216 |𝐛.𝐚| (hiatus)

𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚢-𝚘𝚗𝚎 »

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PENNY RATHAWAY sat on an uncomfortable plastic chair as she monitored the machines in front of her. Lucy had gotten a text from Barry earlier today needing some help on getting faster and since Penny did online school and finished everything, she was invited (not that Lucy would leave her alone at home) to tag along. Cisco, Caitlin, and Harry were busy and Barry had no idea how to get faster or how to work the equipment. Luckily, Penny and Lucy knew how to do both.

Sorta.

"Okay, Barry. I'm gonna try and propel you forward and let's see how this goes!" Lucy said enthusiastically as she rubbed her hands together in preparation.

Lucy suggested that maybe if she pushed all the air around Barry as he ran, he would go faster. Penny had to admit, it was a good idea on paper, but about anything could go wrong. Lucy had always taught and made the kids practice, but Penny had never really seen Lucy test her powers and when she met with Cisco, they didn't have enough time to go through everything. That meeting was more like notes to think of ideas to use everyone's powers later and bring everyone back on a later date.

Barry looked at Lucy weary while wearing his Flash suit so his clothes wouldn't catch on fire while they tested, "Are you sure this will work?" Then Barry glanced towards Penny for the answer. Penny was smarter than anyone in the room. Room aka S.T.A.R. Labs privately owned hanger for jets which Barry had no need for.

Penny shrugged, "Yes, in theory, it should work," She stated as she looked at her clipboard in front of her. She had been writing down calculations, notes, and doodles.

Lucy looked at Barry, confused, "You had to ask her to trust me?" she questioned Barry, pointing at the kid.

"She's smart!" Barry defended.

"Fair point," Lucy replied, "Let's do this!"

Barry readied himself in a runner's position and flashed away when Lucy gave a nod cue. Lucy pushed her hands outward and gathered the air around Barry to push him forward, but then he collapsed and Lucy dropped her hands.

Barry clutched the ground, gasping for air as he sat upon his knees. Lucy and Penny rushed to his side, which was not very far because he didn't go very far. Lucy kneeled down and rubbed Barry's back and Penny stood above the two, waiting for some response.

Barry coughed and Lucy winced, "What went wrong?" She asked as Barry gratefully smiled at the water Penny brought to him.

"Think you pulled too much oxygen from the air, I swear I couldn't breathe," Barry explained.

Lucy groaned and put her head in her hands, "I'm so sorry! I've never tried anything like this before and I didn't account that you would, you know, need to breathe and-"

Barry chuckled, now recovered, "Don't stress about it too much, let's try this again. I never thought you'd take that one comment seriously," He teased.

Lucy's eyebrows furrowed, "What comment?"

"The one where I asked you whether you've watched as the air left someone's body and died."

"Oh, that comment," Lucy laughed, "To be fair, you didn't die." Lucy pointed out.

Penny fake gagged, "Ew, if you're gonna kiss, just don't. Gross." Penny shivered in disgust.

Lucy and Barry laughed for a moment, before getting off the ground and everyone took their original positions to try again. This time when Barry zoomed off, Penny saw an increase of speed on the machines and monitors, and the blur seemed faster than the control speed test they did early too.

Barry rounded the end of the runway and came back around, crossing Penny's makeshift finish line. "How was that?" He asked Penny who was checking all the stats on the machines and marking them down in her notes.

Penny smiled at Barry and Lucy who wandered over to the tent-covered table, "Great! There was a gain of speed within the first few milliseconds, but before that, it was the control speed we recorded earlier. So I can't say that it's helping you get any faster, like the muscle memory theory you had."

That muscle memory theory being that if Lucy helped him along a few times, his body and the air around him would work together and he would essentially part the air around him and run fast as if the air was actually propelling him.

Lucy sighed, "Well, we'll never know unless I try dropping the air bursts halfway through your run?" Lucy suggested.

Barry nodded, "Okay, let's try that." He said. Penny sat back down in her seat and Lucy and Barry readied at the start again and then they took off.

This time, when Barry was about to come around the corner, Lucy dropped her hands and Barry's blurry figure dropped from coming around the corner and landed flat on the ground. Lucy and Penny gasped as Lucy started running over to Barry who was still moving on the ground in pain. Granted, Lucy did not do track in high school and that track that was set up was set up for a Speedster so even with Lucy booking it as fast as she could by the time she arrived at Barry's fall destination, he was already coming up from the ground.

And Lucy was out of breath. Let's just say her combat boots were probably a bad decision.

Barry tried laughing until he winced in pain while holding his side as Lucy approached with a heaving chest. Lucy came over and, despite breathing heavily, she supported Barry's leaning figure that was clutching his side. His mask now off his face.

"Barry, I'm so sorry! I didn't know that would happen." Lucy apologized as she and Barry made their way back to Penny who already had a first-aid kit out.

Barry laughed it off, "Don't worry about it. It happens all the time and I doubt this will be the last time either. But you know what would make it feel better?" Barry asked.

Lucy stayed in silence waiting for Barry's answer.

"A kiss." He stated. Lucy sighed, turned towards Barry and saw that Penny wasn't paying attention and gave him a passionate quick kiss while holding his face in her hands, delicately.

Then she pulled back, continued to support Barry and kept moving on.

Let's just say that when they reached Penny who was waiting with medical supplies and Caitlin on speed dial, Barry had a huge grin on his face.

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Filler chapter that honestly, if I ever go back and edit this whole book, this will probably get deleted... so yeah. I'm sorry that I haven't gotten the ESTOW update published yet but on Monday I had the biggest headache due to sinuses and could not focus at all. I also didn't have a ton of time to write today and won't have a ton of time to write tomorrow but it still should be out.

Anyway, if you enjoyed the chapter, please consider voting and or commenting because those make my day when I see them!

qotc: what disney (disney owned so marvel, star wars, etc) character does penny most remind you of and why?

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