Hello peoples!
Welcome to another chapter in The Dream is the Future!
River: Yay! Finally!
Breeze: Hooray!
Zim: YES!
Annora: 'Bout time, don't you think?
Dib: GET ME OUT OF THIS F*CKING DRESS, DAMN IT!
Me: *stare* My god, CHILDREN read this story!
Gir: MMMMMMM, NO THEY DON'T!
Me: Shut up. I didn't ask you.
And YOU! MIND YOUR APPLESAUCE!
Dib: That doesn't even make any SENSE!
Me: Mmmm, fine. Here-
(Tears off the dress.)
Me: Happy?
Dib: ARRGH!
River: AH, SHIELD YOUR EYES!
Breeze: Put some CLOTHES on, you pervert!
Dib: HEY! I DIDN'T ASK FOR THIS!
Me: You must be specific.
Anyway, to the readers: Enjoy the story. I know that the tension is building because of the last chapter.
River: Yeah, what happened when Zim caught up with Annora? Did they make out again, or what?
Zim/Annora: *DEATH GLARES*
River: *Ulp!* Just asking...
Me: NOT what I meant, but... sure, why not?
ONWARD WITH THE STORY!
(Annora P.O.V)
It's amazing how quickly gossip can get around.
Two days after Halloween, everyone in Skool knew what had happened during the dance. People whispered when I walked down the hall, pretending not to notice but glancing at me through the corner of their eyes.
Honestly? I didn't give a crap. I was happy.
And I had Zim.
He was by my side, letting me know that no matter what, he was there for me.
I felt a curious feeling for him. One that I thought was reserved only for River and Breeze.
Was it...?
Nope. I wasn't sure yet, but I didn't think that I had that feeling. If I did...
That meant my dream was coming true.
I was scared, of course. Who wouldn't be? The Halloween dance had been the last joyful part of the dream. The rest was...
Well, let's just say that I walked around with knife hidden in my sleeve at all times.
Call me paranoid? Dib certainly did. But I wasn't ready to tell him about my dream. I wasn't ready to tell anyone.
But was I going to live to regret it?
Weeks passed. October turned to November, where Dib invited us over to his house for thanksgiving. He even invited Zim.
The highlight of the night was when River ate too much and passed out in the pumpkin pie. That caused Gir to explode from out of his hiding place in the turkey (Where he had been since the time it was cooked) and Zim to start cussing in colorful Irken. I slapped him.
The blood-red trees changed, dropping all of their leaves and becoming thin and bare. One day, while I was over at Zim's house, I saw the first snowflake flutter to the ground.
December had arrived.
My sisters and I dragged Zim out for some winter shopping, much to his disgust. I think we spent about an hour going through all of the boots and coats. Eventually, since he looked so miserable, I dragged Zim to the pet shop. He liked the puppies for some reason. But the Chihuahua scared the shit out of him.
Shopping was a way to get my mind off the impending doom that I knew was going to arrive. It was a totally girly thing, but it was kind of fun if you weren't totally obsessed. Shopping, languages, family, friends... These things kept me sane.
Speaking of friends, Dib and Zim were starting to get along. They weren't extremely friendly towards each other, but they seemed to tolerate one another's company. In the hall, they even passed each other with a mumbled 'hello.'
The change in their attitudes were obvious. Kids at Sckool were starting to become confused.
It was funny to watch.
The days of December ticked by. Minutes dropped like the snow that now covered the roofs of the buildings. The house that we had been living in grew cold and uncomfortable. My sisters and I delt with it up until the roof caved in. Zim offered to have us live with him, and he built three new underground rooms just for the occasion.
I'll have to say, it was a lot warmer and a lot happier in the house of the Irken.
Every morning, I'd wake up to see Gir dancing on my face. We would race each other up to the kitchen and made pancakes until I had to go to Skool. When I got home, Zim would drag me down to the lower levels and have me memorize another three languages until he was satisfied with my fluency. Then River would go shopping for dinner, Breeze and I would cook, and the four of us would sit on the roof, watching the sunset. We invited Dib many times but often, he wasn't able to make it. No matter, he never failed to show up at the base when the stars dotted the sky. Zim would show all of us the nearby planets, explain their history, and say what they looked like.
Slowly, ever so slowly, the negative thoughts and fears in my mind began to fade away.
The days continued to drift by. Soon, I noticed men in fat red suits waving bells on the sidewalk. Music filled every home. The scent of cookies and pine trees hung in the air.
The Christmas season had begun.
Skool was on break at the moment. I was walking around town with Zim, hand in hand, observing the hustle and bustle of everyday life here in the I.Z world.
