The Night Slayers
Written by Nathander
This is my first SERIOUS Invader Zim fanfiction. I've been writing this as a break from my other current projects, Oh…My…God!(An IZ/PpG Crossover) and the continuation of DragonShadow's South Park series, as well as many other humor fanfictions and some other serious fanfictions. Please be kind, since again, this is my first serious IZ attempt.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Not one damn thing except for the fan characters in this. Jhonen Vasquez owns everything else, and if I was him, I'd be rolling in an insane amount of money and fan praise. And that would make me as happy as a pig in shit :P
Chapter 1: Tradition
1
2 And I will show you something different from either
3 Your shadow in the morning striding behind you
Or your shadow at evening rising to meet you;
I will show you fear in a handful of dust.
-T.S. Eliot
"The Waste Land"
"You can't possibly be serious, can you?" asked Purple, somewhat nervously to Red.
"It's tradition." Red said, "It must be upheld."
"Listen to yourself!" Purple screamed. "You would but one as young as him to death?"
"He IS an invader; a pathetic one, but an invader none the less."
"But even by our standards he is still a child!" Purple screamed back towards his compatriot.
"I know. But, as I said earlier, he is an invader, and our traditions must be upheld. It is more honorable for Zim to fall by the hands of one of his own, and not by that of a different race."
"But he hasn't caused that much damage. All he's really done is been annoying."
"Tradouse!* He's been using up valuable time from the other invaders with his little reports. And need I remind you about the incident with the planet jackers?"
*Tradouse: The irken equivalent of "bullshit".
Purple cringed at the thought. The confusion that had come because of Zim revealing himself to be an invader and stopping the planet jackers from taking 'Earth' as fuel had strained the already thin-bare relationship between the Irks and the Planet Jackers. "He didn't know better. There wasn't anything that could be done."
"So what should we do about this? Tell him his mission was all a façade and risk being shown as cowards, not even capable of dealing with a low- ranking invader, and disgracing the Irks? Is that truly what you wish?"
"But why…why send one of THEM? He's but a child among our ranks, why send a night slayer to take care of him?"
"Because" Red began, "an irken invader falling to a less sophisticated alien race is unhonorable. Even I care that someone like Zim should be able to keep his honor as an invader. Expulsion from his rank would also be unhonorable; he must be eliminated, his memories spread through the dust of history. No one will remember him; no one will care."
"But this is wasting even more time by sending a night slayer to an uncharted planet to take care of a low ranking invader! Where's the logic in all this?"
"We can't always think in terms of logic. Sometimes we just have to trust how we feel, and this is how I feel about the whole thing, so it's the direction I'm going with it."
"Well I feel this is WRONG, and nothing good will come of it."
Red just shrugged at Purple's reply. "Well, that's nice, but I'm going to go ahead and issue the command. It'll be pointless for you to take this conversation any further, so maybe you should just leave."
Fuming at his cohorts decision, Purple did just that, the doors to the room slamming behind him. Red took a seat in one of the chairs situated around the room, looking at the paintings put upon the walls. The room was Purple and Red's lounge room, a room where they would just come to think or hold council with their generals and admirals.
One of the few times when Red felt truly at peace was when he would sit in the room and look at all the paintings around the walls, each of them pinnacles of Irken art. He was somewhat angry when HE finally came through the doors to the room, Red's state of peace broken.
The irk who had just arrived was almost as tall as the Tallest, only about an inch or two smaller. His clothes were composed of a black flight suit, as well as a belt that had a number of items from it, including two incredible looking knives that seemed to reflect light off of them. His eyes were different then the usual red hue of the irks, instead being totally black, matching his flight suit. He was totally silent as he waited for his leader to talk.
Red got up from his seat, making sure he stood so his full height showed. "Do you know why you are here?"
The irk dressed in black just shook his head.
"On a currently uncharted planet, there is an invader named Zim. He was sent here because of how much of a nuisance he was, Purple and myself originally hoping we would never hear from him again. However, he arrived safely at a planet known as 'Earth', and his been constantly badgering us since with useless information that has no importance for our cause. He must be….taken care of. Do you understand what I am going at?"
The irk nodded as a reply.
"We have a rough map for a route to this planet installed in the computer on your ship. It is only an estimate on our beliefs on where to find the planet, but I expect you will be capable to find it with your training and the map. You will be given a SIR unit; highly irregular for you and your brand of work, I know, but since we have never had true contact with this planet it should help you. Are you ready for your mission?"
Again, the irk replied just with a nod.
"Then you are dismissed. Leave by trarhot** by tomorrow."
**Trarhot: The irken equivalent of noon.
The irk left, without a speaking a single word. Red sat back in the chair he had occupied previously, his hands on his temple, trying to get back into his state of peace.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
"Gir! How many times must I go threw explaining this one simple concept?" Zim asked, scolding the little robot for his latest mishap. Yet again, Gir had forgotten to close the door when he had come back from the 24/7, and after the last time with what happened with Dib, Zim wasn't especially looking forward to such another encounter. "Whenever you come back here, you make sure you close the door! Do you understand Gir? You CLOSE THE DOOR!"
"Aww, but I just wanted to make sure piggy knew that I was here." Gir said in a pouty little voice.
"And what have I told you about that pig?"
Gir scratched his head for a moment, and then shrugged his little shoulders. "To always let him in?"
"No Gir! To NOT let him in! Do you know how filthy that thing is? And not only that, but it eats the meat of cleanness!"
