Back by popular demand?? -looks around uncomfortably then slinks away…-
Skoodge stared at ZiM, "Metal? What?"
ZiM sat back comfortably into his large pillow, then sat up again, "If ZiM is good, can ZiM go down into the labs?"
Both Tak and Skoodge blinked, ignoring Dib's pleas for mercy as GIR nibbled on his hair scythe, but it was Tak who spoke, "Why, ZiM?" her eyes narrowed, "What are you up to?"
ZiM leaned in closer, "ZiM must prepare for the last minutes. ZiM will be good, ZiM swears!!"
Dib finally managed to roll into the room, GIR clinging to his do, "GET IT OFF!! GET IT OFF!!"
Tak slammed her arm into the boy's stomach causing GIR to fly off of Dib's head and onto ZiM's bed.
ZiM snatched him up, "I'll even take GIR with me!!"
GIR squeaked with excitement and Dib coughed to breathe, "Take him… let'em go…"
ZiM's eyes pleaded with Skoodge's and finally, the larger Irken sighed a heavy defeated sigh, "All right, but be careful with yourself or-"
ZiM didn't even wait for his friend to finish. He had already bolted out the door, GIR squealing excitedly under his arms.
It had felt like hours since Skoodge had last seen or heard from ZiM. The shiny look in his eyes as he left… Skoodge shook his head. Hope at a time like this seemed impossible, even if he had seen it in ZiM's eyes.
Tak entered the living room, her dark purple eyes studying Skoodge's still and unmoving pose, "Hey."
Skoodge blinked but he said nothing as he allowed himself to slide back into the couch.
She expected this, smiling to herself as she sat next to him, "I gave Dib something to keep him asleep. I'll deal with him after," she paused, sighing as she looked away, "After he's passed…"
Skoodge suddenly bolted up and punched the side of the couch, "He's not going to, Tak," he grumbled cogently, "He's always made it through. He's-"
The Irken sat back as he chocked back the pain in the back of his throat.
Tak folded her arms as she sat back, turning to him, "Not this time," she looked at objects around the room, "There's nothing he can do this time."
"Oh, yee of little faith."
Both Irkens turned towards the kitchen and saw Dib smirking at them. He had a small plastic baggie with two yellow and blue pills in them.
The human scoffed, "You didn't really think I'd swallow them, did you."
He paused but they said nothing.
Dib shook his head, "I hate ZiM. A lot. That's no secret. But even I can recognize his strengths. Don't think he's out yet. I've seen some pretty incredible things happen to him and he's made it out okay."
Skoodge cupped his face in his hands but all three looked up when they heard a soft clinking noise and a distinct sniff. GIR walked slowly into the room, tears in his robotic blue eyes.
He sat between Tak and Skoodge and hugged the larger Irken, "Fat-master?" he almost whispered, "ZiM don't like me no more."
Skoodge cautiously laid a hand on GIR's head, "W… What?"
GIR snuggled closer and even Dib made his way towards the small group, "Master got all mad and he said the bad words and grabbed his side then he tell me to go aways and tell you not to come down cause he be all right."
Skoodge glared, "If… if he thinks," his hands balled up into fists, "That little-"
He moved to get up, but both Tak and Dib stopped him, "Not this time, Skoodge," Tak muttered, "Let him be by himself for a bit. It will be his last moments working on Irk knows what."
Dib nodded at the comment, wondering if he really wanted to remember ZiM as a beaten, sickly shell. The doorbell rang and it was the human who got up to answer it. As he strode to the door, something tugged at his stomach because one, ZiM was about to die in a couple of hours and two, ZiM never had visitors.
As Dib took the cool, metal doorknob into his hand, these thoughts quickly went away. In fact, as he opened the door, he found himself in utter shock. The tallests just stared down at him.
… Wow, gaspers. Tak and Skoodge have actually lost faith in ZiM's recovery. And Dib defends him. Realistically, Dib probably would have chucked the pills at Tak… but he still has them…
