"what's outside of this town?"
"Weren't you awake when your mother drove you here?"
"Yeah. It was dark."
It was the next day, around midday, and Hudson was currently leading the little car beside him to Flo's. He wasn't particularly wary of mentioning of the kid's mother. It was his mother, present or not, he had no right to hide her existence. It seemed to upset the kid none, but the kid also didn't seem to be stuck with the impression that his mother would return, either.
"Well, perhaps I'll show you tomorrow. The stuff that isn't too far"
"Aw, why tomorrow?"
"Because there are some things we must do."
The little frowned, but still followed the cornflower blue car up to Flo's. "Like what?"
"We need to get some things for you. Wouldn't you like some toys? We also should fix up your paint job-"
"You mean I'll look cool?"
"Cool?"
"Yeah. We couldn't paint me before."
Figures. It wasn't exactly cheap to get a paint job. "Then yes, you'll look... cool. and perhaps a check-up."
At Flo's they stocked up, drinking their lunch, Hudson explaining they'd not be staying for dinner with the rest of them, and would instead be heading out of town. Flo nodded, before grinning at the small child between them. "Hear that? You're gonna get to go on an adventure."
"Fun adventure? Not scary this time?"
If the hesitance at what should always be fun made a mark on Flo, she didn't show it, instead keeping on a joyful and loud facade. "Of course it'll be fun little guy. Now go run along with your new Pops, K, honey?"
The child nodded eagerly, turning and following Doc back towards the clinic. Hudson pursed his lips, the child would be calling him Pops himself soon enough, no thanks to everyone in the town practically jumping to instill that nickname at every chance they got to the young one. Though, he didn't exactly dislike it.
"Whassa checkup?"
Hudson looked down at the child. He was going to have to find a name for the kid, and fast. This morning he had done better with the townsfolk, even playing a game of hide and seek with Mater, though limited to Flo's cafe and the two neighboring buildings.
"It's where I check to make sure you are healthy."
"Are you a doctor?" The boy's voice had quieted, unlike his usual confidence filled self.
"Yes, why I'm called Doc."
Most everyone was inside this time of day, what with it being late summer. It was the kind of stiff heat that made you feel like you were running out of Oxygen. You were either out driving and catching a breeze or sitting inside with the AC or fan turned on.
When they entered Doc's clinic, Hudson was not surprised to see Sheriff inside already. The car rarely patrolled the entrance to the town during the day, since over years of observations no one sped during the day on this road, it was only at night it seemed. The boy quickly made his way to the cop with glee, and the cop responded with, "Well, good morning son."
"It's not morning, silly, it's lunchtime!"
"Ah, that it is." Sheriff tended to sleep in a couple of hours past sunrise, unlike the others, since he was the one who stayed up late into the night. It'd be a while yet until the littler car could understand such a thing.
"How are you doing Sheriff?" Greeted Hudson
"'lright myself. You?"
"Just got a little kiddo to check up on."
As for the kid, suddenly his smile was gone, and he backed up to one of the corners of the clinic. "Do you have to?"
At the wait for Doc to figure out how to calm the kid, Sheriff stepped in. "He won't hurt you none, just makin' sure you're healthy and growing."
"What if I am healthy? Cuz I am."
At that both older cars had to stifle a laugh, earning them both a ferociously adorable pout from the red car. "That won't get you out of a check-up, kid, doctors orders."
The young didn't know who was it that spoke but didn't care, instead continuing his pout as he slowly rolled forward. He had tried so hard, and now it would all go to waste. A couple winces here and there couldn't have really given him away, right?
"You know, kid," Doc started, as he lead the smaller car where to stay for the check up. "If you pout too long like that your face will get stuck like that."
"Says you." Was the kid's immediate comeback.
Now it was Sheriff who barked out in complete laughter, earning him his second glare of the day from Doc Hudson himself.
"How long have you been hiding this axle from me kid? Split like a rock cracked in half." Was half of Docs conclusion from the check-up. The other half was that, other than being a tad small for his age, he was healthy as could be.
"Do you havta fix it?"
"Doctors job, kid." Was Hudson's response, as the Sheriff watched on from a distance, concern glazing over his expression.
"But..." The kid stumbled over his syllables. How was he supposed to have made up for living with pain if it was just going to disappear? Like it didn't exist? "But it can't be. I'd upset mama."
By now Sheriff rolled forwards, joining Doc by his side as they both stared with worry down at the kid who seemed to be closing in on himself. Sheriff spoke first. "Now why would getting better anger your mommy?"
