Fleur an unnatural welcoming sensation. The charcoal-colored tiles of the roof, coupled with the carefully laid bricks, created the impression that they would find a petite Prench mare that would welcome them with freshly baked goods. Despite its modest height of only two stories, the cottage exuded a charm and warmth unfounded anywhere else in Canterlot. But she still couldn't get passed the name.
"What idiot names a restaurant 'The Wind of Armor?'" she grumbled.
"Did you see this?" Minuette released Fleur's hoof to point at the ironwork on the front doors.
As Fleur leaned in, her tail subtly swished as she noticed the fleur-de-lies woven into the intricate metalwork.
"I knew you would like it," Minuette beamed, bouncing up to give the taller mare another peck on the cheek. "Let's go inside!"
Minuette's horn emanated a gentle blue glow as she effortlessly glided the door open. Crossing the threshold, the smells of baking bread and roasted vegetables saturated the air. Despite the exterior's modest appearance, the central dining space turned out to be spacious enough to accommodate a considerable number of guests, with a capacity to seat up to a hundred ponies.
"Do you have a reservation?" A dark brown-coated stallion with a pencil-thin mustache asked, tapping his hoof on the stand.
The proud little unicorn puffed her chest out. "Minuette. Table for two."
His eyes narrowed in silent judgment before noticing the leering model. Giving Minuette one more look of indignation, he grabbed some menus motioning for them to follow. As they navigated the closely arranged tables, Fleur noticed Minuette's anxiousness through her attempts to burn a hole in the back of the arrogant stallion's head.
As the stallion bowed and departed the table after they had taken their seats, Fleur continued to leer at him. "Glad that pompous foal is gone."
"He wasn't that bad," Minuette eased, giving a faux smile. "Isn't this place great?"
"Oui, they really make you feel like a second-class citizen here. All that's left is for us to pay an exorbitant amount of bits for measly specks of food. Remind me why we're here again."
Minuette giggled. "Just try to have some fun."
Fleur gave her a wink, stretching out her hoof. With a joyful grin, Minuette touched her, causing a delightful sensation of spearmint that had enchanted her senses for the last several months to dance on her tongue. At first, it was an exhilarating flavor that made her tingle all over, but even as it began to lose its sharpness, she continued to find herself at Minuette's doorstep.
"You're doing it again," Minuette sang knowingly.
Fleur cocked her head. "Doing what again?"
"You always stare intensely when we hold hooves or twirl tails. It makes me feel like you're staring into my soul."
Fleur's stomach twisted with a sharp breath. "And you're telling me this now!"
"It was a little intimidating at first, but as you kept doing it, I started liking it. Nopony's ever looked at me like that." Minuette matched Fleur's burning stare with her own. "It makes me feel like I'm your 'soul' focus in the whole, wide world."
Fleur released her grip as she quickly pulled up the menu, her cheeks burning from the confession. "We should pick something to eat."
Minuette giggled, grinning from ear to ear as she pulled away to look at the menu. "I knew you'd be hungry the second you smelled that food cooking. I heard they serve the most authentic dishes second only to the ones in Prance."
The disappointment of the strong flavor began to fade away as her stomach was already grumbling for more. Looking at the menu only made things worse. The fancy dishes listed were all just a formality, a prelude to the real meal that would come at the end of the night. The mere thought of Minuette's minty love made her stomach twist in anticipation, but for now, she had to suffer through this tasteless pony food.
"Do you know what you want?"
Fleur shook her head. "Not in the slightest; how about you?"
"It would make it easier if everything wasn't in Prench," Minuette chortled, pointing to one of the items. "Plus, who writes in cursive anyways?"
Fleur brushed her mane back. "Refined ponies such as myself."
Minuette erupted in a fit of laughter, drawing ire from some of the nearby patrons.
"Bonjour, what can I get started for you?" A petite mare wearing a traditional Prench waitress dress asked in a forced accent.
"Bonjour," Fleur replied, flaunting her accent more than usual. "We would like two glasses of water, and could you tell us about the specials? My lovely partner is having some difficulty reading the menu."
