The Karma Circle: Writer's Block

by SaintHeartwing

Dibbun Membrane is a highly successful young author. At only age 25 he's already written many popular stories that have swiftly risen to the top of the best sellers lists, made quickly run out of stock, and enjoyed immense fame. What he doesn't know is that his character Zim is more real than he thinks...and wants the ending done HIS way. Or else.

Welcome, children. Welcome…to the KARMA CIRCLE.

The sweet longings of a maiden, tender words of her love, the foul designs of a murderer, the wretched pleas of his victims. Only when the writer puts their words to the page are they cast loose, freed. The writer brings them to life and there comes a time when it's less them writing the story than the story telling THEM what should be written. Those within the tale take on a life of their own as it goes on and on, and draws others into its embrace. Such is the power of a good work of fiction.

But…what happens when the work isn't ready to let go? What happens when the work truly does take on a life of its own?

And keeps demanding more?

And more?

And MORE?

He scribbled out the outline for the next chapter, brow furrowed over his thick glasses, biting slightly into his lip. Dib Membrane's black hair was messy and unkept from a terrible night's sleep as he tried to figure out the next chapter in his tale. He tapped the pencil against the paper, cringing a bit, bobbing his head back and forth. What to write, what to write, what to write?

He was on the next book in his award-winning, New York Times best-selling series, "Invader Zim", a tale about an insectoid alien invader who came from beyond the stars to Earth, and all the various adventures and misadventures his rival, whom Dib had named "Dib" as well. He'd even slowly, over time, adapted Dib's likeness to his own.

This was twofold. It allowed him to better relate to Dib as a character and allowed him to incorporate real-life elements into his work as inspiration, and inspired he was! In fact-

Let it go...Let it roll right off your shoulder, don'tcha know-!

Dib sat up immediately and reached into the dark jacket he wore, quickly taking out his little Iphone and holding it to his ear. "Hello? Talk to me."

"Dib, it's me, I'm outside your stupid house. Open the damn door."

Dib cringed. "Be right there." He muttered out, putting the Iphone down and heading out his room, past flopped-aside books, a few tossed-back bottles of Mountain Dew to get him charged and prepped for a long night of writing, and his large bookshelves.

All, of course, containing his work. He smirked inwardly as he descended the stairway, turning away from the end of the hall where his sister's room HAD been and opening up the front door at the bottom of the long staircase, his sister's purple hair slightly frazzled, a few bags under her eyes which she didn't feel free to address as she folded her slender arms over the dark hoodie she wore. "Dad wants us to get together at the usual spot for our annual family dinner and photograph."

"You came in person to tell me that?" Dib remarked with a slight raise of his eyebrow. "He always picks the same restaurant, that stupid pizza joint."

He immediately regretted saying it, flinching a bit as he saw Gaz's arm muscles tighten. It was special to her. She'd always been far closer to their mother than he'd been. It hadn't been entirely by choice, Dad had wanted him to pursue in his footsteps, but it had ended up being a moot point in the end and a cruel joke when-

"I didn't mean-"

"I need fifty bucks." Gaz mumbled. "I need some money for food and gas until my next paycheck comes in."

"You could just move back-" Dib began to speak up, Gaz cringing slightly as Dib held his hands up. "Alright, alright." He said, taking out his wallet, giving her a full hundred. "Just in case some extra expenses pop up." He added, Gaz pocketing the Franklin in her pocket and giving him a curt nod.

"Be there same time as always, alright? And wear something nice. And something other than black for a change." She added, heading away from his house with a swift stride, making for her beat-up, ramshackle Pinto she had parked by the sidewalk, Dib groaning inwardly. Why couldn't Gaz just move back in? Was she THAT uncomfortable being in his debt? Judging from how emaciated her arms were, it had taken days to ask up the courage to get yet another "loan" from him. It would be so much easier if she'd just tell her landlord to shove it and come back to his house.

He had thought, after striking it big with his novels and getting his own place, she'd be happy to move in. After all, Dad was only ever around every holiday what with work and all. Being a scientist was so taxing, as Matthew Membrane always said. Yet Gaz had moved out just a year after the books took off.

Was she…?

