Shades of Purple

Lowering your Guard

Stupid marsupial. That was the only thing Tenn thought for the past three hours since their return to Zim's base and going to hide in bed. 

She had never felt so embarrassed in her entire life. She, Invader Tenn, scared of a puny earthen mammal. She was glad the other Invaders hadn't seen that. The worst part was her reaction to the animal's attack; she had jumped into Tallest Purple's arms with a frightened scream like an old lady! Tenn cursed herself for that moment of weakness. She better put an extra pillow wall in between to make the point clear: she still wants him as far away as possible.

Part of her was wondering why she reacted like that. Usually she would have retaliated against the animal, but this time something in her organic brain urged her to get to safety, overriding her natural instinct of attacking. This had never happened before. 

In fact, these days she started to feel somewhat strange. Not only because of this embarrassing event. For some reason she felt uncomfortable out in the open and this put her on edge most of the time. As soon as they got back, she locked herself in the bedroom and piled all the pillows to hide in a sort of 'nest. Additionally, she had some hyoomans bring her that... horrible dish known as 'pizza.' When they came to Earth she couldn't even look at it, but now her body was asking for it. Though it tastes as bad as she imagined, she still ate it.

What on Irk is wrong with me? Tenn wondered as she devoured another slice of the overly greasy, cheesy dish. She had considered going to see a medical drone but decided not to at the last moment. Part of her was afraid of the answer she might obtain; deep down she had an idea of what was wrong, but she didn't want to think about it. 

Surely one of the hyooman foods must be the cause! Yes, that must be it!

The door burst open. She initially thought Tallest Purple had arrived and tried to hide further into her 'den'.

"OOH! Hide and seek!" Before she knew what was going on, GIR had invaded her pillow nest.

"What are you doing?! Get out!" Tenn growled.

The defective robot didn't seem to pay attention. Instead, he started to eat from a box of chocolate cereal, getting crumbs all over her den. She was about to kick him out when she saw Zim's hyooman mate entering the room with a scowl on her face.

"GIR!" She hissed in a voice that sent shivers down Tenn's spine.

"Shh! We're playing hide and seek!" GIR retorted with his mouth full of food. Tenn rolled her eyes. He had just given himself away.

She thought the Gaz-hyooman would tear him to pieces or something. Once again, however, the female hyooman surprised her. She merely  sighed. 

"You know what? Keep that box. I can always tell Zim to get more." Gaz looked in her direction; her left eye opened in the slightest, showing a small brown pupil. "What about you? Still scared of the wallaby?"

Tenn instantly emerged from her hiding spot with a scowl on her face. "I was not scared of that thing! It merely caught me by surprise!"

"And you jumped right into your boyfriend's arms."

"He's not my boyfriend!" Tenn snarled. "He might be my husband, but he means nothing to me!"

Gaz raised an eyebrow. "Then why did you marry him?" She didn't know what was more infuriating: the fact that she was asking him such a personal question so casually, or that she acted as if it wasn't such a big deal. 

"That's none of your business, you hairless monkey!"

"He forced you into marriage, didn't he?" The color drained from Tenn's face. How did she...?! Tenn hid her shock with a deep frown.