Author's Note

The first chapter in Midnight Reviews proper. Started in March of 2020, the final edit to the document was done in June 2020.

This entire story was commissioned by The Wind King, who is just awesome to work with. This has been a labour of love for the both of us, and I appreciate all the outlining work that Wind King did to help me out, so I knew where this story was going to go before I'd written a word.

Midnight is an awesome OC, and I never tire of writing her. And a lot of that is because of Wind King.

Istallion Indulgences

Midnight stepped through the door into a quiet restaurant. Swallowing dryly, trying to stamp down her nerves, as she looked about. This was her first big job, after months and months of work critiquing small diners and cafes, she finally got an invitation to review one of the fanciest spots in town. A fancy, high roller, Istallion restaurant in the east end of town. Catering to the wealthy ponies, as well as those looking to treat themselves every so often.

Midnight was a bat pony, with light grey fur with white freckles along her face and plot, and white socks on all four legs. She had dark purple mane and tail, her mane cropped short and her tail left to grow long.

Unlike most of her race, however, Midnight was rather chubby. Her choice of career had let stubborn pounds onto her frame, making her stomach hang low and her plot thicken. Her stomach hung to her knees, with a soft pigeon chest, and a wide barrel where her wings could comfortably rest.

She had a small bag hanging around her neck, where her notebook and pencils rested. So she could take notes as she went.

“Ah, Miss Midnight, welcome!” The maître’d offered a smile from behind the podium. She was a white unicorn pony, her black mane and tail pulled back into strict buns. Her smart black tuxedo made her look distinguished.

“Hi!” Midnight winced at the sound of her own voice. Bringing a hoof up to cough into her fetlock, hoping to clear her throat. Oh Celestia she was so nervous. “Hello, I’m excited to be here.”

The maître’d grinned, “Please follow me. We have your seat ready and waiting.”

Midnight followed along after as they made their way through the restaurant. Taking mental notes as they walked through, wishing dearly she was a unicorn so she could better scribble out notes and walk at the same time.

The restaurant was large and well lit. Beautiful crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, adding their softer glow to the atmosphere of the restaurant. Which was clean, impeccably so. With starched white table cloths on every table, and elegant place settings already set out.

There was a table set up specifically for her. With several menus put onto its surface, a napkin swan, and a bottle of champagne resting in a container of ice.

Midnight sat down easily, extracting her notebook and pencil and setting them off to the side. Flipping it open to an empty page, itching to get going, but knowing she needed to wait. “In order to review the food as accurately as possible, I’ll need your normal-sized portions. Not the sample sizes. I know the sample sizes are more traditional for critics like myself, but I need to know everything is as accurate as possible for my readers.”

The maître’d blinked, head tilting to one side. “Oh...I will have to speak with the chef, of course. He should be prepared, but this is rather unusual.”

“Of course. Normally I call ahead to inform everypony ahead of time, but this was rather sudden.”

The maître’d nodded, “I will be right back. Please, feel free to explore our menu while I sort this out.”

“Of course, thank you.” Midnight hardly waited for the mare to leave before frantically scribbling in the notebook. Writing about decor, the atmosphere, the service thus far. Trying to note as much down as she could while she could, hoping that the more information she noted down the more professional her review would be at the end.

The menu wasn’t massive, though the drink selection was limited. There were options, of course many options. But this restaurant had clearly decided to pick a mixture of old classic dishes and newer innovations. Dedicating time, care, and quality to each and every dish. Ranging from risottos to pastas to soups, salads, and more. The selection for each category was fairly limited, but Midnight could already see where they could use up multiple ingredients and save on expenses where they could.

It was elegant. Not simple, not really, but extremely well designed. The thought of all the dishes was making Midnight’s stomach growl hungrily, sending ripples through the fat of her stomach with the force of her hunger.

A few minutes passed before the maître’d returned, the head chef in tow. The head chef was another unicorn, with the traditional white coat and an apron hanging from his belt. He looked rather intimidating, but the smile on his face undermined that impression.

“I’ve heard your request, but I just need to double check.” The chef said. “You intend to order the full sized dishes?”

“Yes. And I’ll pay full price for them too, rather than the usual costs.” Midnight replied.

The maître’d and the chef shared a look, and the chef nodded. “Of course, ma’am. That is certainly doable. Thank you very much for double checking with us.”

