Dimensional Scope
part twoZim was already in his seat when the bell rang and Mrs. Bitters's slanted gaze surveyed the rows of children for those absent. It was more a routine than anything, as the expected children inhabited their seats and one desk in the front row always remained empty until a minute or two after the bell. Zim hardly had time to notice the missing body before the door to the class opened, admitting two black boot-clad feet that walked briskly to the center of the classroom. Dib stood, hands by the sides of his black trench coat, looking as calm and paranoid as usual, his eyes casually drifting to Zim while he made his excuse. It was just as daily a routine as the rest. Dib would punctuate any part of his excuse concerning paranormal or threatening intent with obvious glares in Zim's direction and Zim, being the superior being he was, would simply ignore it. It had gotten to the point that Zim hardly even attempted to listen to the excuses and just waited for the look so he could respond appropriately. On this day, however, curiosity intervened, carried on the hem of the black trench coat.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Bitters. I was in the chemistry lab researching the affects of foreign chemicals to inhuman DNA." Dib turned his head with the customary glare, the golden eyes staring right into Zim through the glass lenses. The Irkin intended to roll his eyes or sneer but found his mouth lax and eyes staring back. The visual contact couldn't have lasted more than a moment but, as most moments were, it was long enough to encompass every memory of what the dimensional scope had displayed. Zim tore his gaze away, rubbing at his foul eyes for betraying him to the visions of horror. Dib seemed unaware anything had passed and walked to his seat on the opposite end of the room, much to the Irkin's delight.
"The Dib is an unneeded distraction," Zim thought, clasping his hands over his desk. "I'll just have to avoid him more than usual 'til I get things figured out." Hopeful, though still disgusted, Zim sat back with a soothing whistle on his lips.
"I decided your text books were doomed and burned them, so now we'll have to study out of these Harlequin novels the convent donated. You'll be quizzed over doomed romances at the end of the period." Mrs. Bitters seethed, hovering like a dark shadow over her desk. "Turn to page 13 and begin reading!"
Zim gawked at his misfortune. Surely this was a joke! Why now, at his time of treacherous confusion, would Mrs. Bitters assign such emotional human filth? He knew pretty well what lay encased in the pages between the slightly thicker covers. Gir had somehow acquired one by means only the robot was sure to know; it was almost as bad as the time he'd discovered daytime TV. Zim looked up, casting a gaze to the other students and to Mrs. Bitters, wondering if he'd heard correctly.
Mrs. Bitters snapped her attention to Zim's questioning search with gleeful disdain. "What, Zim?"
Zim gave a needless cough. "Are you sure we're to be reading from these?" he asked, holding the novel above his head.
The teacher's facial expression was static. Mrs. Bitters slipped back into her seat and began to nap, not willing to dignify the question with a response.
"What's the matter, Zim," came the familiar, if not annoying chant from across the room, "don't aliens know what romance is?"
Zim's eye twitched, his head turning slowly to glair evilly in Dib' direction.
"Hey, look everybody!" the girl from behind him called out. "Zim's blushing!"
The Irkin snapped his face back to front of the room, his hands reaching for his cheeks. They felt warm under his gloved hands. Not as warm as the anger that stirred in his guts, though. Zim cursed under his breath as his classmates laughed. This was all that stupid human invention's fault! No! It was all DIB'S fault! And Dib would pay for this. All of it.
"Stinking worm baby!" he muttered, looking out the corner of his eye to his adversary. Dib stared right back at him, neither laughing nor smirking in his small victory. Zim felt flushed again and screeched in dismay at his physical reactions. Deciding it was best to completely ignore the whole of the classroom, he slipped deeper into his desk, opening his book and reading the passages assigned. About half way through it though, it became obvious something was wrong. For some reason, every time he read the word 'she' it came out 'he,' followed by the disturbing mental image of himself and the stinking human. Sabotage, he thought, slamming the book down.
"I will not be FOOLED by your lies of EVIL!" he erupted, staggering more than half the class.
Mrs. Bitters awoke with a start but was stopped short of reprimanding the alien as the skool bell rang, releasing the children in a mad dash for freedom. Zim, being closest to the door, charged forth without hesitation. Someone was calling his name as he leapt down the front stairs and into the street, but it went unanswered. Dib watched Zim run from the skool's entrance, his curious gaze flashing behind glass lenses.