Chương 203: Act 3, Chapter 54: Fast and fun

Day in the story: 18th January (Sunday), evening Alexandra May The girls were enamored with my magical woods—and so was I. Each new discovery within my Domain felt like uncovering a hidden part of my soul or giving it form. It felt both natural and exhilarating.

"You mentioned the motorcycle," Peaches said, stepping closer as we walked back toward the agora.

"I'd like to try it, but I've never done anything like that before. I don't have a license—I've never even sat on a bike."

"Neither have I," Zoe added from behind.

"Don't worry, girls. I'll give you a quick lesson on steering and movement, then we'll find a safe place to try something a little daring," I replied, as Anansi directed her small army of folded spiders. Some carried paint; others bore knives.

"How can it be safe? I just told you I have no experience," Peaches pressed, as the arachnids finished spreading paint across an unrolled sheet of paper. They cut out a large section and transformed it into something resembling an icy field.

"I'm going to put you on ice."

"What!?" they both shouted, while Sophie simply laughed. She was getting used to my strange methods.

"Let me show you," I said, leading them onto the black lake. A long strip of blue paper glided across the surface, carried by Anansi's minions. They moved with six legs while two held the sheet aloft. When they reached us, they dropped it and skittered away. Anansi herself wasn't present—she was elsewhere, orchestrating the remaining spiders as they cleaned up their mess.

"I love being a master of puppets!" I exclaimed, laughing.

"This is even better than teleporting."

"A teleporting summoner sounds like a strong archetype," Peaches said.

"In the games I've played, it's one of the safest builds, but it might make you lazy if you stop doing things yourself."

"Not a chance. I hate being idle. I'm just glad so many uninspired tasks are handled for me now, so I can focus on what I enjoy."

"Like being with us."

"Yes, Sophie. Exactly," I said, as one of the arachnids approached and stopped in front of me, gazing up with its painted eyes. I bent down, picked it up, and held it in my palm at eye level.

"I don't remember creating you in any of my bodies," I added, hoping for a response.

"It's probably one of the spiders' creations, human," Lóng replied, circling through the air to inspect the creature. The others gathered closer, drawn by my curiosity.

"Spiders' creations? What do you mean?"

"Anansi let a few wander freely. They built a nest inside the Hearth. Since you weren't using it for the gatherings you had planned, they began constructing things of their own," he explained, drifting back toward Sophie as though it were obvious. Is that true, Ani? [Yes. I allowed about ten of them to act freely, under an Animation directive to create.] You wanted to see what they would make? [Yes.] And now they're producing more of themselves. Are you the one animating the new ones?

I asked, though I already knew the answer. There was no shadowlight link connecting them to me. Instead, they were tied directly to the core. [Yes. She is lending them power to act independently, and they are building something else in the Hearth. You should take a look when you have time.]"It's interesting, but I'll check on it later," I said to Lóng, lowering my hand so the spider could crawl down my leg to the ground.

"For now, I'll show you how to ride a machine like mine." My spellbook materialized at my waist, secured to a belt. A moment later, my gold-and-black urban motorcycle appeared in a brief, rainbow-like shimmer atop the painted ice sheet.

"Let's start with the basics," I said, as they stared at me with wide, doe-like eyes.

"Right hand: throttle and front brake. Left hand: clutch. Left foot: gear selector. Right foot: rear brake. Everything must be coordinated."

"Clutch?" Zoe asked, drawing a long, weary exhale from me.

"Alright, we'll go even more basic," I said. We spent the next twenty minutes covering how vehicles operate—how to accelerate, decelerate, and maintain control. To their credit, once they understood the fundamentals, they picked it up quickly.

"Now for the fun part," I continued, instructing the ice sheet to become completely frictionless. Four of my minions carried over one of the first artificial brains from the Brain Bank I had set them to build the previous night. It wasn't connected to anything yet, which made it perfect for testing my memory-transfer idea.

"I'll ride this Urban Steed—that's what I've decided to call it—while linking my mind to that." I pointed to the brain the spiders held.

"I'll channel my thoughts through it, imprinting this session and everything related to riding. Then, if you want, I'll pass it to each of you so you can access those memories. Sound good?"

"I'm in for anything magical," Peaches said.

"I'll try too," Sophie added.

"I'm not sure," Zoe said.

"Let me go last, okay? I don't want my child to somehow inherit three extra sets of memories before it's even born."

"That's fair," I replied. I mounted the steed and infused the papier-mâché brain with the task of being my skill-processing center. In an instant, I was riding across a surface with zero friction. I accelerated, shifting smoothly through the gears until I reached top speed. Nothing resisted me. It felt like a simulator designed for my convenience. When I leaned into turns, my Domain responded instinctively, adjusting gravity so I wouldn't crash.

Meanwhile, the auxiliary brain absorbed everything, while Anansi wove her magic to layer in years' worth of muscle memory alongside the experience. When I finished, I gradually slowed to a stop. Then I restarted, accelerated sharply, and slammed the brakes, skidding to a controlled halt without losing balance. Satisfied, I left the motorcycle idling and stepped back onto the lake's surface, turning to the girls.