Oh, it didn't matter. He had work to do. He turned around, heading for the stairway when he suddenly realized somebody was standing outside by the sidewalk. He'd just seen them approaching out of the corner of his eye and they had on an…unusual attire. He blinked, looking the dark-clad being over, raising an eyebrow up. They seemed to have a package for him and were, interestingly, cosplaying as…an Irken. One of his species he'd made! Yes, black antennae, green skin, deeply colored eyes of an almost singular color, three-clawed hand…and all-dark clothing, indicative of an "Irken Communications Officer" with black longsleeves and slightly bellbottom-esque pants, a "mask" for the lower region of his face acting more like a reverse headkerchief, and the communications chip on each side of his head for messages. VERY convincing.

Looking at the package in the "communication officer's" hand, he picked it up. "Can I help you?" Dib asked, very impressed by the lengths to which this person had gone. Was it Zimri? Possibly. His old high school classmate Zimri, who ironically now lived right down the street from him and worked as a lawyer in the city's court, had rather quickly deduced that the character of Zim was meant to be based on him and had occasionally dressed up as Zim. Was this a new cost-

"I'd like you to give me your autograph, Dib. And in return, I'd like to give you some advice. I know you're at your final book, after all. It's quite difficult deciding how to end things. That's the trickiest part, in my opinion. How to END a good story." The black-eyed "communications officer" remarked as Dib opened up the package, seeing it was a copy of his massive crossover work he'd called "Breaking Dawn". It had analyzed a possibility of what would happen if the inhabitants of his own world realized they were real. A branching timeline running concurrent with his current story. And one that had paid massive tribute to his fans.

No, no, it wasn't Zimri's voice. Someone else. Ah well. "Yes, it's quite difficult to end a story well." Dib admitted to his fan as the fan nodded, Dib signing the inside cover. He didn't mind. He signed things all the time. Besides, he had great security cameras and tech to keep himself safe inside his house…and mace on hand all the time.

"If you want some idea on how to end it…I'll say this. Sometimes it doesn't have to end with a bang." The fan remarked. "Sometimes it can be just a whimper. Or rather…a soft sigh or satisfaction." He added with a small smile. "It can be tempting to do something big and exciting, but…sometimes it's just the quieter joys that really make you realize how beautiful life is. Much like how a quiet moment in a film can add such a breath of fresh air."

"I'll…remember that." Dib said, a look of confusion on his face as the "Irken" took the book back and bowed his head, heading down the sidewalk, Dib heading back inside the house, closing and locking the door again as he made for his room. Time to get back to writing, he thought.

Unaware of the dark storm clouds rolling in to his neighborhood.

…

…

…

…the mist slowly crowded its way around his home, slinking through the houses about him, coalescing around his little island in suburbia. Dibbun Membrane's place was now shrouded in mist, the rain pounding relentlessly against the glass as Dib cringed, leaning back in his chair, pencil stuck in one ear, trying to figure out how to continue the story. Zim, the chief antagonist, was now trapped inside his home, a horde of furious, angry Earthlings outside. The Tallest had come to Earth…and they'd demanded Zim. Or ELSE. His character Dib had been vindicated, and he had a plan. It involved getting hold of Zim and essentially booby-trapping him, blowing him, the Tallest and the Massive up all in one fell swoop, crippling the Irken race and allowing his new friends, the Resisty, to swoop in and save the Earth with him at the front. Vindication and satisfaction justly earned.

Yet Dib Membrane couldn't concentrate. Couldn't think of what to write next. The rain went PLAPPA-PLAP, PLAPPA-PLAP against the glass of his windows, the tree branches outside almost threatening to be torn off in the wind as he moaned. What was Zim supposed to do? The house was surrounded. He'd written himself and his character into a corner. GIR, Zim's robot servant, was out with Minimoose, his other robotic helper, eating waffles down the street in town. Zim had angrily thrown them out after an argument earlier in the story because GIR had told "Mary", or what he called his character Dib, about how Zim's automated defenses could be shut down in exchange for waffle money.

Was THIS how Zim's story ended? Just forcibly blown up? His "PAK" on his back injected with a Trojan virus, ripping through the Massive in burning flame?

