When the Macales travel to Irk everything they say is in Irken. Not English! They don't speak English on Irk. Get it? Good! You guys is so smart! ;) Unlike your author... :(
I made the Macales Messianic Jewish! Any objections? No? Good!
Tuesday November 25, 1994
The Next Day 9:30 AM
ZIM woke up with a headache the size of Irk itself. And Irk was huge. About half the size of earth's sun. The tiny Irken half stumbled half fell out of his cozy bed and was about to walk down stairs but he kept falling. He was too lightheaded to stand up. So instead of walking out he resorted to crawling.
"What are you doing, Junior?" ZIM looked up to see his sister, Zee, at the door looking at him curiously. She must've just woken up too cause she was only in a bed time t-shirt and teal booty shorts.
"Wassit look like I'm doin'?" He slurred. ZIM's vision got blurry from looking up. "I'm gettin' to go to the kitchen to watch T.V. and play games." Zee couldn't help but coo at his current state.
"Aww, Hun. You don't watch T.V. in the kitchen you do that in the living room, you silly boy." ZIM didn't reply. Instead he just collapsed on the ground half conscious. "Here," Zee picked him up and put him back in his bed. "I'll go get you some food. You rest here." ZIM opened his mouth to protest but Zee put a finger to his lips. "Red told me to make sure you get plenty of sleep, so that's what I'm going to do." ZIM layed back and closed his eyes.
"I just want to eat … a napkin." He said absentmindedly. Zee chuckled.
"Just wait and I'll get you the best napkin you ever tasted." She said leaving the room. She met Purple in the kitchen who greeted her very giggly. Like a little school girl whose crush just waved at her or something.
"Oh my Irk! Zee you'll never believe what I saw last night!" Purple said in a valley girl accent. Zee decided to play along with the bubbly mood.
"Oh my Irk! What was it?" She mocked.
"Last night," Purple said with a pause. "I saw your brother lock lips with Leslie!" Purple made a 'squee' sound and jumped up and down. This time like a crazy fan girl.
"Shut up! No way!" Zee exclaimed.
"Way!"
"No!"
"Yes!" Purple insisted. Zee shook her head.
"Bitch please! That's crazy! He's too young to be kissin' girls!" She said.
"That's what I said. It's a good thing the kids were all in bed when it happened. I'm sure their little hearts wouldn't be able to take it." Zee snickered. She now had ammunition to annoy Red for today. As if on cue, Red entered the kitchen wearing only his boxer shorts with the Aboriginal Australian flag on it. "Quick, pretend we weren't talking about him." Purple whispered. Red lifted his antenna.
"You were talking about me?" He asked. "Did you tell her about last night?" Red's eyes narrowed. Purple put on an innocent look.
"Maybs." He said promptly, and left the kitchen. Zee gave Red a huge smile. She could tell he was in a good mood.
"You, dog! Purple told me you were all over that girl last night!" Red scowled.
"She was all over me, first of all. Second, it's none of your business."
"Uh-huh. Whatever, Redward." Zee said picking up some food and heading back upstairs.
"Don't call me that." Zee heard him mutter. She looked down from over the catwalk to him.
"Suck it up." She said to him. Zee opened ZIM's room to find him once again on the floor. "What are you doing on the floor?" She asked setting down the tray of food and placed him back on his bed.
"I forgot to breath … again." He said. Zee rolled her eyes. It wasn't the sickness that made him forget to breath. He forgets either way. Zee felt his forehead.
"You're hot-"
"Heh, yeah I am."
That's not what I- Oh whatever. You might be running a fever." Zee left the room and can back with a thermometer. "Open." She told him. ZIM opened his mouth and let her put the end in his mouth. They waited for a moment till the little device beeped. She took it out and looked. "105 degrees fahrenheit." She said. Average body temperature for Irkens was 100 degrees. They run really hot blooded which if why they could stand the cold more than humans. Mostly because Irk was a fairly cold planet because of the distance between Irk and and her sun. Zee held ZIM close as he started to shiver.
"I'm cold, but I'm not." He said. Zee furrowed her hairless brows trying to make sense of what he just said.
"I know, hun. Just hang in there, okay?" Zee kissed his now sweating forehead. "Let me look at your stitches." She said leaning him forward. The stitches were still in tact and weren't loosened at all during the night while he slept. "Here, I got you some food if you're feeling up to it." ZIM shook his head.
"I'm not that hungry, but I'm thirsty." Zee stood to get the glass of water she poured off of the tray.
"Swallow these with it." She handed him some pills with the water.
"Ugh, those pills are too big for me." He groaned, his speech was very slurred.
"Red said you needed to take these."
"Why?"
"Because you have a concussion."
"Since when?"
"Since yesterday when you fell on a stump."
"What kind of stump?" Zee puckered her lips. She was used to having to be patient with him. He was really slow after all and he had a concussion so that made it worse.
"What difference does that make?" ZIM shrugged as he gulped down the pill. When he was done he was about to say something else but cut himself off and went into a sudden fit of laughter. Zee decided that it was one of the symptoms of the fever and let him get it out of his system. Once he quieted down he looked at her.
"I had no control over any of that." He said breathing heavily.
"You're having convulsions. That's normal when you have a fever as high as yours." Zee stood. "Get some rest now okay?"
"I'm not tired." He slurred. Zee could tell he was lying. She saw it in his eyes and heard it in his voice. He was too weak to get out of bed.
"Stay." Zee said as if ordering a dog. "I'll be back in a bit with your other medication for your epilepsy." ZIM shivered. He was burning up yet he was cold. Odd. As soon as Zee left he attempted to get out of bed again. Standing on the hardwood floor for a couple of seconds his knees started to buckle and gave out.
"Morning Zei-Zei." Tak said walking into his room. She bent down and helped him up again. "You look terrible." Tak said with concern. Gaz was behind her.
"Ugh! Yahweh hates me! Oh God! Could you get me a waste basket of some sort?" He asked. "Quickly!" Tak looked at him shocked by his sudden outburst but turned and ran out of his room to retrieve what he needed before it was too late. Gaz went over to him as his body started lurching. She rubbed his back gently while trying to comfort him with whispers in his antenna. Tak entered again just in time. ZIM retched and emptied his spooch into the bucket. He continued till there was nothing left to throw up but his body kept lurching and it hurt him. Once he was done he kept his head down in the bucket so the girls couldn't see or smell the disgusting stomach acid. ZIM felt tears sting his eyes and he shivered uncontrollably.
"Someone please get me a cold, wet towel?" Tak got up again to get it. ZIM couldn't help but whimper in pain. His head hurt from his concussion, he was having convulsions, he was burning up, he was vomiting, and now he was crying like a little smeet. But the pain! It was so intense!
"Here you go," Tak wiped his mouth with an icy cold paper towel she got from the kitchen. "Lemme clean you up a bit." ZIM moaned and flopped back down in his bed. Tears were still streaking down his face. ZIM ground his teeth to get his mind off his head ache. He felt another towel on his forehead. Tak put a wet bathroom hand towel on him for more comfort. She leaned in to kiss his cheek but he stopped her.
"Don't. I feel and look horrible." Tak frowned.
"I don't care." She kissed him anyway. ZIM sat up.
"I need to get this shirt off. It's too hot."
"You have a fever, if you keep changing your temperature from cold to warm then you're gonna get pneumonia."
"At the moment, I don't care! I just want to be comfortable." He basically ripped his shirt off. It was wet from sweat. He lied back down and put his hands to his face to rub his eyes. "Ugh! Kill me now!" Tak pick up his shirt and start to wipe the sweat off his stomach and chest as Gaz massaged his temples. ZIM suddenly burst into another fit of laughter. Tak and Gaz stared at him with a quirked eye brows. Once his little laughing spell was done he started sobbing.
"Are . . . you okay?" Gaz asked unsure.
"He's acting like a my aunt when she was pregnant with twins smeets." Tak stated. Red entered the room.
"I heard insane laughter coming from this room." He said. Tak and Gaz pointed at the now crying ZIM. Red made an, 'aww' -ing noise and picked him up.
"Why my smeet crying?" He asked in a motherly tone.
"I feel like shhh- crap." ZIM corrected himself. Red humphed.
"That's terrible." He said. "Why don't you take a cold bath? That might make your fever go down."
"Bring me to the bathroom." ZIM pointed in the direction of the door. Red looked at the other two girls.
"Did he vomit in that?" He asked, referring to the trash bin. Tak and Gaz nodded. Red frowned slightly. "Of course. He just loves making a mess."
"Would you rather me puke on the floor next time?"
"No. You girls can go downstairs and get yourselves some breakfast. I'm gonna give Zeiden a bath. Gotta make sure he doesn't drown."
"Red …" ZIM growled. The girls giggled and went downstairs. Red walked ZIM to the bathroom and removed his little brothers boxers and placed him in the tub where he tried to sit up for more than a second. "Give me Vicodin." ZIM muttered. He shivered as Red turned on the cool water.
"No. You already took enough medications today." Red replied wetting a washcloth and rubbing it all over the younger's body and head. ZIM whimpered. Red felt bad for the young one. "I wish I could do something for you. Ask Zee if she can help you. She is the one studying medicine after all." Red picked up special Irken body wash that made their green skin glow bright and squirted it in his hand. Red rubbed it into ZIM's body. He made sure to avoid the stitches in his head. ZIM burst into another laughing fit. Darn convulsions.
"Why … am I laughing?" ZIM asked through breaths. Red stroked ZIM's antenna until he calmed down.
"I don't know. It is a weird fever side effect, though, isn't it?" ZIM nodded. The red-eyed Irken rinsed his brother off and got a towel from underneath the sink. Red wrapped the small Irken in the fuzzy, sky blue towel and sat by the tub, snuggling his shivering little brother and kissing his head every now and then. The two stayed like that for two minutes longer, enjoying every second of the sweet brotherly bonding moment.
"Awww! Lemme get the camera!" Red and ZIM started at the loud voice. Tenn was standing just outside the bathroom door. "Hold on!" She said getting out her Imp, Irken cellular device, and snapped a picture of the two boys. She reviewed the picture and cooed some more. "Oohh. I have the cutest brothers ever!" Tenn mocked. Red smiled and rolled his eyes. ZIM just ignored it all and snuggled deeper into the warm towel, resting his head on the chest of the one who was holding him.
"Did you want something?" Red asked her. Tenn shook her head.
"I need to take a shower."
"We have two other bathrooms."
"Purple is taking a shower in the other one. The other small bathroom just has a toilet. We don't even use the toilet!"
"Then you could take a bath in the toilet since we never use it. It be nice and clean." ZIM muttered, eyes closed.
"Oh! You're funny, little man. Comedian, you should be." Tenn said.
"Yoda, you sound like." Was ZIM's response.
"How would you know? You never even watched Star Wars."
"I have too- wait. That was Star … Trek? Well then, Touché." ZIM said pointing a finger at her, still not opening his eyes. He felt Red standing up.
"Lets go put you in some clean clothes, then you can sleep some more." ZIM nodded in agreement. He was feeling better now that he had a bath and wasn't drenched in sweat.
"What happened last night?" ZIM asked. "I remember you telling me something already, but I can't 'member." Red sighed. How many times did he ask, what happened, now?
"You fell on a tree stump in a snowboarding accident." ZIM opened his heavy eyes halfway.
"I don't snowboard …" He said.
"You do now as of a week ago. You're pretty good at it too."
"I am?"
