Swoop Races with Barry and Cisco

[childofrebellion]

The door opens onto a decently lit alley with building's reaching up, ships overhead and a crowd of various alien races moving in the cross-street.

Cassian holds it for Barry and Cisco to walk out, searching up for surveillance and listening for 'trooper boots, "Welcome to Corsin.

Comments

[makes_the_toys]

"I've seen pictures," Cisco counters. "Nicholson is always posting pics of his sweet seats."

The blare makes them both sit up, and Cisco asks excitedly, "Which way are they coming from?"

[childofrebellion]

"That way,"

Cassian points at the swoops at another curve of the stadium. Then suddenly they're flying by, jostling and zipping by.

[run_barry]

Barry and Cisco raise their voices with the crowd to cheer as they watch the racers zooming past.

Barry has never been one for NASCAR, but this is pretty damn cool.

[makes_the_toys]

"This is awesome!" Cisco shouts over the noise, nudging Cassian with his elbow and throwing the man a grin.

[childofrebellion]

He laughs at their reaction and leans forward to get a better view, "Oh look, he's trying to pass."

[makes_the_toys]

"Box him in, box him in!" Cisco roots, pumping his arm in the air.

[run_barry]

The speed and action is awesome, and Barry is literally on the edge of his seat watching.

"He's gotta swing out wide if he's gonna make it."

[childofrebellion]

"Her, Em Artha, one of the leading racers. See, she's just going to make it,"

There's a tight moment before the racer manages to pass and go for the lead.

[makes_the_toys]

"Her," Cisco says, corrected. "She's awesome!"

And he immediately changes who he's rooting for in this race.

[run_barry]

Barry watches tensely, the grins wide when she makes the daring move.

"Wow, she's gutsy."

[childofrebellion]

"She is, look that one's trying to push her to the side,"

There's a clatter of metal as the swoop bikes jostle each other.

[makes_the_toys]

Cisco winces, covering his eyes and then peering through his fingers.

"Oh man, if it weren't so exciting my heart would be breaking for that machinery."

[run_barry]

"They seem pretty built to handle it," Barry points out. "Are there many wrecks in these races, Cass-- Jeron?" Whoop, he caught himself just in time on the name slip.

[childofrebellion]

He waves away the issues, they're not sitting next to anyone it would be a problem for, he doesn't want Barry to worry,

"They are though there are still wrecks. It used to be worse with pod-racers."

[run_barry]

After everything with identities Barry would hate to be the one to give Cassian's away, so he'll do his best to remember the cover.

"I guess it is a given with any kind of high-speed racing," he says, watching the swoops take another turn.

[makes_the_toys]

"Yeah, you gotta be some kind of skilled or crazy for this stuff," Cisco notes, completely enthralled.

"I bet I could build one of these things."

[childofrebellion]

"Wrecks and crashes happen in anything. I think I've seen at least one down in the garage near the speeders. This is the final lap, see that flag over there?"

A flag is holoprojected in the track as the racers get even more aggressive.

[run_barry]

"Cisco, you really don't need one of those things," Barry says, shaking his head at his friend before turning his focus back to the race.

He stands when the crowd does, trying to see who's going to win it.

[makes_the_toys]

"I didn't say I was going to drive it," Cisco scoffs before the end of the race grabs his full attention.

"Go Em, go Em!" Cisco roots, standing on his seat for a better view.

[childofrebellion]

Cassian stands with them as the woman zips across in front, nosing out another swoop bike.

The crowd cheers as the next race starts to get ready, "They're hard to control. I'd rather be in a starfighter than on one of those. I'd flame out but have a better chance of holding my own."

The next few races pass by quickly, it seems the set up is shorter races first to build up to longer ones. In the fifth race that Howl's in, its almost double the laps of the previous ones so positioning becomes more key.

[makes_the_toys]

Cisco and Barry enjoy themselves through each race, sometimes cheering on the same racer, other times rooting against each other.

At the start of the fifth race Cisco scans the field at the start and stands up to point out, "Hey, there's my guy, Howl! You got this bro!"

[run_barry]

Barry blows a loud whistle for Howl and claps at the start, cheering the man on.

"Man, this is a lot of fun, thanks for bringing us," Barry says to Cassian, throwing the man a smile while the swoops take the first turn on the track.

[childofrebellion]

"You're welcome, glad I could find something you like,"

He smiles and allows himself to relax a small amount, maybe he can make these friendships work.

[makes_the_toys]

"It is a pretty great time for our first other-world adventure," Cisco admits. "I tell you what would make it better, though, is if I could get a guy down here to sell me an Orange Whip and a hotdog."

[run_barry]

"Hey, do they sell souvenirs? I totally wanna-- " Barry turns his head to address Cassian, but the racers coming around the corner again pull his attention back to the track.

He starts to raise his voice to cheer for Howl, but as the bunched group of bikes hit the curve, all bumping and jostling for position, something seems off.

Between one second and the next time suddenly slows for Barry and he watches, wide-eyed, as one swoop comes up hard against Howl's. Metal screeches loudly and crunches under the impact and Howl's vehicle jerks sideways then fishtails out. The front end dips, catching the ground, and the whole bike pitches forward into a barrel roll.

Barry moves on instinct, leaving his seat and speeding down from the stands to the track. Howl is still on the swoop, about to be rolled over by his own vehicle when Barry reaches him.

Lightning crackling all around him, Barry grabs the man and pulls him free. He deposits Howl safely on the sidelines and time snaps back into place, everything unfolding all at once. The bike flips over itself, igniting on impact, the crowd reacts, and Barry checks over the man he just rescued.

"Are you all-- " Before he can finish asking the crowd noise turns from gasps to screams and Barry jerks his head around to see some of the swoop wreckage hop off the track and fly up into the stands.