Growing Population
Epic Three
Written by Cartman's Girl and Invader Poe

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Chapter Six

Meanwhile, back at the other base Enid was by now fast asleep again in Poe's arms. Cten still wasn't back yet either. Poe was smiling down at her, stroking her tiny antennae softly, before looking around at the clock.

"If Zim did anything.." He grumbled to the empty room, knowing how the Invader was when it came to keeping Zib away from him. Beka then entered the room, and began to dust what looked like a lamp, but more like a penguin.

"Maybe Ma'am got caught up somewhere." She replied simply, seemingly oblivious to Enid.

"Still," He took on a more worried expression now, his taller instincts probably making him instinctually doubt the abilities of his shorter counter parts, whether he meant it or not. "Think she's alright?"

"Ma'am is perfectly capable of defending herself, Sir Poe." the robot replied, turning to face him the headed over to him.

"I know, I just have this nagging feeling." He shifted Enid's weight in his arms and went back to staring at the TV, though not really watching.

"Ah." Beka claimed, before turning around to dust the table besides him. Poe's worried stare was interrupted by a sudden crack of nearby thunder outside, causing him to jump and more than likely waking up Enid,

"What?!" He glanced outside; clouds were looming in the distance, in the direction of Zim's base, nonetheless. He swore something in Irken, "I don't think Cten has used paste lately.." He certainly hadn't been, since he hadn't been going to skool and wasn't really in danger from the outdoors or Dib.

"U-oh." Beka made her way across the room and pulled a blind back to look outside. Already it was showering down with rain, it had just been too quiet to notice but now, with the thunder it was coming down more heavily. The thunder, combined with the sudden jerking was enough to wake Enid up. She looked very startled and after a moments pause, began to whimper as another flash of lightning, combined with thunder could be heard. Poe frowned at the window,

"She might need my help.. Beka, can you take care of Enid for a while?" He held the hatchling close for the moment, trying to comfort her.

"Yes Sir." Beka held her hands out, turning on her heat chip so she was aleast a regular temperature by the time Enid was handed to her. The hatchling made a little whine sound and covered her eyes as another flash of lightning lit up the sky. Poe gently hugged Enid, then placed her in Beka's arms, stroking the hatchling's forehead once before pulling up his coat and heading out the door, puttingh is wig and contacts on in the process. It waas raining hard outside, and he winced, but his coat and his wig protected him for the most part; he ignored the burning sparks on his face when the rain hit and started to run down the street, tracing the route from their base to Zim's. Futher down the street, there was Cten. Seems she had gotten caught in the rain, and what with her disguise more of her skin was open to the acid-like rain then Poe or Zim. She was now huddled under a tree, her wig sopping wet, as did the rest of her clothes. Not a piece of her wasn't sopping wet, as it seemed since steam was raising from her. Poe's eyes widened when he spotted her, and he ran over to her quickly, scooping her up despite the fact her soppiness burned him further as well,

"Cten?" She hissed slightly, since she had been stood in the most possible dryest spot under the tree, even it she had been rained on still; just not as much as she was under other branches.

"Ugh... Poe?"

"That's me, alright," He said gently, grinning slightly and trying to lighten the situation; he was luckily somewhat dry, having not been in the rain that long, but his dripping wig wasn't helping.

"Gotta love... Earth weather..." she mumbled quietly.

"Oh yeah." He let her go for a moment, and pulled off his coat, wrapping it around her shoulders and at least protecting her from the rain somewhat, since it was far oversized for her. "Beka's got Enid.. wnat me to carry you?"

"I'd love to walk... if my boots weren't mini swiming pools..." she replied, pulling his jacket closer around her.

"I'll take that as a yes," Poe wrapped his arms around the back of her knees and shoulders and hefted her up as gently as he could, with the rain hitting his now bare arms and thin uniforms shirt and all. He bit back the pain and held her close, looking around for the direction of home, somewhat disoriented in the rain, and starting off in what he hoped was the right direction. Unfortunetly, it wasn't. Soon he came to a stop outside of Zim's base, and since being pelted with rain wasn't especially disireable for Irkens, he hurried up to the door and knocked with his boot. From inside, the door opened and GIR looked up at the two.

"...you two havin' a baaaath?" Poe cursed under his breath and shook his head at Gir, sending a spray of water droplets and a few roils of steam away from his head,

"No, Gir, I think Cten might need some medical attention, she got caught in the rain without paste.." He swayed slightly, looking like he might need some himself, his lacerated arms threatening to give out.