"He likes meat." Gir said this with a huge smile on his face.
"But he isn't supposed to eat the clean meat Gir. He's not even supposed to be in the house."
"But he's my friend."
"I really don't care Gir. Just go watch TV or…..something. You've delayed the work I need to do in the lab enough already."
"TV? Yay!" Gir squealed with joy before running towards the TV set and turning on his 'favorite' show, the Spooky Monkey Show. Zim shuddered, not quite sure what enjoyment the little robot got from watching the show.
Zim continued to his lab. It had been at least half a month since he had given a report towards the Tallest. Zim made sure to check every wire, everything for his computer and transmitter connection. Last time he had tried to contact the Tallest, he found Gir had been down in the laboratory, trying to see if he could play a video game on the computer. Zim prepared himself to talk to the Tallest, and pressed the button for the transmitter.
All that appeared on the screen was a light buzz, with several lines running through the screen in different directions. Zim's jaw immediately fell upon. He regained his composure in few seconds, and immediately lost it when he actually began to shiver with fear. There was only one reason the Tallest would cut off communication lines between them and an invader.
One of THEM was coming.
All invaders knew of them, but never talked of them. They were the Night Slayers, incredibly well trained killers and the elite of the invaders.
The Night Slayers were usually picked from the ranks of the invaders who had proven themselves at being incredibly adept at combat and stealth. They were usually used for only two purposes: the first, and most common one, was to assinate high ranking officers during times of war, to sneak in whenever they could, eliminate their target, and get out.
The second one was to kill invaders who had shone themselves to be to fault ridden or expandable. It was considered a much more honorable way for an invader to go out, as being killed by the enemy or being stripped off his rank immediately took away any honor the irk way have had in life. So, by death at the hands of a higher-ranking invader, the invader was able to keep his honor in death.
"No." Zim said to himself, in the solitude of his lab. "I won't give up. I won't die at the hands of one of them. I'll fight. I'll FIGHT!"
But Zim also knew he wouldn't have a chance against a Night Slayer by himself. He'd need help. But who could he turn to? The only people he could think of was the "Dib"(Zim shuddered at the thought of turning to him) and his sister Gaz. He knew Dib would refuse to help, and Gaz probably wouldn't care either way. Zim had no one to turn to.
No, not one.
And Zim did the thing he thought would be impossible for an invader.
He cried.
Meanwhile, in space, a small, sleek black voot runner began its course towards earth, the Night Slayer who dressed himself in black silently contemplating his mission. He had killed many in his career already; mainly high-ranking enemy officers during war and a few failed invaders as well.
But, to kill an irk who was still by their standards considered a child? Would that even be a sin that could be forgiven?
The irk looked towards the silent, steel SIR unit beside him. He hadn't used his SIR unit in a mission since his days as an invader, which seemed so long gone by now. But as he was actually going to have to chase an irk on a planet that no other irk then that one had had contact with, he supposed the SIR unit would be necessary. He enjoyed the SIR unit's company, actually; it was cold and silent, just as he was. Of all creatures in the universe, his SIR unit was the only thing he felt close to.
And his advance towards the planet known as Earth continued.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
"And that's why Godzilla is real. The Japanese government just doesn't want us to know about it because they're doing cloning projects to make smaller versions of him to use as pets, while they'll use the real Godzilla as a weapon to stop the continuos alien assaults that plague them so much." Dib said to his sister as they walked towards their day at Skool.
One of Gaz's eyes had begun to twitch with annoyance. If her brother kept talking, how was she supposed to get past the Vampire Lord Piggy in her game? "Just keep talking Dib. I hear you, but I don't care."
Dib rolled his eyes. "Oh please Gaz. This is much more important then your stupid game. After the alien invasions stop, how do we know the Japanese government won't use Godzilla to attempt to take over the world?"
Gaz had had enough. "Well, maybe we know they won't because Godzilla ISN'T FUCKIN' REAL!"
Dib stopped for a moment, trying to see how Gaz could still have this idea after going through all the facts that proved Godzilla was real. He shook his head, not able to see that possibility. He never understood how people weren't interested in things like the paranormal. It had to be one of the most interesting things you could ever hear.
"And I'm going to be the best." Dib said to himself quietly. Yes, he was. Someday, he would be one of the most highly regarded paranormalists in the world. He already had an alien, now he just needed to be able to expose it. At that moment, Dib caught something out of the corner of his eye. "Well speak of the devil." Dib said to himself, and he furrowed his eyebrows.
It was Zim. And he was actually walking beside them to Skool. This was a new one on him. He saw Zim every day at school, but had never actually seen him GOING to Skool. He always figured Zim had some sort of transport device that got him into the Skool.
"What's wrong Zim? You're transport device not working today?" Dib said in a venomous voice.
Zim didn't reply. He didn't even bother to look at Dib, and this annoyed Dib even further. "You better answer me, you alien scum! You think you're to high up to even answer a human? Huh? Is that it Zim? Well, I've got news for you, Zi…."
"SHUT UP DIB!" Gaz screamed, anger and hate seeming to seethe from her like some sort of aura. "I just lost my last life in the game to the Vampire Lord Piggy because you wouldn't shut up about your alien BS!" Gaz grabbed Dib by the shirt collar, forcing him to look at her. "And if you don't shut up RIGHT NOW I will shut you up! Understand?" Dib just nodded his hand, and Gaz let go of his shirt collar. The three children's journey towards Skool was in total silence, except for the electronic beeps issuing from Gaz's Game Slave system.
