A/N: here's another update! I'm going home for Christmas this week, and I've managed to get seven chapters uploaded all in one semester. Feeling great. Though I was smart to have all these chapters done early. This one, however, I had to start during my first week back at college; it was rough. The only thing getting me through was this chapter. This one isn't as good as the last, but it still came out all right. Mainly a filler chapter, but read on…
Disclaimer: Well you know how it goes… I don't own Invader Zim or Johnny the Homicidal Maniac.
...
Lily and Jack watched over that little boy, blessed to have him in their lives at last. Someone had decided to spare him up there, and they were grateful, though Lily knew her big sister had a special part to play.
Those two invisible entities stood outside the plane of glass, watching over the proud parents.
"Aw, look how happy they are," said the smaller form.
"Happiness in its purest form..." replied the taller. There was a slight hint of remorse to its impassive tone.
"And they have you to thank for that, Nny. You created their happiness..." She looked up at him now, eyes beaming.
He looked the other way, as he almost turned a strange pink. "Glad to have brought some sunshine into their lives..." he said, and there was that remorse again, but it may have paled in comparison to that tone of fulfilment.
If one could bring others happiness, then maybe a lack of one's thereof could be less unpleasant in the matter...
"And I thank you too," she said, turning the same pink. "I will never forget that kind thing you did for me..."
"As will I. You have provided me with some kindness too, Molly."
"Me? How?"
He looked down at her again, and a broad smile took over his face. "Just by being the delightful spirit you are. I couldn't ask for more."
"Oh," she said, rather stunned. "Well, I'm glad to..."
"And that's why I return the favor: as a show of gratitude. You earned it."
Molly turned silent. His comments made her well up inside as she may start to cry. So many emotions were running through her little heart right now, it was hard to get a hold of them each, but she did for Nny.
She knew that crying and an open display of emotion made him uncomfortable, and she could tell he was having an awkward time of expressing his thanks. But he didn't have to express in words; his actions spoke louder...
"Cry if you must. One of us should," he said.
"No... I'm okay," she sniffed. "I just can't believe how happy I am."
"I know, it's a joyous occasion. Your nephew got his second chance after all."
"I never realized something so small could be..."
"Powerful? Influential?"
"Yeah, those things..."
"Me neither. I never thought I'd hear myself say, but new life can be... beautiful."
"It is, and he is..."
"He is, very much... "
Nny glanced over at that tiny, breathing form, as he felt that warm glow again.
"How... how does a baby get inside a lady anyway? No one ever told me," Molly said next.
His eyes widened. "And there goes our pleasant discussion..." he muttered.
"Why? Is it something bad?" she asked.
"It depends... Without it, life would cease to exist. We wouldn't want that now, would we?"
"Why?"
"Because that is how mother nature works—a kind, sweet old lady— now don't ask me again. It's a shame you died that five-year-old child."
Molly was somewhere else now. "I always thought it had something to do with those white tadpoles. They say there are millions and millions of them, and only one makes it to the egg!"
He flipped his head around at her again. "Who... who told you that?!" he asked, aghast.
It didn't take much to shock him, but that had.
"I saw it in a movie once about a talking baby, and then my Mommy told me the rest. But I don't remember being a tadpole, and I'm not a frog now."
"No one remembers, and they're not tadpoles..."
"Then what are they?"
He paused a moment. "Male gametes..." he heard himself say next like a biology text-book.
"A what?"
"Exactly..."
Molly looked as if her head was going to explode. She shook it next.
"I don't care what they are, as long as I've beaten millions of others," she said.
Nny pursed his lips in wonder. "That is an amusing perspective. Makes one feel less of a failure."
"So, if they're male, does that mean they have something to do with the Daddy?"
He held back his bile. "Oh, why didn't I just keep my mouth shut?" he asked.
"It's the Daddy who puts the white tadpoles inside the Mommy. Now I get it! But how?"
"... I'm going to find some toilets before I vomit all over this clean, waxed floor; I wouldn't want to spew up all the spooky contents of my innards for the medical staff to slip on."
"Did you ever put a tadpole inside a lady?" she asked.
"Oh, there it goes..." He held back the vomit, and moved out the hall as quick as a sperm whale...
"But you didn't—"
"No! I did not! I was never that reckless."
"Where are you going?"
"To vomit!"
"Oh, okay. Well, you go on, Nny. I understand now."
"You just keep telling yourself that," he called out after her, until he found the men's toilet.
Luckily it was empty. Someone will just have to wait until he was finished puking (knocking was out of the question).
There are not a lot of people who'd vomit over the subject of sex, since humans breed like rabbits, and it was about time some of them stopped. He decided an asexual life was best for him a long time ago (for the sake of mankind).
Just as long as Molly never came to that conclusion; she died such an innocent child, but someone had taken some of that innocence away...
Nny had always been sickened by the bodily urges of primitive men, but he couldn't be any more aware of how Molly died at that moment, though he had been rather indifferent before. Right now, the knowledge boiled his entrails like a hot stew.
He knew it was in the past now, and the girl was at peace, but he hoped he wouldn't lose his reaper title before he got a chance to harvest that man's soul, or lack thereof.
He was aware that green space freak had done some of his own methods of justice, but he was determined to finish what he couldn't.
Unlike Zim, Nny wasn't afraid to take a life.
...
Zim stopped right outside the hospital, panting like a bulldog on a hot summer's day.
He felt like he was intruding. Would he even be allowed inside? He would have to think of some tactic to sneak into the maternity ward.
He saw those spinning door thingies next, and then made his way over, squeezing through an opening once it spun around.
The place was jam-packed once he got inside. He had never seen so many sick humans. This was not good.
He remembered hearing about that bug on the news, so he'd fashioned a biohazard suit as a precaution. Now he wished he'd brought it; he didn't even have his tissue boxes, his overalls, and his shower-cap — and don't forget that trusty can of disinfectant.
Such a shame he lost the goggles though...
Zim started to feel their germs on his skin, as he heard that heavy breathing next. Was he having a panic attack?
A hospital was the last place a 'Microphobia' sufferer should be. Germs are everywhere, in the air-conditioning, and spraying out of the mouths of those coughing, sneezing humans!
"Would you like a cough drop, little boy?" asked that aging granny, holding out a packet of cough sweets (apart from helping to clear throats and nasal passageways, they were pretty useless; the cloggedness always comes back with a vengeance!)
"Get away from me!" Zim shrieked, waving his little arms about.
"Oh my, you're a jumpy one. So precious," she cooed, squeezing his green cheeks.
She hummed a little tune to herself, and moved away on her walking stick to go torment a baby. His fault for being so precious...
Zim's heart was pounding as he had to get out. He glanced around wistfully; he couldn't go any further than the lobby. What was the point?
He spotted that little boy by the desk then; he was pointing at him... He was a ghost too, and a creepy one.
The Irken walked over. This ghost child wouldn't scare him...
"Yes, is there something you need?" he asked. "Make it quick; I have to be somewhere. Are you suffering from unfinished business? What horrifying circumstances have reduced you to this miserable, ghostie faaaaaate?" He rung his hands till his gloves grew tight.
The boy stared at him for a while, and then pointed to the sign for the maternity ward (this kid had a thing going here).
"Maternity Ward?" Zim said. "How did you know? You... you've seen Molly?"
"Are you talking to me, sunshine?" asked that irritable nurse behind the desk.
"No, and sunshine?" Zim asked, looking up at her aghast. "Seriously? I hate your planet's star! How dare you attribute me to its deadly UV rays of destruction!"
"I've got sunshine on a cloudy day. When it's cold outside—"
"Silence!" Zim shouted at that same old granny next.