"Oh!" GIR opened the door more, allowing Poe to enter since he kinda remembered how his Master got all hyped up about water and rain. Poe stumbled inside and immediately went over to the couch, almost dropping Cten onto it and leaning over, panting, not even caring if Zim was right in the room or not. Cten groaned something incoherant as she landed on the sofa, steam raising off both of them now. GIR hurried out the room, and came back holding tea towels, closest thing he could get his hands on. And the table cloth. Poe grabbed one of the tea clothes and started to try and dab the water off of Cten's face somewhat haphazardly, removing her sopping wig and tossing it across the room and openin the coat, guiding her arms out of the sleeves so he could do the same with them. She sat up, her antennae also soaked since the wig had drenched all of her head other then protect it, and took one of the towels and started to dry Poe's face as he was drying her arms. To say the least, the two looked oddly cute doing this.

"I'm fine," He mumbled, trying to duck away from the towel, but not really succeeding, taking off his own wig before the water dribbled all over the place and made things worse. Then, guess who should enter the room! Yes, our favourite Irken by the name of Zim! He blinks a couple of times, then shakes his head.

"What's going on in here?!" Poe glanced up at Zim, still having his contacts so he looked odd,

"Cten got caught in the rainstorm, and this was closer than our base," Well, in actuality it was probably the same, he just got lost, but it's not like he'd admit to that.

"You're... leaking all over my base!" he growled slightly, then left the room and came back with a mop, and started mopping at the wet patches, somehow managing to get a kercheif around his head in that short time. Cten continued to dry Poe's head, then began on his antennae as she sat up more, since having wet antennae was very painful. Poe hissed in pain when she touched his antennae, ducking his head slightly - the pain there had been giving him a headache, since he had a lot of antennae to be sore, and drying off the water, even if it helped, still hurt. Realizing he wasn't going to get anywhere with her wet shirt still on, he simply, ah, took it off, not seeming to notice Zim there. At that moment Zim paused from his mopping to look over at the two.

To say the least, his antennae sprang up sky-high then as his eyes widened. He still stared for a short moment at the now bare-chested (if you can call Cten's chest a chest =P) Cten as she dried Poe's antennae gently before getting back to his mopping. His own shirt was just as bad so soon enough Poe's flimsy grey uniform tanktop joined Cten's on the floor. So there they were, topless, sheening and drying each other off - the steam, hives and wounds from the rain pretty much deterred any thoughts of naughtyness, though. Zim though, kept glancing over at the two now and again as he dried up the messes, pegging the two wigs on a line which seemed to appear from nowhere, ditto with the shirts.

Well, at least they were keeping on their lower clothing, for now at least. Poe kicked off his boots, though, and removed Cten's, turning around to try off her badly water-burnt feet, both boots tipping over and spilling water onto Zim's precious carpet. GIR then entered the room again with a sponge and started patting it on the ground, mumbling a tune that sounds similar to pat a cake, or something or other. Cten bit her lower lip as Poe dried off her feet, then she went onto the task of at least drying her chest since Poe's antennae were now dry again.

"Miserable... Earth.. weather.." she muttered. Poe decided that maybe it was just best to let her feet dry off on their own, his arms, already sore and hurting from carrying her while being lashed by rain, finally quit on him.

"..ow," he murmured, the cloth to a particularly bad wound on his shoulder. The steam was starting to dissipate, though, and they were somewhat drier. She sighed, glancing over at Zim who was still staring at the two.

"...sorry about before Zim..." she said. Zim gave a small shrug, as he continued mopping. Poe glanced out the window, which was still streaked with rain.

"Guess we're stuck here," he muttered, looking about as happy to be here as Zim was to have him. He moved to sit down beside Cten's head, looking down at her and stroking one of her antennae absently, as much as he could without moving his arm, "Gonna be alright?" Cten smiled up at him, nodding her head slightly.

"Oh yeah… this is nothing compared to what I been through, and you know it." She replied. Zim, feeling a bit out of place leaned to the door way.

"Zib! We, uh, have company…!"

"Still, I don't like seeing you hurt, no matter how minor or severe." He smiled back, then quirked an antennae at Zim's calling. Zib wandered into the room - from where, who knows - and looked rather surprised, seeing the half-naked Irkens on the couch,

"Ms. Cten? Poe? What're you doing here?" Then he noticed the faint curls of smoke rising from them, and the wet clothes hanging up, "Oh, storm." Cten smiled back at Poe, then looked over at Zib.

"Yup, don't you just love rain? I know I do.." she joked, sitting up slowly more smoke raising up before vanishing.

