THE SPAWN
By Unknowner
Author's Note: I'll cut to the chase, since this is a dramatic chapter. I don't own these characters, or the Linkin Park lyrics later in the chapter, but the plot and ideas are mine. Thanks again to all who reviewed. Praise, criticism, it doesn't matter. I enjoy it all. To those that haven't, pick up the special Nickelodeon magazine Nicktoons Special with Spongebob on the cover. Why, you ask? `Cuz Jhonen made an all-new 4-page Invader Zim comic for it! YAAAAY!
The drone's brain activated. It slowly unfurled its arms, formerly fused to it's sides. The effect was much like seeing a meteorite sprouting limbs and glowering at you with a previously concealed head- and to the three people before it, was unnerving in an incredible degree. The drone registered none of this in its scans, though. It DID register that one of the forms was an irken, an enemy of the state, and that the other two were native earthanoids, brimming with microorganisms to harvest and mutate. All were armed, though nothing to compare with the drone's systems. It shifted its legs out from beneath it, as a lone command breached its mind.
T E R M I N A T E
"Look out!" The command came almost too late, as Zim dodged a blast from the Slaughter-Drone's stasis beam. His eyes narrowed as he leapt at the craggy mechanoid, only to be swatted away by a massive hand.
The droid's single eye focused on Zim, as a deep, distorted voice boomed from the bowels of its throat.
"1RK3N Z1M, J00 4R3 C|-|4RG3D W1T|-| |-|1G|-| TR3450N. J00 W1LL B3 D35TR0Y3D." Again, the light flared beneath its head where the muzzle of the beam cannon was located,but before it could fire the machine was rocked by a blast from behind.
"GET AWAY FROM HIM! IT'S MY PLANET YOU'RE AFTER!" Gaz stood, clutching an elongated energy weapon of some kind. The drone shifted its gaze to her weapon, thenback to her. A sound much like chuckling emitted from the drone.
"F00L15|-| W0RM. D1D J00 T|-|1NK D4T GR4V1TY W3AP0N C0ULD H4RM M3?" Gaz seemed almost nervous as she hefted the weapon, firing straight at the drone's head time and time again. "J00 S33? 1 4M
T|-|3 3ND R3SULT 0F 430N5 0F R3534RC|-|, D4 PR1D3 0F D4 1RK3N 4RM4D4. J00 4R3 T045T. BUT F1R5T..." The drone swiveled to where Zim had been standing a moment ago, only to find...
"HIIIII!"
"W|-|4T?!?" The enormous machine staggered backwards as something small and metallic latched itself to its face. Gir simply giggled, bashing his head into the drone repeatedly.
"I'm OZZAY OZBREATH! Heeeeeeead-BANGIN'!" Gir continued to bash the heck out of both his skull and the drone- and amazingly, he was taking less damage than the behemoth, until the inevitable happened. Something caught Gir's eye. He suddenly stopped his assault, staring intently at a heap of scrap.
"Whazzat?" The drone didn't answer Gir's rhetorical question, as it was too busy trying to figure out what had happened to it's head. "Wait! Garbage leprechaun! TAKE MEEE WITH YOUUUU!" Gir charged off into the piles of whatnot, screaming at the frightened rats that he mistook for short irish elves. The drone, meanwhile, removed it's "head" and extended a secondary sensor cluster from its neck. He jerked around in staccato fashion, attempting to locate its targets, since it could not turn the optical sensor like it could with the primary sensor apparatus.
"1RK3N Z1M! C0M3 0UT 4ND F1GHT L1K3 4N 1NV4D3R!" The drone was once again thrown off kilter by an explosion behind him- a missle of some sort. It swung around, seeing nothing. Another blast. The drone was largely unhurt, but was growing frustrated. Before another shot could land, the drone launched a barrage of shock-missiles from its back. The result was as desired. As he turned around, he saw the trio of fighters laying stunned near the smoldering rubble. The bestial machine charged its stasis beam- only to fire it into the air as Gaz leapt up on spidery legs, smashing the machine with a well-placed boot to the head. As it staggered, the other two defenders leapt up, strafing it with energy fire. Dib grinned insanely as he launched himself around his opponent, launching another barrage-
only to be throttled by a massive titanium fist.
