I AM SPEED

Thunder always comes after LIGHTNING!

[lightning-kachow]

MONTGOMERY “LIGHTNING” FELIPÉ MARTINEZ MCQUEEN

i’m doing this for revenge / i’m doing this to try and stay true / i’m doing this for the ones we had to leave behind / i’m doing this for you

Nicknames: Monty, Lightning Magic status: Gifted - super speed Nationality: American Ethnicity: Mexican Accent: American (California) Height: 6′3″ Build: Athletic Complexion: Tan, medium-brown Eye color: Brown Hair color/length/style: In the past he’s kept it very short to reduce drag, but in the off season/during his hiatus it’s a bit longer, dark brown with some gray streaks Tattoos/piercings/daily jewelry: He has a lightning bolt tattoo on his right shoulder and “95″ on his chest

What would you find if you Googled them? Wikipedia article about his career as a Magick Grand Prix athlete, his social media, and some articles about his recent scandal (Twitter comments about Magick-friendly towns)

What natives would know about them: He mentioned Swynlake/Pride U when he was making offensive comments about Magick-friendly towns, so it might have been something in your character’s radar. Also you might know that his daughter, Cruz, and her mom, Bessie have lived in Swynlake for years.

Other: for more information about the Magick Grand Prix, click here!

[cruzzramirez]

Back On The Track || Cruzing

[cruzzramirez]

@lightning-kachow

"I don't know that I would call it playing it cool," Cruz said, lifting her arms from their motion to apply air quotes as she tried to mimic his accent with his words. "I think she's ambitious! And will cut a– uh, I mean, I know she doesn't let people push her around or anything. But she never...wanted me to push myself. I know she was just trying to protect me, keep me from being disappointed by things out of my control but, I don't know.

"Like I said, I just don't think she gets that you have to do that in order to win when you're competing against people who want it as badly as you do. You have prove you want it even more than they do, and that means showing yourself that you can get past even what you thought was your limit!" Cruz blinked, coming down from her rant and glanced sideways toward him.

"Whoops. Sorry! What did I say about telling me when I was rambling?"

[lightning-kachow]

"What are you apologizing for?" Lightning said, confused by the sudden change of tone. "That wasn't rambling. We were just talking."

That was something Lightning liked about running. He was a yapper, and maybe that was another trait Cruz inherited from him. Or maybe that was just the fun of running with a friend. Lightning remembered when he used to do this with Wolf at the Inn, long runs where Lightning mostly talked the whole time.

It was cool to do it with Cruz too.

"If you thought that was rambling, you should hear me by the time we get to mile four or five. I can out-talk anyone. Plus, you actually had a point. Which I can't always guarantee I do."

@cruzzramirez

[dragon-not-a-lizard]

Dreams Come True | Open

[lightning-kachow]

Lightning nodded. He'd heard about the American National Dragon, but Lightning had no idea if that guy had done Magick Grand Prix.

He could definitely talk about his childhood hero, though. "João Rodriguez," Lightning said. "That's another name you should Google. Talk about multitalented. Every time his competition thought they had him figured out, he brought out a new strategy. It was incredible to watch."

@dragon-not-a-lizard

[dragon-not-a-lizard]

Mushu pulled out his phone, immediately noting the name to google, though he wasn't entirely sure about spelling. He was sure google would correct him. As long as he knew the details about who he was trying to search for.

"That's amazing. I'm definitely going to google that name." Plus Mushu liked competition. And knowing about someone that good motivated him to want to be better somehow. Granted, he'd never done the Magick Grand Prix. But hey... he could figure it out. And win!

"Do you have any other suggestions that I should pay attention to for the Grand Prix?"

@lightning-kachow

[lightning-kachow]

"Honestly, Cruz'll do a way better job of explaining things than me. Just have fun with it, kid," Lightning said encouragingly. It had been a long time since he'd managed to get someone interested in the sport. It felt pretty good, honestly. Maybe there was something to the idea of explaining instead of getting annoyed when people didn't know it.

@dragon-not-a-lizard

[lightning-kachow]

Loose Threads | McCountess

[menodoramoon]

This conversation is strange, Menodora notes. But, then again, anything relating to a Swynlake Dream felt strange. Especially since this seemed to be one between the two of them, without the influence of the entire town.

She doesn't know what it is that she's said that's put Lightning off, but she smiles regardless in an attempt to ease him. Maybe, drink before her, she'd be able to also speak plainly. Or she'd speak recklessly and derail this conversation further.

