PLANES WELCOME NEW HANOIL WORLD GRAND PRIX WITH OPEN WINGS!

BY ALISON CERTAIN

After many a question and asking, this reporter has finally gotten her tires on what seems to be a shared opinion among plane-kind! Just like our little racing world on the ground, racing in the air has become as much of a dud as straightaway.

"I can't wait to see what this race brings!" said one apple-cheeked 8 Cessna Model 177 Cardinal. "Racing's fun and all, in my humble opinion, but HanOil's World Grand Prix seems absolutely out of this world!"

"I'm all for it," said spokesperson for the United Planes Against Injustice Committee (UPAIC), Blythe Little. "Something like this may seem pretty controversial—and don't get me wrong, it is!—but this is the sort of progressive thinking that UPAIC has been seeking since 67'! It'll promote relations between cars as planes, and give a good example to those who are set to inherit the world after us—the next generation."

"Things have been a little slow," admitted Jean Carruthers, cousin and trainer of renowned racing celebrity Ripslinger. "No doubt my cousin wants to get straight back into the game after his last season. This race is the perfect opportunity." Unfortunately, Mr. Carruthers refused to comment further.

As you all can see, dear readers, some popular figureheads are simply "all for" the upcoming HanOil World Grand Prix. This reporter will certainly be on the case of this race, even if it means spending her all of her earnings on plane tickets! What about you, dear readers?

Hye-rim flipped through the screen using a remote, scanning each and every competitor.

"What do you think?" a car rolled up next to her. "Hey, isn't that the cropduster?"

"Why, yes," Hye-rim said, "And as for what I think..." She smiled in a genteel manner. "I think it's simply wonderful. Would you be so kind, Assistant Eun-tae, as to escort me to where my family are about to begin dining? I wouldn't want to miss another dinner."

"Of course."

The two cars left the room, the visualizer flickering slightly, causing the image of Dusty Crophopper to waver.

Two months later...

"Quick!" Suddenly, Mater drove up to Lightning McQueen, who was parked at Flo's and enjoying a can of gasoline after multiple laps around Willy's Butte. "It's an emergency!"

"What?!" Instantly, Lightning was on alert. "Mater, what is it?" Oh, no, did someone crash? Was there an earthquake? Is Sally okay?

"I," Mater inhaled, "Saw the newly released roster for the HanOil racing thing, and y'know what?!"

"What?" Lightning was growing more antsy. "Mater, spit it out!"

"I can't speak Korean!" Mater stared at Lightning imploringly.

"... You're kidding, right? Geez, Mater, you really had be going for a sec. Well, if it makes you feel any better, I'm not exactly a master either." Lightning sighed in fond exasperation. It was hard to believe sometimes that his best friend was actually a knight. "Anyway, why are you suddenly so concerned about learning Korean? And what's this about the roster?"

"Aw, well, it goes like this..." Just like that, Mater completely forgot about his dilemma, something that did not escape Lightning (though it did make him smile). The tow truck explained to the racer that HanOil had released the roster of plane and cars partners for the 2018 World Grand Prix just last night, and would be calling all of the racers down to Korea soon for the start of the race.

"Wow, already?" Lightning marvelled after Mater finished his long-winded explanation. "Those Korean cars sure work quick." In just two months? Something this big should require a lot more time to plan, prepare, and host. Something didn't sit right with him, but he shrugged it off. Perhaps the Koreans were simply adept organizers.

"You're tellin' me!" exclaimed Mater, "I've been tryin' to brush on mah Korean but all those lines are so dang complicated." He scrunched up his face. "How's this sound: chee-make?"

Lightning simply stared at him. "Okay, I'm lost." Only Mater would try to be fluent in Korean in less than twenty-four hours.

"Aw, shoot," said Mater, frowning, "It's supposed to mean fried chicken and beer. I think."

Well, it sure didn't sound like any sort of fried chicken and beer to Lightning, and he said as much before adding, "Don't worry about it too much, buddy. We won't be the only ones totally lost on the language at the race."

"Did I hear something about the race?" Suddenly, Ethel the electric car was there, having completed her shift at the Cozy Cone. "I was online just a few minutes ago and HanOil's roster announcement is all over my news feed!"

"Beut's feet?" mumbled Lizzie as she creaked past, her head in the clouds as usual. "Now, what are feet, I wonder...?"

"Yeah, we were just talking about that, actually," Lightning informed her. I wonder if Cruz has gotten the news yet? Considering she's way more in touch with the tech these days, I wouldn't be so surprised. He sweatdropped. Geez, I sound so old... I'd better make some new posts on my social media. And if he thought Cruz was tech savvy, he would simply be beside himself at Jackson Storm's ability to handle the media hounds through his social medias.