"Sure you are." Red said, definitely.
"Heh, That makes me happy." ZIM's voice was weak.
"It doesn't take a lot to make you happy." Once back in ZIM's room, Red placed him on his bed as he dug through ZIM's dresser for a pair of boxers for the young Irken.
"Here," Red pulled out a pink and white striped pair. It looked like a peppermint. ZIM looked at them and shook his head.
"I'd rather go naked than wear those." He said. "Thought I hid those way I the back." ZIM said to himself. Red put them back.
"Geez, that's pretty crazy, even for you." He returned back to digging through the drawer. Finally he found a pair that his brother might not mind wearing. Grabbing a dark, green boxer shorts, Red walked over to ZIM. "Lay down. " He did as told and let Red put the shorts on him. The oldest Macale felt the youngest forehead to see if the fever went down at all. It did. But only a bit. Red pulled the bedsheets back and let ZIM slip in between them before pulling them back up again. "Try to rest more. I'll be up in a minute with some water for you. Love you." Red kissed ZIM in between his eyes and left the room with the bin ZIM threw up earlier in. ZIM curled up into a tight, warm ball. He usually would sleep in a free fall position, but now he was getting cold.
Same Day 12:00 PM
"So how is he?" Leslie asked, entering the Macale's house.
"He's been experiencing more symptoms this morning." Red stated. "So he's about the same since you left last night."
"Poor dear." She said.
"Les?"
"Yeah?"
"I was thinking about last night, what happened between me and you," Leslie felt her heart sink. Did he not want to be with her? "And maybe you and I could go out sometime?" Leslie sighed with relief. She let her fear get the best of her.
"I'd like that very much." She replied, beaming. Red looked ecstatic. He was mustering up the courage all night to say that.
"Great. How 'bout this Friday night? I don't have any paper work to do." Leslie gave him a nod.
"Sure. 7 o'clock good?"
"Sounds good." Red said leading the way into the living room where Gaz and Tak were watching Purple and Tenn play an Irken video game called, 'Incoming Invasion' on an also Irken game system which kinda looked a high-tech black and red box with cordless controllers.
"Gazelle." Leslie called. Gaz looked up to see her mother.
"Hey." She said before turning back to the T.V. screen. "Could we get a 75 inch T.V. too, mom?"
"Can't afford it."
"But they have one." Gaz said. Eyes not leaving the screen. Leslie rolled her eyes. Gaz always wanted what other people had.
"C'mon. We got to go visit great-grandma in the nursing home." Gaz groaned.
"Hey! Nursing homes are fun! I used to work in a the kitchen of a nursing home back in Australia when I was 16." Zee said, walking into the room and plopping down on the davenport by Tak. "Aw, who am I kidding. It smelled like old people and it reeked of boringness."
"See mom. Just another reason we shouldn't go to the nursing home." Gaz said.
"Gazelle." Leslie was more stern now. Gaz sighed and stood up.
"Fine, lemme just say bye to ZIM first."
"I better go with you, I haven't checked on him in awhile." Red said following the purple-hair girl up the stairs.
"Me too." Leslie agreed and also went. Once they got to ZIM door they were horrified to see him mumbling to himself and shaking uncontrollably. He had a slight blue tone to his skin as if he wasn't breathing.
"Shit!" Red yelped and ran to the side of the bed. Red lifted the small Irken out of his bed and laid him on the floor away from anything else in the room.
"What's the matter?" Gaz asked, confused.
"Gaz, go downstairs." Leslie ordered.
"But what-"
"Now, please!" Gaz didn't ask any more questions and bolted out of the room.
"Get Purple and tell him to bring a syringe!" Red called after her. "He's had seizures like these before."
"He has epilepsy?" Leslie asked him. Red nodded. "What causes it?"
"His blood pressure is out of whack. Plus the concussion he has is probably another cause." Red stated. He bent down to ZIM's face. The poor sick child was crying and trying to control his movements but it was hard because he was also focusing on his breathing. Red wiped some of the drool off of his brother's cheeks and corners of his mouth with his hand. Suddenly ZIM went quiet for a bit before lurching forward and crying out, now shaking even more violently than before. ZIM put his hands up to his eyes to cover them as if hiding shame.
"What do we do to help him?" Leslie was panicking.
"We can't do anything till the seizures done." Red said staying calm. Red rolled ZIM on his side to prevent him choking on his own saliva or vomit if it came to that. "Hand me his pillow?" Red asked Leslie. She looked to the bed and found the pillow and threw it to Red. "Thanks." He placed the down-stuffed object under ZIM's head to protect him from getting an even worse concussion. Purple trotted in the room with a needle and small vile of medicine of some sort.
"Here." Purple handed over the supplies. Red took the syringe and stabbed the needle into the top of the vile and sucked the liquid up through it. Red flicked the holding container of the syringe with his finger and gave it a small test squirt.
"R-Red …" ZIM whimpered.
"It's alright, mate, I'm right here." Red put a hand on ZIM's side. ZIM's seizure was finally coming to an end. Red put stuck the needle into ZIM's right arm and emptied the contents of the syringe into him. ZIM gasped in surprise for he wasn't expecting it. Purple bent down next to Red.
"How are you feeling?"
"What just happened?" ZIM asked.
"You just had a seizure. Are you okay?" Purple answered. ZIM shook his head.
"No. My head hurts and I have this weird sensation in my gut."
"Sensation like?"
"Like, I'm gonna throw up again but I don't have anything else in my spooch to upchuck." Red groaned.
"Maybe if you eat something then you could vomit that up." Purple said, innocently. Red looked at him in disgust. "What?"
"We're not going to feed him just so he can puke again." Red said. Purple huffed. ZIM mustered up the strength to sit up. Leslie helped him up on his feet. His knees wobbled underneath his weight.
"I wanna go downstairs." He mumbled. Purple looked at Red who gave him a nod.
"Alright little boy! Let's go downstairs." Purple exclaimed, picking up his little OBFAM along with some long sport shorts so he wasn't in his underwear in front of the girls and left the room to Red and Leslie. Once the two were sure that everyone in the house was out of hearing range they spiked up a conversation.
"Did you tell them?" Leslie asked.
"Well Purple knows. He walked in on us last night. I heard him tell Zee this morning and I'm sure Zee will tell Tenn when she gets the chance. Zeiden doesn't really pay attention to anything he's told, so who knows with him." Leslie chuckled.
"Ya' like to gossip in this family don't 'cha?"
"We don't try." Red said. Leslie put her arms around Red's neck and got real close to his face. "I'm assuming you're finally ready for round two?" Leslie only giggled and pressed her lips against his. After seconds of their sweet little make out session Red broke apart from her as she continued to bite and lick his neck. "Do you think we might be moving to fast?" Leslie stopped and pulled away.
"Why?"
"We only just got together last night. And we met each other a week ago." Leslie frowned slightly.
"Better than some couples who think it's alright to have a one-night stand the same day they saw each other." Red couldn't argue with that logic.
"You make a valid point." He said, leaning in again to catch her lips. Leslie wasted no time sticking her tongue down Red's throat and teasing him by reaching her tongue in every square inch of his mouth. Both moaned instantaneously. Now Leslie was the first to part.
"Well, we better get going." Leslie said. Red gave her a sad look. "Don't pout at me like that. I'll be back."
"But … I'll miss you."
"Suck it up." Leslie playfully smacked his backside.
"Why is everyone telling me to do that lately?"
"Lets go." Leslie grabbed his hand and dragged him down the stairs. They found Gaz and Tak hugging ZIM tightly on the couch. Tak always overreacted whenever ZIM had one of his, 'spells'. "You ready Gaz?" The young girl looked up.
"Yeah. C'ya Tak. Bye, ZIM, feel better, or else."
"Or else what?" ZIM asked.
"Or else you won't get better." Gaz said.
"Oh. Well, duh." She gave him and Tak one last hug and made her way over to her mom. "Thanks for having me, Red."
"No problem. Hope you had fun."
"I did." Gaz assured. She grabbed her coat and other belongings and left the house to get in Leslie's Ford Escort.
"Yes, thanks for putting up with her." Leslie said to him. Red shrugged.
"She isn't bad at all! I live with ZIM after all." Leslie smiled and kissed his cheek.
"Remember, Friday." Leslie said walking out to her car.
"Yeah. I'll call you if anything changes." Red said. He waved at her and shut the door. "Woo! Long day, Eh?" He called to his siblings in the other room.
"You don't even know!" He heard ZIM call back. Red sniggered. He sauntered on over to the living room where Tenn and Purple continued their gaming in their own separate chairs while Tak snuggled ZIM on the couch. That girl was so touchy. Red decided to annoy her by sitting right in between them.
"Augh. You feel any different, Z?" Red asked sliding Tak to the side a bit to squeeze in. Tak grumbled but chose to lean against Red instead of moving again. ZIM nodded lying his head in his older brother's lap.
"I don't feel like vomiting anymore." ZIM felt Tak start to fiddle with his antenna. He instead of fighting it he welcomed the pleasurable feeling by making a slight humming noise.
"That's good." Red said, feeling ZIM's forehead. His fever has gone down a lot since that morning.
"Ah! Yes! I beat you! In your face!" Purple jumped up with glee and started yelling at the T.V. screen.
"What is wrong with you?" Tenn asked with a cocked eye brow. Purple regained his composure.
"I … pfft! Hell if I know." He said sitting back down. "We doing anything tonight?" He asked Red.
"We have a conference and seminar for our next expedition. We're not starting our research till this spring." Purple groaned.
"Ugh! I hate those meetings!"
"Me too." ZIM mumbled, eyes closed. Red and Purple looked at him. He was saying things absentmindedly again.
"Uh-huh. Well if we don't go to the meeting then the boss would fire us and we'd be heading back to Australia and you would be heading back to Canada. And you and I both know that neither of us want that."
"We're moving back home?" ZIM asked hopefully, opening his eyes.
"No. I said we would if we don't go to the meeting tonight." Red clarified. "Man, ZIM, you really do have selective hearing don't you?"
"What?" ZIM asked. Red could tell he was just messing around. Which was a good thing. That meant he was getting much better. The six Irkens sat in silence as Purple and Tenn started up a new game. This time they were playing a voot cruiser racing game. After several minutes there was a knock at the door. Red looked at his siblings seeing which one would be the first one to get up and answer the door. None did. Red sighed.
"Zannah, can you please answer that?" Red drawled. Zee looked up from a Vortian magazine she was reading.
"Why can't you?"
"'Cuz I got a half-dead brother on my lap and a young lady leaning on my shoulder." Red said, motioning to ZIM and Tak. Before Zee could stand up the front door opened. "Never mind. Whoever it was they let themselves in." Red muttered. Tak's parents walked into the living room.
"Hi, hi!" Mrs. Griffon said, happily. She walked over to the couch and bent over to look ZIM in the eyes. "How are you feeling, sweetie?" She put a hand on his face.
"Been better." ZIM mumbled. Mrs. Griffon cooed and kissed his forehead. She then kissed Tak.
"You have fun?" Tak nodded.
"Yeah, Gaz and I hung out a lot 'cuz all Zeiden wanted to do all day was sleep."
"I was sick." ZIM defended.
"Was the hotel nice, mum?" Tak asked. Mrs. Griffon looked to her husband. Both had a sly smile on their faces.
"Oh yeah, it was very fun." Mr. Griffon spoke up. Red cocked a brow.