THUMPA-THUMPA-THUMPA. The pounding of the rain was becoming even more heavy, almost like the beating of his heart as Dib moaned and stood up. He glanced out the window, frowning. Ugh. The rainclouds were blocking his view of the moon. It always made him feel inspired to look up at that celestial body, he inwardly sighed as he shook his head back and forth. "THINK!" He said aloud. "What would Zim do? What does he have? What-"

It was then that the "THUMP-THUMP-THUMP" suddenly reached his ears. REALLY reached his ears. And he realized it wasn't rain. Blinking a bit, he quickly raced over to his computer console by his bed, turning it on and accessing the security program, blinking in surprise. Another fan? Dressed up as Zim, no less. Red/maroon eyes, that pinkish/red "dress" of attire, black gloves and-

"Zimri, is that you?" Dib moaned, pulling down his face, sighing deeply. He'd dressed up as Zim several times as a joke on Halloween or had stopped by Dib's house for parties once in a while. Was he really here for another party? It was, like, one in the morning!

"You know…my house has always got nearly everything I need. You sure you're not forgetting something?" Zimri asked, folding his arms over his chest, Dib surprised he didn't look that wet at all as he scratched his head. And Zimri's voice sounded rather…high pitched. Almost grating.

"Have you been drinking?" Dib asked, raising an eyebrow. "Celebrating a good case? Oh, whatever. Look, Zimri, I told you the last time, I don't wanna go over to YOUR place for a party, okay? It smells like MONKEYS. And I hate watching those stupid internet videos you like. I'm sorry, I know you love them, but I don't." He apologized.

"Alright, alright. Just…putting it out there. After all…I AM Zim." Zimri chuckled, Dib rolling his eyes, turning back to his desk and plopping back inside of it, the pounding of the rain continuing to drill its way into his skull almost like a metronome before Dib snapped his fingers.

"OH! Of course! The laboratory entrance! Zim could use that to escape. Guess you could say Dib's plans for catching Zim go…DOWN THE CRAPPER." Dib chuckled aloud, giving off a little "yeeaaaah" inside his head as he began to scribble down notes back onto the paper he had…

Unaware Zimri now stood at the far end of the hall, bloody, ugly rust spreading across the floors and walls, rising across the ceiling, infinite darkness stretching behind him, eyes bugged out and full of joy as an unholy smile spread across his features. He'd sunk his claws into him. HIS. First the house. Then even more. Then Dib would be all his.

Dib blinked in surprise, glancing about. Was it him, or did it feel…colder for some reason? Like…had he left the door open? He turned around, heading down the hallway, looking down the stairs, an eyebrow raised.

No. The door was locked. Nobody there in the house. No wet footprints on the stairs or door ajar, nothing of the sort. How very strange.

Dib shrugged at this, heading back to his room, yawning a little. Well, he'd written enough for tonight. It was time to get some rest. He had a big day ahead of him tomorrow, after all.

…yes. A very big day.

…

…

…

…Dib had never exactly liked Bloaty's Pizza Hog. That big, fat, overstuffed pig mascot had always seemed to be sobbing on the inside, keenly aware he had no life. People who had to dress up as the Starbucks cup and dance about outside with a fakey cartoony smile on their faces had more dignity than that sad sack, Dib had always thought as he looked over at "Bloaty the Pig", peeking backstage since, after all, this was where the adult restroom was. The kiddy restroom and "family" restroom were right in front, but the more refined restroom was in the back, and if you were lucky, you got to peek in on how the set for Bloaty's stage performance worked. Dib had discovered it very early while exploring one day at one of his father's annual get-togethers and he'd SWORN he'd seen one of the toys actually staring back at him…when it was supposed to be off.

But now he saw something else. Zimri's bad hair was obvious to see, the short, stubborn little high-pitched foreigner turning around, turning slightly green in surprise. "AH! You see nothing!" He exclaimed, cringing as he put on the Bloaty's head over his costumed, tubby body, Dib sighing.

"Oh, Zimri. I thought you had a good job at the courts? And could afford a better hairstyle. It looks so FAKE."

"It doesn't ALWAYS pay the bills, so…I do this on the weekends nowadays." Zimri muttered, shaking his head back and forth. "I need the monies, okay?"

Monies. Dib smiled inwardly. English wasn't Zimri's first language, so he was always messing up in terms of terminology. He even had a funny way of pronouncing the word "human". Well, if HE'D come from the Middle East, he'd probably have odd eating habits and a funny voice too. "You've been a big source of inspiration, you know. I owe a lot to you." Dib admitted.

"You figured out how you're going to end the book?" Zimri wanted to know as Dib chuckled.

