Cognitive Dissonance
By Lejindarybunny
A romantic Invader Zim epic
A/N: Hey all. Sorry about the wait, it seems these days it's taking me
longer to get a chapter done for some reason. I'd like you to know
though, that the reason this one in particular took so long is because
midway through my muse whacked me over the head with the dead fish of
inspiration. Unfortunately, the bit I got inspired to write, while
integral to the story, won't appear for several chapters yet.
I just wanted to take this opportunity while my mind is on the subject
to thank all of my reviewers. You make living a better option than the
alternative. You know, I don't think I've every actually gotten a
negative review, much less an outright flame? I'm glad people seem to
like my writing so much, it makes me very happy to know that I'm
somewhat appreciated. I try.
OOo, and buy the Evanescence cd, 'Fallen'. It be awesome. I'm listening
to it as I write. My favorite song is track seven, 'Imaginary'. It's
honestly my own personal theme song.
One more note, in order to get a better feel for Gir's dialogue I've
decided to write it the way he talks, so yes, the misspellings and
stuff are there for your reading enhancement.
Okay, now that I'm done with that, on to the story.
Disclaimer: I own Kiir, I own the Oranges. I don't own anything else.
Chapter 11...In which we learn slightly more about the Oranges,
jealousy runs amuck, and Gaz comes over.
"Useless!" she barked looking down at the torn and shuddering frame
of her partner. Her voice was cold and pitiless. "You're absolutely
useless!" She kicked the trembling orange form that lay before her.
Buntch whimpered.
Koil had chosen the form of a tall, severe looking woman with cold
blue eyes and blood red hair bound into a bun on the back of her head.
She wore professional, but elegant looking attire, the latest human
fashions and expensive jewelry.
"How the hell do you expect to drain this planet dry if you can't
take on ONE of this planet's lowly inhabitants?!" she screeched.
Not a human, the beaten Orange trilled. I recognized it. The
creature attended skool yesterday. There are two of them.
"Fine!" she snapped. "The creature's origin is of no importance. You
were seen on the Earth news! Less than two days and we've been exposed
because of nothing but your incompetence. I have half a mind to get
back in the ship and find a new planet. And leave you here! It's not as
if these humans even have enough energy to be worth all the trouble
they seem to be giving you."
Buntch made a pained sound.
Koil turned her back. "There is one reason and one reason only that
I don't. That one human's energy. I want to know why it isn't like the
rest of his species. I want to know why it is that after all these
eons of searching we've finally found a perfect match!"
That roused her partner out of his stupor. What?!
She nodded. "If you'd bothered to do any more than preliminary tests
you'd have noticed it too."
It is here on this planet? That human I nearly took?
She turned and looked solemnly down at him. "You nearly had it and
you lost it!"
How could I not have? With that much power I would be no match. How
can we-
"I will contrive a way. The human can't have realized its power yet
or you would not be here. You return to the ship and heal. Tomorrow
I will pose as a substitute teacher in that skool. We've spent to long
living from millennia to millennia. It's time to renew our vow of
revenge."
***
Dib felt distinctly lightheaded sitting there listening to Kiir
recount the details of her encounter with the Orange and he found
himself only half listening to what she was saying. Mostly he was still
focused on staring fixedly at Zim and attempting to discern exactly how
probable it was that what he thought had just happened could happen in
a sane and logical universe. Not that it seemed at all likely that this
was a sane and logical universe.
But he couldn't help grinning rather foolishly. All his worrying had
been stupid and pointless and everything was going to be okay because
Zim LOVED him.
"So then my lazer ran out of juice and it looked like I was gonna
bite it for sure for sure this time," Kiir rambled on. "So we were on
the ground, both of us struggling for the upper hand when I get to my
plasma blade and 'ka-snak!'" she clapped her hands together, "I cut
his arm off. I jump up, whip out my back up lazer and the skragger was
toast. And everyone," she finished, "was applauding."
Zim rolled his eyes. "Big deal, humans are easily impressed, right
Dib?"