"Cuz... Cuz she saidn 'at if I din leave her we-we'd get hurt. I didn't want to be fine if she was hurt. I wouldn- leave. So she told me to drive nto some curb hard as I can." The childs memory was good foor his age, despite his english falling apart the more he riled himself up, seeming panicked almost. "I did then she's gone."
Doc sighed, nudging the car and under his chin, making the child look up at him. "Hey, calm down, can me n Sheriff go talk a bit?"
Idling directly outside the clinic, Doc was the first to speak. "Survivors guilt, read it in some of my more psychology focused books."
"Yep, seen it in some of my cases back from larger cities."
Doc eyed Sheriff. Hudson didn't talk much about his past, keeping his past with racing hidden completely and Sheriff didn't talk much about his more heartbreaking cases. It had been a silent agreement for years. Thus it catching Doc's attention that the more serious cases were even mentioned.
There wasn't much more to say, having only wanted to make sure they were on the same page really, so they headed back inside. Sheriff was happy to sit aside and let Doc do the talking. He was used to telling all the stories when they spent midday together, but now with a kid, he was more interested in observing, especially on Doc's part.
And turns out, Doc wanted to be alone with the child.
"Hey, kid, how about we go to a place outside of town, not too far, instead of tomorrow? Think you can do it?"
There was that confidence again like it never left. "Yes!"
And so Hudson led the small red car out of the clinic with an apologetic nod to Sheriff. No way they would make it to another town to buy some joys for the child, but right now, Doc was more focused on getting the kid to agree to be helped, even if it meant suffering the heat, or letting the child continue moving with such a serious injury. He could have forced the kid, pull the plug on his battery temporarily, not long enough to end the kid, but he worried the loss of control could be even more traumatizing to the kid. He didn't need to add insult to injury.
They took a left at the only light in the town, the road quickly turning to dirt. Hudson found himself enjoying watching the look of awe on the kids face as he took in the scenery of the desert. And so they drove in silence, until the road split. Taking a right and making sure he was still being followed, Hudson began to speak.
"You know kid, your mother doesn't want you to be hurt."
"How do you know?" The kid pulled off a suspicious look well, staring at the older car driving besides him.
"Well, she left you with me, right? Have you any idea why?"
"She said she couldn't take care of me anymore. Why not?"
It took a moment for Hudson to answer. "She thought it was too dangerous for you. She promised I'd take care of you because she thought it safer."
Doc could practically hear the little car's brain chugging a mile a minute trying to process what he was saying. It wasn't until they were near an area called Willy's Butte that the kid spoke again, still staring at the ground hard in thought.
"You mean, she wanted me to be happier here?"
That was one way of putting it. So Hudson went along with it. "Exactly. Are you happy with a broken axle like that? A dented bumper?"
"No."
"So, when we get back, may I help fix you up?"
"I guess... But not my bumper. It doesn't hurt anymore, I don't want to forget her, okay?"
Doc relented, agreeing, though he knew the kid might forget anyways. Who looks at the bottom of their bumper regularly? Then again, he had a feeling he'd end up retelling the story of how he came here as time went on. He was so curious at times, he was bound to ask once every few years, and each time, Hudson decided he'd tell a little more until he was ready to understand the full story.
"Woah. Is this a- a uh a race track?"
Hudson nodded, they had come to a small cliff of maybe three or four feet, overlooking a dirt track running around in an almost oval shape around Willy's Butte, a larger than life rock formation. Oval, if not for the sharp fourth turn. On the side opposite the fourth turn was another cliff, leading down to a patch of tall cacti. The rest was desert.
"Does anyone use it?"
"Not anymore." Hudson had once used the track in secret, in the early morning before dawn. That only lasted in his first year of living in this town. What was the point of showing off what he could do if no one could see?
"Can I use it?"
Well, it's not like it's anything serious, the kid would probably be playing around the Butte rather than actually 'racing'.
"Sure, only once you're all healed up though."
"Awee. Just once around, slow?"
"You heard the rule. No."
The little red car pouted. "You're stubborn. Please?"
"No, you're stubborn too. Come on, let's get back. The faster you heal, the faster you can come back here."
"Okay..."
And thus they headed back, Doc lightly explaining how he would fix the smaller car by his side. While the smaller car seemed scared at the idea at being put down, he faces it with fierce certainty that it'd be okay. Because...
"You have to protect me, right? That's the promise."
"Yes, that's the promise."
Doc knew one day the kid would realise he didn't have any say in this promise. He wondered whether the kid would be upset at his mother lying, or glad that Doc played along when he could have turned away and left the kid in the rain. Still could leave the kid.
