April's Fool

(A short Zadr Story)

Chapter 1: Missing You.

The... Dib... is dead?

Zim's, now, almost lifeless brown eyes glanced around the crowd of gathered people dressed in black. His usual paranoia and fear gone. He pushed himself through the arguably small crowd and made his way to the front to see for himself. He couldn't believe the hushed rumors his antennae had caught. It couldn't be true. The little Invader just refused to believe it- the thought had caused him too much pain.Dib, you stupid human! You can't be-

He froze.

In front of him was a black coffin, being ready to get buried beneath the ground. It was very elegant and expensive looking, and yet it seemed to fit Dib perfectly. Flowers (from Professor Membrane and the other Professors who couldn't make it) aligned the grave already. Red, purple, blue, many different colors making it look strangely soft. Pictures of Dib could be seen behind them as they swayed in the gentle warm breeze of spring. Zim, surprisingly, was in almost every one of them if not all. Zim closed his eyes, his heart dropping to the pit of his stomach, all remaining emotions faded. He felt nothing, but a sharp agonizing pain in his chest.

Tears...

Tears slid across his cheek and fell to the ground below. Letting out a soft sob, the curious alien was only able to open one eye to see what was making the liquid fall on his face. He silently lifted up one hand and brushed it across his cheek before he brought it up to examine it.What... what is this? What... what am I doing? ... Why? The Invader could only close his eye again and clench that hand close to his chest. Letting out another low sob.

These... these feelings..

... What are they?

The coffin groaned suddenly as they began to lower it into the giant hole. Zim quickly jerked up his bowed head and looked into the darkness he would lose Dib to, a low growl rumbled in his throat. He couldn't let this happen- it just wasn't how it was suppose to end! He reached out his gloved hand to try and reach the coffin as if trying to touch Dib for the last time. Pain was embedded deep in his heart.

His glove grazed the box.

"N.. no, wait!" His voice was hoarse and hard to hear over the wind. That, or his demand had been ignored. It went it. Making a loud THUNK that caused Zim to cringe. He sadly glanced back down to the coffin for the final time before the dirt was dumped on top of it. Everyone was dismissed but he didn't seem to notice or hear the preacher calling the burial to an end. The Invader just stood there silently, staring into the dirt with a blank face. Hurt clear in his gaze. For once, the little Irken was lost on what to do next. His brain not wanting to put things together- until he felt a warm hand on his shoulder.

He hissed and spun around. "Don't touch me!" A low growl. He still wasn't acting like himself. Zim's usual reply would have been something like 'filthy, filthy germs!' with an added 'I mean.. I'm normal, see?' and then do something stupid. Yet he could do nothing more then glare at the elderly preacher with hatred and contempt.

".. easy there kid, easy. It will all be ok. I promise. Why not come back later when we get him completely buried and tombstone in."

The words were all fuzzy to him, but he got the jest. Zim needed to leave so the humans could finish their business with the grave. He would be welcome to come back later when they finished. With a bowed head he left the graveyard, sullen. Tears began to fall down his face again, but he ignored them, uncaring to who saw the grand Invader broken and upset. There was only one place now he could head to sort out his feelings; home. Yet, that place wasn't so interesting now either. Without Dib trying to get in and foil his mission, it just didn't seem like fun anymore. Not to mention an eager Gir would be waiting for him to barely cross the threshold before lunging on top of Zim- which he definitely wasn't in the mood for. With no where else to go though, he had no choice. His direction was set for home. The walk was silent and lonely. Still no signs of his paranoia or fear but only anguish. He had made sure to skip the path that cuts in front of Dib's house.

Finally, he approached the door, raising his hand up hesitantly to grab the doorknob. Memories flashed through his head of how many times Dib had touched that same exact doorknob and for what reason. The Invader pulled his hand away quickly a pained expression crossing his face as if he had been zapped. "W.. what the-?!" He stared at the knob- like it was a venomous snake. Thankfully, Gir had heard his master through the door...

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeee! Masteeersss hooomme!" He squealed and ran to the door throwing it open. "I MIIISSSED YOU Ma-" The dysfunctional SIR unit paused once it noticed the broken look across Zim's face. He glanced at Zim quietly. Zim only angrily pushed Gir out of the way to let himself in.
"Move Gir, you're in the way!"
"Buu-... what's wroong?"

Zim didn't answer, doing his best to ignore him. He wanted nothing to do with his base, or Gir, or anything for that matter. He sat down on the couch silently, staring into the t.v but not really seeing what was moving along the screen. All he could see, was Dib. It frightened, enraged, and yet made him rather curious. Yet, the more and more he thought about it, the more and more depressed the Irken had become until he was finally hanging his head, eyes clamped shut, with tears streaming down his face.

