Incororating Life
Epic Five
Written by Cartman's Girl and Invader Poe

~*~

Chapter 1

Four Months Later (gotta love time warps!)

Months had passed, and the Patroller was now almost nearing the planet Irk. The galaxy was pretty big, but it seemed his Vehicle could go quicker then a normal Voot Cruiser. To say the least, it hadn't been an easy journey what with the two total opposites that is Poe and Zim in a small compartment, it's a wonder Cten hadn't gone insane with trying to simmer down would-be fights, if the two of them could move at all. All the time Cten had been watching the galaxy whizz past her window, but right now she was asleep. Zim had been up-righted and hovered/sat across from Poe. Even Poe seemed to be worn out and sick of the fights, so he just stared in Zim's direction, albeit given the height difference he stared at the wall above Zim's head.

"I wonder when they feed us.." he muttered deleriously, his stomach letting out a loud snarl.

"Huh... I've gone six months without a scrap of food." Zim muttered more to himself, but by the sound of his voice even he wasn't in for another arguement.

"You have a lot less body to fuel," Poe snorted, then looked around, swaying slightly. "If they don't feed us soon, I'm gonna.." he was too fatigued to finish the sentance, but the way his lip was twitching and showing off his teeth probably made Zim rather uncomfortable to share the tiny space with the bigger, carnivorous, hungry Reject. Zim eeped and managed to scoot away, closer to Cten possibly just cause that was the direction, or for possible protection from Poe. Cten squirmed in her sleep, muttering to herself. Same dream she'd always had since they had been arrested. First she'd be muttering, then start calling out for Enid as if she was lost then wake up, probably more wrecked then she was then when she went down to sleep. Poe turned his head slowly to follow Zim's movement, playing up the predatory aspect and snickering to himself.

"Maybe I'll have myself a fillet of Invader.." he half-slurred, and in this state it was hard to decipher his real mood. But he was probably joking.. probably. The small Invader stared wide-eyed at him, his antennae quivering. He looked like he was on the verge of crying himself, but managed to cough it back and look away from Poe, out the barred window. Poe leaned back against the bulkhead and continued snickering weakly, but even that soon wore him out. He glanced out the window as well, narrowing his dark eyes at a magenta planet in the distance,

"Hey, isn't that.."

"Irk." Zim finished his sentance, the planet coming closer and closer. Cten, hearing the name, her eyes slowly opened. She lifted her head and looked out at the planet, then closed her eyes again.

"Home sweet home," Poe muttered bitterly, glaring at the planet. Everyone was too tired and fatigued to rejoice that their ride was coming to an end, so they went through the orbital check points and into a docking station without event. Eventually, the vehical came to a stop, and the Patroller marched around to the front, still looking as intimidating as ever as he opened the door, letting a blast of fresh air into the confined space.

"Come on, you lot, time to take a shuttle to Judgementia." He glanced at their half-dead state, "Oh, yeah, you will be fed, so your digestive organs are quiet during the trial proceedings." Zim just frowned ahead of him, glaring daggers at whatever was in his sight, at this point a bin. Cten kept her eyes shut, possibly not even listening to what was happening around her. The three were lead aside near the waiting area for shuttles. The Patroller clicked a button on his suit's right hand and muttered something into it, communicating with someone. Soon a servant which had a table strapped to it's head arrived,

"Ookay here you go..." the Patroller took the food tray off the servants head, and it wondered back away.

"All right, stay still." with that he pressed buttons and the trays transformed into something that looked similar to the horse's food bag back on Earth, and strapped the things to Zim, Poe and Cten's head. From the sounds Zim made, he was hungry. Very...and Poe was even hungrier. He managed to eat not only the food in the bag, but had gotten the bag itself in his mouth and was chewing his way through it. The Patroller blinked in slight surprise, then muttered.

"We paid good money for those feed bags, you know.." and reached down to remove Poe's, only to quickly withdraw his claws when the Reject let out a savage snarl. Zim finished his and made a 'yummy' sound. But by the sounds, or lack there of, coming from Cten's seems she wasn't eating at all. Just, hanging there with the bag over her mouth and staring blankly at the ground.

