A weak groan came from the depths of darkness. No one noticed as the alien stirred awake, body pulsing painfully as it healed, at a much slower now than it used to be. Arms were heavy and a few needles were still planted in his veins, medical tape securing them to his skin, the ports sealed but ready, waiting for their purpose to be fulfilled. Zim rolled onto his hands and knees and peered around, lekku flicking slightly before going limp against his head again.

Nothing had changed, it was all reality. After all irkens don't dream, but if they did Zim was sure this would be nightmare fuel for later.

Weakly he pushed himself to his feet, the two toes on each food spreading to help keep his balance as the drugs coursing through him wore off. All at once the lights turned on and Zim screeched, hissing, covering his eyes as he slammed them shut, trying to ward off the brightness. The room was white, sterile, save for the bits of pink blood smeared here and there.

A door swung open and Zim froze, shaking slightly. An eye squinted open and Zim snarled, glaring at the human before him.

"Dib."

The young membrane offspring, now ripe in his early adult years gave no worded response. He dressed similarly to his father, the goggles, the hair, however the trench coat and gloves were different. The coat was the same fashion he had always bore, and the gloves were simple single use pulled a syringe from his coat pocket and flicked the cap off, depositing the now trash in his pocket and pointing the needle skyward, depressing the plunger enough to push whatever inside air out. A bit of fluid squirted out with the pressure and Zims eyes hollowed, following the droplets as they splattered onto the floor.

"You wont even speak? To the great Zim?" Lekku seemed to go lifeless at his head and as Dib made a motion of attack Zim shockingly did nothing.

The needle plunged into his shoulder and depressed fluid rapidly filling the space. Zim was still unmoved, instead staring at the human. He was an elite trained not to flinch, to never give in. However he could nearly watch everything unfold as if he was in third person, just floating nearby. Numbness spread from the injection site but Zims head remained raised, steady though the lights were fading, eyes sharp and alert as he stared at his captor.

When he had first been taken, Zim had fought screamed and bit. Furious at the deciet, betrayed by the most important thing to him. The Tallests had informed him of everything, even thanked him for finding a rock to land on and that they would be sure to avoid it until they were sure Zim was dead. That if he ever was within a hundred lightyears of the massive his PAK would self-destruct. The mission had been a huge hoax and Zim had fallen for it play by play. He had been defective from the start and was the reason why he was never made to be an invader. They had even brought out his genetic code, pointing and laughing at the mis-alignment of some protiens and atoms. Everything that made Zim was unwanted. Every last piece.

So Zim had turned to his enemy, the human called Dib.

Magenta eyes fluttered open a crack, a light was beaming down at his face, six or so bulbs place in the single fixture. A hand reached up and adjusted it, Zim faintly realised his head was locked in position, neck craned back awkwardly and his jaw wired open. A clamp fixed on his tongue, wrenching it to the side and then goggles were peering down his throat.

He struggle briefly, then went still, still staring at the human. Lekku twitched, recognizing at once that the human was Dib. They quivered, noticing there was a one way mirror on the nearby wall. THough the stupid humans probably did not realize that Zims eyes were far too advanced for their silly attempt at trickery. A dozen scientists stood on the opposite side, clip boards in hand and were furiously taking notes off a video feed of the invasive exploration.

A choked noise came from him as a tube was pushed against the back of his throat. Nearly gagging at the intrusion as it slipped past his gag reflex. Zims eyes widened a fraction, the portion of his spooch that processed and moved his fluids about was now hammering away.

Dib paused for a fraction of a second and then kept pushing. This wasn't their first time and it wouldnt be their last. Zim forced a cough and it went down hill from there, his spooch over-reacted and the contents of his stomach were forced out, along with the probe. Dib wheeled away safely, his rolling stool the ever trusty get-away tool. Zim laid there, his own bile now coating his face and neck. Eyes shut and lekku limp as ever he waited.

Dib grunted, having got a bit of vomit on him. He grabbed a few cleansing wipes, designed specifically to not harm the aliens skin and wheeled back over, removing the instruments keeping Zims head and jaw in place in order to clean it all. For the briefest of moments Zim could nearly imagine himself somewhere else.

The Rogtura system had been nice, especially their naturey planet, intelligent life had yet to advance. Zim recalled the way the air was fresh, different from irk, better than earths. Dib had enjoyed it immensely, saying how if earth was destroyed they could move here. They were still in hiskool and for winter break they had left the planet earth to avoid the cold for a couple days. It had been a nice vacation.

Zim was brought back as a wipe rubbed across the space where a human nose would have been, then down his cheek. Zim shut his eyes tightly. Then after realizing his mouth was mobile he cracked one eye open to stare at the emotionless face above him.

