Title: Art of Breaking
Author: DarkAngelHunter
Chapter Rating: Pg-13/R for violence and graphic images
Overall Story Rating: NC-17
Pairings/Characters: Zim/Dib
Chapter Word Count: ~3,073
Author's Note: Changes are not as much. I fixed up as many grammar problems as I could find.
Chapter Three: Determination from Gaz
A loud scream of pain rang throughout the halls of the Empire. Those who heard it stopped momentarily to listen before going back to the task given to them. Curiosity lead to death, as many humans learned from examples of other's who flew to high from what the Irken's expected of them. A few humans who were working the hall that day paid little mind to the horse cries and whimpers that came from the other side of the door.
To the exception of one dark purpled haired Goth known formally as Gaz.
She stood outside Zim's bedchambers, a basket of fresh sheets in her hands. She sighed as she listened to the clatter of objects breaking from the other side, silently hoping none of them hit her younger brother. To say Gaz was the same when she was a child was an understatement. After a near-death experience she learned to lighten up a bit and not take things so personally. It was a big change, which had surprised both Dib and Professor Membrane. Neither questioned her.
Now…now Gaz felt afraid.
Sometimes, Gaz wondered what the hell happened. It was a normal day and summer was so close at hand. She was going away to college in July, start a new life. Now it was all up in flames and Earth was at the mercy of the Irken Empire with Zim as there mercifulness leader.
How long has it been since Zim's Invasion? A year…two perhaps? No, it seemed that way when it actually has been two months. Yet it still felt like forever. Gaz ran a hand through her hair, wincing slightly as another horse scream penetrated from the door next to her.
Zim was cruel indeed.
After a mishap the other day when Gaz walked in by accident to clean Zim's royal chambers, and saw a scene that made her forget her place and attack Zim with the hand basket of cleaning supplies. Her poor brother was tied down to the bed, his chest from the neck down split right down the middle and Zim was laughing as he clawed at his inside; thrusting his hand into his brother's body and eliciting a cry of agony from his victim's lips. She became so enraged, Gaz attacked Zim without thinking. Zim of course turned his anger towards her and it took the rest of Dib's nonexistent strength to say every vile thing against the Irken to turn his attention back to him, so Gaz could get out.
Unfortunately later on that day, Zim found her scrubbing the walls of the throne room and he had punished swiftly with only a few words. Because she was so keen of "looking after her brother" she was going to be in charge of his wellbeing after each torture session.
Zim couldn't be any crueler to her and her brother, knowing full hand that Gaz could do nothing to help her family. It pleased him to see how hopelessly lost when he told her.
So here she stood in her ragged clothing, waiting for her chance to clean the room and talk to her brother.
The double doors opened abruptly, a fully clothed Zim stepping out and adjusting his gloves. He was covered in blood. The Irken sent Gaz a fanged toothy grin before striding down the hall towards the throne room. Oh how nice it would be to beat the shit out of him with the basket in her hand.
Gaz eyes followed Zim until he turned the corner, and then quickly rushed inside to see where Dib was. There was blood on the bed, but no Dib.
She walked around the bed and finally spotted found her brother, lying on the cold tiled floors with nothing but a thin blanket. Unimaginable anger swelled within her chest when she saw the large purple bruise on Dib's side that the sheet could not conceal properly and pink stains every now and again marred the white sheet.
She hastily cleaned the room, stripping the bed to replace it with fresh navy blue covers and picking up the random pieces of broken lamps and glass plates (how the hell they got there she didn't bother to question) before tending to Dib.
Gaz gently lifted Dibs' head up to place a pillow under it and draped a comforter over his body. Dib shifted in response, moaning softly at the pain before settling back down. She tried to ask if he was alright, but no words could form. Why would she ask something like that when she knew he wasn't alright? There was minimal damage tonight because when she moved him he didn't outright scream. So where was he bleeding?
The purple haired female every so gentle turned Dib so she could better examine him. There were cuts here and there but not to serious. Zim was being rather careful this time.
"Dib, do you need anything?" she managed to ask.
Dib didn't reply or indicate he had heard her. Sighing in defeat, Gaz stood from where she knelt and headed out the room. She was forbidden from healing him in any way until Zim gave the okay.
On her way out, Gaz looked scornfully back inside Zim's room, mentally preparing herself for the smack down of her life after she stormed into the throne room to knock the shit out of Zim, and quietly closed the door behind her. She dropped the basket outside the room, cracking her knuckles loudly as she headed down the hall towards the throne room.
She could go a few days without eating or bathing because this was going to be far sweeter than any punishment she could receive.
XXXXXXXXXXX
Gaz didn't realize how crazy she truly was until she stormed into Zim's throne room, making it a point to almost break the doors down with her foot. She also didn't know how fast or strong she was either until found herself across the room and her fist smashing into the side of Zim's face sending the green alien flying off this perch. She managed to get a few smacks in before she was pulled away by the Irken guards.
