Episode 2-Stranger Things Have Happened (Part 2)

(The next Afternoon)

[Location: Westville High]

Avoidance…

Dib thought he had mastered the art.

He thought wrong!

However in his defense Gaz was like a sibling blood hound who could always smell him coming from a mile away.

"Hey Josh what's up?" Gaz asked.

Dib, or Josh (as he was pretending to be at the moment) did his best not to show his distain. Ever since Gaz approached Rachel the other day, Gaz has placed herself right in the middle of the group. Of course everyone was happy to have her around, however it made discussing their plans almost impossible.

Not to mention she was most likely here to scope out who the enemy was.

Yes, Dib knew his sister was trying to pin point who he was disguised as, there was no other reason why the Tallest would use her here. And that was why he was avoiding her, Gaz was his sister, she knew him better than anyone, and the longer he stayed around her the more likely she was going to figure him out.

But it wasn't like he could just run away, no that would make Gaz even more suspicious of him. What he needed was a way out of this current situation.

"Hey Gaz, uh lovely weather we're having hu?" he asked, only to feel like kicking himself seconds later. 'Did I just seriously say "lovely weather we're having?"'

'Please tell me he did not just say that.' Gaz shook her head, at this rate someone would notice. She looked around fearfully at their Irken classmates. Every one of them knew why she was here, she was sure of it. Rumors spread like wild fires among the Irkens, and they noticed everything!

And to her dismay she can already see some of them whispering.

"Hey Raki." Scamooch whispered to a member of his posse. "Why is Tak's minion so interested in the Campbell family?"

Raki's eyes widen. "You didn't hear?" She whispered. "Gaz is strictly here to try to find the Rebel leaders" She whispered. "You know the Dib and the traitor Zim."

Scamooch's eyes widen, as he seemed to look at Josh in a new light.

Was it possible?

Did she really think that child could be Zim, or her brother?

"That's impossible." Scamooch said. "Sure the Campbell boy is a trouble maker, but to think he's something more than a pathetic child is foolish."

"You sure you're not just saying that because you're friends?" Raki dared to ask.

"I am not friends with him!" Scamooch growled. This wasn't the first time his fellow cadets had accused him of getting chummy with the humans.

"Oh come on you hang out with them every day at lunch." Raki went on. "And it's changing you."

"Is not!" Scamooch argued.

"You're nicer to them, and you look down on us when we are not." Raki argued.

"No I'm following orders!" Scamooch yelled. "Principal Razi said not to give the students a reason to riot like their parents are doing in the streets just outside the school!"

"That doesn't mean become their friend it means avoid them!" Raki yelled back. "Can't you see?" She asked. "You're turning into one of them!"

Scamooch stops, his mouth falling open in surprise.

Did she really think that?

Did she really think he was becoming a human lover?

He suddenly looked around him, and noticed all eyes were on him.

Did they all think this way about him?

Did everyone see him as a weak, pathetic traitor?

"You're wrong!" He yelled. "And just for that you can consider yourself expelled."

"You aren't an Amon." Raki challenged. "You can't make that call anymore."

"I'm still top of this school!" Scamooch hissed. "And when I am done you'll be lucky to get a job as a Janitor drone." He marched off then in a fitful rage.

Gaz sighed in relief, Cadet Scamooch's outburst had caused the other cadets to forget about her and Josh, who had continued to walk down the hall. "Look I know you're a little unsure about me." Gaz said. "I don't blame you."

Dib suddenly feels guilty, how could he avoid his own sister! "It's not that." He said, but it's a lie, and they both know it. "No offense you're just kind of scary."

Gaz smiled. "I have that effect on people."

Dib laughed, he couldn't help it. He missed days like this, days were he and Gaz walked the halls of this school total indifferent to everyone around them. It was strange he never thought he'd come to miss those days, but he did. Or perhaps he just missed Gaz in general.

"Gazline there you are." Tak said as she walked up to them.