"Hey, watch it, or I'll kill off three of your favorite characters." Dib warned him with a laugh, heading backstage to go meet with Gaz and his father, Zimri doing a few stretches as he got himself ready for his performance as "Bloaty"…unaware that a small, robotic-looking doll that lay by the other dolls was now rising up, its eyes turning from cyan blue to a deep red.

"It's good that costume is so big and fat."

Zimri stiffened a bit at the cold, mechanical tone of the voice.

"Otherwise you'd be able to run away and I couldn't catch you."

Zimri didn't even have time to scream.

…

…

…

…Dib slowly chewed on the pizza, his father simply talking, talking, talking as Gaz looked over at him from across the table. Dib wanted to pay attention, honestly, but his father's talking dissertation on what-the-hell-ever was not interesting. Boring sciency talk. YAWN. He'd outgrown his "real science" phase more quickly than Gaz had outgrown that High School Wiccan phase of her life, which she had SWORN had sent one "Iggins O'hare" down an elevator shaft. More than likely, it had just been an industrial accent, but still, Dib sometimes wondered if Gaz had anything to do with it.

"And then by reversing the polarity of the neutron flow…" Professor Membrane went on, some pizza grease dripping down from the chunk Dib was eating onto the paper placemats below. They'd be fun to draw on as a kid, now they were just a reminder the place was so cheap it couldn't afford proper placemats that would hold greasy pizza! But then the jukebox suddenly began playing a different tune. A cute little tune, "Top of the World" by the Carpenters. Matthew Membrane halted his little spiel, the black-gloved hand that gripped his drink cup now tightening slightly, cracking the cup a little as he shuddered and…tried to force back tears?

"Dad?" Dib murmured quietly, Zimri's costumed form coming out onto the stage.

"Now a special performance for a VERY special friend, Dibby!" "Bloaty" sang out, strumming on his guitar as Membrane took off his goggles and wiped off the lenses, Dib seeing his father's eyes had gone puffy.

"I'm-I'm sorry, it's…it's just this-this was the song your mother and I chose to be our song. We met in a bar over this." Prof. Membrane admitted quietly. "…I…I just…"

Dib wanted to say something. Gaz put a hand on her father's shoulder, looking slightly concerned, glancing over at Dib, eyes glaring at him to speak up.

"C'mon, sing along!" Bloaty the Pizza Hog sang out from the stage, the little kiddies waving their arms in the air from their own tables as the neon lights of the Bloaty's Pizza Hog stage swayed back and forth, Dib biting his lip before at last putting out a hand and placing it on his Dad's, bringing it down to the table.

"Maybe we should…go home? And just look at old photographs?" He asked. "I've still kept the albums you gave me for Christmas."

"…I would like that." Professor Membrane admitted, the three of them getting up as Professor Membrane put down a small stack of bills onto the table to pay for the dish, Bloaty continuing to play from the stage, his eyes momentarily turning offstage to look at-

Ohhh no. Master was not pleased.

Not at all.

…

…

…

…Dib was back to writing the next day, leaning back in his chair before scribbling a few notes. He'd become inspired from last night and was now writing a scene out in which Zim and Dib spoke with each other. Zim was in the basement, a small window partially open to allow Dib to peek in and speak whilst Zim laid down in his lab, trying to craft a spaceship from laboratory parts. But Zim had been failing miserably and was now lying against the wall, going into a breakdown. Dib, upon hearing this, was now genuinely stunned, and so was trying to simply…talk. To just talk. Because of how…sad it was to see Zim like this.

"I don't want your help, HUUUUMAN!"

"It isn't help, this is…I can't stand seeing you like this. It's not you."

"How would you know me?"

"I know you better than YOU know you. Because you're not honest with yourself. And you know me better than I know me because I'm not honest with MYSELF."

"…you feel LOST without me up there as a threat. Part of you doesn't want to think of me as this ugly invader from space because you know when I'm defeated, you'll have nothing. In time they'll forget what you did and you'll just go back to chasing smelly BIGFEET. You feel you NEED to always stop me because I'm the closest you have to a friend!"

"And you hate being alone. It's why you made yourself an extra companion and the real reason why you always like bragging to me. You want me to pay attention to you."

"INVADERS NEED NO ONE!"

THUMPA-THUMPA-THUMPA.

