I am sooo sorry…. I was talking to Doc Hudson and the Lightning McQueen… Yes TALKING to them. Am I nuts? No there is an actually site that I am addicted too! LightningandDoc created the site! You want to know more about it contact me or her, we'll hook you up ;)
And…. On with the story…
Rings of Fate:
Chapter 3: Over the top.
Just before the finish line, a mere few inches away from the finish line, McQueen's sleeping tires decided to take a break. What a difference a few hours makes for the famous Lightning McQueen. If it was a normal schedule on a normal day, He would of completed his run, raced back up to his crew chief, gotten a few pointers on his run, and went over to Flo's for a well deserved breakfast, and that would be the end of it.
However, here he was, on a not so normal day, worn out to the point of exhaustion. Two unexpected extra hours of hard training resulted in napping. His tires twitched slightly to the dream that he was having, as a light snore escaped through his slightly open mouth. He didn't get much sleep last night, and it showed.
A single whitewall tire rolled over the finish line to get a good look at the sleeping rookie. A crooked smile started tugging at the new comer's face as he watched the hotshot sigh in content. A low soft chuckle sounded from the Hornet as he took a trip around his sleeping protégé, examining him as a whole. Even the Fabulous Hudson Hornet couldn't believe his eyes, Lightning fell asleep while racing… while racing of all things!
The Mustang and the Chrysler 300 took their time meeting up with the Hornet as they too couldn't believe what they were seeing!
The Hudson's eyes sparkled with amusement as he stopped a few feet from Lightning's side. The big painted bolt that was his trademark was hidden well under the layers of dust, dried mud, and grass that held on to his side. All of this was well missed by the lack of sun in the morning. The Hudson blinked slowly, "That's what you get for staying up all night with Mater" He thought to himself as his eyes glanced over at the curious bystanders.
The Mustang raised a windshield as her questioning eyes darted slowly from the crew chief, to the sleeping racer, then back at the crew chief.
The Hudson half shrugged at her questioning expression.
The Mustang blinked in understanding as the expression quickly faded to a soft smile. Her mother couldn't help but laughed lightly at the sight, causing the Hornet to 'Shh' her.
The Chrysler quickly bit her lip as she tried to suppress the laughter that was quickly building up and turned it into a quiet chuckle.
That crooked smile on the Hudson's face slowly turned to a smirk. The once in a life time chance to get back at him from that… April fool's day incident … was right here in front of him. That smirk on his face grew in size, as did his plan… this was too easy.
The Mustang waved a tire, catching the mischievous eyes of the Hornet.
'What are you going to do to him?' She mouthed very slowly, fearing on taking the Hudson's opportunity away from him.
The Hudson half closed his eyes as he gave a slight nod. Almost as in saying 'You'll see'.
He rolled a bit closer to him as he gently tapped the side of him with his tire… No response.
He blinked approvingly as he tapped him again, 'testing the waters'… The rookie shifted a little as he tried to get more comfortable, mumbling something from under his breath.
The Crew Chief froze as he waited for him to settle back down… He really was asleep! A low chuckle was barley heard from the on lookers post as the amused Hudson rolled a little closer to him.
The Hudson took a slow deep breath and….. "HEY! WHAT DO YOU THINK YA DOIN'!?!"
Lightning jumped back as his eyes were wide and afraid, "I WASN'T SLEEPING! I SWEAR!" His shaken frame from the sudden outburst, caused the poor rookie's engine to jolt in shock as he started panting.
The Hornet felt that crooked smile come back when he got the response he expected. "oOoh so your weren't huh?" He felt his underused sarcasm seep into his words. "I take it you were just resting your eye then? Or was it more like 'napping'?"
Lightning's shocked expression started to slowly relax as he started comprehending what was going on. The Mustang and the Chrysler 300 couldn't help but laugh at the sight.
"Geez Doc, way to shorten my life there." Lightning took another breath to steady his nerves. "I thought I was going to have engine failure from that."
Doc laughed, "Well, maybe if you actually went to bed instead of Tractor Tippin' last night, you wouldn't have that problem now. Would you?"
Lightning blinked at his crew chief in disbelief, "I wasn't Tractor Tipping."
Doc huffed, unimpressed, "Then how'd ya get all that mud and grass on your hide?"
Lightning glanced over at his sides… His face turned red. "Oh… that…"
Doc nodded, "Yes that."
McQueen rose a little higher on his tires in his defense, "but that wasn't from Tractor Tipping."
Everyone that heard Lightning cocked a windshield.
"Then what was it from?" The Mustang finally spoke for the first time in quite some time.
Lightning swallowed hard. "It's a long story. I'm sure everyone doesn't want to… hear…" He looked around at the group's unconvinced face. "..the… ah.. story…"
"You're kidding right? Like we actually have something important to do?" Alice put in, "I think we've got all the time in the world to hear your story."
Kendal nodded, "So let's hear it."
Lightning found himself sighing, "Well, it was late at night and everyone went to bed. And, I needed some alone time to think… So I went up to wheel well. The one spot I knew I would be able to think clearly."
Doc felt his questioning expression strengthen when the pause took too long…. "and?"
"And… after, I don't know, what seemed like hours. Something rustled from behind me. For a second I thought it was you Doc. But it wasn't… I didn't know what the heck it was! So it started kind of freaking me out a little."
Alice leaned in a little more, "and?!"
"And then I got so creped out, I left and took my time heading for home."
"Lightning? Taking his time?" Alice stated questioningly as she shook her head.
"What? I can take my time!" Lightning defended himself again, "You just don't see it, that's all…"
There was a pause……
"You were speeding weren't you?"
