-Chapter 6-

Zim sat up abruptly, glaring at that which had woken him. It seemed to be jumping on his bed, squabbling excitedly.

"Get up Mastah! Get up, get up! Time for candy!"

He flopped back into his pillow, covering his head with the comforter. It is too damn early for me to deal with this shit right now.

"Gir, unless you have brought me food, I suggest you get the fuck out of here before I castrate you."

"But it's Hallowe'en! You gotta get up and take me trick-or-treating~"

"I said no, and that's-WAIT A MINUTE! DID YOU SAY IT'S HALLOWE'EN?!" Zim screeched as he threw the covers off himself, searching frantically for a calendar. Gir was holding up a pocket calendar from the kitchen, pointing a stubby titanium finger towards the little square labeled 31 that was encircled with crayon.

"Why didn't you warn Zim before? Preparations must be made at once!" Not even bothering to put on proper clothes, he raced down the winding staircases going deeper and deeper into his home, muttering fearful musings the entire time.

"Not again, no….no zombies, not my snacks, must hurry must hurr t"

Gir plopped down on the couch in the living room and watched Zim rush up the stairs, with a bunch of wooden boards spilling out of his skinny tanned arms.

"GIR! Help me board up the house at once! Go get the hammers and nails! They will not infiltrate today!"

Dib sat slumped over in his chair, head on the hard sharp desk. Class was dull as always and Zim still hadn't shown up to Skool. All the other pupils in class were talking excitedly and wearing ridiculous outfits and Dib had no idea why. Well, maybe it wouldn't hurt to ask the teacher something for once.

"Ms. Bitters?"

"What?" Beady eyes flicked up towards the irken, burning with the fury of a thousand suns.

"Is there something happening today? Everyone's acting all weird."

"Oh yes, you're new to this country, aren't you. Every year on the thirty-first of October, a horrible festival takes place in all of North America. Supposed to celebrate fear and doom, as today is when our world and the spirit world are closest, but the greedy corporate machines ruined that very quickly. Children dress up in costumes and go door to door collecting candy from the houses in the neighborhood this evening on Hallowe'en."

"Oh, okay. That makes sense. But why isn't Zim here? Should he not be celebrating with everyone else?"

"Not exactly. Like you, Zim was not born in this country, and there must have been no such thing as Hallowe'en over wherever he was because it terrifies him."

This piqued his interest. He fervently began writing down details; finally, after so long, Dib's patience had paid off. He found Zim's weakness!

"The first time he came to school on such a day he lasted maybe two hours before running out screaming. Ever since, he has never come to school on Hallowe'en ever again. No one knows why."

Perfect! He's probably holed up at his home at this very moment, waiting for something horrible to happen. If that's what he wants, I'll give it to him! I still haven't paid him back for leaving me last time. If he survives tonight, he'll rue the day he ever messed with the Irken empire!

With ideas sparking in his brain, Dib immediately began plotting. Drowning out the noises around him, a plan formulated before him. But in order for it to work, he'd need backup.

Dib made sure no one was paying attention before fiddling with the device on his wrist. Gaz reprogrammed it so that it allowed him to utilize some of the functions of his pak without having his pak open up. A small communicator screen flashed and Dib initiated contact with his sister. He changed his vocal settings so that the class wouldn't hear him and began speaking.

"Gaz? Are you there?"

"Obviously."

"Is that...music in the background? Why aren't you at skool?"

"Get to the point. I'm busy."

"I found Zim's weakness. We could take him out tonight and never worry about him snitching ever again."

"I thought I told you I don't care about your stupid little game with him. Deal with it yourself."

"Oh, trust me on this, tonight is gonna be worth it. I'll send you the plan."

He rapidly typed up a rough list of what he had planned, not even bothering to elaborate. He knew she would be interested anyway. With the flick of a claw it was sent and he heard her mulling it over.

"Alright, even I have to admit this sounds good. Just watching him freak out would be worth the work."

Dib smirked. Predictable Gaz, as always.

"I'll be home before lunch. See you there."

Zim was just finishing up boarding the back door when his laptop dinged. Dropping everything, he raced towards the living room, tripping over hammers and hacksaws piled in the middle of the floor.

It was a call from the Ciopova.

He quickly accepted, smoothing his hair out of anxiety and saluting.

"Sirs!"

"What is your progress, Zim? You failed to report to us last Tuesday."

He blinked alarmingly. Had he really neglected his duty so horrendously?

"My most gracious apologies, my Ciopova. I have been busy preparing for the attack tonight."

"Attack?" The red one asked. "We have issued no order of attack any time recently."

"Oh, not an attack on our part, sirs. The 'Muricans will be attempting an infiltration of my base tonight, with the intention of stealing our most precious goods, like they do every year."

"You seem awfully tense for something that happens 'every year'. Is there something you're not telling us?"

"Of course not, my Ciopova! I am loyal only to the cause. I would never betray you."

Thump.

"...We don't doubt your loyalty, Zim, but your tendency to have, er, side projects, is alarming."

Thump. Thump.

"There is nothing to be alarmed about, sirs! Everything is fine. If you'll excuse me, I think I can hear them coming."

THUMP.

He quickly signed off and raced towards the sound of the noise. Just where he had been previously working, the dog flap on the back kitchen door. Nails had been removed and a Gir-shaped hole lay in the splintered wood.

Dammit! It isn't even close to 6 yet, and he's gone already! He should be here helping me, not joining those filthy zombies in their battle! Ooh, when he gets back...

The sound of a block of wood falling reminded Zim he needed to keep going. All the upstairs windows needed blocking, and he still had yet to hide the candy and gather weapons.

It was going to be a long night.