Dib sat up, glancing about. The rain had come back in full force, the skies darkening and foul, making him cringe. Why in the hell was it so rainy this week? He thought for sure the stupid weatherman had said sunshine all-

THOOMP-THOOMP-THOOMP.

What.

WHAT.

The door to his room. That had been on the door to his ROOM. He slowly turned around, eyes widening behind his glasses, a sense of terrible, ugly fear rising in him as he looked down at what was beneath the door.

A set of boots illuminated by hallway light. Familiar boots belonging to a short-

Dib DOVE for the door, slamming it shut instantly with a swift blow of his shoulders, the force of the blow knocking whoever was trying to come in back as he locked the door and stepped back, clutching his shoulder. "ERGH…" It felt like dark ice was shooting up his arm as soft footfalls made their way down the hallway and the knocking came again.

"Zim has to get out of the basement. He'll find an engine part and blast off into space to join the Tallest, taking advantage of the Massive and it's Orbital-"

"You're. Not. THERE." Dib growled out. He didn't know how. He had NO idea. But he didn't want to know. He'd know that voice anywhere and he wasn't going to let the owner tell him what to do. This was his story and he wasn't going to have this…THING on the other end of the door butt in. He didn't trust it as far as he could throw it…though as tiny as Zim was, he could probably throw him pretty far!

"I suppose talking to people who aren't there is a good sign of insanity."

"Somebody's just trying to trick me. You're Zimri, aren't you? No, Zimri wouldn't be able to get inside the house, I LOCKED it, I know I did."

"Paranoia is usually another good sign of insanity."

"I'm going to ignore you." Dib mumbled. "I've read every Stephen King book ever. I'm not leaving the room, I'm calling the cops and I'll just tell them some crazy fan dressed up as Zim tried to get into my house. "Oh, help me, officer, he's right outside the door, I think he has a gun"!"

The thing on the other end of the door then LAUGHED. High, cold, calculating. Dib shuddered, clutching himself as he shook his head back and forth, the entire house seeming to shake with the horrific laughter.

"Oh, you don't want to do that!" The thing finally finished. "I didn't come here to be denied. You birthed me. Now you owe me my birthday present. The Earth. And if you don't, I'll just do to Daddy what I did to Zimri."

Dib paled.

"He didn't really last that long once GIR scooped him out. Kind of hard to get in the suit himself, so I just had him get rid of all that ugly stuffing inside the head. Really easy then."

"…you monster." Dib whispered, the tears now springing to his eyes. "You FUCKING monster-"

"You're going to do what I say or they die."

"I'll call them now. Tell them a stalker is trying to hurt me through them. They'll just SHOOT you." Dib growled back, quickly dialing up the phone as the house began to shake, Zim's laughter getting louder, louder, LOUDER-

Then vanishing as Dib finally got through. "GAZ?!" He cried out. "Gaz, you there?"

"What is it?" Gaz asked, frowning a bit on the other end, sitting up from the park bench she was lying down at, rolling her eyes. "How come you're calling now? Look, my paycheck hasn't come in, I'm sorry."

"It isn't that, this creepy thing…I think it's some crazed fan is trying to hunt me down. He said he'd get to me through you, he's dressed like that alien I write about!" Dib insisted, pacing back and forth in his room as Gaz looked surprised and alarmed, blinking in surprise as she sat up, glancing around down the sidewalk by the park she was now sitting close to, looking down the road.

"What, really? Okay, I'll…I'll go call dad and let him know too." Gaz said quietly. "And I guess I should call the cops?"

"Yes, get to a station, tell them you're worried somebody's after you, tell them exactly who you are, you should get a detail assigned to you." Dib added, Gaz sighing in relief.

"Thanks, Dib, this…this means a lot to me." She murmured softly. "I'm glad you called me about this. We don't speak much anymore. I didn't mean for it to get like that but…"

"I know." Dib admitted quietly. "I know."

With that, he turned the phone off, Gaz quickly striding down the sidewalk, making her way through the dark rain as she shivered a bit. Ugh, she hated the way the wind stung in her face, whipping at her clothes as she raced down the sidewalk towards the police station at the end of the block, seeing the faint red and blue lights of-

Wait.

Wait, no, the…that wasn't a police car, the lights in the distance were too close together, it-

A form was making its way through the dark rain, its eyes changing from red to blue, blue to red, its face looking…pained…as it approached her.

