Secrets and Bionics
Quick author's note, while I have every intention on finishing the several storys that I have been writing I will begin working and a new one almost as soon as I post this. It will be my first time in not only two diffrent fandoms but my very first attempt at a cross over so please wish me luck.
Side tangent, to any who are interested in the story "Reign Down" I'm sorry to say that i've given up trying to contenue it and will be putting it up for adoption for any who would like to try and finish it over even make it better.
Chapter 7: Heart to heart
"It feels like forever sense the last time we've been able to do this." Jenny said from her spot on his work table.
"You mean you hobbling in here and me having to piece you back together?" Sheldon asked with a laugh as he contenued his work, "Yeah, I guess it has. I've been meaning to ask, how's Nora?"
"She's good, enoying her 'Retirement'," Jenny smirked. After having a scare with her heart Nora was finally convinced, read forced, to slow down on her work. While initially resistant she eventally excepted that all her work would permanatily end if she worked herself into her grave. "Her and Aunt Westeria have been spending some quality time together."
"Any casualties?" Sheldon asked with a raised eye brow.
"Well..." Jenny said as she blushed lighlty, "They aren't allowed back at the beach after the sand castle incident." Sheldon actually stopped his work and looked up with both eyebrows lost in his hairline. She gave in awkward laugh as she said, "Yeah, they had a little contest... Mom used some of her helper robots... Aunt Westeria made some sort of kelp thing... it didn't end well for anyone."
Sheldon gave a soft laugh as he got back to work, "I guess that explains the news paper headline 'Robot plant wars'."
Jenny laughed along before turning her head and seeing the sheet that hid a secret shame, one she had still yet to fully make up for. "I can't believe you still have the Silver Shell armor..." she said before she could stop herself.
Stiffening for only a moment Sheldon said, "It would be a waist to scrap him. I grant you that he wasn't made for exactly the right reason but you never know when a highly advanced exosuit would come in handy."
Silence reined for a short while before Jenny said, "I know I've said it already but I'm-"
"Don't Jenny," Sheldon said with a bit of an edge to his voice, "it in the past, over and done with. We just need to move on."
Jenny sighed and said, "Come on Sheldon. I know you don't like talking about this, believe me I don't either, but we can't just pretend that it didn't happen."
Gritting his teeth a bit Sheldon asked, "Why not? Like you said, neither of us like talking about it, and doing so isn't going to change the past."
"Because ever sense then things haven't gone back to normal..." Jenny said, watching as he finished putting the last of her exterier armor back on before sitting up, "You and I still hang out, still study together, but it just doesn't feel the same."
"Jenny after what happened NOTHING could be the same." Sheldon said as he ran his hand over his face, "Alright look, you want to talk then fine lets talk. I was a child who was looking for something, honestly something we were both looking for, I thought I found it in you and couldn't read the signs that you didn't feel the same."
Jenny sighed as she looked down, knowing exactly what he was taling about. She took another gaze at the sheet just as Sheldon pulled it off. "The Silver Shell was a mistake, I admit that," Sheldon said, "Your reaction to finding out, while excessive, was understandable. To be honest, between the two of us the one who should be apologizing for it is me."
"Sheldon, I almost killed you," Jenny said as she rubbed her arm, "and not the playful 'chase you down with eye lasers' like I did with Tucker, I was actually trying to kill you."
Sheldon sighed as he rubbed the back of his head, "I remember, I don't want to and have tried like hell to forget, but I do remember. I also remember having to fight back for the first time, it happened and we both have the scars to show for it," at this both ran a hand across the hidden scars, Sheldon's over his shoulder and Jenny over her bellybolt.
"At the end of the day, we were both at fault and both innocent," Sheldon said with a sigh, as he ran his hand threw his hair, "it's not something that needs to be brought up."
"I disagree," came a voice from the door. Both turned to find Rowen staning at the doorframe with her arms crossed. Jenny attempted to hid her scowl while Sheldon tried to avoid eye contact, fully knowing what she was expecting from him. "Sheldon please, you can't avoid this."
