A/N: Happy New Year. I'm so glad it's finally 2014 – a date I've been waiting for three years now because I graduate!
The next uploads are going to be a two-part epilogue, mostly because I had written so much.
Disclaimer: I don't own Invader Zim or Johnny the Homicidal Maniac.
...
Zim finally felt at ease since he said goodbye to Molly. He knew she had found peace previously, before she escaped out of heaven, but he needed to see proof of said peace for himself.
Once again he felt that sense of relief when Molly finally re-entered the hereafter...
He had got to thinking... could his fellow Irkens become ghosts? They hardly had any unfinished business to resolve, since they were lifeless drones, but they must have souls. Zim after all had gone to heaven and back.
The phenomenon can't be restricted to Earth. There were probably an infinite number of planets, since the universe is continuously expanding.
So how many ghosts would that make? Zim shivered. Earth was enough to deal with, for now...
Zim was secretly pleased to have his fellow Irken on Earth with him, despite the fact he was probably the most hateful Irken in existence (though at was actually Zim's status).
So here he was with an array of friends to rely on. He felt like the luckiest Irken alive right now.
He decided to take another tour through the city, just two days after Molly's departure. Maybe he would find some of those ghosts he bumped into.
This walk was more pleasant, and he found the crowds less overwhelming. There was still the problem of distinguishing the dead from the living, but he managed just fine in the end.
He saw that tall, willowy red-head up ahead next as he walked along the street. She was arm-in-arm with a nerdy-looking scientist.
He recognised Belle as soon as he got closer, feeling that familiar heartache once again.
At least she was happy again. He was glad, even if it weren't with him. Her scientist boyfriend couldn't look any happier. He had Robert to thank for that — the kid who stuck up for him at skool. Fitting...
Belle met his gaze next, and blew a friendly kiss his way.
It hit Zim on the cheek just like in cartoons, as he almost swooned...
"Keep it together now, Zim, you have a job to do..."
Behind Belle, he saw that guy who could almost be Robert's double walking alongside Lisa. She was making him carry all her shopping.
That scar was fading nicely on her head though...
He realised then that he must be Robert's younger brother, as he didn't look too pleased. Lisa wasn't a good choice after all. Zim was right, and he couldn't be any more satisfied.
The Irken finally got to the café, and there he saw that nineteenth century lady through the window.
The café was named 'Café le prick'. Apparently, at one time in it's history, it had played host to a horrendous massacre, followed soon after with an explosion.
That's the city life for you. Maniacs are everywhere. Ones who probably wear steel-capped boots while listening to Beethoven... wait, isn't that...
He entered the café at last. The smell of grounded coffee was overpowering. There were a few living people at the back of the room — pseudo goth types, but they didn't act alive much...
That Victorian lady looked so out-of-place here. Did they even drink coffee back in the 1800s? Judging by the looks of her, she only drank tea out of fine china...
Zim approached her, as she gazed absentmindedly out the window.
She glanced up with those demure lashes next, regarding him as if he were an insect.
His alien appearance looked otherworldly to her. Had he escaped from Wonderland?(Aliens weren't integrated into pop-culture till the mid twentieth century, so she wouldn't make the 'space' connection).
"Hello, miss. My name is Zim. I couldn't help but notice your lovely hat..."
Zim met the eyes of that stuffed bird on her brimmed hat, as he maintained his smile. It was looking right through his soul...
She held her gaze a moment longer, and then looked back out the window sticking her nose up.
"My, you are a generous child, but I would be grateful if you left my side. I don't associate myself with beggars..." Her voice was charming; it made it hard to tell whether she meant to be insulting, on account of how polite she was.
All high and mighty... As an upper class Victorian lady, it was part of her DNA. She may have even been the daughter of an Earl or a Marquess. Not that Zim cared for such Earth titles (if your name didn't have Tallest before it, you were nothing).
"I am no beggar, lady! I'm sorry to tell you this, but that aristocratic world you once knew has gone. Yes, that's right! No more divides amongst the classes! Mwhahaha!"
She watched him strangely. "You really are a peculiar creature, and I find your language most vulgar."
"I'm trying to help you. This is the future now, and not your primitive century anymore."
She looked him up and down next. "I hope you don't mind my asking, but how did you acquire such queer complexion? You must be terribly ill. Poor child." She looked inside her clutch. "Perhaps I do have a halfpence or two—"
"No, I don't want your filthy charity! You're a ghost, and I think I may be of some assistance. For example, what year did you die?"
"I dare say..." she said. "I don't mean to be boorish, but I must depart on your strange query. I think your illness may stem from more than a physical facet... Goodbye, dear beggar."
She stood up from the chair, smoothing her dress down as she adjusted the bustle. Had she been sitting on that thing the whole time? That took experience and determination.
"Where are you going? I haven't finishing probing you. Do not ignore me, I am Zim!"
She looked his way again, utterly aghast. "I have never met a more discourteous boy in all my life. If my assistance is what you require, then I am afraid I will be of a terrible disappointment. I am a Lady, and I will not be addressed with such insolence. Good day."
"At least tell me what year it is in that confused head of yours, you primitive... Oh, where are my manners? I meant to say, my Lady..." he bowed.
"... I underestimated your courtesy," she replied, with sarcasm of course. "Very well. It is the year 1873. You are a foolish boy, but I bid you a final farewell."
She just couldn't help but be courteous, despite the discourteousness of others...
She finally left the café, leaving Zim alone at last. Well, that was a big, miserable failure. He'd get her another time. There was one ghost he could help at least...
Next, he felt the eyes of those scary goth kids staring at him in the corner. Did they want to eat him? It was hard to tell. They never smiled, or portrayed emotion of any kind.
"Check out the little green guy... "one young man uttered.
"He fills my aortic pump with joy and contentment..." a girl interjected.
"He is kinda cute." This time a girl with bouncy, blonde girls spoke up. "I mean... yeah, my innards are all warm and fluffy too... "
Zim couldn't take it anymore. These Earth kids were so strange.
"Stand back, you evil, demon scourge!" he yelled, running out of the café before they tore his flesh off.
The goth kids sat there blinking at the door for a few moments, until...
The boy pulled his black wig off. "Well, that was fun!" he rang, revealing his perfectly styled, blonde hair.
"Back to theater club!" The first girl said. Her hair was naturally black, so she didn't need a wig.
"Finally, pretending to be goth is haaard!" the bouncy blonde cried.
All three of them linked arms next, and skipped out the café like they were going to see the Wizard of Oz.
Some people are seriously messed up...
...
After his narrow escape from those creepy goth humans, Zim finally made it to the stoplight. And there she was, the same teenage girl crying over her smashed smartphone...
