#professor rearview hwlr

[thunderstomm]

“That went well, right? We ended on that evil laugh and struck fear into the hearts of everyone! …Didn’t we?”

[highway-35]

since nobody asked me about my ideal hwlr season 3 im gonna do it myself spoilers ahead obviously

under the cut bc its getting stupidly long and also 👉 mostly unedited rambling you have been warned

ok so for starters. rearview backstories are overhauled. i dont like professor rearview being a camper with dash originally, it doesnt match with his initial motivations of disliking cars if he's out for dash SPECIFICALLY. also its a lame and overused backstory especially in kids tv. so instead he's an outside force through and through who dislikes cars for multiple valid reasons, ie accidents, dependence on cars in infrastructure, poor urban development, lack of freedom etc. he's absolutely an r/fuckcars user (and i say this as someone who agrees with this viewpoint). he's big on bikes specifically (why else does he have the bike helmet lol) besides his monsters. im keeping the monsters bc like once you remove the monsters hes basically an entirely different character. i ALSO dont want to make him too much like dr. eggman bc hes kind of an eggman ripoff already. also 👆 since dash is an inventor/roboticist in her own right it adds a nice contrast between mechanical and biological inventions. ALSO also rearview and dash do NOT look the same age at all (dash is like 20-30 tops and rearview is 50-60) so it doesnt make sense for them to have been campers together (since the campers in the show are in the 10-13 range i think). to ME. also he seems like a cornelius to me. (he adopted rearview as a nickname yes i KNOW eggman already did this and that i SAID i didnt want him to be an eggman ripoff but this doesnt have to come up in the show ✋🤚)

once thats out of the way cruise is his not-yet-adopted nibling, not his child. rearview was single and childless (he preferred it that way), a biology/bioengineering professor somewhere outside hot wheels city. i see hot wheels city in the show as equivalent to manhattan so he'd be in like upstate new york or boston. but his sibling/s were killed in a car accident- he already disliked cars and hot wheels city, but this motivated him to take things into his own hands. he developed these large animal like monsters (more fleshy and realistic compared to dash's cartoony, stylized robotic obstacles) to ultimately destroy the ultimate garage and bring the whole city down. because he was cruise's next of kin, he got custody over them. cruise is rearview's nibling and not child here since like. coop has HIS dad and axle has HIS dad and its like the writers didnt have any other familial relationships on hand. also yes i know uncle larry's there but he doesnt have the same primary caretaker role coops dad and striker spoiler do

(now i COULD ALSO make cruise bioengineered that would be sick but mega wrex put a bad taste in my mouth so im gonna say no. do NOT bring up brights, she has a prosthetic, that's different. ALSO DO NOT BRING UP SQUEAKERS in my ideal hwlr squeakers is a decently intelligent roomba kinda deal that dash made as a companion but hes like. aibo level. and people just project onto him as people tend to do with robots)

with that out of the way CRUISE is this little orphan kid that just got adopted by their uncle. they go along with it bc a) that's their uncle like xe lives with them. b) its fun to make the other kids really mad (cruise was a bit of a bully but was defensive instead of offensive since they had like 0 friends and werent popular at all so they think everyone hates it). c) its fun to be evil and d) revenge for the death of xyr parents. instead of the street shrieker being a sports car, its a bike augmented with car power shit. not a motorbike bc i dont think rearview would be into those but a really souped up, high performance e-bike. with scale patterns (prof. rearview's has more of a sinewy, muscle texture).

professor rearview was initially reluctant to let cruise race but it appealed to his ego to let a bike user win against car racers so he relented but is still VERY concerned over cruise's safety. he's still shaken up by the accident while cruise shoves that shit down and is headstrong/stubborn. cruise gets super involved in the races when they happen and starts to really enjoy racing, rearview doesnt exactly enjoy that fact? but is happy cruise has something they like.

(i should mention here that while i do hc cruise as enby, they aren't out yet. everyone still thinks xe's a girl and refers to xem as such. cruise is still figuring itself out, especially now that it's growing into puberty (around 11-12yo). cruise doesnt feel safe coming out to either their family or the campers).

everything is mostly the same in seasons 2/3 except that i took megawrex out back. yeah theres no megawrex here he gives me. INCREDIBLE fury i want him torn to shreds. he pisses me off. if they REALLY want to include monster trucks make it a cartoon and the real megawrex has a human driver.

but when cruise wins the ultimate garage, they start to really like it. rearview thinks he owns the place and uses all the cars to cause chaos in the city, while cruise explores the insides of the garage. remember: theyre a very vulnerable, emotionally charged and orphaned kid who just won the keys to the city. when professor rearview decides to destroy the garage via self-destruct, cruise remembers that xe won the garage, not xyr uncle. so when coop goes to shut off the self-destruct, cruise gets there first and officially takes over the garage, kicking its uncle out in the process.