DIB'S DREAM SEQUENCE
Dib skipped merrily amongst the mini-moosies, which floated in the air in much the same way that bricks don't. He laughed, ohh, how he laughed, `cuz he had toes and the moosies didn't- but then they chewed on his head and made it all bitey.
Then something blew up.
END OF DREAM SEQUENCE
Dib wrenched his eyelids open. He was-
"HEY! When did I get pinned down? And where did Gaz go?" Dib looked around frantically. His spider legs were shattered, and Zim- ooh, he was in sorry shape. His armor was shredded, his tool-pack dismantled. He WAS conscious, but... apparantly unable to move beyond the twitching of his right leg. The slaughter-drone approached, a hideous probing appendage extended from its left arm.
"Y0UR 51573R 15 M0R3 R351LL13N7 7H4N 1 4N71C1P473D. 5H3 W1LL B3 C4UGH7 1N 71M3." There was an odd whirring as the appendage stretched out, lancing towards Dib's brow. "M34N71M3... 1 W4N7 70 S33 WH47'5 1N51D3 7H47 H0RR1BLY D3F0RM3D H34D 0F Y0UR5. TH3 T4LL35T 4R3 QU173 K33N 0N P5YCH0L0G1C4L W4RF4R3 TH15 5E450N." Slowly, the pointy, pokey, probey thing extended closer and closer towards Dib's forehead- but just as it seemed the end was nigh-
(A/N: I love action-movie timing! It's so convenient!)
"NOT ON MY WATCH, ROBO-BOY!" Gaz screamed as she thrust the taser-spikes of her gauntlets deep into the armor on the robot's unguarded lower back. The drone roared in the electronic equivalent of pain, thrashing about horribly. "Why won't you die?! DIE ALREADY!" Gaz could've easily continued her tirade... had the machine (in a movement nearly impossible to describe) flexed its right arm around at an intensely improbable angle and wrenched her off its back, hurling Gaz into the battered hull of a 1964 Dodge Dart. She moaned softly, attempting to pull herself up, before the thick fog of unconciousness folded over her.
"1N171471NG C4P7UR3." The drone's chest lit up with energy, as the muzzle of the stasis cannon once again lit up with its unholy energy. Gaz's eye opened slightly as the brilliant crimson beam enveloped her.
"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Zim and Dib's screams merged as one, as the prone form of Gaz fell to the ground, silent and unmoving.
"You... twisted little tool." Zim had somehow made it to his feet, and was stalkng towards the drone like some sort of deranged zombie-movie hero. Dib pulled againt the wicket-like stakes holding him to the ground to no avail.
What's he DOING? Does he even know he's practically commiting suicide?
"You should've NEVER come here." Zim continued to advance, oblivious to the obvious danger. The drone seemed incredulous, scanning Zim a second time to confirm his readings.
"J00 B3G1N 70 4NN0Y M3, Z1M. Y0UR D00M 1Z C0NF1RM3D." The drone raised its giant metallic arm, bringing it down with crushing force. Dib winced, unable to watch- but then slowly peeked, after the lack of an expected squishing, splatting noise. He couldn't believe what he saw. Zim was holding the titan's fist, easily the size of a Volkswagon, above his head with one hand. With a simple jerking motion Zim proceeded to rip the arm off of the drone, an action that was roughly equivalent to tearing a semi truck in half.
"Game over, drone." Zim continued to approach, his eyes dead, his fists clenched.
"WH4T 4R3 J00 D01NG? J00 4R3 N0 M4TCH F0R M4 4W3S0M3 P0W3R5! J00 4R3-" The drone was suddenly and permanently silenced by a fist driving through it's chest. The power light by the optical array slowly began to dim as Zim uttered the last words the machine would ever hear into it.
