Let the Sun Shine
Epic Seven
Written by Cartman's Girl and Invader Poe

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Chapter One

Meanwhile, back at home Vist was looking up worriedly at his mother on the bed, since he'd never seen her so unresponsive before. He crawled on top of her stomach and looked down at her,

"Mommy, what's wrong?" She frowned in her sleep, still half out of it. Cten muttered something, then actually pushed Vist off of her and rolled onto her side, back to him now.

"Mfgh." Vist tumbled onto his back, blinking in shock and looking at her with a deeply hurt expression, his lower lip trembling as he tentatively inched toward her again,

"Mommy?" Cten curled up tighter, moving away from him and snorted in her sleep somehow. "Mommy!" He whimpered and reached for her shoulder, shaking it, "Don't you still like me?" Feeling his hand on her shoulder she jerked away quickly, pulling the blanket over her head. His hand dropped away, and he stared at her in shock, unable to contain it anymore, he started sobbing loudly into his sleeves. This startled Cten and her eyes opened, her antennae jutting out from under the blanket. She slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"Wha… what's happening…" she mumbled still kind of half asleep. He hugged his knees and sobbed muffedly into his pants legs, his antennae folded back. He looked up at her when she awoke, let out another strangled sob and started to inch away from her.

"Vist? Vist honey…?" Cten looked quite confused now, kneeling on the bed and reached out to him. "What's wrong?"

"You… you…" He shook his head and backed away from her at a quicker pace, turning and scrambling off the bed, something that was rather hard since he was tiny and all.

"W-what, what did I do?" she crawled over to where he had been on the bed, looking down at him as he landed on the floor. "Vist please I don't know!" He winced when he fell, looking up at her on the bed sadly, his upper teeth jutting out, and he ran out of the room. Poe, meanwhile, was just opening the door downstairs. Cten blinked, then stumbled out of bed, landing roughly on the floor. She got to her feet and rushed out the door after him, "Vist! Vist come back! I'm sorry for... whatever!" He started down the stairs, mostly toddling since he hadn't quite mastered them yet, but slipped and tumbled down the last few stairs. He yelped and crashed into something at the bottom, and Poe blinked, looking down as Vist fell against his boots. Vist sat up blinked into consciousness and looked up at him, freezing with fear. Cten came to a stop at the top of the stairs, staring down at Poe and Vist wide-eyed for a while, before hurrying down to them and before Vist could rush off again, she picked him up into her arms.

"Thanks Poe…" she said quietly. He clung onto her automatically, eying Poe.

"Um… you're welcome, I think." Poe scratched his head, "What's got into him?"

"I don't know." she said quietly, calming Vist down by stroking his antennae against the back of his head. "I woke up and… and he was upset at me and didn't want to be near me." Vist seemed to forget about it for now, staring up at Poe and allowing his limp antennae to be stroke. Poe pondered,

"You didn't push him away or anything, did you?"

"I don't know, I was dead to the world! …why would I anyway?" Cten eyed Poe as if he'd just grown a third eye.

"Well, normal Irkens don't really raise their own hatchlings, much less have more than one at a time… but in the slums, females get pregnant all the time. I saw them occasionally, and when they're pregnant they start shoving away their current offspring if they're too clingy."

"I'd never do that to Vist!" she almost snapped back, moving to the side, as if sheilding Vist from Poe. "He's my baby and I'd never do that to him! …if I knew what I was doing." Cten paused for a while, her antennae drooping. "So… so there."

"Just a theory." Poe folded his own antennae back somewhat at being nearly snapped at, waving his hands defensively. "If you were asleep and ill and he was trying to crawl around on you I wouldn't blame you."

"I've just.. never done anything like that before.." she looked at Vist, before shutting her eyes. "Maybe I am sick."

"Maybe it's just the stress." He offered soothingly, reaching out and stroking her antennae, "We had it so easy before.."