"Sorry, sunshine..." she said. Zim growled.
He watched her hobble away on that walking stick next, humming that fine tune. So weird; how does she keep sneaking up on him like that?
"Then what name would you prefer?" the nurse asked, bringing him out of his thoughts, which was a shame; he would have seen the old lady disappear through a wall...
He snapped his head back up at her then. "That's classified information, nurse-drone. Now I must be on my way; this waiting room smells of vomit!"
"Yeah, but you get used to it," she said. "Wait, you don't. My world is just a vomit-filled room of suffering and vengeance..."
"Vengeance?" He looked confused. "But you chose this job; you Earth drones actually choose your titles."
"Yes, that we do, but I still swear to my vengeance. Now move along; there are more patients who need my pleasant seeing to..."
Zim glared at her, and then moved out the way just as that guy came in with an arrow in his right thigh.
He looked back at the little boy, who was pointing to the maternity ward while nodding his head. Creepy.
Zim smiled awkwardly, showing his zipper-teeth, and then ran through the doors like a flash of green lightning.
...
Nny stared at that dotted row of blue and pink through the window. Newborns, so precious...
New life often made him queasy, and for good reason, as a form of death, but he found the sight all to welcoming now. Hopefully they grew up to be nice people, because he didn't want to have to reap them one day.
He looked at that baby boy next, and gave him a wave.
Nny recognised him then. He was an old victim, who got his second chance at last.
"You just play your cards right this time..." he warned him.
The baby looked up at him. Maybe he remembered him too? They say any memories of an old life are forgotten once you're born again.
Molly's nephew was a new soul though, and Nny had felt it. His energy was young, bright and untainted, like a newborn star...
Most souls are recycled, but others are created new much often.
There were a lot of consequences to face now. Reapers were forbidden from switching souls, especially ones who specialise in different modes of 'reaping'. Nny's speciality was convicts and other bad folk, as that lady's was children and newborns.
And to make matters worse, he put the baby's soul right back inside his body. Nny had interfered with the cycle, playing favourites... The cosmos weren't going to be happy.
He was prepared to reap another in his place, someone deserving, and he had one such person on mind... But they wouldn't agree so easily.
He didn't want to save that baby and then have to take him away again. Molly was unaware; he couldn't bring himself to tell her. How could he? That was one face he wanted to see smiling all the time.
It was a strange notion to care for someone now, almost to be protective over them like they were kin. He had no family from what he could gather from his memories, so there was nothing but number one in his old life, though not by personal choice. That's just the way it had always been...
He often looked out for Squee, but he was just so insane; the boy never seemed grateful in the matter. Not that it bothered Nny. He was too oblivious to notice the look of pure terror on the boy's face anyway.
An aging doctor passed by in the hall, as he stopped and released a shudder. What an awful omen to stumble upon.
He held a box of office supplies. There was an old, tattered bear sitting on top of a file.
The doctor looked to the viewing window, seeing nothing but those newborn infants, though he did detect that dark reflection in the glass. His eyes widened, and then he released a squee...
Nny raised a brow in confusion. Who squeaks like that? Next, he narrowed his eyes, and finally recognised the man before him.
The bear in the box glared up at him as if he was an old enemy...
"Hey, Squee! It is you, right? Wow, you got old, but a doctor? I'm proud. You obviously listened to my advice all those years ago. You've done well for yourself. How's your dad? Wait, don't answer that; I reaped him five years ago..."
"S-Shmee... that... that shadow is talking to me..." the doctor said, releasing another squeak.
A grown man of sixty-four years, and he couldn't stop making that darn squee...
"Ah, Shmee," Nny said. "I hope there are no hard feelings. I know... yes, I stabbed you with a knife multiple times, and called you a lint-infested... What? I never exposed young Squee to horrifying, unspeakable evils! And that dead squirrel was a gift! You ungrateful—"
Nny snatched the bear from the box, and cut off its head in mid-air with his scythe.
The doctor stared down at the bear once it landed at his feet. "Oh no... not again," he cried. His pupils shrunk as he finally realised who the shadow was.
Nny looked ashamed. "Uh, here..." He picked up the decapitated bear, and passed it to the doctor.
The doctor's eyes bugled as the invisible entity passed him his childhood bear. He took it all the same, though now he held its head and torso in separate hands (let's just hope all those old nightmares and fears don't escape from Shmee's stuffing).
"I guess old habits are hard to break, though can one blame me with that bear's pack of lies?!" Nny composed himself once again. "Well, I bid you farewell, Squee. It was nice catching up. Enjoy your retirement."
The reaper moved out the hall, leaving the aging doctor alone at last. A nurse passed him by next.
"Dr. Squee?" she said in a squeaky voice. "Is everything all right?"
"It's Doctor Casil, but what does it matter? I don't work here anymore. So I guess it's Todd now..." he mumbled, and continued on his way home.
Retirement was going to be fun.
...
Zim finally made it to the maternity ward. Why didn't he just take the elevator?(No one did, really — Molly was the only one who used her logic).
He pushed through the doors, panting heavily, just as that elevator opened out on his right. He growled in frustration.
There were more nurses stationed behind the desk, though they never gave him a second glance, especially once he barged through the doors. How rude.
Though that ghost lady floating close by at least had the courtesy to look his way. Zim pretended he didn't see her; she was creepy, as she had no legs to be seen...
Since the nurses were too busy to notice him, and nobody had reprimanded him thus far, he dashed down the hall.
He couldn't just walk willy-nilly into a maternity ward unless he was visiting a patient, but all was well. Zim was nimble on his feet, and stealthy enough to doge any human eyes.
There was screaming all around, and it grated on his antennae. It was cool and all now that he had these super powers, but the extra sensitive hearing was too much.
He just tried not to imagine the scenes behind those closed doors: jiggly, and full of juice, like a Slorbees...
He heard those squeaky shoes next around the corner, and climbed up to the ceiling. The nurse disappeared as quickly as she appeared, but his heart was racing.
What was he doing? Breaking into a ward to find a ghost? But she wouldn't be a ghost now, would she? Was he afraid of what she might have become?
It felt like a life time since he last saw her. He hoped she hadn't changed too much.
He saw that dark, brooding figure up ahead next once he came around the bend, seething inside.
That reaper had a nerve showing up here...
...
Nny hovered down the hall, following that weedy-looking intern like a shadow of death.
He weren't on his list, but sometimes he liked to mess with the living, and this kid was just so easy.
So he held that scythe above the intern's head, exposing that insane smile of his...
The poor guy dashed inside a closet as he finally sensed that ominous energy.
"Rwhahahahahahahaheha!"Nny laughed.
A green blur pounced on him next, as it pushed him inside the closet. The same intern was thrown back out again.
"Um, I needed some bandages..." he said.
The door re-opened, and then a three-fingered, gloved hand appeared, passing him his bandages.
The intern took them off the disembodied hand. "Thanks," he said, and went on his way to play mummies...
Nny found himself lying on the floor of a ghastly lit room. There were shelves all around, stacked with things like empty syringes and bandages.
"How did I get in this place?" he asked. "The panels don't usually move this fast..."
Next, he heard that high-pitched cackle, as he looked up to see those red eyes floating on the ceiling.
The mysterious creature came down at last, withdrawing what looked like giant, metal toothpicks inside its back pack.
"Well, we finally meet again..." the creature purred. "I've got a few words I'd like to say to you, you spooky, scythe-wielding demon... thing!"
Nny gazed curiously into those bulbous, red eyes. He caught a glimpse of his antennae next, but the alien flattened them against his skull, as if he didn't like him looking at them. He's like a real life Mr Samsa...
"Oooh," he chirped, as his mouth changed into that classic 'O' shape.