The raven haired boy stifled a blush under the alien's warm gaze. "Um,
yeah," he nodded in agreement. "Most humans still think digital watches
are pretty impressive. Sorry."
Kiir pouted. "Yeah, well you're obviously pretty easily impressed
yourself, Zim," she muttered.
Zim squinted and eye. "Excuse me? Do I detect that you are implying
something?" he demanded, standing up.
"You heard me," she crossed her arms. "I walk in on you and dirt-boy
sucking face and you expect me not to be upset?"
"I was under the impression that we were no longer together Kiir, and
had not been for quite some time."
Dib stared at the tow Irkens who stood locked in a glaring contest.
Zim had dated Kiir? She'd said they'd been friends at the academy. Dib
felt a surge of emotion. Was he jealous? Well, yes. Even though Zim
didn't seem to still like her it was obvious that the apathy wasn't
mutual. Dib suddenly liked Kiir rather less.
It was the half-breed who broke the tense, edgy silence. "Fine!" she
snapped, turning on her heel. "See if I care!" and with that she
stalked out of the lab.
Dib looked at Zim, a little hurt. "You didn't tell me the two of you
dated."
He sat back down on the bed. "The information was not relevant at the
time I might have brought it up." The Irken paused. "Are you angry?"
The boy thought about it. He shook his head. "No. But she obviously
still likes you."
"She will just have to deal because I don't have feelings for her any
longer. I have not in many years."
Dib smiled a little, and began to regret his jealousy though he
couldn't banish it. "So, um, when were you two together?"
"It was back when we were both in the invader academy, we were in the
same squad." he shrugged. "It was only supposed to be a temporary thing,
even back then, but she just wouldn't quit. Then she got kicked out and
I hadn't seen her since until two days ago. I rather thought she'd have
finally let it die after more than thirty years."
Dib winced mentally. It was always a jolt to be reminded that Zim
wasn't actually anywhere close to his age. Not that it really mattered.
"But she hasn't," he observed.
"Apparently not," he frowned. "Do not let it trouble you however. I
will take care of it."
***
It was on of those few times in her life that Kiir honestly wished
that Irkens used stairs rather than elevators. Granted, elevators were
generally more convenient, but it was very difficult to continue
storming from a room once one had reached an elevator. Whereas it was
quite easy to storm up or down stairs. Elevators in that sense
presented a natural threshold in which one would have to pause and
stand still for a moment. Empty elevators were nothing if not breeding
grounds for cooling off and sorting out rational thoughts from
irrational ones.
Kiir did not want a chance to find her rational thoughts, she was
angry and believed that she had every right to be; she didn't need any
rebellious bits of her consciousness attempting to calm and soothe her.
She flung her back against the wall of the elevator with a grunt and
crossed her arms furiously. What right did that human have to get all
touchy kissy with her boyfriend?! She'd thought it was funny when it
was just idle speculation, a joke. Even in the lab when she'd asked Zim
about it she'd never thought they'd get together, thought the human was
just an object onto which Zim had cast his affections for her all the
years that they'd been separated. It wasn't fair!
Sure she'd fooled around a lot of the years, but she'd never claimed
to love anyone else! She'd always planned after she managed to conquer
the empire she'd issue the order revoking Zim's exile and they could be
together again. Why hadn't she sent someone to Earth to get him long
ago? If she had, everything would be fine! Kiir choked back a sob and
clenched her fists. How DARE he?
The elevator dinged and she stormed out of the elevator at ground
level, and into the living room; flumping down on the couch. And she
was supposed to live here with the two of them? How could she?
"OOOooo! You was on TV!" Gir giggled, glomping her from out of no
where.
Kiir froze, somewhere between a scowl and a grimace. It was a little
uncomfortable being glomped by a tin can with ADHD. "Now's not a good
time to hug me, Gir."
"Oooooooooh," he look dejected, detaching himself from her neck and
sliding down to sit beside her on the couch. "But you're so cooooool!