“Of course. You can’t do your job if you don’t know what to expect.” Midnight smiled softly. “Now, I believe I’m ready to place my first round of food.”

The chef nodded, moving to go back to the kitchen, leaving the maître’d to take the order. “I used to be a waitress. I can assure you our normal waitresses are just as competent as I am. We’re normally closed, now, is all.”

Midnight nodded, scribbling that down as well. “Alright, I would like the mozzarella in carrozza, affettati e formaggio, the spaghetti aglio e olio, gnocchi pomodoro, bucatini corti amatriciana, and the lasagna alla gino. I’ll keep the menu, if that’s alright. Bring them out as the courses are finished.”

The maître’d nodded, finishing off the ticket with a flourish, “Of course. And please, if you need anything, call for me. I’m Flawless Sugar.” Before trotting back off towards the kitchen. It didn’t take long before a busboy arrived with a cut up loaf of fresh, steaming bread. Leaving it, and some olive oil, for Midnight to munch on while she waited.

The olive oil was of the highest quality, flavoured with garlic. The bread had a chewy, crispy crust and a fluffy interior. In all, it was rather delicious.

The first few dishes arrived together, but Midnight didn’t mind. Sampling from all three dishes while they were still hot before clearing the plates one by one. Emptying the bread as she used it to sop up the delicious sauces that clung to the porcelain.

The busboy, as time passed and Midnight left plates for him to pick up, became irritated. Rolling his eyes, huffing, sighing irritably when she hoofed over another plate.

Between Flawless Sugar and the busboy, Midnight wasn’t left alone for too long. As time passed, though, and the restaurant started to get ready for opening for the night, Flawless Sugar left more and more of Midnight’s service to the busboy.

Evidently, he wasn’t like the other servers. The sighs and rolling eyes escalated and escalated as Midnight determinedly made her way through the menu. Especially once the chair she was seated on started to groan underneath her. Creaking audibly with every movement she made.

“Where are you putting it all?” The busboy huffed, muzzle wrinkled in disgust. Dropping off another loaf of bread and picking up a few plates. “How can you eat so much, it’s just not healthy?”

Midnight noted down each insult and comment as dutifully as she wrote about the delectableness of each dish. Not wanting to slander the restaurant, not with how delicious things were, but to give the public an unbiased opinion on everything from food to service.

She was trudging her way through the menu, hoping to get a taste of how the restaurant managed each dish. Her stomach bloated outward with each dish, pressing against the table to form an angry red line where her stomach was forced to press against the edge. She was slowing down, too, but the food was so good. Flavours dancing across her tongue, wanting her to keep going in spite of the pain building from her angry stomach.

The busboy picked up the latest set of dishes, shaking his head. Snapping his mouth shut and scurrying off once the head chef himself trotted over.

“I don’t know if I’ve met anypony with such a love of food.” The chef praised, grinning easily. “I’m here to take your next round of orders, if you’re ready to do so.”

Midnight nodded, swallowing down her current mouthful of pasta. “I am, thank you very much.” Eyes scanning over the dessert menu, “One of all the desserts, please.”

The chef held in any reaction he might have had, scribbling on a pad easily. “Of course, ma’am. Is there anything else I can get you? More champagne? Wine?”

“Water, please.” While the champagne was delicious, she needed to keep a clear head. Something she wasn’t sure she could manage with two bottles of the sweet, delectable stuff in her stomach.

A nod, and the chef strode off. Talking with a few customers as he went, but not lingering. Clearly intent on making sure everypony was happy, and not at the expense of each other.

Midnight burped, smothering the sound with a hoof. Heat spreading across her face, hoping that the others didn’t hear. Moving her empty plate aside to eat some more bread as she waited. Still nervous enough that she continued to eat past the point of pain. The chair was still creaking, earning a few curious glances from the other patrons.

Unknown to Midnight, it was possible to see the chair’s legs bending under her girth and the food she’d packed into her body. The supports looked strained with every movement that Midnight made, from eating to shifting her weight to reaching to write more notes. The chairs were clearly not designed with a mare like her in mind.

“Are you still doing alright?” Flawless Sugar asked when she came by with two types of water, sparkling or flat. The sparkling was nice enough, especially when chilled.

“I am. Everything is delicious so far.”

