This was it.

This was the event that all the ponies, the ones that enjoyed stuffing their faces anyway, had been waiting for.

The Glorious Gutbuster Gluttony Celebration

Or the GGG for short. Established as yet another excuse for ponies to have another holiday to stuff their faces with, the GGG was only slightly different to others in that ponies were encouraged to all get together round one shared table. Imagine if you will, a street party that stretched for multiple streets over hundreds of miles across all the colonies in The Empire, with tables that welcomed ponies of any size and weight. That was the GGG in a nutshell, one gigantic party lasting one day only where the food was endless and the gaining was incredible. It was estimated that if you took the pounds gained by the population of The Empire on this day then you’d have enough lard to form a generous few planets made solely of fat.

Whatever day the holiday fell on too, it was always granted as a free day. Work stopped on whatever was going on so that everypony could partake. Even those in prisons spent the day with the wardens eating. The Empire was not that cruel. Today’s celebration marked 50 years since it had first been established by Princess Celestia. Yet another feast of gluttony added to the calendar.

On Sleipnir, the ‘table’ so to speak, if one could call it that, started outside Farthest Reach’s mansion and then snaked its way down through the suburbs into the town centre. This is where most ponies did their eating. Some stayed in the suburbs but with most of the eateries in town plying the celebration with food, the ones in the centre got first served. Of course the suburban bound ponies were not forgotten, but they often made do with home cooked food rather than rely on the food from the town to make its way out to them.

It was early morning and currently, most ponies were preparing the tables. Very few seats lined them as often ponies would simply park their pads in a spot of their choosing. They would gain quite a hefty amount as well. The big eaters making over four figures on their size, whilst the slower eaters who came for the revelry would gain maybe 300 or 500 pounds during the day. Still no small feat as it was about eating after all.

The food was starting to show up as the tables were prepared. Everyone who was a purveyor of foods, large businesses and even local eateries contributed. Blubber King and Plump Palace employees were working hard before they made their own way to the table to unload the delivery pads and trucks of the contributed food. Lupin’s staff and other ponies from The Trough were unloading smaller but still packed carts onto the tables with their offerings. Everypony was pitching in, in one way or another.

Further up the table towards the suburbs and richer area of town, Honey Drops and Sugar Tart were at a bit of a loss about what to do.

“What do you think, go into town or eat here? The Governors offer sounded generous.” Honey Drops asked her friend, neither had taken a place at the table. They were still at the richer part of town. With no Rotunda to be with for the event, they were trying to decide where to go. “I mean usually Rotunda would have a place for us at her feasting table. What happened to her again?”

“She’s off-planet, remember? I guess she decided to extend her stay. Some message about special fruit. Do you think she has succumbed to a diet? She didn’t give any details about it.” Sugar Tart replied. “You know what, every year we always spend it with her. I want to go into town and see how the other side spends this day. You with me?” she asked.

“Hmmm, okay. But if I don’t gain at least a thousand pounds from the food down there, we’re coming back up here. Deal?”

“Deal. Let’s go before there’s no space at the table!”

Back down in town, Di was supervising her staff doing the last of the unloading of food. It had been a very difficult previous day. They had started cooking the burgers in the early evening, the staff pulling a double shift to get everything cooked and prepared ready. But now at least they were close to being able to enjoy themselves. Di had even been clever about it, asking corporate to allow her access to reprogram the drones for today so that they could fly food around to hungry patrons instead of delivering it themselves. Sunny was just placing the last load of burgers and fries onto the table. Keeping all that food hot, or at least warm had been difficult too.

“Well done Sunny, so how are you spending this day? Family?” Di asked her as the young mare plopped herself down in one of the available seats. She looked not only exhausted but very tired.

“Well usually, but I don’t like it that much. It’s always a competition.” she said.

“A competition? Today is meant to be about celebration.” her boss asked, curious.

“Not with my family, they’re all so focused on getting bigger they try and out-stuff each other. Now I’ve landed this job they’re a bit jealous of my size. I think I’d rather spend it alone.” her voice a little wistful.

