Cars, Planes, and Changelings

Prologue

A large black and red creature ran through the desert. The blanket tied around their neck was held in the smaller limbs as some precious cargo poked their little head out to look up at the larger creature. 

"Momma?" 

"Don't worry, baby. We're gonna play hide and seek soon." The creature skidded to a stop as she reached an abandoned looking town, she pushed open a door that had several warnings to stay out.  

"Chrys, remember that I love you." The creature hid the smaller one behind some old tires. 

"Momma, why are you crying?" The smaller creature, now known as Chrys, reached out to her mother with both her front longer limbs and her shorter ones. 

The mother hugged her baby one last time before backing away. "Remember, we're playing hide and seek from the bad guys. Momma has to go hide now." 

"Momma, I'm scared." Chrys started to tear up as her mother left, closing the wood door behind her. 

Chrys started to silently cry, the small cores on her mask like plate started to glow, along with her antenna, claws, eyes, throat, spines, and stinger. She cried until she fell asleep. 

The next day Chrys woke up to shuffling in the abandoned garage. She quickly shook out the sleep and tried to turn so she could hide better. But her tail knocked the stacks of tires she was behind her over. 

She froze and stared at the one who was looking at her small shivering body. The one staring at her was a 1950 Hudson Hornet, nice royal blue paint job and light blue eyes. 

"What are you?" The car was startled back by Chrys raising her tail like a scorpion, branding her tiny stinger. Just like her mother showed her. 

"I'm Chrys. What are you?" The car chuckled a bit at the not so intimidating display and answered her. "Doc Hudson." 

"You're not a bad guy, right?" Doc raised a brow and backed up so Chrys could have some room. 

"Last I checked, no. Why, was someone after you?" 

Chrys sniffed as she teared up again. "Momma said we were playing hide and seek from the bad guys. They hurt Papa." 

Doc used his tire to coax Chrys out of hiding, the little one complying as she still kept her stinger raised. "Did your Momma say if you could come out of hiding?" 

"Only if she came back. Momma said if I stayed, I'd win the game." Chrys' stinger lowered as she sat down, her tail and little antennas drooping. She was upset and hurt, one of her parents abandoned her. 

"Does Momma not love me anymore?" Doc watched as Chrys started to cry, her smaller talons bawling to fists and her larger talons rubbed at her teary eyes. 

"I'm sure she wanted you safe. If you want you can stay here, I'm sure she'll come back for you one day." Chrys nodded and padded over to Doc's right side before jumping onto his roof. She was careful with her claws as she laid down and curled up to sleep some more. 

She didn't sleep well last night, so some extra rest was needed.