Chapter 6

Danny sat on a bench in the park, overlooking a large, blue lake. Her holographic blonde hair ruffling with the wind. She didn't notice as a small, green boy with an Elvis-style haircut approached her.

Zim walked up to her nervously. "Danny?"

Danny turned to him and smiled. "Zim!" She exclaimed excitedly.

"Uh, hi." Zim sat down next to her, looking out at the empty park and let out a sigh. "Finally, a place in this world where no human dwells."

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Danny said, also looking out at the green park.

"Meh, for a piece of rock." Zim said dully.

Danny turned to him and gave him an annoyed look.

"I've been to much more beautiful planets than this." Zim stared out into the distance blankly, deep in thought. "...When you have to fight for your life against the unknown, this, it's hard to see it as anything close to beautiful."

Danny stared at him before turning back to the lake.

Zim turned his gaze to her. "How do you see so much GOOD in this planet anyhow?"

"I don't know. I just..." Danny paused for a moment, searching for the right words. "I guess I just see things in a different light than you do."

Zim stared at her for a moment before turning his gaze straight ahead. "Hmmm..." Zim kicked his legs back and forth like a restless child. He looked at Danny again. "So, what exactly do you DO on these 'dates'?"

Danny responded with a shrug. "Pretty much just hang out and talk."

"That's it?" Zim let out a "pffft" of laughter and lounged back on the bench, folding his hands together behind his head. "This is no different than at Skool!"

Danny looked at him for a moment then smirked. "I guess you're right."

"The only difference is we get to go away from all the other humans. This isn't so bad." Zim said contentedly.

" What did you think a date was?" Danny asked.

Zim sat up, his expression hardening. "Well, when I went to look it up on the Earth-internet, I read and saw things that told me dating was more HORRIFYING than enjoyable! Of course it's going to be horrifying to ME if the HUMANS find it enjoyable! I won't even tell you what I saw. It was...indecent." He cleared his throat. "But anyhow, nothing to worry about, huh?"

Danny stared at him for a moment. "Yeah." She finally said with a smile.

Zim relaxed, lounging back again with a sigh. "This is going to be easy." He paused for a moment. "I actually don't understand why this is considered immoral to the Irken Way. It's not like we're doing anything BAD." He turned his gaze to her. "Right?"

" Right. That's one of the reasons I left."

"You left Irk because you thought dating was okay?"

Danny chuckled. "No." Her expression sobers. "I left because the rules the Empire come up with are stupid."

Zim looked back at the park thoughtfully. "Yeah. I can agree with you on that. The Tallests of now and of previous times made up some pretty dumb rules and ideas." He sat up. "I'm going to change all that one day, when I become Tallest." A determined grin appeared on his face. "Things will be different! So different, in fact, that you'll WANT to come back!"

Danny didn't respond. She just watched him, her expression slightly worried.

Zim smiled proudly. "And when I'm Tallest, I'm finally going to do things MY way. No creature or machine will ever DARE to rise up against me! And if anyone does," He stood up on the bench, placing his fists on his hips. "They will suffer at the ruling hands of ZIIIM!"

Danny watched him sadly, silently wishing that what he was saying was true.

Zim stood looking ahead with a big, proud smile on his face. He brought his hands down to rest at his sides then looked at the blonde human girl next to him. "You're going to like Irk again. I know you will, once I take over."

Danny tried to return to his smile, barely succeeding.

Zim, oblivious to the poor girl's doubt and sorrow, sat back down, the proud smile still plastered on his face. "And if you ever get as tall as me, you can be the Co-Tallest."

" I'm already taller than you..."

"You are NOW, but one day I'll be far ahead of you, and then I'LL be saying that to YOU."

"We'll see." Danny said, smirking.

"Oh, we will, Danny. We will." Zim couldn't help but smile as he looked at her.

Danny giggled, trying not to burst into a fit of laughter.

Zim chuckled. "It's good to see that I can make someone other than myself just as happy."

"Mm-hm" Danny said, still trying not to laugh.

Zim looked back out at the lake. "I can't wait `til I'm Tallest. Then I can make even more people happy."

Danny, now calm, turned her gaze to the ground.

Zim looked at her. "Hey, you okay?"

Danny looked up at him, managing a smile. "Yeah. I'm fine."

" Well good! This is a perfect date so far. You SHOULD be happy."

"I am." Danny said sincerely

"Me too." Zim replied before looking up at the sky. The sun is low in the sky, signaling that evening is drawing near. "So," He looked back at Danny. "How long do these dates usually last?"

Danny shrugged. "We can call it a night whenever we want."

" Okay, but not right now. I'm having fun."

Danny snickered. "Okay."

"So tell me, is this really all there is to dating? Just sitting out by ourselves, laughing and talking?"

Danny hesitated. "Um, well...There is a BIT more to it than that..."

Zim watched her, listening intently. "Mmm hmmm?"

"But this IS our first date. So that is pretty much it. For now."

" Hehh? You can't tell Zim NOW?"

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

" Hey, I need to know more about this "dating" so I can use it in advance to my mission! You must tell Ziiiiim!"

" Trust me. It won't help you with your mission."

" It WILL if it makes me look more human! Which so far it IS! Just tell me already!"

"No."

" TELL MEEEEEEEEEE!"

" NO!"

Zim poked her on the forehead, standing up so he looked her straight in the eyes. "Stop acting like you did at my house."

Danny merely blinked in response.

"It's getting annoying." Zim poked her forehead a couple of times. "Now you will tell Zim, or else Zim is leaving."

Danny glared at him. "Fine. You really want to know what it is?"

"Do you think I would be that serious if I DIDN'T want to know?"

