Invader Zim...western style! Little note, Dib and Gaz are adults at this
time, early twenties but I'm keeping them all in character (well the best I
can). Oh yeah...any of you who read the Taltos Novels will be happy to see a
brief appearance of our favorite assassin, he's not that important to those
who haven't read the series though. He's still an interesting character.
Lilly appears in this too if you ever read The Quiet One. If you haven't
read it just skim over the first few chapters to get an idea of her
character.
Dib sat at his regular table near the back window in the smoke filled bar. He watched as the stars appeared one by one in the darkening sky and nodded to his sister Gaz to keep the drinks coming. She had just finished pummeling a customer who had mistaken the waitress as one of the cheep tavern whores that did business upstairs. The manager didn't mind her random beatings of customers, said it kept them in line. Vlad had lost quite a bit of money from rambunctious patrons damaging the place whenever there was a fight but Gaz usually kept the customers in line. That was probably the only reason he hired her, she was a completely capable girl who took care of her self just fine. He didn't worry to much about losing paying customers due to her cold nature and brutal abuse she laid on the customers, Vlad's was the cheapest bar in town and it attracted the lowest forms of scum in town or what ever crap hole they wandered in from. The whole town attracted the shit of America, it made Dib wonder why his family didn't leave the parched lands and go someplace...better. Anywhere in the world was better then this town/. Still they remained as the rest of the world moved on without them.
There was one thing that made him stay...Zim. He would not be content until the Irken was dead. Then he could leave and find a better life but until then he was stuck in this shit hole with the shit of the universe. Dib had often wondered what had kept the town alive; they were constantly attacked by the Irken gang, raped and robbed of whatever scarce happiness and joy that the town still possessed. They had apparently done the same to the surrounding towns that were now under their control. Dib and Vlad were the only hope that the town had to keep it from falling under the Irken control. Dib had protected the town, often getting horribly injured with scars to show his struggles, out of the goodness of his heart. Vlad, on the other hand, just protected the town to keep his businesses running. There was only one thing to keep Dib going...the cool drinks he threw back to burn his throat night after night. He never got too drunk of course, Gaz made sure of that. Complained of having to carry her brother's drunk ass home. This night even she didn't bother to argue with him and kept the drinks coming while trying to avoid looking at the fresh sling that supported his right arm. Only said to him, "You should've used a gun." Then would walk away back to the other tables.
The musician played on the old piano that was in a bad need of tuning, and dib sunk into his chair. The alcohol numbed the pain in his arm a bit; he was still going to need some of his dad's drugs to ease it completely for the next few days. Hopefully Zim wouldn't return for a while so he could recover from the new injury. Yeah, maybe he should of used a gun, but he hated them so much. Only once did he ever use one of those filthy things. It was to shoot his old horse that got it's leg broken, curtsies of Zim. He really liked that horse too. The sun was gone now, only a red sky that gave the impression of doom looming overhead. He popped open a fresh beer and gulped it down while thinking of his old horse. Never really was able to afford a new one either. Damn...he really liked that horse.
Around that time the double doors swung open and the boards creaked. He didn't even bother to look up but could hear Gaz mumble angrily, "You can sit yourself."
"Geeze Gaz, you can't even recognize your own boss." Vlad said half laughing. He was used to the treatment as anyone who had the privilege of knowing Gaz.
"Who said I didn't?" She said bluntly before turning her back to tend another round for a table playing poker. Vlad only smiled and shook his head before heading to the Dib's table. No one had the guts to turn their back on Vlad, well at least the ones that had heard of them. Even Dib had been a little cautious after knowing Vlad for so many years. He was top assassin/bounty hunter in the region. Anyone in the know knew his reputation. Dib sometimes looked after things when Vlad would head out for a few weeks to hunt some big bounty or was offered "work". Vlad trusted Dib, which was unusual, but Dib still never quite trusted him. That made Vlad happy for some sick reason. The guy was a smart ass, but you have to be smart to be a smart ass and that was what kept him alive for so long despite the very, very close brushed with death the man had. Dib wondered how he had managed to survive as long as he did. Vlad was as surprised as him. Uninvited he pulled up the chair across from Dib, his purse dangling with the spoils of his lasted "work". He pulled out a few coins and let them fall on the table as his payment for looking over the town the last month. This was only a fraction of the over all fee, Dib also got to keep ten percent of what ever his businesses made during his absence. Dib scooped up the coins, just about to put them in his own purse, then laid them back on the table.
