Hello peoples!

Sorry about the long wait. My electronic power was shut down for a long time, and then my mother decided that I spent way to much time on the computer, so I feel guilty and I'm sorry.

Dib: You should be.

Me: Come on, you're one to talk.

Dib: I'm barly even in this stupid story! It's all about Zim and his stupidness.

Zim: What did you say?

Me: Shut up Zim. Don't worry Dib, you're going to have a lot of fun later...

Dib: Oh no, are you really going to use that wild animal tri-

River: NOOOOOOOO! DON'T SAY IT! IT'S A SURPRISE!

Annora: You guys are hopeless... Almost as hopeless as the writer.

Me: ( Glare... )

( Annora P.O.V )

Two days had gone by since my first lesson. Since then, Zim had polished up on my Irken skills, so now, I could speak the language perfectly. I woke up with a yawn, and after five minutes of sever blinking, I decided to skip school. I left a note for my sisters on the steps, telling them where I'd gone. Exiting my house, I walked alongside the road, the morning dew still clinging to the blades of grass. I sighed and watched the sun creep slowly over the horizon. I kept walking.

After a while, I passed a large green house with a purple roof. Through the window, I saw a green dog playing with a small toy pig. Smiling I walked on. Zim would go to school soon. I could walk with him, but I didn't feel like company at the moment. I wanted time to myself, to ponder the dreams and the messages Freya had sent me. Finally, after a couple minute's walk from Zim's house, I arrvied at the forest at the edge of the city. With a pause, I started down to the tree-line.

The forest was dark still, but the first rays of sun were beginning to peek through the gaps in the trees. Walking through the dense vegetation, I glanced up at the overhanging branches. Everything was so quiet and peaceful. It reminded me of the forest near my house, my real house. So dark, and shady, and mysterious..

" Hello!" said a voice, startling me back into the present. I looked around, but saw no one.

" Hello! Hellohellohello!" Many voices began to chime in, greeting each other and giggling. Frowning I looked up.

Birds. The birds were waking up. A large blue-jay hopped down from one of the higher branches and landed on a rock in my path. He cocked his head to one side as he studied me. Then, he opened his mouth, and instead of the usual chirp noise, out came the words: " Ferni Human!"

Surprised, I fell backward and landed on the spongy ground. The birds appeared to think this funny, and started to giggle some more.

" Ferniferniferniferni!" they chorused. The blue-jay hopped forward and settled on my knee. Ruffling his feathers, he gazed sidways at me.

" ...Human?" he asked. I tried to comprehend how these birds were speaking to me. Then, I remembered Zim's words.

" Ferni Beings can talk to animals. No one knows how they do it. That's what makes them so valuable."

I guess even Ferni Beings didn't know how they did it. The blue-jay was staring at me, expecting an answer. I decided to give it my best shot.

" Uh." I said slowly using chirps and whisles. " Yes?"

The birds went into an uproar, twittering excitedly and hopping down from the branches to get closer to the " Bird-girl. " The blue-jay chirped.

" Good." he said. " Goodgoodgoodgood!"

I raised an eyebrow.

" What you name?" I asked. I realized that birds didn't use are, or I, and a couple of other words. They also didn't use the ed at the end of a past tense word. The blue-jay puffed out his chest.

" Me name Kurxa." he said proudly. " Kurxa Blue-tail. What name you, Ferni Human?"

" Annora." I replied. " Annora Shiva."

" AnnoraAnnoraAnnora..." the birds twittered. Kurxa glanced around.

" What bring you, Ferni Shiva?" he asked. I guessed that the term ' Ferni' was used as a respected title before your last name, much like the general in 'General Washington.'

I thought for a minute about Kurxa's question. Why had I skipped Skool, walked to a forest by myself and started to talk to birds? Another thing, how come I could understand birds now, but not before? Had Zim's teachings somehow unlocked a secret door in my shrimpy little brain that enabled me to speak with animals? I decided to give Kurxa the only know answer to all my questions.

"Do not know why, noble Blue-Tail..." I said, struggling slightly with the sentence. It was the bare truth.

" Ah..." Kurxa said, bobbing his blue-tuffted head. " But reason, now you have, no?"

