Child Prodigy

"Leonard, if you can't understand the implications of Einstein's field equation, I really don't know how to continue this conversation," Sheldon said.

Leonard sighed. "Sheldon, I'm just trying to simplify the idea. Not everyone needs to understand general relativity like you do."

At that moment, the director of the institute entered the room accompanied by a confident-looking 15-year-old Asian boy.

"Gentlemen, this is Dennis Wei, a young prodigy. At 15, he has already won international awards and published multiple times in the Physical Review Letters. I wanted you to meet him."

Sheldon looked at the boy, furrowing his brow, and stepped forward.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Sheldon Cooper, a renowned theoretical physicist, known for… well, countless achievements," Sheldon said.

Dennis smiled slightly. "Yes, I know who you are. When I was 11, I read your paper on string theory. Interesting… but somewhat outdated."

Leonard smirked, sensing the beginning of something. "Oh yes, Sheldon loves to reminisce about that paper."

Dennis: "But I expected your reputation to be… greater."

The director, unaware of the tension, interrupted. "Leonard, could you show Dennis around? He will be with us for the next few days, and we'd like him to familiarize himself with the place."

Sheldon stood frozen, the twitch in his eye beginning to appear, as Leonard walked away with Dennis, clearly satisfied.

As Leonard and Dennis were at the door, Dennis turned to Sheldon and added, "Oh, and at 15, I already had three more awards than you had in your time."

Sheldon froze, the twitch in his eye more intense now. Leonard exited with a smile, as if he had lived to see that moment.

Leonard continued the tour with Dennis, arriving at the engineering lab where Howard was working on a prototype. Howard looked at them and smiled.

"Ah, the little genius causing all this commotion. What do you think about rockets and propulsion systems, kid?"

Dennis adjusted his glasses and replied dryly, "Interesting… for someone who can't get beyond working with machines. Sure, the physics behind it is fundamental, but… engineering is just applying what we already know. It doesn't require the same level of… genius, you know?"

Howard stood still, still holding his tools, as his smile quickly faded.

Leonard: "Dennis, Howard is one of our most talented engineers."

Dennis shrugged, casually glancing at the equipment around. "Yes, of course… they need people to tighten screws, I guess."

Howard, now turning away, whispered to Leonard, "For God's sake, get this kid out of here before I make him part of my next project."

Leonard nodded and turned to Dennis. "How about we head to the next area? I think you'll love seeing the astrophysics section."

Dennis, with the same arrogant tone as before, merely nodded, as if Howard's lab were irrelevant.

Leonard and Dennis finally reached Raj's lab, where he was sitting in front of a huge monitor full of stellar graphs. When Raj saw them enter, he smiled.

"Ah, you must be the genius everyone's talking about!" Raj said, standing up to greet Dennis. "Welcome to my realm! Here we work with astrophysics and the wonders of the universe."

Dennis looked at the graphs with interest. "Astrophysics? Fascinating. So, you must be analyzing the cosmic microwave background or… perhaps mapping black holes?"

Raj was excited to find someone interested and began speaking enthusiastically. "Exactly! We're currently studying the distribution of dark matter in the universe. It's an incredibly dynamic field, and every day we discover something new."

Dennis paused, seeming to consider what Raj had said, but soon frowned. "Interesting, but… the accuracy of your calculations is at the limit of what's acceptable, right? I mean, with the tools you have here, I'd expect something more robust. And honestly, your approach to dark matter seems… limited."

Raj blinked, the excitement slowly draining from his face. "What do you mean by 'limited'? We're using the most advanced technology available!"

Dennis raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Maybe it's the most advanced technology available here, but there are much more complex simulations being done in research centers that are more… advanced. It's good, but… it's not exactly cutting edge, is it?"

Raj was momentarily speechless, unsure how to respond.

Finally, Raj exploded. "Leonard, get this little brat out of my lab, now! I take back everything I said! He knows nothing! 'Not cutting edge'?! You're 15 years old, kid!"

Leonard placed his hand on Dennis's shoulder. "Okay, I think we've seen enough here."

Dennis shrugged, as if the whole situation was irrelevant. "It's always good to have constructive criticism. Science progresses with feedback."

Raj just shook his head in despair as Leonard led Dennis out of the lab. "Go ahead, Leonard. Take this kid before I float him to a black hole!"

******

The four of them were sitting in the cafeteria, each with their tray. Howard, chewing on his sandwich, looked at Leonard, who had just sat down, and asked:

"So, Leonard, where did that human projectile known as little Sheldon go?"