The alien bared his teeth. "Never mind oooh," he said. "Don't stray off the subject! I want to know where the heck you've been for the past week and a half! Where is Molly, and... and why are you here, exactly? Shouldn't you be out gleaning souls?" he asked, wringing his hands.
Nny stared emotionlessly, blinking once, no, twice as the alien was getting frustrated.
"Answer now, or suffer the wrath of Ziiim!" he yelled.
"Naaah, I'd rather suffer the wrath of Ziiim!" he repeated.
"Don't mimic me, you dark-hooded swine!" the alien spat, pulling down his hood.
Ordinarily, Nny would have sliced the hand of anyone who dared to touch his hood (and he didn't appreciate being called swine), but he was too amused. What was the cute, little alien going to do?
Zim stared, speechless. "Oh," he said, shifting his eyes. "So that's what you look like? I was expecting..."
Nny rolled his eyes. "Expecting what?" he asked.
"Someone more intimidating. You're the Grim Reaper! You look like the type of human who'd be victimized in skool hallways. Even I want to give you a wedgie, and I would never dream of touching a human in that region! So unsanitary..." he shivered. He studied him more carefully now. "You... you kind of remind me of an older Dib..."
Nny rose to his feet. "Your observational skills are quite intact, and I am unaware to this Dib, but beneath this cowardly exterior is a mad, raving lunatic hell-bent on exterminating those who wronged him like the roaches they are! Though, of course, I'm describing the old Johnny... hm," he laughed.
Zim narrowed his eyes. "I thought as much with your, should I say, elaborate display of torment back in the street that time. But enough chitter-chat. I want answers!" he yelled.
"... Speaking of cockroaches," Nny continued, "you kinda look like one with those giant antennae..."
"I said, enough! Tell me of the suffering you had Molly endure at your arrest!"
Nny grabbed the little space bug by the collar, and pulled him up to his eye level.
Zim's feet came off the ground as he froze in place. He didn't like the close contact; the reaper reeked of pure insanity...
Nny saw his own reflection staring back at him in the alien's eyes. He had no idea he could look so crazy, and scary; that was not a face he'd want to see before he died either...
"I'd watch your tongue..." he warned. "You have no idea how much your words infuriate me. So I'd suggest you keep your mouth shut if you value your life. I've never reaped an alien before..."
Zim scowled at him. "Put me down, you maniac! I don't want to catch your insanity!"
Nny dropped him back to his feet.
"Oh, you've got plenty of your own... I can see it now in your freakishly charming eyes..." Nny lowered down to his eye level. "Yeah, there he is, I see him... Wow, an arsonist? So, you like fires and explosions, do you? How many people have you burned thus far?"
Zim looked down, ashamed. "I've lost count..." he said. "But I haven't burned anyone in a while. I'm going cold turkey... I... I think I need one of those patches smokers use..." he started to twitch and shake then.
"Sure you have... but like you said, enough 'chitter-chat'. Your word choices are most endearing, but I can assure you that Molly was safe in my spooky clutches. The only thing keeping me from terminating your existence is her fondness for you."
Zim looked up, surprised. "Oh... well, I'm sorry. You just don't look the trustworthy type..."
"That was deliberate on my behalf, but it offends me that you would think I'd hurt her. We've been through so much..."
"You have? Where were you exactly?"
"We got lost along the way, and a monster was after us. Long story."
"Monster?"
"Is there something else you need to know?" Nny asked. That monster was between him and Molly.
"No, that's all. I guess what I need to do now is find Molly. Where is she?"
"She's... around."
"Around where precisely?" Zim asked.
"... I'll leave that for you to decide..." Nny replied with a grin.
Zim was somewhere else now. "Did... did the baby make it?" he asked, hopefully.
Nny looked down at him curiously. He found it odd how an alien freak can care so much for a human infant.
"Yes, all thanks to me..." he said.
"To you? Why?" Zim sharpened his eyes with suspicion. "You were here to reap him, weren't you?"
"Why does everyone keep thinking that? I reap the guilty, not the guiltless..." Nny sighed over everyone's ignorance.
"Yes, but you did come for Molly. She's just as guiltless!"
Nny snapped his head back up. "I never had any intention of taking that baby's soul!" he roared.
"I don't believe you," Zim said. "But not to worry, I'm here now. I'll thwart your baby-killing mission!"
Nny went to grab his scythe, but he noticed it was gone. He only just realised he hadn't had it the whole time he was in this closet.
"What have you done with my scythe?" he asked, calmly.
Zim smiled, showing off a row of zipper teeth. "I've hidden it in a place where you'll never find it... Kind of wise of me, really; now you won't glean any babies, you demon!"
"Fair enough. I don't need my scythe to end you..."
"Eh?"
Nny pulled out an assortment of knives, as he held them like a fan in each hand. Now he had knives for fingers, like Edward Scissor hands...
His cloak slipped off his shoulders, revealing that strange shirt with the letter Z and the question mark. Zim had seen that sign somewhere... on a wall perhaps?
The Irken staggered back. "Where... where were you keeping them?" he pointed at the knives.
Nny grinned. "It's a trick of mine," he said. "Now I'll give you one more chance to reiterate your words. Repeat after me: "you are not here to reap that guiltless baby, Mr. Reaper..." he chanted, eyes wild and fierce.
"No, I won't," Zim said, defiantly. "And I have a few tricks of my own..."
Zim exposed his spider legs as he pointed them at the maniac. Nny seldom looked scared.
"Oh, very pretty," he said, "but futile!"
He threw his knives next, pinning Zim against the wall like a frog on a dissection board. The knives only penetrated the edges of his clothes though.
Zim shot a stream of lasers his way, laughing like a crazy, demolition-loving freak. It felt good.
"Burn! Singe! Blister!" he raged. "Mwhahahaha!"
Whereas Nny's specialty was bloodshed and gore, Zim's was in war and destruction, and burning his enemies into a heap of ash.
His lasers only burnt the hospital supplies behind Nny. The maniac was unscathed, because he's a spirit. How could Zim forget?
No matter how unscathed he was, Nny was still covered head to toe in soot. It was all over his face. His clothes were a little charred and holey too.
It was surprising the alarms didn't go off. Irken laser smoke must be undetectable to human fire alarms. Awful, wicked invention...
"That was despicable..." Nny said. "You're nothing but a terrorist, what with the blowing things up and all, but I'm afraid your victory is short-lived. I still have you trapped."
"Don't you come any closer! I can use these legs for stabbing utensils too!"
"What would you stab? I'm immaterial..." Nny gestured his hands down the length of his body, releasing a high-pitched laugh.
"But sadly, you are not," he continued, moving closer to the Irken.
He pulled out the knife that detained Zim's left sleeve, and pointed it his way.
They scowled at each other for a few more intense seconds, and more violence may have continued if the door didn't open at that moment.
...
She stood there frozen, never taking her eyes off those two fanatics.
They hid their weapons next, like naughty boys whose Mommy just walked in the room...
The Irken fell to the floor once the reaper removed his knives from his clothes. The reaper hid them away behind his back, whistling nonchalantly (like that would work).
Zim paid him no heed. He only had eyes for that strange, angelic being in the doorway.
She had a look of Molly, but she was more spectacular than he could ever imagine. She really had evolved from the pale apparition he once knew, and it made him sad.
But that was nothing compared to the disappointing look she gave him now.
This was not how it was meant to be; their reunion was supposed to be beautiful and memorable. Their parting certainly was...
He hated that reaper more than anything now, though he only had himself to blame...
"Zim?" Molly said, surprised to see him no doubt. She looked up at Nny then. "And Nny?What... what is going on?!" she yelled, walking into the room as she slammed the door.
