(A/N#1: [Aliet does a little dance!] Chapter 4! Yay! R&R if you have any questions!)
Four
Jendai's Scars, and Women's Undergarments
The door started creaking open. Zim struggled to hold it shut, straining with every muscle. The elevator seemed to be taking forever, despite the loud and repetitive curses hissed at it from an irate Irken throat. In a single, graceful stride, Jendai crossed the room, bracing himself against the door was well. "How the hell did that bastard get down here so fast?" he hissed, antennae betraying his nervousness.
"Could he have heard us?" Zim grunted.
Jendai chewed his upper lip. "Possibly," he muttered, still pushing against the human. "Damn it. There's no other explanation. Damn my voice. It carries too well." He made a surprised sound as the door stopped pushing back. "Mer must have talked him down..." he decided, slowly backing off. When the thing didn't burst inwards, he relaxed, taking the time to gather his robotic legs together. He took a deep breath, deceptively powerful shoulders sagging with relief. The Irken suddenly looked very old and weak, as if any more worries would destroy his fragile hold on life. He began to pace the room, carefully examining the maps.
"I apologize for touching them," the Invader murmured. "I had forgotten your warning."
The mechanic waved him off. A heavy sigh escaped him as he stared at the map with the two pulsing green dots. "Just you and me Zim," he said. "Just us. Well, us and Merana anyway." One long finger touched an amber dot briefly, almost lovingly. "Originally, we'd thought it was a malfunction or something. But, I noticed a green kid wandering around by some skool... and I suppose you know the rest." Another gentle, caressing touch.
It was a while before either of them spoke again. The pulsating and dancing of the hundreds of alien life forces on the planet mesmerized both. Finally, a soft tap at the door snapped them out of their semi trance. "'Dai?" Merana's musical voice called. There was an unmistakable note of affection in her voice. "He's gone."
"Good," Jendai grunted, heading over to the door. "I stink. Forgot about a shower last night. And the SIR needs work. I'm gonna do that, then shower." He yanked open the door, revealing Merana standing on the other side. She looked worried. The Djemy looked as if she were about to say something, but a shake of Jendai's head stopped her. One finely boned hand touched his shoulder as if to stop him. The mechanic's gloved hand pulled it away, gently brushing past her and out of sight. She sighed softly, watching him go. Zim wandered over to her. "In case you're wondering, Invader," she murmured. "He doesn't shower with water. Some other race was allergic to it too. They made their own out of some stuff we have around here and used that. 'Dai kinda picked up on it. You can use it if you want. I dunno what exactly it is." She shrugged. "Chemistry was never my forte."
"Do..." Zim began, but halted himself. He'd heard Students talk about how blunt Soldiers were. Instead of finishing, he bit his lip.
Merana chuckled. "Do I care for him, you mean?" she asked, smiling down at him. The Djemy lost no time in thought. "I know you won't tell him, Zim. So, yes. I do. I care for him very deeply." The smile vanished. "He doesn't feel the same, I can guarantee that. He still cares for Leeri..." Her mood brightened. "Now, Zim. I need to have a look at those burns and maybe get you a sandwich or something."
The Invader saluted. "I am in your hands, Djemy Merana."
She laughed sweetly as she led him towards the kitchen. "Mer, if you please," she said.
"You two are so picky about what you prefer to be called," he grumbled, folding his thin arms over his chest. Zim hadn't meant it to be an insult and was relieved when Merana chuckled. Their walk wasn't too far, either Zim was getting used to the house or there was some strange mechanism that allowed them to walk quicker. In no time, he was seated at the table again, one of the ketchup-lettuce sandwiches before him, and Merana inspecting his left hand.
"This is looking great, Zim," she murmured, running delicate hands lightly over the injury. Her nails were filled short to allow the sensitive tips to run over her patients' wounds without inflicting more damage. She carefully rubbed some cream into the scabbing palm, watching it vanish before attaching a smaller bandage. "You can put your glove back on now if you want."
He muttered a thank you through his food. It tasted better than he'd thought. Merana had even brought him some juice, which he hadn't been able to drink in a while due to the substantial amounts of work in the lab. Her work finished with his hand, the Djemy turned to his face. Working lightly, she pulled off the adhesive tape holding the gauze in place against his green skin. It didn't even pinch. A frown graced her face. Taking another bit of gauze, she gently rubbed away the dried blood and other accumulated things. The spot was tender and, despite Merana's care, Zim winced. She gave him an apologetic smile. "This one isn't healing as nicely," she sighed. "You'll have a scar. But, then, what's another scar to a Soldier." It wasn't really a question. More cream was rubbed in, followed by a clean gauze patch and adhesive tape. Finishing, she patted him on the head, rising to put her medical supplies away. "I'm sorry I couldn't heal you all the way, Zim," she called from the kitchen.
"I won't hold it against you," he replied, swallowing the last of his sandwich. He hadn't realized how hungry he'd been. Apparently, a long chase and a series of near panic attacks left one hungry for anything remotely edible. He finally understood what Jendai meant by developing a taste for human foods when nothing else was around. Thirsty now, he gulped down the juice, savoring its odd, tangy flavor. The Djemy leaned against the entryway to the kitchen, smiling at his sudden enthusiasm. She took a seat beside him, still smiling.
"It's been a long time since I've had a normal-sized Irken around," she said, watching him drink. "Jendai's attitude problem makes you forget how cute you guys actually are."