"They, uh, got caught in the rain storm after she left here and since this was closer then their base... P-uh, he brought them here. Yes." Zim gave a small shrug after his explenation, as GIR kept sponging the same spot he'd started five minutes ago. Poe tried to help her up, ignoring the fact he probably shouldn't be using his arms much, because he was bull-headed like that. Zib winced at the wounds, making a face,

"Makes me glad I'm only half-Irken.." He mumbled under his breath, though his mom could probably still hear. Zim rolled his eyes, before walking up to Poe and Cten, avoiding stepping in water puddles on the carpet.

"I trust that both of you now need medical attention for your injuries?" he folded his arms, though he didn't exactly want to help Poe that much; but he didn't really want another slap Cten. Poe looked at Cten, who was worse off.

"She might.." Poe wasn't going to admit to needing help from Zim anyway, since they were both about equally stubborn, albeit in different ways. Woo, go testosterone huh?

"Yes, I can tell by the burns and.. steam." Zim glanced up at the monkey image which now had fogged up, then he glanced at Zib. "Zib, go down to my lab and bring me that red boxy thingie." Cten looked at Poe, and mostly at his bad wound on his shoulder,

"And you might, Mr." she said simply. Zib nodded and ran off. Poe grunted,

"Oh, alright.." He looked down at the wound he was holding, purplish blood trickling out between his fingers since he was squeezing it to numb it. Zib returned, carrying the red boxy thingee, and stuck his tongue out, making a face at the blood. Zim took the red box thingee from Zib and opened it up, before pulling out a medium sized band-aid. He looked at Poe's wound and made a face, but handed it to Cten along with a clean rag.

"Um, here." she smirked, but decided not to make a deal about it.

"Hang on Poe." she took his hand from the wound, and quickly cleaned it with the rag, before putting the band-aid on. Poe winced, biting his lip and curling the tips of his antennae, tensing up. Zib winced and looked away, the tip of his tongue hanging out. Poe relaxed when the band-aid was applied, his antennae drooping slightly, then looked over at Cten,

"What about you?"

"I'm... gonna need a lot." she blinked then looked at her feet, cause Zim had already started wrapping the gauze-like roll of bandage around one of her feet, he stopped and looked at her.

"...what?" Poe blinked and looked down as well, his antennae twitching, metaphorical hackles raising. He stopped himself from glaring, "I'll.. do the other one," he said in a rather controlled voice, sliding to the floor and grabbing another roll of gauze from inside the box. Zib giggled to himself, then went back to watching TV with Gir. Cten looked rather confused at what to do, since she felt kinda bad just sat there while Poe and Zim were mending her wounds, so she leant over and grabbed a bandage and started doing her arms, since they weren't covered they were bad too.

"We can't stay long though..." she said as she tied off one end, "I don't want to leave Enid alone with Beka for so long..." Zim's right antennae twitched slightly,

"So that's.. her name?" he asked, finishing off her foot.

"Yes," Poe said simply, finishing off as well, apparently having some experience wrapping with gauze quickly. He stood back up and flexed the arm with the bandaid experimentally, wincing, "I know, but we can't really go back out until the storm's over." He glanced worriedly at the window, "I'm sure Beka can handle it for a while.."

"Well, if you're in that much of a hurry to return to your base, you could take the transporter in my lab." Zim replied, standing up, then testing the wet clothes which were drying quickly since Zim's base was always at a steady temperature.

"You'd let us use them?" Cten raised an eyebrow as she bandaged her other arm. Zim gave a short shrug,

"Gets you home, where you want to be doesn't it...? Either way I still have to clean up the mess I've made." Poe raised his eyelid as well, wandering over and checking their clothes.

"Well.. I suppose it would be quicker, and we wouldn't have to go through the rain.." He still had to wonder why Zim was being so.. charitable, but wasn't going to let an opprotunity go by. Zim picked up the boots, which were now dry luckily.

"Exactly." he said simply. Cten sat up on the couch and tested her foot on the ground. She bit her lip, but stood up either way since she didn't want to cause Poe any more pain today what with his shoulder. Poe was busy gathering up their shirts and wigs, then spotted Cten trying to walk,

"Oh, no you don't," He said, quickly beside her, "I still have one good arm," He said, and before she could protest, leaned down and wrapped it around her lower waist, hefting her up and over his other shoulder like, well, a sack, holding their clothes with his other arm. "Where is this transporter?" Cten scowled and crossed her arms, just hanging there now and not especially happy now that Zim could probably see her underwear. Not really, because his arm was pinning her lower skirt to her thighs for just that reason. Zim blinked, then headed over to the table. It lifted up and he motioned to Poe to come stand besides him on the spot where the table was. Poe walked over to Zim, looking down at the table. It was the oddest transportation thing he'd ever seen, not that he'd ever seen any. The two stood there, then the part lowered itself down into the ground, taking Zim and Poe with them. GIR waved to the three as they left, then turned his attention back to the TV. Poe blinked as the floor suddenly start moving, holding onto Cten tightly. He followed Zim off the platform, to wherever this handy dandy device was. Cten looked up at the ceiling which was more riddled with wires then Zim's ground floor was. She didn't even know that was possible! They soon arrived at the transporters, the ones Gaz had used way back when. Zim pressed a few buttons on one of the transporters,

"This should take you directly to your base, each one comes with one of the transporters."

