It's A Wonderful Life, Yeah Right (or is it?)
Chapter 37: Poison Thicker than Water
"Wow, what an unexpected shower." Mary said. She turned the knob of Zim's door. She let Zim enter his house first.
"Indeed. I was lucky you always carry an umbrella." Zim said looking at her polka dotted parasol.
"You sure are." Mary agreed then stepped in the doorway. She retracted the parasol and shook of the water before putting it in her book bag. "Are you okay?"
"Ouch." Zim peeped rubbing his left elbow. "A few drops hit my elbow but I'm fine."
"Here." Mary said taking out the ointment Prof. Membrane gave her. She unscrewed the top then showed it to Zim. He recognized the cream and smeared a thin layer on his injury.
"Thanks." Zim said. Mary twists the top on the ointment and put it in her bag.
"Mary, Mary!" A sporadic slightly insane robot shouted. "Is that you?"
Mary turned around and saw Gir running to her.
"Uh-oh. Prepare for trouble." Zim warned her. Gir hugged her legs as part of his greeting. Mary patted the lime green dog disguised robot.
"Hello Gir," Mary said. "How are you doing?"
"Pickles!" Gir chirped.
"Um, okay." Mary said uncertain what it meant then along came Minimoose. He hovered upon her left shoulder. "Hi, Minimoose." Mary said to him. Minimoose squeaked and floated in her arms.
"No fair!" Gir called out. "I wanna hug!"
"Alright, alright." Mary knelt and hugged both strange robots. Zim watched his robots hug Mary for quite awhile. Mary tried to stand up to release but she found it difficult to execute for they loved hugging her. Zim knew he had to step in.
"Okay, that's enough." Zim commanded their halt of the group hug. Minimoose flew out of her arms while Gir gave her a big squeeze then let her go. Atlas, she was finally free. Mary stood up and walked into the living room. Gir caught the amazing lure of Mary's long light pink flowing skirt.
"Ooooo…" Gir moaned the vowels then ran quickly to it. "Preetty…"
Gir grabbed the seam of the skirt. Mary felt caught on something and glanced over her shoulder to see Gir flapping her skirt up and down. Mary's face became very red.
"Gir, what are you doing?" Mary shouted. "Let go!"
Zim heard her complain as he put away his jacket. He turned to see the commotion his robot was causing then gasped seeing Gir playing with her skirt.
"Gir, knock it off!" Zim screamed. As usual Gir didn't listen to him and giggled. He continued flapping her skirt ignoring both their warnings. Zim ran to Gir and raised his hand to swat him away but when he did, Gir saw him and quickly let go before he was hit. Zim's hand did hit something but it wasn't Gir, it was Mary's back end. Mary yelped then scowls at Zim. Zim displayed the most awkward look on his face when he realized he hit her butt. Gir and Minimoose both maniacally chuckled. Zim didn't move a single muscle as Mary glared at him.
"Zim, did you just slap my butt?" Mary exclaimed.
"I'm so sorry, I was trying to-"
"Let go of me, please." Mary cut his explanation short. Zim looked down at his hand still pressed on one of her cheeks. He withdrawn and tried to exchange an innocent smirk but Mary wasn't buying it. Gir screeched his laughter then shouted.
"Zim is funny! He's been doing funny stuff all week like when I gave him a sweet pepper. He spat it out and cried!"
"It wasn't a sweet pepper. It was hot, hot!" Zim claimed but Gir didn't care for his opinion or taste.
"You should have been there, Mary." Gir continued to speak. "We played Frisbee in the house and rolled in the dirt and collected worms and raced them."
"Uh, that's nice." Mary said taking her step upstairs. "I wonder how Slippers is doing." Zim followed upstairs while Gir hopped next to her retelling what he and Minimoose done while she was gone.
"We played board games, watch tons if T.V. and played with toy pony action figures." Gir said.
"Have you been taking good care of Slippers when I was away?" Mary asked the chatter bot.
"Oh yes, Minimoose and me play with Slippers every day. We feed him veggies and all sorts of goodies."
"They really have been taking care of Slippers while I work. Surprising isn't it?" Zim commented.
"I'm sure it isn't that surprising." Mary assumed.
"Really, it is." Zim assured her. They entered into Zim's room. Mary stood before the cage to see her bunny.
"Hello there, my little bunny." Mary greeted Slippers. The rabbit's ears perk up to her voice and bounced to her. Mary opened the cage door and carefully scooped Slippers into her arms. She petted her spotted bunny. Gir quickly lost interest.
"Hey, Minimoose," Gir shouted exiting his room. "Wanna play in the couch cushions?"
Mary dropped her book bag next to his bed and sat upon it petting Slippers. Zim sits down with her. He takes off his wig and contacts going all natural.
"Ah, that feels better." Zim sighed when he unhook the final clip from his antenna and slapped his persona on the dresser. Mary snickered at his comment then stood up and handed him Slippers.
"I have to go the bathroom." Mary said quickly.
"Okay, it's down the hall to the right." Zim told her.
"I know." Mary said while she nod and left his room. Zim let Slippers roam free on the black sheeted bed. Zim notice Mary's books spilled out of her book bag. He picks up each book and put them back in her bag until he comes across a journal notebook, written private on the cover. Zim's curiosity got the best of him and ignores her warning.
"Can't be too private for me to read." Zim implied. He seen it must be new because she only wrote in three pages. He flipped to the first page and read from the beginning.
'Dear Diary,
I guess I should introduce myself. My name is Mary Louise Spenter. I'm sixteen years old. Seventeen in May soon.'
'She's so cute.' Zim thought while reading then snicker.