"Can I have hers?" Zim mumbled through his feed bag to the Patroller. Poe glanced up from his voracious chewing of the bag, then noticed Cten.

"Ffen?" he said muffedly, wandering over to her and poking her in the shin, "Foo afwight?" She made a slight grunt sound as he poked her, but remained just there. The Patroller shrugged and took the feed bag off from her, and replaced Zim's with it. Poe started to protest, spitting out his own bag,

"Hey, she's gotta ea--" He didn't get a chance to finish, the Patroller jabbing him in the side with his stick and sending an electrical pulse through the Reject's emaciated frame. He yelped, jerking upright, antennae straightening, and slumped when the rod was pulled away, leaving a smoking wound in his side, painfully remembering that rule about Rejects not being allowed to address Normal irkens, especially ones in positions of authority. Cten looked down at Poe, leaned down and nuzzled the side of his head with hers, talking quietly.

"I'm fine Poe.. don't worry about me.." Poe blinked his eyes open when Cten nuzzled him, smiling weakly at her, and seeming quite comfortable on the ground for the moment. The Patroller then turned his attention elsewhere, talking to someone who was approaching.

"Oh man, not you again... you know how difficult you make my job?" he was talking to a rather tall Irken female, one that had very pale green skin. Her antennae were long and curly, and by the looks of what she wore she was a noble. Everything was all fuzzy right now to Poe, so he wasn't too surprised when he saw his Mother walk up,

"Hi Mommy.." he slurred, and Zim just stared at him aghastly, starting to write Poe's addressing of Noble Xyth off as delusion when he noticed they had the exact same shade of skin, and antennae-length. She smiled at him gently,

"Hello dear." she said, in the same gentle and calm voice. Then she turned her attention to the Patroller who looked confused. "That's the whole idea." she said gently, then looked down at the three Irkens. "And what have these three done?"

"Well... don't think I'm telling you because I want to, your authority makes me. The small male is up for numerous charges, the female is up for the charge of reproducing with a Reject and the Reject, for just being a Reject. And reproducing with someone of her stature, Noble Xyth." The Patroller then looked back at Poe, then Xyth. "Still, Noble Xyth, you?" the Patroller seemed very surprised at this, Xyth then looked back at him.

"Yes, Patroller. This one is one of my smeets, obviously not one any longer. The main reason I'm in my proffession now."

"Oh. Well, you can come to the trail, you know that. You always do." came the Patroller's responce, folding his arms.

"You know it." she replied. Zim looked fairly pale himself now, but tried to concentrate on eating instead of the fact that with a few minor modifications Poe could've been someone in a much higher positition of authority than he. Poe suddenly snapped out if it, blinking in shock and scrambling to his feet as best he could without the use of his arms,

"Mo-I mean, Nobe-I mean," He bit his lip quickly before the Patroller zapped him again, not that he probably would've dared in Xyth's presance.

"Poe, be quiet. I always attened these sort of things, and this time it's very personal." she replied, then looked at the Patroller. "Try to ease up on your zapping, Patroller. Reject or not." the Patroller grumbled, then yanked the food bag off from Zim.

"Come on, the shuttle's ready and waiting now..." he muttered and lead the three towards the shuttle depots, Xyth following after them. Poe was still in a state of mild shock, he'd never actually seen his Mom since he left Irk, and seemed rather in awe of her Tallness, allowing the Patroller to remove his chewed-up feed bag as well. Zim scowled when his own food bag was yanked away, eyeing the tall Nobel every now and again nervously. They lined into the shuttle, with seating lining all 4-walls much like a limo, but a lot less luxurious; Poe sat next to Cten, alternating between looking worried about his mate and looking surprised at his Mother, and Zim tried to seem unobtrusive, for once in his life.

The Patroller stood, watching the three to make sure nothing funny was going to happen. Cten shut her eyes as she sat, probably happy to be sitting on something soft other then the cold metal that was their chamber for the past four months, and sighed happily as she leaned somewhat against Poe, her antenane drooping. Xyth placed her hands on her lap, one antennae jingling since it had a piercing but it was fancier then Poe's.