"I know." Cten glanced down at herself, "And now with another coming I have no idea how I'll cope then." He put his arm around her, and Vist, who was still staring at him, tried to shy away.

"I'll help as much as I can… Enid thinks we should bring Vist over to her base sometime. You know, to try and get him to socialize. I'd hate to force it onto her, but she's use to taking care of multiple hatchlings and making them get along. Maybe she could babysit occasionally."

"Maybe… it'd be a big help for me." she leaned against him, her antennae folded against the back of her head. "We'll just have to see what happens, won't we?"

"Yeah. I'm sure… I'm sure things will work out in the end. I think Vist is just going through a phase." He stroked her antennae with his other hand.

"I hope so Poe, I really do."

Meanwhile, Zim's odd little base was bathed in sunshine. It was a clear, blue-skyed day, a kind very rare in the Jhonenverse; suddenly, the men's room-dash-front door of Zim's base flew opened, and there was Zim, with a grin so large his face could barely contain it. He took a deep breath and looked up at the sky,

"What a gorgeous Earth day!" Me marched through his lawn gnomes, whistling a happy tune, one hand in his pocket as he actually rummaged through his neglected mail box. Across the street, his legless neighbour was sat in his garden chair. He narrowed an eye as he saw how unusually happy his green skinned neighbour looked. Usually he was dooming this, dooming that, cursing the name of Dib and so on. Yet this morning he was... happy.

"Morning, limbless neighbour beast! How are you this fine morning?" He waved estatically, despite the fact his claws were full of junk mail.

"...fine..." came the responce, after a very long pause. Then the men's room-dash-front door flew open a second time, Vishti actually… technically prancing from the house, Gir toddling out after her.

"Oh Zim isnt' it just one of the most beautiful days you've ever laid your eyes on??" she asked, sounding highly unusually giddy. Gir just meowed happily and rolled abouts on the ground.

"Why yes it is! The sun is shining, the bird creatures are emitting their happy noises, everything is just wonderful!" He threw the handful of junk mail into the air, letting it rain down and actually doing a little dance in said paper rain. Vishti giggled girlishly - well she is a girl - at Zim's highly amusing antics,

"Oh Zim you're so silly!" she remarked, Gir beginning to dance through the paper rain, grabbing some in his mouth and chewing noisly.

"Dance with me, Vishti!" He grabbed her wrists and started swinging her around, even twirling then catching her and proceeding to dip her onto her back. Vishti laughed more pleasantly as she and Zim continued to dance, Gir doing a few break-dance moves on the ground. You could swear even the Lawn Gnomes were staring at their Master and looking confused at ever at his sudden personality change. And at this moment who should choose to walk by, but Dib himself! He still did live in the same neighbourhood afterall, even if he wasn't trying to infiltrate Zim's base anymore. He blinked when he saw Zim dancing with what to him looked like a human girl of similar miniscule dimensions, and he looked confused. Zim noticed him and grinned at him,

"Why Dib, I haven't seen you in ages! How's life been treating you?" Dib's right eye twitched, and glanced around quickly. As if he could spot any mind-control rays or anything, seeing none he eyed Zim almost nervously.

"Oh, well uh, things are… fine, yeah. And… you? Or shouldn't I ask?"

"I'm simply WONDERFUL!" He announced, closing his eyes happily and flinging his arms open to the sky, one of them taking Vishti's hand with them, "Oh, yes, pardon me! This is Vishti, she's new to Earth."

"Hi Dib!" she waved quickly at him, and he slowly waved back.

"Um, Zim, what's... what's going on exactly?" Dib looked back at Zim, be best he found out what made Zim so happy all of a sudden then just be left wondering.

"What's going on? Do I need a reason to be happy? It's a wonderful day and that's good enough!" He didn't really need to divulge the details of his sex life to Dib, afterall.

"Uhm… I guess not…" he then narrowed an eye, "So anything else new from Zib lately or what?"

"Zib?" He actually seemed a bit subdued at the mention of his estranged son, "I… uh… I don't think he's very happy with me right now." He drummed his claws together.