Gir looked on in strange silence before feeling sad himself, sensing Zim's sadness. "Awww, looks like someone needs a hug!" He walked over toward Zim and wrapped his arms around him in a tight hug and for once, the Irken accepted it. He hugged Gir back as he began to cry on the little robot's shoulder. Gir was the only one left here that Zim actually could call a 'friend' now. It hurt him to feel so alone again.

After all the sobbing was done he pulled away staring at Gir. "I... I just don't get it," Zim sniffled quietly. "I should be feeling VICTORY! Not this... mopey icky sadness... What is wrong with me, Gir?" Gir stared back and shrugged.
"I dunno, what happened?"

Long moments of silence passed. When Gir was just about to speak up Zim finally spoke, the tears all dried up but it was clear he was still broken and devastated. "... Dib... is dead."
"Whaaaa-?! Noooo! Not the big-headed boy! Not Master's only friend! WHYYYY? WHYYYYY?!" Gir began to tear up and cry (obnoxiously)loud. Zim growled and pushed the robot away not wanting to deal with his whiny SIR unit.
"Shut up, Gir! And his head WASN'T big!"
"... Imma go make waffles- it's what he would have wanted me to do." The crying had suddenly ceased. Gir had said it in such a happy and chipper mood- yet it didn't shock Zim at all. His robot hadn't seemed to understand anything or any emotion that was going on.

He sighed and laid himself down on the couch, staring at the ceiling. Once again lost on what to do now. Things just wouldn't be fun anymore. What would be the point in taking over Earth without being able to rub it in Dib's face? What was the point in making plans without Dib there to ruin them? What was the point in trying to do anything without Dib there to stop him? ... What was the point on living without Dib there to live with?

Zim suddenly sat halfway up and shook his head rapidly, a determined look crossing his face. "What the Irk am I thinking?! Getting depressed like a human monkey would- that isn't ZIM! ZIM would NEVER get upset over the death of his worst enemy! I should be rejoicing in his death, wallowing in happiness that I can finally rule the world- and I don't need Dib here to try and stop me! I don't need him to try and please My Tallest!" His voice echoed around the room ringing in his ears. After a few minutes of silence passed he collapsed back down to the couch, sad once more. Head bowed and eyes closed. "Oh... who am I trying to fool?" He opened one eye to stare at the ceiling. "Why do I feel the way I do?" He took out his contacts and pulled off his wig.

"It's because he was your ooooonnnllly frriiiiend...~" He could hear Gir call from the kitchen. "No one asked YOU, Gir! Besides, me and Dib were ENEMIES, not friends! ENEMIES!"
"Aww!, but don't you see?" Gir poked his head around the corner of the kitchen. A happy look. "You became friends over the years!"

Silence.

Zim looked back up toward the ceiling. Friends?... Is that what you would have called us, Dib?... friends? I.. I guess we did... sorta. "I mean, we DID save Earth together a couple of times."
"Mhhhmmmm!~"

The Invader let out a soft sigh. "So maybe, that's why it hurts so bad... but... I thought friends weren't even THIS close... what more could there be?" Gir was too tied up in waffle making to answer. So instead of waiting he only stared at the ceiling in silence, waiting for the minutes to tick by for him to go visit Dib again.

The minutes felt like a lifetime, to Zim.

Once the Irken was finally able to take his eyes off the ceiling his eyes immediately went to the clock. Eleven at night... it should be ready. Zim sat up silently so not to wake the sleeping SIR unit beside the couch. He didn't want to alert Gir or else he just might want to come with him to the cemetery and if he had said no, pitched a fit until he got it his way and Zim REALLY didn't need the added stress. Besides, he needed to spend time alone with Dib. He had felt like he never even did get to give a proper goodbye to the human before they buried him into the cold Earth. Where he too would be alone for the rest of his life. Zim shuddered at the thought- for some odd reason it scared the shit out of him.

He made his way toward the door and creaked it open just enough to where he could slide his body through the small crack and shut it silently before turning his back toward the base. He had to make it to the cemetery. He had to see Dib one last time before he would try and figure out where to go from here. Or maybe, he just needed someone to talk to? Who would actually listen to him if he were here- like Dib always did. Zim shut his eyes bitterly and began to walk toward the direction of the graveyard. He had decided to keep his disguise at home and evade all humans who were out. Not a very easy task, but one he was willing to take- to please the Dib.

