A/N: Sorry for the double post, had to make some last minute changes.
At last, Mcqueen arrived in Motoropolis. The morning sun was just peaking over the horizon, casting a faint orange glow on the rows of buildings. The roads were busy, and Mcqueen needed to find a place to rest up. By chance, he happened to pull into the same motel Chick Hicks was staying at.
As Mcqueen checked in, he noticed he just so happened to be next to Chick Hicks's room (he couldn't have known that though). Were the gods conspiring? Was this fate? destiny? Luck? Or was something deeper in play—something Mcqueen couldn't have known about…?
Regardless, he checked in without any problems. Then he slept for about 6 hours.
It was only after Mcqueen's rest that he spotted Chick. The green car was dining in the cafeteria.
"Ah, Mcqueen!" Chick smiled with relief, "About time you showed up! I was gettin' antsy waiting for your slow ass,"
"Hey, don't be so cocky!" Mcqueen said, eyes burning with spirit, "I've been conserving my best for our duel together!"
Chick laughed nervously, noting that everyone in the cafeteria could hear them.
Mcqueen grinned. Ego ignited like a key to an engine, "What's wrong? You scared of a little thunder?"
"N-no I'm not!"
"Well don't worry. I'll only go a LITTLE easy on you,"
Chick growled. He hated feeling belittled….especially by someone who beat him all the time.
"Don't be stupid, Queenie! While you were galavanting about, I've been out on the track, making expert strategy plans!"
"Oh, so you finally learned what practice is, huh?"
Chick slammed an angry tire on the ground, "The hell do you find your petty insults from? Because they're! Not! Working!"
"Oh, they're not? Huh. Well that's a shame. Guess I'll have to work even harder to rile you up then,"
"That's not what I meant, idiot!"
"Yeah I've heard that one before,"
The waiter pitty inched up to the two bickering cars, "Sirs? Would you like to take an appetizer?"
Chick ignored him, "Think you're so smart, Mr. no tires, just gas?! Yeah remember that, kiddo?"
"That's different—!"
The waiter nodded, "Gas it is then! And what about the red one?"
"Hey! I wasn't talking to you!" Chick snapped.
McQueen laughed, "I'll take some antifreeze,"
The waiter left in a hurry, and Chick was too pissed to make any more of a scene.
He thought angrily to himself, "That red loser has been nothing but a piece of debris in my grill for far too long!"
They both couldn't wait for their duel.
Mater had not stayed at the same motel as the racers, and so he was unable to observe Mcqueen and Chick's meeting.
What he did know was that they would inevitably meet, and then race… Until that point, he had time to enact last second strategy.
Mater first used the hotel's phone to call Sheriff and inform him of McQueen's whereabouts. Now he was going to call Mia,
"Hey," the tow truck said tersely, "It's me,"
"Oh, hi Mater. I was wondering who that caller ID was," Mia replied, then yawned, "What is the matter? I just got out of my garage,"
"McQueen's in Motoropolis. Seems he couldn't wait no longer to get started on the race. Not sure if he met Chick yet or—"
"Woah woah! Slow down! He's in Motoropolis?!"
Mater gave a grunt of affirmation.
Mia sighed, "Oh brother,"
"I followed him to the city last night. But I couldn't track his location down,"
"Well, me and Tia have our day jobs to attend. We can't just drop everything and help out,"
"I understand," Mater eyed the window warily, searching among the sea of cars for the red and yellow Rusteeze colors
"Anyway, since you're in Motoropolis, I guess this mission is all up to you,"
"Yea. Wish me luck. It'll be a miracle if I can find him. Then I can use my hook and snag him back to Radiator Springs,"
"Right. Let me know how it goes,"
Mater nodded and then hung up the phone.
As he turned away from the window, he missed Mcqueen entering the street, heading towards an arcade.
