Title: Thereafter
Author: Dorri
Summary: What if the events of "Dib's Wonderful Life of Doom" weren't a simulation? More importantly, what if the events that succeeded the fall of the Massive had played out a bit…differently? TWO-SHOT (?)
Rating: T (rating will go up)
Warnings: Slash, character death
Disclaimer: The characters of Invader Zim belong to Jhonen Vasquez. I make no profit from these writings.
Thereafter
Part I of II
Dib awoke, a bit surprised to see that his vision was greeted by darkness. He glanced over at the clock by his bed, barely able to make out the blurry red numbers without the aid of his glasses. It was just after four in the morning; the sun would be coming up in a little over an hour, which meant there was still time to get a few more hours sleep, but the man wasn't so sure he'd be able to get back to sleep and momentarily contemplated whether or not he should just get up and start a pot of coffee. He always hated waking up before six a.m.
The young man turned when he felt movement next to him, followed by a soft whimper as the figure shifted its weight. Dib sighed, letting his head fall back against the pillow. His eyes drifted closed, and he draped a hand across his forehead. He listened to the soft, rhythmic sound of steady breathing next to him and he sighed yet again, wondering how on Earth it had gotten to this point.
He could ask himself, 'Where did it all go wrong?', but in all honesty, he couldn't say it was wrong, though he knew if anyone knew, they wouldn't hesitate to tell him so. He would be hated, he knew. They would call him a traitor and a liar, and he would welcome it. He could only ask himself why he let him get under his skin. Perhaps it was just a mixture of fascination and pity. There had been a time when Dib wished he had done things differently back on that ship, but as time went on, that sort of wishful thinking eventually dissolved from the far corner of his mind. He couldn't think like that anymore, not after becoming so close to him.
Did he regret it? No, he couldn't say that he did. Not now, anyway.
0ooooooo0
Dib approached the ruins of the ship cautiously. While he wasn't necessarily worried for his life, he knew he had to be prepared and on guard. There was no guarantee that there hadn't been any survivors. He had to make sure before he declared the Earth safe. Debris from other massacred ships still fell from the atmosphere, littering the barren landscape and landing beside their fallen mother ship.
The paranormal investigator climbed atop the damaged, twisted, metal remains, easily finding an opening and climbing inside. Maneuvering around was quite difficult; he constantly had to move debris or step around still sparking wires. Occasionally, he would come across a dead, bloodied body and would cringe. Not out of grief, of course, but of disgust. He knew searching the ship would take hours. Really, he should have instructed for assistance, but he had wanted to enter the ship alone for some reason. Why, he didn't know. Maybe he just felt like this fight had always been his and no one else's. After all, no one had believed him for so long.
He searched carefully, keeping his eyes peeled for any signs of life, though in actuality, he was more interested in making sure They were dead. As long as They were eliminated, then any possible survivors might as well surrender. Cutting out the weeds meant nothing unless the roots came with them.
Dib stepped over another corpse, still unsure as to where he was going. He had been maneuvering through the remains of the Massive for well over twenty minutes, and he was beginning to wonder if he was just going in circles. The man stopped suddenly when something caught his eye on the floor: blood, a trail of it, with no body he could see that it possibly belonged to. Energy beginning to radiate in the palm of his hand, Dib began to move forward, following the trail of blood. He stopped abruptly when a loud, anguished cry came into earshot. Yep, there had been a survivor. For the moment, at least.
Dib wasted no time, moving forward in the direction of the cry, the blood trail leading the way. Dib eventually found himself on the main deck of the ship, or what was left of it. His eyes narrowed when they came to rest on the being just several feet away, recognizing him to be one of the two leaders. His eyes then settled on the being in his arms: the other leader.
The sphere of energy he had harnessed in his palm in preparation to waste the surviving Tallest slowly faded, and the man let his hand slowly fall to his side. He watched as the red-clad Tallest held his co-ruler in his lap, rocking back and forth and throwing his head back as he let loose another howl of anguish. The mournful cry sent a chill down Dib's spine that shook his entire body and made his blood run cold. He didn't think such a display was possible for their kind.