The soft brown waitress nodded and began listing some of the more popular dishes. She also shared her personal preferences, which Minuette found helpful in making her decision. However, as the conversation shifted to the mare's personal history, Fleur couldn't help but grumble inwardly. She knew she should redirect the conversation, but seeing her marefriend so engaged in talking about herself made her hold her tongue.
After answering yet another one of Minuette's over-friendly questions, Minuette remembered to order. After Fleur rattled off the first thing that came to mind, the waitress departed, letting the pair return to their date.
"It all sounds so good!" Minuette exclaimed as the waitress finally departed the table.
Fleur leaned forward, resting her head on her fetlocks. "Not as good as somepony I know."
Minuette giggled as her cheeks burned bright. "You're so bad."
"I know." Fleur ran her back hoof up the inside of Minuettes leg. "You're lucky we're not at home."
Minuette's eyes widened as she fought to push the explorative hoof back down. "Fleur! Ponies are looking at us!"
"Fine. I'll behave," she conceded, leaning back with a smirk. "For now."
"Thank you. Some ponies can't get away with horseplay like that."
"Please. I'm no different from anypony else."
"No different?" Minuette giggled as she rolled her eyes. "I'll have to remember that the next time I take a break from my practice to appear on the cover of Canterlot's top fashion magazine."
Fleur flashed one of her perfect smiles. "Oui!"
Minuette leaned on her hoof, staring longingly at her. "It still amazes me that we're dating."
"Me too." Fleur leaned forward, matching her look. "I thought your bubbly personality would be grating to be around for extended periods of time."
Minuette chortled. "And I thought you were some uptight unicorn with her head so far up her flank that she couldn't even sit down.
Fleur burst into a fit of laughter. "That doesn't even make sense."
"And neither do we," Minuette confessed, fidgeting with one of the forks on the table. "I remember when I first saw you at that nightclub. You wanted nothing to do with me, but now, a year later, here we are!"
Fleur looked away with a sullen scowl. "I thought we agreed that our first meeting was when you sat with me at that cafe."
Minuette nodded, bouncing in her seat. "But, it just makes it even more special! I knew from the moment that I saw you I wanted to be your special somepony. To be the one that had wooed the most beautiful mare in Canterlot."
"I never took you for a shallow pony."
"Me neither!" Minuette giggled as her tail swished excitedly. "After I started dating you, I saw how shallow I was being and what made you truly special to everypony."
"Really now? And what was that?"
"You have this royal aura around you. It draws ponies in, you know." Minuette tapped her hoof on her chin. "It's kinda hard to explain, but I just want to be around you all the time. To have more of those moments when you gaze right through me and make me feel like the most important pony in Equestria."
Fleur hummed as she leaned forward, resting her head on her forehooves. "Like now?"
Minuette nodded as her cheeks turned a shade of red. "I'm so lucky to be with you."
"Oui, I would be too," Fleur teased, giving her a cheeky grin.
Fleur observed Minuette with keen interest as their lips touched. She couldn't help but notice that something wasn't quite right with her marefriend since they had met outside the restaurant. Minuette's ears were twitching, she couldn't sit still, and her eyes kept darting around.
Fleur rested her head on her fetlocks as her eyes narrowed. "Does my bien-aimée, have something else planned beyond our little meal?"
"What gave you that idea?"
"Oh, I don't know. The way you're acting like a filly who's hiding something from her parents for one."
Minuette pursed her lips as she put on her best pout look. "You think I did something bad, don't you?"
Fleur huffed in annoyance. She always hated that look because it made her more adorable than she had any right to be. "Just tell me why you're so anxious?"
"What?" Minuette folded her ears back, elevating her cuteness. "I'm not allowed to be nervous around a mare as stunning as you?"
"Flattery will only get you so far, my dear."
"But it's working," Minuette pointed out as her tail swished.
Fleur clicked her tongue as she rolled her eyes, giving into her smile. "In its mysterious way, yes."
Minuette giggled. "Is that why you said 'yes' when I asked you to be my marefriend?"
Fleur smirked. "It's a little more complicated than that."
Minuette leaned forward with intense interest. "Ooo, tell me!"
"Well," Fleur started, trying to find the right words. "You were unique."
"Unique?" Minuette repeated, cocking her head.
"What I mean is, you're different from the rest of the ponies here in Canterlot." Fleur reached out to savor Minuette's touch again. "In a way that I never expected."