Sheldon groaned as his head hit the table, "Why is it that having people who love and care for you can be such a pain in the ass?..."
"Because we love you enough to keep jabbing you so you can and will make yourself better," Rowen said with her signature smirk and her hands moving to her hips, "I know you don't want to have this converstion but it needs to happen, you need to let your feelings out or something bad will happen to everyone."
Sheldon sighed as he rubbed his face, "Jenny found out about Shell in the worst way one could, and... well reacted."
"In an out of hand way," Jenny said as her hand ran across her slightly scarred belly bolt, "Long story short I gave chase and eventually Sheldon had to... defend himself." Rowen instantly undersood what Jenny had ment but made to move to interupt her. "Words were exchanged and weapons pulled, Sheldon wound up in the hospital and I was almost scrapped entirely. The only reason I wasn't was that Sheldon stood up for me and Mom wasn't willing to just let sky patrol to 'Decommision' me, she fixed me but left this scar as a reminder."
"You're hardly the only one," Sheldon said as he rubbed his shoulder again. "The aftermath sucked more that the actual fight. Skypatrol still sends me offer lettters and have even attempted to draft me a few time, as well as confiscate some of my tech for themselves. Thankfully I still hold a personal and bussiness licence and pattent so there is no legal way to do so."
"Would Sky Patrol actually steal your tech?" Rowen asked, slightly concerned as she rubbed her arms lighly in worry, "What about-?"
"Again, don't worry. All my projects are protected by law and can't be taken." Sheldon said, aleviating her worrys, "Believe me they've tried in every way they can think of, both legal and not but as I have everything catagorized and bugged, they got nothing."
"Bugged?" Both girls asked in concern.
"Relax, not any of the tech you use," Sheldon said, using vauge language so Jenny didn't know he was talking about both of them. "Once my tech is finalized and ready to be used by others I remove the bugs."
"Have you ever given any actual thought in joining Sky Patrol?" Rowen asked, ignoring the look that Jenny was giving her, "You could probably get a lot of funding for your projects." As much as she disliked the idea of any one of her friends, Sheldon especially, being used it very well could be benificial to the man.
Sheldon gave a light groan as he began washing off his hands, "I've looked into it a bit, never hurts to see all the cards on the table and all, and they really didn't offer me anything that I couldn't get on my own with none of the restrictions that would have been placed on me. Juice just wasn't worth the squeeze." With the last laugh sheldon left the room to change into his normal clothes.
"Not to sound rude," Jenny started, doing what she could to hide the animosity in her voice, "but what are you doing here?" For reasons that she had yet to fine Jenny and Rowen just weren't meshing well, something other that jealousy. Jenny had never and would never be interested in Sheldon, she had made that as clear as she possibly could, but that didn't mean that she wasn't still attached to him.
Add to that the fact that Rowen did little to hide the obvious distain that she had for her. Jenny had originally thought that she was just predjuice of robots, but her friendship with Sheldon and the obvious care that she showed to any of the cleaner bots that he used, which left her with the obvious truth. Rowen held something against her personally. This confused her greatly when she figured that out becase as far as she knew she had never done anything to the woman. Super powered, ultra armed automoton or not, she was a teenager and liked to feel wanted.
"I heard that Shell was going to be doing some work and wanted to see if he wanted to hang out when he was done," Rowen said, not bothering to hide her glare. "After a busy day I figured he'd want to have some fun with a friend."
Jenny's eyes narrowed. "I am his friend," she said in an icy voice.
"If you say so," Rowen said, voice just as icy, "though I have my doubts."
"And just what is that supposed to mean?!" Jenny snarled as she fought the urge to clock the other girl. How dare she say such a thing! Sure she and Sheldon only really hung out with Brad and Tuck, mostly when they asked him, but that was harldy the point.