cruise's keeping of the garage is a little bit selfish (wants all the cool amenities for themselves), a little bit selfless (doesnt want people to be hurt in the collateral damage), but mostly they just want to keep racing and thrive off the struggle of their opponents. xe enjoys playing the heel! so cruise's plan is to control the garage, let the campers and other racers struggle to win it, and (eventually) pass it on when they felt like it. they didnt think this through all that well tbh.

also this is at the top of their game. cruise has the world in the palm of xyr hands (so xe thinks) and this is when cruise decides to come out. its very casual. axle just mentions like ugh its professor rearviews evil niece and cruise says "oh actually im not a girl." more softly than they'd like. the campers are confused ("wait you're a boy?" "it doesnt sound like you are" "maybe she's actually a monster in disguise!!") until xe clarifies they aren't a boy or a girl. they're nonbinary. have been for a while, but now that they have the ultimate garage, they're confident enough to say it out loud! after all, none of the campers can stop xem, and neither can xyr uncle. what's anyone gonna do about it? professor rearview gets all huffy like UGH im your UNCLE i CARE FOR YOU WHY DIDNT YOU TELL MEEE and cruise goes stfu you suck and are generally unpleasant to be around (he also tends to misgender them and thinks winning the garage got to their head which is why theyre nb now).

this goes on for another season bc hwlr NEEDS the extra runtime badly blah blah blah coop wins the garage back on some technicality. cruise thrives on technicalities xe loves technicalities and loopholes. and living at the garage has been nice and all but also very lonely. but they can't just give up now right? theyre not ready and cant ever be ready, not like this. coop offers to let them stay and they decide not to. cruise leaves their baggage in hot wheels city, goes back to their uncle's old place upstate, cat in tow. maybe go back to school, get into the trades, professional racing? there's so many more possibilities out there, when the road forks.

[viewer-of-many]

HWLR Alterverse AU: Car Wash Catastrophe

🎤"It's a beautiful morning here in Hot Wheels City. And I tell ya, nothing can ruin this grand opening of the Hot Wheels Ultimate Car Wash...except a giant rampaging octopus!"🎤 Said octopus began lurching toward the car wash, its rider clearly enjoying all of this. 🪞"Ooh, this is fun! For me that is- it's scary for you!"🪞

Meanwhile, at the Ultimate Garage: 💛"Ever get thirsty on a long race? My new dashboard water shooter can solve that! Just press this button and...whoa!"💛 The water ended up going everywhere, but it was turned off quickly enough. 💛"Whew! Sorry, Dash! That wasn't right. Looks like some adjustments are in order- like changing the angle."💛 "Ah, don't worry, Spark. Every failure means you're one step closer to success! Keep trying!" Just then, Squeakers rushes towards them in a panic, slipping on some water as he does so. 🐭*hurried squeaking*🐭 "Uh, I might be paraphrasing, but did Squeakers just say there's a GIANT OCTOPUS?!"

🎤"The octopus is running, uh, slithering wild! And not even the police can tame these tentacles!"🎤

The campers ran over to where a holographic display of what's going on was located. 💛"The octopus, it's destroying the city!"💛 "We have to stop it!" "Challenge Accepted!" "I choose: the RocketFire!" "I choose: the Baja Jump Truck!" 🩶"I choose: the Mountain Mauler!"🩶 "I choose: the Power Surge!" "I choose: the Roller Toaster!" 💛"The best thing to stop a sea creature- another sea creature! I choose: the Shark Bite!"💛 Cars selected, all lined up, and away they go to save the day!

Back at the car wash: 🪞"I'm destroying Hot Wheels City, and all the cars in it! What a glorious day!"🪞 🎤"You heard it here first folks: this pesky professor is gonna destroy the car wash!"🎤 🪞"Hey, don't undersell it: I'm destroying the WHOLE CITY! This is just, you know, first."🪞

At this point, the campers had arrived. "Hey dude, this is a no octopus loading area!" 🪞"Race back to where you came from kids, because I, Professor Rearview...wait, is that Cruise? Oh, you better race back home right now, you're in so much trouble, do you hear me?!"🪞 "Cruise, you know this guy?" "Yeah...that's my dad." The other campers were very surprised by that! 🪞"Glad you're still willing to admit it! Now then, where was I...oh, right: I'm going to make this city pay for its love of cars! I hate them so, so much: they're loud, they pollute like crazy, and don't even get me started on parallel parking! This city, and all its cars, will be destroyed! And I'll evilly laugh like this: *attempts an evil laugh- keyword being attempts.*"🪞

💛"Ok, I analyzed the octopus. I think the best way to stop it is to use its tentacles against itself! Let's all race really fast at the tentacles so they get tangled up like a pretzel! Come on!"💛 They go to do exactly that, but the professor isn't going to make things easy. 🪞"Octopus, get those racers!"🪞 Using two of its tentacles as a fan, the octopus was able to blow the racers back! 🪞"Ha! Nothing can distract me from my plan, nothing...hey, is that a pizza truck down there?"🪞

