Thanks for all the feedback so far everyone. Much appreciated; so is constructive criticism about my style. I know that I need to use a far more descriptive and broader usage of terms and wording, but I guess that could only take time and practice (and possibly reading the dictionary whileist I'm at it? I dunno…) I might slow down in my updating soon because my site's almost back online (it's been down for about 2 weeks now). Oh, and while I'm on the topic of my site, feel free to visit, make use of the forums, and view my very crappy artwork! As soon as my site's back up, it means that I'm back to regular manga updates and other stuffs. So, just a note on that, and on with the show! Erm… fanfic!
DISCLAIMER: Invader Zim is property of Jhonen Vasquez (Go you, dude!!!) and/or Nickelodeon (uh… yay?). Not me.
Dib Snaps
Chapter 3: Between the Lines
Blood splattered against a brick wall as a silver blade was wiped off with a piece of cloth cut off from nowhere else but the shirt of its latest victim. Satisfied with his cleaning job, Dib re-sheathed his sword. At the same time, two very different emotions sat with him as he strolled out from another alleyway. He was saddened that nobody had been noticing his work; at the same time he was maddened by the fact. Oblivious morons. They'd learn the definition of fear soon enough. His voice had become darker then normal, as did his physical stature. Again, he had gone through changes, hair having three spikes now (two pointing backwards, one in the middle pointing forwards and downward in between the other two), trench coat looking incredibly torn and frayed around the edges; eyes still red; all of which were no big changes in the least whereas one large non-physical change had become present – his personality had been changed to a kindhearted boy to a merciless and sadistic maniac. Worst of all, his gentler 'side' was nowhere in his psyche to be found. A joyous smirk spread across Dib's face as he looked at the passerby while he stood at the entrance of the alleyway. They were all too stupid to notice anything weird about a devious-looking 12 year-old boy with scythe-like hair spikes and red eyes hauling a sharp and ready blade weapon he carted around with him. Nope, everything was completely normal to them.
"A pity that none of these people know that their petty lives are about to end in a most tragically way," he shook his head while maintaining the smile, "nope, none at all." He clenched his free fist, "Unfortunately, I need more power… heh… and I know exactly where to go to get that." He laughed a bit, "Don't we now, Dib? I'm sure you do." No response came from anywhere. He shrugged with a sigh, "Very well then, but that doesn't change the fact her departure will enrage you…"
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Dib weakly opened his eyes to see nothing but black. He was laying on some sort of dark but invisible ground. He stood up and looked around as he spoke out loud, and yet, to himself.
"Wha… what happened? Where am I?" He seemed to be standing on something tangible, but… there was nothing there but swirling darkness everywhere; bits of grey and white being engulphed and fading out, like watercolour paints mixing together. The lack of knowledge of his location frightened him into nervousness as a voice (that was certainly not his) seemed to reverberate throughout this dark world. Dib looked upwards, as if to expect something to come from above.
Ahah. That would explain a lot…
"Explain what?" Following red and blazing eyes out from the darkness was the figure Dib's body had now taken in his physical form. Dib looked at him; this "guy" looked a lot like himself. But he wasn't Dib. Dib was Dib… so who was that? Might as well ask. "Who are you, anyway?" The evil one crossed his arms.
"You speak as if you don't know your own self."
"You are not me."
"That's only what you want to think." Dib shook his head.
"You're not making any sense. I don't understand anything you're saying!"
"Perhaps…" The two stood in the black world for a few minutes. Finally, the unknown 'Dib' sighed, "You really are hopeless, aren't you?"
"Uh…" He shook his head.
"I suppose you expect me to explain this all, now don't you?"
"Well, that would certainly help me out."
"For the sake of you knowing, I might as well describe what you are clearly far too daft to comprehend on your own. I seriously thought you could have figured it out."
"You're a ghost of me from a past life that's haunting me?" Dib guessed. The other looked at him with annoyance, accompanied by a 'you really are hopeless' expression.
"No Dib. You moron. I am the physical embodiment of your own chaotic fury that you have kept inside yourself for so many years. I don't suppose you've noticed, but you've never really expressed any sort of aggression since your late mother, God rest her pitiful soul, kicked the bucket. You, more or less, have been keeping such fury locked up in your own heart until the point of snapping a-la-me. It is my role to enact out thus fury until the point of depletion and/or death a-la-you." He laughed with a smirk, "I'm also charged with the objective to make your life a living hell, as well as bring those who have caused my own creation to be brought to hell. And, for a side bonus, maim stuff for kicks."
"So let me get this straight. You're a part of me created purely from fury and rage who kills stuff like a raving lunatic, but you look like me and considering the stupidity of the rest of the planet, everyone will blame me for it." He nodded.
"Pretty much."
"You're not fitting the bill right now."