"It's been a long day. I think I'll spend it tonight." Dib said flatly.
"That's why you haven't been able to buy a new horse." Vlad replied with a bit of annoyance in his voice. Vlad's companion suddenly swooped in from outside on leathery wings and landed on his master's shoulder. His name was Lorish, Vlad called him a Jerege but Dib always thought it looked like a tiny dragon. He didn't know where Vlad got it, or how it was able to exist but he had seen stranger things and never asked about it. What Dib did know about it was that it's venom was worse then a rattle snake's and it held some sort of mental link with it's master which allowed it to speak to him silently. It was weird but still, he had seen stranger things. Vlad raised his hand for a shot of brandy and salted steak that was no longer good to sell to customers without saying a word. Gaz brought the usual and Lorish began to gobble down the meat greedily while Vlad held his tiny glass without drinking it. He looked down at Dib's arm and without saying anything, asked how it happened. Dib looked out the window, to dark to see anything outside but his own worn reflection stared back at him.
"Zim." Was all he said.
"Well then, I've got some interesting news you might want to hear." Vlad said with a sarcastic smile that Dib wanted to smack off his face. To bad he couldn't move his good arm. "It's about Zim." Dib's eyes perked up with interest. "It's seems that today the leaders of the Irkens, you know the Tallest, kicked him out after he failed to capture the town." A great big smile came across Dib's face. The assassin continued. "Apparently he had been causing the Tallest a great deal of trouble, a lot more then he was worth. I'm surprised that they just didn't kill the moron. It's been like that for years. I thought that might brighten you day. So there I said it. Now for the bad news." Dib's smile fell. "He had been trying to overthrow the Tallest for some time now. The whole thing was just an act supposedly."
"What! Your fucking kidding me!" Dib almost yelled. Vlad just shook his head. That was Zim's mission, to please the Tallest, to blindly obey them even if it meant self-sacrifice. "I don't believe you."
"Believe what you want but I got the information from a very reliable resource in Brams. That was before I found out about this though. You know, I'm thinking about recruiting him...wiping out the Irken scum forever you know. We can finally let this town prosper, let it grow into something fit for living decently. I know you and Zim haven't had the best hist..."
"NO! No way in hell Vlad. There is no way he's gonna let me alone after all the shit we've been through. I don't want him to let me go, I want him dead. I don't care if he wants to help fight off the Irken scum, he's just probably gonna take the Tallest's place as their leader."
"Well then we really won't have to worry about the Irkens anymore." Vlad interrupted smugly.
"You don't get it, I won't have anything to do with it! I won't let you, kill me if you have to. I'd rather be dead then let Zim be in charge of protecting my hometown. even if this place is a shit hole!" Dib's face began to grow red with anger.
Vlad smiled, "True, he still wants you dead as well. You know...I really don't mind the little green guy. He makes me laugh."
Dib could hear Gaz giggling behind him. She loved to watch him stress out like this. "How can you say that! He's a complete asshole and main reason why we live in poverty...okay maybe not you but everyone else does...b- but that's not the point! You can't trust him Vlad."
"I don't. I just thought I would give you the heads up if you see him working here from now on. Chances are slim I'll say that. I don't think he would "lower" himself to be working with humans. Well, I'll call it a night. I'm tired, haven't slept in almost 32 hours." With that the assassin got up and left a generous tip for Gaz without ever touching his brandy. Dib eyed him evilly as he head out the door, Vlad raising his hand dismissing himself and to say his farewells. Dib sighed, Zim wasn't gonna go for it. Like Vlad said, he was too proud to work with lowly humans. The thought made him smile. He studied his features in the window once more, looking at all the premature lines that cracked his face and the dirty looking stubble that shaded his face. His eyes glared back angrily almost concealed under the large brim of his beaten hat. He wasn't trying to look angry, that just how they were. He though back, it didn't seem all that long ago when he was a kid, full of hope and dreams. That was before Zim, now look at him....aged prematurely and always looking like he was about to kill someone. Well...he was. Zim. Dib sat back and took a swig of Vlad's untouched brandy and toiled away his coins for refills. He really did miss that horse.