Dib prodded his lunch, hardly able to eat (though this wasn't uncommon, especially on baloney stroganoff day) or concentrate. It was the first time he had seen Zim going to school, and the first time Zim had totally ignored an insult aimed at him. Dib knew something was on his mind, something was eating at him. But the question was what? What could have him so worried or so deep in thought that he would totally ignore insults? Dib's pattern of thought was broken as he heard a soft growl issue from Gaz. He sighed. "What's wrong Gaz."
Gaz curled her fingers up, except for her thumb, and pointed with her thumb at a boy behind her. "That weird kid won't stop looking at me."
Dib looked at the young boy, raising an eyebrow as he noticed the child's appearance. He looked somewhat normal, seeming to be the same age as Gaz. However, he noticed that the kid had two small horns growing from his head and pale green skin. He had seen the kid before. What was his name? Oh yeah, Pepito. He remembered him only because of the terror he had been able to spread around the Skool: setting fires, attack classmates, telling people he was the antichrist, ect. But what worried Dib the most was that he seemed almost….lovestruck when he was looking at Gaz, and even just that gave Dib the chills. There was only one person sitting beside Pepito, his only 'friend', Todd, or more usually referred to as Squee. Dib had actually talked to the kid some. He sort of enjoyed his company even, especially since he seemed to have some information and contact with intergalactic creatures, and a good paranormalist always needed good contacts.
"I'm telling ya' amigo, she's perfect." Pepito said to his best (and only) friend, Squee. "That gothic look, the foreverly pissed off attitude; she'd be the PERFECT queen of darkness for me."
Squee would never admit it to Pepito or say it to anyone, but his friend's sudden bout of love for this one girl was actually starting to annoy him. He wished his friend would just shut up. In fact, his usual talk about his army of darkness and burning people who annoyed him had actually become welcome in Squee's mind. His pattern of thought was immediately shattered as he noticed Pepito was no longer talking. In fact, Pepito was no longer sitting by him, for that matter. "Oh God." Squee moaned to himself as he saw that his friend had actually gone up to the girl. He knew the girl's name even before Pepito had started talking about her. She was Gaz Membrane, and for all Squee knew, she was scary, just like Pepito could be.
But neither of them, even combined, could hold a candle in the scary-ness factor to the Spooky Neighbor Man, or Johnny C.
Truth be told, Squee actually like Johnny, who was his neighbor, but he was….well, he was spooky, thus making him the Spooky Neighbor Man. It didn't help either that his visits usually included him injuring his father in some form or another. His father could be really mean, saying lots of hurtful things, but Squee knew he didn't mean them, even though his teddy bear Shmee thought otherwise and would always let that be known. Squee came back to focus on the matter at hand when he saw Gaz punch Pepito in the face, and Pepito falling to the ground, and the whole mess ending with Gaz and her brother, Dib, walking off, probably deciding to eat outside. Squee went to his friend's side, helping him up and surprised to see that Pepito's nose was bleeding. "Are you okay?" he asked.
"Yeah, amigo, I'm just fine." Pepito then proceeded to wipe the blood off which had been trickling down his nose to his mouth.
"So I suppose you're going to give up?" Squee asked, hoping this would be the end of Pepito's lovestruck obsession.
Pepito just gave a small smile and winked. "Nope. Not by a long shot." His smile widened. "Did you see that punch? I MUST have her as my queen!" And with that, Pepito rushed out the door to find his love, dragging his haplessly unlucky friend with him.
Dib couldn't say he wasn't mad that Pepito had actually had the gall to hit on his sister, and in front of her brother for that matter. At least the little doushbag had gotten what he deserved, even though it stopped him from defending his own sister. Dib eyes widened, and he immediately slapped his forehead. He had been so lost in thought that he hadn't noticed that he had lost sight of Gaz in the crowd. It took him a little while, but he could eventually see where she was sitting. And it made him even angrier when she noticed who she was sitting by. "Zim…." He muttered under his breath.
"What is it that interests you in this….electronical, beeping thingy?" Zim asked, peering at the Game Slave.
Gaz couldn't help but let a tiny smirk escape. Sometimes it was actually enjoyable to have to sort of interaction with the rest of the world, especially with all the chauvinist morons like Pepito around. "It helps me relax and it entertains me. But most importantly, it helps me escape."
"Escape…." Zim said. "You can't escape from every situation in such a way. I've only now noticed that sometimes you can't escape from something."
Gaz raised an eyebrow at this proclamation. "Welcome to my world. A world of darkness and despair you can never escape from."
"And its ruler is an evil god which takes the form of a moose." Zim was actually surprised at the incredibly silly and incoherent thing he had just said. It was something he would have expected from Gir, but certainly not from himself.
Yet, Gaz was actually trying to contain her laughter at this incredibly odd and unexpected statement. And she failed.
And Zim couldn't help it when he joined her laughter with his.
However, this little moment was broken up by the most likely person.
"GAZ! What are you doing speaking to that…that alien!" Dib screamed, drawing just about everyone's attention to all of them.
Gaz rolled her eyes. "You know Dib, sometimes even I need some interaction with the world."
"But you need to stay away from him! How do you know he won't lay eggs in your chest?"
"Do you ever listen to the foolishness you speak, earthboy?" Zim replied.
