Dib awoke early the next morning just like he did every morning. He had many things to do before school began. Make his bed, brush his teeth, check the hot water to make sure Gaz didn't switch it with the sewer line again before taking a shower, check the security updates of the night before since Zim didn't need to sleep as often as humans did. Busy busy busy.

He crawled out of bed and stumbled toward the bathroom. "Computer begin morning review."

Dib brushed his teeth as he eyed the water lines for tampering. So far nothing. The shower was uneventful. As he stepped back into his room his eyes widened at the computer screen. Irken class one power signature detected: 11:47pm. Membrane Residence it blinked. He dove for his chair and began typing commands.

Well, to be honest first he checked to make sure he still had all his organs. After that first time he couldn't be too careful. Thankfully Gaz "suggested" that Zim return the stolen organs to their owners. No one had questioned why Zim had "borrowed" only a useless appendix from her and replaced it with her GameSlave. Or why Gaz didn't seem to mind. Probably thought the whole incident was entertaining to watch since she didn't like people all that much.

Various video shots popped up on his screen, along with power signature analysis graphics. Nothing was showing up yet. Motion sensor readings tripped however and Dib highlighted a camera to zoom in. He saw the view center on his sister and zoom in on the spybot located on his jacket collar. As Dib watched the scene unfold his mouth dropped open. He knew what Zim first intended as the tiny bot maneuvered to the kitchen disposal. Gaz's rules/consequences were in no way vague and Zim was not the type to sign up for his own suicide mission. But after Gaz began to mumble in her sleep things got weird.

Dib's security didn't cover Gaz's room for obvious reasons. The one of the biggest involved him being served to her flesh-eating security dolls. But he hurried out of his room to check on her because Dib worried about his younger sister, especially when Zim was involved. He found her door still open and peeked in.

Gaz was still peacefully sleeping surrounded by her guarding dolls, tucked under his jacket as she lay curled up. Never before had she looked as calm as she did now especially after one of her nightmares, which was what she must have been having on the recording. Dib didn't know what to do, his instincts being pulled in too many directions at once. Over-protective, yet grateful at the same time. So he decided to let the matter drop for now and let Zim have a standard warning later at skool.

Gaz woke up thirty minutes later. She dimly remembered one of her nightmares starting last night but was replaced with a sense of...close security. Like what haunted in her nightmares was chased away by some guardian you could wrap yourself up in like a blanket. None of this penetrated her fore-brain of course. She found herself wrapped up in her brother's jacket and surrounded by her modified stuffed animals and thought nothing more of it as she prepared for another pointless day at skool. But even Gaz had to admit to herself that she was feeling unusually rested and in good spirits this morning.

She was reading a flyer/rule guide for an up coming Combat WarZone national championship while she walked to her locker. This was something she really wanted to go to, but it was a team event and she was a solo player. That really sucked because she was pretty good, but she really didn't want to need anyone but herself. Inwardly Gaz sighed as she told herself this and opened up her locker. As she collected her books her eyes automatically flicked down to a place at the bottom of the locker. Most days there was nothing there, but everyday her eyes checked anyhow. Today was different. A note with a yellow package shaped like a pair of batteries taped to it and her normally squinted eyes opened.

Gaz-zilla- Your GameSlave could use this power cell. Recharge in 200 years. -Zim. P.S. Don't break open or radiation leak may occur. Unless you wish to doom mankind then go ahead.

She let a brief laugh escape. The ending was classic Zim. Gaz didn't much like being referred to a movie monster, but understood. For an Irken one's name often was associated with their position or status. But of course Zim usually got it backwards in addressing humans, and their status was usually only a reflection of how high up the ladder they were in his mind. But Gaz couldn't complain when her "status" was the highest he called just about anyone. An agent of doom.

She replaced the batteries in her GameSlave with the power cell which fit perfectly. Gaz couldn't help but smile this time. Something that matched her primary interest this well deserved more than an acknowledgment note at the bottom of a locker, and an idea began to form in her mind. Gaz put the GameSlave back in her pocket, hefted her books, and went to find Zim. She knew she wouldn't have to wait very long to pin down a location. Sure enough two hallways down came the shout "VICTORY FOR ZIM!"

Gaz shook her head as she headed in that direction. For someone almost phobic about maintaining a low profile and fitting in to avoid detection, Zim practically did everything possible to stand out like a flashing neon sign with air horns.

Dib had intercepted the poorly disguised green alien on their way to their first period class. The hallways were crowded as usual, so they stood off to the side to avoid the trampling. "Zim," he scowled.

"Dib-stink. So we meet again," Zim responded dramatically, "just like every skool day."

"I saw what you did last night, Zim."

"How did you find out about the hypno-chickens?" Zim practically howled.

"Chickens? What chickens?"

"I didn't say chickens."

"Yes you- grrrrr," Dim face palmed. "I meant your little spybot."

"Yes. Got one past you again? WIN!"

Dib growled. "No! I meant about Gaz."

The alien's posture shifted. "Ah yes...Difficult position to find one's spybot in. Rule number one."

