Learning to Fly

by Alex the Bolt

Moment of Truth

Things were finally starting to come together. After working tirelessly for the last couple of days, Steele Bolt had been able to sort through the wreckage of his prized jetpack, and even figure out the malfunction that had almost caused his untimely demise. Too much fuel had been flowing into the engine, causing an overload of sorts. Learning from his mistakes had been how he had gotten this far, so knowing this issue thrilled him more than it disheartened him. He was so close to reaching his dream; he had actually been able to maintain flight for the first time after all! The thought alone was enough to fill him with excitement, and motivate him to continue his work.

Sadly though, work on his jetpack would have to wait for later. As much as his anxiety would happily have him forget, today was the big day. The day of the picnic. Looking in his refrigerator had been more than enough of a reminder for him over the past couple of days; when he had wandered up there during his short breaks for a snack. He could ignore sleep, but it was rather difficult to work through a grumbling stomach. It didn't help that he had a somewhat insatiable appetite. At least he had kept his promise to his mother. Not a single sandwich was missing from the collection she had prepared for the picnic.

A yawn left his lips as he made his way out of the darkness of his workshop, natural light pouring through the windows and greeting him as he stepped into his living room. He groaned as his sensitive eyes winched from Celestia's harsh light. She couldn't give him a break, could she. He contemplated complaining to the weather Pegasus; requesting more cloudy days. A meaningless thought that he would never act upon, but it amused him as he made his way to the kitchen.

Minimal sleep and a busy day ahead of him meant that coffee was a requirement for him this morning. Another yawn escaped Bolt as he waited for the kettle to boil, passing the time by idly looking around his kitchen. It was quaint, and filled with electronics. Not surprising, considering who was living there. Everything did something, though some were more practical than others. The custom-made, four slot toaster, for example, far outweighed the use of the salt dispenser. It had seemed like a good idea at the time, but in hindsight it wouldn't have hurt to just stick with a typical shaker. If it wasn't broken, don't fix it, as they say.

The centerpiece of the small room was a wooden table, just big enough for two ponies to sit at. Bought with a guest in mind, even if Bolt rarely had them. The only other pony to have sat at it with him was his mother. He didn't really care if it stayed that way though; it wasn't like he spent a great deal of time outside of his workshop anyway. It did allow for him to take his work with him to the table when he was indulging in larger meals that took him longer to eat, which was something he appreciated.

Just as he sat down to enjoy his cup of piping hot coffee, a knock came at his door. At first, Bolt pondered who it could be at this time in the morning. He knew it wasn't early in the scheme of things; but it wasn't even midday yet, and that was early for him! No matter how much he thought about this though, the knocking at his door wasn't going away any time soon. So with a sigh, he pulled himself up from his seat and made his way to the living room. Whomever he owed this pleasure to, they didn't have to be so loud...

Bolt honestly had a pretty good idea of who might be waiting for him on the other side of his front door. It wasn't like he received many visitors after all, and considering his plans for today, it really limited who it could be. That left a horrible sinking feeling in his stomach. He couldn't help feeling nervous; especially after being locked in his workshop for the last few days. He had said he would go though, so he couldn't ignore the boisterous visitor. He audibly gulped as he reached the front door, his hoof raising to meet the handle. Here goes nothing...

He opened the door slowly, mindful of what happened last time somepony banged at his door this roughly. Leaving the door ajar just enough for him to peek through to the outside, Bolt's green eyes peered into the bright light that slipped through the crack. A familiar pair of magenta eyes stared straight back at him, long eye lashes fluttered as the owner of the eyes blinked.

"Ah, so you were awake! I was starting to think you were still on a snooze cruise!" The cerulean Pegasus on the other side of his door grinned at Bolt as he opened the door further, since he was now confident that he wouldn't get a hoof to the face like last time. He hadn't been able to drink his coffee yet, so Rainbow Dash's energetic voice was more than enough to make the tired stallion cringe. He was much too tired to deal with somepony like her.

"Rainbow Dash...? Why are you here? Is the picnic starting already...?" Bolt queried with a strained voice, his discomfort at being disturbed before he had properly prepared himself clear on his face. Whether she picked up on that or not was a mystery to him though, since she didn't seem to show any consideration for his condition at all and marched on with the topic at hand with a similar tone of voice.