'I live with my Dad. I have a Mom but I don't get along with her, so my Dad is my family. I don't have any siblings but I'm not lonely. I volunteer at the orphanage as a tutor and a baker for bake sales if needed. I have plenty of friends and care deeply for each one but not as much as I love my boyfriend, Zim.'
'Aw yeah, here comes positive feedback.' Zim thought and continue to read.
'He is the best boyfriend I could ever ask for. He may not be my first crush but he's my first love. He is so sweet like this morning. We saw a bird egg lay abandoned in the grass. It fallen out of the nest from a tree so Zim climbed it and put the egg back in its nest.'
"Wow, I must have impressed her to write it in here." Zim said then thought of the incident. It was early this morning before skool. They were walking in the school yard and passed one of the trees on skool premises. Below it, a small blue egg sits on top of tall grass near the tree trunk.
"What's that?" Zim pointed to the strange colored egg.
"It's a robin's egg. Poor thing must have fallen from its nest." Mary said sadly.
"Do you think the mother knows it's here?" Zim asked her.
"I don't believe so and the robin can't pick it up to bring home either." Mary stated. Zim found it sad too.
"There's no question what needs to be done." Zim simply stated. He picked up the tiny blue egg and cupped it in his palm. He looked up to the branches and saw where the nest sat. He reached to the lowest branch, pulled up with his free arm, kicked up on the tree trunk and sat on the sturdy limb. Zim placed the egg in its rightful nest among the sky blue egged siblings. Zim jumps off the branch to meet by Mary's side.
"I'm sure the robin will appreciate it." Mary praised his good deed.
"Heck, I would have." Zim said. Zim return to current reality his sitting in his room and looked out the hallway.
"It sure taking Mary long to use the bathroom." Zim said then he heard the loudly cracking chuckle of Gir.
"Mary, Mary! Look at what Minimoose and I can do!" Gir cried for her attention.
"Good Gir, distract her. Must read me." Zim grunted flipping to the second page.
'Zim is very sensitive and in touch with his emotions. I remember one time when he accidentally fell asleep on me while tutoring.'
"I fell asleep on her?" Zim questions shocked.
'When Minimoose put him to bed, he looked so cute sleeping and his sleep he spoke telling Gir he could eat the video games.'
"So that's where he got the idea. This diary gets more interesting by the sentence." Zim muttered.
'He really cares for his robots like they're children. I bet he could be a great father.'
Zim looked up from the notebook then blushed.
"That's embarrassing." Zim said. "What else she wrote about me."
'Zim is special not because he's an alien. Did I mention he's an alien? Well, it's not important…'
'She doesn't care where I came from.' Zim thought then smiled.
'Because Zim is the most wonderful person I've ever met and I love him with all my heart.'
Zim smiled a bigger grin reading the final sentence of the entry. Zim spotted a pencil in the rings of the spiral journal and wrote on the page. 'I love you too, Mary.' Then an idea sprung up on him and wrote more in the notebook. After finally getting away from Gir and Minimoose, Mary came to Zim's doorway. She did not like what she seen Zim holding her diary.
"Hey, what are you doing with my diary?" Mary snapped. Zim startled by her shout, looked up at her.
"Hi Mary…Back from the bathroom, I see…" All he can say.
"First you smack my butt then you read my diary. You certainly on a roll breaking all realms of personal space. Both physical and mental." Mary said.
"The butt smacking was on accident. This." Zim pointed to the journal. "Is on purpose."
"Give me back my journal!" Mary screamed and tried to grab it out of his hands.
"Wait, Mary. Let me finish." Zim said still writing on the page dodging her.
"What are you doing? Don't tell me you're making corrections?" She accused such behavior.
"I'm just adding my entry." Zim told her.
"What kind of entry?"
"That, you'll have to read later. Only if you promise me, I'll give you back your diary." Zim said then dotted the last period on the sentence and shut the notebook.
"Fine, whatever." Mary agreed. Zim held it out to her. Mary snatched it out of his hands. Zim knew he screwed up big time.
"I'm sorry. It fell out of your book bag and well, I got curious." Zim revealed his motive.
"Curiosity killed the cat. I know you lived here this long to understand the saying." Mary scolded him.
"I know." Zim groaned expressing remorse. Mary sighed then sat next to him.
"I can't really blame you…" Mary said excusing his curious nature.
"I liked what you wrote about me." Zim said.
"Even the ummm…Father part?"
"I-I suppose…Maybe someday I would consider being a father." Zim admitted then looked to her. He stared deeply into her brown eyes, lost the words he wanted to speak then quickly remember and spoke them. "But not in the near future."
"Right, right." Mary agreed then put her journal away tucked between two books in her book bag. Mary spotted Slippers sitting on Zim's pillow. She picked him up and held him high to see his face. "Who's the cute little bunny? Yes you are, yes you are." She said rubbing her nose on Slippers'. Mary placed Slippers on her lap and scratched his chin. "What a nice little bunny." She petted his ears flat and they popped up. "Who's got floppy ears?" Mary said in a cutesy voice. Zim watched her talk to the rabbit like it was a baby. It annoyed him to no end. "I love you, Slippy Lippy." She squeaked.
"Slippy Lippy?" Zim questioned. "Do you even know what you're saying?"
Mary saw him cross his arms and look away. She sensed he was a little peeved.
"What's a matter? Is someone jealous wealous?"
"No and quit talking like that!" Zim tried to deny his jealousy but Mary can see it written clearly on his face.
"Why?" Mary questioned in a cutesy matter then rubbed under his chin with her index finger. "Is it bugging you?"
