Hmm... look. Part Two! Once again, thank you Arm&Leg for continuing to beta-read this fic, even in the midst of all those other ones you're writing... .. I'm really glad Gir is back to normal too... I think that he was actually beginning to make sense to me. ^.~
Keep Your Distance- Part II
"Teacher? Mr. Malone isn't a teacher. Bill Nye the Science Guy is the only teacher we have in that class," Liz was complaining the next day to a game slave enthralled Gaz.
"Mhmm," Gaz mumbled as she reached level 20 and began blasting the brains out of literally everything around her in the virtual world.
"That's all he shows. Old science videos of a guy that's probably dead," Liz shut her locker, exasperated, and turned to Gaz.
"Mhmm," Gaz agreed.
"And..." Liz glared at Gaz, "So then I told Zim you'd be going to Homecoming with him instead of me."
"Mhm- WHAT?!" Gaz looked up from her game and gave Liz a piercing stare. "You'd better be joking or I will personally remove your-"
"Cool it, cool it, I'm joking," Liz grinned. "Like I'd ever let you have Zim."
"Mhmm..." Gaz said, going back to her game slave.
"Gaz!" Liz stomped her foot on the floor. "I did that to get your attention, not have you go off into game world again!"
"Okay, okay," Gaz shut it off and put it back in her backpack. "Principal Stillmon threatened to take it away from me if he ever caught me playing with it on school grounds again anyway."
"Don't you have a backup?"
"Three. But that doesn't mean I'm not emotionally attached to all of them."
"And you say I have a problem..." Liz shook her head and began walking toward the cafeteria. "Anyway, actually I'm glad you stopped me yesterday, from asking Zim."
"Really?"
"Yes. It has given me time to prepare!" Liz lifted a triumphant hand in the air.
"May I remind you that /you/ are the one setting yourself up for defeat, and that /you/ are the one that will be hurt, and /I/ tried to stop you to be best of my ability that doesn't involve my fist."
"You just don't understand love," Liz sighed.
"Yes I do. I have a love for my game slave, and that's secure enough. My game slave will never dump me. My game slave will never reject me. And my game slave will never stand me up. My game slave is completely loyal."
"You do realize you're talking about a piece of machinery, right?"
"Yes. Yes I do."
"Gaz, for the life of me I don't think you've ever liked a guy."
"I haven't. They're all stupid, suffer from ADD, and they smell."
"Okay, so Zim isn't lemony fresh, but I bet you he cleans up real well. Besides, what's so wrong with liking a guy?"
"Never really interested me."
"Oh come on. I'm sure some guy has your heart beating twenty miles a minute."
"Nope."
Liz sighed and shook her head. "Well, I think it's no surprise that guys aren't chasing you. You have no love interest except for that game slave thing... and beyond that, face it, Gaz, you're ice cold."
Gaz grumbled at that and frowned. "I don't really care either way."
"I think you do," Liz smiled. "You're just afraid to show it."
"Liz, you're the kind of person that would do anything for a guy to show him how much you care. And every time, it never works out. Why is that?"
Liz thought for a second. "Because I discover the guy's a pig headed jerk, and not worth my time."
"Then why are you after Zim? I mean, you barely know him."
"Zim's different. And one must go through many tests to separate all the minnows from the... the..."
"Bass?" Gaz offered.
"Yeah."
********************************************
Knock. Knock. Knock.
It was much later in the day, and she was trying to rest. "Why can't I ever get some peace around here?" Gaz complained as she lurched up from the bed and glared hatefully toward the door. "What is it?" she shrilled.
"Who else would it be?" came the voice from behind the door. "Open up."
Gaz flung the door open and switched on the light. "What is it, Dib? I was *trying* to relax before you bothered me."
"Sor-ry," Dib muttered, pushing his glasses up higher on his nose. He leaned on the side of the door. "Just wanted to say that you're on your own for dinner tonight, so don't go starving at 9:00 thinking I'm going to make you something."
"Fantastic. I don't feel like getting poisoned tonight anyway," Gaz's voice was dripping with sarcasm. She knew better than to ask about their dad- even if he were here, he would never make dinner. If Dib's cooking was like poison, Membrane's would have to be the result of a toxic spill. Gaz narrowed her eyes at her brother and raised a curious eyebrow. "And just where are you going?"
"Meeting," he muttered, standing up straight again and buttoning up his trenchcoat.
"Oh... yes. Another gathering of Paranormal Freaks Anonymous," Gaz sat down on a chair behind her and crossed her arms as her brother flashed an obvious grin, humored, she supposed, at her comment. Ever since he entered high school he couldn't have been happier. Since high school was so populated, freaks found other freaks, and they banned together in their own outcasted clique. As if things couldn't get worse, they then formed their own club, Dib being president of course. They actually /believed/ half of the stuff Dib said, which was scary in itself.
"Call it what you want, Gaz. You're just mad because you weren't accepted into any group of your own."
Gaz rolled her eyes. "Acceptance is the last thing I would ever want. I'd shoot myself if I were ever accepted into society."
"I'll help."
Gaz stood up, now, bothered by his presence. "Are you done, yet? I was kind of enjoying my alone time before /somebody/ came in and ruined it."
"Sure... sure. Hey... how's Liz by the way?"
Gaz grinned. Dib has had a crush on her ever since the day Liz and Gaz became friends. Liz, of course, never really showed an interest in him... ever. She generally ignored him, actually, unless it involved homework and school projects. "Liz is fine. So is her latest crush."
"Oh?" Dib raised an interested eyebrow.
"Yes," Gaz said, thoroughly enjoying this, and walking forward toward Dib as she talked. "I think she's going to ask him to Homecoming."
"Oh, really?" Dib said, too intrigued to notice his sister's advance.
"Yep." Gaz then took this time to push him out the door, slamming it behind him. "I think it'll be Zim's first dance, wouldn't you say so?"
"ZIM?!" Dib practically screamed.
Gaz smiled and locked the door before he could get in. Things rarely ever changed with Dib.
"C'mon, Gaz, fess up," Dib said, banging on the door. "Tell me everything!"
"You're going to be late for your meeting of the Paranormal Freaks Anonymous, Dib," Gaz said casually from the opposite side of the door.
"That's Paranormal Faction Anonymous!" Dib corrected. "AND TELL ME ABOUT LIZ AND ZIM!"
"Tuh," Gaz laughed under her breath. Dib was so gullible, it was actually quite funny. As much as he'd 'studied' Zim, he couldn't tell a lie from a truth. Gaz knew a lot about the way Zim had acted (mostly because of her brother's constant obsession since who knows how long ago). Zim hated the world more than even she did, and only by some miracle would he ever be romantically interested in anyone. Even if it was a feigned romantic interest. There was no way he could pull it off.
"Your friend is in danger, you know!" Dib continued with his rant. "He'll lay eggs in her stomach! He'll implant chips into her brain! He'll use her to procreate his own army of fused Irkumans, and use them to take over the world! Zim wasn't at school today. THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT HE WAS DOING!!!"
"I cannot believe you still think Zim is an alien," Gaz muttered through the door, grinning at the stupidity of what he'd just said and wondering what the hell an Irkuman was. "Obviously, someone hasn't grown up since 5th grade."
"Things are different now! I even have followers who believe me!"
And thus the rant went on.
Gaz waited until her brother had given up and finally gone to that stupid meeting before tidying up her room a bit, then making her way downstairs to find something to eat. It wasn't too late, but her stomach growled for some junk food right about now.
Five minutes later she found herself back in her room with a bag of chips and a week old brainfreezy that was not quite finished. Not much of a dinner, but still better than nothing. The house was quiet, and that was the way she liked it. It almost made her feel independent in a way- she imagined living on her own, without an annoying brother to worry about invading her private space.
She sat down and began to eat, ticked because she was now pulled away from her deep thought and forced to confront her current angst, all because stupid Dib had interrupted her thought. Instead of thinking about her next poem, or possibly what the boiling point of blood would be (it was a fun subject to toy around with), she had to think about her current problem- Liz.
Sometimes she did question her and Liz's friendship- they were never really compatible. The only thing that kept them together was some intangible thing. In a way, they were both rejects of society, and that suited them both fine. Just because they were rejects didn't mean they had to rule their lives the exact same way.
Lately Liz's infatuation with Zim was becoming more and more tiresome to deal with. It was something straight out of one of those corny teen dramas, and stupid in itself. Gaz knew Zim would reject her, and when he did, she would be crying and moaning for about a week. Maybe more, because she generally seemed to be more attracted to Zim than any of her other 'interests'.
Gaz stood up to pop in a Kittie CD into her CD player and fell onto her bed, trying to block her broken thoughts once again and focus on a different matter. What Liz had said earlier today was really bothering her.
But Gaz couldn't let something like that get to her. It was stupid. She rarely let what Liz say to her really get underneath her skin, but for some reason, this leech-like comment crawled beneath there and then some.
Sighing, Gaz stood up, turned off the light, and plugged in her headphones to the CD player.
***************************************
Zim poked slightly at the small, bready object that lay before him. In response, a slather of mayonnaise dripped off one of the edges onto the napkin it lay under. Zim pushed it away, disgusted. Sandwiches here were /not/ like the ones on Irk.
He looked up to the sky, enjoying the momentary peace. For once Alumni walk was generally empty, mostly because the majority of the human organizations met today, and all the fools with their trivial lives scuttled off to make society proud. Disgusting.
His joyful moment ended as soon as he saw Dib heading his way.
"Wonderful," Zim said, cursing under his breath. He looked up at Dib as he approached and smiled as sickeningly sweet as he could. "Hello, human stinkbeast."
