Happy Haunkkah Zim
Chapter Four: Day Four


"It's another new day..." Zim sighed as he awoke. "I need to find another gift for Gir." He fluffed up his pillows and groaned. "I'd rather not attend skool
today.... on the other hand, I've missed quite a few days this year already." Stretching, he climbed out of bed. "I guess I should--- huh?"

He ran to the window. Outside, millions of tiny white cyrstals were falling from the sky. Zim watched them float past his window. The looked a lot like
the clouds.... were they tiny clouds? Oh, no! "AHHHH!!!! the sky is falling!! Gir!!" Zim bolted downstairs in his red pajamas. "Gir!! The sky! It's crashing
down on us!!"

But Gir was nowhere to be seen. A clamor of noise outside alerted him to an intruder. Activating the cameras, he found a green puppy rolling around
in the cloud particles. "Gir!" Zim cried through the mike. "Get back in here, you'll get crushed!!"

Gir sat up with interest. Lighty he caught a few cloud pieces. "No, it's not very heavy."

"GIR! I ORDER YOU TO GET INSIDE!!!"

Gir hopped up, saluted, and flew through the mail slot only to crash into Zim. "Come play in the snow, Master!!"

" 'Snow'? Is that what these slimeballs call it?"

"Uh-huh."

"And it falls from the sky?"

"I guess so."

Zim thought for a moment. "This can't be good. If this 'snow' is anything like rain..." he hurried to the lab. "I'll be in my lab, bathing in paste. Prepare my
disguise for me; we're going out."

"Yay!" Gir cheered and set off for the wig and contacts.

"What do I get for him today? Wait... there is that tuna I bought yesterday, but... no, somehow I don't think I should give it to him yet." He sighed. "I
guess it's back to the Dollar Store."



"C'mon, Gir!"

"But I wanna play in the snow."

"You'll have plenty of time to play in it later." Zim gave Gir's leash another tug. "I need to buy your mext present before sundown."

"Heads up, ZIM!"

"Wha--- UGH!!" Zim fell headfirst into the snow.

Beind him, he could hear the Dib laughing. "How does the snow feel, *Zim*?"

Zim stood, his back against Dib. He smiled evilly. (So that's the way he wants to play, huh? Well, TWO can play at that!) Zim grabbed a handful of snow.
"It feels like... *THIS*!!" And with that Zim jammed the snow down the back of Dib's shirt.

Dib yelped in surprise, and started screaming his lungs out. It was Zim's turn to laugh. "See Dib? You'll never learn, which is why you'll never win."

"We'll see about that. Nyah!!" Dib launched another ice projectile at the Irken. Zim jumped outof the way and retaliated. A snowball war was in session.
It kept on for nearly two hours, both ignoring the pain the snow was giving them.

At long last, Zim's paste coating was begining to wear thin, and Dib was covered in bruises. "W-what do you say we... we call a t-truce, Zim..." Dib panted.

Zim groaned from the stinging. "Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't DARE agree to a truce with ANYone... but seeing as this battle is going nowhere,
I, too, place out a 'white flag' as you people say."

Dib nodded and ran home. Zim walked to his house to re-apply his paste. "But Master," Gir whined, "I wanna go to the store!"

"We will, as long as there are no other distraction along the way this time." Zim answered. "Now let's go."

"Yay!" Gir scampered out the door. [Scampered... that's such a cute word... ^-^]

"Okay, Gir let's see... what store was it?"

"This one!!" Gir pressed his face to a window. "The stars live here!!"

"Uh, yes, they do. Now, can we go in?"

Gir noddled and scampered inside. [^-^]

Zim walked into the store. There were a few more shoppers than the last time he was here. He browsed the aisles, letting Gir walk on his own for a while,
until he found a basked full of stuffed snowmen. Zim curiously picked one up and looked it over. It was soft, didn't make any noise. and was... kinda cute,
actually. He decided to get that for Gir.

At the counter, Zim saw the same man that was there a few days ago. He seemed to recognize the young Invader as well. "Hello there, young man. How
is your Hanukkah celabration going?"