"You are fucking sick Zim!" Gaz roared, struggling against her captors. "When I get my hands on you I'M GOING TO RIP YOUR FUCKING ENTRAILS OUT AND FEED IT TO VULTURES!"
No one dared to breathe as their leader stood up from the floor, wiping a string of purple blood that slid down his chin. His red eyes seemed calm as he strode over to where she was.
"DO YOU FUCKING HEAR ME ZIM? BY THE TIME I'M DONE WITH YOU YOUR PRESSCE IRKEN ARMY WON'T BEABLE TO FIND YOUR REMAIN! YOU ARE DEAD ZIM! DE-!"
Zim bent down so he was starring her evenly in the eye…
Her rant was then broken by a loud crack of skin against skin.
Gaz's eyes widened in surprise at the harsh sting that was now felt on her cheek, tasting blood in her mouth.
Zim's eyes narrowed, flexing his hand in agitation and straightening so he was now standing in full height. "Take her to the dungeons. I'll deal with her later."
"Yes my lord!" the two guards said before dragging Gaz out the room while cursed more swear words.
The Irken leader dusted his robes off before sitting back onto his throne. "Now where were we before I was so rudely interrupted?"
Almost immediately two humans were pushed forward onto their knees as a small Irken read off a parchment of the crimes that they were being charged with; stealing food and attempt of escape.
Zim glared at the meat sacks as they pathetically cry their eyes out. They disgusted him, these creatures. All they did was leak fluids and spew nonsense that made Zim's antenna twitch with aggravation. Those screams were nothing compared to Dibs.
Ah Dib.
His cries were like an aphrodisiac; made him crave more of it. He enjoyed watching Dib leak; his former enemy. Watching his agony made Zim feel alive. Made him want to torture him more just to see his eyes large and glossy with tears he refused to shed. It was what he craved. It was what he looked forward to the day he took over Earth. But this…this was nothing but pathetic sounds. They begged for forgiveness but it wasn't satisfying enough.
It was never enough.
"I don't really care for your sounds anymore," Zim snapped; his voice cold and clearly annoyed at the cowering humans. "You are weak, foolish and not worth my time or energy. Dizmar, kill them both."
The couple screamed for mercy as a tall Irken stepped forward. Their cries were silenced almost instantaneously when a hole got blasted through their skull. Zim skin crawled at the lifeless bodies fell besides each other. Robots emerged to take the bodies to dispose of them and clean up the mess. Killing humans wasn't as exciting as it used to be; they just died.
They leak, yet don't rebel. They beg but don't lash out in sharp tones like Dib or Gaz. These humans weren't like the Dib-worm. He scratched back, kicked, fought and it amused Zim to no end to see Dib try and escape. It made his victory all the sweeter when he broke the boy every time.
Zim wanted nothing more than to leave right now and return to beating the shit out of Dib. Alas, the human body could only take so much before it shuts down. So the rest of the day and tomorrow he'll keep his hands to himself until the day after tomorrow then its' back to torture. Today he had been softer than usual. Zim knew it wasn't compassion; the word didn't exist in the Irken language. Then was it sympathy for these retched meat sacks?
Zim almost laughed aloud. Now that was a stupid thought.
His only reason he kept humans alive was for research and enjoyment. If anyone suggests beyond that they were a pitiful excuse of a race. Zim did not keep humans alive just for the sake of saving them. He could careless but when he took an Earthling, female, and dissected her many Irkens male and female became fascinated with the human anatomy because it was so different than theirs.
Humans were quite interesting indeed. They need so much to function: a heart, lungs, a brain. It perked the other alien's interest and convinced Zim to keep them alive for their…benefit.
Irken's were like animals on Earth. They would go into a temporary state where nothing in the universe mattered and only pleasure existed in their mind. In lay man's term it was like going into heat. Irken's were made artificially so there was no room for mating because there would be no smeets to produce. That was the Control Brain's job. However that did not cancel out sex. It was mainly for pleasure and nothing intimate.
Irken's didn't physical touch the humans more like watched as the humans are forced to mate with one another.
Zim found no pleasure in watching those filthy being mate. It was disgusting and even though Irkens were a proud nation, there was no harm in lowering themselves to watch the humiliation of the humans.
Dib was the only high Zim will ever need. And neither human or Irken alive could stop him from doing what he wanted to the teen.
And Zim just succeeded in getting himself more agitated.
"I'm retiring," Zim announced, standing from his throne and heading towards the double doors. "If any incidents occur during my absence, separate them from the rest so I can deal with them later."
"Sir, what about that girl?" a female Irken solider questioned from his left flank.
Zim paused, looking thoughtful for a moment before a sinister smile stretched across his lips, "I'll deal with her myself; until then, do not hurt her in anyway. I want to savor her defeat by my hands."
She bowed. "As you wish Tallest Zim."