"Oh, and NOW you decide to speak. Exactly what was it that kept you from speaking earlier? Are you afraid of something?" Dib said in a voice chock full of venom.
Zim had had enough, and he jumped on the table, pointing a finger at Dib. "Blasphemy! An invader fears nothing you fool! NOTHING!" Dib smirked a little bit, seeing as how Zim had just given himself away. Zim noticed this too, and immediately clasped his hands over his mouth.
"An invader? So that IS what you're here for, isn't it Zim? Do take over this planet?"
"Don't be a fool. I said nothing about being an invader."
"Blah blah blah. For being an alien, it's incredible how stupid you are. But you are afraid of something, aren't you Zim? What's the matter? Has your planet realized how pathetic you are and are planning to get rid of you?"
Zim lowered his head, actually surprising Dib. He had actual seemed to have hit it on the head. "Can't you just leave him alone Dib?" Gaz said, seeming to be annoyed.
"How can you defend him Gaz? He's alien scum!" Dib said, outraged that his own sister was taking Zim's side.
"How do you know he's an alien Dib? He said he has a skin condition. So does everyone who has a skin condition an alien?" Gaz said angrily.
Dib was disgusted. His own sister was taking the alien's side? She had even seen him as an alien. Why was she defending him?
Then it hit him like a ton of bricks. "Oh no." he muttered to himself. "Oh no no no."
"What's wrong now Dib?" Gaz said, getting more annoyed by the second.
"You can't! How can you have a crush on him?!" Dib declared angrily, pointing at Zim, who still had his head lowered and paying no attention to anything going on.
"WHAT?!" Gaz screamed angrily at her brother for jumping to such a conclusion. Even if it did have a little bit of truth in it. "Where in the HELL did you get this?"
Gaz bearly listened to her brother as he explained where he got the idea. She noticed things were about to get much worse.
Pepito had come outside looking for her, dragging Squee with him.
She sighed; the rest of the day was going to be intolerably long.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Finally, he had arrived.
The night slayer lightly landed the ship behind a house that seemed to be old and deserted, though he made sure to hide the ship so no one other then himself and his SIR unit would know where it was.
He looked the building over. Yes, it was definitely deserted. It was much to damaged and rickety no one in his or her right mind to live in. Quietly, he sneaked around to the front door and quickly entered, leaving his SIR unit in the ship. He didn't worry about the little metal construction; he was in his sleep mode, and would know not to leave the ship until his master came back and told him everything was A-OK. The night slayer didn't even bother to look at the house's number.
The number was 777.
Johnny looked down upon the miserable, loathing creature in his basement, shackled to the wall like he deserved. The person had had the nerve to call him a fagot within hearing range for him. Johnny bent down and put one of his hands under the asshole's chin, the person shuddering in response. A light smile crossed Johnny's lips. "Did you know" he began, "that you can still feel pain for a little while after you have your head cut off?"
"No! Please God no! Don't kill me!" the man screeched, tears of terror actually beginning to form in his eyes.
Johnny's smile widened. "You just can't scream because your head is detached from your vocal cords."
"I said I was sorry! Please! I'll do anything!"
Johnny took out two knives, and they quickly did their work, severing the man's head from his body, some of the blood splattering onto Johnny. His smile became that of a hyena's.
But his smile quickly faded as he heard a creak from upstairs. Someone had actually come into his house. "Fuck." he cursed to himself. Was it so wrong for someone's private property to actually be private? He took out his knife and peered out the door. Nothing prepared him for what he saw.
The irk was actually shocked at the sight that awaited him. The walls were covered with knives jutting into them, and one of the walls was actually coated with a layer of blood. It was a true testament to cold steel and to death, a true piece of art as far as he was concerned.
And he wanted to be part of it. To actually join with it and let the walls swallow him, sharing with him the knowledge that they had, they wanton slaughter and carnage they had beheld. He couldn't control himself; he went over to the wall layered in blood and touched it.
And he was shocked when he noticed that it was still wet, that it was still fresh. He cursed himself in a low voice and in his own tongue. The building was being occupied by somebody, maybe someone who could actually be an equivalent to his own prowess.
That's when he heard the door thrown open. He turned around to see a dumbstruck human. He was incredibly skinny and was a good height, a height that rivaled even his own. He looked like an absolute wreck, though his hair was somewhat well kept, his clothes were incredibly old looking and had seemed to be through a lot of wear, except for the black boots on his feet. His face, for now, was a mask of shock. It soon changed into a look of rage. "Who the hell are you?" he inquired.
The irk raised his right hand, and lowered all of his fingers except for the middle one. He wasn't sure the earthling would understand, but by how much angrier the man got, he guessed it was pretty much understood by everyone.
"Oh, you think you're really clever, don't you asshole?" Johnny shouted towards the irk. "Well, let's see how clever you are DISMEMBERED!" and with that, Johnny took out both of his knives.
The night slayer smiled, and did the same with his knives. Perhaps this would be a true challenge.
TO BE CONTINUED
Heh heh, don't you just HATE cliffhangers? I know it's a little slow at first, and that Johnny is sorta OOC, but hopefully somebody enjoyed this. If you couldn't tell already, there is going to be ZAGR in later chapters, and if you don't like it, tough titties. By the way, whether you liked this or not, PLEASE REVIEW! I NEED REVIEWS OR I WILL DIE! SO REVIEW DAMMIT!
