Zim stepped outside his door and right into a small puddle of remaining water from last night's rainstorm. He snatched back his foot and glared at the wet ground blaming it with his eyes.
He was starting his first month of Hi Skool. Still short as he was in elementary and juniour high he found himself being mocked for his height. The Dib towered over him at a nice five feet while the Irken was still a small four feet and a half. It was horrible being shorter than his worst enemy. And the child was well aware of Zim's weakness which added onto the pain of being his height.
As he walked he thought of his servant. Not GIR, Computer, or Minimoose but the Irken girl that had arrived earlier that Summer. Her name was Negative Elite named after her self-degradation from an elite to a janitor and finally a frycook. He had taken her under his wing and now she was his assistant who was late for the record.
Zim tapped his foot impatiently waiting for her to show her face. But she was nowhere to be found. Zim eventually gave up and continued to skool on his own. He wondered what was keeping her, not that he cared. He just wondered. Normally she was always at their designated spot right on time but today he saw no sign that she had been there at all. He became to invision her being kidnapped and he smiled. She would finally be out of his antennae. But then again she was the only valuable servant he had. GIR was too stupid to do anything right. Computer always complained about doing all the work. Minimoose was just lazy and often was on GIR's side. However Negative Elite was always by his side when he needed her, never complained about doing a task, and was always up and doing something whether it was for Zim or herself.
Zim shook his head, the girl wasn't as needed as he made her out to be. He would go along just fine without her. Then again she was the only living thing that would listen to him and not laugh or judge him. She would just listen and comment on his ideas. Often times he found himself not listening to her advice and his plan would end up sunk.
He growled at himself and stomped his boot. That is enough! He thought, stop thinking about her in such a way. She is a worthless servant and a mindless frycook.
Soon he found himself facing the skool doors, he pushed them open and headed inside to the generally empty hallways. He was always late and didn't think much of it. The teachers eventually gave up and stopped giving him detention for his actions since nothing would stop his behaviour. He liked the idea of the humans succumbing to his worthiness.
Disregarding knocking on the door Zim slammed the door open and marched inside handing the teacher a note with yet another excuse.
"What is it this time, Zim? Parents died for the fourth time?" Mr. Drude ripped up the note and tossed it in the garbage can.
Along with his sarcasm came slight giggles from the classroom.
Zim kicked back and set his feet on top of the desk, closing his eyes contently. "Yes. Yes. Very tragic. I might not be able to do any work." Zim's head dropped to his desk as he put on a fake sad face.
"That is enough, Zim. Now join the rest of the class and read chapter thirteen of your science textbook." Mr. Drude sat down at his desk expecting him to just do as he was told.
Zim fake snored back gaining an eruption of laughter from his classmates.
Mr. Drue walked over red faced and slapped a yellow slip onto Zim's desk, "Double detention for inappropriate behaviour and coming to class late... again."
Zim huffled and glared down at his feet while the laughter turned against him.
-Later-
Once again Zim was faced with the fact that he sat alone at his own seperate table. Which was fine by him he didn't want any of the other kids sitting near him. In fact when a child did come and sit down at his table he would scare it away and they would never set foot there ever again. It had become somewhat of a highlight of Zim's day when it did happen.
Suddenly a tray plopped down in front of him and he looked up to see the face he was not happy to see.
"So you actually dare to come see me after what you did today?" Zim placed a hand on his hip.
She just looked at him with sad brown eyes.
"What's your problem?" Zim glared at her.
She just shrugged and continued looking down.
"Hey! Look at me when I'm talking to you!" Zim snapped and lifted her head to look her in the eyes.
She just stared back; empty.
Zim puffed under his breath and rolled his eyes, "Go bother someone else you little nuisance."
With those final words she picked up her tray and walked away, silently.
Zim stared after her confused for a few moments. She just left him without a word. Zim did not appreciate that. He wanted her to talk back and tell him she was going to stay but no she just got up and went.
He didn't see her the remainder of the day, she had seemed sick so maybe she went home. But he also had a feeling that something was not right.
He found himself walking the other way to her apartment place off to tell her a thing or two. He needed her anyways to help him build his new machine.
He knocked on the door and waited for an asnwer. When none came he knocked roughly, with an attitude. Still no reply.
"Open this door right now, Negative Elite." Zim shouted.
Twisting the door knob after a few silent moments he found that the door was unlocked. He opened the door and to his shock and horror he saw her out cold on the floor.
His eyes widened and he instinctively ran towards her lifeless body. He cried out her name and held her head in his lap. She was still breathing shallowly.
"Negative Elite, please, answer Zim." Zim pleaded his brow furrowed in worry.
She coughed and groaned out his name in a weak voice. In her hand was a pill bottle. It didn't take long for the Irken to connect the dots and find out what she had done. But why?
"Are you stupid?! You're going to die!" Zim screamed in her face.
She nodded and weakly smiled, "You'll be happier."
Zim found her words horrific, "No. Zim will not be happy. Zim wants you to live."
Her clouded eyes scrunched up into a look of question, "Why?"
The next words Zim said were instinctive and flowed out before he knew it.
"Because Zim loves you."
He head dropped back as her breathing became more troubled she was unconscious again.
Zim picked up her body and dashed out the door and down the stairs towards his base.
Rain was pounding against his head making him become lightheaded. But he continued running; running to save a life.