" You asked for it." Danny grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, pulling him in, pressing her lips to his.

Zim, scared to death, immediately pushed her off and leapt off the bench, staring at her in shock.

Danny crossed her arms. "Next time I refuse to tell you something, LISTEN to me!"

"Wha—what on Irk was THAT!?" Zim shouted, covering his lips with his hands. "Is this a part of dating!? Eating people's faces off!?"

"No! It's called 'kissing'!"

Zim stared at her for a moment. "Kissing?" He blinked in confusion. "What is kissing?"

Danny raised an eyebrow at him. "What I just did. I just kissed you."

Zim stared at her then attempted to look down at his own lips. "HEH?"

Danny dropped her head and brought a hand up to her face in exasperation.

Zim looked back at her then back down at his lips. "I don't understand. I've never heard of kissing before...Wha...What is the purpose of it!?"

"To show affection for each other."

" Eating each other's faces is a way to show affection?"

"What? No!"

" Then what IS it!? You're not explaining it to me!"

"I..." Danny paused, thinking. "...Get back up here."

Zim stood there, guarding his face with his hands and staring at her with huge eyes.

Danny watched him, patting the seat next to her. "Come on."

Zim slowly put his hands back at his sides. He walked back to the bench and sat back down next to Danny, watching her carefully.

"Now just hold still."

Zim backed away. "No, no, nonononononono!"

"Do want to know more about this kissing business and look more normal or not!?"

"First EXPLAIN it to me."

"I CAN'T. It's not something that can be explained without it seeming weird. NOW LET ME DO IT RIGHT"

"NO!" Zim turned around stubbornly. "I'm not letting you attack my face again!"

"I'm not going to!"

" You just did before!"

" Yeah...but...I gave you the wrong impression. NOW TURN AROUND!"

" HMPH!" Zim crossed his arms, still turned away.

" DAMMIT ZIM, TURN AROUND!"

Zim violently turned around, about to go off like a bomb. "FINE!"

Danny jumped and leaned away from him.

Zim eyed her angrily. "Well, are you going to do it or not!?"

Danny remained in her previous position for a moment. "Um...okay..." She slowly leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on his lips.

Zim immediately went from angry to confused. His eyes huge as he looked at her then down at thier lips.

Danny finally pulled away, looking at him. "Well?"

Zim just stared at her before slowly looking away, barely touching his lips with his fingertips.

"Zim?" Danny asked anxiously.

Zim looked back at her. "Do the humans do this often on dates?"

"Yeah."

Zim stood up on the bench, taking a step toward her as he leaned in. He kissed her then pulled away and stared at her, thinking. After a moment of consideration, he kissed her again, this time closing his eyes.

Danny stared at him for a bit, unsure of what to do. Eventually, she closed her eyes as well.

Zim slowly pulled away, opening his eyes and just staring at her silently. He sat back down and looked out at the park, hands folded in his lap. After a moment, he looked back at her. "That wasn't bad at all." He turned his gaze back out to the park. "I could get used to that."

Danny blinked, a little stunned. A smile soon crept across her face.

Zim looked back at her once more. "Have you done this 'kissing' before?"

"No..."

"Neat." Zim said, to which Danny responded with a looked of confusion. "I'm finally not behind on something that you're ahead of me on."

Danny giggled. "Don't get used to it."

Zim smirked, narrowing one eye. "Well, you had better tell me all there is to know about dating. I think I actually like it."

"Alright."

"Oh. Tomorrow morning? We're meeting up for another date."

"Are we, now?" Danny raised an eyebrow at him.

"That is, if you're not busy. And if GIR hasn't destroyed the base."

Danny laughed. "I'm not busy. But I can't speak for GIR."

Zim laughed with her. "You know, I should call him." A communicator popped out of his PAK and loomed over his head, projecting a screen in front of his face.

GIR appeared on the screen. "HI MASTAH!"

"GIR, how's the base?" Zim asked, dreading the answer.

GIR looked around, as if inspecting the house. "IT'S PURDEH!" He answered gleefully.

"I hardly know what that means...Never mind. Did anyone call while I was gone?"

"THE TALLESTS DID!" GIR shouted at top volume.

Zim leapt to his feet. "THEY DID!?" He looked at Danny then back at the screen. "Wh-what did they want?" He stammered.

"I don't knoooowwww"

Zim's patience was wearing thin. "GIR, tell me! What did they want!? It had to be an emergency if they called! NOW TELL ME!"

" AH LEIK MONKIES!" GIR shouted, giggling maniacally.

Zim was growing angry with his incompetent servant now. "GIIIIIIIIIIIIR! ANSWER YOUR MASTER! WHAT DID THE TALLESTS WANT!?"

GIR's eyes turned red and he saluted his master. "The Almighty Tallests request an audience with you, Master!"

"An audience? Did they specify why?"

" No, Sir!" GIR responded, eyes still red.

"Alright. Good work, GIR. Call me if anything else comes up, understand?"

" YESSIR!" Gir saluted once more before the screen went black.

The communicator retracted back into Zim's PAK. He nervously turned to Danny, his expression worried.

"You better hurry back to the base." She said understandingly.

"What about you?" Zim asked.

"I can find my own way back home, thanks." Danny replied with a smirk.

"Well, I knew that! I just meant...you know, our date and stuff." Zim stammered shyly.

"We'll just have to continue tomorrow morning." She said with a wink.

"Okay then." Zim stared at her for a moment before leaning over and kissing her one more time. He stared at her as he pulled away. "You have a nice kiss." He then leapt off the bench and took off through the park, waving as he ran. "Bye, Danny!"

Danny just sat there, staring after him. "Bye..." She said quietly.