" What's it like?" Zim asked suddenly.
I was preoccupied with staring at a flying taco, so I missed his question.
" Hm?"
" What's your dimension like?"
" Oh. Uh..."
How would I explain something like that?
" Well, for starters..." I began. " We have more colors. Deeper colors. And, nothing has an outline-"
" Outline?"
I took his hand and traced the outside of his fingers.
" See?" I said. " This black mark?"
Zim tilted his head.
" Outline, huh? What else?"
" The people aren't as crazy... And not as obsessed with pigs and weasels and those other animals..."
" Huh..."
" Ghosts don't visit me, the news is more serious, people are evil... a lot of things, now that I think about it, are different. But I still live on earth."
" Do you have this 'Christmas' holiday?"
" Of course. But Santa isn't real."
" He's real here." Zim said bitterly. " When I was younger, I tried to take over Christmas by-"
" I know."
" You do?"
" T.V show, remember?"
" Oh yeah. Then, do you know about the time when I caught Santa on camera a couple years later?"
" ... No, I don't think so."
" I set up a camera system to see if the Santa rumors were true..." Zim explained. " And guess who I caught squeezing his fat ass through my door?"
I laughed and covered my mouth.
" Zim!"
" What? Do you want me to lie and call him skinny?"
I giggled again.
" What was he like?"
" ... He kinda looked like... an old, well-dressed hobo..."
At that moment, River came running up behind us, he eyes glittering with excitement.
" Hey guys!" she squealed. " I need your help!"
Zim and I stopped walking and stared at her.
Her cheeks were red from the cold, and because she had been running, her breath came out in small puffs of dense vapor. She was wearing at thick jacket that said: 'Moose.'
Yep. My weird sister.
" What is it?" I asked. River took both of our free hands, creating a triangle with our arms.
" You'll see!" she grinned. " Breeze will explain! She's over there, with Dib."
Zim snorted.
" What the hell is Dib doing away from his Dib-cave? I thought he was researching the yuti or something."
Ever since the dance, we had been calling Dib's room THE DIB CAVE.
" It's yeti, Zim." I sighed. Zim still had a problem with pronunciation.
" Whatever."
" We're over by the pines." River said. " The rest, Breeze will explain."
" My, this is secret, huh?" I mumbled as I avoided a pile of snow. " What do you want to say?"
" Breeze will-"
" Fine! Jeez, I get it!"
We followed River over to the edge of the city. There was a large open area with pine trees growing inside.
" Over here..." River urged, tugging us in a certain direction. Zim rolled his eyes.
" Why am I here?"
" You'll see!"
Eventually, River brought us to a puffy green tree about five six feet high. Breeze and Dib were kneeling by the base, digging into the snow with their hands.
" I brought them!" River announced as we approached. Dib looked up.
" Wonderful." he said with a hint of sarcasm. " Space boy, we need your help."
Zim tilted his head.
" Why?"
" Well, we kind of bought this tree..." Breeze said slowly. " Aaand we didn't buy anything to cut it with..."
I snorted.
" Why do need us?"
" We need Zim." Breeze explained. " He can use his P.A.K things, soo..."
" You want me to cut the tree." Zim finished, sounding tired. " You called me over from my walk so that I could cut down a tree."
River patted his back.
" Sorry buddy." she sighed. " We all know how much you love-"
" ANYWAY." I said quickly, cutting my sister off. " Why do you want a tree?"
Breeze looked up at me, startled.
" Why, it's tradition!" she smiled. "That's what we do back at home!"
" What we used to do back at home..." River added miserably. " Ever since you moved away..."
The sentence hung unfinished in the air.
" Auntie didn't celebrate christmas?" I asked meekly. River shook her head.
" Gotta hang on to traditions." she said. " That's what dad always used to say."
A sharp pain shot through my heart.
My parents. How could I forget about them on a holiday like this?
Once glance over at me, and Zim knew exactly what I was thinking. I soon felt an arm wrap around my shoulders and give them a squeeze.
I swear, that guy's telepathic...
That wouldn't be too hard to believe.
" I'll cut down the tree." Zim said. " Where do you want to bring it?"
River looked at Breeze, and they both smiled.
Uh-oh.
" Well..." Breeze began. " Since we've all become such GOOD friends..."
Dib coughed.
" I was thinking... WE were thinking... that..."
" Just spit it out." I growled.
" WESHOULDHAVEACRISTMASPARTYATZIM'SHOUSEANDEATDINNER ANDWATCHLORDOFTHERINGSANDSETUPATREEAND-"
" WHOA WHOA WHOA!" I cried, holding up my hands. " Slow it down, bessie!"
