Author's Notes: Yeah, it's taken another month to update. :-( But I think I've finally mastered finding time to write each day, so hopefully there won't be too many more of these long intervals (especially since this story is nearing it's year-long anniversary!). But anyway, thank you for all of the reviews after the last chapter---this story now has over 100! Whoo! Thanks a ton, everyone, and I really hope that you enjoy this chapter too!

Also, if you're interested, an OC meme I did about Louie:

http://joemerl(dot)deviantart(dot)com/art/Osoda-chan0-s-IZ-OC-Meme-131974658

And this, from an art-trade with Notgonnadie (Chaos of the Asylum on this site):

http://notgonnadie(dot)deviantart(dot)com/art/Art-Trade-Louie-129430724

Are you going to show off pictures of that Gary Stu of yours every chapter?!

You're just jealous that I won't do one of you.

...I hate you.

Chapter Twenty
Dropping Names

JULY 24, THREE YEARS AGO, 15:00:00

"Ugh!"

Dib winced as the other boy's head slammed into the ground beside him, facing him; Rob was pale and wide-eyed with terror, but Dib barely had time to register this, his own vision was going blurry…these sudden shocks to his system weren't good for him, his breath and oxygen tank were straining…

Rob whimpered as he felt the small foot press against his temple, the girl's heel digging unpleasantly into his cheek. "Get off!" he yelled, trying to stand but receiving a sharp kick to the back in response.

"I thought I taught you this lesson before, bitch," Gaz growled, her foot pushing harder against the older boy's cheek. "I don't usually have to repeat myself."

Rob whimpered. "What do you want?!"

"An apology!"

"I'm sorry!"

KICK! Rob moaned, the wind knocked out of him. "Not to me. Idiot."

Rob gasped and then turned, his eyes focusing on the child lying on the earth beside him; Dib didn't seem to be paying much attention to either of them, though, seeing as he was gasping for breath and his---ugly face seemed to be turning slightly blue.

"I'm sorry I pushed you down, Dib!" Rob gasped, as Gaz dug her shoe into his face even harder.

"Good." The foot lifted from his face; and then, just as Rob had time to feel relieved, slammed into the back of his head. "Now help him up!"

Rob whimpered again and climbed into a crawling position, stars dancing in front of his eyes; blinking to steady himself, he managed to crawl over to grasp Dib's arm and helped lift him to his feet, trying to be as gentle, yet also fast, as he could. Dib gave another great gasp and nearly fell over, grabbing onto Rob's shoulders for support; Rob shrunk back in horror as the sickly, ugly-looking…thing touched him, Dib's metallic claw tightening on his upper arm, his gasping breath warm on his face...but the whole scene lasted only for a moment; Dib leaned away again, trying to steady himself before Gaz grabbed his robotic arm by the wrist, keeping him upright.

"Next time you try anything, bitch, I'll tear off your head and mount it on my WALL! GOT IT?!"

Rob nodded quickly. Gaz snarled again and turned away, practically dragging her brother behind her as he continued to gasp, trying to catch his breath.

Rob gulped, trembled, and watched until they were far enough away that he felt Gaz wouldn't notice, then turned and ran away, swearing to himself that he would never pick on that creepy little crippled kid again.

Which turned out to be pretty easy, given that Dib was dead in less than a month...

AUGUST 28, PRESENT, 8:05:00
ZIM'S POV

I ran across the lawn and down the sidewalk, passing the filthy hyuman mail-drone as he screamed and tried to pry a cat from his face. I ignored him and ran down the filthy street, headed for the skool.

I growled, gnashing my teeth together. Another day of this. Ah well. At least it was Fried-Day, which meant that after this last horrible trip I would be free for the weekend. A strange and downright stupid Earthen custom, but one that at least worked to my advantage. Not that I could just lie around and relax like all the miserable hyuman worms, of course, but it would at least give me more time to catch up on my plans, while trying to avoid the Dib-beast's constant attempts to break into my lab.

Er…Louie-beast, whatever. Though the Computer had mentioned that he apparently didn't do that…

Well, good! Then it'd just be me working on my evil plans, then.

Evil plans to destroy the Louie, of course. Oh, that pointy-headed demon annoyed me so. At least the Dib had annoyed me by being so…annoying! Louie managed to vex me with his very existence, with his insufferable demand to be in a world that I had specifically designed to be free of his kind!

