The magnificent sun began to rise into the sky to mark the start of a new day. While this phenomena was expected; and no doubt the doing of the lovely Princess Celestia, Steele Bolt was rarely awake to witness it personally. Late nights in the workshop dictated the stallion sleeping in after barely making it to his bed to pass out from exhaustion. Yet there he was, laying in bed with eyes wide open as sunlight began to sneak in through his bedroom window.
He hadn't slept a wink. How could he? Social anxiety was wracking his brain. Thoughts and feeling raced through his mind, leaving him with little solace. He had been invited to a social gathering; and for reasons that perplexed him, he had agreed to attend. The mechanic had never done that before. Not that he was frequently invited to a get-together to begin with, but that was besides the point. Until now, he could never have imagined that he would attend something like a picnic. He had no idea how he should act, how to prepare himself, or whether he should bring anything with him. These thoughts had kept him up all night. It was those two mares fault...
A rough sigh left his dried lips as he summoned the strength to leave his comfortable bed. He needed a drink. And considering that he hadn't slept at all, coffee seemed like the logical choice. Content with that decision, Bolt began to sluggishly make his way downstairs, a comically large yawn escaping him as he trod down the stairs, taking it step by step.
He wearily looked around once he reached the bottom of the staircase, his green eyes scanning his living room for anything out of the ordinary. Other than the wrench sitting on his sofa, which he had brandished in self defense after hearing the banging on his door the day prior, everything was as he left it. He trudged over to the tool and picked it up with his mouth. Best to not leave it there, lest he forget about it. With wrench in mouth, his next destination was obvious. The kitchen.
An hour, and multiple cups of coffee later, Steele Bolt actually felt like he might be able to function. Bags still hung heavily under his eyes, but at least his brain was sharp for the moment. He couldn't help the occasional yawn though, of course. Even with his drowsiness dealt with, he still had the pressing issue that had robbed him of sleep in the first place. The picnic. He would need to conduct some research in preparation for this event, or he'd risk getting no sleep until the day of the picnic itself. That would be a catastrophe. With that in mind, there was only one pony he could turn to... The thought alone brought another sigh out of him.
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A trek across Ponyville found Steele Bolt standing outside of a modest sized home, with a lively colour scheme that would leave the likes of Pinkie Pie impressed. A very vivid combination of purples and yellows. Complimentary, but also a little painful on his green eyes. It was far too bright for his tastes. Regardless of his choice in decor, the stallion stepped closer to the front door, his hoof rising to knock but then lingering as second thoughts appeared in his head. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea...
As if somepony had read his mind, the door abruptly opened at that very moment, causing both Steele Bolt and the pony behind the door miraculously opening to gasp and take a step back. Green met green as both ponies stared at each other, a moment of silence enveloping them before finally the mare broke the silence.
"Steele Bolt?" She asked quizzically, the look on her face making it clear that she had not expected to see him. Fitting, considering how close he had come to losing his nerve and making a hasty retreat. There was no turning back now though...
"Yeah, it's me... Hi Mum..." The stallion replied stiffly as the mare cocked her head to the side, her beautiful purple mane spilling down the corresponding side as the look of wonderment remained on her face. Her coat blended in with that colouring as well, though it was a softer lavender hue. Other than their distinctive eyes, Steele Bolt really didn't look much like his mother at all; especially because of how unkempt his own coat was. Regardless, a smile began to cross his mother's face as she stepped aside, offering the stallion access to his parent's home.
"I didn't realise you would be stopping by today! Come in, sweetie." She insisted with a motherly tone, to which Bolt obliged and slowly entered. His mother; aptly named Lilac Petal, had always been friendly towards him. It was difficult for a mother to stop loving her child after all, even if his name had been tarnished by his obsession with flight. It would be incorrect to say that she wasn't disappointed in how he put his talents to use, but she had long since given up on trying to change his mind. He was hopelessly stubborn in that regard.