"Yes, it is." Zim finally admitted ducking away from her finger.
"Awwwwww…" Mary let out a sympathetic sigh.
"Don't 'awwww' me." Zim said. "Go back to your bunny."
Mary saw Slippers hop off her lap then glanced at her grumpy boyfriend.
"I can't if you feel so crummy." Mary said then placed her hand in his belly and wiggled her fingers in his skin. Zim smirked feeling the tickle.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Zim said breaking his sour mood.
"What do you think I'm doing?" Mary questioned.
"I think your challenging me to a tickle fight!" Zim said then reached to her hips and tickled her sides. Mary laughed then tickled Zim the best she could and achieved victorious getting him laid flat on his bed. "No, no, stop, ah ha hah ha ha! I surrender!" Zim cried through his giggles. Mary leaned over Zim removing her hands from his belly and pinning them on his bed holding herself over him. Zim hunch up to meet her to see she was giggling at him. Zim appreciated her mercy and kissed her lips quickly. After the kiss, Mary hence stopped laughing and blushed. Zim sensed the energy Mary was feeling for he felt it too. He brushed her hair into hand, held her head and kisses her. The kisses between them vary from small pecks to long intimate messaging. While kissing, Zim pulled her close as he lay down on his bed. Mary placed her forearms on his bed, gripping both hands on his shoulders. Mary leaned on top, her knees keeping her balance over him as he held her up. They tongued licking inside their cheeks savoring the taste. When holding her, Zim caressed from her midriff to her hips rubbing them back and forth. Zim slipped lower to touching her rear, rubbing her right flank. Zim realized his error and looked to Mary to see if it upset her but Mary continued expressing her love by kissing his right cheek numerous times.
"Oh, so you like it when I touch your butt now?" Zim stated.
"Hush…" Mary moaned to his complain and licked his neck then bit where she licked him. She nuzzled his neck rubbing her nose under his chin while biting. He closed his eyes again and didn't feel for caressing but held her tight, hugging her on his body. Zim nudged under her cheek to persuade her to kiss his lips. Mary understood his message and pressing on his lips. He kissed her licking her lips entering her mouth with his tongue. Mary's desire peaked as she licked his lips while tonguing. Out of breath, Mary huffed then lifted from him staring into his big magenta eyes. He watched her chest rise up and down as she wheezed. Zim lifted his arm and cupped her left cheek and caressed her lower lip with his thumb.
"Tired? Out of breath?" Zim questioned his beloved. "Lay next to me."
Mary nodded then got off him and lay right between him and the wall. Zim shuffled to his side and kissed Mary's neck then whispered in her ear. "It's my turn to show you the depth of my love." Mary sighed sweetly hugging him as he kissed her neck.
"Ohhhh, Zim…" Mary sighed. "You are so affectionate."
"Only affectionate to you, my dear." Zim said then kissed her. "My love, the woman who takes me as I am and cherish it. I'll do anything to keep you happy. Anything, even…."
"What Zim?" Mary asked curious by his hesitation.
"Nothing." Zim said then kissed her cheek. "Nothing to worry over." Zim stroked through her long curly hair. Mary nuzzled under his chin and grasped his shirt. Suddenly, they heard a faint ring. Zim peaked up familiar to the ring.
"What is it?" Mary asks not sure of the chime.
"It's the door bell." Zim said then sat up. "Our friends must be here. So soon?"
"Well, you did agree to movie night at your house." Mary said sitting up flattening the fringes in her shirt and skirt.
"Yeah, they would arrive early to make movie night a double feature." Zim said and stood up. "I better go greet them."
"Zim, where's Slippers?" Mary asks. Zim gazed over his floor then spotted a fluffy black tail sneak under his bed. "He's under my bed." Zim informed her. Mary slid off his bed and sat on the floor to get Slippers while Zim ran downstairs. When reaching the final step, he stopped in his tracks to see Dib letting in Brian, Josh and Tina. Zim shouted to Dib.
"Dib, I didn't know you were here?"
"I knocked but nobody answered so I let myself in." Dib explained then walked to him. "I went upstairs and saw you guys. You were all over each other. I waited downstairs for you to stop."
"Haven't ever heard of do not enter without consent?" Zim asked a little ticked Dib entered his house without his knowing and once again spying on them.
"I don't see why. We're practically family." Dib nonchalantly brought up as his defense.
"That's no excuse!" Zim shouted. Mary walked downstairs after returning Slippers home. She overheard their conversation while stepping down in the middle of the stairway.
"Don't act so embarrassed. We all know you two are in love." Dib emphasize the word. Their friends chuckled at it too.
"Who gave you permission to enter unannounced?" Zim shot a valid question.
"I always come in unannounced so no rules were established I couldn't." Dib said then stuck out his tongue and blew a raspberry. Dib's taunt infuriated Zim. Mary slumped away not wanting to be part of the argument. Instead, she met her friends.
"Hi guys." Mary said.
"Hey Mary." Tina said then glanced at Dib and Zim arguing their points at the same time. Then she saw Gir and Minimoose arrive from the kitchen with a bag of popcorn. They sat in front of the two and watched them argue. "Sorry to start an argument with those guys."
"It's okay, really." Mary said and shook her head. "Anything can set them off."
"Talk about time bombs." Josh stated the obvious.
"Short tempered to be exacted." Brian commented.
"It can't be helped." Mary said has already accepted their conflicting personalities. "So, what have you brought for movie night?"
"I brought 'When the World Goes Boom II'." Tina shrieked showing Mary the movie cover. Mary looked at the cover peculiar to her choice.
"Haven't we watched this before?" Mary asked.