" Uh..." I said, confused. Kurxa flew from my knee.

" Come, Ferni Shiva!" he called. " Me show you your reason!"

The rest of the birds followed the blue-jay, calling into the air. With a shrug, realizing that no one was around to see me talk to the birdies and see how crazy I was, I stood and followed.

Kurxa lead me through the dense grove, zigzaging under branches and over logs. I had to run to keep up. Finally, Kurxa settled on a large stump. In front of us was a huge hedge, covered in vines. Kurxa turned to me.

" There." he said, indicating forward. " Is your reason."

After some thought, I walked to the hedge. I stared through the thick leaves.

" Through, Ferni Shiva, through." Kurxa encouraged. The rest of the birds took up the chant.

" Through! Through! Throughthroughthroughthrough !"

" Okay..." I said in english. " Before I go through, what should I expect to find?"

" Reason, Ferni Shiva!" Kurxa said. " Reason, reason reason!"

" Reasonreasonreason!" the other birds sang. I frowned.

" Heh, they understand english." I said. " That would have been nice to know..."

Scrunching my face, I pushed my way through the hedge.

It was a lot thicker then I had expected, and I ended up stuck in the middle, surrounded by leaves and panting hard.

" Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch…." I mumbled as the sharp twigs poked my arms. " This hurts…"

" ….Annora…." came a whisper. I jumped and speared my elbow on a sharp branch.

" Ouch! Who's there?" I called.

" ...Annora..." came the voice again. I looked around.

" Hello?" I asked. " Where are you?"

" ...Here...Here..." the voice sang. " I'm here...Here..."

" Where?"

" Look around...I'm around you..."

I looked around. All I saw was bush and twigs.

" I can't see through these leaves." I said crossly. I heard the voice laugh.

" I'm there...There, Ferni Shiva...I'm here...And there..."

" What are you talking abou-"

I stopped. One of the branches had began to twist, like a fast-growing vine, and stopped a few inches from my face. Slowly, to my shock, it wiggled its tip back and forth, waving at me I realized.

Here and there. Look around, I'm around.

The answer made so much sense, but at the same time was so weird that I refused to believe it. I decided to ask.

" Are you...the hedge?"

" ...Yes..."

" But, that doesn't even make sense!" I blurted out, shifting in the branches. " I thought I could only talk to animals-"

" ...You speak...To all that lives..." the hedge said. "...Animals live...Plants live...I live..."

" But, ghosts?" I asked. "I've spoken to those, and they don't live..."

" ...They live..." said the hedge. I blinked.

" But, a ghost is supposed to be dead!" I claimed, confused.

" A ghost lives..." the hedge hushed. " ...Do you believe...That because they are not...On earth...That they...No longer...Live? ...All live...Ferni Shiva... All that have...lived...Never truly...Die."

" But-"

" Enter, Ferni Shiva..." the hedge said softly, parting its branches to create a path through. " Enter...And see of what I speak..."

I hesitated, but finally sighed and began to walk. Shuddering, I drew up the strings of my new jacket. After the attack, Breeze and River had gone shopping with a wad of cash they had found in the attic of our house, ( Robbery?) to make up for the bloody and torn rags I had been wearing before. My sisters had gone out and gotten me a few cloth items, including a purple shirt with ruffles, a pair of jeans, and some gladiator sandals. Zim had given me a purple hoodie a day after he walked me home.

" Inferior human clothing..." he had growled as he jammed the jacket over my very surprised head. " Human cloths have so many little rips and never keep you warm!"

The jacket had the Irken symbol on the front, and yes, it was really warm. I loved it. It also made me feel secure.

As I walked through the hedge, (Which turned out to be much, much thicker then I had first thought...) I buried my chin in the alien cloth and took a deep breath. Zim's scent was woven into the material, and I felt calmer when I smelt it. Although it might seem like a creepy thing to like, Zim's smell, living in his house for over a week had made me used to the sounds and smells of his base. It had felt weird being suddenly cut off from that. I even missed Gir's odd cooking and H.C sharp and witty tongue.

