Another Zim Hanukkah
Chapter One: Day One -- Restarting
Another year.
Another Godforsaken year.
(Why won't it end?) Dib thought to himself. (Why must the holidays always come BACK!?)
"....and that, class, is why Christmas wreaths will be the end of us all." Ms. Bitters concluded her lesson plan.
Zim smirked to himself, knowing he wouldn't have to deal with the Wreaths of Death anytime soon. He glanced at Dib, who was staring at the wall like it was going to dance. "Silly human..." he snickered to himself. "The holly-loving fool won't last until his festive time..."
/RIIIINNNNGGG/
At long last, the 3 o'clock bell announcing the end of skool for the day finally rang. It was Friday, November the 29th, and everyone was heading home for the weekend. Why they were in skool even though Thanksgiving was only the day before, I don't know. I'm not writing this. Wait, yes I am. Oh well. That's not important.
ANYway... as soon as the children pushed their way to the cloudy outside, that oddly-coloured green puppy darted up the steps and leapt into the arms of his master, the soon-to-be-world-ruler-and-person-who-is-otherwise-better-than-everyone-else, Invader Zim.
"Master master!
"What, Gir? What?"
"To-today... it's the thing, the... you know."
"The what?"
"Ourholidaythingie! Oh..."
"Slow down! I don't understand you."
"...thecandlesandthegiftswiththepiggieandthestarsandthetacos... oh the tacos... AND MY HAT!"
"...hat?!" Suddenly, it hit Zim. "OH NO!"
Gir looked up curiously at Zim. "Master, are you okay?"
"Oh jeeze, I KNEW I forgot something this morning.. I was supposed to set out our decorations for tonight! Come Gir, we have much to do. Take me home!!" he commanded.
Beneth the facade of the mongoose dog disguise, Gir's normally cyan eyes glowed a bright red. "Yes sir!" he chirped in a deeper voice. Jumping to the ground and tightly gripping Zim's legs, the psycho SIR unit flew through the air by means of tiny yet powerful jets installed in his legs. Zim gripped his head desprately, trying to keep his wig intact with his head. (Maybe I should've just taken the bus...) he thought, praying that Gir wouldn't lose grip on his ankles.
The two crashed through the front door of the base. Zim jumped to his feet, and growling, he slammed the door, shouting random commands at Gir, the wall, the computer, anything that would listen. Through the crooked windows, anyone could easily see what they were up to.
And through the crooked windows, someone was watching what they were up to.
Dib stood solemnly watching across the street, silently catching his breath from running all the way there from skool. For once, he didn't have a camera with him, he wasn't taking any notes, nor was he there for any paranormal business. He was there of his own accord, for personal reasons, to see if Zim really WAS celebrating the Season of Lights.
Something that Zim had always assummed was that all the humans were alike. Using this assumption, he had figured that Dib was a dedicated Christmas goer.
He was wrong.
For Dib, like Zim, was a celebrator of Hanukkah. Well, it was his mother who was Jewish, and he picked up all the traditions from her, but after she died... the holidays were never quite the same. Sure, he and Gaz did celebrate with each other... sorta... but it lacked the cheer and warmth that their mother added.
Through the window, Dib could see Zim setting up the menorah on the windowsill, paying no attention whatsoever to the pale skinned boy across the street. Most of Zim's thoughts seemed to be on Gir, who was playfully chucking tin foil six-pointed stars at the back of Zim's head. Silently laughing, Zim picked up Gir and held him carefully as the tiny robot put the candles in their proper handles.
Dib scoffed at the scene. The happiness... it was almost sickening. He blinked back tears as he turned to walk home. This year... it had to be different. It had to be better. He had to have a better holiday than Zim. He was determined. "I may not have Mom's energy, but I can try." He looked to the overcast sky. "Please... for her memory, I need to do this."
About 15 minutes later, Dib walked into his house, greeted by the sounds of Professor Membrane's many gadgets cooking dinner in the kitchen, and Gaz pounding buttons on her GameSlave2, along with the cheap sounding music tha chirped alongside the button mashing. They were the same sounds Dib usually heard when he got home, the only difference being it was about a quarter to four.