Oh, yes. I would find a way to defeat the Lou-monster, I thought, stepping off of the sidewalk to cross the filthy Earth-street. All I had to do was figure out how, and then I would—

"Agh!"

I jumped back onto the sidewalk with a cry, just as a procession of five hyuman vehicles flew (not literally, but close) down the road, their sirens screaming so loudly my antennae ached even beneath my wig.

"Watch where you're goin', kid!" the hyuman operating the first vehicle screamed, shaking his fist at me.

I scowled. "You watch where you're going, pathetic stink-beast!" I screamed, but unfortunately, the little maggot was already gone; I was left screaming at the back of the last truck, which had the words ANTI-FGIBS stamped across it in large yellow letters.

I growled again, then began to cross the street once again, my mood even fouler as the horrible child-prison came into view. I wondered how on Irk I would manage to stand one more day there after the week I had had. Well, maybe I could at least gather some relevant data on the Lou to help me defeat him...

I was just contemplating this thought as I climbed the steps to the skoolhouse, wondering how I could acquire such datas…when I suddenly felt my foot twist out from under me, and some force sent me flying up over the wide stone railings and into the hedges.

"Agh!"

I landed among the sharp, pointy branches, hissing. "What the—who did that?!"

The female hyuman larva climbing the steps now raised an eyebrow. "You tripped?"

"What?! I did not trip! I AM ZIM! Something pushed me!"

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever." Then she turned around and, with the utter audacity that her pathetic species always shows, walked into the skool without giving me, her superior, so much as another glance.

I growled, shaking my fist. "Somebody pushed me!" I looked around the skoolyard. "Who did it, huh?! Who?!"

Mike drew his tentacle back under the steps, snickering to himself as Juan laughed uproariously.

Lakeisha frowned. "Why did you do that, Mike?"

Mike stared at him. "…It was funny?"

Lakeisha stared, then let out a rare chuckle. "You're an ass, you know that?"

(ZIM)

I disentangled myself from the stupid Earth-plant, grumbling. "Stupid little—"

"—be so cool, don't you think?!"

I looked up, startled, to see the jabbering Keef-monster approaching the steps, with none other than Louie walking beside him.

"Oh, curses!"

I quickly threw myself back into the hedges, crouching down to hide. Because…well, keen Invader instincts took over, to be honest. Which is a good thing! After all, I did not want to get involved in a conflict with him this early, when my main goal for the day was to gather more reconnaissance to assist me in a later strike. And there was also that furious look he had given me the day before when I asked the Keef about Dib…

Not that I was scared of him because of that. Who said I was?! Nothing fears the amazing Zim! …No, wait. Everything fears Zim. It is Zim that fears nothing! Yeah, that's it. Got a little mixed up there for a second.

"I'm so excited! Don't you think it'll be fun, Louie?!"

"Yes, I'm sure it will be, Keef," Louie said, rolling his eyes as he and the Keef-monster began climbing the steps. "Just like it was last week."

"Yeah but I just love sleepovers! They're so much fun! Don't you think so, Louie? Huh? Huh?"

The two had walked under the arch of the skool building, out of my sight; I once again untangled myself from the accursed doom-plant and began to climb after them, but I drew back out of sight with a cry when I saw that my foe was still there, standing beside the open door as Zita (who had been following a few feet behind them, an odd smile on her face) approached.

"Hold the door for you, m'lady?" Louie said, smirking as he bent down into a bow (a ridiculous gesture hyumans use to make up for the fact that those they try to honor are oftentimes shorter than they are).

"Oh…thank you, Louie," Zita said, blinking about ten times in rapid succession as she slipped past him and Keef into the building.

Still smiling his annoying little Louish smile, Louie straightened and was about to follow Zita in (with me emerging again from my spot beside the stairs once more) when Keef ruined the whole thing by suddenly calling out, "Hey Gretchen!"

"Oh! Hey Gretch," Louie said, smiling again as he held the door open from the inside.

"Good morning," Gretchen said cheerfully, flashing them one of her HIDEOUS smiles as she followed Keef inside.

Finally the door closed, and I sneaked out again from my hiding spot, jumping up the stairs and slipping quietly into the building just as the first bell rang shrilly through the halls.

