Come on, Dib! Melvin cheered. Have some brownies! Dib's smiling classmate shoved a plate under his nose, oblivious to the paranormalist's somber mood.
Not now, Melvin! Dib said, casting a glance at the overeager student. I have to keep an eye on Z— Dib froze abruptly, looking around. Where had that alien gone??
Okay, Dib, Melvin said cheerily, stuffing a brownie in his mouth and trotting off. Dib continued to search for Zim. He wondered irately why he hadn't ever noticed how large the drama club was. The stage area was full and the party' had spread out over the gym/cafeteria floor. The chairs of the audience had been pushed aside and tables set up. There was a bag of tortilla chips, a couple liters of soda, and maybe one or two plates that had at one point held baked goods. They were long empty.
The old box of props had been looted and kids were running around in tacky bits of costume and masks, waving old canes, plumed feathers, and even a teddy bear. Dib ignored all of them; his entire attention focused on finding Zim. He thought he saw the flash of a black cape through one branch of the crowd, and immediately ran over, but by then whatever it was had disappeared, leaving only a group of kids who were rather annoyed by Dib's intrusion. They dissipated quickly and moved to the other side of the room. Dib didn't notice, but his eye fell on the props box. An idea occurred to him a bit of a ludicrous one, maybe either way, it couldn't hurt. He ran over to the box and dug through its remaining contents.
Dib settled, finally, on a white sheet with a few holes cut in it.. a couple for arms and one for a face. He pulled it over his head, leaving it loose around his head so his face wasn't visible. Feeling slightly foolish, he worked himself into a group of kids who were wearing bits of costumes and masks, laughing and leaping around, talking to each other. He joined the leaping, feeling even more foolish. Especially since he had no idea if this would work or not and all the time, he kept a watchful eye on everyone around him, searching for Zim.
Zim cackled to himself as his gloved claws danced over the tiny control pad attached to his wrist. He flitted from one group of costumed students to the next, silencing them with a blood-red glare and an aggressive inward flick of his antennae. He knew they were staring. The idiotic pig-monkies! They thought his face was some kind of makeup. His cackling rose into a delighted swell of maniacal laughter. The FOOLS! No one could stop him now not even that despicable DIB.
Zim glanced to the side, caught a glimpse of a flashing white sheet, and suddenly broke into a run through the crowds. His cape trailed behind him as he took a running leap onto the front of the stage. He pivoted to face the students, a wicked grin spreading across his face. The filth child at the lighting box, Penny, watched him curiously until he stabbed her with a savage glare. Cowering for reasons she knew not, she activated a couple of the lights on the lone figure on the stage. Zim gave in to the wild urge to laugh, and his laughter echoed throughout the room, slowly turning the eyes of every filth human there onto him.
he snapped, the grin never leaving his face. The mighty PHANTOM sneers at your revelry! You laugh now, yes, and play your foolish pathetic games, but your day will come! There will be DOOOOOOM for you all! I will be lord of you all!! Lord of your minds and your CONTROL! YOU WILL BOW TO MEEEE!! So saying, Zim snatched up the mask that had fallen to the stage and been abandoned during the performance, and put it on. The object of your terror remains in shadows!! Fear most what you pathetically blind filthies cannot seeeeee Cackling uproariously, Zim tapped another couple of buttons on the control pad on his wrist, and twisting to one side, disappeared.
The lonely sound of two people clapping sounded off to one side. June and Alma. The kids on the floor stirred uncomfortably. That mask doesn't even cover his bad makeup, one of the kids mumbled to another.
What a loser, interjected a third. He thinks he's the real Phantom.
I'll bet he noosed Timmy.
Of COURSE he did! a frantic white sheet hollered, running up to the child who had spoken and shaking cloth covered fists emphatically in the air. Can't you see this is an evil plot by him to take over the world and enslave or destroy us all!?
The kids stared at the sheet. Dude, get a life, one of them said, before they all quickly made their way off into the crowd. The sheet didn't seem to notice, but ran at top speed from the gym/cafeteria, down the halls, searching wildly.