Written by Nathander
This is my first SERIOUS Invader Zim fanfiction. I've been writing this as a break from my other current projects, Oh…My…God!(An IZ/PpG Crossover) and the continuation of DragonShadow's South Park series, as well as many other humor fanfictions and some other serious fanfictions. Please be kind, since again, this is my first serious IZ attempt.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Not one damn thing except for the fan characters in this. Jhonen Vasquez owns everything else, and if I was him, I'd be rolling in an insane amount of money and fan praise. And that would make me as happy as a pig in shit :P
Chapter 1: Tradition
1
2 And I will show you something different from either
3 Your shadow in the morning striding behind you
Or your shadow at evening rising to meet you;
I will show you fear in a handful of dust.
-T.S. Eliot
"The Waste Land"
"You can't possibly be serious, can you?" asked Purple, somewhat nervously to Red.
"It's tradition." Red said, "It must be upheld."
"Listen to yourself!" Purple screamed. "You would but one as young as him to death?"
"He IS an invader; a pathetic one, but an invader none the less."
"But even by our standards he is still a child!" Purple screamed back towards his compatriot.
"I know. But, as I said earlier, he is an invader, and our traditions must be upheld. It is more honorable for Zim to fall by the hands of one of his own, and not by that of a different race."
"But he hasn't caused that much damage. All he's really done is been annoying."
"Tradouse!* He's been using up valuable time from the other invaders with his little reports. And need I remind you about the incident with the planet jackers?"
*Tradouse: The irken equivalent of "bullshit".
Purple cringed at the thought. The confusion that had come because of Zim revealing himself to be an invader and stopping the planet jackers from taking 'Earth' as fuel had strained the already thin-bare relationship between the Irks and the Planet Jackers. "He didn't know better. There wasn't anything that could be done."
"So what should we do about this? Tell him his mission was all a façade and risk being shown as cowards, not even capable of dealing with a low- ranking invader, and disgracing the Irks? Is that truly what you wish?"
"But why…why send one of THEM? He's but a child among our ranks, why send a night slayer to take care of him?"
"Because" Red began, "an irken invader falling to a less sophisticated alien race is unhonorable. Even I care that someone like Zim should be able to keep his honor as an invader. Expulsion from his rank would also be unhonorable; he must be eliminated, his memories spread through the dust of history. No one will remember him; no one will care."
"But this is wasting even more time by sending a night slayer to an uncharted planet to take care of a low ranking invader! Where's the logic in all this?"
"We can't always think in terms of logic. Sometimes we just have to trust how we feel, and this is how I feel about the whole thing, so it's the direction I'm going with it."
"Well I feel this is WRONG, and nothing good will come of it."
Red just shrugged at Purple's reply. "Well, that's nice, but I'm going to go ahead and issue the command. It'll be pointless for you to take this conversation any further, so maybe you should just leave."
Fuming at his cohorts decision, Purple did just that, the doors to the room slamming behind him. Red took a seat in one of the chairs situated around the room, looking at the paintings put upon the walls. The room was Purple and Red's lounge room, a room where they would just come to think or hold council with their generals and admirals.
One of the few times when Red felt truly at peace was when he would sit in the room and look at all the paintings around the walls, each of them pinnacles of Irken art. He was somewhat angry when HE finally came through the doors to the room, Red's state of peace broken.
The irk who had just arrived was almost as tall as the Tallest, only about an inch or two smaller. His clothes were composed of a black flight suit, as well as a belt that had a number of items from it, including two incredible looking knives that seemed to reflect light off of them. His eyes were different then the usual red hue of the irks, instead being totally black, matching his flight suit. He was totally silent as he waited for his leader to talk.
Red got up from his seat, making sure he stood so his full height showed. "Do you know why you are here?"
The irk dressed in black just shook his head.
"On a currently uncharted planet, there is an invader named Zim. He was sent here because of how much of a nuisance he was, Purple and myself originally hoping we would never hear from him again. However, he arrived safely at a planet known as 'Earth', and his been constantly badgering us since with useless information that has no importance for our cause. He must be….taken care of. Do you understand what I am going at?"
The irk nodded as a reply.
"We have a rough map for a route to this planet installed in the computer on your ship. It is only an estimate on our beliefs on where to find the planet, but I expect you will be capable to find it with your training and the map. You will be given a SIR unit; highly irregular for you and your brand of work, I know, but since we have never had true contact with this planet it should help you. Are you ready for your mission?"
Again, the irk replied just with a nod.
"Then you are dismissed. Leave by trarhot** by tomorrow."
**Trarhot: The irken equivalent of noon.
The irk left, without a speaking a single word. Red sat back in the chair he had occupied previously, his hands on his temple, trying to get back into his state of peace.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
"Gir! How many times must I go threw explaining this one simple concept?" Zim asked, scolding the little robot for his latest mishap. Yet again, Gir had forgotten to close the door when he had come back from the 24/7, and after the last time with what happened with Dib, Zim wasn't especially looking forward to such another encounter. "Whenever you come back here, you make sure you close the door! Do you understand Gir? You CLOSE THE DOOR!"
"Aww, but I just wanted to make sure piggy knew that I was here." Gir said in a pouty little voice.
"And what have I told you about that pig?"
Gir scratched his head for a moment, and then shrugged his little shoulders. "To always let him in?"
"No Gir! To NOT let him in! Do you know how filthy that thing is? And not only that, but it eats the meat of cleanness!"
