The motor rumbled beneath me as I gave it a quick rev. It’s freshly restored body gleamed in the sun as I eased out onto the road, the feel of the wind whipping the hair that stuck out from my helmet. I could feel the slow rise of adrenaline in my veins and I had to concentrate to keep my instincts from allowing my wings from blossoming. At the speeds I’d be hitting on the highway, they’d only rip me off the old cruiser.
I had just finished rebuilding my bike and had finally paid the last of the hidden fees that had come attached and it was fully road ready, but it wasn’t quite done yet. It needed one more piece of work that I wasn’t qualified to do, let alone the equipment to do it.
As I pulled up to the building across town, I saw a slight woman with short hair that matched her name. I wondered once if it was a choice or a strange coincidence when we had all started regularly started spending time with the CPA girls.
“Yo, Suset,” Indigo Zap called out as I killed the engine. “That’s a pretty sweet ride. I’m glad you got her running.”
“It took a lot of work,” I said. “Not all of it on the bike.”
“Yeah, I heard about it from Dash.” She turned and motioned to the garage door. “Bring her in and I’ll see what I can do to get her past that base coat.”
As I wheeled the bike into the garage, I looked around and whistled. “This is a nice little setup, Zap,” I said. “Thanks for seeing me on a Sunday, by the way.”
“Family owned and operated,” she said, puffing out her chest in pride. “Mom and Pop keep it small, but we have quite a bit of repeat business.”
“Enough to pay for Crystal Prep?” I asked. “It’s not cheap from what Twi has told me.”
“Nah,” she said. “I got in on a field hockey scholarship. Three straight state championships while I was there. Got the same for the CU, too.” She pointed at a rack on one side of the bay. “Wheel her on there and we’ll go pick out a theme for your bike.”
I was led to a room where a large monitor sat on a desk, the image of my bike displayed.
“So,” Indigo said as she hopped in the chair in front of her. “What did you think for a bottom color, Sunset?”
I pulled another chair over and sat down. “I was thinking of something soft, like an orange ombre.”
“Hm, that’s kinda vague,” Indigo said, bringing up a window that showed a large number of shades of orange, anywhere from neon and garish to yellow with almost no hint of red. “Could you narrow that down a bit?”
Taking the mouse, I scrolled through and selected one that reminded me of my namesake. “From here to…” I selected a shade that bordered on red with a hint of lavender. “Here. That looks about right.”
The athlete sitting across from me nodded, tapping a few keys and the dull gray of the bike’s chassis was replaced by a color palate that started with a warm orange at the top and faded down the fuel tank and fenders.
“Could you flip it ninety degrees?” I asked. “Orange at the front fender and the twilight at the tail?”
She gave me a smirk. “Twilight, is it?” she said slyly. As I felt my face heat up, she hit another key and the colors rotated.
“Ok, that takes care of the base coat,” she said. “Accent colors for the windscreen mount or light stays?”
An hour later I leaned back as Indigo printed up the work invoice.
“I didn’t know there were so many stages in getting a paint job,” I said when she handed the invoice over. “Or that it would be done so quickly.”
Indigo nodded. “Well, this time of year is a little slack, so we got the space,” she said as she pulled on a jacket and a set of keys. “We’ll start on her in the morning and we can have it back to you two days later, all ready to open her up as fast as you’re comfortable with.”
As we walked outside, I gave her a look of amusement. “You know how fast I’m comfortable with,” I smiled. “You did race me at the Games, remember?”
“I remember you having to bail,” she said with a snicker. “Wondered if that had hampered your need for speed.”
I eyed her closely. “Only if it means I have to keep from ponying up while I ride,” I said with a grin. “You wouldn’t understand.”
The young woman turned to me and gave me a flat look. “I don’t know if you know or not,” she said as she slid her familiar goggles onto her head. “But ever since that little magic incident, I’ve been waking up with wings and longer hair than I want to take care of. I might understand better than you think.”
I grinned. “You ride?”
She jerked her thumb to the parking lot where three trucks and a compact motorcycle with a lightning bolt theme sat.
“It may not be a nice and relaxed cruiser,” she said as we walked over to it. “But it’s gotten me to and from for a good number of years now.”
I nodded as Indigo swung a leg over the bike and eased back into the saddle. “It suits you,” I said.
She fired her bike up, the powerful engine rumbling in the housing of the crotch rocket. “When your bike gets out,” she said. “I’m willing to give you another run for your money if you want.” She killed the engine and sat back, glancing around.
“How are you getting home?” she asked. “Twilight going to pick you up?”
I smiled at her, and after a quick glance around, I ponied up, amber wings stretching as though upset that they haven’t been used in a while.
“Oh, I think I’m covered for getting around,” I quipped. “I’m not as afraid to use them as some people are.”
Indigo’s eyes flashed as she saw the veiled challenge. “Name the LZ, Princess,” she said, drawing the title out.
“My place,” I said as the woman next to me spread a set of violet wings.
“You’re on,” she said as we took off.
“Indigo,” I called out as she arrowed off.
She stopped and looked back at me. I pointed to my right, the opposite of the way she was heading.
“That way.”
“But the on ramp is…oh, right.” the athlete said as she rubbed the back of her head. “Wings.”
Author's Note
I think I might do some more with the CPA girls. I like the prospect of creating their backstories.