"You're right, we barely know each other," Menodora says, an obvious truth. "I'm not hurt, I can assure you. I also would expect your real-self wouldn't be dying and confessing your love, seeing as we really -- in most cases -- only die once." She says it humorously.

This was, in fact, a very awkward 2nd/3rd/4th date.

"You're being honest, Lightning. It's not made it better or worse, we're just talking." She sips her drink, almost languidly. Shaking out all the tension that came with confronting the things she did not want to confront.

@lightning-kachow

[lightning-kachow]

Lightning was starting to regret bringing this up. Moon said he wasn't making things worse, but Lightning wasn't sure he believed her. It seemed like all of his words were coming out wrong.

These goddamn Swynlake dreams. What were you even supposed to do with them? Lightning had really warmed up to a lot of things about Swynlake, but this brought up a very familiar frustration.

"I don't even know what I'm talking about," Lightning said, shaking his head. "Anyway, we talked about it. So now we should probably just forget it happened. It's not like it means anything."

@menodoramoon

[lightning-kachow]

Loose Threads | McCountess

[menodoramoon]

Menodora fixes him with a look. "Was it?" She asks, seriously. Menodora had been confused, but she couldn't tell if she was embarrassed or not. Likely not. She was known to be overly sentimental, so even if it was only a dream, the feeling of it was familiar.

"No, it's alright. So you've been avoiding me about the dream also, then?" She asks, tilting her head in an inquisitive way. "I must admit it wasn't that I was embarrassed to have felt for you in a dream, it was that I wasn't sure if the dream had been mutual or not. Would I bring it up for it to be, simply, one-sided?"

@lightning-kachow

[lightning-kachow]

Lightning couldn't tell which Moon was asking— if the dream was embarrassing, or if the situation was funny. Either way, he felt a bit like he'd misstepped, made himself look like a jerk or an idiot.

"It's not that I was embarrassed that I was in love with you in the dream or anything— I mean, it's weird, like, because we barely know each other in real life, but it's not you— it's just the drama of it all. It's not normally how I roll, the whole dying-confession-of-love thing," Lightning explained quickly. "Sorry, I can't tell if that just made it better or worse. Seriously, I don't mean anything bad by it."

@menodoramoon

[lightning-kachow]

Dream Sequence | Derby

[trackedbymaximus]

Ah. Well that did make sense. The dreams could be unsettling for a lot of people, and the ones around Valentine's often hit a little deeper than most people anticipated.

"Not doomed love. Yet anyway." His real life romances were doomed enough. "But sure, I've had my share of ones that dealt with life and death and romance. What was yours this time around?"

@lightning-kachow

[lightning-kachow]

Max spoke about it casually, like it was something that happened to everyone. That made Lightning feel better. No biggie, just an intense dramatic dream about a real person who also experienced that dream.

"Uh, it was, like, medieval times? And I was a tailor or something, and this woman I went on a date with one time, she was like a royal. And she kept coming into my shop, and one day we went out on a walk around, like, the market I guess. Anyway, I ended up having this super dramatic death in her arms or something. Pretty, uh, intense, huh?"

@trackedbymaximus

[dragon-not-a-lizard]

Dreams Come True | Open

[dragon-not-a-lizard]

Mushu felt the briefest spark of pride of being related to the National Dragon, though the spark faded just as fast when he remembered that the feeling wasn't a mutual one. His dad wouldn't even know Mushu could do stuff as a dragon right now. "Wow seriously? That's awesome. I heard the American National Dragon was in Swynlake at some point too so that's kind of cool. I'd love to hear more about the legend though." And do even better than him. Not that it was a competition with an old guy but... Mushu still wanted to do better.

@lightning-kachow

[lightning-kachow]

Lightning nodded. He'd heard about the American National Dragon, but Lightning had no idea if that guy had done Magick Grand Prix.

He could definitely talk about his childhood hero, though. "João Rodriguez," Lightning said. "That's another name you should Google. Talk about multitalented. Every time his competition thought they had him figured out, he brought out a new strategy. It was incredible to watch."

@dragon-not-a-lizard

[cruzzramirez]

Back On The Track || Cruzing

[cruzzramirez]

@lightning-kachow

Cruz was about to argue. She didn't know everyone. That was impossible. People were coming and going everyday! She just knew a lot of people and a lot of people knew her. He should know that by now, she wanted to say.

Instead that good nature got shut down as soon as his next sentence hit her.