"Out playing with Zim again?" Gaz asked without looking up.
Dib was too tired to argue. "Yeah, if you say so..."
"I do say so."
"Gaz, not tonight..."
"What's wrong with tonight? It's a great night to argue."
"..." Dib hesitated. "...Today is the first night of Hanukkah."
A pause.
"Oh."
A heavy silence hung over the brother and sister, tension so thick it could be cut with a knife. The only other sound, save for their light breathing, was the cheap, happy video game music. Gaz has stopped her button mashing for the time being, not caring if her character died. There was something important to think about.
Scared by the sudden change of atmosphere in the living room, Dib ran downstairs into the cellar and emerged a few moments later with a medium-sized box. Gaz was looking at her GS2 again, but she was playing much more calmly. Dib sighed, relieved that the mood was less serious, but annoyed that Gaz was taking this so lightly. He opened the box and leaned in, examining its contents. He poked his head up and frowned.
"What's wrong NOW, Dib?"
"We're missing some stuff."
"...They're probably up in the attic."
Dib furrowed his brows together. "Why would they be up.... oh..." a sudden wave of sadness fell over him as he realized the answer.
"I'll get them when I'm done with this level," Gaz volunteered.
Dib nodded slowly and dumped out the box. Some wall hangings, a Star of David, a dreidel, and a few books came toppling out. (The menorah and the candles are upstairs, I bet...) Not wanting to wait for Gaz, Dib started to the stairs when he noticed that Gaz was already gone. Shrugging, he followed her up anyway.
He found Gaz standing in the corner of the dusty attic near a few cardboard boxes. She was shaking slightly, as if she were weeping, and her gaze was transfixed on the blue-and-gold box she was holding in her hands.
"Gaz, are you alright?"
"...I'm fine," she said, trying to hold her voice steady. "There's... there's a of of dust up here, and I think I might be allergic." She sneezed for effect.
Dib raised his eyebrows in question. He knew she was lying about the dust, but the sneeze seemed authentic enough... ah, he'd think about it later. Changing the subject, he asked, "Did you find the rest of the Hanukkah stuff?"
"Yup." She shoved the box in Dib's face. It had a clear cover, and right through the top you could see 9 ivory candles, a blue lighter with a silver Star of David decorating it to light them with, and a brilliant gold-toned menorah to hold them in.
"Gaz... we can't use these..."
"And why not? It's just what we need."
"But these... these are... erm, were..."
"Dib..." Gaz sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I think... I think she would want us to use them."
The black-haired boy was silent. Finally he nodded in agreement and turned to walk downstairs, his sister in tow.
It only took them a few minutes to get the menorah ready for lighting. Gaz had to go back upstairs for their yarmulkahs, and when she finally returned, the sun was just fading over the Western horizon.
"Perfect timing," Dib said to his sister as he took his own respective yarmulkah from her.
"Of course it's perfect. Look who your talking to."
"Gaz, what did I tell you about me not being in the mood?" He lit the Shamish, the tallest centre candle, with the lighter, and gently removed it from his holder and held it over another candle. It soon caught the flame, and the two snow-white candles lit up the room.
Dib looked over at his sister, who was alrady in the kneeling prayer position. He had to smile to himself; normally Gaz was never this dedicated. (Maybe...) he thought, (Maybe this year WILL be better.) He followed Gaz's example and knelt alongside her, speaking the prayer of the ancient language his mother had taught him many years ago.
"Baruch Atah Adonnai Elohanu Melech Halolam Asher Kidashanu, Bemiz Votah, Vitzivanu, L'hadlechnar, shel Hanukah. Baruch Atah Adonnai Elohanu Melech Ha-Olam, Sheh-Asah Nissim La-Avoteinu Ba-Yamim Ha-Hem U-Va-Z'man Ha-Zeh."