The streets were eerily silent and cold. It wasn't usual for no humans to be out, yet as luck had it, he was left alone (besides his sad shadow) to walk the streets. Besides the soft breeze whistling through the streets, silence echoed around him. Leaving him time to brood and think before he even managed to get to the cemetery. Stupid, stupid, what am I doing?! This... this isn't normal for me! I risk EVERYTHING for someone who isn't even here?! I risk the MISSION for this... PATHETIC dead human being?! MADNESS! He suddenly stopped in his tracks, head still lowered, as he felt a pang in his chest from the cruel words. "Why?" A soft whisper.

He continued edging closer toward the graveyard, refusing to think or speak anymore. He didn't need to risk himself further by speaking. Zim came up to the old rusted iron rickety fence that guarded the graveyard. It was open and two crows sat on both sides of the arch, staring down at him with red eyes. A warning, perhaps? He took a deep breath, ignoring the crows' stares and marched forward through the old gate and waded himself among the sea of graves, grass, and flowers. The smell of decay was strong from the older graves the newer smelt like fresh ground up dirt. This made it easier for Zim to locate his Dib's grave. Still, it took some time before his red orbs landed on the right grave- and the sight took his breath away.

A full moon shined high in middle of the sky seeming to hover right above Dib's grave. It's rays giving the stone a ghostly yet beautiful glow. The stars above sparkled like little diamonds embedded deep within the milky way of other stars. With no city lights to hide them, it looked literally, like a galaxy. Yet his eyes were focused solely on the grave itself. He could once again smell the fresh dirt as it mixed with the smells of the beautiful flowers circling the gravestone. They blew quietly in the wind barely rustling from the soft breeze. The colors seeming darker now then they did earlier, the moonlight giving them an unEarthly look. It was deathly silent in the graveyard, yet somehow it was relaxing. It eased Zim's nerves yet caused reality to finally sink it.

"Dib... is gone... forever."

The Invader slowly approached the gravestone, as if still unwilling to accept the fate of Dib. Once he got to the stone he fell to his knees, resting his forehead against the cool stone. He let a long time pass between him and the grave before speaking. His red eyes were half shut as glistening tears began to fall toward the grave once more. At first his strange worm-like tongue seemed swollen- no words would come out. Only choked up whimpers and sobs. But finally when he regained his composure, he spoke in a soft whispered tone- so only Dib's grave could hear.

"I wish you were here… then maybe you could help explain these weird feelings to me. You seemed to know a lot more about me- in that aspect anyway." A small smile as more tears began to fall. He lifted his head up and ungloved his hand. Three fingers reached out and gentle touched the stone, tracing Dib's name and 'April 1st' his death date. Another solemn and regretful look on his face. He seemed to be lost in thought as he continued to touch the cold stone- before he suddenly gripped both sides of it with both of his hands.

Anger and hatred burned in his red eyes.

"I was suppose to be the one to kill you, you filthy pig!" His fingers clenched the stone hard enough to where you could hear the stone beginning to crack under the strain. He growled, his voice raising. "I was suppose to be the one to watch you take you're last breath, I was the one who was suppose to have your blood all over me, I was suppose to be the one to hold your dying body in my arms!"

Silence.

Dead Silence.

When the anger died down Zim finally let go of the gravestone, his head bowed once more. When his hands moved, you could see crack marks where his fingers once were, yet the alien didn't seem to notice. He laid his forehead back down on the cold gravestone again. His antennae resting softly on the stone. His tears flowing faster then before, actually letting it all out this time. Crying, to his worst enemy. No, to the grave of his worst enemy. How ironic? "Look... look at what you have done to this mighty Irken Invader!... you have reduced me into a sniveling worm-baby... it's all you're fault!..." More silence as he continued to sob to himself, head against the grave. Long moments of time ticked by, yet the silence seemed to calm Zim. The cold of the stone wrapping itself around the alien's heart. He peered one red eye open to stare at the stone, a sad smile forming on his face.

"I'm already beginning to miss you…" He wrapped his two arms around the stone to hug it- as if it was Dib and whispered to it. "you might have been my enemy- but in a way Gir was right... you were my friend... you kept the boredness of DOOM away from me... you made things fun and more challenging... you gave my mission a little bit more meaning then My Tallest ever could!.." He paused and let out a weak laugh. "I had gotten so caught up in our little cat and mouse game, I actually had forgotten about the mission for a time! To eager to beat you at something, to finally destroy you-" his smile faded suddenly, his voice now full of sorrow as he pulled away looking toward the stone. "Now... look at were we sit... I win, but.. I also lose.. I lose more.. then just an enemy... I lose a friend..." He closed his eyes, trying to stop himself from crying once more. He was sick of the tears.

Finally he looked toward the fresh dirt, and placed the palm of his hand against it.

"It must be.. so cold.. and dark... down there..." Suddenly following an urge, he laid down against the cold dirt, pressing his body as close to the grave as , wishing, that it would make a slight difference if he was uncomfortable, even though he knew nothing would reach Dib now. The thought sickened him and made him shudder. The walk there had reminded him, truly, how lonely he was without Dib.