Dib's heart literally races at the sight of her, as his face heats up. He imminently hates himself for it! How could he love her? What was there to love? She was bossy, demanding, controlling, and most importantly she had stabbed him in the back without a second thought. And yet Dib loved her determination, her strong since of independence, she was strong, and intelligent. He didn't care that she was like a green bug eyed alien. In fact Dib found that he liked those purple bug eyes; they made him feel like she could see inside his soul.

He wasn't sure why he had these feelings, or when they started to develop, but he couldn't help but wonder if this was how Gaz had felt about Zim. "I should go find my brother before we miss the bus." He said, before running away.

He couldn't help it, he and Tak were in a weird place right now. Besides even if he did have feelings for her he didn't want to act on them.

Why?

Because Zim and Gaz had acted on their feelings, and now the chances of them getting back together were slim to none. Zim had to go back to Irk and fix it for the betterment of all races, and Gaz would stay here with them.

Did knew Tak would want to be with her own people, and to force her to stay here was selfish, besides the chances of her feeling the same way was impossible. Tak hated the touchy feely stuff.

No it was best to not even get involved with the Irken female, after all either way Dib would end up with a broken heart.

(Staying with Gaz)

"So which one is that one?" Tak dared to ask as they watched Josh make a run for it.

"Defiantly Dib." Gaz scoffed. "He always did run from complicated situations."

"So then the other one is Zim." Tak stated.

"I think so." Gaz admitted. "So what does that mean?"

"Well the Tallest have no reason to suspect them otherwise the teachers would have at least had them investigated by now." Tak said. "As long as they stay careful, and we at least look like we're looking for them I am sure the Tallest will begin to believe that the rebels are members of the Underground."

Gaz nodded, that would be her first guess if she did not know her brother as well as she did. "Okay so we keep looking, but produce no results."

Tak nodded. "It's for the best, sooner or later the Tallest will have no choice but to look elsewhere."

"If only they would look there faster." Gaz whispered.

Tak couldn't agree more. "Say Gaz what does it mean anyway when a boy turns red like that?" She asked.

"What." Gaz asked.

"Josh, his face was red just now, what does that mean?" Tak asked.

Gaz thought for a moment, she did vaguely remember his face turning red at the sight of…Tak?

Tak notices as a creepy smile slips on Gaz's face. "What? What is it?"

"He likes you." Gaz mused.

"Likes me?" Tak asked confused.

"You know, like the way I feel about Zim." Gaz whispered teasingly.

Tak's eyes widen. "What? No, of course not, I, he...we."

Gaz laughed, she had never seen Tak so speechless. "So I'm guessing he's not the only one."

"Let's not go there." Tak said as she shook her head. "I'm not judging Zim or you, but he chose you, and look where that got you both."

Gaz nodded. "You're right, maybe our people shouldn't mix." She hated to say it, but perhaps it was true, maybe they were just too different.

"Besides we're all going our separate ways when this is all over, so why get involved." Tak added.

Gaz smiled. "You know that doesn't answered weather you like him or not."

Tak bites her lip. "That is beside the point, now you will speak nothing more of this hogwash!" She demands.

Gaz laughs, classic Tak denial to the very end, and yet Gaz didn't press further. After all Tak was right the chances of them all staying on Earth together was very low. Why risk the heart break, it was best to just let it go.

That way no one got hurt.

(Back with Scamooch)

He should have expected him to come to his rescue.

Joseph was always coming to his rescue.

"What do you want?" Scamooch snapped, he had been sitting on the monkey bars for quite a while now feeling down and full of self-pity. "Come to make me look even worse."

Joseph flinched, of course he knew what Scamooch meant by this. Raki and his fight had been just after final bell, and everyone was in the hall trying to catch the bus to go home. So of course everyone heard the outburst between him and Raki. In truth Joseph and his brother had been trying to sway the younger cadet, but they never thought the child would actually come around. Nor did they think about how it would effect Scamooch.

They were pushing him further away from his peers, which had not been the desired effect. They had hoped his peers would follow his lead, but no it would appear Scamooch was not as powerful as he once was.