"I don't hate you." It spoke up softly. "Master does. I'm sorry."

Gaz would not be terrified. She growled, reaching into the purse she had, whipping out her mace, firing it at the robot…who just stood there, the mace drizzling down his face as she then just decided "f—k it", tossing the purse at him, the robot being knocked over as she barreled by him and raced towards the police station. She panted and heaved, the rain feeling like heavy blows landing down on her face as her chest rose and fell, the station barely visible through the dark rain as it continued to pour. It was getting closer with every step, fifty yards, forty, thirty, twenty-

Gaz tripped, falling to the ground, pain shooting up her arm as it shot out to try and break her fall. She cringed, trying to get to her feet, seeing a hand extended in front of her-

Two-digited, clawed hand. Green. Long, thin…deep red eyes staring down at her, a pair of purple eyes by his side.

"No. No, please."

"Oh, quiet, human. Don't be such a whiner."

…

…

…

…Dib hung his head, covering it with his hands, the cold, triumphant laughter outside his locked room echoing through the house. His cell phone reception was gone, somehow the dark mist that had enveloped the town was interfering. The house line was downstairs…the windows barred, his door locked for his own safety, and for all he knew he'd lost his father as well as his best friend and sister.

He didn't need to see anything else other than the purple lock of hair Zim had allowed to fall to the floor. That bloody bit alone had been sufficient.

Now he sobbed quietly in the corner, his books strewn across the room, Zim's laughter beginning to die down. "Start writing." His creation ordered. "Now."

"N-no…NO." Dib whispered out in between his sobs.

"START WRITING."

No. No, he wouldn't. He wasn't going to let Zim take control. The door shuddered and banged, Zim's growls coming from the other side.

"You're so lucky I do not HAVE that PAK you gave me in the story…if I did I'd break in easily." Zim cursed aloud, slamming his fists against the door frame as Dib inwardly breathed a sigh of relief before GIR's voice echoed through the doorway.

"Don't fight us, Mary. It's so much better if you don't fight. You won't hurt."

"You've already hurt me more than you can imagine!" Dib screamed out, snarling as he grabbed hold of the trash bin, tossing it at the doorway as it bonked off, Zim chuckling darkly from the other side.

"You can't be mad at me, father. You created me. I'm just what you made. And I'm beginning to seep into every little bit of your life. First your home. Then your family. Soon your dreams. And then…"

"You're not taking anything else from me." Dib said with a furious growl. "If I DIE, the story ends and you'll die with it." He reasoned, glancing around the room as Zim "ho-humed" from the other side.

"Too bad you didn't bother to pack a gun or a knife in there. What, you wanna stab yourself in the neck with that stubby pencil you've got?"

Dib paled, his hand dropping the pencil he had picked up from the desk, slowly turning his face around to gape at the door. "H-how did…?"

"I'm beginning to see through your eyes, Dib. I told you. Soon I'll claim all of you. Every day I'm getting more and more of your life. I would have gotten here sooner, but, well, you put my final story off, the big finish, to work on that…other book." Zim muttered balefully. "The one with that stupid communications officer."

Dib grunted, flopping onto the bed and covering his head with the pillow. "I'm not listening, la-la-la! I can't hear you, la-la-la! You're going away now!"

He tried to drown out Zim's mocking voice until it became just a dull roar, like the continuous thudding of the rain outside on his windows, beating like his heart as he slowly but surely drifted off into uneasy sleep. Yet even in slumber, he found himself wrapped in the dark mists, standing in a park stairway, a highway behind him with…

An all-too-familiar form standing underneath a street lamp, GIR coated in blood, walking towards him as Zim calmly strode alongside, nonchalantly holding onto a pair of familiar and bloodied goggles. "Oh, isn't this helpful? Now you're mine, huuuuman."

Dib BOLTED as GIR raced after him, the mist choking at his lungs as he barreled down the stairs, GIR's claw-like hand lashing out, slicing at his jacketed form. Dib ducked, diving under the sweep, Zim's horrid laughter echoing through the air as Dib headed for the forest in the distance. He swerved through the trees, no birds chirping, nothing but the faint buzzing of insects hissing from all around him, surrounding him, their loud hisses suffocating him-

He ducked, GIR's swing avoiding him narrowly, cutting through a lock of hair at the top, and Dib shot his foot out, kicking the robot squarely in the stomach, making him reel back as Dib bolted off for a far-off facsimile of Bloaty's in the distance, faintly visible atop a hill just beyond the park as Zim's voice echoed out over the dark recesses of the woods.