'That's why Tak spent the night with the us.' He thought.
"You guys spending the night with us?" Red asked the couple.
"If that's okay with you." Mr. Griffon said. Red stood up.
"I'll go prepare you a room in the basement." Red walked over to the door on the opposite side of the room leading down to the underground level of the house. "Purple, can you help me?" Purple took his eyes off the screen for a brief moment.
"Busy," He said. Red sighed and descended into the basement alone. Mrs. Griffon took Red's spot on the couch and pulled her daughter and her godson close.
"This is a pretty little town isn't it?" She said.
"Uh huh, and I'll be living here for the next year and maybe even longer." ZIM said. "It's pretty cool here, I guess. I would like to know what it looks like in the summer though."
"I'm sure it will be just as beautiful." Mrs. Griffon said. "You're warm. Do you have a fever, child?" ZIM nodded.
"Yeah, since this morning."
"And how is your concussion."
"I have a concussion too?" ZIM asked sitting up a bit. ZIM's siblings groaned.
"Yes, Z. You sustained a concussion last night." Zee said, not looking up from her magazine.
"Aww, poor child doesn't even remember." Mrs. Griffon's thick English accent rung. ZIM sighed. He started to wonder how many times he asked the same question in the last 24 hours. It was probably really annoying too. But he couldn't help it. His concussion keeps him from remembering. Several minutes later Red emerged from the basement again.
"It's chilly down there." He said. All the seats in the living room were now taken so he decided to sit on Zee until she moved to the floor. A greedy and rude method, but it was effective. Red sat in Zee's lap on the leather, lazy boy chair.
"Red, get off." She said, sternly.
"Nooo." Red drawled, leaning back so his shoulder blades were in her face. Zee reached a hand around and pinched Red's inner thigh hard where all the sensitive nerves were. The red-eyed Irken yelped loudly and tumbled to the ground. He didn't want to risk getting pinched again.
"Red, will you be a dear and get our luggage from the car." Mrs. Griffon asked. Red stood up.
"Sure, why not." ZIM watched as his older left. He moaned as Mrs. Griffon caressed his head. The moment of bliss was interrupted when ZIM's stomach lurched.
"Aww shizz." ZIM held his mouth with his hand.
"What's wrong, babe?" Mrs. Griffon asked. ZIM swallowed hard.
"Threw up a little in my mouth." Tak wrinkled her nose area.
"Nasty."
"Do you need a bucket?" His godmother asked. ZIM shook his head.
"Naw. I swallowed it. I need a mint though." Red came back in the house, hands full of bags and other types of luggage.
"Don't worry guys! I got it!" Red yelled from the foyer. He wobbled over to the door that led down into the basement. Stopping at the door he waited for someone to open it. They were too busy watching that stupid video game. "I got this door too! Yup. I can do this all by myself!" Zee, Tenn, and Purple rolled their eyes at his sarcasm and ignored him whereas ZIM was totally oblivious.
"Here," Mr. Griffon got up and opened the door. "I know you can do everything by yourself but you really looked like you needed help."
"Ohh, noooo. Me need help?" Red said while stepping down the stairs. He threw the luggage down on the spare bed and walked back up stairs. "Zee, go make lunch for everyone." Zee scowled at him.
"I'm studying."
"No you're not. You're reading a magazine." ZIM muttered. Zee threw a pillow at him and hit his hip. "That all you got, little girl?"
"You wanna mess, little boy?" Zee asked. She headed for the kitchen. Mrs. Griffon followed her to help. ZIM situated himself so he was laying on the couch on his side. Tak reflected his position in her side of the couch. Now their heads were touching. Tak snatched ZIM's hand in her's and smiled at him. He gave her a warm smile back and nuzzled her. She did the same back. "I missed you so much, Zeiden."
"I missed you too, Takayla."
Friday, November 28, 1994
7:00 PM
"That looks horrible together!" Red sighed and looked over at ZIM who had just made the comment. ZIM was chilling on Red's bed and watching Animaniacs.
"What wrong with it?" Red asked. ZIM looked away from the screen to his brother.
"Mate, you're wearing a dark brown belt with black pants. Change your shirt to a different color other than white so you don't look so traditional. Oh! Maybe a deep mahogany color would look good with that!" Red looked down at his attire than back at his younger brother.
"Have you been reading Zee and Tenn's fashion magazines again?" ZIM shrugged.
"Only Irken Vogue and Irk's Fashionista, but that's it." Red chuckled.
"You've been hanging out with girls too much lately." Red said taking off his belt. He could of sworn the belt was black. ZIM was right. It was brown, and brown and black looks horrible together. He went to his closet to get a shiny leather black belt and strung it through the loops. "I don't have a mahogany dress shirt but I have a blood red one. It matches my eyes."
"Sure, you can wear that … if you wanna look washed out." ZIM got up and went to the closet and yanked a tan-ish colored button-up dress shirt off it's hanger. "Here, champagne matches black and red. Now you won't look like you don't know how to dress yourself."
"Well apparently I can't dress myself anyway. My six year old brother had to tell me what to wear." Red muttered pulling on the champagne colored shirt. He tucked it into his pants. "How do I look." Red turned to ZIM. The young Irken gave him a thumbs up.
"Actually, now that I think of it. Maybe you should wear a burgundy shirt. It's a very passionate color." Red looked at his brother with concern.
"Zeiden, you're starting to scare me. Yesterday you wanted to style Gaz's hair."
"And she let me. I put it in a teased angle bob." ZIM declared, proudly. Red shook his head. That kid had the weirdest interests. One moment he likes playing with reptiles, surfing and rolling around in mud the next he wanted to mess around with cosmetics, wardrobe and playing classical songs on their piano.
"Do you think Leslie will like it?" Red asked.
"You look smashing dear ol' chap. Simply stunning." ZIM sounded a lot like Tak's father when he said it.
"Thank you mate. Now if you would please ditch the horrible fake British accent and stick with your Aussie one, that would make me very happy." ZIM frowned.
"I don't have a bad British accent. Purple said I was good at impersonating various accents across the globe."
"Yeah, well, Purple doesn't get out too much." Red snickered. ZIM sighed. He jumped back on Red's bed.
"You're late, mate." ZIM said casually. Red snapped his head toward the clock. It read 7:05.
"Shit!" Red yelped. He was supposed to pick Leslie up at seven sharp and it takes ten minutes to get to her house. Red opened his room door and shouted all the way down the hall and stairs. "Behave ZIM, Purple make sure he gets to bed on time! I'll be back in a couple hours." Red hopped in his cherry red, Chevy pick-up truck and started it up. He sped out of the driveway and made his way south to his girlfriend's house. Minutes later he pulled into her driveway and waited. Leslie opened her front door and stepped out. She was wearing a sleek, vibrant, black dress that stopped at her thighs. It was strapless and showed a lot of cleavage which Red didn't mind too much at all. Leslie opened the passenger door and slid in.
"Red Elias Macale, you are late." She said leaning over and kissing his cheek.
"Sorry, ZIM was giving me some fashion tips." Leslie looked at him with a questionable face. "Uh. Never mind." The woman chuckled.
"Well he did a good job. You look fantastic." Red blushed.
"Thanks, you too." Red tried to catch himself from staring at Leslie's chest, but he couldn't help himself.
"Where we going?" Red snapped out of his thoughts at Leslie's voice.
"Main Street Pub."
"That's expensive. You sure you wanna go there?" Red scoffed.
"Oh, please. I don't care. I don't put limits on how much my girlfriend's spend when we are out on dates … except for that one girl years ago when I was 17. Damn! She ordered a filet mignon! That's 64 dollars per 6 ounces." Leslie's eyes widened.
"Holy crap! Where did you take her to get a meal that expensive?"
"I don't even remember. But it was our first date … and our last one." Red said. Leslie laughed.
"So you broke up with her because she broke your wallet?"
"No, she broke up with me because she thought I was stingy."
"My God. No offense but she sounds like a bitch." Red nodded.
"She was. My parents hated her. She was mean to my sisters. And if ZIM existed back then, I'm pretty sure she would of hated him. She disliked overly happy, ditzy children." Red said. "Speaking of children, who's watching Gaz tonight?"
"My mum."
"Can I meet your mum any time soon?" Red asked, sweetly. Leslie took in a long breath.
"My … mother. She never liked me dating. And I didn't tell her about us. I said I was going out with friends." Red frowned.
"Why? Are you ashamed of me?" He sounded hurt.
"Oh no! No! It's not that I'm embarrassed of you. It's just … my mom is very prejudice against toons, aliens, and foreigners all together. You just so happen to be an Irken from Australia … and you're Jewish. Do you see why-."
"Masonic Jew! That shouldn't count! What's up with people in older generations and being racist and prejudice? I'm a very likable person. She needs to get to know me." Red butted in. "I'm gonna meet her tonight and be as charming as possible!" Red declared.
"Well, I don't know. She once visited Los Angeles and she met that wallaby toon from Rocko's Modern Life when touring Nickelodeon studios. She was super rude to him because he was of the toon species. If you meet her tonight then she'll know that I was lying about being with friends."
"I'm a friend aren't I?" Red asked, smugly. Leslie couldn't help but smile. Red was such a quick thinker.
"Alright, you can meet her. But please, just behave when you do."
"Of course." Red said, confidently. "I always behave."
8:00 PM
"Chianti Bell'agio." Red was trying to read the red wines list but was having a hard time pronouncing them. "Casillero Carmenere. Chateau Marguax. This is fun." Leslie giggled and took the menu out of his hands.
"Lets just get the Chardonnay. 'Kay?" Red nodded.
"M'kay." After a half hour long meal the couple was having a great night. Talking about their jobs, kids, life, family, and other random subjects they could think of. The evening was going smoothly and when they leave the pub they were planning on going to a rave. A waiter came by and stopped at their table.
"What wine may you be interested in?"
"We'll have half glasses of Chardonnay." Leslie said. The waiter put two wine glasses down in front of them and popped open a bottle of the desired drink and poured carefully into the goblets. "Thank you, sir." The waiter smiled and set down a small black folder. He gave it to Red.
"Your bill, sir." And with that the waiter turned and walked back to the kitchen. Red snatched the black folder and opened it.
"Oo! The total only came out to 46 bucks! I'm proud of myself." Red said. He took out his wallet and pulled out a platinum credit card. Once the waiter came back to their table to grab the card to run it, Red and Leslie were getting their coats back on and readying themselves to go to the bar. "So this bar probably doesn't serve any Irken alcohol does it?" Red asked. Leslie shook her head.
"That stuff is way to expensive. Cheap beer is just as good." Leslie winked at him. Red put his card back in his wallet and the two of them drove to the nearest bar to dance and drink and have a good time all around.
Back at Home 11:00 PM
"Got any threes?" ZIM asked Purple.
"Nah, go fish. Tenn got any pink monopoly dollars?" Tenn sighed and threw a small monopoly bill at him. Purple picked it up and put it with his own pink fake money. "Tak, got any poker chips?" Tak shook her head.
"No. Zee, do you have any dice?" Tak asked. Zee groaned.
"Guys this is a stupid game. No one plays, 'Go Fish' like this." They were using various game pieces and cards to play an, usually, easy game. They took game pieces from different games sets and put them in opaque bags so they couldn't see what each other has then they would play it just like 'Go Fish'.
"Well we don't have a full deck of cards so this is what we got!" Purple said. The game was interrupted by the front door opening suddenly and Red stumbled in with Leslie holding him up as best as she could.