He frowned at the cute comment. "I'm not cute," the Invader said flatly. Embarrassed suddenly, he watched his hands curl around the cool glass. "And I'm not normal, I'm... I'm small. Short, even." His antennae fell back. "I'm a small thing, the Tallest say. So does everyone else."
"Oh, Zim." She sighed. "That's what I hate about you Irkens. The whole height thing." Merana shook her head. "Being tall doesn't mean you're superior. Damn it, Red is a dumb ass; I've seen him. Purple isn't much better." Her hands spread apologetically. "I don't mean to insult you Zim, that's just how I see your culture."
Zim nodded. "That is how most outsiders view it." The embarrassment faded. He finished the juice. "May I ask you something?" She nodded. "What prevented you from healing me fully?" he asked. "You were able to revive these flowers perfectly. Is there a limit to what the Djemy can do?"
"Ah, I should have seen this coming," Merana muttered, running delicate fingers through silver-blonde hair. Her amber eyes darkened. "You knew of the extinction of the Djemy on the Irken moon, Shaet. Your race did everything they could, as we offered medical knowledge they could never gain on their own. Yet, I am still, the last of my kind. We owe this to the powers of the Dark One." Her eyes were distant, pupils contracted into nearly invisible slits. "In our religion, this thing held all the darkness in the universe at its command. It, seeing that we were a race dedicated to the side of good, began to slowly drain our power from us. A Djemy without power is as unable to do anything. Life is a struggle, so, eventually, those who were drained, killed themselves." She fiddled with a short nail. "I'm lucky. This planet is out of the Dark One's range. It can barely reach me here, but even its slight influence is enough to drain away what I have left."
"So... that is why you are unable to heal me?" he asked curiously. The concept of religion was almost impossible for his Irken brain to grasp. Of course, most Irkens swore by the "mother of Irk," yet the concept was abstract, mainly just something to use as a curse. Normal Irkens were not allowed to use what the Tallest swore by, their choice words being, "by the First Tallest."
"You don't have to believe me, Zim. I'm not asking you that."
"I'm not saying that I don't believe you." He tapped his fingers against the table. "Any explanation is welcome right now."
Another soft smile graced her face. "It isn't every day you get thrown into a river and wind up with a paralyzed Student and the last of the Djemy," she sighed, reaching out to touch his face. "I'm sorry this is such a shock to you, Invader."
He tensed at her touch, unsure of how to react. She pulled her hand away eventually, the tips of her fingers glowing green slightly. "Blew up half a planet, eh?" she chuckled. Amber eyes regarded her fingers. "Gods, I love these things."
Zim stared at her in disbelief. If the Djemy had been a warlike people, perhaps they would have replaced Irkens as one of the most powerful races in the universe. No secret could possibly be kept from them with their strange powers. He just hoped no secrets of the Armada or the Empire had leaked out. If they had, he would be doomed. He opened his mouth to ask what exactly the Djemy had learned.
"Master?"
His antennae pricked at the small, scared voice. Standing up on his chair, Zim scanned the room, his large eyes falling on a metallic body. "GIR!" the Invader exclaimed, jumping down. The little robot squealed, finally seeing its master. The SIR clutched its stuffed moose tightly, as if afraid of the large house and its occupants. Upon seeing its master though, GIR dropped the moose, running over to Zim's chair and trying to climb up. Zim jumped down, allowing GIR to latch onto his waist and squeeze tightly. "At least you're not all germy this time," he muttered, giving GIR an absent pat on the head. This was normally more attention than he would bestow on GIR. Right now, however, he was just looking for something that was remotely the same as before he'd gone on the trip to purchase a brainfreezie.
"I was sleepin Master! Then a big master with blue eyes made me wake up and gave me my moosey!" the robot mumbled into Zim's uniform. It looked up at him with adoring eyes. "I love my moosey. And you too Master!"
"I'm quite sure you do GIR," Zim allowed himself to give GIR a few more pats on the head, causing the little SIR to purr with delight. It was being cute... he had to admit that. Poor GIR must have been terrified when it discovered his absence. Either that, or it had thought Jendai was its master and tackled him instead. The thought of the curses the event would have jarred out of the mechanic brought a chuckle to his lips. Almost reluctantly, he peeled the metal arms from around his waist, having to step out of their encircling grip when this failed. Behind him, Merana hid a light laugh. GIR looked up at this, noticing her for the first time. "Hello there, GIR," she said.
"Hi lady!" GIR released its hold to take a look at this new being. Its eyes widened. "Hi Human!" Not surprisingly, it wasn't corrected. "I like taquitos. And brainfreezies and cupcakes and tacos and monkeys and my moose and Master and doom things and-" It broke off abruptly. "I forget the rest. Ooooooo!" GIR squealed, spotting the TV set in the adjacent room. "Scary Monkey Show time!" With another squeal of sheer joy, it ran off to watch the only thing that could hold its attention for periods longer than two minutes.
Merana watched it go, an amused look crossing her face. "Jendai must have loved tinkering with that piece of work," she said thoughtfully. She headed into the room GIR had entered. "Always wanted to see what was so interesting about this show myself," was her excuse. "Plus I have a few breakables in there and that thing seems a little too hyperactive. Why don't you go see if Jendai needs any help with the toaster or some other project he's working on." She glanced at him over her shoulder. "I'd ask you to come with me but, you don't seem like a Scary Monkey type and I can't have you wandering around here on your own." Her voice was fainter with distance. "His room is right across from his workroom, I think you can find that without my help."