Looking the purple-clad leader over, Dib knew he was dead, but then again, his fellow leader's cries of loss were more than enough to prove this. He knew he had to have heard the doors being blasted open, but he had been too caught up in his despair to seem to care. Dib mentally debated with himself on what to do at that moment. He reminded himself that he had a job to do. As long as this Irken survived, the Earth was still in danger.
Slowly, the tall Irken turned his head towards the human, tears still flowing heavily. Though his despair was still clearly visible in the leader's blood red eyes, Dib could see the absolute fury that he knew was directed solely at him. If looks could kill, Dib knew he'd be on the floor right then.
The surviving leader gently rested his co-leader on the floor and rose to his feet, though it took a great deal of effort. He stumbled a few times, horribly weakened and hurt. Dib's heart winced with pity as he watched the Irken struggle. It was clear now he had dragged himself into this room.
"Y-You…filthy…" the surviving Tallest rasped, finally managing to get his footing. "You…killed him. You killed him!"
Dib pushed aside his moment of pity and took aim at the approaching Irken, shooting a blast of energy from his hand and striking the Tallest, sending him flying through the air and collapsing to the floor just feet away from his fellow ruler, unmoving. Dib slowly approached him, keeping his hand raised in preparation to fire again if he needed to. He saw the Irken was still breathing and quickly took aim. He prepared to shoot a blast of energy at the Irken's PAK, knowing a destroyed PAK would mean an Irken's death.
He bit his bottom lip, the energy circulating in his open palm. 'Come on…shoot him,' he told himself. 'Do it!' Dib took another step forward, his energy glowing brighter.
0ooooooo0
Dib grunted as he swung his legs over the side of the bed, grabbing his glasses as he sat up. He walked around the bed, stumbling over a pair of discarded shoes as he went and mumbling a disgruntled, "Shit" under his breath. He walked over to the glass door and slowly slid it open, stepping out onto the balcony. He rested his arms on the rail and leaned forward, the gentle breeze making him shiver. The nights were getting cooler, and he knew his partner wasn't going to like it. He glanced over his shoulder, back into the dark bedroom where he knew the figure still slept.
Sighing for the umpteenth time, Dib turned and sat down at the small round table, where he typically liked to drink his coffee in the morning. He could hear the flapping sound of a newspaper as the gentle gusts of wind rattled its pages, the only thing keeping it weighed down being a half cup of day old coffee. Even in the dim glow of the moonlight, Dib could still make out the headline:
ALIEN MENACE STILL AT LARGE
Dib frowned, and then almost chuckled when he saw his face on the front page, interviewing reporters and trying his best to seem determined and serious as they hammered him with questions. The paper was dated six months ago. He still didn't understand why he hadn't thrown it away by now. His expression fell once more, and he propped an elbow on the table, resting his chin in his palm.
0ooooooo0
Dib slowly pushed the door open, his eyes falling upon the once proud Irken invader. Of course, even when confined in a glass tank, the tiny creature was still proud. His eyes had never lost their fire, even after being held captive as an experiment for over twenty years. As their eyes met, the room became thick with tension.
"The Armada came, Zim," Dib said calmly, the lack of malice in his tone surprising the Irken.
"Eh? And you're still alive?" Zim questioned with surprise, touching his chin with his hand.
"It's over, Zim."
The Irken simply stared.
"It's done. They're dead."
The Irken continued to stare momentarily, his jaw clenching. "Lies. LIES! YOU LIIIE! The Irken Armada cannot be defeated by pathetic human filth such as yourself!"
Narrowing his eyes, Dib opened his trench coat and reached into one of the pockets. He pulled a picture he had taken at the crash site from the pocket and slammed it against the glass for Zim to see, who quickly took on a look of horror. "The…The Massive."
