What If They Meet Differently?

Chapter 8: Fight! Fight!

Once Gaz left, Dib felt a shadow grow on him. He looked up to see one of his usual bullies. A fat jock who glared down at him. "Hehe see your freak sister finally left" Dib sighed looking to his food "Look I'm not in the mood today, can we do this another ti-" He was stopped as he was shoved out of his seat, his tray clanging to the floor. This got everyone's attention, including Zims. Everyone crowded them shouting "Fight! Fight! FIght! Fight!" Dib groaned standing up as he looked to his bully, only to be met with a fist to the face. This made his glasses crack, and some cuts from the glass. Dib growled as for once he felt fed up. He suddenly kicked his bully in the chest. The kid feel back, almost having the wind knocked out of him. Everyone looked to the Bully, while Zims eyes were on Dib. He saw the boy glaring at him with such venom, some blood trickling down his nose. Zim was surprised to see such a warrior like personality come out of Dib. Though The bully got back up, now it was a real fight. The bully through some punches which missed and Dib landed some punches on the other kid. Though in the end, the bully hit dib in the gut. Dib winced, holding his midsection as he saw the bully go to throw another punch. Though it was stopped by suddenly Zim coming up and punch the boy across the face. The rest were in shock, including Dib. He stood up to the best he could looking to Zim. "W-What are you doing?" Zim turned to him "What? You needed back upright?" Dib looked to him, thinking, before growing a smile "Hehe yeah, thanks" Zim grew a large smile "Hehe don't thank me. Been ages since I got in a good fight. This human will be easy." Zim turned to the bully, cracking his knuckles. The boy growled, "What are you doing protecting the freak?" Zim thought before moving in front of Dib "Stuff it stink ball. I can't let you hurt him." The bully snorts "Then what am I gonna do in my free time if I'm not beating this freak?" Zim glared at him, Standing protectively between Dib and the bully "I don't know, learn to breathe through your nose?" The boy went red with anger as the rest of the crowd began to laugh at him. "You're dead new kid!" Before the boy could land a punch, Zim uppercut him in the gut. Successfully knocking the air out of him, as he laid on his back groaning in pain. The rest of the crowd talked about the event. Zim didn't really care what they had to say, so he turned his back to them and came up to Dib.

Dib sat on the floor in confusion. No one had stood up from him, his sister didn't even know he was being bullied. Though he looked up to see Zim come up to him "Come on Dib-thing. We have to fix your wounds. Don't be sad, you put up a good fight." He smiled standing up holding his stomach "Hehe thanks, Zim." Zim smirked "You know for someone with your lean of a build, you're a rather good fighter" Dib turned his head to hide his blush as Zim helped him out of the lunchroom. "T-Thanks hehe. Didn't know you'd been staring at my body that much" Zims eyes went wide, as the disguise kept it hidden that his antenna went up "O-Ooh shut-up. Now, where do I take you to get bandaged up." Dib smirked and pointed in a direction.