"Yeah, but I thought I bring it for a second screening." Tina said. "Everyone liked it last time."
"Brian, what did you bring?" Josh asked him quickly to avoid his opinion of what Tina brought. Brian removed what he held in his armpit and showed it to Josh. He couldn't believe title and had to read it out loud. "'Crossing to the Moose like Wonder,' you brought a moose documentary? Who brings a documentary to a- Gahhh…Brian, you suck."
"You told us to bring our favorite movie to Zim's house and this happens to be it. I like watching nature documentaries." Brian stood up for his interest.
"But a nature flick to movie night, come on, that's lame." Josh protested.
"Alright hotshot, if you're such a genius, what did you bring?" Brian challenged his choice.
"I brought the 'Ultimate Spy Movie'." Josh gloated his selection.
"Why, I watched it like seven times with you." Tina protested. "I'd rather watch the moose movie." Tina expressed her dislike. Brian smiled to Tina's choice.
"Okay, then it's agreed." Zim said finding resolution to their argument. "If you knock three times and I don't answer, don't come into my house." Dib crossed his arms and said.
"Or I can say I'm sorry and not do it again." Dib suggested wanting not to complicate things.
"Okay, fine. Let's do that." Zim agreed.
"Okay, I'm sorry." Dib said.
"Apology accepted." Zim said then sat on his couch. Dib joined him. Gir saw they weren't fight and decided to bug his friends asking what they brought for him. Minimoose departed from Gir and floated next to Zim. They watched Gir jump up and down annoying his friends. Tina, Josh and Brian were irritated by his peeping but Mary smiled and picked up Gir hugging him in her arms. Gir stopped speaking liking her hug. Zim grew a silly grin seeing Mary and his friends chatting. Somehow it gave him a great satisfaction. Dib notice his silly grin.
"What are you so happy about?" Dib pondered.
"I don't know but I can't help not to." Zim admitted. "I have a great girlfriend and friends who likes me for me, the annoying pest I sometimes am. It feels like my life is…fulfilled."
"'If you want paradise, simply look around and view it.'" Dib quoted. Zim turned to him confused.
"What?" Zim wondered what he meant.
"I don't know, it's a quote from 'Willie Wonka'. A girl handed me this quote while I was on the bus. It reminded me of your tranquil enlightened moment." Dib explained and brought out the slip of posted paper with the quote written on it in blue ink.
"Oh, did you get her phone number?" Zim asked curious if he was successful.
"No." Dib said.
"Fail!" Zim shouted.
"I wasn't interested in getting her number." Dib said insulted. "I told you, I'm not dating any girl for awhile. It's too soon."
"Alright, but you're going to be missing out." Zim tried to warn him.
"Coming from the alien in a relationship for four weeks." Dib pointed out his status.
"Just two more months and I beat your record, Dib-stink!" Zim gloated. Dib didn't say a word. Instead, he laughed and reached into his inner cloak pocket to retrieve a DVD in a clear plastic CD case.
"I am soooo glad I found this." Dib chuckled then smiled to Zim.
"What is it? Does this have something to do with- It does doesn't it? Give it here!" Zim shouted then tried to snatch it out of Dib's hand. Their friends turn around wondering what was happening. They see Zim reaching over Dib to get the DVD while Dib was pushing his head fighting him off.
"What now?" Josh bothered to ask.
"Give me, DVD…" Zim manage to utter as Dib pushed back his cheek countering Zim force.
"Stop pushing." Dib demanded.
"You stop pushing!" Zim shouted.
"Okay," Dib said and let go of him. Zim jolted forward then sat up again but to Dib's demand he ignored and tried to grab it.
"What is it Dib have?" Tina asked wondering why Zim is going to great lengths to get it.
"I don't know but it has to be embarrassing! Embarrassing for me!" Zim shouted his fear.
"It's a little embarrassing for me too." Dib finally said.
"Oh," Zim said, stopped struggling and sat back down. "What is it?"
"Remember when we were on Mysterious Mysteries?" Dib questioned.
"OOOOhhhh! Is this the episode?" Zim pondered. Dib nodded and he didn't feel the need to attack him.
"Hold up, you're saying you guys were on T.V.?" Josh shouted amazed by the possibility.
"Yes, I sent a clip to Mysterious Mysteries when I was ten to try to expose him on television when he was trying to conquer Earth." Dib explained to Josh and the gang. "We both came on the show and at the end, we drove the host temporally insane."
"Aw, man, we have to see this." Josh said then tossed aside his movie on the floor. He sat next to Dib and to follow Tina and Brian. Mary sat next to Zim naturally. Dib got out of his seat and raised the DVD high.
"What you are about to see is pure awesome. Don't try to laugh too hard I repeat, do not laugh too hard for I don't know CPR. Enjoy." Dib said then press open on the DVD player, put in the DVD and pressed play. The Mysterious Mysteries theme played out and the gang stayed quiet watching the screen.
"Are we alone in the universe?" The Mysterious Mysteries host asked his viewers. "Tonight we will show you intriguing video that may answer that vexing question."
The host then displayed a video of Zim and Gir both without disguises. Gir was in a tree playing with an unusual light while Zim was persuading Gir to come down. They were speaking in what was described gibberish.
"Is that your language?" Tina asks Zim.
"Yes, that's how we speak." Zim informed her.
"Yay!" Gir squealed and ran to the T.V. set. "I'm on T.V.!"
"It's an old T.V. show we were on." Zim told him. "Don't you remember?"
Gir peered at the T.V. screen for a second and peeped.
"NO!"
"Well, sit down and watch maybe you'll remember." Zim advised him then the video flipped to show Dib's house with the host standing outside it.
