Worlds Collide: A Cars Fan Fiction

Early Birds

Nikki was woken up by Zhara's snoring. She groaned and pulled her navy blue jacket over her head. The three girls had been friends for years, but Zhara snored like a bear. Elsie was used to it (as the sisters shared a bedroom) and slept on. Nikki, however, knew that she wasn't going to get anymore sleep. 

She looked at the clock on the wall. Six a.m. Might as well get up. She stood up slowly and tiptoed past her friends. Sally hadn't had any blankets or pillows, so the kids had gone without. It was easier to do than they'd thought; the floor was surprisingly soft. 

The door to their Cone opened quietly, allowing Nikki to slip out without waking anyone up. She looked towards the Cone the boys were staying in, wondering if Zane or Hector were up yet. Her growling stomach reminded her that Zane had food in his backpack. 

They'd passed on eating anything the night before due to everyone being too tired. Her empty stomach left her regretting that decision, and she made her way to the boys' Cone.

She looked through the little window and saw that they were still asleep. It didn't surprise her; neither of them had ever been early risers. She walked away from the Cone, somewhat disappointed.

"Mornin'." Nikki's head shot up. The police car she'd met the night before, who everyone simply called Sheriff, was on the road in front of her. "It's Nikki, isn't it?"

"Yep." She smiled. She still wasn't used to talking cars, but everyone in town was so nice that it was hard not to be charmed by them. 

"Anyone else awake?"

"Nope, just me. Couldn't sleep, I guess."

"Why don't you come with me? After last night, I have a couple of questions I'd like answered."

"Alright, then." She thought that answering Sheriff's question would take her mind off of her empty stomach.

Sheriff led her through town, driving slowly so Nikki could keep up. Radiator Springs was even prettier in the daylight. 

"I know that you're from another world," Sheriff began, "but what I'd like to know is how you got here in the first place."

"Well, back home, Zane, Elsie, Zhara, Hector, Abbey, and I all live in the same neighborhood. That's how we all became friends in the first place. Yesterday, we were all hanging out in my backyard when there was this crazy flash of green light. Next thing we knew, we were in that lab."

"So you just want to go home?"

"After we save Abbey. We barely escaped that compound last time, so we're going to need a heck of a plan to get her out."

The gravity of their situation was beginning to hit Nikki, and doubt began to creep in. She shook it off. She knew that, with Radiator Springs' help, they could get Abbey and find a way home. They just needed a really good plan...

"Luckily," she said aloud, "we already have someone who's great at planning ahead..."

---

The girls had shared a room since Elsie was adopted as a baby, but even she had her limits when it came to Zhara's snoring. She finally opened her eyes, and noticed that Nikki had already gotten up. She picked up her tote, put her favorite gray-and-black hoodie back on, and left the Cone. She was hungry, but knew that Zane and Hector probably wouldn't be up yet. 

Maybe some reading will take my mind off of food, she thought. She took a moment to gaze at Radiator Springs, and the desert beyond. It was shockingly beautiful in the morning light. 

She sat down outside the Cone Sally'd put them in the night before, took out her favorite book, and began to read. She was an incurable bookworm, and couldn't go a day without reading at least one chapter. 

She had just gotten into her book when she heard a familiar voice. Elsie looked up to see Mater driving down the road. She smiled, put the book back in her bag, and took out her notebook and pen. She'd shown Mater a few signs the night before, but if she wanted to really talk to him, then she'd need her notebook.

"Mornin', Elsie!" The tow truck practically shouted. She smiled. He and Hector would get along way too well, she thought. 

"Good morning, Mater," she signed. He watched her signs carefully. 

"Does that mean, 'Good mornin''?" he asked. 

She nodded. He practically cheered. 

"Dad gum! Hey, what's in there?" He was looking at her tote. She got on her knee and pulled out her books. Normally she'd have ten or so, but she'd gotten sent there with only three (four counting her notebook). She showed each one to Mater, who read their titles aloud. 

"Advanced Astronomy: Volume Three. Classic Ghost Stories. A Wrinkle in Time. Wow, you must really like to read!"

"Yes," she signed while smiling and nodding. 

"Them ghost stories must be purty scary, huh?"

She nodded again, signing the word for "scary".

"Does it tell the story of the Ghost Light?"

The Ghost Light? She grabbed her notebook, clicked her pen, and quickly wrote a question. She held it up so Mater could read it.

"'What is the Ghost Light?'" he read aloud. Then he got excited. "I can tell you that! The Sheriff says that the Ghost Light is a blue light that haunts these very parts..."

Mater told her the ghost story. She wasn't very scared (it seemed that the story was more frightening if you were a car or some other type of machine), but nodded along and listened attentively. 

"...and all that was left of them was their license plates." He looked to her. "Scary, right?"

"Scary," she signed, while nodding. Scary for a car, at least, she thought.

"Elsie!" The two heard Nikki calling, and saw her approaching with Sheriff.

Elsie jogged over to Nikki. "Good morning," she signed.

"Good morning to you, too," she said. After having been friends for so long, Nikki had learned a few signs. Mater pulled up and greeted the Sheriff. Elsie waved at the officer, smiling. He nodded in return.

"Elsie, once everyone has woken up, Sheriff and I are going to get them all together. We need to start planning how to get Abbey back and how to find a way home. We're going to need you for that."

"Me? Why?" she signed. 

"Because you've beaten me at checkers enough times for me to know that you're good at planning ahead. And because you're the smartest person I know."

Elsie blushed, and pulled her hood up. But Nikki could see that she was smiling. "Okay," she signed, "let's go."

The girls started for the Sheriff's office, with the police car and tow truck following. 

"What's checkers?" Mater asked the officer.

"I have no idea," he replied.