New Moon (My Little Pony)

39 Parental Date (1/3)

Hawk honed his vision on the bullseye beyond the counter. His hooves stroked through the air, back and forth in a smooth line, training his movement for an acute launch.

Hawk found the dart uncomfortably light, but he trusted the fletching to narrow its trajectory. After a slow breath, Hawk thrust the dart forward.

The dart glided through the air fast, reaching the bullseye in half a second. His confidence boasted his aim and strength were precise. However, the dart quickly betrayed his confidence when it took an acute dip into the ground, landing near the edge of the bullseye.

Hawk stood slack-jawed at his result. He twitched his eyes, gritted his teeth, and then slammed his hoof onto the counter. "This is blasphemy!" Hawk exclaimed. "Where on Equestria did you get these faulty darts!?"

A thin stallion who served as the host of the game annoyed Hawk with a grin. The coy contempt behind his gapped teeth was apparent. He tossed Hawk's bit in his hooves, counting over again after each of Hawk's attempts (too many Hawk was ashamed to admit to).

"Easy there, tiger," the stallion said. He swiveled a hoof at Hawk, trying to appear submissive and agreeable. But Hawk was not buying it. "No need to get your tail in a tiff. Are you sure you don't suck at the game?"

"I'll have you know that I played a game of darts with Red Bullseye," Hawk argued. His forest green eyes glared deep and furious at the stallion's. "Do you know who that is? He is regarded as one of the best dart players in Equestria?"

"Heh, must have been a boring game for the fella if this is all you have to offer."

"Ours was a close match with the utmost tension. News of our contest spread to every pub in Equestria."

"Tensions, eh? Are you sure you're not referencing an opening to an erotica book?"

Hawk could not believe how easily he let this stallion get to his head. The only reason he graced this peasant with his presence was because of a thestral plush that caught Raven's eyes (companies had banked on the news of a baby thestral walking among their land and designed thestral merchandise for curious ponies). Hawk saw this as an opportunity to show off in front of his daughter. That desire, however, grew superseded by the want to tarnish the smugness of this stallion.

"This game is rigged!" Hawk accused. "How dare you try to swindle ponies with this joke you call a game? Do you take pride in ripping the hope of ponies as you take away their hard-earned bits?"

"You sure these bits were hard-earned?" the stallion questioned. The stallion paraded his bits before Hawk as if they were the heads of his army. "I fancy a unicorn like yourself must come from big cities. From the look of that dapper suit and watch on ya. I reckon you're rolling with bits. Think you might have the strings of ponies running beneath your hoof to think for that?"

"I don't expect a pony from the countryside to understand how to run an enterprise. You should keep your nose to what you know best." Hawk grabbed one of the darts on the counter and presented it before the stallion. "And I would hope you find better darts else you lose that as well."

"Well not all of us can get ourselves a fancy dart," the stallion argued. "But maybe if you try your luck so more, I could buy a nice dozen. Maybe I'll add a dab of gold on them too. I know how much your folks like to show your gleams and glimmer."

"Do you think I'm somepony to be toyed with?" Hawk growled. "Making an enemy of me would be the worst decision in your little career."

Before Hawk could lean in to condemn the stallion further, he felt a tug on his suit. His fury shifted to confusion as he found Raven at his side with a calm gaze.