"Who's next?" Sophie raised her hand politely, but Peaches squealed with excitement, so I let her go first. I helped her onto the bike, and as I touched her, I shifted the brain's connection from myself to her. The transition was seamless and I barely noticed it. She didn't react at first, only registering the change once she was seated behind the handlebars. She grabbed them as I stepped away.

"Wait! You've already done something to me, haven't you?" she asked.

"I'm having déjà vu. I just rode this a moment ago." She released the grips, straightened, and looked back at me.

"It's uncanny. I need a moment, Alexa. I can't do this right now." A slight tremor ran through her, and I severed the connection immediately. Together, we helped her off the bike.

"I'm sorry… I think I'm having a panic attack." You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

"Don't apologize. You're not used to carrying someone else's memories," I said.

"That's the problem. They feel like mine, not yours. And knowing they aren't just…" She trailed off.

"I understand."

"Can you turn it off?" she asked.

"I already have. The moment I realized something was wrong."

"But I still have them?" she pressed, though we both knew the answer. Separate or not, the brain had already integrated the experience, just as mine had when Joan altered my memories before.

"They're yours now, as much as they are mine," I said, helping her sit.

"Give yourself a moment to adjust before we continue."

"I guess I'll go next," Sophie said, gently shifting the attention away from Peaches.

"I still want to try it."

"Are you sure? It might overwhelm you too," I said quietly, stepping closer.

"Even more so if the brain retained Peaches' reaction."

"I'll be fine. This is new for both of us and I want to help you figure it out." As soon as she finished speaking, I transferred control of the mind to her and watched closely. Her brow furrowed as she stared at me for a moment, then at the bike.

"Okay. I can do this," she said, mounting the steed with movements eerily similar to mine. She started the engine and accelerated with effortless precision.

"Well done, my queen!" Liora hissed, drawing a brief flicker of irritation from me. I let it pass, though the thought of stripping his voice of Authority crossed my mind. It was jealousy speaking, and I refused to indulge it.

An hour later, after several rounds of training, during which Sophie and Peaches exchanged the brain, and Zoe practiced both alone and with me riding behind her—I was finally confident they wouldn't crash. Even so, I had a failsafe ready in case anything went wrong. We stood on the surface of the first bridge-building that I had crossed into the Mirrored City—the same one where my Usagi mask had been broken and Nick had lost his arm.

"I can't fucking believe how different it feels in flesh," Zoe swore, staring at the sunset off to the side. Warm oranges and yellows bled into deeper reds as the sun sank below the horizon. The air up here was crisp, and despite the cold, the girls looked energized by the realization that gravity wasn't as absolute as it seemed. Peaches bounced in place, testing her footing as if expecting to fall the moment she lifted her feet.

It reminded me of Malik, who had done the same when we first approached this intimidating structure. I smiled despite the sadness that memory carried. At least this one was both warm and fuzzy. Sophie, meanwhile, wandered in slow circles, peering through the windows beneath us, fascinated by the people inside who paid us no attention at all. I stood by the bike, ensuring everything was stable.

Liora and Maya remained at my side, staying near the teleportation anchor to watch for and guard the girls against anything unexpected.

"Zoe, you're going first, just as planned," Maya said. Zoe turned, nodded once to herself, and gathered her courage. She changed into my Usagear back in the Domain and luckily it stretched enough to fit her slightly taller frame. I wanted absolute certainty that nothing would endanger her unborn child, so she had to wear it.

"I feel so damn strong in your armor," she said, flexing her hands into fists and then slowly opening them again.

"So strong."

"Hop on the bike already," Sophie complained.

"There's a line. We want to feel it before night falls and the scary things come out." At the mention of monsters, Peaches glanced around nervously, though nothing was there. Zoe took the hint and mounted the steed. I sat behind her, wrapping my arms around her carefully, mindful of the life she carried. It felt strange to think about. I would be an aunt—sort of. I never imagined that would happen, yet I felt a quiet, unexpected joy at the thought. Zoe didn't dwell on it.

She started the engine immediately, and the bike roared to life as she accelerated toward the Ideworld's version of New York. We surged forward, cutting cleanly through the air. The glass-like surface beneath us never once felt like it might give way. She handled the bike with remarkable control, keeping it steady in a straight line. I heard her laugh ahead of me, her whole body vibrating with it. I laughed too. We built speed until the bike could go no faster. Not once did her grip falter or her control slip.

Whether it was the suit or her own determination, she held it perfectly steady, and we raced across the skyscraper's surface like figures out of legend. As the ground level of the city drew nearer, she gradually decelerated until the bike came to a complete stop. Once the machine was still, we both placed our feet on the ground to steady it. I dismounted and walked around to the front while she remained seated.

"Can I do it alone?" she asked, her smile the widest I had seen since Peter's situation began.

