A/Note: Yep, it's yet another chapter! *dead silence* Hey, what have I
gotta do to shock you people, run a few hundred volts through you? Anyways,
it's about time we caught back up with Dib and his dad, so here we go.
And a big thank you to everyone who's reviewed so far! (and hey, if you want, you can see some of my weird art on Side7 now!)
Chapter Eight: Encouragement
Dib leaned heavily against the façade of a downtown store. He was physically and mentally exhausted, but still he had found no trace of his sister. It was as if she had vanished off the face of the Earth. The insane weather had stopped, but he'd seen little trace of other people since leaving Bloaty's. The air was still. Expectant. And almost absolutely silent. No pigeons, stray dogs or cats. it was like every living thing in the entire town had sought out shelter from some terrible event, an event that the earlier storm was only the precursor of.
Not a pleasant thought at all, he reflected.
He felt a rising sense of dread, himself. It twisted around the back of his mind, slithering just slightly across his consciousness. It had spurred him onward at a dead run from the time he had left the pizza restaurant until now, as he finally paused for painful breath in his aching lungs. He had to find Gaz. That feeling was only intensifying with every second that passed, he could feel that time was running out.
Dib tried to take a step forward, willing himself to keep up the search. He didn't realize that he was falling until he suddenly noticed the pavement rushing up towards his face. He managed to get an arm between himself and the oncoming concrete just seconds before he hit, jarring his senses. "I can't. I can't keep going like this." Tears of frustration welled behind his rain-streaked glasses. "But. I can't give up. I have to find. Gaz."
The world seemed to fade for a moment, the pain and exhaustion washing him nearly out of consciousness and into a strange dim void. 'Don't lose hope, Dib!'
With a rush, the sights, smells and sounds of the outside world snapped back into focus. Dib shook his head to clear it, the echo of the strange voice still whispering to him in time with the soft persistent beeping of the watch on his wrist that doubled as a communication device. Had he imagined it? With a shaking hand, he reached towards the signaling watch.
"Dib!? Son, where are you?" Dib smiled in spite of himself. His dad. It was his dad, wanting to know where he was. He was concerned! He cared! He was actually. being a father for once. "I'm. downtown. somewhere." Dib finally replied, sitting up with a grunt of effort. "I'm not really sure where I am dad. I've just been. running. Looking for Gaz." The man on the other end, still devoid of his trademark goggles and coat, gave a slight wince. "No sign of her?" Dib shook his head apologetically. "Not yet. Dad, any luck finding a way to.." "Not yet." Dib felt another spark of hope. "Dad, can you locate Gaz's com-watch?" His father held the device in question up in front of the camera with an apologetic smile. "Yes," he responded, the defeated slump of his shoulders speaking more eloquently than the words could have.
Professor Membrane straightened. "Dib, all our attention right now needs to be focused on finding Gaz. That is now our first and foremost objective. I should have been out with you looking for her from the beginning. Instead of hiding in this damnable laboratory.." he barely whispered the last sentence, but his keen-eared son picked up on it anyway. "Dib, head back and we'll go look for her together."
Dib considered the idea, looking around the abandoned buildings of the inner city. "I. that is. Dad, can you meet me here? I feel like. we're losing time we don't have. Like something will happen if I." Dib shook his head. "It's. silly I guess," he finished meekly, staring down at his boots.
"Nonsense."
The sharp tone of his father's voice caused Dib's head to pull up sharply, making the long pointy scythe-like stalk of hair atop his head bob almost comically over his wide, startled eyes. "An excellent idea. I'll get the car and follow your signal. I should be there in a few minutes." Dib nodded slightly in understanding, still large-eyed at the turn the conversation had taken. His father paused strangely, then looked almost pleadingly at his son, a faint melancholy smile forming on his oft- concealed face.
"One more thing. and I know I haven't said this nearly often enough. I'm proud of you, son. Both of you." Dib stared in shock at the nearly unfamiliar face on his watch screen. He gave a nearly pained lop-sided grin and reached to end the conversation. "I love you, Dad." He cut off everything but the automated GPS signal and sat there on the wind and rain- cleaned sidewalk for a few moments.
"He's proud of me..?" A wondering smile blazed abruptly across his face, and he raised his head to look at the still-cloudy sky. In private, he often found himself talking to his mother, if only to comfort himself when he felt depressed and alone. He liked to think that her spirit watched him, like a guardian angel. "You hear that Mom? Not 'My poor, insane son.' Not 'Study REAL science.' He said he's proud of me."
Dib removed his glasses and wiped them on the front of his shirt, where his body heat had finally dried a section of the fabric. "He hasn't said that to me since. since third grade. I told you about that, remember Mom? When I got picked to go to the county-wide curriculum contest in the science division and represent my school for the first time?" Dib replaced his glasses, new determination and hope blooming up from within himself. He stood and shouted as loudly as he could into the empty, echoing streets. "Don't give up, Gaz! Where ever you are! We're going to find you!"
