AN: Hey you guys! Ready for some review replies? Okay! ^^

Monochrome Masquerade: I'm glad you still love it! ^^ I hope I don't lost your interest anytime soon…that would be bad…. …but I'm glad you like it!

: Zim was very pleased to hear that you agreed with him. I'm glad you were honest, and I'm even more glad that you decided to read this story anyway! :-)

IxAmxJustice: I'm sooooo happy to hear that! –hugs you- I hope I updated quickly enough for your liking, lol. I hope you're smiling right now, and when you read this chapter you will give me "an awesome review of love." Lol.

Neliel Uta (or Nel): I'm glad that you have been patient. And lol, sorry, I was going to do the kiss, but I thought that Dib wouldn't have even thought about that, seeing as he hates Zim right now. Lol.

YaoiGirly: Here you go. :3

Ga Hai: Sorry that you didn't enjoy my story. :-( And I know that Dib would've been better off that way, but if he didn't volunteer, the story wouldn't get anywhere, would it? Also, I don't want you to not choose to read the Hunger Games because of me. You can hate this story as much as you want, but I don't want that to ruin how you think of the Hunger Games. It truly is an amazing book; even my friend who hates read loved it.

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN INVADER ZIM. OR THE HUNGER GAMES. PERIOD.

On to the story! Enjoy!

I leaned on the railing as the escalator slowly rose upwards. I was tired, so so very tired….but Zim didn't look sleepy at all. Maybe Irkens didn't need sleep? I don't know.

Dwicky was grinning at us from ear to ear as we rose towards our place we would be staying. "You did amazing!" he complimented. "The people loved you!"

Zim rolled his eyes. "How could they not? I AM ZIM!"

I just stayed silent, but a smile sneaked up on me to my surprise.

"I think you both will get tons of sponsors this year!" Dwicky sing-songed, obviously overly happy with our performance. Sponsors were the people who sent us necessities during the Games that could help us. So, without sponsors, you were most likely to be one of the first ones to die.

I was actually a little bit surprised at Dwicky's sudden determination. Only a few hours ago he was grunting at us and betting that we wouldn't survive ten minutes out in the arena. But now he was suddenly 'Oh my goodness you're going to do amazing!' I wondered how bipolar this guy was going to be on us.

Zim didn't seem to notice, however. "I'm SURE we will get millions of sponsors!" he said. I cringed inwardly at the use of plural in his sentence.

The escalator paused to let us off at our stay, and we hopped off. We departed into our own rooms, though Dwicky told us to meet him in the main room in a few minutes. This gave us enough time to change into more comfortable clothing than the swimsuit.

I peeled off the swimsuit and took a quick cold shower to snap me out of my sleepiness. It worked, to my delight, and I changed into my normal clothing. Satisfied with my appearance, I walked out to the main room.

There was Zim and Dwicky, and I began to wonder why I always seemed to be the last one to arrive. I shrugged the thought away—I was here now, and that was what mattered.

I sprawled myself out on the last empty couch and I heard Zim huff with amusement. Well, screw him; I was going to be comfy.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and I looked up, staring into some girl's face. I cocked my head, for some reason the girl looked familiar.

"Do I…know you…?"

The girl didn't say anything, she just widened her eyes in fear.

Dwicky narrowed his eyes. "How could you know her, Dib? She's a slave here. And you aren't supposed to talk to her unless you are giving an order. Are we clear?"

I hesitated, but then nodded. "But why won't she speak?"

"Don't you know, Dib-filth? Their tongues are cut off." Zim explained, lolling out his own tongue mockingly.

At first I thought that Zim was trying to tease me, but Dwicky nodded. "It's true." He said. I felt my mouth gape open with shock, and the girl opened her mouth.

Like Zim and Dwicky said, there was no tongue.

Dwicky turned to glare at the girl, and she closed her eyes, leaving quickly. I watched her leave, wondering what this girl did to deserve such punishment.

My thoughts still lingered when Dwicky turned on the television, but they quickly vanished once I realized we were watching the replay of the opening chariot ceremony. I crossed my legs Indian style, leaned forward, and zipped my lips. Zim and Dwicky were making so much commentary though, that I couldn't help but snap at them to shut up. Surprised, they did.

I had to admit, the other tributes' chariot rides were quite original. But not extraordinary, like ours.

Once we entered, I couldn't help but let out a small gasp at our appearance. It almost looked as if we were made of water. And how Zim could change his tension from really nervous to not scared at all was amazing. I wondered how he did it.

"I like how you locked arms. Very…different. But creative." Dwicky commented once the TV was flicked off.

"It was Noah's idea." I said. Dwicky nodded approvingly.

The girl walked in again, curtseyed, and then quietly took our empty platters and brought them into the kitchen.

"Why don't you two go to bed? We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow, ya know." Dwicky said, leaning back in his seat. I locked eyes with him and nodded, getting up. Zim did too.

Halfway to my room, I turned around a corner and walked up some stairs. I lifted the wooden door on the ceiling and walked in, exposing myself on the roof of our stay.

I sat down and swung my legs over the side of the building, listening to the honks of car horns and sirens going on. So much for peaceful. But at least I was alone.

Well, that's what I thought at first.

"Dib?"

That voice. It made me shudder.

Zim walked up and sat next to me, too close for my liking. He wasn't even wearing his disguise.

"Zim? Is it…is it possible for someone to jump off of this roof?" I asked. I hoped Zim didn't get the wrong idea; I wasn't planning on jumping off. I was just curious, because I could think of a whole lot of tributes who would try to commit suicide before the Games to defy the Capitol. But there wasn't ever one suicide. So I wondered…

Well, obviously Zim got the wrong idea. His eyes went wide and he gave me a concerned expression. "O-of course not, D-Dib-human! Why would you even THINK of jumping off?"

I didn't even tell him that I wasn't planning on committing suicide here and now. I just smirked. "Prove it."

I expected Zim to find a rock and throw it off of the roof or something. So it surprised me when he sighed impatiently and threw himself off of the building.

My heart nearly stopped when he didn't come back up.

I began to run around the roof like a maniac, my arms merely noodles flying around everywhere at my sides. Once I contained myself, I hesitantly looked over the edge of the building, looking for Zim's body on the ground somewhere.

My heart skipped a beat when I found him only a foot below me, floating. His antennae was visibly pressed against his head and his eyes were narrowed.

"If you're finished panicking Dib-thing, then perhaps you should consider helping me up?"

I nodded and reached out my hand. He took it, and I heaved him up.

Once he was up, we maintained our sitting positions from before, my heart still racing from almost losing Zim.

But why did I care so much? I hated him!

"You know that we're being taped." Zim muttered, his eyes downcast. I cocked an eyebrow.

"How do you know?"

He pointed at a near video camera. I flinched back, and stood up. I didn't want to stay here if every single move that I made was being videotaped for the world to see.

I wanted to say "Goodnight" or "I'm going to bed now", but I couldn't find my words. Instead, I just left without saying anything.

Once I got to my room, the slave girl is organizing my clothes.

"Oh…you don't have to do that. I got it." I reached out to get some clothes, and out hands bumped. The girl drew her hand back as if she had just gotten burned. Her eyes were wide once again in fear, and she took a few steps back.

I looked at my hand; there seemed nothing wrong with it.

The girl just sighed, and walked away.

I wondered why this girl was being so…odd. Sure, I could see why she would be paranoid. Her own tongue was chopped off for goodness sake! But…I couldn't help but wonder why it was me who she was afraid of.

Without changing into my pajamas, I buried myself under my new bed sheets. I closed my eyes, and waited for sleep.