Besides, he couldn't help the nagging feeling the kid was gonna love that dirt race track more than he'll ever be ready for.
Sometimes, Hudson was grateful they weren't exactly living organisms. Whereas a trampled on flower could take weeks to heal, he could spend a few hours working on the little red car in his clinic and replace his broken axle good as new.
And as agreed to, he didn't touch the small dent under the kid's front right bumper.
The kid woke up from his stupor around dinner, finding himself in Hudsons room. Hudson was at the aforementioned desk, seemingly working on some papers.
"Wha-" The kid yawned. "What are those?"
"Some paperwork on your health, so I can keep track of your growth." While Doc spoke as if nothing had happened, he was grateful the boy had woken. Such surgery was risky, even more so for one young as he. When Sheriff had asked about so, Hudson had refused to answer on how certain he was of the kid surviving.
Doc simply didn't know quite how to show that joy of knowing the kid made it. He turned around to face the younger. "How are you feeling?"
"Tired. Even though I just woke up."
"That's normal. Hows the axle?"
The car blinked as if he had forgotten what the whole operation was for, before slowly settling his weight on his front right wheel. The child smiled, and Doc realised he had been holding his breath. At this point the child was moving his wheel around, even waving to Hudson in his joy and laughter.
Doc couldn't help his own small chuckle.
"So, you hungry, kid?"
"Yes! Are we gonna see everyone again?"
"Like always, give me just a moment." Doc glanced at his papers, about to fill out one last line. Though, then he caught himself, staring at the line prompting a name for the little red car.
He shook his head and left the papers on his desk. "c'mon, kiddo, let's go eat."
The kid was ecstatic to show off his fixed axle, how he could move about faster now that he needed not to worry about hurting himself. At one point Sarge took it upon himself to bark at the kid to actually drink his supper. While the kid flinched and lowered his gaze, his spirits were barely injured.
Meanwhile, Doc was collecting congratulations from the townsfolk on another job well done, despite none of them having known of the kid's injury beforehand. Eventually, however, the kid, practically yawning as he spoke, roamed up to the older car to ask.
"Are we gonna do the other things now?"
Sheriff chuckled, as did Flo, who knew of their earlier plans, while Sheriff just gained a slight look of exasperation before remembering the kid had not their level of logic yet.
"I'm afraid not. You're much too tired-"
"But I just woke up."
Doc continued on as if uninterrupted. "And it's much too long of a drive with that exhaustion."
The child pouted, and once again, it caused another jest to be aimed at Hudson, this time from Ramone.
"Ya know, man, with how much that child pouts I'm starting to think he was always yours."
By the time Hudson had finished reviewing the child's new papers, and refilling them out as he deemed needed, it was rather late into the night. He sighed, realising it was raining yet again outside, hearing the harsh rain smack the roof of his building. It was just a weekend of summer storms it seemed.
Thinking nothing of it, turned, ready about now to head to sleep himself. Only to find that the child was still wide awake and staring outside with a look of... not quite fear, but not quite anger either. It was a mix of the two emotions, like a child looking up at a despised yet feared parent. Then the tears started to well.
Hudson wondered if this kid was ever just scared, not also ready to fight.
Either way, Hudson simply coughed lightly, effectively getting the younger's attention. "You don't like rain much, eh, son?"
"No... I hate how it feels. It was teasing me last night. It's rude to tease."
Okay, if he wasn't so reserved, Hudson may have very much started laughing like the Sheriff tended to do at the child's wording. What the child was saying was serious, making it clear the rain upset him thanks to the ties it has with the night before, but the kids wording. Teasing. It was amusing and adorable.
When lightning flashed through the air, Hudson expected the kid to jump back in fear with how intensely he was watching the storm outside. Instead, the kid rolled closer to the window with a. "Ooooh. What was that?"
"You never saw that where you're from?"
"No, I wasn't allowed outside, and the windows were always hidden."
"It's called lightning... And there's the thunder."
The kid had a look of awe by now. "What's lightning and thunder?"
"Well, what you just saw is lightning, it's a bolt of electricity."
"Like what makes TV's work?"
"Yes, that electricity. And that loud noise was the thunder. That's the sound of the lightning hitting the ground."
The kid awed silently, before turning to face Hudson with a giddy grin. "Is it stronger than rain?"
Hudson thought for a moment. "Here, yes, it is much more powerful than rain." Because here they didn't get floods, but they have gotten nearby wildfires from the lightning.