A/N The beginning was a bit shaky for me but it took me a bit to get started. Vlad was a bit more involved then I wanted but he's such a cool character and I really enjoy writing about him. Dib was a bit OCC for me and I turned him into an alcoholic, I did like Gaz though. Next chappy is from Zim's POV and a bit more western. This chapter they could have been in an airport and it would have had the same effect.
Dib sat at his regular table near the back window in the smoke filled bar. He watched as the stars appeared one by one in the darkening sky and nodded to his sister Gaz to keep the drinks coming. She had just finished pummeling a customer who had mistaken the waitress as one of the cheep tavern whores that did business upstairs. The manager didn't mind her random beatings of customers, said it kept them in line. Vlad had lost quite a bit of money from rambunctious patrons damaging the place whenever there was a fight but Gaz usually kept the customers in line. That was probably the only reason he hired her, she was a completely capable girl who took care of her self just fine. He didn't worry to much about losing paying customers due to her cold nature and brutal abuse she laid on the customers, Vlad's was the cheapest bar in town and it attracted the lowest forms of scum in town or what ever crap hole they wandered in from. The whole town attracted the shit of America, it made Dib wonder why his family didn't leave the parched lands and go someplace...better. Anywhere in the world was better then this town/. Still they remained as the rest of the world moved on without them.
There was one thing that made him stay...Zim. He would not be content until the Irken was dead. Then he could leave and find a better life but until then he was stuck in this shit hole with the shit of the universe. Dib had often wondered what had kept the town alive; they were constantly attacked by the Irken gang, raped and robbed of whatever scarce happiness and joy that the town still possessed. They had apparently done the same to the surrounding towns that were now under their control. Dib and Vlad were the only hope that the town had to keep it from falling under the Irken control. Dib had protected the town, often getting horribly injured with scars to show his struggles, out of the goodness of his heart. Vlad, on the other hand, just protected the town to keep his businesses running. There was only one thing to keep Dib going...the cool drinks he threw back to burn his throat night after night. He never got too drunk of course, Gaz made sure of that. Complained of having to carry her brother's drunk ass home. This night even she didn't bother to argue with him and kept the drinks coming while trying to avoid looking at the fresh sling that supported his right arm. Only said to him, "You should've used a gun." Then would walk away back to the other tables.
The musician played on the old piano that was in a bad need of tuning, and dib sunk into his chair. The alcohol numbed the pain in his arm a bit; he was still going to need some of his dad's drugs to ease it completely for the next few days. Hopefully Zim wouldn't return for a while so he could recover from the new injury. Yeah, maybe he should of used a gun, but he hated them so much. Only once did he ever use one of those filthy things. It was to shoot his old horse that got it's leg broken, curtsies of Zim. He really liked that horse too. The sun was gone now, only a red sky that gave the impression of doom looming overhead. He popped open a fresh beer and gulped it down while thinking of his old horse. Never really was able to afford a new one either. Damn...he really liked that horse.
Around that time the double doors swung open and the boards creaked. He didn't even bother to look up but could hear Gaz mumble angrily, "You can sit yourself."
"Geeze Gaz, you can't even recognize your own boss." Vlad said half laughing. He was used to the treatment as anyone who had the privilege of knowing Gaz.
"Who said I didn't?" She said bluntly before turning her back to tend another round for a table playing poker. Vlad only smiled and shook his head before heading to the Dib's table. No one had the guts to turn their back on Vlad, well at least the ones that had heard of them. Even Dib had been a little cautious after knowing Vlad for so many years. He was top assassin/bounty hunter in the region. Anyone in the know knew his reputation. Dib sometimes looked after things when Vlad would head out for a few weeks to hunt some big bounty or was offered "work". Vlad trusted Dib, which was unusual, but Dib still never quite trusted him. That made Vlad happy for some sick reason. The guy was a smart ass, but you have to be smart to be a smart ass and that was what kept him alive for so long despite the very, very close brushed with death the man had. Dib wondered how he had managed to survive as long as he did. Vlad was as surprised as him. Uninvited he pulled up the chair across from Dib, his purse dangling with the spoils of his lasted "work". He pulled out a few coins and let them fall on the table as his payment for looking over the town the last month. This was only a fraction of the over all fee, Dib also got to keep ten percent of what ever his businesses made during his absence. Dib scooped up the coins, just about to put them in his own purse, then laid them back on the table.
"It's been a long day. I think I'll spend it tonight." Dib said flatly.