She was perched on the side of the road, sobbing into its cracked screen.
He approached her next, taking on that fatherly expression.
"There, there, it's just a phone. It's not the end of the world. No point in crying over spilt milk, they say..."
"It is the end of the world. This phone is my life! How am I supposed to talk to all my friends now and take selfies?!"
"The phone is still functional; you can still do all those things! You're just fretting over appearances, and... what on Irk's a selfie?"
She looked at him then as if he just asked what colour the sky was. "What kind of stupid question's that? You hold your phone out like this and take a picture, and then post it all over the internet."
He stared at her horrified. "Why did you pull that face?" he asked. "You were aware that your lips looked pretty ugly just now, right? All scrunched up like that..." he shivered.
"Ugly?" she said, confused for a moment. She shook her head then. "It's called 'pouting', idiot. It makes you look hot..."
"I'm assuming your referring to the colloquial term and not the temperature, and it doesn't make you look attractive; it makes you look like wild fowl! Tell me, are ducks pretty?"
She gave him a snotty look. "What would you know anyway? What are you like... eight?"
"I'm much older actually, and I fail to see why any male of your species would find that look attractive. A mallard duck maybe, but not a teenage boy..."
"You're weird, like some green midget from out of space. Are you from out of space?"
"Well, at least I know your brain isn't fully malfunctioning..."
"Whatever. I don't care what you think. My life is over! My friends will disown me now for not having a pretty smartphone."
"Well they don't sound like very good friends."
"I hang out with the most popular girls at skool; of course they're good friends! They won't even let you sit at their table with a hair out of place, and then... and then this happens! My dad's gonna kill me! I screamed and screamed till he finally bought the phone, but only if I promised to take care of it. He won't buy me another one now!"
Zim sighed. This wasn't going to be easy. "I hate to tell you this, but that stupid decade you're from ended forty years ago... Those kids at your skool are probably grown now and well-established members of your society. And here you still cry and dwell on superficial nonsense!"
"What are you talking about? Forty years? It's 2013."
"No, it is not, and I thank whatever god. Human beings have evolved, but I'm probably being a little unfair. You're not the best example of a human from that time. I'm sure there were smart people too."
"Well... I don't care. My head won't stop hurting..."
"That's because there's a huge, bleeding head wound to the left of your face! Tell me, was it really worth running into the road to save your blessed phone?"
"... No, it wasn't. What have I done? I promised my mom and dad I'd be home by five!"
"I guess you never made it home... How sad. Your poor parents."
"I know, I was selfish. I really miss them... How could I run across the road, and for what? The approval of some self-obsessed bitches? I'm better than that. Forget this piece of crap!"
She threw the phone against the road, and its screen smashed into even smaller fragments. The strange thing was that even the phone's spirit lived on...
Zim shifted his eyes. Things just got a little crazy.
She looked up at the sky, completely amazed. "Wow... I never realized how pretty clouds were."
"Yes, like billowing towers of fluff..." Zim said.
"What's that light? M-mom?! Oh, she looks pissed..." She took a step back from the light.
"Get inside the light this instant, young lady! Do you know how worried you had your father and I?" that voice called out from the other side.
"I'm sorry, mom."
"Aw, I can't stay mad at my little princess. Now come on over here. I have you back at last..."
"I'll be there in a minute, mom!" The girl looked back at Zim. "Thanks, for talking some sense into me."
Zim smiled. "It was my pleasure. I couldn't bear to see you there, crying over a stupid phone after forty years!"
"I know, it's kinda dumb. I'm Lindsay, by the way."
"And I am Zim," he replied.
"Well, so long, Zim..."
Lindsay entered the light at last.
He heard that prominent slap on the back of a head next, as that Lindsay ghost yelped. But the sound was soon replaced with the overwhelming cries of a mother.
The light finally vanished, taking Lindsay and her mother with it.
He looked around, as many more ghosts passed by. The Greaser, a WWII soldier, and even the medieval knight. But he couldn't do any more now.
Maybe some ghosts didn't want saving. Not in the same way as George; he just found it hard to let go. Some ghosts just wanted to stay on Earth after all.
"I guess haunting the living would be kind of fun..."
Zim called it a day, and went on his way back home.
...
Nny walked along that white bridge with brisk steps. The light shining down from those windows above hurt his eyes, as they revealed a crystal blue sky.
There were others on the bridge too, and to the bridge on his left and right, and to the bridges below and above. Basically, it was a vast network of bridges that seemed to go on, but at least he got a little bit of shade from that white, gleaming sun every once in a while...
The place looked a lot like a huge shopping plaza on Earth; there were even escalators miles and miles below downstairs.
Right now, some idiot was walking along the bottom of the 'down' escalator as if it were a treadmill. Security guards stopped him then, as others needed to get down.
Nny weren't wearing his cloak anymore, as he left his scythe at home (wherever home may be).
Now he wore that stripy shirt like old times, though he still had the tailcoat, because tails are awesome...
Many eyes followed him across that long, white bridge. He could feel their glares all over him. So he started to sweat, as that strange sun overhead was sweltering now.
They all knew, and now they watched as that big bad wolf finally got his just deserts. He had harmed one too many piggies in his time...
Someone threw a half-eaten muffin at his head next, as they shouted "Maniac!".
In other circumstances, he would have protested in classic Zim style — with the addition of a knife— though he wouldn't have called the muffin a pork cow. But he had to hurry. They weren't going to wait upstairs...
It was kind of like when you're in skool, and everyone's watching while you walk to the Principal's office.
This place was full of strange creatures. A blob made of seven types of cheeses passed by next, as Nny stared confused. He reached his hand out then, and broke off a piece of his arm. He looked delicious...
"Hey!" the cheese blob shouted.
"What?" Nny asked, chewing that cheese. It was good cheese; better than any he had on Earth, and it didn't smell cheesy like in a traditional sense...
The cheese blob shook his head, or face, since he lacked a neck, and continued down the bridge. How rude of Johnny to eat a piece of his arm.
Not all faces he passed were hostile. Some were even awestruck. Most people like babies after all. They started muttering about him next. Hopefully good things.
He finally approached the elevator at the end of the bridge, as he entered its shiny interior. There were mirrors all around, and everywhere he looked he saw his nervous reflection staring back.
Just as he was about to close the doors, a commotion broke out across the bridge. What was happening up there?
He saw that girl rushing through the crowd next, bumping into people to get to the elevator. Everyone barked and sneered, but she still apologised to every single one of them.
"I'm so sorry, sir, but I just need to get past... oh, okay... you don't have to move... Oh, thank you! You're so kind!"
She went on and on, apologising and thanking all those people.
Nny considered waiting, since she was so eager to get to the elevator, but then he saw who she was...
