//------------------------------//
// Grab Your Cider, It's Applebuckball Season! 
// Story: Letters from an Irritated Princess 
// by Tired Old Man 
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Dear Fluttershy and the Pink One,

I wish to congratulate you on your hard-earned victory against Braeburn's team. Or, at least my understanding is that it's hard-earned. Coming back from 4-5 to a 6-5 clutch victory certainly isn't some blowout win, if you ask me.

But you do know that it's not just one game, right? It's a whole season you'll be playing, and if you thought Braeburn was the only Apple you're facing, that's farther from the truth than an apple falling from a tree.

Uh, not to pile on pressure or anything. I'm just giving you facts here. 

You’ll be facing teams all across Equestria: Manehatten, Dodge Junction, Saddle Arabia, Rainbow Falls… just about any city that has an Apple somewhere living in it (and I’m fairly certain every town has at least one) knows about the victory now. Odds are Ponyville’s team will receive challenges over the next few weeks, and you two should be prepared at any moment for such a challenge.

Like right now, because I challenge you to a game. Granny let me know the season started for this brand-new game, and I’ve been practicing with a few unique teammates after I was given one week’s advance notice before it started. I asked why it was so short, and apparently the sport was just invented two weeks ago. However, I remain confident I am readily prepared for this sport so new it doesn’t even feel like it’s gone through extensive trial runs and fully hammered out the rulebook yet!

That said, I was pretty desperate for teammates. None of the nobles were interested in participating, and I had to bribe Blueblood so he would play. He wasn't even a fantastic bucket holder.

Thankfully, I replaced him with Fancy Pants (he’s surprisingly quite big on sports, even if they’re sports he’s never heard of before!), our team feels more harmonious than ever! Me, Cuppa Joe, and Fancy, we’re a veritable gang of misfits!

And wouldn’t you know it, Fancy managed to convince a great deal of nobles to get into the sport! Granted, most of them are likely going to gamble on who wins in a situation that toes the legal line, but frankly so long as nobles are cheering for me for once, I’m not too hot and bothered.

Now, for sake of clarity since Cuppa and I are uniquely gifted with the ability to play any role in this game as an alicorn and changeling (we double and triple-checked the rules, and so long as any creature can reasonably follow the rules and restrictions of the assigned roles, anyone is fair game), Cuppa will be on offense and I’ll be on defense.

I realize that I don’t have a great track record for defending things recently, but I do know how to block a shot and take a few licks. So if you want a piece of this Pinkie, this is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for.

Bring it.

Awaiting your reply,

Princess Celestia

Sunny, you’re not cheering hard enough! Celebrate our Canterlot spirit! I want those legs splitting in the air wide enough for me to feel embarrassed for you!

...Oh, right. She’s at the mental age where screaming pressure at her just goes in one ear and out the other. At least she’s having fun with it, I suppose.

Luna, how’s Moony’s cheering coming along?

I know, Sunny’s a lot more flexible than me too! Are we really supposed to be so limber?

Fine, we can try it ourselves, but if I pull something and can’t play the next game, I blame you for convincing me to give this a shot.