run_barry | Guy's Night Out

After everything that's been going on lately, the time has come for a break. A planned visit from a friend is just the thing and with no major crisis going on at the moment, it's the perfect time to make that happen.

So, with an itinerary that includes science, food and video games, Barry is excited to bring Yamato in from Milliways for another trip to Central City.

Opening the door from the bar that's a broom closet in S.T.A.R. Labs, Barry gestures Yamato through.

"Here we are," Barry says with a smile. "Welcome back, dude."

The corridor, like most of rest of S.T.A.R. Labs that doesn't get used by Team Flash much, is usually pretty dimly lit, but today the passageway is bright in anticipation of their guest and the science that's about to commence.

Nodding down the hallway, Barry says, "Cisco and Caitlin are in her lab and we're all set up for you."

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"That you're here now after that proves that's completely the point," Barry counters, not really arguing with Yamato, just pointing it out. If they'd used that 'blunt force solution' with Yamato he would never have had a chance to come back.

They've lost Caitlin along the way after she took a different route around to get set up ahead of them. When Barry opens the door to the treadmill room Caitlin is in the booth, setting up her monitors while Cisco is waiting beside the centerpiece of the room.

"Behold!" Cisco announces, gesturing expansively, "the treadmill!"

It's a pretty impressive looking machine, certainly not a home gym piece of equipment.

"Gnarly, right?" Cisco grins at Yamato.

"I don't know about that, Taichi certainly did his level best," Yamato says, rubbing the back of his neck.

He considers saying more, but Barry does have a point -- once Yamato had backed off from his fight with Taichi, it's not like the team tried to pursue him, after all.

As they enter the treadmill room, he flashes a grin at Cisco, looking over the treadmill. "Okay, okay, that is pretty cool. It's like a super-treadmill."

"Well I'm glad you didn't go there when I lost my head," Barry replies to Yamato, bumping his shoulder against Yamato's before moving over to inspect the treadmill before they put Yamato on it.

Cisco gives each of them a quizzical look, then gets back to his presentation.

"Do you feel the need, Yamato? The need, for speed?" Cisco asks, grinning. "Granted, we won't be using all her gears today but, just know they're there. She's also got a full vital monitoring system that can help us chart out what your body is doing while you get your workout on. And I just did a quick mod that's going to allow us to monitor your Crest and see if it decides to put out any energy or anything while you're at it."

Yamato chuckles, bumping Barry's shoulder right back.

"Pretty impressive work, kid," he says to Cisco. "Just don't crank up the speed so high that I fall flat on my face, okay?"

"That's the best part, she's intuitive," Cisco replies, gesturing with his hands at the treadmill like a model would gesture at a high-priced luxury car.

"You set the speed with your own running. You speed up, it speeds up, you slow down, it slows down. As long as you don't pass out suddenly or decide to run backwards for no good reason, you'll be fine."

"Hey-- " Barry says, affronted by the clear jabs at him for things that he's done on the treadmill.

Looking at Yamato, he shakes his head.

"You'll be fine. Just start off slow so you get a feel for it and your balance. Once you get going it's just like running on a track and you can set your pace."

"Dork," Yamato says to Barry, shaking his head.

But it sounds simple enough. Start slow, get a feel for it, then speed up to normal running speed. Honestly sounds easier than using a regular treadmill.

He steps up onto the treadmill, starting off at a walking pace before moving into a light jog, taking a few minutes to make sure he's used to it.

Once he's accustomed to it, he speeds up to a sprint. He's a very fast sprinter -- by non-meta standards, at least -- and he's not showing much sign of tiring out yet.

Cisco stands by at the start to make sure the calibrations on the treadmill are running properly, then throws a thumbs-up at Yamato before excitedly heading for the booth to watch the monitors with Caitlin.

The microphone from the booth into the treadmill room clicks on and Cisco's voice speaks over the thrum of the treadmill and Yamato's pounding footfalls.

"Looking good, Yamato. You got another gear to push it to?"

Barry stays in the room with Yamato, first as a safety measure in case Yamato takes any spills getting used to the treadmill. Yamato may not be pushing the speeds Barry's had his own wipeouts at, but flying off going at the clip Yamato's managing still wouldn't be much fun.

Yamato is doing fine though, and Barry stays to watch his form.

"Dude, you run track and field or something?"

Yamato's eyes flick over to the booth for a moment at Cisco's question, then ahead as he keeps running.