Dread and hate filled his heart once destiny started running his way.
"Hold the doors, I'm coming!" she yelled.
"Uh, okay..." He pressed the button again like a raving lunatic, even going so far as to kick it so that the doors shut faster.
They finally started to shut, as he leaned back against the wall, sighing.
"Good work, Johnny..." he told himself.
Unfortunately, she squeezed through the gap just as the doors were about to close. Her bluebirds followed her inside, but one didn't make it in time. Nny heard its bones crushing together once the doors closed in.
Blue feathers floated through the air as destiny stared in horror. "Oh no..." she whispered. Her eyes filled with tears.
"What a shame..." Nny said, stifling laughter.
The crushed bird did the impossible next, squeezing through the thin crack of the door till it popped out whole again.
Nny stared horrified. "How did it do that?!"
"Aw, you're okay!" she cried, holding her hand out to let the bird fly to her palm.
She brought it up to her nose and nuzzled its beak. Nny wanted to barf.
"Phew, that was close. He almost didn't make it!"
"Thank the moons of Saturn's rings..." His voice lacked the enthusiasm he was aiming for.
Hopefully, she got off on the next floor. He really didn't want to listen to her dreadful voice.
She looked up next, and gasped as if he had three heads.
"Three heads?" Nny mused, envisioning a version of himself with two more heads.
"It's you. This is such a coincidence..." she said, smiling.
"Don't talk to me; your voice is grating on my ears."
"I'm sorry that my voice offends you. So... that's how you really look beneath that hood? Who knew!"
Her voice was high and shrill. He flinched. "What did I just tell you? No talking!"
"Sorry..."
"And stop saying sorry!"
"Sorry... again," she giggled. The sound was pleasant.
Nny dismissed her latest apology; it wasn't funny anyway.
"What floor are you heading? I can kick you out the doors at the first opportunity. Lucky I wore my boots today," he said, glancing down at the steel tip of his boot. He had them shined recently.
She looked over at the panel, and saw the button he pressed. "Oh, look, we're going to the same floor. We can ride up together and be elevator buddies! Won't that be fun?"
He gave her the strangest of looks. "Yeaaah, and we can ride the elevator all day long and make fart sounds when other passengers get on-board! What's wrong with you?"
"I'm sorry—"
"Stop that!"
"I just always wanted an elevator buddy. People don't seem to want to ride the elevator with me. Strange..."
"That is strange," he repeated, rolling his eyes.
"It's all right. They don't have to like me."
"That's your problem; you're just too nice. It's aggravating, but that's not why I dislike you. I dislike you because you steal all of my souls! Why did you keep doing that?!"
"I had new plans for your victims. People change, Johnny..."
"Don't call me Johnny," he hissed, pointing a finger at her.
"But it would be impolite of me to call you death. After all, destiny isn't my name..."
He looked curious now. "What is your name? You could at least give me that courtesy."
"Julia. It begins with a J like yours. Our occupational names also begin with the same letters... isn't that funny?"
"No, and you misused the word 'funny'. I fail to see the humor..."
She studied him carefully, and then shook her head. "You don't remember me, do you? It was a long time ago..."
Nny's ears perked up. "Remember you? As if from a horrible dream?"
"No, silly. It was you who killed me! Hehehe!" she giggled, with just the right amount of insanity.
He edged away from her at that. She was so creepy. That's saying something, since he's the creepiest of them all...
"I killed many a person," he said. "Do pardon my foggy memory."
"You don't have to apologize. I can understand why you wouldn't remember. I'm nothing special..." she said, sadly.
He gave her a short, pensive look. "No, you are not," he agreed. "Pray tell, how did you ever come under my delightful attention? Not everyone has that wonderful privilege," he asked, bright and perky.
"It was nothing too exciting. I came to your door one glorious afternoon. I was campaigning for the Amazon rainforest... I was an activist, see, and preserving the Earth's most important, vulnerable ecosystems was one of my goals. That, and converting the world's population into veganism..."
"But meat tastes so good; you're really missing out. Human flesh isn't so bad either… but what would I know?" Nny said, staring into the manic eyes of his reflection. Did those manic eyes stare back?
She looked at him disgusted. "How could you say such a horrid thing? Killing animals is barbaric and cruel! Millions of animals die at the mercy... " She stopped suddenly, shaking her head. "Sorry, I didn't mean to get up on my soapbox; it's an old habit. I hope you can forgive my rashness..."
"It's okay. You are... forgiven. It's lucky you apologized in time. I've just had my knife cleaned. I don't want to soil it again..."
Nny gazed deeper into those madman's eyes. What was he telling him?
She laughed musically. "Oh, you," she chirped, whacking him on the shoulder. It was barley a tap, but he still glared at the spot she touched with scorching eyes. One may have twitched...
"Anyhow, as I was about to tell you, I came to your front door with the darling little bell, you know, the one that made that screaming sound? Then I told you all about the rainforest, and you seemed rather interested, which was a relief. Everyone else on your street slammed their doors. You had some pretty interesting perspectives too, saying how 'humankind' is like a virus, destroying its host with its multiplication... So then I told you that if we, as human beings, could work together we could stop the destruction of our beautiful world. I was convinced I won you over, because you had that face a child gets when they find out Santa's coming to town... But then I said something else and you... changed. It was really strange. I think I asked why you had blood on your walls, and then the next thing I knew, you dragged me inside your house, and everything turned black."
Nny stared at her, speechless. It was quite the story. "That does sound like me," he said, "though it seems that I gave you the quickest, most merciful forms of death. Not my usual tactic."
"But it's all in the past now. I forgive you. If you hadn't killed me that day, I never would have become destiny. So I thank you, Johnny."
He looked on into the eyes of his past... If he hadn't killed her all those years ago, he wouldn't have to put up with her annoying soul now. He sealed her destiny that day, and by extension all of his victims' (the ones that she stole).
"You're most welcome..." he choked, kicking himself over his stupid mistake. "If only others could be as thankful as you..."
The elevator came to a halt. The doors opened, and then a gorilla in a tutu appeared, but he wasn't alone. A whole parade entered too, and an annoying businesswoman yelling down her phone.
There was hardly any room left. Destiny, or Julia, had to move closer to Nny, who was none too pleased. He could feel the outline of his knife hidden away in his secret place...
The elevator turned silent, as Nny stared into his reflection's eyes. Those stupid birds were too close for his comfort, but then he wondered how bluebird tasted when roasted. Probably like chicken.
He noticed he started to sweat; it was a little stuffy in that elevator. Destiny, however, looked cool and breezy as ever, twirling a piece of her long hair between her fingers. She had a lot of it too, and it smelt... pleasant.
