Chapter 5 – Preparations for the Dance of Doom
The bell rang – ending class on Friday afternoon. The children were released into their natural habitat and the chaos began. As she walked down the sidewalk with Zim, Zia had to jump out of the way as two kids ran by eagerly. "You were right about the humans being overly excitable," she said.
"Didn't I tell you?" Zim said, "Disgusting things. I can only imagine what horrors await us tonight!" He cringed, "I don't even want to think about it."
"Um…" Zia said, looking a bit embarrassed, "What is…a dance, anyway?"
"Some sort of horrible humanoid gathering, meant for dancing violently and clumsily with others of the species until they let you out of the building," Zim said simply.
"Um…ok…I think I'll ask Computer," Zia decided.
* * *
A half-hour later, Zia was seated in the living room in front of the TV with GIR. When Computer hadn't known any more than Zim, she had turned to GIR for help. He had put "Grease" on and had fast-forwarded to the Prom scene. Zia was watching with fascination, and unbeknownst to her, Zim was watching from the doorway of the kitchen.
When the scene ended, GIR cheered and hopped up to watch it again. Zia stood up, convinced she had enough knowledge of dances. She hurried down to the quarters Zim had installed for her, to get ready.
Once she was gone, Zim walked into the room to watch the scene more closely. He studied the moves carefully and shivered, revolted. "GIR – are there any better dance scenes in this thing?" he asked.
"Sure!" GIR said and rewound to the "Greased Lightning" scene. Zim watched, intrigued. He couldn't help but notice that his disguise made him resemble the teenage boys in the film. "These…grotesque motions are actually considered a talent here?" he asked no one in particular, "If I can dance like this – no one will ever doubt my humanness ever again! I'm GENIUS!! HAHAHAHA!" He laughed insanely for a short moment, coughed and sputtered, then rushed off. GIR continued watching, and was soon joined by a curious APU.
* * *
At the Membrane household, Dib was pacing around his room, debating over which was more worth worrying about: (1) how to keep an eye on Zim that night, or (2) what he was going to wear.
He solved the second problem quickly – he found his dress-trench coat in a box in his closet, and chose a white shirt, black pants and big, clunky Gothic boots (kind of like Nny wears) to go with it. And he solved the first dilemma by placing an alien-activity monitor on the inside of his trench coat. The monitor was programmed to vibrate if the target (Zim) did anything out of the ordinary. He packed a few extras, to place around the Gym when he got there.
Dib admired his work in his mirror and noticed his sister standing in the doorway. He spun around. She was dressed a little different too, in an outfit a little like Tak's, only magenta and black instead of purple. "I still can't believe I'm taking you," Dib said, letting his arms fall to his sides.
"Me neither," Gaz said, "I was just making sure you're not backing out."
"I don't really have a choice," he said depressedly, "You won't embarrass me, will you?"
"I was just gonna ask you the same question," she said, "But you don't have to worry about me. This should be fun." The she grinned, a bit evilly, and walked off, a cloud of ominous smoke rising up from where she had stood.
Dib gulped nervously, and went to check in with the Swollen Eye- Balls, to ease his nerves.
* * *
GIR was still watching "Grease" as the sun set over Zim's base. APU had gotten bored after the first time and was practicing using his stealth mode. They both looked up from what they were doing when Zim reappeared from the lab. He was still dressed in his Irken uniform, but had donned a snazzy leather jacket over it. He grinned smugly at the two robots. "Well? What do you think?" he asked.
"You look great," said a voice from behind him.
Zim twisted around and saw Zia standing in the doorway of the kitchen, having risen from the floor only seconds ago. She was dressed in an Irken style mini-dress, with short gloves and boots. She smiled at him.
Zim just stared at her for a minute, then realized what he was doing and snapped out of it, blushing. "You look…beautiful…" he managed.
She grinned. "Well, I think I'm ready," she said, "How 'bout you?"
"I've never been more prepared for anything in my life!!" Zim declared, "Or at least…the past week."
Zia laughed and took his arm. "Shall we then?" she asked.
"Let's shall," Zim said, putting a hand over hers, and as the two of them headed out the door, Zim called back, "You two behave yourselves until we get back!"
APU saluted, and GIR waved after them, shouting good-byes until APU put a hand over his mouth to quiet him. And so…the magical night of MADNESS began! And what a night it would turn out to be!
