#35 - Kitten

Disclaimer: Nothing that anyone recognizes belongs to me. I'll claim the plots though, they're mine.
Rated: PG
Summery: 50 one-shots. One character: Zim


Zim had been just about to leave when the human showed up. The man strode up to the bank of the river that the invader had been (carefully!) collecting samples from only moments ago with an aura of determination, never noticing the Irken behind the bushes with his claws clamped over his robot's mouth. After casting a look over both shoulders the human pulled a lumpy pillow case from beneath his windbreaker and tossed it into the water crawling by. Within moments he'd departed back the way he came.

Zim watched for a minute to be sure the human was not returning before turning back to the river. His curiosity was peaked. What had the human been so suspicious about discarding?

"Gir, retrieve whatever it is that that filthy human just disposed of."

Without a moment of hesitation the robot threw itself into the water and disappeared beneath the depths. Zim was left with just enough time to assume that apparently Gir was interested enough to obey before his minion burst forth from the water, bag in hand.

Snatching the soggy pillow case from Gir, Zim unbound the loose knot that had been tying it closed and turned it inside out. Whatever the invader might have been expecting it wasn't five fuzzy forms plopping to the ground. Both servant and master stared at the sight unblinking, though one was slowly comprehending.

"AAAIIIEEEEEE" the dysfunctional SIR unit suddenly burst into tears. "Kitties are DEAD!!!" And with no more warning Gir took off crashing through the bushes, wailing the whole way.

Zim continued to stare, unbelieving, at what he was seeing. Five soggy orange and grey earth felines were laying, unmoving, where they'd landed. They were so tiny. A sudden burst of anger overtook him. Who did that human think he was?! Zim was on his knees before he realized it, picking up one of the tiny forms.

"Zim commands you to live." He shook the silent form, having no actual idea how to resuscitate the little creature. He then lowered a lekku to the kitten's belly. Ignoring the slight sting from the water he waited to hear the telltale sign of the heart organ...

Nothing.

He placed the little body down and picked up a second.

Nothing again.

By the time he'd picked up the last kitten he was inexplicably furious. Just because they were small didn't mean that they were worthless!! Just because they were... unwanted didn't give anyone the right to toss them away and try to forget they existed!! But as he prodded the final one with his lekku he was startled to feel a sluggish pattern beating out a sign of life. Still unsure what to actually do to help the kitten, Zim quickly gathered the others back into the sack and dashed in the direction of the only human he could think of to help him.

The Irken burst through the front door of him nemesis' home like he owned the place and was ascending the stairs before the Gaz could even comment on his presence. Zim had just topped the stairs when Dib emerged from his room to investigate the noise.

"Zim! What are you doing h-" an alien shoving him back through his door cut him off mid rant.

"You are going to help Zim or I'll kill you and every single one of you disgusting humans starting tonight." The apocalyptic glint in his eyes brooked no arguments from the teen. Zim carefully set the bag down and gently lifted the remaining kitten from the crook of his neck where he'd shifted it to break the door in. The slight burns to his skin were ignored and he placed the tiny, barely breathing, form on Dib's bed. "Fix it."