The wonderful animation studio located in Emeryville, California owns Cars.
Holley Shiftwell is driving across the campus, feeling the cool autumn air on her body. It has been a few months since she and the other cars arrived and the Academy and most of them have settled into the routine. In the morning, they would attend normal college-level courses like English and History. Then in the afternoon, training would be the focus.
They had yet to start training the holo-dome though. Holley had heard that quite a few years ago, an Italian…'organization' had successfully infiltrated the Academy. The daughter of the 'boss' had been enrolled in the Academy and graduated with flying colors. The Alfa had apparently defected to their side and hadn't been in contact with anyone in her 'family'… until she had disappeared. The higher-ups still didn't know where she was… or what had been forced out of her.
Because of that and other breaches in the past, the trainees never knew when the next stage of their training would commence so as to avoid any infiltrators being able to prepare to gather intel for whoever they work for.
Morning classes had let out just a few minutes ago. Normally, Holley would be on her way to the indoor obstacle course, the lower-tech version of the Holo-dome. Today, though, all of the female spies-in-training were to attend a mandatory seminar in the auditorium.
Soon enough, Holley arrives at the auditorium. Looking around she spots her room mates and drives over to park next to them, Over the past few months, they have become steadfast friends.
"Oh! There-ah you are Holley! We were wondering where-ah you where," Carlotta says as Holley parks next to her on the aisle seat they had saved for her.
"I just needed a quick top-off is all. That chemistry test was…" Holley says, searching for the right word.
"A pain in the aft?" Violet suggests.
"Something like that," the Jag smiles. "At least we'll be starting the more practical applications of chemistry in the field soon."
"Good afternoon ladies," a tan Martinsburg Camry says as she drives up the ramp to the stage. "My name is Miss O'Reilley and I will be your instructor for this seminar. Let me all ask you something," she says as she parks on the stage, facing her audience. "What are some of the most important tools a spy can have?"
The gathered trainees came up with the usual answers: stealth, high-tech gadgets, loyalty, courage…
"Good. Now what about women spies in particular?"
Silence.
"Anyone?" the Martinsburg asks with a sigh. "Then let me answer for you. Manners. The appearance of innocence when called for. And to an extent, your…appeal to the men. If you know how to play your cards right in the field with these tools, you can accomplish quite a lot."
"Excuse me, but I will not degrade myself like that!" Holley says, indignant. "How dare you assume that these are the most important tools for us to have?"
"I never said they were Miss…?"
"Shiftwell. Holley Shiftwell," the purple Jag supplies curtly.
"I never said that those were the most important tools we could have. Just useful ones. How much intel do you suppose a female spy versus a male one could gather from certain sources?"
"I'm sure I wouldn't know!"
"Exactly, you don't," Miss O'Reilley sighs. "Perhaps I should explain the purpose of this seminar a little better. This seminar is to inform you of tactics that you can use in the field, not ones you will have to. Let's be honest here. Let's say, theoretically, the entrance to building you need to get into is being guarded by a tow truck. What do you suppose you could do that may seem… odd for a guy to do?"
Violet tentatively raised a tire.
"Yes, the Maybach Exelero. What is your name?"
"Violet Carr. I suppose that you could ask for help towing someone."
"Sí," Carlotta says. "The-ah men don't often like-a to ask for the help often."
Holley is starting to see the point of the seminar. "And it probably wouldn't hurt to act innocent and have good manners when asking. I suppose using the accent of the country you are in wouldn't hurt either."
"Exactly," Miss O'Reilley says. "That is the point of this seminar. We'll go over some of the basics of different definitions of politeness in different countries, though there will be a whole separate class just for that. Plus accents and some short acting lessons among other things in the next three hours. Sound better Miss Shiftwell?"
"Much. Thank you."
"Not a problem," the Martinsburg chuckles. "You girls are lucky though. When I first started out at the Academy, I was among the first few classes that allowed female students. So this seminar was taught by a guy teacher when I had to go though it."
"That must have been awkward," Kim chuckles along with the rest of the auditorium.
"Indeed. Now, let us get started…"
A/N- I know, short chapter :P For awhile, the chapters of this fic are going to be one-shot-ish. There might be a couple of multi-part ones though. This will probably be the case up until Holley gets her first mission with a certain Aston Martin…. Suggestions and ideas are more than welcome and if I use your idea, you will be credited!
This chapter was Funkywatermelon's cameo! She correctly guessed (in my fic My Heart Goes Vroom) that Carlotta is inspired by/slightly based off of the character in Phantom of the Opera (which I am currently reading!).
If you didn't catch it, there is also a small shout-out/tribute to Mighty ANT's Alfa and Omega. The story is written by her, but based off of the plot line by Funkywatermelon and her sister based off of a caracter that got cut from Cars 2 named Guilia. If you haven't read it already, go do so now! (One of my favorite chapters includes Finn chasing off a mime… ;)
Oh and for those of you worried that this will become too cross-over-ish, there will be some aspects that I will bring in from the works that Holley's room mates are based off of, but the story will focus on Holley. Had to bring in Ron though. I'm a die-hard Kim/Ron shipper!
Reviews are more than welcome!