All's Science-Fair in Love and War

Disclaimer: I do not own Jimmy Neutron.

It had been approximately five years since Cindy and Jimmy declared their love for one another in the seventh grade. Perhaps it might have never come to pass if it weren't for the persistence and help of a few close friends that noticed the 'strong but denied' attachment. It was obvious there were feelings between them so eventually love kicked ego's butt and blah, blah, blah... Cindy and Jimmy finally got together and became a couple. There were a few bumps along the way at first but as time passed they found a balance where they could co-exist as a loving couple but still engage in intellectual sparing matches. Knowing these two it's highly doubtful that this aspect could ever have gone away, it was part of what made their relationship fiery and alive.

In almost all things they shared and worked together on countless ideas, projects and inventions either initiated by Jimmy or Cindy. Everyone was glad to see the mean spirited arguing that used to occur, traded in for something more constructive; competitive debates that benefited them both by pushing them to a greater potential. But there was one thing that could never be lost and over the years had become a well known Retroville tradition; the annual end-of-May Science Fair, which Vortex and Neutron entered and competed in separately. Yes, aside from this tiny break in the usual, James and Cynthia were a loving, almost average couple but when Science Fair week began; it was an all out, anything goes war. It was agreed they would compete in this one week of fire to see the best each other had to offer, and duel their equally equipped intellect, on fair grounds. Perhaps they agreed to this arrangement because they missed the stimulating challenges they had in their elementary years, before they laid their arms on the table and called a truce. Or perhaps their were just little few in Retroville who could level the comprehension power of James Isaac Neutron and Cynthia Aura Vortex (which made for one exciting, unforgettable evening every year, come judgment time)? Only they knew for sure.

The unwritten goal of the pact was both would enter, separately, the finest project they could present and at the same time; guard it with all their might but still try to sabotage the rivals'. You could try to stay clear of these two during the annual science fair week, but… if your names happened to be Libby, Sheen or Carl; chances are you'd be caught up in the war one way or another. And wouldn't you know it, our story beings on the very eve of this infamous week.

It was rounding to 10:00 a.m. in the evening and the hero and heroin of this story occupied a private booth at the ol' Candy Bar. They had arrived earlier with their childhood friends Libby, Sheen and Carl but wanted to enjoy the last few hours they had together as a normal couple before competition began 12:00 a.m. sharp. Their friends understood and occupied another booth a few chairs up. Cindy huddled in closer to her boyfriend's warm body. Jimmy had his left arm wrapped around her and his right arm, elbow bent, rested on the seat-cushions' backrest; holding up his chin in thought. He was gazing out the window next to their booth. Cindy shifted her rested head, which lay on his chest, up to his turned head.

"Thinking about your entry?" she inquired with a smile. Jimmy didn't turn his head but he grinned to himself when Cindy's words distracted him from his other thoughts and brought him back to reality.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" he smirked. Turning away from the window, he picked up their shared soda on the table, to sip from his straw.

"So you have been thinking about it? I was kind of worried; you looked like you were in a more serious thought." Jimmy couldn't meet her gaze completely because the truth was; he was in a deeper thought. Normally 'Why would that even matter?' you'd think but the thing of it was; it wasn't the first time he had been like that. It was growing more frequent and Cindy was taking notice.

"Do you want to know what I was thinking about?" Cindy stared at him for a brief moment measuring the possibility of actually letting him tell her this time but then decided against it for the umpteenth time.

"No, don't," she responded, regretting she inquired in the first place. The answer was blunter then she intended but she couldn't keep coming up with soft excuses to keep from hearing what he wanted to tell her; or discuss with her. The girl feared she knew what it was and wanted to delay the inevitable for as long as possible. Still, it was apparent in Jimmy's face that she had cut him again. After a minute Jimmy countered in a softer voice, getting over the rejection.

"Its okay," assuring her by pulling her in a bit tighter. "Are you going to recruit Libby for help with your project this year?" Jimmy spoke, changing the subject. Cindy was glad to have a chance to think about something other.

"You know I am, but it gets harder every year. She keep's finding an excuse to be hanging out with Sheen instead." She paused and rocked her head. "Those two… seriously," she beamed. "But this year I heard Sheen's leaving for Mexico tomorrow so Libby will have no way out and that means…"

"Oh no," Jimmy finished her sentence with a growing realization. "Yah, it means I'm stuck with only Carl." Cindy gave a hearty chuckle at the thought of awkward Carl knocking down all of Jimmy's experiments and giving Jimmy more trouble then he could handle. With just Carl, half the sabotaging was already in the bag.