"Insipid Irken," came Dib's reply as he sat down on a bench parallel to Zim's.
The two glared at each other in silence for a moment or two. Then, Dib spoke.
"So... I hear that you've found another plan to take over the world."
Zim cocked his (invisible) eyebrow. "What are you talking about, human? You've infiltrated my lab before- you know things are at a standstill until the Armada comes."
"Or so you say. Who knows? Maybe the Armada is on it's way," Dib sneered.
"That's highly doubtful," Zim muttered under his breath.
"But that isn't important right now, is it?" Dib continued, his voice suddenly becoming rigid and sharp. He slammed his fist on the bench. "You had better stay away from her or else I'll-"
"And we're talking about who?" Zim asked evenly.
Dib laughed in a tone that was not at all congenial. "You know who I'm talking about, Zim. Stay away from her," he repeated. "Or else."
And with that, Dib stood up and walked off.
Zim leaned back on the bench, glaring at the human in curiosity as he walked away. Surely he could not have been talking about Gaz. He had ignored and despised all of the Membrane progeny.
But that enigma was the least of his worries now. He pushed it to the back of his mind to focus on another subject- the S.I.R. unit. He was still trying to figure out what happened to Gir. Surely it was not some overnight cure. That was impossible.
Yesterday Zim didn't come to school, mainly for two reasons. The first was that he wanted to keep Gir under a close eye to make sure the robot was still functioning properly (for all he knew, the side effects could have gone 'dormant' for a little bit, then come back full blast). The second was that he wanted to investigate the 'solution' further, but no clues had been found.
Gir just seemed to mysteriously get better. But that was impossible. He was a robot! Robots just didn't become... 'fixed' on their own. Yet, there was a perfectly possible chance that he had got into some internal controls of something and just shocked himself back to normal.
Of course... the human nuisances Liz and Gaz had come over to pester him earlier that day. But they were both... well, /human/. They couldn't possibly have enough access or knowledge of Irken technology to fix Gir. Or could they?
Liz... Liz's father worked in electronics, that Zim knew from a class project Liz had done just not a few weeks ago, where she had asked the male parent to come in and do a discussion with the class about something Zim didn't even pay attention to. She could have easily gotten technological information from him.
Zim stood up and threw the sandwich away, making his way toward 'Freshman Circle'- a sort of pavilion where most of the younger human students stayed, and sometimes Liz and Gaz. He would find his answers there.
**********************************************
"That," Gaz said, looking up from her paper to give Liz a 'look', "Is one of the stupidest ideas I have ever heard. /That/ is your big plan to confront Zim about Homecoming?"
"What?" Liz asked, leaning on the desk.
Gaz glanced back at their teacher, who was now too preoccupied with another student to notice their garrulous actions. They were supposed to be writing descriptive poems in groups. Key word there is 'supposed' to. She turned back to Liz.
"I refuse to assist you in any of your stupid schemes! You said you were just joking!"
"Yeah, but it turned out not to be such a bad idea! Please, please, please, please, PLEASE? You said it yourself- you know a lot about Zim."
"I didn't say it! You did!"
"And you agreed. It's the same thing."
Gaz looked down at the diagram on Liz's desk and picked it up. "I feel sorry for you, Liz. You must have spent a lot of time doing this, and it shall all go to waste because I'm. Not. Helping! Why are you dragging me into this anyway? You're the one that has a crush on him!"
"Well..." Liz blushed. Her eyes slid back up to Liz. "Xan asked me to Homecoming."
"When?!"
"Yesterday night. He... he called me."
"What did you say?"
"I said I'd think about it. I mean... he can be a jerk and all... but he has his sweet moments...and I couldn't just drop him... I would feel horrible and then I wouldn't have a good time at Homecoming."
Gaz sighed, tossing the blueprint back onto Liz's desk and picked up her pencil, looking around the room for something to describe so she could get the essay done with. "I'm not going to do it. I told you that already. And even if I *was*-"
"Ha! We're getting one step closer!"
"I'm being rhetorical."
"That's still one step closer!"
Gaz sighed, rolled her eyes, and continued. "Even if I *was* going to be a good friend and do it for you- which I'm not and I won't- it's not like Zim is going to say yes."
"Which would leave me to have Xan and still be happy! But if Zim does say yes, I can vacillate-"
"There is no vacillating in relationships, Liz! And to think this all could have been solved with a few simple words: 'No Xan, you're a jerk and I wouldn't be seen dead with you at Homecoming, so go ask some bimbo on the cheerleading squad because I refuse to be your puppet.'"
"Those weren't a few simple words," Liz pointed out.
"Shut up," Gaz's eyes fell onto the teacher's desk and focused where a metallic pen sat. It was really a nice pen, with a blue chrome finish and silver blades surfacing out of the side, adding an aesthetic sort of genre to the pen. Gaz looked down to her paper and wrote:
Silver and shiny and sheen.
Sharp in the sun's yellow gleam.
It can draw letters,
It can draw art,
It can draw blood with a scream.
If angled like any utensil,
Like 'The Faculty' (well, they used a pencil),
It can pierce through a part,
It can pierce through a heart,
Leave a brand lack the need of a stencil.
Liz leaned over and read the poem, then looked up at Gaz and grinned. "I like it. It's very..."
"Romantic? I thought so too," Gaz said, obviously pleased with herself, filling in her name, date, and period in the top right hand corner.
"That really wasn't the word I was looking for."
Gaz held the paper up in Liz's face and shook it a few times for effect. "It is. See? It mentions a heart. That's romantic."
"But you're talking about stabbing it with a pen."
"Like I said. As far as I'm going to go on the topic of romance."
Liz stared at her for a moment, then shook her head. "You're very disturbing."
BRIIIIIIING!
Gaz stood up and turned her paper in. "Let's go to lunch. I'm suddenly hungry for something with ketchup."
About ten minutes later, they found themselves sitting at a bench in the plaza, a section next to freshman circle. Gaz sat, satisfied, with a plate of the school's spaghetti.
"Can I have some of your fries?" she asked Liz. Liz nodded and Gaz dipped the entire fry in ketchup before consuming it. She swallowed it completely before speaking. "Listen, Liz. You're my best friend, so I'm going to tell it to you straight. You'd do better staying away from Zim. He isn't who you think he is. I mean... love? Come on."
Liz paused. "I'm not even sure it's love. But there's something about Zim..." she shook her head. "I'm going to sound strange, but there's something *about* him that you just don't find in other guys."
"Of course not! He's insane!"
"It's not that... It's just something I can't explain. C'mon, Gaz, don't tell me you're not the least bit attracted to those dark, deep, and mysterious types."
"I'm not attracted to any type."
Liz nodded. "Understandable." She stopped and met Gaz's eyes for a moment. "But Gaz... you're the only person I know that can help me with this. I don't know what I feel anymore. And I mean, you've got spark inside you- I've seen your poems."
Gaz sighed. "Okay. I'll admit it if you leave me alone. I've got spark."
"So... tell me how to get out my emotions. Like you do."
Shaking her head, Gaz put her fork down for a moment. "Now way. I'm going to sound weird."
"Please, Gaz. I've known you for almost three years. You haven't weirded me out just yet."
"Fine..." Gaz sighed. "Fine I'll tell you. But you've got to promise not to laugh."
Liz held up her right hand. "I promise."
Gaz paused to take another bite of her spaghetti before continuing. "In order to get your deepest emotions out, you can't think too hard about it. If you do, you'll never be able to confront anything."
"Doesn't sound weird so far," Liz input.
Gaz nodded, "Yeah... well... in order to get those emotions out, you have to work in a certain 'zone'. What helps is to go into a room where you know no one will disturb you- I usually go to my bedroom. Then you turn off the lights, and stay there in the darkness for a long time. Light a few candles. Sit on the floor, very still. You know, get in the mood."
"Then what?" Liz asked, leaning forward, interested.
"Then, I put my headphones on, and blast my music really loud. So loud that I can't think. That's the whole idea. You don't want to /think/ about what you're writing- you'll never, ever get anything truthful out on paper that way. You just want to write. Ironically, writing what you're thinking without thinking what you're writing is the only most effective way to get your soul on a piece of paper."
"So poetic," Liz grinned.
Gaz nodded. "Then, with the music blaring, you take out your journal, close your eyes, and write. Don't worry about how crappy your writing may come out, or if you might go over the edge of the paper, just write- what you want, how you want."
"And that works?"
"Would I be telling you if it didn't?"
"Okay... so, what happens once you're done writing?"
"Well, if you find yourself brave, you do the opposite of everything. Instead of darkness, turn some lights on. Instead of music, give yourself silence. Sit on the table, blow out the candles. Then you read what you wrote."
"And that's all?"
"That's all."
"Thank you /so/ much Gaz. You're a great help."
"I'm going to regret this," Gaz muttered, stealing another fry from Liz.
"Hey!"
"Compensation," Gaz said as she popped it into her mouth.
"Look," Liz pointed out towards Freshman Circle, blushing slightly as she did so.
Gaz looked up to see Zim, wandering around the benches, looking a little lost.
"Hey, Zim!" Liz yelled, waving her hand in the air. Zim turned in their direction.
"Don't call him over here!" Gaz snapped at her, but stopped when she saw that Zim had actually decided to do just that.
"Hello Liz... Gaz..." Zim nodded in their direction as he approached them.
"What's up?" Liz asked, eyes shining. Gaz rolled her eyes at her friend's blatant actions.
"Liz," he paused, as if thinking something over, and then continued, "Your father works in electronics, correct?"
"Yeah," she nodded.
"Do you happen to know anything... specific about machines?"