"Yeah he told me about that." "Hey Zim, don't you think it's about time we have a talk with Zib?" Vishti piped up since she'd been busy picking flowers (technically weeds, but how could she tell?) while the two 'boys' had spoken for a while.

"Oh, sure, why not!" Zim agreed, "Heck, let's go over there right now! To Zib's!" He pointed towards the horizon, of course it was in the wrong direction, but you know, whatever. "It's been a pleasure speaking with you again, Dib! We really must chat again sometime."

"Yeah, sure Zim. Whatever." Dib was throughly freaked out by all the happiness, as if Zim and Vishti had stepped out of an old black and whilte 1950's life style. Vishti grinned and nodded, handing him the weeds.

"And have a nice day!" she chimed, before the three headed off. Three including Gir. Dib took the boquet and scratched his head. He watched the two aliens plus robot head down the street, and noting the way Zim hooked his arm around Vishti's he arched an eyebrow. Several blocks away, Poe seemed rather happy himself, though not nearly so chatty, clipping away at the hedges in the yard outside his base. He was worried about his mate and, er, step-son, sure, but right now it was just nice to have fresh air again.  Soon, making their way past the house is none-other then the happy go lucky threesome themselves! Vishti stopped walking for a while and gawked at Poe. Probably his height got her attention, maybe the way he was dressed, who knew. She'd never seen him, or heard of him for that matter.

"Oooo…!" she said in an awe-toned of voice. Poe blinked at the sound and looked up from his clipping,

"Um, hi." Zim scowled for a moment, probably out of jealousy and reaffirmed his grip on Vishti's arm,

"Greetings, Poe, I don't believe you've met my associate, Vishti, "

"Hm… Cten told me about you two." He grinned slightly, and nodded his head at the female as a greeting, "Welcome to Earth. It's quite nice if you don't count the rain.." Vishti glanced upwards at the sky, before looking back at Poe.

"Oh it just seems so wonderful here you know? I've had the time of my life while being here, and I'm so happy to meet you Poe!" she chimed, and it was a good thing Poe didn't know her that well, or he would be highly confused - as much as Dib had been - at how cheery she sounded. Poe raised his eyeridge slightly at the perky Irkens,

"I'm glad you're, uh, enjoying yourself."

"We both are!" Zim chirped happily, before blinking and realizing how that sounded. Poe's eyeridge arched further and he smirked,

"I was wondering why you seemed to be in such a social mood."

"Oohh well, sorry to talk and run Poe, but we've got to go see Zib. Zim has something to clear up with him." Vishti leant against Zim, waving her free hand absently at the how she said 'clear up'. Gir nodded, then screeched.

"Yoinks!"

"Good luck." He waved and returned to clipping, while Zim marched off at a quick pace, probably blushing a bit; his good mood had returned after a few dozen yards, though.

"He seems nice." Vishti claimed, the two had kept walking past Zib's base - knowing Zib was working at the lab. Dib was drifting after them, whether he just happened to be headed in the same direction or was stalking them who knew. Poe watched the two shorter Irkens leave and shook his head, snickering to himself. He glanced over at Dib as they both watched the trio skip off into the distance and commented offhandedly,

"He needed to get laid a long time ago." Zib's base wasn't too far from the lab, only a few blocks really - man everything was convenient, wasn't it? So convenient you could throw a pebble and break a window of Membrane's lab! Soon they arrived, and getting past the guard was easy. Relation of an assistant, plus the man was allergic to weeds. The two sat in the waiting room, Gir outside to do whateverhe wanted.

"Oh I just hope things work out, you know?" Vishti looked to Zim.

"I do too. I guess I was kind of.. rash when I last spoke to him." Zib heard the call for his name and, currently doing nothing at the time stuck his head out of the employee entance.