"I prefer to take the role of the intelligent psycho then that of the mindless psycho. I guess that's something I get from you, you schizophrenic."
"I AM NOT A SCHIZOPHRENIC."
"Yeah, and you don't have A.D.D. either." Dib growled enraged. The other Dib shrugged, "Well, I'd say I'm done here. There's a certain someone I'm sure you'd just hate to see join the choir invisible."
"What?"
"Die, you simpleton."
"Oh… hey! Wait a sec!"
"Now if you'll excuse me…" He turned around and walked back out into the darkness. Dib tried to chase him, but after a few steps he found himself yanked back to the ground. Confused, he examined where he was standing, soon realizing some extra weight around his wrists and ankles. Manacles, to be exact. He had been chained to the non-excitant ground in the middle of this black world.
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Zim keyed hastily on his Irken keyboard. He knew what had to be done – Dib stopped. How hard could that be? He had stopped Dib many times in the past; unfortunately the reverse was also applicable. Much to Zim's dismay, and a mockery of his superior Irken mind, he couldn't quite figure out how to do it. This problem was rooted in the fact that he honestly didn't really know what was causing Dib to act all evil all of a sudden. The only solution he had come to himself was that the prince-e-pal had tortured him into it somehow, but he had gone back (after he had retrieved his wig from the alleyway that had almost been his untimely resting place) and inquired the very same creature on the mission. The prince-e-pal had told him that in the middle of their conversation, Dib had begun acting all weird and suddenly walked out. Not exactly very descriptive and not entirely useful either. If only he had-
"TAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOS!!!!!!!!!!"
"Not now…" Zim cringed inwardly. He didn't have time for this…
"I WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANT TAAAAAAAAAAAAACOOOOOOOOOOOOOS!!!!!!" Gir, Zim's 'trustworthy,' 'loyal,' and 'obedient robot minion' came rushing down into Zim's transmission room. Hitting the floor face first didn't phase the little android, as he immediately hopped up urgently and tugged on Zim's shirt.
"Tacos master! I want tacos! I need them good; I need them so I can watch the Angry Monkey show!"
"No Gir! No tacos or whatever else right now! I have to think of a way to stop Dib."
"Big headed kid needs to be stopped?"
"Yes, Gir," Zim spoke infuriately to his curious companion, "the big headed kid needs to be stopped."
"But he seemed so niiiiiiiiiiiiiice… maybe tacos would cheer him up! I know tacos would cheer you up, master. They'd even cheer me up! Everyone likes tacos!" Zim sighed.
"Alright! We'll go get you your tacos… go get your disguise on, Gir."
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! TAAAAAAAACOS!" Zim collected several files that were active on his computer system, saved them, and moved them to one of the many folders he had in his archives. Oddly enough, it was the only one that didn't begin with "Ingenious Mission Plan # (insert one of the thousands ideas both tried and untested by Zim)".
"I'm not exactly coming up with anything useful right now, but perhaps some exterior stimuli might give me an idea I need to get my plans to stop Dib rolling." He walked over to a cylinder shaft at the back of the room and took the elevator to the house floor of his base.
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Dib's evil self stood at the entrance of the skoolyard, clutching his katana and smirking that same crazed smirk. Now all he had to do was-
"GRRRRRRRRRRRROWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOO!" He jumped with a shocked expression on his face and looked around alerted. Nothing. So what was that-
"RUUUUUUUUWAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!" he finally figured it out, and clutched his stomach.
"WORTHLESS SHELL!" It hadn't dawned on him that food was a necessity, "When was the last time Dib ate? Couldn't have been too long ago, but… ahh…." A drawback. A minor drawback, but not that it was something this psycho couldn't deal with. Skool was right there, in front of him, after all. His only problem was his sword… "Technicality. That's all it is, and I will work around it. I will work my way to my ultimate goal…" He clenched his free fist dramatically before walking towards the innocent skool…
End Chapter 3
Ahh hah ha! I end on one of the ultimate evils of the writing world – the devious cliffhanger! Don't kill me for it! Anyway, I think things are gonna be getting a little bit more upbeat from here on out. I know what you're thinking: "people are getting killed; how can that be upbeat?" Well, it's all in the writing style… Either I'll be using more humor or more sarcasm. Either way, uh… something. I think I'll end with a few review responses! Yaaay!
FleeingFaith – Not exactly. As you can see, it's kinda different. Pretty close, I guess. :s
NoroLimAsfaloth – I didn't exactly see the same kind of storyline posted in this section, but then again I don't think I looked too hard. Don't worry, this story doesn't exactly parallel your friend's fic. And if it does… uh…something? I guess an apology would be in order, but let's wait until I finish this dealie… heh heh heh… 'dealie'…
Everyone else: thank you for your kind words n.n
Hope you weren't disappointed or anything in this chapter, but this is the direction it's gonna be going. Oh well. Ciao for now!