"I freaking love you guys!" Red shouted and stumbled over to the living room and tackled Purple who yelped in surprise. Purple wrinkled his nose as he smelled the alcohol on Red's breath and clothes. "Pe-durr! You my besssst frand!"
"Red! Get off!"
"No 'cuz I love you." Leslie chased after Red and pulled him off of Purple.
"Sorry, he's a little …" Red suddenly fell to the ground and made a trilling noise.
"Drunk?" ZIM said kicking his older brother a little. Red grabbed ZIM by his ankle and yanked him down to the ground. "Ah! Red, let go!"
"No! You shoulda been in bed three seconds ago! Way past your bed time!" Red tried to get up again but needed help from Leslie again. Once Red was back on his feet he bent over to pick up ZIM. "To bed with little man!" ZIM held tightly on to his unstable brother.
"Oh Irk! Help!" ZIM cried out as Red carried him up stairs. Purple, Zee, Tenn, and Tak looked at Leslie.
"He only had two, twelve ounce drinks." She said innocently.
"Earth alcohol effects Irkens twice as much as it does to you humans." Purple stated.
"I wish I knew that before I took him to that bar." Leslie said. "I was gonna take him to meet my mother but … in his current condition, I don't think she'll appreciate it." Purple chuckled.
"That man is gonna have a horrible hangover tomorrow morning."
"No doubt." Tak grumbled. They heard a scream come up from up stairs. It was ZIM. The five of them ran up stairs to see what was going on. They found Red and ZIM in the bathroom. Red spraying ZIM with water and holding him still as the fully clothed Irken tried to get out of the tub.
"Guys, make him stop!" ZIM sputtered out the water that invaded his mouth.
"Tell that boy that he needs to respect me!" Red stood up and leaned into Zee and started sobbing in her shoulder. Zee cringed and pushed Red off of her. He tumbled to the ground and stayed there. He seemed like he was out cold. Zee took a towel out of the cupboard and wrapped ZIM up.
"Lets go get you in some dry clothes." ZIM nodded in agreement. The Irkens left the room so it was just Red and Leslie. Leslie got down to Red's level and poked the side of his face. He opened his eyes a bit.
"Hi honey." He mumbled. Leslie smiled.
"I got to go, babe. Sober up, please." Leslie kissed his antenna and left to get a blanket and lay it over Red who seemed like he was gonna make his bed in the bathroom for the night. Which was probably a good thing considering how drunk he was. He'd be vomiting no doubt.
"I love, Les." Red whispered. Leslie grinned.
"I love, Red." She said back with a cackle.
Next Morning
Red groaned. His head, it hurt, so bad! He heard someone giggle but he was too tired and too hungover to care. He snuggled into his blankets on the floor. Wait … why was he on the floor. And why does he have a putrid taste in his mouth. Red opened his eyes to find his youngest brother an inch away from his face. That would startle some people but Red was used to it.
"Hiya Reddy!" ZIM shouted. The tiny Irken crawled on top of the bigger one and sat on him. "You was drunk!" Red only grunted in response. "Yeah. You came in late and tackled Purple and then you gave me a shower that I didn't need!" Red buried his face in the blanket. "Then you started crying and you passed out right here. Leslie told me to tell you she had a great time last night. Except for the part where you almost got into a fight with a guy at the rave." Red put a hand on ZIM's shoulder and pushed the hyper child off of him. ZIM just got back up and sat on him again.
"You're obviously feeling better. Why are you here?" Red mumbled.
"To bother you. Purple said it would serve you right since you came home drunker than a fat Canadian at a hockey game on 1 dollar beer night!" ZIM exclaimed. Red pushed ZIM again and attempted to get up. He felt like he was gonna throw up.
"ZIM, I think I'm gonna be sick. Can you please leave?" ZIM shook his head.
"No. Imma stay 'ere." Red groaned.
"Fine, then I'll throw up on you." ZIM thought about this for a moment before getting up and leaving the shower room without another word. Red crawled over to the bathtub and brushed his antenna back so he would get any … stuff, on them. Red started to wish he kept the toilet in the bathroom because the mess would be easier to clean up. Red lurched and emptied his squeedily-spooch in the tub. He heard a sizzling sound of the lethal stomach acid chewing at the porcelain tub. He quickly turned on the water and rinsed the glowing blue vomit down the drain.
"Red? You okay?" Tenn asked, peaking her head in the room.
"I should be." Red sighed and took off his shirt. He got it messy. Tenn came to his side and helped him stand up.
"Gah. You still smell drunk." Tenn pushed him toward the shower. "Take a bath. I'll be downstairs making breakfast." She said leaving the room. Tenn walked into the kitchen and found ZIM and Tak talking about something or other. Whatever 6 and 7 year olds talk about. Zee was at the stove making pancakes on a skillet. Mr. And Mrs. Griffon were talking to Purple at the dining room table. Tenn sat next to Purple.
"Are you sure it's okay?" Mrs. Griffon asked. "We wouldn't want to just leave her for you guys to take care of." This was the last day the Griffons were staying before going back to London. But Tak, of course didn't want to leave 'her' ZIM for 6 more months. So Purple and Red said she was more than welcome to stay and live with them for the half year period. This made Tak ecstatic and ZIM a little less than thrilled but happy all the same.
"Of course! This way you guys won't be as busy. She can continue taking her classes here with ZIM. He's starting online classes soon too."
"Well, if you are absolutely sure it's okay with you guys then … it's okay with me." Mr. Griffon said. Mrs. Griffon nodded in her approval. Tak squealed and hugged ZIM tightly around his neck making him gag. They must've been eavesdropping. Tak then ran to her parents and gave them hugs too.
"Thank you, mum and dad! I promise I'll be on my best behavior!"
"Sure, honey. We'll send some of your stuff through the mail when we get back to Paddington. You still only have a weeks worth of clothes." Mrs. Griffon said. "Well, we better get packing. Our flight leaves in three hours."
"M'kay," Mr. Griffon stood from his seat. The couple left to gather their things. Tak turned to ZIM.
"Isn't it great? We'll be living together for the next half year!" ZIM gave a sheepish smile.
"Yeah. Woo. Excited, I am." He said. Tak frowned.
"Aren't you happy?"
"Of course! Seeing you for the next six months, every single day! Awesome sauce!" ZIM caught himself. Tak rolled her eyes. "I really am happy you're staying with us, Tak." Tak stared deeply into ZIM's eyes. She could tell he wasn't lying. Tak beamed and kissed ZIM's cheek.
"We're gonna have so much fun!" She claimed and hugged him again, picking him up and twirling him around. He hated the fact that Tak always had the height advantage, but he was used to it.
The Next Day
November 30, 1994
"Well, you seem to have healed quite a bit since your last visit." Doctor Murrey said. She finished taking the stitches out of ZIM's head. Nothing was left except for a light scar. "I hear you're also here for a physical?" The doctor asked ZIM. The tiny Irken nodded. "You gonna play a sport?"
"Yeah, baseball or football … er. Um, you call it soccer here don't you?" Doctor Murrey smiled.
"Uh-huh. Even if you didn't play a sport after all you'd still need this exam. Where did you say you were from? Australia? You have the cutest accent." ZIM grinned back at her.
"Thank you. Some people get annoyed with it."
"Oh. Well that's a shame. Now I need you to take off your shirt and lie down for me on the bed, so we can start the physical." ZIM looked at Red who was in the corner of the room sitting on a chair filling out some forms. Red looked up to see his brother. He nodded. ZIM took off his shirt and did as he was asked. "Since you're new to this country I'm going to have to give you a full body physical if you wanna play a sport." ZIM suddenly felt self-conscious. He swallowed a knot in his throat.
"Alright." He said, shyly. The doctor rubbed her hands together to warm them a little and put them on ZIM's stomach and felt his abdominal muscles. ZIM gasped. Her hands were cold, and he was very ticklish. He bit his lip to try to keep a giggle from escaping.
"You have no navel or nipples." The doctor observed.
"No Irkens do." Red piped up. He was done filling out the forms and questionnaire.
"That's interesting." Murrey muttered. She ran her hands up to ZIM's chest. She took her stethoscope and placed the cold object on his left breast. She listened intently. "Mm hm." She took the scope out of her ears and placed it around her neck. She then used two fingers on each hand and placed them on his neck to feel his pulse. "You have a rather slow heart beat."
"That's normal." Red said walking to the side of the table where ZIM lay. He looked down at his brother. The doctor nodded.
"Okay I need to measure your weight and height. So if you'll step on the scale over there." ZIM sat up and got off the table. He stood on the scale and waited till it was done weighing him. "Thirty pounds, you're sixteen pounds underweight. You are two feet tall and nine inches. You're one and a half feet under average. But if you were a 2 and a half year old you'd be perfect height and weight." The doctor wrote down the numbers. "Go sit on the table again." She said.
"Geez, Z. Did'ya shrink?" Red taunted.
"Shuddup." ZIM was embarrassed of his size and Red knew it. ZIM put himself back down. Murrey came over again with a small mallet and tapped his knees and elbows with it, testing his reflexes.
"Could you lean forward as far as you can go?" ZIM did. He felt the doctors hand trail down his spine all the way to his bottom. "Good. You have a slightly bent spine but that's typical for kids. You'll grow out of it." Murrey then took his blood pressure. "Do you have hypertension? Or are you just nervous?" She asked standing behind him and placing both hands on lower spooch.
"Nervous." ZIM squeaked. "Sorry. I usually have hypotension." Murrey nodded understanding.
"It's okay. You were a premature bab- smeet, right?" ZIM nodded really tensely. "I understand you might feel uncomfortable but you can trust me." The doctor grinned at him. ZIM gave her a weak smile back. Murrey turned and put on rubber medical gloves. "I will need you to remove the rest of your clothes now." She said, cooly. ZIM gulped and looked at Red. The procedure went on from there. Doctor Murrey soon switched with another doctor, Doctor Nenn, who knew the Irken body better than her. She didn't even know that Irkens had both sex reproductive organs and the fact that they were tucked up inside behind a protective sheath.
"How do you feel?" Red asked.
"Violated! I can't believe you're making me go through this!"
"I had to, too at one point. Just except it ZIM and the rest will be a breeze." Minutes later a male Vortian doctor entered the room.
"Hello, I'm doctor Nenn." The Vortian said, snapping on some gloves. ZIM winced. Vortians weren't exactly … gentle. "How are you, Zeiden?" ZIM frowned.
"I could be better." He mumbled. At least now his doctor was a male … and someone who knew what they were doing. Doctor Nenn looked down the the naked Irken.
"Now to get those special parts out." Nenn said. Great, just fucking wonderful.
...
"Well that procedure is done!" Nenn exclaimed happily. ZIM thought he'd be scarred for life.
"Ace." ZIM mumbled. Red was helping him get dressed in his pants again.
"Now if you'll sit down again, I'll give you your vaccinations then you'll be set." Nenn looked back at ZIM. "You don't have fainting spells do you?"
"I have low blood pressure so black outs, fainting spells, and epileptic seizures are common for me." Nenn's eyes widened.
"Well in that case, you better lay back down." ZIM did. "Some of our patients faint when they get their shots." Nenn turned to get the needle and fill the vaccine into it. He walked back to ZIM and wiped a substance over his arm where he was going to shoot the medicine in. Nenn quickly stabbed the small needle into the tiny Irken. ZIM groaned, his vision went black for a moment but came back as quickly as it left. "All done." Nenn said. ZIM sat up slowly so he wouldn't get light headed.
