Just something that came to me.
I do not own Invader Zim
Dib could only look on helplessly as they grab his sister, forcing her face into the dirt and her hands behind her back she fought back, but not with the ferocity that she once displayed. Gaz knew what Dib knew, there was no point. With his arms already behind him as his capturers forced him up to his feet, he could see their familiar green skin and bug like eyes and could only feel a sense of numbness replace the fear that had held onto him for the past two months.
He was oddly relieved, he didn't want to die, but he had known it was coming. He knew that when he took his sister by the hand and ran through the streets as the building burned and collapsed around him on that day that it would end like this. Zim had won, and Dib had just tried to run away from that fact. It was easy to hide from Zim's stupid army of robots as they rounded up the humans they found and took them away. Dib still didn't know what they did with them, and he really didn't care. His only concern at the time was to protect his sister.
Only two weeks after that the other Irkens arrived, raining down in their spaceships and from then on, Dib watched the skies for the Irken mothership to arrive and end everything. It still hadn't come, the curious side of Dib wanted to know more, but another voice told him, it really didn't matter. After the other Irkens arrived it became harder to hide and he knew that Zim had sent a group to find him. They were always right there, never needing to sleep or rest, meant that they were always catching up. Dib felt like it was an accomplishment that they managed to evade them for another month and a half, but even that felt hollow in his chest.
The group of Irkens led the two of them to a large building in the middle of the city that Zim had built to rule from, the building was massive and was where the Irkens stayed at. It was also a place that once humans entered, they never came out. As they were lead through the halls, Dib noticed that they were reminisce of Zim's lab and he absently wondered if this was what Irk looked like or if this was just his rival's personal preference. The halls were filled with pink and purple hued pipes and cables that came together to make a wall. There were Irkens everywhere, too. Most of them looked to be servants as they scurried around setting up the place, they mostly ignored the soldiers as they lead the two humans to a large door. The two guards standing outside it step forward.
"Where are you going with those stink-beasts?" One asked, blocking their path.
"Invader Zim has asked for these two to be brought before him the moment they were captured." They hesitated for a moment before nodding and opening the door. The Irkens leading Dib and Gaz pushed them forward, leading them into the middle of the room before forcing them to their knees.
Dib's eyes wandered the room, his curiosity getting the better of him. The room was an impressive size, with a high ceiling that was supported with metal walls. All of which was the same pink and purple hue as the rest of the building. It was brightly lit up just like Zim's lab was, with some unknown light source that lit up the whole room evenly. Before them was Zim, seated in a throne that was made of the pipes and cables that twisted together that made an impressive throne, one so large it made the small green alien look even smaller in stature that he already did. Behind him was the Irken symbol, painted in black and taking up the entirety of the wall. Dib also noticed that Gir and Minimoose were absent and he was thankful for that. Something about dying while there was an insane robot yelling and running around just made it less heroic.
At their entrance, Zim stood up, and looked at the two humans with disgust.
"Leave us." He finally spoke the soldiers behind them.
"B-but, sir." Stuttered one in shock.
"Do not question ZIM! I said leave!" Came his harsh response, leaving the soldiers no choice but to nod and leave the room. It was just Zim, Dib, and Gaz now, and Zim's eyes were focused on both forms.
"You both stink." He finally said.
"Shut up and get it over with." Gaz responded irritably, refusing to back down under Zim's gaze.
"Alright, I'll start with you, Gaz-human." Came the Irken's response, he was being oddly serious, and Dib was getting worried. He sat back down on his throne, reaching out to push a button the arm rest. Beside him, the floor opened up and a large cylinder object rose out of the floor. The inside was dark as it rose up slowly shielding whatever was inside from sight.
"I admire you, Gaz-human. Your ability to doom all those around you is very admirable. Your complete lack of empathy for others and your complete lack of mercy for your enemies is all…so very…Irken." He told her as the cylinder continued to rise, finally coming to rest as the light inside turned on.