" ...Ferni Shiva...Enter..." the hedge said gently as I paused before the end of the path. Taking a deep breath, I stepped out of the hedge.

I was in a clearing, surround completely by the hedge that walled the large circle of grass in front of me. In the center of the clearing was a stone table, etched with unfamiliar letters. Bursting through a crack in the top of the table was a small spring, jetting water up into the air, and letting it trickle down the stone and disappear into the ground.

It looked like something from a fairy tale, a small shrine to the forest pixies, or a Unicorn water-fountain.

" Uh, how is this my reason?" I asked, but the hedge didn't answer. Suddenly, a strange chill filled the air. A cloud covered the sun and dropped the clearing into a gray shadow. Birds stopped singing.

I had felt this feeling before, so I knew what was coming.

" ...Freya?" I asked.

The fountain began to sputter weakly, and the water slowly trickled to a stop.

" ...Really?" I asked. " Is that all?"

Suddenly, the water jetted out of the crack, rocketing into the sky and bursting through the clouds. Like Old Faithful.

" WHOA!" I cried, falling on my behind for the second time that day. The pillar of water began to glow a bright neon blue. Clouds covered the sun and plunged the clearing into darkness, illuminated only by the pillar of blue. Gasping, I scrambled backward until my back pressed against the hedge. The hole had closed up.

" ...Annora?" a voice called, layered over with a supernatural echo. I stopped moving.

" Freya!" I cried, scrambling to my feet. Something began to take shape in the blue pillar. A face appeared, and then an arm, and then a full person came into view. A person I knew well.

" Oh my gosh!" I stuttered. " Freya, is that you?!"

The person in the pillar glanced down at herself.

" ...It appears so." she decided. " Why? Have I changed?"

" NO! I-I-I...You're just the way I remember you..."

" Good thing or bad thing? Never mind, I'm wasting time..."

Freya stared sadly at me.

" You've grown so much..." she said wistfully. " You look so much like your mother..."

" I...Urg...Herm..." I gurgled. My brain had just started to comprehend that a friend who had been dead for years was suddenly right in front of me, talking as if not a thing had happened. Freya sighed.

" Annora, get a grip on yourself. You're in the cartoon world, anything can happen."

" Yes Madame."

" Do you know why I'm here?"

I paused. I did not, in fact, know why Freya had decided to show herself in a semi-solid form and talk to me. I assumed that it was not a good reason.

Reason...Heh heh...

" Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..."

" Annora, use your head."

" Okay... Something bad is going to happen?"

" Yes. You're taking this awfully well..."

" Well, that dream you sent me kind of prepared me for anything..."

" Oh..." Freya grimaced. " I'm so sorry about that..."

" S'okay." I said, even though I inwardly groaned in remembrance. " It wasn't too scary..."

" Then you'll be alright."

" From what? Freya, an explanation would be nice!"

Freya paused.

" Trust your dream." she said finally. " I'll explain more later."

" When?"

" Two night's time."

" Ah. Another dream?"

" No." Freya said. " I think it's time to bring your sisters into this mess."

" Huh?"

" On full moon, bring your sisters into this forest, to this very spot." Freya said. " All will be shown to you then."

" Okay, why don't you show me now?"

" I need a full moon." Freya said. " Ghost's powers are strongest on the full moon. Especially this month."

" What about thi- Oh, Halloween..."

" Yes."

" Please Freya..." I begged. " I was dragged into a cartoon world, given a freaky dream, attacked by Dib, healed by Zim, nearly killed by Gir's cooking, had my best friend who's dead appear to me and start telling me to be careful from a danger that I don't even know of...Freya, I'm freaking out! Tell me something, ANYTHING!"

Freya looked down at the ground. I noticed that her figure was fading, becoming more see-through.

" Annora..." Freya sighed. " It's complicated. Please, I'll tell you later."

" Fine." I growled, narrowing my eyes. " But you seem to have a lot of explaining to do."

Freya looked sad as her form melted away. I thought I saw a tear drip from her cheek, but then, I could have imagined it.

( Zim P.O.V )

" And we'll all be doomed, doomed, doomed, doomed..." Ms. Bitters moaned over and over again. I caught myself starting to drift off when my neck slammed into the backrest of my seat.

