Past, Present and Future tense.
Disclaimer: I don't own Jimmy Neutron or any of the character from this show. Also I'm not a good writer I just do this stuff for fun.
The Last school bell of the day had just rung, signaling the release to freedom of all the students of Retrovill elementary. Like every day all of the kids scattered to the winds in all directions, seeking their after individual after school activities. After the mass exodus, one long group of kids were left behind, waiting for two of their number to finish their daily argument.
"Sigh, How long are those two going to be at it?" Libby wined, turning up her head phone to drown out the shouting.
Sheen arched an eyebrow saying, "I don't know, normal they would be out of breath by now but they seem to be going for the record for Insults per minute."
"Yeah, and if they keep this up, I'm going to miss the one hour Lama special on animal planet" Carl moped.
Libby grumbled turning her music up to the max," Just let me know when their done, will you Sheen?"
"Is that right Nerd-tron!?" Cindy snarled at the boy genius
"That right Bore-tex!" Jimmy yelled back with all the righteous furry capable of a 10 year old boy. "Why don't you just admit it? Your just jealous that I my project was better then yours." He challenged.
"Me jealous of you?" Cindy answered back. "If anything, your jealous of Me Brain boy!" Cindy's anger was so great it almost caused her to spit.
"HO HO HO" Jimmy laughed mockingly "An why pray tell would I be jealous of a cooty ridden girl with only a 120 I.Q.?"
"OUCH! Below the belt!" Libby said. "Cindy hates it when he brings up his higher IQ. Score." Libby wince knowing Jimmy had just pushed one of Cindy's buttons.
"Well you mean besides me being more popular, more well spoken, and a better dresser?" Cindy smiled smugly at Jimmy knowing that she was scoring points in their verbal dual. Then setting him up for the kill she bent her knee overly dramatically bringer herself down to his eye level. "There is the fact that I'm at least tall enough to cross the street with out my mommy handing my hand." Then adding one final touch she patted him on the head saying, "Little man" with fake sympathy.
"Ohh… that stung!" Sheen said joining Libby in the color commentary of today's battle. "In all my day witnessing these two go at it, I've never seen them hitting this hard," Sheen said in his best fake announcer voice.
"That right Sheen. I think Cindy's last shot has Neutron on the ropes." Libby said getting into the game of fight announcer.
"Yes! and what a shot that was! How low, how evil how dirty! And I've never been more attracted to Cindy in my life!" Sheen chuckled as Libby playfully elbowed him in the ribs
"Well let's hope Jimmy had enough so we can all get out of here."
Cindy's last shot did hurt. It hurt so much Jimmy had no choice but to bring out his ultimate weapon. Looking down and defeated looking Jimmy admitted "Well Cindy, your right.
"W..what?" Cindy asked both shocked at Jimmy's admission and manor.
" I'm not as popular or articulate or a snazzy dresser as you. And I am very short in comparison to other boys my age." Jimmy said a sadly.
Cindy saw how sad Jimmy looked and knew she may have gone to far this time. "Well your not that short Jimmy" Cindy said remorsefully
"No I am, and there is nothing I can really do about it." He said setting her up. "Which is another reason I'm jealous of you, at lest you can HIDE your short comings."
Cindy blinked in confusion. "Hey! What do you mean by 'Short comings'?"
Wanting to put end to today argument Jimmy went in for the kill. His right hand moved quickly, grasping at the neckline of Cindy's shirt, pulling it forward, while the fingers of his left hand dip in and down into her shirt, pulling out a long wad of tissue that Cindy had been stuffing her training bra with for the last few weeks. "These short comings." Jimmy said smirk, letting the false paper breast fall to the ground. "Check and mate!"
Libby Sheen and Carl stared on in utter horror. Not because Cindy had been stuffing her bra, they all pretty much figured that out already. But because Jimmy had exposed her little secret. Cindy looked down at her crumpled origami boobs on the ground, then at Jimmy's smug face. "Oh man….. Jimmy's a dead man." Sheen mutterd
"You got that right, dead and buried already. He just doesn't realize it yet." Libby agreed
"Err..I think I hear my mommy calling me" Carl spoke up as his retreated from the scene, noting wanting to see any blood.
Cindy had never in her whole 11 years of life been so humiliated, First he takes her title of smartest kid in school away and now her dignity be exposing the flatness of her torso. What was coursing through her veins couldn't even be called anger but pure fury. "NeeeeeeuuuuuuuTRRrrrrroooooNNNn!!! Cindy scream through her clenched teeth.
Being a genius, Jimmy was quick to analyze pretty much any situation, and come to a conclusion and course of action. His conclusion was perhase he's gone too far, and the most logical course of action was to please for his young life. "Err… heh now Cindy let not doing any thing we'd regret." The rest of his statement was interrupted by Cindy's closed fist that he narrowly managed to avoid. Yes Jimmy thought it was safe to say had gone too far. He fanatically backed away from her and the school steps trying to calm her. "Ok let not doing any thing I might regret." He said while ducking a kick that may have caused him brain damage.