He stood there for a few moments, antennae twitching at the sound of the Scary Monkey theme song. When he did move, the song was over and the aggravating show had begun. Zim remembered where the workroom was by now. He stifled a yawn as he started off down the hall. Where had that come from? He'd just had one of the most complete nights of sleep ever and yet his body still begged for more. Zim resolved to go to bed early tonight, whether he was in his lab or this house. Healing required rest.
A few doors down from Jendai's room, music filled the air. It was human in origin, and loud. It was what humans called "rock" music. Each step turned up the volume slightly, until he was clutching his head and peering into the actual room. The room was normal enough. A large bed was pushed up against the far wall, below a window with a nightstand-a lamp and book on it-beside it. A bookcase, filled with thick human volumes and a single Irken one, was to the right of the door. From the light fixture on the ceiling, a mobile of stars and two Saturn-like planets hung, twirling slowly. On the left wall were a chest of drawers, a mirror, a closet, the music maker, and Jendai. The music maker was a squat, box-like machine with speakers on each side, which sat on the dresser, in front of the hanging mirror. It was before this mirror that Jendai stood, his shirt gone, singing along to the human music in his sweet tenor voice.
"In my head I'm a chemical dreamer," both Irken mechanic and human musician sang in unison. When Jendai couldn't understand the human, he substituted the actual words with the word "something." "Speed up to burning mode. Something something something something. Beautify, don't crucify me. What, something something something move my piece right up the board. Losing sure is easy, so I am no more." He picked up a box of soap, using it as a microphone. Blue eyes closed as he sang. But what drew Zim's attention more than the words were the thick, ugly scars covering the Irken's bare, olive-green back. Some were jagged, as if torn with a blunt object. Others were smooth, tapered things confirming that a sharper object had been used. They were all over, some even on the back of his neck. The only place they weren't was around his black and blue back pod. One in particular drew his attention. It was one of the more ragged ones, yet below this one, there was a small, cylindrical lump beneath the skin. Zim stared, a slight confusion building. Not noticing him, Jendai continued to sing. "But I'm not broken," this part was sung with a far more defiant tone. "In my dreams, I win. Here I'm nothing, but a cosmic castaway. Yeah! A cosmic castaway, yeah! A cosmic castawa-" He stopped abruptly, eyes resting on Zim. Long fingers turned down the volume with a deft flick. "How long have you been standing there?" he asked, sounding both amused and resigned at the same time.
Zim flushed a darker shade of green. "A while," he admitted. "Your singing voice is quite good."
Now it was the mechanic's turn to blush. "No one was supposed to hear that but... thanks, Invader." He turned around, hiding the scars on his back from view. Unfortunately, even more decorated his muscular chest. A lazy yawn escaped him as he stretched, spreading his fingers luxuriously. Apparently, he noticed Zim's eyes on the scars. "Those are one of the reasons I hate Soldiers so much," he explained softly. "They're from beatings I received at various points in my life. I was never safe. Nor was anyone else I cared about..." His eyes were distant again. As if in a daze, he moved over to the bed, sitting down on the soft surface. "Could you give me a hand, Zim?" he asked.
"With what?" Curious, Zim approached the tall Irken. In Jendai's hands was a stiff, plastic band lined with soft padding in back. A leather clasp in front appeared to hold it in place. "What exactly is that?" he asked, scrambling up beside the mechanic.
"It's a back brace," Jendai said, studying the object. "I have to wear this so I don't get paralyzed further." He undid the clasp, sliding it behind him. "What I need you to do is make sure it stays over the little lump back there. All right?"
Zim carefully guided it into place. He tried not to look at the scars, which looked even worse close up. "Forgive me for asking you this, but... what is the lump exactly?"
"Remember I said I was shot?" Jendai waited for Zim's nod. "That's the goddamn projectile. It's stuck in my spine so bad that if it was to come out, I'd be worse off than I am now." He made an amused sound. "Maybe even dead." Deftly, he latched the clasps, securing the brace in place. When he finished, he sighed, leaning back on his hands. "Usually I get Merana in here," he explained with a half-smile. "but, uh, me being shirtless has a weird effect on females that I don't care to get into."
The Invader allowed himself a small laugh. "It is an honor to help one so tall as yourself," he saluted.
Jendai rolled his eyes. "Damn brain worms," he muttered to himself. "Has to be." His head swiveled from side to side as he cast about for his shirt. "Shit... where the hell is that thing...?" The mechanical legs appeared, lifting him off the bed. He searched the entire room with little luck, finally pausing to think, one hand propping up his head.
"Um... Jendai...?" Zim asked quietly. He gestured towards the bedpost. "I think it's over-"
"Shh," the mechanic hissed. "I'm trying to think."
"But it's-"
"Quiet," Jendai ordered. His eyes followed Zim's arm to where his shirt hung on the bedpost. "Oh..." Blue eyes narrowed. "Damn... What the hell is wrong with me today? Losing my mind." He collected his shirt, pulling it on in one deft, yank. The mechanical legs disappeared as he sat back down. "So...?" he asked. "Why'd Mer send you in here?"
Zim shrugged. "The Djemy went to supervise GIR in its viewing of the Scary Monkey Show," he explained. "and told me to come here to see if there was any way I could repay you for the rescue." The last bit was a lie. Well, he had to think up some excuse as to why he was feeling so submissive lately. This was the only explanation he could come up with.