"Yes? I--oh." His scythes lowered in a mixture of sadness and hostility, and he glared slightly over at Zim. "De ja vu.." he muttered to himself, while Zim waved and grinned at him nervously. Vishti looked over at Zib, giving a small wave while grinning like how she'd done so all this morning. Man, must have had some night before. Zib closed the door behind him with a soft click and folded his arms,

"Yes, Zim?" He said in a cool tone, emphasising the name. Zim flinched slightly,

"I… well, um, I guess I wanted to… talk." "About what?"

"Alright, alright, I'm…" His face twisted slightly as he fought internally, having never done this before… "I'm… sorry." He sagged once he finally wheezed the word out. Zib blinked in surprise. "I'm sorry for being a pathetic Mother, I'm sorry for brushing you off how I did, I'm sorry for... oh let's say I'm just sorry for everything up to this point." Zim looked at the ground sadly, then slowly lifted his gaze to Zib. "But I don't blame you at all if you don't want anything to do with me from now on, I admit if I were you I'd never want to hear from me again as long as I live."

"You…" Zib stared at him blankly, his arms dropping to the sides, slumping, his jaw going somewhat lax. He shook his head quickly, "You… you're… apologizing?" He sighed and shook his head slowly this time, running his claws through his scruffy forelock, "Look… um… I guess… I guess I kind of… overreacted too."

"Heh, not an easy thing for an Irken of my area to do beleive me." Zim murmered quietly more to himself, then looked back at Zib. "So… um… what happens now?" he glanced at Vishti, he only got a shrug from her.

"Well… um. I'm not going to shove you out of my life.. I just figured you had.. other interests." Zib glanced over at Vishti as well and put his hands in his pockets.

"Eh?" Zim looked to Vishti, realising what he meant. "Oh, oh! Urhm, well Zib…" he tapped his fingertips together somewhat nervouslly. "Vishti is… well… my mate now and… well, yes I sitll want to have some part in your life and such I mean, two smeets can't be that easy to handle, even with Enid's assistance and…" he paused blushing brilliantly, "You know, need some pointers or anything and can't get in contact with Cten or Poe you know I'm there. Yes." Zim coughed, blushing still. Zib actually smiled somewhat and re-folded his arms.

"Thanks… Mom. I'm sure I'll take you up on that offer sometime… Ragde's no problem, but Ivy's a menace." He pushed his glasses up, "Though, given the apparently %100 fertility rate among…" He glanced at the secretary, who wasn't paying any attention but better be safe than sorry, "…our family I'd say you don't need to take anyone else's kids."

"I said I'd give advice, not babysit." Zim smirked slightly, Vishti rolling her eyes slightly. Zib scowled slightly, so much for reverse psychology.

"That's too bad, I think you'd get along with your grandaughter swimmingly." One of his scythes lifted as he heard someone call his name from the other room, "I gotta go. It's… um, nice to know we're still family."

"Yes yes, it's been a wonderous day all around!" Zim hopped off his chair, and before Zib knew it he had gotten a rather warm squeezyhug from his Mom. "Wonderous!" Zib yelped as the air was squeezed out of his lungs or something comprable, needless to say taken by surprise, he laughed weakly and pat his Mom on the ID Pak.

"Oh… yeah…" he wheezed agreeably. Zim let him go, turning to Vishti who had her hands clasped together.

"Awww... you're a family again!" she grinned. Zib coughed, then straightened his back.

"I'd stay and chat, but I've got work, so… See you later Mom and, uh…" He frowned in puzzlement at Vishti, not sure what to address her as.

"Just call me Vishti." she smiled at him, "It'd be easier on all of us."

"Alright, Vishti. I'll be seeing you, I guess." He waved, and ducked back into the room that severl panicked human voices were issuing from.

Time marched on, and eventually Cten laid the egg. It'd been put into an incubator for saftey reasons, Cten already having another smeet to look after and all - however, that smeet was by himself currently, and was staring at the incubator. His lip twitched, eyes narrowing slightly - his Mommy'd been distant from him ever since that thing came along, so needless to say he wasn't fond of his unborn sibling. And now, Cten was probably tired, taking a nap with Poe - Vist had been left to his own devices more and more often. He was coping, but he wasn't happy about it.