"Oh your a dead man Neutron, there's no talking your way out of this!"
Backing off the sidewalk and into the street. He readied him self to make a run for it if he couldn't talk her down. Jimmy pleaded, "Come on Cindy, your said some stuff, I said some stuff, its all water under the proverbial bridge, let just calm down and.."
"SHUT UP NEUTRON! I don't ever want to hear a word from you!" Cindy shrieked. A small tear of anger and humiliation almost fond its way out of her eye. "This is the last Straw! I HATE you! Her small fist balled up ready to beat the crap out of her rival, "Just shut up and DIE!" Despite her massive anger Cindy had a whole lot more thing to scream at Jimmy before she got down to the butt kicking. However she never got to say any of it. Not because she calmed down or because Jimmy's short legs could our run her, But because nether of the two preteens saw the car barreling down the quite street. No one saw it till it was too late. Even as the hard cold metal frame crushed into Jimmy's small body, sending him into the air. Cindy mind could not process what her eyes where showing her. Time seemed to slow down for her, as her eyes tracked the horrifying scene. Some where in between those terrible seconds, Cindy wanted very much to close her eyes to the sight of Jimmy's broken body hitting the ground with a sickening thud. She wanted to cover her ears so not to hear the shattering of his bones. To move her legs as the small pool of blood from the body that landed before her expanded to her feet. She wanted every much to pull her eyes from Jimmy's dying gaze as his lips mouthed her name soundlessly.
Cindy laid on her bed in the dark, trying not to remember that day. It had been a week since that hit and run driver sped away from the scene. At lest Cindy thought it was a week ago, she really wasn't sure. She could barely function let alone keep track of time. Cindy didn't want to think about it any more, but her memories betrayed her, Images of Flashing lights and sirens carrying Jimmy to the hospital assaulted her every time she closed her eyes. She could still hear the sounds of Ms. Neutrons wails of anguish echoing down the halls of the Hospital as the doctors told her with Cindy already knew. Cindy had some vague memories of a policewoman trying to get the whole store from her, as her Mother cleaned Jimmy's blood off her. She also remember wanting to help the nice policewoman by talking with her, but she also remember not being able to bring her self to talk about it. She could not talk to the police or to her concerned mother. The shocks of that day's events were just too much for her. Cindy tried to focus her mind through the clouds of pain and grief and do a mental count of the days since the accident. She kind'a remember spending the first two days crying her self in and out of sleep, stopping only for a few sips of soup and mother made. Perhaps it was the third of fourth day she tried to convince her self she was ok enough to go to school, but the sight of police tape around the front of the school, marking the spot of the accident proved her wrong. And she spent the rest of that day in her room curled up into a ball. Cindy was pretty sure she made it through a full day of school on the fifth day. She sort'a remembers everyone being very nice and understanding. She couldn't remember anything Ms fowl had said that day. It realy didn't matter since school was cut short for Jimmy's funeral. She also remember wanting to go and say good by to her rival, but she doesn't have any clear memory of the service, so she concluded she must have chickened out as the last moment. The day after that Jimmy's robotic dog Goddard made it was to her front door step. And it stayed by her side, since then. Cindy concluded her mental count, and it was one week this day since Jimmy died. Funny she could barley remember any of it but there is one clear memory she had, but wish she didn't, her last words to Jimmy Neutron. Cindy buried her face into her tear stained Pillow trying not to hear the word echoing in her mind. "Shut up and die Neutron!" she heard those words over and over ever since that day. Logically she knew she didn't kill Jimmy. Unfortunate she could tell her stomach that. Cindy did make it to the bathroom in time to throw up, this time. "Oh god…. Jimmy… I'm sorry" She realized she was on the verge of another brake down, one that she couldn't afford. Cindy tried to remind her self she was made of stronger stuff. It was a lie of course. People thought she was strong but she knew she was weak on the inside. "Air.. I just need some air and it'll be all right."
Goddard wined in sympathy for Cindy as it followed her into the cold night air. Cindy barely noticed the chill blowing under and through her nightgown. She sat on her front steps and looks at Jimmy's house. It was dark and silent, much like a grave. "NO" she chilled her self, "Don't go their girl." Mister and Misses Neutron were with Family in their hour of grief. Their house was not a grave. Even Jimmy's Lab had not been touched since his death. It to was dark and abandoned. Seeming to sense Cindy's sad mood the robot dog, licked her hand with its metallic tongue.
Cindy regarded the robot, "Just why are you here robo Mutt?" She said with misplaced anger.
A small screen popped out of the front of the metal dog and a computerized voice said. "Directive Number Twenty one: In case of Jimmy Neutrons death owner ship of Goddard reverts to Cindy vortex."
"Why? Your Jimmy's dog, you loved you, and he hated me, why would Jimmy program that into you?"
It spoke again. "Answer: Jimmy cared for Cindy Vortex"
It was a simple answer like all the ones the mechanical dog gave, and its answers were always factual. "Jimmy cared for me?" Goddard was not programmed for falsehood so Cindy had not choice but to accept it. "Oh…. Jimmy…" Her last words to him rang even louder in her heart. If only she could take those words back. If only she could change what happened.