"I deserve a sticker." ZIM said, sarcastically. Red rolled his eyes and handed ZIM back his shirt. He hastily put it on.
"Lets go." Red said walking out of the room and to the front desk to pay and sign papers for the physical. As Red was chatting with the secretary ZIM wandered over to the wall behind him were there was a bunch of pamphlets were up for grabs. ZIM stared at them and stood on his toes to reach for them. He grabbed five random ones and looked at them. One said, 'Cuts, Scrapes and Stitches' another was titled, 'STDs: Common STDs and tips on prevention'. ZIM wondered for a brief moment what STD stood for. Super Techno Dancing? ... Maybe? ZIM chuckled at his childish thought. He turned back around to see Red bidding the office lady goodbye and made his way out of the building. ZIM grabbed a sticker at the counter and trotted to keep up, pamphlets in hand. He climbed in the passenger side of the vehicle and put on his seatbelt.
"Check out my sticker!" ZIM said shoving it in Red's face. Red cocked a brow. It was a picture of Ernie from Sesame Street, giving them a thumbs up.
"Cute, Z." Red said, putting the keys into the ignition and let the engine roar to life. "Sorry you had to go through that. I didn't expect you to have that for your first physical." ZIM shrugged.
"Yeah. Lets just … not mention it again, okay?" ZIM said. Red snickered.
"That Doctor Nenn. Heh. He was absolutely fascinated with you." ZIM growled as if saying, 'Shut-up-Red-or-I'm-going-to-hurt-you'. "What's that in your hands?" ZIM looked down.
"Hand outs I found. Look!" Red turned to ZIM from his driving to read the titles out loud. He squinted his eyes to see it better because ZIM had them only inches from his face.
"STDs, Getting Ready For Pregnancy, Pap Smears, Cuts, Scrapes and Stitches and Vasectomy! Why would you grab stuff like that?" Red asked, bursting into laughter. ZIM shrugged again, not understanding why Red was laughing.
"These two came with pictures." ZIM said holding up the Vasectomy and Pap Smear pamphlets. He was about to open the Pap Smear one to read about it before Red ripped them out of his hand. "Hey!"
"Uh, you don't need to be reading about those just yet … ever." Red said, hurriedly. ZIM huffed and crossed his arms and decided to read the one about pregnancy instead.
"Did'ya know that if you're overweight and pregnant then you are more at risk for high blood pressure and diabetes?" Red chuckled.
"No. I really don't care either." ZIM sighed.
"Yeah, me either. Just thought it would be nice to learn something today."
"I'm sure you learned a lot of things today, Z." The rest of the ride back home was full of pleasant conversation and reasons why ZIM shouldn't read about what a vasectomy was. ZIM was the first to enter their house. He was greeted by Tak who 'huggled' him, as she called it, and started talking a mile a minute.
"How was it? You healthy? You've been gone for awhile. What did they do to you? Where's your physical?" ZIM pushed her away and thought over all the answers before saying them in correct order.
"Horrible, yes, I know, lots of stuff, Red has it." ZIM smirked at Tak.
"You're so cute when you act all blunt." She said, not really meaning it. Or maybe she meant it, she just didn't sound like she meant it. "So why was your visit horrible?" Tak asked.
"They made me take off all my clothes only to be violated and have pain inflicted in a certain area I don't want to mention right now." Tak frowned.
"You were … naked?" Tak asked blushing slightly. ZIM nodded slowly. "I knew I shoulda went too!" Tak stomped her foot, angry at herself. ZIM's jaw dropped wide open. She did not just wish to see him naked, did she? Tak snorted at his expression. "I'm just kidding, Zei-Zei … maybe some other day I'll get lucky." ZIM shook his head as Tak walked away. He didn't know what to do except for shouting,
"Whoa!"
December 6, 1994
"I'm starting to reconsider meeting your mom. Besides I need to tell you something important. I don't think I should meet her just yet." Red said, while being pulled up a short driveway to Leslie's mom's house.
"Oh stop being a whiner. Just act like your normal, charming self, and you'll be fine. Oh and hide this." Leslie hid the Star of David with a cross in the center necklace Red was wearing and tucked it into his shirt. Red groaned as Leslie opened the front door and let herself in. The two of them walked into the kitchen and found a short, upper-middle aged, woman at the stove cocking something. The elder lady turned around and saw Leslie first.
"Oh, Leslie. I wasn't expecting you. If I was than I'd be a little more presentable!" She said drying her hands on her pants. Leslie's mom sauntered over to her and gave her a hug. That was when she noticed the Irken standing behind Leslie. "Leslie … who is that?" She asked slowly.
"Mom, this is Red. Red, this is my mother Amy." Red gave Amy a heart warming smile.
"Hi," He said, rather cutely. He stuck out a hand for the older woman to shake. Amy didn't respond, she just stared intently at Red. After awhile Amy took his hand in her's and gave him a disgusted look.
"You a … friend of Leslie's?" She asked harshly. She release his hand and quickly wiped it on her shirt. Red gulped and nodded. "What do you do for a living? Conquer nearby planets?"
"Heh, no. I'm a kind of a freelance, traveling, research biologist." Amy sucked in her lips as if she ate something bitter.
"So do you gather information to find our planets flaws and weak points so you can atta-"
"Mother, he's my boyfriend!" Leslie exclaimed, sounding extremely irritated. Amy's eyes got wide with, what, anger? Fright? Horror? Red couldn't tell but he knew it wasn't good.
"You're dating an Irken?" Amy asked. Her voice was low and threatening. Red's antenna drooped.
"May I remind you, mother, that Irk only takes over planets that are poverty stricken and help them get on their feet. And Irk and earth have a strong alliance and even a friendship together. He's not an enemy, he's a friend." Leslie explained. Amy glared at Red with beady eyes.
"I don't trust his kind." Red hung his head.
"Sorry, ma'am, but you have no reason to believe that my people would ever hurt you. If anything, they'd help this planet become more advanced-"
"What makes you think we need Irk's help?" Amy butted in. "Just because you are a hundred years more advanced than us, doesn't mean we need your help." Red raised his hands in defeat even though she was wrong about them being a hundred years more advanced. They were actually two-hundred and seventy-five years more advanced.
"Whatever you say." He said then thought to himself. 'Man, this woman is a peach, isn't she?'
"We've been dating for three weeks now and I'm just warning you that you need to get used to it because we may be together for a long time." Leslie sad. Amy growled.
"Fine, I never thought I'd see the day that my own flesh and blood would turn against her own race for an Irken." Amy said, 'Irken' as if it were an insult.
"I'm not turning against my own race!"
"You're dating a different species! That's disgusting!"
"Irkens and other types of aliens even toons and humans mingle like this all the time, mother. Maybe if you went out into the real world every once and awhile, you'd see that." Leslie took a deep breath before continuing. "Just give Red a chance. Don't you think he deserves a chance?" Amy crossed her arms and huffed. She had a horrible scowl on her face. Red looked at the woman with big, hypnotizing eyes. Amy couldn't help but stare into them. Irken eyes were beautiful she'd admit that. Amy quickly averted his gaze.
"Fine, I'll give it a chance."
"Him a chance, mother. You will treat Red and his family like you treat other humans. Do not call him an it again." Amy cocked a brow.
"His family? I didn't know Irkens had families. How many of your kind are here?" Amy asked Red, eyes narrowed.
"In this general vicinity? Well, there's me, my two younger sisters, and my two younger brothers and a family friend currently living with us." Red said. "So six."
"And where are your parents?" Amy asked. Leslie bit her lip. She remembered when she first asked Red that question a few weeks ago. Red looked at her hard, straight in the eye.
"Mum's dead. I'm sure my dad is too, considering he's been a POW for seven years now." Amy's feature seemed to soften a little.
"I-I'm sorry to hear that." She said. Her expression was unreadable. She sat down by the kitchen table and beckoned for Leslie and Red to do the same. "I've never seen you here before. When did you move to Silver Lake?"
"About a month and a couple weeks ago. We moved here from Australia."
"I can tell from your accent. You were born there?"
"Yes, born and raised."
"You never been to Irk?"
"No." Red said shaking his head. "But we will soon. Something came up and our planet is at war with a nearby galaxy. Irk requested every Irken off their native planet had to come to Irk for safety reasons." Leslie looked at Red.
"You never told me this."
"I only found out yesterday morning."
"Why do you have to move?"
"If the enemy galaxy finds any Irkens off their planet then they will attack that planet just to get to the Irkens and kill them. The Helfa galaxy is relentless and is hell bent on taking Irk down. Which would never happen." Red said. "The war won't last long. Helfa doesn't know what they are getting themselves into."
"How does that make you safe on Irk? Wouldn't they attack Irk before any other planets?" Leslie asked. Red shrugged.
"We wouldn't be safe on Irk. But the citizens of the planets Irkens were living on would be safe. Besides, I think the Helfa galaxy knows better than to go to Irk and try to destroy us there. There's a strong military base and defense system surrounding all of Irk. They wouldn't even get into the atmosphere without getting annihilated."
"Sounds like someone has a big head." Red heard Amy mumble. Red frowned. It was true. Irkens were very prideful creatures. "How much longer are you two staying here? I don't want to push you out but I have to cook and clean some more."
"We're leaving right now." Red said quickly, getting up. "Nice meeting you, Miss." He took Leslie's hand and led her out the door.
"Wow, you took that pretty well." Leslie said.
"That woman! How dare she!" Red steamed starting his truck. "I've never been so insulted."
"I'm sorry. My mom, she needs to learn to shut the hell up sometimes." Leslie said.
"No shit." Red grumbled. "She seemed happy to hear that my family and I were moving to Irk soon though." Leslie frowned.
"You'll have to excuse her. She just needs time, is all. So are you really going to Irk?"
"Have to. Irken protocol."
"What caused the war?"
"Irken flagship, called the Massive, entered the Helfa galaxy, quadrant B and landed some troops on the planet in control of the galaxy for research. Irken soldiers were accused of the assassination of a powerful political leader and the murders of several hundred citizens. But Irk and Helfa both know that never happened, it was just an excuse to go to war against the Irken Empire and take us down."
"How advanced are the people of Helfa?"
"Forty years more advanced than Earth. They still use car-like vehicles to drive around instead of voot cruisers and spittle runners. I must say though, earth's weapons are much greater than Helfa's."
"So when are you leaving?"
"Three days. Our jobs have been put on hold." Red said. He took a look at Leslie who all of a sudden looked sad. "We'll be fine. Promise. We'll probably only be there for a couple months."
"Does your siblings know?"
"Yes, they seem fine with it. Not too thrilled that the only reason they're going is because of a war but I'm sure they'll like the stay."
"And every single Irken off of Irk is going to have to travel to Irk because of the war?"
"Correct. And there is a very small Irken population on earth so chances of the Helfas attacking earth are very slim but the empire didn't want to take any chances."
"So you guys rather have your home world be attacked than other nearby planets?"
"Well, if we let them attack earth because of the five-hundred thousand Irkens living on earth didn't leave than wouldn't that make earthen leaders a little upset and want to go to war with Irk as well because a couple thousand Irkens didn't follow protocol?" Leslie shrugged.
"I guess that's a pretty good point." Red and Leslie continued to discuss the war all the way home to Red's house where they were greeted by an extremely proud looking ZIM and a jealous looking Tak outside the house.
