Love Poison No Cure Needed

Bikes and Kittens 2.16

“Crash.” Once again the bike skittered across the ground and slammed into a wall inside the empty block. Sorrel got up again and dusted his arms off as the faint blue glow around him and the bike once again faded. 

“I now know why you asked about Bellmore, the pretty bike would be totalled by now without it. I don’t know why I’m having so much trouble with this.” Sorrel sighed as his shoulders dropped when he looked over at the bike before he turned back to Kayad. “It can’t be this hard or the humans would die more often than they get their licences.” 

Kayad walked over from the block entrance once again while Sephy and noir waited curled up together on the seat of Kayad’s bike. “It’s fine. The human’s go slower so when they fall it doesn’t do any damage. I think the issue you're having is that your reactions are faster than what is necessary which is causing you to over-correct the steering and thus plant the bike.” Kayad explained as he picked the bike up and brought it back over to Sorrel.

“So, I need to go slower?” Sorrel asked as he hopped back on the bike and restarted it.

“You can ride the bike at the same speed but you need to moderate your reactions and make more conservative motions.” Kayad said as he moved back across the lot.

Conservative. Sorrel repeated to himself and then started off in a loop around the lot. When he approached the corner he slowly and carefully turned and managed to keep the bike moving. Sorrel’s mood improved and he continued his loop once more before he started to make some variations turning a little harder and then turning to go backwards. As he started to laugh Kayad clapped and waved him over.

Sorrel headed over and carefully brought the bike to the stop planting his feet at the last minute he reduced the final bit of acceleration. 

“Be careful not to do that around humans.” Kayad gestured to where Sorrel had slightly raised the bike off the ground to stop it from hitting him. “They’d be horribly surprised.”

Sorrel frowned and then realised that humans would not have the strength to casually hold the bike off the ground like he had. At least not just with hands and thighs. “Right, i'll be careful.”

“En, here is your licence.” Kayad handed over a small plastic card and Sorrel stared at it before accepting it.

“Isn’t there meant to be tests and such?” Sorrel asked.

“Mmm, but the Other community often fudges them. You memorised the road rules and riding instructions now all you need is experience. Better to get that without the general disdain humans give learner riders. Besides with the protection of Bellmore’s fruit you, your bike and anyone you might crash into will be fully protected. You are arguably the safest driver in the city.” Kayad listed out the reasons one by one with patience.

Once Kayad finished talking Sorrel nodded repeatedly. To start with he had been looking forward to the experience of taking the test to get his licence but his practice had quickly taken the sine of that idea. He was now just as happy to not have to take the test.

“so to celebrate your new status as a free spirit lets go to dinner.” Kayad dusted his hands and walked to his bike. He picked up Sephy and Noir and placed them both in the specially designed saddle bag at the front of the bike. “Though to go in, you will have to wear your seeming.” Kayad explained to the two familiars who promptly shimmered, taking on the appearance of a fluffy black kitten in the case of Noir and a sleek white kitten in the case of Sephy. 

Sorrel had been surprised at the choice of seeming having expected Sephy to choose a bird or a lizard appearance. However, Sephy had explained that a more common human companion would be better and it was really cute how the two kittens matched.

“You lead and I’ll follow.” Sorrel said as Kayad swung on the bike seat and the pair started their bikes. Kayad slipped his helmet on and turned to raise a thumb at Sorrel. Sorrel nodded and the two started off out of the lot. They continued past the various warehouses and then out of the BIRD to cross the Northbridge. 

When they at last pulled into the lot of an upscale restaurant Sorrel released a small sigh of relief. He had expected there to be problems as soon as he’d gone into traffic but perhaps due to having spent the entire day practicing in the lot it was late enough that traffic was all but no existent. So, Sorrel had gotten free practice time driving on empty streets and stopping at lights and signs.

That being said Sorrel looked at the door to the restaurant and the sports cars in the parking lot and wondered if this was the right choice of places to eat. Shouldn’t it be a bar with other bikes?

“Come on I made reservations.” Kayad swung off his bike and picked the two familiars up letting Sephy return to Sorrel as he led the way towards the door.