Chapter II
Zim and Gir rode their way out of the lab through the trash can. As usual, Gir jumped off and started running all over the kitchen.
"Pay attention, Gir," Zim tried to grab the hyperactive robot's attention, "In order for you to obtain this muffin, we need the Earth currency. Now from what I've gathered, Earth currency always appears in the cushions of the couch. Quickly Gir, we must infiltrate the couch and plunder its spoils!"
"Yay! We're couch pirates!" Gir exclaimed.
Zim dug his way through the cushions of the couch, searching for loose change. After scouring the couch thoroughly, he emmerged triumphantly holding a few coins and other scraps he assumed were of monetary value. Gir then tore out of one of the couch cushions, wearing the stuffing like a beard and proclaiming, "I am the gopher king!"
Zim tried to count the money, but unfortunately he still knew very little about Earth currency, "I'll assume that I've gathered enough of this Earth money to buy the muffin you desire. Come, Gir, we go to the city!"
The two dawned their disguises and walked to the city. It wasn't long until Zim stumbled across a grungy building called Super Happy Discount Bakery Place. Zim tied his companion's leash to a fire hydrant to ensure that he didn't run off. Zim entered the greasy looking establishment tenitively and stared up at a large, bald man with lazy eyes, an apron, and a white paper hat at the register.
"Good afternoon, pastry dealer," Zim greeted in an overly-exuberant way, "I wish to purchase one of your delicious Earth muffins!"
"That'll be two dollars plus tax," the man snorted.
"What? Two dollars for one muffin?" Zim exclaimed outraged, "Surely you joke!"
"Look kid, I don't make the rules here, I just work here for twelve hours a day to provide food to a woman who doesn't love me and a child I barely know," he grunted.
"Fool!" Zim jumped on the man and grabbed him by the collar, "How dare you try to swindle Zim? You shall suffer for this greatly, pastry fiend!"
The man was undaunted, "Look kid, are you going to buy a muffin or not?"
Zim would have liked nothing more than to leave, but could not risk to jeapordize his plan, "You drive a hard bargain, muffin beast!"
The compiled coins barely amounted to the total necessary, but he managed to purchase a somewhat stale bannana muffin. Outside, Gir was busy running around the fire hydrant, twisting and untwisting his leash.
Zim pulled the muffin out of the bag and showed it to his servant, "There, I am now in posession of a muffin, Gir. You may have it once we get home." Zim untied the leash just as the delivery van for the Muffiny Muffin Factory whizzed by. Gir's eyes widened in wonder as he became infatuated with the giant muffin adorning the top of it.
"Muffin!" he shouted as he darted after the van. The robot dashed off so fast that the leash escaped Zim's grip.
"Gir, get back here right now!" Zim shouted as he ran after Gir.
"Come back muffin! I love you!" Gir exclaimed as he ran after it.
As the spectacle unfolded, two watchful eyes observed from the distance. Those eyes belonged to none other than Zim's mortal foe, Dib.
