FERVENT {ZaDr} [DISCONT. READ DESC]

-PROLOGUE-

❖

The rather obstinate, contrast raven haired 13-year old male by the name of Dib Membrane briskily sprang backwards just as the silvery blur of a serrated, metal scythelike appendage lashed out at his torso--causing him to  stumble a bit when he landed.

His head snapped down to the ground so he could look down at himself, and once he verified he wasn't harmed, his cold, flustered glare was turned to the perpetrator---Zim.

"What the hell was that for, Zim?!" He rebuked, hands balling into tight fists at his sides. "You could've hurt me, y'know!"

Dib and his extraterrestrial adversary, Zim, were standing before one another in the schoolyard, minutes after the dismissal bell had rung.

Earlier, the raven haired boy had caught a glimpse of the Irken scampering for the exit, which was rather unusual. Dib knew he was up to something, so he had followed him, darting past the squealing excitement of the skoolchildren.

And well... Long story short, the human had grabbed ahold of the Irken's sheathed antenna, accidentially dragging him backwards into the earth; soiling his tunic.

The children had of course witnessed the fortuitous hostility, instantly surrounding them, foreseeing a possible brawl.

The lime-green tinged alien narrowed his false lenses, blue eyes cold as ice. "Silence, Dib-human! Zim does not wish to hear your"—jet black claws lashed out at Dib—"stupid!"—SLASH—"human!"—SLASH—"mewling!"

Miraculously, the raven had dodged every clobber the Irken had tried, eyes amber pools of sheer terror for his inflicted life.

The crowd of skoolchildren were caterwauling with amusement, beginning a fight chant.

"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!"

Zim bared his jagged denticles, a guttural, primal snarl bubbling within his throat as he crouched over, claws spread and unsheathed.

"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!"

Dib's pupils constricted, a hot wave of anticipation flooding over him. His fight-or-flight response had been triggered, yet he couldn't find himself to move. It was like his fear had covered him completely, gluing him to where he stood.

"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!"

"Dib!"

The sudden call of his name overpowered the chanting, ensnaring the raven's attention. He turned his head in the direction of the call, only to realize the doom he had just brought upon himself when it was too late.

By the time he had realized the rather stupid move he made for breaking eye contact and turned his head back around, Zim had already made a catlike pounce, knocking the wind out of Dib.

Dib was now pinned into the earth, his chest heaving to regain the air that was lost. Zim was atop, one hand on the earth beside Dib's head, and the other dug into the human's collarbone.

Without a warning, the Irken let out an enraged snarl, serrated fangs clamping down into the human's delicate masseter—causing Dib to loose all functions of his mouth.

Dib let out a muffled cry of pain, hands flying to the alien's collarbone in hopes of pushing him off, but stopped when that only made him bite harder.

One of Zim's claws briskly made contact with Dib's left cheek, sinking in with ease, crimson blood bubbling out of the fresh crevice.

This only added fuel to the skoolchildren's wild excitement. No matter where Dib's helpless gaze switched to, the sight of laughing, pleased faces and the blinding white light of recording phones were everywhere; not a single one with even the slightest sympathy.