But that was beside the point, the point was Joseph felt responsible for putting the child in this situation. So he came out here to check up on him, only to find him wallowing in self-pity. It made him sick, of course Joseph knows that this is simply his Irken instincts kicking in.

Irkens see themselves as better than this, better than some baby who drowns in their own tears because someone hurt their feelings.

"WELL!" Scamooch snapped, when Joseph didn't answer right away.

"Well what?" Joseph asked. His tone was harsh, and for good reason.

It was an Irken thing, one that only an Irken could understand, to be caught rolling around in self-pity was disgraceful, and to encourage it was unheard of. Joseph knew this so instead of fueling the cadet's self-pity he decided to remind him of who he was.

"What do you mean "'Well what!'" Scamooch demanded. "I asked you a question worm!"

Worm,

Worm was a good response.

Joseph climbed up the monkey bars, and sat down beside him. "That's right I'm a worm, and you're the Irken." He said. "You're the top of the class, and we should all be grateful to be in your presence."

"What's your point?" Scamooch asked.

"You're an Irken aren't you?" Joseph asked.

"Yes." Scamooch answered.

"Then act like one."

Scamooch froze, was it just him, or did Joseph's voice sound more sinister than usual. He almost sounded like he was more Irken than human. "What…did you say?" he asked as he seemed to look at the boy beside him as if for the first time. Raki said Gaz was probably hanging out with Josh a lot because she thought the Campbell twins where Zim and Dib in disguise.

Was it possible?

Had Scamooch been staring his target right in the face this whole time?

For months now he had been looking for Zim, desperate to ask him why he betrayed them for the humans. Was it possible that Zim had been right by his side all this time?

After all didn't everyone think he was too perfect to be human?

Too well kept, too polite, too mindful of his actions to be just another carefree child?

Was it possible?

Joseph gives him a harden look, and it just might be his imagination, but Scamooch can kind of see it. A stern Irken glare of disappointment, and of course if Joseph was Irken he would have a right to be this way towards him.

"You heard me." He said. "Now I don't know much about Irkens, but I know they don't act like this."

"They…" Scamooch is too stunned to speak.

"They?" Joseph asked. "Who is at the top of the class?" he snapped.

"I am." Scamooch whispers.

"You, you are better than they are!" Joseph told him. "That's what you tell everyone. Well people who are better don't let people below then get the better of them."

Scamooch blinks, he's completely poled by this new side of Joseph, it was completely against his character to act this way. No that was wrong there was one other time that Joseph had acted out of character.

It was the day Rene and the others nearly killed him.

Joseph had been this way too, his voice stern, and full of rage.

What if it was possible?

What if he was Zim?

'If he's Zim he saved my life.' Scamooch thought. 'Yet he betrays us by helping the humans.'

Why?

Surely he does not think he can choose both, However it's plain to see that he does.

"I thought you would want me to act more human." Scamooch finally said.

"You are not human." Joseph said. "You are an Irken, and you are a more intelligent race, but just because you're better doesn't mean you walk all over everyone."

"I don't understand." Scamooch admitted. "If I am better what does it matter?"

"You do not have to be human to be humane." Joseph hissed. "You are better because you treat us better, not because you fault your superiority while walking all over us."

Scamooch is floored, he was so confused. Joseph was practically declaring to him that he was Zim, and yet he was too speechless to point it out. Not only that but he was with the humans whether he was Joseph or Zim. So why try to dig him out of his rut the way an Irken would.

What was he trying to prove?

"I am an Irken!" Scamooch finally snapped. "And you suggest that I treat you as my equal why!"

"You hate the way Raki just treated you yes?" Joseph asked.

Scamooch thought for a moment, and nodded.

"That self-pity you're feeling right now that is how you make us feel every day." Joseph told him. "However, we humans never get you back for it, we don't look down on you, or push you into locker. We don't pull your hair, or get you fired at your jobs, we don't get even."

