Sorry it's taken me so long to update, I've been very busy. I'll try to update more often, I promise!
"So, what do you want me to do?"
Jack turned around in surprise. She wasn't going to ask about his family?
Tala smiled nervously under Jack's scrutinising gaze, his red eyes really were very cool…
"You see that rocket ship back there?" Asked Jack suddenly. Tala nodded. "Well," He continued, "I need to make some improvements on it, and you're gonna help me. Kay?"
Tala smiled and nodded again, as her ears twitched. Jack did a double take. He blinked and pointed at her ears, stuttering like an idiot.
"Your ears!" He exclaimed, "They just moved! I saw them! I just saw your ears move!"
"Hah, yeah, they do that sometimes," Tala grinned and shrugged, embarrassed.
"How do they do that?" Asked Jack, circling Tala, watching her ears for signs of further movement.
"They just do," Said Tala, her head turning to follow Jack. "They always have. A teacher once said that it was because I was under-evolved." She rolled her eyes and walked towards the rocket ship, flicking her hair in Jack's face disdainfully, softening the effect with a cheeky grin over her shoulder.
Jack blushed, hiding it as he dived ahead of her and skidded under the ship on his skateboard.
For the next hour and a half, Jack and Tala worked solidly on the ship, working on the engine, inside space, and missiles that could be shot from the rear. When they stopped, it was around 10 PM.
Jack threw a greasy cloth over his shoulder and surveyed the ship critically. "Really ought to take it for a test run," He muttered to himself as Tala crawled out from under the ship and stretched her stiffening back muscles.
She came to stand next to him and looked at their handiwork equally critically, if not more so.
"You know," She said, turning to Jack, "Those engine upgrades we installed will have to be modified."
Jack looked at her and raised his eyebrows. "And why would that be?" He asked moodily.
Tala walked up to the ship and patted it fondly, "Because," She said, "The new engine will give it speed but not manoeuvrability. If you want to avoid small shots, it'll be too big and heavy to move out of the way quickly enough." She looked it over thoughtfully, "And it needs to be more streamlined for its future paint job to do it credit."
Jack's head was spinning, "New paint job?" He managed to get out.
"Uh huh," Said Tala, checking the body of the ship for scratches, "I mean," She laughed, turning around, "You can't be an evil boy genius without a decent paint job can you?"
Jack shook his head, in a daze. "Hey wait a minute," He said, narrowing his eyes, "Did I tell you I was an evil boy genius?"
Tala's eyes widened and she sweat-dropped. Damn! She thought desperately, what do I say? Wait, wasn't my new policy to tell the truth? She looked at Jack, his arms were folded and he was tapping his foot, waiting for an answer.
Tala's shoulders slumped and she bit her lip. "Well," She said, "I have a slight tendency to sneak around a bit, and well, there was this little card poking out of your pocket, so I kinda, sorta, well, took it."
Jack nodded once and swiftly checked his pockets. His business card was gone. Damn, He thought, she is good. He looked up at Tala. Her teeth were bared in a nervous grin and her hands were behind her back. He could tell without looking that her fingers were crossed.
"Hmmm," Jack glared at Tala, "You know I should fire you on basis of theft, but…"
"But you won't," Said Tala, "'Cos I'm the best assistant you'll ever get, and you know it." She was standing up straight now, assured of her position.
Jack growled. She was right, curse her; she was the best assistant he'd ever get, and more. She was going to give the rocket ship a new paint job for crying out loud! He couldn't just give up someone like that!
"So where do you keep the paint?"
Jack looked up. Tala smirked at him. He muttered moodily and pointed to a cupboard to her right. She saluted him as she got the paint out and began to add some water to it to loosen it up.
As she worked, she would get Jack to pass her paint cans or brushes as she worked. Jack had to admit, she was good at her job. The red and black streaks, lined with silver really did look professional compared to the old goldish-brown paint with red tinted windows (he had painted it the same colours after Wuya's rock monsters had destroyed it).
As Tala was painting, she asked Jack about the business card. Jack ended up telling her all about the Xiaolin Dragons, the Shen Gong Wu and the Xiaolin Showdowns. To his surprise she took it all very well.
"So, what do I do when you're out getting Shen Gong Wu?" She asked calmly.
Jack crossed his fingers. "Well," He said, hope in his voice, "We, that is, me and Wuya, were kinda hopin' you'd be able to help us with that." He risked a look at Tala as she thought about his offer.
"OK." She said finally, smiling at Jack's astonished face.
"You don't mind?" Asked Jack, obviously puzzled.
"Mind what?" Asked Tala.
"Working on the evil side of things," Said Jack, "I mean, girls usually have morals right?"
Tala grinned wickedly. "Not me!" She declared, in a satisfied voice, "Morals get in the way of more important things. Like food and paying the rent."
"Well in that case!" Jack was ecstatic, "Welcome to the dark side!"