"Well, that didn't work, like, at all." 💛"It's like Dash said: every failure means we're one step closer to success. Hmm...let's try racing at the octopus from different directions!"💛 "If we do that, it'll be a lot harder for the octopus to catch us!" "One extra-large order of calamari, coming up!" Meanwhile, Professor Rearview was chomping down on pizza, one slice at a time. 🪞"Mmm...back for more, racers?"🪞 The campers split up into two teams: Cruise, Mac, and Sidecar on one side; Axle, Brights, and Spark on the other. As they raced around, the octopus took a bit to decide who to focus on first. "Yes! We're confusing it! Keep it up...whoa!" 🪞"No, we'll keep you up! Also, while you're here...*tries to hand her some of the pizza* ...want some? It's got your favorite toppings!"🪞 "I'm not hungry." 🪞"Fine, more for me then! Octopus, get those other racers!"🪞

"Uh, I don't remember reading about this on the camp website." 🩶"Maybe it was in the brochure!"🩶 The octopus had gotten hold of one whole team! 💛"Don't worry guys: this is why we raced in different directions. If some cars get caught, we still have a chance to stop the octopus!"💛 "Smart thinking, Spark!" The two of them crisscrossed their path, thus causing the octopus to do the same with some of its tentacles. "It's really working...Ah! Never mind! Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no!" 🪞"There's still one more racer!"🪞 Axle managed to get on the upper side of the octopus's tentacles...before also getting grabbed...and the octopus had more in store for him! "Ugh, you need a breath mint!" Down the hatch he went! 🩶"Axle! NOOOO!"🩶 Thankfully, he was in a big car that didn't stay down easily. 🪞"I think you might've eaten too fast, octopus. Kind of like I did with all those pizza slices."🪞 What goes in now comes out, very dirty, but otherwise fine. "Axle, you ok?" "Oh, I'm fine, Cruise. I love getting burped up by some thing your dad made!"

🩶"I know Dash thinks we could do this, but all we've done is fail."🩶💛"Failure doesn't mean quitting- it means trying even harder!" 💛 "I agree, Spark! The way we win is to try, fail, and repeat until we get it right!" "Then come up with a new plan, fast!" "Yeah, those tentacles are snatching up cars like Professor Rearview snatches up pizza slices!" 🪞"Hey! Don't judge me, it's my cheat day!"🪞

💛"We need a way to keep the octopus from grabbing us. Cruise, any ideas?"💛 "Well..." *flashback starts* "Dad and I had to wear some special Slip Suits he invented so it didn't grab us while we took care of it" *flashback ends* "...but I don't think we can put something like that on our cars." Spark looked up at the Ultimate Car Wash. 💛"Or can we? Everyone, follow me!"💛 "Yeah! I don't know what you guys are talking about, but I like how you said it!"

🎤"What's this?! It looks like the racers from the Ultimate Garage Racing Camp are taking their cars for a spin- a spin cycle that is!"🎤 Through the car wash they go, getting their cars all nice and soapy. 💛"Now that we're slippery, we can race in different directions and the octopus can't catch us!"💛 🪞"These kids don't quit! Put an end to all this, octopus!"🪞 Once again, the campers drove all over, only this time, when the octopus tried to grab them, it couldn't hold on for long! "We're giving this octopus the slip!" "Let's wrap this up once and for all!" 💛"With all this soap on our cars, we're way too slippery for the octopus to pick up!"💛 A bit more driving around, and the octopus's tentacles were too wrapped around each other to move!🪞"Just wait a minute...oh, I'm losing, aren't I? Great."🪞 💛"Now it's time to send the supersized sea creature back where it belongs! Mega Crunch, activate! Go Hot Wheels!"💛 A super sized bite on one of the car wash's pipes unleashed a torrent of water straight at the octopus, sending it far away into the air! 🪞"I'll get you and your cars for this! I'll be back!"🪞

As the racers drove over to where Dash was, they started talking about what they achieved that day. "Epic aim, Spark!" 💛"Thanks, Mac! I realized that pipe was like a bigger version of my dashboard water shooter. This time, I got the angle right!"💛 "You sure did! But if I know my dad, then I'm sure we haven't seen the last of him." When they reached Dash, they saw her and some other guy talking to the police. "Oh, hey campers! Good work today- I'm so proud you never gave up!" 💛"We just had to try, fail, learn, and repeat, until we succeeded!"💛 "Exactly! And trying until you succeed is why you earned a Flame Badge!" *Cheers all around* 💛"Thank you, Dash! I'm honored...but, what's going on here?"💛

"There's...another issue." The police explained from there. ���"Missing persons case. Any of you seen him today?"🚓 A picture was shown that most of them recognized. 💛"Coop? No, we haven't."💛 "Who's Coop?" "He was supposed to be at camp like us, but he got sick. We all sent him well wishes over a video chat!" Oh yeah, Cruise did see them looking at a tablet when she showed up- guess this was what that was about! At this point, the other guy that was there- Coop's father- spoke up. "He's feeling a lot better now. I thought it would be nice to take him to the grand opening of the car wash today, and then straight to camp tomorrow. But we got separated during the octopus attack, and now, I can't find him anywhere!" Oh, that sure can't be good...