" Ouch..." I groaned as I rubbed my throbbing spine. " Stupid earth chairs..."

Dib was bouncing up in down in his seat way across the room. He would glance over at Annora's empty chair from time to time, probably excited about the 'ghost' that she had talked about.

" Stupid earth child..." I swore. " Always looking for your benefit."

" Where's my sister?" River asked from behind me. I shrugged.

" Yeah, where is she?" asked a random kid.

" I do not know..." I said.

" But you're supposed to know." said another kid. I narrowed my eyes.

" Oh? Why is that?" I hissed through clenched teeth, but the class was already talking.

" He should know..."

" Why can't he?"

" Yeah, I'll bet he does know..."

" Guys..." Breeze tried to reason. " Zim doesn't-"

Everyone ignored her. Dib glanced around, but, thank Irk, he kept his mouth shut. Well for him, or else I would have pounced on him faster then a Grîƒéllî...

The humans continued their talk.

" Why won't he tell us?"

" Maybe she's sick?"

" No, I think he's embarrassed."

" Yeah, maybe he and his girlfriend did something last ni-"

Something in me snapped. I jumped out of my chair, seized the kid by the throat and slammed him against the wall.

" Repeat that." I spat.

" Wh-wh-wh-what's th-th-the matter wi-wi-wi-th y-y-y-y-you?" the kid gurgled, his eyes wild with fear. I tightened my grip, enjoying the way his eyes popped out.

" Say...that...again..." I hissed. The boy started to make a strangled gurgling noise. I think I was choking him...

Good.

" Do it!" I growled, shaking the boy back and forth by the collar. " Say it!"

Someone grabbed me by the shoulders and spun me around. I growled and faced the intruder, ready to rip out a few throats,-

- and I nearly choked on my own breathing.

" Please put the kid down." Annora said gently. " You're killing him."

I released my grip on the boy, and he slid to the ground. He scuttled on all fours to get away from me.

I didn't know why, but... Annora looked... different. I couldn't quite explain why, but I knew that something had happened.

" Still terrorizing the classroom?" Annora joked, but her voice was strained. For her sake, I gave a shrug and a smile.

" No, they were terrorizing me." I said. Annora took a deep breath.

" Zim..." she said painfully. " I need to talk to you."

The class gave each other weird looks. It took me a second to realize that Annora had spoken in Irken.

Oh, this must be bad...

" Please, right now." Annora pleaded. " It's really urgent."

I took no hesitation.

" Alright."

Annora sprang to the door so quickly, I stood staring at the spot where she had been standing for a few moments, before I followed her through the doorway.

( Annora P.O.V )

I led Zim through the school halls and out towards the forest. The only thing set on my mind was showing Zim the stone table. Even if he wouldn't understand.

" Annora!" a far away voice called. " Wait up!"

I turned back and was surprised to see that Zim was a far way off. I waited until he caught up, panting.

" What the Irk is wrong with you?!" he gasped. " You gone off, bounding like a jackrabbi-"

" Come on." I said, racing away. " We're almost there."

I heard Zim swear a couple of times before he decided to follow me. I couldn't help but grin at his grumpiness.

Under the trees, I heard a familer voice can my name.

" Fervi Shiva! Ferni Shiva!" called Kurxa from the trees.

" Ferniferniferniferni!" the birds echoed. I pushed past tree branches and stopped in front of the hedge.

" ...Hello...Ferni..." whispered a voice.

" 'Hullo hedge." I replied.

" To what...do I owe...this unexpected...re-visit?"

" I'm sorry I ran off after Freya visited me. My brain was sort of shutting down..."

" No need...to apologize..."

" Still, I decided to bring along a friend."

" ...Oh?"

" He'll help me figure out what Freya means, dang I hate it when she talks in riddles..."

" ...Is that him?...Stand there...with large eyes...?"

I turned around and Zim was indeed standing by an old sycamore, his large contacts literally bugging out of his skull.

" What?" I asked.

" You...You just...Just talked...Talked..."

" I'm not a toddler Zim." I said. " I know how to talk."

" To...The...Bush..."

" Ah."

