Gabatrix: The Magenta Racer

"All the racers have climbed into their respected vehicles," the announcer explained. "We have received the reports of all the checkups. All racers.....START YOUR ENGINES!"

This was the queue for everyone as Neo tapped the button for the next startup phase. The rear electric engine block activated as the main drive powered up. A very slight but pleasant hum could be heard as Neo felt in place. This was home. He was at perfect peace for the most part. All the vehicles' engines had turned on as Meifen's engines revved up and produced a rather deep hum that echoed into the crowd. Even in park, the thing could be loud as she was pressing the pedal for the crowd to enjoy.

"Showing off as she always does," Neo quietly commented. He tried to do the same thing as he would press the pedal down a little bit to cheer on the crowd, hopefully. Unfortunately, the motorcycle was not as well designed to "show off" as hers. It was mostly not heard at all until Meifen let off the pedal a little bit. However, his augmented leg would still give a slight tingle that wasn't as normal as expected.

"Come on, leg," he said. "Just make it through this race, and I promise to fix you." He felt a little more apprehension. The lack of feeling in his leg would make it a little harder to feel the accelerator pedal. He debated about switching the accelerator controls to the forward steering wheel triggers and knew that he might have to do it during the race itself.

Inside the pod, it was comfortable as Neo had one last look at the area. The great grand hotel was to his left as the beach was to his right. The rows of people were holding steady as they eagerly awaited the final call. A large aerial drone light array was situated near the starting line. It hovered in place as it began its countdown.

"I can do this....." Neo said to himself. "I can do this....."

The first light was red on the emitter. On cue, Neo pressed the button to mute all but essential announcements in the pod. This would be to help alleviate human auditory background noise that could be distracting. Even the announcer's words would be silent for this race. The engines on all the motorcycles revved up even more. The second light was red as it slowly began to turn orange. The next light was yellow as it flashed.

Greenlight.....

The music kicked in as all the cyclists slammed their feet on the gas pedal. Immediately, all the motorcycles began to take off. The music that erupted was a synthesized beat rhythm that reverberated in the interior of the pod. Neo almost held his breath as he could feel the sudden inertia, but most of it was suppressed by the heavy-duty cushioning that he rested into. He could hear the roar of the engines of all the motorcycles as they took off. The race had begun.

The lines on the paved road began to move at a faster and faster speed as Neo was watching the crowds become a wall in the clear straight path. All three of the forward motorcycles kept their ground, but Oluchi's bike was gaining ground fast. Neo was always used to this. Oluchi's motorcycle was smaller than the others and surprisingly light. Its acceleration curve was significantly better, but Neo's Bandigara was nothing to laugh at either. The military always had access to good equipment, and their motorcycles were equally impressive.

For now, it was a straight road for over two kilometers. His speedometer showed that he was hitting speeds of around 100 kilometers per hour. For this region of the track, it was designed to be a straightforward section. As they all picked up speed, the sound of the gripping flex tires had picked up. They were passing by block after block of buildings. All the roads that led to them had been momentarily closed off to provide safety for the pedestrians. It helped let the racers know precisely where to go if they somehow had a memory lapse. Neo already had the layout and current location on the marked track on a tiny HUD of his display. They were reaching the halfway point before they would make the turn.

The buildings and ocean water were nothing but a blur to the racers. The familiar racing music was almost a dance piece to the crowds. It had the faint electronic drumbeat and rhythmic electro harmony to it. Despite Neo's racer having a little bit of an extra acceleration curve than the three DBX-600s, they were in the way. Much as before, the race was about overtaking them. Almost on cue, the three racers in front seemed to join together in forming a natural roadblock. This had become a favored tactic in hopes of preventing the other rear racers from punching through and essentially winning the race entirely. The one catch, however, was that the left turn was coming ahead.

