Opening Up
Epic Nine
Written by Cartman's Girl and Poe

A day or so passed, and it was yet another brilliant Skool Day. Yay! But right now, it's cafeteria time. Ragde is sat at a table eating some home-made soup and is sipping it happily. Sat besides him is Athra, who is poking at a pile of potatoes and corn.

"I don't know how they can eat corn so easily..." she muttered to herself.

"Ain't so bad," Vist said from behind her, setting her tray down on the other side of Athra, "Try watchin' yer parents eat somethin' that's still wigglin'." Ivy had been unusually well-behaved, by Ivy standards at least, and sat down on the other side of the table, seeming distant.

"No thanks." Athra said, poking her tongue out in disgust. Ragde finished his spoonful of soup,

"You should bring your own food then Athra, it's much easier."

"Huh." Athra scoffed.

"Knowin' Zim he'd probably give out nutrition-inna-tube fer lunch," Vist snorted,

then glanced over at Ivy. She hadn't made some sort of snappy comment to her yet, so something must be wrong. "What's with you?" Ivy picked at her food,

"Thinking."

"Well, don't strain yerself.."

"Vist." Athra hit his arm, leaning forward to see Ivy. "Something happening at home, Ivy?" she asked. Vist winced and rubbed his arm.

"Hmm," Ivy flicked her eyes towards Ragde as she wondered how to answer that question, then shook her head. "I guess I just wonder what happened to someone I met, that's all." Ragde seemed to sink down in his seat slowly, poking his soup now with a spoon.

"Oh." Athra had heard her Dad screeching to her Mom about some alien threat, but she didn't really pay attention.

"He helped her out when she got lost." Ragde said quietly, "He seems nice."

"He?" Vist snerked, and Ivy glared at Ragde,

"I can explain things for myself, alright?" She shook her head, and continued before Vist could make any comments, "I just talked to him. He's not even really a friend." She waved her hand.

"Just a... guy." Athra nodded, smiling slightly. "Least you got out for a bit, Ivy.." Ragde kept quiet now, last thing he wanted as she blurting out about how Allison now knows about them. Athra would probably decapitate him.

"Exactly." Ivy nodded toward Athra, while Vist just sniggered to himself. He'd probably been much more civil towards Ivy for Athra's sake, but he was still Vist, afterall. "Among other fun things," Ivy glanced back at Ragde, "My house hasn't had a dull moment. What about you?" She looked back at Athra. She shrugged,

"Nothing happening at all... except Dad screeching about an alien threat. But he does that over every little thing." he'd even said that about Vist at some point.

"How, um, about you Vist?" Ragde asked, looking at his uncle. "Anything.. new happening?" Ivy blinked, scowling, muttering more to herself,

"Anzto was an alien.."

"Me? No, no, nothin," He coughed, glancing at Athra and deciding not to mention the fact they'd been, er, found out by their respective parents. She returned the glance, putting her hands togther and grinning slightly.

"My we all have such dull lives, don't we?"

"Oh yes." Ragde just nodded.

"Yeah." Ivy pushed her slab of steak around on the plate with her fork boredly. Allison wandered over to Ragde, then noticed he was with the rest of his, er, skool-bound family,

"Oh, um, hi guys," she laughed nervously, probably trying to figure out what Athra and Vist looked like underneath their disguises.

"Huh?" Athra looked at the human girl, "Oh, it's you. Hello." she scooted somewhat closer to Vist, actually looking like she's about to eat her lunch. Ragde smiled up at her, sitting up straight again.

"Hi Allison."

"Huh." Vist raised an eye-ridge, looking over Athra and Ragde's heads to peer at Allison,

"What's so interestin' about my hair?"

"Oh nothing!" Allison said quickly, shrinking behind Ragde, "Just don't see many people with anten-I mean rat tails!" She made a motion behind her head, and Vist glanced back at the tied-back portion of his wig,

"Uh huh." Ivy just grunted. Ragde gave her a glare at her almost mistake, then stood up.