Leonard laughed: "Dennis? I think he's with the director now, discussing some projects."

Sheldon, who had been eating silently until then, paused, set his fork aside, and looked at Howard, clearly offended. "He and I have nothing in common, Howard. I suggest you rethink that comparison."

Raj raised an eyebrow. "Seriously, Sheldon? The kid is 15, a genius, arrogant, and seems to breathe academic competition. That sounds pretty familiar."

Sheldon sighed condescendingly, as if he couldn't believe the others' lack of perception. "Dennis is irritating. He interrupts people in the middle of an important explanation just to correct irrelevant details. And, frankly, his need to prove he's the smartest in the room is… pathetic."

Leonard and Raj exchanged glances, while Howard crossed his arms. "Ah, of course, of course. Nothing to do with you."

Sheldon continued, not noticing Howard's sarcastic tone. "Moreover, he has this habit of speaking as if he were a walking encyclopedia, thinking everyone is interested in his academic ramblings. It's exhausting! And, to be honest, the way he dismisses other people's opinions? Simply unbearable!"

Raj let out a discreet laugh, and Leonard couldn't hold back a smile. "Seriously, Sheldon? You don't see any… resemblance?"

Sheldon blinked, confused. "Resemblance? No, Leonard, I'm describing Dennis. I am completely different. My genius is, obviously, recognized by everyone, and I only correct people when they are… absolutely wrong. Like you tend to be."

Howard: "Yeah, Sheldon, you're totally right. Nothing to do with you."

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Leonard, Howard, Raj, and Sheldon were sitting in Leonard's apartment, focused on a block stacking game. Howard, with extreme care, placed a new piece on top of the unstable tower. Until Sheldon, who was quiet on the couch, suddenly straightened up and exclaimed:

"I know!"

Leonard, who was preparing for his turn, froze in place, looking at Sheldon. "What do you know, Sheldon?"

"I finally figured out why the presence of that kid, Dennis, makes me so uncomfortable!" Sheldon continued, "It's not just the competition. It's not just the fact that he's a child prodigy."

Howard glanced at Raj and whispered, "Here we go…"

Sheldon ignored the comment. "He reminds me of someone… someone I met in childhood. Someone who always challenged me and, in a way, surpassed my expectations."

Raj leaned forward, "Who would that be?"

Sheldon turned to the group with a serious expression. "Paige. My friend and arch-rival Paige from when I was a child prodigy in Texas. She was always an intellectual challenge for me, and in a way, she made me uncomfortable because even when I believed I was right, she always found a way to make me doubt."

Leonard paused, trying to process this. "You're saying Dennis bothers you because he reminds you of a friend?"

"Exactly!" Sheldon replied, with his characteristic confidence. "Paige had the ability to challenge me in ways that made me rethink everything I knew."

"But now that I've realized the source of my unease, I can handle it more logically."

Leonard carefully placed his piece on top of the block tower, which looked about to collapse. "So, how are you going to deal with it, Sheldon?"

Sheldon sat up on the couch and, with a determined air, replied: "I'm going to beat him. Intellectually, of course. In a way that makes it clear that while he may be promising, he is still not on my level."

The block tower collapsed with a snap, and everyone turned to Raj, who raised his hands. "It wasn't me!"

***

Days went by, and Sheldon was obsessed with the idea of defeating Dennis. He wouldn't stop talking about the "competition." Leonard's apartment was practically unrecognizable: whiteboards covered the walls, papers strewn everywhere, each with calculations, notes, and scribbled theories.

Leonard entered the living room, sidestepping a pile of papers. "Sheldon, this is getting out of control. I don't even know where the mess begins and where it ends."

Sheldon, standing in front of one of the whiteboards, was drawing complex diagrams with an almost manic concentration. "It's the only way to ensure that I cover all the areas of knowledge where that kid might try to surpass me."

Howard, who was sitting on the couch, said, "And don't you think you've crossed a line, Sheldon? I mean, he's just a kid. A genius, yes, but still a kid."

Raj entered the room, trying not to step on any of the papers. "Sheldon, have you actually challenged Dennis? Or is this just endless preparation?"

Sheldon stopped, turning slowly. His face lit up with a nearly mischievous smile. "Tomorrow. Tomorrow will be the big day."

Leonard let out a tired sigh. "And what exactly is this 'big challenge' going to be? Are you two going to compete in a quantum physics arena?"

Sheldon replied, "Something much more elegant, Leonard. It will be a series of high-complexity scientific problems, covering various areas of knowledge. Advanced mathematics, theoretical physics, astrophysics… each at a level that only the brightest minds can keep up with."

