It was now 4th Period once again, which meant Gym Class had rolled around. All the students were in their uniform and were either talking or waiting for the Gym teacher to start class.
"ALRIGHT MAGGOTS," shouted the teacher as he walked in. "YOU'VE ALL PROBABLY HEARD BY NOW THAT ONE OF OUR STUDENTS, RONALD VOTO, HAS BEEN HOSPITALIZED AFTER BEING ASSAULTED BY AN UNKNOWN PERSON OR GANG!" The students muttered to each other about that except for Gaz, who allowed a dark smile to creep onto her lips. "BECAUSE OF THIS, HIS PARENTS HAVE DECIDED THAT THIS CITY IS TOO DANGEROUS ARE WILL BE MOVING WHEN RONALD IS STABLE ENOUGH! NOW, ON TO TODAY'S ACTIVITY! THE SUN IS OUT, THE WEATHER IS NICE, AND THE AIR IS WARM! THAT'S RIGHT! TODAY, YOUR PUDGY LITTLE BUTTS ARE GOING TO BE DOING LAPS!" The children groaned at the notion of running around in circles as the teacher lead them all outside to large field. "FOR THE NEXT HOUR, WHETHER YOU WALK OR RUN, YOU WILL GIVE ME 25 LAPS! EACH LAP UNDER THE REQUIRED AMOUNT WILL COUNT AS 8% OFF YOUR SCORE! THOSE WHO GET UNDER 20 LAPS WILL RECIEVE AN F FOR TODAY! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!"
"Yes." the children drolled out, making the teacher sneer at them.
"WHAT KIND OF AN ATTITUDE IS THAT?!" roared the teacher before seeing Derrick all jumpy and twitchy while running in place. "IF ANY OF YOU SACKS OF FAT HAD HALF THE NEW KID'S ENTHUSIAM, YOU'D SEE THE BENEFITS OF THIS ACTIVITY! NOW GET READY TO RUN!" The children all lined up and got into position to run. They waited for a moment before the teacher blew the whistle, sending them off to run. Everyone started out the same before most of them began to lose stamina. More than half of the children began to lag behind and just walk, leaving a few good runners in the middle, with our favorite characters way out in front.
"What's wrong Dib-Worm? That gigatic head of yours slowing you down?" Zim spat as he, Dib, Gaz, and Tak ran close together.
"My head's not big!" Dib yelled before they began to yell as much as they ran.
"Focus you idiots!" Tak snapped at them. "Did you already forget that we have a truce on at the moment?" Both boys glared at each other before looking ahead, focusing on the track. "We have to figure out who Derrick is. Then you two can go back to trying to kill each other."
"Speaking of Derrick, where is he?" Gaz said while looking at the group of kids that were running on the track.
"That's weird," said Dib as he looked behind them. "I thought he'd be ahead of us considering how hyperactive he's been acting today."
"He is ahead of us. He's so far ahead that he's coming up behind the stragglers. See?" she said while pointing to the other side of the track. They looked to see Derrick was indeed running up behind them, then through the group, then in front before he began to gain on them.
"He is definitely different from you hyumans." Zim observed as Derrick soon ran up right behind them.
"Hey guys!" he said with a smile before running neck and neck with them. "Nice day for a run, right?"
"Well, you seem calmer than earlier." Tak mused.
"Yeah, sorry about that," Derrick apologized with a chuckle. "I tend to go a little nutty when I eat too much sugar."
"If that was a little nutty, I'm afraid to know what a lot is!" Dib said as they ran.
"And you're not going crazy because?" Gaz questioned.
"All that sugar's being used because I'm running instead of sitting on my ass in a classroom!" Derrick laughed before whispering to them. "Hey, try not to get angry, but the men behind you and on the other side of the track are all staring at you." Tak turned her head and looked back at the group of men that had their eyes on her's and Gaz's asses, making her roll her eyes while looking ahead.
"They always stare at us." Gaz muttered in annoyance as she eyed the men on the other side of the track looking at breasts jiggle as she ran.
"It's nothing new." Tak added in equal annoyance.
"Actually, some of them are staring at you two." he said while looking at Zim and Dib. Both boys looked back at the group behind them in confusion, causing Derrick to burst into laughter. "I can't believe you fell for that!" The look on their faces even made Gaz and Tak chuckle.
"Very funny!" Dib spat.
"I thought it was." Derrick grinned.
"Enough of your sick humor! Tell Zim what he wants to know!" Zim snapped.
"Okay...what do you want to know?" Derrick asked.
"Yesterday, someone made an attempt on my life." Zim started off, leaving the details about his base out of the question. "They left a message stating that it was your fault. Why is that?"
"You wouldn't believe me." was all Derrick said before running on ahead.
"Hey!" Zim snapped before growling to himself. "Blasted hyuman!"
"Maybe he doesn't like talking to aliens!" Dib chuckled, making Zim glare at him before Gaz and Tak ran between the both of them.
"Knock it off!" Gaz snapped, clearly reaching her limit with their nonsense. "If all of you want to know about him, why not visit where ever he lives?"
"We don't know where he lives." Dib answered.