Breeze took a huge breath.
" We should have a Christmas party as Zim's house and eat dinner and watch Lord of the Rings and set up a tree and sleep over and get presents and have fun like we did when we were kids pretty please can we do it?"
I blinked at her.
" You lost me at 'Lord of the Rings.'"
" A Christmas party!" River squealed. " Please! We'll have dinner, and I'll make sure Gir doesn't get cooked into the turkey this time!"
Zim stared at her and shrugged.
" Whatever. I don't see why not?"
River shrieked with happiness and hugged him around the neck.
Dib scratched his head.
" Why at Zim's house?" he asked.
" A couple of reasons." replied Breeze. " One, no adult supervision. It'll be more fun, although we all have to act mature and not do anything stupid."
River giggled.
" I won't light candles then."
" Two." Breeze continued. " We've already had thanksgiving at your house, Dib, so it's time for us to have you over."
" Wonderful." Dib groaned.
" Three, Zim's never actually celebrated Christmas right in his LIFE."
" Is that something I shouldn't be proud of?" Zim asked with a frown.
" And four, having Christmas in the security of Zim's base will allow SOME people to... eh... shed of false images?"
She looked directly at Zim as she said this, but only at him.
As long as Dib was around, my sisters and I had to keep the human forms on. For all he knew, we were just a bunch of regular girls who didn't mind that Zim was an alien.
Zim, however, knew that we were not human, not from this dimension, and that we could control three elements.
We kind of had to tell him that after River flooded his base. It was also interesting to find that the water that River conjured up had not affect on his skin.
Which was good, because River flooded the base a LOT.
" Move Dib." Zim ordered, crouching next to the tree. "I don't what to chop your head off."
Dib stood up and looked around.
" Okay, remember not to show your P.A.K legs to the public..." he warned, sounding like an overly protective mother. " Don't make a big explosion, or a-"
" Are you going to carry this or not?"
It was funny to see Dib's expression when he turned back to see that Zim was already done, and was keeping the tree from falling over.
" Here..." I offered, helping Zim lay the tree down on the snow.
" Do we have anything to decorate it with?" Breeze asked.
" DECORATIONS!" River squealed. " WE NEED TO BUY SOME FOR THE HOUSE!"
Zim held up his hands slowly.
" First, we need to bring this tree to the-"
" COME ON DIB!" River cried, grabbing the human by the hand and dragging him away.
The three of us stood there for a moment.
" How much weight can you carry?" Breeze asked.
Eventually, with the three of us trying not to look too suspicious, we managed to carry the tree between us to Zim's house. We passed a bunch of our Skool mates on the sidewalk, who gave us surprised looks.
Ho ho ho to you too, jerks. We celebrate Christmas!
Getting the tree through the door wasn't a problem, since Zim had actually changed the door so it was straight.
He's made a lot of modifications to his base. The lawn gnomes had been replaced with rocks that held cannons underneath, since the gnome spooked the heck out of River. The color of the house was the same, but it didn't have the MEN'S ROOM sign on the door. Zim changed it because he was having 'women' live with him now, and calling it a 'men's' house would not be appropriate.
Honestly, I think he realized what the sign really stood for and got embarrassed.
After we got the tree through the door, we set it down next to the T.V.
The inside of the base had changed as well. The wall paper in the sitting room was just a smooth red color. The closet that had held the robot parents was turned into an actual closet; Zim got rid of the robots after they ate a hole in the wall and ran around town screaming profanities at old men.
I was kind of glad that they were gone. They always called me 'in-law daughter,' and tried to get me to sleep in the same room as Zim.
Embarrassing for us both, although their prayers were kind of answered one night when I was running away from them and somehow managed to lock myself in Zim's room thinking it was the closet. I slept on the floor, and in the morning...
Well, let's just say that we were both very surprised, especially since I had shifted forms sometime during the night and the light from my skin shown through my nightgown, and Zim had apparently been working in the boiler room without his shirt and had simply passed out on the bed without changing.
After a few moments of staring at each other, we simply laughed through the awkwardness of the situation. That's what good friends do.
As I fixed up the tree, I glanced over at the couch and shifted my gaze up to the picture above it.
Scary green alien monkey was gone. In its place was a relatively new picture.
It was a scene from the Halloween dance. We had allowed our picture to be taken by one of the chaperones there, who had given us a copy after the dance.
It was the five of us: Dib, River, Breeze, Zim and I. We all had on our costumes. River was smiling at the camera like a loon, while Breeze had more of a tender look. Dib had on a scowl that was absolutely PERFECT for his bat-man costume.