It wasn't an out of pocket thing to say it was just...well, she wasn't use to him actively acknowledging the fact that she was his daughter. That there were bits and pieces of him that had been transferred to her, both made anew and yet remained the same. So much of her life had been coming to terms with the fact that he didn't want to acknowledge this about her because that made it easier to ignore her. She had been trying to keep this up for him, by insisting she was just a coach! Just a trainer! Never asking for anything else.

Now, here he was, saying things like that with the same ease as he did his usual jokes and banter. It caught her somewhere between angry and unbelievably happy. Angry for the kid who had been desperate to hear such a thing. Delighted for the woman who had been willing to get to the point where she could listen to it at all.

"I wasn't aware you had it! Must be recessive. You know, mum's pretty much got that on lock," she said, smiling as she touched off her foot to bounce around a large puddle on her side of the road. "I think I got my competitiveness from you, though– she doesn't really get it."

[lightning-kachow]

Lightning was never totally sure if he was allowed to make those kinds of jokes, since for so long he hadn't been around. And even now, he had no idea if he was doing okay with this having-an-adult-relationship-with-your-estranged-kid thing, or if he was totally fumbling it. So it was always kind of a relief when Cruz made jokes.

He laughed. "I'll take it," Lightning said, also dodging the puddle on the other side. "Your mom's always been that way, you know. Always played it cool. But I always figured she was doing just that— that she was secretly pretty competitive, she was just doing a good job at hiding it."

@cruzzramirez

[lightning-kachow]

Loose Threads | McCountess

[menodoramoon]

There's a tightness to Lightning's tone that Menodora feels bad for. Even in the humor of it, she can hear it. The hesitancy feels familiar, the way Menodora wasn't quite sure how to speak with Tófi or Aurora or Shang about such things. Dreams were revealing. Dreams obscured. Dreams.... left you with the impression of somewhere else, forced to face it in the current, right-now.

Menodora smiles a bit. "Well, I imagine you'd be distraught. You died. I have to wonder if the dream ended for you then, or if you recalled anything else about that world." Is she taking this seriously? Perhaps she ought to. She hides from her problems, but that doesn't mean she should shut Lightning out of this joint experience.

She sighs, then looks up,

"Look, I'm not good about talking about it because I don't like talking about it. But I'm trying. I'll try harder. It was a dream, wasn't it? That's all it was. So in that dream, we were in love? This long-term, pining, fated relationship? We barely know each other in real life, it felt strange to wake up and hold that much affection for you in a way I that wasn't real and for a you that wasn't you. I admit that the dream was probably the reason I haven't reached out for a second-slash-third-slash fourth date, depending on what we've determined 'counts.'"

@lightning-kachow

[lightning-kachow]

"Uh, yeah, not surprising. I was all... weepy and stuff. Embarrassing!" Lightning joked.

It was kind of true, though. Lightning looked back on that dream and he was embarrassed. Well, he felt a lot of complicated emotions he didn't know how to untangle, but he definitely knew he was embarrassed.

That was why he hadn't reached out to Moon. He assumed that she would think, based on the dream, that this was some over-emotional crap!

He chuckled. "Anyway, we don't have to stay on the topic if you don't want to. I was just saying, it's funny."

@menodoramoon

[dragon-not-a-lizard]

Dreams Come True | Open

[dragon-not-a-lizard]

Lightning McQueen. That was a crazy sort of name. But definitely memorable. And apparently google search worthy. Which meant this guy had to be famous for something in some way.

"Seriously? Well yeah I'll definitely look you up then. I'm Long Mushu. Or Mushu I guess. We usually introduce ourselves with last name first in China," Mushu explained. "I can't be google searched, but my dad probably can cause he's the Chinese National Dragon."

@lightning-kachow

[lightning-kachow]

"Whoa, no kidding?" Lightning still thought being a Magick Grand Prix star was pretty impressive, but being a National Dragon— or being related to one— that was on another level. "That's seriously impressive. You know, one of my Magick Grand Prix heroes growing up was a younger brother of the Brazilian National Dragon at the time. He was a legend in the sport!"

@dragon-not-a-lizard

[cruzzramirez]

Back On The Track || Cruzing

[cruzzramirez]

@lightning-kachow

Another bout of light laughter left her at his commentary as she watched the morning rush pass the by. "Save for mass events or some...I dunno, serious damage like someone tearing up the concrete that would leave it in shambles and in need of repair, I don't think that's happening anytime soon."

Finally a car pulled to a stop, their hand moving up to wave them across, and Cruz waved back. After they got to the other side a short, non-annoyed honk sounded out and she turned back, seeing one of her friend's dad through the window he'd rolled down."Morning, Cruz!"

"Hi, Mr. Mancini!" she waved back. The man smiled and the car rolled on ahead.

