(AiE) (Anon x Twilight Sparkle) Twinon 2 - Badminton


                                            >You are Anon.

                                            >It's a beautiful Summer day.

                                            >The picturesque views surrounding Canterlot are somehow even warmer and more inviting.

                                            >The citizens of Canterlot - those who aren't indoors to avoid the heat, anyway - are spending their time out and about shopping, trotting around the park, or maybe swimming in the usually icy waters of Saddle Lake.

                                            >You are spending today with a friend.

                                            >Shining Armor to be exact.

                                            >After Mom (or The Princess, as Shining calls her) departed on her trip to the Griffon Empire, you took the initiative of escaping the castle and seizing the day.

                                            >In this case, seizing the day meant playing badminton.

                                            >More specifically, the pony version of badminton.

                                            >You remember seeing this on TV back home.

                                            >You're not sure how the sport works on Earth, but it's fun as Tartarus here in Equestria.

                                            >And Shining is the perfect badminton partner; he's loud, gets into the game just as much as you do, but knows when to dial it back too.

                                            >The problem is, of course, his sister.

                                            >Twilight Sparkle found out secondhand about your little get-togethers and made it her duty to learn about the sport herself.

                                            >And, by Mom, she's terrible.

                                            >For starters, she can't hold the racquet correctly to save her life.

                                            >Her posture is all wrong. She gets way too into form and ends up looking like she's walking some kind of reverse-limbo across the court.

                                            >And it's like she needs glasses or something, because she can't for the love of Mom hit any of the shots sent her way.

                                            >You've played against her, much to Shining's request, and you keep sending her easy shot after easy shot but she just can't return a single one.

                                            >She's the most uncoordinated pony you've ever met.

                                            >"Lob it to me, partner!"

                                            >Perhaps the cringiest too.

                                            >You try and give her another couple easy shots.

                                            >"Whoop! Ahehe - let me just...whoops."

                                            >It's like watching a chariot crash in slow motion.

                                            >"Ah - oh shoot!"

                                            >Another swing, another miss.

                                            >You can't take much more of this.

                                            >The purple pony takes a rabid swing-and-a-miss almost like she was blindfolded against a piñata.

                                            >That's it.

                                            >You drop your racquet and walk determinedly across the net (it's an easy feat for your height) and over to Twilight.

                                            >Her brother spews out a half-hearted defense of his sister's ineptitude:

                                            >"She's usually better than this - just give 'er a second to warm up!"

                                            >'Fraid not, Shining. It's time to take action.

                                            >Twilight looks nervous, like you're about to punt her.

                                            >Fortunately for the book-horse, you've softened up way too much for that.

                                            >And your Mom would kill you.

                                            >She drops the racquet.

                                            >"I-I'm sorry, Anon. I can go-"

                                            >You place a hand on her pony shoulder and pick up her racquet.

                                            "Here. Hold this."

                                            >Twilight Spergle is blushing immensely from the sudden contact.

                                            >She smiles nervously and magics her racquet into the air.

                                            >You move to her opposite side and hold onto her racquet, still floating in mid-air.

                                            "Check this out."

                                            >You turn up to face a confused Shining on the other side of the court.

                                            "Shining! Throw me one!"

                                            >He complies, and with Twilight still levitating the racquet, you face it towards the shuttlecock and *punk* the piece of plastic towards the air and into Shining's courtside.

                                            >It comes in at a weird half-out-of-bounds place that Shining is unable to reach in time.

                                            >And...*tit*.

                                            >Twilight is ecstatic.

                                            >"I did it!"

                                            >You grin and noogie her playfully.

                                            "See. Like that. You gotta take your time to aim your stick right at the birdie and then follow through. That last part is important."

                                            >She smiles.

                                            >"You sound just like this book I'm reading."

                                            >Twilight hugs you gently.

                                            >"Thanks Anon."

                                            >You could've sworn something melted in you just then.

                                            >Probably best to ignore it.

                                            >You break the hug when you notice Shining Armor walk over to greet you two.

                                            >He appears a little peeved and hoofbumps you on the shoulder.

                                            >"Bro - that's my sister!"

                                            >Oh shit. Must preserve the friendship!

                                            "U-Uh...Well, uh..."

                                            >Shining's stern expression falls apart in an instant and he laughs at you.

                                            >"I'm just kidding. Besides, I know Twilight likes-"

                                            >You can clearly see an exasperated Twilight Sparkle shaking her head aggressively at him.

                                            >He pivots with the grace of a dump truck driving through a nitroglycerine plant.

                                            >"-badminton. She likes badminton, yeah. Likes the uh...the racquets and the uhh...rules and stuff."

                                            >Twilight butts in as awkwardly as ever:

                                            >"Well, if you must know, the rules are pretty fascinating. Badminton: Leagues and Logistics by (notable Badminton scholar) Forecourt states that in the early Equestrian nationals, for every tie game over 19 points, an extra point to reach is added. Did you know that?"

                                            >"No, Twilight, we didn't know that."

                                            >Shining picks up your racquets and the shuttlecock you were using.

                                            >"C'mon, Twi. We need to head out now if we're going to make it to Mom's tea thing."

                                            >Shining Armor gives you a hoofbump.

                                            >"See ya, Anon. I kinda told my parents we'd visit them while we were here."

                                            >You grin and mock-stretch your arms and legs, an act which seems to drive Twilight to find the pavement of the courts in that moment particularly interesting.

                                            "Alright. Next time I won't go so easy on ya."

                                            >Shining laughs and ribs you a bit.

                                            >"I'm counting on it."

                                            >Shining and Twilight walk towards the front exit of the court. Your ride is in the back near an apple-shake stand.

                                            >"Later, Anon!"

                                            >"Bye Anon! Thanks for helping me hit the birdie!"

                                            >You smile and wave as they step around the corner and out of sight.

                                            >Turning around, you make your way to the chariot that awaits you.

                                            >Hopefully the guards didn't get bored for too long.