I don't own Invader Zim okay? By chapter 33 should I even have to keep saying it? I'm honestly blown away by the response I am getting recently. But hey, Taboo didn't get it's great response when it first started either and I consider that this fic's sister fic. I'd recommend it if you like DATR as well. Anyway, shameless self promotion aside, enough of this A/N, on with the fic!

Zim walked up to the Tallest suite with a nervous yet proud gait. He had to keep that general's superiority air about him. It was part of the job and part of the facade he needed to maintain. Purple had wanted him to help fill in Red's role as an advisor while he was in the hospital. Would Purple have me Promoted again? Nope. That's nuts. There's whole ceremonies and protocol for that thing. And the Irken Empire can function with just one Tallest. In fact co-Tallests are the exception not the norm. Zim told himself as he looked around the hallways, stalling for time. As he looked out the window, a faint notion did cross his mind. Buuuuuuuuut... what if he DID want you Promoted to Co-Tallest? You want to talk about an EASY way to get out of this mess, that would be that. Purple just wants the perks of the job. But you can take it over and then just simply order an undo of everything and set it up so that you stay on Earth with Dib and everything's okay. Zim looked at the ruined city below the window with a hopeful smile. Yeah, that might work. He thought as he twirled his laser pistol, images of him as a Tallest appearing in his mind with Dib holding onto him smiling, enjoying the perks that would come with being involved with a Tallest. No one could question anything. Zim would be Tallest. You dare not question the Tallest. However as he admired the gringy domain that was the city, another thought hit him. You know damn well, that your fantasy would not be the case. This time the voice sounding a lot like Gaz for some reason. Your reputation before the Invasion was as a defective piece of crap. That could be used to cause even more chaos with you. "Why does one of my thoughts sound like Gaz lecturing me?" Zim asked aloud as he shrugged it off and opened the door.

"Zim!" Purple said excitedly with a mouth full of nachos. "You're just in time!"

"Time for what?" Zim asked suspiciously.

"This cool telenovella I found. Pedro is a werewolf and Marisol is a zombie vampire and they're trying to make it work." Purple said excitedly

"Sounds great..." Zim said skeptically as he sat down. He didn't know just how to break it to Purple about Red's death. Maybe if he was buttered up with some of this telenovella nonsense, he would take it better. He's never going to take this well. Gaz's voice said in his mind. "Why is a human female better at strategy and more practical than me, a mighty Irken General?" Zim said quietly to himself.

"Huh?" Purple asked.

"Nothing." Zim said staring at the screen. How Purple understood it without knowing the first word of Spanish, he never really could comprehend. Looking at the overly dramatic show, he was reminded of the paranormal that Dib loved to chase before the Invasion. Zim had gotten curious at what else was considered paranormal and things like werewolves, vampires and ghosts were things that Dib gladly taught him about. There had been nights where they had hunted them and while they could never get the evidence to the level that Dib wanted, which Zim knew was to prove to his father that the paranormal was indeed real without having to totally expose Zim to a populace that would not be able to handle the idea of not being alone in the universe, it was some of the best times Zim had before the Invasion. "Can I get those fruitless ghost hunts back ever?" Zim whispered to himself.

"Ugggghhhh! Commercials! I swear that gecko is having an affair with that customer's wife." Purple said.

"You have quite the imagination my Tallest..." Zim said as he saw the car insurance commercial. Why do we still have car insurance? I have to pay so much for mine! You'd think a GENERAL wouldn't have to spend his hard earned Monies on that crap."

"Well people still drive horribly and we can make a lot of money off it. Don't you remember? The insurance companies are owned by the Empire now?" Purple said.

"Yeah. Another reason I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR IT!" Zim said. "But whatever. I have some serious news to tell you." Zim said shutting off the TV.

"Just what do you mean?" Purple said. "And why did you turn off the TV? Red did that when he was tired of me not paying attention. I told him I was there to enjoy the perks of being Tallest and I'd agree to whatever he said to do it. I mean he is better at ruling."

"Not anymore." Zim said.

"Seriously? You trying to flatter me to change the channel?" Purple said looking down into Zim's eyes. While generals were pretty tall, the Tallest towered even over them. A general was about 5 feet and 10 inches tall on average, some of the tallest pushing over 6 feet, the Tallest were about 7 feet 5 inches in height.

"No this isn't the time for that crap!" Zim yelled back, pushing Purple away from him. "I just came back from the hospital where they are, or were, keeping Red." Maybe if I keep switching things around like this, then he'll pick up on what I am trying to say. Zim thought as he got ready to tell Purple what happened.

"Oh, he's doing better? Why isn't he here then? Not well enough to rule? Those doctors are always too careful..." Purple dismissed.

"No he's doing worse. Much worse. As worse as you can get." Zim said.

"You don't mean?" Purple asked, what Zim was saying starting to dawn on him.

"I do mean. Red is now dead. There is just one Tallest in the Irken Empire. You." Zim said looking at Purple whose face suddenly dropped to the ground.

"What?" Purple said blankly. "Just how?"

"Well I met in the room with the doctors who had told me they had overridden his PAK and saw how deep the burns from the polluted water he was shot with. It was deep. I could see bone." Zim said as Purple's color started to fade from his face. "They had his PAK overridden well into the danger zone and past that. He finally gave in and the PAK shut down. Red is dead."

"Red is dead?" Purple asked.

"Yes." Zim nodded.

"You mean it? Red is really dead? He didn't put you up to some sick joke?" Purple asked.

"Nope." Zim said simply. "You are Irk's only Tallest."