"Fine. It's going fine." Zim put the plushie up on the counter.

The man smiled. "Is this everything?"

Zim nodded. "That's all for today."

"Okay." The man bagged the snoman and took the money. "Here you go! Have a nice day."

"Right." Zim peered in the bag. He found a small bag of gelt. "What's this...? I didn't buy---"

"It's okay." The man smled warmly. "Consider it my gift to you. If I don't see you again, I hope you have a Happy Hanukkah."

"Oh..." Zim was unsure of how to react. "Th...thank you..." Zim walked outside to wait for Gir.

The small android appeared a few minutes later. "Master, can I have my gift now?"

"No, Gir. We must wait until sundown."

"Ooo, when's that?"

"Not until later."

"Can we have lunch now?"

"Lunch?" Zim frowned. "We'll eat at home. There's no WAY I'm eating any of this disgusting human food."

Gir smiled. He had a special idea for lunch. "Ooooooooookaaaaaaaay!!"



"Are you done yet, Gir?"

"Almost!!"

"That's what you said two hours ago..." Zim muttered. Gir said that he had found a special Hanukkah surprise that he wanted to try. Where he had found
it, and how; Zim wasn't sure. But Gir had his little SIR-heart set on making a special snack, so Zim let him.

20 minutes later, Gir came out covered in flour, carrying a tray of flat, browned food items. "It's done!!" he announced.

Zim examined the platter. "Great, but what *is* 'it'?"

Gir took a big bite out of one. "They're called 'latkies'."

Zim picked one up and sniffed it curiously. He didn't gag. "They smell pretty good... what did you make them with?"

"Potatoes!! They're potato pancakes!!" Gir swallowed the rest of his pancake and started running around the house. "POWER TO THE POTATOES!!!!"

Zim shrugged and slowly took a little nible at the edges. "Hmm..." he chewed thoughtfully. "For a human concoction, it ain't half bad." He swallowed. "You
know, Gir, you're a pretty good cook!" He took another bite, a larger one this itme.

Gir fell from the ceiling onto his head, a big smile on his face. "Yay!! Master likes them!"

Zim smiled. Gir may have been useless at times, but he kept Earth lively at least. "Yes, Gir. I like them."

Zim smiled and leaned back onto the couch. The sky looked pretty right now, in the late afternoon. The clouds had an orange glow, the snow was tinted,
almost as if the sun was setting...

Zim sat up. The sun *was* setting!!

"Ah! Gir, get over here!!"

"Candles?"

"Yes, it's time for the candles. Get your yarmulke."

Zim put his own yarmulke on and knelt down. Gir sat next to him and listened while Zim quietly spoke a prayer.

"Okay, that does it..." Zim stood up. "Now, for your gift, Gir."

"Yay!" Gir went to retrieve his bag. "Okay, I got yours!!" He pulled out a little notebook. "For yoo!!"

"Uhm... thanks, Gir..." Zim rotated the item in his hands, unsure of what it was. "Eh... tell me about it."

"It's a diary!!"

"A what?!"

"A diary. You know, a book where you write your life story."

"...Aren't those called 'autobiographies'?"

"An auto-what?" Gir leaned over and gazed solemnly into Zim's eyes. "Master, you know that big words make my head explode."

Zim sighed. "Nevermind, Gir. Just... uh..." Zim glanced around frantically for the bag, "Here's your gift!"

Gir held the plush snowman as if it were a golden cupcake. Very gently, he cradled it his arms and smiled. "He's so cute... thanks, Master!" He ran off to
play. "You're gonna have SOOOO much fun, Frosty! We can play with Pig, and Star, and Other Star..." Gir's voice faded as he went downstairs.

Zim smiled at Gir as he ran off. "At least *he's* getting some enjoyment out of this time period." He fingered the book. "I already have a log to keep my
records in..." He sighed again. "Who knows? Maybe I'll find another use for it. In the meantime..." He glanced at the menorah one last time, "Tommorow's
another day!"