[thunderstomm]

Dash Wheeler and Professor Rearview, back when they were campers at the Ultimate Garage!

I wonder if they ever used to be friends, or if they were enemies from the start?

Original designs- I changed them a little but not by much (:

[thunderstomm]

Hot Wheels: Let's Race - Season 2 Thoughts

Season 2 has been out for a few days now, and I've watched every episode at least once through, so I'm finally going through all of my thoughts on the show, what's going on, and what I think is going to happen next. The joy of serialized kids shows!

Everything will be under the cut, just in case. Spoiler alert for all of season two!

First off- we're finally introduced formally to our "mystery racer"- Cruise! She's the daughter of the villain of the first season, Professor Rearview, and a racer in her own right. I have to say, I think her character design is very clever, having the shape of her pigtails match Professor Rearview's big hair! i know some people may not like that Cruise is his daughter, as opposed to a grandchild or niece, but I think that the fact of her being a direct descendant makes more sense for the story they're telling. That and there's fun to be had with Professor Rearview being an evil dad.

Cruise is undeniably the highlight of the season for me, and my new favorite. I enjoy the angle of the racers having a non-camper opponent, as the lack of constant close proximity, or down-time with one another means they don't have to be cordial or polite towards Cruise, and we see a lot of more intense emotions fester as a result- especially on Coop's end.

I also think in general, Coop as a character works much better in this season. The pre-established motivation, plus his new outstanding title as the camp champ are threatened directly by Cruise, as he is her primary target to beat, and the determination and vigor it brings out in him is very entertaining to watch.

The rest of the racers sadly don't fare as well, as it feels like they take more of a backseat when compared to season 1, outside of a character focus episode. This feels especially apparent with Axle, who has gone from his role as the main rival, to being good-aligned all of the time. His personality is still intact, but It feels very odd to see him so reduced in role, as the show doesn't frame him as a threat to Cruise also- despite the fact he is probably the only racer outside of Coop who could pose such a threat. The rest of the cast seem much more competitive when Cruise is not in the picture, but once she is, the show relegates them back to supporting roles. Considering the show's age demographic and the story it wants to tell, this isn't a huge problem, but nonetheless a little sad to see.

We also get a bit of backstory for Dash and Professor Rearview! I'm surprised to see they're the same age- either Dash has aged really well, or Professor Rearview has aged terribly. It's interesting to see they were campers at the same time. Were they friends? The amount of team-strengthening exercises that Dash has her own campers do is re-contextualized by this reveal- is she trying to prevent a repeat of what became of Rearview by making sure they do actually like eachother and get along, meaning the jealousy that comes with losing is minimal, or reduced because they can feel good for the person who does win because they are friends?

The environment that Dash and Rearview were in was clearly far more competitive and unforgiving. Of course, we can't pin it all on just that, as Professor Rearview's coping mechanism and overreaction to his loss is his own fault. Explanations, not excuses. And carrying this grudge for at least 30 years, it has long passed being something to be blamed on the conditions of the environment.

I'd love to see a flashback episode regarding their time at the Ultimate Garage honestly! Who were the other four campers who they trained alongside? I'd like to think maybe Axle's dad, Striker, was one of them. Seeing the exact conditions of the race would certainly help to clarify as much. Not to mention, they already have the 3D models for young Dash and Rearview...

One thing that was made clear by the episode count, and the season ending about half-way through the level 2 arc is that season 2 has been split in half, and the season 3 we're to get is really the second half of season 2. Which means more time to dwell on what we've gotten, and who will be the winner of the Ultimate Garage. There's also the question of whether the show will redeem Cruise, and have her join the side of good. I personally am conflicted? It would be interesting, and makes sense, but we are also yet to see any desire to change- let alone Cruise's own motivation and feelings towards her father's plans.

One thing I wish we had seen was a slower moment between Cruise and someone else, particularly any of the racers! I think the show would have it be Coop, as he is our main character, and I don't really have an issue with such. Season 1 gave us a whole episode where he was made to work with Axle, and it gave us a better insight into his character, motivation, and storyline. I think an episode like this with Cruise, under a circumstance that suits their storyline and characters better, would work wonders. Cruise clearly LIKES to race, and yet she is willing to help her father win it in order to destroy it? There's the general question of why Professor Rearview would even allow his daughter to be a racer, but considering he was a former racer, I suppose it would be a waste to not pass on those skills. Is Cruise of the belief that her father will spare her car, and allow her to keep racing? I want to see Cruise forced to talk to someone so that we get these answers.