"Curses…" I muttered again, remembering how late I already was. Eh, it didn't matter, I decided; my Science textbook was still in my locker, but why bother to retrieve it when my amazing brain already contained more than the sum of all Earth knowledge put together (no matter what the foolish Bitter-monster's grades said to the contrary)? I could just rush straight to class and then—

"Good morning, Zim."

POW!

CRASH!

"Agh!"

My amazing head suddenly slammed into the lockers, a sudden blast of pain exploding throughout my body—before I even had time to react, to see what had happened I felt the force of the attacker's arm pressed against my neck, pinning me to the lockers and making it almost impossible to breathe.

I opened my eyes, sputtering for breath. "G—Gaz-hyuman?! What—agh!"

The little child-monster slammed her arm harder against my neck, causing my head to bang painfully once more against the horrible Earth-metal wall behind me. "WHAT did I tell you a few days ago, Zim?"

"I—I don't—what—?"

Her fist slammed into my abdomen; I gasped, sputtering, as she leaned in closer. "I THOUGHT I made it clear the other day that I didn't want you going around talking about things that didn't concern you. But I guess I didn't teach you that lesson HARD enough!"

POW!

"AGH!"

Gaz's fist hit me again, knocking the air out of my squeedly-squooch—I kicked futilely as another blow hit me in the face, sending my head against the lockers and sending a loud, painful ringing through my antennae. I let out a cry of pain, my arms and legs thrashing—I managed to land a swipe of my claws at her face but she merely slapped my hand away, I kicked at her but she seemed not even to feel my blows as she pounded me in the face, making my head spin—I tried to hit her again, do something, my claws wrapped around her necklace and I pulled, trying to hurt her that way to no avail—

She drew back her fist for another punch—I winced (not that I was scared, mind you, because again, I AM THE AMAZING ZIM! and all that), when suddenly another hand closed around her wrist, causing her to whip around with a snarl.

"Gaz! What are you doing with your little friend here, hmm?"

It was the Elliot-hyuman, frowning down at Gaz with his insipid little mouth. The girl-monster's eyes narrowed.

"Beating up Zim," she said simply, with the slightest hint of a growl in her voice.

I gulped (though again, I hasten to add I was not afraid of this little worm-child in the slightest). Mr. Elliot merely frowned, releasing her wrist as he crossed his arms over his sweater-vest.

"Why, Gaz, I'm surprised at you! This behavior isn't at all appropriate for you and—I'm sorry, Zip, was it?—to be engaged in. Now put him down."

Gaz's arm left my neck. Which was good, except for the sudden gravity-making-me-land-on-my-butt part.

"Now apologize."

Gaz stared at him; her eyes narrowed darkly, and I drew back in fear (um—I mean non-fearful-but-totally-legitimate-concern).

"No,"Gaz said, with all the authority of the Control Brains condemning a Tallest to death.

"Well then I'm afraid you're going to have to go to the guidance counselor, young lady."

"What?!"

Gaz's hands balled into fists at her side—it was quite clear that she was going to rip something off of the Elliot-beast, though whether it would be an arm or a head I couldn't be sure. The other skoolchildren—watching all this time from the sidelines, (and doing absolutely NOTHING! to help me, I might add)—seemed to be thinking about the same thing; Louie, who was now standing just off to the side, had his eyes widened, Keef was poking his fingers together nervously, and on the other side of the hall Gretchen seemed to be making a hand gesture that I had noticed people using when Ms. Bitters passed out grades, where one puts their hands together and mutters upwards towards the ceiling.

Mr. Elliot, however, was very stupid. He simply nodded decisively, his eyes closed so that he could not even see Gaz's near-homicidal rage. "I'm sorry, Gaz, but if you're going to be rude you'll have to go talk to Mr. Dwicky. But I do promise we'll save if you some treats if you get back late for snack time. We're having graham crackers today!"

The Gaz-monster shook with anger, her face twisting into an ugly(er than usual) snarl—and then, just as I was expecting her to leap up and devour Mr. Elliot's stupid face in one bite, she suddenly spun around, growled at me, then stormed away with Mr. Elliot walking calmly beside her.

The skoolchildren continued to stare at me for a moment, then simply returned to whatever it was they were doing a moment before (as they usually did). I gulped, climbing shakily back onto my feet.

A tall shadow fell over me. "Yeeeaaah…I might have mentioned to Gaz those little 'questions' you were asking Keef yesterday."

