Morning came slow.The desert woke in shades of orange and gold.I didn't.
I'd spent the night parked behind a gas station, engine humming like a restless heartbeat. Every time I closed my headlights, the silence reminded me I wasn't human anymore. Just steel, bolts, and borrowed life.
Sally found me before sunrise."Still here, huh?" she asked, pulling up beside me. Her tone was light, but her gaze was sharp.I tried to smile, but all I could do was flicker my headlights.
She chuckled. "You're definitely not from around here."
"Yeah," I muttered under my breath. "You could say that."
The town was waking up. Doors opened, engines revved. From a distance, I saw others—old models, shiny racers, dusty trucks—all moving like people starting their day. Talking. Laughing. Living.
I didn't belong here. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
Then the System came alive again.
[Daily Startup Complete][System Functions Online][New Objective: Blend with Locals][Reward: Basic Upgrade Token]
"Blend with locals," I muttered. "Sure, because that's totally normal for a reincarnated Toyota."
[Correction: You are a modified 2008 Porsche 911 Carrera S.][Manufacturer: Porsche AG][Top Speed: 302 km/h][Condition: Poor][Fuel Efficiency: Below Average]
"Below average?" I groaned. "Great. Even my afterlife has bad mileage."
Sally tilted her headlight. "You talking to yourself?"
"...It's a habit."
She smiled, a little amused. "Come on. You look like you could use a tune-up. Let's get you to Luigi's. He's good with strays."
Strays.Yeah, that sounded about right.
Luigi's Tire Shop smelled like new rubber and nostalgia.Colorful tires stacked like candy against the walls. A small yellow Fiat buzzed happily as we rolled in.
"Ah, Sally! And—mamma mia—who is this dusty fellow?"
Sally grinned. "Found him near the old gas stop. Says he just got into town."
"Just got in?" Luigi gasped dramatically. "In that condition? Madre di Dio, he needs my help!"
Before I could respond, Luigi circled me like a doctor checking vitals. "Poor thing! Look at that paint! That's not red—it's embarrassment!"
I couldn't help it. I laughed. Loud enough that it came out as an odd rumble through my exhaust.
For the first time since waking up, it felt human—laughing, even in a body that wasn't mine.
Sally smiled. "See? He's already warming up."
Luigi winked. "I'll fix him up nice. You go tell Guido to get the buffer!"
[Objective Complete: Blend with Locals][Reward Acquired: Basic Upgrade Token][Use Now? Y/N]
My mind buzzed. Upgrade?I whispered, "Yes."
[Applying Basic Upgrade...][Engine Output +5%][Paint Restoration: Complete]
The world shimmered. My surface gleamed, rust fading into sleek, deep crimson. The kind of color that catches sunlight and holds it.
Luigi gasped. "Mamma mia! What did you use, Sally? Magic?"
Sally blinked. "I… don't think I did anything."
I stared at my reflection in the shop window—clean, glossy, alive. My headlights glowed steady, almost proud.
"I feel… better," I murmured.
[System Notice: Upgrade Complete.][Warning: Power fluctuations detected.]
"What—?"
My engine suddenly roared to life on its own. Tires screeched. I lurched forward, nearly crashing into a tire rack.
"Whoa!" Sally shouted. "Easy, rookie!"
I slammed my brakes, panting even though I didn't have lungs. The System buzzed.
[Stabilizing Output...][Recalibration Complete.]
Luigi peeked out from behind a tire pile, shaking. "Mamma mia, this one's got the spirit of Lightning himself!"
"Lightning?" I repeated.
Sally smirked. "Yeah. Lightning McQueen. You'll meet him soon enough."
Her voice softened a little, like the name meant more than just fame. Like it carried history.
"Lucky me," I said, trying to sound casual. But inside, my thoughts spun like loose wheels.
If this world has its own heroes... where do I fit in?
Later that evening, Sally drove me through the town.Radiator Springs glowed under the sunset—neon signs humming, laughter echoing, desert wind carrying warmth instead of emptiness.
For a moment, I forgot about the System. The quests. The fact that I wasn't supposed to exist here.
"This place," I said quietly, "feels… alive."
Sally slowed beside me. "That's because it is. Radiator Springs isn't just a town. It's a home. If you let it be."
I didn't know what to say to that. So I didn't.
We just drove. Two sets of headlights cutting through the amber light.
[System Alert: Proximity Warning][Incoming Entity Detected — High Energy Signature]
The road ahead shimmered. A streak of red lightning tore across the horizon, followed by the roar of a high-performance engine.
Sally's tone brightened. "Well, speak of the devil…"
From the glow of dust and dusk, a sleek red race car burst into view, drifting into the street like a star falling from heaven.
Lightning McQueen.Even if I hadn't known his name, I'd have felt the energy—the confidence, the precision, the speed.
He skidded to a stop beside us, grinning. "Sally! Didn't think I'd see you out here this early."
Then he turned to me.His expression shifted slightly. "And… who's the new guy?"
Sally smirked. "Stray I found in the desert. He's still getting used to town."
Lightning laughed. "Heh. Don't worry, rookie. Happens to the best of us."
Rookie.I wanted to argue, but couldn't. Because deep down, I was one.
"Name's… uh…" I hesitated. My real name suddenly felt far away. Human names didn't fit here. "Just call me Ace."
Lightning nodded. "Well, Ace, welcome to Radiator Springs. You'll fit right in—if you can keep up."
That grin again. Cocky, reckless, familiar.
Before I could reply, the System buzzed one more time.
[New Quest: Prove Your Worth]Objective: Beat Lightning McQueen in a friendly race.Reward: Skill Unlock – Boost Mode.
I stared at the glowing prompt."Wait… beat him?"
Sally laughed softly. "Good luck with that."
Lightning revved his engine, the sound echoing through the canyon walls. "Race tonight. Sunset track. Let's see what you've got, Ace."
And just like that, he was gone in a blur of light and dust.
Sally turned to me, amusement twinkling in her headlights. "You're in for quite the ride."
I looked down the empty road where Lightning disappeared.My tires tightened. My engine pulsed.
[Quest Timer: 05:00:00]
"Yeah," I whispered."I guess I am."