Chapter Eleven: The Battle
"Where are you going?" Mel asked as Dib wrote a letter. "It's not often that you have to leave to do something and begin to write a letter."
"I can't tell you where I'm going. Just promise me that you won't read this letter unless I do not return in two hours." He finished the last line and sealed it in an envelope.
"Why two hours?"
"Mysterious Mysteries is on tonight. I have special instructions for you to tape it."
"In that case, why don't I just read the instructions now?"
"No. You can't."
"Why not? Are you hiding something from me?"
"No, it's just...I need to trust you on this. You can't read that letter unless I do not return by 8:30. I need to trust you on this. Please?"
"It must be pretty important. Is this some kind of test to see if you can trust me?"
"No, not at all. I just need to be able to trust that you will follow my instructions. All right?"
'Hmm...Dib isn't like this often. He seems worried and frantic. It must be something important. My deception senses are tingling.'
"Can I trust you?"
"Of course, Dib. You can entrust me with anything. But I would like to know what you're going off and doing at this time. You're nervous."
"N-no I'm not."
"I'm not a fool, Dib."
"I know you're not!"
"Then don't lie to me! You ARE nervous! You're shaking, and your hands are quivering! What are you so nervous about?"
"I have something important to do; let's just leave it at that."
"Does this important thing have to do with Zim?"
"How do you know?"
"One doesn't know you for a month and not get used to your habits. Almost every time that you go on about the 'fate of the Earth' or 'something important,' it has to do with Zim! But I've never seen you like this before! You're a wreck, Dib."
"I've got to kill him, tonight, and I can't fail! Not again."
"Why are you so nervous, though?"
"Because...because...I'm not sure
if I can succeed."
"You can succeed. Don't worry. If you're nervous, it will only hinder you. Remember: 'fear is the mind killer.' It's a quote from a book I read, and it makes a lot of sense. I place my utmost confidence in you. Surely that is enough."
"Thank you. I must go now."
"You won't be late, I'm sure. I'll be waiting. Oh, and Dib?"
"Yeah?"
"If you're going to explode his base or something, take pictures for me to see."
"I think I'm going to confront him myself. I've got a score to settle with him."
"All right. Knowing you, it'd bug you for weeks if he beat you in dodge ball, so I won't interfere with your want for revenge. And, by the way, just how do you plan to exact this revenge of yours? Surely you weren't about to go over there without a plan, were you?"
"Well...I'm going to challenge him to a fight, and, hopefully, I will win."
"Just make sure that you're armed with something. Maybe a water gun in case he forgot to bathe in paste, and anything else that might come in handy. Perhaps a kitchen knife would do."
"I had hoped on sending him to Mysterious Mysteries for an autopsy, but...I just don't want that like I used to. I only want him to die."
"Well, there's a way to suppress primitive thoughts."
"I have to, though. That filth doesn't deserve to live in the first place."
"Oh, I don't particularly care for him much, but you don't have to kill him. There ARE other ways of revenge, some worse than death."
"Are you trying to protect that Irken?!"
"By no means! I just don't want you to have blood on your hands! Even though it may sound a glorious victory for you now, it isn't all that it seems! You'd be guilty of committing murder, on filth or not! If you killed him in self-defense it would be less of a crime and understandable to a greater extent, but to seek him out yourself? I don't think you realize what it is to kill someone, whether they are a murderer or not! Don't deprive him of life--let that happen some other way. Let him suffer more. I beg of you."
"Mel...no. You just don't understand."
"Do you think I'm incapable of understanding?"
"No, I just--"
"Then make me understand. Explain it, nice and simple."
"If I don't kill Zim he will conquer Earth, and you will die."
"Well...okay. Just don't dally. Make it quick."
"All right. And don't open that letter, okay? Not until 8:30 if I don't return!"
"You can count on me." Dib ran to Zim's base, the sky twilight, and prepared to sneak into the base. Zim sat on the couch with Gir, staring at the television, bored stiff.