"Yeah, the Massive. That's what's left of it, at least."
"My…My Tallest…?"
"Dead."
Dib slowly placed the photo back in his pocket, watching the Irken's expression plummet deeper and deeper into despair, momentarily wondering why he was being overly-cruel to the creature. It wasn't like he had to inform him of the Armada's defeat. Didn't they always say ignorance is bliss? Zim had pretty much been defeated the day he turned himself into the Earth authorities. This just wasn't necessary. And yet, he did it anyway, and yes, he instantly regretted it. His deep-seated need to always one up the Irken just couldn't leave well enough alone this one time.
Dib quickly turned to leave as Zim quietly began to weep, knowing he wouldn't be able to bear the sight. He had wounded the Irken's pride beyond repair at this point. Staying to witness his audible despair would have just been another cruel kick to an open wound. Dib figured he owed him this show of mercy. He left without another word.
0ooooooo0
Dib shuddered at the memory, still regretting it to this day. Zim's health had fallen greatly after he had given him the news of his Tallests' demise. He knew Irkens were dedicated to their leaders, but he didn't know their dedication was that powerful, and knowing that he hadn't been completely truthful with the little Irken made him regret it all the more.
0ooooooo0
His captive was finally awake when he entered the lab, finding hatful, burning red eyes glaring back at him through the tank. He wasn't surprised. He took several steps towards the tank, keeping his gaze locked with the Irken's.
"You're awake," he stated flatly. "I see your wounds have healed."
The Irken only continued to glare. Dib took another step towards the tank.
"You know, a simple 'Thank you' wouldn't hurt you."
Vast amounts of bubbles spewed from the Irken's mouth as he emitted an enraged scream, lunging forward and slamming his fists against the tank. Dib took a surprised step back.
"You're just going to weaken yourself," he said dryly, not the least bit concerned that the Irken could actually break through the tank, but when he saw the glass begin to crack under his fists, he nearly yelped in surprise. "Stop that!" he shouted. He rushed over to the wall by the door and lifted the plastic cover that shielded the large, red alarm button. He smashed the button with his fist, earning loud sirens and flashing red lights, which he knew would alert the authorities within the building. He probably could easily defend himself, but he couldn't be too careful. This Irken was beyond pissed.
After slamming his angry fists against the tank a tenth time, the glass shattered, sending the Irken and the tank's fluids pouring onto the tiled floor. The tall alien slowly rose to his feet, dripping wet and eyes narrowed to dangerous slits.
"Stay where you are," Dib warned.
"Do not threaten me, human," the alien snarled. He ripped out the wire that had been attached to his PAK and extended his spider legs. He shot a blast of energy from the tip of one of his metal appendages, which Dib was quick to dodge. The human returned fire, severing one of the metal legs with a blast of his own energy. The Irken moved forward at rapid speed, tackling the human and wrapping his slender hands around his throat. "You took him from me," he hissed through gritted teeth, eyes blazing with psychotic rage.
Choking and gasping for breath, Dib lifted his hands and grabbed the Irken's wrists, burning his flesh with his energy. The human became horrified when the alien still did not release him, even when the repulsive scent of burning flesh polluted the air around them. He was in a great deal of pain, Dib could see it, but he still held his death grip around the man's neck, showing no signs of letting go.
The authorities quickly burst through the door, guns cocked. Shots rang out through the lab, hitting their target and earning Dib his freedom. "THAT'S ENOUGH!" he shouted quickly, holding up a hand to stop the attack. He glanced over at the fallen alien, counting at least five bullet holes. He rose to his feet as the authorities started to move forward. "I'll take care of this," he said to them, motioning for them to leave.
"But, sir, he's too dangerous."
"I can handle things from here. Now leave. And next time wait for my order before you open fire, understood?"