"Tell the Tallest that they've just signed their own death warrants." The machine didn't answer, but instead
produced a quiet droning noise as the power cut out, followed by a whir and whoosh of airr as a battered hatch opened and a tiny object launched into the night sky. Zim watched in silence as the trail of light disappeared into the inky black. "I'll be waiting for them."
Meanwhile, Dib was watching what happened in utter awe. Having gotten one arm free, he slowly pried off his restraints.
"ZIM! What WAS that thing?"
"A message capsule, no doubt. It doesn't matter. We have more important matters to attend to." Zim bent over and gently lifted the frail, silent form of Gaz from the rubble, as he blinked away a lone tear.
One thing, I don't know why
It doesn't even matter how hard you try
Keep that in mind
I designed this rhyme
To explain in due time
All I know...
The heart monitor sounded its slow, regular beat as Gaz lay on the hospital bed. The army had been eager to assist the warriors thanks to Professor Membrane, but it all seemed for naught. Zim gulped as he lay his hand on her cool arm, barely supressing a shudder.
"Zim... what's the matter? I mean... she's just stunned, right? She's gonna snap out of it..."
"Dib... the beam was only meant to keep a specimen alive until it could be harvested..."
"You mean..." Zim nodded.
"You humans are a hardy race, Dib. Maybe there's something I can do..."
Time is a valuable thing
Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings
Watch it count down to the end of the day
The clock ticks life away
So unreal...
Zim hunched over his lab table, a sample of Gaz's biomatter in a petri dish. He squinted as he injected the cells with a peculiar cerulean liquid, then turned to his computer. His eyelids sagged, his hands twitched, and the musky air in the room suggested that he had not left for some time.
"Day 18, experiment 1204- anti-stasis enzyme with subpolymer based delivery system- no effect." Zim sughed, turning back to his work. "But one of these will work. Soon."
Didn't look out below
Watch the time go right out the window
Tryin' to hold on, didn't even know
Just wastin' it all just to watch you go
"Make way! Make way!" Zim screeched as he launched himself through the crowded hospital hallways, a tube of iridescent turquoise gel in hand. He burst into the smallish room, in time to see two doctors humming over Gaz.
"Her heartbeat's slowing."
"Hm. Shouldn't be too lo-"
"NO! I have the treatment!" Zim sprang up to her IV, latching the tube into a junction.
"What?! Who are you? Wh-"
"Shut up, wormspawn! This is her only chance for survival!" Zim hardly noticed as Dib walked up behind him, setting his hand on his shoulder, as they watched the luminous liquid traverse the tubing into her veins.
I kept everything inside
And even though I tried
It all fell apart
What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time-
The heartbeat on the monitor blipped once. Twice. A skip. Then, nothing.
I tried so hard
And got so far
But in the end
It doesn't really matter
I had to fall
to lose it all
But in the end
It doesn't really matter
One thing
I don't know why
It doesn't even matter how hard you try
Keep that in mind I designed this rhyme to remind myself how
I tried so hard
"My tallests! A message has arrived from the slaughter-drone!"
"Ooh! Set it up on the main viewer!" Red sat back, sipping on a Toovi-Kola, whilst a massive screen flipped down in front of them. He blinked as a mysterious armored figure appeared in the picture. Purple blinked.
In spite of the way you were mocking me
Actin' like I was part of your property
Remembering all the times you fought with me
I'm surprised it got so far
"Wait... is that... Zim?"
Things aren't the way they were before
You wouldn't even recognize me anymore
Not that you knew me back then
But it all comes back to me
In the end
"Tell the Tallest that they've just signed their own death warrants." As the screen dissolved into static, the Tallest simply stared ahead. For one of the first times in their life, they are afraid.