"So, tell me Poe. What did you do?" Poe put an arm around Cten,

"Me? Well, my highest crime was probably the one he listed, I can't even remember all of my previous crime record-"

"I'd be happy to remind you," the Patroller said gruffly, and Poe shook his head.

"Thank you, but I'm sure we will see it for ourselves." Xyth said, almost somewhat glaring at the Patroller, but turned her gaze back to Poe, smiling gently. "So she's the one you're with now? I must say she is pretty." Cten was probably too tired to say anything in responce, for her eyes remained shut as she leant against Poe. Poe smiled slightly and gave a faint nod.

"She sure is… I mean, uh, well, yeah. I don't think she's been able to get any sleep worrying about Enid… she's our smeet," Poe clarified with a slightly proud grin, then frowned, "She's all alone back home, though, except for -" he suddenly glared dangerously, "Zib had better not have-"

"You leave Zib out of this!" Zim huffed and crossed his arms.

"Something tells me there's more to this then I see." Xyth replied. Cten then opened her eyes slowly.

"Enid.…she's our smeet and now she's alone with Zim's own smeet/clone, named Zib…" she shut her eyes. "But I'm hoping nothing ill will come to them." she murmered quietly.

"I see.. then being taken from the planet was seriously upsetting."

"..yes."

"Zib's more than capable of taking care of himself.." Zim muttered, though it was more to reassure himself than anyone else. Poe glared slightly at Zim, then turned back to his Mother,

"Zib and Enid are about the same age, around the mid-adolecent cycle. So you can see why we're worried.." Poe idly set his chin on Cten's head, as I remember the fact that they're still in restraint thingees.

"I see." she nodded solemly. The shuttle then gave a sharp jolt, causing Zim to yelp and fall off his seat onto the ground with a yelp.

"We're here." the Patroller informed as the door slid open. A few guards were stood outside, with them was a semi-tall Irken covered in dark purple armour, mouth and head guards sheilding his already scared blue eyes. Meet Guado, head of the Protection of Irken Embassy. Also, Cten's Father and both knew it too.

"Guado." Xyth nodded as she stepped out of the Shuttle.

"Noble Xyth." he grunted in responce as the Patroller lead Zim, Poe an Cten out. Poe wandered out of the shuttle, following his Mom and looking up at the imposing black, spiney building that was the Judgementia courthouse. He'd never been nearly this far; this was the spot for all serious Irken crimes to be tried, and any confidence he had he was quickly loosing. His antennae drooped,

"I wonder how they'll execute me.." He mumbled to himself. Zim rubbed his head, running to catch up with them,

"Bah! I'm sure they'll realize what a mistake they've made in apprehending me once they see me in person, surely they got me confused with some other Zim!"

"Zim..." Guado grunted as Zim made his way past him, "I remember you..." Cten glanced at her Father, smirking slightly.

"Daddy really... who could forget him?" Guado made a small shrug.

"Idiots?" The group made their way up to the tall tower. Poe blinked over at Cten and mouthed, 'Daddy?' Odd place to meet the inlaws. Cten nodded slowly at Poe in responce to his query of her Father.

"I take, your pressence means the Tallest are to be here personally?" Xyth asked, glancing at Guado.

"Your assumption is correct, Noble Xyth. They claimed after the years of red tape they'd want to see this. Especially Zim's." Poe marched in procession with the rest of them, and Zim snorted at all of them.

"A trial in front of the Tallest themselves… I'm sure Dad'd be real proud of me now." Poe kept muttering to himself, of course, assuming his Father was nowhere around. But perhaps he shall be soon! Dun dun dun! Anyway. They entered the chamber, coated with the same purple pink that the rest of the Irken empire was, the Three Control Brains sitting on pedestels, the Tallest and a few other important Irkens in one of the balconies. Guado held the door open until all were in, and closed it.

"Oh look, they've arrived." Red said, was he was sipping a big glass of juice.

"Yeah man, could you have taken any longer? We been here for a week wanting the best seats!" Purple claimed, pointing at the Patroller.

"B-but my Tallest-"

"You get a pummeling!!" Purple squeals happily, and hammers came from nowhere and knocked the Patroller unconcious.