"He started—" they both said, pointing the blame at one another.
"Stop it! I can't believe you two. There are babies coming into this world, and you're having a war in this closet?!"
Her voice caught Zim off guard. It did always echo in her ghost days, but now it was like a tolling bell, though this may be due to the fact that she's yelling...
"Yes, we mustn't forget those babies..." Zim said. "Please, Molly, I... I never meant... I'm so sorry... This was not how I pictured our meeting!"
He glowered up at Nny. "I'll get you back for this. You robbed me of my happiness!"
Nny made a 'pfft' sound. "I'd like to see you try..."
"Oh, that is it!" Zim rose to his feet, and exposed his PAK legs once again.
"Don't you dare!" Molly warned him next, pointing a finger at him.
Zim made a sound like a hurt puppy, as his legs disappeared back inside his PAK. Nny laughed, until Molly gave him that sharp look. He stopped.
The little girl could be quite the force to reckon with when mad...
She continued. "I'm so disappointed in the both of you, and after everything, Nny, I thought you'd at least be a little more thoughtful..."
Nny looked at her alarmed, and then glanced away again, ashamed. He rubbed his leg with the tip of his boot.
"Uh, it won't happen again..." he said.
"No, it won't," she replied, firmly.
All three of them were silent now. Zim and Nny looked around the room like guilty skool boys, while Molly shook her head.
Then all of a sudden, Nny's scythe fell down from the ceiling with a 'rip'. It landed right in front of Molly, as she screamed and staggered back to the wall.
Someone had attached it rather crudely to the ceiling with feeble duct tape. Nny looked down at the culprit, unamused.
"What?" Zim asked.
"That's where you hid it?!" he replied, aghast.
Zim shuffled his feet. "I... I had to work with what I could..."
Nny shook his head, and walked over to his scythe to pick it up.
He met the eyes of Molly next as he kneeled down to grab his weapon, releasing a wide, theatrical smile as if to say "we're good!" His teeth were remarkably white against his sooty face.
Unfortunately, Molly continued to stare him daggers, folding her arms. She was cold when she was angry...
He felt the ice emanating from her angry, cold stare, so he grabbed his scythe quickly, and moved away before things got even chillier...
He ripped the tape off his scythe, as he crumpled it up and threw it at the Irken's face.
"Hey!" the Irken snapped.
The reaper paid him no heed. Instead, he picked up his cloak, fanning it out to let the ash fall off its spooky fabric.
He put it back on, and there was that creepy, soul-harvesting maniac once again... He drew up the hood, as his eyes shone white.
"I... I should be going now," said that voice beneath the hood. "I'll leave you two to talk things through. Well, when you're ready, Molly. Give me a call..."
"Yes, now hurry!" she said. "I don't want to look at you right now. I'm still mad at you!"
Those white eyes looked back at her surprised, maybe even hurt, as he started to make his way out the closet. It was a good thing too; that smug look on the alien's face may have driven him to do something they'd both regret...
"And go and wash your face," she continued. "You look so dirty!"
"Yes, mother, I shall..." he replied, leaving through the closed door.
Molly glared at Zim now. He started to sweat, pulling on his collar to let the air in.
"I can explain," he said. "I thought he—"
"Don't bother. I can't believe you, Zim. I hoped that whenever we'd meet again, it wouldn't be like this. And just think I went through all that trouble..." she cried.
She ran through the door, following the reaper's example, as he was alone at last.
"Wait, Molly, don't go!"
Zim threw his disguise on and ran into the door, forgetting that he wasn't a ghost/angel, and opened it once again.
The girl had already gone. Now he would never find her again...
"Molly... I'm so sorry..." he cried.
He saw that sign leading to the NICU next. So he made his way down, using the ceiling of course; he had to leave before the hospital realised their supplies had burnt to a pulp.
...
Molly stood outside the viewing window, watching the medics monitoring her nephew's progress.
Why did Zim and Nny have to be so difficult? She thought they were her friends; they should try to get along.
She had been a little harsh with Nny, and he had put up with so much of her.
Then there was Zim. She wished she could have been happy to see him again, but she wasn't. Not when he tried to burn down the hospital. Her baby nephew's life depended on it.
Zim stood at the end of the hall, watching the girl he once knew with hesitation.
It just wasn't the same anymore. Molly had changed; she was no longer the helpless little girl he'd saved. He was no longer in tune with her emotions, he could feel it. How sad...
He remembered a time when he hated feeling her emotions. He ought to go back in time and slap that ungrateful Zim for not knowing a good thing when he had it. But such is life.
It seems she acquired a new friend on the other side... He wasn't so happy about that.
They had more in common being human and all, or once for that matter. Furthermore, they came from a world that he had no access to. How he hated supernatural beings with their supernatural ways... Zim was more superior.
Zim was too ashamed to approach her now. She had made it clear that she did not want anything to do with him anymore, and he was devastated.
"I know you're there, Zim," she said.
The Irken hid behind the wall.
"Come on out."
"I thought you didn't want to see me..."
"I don't, but I can't stay mad at you forever. We don't have that long. So come on, come over..."
Zim poked his little head out again, and scurried over.
He stood beside her, feeling the warmth radiating off of her body. She wasn't so cool anymore...
He looked up into the window, gasping once he saw that tiny, human form. Was it even human? It looked more like a toy doll.
Despite his sheer shock, he couldn't stop the tears falling from his eyes. It was a relief to see him there, breathing so soundly. Little Molly would be pleased...
"Is... is that...?" he started.
"Yes. Isn't he beautiful?"
"I don't think words could describe him... I never knew human babies could be so small."
"Me neither. The doctor said he was born nineteen weeks too early."
"Human babies have survived even younger, I'm sure," Zim confirmed. "It is the 2050s. They may not even need a womb anymore. Irken smeets don't need a womb."
"Well he needed his, but he's fine now, all because of Nny... He's his hero, and mine too. I shouldn't have been so mean to him before," she sighed, regrettably.
Zim felt it then. There was nothing like pure jealousy, rotting away in the vilest pits of your stomach, or in his case spooch.
His eyes burnt green now. The only sensible thing to do was to bring up the maniac's worst traits. He did have a lot to work with to be fair...
"A hero? I don't mean to offend, Molly, but I think you're being a little naïve. That... that man is a criminal. He's no different to that scum who took your life when you put it into perspective."
"Now you stop," she said. "He's nothing like him. And you didn't see what he did..."
Zim smiled, smug. "I don't have to... What? Did he decide not to reap your little nephew after all? That doesn't make him a hero. What's to say he won't change his mind?"
"Nny was never here to reap my nephew; he was here to be with me. But then he stopped the lady from taking him. There is more than one reaper, Zim."
"I know he claims to have developed some affection for you, but he is beyond feeling..."
"You were beyond feeling once," she pointed out.
He shifted his eyes. "Yes, well, I was different..."
"How?"
"I was brainwashed by my people to be cruel and merciless, but your Nny should know better. He is... was human; he should have been born a compassionate creature."
"That's not a good enough reason. You still should have known better, but you changed. So why can't Nny?"
Zim ground his teeth together. He couldn't hold it back any longer...
"Because he's a monster!" he yelled. "Why can't you see that? It's like I've told you in the past: I know how an evil mind works. You really do see the good in everyone. And please don't say you created some in him. You did create some in me, because I'm amazing, but not in him. He's beyond saving."
There goes the jealously again, bad talking all but himself...
Molly looked down at her shoes. "Well, I think I created some in him, or maybe it was already there... I never knew him before, so I can't say for sure, but he says he was bad. He did kill people."
"I may sound a little hypocritical right now, but it doesn't mean that what I say isn't true. Watch out for him."