That done, Dib and Gaz put their yarmulkah away in a place where they would have easy access to them the next day. Dib ran upstairs to his room and stopped for a moment in front of his dresser. Neatly lined up in front of his mirror were 8 small boxes, each a gift for Gaz. Yeah, it was nothing that she could really use, seeing that each gift Dib ever got her was either thrown out, given away, or used for firewood. But it was the thought that counted, right?
Right?
Ah, forget you.
Dib snatched up the first box in the row and hurried downstairs. Panting, he held it in front of Gaz. "Here."
She raised an eyebrow in question. "What's that?"
"It's your gift, silly."
(Crap. I was hoping he forgot about that part.) But since he didn't, Gaz decided to be prapared. She reached into her pocket and felt around for something. Then she pulled out a small box of her own. "Okay."
They exchanged gifts. Gaz opened hers to be a pack of AA batteries. Dib found his to be a button in the shape of an alien head. "In case you lose the button to your shirt or something," Gaz explained.
(That's great, if you know how to sew, which I DON'T!) But Dib thanked her politely anyway and went upstairs to put it away.
He came back downstairs and went into the kitchen to hear some weird sputtering noise. "Oh man... Dad's autocooker is on the fritz again."
"Alright. More cereal," Gaz quipped sarcatically.
The two sat down and ate in silence. Dib finished his meal first, and presented a small bag of chocolate coins. "I'm going to do a few things in my room, and then I'm going to bed. Here's the gelt; you can have some when you finish."
"Mmmhmm..." Gaz murmured.
"I'll uh... see you in the morning." He started upstairs.
"G'night."
Dib flopped on his bed and stared out the window. Absentmindedly he turned on his computer and opened his e-Journal. "Tonight was kinda dissapointing," he typed, "But compared to the recent years past, it went rather sucessfully. I mean, no one was hurt this time, and I remembered to make sure the windows were shut, so the candles didn't blow out." Dib typed on a few minutes longer and then closed up for the night.
Dib dressed in his pajamas and curled underneath the covers, staring up at the moon above. "Mom or no Mom..." he thought aloud, "Maybe I can pull this off after all."
Chapter One: Day One -- Restarting
Another year.
Another Godforsaken year.
(Why won't it end?) Dib thought to himself. (Why must the holidays always come BACK!?)
"....and that, class, is why Christmas wreaths will be the end of us all." Ms. Bitters concluded her lesson plan.
Zim smirked to himself, knowing he wouldn't have to deal with the Wreaths of Death anytime soon. He glanced at Dib, who was staring at the wall like it was going to dance. "Silly human..." he snickered to himself. "The holly-loving fool won't last until his festive time..."
/RIIIINNNNGGG/
At long last, the 3 o'clock bell announcing the end of skool for the day finally rang. It was Friday, November the 29th, and everyone was heading home for the weekend. Why they were in skool even though Thanksgiving was only the day before, I don't know. I'm not writing this. Wait, yes I am. Oh well. That's not important.
ANYway... as soon as the children pushed their way to the cloudy outside, that oddly-coloured green puppy darted up the steps and leapt into the arms of his master, the soon-to-be-world-ruler-and-person-who-is-otherwise-better-than-everyone-else, Invader Zim.
"Master master!
"What, Gir? What?"
"To-today... it's the thing, the... you know."
"The what?"
"Ourholidaythingie! Oh..."
"Slow down! I don't understand you."
"...thecandlesandthegiftswiththepiggieandthestarsandthetacos... oh the tacos... AND MY HAT!"
"...hat?!" Suddenly, it hit Zim. "OH NO!"
Gir looked up curiously at Zim. "Master, are you okay?"
"Oh jeeze, I KNEW I forgot something this morning.. I was supposed to set out our decorations for tonight! Come Gir, we have much to do. Take me home!!" he commanded.
Beneth the facade of the mongoose dog disguise, Gir's normally cyan eyes glowed a bright red. "Yes sir!" he chirped in a deeper voice. Jumping to the ground and tightly gripping Zim's legs, the psycho SIR unit flew through the air by means of tiny yet powerful jets installed in his legs. Zim gripped his head desprately, trying to keep his wig intact with his head. (Maybe I should've just taken the bus...) he thought, praying that Gir wouldn't lose grip on his ankles.