"Then we follow him after skool, you idiot." Gaz told him before running ahead of them, not wanting to hear them talk anymore. She could hear the three of them talk, shout actually, as they discussed what they were going to do after skool and sighed in irritation. Whatever they did, she'd probably get dragged along by Dib.
-Later-
It was now nearing the end of the final period of skool, meaning that everyone was itching for the last few minutes to tick away so they could enjoy their weekend.
'Hurry up!' Zim mentally shouted while glaring at the clock. Gaz didn't care since she was playing away on her Game Slave. Tak was tapping her fingers against her desk with a sigh, and Dib was thinking of what he might need to possibly break into Derrick's home should the need arise. Before they could leave however, an announcement had come over the PA system.
"Good Afternoon students," came the voice of the Principal. "I know all of you are wanting to leave and enjoy the weekend, but I've got a guest speaker here with us today."
"Greetings children!" came another voice, making Dib and Gaz's eyes widen.
'Dad?!' they both thought in surprise.
"My name is Professor Membrane! I've come here to personally announce that a week from now, every student from Kindergarten to College will be taking a test personally created by myself. The reason as to why you'll be taking this test will be announced 3 days after the test! Good luck, and don't forget to study! That is all!" the Professor finished before the bell rang, leaving the kids free to leave for the weekend. Gaz and Dib were walking quickly through the halls towards the exit to catch up to their father, who surprised them by waiting for them by the car.
"Hey Dad," said Gaz as they neared the car.
"Good to see you Dib and Gazlene." greeted their father before opening the door for them. "Get inside. We have something to discuss."
"Now?" Dib questioned. "But we have to-"
"Get in the car, Dib!" Gaz snapped, not wanting to miss a chance to hang with her father. Dib kept up his protest, saying they had to figure out who Derrick was until Gaz pushed him inside before climbing in and shutting the door. "Zim and Tak will probably follow him anyway and tell us what we want. We do have a truce after all." Dib sighed in anger as their father got in the car and drove off.
"Like Zim would tell us anything we want to know." Dib mumbled before looking at his dad. "So dad, why'd you come to our skool? Don't you usually send out a video screen? And what's this test supposed to be anyway?"
"All good questions son." the Professor responded while looking at the rear-view mirror. "The test is to find the brightest children inside the city."
"That's a very small number." Gaz said as she stared at her screen.
"It won't just be inside the city Gazlene. Every student in the entire world will be taking this test. I just wanted to give your skool an early heads up is all." said the Professor. "Tomorrow, I'll be broadcasting live to the entire world that all students should take this test."
"What's it all for?" Dib asked.
"For every reason that I do anything son! For Science! And for the future and betterment of mankind!" the Professor cried out dramatically with his hand raised in the air before placing it back on the steering wheel. "So, how were your days today?" he asked them.
"The new kid in skool went crazy in every class of his today." Dib said.
"Fascinating son," Membrane said before looking at his daughter. "And you Gazlene?"
"Eh, nothing much. Just playing my game." she responded.
"That's nice." said the Professor as he continued to drive on home.
-With Zim and Tak-
Zim and Tak were both waiting near the detention room for Derrick to leave after brainwashing or something to the teacher. They were both waiting inside a janitor's closet and stared at the door to the detention room before Derrick walked out, his sugar rush finally gone, and whistling to himself while heading for the exit to the skool.
"You remember the plan?" Tak whispered.
"Of course. Be quiet, follow, and infiltrate." Zim answered.
"All but infiltrate. We're only seeing where he lives today." Tak argued.
"Why? He'll be too surprised to fight back if we ambush him at his domicile! It will be the perfect opportunity!" Zim snapped.
"We need answers from him! We can't get them if he's dead!" Tak growled before looking at Derrick's retreating back. "We'll discuss this later with the Membranes later. Let's go!" Zim glared at her as she and Zim began to discreetly follow Derrick from the Skool into the city. They kept about a block away from him as they followed, making sure to keep out of sight in case he turned around. They watched as he crossed the street before a truck drove by, blocking their view of him. Their eyes widened when the truck drove by and Derrick disappeared. Tak glared while Zim just stared.
"Hey! He vanished!" Zim stated.
"No shit." Tak muttered sarcastically before walking off. "I'm returning to my base to finish the repairs on Mimi. I'll send her out to scout the city for his home during the weekend. I'll see you at skool on Monday."
"Ha!" Zim yelled. "I will not let his sudden disappearance deter me from finding the answers I seek! I'll find him before you even get your Sir Unit up and running again!" And with that, Zim ran off, leaving Tak to sigh and rub her temples.
'Everything's a competion with that defect.' she thought before walking off.
-Somewhere hidden-
A dark room was being illuminated by a screen, with a feminine figure talking to someone on the other side.
"Do you understand?" said the voice on the screen.
"Don't worry. I won't foul up like Edgar did." said the woman. "I'll personally make sure to stay until they've perished."
"Good." said the voice before cutting out, leaving the woman to her thoughts.
"Soon Derrick," said the woman to herself. "I shall have my revenge on you and your family for destroying my life!"