Chapter 3

In the deepest part of the house, where the Control Brain is held, Jaz and Dib have just arrived. Jaz, alert and active. Dib, panting and leaning over from fatigue.

"Is this it?" Dib asked, looking around in awe.

"Yes." Jaz replied, looking at the spot where the Brain is nestled. She looked at Dib. "Can you keep going?"

"Yeah, I think so." Said Dib, still panting, though not as heavily as before.

"Good." Jaz smiled at him. "This is where you come in. Come on!" She called over shoulder as she took off toward a hover plate.

"Hey! Wait up!" Dib yelled, running after her.

The hover plate lowered them both down several feet to the Brain. The pair stared at it for a moment before slowly approaching it. Jaz turned to Dib.

"Now this may or may not work. If I fail, only you will be able to control the BRAIN." She said.

Dib continued to stare at the Brain for a short moment longer, then turned to Jaz and nodded.

Jaz returned the nod, turning back to the Brain. She walked up to a keypad and punched in a code, removing The Brain's safety cover and exposing the strange electric glow underneath. Jaz carefully removed the Brain from its nest and set it down on a hovering platform. She turned to Dib with nervous but confident eyes.

"Alright..." She said, bracing herself. "Help me remove my PAK."

Dib nervously approached her and took her PAK in his hands, pulling it off. Jaz screamed in pain and fell to the floor, nearly fainting. She clung to herself, gasping for air. Dib stood there for a few brief seconds, staring at her and unsure of what to do. Then, he regained his senses and turned to the Brain, jamming the PAK into it.

"Hurry..." Jaz choked out just before closing her eyes and fainting.

"Awwwww, you look so purdy!" GIR exclaimed happily as Zim chuckled in amusement.

Danny took one look in the mirror the little robot was holding up to her and started cursing loudly. Her face looked like a child had gone to town with a box of crayons.

"I'M GONNA F***ING KILL YOU!" She shouted, struggling like mad.

"Well I must admit, you do look cuter this way." Zim announced, sounding very pleased as GIR giggled himself silly.

Danny's eye twitched and she let out a scream of rage, struggling even more.

"It's my turn!" Zim said, grinning evilly as he approached Danny, pushing GIR aside.

"GET AWAY FROM ME, YOU B******!" Danny shouted in his face.

"Relax, I'm going to give you a quick wash to get of all that makeup." Zim replied calmly, pulling a cloth wet with a water-like substance out of his PAK. "You know, so I can start over." He begins rubbing the make-up off.

"GET. THE IRK. AWAY FROM ME!" Danny shouted, attempting to bite his hand.

"Hold still!" He said, pulling his hand away. "I'm almost done cleaning you off." He resumes rubbing the rest of the make-up off. When he's finished, he stuffs the cloth in her mouth. Danny is taken off guard and just stares blankly, but soon recovers and glares at the little Irken.

Zim laughs as he pulls out a professional make-up kit. "I'm going to make you look soooooo CUTE. So cute even Zim can't resist you." He said with a sly grin before letting out a "Pffft" of laughter.

Danny tried to spit out the cloth, but failed and resorted back to glaring.

Zim began to apply the make-up in an almost professional manner, quickly and precisely, his smile never leaving his face.

"Oooooooooooh!" GIR exclaimed in awe as he watched.

Zim applied a few final touches then pulled away, admiring his work and smiling proudly. He pulled the cloth out of Danny's mouth and tossed it to the side, holding up the mirror to her. He positioned himself to stand next to her so he could look into it as well.

"I f***ing hate you." Danny said as she glared into the mirror. Zim looked at her, hand over his heart.

"I knew this time would bring us closer." He said before turning away. "That is what you wanted, isn't it? You have a crush on me, don't you?" He tossed the mirror aside, causing it to smash to pieces on the floor. "I only thought after all those wonderful compliments you gave me about being cute and all, I would just return the favor."

"Well, you know WHAT?" Danny replied, not quite having registered what he said. "I—Wait...WHAT!? ME? Have a crush on YOU!? Wha—What would possess you to believe such a ridiculous thing!?" She stammered. Zim looked at her, smiling cockily and raising an "eyebrow".

"Well, obviously no Defective performs such rare and powerful emotions and acts unless they, the Defectives themselves, has certain FEELINGS for another. YOU performed those certain emotions and acts when you had me pinned down just a while ago. Despite my height and position, you still admire me for things no one else would care about. That only tells me you're in love with the Almighty Invader Zim."

"You...YOU..." She stammered, trying to find the right words. "You realize I'm going to have to kill you now. That is, if your base doesn't do it for me."

"Oh, I don't mind, just so long as we get to do something fun like this again." Zim replied, not noticing that last point.

Danny growled, laser guns popping out of her PAK and blasting herself free and lunged at Zim. Though surprised and shocked, he managed to fight back and pin her to the floor with his spider legs.

Hovering above her, he said smugly "Sorry. Maybe on another date."

Danny growled at him, shooting out on of her own spider legs. Zim dodged it, but just barely. Multiple tentacles popped out of his PAK and aimed themselves at Danny, hovering threateningly but not firing.

"You know, we could make this work out!" He said, almost desperately.

"Oh really? And HOW do you suggest we do THAT?" Danny replied, exasperated and annoyed.

"I could take you out on a REAL date?" He answered innocently. GIR, having been watching the whole time, stares at his master in disbelief.

"YEAH WELL I—Wait...What!?" Danny stared at him as what he said sunk in.

"Well, I dunno, I just..." He said as he looked around nervously before looking back at her and merely shrugging in response.

Danny stared at him.

"I mean sure, I should be hating you and your guts right now because you and your allies are trying to destroy me and ruin everything of my own, but...nobody's...ever...complimented on me before...at least not like you have..." Zim said.

Danny was so stunned that all she could do was stare.

"And..." Zim sighed and waved his hand a bit. "I-I know it's against the Irken way, but, you're a Defective...aaaaand...well, I guess I've been called that as well from time to time..."

There was a long pause.

"INTRUDER ALERT!" The computer suddenly blared.

"HEH?" Zim looked up and around. "Computer, why are you saying that now? The intruders ha—"

"NO!" Danny pushed Zim down and out of the path of several robotic tentacles.

Zim, dazed and not processing what just happened for a split second, turns to Danny, suddenly afraid for both her life and his.

"DANNY!" He shouted.

"GET OUT OF HERE!" Is all he received in response as Danny stood over him with laser guns protruding from her PAK and shooting at everything the base throws at them.

"What about you!?" Zim asked, confused as to what to do.

"The base is after YOU! I'll be fine, just go! And take GIR with you!" Danny replied, still fighting the base.

"HEH!? Why is the base after ME!?"

"Never mind that! Just go!"

Incredibly confused, Zim grabbed a clueless GIR and ran for the exit, putting on his human disguise consisting of a black wig and blue contact lenses, which appear purple when combined with his natural ruby eyes. He managed to escape the base, despite it attacking him all the way to the door and even to the street.

When he finally felt safe enough, he turned around to stare at the base in shock and confusion.

"What on Irk..."