She noticed him then staring at her twiddling fingers in the mirror, as she smiled and waved. He turned away next.
His knife was calling out to him then, almost screaming, until he noticed her floral scent. It was like fresh woodland air near springtime, as her perfectness couldn't be more obvious to his nose.
Nny was sweating even more now, as he couldn't breathe. Why was it so hot? And why did she have to be so close?
The only sound he could hear was his pulse now. What was wrong with him? He had to end this madness before it got way out of hand.
The gorilla in the tutu looked Nny's way next, sensing that tension. As a member of the Animal Kingdom, and as an ex silverback male, before he started wearing tutus of course, he knew exactly what Nny's problem was.
The ape laughed, but he went "uh-uh", as he watched that helpless little male trying to control his animal instincts. They'll win out, eventually...
He decided to help him out, since there were no alpha males around to take the female. Therefore, no natural orders are affected.
Next, he shoved his hairy elbow into the female's back, as she fell straight into the male's arms.
Nny caught her by reflex, so he was surprised to look up and see her embarrassed, giggling face inches from his. He turned blood-red next.
He pushed her away, trying to remind himself that he was an intelligent, superior being, detached from his body's urges...
Surprise, surprise, she was blissfully unaware to his discomfort.
Two of the three birds gave each other a knowing gesture next, and proceeded with flying above the humans' heads. They stopped to give the third bird, the one who got crushed, that impatient look.
He tweeted an apology, and soon followed suit. Now all three birds chirped above their heads.
Their chirping almost sounded like words, and before he could make them out, Nny waved them away like troublesome flies. He'll put nails in all of them if they don't stop that twittering.
What was that they were singing about twiterpated? Isn't that what happens to animals in spring? He did recently come out of hibernation...
The elevator reached another floor, and then the whole parade got off. So did the angry businesswomen, as she flipped her phone out and started yelling again.
The gorilla in the tutu was the last to go, as he gave them a look as if to say "you're alone now".
Destiny watched him confused. What did the gorilla in the tutu mean?
"Stand... stand over there," Nny said, pointing to the other end of the now empty elevator.
She obliged, moving over to the other side.
His thoughts were clear at last, and then he felt that all too familiar hatred coming back. Sweet, sweet hate... That was until she interrupted his thoughts with her stupid voice.
"It's okay, Johnny. I know you're worried. You don't have to hide anything from me."
He looked up at her surprised. So that's what she interpreted from his discomfort back there? So clueless. Suppose he should be grateful, unless he wanted her to know what really happened...
"What are you talking about?" he asked, genuinely curious.
"Well, you know..." she replied. Did she know? He started to get nervous then. Now everyone will know he caved for the saccharine queen...
She continued, "I just want you to understand that you can count on me. I'm one of your witnesses, and I vouch to support your actions."
"Witness?" It all started to fall in place, in which he sighed. "It looks like they'll make a cockroach out of me, after all..."
"No they won't. What you did was beautiful, and so brave..." she said, fluttering her lashes.
He stared at her horrified. "Do you have something in your eyes?" he asked.
"No."
"Then stop blinking like that! It's disturbing."
"Sorry..."
He scowled at her apology, as she continued to talk...
"What I'm trying to say is that I promise to fight for your cause. After all, I didn't give you that little girl's soul for nothing... He-he."
The penny finally dropped. He could only stare at her, dumbstruck.
"W-what?" he started. That... that was you?! How did you even get access to my list?"
Her cheeks flushed. "Yeah, you got me... I'm destiny. I couldn't help myself. You were meant to meet her, Johnny. Although you really should think of a better hiding place next time if you don't want anyone to find your list. The ear canal of an eternal, sleeping giant in an outer-dimensional swamp isn't the best choice. It's very waxy..."
Nny couldn't believe what he was hearing. He gripped his temples next. "So... you decided to meddle with my fate, and then trespass into my secret, waxy chamber of doom? Harris, the sleeping giant, by the way, is very personal. He doesn't take kindly to strangers sneaking into his ears when he's sleeping!"
"Then how did he feel when you started using his ear for your secret hiding place?" she asked, confused.
Nny watched her for a moment, left eye twitching. She was good, but she won't thwart him with her cunningness...
He turned away from her now. "You had no right. I was death! The only reason why I'm in this stupid mess is because of you!" Then sure enough, the foam started to bubble up from the corners of his mouth, as he only saw red.
"Um... your mouth is frothing," she pointed out.
Next, he pulled out that knife and attacked her with the pointy end. She jumped back and screamed, grabbing her ukulele, which she used as a shield.
The knife embedded the instrument, but no flesh. Shame...
Nny stared at the wooden carnage of that tiny guitar, panting hoarsely. The foam continued to drip from his mouth.
She gawked up at him from behind her ukulele, big, bright eyes terrified. The birds only shook their heads.
His eyes rolled back into his skull, as he was Johnny once again. He shook his head, then glanced over at her meekly. His whole demeanour changed once he saw that terrified face.
"Here... let me get that knife for you..." he said, pulling it out of her ukulele.
It was damaged now, and its strings were broken.
"Th-thank you, J-Johnny..." she stammered, looking over her instrument. Well, she could always get a new one.
He stood over to the left of the elevator now, hunched up, and trying to avoid her eyes by all costs. He put his hands behind his back, and gazed down at the floor. He looked like a shy skool boy.
"It's okay, Johnny," she said. "I understand why you're upset. You had everything going for you..."
"Yes, it was wonderful..." he sighed.
"But it couldn't last forever. You hid your humanity, but I knew she could bring some back in you."
"She did."
She turned away, ashamed. "You're not still mad at me, are you?" she asked.
"No. It's done now. There's no point in crying about it anymore."
She returned to her perky self again. "You should feel honored, Johnny. Imagine if you had never had the chance to meet that beautiful little girl. Where would you be now? What would you feel?"
"I wouldn't feel anything. That's the idea..."
"And you honestly believe that's best? She changed your heart. Not your insanity; that's here to stay, but she showed you a reason to be happy again."
He gave her a suspicious look. "Are you saying that I should thank you?"
"No, I'm saying you shouldn't think so little of her. At least acknowledge her for the kind person she is. Not many people appreciate you, Johnny, but she does."
"I do. It's just... I..." he sighed once again, finally getting it off his chest. "I really miss her..."
"And you would rather you never met her?"
"No. I'm glad I did. But it's just better if I don't miss anything."
"You gave up a lot for her, and you have nothing to feel ashamed for."
He gave a far off look. "I'd become a cockroach for her..." he said.
She laughed. "You won't become a cockroach, silly willy. I changed the baby's fate."
"Only because I did first. I'm not supposed to meddle; that's your job. And... willy? You do know that's another word for... ugh, never mind now."
