Then (3,000 Years ago)
Almost a year after the Florpus, with Zim and Gir no longer bothering with disguises, found themselves a day before the Dib's birthday. Spotting Gaz at recess playing her Game Slave 4 like usual, he walked over and sat next to her.
"Excuse me Dib-sister."
"Yeah? What do you want, Zim?" Not even looking away.
Zim fiddled with his hands.
"Zim wants to know what the Dib's plans for tomorrow were, is all."
Gaz paused the game.
Zim flinched.
She slowly looked at him.
"Why…?"
"Oh… no reason."
She clearly didn't buy that. "Then I have no reason to tell you." She snarked, about to resume her game.
"WAIT!" He gripped her hand before she could.
She grinned at him.
Busted.
"Why do you want to know so bad?"
"Because… well, I just… wanted to do something… nice. For Dib."
She lowered her game and gave him her full attention.
~/~
Now
Mary's Apartment.
After laughing at the terrified Human vacating the premises, Zim went back to the computer and Gir started gathering everything into the laundry basket.
While Zim was simultaneously stopping the flow of information and tracking it's destination, he pulled out a device he made a while back to retrieve sent information and delete the contents at the sent location. While those were going on, he also disabled the laptops locator and snickered at what he pictured their expressions will be when all THEIR information suddenly vanished!
As Gir rolled up the sleeping bag, he looked around. Mary really didn't have much.
Holding up the piggy that reminded him of Gaz, she loved piggies and pizza. He took the piggy and aimed for the laundry basket. Like a basketball player lining up his shot, he aimed and… fired!
It hit the rim and fell off the opposite side.
"Aww…"
"Here, Gir. Try again." Zim encouraged with a grin. Gir grinned back as Zim tossed it back to him.
Ready…. Aim… And…
Miss.
By a few feet.
Zim started laughing. Gir grabbed the piggy and chucked it at Zim's face. "You try it!"
Zim stopped laughing as he clutched the piggy and grinned in challenge.
"Challenge accepted, Gir!"
Gir placed the laundry basket in front of the closed door. Zim grabbed the piggy and stood by where Gir was.
Ready… Aim…
It hit the wall.
Gir fell down laughing.
Zim growled.
After that, they just resorted to balling up her clothes to score points among the rest of the non-breakable items. They did, carefully, put away her photos. By the time they packed the rest of her stuff, it was all able to fit in both the laundry basket and half the sleeping bag.
Gir carried the basket, Zim handled the sleeping bag, her backpack and laptop carrier.
They headed downstairs to talk to the manager and after pulling them aside to threaten them to let her lease end then and there, they got her money back for this, last month and security.
Zim left didn't even care that Gir started to sing the Doom Song as Zim threatened the staff in their incompetence!
As they walked back, he thought back to that device. He grabbed it from the Membrane house on a whim before they left and thought to show Mary one of Membrane's crazy inventions for laughs.
She wasn't laughing.
And then, she said to START that her device and home was compromised by the resisty.
And she was right.
Zim was very grateful that Gir ran into her earlier.
But this was the start. Upon return to base, he'll watch the rest of it while the Dib-Mary rests.
~/~
Then
After Gaz proceeded to tease him like mad, he took it with as much grace and growling as he could muster.
Finally she explained about his birthday tomorrow. Usually their dad sends a video recording to congratulate them and a gift card to Bloaty's Pizza.
But Zim wanted to do something special. He remembers the Dib was usually depressed at this time of year.
She joked about making a cake (after explaining what it was, that is.) Zim jumped on that and thanked her before running off.
~/~
Now
Base
Zim and Gir exited the elevator sans disguises, to find his team waiting for him.
"Sir! May I ask what happened to Mary to warrant her stay here?" Stell asked frantically while Blue just chilled on a swivel chair with Teal and Nova in his lap. He gave a lazy salute on arrival.
Zim snickered as Gir gave a comical salut back, tongue out and all.
Zim tossed Stell the device.
"This was a device I retrieved from the old Membrane residence when we were there with Mary earlier this evening. Mary asked for information on the Dib ranking when Gir found her on her way to a lead. Gir then brought her to me and then she came with me to the residence so she can receive better context, as well as myself… Anyway. This was made by the professor back in the day to view alternate possibilities for short term future events. I brought her back here, both for sustenance as well as continuing to finish giving her information she asked about earlier."
"That makes sense." Stell mumbled. "Mary has spent a lot of time researching the Dib ranking. It never occured to me to supply her with such information."
"Indeed. I brought this with us on a whim and figured it wouldn't hurt to show her one day in the future."
"Wait." Blue sat up straighter. "Is this why she was feeling down earlier?"
"Indeed. Before coming down here, myself and Gir have already reviewed tomorrow's contents. Before going to rest, I recommend you both review it as well. You may witness hours, but only minutes pass out here. We'll brief in the morning."