You're neater than cupcakes! I like cupcakes!" he giggled. "But I likes
you more!"
The half-breed was caught somewhere between her anger and her ego.
Inwardly she shook her head. What a weird little toy. "...Thanks," she
managed after a moment.
An even wider grin threatened to consume the psuedo-SIR's face. "I
made you a present!"
This...worried Kiir. "You, did?"
"Uh-huh." He nodded. "LEMMEEGOGETIT!" He raced out of the room.
Sitting there she seriously considered getting up and leaving before
Gir could get back. But somehow she couldn't bring herself to be quite
that mean to the little guy.
Gir trotted back in happily, carrying a bowl of something. "This is
for yooooou. Because you mah heroandmahfrand!" He shoved the bowl at
her, little imaginary hearts practically visible hovering over his head.
She looked down at the bowl in her lap and was nearly ill. It was
some kind of weird brown goo with...chunks of stuff...in it. "Umm," she
forced a smile. "This looks, imaginative, Gir, what's in it?"
"It's got chocolate pudding," he drawled, sticking his tongue out
thoughtfully and began to count on his fingers, "and chocolate chips,
a cuuuuupcake, andthreebrownies!" He giggled, "and some COOKIES MADE
WITH ELVES!! and um, oh, I's run outta fingers! MAH FINGERS THEY'S
GONE! DON'T LEEEEAVE ME FINGERS! AH LOVES YOU! PLEEZE COME BACK!!"
He shouted hysterically.
Kiir cringed at the shrill voice and resisted the urge to clap
her hand over her antennae. Instead she grabbed Gir's hands in a
desperate effort to stop the shrieking. "No! Look, Gir, your fingers
are right here, see?"
He stopped abruptly, looked down at his hands and glomped Kiir around
the neck yet again, sending the bowl flying. "YOU FOUNDS MAH FINGERS!
YOU'S MAH HEEEEERO! MORE!"
Kiir squinched her face up. Great, as if he hadn't had enough of an
obsession with her already. She sighed and smiled. "You're welcome,"
she patted the robot on the head. Wait, she was smiling. That meant she
wasn't angry any more, or at least not for the moment, which meant she
was cheered up. Which meant the defective little robot had cheered her
up. Frakk. "Thanks a lot," she mumbled.
"You're welcome!" he said brightly, disengaging from around her and
standing happily on the floor. That was obviously when he realized he
had sent the pudding flying with his outburst. "Oh NO! You're present's
all icky!" His expression turned very sad.
The bowl had landed on a free standing lamp and the concoction it had
held was now oozing its way down to the floor. In a way Kiir was glad,
she wouldn't have to choke down the chocolaty mess. She was sorry the
robot was sad, though, and she wasn't sure why exactly. She rolled her
eyes. "Oh, it's okay Gir, I'm sure Zim will clean it up later."
He sniffed. "But your present; I broked it." He hung his head.
She stood up; she'd practically just gotten back and already she
felt the need to get out again. She didn't know how she was going to
manage living here, and that, she reminded herself, depended on Zim
letting her stay. Which he might not, she thought bitterly. "It's okay,
don't worry. It's um, the thought that counts," she said, hoping the
thing wouldn't go into another fit.
"Reeeeelly?" he asked, wide eyed.
"Yes, really," she nodded.
"YAY!!!" he hugged her around the legs.
Kiir sighed. If she tried to leave the stupid robot would probably
get all dejected. Well, there was one thing she could try. "Hey, Gir,
I was going to go for another walk, do you want to come?"
He looked up at her, awestruck. "Can we get BRAINFREEZIES?!" he
squealed.
"Uh, sure," she answered, not really knowing what he was talking
about but assuming that it was some sort of food.
"YAY!!" he screamed again, hugging her tighter. "Lemmegogetdressed!"
he skipped hurriedly into a corner and zipped on a, something. A green
something.
Kiir shrugged. His disguise was probably meant to resemble some Earth
animal. "Okay, c'mon."