"Nobody is going to punish you for saving a child. I certainly wouldn't."
"But it's not how it works. I played favorites, and it's affected the delicate balance of the 'cosmos'," he said, wiggling his fingers. "They're going to want a life in return, but at least it won't be that baby's anymore, and I have you to thank, Julia... I couldn't bring myself to reap his soul after everything."
She smiled sweetly. "I know you couldn't. I can assure you that his soul is safe. I've already mapped out little Johnny's destiny..."
Nny smiled at hearing his own name with the word 'little' at the front. Molly couldn't have made him more proud...
"What is little Johnny's new destiny?" he asked, a smile in his voice.
She tapped her closed lips, and he understood perfectly. It was her business, after all.
"Oh, mum is it now? I couldn't get you to shut up before. I'd rather you didn't tell me. It's what's best."
They remained silent for the duration of the ride. Once the elevator stopped at their floor, Nny felt his stomach turning. This was it.
Once the doors opened, he took that deep breath, and made his first move. But then he felt that warm hand on his shoulder. He turned to meet the sweet eyes of destiny again.
"Don't be afraid, Johnny," she said. "I'll look out for you. I promise..."
Her voice was like honey; it may have warmed the cold place he had in his heart for her at last. She wasn't so bad after all. Still saccharine, but nice. He knew he didn't deserve her kindness.
"Oh, and you still have a little froth on your lips," she pointed, giggling.
He wiped at his mouth, embarrassed. Well, that killed the moment...
"Thank you for your consideration," he said, moving down the hall with quick strides. He kept his hands behind his back.
"Wait. Not so fast!" she yelled. "We can go in together!"
The maniac was already half way down the hall, heading for those large doors at the end.
So she shook her head, and ran after him, just about catching up with heavy breaths.
"I was wondering when you would join me," Nny said, hiding a smile.
"You're... so fast..." she breathed. "There's... no rush..."
There were two people waiting outside the doors when they arrived.
Well, well, it was that karma bitch again. Nny couldn't believe his luck (just one more annoying person he could do without today). However, he was surprised to see that life fellow again, who was staring out at that vast sky of blue and cloud. The scene spread out like a sea before him, and he was captivated.
Karma shook her head with disappointment. "Where the hell have you been?" she said. "They're all waiting in there!"
Destiny gasped. "You're here. I knew you would make it!" she cried, giving karma a hug.
Karma tried to pull away, but when she found that she couldn't, she just wet along with it, giving her back a pat.
"Yeah... it's nice to see you too. Who are you again?" she asked.
It was surprising as they often worked together. She really was a bitch, and a forgetful one at that...
"What are you doing here?" an irritated Nny asked next.
Karma met his gaze, and then smiled with that mock gusto. It was terrifying. "We're your two extra witnesses, Johnny, and we're here for your support. Life over there apparently remembers seeing you at the hospital."
"Well that's not going to work in my favor. Are you going to rat me out?" Nny looked over to that man in white, as he continued to gaze out the window.
Death, destiny and karma all waited for his reply as he took his time; who knew life could be so ignorant?
Nny studied him curiously. "Hello?" he said. "Are you just going to keep standing there? I asked you a question. And here I was thinking you were a courteous gentlemen..."
"It's all so beautiful up here..." life started to say," knowing that below those clouds, life is beginning all over the universe..."
"And ending at that," Nny pointed out, squinting in the light of that strange sun yet again. "What is that? A supernova? It's so bright!"
"You could almost grasp it in your hands," life continued. "So small yet... so vast..."
Karma looked over at Nny then, and spun her finger by her head, as if life had a screw loose. Nny wasn't amused.
"Oh, I think we're all a little mad here..." he replied.
He and karma glanced over at destiny. She was twirling around in a circle like she was four-years-old. She was going to make herself dizzy.
"And simple," karma added.
"Well, I'm doomed," Nny said. "Heh, doomed..."
Life finally came around. "I'm terribly sorry," he said, meeting Nny's gaze. "I hope you can forgive me, but one can get distracted when in the presence of pure beauty..." He looked back out the window again like he was in love.
"They should really get some blinds to cover up those windows," karma remarked.
"Why are you here?" Nny asked him next.
"I'm here to give my account of the events in question."
"We only passed in the hall for a minute. What else have you to say?"
"Right you are, my fine fellow. My role is not very significant, but you need at least three witnesses, and your third pulled out..."
Nny pulled up a brow. "Who was my third?"
"That delightful reaping lady..." he replied.
"Oh, so she pulled out, did she? And after I said I'd take the rap!"
"She was very busy, and there was no one else to fulfil her role. She asked me to inform you that she's sorry, though it was hard to read her dull expression. You reapers are frightfully stoic."
"We have to be. We harvest souls..." Nny said.
"Well not to worry. I'm here now to present my own explanations of your... crimes."
Destiny stopped spinning and looked at life shocked. "Johnny never committed such a thing. He's innocent!"
Nny narrowed an eye at her. How helpful she was.
"Yes, but I will make it work in his favour. I can be very persuasive, destiny dear. After all, I respect his actions as much as you. It was me who brought that soul into the world. I didn't want it to be for naught."
Nny was speechless. Who knew that so many people wanted to fight for his cause, though it was expected that he had witnesses.
So why was karma here? She had seen him working that time, well, slacking, in the bagel house. He would rather have little Melody here instead, but he should be grateful with the help he can get.
"You know, guys, we really should be getting in there now. We're already five minutes late," karma said. "That's bad karma waiting right there..."
Destiny looked at her confused. "But they said the trial didn't start by ten past the hour. We still have five more minutes."
"She's right. That's what they told me too," Nny weighed in, hating that thankful smile she gave, because deep down it amused him.
"Well there is no point in dilly-dallying any longer. Let the hearing commence! After you," life said, moving aside to allow Nny first passage.
Nny was hesitant, as the doors loomed before him. His witnesses encouraged him on, even karma, though he could see she was being sarcastic.
He broadened his shoulders, and entered those large doors at last. Life, destiny and karma followed his lead.
...
"And then he pulled a face like this!"
Little Molly gave a demonstration, trying to impersonate her newborn cousin's expression as best as she could. She ended up looking like an old drunk.
"That's a good impression, Molly," Skoodge said, genuinely impressed.
He and Zim sat on the couch, while the little girl told them about her visit to the hospital.
"Little Johnny is so cute! I wish you could see him, Zim, but the doctors say he has to stay at the hospital a little while longer."
"And for good reason," Zim said. "He needs to develop fully."
"I know. He left Aunt Lily's belly too early," she replied, repeating what her mother most probably told her.
Zim felt kind of guilty now, considering how he snuck into the hospital and seen the baby before her.
