So, the fractal pattern just repeats smaller everytime?
Yes! It's a system of patterns that we've figured out how to trace mathematically. Of course it doesn't represent all of reality, but it's a good start! I've been working on an experiment to calculate if spiritual ectoplasm follows the same pattern or if its based on something completely different.. Dib set down the book he'd been looking through on the bed. I haven't been able to find a way to solidly measure it yet but I will, someday
Jessica gazed upwards thoughtfully as she leaned back against the pillow. She'd never heard of any of this stuff, anything they were discussing. Dib had had to go right back to the basics, not that he'd minded. He'd been so animated, explaining how the world was known to work and how he thought it worked outside of what had been proved. Jessica felt so giddy. It was exciting, she barely remembered anything like this, and even though it made her nervous, and unsure, she felt so lively! She grinned and bounced her feet on the bed like she was seven again. I bet you will, she told Dib. He grinned back at her warmly. As hypersensitive as she tended to be in rhythmic subtleties, she saw, or maybe felt, how he held himself almost subconsciously aligned to her. It was a nice feeling she couldn't remember ever being on such an unconscious par with someone.
I will, don't you worry, he continued, almost tripping over his words in his eagerness. You'll see the things I'll learn I feel like I'm this close to discovering something big finding some giant truth that will show me how the universe works, and how I can do anything within it. Like stop Zim As soon as the last comment was out of his mouth, he faltered, uncertainty crossing his face. Jessica didn't have time to notice, though. Zim even just his name seemed to do strange things to her head!
Dib had gone deathly silent. He got up quickly and went to the window, gripping the sides of the pane with white-knuckled hands. he said after a moment. I think he's after you.
really Mystifaction laced her voice, and Dib stared at her for a long moment.
Don't worry!! He won't have you! A moment later he was half running, half stumbling out the door and down the stairs. Jessica, gazing after him, found herself unable to even move.
--
The door slammed open at a vicious kick from Zim's boot, and the Irken narrowed his eyes against the gust of air created by the sudden motion. The mildly familiar confines of the Dib's pathetic lair of filth did not even register in the alien's mind. Only the tall figure careening its way hurriedly down the stairs did.
Zim snarled, thrusting a gloved finger at his archnemisis, who screeched to a halt in front of the door. What have you DONE with my stink-slave!? Return her to Zim.. now or you will face a doom unlike any DOOM you have ever KNOWN! His outstretched hand clenched into a tight fist. How dare the filthy Dib even EXIST!? How dare he have grown and become even MORE disgusting and offensive to Zim's finely tuned senses? How dare he ruin Zim's plans!?
Shut up, Zim! Dib snapped in reply, his hands clenching into fists as well as he glared at the Irken. I don't know what kind of horrible MIND GAMES you've been playing on her, but I'm not going to let you hurt her anymore! You don't even deserve to live, much less spread your misery to everyone ELSE! You #@$^& bastard!!
Zim raised a non-existant eyebrow then started to chuckle.
That was all Dib needed. He snatched up the nearest object—a lamp, of course—and launched himself at the alien, bringing the appliance down violently towards Zim's head.
Zim twisted, and lanced out a protective cage of his mech-legs to reflect the blow. You stupid DIB weasel!! He knocked the lamp to the side, furious that Dib dared to defy him. Something coiled in his fist, a thin loop of gut, or wire, and he leapt away from Dib, over towards the other side of the room. Come and get me, stink-worm, he sneered. You will find that you are no match for.. the PHANTOM.
Dib's look of disgust only further riled the alien. You mean you're not OVER that stupid kick? It's been five YEARS, Zim!
TIME DOES NOT EAT AWAY AT EXCELLENCE!! Zim snapped. And you have fallen into obvious decay. Zim straightened, smirking superiorly. I saw your attempt at descending your pathetic primitive STAIRCASE. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! The alien cackled as if it were the most amusing thing on Earth, and his fist loosened subtly around the catgut in his hand, letting it slip between his fingers.
Angrily, Dib rushed him again. And Zim let the noose fly, sailing it over Dib's head—though it got caught over one ear—and yanking it tight. His cackling increased into wild, maniacal laughter as Dib yelped, then choked, then dropped the lamp to claw at the tightening strand of gut that choked off his breath and burned where it sliced into his ear. Red spots exploded at the corners of his vision, and, still scrabbling at the noose, Dib sank to his knees, the intense pain exploding like lights in front of his eyes before everything went black.
--
Zim watched the human fall, and was unable to control his fits of delighted giggling. Stepping immediately over to the filthy stink-pig, Zim loosened the noose and gathered it up. Certainly a very handy weapon demoralizing and efficient, perfectly suited for one so amazing as the Phantom.
a voice giggled from the door. Zim started, then whirled to face his robot slave, who stood holding a long black case and a silly smile on its dog-like costume. The Irken stared for a moment, then glanced up past Dib's still form, towards the stairs.
he said, voice low and sinister. His delight at defeating the Dib fled completely, and he stalked over to GIR, snatching the case from it.