Long fingers drummed against a dead leg. They stopped suddenly as their owner realized his glove was missing. Hurriedly, the glove was jerked on to cover the warped fingers in the right hand. A heavy sigh escaped Jendai. "They were broken once, and never really healed exactly like new." Yet another sorrowful explanation. "I can work. But I don't want anyone to see them." Blue eyes sought red ones. "They look awful... don't they, Invader?"
The Invader swallowed. "A little out-of-the-ordinary," he admitted. "Odd. Not awful." He looked away. "A Soldier beat you and broke your fingers." Zim purposely didn't make it a question; he already knew the answer.
Jendai's soft "yes" was almost too quiet even for Zim to hear. He chewed his lip. "You obviously know by now how much I hate your Class, Zim," he muttered. "Although, I have nothing against you so far." He stood again, pacing the room slowly. "I've been away from Irk for fourteen years... fourteen goddamn long years. I don't know how the hell things are being run back home, but uh..." His back was to Zim. "I suppose if I can judge your generation of Soldiers by you, things have changed." The mangled fingers of his right hand twirled the star mobile idly. It's metal rods made a joyful tinkling sound that brought a smile to the mechanic's lips. The grin stayed as he turned back to Zim. "C'mon, Invader Zim. Let's go see what Mer wants us to do before we can get some food."
He jumped off the bed, jogging up to where Jendai waited. "I am NOT eating any human food other than that sandwich thing," he stated, following the mechanic out the door. "It makes me sick."
"Thanks," Jendai grinned broadly down at him. "I made that myself." The grin turned to one of embarrassment. "After the little... plate incident..."
"No harm was done there. And when I become Emperor of this planet," Zim began, proudly tilting his chin upwards. "I shall make you my personal cook."
Jendai gave a light laugh. "Oh what an honor!" he chuckled, resting a hand briefly on the Invader's shoulder as a gesture of goodwill. "From head mechanic to Imperial chef! Oh, I'll be the envy of the Tallests themselves!" Even Zim had to snicker at this. They passed by a room that had not been open prior to Zim's trip to find the mechanic. Shouts of anger, feminine anger, came from within. The two males peered in nervously, antennae twitching. What they saw almost caused them to fall over with barely contained hysteria.
It was Merana's room, well-lit and, of course, decorated in white, amber and gold. The room's owner was there, yelling at the top of her lungs. GIR was also there, and it was the robot the Djemy was swearing at. GIR was dancing around, wearing what appeared to be make-up, a pair of women's underpants gracing its head and a bra draped around its metal frame like a dress. "Hi master!" it squealed, running up to Zim, who was holding his sides, desperately trying not to explode.
"What... are you... doing, GIR?" he managed to squeak out.
"I'm pretty!" This statement cause Jendai to burst out laughing. He fell over, robotic legs spasing out of control with his mirth. The jar didn't even faze him, he just kept on laughing insanely. GIR cocked its head. "I am! See!" It started dancing again, this time singing. "The best thing about being a woman is the prerogative to have a little fun and..." Zim went pale, then finally let himself go. Jendai gasped like a dying fish and then continued laughing. "Oh, oh, oh, go totally crazy-forget I'm a lady! Men's shirts--short skirts! Oh, oh, oh, really go wild-yeah, doin' it in style! Oh, oh, oh, get in the action-feel the attraction! Color my hair-do what I dare! Oh, oh, oh, I wanna be free-yeah, to feel the way I feel!" It turned to the hysterical Irkens. "Master! I feel like a woman!" They howled.
Merana on the other hand, was not amused. "Where the hell did that thing learn that song?" she growled, hands clenched dangerously.
"I... don't... know!" Zim gasped. The mechanic beside him had tears streaming down his face. "It... it just... listens to the... radio!"
"Mmm-hmm..." Amber eyes flashed angrily. "Get my stuff off of it. Now." Their laughter cut off abruptly. Almost sullenly, they moved to fix what GIR had done wrong. Zim held it still while Jendai carefully pulled the underpants off and wiped the make-up from its face with his shirtsleeve. They stood guiltily before her after they'd finished. Merana paced in front of them, evidently deciding their punishment. "You two are gonna go weed the gardens for a while," she declared. "And are taking GIR with you. I want everything beautiful by dark. Now, go!" She ducked back into her room, slamming the door in three stunned faces.
GIR danced before them as the two made their way to the back door, Jendai walking slightly ahead of Zim, an almost idiotic grin on his face. "What are you so happy about?" Zim asked finally. His curiosity was eating away at his sanity.
The mechanic looked down at him, the idiot grin replaced by a sheepish one. He mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like, "I touched her underpants," before looking off into the distance. "We gotta get to work or Mer won't let me feed us," he explained hastily. "C'mon. I'll show you the shed."
Zim watched him walk off, slowly becoming even more bewildered. He'd first thought the Djemy was the most confusing being ever. But now he was being to think this Jendai Kaalae was. He chewed his lower lip nervously. "Are you gonna come?" Jendai called over his shoulder. "If not, hide outside and look busy." He turned to go, not seeming to care if he was followed by anyone other than GIR or not.
Against his better judgment, Zim followed.
(A/N#2: Oooo!! Romance! Jendai loves Merana! Where will this take them? And what will Zim think of Gardening? And what the hell did I do to frank... who cares! Chapter 5 coming!)
(A/N#3: I had an idea for a sequal. It tells why Jendai is the way he is. Don't worry! There'll be Zim too! R&R and tell meeee what you think!)
