Penn Zero "Moments"

Author's Note

This fanfiction will be extensions or added scenes from certain episodes where Penn and Sashi had a "moment" or could have had one. There will be episode names so you know in which episode the scene takes place. One thing I've never really liked about some stories is how the romance is always pre-set (I sometimes use made-up words because I can't think of a word that best says what I'm trying to say) and how the entire plot revolves around said romance. Some moments are too forced or too unrealistic and while the characters may act normal on the outside, internally, they are a total mess. I wanted to write this out in a way that made the romance develop in a somewhat realistic way and I found that the best way to do that for me personally was . . . well, you'll see as you read on.

Constructive criticism is welcome. If you just want to be mean, you need to find something better to do with your life. This is my first fanfiction ever so please be a little lenient. Review and tell me what I can improve on. Writing is something I've always liked and it's something I've wanted to improve but I never really knew who to ask for help and share my work with for fear of being judged until I found this. So if you have any tips on how I can improve my writing, that would be really helpful. I also found that fanfiction on this show was really lacking and the show itself was lacking in popularity despite how good it is. So I decided to do something about it. I hope you guys (and girls) enjoy my work and if you want, I will continue to make more. Also, just so you guys (and girls) know, I don't write smut. It's just not my cup of tea. Anyways, if you guys (and girls, I say 'guys' way too much) have read all of this until now, thank you so much, you are automatically my favorite people, I will stop talking now, enjoy!

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the plot and the original characters. All character rights go to their respective owners.

Flurgle Burgle

"Almost there, Sash, just hold on!"

"Penn, forget about me, just go or we'll both die!"

"I never leave a friend behind, Sashi."

"Penn, we're running out of time! JUST GO!"

The enemies were drawing closer and the doors were closing. Sashi knew that if Penn stayed for much longer, they would get him too. She was a lost cause. Couldn't he see that?

Who was she kidding? Of course he could see that. She saw it on his face even as he dragged her towards the doors that were already halfway shut. He would never leave her behind, even if it meant going down with her. It was one of the things she admired the most about him. It might also have been why he was the one chosen to be the Hero, despite her superiority in many aspects of the job.

"Almost there," Penn said, his voice anxious as the swarm of monsters behind them quickly closed the distance between them.

"Penn, please, just go," Sashi begged him. "I don't want to be the reason you lose."

"Sashi, every mission we ever went on, every victory we ever celebrated, every world we ever saved, was because of you. You'll never be the reason I lose."

She looked at him, feeling as if there was another meaning to his words but not being able to figure out what it was.

Just then, the doors before them shut completely and the swarm of enemies caught up. Their avatars were torn apart in a gruesome fashion as the 'Game Over' sign flashed on their screen, dripping as if it were written in blood. How cliché.

"Well, at least not in real life," Penn said as he sighed, putting down the controller and stretching as he got up.

"I told you to leave without me," Sashi said.

"The missions were only going to get harder. I only made it that far into the mission with your help. I would've died in the first few minutes in the next one."

Sashi knew he was trying to make her feel better but it wasn't working. While she had spent almost her whole life in Sidekick School, Penn had lived an ordinary life, playing video games like those and mastering everything there was to master. Even though this game was really new, the gameplay was more or less the same as other games of its genre so it was still right up Penn's alley, meaning he could have probably cleared the whole game without much difficulty had he not spent those few precious seconds dragging her to the end of the level. As much as she hated to admit it, this was one thing he was supremely superior at and she had a feeling she would never catch up.

"Are you leaving?" she asked, seeing him put on his shoes.

"Yeah. I should probably head home. Uncle Rose and Aunt Chuck will probably need help around the house."

"They're adults. They can handle it."

"I don't think you understood me, Sash. I don't want to leave the house in their hands." He shuddered at the thought and a chill went up her spine as she realized what he was trying to say.

Boone had already left earlier, saying he wanted to spend some time with his flip flops. Her parents had gone out, saying they were going to meet with some friends. George was in his room sleeping. The guy always went to bed really early, though why, she could never figure out. Seeing that there was nothing left for her to do and not wanting to keep Penn around for fear that he might suggest they eat some more cake, Sashi got up and put on her shoes.

Penn looked at her curiously.

"There's nothing for me to do around here and I don't want to play that stupid game anymore."

"I could teach you," Penn offered. Sashi shook her head in response.

"You should probably go home. I know you're scared for what might happen to your house."

"And you're scared for what might happen to your digestive system if I ask you to eat more cake."

She froze, her face resembling a deer caught in headlights. She looked at Penn guiltily but he just chuckled and waved his hand, telling her it was okay.

"It was bad, I know. I kept telling Boone to let me handle the ingredients." He stopped, his expression becoming thoughtful. Suddenly, his face lit up, and Sashi could practically see the lightbulb in his head flash on.

"The cake could make for a pretty good weapon against Rippen." His smile suddenly turned evil and he looked at her conspiratorially. "Or we could give it to him anonymously as a present from the class." He chuckled darkly.

Sashi smiled, partly because it was a great idea that they would surely act on and partly because Penn wasn't hurt that she didn't like the cake.

She finished tying her shoes and they both walked out of the apartment, turning off all the lights and closing the door and locking it behind them. It was night by the time they reached Penn's neighborhood. As they walked in companionable silence, Sashi glanced at Penn to see him admiring the stars. She turned her head to look at them too and she could see what he saw in them. Unlike most cities, Middleburg had very little pollution, so the stars would come out nearly every night and they shone so brightly that even Sashi, tough as she was, couldn't help but admire them in their beauty.

"Pretty, aren't they?"

