Four brightly colored tuner cars drove down the highway, completely ignoring the many signs telling them that the speed limit was 45 MPH. They shot past speed-limit-abiding cars travelling in the same direction, also almost completely ignoring the rude tire gestures and insults the more obedient vehicles threw at them.

"Man," Snot Rod said as he averted his eyes from one exceptionally rude semi, "don't those honest, hard working, law abiding folk have any manners?"

Wingo snorted. "You should stop speeding before you start judging the haters, kid. They're just mad because they're jealous of our courage."

"Courage? When has he ever been brave?" DJ muttered to Snot Rod. The orange muscle car laughed.

Wingo, whose hearing was quite good, glared at DJ. "Go listen to rap on your iPod, music junkie."

DJ squinted in concentration, then smirked as his built in sound system started blasting out one of Wingo's least favorite rap songs. "Why use an iPod when you have the best sound system outside of a music convention?"

"Argh!" Yelled the cowardly Road Hazard with the huge spoiler.

"Cut it out, children," Boost called.

DJ turned off his sound system, looking apologetic. "Sorry, Father!" DJ and Wingo said in unison.

They drove in silence for a few miles.

"Guys, I have something to tell you," said Wingo quietly.

The three other Road Hazards glanced at each other, startled. Was Wingo sounding... unhappy? How could that be possible?

Wingo looked at each of his friends. "I love you all. You're the best family I've ever had... Sometimes it feels like you're the only family I've ever had. But..."

Boost, Snot Rod and DJ all looked concerned.

"...I met this girl back when I was in high school. She was a legal adult and I wasn't yet, but we fell in love." He sighed dreamily. "We didn't talk to each other for years, but we recently found each other online and we've decided that we're meant to be together. The thing is, she refuses to be part of DRH..."

Snot Rod sniffled rather loudly. No one could tell if he was about to cry, or if it was just his allergies.

"You're leaving us?" Boost's voice squeaked a bit and he blinked in surprise at the sound.

"It's my destiny. She said so, and I agree."

DJ spluttered in amazement. "Who is this lady? What gives her the right to decide your 'destiny'?"

"She's a member of the Eternal Oil gang in Utah," Wingo said with a glare, "show some respect!"

The look on DJ's face went from amazement to barely concealed horror in approximately .05 seconds. "But... But... The Eternal Oil gang is a criminal organization. What are you thinking?"

"Criminal or not, I love her." Was the resolute reply.

"I suppose you should follow your engine..." Boost trailed off glumly.

Snot Rod wiped his hood frantically, trying to not cry.

DJ looked rather pale despite his dark blue paint.

"Just kidding. I'm not leaving DRH any time soon." Wingo said with a laugh.

His three friends gaped in shock. "WHAT?"

"It's Halloween. A night for scaring the living daylights out of the cars you care about. Did I scare ya?" Chuckled Wingo.

DJ and Boost looked at each other and nodded. They drove up alongside Wingo and shoved him into a roadside ditch.

"Hey! Ow!" Yelped the unfortunate prankster, spitting out mud.

"Serves you right," muttered Snot Rod.

Boost and DJ yelled at Wingo for half an hour, then helped him out of the ditch and told him how glad they were that he had been joking.

It was a sadder, muddier, wiser Wingo who drove with the Delinquent Road Hazards that night. For the sake of his paint and his hearing, he resolved to never scare them so badly again.

Notes:

Somehow I doubt that this story was too out of character. I bet that Wingo loves to scare his friends. :)

To everyone who has favorited, watched, reviewed, or even just viewed Becoming a Road Hazard: Thank you! You guys are great. This series would be way lamer if I didn't know I had an audience. (Although sometimes it's a lame series anyway. Ah well.)

'Til next time, Cars fans!

This is "Finn", signing out.