"Duh! What time do you think it is?"

"Uh... Not midday...?"

A silence grew amongst them for a brief moment as Rainbow Dash gave Steele Bolt the most deadpan stare he had seen in his life. It spoke heaps on it's own, but it wasn't like Rainbow Dash was the type of pony to not speak her mind. She raised an eyebrow at him quizzically.

"Do you usually wake up this late or something...?" Her bemused stare made it obvious enough that she was questioning his way of life, though he was no stranger to such looks. The stallion rolled his eyes and turned to disappear back into his household. If he was going to get treatment like this, then going to the picnic was starting to seem like a bad idea. His company seemed to clock onto his intentions a little too quickly however. He had barely raised a hind leg to slam the door before he found the familiar cerulean Pegasus standing in front of him, having slipped round him at a blistering speed. It left him startled, and unable to say a word.

"Whoa there, buddy! You didn't think I'd let you skip out on the picnic, did you?" Rainbow stated with a playful grin on her face, the condescending look that had previously graced her features nowhere to be seen. Bolt couldn't help feeling confused as he looked down at the cerulean hoof that prodded him. Was she or wasn't she judging him like the others? The fact that she had jumped back to treating him as she had been told him she wasn't, but he was no mind reader. Her pushiness did make him frown though.

"I'd much rather work on my jetpack, thank you." The stallion retorted as he tried to step around the obstacle in front of him, his sights set on the kitchen. Once he finished his coffee, he could continue his work on his contraption. Or at least, that was his hope. Rainbow Dash didn't seem content with giving up just yet. She moved to intercept him yet again, though this time she tried to forcefully turn him around and out the door.

"C'mon! You made a commitment! We're gonna' be late if you keep this up, and I don't do late!" The renowned flyer insisted, proving that she was more than a match for the natural strength of an Earth Pony as she adamantly shoved him towards the door to the outside, using her powerful wings to make up the difference in physical strength. Bolt's hooves skidded across the floor as he fought against Rainbow, his teeth gritting as his brow furrowed in frustration. Why was she going so far? Was she just the type of pony that wouldn't take no for an answer? With an almighty sigh, he stopped resisting her, which almost caused the two of them to topple over. Thankfully though, a repeat of last time did not occur.

"Fine, fine! Just stop it already!" He shouted out in a voice that was much louder than what he was used to. The shoving came to a stop not a moment later, Rainbow appearing from behind him with a smug grin, which only grew smugger when she saw the look of exasperation on the stallion's face. He didn't have the energy to argue with her. Maybe things would have been different if he had been able to finish his coffee...

___________________________________________________________________________

Steele Bolt really didn't get a lot of time after that. He could hear Rainbow impatiently tapping her hoof in the living room as he hastily made his way into the kitchen, guzzled down his now cold cup of coffee and threw the sandwiches his mother had prepared into a satchel for transport. He wasn't long, yet Rainbow Dash made it seem like he had kept her waiting forever. He couldn't really say he was surprised though, not while she was hurrying him out the door.

He had half expected her to question what he had brought along with him, yet no such question came. Maybe it was because she was so focused on forcing him to run faster, as she glided along in front of him, leading him towards the location of the picnic. He wasn't the fastest runner, and Rainbow Dash made sure to remind him of that, condescending him at every turn as they sped towards their destination. If he hadn't been so heavily invested in trying to keep up with her, he might have had a retort for her. He just had to grit his teeth and endure her egotism. One thing was for certain though. The idea of actually racing her was dreadfully unappealing.

By the time they finally arrived at the picnic, Bolt had received a thorough workout. More than he had experienced in quite a long time. Naturally, he was left panting for air, while Rainbow Dash had been left unaffected by the supposed light jog. A tinge of jealousy coursed through him. If only he had been born with wings, he might have been able to keep up with her... That just gave him one more goal though. What he wouldn't give to wipe the smug grin off the Pegasus's face.

