In a panic, I opened my eyes and found that I couldn't move. There was some sort of weight pining me in place. I tried to calm my breathing and collect myself, trying to figure out what it was. Was I restrained on some operating table? Captured in a creatures grasp?

No, I was still in the cell, so what was...? Oh, how cute. I looked down at the rest of my body and noticed that my jacket was half draping over me, the other half over a curled up figure. Its arm entwined in mine and it's green head nuzzled into my shoulder. I allowed myself a smile. But he had to wake up, it wasn't good for him to sleep so long. I started by tapping him and whispering his name, but he didn't move. So instead I gave him a good shove. He snapped his eyes open and looked at me in surprise.

"Morning, Zimmers!" I beamed, cheekily.

"AGH!" he yelled, pushing me away and jumping to his feet, rubbing his hands on his clothes to rid himself of my human germs... charming...

"You dare try and steal Zims body warmth?" he growled, pointing at me in that over exaggerated pose.

"More like the other way around." I grinned, tying my jacket around my waist.

"LIES!"

"Sure... whatever..." I stretched and grimaced as I heard my back click in at least three places.

I could feel a headache arriving, the lighting gave away nothing about what time it was, my body-clock was going to be so messed up after this. But it was Zim I was worried about, he was looking more pale than ever, he was no longer a vibrant olive green and more like a pale minty colour.

"How're you feeling?" I asked anxiously.

He shrugged, "I am perfectly fine."

No, he wasn't. But I would hurt his pride any more than I already have. I was tired of waiting, we'd only been here one night and it was driving me insane. I wasn't claustrophobic, but I wasn't patient either. If the Tallest was going to call for us, then they had better hurry up!

"Stop it!" he snapped, "Your jittering manor disturbs me."

"I can't help it, I'm tired of this waiting around and I want to go home!"

He smiled wryly, "I thought that Amy-Cakes was in this for adventure?"

"I am but this... Did you just call me - "

"Well you called me Zimmers - No! I mean, Amy-worm! HA!"

I nodded, "Sure..." I tried to move things along, "I am in it for adventure, but - "

The room was plunged into flashed of scarlet and alarms sounded, forcing me to cover my ears. Zim gripped his feelers in his gloved hands in groaned in pain. The bars of the cell snapped open and two Irken guards stormed up to us. I backed against the wall. I struggled as they forced a black sack over my head, by the sounds of protest coming from Zim, they were doing the same to him.

We were half led half dragged around corners and up elevators. My ankle was hurting like hell, but it would probably been a lot worse if Zim hadn't bandaged it. I tried to make a mental note of which way we were heading but it was so confusing and in honesty I was too preoccupied with trying not to panic. Suddenly, we came to a stop and the sacks were ripped from our heads.

Stood before us were two Irkens, very tall Irkens. One was dressed in red, the other purple. They seemed both amused and irritated at the same time. It was an odd expression to say the least. At the sight of them, Zim instantly saluted. Should I do that too? No, they were no leaders of mine. They were liars and hurtful, I help no respect or loyalty towards them. The Tallest.

"Ah, Zim, welcome back to the Massive. It's been a while." smirked Red.

"My Tallest, I hope my loyalty has been proven to you. I know that you told me that my mission was a lie but, such great leaders like you would never treat a member of the armada in such a way. I am as loyal to you as ever, and so I bring forth my prisoner." he pointed at me.

They looked down on me with smug distaste. I hated them, and I showed it. I glared at them and was even attempted to spit at their feet if my throat wasn't so dry.

"Give it up Zim, it's over!" Purple cried, "You'll spend the rest of your days in the prison chambers until you finally decide to die."

"We were going to shoot you into space towards an oncoming asteroid but," Red shuddered, "Knowing our luck you'd just keep coming back..."

Zim deflated, but still remained in salute, "But my Tallest, I'm so close in completing my mission!"

"We don't care Zim! It's over!" Purple shouted, shoving doughnuts into his mouth.

"You're barbaric!" I spat, making them stare at me in shock, "If this is how you treat someone as loyal and dedicated to you as he is then I hate to think how you treat your enemies! You have no right to hurt someone like this! Just because you're taller? You know what? I was bullied like hell when I was in school for being short, but then after a few years I was the tallest in the class, I had the chance to get revenge on all of those idiots! But I didn't, because it doesn't matter what you look like, it's what you do that matters! You don't deserve to be leaders, you don't deserve to be the Tallest! Look at you, you're waists are to think I wouldn't be surprised if you were just two small Irkens standing on top of each other!"

"How dare you!" Purple screamed.

I think I touched a nerve there, was I right? I didn't care, I was so angry at them! I meant every word I said, I regretted nothing. Red zoomed over to me and lifted me into the air by my neck, I couldn't breathe and my heart was pounding, but I didn't care. I looked into those burning eyes and didn't dare look away.

"You need to know your place, human!" he snarled.

"I know the place of my foot." I challenged, kicking him as hard as I could in the chest, I dropped to the floor.

"Take her back to the cell!" Red gasped, pointing at me in the same dramatic pose as Zim, only with him, it wasn't funny.

The black bag was forced over my head as I as hoisted back down the maze of darkness. Soon, the light was burning at my eyes and I found myself alone in the cell again. I cried out in rage and started hitting and pushing the bars with all my might. I knew they weren't going to budge and I was only causing myself damage, but I was past caring now. It was a good twenty minutes before I calmed down and sat in the corner, panting with exhaustion and leftover anger.

There was sounds of more yelling and shouting when the bars slid open long enough for a figure to be thrown in before they snapped shut again. Zim forced the sack from his head and snarled at the guards as they were leaving. He scared me, I'd never seen him this animalistic before.

"Zim, what happened?" I asked, rushing to his side.

"The almightily ZIM has passed the next part of the test! VICTORY FOR ZIM!" he cried, fire still in his eyes.

"What did they say after I was taken away?"

"We're being left were to rot! If ZIM did not know the Tallest any better, I'd say this test was not the least bit... testy..." he searched for the word, but gave up.

"Zim, it's not a test!" I snapped, "And if they want us dead so much, then why not just kill us now?"

Obviously I didn't want that to happen, but be honest, you were wondering that too right?

He sighed, "It is Irken principle. We believe in fighting and conquering for our honour and dying with dignity. An Irken will never kill an enemy or prisoner, they trap them and let them die of their own accord, keeping their dignity."

I had to give them credit, it did seem like a good system. No murder or cold blood included, but it still seemed like a psychological torture.

"Is that why you never put too much effort into trying to get rid of me or Dib?" I asked.

He eyed me warily, "Partly, but... YOU ASK TOO MANY QUESTIONS!"

I had to admit that I did, but as my Nan used to say, you don't get what you don't ask for. But anyway, now we had more time to think of an escape plan. Not that we had much to go on, but we still had to keep trying!

But I was so tired, my rage had totally worn me down and I could tell Zim was about to fall into hibernation at any time. I threw my jacket over to him. He chewed his lip in thought before snatching it up and wrapping is around him, hugging himself tightly.

We both froze as the sound of footsteps echoed closer to us. Two guards matched their way to the bars. Beneath their helmets, the one had a large, round pair of blue eyes and the other had thick glasses and a spike of hair that refused to stay hidden. They were getting awfully close to the force field.

"WAIT!" I warned, but it was too late.

There was an almighty flash of white light and the two where blown backwards into the wall, smoke wavering above their heads. The smaller one was laughing manically while the other groaned.

"You couldn't have warned us about that?" he mumbled, taking off his helmet.

The smaller one waved, "HI MASTER! HI AMY-CAKES! MISS US?"