As mentioned in a prior post, I have two theories regarding the next season's end, the winner of the Ultimate Garage, and the events that could follow. These are both hypotheticals in which Cruise does get a redemption arc, so both of these could very easily be wrong, and Cruise could remain evil, which still would be fun to see.

Option 1: Coop wins the Ultimate Garage. Coop manages to catch up in flame badges to Cruise, leaving the final race as to being between the both of them. Coop ends up winning the big race, much to the delight of the other camp racers, Dash, and his father. However, this victory does not stop Professor Rearview, and he puts his plan into motion to destroy the Ultimate Garage anyways. The campers and Dash all band together to stop him, but It's not enough. All hope seems lost, and there is a moment between Professor Rearview and Cruise where Cruise comes to the realization that their plan working means she will never race again, and lashing out in anger to get a victory that destroys the rich car culture of the city, and takes away something she loves, is just not worth it. She'd rather race again and get a chance to prove herself and improve, rather go down as a sore loser. Using her knowledge of her father, her car's unique abilities, and a little encouragement from Coop and the other campers, Cruise helps to stop his plan. After his defeat, Coop invites the other racers to continue staying with him at the Ultimate Garage, wanting them all to continue improving together. He also ends up extending the invite to Cruise, considering that now she has no place to go, as she's betrayed her father, and now that she's "good".

Option 2: Cruise wins the Ultimate Garage. Despite the campers' best efforts to beat her, Cruise still ends up winning out, and is rewarded with the ownership of the Ultimate Garage, much to the despair of everyone else. She excitedly shares the news with her Father, who is excited to begin the plans to destroy the whole thing. However, Cruise is starting to have doubts. She has all of these amazing cars and resources at her fingertips now, and she can use these to become an even better racer! She tries to convince her father that maybe they don't have to destroy everything, and can keep some of it intact, but he is not having any of that. He's looked forward to this for years! Realizing that he won't listen, Cruise instead asks for help from the campers, admitting that she was wrong, and needs their help now to stop Professor Rearview. Reluctantly, they choose to believe and trust her, and foil the plans with their racing skills. Once he is stopped, Cruise attempts to hand back over ownership of the garage, but the others insist she keep it. They come to a compromise- they'll share. After all, there's a lot they can all still learn from one another, as people and as racers.

Thanks for reading all of the way through! What are your thoughts on the new season, and your theories, if you have any ! I'd love to hear what everyone has to say!

[thunderstomm]

HWLR Future - “The Professor”

Professor Rearview, or just the Professor, is Hot Wheels City’s resident supervillain, and a self-proclaimed evil genius. His hatred of cars has only grown as time has passed, meaning his attempts to destroy the city, and every car in it, have only become more disastrous. Rumour has it that he was once an aspiring racer himself, but some believe he’s been plain old bad from the start. His favourite means of destruction- giant monsters, of course!

Lucky for everyone but himself, the Professor is as incompetent as he is smart, and his plans often have a glaring flaw that allows his defeat- usually at the hand of the former Ultimate Garage campers. His dislike for the group has grown too- especially when he finds out his estranged daughter has started spending time with one of them.

Behind the scenes, Professor Rearview seems to be creating a new threat to the city… but with so little information known, as well as tensions growing amongst the only group who can stop him- who knows how it’ll go?

[thunderstomm]

I can’t believe this was correct (from a conversation in GJ Discord back when I first watched the show!)

[thunderstomm]

Ultimate Garage Racers of the past!

[thunderstomm]

I feel like the most interesting turn that HWLR could take would be to have Cruise win the Ultimate Garage. I also feel like this conclusion is far more likely to result in a redemption for her.

Based on all impressions of her thus far, Cruise is shown to like racing. She calls herself the fastest kid racer in the city, actively trains her skills, and cherishes her car, the Street Shreiker. Unless we get a reveal that she's only doing this for an ulterior reason, it's safe to assume that this is something she actually enjoys doing. Ironic, considering how much her father has come to despise it.

I've seen a few others point this out, but Cruise seems to be someone who is very easily caught off guard. What's to say she doesn't have a full grasp on Professor Rearview's plans? That she believes they're going to destroy the Ultimate Garage, and every car in it, but her own car will be saved, making her the best and only racer in Hot Wheels City?

Cruise is aware and fine with the idea of tearing apart the garage, but it's still debatable if she is aware that the plan is to destroy every car in the city, too. There's potential for this to be revealed earlier, having one of the campers try to tell her the truth, only for her to laugh it off and deny their claims too. Why would she believe them over her Father?

So in the events that she wins the Ultimate Garage, It would be quite the turn of events for her car to be the first to go. Her perceptions of what's to happen being shattered in an instant. An "I told you so" moment if there ever was one. And Cruise is completely caught off guard by it, never thinking once that when they accomplished the goal of winning the Ultimate Garage, Professor Rearview would see no more use for the Street Shreiker.