They made their way down Ever After, having to stop again to get across Main, but managed to get down and around the Sheriff's Department where the ground went from hard concrete to the less smoothed over earth and grass. It was still cold in the mornings, but the sun was starting to gain more traction, making the world brighter and brighter. The vivid colors of freshly brewing spring growing that much more saturated under the initial light of the day. As they grew closer to the Farmlands the wake up call of a rooster sounded in the distance.

[lightning-kachow]

Man, it really was early. Lightning had known that when he'd rolled out of bed this morning, and the sound of the rooster crowing and the sun peeking over the fields reminded him of that.

He didn't feel exhausted, though, the way he used to feel when he had to wake up for early flights. He felt energized. Was this another thing about getting older?

Maybe some things about getting older were actually kind of nice.

"I swear, you know everyone in this town," Lightning remarked as the car drove away. "You think you get the popularity gene from me?"

@cruzzramirez

[lightning-kachow]

Loose Threads | McCountess

[menodoramoon]

Ah. So Lightning was being direct with it all. She hums for a moment, thinking, before flagging over a bartender and requesting another drink.

"Perhaps a bit strange," Menodora concedes, looking at Lightning more seriously. "Fated, doomed lovers. Threads of fate. You dying, which I really was quite distraught about."

She looks away for just a moment as she watches her drink being made.

"Well, how did it make you feel, Lightning? That dream. Do we count that as our second date?" She says with a light laugh, though there is slight awkwardness to it. "Or is it our third, after speed dating?"

@lightning-kachow

[lightning-kachow]

"You were distraught about it? I was distraught about it!" Lightning laughed, trying to make this into a joke. Truthfully, he'd woken up pretty freaked-out. Whatever dream potion he'd taken must have gone past its expiration date or something.

So he didn't really know why he was bringing it up now. It just felt like something he should say. But he was starting to wonder if it was a bad idea after all, so he retreated into making jokes and downplaying how he'd felt.

"But yeah, I don't know. We can, if you want. Why not?" Lightning said with a shrug.

@menodoramoon

[dragon-not-a-lizard]

Dreams Come True | Open

[dragon-not-a-lizard]

"Oh really? That's awesome!" Mushu would be easily connected then. He couldn't help but wonder what it must feel like for this girl... to have her dad be proud of her and brag about her like this. Did she like it or find it overbearing or something cause she was used to having it? Oh well. Not a thought he needed to get stuck on. Mushu was doing great here without a braggy dad. So cool. He would do the magical grand prix! "Sure thing. Hit me with it. I'll email her as soon as I can." He pulled out his phone so he could be at the ready to save the contact information.

@lightning-kachow

[lightning-kachow]

It occurred to Lightning that this would be a lot easier if Cruz had business cards or something. Maybe he could suggest that at their next training session. Or did that really make him old-old?

Anyway, he took the kid's phone and typed the email address into it. "I'm Lightning McQueen, by the way. That name probably doesn't mean anything to you now, but maybe give it a Google if you're curious."

@dragon-not-a-lizard

[lightning-kachow]

Media Training | MidQueen

[perfectisgeorgette]

“Oh, please,” she said, dropping into the pedicure chair next to him with a swish of silk and scented body shimmer. “You’re still acting surprised that PR runs the world? Babe, where have you been?”

She crossed one leg over the other, sunglasses still perched on her head despite being very much indoors, and gave him a look. “Let Chick Hicks have his glossy moment. It’s smoke and mirrors. Half those stories are ghostwritten by interns hopped up on oat milk and manufactured redemption arcs.”

Georgette waved a manicured hand through the air like she was swatting away a bad brand deal. “The trick isn’t getting mad they printed his story—it’s writing yours first.”

She leaned over just slightly, voice dipping to something conspiratorial. “That’s the thing, Lightning. You don’t wait for people to tell your story. You get ahead of it. Make it shiny. Make it memorable. Make it yours. Otherwise? People fill in the blanks with whatever sells.”

Then, with a grin: “Honestly, we should’ve done a whole follow-up after the podcast. Your comeback arc? The injury, the recovery, the grit? Tell me that wouldn’t have people eating out of your palm.”

@lightning-kachow

[lightning-kachow]

Lightning frowned, considering this. Harv wouldn't have wanted him to do an interview about his injury. She would have wanted him to go on telling everyone that he was back now, that he was fine now, and that he was better than ever, even. "No comment" on anything about his knee.

"What if it just makes me look... old?" Lightning pointed out. "Like, people have been calling for me to retire for years now. I don't want to give them more ammo, talking about my injury."