Molly looked up at him, considerately.
"I know what you're doing, Zim. You're feeling jealous of Nny. It's okay to be jealous, but don't think I'd ever replace you. You'll still always have a special place in my heart. Without you, I never would have been here now, looking out for my nephew. I might still be a ghost, and my Mommy never would have..." She couldn't finish.
Zim put his hand on her shoulder, as it tingled from her foreign touch. It just wasn't the same...
"It's okay, Molly. Your mother went in peace. I know for a fact. After you left, I could see it — her final happiness..."
"It's just... I never got to be there for her..." she wept.
He gave her a hug at last, as he felt an electrical pulse shooting right through him. Her energy was different now.
She was trembling, and he was deeply concerned.
Why was she shaking? What did that Nny monster do to her in the beyond world, or was it an actual monster?
He gulped as he would rather not know; it was between her and Nny, and he hated that.
"I've... I've missed you so much, Zim. I really have. I remember the times we had together, but this isn't the same..."
"I know. We made such a good duo."
"But that doesn't mean I'm not happy to see you again. I was dragged away too soon."
"No thanks to that Nny..." he growled.
"Nny isn't so bad," she said. "He does do bad things, but I know he's not deep down."
"If you had actually had the chance to see him in action, then you would probably think otherwise..."
"Well, not yet, but there's a reason for that."
"What?"
She let go of him and looked him in the eyes. "He wants to protect me, and he's put up with so much of me. I... I may have been a little violent with him too..."
Zim turned pale, remembering her old revenge tactics. He still had glass shards in his eyes...
"I don't blame you, considering who Nny is, but I assume with your elevated, spiritual status, your powers have progressed."
"Maybe. I did smash his nose into a wall, and it left a dent..." she confessed.
He laughed. "In the wall or in Nny's face?"
"A little bit of both. I'm not sure if his nose has fully recovered, but he's still never laid a finger on me."
"Well I congratulate you, Molly. I would sure love to put a dent in his face."
She gave him a pointed look. "No, you shouldn't want to. It was wrong of me. I still feel bad, but be careful, Zim. He may be gone now, but I don't think Nny would be as forgiving with you."
"I'm not afraid of him..." Zim said.
"He's not human anymore, Zim. I'm just warning you."
He knew Nny had that advantage, but Zim will prevail.
"Please, you have to get along for me..." she said.
"Why? You were my friend first? I shouldn't have to share you. Some friendship triangle you've gotten yourself into..."
"Well he's my friend now. He means a lot to me, just like you do."
He sighed. "I can understand. You have more in common with him than you ever will with me. What with you both being ex-humans and all. You have so much to talk about, such as nose-picking, going to the toilet, and other disgusting habits! Irkens are superior, of course; they don't do those things."
"I don't pick my nose!" she snapped.
"Sure you don't... and I guess Nny doesn't either. Why else would you have those ugly nostrils on your face?"
Molly tried to ignore him for the greater good.
"So, do you think you could get along? It would mean so much to me, Zim."
"I wish I could see why, but if he is the reason why this baby still breathes, then maybe. Don't tell him what I said though."
She smiled. "I promise, but he could get into a lot of trouble. He's given up so much for me, just as you had. You should be grateful, Zim."
"Meh..."
They remained silent after that. Zim couldn't say the next thing he had on his mind. He knew he couldn't get Molly to leave this place, and he didn't want to stay in this hospital any longer. Someone sooner or later will discover the supply closet...
"I guess it's pointless trying to convince you to go back to the base. I know a number of robots who would be eager to see you again, including your little niece. I'm not sure when she will be coming here. Also, I ought to introduce you to Skoodge. I may as well; he is here after all."
"Skoodge?" she asked.
"He's an old friend from my home planet, but don't tell him I called him that."
"Another alien? It sounds so much fun, but I can't leave. Just in case..."
"But you must. I'm sure Nny's bold heroics will prevail..."
"I hope you're right, but I still worry. I'm his guardian angel now."
He cocked a brow. "A guardian angel?"
"Oh, that reminds me," she said, smiling. "I met a friend of yours..."
"Who?"
"I think you know who. Why didn't you tell me about Her?"
"Her? Of course; it was only a matter of time until you two met. She just never came up. She's personal. You may not remember, but I was talking to her in the desert of your mind..."
"I remember. She told me I could be a guardian one day if I prove myself, and that's why I must stay."
"He'll be fine," he assured. "Though if something were to happen, I'd hate for you to think me responsible."
She put her hand on his shoulder. "I could never think that, Zim."
"So, would you come? Please say yes."
Molly thought about it. She was torn between leaving and staying, as she looked back at that helpless baby. Zim's offer was too hard to resist. Was that not why she came back? Though her interests had changed, but would it hurt to leave?
"Okay... I will," she finally said.
"Who... who is that?" Zim asked.
He didn't hear her, as he was too distracted by something behind the glass.
Molly followed his gaze. There she saw that willowy girl peering through the incubator, as she was pulling a stupid face at her nephew.
Her hair was long and the colour of sand, as she wore no shoes. There were also flowers in her hair, as bluebirds chirped around her shoulders. She looked like she just walked out of some classic Walt Disney picture...
"I... I really don't know..." she said, trying to wonder if the lady reminded her of Snow White or Cinderella.
Zim's face lit up. "It's finally coming back to me; that's where I know her face! I'm afraid your friend Nny may have an archenemy, and it's in the form of this harmless girl..."
"But she seems so nice," Molly said, staring at her in wonder. "Just look at those bluebirds; you see them in cartoons!"
"Yes, but she has gotten in the way of his work, changing the fates of his victims, or should I say destiny..."
"So, she's destiny? That's why she's here! Little Johnny's destiny has finally changed!" Molly squealed.
"Johnny?" Zim asked. "Oh, Molly. Please don't tell me—"
"I had to honor him. He saved his life..."
"Never mind," he growled. "I suppose Johnny is a cute enough name. Zim is much better though."
"Please don't tell Nny; I want it to be a surprise. Lily was unsure of a name, so I left a suggestion."
"How did you do that?"
"In her magazine. I circled all the words in red that spelled Johnny!"
"... That's rather creative I guess. So, shall we go? I'm sure your nephew is in good hands now."
They looked up at destiny again, who was playing a ukulele to the baby. She noticed them next, and gave an excited wave. They waved back.
The bluebirds hovered above little Johnny now as he watched them fascinated. They must be nothing but blurs...
"I think he finally is..." Molly said, finally seeing it now. "Okay, let's go!" she grabbed his arm.
"There he is! The arsonist! So, you like to burn hospital supplies, do you? We have it all on camera!"
Two security guards appeared at the top of the hall next, making their way over.
"Uh-oh," Zim said. "They're onto me! I have to run. Distract them while I escape..."
"How?"
"You have powers. Now hurry! We'll meet outside."
Zim ran down the hall as Molly made the overhead light explode.
The guards jumped. They knew this place was haunted after all...
Next, she popped two more as they ran down the hall, forgetting all about the arsonist, who was dashing out an open window. He would crawl down the walls like Spiderman.
Destiny looked up, seeing that the hall was dark outside, and gave a shrug. She continued her song, which was about birds singing good morning to a newborn baby.
Her voice was quite lovely. The birds helped, of course, as the backing singers...
"Yes, that's right, little Johnny... your future's going to be bright after all. I have great plans for you..." she cooed in that sweet baby voice, placing her hand through the incubator to stroke his head.
He babbled up at her with those adorable squeaks.
"Yes, I will take great care of you from now on. You're going to be a big, strong boy one day, I promise. Let's just hope you don't take after your namesake..." she laughed pleasantly, as a horrible thought came to mind.