"Poor old GIR…his insides are now a hideous blob of stolen organs. Now if he only had a HEART…"

"You're INSANE!" Dib screamed out, barreling through the trees…before two tall forms stepped out, suspended on PAK legs, red and purple eyes glowering, practically joined at the hip as the blood from their kill still sat fresh on their chest armor, Red and Purple smirking at him.

"You're one to talk. Let's be honest, you've always hated yourself." Red intoned, advancing towards Dib, swinging a PAK leg, Dib ducking underneath it, rolling away, slamming into a tree and heaving, eyes bugged out in horror as Purple cracked his knuckles.

"You hate that you're God. That you can play with people's lives and kill them whenever you think it adds to the drama." Purple said calmly. "Well…" He grinned. "Now you'll be on the receiving end of that pain."

"I've NEVER thought of people like you like that! You're all dear to me! Like real family!" Dib insisted, panting heavily as he scrambled up and dived away to avoid a strike from a PAK leg, racing for the Bloaty's Pizza Hog atop the hill.

"Tell me, how does it feel to die by the hands of your own creations?!" Red and Purple spoke as one, Dib covering his ears, shaking his head back and forth as the wind began to pick up, dark mist enveloping the forest behind him, heavy, hard rain pouring down, threatening to engulf him as he raced up the hill. His heart was in his mouth, threatening to choke him as he shot up the pathway to Bloaty's, reaching out, grabbing hold of the door and slamming it shut, pulling the lock down as the doorway shuddered and shook.

"You can't keep us out foreveeeeeeer." Zim remarked in a sing-song voice outside, the Bloaty's beginning to be assaulted by the awful rain as Dib laid down behind the jukebox, cringing, covering his head and biting into his lip. Damn it, damn it, damn it! How?! How was he going to get out of here? How? There was no way out.

"Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE."

The television screens for in the corner of Bloaty's began to pop on, a singular, pulsating eye showing…no. Oh no. Not Gaz. Her familiar amber eye staring back, blood dripping down past the sides, accusing and hateful, commanding…

"DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE! DIE!"

"Such a disappointment son." Professor Membrane's voice echoed out over the PDA system by the stage. "SUCH…a disappointment to see you waste your life away. I almost wish sometimes you'd died instead of Peg-"

"SHUT UP! YOU'RE! NOT! THERE!" Dib screamed out, slamming the back of his head into the jukebox…

The Carpenter's Song beginning to play, the television and PDA system shutting off as Dib's eyes shot open, tears beginning to trail down his cheeks as he slowly stood up, turning around and placing his hand on the jukebox, just listening to the song as he bounced his head back and forth to the music.

"I'm on the…top of the woooorld looking…down on creation…"

"…down on…creation…" Dib murmured softly. "…love puts you at the top of…"

Sometimes it doesn't have to end with a bang. Sometimes it can be just a whimper. Or rather…a soft sigh or satisfaction. It can be tempting to do something big and exciting, but…sometimes it's just the quieter joys that really make you realize how beautiful life is."

Dib slowly reached into his pocket, pulling out the pencil within, and glanced over at a nearby table. It had a paper placemat. Blank. Easy to drawn on…

Or write on.

Dib sat down at the table, and began to write.

Dib adjusted the bubble on his head and sighed as he walked out to sit atop the huge, hulking frame of the collided spaceships. The Irken ship had taken the most damage, it was beyond repair. Now all Dib had to do was wait. He placed his chin on his hands, which were resting on his knees, and he looked up at the swirling atmosphere of Irk. He didn't have to wait LONG though. A few minutes later a black-gloved fist PUNCHED his way out of the wreckage of the other ship and Zim the Irken snarled, an invisible bubble on his head the same way one was on Dib's.

"How…DARE you!" Zim snarled, pointing his finger/claw at Dib. "I know ALL about what you've done! You and the Resisty's plans! You were deliberately keeping me down on Earth and the Massive around your stupid planet until they were finished!"

"Yeah, I'm sure you've heard." Dib said, waiting. It would dawn on Zim soon enough. "About time you finished. Can't believe you chased me all the way here, HOW many of your own ships did you plow through?"

"SHUT UP!"