"I don't know. Once you leave my aura, I'd have to keep teleporting after you to ensure I can pull you out in case of a fall. That would drain me quickly."

"Then don't follow me, Alexa. Please."" Zoe," I said, my tone making my disapproval clear.

"You saw I can handle it. I'll stay on a straight path. I just want to feel the speed, the air. I won't fall."

"What if something attacks you?"

"Then that's on me. It's my decision."

"I can't let you take that risk."

"Lex, you're not my mother or this child's. I am. You've made far more dangerous decisions and we've all followed you. It's your turn to stand back and watch someone else take a risk." She had a point. One I didn't want to accept. I waved a hand in reluctant surrender.

"Do it. Quickly. Before I change my fucking mind. And for the love of all reality—don't make me regret this for the rest of my life."

"I won't," she said with a smile. She turned the bike around with a low growl of the engine, orienting it back toward the others. Then she stopped, looked at me once more, and said, "Come here." I stepped forward and halted in front of her. She cupped my face with both hands, almost crushing it with her strength, and pulled me in for a brief kiss on the lips.

"Thank you," she said brightly, before accelerating away along the side of the building. I watched her go, fists clenched, hoping nothing would go wrong. Still, it was beautiful—the way the steed mirrored the building's surface as it moved, the way it reflected the bike itself, and the way she rode it as if she had been born to it. When she disappeared from my vision, I teleported back to my anchor point.

"I was just telling Maya that it was a bad idea to let her go," Sophie said as soon as she noticed me. My seer form replayed what had happened, to them.

"I'd have let her go too," she added, a hint of a smile returning to my face.

"She needs to feel free, right?" Peaches asked as Zoe reappeared in our field of vision, speeding toward us like a silver rocket.

"I think so," Sophie replied.

"She's her own prison right now. Any moment she can forget that is valuable." The motorcycle slowed before it even reached us, Zoe easing it into a controlled stop. She set it onto the kickstand and hopped off onto the bridge, finishing the movement with a cartwheel.

"Show-off!" Peaches called after her.

"I told you I could do it!"

"I'll show you how a real driver does it," Peaches said, switching places. I mounted the bike behind her, wrapping my arms around her as I had with Zoe moments earlier. Peaches was far less restrained—she barely waited for my grip before the engine roared to life. With a screech of tires, she launched into a zigzag across the bridge's surface.

"Who's the show-off now?" Zoe called from behind us. Peaches rode with growing confidence, shifting her weight fluidly as she carved sharp turns. She pushed the speed higher, edging dangerously close to the building's rim, holding the line for several seconds.

"I want to jump off!" she shouted, though the wind nearly swallowed her words.

"Do it!" I shouted back. She downshifted, revved the engine hard, and drove straight off the edge—just as the structure shifted into a new face of the bridge. We arced through the air, flying around the bend before gravity reclaimed us. We landed hard. She skidded, briefly losing control. In the same instant, I forced the world to take us into a zero-gravity zone at the outskirts of my Domain. One I prepared just for this occasion. Momentum carried us upward.

"Woah!" Peaches said, taking in the sudden weightlessness and the view she hadn't expected.

"Kill the engine," I ordered. She complied. The engine cut out, and I gradually restored gravity until our upward motion stalled. Then I brought us back down onto the bridge where the others were waiting.

"Good call on the safety measures," Sophie said. I only glared at Zoe.

"Yeah, I get it. That's what you were trying to avoid," she replied.

"It was amazing!" Peaches jumped off the bike, throwing her arms into the air.

"I was flying!"

"We saw you disappear behind the corner," Zoe said.

"Maya said you'd fallen."

"But I told you Alexa got her to safety," Maya added.

"My turn!" Sophie said.

"The sun's almost down."

"You drove like a demon," Peaches said, pointing a finger at Sophie, who lounged on the couch like a queen. Fortunately, I had sent Liora into Peter's Domain as he had originally requested. He would not have survived our girls' night—nor was he permitted to attend.

"Look who's talking," Sophie replied, sipping a non-alcoholic drink. Zoe lay stretched out on a chaise lounge while paper spiders brought her a fresh platter of grapes. We were inside the Nest—my private hotel-like space. A real firepit burned at the center, surrounded by couches and scattered lounging furniture, and we relaxed while eating and drinking, all provided by my minions. I had repurposed the warehouse Gertrude had prepared—whom I sincerely hoped was doing well—as a makeshift refrigeration system.

A line of folded spiders ferried supplies back and forth, keeping everything stocked. A surprisingly efficient arrangement.

"She is right," I said to Sophie.

"You actually managed to jump off the edge and land it cleanly."

"It was nothing," she replied with a laugh.

"I like this place," Zoe said.

"I wouldn't mind visiting more often."

"Same," Sophie added, applauding the idea.

"You're all welcome," I said.

"Just don't expect me to host an event like this every time." I took a sip of iced tea and leaned back into the lounge. Even I was fully relaxed.

"Best night ever," Peaches said, voicing what I was already thinking.