"Yeah, but one friend per person this year evens out the odds."

"No, I think it increases your odds," he replied hastily, to Cindy's obvious delusion. She laughed back and Jimmy leaned in to drop a kiss on her conniving little head.

"Would you look at those too?" Libby pointed from a distance. "You can hardly believe that the most ruthless competition that can happen during science fair week is like this, just hours before it begins and then right back to this right afterwards."

"Jimmy's kind of scary when he competes against Cindy," Carl replied, recalling being on Jimmy's team previous years.

"Lucky for me I'll be in Mexico visiting my tía Ruth." Sheen stated proudly.

"I thought you said you were visiting your aunt?" Carl inquired, confused.

"I am."

"Ohh, is tía Mexican for aunt?"

Libby and Sheen stared at the very confused Carl. "Uhh, Carl, Sheen speaks Spanish."

*blink*

"Spanish? Then why are you going to Mexico?"

Exasperated, Sheen threw a spastic 'never mind Carl' to end the madness. He counted his blessings for having the chance to get away, and then got up to use the bathroom.

Libby reversed back to the original conversation.

"I wouldn't worry about Jimmy this year Carl. Have you noticed Jimmy's been a bit off track lately? Usually before science fair week he's very alert and active with all his ideas for his entry. Lately he's been more pensive.

"He hasn't said anything to me about it," Carl replied, suddenly concerned for his friend. "Maybe he and Cindy had a fight?"

"Not the way those two are looking right now," stealing another glance back at Jimmy and Cindy then noticing Sheen coming back from the restroom.

"Hey Libbs' It's getting late, how about I walk you home?" Libby nodded and scooted out of the booth. "Do you want to come with us Carl?" Sheen asked.

"Yeah. I got to get home to finish my protective suit I designed myself to protect my body from any experiment Jimmy may involve me in."

Libby tossed a wave to Jimmy and Cindy, indicating the gang was moving out. Jimmy caught the signal and waved his hand back, signaling to go on without them. He and Cindy were planning on staying just a little longer.

"Good luck with your suit, Carl." Sheen and Libby waved goodnight to their friend after dropping him off at his house. Libby and Sheen continued on their way till they reached destination: Libby's Home. Hand in hand of course. For awhile they talked about Sheen's stay in Mexico and how they were going to miss each other. Libby remembered how Sheen had been absent when she brought up the subject of Jimmy's behavior change. She didn't know Jimmy as well as she knew her best friend Cindy but when she saw how it had been affecting Cindy recently, she opened up the question to Sheen; hoping to shed some light for Cindy's sake.

"I didn't know Jimmy had been acting differently."

"Not different, just off... or at least distracted but not in the same way were used to seeing him." Sheen pondered for a moment to oblige his girlfriend and dredged up something, he had heard from him; back a week ago down in his lab.

"Actually I remember when I was down in Jimmy's lab, last week while he was using me to fix that R.D.M thing. He started talking about university and collage app's and the topic of what I was planning to do after our last year here at Lindberg High school. I can't recall his exact words but I think he said 'If it goes successfully, big things for him may happen after the science fair and a permanent move away

from Retroville.'"

"Really?-I see." Libby began connecting the pieces together, but her train of thought broke for a second as Sheen pointed out they arrived at her house.

"I'll see you tomorrow Sheen; to see you off with a goodbye," she declared with a blow kiss & smile. Sheen's response: he drew up the step Libby stood on to give her a real kiss.

"Ok, I won't leave until I see you," he winked and walked down the steps, waving goodnight.

After a moment in dreamland, Libby reverted back to her original thoughts. So that's why Jimmy's been so distracted. He's probably thinking about far away prestigious universities to attend. Everyone knows he has the choice of any one he wants and the chances that Cindy will be able to tag along or enroll in the same school aren't as strong.

"Hey Cin, It's getting late. How about we leave now, the candy bar's closing up?"

"I guess your right; it's almost 12:00 a.m. anyways." Jimmy helped her out and grabbed his jacket. When in close proximity to their houses Jimmy stopped Cindy for a moment before they headed off in there separate directions and becoming rivals.

"Good luck this year with your entry submission," he staggered trying to think of something to say without rocking Cindy's boat. She gave him a half sympathetic smile for trying. She didn't have her usual hyped attitude with the thought of smoking Jimmy's butt, and it was because she couldn't stop kicking herself for hurting Jimmy by not letting them talk about what was bothering him; and her. But this was the last year she and Jimmy could compete and dang it, she was going to make it count if it kills her! So Cindy gathered up the best hard sell she could make. Jimmy quivered for a second when he saw the devious change in Cindy's stare.