"Then I want to be just like it."
Kay, this time Hudson couldn't keep in his chuckle. "Ya sure about that kid?"
"Yeah, it's loud and strong, and fast, and-and, cars want to be fast too, right?"
"That sounds right." Agreed Hudson with a slight smile gracing his lips with this kids logic.
"Then I want to be lightning."
"Alright, well Lightning, how bout you go to sleep now, it's mighty late."
It took a moment for the child to realize he was the one being referred to as Lightning, and when he did, he had the most excited grin Doc had seen yet.
That didn't mean the child didn't tremble still as he once again snuggled under the corner of the Hornets front bumper.
"Goodnight, 'Lightning'."
"Goodnight, grandpa." Grandpa? Whatever happened to Pops? And he was only around thirty, he wasn't that old. Unless his mother was that young.
Either way, Grandpa sounded sorta nice.
"What do you mean I can't go?"
"You're body is still adjusting. And it's a long drive, you'll be tired." Reasoned Doc.
"I made it here with momma."
"See? This boy here's a soldier. What's a small wound?" Sarge's input was not in good light in Doc's mind.
"Not soldier, Lightning." Not in 'Lightning's' mind, either.
Another morning, another breakfast congregation of the citizens within Radiator Springs. The town always found something to speak of, but this kid made it all the more interesting. Gave them something not only to speak of, but to talk about.
Most were already figuring they'd found a new past time in watching the stubborn old Doc wrestle to bend wills with the stubborn young child. It was quite enjoyable.
"Okay then, kiddo, how bout we look at the sky." Doc figured he could play this game again. He won every other time with the kid so far.
"What about it?" Boy, that kid could pout. Did he ever smile?
"Them clouds there means a storms brewin'. You wanna get caught in the rain at night?"
"Lightning is stronger than rain. I'm lightning now."
Oho boy, Doc had himself a handful. If he'd been a human, he'd be running a hand over his eyes, then his hair in exasperation. He was not a family figure person.
Meanwhile, the rest of the town found the kids apparent interest in lightning adorable, and healthy. If the kid had an interest in at least something, it was better than moping doing nothing. So the crew was ready to refer to the kid as Lightning, if only to earn a gleeful laugh, as well as continue to goad the kid into calling Doc 'Pops'.
This time, instead of Sheriff, Ramone was the kids saving grace. He spoke with the usual flourish of any excitable man that still managed to sound 'cool'.
"Hey, little man, I know you want that great big adventure, but what about your paint job? You can't do both in one day now."
"I can't?"
"No, my little Lightning, and with your paint all wet, the dirt from the road would mess it up. Not cool, little man." Ramone exaggerated his look of anguish. Anything to get the child to comply with Doc's orders. But also because he was really sort of looking forward to doing any type of paint job on a car other than himself.
"Not cool?"
"Nope."
"fiiiine."
A good amount of those still at Flo's chuckled. Doc just sent Ramone an appreciative look. Getting the kid to not come along was the least of the issues, for he had discovered a new one upon waking in the morning.
As Doc sent out alone with enough oil and gas for lunch should he not find another town by then, he found himself worried. In all his near fifteen years in Radiator Springs, he had never left the town, not even for a short trip to another small town.
He didn't need more attention, he didn't want it anymore, he had shut them all out for a reason. Now heading to at least a city no less, he couldn't help but worry about the presence his self could create.
He could only hope his legacy had been forgotten by the younger adults. Hope those his age simply would not recognise him. If they did, his only hope would be to act ignorant.
"So, my little Lightning, what colour do you want?" Ramone expected some colour or shade he'd not used in a long while, with how the child was staring in awe at the options, at the examples of his work in his shop.
The kid seemed absolutely giddy. And yet the child's decision somewhat let down Ramone's hope.
"That one." The child had simply chosen a red that was a few shades brighter than his fading paint, a couple shades more vibrant than said fading paint.
Ramone hadn't used the colour in a while, preferring mainly cooler colours on himself, but it was still wasn't something way out there. Yet, with the kids absolutely joy at the colour he chose, the hope he had as he turned to Ramone, the painter couldn't stay upset much. Besides, with his purple paint and painted flames, it meant he'd still look the coolest in the small town.
Not that he truly considered a kid competition.
He was just happy to see the kids look of joy after the paint job was done, how ecstatic the kid was.
And it was all fun and games until Ramone realised, with Doc out of town, he was going to have to watch the child as they waited for his red paint to dry.
What do kids find fun again? Perhaps starting those art lessons now wouldn't be so bad an idea.
