Thanks to my nice reviewers...Thankey!! mmmm-cooookies!!!! starts typing Right away! The next chapter is up!

Stardust is a book about the real world and the magickal world beyond its borders. The quote in the previous chapter comes from a part in the book where a human is bartering for a magickal glass flower for his love. The quote is the Faery-woman's response as to what forms of payment she accepts for her merchandise.

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Chapter 5

The sky had dimmed remarkably by the time all four of them were sitting with burgers on their laps and cocoa at their sides, contently chattering or taking in the beauty of the glowing flames.

Well, almost all...

"Meat! Its meat...." Zim was mumbling under his breath, arms at his sides, eyes large. How was he going to get past this one? His stomach (eh...whatever it is) lurched at the meaty smell invading his senses.

He looked up from the disgusting thing on his plate to fix Dib with a contemptuous glare. The human had paused his conversation with his father to smile imperiously. Prof. Membrane followed his son's eyes to the green kid.

"Something wrong, Zim?" Prof. Membrane inquired.

Zim looked at him, sweat (or something...) forming at his temples. "Uh....I ...um...don't eat meat?" he ventured.

"Oh. Haha. Why didn't you say so?" Prof. Membrane got up and took the plate from Zim. "Dib didn't say anything about you being a vegetarian..." he mumbled to himself, digging in the cooler.

Dib was smiling widely, taking another enormous bite of his hamburger, leaning close to Zim's face. The alien turned away, gagging. Gaz was watching with a semi-amused expression.

"Here you go." Prof. Membrane tossed Zim an apple, resuming his conversation with Dib. "As you can see, son, the rewards of working in a respectable area of science are quite numerous..."

"But think of the reward that would follow if I was able to provide undeniable proof that there is intelligent life out there..." he paused at the word intelligent, a mental image of Zim wearing thick-rimmed glasses and discussing the importance of recycling forming in his mind. He chuckled lightly.

Zim was eyeing the red thing Prof. Membrane had tossed him, thoughtfully. It didn't smell toxic. He gingerly nibbled at it. Finding the apple sweet and not immediately dangerous to his health, he proceeded to take an enormous bite out of it, as he had seen Dib eat. Did all humans eat this way, he wondered, jaw already beginning to ache.

Gaz couldn't help laughing at the way Zim ate the apple. Like it would disappear if it wasn't consumed in seconds. She let a chuckle slip out loud on accident, and quickly covered her mouth with a hand. Too late. He looked up at her, questioningly.

For a reason completely obscure to Gaz, she blushed. Turning away quickly, she mumbled "don't eat the core..." forcing her attention back to her Game Slave.

Zim peered at her back, wondering why her face had turned a dark shade of pink. Maybe she's sick. Is this 'core' poisonous?

He tossed the apple into the shrubbery, walking away from the campsite to think.

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"How long has Zim been gone?" Dib asked finally, noticing the alien's absence.

Gaz turned around, surprised. "I didn't know he left..."

"Better go find him before it gets too dark to see. Take these flashlights just in case..." Prof. Membrane handed each of his children a flashlight. "I'll be here to keep the fire going. Don't take too long."

Dib and Gaz split up, disappearing into the heavily shadowed greenery.

"And don't forget to look for good marshmallow toasting sticks..." Prof. Membrane called, as an afterthought. He settled back into his chair, looking up at the dusk-blanketed foliage enchantingly obscuring the night sky.

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She tilted her head, resting it gently on his shoulder. She looked up at him, a small smile curving her lips. Her eyes were sapphires in the starlight.

She turned and sat gracefully on the dew-damp ground. He did the same.

"Is this the place?" he asked, her violet locks soft against his cheek.

"It is." She smiled. She shimmered.

"I guess its not what I was expecting..." he admitted shyly.

"You expected some place civilized. With glass buildings and many people?"

"Yes."

"Because that is you." She looked down, a shadow playing across her brow. "You are the people you help, the things you achieve, the intelligence you embody." She lifted her chin, closing her eyes. Slivers of silver shone on her face. She glowed like the stars watching them.

"This is me." She opened her eyes, looking around her. "There is no glory in who I am. Just the soft soil beneath my feet and the caress of a breeze at my shoulders. But it is me. I chose it, like you chose who you wanted to be."

"And why did you choose this?" he felt out of place so far from humanity.

She stood up. "Because I find my answers in it."

"What answers are you talking ab...?"

"Shhh." She pressed her fingertips to his lips. "If you're quiet enough, you might here it too." They were silent for a long while. She looked concerned at the blank expression he held. "Can't you hear it? The trees are sighing. The starts are whispering. They are speaking of magic and darkness and time. Can't you hear what they're saying?"

He couldn't hear anything. But there was no doubt in his mind she could.

He stood up slowly. His heart twisted at the slightly sad look in her enchanted eyes.

"But I do know something we both can appreciate."

She looked up, curious.

"How far did you say Denny's was?"

She laughed. And the forest felt itself smiling in response.

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The flashback in this chapter was Prof. Membrane's, just in case it confused anyone.

Next chapter: I'm thinking I'll at least begin picking up on the ZAGR part, but most deffintely the lake!!! Muahahah!