Zim watched the fireworks from his window, almost enjoying the bursts of color. Interesting human tradition. It was the eve of a new year for the humans, something they celebrated heartily with their inebriation and gatherings and bright, noisy explosions in the sky. It really was quite beautiful, he had to admit. He smiled just a bit and turned, crossing the living room to the kitchen. He pressed his hand against a panel on the wall and a small section slid away, revealing the lift. He stepped into it and descended into his lab for the last time. He would miss these small little things that had made up his life here on Earth.
Zim sat down to his computer and typed out a command, bringing up a call screen. His leaders appeared after a few moments and he lowered his head in submissive greeting.
"My Tallest."
"Invader. What do you have?"
"Everything is set, my Tallest. All arrangements have been made, your mark is set. Fire at will."
"Excellent. Are you prepared?"
"I am." He lifted his head and held a fist over his chest, wrist turned outward to show the thin metal band strapped around it. His leaders nodded and dipped their heads to him respectfully. He did the same in return and the communication disconnected. He set the computer to corrupt all of its data and waited for the all-cleared before turning it off. Zim rose and looked around his lab slowly, fingers trailing over the back of his chair as he stepped away from the desk. It really was quiet impressive how he'd managed during his stay here. He returned to the lift and turned to get one last glimpse of the lab as the door slid shut.
Zim stepped out into the dark living room of his small house. His antennae quivered and he smiled.
"Human."
Dib emerged from the shadows behind him, knife in hand.
"Alien."
Zim didn't turn to look at him, moving to the window and gazing out at the fireworks still going strong. Dib crept up behind him warily.
"Come watch the lights with me, human," Zim said quietly. Dib hesitated, narrowing his eyes. The alien looked down at the band around his wrist and pressed three different spots on it, holding his fingertips in place until the bracelet warmed, then beeped. He winced slightly as the band stabbed into his wrist, then he turned and walked past the human. Dib slid his blade slowly into a sheath at his belt and followed, perplexed at the unusual behavior.
Zim led them up onto the roof of the house and sat down at the highest point, pulling his knees up and resting his arms on them as he turned his face up to the sky, the fireworks flickering light across his expression in bursts. Dib approached and sat next to him slowly, watching him a long moment before also looking up at the lights. Zim heard a small pop in his PAK as one of his CPU chips sizzled and burnt out. His system blinked a warning but he ignored it, eyes reflecting the beautiful explosions in the night sky. Another chip popped and hissed, drawing louder, more anxious warnings from his PAK.
Dib looked at him again, tilting his head.
"What is that?" he asked.
Zim reached behind him to turn off the alert system, flicking a small switch just inside one of the ports on the side.
"Alien?"
"It's a new year soon, Dib," Zim noted.
Dib checked his watch. "Yeah, in about five minutes. Why?"
"You humans are interesting, with your made-up concepts of time. You wrap your lives around constructs of numbers and the passage of imaginary minutes, days, years. You complain of having not enough time, yet time is only a human confine you've placed upon yourselves."
Dib stared at him silently, then looked up as something drew his attention. Beyond the fireworks a flash of light pierced the atmosphere, burning bright blue. It dimmed after a moment, trailing orange and yellow across the sky as it moved steadily towards them.
"What is that?" Dib asked, looking back at Zim quickly.
Zim didn't reply, watching the fireworks as something else shorted out in his PAK, making him twitch. Dib stood and grabbed him by the collar, shoving him onto his back and pinning him down angrily.
"What have you done?"
Zim stared up at him silently. Dib took hold of his throat and drew his knife, pressing the edge under his chin until it drew blood. Zim blinked at the bite of steel and gazed past him at the sky.
"What is that?" Dib demanded. "What have you done, alien?"
"The night is beautiful, human," Zim replied quietly. "But you only seek out the negative."
Dib shook his head slowly, hands shaking as he released the Irken and sat back. He looked up at the light burning in the sky, like a falling star growing rapidly closer.
"You did it," he said. "You finally did it."
Zim sat up slowly, swaying. He blinked a few times and shook his head, then lifted his gaze to the stars again. Many bursts of light filled the sky now as the midnight hour was counted down to, only a minute to go. He lifted his hand to his chest, grasping a handful of his shirt as his PAK whirred and clicked a few times rapidly before giving up and going silent. He wheezed quietly and put a hand against the roof, leaning on his arm a moment before sliding to lay on his side. Dib watched him and shook his head.
"Why didn't you leave?"
"An invader stays with his mission," Zim replied, trembling. "He sees it to its end."
Dib tossed his knife aside and sat back, looking up at the sky.
"Well done."
Zim smiled slightly, closing his eyes.
"Happy new year, human," he whispered.
Dib nodded and listened to the cheers from the park near the Irken's home. All those people celebrating as midnight came, ushering in a new year with glee and good will. Making resolutions and promises that this would be a better year than the one before. This would be a better year.