Cars (Human AU) - Finished

7. White Wall Tires

I woke up late that morning, the pain in my ankle gone already. I was both glad and slightly disappointed to see that Lightning had not joined me in the bed this time.

I had to laugh at myself for the thought.

I got up and got dressed. I stepped out side and took a deep breath. The fall air nice even with the Arizona heat.

I noticed the black top spread across the center of town in a beautiful new road. But Lightning and our cherry red 95 were no where to be seen. I felt at pit in my stomach at the thought that Lightning might have left me here. I headed towards Casa Della Tires to see if I could find some information.

I was relieved to find both Lightning and the scratched up Cherry Red in the tire shop.

"I am filled with tears of ecstasy," Luigi said excitedly as I walked up, "for this is the most glorious day of my life!"

Doc walked up behind me and scoffed. "You boys are still here?"

"We're leaving tonight," I said without looking at the man who had been my idol for so long. "We've got a race to get ready for."

Doc scoffed again and walked away.

I stepped in the shop. "Morning, all."

"Something wrong, J?" Lightning asked.

"Never meet your idol, right?" I said. "So what are we up to?"

"Race prep." Lightning smiled. "Luigi, give me the best set of black walls you've got."

"No,No,No! You don't-a know what you want. Luigi know what you want." Luigi walked to the wall of tires and pulledone down in a strength I hadn't expected from the small Italian man. "Black wall tires. Bleh! They blend into the pavement. But-a this!" He rolled the tire at us. "White-Wall Tires! They say, 'Look at me! Here I am! Love me.'"

"What do you think J?"

"We use black walls because it's harder to tell if a white wall is about to go," I said. "It would mean more tire stops, at least until we know how they perform."

"Luigi's tires perform!" Luigi said with a smile. "Like Ferrari!

"Well?" Lightning asked. I nodded in response. "Alright, you're the expert, Luigi. Oh, and don't forget the spare."

Luigi smiled. "Perfetto. Guido!" He threw a tire toward his brother.

Guido caught the tire and put it on the mounting wheel. He chuckled excitedly as he mounted the four new tires in five minutes. He was bouncing as he set the four white walls near the old tires. "Luigi, cronometrami!"

"Ready?" Luigi looked at his watch. "Go!"

Guido shot forward with his impact gun. In what amounted to a flash of color, the fours black tires were switched for white walls. Luigi ducked without looking away from his watch as Guido threw the mounted tires his direction over the top of the car. Guido yelled out, "Finito!"

"Personal best!" Luigi said excitedly excitedly.

"Pit stop." Guido blew on his impact like a pistol in a movie.

"Holy shit," Lightning said.

"You said it," I agreed.

Luigi chuckled proudly. "What did Luigi tell you, Huh?"

"Wow, you were right! Better than a Ferrari, huh?" Lightning asked, elbowing me.

Luigi frowned. "Eh, no."

"Might not be a Ferrari," I said, looking at the tires, "but it is sizzling."

"Oh, J!" Lightning said. "Speaking of changes, what about switching the fuel? Filmore says its good for the engine."