"Yeah, they are," Sashi agreed.

"So even the great Sashi Kobayashi can appreciate the little things in life," he joked. She playfully punched him in the shoulder.

"So just because I'm tough, I'm not allowed to like pretty things?"

"It's not that," Penn said, his tone thoughtful. Sashi looked at him, but he was still looking up at the sky.

"It's just that this seems like something you'd keep on a 'need-to-know basis' and I don't 'need to know'," he said, and he almost sounded hurt. She was about to say something but he went on.

"Also, you're a tomboy, so it's a bit too girly for you." At this, she frowned and crossed her arms, turning her head away from him with an overdramatic "Hmph!", causing him to chuckle again. Then she smiled playfully as she looked at him with a mischievous look in her eye.

"So you think liking stars is girly?" she asked.

"Not in a sexist way, but for you, yeah," he answered. Her eyebrow twitched in annoyance but she continued.

"So I guess between the two of us, you're the girlier one, huh?"

"Well, I would look great in a dress," he said. At this she laughed, imagining Penn in a dress. Sure, she had seen him as a princess before, but it would be way funnier in real life.

"Heeeeyyyy," he said feigning hurt. "I'd definitely look better than you," he said confidently.

"You've never seen me in a dress, PZ," she said.

"Then why don't you show me?" he asked challengingly, drawing closer.

"I don't think you could handle it," she said, doing the same.

"I can handle saving an entire world everyday but I can't handle seeing you in a dress?"

"No, you can't."

"What makes you so sure?"

At this, she leaned up and whispered in his ear.

"Because I'd look great in a dress." She pulled away, waiting for his smart remark. However, he just chuckled.

"Somehow, I believe you," he said.

They both turned straight ahead, only to realize that they'd reached Penn's house. As Penn turned to walk towards his door, he stopped and turned back around to face Sashi.

"Penn?" she said curiously. "Is something wrong?"

"Sash?" he said. "I just want you to know something." He paused and she waited, listening intently. He took a deep breath before continuing.

"Boone told me about what you told him today when the two of you were captured by Rippen after you accidentally turned me into the Flurgle."

She looked down guiltily, remembering how they had almost failed that mission because of her.

"Hey, don't worry about it," Penn said, trying to lighten the mood. "For what it's worth, I was adorable."

She chuckled at that. "If you can call a hideous alien monstrosity adorable."

He smiled before turning serious again. "Sashi, how many missions have we gone on?"

She frowned at his question, counting them all off in her head.

"It was a rhetorical question," Penn said, chuckling awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry, should've been more clear on that. Anyways." He cleared his throat as he went on. "Think about how many missions we've gone on. How many victories we've had. How many worlds we've saved. How many of those wins did we get without you?"

Sashi thought about it, going through all the missions in her head and coming up blank.

"Every single time we won, we did it with your help. Boone and I have made so many mistakes. We've messed up so many times. But we had you, so everything still turned out fine in the end. Every time Boone and I mess up or fool around, it's always you who gets us back on track. It's always you who makes sure the mission gets done. It's always you who makes sure we save the world. You're always there for us when we need you, Sash. There's no shame in needing us to be there for you too. You're only human. An amazing and violent and scary human, but still a human."

He smiled gently. "I know your parents can't be proud of what they don't know. But us, me, Boone, and Phyllis, we do know. Your parents aren't proud of you but we are. I know it's not the same thing and I understand if it isn't enough. But how many times would Rippen have won if it wasn't for you? How many worlds would he have ruined if it wasn't for you? Sashi, you save entire worlds everyday. If that's not something to be proud of, then what is?"

"Look, we're all going to mess up from time to time. It's okay. It happens to the best of us. And you are the best of us. So the next time you mess up, don't think it's because you're not good enough. Because you're the best there is. Even Rippen thinks so."

"How does Rippen think so?!" she asked incredulously.

"He calls you the 'competent one' for a reason, Sash."

She laughed a little before looking up at Penn and smiling. It wasn't one of her confident smiles that she had when they won. It wasn't her evil smile that she wore before beating the crap out of enemies. It was genuine and happy and normal and for a moment, Penn saw past the tough-as-nails sidekick he'd always had by his side to the kind-hearted and selfless girl she really was.

"Thanks, Penn," she said, her voice full of gratitude and emotion. Penn just smiled and turned around, waving as he walked toward the front door.

"Goodnight, Sash," he called out.

She waved tentatively at his retreating figure. "Goodnight, Penn," she said softly as the door closed behind him.

Sashi turned around and walked back towards her apartment. Most girls like her would be scared to walk alone at night but she was not most girls. She was more than capable of handling herself. Besides, Middleburg was a great place to live and she was sure that nothing bad would ever happen in her town. And even if it did, everything would be fine. After all, if anything bad ever did happen, Penn would be there to save the day, Boone and her by his side.

Somewhere along the way back to her apartment, Sashi noticed that she felt lighter. She didn't feel guilty about today anymore and she realized just how right Penn was. Balancing two different lives was already hard enough but she saved entire worlds every day. It was okay to mess up because she knew that if she ever needed it, Penn and Boone would be there for her.

'Like today,' she thought. She reached her apartment and walked in, careful not to make a sound. Her parents weren't home yet but George was sound asleep and she didn't want to wake him. As she took off her shoes, changed into her pajamas, and climbed into bed, she smiled. It might have been just another successful mission, but she couldn't help but feel a little proud of it. She closed her eyes and for once, she didn't think about what their next mission was going to be or what weird world they would go into tomorrow. That night, she just closed her eyes and let herself drift off into a deep, enjoyable sleep.