"Alright.." Poe started into the transporter, before looking around slightly and coughing. "Uh.. thanks, Zim."

"Eh, don't mention it... really." Zim replied before stepping back. Cten turned her head back to see him and gave a short wave.

"Thanks Zim, see you later." He coughed and waved back,

"Bye Cten, bye Poe." with that, the two were consumed by the bright lights of flashing transporter thingie, and in a blink they were stood in their own transporter, hidden in one of the lower parts of their base. Poe blinked the dots out of his eyes, stepping out of their own transporter.

"Didn't know we had one of those.." He mumbled, looking up at it. He'd never really bothered to explore their lab, since he didn't know what most of the stuff was anyway, "Uh.. Just where is the exit to the upper level?"

"Over there." she pointed, to where a handy dandy 'Exit' sign was above an elevator.

"...oh. I knew that." He coughed and started over to the exit sign, stepping into the elevator and going up to the home level. "Beka?" Beka, hearing Poe's voice entered the room, Enid still in her arms. By the look of Beka, it hadn't been an easy moment at home and Enid was sniveling, obviously she'd been crying a lot.

"Thank.. Tallest you're back Sir, Ma'am...." Beka mumbled. The second Enid saw both her Daddy and Mommy things back though, her hands shot up to the two of them, making whiney sounds.

"From the sounds of it, thing didn't go well huh?" Cten asked, since she was still slung over Poe's shoulder she couldn't see anything. Poe went over to the couch and sat Cten down, sitting beside her and offering to take Enid off of Beka's hands,

"Sorry, Beka, we got a little.. disoriented and ended up at Zim's base."

"That's.. quite all right Sir..." Beka handed Enid over to Poe, "Little lady just... cried a lot..." Enid gripped onto Poe's hands, happy once again to be with Daddy. Cten rubbed her arms, still bandaged. Poe smiled warmly down at her,

"Hey, make sure you say hi to your mom, too," he teased the hatchling, poking her stomach gently and turning her to face Cten. Enid blinked, looking at Cten before smiling broadly and giggling. Cten smirked, reached out and stroaked the side of Enid's head, though it hurt since here hands were still burning somewhat and she pulled back.

"Well this is peachy.." she muttered, looking over her hands, as did Enid who looked a little concerned for her Mommy. Poe frowned slightly, putting his good arm around her shoulders gently,

"You'll probably be able to take off the bandages in a few hours.. I think so, at least." Water-inflicted wounds seemed to take longer to heal than most Irken injuries, being an alien substance and all.

"I hope so..." she muttered, before clenching her fists, then realising how painful that was she un-clenched them.

"Mmaa..." Enid said quietly while looking up at Cten, her antennae drooping somewhat. Poe looked down at Enid, the hand that was wrapped around the hatchling's side reaching up and stroking the drooping antennae,

"I'm sure Mom will be okay, En," He said gently, not even seeming aware of the nickname he used, though the tinge of worry in his voice indicated he was saying it to himself as well.

"Oh I'll be all right..." Cten replied, leaning against the sofa, "I'll be better in a little while, Enid." she said this down to her daughter, who was still looking up at her. She then looked up at Poe, "I think she needs clothes now, Poe." Cten pointed out, since Enid was still in her, uh, hatching suit.

"Oh, right. Do we even, uh, have any hatchling-sized clothes, or will a towel or diaper suffice?" He looked around, his antennae backing, feeling a bit ignorant and neglectful for not knowing these things.

"Anything to keep her warm really..." Cten replied, realising how Enid was probably snuggling against Poe for body heat and not just a sign of affection. Poe nodded and lifted Enid up gently, setting her against her mother's stomach,

"I'll be right back." He went upstairs, and soon came back with a fluffy towel, the first thing he could find, setting it over Enid's tiny shoulders, "It'll work for now, I think.." Enid squeaked as the towel was drapped over her, but then pulled it closer to her and curled up against it, resting against Cten's stomach. Cten smiled and gently, as to not hurt her hand, stroked Enid's antennae that were poking out from under the towel.

