-The Race-

-West Alley Run (Short Sprint)-

Wait. Three, two, one, go, gone.
Korbats pull out in front at the start like they always do, with Fordenov at their head. The main group catches up quickly and mingles, avoiding trouble at the starting line. Too many people watching for even dedicated saboteurs like Sism to try anything.
Pull as far ahead as possible while it's safe. First big split; go for the wider and longer route.
Fordenov's gone the other way and Fenix is up ahead. A little fast-
CLOTHESLINE!
Drop, keep flapping, push off fire escape, safe. Wasn't there before today. Probably Sism's fault, so be sure to make him hurt. Fenix's lead is bigger now, with a Draik trying to pass.
Ouch... the Draik won't be passing anybody any time soon. A few meters gained by Fenix's attack. Faster, faster, almost, and UP.
He's knocked off balance and falling back.
Heading towards the merge for the half way checkpoint, Fordenov not here yet. Must have gotten caught up.
A Shoyru coming up behind with another Eyrie taking care of Fenix for this race. Grab shirt from regular clothesline. Slow just a little... swing! Problem solved.
The Eyrie's heavier than me. Keep ahead to not get hit. Bottleneck around this bend. Pull sideways now, quickly, not fast enough, too far out, left, left, left!
Eyrie's caught up. He'll go for the wing from above. Right... about... now. Angle wings, drop and kick back. Miss, but so did he. He wasn't expecting it, so we both have to recover. He's ahead, further above.
Getting close to the end.
Now or never.
FLY.
Passed him!
No! Fordenov took a side alley and came out in front!
Can't make it.
Have to try.
FLY.
Finish line's in sight.
Almost...
Not...
Quite...
Won't...
Finished. Second place.

-The Game-

It's brutal, it's intense, and it can be terminal. It's street racing. Faerie Cloud Racers have got nothing on it. Nothing but your wings and the air to keep you off the asphalt.

-The Rules-

In the simplest sense, the system is no proof, no foul. There are some basic tenants, however, that even the most unscrupulous go by. One is never fly above the buildings. Spotters are scattered along the course, and any attempts of bribery leave the competitor out whatever he forks over, and disqualified when they're reported the instant they try anything. Racers also have to get to a checkpoint at the far end of the course before heading back. Common sense dictates that one stick to a rough loop, as flying outside it means either navigating treacherous alleyways or wasting time going farther out of the way.

-Leaders-

There are four top racers who regularly fly the major contests. At the moment, Fenix, the Darigan Pteri, has the top record, judging by the betting odds. He's a tough opponent to beat without a bit of underhanded intervention, since he's faster than most and no pushover when it comes to taking a solid hit.

Fordenov and I are currently posting the same odds, but I have a race or two on him. Nothing to definitely say who's likelier to win. He's a mutant Korbat, and hands down the most skilled flier. He's a one-gimmick racer who doesn't bother trying to put anyone farther behind. He knows so many shortcuts that are impossible for anybody else to get though that he seemingly vanishes, only to pop up where you least expect. Half of the times he doesn't place are because the routes were too difficult even for him.

I myself am not so altruistic about what it takes to win a race. My speed is fairly good, but I'd never do more than fair if I didn't cash in on a few powerhouse techniques like barrelling into a smaller opponent.

I do, however, draw the line between uppercut and underhand. Anything I do is on the course and stays there. Not so with Sism, the faerie Buzz. Races he's in often have new clotheslines just before they start, Chia Cops waiting on a main route, and an assortment of mysterious 'incidents.' Winning is still winning, so he manages to take fourth overall.

-Species-

Every race has anywhere from eight to sixteen or so competitors, with a constantly shifting line up. The quickest way to size up a newcomer is to take a look at their species, and sometimes color, to work out a rough guess on where their strengths are likely to lie.

The three basics are agility, speed, and power. Agility is maneuverability- useful for dodging and navigating tricky runs. It usually also makes for a quick takeoff and quicker recovery. Speed is a balance between top speed and how quickly it can be reached. Finally, power is a mix of endurance and bulk. It means you can take harder hits, fly in harsh weather, and hold out over longer courses.

Shoyrus are about as close as there is to an even mix. They're fair in all categories, and any specializing is due to the individual. Darigan Shoyrus, however, favor power at the expense of the other two areas.