"Is the baby named Johnny after that creepy skeleton guy who came for Molly senior?" Skoodge asked next.
"Yes, and thanks for the reminder, Skoodge!" Zim spat.
"He wasn't so bad," Skoodge went on. "Gave me some good advice, and his boots were neat!"
"You mean Santa who came to take Aunt Molly away?" Molly asked. "I never knew he was named Johnny too. My cousin is named after Santa!"
"Yes, Santa, Molly. You keep telling yourself that," Zim told her.
"Come here, kitty. I just wants to lurves you..."
Bob the cat ran into the room next, followed by an eager looking GIR.
"Biscuit?" Molly said, surprised. "What are you doing here? We've all been so worried about you."
Molly picked him up, and the cat willingly obliged since that tin can was after him.
"Biscuit?" Zim repeated. He looked a little disappointed. Bob was a better name...
"Why do you have grandma's cat, Zim?"
He decided to tell her the truth then. "I took him..." he said.
"Why?"
"We took quite a shine to each other. Such an endearing creature, though if he brings me one more slaughtered bird, I'll... I'll accept like the grateful owner I am."
"Can I pet the kitty now?" GIR asked.
The cat answered his question by clawing his face, leaving some lovely scratch marks.
"Aw, he loves me..." GIR chirped.
Zim shook his head. Classic GIR...
"It's okay, you adopted him," Molly said. "He needed a new home. My grandma's other cats have all gone to other good homes too."
Zim smiled. "You think this is a good home?"
"Of course. It's the best home ever, and it's so cool! Look at all this alien stuff!"
"Your house is pretty nice, Zim," Skoodge remarked.
"Don't even go there!" Zim snapped. "Your endless compliments are driving me crazy; there's a prominent kiss mark on my butt shaped like your mouth! And now I've painted myself an ugly image of you, kissing... Argh!" Zim gripped his head to erase the image away.
Skoodge watched him awkwardly, drumming his fingers together. Then he decided to say this, "Okay, maybe I am trying a little hard to be in your good graces, Zim. So I should try a new tactic... Your house is ugly, Zim, and your voice is stupid! Now you have to earn my approval..." Skoodge folded his arms in satisfaction. Job well done.
Zim was stunned into silence. Before he could utter one syllable, there came a thin rap at the door.
Confused and on the alert now, Zim put his disguise on to answer the door. Skoodge hid behind the couch.
It was okay. It was only Dib and Gaz again, looking as if they witnessed an unspeakable horror.
"The Membrane children? What brings you to my domain?" Zim said in that creepy accent he uses when he tries to sound scary.
"We... we should come inside..." Dib mumbled.
Zim moved aside. "Well come along and make yourself at home."
The siblings walked into his house, and sat on the couch folding their arms. Skoodge moved to the other side of the room, since the look on Gaz's face terrified him.
"Dib! You're back!" Molly cried.
"Yeah... hi..." he uttered back.
"What's the matter? You don't look so good," she asked, poking out her bottom lip.
"I'm not but forget me. Look at Gaz! Poor thing. I don't think she'll ever recover..." Dib looked at her sadly.
"Gaz, are you okay?" Molly asked her.
"... I can hear it crying already..." Gaz murmured, releasing a shudder.
"What happened to you two? You look as if you've seen a ghost. I know I can relate..." Zim said.
Dib took a deep breath. "This may come as a shock; it's quite a revelation..."
"Well what is it?" Skoodge asked.
Dib began slowly. "Our dad... he... he..."
"What of your father?" Zim pressed. "Spill it out, Dib!"
Dib glared up at him angrily. "He only went and got his stupid colleague knocked up. That's what!"
"Knocked up? I don't know the expression," Zim said, confused.
"He got her pregnant, Zim!" Dib snapped. He and Gaz released a simultaneous shiver.
"Aw, another new baby," Molly peeped.
"I'm thrilled for you both!" Skoodge affirmed.
"Oh..." Zim didn't know how to respond. "I fail to see that as a bad thing..."
"We don't want a new baby!" Dib said.
Zim watched him curiously. "Why?"
"Because babies are disgusting," Gaz spat.
"Babies! All over the place! In the supermarket, on the bus, and on the TV!" GIR shouted all of a sudden. He was sat in front of the TV, watching a baby on the screen (it had giant blue eyes that looked into your soul).
It giggled next, as GIR giggled back.
It went quiet after that.
"You two surprise me," Zim went on, as if the robot never said a thing. "You're going to have a new brother or sister. Why can't you just be happy like normal humans?"
"Because the baby, Zim, is his latest experiment. You... you wanna know what his exact hypothesis was? Do you?!" Dib yelled, rising to his feet.
Zim shifted his eyes. "Uh... sure. Go ahead." He was sorry he asked now.
"Here it goes," Dib sang. 'Will Unprotected Sexual Intercourse Lead to Unplanned Offspring?' Well, yeah, apparently so, Dad... Congratulations; you're a scientific genius!"
Zim was puzzled and equally disgusted. "Why would your father conduct an experiment like that? The hypothesis is quite obvious. I thought he was a brilliant man."
"It's not just that. Most hypotheses are obvious — from a biological stand point. He's just never produced a child naturally. As a scientist, he was curious... Gaz and I were designer babies; he chose our genes. But this one is his first 'accident', should I say."
"The baby is a little accident," Gaz sneered.
"But won't you come to love your new baby brother or sister?" little Molly asked, hoping for a yes.
"It's just complicated, Molly," Dib told her. "We're not a normal family, like Zim kindly pointed out before. He just sees his kids as experiments..."
"I'm sure your father does love you," Zim consoled.
"Well he has a strange way of showing it. I am heir to the Membrane Empire, though was that the only reason why he wanted a son?" Dib asked himself now.
"You two need to lighten up," Zim continued. "The baby is going to be a member of a good family. Plus, your dad's rolling in the riches, so it'll be financially secure..."
"But the baby'll be exploited! Made into a freak show, as if it were the first baby to ever be born!" Dib raged. "But our dad is famous; people are going to want to know."
Zim put a hand on his chin. "Yes, I suppose celebrity babies are always hyped on this planet..."
Gaz looked at Dib next, terrified. "What are we going to do, Dib?" she asked.
"I don't know... love it, I guess," he replied. "What else is there?"
"Oh, yeah, love... like that ever works..." Gaz said.
Molly walked over to them, smiling. "I think you're gonna be the best big brother and sister, ever! Well... not better than me, but still good!"
The siblings regarded her statement then with interest.
"I suppose being a big brother again would be cool." Dib's eyes lit up. "Maybe I'll finally have a cute baby sister..."
Gaz glared at him. "Yeah, and maybe I'll finally have a normal brother who doesn't rant about Bigfoot!"