"He likes meat." Gir said this with a huge smile on his face.
"But he isn't supposed to eat the clean meat Gir. He's not even supposed to be in the house."
"But he's my friend."
"I really don't care Gir. Just go watch TV or…..something. You've delayed the work I need to do in the lab enough already."
"TV? Yay!" Gir squealed with joy before running towards the TV set and turning on his 'favorite' show, the Spooky Monkey Show. Zim shuddered, not quite sure what enjoyment the little robot got from watching the show.
Zim continued to his lab. It had been at least half a month since he had given a report towards the Tallest. Zim made sure to check every wire, everything for his computer and transmitter connection. Last time he had tried to contact the Tallest, he found Gir had been down in the laboratory, trying to see if he could play a video game on the computer. Zim prepared himself to talk to the Tallest, and pressed the button for the transmitter.
All that appeared on the screen was a light buzz, with several lines running through the screen in different directions. Zim's jaw immediately fell upon. He regained his composure in few seconds, and immediately lost it when he actually began to shiver with fear. There was only one reason the Tallest would cut off communication lines between them and an invader.
One of THEM was coming.
All invaders knew of them, but never talked of them. They were the Night Slayers, incredibly well trained killers and the elite of the invaders.
The Night Slayers were usually picked from the ranks of the invaders who had proven themselves at being incredibly adept at combat and stealth. They were usually used for only two purposes: the first, and most common one, was to assinate high ranking officers during times of war, to sneak in whenever they could, eliminate their target, and get out.
The second one was to kill invaders who had shone themselves to be to fault ridden or expandable. It was considered a much more honorable way for an invader to go out, as being killed by the enemy or being stripped off his rank immediately took away any honor the irk way have had in life. So, by death at the hands of a higher-ranking invader, the invader was able to keep his honor in death.
"No." Zim said to himself, in the solitude of his lab. "I won't give up. I won't die at the hands of one of them. I'll fight. I'll FIGHT!"
But Zim also knew he wouldn't have a chance against a Night Slayer by himself. He'd need help. But who could he turn to? The only people he could think of was the "Dib"(Zim shuddered at the thought of turning to him) and his sister Gaz. He knew Dib would refuse to help, and Gaz probably wouldn't care either way. Zim had no one to turn to.
No, not one.
And Zim did the thing he thought would be impossible for an invader.
He cried.
Meanwhile, in space, a small, sleek black voot runner began its course towards earth, the Night Slayer who dressed himself in black silently contemplating his mission. He had killed many in his career already; mainly high-ranking enemy officers during war and a few failed invaders as well.
But, to kill an irk who was still by their standards considered a child? Would that even be a sin that could be forgiven?
The irk looked towards the silent, steel SIR unit beside him. He hadn't used his SIR unit in a mission since his days as an invader, which seemed so long gone by now. But as he was actually going to have to chase an irk on a planet that no other irk then that one had had contact with, he supposed the SIR unit would be necessary. He enjoyed the SIR unit's company, actually; it was cold and silent, just as he was. Of all creatures in the universe, his SIR unit was the only thing he felt close to.
And his advance towards the planet known as Earth continued.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
"And that's why Godzilla is real. The Japanese government just doesn't want us to know about it because they're doing cloning projects to make smaller versions of him to use as pets, while they'll use the real Godzilla as a weapon to stop the continuos alien assaults that plague them so much." Dib said to his sister as they walked towards their day at Skool.
One of Gaz's eyes had begun to twitch with annoyance. If her brother kept talking, how was she supposed to get past the Vampire Lord Piggy in her game? "Just keep talking Dib. I hear you, but I don't care."
Dib rolled his eyes. "Oh please Gaz. This is much more important then your stupid game. After the alien invasions stop, how do we know the Japanese government won't use Godzilla to attempt to take over the world?"
Gaz had had enough. "Well, maybe we know they won't because Godzilla ISN'T FUCKIN' REAL!"
Dib stopped for a moment, trying to see how Gaz could still have this idea after going through all the facts that proved Godzilla was real. He shook his head, not able to see that possibility. He never understood how people weren't interested in things like the paranormal. It had to be one of the most interesting things you could ever hear.
"And I'm going to be the best." Dib said to himself quietly. Yes, he was. Someday, he would be one of the most highly regarded paranormalists in the world. He already had an alien, now he just needed to be able to expose it. At that moment, Dib caught something out of the corner of his eye. "Well speak of the devil." Dib said to himself, and he furrowed his eyebrows.
It was Zim. And he was actually walking beside them to Skool. This was a new one on him. He saw Zim every day at school, but had never actually seen him GOING to Skool. He always figured Zim had some sort of transport device that got him into the Skool.
"What's wrong Zim? You're transport device not working today?" Dib said in a venomous voice.
Zim didn't reply. He didn't even bother to look at Dib, and this annoyed Dib even further. "You better answer me, you alien scum! You think you're to high up to even answer a human? Huh? Is that it Zim? Well, I've got news for you, Zi…."
"SHUT UP DIB!" Gaz screamed, anger and hate seeming to seethe from her like some sort of aura. "I just lost my last life in the game to the Vampire Lord Piggy because you wouldn't shut up about your alien BS!" Gaz grabbed Dib by the shirt collar, forcing him to look at her. "And if you don't shut up RIGHT NOW I will shut you up! Understand?" Dib just nodded his hand, and Gaz let go of his shirt collar. The three children's journey towards Skool was in total silence, except for the electronic beeps issuing from Gaz's Game Slave system.