"I'm just surprised Tak's fighter managed to take out the Massive's engines. She SERIOUSLY did an amazing job. I should thank her when I get back home. She's really a nice girl once you get to know her."

"BE QUIET! How dare you and your filthy goat friend…how dare you! How dare you let that filthy goaty head use our young ones for his own twisted purposes of destruction! How dare that fool Nar convince others he's some kind of…some kind of GOD so he can manipulate THEM too! How dare you bring such destruction to my planet! Make my people scream with fear and terror! You dared to flood where I used EAT with…with disgusting FILTH! How dare you…"

Zim's voice was slowly beginning to lose it's venom. Now something else was creeping into it as it got softer and softer.

"How…dare your friends…disguise yourself and…infiltrate my planet…earn people's trust to…ultimately…destroy…"

And with that, he stopped. He blinked. His voice gaining a quiet, guilty tone.

"Oh."

"Yeah." Dib remarked. "OH."

Zim was quiet for a long time. He nervously bit his lip and rubbed the back of his neck. Finally he spoke up. "I uh… guess you…um…" He began.

"Why don't you help me repair the ship?" Dib asked. He held his hand out.

Zim looked at the hand. Then he looked back up at Dib.

And then then smiled. And he shook.

"Tonight…when we get back HOME? Let's go star gazing." Dib said. "I know a REALLY good spot." The Earthling told Zim with a small smile.

The Bloaty's stopped shaking.

…and the light came in.

…

…

…

…the warmth bathed over him, Dib rubbing his eyes as he slowly woke up, turning to see the black-clothed communications officer he'd met before gently handing him what could only be one of the first copies of his new book, Dib's eyes widening behind his glasses as he sat up in his room.

"It's a real good ending. Probably the best it could have ever gotten." He admitted. "…your family's gonna love it, I know."

"…you…knew it was going to happen?" Dib quietly asked, the black-clothed figure nodding, spiky antennae hanging low as Dib slowly sat up in his room, looking down the hall…Gaz tucked in to bed, a clear and obvious set of knife wounds wrapped up on her body, but…her father was sleeping in a chair next to her in her little bedroom, a warm smell wafting up from the kitchen downstairs like…waffles? Wait. No, no, it couldn't be…could it?

"Mmm. These're gonna be GOOD." A familiar, high-pitched voice drifted up from downstairs. "
C'mon, buddy! We'll bring your sister breakfast in bed. She needs it even more than I did after that freak accident at Bloaty's."

"I had to help you. You deserved better. And truth be told, so did they." The dark-eyed Irken said, jabbing a claw at the book in his hand, the title "Invader Dib" clearly stamped on the top as he smiled warmly. "You saw that. A way for him to appreciate what he had. A way for the true Zim to get his voice out and to bury the bit that didn't want to die."

"…was he ever really alive?"

"Do you really CARE?"

Dib decided he didn't, shaking his head. "I'm glad it's over. That it's ended."

The black-eyed being smiled. "Dib…Invader Zim never really ends. Not really. It goes on where it matters." He said...

Vanishing a moment later with the story, Dib sighing in a relief as he headed down the stairs and for the kitchen, Zimri smiling broadly, hunched over the stove and cooking Belgian waffles as Dib approached from the hall. "You slept in late. Gaz'll love to see you with chocolate chip Belgian waffles in your hands on her little piggy plate."

"You still remember that from the Christmas party all those years ago?" Dib asked with a chuckle, glancing out the window, blinking as he saw a familiar sight. "Well look at that."

"Yep. Gonna be a beautiful sunny day out." Zimri admitted cheerily as Dib adjusted his glasses and shook his head.

"Nah…not that."

"What?"

"…the moon's out."

And sure enough…that night…

"You know Dib…" Zim spoke softly. "I've never really looked at this before…"

"I know. This is quite the sight." Dib admitted. "It's beautiful isn't it?"

They all sat on the moon on a tall hill, calmly watching the Earth as the stars twinkled around it, Zim's eyes slowly widened.

"Yeah…it IS." Zim whispered, eyes widening. "…it really is."

And so they all sat there, just watching the Earth turn slowly, a single blue gem…

"It's a small thing. It might not SEEM important, but…it's far more special than anybody can guess." Dib said softly.

You just had to take a few steps back to understand what it truly was…

"A little wonder lying there for all to see."