"And you think that makes you better?" Scamooch finally asked.

"Nothing that I do makes me better." Joseph admitted. "I am better because of those around me, those who have helped me become the person I am. I am better because I treat people the way I want to be treated. I am better because I use my superiority to help better those around me instead of walking all over them."

"Only weaklings do that!" Scamooch hissed.

"No only weaklings roll around in their self-pity." Joseph corrected him. "My point is don't let cadet Raki tell you what to do. Don't let her force you to be something you're not, you shouldn't have to hide the fact that being nice comes so naturally. Don't let people change who you are."

"Don't you get it worm?" Scamooch snapped. "I am nothing, nothing but a lowly cadet. Just a face among thousands of others. No one would bat an eye and I was gone come tomorrow."

Joseph suddenly pinches him.

"What was that for!?" Scamooch hissed.

"Strange I can feel you." Joseph said. "I thought you weren't supposed to touch nothingness." He shrugs and jumps off the monkey bars. "Oh well have it your way, I'll stop treating you like a lowly human, and you can keep letting her get to you."

Scamooch is now more confused than ever. Was he being sarcastic? Or serious? Should he continue acting nice to the humans? Or should he heed to Raki's warning about how they were changing him?

It was odd, he didn't feel like he had changed, if anything, he felt like he always did. Besides if he really thought about it, if he had changed it wasn't because Joseph had saved him, no it was because his so called friends had tried to beat him to death. Yes, he even remembered thinking that he had deserved it for flaunting his power over them, power he really didn't have.

"Oh and by the way." Joseph said as he walked away. "I would notice if you were gone, because that's what friends do; they notice things."

"Friends?" Scamooch asked.

"No your right I forget Irkens don't have friends, they only have a posse who they take turns with stabbing each other in the back." Joseph challenged.

"I've never stabbed you in the back!" Scamooch yelled.

"You are now." Joseph told him as he turned to face him. "Do you know what makes me better than you Scamooch?"

"Surprise me!" Scamooch challenged.

"I don't let people's words get to me, and I don't try to change who I am." Joseph said. "The truth is there will always be someone who disses you for what you stand for, but as an Irken, as a human, as a person they have no right to tell you how to live your life. Because it's yours, you are not Nothing. You are Cadet Scamooch, top student of Class 2-D, so act like it, and be a student that motivates both humans and Irkens alike. Be the one who links us together as a school, as a community, because weather you like it or not this is our planet. Mine, yours, theirs .We all live here, we all have to deal with each other. So why not learn to get along?"

So that was his game? Scamooch realized. A lesson on equality, and not letting people's words get to you. Scamooch had to admit the kid was a very powerful speaker, than again if he was Zim this could easily be explained by his age.

Joseph did sound old, and wise at times, like he's been around way longer than 17 years.

"Do what you want." Joseph finally said as he left to go catch his brother and the bus before they left him behind. "Just don't go back to treating us like dirt, you're better than that."

Scamooch just watched him go, too stunned to say or do anything.

Joseph didn't bother to turn around to give him one last glance. He knew Scamooch would soon realize he was right, and pick himself up.

After all it's what Irkens do.

Besides he had more important matters to deal with. Tonight the Renegades would start planning their attack on the water factory, and they needed him focus. Which meant Scamooch would just have to wait.

Scamooch watched him go, more sure now than ever before. He had to find out once and for all if Joseph was really the goody good two shoes he pretended to be. And there was only one way to do that. The cadet smiled as he jumped down from the monkey bars and followed Joseph without his knowledge, and he would keep following him until he knew the truth.

And if the truth turned out that he was Zim?

Well he'd cross that bridge when he got there, but first he had to find out, it was the only thing he could think about! He had to know why Zim chose them over his own people, and he would find an answer.

No mater what!

Episode 2-Stranger Things Have Happened (Part 2) END!

Author's Notes: Tune in next week to find out what happens next!

Thanks again for reading and please review!

Yours Truly, RoxieDivine ;)