New Moon (My Little Pony)

39 Parental Date (2/3)

Bud moved through the crowd to find Hawk and Raven again. She had found the pair browsing through a stand full of toys and plushies. Hawk purchased Raven a plush of a thestral, rattling a cringe through Bud's skin.

It wasn't often Bud came across these merchandise before. She couldn't help but feel disgusted with how much ponies would monetize off from her filly. She knew in some regard it was silly of her to think she could hold the copyright of an entire species just because she was the only pony with a thestral, but it was a feeling difficult to hold back.

At least Raven was satisfied by the gift.

Bud aimed to trail behind them when they left the toy stand. Though, her endeavor proved fruitless when her son shouted for something that intrigued him.

There happened to be a fruit stand close by. Oranges, mangoes, watermelons, and honeydew were neatly shelved in wagons. And among the batches lay a group of pineapples that tempted Artemis.

"Pineapple," Artemis shouted, pointing his hoof toward the fruit stand. He didn't even care that his sunglasses fell off his face. "Pineapple!"

"I can't believe you can't remember that word so easily, but you won't call me mom when I want you to," Bud complained.

"Pineapple!"

"Please don't yell. You'll give us away." Bud picked up the sunglasses and attempted to place them back on her son. However, his hooves raised in protest, inadvertently swatting the sunglasses away.

"Pineapple!"

"You're really going to force my hooves here, aren't you?" Bud gave a stink eye at her son. She didn't want to risk losing sight of Hawk and Raven again, but she knew Artemis would immediately blow their cover if left unsatisfied. "Fine," she sighed. "But you only get one slice."

Bud purchased a pineapple and requested it to be split into quarter slices. Bud offered a slice to her son, who held it with both hooves and munched on it. Bud made frequent stops to clean his son's face midst her search for Hawk and Raven. However, Artemis stained his face so often that Bud concluded to stay put until he finished.

After he finished his pineapple slice and patted thoroughly, she finally continued her search for Hawk and Raven. She foraged across Ponyville until she happened upon an open field near Sweet Apple Acre.

Bud saw a long line of ponies on the dirt path, waiting to meet with the Apple family at their stand bountiful of ciders. She felt bad about helping the family with their sale. On most seasons she would come by assisting Pear and Bright.

But Bud had other priorities today that required her attention. She hoped Pear and the others would understand.

Bud looked to the field and discovered a group of foals playing on the field. They were passing a ball to each other, attempting flashy kicks and headbutts. Among them, Bud found Raven in their band.

She skimmed through the area again and spotted a bench opposite of the Apple family's stand. There, she found Hawk sitting with a barrel cup in his hoof.

"There you are," Bud said as she rounded the field until she stood behind the bench. When she drew near, she leaned her backside on the back of the bench. "Letting her play with her friends? That's very nice of you."

Hawk looked behind and arched his brow at Bud and Artemis. "So you have been following us," Hawk said. "And here I thought you left me to our own device."

"Is that cider you're drinking?" Bud asked.

"Yes, it is. I've heard about the Apple family's famous cider for years but never had the time to come to Ponyville to try it for myself. I couldn't let the opportunity past me while I'm here."

"Just don't overdo it," Bud warned. "You wouldn't want to be odd during your day out with Raven."

"I can hold my liquor," Hawk defensively said and took a sip from his cup. His eyes drew back to Raven, who laughed when her successful headbutt on the ball loosened her glasses near the edge of her snout.

"Is everything alright?" Bud asked. "You look deep in your thoughts."

"Not that is a random question to ask," Hawk responded. "I should ask what compels you to think that."

"Hawk, you promised you would be forward with me from now on."

"Yes, I remember," Hawk grumbled. He slightly tilted his cup left and right before he sighed. "I just wonder if this is enough. Raven has given me a tour around this town, but I'm uncertain whether it's out of joy or duty. Our interactions over the years have been professional. I can't expect a day in the countryside to change all of that, right?"

"You're probably right," Bud agreed. "A single day out may not be enough to change things between you and Raven. Though it's a heck of a start. My advice would be not to overthink and just enjoy yourself. If Raven can see that you're enjoying yourself, then she will feel okay about herself having fun as well."

"Do you suppose she already is?" Hawk asked, his eyes honed upon the wide smile Raven had when she bumped into a filly midst their catch for the ball.

"I'm sure it's doing something for her," Bud confirmed, looking over the bench. Artemis snuggled his head under his mother's chin, wanting a share of her gaze.

Hawk looked over to Artemis and took another sip of his cup. "Where is the other one?" he asked.

"Hm? You mean Nebula? Oh, she's with Lazuli. She's been overly expressive as of late."

"I see. And why aren't you with them right now? I'm certain Lazuli didn't come here to play foal sitter."

"It's fine," Bud said, frowning. "She knows how important this is?"

"I get how important Raven is to you, but shouldn't make time for Lazuli as well? She's been hoping to spend with you."

"And how would you know that?" Bud questioned. "Did she tell you that?"

"You should learn to be more forward with your own feelings," Hawk advised. "This isn't something you can avoid forever."

"I'll figure something out, okay," Bud retorted. "Right now, you should be keeping your eyes on Raven. I think those two colts are trying to flirt with her."

"What colts?" Hawk darted his sight upon Raven again and found two colts at Raven's side. One appeared to give her pointers with the ball while the other bore a smug grin, flaunting his wings at Raven. Hawk dropped his cup to the ground and stomped away from the bench. "No colt is going mess with the heart of my baby filly!"

Bud and Artemis stared dazed as they witnessed Hawk giving a mouthful to the shocked and shivering colts. She and Artemis shared a look to confirm what they were looking at was real.

"Well," Bud started. "I didn't think he had that in him."