"Oh, the baby's going to be interested in Bigfoot, Gaz, you can count on that!"
Gaz ground her teeth together. "You know what, I'm looking forward to this kid now, because I can train it to turn on Dib when he annoys me with his stupid, paranormal junk!"
"The baby's going to love me more, Gaz, it wouldn't do that!"
"We'll see. Finally, an evil accomplice of my own..."
The siblings glowered at each other, as Zim, Skoodge and Molly didn't know what to do. They went on for a while...
Dib was the first to cave in. No surprises.
"So do you think we could do it?" he asked.
"Do what?" she replied, irritably.
"Look forward to the arrival of our new brother or sister!"
"I don't see why not. Fine, operation 'new baby' is on the way."
"That's the spirit, Gaz! Everything sounds better when you put the word 'operation' at the front!" Zim said.
Gaz pursed her lips in thought. "It really does... Well, let's go, Dib, and prepare..." She got up off the couch and walked to the door.
Dib followed suite, looking back at Zim when he got to the door. "Thanks, Zim. If you hadn't been around, who knew what we'd have done... Gaz especially."
"Glad to have helped. It's a relief that you and I can finally have a civil relationship... It doesn't even feel weird anymore. No longer does your big-headed presence infuriate me, Dib-stink!"
"Right back at ya, Space Boy!" Dib grinned. "It's so cool having an alien for a friend now."
"I know, right?!" Molly chimed in.
"Dib, what's taking so long?!" Gaz yelled from out the door.
Dib finally moved out the door, but Zim stopped him just before he left.
"Oh, and Dib..."
"Yeah?"
"Take good care of that baby. I know you'll make a terrific brother... again."
"Thanks. I'm feeling positive already. Well, see you around, Zim, and remember to call about any ghost trouble. You'll still be coming back to skool after summer break, won't you?"
"Sure, why not." He hadn't been back to that oppressive building in months now.
"Great! We have a new teacher: a Mr. Pepito. I think that's his name. He never gave us his last name when Ms. Bitters introduced him to the class last day. This will be so much fun. He looks like the antichrist!"
"Mr. Pepito?" Zim said, liking the sound of him already. "He sounds charming. Very well, I will see you and him after summer break."
Dib left through the door, waving to Skoodge and Molly on his way out.
He looked over to GIR. He was waving at him too, and mumbling something nonsensical. The boy was sure he called him Mary again...
Some things will never change...
...
Nny walked back out of those large double doors in a state of shock. It was like that feeling you get when you leave an exam room...
It had been an exam in a way — an exam of his afterlife!
Was he happy with the verdict? It was only an hour-long trial till they finally made a decision.
"Johnny, where are you going?"
Nny stopped along the corridor, and faced the dispatcher of those words.
There she stood, destiny, green as ever in that nymph-like dress, and behind her was life and karma. All three left the double doors and stood out in the hall.
"I'm going to consume nutrients," he replied. "Listening to a whole courtroom ruling out your future can really give you an appetite." He marched off once again.
"Hold it right there, Johnny boy," karma said next.
Nny stopped once again, and turned around to glare at her. "Did you just call me Johnny boy?"
"Yeah, so what. Haven't you at least got something to say? Let us know what you're thinking."
"Yes, how are you feeling, Johnny?" destiny asked, more concerned than karma could ever be.
Nny met life's gaze, who gave him that warm, encouraging smile.
"Let me think," Nny started cheerfully. "It was a fair enough punishment. I won't become a cockroach after all! But I lost my title as reaper."
They all turned silent, as Nny was already fed up with waiting for them to reply.
"I know how much you liked to reap those wretched souls," destiny said, sympathetically.
Nny considered her next. "Then you really don't know me at all, do you, Julia?"
"Julia?" karma said.
Destiny watched him curiously. "What are you saying?"
"I was a slave. You're all slaves! Okay, maybe karma is a little fun, and life and destiny roles can be fulfilling, but I wasn't killing at will! I know, killing isn't a good hobby, but at least I was freer when I was mortal. Well, after the wall thing..."
Destiny wrung her hands nervously. "You could still kill people if you wanted to..." she said, managing an awkward grin.
Karma and life looked at her in disbelief.
Nny rolled his eyes. "No, I can't just kill now! I mean, I could, but it's not that simple anymore. I'd be... judged again. Would I want that?"
Karma raised a finger now, as she had her own suggestion. "Or you could always just torture people instead!" she chirped, brightly.
Life looked at her disgusted. "Why would you make such a suggestion? I have never heard a more vulgar statement."
She shrugged. "It's kinda cute when she does it." She pointed at destiny.
"She is sweet and gullible," life said. "You're just... terrifying."
It turned silent again. Enough was enough now.
Nny scratched the back of his head. "Look, I... I didn't mean to barge out of the room. I just needed some time to think to myself."
"Well then we'll think together!" karma announced with that fake enthusiasm again. "Come on, we'll buy you lunch. The food downstairs is pretty good."
Destiny slapped her forehead. "Darn it. I have no change..." she said.
"She won't be buying you lunch now," karma pointed her thumb at her next, trying to make her look bad.
"That's all right," he said. "I can buy my own lunch, and Julia's too, I guess..."
"Congratulations," karma said, "you just got yourself a free lunch!" She whacked destiny's back, nearly knocking the breath out of her.
"That's very kind of you, Johnny..." destiny thanked through clenched teeth.
"Your welcome..." Nny said, without meeting her gaze. He stared down at the floor, forlorn.
"Why are you so gloomy?" karma asked. "At least they gave you a chance to reap that old guy..."
"Yes, he'll be the last soul I'll ever reap, and it couldn't be more satisfying..."
Karma bit down on her lip, stifling laughter. "But... but then they gave you those two-hundred hours of community service. That was kind of rough. What is it you have to do again?" she asked. She knew the answer, of course.
"Don't tease the poor fellow," life said.
Nny pinched the bridge of his nose. "I... I have to play guardian for some sick kids on Earth. They even gave me my own ward..." he hissed.
Karma was beside herself now. He glared at her, imagining setting her on fire.
"That's not so bad," destiny said. "You will finally feel fulfilled!"
"You and I really need to talk more. We don't know enough of each other!" Nny snapped.
Destiny buttoned it then.
"So you hate kids? No biggie," karma said.
"I don't hate kids. I just don't want to be a guardian for anyone. How can I? I'm spooky."
"It's just two-hundred hours," life reassured. "I'm sure it will be over in the blink of an eye."
Destiny gave a goofy smile. "You may get your title again as reaper someday if you really put yourself out there, Johnny, and prove yourself..."
Nny gave it a little thought. "Well when you put it that way. All right, let's all go for lunch."
