I like to wait between updates to leave you guys- and myself- with something to look forward to. However, I keep getting excited to show you guys this story and I can't stop myself. Anyway, chapter twenty-three! Give it up for chapter twenty-three! XD (Anybody?)
Most of this chapter is the next couple of scenes from the movie (and Fudge isn't even in either of those scenes!). I've just added a couple of little bits to make it a little less boring.
Chapter 23- Numbers Never Lie
As tired as she was, sleep didn't come to Fudge right away. First, she had to endure an hour of crying and self-loathing. Luigi and Guido had tried to comfort her at first, but after a while, they realised that she needed to be alone. She needed some time to think. Her fight with Lightning and Cruz was still fresh in the sixteen-year-old's mind. She just felt hurt (both physically and mentally; as if she wasn't in enough pain, it started raining, meaning all of the pain from her previously broken bones came back!), mad at Lightning, mad at Cruz and mad at herself. Plus, she felt guilty. She'd told Lightning to shut up and accused both him and Cruz of not caring about her. Fudge sincerely wished that she hadn't said those things. Then Lightning had pretty much called her stupid and immature and told her he didn't have time for her s**t and Cruz had called her a pretentious b**ch. Fudge sincerely wished that they hadn't said those things.
Fudge pulled out her journal. She was tired and her arm was killing her, but she didn't think she could sleep until she'd gotten this out. A lot of the time, venting in her journal and trying to organise her thoughts on paper made her feel better. By that point, Luigi and Guido were both fast asleep (she wasn't even fazed by Luigi's loud snoring, which often annoyed her when she was trying to sleep) as was Mack, who had parked under an overpass to shelter from the rain, so she had to rely solely on the light of her phone and her headphones to listen to "Lot to Learn" by Luke Christopher. After ranting about how horrible Lightning and Cruz had been to her, she added, I can't be too mad at them, though. I'm just as part of the problem as they are. Cruz was right. Well, half-right, anyway. I honestly don't think I'm pretentious, but I am a b**ch. I said some pretty horrible things too. I didn't mean what I said.
The human girl paused for a moment to consider that. She hadn't meant what she said, had she? She thought about it, going through every single thing she said in her mind. Okay. When she stuck up for Cruz, it came out wrong. Sure, she wasn't sure of the point of Cruz's training, but the whole time, she'd been convinced that there was a reason for it. However, Cruz didn't understand that; she thought that Fudge was blaming her like Lightning had been. Then, there was telling them that she'd been trying to make both of them happy. She'd definitely meant that. Of course she hadn't meant it when she said that Lightning didn't care about her.
What about Cruz? That really made Fudge think. Was Cruz really like all those other people who threw themselves at Fudge just so they could find out more about- and possibly meet- Lightning McQueen? Maybe. She'd had said she was a big fan of both of them, but could she have just been saying that to be polite? Hold on a sec! What would Cruz possibly have to gain from pretending to like Fudge? She was training Lightning McQueen! Fudge didn't know, but she was sure it was something. Come on, Fudge! she scolded herself. Why can't you open yourself up to the possibility that Cruz might genuinely like you? Oh, come on! she scolded herself again. When has anybody ever liked me for me?
It was a lot to think about, but Fudge just couldn't deal with it at that point. With her journal entry unfinished and as incoherent as could be, she lay back on her bed and cried herself to sleep.
As Cruz made her way through the woods, getting back to the training centre, she couldn't help wondering if she'd made some mistakes. She wondered if telling them about her first- and only- race was a mistake. Well, Lightning couldn't relate to it; he probably didn't understand, but in some ways, it sounded like Fudge could and did. She wondered if calling Fudge a pretentious b**ch and bringing up her parents were mistakes. Well, Fudge had hurt her, but still, that did seem uncalled-for. She wondered if leaving was a mistake too.
She froze, thinking about that. Lightning still had a chance to get back in the game. As his trainer, she had the duty of helping him, didn't she? Should she go back?