"Y-Yes, sir," one of the men stuttered, lowering his weapon. Once the authorities had escorted themselves out, Dib turned to the wounded Tallest, not surprised to see he was still alive and fighting to lift himself up. He bent over and picked him up easily, being careful not to touch any of his bullet wounds. He ignored the Irken's pained protests, and carried him over to an examining table, securing straps across his abdomen and lower torso so he couldn't run off..
"Don't…touch me," the alien rasped.
"Shut up, alien scum," Dib quipped in response, though there was a bit of boredom in his tone, as well as a hint of annoyance.
"You're…the…alien scum," the red-eyed Irken replied through clenched teeth, eyes squeezing shut in pain. He opened his eyes again when he heard the human approach him, finding him holding some sort of tool between his fingers. "Get away," he snapped.
"Just hold still, you idiot," Dib drawled, bending over and reaching for one of the wounds.
"How dare you insult me?"
The human only rolled his eyes, inserting the tool into the wound, which the Irken did not like in the least. Dib winced when his scream echoed off the walls. "If you hold still, it'll hurt a lot less." Dib removed the tool, which now clutched a bullet that he had managed to extract from the wound. He dropped the bullet into the pan he had placed by the Irken's head and set to work on the next wound. "Sorry," he said. "They should have waited for my order. Humans tend to be a bit trigger happy. But you'd know all about that, wouldn't you?"
The Irken had looked away by that point, glaring daggers at the wall and biting his lip in a futile attempt to ignore the pain. Dib anticipated a nasty retort but was surprised when the alien remained silent. He was so used to Zim always having a comeback that he suspected his leader was no different. For a while the only sound that was heard was the sound of the bloody bullets being dropped into the metal pan.
"You have a name?"
The Tallest turned his head slowly, glaring up at the human. "Why would that matter to you?" he replied venomously.
"It was a simple question. But I can keep calling you 'alien scum' if you prefer."
The Irken looked away again. "Red," he said quietly.
"That's not your real name, is it?"
"No, you fool."
"What is it?"
Red snorted. "Even my own officers never knew my real name, so it's not like I'd ever tell you, filthy human."
"Whatever," Dib replied with a shrug.
"You're that big-headed kid, aren't you? The one Zim never shut up about." Red finally recognized him as the boy he had seen during a very unwanted transmission he and Purple had received from Zim during Probing Day.
"My head is not…oh, forget it. My name is Dib, by the way."
"I never asked for your name, imbecile."
Dib rolled his eyes again. "Do you have to be difficult?" he replied, bandaging one of the alien's wounds.
"And how do you expect me to be?" the Irken replied bitterly, slowly turning to face the human again. "After the way you…" Red's voice trailed off, and he looked away to glare at the wall again, unable to bring himself to say it. Dib frowned as he searched his medical supplies for more bandages.
"I'm sorry. But maybe you should have thought about that before you made it your mission to conquer innocent planets. You really thought you could keep doing what you were doing and not face retaliation? Your friend paid the price for your ruthlessness."
"YOU ARROGANT, INFERIOR, LITTLE ROACH!" Red screamed at the top of his lungs, pulling against his restraints and kicking violently.
"Hey, calm down!"
"I'D LIKE TO SHOOT YOU INTO A BLACK HOLE, YOU LITTLE WORM!"
Growling, Dib conjured a sphere of energy in his hand and pointed it at the alien's face. "If you want to keep breathing, I suggest you shut up!"
Red went silent for a moment, still glaring up at the human. "Do it," he said, surprisingly calm now.
"What?"
"You heard me. Kill me. I welcome it."
Dib slowly lowered his hand. "You want me to kill you?"
"I'd rather be dead than be your slave."
Dib blinked. "Slave? Who said anything about slavery?"
Red cocked a non-existent brow. "Experimentation, then?"
Dib could only stare, his mind drawing a blank. Why did he bring the alien here? Slavery was beneath him, and there was really no point in experimenting on him. He had learned pretty much all that could have been known about Irkens through experimenting on Zim. There was really nothing left to know. Biologically, anyway.
"You're here so I can keep an eye on you and make sure you don't hurt anyone."