"Were you about to go out?" Bolt asked curiously as he turned to face his mother, whom was in the middle of closing the door behind them. That was the only reason he could think of as to why she had so abruptly opened the front door. Unless she had noticed him there... Judging from her reaction to seeing him, he didn't think that was the case though.
"I was, but that can wait. It isn't every day my son comes to visit!" Lilac chirped as she strode over to the kitchen, with her son in tow. Bolt's green eyes danced around at his surroundings as he walked, admiring the plant life that surrounded him. Unsurprisingly, his mother was something of a gardener. She took a great deal of time and care to nurture all sorts of plants, to which her work is even coveted. No doubt she had been heading out to start on an order in fact, since a lot of ponies loved to buy plants from her for their own gardens. That wasn't why he was there though...
"Is Dad home?" He asked as he waited in the kitchen, while his mother prepared them both something to drink. Another cup of coffee wouldn't hurt his sleep deprived mind. Talk of his father always put him on edge. While his mother had accepted his determination towards his goals, though she didn't approve of it, his father had been strongly against it from the get-go. They had butted heads many times in fact, with every accident that developed from his failed experiments earning him a "I told you so" from the older stallion. He would rather not face that ridicule at the moment.
"Oh no. He went off to work a while ago." Was the answer he had expected from his mother, whom set his cup of coffee down in front of him as she spoke. He offered a nod of gratitude to her before taking a sip from the beverage. The bitter taste was more than enough to bring alertness back to him. He smacked his lips to savor the taste as Lilac sat across from him, looking far more dignified than he.
"So! To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" His mother inquired with a soft smile, though the underlying curiosity in her eyes was unmistakable. Bolt could only imagine how she might react to what he had to say, and it was filling him with dread. But ultimately, she was the only pony he could turn to in this situation. He had to rely on her. So with a sigh, he bit the bullet.
"Well... You see... I've been invited to a picnic... By a couple of mares..." The stallion began, though his words steadily became quieter as he went on. He felt bashful about the circumstance he found himself in, even if it wasn't that uncommon to meet with other ponies. That was just how unused to the concept he was. Apparently his mother wasn't used to the thought of her son going to a picnic either. She had frozen in place, midway through taking a sip from her cup of tea, her large green eyes staring straight at Steele Bolt with a slack jaw. He felt she could have at least tried to hide her surprise... Bolt couldn't help feeling a little insulted.
"I-Is that so?" She asked after finally regaining her composure, as though she was checking to make sure he wasn't joking about this. Bolt frowned a little, but nodded his head to confirm his statement. There was no way he was going to repeat it.
It still took a few moments for the information to sink in for the mare. Bolt watched as his mother digested what he had told her, the inital surprise slowly but surely turning into wondrous joy. He hadn't exactly expected her to react the way she did; practically diving across the table in excitement, with statements of her little colt finally growing up. He couldn't help feeling a little overwhelmed. Was it really such a great thing that he had been invited to this picnic...?
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He hadn't needed to tell his mother anything else. Lilac had already known well enough that her son wasn't prepared for this sort of interaction. She still fondly remembered how awkward he had been during his youth, far worse than he was now. With that in mind, she immediately insisted that he clean himself properly. Even though he cared very little about his public image, she didn't want him to scare away his potential friends with his less than pleasant body odor and greasy mane. Naturally, he had put up some resistance to the idea. He didn't understand the point behind it. But it was foolish to try and disobey his mother, and he was quickly reminded of that. So while he thoroughly cleaned his neglected coat and mane, his mother set to work on preparing some sandwiches for him to bring along to the picnic.
When Bolt finally re-emerged in the kitchen, the difference in his appearance was night and day. For one, his coat and mane looked far smoother, and was softer to the touch. With the muck and grease out of it, the dull colouring actually looked a tad more vibrant. He almost looked like a brand new stallion!