She pulled the front door open and was surprised to see someone
standing there about to knock.
"Is Dib here?" the human girl asked deadly.
***
Gaz was withdrawn, not unobservant. She noticed much more than most
people, it was just that she didn't, in general, care. She knew for
instance that most people didn't have the same level of logic skills,
reflexes, or hand-eye co-ordination that she did. She knew that most of
the things they taught in school were absolute bull shit.
She knew that the woman standing in the doorway was an alien.
"Well, is he?" she demanded in monotone.
The creature blinked. "Uh, yeah," she scowled. "Down in the
basement."
"Can I see him?" Gaz had a good idea what the alien was upset about.
'Sleep-under', hmmmm? The corner of her lip twitched for a second into
a smirk.
"Yeah, sure," she stepped out of the way. "Knock yourself out. You're
his sister, aren't you?"
"Unfortunately." She noticed the green skinned woman still watching
her. "You can go now. I know my way around."
"Oh."
Gaz rolled her eyes.
"YAY! I HASN'T SEEN YOU IN FUHEVA!" a green blur ran up and hugged
the human.
Her eye twitched. "Get off me."
"Awwwwwwww." Gir sniffed and walked back over to Kiir. "Can we get
Brainfreezies now?" he asked hopefully.
"Uh, sure," the Irken shrugged and started toward the still open door.
Gaz turned, feeling the need to do Kiir a favor. "Hold on."
"Huh? You lost already?" she asked.
"You weren't planning on going out like that were you?" Gaz inspected
the alien. Green skin, antennae, three fingers. But that wasn't what she
knew people would notice.
"Um, yeah?"
The human rolled her eyes again. "I saw you on TV you know."
"Yeah? Am I cool or what?" she grinned.
"Are all aliens as stupid as you and Zim?" Or as self centered, she
thought. "If you go out like that you will be accosted by reporters,
fan girls, and wanna-be super villains. Believe me. I know."
The alien seemed to consider this. "What do you want me to do about
it?"
Gaz sighed and fished her Game Slave out of her purse, and handed the
purse to Kiir. "I assume you can put on make-up."
"Uh, yeah."
"Good." She nodded and started towards the elevator. "You want to buy
new cloths too. My dad's credit card is in there."
She stepped into the elevator.
***
Kiir stared dumbfounded at the elevator even after Gaz had gone.
She shook her head. Humans were strange, strange creatures. She looked
down at Gir, who, surprisingly was waiting patiently. "Er, hold on a
minute Gir, while I...put on some makeup. And then we can go."
"Okay!" he chirped. "Go be pretty!" He giggled.
She slung the purse over her shoulder and headed to the bathroom.
***
"So it was you who tripped Mike yesterday? Or was it day before
yesterday?" Dib wondered. "You're right, my time sense is all messed
up."
Zim nodded, his antennae bobbing. He'd taken off his disguise some
time ago, proclaiming it to be 'very skragging itchy'. Dib didn't mind
at all.
They'd really just been talking for the last half-hour or so, about
skool, about their lives, about each other a little bit too. Dib
smiled.
"It was yesterday," Zim nodded.
Dib turned as her heard the whirring of the elevator. The noise set
him on edge. It meant either that Kiir was coming down to yell at them
some more or Gir was coming. Either one wasn't particularly appealing.
Well, there was always the possibility that Kiir was coming to
apologize; a nice idea, but not very likely. He sighed. He'd liked
Kiir pretty well, too.
He resignedly watched the doors slide open. Relief washed over him as
instead of Kiir or Gir, someone else walked into the lab.
"Oh, hi Gaz," Dib greeted. Then he did a double take and nearly fell
over. "GAZ? What are you doing here?"
To be continued...
Sorry for the long wait and the short length but I'm in deep sandwiched
between two ten page projects and a schism in my circle of friends.
It'll be a while for the next chapter, but I promise it WILL be worth
it, and I will never, ever abandon this fic!
