The Fallen Invader

Chapter 10: Mysterious Mysteries (Again)

Dad was not happy when we got home. Keef and Moofy's parents called and told him that I terrorized their daughter.

"Son, I know things are hard for you, but why would you pick on a child?" He asked with a disappointed sigh.

"I didn't do anything! She was the one attacking Zim! Look at his black eye!" I argued.

Dad knelt down to get a closer look at Zim's face, then placed a hand on his shoulder. "Did that girl really do this to you, son?"

I noticed a change in Zim's expression. The entire walk home, he was bitter and irritated. But the moment he received fatherly attention from my dad, he just melted. A low, purring sound escaped his throat, and he hugged Dad's arm, mumbling something about a "cold, unfeeling robot arm."

"Alright, you boys are off the hook." Dad said with a sigh. "You're a strange one, Zim. Never change."

With that, he left to return to his studies, and Gaz walked in, having seen the whole thing. "Uh, what was that about?" She asked.

"YOU SAW NOTHING!" Zim shouted.

Gaz shrugged and plopped herself down on the couch. She started digging into the cushions for the TV remote, but instead, she pulled out a small plastic DVD case with a disk inside. "What is this?"

I took the case from her and looked it over. The disk was labeled "Mysterious Mysteries," written out in black marker. I didn't remember ever burning any episodes to disks. The only thing it could be was...

"Hey! This is the episode we were on! Man, that was years ago!"

Zim chuckled. "Yes, one of your many failed attempts to expose me. PATHETIC human!"

"Oh yeah, I remember when they forced me to be on it 'cause you two wouldn't stop screaming at each other." Gaz added.

Though I couldn't see my own face, I knew in that moment I had the dorkiest smile. "Let's watch it!"

After the intro sequence, it cut to the original video that I recorded.

"Look, Gaz! You're my witness! He is an alien! I have him on tape! I have you on tape witnessing it!"

"Your voice was so annoying. I don't know how I put up with you growing up." Gaz said with a smirk.

"Aw, come on. Everyone sounds annoying as kids." I responded.

Gaz then proceeded to imitate my laugh. It was inaccurate, in my opinion. She sounded more like a goose than like me. Zim thought it was the funniest thing ever, though.

"And there's that giant head in all its glory." Zim stated the moment I appeared onscreen.

I sighed. "Okay, fine, it was kind of big, but my body grew into it."

He and Gaz exchanged glances, then burst out laughing. I couldn't help but chuckle a little too. It was nice seeing Gaz not want to kill him for once.

The episode continued on. Back then, I was so frustrated. Even on my favorite paranormal show, no one believed in me. Also I really didn't like that straightjacket. Watching it years later, though, it played out like a comedy. The horrible re-enactments, the pain, and then when GIR showed up, the whole thing devolved into madness.

Oddly enough, while we were watching, GIR also showed up in my living room with a bowl of popcorn. "Dis mah favorite show!"

"GIR? When did you get here?" Zim asked. The little robot just let out a high-pitched laugh and continued stuffing his face with popcorn.

After a while, I started to tune out the episode, and I looked around at the people in that living room with me, and how we were all on that screen together. For some reason, fate just kept bringing the four of us together, whether we were enemies, allies, friends, or maybe even some sort of family, it just kept working out like that.

An outcast paranormal geek, an angry gamer girl, a militaristic alien, and an insane robot. Who would've thought we'd all be sitting on the same couch, watching TV together? It sounds like the setup to some corny joke, but no, this was my life.

God, I love these idiots.

"I love youuuu!" GIR's squealing voice broke me out of my thoughts, and I turned around to see that my dad had entered the room, and GIR was hugging his leg. And it was then that I realized that he wasn't wearing his disguise.

"Gaz, is this your robot?" Dad asked. I nudged her in the arm, signaling her to play along.

"Uh... yeah... I made him for Zim." She replied.

GIR giggled as he picked him up to look at him closer. "Fascinating. I've never seen one quite like this before. How did you build him?"

"Eh, I don't remember. It was a while ago." She said with a shrug.

Zim leapt off the couch and marched towards my dad. "Yes, yes, he's very advanced. I will take him back now!"

"Of course! I'd just like to examine him further in my lab first. It shouldn't take long. I'm just curious to see exactly how he works."

"Don't you dare lay your sciencey-science hands on him!" Zim shouted.

Dad simply laughed it off. "No need to worry, Zim. He'll be fine. After all, he is only a robot."

He walked off to his lab with GIR, Zim chasing after him. "GRRRRR! YOU GIVE ME BACK MY GIR!!!!!!"

Yeah, this wasn't gonna end well.

Before she could protest, I took Gaz by the hand, and we joined in the chase.