"You stupid thing," he snarled at the incubator, "My Mommy doesn't like me anymore because of you!" The egg didn't respond of course, simply sitting on its glass-covered hi-tech pedestal. This made him angry further, and he lashed out at the machine, not aiming for anything in particular - but he managed to strike the control panel, hitting a few buttons, the temperature control and setting it dangerously low.

"Ow!" He rubbed his hand and withdrew it, glaring furiously at the machine as he rubbed his hand. And meanwhile at the base of Zim, things have been coming along. Vishti was nearing her laying day, and was laid out on the couch sipping a juice. Zim was out of the room, so she could at least have a few minutes to herself. Since he figured out she was to lay he'd been very protective of her, and rarely let her alone in fears of her falling over and causing damage to herself. She sighed heavily, and stretched.

"Hmmm…" He stuck his head back in from the kitchen, antennaes perked when he heard the sigh,

"Are you alright? Because I can get you a pillow or more juice or something to eat or--" and on the list went. Gir had been entranced by Vishti's round belly, and he had the incredible urge to perch on it; he wandered past Zim into the living room.

"Ooooooo…"

"Don't even think about it, Gir!" Zim snapped.

"I'm fine Zim." Vishti said, scratching the side of her head, eyeing the robot. "Don't you dare." she said quietly.

"It's so rooooooouuunnnd…" Gir said in awe, his eye-cams extending,

"Go find Beka's antennae bob then! That's round too!"

"But it's not so biiiiiiiiiiiig an' fat and fluffy!" Who knows where that last part came from.

"I'm not fluffy! I'm radiant." she said in a dignified tone, then rubbed her belly. "So there."

"Yeah! She's not fat either!" Zim set his arms akimbo and glowered down at Gir, knowing females could be sensitive about their body image when they were in this condition, but Gir'd already amused himself by turning on the TV. Zim shook his head and strode over to the couch, sitting down in the free space.

"Fat and expecting are two different things." Vishti muttered more to herself, then looked over at Zim. "Sooo, nervous?" she grinned at him, poking him with her bare foot.

"Wh-what? Of course not!" He flinched when poked and glanced over at her, well, nervously, practically sweating bullets.

"Liar." she smirked as she rubbed her belly again. "Come on, fess up."

"Oh… eh… maybe. A tiny bit!" He made 'tiny' fingers, "I've never… erm… been a father before."

"Zim please, you looked after Zib… oh wait, he was already '5' when he was made..." Vishti looked somewhat nervous as well now, "So… so you've had no experience with… a hatchling?"

"Well, there was an accident with an age modification ray that ended up with Zib as a tiny smeet… but it was only for half a day or so." He glanced down at his boots.

"You don't know?! I thought you did!" now she looked paniced. He waved his hands quickly,

"It's alright! Cten… she gave me some pointers when Zib was in his baby-state. Besides… we could always… discreetly… maybe… ask her for advice." He drummed his hands together, glancing away at the window. Vishti bit her lower lip,

"…think she won't mind?"

"Well, she does kind of have her claws full now… And she hasn't…" He scowled slightly, "I've known her for a long time and lately something's just seemed kind of off about her… But I suppose… If not her…" He twitched, making a slight face, "Poe did stay at home to raise his hatchling because Cten was attending Skool…"

"So if we're in trouble we.. we can ask either of them… okay…" Vishti looked at Gir, who was watching the TV.

"Even Enid seems to have a knack for taking care of hatchlings.. but bah! I'm sure we'll do just fine!" He said assuredly, though whether he was assuring himself or her was difficult to say.

"I hope so." she said sounding slightly worried.

"Have faith in us! We're well-bred Irkens afterall!" He put his hand on her knee and shook it slightly, then grinned and said in a somewhat softer tone. "We'll be alright." She smiled at him, sitting up and patting his hand with hers.