"Is that all you can say for yourself?" Dib accused.

Zim eyed his adversary with a tilted head. "Why? What should I have done, Dib-stink?"

"Well you should have...well...um." Zim had him there. Dib couldn't honestly find any real fault with the disguised alien. How did you find fault with someone who showed an act of sympathy toward your little sister during a nightmare when really it was Dib who put Zim in that position in the first place? It wasn't like he wanted to be there. Gaz would have shown no mercy.

Dib stumbled to keep his conversation going. "W-Why did you do that anyway?"

Zim looked really uncomfortable now. "A...fortress with such impervious defenses has a fragile weak point inside that it defends at all cost to prevent collapse. It can't afford not to. To see this is...Zim does not understand what he saw, but knows what it is."

Dib just stared at him. The Zim he knew and grew up in opposition against was never this, well, deep or insightful. "And naturally you are going to use this in some scheme to conquer my planet?" he sneered.

Zim looked at his feet. This was probably the first time Dib had ever seen Zim act this way. He didn't know what to make of it.

"No," Zim said mildly. "You don't do that too someone... who is not a stranger. Even Zim knows that would be vile."

Dib was almost in shock by this point. This was not the Zim he knew. "Well, um," he stammered. They both needed this conversation to stop. "Just STAY AWAY FROM MY SISTER!" he nearly shouted as he walked away. Other students looked at them for a moment as they walked past the hallway weirdo-drama.

Zim raised both three fingered fists in the air. "VICTORY FOR ZIM!" he shouted out.

He turned back to his locker to remove the hopelessly outdated textbooks he needed for his upcoming classes. One seemed to be printed on parchment. This took a minute as all his books were jammed together in a compact pile.

"Hey Zim," a familiar female voice sounded nearby.

Zim nearly jumped inside his skin. Dib sold me out didn't he? Now Gaz-zilla wants revenge. "H-Hi."

Gaz was too busy playing her game to notice anything amiss. "I just wanted to thank you for the power cell. It's great. Don't think anyone's given me something I'd actually appreciate for a long time. Means a lot."

Zim waved the complement off as no big deal. "It was simple. Had an extra set from my spare black hole projector." Gaz paused the game and looked over her GameSlave at the alien who merely shrugged. "It was a two-for-one deal a few years ago. I know how many batteries you go through during the skool year, and how ugly things get when they go dead mid-game."

"Whatever." Gaz took a quick but deep breath. "Anyway I was wondering something. There is a CWZ competition in two weeks, but it's for teams only."

Zim discreetly examined Gaz. He found no tell-tales of a trap or other signs of impending doom. "I see. And what is this CWZ and how does this involve me?"

"Well," she started to explain and showing him the game at the same time. "Its called Combat WarZone. Helps with my wrath management. Sort of a futuristic land/air battle simulation in single and multi-player modes. Well, futuristic for us that is. Probably obsolete by your standards. They are having a national team championship and I can't compete by myself. Could use a partner." She decided to sweeten the deal. "Mostly young adults, but a lot of professional soldiers compete too." Zim's eyes and ego perked up at this naturally, just like Gaz knew they would. The next point would close the deal for sure. "Plus it will upset Dib."

"This intrigues me," Zim was scratching his chin rationalizing his decision. "Infiltrating this 'competition' will help me learn the weaknesses of this planet's defenders. And sticking it to Dib is by itself is a worthwhile goal for Zim. Where will this take place?"

"That's part of my problem too. Its in Vegas. Dad won't let me go since it's so far away and for the whole weekend. Assuming he's paying attention. And Dib, well you know Dib. Over protective."

Zim laughed. "He cares for you in his own way, even though its unnecessary. But I have an easy solution. It would take only a mere suborbital hop in the Voot cruiser to commute each day. No need to stay overnight."

"So we have a deal. Partners?" Gaz asked. Negotiations and rationalizations were completed.

"Agreed."

"Great. When do we meet to practice?"

"Practice? Why? Zim is the mighty ZIM!"

Gaz mentally face palmed. "Look, you may be an invader, but you have no experience with the game format or the control interface. Plus we have to learn to work together. Or do you want to sign up only to fall flat on our faces? And by ours I mean mine."

Zim actually looked sheepish at this muted outburst. They were still in the crowded hi-skool's halls. He knew he should have already thought of what she stated. "Tell Zim what equipment is needed for this and Zim will text Gir to pick them up. We shall practice at my base after skool."

Gaz began to write a short list on a scrap of note paper. "Gir?"

"Why not? He buys random dookie all the time."

She began to shake her head. A crazy toddler-sized robot pretending to be a green dog with a giant zipper running down the front making purchases at the mall on its own. The two of them should have been caught years ago, but somehow nobody ever noticed anything in this city. She sometimes wondered why she didn't tie Dib up in the basement and let mankind get conquered. They were so asking for it.

"Okay, here's the list. Guess I'll see you later. Bye."

With that the two departed to their classes. Some students actually saw a strange sparkle in the two separate pairs of eyes that day. It was a lot more than Gaz or Zim noticed.