"So you got all that, Remara?" Dib stood in front of his door, hand on the knob, chewing his lip nervously. He'd been a bit surprised at the change in her appearance, but he had to admit the new 'hairstyle' had less chance of swinging low catching things on fire. Her hair now flared out and up in several small glass twists so that her head resembled a children's drawing of the sun. He couldn't help wondering if she'd gotten inspiration from his and Gaz's early artwork.
She nodded, repeating what he'd told her. "Keep in my clothes as much as possible and as soon as we get to the Skool take what the strange green person gives me and put it inside me and I should be okay and you're going to have to make a scene about me being strange and different because then everyone will never suspect that I am strange and different because nobody believes you."
"Exactly. If I shout about you being weird, they'll ignore you. Just follow me around all day and everything should be fine."
"Okay but I'm taking one class with Gaz because I have heard her speak about the art class and it sounds like something I would like to know about also."
"What? No, you gotta stick with me. You go off on your own and things could get dangerous fast."
"But Dib I would not be on my own I would be with Gaz."
"That's like being on your own."
She pulled her face into a frown. "I want to go to art class with Gaz Dib please let me or I will have to find my way by myself."
Dib made a frustrated grunt before throwing up his hands. "Fine, but not until tomorrow okay? Stick with me at least one whole day so I can get you used to going to and from classes."
"Agreed oh Dib this is going to be wonderful!" Her face lit up again, and Dib fervently hoped he was doing the right thing.
"Okay, so hold onto all the heat you have, and we'll get to Skool as fast as possible. Okay? Stay right behind me."
"Okay Dib." She readied herself. She had her pants over one arm, her legs melded together in her normal base. They had agreed that getting her to Skool as fast as possible was the most important thing as it would take most of her heat to get there. Dib was banking on the blindness of the world to keep her safe. He twisted the knob, opening the door as they both darted out.
Dib pumped his legs as hard as he could, and Remara flowed alongside keeping pace. He watched her out of the corner of his eye and she seemed to be doing well. As they drew closer to Skool however, the wind picked up and she began to slow. Dib slowed down with her, and was alarmed to see her colors beginning to dim. He noted her flow was more and more sluggish, and she struggled with motion as the wind cooled her.
"C'mon Remara, we're almost there, then stupid Zim will be able to heat you up. Just a little farther."
"Sssssooooooonnn?" She struggled on, the Skool just in sight. Dib swiveled his head back and forth between the Skool and Remara. At this rate, she wouldn't make it. "Keep moving," Dib encouraged, speeding up again. "I'm gonna go get that stupid alien and be right back."
He pelted ahead, scanning the front of the Skool for Zim. The alien was standing by the stairs, tapping his foot impatiently. "Hey Spaceboy!" Zim's head whipped up. "Spaceboy, she's slowing down, you gotta come! You got the heat thing?"
Zim strolled forward casually, tossing an orb in his hand. "I have your force-field thermal storage unit right here." Dib darted forward to grab it, but Zim jerked his hand back. "Not so fast!" He hissed. "I want to see this creature that Dib is so willing to allow to pass as human."
"Well hurry! She's slowing down!" Dib grabbed Zim's wrist, yanking him forward as he hurried back to Remara. He was alarmed to see the Glass Flow moving only a few inches at what was obviously a full run, and her edges were beginning to show clear.
Zim's eyes widened as he came to a stop in front of her. "Fascinating." He murmured, staring at her oddly. "Such a creature as this does not exist in any of our known databases, just on sight. Did she crash in your backyard?"
"No dummy, she's from our planet too, just deeper down, now give her the thing!" Dib shoved him, panicked.
"Do not touch Zim!" He shoved back, growling. "I will do things in my own time!" He took the orb, cradling it at the very tips of his claws, and pressed it carefully at the center of Remara's chest. It clanked off the hard, glassy surface and he frowned. "Too cold. Very well. Can it understand me at this speed?"
"Yes! Yes she can!" Dib exclaimed in frustration.