He knew Georgette was good at this stuff, but she still was pretty young. Harv had a lot more experience than her. Not that Harv was even here... so maybe it was better to trust the publicist he had than wonder about the one he didn't. The one he'd fired, anyway.

@perfectisgeorgette

[lightning-kachow]

Loose Threads | McCountess

[menodoramoon]

It was absolutely that Moon was avoiding Lightning. Much like she feared that he had been avoiding her in turn. They'd talked only a handful of times since that dream, idle chatter and not much more. She pushes down any false memory of their romantic admissions when they speak. Any false reminiscing about walking market stalls with him or speaking softly with him in his shop during short lived spells of rain.

The entire thing had been whimsical and ridiculous, in a fantasy world where threads of fate twined two souls and frayed far before their time. Such things were just part of a dream. A vivid dream, but a dream none-the-less.

So, she ignored them as best as she could. Forces those thoughts deeper in her chest where they could no longer cause turmoil. She had enough to worry about, she didn't need to dredge this confusion up too.

For the most part, she's successful. That is, until the surface of the subject is finally broken one night at the Court.

She'd only gone for the live music, and drinks were secondary. She hadn't even realized Lightning was there until he catches her eye, sitting only a few seats down.

Menodora inclines her head. He moves closer. He asks if they were ever going to talk about it. Menodora... doesn't want to.

(Though, when does she ever want to talk about her problems?)

But it seems that he was forcing the issue and Menodora wasn't going to deny him some closure, or whatever it was that she could call it.

"If you like," Menodora says, trying (possibly failing) to keep neutrality in her tone. "What about it would you like to talk about, Lightning?"

@lightning-kachow

[lightning-kachow]

"I'm not saying we have to," Lightning backpedaled. He hadn't exactly come into this conversation with a plan. It was all an IPA-infused whim, not exactly the best conditions to talk about what kept you up at night.

But then again, maybe it was the best conditions. When else was this gonna come up?

"It's just weird, right? We lived out this dramatic life-and-death doomed love thing the day after we had that date, and then we just never talk about it. I'm not saying it's all on you, by the way. I'm doing the same thing."

@menodoramoon

[dragon-not-a-lizard]

Dreams Come True | Open

[dragon-not-a-lizard]

If it was just a race, Mushu probably would have lost interest. Or at least, he would have debated on whether or not he wanted to do it. But an all Magick competition? An obstacle course race? One where he could use his magic and challenge himself and show the strength of a dragon?

Oh Mushu was a thousand percent on board. His eyes lit up, and he saw an opportunity to still get the thrill of sports. He might not be able to play basketball anymore, but he could do this! He could dominate in the Magick Grand Prix!

"That sounds absolutely amazing," Mushu replied after a minute. "I love competition anyway. I'm huge into basketball and stuff. But an obstacle course where I can become even more skilled as a dragon... that sounds incredible! I do go to the university here so... yeah. Where do I sign up?"

@lightning-kachow

[lightning-kachow]

"Well, it just so happens that my daughter is a coach in the program," Lightning bragged. "I know, another reason I'm biased. But I really think you'd get a lot out of it. I can give you her email, she can get you all set up."

@dragon-not-a-lizard

[cruzzramirez]

Back On The Track || Cruzing

[cruzzramirez]

@lightning-kachow

She smiled, admiring the desire to get after it. But she had the feeling that it was coming from a place of being on bed rest for weeks, in a brace for more than that, and not being able to run until he got cleared by the doctor. It was very much her job to push him past the point he thought he couldn't keep going, because there was always a little bit left in the tank.

It was also her job to make sure he didn't go over the limit and run out of gas completely.

"Glad to hear it! But this isn't the only thing I have on the agenda today," she said. "If you want to go that hard right out of the gate, I can't stop you, I'll just advise you that if you do, you'll probably be miserable later."

Cruz nodded her head in the direction of the street, "Come on!"

[lightning-kachow]

Of course— Cruz had a plan. And Lightning felt a little bit silly for not trusting that, considering he'd promised her that he would. So maybe he'd turn down the volume a little bit, even if he felt he could do 75%. He definitely didn't want to be miserable later.

So he just nodded and followed Cruz. He could feel the way his knee moved a little differently now. But it wasn't painful. It was just different.

"I wish they'd just close the streets down now and then," Lightning complained when they got stopped at a traffic light, jogging in place. He wanted just to ignore it, but the cars didn't seem to leave any openings. Plus, he didn't want to endanger Cruz.

@cruzzramirez