I kept everything inside
And even though I tried
It all fell apart
What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time-
I tried so hard
And got so far
But in the end
It doesn't really matter
I had to fall
to lose it all
But in the end
It doesn't really matter
The funeral was really beautiful. Zim hadn't bothered to mingle with her family, even though they were trying to be supportive... even Dib, which was quite a switch. Still, he had mainly kept to himself. Now, he stared at the small tombstone, no longer able to suppress the tears which streamed down his face. His face turned skyward.
"I'm... kind of new at this. Gaz always believed in something... beyond... this mortal form. I guess now... I've found myself believing in you too." He swallowed hard.
I've put my trust in you
Pushed as far as I can go
For all this, there's only one thing you should know...
"It's... tearing me apart." Zim sobbed, sinking to his knees. "I tried everything I could... and just like the rest of my life, it wasn't good enough. I let her die."
I've put my trust in you
Pushed as far as I can go
For all this, there's only one thing you should know...
"God... I loved her." Zim buckled over, kneeling with his forehead resting before the gravestone, weeping. "Please... help me..."
I tried so hard
And got so far
But in the end
It doesn't really matter
I had to fall
to lose it all
But in the end
It doesn't really matter
Zim continued to sob for some time, turning his head sideways. Suddenly, his eyes sprang open.
Ten minutes later, Dib scaled the small hill to where Gaz's gravesite was, and immeniately collapsed to his knees. What he saw defied description. There, where once was a grave, lay massive piles of freshly-churned earth. To one side lay a shattered gravestone, and a coffin lid, the inside covered with long scratched. At the bottom of the ditch sat two figures in each other's embrace- a sickly, pale girl with hands covered in splinters and an emotionally drained greenish alien.
**************************************************************************** ******
Author's note
Well, that's it for the flashbacks. Just to clarify, Gaz wasn't quite dead- her stasis had just reached a point where her life signs couldn't be read. My beta reader didn't quite get that. Anyhoo, next chapter will be entirely Zed, Gidj, and the future debut of PROFESSOR MEMBRANE! So review this chapter, and get ready or the next capter
By Unknowner
Author's Note: I'll cut to the chase, since this is a dramatic chapter. I don't own these characters, or the Linkin Park lyrics later in the chapter, but the plot and ideas are mine. Thanks again to all who reviewed. Praise, criticism, it doesn't matter. I enjoy it all. To those that haven't, pick up the special Nickelodeon magazine Nicktoons Special with Spongebob on the cover. Why, you ask? `Cuz Jhonen made an all-new 4-page Invader Zim comic for it! YAAAAY!
The drone's brain activated. It slowly unfurled its arms, formerly fused to it's sides. The effect was much like seeing a meteorite sprouting limbs and glowering at you with a previously concealed head- and to the three people before it, was unnerving in an incredible degree. The drone registered none of this in its scans, though. It DID register that one of the forms was an irken, an enemy of the state, and that the other two were native earthanoids, brimming with microorganisms to harvest and mutate. All were armed, though nothing to compare with the drone's systems. It shifted its legs out from beneath it, as a lone command breached its mind.
T E R M I N A T E
"Look out!" The command came almost too late, as Zim dodged a blast from the Slaughter-Drone's stasis beam. His eyes narrowed as he leapt at the craggy mechanoid, only to be swatted away by a massive hand.
The droid's single eye focused on Zim, as a deep, distorted voice boomed from the bowels of its throat.
"1RK3N Z1M, J00 4R3 C|-|4RG3D W1T|-| |-|1G|-| TR3450N. J00 W1LL B3 D35TR0Y3D." Again, the light flared beneath its head where the muzzle of the beam cannon was located,but before it could fire the machine was rocked by a blast from behind.
"GET AWAY FROM HIM! IT'S MY PLANET YOU'RE AFTER!" Gaz stood, clutching an elongated energy weapon of some kind. The drone shifted its gaze to her weapon, thenback to her. A sound much like chuckling emitted from the drone.