This would result in her having to make a choice between helping the racers, to save both the garage and her own car, or forego racing as a whole, and stay loyal to her father and his plans to tear down the garage. It would be interesting to see Cruise at her lowest low, sat in the passenger seat of a camp racer's car (she has no access to any other cars, after all), having to come to terms with her world view being shattered, or explaining how whatever creation her father has can be destroyed.

And one last thing. If Cruise is redeemed, it's not like she can just go back home to her evil father whom she's betrayed. She's going to need somewhere to live, and the garage could fit the bill.

[thunderstomm]

Joyride - HWLR Future AU

Word Count: 2701

Summary: “After the success of the pet shelter day, Cruise and Coop bust into Professor Rearview’s lab to pay the monsters a visit”

“Where are we going, anyways? We’ve been walking for ages!”

The sound of footsteps echoed through the far tunnels of Hot Wheels City, and his voice projected loud. It was far from his first venture into any of the city’s underground labyrinths, but it was one of his first times doing so on foot. The navigation seemed slower, but more careful, and there was not much choice but to follow along.

The tunnels all looked the same when you took them in slowly. They were narrow and winding, something that made him feel uneasy. He hated slow, and he hated small spaces. And yet here he was, traveling through them at the whims of a former enemy. He focused his attention on her, as she dragged a hand along the side of the tunnels, as if to search for something.

“You remember visiting the animal shelter?” Cruise asked him.

“How could I forget?” Coop exclaimed.

The two of them had taken turns, bringing one another to activities or pastimes they enjoyed. She had taken him to the city’s animal shelter, where he’d ended up taking home a kitten, and he had taken her to that year’s classic car show… mostly for the free ice cream.

“Exhaust misses you, by the way.” He added. “But what does that have to do with us walking though the far tunnels?”

Cruise came to a halt, stopping suddenly as her fingertips brushed something. Coop failed to pick up on the movement quickly enough, bumping into her. He took a step back quickly afterwards, feeling both embarrassed and further perplexed.

“You’d say you liked spending time with the animals?” Cruise asked him, as she pressed what looked to be a hidden button on the tunnel’s side. “I thought today… we could visit a few more.”

She grinned- it was the kind of mischievous smile she gave when she had a grand plan, or won a race. Coop’s eyes went from her to the wall, as a small keypad was revealed in the wall.

“Wait, are we breaking into something?!” He asked her, raising a brow in concern.

“Is it breaking and entering if you know the code?” She quipped, swiftly typing ‘2-5-0-4’ into the keypad.

“Uh… yes!” He exclaimed. It wasn’t like he’d never committed a crime in his life. After all, his first day at the Ultimate Garage Camp had resulted in a LOT of property damage. There was definitely more to be said, but most of it had been in the name of saving Hot Wheels City! This, on the other hand… was not.

Before he could argue his case more, the tunnel began to shake. A hidden door slowly opened, revealing a passageway big enough for a person, but certainly too small for a car, to enter. Dimly lit, but short enough that he could see it led to a large, open room with who knows what inside of it.

“Don’t look so worried!” Cruise grinned, grabbing him by the wrist, and dragging him through the passage. The door slammed shut behind them, with a loud thud. “I come here all the time. Or… as much as I can. Once a month? Point is, I haven’t been caught.”

“What is this place, anyways?” Coop asked her, as they neared the room. “How do you know the codes? And why did you bring up the-“

They reached the room, and his last question was answered before he could even finish.

The two of them stood before a massive, dimly lit room, which contained five habitats, each of which contained one of Professor Rearview’s giant monsters. Five sets of bright eyes all now staring at the two of them with great intent, as if they were debating if they start attacking.

“This is…” Coop began, trying to wrap his head around everything. Cruise let go of him, running towards a glass tank filled with dark water. She excitedly pressed a hand against the glass, and the giant shark on the other side bunted its nose against the glass in turn.

“This is where my Dad keeps the monsters. You know, when he’s not busy destroying the city, or doing his experiments.” Cruise finished for him, her eyes still fixed on the shark.

“We’re in one of his labs?!” Coop exclaimed, clutching his head in one of his hands. “What if he catches us? You’re just as much his enemy now as I am, we’re practically doomed!”

“Quiet!” Cruise whipped around, covering his mouth gently with one of her hands. “The monsters are very, and I mean VERY sensitive to sound. Got it, Cooper?”

Using one of his own hands, Coop moved her hand away from his face. “Loud and clear. But seriously, why would you bring me here? Liking a few kittens is very different to being face to face with five killer monsters!”

Cruise sighed. “They’re like my pets too! In a sense. And I might be the only person other than my Dad who this bunch will listen to. You and your friends are always stuck cleaning up his messes, I thought that maybe seeing the monsters like this could… help you out with that.” She looked over to the first tank again, the shark still waiting at the glass. “They’re monsters, but they’re not… horrible? They’re just following orders. Like I was. And if, by some miracle, my Dad ever gets stopped for good, I want someone else to be able to attest to them finding a new home, instead of just being locked up or forgotten.”