"I do know a great deal," Liz piped up, happy that Zim was actually having a conversation with her that didn't involve demands for her to 'get out of the way' or 'go away'. "When my dad comes home from work, he thinks we're all so interested in knowing what he did for the day down to every little chip and bolt."
"That is... interesting. And you listen?"
Liz laughed. "I don't have a choice."
"And what of you, Gaz?"
Gaz blinked. Then she smiled and held up her game slave. "This is the only thing I know how to fix."
"Liz!" yelled a voice from behind them.
Gaz leaned over to get a better view and Liz let out a groan as they saw Dib walking toward them. Zim turned around and smiled- once Dib saw him there, his once cheerful face instantly darkened.
"What are you doing here, Zim?" he asked as he steadily approached.
"Just talking to Liz and Gaz," Zim said innocently, holding up his hands to show that he meant no harm.
"Bull. You never 'just talk'. What's the real reason?" Dib peered at him angrily.
"None of your business," Zim said, returning the glare.
"Calm down, Dib," Liz piped up. "Zim was just asking about electronics."
"I can testify," Gaz added.
"And..." Liz, slyly grinning, poked her elbow into Gaz's ribcage. "Gaz was just about to ask Zim something."
"Ow! My spleen!" Gaz snapped. "I was /not/ about to ask Zim anything, Liz, /you/ were about to ask Zim something."
"Okay, I'll ask," Liz shrugged.
"NO!" Gaz yelled, realizing her mistake.
Zim stared blankly at the both of them. "And, what was I about to be asked... if I may ask?"
Dib crossed his arms, obviously interested as well to hear what the question was.
"Gaz wanted to know if-" Liz began, but soon Gaz's hand was clamped over her mouth.
"I... wanted to know if Gir was doing better," Gaz spoke up.
"Gir? How did you know about Gir?" Zim froze.
"When we went over to your house," Gaz said in a 'duh' tone of voice.
"Oh. Well... Gir is actually doing fine."
"Good, because we were both really worried about him," Liz's muffled voice said from behind Gaz's hand.
"Sort of," Gaz glared at Liz.
"What were you two doing at Zim's house?" Dib yelled, exasperated. "Don't you know he's dangerous? He'll rip out your lungs and replace them with those little mooing toys! He'll turn your brains into mush! He'll perform experiments on your bodies!!!"
Gaz stared blankly at Dib, then sighed. "And here I was, Dib, thinking that you've actually matured."
"You thought I matured?"
"Well, no, but I hoped you would."
"Please, Dib," Zim sighed with a smirk on his face. "As if I'd let myself do something so /primitive/." He paused for a mock-dramatic effect and then continued. "If I really wanted to use Liz and Gaz for my *personal* experimentation, I'd first lead them on to *think* I was their friend. And then of course, I'd stalk them by night. When I gathered enough information I'd use my superior technology to abduct them while their sleeping up to my spaceship, in space, and THERE I would perform my experiments," he grinned wildly. "After all, I *am* an alien, remember, /Dib/?"
Liz held back a laugh and Gaz grinned, trying to see what Dib's reaction would be.
"I knew it! I KNEW IT! You admit it!!!" Dib yelled, pointing an accusing finger at Zim and leaping up on a bench next to him. "You're an alien! You've come to take over OUR planet!"
Liz gave Dib a weird look and held back her laughter no longer. Gaz slapped her forehead- sometimes her brother could be a real numbskull.
Zim smiled, obviously pleased with himself, then glanced down to Gaz, giving her a 'wink'. "In fact, Dib, I think it's time for phase three of my abduction."
"What are you talking about?" Dib asked with serious regard, ignoring Liz's laughter.
"I have a headache," Gaz said suddenly, standing up. She avoided Dib's sudden look of concern. "It feels... like something's hammering my brain...." She cringed and fell to her knees, hiding her face with her hands, and then, all at once, stopped cringing. She lifted her head and put a dull, emotionless expression on her face. "Must... bow down... to Emperor Zim..." Trying to hide a grin, she bowed on the ground before him. "Zim is my master. I must worship him. I must obey him. ALL MUST OBEY ZIM!"
"Gaz, no!" Dib gasped.
Gaz and Liz exchanged glances and they burst into a fit of laughter.
"Right over your head, Dib," Liz said between breaths, "Oh my gosh... my chest hurts..." She stopped momentarily and then burst out laughing again.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he grumbled, obviously humiliated. He stuck his hands in his coat pockets and looked off, blushing furiously.
Gaz felt a tinge of guilt as he walked away, hurt, but then she caught Liz attempting to stifle her laugh and they ended up rolling on the ground again, laughing their heads off.
"That was so good, Zim," Liz said.
"It has brightened my day for now," he smiled, watching Dib until he disappeared into the main hallway.
Gaz sat back down, brushing herself off, taking in a few deep breathes to recover. "Mine too. But I'm going to have an earfull when I get home tonight. Ahhh... the price I pay for being a Membrane."
Zim nodded as if in agreement, and then, without another word, walked off in the opposite direction that Dib had left.
"He didn't even say goodbye," Liz sniffled.
Gaz rolled her eyes. "I still have no idea why the hell you like him. I mean, okay, it's fun using him to torture my brother but still..."
"That's what confuses me too. I don't know why I like him, I just think he's a little green cutie."
"You've have to be blind to think that freaky, green skinned... thing was cute."
"So, are you going to ask him or what?" Liz asked suddenly.
"Ask him what?"
"About Homecoming!"
"NO."
"Please, Gaz. Come on. You know how important this is to me!"
"No, no, no, for a million times no, Liz," Gaz said angrily. Her once good mood was shattered. "Stop asking, because all you're going to get is the same answer!"
"I don't know why you're being so rude about it," Liz pouted.
"You, Liz, are impossible," Gaz grumbled. Abruptly, she had lost her appetite. She stood up and threw away her lunch, almost knocking into a guy that had just approached them.
"Woah," the guy jumped back. "Hey there."
Gaz glared up at him, trying to get him to see that he was standing in her way. Stupidly, he just stood there. She shoved her way through him, muttering "Hi, Xan," as she did so. Once she had reached ten steps, she turned around to see if Liz would follow her- but Liz was currently busy talking to Xan with that goofy grin on her face again. It was useless! Gaz spun around and walked off, fuming.
******************************************
Zim tapped his claw-like fingers impatiently on the console, waiting in anticipation for the transmission to go through. It had been months since he last contacted the Almighty Tallests, but for some reason, Zim didn't think that bothered them much. He felt anxious to do it again, however- even if it meant the letdown of hearing them postpone the armada's arrival for another year. Contacting the Tallests was his only connection to reality; the only way he still felt Irken. Being on this planet for so long made him feel defiled- inirken, in a way. Some days he would wake up, and lose that natural Irken feeling of power and strength. He'd feel vulnerable, and weak, and empty. Almost... /human/. A feeling he could not forget, and an emotion that was so terrible he would instantly wish painfully for just a glimpse of home... Of course, nothing could satisfy that wish except a transmission.
"Invaders do not get homesick," Zim sneered at himself under his breath, but even he could not ignore the growing excitement deep within his stomach as the transmission rate increased from 48% to 57%. He was almost there.
He'd be able to see his superiors again. He'd see the regulation Irken C.P.U.'s from inside the Tallests' ship and even get a glimpse of the other Irkens. Pathetic, yes, but Zim knew how to hide his feelings of absolute pleasure. Now, the transmissions were the only things that made him happy anymore. With the exceptions of Gir doing a few obsolete, silly things to which Zim could not help but crack a smile.
The transmission rate increased from 57% to 65%.
Zim clenched his fist impatiently, scrutinizing the screen while fully knowing that it would only make his wait seem longer. Sighing, he attempted to relax. How did things come down to this? Five years ago he had come with aspirations, and hopes, and dreams. He /knew/ he'd be victorious in conquering over Earth someday. He /knew/ he'd bring the humans to their knees. He /knew/ he'd defeat Dib, and regain the honor he had before destroying his reputation in Operation: Impending Doom I. So why hadn't he? Why was he still forced to remain on this useless planet, waiting for the armada that would probably never come, waiting to gain back his Irken core that he could no longer recognize within himself? Why did he have to wait to make these futile transmissions, when he was always, always let down?
Why was his one source of happiness the central source of pain?
"Ask yourself any more questions, Zim," he muttered to himself under his breath, "And you just may get the answers you don't want."
A sharp clanging sound erupted from behind him and Zim spun around, the metal arms exposing themselves out of his backpack, extended and ready. At that moment, Gir fell out from the ceiling and onto the floor. "Hi master!"
"Gir," Zim sighed, relaxing as his metal arms contracted back into his backpack. "What do you think you are doing?"
"Umm..." Gir's eyes squinted as if he were in deep thought. They became round again. "I'm playing hide n' go seek!"
Zim gave him a look of concern. "With... who?"
"With... you! I found you, master! It's your turn!"
Zim turned back to the console. It was at 85%.
"I do not have time to play games, Gir. I'm making a very important transmission to Irk."
"Awww... master always gets sad when he talks to Irk," Gir said, slumping back up to the house entrance tube.
Zim looked back at the screen, grimacing. Sad? An Invader does not become sad. Disappointed, yes, but surely not sad. He began to tap his fingers impatiently again. Could this take ANY longer???
"Transmission cut off at 99%" the computer said, suddenly.
"WHAT?!" Zim yelled, frantically trying to override the block. He fell back into his chair in defeat. After all that waiting... he pounded the console in anger.
"Incoming transmission. Switching upload to download," the computer said.
Zim peered at the computer screen, interested. He was actually getting a transmission? From the Tallests? That stirring feeling within him surfaced again as the screen opened up to the view of the two Irken leaders.
