Title: And They All Fall Down

Title of Chapter: Doom, Doom, Doom

Author: Tany Gem

Chapter One

"…and that's how the future will eventually implode."

The classroom was dead silent. Several children twitched violently with mouths full of foam; others watched anxiously at the clock. Only one more minute until sweet, sweet weekend of freedom-ness arrives. A couple more children joined in the foamy twitching as Miss Bitters had begun repeating the word doom. Only thirty seconds now. Most of the class was now experiencing a twitch of some kind; the worst of the lot were on the floor, knocking into their fellow classmates' desks. Miss Bitters' droning continues but now getting louder and angrier. The young students that remain sane now quiver with fear and excitement.

The shrill of the bell broke the thick tension. Screams of joy broke loose in the room as books, paper wads, and desks were thrown in all direction. Some of the children were hit by the airborne desks but no one bothered to help as they ran for any opening that lead for freedom. Within seconds, the room was cleared out expect for the trapped students and their spooky teacher.

"…doom…doom…doom…."

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"Horrible, horrible stink beast!"

Zim stomped angrily down the sidewalk, plucking little paper wads from his wig. He had been one of the students trapped. His anger grew with each tiny paper wad he picked.

"He will regret the day he ever throw a desk at me! Oh yes, yes he will once I finish my latest, most amazing-"

A loud boom interrupted his ranting. Large clouds of black smoke filled the air as several flashes of light beamed into the sky. Zim watched stupidly as screams of horror could be heard from the distance. Realization snapped him out of his stupor and rage filled his mighty veins. Only one thing entered his mind as he ran towards his base.

"GIR!"

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It was well into midnight before the situation was under control. It would not have taken nearly as long but Dib had seen the explosion and raced over to Zim's house. Dib had nearly exposed Zim, but he was saved when the people in the white suits came to take Dib away. After the crazy van drove away and the crowds of people dispersed, Zim vent his anger on Gir. An hour later, Gir skipped out the house, humming happily as Zim watched; his eye was twitching and his vein throbbing. Still rather worked up, Zim decided to clean up the house and the floors below.

That was two hours ago. Zim took off his goggles and looked around. Most of the mess was cleaned up, and the computer was busy repairing the internal damages. Throwing the shovel behind him, he began to help with repairs. Most of his rage towards Gir had worn off but was replaced by stress. His amazing plan was ruin, again, and he knew that time was running out. All of the other Invaders have already conquered at least one planet, and he knew that the Tallest' patience was running thin. The stress was overwhelming and was getting to him. Any normal day he could usually hold his own with Dib in battle, but today he could barely break Dib's grip on him and had to fully relay on human stupidity to get away. Zim banged his repairing instrument against the wall. Not only does he have to keep an eye out for Dib but keep another on Gir. It was frustrating! If only the Tallest would understand his situation-

Booooom!

Zim stopped his hissy fit and looked up at the ceiling. The explosion sounded like it came from the surface. He could feel his eye twitching again; he knew who the culprit was. Zim dropped the instrument and stomped angrily to the elevator.

"Computer! Continue repairing! I'll come help you after I'm done yelling at Gir some more."

'I wasn't going to stop…idiot.' It added just as the elevator door slam shut.

As Zim reached the surface, he could feel his superior blood reaching boiling point for the second time today. He had just got done fixing and cleaning the surface. Slamming the trash can lid open, Zim leaped out and survey the kitchen for what was sure to be a great deal of damage. To his great surprise, the kitchen was spick and span, just how he left it. Feeling slightly confused, he ran to the living room and found the same results. The confusion grew as he looked out the window. No extra damage was done to the yard (Zim was going to fix it later). Zim stepped back and looked around the room again. The house showed no signs that Gir had entered. No pieces of disgusting human food on the floor or couch, no mud or filth, no piggies, and no Gir.

"Maybe I'm just hearing things." Zim wondered out loud, walking back to the trash can.

As he entered the kitchen, white hot pain suddenly shot up his spine. Screaming at the top of his lungs, Zim collapsed on the floor. His backpack was sparking and the unbearable pain was spreading to his arms and legs.

"Computer!" He panted heavily, crawling slowly to the trash can. "What's happening…to me? Computer! Computer?"

