The statue of Invader Sideos stands, its shadow casting over all people, awing them into silence. Over-head a plane spells out: Ok this fics official band is Iggy and the Stooges. Iggy rules all, hail Iggy Pop. I think its time I began telling the other side of this little addiction, the side that's not all about depression and sadness and all that. "What they forget, is the pleasure of it" - Renton in Trainspotting.

P.S. Before I begin, I couldn't help myself.

Written to Underworld - Born Slippy (Larger, larger, larger, larger SHOUTIN!) and Iggy and the Stooges and the sound of 12:40 am silence.

I don't own Zim... Insert sarcastic 'yay' here

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"The imperial police say that Sideos can be caught soon, and that they are closing in on his position," the Irken news caster read off the latest news from across the Irken Empire in that none caring tone those newscasters so often have. It was about eight o'clock in the morning and Zim was sitting, coat wrapped around him to try and stop the cold shivers, on the worn and beaten couch next to an amazed looking Dib, who was watching the news with rapt interest. Zim rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed at Dib. The boy was acting like he had never seen an Irken news report before.

Beyond the walls of the housethe sound of the world waking up could be heard, people shovelling their driveways, children playing and frolicking in the snow, birds singing and chirping in the cold, crisp air. To anyone who didn't hate the planet it would have been seen to be quite picturesque, a perfect mid-December morning.

Outside Zim's house the lawn gnomes were coated with snow, making the lawn look like it had a small array of creepy looking snowmen guarding it. The house itself was also sparkling with pure snow, which masked the general decrepit state inside.

The light streamed in from the cracks in the boards on Zim's windows, helping to illuminate the dim room and causing the small pile of needles and empty vials in the corner to wink and sparkle in the morning sun.

Much to Zim's annoyance and surprise, Dib had stayed awake all night explaining that his younger days of constant Zim watching had caused him to wreck his sleep patterns which was why he would sometimes fall asleep in class, something about Mr. Root's voice just helped bore him into slumber.

This had of course angered Zim to no end, but seeing as though he couldn't blow his wanting-to-quit illusion he had been forced to put up and accept it. Dib had also attempted to tidy up, something that Zim actually didn't mind, as he had been tired of walking over needles and glass anyway. Most of the night had been spent sitting talking about old times while watching the late night b-movie channel. Zim had seen most of the movies on there several times before. After all, while Dib found it hard to sleep Zim never needed to and so had grown accustomed to sitting and watching these movies, usually with Gir at his side. Amazingly, they had argued very little. Zim supposed that the revelation Dib had told him had made the boy think that they had a new kind of friendship now, one with little fighting. Zim didn't care, as the slight but growing feeling of nausea in his squeedlyspooch had put him off of arguing anyway.

Right now the two boys were watching the Irken imperial news, something that Dib was fascinated by.

"The planet he was last sighted on, Mookintia, has been surrounded with extra security and the police are monitoring all ships leaving and entering the planet. The criminally insane Irken, famed for his disturbing murders and often miraculous escapes, will surly be caught this time and brought to justice."

Dib turned off the TV and sat back, still looking amazed, "Wow, I can't believe they still have psychos in your society. It's crazy."

Suddenly he grinned and looked at Zim, "Hey, get it, crazy?" He laughed loudly, but his laugher quickly died off when Zim didn't join in. "Zim, don't you...oh right."

Zim just glared at him from where his head was buried within his coat. He had drawn his legs up to his chest and was hugging them tightly, trying to ignore the ice cold sweat on his arms and back and the numbness that had crept into his legs. He was also quietly thanking his lucky stars that he didn't have the usual sensation of under his skin itching to cope with.

Slowly the smell of baking came from the direction of the kitchen, causing Zim to suddenly feel like he was going to throw up. He cringed as his squeedlyspooch reacted negatively to the sickly sweet smell of waffles.

Dib watched as he saw Zim shut his eyes tightly and shiver. A small look of quiet concern flickered across his face, "Hey, Zim." He spoke calmly and softly. "Do you think you can eat anything? Gir's making waffles and I really think you should eat something."

"No," came the muffled reply. "I'll try some later."