"My Tallests..." Zim said, smiling. "This is certainly a surprise."
"Zim," Almighty Tallest Red said, returning the smile. "Yes, it is. How is Earth?"
"Earth is still as weak as ever," Zim's voice regained its gravity. "Would you like me to dispatch the report?"
"No, that's quite alright, Zim," Almighty Tallest Purple said. "We knew you would be sending us a transmission soon-"
"Once every six months!" Zim cut in, jovially.
"Yes... well, that shall no longer be necessary."
"Does this mean that you are finally sending the armada?" Zim asked hopefully.
"Yes, Zim, we are," Red said with an air of contempt. Zim felt like cheering. THIS was his moment! This was what he had waited for so long for!
"But before you get all excited about it," he stopped to give Zim a glare. "We're not going to send it for 17 kriells."
"Seventeen kriells..." Zim gaped. He pulled out a universal translation unit and computed it. "But that's almost four earth years!"
"You've already spent five, haven't you?" Purple asked. "What's another four?"
Zim slammed his fist on the console pad. "Because that means spending another four years with these miserable humans, another four years finding ways to conceal my identity, and another four years of putting up with that foul human-"
"You mean you haven't gotten rid of Dib /yet/?" Red asked, snickering.
Zim's face burned. Ever since Dib had hacked into his console a year ago and actually contacted the Tallests himself, he never heard the end of it. He was angry at himself for even bringing the subject up. "No," Zim sneered, "I have yet to destroy him."
This sent the entire crew aboard the ship into laughter, and Zim's fist tightened so hard he thought it might bleed. The only thing he hated worse than defeat was being ridiculed.
"Yes, yes, yes, it's all very funny. But I really would like to know why you are putting off the armada's arrival for so long," Zim said tersely, trying not to show offence.
"Yes, well we've come into quite some trouble with the slaughtering rat people... a war's broken out with the vicious things," Red said, still snickering.
"War? Let me come and help!" Zim said. He wanted to get off of this planet, no matter what it took.
"No, NO!" Purple yelled suddenly. "We do not need your 'help', Zim. Besides, you need to stay no Earth..."
"To protect it. You know, from planet jackers, and... all that other stuff," Red added.
"But Earth is FINE," Zim objected. He gestured to above him. "The worthless humans are not going anywhere- they barely have technology to reach planets within their own solar system- and I am sure no one else is interested in this piece of space junk, either."
"Zim, it's final. Stay on Earth. We'll send the armada in seventeen kriells, as soon as the war is over," Purple said calmly.
"No! I cannot stand it here! My Tallests-" Zim yelled.
"Are you objecting to us, Zim?" Purple asked suddenly, his voice become solid and sharp. "Going against our orders?"
"No," Zim grumbled, sitting back down in his chair.
"It's /over/ Zim. Our decision is final," Red said, a little more gently. He began to laugh. "In the meantime, why don't you try getting rid of Dib? After all, he *is* only a worthless human, correct?"
The screen faded to black, and red Irken letters flashed across it, translating in English roughly to: Transmission End.
"Dammit!" Zim cursed, slamming his fist on the console again, his face burning from a mix of anger and shame. Something from the back of his mind screamed 'human term', but he could care less. He turned and slammed his fist into a nearby machine, which dented upon impact. Knowing fully well he would probably destroy his entire lab in this temper, Zim stomped over to the surfacing tube, not caring that he hadn't put on his human costume, and found himself back in the living room.
A living room... which was in a complete mess. Cupcakes were everywhere, even on the floor and couch. Mud was strewn across the entire room, with footprints resembling hooves imprinted across the walls. Gir sat in the middle of room, next to Pig. Both were covered in what looked like a combination of chocolate and mud, but one could never be sure.
"GIR?!" Zim yelled. "What happened? Are you malfunctioning again?"
"No master!" Gir shouted back.
"Then what the... What is this?!" Zim gestured to the mess in the room.
"Me and pig decided to redecorate to cheer you up!" Gir said gleefully.
Zim clenched his teeth, on the brink of losing his temper. "I do NOT need cheering up, Gir!"
"Awww... master doesn't like the room," Gir's eyes swelled up with tears.
Zim rolled his eyes at Gir's inability to connect what had been said with what was meant. "No, Gir. I suppose it is..." he held back from saying anything cruel that would probably result in Gir crying again, "...A nice change. But next time ask me first. The cupcakes won't last on the wall forever."
"Okay!" Gir piped up. "Next time we'll use brainfreezies!"
Zim stared at Gir for a second, and then shook his head. "Gir, as much as I enjoy having you back, I do question what it was that I missed about you."
"I love you too, master!"
"That's not what I said Gir," Zim said tersely.
Gir stared at him blankly, and then yelled "Okay!" before returning to the television.
Zim walked into the kitchen to get out the disinfectant and the sponges. He may as well begin cleaning up now. He walked into the room and began to scrub the floor. He had been working for an hour when he noticed Gir was still glued to the t.v.
"Gir, aren't you tired of watching television?" Zim asked. That monkey was beginning to annoy him, even more than Gir himself. "Go out and get a brainfreezy or something."
"Can't, master! It's a 24 hour marathon!"
"24 hours incessantly of the Scary Monkey Show," he said in disbelief.
"Yea! Without commercials too!"
Zim paused, opened his mouth to say something, and decided to go back to work cleaning up. "I swear," he groaned under his breath. "This planet shall be the death of me."
*************************************
"Just leave me alone, Dib. I've had a bad day," Gaz was saying. Dib had interrupted her thought /again/, and now she blinked her eyes as they adjusted against the bright light that flooded into her room. She was peeking out of the door, creaking it open the smallest bit.
"You? You've had a bad day? I was the one being ridiculed at lunch!" Dib said, exasperated.
Gaz grinned, momentarily savoring in the memory of earlier. "Ah, yes, I forgot." She opened her door a bit wider and gave her brother a playful punch. "Don't worry about it, okay? It was all in good fun."
"For you, maybe. Not for me."
"It wasn't so bad, Dib," a smile crept across her face. "You should be proud of yourself. You made Liz laugh. Liz /likes/ it when guys make her laugh."
Dib instantly brightened. "She does, doesn't she?"
Gaz rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Okay. We're all happy now. So go away."
"So long as you're nice about it," he turned around and prepared to walk down the stairs.
Gaz hesitated before closing the door, and finally, she called out to him before he left. "Hey... Dib?"
"Yeah?" he asked, turning back.
She twisted her hands nervously, "I'm not a nice person, am I?"
Dib raised an eyebrow, surprised at the sudden gravity of the question- and even more, who it was coming from. "Well... you're not exactly sugary sweet if that's what you mean."
"Do you think I'm... you know- ice cold?"
"'Course not, Gaz. Humans are normally 98.7 degrees Fahrenheit, about 67 degrees above the freezing point of water."
Gaz gave him a 'look' and he grinned to show he was kidding. "I think you may play tough girl sometimes, but you're far from ice cold. You have just as many emotions as us normal people. You just don't show them as much."
Gaz smiled at that. "Thanks, Dib. For being so nice, I won't pound you for calling me abnormal."
"'Preciate it," he said as he headed downstairs.
She turned around and closed the door softly, trying to get back to what she was doing, and sighed, seeing that Dib had already ruined her train of thought for the second night in a row, so she turned all her lights on and lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.
"GAZ!" Dib yelled up to her. "PHONE!"
Gaz sighed, sitting up. The phone had rang? She didn't even hear it. She must really have been out of it. Gaz picked up the phone and held the receiver to her ear. "Hello?"
"Gaz!" Liz's voice exclaimed from the other end. "I'm so glad I reached you."
"I'm not talking to you," Gaz said, preparing to hang up.
"Oh please, please, please stay on the line," Liz said. "Listen, I'm sorry about today. I was being a real bitch, okay?"
"Yes. Yes you were."
"I shouldn't have pressured you into asking Zim. I mean, you obviously don't like him..."
"And don't forget it."
"It's just..." her voice sounded as if it was about to break. 'That's funny,' Gaz thought. 'Liz's voice rarely sounded like that.' Something must have been up.
"What happened?" Gaz asked, concerned.
"I got into a fight with Xan."
"Over what?"
"I don't even know... he was complaining about something, and one thing led to another, and now we're not even talking."
Gaz sighed. She wanted to be angry at Liz, she really did. But now was not the time. She could yell at her later. Now she had to console her. She really did want to yell at her... yell at *somebody* at least.
"Are you okay?" Gaz softened her voice, trying not to sound as if she were still angry.
"I guess so. I... I don't think we'll be going to Homecoming together," she gave a halfhearted laugh.
"You still can ask Zim. Thank goodness I refused to ask him, right?" Gaz said, not believing the words that were coming out of her mouth. It was something she /had/ to do, though. For selfish reasons, maybe, but at least it would help.
"I... I don't know, Gaz."
"You really like him, don't you?"
"I think so."
"Did you try that 'Writing without thinking' technique I talked to you about today?" Gaz asked. Liz was infatuated with him just yesterday. And though Liz could be impulsive and fickle, there was still hope, right?
"Hey," Liz brightened. "That's an idea. I'll do that."
"Good," Gaz nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow at school, then?"
"Yeah."
They hung up, and Gaz held her hand over the phone for a moment. Should she?
She picked it up and dialed the number.
"Hello?" a voice said from the other end. It sounded uncertain. Nervous, even.
"Zim? It's me, Gaz."
"Gaz?" Zim sounded surprised. Why would Gaz call him? And at this hour? "How did you get this number?"
"Dib's my brother, remember? Anyway, I need to tell you something."