"Well... I'll leave you guys to.. whatever you guys do." he mumbled, then quickly escorted Allison away.

"Sorry," She grinned sheepishly as she was lead off. Athra watched the two go, rolling her eyes.

"I swear, sometimes I think he's got a thing for her." she said.

"A thing?" Vist snorted around a mouthful of corn, "Hell, I'd say he pro'lly wasn't even a virgin 'nymore."

"I doubt that, Ragde isn't like y-I mean most guys." she coughed, then actually gulped down a spoon full of corn and potato, paused, then did the usual Zim-esque spazz and collapsed onto the floor. Vist blinked down at her, wincing, then hefted her up and did the only thing he could think to do, the Irken approximation of the Heimlich. Ivy just kind of blinked and scared at them, since it looked a little.. questionable, to say the least. Athra hacked and coughed, until spitting out the whole mouthful of the corn-potato yuckiness, and it splattered against a student. She sighed, eyes drooping.

"Thanks.. Vist.." she panted. Vist looked down at her, snickering softly,

"Sure you don't need mouth-to-mouth too?" He could still flirt with her, afterall, it's how he'd been annoying her since.. a while. Ivy furrowed her brow,

"Maybe I'll find another table too.."

"Aw Ivy..." Athra looked over at her, "Sorry that my choking caused you some distress 'n all.."

"..wasn't that." She eyed Vist, who realized he still had the questionable hold on

Athra's middle, quickly jerking back and coughing loudly.

"Oh." she bit her lower lip, "Well.. if you really wanna go off.."

"I think I will." She stood up, taking her tray. Vist watched her go, then took a deep breath.

"'at was close." Ivy spied Ragde's black ponytail through the crowd, and started towards it.

"Ragde, you wouldn't believe what I just saw. Athra accidently swallowed some human food and Vist was practically.." She blinked, in mid-gossip, only to see Ragde and Allison giggling and feeding each other like.. well, a young couple. Ivy stared, then her face twisted into a snarl, claws clenching until cracks ran through her tray; it eventually shattered, but by the time anyone had time to react to the noise, Ivy was already stomping through the door in the cafeteria that lead to the outdoors.

Outdoors things were moderately normal. Punks bullying the nerds, girls gossiping like the gossip queens they were... ah, Hi Skool. Gotta love it don't you? She stomped out and sat down against one of the trees near the fence, folding her arms and just glaring at anything that wandered into her sight range. Then she heard the sound of the fence being leaned upon, then,

"Skool troubles, huh Ivy?"

"Yeah, I guess you could.. Huh?" She blinked, looking up from her folded arms and

towards the fence. There was Anzto, leaning against the fence with his hands in his jeans pockets.

"I never cared for Skool… but I felt like checking it out at least."

"Don't bother," She glared at the ground, "Besides the skoolwork, the teasing, and horrible human food, everyone you use to think was your friend ends up being too busy with each other to even talk to you.." She snorted, hunching her shoulders. He squated down besides her, lowering his sunglasses slightly to see her a bit better. But with ultra-violet sensitive eyes I'm sure that did no good.

"Well I'll talk to you." She blinked, preparing to go onto one of her rants about how she needs no one, but as soon as she sat up to do so, emotional weariness kicked in. She slumped, shaking her head,

"Thanks," was all that came out instead.

"Very welcomed." he nodded, then actually sat against the tree besides her. "So, what's been going on besides friends being too wound up?" Her scythes folded back,

"Well, Ragde's human friend.. girlfriend I should say know about his true species now. Not to mention the rest of our's." Anzto made a 'hmm' sound,

"Does the rest of your clan know about it?"

"Clan?" She looked confused for a moment, "Only my Mom, Grandfather and probably my Dad by now. It'll get out soon enough." She blew at her bangs, "Grandpa Zim will probably have a squeedly spooch attack, if he hasn't already.. Athra said.. er, she's my aunt, his kid… he was already going on about some alien threat."

