The moonlight shone through the vaulted windows of the castle's dining hall, beams of light illuminating the long square table set in the midst of it. Servants moved to and fro, bring plates and platters, pots and dishware, and setting it about the table, while the six young ponies sat in awe and anticipation.
"Wow Princess Celestia, thank you so much for inviting us to this amazing feast!" Twilight Sparkle fawned, looking at the vast bounty arrayed before her.
"Hoo'ie, this here is some good eatin!" Applejack said, reaching a hoof toward a plate before being shot down by a glare from Rarity. Applejack winced and backed off, remembering her manners in front of the Princess.
"Thank you all for coming. It's my privilege, and the privilege of all of ponyille, to present this meal to you, the heroes of Equestria! Please, eat my friends, do not wait on my behalf!" Celestia laughed, shaking her long flowing mane as she did so.
Applejack wasted no time, snatching up a golden braised ham and digging her face into the sweet flesh, fat and juices dripping off her chin as she did so. Her eyes rolled back in her head as she chewed on a crispy bit of fat, sweet honey sauce covering her lips.
"Hot dog, this was worth coming for!" She said, roughly wiping her mouth with a napkin, which she then tied about her neck like a bib.
"Oh please, at least try to have some dignity." Rarity chastised, selecting a fine mincemeat pie. Using a magically levitated knife, she delicately cut a perfect wedge from it and served it onto a silver saucer. She lifted a small bite to her mouth, her teeth breaking through the flaky crust and into the gravied meat between.
"By Celestia, this is splendid!" She exclaimed, forgetting all manners and burying her face into the plate, gobbling up the pie as quickly as she could, to Applejack's clear amusement. Celestia simply smiled, content to nibble on a biscuit smeared with pate and a slice of roasted tomato.
Rainbow dash hit the seafood, sucking boiled oysters from their shells, and gorging on pickled herring, grilled salmon with lemon, and redfish, but her eyes traveled toward a platter that the chef brought in and set on the table before her. He lifted the lid to revealed a steamed head of sea serpent, an apple stuck in it's mouth between braised whiskers, mint jelly drizzled down it's skull. It smelled delicious.
"Hey isn't this... nah, probably not." She said, slicing off a piece of succulant flesh off the head and putting it in her mouth. "Hey, it really does taste like chicken!"
"Save some for me!" Pinkie Pie yelled, shoving an entire string of blutwurst sausages into her mouth, struggling to eat as much as possible, her cheeks bulging even as she tried to cram hooffulls of battered onions in after them. Soon enough she began to choke and gag, and began running about the room mouth bulging with food, hooves clasped to her neck. Admitting defeat, she was forced to spit out *some* of it, which she quickly picked up again off the floor after swallowing her previous mouthful.
"Oh Pinkie Pie, there's plenty for everyone." Twilight giggled, bring a spoonful of thick creamy stew to her mouth. "Mhm, this is delicious. Beef?"
"Buffalo." Celestia corrected. "Is it alright? I was worried it would be a little gamey."
"Oh Celestia, it's wonderful!" Twilight exclaimed, quickly spooning the thick soup into her mouth, barely stopping to chew on the soft vegetables and chunks of meat. Before long she found her bowl empty, and reached for another helping. But as she did so, she noticed that Fluttershy had barely touched any of the food, and was just nibbling on a piece of cornbread.
"What's wrong Fluttershy? Is everything alright?"
"Um, yes, it's just, I don't really feel that hungry is all. I'm ok, really." Fluttershy said in a whisper that could barely be heard above the chorus of the crowd at the table.
"Are you sure? You look a little sick."
"Um, no, I'm ok, It's just... um" Fluttershy trailed off.
Twilight understood her apprehensions. "Don't worry Fluttershy, this is just the way nature is! We ponies wouldn't have evolved our large brains if we just ate grass. I know how much you care for animals, but in a way, this is just completing the cycle of life! At least try a little, it's very good."
"Well, I guess it couldn't hurt." Fluttershy admitted, forking a little bit of steaming roast chicken onto her plate. Chicken she had donated from her farm she noted. She sighed, and placed it into her mouth. As she chewed, her expression slowly changed to one of delight, as the savoury juices from the meat filled her mouth with a cacophony of favour. The way it all blended together was just...
"You're right Twilight, this is wonderful!" Fluttershy said with more vigour than was usual for her, and she started to sample other dishes. Beef wellington, meatballs with gravy, back bacon, hydra cakes... nothing escaped her palette.
For many long hours they laughed and feasted and played, and a jovial time was had by everypony. Pinkie pie even started a foodfight at one point, and pies, sausages, and bits of other stuff flew through the air to the dismay of the servants. But by the end, the table was cleared, and most of the food had found it's way into the bellies of hungry ponies rather than the floor. Six slumbering and satisfied ponies slept in their seats, oblivious to the world around them, as the cleaning staff cleared mountains of dirty dishes, bones, and other debris from the table. Celestia smiled warmly at the sight, but made no move to wake them. She merely gazed in admiration, as the light from candles and the moon flickered on their faces.
"Sleep well my children." She said, as she got up and left the hall. They would not awaken until dawn.