"Luck? I don't need any luck! You're going down this year! Forget all those past attempts and entries. This year I'm going to leave all that in the dust!" She slammed her right fist into her palm (Taekwondo maneuver) and grinned deviously. "This year will beat all, it's going to be imprinted on your memory until death do us part! For generations to come I'm going to make this the most unforgettable science fair that Retroville or any other county has ever seen!

It was a bit over the top but Jimmy was glad to see her gift of striking fear and intimidation into others since the day he met her hadn't been lost. "You make it sound like I have no more chance of winning then a dead man."

"Darn right!" she laughed manically to herself.

Jimmy grinned, hands in his pockets and turned around for his lab. "Ok, see you tomorrow sweetheart."

"What, no rebuttal?" she called out to a walking Jimmy.

"Oh, don't worry; I have a few surprises up my sleeve. I won't disappoint," promising it with a goodnight wave.

"That's what I want to hear!" she yelled back; as Jimmy was almost gone now. "Oh who am I kidding, his heart isn't in it… and neither is mine," she admitted silently to herself while turning around for her own house, with a head slightly drooped.

"Cindy's really excited about this… What am I going to do?" Jimmy thought miserably, placing his palm on Vox's reader. The hair scanner thing had been long trashed when Jimmy began noticing how many hairs he was losing with each pluck; and not just by his own hand too.

'Access Accepted'

"I guess it makes sense. It's our very last time we can scientifically battle. I don't know, to many things to think about, I can't get myself into the mood." Jimmy continued muttering to himself. He walked through his lab adjusting gizmos and knobs wherever needed, reading updates and giving quick inspections. His conduct reflected that familiarity most people adjust to after living in a house for a long enough time. He patted Goddard's head and removed his jacket which ended up thrown on the couch, along with an exhausted teen genius and all his dilemmas. He rubbed his eyes and forehead to try and clear his mind. He let out a deep sigh. The only body parts he had energy enough to move, were his eyes; so he let them wander. They caught sight of a stack of papers and torn envelops that piled on his table, in front of the couch. He managed to bend forward enough to just grab a particular form. He read just the first words aloud.

"Harvard University is pleased to accept…" he read to his dog Goddard. "What kind of problem is that? You'd think this would be a good thing. Then why is it making me so miserable? I didn't have to apply but I guess being the 'genius' that I am I couldn't keep my 'genius' curiosity away. I should have known I would be accepted. Now that I know I can attend one of the best, how can I turn it down?" but the real reason was,-"How can I leave Cindy?" he finished. He tossed the acceptance letter back on the pile.

Goddard saw his distressed owner and as programmed by Jimmy, flipped opened a panel where typed out words began processing; to reply back to his master.

"Have you tried talking to Cindy about it?" Jimmy looked up to see his caring dog, something he also had to program.

"Yeah I've tried, but she's dead set not to hear me. I haven't mentioned university or moving away but it's the inevitable and I think she knows it too." James buried his head in his palms and let out an out of place chuckle. "I love her too much to not want to leave. I would rather have her come with me but I believe I heard her say she planned to stay here to attend University of Texas to study language and photography. I don't want to stand in the way of her future."

"Eventually you will have to confront her with it."

"I know Goddard but I think that's not going to happen until after the fair. I can't tell what she's really feeling but she sure made a show of it just now, trying to convince me she was fervent about it."

"Why not try, for Cindy? Give her something to look forward to before everything falls apart for her."

"I guess you're right. Alright, for her sake I'm going to at least try and give her the best competition,-but I haven't even started anything yet, what should I enter?"

"You could try reviving an old invention?" Jim hummed, likening the idea and Goddard listed out a list of stagnant inventions Jimmy abandoned for various reasons.

"Oh, that's a good one. Where did I store it?" Jimmy got up off his couch and looked around. "Oh yes over there…" he walked over to a shelving unit and his mechanical pooch followed. Jimmy reached up to grab the semi large doohickey off the shelf. It's was times like this he was glad he had his growth spurt a few years back; which allowed him to grow to a nice lean length and to his satisfaction; a nice height difference between him and his girlfriend (finally). While Jimmy examined the condition of his abandoned invention Goddard processed one more thing.

"Don't forget Cindy's eighteenth birthday coming up."

"Oh that's right. The chemically soaked crystals should be ready now…" Jimmy trailed off to check-up on a previous project. "I'll hook this up to the R.D.M. for testing later."