CHAPTER SIX
"Is this real?" Gaz stared out the window of the modified Voot cruiser, looking back on Earth as they moved farther and farther away.
"I'd hope so," Zim stated, not understanding why she would question the validity of the moment, "Why would this not be real?"
Gaz had been in space before, but the fact that she was on board with Zim, and that she was an Irken, and the fact that she would probably not be returning to Earth was very surreal and Gaz could not believe it. She felt a weird mixture of sadness and excitement, but mostly relief for being off that god-forsaken planet.
As Zim was steering he couldn't help but glance at Gaz every few minutes. For one, he kept forgetting she was an Irken and would be spooked by her reflection, but two he wanted to make sure she was doing well but didn't want her to think he was some softie.
"What's Irk like?" Gaz leaned back in her seat staring at the vast black above her.
"Well- um... Hmm, imagine one of your planet's countries that has a dictator thingy, but is power-hungry and is constantly looking to conquer and fight." A swell of pride grew in Zim's chest as he described his planet. He couldn't remember the last time he felt proud to be Irken. A snicker from Gaz brought him out of his fantasy.
"So you guys are the universes Britain?"
Zim gave her a perplexed look, "Bri-tain? What is this Bri-tain?" he made a contorted face as he spoke.
"Did you seriously not pay attention during that whole time you went to skool? When you didn't even have to?"
Zim shrugged, he spoke in a low, solemn tone, "I stopped paying attention when I realized I was never going to take over Earth."
A concerned frown washed over Gaz's face, "How long ago was that?", changing back to a snarky attitude she added, "Because I could have told you from the beginning that you were never gonna take over."
"Haha Gaz-partner, very funny." Zim rolled his eyes, "As for your question, about six of your Earth years ago."
"Six?!" shocked- Gaz sat straight up and snapped her head towards Zims, "Why the hell would you keep going to skool if you weren't even learning how to take over Earth?!"
"Why do you go if you're not going to take over the Earth?" Zim shot back at her.
Gaz rolled her eyes, "I'm forced to go. Besides, I have nothing better to do in the day."
Zim nodded, staring into his reflection off the windshield, "I suppose that's why I went too." He then looked over to Gaz, "Sometimes the routine of going to skool was calming. Felt like I had a purpose."
Gaz looked into his eyes, she felt uncomfortable with how vulnerable he was being, it wasn't like Zim to do this, she didn't know how to react. Zim watched her shift in her seat and began to shift in his own after realizing that he may have said too much. In an awkward silence-filled panic Zim shot up from his seat.
"Zim has a present for you Gaz-partner." He walked over and opened a cabinet searching for the gift. Gaz's eyes followed him curiously.
"A present? When have you ever done something nice for someone else." she deadpanned.
"Zim did this for you didn't he?" He looked back at her with a cheeky smile before turning back and digging some more, "Besides- Zim felt bad for our fight. I figured I might have… hurt your feelings." He pulled something out of the cabinet and behind his back.
Gaz scowled, frustrated that she let anyone see something got to her, "Can't hurt what I don't have."
Zim rolled his eyes, "Well then I guess you don't want… this?" He extended his hand out, revealing a shiny new Game Slave, it was clear upgrades had been made to it, but at its core, it was still her console.
Gaz sprung up from her seat lunging towards the device, he lifted it above her head, out of her reach, "Zim come on! Give it!" She grunted in frustration.
A cackle came out of Zim, "Admit it Gaz! Zim won that fight in more ways than one." Gaz then managed to jump high enough and snatched it out of his hands.
"Well if you feel so bad about it why do you keep pushing it further?" Gaz sat back down in her seat with a huff.
Zim scowled, "Just trying to show that once again Zim is superior." He puffed out his chest as if bouncing off her last comment. He then took his seat back at the wheel, he continued to stare into the reflection on the windshield, only this time it was Gaz's.
Some time had passed, they were now in a new solar system in a new galaxy. Gaz was watching as the once colorful planets, now desolate, pass by. She didn't need to ask what happened, the Irken's conquered that planet and stole its resources.
That was one thing Gaz didn't understand, I mean she did understand the want to just show everyone who's boss but, how come they didn't just integrate into the planet? Live there? Why just take everything and run?
Gaz turned her face towards Zim, opening her mouth to ask just that when she noticed his antenna starting to stand straight up and eyes grow wider. Gaz looked out ahead to see a magenta and white striped sphere.
"Is that Irk?" She asked instead.
Zim only nodded. Gaz watched as his eyes moved rapidly, almost as if he was checking to make sure this was really it. After about thirty seconds he turned back to Gaz, "The one and only."