On cue, Neo naturally began to slow down slightly in anticipation of the turn. The Oshun street races were fun but somewhat challenging for newcomers. Even Neo was all too aware of this. The turns were nothing more than ninety degrees to even 180 degree turns on the blocks. There were no curves or rounded roads to allow one to keep their speed. Instead, this challenged the bike engines to their core. By now, however, every racer was more than qualified to handle the stress of such maneuvering. Neo didn't even have to hit the brakes as the momentum took him to the turn. He tugged the steering wheel a little bit to the left as the pod-like centerfold began to rotate a little bit to the left. The entire weight naturally shifted as the front, and rear tires naturally leaned to the left. Almost in unison, the other racers were doing the same.

This was naturally the more dangerous of locations for pedestrians, but one that could warrant a pleasant view at the same time. The walls that kept the people in went deep close to the buildings. This would cause the lip of the sidewalk to become available if one wanted to hug the corner, but it was risky. The tires and shocks would hit this embankment, and there were the risks of hitting other obstacles along the way. Everyone knew the risks when it came to this form of racing. Money and encouraging the tourist industry seemed to be the most significant determining factor in the motivation for this sport regardless of the dangers. The other choice, in turn, was not to cut the corner and make the hard-ninety-degree turn. Almost as if on cue, the three front racers were taking the hard turn rather than risk it.

Neo almost anticipated this as he could feel the turn hit the vehicle. Naturally, the tires flexed and adjusted to the pavement with the weight change. He was trying to aim for the opening without having to hit the curve.

As the turn was being made, he could hear the roaring engine of Meifen's racing bike. She was very close on his tail. For once, Neo wished he could step out of his pod and spit on her vehicle every time she did it. Unfortunately, he knew it would be the only opportunity he would be able to do it.

The wheels naturally tilted as the pod made its own adjustments. Separated by the gyroscopic manifold, the pod was free to tilt or hold the position as the entire motorcycle turned. There was even an option for Neo to shut this off if need be. By now, he was more than used to it as the motorcycle completed its turn.

"Straightaway," Neo commented. This was the most considerable portion of the racetrack. It was virtually a long straightaway road. There would be nothing but buildings as his foot was hard-pressed on the accelerator pedal. He had managed to overtake the red bike, but the other two were still ahead of them. Behind him, he could hear the roaring engine of Meifen's motorcycle. She was still glued to Neo's rear as he would make slight adjustments in hopes of slowing her down. Meanwhile, Oluchi was starting to slip on through the new opening. His bike was far quieter and small enough to slip past through the first opening hole easily.

It was nothing but a match of pure acceleration. This was generally the most exciting part of the track. The lines on the road would become a blur. The cameras that were close to the road naturally fed through the display and the audiences' feeds. Everyone could see him. The various luxury buildings, hotels, stores, and other sites had also started to fly by on both sides of the road.

In context, the sounds of the electric motors were actually tranquil, with only the sounds of the moving tires producing an actual volume. However, Neo was aware that there were still safety regulations in some cases. People wanted to hear the motorcycles, and it was required to add a device in the engine that actually produced a unique sound. It naturally produced the mild form of euphoria that they enjoyed. Even his Bandigara bike made a satisfying harmonic noise as the vehicle gained speed. The sound would naturally let the audience stay in tune with where these motorcycles were at whether they were coming or flying on by. Even with the roads clear of people, it served as a caution tag for anybody that might slip on through the walled-up lines. Each motorcycle was unique in its sound, with Meifen's generating a deep, almost aggravated hum to it.

Even with a long road, the vehicles would reach a faster and faster top speed. Speeds of 400 kilometers an hour were being achieved. It wouldn't take much for this road to eventually get the next left-hand turn, and it would be a big one. Neo was aware that this track was known for its speed trap. Accidents occurred due to how the road would do an almost 180-degree turn. As a result, you had to let off the accelerator pedal or prepare to hit the brakes.

Naturally, even by now, the advanced racers of the Oshun-400 were fully aware of this mad turn that was coming up. Even aerial drones and other signs were pointing in the upcoming turn. Neo and the other racers began to slow down, but it was here that everyone had their own preference of what to do next. Some would try to go as fast as they could before making this turn and then hitting the brakes. Others would naturally let off the accelerator pedal and then do a light brake.