Wiping the salty tears form her eyes Cindy noticed a small flicker of light a few feet in the air. Thinking her eyes were playing tricks on her she blinked the last of her tears and looked again. Again she saw a small point of light flickering in mid hair over the moist grass. The hairs on the Back of Cindy's neck stood on end as a weird feeling past through her. Sparks of electricity seemed to form a ball from that small point, growing larger by the second. The air swirled and reverberated from the ever-growing sphere of energy.
"What the? … What is that thing!" for a second Cindy thought the lost of Jimmy became too much for her and she's gone crazy. But soon Goddard confirmed what she was seeing with his scanners.
"Scanning:" The Metal dog said" Scanning complete: a massive build up of Tacions and Gravitons is forming a temporal anomaly of unknown origins:"
Cindy missed Jimmy even more because she only understood about half of what Goddard just said. Before she could ask any more questions. The Swirling ball of electricity and light opened and a person fell out and onto the dew covered lawn.
As Goddard jumped in front of Cindy protectively, she watched the stranger that had just appeared out of thin air. The person rose slowly it its feet. It was a girl, possible late teens in Cindy's estimation. The girl's blonde hair formed two braids that traveled quite a length down her back. Cindy had always hoped her hair would be that long one-day. The Girl looked about her and seeming to take stock, till her eyes fell on Cindy and Goddard. First a strange Girl appeared out of thin air and now that same girl was approaching Cindy, Needless to say Cindy was scared out of her mind.
"Cindy Vortex." The Blonde older girl said. Her eyes were piecing and fierce, as well and a deep dark blue. She was tall and slender, with a strong athletic build. Her stance, her walk, and manor every then about her were intimidating as hell to young Cindy Vortex. "Tell me, where is Jimmy Neutron!" The young woman said as she advanced.
"Who….Who are you? Where did you come from ? what do you want?" Cindy said frightfully.
"Ugh! I don't remember being this dim at this age. We don't have time fore this! I need to know where Jimmy Neutron is!"
Memories of the car accident flooded her minds eye, and she just wanted to crawl into a corner ad cry her eyes out, but Cindy had had enough weirdness and wanted to regain some sort of control of her life again. "Look Blondie I don't know how your are or where you came from but I'm not telling you anything till I find out!" Cindy said balling her fist up and shaking it in the newcomers face.
The strange young woman just smiled at her. "I don't remember being such a pain in the ass ether," she mutters. The taller blonde girl lowered her self to her knee looking Cindy in the eye. "Look at me Cindy, notice anything strange?
Cindy looked wearily at this woman, and she did seem strangely familiar but she just couldn't place her finger on it.
"Gezz Vortex!" The older girl turned and addressed the robotic dog, "Goddard, Comparative DNA scan on me and Cindy Vortex."
"Ha! Goddard won't listen to you Girly"
"Voice pattern recognized: Initializing DNA scan." Goddard obeyed much to Cindy's dismay. Why would Goddard listen to this strange woman? "DNA scans completed. Results: DNA from new arrival and Cindy Vortex Match 100%. Conclusion: Both subjects are Cindy Vortex." The computerized voce concluded.
Cindy looked at the older girl in awe. "How could this be…unless." She trailed off coming to a conclusion that was mind-boggling.
"Finally you get it, I'm you from about 8 years in the future. And I need your help! So tell me where's Jimmy Neutron?"
"Wait…..if your from the future you should know. That Jimmy's …..he's dead." The young Cindy said miserably
"Damn it! My calculations where off as I feared." Grasping the little blonde by her shoulders Older Cindy asked, "How long ago did he die? Please Cindy it's important!"
"It was about 7 days ago! But if you're me form the future you should know all of this!" Cindy begins to cry again. "Please tell me what going on!" She wept
"The reason I don't know is because Jimmy wasn't supposed to die. In the future… well my future anyway, Jimmy didn't die as a kid, but somebody screwed with the timeline. And I was barley able to use this Crono-Slider to escape before the timeline was destroyed." She finish holding up a weird looking device that was attached to her wrist.
"You mean you can here to stop Jimmy from dying? Well great work stupid! You're about a week late!" The young child screamed tearing up again.
"You do realize you just called your self stupid?" The young Cindy did odd yelling at her future self. "Sigh, maybe I deserved to be called stupid, I under shot my mark by seven days. There just wasn't enough time to properly configure the Crono-slider after the Time disruption was detected. But is not too late Cindy. We can still save Jimmy but I'm going to need your help." Future Cindy held her hand out looking deeply into the ten-year-old Cindy's eyes.
The young gild didn't know what to think, living across the street from the Neutrons Cindy thought she was use to the strange and unusual. But meeting her future self topped them all, but as she saw the determination in the young woman's eyes she felt an instant connection. But also there was nothing she wouldn't do or endure to save Jimmy. If there were a way to undo the wrong she did she would do it.