'Good,' Dib thought, 'I can attack him from overhead. He won't know what hit him.' Sneaking through the open window when Zim wasn't looking, Dib hid among the many tubes and pipes on the Irken's ceiling. He knew there wasn't much time; the intruder alert would go off at any second now, removing the element of surprise. He had to act immediately. Drawing his knife out, he leapt onto the couch, lunging at Zim.
"What the--?" Zim had no time to respond. Dib had Zim by the collar and pressed the knife against his neck. A small trail of blood seeped out; Zim had fear and surprise in his eyes. "Dib! Let me go! Now! You filthy--"
"Filthy what? Human? No, I'm afraid you're wrong, my long-hated nemesis. I'm not human. I'm Falish. This isn't human against Irken, Zim! This time...it's something far more deadly."
"Why are you DOING this? Why now?"
"Zim, you simple-minded fool! If you live, you'll conquer Earth. If you conquer Earth, Mel will die. I will NOT allow either of those happen! So die, Zim! But before that, I want to hear you say it."
"Hear me say what?"
"I want to hear you say that if you should survive this, which you will not, that you will leave the Falish and the humans ALONE!"
"I won't harm the humans...or the Falish, you ignorant ika."
"What?"
"That's a curse against you, fool!"
"I want to hear something else from you."
"Hear what?"
"Why did you want to conquer Earth? Why all the pain and suffering?" Dib knew that he was speaking for Mel now, as he wouldn't have questioned his motives, just tried to stop him.
"Because I was ordered to! Do you not realize that the Irkens dominate the galaxy? We can't have anyone potentially overthrowing us! Besides, I wouldn't conquer Earth anyway, now that I know that Mel would die."
"Why would you care?"
"Why do you think I asked her to the dance?" Dib understood what he implied.
"You...love her?"
"Yes." Dib cursed.
"Another reason for you to die. I can't have you poisoning my friend with your poisonous ideas."
"Ah, but you don't want her to be just your friend, now do you?"
"Don't be ridiculous! I've gotten over that."
"Or have you?"
"Yes. Now, why stall? You're gonna die, Zim. I'm going to kill you, right now." Dib took the knife he held against Zim's throat and thrust it into his squeedily spooch. At this, Zim screeched in pain, trembled a bit, and then went silent. He pulled it back out of the Irken, dropped the bloodstained blade, and turned to walk out of the door. As he did so, Mel's stare met his. "Mel?! What are you doing here?!"
"I followed you here. Zim can be tricky at times." She took a few steps farther and looked at the fallen Zim. "Is he...dead?"
"Yeah. I was surprised at how little he fought back."
"I will miss Zim's antics, though. I can't believe he's dead." Gir walked out from behind the TV.
"Master! Wake up! Master? What happened?" Mel, feeling sorry for the little robot, walked up to him.
"Gir, I'm afraid your Master isn't waking up. Zim's...dead." Gir sniffled.
"When does he move again?"
"Not ever. I'm sorry, Gir. It was for the best."
"You've got stuff on your eyes!"
"What? I'm not crying."
"Stuff! Like him!"
"Oh, you mean glasses?"
"Yeah! Can I have them?"
"What? No way! I need these to see, and I can't have you breaking them or gunking them up...or something!" Gir looked sad at these words. "Hey, look, Gir, why don't you stay with me tonight? I'm sure Zim would have wanted it."
"Thank you..."
"Yay! We can throw a cupcake party for you! That ought to cheer you up! Dib, can we keep him?"
"Wait a minute! Mel, this is where I draw the line! We are NOT going to have an insane robot of Zim's staying over at my house!"
"Come on, Dib, do a kindness for him. I mean, you DID just kill Zim."
"Well...I guess, but--wait, no!"
"Fine, then. I'll live in Zim's base by myself."
"No, don't do that!"
"Then we have a deal?"
"Uh...I guess."
"Good! But Gir, you'd better not trash his house!" They walked back, not noticing that Zim wasn't dead after all...
Murder is the worst act to commit--it only releases the victim from life and gives them peace, while the killer is forever weighted by the knowledge of what they've done, making their pain increase. This will ultimately lead into deep depression and an unstable emotional state. They may kill again as a result. All actions have a consequence--the main source of regret is the ignorant nature of humanity.
--Invader Mel's Diary of Perception.
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