Where's my moose? whined the little robot.
At home, Zim snapped, pulling off his fedora to brush a hand across his antennae.
GIR squealed, and skipped out the door. Zim watched it go, and replaced the hat. He glanced back down at the Dib, and then again up at the stairs. She must be up there. The Dib would not have barreled down so defensively if she weren't the Irken growled under his breath. Interfere with ZIM, would he? Well he never would again. Holding the case, Zim stalked past the figure on the floor, landing a sharp kick in Dib's stomach on his way towards the stairs.
He paused at their foot, then quietly started up them, his black cape fluttering menancingly behind him.
--
She knew he was here. She had heard them downstairs but fear kept her rooted to the spot, frozen, unable to move they would be hurt! Maybe even killed and there was nothing she could do, to keep the vengeful alien from killing Dib, or to keep Dib from killing Zim. She would just have to hope that but no one would probably die. And she knew, with a sickening fist of fear in the pit of her stomach, which one it would be.
She heard steps in the hallway outside. Not Dib's clumsy gait. He was coming. Zim was coming for her. Jessica knew she should feel happy; she always had before but not now. It was too frightening.. all of it. She couldn't even bring herself to feel flattered that she was so important to the Irken. She just wished he'd leave, leave her alone, stop hurting people, stop frightening her like this why did he always frighten her? He was evil! Wasn't he? The muted staccato of his boots paused outside the door.
Already she felt her mind clouding over. He was like a storm, roiling and thundering, yanking all her thought and will from everything else the moment he walked in. There was nothing anyone else could see, she knew. A short green alien wrapped ridiculously in a black cape, that's what he'd said about Zim. But that wasn't what she saw or rather, that image was only a window or perhaps a mirror.. to what she saw inside. Her mind and body responded immediately to his presence, the conditioning of her mind awakening in anticipation to its relationship with his music. What was that he held in one gloved hand? A violin? She couldn't really tell.
She struggled to form words, to ask where Dib was, to ask if he was alright, to make sure Zim hadn't hurt him... but all of it was swept away as the alien before her lifted his instrument to his shoulder and began attacking its strings with the bow. The sounds that reverberated through the violin and then through the air to reach her mind made her cry out. She writhed. It tore at her mind, like GIR's banging on the piano had. She screamed and pleaded, or maybe only her mind did. She thought she heard him yelling.
You run!? You defy ZIM!? YOU DEFY HE WHO GAVE YOU MUUUSIIIC!? You will pay for your mistake, insolent WORM! Come back to me!! YOU ARE MINE!! The music ravaged her mind and tore through her body, and then just as quickly, it caught the tatters of her consciousness and caressed them, mending them back into softness and peace. The pain stopped, and when she opened her eyes she saw nothing but Zim, standing in the doorway with a terrible grin. He seemed to be cradling the violin in his arms as he played it, rocking back and forth with the pulse of the music, as its sweet tones called to her mind. She became the music; she was the music, in almost every sense. She was the instrument that he drew the notes from so lovingly, she felt his touch on her mind and on her body, and most importantly, within the sound. She saw the burning intensity in his crimson eyes and it called to her in ways she was sure it had never used before. Something new tinged his playing, something she could not resist. Numbly she slid off the bed and crawled towards him.
--
Zim said, watching her advance. Yes! Come to me The frantic agitation which had so uncharacteristically seized hold of him faded the nearer she came. He was in control again. She was his again. She knelt in front of him now, her eyes holding that particular glazed look as she gazed at him. He thought he saw something within her, trying to fight its way out. He bore down on his music, alternately yanking and coaxing its tones from the violin. She would not defy him! Of course not. Zim smiled. He had won. And strangely enough, it was not a victory accompanied by delight and pride just a strange kind of relaxtion. Relief, almost. Relief? Zim had not doubted that he would win!! Had he? The Irken pushed the thought from his mind. It wasn't important now.
He turned his attention back to Jessica. She was reaching for him, her body leaning towards him, like she wanted to do what GIR did with those infernal hugs! Zim quickly slid back out of her reach. Oh no, it didn't matter how much he needed her for his experiements, or how closely connected she was to his music, he would not be touched by a by a filthy rotten stink-human! The very thought made him shudder. The music touched her, and that was enough! That was all the touching this human needed. This was his human! She did not need to touch! The way she leaned towards him and reached for him, she seemed to think differently. Well, he would break her of that. He slashed the bow across the violin strings in a violent, very unharmious chord. Jessica immediately cringed away, an agonized moan escaping from her lips.
Do not touch ZIM, Zim admonished her, and then resumed playing sweetly, working the melody to activate all the connection and pleasure centers of her brain, tying her up irrevocably with the music. She was his! And she would obey him. Grinning with satisfaction, Zim stalked into the hallway, leading her with the pull of the music. It was time to get out of this stinking haunt of the Dib, and return to his amazing base!