Author's Notes: Introducing my new project titled "Winter's Gift" featuring Jhonen Vasquez's "Invader Zim". Thanks to those who read my first story "Under the Moonlit Sky" and for the reviews. I hope you all like this one too.
Disclaimer: I do not own Invader Zim.
Winter's Gift
Chapter 1: Worrisome Night
The room's walls and ceiling were covered with wires and screens, and other equipment quite foreign to normal human technology going by appearances, but the same in principle. It was dark in this chamber save for a few lights emitting from the screens, buttons that were scattered about, and blinking bulbs. On the floor were wires varying in color and size, running wild like vines on a tree. All the wires seem to originate from a large monitor, opposite to the room's exit, mounted on the wall crowded with images of gadgets and letters unknown to any language. In front of the giant screen were the keyboard and the throne of the operator of this machine.
The silence was broken with a loud sneeze followed by a sniffle. A tissue was discarded onto the floor, joining the many more that already littered the space immediate to the chair. It would seem this room was not so empty after all. The figure in the chair groaned, his voice weak―it did not radiate or even hint the usual vivacity and strength that regularly accompanied his words. He let out a heavy, long sigh. The chair swiveled a hundred and eighty degrees, presently facing the doorway that leads out of the room (which will henceforth be referred to as the lab due to the abundance of wires, buttons, etc.).
The figure is revealed to be Zim, an Irken Invader that landed on Earth approximately six years ago with the sole purpose of taking it over and claiming it as another addition to the Irken Empire. Although he has executed many plans to accomplish that goal, in these six years, he has yet to achieve success. Currently, however, his condition betrays the notion that he is an extraterrestrial life form bent on destroying the human race. His face conveyed distress: his crimson eyes died down to a pale, pinkish hue, his mouth was shut, refusing to utter a word in fear of wasting needed energy. His antennas lazily hung behind his head.
He rubbed his temples and closed his eyes. "Stupid Earth seasons," he grumbled. "Six years and I'm still not used to this winter season." He then folded his arms over his chest and shook violently. "Ugh! I'm more than fifty feet below ground but I still feel the cold!"
"Master, Master!" came a voice from the labyrinthine halls that faced Zim. This voice was rather cheerful and quite high pitch: much unlike how Zim is now. The owner of the voice skipped into the room holding a bowl of (green) soup. It held a huge grin, eyes wide and encouraging with its bright, blue glow.
Zim sighed and pinched the space between his eyes. "What is it now, Gir?"
"Don't worry Master, I brought you some sooop!" said Gir, still wearing that silly grin.
"Not now, Gir," Zim said exhausted.
Gir approached Zim, the soup in his outstretched arm.
"Oh, come oooon! Have sooome!"
"Gir, I said no."
"Please?"
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
The soup was starting to get too close to the Irken's face―close enough that he had to push it away. Unfortunately, Gir is too persistent.
"Please?" the little robot continued to whine, the soup being pushed back and forth between them.
"No."
"Ooooooh, pleeease! Please! Please!"
Zim gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and shook with anger. Having reached his limit, he bursted out, "Alright already!" Tired, a sigh escaped from his mouth again. He straightened himself on the chair and reached forward, his hand open, palm side up. "Just give me the soup."
"It looks like you're not in the mood, soooo," Gir looked around and went to a near feature in the lab that protruded from the wall, using it as a table for the soup. "I'll just put it here for you to eat later, okaaaay?"
Silence descended upon the room as the two stared at each other. Gir held onto that same expression he came with; Zim staring with a dumbfounded expression, his right eye twitching.
With a huge smile, Gir screamed, "I'm gonna watch the monkee on TV!" He darted from the lab, his shrill laughter filling the halls.
Zim slouched in the chair, defeated. "Ugh, the headache is back." He rubbed his temples again. "Six years and I still don't understand that robot." Turning his head, he looked at the still steaming soup, a smile creeping up to his lips. "Maybe, I will have some soup after all."
As soon as he got on his feet, the surroundings suddenly became blurry. The room spun before his eyes, forcing him to shut them. He covered over his eyes with his right hand, the other searching for support―his sense of balance dissipating.
Thud.
The sound echoed throughout the lab and into the halls. When Zim finally regained control, he found himself on the floor on his knees. He scowled and punched the floor, but immediately retracted his fist into his other hand to massage the pain away. "Ouch," he thought, "shouldn't have done that." But his frustration returned to his face. "Zim does not kneel for something as silly as this, dammit!" he proclaimed. "For an Irken Invader of my caliber to submit to fits of dizziness is completely preposterous!"
He then fell into a trance of deep thought. "Still, I have never experienced something like this before." He rubbed his chin as another thought entered his mind: "Now why would Gir give me soup? Of all the foods in this house (or base), why soup? I would've expected waffles."
Working his way onto his feet again, he grimaced at the difficulty of such a simple task. He sat back down in his chair and faced the large screen before him. His hands moved swiftly across the keyboard, not wasting any time. "Okay, soup... What is the significance of soup in Earth Culture?" As the information poured out on the screen, Zim's eyes searched up and down, left and right, for the information he sought for. "Ah," his eyes flickered, "there it is." An input of a few more keys on the keyboard caused one part of the screen to enlarge.
"Let's see..." Zim scanned the screen. "It says that soup is mainly served on cold days, blah blah." He scrolls down further on the monitor. He reads, "Soup is, according to Earth customs, the ideal meal for someone who is sick since it is widely believed that soup (especially chicken soup) has the necessary properties to help the body heal." Zim laid back on his chair and juggled everything he read in his mind for a moment. The chair rotated so that he could look at the soup that sat untouched.
"For the sick?" he mumbled. "Gir thinks I'm ill?" He frowned, declaring, "No way is Zim susceptible to diseases! I'm by far stronger than that!" Immediately, Zim stood erect in front of the computer with his hands behind his back.
"Computer!" he called out.
"What?" the computer responded irritably.
"Scan me for viral contamination!"
"Why? You feeling sick?"
"Only a precaution. Now hurry!"
The voice groaned. "Fine."
A beam of red light from the ceiling showered Zim. On the screen was a biological diagram of Zim with various charts of data and arrows pointing to different body regions.
"Scan complete!" the voice rang.
"Well?" inquired Zim.
"Nothing's out of the ordinary, okay? If that's all, can I go now?"
"Fine, go. Thanks," Zim responded, waving his hand.
The computer signed off with a beep and left Zim to ponder some more.
"Well, he did say there was nothing that really required my attention." He paused, thinking of the possibility that the computer was wrong. Catching himself being swayed by negative thoughts, he shook his head. "No, everything's fine." A chuckle then followed his statement. "Look at me, being scared and worried about something that may not even be there."
A beep came from the computer, capturing Zim's attention. "Huh, would'ja look at that - it's already twelve o'clock. Guess it's time for me to retire." He yawned as he started for the exit. "Lights, off!"
With that, the lab was plunged into darkness, watching Zim's figure recede into the hallway; lights, mounted on the walls, turning off behind him.
End of Chapter 1
Author's Notes: Well, there you go. Getting started was pretty hard and I couldn't decide whether to make this chapter longer. In the end, I decided that this was a sufficient length for the introduction.
I don't know how often I will be updating, but I will try my best.