The two crashed through the front door of the base. Zim jumped to his feet, and growling, he slammed the door, shouting random commands at Gir, the wall, the computer, anything that would listen. Through the crooked windows, anyone could easily see what they were up to.
And through the crooked windows, someone was watching what they were up to.
Dib stood solemnly watching across the street, silently catching his breath from running all the way there from skool. For once, he didn't have a camera with him, he wasn't taking any notes, nor was he there for any paranormal business. He was there of his own accord, for personal reasons, to see if Zim really WAS celebrating the Season of Lights.
Something that Zim had always assummed was that all the humans were alike. Using this assumption, he had figured that Dib was a dedicated Christmas goer.
He was wrong.
For Dib, like Zim, was a celebrator of Hanukkah. Well, it was his mother who was Jewish, and he picked up all the traditions from her, but after she died... the holidays were never quite the same. Sure, he and Gaz did celebrate with each other... sorta... but it lacked the cheer and warmth that their mother added.
Through the window, Dib could see Zim setting up the menorah on the windowsill, paying no attention whatsoever to the pale skinned boy across the street. Most of Zim's thoughts seemed to be on Gir, who was playfully chucking tin foil six-pointed stars at the back of Zim's head. Silently laughing, Zim picked up Gir and held him carefully as the tiny robot put the candles in their proper handles.
Dib scoffed at the scene. The happiness... it was almost sickening. He blinked back tears as he turned to walk home. This year... it had to be different. It had to be better. He had to have a better holiday than Zim. He was determined. "I may not have Mom's energy, but I can try." He looked to the overcast sky. "Please... for her memory, I need to do this."
About 15 minutes later, Dib walked into his house, greeted by the sounds of Professor Membrane's many gadgets cooking dinner in the kitchen, and Gaz pounding buttons on her GameSlave2, along with the cheap sounding music tha chirped alongside the button mashing. They were the same sounds Dib usually heard when he got home, the only difference being it was about a quarter to four.
"Out playing with Zim again?" Gaz asked without looking up.
Dib was too tired to argue. "Yeah, if you say so..."
"I do say so."
"Gaz, not tonight..."
"What's wrong with tonight? It's a great night to argue."
"..." Dib hesitated. "...Today is the first night of Hanukkah."
A pause.
"Oh."
A heavy silence hung over the brother and sister, tension so thick it could be cut with a knife. The only other sound, save for their light breathing, was the cheap, happy video game music. Gaz has stopped her button mashing for the time being, not caring if her character died. There was something important to think about.
Scared by the sudden change of atmosphere in the living room, Dib ran downstairs into the cellar and emerged a few moments later with a medium-sized box. Gaz was looking at her GS2 again, but she was playing much more calmly. Dib sighed, relieved that the mood was less serious, but annoyed that Gaz was taking this so lightly. He opened the box and leaned in, examining its contents. He poked his head up and frowned.
"What's wrong NOW, Dib?"
"We're missing some stuff."
"...They're probably up in the attic."
Dib furrowed his brows together. "Why would they be up.... oh..." a sudden wave of sadness fell over him as he realized the answer.
"I'll get them when I'm done with this level," Gaz volunteered.
Dib nodded slowly and dumped out the box. Some wall hangings, a Star of David, a dreidel, and a few books came toppling out. (The menorah and the candles are upstairs, I bet...) Not wanting to wait for Gaz, Dib started to the stairs when he noticed that Gaz was already gone. Shrugging, he followed her up anyway.
He found Gaz standing in the corner of the dusty attic near a few cardboard boxes. She was shaking slightly, as if she were weeping, and her gaze was transfixed on the blue-and-gold box she was holding in her hands.
"Gaz, are you alright?"
"...I'm fine," she said, trying to hold her voice steady. "There's... there's a of of dust up here, and I think I might be allergic." She sneezed for effect.
