Author's Note: I own nothing. This one's got one small bit from Tiny's point of view.
46 Tiny Truths
Hearing a tip about a monster rampaging around a nearby town was par for the course for Jen, Kevin and Gwen. Finding a smashed up traffic light was a bit unusual but not enough to raise alarm bells. The alien they found made things weird. Especially because she seemed to want nothing more than to play with Jen and Gwen.
There were so many pretty things in this place. Shiny pretty things! The pink lady was pretty and sparkly but the green lady had lines and circles all over her. She looked like one of the tools Da sometimes used. Maybe she could fix Ma and Da! But she didn't seem to like being picked up, the dull boy really didn't like it when the shiny ladies got picked up. He threw rocks. She didn't like the dull boy.
Gwen was sitting in Kevin's garage the next day. They'd hidden the giant alien baby here. The eight foot tall toddler's head was currently resting in Gwen's lap and across her legs while she rested. It wasn't quite sleep since her eyes remained open and she seemed to be fully aware everytime Gwen tried to even move so the redhead was reading the book Albrasix had given her instead. She had run across an interesting spell. It was a way to see through someone else's eyes, not very practical as you had to maintain skin to skin contact with whoever you were using the spell on, but it was interesting. She wasn't going anywhere for a while so she decided to try it. She laid her open palm gently on Tiny's head and spoke.
"Skulblakas Ven!" Her perspective shifted as though she was watching a video with picture in picture. Her own view of the world minimized to the corner as the door of the garage opened, letting in overly bright sunlight and Jen. Gwen stared.
Her cousin's skin was laced with lines of circuitry like she was the motherboard of a computer. There were three brighter points that stood out as though they were the main power sources for the lines of pulsing green code, her heart, her brain and the Omnitrix. The circuits pulsed along with the brunette's heartbeat as she turned to her fully. Her eyes were almost normal if it hadn't been for the glow that blared from within them. Gwen pulled her hand off Tiny's head and broke the spell blinking away the afterimage of what she'd seen.
"You ok there cuz? You look a little freaked out." Gwen shook her head.
"I'm fine." She really hoped she didn't sound as shaken as she thought she did. If the Omnitrix lit up like Jen's brain and heart what did that mean for her cousin? Did it mean that the Watch was as important to her survival as the heart that pumped her blood or the brain that kept everything working? The thought terrified Gwen. She remembered how many times bad things had happened to the Watch when they were kids. From Jen messing with it until the face fell off, to Kevin and Vilgax teaming up and ripping it from her wrist. Tiny burbled at the redhead, seeming to sense her distress. She gently patted the baby on its massive head, hoping Jen would prove oblivious enough not to notice her cousin's mood. Jen had never been good with emotions after all.
"I'm fine." She repeated. Jen frowned like she didn't really believe her. Gwen changed the subject quickly. "How's Kevin?"
"Pouting about the bite Tiny took out of his car." Jen laughed then her eyebrows knit together. "Are you two doing ok?" Jen handed Gwen a burger from the bag she'd brought with her. Gwen laughed.
"Oh, we're doing fine, he's just mad Tiny ate his car." Jen's grin turned wicked.
"That and I bet he wishes it was his head in your lap not hers." Gwen laughed as she flipped her cousin off. Jen snorted as she took a bit of her own burger.
Gwen still hadn't lost that gnawing doubt by the time they were bidding farewell to Tiny and her parents. The two adults were easy enough to speak to. Her mother laughed as Tiny reached out both hands to Gwen and Jen making grabby hands and babbling.
"No darling, you can't keep them. Humans need to roam free."
"Shiny!" Tiny insisted.
"Yes they are very shiny, but you can't keep them." Kevin frowned as Tiny pouted.
"She never did that with me." Jen snorted, Kevin sounded almost disappointed. Tiny's father smiled.
"Of course not dear. You're an Osmosian, a conductor species, your life force isn't nearly as bright as theirs. She's an Anodite after all, some of the brightest beings in the galaxy." He said motioning to Gwen. "And she…" He frowned as he looked over Jen. "I'm sorry I'm not familiar." Gwen winced and Jen shrugged waving the Omnitrix as Kevin frowned.
"Probably the Omnitrix confusing her." The mother shook her head.
"Oh no dear, you're a techno-organic like Azmuths Mechamorphs." Jen blinked. This time Gwen's flinch was quite obvious. Kevin frowned.
"Well I mean Azmuth made the Omnitrix but I'm human…" Jen floundered looking down at the watch.
"Oh Azmuth's creations always take on a life of their own. That fancy sword of his could almost be called magic." Jen frowned.
"Sword, what sword?" The father checked a console.
"That was a long time ago. I honestly don't remember the story of that one. It's missing last I checked, isn't it dear?" His wife nodded.
"Last time I checked. We should be going if we want to get to Alpha Proxima anytime soon." Jen was silent as Gwen bid farewell to Tiny. Jen waved at the baby alien too and managed a smile for the child but it vanished as soon as she turned away. The trio watched as the ship blasted off into space. Jen stayed eerily quiet as they drove back to Bellwood. She spoke only once they'd reached her house.
"Did you know? That I'm not... That the Omnitrix…" She couldn't seem to find the words she was looking for.
"Grandma Verdona hinted that might be the case. She never said it outright but, you know how I can sense auras. Yours has always been green ever since I got my powers. Grandma hinted that the Omnitrix was why. But you know that doesn't change who you are. Not in the slightest." Jen nodded but she wasn't looking at Gwen. Gwen reached out but Jen pulled away before she could say anything else.
"Thanks for the ride Kevin." Jen stepped out of the car and shoved her hands in her pockets making her way up to her front door. Gwen hopped out of the car.
"Jen wait." The brunette shook her head.
"I'm fine Gwen, I just need some time to think." Gwen didn't believe her cousin but Kevin put a hand on her shoulder.
"Give her a bit of space, it's a lot to process. Everything she thought she was is wrong, she needs some time." Gwen stared down at her hands and nodded as Jen's front door closed behind her. She got back into Kevin's car and the Osmosian drove her home.