A/N: Yes, yes, yes, it's not done yet! :-) Part III is going to be up... sometime. Yes, sometime! That's a definite promise. And it'll be the last Part... to *this* story anyway.
Keep Your Distance- Part II
"Teacher? Mr. Malone isn't a teacher. Bill Nye the Science Guy is the only teacher we have in that class," Liz was complaining the next day to a game slave enthralled Gaz.
"Mhmm," Gaz mumbled as she reached level 20 and began blasting the brains out of literally everything around her in the virtual world.
"That's all he shows. Old science videos of a guy that's probably dead," Liz shut her locker, exasperated, and turned to Gaz.
"Mhmm," Gaz agreed.
"And..." Liz glared at Gaz, "So then I told Zim you'd be going to Homecoming with him instead of me."
"Mhm- WHAT?!" Gaz looked up from her game and gave Liz a piercing stare. "You'd better be joking or I will personally remove your-"
"Cool it, cool it, I'm joking," Liz grinned. "Like I'd ever let you have Zim."
"Mhmm..." Gaz said, going back to her game slave.
"Gaz!" Liz stomped her foot on the floor. "I did that to get your attention, not have you go off into game world again!"
"Okay, okay," Gaz shut it off and put it back in her backpack. "Principal Stillmon threatened to take it away from me if he ever caught me playing with it on school grounds again anyway."
"Don't you have a backup?"
"Three. But that doesn't mean I'm not emotionally attached to all of them."
"And you say I have a problem..." Liz shook her head and began walking toward the cafeteria. "Anyway, actually I'm glad you stopped me yesterday, from asking Zim."
"Really?"
"Yes. It has given me time to prepare!" Liz lifted a triumphant hand in the air.
"May I remind you that /you/ are the one setting yourself up for defeat, and that /you/ are the one that will be hurt, and /I/ tried to stop you to be best of my ability that doesn't involve my fist."
"You just don't understand love," Liz sighed.
"Yes I do. I have a love for my game slave, and that's secure enough. My game slave will never dump me. My game slave will never reject me. And my game slave will never stand me up. My game slave is completely loyal."
"You do realize you're talking about a piece of machinery, right?"
"Yes. Yes I do."
"Gaz, for the life of me I don't think you've ever liked a guy."
"I haven't. They're all stupid, suffer from ADD, and they smell."
"Okay, so Zim isn't lemony fresh, but I bet you he cleans up real well. Besides, what's so wrong with liking a guy?"
"Never really interested me."
"Oh come on. I'm sure some guy has your heart beating twenty miles a minute."
"Nope."
Liz sighed and shook her head. "Well, I think it's no surprise that guys aren't chasing you. You have no love interest except for that game slave thing... and beyond that, face it, Gaz, you're ice cold."
Gaz grumbled at that and frowned. "I don't really care either way."
"I think you do," Liz smiled. "You're just afraid to show it."
"Liz, you're the kind of person that would do anything for a guy to show him how much you care. And every time, it never works out. Why is that?"
Liz thought for a second. "Because I discover the guy's a pig headed jerk, and not worth my time."
"Then why are you after Zim? I mean, you barely know him."
"Zim's different. And one must go through many tests to separate all the minnows from the... the..."
"Bass?" Gaz offered.
"Yeah."
********************************************
Knock. Knock. Knock.
It was much later in the day, and she was trying to rest. "Why can't I ever get some peace around here?" Gaz complained as she lurched up from the bed and glared hatefully toward the door. "What is it?" she shrilled.
"Who else would it be?" came the voice from behind the door. "Open up."
Gaz flung the door open and switched on the light. "What is it, Dib? I was *trying* to relax before you bothered me."
"Sor-ry," Dib muttered, pushing his glasses up higher on his nose. He leaned on the side of the door. "Just wanted to say that you're on your own for dinner tonight, so don't go starving at 9:00 thinking I'm going to make you something."
"Fantastic. I don't feel like getting poisoned tonight anyway," Gaz's voice was dripping with sarcasm. She knew better than to ask about their dad- even if he were here, he would never make dinner. If Dib's cooking was like poison, Membrane's would have to be the result of a toxic spill. Gaz narrowed her eyes at her brother and raised a curious eyebrow. "And just where are you going?"
"Meeting," he muttered, standing up straight again and buttoning up his trenchcoat.
"Oh... yes. Another gathering of Paranormal Freaks Anonymous," Gaz sat down on a chair behind her and crossed her arms as her brother flashed an obvious grin, humored, she supposed, at her comment. Ever since he entered high school he couldn't have been happier. Since high school was so populated, freaks found other freaks, and they banned together in their own outcasted clique. As if things couldn't get worse, they then formed their own club, Dib being president of course. They actually /believed/ half of the stuff Dib said, which was scary in itself.
"Call it what you want, Gaz. You're just mad because you weren't accepted into any group of your own."
Gaz rolled her eyes. "Acceptance is the last thing I would ever want. I'd shoot myself if I were ever accepted into society."
"I'll help."
Gaz stood up, now, bothered by his presence. "Are you done, yet? I was kind of enjoying my alone time before /somebody/ came in and ruined it."
"Sure... sure. Hey... how's Liz by the way?"
Gaz grinned. Dib has had a crush on her ever since the day Liz and Gaz became friends. Liz, of course, never really showed an interest in him... ever. She generally ignored him, actually, unless it involved homework and school projects. "Liz is fine. So is her latest crush."
"Oh?" Dib raised an interested eyebrow.
"Yes," Gaz said, thoroughly enjoying this, and walking forward toward Dib as she talked. "I think she's going to ask him to Homecoming."
"Oh, really?" Dib said, too intrigued to notice his sister's advance.
"Yep." Gaz then took this time to push him out the door, slamming it behind him. "I think it'll be Zim's first dance, wouldn't you say so?"
"ZIM?!" Dib practically screamed.
Gaz smiled and locked the door before he could get in. Things rarely ever changed with Dib.
"C'mon, Gaz, fess up," Dib said, banging on the door. "Tell me everything!"
"You're going to be late for your meeting of the Paranormal Freaks Anonymous, Dib," Gaz said casually from the opposite side of the door.
"That's Paranormal Faction Anonymous!" Dib corrected. "AND TELL ME ABOUT LIZ AND ZIM!"
"Tuh," Gaz laughed under her breath. Dib was so gullible, it was actually quite funny. As much as he'd 'studied' Zim, he couldn't tell a lie from a truth. Gaz knew a lot about the way Zim had acted (mostly because of her brother's constant obsession since who knows how long ago). Zim hated the world more than even she did, and only by some miracle would he ever be romantically interested in anyone. Even if it was a feigned romantic interest. There was no way he could pull it off.
"Your friend is in danger, you know!" Dib continued with his rant. "He'll lay eggs in her stomach! He'll implant chips into her brain! He'll use her to procreate his own army of fused Irkumans, and use them to take over the world! Zim wasn't at school today. THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT HE WAS DOING!!!"
"I cannot believe you still think Zim is an alien," Gaz muttered through the door, grinning at the stupidity of what he'd just said and wondering what the hell an Irkuman was. "Obviously, someone hasn't grown up since 5th grade."
"Things are different now! I even have followers who believe me!"
And thus the rant went on.
Gaz waited until her brother had given up and finally gone to that stupid meeting before tidying up her room a bit, then making her way downstairs to find something to eat. It wasn't too late, but her stomach growled for some junk food right about now.
Five minutes later she found herself back in her room with a bag of chips and a week old brainfreezy that was not quite finished. Not much of a dinner, but still better than nothing. The house was quiet, and that was the way she liked it. It almost made her feel independent in a way- she imagined living on her own, without an annoying brother to worry about invading her private space.
She sat down and began to eat, ticked because she was now pulled away from her deep thought and forced to confront her current angst, all because stupid Dib had interrupted her thought. Instead of thinking about her next poem, or possibly what the boiling point of blood would be (it was a fun subject to toy around with), she had to think about her current problem- Liz.
Sometimes she did question her and Liz's friendship- they were never really compatible. The only thing that kept them together was some intangible thing. In a way, they were both rejects of society, and that suited them both fine. Just because they were rejects didn't mean they had to rule their lives the exact same way.
Lately Liz's infatuation with Zim was becoming more and more tiresome to deal with. It was something straight out of one of those corny teen dramas, and stupid in itself. Gaz knew Zim would reject her, and when he did, she would be crying and moaning for about a week. Maybe more, because she generally seemed to be more attracted to Zim than any of her other 'interests'.
Gaz stood up to pop in a Kittie CD into her CD player and fell onto her bed, trying to block her broken thoughts once again and focus on a different matter. What Liz had said earlier today was really bothering her.
But Gaz couldn't let something like that get to her. It was stupid. She rarely let what Liz say to her really get underneath her skin, but for some reason, this leech-like comment crawled beneath there and then some.
Sighing, Gaz stood up, turned off the light, and plugged in her headphones to the CD player.
***************************************
Zim poked slightly at the small, bready object that lay before him. In response, a slather of mayonnaise dripped off one of the edges onto the napkin it lay under. Zim pushed it away, disgusted. Sandwiches here were /not/ like the ones on Irk.
He looked up to the sky, enjoying the momentary peace. For once Alumni walk was generally empty, mostly because the majority of the human organizations met today, and all the fools with their trivial lives scuttled off to make society proud. Disgusting.
His joyful moment ended as soon as he saw Dib heading his way.
"Wonderful," Zim said, cursing under his breath. He looked up at Dib as he approached and smiled as sickeningly sweet as he could. "Hello, human stinkbeast."
"Insipid Irken," came Dib's reply as he sat down on a bench parallel to Zim's.
The two glared at each other in silence for a moment or two. Then, Dib spoke.