Read it? Review it!
By Lejindarybunny
A romantic Invader Zim epic
A/N: Hey all. Sorry about the wait, it seems these days it's taking me
longer to get a chapter done for some reason. I'd like you to know
though, that the reason this one in particular took so long is because
midway through my muse whacked me over the head with the dead fish of
inspiration. Unfortunately, the bit I got inspired to write, while
integral to the story, won't appear for several chapters yet.
I just wanted to take this opportunity while my mind is on the subject
to thank all of my reviewers. You make living a better option than the
alternative. You know, I don't think I've every actually gotten a
negative review, much less an outright flame? I'm glad people seem to
like my writing so much, it makes me very happy to know that I'm
somewhat appreciated. I try.
OOo, and buy the Evanescence cd, 'Fallen'. It be awesome. I'm listening
to it as I write. My favorite song is track seven, 'Imaginary'. It's
honestly my own personal theme song.
One more note, in order to get a better feel for Gir's dialogue I've
decided to write it the way he talks, so yes, the misspellings and
stuff are there for your reading enhancement.
Okay, now that I'm done with that, on to the story.
Disclaimer: I own Kiir, I own the Oranges. I don't own anything else.
Chapter 11...In which we learn slightly more about the Oranges,
jealousy runs amuck, and Gaz comes over.
"Useless!" she barked looking down at the torn and shuddering frame
of her partner. Her voice was cold and pitiless. "You're absolutely
useless!" She kicked the trembling orange form that lay before her.
Buntch whimpered.
Koil had chosen the form of a tall, severe looking woman with cold
blue eyes and blood red hair bound into a bun on the back of her head.
She wore professional, but elegant looking attire, the latest human
fashions and expensive jewelry.
"How the hell do you expect to drain this planet dry if you can't
take on ONE of this planet's lowly inhabitants?!" she screeched.
Not a human, the beaten Orange trilled. I recognized it. The
creature attended skool yesterday. There are two of them.
"Fine!" she snapped. "The creature's origin is of no importance. You
were seen on the Earth news! Less than two days and we've been exposed
because of nothing but your incompetence. I have half a mind to get
back in the ship and find a new planet. And leave you here! It's not as
if these humans even have enough energy to be worth all the trouble
they seem to be giving you."
Buntch made a pained sound.
Koil turned her back. "There is one reason and one reason only that
I don't. That one human's energy. I want to know why it isn't like the
rest of his species. I want to know why it is that after all these
eons of searching we've finally found a perfect match!"
That roused her partner out of his stupor. What?!
She nodded. "If you'd bothered to do any more than preliminary tests
you'd have noticed it too."
It is here on this planet? That human I nearly took?
She turned and looked solemnly down at him. "You nearly had it and
you lost it!"
How could I not have? With that much power I would be no match. How
can we-
"I will contrive a way. The human can't have realized its power yet
or you would not be here. You return to the ship and heal. Tomorrow
I will pose as a substitute teacher in that skool. We've spent to long
living from millennia to millennia. It's time to renew our vow of
revenge."
***
Dib felt distinctly lightheaded sitting there listening to Kiir
recount the details of her encounter with the Orange and he found
himself only half listening to what she was saying. Mostly he was still
focused on staring fixedly at Zim and attempting to discern exactly how
probable it was that what he thought had just happened could happen in
a sane and logical universe. Not that it seemed at all likely that this
was a sane and logical universe.
But he couldn't help grinning rather foolishly. All his worrying had
been stupid and pointless and everything was going to be okay because
Zim LOVED him.
"So then my lazer ran out of juice and it looked like I was gonna
bite it for sure for sure this time," Kiir rambled on. "So we were on
the ground, both of us struggling for the upper hand when I get to my
plasma blade and 'ka-snak!'" she clapped her hands together, "I cut
his arm off. I jump up, whip out my back up lazer and the skragger was
toast. And everyone," she finished, "was applauding."
Zim rolled his eyes. "Big deal, humans are easily impressed, right
Dib?"