Minuette stroked Fleur's fetlock. "Because I know how to make you laugh."
"Maybe," Fleur downplayed. "But you should already know why."
"Nope!" Minuette was grinning ear to ear now.
Fleur smirked. "You're not intimidated by me at all."
"Why would I be?" Minuette countered as her tail swished.
Fleur shrugged. "Most ponies know to keep their distance unless they want something from me. You just came up and started talking to me."
"You looked so lonely. I had to try something."
A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "I'm glad that you did, even if you were just going on and on about how good the hot chocolate was there."
"But it was!" Minuette exclaimed before folding her hooves across her chest. "Still don't know why you turned me down."
"Because sweets aren't my thing."
"Lies!" Minuette teased, pointing an accusatory hoof in her direction. "I've seen you eat an entire tub of ice cream when you thought nopony was watching."
Fleur couldn't help but bite her lip as she recalled that moment, as vivid as if it had happened yesterday. She remembered sitting on the couch with Minuette leaning on her shoulder and savoring a spoonful of ice cream. "It was mint ice cream."
"Still ice cream! And here I thought I was the only one who could eat a whole tub of ice cream," Minuette chortled. "And I thought models were supposed to have strict diets."
Fleur scoffed as she folded her legs across her chest. "That was one time."
"Nuh-uh." Minuette shook her head, grinning like she had some dirty secret. "I caught you one-night sneaking ice cream bites after we went to bed."
"And you keep bringing it home even when I ask you not to. So who's at fault now?"
"Am I not allowed to make the love of my life happy with small gifts? It is your love language, after all."
Fleur blinked. "My what?"
"Your love language, silly," Minuette giggled. "You light up whenever I bring you something or surprise you with a gift or plans."
"So, if you love me, then does that mean yours is gifts too?"
"Yes and no," Minuette said with a shrug. "The way I show love is by giving gifts. That's why we work so well together. But I want to receive love by spending quality time with the mare I love."
The flavor hit Fleur's tongue with an intensity she had never felt before. She felt her stomach fill up quickly, making the thought of sitting through dinner unbearable. Suddenly, she heard a faint sound and saw Minuette's horn flare to life.
"What was that?" Fleur asked, quickly looking under the table.
"Nothing!"
Finding nothing of note, Fleur sat up and rested her chin on her hooves. "Then why did your horn light up?"
Minuette sucked on her teeth. "Because I dropped something."
"Odd reaction for dropping something like a napkin." She leaned back, folding her hooves across her chest. "Whatever it was, it must be important."
"Well—" Minuette paused as her eyes darted down briefly. "You can say that."
Minuette began to wilt under Fleur's scrutinizing gaze until a small black box floated from under the table and gently rested in front of Fleur.
"What's this for?"
"I wanted to do something special for you," Minuette reassured her, motioning for Fleur to open it. "Please."
"There is no need to get me more jewelry as I—"
Fleur went silent as the images of shiny jewels and expensive trinkets she had conjured in her mind failed to compare to the small white flower that greeted her. She felt its soft petals brush against her hooves as they began to open up, revealing a beautiful shade of pink that spread throughout the delicate flower.
"Do you like it? It's a—"
"A rose of the valley? They only bloom once every five years. Ponies from all over the world travel to Prance to see them bloom." Fleur took one of the petals in her hoof. "H-how did you know?"
"I just had a feeling."
"No!" Fleur demanded, the flower trembling in her hooves. "How did you know? I-I never told! You shouldn't have known!"
"In the mornings, when you're getting ready, your mane changes shades of pink until it looks like it does now. I didn't understand why until I heard about this flower which also changes colors when light touches it."
The love filling Fleur's stomach began to churn.
"When we started dating, you were touching constantly. At first, I thought you only saw me as your pretty little play thing. You never told me how you felt, and I just got so frustrated."
Fleur bit her lower lip as Minuette touched her fetlock, oversaturating her with love.
"But then I started paying attention, and realized that this how you showed your love. Your faint touches on my shoulder in the morning, your quick nuzzle on my cheek before I left for work, your random hugs while doing housework, they're just your way of showing me that you loved me. And… I love you, too."