With fresh resolve, Dib rose and once again began to jog down the street.
"Why are you out so late, Little Gaz?"
Gaz studied the alien through her trademark squint. "I have things to do." She sneered finally, turning and beginning to walk away from her brother's rival. The only reason neither of them could defeat the other was because they were evenly matched for stupidity, she thought to herself angrily.
"Your brother is out looking for you. He believes that you have something dangerous." Her steps halted immediately at the words, but her face betrayed no emotion when she turned again to face him. "I do," she agreed readily. "Something very dangerous. Something that could destroy anyone who gets in my way."
Zim took a halting step back at her dull monotone voice. "Indeed?" he asked, trying to mask a suddenly nervous gulp under the pretext of a casual cough. "And you intend to go out and smite your enemies with it?" Gaz turned away from the nervous irken and walked out into the street. Her head cocked to the side slightly, as if she were listening to something far away. She made a soft disgusted grunt, then slowly turned to look critically at the diminuative invader and his robot, who was merrily performing a can-can dance atop the waiting cruiser in full costume.
"They all abandon me or mock me. I hate them all." Her eyes widened to a menacing glare. "You want the destruction of this world, Zim? You'll never manage it on your own." She stalked back up to him slowly, like a predator approaching potential prey. "I do too." GIR ceased flipping the hem of his frilly skirt long enough to give a happy coo. "Aw, you have something in common!" Zim's face twitched at the comment, even as Gaz continued, apparently oblivious to the remark. GIR shrugged and began to eat his costume.
"I have to make them all pay." Her eyes watered without warning, and all the startled irken could do was watch in astonishment as the salty water ran down the girl's face as the sole show of her true emotions. "There's nothing here but pain. Betrayal!" Gaz ignored the tears running down her tense angry face. "It's not like I try to be like this! I never wanted to be this way!" She suddenly threw back her head and screamed as loudly as her small body was capable of projecting, fists clenched in absolute rage. "I DON'T WANT TO BE A MONSTER!"
Zim looked back and forth between his ravenous SIR and the angry little girl before him. How had the situation shot out of the control of such a superior irken invader so quickly? Determined to regain some semblance of power, he moved forward on shaky legs to stand beside the enraged Gaz. "Together, we will destroy this world!" he announced, hoping she didn't notice the intimidated break that threatened to overpower his voice.
GIR hopped down from the voot, and ran up to the pair. As the SIR unit giddily embraced her leg, Gaz glared in almost-tolerant fury at its' master. "We'll see Zim. We'll see."
And a big thank you to everyone who's reviewed so far! (and hey, if you want, you can see some of my weird art on Side7 now!)
Chapter Eight: Encouragement
Dib leaned heavily against the façade of a downtown store. He was physically and mentally exhausted, but still he had found no trace of his sister. It was as if she had vanished off the face of the Earth. The insane weather had stopped, but he'd seen little trace of other people since leaving Bloaty's. The air was still. Expectant. And almost absolutely silent. No pigeons, stray dogs or cats. it was like every living thing in the entire town had sought out shelter from some terrible event, an event that the earlier storm was only the precursor of.
Not a pleasant thought at all, he reflected.
He felt a rising sense of dread, himself. It twisted around the back of his mind, slithering just slightly across his consciousness. It had spurred him onward at a dead run from the time he had left the pizza restaurant until now, as he finally paused for painful breath in his aching lungs. He had to find Gaz. That feeling was only intensifying with every second that passed, he could feel that time was running out.
Dib tried to take a step forward, willing himself to keep up the search. He didn't realize that he was falling until he suddenly noticed the pavement rushing up towards his face. He managed to get an arm between himself and the oncoming concrete just seconds before he hit, jarring his senses. "I can't. I can't keep going like this." Tears of frustration welled behind his rain-streaked glasses. "But. I can't give up. I have to find. Gaz."
The world seemed to fade for a moment, the pain and exhaustion washing him nearly out of consciousness and into a strange dim void. 'Don't lose hope, Dib!'
With a rush, the sights, smells and sounds of the outside world snapped back into focus. Dib shook his head to clear it, the echo of the strange voice still whispering to him in time with the soft persistent beeping of the watch on his wrist that doubled as a communication device. Had he imagined it? With a shaking hand, he reached towards the signaling watch.
"Dib!? Son, where are you?" Dib smiled in spite of himself. His dad. It was his dad, wanting to know where he was. He was concerned! He cared! He was actually. being a father for once. "I'm. downtown. somewhere." Dib finally replied, sitting up with a grunt of effort. "I'm not really sure where I am dad. I've just been. running. Looking for Gaz." The man on the other end, still devoid of his trademark goggles and coat, gave a slight wince. "No sign of her?" Dib shook his head apologetically. "Not yet. Dad, any luck finding a way to.." "Not yet." Dib felt another spark of hope. "Dad, can you locate Gaz's com-watch?" His father held the device in question up in front of the camera with an apologetic smile. "Yes," he responded, the defeated slump of his shoulders speaking more eloquently than the words could have.