---
Jessica looked up, startled, as a lift rushed through a shaft very close to her right. She barely managed to get out of the way before an imposing (to her) figure leapt from the shaft, black cape trailing, crimson eyes burning out of a white mask as the figure's head swiveled back and forth. She shrank back, but it finally fixed on the robot which had continued dancing obliviously.
Zim snarled. Stop this foolishness right now!! IAMZIM! And you must witness my bold triumphs over the pathetic filthy minds of the human worm-monkies!! First Zim turned towards Jessica, antennae perked, and regarded her. She was too terrified to move or make a sound. Good. His amaaaazing power was too much for her before he even made a sound!! Standing up tall, Zim allowed an evil anticipatory grin spread over his face as he glared superiorly down at the cowering human worm. She was his lackey and slave! She would be an example to the other humans of the might and power of ZIM! They would fall at his feet! Zim cackled under his breath. Oh, victory had been long in coming, but now that it was in sight, it was delicious. It would—Zim shot a startled glance towards the lift. The human had snuck past him and was climbing into it!
Jessica's hands were clumsy and so were her feet as she tried to get onto the lift apparatus and find a way to make it bring her up from this horrible place. She glanced back uncertainly, only to see the ugly green kid stalking towards her with a terrible grimace on her face. She struck out at him desperately, but long, silver metal appendages snaked from his.. backpack? They arrested her movement and flung her back from the lift with surprising strength. This act of violence stunned her, as well as Zim's agitated motions as he whirled on the dog-robot. She felt a spark of indignation, overcoming her previous clouded silence.
You're CRAZY! she shouted feebly, as she struggled back to her feet. But something about the way Zim was moving, especially dancing around on those metal legs and she looked around her, taking a good hard analysis of the room. She had no idea what any of it was. The style and colors it was built in were extremely weird; it all seemed to jar at the same time as it flowed together. Like an alien planet, or something. Jessica recalled some of Dib's ranting during drama clubs. are you.. an a-alien? she managed, trying to stay on her guard.
Zim, now holding the wriggling robot in his gloved hands, turned to face her with a sneer. I am the PHANTOM, he said, as if this explained everything. And you will OBEEEEY!!
Obey the power of the cheese! the little robot chirped. Master!! There's a giant capertitillar crawlin on your baaaaack!
A WHAT!? Zim dropped the robot and half twisted, turning to try and see what was on his back.
The little dog giggled madly, hopping up and down and wagging its
little black tail. Ah made you look! MADE YOU LOOK!! it shrieked. Still giggling, it patted Zim with a black paw and
ran to hide behind Jessica. Master's
it, it whispered to her. Jessica found
herself choking back a laugh. It was it
was unbelievably funny, but the entire situation was so absurd she almost forgot
the danger she was in from this weirdo. Who
was probably an alien, besides.
Cease your foolish games, GIR!! Zim snapped at the little robot, who continued
to giggle, looking not at all abashed. I
have THINGS to attend to he fixed Jessica with a burning red glare. The very demeanor of the entire room became no
longer absurd and playful, but threatening. She
reached down and picked up the robot, holding onto it tightly in her uncertainty.
Zim cackled. Put my
dog slave down and obey my miiiiiight!! Easily
bringing up in his mind how he sang the songs from the play, Zim decided that he wanted to
improve on them. They were powerful songs
with a strong effect on the pathetic human brains, especially when wielded by someone as
amazing as himself, but he was sure there was more he could do with them. Improve them. Jessica was staring fearfully at him, and even GIR had quieted, watching him
curiously. Standing up straight and puffing
out his chest, Zim started to let loose with an incredibly hypnotic, brilliant string of
notes only to freeze cold in the middle of the first one. He had no idea where to go with this. Every sound in his mind that he was hurriedly
matching up to the others made no connection, made no sense did not come into
a cohesive whole to weave its web of magic and deception around the pitiful human worm's
brain. How!? How did one weave the notes into such a pattern? Into music? The mighty Phantom was a master of creating that music. And Zim felt a chill when he realized he had no
idea how to do the same. Let GIR entertain
the stink-beast for now. Turning, Zim fled
the room, booted feet pounding against the metallic floors. The Phantom had research to do.