Four
Jendai's Scars, and Women's Undergarments
The door started creaking open. Zim struggled to hold it shut, straining with every muscle. The elevator seemed to be taking forever, despite the loud and repetitive curses hissed at it from an irate Irken throat. In a single, graceful stride, Jendai crossed the room, bracing himself against the door was well. "How the hell did that bastard get down here so fast?" he hissed, antennae betraying his nervousness.
"Could he have heard us?" Zim grunted.
Jendai chewed his upper lip. "Possibly," he muttered, still pushing against the human. "Damn it. There's no other explanation. Damn my voice. It carries too well." He made a surprised sound as the door stopped pushing back. "Mer must have talked him down..." he decided, slowly backing off. When the thing didn't burst inwards, he relaxed, taking the time to gather his robotic legs together. He took a deep breath, deceptively powerful shoulders sagging with relief. The Irken suddenly looked very old and weak, as if any more worries would destroy his fragile hold on life. He began to pace the room, carefully examining the maps.
"I apologize for touching them," the Invader murmured. "I had forgotten your warning."
The mechanic waved him off. A heavy sigh escaped him as he stared at the map with the two pulsing green dots. "Just you and me Zim," he said. "Just us. Well, us and Merana anyway." One long finger touched an amber dot briefly, almost lovingly. "Originally, we'd thought it was a malfunction or something. But, I noticed a green kid wandering around by some skool... and I suppose you know the rest." Another gentle, caressing touch.
It was a while before either of them spoke again. The pulsating and dancing of the hundreds of alien life forces on the planet mesmerized both. Finally, a soft tap at the door snapped them out of their semi trance. "'Dai?" Merana's musical voice called. There was an unmistakable note of affection in her voice. "He's gone."
"Good," Jendai grunted, heading over to the door. "I stink. Forgot about a shower last night. And the SIR needs work. I'm gonna do that, then shower." He yanked open the door, revealing Merana standing on the other side. She looked worried. The Djemy looked as if she were about to say something, but a shake of Jendai's head stopped her. One finely boned hand touched his shoulder as if to stop him. The mechanic's gloved hand pulled it away, gently brushing past her and out of sight. She sighed softly, watching him go. Zim wandered over to her. "In case you're wondering, Invader," she murmured. "He doesn't shower with water. Some other race was allergic to it too. They made their own out of some stuff we have around here and used that. 'Dai kinda picked up on it. You can use it if you want. I dunno what exactly it is." She shrugged. "Chemistry was never my forte."
"Do..." Zim began, but halted himself. He'd heard Students talk about how blunt Soldiers were. Instead of finishing, he bit his lip.
Merana chuckled. "Do I care for him, you mean?" she asked, smiling down at him. The Djemy lost no time in thought. "I know you won't tell him, Zim. So, yes. I do. I care for him very deeply." The smile vanished. "He doesn't feel the same, I can guarantee that. He still cares for Leeri..." Her mood brightened. "Now, Zim. I need to have a look at those burns and maybe get you a sandwich or something."
The Invader saluted. "I am in your hands, Djemy Merana."
She laughed sweetly as she led him towards the kitchen. "Mer, if you please," she said.
"You two are so picky about what you prefer to be called," he grumbled, folding his thin arms over his chest. Zim hadn't meant it to be an insult and was relieved when Merana chuckled. Their walk wasn't too far, either Zim was getting used to the house or there was some strange mechanism that allowed them to walk quicker. In no time, he was seated at the table again, one of the ketchup-lettuce sandwiches before him, and Merana inspecting his left hand.
"This is looking great, Zim," she murmured, running delicate hands lightly over the injury. Her nails were filled short to allow the sensitive tips to run over her patients' wounds without inflicting more damage. She carefully rubbed some cream into the scabbing palm, watching it vanish before attaching a smaller bandage. "You can put your glove back on now if you want."
He muttered a thank you through his food. It tasted better than he'd thought. Merana had even brought him some juice, which he hadn't been able to drink in a while due to the substantial amounts of work in the lab. Her work finished with his hand, the Djemy turned to his face. Working lightly, she pulled off the adhesive tape holding the gauze in place against his green skin. It didn't even pinch. A frown graced her face. Taking another bit of gauze, she gently rubbed away the dried blood and other accumulated things. The spot was tender and, despite Merana's care, Zim winced. She gave him an apologetic smile. "This one isn't healing as nicely," she sighed. "You'll have a scar. But, then, what's another scar to a Soldier." It wasn't really a question. More cream was rubbed in, followed by a clean gauze patch and adhesive tape. Finishing, she patted him on the head, rising to put her medical supplies away. "I'm sorry I couldn't heal you all the way, Zim," she called from the kitchen.
"I won't hold it against you," he replied, swallowing the last of his sandwich. He hadn't realized how hungry he'd been. Apparently, a long chase and a series of near panic attacks left one hungry for anything remotely edible. He finally understood what Jendai meant by developing a taste for human foods when nothing else was around. Thirsty now, he gulped down the juice, savoring its odd, tangy flavor. The Djemy leaned against the entryway to the kitchen, smiling at his sudden enthusiasm. She took a seat beside him, still smiling.
"It's been a long time since I've had a normal-sized Irken around," she said, watching him drink. "Jendai's attitude problem makes you forget how cute you guys actually are."
