Mission Failed Successfully (Invader Zim - Ari x Zim)

Chapter 4

„This is sooo boring. Why are we even going to this Skool?" Ari thought as she read the text on the black board. Soooo boring.
Suddenly, a paper arrived on her desk. It was all crambled. She opened it.

"Meet me in front of the school after lunch. It's really important."

Since she wasn't paying attention, she had no idea who it was from. She looked around the classroom. No one was looking her way. The paper wasn't even signed. Wonderful.

Ari told Zim about the paper.
„Interesting. You're sure you don't know who it's from?"
„I know what I said."
„Well, it seems like a private meeting and you don't live with me or whatever, so do whatever you want." Zim shrugged. Ari smiled. She had no idea why that made her smile. Maybe it was because Zim didn't care at all.

Ari came outside the school and waited. Zim already went home. There were less and less kids outside. Ari started to think someone pranked her and was about to leave, when she heard an annoying voice right behind her.
„Ari, I need to tell you something."
It was Dib.
Ari turned around. When she saw the big headed boy, she just face-palmed.
„Are you the one who wanted to talk to me? About what?!"
„Yes, I am. I had to wait until everyone is out of sight." Dib said mysteriously. Then, he grabbed Ari by the shoulders. It was a surprisingly tight grip. „Ari, Zim's an alien!" he said like he prepared this speech for too long. Ari just kept staring at him with an irritated expression. „What are you going to say to that?!" he yelled. Ari stepped two steps away from Dib.
„Don't touch me and leave me alone. I have to get home. My parental units miss me." she said.
„Sure. But you always walk with Zim. All the way to his house, as far as I can tell. You KNOW he's an alien, do you?!" Dib clenched his fists. Ari was always with Zim but they don't look like they're enjoying each other's company. It's almost as if they're coworkers.
„You're crazy!" Ari said without breaking a sweat.
„YOU'RE SPENDING TIME WITH ZIM AND I DON'T HAVE ANY PROOF!" Dib yelled and he wanted to push Ari, who luckily dodged.
„Do you really want to fight a clearly superior...human girl?!" she yelled back as Dib recovered from the missed push.
„WHY ARE YOU SPENDING TIME WITH HIM ANYWAY?!" Dib's cheeks started to blush bright red.
„I don't have time for this! I have...work to do! Schoolwork of course." Ari started to panic. This kid is dangerous. And if he touches anything that's her hologram, she's done for.
„Oh sure. Schoolwork. With Zim, am I right?!" Dib really looked angry. Ari remembered her small communicator on her wrist. She can call Zim. She doesn't know what this kid'll do, and if she goes to Zim's house, he'll probably be even angrier. She pushed the "call Zim" emergency button and made a run for it. Dib followed.
„Where are you running?! To Zim's house?" he yelled from the distance. Ari knew using her PAK legs would be a bad idea, so she just had to run the fastest she could.
Zim picked up.
„What?" the communicator spoke.
„ZIM I NEED HELP DIB IS CHASING ME AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE'LL DO HE'S MAD AS IRK." Ari yelled but also whispered into the communicator.
„What? Dib's chasing you? Why? Besides, he's not going to hurt you." Zim was surprisingly chill. That made Ari angry.
„YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF HE TOUCHES ME! AND I CAN'T JUST RUN TO YOUR HOUSE, HE WOULDN'T SHUT UP ABOUT IT!!" she actually yelled. Dib didn't focus on what she was saying, he was just trying to keep up with her.
„Okay, I'll go. I'll simply track you. But I really have no idea what you think I'll do. I'm not the Tallest's kid." he hissed. Ari just rolled her eyes in her mind and ended the call. She tried to turn a lot. If she could use her PAK legs, she'd just climb one of the houses, but her cover can't be blown.
„Where are you even running?!" Dib asked in-between catching his breath. Ari didn't bother to answer. She just continued running. Suddenly, a PAK leg grabbed the big headed boy. He struggled to get free.
„W-what's this?!" he yelled out. Ari stopped and looked at him. Zim eventually let him go.
„Zim..." Dib whispered. Zim walked over to Ari, who was silently trying to control her breathing. Dib just got up and looked at her with anger in his eyes. „Of course." he laughed. „You called Zim." Dib was now laughing manically. „I should've known." And with that, Dib left.
„Why was the Dib-stink chasing you? You do realize he's not hard to deal with, right?"
„Maybe when you're not trying to have a convincing disguise." Ari spat out. „Also, he was the one who wanted to see me. He just told me you're an alien, tried to push me, and then he started chasing me."
„Oh my Tallest, he really is a nuisance. Come on, let's get to the base so you can continue to work on repairing your ship." Zim said in a bored tone and went to where his secret base was placed.
„No, I planned on staying here until tomorrow." Ari said sarcastically and followed Zim.