"So... I hear that you've found another plan to take over the world."
Zim cocked his (invisible) eyebrow. "What are you talking about, human? You've infiltrated my lab before- you know things are at a standstill until the Armada comes."
"Or so you say. Who knows? Maybe the Armada is on it's way," Dib sneered.
"That's highly doubtful," Zim muttered under his breath.
"But that isn't important right now, is it?" Dib continued, his voice suddenly becoming rigid and sharp. He slammed his fist on the bench. "You had better stay away from her or else I'll-"
"And we're talking about who?" Zim asked evenly.
Dib laughed in a tone that was not at all congenial. "You know who I'm talking about, Zim. Stay away from her," he repeated. "Or else."
And with that, Dib stood up and walked off.
Zim leaned back on the bench, glaring at the human in curiosity as he walked away. Surely he could not have been talking about Gaz. He had ignored and despised all of the Membrane progeny.
But that enigma was the least of his worries now. He pushed it to the back of his mind to focus on another subject- the S.I.R. unit. He was still trying to figure out what happened to Gir. Surely it was not some overnight cure. That was impossible.
Yesterday Zim didn't come to school, mainly for two reasons. The first was that he wanted to keep Gir under a close eye to make sure the robot was still functioning properly (for all he knew, the side effects could have gone 'dormant' for a little bit, then come back full blast). The second was that he wanted to investigate the 'solution' further, but no clues had been found.
Gir just seemed to mysteriously get better. But that was impossible. He was a robot! Robots just didn't become... 'fixed' on their own. Yet, there was a perfectly possible chance that he had got into some internal controls of something and just shocked himself back to normal.
Of course... the human nuisances Liz and Gaz had come over to pester him earlier that day. But they were both... well, /human/. They couldn't possibly have enough access or knowledge of Irken technology to fix Gir. Or could they?
Liz... Liz's father worked in electronics, that Zim knew from a class project Liz had done just not a few weeks ago, where she had asked the male parent to come in and do a discussion with the class about something Zim didn't even pay attention to. She could have easily gotten technological information from him.
Zim stood up and threw the sandwich away, making his way toward 'Freshman Circle'- a sort of pavilion where most of the younger human students stayed, and sometimes Liz and Gaz. He would find his answers there.
**********************************************
"That," Gaz said, looking up from her paper to give Liz a 'look', "Is one of the stupidest ideas I have ever heard. /That/ is your big plan to confront Zim about Homecoming?"
"What?" Liz asked, leaning on the desk.
Gaz glanced back at their teacher, who was now too preoccupied with another student to notice their garrulous actions. They were supposed to be writing descriptive poems in groups. Key word there is 'supposed' to. She turned back to Liz.
"I refuse to assist you in any of your stupid schemes! You said you were just joking!"
"Yeah, but it turned out not to be such a bad idea! Please, please, please, please, PLEASE? You said it yourself- you know a lot about Zim."
"I didn't say it! You did!"
"And you agreed. It's the same thing."
Gaz looked down at the diagram on Liz's desk and picked it up. "I feel sorry for you, Liz. You must have spent a lot of time doing this, and it shall all go to waste because I'm. Not. Helping! Why are you dragging me into this anyway? You're the one that has a crush on him!"
"Well..." Liz blushed. Her eyes slid back up to Liz. "Xan asked me to Homecoming."
"When?!"
"Yesterday night. He... he called me."
"What did you say?"
"I said I'd think about it. I mean... he can be a jerk and all... but he has his sweet moments...and I couldn't just drop him... I would feel horrible and then I wouldn't have a good time at Homecoming."
Gaz sighed, tossing the blueprint back onto Liz's desk and picked up her pencil, looking around the room for something to describe so she could get the essay done with. "I'm not going to do it. I told you that already. And even if I *was*-"
"Ha! We're getting one step closer!"
"I'm being rhetorical."
"That's still one step closer!"
Gaz sighed, rolled her eyes, and continued. "Even if I *was* going to be a good friend and do it for you- which I'm not and I won't- it's not like Zim is going to say yes."
"Which would leave me to have Xan and still be happy! But if Zim does say yes, I can vacillate-"
"There is no vacillating in relationships, Liz! And to think this all could have been solved with a few simple words: 'No Xan, you're a jerk and I wouldn't be seen dead with you at Homecoming, so go ask some bimbo on the cheerleading squad because I refuse to be your puppet.'"
"Those weren't a few simple words," Liz pointed out.
"Shut up," Gaz's eyes fell onto the teacher's desk and focused where a metallic pen sat. It was really a nice pen, with a blue chrome finish and silver blades surfacing out of the side, adding an aesthetic sort of genre to the pen. Gaz looked down to her paper and wrote:
Silver and shiny and sheen.
Sharp in the sun's yellow gleam.
It can draw letters,
It can draw art,
It can draw blood with a scream.
If angled like any utensil,
Like 'The Faculty' (well, they used a pencil),
It can pierce through a part,
It can pierce through a heart,
Leave a brand lack the need of a stencil.
Liz leaned over and read the poem, then looked up at Gaz and grinned. "I like it. It's very..."
"Romantic? I thought so too," Gaz said, obviously pleased with herself, filling in her name, date, and period in the top right hand corner.
"That really wasn't the word I was looking for."
Gaz held the paper up in Liz's face and shook it a few times for effect. "It is. See? It mentions a heart. That's romantic."
"But you're talking about stabbing it with a pen."
"Like I said. As far as I'm going to go on the topic of romance."
Liz stared at her for a moment, then shook her head. "You're very disturbing."
BRIIIIIIING!
Gaz stood up and turned her paper in. "Let's go to lunch. I'm suddenly hungry for something with ketchup."
About ten minutes later, they found themselves sitting at a bench in the plaza, a section next to freshman circle. Gaz sat, satisfied, with a plate of the school's spaghetti.
"Can I have some of your fries?" she asked Liz. Liz nodded and Gaz dipped the entire fry in ketchup before consuming it. She swallowed it completely before speaking. "Listen, Liz. You're my best friend, so I'm going to tell it to you straight. You'd do better staying away from Zim. He isn't who you think he is. I mean... love? Come on."
Liz paused. "I'm not even sure it's love. But there's something about Zim..." she shook her head. "I'm going to sound strange, but there's something *about* him that you just don't find in other guys."
"Of course not! He's insane!"
"It's not that... It's just something I can't explain. C'mon, Gaz, don't tell me you're not the least bit attracted to those dark, deep, and mysterious types."
"I'm not attracted to any type."
Liz nodded. "Understandable." She stopped and met Gaz's eyes for a moment. "But Gaz... you're the only person I know that can help me with this. I don't know what I feel anymore. And I mean, you've got spark inside you- I've seen your poems."
Gaz sighed. "Okay. I'll admit it if you leave me alone. I've got spark."
"So... tell me how to get out my emotions. Like you do."
Shaking her head, Gaz put her fork down for a moment. "Now way. I'm going to sound weird."
"Please, Gaz. I've known you for almost three years. You haven't weirded me out just yet."
"Fine..." Gaz sighed. "Fine I'll tell you. But you've got to promise not to laugh."
Liz held up her right hand. "I promise."
Gaz paused to take another bite of her spaghetti before continuing. "In order to get your deepest emotions out, you can't think too hard about it. If you do, you'll never be able to confront anything."
"Doesn't sound weird so far," Liz input.
Gaz nodded, "Yeah... well... in order to get those emotions out, you have to work in a certain 'zone'. What helps is to go into a room where you know no one will disturb you- I usually go to my bedroom. Then you turn off the lights, and stay there in the darkness for a long time. Light a few candles. Sit on the floor, very still. You know, get in the mood."
"Then what?" Liz asked, leaning forward, interested.
"Then, I put my headphones on, and blast my music really loud. So loud that I can't think. That's the whole idea. You don't want to /think/ about what you're writing- you'll never, ever get anything truthful out on paper that way. You just want to write. Ironically, writing what you're thinking without thinking what you're writing is the only most effective way to get your soul on a piece of paper."
"So poetic," Liz grinned.
Gaz nodded. "Then, with the music blaring, you take out your journal, close your eyes, and write. Don't worry about how crappy your writing may come out, or if you might go over the edge of the paper, just write- what you want, how you want."
"And that works?"
"Would I be telling you if it didn't?"
"Okay... so, what happens once you're done writing?"
"Well, if you find yourself brave, you do the opposite of everything. Instead of darkness, turn some lights on. Instead of music, give yourself silence. Sit on the table, blow out the candles. Then you read what you wrote."
"And that's all?"
"That's all."
"Thank you /so/ much Gaz. You're a great help."
"I'm going to regret this," Gaz muttered, stealing another fry from Liz.
"Hey!"
"Compensation," Gaz said as she popped it into her mouth.
"Look," Liz pointed out towards Freshman Circle, blushing slightly as she did so.
Gaz looked up to see Zim, wandering around the benches, looking a little lost.
"Hey, Zim!" Liz yelled, waving her hand in the air. Zim turned in their direction.
"Don't call him over here!" Gaz snapped at her, but stopped when she saw that Zim had actually decided to do just that.
"Hello Liz... Gaz..." Zim nodded in their direction as he approached them.
"What's up?" Liz asked, eyes shining. Gaz rolled her eyes at her friend's blatant actions.
"Liz," he paused, as if thinking something over, and then continued, "Your father works in electronics, correct?"
"Yeah," she nodded.
"Do you happen to know anything... specific about machines?"
"I do know a great deal," Liz piped up, happy that Zim was actually having a conversation with her that didn't involve demands for her to 'get out of the way' or 'go away'. "When my dad comes home from work, he thinks we're all so interested in knowing what he did for the day down to every little chip and bolt."