Dib sat so he was facing Zim, but he made sure to keep his space, "Come on, Zim, you gotta eat something. You don't want Gir screaming at you, do you?"

This made Zim change his mind. He couldn't do with a screaming Gir, especially like this or later on when he knew it would be worse. "Fine, but just one...a small one."

Dib gave a one sided smile. "Good, come on."

He stood up, but made sure to wait until Zim was slowly walking into the kitchen before he followed him, he had hardly let the Irken out of his sight all night, something that also annoyed Zim to no end. However, he never expected escaping Dib to be easy.

Zim took a seat at his table and again wrapped his coat around himself and held on to his shoulders while Gir, who was wearing a chef's hat and an apron along with his dog suit, dealt out a large plate of steaming waffles. Zim felt his squeedlyspooch flip at the sight of them. The very smell of food was just making him feel worse and when Gir placed some down in front of Dib, who began eating away happily, he could have easily thrown up on the table. Instead, Zim gingerly picked up a fork and managed to get a few, pathetically small, bits of waffle down him before declaring that he couldn't eat any more or he would be sick.

"Oh come on, Zim," Dib started, waving the end of his fork at him. "I know you're not feeling well but you're not even trying."

Zim gave a short lived sneer, while bringing his legs up to the table so he could hug his arms around his knees. The pressure of his legs on his squeedlyspooch eased the sickness slightly.

"I mean," Dib said, while shoving another piece of waffle in his mouth. "You'll never get through Skool if you don't get anything to eat."

Zim closed his eyes and growled, letting his head loll back slightly on the chair. He had forgotten all about Hi-Skool. "I'm not going in, screw the truancy police. I'll just stay here and conserve my mighty Zim energy."

Dib suddenly look worried. "Hey, you know as well as I do what those truancy police can do to you. Remember what happened to Poonchy in ninth grade?"

Both of the two boys shuddered in fear at the memory.

Dib looked back at Zim, still waving his fork at him, "Anyway, it's Friday, only today then it's the Christmas holidays, four weeks to recover in. You can even come and spend them at my house if you want so you won't be alone this year."

Zim buried his face in his arms, both at the goose bumps that just ran along them and to hide the surprise on his face. Dib really must think their supposed friendship had advanced if he was actually offering Zim to spend Christmas with him.

He looked up once he had managed to get rid of his shock, "Err...that's great, Dib but I'd rather stay here. I've got Gir and such..."

Dib shrugged. "Bring him with you." And he placed another mouthful of waffle in his mouth.

Zim really didn't feel like having this extremely odd conversation right now, so he began to stand up out of his chair. "Come on, let's go or we're gonna be late." Zim walked over to a small machine in the corner and ordered up his contacts and a new wig before walking out the kitchen and towards the front door, stopping just in front waiting for Dib.

Dib looked up to the clock, then sighed and stood up, following Zim out the door as Gir happily waved them on, still wearing the chef hat.

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The two boys walked side-by-side towards their Hi-Skool, their foot steps in the snow betraying the rout they had taken. The snow and frost covered world gleamed in the winter sun making everything seem clean and white. The pavement was in the usual state that one would find on a winters day, the middle fairly empty of snow and the sides dotted where small children had taken the opportunity to make an imprint with their feet.

Zim wondered why earth children did such a thing, a curiosity of human smeets. Irken smeets would never try something so silly. They would be underground on the education plugs learning about important things, not running around in the freezing cold snow.

Dib had been oddly silent on the walk up, but then again, the last 24 hours hadn't really been that normal to start with. Zim really didn't care much. He had been concentrating more on making the shivers and numbness go away, along with resisting the urge to scratch his skin. Right now the itch was running along the tops of his palms and up to the elbow of his arm, so in order to combat this he had crossed his arms across himself and placed his hands under his arm pits.

Dib suddenly spoke, causing Zim to jump slightly and a cloud of breath to escape his mouth, "I wonder where Gaz is? We should have seen her walk up by now."

Zim half turned to look at the human, "Did you even tell her that you were at my base all night?"

Dib now looked worried, like one does when one makes a very big mistake on a test. "Oh err...no."

Zim couldn't help but grin nastily, "Then won't she be rather wrathful today?"

