Cars, Planes, and Changelings

New Racer

Chrys snapped her eyes open at Sarge's wake up call, so she got up and shook herself as she made her way to the window. Then Filmore's hippie music started to play. 

"Will you turn that disrespectful junk off?!" 

"Respect the classics, man!" 

Chrys stuck her head out the window and shouted at the two. "Knock it off!" 

The female then made her way outside only to see the road. It was finished, and there was no sign of Lightning anywhere. She joined Mater and Doc at the end of the new road. 

"He finished while we were sleeping, didn't he?" 

"Good riddance." Doc then drove back into town as the others came to the end of the road. 

"He's gone?" Flo asked the two, though it was more to make sure. 

Sarge then spoke up. "Well, we wouldn't want him to miss that race of his." 

Sally and Chrys seemed to take this the worst. Sally because she was just getting close to the racer and even her daughter saw she was developing feelings towards him. Chrys looked down as her dream of having a whole family again seemed too only be just that. A dream.

Sally drove back to town and Sheriff started to sniff, he looked like he was going to cry. 

"Oh, dude, are you crying?" Sheriff then steeled himself as he answered Ramone. "No! I'm happy! I don't have to watch him every second of the day anymore! I'm glad he's gone!" 

This upset Red as the firetruck drove away while crying. 

But a familiar voice gave everyone some hope. "What's up with Red?" 

Chrys looked over and smiled brightly as she jumped to her talons. She was looking at McQueen, he didn't leave yet. 

Mater was slow in the realization Lightning was still there. "Oh, he's just sad, 'cause you left town and went to your big race to win the Piston Cup that you've been dreaming about your whole life. And get that big old sponsor, and that fancy helicopter you was talking about." 

The tow truck then snapped to reality. "Wait a minute!" 

Chrys rushed off to tell her mom the good news. "Mom, he's still here!" 

Sally looked up and then started to follow her daughter to Luigi's, everyone was crowded around the tire shop. She smiled at her daughter before the creature nodded and left for the racetrack. 

A few hours into running and eating cacti, Lightning joined her. "Chrys?" 

"Hey, Lightning. What're you doing here? Luigi is gonna be pretty upset if he finds out you're getting your new tires dirty." 

McQueen parked next to Chrys. "Chrys, can you climb?" 

Chrys was confused at this. "Yeah, why do you ask?" 

"I was wondering if you'd help the others with a surprise I'm planning for Sally." 

The creature was on board as she listened to the red car's plan. And later, everyone was gathered in front of Ramone's as Chrys led her mom to the body shop. 

"Here they come." 

Sally looked confused as Chrys did a little happy dance, her front larger talons making tapping noises on the pavement. Her tail even swished in excitement, having never been so happy before. 

"Hi, Sally." Everyone said at once.

"All right, what's going on?" 

Mater came forward a bit. "Ladies and Gentle-cars! Please welcome, the new, Lightning McQueen!" With that the townsfolk made room for the racer as he made his grand entrance. 

His new look was amazing. 

"Pow! What do you two think? Radiator Springs looks pretty good on me." 

Chrys then rushed over to Lizzie's and waited, her talons once again tapping excitedly. 

Once Lightning asked, "Is it getting dark out?" the creature turned on the radio on Lizzie's porch. Life Could Be Dream played as the town's neon turned on. 

"They fixed their neon!" Chrys came over and winked at the two, showing she helped. "Chrys, did you?" 

"While everyone was distracted with McQueen. I climbed the buildings and fixed the lights; it was Lightning's idea." 

"Just like in its heyday." Lightning smiled at Sally and Chrys. "It's even better than I pictured it. Thank you both." 

Everyone was cruising, somewhat dancing to the music as they drove. Mater tried to copy Ramone in making sparks on the road, but it looked a little crazy. 

"May I have this cruise?" Sally was about to say something, but Lizzie beat her to it.

Chrys was laughing as Lightning was dragged away from the two by the old car. Mater ended up helping to bring McQueen back over to the two. 

"Hey." 

"Thanks, Mater!" Mater drove backwards away from the three. "Good evening, you three."

Chrys giggled as Sally and Lightning got close as Flo came over. "Is that what I think it is?" 

The only time Flo said that was if customers were driving towards them, and Chrys looked down the road to see a lot of lights heading towards them. She rushed off to hide in the dark behind Flo's. 

It wasn't customers, it was paparazzi, news crews, and a large truck. 

Chrys was hyperventilating as she watched them, she saw as Lightning got into the truck's trailer. And everyone drove away, her only last hope to have a whole family was gone. 

She saw one of the cars drive up to Doc, who she hasn't seen the whole day. 

"Hey, are you Doc Hudson?" 

"Yeah." 

"Thanks for the call." The car drove off after the rest of the crowd and out of town. 

Chrys came out of hiding, as Sally and the others confronted Doc. "You called them?"

"It's best for everyone." 

Chrys stalked in front of the old racer and hissed at him, she only showed her anger towards strangers and threats. Never those she was close to. 

"No! It was what was best for you!" The creature held in her tears as she yelled. "I have never been selfish in my life, I always tried to help where I could and when I could! But for the first time in so many years I was happy!" 

Tears dripped down her face as she turned to her smaller form. The townsfolk and Sally have never seen Chrys like this before. 

"I thought I'd have a full family again. But you had to give into your own selfish reasons." Chrys started to walk away. 

"Chrys-." 

"No, I am Princess Chrys of the Rouge Hive Changelings. And I see nothing but a traitor." With that she ran off to the desert to the track. Once there she fell to her knees and cried. 

It was at least two hours later, when her tears had dried, that Doc drove up to her. He was back in his racing look after so long. "Come on, kid. We have a race to see." 

Chrys looked over to the old racer and stood up, changing to her true form. 

"Let's go help my dad."