And Zim and I? Well, I was hugging him around the middle. He just stood there, grinning his head head off, since he couldn't move.
I loved that picture. It made me so... happy. And calm.
" Hey, Annora?" Zim asked, startling me out of my thoughts. " Where do you think River and The Dib went off to?"
I shrugged.
" No idea, although I'm expecting a HUGE dent in the cash that we have."
" You know, I could have just MADE decorations in the lab."
" River doesn't think things through-"
The door swung open and River came waltzing in with a santa hat on her head and bags of stuff under her arms.
" Come ON Dib!" she moaned. " We're here!"
Dib trotted through the door behind her, carrying an equal amount of bags and a raw turkey.
" DANG! CAN I TAKE A BREAK NOW?!"
" Put everything in the kitchen."
As Dib disappeared into the next room, River dropped the bags on the floor and flopped down on the couch.
" UGH! SO HEAVY!"
" So was the tree." Zim retorted dryly. " Did you buy half the mall or what?"
River glared at him.
" Just a quarter."
" Oh, knock it off you two!" Breeze groaned. " River, what did you get?"
" Food for dinner..." my sister replied. " Some lights, ornaments, stockings, nutcrackers, little gifts, candy-"
" Reindeer, penguins, polar bears, a sleigh..." Dib said miserably, poking his head into the room.
"I did not!" River protested.
" It sure felt like it..."
" What are we going to do with all of this stuff?" Zim moaned. " My base is going to turn into a happy elf saloon!"
I nudged him in the stomach.
" Knock it off, you party pooper. Enjoy the moment."
Zim gave me a defeated look.
" What moment? The one where River gives me so much to drink, I dance around outside naked without my disguise on?"
River giggled.
" I'd post that on youtube."
" You wouldn't dare."
" GUYS!" I groaned. " Please!"
Breeze fluffed up the branches of the tree and began rooting around in the bags.
" You got some colorful lights…" she observed. " And some plain ones… and a lot of ornaments, I see."
" I could have just made some…" Zim mumbled.
" Can we PLEASE have a party?" River begged. " We can do all of our old traditions!"
I snorted.
" I don't think we can watch the entire Lord of the Rings here."
River held up her phone.
" Youtube." she said simply.
" Ah."
Dib scratched his head.
" Lord of the what?" he asked.
" It's a REALLY good movie." I explained. " You'll love it."
" I've never heard of it before."
" Figures…"
I went over to the bag and pulled out a tree ornament. It was in the shape of a shiny blue ball.
" If we're going to have a party…" I sighed. " We have to split up the work. Breeze, can you cook?"
Breeze bobbed her head.
" River, you do interior design." I continued. " Zim, since you have P.A.K legs, you can do the outside."
" Okay."
" Dib, you can help Breeze in the kitchen or if you want, help me set up the tree."
" Okay." Dib said. " I'll bounce around, I guess."
"... And Gir?" I said, turning around. The robot was standing directly behind me.
River cried out and jumped back about seven feet.
" Hell, I did NOT see him! Annora, how did you-?!"
" He was whispering: 'Let me help, mommy.'" I sighed. " Gir, you can start stringing popcorn together to put on the tree."
Gir's little face brightened.
" YAY! IMMA GO GET MA PIGGY!"
He ran away.
" You hid his pig, right?" I asked Zim. He nodded.
" Well, that'll keep him busy for a while."
" Unless he makes a new one."
River scratched her head.
" He's just going to eat the popcorn, you know?"
I smiled.
"T hat's alright. He'll be occupied, and that's what matters."
Zim purred and pulled me into a loose hug.
"Y ou have a devilish mind, you know that?"
" I think I required it from my teacher, eh?" I replied, flashing him a quick grin.
" Oooookaaaay..." Dib said, rubbing his feet uncomfortably on the carpet. " Uh, do you... do you want the rest of us to... scoot, or something?"
" No, let's get started..." I sighed, pulling away. " Christmas Eve is tomorrow, right?"
River nodded.
" I'm going to make this place BEAUTIFUL!" she cried, grabbing one of the bags.
" Why does that make me feel scared?" Zim whimpered.
As the sun dipped down below the horizon, we saw Dib off and sat back to observe the days work.
The house was transformed. Zim, very reluctantly, had put up multicolored Christmas lights on the outside of the house. River, apparently, had also bought an electric moving-and-lighting-up reindeer that she stuck in the front lawn. Thankfully, the lawn was full of snow, so the reindeer was hard to see.