Dib raised his eyebrows in question. He knew she was lying about the dust, but the sneeze seemed authentic enough... ah, he'd think about it later. Changing the subject, he asked, "Did you find the rest of the Hanukkah stuff?"
"Yup." She shoved the box in Dib's face. It had a clear cover, and right through the top you could see 9 ivory candles, a blue lighter with a silver Star of David decorating it to light them with, and a brilliant gold-toned menorah to hold them in.
"Gaz... we can't use these..."
"And why not? It's just what we need."
"But these... these are... erm, were..."
"Dib..." Gaz sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I think... I think she would want us to use them."
The black-haired boy was silent. Finally he nodded in agreement and turned to walk downstairs, his sister in tow.
It only took them a few minutes to get the menorah ready for lighting. Gaz had to go back upstairs for their yarmulkahs, and when she finally returned, the sun was just fading over the Western horizon.
"Perfect timing," Dib said to his sister as he took his own respective yarmulkah from her.
"Of course it's perfect. Look who your talking to."
"Gaz, what did I tell you about me not being in the mood?" He lit the Shamish, the tallest centre candle, with the lighter, and gently removed it from his holder and held it over another candle. It soon caught the flame, and the two snow-white candles lit up the room.
Dib looked over at his sister, who was alrady in the kneeling prayer position. He had to smile to himself; normally Gaz was never this dedicated. (Maybe...) he thought, (Maybe this year WILL be better.) He followed Gaz's example and knelt alongside her, speaking the prayer of the ancient language his mother had taught him many years ago.
"Baruch Atah Adonnai Elohanu Melech Halolam Asher Kidashanu, Bemiz Votah, Vitzivanu, L'hadlechnar, shel Hanukah. Baruch Atah Adonnai Elohanu Melech Ha-Olam, Sheh-Asah Nissim La-Avoteinu Ba-Yamim Ha-Hem U-Va-Z'man Ha-Zeh."
That done, Dib and Gaz put their yarmulkah away in a place where they would have easy access to them the next day. Dib ran upstairs to his room and stopped for a moment in front of his dresser. Neatly lined up in front of his mirror were 8 small boxes, each a gift for Gaz. Yeah, it was nothing that she could really use, seeing that each gift Dib ever got her was either thrown out, given away, or used for firewood. But it was the thought that counted, right?
Right?
Ah, forget you.
Dib snatched up the first box in the row and hurried downstairs. Panting, he held it in front of Gaz. "Here."
She raised an eyebrow in question. "What's that?"
"It's your gift, silly."
(Crap. I was hoping he forgot about that part.) But since he didn't, Gaz decided to be prapared. She reached into her pocket and felt around for something. Then she pulled out a small box of her own. "Okay."
They exchanged gifts. Gaz opened hers to be a pack of AA batteries. Dib found his to be a button in the shape of an alien head. "In case you lose the button to your shirt or something," Gaz explained.
(That's great, if you know how to sew, which I DON'T!) But Dib thanked her politely anyway and went upstairs to put it away.
He came back downstairs and went into the kitchen to hear some weird sputtering noise. "Oh man... Dad's autocooker is on the fritz again."
"Alright. More cereal," Gaz quipped sarcatically.
The two sat down and ate in silence. Dib finished his meal first, and presented a small bag of chocolate coins. "I'm going to do a few things in my room, and then I'm going to bed. Here's the gelt; you can have some when you finish."
"Mmmhmm..." Gaz murmured.
"I'll uh... see you in the morning." He started upstairs.
"G'night."
Dib flopped on his bed and stared out the window. Absentmindedly he turned on his computer and opened his e-Journal. "Tonight was kinda dissapointing," he typed, "But compared to the recent years past, it went rather sucessfully. I mean, no one was hurt this time, and I remembered to make sure the windows were shut, so the candles didn't blow out." Dib typed on a few minutes longer and then closed up for the night.
Dib dressed in his pajamas and curled underneath the covers, staring up at the moon above. "Mom or no Mom..." he thought aloud, "Maybe I can pull this off after all."