"Thanks to a horribly large headed boy named Dib." The host spoke. "We have a piece in the puzzle that is the search of alien life. I set out to investigate."
"Did he just call you 'horribly large headed'?" Brian asked then smiled.
"Yes, back then, I had a big head. There, I admit it." Dib groaned.
"Your head couldn't be that big." Tina dismissed but they watched the host enter their house and got pwned by Gaz with a bowl of popcorn. They laughed then saw Dib appear. Tina saw his head and laughed. "Well, it least it's normal now."
"Hey, Dib why's your head so big?" Josh teased him.
"I was born with a big head, okay." Dib stated.
"No, you weren't. It shows you with a normal head when you were a baby." Brian pointed.
"It grew bigger." Dib stated peeved by their pestering questions. Then they watched more to see pictures of Zim in the classroom, the cafeteria and on the street dragging Gir.
"How did you take his pictures without him knowing?" Josh asked impressed especially the desk shot.
"Very carefully." Dib spoke.
"More like a sneak, taking unflattering pictures of Zim! Then put them on T.V.!" Zim shouted and glared at Dib.
"Relax, I don't do it anymore." Dib said calming him. Zim turned to the screen to watch Dib getting interviewed by the host.
"Look at him. He's so green." The ten year old Dib spoke sitting with the host.
"Help us clear up what happen that night." The host asked of Dib. The screen blacked out to show Dramatic Reenactment in white letters. Then appeared two actors, one older man dressed as Dib and the Gaz actor was in costume while Dib provided dialogue for the actors to follow.
"No way!" Tina smiled to the bad acting and Gaz's costume. "Why do they need a costume for Gaz. Couldn't the actress dress-up like Gaz?"
"I don't know. I didn't see this part until I got the episode disk after the show." Dib said. "I had no idea they did this."
"We are close now; I feel it in my brain!" Dib actor pronounced. Dib crossed his arms and moaned.
"I would never say that." Dib protested.
"You should for now on." Brian suggested. "It could be your catch phrase."
"No, it will not." Dib disagreed.
"Yes it will, I feel it in my brain!" Josh acted out then hi-four Brian and laughed.
"Shut up and keep watching." Dib advised. They watched how the actress portraying Gaz cling on Dib and how they paused between each word.
"God, that's horrible." Tina said shaking her head and then the screen appeared Zim's costume. They stared at for a second and laughed including Zim.
"Is that a paper bag mask the actor is wearing?" Josh chuckled.
"I don't know, I don't know!" Zim cried out and laughed. "It doesn't look like me."
"Look at poor Gir, he's a cardboard box!" Tina described the actor's costume of Gir.
"Well, they got the color of your skin and eyes right." Mary stated.
"I want that costume." Josh admitted. "Next year, Halloween."
"You would go as Zim?" Zim shrieked.
"Yeah, you can go as me, no wait, you already do that!" Josh said and everyone getting to joke laughed at poor Zim and him having to pretend to be human.
"Ha, ha, very funny." Zim said displeased. They watched the actors struggle to get the video camera out of Actor Dib's hand. Then the Actor Dib pushes Gir out of the set up cardboard tree and pulled the light bulb out and threw in a cardboard bush.
"Did that guy pull the light bulb out of its wiring?" Brian questioned.
"Yeah, he did." Josh said seeing it too. "What the hell."
Then the cardboard bush caught on fire and they doused the fire with water. The screen went black and appeared back in the dark blue conference room with Dib on camera.
"That's quite a claimed." The host spoke. "Are you prepared to defend it?"
"I think my video speaks for itself." Young Dib commented.
"This young man denies your accusation." The host spoke and appeared Zim entering the room sitting next to Dib.
"OHHHHHHhhhhh!" Gir squealed. "IT'S YOU!"
"Things are going to go down!" Josh said really excited.
"Indeed." Zim agreed.
"What's he doing here, he's the alien!" Young Dib questioned.
"Yeah, how did you get on the show?" Tina asked.
"Why would you be on the show?" Brian asked another.
"They called me and asked if I like to appear and naturally I said yes so I can keep my identity a secret and prove Dib wrong." Zim said. "Not if I wanted to go, but have to."
"When will the lies end?" Young Zim emphasized.
"The question is, when where your lies end?" Brian pointed out.
"Awwww…." Mary sighed then hugged his arm. "You look so cute small."
"Well, I guess my next question is," The host spoke directly to Young Zim. "Are you an alien?"
"LIEEESSSS!" Young Zim shrieked. Both Mary and Tina jumped startled how loud he screamed. "THE FLITHY EARTH BOY LIEESSSS! I mean, no."
"Holy crap, Zim!" Josh shouted. "Over dramatic much."
"Now, that is how you answer a question." Zim said proud.
"I thought you were loud now, didn't know you could puncture an ear drum." Brain stated.
"Yes, I'm quite the screamer, still am." Zim said. "I control the pitch of my voice better."
Then the screen blacked out again to appear another Dramatic Reenactment through Zim's view.
"Oh, no…" Josh said smacking his forehead. In this portrayal, it showed Dib being Zim's bully. They were shocked to see the actor play Dib tough and Zim so civilized.
"But I need these moneys to buy nutrients." Actor Zim spoke.
"What?" Tina questioned. "Who wrote this?"
Then they saw Dib record Zim saying he was an alien, push Zim to the ground and shake Gir out of the cardboard tree. The scene panned to Zim crying on the floor.
"Boo Hoo Hoo!" The actor cried.
"Zim, you are full of shit!" Josh shouted in disbelief.