They flew up to a port orbiting right outside the atmosphere of Irk. The attendant was a short square guy, couldn't be more than two feet tall, and had eyes like a mantis. He was wearing a stained vest and a cheap hat that read, "Border Squad".
Zim opened up the door to the Voot cruiser to chat with the clerk, "Greetings fellow Irken! It has been too long since Zi- Tez has been home. And who knows how long since Tez spoke to another Irken."
The clerk was silent, his jaw moving back and forth as if he were chewing cud. He glanced back at Gaz, "What about she?"
"Oh, Gaz-partner? Psh- I've had just about enough of that one. You see after the florpus we were launched thousands of galaxies away. It has taken us quite some time to get back and- well you know how it can be when you're around one person." Zim gave a toothy smile.
Gir who has been unnecessarily holding in his pee this whole time dashes out of the ship to find a bathroom, "See?" Zim started again, "We've been on the road so long Tez's SIR has not had a chance to relieve himself yet"
The clerk laughed, "I know that feeling. Sometimes I have to hold it until I make it back to base." He opened his computer screen and started typing, "Your names Tez?"
"Affirmative. This is my partner, Gaz. Along with my SIR and this creature we picked out from one of the planets we briefly brought destruction upon to." Zim gestured to Gaz, Gir just as he was waddling back, and Mini Moose.
"Well Tez I don't see you on file here but I'm sure that's nothing. Plenty of new invaders after the florpus- probably erased it." He went silent as he continued to type on his keyboard and move some screens around. Suddenly they heard the turning of cogs, "Now I'm just printing out new identification for you both. You take this to the TMV office to get your picture taken."
The clerk handed Zim the paperwork. He handed it to Gaz to hold onto and sat back down, ready to close the door when the clerk spoke up again, "Oh- and I would get that registration changed too- this model's way out of date."
Gaz looked back to the clerk and said, "We'll look into it" He nodded and Zim closed the door before starting the cruiser up again.
As they flew closer to the ground Gaz noticed how everything was bolted together and wires ran through the ground. Everything seemed to be made out of technology.
Although it had been so long since Zim set foot on his homeland he seemed to know exactly where he was going, even as far as taking shortcuts over new buildings, or craters.
Zim pointed to a giant box in the distance, "You see that Gaz?" She nodded, "That is the tallest headquarters. Tomorrow we go there to find work."
"The tallest work there? Don't you think they'll recognize you?" Zim smirked at her as she said that.
"My human- do you think you would recognize me if from the last time we spoke I was 10x taller and much less temperamental?"
"Maybe by your standards" Gaz rolled her eyes, crossing her arms away from him to hide the blush on her face. She hated when he called her that, "Enjoy calling me that while you can- after this we can't risk you spilling the beans."
Zim smiled, happy with himself, "Oh I will Gaz-partner." He then suddenly stopped the ship. They were still a good 30 feet in the air. Gaz watched as Zim pulled up house designs on his screen. With the flick of his wrist, he was flipping through all the different options. He turned to his partner, "What do you think?"
Gaz couldn't care less in all honesty, "Something that blends us in. And keeps us separated."
Zim smiled at her before turning back to his screen, "Computer! Assemble house three!" Suddenly metal arms shot out from the bottom of the ship, tangling and wrapping around each other, creating the base for the house.
Sheets of magenta metal were then drilled into place by another mechanical arm alongside the outside of the house. The shape of this house was not like the one back on Earth. It was boxier, less unique, no roof. Just a big box with two floors. Big bubbled purple windows stuck out from the corners, tall enough for Gaz to stand in them. They reminded Gaz of bay windows. Yea… Gaz could see herself playing her Game Slave sitting there, staring at the night sky. She wondered what a night in Irk would look like. Would she see stars? Is light pollution a thing here? How many moons does it have? Does it have moons?
As the arms finished up the house and pulled back into the zoot cruiser Zim landed the ship onto the street. He then looked over at her and extended her hand, "I'd say this is a job well-done right Gaz?" She rolled his eyes at him before slapping his hand away and following him out of the ship.
"Though Tez did most the work" Zim boasted from his chest, "And getting in was the first part- now we need to get you Gaz assimilated into life here as Irk Gaz."
Gaz looked ahead at her new home, watching herself walk up in the reflection off the siding. Taking in her Irken form on an Irken world. It felt… right. Like she had always meant to come here. This was her house- away from her dad, away from Dib, and away from the dead mom bullshit. She walked through the door giving a deep sigh of relief.
"I don't think that's gonna be much of a problem."
A/N: Hey guys! It's been a long while but I've been struck with inspo again! Hope yall are still here and enjoy! :)