"Okay, anyway." Red stood up, swinging his arms open. One, smacking Purple in the face and the other releasing the juice, splattering a few Irkens. "Let the trail begin!" The whole chamer erupted into cheers, some hats were thrown and some confetti.

"THE FIRST TRIAL SHALL BE OF.." The brains seemed to debate among themselves, "Oh, hm, let's take the short female with the blue eyes.. BRING FORWARD MAID CTEN!"

"Man, she must have taken up swiming or something. Lookit her complexion!" Purple could be heard saying as a guard, not Guado, lead her forward until she was on the platform in front of the Control Brains.

"MAID CTEN, YOU'VE BEEN ACCUSED OF REPRODUCING WITH A REJECT!" The booming voice said, well, accusingly, "HOW DO YOU PLEAD?"

"And please tell the truth, we really don't like replaying memories for that sort of crime.." Cten looked up at the control brains, then over at the Tallest. She shut her eyes, looking at the ground.

"Guilty." she said.

"She was such a nice Maid too.." Red said as he picked at a nacho. Zim did indeed look flabberghast, staring silently on the sidelines. Poe winced, somehow feeling responsible for the whole thing, while the brains conferred among themselves.

"Well, that makes things easy! It's so nice when they confess."

"How should we punish her?"

"Oh, I know!" The brain coughed somehow and said in an imposing voice, "MAID CTEN, IF YOU ENJOY THE COMPANY OF REJECTS SO.. PERHAPS YOU SHOULD BE ONE YOURSELF!" Cten gave a small shrug, looking up at the Brains.

"Whatever you say, Control Brains, and I shall do as you say." she nodded at them, her antennae lowering against her head.

"Aw man, this one's not putting up a struggle. I like struggles." Purple said, chewing on a curly fry.

"Very well then. Take her out back and give her one of those grey tanktop thingees!" One of the brains ordered, then resumed its imposing tone, "NEXT TO TRIAL SHALL BE... EXHILE ZIM!" They used his actual title, which made Zim perk,

"Hey, see? They must mean that other Zim, for I am INVAD-" he was prodded forward to the brains by a guard, and stumbled forward. "There has to be some mista-" another prod, accompanied by a zap this time.

"ZIM, YOU HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF.. Holy slark!" The brain looked gobsmacked at the list of crimes.

"THAT'S UM..... A LOT!" said another brain as Cten was roughly dragged from the room by a guard, a door slamming shut behind her as she left.

"Heck... what can we do with him? We could Reject him... we could delete his pack... so many choices!"

"Delete! Delete!" Red called out from his chair, then tossed a rolled up piece of paper at Zim's head and it bounced off. "Hah, ten points."

"Cheater." Zim winced when paper was thrown at him, trying to sink into the ground somehow.

"Hm, hm, hm.. Well, let's replay some of his memories, shall we?" So we are treated to a montage of Zim destruction, Zim insulting, Zim cackling, et cetera..

"Well, Zim, you've, er, certainly accomplished a lot."

"To delete such a… productive Irken would be such a waste!"

"And you seem to have an even.." The brain snickered, "stronger opinion of Rejects than.. oh.. what'shername!"

"..what?" Zim paled until he was nearly white,

"You know what. You have been officially.. REJECTED!"

"Oh, this is so much cleaner than execution!"

"Boring though."

"But we don't have to wait for the janitors to wipe the organ goop off of our containers!"

"Awwwww!" Red folded his arms, pouting as his lower jaw jutted out. "I wanted to see Zim as a smooshy little squish on the floor!"

"Hehe!" Purple giggled like a mental Skool Girl as Zim, who was still screaming obsenities and such was hauled away, same way Cten was and thrown out the chamber into that.. other place. Xyth sighed sadly, shaking her head, then looked to Poe.

"AND NOW! THIRD AND FINAL TRAIL FOR THIS HOUR, COME FORWARD, REJECT POE!" Poe sighed and stepped forward, folding his antennae back. He couldn't even smirk at Zim's ironic fate, sensing his own, well, impending doom. He stepped forward in front of the brains, looking up at them with a steady look.

"Well, Poe, it seems you've done the following.." The brain rattled off a list of crimes, starting with Reproducing with a Normal Irken of Stature, and progressing to a list of minor crimes, like stealing and damage of property and such.