"When is his birthday?" Rowen asked suddenly, causing Jenny to pause. "What's his favorate food? How about his family? His full legal name? Hell if all that isn't enough how about the last time you asked him to hang out without anyone else having to do it?"
"What exactly is your problem with me blondy?" Jenny finally snapped, having had enough of the girl and all her rather uncomfortable questions.
"Neither one of us has the time for me to go threw the list," Rowen growled out, "the long and short of it is I don't like or trust you."
Jenny was actually take back a bit by that. "What do you mean you don't trust me? I've saved Termorton and the world countless times."
"That doesn't make the case you think it does." Rowen crossed her arms as she looked at the door way to make sure Sheldon wasn't coming back. She had promised not to tell Jenny the truth for some reason and to try and get along, but she wasn't going to miss the chance to make her stance known. "You have all that strenght, all those weapons, but you lack something too major. Something you think you have but really don't."
"And what is that?" Jenny questioned.
"Humanity," Rowen answered with an air of finaltiy, "You are close, I'll give you that. And no, I'm not just saying that because you are a robot. I see a lot of humanity in many of the robots that are running around Termorton, you yourself included, but not nearly enough. Part of me wants to say it's because you are a teenager but that isn't an excuse."
Before Jenny could retort with anything Sheldon came back into the room. "All set, you girls okay?" He asked, seeing the stunned look on Jenny's face.
"I'm fine Sheldon." Jenny said, fighting back her emotions, "Thanks for the tune up but I have to go. Mom's scanners were being upgraded and need to be brought back on line." And with that terrible lie, she flew off.
The two stood and watched her fly off.
"That wasn't very nice of you," Sheldon said with a tired sigh.
"Maybe, but it was deserved," Rowen said, as her eyes moved down to the smaller boy, "more importantly, she needed to hear it. I don't know why you're trying so hard to protect her from herself but we both know she won't grow if no one lets her."
"I'd rather it was done gradually." Sheldon said as he ran his hand threw his hair, "For all her boasting and grandure Jenny is still on really 8 years old."
Rowen made an annoyed face as she said, "Wait a second... the world saving super robot Jenny 'XJ-9' Wakemen, who is a walkin talking armory of all things sharp and or explosive and has the mentality and emotional level of your average 18 year old, ONLY has 8 years of practical life experience?"
"Quite the terrifing thought isn't it?" Sheldon asked as he tossed the larger girl and apple, "Could be worse, at least she had her mom to help her a long." Both winced at that. "I really doubt this will do as much good as you think it will Rowen."
"You can't grow a seed if you don't plant it, can't plant it if you don't dig a hole." Rowen said as she began munching.
*Far elsewhere*
The ever present sounds of skuttling, scrapping, and the occasionaly hiss was almost music to his ears, if not for his current temperment. Off in the corner was the old queen Vexas happily cooing at a deformed scarab infant that she had saved from the parent unit that was about to canablise it.
Vexas had been an asset to him, inspite the madness that had taken her after she had lost her rule, and it was her usefullness that kept her arond even now. But his patience was running thin.
"They failed again," He growled out.
"You called them during a frenzy," Vexas said as she ran her fingers across the infant, "Many were half formed at best. It was because of that they failed."
"She was in the open, difenceless. It was a golden opportunity that I wasn't going to loose out on." His aggitation was almost tangible at this point but was atleast going back to controlable levels, only fools reject the truth just because it makes them look foolish.
"And it cost us a small swarm," Vexas said with a mild glare as she put the bot down, "With all of our testing and refining we could very well have tripped at the finish line because of a golden beartrap.
"I warned you of XJ-9's capabilites, and what's worse the incect inventor that followed her around was there as well. Bastard that he is he has no doubt began dicecting one of my poor babies."
A groan escaped his lips as he raised a hand to his metalic head, "This is a major set back, we've lost a pawn or two, but the game is far from over my dear. She will be mine. I will always get what is MINE."