He frowned at the cute comment. "I'm not cute," the Invader said flatly. Embarrassed suddenly, he watched his hands curl around the cool glass. "And I'm not normal, I'm... I'm small. Short, even." His antennae fell back. "I'm a small thing, the Tallest say. So does everyone else."
"Oh, Zim." She sighed. "That's what I hate about you Irkens. The whole height thing." Merana shook her head. "Being tall doesn't mean you're superior. Damn it, Red is a dumb ass; I've seen him. Purple isn't much better." Her hands spread apologetically. "I don't mean to insult you Zim, that's just how I see your culture."
Zim nodded. "That is how most outsiders view it." The embarrassment faded. He finished the juice. "May I ask you something?" She nodded. "What prevented you from healing me fully?" he asked. "You were able to revive these flowers perfectly. Is there a limit to what the Djemy can do?"
"Ah, I should have seen this coming," Merana muttered, running delicate fingers through silver-blonde hair. Her amber eyes darkened. "You knew of the extinction of the Djemy on the Irken moon, Shaet. Your race did everything they could, as we offered medical knowledge they could never gain on their own. Yet, I am still, the last of my kind. We owe this to the powers of the Dark One." Her eyes were distant, pupils contracted into nearly invisible slits. "In our religion, this thing held all the darkness in the universe at its command. It, seeing that we were a race dedicated to the side of good, began to slowly drain our power from us. A Djemy without power is as unable to do anything. Life is a struggle, so, eventually, those who were drained, killed themselves." She fiddled with a short nail. "I'm lucky. This planet is out of the Dark One's range. It can barely reach me here, but even its slight influence is enough to drain away what I have left."
"So... that is why you are unable to heal me?" he asked curiously. The concept of religion was almost impossible for his Irken brain to grasp. Of course, most Irkens swore by the "mother of Irk," yet the concept was abstract, mainly just something to use as a curse. Normal Irkens were not allowed to use what the Tallest swore by, their choice words being, "by the First Tallest."
"You don't have to believe me, Zim. I'm not asking you that."
"I'm not saying that I don't believe you." He tapped his fingers against the table. "Any explanation is welcome right now."
Another soft smile graced her face. "It isn't every day you get thrown into a river and wind up with a paralyzed Student and the last of the Djemy," she sighed, reaching out to touch his face. "I'm sorry this is such a shock to you, Invader."
He tensed at her touch, unsure of how to react. She pulled her hand away eventually, the tips of her fingers glowing green slightly. "Blew up half a planet, eh?" she chuckled. Amber eyes regarded her fingers. "Gods, I love these things."
Zim stared at her in disbelief. If the Djemy had been a warlike people, perhaps they would have replaced Irkens as one of the most powerful races in the universe. No secret could possibly be kept from them with their strange powers. He just hoped no secrets of the Armada or the Empire had leaked out. If they had, he would be doomed. He opened his mouth to ask what exactly the Djemy had learned.
"Master?"
His antennae pricked at the small, scared voice. Standing up on his chair, Zim scanned the room, his large eyes falling on a metallic body. "GIR!" the Invader exclaimed, jumping down. The little robot squealed, finally seeing its master. The SIR clutched its stuffed moose tightly, as if afraid of the large house and its occupants. Upon seeing its master though, GIR dropped the moose, running over to Zim's chair and trying to climb up. Zim jumped down, allowing GIR to latch onto his waist and squeeze tightly. "At least you're not all germy this time," he muttered, giving GIR an absent pat on the head. This was normally more attention than he would bestow on GIR. Right now, however, he was just looking for something that was remotely the same as before he'd gone on the trip to purchase a brainfreezie.
"I was sleepin Master! Then a big master with blue eyes made me wake up and gave me my moosey!" the robot mumbled into Zim's uniform. It looked up at him with adoring eyes. "I love my moosey. And you too Master!"
"I'm quite sure you do GIR," Zim allowed himself to give GIR a few more pats on the head, causing the little SIR to purr with delight. It was being cute... he had to admit that. Poor GIR must have been terrified when it discovered his absence. Either that, or it had thought Jendai was its master and tackled him instead. The thought of the curses the event would have jarred out of the mechanic brought a chuckle to his lips. Almost reluctantly, he peeled the metal arms from around his waist, having to step out of their encircling grip when this failed. Behind him, Merana hid a light laugh. GIR looked up at this, noticing her for the first time. "Hello there, GIR," she said.
"Hi lady!" GIR released its hold to take a look at this new being. Its eyes widened. "Hi Human!" Not surprisingly, it wasn't corrected. "I like taquitos. And brainfreezies and cupcakes and tacos and monkeys and my moose and Master and doom things and-" It broke off abruptly. "I forget the rest. Ooooooo!" GIR squealed, spotting the TV set in the adjacent room. "Scary Monkey Show time!" With another squeal of sheer joy, it ran off to watch the only thing that could hold its attention for periods longer than two minutes.
Merana watched it go, an amused look crossing her face. "Jendai must have loved tinkering with that piece of work," she said thoughtfully. She headed into the room GIR had entered. "Always wanted to see what was so interesting about this show myself," was her excuse. "Plus I have a few breakables in there and that thing seems a little too hyperactive. Why don't you go see if Jendai needs any help with the toaster or some other project he's working on." She glanced at him over her shoulder. "I'd ask you to come with me but, you don't seem like a Scary Monkey type and I can't have you wandering around here on your own." Her voice was fainter with distance. "His room is right across from his workroom, I think you can find that without my help."