"That is... interesting. And you listen?"
Liz laughed. "I don't have a choice."
"And what of you, Gaz?"
Gaz blinked. Then she smiled and held up her game slave. "This is the only thing I know how to fix."
"Liz!" yelled a voice from behind them.
Gaz leaned over to get a better view and Liz let out a groan as they saw Dib walking toward them. Zim turned around and smiled- once Dib saw him there, his once cheerful face instantly darkened.
"What are you doing here, Zim?" he asked as he steadily approached.
"Just talking to Liz and Gaz," Zim said innocently, holding up his hands to show that he meant no harm.
"Bull. You never 'just talk'. What's the real reason?" Dib peered at him angrily.
"None of your business," Zim said, returning the glare.
"Calm down, Dib," Liz piped up. "Zim was just asking about electronics."
"I can testify," Gaz added.
"And..." Liz, slyly grinning, poked her elbow into Gaz's ribcage. "Gaz was just about to ask Zim something."
"Ow! My spleen!" Gaz snapped. "I was /not/ about to ask Zim anything, Liz, /you/ were about to ask Zim something."
"Okay, I'll ask," Liz shrugged.
"NO!" Gaz yelled, realizing her mistake.
Zim stared blankly at the both of them. "And, what was I about to be asked... if I may ask?"
Dib crossed his arms, obviously interested as well to hear what the question was.
"Gaz wanted to know if-" Liz began, but soon Gaz's hand was clamped over her mouth.
"I... wanted to know if Gir was doing better," Gaz spoke up.
"Gir? How did you know about Gir?" Zim froze.
"When we went over to your house," Gaz said in a 'duh' tone of voice.
"Oh. Well... Gir is actually doing fine."
"Good, because we were both really worried about him," Liz's muffled voice said from behind Gaz's hand.
"Sort of," Gaz glared at Liz.
"What were you two doing at Zim's house?" Dib yelled, exasperated. "Don't you know he's dangerous? He'll rip out your lungs and replace them with those little mooing toys! He'll turn your brains into mush! He'll perform experiments on your bodies!!!"
Gaz stared blankly at Dib, then sighed. "And here I was, Dib, thinking that you've actually matured."
"You thought I matured?"
"Well, no, but I hoped you would."
"Please, Dib," Zim sighed with a smirk on his face. "As if I'd let myself do something so /primitive/." He paused for a mock-dramatic effect and then continued. "If I really wanted to use Liz and Gaz for my *personal* experimentation, I'd first lead them on to *think* I was their friend. And then of course, I'd stalk them by night. When I gathered enough information I'd use my superior technology to abduct them while their sleeping up to my spaceship, in space, and THERE I would perform my experiments," he grinned wildly. "After all, I *am* an alien, remember, /Dib/?"
Liz held back a laugh and Gaz grinned, trying to see what Dib's reaction would be.
"I knew it! I KNEW IT! You admit it!!!" Dib yelled, pointing an accusing finger at Zim and leaping up on a bench next to him. "You're an alien! You've come to take over OUR planet!"
Liz gave Dib a weird look and held back her laughter no longer. Gaz slapped her forehead- sometimes her brother could be a real numbskull.
Zim smiled, obviously pleased with himself, then glanced down to Gaz, giving her a 'wink'. "In fact, Dib, I think it's time for phase three of my abduction."
"What are you talking about?" Dib asked with serious regard, ignoring Liz's laughter.
"I have a headache," Gaz said suddenly, standing up. She avoided Dib's sudden look of concern. "It feels... like something's hammering my brain...." She cringed and fell to her knees, hiding her face with her hands, and then, all at once, stopped cringing. She lifted her head and put a dull, emotionless expression on her face. "Must... bow down... to Emperor Zim..." Trying to hide a grin, she bowed on the ground before him. "Zim is my master. I must worship him. I must obey him. ALL MUST OBEY ZIM!"
"Gaz, no!" Dib gasped.
Gaz and Liz exchanged glances and they burst into a fit of laughter.
"Right over your head, Dib," Liz said between breaths, "Oh my gosh... my chest hurts..." She stopped momentarily and then burst out laughing again.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he grumbled, obviously humiliated. He stuck his hands in his coat pockets and looked off, blushing furiously.
Gaz felt a tinge of guilt as he walked away, hurt, but then she caught Liz attempting to stifle her laugh and they ended up rolling on the ground again, laughing their heads off.
"That was so good, Zim," Liz said.
"It has brightened my day for now," he smiled, watching Dib until he disappeared into the main hallway.
Gaz sat back down, brushing herself off, taking in a few deep breathes to recover. "Mine too. But I'm going to have an earfull when I get home tonight. Ahhh... the price I pay for being a Membrane."
Zim nodded as if in agreement, and then, without another word, walked off in the opposite direction that Dib had left.
"He didn't even say goodbye," Liz sniffled.
Gaz rolled her eyes. "I still have no idea why the hell you like him. I mean, okay, it's fun using him to torture my brother but still..."
"That's what confuses me too. I don't know why I like him, I just think he's a little green cutie."
"You've have to be blind to think that freaky, green skinned... thing was cute."
"So, are you going to ask him or what?" Liz asked suddenly.
"Ask him what?"
"About Homecoming!"
"NO."
"Please, Gaz. Come on. You know how important this is to me!"
"No, no, no, for a million times no, Liz," Gaz said angrily. Her once good mood was shattered. "Stop asking, because all you're going to get is the same answer!"
"I don't know why you're being so rude about it," Liz pouted.
"You, Liz, are impossible," Gaz grumbled. Abruptly, she had lost her appetite. She stood up and threw away her lunch, almost knocking into a guy that had just approached them.
"Woah," the guy jumped back. "Hey there."
Gaz glared up at him, trying to get him to see that he was standing in her way. Stupidly, he just stood there. She shoved her way through him, muttering "Hi, Xan," as she did so. Once she had reached ten steps, she turned around to see if Liz would follow her- but Liz was currently busy talking to Xan with that goofy grin on her face again. It was useless! Gaz spun around and walked off, fuming.
******************************************
Zim tapped his claw-like fingers impatiently on the console, waiting in anticipation for the transmission to go through. It had been months since he last contacted the Almighty Tallests, but for some reason, Zim didn't think that bothered them much. He felt anxious to do it again, however- even if it meant the letdown of hearing them postpone the armada's arrival for another year. Contacting the Tallests was his only connection to reality; the only way he still felt Irken. Being on this planet for so long made him feel defiled- inirken, in a way. Some days he would wake up, and lose that natural Irken feeling of power and strength. He'd feel vulnerable, and weak, and empty. Almost... /human/. A feeling he could not forget, and an emotion that was so terrible he would instantly wish painfully for just a glimpse of home... Of course, nothing could satisfy that wish except a transmission.
"Invaders do not get homesick," Zim sneered at himself under his breath, but even he could not ignore the growing excitement deep within his stomach as the transmission rate increased from 48% to 57%. He was almost there.
He'd be able to see his superiors again. He'd see the regulation Irken C.P.U.'s from inside the Tallests' ship and even get a glimpse of the other Irkens. Pathetic, yes, but Zim knew how to hide his feelings of absolute pleasure. Now, the transmissions were the only things that made him happy anymore. With the exceptions of Gir doing a few obsolete, silly things to which Zim could not help but crack a smile.
The transmission rate increased from 57% to 65%.
Zim clenched his fist impatiently, scrutinizing the screen while fully knowing that it would only make his wait seem longer. Sighing, he attempted to relax. How did things come down to this? Five years ago he had come with aspirations, and hopes, and dreams. He /knew/ he'd be victorious in conquering over Earth someday. He /knew/ he'd bring the humans to their knees. He /knew/ he'd defeat Dib, and regain the honor he had before destroying his reputation in Operation: Impending Doom I. So why hadn't he? Why was he still forced to remain on this useless planet, waiting for the armada that would probably never come, waiting to gain back his Irken core that he could no longer recognize within himself? Why did he have to wait to make these futile transmissions, when he was always, always let down?
Why was his one source of happiness the central source of pain?
"Ask yourself any more questions, Zim," he muttered to himself under his breath, "And you just may get the answers you don't want."
A sharp clanging sound erupted from behind him and Zim spun around, the metal arms exposing themselves out of his backpack, extended and ready. At that moment, Gir fell out from the ceiling and onto the floor. "Hi master!"
"Gir," Zim sighed, relaxing as his metal arms contracted back into his backpack. "What do you think you are doing?"
"Umm..." Gir's eyes squinted as if he were in deep thought. They became round again. "I'm playing hide n' go seek!"
Zim gave him a look of concern. "With... who?"
"With... you! I found you, master! It's your turn!"
Zim turned back to the console. It was at 85%.
"I do not have time to play games, Gir. I'm making a very important transmission to Irk."
"Awww... master always gets sad when he talks to Irk," Gir said, slumping back up to the house entrance tube.
Zim looked back at the screen, grimacing. Sad? An Invader does not become sad. Disappointed, yes, but surely not sad. He began to tap his fingers impatiently again. Could this take ANY longer???
"Transmission cut off at 99%" the computer said, suddenly.
"WHAT?!" Zim yelled, frantically trying to override the block. He fell back into his chair in defeat. After all that waiting... he pounded the console in anger.
"Incoming transmission. Switching upload to download," the computer said.
Zim peered at the computer screen, interested. He was actually getting a transmission? From the Tallests? That stirring feeling within him surfaced again as the screen opened up to the view of the two Irken leaders.
"My Tallests..." Zim said, smiling. "This is certainly a surprise."