"Did you see who Francesco Bernoulli got partnered with?!" Ethel all but shrieked, she being a fan of the open-wheeled racer. Lightning plastered a strained grin on his face at the thought of yet another girl car he knew that fangirled over Francesco.

"Who?" Mater asked.

"This guy who calls himself El Chupacabra." Ethel giggled. "Can you believe that? Ain't that Spanish for 'the goat-sucker'?"

"Gesundheit," said Mater.

"It wasn't a sneeze! His name is actually El Chupacabra! Well, his stage name, anyway. I hope."

"Yeah, I mean, what kind of car would name their child El Chupacabra?" Lightning joked, hoping to steer clear away the topic of Francesco. He didn't exactly have a problem with Francesco himself, but the way the ladies would purr over him... No. Just, no.

"Gesundheit," Mater repeated, straightening himself. "Boy, Ethel, are you gettin' sick?" He chuckled at her annoyed expression. "Dad-gum, it was jus' a joke! Say, is Mr. Chu Alpaca any good?"

Lightning couldn't help but grin. There went his best friend again—always making a mess out of complicated, foreign names.

"Dunno," Ethel said, also smiling. "I've checked out his website—"

"He has a website?" Lightning asked, mostly to himself.

"—it looks trash in my opinion, but I saw a clip of him racing with Dusty Crophopper, and he don't look half-bad."

"Dusty Crophopper?" Lightning echoed. "Oh, hey, I've heard of that guy. Wasn't he a farmer that became a racer? I followed his race as much as I could."

"Yeah, but he was more of a one-hit wonder than anything else," said Ethel, shaking her hood. "Too bad, he was pretty cute, too."

They talked for the rest of the afternoon, joined by the other colorful residents of Radiator Springs from time to time, and some tourists as well. In a few days, Lightning McQueen would be headed to Korea with his fiancée, Mater, and the rest of his crew.

There were many toasts to the red racer at the Wheel Well that night, and even Cruz Ramirez dropped by for a quick greeting.

She stepped outside just moments later, feeling a bit suffocated by the amount of cars within the interior.

"Whoops, excuse me," Cruz said as she dodged a minivan couple. "Pardon me..." She continued to swerve around patrons, finally finding herself at the edge of the vicinity. "Phew..." She was starting to drive off again when another car drove right past her, causing her to stop in her tracks. It was a sight she had seen many times on the racetrack. The rear end of Jackson Storm. "Hey, Storm!" The words were out of her mouth before she even knew it.

The black car ignored her and continued to drive forward. Cruz bit her lip, feeling foolish. He had undoubtedly heard her call out to him, and made it clear that he wanted to avoid her as much as he possibly could, which was not uncommon when he wasn't in the mood for belittling her.

Sighing in frustration, she caught up him, unwilling to be still staring after him like an idiot. "I said hey, you know. Usually, when cars say 'hey', you say 'hey' back."

Storm finally turned around, giving her a frosty glare. "Costume girl. Hey. Happy?" With that, he prepared to continue on his way, but Cruz wouldn't let him go that easily.

"Whoa, hold up a sec!" The Jackson Storm hanging out in Radiator Springs? Cruz just had to know the story behind this one. "No offence and all, but why are you here?" She raised a brow. "I mean, Radiator Springs is great and all... but I never thought that it'd be your kind of scene."

"It isn't," Storm answered curtly, averting her gaze. "Look, Costume Girl," he added, his scowl deepening ever so slightly. Had he not been around Cruz for such a long time, he would have definitely snapped some kind of very, very degrading insult at her. "If you really must know, Ray sent me here to get away from those hyenas."

Cruz nodded, knowing that he was referring to the tiresome reporters and flashing cameras.

Sensing another question, Storm supplied, "This is the last place they'd ever expect me to be." He sneered. "Hillybilly hell." With that, he drove off with a sort of finality that simply left Cruz uncomfortably staring after him, turning away when he disappeared down a slope.

Then she paused. Knowing that he couldn't have gotten far, even if he was no longer in her line of sight, she shouted as loud as she could, buzzed with energy, "GOOD LUCK, STORM! I'M NOT GONNA GO EASY ON YOU!"

If he was still the Jackson Storm that she knew (a callous, aggravating asshole that she still worked halfheartedly to befriend), he'd say something back, because Jackson Storm didn't like it when someone else got the last word in. Cruz eagerly waited for his dry, cutting response, jumping on her front tires ever so slightly.

Somewhere in the night, there was a hoot. Cruz deflated before shaking her hood. Should have expected as much. I mean, come on, he's Storm. Jackass extraordinaire. She didn't like to think such negative things about others, but Jackson Storm was an entirely different story.