Later at the end of the day, Dib and Zim were walking out together, as the nurse let Dib go home early and Zim did too saying he was hurt as well, which was clearly a lie. Some of the popular kids and the rest were wondering what he was doing with Dib as they left together. That didn't stop Zim though, to Dibs happiness. Once home Zim clicked the jewel on his collar to have his disguise turn off, showing him to his normal self. Though he was still in the new clothing to Dib surprise "I thought the clothing was a part of your hologram." Zim looked to him confused "I know I'm an Alien but I know it's wrong to go out in public naked" Dib grew red throwing his hands up "N-No no I-I meant over your normal clothing!!" Zim chuckled "Relax earth boy, the machine has trouble with clothing, so it's more reliable to just wear new outfits." Zim and Dib head to Dibs room. Dib lays back groaning as the pain from the fight has only gone down a little. Zim looked to him, confused about this whole bully thing. They never had such thing on Irk so he wanted to know of it. "Hey, Dib... why was that kid beating you up?" Dib turned his head to look to Zim with a look of confusion "...what? He... He was doing it cause he's a bully." Zim nodded "Yes I know that he is a bully, why though?" Dib looked to him lost then it clicked "Do... you not have bullies on Irk?" Zim shook his head "Nope, it's why I'm curious. I've never heard of such a trait from another creature so I'd like to know" Dib groaned sitting up as he took off his glasses, which now had only one lense in them. He looked at them thinking before putting them back on and continuing. "Mmm... That's a hard question. Bullies... are complex I guess. I know there targets and such but any bully can have a different motive. He beats me up cause I'm thin, talk about aliens, and I act differently. People are bullied for all kinds of reasons like being too fat, being too thin, being weak, being tall, being small, over anything. Sometimes even if you like the same sex is a common one in human society." Zim took this in as he thought about it. Though some part of it... bothered him. Talking of how bullies attack you if you're small or weak. At first, he thought of his Tallest with how Dib talked about it. Though that can't be true. Zim is the best, the Tallest are just making sure he sticks to that" Zim was off in though making Dib worry. He slowly got up and tapped Zim's shoulder gently "Zim?" Zim snapped his head to him then sighed "Right right sorry, was um... t-trying to remember all of what you were saying hehe." Dib smiled and patted Zim's head "You don't need to do that if you forget something just ask me okay?" Zim looked up to him, with wide pink eyes "...well... if you say so Dib" Dib smiled gently then patted his, before turning and sitting back down on his bed. This time Zim got up, taking his shoes off first learning it to be rude to get in a bed with shoes on. He sat next to him, barely making the bed sink in under such lightweight. Dib turned to him as Zim thought of his next question "So... how long have you been getting bullied?" Dib chuckled as he laid back "Well... since I was little. I was always fascinated with different worlds, so I was always bullied." Zim laid back as he couldn't help but feel a little guilty for Dib. It seemed to be ridiculous the treatment he received. On Irk Dib would be one of the top scientists probably. Praised and honored, yet on earth, he's kicked around like a space rat. Zim thought then said "Why don't you fight back? You did today but... why not before that?" Dib looked to him, interested in his question "I... I don't know... I guess I never felt I was worth defending. I was worth being kicked around cause it's just how my world is." Zim felt his antenna pin to his head hearing that. He turned to him and asked "If that's the case... why did you today?" Dib was honestly surprised, as he hadn't thought of that "Ugh... why today? Well um..." He looked away, then to Zim. Once looking into Zims eyes the answer hit him clear as day "I... I felt... like I mattered. I-I had thought that... for once someone needed me and I was important to someone." Zim smiled and moved closer to him "Really? Who is it?" Dib felt his face heat up by the question and distance between them. "I-I uh... w-well I-" Thought before he could stutter anymore his door was kicked open, by none other than his sister. "Dib! Someone told me you got in a fight and that-" Though she stopped frozen at the door. Seeing Dib, face red, laying very close to Zim in a weird outfit. Gaz was frozen, for only a second or two before saying "You two need to learn how to lock doors" Dib grew red "GAZ!!!" She rolled her eyes and walked over to check on Dib. He had a bandage on his cheek and one on his gut under his shirt, with a lense missing from his glasses. She sighed as she rubbed her head "when... when were you going to tell me you've been getting bullied?" Dib gulped sitting there as he simply said "...never"

Gaz picked her head up, furious "Why the fuck not?!? I'm your sister why wouldn't you tell me?!" Dib looked away as he didn't know what to say. Gaz growled as she turned away "Why are you like this?! You can't just talk to your sister like a normal person!?" She stormed out and slammed the door behind her. Dib sat there, silent, as he looked to the floor. Zim looked to Dib and felt bad. Dib's life was so different yet... similar to Zims. Zim wanted to cheer up Dib but didn't know-how. Then he got a great idea!! He got up, catching Dib's attention. "Dib I'll be right back, I have to go do something!" Before Dib could ask Zim was gone leaving him alone. Dib sighed as he took the glasses off and put them on the stand next to his bed. He laid back while Zim started working away on something in the lab.