"Red! Red! Oh my Irk! Guess what I can do!" ZIM said in his best valley girl accent.
"Oh my Irk, what?" Red mocked.
"Tak and I were talking about koalas and how they can like climb trees and stuff, I like koalas, and then she said, 'I bet you can't! And I said, 'I bet I can'! And she said, 'Yeah right'! And I said, 'Just watch'! And then I did this!" ZIM shouted before running towards the brick side of the house at full speed. Red thought for a moment that ZIM was going to run into it, that was until the tiny Irken stepped on the side of the wall, ran up it as far as he could go and pushing himself off using his feet and leg muscles and doing a backflip off the wall. Red knew this move simply as the Wall Flip. Backwards wall flip to be precise.
"The fu-! ZIM don't do that again!" Red said fiercely. ZIM looked at him innocently.
"Why not? I landed it didn't I?"
"I don't care. Though what you did was quite impressive, I don't ever want you to do it again." ZIM frowned. "It's much to dangerous, ZIM. Why would you even think about doing it without supervision?"
"Tak was here watching me."
"Adult supervision." Red stressed. He rubbed his temples. That boy …
"Red I wanna do parkour! I need to learn how to flip if I wanna do parkour!" ZIM whined. Red sighed. He absolutely hated when ZIM whined. It was just too fricken cute … and annoying.
"Where's Purple? I need to tell him how horrible he's doing at watching you."
"He can't help it. He never had any younger siblings to watch out for, before." ZIM said. The next move ZIM was going to try to attempt was the back hand spring. He was preparing to jump back when Red grabbed him, knowing what his little brother was about to do, and carrying him inside, Leslie and Tak following.
"Peder!" Red yelled. He was carrying ZIM like a bunch of school books. "Did see what ZIM was doing outside?" Purple looked up from some paper work at the kitchen table. He had on his special reading glasses that would stay on his flat face.
"Yeah. Pretty cool, huh?" Purple said, totally oblivious to Red's anger. ZIM smiled.
"See, he liked it." Red rolled his eyes. Walking over to the table, he held ZIM by the arms out in front of Purple's face for him to see. Purple looked at the dangling ZIM.
"You were to watch him and make sure he didn't do anything to harm himself."
"But he didn't hurt himself."
"He could have." Red said slowly through gritted teeth. Purple just waved a hand in the air and turned back to his work. Red sneered. "Laid back Canadian idiot." Purple didn't look up.
"That hurt my feelings." He said very bluntly. Red dropped ZIM to the floor and told him not to do anything stupid. Then he mumbled something about getting a leash and tying him up somewhere. He and Leslie were going to his room to … whatever the heck they did. ZIM maybe stupid but he had a pretty good idea that behind the closed door … ugh! He didn't want to think about it. Not sex, Red promised to stay pure until the day he got married, but definitely heavy kissing. ZIM walked to the living room where Gaz was hanging out, watching TV. She was watching the Simpsons. ZIM flopped belly facing down on the couch and buried his face into a decorative pillow. He felt weight on his back. He turned to see Tak sitting on him and rubbing his back slowly and gently. ZIM moaned in delight. Gaz looked over and made a gagging noise then turned her attention back over to the T.V.
"My little, Zimmy." Tak said, rubbing a bit harder. ZIM was in complete and utter bliss.
"Ugh! Get a room!" Gaz said trying her best to ignore the young Irkens. ZIM relaxed a bit more. Tak straddled him and hugged his hips with her legs and dug her palms into his shoulders. She went lower and lower and lower until …
"Eeck!" ZIM jumped a little. Tak was doing it again. Finding any way possible to touch his rear end. ZIM didn't want to admit it but he was quite ticklish there. "Please refrain from touching there. Though my scrumptious-looking ass is tempting, I have it off limits."
"Look but can't touch?" Tak asked hopefully.
"I'd rather you didn't look either. But I guess it's alright if I don't know you're looking." ZIM went back to his relaxed position and let Tak massage his back again. Zee walked in a cooed at the adorable site.
"Aww. ZIM and Tak love each other." She said, playfully. ZIM ignored the comment but Tak beamed at it. Gaz muttered something underneath her breath.
"Red didn't like my trick." ZIM said with a muffled voice from the pillow.
"What trick?" Zee asked, popping a squat by Gaz on the lazy boy.
"I just discovered that I can do a wall flip."
"Well, that's dangerous." Zee said, she took out her Imp and started to type into it. "How did you discover you could do that?"
"Well me and Tak were talking about koalas cuz … I dunno, you know me, anywhoozles, somehow we got on the subject of flipping off of things and I tried it on the wall. I impressed myself. All I really did was look up a, 'how to' on it and did it perfectly on the first try! Totally rigorous, sheila!" ZIM exclaimed. His pride was getting the best of him again. "You wanna see?" ZIM asked. Zee shook her head.
"No, because if you mess up then all I'm really gonna see is you break your neck and spine."
"Pfft! Riiight." ZIM drawled. "I doubt that. Hey!"
"What?" Tak asked and stopped rubbing his back. ZIM reached between the cushions and pulled out what looked like a table top spinner. "What's this dreidel doing here?" He reached over and spun it on the coffee table. "Gimmel. To bad we weren't playing for real." Tak looked at him confused.
"You're gonna have to teach me how to play that game, sometime." Tak said knowing Chanukah was coming up and she'll be celebrating it with the Macales.
"Hey, did you two pack yet?" Tenn asked from up stairs. She was leaning over the railing looking at Tak and ZIM.
"Pack for what?"
"Irk. Remember? We're going there because of the war."
"What war?"
"My Irk, ZIM. Do you ever listen when we have family meetings?" Tenn said.
"No! Only when you're talking about me."
"Arrogant." Tak muttered.
"Wait! What about baseball or footy? I won't be able to play on Irk." ZIM said.
"You're just gonna have to skip this season." Zee said. ZIM's jaw dropped.
"I got that stupid medical exam for nothing!" He seethed. "And what about Hanukkah?"
"The majority of Irk is Jewish or a variant of it. We'll just celebrate it there." Zee said. "Besides the earthlings already celebrated their Chanukah. Irk celebrates theirs starting on December 11. We won't miss it."
"I packed. We're meeting my parents at the intergalactic spaceport in three days." Tak said. ZIM sighed and pushed her off of him. He got up and trudged to his room to pack his belongings for the trip.
"That kid." Zee mumbled.
Three Days Later
December 9, 1994
"I don't see them." Tak said. She was getting worried. They've been waiting at the spaceport for two hours for her parents. They called her yesterday to wish her a happy birthday and they would meet her at the port.
"They probably got caught up in traffic." Red suggested. The only spaceport in the states was one in Huston, Texas. It was about five miles away from the NASA Headquarters. ZIM slouched in his seat he's been confined to for hours. He got in trouble on the way down to Huston.
When they finally stopped at a Speedway for gas and to stretch their legs his siblings went into the little store but he stayed outside. He saw a rather large group of teenagers coming out of the gas station talking about something or other. When they spotted ZIM they decided to saunter over to him to bug him, asking him asinine questions like, 'What are you?' 'Why are you so odd-looking?' They really crossed the line when one teenage boy yanked on his antenna. ZIM yelped and attacked the boy's arms and face using his claws to dig deep marks into his skin and even drawing blood. The teenagers were outraged, but instead of taking ZIM on they stomped back into the store to tell Red just what ZIM was doing. Then Red came out of the place looking furious, grabbing him by the arm, apologized to the gang of teens and took him behind the gas station to discipline him by giving a few sharp smacks to the rear and told him sternly to not get into any trouble for the rest of the way to Irk. ZIM took the abuse to his backside through gritted teeth and closed eyes. He wouldn't let Red have the satisfaction of hearing him cry out. It wasn't eve his fault that the teenagers were jerks! This made ZIM even more cranky and irritable. When they got to Chesterfield, Missouri, or as ZIM called it, Misery, they finally took an airplane the rest of the way to Texas leaving their vehicles in a long term storage garage.
ZIM shifted uncomfortably in his chair. His butt was still sore. His brother was strong. Tak sighed and sat next to him. She leaned her head on his shoulder.
"I hope they didn't already leave." ZIM moved his shoulder so Tak would not lean on it. She didn't move.
"I know they didn't. Remember they're coming from London. It will take them some time." ZIM told her. He peered over her head to look. "Actually, I see them right over there." Tak shot up to look in the direct ZIM was. Sure enough her parents were buying their tickets and talking to Purple who found them first. Purple motioned for the rest of them to come over. They were gonna take a large Ring Cutter all the way to Irk. The journey to Irk would take about five days with stops between Irken owned planets on the way. Tak got up and ran over to her parents who she hasn't seen in two weeks and gave them big, bone crushing hugs. Those hugs were two weeks worth of not seeing her parents. ZIM imagined what kind of hugs she'd give them if she hasn't seen them for the full six months they were originally weren't gonna see each other.
ZIM slowly walked over. Their luggage was already loaded into the Cutter. Luckily they were gonna be the only group in the space craft. No random strangers to make awkward eye contact with.
"Alright, let's load up and head out." Mr. Griffon said. Mr. Griffon and Purple were the designated drivers for the trip. The Irkens piled in the Ring Cutter and settled down. Tak found a seat and motioned for ZIM to sit next to her. Purple and Mr. Griffon were in the cockpit in the front of the ship. Red sat himself in a secluded area. He's been in a bad mood ever since they left Michigan. Probably because he had to leave his girlfriend for a long time. He reached in his pocket and pulled out his Imp to call Leslie. Once they got into space there would be no way of contacting her. Only when they pass by satellites or finally get to Irk.
ZIM jumped a little when he felt someone squeeze his thigh.
"Tak stop." Tak giggled in response and started teasing him by going up further on his leg. "Tak." ZIM warned. Tak again ignored his request to stop and brushed her hand against his … restricted area lightly. "Takayla!" ZIM yelped, jumping out of the chair. All eyes turned toward him but he didn't care. What did Tak think she was doing? They were way too young to be doing stuff like that!
"What did she do, ZIM?" Mrs. Griffon asked. ZIM blushed a light color.
"Nothing … she just … scared me." He muttered sitting back down. Tak sniggered as ZIM glared at her.
"Buckle up everyone. We're preparing for lift off just as soon as we have clearance." Mr. Griffon's voice sounded over the ship's PA system. They buckled themselves in and waited. The Ring Cutter's engines roared to life. "Launching in: 10, 9, 8, 7," ZIM rolled his eyes. Was the countdown really necessary? "-3, 2, 1." The ship lifted and hovered in the air. The cutter turned upward and blasted off into the sky at super speed. It took one minute to get out of the atmosphere whereas an earthen space rocket would've took two and a half minutes.
"We are now in space. You are free to move about the cabin." Purple's voice rung. ZIM took off his belt and laid himself on the ground by his sisters' feet. Tenn and Zee propped their feet on his back as if he was a foot rest. ZIM sighed. This was gonna be a long trip.
December 11, 1994
The Irkens stopped at a nearby Irken owned planet to celebrate the first day of Hanukkah. Of course the only Messianic Jewish Irkens were the Macales. The others belonged to a reformed faith which was usual for an earthen Irken but unusual for a Irk Irken.
"ZIM keep your kippah on." Red said putting the blue and white skull cap back on ZIM's head.
"I hate wearing it." ZIM mumbled.