She shrugged once again, and continued playing her ukulele.
...
Nny wandered aimlessly through the streets of the city, as the living passed him by in a rush. How wonderful it must be to have somewhere to go, to have a purpose... sigh.
He was feeling pretty down about things. That's a first; he hadn't been sad about anything for a while. Was it a curse or a blessing?
Regardless, he noticed that this feeling wasn't as bad as before. It was more stabilized. Did he have Molly to thank for that?
Some sunshine had peeked through his dark clouds at last, and it was here to stay. There's nothing wrong with a few sunny spells on a drizzly day; balances out the cycle...
Molly won't be mad at him forever, but maybe he did take it a little too far with Zim. The alien was off-limits now; it would only upset Molly.
He thought about reaping some more of his wretched souls, but he really didn't want to go near any of them right now.
It should be fine for now. Hopefully, not too many innocent souls will die in the meantime...
He soon ended up in the city park. How did he get here?
The sound of laughter caught his attention next, as he looked over to the source. There he spotted that playground, and all those happy, smiling children. He released another sigh. Everyone else was just so happy...
"Stupid emotions," he thought. "Though it can't be so bad now; I'm not out on some mad killing spree... lucky for all those cheerleaders out there. They get to keep their legs for another day..."
His thoughts were surprisingly clear now. Albeit a little insane, but they were his thoughts.
A small, brown-haired girl passed on her scooter next. She stopped besides him and stared in awe.
Nny looked behind him; what was she looking at?
"Are you the tooth-fairy!" she asked. Her voice was shrill.
He looked at her surprised. She could see him? At least it seemed that way. The tooth-fairy was leagues away from him, and quite the bitch he found when he met her last year at Comic Con...
"That depends..." he said. "Have you a missing tooth?"
"Not yet, but I can push my tongue against my tooth like this." She gave a demonstration. "See? It comes down!"
"Uh-huh... that it does..." he said with a look of pure concentration.
She pulled it out next, saying "ow", and then held it up. "Now you give me monies!" she squealed.
Nny watched her strangely. How did his day come to this? He decided to give her what she wanted; he must have some loose cash around.
"Very well..." He searched inside his pocket, but his hand came up empty. "All I have is a button, and a bit of old lint. I'm sorry…"
She sighed. "That's okay..."
He deflated at that remark. Her expression made him feel awful.
"Mae! Who are you talking to? Stop being a freak!"
Nny and Mae turned around to look at that brawny boy coming towards them. He carried a dumbbell in his right arm.
"I'm talking to the tooth fairy!" Mae snapped.
He stood next to her, as he looked right through Nny. The reaper watched as his arm moved up and down. The dumbbell looked heavy...
"No one is there," he said. "What's wrong with you? Hurry up; mom wants us home for lunch."
He moved away as he continued down the path.
Mae turned her eyes down miserably. "Okay, Torque..." She looked up at Nny again. "Bye, bye Mr. Tooth-fairy..."
Nny looked into her hazel eyes, feeling that sharp tug in his chest. "Wait a minute..." he said. "I can feel something else in my pocket..."
He fished his hand back into his pocket, and a huge gold coin appeared.
"Where did this come from?" He shrugged. "Well, here you go... and keep the tooth."
He passed it over to her as her jaw dropped to the floor.
"Thank you!" she squeaked.
"What can I say... I was impressed with your adorable smile. Remember to keep brushing your teeth three times a day..."
"I will, and thank you for the money!"
She rolled away on her scooter to join her brother. Nny could hear him belittling her again.
What a jerk; he considered going over there to give him some special attention, but he would frighten that little girl.
What was it with him and kids lately? They seemed to be gravitating towards him now. Impossible; he was too spooky...
Next, a lady strolled by with her baby in a pushchair, and even he chuckled up at Nny. The sound was pleasant. Was he losing his mind?
Death was meant to be scary. He felt like a big, purple dinosaur now. But then that would be even scarier; that Barney's a freak.
Maybe something had changed inside him after all, and only the most innocent and gullible can see it.
What did he have left if he couldn't scare small children? Not that he ever tried; he just assumed as much. His specialty was always the condemned.
He decided to leave and head somewhere else, and maybe go for a taco, but then that old woman sitting on the bench caught his eye.
She was painting on a white canvas. He was sure she wasn't there before...
"Are you just going to keep standing there?" she asked him then. "You're blocking my light."
Nny looked at her speechless. She could see him?
"Well, are you going to move?" she asked again.
He turned away sheepish. "Of course... pardon my negligence..."
He stepped out the way of the sun. He wasn't even aware he could cast a shadow...
He glanced her way again. No, no shadow to be seen... He watched her more carefully now. She seemed absorbed in her canvas. What was she painting?
"Would you like to see what I'm painting?" she said.
He seemed startled by her request. "No, it's all right. You carry on."
"I insist," she motioned her hand at her painting.
Hesitant, he walked over, and looked at her painting. It was not what he was expecting.
She wasn't exactly the sweet stereotype that most old ladies are perceived to be. She had a sharp edge, and he could really see it in her painting.
"It's... it's terrifying..." he said. "Depicts life in all its true colors..."
She gave a small, wry smile. "I thought you'd like it..."
Nny was puzzled. "Why would you think that? We're strangers."
She looked up at him at last, and stared into his eyes. "Are we?" she asked.
Nny gazed into her blue-green eyes. They were captivating, pulling him in until he finally saw it.
The memory flashed before his mind once again, as his face burnt red with embarrassment, and then the shame...
He moved away from her and folded his arms, rendered powerless by this harmless old lady in thick, black boots.
"... Hello, Devi..." he said at last, holding back that sudden urge of desire. His face took on the impression of a very constipated person. How romantic.
The feel of her name on his tongue again unleashed a sweet, honey-like sensation around his body, till his legs turned to jelly. No, not this again... love...
He put so much effort into removing those sickly emotions, one by one, bit by bit, but they never left. They just went into a deep hibernation.
Well, that long, frosty winter had finally turned to spring it seemed, and now his heart can flourish...
"And hello to you too, Nny," she replied.
It was hard to make eye contact with her again; it only brought back that old, painful memory, but he couldn't help it after that comment. Her passive tone confused him.
So he looked her way. "Why are you so calm? Do you not recall the last time we met?"
"Who could forget a night like that?" she quipped, adding another stroke to her canvas.
"But where is your fear? Our date didn't exactly end on good terms..." He turned away again, ashamed.
She stopped her painting, and gave him a long, penetrative stare. Her eyes were like ice; he backed off a step.
"I spent enough of my youth fearing the worst. If you're going to kill me, then go ahead. I dare you..."
He blinked down at her, stunned into silence at her accusation.
"... I'm not going to kill you, Devi," he finally said. "That was just one of my behavioral glitches, or more less shifts..."
She gave him a dismissive wave of the hand. "You don't have to explain, Nny. That recording you made clarified everything."
"Really? I'd been so nervous; I didn't know how else—"
"It didn't. It was terrible. You're terrible, Nny..."
He sighed. She was joking; of course she was.
"I know. I regret everything. Seeing you again has brought back so many old feelings, and then it hurts even more..."
"But I thought you obliterated all affection for me? That was rather sweet of you, Nny; I never thanked you for your consideration..."
He knew it was sarcasm again, but he couldn't help but continue. "I only did that in case I'd hurt you again. You have to understand. I was a confused and very insane young man."
"Yet, you don't look a day older..."
"I'm actually seven-hundred-and-thirty-days older in appearance, but enough of me. Look at you... I never realized how many years had passed..."
"I may be old now, but at least I have my creativity. That reminds me... did you ever find yours again?"