The duo walked off leaving a stunned quartet in their wake.
~/~
Then
Zim kicked open the house door holding grocery bags with Gir right behind him and stalked over to the kitchen like he was on an important mission.
"Alright Gir! Time to make a cake!"
"YAY!"
"How hard can it be?"
The fire department was called an hour later and Zim shooting lasers at something could be heard a few blocks over….
~/~
Mary's Room
Mary sat on the bed hugging her knees.
She looked up when she heard a gentle knock. Zim and Gir hesitantly walked inside with her things.
"Thank you" She whispered.
"You're welcome." The duo gently set them down.
"Mary?" She startled at Gir suddenly next to her. Bright optics are somewhat too bright in the dark room.
"Yes?"
Gir simply kneeled on the bed and pulled her into a hug. "Me and mastah both saw what you did. We won't let that happen to you Dib!"
She snorted at the name before hugging him back. Feeling a weight on the bed, she saw Zim sitting down facing the floor clutching his hands.
"I was too late. In the vision." He said sadly. "You… you died in my arms. Stell she-"
He felt movement and opened his eyes. She crawled over and sat in his lap, his arms awkwardly in the air.
"You tried though. You still came. I may not know who the other Irkens were, but, they came too. Remind me to thank them when we next see them." She giggled a little. "Stell and Blue. They really do care huh?"
"We all do." He sighed before embracing her.
He may not get that head wound out of his mind, but her smile is slowly making it fade.
Needless to say, none of the Irkens or Gir's got much rest. Mary did pass out in Zims arms, though. He gently took off her coat and shoes and tucked her in. Gir emptied the sleeping bag and draped it over her with Zim's help.
He came back to the device sitting on Blue's chair from earlier, they presumably just went to their quarters to talk about it. Zim went back to his room and Gir to his after Gir gave him a last hug.
Her present. He really made that?
A coat of pieces of all the past dibs, lined with an Invader uniform on the inside and a Swollen Eyeball logo on the back.
Was all that in the vision, simply because she asked about his Dib?
As laid down and setting his PAK to rest mode, he hugged one of his longer pillows.
He dreamed of a bantering Tak and Skooge. He dreamed of a happy Stell and Mary fighting it out, having a good time out in the ruins. Blue, Teal and Nova cheering for Mary like how Gir did for Dib and Gaz on their birthdays.
He dreamed of Mary's smile at seeing the cupcake and note.
"Miss me, Space Boy?" A boy's voice came from her lips.
Focusing on Mary, she faded to a pre-teen Dib holding a red toxic cupcake, smiling.
"Miss you, my Dib." Zim mumbled before succumbing to his dreams.
He held the pillow like he held a teenage Dib that last peaceful night.
~/~
Then
The next morning Zim woke to a destroyed kitchen with Gir munching on the remains of them trying cupcakes instead.
"GIR STOP!" Zim yelled right as the last intact cupcake was almost tossed in his open mouth.
Gir froze and looked at it sadly.
"Give it here Gir!"
"Aww…"
"NOW Gir!"
Gir reached over with it before dropping it in Zims hand with a gimmie gesture.
Gir crossed his arms and pouted.
Zim glared before examining it.
"It appears intact. Now it just needs frosting and a candle…" He started looking around.
~/~
Now
The next morning
Mary woke the next morning. She felt very well rested, snuggling back into the blankets for a few minutes.
Soon she heard knocking.
Goaning, not wanting to leave the very surprisingly comfy bed…
"Mary?" It was Stell. "I apologize for waking you, but if we still wish to go to Skool today, we need to get ready."
Mary pulled the blanket and thought about it.
Did she want to go today? Maybe she should skip? No… Detentions were a hell she never wanted to experience again!
"Ok, yeah. Give me a moment." She groggily yelled to be heard through the door.
It was quiet for a moment and she could clearly picture Stell fidgeting on the other side.
"Um… I have some clothes that might fit you if you'd like to... try?" She trailed awkwardly.
Mary sat up at that. Clothes?
When even was the last time she wore new clothes?
"Yes please!" Mary replied suddenly awake. She yanked back the blanket… and her sleeping bag? And stepped out. She was still in her blue turtleneck sweater, matching miniskirt, over a grey tank top and dark jeans. She smelled herself. Ugh, she also needs a shower.
That's going to be an adventure to figure out when Irkens treat water like acid…
Going to the door revealed an exasperated Stell and a dancing Nova.
Mary's giggle startled Stell.
"Oh! Uh…. this way?" pointing to the door across from them. Blue stepped out.
Judging from his zombified look, Blue is not a morning person. Stell grinned and Blue hissed at her. Teal just grabbed his hand and dragged him down the hall.
Mary raised a brow. Oh, there's definitely a story there!
"Not a morning person, huh?"