"Then hear me, Glass thing." Zim held the orb up. "I'm going to turn it on and put this inside of you. This button here," he indicated one side. "This will dispense heat as you need it. I have already placed a great deal of thermal energy inside, but if you need to fill it again, just absorb as much as possible and direct it toward the device inside of you. This one over here," he indicated a button on the opposite side, "Will cover you in a force field so that you don't set anyone on fire or burn them. I'm turning it on now to get it inside of you, and you can praise Zim's amazingness afterward." Satisfied, he extended a robotic wire from his PAK to grip the orb and pushed the button.
The orb immediately flashed red-hot, sending a warm blast of air out as thermal energy escaped. Zim pressed it again at Remara's chest, and slowly it began to sink through the surface. Once it was sufficiently embedded, he stepped back, retracting the robotic wire.
Zim and Dib stepped back as the glow flared brightly, the orb sinking in deep and vanishing into the orange that now covered her whole form. She darted past them suddenly and pulled to a stop, whirling around with a giant smile on her face. "Oh Stupid Zim thank you so much Stupid Zim I have heard so much about you from Dib he's always talking about Stupid Zim but I had no idea you were so kind!"
There was one moment of silence before Dib dropped to his knees, howling and clutching his ribs. Zim turned, lashing out with a boot and kicking him hard in the side. Dib fell over, tears streaming down his face, still laughing uncontrollably.
Zim turned back to the Flow, eye twitching. "My name is Zim, do you hear me? You will refer to me as Zim, and nothing but Zim, because I am BRILLIANT and INGENIOUS and I AM NOT STUPID so you will refrain from calling me STUPID ZIM because I am ZIM, is that UNDERSTOOD?" He screeched, shaking a fist in her rather bewildered expression.
"Yes Zim I apologize I only thought that was your real name because I heard it so much." This sent Dib into another round of hysterics, and Zim added another vicious kick.
"Well it isn't!" He turned away, storming toward the Skool. "You're late, I hope Ms. Bitters sends you both underground. What a waste of my time."
"Thank you Zim!" She called, beaming. She turned to Dib as he finally sat up, rubbing his sides and gasping for air.
"C-c'mon Remara, we'd better g-get to class." He stood, groaning as he held his ribs. "Man he kicks hard. What are those boots, steel tipped? Owwww. Hey Remara, try touching the plant over there." He gestured at a nearby shrub.
She put out a hand, still covered by gloves, and grasped a handful of leaves.
"No no no." He reached over, pulling a glove off her other hand. She withdrew suddenly, her face blank. "Hey, look it'll be okay. Zim said he installed a force field, remember? Turn it on, and see if you can touch the plant."
Her head swiveled toward the shrub, still completely blank. Dib's grin faded. Why was she so afraid?
"You're sure?" Her voice was doubtful.
"Give it a try." He encouraged her.
Carefully, she reached out an uncovered tendril, touching just the barest tip to a leaf. It moved under the pressure, but did not burn. Didn't even discolor. Her face reappeared, mouth open wide, mimicking Dib's initial expression of shock as she wrapped a tendril around a handful of leaves, and nothing happened.
"See, the space bug's good for something. What do you thi-!" He took a step back as Remara turned on him, extending a hand and laying it against his face. He fell silent as her hand traveled across his features, her own still in complete shock. Soft cracking noises sounded from deep inside her. He wondered what it meant, but felt it best to keep his mouth shut for a minute.
"I… Dib…" For once she seemed to struggle to bring out words, and he wondered if the cracking noises were her equivalent of crying. "Thank… you. You don't… understand…" And she darted forward, closing her arms around him tightly.
Dib had often hugged the Glass Lady in his attic as a child, imagining her as someone to be defended, or as someone defending him. But he'd never imagined she'd be able to hug him back, especially once she'd heated up. He gingerly wrapped his arms around her as well, wondering if she'd ever hugged anyone before, or if she'd learned the motion from him while frozen.
Gingerly he pushed her back. "We really need to get to class, you don't wanna see Ms. Bitters when she's mad. Better put the pants and shoes on now and make legs. We're almost there."
….
Note: Sorryyyy lengthy times between updates, I'm still trying to get my soul back from the Ghost fandom, it's not working...