Zim exited the throne room, heading in the direction of his bedchamber. With each step he took Zim wondered what Dib was doing. Was he still lying on the floor where he left him? Would be lying in wait, looking for the opportunity to strike? It made Zim shiver in delight at the thought of Dib lying helplessly on the floor but also a thrill if Dib was up and ready to fight.
He opened the door to his room and his crimson eyes almost instantly locked onto the still form of Dib's body curled up by the side of the bed. Zim silently approached the teen male and every so slowly crawled next to the human's side until he was pressed up against the other. He waited patiently for Dib to stir back into awareness.
Dib was vaguely aware of a warm body pressed against his back; the shock of someone so close to him sent a shiver of pain through his body; his back was still fragile from the beating earlier. A pair of claws racked gently across his stretched out arm that was not tucked under the covers. He groaned lightly into the pillow. Was he still asleep?
A playful nip at his ear told him otherwise.
Dib's eyes shot open blinking rapidly until the closet doors became clear. Why the fuck was he on the floor? He didn't have time for his brain to catch up with what was going on when he was suddenly, and quite forcible, flipped onto his back with strong arms pinning him down. Sharp canines sunk down hard on the jugular.
He hissed Dib's anger and irritation flaring to life. Despite the teeth in his neck, he jerked his head away from Zim's mouth which only caused more pain to his present state. He didn't care. He would do anything to get away from Zim even if it meant hurting himself further.
"Is that anyway to greet your master Dib?" Zim purred in a taunting tone. "We wouldn't want another 'accident' to happen."
Dib snarled at him. "Fuck you!"
It never ceased to amaze Zim on how feisty Dib could be when pushed. "I won't accept disrespect Dib, or I'll cut out your tongue."
"Then why haven't you already?" Dib demanded angrily.
"Because then all my fun will be gone," Zim replied as he rested his chin on the crook of Dib's neck. He felt him tense straightway which caused the Irken to chuckle in humor. "Calm yourself Dib; I have no means to harm you right now."
"Then let get off of me and let me sleep," Dib snaps with fury.
"Do you know your sister attacked me?" Zim said, completely ignoring Dib's statement. A clawed finger trailed down Dib's neck making the human shiver. "She punched me a few good times before she was restrained. It would be a shame if something bad happened to her…"
He trailed off and jabbed a finger into Dib's neck, drawing out blood and a whimper from the boy beneath him.
"Quite honestly, I find her rather annoying and I'm thinking of poisoning her food." When he saw Dib's eyes go wide with horror, Zim continued with a hint of wickedness in his voice. "It'll kill from the inside out. Slowly at first, working its way to all her vital organs…" as he spoke he moved his hand down Dib's chest, touching each area he named. "Liver, small intestines, large intestines, kidney's, stomach, lungs…heart."
His hand paused over Dib's a cruel smile making its way on his face. "It would be so easy to have her suffer an agonizingly slow death if I wanted. Or maybe I can do a public dissection? Wouldn't that be wonderful and you could be the guest of honor. You can sit right beside me and watch as your sister gets torn apart bit by bit. How does that sound Dib-stink?"
By now Dib was already paralyzed with fear for his sister. What was she thinking? How could she be so reckless when there was so much at stake?
Zim leaned in closer, taking advantage of Dib's temporary stupor. "Or you can pay for her freedom."
That snapped Dib out of it instantly. "How can I do that?" he asked hopping he hid the desperateness from his voice. "I have nothing thanks to you."
"Eventually you will show me respect Dib but I'll let that slide for now." Zim mumbled. He was thinking over things in his head. What should he have Dib do? It would be too easy to break the human if he was to just say he was joking about him letting Dib pay for his sister's freedom. On the other hand, it would be more enjoyable to watch the human squirm even more. "I think I have something quite pleasant in mind for the price of her freedom. It comes in three parts."
Dib did not like the look Zim was giving him.
"You must agree to these terms Dib, all of them or I will call the guards right now and order them to execute her in this room, understand?"
He waited for Dib to nod before continuing.
"I'm going to explain one punishment per day so you'll never know what's going to happen to you until I tell you. You must agree, without the smartass remark or the deals off. First off, she punched me five times in my face. For each punch you will have three bones broken so that's fifteen bones total. Oh don't worry I'll be sure to fix you right up afterwards. I wouldn't want you to die so easily after that."
Dib felt numb.
Fifteen of his bones breaking? That didn't seem too bad…depending on which bones were broken.
"Which ones will you break?" Dib asked solely to ease his nerves. At least he could get mentally prepared.
Zim hovered over Dib, his eyes staring directly into Dib's. "I could tell you, but then what would be the fun in that? I like to see you break your brain over thinking about which fragile bone I'll crush."
Dib scowled angrily and shoved Zim away from him. Zim allowed this, opting to lay his body besides Dib.
"I hate you," Dib sneered, turning onto his side so he was facing away from Zim.
"I know," was the cold reply.
To be continued~