"I wonder if you are as lonely as me..."

A long time passed as he laid against the cold dirt that shielded Dib's coffin. He was full of regrets, full of pain, full of sorrow. Zim wished he had been able to fight Dib away a little longer- that they could spend a little more time together then the time they had already shared. He felt as if he just couldn't move, so he wouldn't have to be alone again with the crows in the middle of a field surrounded by dead decaying bodies. So he wouldn't have to be alone again among the humans who are oblivious to every single thing Zim ever did and his crazy SIR unit. He actually had someone who would listen, fight back, and understand that he was a potential danger- and now, he was gone. For good.

When the moon began to set the Irken rose up from his spot. It had gotten warm where he had been laying, but warm enough to get through the six feet layer of dirt and into Dib's coffin? He doubted it. But there was no other point in staying in the graveyard to mope. He had came and said what he needed to say and even made his goodbye. So why linger when it's obvious that this was no trick, Dib was never going to come back to him. He placed one last ungloved hand on the grave, shed one last tear, before he turned his back toward Dib's grave and silently made his way out of the graveyard. He could see nothing but the paved road in front of him, everything else, the whole world, the soft spring breeze, all of it blurry and gone from his senses.

He hated leaving the smell of that fresh dirt.

There was nothing else he could do now, but once again head home and work on absolutely nothing. Things still weren't set straight in his mind. He still needed some more time to think on what was going to happen next. On what he was going to do with his time spend on Earth BESIDES try and rule it. The streets seemed more lonelier then before- the breeze that was once soft and welcoming now seemed cold and chilled him down to the bone. The once sweet moon was using shadows to play tricks on him as he walked through the desolate streets. So much had changed...

The door shut rather loudly as Zim entered his base for the second time. He accidentally tripped over Gir and went headfirst into the couch. Yet, he didn't yell or say anything. As if his voice had been robbed from him. There was only one other time he could remember such pain- and it wasn't even pain then! But sadness, mopiness... and that was when Dib had decided he would study that STUPID real-science stuff. But Dib came back to him then, there was no coming back this time.

"Master, what were you out doooin?" The Unit replied sleepily. "You gots mud on your uniform!" Zim sat up on the couch, head in his hands, not even looking at it.
"I went to the graveyard."
"... Ohhh yeeeeeaaa, I meant to ask you- what killed him?"
"Shut up, Gir! I'm NOT in the mood to hear your annoying-"

Zim froze in mid-sentence.

What HAD finally destroyed Dib? He had never asked. The thought had never even crossed his mind. He had been too swallowed up by the thought of losing Dib to even THINK about what had taken Dib away from him. One eye widened curiously before he turned toward Gir. "Gir... you've just given me something to do with my life- find out what got Dib before me, and get REVENGE." Zim sneered evilly before petting the SIR unit. "That's a good boy Gir, when I get back home, I'll get you some cookies."
"YAAAAAAAY! COOOKIES!"

Zim threw on his wig once more before painfully sliding in his contacts. "Ugh, Gir! Watch the house while I'm away. I'll be back home momentarily- there is only ONE person (besides the Professor) who knows what could have happened to Dib!" Gir's eyes turned red and and saluted.
"Yes, sir!"

Contented, the Invader then headed back out into the cool spring night. Shutting the door hurriedly behind him. There was only one place to find this person- and he was thankful that it wasn't too far from his base. Yet, there was something very painful about that place- something that would once again resurrect old memories and cause him even more pain. Yet, it couldn't be done anywhere else- it was where he had to go. One destination;

Dib's House.

To go speak to his evil and cruel little sister. Yet even his slight discomfort and fear around her wouldn't stop him tonight. Tonight, he was on a mission entirely different then when Dib was there. He was on a mission for Revenge- and there will be blood spilled for destroying his friend and enemy. Even if he died himself trying, what else does he have to do? With determination burning in his eyes- he headed forward into the thick darkness of night.

Gaz will know what happened to Dib, she has to!

Happy early April Fools day, everyone! I posted this on D.A almost... on the spot, three years ago, and thought I should share it with Fanfic as well since we should have plenty of ZADR fans out here as well. It's a short story, originally meant to be a simple one shot but somehow with enough people became chapter related. So, without further ado, here is the very first chapter of April's Fool. Chapter 2 should be posted sometime before April 1st, and Chapter 3 on April 1st.

I hope you enjoy! If so, don't hesitate to leave feedback and lemme know how interested you are in me continuing the series. Otherwise I hope you all enjoy the day of the pranksters and have something truly evil planned.