"F00L15|-| W0RM. D1D J00 T|-|1NK D4T GR4V1TY W3AP0N C0ULD H4RM M3?" Gaz seemed almost nervous as she hefted the weapon, firing straight at the drone's head time and time again. "J00 S33? 1 4M
T|-|3 3ND R3SULT 0F 430N5 0F R3534RC|-|, D4 PR1D3 0F D4 1RK3N 4RM4D4. J00 4R3 T045T. BUT F1R5T..." The drone swiveled to where Zim had been standing a moment ago, only to find...
"HIIIII!"
"W|-|4T?!?" The enormous machine staggered backwards as something small and metallic latched itself to its face. Gir simply giggled, bashing his head into the drone repeatedly.
"I'm OZZAY OZBREATH! Heeeeeeead-BANGIN'!" Gir continued to bash the heck out of both his skull and the drone- and amazingly, he was taking less damage than the behemoth, until the inevitable happened. Something caught Gir's eye. He suddenly stopped his assault, staring intently at a heap of scrap.
"Whazzat?" The drone didn't answer Gir's rhetorical question, as it was too busy trying to figure out what had happened to it's head. "Wait! Garbage leprechaun! TAKE MEEE WITH YOUUUU!" Gir charged off into the piles of whatnot, screaming at the frightened rats that he mistook for short irish elves. The drone, meanwhile, removed it's "head" and extended a secondary sensor cluster from its neck. He jerked around in staccato fashion, attempting to locate its targets, since it could not turn the optical sensor like it could with the primary sensor apparatus.
"1RK3N Z1M! C0M3 0UT 4ND F1GHT L1K3 4N 1NV4D3R!" The drone was once again thrown off kilter by an explosion behind him- a missle of some sort. It swung around, seeing nothing. Another blast. The drone was largely unhurt, but was growing frustrated. Before another shot could land, the drone launched a barrage of shock-missiles from its back. The result was as desired. As he turned around, he saw the trio of fighters laying stunned near the smoldering rubble. The bestial machine charged its stasis beam- only to fire it into the air as Gaz leapt up on spidery legs, smashing the machine with a well-placed boot to the head. As it staggered, the other two defenders leapt up, strafing it with energy fire. Dib grinned insanely as he launched himself around his opponent, launching another barrage-
only to be throttled by a massive titanium fist.
DIB'S DREAM SEQUENCE
Dib skipped merrily amongst the mini-moosies, which floated in the air in much the same way that bricks don't. He laughed, ohh, how he laughed, `cuz he had toes and the moosies didn't- but then they chewed on his head and made it all bitey.
Then something blew up.
END OF DREAM SEQUENCE
Dib wrenched his eyelids open. He was-
"HEY! When did I get pinned down? And where did Gaz go?" Dib looked around frantically. His spider legs were shattered, and Zim- ooh, he was in sorry shape. His armor was shredded, his tool-pack dismantled. He WAS conscious, but... apparantly unable to move beyond the twitching of his right leg. The slaughter-drone approached, a hideous probing appendage extended from its left arm.
"Y0UR 51573R 15 M0R3 R351LL13N7 7H4N 1 4N71C1P473D. 5H3 W1LL B3 C4UGH7 1N 71M3." There was an odd whirring as the appendage stretched out, lancing towards Dib's brow. "M34N71M3... 1 W4N7 70 S33 WH47'5 1N51D3 7H47 H0RR1BLY D3F0RM3D H34D 0F Y0UR5. TH3 T4LL35T 4R3 QU173 K33N 0N P5YCH0L0G1C4L W4RF4R3 TH15 5E450N." Slowly, the pointy, pokey, probey thing extended closer and closer towards Dib's forehead- but just as it seemed the end was nigh-
(A/N: I love action-movie timing! It's so convenient!)