Fleur's heart lept into her throat as she realized the shape of the box that housed the flower. "Minuette—"
"Will you marry me?"
The world around Fleur stood still as she gazed upon the tender hoof touching hers. She'd never experienced such intense, pure love pulsing through her body. It lacked the sharpness of lust or the quick rush of infatuation. This was something far more profound that not only quelled her hunger but healed her heart.
"Fleur?" Minuette called out tepidly.
"No."
"N-no?" Minuette stammered as trepidation filled her eyes. "Why no?"
"You don't even know me."
"What?" Minuette cried out. "But we've been dating for six months!"
"Does that mean you truly know somepony?"
"Of course it does!" Minuette argued, slamming her hoof on the table. "I love you Fleur de Lis, you know that."
Fleur slowly rose from her seat, towering over the smaller unicorn. "It's over, Minuette."
All eyes were fixed on the scene that was unfolding before them. The room had fallen silent as everyone watched with bated breath. Fleur turned and marched towards the kitchen as the staff rushed to get out of the mare's way.
With a forceful thrust, Fleur slammed her hooves against the door, causing it to burst open and revealing the dimly lit alleyway behind the restaurant. The sudden commotion startled the group of kitchen workers who were on a break, sending them scurrying back inside. As she stood there catching her breath, as her body slowly began to process the reality of the situation.
"Now I have to start all over again," Fleur seethed, storming down the alley until she reached the main road. "Should I go to Manehattan... no ponies there have their heads way too far up their flanks. Fillydelphia... no. Ponyville, maybe. Ponies there are pretty simple."
"Fleur!"
Fleur shook her head as she continued to storm forward.
Minuette rushed up, trying to slow her down. "Fleur! Stop! Please!"
Fleur held her head high, ignoring the unicorn, until she felt two hooves slam into her chest.
"Why are you doing this?" Minuette cried out on the verge of tears.
"This is how it has to be," Fleur hissed, her horn lighting up with a sickly green moving the inconvenience.
"What has to be what way?" Minuette jumped back in front of her. "Talk to me!"
"You could never truly love me. You only love the pretty pony in front of you!"
"No!" Minuette commanded, pulling Fleur's face back to hers. "You know that's not true. I know your weird stares, I know your need to touch, I know you're lonely, I know you're scared, I know you love that stupid flower, and I know that you love me too!"
"I lied," she sneered.
"No you didn't!" Minuette shook her head. "You've never told lies, why're you telling them now?"
"All I've done since I've met you was feed you lies." Fleur roared, but the small unicorn remained steadfast, staring down the towering model.
Fleur closed her eyes as her chest tightened, knowing that this was the only way. Slowly she opened them, revealing two black slits set against a green iris, causing Minuette to reel back.
"See?" The faux Fleur leaned in with a rapacious stare. "I'm not the one you love."
"Yes, you are!" Minuette placed a hoof on Fleur's heart. "Regardless of whatever mask you put on, you're still the same pony underneath. The one that I fell in love with."
Fleur batted the hoof away, flaring her dagger-like teeth. "You don't get it do you?"
"Y-you're scared I can see it."
"Scared!" Fleur laughed hysterically. "My sweet little pony, it is you who should be scared."
Fleur's body erupted into a bright green flame, and her once soft white coat vanished, replaced by a sleek black exoskeleton. Her wings unfurled slowly, revealing their impressive size and strength. Her horn grew longer and more jagged, and her mane, once a delicate shade of pink, transformed into a wispy green.
"Y-you! You're..."
"Go on, say it," she said coldly, slowly closing the distance between them.
Minuette trembled in fear as chitin hoof lifted her head.
"Funny." She smirked. "I thought you truly loved me."
Minuette tried to respond, but her words failed to find their voice. As the usurped queen leaned in, her former lover shuddered under her predatory gaze. Unable to take the look any longer, Minuette bolted from her presence as her cries disappeared into the cold night.
As she stood there, the silence of the night enveloped her; the all-consuming hunger began to rumble in her stomach. Minuette was right. She did love her, but it didn't change anything. She was a changeling and, by her nature, a parasite that would consume the beautiful unicorn's life until nothing was left. No amount of love, spells, or potions could change that. Spreading her wings, she took off into the cloudy night, knowing this was the only way to protect her.