The raven haired boy stifled a blush under the alien's warm gaze. "Um,
yeah," he nodded in agreement. "Most humans still think digital watches
are pretty impressive. Sorry."
Kiir pouted. "Yeah, well you're obviously pretty easily impressed
yourself, Zim," she muttered.
Zim squinted and eye. "Excuse me? Do I detect that you are implying
something?" he demanded, standing up.
"You heard me," she crossed her arms. "I walk in on you and dirt-boy
sucking face and you expect me not to be upset?"
"I was under the impression that we were no longer together Kiir, and
had not been for quite some time."
Dib stared at the tow Irkens who stood locked in a glaring contest.
Zim had dated Kiir? She'd said they'd been friends at the academy. Dib
felt a surge of emotion. Was he jealous? Well, yes. Even though Zim
didn't seem to still like her it was obvious that the apathy wasn't
mutual. Dib suddenly liked Kiir rather less.
It was the half-breed who broke the tense, edgy silence. "Fine!" she
snapped, turning on her heel. "See if I care!" and with that she
stalked out of the lab.
Dib looked at Zim, a little hurt. "You didn't tell me the two of you
dated."
He sat back down on the bed. "The information was not relevant at the
time I might have brought it up." The Irken paused. "Are you angry?"
The boy thought about it. He shook his head. "No. But she obviously
still likes you."
"She will just have to deal because I don't have feelings for her any
longer. I have not in many years."
Dib smiled a little, and began to regret his jealousy though he
couldn't banish it. "So, um, when were you two together?"
"It was back when we were both in the invader academy, we were in the
same squad." he shrugged. "It was only supposed to be a temporary thing,
even back then, but she just wouldn't quit. Then she got kicked out and
I hadn't seen her since until two days ago. I rather thought she'd have
finally let it die after more than thirty years."
Dib winced mentally. It was always a jolt to be reminded that Zim
wasn't actually anywhere close to his age. Not that it really mattered.
"But she hasn't," he observed.
"Apparently not," he frowned. "Do not let it trouble you however. I
will take care of it."
***
It was on of those few times in her life that Kiir honestly wished
that Irkens used stairs rather than elevators. Granted, elevators were
generally more convenient, but it was very difficult to continue
storming from a room once one had reached an elevator. Whereas it was
quite easy to storm up or down stairs. Elevators in that sense
presented a natural threshold in which one would have to pause and
stand still for a moment. Empty elevators were nothing if not breeding
grounds for cooling off and sorting out rational thoughts from
irrational ones.
Kiir did not want a chance to find her rational thoughts, she was
angry and believed that she had every right to be; she didn't need any
rebellious bits of her consciousness attempting to calm and soothe her.
She flung her back against the wall of the elevator with a grunt and
crossed her arms furiously. What right did that human have to get all
touchy kissy with her boyfriend?! She'd thought it was funny when it
was just idle speculation, a joke. Even in the lab when she'd asked Zim
about it she'd never thought they'd get together, thought the human was
just an object onto which Zim had cast his affections for her all the
years that they'd been separated. It wasn't fair!
Sure she'd fooled around a lot of the years, but she'd never claimed
to love anyone else! She'd always planned after she managed to conquer
the empire she'd issue the order revoking Zim's exile and they could be
together again. Why hadn't she sent someone to Earth to get him long
ago? If she had, everything would be fine! Kiir choked back a sob and
clenched her fists. How DARE he?
The elevator dinged and she stormed out of the elevator at ground
level, and into the living room; flumping down on the couch. And she
was supposed to live here with the two of them? How could she?
"OOOooo! You was on TV!" Gir giggled, glomping her from out of no
where.
Kiir froze, somewhere between a scowl and a grimace. It was a little
uncomfortable being glomped by a tin can with ADHD. "Now's not a good
time to hug me, Gir."
"Oooooooooh," he look dejected, detaching himself from her neck and
sliding down to sit beside her on the couch. "But you're so cooooool!