Raj shook his head, incredulous. "Sheldon, you're talking about challenging a teenager. Maybe you're taking this a bit too far."

Sheldon raised an eyebrow, looking offended. "That teenager has already won more awards than most scientists his age. If I don't prepare adequately, he might even start to believe he's superior to me!"

Howard said, "There's the problem. You can't handle the idea of someone being better than you at something."

Sheldon replied, "That's irrelevant. Tomorrow, everything will be resolved. Prepare to witness a true battle of intellects."

Raj looked at Leonard and then at Howard. "I just hope this ends quickly…"

Leonard, resigned, replied, "We just need to survive until tomorrow. After that, he'll probably find something else to obsess over."

Sheldon declared, "Don't underestimate what's to come. Tomorrow, the natural order of things will be restored."

****

The day of the big challenge arrived, and the atmosphere was tense. Sheldon, wearing his best Flash t-shirt, approached Dennis, the 15-year-old prodigy, ready to challenge him personally. Howard, Raj, and Leonard were nearby, watching closely.

"Do you think we should do something?" Leonard asked as he watched Sheldon approach Dennis.

"Like what?" Raj replied, raising an eyebrow.

"If Sheldon loses, he's going to be unbearable. I mean, even more unbearable."

Howard, already with a mischievous smile, suggested, "What if we make Dennis mess up the questions?"

Raj and Leonard exchanged thoughtful glances.

"Cheating?" Raj whispered.

Leonard scratched his head. "Would that… work? How would we do that? We can't erase the answers from his head."

They fell silent for a few seconds, each pondering. Until Raj, as if a light bulb had gone off in his head, suggested, "Distraction! If we can distract him, maybe he'll get lost in the answers."

Howard nodded, intrigued. "Okay, but what would a 15-year-old get distracted by?"

"Good question." Leonard was trying to think of something, but nothing seemed right.

"We could try to grab his phone and fill it with random notifications, or play some annoying sound while he answers," Howard suggested enthusiastically. "Or… maybe someone could drop something loud in the middle of the challenge!"

Raj looked skeptical. "I think he would notice. We need something more subtle."

Leonard then looked at Raj, as if a light bulb had gone off in his head. "Raj, what distracted you when you were a kid?"

Raj thought for a moment, staring off into space. "Well… I loved watching planes go by. Every time I heard one, I would be totally fascinated. I also collected astronomy magazines, and once I got so distracted that I missed an important exam."

Howard laughed. "Planes and magazines? That's what distracted you?"

"I was a nerdy kid," Raj replied, somewhat defensively.

"And you, Howard? What did you get distracted by when you were 15?" Leonard asked.

Howard smiled. "Oh, man… girls, obviously. There was this girl in my school, Becky… Oh, Becky Schwartz… I remember the first day she wore that tight red sweater… and that vanilla scent she used. She sat two rows in front of me… and I couldn't focus on anything. One day, I offered to help her with a chemistry experiment just to be near her. The whole thing blew up because I was… too distracted."

Howard continued, his voice getting more emotional. "It took me weeks to gather the courage to talk to her. When I finally did… she was with another guy, Adam. Adam Parker, that ridiculous guy from the basketball team. She never gave me a chance…"

Suddenly, Howard couldn't hold it in anymore. His voice cracked, and he started to cry for real. He turned and buried his face in Raj's shoulder, sobbing.

Raj awkwardly patted Howard's back, trying to console his friend. "It's okay, it's okay… Becky didn't know what she was missing."

Howard, still teary-eyed, mumbled with a muffled voice into Raj's shoulder. "I just wanted a chance…"

Raj kept patting, trying to maintain some dignity in the situation. "Yeah, I know, Howard. I know…"

Leonard: "Hey, you know, this idea isn't so bad… but where are we going to find a 15-year-old girl to distract Dennis?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the living room door opened. A blonde girl, looking bored with a cellphone in hand, entered, huffing.

"Dad, I still don't understand why I had to come here. I could be at Claire's house, or even at the mall, but no, I had to come here to see these nerds!"

She stopped near the table, still wearing the expression of someone who would rather be anywhere else.

Raj looked at Leonard in astonishment, his eyes wide. "Dude, make a wish!"

Leonard, understanding the reference, quickly closed his eyes and muttered something inaudible.

(A/N: I don't know if it's customary in other places, but where I live, it's normal that when someone says something and that "thing" happens quickly, the person makes a wish. It's a superstitious thing, clearly not true, but it's a custom.)