He stood there for a few moments, antennae twitching at the sound of the Scary Monkey theme song. When he did move, the song was over and the aggravating show had begun. Zim remembered where the workroom was by now. He stifled a yawn as he started off down the hall. Where had that come from? He'd just had one of the most complete nights of sleep ever and yet his body still begged for more. Zim resolved to go to bed early tonight, whether he was in his lab or this house. Healing required rest.
A few doors down from Jendai's room, music filled the air. It was human in origin, and loud. It was what humans called "rock" music. Each step turned up the volume slightly, until he was clutching his head and peering into the actual room. The room was normal enough. A large bed was pushed up against the far wall, below a window with a nightstand-a lamp and book on it-beside it. A bookcase, filled with thick human volumes and a single Irken one, was to the right of the door. From the light fixture on the ceiling, a mobile of stars and two Saturn-like planets hung, twirling slowly. On the left wall were a chest of drawers, a mirror, a closet, the music maker, and Jendai. The music maker was a squat, box-like machine with speakers on each side, which sat on the dresser, in front of the hanging mirror. It was before this mirror that Jendai stood, his shirt gone, singing along to the human music in his sweet tenor voice.
"In my head I'm a chemical dreamer," both Irken mechanic and human musician sang in unison. When Jendai couldn't understand the human, he substituted the actual words with the word "something." "Speed up to burning mode. Something something something something. Beautify, don't crucify me. What, something something something move my piece right up the board. Losing sure is easy, so I am no more." He picked up a box of soap, using it as a microphone. Blue eyes closed as he sang. But what drew Zim's attention more than the words were the thick, ugly scars covering the Irken's bare, olive-green back. Some were jagged, as if torn with a blunt object. Others were smooth, tapered things confirming that a sharper object had been used. They were all over, some even on the back of his neck. The only place they weren't was around his black and blue back pod. One in particular drew his attention. It was one of the more ragged ones, yet below this one, there was a small, cylindrical lump beneath the skin. Zim stared, a slight confusion building. Not noticing him, Jendai continued to sing. "But I'm not broken," this part was sung with a far more defiant tone. "In my dreams, I win. Here I'm nothing, but a cosmic castaway. Yeah! A cosmic castaway, yeah! A cosmic castawa-" He stopped abruptly, eyes resting on Zim. Long fingers turned down the volume with a deft flick. "How long have you been standing there?" he asked, sounding both amused and resigned at the same time.
Zim flushed a darker shade of green. "A while," he admitted. "Your singing voice is quite good."
Now it was the mechanic's turn to blush. "No one was supposed to hear that but... thanks, Invader." He turned around, hiding the scars on his back from view. Unfortunately, even more decorated his muscular chest. A lazy yawn escaped him as he stretched, spreading his fingers luxuriously. Apparently, he noticed Zim's eyes on the scars. "Those are one of the reasons I hate Soldiers so much," he explained softly. "They're from beatings I received at various points in my life. I was never safe. Nor was anyone else I cared about..." His eyes were distant again. As if in a daze, he moved over to the bed, sitting down on the soft surface. "Could you give me a hand, Zim?" he asked.
"With what?" Curious, Zim approached the tall Irken. In Jendai's hands was a stiff, plastic band lined with soft padding in back. A leather clasp in front appeared to hold it in place. "What exactly is that?" he asked, scrambling up beside the mechanic.
"It's a back brace," Jendai said, studying the object. "I have to wear this so I don't get paralyzed further." He undid the clasp, sliding it behind him. "What I need you to do is make sure it stays over the little lump back there. All right?"
Zim carefully guided it into place. He tried not to look at the scars, which looked even worse close up. "Forgive me for asking you this, but... what is the lump exactly?"
"Remember I said I was shot?" Jendai waited for Zim's nod. "That's the goddamn projectile. It's stuck in my spine so bad that if it was to come out, I'd be worse off than I am now." He made an amused sound. "Maybe even dead." Deftly, he latched the clasps, securing the brace in place. When he finished, he sighed, leaning back on his hands. "Usually I get Merana in here," he explained with a half-smile. "but, uh, me being shirtless has a weird effect on females that I don't care to get into."
The Invader allowed himself a small laugh. "It is an honor to help one so tall as yourself," he saluted.
Jendai rolled his eyes. "Damn brain worms," he muttered to himself. "Has to be." His head swiveled from side to side as he cast about for his shirt. "Shit... where the hell is that thing...?" The mechanical legs appeared, lifting him off the bed. He searched the entire room with little luck, finally pausing to think, one hand propping up his head.
"Um... Jendai...?" Zim asked quietly. He gestured towards the bedpost. "I think it's over-"
"Shh," the mechanic hissed. "I'm trying to think."
"But it's-"
"Quiet," Jendai ordered. His eyes followed Zim's arm to where his shirt hung on the bedpost. "Oh..." Blue eyes narrowed. "Damn... What the hell is wrong with me today? Losing my mind." He collected his shirt, pulling it on in one deft, yank. The mechanical legs disappeared as he sat back down. "So...?" he asked. "Why'd Mer send you in here?"
Zim shrugged. "The Djemy went to supervise GIR in its viewing of the Scary Monkey Show," he explained. "and told me to come here to see if there was any way I could repay you for the rescue." The last bit was a lie. Well, he had to think up some excuse as to why he was feeling so submissive lately. This was the only explanation he could come up with.