Purple looked down at the ground. He would now have the be the responsible one and rule the Empire. Something he knew he could not do alone. Irk can have two Tallests if there are two Irkens the same height... Zim has been pretty handy to me so far. Maybe...no... I doubt it... but since he was the one who gave us this planet... it's a long shot... I got to take it to them... Purple thought as he turned to Zim. "I have to go talk to the Control Brains about this."

Zim nodded. "That may be a good move my Tallest. You will be able to get your thoughts on this together."

"Yes. I need that help." Purple said as he headed off to his personal pod that headed directly back to where the control brains were.

"Now, to watch something better. I see that 'The Scary Monkey Show' is having 'throwback' episodes? But it's only been 11 years or so it came out?" Zim noted as he placed it on that channel and watched the monkey. "I hope Zib isn't watching this stuff. I programmed only the most educational stuff for him to be entertained by. Military History channel and such. I'm sure Gaz did much the same."

The hours passed and Zim fell asleep on the couch. He felt a claw on his shoulder stir him awake. "Huh what?" Zim said as he pointed his laser pistol towards Purple.

"Calm down. I have some good news for you and more importantly me." Purple said.

"You do?" Zim asked skeptically.

"Yeah. Apparently the Control Brains think I may be tall enough for the job but need an assistant. Kind of insulting really..." Purple said as Zim rolled his eyes. They're smarter than you think Purple... Zim thought to himself. "I'm ignoring that eye roll." Purple said. "Normally that would be pretty disrespectful but not when you're talking to your new equal."

"WHAT?" Zim said jumping up in shock. He barely liked the general job and the responsibilities with that. He did not want to have to have a Tallest's job anymore. Sure when he was a smaller Invader, he dreamed of ruling planets but after getting Promoted the first time and seeing the hell that that job made for him, he didn't want any more power or responsibility.

"You heard me. I was kind of surprised at their decision too, but they said it was okay for Red to come here when he looked at your data years ago, so I'm going to go with it." Purple said.

"But didn't that end up getting Red killed?" Zim said, trying to convince Purple that Promoting him to Tallest was a very, very bad idea.

"Meh, it happens. People don't like their planets Invaded and rebellions happen." Purple said dismissing Zim's concern. "I mentioned how I asked you to be advisor while Red was in the hospital and they suggested to Promote you."

"You have got to be fucking with me." Zim said.

"Nope." Purple said simply.

"But I destroyed Irk with a Doombot in Operation Impeding Doom I!" Zim pleaded, trying to show that he was massively disqualified for the top job. "I only got general position because I was on Earth! No other Invader was Promoted so much."

"That was both Red and mine's idea." Purple said. "If you could find such good treats, then you deserved reward. No other race in the Universe that we know of mastered such goodies."

"That was an accident!" Zim pleaded. "You banished me to Earth!"

"No more buts!" Purple said. "The Promotion ceremony will be tomorrow and an announcement will be made all over every network option we have."

"Fuck me." Zim said placing his hand in his face.

"Nope." Purple said. "And you watch 'The Scary Monkey Show,?" Purple asked as Zim just moaned.

Great, I'm further in in the power structure. Although from what Purple said, the Control Brains must be getting dementia or something if they think this is a good idea. Zim thought as he blankly stared at the ceiling. Sure he had fantasized about what could be done with that power but if there was one thing he had learned is that power was not all it was cracked up to me and the more alluring it was, the less appealing it was once you actually got the job. But maybe you could make those dreams come true... Zim toyed in his mind. Purple pretty much admitted that he wanted someone else to do all the work. "Miyuki I cannot handle this..." Zim said.

"Miyuki was a good one. Welcome to her club." Purple said.

"Ugggggghhhhhh..." Zim moaned.

"You know Red was much like that before we were coronated." Purple said. "If you turn out like him, things will go just fine."

"Uggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..." He moaned again.

Dib was pacing around Seamus's hideout, thinking about what he was sent in a message. This opened a whole new world. However, with this there meant there was so many unknowns that he just didn't know what to think anymore. "I hope Zib is okay." He said trying to distract himself.

"He's fine. The robots your sister built are taking good care of him. And she's not dead either. That'd be spread all over everything." Seamus said.

"How can you see into our house?" Dib asked angerly.

"Hey, I'm just trying to help make sure your nephew is fine!" Seamus pleaded.

"I didn't ask you to do it. I'm sure Gaz and Christie would kill you for hacking into the cameras like that if they knew." Dib said annoyed as the Irken royal anthem played over the radio. "The hell?" Dib asked as he turned to the old radio in the corner with a CD player and stuck open cassette deck, showing its age.

"I dunno..." Seamus said as he frantically turned to his computer.

"Citizens of Earth and conquered stink monkeys, I have some grave news. After being attacked by a rebel, Tallest Red succumb to his wounds and died the other night." Purple's voice said on the radio.

"Yes! You did it Christie!" Seamus said.

"Give Gaz some credit." Dib said.

"Shut up, they're going to say more." Seamus said as Dib nodded.

"Now we will mourn the loss of this fantastic Tallest well and do justice to his memory. I have met with the Control Brains and they have agreed with me that General Zim, who had been working as my advisor while Red was still alive but injured will be Red's replacement. The ceremony will be tomorrow. All who can must attend." With this Seamus turned off the radio.

"Well, that's something. Your boyfriend is royalty. You're a consort. This might be good for you." Seamus said, but he knew deep down what Dib knew, the perks of royalty would not be enough to get them out of this.

"Dear God no." Dib said simply as he grabbed his neck.

So how was that? Good? Bad? Short? Long? Let me know in a review. I want to thank those who have followed it and left a review. This fic would be left in a pile of obscurity if not for you. My motivation alone is never enough. I will try to update soon but life can be busy as you all know. So remember to read (well you just did) and to review. Ciao for now,

otherrealmwriter

aka

Realm.