"No," he confessed. "I can't even remember being that painter anymore. The only painting I recall doing is..." He looked away. "Never mind..."
"Well, I'm ashamed of you, Nny. Throwing away your passion like it was old rubbish. And don't give me the 'insane' excuse. I think I've seen enough of your behavioral shifts. Also... some of your disease may have passed on to me. Did you know it was contagious?"
"Contagious? What are you talking about? It was a disease of the mind; it can't pass on to another..."
"Well it did. I became its new host. I called her Sickness..." she said with a small, dry smile.
"They... they got to you too?" He stared off into the distance.
He couldn't believe it; he felt like it was all his fault. And then came the guilt. Horrible, horrible feelings...
He looked down at her again, eyes all sad and rueful. "Why didn't you get in touch?" he asked.
She glared up at him as if he was stupid. "You tried to kill me!"
"Oh, yes... that..." he said.
"Don't feel responsible. I was a big, grown girl. I could take care of myself. Unlike you, I wasn't weak. My creativity's my own. But I did feel it. I almost gave in to it..."
Nny had nothing more to say. Things could have been so different...
"Do... do you think if I hadn't, you know, our relationship may have blossomed into something further?"
"Maybe... I did share feelings for you too, but this is how it is now."
Nny closed his eyes, as it almost looked as if he was about to cry. He sat down on the bench next to her, and buried his face in his hands.
"Oh, there's no point in crying about it. Worse things have happened."
"Well they haven't for me. I've given up so much..."
"It's not too late..."
Nny's eyes widened. He turned his head towards her again. "You... you think there's still—?"
"Oh no, I didn't mean like that!" she laughed. "That ship sailed long ago, Nny. I'm sorry."
"I understand how you feel..." he said, closing his eyes again.
"What I meant to say was that you can recover some of your old passion. If your mind is your own now, who is stopping you?"
"I don't know. It's not a creative block. I've just forgotten how to care about trivial things."
"Creativity is not a trivial thing; how dare you degrade it that way! It's what drives a person after a long, shitty day: a place where you can escape into..."
"I'm too afraid to look into that old place."
"Well, the choice is yours, Nny. You can deteriorate further into this spooky apparition, or rediscover yourself. God, I hate that word spooky..." She shivered, hearing that old, distant squeak again.
"So you've finally noticed my new attire? I was wondering when you'd ask..."
"Yeah, what's that all about? Who are you trying to kid?"
"The living. That's kind of the point, Devi. I'm death now."
"Well you look ridiculous!" She pulled his hood down so she could see his face.
"There's that old maniac I once knew..."
He pouted like a small boy, and turned away. How he despised that word 'maniac'.
"So what now?" he asked her. "What do you suggest I do?"
"Why you asking me? It's your afterlife."
She stood up, and started putting her equipment away.
Next, she picked up her canvas, as Nny noticed something disturbing. The whole painting was disturbing, but this just put the cherry on the cake.
"Is... is that a hot, flaming monkey being torched to death by those skool kids?"
She looked down at her canvas. "Oh, yes. Kind of a joke of mine. I tend to put monkeys in all my paintings now, even when it has nothing to do with the theme."
"But why a monkey?"
"Because people love monkeys; there are figures to prove that. Who knew right? Well, I must be on my way. Being outside for too long makes me uncomfortable."
"So soon?" he asked.
"Yes. It's sad, but we may meet another day."
"Well, goodbye, Devi. It was nice seeing you again. I'm glad that old, festering wound has healed between us."
"Me too. But let's not add more salt to that wound, and part as likely friends."
"I suppose it's better that way..." he said, sadly.
She stared down at him as a smile came to her lips. "Goodbye, Nny..." she said.
She went on her way, but he never watched her leave. It was too painful. Just maybe things could have been different for them? Only in another universe...
Nny looked up. There was a commotion over by the playground, as a homeless man was getting his ass kicked by a group of teenagers. There was blood everywhere...
The boy who beat him was a typical ruffian with tattoos, piercings and a bald head. Here we go again... another victim.
He rose from the bench, pulling up his hood and holding his scythe at the ready.
He stole one more glance in her direction, as he almost took a double take.
She was standing twenty yards away by a clove of trees, but she was that young, gothic woman he knew once again; the one he fell for all those years ago. She had that same short hair and black clothing, like on their first date. Was he seeing a ghost of his past?
"Devi?" he asked.
They continued to stare at each other as she finally released that smile. He felt that old flutter again. Stupid emotions.
She finally disappeared behind the trees, carrying that canvas away, and that was the last he saw of her... well, for now.
Who knew. All that time she had been a spirit. Why did she come to him in the form of an old lady?
It was probably for the best. Seeing her young and attractive again may have brought back more than just old feelings; the kind of urges he repressed for good reason...
It seemed to make perfect sense to him now. Had she become a creativity muse?
So is that why she appeared, to help him rediscover his creativity?
Maybe he should rethink his priorities. Reaping wasn't a hobby, it was just another form of slavery. It couldn't hurt to find that old part of him again.
Hello, little artist. Are you in there?
The question fell for miles, until it finally hit the bottom with a bang...
...
Molly followed Zim through the city, hopeful now that she'd definitely find her way to the base.
They heard that ear-piercing screech next, and then a car crash. The city was a dangerous place after all.
She stayed close to his side.
The alien stopped short once they came around a corner. There was that ugly Chihuahua. Had he been waiting?
"Madness..." he whispered.
"What?" Molly asked.
"Right there..." he pointed.
Molly looked down at the dog.
"Aw, he's cute."
"A clever guise for an evil creature. I can feel him warping my mind!" He grabbed his head.
"Are you really going to let a little dog scare you?"
"It's Madness!" Zim yelled. "Madness! We... we should walk across to the other street..."
"No, he's just a little doggie. Hey there, boy."
Molly walked towards Madness, as she gave him that sweet baby talk.
The dog raised a brow at her. Did she not know who he was?
She approached his side as he glared with those penetrating, bulbous eyes.
"You really are a cutie," she squeaked.
Madness' pupils grew twice their size, giving him that sweet, doe-eyed puppy look. He laid down on his back next, finally surrendering in submission.
"I can?" she asked.
He started whining, wanting his belly rubbed immediately. This was a whole new side to Madness...
"Okay!"
She rubbed his belly as the toy Chihuahua relished, wanting her to take him home to be pampered like those small dogs you see on TV. What's happening to him?
The human child was so adorable, he couldn't help it. Maybe the life of an evil dog wasn't what he wanted after all.
Zim watched at a distance, as his jaw hung loose. How did she do that?
"It's okay, Zim. You can come over now," she said.
"No... that's fine. I'll just walk around the two of you instead. Don't stop rubbing that belly!"
"He won't hurt you. Madness just wants to know whether there are no hard feelings. He was just playing with you."
"A likely story! Don't let him fool you, Molly," he warned.
The dog sat up again and stared at Zim once he passed.
"There he goes, just as I was so close! What an evil dog!"
"Madness!" Molly scolded.
The dog put his nose to the ground as he squeaked in guilt.
"It's all right," she said. "I understand that old habits are hard to break. Now go on and find a new family..."
"Yeah, to torture..." Zim mocked.
Molly glared at him. "No, to love..."
The dog sat up and started yapping. The sound was irritating, so much in fact that Zim preferred it when he was silent but deadly.
"Go and find that family, Madness, and be happy!" Molly cried, spreading her arms.
The dog ran up the street, and disappeared around a corner. Next, someone shouted "Madness!", and then more screaming followed (he had really built himself a reputation).
Zim and Molly watched him go with contrasting expressions.
"I'm so happy for him..." she said.