Draiks are similar to Shoyrus, but with a bias towards speed and away from agility. Power's generally pretty close to normal, but varies a fair amount.

Korbats are known for their top-notch agility, which leaves any other species in the dust. A good Korbat can fly a course blindfolded without so much as brushing a wingtip. Their speed isn't so great, however, and they can be knocked around like a weewoo. Darigan Korbats have a bit more power, but are still far enough below par that it isn't worth the compromised agility. Mutant Korbats, on the other hand, while still giving up some of their agility, make up for it with better speed.

Pteris are the overall leaders in terms of pure speed. Like Korbats, they suffer from a dismal lack of power. Their agility is all right, though. Darigan Pteris are practically a separate class, with power that gets close to an Eyrie's. While they aren't quite as fast as a regular Pteri, it's still nothing to sneeze at.

Last, and by no means least, are Eyries. With the highest power overall, they almost always take races in tough conditions like heavy rain. Their speed is mid-range, but they've got the agility of a brick, often having to push off buildings for a quick change in direction. Darigan Eyries take the philosophy to the extreme, and are veritable tanks. I myself am small for an Eyrie, so I do a bit better in the speed catagory and don't have as much inertia to deal with.

There is one final group that should be brought up: faerie racers. It's a group without obvious advantages like Darigan or mutant. The three areas, while varying a lot with species, are in general lower than normal. I bring them up for one reason; any faerie pet with enough guts to get into a street race is going to be tougher than the Snowager in December, and willing to do anything at all to win.

-Stats-

Art by Chu (drag to URL for full view)

-Name- Awy ("uh-WAY")
-Species- Eyrie
-Skin/Feather Color- Grey
-Gender- Male
-Build- Smaller and lighter frame than most Eyries
-Features- Feathers on head go back in spikes, wings separate from arms, confident grin, taloned bird feet
-Outfit- Black-lensed goggles, black cargo pants, black t-shirt with off-center vertical orange stripe, fingerless gloves
-Personality- Confident, vain, focused, tough, impatient, adrenaline junkie
-Current Odds- 1:7 (wins roughly one in eight)

Likes: Flying, the sound people make as they hit the alley wall at high speed, adreneline, winning

Dislikes: Losing, almost winning, lousy cheats, life between races

-Off the Course-

Alatus Feles: This dude's got a reward on him that makes my measly arrest warrent look pathetic. Any worse, and they'd tack on "Dead or Alive." Kind of ironic, considering the guy's got a halo. He's also got a penchant for gold, hence the whole wanted deal. I've helped him lie low once or twice. I actually feel a bit sorry for him- he can hardly fly a story off the ground. Doesn't stop him from cleaning out the National Neopian and what have you, though.
	Cal: For a cop without wings, he's gotten awfully close to bagging me once or twice. He's got a lot of fancy gadgets to help him out, though. His partner's an Eyrie with the build of a brick wall, and something around the same IQ. It's almost impossible to keep track of them both at once. I've heard Cal at least got moved up to the big times, so he doesn't have time for civil infractors like myself.
Oscen Tellarius: If he'd wanted, Oscen probably could have made a bit of a name for himself in the racing gig. He's a decent flyer, even for a Darigan Pteri. Says he gets a lot of practice, and I don't doubt him. He's a con, so if things start going south, he's winging his way elsewhere as fast as he can manage. I met him after he tried to pull a fast one on me- had me fooled up until the end. I caught up with him when he tried to make a break for it. He's not quite that fast.
	Voror: Not going to lie, this guy gives me the creeps. I've seen him hanging around town of late, a real shady looking type. Blood-shot eyes, grey ashy fur, the works. I asked about him, and apparantly he's a fire eater in town with the circus. Creepy thing being he doesn't eat anything else, just fire. Somebody said it doesn't quite go out when he does. I'm no coward, but I stay away from people who ain't as dead as by rights they should be.

-Awy's Theme-

I've got my eyes on
The horizon
Trying to define
What's the skyline
Lift off from the ground
Force my wings down
The street flows beneath
Broken glass teeth
Could never bite me
'Cause I fly free
Gonna win the race
Wind in my face
My own hurricane
My sweat for rain
I never give in
And. I. Will. Win.

-Back in the Alleys-

Friends of friends