"…so, the only possible solution to this list of atrocities is total REJE- oh wait a minute."

"EXECUTION!" one of the brains cheered happily.

"YAAAYY!!! Smooshy!" Red clapped his hands together happily, pulling a sheilded helmet down over his head. Purple opened up a small umberella, holding it over his head. Xyth looked aghast, her antennae almost straightening out.

"What?!" she screeched, yeah, screached! Poe winced at the word,

"Oh, fine, execution!" One of the other brains chided Xyth,

"That's the normal punishment for all Rejects who commit such a serious crime, you know that! And you don't have the authority to overturn it!" it taunted.

"EXECUTIONER, please.. eh.. COME OUT HERE!" A door slowly rolled upwards in one of the walls revealing an Irken in a flowing, black robe, with menacing looking boots, two bladed weapons hanging at his side,

"Oh goody, there hasn't been a good execution in hours!--hey, wait a minute, you're not an executioner!"

"No, I'm not. But I have orders to relocate this.. dangerous Reject for a special execution." Kantos replied, and Poe stared at the doorway in, well, more shock.

"Ohh..... dah, fine... is it too horrible for us to see?"

"Yes, yes it is." Kantos nodded in responce, walking up to Poe and roughly grabbing him by his antennae.

"Ooo! Nifty! Well, bring us back something bloody, we like that."

"I do!" Purple cried out waving his umberella.

"As you wish, my Tallets." Kantos replied. "Noble Xyth shall accompany to read the Reject's final readings, then it shall be done." Xyth blinked, looking at the Brains.

"Ah fine fine, we still want a bloody shirt or something." Kantos nodded and hauled Poe from the room. Poe yelped when he was grabbed roughly, starting to think he really was going to be executed by his own Father, when the doorway closed behind the odd family, now including Xyth. The room remained quiet for a while.

"...who wants pizza?" came the voice of a Brain,

"Me!" Red screeched.

"That went better than expected." Kantos released Poe and looked down at the beaten form of the real executioner, then back at Poe, "I suppose you want us to save your other friends too, though?"

"One isn't a friend Kantos, one is his mate." Xyth replied, picking up a piece of grey material from the beaten up excecutioner which was semi-soaked in the Irken's blood.

"I see." Kantos arched his eyeridges, while Poe wishing he could massage the roots of his antennae,

"Well.. it'd be nice.." He was still dazed from all of the happenings,

"Very well then, where are they-"

"YOU CAN'T DO THIS! I AM ZIM!!" a distant voice shrieked, and Poe winced, nodding in the direction..

"..that way, apparently." Kantos grabbed his son's antennae again,

"Ow!"

"I'm not the one that told you to get those piercings," Kantos replied simply, almost, dare we say, chiding as he dragged Poe off again, having to keep up the appearance of having a prisoner. Xyth shook her head and tossed the material through the door after opening it slightly, cheering heard from within. She then hurried off after her son and previous mate. The three went past a building, which in a bin now held the old clothes Zim and Cten used to wear - a bangle shining on the ground obviously belonging to Cten. Xyth paused and picked it up, reading the small inscription as she still followed.

"I DO NOT BELONG IN GREY!! I HATE GREY!" Zim, barechested, was being forcibly restrained by about 4 different gaurds, while another attempted to force the utilitarian grey tanktop onto the squirming Irken. He froze when he saw Poe, "OH, YOU AWFUL REJECT, YOU HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS, I KNOW IT!" He screamed, slathering and pulling at his organic restraints, and Poe stared at him dully.

"So how do you like the taste of irony, Zim?"

"DOOKIE!" Zim hissed his half-sensical reply as the tanktop was finally forced over his head and ID pak, and his arms. Poe shook his head and wandered over to where Cten was,

"..Cten?" She was already in her new 'uniform' and sat on the ground, looking at her black boots. A big change since she was so used to her blue ones, she lifted her gaze to Poe. Her eyes lit up and she got up, hugging him around the middle.

