Having just obtained two high-quality official my little pony fan goods, Aurora was truly ready to shout, "I've never felt so good!"
Aurora, ecstatic inside, almost wanted to prance like a horse, but her personality wasn't that lively after all, so she eventually suppressed the impulse.
However, her emotions still showed in some small movements, and all of this was seen by Sunset Shimmer, who was walking behind her.
Watching Aurora's unconsciously buoyant gait, Sunset Shimmer held her breath to keep from laughing out loud.
Is there really any need to be this happy and silly?
When they arrived at the dining room, Meteora and Aster were already sitting at the table waiting for them.
Meteora had a gentle, spring-breeze-like smile on her face, silently inviting them to be seated, while Aster still wore his usual straight-faced expression, though Sunset Shimmer knew by now that it wasn't scary.
What surprised Sunset Shimmer a little was that the tableware on the table was incredibly sparse.
Of course, there was nothing wrong with that; it just challenged her stereotypical impression of nobility.
A proper Western meal would require over a dozen pieces of tableware.
Although ponies are vegetarians and the meat-cutting utensils were removed, the number was still significant, unlike the current simplicity that made it look like it hadn't been set up yet.
Sunset Shimmer had done her homework in advance, but it turned out the test didn't cover it at all.
These differences were, of course, arranged by Aurora.
To tell the truth, though, she still felt there was a bit too much tableware.
For her, a pair of chopsticks was all that was needed to conquer this table, invincible and unstoppable.
Adding a bowl for soup and rice would be even more perfect.
If they were destroyed, it just meant the chopsticks weren't used well, and she just needed to practice more.
In extreme cases, breaking a single chopstick into two to use wouldn't be out of the question.
However, she realized that times were different now; she was a pony who couldn't even see her own fingers, and she had to use magic to wield utensils, so she could only sadly and indignantly give up on chopsticks and turn to using Western knives, forks, and spoons.
After all the ponies were seated, the attendants pushed in the food cart and started serving.
Sunset Shimmer glanced at it; most of the dishes were ones she hadn't seen before, but they smelled delicious and looked very appetizing.
The staple food wasn't bread, but a kind of white grain.
'Rice! Rice, rice, rice, rice, rice, rice...'
Looking at the rice in front of her, Aurora was deeply moved.
She was really sick of "white people food"; this was the fine grain she wanted to eat.
However, rice isn't really grown in Equestria, and even if it is, it doesn't taste good.
Plus, due to dietary habits, ponies here mainly eat potatoes and bread.
To get good rice, one still has to import it from Saddle Arabia or the Eastern Ponies.
Therefore, Aurora usually only gets to eat rice during holidays, treating it as a reward for her efforts—and slacking off—throughout the year.
Besides the rice, tonight's menu was also a Chinese-style meal arranged by Aurora.
To try and recreate the flavors from her memories, she had secretly studied recipes for a long time.
After all, there wasn't a single foreign restaurant in Canterlot yet, so if she wanted to eat something, she had to rely on her own efforts.
Although the individual serving system made Aurora feel like she was eating cafeteria food, when in Rome, do as the Romans do.
It was good enough to be able to eat it; why be so picky?
Besides, the auntie at this "little cafeteria" wouldn't have shaky hands when serving, which was great.
"Senior Sister, you must try this."
The Analects advocate not speaking while eating or sleeping, but whispering in small groups was still tacitly permitted.
Sunset Shimmer was seated next to Aurora.
She noticed that Aurora secretly used magic to nudge one of the dishes toward her, with a mischievous look in her eyes that suggested she was just looking for some fun.
Sunset Shimmer quickly understood what she meant.
This dish, mainly scrambled eggs with tomato, looked red and yellow, the same color as her mane.
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