Episode 2-Stranger Things Have Happened (Part 3)

(Back with Scamooch…)

[Location: Campbell family's new home.]

{Time: Well Past Midnight}

Trouble…

Oh yes he was in so much trouble.

'I should have left for Zec hours ago.' He told himself as he watched Joseph sleep from a nearby window. He of course would have left hours ago, but if he came back late with nothing to show for it then his punishment would be several times worse.

'Nothing's happening!' He thought bitterly. 'Nothing has happened in hours!'

And it was true, Scamooch had been watching Josh and Joseph all day since school let out, and not once did they act out of the norm. 'This was a waste of time.' He screamed inwardly. 'I can't believe I let Raki's words get to me. Of course he's not Zim!' The cadet brushed the filth off of him in disgust, his instructors would kill him for being out late for nothing.

Suddenly a flash of movement catches his eye, Scamooch looks back at the window to see Joseph's bed is empty.

"Hello what is this?" he asked as he ran along the side of the house to the kitchen window, and what he saw there made him freeze in his tracks. There in the kitchen was four figures: Josh, Joseph, and then to his surprise another Josh and Joseph! Two sets of Campbell twins stood in front of a secret opening in the kitchen wall. Odd he didn't remember these homes having any secret door ways.

"We don't have much time." One Joseph said.

"I'm activating the Sleep Time program now." A Josh answered as he fiddled with the other set of twins.

'Wait program!' Scamooch suddenly understood. They were robot doubles, Josh and Joseph had robot doubles, but why.

The answer was obvious…

"They are members of the resistance!" he whispered proudly. "I found them!" Yes, he found them, but that didn't mean they were Zim and Dib, no he had to be sure, he had to follow them to where ever they were going.

"Okay I'm done." The real Josh said.

"Doubles go to bed." Joseph said.

The robot doubles instantly obey, and soon replace each of them in their beds.

"Okay let's go." Josh said.

Scamooch watched as they walked into the secret passage, and disappeared, the wall sliding shut behind them. 'I have to get in there.' He thought as he tried the window.

LOCKED!

Of course it's locked despite their age these rebels where not amateur, they knew what they were doing. Still he had to try, so try he did. He tried every window to no avail, nothing was unlocked. 'It's no use.' He thought only to find his face in the dirt. "Hey." He shouted realizing he had tripped over something. He looked to see that it was a rock he picked it up and growled. "Stupid rock." As he threw it at the window.

The sound of shattered glass greeted him.

"Oops!" Scamooch hid in some nearby bushes, waiting for the robot doubles to come and investigate.

They never did.

Scamooch smiled as he left his hiding spot to investigate the now broken window. It was completely shattered, and just big enough for him to get through. He crawled into the home, trying his best not to cut himself. He then ran over to the kitchen wall, and started feeling around. There had to be a button, or lever or something to open this wall, but there wasn't! It was just a smooth surface, not even a chip in the paint. "How?" he wondered.

Perhaps it was something less obvious, like a lever posing as an object somewhere else in the room. Scamooch looked around for anything that might be out of place, and that's when he sees it, a bowl of fake apples on the table, obviously for decoration. However one apple looks redder than the others, it's a very subtle difference, but one none the less.

He picks up the apple. 'Please work.' he thought before giving it a squeeze, his breath caught as the wall slid open. A wicked smile spread across his face.

Bingo!

(Back with Goalit…)

He swore this deranged SIR unit chose the worse times to go berserk!

"Gir come down from there!" Goalit ordered. "And give back the Mind Ray before someone gets hurt!"

"No! I want tacos!" Gir screamed. He was running up and down the rafters of the Dome with the Mind Ray in his hands shouting it in random places. Everyone in the base had to dodge the line of fire or fear the worse.

"Seriously!" Elma shouted. "Does he only listen to Zim?" She screamed as they all dodged blows from the ray gun.

"Please he barely has control over this pile of trash!" Kathy cried.

"What does it even do anyway?" Keef dared to ask.

"It allows you to switch people's bodies." Goalit explained as he dodged a blast. "I plan to use it so we can switch with the Guards of the water factory."

"That's perfect." James exclaimed. "No one will ever know it's us!"

"Not if we never get a chance to use it!" Elma cried. "Please Gir I worked really hard on that device."

"Not until I get tacos!" Gir screamed as he jumped down to the rafters and ran to the docking bay.

"Gir get back here!" Mark shouted. "We don't have time for this!" he pointed out as he gave chase, but it was no use, the bot was just too fast and seconds later he was exiting the docking bay and diving into the watery sea.