Dib's expression changed to look thoughtful. "Humm, I'm not sure. On one hand she will be pissed off because I didn't tell her where I was all night, thus annoying Dad, thus annoying her. But on the other hand she may not care because she could have assumed I would end up at yours anyway. But then again..."

Dib began to trawl off to himself, while Zim pulled the collar on his coat up more and gave in to the itch on his hands, immediately regretting it as it only grew stronger. He half sighed half growled, at least the nausea had died off for the time being.

Dib must have noticed the look on Zim's face, as he stopped chattering to himself and narrowed his eyes slightly at the Irken. "You feeling any better?"

Zim didn't bother looking at the boy. "Not really. Very itchy arms and cold sweats, not very nice in general."

Dib nodded and mumbled. "Right then..."

There was hardly any more talking until the two reached the Hi-Skool gates, where they were pleasantly surprised to see the doors closed and a large notice on the gates reading 'Hi Skool closed due to snow and generator failure. Have a horrible holiday.'

Dib held his fist up above his head and cheered. Zim growled. He had walked all the way here for nothing and while having withdrawal effects.

Damm that human. He would now have to spend the day with Dib following him around making sure he wouldn't be able to find any A.

However, luck, in a sense of the word, smiled on Zim.

"DIB!"

The human boy suddenly froze from his cheering, to afraid to turn and face the being behind the voice. Zim however, grinned evilly and turned to see a fuming Gaz. Her own trench coat flew out behind her as she stormed over to the frozen teen and, grabbing his shoulder, she spun him round so fast he fell on the floor landing in the snow with a heavy thump.

She opened her eyes just enough so that Dib could see the dark and powerful anger that resided in them. "Where did you go last night? Do you know how much Dad moaned at me for not knowing where you where? AND it was your turn to wash the dishes! I DO NOT WASH DISHES, DIB!"

Dib quickly stuttered out, "I-I-I was at Zim's house."

Gaz's eyes narrowed back to there usual glare, "All night? What were you doing at Zim's house all night?"

Dib went to answer, but realised that he couldn't tell Gaz, as that would be revealing Zim's drug habits, so all he could say was "Err..."

For a moment Gaz just glared down at him, waiting for a real answer, then slowly her eyes widened and all her anger momentarily vanished, "Dib...you didn't..."

Dib looked up at her rising an eyebrow before he realised what she was getting at, he jumped up from the snow, half in anger and half in disgust. "NO WAY! GAZ! That's just nasty!"

However, she cast a mischievous smile and crossed her arms across her chest, "Well, what where you doing then?"

Dib opened and closed his mouth a few times, as if he was trying to come up with a variable answer, before he placed his head on one hand and waved to his side, "Zim, you tell her."

However, when there was no answer he lifted his head up. "Zim?"

Dib looked around, but the Irken was no where to be seen.

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WOO! YEAH! Did ya like that? HUH? DID YA? The world cup is on and I have no time for football. It's UBER mega hot in Britain right now, so I'm suspicious, it's never hot in the summer here…ever. It's meant to rain, that's what we're famous for…

Bloody global warming.

So there it is. The whole first half finished, I'm gonna break this fic off here for a while so I can work a bit on some other stuff and get some more chapters of the second half of this fic. Also I need do a bit of work on Netbug900's challenge, it's mega dark...

The second half is gonna be called 'Beautiful Torment' as in the drug being amazing to Zim, but the after effects and the lifestyle being horrific. It can also apply to something else that is to be included; let's say that the Irken bunny girl will become more...real. At least to Zim anyway. I mean, so far it's only really affected his body, now it's about to reaaaalllyy mess with his mind. I'm considering adding some authors notes, like I did with 'I am', explain some concepts some ideas and have some hints on what's to come and things. I suppose you could just tell me in your own interpretations in your reviews.

Oh, and before I forget. Wallflower-chan did this wonderful request for me. An E.A. Zim! The link aint gonna show, so just go to her profile and follow the links to her dev-art page, then click on the Earthly Addictions picture. Even though the clothing is slighty off, it's still kick arse. I got it as me backround 'n' everything.

Btw please review...and I hope you all look forward to part 2.

Thank you and goodnight.(Takes a bow to round of applause)