It’s a well known fact of life that alicorns require frighteningly large amounts of energy to sustain themselves, both for their magical capabilities and their longevity. The quickest, easiest, and by far most enjoyable way for them to obtain this energy is by consuming other living creatures whole and alive. However, for the sake of their subjects, the majority of whom do not want to be devoured alive, they refrain from doing so. They instead subsist on enough food to feed a family of four in a single sitting at breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as the occasional willing offering.
 
There is one night every year, however, where they put aside all such inhibitions and indulge themselves. That night is the night of the Grand Galloping Gala, the single biggest social event of the year. Anypony who’s anypony is sure to attend, and all of them are on the princesses menu. From the highest noble to a lowest commoner, all have an equal chance of winding up as princess pudge by the end of the night. Everypony knows this and the majority of attendees would rather not end up padding out the royal flanks, but they can’t just NOT go, it’s the Grand Galloping Gala! The single biggest social event of the year! And so every year, hundreds of ponies attend, and quite a few are sent to gurgly ends within the princesses guts.
 
Here we see Princess Cadance at her first Gala as an alicorn. Were she left to her own devices, she likely would have measured her consumption like Twilight Sparkle did at her first Gala as an Alicorn. However, after devouring her first pony of the evening, her then fiance Shining Armor found himself quite enamored of the idea of his future wife consuming others in such a manner. With his assistance, Cadance was able to give even Princess Luna a run for her bits, consuming nearly thirty guests over the course of the night!