"I know. I had to make Dib look bad to protect myself." Zim said then turned to Dib. "No hard feelings, right?"
"Right!" Dib said then punched him in the arm. Zim yelped and rubbed his arm. "No hard feelings."
The scene ended and screen to Dib and Zim arguing who was right.
"What about that glowing thing? Look at it! That's no human glow." Young Dib claimed and then the host called out Prof. Membrane on the screen as their expert. Membrane said it was either a weather balloon or swamp gas.
"What was that glow, Zim?" Brian asked.
"Yeah, tell us Zim." Josh pleaded.
"Was it part of your experiment?" Tina asked too.
"It was a firefly." Zim finally said. They stared at him wondering if he was joking but he wasn't. "Gir ran out of the house and chased it because he thought it looked pretty. I was trying to get him out of the tree before we were caught out of disguise. I knew somebody was in the bushes spying on us."
Then he glared at Dib. He smiled to his glare. They return to the screen to see their old classmates claiming Dib was crazy and shouldn't listen to him. After their insight, the host asks Dib if he's crazy.
"Of course they say I'm crazy. They always say that about visionaries." Young Dib claimed.
"Well, you give yourself a high title, visionary?" Tina questioned. "Dib, enlighten us."
"Maybe later." Dib pushed aside. They watched Young Dib point out to what Young Zim had in his hand.
"It's my medication." Young Zim claimed and they watched him swallow the gadget.
"Ouch, what that really your medication?" Josh asked.
"No, it was my communicator. I was contacting Gir." Zim said.
"I thought so." Dib stated.
"Did it ever pass out of you?" Brian's curiosity turned disgusting.
"No, it never did." Zim realized. "Now, I'm a little scared."
"I think you're fine." Mary calmed his worry. "You would have had complications if it didn't."
"True, my Squeedlyspooch may have stronger stomach acid than humans." Zim admitted.
Young Dib demanded Mysterious Mysteries to talk to Gaz and have her appear on the show. They manage to do so and portrayed an unflattering Dramatic Reenactment of Zim and Dib being stupid. They laughed how stupid the actors act. Zim and Dib slouched in their seats embarrassed but not surprised how Gaz sees them. After the Reenactment, the host was about to wrap up the show until they stated there was a surprise witness. The screen displayed Gir walking on the scene and sat down next to Gaz.
"Ohhhhhh!" Tina peeped. "It's GIRRRR!"
"Why's his face blurred out?" Josh asked. Gir was shocked and cheered when he saw himself.
"I love this show." Gir peeped then hugged the corner of the T.V. screen.
"Now you all get to see the horror of his imagination." Zim warned them. The screen panned to the Dramatic Reenactment of Gir portraying himself as the lady hiding in the bushes and him describing the adventure of his squirrel friend. They laughed through entire portrayal. Then the host asked him.
"What does this have to do with anything?"
"Me and the squirrel are friends." Gir chirped to the host.
"Awwwww…" Tina and Mary sighed. They watched the cast dance and Actor Dib be pulled out of the scene by the paramedics. They saw the host lose his wits, call each of them crazy and claim himself crazy attacking the camera. They laughed loudly.
"You guys certainly drove him nuts." Mary said smiling to Zim and Dib.
"We totally did. It took the producers a month to convince him to continue the show after his episode." Dib informed them.
"How did you know?" Josh asked.
"I read it online on their official website." Dib said. "We broke that poor man."
"Dude, whatever this show is, it had to be the best episode I've seen." Josh admitted.
"You just thought it was great because we were in it." Dib said wise to his choice of entertainment.
"True, but really, that was most hilarious. Can I take the DVD home and watch it again?" Josh asked of Dib. Dib shook his head, got up and hit eject on the DVD player then placed the DVD back in its case.
"Sorry, but it's my only copy. I can't lend even to my friends. Who knows what will happen." Dib said then Josh got on his knees and begged.
"Please, please Dib." Josh begged.
"Let him have it." Zim figured it couldn't do any harm. "It's probably uploaded on the internet. No point in protecting what everyone already saw."
"Fine, here." Dib said handing it Josh.
"Yes! Thank you! I'll return it to you tomorrow." Josh said getting up off the floor.
"What are you planning to do with the video anyways? Watch it again?" Zim asked.
"You'll see…" Josh said suspiciously secret to his motives.
"What have we done?" Zim pondered out loud.
"Time to make parody internet gold." Josh said walking to the door.
"Nooooo!" Zim and Dib both screamed then jumped Josh and wrestle the DVD out of his hand.
"You can't have it." Dib decided and Zim nodded. Josh moaned it was taken from him.
"How about we watch another movie?" Mary suggested.
"Good idea," Dib agreed and stuck the DVD case in his pocket.
"How about my movie?" Brian suggested then showed to case to Zim and Dib. "It's about moose. I think Minimoose feels kind of left out."
Brian pointed to Minimoose upside down on the ceiling moping.
"Ohhhhh…Minimoose, come down from there." Tina tried to persuade the depressed moose.
Minimoose whined and shook his body refusing to budge.
"Minimoose," Zim said his name sternly. "Would you like to watch a movie with you in it?"
Minimoose beamed hearing the offer. He flew fast to his master and saw what Zim has holding in his hand.
"It has moose just like you." Zim cajoled the DVD's value. Minimoose peeped happy to see the movie. "Then it's settle." Zim opened the case and put the DVD in his player and press play. They sat back on the couch; Minimoose hovered to Zim and sat on his lap. Gir jumped on Mary's lap wanting to watch the movie too. The movie documented the daily life span of a moose, what it ate, it's mating ritual and its migration pattern. In the movie, it showed many Canadians watch the great moose migration into Alaska where they like to graze during winter. Canadians and Alaskans alike watched these creatures roam through binoculars at a safe distance.