"Please tell me he did not just take a weapon off this base." Mark begged.

"He did." Jamie told him as she caught up to him.

"Zim is going to kill us." Mark groaned.

"Just think of the horrors he could cause!" Mary screamed. "He could be switching people's bodies as we speak!"

"We'll go after him!" Jamie stated as she ran for her water cruiser. "Kathy, Mary hurry we haven't a moment to lose."

The siblings did as instructed and soon they were heading out into the ocean to find Gir.

"They'll need help." Goalit said. "Mark contact Zim and let him know Gir's up to his old tricks."

"He's not gonna like this." Mark pointed out, but did as he was told none the less, pulling out his communicator before dialing Zim's number.

"Let's just hope he's in a good mood today." Goalit thought out loud.

"Zim in a good mood?" Kornelius laughed. "Now that would be a sight."

Professor Membrane nodded his agreement. "We are more likely to see the Tallest surrender."

Goalit knew they were right, Zim was unpredictable, and always chose anger over rationality. However, that was the old Zim, the new Zim was different…sure he had his weak moments, but Goalit would like to think that Zim was becoming a more understanding person. A future leader with loads of wisdom, and a good head on his shoulders. Or this could just be wishful thinking, you really could never tell with Zim.

He sighed. "Well let's just hope he breaks it before he can cause real damage."

"There's a possibility that it doesn't even work." Elma said trying to reassure him. "I mean we have never made one before, and we have yet to test it."

"Yeah." Crystal agreed. "Besides even if it does work doesn't the ray have to hit two or more people at the same time before it works?"

"She's right." Elma agreed. "In theory if the ray only hits one person nothing will happen because there is no one to switch with."

Everyone seemed to breathe a little easier after that, after all the odds of that happening where slim to none, unless of course Gir ran into someone with really bad luck.

And of course that's exactly what Gir did!

(Back with Scamooch ...)

After he got the wall to open Scamooch bravely followed the dark pathway down into the ground where he was soon greeted by the old Seward System. 'So that's how they've been traveling around.' Scamooch realized. 'They have secret tunnels that lead into the ground and connect to the human waste tunnels. Which they use to secretly travel to their base. '

It was genius.

He could hear voices in front of him, no doubt Joseph and Josh were still close.

"So what's on today's agenda?" Josh whispered.

"Elma messaged me about an hour ago." Joseph answered. "Something about a device that she made. She thinks it will help us get in unnoticed."

"Unnoticed? How?" Josh asked.

Scamooch wanted to know this too, he also wanted to know what they needed to go unnoticed for. What big scheme were they planning? These were the questions that swarm through his head as he followed them further and further down the tunnel.

It was a rather lengthy journey, and the longer they went walking the more nervous Scamooch became. What if the journey was hours long? He'd never be home by morning. Or the two suddenly remembered that they forgot something, and had to turn around? They'd catch him in seconds!

'Perhaps I should just go back and report this.' He thought but shook his head. He didn't know how to reopen the wall into the Campbell home. Besides he still needed to ask Zim his questions, and this might be his only chance. So he kept following them, until finally they reached an opening.

A big hole on the edge of a cliff.

"See anything?" Josh asked as his brother looked to investigate the opening.

"All clear." Joseph assured him before reaching into his pocket.

Scamooch watches as he pulls out some paste, and begins to cover his body with it. 'Why is he doing that?' He wondered. 'Humans don't wear paste.'

"You ready to jump?" Josh asked.

Scamooch wasn't sure he heard him right, did he just say they were going to jump?

"Yeah I think so." Joseph answered as they both walked over to the edge.

'Oh Irk he did say Jump!' Scamooch realized. 'I can't follow them who knows what they are jumping into! But I must find out what they are up to!'

He stood their conflicted on what to do for only a moment for you see someone had made the choice for him. Suddenly before the twins could jump a high pitch squeal flooded the tunnel and Scamooch watch in awe as a SIR until robot appeared flying into the tunnel.

"Master I want tacos!" The robot cried before running into a wall before landing inches from Scamooch.

Scamooch stiffened, the bot was so close he could reach out and touch it. His Spooch lurched as all eyes of the enemy were pointed in his direction. To his relief however the shadows seem to conceal him from the twins.

"Gir have you the brain worms!" Joseph hissed. "Are you trying to bring the whole Armada down on us?!"

'Gir?' Scamooch thought. 'As in Zim's rogue SIR Unit!' he was trembling now, he had heard stories about this robot. Destructive, deranged, out of control, could injure several soldiers in a matter of seconds.

And he was inches away from it!