"Nope!" Stell grinned and Mary snickered. "Follow me!" All but dragging the giggling Human behind her.
Stell was pleasantly surprised. Her goal today is to give Mary a far better birthday than in the vision. Already, Mary is in a good mood! Stell preened as she opened the door to their room.
"Behold!"
"Wow! No offence, but I was expecting something like my room."
"None taken. This room surprised myself and Blue as well. Our reasoning was that our predecessors collected these items over the course of the Dib Rankings."
"So... "Mary crossed her arms and looked at Stell teasingly. "You're saying Invaders are hoarders?"
"Yes! Yes we- Hey!"
Mary cackled at Stell's indignant look before stepping in the room and looking around in wonder.
~/~
House
Blue made his way upstairs like the zombie he was mimicking. Zim snickered as Blue plopped down on the sofa as Teal ran over holding Blue's backpack. Zim noticed a barrier on the counter.
Blinking in shock, he sees a blue cupcake.
"Are the girls still below?" Zim distractedly asked the barely coherent Invader.
"Stell is… *Yawn* Stell is trying to cheer up Mary today. She asked to bring Mary into our room this morning to see if she wants to try on new clothes from our collection." He mumbled.
"Oh?"
~/~
Then
Resorting to actually putting a barrier over the cupcake so Gir wouldn't eat it, Zim quickly made his way to the Voot cruiser to fix up his appearance, finding himself putting in more effort to look presentable.
Then he grabbed his backpack, gently put the protected cupcake in a lunchbox and used his PAK legs to race to the Skool to beat the alarm.
"Bye gir! Behave!" He yelled back, before racing above the crowds, not caring if he caused a car crash in his haste.
He made it with 10 minutes to spare!
Sliding to a stop in front of an unamused Ms. Bitters, he hears the Dib talking to someone in the hall getting closer.
Quickly taking out the cupcake and note, he lit the candle and leapt over desks to literally dive back to his seat, breathing heavily but putting on a face of innocence when Dib walked in.
Everyone in class just stared.
"What?" Dib asked around confused.
~/~
Stell and Mary.
"This is so cool!" Mary was having a blast with Stell, after getting the okay to come back here later, Mary focused on something for Skool, but also minding what may or may not happen tonight.
Eventually, she chose something colorful that was faraway from blue and black.
She found a lavender dress that ended above the knees, and put it under a red cropped, jean jacket, black capris, red socks with a cat design on it and a red belt to put over the dress.
Stell just stared.
"Stell?"
"Apologies, I've only ever seen you wear your previous clothes. This new look is… strange." Stell squinted, trying to make sense of this change.
"A… good strange?" Mary asked shyly.
"Yes? Your new clothes changed you. It is… pleasing?"
Mary smiled with a blush.
With enough time left for breakfast, found the girls rising from the elevator in the kitchen. Mary was all smiles, but Stell….
Blue spat out his drink and Zim just stared.
"You like?" Mary twirled before them.
Nodding yes, they were really staring at a furiously blushing Stell.
Mary found a matching jacket to put over a yellow tank top and matching beige cargo pants she stuffed inside her regular black boots. Stell also found lavender bracelets.
"Stell told me the Voot Cruiser also has a disguise generator! Can we try it with her? PLEASE!" Mary begged Zim who leaned back in shock, blinking rapidly.
Blue was still jaw dropped.
"I don't… see why… not?"
Mary grinned. Facing Stell she held her hand up like a photographer getting a better angle for a shot. "Ok, I'm thinking blonde hair. I can totally see her rock it!"
Blue had to physically shake himself as Mary continued to visualize Stell's makeover. Before seeing something behind him.
This time he grinned. "I think Stell has a surprise for you." He gave a shit eating grin at an already embarrassed Stell.
"What? Another surprise?"
Blue simply pointed to the counter.
Her eyes widened at the sight of the cupcake and note.
Stell hastily scrambled to the counter. "I found out it was your birthday earlier and-and- and I made this! B-before we saw the vision. And… um-"
"I love it." Mary whispered, smiling an echo of the one in the vision. Facing Stell, she practically lit up. "Thank you so much!"
There. Done.
Zim and Blue have just bore witness to Stell's demise.
Death by an adorably bright smile.
"Stell?" Blue leaned over the table. "Steeelll. You in there?"
~/~
Then
Dib stared at the thing on his desk.
It was shaped like a cupcake. But it was green. There appears to be some red sizzling sort of slime as frosting with a tiny flare on top? It was flaring ominously and smoking like incense.
There was a note next to it: Happy Birthday, Earth Monkey.
He turned to smile at Zim.
Zim gave up all pretence of being oblivious. His face blooming an impressive shade of red didn't help either.
AN- Note: Easter quote of the day: (Sister holding a chocolate bunny) "Excuse me while I decapitate a bunny."