The scent of food had him drifting towards the counter in an instant, drool practically leaking from his lips as he admired the sandwiches that had amassed there. All of them were jam-packed with salad, vivid green filling the space between the slices of bread. But as he went to take a bite out of one, his snout was firmly smacked by a hoof, causing him to withdraw and furrow his brow at his assaulter.
"These are for the picnic." His mother stated bluntly, a similar look on her face as she frowned at her son. Her expression lightened a little after a moment though, and she went back to her task. Bolt didn't really want to get in the way of his mother's expert culinary skills. He could prepare a sandwich, but not nearly as quickly and neatly as Lilac could. It did help that she was a unicorn though. Magic made everything easier. So he sat and waited, his green eyes watching his mother as she worked.
"There should be enough for all of you here. If you put them in the fridge, they should remain fresh until the day!" Lilac informed him as she finished the final sandwich, placing it carefully on the monstrous pile she had created. In Bolt's opinion, she had probably made too many. He hoped that his company had a large appetite, because there was no way he was going to be able to finish all of them on his own. On the bright side, if they weren't all eaten then he would be set for meals for a little while.
"And don't you dare eat any of them beforehand." She concluded with an all-knowing look, causing her son to chuckle awkwardly. It was as-if she could read his mind. He certainly hadn't intended to eat them all, but the thought had crossed his mind to snack on one or two. They looked so delicious after all! But he decided it would be better to honor his mother's request, and not risk her wrath...
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With all of the sandwiches neatly packed away in a backpack, Steele Bolt found himself outside his families house again, his mother offering him the same smile that she had greeted him with. He was feeling a little more confident after spending some time with Lilac, and had taken any advice that she had offered to heart. The anxiety hadn't vanished, but at least it had been quelled somewhat.
"Have a good time, sweetie. And remember, be yourself! But... Not too much like yourself..." Lilac told her son with an uneasy smile, causing him to raise an eyebrow at her. That seemed like some backwards logic. Should he, or should he not act like himself? His eccentric behaviour was lost on him. He didn't see anything wrong with it, while every other pony could clearly see that it was borderline obsessive. He didn't realise the significance of his mother's words.
"Is there something wrong with being myself...?" He asked slowly, his gaze slowly looking to the dirt below his hooves as his brow furrowed. He couldn't help feeling self-conscious after hearing such words from his mother, even if he wasn't sure what she was getting at. The mare immediately shook her head, as it became apparent that she might have chosen her words poorly.
"Oh no, no, no! I just don't want you to waste this opportunity to make some friends!" She insisted with an earnest voice, coaxing Bolt to raise his head to look at her. He could see the honesty in her eyes, yet he couldn't help remaining pessimistic after hearing what she had to say prior.
"So you think I'll blow it." He retorted with a hint of malice in his voice, a faint glint of hurt hidden behind the frown on his face. He knew his parents didn't condone to his passions, but he thought only his father had viewed him as a screw up. Apparently his father's venom had infected his mother...
"That's certainly a dreary way of looking at it. I want you to make friends. That's all." His mother replied simply, a sigh following her words. Dealing with her son always felt like stepping on a minefield, especially when her partner was involved. He was a handful, but she still loved him, and wanted him to be happy. She tried to portray that in her expression, though Bolt simply looked away, the same disheartened look on his face.
"I'll be going then... Thanks for the help, Mum." He left his farewell as short and to the point as possible, Lilac's reply barely registering as he trod away from the home he grew up in. His mother had been a great help, yet she had damaged his spirit at the same time. That fact made him question the usefulness of the trip he had made today for a moment. A glance at the backpack full of sandwiches he was carrying erased that feeling though, and filled him with a sense of guilt for snapping at his mother. In the end, he knew that she was just trying to help him. If only he weren't so prideful, maybe he would have gone back and apologised. But instead, he returned to his home, where he did as Lilac had instructed and stored the sandwiches in the refrigerator in his kitchen, before becoming lost in his work as he always did.