IT'S UPDATE TIME! And AMAZING, chapter 8 and with 100 reviews already? Damn, you guys rock hard and fast yo. So, the first person to review this is the 101st reviewer for this story, and thus you win... NOTHING, just a sense of pride I guess.
Anyway, enough warbling. This chapter has been in my head for a while... but I dunno if it came out like it should have done. Either way, hope you enjoy reading!
Dib's studies on Zim had not turned up much. He had learned a little of his biology, his inability to eat human food for example and his odd desire to keep everything clean. It seemed the irken was something of a germaphobe, which while helpful to know, didn't aid Dib much in trying to capture him.
He had been trying to focus on the immediate danger of the irken doing something terrible to the world. Already he'd tracked several unusual occurrences since his estimated time of the irken's arrival. There was a discovery about polluted cows churning out mud instead of milk and there was a rise in cyborg-rats biting people's feet from open sewer holes.
Dib however didn't think these were honest-to-god conquering attempts though. It was more like very hi-tech vandalism. Hell, it reminded him of when he and his nerdish friends built a small 'earthquake generator' in university and used it to shatter every window in their rival dormitory.
So was Zim just testing the waters of humanities strength? Or where these small acts of violence cries for help?
Dib rubbed his eyes and looked to the last piece of work for the day. He read the whole thing in less than ten seconds and signed it. He'd had to stay behind for a while, catching up on all the work he'd been neglecting lately in favour of studying the alien.
Now however it'd piled up too much for comfort and after putting off everything, he'd finally finished the damn thing.
Now he looked up and groaned. Outside it was poring with rain, the heaviest it'd been for a month. Great, well this put him off spying on Zim's house tonight, there was no way he was sitting in the rain all night and waking up with a cold the next morning.
That was the last thing he needed, especially now he knew Gaz was watching him. Not that he'd seen her of course but with Gaz you never could, she had her many ways of watching him. He never knew whether it was out of some kind of twisted concern of it if was just so she could kick his ass when he screwed up.
He'd never been able to figure that one out.
The man groaned in exasperation and got up, gathering his things and throwing his trenchcoat around him. While one or two of his fellow co-workers had joked on his new 'goth look', even though the English teacher Timothy wore a pink hat of all things, the coat was very warm and quite comfortable.
The only downside was that some students had called him Professor Snape a few times.
He plugged in his earphones as he went through the empty halls, existing out into the rain and jogging over to his car, trying not to get utterly drenched. He threw his stuff into the side seat of his car and was stepping in as he saw, just on an a glance, a tiny red and green figure huddled by the entrance to the school.
Zim? What was he doing? Who was he waiting for?
Dib blinked and looked to his car, the urge to just drive off and leave him there was a strong one indeed. Yet the opportunity to confront him again and perhaps learn something valuable was far more tempting.
He drew his coat over his head, shut the door to his car, and jogged over to the entrance, the small irken looking up and taking on a surprised expression as he did so.
"Dib-beast?" He soon switched to a growl. "What are you doing?"
"Why haven't you gone home?" Dib asked suddenly, trying to squint through the blobs of rain on his glasses.
"None of your business, human," Zim snapped back. "Leave Zim alone."
Dib frowned at him. "What? You can't get your space ship to come and get you?"
"... Gir broke it." Zim mumbled. The older man had to grin at this and stifle a laugh, which the irken easily noticed. "Shut up, stinking human!"
"I didn't say anything!" The counsellor replied with an undeniable grin.
"Oh, well, erm, shut up now!" The irken pointed a finger to him and stood up. "Go back to your smelly mud hut or wherever you live!"
Dib sighed before looking around. "Why are you hiding from the rain?"
"I am not hiding... I'm out-lasting." Zim looked fearfully to the downpour before darting his eyes back to Dib.
The man paused for a moment as his mind tried to link fear and the rain. Unless Zim also had a water fear, than this just didn't make any sense. Then his logic reminded him that Zim was an alien and he shouldn't be applying human sense to him. Perhaps the rain was harmful to him? Well, a quick test should solve this one.
He flicked his wet fingers in Zim's direction, the small droplets landing on the irken's face. There was a pause, then suddenly small wisps of smoke arose as the droplets burnt like acid. Zim yelped and wiped his face on his sleeve quickly before growling at the older man.
"WHY DID YOU DO THAT!" He yelped quickly.
