[It is a warm night in the middle spring.  Twilight Sparkle, Luna, and Cadance approach Washburn Observatory, walking the road that overlooks the lake far below.  The observatory dome is already open to the clear night sky above.  Placid yellow light shines forth from the interior.]

Twilight (trotting along):  This is gonna be great!  I was here last year and we got to make some wonderful observations of Jupiter!  Tonight, Saturn's in the sky!  We might even be able to see the moons!

Luna (cautiously):  We are... a bit concerned about the hour.  This is a week-night, not a week-end-night.  And all we have eaten to-day is a coffee scone and a single bean burrito at the shopping mall.

Cadance:  And some pink lemonade.

Luna:  That was for you.  It occurs to us that while the observatory will be open until eleven of the clock, it is doubtful that public houses will still be serving at that hour.

Twilight:  Easy solution!  I'll start making observations here, and you two can go get something to eat!

Cadance:  Can we... actually do that?  Split up?

Twilight:  Sure!  Don't worry, you two.  I'm an expert at this sort of thing by now.  Have fun!  Enjoy your dinner!

[Twilight trots over to the crowd awaiting entrance to the observatory, and is gone.]

Luna:  So.  Mi Amore Cadenza.  We are alone.

Cadance (a little anxiously):  Certainly looks that way.

Luna:  We have selected the proper establishment at which to dine.  We did not speak of it earlier as it would have bothered sensitive young Princess Sparkle, but now that she has left us, we can reveal this fact.  Mi Amore, tonight you and I will be partaking of Churrasco.

Cadance:  Churrasco?

Luna:  Brazilian barbecue.  An endless stream of succulent meat dishes, perfectly grilled and seasoned.  They will melt in your mouth.

Cadance:  We're ponies.

Luna:  You eat oysters.

Cadance:  I thought I was an aberration.

Luna:  We are not wholly like our herbivorous ancestors.  Proteins come naturally to us.  My sister leads by a certain self-righteous example alone when she is seen consuming plants and eggs and cheeses only.  The Night, on the other hoof, will show you gustatory pleasures undreamed of by the Day.

Cadance (nervous, backing away):  But...  But...  I mean... beef!  We talk to beef!

Luna:  Silence thy objections.  You exist only hypothetically in the mind of an author, in a universe distant from ours by several steps.  The Kine do not occupy the same standing of high sapience here.  You need not fear.

Cadance:  But...

Luna:  Pah.  You have always cleaved close to my sister, standing always with her in the Sun.  But the rules are different here.

[Luna leans in, seductively.]

Luna:  Mi Amore, on this night, I will teach you to love the flesh.

Cadance (swallowing, voice small):  Okay.

[With ceremony and trepidation, the two princesses approach the churrascaria.  The place is lit a with sinister red light, the glow of temptation; and is only accessible by staircase, which giving it an aura of clandestine wickedness.  This place should not be at street level.  The sins within must be kept high above the public eye.  The decor inside is smooth, polished, night-dark wood, and the place is filled with yet more orange and red light.  It is soothing, like the good intentions that pave the road to Tartarus.]

Luna (for practical reasons):  One, for dinner.

Hostess:  I apologize, but we're closed for the night.

Luna (bristling slightly):  Thy web-site declares that thou art open for another forty-five minutes!

Hostess (pleasantly):  I'm sorry, we hadn't had a new table in about an hour, and they've shut off the grills.

Cadance (taking the reins):  Thank you.  We'll just head back downstairs.

[The pink princess and the blue princess find themselves at street level again.  They look at each other for a time, awkwardly.]

Cadance:  Frozen yogurt?

Luna:  Yes.

Cadance:  Good!  There's this place where you can stir in all sorts of fruit and gummi bears, and...

* * *

[Later, at the State Street Brat Haus.  A shingle outside proudly and quite literally proclaims the words "Open 'Til Real Late".  The three princesses are seated at a booth with a pint glass of hard cider, a prodigious basket of fresh hot waffle fries, and a single pork bratwurst with sauerkraut.  The place is noisy with college students celebrating the end of their final exams.]

Luna (using the same voice as before):  As I was saying.  Tonight, Mi Amore, I will teach you to love the flesh.

Cadance:  Y'know, it doesn't have the same feel to it when it's a bratwurst.

Twilight (covering her eyes, good-naturedly squeamish):  Just get it over with, you two, so I can have some waffle fries!

Cadance:  All right then.

[As Luna looks on, Cadance takes a bite and chews thoughtfully.]

Luna:  Well?

Cadance:  It's pretty good.