And yet, nothing could be done about it now, because if he moved they would see him, and if they saw him he was most likely dead.

"Yeah Gir seriously keep it down." Josh added as his communicator went off.

"Guys this is Elma you there?" a voice came from the device.

"Yeah we're here." Josh answered.

"Okay listen to me is Gir there?" Elma asked, her voice sounds fearful.

"Yes…" Josh asked eyeing the bot warily.

"Please tell me he has a device on him?" Elma begged.

Josh looked more closely, Gir had yet to get up, but their clutched in his hand was a ray looking type of gun. "Uh yeah it looks like some ray gun. Why?"

"Get that away from him NOW!" Elma exclaimed. "It's very dangerous!"

Joseph's eyes suddenly glow a sinister red. "Gir drop it!"

"I thank I broke something." Gir whined, as he got up, device still in hand.

"Gir what did I say!" Joseph snapped.

"Master I want-" The robot stops as something catches his eye. "Hey I know you!" he shouts as his eyes met with Scamooch.

'Oh Irk no.' Scamooch goes still, completely unable to move. 'Please don't tell them.' He begged with his eyes. 'Please don't tell them!'

"Hey Master look it's Scamooch!" Gir cried.

He was gone, before he even knew it Scamooch was running down the tunnel in the direction he came, but it was too late.

He had been seen!

"Scamooch!" Josh cried. "Oh god no!"

"That nosey little worm!" Joseph screeched before sprinting off after him.

"Joseph wait!" Josh cried out.

"Dib what's happening!" Elma asked.

"It's Scamooch." Josh answered.

"Wait you mean the one from school!" Elma cried.

"Yeah he must have followed us here, Zim come back!" Josh cried.

Zim!

Hearing the name made him run impossibly faster.

Joseph was Zim, and even scarier he was after him!

He knew he didn't stand a chance out running him, after all a shrew was no match for an Amon, but that didn't stop him from trying. However, as expected he didn't get far, and soon Zim had tackled him to the ground.

Scamooch struggled against him, he was in complete survival mode now. "Get off of me!" He shouted.

"Zim don't hurt him!" Josh cried out running to his aid, but he's too slow, and it's about to cost him dearly.

"Hey Master I got this!" Gir Shouted as he aimed the ray gun at them. "Now hold still!"

"Gir NO!" Jamie shouts as she and her sisters enter the tunnel on their water cruisers, but they're too late!

Gir fires the ray gun, and catches both Joseph and Scamooch in its grasp. The blast sends the robot flying backwards and slamming into a wall, crushing the weapon.

"Gir what did you…?" Joseph mumbled as he suddenly feels dizzy, he tries to get to his feet, but falls flat on his face.

"Stupid robot." Scamooch retorts as he too fails to get up. "The world is spinning." He added.

"Of course it is you idiot all planets spin!" Joseph snapped as he tried to get up on his elbows.

"Zim are you okay?" Josh comes running towards them Kathy, Jamie, and Mary are right behind them.

"Weird they don't seem to have changed bodies." Jamie said.

"Wow theirs like 50 of you." Scamooch laughed, he was totally out of it, and Joseph wasn't very far behind.

"I see colors." He admitted.

"Now who's the idiot?" Scamooch taunted.

"I think I broke it." Gir admitted as he gave Jamie five broken pieces of a gun.

Jamie sighed and dialed Elma on the communicator. "Hey Elma we got the weapon back."

"Is it broken?" Elma asked hopefully.

"Yeah it's broken alright." Jamie responded. "Not that it maters he hit Zim and Scamooch with it and they seem fine."

"Really?" Elma sounds defeated. "Oh well guess it's back to the drawing board."

"What do we do about Scamooch?" Kathy asked.

"Just take him to the Irken Bus station." Goalit advised as he joined the conversation through Mary's communicator. "The ray blast is supposed to have a short term memory side effect."

"So he won't remember any of this?" Josh asked.

"Precisely." Goalit agreed.

"Well that's good." Kathy said as she helped Scamooch to his feet. "Come on Scamooch let's get you home."

"You have very pretty hair." Scamooch told her.

Kathy blushed. "Uh thanks." She piped. Man he was out of it.

"No really you're very pretty." Scamooch said as she began to lead him down the tunnel towards the Campbell house.

"Awe Kathy has a boyfriend." Mary teased.

"Do not!" Kathy yelled getting redder by the second. "He doesn't even know what he's saying."

"Do too!" Scamooch snapped. "I've never been better." He added only to be smacked into a wall as his dead weight over powers her.

"A little help here." Kathy asked.