"Zim thinks that things woul-"

Zims words were cut off as Dib flicked a scalpel out, a tray was wheeled over and the humans attention was turned to Zims chest and belly. A marker was brought out and a few careful lines were dotted across the pale green skin.

This time Zims spooch didn't pulse as quickly and instead he shut his eyes tensing at every touch of the marker. Dib wasnt there, he didn't care. Zims lekku curled, eyes keeping shut for a moment before they opened to stare dully at the ceiling.

"invaders do not show fear." A tremble pulsed through the four foot ten inch body. "Invaders do not show emotion." Zim was mumbling, lekku pressed flat against his skull. "Invad-" Dibs gloved hand rested against Zims diaphram, or where one would be, the tip of the scalpel pressed against his skin and made a vertical slice down the aliens body. Zims jaw clenched and the shaking stilled, his face contorted into a mix of restraining a scream and wanting nothing more than to let it out.

The scalpel pulled away and returned, now set to work ready to create the 'windows' of skin that would be peeled back from Zims body. Zim was nauseous now, pieces of his outer layers were now loose, he could feel the skin on his chest shift as he panted, straining to keep his mind in check. Gloved fingers picked up a new tool, a clamp. Zims head thunked against the table as one side of the clamp was pushed under his skin, into the incision. A silent scream was painted on his face as the skin was peeled away, revealing the writhing mass of freshly exposed muscles, and the wires from the PAK that leeched through his body. Said wiring twitched and curled, like a mass of worms in some spots.

the clamp was then fixed to one side of Zims body and then another came through the opposing side, peeling him open like a glued box. Zim shuddered slightly, the pain short circuiting his brain long enough for an agonized scream to leave his throat. This seemed to still the scientists on the other side of the glass. Outside his rational mind he could hear the scratching of writing utensils pause. However as Zim heard his own scream he slammed his jaw shut with a click, breathing furiously through clenched teeth.

Dib paid no mind to the scream and instead set about prodding the thin membrane layer that still protected his organs. Or organ, whichever people preferred. a small pair of surgical scissors fixed that and after setting them aside, began prodding at Zims spooch. It was easy to tell where food was digested as the area was a dark pink, having been bruised in the evacuation process.

Zim was strained, he could feel his PAK over working, trying to fix the damage done. Tiny wire tendrils meant for healing were trying to administer sedatives, numbing agents all across his body. Zim wheezed and went still his face scrunched up in pain and betrayal. It was gross and weird, feeling the fingers pressing against his spooch. Dibs fingers were gentle, as always, prodding here and there, occasionally lifting a portion which made Zims spooch twist uncomfortably and make him gag, but there was nothing left to spit up. Zim stiffened as Dibs fingers prodded lower inside him. Finding the inside view of the organs irkens were still breeding out. The masses of blood vessels, Pak wires and nerve endings made it hard to decipher. However the Spooch was an all knowing and all working organ. But with a swift push in the right place Zim felt his pale face flush and his breath hitch. Like all others of his specie the reproductive organs were kept safe, snuggled inside the body, with a smooth but tough exterior that would keep the unwanted away.

Dibs hand had just pressured the limp piece of anatomy out of the irkens body and Zim couldn't help but hiss in displeasure. It was dry, it hurt and was sure to leave the flaccid bit of flesh with a few stretch mark lacerations. Zims eyes watered, gaze fixed on the ceiling.

"...Dib."

The human paid no mind.

"Dib. The g-great Zim has a surprise for you."

The human twitched and goggles turned slowly to eye the alien curiously. Hands drifted away from the open chest and stomach cavity, Zims organ retreating back inside painfully so. The outer layer of the sheath was dry, causing the slick sensitive organ to catch and stretch in an ill fashion.

A lekku pointed at Zims wrist. Where the skin suddenly peeled apart. Dib leaned closer, some words were written in irken though he couldn't catch what they said.

"Push the button." Dib eyed Zim suspiciously and shook his head moving to return to the task at hand. Zim stiffened and panted nervously. "Nono it reveals more information... push the button. This process i-is damaging. Th-The button.." Zim trailed off and his head rested heavily against the slab. Staring dully at the ceiling.

Dib paused again, tied between staying on track and pushing the button. How would it release information? his rational mind spun its wheels for a moment and then he shrugged reaching over to press it.

Zim grinned as the device blipped, Self-Destruct Activated. Though it was said in irken and not english for the stupid earth humans to understand. Invaders could not reveal the Empires secrets. Cannot reveal what makes them tick. Letting any one specie discover an irkens weaknesses would be to let down the entire irken race.

Zim turned to Dib and stared at him, a swath of expression in his large round eyes. Dib looked at him, as quizzically as one could with tinted goggles. Zim sighed, maybe the Tallest would be proud of him now?

Zims PAK promptly exploded, the wires wrought through out his body following suit.

Within moments there was nothing but green and pink spread across the operating room, nothing distinguishable left.