“Well...wanna spend it with me?” Di offered. “I usually spend it alone. We can spend it alone, together. If that works.”

“I’d like that.” Sunny replied. Di parked her pad next to Sunny. It wouldn’t be long now until everypony had arrived, she could already observe the table filling up. She even spied some rather rich looking ponies parking up. Interesting.

Further down the table, on the next street Red was for once, not spending the holiday alone. Ivory had insisted on joining him for the celebration. He had also managed to escape spending it with Foundy who often insisted that all the construction ponies were together for it. When he told her that his marefriend had asked to accompany him, she had almost insisted he go with her. Spending it with work was never much fun, okay he wasn’t alone like previously stated but he always felt isolated. Nopony really wanted to talk to him much outside of work.

“So we gonna spend today adding another few thousand pounds to that big, jiggly tush of yours?” Ivory giggled looking over the feast, then at Red. His typical stuttery response came as expected.

“I-Ivory, t-there’s kids here.”

“Oh please, that was hardly lewd. Besides it’s not like they can’t see that small mountain for themselves.” she carried on, as blasé as ever in her attitude. “Anyway you are gonna eat plenty, because I’m going to feed you.”

“F-feed me?” Red simply replied with a questioning tone.

“That’s right, well and myself of course. But I wanna make sure you get a nice filling. I need more of you to play with.” she cooed.

“A-alright. Hey, it’s nearly time. Not long now until we can start. Lots of good looking food…” Red trailed off, already salivating slightly at the spread laid out before them. That was always the rule. Ponies could arrive whenever, but the eating began once the 9am address by Planetary Governor Farthest Reach was concluded. He took great pleasure in it each year.

A number of streets down Charity Bell and Melody Song were sat waiting to begin.

“Five minutes to nine.” Charity said, looking at her display.

“Do you think it will be as pompous as it usually is? Or go on for very long, I wanna eat!” Melody replied.

“If he doesn’t use the words This Glorious Empire somewhere in the speech, I owe you a meal at Blubber King.” she replied with a laugh. The governors speeches were usually quite over the top.

“Fine, same goes if he somehow doesn’t but I think you’ve got a safe bet there. Looks like I’m buying lunch tomorrow.” Melody replied.

“Suit holding up okay still?” Charity asked her friend.

“As good as ever, even after eating and gaining more and more. You know I’d have never believed the assistant if I hadn’t seen it for myself. I’m still not totally over the fact I’m wearing it forever though.” she replied.

“I mean, you don’t have to wear it forever.”

“Pffft. I might as well at this point.” Melody laughed. “Ohhhh four minutes.” she looked round the table at her other friends, it was nearly time.

Back where the feast began, at the head of the table, Farthest Reach was preparing himself. It was the same every year, but with the 50th event today, he had decided to change the speech up a little from previous years.

“Three minutes.” one of his assistants whispered in his ear. A small hovering camera was a few feet from his head. They had given up with static ones years ago, the governor was simply too big to get a tripod high enough now to be able to see his head. To the right of it was a very small, also hovering display monitor with his speech on it. He had it down, it had been practised numerous times by now. He watched as numerous ponies nearby him at the table flicked their pad displays to the local news channel. They always hosted it and ponies were bound to watch. He took great delight in using it as the one opportunity every year he had the entire colonies attention.

His pad clock flicked over from 8:59 to 9:00 and all he had to do now was wait for his cue.

“And on this 50th GGG, we pass over to Planetary Governor Farthest Reach to begin the ceremony…”

The face of Farthest Reach filled all the monitors across the colony, smiling at his patrons.

“Fillies and Gentlecolts. It is with great pleasure I have the honour of initiating our fiftieth Glorious Gutbuster Gluttony Celebration on our fair colony. Sleipnir has come a long way in the short time it has been established. 30 years of the colony but the 50th of these celebrations, I’m sure the older ponies here have fond memories of celebrating it on their former colonies. This is my 50th indeed, having celebrated on my home colony as a young colt. We of course observe and count the previous years on Sleipnir, in this glorious Empire.”