"Zim," Almighty Tallest Red said, returning the smile. "Yes, it is. How is Earth?"
"Earth is still as weak as ever," Zim's voice regained its gravity. "Would you like me to dispatch the report?"
"No, that's quite alright, Zim," Almighty Tallest Purple said. "We knew you would be sending us a transmission soon-"
"Once every six months!" Zim cut in, jovially.
"Yes... well, that shall no longer be necessary."
"Does this mean that you are finally sending the armada?" Zim asked hopefully.
"Yes, Zim, we are," Red said with an air of contempt. Zim felt like cheering. THIS was his moment! This was what he had waited for so long for!
"But before you get all excited about it," he stopped to give Zim a glare. "We're not going to send it for 17 kriells."
"Seventeen kriells..." Zim gaped. He pulled out a universal translation unit and computed it. "But that's almost four earth years!"
"You've already spent five, haven't you?" Purple asked. "What's another four?"
Zim slammed his fist on the console pad. "Because that means spending another four years with these miserable humans, another four years finding ways to conceal my identity, and another four years of putting up with that foul human-"
"You mean you haven't gotten rid of Dib /yet/?" Red asked, snickering.
Zim's face burned. Ever since Dib had hacked into his console a year ago and actually contacted the Tallests himself, he never heard the end of it. He was angry at himself for even bringing the subject up. "No," Zim sneered, "I have yet to destroy him."
This sent the entire crew aboard the ship into laughter, and Zim's fist tightened so hard he thought it might bleed. The only thing he hated worse than defeat was being ridiculed.
"Yes, yes, yes, it's all very funny. But I really would like to know why you are putting off the armada's arrival for so long," Zim said tersely, trying not to show offence.
"Yes, well we've come into quite some trouble with the slaughtering rat people... a war's broken out with the vicious things," Red said, still snickering.
"War? Let me come and help!" Zim said. He wanted to get off of this planet, no matter what it took.
"No, NO!" Purple yelled suddenly. "We do not need your 'help', Zim. Besides, you need to stay no Earth..."
"To protect it. You know, from planet jackers, and... all that other stuff," Red added.
"But Earth is FINE," Zim objected. He gestured to above him. "The worthless humans are not going anywhere- they barely have technology to reach planets within their own solar system- and I am sure no one else is interested in this piece of space junk, either."
"Zim, it's final. Stay on Earth. We'll send the armada in seventeen kriells, as soon as the war is over," Purple said calmly.
"No! I cannot stand it here! My Tallests-" Zim yelled.
"Are you objecting to us, Zim?" Purple asked suddenly, his voice become solid and sharp. "Going against our orders?"
"No," Zim grumbled, sitting back down in his chair.
"It's /over/ Zim. Our decision is final," Red said, a little more gently. He began to laugh. "In the meantime, why don't you try getting rid of Dib? After all, he *is* only a worthless human, correct?"
The screen faded to black, and red Irken letters flashed across it, translating in English roughly to: Transmission End.
"Dammit!" Zim cursed, slamming his fist on the console again, his face burning from a mix of anger and shame. Something from the back of his mind screamed 'human term', but he could care less. He turned and slammed his fist into a nearby machine, which dented upon impact. Knowing fully well he would probably destroy his entire lab in this temper, Zim stomped over to the surfacing tube, not caring that he hadn't put on his human costume, and found himself back in the living room.
A living room... which was in a complete mess. Cupcakes were everywhere, even on the floor and couch. Mud was strewn across the entire room, with footprints resembling hooves imprinted across the walls. Gir sat in the middle of room, next to Pig. Both were covered in what looked like a combination of chocolate and mud, but one could never be sure.
"GIR?!" Zim yelled. "What happened? Are you malfunctioning again?"
"No master!" Gir shouted back.
"Then what the... What is this?!" Zim gestured to the mess in the room.
"Me and pig decided to redecorate to cheer you up!" Gir said gleefully.
Zim clenched his teeth, on the brink of losing his temper. "I do NOT need cheering up, Gir!"
"Awww... master doesn't like the room," Gir's eyes swelled up with tears.
Zim rolled his eyes at Gir's inability to connect what had been said with what was meant. "No, Gir. I suppose it is..." he held back from saying anything cruel that would probably result in Gir crying again, "...A nice change. But next time ask me first. The cupcakes won't last on the wall forever."
"Okay!" Gir piped up. "Next time we'll use brainfreezies!"
Zim stared at Gir for a second, and then shook his head. "Gir, as much as I enjoy having you back, I do question what it was that I missed about you."
"I love you too, master!"
"That's not what I said Gir," Zim said tersely.
Gir stared at him blankly, and then yelled "Okay!" before returning to the television.
Zim walked into the kitchen to get out the disinfectant and the sponges. He may as well begin cleaning up now. He walked into the room and began to scrub the floor. He had been working for an hour when he noticed Gir was still glued to the t.v.
"Gir, aren't you tired of watching television?" Zim asked. That monkey was beginning to annoy him, even more than Gir himself. "Go out and get a brainfreezy or something."
"Can't, master! It's a 24 hour marathon!"
"24 hours incessantly of the Scary Monkey Show," he said in disbelief.
"Yea! Without commercials too!"
Zim paused, opened his mouth to say something, and decided to go back to work cleaning up. "I swear," he groaned under his breath. "This planet shall be the death of me."
*************************************
"Just leave me alone, Dib. I've had a bad day," Gaz was saying. Dib had interrupted her thought /again/, and now she blinked her eyes as they adjusted against the bright light that flooded into her room. She was peeking out of the door, creaking it open the smallest bit.
"You? You've had a bad day? I was the one being ridiculed at lunch!" Dib said, exasperated.
Gaz grinned, momentarily savoring in the memory of earlier. "Ah, yes, I forgot." She opened her door a bit wider and gave her brother a playful punch. "Don't worry about it, okay? It was all in good fun."
"For you, maybe. Not for me."
"It wasn't so bad, Dib," a smile crept across her face. "You should be proud of yourself. You made Liz laugh. Liz /likes/ it when guys make her laugh."
Dib instantly brightened. "She does, doesn't she?"
Gaz rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Okay. We're all happy now. So go away."
"So long as you're nice about it," he turned around and prepared to walk down the stairs.
Gaz hesitated before closing the door, and finally, she called out to him before he left. "Hey... Dib?"
"Yeah?" he asked, turning back.
She twisted her hands nervously, "I'm not a nice person, am I?"
Dib raised an eyebrow, surprised at the sudden gravity of the question- and even more, who it was coming from. "Well... you're not exactly sugary sweet if that's what you mean."
"Do you think I'm... you know- ice cold?"
"'Course not, Gaz. Humans are normally 98.7 degrees Fahrenheit, about 67 degrees above the freezing point of water."
Gaz gave him a 'look' and he grinned to show he was kidding. "I think you may play tough girl sometimes, but you're far from ice cold. You have just as many emotions as us normal people. You just don't show them as much."
Gaz smiled at that. "Thanks, Dib. For being so nice, I won't pound you for calling me abnormal."
"'Preciate it," he said as he headed downstairs.
She turned around and closed the door softly, trying to get back to what she was doing, and sighed, seeing that Dib had already ruined her train of thought for the second night in a row, so she turned all her lights on and lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.
"GAZ!" Dib yelled up to her. "PHONE!"
Gaz sighed, sitting up. The phone had rang? She didn't even hear it. She must really have been out of it. Gaz picked up the phone and held the receiver to her ear. "Hello?"
"Gaz!" Liz's voice exclaimed from the other end. "I'm so glad I reached you."
"I'm not talking to you," Gaz said, preparing to hang up.
"Oh please, please, please stay on the line," Liz said. "Listen, I'm sorry about today. I was being a real bitch, okay?"
"Yes. Yes you were."
"I shouldn't have pressured you into asking Zim. I mean, you obviously don't like him..."
"And don't forget it."
"It's just..." her voice sounded as if it was about to break. 'That's funny,' Gaz thought. 'Liz's voice rarely sounded like that.' Something must have been up.
"What happened?" Gaz asked, concerned.
"I got into a fight with Xan."
"Over what?"
"I don't even know... he was complaining about something, and one thing led to another, and now we're not even talking."
Gaz sighed. She wanted to be angry at Liz, she really did. But now was not the time. She could yell at her later. Now she had to console her. She really did want to yell at her... yell at *somebody* at least.
"Are you okay?" Gaz softened her voice, trying not to sound as if she were still angry.
"I guess so. I... I don't think we'll be going to Homecoming together," she gave a halfhearted laugh.
"You still can ask Zim. Thank goodness I refused to ask him, right?" Gaz said, not believing the words that were coming out of her mouth. It was something she /had/ to do, though. For selfish reasons, maybe, but at least it would help.
"I... I don't know, Gaz."
"You really like him, don't you?"
"I think so."
"Did you try that 'Writing without thinking' technique I talked to you about today?" Gaz asked. Liz was infatuated with him just yesterday. And though Liz could be impulsive and fickle, there was still hope, right?
"Hey," Liz brightened. "That's an idea. I'll do that."
"Good," Gaz nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow at school, then?"
"Yeah."
They hung up, and Gaz held her hand over the phone for a moment. Should she?
She picked it up and dialed the number.
"Hello?" a voice said from the other end. It sounded uncertain. Nervous, even.
"Zim? It's me, Gaz."
"Gaz?" Zim sounded surprised. Why would Gaz call him? And at this hour? "How did you get this number?"
"Dib's my brother, remember? Anyway, I need to tell you something."
A/N: Yes, yes, yes, it's not done yet! :-) Part III is going to be up... sometime. Yes, sometime! That's a definite promise. And it'll be the last Part... to *this* story anyway.