Dib prodded his lunch, hardly able to eat (though this wasn't uncommon, especially on baloney stroganoff day) or concentrate. It was the first time he had seen Zim going to school, and the first time Zim had totally ignored an insult aimed at him. Dib knew something was on his mind, something was eating at him. But the question was what? What could have him so worried or so deep in thought that he would totally ignore insults? Dib's pattern of thought was broken as he heard a soft growl issue from Gaz. He sighed. "What's wrong Gaz."
Gaz curled her fingers up, except for her thumb, and pointed with her thumb at a boy behind her. "That weird kid won't stop looking at me."
Dib looked at the young boy, raising an eyebrow as he noticed the child's appearance. He looked somewhat normal, seeming to be the same age as Gaz. However, he noticed that the kid had two small horns growing from his head and pale green skin. He had seen the kid before. What was his name? Oh yeah, Pepito. He remembered him only because of the terror he had been able to spread around the Skool: setting fires, attack classmates, telling people he was the antichrist, ect. But what worried Dib the most was that he seemed almost….lovestruck when he was looking at Gaz, and even just that gave Dib the chills. There was only one person sitting beside Pepito, his only 'friend', Todd, or more usually referred to as Squee. Dib had actually talked to the kid some. He sort of enjoyed his company even, especially since he seemed to have some information and contact with intergalactic creatures, and a good paranormalist always needed good contacts.
"I'm telling ya' amigo, she's perfect." Pepito said to his best (and only) friend, Squee. "That gothic look, the foreverly pissed off attitude; she'd be the PERFECT queen of darkness for me."
Squee would never admit it to Pepito or say it to anyone, but his friend's sudden bout of love for this one girl was actually starting to annoy him. He wished his friend would just shut up. In fact, his usual talk about his army of darkness and burning people who annoyed him had actually become welcome in Squee's mind. His pattern of thought was immediately shattered as he noticed Pepito was no longer talking. In fact, Pepito was no longer sitting by him, for that matter. "Oh God." Squee moaned to himself as he saw that his friend had actually gone up to the girl. He knew the girl's name even before Pepito had started talking about her. She was Gaz Membrane, and for all Squee knew, she was scary, just like Pepito could be.
But neither of them, even combined, could hold a candle in the scary-ness factor to the Spooky Neighbor Man, or Johnny C.
Truth be told, Squee actually like Johnny, who was his neighbor, but he was….well, he was spooky, thus making him the Spooky Neighbor Man. It didn't help either that his visits usually included him injuring his father in some form or another. His father could be really mean, saying lots of hurtful things, but Squee knew he didn't mean them, even though his teddy bear Shmee thought otherwise and would always let that be known. Squee came back to focus on the matter at hand when he saw Gaz punch Pepito in the face, and Pepito falling to the ground, and the whole mess ending with Gaz and her brother, Dib, walking off, probably deciding to eat outside. Squee went to his friend's side, helping him up and surprised to see that Pepito's nose was bleeding. "Are you okay?" he asked.
"Yeah, amigo, I'm just fine." Pepito then proceeded to wipe the blood off which had been trickling down his nose to his mouth.
"So I suppose you're going to give up?" Squee asked, hoping this would be the end of Pepito's lovestruck obsession.
Pepito just gave a small smile and winked. "Nope. Not by a long shot." His smile widened. "Did you see that punch? I MUST have her as my queen!" And with that, Pepito rushed out the door to find his love, dragging his haplessly unlucky friend with him.
Dib couldn't say he wasn't mad that Pepito had actually had the gall to hit on his sister, and in front of her brother for that matter. At least the little doushbag had gotten what he deserved, even though it stopped him from defending his own sister. Dib eyes widened, and he immediately slapped his forehead. He had been so lost in thought that he hadn't noticed that he had lost sight of Gaz in the crowd. It took him a little while, but he could eventually see where she was sitting. And it made him even angrier when she noticed who she was sitting by. "Zim…." He muttered under his breath.
"What is it that interests you in this….electronical, beeping thingy?" Zim asked, peering at the Game Slave.
Gaz couldn't help but let a tiny smirk escape. Sometimes it was actually enjoyable to have to sort of interaction with the rest of the world, especially with all the chauvinist morons like Pepito around. "It helps me relax and it entertains me. But most importantly, it helps me escape."
"Escape…." Zim said. "You can't escape from every situation in such a way. I've only now noticed that sometimes you can't escape from something."
Gaz raised an eyebrow at this proclamation. "Welcome to my world. A world of darkness and despair you can never escape from."
"And its ruler is an evil god which takes the form of a moose." Zim was actually surprised at the incredibly silly and incoherent thing he had just said. It was something he would have expected from Gir, but certainly not from himself.
Yet, Gaz was actually trying to contain her laughter at this incredibly odd and unexpected statement. And she failed.
And Zim couldn't help it when he joined her laughter with his.
However, this little moment was broken up by the most likely person.
"GAZ! What are you doing speaking to that…that alien!" Dib screamed, drawing just about everyone's attention to all of them.
Gaz rolled her eyes. "You know Dib, sometimes even I need some interaction with the world."
"But you need to stay away from him! How do you know he won't lay eggs in your chest?"
"Do you ever listen to the foolishness you speak, earthboy?" Zim replied.