Neo naturally tensed up. Here was where the adrenaline would be at his max. His foot was off the accelerator pedal as he began to lightly tap on the brakes. This turn would be a hard one to achieve.

The six racers began to hit the turn almost altogether. In reality, this 180-degree turn was little more than a large turn that connected from the main road to the other one on the opposite side of the buildings. However, the fast speeds complicated this. There was enough room to compensate if one did go too fast quickly, but there was still a danger to it.

Neo's racing bike made its most brutal turn ever. The flex tires leaned at a forty-five-degree angle. Even the pod itself would flex a little bit to the left to warn the driver of how hard this would be, but the military made good designs. Even the older Bandigara models could still handle rough nit turns with ease. As the motorcycles slowed down for this turn, the noises produced a nice descending tone that would go deeper in tone.

They had reached halfway through the hard turn. Oluchi's smaller bike was making its turn rather well, better than the others as he slipped on ahead. This was a common sight for Neo. The old racing veteran was naturally better at the turns than everyone else.

There was a slight screeching sound with one of the DBX-600 motorcycles, the blue one, hitting the brakes slightly more. Even with the wide berth, it was dangerously close to the wall barricade. It lost its speed as it narrowly missed it but fell completely behind.

"Almost done.....almost done," Neo said quietly as his butt cheeks were clenched. He kept a good natural balance of slowing down while making the turn. He started to see the other side of the street. He had reached the perfect speed that allowed him to maintain his current velocity while handling the hard turn.

One by one, the racing bikes had reached their turn. Oluchi's bike was ahead, followed by Neo, then Meifen, with the last three being close behind. By now, Neo knew that they were heading straight towards the beach on the other end. However, the track was far from over. The next portion would be a series of turns. This was where the challenges of Oshun's races resided. Neo could see that Oluchi was getting ahead as the vehicles began to form a conga line. One would follow behind the other as the next right turn was coming up. Neo's eyes could briefly see the Leone Fountain, one of the largest water fountains in all of Oshun, that you could swim in it. Even then, the sheer size was never enough to handle the fast vehicles that quickly swept past it. It did, however, mark the right turn once you reached the edge of it. All the vehicles respected the next right ninety-degree turn as Neo jolted his small steering wheel to the right. Thankfully, this area was generally safer to ride through. This point far more muted the great velocities of the straightaway as the motorcycles hit the turns.

Upon completing the turn, Neo then hit the next turn left as another 90-degree turn came up. By now, the vehicles were slower than ever, but it was still just the beginning.

Neo often debated with what he was going to do next. Meifen was waiting as the racers completed the next turn. It would be a short trip before there would be another right turn coming up just ahead. He was so used to it by now.

"For once," Neo said. "Don't pass me on the first fucking lap." His hearing would occasionally be oriented to Meifen's motorcycle. He knew she was still doing this on purpose. Even the audience would know better. She was buying her time before the next long straightaway. Even now, the only reason she hadn't done it yet was because of the series of turns.

The short straightaway area as Oluchi was starting to gain ground up ahead. This was the strength of his bike. It wasn't enormously fast, but its light and sleekness made it incredible at acceleration. The sing rear tire was spinning hard as the repulsors worked overtime to keep the front section level.

In row after row of vehicles, the next right turn came up as everyone began to follow in line. The 90-degree turn was not difficult to achieve, but Neo could see that he left his right side open. On his left was the massive swimming pool of the grand hotel. The sheer size of this building made it their goal to have the biggest accommodations for everything. On the rear side of the luxury estate was one of the five largest swimming pools on the planet. Here, a large percentage of viewers could easily enjoy the racers driving by on the roads while they could swim at the same time.

Neo had his scare as Meifen's bike drifted to the right. Her engines revved up hard as she lurched forward in the acceleration. He could see the front twin tires for a brief second before she slowed down in anticipation of the next turn. Meifen backed away and returned back to third place as the turn was coming up.