"Poe!! I thought they'd kill you and.. and..!" obviously all of this happening had brought her toll onto her and she burst into tears whole holding onto him. "I don't want to be here anymore! I want my baby back and to go back home to my base and my Beka and you and even Zim and Zib and..." she just trailed off now. Kantos rolled his eyes, since this small outburst reminded him of how Xyth had reacted when Poe had been hauled away only minutes after being born. Poe smiled and rest his head overtop of her's, the best hug he could manage, considering.

"Ssh," He glanced over at the guards, who were busy trying to defend themselves from Zim's wild clawings and thrashings, "We'll be home soon enough," he whispered into her antennae, "I'm sure my parents have a plan.."

"Enough of this." Kantos produced a few restraint rings from where they'd been stored to change the prisoner's uniforms, strode up to Zim, casting a shadow on the much smaller Invader, who suddenly stilled in the imposing War General's presence. The guards dropped him, and he tossed a ring at Zim, and the other at Cten.

"These Rejects are to be relocated to the slums." The look on Cten's face clearly read she was afraid now, not knowing who Poe's Father was - or looked like for that matter as the guard grabbed her away fom Poe, and clasped the ring around her waist, restraining her arms again.

"No, no no..." she closed her eyes, tears still rolling down her face.

"Are you to relocate them, sir?" asked a guard, holding Zim above the ground as the small used to be-Invader began kicking again.

"Yes, before I take this one off for execution." He yanked on one of Poe's long antennae, which he'd still been able to hold on to from his place by Zim. "Drop him, he'll follow. They both will." The look in the General's black eyes said that there was simply no other (healthy) option. Poe frowned when he saw Cten's tears, but shook his head and put on a stoic look, as though he were ready to march off and face death. He started back out the door. Soon enough, the group were by themselves walking along the darkened streets. The sun was setting in the distance as Kantos continued to lead the three short Irkens along. Xyth hurried up, now walking besides him. She talked to him quietly,

"I'm surprised you're here at all, you know." she said. Kantos grunted noncommitantly.

"I have shore leave. I get bored." He stopped at a worn, but still electrified parameter, putting in an access code into the control panel, the gate that was the threshold to the slums. He looked down at the other Irkens; Poe had a distant look in his eye, obviously experiencing a deluge of memory, while Zim looked like he might bolt at any moment.

"This is as far as we can take you. Some Rejects Xyth has befriended in her travels have prepared a stolen Voot Crusier to facilitate you back to Earth in the south end of Sector 6, in an abandoned tentament next to a run down Pak warehouse."

"....really?!" Zim looked surprised at this, so surprised he probably would have done a dance if he could.

"We've risked a lot for you kids, and I want you to go back to your... smeets." Xyth smiled slightly, then leant down and unclasped Poe's ring finally. "And to be free." Poe stretched his arms, sore and slightly atrophied, and turned to undo Cten's ring. He turned back to his parents,

"Thanks, Mom." He glanced over at Kantos, "Da.. er, General." He lowered his head respectfully, and Kantos nodded gruffly. "I'm going to tell Enid all about her grandparents when we get back." He said softly, then glanced over at Zim and relucantly undid his ring as well. Zim grunted and pulled at his grey shirt, tongue sticking out.

"Disgusting colour..."

"Oh and Cten, I found this." Xyth handed her the bracelet. Cten smiled, taking it.

"Thank you." she said, putting it on over her now bare wrist.

"I guess this is goodbye." Poe glanced at the ground again, pretty certain he wouldn't see his parents again. It hand't been the most heart-warming family reunion, but still. "You're always free to contact the base through the comm channels.." he offered, and Kantos just shook his head to himself, turning away. Xyth looked at Kantos, then at Poe.

"I'll be calling you my dear, don't you worry about that. I'm wanting to see my granddaughter. No matter how far away she is."

"Alright, Mom." Poe grinned slightly, though his grin fell somewhat when he saw Kantos start walking away. Kantos stopped for a moment, looking back at Xyth,

"Come on, Xyth. You've had to say goodbye to him before. You can do it again." Woo, cue flash back!