"Sounds like your family has looked up my species then." he grunted, "I don't blame them. Some alien suddenly helps your daughter out, you want to know why and if I'd be up to anything."

"What's wrong with your species?" She looked over at him, "My own grandfather Poe

is a carnivore with a dangerous disease to boot."

"My species are carnivourus and known for wiping out species for one meal." he replied quietly, "We're not exactly well-liked."

"Oh." She glanced over at the ground, then back at him, "Well you're obviously not

like that, right? I mean otherwise we'd all be eaten."

"If I was how my Father wanted, this planet would be nothing but ground and plants and air by now." Anzto sighed, "I'm not especially proud of what I am either." She winced slightly,

"Well.. I.. guess I can see that." She stuck her claw in the dirt and started making random circles, "I probably.. shouldn't be very proud of what Irkens have done either, but then Zim tells me Poe's just filling my head with Reject propoganda."

"Ah. Well... I've been preached too ever since I was born, and you can imagine how furious my Father was when I refused to kill something." he sounding a bit sad at the fact he'd lost all of his family, "But.. I didn't want to do things I didn't." She frowned slightly.

"Yeah, I guess I can.. Well.. It's good that you stuck to what you wanted to do." She shrugged, "I don't think I would've wanted to do that either.." Anzto just nodded slightly, then rubbed at his glasses.

"So miss, what are you up for after Skool?" She blinked, then shook her head.

"Nothing, really.. There isn't anything for me to do anymore."

"We could hang out if you wanted." he said.

"Really?" She looked over at him, arching her scythes.

"Well why not? But, if you don't want to see me ever again just say the word and I'm gone."

"No, it's not that at all, I guess I've.. just never really hung out with anyone outside my family before." She scratched the back of her head and glanced to the side, maybe sounding a bit, dare we say, shy?

"Ah." Anzto nodded slightly, "I get it..."

"Get what?"

"You feel unfamiliar with people you don't know, you don't know if you can trust them or let your guards down." he said, "I felt the same way when I met you." She blinked slowly as he managed to pinpoint it, then nodded,

"Yeah.. I guess that's it." She looked over at him, "Still do?" Anzto shrugged,

"Kinda... I'm not one to trust a lot of aliens." he said, "But with you I feel fine." Ivy smiled slightly,

"Well, uh.. that's good then." She shook her bangs out of her face, "To be honest I haven't really told my family much.."

"Much about what, me?" he asked, scratching his neck before swatting a fly away.

"Well.. anything, really." She set her chin on her drawn-up knees, "They probably don't even know why I was upset.. if they even noticed," she muttered, scowling.

"Well family's good now and then, but some times you're better off without them." he said gently, before leaning back looking up at the tree. "But did they ask alot?"

"Just my parents, really." She stared down at the ground, "I think Ragde is scared of me and Athra.. I dunno. Sometimes I feel kind of like I'm being patronized." She furrowed her brow, picking at some dirt, then blinked, "Maybe they have and I've blown them off.."

"You think that's how it is?" he asked, not having a family now he was a tiny bit curious about how Irken families - since this seemed to be the first really - interacted.

"I don't know. It's too hard to tell." She huffed, "I don't even know what's wrong

with me! I was always fine before. I got along with Athra and we both hated Vist, and I suppose I sort of got along with Ragde, but he's still my brother.."

"Well... from what you told me about while we walked 'n stuff, I think Athra and Vist are up to stuff." Anzto said, glancing at her. "You should ask."

"I've wondered about it for a long time.. I mean.. she just started to hang out with him more. They'd always have some excuse for why they had to be together, but the way they acted just.. didn't seem right. Ask? Bah, I don't know." She grunted, "They seem to be pretty convinced they're fooling everyone."

"Then make em look dumb by just telling them to cool off with the hormones or get a room." he smirked, folding his arms. She blinked, then looked thoughtful,

"I was thinking I'd probably blurt something about it while we were fighting some day.. But.. " Anzto grinned,

"Heh heh, I'm training you well, young Padewan Ivy. Seriously, surprise them when they least suspect it."