"Hey, Cruz, what are you doing out here by yourself?" Lightning rolled up to her, concern in his blue eyes. "Why don't you come join the party?"

"Hm? Oh—I was just getting a little fresh air!" Cruz grinned at him, the action slightly crooked. Come on, girl, don't let Storm put a damper on your spirits! "But now that you mention it, a refreshment would be nice."

"That's the spirit!" Lightning escorted Cruz back into the Wheel Well. "Guido makes great..." He rambled off the name of some drink, but Cruz was no longer paying much attention.

Jackson Storm, she resolved, her gaze flashing with at the prospect of a challenge, This race is mine. You're not going to be able to look down on me after this.

"Have you checked the roster for your partner yet?" Sally asked when she and Lightning cruised back to the Cozy Cone.

"Yeah, but," Lightning frowned, "It doesn't have anyone listed."

"What?" He could practically see the gears turning in Sally's brain as she comprehended what that meant for her soon-to-be husband.

"Tex is already looking into it," Lightning informed her. "I—" The phone attached to his person rang. It was something he wasn't used to yet, but was quickly adapting to. "Sorry, Sal, speak of the devil."

"Oh, take your time," Sally said encouragingly, "I'm just as curious about this as you are."

Shooting his beloved a grateful glance, Lightning picked up, "Hello, Tex?"

"Howdy, McQueen! Just callin' in to inform you that I've spoken with the officials and they've told me this: You'll meet your plane partner on the day of the race. I know, son, it sounds like a load of tractor crap to me as well, but you're going to have to wait a little while longer until your partner is revealed. Apparently, there was some kind of glitch in the system, but the Koreans are saying that they have faith in your abilities to adapt."

"Wow, uh..." Lightning was at a loss for words. While he was flattered, this really was some bad luck. "Well, I guess it can't be helped. Thanks anyway, Tex."

When the call ended, Sally looked inquisitively at Lightning. "Well, Stickers? What did he say?"

He repeated the short conversation to Sally, whose frown only deepened.

"Stickers..." she trailed off. This doesn't feel right at all. I mean, I get it since less experienced racers are going to be participating as well, but... "You know what? We can think about this in the morning. Let's get some shut-eye for now."

Lightning nodded, visibly relieved. It was nearing the early hours of the morning. "You're right. See you in the morning." He gave her a kiss, which she happily returned.

"You too, Stickers. You too."

"NOOOO!" Mater shrieked when the female lead in the drama he was watching collapsed in a dead faint, the tow truck earning death glares from nearby passengers that were trying to nap.

Team McQueen (composed of the car himself, Mater, Guido and Luigi, Sarge, and Filmore), were currently on their final flight to Seoul, South Korea, after many a plane-hopping. They were all exhausted at this point, but Mater still had enough energy to squeeze in just one more episode of the k-drama he was had binged on during the previous flights.

Lightning let out a small groan as he was roused from his sleep, groggily blinking at Mater. "Hey, Mater, do you think you could keep it down...?"

"But, McQueen! Soo-mi jus' fainted an'—"

But Lightning wasn't interested in the main lead's fainting episode. "Mater. Sleep. Now. Or you'll be too tired to drive when we arrive."

"Yeah, hush!" Ethel (Sally had invited her along after lots of pleading from Ethel's part and hesitant agreement from Flo to run the Cozy Cone while they were gone) added from the back, glaring around the side. "I'm so jetlagged you wouldn't believe it!"

Slightly bashful, Mater bowed his head slightly to him and said in butchered Korean, "Mee-anh-hae."

This is bad, Lightning thought as he woke up a little more. Mater's starting to immerse himself more in the culture! At this rate, only Chrysler knew how many Koreans Mater would inadvertently insult during their stay in Seoul. It would be a repeat of Japan all over again. "Hey, uh, Mater? Why don't you just stick to English? It sounds a lot more... natural."

"Well, if you say so, McQueen... But ah' still..."

Lightning never got to hear what Mater had to say for himself next, having fallen right back asleep.

On the same flight, Alison Certain fidgeted in her seat in economy class. There was a rather bulky minivan snoring next to her, sagging toward her direction. Alison cringed. Keep it together, Certain. It'll be all worth it in the end.

A/N: Annnnnd... the gang are off to Korea.

치맥 and 미안해 were used and abused. I'm not very well-versed with Korean (I am Chinese Malaysian... -v-'') but google tried its best.

I know we're not seeing much of the planes, but they'll appear a lot more often pre-competition and during the race as well (hopefully, kek). This update was supposed to come earlier but I went away on school camp.

R&R~ :')