The smile on Flawless Sugar’s face was genuine, “Good! I’m so glad. Again, please let us know if you need anything.” Sauntering away to handle other guests, once again leaving Midnight to her bread.

The busboy returned, sighing exaggeratedly as he spotted the fact that Midnight was still eating. Shaking his head, glaring at her. At least he was doing his job. It would be worse if he was incompetant and rude.

When the first wave of dishes arrived, carried by the moody busboy, something clicked in Midnight’s mind. Chasing away the nerves and strengthening her resolve.

If he was so disgusted, she’d give him a real show.

Tiramisu, gelato, crepes, cioccolatissimo, and more were soon being shoveled into her mouth with renewed vigour. Even as her stomach churned and groaned loudly, earning some glares and chatter from other patrons.

By the final dish, a lovely lemon-honey semifreddo, she’d slowed again. Trying to do her best to swallow back the painful nausea that threatened to overtake her. Her stomach well and truly packed to the brim now. It was hard not to whimper and whine with every mouthful of the delectable dish she managed to swallow.

The busboy returned to clear the last of the empty dishes, and snorted in disgust, “This is ridiculous. You’re like a pig at a trough, haven’t you had enough yet?”

Midnight was about to retort something, but caught movement from behind the busboy.

The head chef and maître’d both approached from behind the busboy.

In spite of how full she felt, Midnight did the first thing that popped into her head: by meeting the busboy’s gaze with a glare of her own, and oinking and snorting loudly. Just like a pig, as she shoveled the last of the semifreddo into her mouth.

With the last bite swallowed, she had to lean back with a pained groan. Feeling heavy and slow, sweat prickling across her body as the blood rushed to her stomach in order to start the digestion process. Bringing her hooves to her engorged tummy, the smallest pressure triggered a belch that was loud enough (and powerful enough) to rattle the cutlery and send the busboy back a few steps in order to get away.

Shocked silence reigned for a few moments, aside from a relieved sigh from Midnight at the sudden release of pressure.

A beat, two. And the chef rounded on the busboy, “You come with me. We need to go see Crystal Clarity right now.”

The busboy, still shell-shocked, grabbed the last of Midnight’s dishes before following the chef into the back. Head bowed, ears lowered, it looked almost as though his tail were tucked between his legs.

“I’m so sorry about him.” Flawless Sugar said after another beat. “If he’s upset you at all, then please have my sincerest apology-”

“It’s alright.” Midnight managed, scooting back her chair a little to reveal how much her stomach had bloated outward. “This was good, very good. And aside from him, your service was impeccable.”

“Crystal Clarity is our manager. I can guarantee you that he won’t stand for the treatment of one of our valued customers, a critic or no. We take service very seriously here. Is there anything else I can do for you? I know there’s no real way we can make up for such a blunder-”

“It’s okay.” Midnight repeated. “I think the look on his face was repayment enough for all he said and did. And I’ll be sure to mention your quick response when you realized what was wrong. Though I might suggest making sure employees treat everypony with respect, regardless of size.”

“Yes, of course. We’re given sensitivity training…” Flawless Sugar sighed, offering a shrug, “Again, I apologize. We should have realized something was wrong. Are you ready to pay now? There’s no rush, you’re welcome to stay as long as you need.”

Midnight shook her head, “No, no. I’ve got a review to write after all, I appreciate it though. I uh...do have one request.”

“Yes?”

“I’ll need a hoof getting up.” It felt like she’d eaten an anvil rather than half a menu’s worth of food.

“Of course of course.” Flawless Sugar helped Midnight to her hooves. Letting the bloated bat pony waddle her way to the front, where the bill was settled.

“I’ll be sure to send you a copy of the review before it goes to print. Expect it in a week or so.” Midnight said. Panting weakly. The meal really had taken more out of her than she’d thought, making her feel weak and sluggish. Weighing on her in an odd way that made it difficult to catch her breath.

“We’ll look forward to it. Please, come again whenever you’d like.” Flawless smiled, even as an alarming gurgle from Midnight’s stomach made her wince.

Midnight nodded, waddling her way out of the restaurant. Being careful of her bloated, sensitive stomach. Wheezing, huffing and puffing for air, letting out the occasional burp as she went.

She had a review to write, after all. And there was no time like the present, when she could still clearly remember everything.