Why would I go back? she asked herself. They obviously don't need me! They think my training methods are stupid.
That settled it. Cruz was going back to the Rust-Eze Racing Center. If Mr. Sterling still wanted one of his trainers to stay with Lightning, then he was just going to have to get someone else to do it because she was done.
Meanwhile, in the other section of the trailer, Lightning was just as upset and confused as his sister and trainer were. After a very long time of silence, when he thought that everyone was asleep, the sound of Fudge's sobs came through the walls and he felt even more guilty. He hadn't made Fudge cry since the day he met her. Not wanting to hear her crying anymore, he turned on the TV and channel-surfed, not really wanting to watch anything, only stopping when he stumbled across a familiar show.
"Champion for the Ages Chick Hicks here, coming to you live from Chick Hicks Studios", announced guess who, "where I'm joined once again by Next Gen racing expert, Natalie Certain."
"Thanks, Chick", Natalie Certain replied. "Piston Cup champion Jackson Storm set a new record today when he pulled off the fastest lap ever recorded: an unprecedented two hundred and thirteen miles an hour!"
Lightning watched in disbelief as they showed Storm taking the lap. This was the last thing he needed to be hearing!
"Wow!" Chick exclaimed. "So, whaddaya think, Certain? Stormy boy gonna start the season with another win?"
"Highly likely, Chick", Natalie confirmed. "Based on his recent run times and forecasted track temperatures on race day, Storm's chances of winning are... ninety-five point two per cent."
"That low, huh?" Chick joked.
"Oh, and in case you missed it", Chick went on, "talk of the track tonight is Lightning McQueen and his kindergartener crew chief finding yet another way to embarrass themselves! At a demolition derby!"
The humiliating footage of Lightning being chased by Arvy and Miss Fritter lit up the screen, followed by the footage of Fudge's escape attempt and a photo of Lightning stood in front of the "I got my tyres dirty at Thunder Hollow" sign. Lightning couldn't believe it. After his fight with Fudge and Cruz, Thunder Hollow felt like a million years ago. Plus, despite how mad he'd gotten at Fudge, he was mad at Chick for making fun of her.
"Whoa!" Chick continued. "Almost makes me feel sorry for Team McQueen. Not really!" He laughed. "Here's what his new sponsor had to say."
The Rust-Eze Racing Center was swamped with press.
"Everyone, relax! The 95's gonna race", Sterling assured them all. "Lightning's just taking a somewhat... unconventional approach to this race, is all. It's one of the things his fans love about him."
"Yeah, right! Talk about humiliating!" Chick proclaimed. "If I were old Ka-chow, I wouldn't even bother to show up in Florida."
"That could be for the best, Chick", Natalie agreed. "Even if he does race, McQueen's probability of winning is..." The end of the sentence completely stunned Lightning. "...one point two per cent."
"Wow!" Chick repeated.
"Numbers never lie", Natalie went on. "I'm willing to predict tonight that Lightning McQueen's racing career will be over within the week." There was a pause before Natalie voiced the depressed Lightning's thoughts. "It might even be over now."
"I mean, I knew his career was stuck in a ho-" Chick began tauntingly.
Whatever he was about to say remained a mystery to Lightning, who had decided that he didn't care to listen anymore. He switched off the TV with a sigh. Although he was depressed, he was grateful for the silence. It meant that Fudge was no longer crying and he could get the time and freedom to think that he so desperately needed. What was he gonna do? Training with the simulators hadn't worked, getting his tyres dirty hadn't worked. What else could he try? He needed a miracle, but he was all out of ideas. He had never felt so lost in his life.
Lightning stared at the screen in front of him, hoping that there would be an answer. It was late, but he needed a familiar face to cheer him up. Thankfully, there was an answer.
"Well, hey there, buddy!" the tow truck greeted him excitedly. As usual, he was very happy to see his best friend.