"Yes, yes, very heart-warming, now come on!" Zim made a start down the street, as she followed once again.
He found it necessary to finally tell her...
"I... I finally did it; I've helped other spirits since you've been gone."
"I'm very proud, Zim. I knew you could do it."
"It's been a very emotional roller-coaster; too many turns and upside-downys..."
"And have you finally given up on taking over the world?"
"Yes, and I have you to thank for that."
"What did I do?"
"Need I explain? You showed me there was more to living than just war and destruction. I've missed you so much. I only wish you could stay forever..."
She grabbed his hand and gave it a rub. "We just have to enjoy the time we have left..."
"And then that would be it. You won't come back to Earth ever again."
"Well, you never know. If I prove myself as a guardian angel, we may see each other again."
"Then you better get to work, because I'm not ready to say goodbye to you a second time. The last time was hard enough..."
She wrapped her arms around him. "It's okay, Zim. I will always look out for you, wherever I may be..."
He held back the tears, trying to find comfort in her embrace.
As long as she was here now, he was happy.
...
Dib, Gaz and Skoodge sat in Membrane's living room, watching that rerun of Mysterious Mysteries. It was the episode where they all appeared.
"Wow, I never realized Zim had been on TV before, " Skoodge said, sitting between them. "Heh, I know him..." he pointed at Zim on the screen.
They looked at him then, confused and irritated.
"It's a shame about your head though, Dib..." Skoodge continued.
Dib turned his head and glared at him. "What about it?"
"Um... nothing..."
"He means that your head looks even larger on TV, Dib," Gaz said.
"Yeah, what she just said..." Skoodge looked down at his feet, ashamed.
"Oh, that's rich. Coming from a fat, bumbling moron!" Dib snapped. "And I know you left out some details about your Tallest. I'll interrogate you again later."
They all sat in silence again.
About an hour ago, the Professor and his female 'colleague' disappeared up stairs as they hadn't left since. Was he conducting another experiment?
Dib and Gaz seemed to comprehend, as they sat there paler than ever. Dib turned the volume up on the remote next.
Looks like she was going to be their new mother after all...
Skoodge seemed pleased for them. "Congratulations," he said. "It appears you may have a younger brother or sister coming into your lives very soon..."
The siblings stared at him speechless.
"Why?" Dib said. "Why did you just have to say that?"
"Well, isn't that why humans copulate: for the purpose of reproduction?"
"Shut up!" they yelled together.
Gaz whacked him on the head.
"Ow! But your new kin is coming into the world. I'm sure your father has some experience; he already has two kids..."
"What part of "shut up" don't you understand?!" Gaz yelled.
"He whipped us up in the lab, anyway..." Dib replied. "Why am I even telling you that?"
"So, you're artificially bred, just like me? My fellow test-tube babies!" Skoodge said, putting an arm around each of them.
They pushed his arms away, as Skoodge looked dejected as ever.
Next, that blur 'Stacy' appeared on TV. Skoodge was rather curious about her.
"Huh... that Stacy person sure sounds an awful lot like GIR. Poor human," he said.
There came the words "For science!" next from their father upstairs.
Gaz looked as if she wanted to vomit.
"... Let's go and see how Zim's doing..." Dib suggested, as Gaz and Skoodge wholly agreed.
All three finally left the house.
A/N: poor Dib and Gaz. Do excuse the innuendoes... The Professor though... I feel as if I should give him a bro fist...
I'll start with IZ references...
That question sleep sign shows up in 'Walk of Doom' on the wall Zim sits by when he waits for the skin to grow back on his eyeballs… There's also a poster on a wall in the same episode that says "Stop making babies." Just wanted to point that out, as I only recently noticed.
Torque Smackey's sister, Mae, again, is from my other story 'Dousing the flames'. That's all I have to say about her.
There's not much else to say about Zim stuff. Moving on to the comics…
Devi's appearance wasn't originally planned, but since I'd read 'I Feel Sick' by the time I starting writing this, I gave it a shot. If I couldn't capture her character, I would have left her out, though I wasn't disappointed with the result. I was trying to balance her out between the two comics. She's quite fun in JtHM, and always cracks a joke at the best of times, but not so much in 'I Feel Sick'. She had more of an Ice Maiden thing going on.
Her painting of a doll 'Sickness' is Psycho-doughboy and Mr. Eff reincarnated, but they merged and got a sex change.
Nny has a brief appearance in Devi's flashback. He laments about how he hasn't drew anything in a while — except for stick figures. It leads up to their date scene in JtHM.
Her boss in the comic tells her to put a monkey in her illustration for the front cover of a book, just for the sole reason that people love monkeys, and it would boost sales. She quits her job after that. That's why she had a torched monkey on her painting. What do you call that? Self-irony?
Her hearing a distant squeak is a reference to a skeleton doll called 'Spooky' , which her friend Tenna is obsessed with and squeezes in her face. The scene bears resemblance to the episode where Dib is in search of Chickenfoot, and that guy at the chicken restaurant squeezes the toy chicken in his face. You can see why Devi hated 'Spooky' now.
There's actually several references in IZ from I Feel Sick. One is the bear suit Zim wears, and the Bumblebee suit too from the unaired episode. Plus, GIR's voice actor did the colouring in I Feel Sick. May be one reason why the backgrounds in the comic and IZ have similar colours, and look very alike (even the clouds do). The scene where Dib trips over a puppy is taken from the comic too, though the dog Devi tripped over was dead. If there's other references you know of, I would like to know...
Shmee and Nny never really hit it off, and that part about a dead squirrel is a reference to 'Squee' where Squee brings it into show and tell, and says the neighbour man ran over it and gave it to him... I'm guessing he's talking about Nny, as he goes on to say that he also sneaks into his room and leaves him drawings. Squee's teacher also looks like Ms. Bitters, and I already put that '1429' reference way back in the prologue. You remember that?
"The panels don't usually move this fast..." Nny is breaking the fourth wall I guess here. He must see his life as a comic after all...
A psychopath will always be a psychopath, no matter how many babies they save, or ghosts they help cross to the other side. That's why I try to retain Zim and Nny's characteristics… Their scene in the closet was kinda fun, though they should have been less thoughtless. Psycopaths, hey, they just have to burn and mutilate when it calls to them...
Other references...
Barney the Dinosaur always kinda scared me... pff, hilarious, I know. He just smiles too much, and his teeth are too white and perfect for a dinosaur. I'm the same with Big Bird... yes, Sesame Street is scary now (he's a giant, yellow bird!)
That movie Molly refers to is 'Look Who's Talking' with John Travolta. The baby has a grownup voice (Bruce Willis). I watched it when I was very little, and then told my teacher about the 'white tadpoles' and said "That's where babies come from". She was shocked, and even had me repeat it to the teaching assistant. I must have been five or so. Rather than seeing the action itself, they show you what's going on inside when the lady gets pregnant…
Think about that… There are millions of sperm in one human ejaculate, yet only one makes it to the egg (unless it's multiple births) and that one was you. You were the fastest swimmer…
Enough of reproductive biology now (it's grose).
Song reference
That was "My Girl" by the Temptations. The rest of the lyrics go like this: "When it's cold outside, I got the month of May..." So hard to leave out; I'm one for closure!
Destiny's voice should sound a little like Fluttershy's off My Little Pony, though not as shy. She's like a typical Disney princess with the little birds, and as I loved Amy Adam's in Enchanted, I used her character Giselle as a main inspiration (because she's OTT). I don't know what's up with the Ukulele; I just thought she could play one. She's kind of important here because she changed little Johnny's fate and gave him a chance. Okay, Nny did first, but she set it in stone.
I will update again next week, and I promise that it will be so much sweeter…