"NOT ON MY WATCH, ROBO-BOY!" Gaz screamed as she thrust the taser-spikes of her gauntlets deep into the armor on the robot's unguarded lower back. The drone roared in the electronic equivalent of pain, thrashing about horribly. "Why won't you die?! DIE ALREADY!" Gaz could've easily continued her tirade... had the machine (in a movement nearly impossible to describe) flexed its right arm around at an intensely improbable angle and wrenched her off its back, hurling Gaz into the battered hull of a 1964 Dodge Dart. She moaned softly, attempting to pull herself up, before the thick fog of unconciousness folded over her.
"1N171471NG C4P7UR3." The drone's chest lit up with energy, as the muzzle of the stasis cannon once again lit up with its unholy energy. Gaz's eye opened slightly as the brilliant crimson beam enveloped her.
"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Zim and Dib's screams merged as one, as the prone form of Gaz fell to the ground, silent and unmoving.
"You... twisted little tool." Zim had somehow made it to his feet, and was stalkng towards the drone like some sort of deranged zombie-movie hero. Dib pulled againt the wicket-like stakes holding him to the ground to no avail.
What's he DOING? Does he even know he's practically commiting suicide?
"You should've NEVER come here." Zim continued to advance, oblivious to the obvious danger. The drone seemed incredulous, scanning Zim a second time to confirm his readings.
"J00 B3G1N 70 4NN0Y M3, Z1M. Y0UR D00M 1Z C0NF1RM3D." The drone raised its giant metallic arm, bringing it down with crushing force. Dib winced, unable to watch- but then slowly peeked, after the lack of an expected squishing, splatting noise. He couldn't believe what he saw. Zim was holding the titan's fist, easily the size of a Volkswagon, above his head with one hand. With a simple jerking motion Zim proceeded to rip the arm off of the drone, an action that was roughly equivalent to tearing a semi truck in half.
"Game over, drone." Zim continued to approach, his eyes dead, his fists clenched.
"WH4T 4R3 J00 D01NG? J00 4R3 N0 M4TCH F0R M4 4W3S0M3 P0W3R5! J00 4R3-" The drone was suddenly and permanently silenced by a fist driving through it's chest. The power light by the optical array slowly began to dim as Zim uttered the last words the machine would ever hear into it.
"Tell the Tallest that they've just signed their own death warrants." The machine didn't answer, but instead
produced a quiet droning noise as the power cut out, followed by a whir and whoosh of airr as a battered hatch opened and a tiny object launched into the night sky. Zim watched in silence as the trail of light disappeared into the inky black. "I'll be waiting for them."
Meanwhile, Dib was watching what happened in utter awe. Having gotten one arm free, he slowly pried off his restraints.
"ZIM! What WAS that thing?"
"A message capsule, no doubt. It doesn't matter. We have more important matters to attend to." Zim bent over and gently lifted the frail, silent form of Gaz from the rubble, as he blinked away a lone tear.
One thing, I don't know why
It doesn't even matter how hard you try
Keep that in mind
I designed this rhyme
To explain in due time
All I know...
The heart monitor sounded its slow, regular beat as Gaz lay on the hospital bed. The army had been eager to assist the warriors thanks to Professor Membrane, but it all seemed for naught. Zim gulped as he lay his hand on her cool arm, barely supressing a shudder.
"Zim... what's the matter? I mean... she's just stunned, right? She's gonna snap out of it..."
"Dib... the beam was only meant to keep a specimen alive until it could be harvested..."
"You mean..." Zim nodded.
"You humans are a hardy race, Dib. Maybe there's something I can do..."
Time is a valuable thing
Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings
Watch it count down to the end of the day
The clock ticks life away
So unreal...
Zim hunched over his lab table, a sample of Gaz's biomatter in a petri dish. He squinted as he injected the cells with a peculiar cerulean liquid, then turned to his computer. His eyelids sagged, his hands twitched, and the musky air in the room suggested that he had not left for some time.
"Day 18, experiment 1204- anti-stasis enzyme with subpolymer based delivery system- no effect." Zim sughed, turning back to his work. "But one of these will work. Soon."
