Zim tested out his new-found dancing skills in two other clubs over the course of the weekend, for once taking the precaution of testing whether the first results were a fluke or not. He would have to tell his Tallest about that, they would be proud to see an Invader taking such care in his plans. Not that it was needed, of course, any of Zim's plans would be enough to destroy this revolting ball of dirt! But, with the Dib around, one could never be too careful...
The results of his experiments were always the same, though. Zim's confidence seemed to have tripled by the time he walked into Ms. Bitters' class on Monday. So great had his ego become, some of the students could almost swear he looked taller, which only made it worse.
Dib glared at him from his place across the room. This new confidence called for some serious taunting and ego-deflation… And what better person for the job than Dib?
He shot a wary glance at the droning teacher, who hadn't slipped far enough into her coma of dooming to risk pestering Zim yet. Ah well, it could wait until lunch. He got out a sheet of paper and began drawing to pass time.
First he drew Zim without his disguise, naturally. Around the alien sprang up a test-tube, wires and monitors. He drew himself standing triumphantly in the background, wearing a lab coat.
By the time Dib had finished his newest artistic masterpiece, it was almost lunchtime. He crumpled the picture into a ball, changed his mind about it's destination, and threw it at Zim. It bounced off the alien's head, snapping him out of what Dib guessed was a dream of conquering Earth. Stupid jerk.
Zim snatched up the paper angrily, glancing around the room to find the lowly creature insolent enough to dare throw something at his superior head. His eyes met Dib's glare.
Fuming, he straightened the paper, eyes narrowing dangerously as he scanned the drawing before he leapt up on the table.
"Pitiful human! I yearn for the day when I crush your sick fantasies of victory! You will bow to ZIM! And ZIM SHALL RULE!"
Dib merely laughed, glad to at least have gotten that stupid arrogant look off his face and replaced with a more suitable anger.
"Zim! You've disturbed the class for the last time today," hissed an ominous shadow which had appeared behind Zim. A quick flash of black and the shadow had taken the form of Ms. Bitters.
"...but, this is the first thing I've said-"
"QUIET! You are to remain in the classroom for twenty minutes after the lunch bell rings."
"But-No! It was the Dib's fault!" he screeched, brandishing the picture. "He threw this... monstrosity at my perfectly normal boy head!"
Ms. Bitters glanced skeptically at the paper. "Very good, Dib, but if you want to be creative, do so on your own time! Independent thought takes away from your ability to learn."
The lunch bell rang and a stampede of hungry, cheering students fled the room before she could begin on a new rant about how public education was also doomed. That's not to say she stopped talking, though, and Zim was left to suffer through it as Dib edged his way around them and out the door.
"I will get you for this, Dib! Curse yoouuuuuuuu!"
Dib was still laughing when he reached the cafeteria, earning a few odd looks from the students who still paid any attention. He ignored them and went about collecting his lunch.
He paused upon reaching his usual table. There was no sign of Gaz. In her place, there was a very nervous-looking Gretchen, caked in what appeared to be some sort of tribal make-up or something. Possibly war paint.
"Gretchen?" He raised a brow questioningly at her. While it was only Gretchen, and cruelty was probably beyond her, his whole life was dominated by paranoia for a good reason. People were frequently either cruel or paranormal monsters, and one could never be too cautious.
"Oh! Uh, Dib, hi," She smiled awkwardly at him, showing off her oh-so-dazzling dental work. He set his tray down, but remained standing and discreetly looking for either any traps or his sister.
"Where's Gaz?"
"Oh, uh, she left... she said, like, my being her kinda bothered her, so, uh, she was going outside, I think..."
Well, that sounded enough like something Gaz would say to ease some of his suspicions. He sat down, though he kept his eyes fixed on Gretchen. So he was unreasonably paranoid. After all he'd been through in his short life, who wouldn't be?
"So... uh, Dib... are- are you going... t-to the.. the dance?"
He rolled his eyes, which she thankfully didn't notice. Was he going? Did he even have a choice in the matter? What was she getting at?
"The mandatory dance? Yeah."
"Oh, well, I was kinda, you know, wondering if maybe you'd... go.. with me?" She looked like at that moment she was ready to explode or hoping to miraculously disappear.
Dib stared, shocked. "Uh, what? Say that again?"
"N-never mind! Sorry!" She got up to leave, and almost had by the time Dib recovered from the initial shock of what she'd said.
"No, it's okay! I'm just.. this is weird," Said the amateur paranormal investigator. "I'll go with you, I guess... sure."
She shrieked joyfully, drawing the attention of almost everyone in the cafeteria and making Dib seriously regret his decision. Ah well, nothing for it now... if only she'd stop with the screaming!
Fortunately her lung capacity wasn't that impressive and the terrible sound ceased. She proceeded to launch herself across the table at Dib, latching on to his neck in a frighteningly aggressive manner for such a shy girl and almost strangling him.
"Oh wow, thanks Dib!" The realization that she was rather brutally hugging him struck and she leapt away as though she'd been shocked. "I, uh, I have to go! S-see you at the dance!"
With that, she bolted, leaving Dib more shocked and confused than he'd been in a long time, and suddenly very much not hungry anymore. Rather, he felt sort of sick, and the bubbling mass of what appeared to be tar wasn't doing much to whet his appetite.
He dumped the tray and headed outside to look for Gaz, dimly hoping that talking to her would clear some of this weirdness up.