"Who would sit there in the freezing cold watching them herd?" Josh bothered to ask bored out of his mind.
"I would," Zim spoke. "I would like to see a moose." Minimoose peep a disappointed squeak. Zim heard him then said. "And I would bring Minimoose along so he can meet them." Minimoose squealed delighted to his decision and nuzzled his arm.
"Awwww…." Tina sighed then patted Minimoose's head. "He's adorable. There wouldn't be any reason not to bring him along."
"Can I come too?" Gir asked Zim.
"Well, I certainly can't leave you here alone." Zim said.
"Yay! We're going to Canada!" Gir shouted. "I'll pack!"
"No Gir, We're not going now. I was just figuratively speaking!" Zim tried to tell him but Gir was already up the stairs. Zim sighed and didn't bother to chase him.
"Should we tell him?" Mary asked Zim.
"No, I'll tell him later. Who knows, the packing might wear him out." Zim said then he heard a silent buzzing sound. It was strange because it sounded so familiar and so close like it was behind him. Zim turned his head and saw the monkey portrait slide into the ceiling. His friends turned around curious to see it displayed a wide screen.
"I didn't know you had a better T.V." Tina stated. Zim gulped scared to see again. Zim got off the couch quickly and said.
"It's not a T.V. screen."
His friends followed Zim position standing to the giant screen. Dib stood next to Zim while Mary held his hand afraid for Zim's sake. She never saw him so scared. Mary held his hand with both of hers and squeezed them tight. The screen fuzzed static stripes then came in clear to show two alien strangers for his friends but not to Zim and Dib. They both had long heads and eyeballs. Their skin similar color to Zim's and bare long antennas. The only difference was their choice in color matching each eye color.
Zim was very very very surprised. He was speechless to see his former leaders before him. Tallest Purple and Red. They looked through the screen recognizing Zim, he grew taller they noticed but was even more noticeable were the amount of humans in the room. Their mouths wide open gawking at Red and Purple's appearance.
"What do you want?" Dib snapped at them on Zim's behalf. Tallest Red clicked on the screen then scrolled down to the language the human address him and remembered it was English. He clicked on the right button and broke the language barrier. Tallest Red cleared his throat before speaking.
"Ah, that's better." Tallest Red spoke in English. "Greetings Earthlings,"
"No way…" Josh manages to speak silent.
"This has nothing to concern you. Among, you humans live an outsider named Zim. OOOOooooo!" Red said wiggling his fingers as Purple did the same behind him.
"What kind of shit is this?" Zim snaps breaking from his shock.
"Oh, looks like they already know." Purple said examining Zim's appearance.
"I can see that." Red also pointed out his casual apparel. "Let's cut to the chase. Zim, we need your help."
"You need MY help?" Zim shouted.
"Yes, soldier." Red confirmed his statement.
"MY HELP! I thought you didn't need MY HELP! What is this really about? Why have you called me?" Zim asked many questions. Everyone kept their eyes on Red awaiting answers.
"Fine, we'll make our motives clear. It involves Operation Impeding Doom 2. We've been struggling trying to conquer the last planet of our conquest, Planet Meekrob. We have sent many troops but atlas they end up dead fifteen minutes flat. We find them each time; Paks exploded from their bodies. We believe they know how to tamper our life support system."
"What does this have to do with me?" Zim asks. Dib looks at Zim's bare back and realized their motives.
"Because they want you to infiltrate the planet. Zim, Skoodge must have told them you can live without a Pak." Dib told Zim.
"Precisely," Red didn't deny it then remembered the boy from years ago they tried to capture for experimentation. "Such a shame, your brain would have made a great retribution to our lab."
"We want you to be an Invader again and you can be as crazy as you please, just terrorize the right planet this time." Purple said.
"Yes, Commander Skoodge told us of your great effort in rescuing him. Your efforts haven't gone unnoticed. It was wrong to banish you completely seeing you've been loyal to your Irken comrade in his time of need. Perhaps we misjudged you. This is the second chance you asked for. Do this mission and we will return your title meaning you will be accepted back in our society. You can finally come home." Red said sweetly to Zim. "What do you say, Zim?" Everyone's eyes were dead focus on Zim waiting his decision. The room stayed quiet. Mary looked up to Zim. Suspense was eating her inside knowing her love might leave her. "Zim…" Mary uttered his name. Zim looked down to Mary then sneaked a wink and smirked. Mary sighed relieved and grinned. She released his hand not worried anymore. He chuckled to his leaders. His leaders shared glances bewildered by his laughter.
"This is so overwhelming, all I can say is FUCK YOU!" Zim proudly screamed and stuck out his middle finger. His friends smiled to him rejecting his leaders.
"Yeah, fuck you!" Josh joined in shouting at the screen. They glanced at Josh wondering why he did that. "What? How often can you say it to an alien leader?"
"Yes, is that a yes?" Purple asked Red confused. Red scratched his head confused to the meaning of the reference.
"Oh, right." Zim remembers they know nothing of human insults. "In other words, I won't do it you…CEEPS!"
Red and Purple gasped loudly for what he called them.
"As my best friend said, you only want me because I have no Pak. Whether I rescued Skoodge means nothing to you. You just want me back for your selfish gain and I'm not going to be a part of it. And as for being 'accepted' in your society; I don't want it. I could care less being graced with a welcome return to Irk. I belong to Earth. I may be Irken but I'm more accepted and happy here than I'll ever be on Irk. This is my home now. Not Irk. And I definably don't need to pledge loyalty to you!" Zim pointed then turned his back on them. "Find some other lackey to die for your cause."