You're neater than cupcakes! I like cupcakes!" he giggled. "But I likes
you more!"
The half-breed was caught somewhere between her anger and her ego.
Inwardly she shook her head. What a weird little toy. "...Thanks," she
managed after a moment.
An even wider grin threatened to consume the psuedo-SIR's face. "I
made you a present!"
This...worried Kiir. "You, did?"
"Uh-huh." He nodded. "LEMMEEGOGETIT!" He raced out of the room.
Sitting there she seriously considered getting up and leaving before
Gir could get back. But somehow she couldn't bring herself to be quite
that mean to the little guy.
Gir trotted back in happily, carrying a bowl of something. "This is
for yooooou. Because you mah heroandmahfrand!" He shoved the bowl at
her, little imaginary hearts practically visible hovering over his head.
She looked down at the bowl in her lap and was nearly ill. It was
some kind of weird brown goo with...chunks of stuff...in it. "Umm," she
forced a smile. "This looks, imaginative, Gir, what's in it?"
"It's got chocolate pudding," he drawled, sticking his tongue out
thoughtfully and began to count on his fingers, "and chocolate chips,
a cuuuuupcake, andthreebrownies!" He giggled, "and some COOKIES MADE
WITH ELVES!! and um, oh, I's run outta fingers! MAH FINGERS THEY'S
GONE! DON'T LEEEEAVE ME FINGERS! AH LOVES YOU! PLEEZE COME BACK!!"
He shouted hysterically.
Kiir cringed at the shrill voice and resisted the urge to clap
her hand over her antennae. Instead she grabbed Gir's hands in a
desperate effort to stop the shrieking. "No! Look, Gir, your fingers
are right here, see?"
He stopped abruptly, looked down at his hands and glomped Kiir around
the neck yet again, sending the bowl flying. "YOU FOUNDS MAH FINGERS!
YOU'S MAH HEEEEERO! MORE!"
Kiir squinched her face up. Great, as if he hadn't had enough of an
obsession with her already. She sighed and smiled. "You're welcome,"
she patted the robot on the head. Wait, she was smiling. That meant she
wasn't angry any more, or at least not for the moment, which meant she
was cheered up. Which meant the defective little robot had cheered her
up. Frakk. "Thanks a lot," she mumbled.
"You're welcome!" he said brightly, disengaging from around her and
standing happily on the floor. That was obviously when he realized he
had sent the pudding flying with his outburst. "Oh NO! You're present's
all icky!" His expression turned very sad.
The bowl had landed on a free standing lamp and the concoction it had
held was now oozing its way down to the floor. In a way Kiir was glad,
she wouldn't have to choke down the chocolaty mess. She was sorry the
robot was sad, though, and she wasn't sure why exactly. She rolled her
eyes. "Oh, it's okay Gir, I'm sure Zim will clean it up later."
He sniffed. "But your present; I broked it." He hung his head.
She stood up; she'd practically just gotten back and already she
felt the need to get out again. She didn't know how she was going to
manage living here, and that, she reminded herself, depended on Zim
letting her stay. Which he might not, she thought bitterly. "It's okay,
don't worry. It's um, the thought that counts," she said, hoping the
thing wouldn't go into another fit.
"Reeeeelly?" he asked, wide eyed.
"Yes, really," she nodded.
"YAY!!!" he hugged her around the legs.
Kiir sighed. If she tried to leave the stupid robot would probably
get all dejected. Well, there was one thing she could try. "Hey, Gir,
I was going to go for another walk, do you want to come?"
He looked up at her, awestruck. "Can we get BRAINFREEZIES?!" he
squealed.
"Uh, sure," she answered, not really knowing what he was talking
about but assuming that it was some sort of food.
"YAY!!" he screamed again, hugging her tighter. "Lemmegogetdressed!"
he skipped hurriedly into a corner and zipped on a, something. A green
something.
Kiir shrugged. His disguise was probably meant to resemble some Earth
animal. "Okay, c'mon."