"Get over it. I have to wear one too ya' know." Red said watching as Zee lit the first candle on the menorah. They were currently on planet Sturge and booked themselves a nice hotel room.
"This is so much fun!" Tak said wearing Zee's headscarf to get into the holiday spirit. Red and ZIM wore white and blue tallits their kippot matching. "I wish we were Jewish."
"Heh, yeah it seems nice at first until you get discriminated by old Aryan white folk." ZIM muttered. Red nodded in agreement remembering Amy. Tak looked up at him her mouth full of jelly doughnut.
"What was that?"
"Nothing. Is that a sufganiyot your eating?"
"ZIM, this is a jelly donut." Tak said waving it in front of his face. He rolled his eyes.
"Oh, silly me." Red nudged him.
"She doesn't know what those are. Leave her alone."
"Pff. Whatever." ZIM said spinning a dreidel on the coffee table.
"Oh, ZIM! I just remembered something!" Tak said. She stood and trotted over to her suitcase and pulled out a tiny box wrapped up in the traditional blue and white Chanukah colors. She handed it to him. He waited to see if she had a card for him but Tak didn't hand him anything else so he opened the gift. He pulled the lid off the box and saw a artificial mistletoe toe. "A Christmas tradition."
"Heh. I know, I know. I celebrate Christmas too, remember?" ZIM asked sitting on the couch next to Tak. He reached in his pocket and took out his hand crafted dreidel with black Hebrew characters on it. "Here. I have like three of these." Tak took it gratefully.
"Oh you two! Could you get any cuter?" Purple exclaimed. He grabbed the mistletoe and dangled it above their heads. ZIM blushed. "Go on, Zei-Zei. It's tradition." Tak smiled and puckered her lips at him, closing her eyes. ZIM sighed and puckered his lips too. He kissed her briefly on the lips and pulled away blushing hard. Tak opened her eyes.
"That's it?" She asked. "Ha! A fish could kiss better than you!"
"Hey, you were lucky enough to get a kiss from me." Tak leaned her head on his shoulder.
"I guess I was."
"Purple and I are going to the lobby. We'll be back in a minute. You two behave." Red said. The older Irkens left leaving the younger's behind.
"I brought a movie. Wanna watch it?" Tak asked.
"Is it a sad movie?" ZIM asked.
"Yes."
"Okay then." Tak smiled and hopped up from the couch and got her movie from her bag.
"Have your ever seen Schindler's List."
"No, why would we watch that on Hanukkah?"
"It's a good movie. You'll like it. Besides, it has nothing to do with Irken Jews." Tak popped the drive into the T.V.'s playback system. She sat back down and started to skip through the previews. ZIM ran to the kitchen to get some tissues knowing either Tak or himself will need it. As the movie went on ZIM found a few tears slipping from his eyes especially at the girl with the red coat. He hid it as much as possible from Tak. Red and Purple came in a few times and watched with them before loosing interest like toddlers and leaving.
"Oh my God. Who would do that?" ZIM muttered as he saw the inhumanity.
"Heil Hitler."
"No! Goeth! No Heil Hitler! Damn you for getting me into this movie." ZIM said. Tak looked at him.
"Aww! Are you crying?"
"What? No!" He said snapping his head to the side so she couldn't see him. Tak grabbed his chin in her hand and pulled his face to her.
"You are!"
"Don't tell anyone I cried at a movie!" ZIM growled. Tak shook her head and brushed the tears off his cheek then 'huggled' him close. "Ugh. I haven't cried since I read Night by Elie Wiesel ... Which is ironically another story about the holocaust."
"I didn't think that book was published in English yet."
"It's not. I read it in Yiddish."
"And you understood it?"
"Most of it. I actually went to a synagogue and asked the local rabbi from Alice Springs what some words were."
"What's the difference between Yiddish and Hebrew?" Tak asked. ZIM cocked a brow.
"Yiddish is a language with a European influence. Hebrew is the original language of the Jews."
"Really? I was wondering about that for a long time now."
"Hey you two!" Zee exclaimed perkily coming from the suites kitchen with a tray of food. "I made Levivot!" Tak looked at ZIM.
"What language was that?" She quizzed him.
"Hebrew. Irken Jews speak the original language, and I want one!"
"What are those?" Tak looked at the tray of food. The contents were round and crispy looking.
"Potato pancakes. They is yummy." ZIM said taking one off the platter. He shoved it in his mouth and chewed it happily. He shoved another one in Tak's mouth.
"Mfff! ZIM!" Tak started to yell at him until she tasted the delicious cake. "These are great, Zee." Zee smiled.
"Glad you like 'em, 'cuz I made two dozen of these." Tak and ZIM sat back down on the couch.
"You miss Australia?" Tak asked. ZIM nodded.
"Yes. I miss all my friends I had there and the always warm climate." ZIM reclined on the davenport. "What do ya' wanna do now?" Tak shrugged.
"There's a party downstairs in the ballroom." Tak said. ZIM jumped up.
"Lets hit it."
"You mean lets ruin it."
December 14, 1994
"Zeiden, wake up." Red said shaking his little brothers shoulder. ZIM cracked open an eye. He groaned and flipped to his other side facing away from Red, snuggling deeper in his ivory fleece throw. "We're about to enter Irk's atmosphere. You got to buckle up." ZIM didn't respond so Red picked him off the floor where he made his makeshift bed. The tiny Irken was still warm from his blanket. Red sat down and placed his sleepy brother next to him and strapped him in. They were slowly declining to the surface of Irk.
Red looked out the window to see his native planet. His eyes widened. It was beautiful. The planet itself was a purplish, hot pink color and had rings of astroids surrounding it with sky blue cloud-like ribbons rotating around it. Irk also had a fierce white sun. Unlike earth's orange, yellow one. Irk had three moons. One was green in color the other ones were crystal blue. As they passed the wispy blue ribbons Red looked at the buildings. No doubt they were far greater structures than the ones on earth. Standing tall and proud. They all had their own unique shape and glow. Once the Ring Cutter finally touched down everyone groggily stood up and opened the door to exit. They feel twice as heavy on Irk than they do on earth because of the massive size and gravitational pull on Irk. Purple was the first to step out. They were greeted by the hustle and bustle sound of an enormous city. Neon signs with Irken characters and symbols and giant screens showing advertisements of the latest hot commodities and new things. It resembled a futuristic New York, Times Square. The city was gorgeous! But what really fascinated the company was the Irkens strolling around some men were wearing kippot and a few women wore headscarves and snoods, probably still celebrating Hanukah. All minding their own business. Not one head turned toward the new arrivers. For the first time in their lives they felt like they fit in. On earth they'd always get stared at but not here. Here, they were ordinary looking people.
"Where are we?" ZIM piped up.
"Meijour, Irk's capital city." Purple said. "Our Runner will be here in a moment. We should start unloading our things." A runner was like a cab but obviously it flew and was more than likely more expensive. Once the ring cutter was unloaded the company waited for their runner. A group of teenage Irkens approached the family group.
"Hey, you guys have a Imp? I gotta call home." One very tall Irken asked using Irken tongue. He was taller than Red for sure!
"I do." Red answered. Also speaking the Irken language. Apparently no one here spoke English so they'll have to get used to the sudden language change.
"Whoa. You guys are not from around here." The other teenager declared. "We can tell from your accents."
"We were born and raised on English speaking grounds on Earth." Red informed handing the tall boy his Imp.
"So can you guys like … speak an-glash or however it's pronounced?"
"Yes." Red drawled, not really knowing why the boy was so impressed.
"Cool! Say some thing in an-glash!" The boy said. Red's features tightened. He was irritated. Why was everyone so fascinated at people who spoke more than one language?
"I find you annoying and I'll kick your ass if you keep talking to me." Red muttered in the English language. Everyone in the family who understood English cackled, except for Mrs. Griffon who smacked him upside the head. The funny thing was the boy was totally oblivious to what Red just said and was amazed.
"Awesome," The stranger boy said. "What did you just say?"
"He said, He loves your shirt and asked where you got it from." ZIM falsely translated. The boy using Red's Imp hung up and gave it back to Red.
"Oh this? I got it from Haqlee'z Place in downtown Meijour. They got the best most updated selection of Irken clothing." There was a beeping noise. Their runner has arrived. "Well nice meeting you folks. Take care!" Red gave the boys a shit-eating smile and hurried to the runner.
"Quick, guys. I already booked us three hotel rooms somewhere nearby." The eight of them were all gonna stay in hotels until Purple's family arrives so they could go to their rented, large apartment. Hopefully they wouldn't have to live there for the whole trip. It was gonna get cramped.
The runner driver was complaining that there was so much traffic today. Because of the war, all Irkens off Irk was coming in all week and it was the holiday seasons. The driver also reminded them that an Irken day was 28 hours instead of 24 like they were used to and a whole bunch of confusing stuff. ZIM decided to keep track using earthen hours. Something he was used to. It took half an hour to get to their desired destination. A huge 80 story hotel called, Gambyz. It was a tall black glass building with balconies and a hidden private courtyard behind it. ZIM stared up the tall building now feeling shorter than he already did. Some bell hops dressed in forest green and black uniforms came to greet them and escort them to their reserved rooms.
The posse walked into the lobby. A very elegant and expensive looking lobby to say the least. These had to be at least a four star hotel. One thing in the lobby that stood out the most to ZIM was the grand piano in the corner. Or maybe an Irken equivalent of a piano. Maybe it was a regular piano imported from earth. ZIM snuck away from the group to read the gold lettering on the side of it as they checked in. Steinway. It was an earth piano. ZIM started when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He whirled around to see a green-eyed Irken in a suit.
"Can you read Earth lettering?" He asked in Irken. ZIM nodded. "Do you play? Some friends and I tried to figure it out ourselves. Heh, didn't work out to well."
"This is a Steinway concert grand piano. I had one like it back at home. I can play but not too well. My brother, Red, though. He's a prodigy." ZIM said hesitantly. He was still getting used to the sudden language change. The man smiled.
"Would you play something for me?" ZIM backed away slightly.
"Well. I'm a little rusty, but I can definitely try." ZIM said sitting on the black bench. He cracked his finger to loosen them up. ZIM put his fingers over the keys. He didn't even start yet and he was already attracting a crowd or audience. ZIM pressed the keys down and played one of the first complicated songs he learned it was also the first song he learned since he moved to the States. Lynyrd Skynyrd's, Sweet Home Alabama. As ZIM played, more and more people surrounded the piano. Including his family. For not having played in awhile he was doing pretty good. In fact, he was keeping a good tempo, and the melody was recognizable. That is if you listen to country. He hasn't missed a note yet.
Red pushed his way through the crowd and sat on the bench with his brother playing the harmony while his little brother had the melody.
"Well I heard mister Young sing about her. Well, I heard ole Neil put her down." Red sang from his pick up point. He had a really nice voice. If he didn't have a nice voice he wouldn't be singing in front of all these people. Red had several singing and voice lessons before, as did his sisters and brother. But the sisters were more into dance.
ZIM smirked at Red and sang the second verse. Hoping his voice wouldn't fail him. He had a bold voice whereas Red had a gentler singing voice. The fact that ZIM can change his voice really good made him a talented singer. People often said ZIM's singing voice remind them of a thirteen year old Frankie Lymon. In fact if ZIM sang one of his songs he could probably pass off as Frankie Lymon. "Well, I hope Neil Young will remember. A Southern man don't need him around anyhow." The gathering Irkens stared in wonder. They didn't understand the lyrics. Red and ZIM were singing it in English. All the Irkens knew, they sounded terrific together. ZIM and Red both sang the chorus.