"Nah, track and field's not really my thing," he says to Barry.

Since Cisco asked, he pushes himself to speed up, although there isn't a whole lot more speed he can push out of his legs.

"We need you to work harder, Yamato. Dig deeper," Cisco comes back.

The open mic catches Caitlin's response which she says to Cisco. "I think he's doing fine, leave him alone."

"He's barely even breathing hard," Cisco counters before the mic clicks again, cutting off the rest of the argument.

Barry glances back at the booth and gives a chuckle, saying to Yamato, "Five bucks says he comes in here and accuses you of being a robot after this."

"No way am I taking that bet," Yamato says to Barry, a little wryly.

He does obediently try to push himself, though, sprinting full pelt -- and while it takes a little while, he eventually starts to show signs of tiring, although he rather doggedly ignores said signs as best he can.

Barry laughs at Yamato's response, they both know it's pretty much a given.

Taking a step back, Barry continues to stand by and watch, but tries not to be too much of a distraction to Yamato.

Yamato still seems to be going strong, but Barry can see him starting to flag. When Yamato keeps pushing the same pace Barry gives a soft caution.

"Careful... " he warns from the sidelines.

A moment after Barry speaks the intercom comes back on and Caitlin speaks into the room.

"All right Yamato, go ahead and start dialing it back now... "

"I'm like eighty-nine percent sure he's a robot," Cisco's voice filters from the background as he looks over the data.

"I'll take that as a compliment, kid," Yamato says in the direction of the booth, with a little bit of a chuckle.

But he does start dialing it back, slowing down until he eventually drops into a jog, and then a walking pace.

It isn't until he stops entirely that he actually lets himself react (well, a little) to feeling tired out, shoulders slumping a little as he breathes out slowly, before shaking out his legs to get the ache out of them.

Waiting until the treadmill is fully stopped, Barry disappears for a moment, and then a moment later he's back with a towel and a water bottle which he offers out to Yamato.

"Not a bad workout," he comments with a smile. "You're probably the only member of Team Flash that didn't bomb high school gym class."

The door to the booth opens and Caitlin and Cisco come walking in.

"Your numbers are fantastic," Caitlin says, looking at her tablet screen. "I'd love to chart out your regular diet and exercise routine."

"For the record, I could be a spiky-haired gazelle, too," Cisco says, holding a hand to his chest. "You know, with a different body, less fast food and more exercise. I just happen to like being a couch potato."

"Thanks," Yamato says, taking both the towel and the bottle. He quickly towels off his face first, then gulps down some water. His cheeks turn pink for a moment when Barry describes him as part of Team Flash, but he covers it (or attempts to) by drinking more water.

He glances towards the booth as the door opens, giving a quick chuckle. "I'd offer to fill out one of those diet and exercise diaries, but since I'm in the Digital World right now there wouldn't be much point."

Since his diet right now is 'whatever can be foraged or fished.'

To Cisco, he adds: "I believe you, kid. You'd need to be a little spikier, though. Fifty percent more spikey, at least."

"I'm not even going to pretend my performance was anything but sad when I did this without my powers," Barry says in response to Cisco and Yamato's part of the conversation; giving the treadmill a nod.

"I could maybe get my hair to spike, though."

"Whatever you're doing it has you in amazing shape," Caitlin comments, gesturing at her screen. "I'd say keep it up, as long as it doesn't lead to anymore scars."

She flashes Yamato a smile then looks at Cisco.

"That's all I've got for right now. I've got to analyze the samples we took and compile a report, but for tests I'm all out," Caitlin says.

"Well, since no one but Yamato and me wants to shoot things at him, I guess I'm done, too," Cisco replies. "Yams? Got anything else you want us to look at?"

"You could definitely get your hair to spike," Yamato says, reaching over to prod the top of Barry's hair. "Easily."

He turns a little pink at Caitlin's remark, ducking his head. "Thanks, I, er, I will. And I'll try not to get more scars."

Although he's pretty sure he won't succeed at that last.

"Since getting shot at is off the table," for now, "I don't have anything else for you guys to look at either, so I guess we're done."

"Hey," Barry says, pulling his head back. He reaches up to pat is hair and make sure it's in place and says, "I said maybe. I'm not fully committed to changing my look yet."

And he's sort of protective of his hair style right now.

Lowering his hand Barry smiles and then says, "Well then, I guess we're headed on to the next stop. Which is you cooking for us, right?"