Coop exhaled, looking down at Cruise. His face relaxed slightly, understanding the situation better.

“You want them to have… a second chance?”

“They deserve it. More than I did, anyways. At least they don’t know any better.” She admitted, looking back up at him.

“Didn’t know you cared so much.” He laughed, raising an eyebrow. “You going soft on me, Rearview?”

“Don’t call me that!” She laughed, the quip reinvigorating her energy. “It sounds like you’re addressing my dad!”

“Fine.” He laughed, too. “Now, introduce me to your ‘pets’, I’m sure they’re just dying to meet me.”

Cruise nodded, turning her attention back to the first tank, where the shark remained. She placed a hand to the glass, and the monster tapped its snout against the glass again.

“Sharky-Poo here is real into anything that shines. Treasure, jewels… cars.” Cruise explained to him, rolling her eyes at the list. “It’s like bulls and the colour red- you show them something that glitters and things get out of control.”

Coop nodded, looking at the shark. He took a nervous step forward, the movement catching the beast’s attention. He braced for any sort of reaction- after all, this thing had already swallowed him whole once- but was surprised to only be met by a brief stare, before it swam away entirely. Anticlimactic, to say the least.

Cruise sighed, leading Coop to the second tank, which seemed to contain the only other aquatic beast present. She tapped the glass, and soon after, the Octopus emerged from the shadows. It placed one tentacle to the glass, and seemed to be attempting to reach another out of the tank, as if to grab something… or perhaps, one of them.

Before he could react, Cruise’s voice sounded. “No! Don’t try to grab me again! I don’t have a change of clothes and am not going home soaked again!” The beast looked to Coop briefly, changing its target before she spoke up again. “Not him either. As funny as it would be, I can’t let him get drenched too.”

The octopus looked dejected, as it retracted back into the tank, eyes still fixed upon the racers before it. Cruise rolled her eyes at the beast, hands placed firmly on her hips.

“Eightacles is… playful, to say the least. Likes to pick things up and get a good look. He doesn’t mean bad by it, but has a bit of an attitude when told no.” There was an emphasis on the last word, as she stared at the beast, who was trying to reach out again.

Coop chuckled to himself, trying his best to hide his amusement. It was so odd to see the beasts under a more casual lens.

“I know that there’s not a lot of good history regarding monsters, and car washes, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have the big guy work in one. He could pick up the cars and drop them in the tanks… after a few more years of training to ensure none of them get destroyed.”

“You think so?” Cruise asked him.

“Anything’s possible.” He shrugged in turn. “What’s next?”

He felt a tug at his sleeve again, as they charged for the next enclosure. Like the others, a glass door separated them from the beast, but there was no water this time. In the middle of the enclosure hung the giant bat, sleeping soundly.

“Screech is never awake when I come. Nocturnal and all.” Cruise shrugged. “Try not to wake them!”

Coop nodded, making sure to follow her as quickly as possible to the fourth enclosure. Another glass wall, separating them from the giant snake which lived within it. The monster eagerly came as close to the glass as possible, as if it expected something.

“This is Noodle. Always hungry. Does the best tricks… for the best treats.” Cruise waved up at the giant cobra. “Don’t have any today, sorry!”

The cobra seemed upset, if only for a moment, before turning its attention to Coop. He remembered his first meet-in with the monster vividly- the day he and his friends had delivered five-hundred pizzas to another one of Rearview’s bases. Perhaps now-defunct, considering the one he was in currently. The cobra looked at him expectantly, perhaps remembering the day too, and thinking he had another stack of pizzas to feed it.

He shook his head, showing his empty hands to the monster. “I don’t have anything for you either! I swear!”

‘Noodle’, as Cruise had dubbed them, seemed uninterested in the statement, and continued to eagerly await some sort of food. Cruise shook her head to the beast again, urging Coop to do the same. Both kept up the action, as they backed away from the cobra, and towards the final and largest of the five enclosures.

“You know, they’re not that bad. A little eccentric, but… not as scary as they are when they’re destroying the city.” Coop quipped, as they finally were out of the cobra’s line of sight. “All that’s left is…”

“Firepants!” Cruise exclaimed, pointing out the scaly beast behind the glass. Standing much taller than the rest was the majestic red dragon, which exhaled a soft smoke from its nose. “You ever seen a dragon dance?”

“Actually… yes.” Coop concluded, looking up at the beast which stood before them.

“And he’s been practicing, too…” Cruise mumbled. She placed a hand to the glass, watching as the dragon bent its head down to her level, pressing its nose against the glass, causing it to fog up.

Coop stepped closer towards the dragon, looking at the beast. Scaly, sweeping tail, a wingspan double the size of its body, and atop its head, it had equipped the white and grey “ride pad” which he had seen the Professor use to travel atop the beasts with.

“Anything else interesting about this one?” He asked, watching as the dragon wagged its tail at the attention, much like an excited puppy.