Raj then leaned in toward Howard and whispered, "I bet his wish is a date with Penny."

The principal, noticing them, approached. "Guys, this is my daughter, Emily. She'll be hanging out here today, so I hope you can make her feel welcome."

POV Sheldon.

Dennis looked at Sheldon with a confident smile. "It's funny… I read about you, Sheldon. When I was your age, I was still far from achieving what I've already accomplished. What's it like to feel… surpassed?"

Sheldon raised an eyebrow, clearly annoyed. "Surpassed? Let's see… I was developing complex theories about String Theory when I was your age. If you'd like, I can explain it, but it might be a bit advanced for you."

Dennis laughed, dismissively. "String Theory? Interesting, but outdated. I'm more focused on models of quantum gravity. Things you might understand… eventually."

At that moment, he stopped speaking, something catching his attention: Emily. She entered the room along with the principal. Dennis froze. His eyes fixated on her, and his hands started to sweat instantly. He swallowed hard and murmured almost inaudibly.

"She… she looks like a comet crossing the night sky…"

Sheldon, completely oblivious to Dennis's condition, continued with his musings. "Of course, if you knew how to apply your intellectual abilities to something beyond self-promotion, you could be keeping up with me in theoretical physics."

The principal, noticing something was happening, looked from Sheldon to Dennis, realizing that the young prodigy couldn't take his eyes off Emily.

"What's going on here?" the principal asked.

Sheldon turned with a slight wave of his hand. "Oh, nothing major. Just a small intellectual demonstration."

The principal smiled, excited by the idea. "That sounds excellent! In fact, we have an empty room where you could exchange knowledge. I think it would be the perfect place for that."

Sheldon smiled satisfied, while Dennis, still in shock because of Emily, could hardly react.

****

Sheldon and Dennis were sitting in a small room, each at a desk, with a buzzer button in the middle. Leonard, Raj, and Howard were standing in the back, observing the situation. Leonard explained the rules:

"Alright, I'll read the questions, and whoever presses the button first answers. If you get it wrong, the turn passes to the other. Understood?"

Sheldon gave a mischievous smile, adjusting his posture in the chair. He glanced sideways at Dennis and, with a voice full of disdain, said, "I hope you enjoyed the few minutes you thought you could surpass me, kid, because now reality is going to hit… hard."

But Dennis barely reacted, still fixated on Emily, who was leaning against the wall scrolling through her phone, completely oblivious to the competition.

"Okay, here we go. First question: What is the universal gravitational constant?"

Sheldon hit the buzzer before Leonard finished the sentence. "6.67430 times 10 to the power of negative 11 cubic meters per kilogram second squared."

The light lit up, indicating the correct answer. Leonard nodded and moved on to the next question. "Next: What is the name of element number 118 on the periodic table?"

Again, Sheldon pressed the button, while Dennis continued to stare at Emily. "Oganesson."

Again, correct answer. Raj said to Howard: "The plan is working." Howard just nodded, smiling.

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After several questions, all answered by Sheldon, Emily looked up from her phone with a bored expression and glanced at her dad. "Dad, can we go? This is really boring."

At that exact moment, as if waking from a trance, Dennis slammed the button. But instead of answering the question, he turned directly to Emily.

"Hey, what's your favorite movie? And… do you like classical music? What do you enjoy doing in your free time?"

Emily looked up, noticing Dennis for the first time. She frowned, confused.

"You… are you talking to me?" she asked.

Dennis smiled, adjusting in his chair. "Yes, of course. You know, it's hard to focus on the competition when there's such a beautiful girl in the room."

Emily laughed, surprised by the cheesy comment. Dennis smiled back, even more confident, and quickly pressed the button again.

"If I asked you out, would you say yes?"

She, who was already tired and wanted to leave for a while, shrugged and replied, "Yes. Right now."

Without wasting a moment, Dennis got up with a victorious smile, following Emily out of the room. They quickly left, the door slamming behind them, while the principal looked at the exit, completely perplexed.

Turning to the rest of the group, the principal scratched his head and asked, "Did anyone understand what just happened?"

Sheldon, with a proud smile on his face, replied firmly: "Yes, of course. I won the competition."

Howard, who had grabbed a notebook in the midst of the confusion, was discreetly writing. He muttered quietly as he noted: "Girl… beautiful… hard to focus…"

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A/N: I particularly liked this chapter… what did you all think?

A/N: Should I bring Paige in for a future appearance in this fanfic? Hmmm, thinking.