Xyth and Kantos are waiting by their incubation chamber, having their own, personal one, being more important Irkens, with a few representatives from the governement to judge the worthiness of the child. The egg started to hatch, a little clawed hand sticking out, and shortly after, two feet bursting out of the shell from the bottom. After some squirming and rolling around, the shell broke in half, revealing none other than baby Poe; long antennae still curled up by the sides of his head. Before Xyth even got a good look at him, one of the Judges opened the glass covering of the chamber, picking up the hatchling and taking a few measurements, namely of antennae. Hatchling Poe blinked his large eyes open, and some of the Judges winced at the contrast of the black eyes against the then nearly white hatchling. They conferred among themselves, a worried look on Xyth's face, while Kantos, though he had his arm around his mate, looked generally displeased. They were about to set Poe back down when he bit the judges finger, revealing both his sharp teeth and carnivorous habits; the Judge yelped and scowled, and immediately yanked Poe away from the nest, writing the word 'REJECT' in Irken on his clip board. Kantos turns his head away, looking down right disgusted that this has been the result of his DNA. Xyth though, looks horrified. She reaches out to grab Poe from them, since this is a flash back we can't really hear what's happening but by the look of her she's crying out to let him go, but one Judge turns to her and just shake his head sternly. Baby Poe looks around, now afraid of the yelling that's going on and he looks up at Xyth. He then holds his arms out to her, wanting to be held by her. Kantos, now seen enough takes Xyth by the arm and starts leading her away, despite the fact she's trying to get to her child. Poe is still reaching to her, as the door slams shut plunging the entire room into darkness. The darkness, then dissolves into Poe's black eyes. He looks at Kantos blankly, then at Xyth. She smiles at him, then throws her arms around him, hugging him for possibly the first and last time.

"You've always been with me, no matter what they said.." she whispered. Poe blinked at the sudden hug, then smiled and hugged his Mother back.

"Hey, I knew you never gave me up willingly." He said softly, while Kantos looked slightly impatient.

"Am I going to have to drag you away again?"

"No." Xyth replied, still holding onto Poe tightly. She then kissed him on the forehead, letting him go slowly. "Goodbye Poe, contact me when you arrive home."

"I will," he promised, "And I'll be sure to introduce Enid to you." Little did he know he'd probably have some great grand children for Xyth to see by the time he got back, hoo boy. He let go of his Mom for a moment, while Kantos waited for her to catch up.  Xyth smiled at him, waved then walked towards Kantos. She stopped and looked back at him as Zim had already walked through the gates to the slums, Cten waiting on the other side for Poe. She grinned somewhat, then walked past Kantos, saying as she went.

"That's all I ever wanted."

"Hm." Was all Kantos had to say as he walked in stride with her, and they went off to do their  respective duties. Poe slowly turned back to the gate, reguarding the dark streets and taking a deep, unsteady breath, then stepping through.

"Okay, okay, I'm good." He closed his eyes for a moment, his antennae limp at the sides of his head. When he opened them again, there was a look of resolve, as though he'd been switching mindsets. "Alright, both of you, behind me."

"What? Behind you? An infer-" Zim was cut off by Cten, as she poked at his grey shirt.

"Ahem?" she asked. Zim blinked, then scowled.

"FINE! But don't think I'll make a habit of doing what you say, Poe." he spat Poe's name and sulkily got behind him.

"Zim. If you want any chance of surving out here at all.. when I say 'Jump', you'd better ask how high. Got it?" He turned back toward Zim, straightening his back and antennae, using all the typical 'taller' postuerings. Zim sighed, agitated and stood to his full height, which wasn't much but we all know that. Poor little fella even tried to make his antennae bigger. Cten rolled her eyes, but just stood how she normally did. Shoulders back, chest forward... ah the life of a Maid. Poe curled his fists and shook his head.

"If you think you can survive on your own, you're free to try. I'm not going to let you endanger me or my mate with your arrogence." He turned back forward, narrowing his eyes, "It's been years since I've been here, all the territories have probably changed.. I'll need you two to be on the look out for graffiti. If you see ANYTHING, even if it just looks like a little scribble.. tell me."

"Fine fine..." Zim mumbled, not liking taking orders from an Irken who was once below him. But now they were the same stance, Poe was in charge height-wise. Zim's antennae's then lowered, and he looked up at the sky. "Oh Zib... I hope you're getting on better then I am." he thought to himself, then hurried up to follow after the two who had started walking already.

[To be continued]