“Let’s see…” Cruise hummed. “Firepants can fly faster than most of the cars in Hot Wheels City can drive.”

He scoffed at the prospect. It was a bold claim, but not one he’d dare to believe. “Yeah, right. The giant lizard is faster than the best racing cars in the best racing city?”

“Faster than both your best cars.” Cruise insisted to him.

“Prove it!” Coop doubled down. “Then I’ll believe you.”

Cruise laughed, taking the statement as a joke. “Good one..” she snorted. She looked at him, waiting for him to laugh too, but he never did. “Wait… you can’t be serious.”

“I mean… is it stealing or borrowing if we take the dragon for a test flight? After all, we’re already here, and you know all the codes…” Coop feigned a look of innocence, echoing the same sentiment she had when they arrived. It wasn’t exactly wise to let arrogance get the best of him, but the need for speed, plus the golden opportunity seemed too good.

“Uh… yes!” Cruise responded, before realizing the predicament. “I see what you’re doing. I’m not falling for it! That’s a one way ticket to getting caught and in trouble!”

“I suppose you’re right.” Coop sighed. “Unless… we call it a ‘rescue and rehabilitation test’ and not stealing? But I don’t blame you for not wanting to do it. Figures you’re scared I’ll be right.”

“You’re good at this.” Cruise admitted to him. It was too easy to get her competitive side, and need to prove her point, going. She headed to the end of the wall, where another keypad was located. Hastily, she typed in another code, and the glass cage door slowly lowered, and a hatch which led out of the tunnel opened, revealing a launch-pad of sorts.

“You want a joyride? I’ll give you a joyride. But if we get caught, you’re shouldering the blame.”

“Do I at least get to fly the dragon myself?” Coop asked her.

“Do you know how to fly a dragon?” Cruise retaliated, walking back towards him.

Returning to the dragon, she held out her arms, hugging Firepants to the best of her ability.

“Firepants! I missed you!” She cooed. “Now, are you ready to fly faster than you’ve ever gone before?”

Firepants gave what appeared to be a nod, and lowered their head further, allowing Cruise to climb on. She steadied herself on the white ride pad, gesturing for Coop to join her. Cautiously, he approached the beast, being careful not to step anywhere Cruise hadn’t, not wanting to aggravate it, or set off any secret alarms. Cruise helped him onto the ride pad, before clicking a button with her heel, revealing a set of handlebars.

“There’s only one set, so I’d recommend you hold onto whatever you can find. Don’t want you falling off!” Cruise told him, as she reached into her pocket, hand brushing across the small charm which allowed for the city’s helmet-summoning technology to work outside of their cars.

Coop brushed his own hand against the white button on his jacket, summoning his own helmet. With not even a seatbelt or airbag available on a giant dragon, it was the least he could do if the worst was to happen. Cruise’s words echoed through his head- there really wasn’t much to hold onto to stop him from flying off, and while the traction of his shoes were good, they weren’t built for this. He could try holding on to one of the dragon’s horns, but that would also mean having to step off of the ride pad. Seeing no other solution, Coop grabbed hold of Cruise.

“That works too…” she mumbled, before grabbing hold of the handlebars. She tapped her foot gently on the ride pad again, gaining the attention of the dragon. “Firepants! Let’s fly!”

Firepants did not miss a beat. The dragon stood its ground slowly, spreading its wingspan as far as the room allowed. Claws hit the ground in short and sharp bounds, before the beast leaped from the open hatch, opening its wings fully as the wind hit its body. The duo of racers braced for the rush, before being met by the streaming light of the sun, and the sight of Hot Wheels City, growing smaller below them with each flap of the dragon’s wings.

“Woah.” He exclaimed breathlessly, eyes taking in the city below him. The wind beat in his face, the only clear sound becoming the flapping of wings, the heavy breathing of the beast, and his own voice. “Now… you said the dragon is faster than most cars in the city?”

“Prepare to have your mind blown. Firepants- show him what you’ve got!”

[thunderstomm]

To anyone who sees this post- would you rather see the design for Dash or Professor Rearview for HWLR Future next?

[thunderstomm]

Any Other racers that race alongside Coop, Axle and Cruise like we never lot of other racers in Let’s race beaide Dash, Striker and Professor Rearview so the more than better!

Thanks for the ask! I assume this one’s regarding HWLR Future?

In terms of other racers- there has to be! After all, it’s not much of a race if there’s only three competitors. Hot Wheels City is regarded as the world’s top city when it comes to racing and car culture, so there are definitely other racers to be found. No-one else from the canon cast is among this list however, the only three pro racers from the show’s cast are Coop, Axle & Cruise.

If you look in the background of an older art post, you can spot a leaderboard with a few names.

[thunderstomm]

Listening to the descendants soundtrack again but HWLR is on the mind…

Evil like me. Professor Rearview & Cruise. Do you see the vision?