"Yeah…" Vishti then grinned, and pulled his hand up and put it to her stomach. "Still, I am big." He blinked and pat her stomach tentatively, staring at it with a somewhat curious expression.

"Well… erm… however… well-bred we are we are… you know… kinda small."

"Yeah, I guess it's cause it's smooshing my squeedly spooch it seems bigger." Vishti replied, letting go of his hand.

"How much… um, longer do you think it'll be?" He rest his hand on her stomach, looking up at her.

"Well, a week I think at most." she went quiet for a while, before adding nervously. "I'm scared Zim." He frowned and scooted up beside her, wedging himself between her and the back of the couch and placed his arm around her shoulders.

"I'm sure everything will go fine," he tried to share some of his eternal optimism, but it was hard when he wasn't exactly use to this himself.

"I know it will but… the whole thing is so… painy." she made 'painky' hands before leaning against him, course, after she scooted aside for him.

"Well, I'm sure the computer could come up with some sort of painkillers if you really wanted.." He glanced up at the ceiling, "Computer, what do you know about the standard Irken birthing process?" It always had been a mystery to him, as Invaders were expected to live out their lives alone on alien planets, why'd they need to worry about reproduction?

"Yes, yes I do." came the responce of the Computer. "Female experiences excruciating pain as the birthing process begins. Egg therefore has to pass through the opening, muscles are stretched yet still have to be able to function to help force the egg out of the female's body." Vishti's face paled, leaning back and clutching her stomach. Zim winced and held Vishti to his side,

"Isn't there any sort of way to.. alleiviate the pain?"

"Well, there is a specific form of anesthetic generally administered with one of theeeesee.." And on the monitor what looked like an 18", wicked looking hypodermic needle appeared. Vishti's eyes widened at the image, coming close to fainting but just gripped to Zim fearfully.

"Isn't there anything less… you know… intimidating?" He massaged her shoulder, and the computer 'stared' at him blankly.

"Usually females undergo extensive preperation with exercises involving breathing techniques and muscle control in a Goverment-issued program to prepare them for the event."

"Well unless you failed to notice, WE'RE NOT ON IRK ANYMORE!!" Vishti screeched, loosing her said temper. Zim and the computer winced, the computer monitor recoiling,

"That's… that's all the availible information," it said quickly, retracting back into the saftey of the ceiling. Vishti sighed heavily, leaning her head back.

"…maybe I can meet with Enid and Cten before the week's over and see what helped them..." Zim reached over and set her head on his shoulder,

"Well, ehm, I happened to witness one of Cten and Enid's layings and… uh… they didn't have anything… but it was over pretty quickly."

"Women of steal." she grunted.

"Just be thankful we're of roughly the same size, both of the males that impregnated Cten were, well…" He lifted his free hand over his head and waved in a 'tall' motion.

"Yipes…" Vishti patted her belly, "I'm thankful for our size for once…"

"I'm sure things will be fine, I mean Irken females have been doing this without training or medicine as long as there have been Irkens, eh?"

"Yes but we're in the age where if I wanted I could have it cut from my belly right now, but… I guess you're right."

"Yes, listen to Zim!" He grinned slightly, then made a face, "I have to warn you that it's quite a messy process though…"

"Aww man!" she stuck her tongue out in disgust.

"Try having one happen in the back of your Voot Cruiser while you're trying to pilot.." He shuddered at the memory.

"...I'll try and have mine somewhere easier to clean." Vishti muttered.

"Good idea." He pondered, drumming his chin and trying to think of some way to get her mind off of birthing pains, "That reminds me, did I ever tell you about the time I fended off a horrible invasion of germs…?"

"Nooo, you didn't…?" she raised an antenane slightly.

"Oh, it was a viscious battle! I had recently been alerted to the potential threat of the bacteria beasts and had aquired a pair of special goggles to see them.." And so he went on, telling his story with great bravado and embellishments.

[To be continued]