"What's the matter, Bolt? Tired already?" Rainbow Dash quite happily applied salt to the wound as they made their way towards the gathering of ponies, which quite ironically was taking place at the same location that Bolt typically used for his experiment tests. It was a nice location, with lavish scenery, so that really didn't come as a surprise. The stallion retorted with a grunt as he soldiered on, trying to mask his irritation to the best of his ability. He was a competitive pony, and prideful to a fault. But even though he was frustrated that he couldn't even keep up with Rainbow Dash, he wasn't about to give her the satisfaction of knowing that his loss bothered him. Thankfully, the topic was lost as their presence became known, the five ponies waiting for them turning to look their way.

Steele Bolt's gaze immediately fell on the only recognizable pony amongst this group of strangers. Her insanely broad smile, curly pink mane, and matching pink coat were unforgettable. Pinkie Pie wasted no time bounding up to him and Rainbow as they approached, literally bouncing circles around them as they walked.

"Boltie! You made it!! I knew you would! You couldn't resist the cupcakes, right?!" The pink pony bounced to a standstill in front of the stallion, causing him to abruptly come to a halt in an attempt to avoid walking face first into her. He was successful, though left uncomfortably close to the mare.

"Uh, yeah... Sure..."

"Yay!! You get to have first pick then! C'mon!!" Pinkie Pie seemed truly ecstatic over his answer, even if he had only said it because he figured that was what she wanted to hear. The handful immediately began to prance away to lead him toward the treats, though he made little effort to hide his relief upon regaining his personal space. A glance towards Rainbow Dash, whom was still standing beside him, revealed an amused grin on her face. Bolt rebutted with a frown.

Even if he frowned at her though, Rainbow Dash was currently an anchor for him. He could feel unfamiliar eyes on him as he followed in Pinkie's hoofsteps, and that attention gave him an unpleasant feeling in the pit of his stomach. He didn't usually attract this much attention unless one of his experiments had gone horribly wrong, thus he considered any attention to be a bad thing. He could tell that the gazes pointed his way were friendly, yet that did little to calm his nerves. He just wasn't used to this sort of situation. There was no doubt that his anxiety was picked up on. It wasn't like he was hiding it very well; with his eyes darting about the place, often drifting back to one of the only familiar ponies present, Rainbow Dash.

"Hello there!" A welcoming voice caught his attention, his green eyes finally concluding their erratic dance to land upon a purple coated pony. Now that he was looking at this mare, he actually found her to be a lot less intimidating to face than he had anticipated. Her soft, purple eyes were welcoming, and matched the colour of her coat, which vaguely reminded him of his mother's. That wasn't the only thing that was reminiscent of his mother either. A horn sat proudly upon her head, defining her as a Unicorn. His gaze led from her horn to her mane, an interesting combination of different shades of purple, and then to the wings on her back... Wings?

His eyes had began to wander away from that oddity before bouncing straight back to them. If this mare had both a horn and wings... That would make her an Alicorn... Bolt's eyes widened as that realisation sunk in. He wasn't standing in front of just any pony, he was standing in front of a Princess.

"You're Steele Bolt, right? I'm Twilight Sparkle." The same voice broke him out of his stupor, his green eyes blinking a few times as he regained his focus, his mouth flapping a few times as his brain struggled to compute his situation. He could have sworn he heard a snort from this thoughtless reaction, but that was the least of his worries. His first social gathering would involve a Princess? Truth be told, she wasn't quite as regal as he would have expected... She seemed quite down to earth. But that didn't tone down the magnitude of the situation that much for him. He didn't know what to say.

"Um, yeah. I am. You're an Alicorn, right..? That makes you..." His words began to trail off as he stared at Twilight with wide eyes. The initial shock was starting to wear off, and a curiosity blossomed within him. The mare seemed somewhat uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was going though.

"Yeah, I'm a Princess... You don't need to treat me differently though! I'm a pony too, just like you." Twilight insisted, her expression practically pleading with Bolt to not put her on some pedestal. The stallion tilted his head a little to the side, his confusion apparent. He couldn't imagine why she would be so sheepish to show off her royal connection. Her humble attitude was certainly refreshing though, compared to a certain Pegasus...