Long fingers drummed against a dead leg. They stopped suddenly as their owner realized his glove was missing. Hurriedly, the glove was jerked on to cover the warped fingers in the right hand. A heavy sigh escaped Jendai. "They were broken once, and never really healed exactly like new." Yet another sorrowful explanation. "I can work. But I don't want anyone to see them." Blue eyes sought red ones. "They look awful... don't they, Invader?"
The Invader swallowed. "A little out-of-the-ordinary," he admitted. "Odd. Not awful." He looked away. "A Soldier beat you and broke your fingers." Zim purposely didn't make it a question; he already knew the answer.
Jendai's soft "yes" was almost too quiet even for Zim to hear. He chewed his lip. "You obviously know by now how much I hate your Class, Zim," he muttered. "Although, I have nothing against you so far." He stood again, pacing the room slowly. "I've been away from Irk for fourteen years... fourteen goddamn long years. I don't know how the hell things are being run back home, but uh..." His back was to Zim. "I suppose if I can judge your generation of Soldiers by you, things have changed." The mangled fingers of his right hand twirled the star mobile idly. It's metal rods made a joyful tinkling sound that brought a smile to the mechanic's lips. The grin stayed as he turned back to Zim. "C'mon, Invader Zim. Let's go see what Mer wants us to do before we can get some food."
He jumped off the bed, jogging up to where Jendai waited. "I am NOT eating any human food other than that sandwich thing," he stated, following the mechanic out the door. "It makes me sick."
"Thanks," Jendai grinned broadly down at him. "I made that myself." The grin turned to one of embarrassment. "After the little... plate incident..."
"No harm was done there. And when I become Emperor of this planet," Zim began, proudly tilting his chin upwards. "I shall make you my personal cook."
Jendai gave a light laugh. "Oh what an honor!" he chuckled, resting a hand briefly on the Invader's shoulder as a gesture of goodwill. "From head mechanic to Imperial chef! Oh, I'll be the envy of the Tallests themselves!" Even Zim had to snicker at this. They passed by a room that had not been open prior to Zim's trip to find the mechanic. Shouts of anger, feminine anger, came from within. The two males peered in nervously, antennae twitching. What they saw almost caused them to fall over with barely contained hysteria.
It was Merana's room, well-lit and, of course, decorated in white, amber and gold. The room's owner was there, yelling at the top of her lungs. GIR was also there, and it was the robot the Djemy was swearing at. GIR was dancing around, wearing what appeared to be make-up, a pair of women's underpants gracing its head and a bra draped around its metal frame like a dress. "Hi master!" it squealed, running up to Zim, who was holding his sides, desperately trying not to explode.
"What... are you... doing, GIR?" he managed to squeak out.
"I'm pretty!" This statement cause Jendai to burst out laughing. He fell over, robotic legs spasing out of control with his mirth. The jar didn't even faze him, he just kept on laughing insanely. GIR cocked its head. "I am! See!" It started dancing again, this time singing. "The best thing about being a woman is the prerogative to have a little fun and..." Zim went pale, then finally let himself go. Jendai gasped like a dying fish and then continued laughing. "Oh, oh, oh, go totally crazy-forget I'm a lady! Men's shirts--short skirts! Oh, oh, oh, really go wild-yeah, doin' it in style! Oh, oh, oh, get in the action-feel the attraction! Color my hair-do what I dare! Oh, oh, oh, I wanna be free-yeah, to feel the way I feel!" It turned to the hysterical Irkens. "Master! I feel like a woman!" They howled.
Merana on the other hand, was not amused. "Where the hell did that thing learn that song?" she growled, hands clenched dangerously.
"I... don't... know!" Zim gasped. The mechanic beside him had tears streaming down his face. "It... it just... listens to the... radio!"
"Mmm-hmm..." Amber eyes flashed angrily. "Get my stuff off of it. Now." Their laughter cut off abruptly. Almost sullenly, they moved to fix what GIR had done wrong. Zim held it still while Jendai carefully pulled the underpants off and wiped the make-up from its face with his shirtsleeve. They stood guiltily before her after they'd finished. Merana paced in front of them, evidently deciding their punishment. "You two are gonna go weed the gardens for a while," she declared. "And are taking GIR with you. I want everything beautiful by dark. Now, go!" She ducked back into her room, slamming the door in three stunned faces.
GIR danced before them as the two made their way to the back door, Jendai walking slightly ahead of Zim, an almost idiotic grin on his face. "What are you so happy about?" Zim asked finally. His curiosity was eating away at his sanity.
The mechanic looked down at him, the idiot grin replaced by a sheepish one. He mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like, "I touched her underpants," before looking off into the distance. "We gotta get to work or Mer won't let me feed us," he explained hastily. "C'mon. I'll show you the shed."
Zim watched him walk off, slowly becoming even more bewildered. He'd first thought the Djemy was the most confusing being ever. But now he was being to think this Jendai Kaalae was. He chewed his lower lip nervously. "Are you gonna come?" Jendai called over his shoulder. "If not, hide outside and look busy." He turned to go, not seeming to care if he was followed by anyone other than GIR or not.
Against his better judgment, Zim followed.
(A/N#2: Oooo!! Romance! Jendai loves Merana! Where will this take them? And what will Zim think of Gardening? And what the hell did I do to frank... who cares! Chapter 5 coming!)
(A/N#3: I had an idea for a sequal. It tells why Jendai is the way he is. Don't worry! There'll be Zim too! R&R and tell meeee what you think!)
