Title: The Only Exception
Chapter: 1, One-shot
Words: 548
Time Taken: Around 30 minutes
Written By: Invader Taylor 8D

It was raining.

Not the kind of rain that quietly – simply - pitters to the ground.

Not the kind of rain that makes you fear a storm.

It was just the kind of rain that helps you think your deepest thoughts.

The small green Irken sat on the couch, staring out at the acid rain, doing just that.

The filthy pig-stink sat next to him, cuddling with GIR's stuffed monkey.

Zim winced as he thought of the name. It brought sadness to his squeedily spooch.

Looking back out at the rain, he sighed softly. He hadn't even bothered to try and conquer Earth in the past few days. No doubt the Dib-monkey would be worried and try to break in, to foil his plans.

The Invader didn't have any plans, though.

His somewhat-trusty SIR unit was missing.

The base did not scent of waffles. The soap had no bacon. Nothing was broken.

It wasn't right.

Zim stood up, waddling to the kitchen.

No messes, for once.

He felt another pang of sadness, but he pushed it back.

Invaders need no one, he reminded himself.

Picking up a broken ray-gun from the table, he walked back into the living room, only to find the Dib-smell standing there.

"What are you doing in the wonderful base of ZIIIM?" he cried, flailing both arms. The black-haired boy ducked for a moment as he spotted the gun in the alien's hand.

"ZIM! PUT THAT THING AWAY AND I'LL TELL YOU!" The Irken pondered for a moment, then lowered his arms. What more did he have to lose? Dib stood back up, brushing whatever was on his shirt and trench coat.

"Make it quick, Dib-monkey, for you are wasting the precious time of ZIM!"

"I just wanted to tell you that your robot thing was at Taco Smell. He was crying… and stuff… Gaz is staying with him. But he said that you lost him. And I can't stand him long enough to experiment on him…"

Before Dib could finish his explanation, Zim was out the door. He wore no disguise, and the rain pelted his skin, making him burn. But the Invader didn't care.

He was about to find GIR.

Each step seemed like the fire grew hotter to him. His skin was burning, almost to the point of no return.

But at last, the glow of the horrible Taco Smell stood before him.

The alien burst into the doors, his green skin still smoking. There, sitting in one of those filthy booths, was the purple hair of Gaz. The noises of her Game Slave 2 were easily heard.

He stepped closer, and saw a small, cyan glow, and heard someone singing that never-ending Doom song that only one thing on this planet or all the others would know.

GIR. He had finally found him.

The little robot was dancing to who knows what playing in his head. As he finally looked up, though, he spotted the burnt alien.

"MASTAH!" he called happily, instantly zooming over to Zim and clinging to his head.

For once, Zim didn't complain.

Invaders need no one, he reminded himself once more. But as GIR only tightened his grip on the Invader's head, he couldn't help but crack a small smile.

But GIR is the only exception.

Random one-shot.
Happy Sunday, y'all! ^^