Inside was what looked like an Irken that was too big to be a smeet. The petite form lead Dib to believe it was a female Irken, she was curled up in the fetal position as she floated in the liquid. Her antennae relaxed the ends curled in a soft scythe-like way as they curled down towards where ears would be on a human. Her eyes closed and relaxed, and he had to wonder what Zim wanted.
"I have figured out how to map human brain patterns and transfer them to an Irken PAK." He explained, a proud grin on his face. "Because I knew that when my victory was at hand, it would be a waste to just get rid of you."
"And what? Did you program that thing to obey every whim you have? Will I just be a puppet?" Gaz growled at him, standing up.
"No, if I wanted a puppet, I could have programed her myself. No, Gaz-human, I want you by my side. We will doom all that oppose us. You'll have access to a new universe of games, all the games you could want in exchange."
"Let me guess. I'll just have to kill Dib, is that right? That's not going to happen." She angrily responded, taking a few steps towards Zim. Dib watched her in awe; he didn't think Gaz even liked him. Zim just laughed at this, it took him a few minutes of straight laughing before he could calm himself down to talk again.
"Foolish Gaz-human. All I want in exchange is your loyalty." He corrected with amusement still clear in his voice.
"Oh goodie, I'm so glad to know that you won't have me kill Dib myself." Gaz spat back sarcastically. "No go, Zim. Dib may be stupid and annoying, but he's the only family I have."
"Gaz, please…he's offering you a chance to live, even go see the universe, you should take it. You shouldn't turn down the chance, not for me." Dib finally spoke up, lifting his hazel eyes to meet his sister's matching pair. Gaz met his gaze for a moment before dropping hers.
"Shut up, Dib. You don't get it." She muttered irritably.
"The squishy moments are making me sick to my squeedlyspooch." He said, pushing another button on the armrest of his throne. The other side of him opened up and another dark cylinder rose up. "I said I would start with you, Gaz-human. I have the same deal for Dib-stink."
Dib could only stare in shock as it rose, his mind thinking there was no way that Zim was going to spare him. But as the cylinder settled and then lit up, there was indeed another Irken floating in the liquid. This one seemed larger in structure, meaning it was probably male, and the antennae bent upwards before they bent backwards at a ninety degree angle. He could only stare for a bit before he forced himself to his feet and turn his gaze to Zim.
"But…why? I've been trying to destroy you since you got here. I thought for sure you would kill me!" He pointed out.
"It is because you have stood in my way, Dib-stink, that I want you by my side, too. Even untrained, you managed to get in my way. If you were trained…you would almost be as good as Zim. Even more than that, your loyalty to a doomed dirt ball that had done nothing but scorn you is admirable. I will need that unwavering loyalty by my side." Zim explained, still lounging in his throne as if he wasn't giving Dib the best complement of his young life. "And, of course, you will get to see galaxies that you have only dreamed about. Have access to technology that will you could not imagine."
"I don't understand, Zim. Why do you need us by your side? Aren't you a hero now?" Dib asked, knowing that there had to be a reason.
"Because I'm going to invade Irk next." He said simply causing both humans to look at him like he was crazy.
"Wha-what!? Why!? I thought you liked Irk!" Dib managed out.
"I do, Dib-stink. That is why I must. I intercepted message from my Tallests a few of your Earth months ago. My mission was a lie. They were hoping that Zim would rot forever on this stinky planet; I showed them. But now I fear they mean to strand me on this planet before they do the organic sweep and end this planet's painful life. I have means to escape, of course, but in order to continue my existence, I'll have to end theirs. I'll put myself in charge; maybe start a 'monarch' as you humans call it. To do all this, I'll need loyal servants. With you two, Scoodge, Gir, and Minimoose, I can be victorious."
Dib and Gaz looked at each other. It sounded like a suicide mission, and with Zim in charge, it probably was. But after a moment of what seemed like telepathic debate between the siblings, they realized there was just one more question to ask.
"Why do you have to transfer our brains then?" Gaz asked.
"Because Zim cannot have my most loyal servants being anything but Irkens." He answered as though it was the most obvious thought in the world. The two humans looked at each other again. Dib shrugged, it wasn't like they had much to lose.
"We're in."