"Ow that hurt." Scamooch admitted. As Mary helped her sister led him home.

"I'll take Gir and the device back." Jamie told Josh. "Just get him home."

Josh nodded and helped his brother to his feet. "Well I guess it's safe to say the device needs a little bit more work."

"You think?" Joseph scoffed.

"Yeah, but what a relief." Josh added. "I mean imagine if it did work that would be really…Zim?" he asked as his brother's eyes rolled into the back of his head.

"Why am I so sleepy?" Joseph asked, and just like that he's out cold.

Dib rolled his eyes and picked him up over his shoulder. "Hang in their buddy you'll be ok tomorrow." And with that he carried him home, not knowing that come tomorrow Zim would anything but ok.

No, he was as far from okay as humanly possible….

(The next morning….)

[4:30 AM]

He woke up to the sound of screaming!

"Rise and shine worms!" the voice called out.

Zim's eyes opened on an instant, years of training had conditioned him to respond without question. He jumps out of the bed, makes it quickly, and then stands in front of it.

It wasn't until after he was finished that the questions started to arise.

'What am I doing here?' he wondered. At first he thought he might have been dreaming about his days back at the academy, but the scene was all wrong. These where not his peers beside him, they were cadets from Westville High.

"What the!" Zim exclaimed out loud, big mistake!

"Talking out of turn are we?!" The instructor, a tall Irken with an instructor's uniform towered over him.

'Wait a minute when did I get so short?' Zim wondered.

"Scamooch I'm talking to you Worm!" The instructor practically spat in his face.

'Wait! Scamooch!'

Zim couldn't help it he pushed past the instructor and ran to the nearest reflective surface, and to his horror the face of the Young Scamooch looked back at him.

"No, no, no!" He cried. "How in the Irk!"

"Cadet!" The instructor grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him around to face him. "Let's not get yourself into any more trouble than you already are hu?"

Trouble? He was stuck in a cadet's body surrounded by his enemies it didn't get any worse than that!

"Now get back in line!" The instructor pushed him forward, and he stubble back in line.

The cadet to his left gave a weird look. "You okay Scamooch?" He whispered.

"Yeah what happened last night?" the cadet to his left asked.

"I don't know." Zim admitted. "But believe me I aim to find out…."

(Back with Scamooch…)

He was a woken by the sound of an alarm.

But, it was not like any alarm he had ever heard in his training.

Scamooch groaned, something was off he could feel it, as if some unknown force was guiding him! He knew thanks to the information from his PAK that it was 5:30 Am, exactly an hour later than he usually got up.

'Why hasn't' my morning instructor come in the dorms screaming for us to get up and ready for school?' He wondered as he rolled over. 'And why is this bed so soft? My bed is usually a rock. And since when did I have a pillow!'

Scamooch's eyes snapped open, but he didn't see the familiar rows of beds all around him, no instead he's in a spacious room with blue walls. "WHAT THE!" he gets up, and is instantly struggling. "Since when am I so tall?" he asked as he looked down at his feet, only to freeze as he sees white skin!

His eyes widen and he runs towards a mirror over the dresser, and what he sees makes him scream!

This couldn't be happening!

"Oh Irk no!" Scamooch ran is fingers over Joseph's face, that human's face was now his own! But how? How did this happen? "This had got to be a nightmare!" He cried slapping himself to wake up.

"Joey you okay!" a very familiar voice cried out.

Scamooch gulped as Josh walked in the room, he looks at him as if unsure and goes to say something, but the sound of a bus horn interrupts him.

"We should go." Josh tells him.

"Go?" Scamooch asked.

Josh sighed "Hey I know last night was tough, but we can't talk about it right now." He told him.

"Last night?" Scamooch asked, with a blank stare. "Something happened last night?"

Josh rolled his eyes. "I'll explain later." He assured him before dragging him by the arm.

Scamooch just allowed himself to be dragged out of the house, and towards the bus.

"Look I know you're still in your PJs, but I've got some clothes and shoes in my locker ok." Josh was saying as they boarded the bus. "You'll just have to wait until we get there, we can't afford to be late again!"

Scamooch just nodded his agreement wondering how in the Irk he had gotten himself into this mess, and more importantly…

How in the Irk was he going to get himself out of it!

Episode 2-Stranger Things Have Happened (Part 3) END!

Author's Notes: Oh no Zim and Scamooch are stuck in each other's Bodies with no memory of how they got there! Will they be able to keep their wits about them long enough to figure this out? Tune in next time to find out!

As always I thank you for reading and please review.

The next Chapter will be up after the holidays.

Yours truly RoxieDivine ;)