"Aw." she said quietly, then looked up at Poe. "I think it'd work too. Till we get clothes for her." Poe nodded, smiling widely as he sat down beside Cten again, leaning against her gently and stroking Enid's other protruding antennae.

"Where would we get them?" He asked tentatively.

"Oh... I'll see about stores in town when my hands are fine again." Cten replied, then looked at Beka. "Beka, can't we like, order clothing from Callnowia?" Beka paused, then nodded.

"Quite possibly, yes Ma'am." Poe nodded, then blinked slightly.

"..wouldn't that cost money, to order from there? I mean, like, Irken money, not human money which we can just replicate.."

"I've got enough for a few things... being a Maid I got tips now and then." she muttered, then thought to herslf. "Now where did I put them..." Beka then hopped onto the couch and opened up Cten's pack and searched around in it.

"I know where Ma'am!" after a short moment, she pulled a Irken bank. Ohter words, a crematic Irken shaped money box. "Found it!"

"Oh, good..." Cten said, her pack shutting up again.

"Hm.." Poe pondered, tapping his chin. "Hopefully they won't wonder what a non-Irken planet is doing ordering Irken hatchling clothing.." He was a little paranoid, afterall, years of avoiding the patrollers and whatnot.

"..I thought there was only robots working there." Cten said, looking up at him, then at the ceiling.

"Robots?" He blinked. "Oh. Well, still, I imagine they have to go through some sort of live person.. I mean, otherwise, what's stopping Zim from just buying a fleet of mechs or something?"

"Oh, good point." she said, then frowned. "Let's just hope they're not as suspcious as you think they are." Enid yawned, pulling the towel closer around her and bringing her knees up to her chest.

"Aw.. I think we're boring her." Poe looked down, grinning slightly, "Well, if nothing else, we could always make some or modify human baby clothes.."

"Thing is, she won't stay small for long, remember?" ah yes, Enid was bigger then any normal sized hatchling, so obviously her growth would be quicker, for an Irken even.

"True.. I guess we'll just have to get her big outfits then.. or a lot of them." He scratched the back of his head; it was nice not having to worry about money as far as human things were concerned. "What about.. uh.. you know, diaper things?"

"Oo, good point.." Cten lifted up a corner of the towel gently, as to not hurt her fingers. "We'll need something to use, once she starts eating which will probably start by tomorrow..." she looked at him. "Think we should go natural or the plastic stuff?"

"I dunno.. plastic stuff?" He looked slightly confused and embaressed by said confusion. "And, uh.. what's she going to eat anyway?"

"Well she's got teeth, so she'll eat what we eat I guess." she replied, wondering where on Earth they'd get time to buy the plastiac diapers while it was still raining.

"True.. I thought hatchlings needed special food, but maybe I've just been on Earth too long." He made a slight face, "Can't say I'm looking forward to the diaper bit.."

"Well don't think I'm going to do it all the time." Cten said, smirking somewhat. "But right now, she needs to get to bed."

"I'll help.." He added, "I suppose I've seen worse, anyway. And yeah, she's probably tired from all that crying.. poor Beka." Poe looked down at Enid, "Where are we going to put her?"

"She can sleep in our bed for tonight, tomorrow I'll find something for her." Cten then managed to scoop Enid up with one hand, but hold her in her arm so her hands weren't in pain that much. Poe nodded, standing up and offering to help Cten up,

"I guess that'll work. Maybe we could convert my old room to a nursery.." Cten took her free hand into his and got up, her feet not as bad as they once were.

"That sounds good," she said. Enid made a whiney sound, but remained still either way. Poe helped lead her up the stairs, to their room, and sat down on the bed. He gently picked up Enid and sat her down on her lap, holding her beneath the arms,

"I guess you get to stay with us tonight, En, but we'll have to find another place for you. I don't want to accidently squish you, afterall," He smiled down at her, poking the place her nose would be. Cten climbed into the bed, pulling the blankets up to her lap as she sat on the matress. Enid giggled and poked Poe's finger in return, then yawned again, her dark blue eyes already showing how sleepy she is. Poe hugged her loosely, his arm still sore and all, before sliding under the covers beside Cten and placing the hatchling between them.

"'Night, En," he said, stroking her antennae before tucking her in. Who knew such a gothy looking Irken could be so, well, affectionate? Enid made a purr-like sound before drifting off to sleep, Cten following soon after as she rolled onto her side.

"Night Poe."

"Night." He leaned over, kissing Cten's cheek before yawning, stretching and settling in himself, reaching over and flipping off the light.

[To be continued, again!]