The next turn only had one direction to go as the street layout was set up. If you kept going forward, you would careen into the barricades or the buildings beyond. For a brief moment, Neo could see that there was a small opening up ahead. Oluchi was taking the turn a little bit too wide. He considered following right behind him but knew that Meifen would simply just take advantage of it. So he instead remained as he would as he was close to hitting the sidewalk in turn. Despite the advantage, Oluchi would use his acceleration rather well. When the turn was completed, he quickly sped up. All hopes to overtake him were quickly dashed. Instead, the old racer would join right up in the line as the final large series of turns would come up.

"Oshun's slog...." Neo said as he regretted this part. The map layout showed at least six turns that were designed to lip around clusters of buildings. Each one was a 90-degree turn with a 180-degree turn on the other. It was the second to the most challenging point that pushed the turning capabilities of the bikes to their limits. Neo was ready, however, as he turned the wheel and kept a steady speed.

The motorcycles naturally shifted in their turns. They were keeping steady but careful attention to the accelerator pedal and brakes. Neo would let his instincts guide him. The entire team of racers was separating more and more, with Meifen glued to Neo's tail. Meanwhile, Oluchi was continuing to gain more ground in the turns. After completing two turns, the motorcycle was in a small straightaway that would lead to the sizeable 180-degree turn. Much as it was earlier in the track, this turn wasn't as bad since everyone was already moving at a slower pace. There would only be room to make a short spurt forward before there would be the heavy turn.

Much as expected, the turn was wide. Neo was pressed between the two better racers as he had no choice but to go with the flow of everything. The music being sent out was still playing in the background. The large turn caused all the bikes to naturally lean to the left in a massive wraparound. Before Neo knew it, he had to pull on the right hand of his wheel to make a 90 degree turn to the right. Finally, he would have to make the turn to the left before he was now in the last straightaway that pointed towards the beach.

"Final stretch," he said as he had the room to slam his foot on the accelerator pedal. This area was perfect for speeding up now that the series of turns were made. This track had a good mixture of straightaways and turns, which made it a more viable balanced track. This was the third straightaway point as he could see the road lines become an instant blur. One hundred kilometers per hour......200 hundred kilometers an hour. Oluchi that was ahead of him, did have the gain on everybody, but these straight paths proved to be his weakest points.

Of course, Neo wouldn't have much of a chance to cherish the thought. There was enough space that he knew that Meifen was about to perform her little maneuver. He tried to anticipate it as he veered to the right to block her. The front two wheels would start to shift to the right, just as she would tug hard to the left. She floored it as her engine roared to its peak. The dual twin wheels spun hard as they drove hard on the pavement. There was just enough room that Neo could see the brief outline of Meifen to his left. She jostled forward and ahead. All the racers were about to reach the final turn. Everyone began to slow down as Neo could clearly see that Meifen had passed him and was returning back into the conga line. She was now in second place, putting Neo into third. Meanwhile, everyone was reaching speeds of almost 400 kilometers per hour.

"Dammit," Neo exclaimed with utter frustration. His vehicle slowed down more and more as the left turn was coming up. From here, he had a short but pleasant view of the beach ahead. He turned his steering wheel to the left as it gently made its turn. He couldn't lose focus now. Maybe somehow, he could still be able to beat Oluchi and Meifen.

As the turn was complete, it would be another straightaway. This time the lap line was coming up as he accelerated forward. He pressed the accelerator pedal down as far as he could. He could hear the distant green motorcycle that still fought with him to gain third place not far behind him.

"Same shit every time!" Neo exclaimed as he sighed. He could see the grand hotel to his left. Now, the pleasant sunshine radiated from the closed canopy of the pod. His motorcycle gained speed, but he was now in a competition to beat Adrian for third place.

As the vehicles crossed the first lap, there was a cheer from the audience. Neo saw Meifen begin to pass Oluchi up ahead. His own bike, however, did at least seem to have more power than the green DBX-600.

"There will only be three for the Oshun-500," Neo said as he could tell the races were far from over. Only the best will make it.......I will make this."