Didn't look out below
Watch the time go right out the window
Tryin' to hold on, didn't even know
Just wastin' it all just to watch you go
"Make way! Make way!" Zim screeched as he launched himself through the crowded hospital hallways, a tube of iridescent turquoise gel in hand. He burst into the smallish room, in time to see two doctors humming over Gaz.
"Her heartbeat's slowing."
"Hm. Shouldn't be too lo-"
"NO! I have the treatment!" Zim sprang up to her IV, latching the tube into a junction.
"What?! Who are you? Wh-"
"Shut up, wormspawn! This is her only chance for survival!" Zim hardly noticed as Dib walked up behind him, setting his hand on his shoulder, as they watched the luminous liquid traverse the tubing into her veins.
I kept everything inside
And even though I tried
It all fell apart
What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time-
The heartbeat on the monitor blipped once. Twice. A skip. Then, nothing.
I tried so hard
And got so far
But in the end
It doesn't really matter
I had to fall
to lose it all
But in the end
It doesn't really matter
One thing
I don't know why
It doesn't even matter how hard you try
Keep that in mind I designed this rhyme to remind myself how
I tried so hard
"My tallests! A message has arrived from the slaughter-drone!"
"Ooh! Set it up on the main viewer!" Red sat back, sipping on a Toovi-Kola, whilst a massive screen flipped down in front of them. He blinked as a mysterious armored figure appeared in the picture. Purple blinked.
In spite of the way you were mocking me
Actin' like I was part of your property
Remembering all the times you fought with me
I'm surprised it got so far
"Wait... is that... Zim?"
Things aren't the way they were before
You wouldn't even recognize me anymore
Not that you knew me back then
But it all comes back to me
In the end
"Tell the Tallest that they've just signed their own death warrants." As the screen dissolved into static, the Tallest simply stared ahead. For one of the first times in their life, they are afraid.
I kept everything inside
And even though I tried
It all fell apart
What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time-
I tried so hard
And got so far
But in the end
It doesn't really matter
I had to fall
to lose it all
But in the end
It doesn't really matter
The funeral was really beautiful. Zim hadn't bothered to mingle with her family, even though they were trying to be supportive... even Dib, which was quite a switch. Still, he had mainly kept to himself. Now, he stared at the small tombstone, no longer able to suppress the tears which streamed down his face. His face turned skyward.
"I'm... kind of new at this. Gaz always believed in something... beyond... this mortal form. I guess now... I've found myself believing in you too." He swallowed hard.
I've put my trust in you
Pushed as far as I can go
For all this, there's only one thing you should know...
"It's... tearing me apart." Zim sobbed, sinking to his knees. "I tried everything I could... and just like the rest of my life, it wasn't good enough. I let her die."
I've put my trust in you
Pushed as far as I can go
For all this, there's only one thing you should know...
"God... I loved her." Zim buckled over, kneeling with his forehead resting before the gravestone, weeping. "Please... help me..."
I tried so hard
And got so far
But in the end
It doesn't really matter
I had to fall
to lose it all
But in the end
It doesn't really matter
Zim continued to sob for some time, turning his head sideways. Suddenly, his eyes sprang open.
Ten minutes later, Dib scaled the small hill to where Gaz's gravesite was, and immeniately collapsed to his knees. What he saw defied description. There, where once was a grave, lay massive piles of freshly-churned earth. To one side lay a shattered gravestone, and a coffin lid, the inside covered with long scratched. At the bottom of the ditch sat two figures in each other's embrace- a sickly, pale girl with hands covered in splinters and an emotionally drained greenish alien.
**************************************************************************** ******
Author's note
Well, that's it for the flashbacks. Just to clarify, Gaz wasn't quite dead- her stasis had just reached a point where her life signs couldn't be read. My beta reader didn't quite get that. Anyhoo, next chapter will be entirely Zed, Gidj, and the future debut of PROFESSOR MEMBRANE! So review this chapter, and get ready or the next capter