Dib was furious. Zim was supposed to be his nemesis, not just ignore him for weeks. He had mixed emotions about all of this.

Zim was confused. Ari is supposedly a great invader, and she is great in a lot of things, and yet she cowardly ran from the Dib. He was also really angry that the Dib made Ari so afraid. Well, afraid...she tried to hide it with her non-caring facade like always, but that was true fear in her eyes. And Zim hated it for some reason. He had mixed emotions about all of this.

Ari was angry. Angry at herself, for being such a coward and calling Zim to the rescue. Her ship isn't even half finished. With this speed, it may take a year. Ugh, she hated being on Earth so much. She was just angry about all of this.

It was now April and Ari has been on Earth for two months. She was starting to panic. She didn't want to spend so much time on Earth. It's been two months already! She hasn't spoke to Zim too much after the Dib thing. They didn't speak with each other much before, but now they don't even talk about important stuff. Just things they really need the other one for. Ari didn't talk to Zim because she was embarrassed. She didn't want Zim to see this "scared Ari". When she thinks about it, the second thing she thinks about is "why should I even care?". She's ironically afraid to answer that question. Zim didn't talk to Ari because he was confused. He wasn't ready to see Ari afraid. But more importantly, he felt so much anger towards Dib when he saw her so afraid. Like he didn't want her to be so afraid again. When he thinks about it, the second thing he asks himself is "why do I even care?". He doesn't know the answer and he probably never will know.

Ari looked at her notes and sighed. She spent the whole day just making notes, looking at the computer, and trying to figure out how to repair a seat. She had no idea what her seat was made of. She could've just think "whatever, I'll make a different seat." but that's not how Ari was. She wanted to stick to the original as close as possible. Luckily, her finding skills were still good. She finally found a way to fix the seat and it wasn't even too complicated. She started working on it. Soon, she only needed to add little details.
Zim entered the room. Ari assumed he needed some tools, but he came over to her. After he stared for a few minutes, Ari decided to ask.
„What do you want?" she asked in a surprisingly raspy voice. She hasn't talked for a while.
„It's terrible outside." Zim replied.
„And what? I have to finish this stupid seat." Ari said, slightly frustrated.
„I was hoping you and the great Zim could go on a walk together." Zim said and smirked. He had no idea why he had the urge to ask this irken outside. He just wanted to.
„What would be the point of that?" Ari turned to face Zim. He was dangerously close to her face so she quickly backed off. Zim got a good look at Ari. She somehow had bags under her eyes and her antennas were down. Her clothes were kinda dirty and she didn't have her gloves on, revealing her dirty green claws.
„You'd get more filthy air and you won't be working all the time." Zim said. He really didn't know what he was trying to achieve.
„So a pointless distraction. I'm not going." Ari said and placed her left claw on the panel, ready to write what she wanted to until Zim entered the room. However, Zim placed his gloved claw on hers. Ari looked at him with a confused look. Zim was awkwardly smiling, and maybe it was just the monitor, but he looked like he was blushing.
„Zim, let me work." Ari took her claw to her chest.
„Take a break. You need it sometimes." Zim said as he took Ari's claw into his again and went towards the door, dragging Ari with him. He just wanted to hold her warm hand forever.
„Leave me alone!" Ari said, going back to the monitor. „Why are you like this? You want me out of here, don't you?" Ari asked, to Zim's surprise. Zim was quiet for a moment.
„Yes, but you should take a break. Even great invaders like me need distractions sometimes." Zim said, going back to Ari.
„If I go on a walk with you now, will you leave me alone anytime I tell you to in the future?" Ari asked, irritated.
„Sure." Zim agreed.
„Fine." Ari said and went with Zim towards the elevator.