Lightning laughed a little, very glad to see him too. "Mater!" He felt better already. Now, more than ever, he was grateful that he'd gotten Mater an iPad and set it up for him, so they could FaceTime each other while the race car was away at races.
"You know, I was just thinkin' of you and here you are, lookin' right at me!" Mater proclaimed. His entire face filled the screen. "Can you see me okay?" He adjusted the camera. "Hold on a second there. Hold on. Let me see here." Now, it was just his eye hogging the screen. "Is that better?"
"Looking you straight in the eye there, pal", Lightning confirmed. "Hey. Sorry about calling so late."
"Shoot, not for me, it's not", Mater countered. "I'm always burnin' that midnight oil. So, get me caught up on everythin'."
"Well, actually, kinda hoping I might hear what's going on back home."
"Well, not much", Mater replied. "Not if you don't count Sarge and Fillmore trying to run the tyre shop, but tell Luigi not to worry. Sarge is gonna track down every last tyre that Fillmore done gived away and he's gon' find the mouse that Jennyfur done brought inside." Lightning laughed as Mater added, "Other than that, everythin's good."
"How's Sally?" Lightning wanted to know.
"Oh, she's fine", his best friend assured him. "Keepin' busy at the Cone. She misses you." He paused and added, "Well, shoot! We all do when you're on the road."
"Yeah." McQueen's voice was quiet. "You know, I- I've been kinda thinking about that. You know, wh- what we should do when I'm not on the road anymore."
"What do you mean 'not on the road?'" Mater wondered.
"Well, you know... Mater, I can't do this forever."
"Huh?"
Lightning sighed. "I'm just not getting anywhere with the training. If anything, I've gotten slower, not faster."
"Shoot, buddy, it'll work out", the tow truck sympathised. "Just tell me what the problem is and I'll stay right here with ya till we fix it."
"That's just it, Mater. I don't know." After a moment of silence, Lightning continued, sounding depressed. "And I feel like I'm all out of ideas."
"Hmmm..." Mater pondered over that. "All right. Let me think... Oh! You know what I'd do?"
"What?" Even though Mater didn't understand heaps about racing, Lightning would appreciate anybody's thoughts and opinions on the topic, especially his best friend's.
Mater was silent for a while before responding with, "I don't know. I got nothin'. I guess I ain't Doc when it comes to that."
"I would give anything to talk to him right now", the stock car declared sadly. There had been countless times since Doc's passing that he wished he could talk to him, but never more than right then.
"Yep, there was nobody smarter than ol' Doc", Mater went on. "Well, except for maybe whoever taught 'im."
"Yeah... Wait. What?"
"I mean, everybody was taught by somebody, right?" Mater reasoned. "Take my cousin, Doyle. He taught me how to sing and whistle at the same time. He was very musical that way."
An idea was beginning to form in Lightning's mind. "Smokey", he whispered to himself. Then, louder, he announced, "Mater, you're brilliant!"
"Ah, well." Mater laughed modestly. "It's all about the shape of yer teeth."
"I gotta go to Thomasville!" McQueen realised.
"Oh, well, good", Mater replied. "You know me, buddy. I'm always happy to help. I think I'm better at that than most folks. You know, talking and stuff."
Lightning smiled. "You sure are, buddy." He and Mater both grinned silently for a moment before the stock car kept talking. "So, singing and whistling at the same time, huh?"
"Yep", Mater confirmed just as modestly as before. "When you get back home, I kin teach ya if you want."
"Yeah. I'd... I'd like that. Thanks."
Mater knew that he didn't just mean thanks for the offer.
Lightning talked to Mater a little while longer before they said goodbye. He would tell Mack that he wanted to head for Thomasville, but that could wait until the morning. For now, however, eyeing the two pieces of Cruz's trophy, Lightning knew what he had to do.
Next chapter is a little more original. Please review.