"No!....well, not by a lot…" Lightning found himself playing with the dirt with his tire.
No one was totally convinced….
"Okay fine! Yes I was speeding! Happy?" Lightning rolled his eyes, "Geez, can't let a guy get away with anything!"
"Anyways… finish your story." Doc put it, trying to get back to the topic.
"Right, so as I was…speeding to get back to my cone. I heard another noise… like someone was frightened by something, which just made me even more freaked out! And I rushed into my cone, slammed down the door and tried going to sleep."
"Huh?" Doc grunted, "and I thought it was going to be important."
McQueen's face was dumfounded, "Doc! Something was out there last night! I swear!"
"That could be any critter in the woods."
"Yeah, but what about the second noise?"
Doc thought about that for a split second, "You watch one too many horror movies…" He said as he turned away from him and headed toward the town.
"But-But-But I didn't watch any scary movies!"
Doc continued towards the town, undeterred by Lightning's statement. Kendal rolled her eyes as she proceeded to follow the Hornet into town.
Alice pulled up next to Lightning, "So… What were ya thinkin' about up there?" She asked teasingly to the already edgy Lightning.
Lightning looked away from her, trying to hide his embarrassed face, "Nothin'…"He said simply with no emotion at all.
"Yeah. Sure." Alice rolled her eyes, unconvinced. " Nothing at all…"
"Yeah… nothing." Lightning concluded in a very monotone matter. Hoping that would be the end of it.
No one said anything for quite some time; just kind of let the topic die off as Alice and Lightning sat, before the finish line, alone. The wind lightly grazed their sides as little "dirt devils" started spinning off in the distance. Alice fidgeted causing Lightning to focus back on the conversation
Her amused face smirked, "It was about Sally wasn't it?"
"Huh? What?! No! No!" He shouted overdramatically as he was taken off guard, "It wasn't about her, it was about…" Lightning looked back at Alice's expression. Her violet eyes already started disbelieving the lie he was about to say, making Lightning sigh in frustration, "Yes… What is it with you? I can't get away with anything!"
Alice chuckled at that state of fact. "Good. That means I'm doing my job." She smirked as she started pulling away from him, heading towards town.
Lightning found himself scowling as his eyes rolled to the side of him. "Yeah, a good job at being annoying…" he mumbled under his breath to himself.
There was a faint distress sound of an abrupt braking in front of him… making Lightning, unwillingly look up at the sound. The Mustang stopped to Lightning's dismay.
"What-did-you-just-say?" her words were broken up into sections, making every single word stand out, and making Lightning feel just a little more uncomfortable.
"Ah…" McQueen paused, unsure what to really say…. He was caught, what could he say 'I'm Sorry'?. He didn't know what to say…. But he had an Idea on what to do.
He quickly sprinted, past the finish line, past Alice, and making a huge run for it to town. There's too many folk in town for her to do much of anything…. And plus Doc would back him up… right?
Lightning glanced behind him, as he looked for that green Mustang anywhere in his field of vision. There she still sat in that same exact place that he flew right on by. A cloud of dust now covered her painted hide…
Lightning couldn't help but be pleased with himself, This was going better then as planed! He knew in the back of his mind, he was going to regret it later… but later, he thought, is better than …
He looked back just in time. Alice stood feet from him, causing him to slam on his brakes….. better than now
The friction from his tires almost hurt as he began to fish tail back and forth from the sudden stopping… He stopped inches away from Alice grill.
"Now… What did you say?"
"Alice! H-H-How'd you-?" Lightning stuttered in disbelief. She was miles behind him! How… How did she?
The light seemed to trace the outline of her Jade green ring. "Lightning... " She said un amused to his expression.
"That's not far! I would of-"
"Would of… what Lightning?"
Both Alice and Lightning froze at the sound of a third voice, as they turned slowly towards the source of that strict sounding words…
His black and White hide was covered in the red dirt like he'd been running in it all day. His blue eyes were serious as both of the young adults started acting like kids under pressure…
"Well, nothing if it wasn't for the fact that Alice had to use her powers to catch up to me…"
"What does that have to do with anything?!" Alice cried in outrage, "All I wanted to know is what you said!"
"What I said- What about you!? Askin' all the questions and interrogating me!"
"Interrogating you? Maybe you shouldn't lie in the first place!"
"Well, maybe you shouldn't be so nosy!"
"Well Maybe you should-"
"ENOUGH!"
Both of the 'kids' flinched at Sheriff's harsh voice. "Both of you are giving me one heck of a hood ach… when are you guys going to grow up for a change."
Alice swallowed, "Sorry Sheriff…" she sounded as in defeat. Might as well end it now before it got out of control.
"Yeah… Sorry Sheriff." Lightning also put in to the 'sorry' collection.
Both of them seemed to hide their face as they waited for a reply from the only sheriff in town… but there was none.
Alice looked up first, Sheriff's once hard eyes wasn't directed for her or Lightning, They seemed to be attached to something off in the distance…
"Sheriff?" Alice asked, catching the attention of the police cruiser, but his trained eyes never moved from the target.
"Wonder what's going on." He simply said as his narrow eyes seem to flash with curiosity.
"What's going on where?" Lightning asked as he followed the officer's gaze towards the town…
Faintly you could make out the café from where they sat. But as Sheriff caught, something was up. The whole town was together at Flo's, but tightly, in a circle, surrounding something… which was out of the ordinary.
"Come on you two…" He said professionally as his gaze shifted a little. "let's go take a look see…."
Again I am sooo sorry it took so long! Doc was helping me out XD!