“Dammit!” Melody said, quickly being hushed as the speech carried on. Charity just giggled and winked at her.

“So my friends, eat well, eat lots and gain plenty. We have a lot to be thankful for here on Sleipnir. Don’t forget however to give thanks to our leaders. Celestia, Luna, Cadance, Twilight and the rest for making all this possible. Now I only have two final words to say before the celebration begins proper...dig in.”

And so it began. GGG number 50 started at just after 9:00. Most ponies thankful the starting speech wasn’t as long as it had been in previous years. Perhaps Farthest Reach had finally learned this day was about eating. Not reminding a colony full of fatties that they should be oh so thankful for all his efforts.

All across The Empire, jaws began to chew and tummies began to be filled as copious amounts of food was consumed across the colonies. Everything ceased for eating.

Most ponies were content to reach, or have servants or friends or other technological devices reach for them into the tables and eat the burgers, fries and other delicious treats on offer there. The ones who came for gaining though, they had something much more fattening prepared.

Even with all the food, it was in fact rather impossible to keep the greedy colonists all fed that way during the celebration. It had become a problem about 15 years in. So many colonies employed feasting tubes, smaller versions of what Celestia and the other princesses used to fatten themselves up with. The difference being the festival (and other pre-approved events by government officials) was the only time these hoses were allowed to be used freely. Even the royals agreed that giving the general populace access to hose feeding was a bad idea. They’d abuse it and fatten up too quickly beyond a controllable means, plus if everyone switched to hoses it would put a lot of the food companies out of business.

What was in the hoses was food, just generally however it was something of the hose providers choosing. Farthest Reach reserved the tube feeding for himself and his closest compatriots. Sometimes they came out at functions or other events, as he had employed them for that in the past. Mostly as a showpiece when he really wanted to show his guests a good time. For the 50th celebration he had the hoses filled with an extremely fattening strawberry shake mixture which added pounds to the already bloated frame of himself and his friends by the second, and he’d be at it all day.

Back in town, Red was getting the stuffing of a lifetime from Ivory, who was taking great delight in plying her stallion with burgers.

“Come on, you’ve only eaten 100 and we’ve hardly began. I know you can fit more inside you.” she cooed as she slipped another burger between the wordless lips of Red. He chewed happily as he watched her go for another two, one for her and one for him.

Honey Drops and Sugar Tart were enjoying being among what they classed as more common folk. It was rare they mixed with anyone outside their social circle.

“You realise if we had taken the governor up on his offer we could be sucking down incredibly fattening food through a hose.” Sugar Tart said. “Although I think this was the right choice, I am enjoying these fries. Very tasty.” the mare said, on her 78th packet of the day.

“Well we do that every year, plus functions. This is nice. Also more delicious.” Honey replied, stuffing her face with one of the many burgers available. “We can do it next year.”

“True.” was all Sugar said, going back to eating.

Charity and Melody themselves had worked up quite an eating session over the morning, already having gained a good couple of hundred pounds in the first hours alone. The two were really going for added size today.

“You know... uuuuuurrrrraaapppppp! ...we’re probably going to gain in just today what we would in a month.” Charity said, a belch interrupting her sentence partway through.

“Worth it, plus the suit still feels amazing on my body, even more so now we’re bigger.” Melody replied.

“Told you. And you were all mad when we had to keep wearing them, which we don’t by the way.” she reminded her friend.

“I know but...I’m used to it now. Besides that’s in the past.” Melody said, going back to the table for more food.

Di and Sunny were casually chatting about work of all things in the middle of the feasting.

“Would it not be more efficient if we moved the fryer closer to the drones? It would mean ponies have to wait less time for their order.” Sunny asked Di, who herself was part-way through a burger.

“Probably something whoever corporate brings in will do anyway. But that’s a good idea, you know you might make a good manager one day Sunny.” Di replied.

“You think so?” Sunny asked.