" I prefer...'Hedge'...Young man..." the hedge said slightly crossly. Zim only blinked a few times.

" She said she would like it if you called her a hedge, Zim." I said.

" What?"

" Ferni Shiva!" called a bird from somewhere above my head. " She has brought her soul-mate!"

Fire flushed up to my cheeks.

" He is not!" I protested through the bird's loud laughter. " He's just...a friend! Get that out of your head!"

" ... What are you talking to, what are you talking about, and what the freaking Vort is with all these birds chirping all a once?" Zim cut in.

" Nothing..." I mumbled. " It's just..."

" Stupid feathers!" another bird scoffed to the young juvenile who had spoken before. " Can you not she Ferni Shiva brought her Whataloo?"

" Whatawho?" I asked, but all the birds were busy going: ' Ahhhhhhhh' and ' Yes, me see...'

" What?" Zim asked again, cocking his head to one side. I frowned at the trees.

" Forget it."

" But-"

" Come here." I commanded as I pushed through the twigs of the hedge. Growling to myself, I yanked myself out into the clearing. The stone table sat grimly in the middle.

" Hello?" I called, half hoping Freya would appear. The sky remained grey, signaling rain in a few hours.

" Freya, come out! I want to talk to you!"

Silence.

Something in me snapped. Every scrap of my fear, pain and rage was torn out of my recent memories.

How could Freya do this!? I trusted her! I thought she was my friend!

I lifted up my head and screamed, my voice shaking the birds from the trees and scaring the insects from the rocks.

" HOW COULD YOU!?" I cried. " I LOVED YOU! HOW COULD YOU SEND US TO THIS PLACE!?"

I fell to my knees and dug my fingers into the mossy ground.

" WHY DID YOU SEND ME HERE!? WHY WON'T YOU TALK TO ME!? SAY SOMETHING, SEND ME HOME!"

I buried my face into my filthy hands and cried. When my first tears fell to the earth, the sky rumbled and rain poured down. I swear, even the cartoon sky was mocking me.

I cried some more.

Someone grabbed me around the waist and dragged me the the cover of the hedge. Someone was holding me gently.

I cried some more, my face in my hands.

" Hey, Annora..." a soft voice asked. " Are you okay?"

I wanted to lash out and hurt this person with my words, make them feel what I felt. But when I lifted my eyes and saw Zim's magenta orbs, I melted.

" No!" I whimpered. " I'm not! Everything is wrong, everything will go wrong, and it's all...my...fault!"

Zim was silent for the longest time.

" Zim?" I said finally. " It's raining."

" Yes it is."

" You don't like the rain, do you?"

" No, I do not."

" ... Shouldn't you get to cover?"

" I am in cover."

" I mean, somewhere safer and better?"

" I can't think of anywhere better then here."

I didn't know if he was trying to give me a complement or something, but at the moment my brain was a little to scrambled up to sort it out.

I leaned back against Zim's chest. I heard his heartbeat. ( Yes, he had some sort of heart...) I felt comforted.

" Uh, do you want to talk?" Zim asked. " About your problems?"

" No." I said shakily. " Just-"

" Just what?"

" -Just...hold me. For a little while."

I felt embarrassed and expected Zim to scowl, dump me on the ground and mutter about " Human Germies..."

Instead, he surprised me.

" Okay."

His arms wrapped around my shoulders, my head on his chest, we both watched the fat droplets fall from the sky like painful and sorrowful tears.

And finally, I get another chapter out. Just saying, I really hated the way the first few chapters turned out, so I'm going to change them. If there is a part in the chapter you want me to keep, just leave a review or send me a message. If not, EVERYTHING WILL BE CHANGED!

Breeze: Glob, you're crazy scary...

Zim:...

River: Zim? What's that look on you're face?

Zim:... What? Oh- Nothing...

Dib:...I'm surrounded by idiots...

Annora: (Back-hands Dib across the face )

Dib: OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCH!

H.C:...If this goes on for any longer, I'm going to purposely rip out my wires with my own teeth.

River: What teeth?

H.C: These teeth-

Me: ANYWAY, review. Please. And try not to get too attached to the first chapters, they're going bye-bye.

See you later!