"Oh, and NOW you decide to speak. Exactly what was it that kept you from speaking earlier? Are you afraid of something?" Dib said in a voice chock full of venom.
Zim had had enough, and he jumped on the table, pointing a finger at Dib. "Blasphemy! An invader fears nothing you fool! NOTHING!" Dib smirked a little bit, seeing as how Zim had just given himself away. Zim noticed this too, and immediately clasped his hands over his mouth.
"An invader? So that IS what you're here for, isn't it Zim? Do take over this planet?"
"Don't be a fool. I said nothing about being an invader."
"Blah blah blah. For being an alien, it's incredible how stupid you are. But you are afraid of something, aren't you Zim? What's the matter? Has your planet realized how pathetic you are and are planning to get rid of you?"
Zim lowered his head, actually surprising Dib. He had actual seemed to have hit it on the head. "Can't you just leave him alone Dib?" Gaz said, seeming to be annoyed.
"How can you defend him Gaz? He's alien scum!" Dib said, outraged that his own sister was taking Zim's side.
"How do you know he's an alien Dib? He said he has a skin condition. So does everyone who has a skin condition an alien?" Gaz said angrily.
Dib was disgusted. His own sister was taking the alien's side? She had even seen him as an alien. Why was she defending him?
Then it hit him like a ton of bricks. "Oh no." he muttered to himself. "Oh no no no."
"What's wrong now Dib?" Gaz said, getting more annoyed by the second.
"You can't! How can you have a crush on him?!" Dib declared angrily, pointing at Zim, who still had his head lowered and paying no attention to anything going on.
"WHAT?!" Gaz screamed angrily at her brother for jumping to such a conclusion. Even if it did have a little bit of truth in it. "Where in the HELL did you get this?"
Gaz bearly listened to her brother as he explained where he got the idea. She noticed things were about to get much worse.
Pepito had come outside looking for her, dragging Squee with him.
She sighed; the rest of the day was going to be intolerably long.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Finally, he had arrived.
The night slayer lightly landed the ship behind a house that seemed to be old and deserted, though he made sure to hide the ship so no one other then himself and his SIR unit would know where it was.
He looked the building over. Yes, it was definitely deserted. It was much to damaged and rickety no one in his or her right mind to live in. Quietly, he sneaked around to the front door and quickly entered, leaving his SIR unit in the ship. He didn't worry about the little metal construction; he was in his sleep mode, and would know not to leave the ship until his master came back and told him everything was A-OK. The night slayer didn't even bother to look at the house's number.
The number was 777.
Johnny looked down upon the miserable, loathing creature in his basement, shackled to the wall like he deserved. The person had had the nerve to call him a fagot within hearing range for him. Johnny bent down and put one of his hands under the asshole's chin, the person shuddering in response. A light smile crossed Johnny's lips. "Did you know" he began, "that you can still feel pain for a little while after you have your head cut off?"
"No! Please God no! Don't kill me!" the man screeched, tears of terror actually beginning to form in his eyes.
Johnny's smile widened. "You just can't scream because your head is detached from your vocal cords."
"I said I was sorry! Please! I'll do anything!"
Johnny took out two knives, and they quickly did their work, severing the man's head from his body, some of the blood splattering onto Johnny. His smile became that of a hyena's.
But his smile quickly faded as he heard a creak from upstairs. Someone had actually come into his house. "Fuck." he cursed to himself. Was it so wrong for someone's private property to actually be private? He took out his knife and peered out the door. Nothing prepared him for what he saw.
The irk was actually shocked at the sight that awaited him. The walls were covered with knives jutting into them, and one of the walls was actually coated with a layer of blood. It was a true testament to cold steel and to death, a true piece of art as far as he was concerned.
And he wanted to be part of it. To actually join with it and let the walls swallow him, sharing with him the knowledge that they had, they wanton slaughter and carnage they had beheld. He couldn't control himself; he went over to the wall layered in blood and touched it.
And he was shocked when he noticed that it was still wet, that it was still fresh. He cursed himself in a low voice and in his own tongue. The building was being occupied by somebody, maybe someone who could actually be an equivalent to his own prowess.
That's when he heard the door thrown open. He turned around to see a dumbstruck human. He was incredibly skinny and was a good height, a height that rivaled even his own. He looked like an absolute wreck, though his hair was somewhat well kept, his clothes were incredibly old looking and had seemed to be through a lot of wear, except for the black boots on his feet. His face, for now, was a mask of shock. It soon changed into a look of rage. "Who the hell are you?" he inquired.
The irk raised his right hand, and lowered all of his fingers except for the middle one. He wasn't sure the earthling would understand, but by how much angrier the man got, he guessed it was pretty much understood by everyone.
"Oh, you think you're really clever, don't you asshole?" Johnny shouted towards the irk. "Well, let's see how clever you are DISMEMBERED!" and with that, Johnny took out both of his knives.
The night slayer smiled, and did the same with his knives. Perhaps this would be a true challenge.
TO BE CONTINUED
Heh heh, don't you just HATE cliffhangers? I know it's a little slow at first, and that Johnny is sorta OOC, but hopefully somebody enjoyed this. If you couldn't tell already, there is going to be ZAGR in later chapters, and if you don't like it, tough titties. By the way, whether you liked this or not, PLEASE REVIEW! I NEED REVIEWS OR I WILL DIE! SO REVIEW DAMMIT!