Title: Surprise!

Inspiration: My friend had a random vision of Zim battling balloons…this happened in my head when she told me.

Written: 07/10/2012

I DO NOT OWN INVADER ZIM. Sadly.

Zim sighed as he stared out the classroom window. Skool was almost over, and he could finally leave. He was in 10th grade now, and he'd changed quite a bit. He'd replaced his long shirt with a slightly tighter, shorter one that featured the irken symbol blocked by a gloved fist on the front. This one stopped right at his hips, instead of mid-thigh. He kept his black boots, but now wore stone washed ripped skinny jeans with a chain instead of his black skinnies. His wig was different too, it was longer and the bangs covered one eye.

His gaze strayed from the window to his desk. He just wanted to go home, curl up on the couch with some irken tea, and watch some television with Gir. He wanted to forget about his mixed feelings about that day. Of course, no one knew -let alone cared- what that day was. He'd never told anyone anyways.

Suddenly, a piece of paper hit him on the left side of his head. Furrowing his non-existent eyebrows, he glanced at Dib who was doing an unfolding motion with his hands. Zim uncrumpled the paper, and read the note.

What's wrong?

Zim grabbed his pen and jotted down his answer.

Nothing. Why?

Zim and Dib had banned together in ninth grade against Torque and his posse, and have been friends since. Dib had changed quite a bit too. He still had his scythe shaped hair, and his trench coat, but his shirt was now a plain blue shirt and his pants were skinnies and were white. His boots had more buckles on them, as well as steel tips. Crumpling up the note and glancing at the teacher, Zim threw the note Dib's way.

When he read the note, Dib's expression went from worry to curious. He quickly scribbled his response and tossed the note to Zim, who caught it with one hand and opened it.

You looked sad. Come over to my place 4?

Zim looked up at Dib and nodded, folding the note and placing it in his PAK just in time for the bell to ring. He stood and walked over to Dib.

"Really, why'd you look upset?" Dib arched an eyebrow as he shouldered his bag.

"I just wanted to get out of here. That's all." Zim shrugged as they left the skool, to head back to their homes.

Zim sighed as when he saw the time.

3:55.

It was time for him to head over to Dib's. Chugging the rest of his irken tea, he stood and left the base. Walking the short distance to his friend's house, he chuckled at all the things they had done over the previous summer. Surely this one would be better. Snickering at a certain memory that contained helium, and high voices, he realized he was at Dib's house already. Walking up to the door, he quickly knocked. Half a minute later, the door swung open and Dib appeared...wielding a cupcake?

"Happy birthday!" Dib exclaimed, grinning ear to ear. Zim blinked in surprise, then smiled and took the cupcake.

"This one won't hurt me, right?" he chuckled. Dib chuckled with him.

"Nah that was only that one time." He pulled Zim inside, where he had set up a case of cupcakes, and soda bottles. Of course, two were irken brand. Couldn't be too careful.

"How'd you know, anyways?" Zim chuckled, as he leaned against the table unwrapping his cupcake.

"I have my ways." Dib grinned as he took another cupcake for himself out of the case, and began to unwrap it.

"You broke into the skool records, didn't you?" Zim grinned through a bite of the treat.

Dib chuckled, and nodded.

"Only you would, you little spy." Zim laughed.

"I wanted to know!" Dib protested, but laughter was clearly heard in his voice.

"Mmmhmm. Sure you did. Good cupcakes, by the way." Zim chuckled as he finished his off.

"Thanks. They're all ours, except one. Gaz claimed one."

"Can't upset her..." Zim shuddered as he reached for another one. "Thanks, by the way. For this, and the past two years."

"What? No thanking me for the past 4 years before that? When I tried to get you on an examination table? You're welcome." Dib chuckled. Zim grinned through his cupcake. If summer was going to start off like this, then he knew it'd be an awesome summer.

And that's all folks!

Seriously. That's all I've got for this one-shot. And there WILL be a part 2 to Letters... working on it tonight...

Hopefully. It'll be coming out soon, though. Reviews please! They make me feel the same way Gir feels with his piggies!