The bell rang – ending class on Friday afternoon. The children were released into their natural habitat and the chaos began. As she walked down the sidewalk with Zim, Zia had to jump out of the way as two kids ran by eagerly. "You were right about the humans being overly excitable," she said.
"Didn't I tell you?" Zim said, "Disgusting things. I can only imagine what horrors await us tonight!" He cringed, "I don't even want to think about it."
"Um…" Zia said, looking a bit embarrassed, "What is…a dance, anyway?"
"Some sort of horrible humanoid gathering, meant for dancing violently and clumsily with others of the species until they let you out of the building," Zim said simply.
"Um…ok…I think I'll ask Computer," Zia decided.
* * *
A half-hour later, Zia was seated in the living room in front of the TV with GIR. When Computer hadn't known any more than Zim, she had turned to GIR for help. He had put "Grease" on and had fast-forwarded to the Prom scene. Zia was watching with fascination, and unbeknownst to her, Zim was watching from the doorway of the kitchen.
When the scene ended, GIR cheered and hopped up to watch it again. Zia stood up, convinced she had enough knowledge of dances. She hurried down to the quarters Zim had installed for her, to get ready.
Once she was gone, Zim walked into the room to watch the scene more closely. He studied the moves carefully and shivered, revolted. "GIR – are there any better dance scenes in this thing?" he asked.
"Sure!" GIR said and rewound to the "Greased Lightning" scene. Zim watched, intrigued. He couldn't help but notice that his disguise made him resemble the teenage boys in the film. "These…grotesque motions are actually considered a talent here?" he asked no one in particular, "If I can dance like this – no one will ever doubt my humanness ever again! I'm GENIUS!! HAHAHAHA!" He laughed insanely for a short moment, coughed and sputtered, then rushed off. GIR continued watching, and was soon joined by a curious APU.
* * *
At the Membrane household, Dib was pacing around his room, debating over which was more worth worrying about: (1) how to keep an eye on Zim that night, or (2) what he was going to wear.
He solved the second problem quickly – he found his dress-trench coat in a box in his closet, and chose a white shirt, black pants and big, clunky Gothic boots (kind of like Nny wears) to go with it. And he solved the first dilemma by placing an alien-activity monitor on the inside of his trench coat. The monitor was programmed to vibrate if the target (Zim) did anything out of the ordinary. He packed a few extras, to place around the Gym when he got there.
Dib admired his work in his mirror and noticed his sister standing in the doorway. He spun around. She was dressed a little different too, in an outfit a little like Tak's, only magenta and black instead of purple. "I still can't believe I'm taking you," Dib said, letting his arms fall to his sides.
"Me neither," Gaz said, "I was just making sure you're not backing out."
"I don't really have a choice," he said depressedly, "You won't embarrass me, will you?"
"I was just gonna ask you the same question," she said, "But you don't have to worry about me. This should be fun." The she grinned, a bit evilly, and walked off, a cloud of ominous smoke rising up from where she had stood.
Dib gulped nervously, and went to check in with the Swollen Eye- Balls, to ease his nerves.
* * *
GIR was still watching "Grease" as the sun set over Zim's base. APU had gotten bored after the first time and was practicing using his stealth mode. They both looked up from what they were doing when Zim reappeared from the lab. He was still dressed in his Irken uniform, but had donned a snazzy leather jacket over it. He grinned smugly at the two robots. "Well? What do you think?" he asked.
"You look great," said a voice from behind him.
Zim twisted around and saw Zia standing in the doorway of the kitchen, having risen from the floor only seconds ago. She was dressed in an Irken style mini-dress, with short gloves and boots. She smiled at him.
Zim just stared at her for a minute, then realized what he was doing and snapped out of it, blushing. "You look…beautiful…" he managed.
She grinned. "Well, I think I'm ready," she said, "How 'bout you?"
"I've never been more prepared for anything in my life!!" Zim declared, "Or at least…the past week."
Zia laughed and took his arm. "Shall we then?" she asked.
"Let's shall," Zim said, putting a hand over hers, and as the two of them headed out the door, Zim called back, "You two behave yourselves until we get back!"
APU saluted, and GIR waved after them, shouting good-byes until APU put a hand over his mouth to quiet him. And so…the magical night of MADNESS began! And what a night it would turn out to be!