The inside of the house was almost like a shrine. wreaths hung from the doors, and bight tinsel hung on the ceiling. Christmas ornaments and music filled the house, along with the scent of cooking food.
In the corner was the tree. It was beautiful, covered in glittering lights and shiny ornaments that reflected the shine of the room.
" You know what we're missing?" River said as she tacked up a satin bow. " A fireplace."
She locked eyes with Zim for a minute before he got the message.
" Oh."
He went below. In a few minutes, the wall next the T.V trembled, and a stone fireplace popped up.
" Happy?" Zim asked, poking his head from out the recycling bin. River kissed him on the cheek.
" I'm going to help Breeze with the FOOD!" she giggled, flouncing over to her sister.
Slightly red in the face, Zim walked over to me. I was looking around the sitting room, feeling like something was indeed missing.
" Can't put your finger on it?" he asked gently, startling me.
" No..." I replied. " I don't know what it is."
Zim smiled, and from behind his back, he exposed something.
" Our little tree it feeling a tad bit... light-headed."
I gasped.
" Of course! The star!"
Zim handed it to me.
" Want to place it?"
I glanced up at the tree.
" Oh, I don't know..." I said. " I'm not tall enough."
Zim snorted.
" Go up the the tree and face it. And don't move."
I hesitated.
" Go on." he urged.
I sighed, and did as I was bid.
" Okay, now what?" I asked.
" Close your eyes."
" What?"
I could tell that Zim was standing right behind me because of the warmth near my shoulders.
" Trust me. Close your eyes."
I bit my lip and fluttered my eyelids shut. I listened to the sounds around me to try and comprehend what was going to happen.
" Zim?" I asked.
" Keep em' closed..."
Arms wrapped around my waist, and with a jolt, I realized that my feet were no longer touching the floor.
" What-?"
" Open your eyes now."
I did. And I gasped.
" ZIM!" I giggled. " What the HELL?"
" You're welcome."
I was at the height of the top of the tree. Zim was holding me tightly against himself, using his P.A.K legs to lift us both off the floor.
" Go on then." Zim smiled. " Put on the star."
Slowly, I leaned out as far away from Zim as I dared and placed the star on the very tip of the tree.
" Thhhhhheeeeeeerrrreeeee..." I whispered, willing it to stay.
Gently, Zim lowered us back to the ground.
" Who needs a ladder?" he said jokingly. I laughed.
" Thank you."
" No problem. Want to help out in the kitchen?"
I smiled.
" You just want to eat something."
Zim shrugged.
" Don't you?"
" It's okay you guys..." River said, poking her head into the sitting room. " It's late. We're calling it a night."
" Already?"
" We have a bit more to do in the morning, but yes. Already."
" Okay then." Zim sighed. " I have to fix the power in the medical room before I hit the sack, but it shouldn't stop the rest of you from getting a good night's sleep."
Breeze walked over the the can and opened the top.
" I'll see you guys tomorrow." she said, and she slipped inside.
" Likewise." added River, smiling at us and popping into the can beside her sister. " Squeeze in a little, won't ya?"
As my sisters descended into the lower levels, I lingered for a moment in front of Zim.
" Really..." I said. " You don't know how much this means to us."
Zim tilted his head.
" What are you talking about?"
" This party. I... thank you for... letting us have one..."
Zim smiled.
" I need this just as much as you guys, I guess. Besides, it'll be fun!"
I nodded.
" Go get some rest." Zim said, turning me around and giving me a little pat in the bin's direction. " We're going to have a busy day tomorrow, according to River."
" Mm."
Before I could stop myself, I lifted my chin and kissed Zim's forehead.
" Good-night."
With that, I went over to the elevator and descended into the lower levels.
OHMAGAWD! I DID IT!
AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A CHRISTMAS PARTY! YAY!
Dib: *Trembling with rage*
Me: Oh yeah. Hang on...
(Using magic words and makes Dib's clothing come back.)
Dib: FINALLY! I- Wait a sec...
Me: Uh, Dib? What size are you again?
River: AIEEEEE! COVER YOUR EYES!
Zim: Oh God, that is nasty!
Dib: *GASP* IT'S SO TIGHT! I CAN'T BREATH!
(Falls on floor and foams at the mouth.)
Me: Oh dear. Um, I'll... deal with that later...
ANYWAY, I'm SO sorry that I haven't updated in FOREVER. I've been working on some books that I'm writing, and this just... slipped my mind...
BUT I WILL CONTINUE THIS STORY. TO ALL MY READERS, I AM STILL WORKING ON THIS.
Thank you.
Annora: Uh... Dib's turning purple...
Me: Meh. Whatever.
See you all next chapter!