Silence was the only answer he received. Zim began to panic. The pain was steadily getting worse, and he had lost the feeling of his legs. Zim tried to bring out his metal legs but that only increased the pain. He wanted to call out to the computer again but it was all he could do to breathe. The pain had spread to most parts of his body and was making its' way to his head. Zim curled up in a ball, his arms around his head. His breath was laboring and the only sound he could make was soft whimpering as the pain climaxed. His sight was fading. He could feel nothing but coldness. The pain was fading away. But it was very cold. And dark.

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A car parked in front of the spooky green house. Gir opened the door and stepped out, releasing an explosion of bass into the neighborhood. The teen girls inside screamed out their good-byes; some grabbed for Gir, trying to pull him back in. The only guy in the car was in the driver's seat, honking the horn.

"You changed my life! I will never forget you, little green dog!"

Gir closed the door and the car drove away. He skipped into the house and slammed the door.

"Monkeys!" He yelled cheerfully as he made his way into the kitchen. Walking over to the fridge, he spotted his master lying on the floor, not moving; his pak was lying next to him. Gir stood there stared at his body for a long time. Finally, he walked slowly over to Zim and petted his head.

"Awww! He's sleeping!"

A pillow and blanket came out of his head. He raised Zim's head by his antenna and laid the pillow under his head, then threw the blanket over him. Gir grinned and pinched his cheek.

"You're so cute."

Gir walked into the living room, climbed on the couch and watched TV with the volume down.

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Zim slowly opened his eyes. His sight was slightly blurry and his head ache horribly, but he was alive. With much effort, he rose to his feet, letting the blanket fall off him. Feeling slightly disoriented, he stumbled to the living room and toward the couch. Gir, who was still watching TV, looked down at his master.

"Aww, you look sleepy. I'm making biscuits!"

With that, Gir jumped from the couch and ran into the kitchen. Zim struggled to climb up the couch but his aching joints refused to let him so he slumped against the couch instead.

"Computer," he whispered; it even ached to speak, "run a diagnose to find out what's wrong with me."

'I can't.'

Zim eyes narrowed. "What do you mean you can't?"

'I can't run a diagnose on you without your pak on.'

Zim cocked his eye at the ceiling. "Are you mad, computer? Has Gir been crossing your wires a-"

Zim patted his back for his pak, his eyes widened with horror when he did not feel it. . Forgetting his aches and pains, he jumped up and ran into the kitchen. Lying in the middle of the floor was his pak. Zim shrieked and tackled it, barely missing Gir, who was standing in front of the stove.

"They're almost done!" Gir said cheerfully as he watched the dough rise. Zim struggled with the pak, trying to force it to attach to his back but it would not.

"Why, why won't it work?" He cried out, his voice filled with panic. "If I don't get the pak attach to me soon, I will die. Why won't it attach!"

"Biscuits are done!"

Gir opened the oven and grabbed a biscuit. "I love you."

'Zim, I don't think you're going to die.'

Zim glared at ceiling. "Of course I am going to die! How long have I been without the pak?"

'Twelve hours, twenty minutes and six seconds.'

Zim dropped the pak. "Huh? Twelve hours! That's not possible!"

"Here!"

A biscuit was shoved into Zim's mouth. Gir cheered happily as he grabbed Zim's lower jaw and pushed it up and down. Zim pushed Gir away from him and gagged loudly. The computer used this time to speak.

'I cannot fully comprehend why you didn't die, but I do know that the pain you went through last night was caused by your pak. Perhaps your pak was defected.'

"Nonsense!" Zim spat, biscuit crumbs flying everywhere. "There is no way-wait! If you saw me, why didn't you answer me?"

'I was too busy making repairs. Oh yeah... the repairs are complete now.'

Zim felt his eye twitching once more. "Okay, now that I know I'm not going to die, I better call the Tallest and tell them about this strange situation."

'Don't bother, I already did.'

Zim blinked. "You did?"

'Yeah, well, I was getting a little worried after you haven't moved for a couple of hours.'

"Well, what did they say?"

'Nothing, I couldn't get a hold of them. I think their long distance line is down again.'

"I'll call them again later. Right now, I need to rest."

'That's a good idea. Your voice doesn't sound very good.'

Zim strained to stand up and walked slowly into the living room.

"Gir! I need help to get up on the couch!"

Gir squealed as he ran to help his master by lifting him and throwing him on the couch.

Zim lay down and sighed. He needed to heal before Monday arrives. He only hoped that he would be ready; all hell will break loose when Dib finds out about the missing pak.