"Are you asking us out on a date, Johnny?" karma asked, smiling.
Nny looked confused. "I thought you were buying your own lunch?"
"Yeah, and don't worry about a thing; life and I will chip in for you and little miss penniless after all."
Destiny gave her an angry look.
"But I said that I would—" Nny started.
"We insist..." life said.
"Fine. If you really want to..."
"Then let's go!" Karma put an arm around Johnny and destiny.
They stopped half way down the hall when they realised life wasn't with them. They looked back, and there he was staring out the window again.
"What are you doing?" karma said. "Get over here!"
"It's... it's just so beautiful..." he cried, breaking down over that serene sky at last.
Karma rolled her eyes. "Hold on..."
She approached him now. "Come on, stop being a crybaby. Our friends are famished. Would you really deprive them of a good meal? Look at 'em, all skin and bone..."
"I do apologise," life said. "I will try and hold myself together for our malnourished friends."
"I am not malnourished!" Nny snapped.
"Really? Looks that way to me," karma said.
Nny turned away, sheepish. "I have a fast metabolism," he replied.
She laughed at his excuse, and then glanced over at destiny. "Uh-oh. I think we should go; little miss sunshine was just regarding you there with hungry eyes..."
Nny looked back at destiny terrified. He knew that whole vegan thing was a lie. Why did he suggest human flesh?
"I was not," she said, turning red.
Karma cackled, and then finally moved up the corridor. The others followed her.
This was different. Had Nny just made some friends?
Karma approached his side. "By the way, you can call me Justine."
"Oh, how pretty," Nny said.
"Almost as pretty as Julia? She weren't the only one looking hungry just now. Besides, what happened to her ukulele...?"
"Shut up..." Nny growled.
Karma smirked. Ooh, she hit a nerve. "You even rode the elevator together. Don't hide it."
"Hide what? What are you guys talking about?" destiny asked.
"Nothing, sweetie..." karma replied.
Destiny looked confused a moment, and then shrugged.
Karma looked to life now. "And what might we call you?"
"You may call me life..." he said,
"That's your occupational name!"
"Oh, you want my birth name? Very well, you can call me James."
Nny stopped there. "Whoa, you mean James, like with a J?" he asked.
"Yes. Of course," life replied.
"Wait, so I'm Johnny, you're Julia and Justine, and now you're James?"
Karma shrugged. "What's your point?" she said.
Nny's eyes widened. "All our names begin with a J. How neat."
"That is so neat, Johnny!" destiny agreed. "It's fate or... destiny..."
He smiled at her, and they shared an odd moment.
"Look over there, it's the elevator. Finally," karma said, pushing them inside before it got weird.
She pressed the button for the ground floor, and they descended at last.
Not only did he seem to have new friends now, but they all had names that began with a J like his.
This was going to be interesting...
A/N: I quite like the ending here; it's nice Nny has some new friends his own age.
The afterlife scenes are a little strange, but it's not heaven in that sense. It's somewhere above, below, or to the right… I just do what my imagination tells me to do, and I went for a weird, dream-like scene were all sorts of creatures co-exist, and there is a constant, bright sun that looks a bit like my cover photo.
I have no idea who was in that courtroom, and I don't want to know. It's one of those confounding concepts I think a mortal couldn't grasp. According to Nny, the room was full...
JtHM references…
Café le prick is the café were Nny performed one of his famous, deadly massacres.
Those kids at the café were weird and random. I don't know what that was about really... There are often goth characters in JtHM, who are just trying to fit in, yet these kids were just acting...
Pepito is Señor Diablo's son. He is the anti Christ, of course. It looks like Pepito became a teacher, which I find disturbing. Ms. Bitters must be retiring, or reincarnating...
If you've read Squee, the teacher resembles Ms. Bitters, so she may have been Pepito's teacher at one point (if they're the same person, that is). Pepito as a boy also dresses a lot like Gaz. I imagine his horns grew out as he got older, yet no one except for Dib noticed any difference. Typical.
Ms. Bitters' voice actress passed away in 2012, so I dedicate my portrayal of her character to her. I tried to make her seem as evil and terrifying as she made her sound, so I hope I did a good job. RIP Lucille Bliss.
That cannibalism thing I don't take too literally here, because Nny is just so insane, but there are times in the comic where he has me guessing. He does inform Squee he left some skeletons on the stove after he borrowed a Band-Aid from him. And then there's that whole "Children stay crunchy in milk thing…"
Destiny's death was inspired by a scene in the first issue, where Nny kills that guy who came to his door.
I like to think destiny has a dark side, just like most overly-nice characters (Jeff the spider off Billy and Mandy, Fluttershy from MLP, Bubbles the Powerpuff girl, the list goes on). Look how she annoys Nny. It may be revenge, since he killed her.
It appears she was an animal activist in her past life, and also wanted to help the environment. A bit of a hippy type I suppose then.
She's a bad match for Nny, yet I have a knack for making opposite characters seem like they're on the same page. In this case, their common interest is little Johnny. I don't plan on shipping them, but it's hard to resist… I like Nny with Devi above anything, but that ship sailed long ago… Nny needs to find someone else. Not destiny specifically, but he should move on.
I find karma fun to write, since she's so rude. And then there's life; he's a sensitive soul...
Other references…
Linsday is named after a girl I know who does the duckface, and is obsessed with her phone. She'll never know...
I tried to base the Victorian lady's speech off various period dramas I've watched, and the main one in my head is Downton Abbey. But that show is based years after her time (in the early twentieth century), so may be a bit inaccurate. I guess she is from England, because the description of her clothes is based off how Victorian woman dressed. Plus, she has half pennies...
That 'twitterpated' scene is a reference to Bambi, when he grows up and has antlers, and meets the girl deer. According to the owl from the cartoon, it makes you feel "as light as a feather."
"We're all a little mad here..." I saw that quote on an Alice and Wonderland shirt, with a picture of Alice having tea with the Madhatter.
I read somewhere that Zim's creepy talk is based off the actor Vincent Price (when he says his name like Ziiiim.) I've only seen him in Edward Scissor Hands, but it seems to fit…
I like that Dib and Gaz are going to have a new sibling. I don't mean to portray the Professor as a bad guy, and I don't think he will exploit the baby too much (though he did with Gaz when she got pig mouth), though I think he loves his kids, just has different ways of showing it as to the norm.
Stay tuned for the sequel to find out what sex the baby is... Okay, it's a girl. Spoiler, I know...
And it looks like Skoodge will finally stop kissing Zim's a**.
I will upload the second part of the epilogue in a few days when it's edited, then I'll read over it again, see my mistakes, and edit it again and again!
Goodbye for now.