“Perhaps, let me know any other ideas you have. You sure you wouldn’t rather be with your family?” Di asked again.

“Not really, this is much more relaxed. I can eat at my own pace. Now how about the grill…” Sunny carried on.

By early afternoon, the first of the more lightweight ponies began the flag. Around 1 in the afternoon a few began to leave the tables, having stuffed themselves for 4 straight hours was pretty good going. Throughout the remainder of the afternoon at various points ponies began to leave the tables to get home to digest their food and rest. The real hardcore ones though had until the clock struck midnight, many determined to take advantage of as much free food as possible.

By 6 in the evening, already tired from the double shift Sunny decided she was full.

“BUUURRRPPPPP!”

There was a cheer from Di and the ponies in the vicinity at her efforts.

“Feeling okay there?” her boss asked.

“Fine...full. I’m heading home. Thanks again Di, if I’m still working at Blubber King next year, can we do this again?” she asked.

“Sure thing kid, I don’t see why not.” Di replied, watching as the stuffed Sunny managed to free herself from the chair and begin her waddle home. Di was nearly done too, another hour or so and she’d call it a day.

8 rolled round, and Red could manage no more at this point. He felt like he’d been eating for two, not only feeding himself but also being generously fed by Ivory.

“G-gotta stop...s-so full…” was all he managed, before chewing on the last burger, Ivory smiling and taking a last bite herself of a treat.

“You did well hon, I’d say you easily gained four figures. Plenty more there to enjoy.” she said with a smile, observing the slightly higher mountain of a rump behind Red. “Let's get you home. You look about ready to pass out.” she said, guiding Red home with their pads close together.

At 10 Melody, Charity, Sugar and Honey although far apart from each other at the table all decided they had their fill too. Even though the food was being topped up endlessly, they had eaten now for 11 hours non stop. The high society ponies used to gaining had thought it best to get home and the two in the suits were simply full.

That just left the big gainers. Farthest Reach had not left the hose all day. At 11:30 him and only 3 of his friends remained, determined to fatten up until the clock struck 12. It had certainly been a day to remember, the feasting had been more incredible than he had ever known, it was worth it for the 50th celebration.

He watched on his pad as the clock flicked over from 11:59 to 12:00. The hose automatically shut off and his assistant removed it from his mouth and fiddled with his pad controls as he was in a food coma, unable to operate them himself.

“Urrggghhhhh....n-never eaten so much in my life. W-what did I gain?” he asked.

“Over 2000 pounds sir. You’ll be needing a new pad.” was all the assistant replied. “This one will get you inside, I’ll get a replacement ordered straight away.”

“Amazing….t-that’s over one third of my body weight.” he said. “Still I suppose I did ask for the hose mixture to be extra fattening this year….o-oh gosh.” he couldn’t help what happened next, or hold it in.

“UUUUuuuuuuUUUUUUUUuuurrrrrRRRRRrrrrrrrRRRRRRraaaaaaaaPPPPPPPppppp!!!!!”

The belch echoed, the non-stop feeding had taken its toll on Farthest Reach who had to let something out. That was in, in the form of the most gigantic belch he could muster. His now over 8000 body wobbled in response, the pad struggling to stay stable underneath him. The remaining 3 friends just gave him their own small cheer, already making their way home, having turned around hearing the belch to congratulate him.

“Next year...more. I want to gain more.” he said, piloting himself inside as he got back to reality. The 50th GGG had certainly been one to remember. He was sure most of the colony would spend the next day recovering from stuffing themselves stupid. It was always the way. For now, he went inside. He needed to sleep to process all that extra weight. Everything else could wait, until tomorrow.

The celebration now concluded for another year, the colonies and their members across the empire could relax until tomorrow. Because the 50th was a special one even more eating than normal had gone on. Celestia would declare a day of rest afterwards to allow ponies to recuperate on the condition that the gluttony would go back to normal next year. Ponies had gained so much in such a short space of time it only seemed fair.

Until next years GGG, life on the colonies returned to normal.