She pulled the front door open and was surprised to see someone
standing there about to knock.
"Is Dib here?" the human girl asked deadly.
***
Gaz was withdrawn, not unobservant. She noticed much more than most
people, it was just that she didn't, in general, care. She knew for
instance that most people didn't have the same level of logic skills,
reflexes, or hand-eye co-ordination that she did. She knew that most of
the things they taught in school were absolute bull shit.
She knew that the woman standing in the doorway was an alien.
"Well, is he?" she demanded in monotone.
The creature blinked. "Uh, yeah," she scowled. "Down in the
basement."
"Can I see him?" Gaz had a good idea what the alien was upset about.
'Sleep-under', hmmmm? The corner of her lip twitched for a second into
a smirk.
"Yeah, sure," she stepped out of the way. "Knock yourself out. You're
his sister, aren't you?"
"Unfortunately." She noticed the green skinned woman still watching
her. "You can go now. I know my way around."
"Oh."
Gaz rolled her eyes.
"YAY! I HASN'T SEEN YOU IN FUHEVA!" a green blur ran up and hugged
the human.
Her eye twitched. "Get off me."
"Awwwwwwww." Gir sniffed and walked back over to Kiir. "Can we get
Brainfreezies now?" he asked hopefully.
"Uh, sure," the Irken shrugged and started toward the still open door.
Gaz turned, feeling the need to do Kiir a favor. "Hold on."
"Huh? You lost already?" she asked.
"You weren't planning on going out like that were you?" Gaz inspected
the alien. Green skin, antennae, three fingers. But that wasn't what she
knew people would notice.
"Um, yeah?"
The human rolled her eyes again. "I saw you on TV you know."
"Yeah? Am I cool or what?" she grinned.
"Are all aliens as stupid as you and Zim?" Or as self centered, she
thought. "If you go out like that you will be accosted by reporters,
fan girls, and wanna-be super villains. Believe me. I know."
The alien seemed to consider this. "What do you want me to do about
it?"
Gaz sighed and fished her Game Slave out of her purse, and handed the
purse to Kiir. "I assume you can put on make-up."
"Uh, yeah."
"Good." She nodded and started towards the elevator. "You want to buy
new cloths too. My dad's credit card is in there."
She stepped into the elevator.
***
Kiir stared dumbfounded at the elevator even after Gaz had gone.
She shook her head. Humans were strange, strange creatures. She looked
down at Gir, who, surprisingly was waiting patiently. "Er, hold on a
minute Gir, while I...put on some makeup. And then we can go."
"Okay!" he chirped. "Go be pretty!" He giggled.
She slung the purse over her shoulder and headed to the bathroom.
***
"So it was you who tripped Mike yesterday? Or was it day before
yesterday?" Dib wondered. "You're right, my time sense is all messed
up."
Zim nodded, his antennae bobbing. He'd taken off his disguise some
time ago, proclaiming it to be 'very skragging itchy'. Dib didn't mind
at all.
They'd really just been talking for the last half-hour or so, about
skool, about their lives, about each other a little bit too. Dib
smiled.
"It was yesterday," Zim nodded.
Dib turned as her heard the whirring of the elevator. The noise set
him on edge. It meant either that Kiir was coming down to yell at them
some more or Gir was coming. Either one wasn't particularly appealing.
Well, there was always the possibility that Kiir was coming to
apologize; a nice idea, but not very likely. He sighed. He'd liked
Kiir pretty well, too.
He resignedly watched the doors slide open. Relief washed over him as
instead of Kiir or Gir, someone else walked into the lab.
"Oh, hi Gaz," Dib greeted. Then he did a double take and nearly fell
over. "GAZ? What are you doing here?"
To be continued...
Sorry for the long wait and the short length but I'm in deep sandwiched
between two ten page projects and a schism in my circle of friends.
It'll be a while for the next chapter, but I promise it WILL be worth
it, and I will never, ever abandon this fic!
Read it? Review it!