CHAPTER TEN

The next day of Skool was Friday. Zim arrived just as the bell rang, and had to run to class. Mrs. Bitters hadn't arrived yet, and everyone was talking. Zim grew bored and left the room. He sat in the empty bathroom on the (DIRTY!!!) floor, plotting evilness. He had plans to create a huge greenhouse to place over the earth, causing the greenhouse effect to speed up.

As he walked out of the bathroom, he saw the door to his classroom close, which meant Mrs. Bitters was there. He strode into class, and was abruptly stopped by Mrs. Bitters.

"Zim! You're late again!"

"I was in the bathroom!" Zim explained.

"Yeah, probably trying to come up with another plan to destroy earth. A plan, by the way, that I will ruin." Dib smirked at Zim.

Zim took his seat and looked back towards Sam's desk, but she wasn't there. He was a bit disappointed, but shrugged it off and continued working on the design for his gigantic greenhouse.

About an hour later, the classroom door opened.

"Samantha, you're late." Mrs. Bitters made and obvious observation.

"I'm sorry, I had an interview this morning and it ran really late." Sam explained.

"Fine. Take your seat. We were just discussing how pollution will eventually doom us all."

Sam sat in the back and took out the infamous sketchbook. Zim lost all concept of time, because the next thing he knew, Keef and Ryan had sat down next to him.

"C'mon, Zim. Don't you want to help us put the glitter on Jupiter?" –Keef

". . .no. . ." Zim returned to his greenhouse picture.

"How about the paint on mars and Neptune?" –Ryan

". . .no. . ."

"The rings need to be drawn on Saturn. . .you want to do them?" –Keef

". . .NO!!!"

"Zim!" Mrs. Bitters yelled

". . .yes?. . ."

"You're yelling. Stop yelling."

Zim growled slightly "tell them to stop BOTHERING Zim!!!"

"maybe you should switch groups. Torque, you switch with Zim."

Torque began to protest "But our project is already fini-"

"Now!" Mrs. Bitters snaked behind him (me: it's creepy when she does that!)

Zim smirked at Dib as he approached him.

"Hiya Dib." Zim sat down and instantly began working on his greenhouse picture again.

"Um. . ." Sam began "What's that?" she pointed towards the picture

Freehanded, Zim isn't exactly an artist (me: duh! Look at how he drew his own house!!!)

"it's a greenhouse." He simply stated.

"To destroy earth?" Dib asked.

". . ."

"It looks more like. . .like. . .here, give it here." Sam took the picture and tore a blank page out of her sketchbook and redrew Zim's design, only it looked very realistic, almost as though it had been drawn professionally.

Zim's jaw dropped when he saw her work.

"Now draw ME in a control room on top looking down at the FILTHY planet that you will draw inside!!!" Zim commanded

Sam slightly blushed "Draw you? I. . .er. . .I don't draw anything that's alive, only objects.

". . .oh. . ."

". . .that's your plan?!" Dib held back laughter when he realized Zim's plan" build a greenhouse around the earth?! Not while I'm around! Your plan is going to fail, Zim! And I will be the one who fails your failing plan!"

the whole class glanced up at Dib but returned to their work, whispering about how much of a freak he was.

Zim stuck his tongue out and looked back at Sam, who had completely finished the sketch and was back in her book, drawing, but not letting anyone see. That irritated Zim slightly, because he hated when people had secrets that they kept from him. It made him feel like they were plotting against him. Finally, it was time for recess. Zim folded the picture of the greenhouse and stuck it in his pocket. Once he was outside, he looked for a place to finalize his plans.

Sam and Dib approached Zim, and Gaz walked off playing with her Game Slave 2.

"I'll be with Gaz." Dib said, hugging Sam and glaring at Zim.

"kay."

After Dib walked off, Sam smiled at Zim. "So, why a greenhouse?"

". . ."

"You don't really want to destroy earth, do you?" she asked.

"Not all of it. . ." Zim mumbled in response, not loudly enough for her to hear.

"Huh?"

"Nothing."

"Thanks again for yesterday. So. . .when's your birthday?"

"We don't celebrate birthdays where I'm from. They keep a record somewhere, but. . .it's not really tradition."

"So, how old are you?" she asked.

"About 26, but my lifespan is longer than yours, so I guess I would be a bit younger than you if I were a filthy disgusting human."

". . .so, what's the name of your planet?"

"Why?"

"Just making conversation."

"Irk."

". . .eh?" she quirked an eyebrow (me: NO! That's my trademark! How dare she steal it!)

"Irk. That's the name of my home planet."

"That's a funny name for a planet. . ."

"Oh, and EARTH is NORMAL?" he asked, half-jokingly.

"Guess you're right. Why do you want to destroy earth so badly?"

"The Tallest told me to; I dare not fail my mission.

". . .the Tallest?"

"Oh, on Irk, we are ranked by our height. Although I was the smallest invader, because of my capabilities and great intellect, the Tallest sent me on a secret mission to take earth."

"Intellect? So. . .you must be the smartest guy on your home planet!" 'wow, dumb planet'

"Yes, yes I am."

"What'll happen if you never destroy earth?"

"I will. I will destroy this pitiful ball of dirt before the armada even comes."

"Armada? Your backup gang, I guess?"

"yes."

"Oh."

"If. . .if you want, maybe I can let you live, but. . .you have to help me. if you help me, we can destroy earth and go to Irk together."

"Sorry, Zim. But I can't. I'll have to help Dib when he needs me."

"But. . .don't you care about me?" 'no! I can't lose this! This might be my only shot to get her on my side!'

"Yes, we're friends and I do care about you."

"But. . .you'd still help that disgusting earth monkey?"

"Of course. Me and him have been a team for a long time now. Maybe you could talk to the Tallest and ask for a re-assignment."

"No, they would think I failed the mission."

". . .oh. well, I'd better go now so Dib doesn't send a SWAT team to come get me."

"Okay. Bye. See you in class."

Zim watched as she walked over to Gaz and Dib, and then pulled out a paper to plan ways to talk the Tallest into a re-assignment.

"So. . ." Dib began "learn anything?"

"Oh, lots."

END!!!

Peggi-Does anyone feel sorry for Zim? Maybe just a little? Anyway, thanks for the reviews (I only got one for that last chapter, but OH WELL) and don't worry Eev, I wouldn't change GIR's personality (it's too much like mine lolz). EVERYONE, PITY EEVEE'S SCREEN DOOR! THE HURRICAINE KILLED IT!!! IT DIED!!!

Zim-Silence, earth-monkey!

Peggi-(glomps) Please review peoples. Thankies