"Padewan?" She looked over at him in confusion, then considered it. "I've never really.. I don't know, knew what it was that got me into fights. Someone just says something, and I get angry, and.."

"And you feel like ripping them to shreds?" he nodded, "I know the feeling. But you're not only hurting them by fighting, you're hurting yourself. You're letting emotions rule you, and that's never good." Anzto sounded like he knew what

he was talking about indeed, "But beliefes are important too. Just, put a muzzle on your anger. Some people are doing it just to annoy you, and they get what they want when they see you go nutzo." Her hair-scythes tilted back as she seemed to think about this.

"Mom and Grandfather Poe said something similar not too long ago.." Seems that maybe between all the various lectures something was starting to get through to her. "Like.. Vist, he does that, just because he knows he can!" She clenched her fists and growled.

"Well, Vist is your uncle. He thinks, he can do what he wants because he's older and your superior." Anzto looked up at the sky, "You need to teach him something, but not something that involves fists or brutalilty. That's the last thing you want, then you'll both be in for it."

"But.." She frowned slightly, "That's all I've ever been good at. I don't… I don't know how to do anything else." It was hard for her to admit something like that.

"Aww..." he patted her shoulder a few times, then put his hand back onto his lap. "Well, snappy come backs are good, for those who deserve it." She froze when he pat her shoulder, jerking away almost reflextively, but she managed to stay put.

"How can I think enough to come up with a comeback when I'm being insulted?"

"Think of some before hand and store them in your head?" he asked, not really caring how she reacted to the shoulder pat or not.

"Hm.. I.. guess." She still looked somewhat torn over the whole issue, but that

was to be expected. "Maybe I'll.. try that next time."

"Do whatever suits you, Ivy." Anzto said, smiling as he saw a bird fly over head.

"I do! Though.. sometimes it'd just be nice to be away from it all. Skool, family,

whatever." She glanced up as well, squinting at the bird.

"Just time to yourself huh?" he waved his hand slightly, and the bird flew down and perched on his hand. "The need to fly away is pretty big I guess."

"Yeah, but.. that's not happening." She blinked at the bird, "How'd you do that?"

"Heh, my species are known to make animals of other species do what we will them to, usually to eat em." he stroked the bird's head, "But me, I don't eat em." Anzto then held the bird out to her, "Neat huh?"

"Wow." Ivy tilted her head, then reached out for the bird haphazardly, and it probably would've scattered if he hadn't been restraining it with his ability. She scowled and withdrew her hand before it panicked any further, muttering about stupid birds.

"You know, I think you got soft spot somewhere, you just gotta find it." Anzto lifted his hand, the bird flew away into the sky again. "Just takes time I gues."

"Me? Soft? Bah!" She dismissed the idea with a wave of her hand, "Never."  Anzto smirked,

"Yeah I used to feel the same way."

"What do you mean?" She looked up at him critically.

"Back when I was a pup, I acted tough and nasty all the time to proove to my family I was like them." He shrugged slightly, "I kept telling myself there was no place for soft spots in me anywhere." Anzto scoffed, "Crazy me."

"What's wrong with being tough?" Her tone sounded a bit defensive, "If I'm not tough, I'm.." She bit down on her lip, narrowing her eyes at the ground and trailing off.

"You're...?" he leaned forward looking at her critically. She stares back at him. They stare at each other for a while longer, suddenly the Skool bell rings. She started to say 'vulnerable', when the bell rang and caused her to jump slightly. She glared at the building and stood up, dusting off,

"I gotta get back to class."

"All right then.." Anzto looked up at her as she stood. "Remember what I thold you tho."

"Yeah.. I will." She glanced down at him, a non-scowly or glarey look on her face

for once, "Um.. thanks. For the advice. And.. talking to me."

"You're very welcome." he grinned, "Now go on, before a teacher gets ants in his pants." She nodded, taking a deep breath and headed back into the building. Anzto watches her go, then walks away himself.

[To be continued]