Professor Membrane straightened. "Dib, all our attention right now needs to be focused on finding Gaz. That is now our first and foremost objective. I should have been out with you looking for her from the beginning. Instead of hiding in this damnable laboratory.." he barely whispered the last sentence, but his keen-eared son picked up on it anyway. "Dib, head back and we'll go look for her together."
Dib considered the idea, looking around the abandoned buildings of the inner city. "I. that is. Dad, can you meet me here? I feel like. we're losing time we don't have. Like something will happen if I." Dib shook his head. "It's. silly I guess," he finished meekly, staring down at his boots.
"Nonsense."
The sharp tone of his father's voice caused Dib's head to pull up sharply, making the long pointy scythe-like stalk of hair atop his head bob almost comically over his wide, startled eyes. "An excellent idea. I'll get the car and follow your signal. I should be there in a few minutes." Dib nodded slightly in understanding, still large-eyed at the turn the conversation had taken. His father paused strangely, then looked almost pleadingly at his son, a faint melancholy smile forming on his oft- concealed face.
"One more thing. and I know I haven't said this nearly often enough. I'm proud of you, son. Both of you." Dib stared in shock at the nearly unfamiliar face on his watch screen. He gave a nearly pained lop-sided grin and reached to end the conversation. "I love you, Dad." He cut off everything but the automated GPS signal and sat there on the wind and rain- cleaned sidewalk for a few moments.
"He's proud of me..?" A wondering smile blazed abruptly across his face, and he raised his head to look at the still-cloudy sky. In private, he often found himself talking to his mother, if only to comfort himself when he felt depressed and alone. He liked to think that her spirit watched him, like a guardian angel. "You hear that Mom? Not 'My poor, insane son.' Not 'Study REAL science.' He said he's proud of me."
Dib removed his glasses and wiped them on the front of his shirt, where his body heat had finally dried a section of the fabric. "He hasn't said that to me since. since third grade. I told you about that, remember Mom? When I got picked to go to the county-wide curriculum contest in the science division and represent my school for the first time?" Dib replaced his glasses, new determination and hope blooming up from within himself. He stood and shouted as loudly as he could into the empty, echoing streets. "Don't give up, Gaz! Where ever you are! We're going to find you!"
With fresh resolve, Dib rose and once again began to jog down the street.
"Why are you out so late, Little Gaz?"
Gaz studied the alien through her trademark squint. "I have things to do." She sneered finally, turning and beginning to walk away from her brother's rival. The only reason neither of them could defeat the other was because they were evenly matched for stupidity, she thought to herself angrily.
"Your brother is out looking for you. He believes that you have something dangerous." Her steps halted immediately at the words, but her face betrayed no emotion when she turned again to face him. "I do," she agreed readily. "Something very dangerous. Something that could destroy anyone who gets in my way."
Zim took a halting step back at her dull monotone voice. "Indeed?" he asked, trying to mask a suddenly nervous gulp under the pretext of a casual cough. "And you intend to go out and smite your enemies with it?" Gaz turned away from the nervous irken and walked out into the street. Her head cocked to the side slightly, as if she were listening to something far away. She made a soft disgusted grunt, then slowly turned to look critically at the diminuative invader and his robot, who was merrily performing a can-can dance atop the waiting cruiser in full costume.
"They all abandon me or mock me. I hate them all." Her eyes widened to a menacing glare. "You want the destruction of this world, Zim? You'll never manage it on your own." She stalked back up to him slowly, like a predator approaching potential prey. "I do too." GIR ceased flipping the hem of his frilly skirt long enough to give a happy coo. "Aw, you have something in common!" Zim's face twitched at the comment, even as Gaz continued, apparently oblivious to the remark. GIR shrugged and began to eat his costume.
"I have to make them all pay." Her eyes watered without warning, and all the startled irken could do was watch in astonishment as the salty water ran down the girl's face as the sole show of her true emotions. "There's nothing here but pain. Betrayal!" Gaz ignored the tears running down her tense angry face. "It's not like I try to be like this! I never wanted to be this way!" She suddenly threw back her head and screamed as loudly as her small body was capable of projecting, fists clenched in absolute rage. "I DON'T WANT TO BE A MONSTER!"
Zim looked back and forth between his ravenous SIR and the angry little girl before him. How had the situation shot out of the control of such a superior irken invader so quickly? Determined to regain some semblance of power, he moved forward on shaky legs to stand beside the enraged Gaz. "Together, we will destroy this world!" he announced, hoping she didn't notice the intimidated break that threatened to overpower his voice.
GIR hopped down from the voot, and ran up to the pair. As the SIR unit giddily embraced her leg, Gaz glared in almost-tolerant fury at its' master. "We'll see Zim. We'll see."