"That's why you haven't been able to buy a new horse." Vlad replied with a bit of annoyance in his voice. Vlad's companion suddenly swooped in from outside on leathery wings and landed on his master's shoulder. His name was Lorish, Vlad called him a Jerege but Dib always thought it looked like a tiny dragon. He didn't know where Vlad got it, or how it was able to exist but he had seen stranger things and never asked about it. What Dib did know about it was that it's venom was worse then a rattle snake's and it held some sort of mental link with it's master which allowed it to speak to him silently. It was weird but still, he had seen stranger things. Vlad raised his hand for a shot of brandy and salted steak that was no longer good to sell to customers without saying a word. Gaz brought the usual and Lorish began to gobble down the meat greedily while Vlad held his tiny glass without drinking it. He looked down at Dib's arm and without saying anything, asked how it happened. Dib looked out the window, to dark to see anything outside but his own worn reflection stared back at him.
"Zim." Was all he said.
"Well then, I've got some interesting news you might want to hear." Vlad said with a sarcastic smile that Dib wanted to smack off his face. To bad he couldn't move his good arm. "It's about Zim." Dib's eyes perked up with interest. "It's seems that today the leaders of the Irkens, you know the Tallest, kicked him out after he failed to capture the town." A great big smile came across Dib's face. The assassin continued. "Apparently he had been causing the Tallest a great deal of trouble, a lot more then he was worth. I'm surprised that they just didn't kill the moron. It's been like that for years. I thought that might brighten you day. So there I said it. Now for the bad news." Dib's smile fell. "He had been trying to overthrow the Tallest for some time now. The whole thing was just an act supposedly."
"What! Your fucking kidding me!" Dib almost yelled. Vlad just shook his head. That was Zim's mission, to please the Tallest, to blindly obey them even if it meant self-sacrifice. "I don't believe you."
"Believe what you want but I got the information from a very reliable resource in Brams. That was before I found out about this though. You know, I'm thinking about recruiting him...wiping out the Irken scum forever you know. We can finally let this town prosper, let it grow into something fit for living decently. I know you and Zim haven't had the best hist..."
"NO! No way in hell Vlad. There is no way he's gonna let me alone after all the shit we've been through. I don't want him to let me go, I want him dead. I don't care if he wants to help fight off the Irken scum, he's just probably gonna take the Tallest's place as their leader."
"Well then we really won't have to worry about the Irkens anymore." Vlad interrupted smugly.
"You don't get it, I won't have anything to do with it! I won't let you, kill me if you have to. I'd rather be dead then let Zim be in charge of protecting my hometown. even if this place is a shit hole!" Dib's face began to grow red with anger.
Vlad smiled, "True, he still wants you dead as well. You know...I really don't mind the little green guy. He makes me laugh."
Dib could hear Gaz giggling behind him. She loved to watch him stress out like this. "How can you say that! He's a complete asshole and main reason why we live in poverty...okay maybe not you but everyone else does...b- but that's not the point! You can't trust him Vlad."
"I don't. I just thought I would give you the heads up if you see him working here from now on. Chances are slim I'll say that. I don't think he would "lower" himself to be working with humans. Well, I'll call it a night. I'm tired, haven't slept in almost 32 hours." With that the assassin got up and left a generous tip for Gaz without ever touching his brandy. Dib eyed him evilly as he head out the door, Vlad raising his hand dismissing himself and to say his farewells. Dib sighed, Zim wasn't gonna go for it. Like Vlad said, he was too proud to work with lowly humans. The thought made him smile. He studied his features in the window once more, looking at all the premature lines that cracked his face and the dirty looking stubble that shaded his face. His eyes glared back angrily almost concealed under the large brim of his beaten hat. He wasn't trying to look angry, that just how they were. He though back, it didn't seem all that long ago when he was a kid, full of hope and dreams. That was before Zim, now look at him....aged prematurely and always looking like he was about to kill someone. Well...he was. Zim. Dib sat back and took a swig of Vlad's untouched brandy and toiled away his coins for refills. He really did miss that horse.
A/N The beginning was a bit shaky for me but it took me a bit to get started. Vlad was a bit more involved then I wanted but he's such a cool character and I really enjoy writing about him. Dib was a bit OCC for me and I turned him into an alcoholic, I did like Gaz though. Next chappy is from Zim's POV and a bit more western. This chapter they could have been in an airport and it would have had the same effect.