My eyes widened for a moment; oh, so that's what she had been talking about. Of course. I turned to snarl at him. "Go away, Louie. I'm in no mood."

"No, I'm in no mood, Zim," Louie growled, and suddenly I found my back against the lockers again, with Louie leaning down over me and his finger within an inch of my face. "Now I don't know what sick little game you're playing, trying to get my friends to tell you about my family, but you know what? I'm not having it, and you better believe" and here he did jab me, right in the space between my lenses and mouth "that Gaz won't. 'Cause this is for your own protection, you little Marsoid scumbag—you bring Dib up again for whatever reason and she finds out, I won't even get the chance to turn you into the government, she'll dissect you herself with her own bare hands. She's a very sensitive little girl, you know." His eyes suddenly swept down to my claw. "What's that?"

"Huh? Uh…"

Without realizing it, I had my claw tightly closed into a fist, and to my own surprise I saw something closed within it; an oddly-shaped white object, a long string dangling out between my fingers.

I blinked. "The Gaz's necklace. It must have broken off in the fi—HEY!"

Faster than a Blorchian after food Louie had snatched the pendant out of my hand, holding it out by its string. "I'll just return this to Gaz for you, huh?" he mocked, carefully dropping it into one pocket of his coat. "I'm willing to bet Gaz would be kinda sore if she found out you were keeping it, and I wouldn't try to give it back to her until she's calmed down a bit." He paused for a moment. "Zim?"

"Huh?" I shook my head; my eyes had followed the pendant to Louie's pocket. Once again I had been staring at it curiously…it seemed different, somehow, just like Gaz herself…it was certainly not the same shape it had been in the old timeline, I was sure of that. That one had been flat, elongated, while this one was round and had a bump where the nose would be on a hyuman face, and ears at the top of the head, but none of it looked like any hyuman features at all…

Louie, however, had no knowledge of the incredible inner workings of my amazing mind at the moment; instead he just scowled, then leaned forward again. "The point is, alien, you got Gaz mad here, and trust me, that is something you do not want to do again, capisce? You do not want her as your enemy." Then he suddenly smirked, blue eyes narrowing. "Especially when you've already got your hands full with me."

I scoffed, turning away. "Oh please. Unlike the Gaz, you hardly even qualify as a workable enemy."

"Really?" Louie said, sounding surprised; or actually fake-surprised, I thought, because his sudden frown was still turned up like a grin. "'Cause I think I'm doing pretty well for myself, actually. Let's see, I've defeated all your previous plans, pretty much have clear-cut proof you're an alien, and once I get that, I'll have about a dozen trained paranormal hunters with me to help drag you into a lab to be cut up and examined." He leaned in closer, his blue eyes meeting my faux-hyuman lenses. "Oh, and, in case you haven't heard yet…I also know about Tak, too."

I raised an eyelid. "Tak? What's a Tak?"

Louie's eyebrows shot up for a brief moment; he leaned back slightly and stared at me for a long moment, looking like some sort of…weird staring thing, turning his head away but keeping his eyes upon me as I looked back at him in confusion.

"…Huh." He stared at me for another moment (don't ask me why)—then suddenly snapped around, turning to his friend who had been waiting off to the sidelines, still looking nervous. "Come on, Keef."

"Coming!"

The two walked away, hurrying towards class. I followed after them (which made sense anyway, since we had the same stupid teacher, after all).

"Wait, Lou-beast! I have a question!"

His head turned only slightly, but his eyes locked onto mine. "What?"

"That necklace your horrible sister-monster possesses. What is it?"

"Huh?" Louie dug his hand back into his pocket, pulling it out with the pendant in his palm. "This?"

"Yes, that, the necklace. What is it supposed to be?"

He scoffed quietly, just as we reached the classroom. "This? It's a skull. A pig's skull, to be precise." He glared at me again, a dark smile on his lips. "Pigs and death---Gaz has kind of an obsession with them, for some reason."

He continued to watch me as he and Keef swept into the classroom, and I stopped, frozen as the bell rang shrilly through the skool.

A/N: Next chapter: some more of Gaz and I think something big with Dib and Zim. It might be a while, though---I have so many stories going at once I think I might finish off one or two that are almost done before coming back to this. But I'll try to hurry, and in the meantime, please review! :-)