"Sorry, I was... testing something." Dib replied with a shrug. He felt kinda bad about hurting Zim, but the test was conclusive at least. "So you can't go out in the rain..." He looked out onto the downpour before looking back to him. "... come on, I'll give you a lift home."
He really didn't know why he was doing this, but the alien seemed so pathetic at times that Dib really couldn't imagine him being a threat. Yet that image of the powerful, terrifying invader deep in the bowls of his underground lab had yet to leave his mind.
"I do not need to be lifted home," The irken replied with a growl. "I am fine waiting."
Did raised an eyebrow. "You really want to be waiting here all night?"
The irken seemed to consider this. He looked to the rain, shuddered, and looked back to the counsellor. "... fine, human. But no funny business."
Dib put three fingers up. "Scouts promise."
Zim gave him a look of puzzlement before walking towards him. Dib held his coat out over the boy's head The irken seemed to shrink under the cover of the coat, holding himself as tight as possible to avoid any rain. He practically leapt from under the coat and into Dib's car, checking himself over for any possibly droplets before sitting and looking smugly victorious.
The man entered the car and was soon exiting the parking lot. The irken sat quietly, his eyes following streams of rain on the windowpane.
"... so..." Dib hated silence and whenever he was met by it, he wished to break it instantly. "... any world conquering plans you have cooking up?"
"Why would I ever tell you?" Zim replied with narrowed eyes.
"I'm just wondering." Dib replied with a shrug. "I mean, I suspect the whole randomisation of the traffic lights in downtown was your doing."
"HA!" Zim grinned suddenly at his enemy. "Yes! I brought down your entire city just by changing the pattern on your silly vehicle-commander lights!"
"I have to say it was more... irritating than world shattering." The counsellor replied with an unimpressed tone.
"Yessss," The irken grinned evilly, "Feel the wrath of the mighty Zim!"
"... right." Dib frowned for a moment and allowed his eyes to flick to Zim before looking back to the road. "Why haven't you conquered the earth yet?"
The irken seemed to pause, as if the question had surprised him before looking away. "I'm taking information right now. I will take over the earth eventually, mark my words."
"Yeah, about that, you've been here for months, Zim." Dib looked to the irken as they stopped at some lights, the rain scattering across the front window. "Other than annoying people, have you actually done anything? I mean, have you taken out any military bases? Destroyed any buildings?"
"... that is not important." Zim commented quickly and crossed his arms. "It would draw too much attention."
"But your whole job is to blow stuff up!" Dib replied again. "I mean come on, you should have at least invented some death ray by now or-"
"SHUT UP!" The irken suddenly shouted, making Dib jump. "Shut up! I'm doing FINE! I'm studying and observing and doing just what my Tallest WANT me to do! And one day the Armada will get here and everything will be blown up! Until then the mighty ZIM will continue hurting the human race as he sees fit! SO STOP ASKING!"
... okay that wasn't what he expected, although he knew he had been pushing Zim with his questions that sudden outburst was still surprising. Again he knew he'd hit a nerve, but what nerve was it? Was Zim embarrassed about the manner he was going about conquering earth? Was he doubtful he could do it?
Zim's house rolled into view and Dib stopped the car in front of it.
Zim didn't even say goodbye, he simply threw open the door and ran out into his house, his skin burning as he did so but Dib could not see his face. He closed the door, turned his car around and began heading home, wishing he hadn't pushed the irken so much. Every time he did so, Zim closed up and ran away... if he was a normal human child, Dib could maybe talk to the parents and get some information from them, but with Zim there was no easy option. He didn't have parents... but he did have leaders.
Dib's eyes widened in the car as a new plan hit him. Don't talk directly to Zim, talk to the Tallest!
So yes, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, I thought it was... meh, not as well written as I'd hoped. Maybe because I had a few distractions from it this week. Also, soonage we're gonna be seeing some awesome Dib-Tallest talking action! Hoora!
References - 'earthquake machine'. This was a reference to Nikola Tesla, my favourite scientist. Yes, he really did invent a machine that caused earthquakes, and tested it in the middle of Manhattan. Great man.
'Timothy with the pink hat' - Good old Timmy Turner from Fairy Odd Parents.
'Professor Snape' - I doubt I've got to explain this one. The image of a Snape-Dib is a pretty awesome one though, someone should totally draw that.
Anyways, you know the score, read and review and kick ass and do all those awesome things! Feedback is always encouraged and welcomed! Till next time kids!