"It's a pleasure to meet you, darling. I'm Rarity." Another voice spoke up before Bolt could say anything more, turning his attention away from the Princess in front of him. His gaze fell upon a Unicorn with a pure white coat, her large blue eyes radiant and beautiful. The same could be said for the rest of Rarity, especially her well-maintained purple mane. The mechanic could only stand in awe at her grace as she took a step forwards, inspecting his appearance quite curiously.

"I must ask; how do you keep all that grease and oil out of your coat? You look lovely!" Rarity chimed, leaving Bolt at an even greater loss for words. She was complimenting him? He rarely received such things, especially with the grotesque scar upon his back. The satchel was keeping that hidden right now though, which could be why the beauty queen had no comment on it. The awkward part was that he didn't take any lengths to protect his coat from his work. It usually got quite messy in fact. If it hadn't been for his mother insisting he rectify that for this gathering, it likely would have stayed that way as well.

"Um... I don't." Steele Bolt replied honestly. He felt there was no reason to lie about it after all, though the reaction he received left him feeling like it might have been a better idea to give a little white lie. An awkward pause formed around the group, with all eyes peering at him. This didn't last nearly as long as he feared though. A charming laugh left Rarity's lips. Even if it was a little strained, brought on by the awkward silence that had arisen from Bolt's reply, it was more than enough ease the tension that had begun to build.

"Well whatever you do, darling. It simply works!" It felt quite nice to hear Rarity's optimism over the inclination that he didn't wash very often. So far this group of ponies completely shattered the norm that he had become accustomed to while dealing with the general public. It was a little disconcerting when he thought about it... There was nothing wrong with these ponies, right...? He didn't get a lot of time to ponder on the mental health of his company though. The next mare stepped up to introduce herself shortly after his interaction with Rarity concluded.

"Howdy, sugarcube! Name's Applejack." The first thing Bolt noticed was the heavy southern accent of his fellow Earth pony. It was quite endearing, in his opinion. Added a lot of character to somepony that he didn't even know yet. He couldn't help offering her a timid smile as he turned his gaze in her direction.

"Nice to meet you." He stated simply, his green eyes meeting her own green orbs for a brief moment. Her orange coat and blonde mane strangely suited her, though he couldn't quite put his hoof on why exactly that was. Her cowboy hat just brought her whole image together. She seemed as friendly as the rest, but there honestly wasn't much else for them to talk about. Thus, all attention shifted to the last remaining member of the group, a very timid looking Pegasus. Another pang of jealousy stabbed at his heart as a brief look on envy was cast on the wings upon her back, but he quickly pushed that down. It wasn't like this was his first time seeing a Pegasus. Her blue eyes darted about in a familiar fashion, reminding him of himself a fair amount. Maybe that was why it bothered him a little. Was he really that intimidating to her?

"Come on, Fluttershy. Introduce yourself!" Twilight was the first to speak up, offering her friend an encouraging smile as she approached the mare. Bolt's gaze briefly shifted to the Alicorn before ultimately landing back on the supposed Fluttershy. Her focus finally fell on him, though her eyes drifted to the ground a few times as she fought with her shy nature.

"U-Um. Hello... I'm Fluttershy..." Her voice was almost a whisper, that was close to being inaudible. The introduction washed away any irritation he had felt prior, instead it was replaced with pity. She appeared to deal with newcomers just as badly as he did, so it would be wrong of him to hold it against her. He offered her the most comforting smile he could muster, which really wasn't much from somepony as socially inept as himself...

Author's Note:

This was getting a little tough to write towards the end there... I'm really not used to having so many characters active at once! Not a bad learning experience though, and I hope I'm portraying the Mane 6 accurately! I honestly stopped watching the show just after Twilight became an Alicorn, so that's really where this story takes place. Who knows though, I might pick up where I left off eventually!
I decided to cut the chapter off where I did because it was getting pretty long... The picnic itself will naturally continue in the next chapter! Anyway. Enjoy!

Comments

[Battlecat]

Tis a lovely little story you have hereI look forward to seeing the next chapter.

[Mintywolf660]

Love this yesss! Nice job!

[Jonny Bench]

Yes! It really does live again! Hurray nice chapter too