The Irken didn't seem convinced. "So I'm just a prisoner? Seems like a hassle," he growled. "Wouldn't it have been easier to kill me?"
The human quickly busied himself with bandaging one of the alien's wounds. "Maybe if it had been you, but I'm not like you."
Red scoffed. "Oh, so I'm supposed to be grateful? Oh, I'm sorry. Please forgive me," he snarled, voice dripping in sarcasm. "Thank you so much, oh great merciful human, for sparing the pitiful little Irken."
Dib bit his lip, trying to resist the urge to break the Irken's jaw.
"You stupid idiot. I DON'T WANT YOUR MERCY! There's more honor in being dead, you disgusting little insect!"
Growling, Dib shot his hand out and grasped the Irken's skinny neck, earning a surprised gasp. His ruby eyes narrowed, expressing a look of challenge. "P-Pathetic dirt…c-creature," he rasped, eyes squeezing shut as Dib tightened his grip. Just as the Irken began to feel faint, the human's eyes suddenly widened and he leapt back.
"I know what you're doing," he quipped. "That's not going to work."
The alien coughed and hissed at the man, turning his gaze back to the wall. Dib returned to his side, fetching the rest of the bandages. "Now hold still and shut up so I can finish this." Dib managed to finish tending to the bullet wounds and then quickly took care of the burns he had inflicted to the alien's wrists. Once he was finished, he undid the straps that held Red to the table. He was quick to grab the Irken's arm tightly, afraid he would bolt if he got the chance. The alien complied, surprisingly, sitting up and hopping off the table without complaint. He was likely in too much pain to attempt to fight back, but he knew the Irken would heal quickly. "Let's go," Dib ordered coldly, leading the Irken out of the lab.
"Where are you taking me, human?" he hissed. Dib ignored the question, dragging the alien down hallway after hallway before finally coming upon a large, metal door, a single, glass window in its center. The human swiped a card across a scanner by the door, and the locks slid out of place, granting him entrance into the room.
"Get in," Dib hissed as he shoved the Irken forward.
"What are you-"
Dib slammed the door before the alien could finish, the thick walls almost completely drowning out the alien's loud cursing.
0ooooooo0
Dib stood from his chair, going back inside and sliding the glass door behind him as quietly as he could so as not to disturb his partner. He exited the bedroom and slowly made his way downstairs. He plopped down onto the couch, his hand sliding over the cushion and gripping the remote. The TV clicked on and Dib slumped back into the couch, surfing through the channels.
"As of right now, there have still been no reports on the whereabouts of the alien," the voice of a news anchor said, earning an annoyed groan from Dib. "Dib Membrane spoke with reporters days ago, asserting to the public that he is doing everything in his power to locate the monster."
Growling again, Dib quickly changed the channel, sick and tired of always seeing the same thing on the news day after day. Even terrorist attacks were getting less coverage, but he supposed that was to be expected. After all, an alien menace bent on world destruction was pretty serious.
He surfed through a few more channels before stumbling upon a program that seemed to grasp his interest. Several tigers paced the floor of a large cage, occasionally reaching their paws out to towards the human who kept them there.
"They're like my children," the man said. "I'd die for them."
Dib rolled his eyes as he listened. "What a moron," he sighed. He listened as the narrator droned on about humans' obsessions with dangerous and exotic animals, how they were drawn to the thrill of owning something so deadly and completely deluded to how much danger they were in. They always asserted that they were the exception, and that their animals would never harm them.
Dib continued to watch the program, shaking his head again and again at the humans' ignorance, but as he continued to watch, a troubling thought suddenly occurred to him.
"It's very possible that people who own exotic animals like tigers feel a sense of self-importance," the narrator's words replayed in his mind. "To have dominion over a dangerous animal is thrilling and gives them a satisfying sense of control, which they may be lacking in other aspects of their life."
As much as he didn't want them to, the man's words started to form a clear answer to the question he had yet to answer.