"I see." Red finally said. "So this is your home now?"
"Did you hear me stutter?" Zim questioned turning his head to Red.
"Nope, you made it perfectly clear. You always had a loud mouth. I'm pleased that part of you didn't change." Red smirked.
"What do you mean?" Zim turned around and took a few steps forward.
"You've grown soft over the years. I can see it in this room. So many humans. You must care for them dearly if you're comfortable not to wear a human mask. It would be awfully sad for one particular Irken to disagree. His leaders armed with the right equipment to say…Destroy a planet in a push of a button or send out troops to invade and make it part of our conquest." Red said hearing Purple giggle delighted he has blackmailing Zim. "But it could all be avoided if you take back what was said and say yes. The simplest peep of the word and they will be spared."
Zim lowered his head conflicted by the choice he had no choice to make. He knew what they are threatening was true. They wouldn't take them long to capture this planet. He knew the technology was weak compared to his race's weapons.
"Zim!" he heard Mary cry to him gripping his arm.
"Zim, you don't have to agree to anything." Dib tried to tell him but he made his decision. He looked each of his friends in the eyes, to Dib and lastly to Mary's the longest. Mary saw the pain in his eyes then looked away feeling it was too much. She knew he would have to agree.
"I will accept your mission on one condition. If I were not to success and die, you will spare this planet." Zim said looking to his Tallest putting up a brave front. Mary looked to Zim once more and shouted his name.
"Zim, no!"
"Zim, you can't mean it!" Dib shouted too.
"Deal, I will expect you to construct your ship and meet at the docking station outside of Meekrob. You have three Earth months."
"Yes, My-My Tallest." Zim bitterly accepted their command.
"See you then, soldier." Red said and was about to sigh out.
"Wait just one second!" Mary shouted. Red and Purple stared curious to the human's scream. "You expect Zim to build a space ship less than three months? That's crazy! It doesn't give him or anyone enough time for anything. Can't you find another way to invade the planet without him? Do you really need that planet? And who the heck do you think you are asking for his help then threatening to destroy our planet if he doesn't?"
"He picked quite the female." Purple stated to her ramble of questions.
"That you're right." Red agreed then ends the transmission. Mary wondered how they knew about their relationship then it dawned on her she was clinging on Zim the whole transmission.
"This is just great! Just great!" Dib shouted then began pacing back in forth. "What am I saying, great? There is no time to be sarcastic! We have a space ship to build! I thought I would be out of saving the world. Letting it be Green Peace's problem, but no! Stupid Irken leaders threaten to kill us, again! We can't build a space ship in three months! What I am going to tell Dad? Oh man, Dad. He is not going to like this one bit! Not at all, he might not even believe me! He'll probably say, 'Oh Son, that's a good one,' I wish it was a joke Dad. I wish it was!"
Mary and her friends watch Dib pace back and forth flipping out to the situation at hand. Mary turns around wanting to comfort Zim, but he wasn't there. He was nowhere to be found in the living room. Mary heard a sound in the kitchen thinking it was Zim and entered. Josh, Tina and Brian were left to soak up what have happened.
"So Zim will have to leave?" Tina asked them sadly.
"I'm afraid so." Josh said. "He really had no choice in the matter. Freakin' bastards."
"Zim is willing to sacrifice his life to save us." Brian stated. His friends look to the ground not sure what to say but Brian knew what had to be done. "We have to do our best to help Zim. For his sake and ours. We owe our friend that much."
Josh and Tina nodded agreeing to Brian's words. Meanwhile Mary pulled the hanging cord to access the elevator she saw was active. She guessed Zim ran to his lab. Mary waited for the elevator to arrive in position and when it did, she didn't hesitant to enter and pressed down. Mary's anxiety stood still trying to keep her wits. When she arrived at lab level, she saw the computer was on.
"Computer," She asked it. "Did you see Zim?"
"Yea, he left in that elevator to the right to top level. I've never seen him go up there for a long time. What's going on? Usually Zim greets me but he didn't say a word. Is everything okay?"
Mary couldn't say and ran away to the top level elevator. She pressed the button and entered it. She reached the final only stop. Mary looked around the empty shut up hallway and entered the only room available. Mary instantly saw Zim standing in the dark on a bare silver circular platform. Mary hears him muttering.
"Zim!" Mary called out to him but he didn't turn to see her. Mary jumped from the ledge and ran to the platform. His mutter became clear to her.
"I have no supplies. This is a good start." Zim uttered. Mary faces Zim to see the development of tears in his eyes. Mary stared into his eyes wonder if he could see her through his tear full eyes. He could and wrapped his arms around her desiring some comfort in her embrace. Mary hugged Zim letting him sink weak to the floor and sat with him. He looked to Mary and asked. "Why is this happening?" He saw his tears provoked her to cry and wanted to hug her but Mary beat him to it hugging him first. She laid his head on her shoulder. She held him petting his head. Zim felt vulnerable, the world he loved was taken away from him again. He couldn't hold back his tears no more and cried into her shoulder. Mary tears trickle from her eyes but she wiped it away so it wouldn't hurt Zim. During his sob, he asks her:
"How am I going to do this?"
Mary petted his head, wiped the tears from her eyes and swallowed the misery in her heart to say.
"We will find a way."
Ceep (seep) n. [slang] 1. Genetic incest of the incubation chamber. 2. One that has repeated genetic matter unnatural to the Irken gene pool. 3. A revolting copy.
Yes, I made up an alien swear word. :)