"Sweet home Alabama! Where the skies are so blue. Sweet Home Alabama! Lord, I'm coming home to you!" The two brothers harmonized, fingers swiftly pressing down the keys as they played. They repeated the chorus again. A little later ZIM's hands started to cramp and he stopped playing. A millisecond after he stopped, Red followed. Then there was a loud applause from the crowd. There had to be like thirty Irkens watching them now.
"That was great! I have no idea what you two were saying but it was great all the same!" The man with green eyes exclaimed. "I'm Mr. Jalokia, I travel Irk and nearby planets for talented young musicians. I own Jalokia Records. Have you ever heard of Jalokia Records?" ZIM and Red both shook their heads no. "Oh. Well it's one of the biggest music industries in this galaxy."
"Sounds important." ZIM said. Jalokia nodded.
"Oh, but it is. This is kind of forward but I'd really like to sign you." Red sucked his breath in. Looks like he had a big decision to make soon.
"My little brother contracted a record deal? That's a … huge commitment." Red said.
"Your brother has potential to become the next Irken superstar. There are not a lot of talented Irkens out there. I mean they do have talents but that's usually blowing stuff up and being intelligent. Your brother has an amazing voice. Really, he sounds a bit familiar as well." Red rolled his eyes.
"Familiar like a young Frankie Lymon?" Jalokia raised a brow.
"What's that?"
"Never mind." Red said quickly. Jalokia smiled.
"Think about it."
"Well I'm not sure how long we're gonna even stay here. We are only here till the war is over."
"Again, at least think and talk it over with your brother. I'd love to get him a career in the performing arts field." Red looked down at ZIM who seemed really lost. He had that adorable, 'I-Really-Wish-I-Knew-What-You-Guys-Are-Talking-About', look on his face. "He already has the looks for it." Jalokia grinned and pinched ZIM's cheek. "Here's my card." Red took the slip of paper from the man. "I'd sure like to catch your names before I go first." Jalokia said. "I'm really interested in representing your brother."
"I'm Red Macale and this is Zeiden Junior."
"Zeiden Macale Junior. Excellent!" The man said typing something into his Imp. Probably their names so he remembers. "And I wouldn't worry too much about the war. The Helfas are push overs." And with that the man turned on his heals and left the hotel. Red looked back at his younger brother who was now surrounded by a bunch of older ladies who were cooing, pinching his cheeks, and tickling his sides, making him blush and fidget uncomfortably. An amused Tenn and Zee were standing close behind their tormented brother with Purple who seemed interested with what Red and the stranger man was talking about. Tak and her parents must have already went to their rooms.
"What was that all, about?" Purple asked as Red finally 'saved' ZIM by picking him up and resting ZIM on his hip.
"Oh, nothing. Just … that man wanted to sign ZIM for a record deal."
"What? He's only five!"
"I'm six. I'm seven in January, Pur."
"That man wants to sign him? I mean, yeah he's talented but-"
"Yeah, I don't know. But I'm leaning heavily towards declining his offer."
"Why?" ZIM asked. Eyes wide with innocence and twinkled in the ceiling lights. Red looked at this and quickly handed his brother off to Purple to hold to avoid getting weakened by his little brother's irresistible puppy-dog face.
"You're too young, Zei-Zei."
"Well can you at least think about it?" ZIM asked hopefully. ZIM knew he had a good singing voice for a young person and he wanted to be able to use it before it changed. Puberty was a jerk. Red sighed.
"Fine, but there is no guarantee that I'm gonna say yes to something like that." Tenn snatched ZIM from Purple's arms.
"Oh! My baby brovver is so talented!" She said kissing his cheek numerous times. ZIM frowned and tried pushing away as far as possible. "C'mon. The Griffon's already found their rooms." She put ZIM down still holding his hand and walked with Zee to the elevator.
"Well, I guess we should find ours too." Red said, following his sisters.
December 16, 1994
"Sevivon Sov Sov Sov, Chanukah Hu Chag Tov, Chanukah Hu Chag Tov, Sevivon Sov Sov Sov."
"Hey! Why don't you sing in a language we can understand?" Tak butted in from ZIM's nearly silent singing.
"I wasn't singing for your entertainment. Besides, I like how it sounds in Hebrew. The English version is just … dumb." Tak crossed her arms and sat on the bed next to ZIM.
"Teach me." ZIM looked at her.
"Why? You were just complaining it wasn't in English."
"Just so I can get more into the holidays."
"Okay … repeat, Sevivon Sov Sov Sov." Tak did making several mistakes on the pronunciation. "Umm. Good. Chanukah Hu Chag Tov, Chanukah Hu Chag Tov." Tak tried again and failed once more. "… Sevivon Sov Sov Sov. Chag Simcha hu la'am,
Nes Gadol Haya Sham, Nes Gadol Haya Sham, Chag Simcha hu la'am."
"Go slower, ZIM!"
"Sorry! I'm not used to singing it so slow."
"Chag Simcha hu la'am! Nes Gadol Haya Sham, Nes Gadol Haya Sham! Chag Simcha hu la'am!"Red sang loudly coming into the room with Purple. "I heard you singing it. Couldn't help myself."
"All it sounds like to me is, Hckkk! Hckkk! Hcckk! Kcchh! And then something about a sevivon which if I remember correctly is a dreidel?" Purple said. Red nodded. Purple did a fist pump for getting the translation right.
"You only wish you could sing like us." Red quipped.
"Actually, I heard ZIM try to sing an aboriginal yodeling hybrid song awhile ago ... I'm not jealous." Purple said then lit up. "That reminds me! I got you something, Z."
"Whazzit?" Purple threw an object at him. ZIM caught it. It was a stuffed koala key chain.
"I saw it and I thought of you." ZIM smiled.
"Aw! DanKa! ZIM loves his koalas." ZIM said hugging Purple around his waist. "Now where's my car that goes with it."
"Hah! That's a good one, ZIM." Purple said patting ZIM's head. "Wait till you're ten and your brother will get you a real nice car." Red snapped his head toward them.
"I'm going to what?"
Four Days Later
"Really? Fantastic! I'll have an agent ready for him as soon as possible. You made the right choice, Mr. Macale!" Red winced at the loud voice on the other side of the phone. After days of discussing, Red finally came to the conclusion that he'd at least let ZIM try something in the musical field. "I'll be at your apartment shortly to form a contract and I'll give you a tour of my studio."
"Sounds … great." Red muttered. He was still not sure about this. "I'll see you soon then."
"Absolutely!" The cheery man said. There was a click and the dial tone. Red hung up and looked over to ZIM.
"Are you positive you want to go through with this?" ZIM nodded.
"Of course. I can handle it."
"You have no other musical experience than the stuff I taught you … and the stuff your old guitar teacher taught you. But you made her run off."
"She wanted me to play stupid songs like that twinkling star song and rock a cradle or something. Besides, they'll give me more singing lessons." Red rolled his eyes. ZIM jumped up from his chair. "Oh! Look what I taught myself to do yesterday when I was watching a Michael Jackson performance for inspiration!" ZIM turned around and popped his right knee and started doing the moon walk flawlessly. He then did a graceful spin and thrust his pelvis out followed by a trademark Jackson yelp, 'Ow!' Red chuckled.
"Great, another MJ impersonator." His Imp beeped. "It's Leslie. ZIM be quiet."
"I wasn't talking." ZIM said. Red walked out of the room to hear better. There was a long distance between earth and Irk. ZIM decided to try the moon walk forwards. That was three times harder. Tak walked into the kitchen and saw ZIM walking funny.
"What are you doing?" ZIM looked at her.
"Dance with me!" He chirped. Tak cocked a brow. Usually she had to force him to dance with her. Except during the last day of Hanukkah where he asked her if she'd like to learn a traditional Jewish dance. And then just to add a little twist to it he did an aboriginal tribal dance with her.
"Why? What's the occasion?" She asked. ZIM tripped and fell hard on his hip.
"Ugh! No occasion! I just want to dance with you!" He got up as if nothing happened. Tak smiled and set one hand on his shoulder with the other clasped in his hand. One of ZIM's arms draped around Tak's waist. The two started waltzing. Tak was leading since she was the only one of the two who knew how to waltz. "Gender switch." ZIM said, now putting the hand on Tak's waist and placed it on her shoulder. Tak giggled and put her hand on ZIM's hip. "I want you to spin and dip me." ZIM said ecstatically. Tak scoffed.
"Are you serious?" She asked. ZIM nodded. Tak shrugged and spun ZIM, making him squeal as if mocking the giggly, ditzy girls on T.V. Tak then caught him and dipped him so low his antennas touched the ground. Tak snapped him back up. "You improved since we last did this."
"Why thank you." ZIM said. The young Irken twisted out of Tak's grip. "Red is letting me sing."
"Really? That's great! I'm so happy for you." Tak said picking ZIM up in a tight hug around his waist.
"Yeah, yeah. It is. Tak, I can't breath." Tak put him down.
"I hope you go far." She said.
"Go far?" Tak and ZIM turned to see Purple's mother, Kaddie, in the door.
"Hi, Mum!" ZIM said grinning big at her. "We were talking about my deal."
"Oh yes that. I don't have a doubt that you will go all the way." Kaddie said. ZIM smiled. He really liked Purple's family. They were all so nice. His mom, his dad, Paige, and his older sister by eight years, Marzi.
"Well, we won't know for sure." ZIM said.
"Everything will be alright. By the way, you two have some killer dance moves." Kaddie said. Tak blushed and ZIM just gleamed. He doesn't get embarrassed easily anymore. "Where is Peder? I got to talk to him." ZIM pointed to the living room.
"I'm pretty sure I heard him bickering with Tenn." Kaddie gave him a quick 'Thanks' and left to retrieve her son. After awhile Purple came into the kitchen where ZIM, Tak, and Red, who just got off the phone, were talking. Purple stood by ZIM and groaned then muttered under his breath something about his mother and her restrictions.
"You and me! We are alike!" Purple said. He sounded drunk but ZIM knew he was sober and joking around. "Both of us together! We are youngest in our families! We get picked on for it! Not fair, I say!"
"Amen!" ZIM said slamming a fist into the table.
"No more! We shouldn't have to take this shi- crap no more!"
"Damn straight!" ZIM said. He was smacked upside the head by Red who was chuckling. "You see! Exhibit A! Domestic violence and abuse! No more!"
"Viva la resistance!"
"Peder Kinley! What did I say about starting riots?" Kaddie yelled from the living room.
"Not a riot this time, ma! It's a resistance!"
"Different!" ZIM spoke up. They stood in silence for awhile. "So what's our first act of resistance?"
"No idea …"
"You never think things through." ZIM grumbled. There was a knock at the door. Red answered it. It was Mr. Jalokia. Dang that man was fast. Maybe he took a transporter device.
"Shall we talk about his contract now?" The green-eyed Irken beamed. Red sighed and nodded.
"I suppose." Red kinda wished now he hired a lawyer for this part.
Whoa! 18,327 Words! I feel accomplished!
So this is when ZIM's career starts to take off! I know this seems a little fast paced but Irk is a planet that moves fast. It is an extremely advanced planet after all. Well, It shall get fun now! Whee? …
PS. Please look up Frankie Lymon on Youtube to hear his voice. That will help you picture ZIM's singing voice.
