Life is Change

Rated: T

Summary: Dib's miserable high school life takes a strange turn when his long-time arch nemesis Zim proposes a temporary truce. What could Zim be up to this time? Eventual ZADR.

Chapter 10

"Dib, it is getting close to the start of school. You will not be making me late for classes with your pathetic need for sleep. Get off of my couch this instant!"

Dib blinked, trying to get his bearings. After a moment he replied, "Since when do you care about being late for school? You're late all the time."

"Exactly," Zim said, tapping his foot impatiently, "I have been late far too many times already. It is my understanding that these 'tardies' will eventually add up to some horrible doom, which I would like to avoid." He'd gotten wind of a few nasty rumors that detailed how chronically late students would be fed to the nest of mutated, flesh-eating rats living underneath the high school. Zim had also heard that, alternatively, students would have to sit through a detention with Mrs. Bitters, his demonic old teacher. He shuddered at the thought. He could take the rats, but if the real punishment was with Mrs. Bitters…he might not survive.

"We need to be leaving shortly. GIR cooked you some disgusting human breakfast food. I'm assuming your pitiful body is in need of nutrients, so go fill your belly full of whatever filth it is that he made." He gave Dib a small, wicked smile. "It probably won't kill you."

Well that was reassuring, thought Dib, yawning and stretching his stiff limbs. His body felt completely recovered from his injuries. At least he'd be physically fit for GIR to poison him.

Dib glanced over towards the kitchen. From his vantage point, he couldn't really see what GIR was cooking on the stove. All he saw was the little SIR unit standing on a stool, holding a spatula in front of him. Hopefully the food was edible. Zim was right, he really needed to eat. Dib had barely eaten anything the day before, practically skipping both lunch and dinner.

Zim coughed and tapped a claw on his wrist, reminding Dib that time was limited. Dib got up quickly and speed walked over to the table. Almost as soon as he was seated GIR deposited a plate full of pancakes in front of him, dripping with syrup and butter. On the side were a few strips of bacon. Not exactly the healthiest of breakfasts, but Dib had never been the type to care about the nutritional value of what he ate. If it didn't kill him, it would do.

Zim's face took on an expression of utter horror and disgust as he watched Dib consume the pile of food in about a minute flat. He'd never seen anything, apart from GIR, eat like that. If this was what humans did when they were overly hungry, Zim would have to be sure to carry human foods in his base. He never wanted to see Dib do that again.

Dib sighed contently as the last piece of bacon slid down to join the rest of the food in his stomach. The food might have been risky, but at least it was delicious. He looked at his watch, checking the time. They weren't late yet, but they'd better get going.

"If you're done" Zim made a small gagging noise, "eating, we ought to leave now. GIR!" The SIR unit jumped to attention, eyes glowing red. "Clean up this mess! The Dib and I must go to school. Be a good robot slave while I'm gone."

"Yes master!" The robot replied, before his eyes returned to their usual cyan color. "Pancakes!" GIR screamed, running around the kitchen and laughing hysterically.

Zim sighed and rubbed his temples.

The walk to school was uneventful. The two kept silent as they trudged their way towards the hated building. Dib's nerves were on edge. With everything that had happened yesterday, he didn't know what to expect. Would Zim be the next to attack him? That would make the most sense. But nothing seemed to make sense. The truce, Zim protecting him, and strangest of all, Zim taking care of him – what was going on? Dib didn't know what to believe. Worry and doubt ate away at him like an infection. The more time he spent with the alien, the more confused he felt.

Zim stayed silent, mind occupied with ways of fixing his irritating SIR unit. He'd tried so many times before. Locking him in duty mode always resulted in disaster. Maybe he could just remove the thing's voice box…

Dib and Zim were once more uncharacteristically silent throughout their morning classes. However, unlike the happy, relaxed atmosphere that permeated school the day before, today classes were quiet and tense. Every so often Dib would catch one of his classmates glaring at him or Zim, but no one spoke to either of them. By the time lunch rolled around, the tension in the air was palpable. Sensing the waves of hostility being directed towards them, the two stayed close together as they walked to the cafeteria.

Right before they reached the double doors, a gang of people from their year, headed by Zita, cut them off.

"You freaks put Chunk in the hospital," Zita spat angrily. "He spent the night getting his face sewn back together."

Zim snarled back at her, "The filthy monster deserved worse! He should have known better to mess with me, Zim! Zim is the far superior being! You," he pointed at one boy in the crowd, "were there, you heard what I said. I destroy Dib! Anyone who gets in the way will face my wrath!"

The group murmured angrily at Zim's words. That was not the response they wanted to hear. They wanted fear, not defiance. Zita's face turned pink with fury. "We've put up with you two lunatics for long enough. You're the lowest of the low and you are going to learn your place if we have to beat you into it."

Dib lowered his head and clenched his hands at his sides, trying to hide the rage and pain caused by hearing those remarks. He hated these people. He had done so much for them, and yet they still thought of him as dirt. He should just let Zim kill them already.

Zim was the next to speak. He gave Zita a nasty grin, "Is that a challenge?"

At that moment, a teacher walked down the hallway towards the gathering, apparently for once noticing that something was going on in the school. Fearing detention, the crowd dispersed. One boy, however, paused before following the others into the cafeteria. "We'll get you later freaks," he hissed, then vanished behind the double doors.

New chapter! Hooray! Anyways, this is where I put in my usual begging for reviews. Please review! Reviews make authors very very happy *nods emphatically*