Guess what, everyone? THIS is the last chapter of this story!
The story that was SUPPOSED to be a One-shot!
Wow... I wish to hurt myself every time I read this. Because the ending is SO much different from what I was originally planning. Someday... probably never, I may post an alternate ending. But that would require me to get up the gall to work on it again XD
Review reply time. Be afraid, pathetic earth-creatures:
Dibsthe1: What old expression? Huh? Okay, never mind... Yeah, that part WAS inspired by Battle Dib, whcih I had just watched previous to writing that particular chapter. I thought the idea was pretty good, and tried to lighten up the mood JUST enough to make it slightly funny in a sad, pitiful way.
To be truthful, I don't like Gir much, either. Except in the one episode where he went evil... that one was neat.
ChickenLeg: No, I have never had the HORROR of meeting a hyperactive rabbit that can do those things, and I never want to. XD
The next part HAS ARRIVED!
Tailfeather: I try... that's all I can say. Thank you so much for liking my story (nods head)
Now read, my horde of readers! READ!
A cold wind blew through the dark air, the whispering tendrils of its invisible force brushing the ground, parting the grass with its gentle strength before it rose, splaying out like a phoenix rising, unseeable wings stretching to their limit as it rose over the treetops, the feathery touch of its passing making the branches sway, moving back and forth in sweeping arcs as their leaves rustled, creating a tune as old as life itself. A few of the less secure leaves strained at their attachments, trying desperately to remain on their places, before finally ripping apart, being carried on the tail of the breeze, tumbling over and around as their life faded within them. They eventually fell to the ground; still, limp bodies creating a soft, noiseless carpet upon which the just-awaking nocturnal life trod, thus fulfilling a purpose in death just as well as life.
Far in the distance, a long, lonely howl drifted through the air, speaking of the hunt begun, the journey of its owner and the power of song as the noise swelled, a tribute to life, loss, and plenty. Ears all across the forest perked at the sound, some shivering with fear, others rising with the urge to join the hunt, to run and feel the bloodlust rise within one's soul as the age old scene reincarnated itself in another desperate flight of predator and prey. Other howls soon joined the swelling notes as a soft, cold light rose up from the horizon, moving faster than the slow body of the sun and void of heat or comfort, a spectacle of the unknown.
In the still hazy depths of the city, the noise of the evening traffic was just beginning to thin, the sounds of the bustling daytime fading into the more peaceful stupor of the night. A bird, its feathers ruffling with uncertainty, shivered slightly as it tried to make out shapes in the darkness that surrounded it. Finally, its wings spread, holding still and trembling for a moment before it pushed them downwards in a powerful stroke, lifting from its perch and falling down towards the sounds of passing cars and talking humans, swooping far above them and leveling out in its flight as it searched for a suitable place to rest for the night.
Finally, its small, beady eyes caught sight of a faint glow in the distance, and the bird changed its course to head towards it, small wings beating more energetically as it upped the pace. As it reached the small green home that was wedged in between two larger, bland apartment buildings, it slowed, circling above lazily as its wings were bathed in the ethereal greenish-yellow glow. The house was attached to the buildings surrounding it via thick wires, and it was towards them that the avian finally dove, letting out a high, thin chirp as it flared its wings, slowing and settling gracefully onto the chrome surface, claws skittering slightly. The bird sighed, its feathers puffing up in contentment, before it tucked its head under one wings, letting a peaceful sleep overtake it as the moon above shone its light down softly on the dozing world below, its light banishing the red glow that had previously marred the otherwise perfectly dark night.
Within the house, however, things were far from peaceful as, in the large, multi-colored living room just beyond the purple door, a small shape twitched, a gasp and a thin, reedy cry of fright escaping it as it thrashed from side to side. The large, brownish-red couch it sat on trembled with the force of the sleeping form's struggles, cushions, already beaten and worn through long months of abuse, looking about ready to tear and rip apart. The room around it was dark; the moon's light that entered through the windows barely enough to illuminate small squares of the tiled floor, and offered no comfort to sooth the dreams that plagued the small boy who lay on the furniture, lost within his own world, trapped somewhere where not even he could reach.
From somewhere in the next room, the sound of grumbling rose, seeming hoarse, as if the owner of the voice had strained himself past the limits of talking but refused to quit. As the grumbling continued, a faint reddish glow could be seen reflected in the clean surface of one of the larger appliances in the room, moving from side to side, growing larger and smaller in time with the inflections of the hoarse voice. A sudden cry from the living room made the voice abruptly stop, the red glow almost vanishing before the doorway to the kitchen was shadowed by a short through somehow looming form, large, bright red eyes giving off their own light as if there was a fire burning within them. Two long, graceful antenna rose atop its head, twitching as another, quieter cry came from the boy, cutting off abruptly as if some force had taken the sleeper into a chokehold.
"Dib," the red-eyed creature hissed, voice angry despite its hoarseness. Zim marched forward, not bothering to turn on the lights as he loomed over the side of the couch where Dib slept, moaning and shivering as he tried and failed repeatedly to fight off his inner demons. Zim rose one gloved hand, three fingers extended as he reached out as if to wake the boy, but suddenly he stopped, one eye narrowing slightly, twitching as his fingers curled into a fist. His features, deeply shadowed and lit only from the reflected glow of the moon and what light reached his face from his eyes, became angry to the point of fury as he pulled back his arm.
"Zim…" the tired whisper made the alien pause, slightly surprised as Dib turned his face to him, eyes still tightly closed as if he was fighting off something unpleasant. The boy's expression fell into an almost thoughtful state before he flinched, head shaking from side to side and terrified gasps coming from him. Zim growled, his pink-tinted teeth visible in the wan moonlight, but the sobbing faded almost as soon as it came. Surprisingly, as Zim rose his fist once more, the boy's lips moved, his voice, broken and lost, rising into a soft whisper, "No… no… don't take me… I swear I…. please, believe me…"
"Pathetic Dib-human," Zim hissed, his voice quiet and infuriated as he paced in front of the couch, his eyes briefly flitting over the stiff form of his robot on the other side before he dismissed it, his gaze moving to his fist, so tightly clenched that he felt the skin breaking beneath his claws. Slowly, he unfurled it, the pain of the simple movement hitting him, adding to the overwhelming anger he already felt for the boy as he deemed the injury to be Dib's fault. Everything was Dib's fault.
"Dad? Dad… help me…" Dib seemed to be lost to another nightmare. Zim, his seething interrupted, stopped and glared, "Dad…. Please? I… I won't…. fail again…. I've failed too many times…" Dib shuddered, a choking sound escaping him, "I'm… sorry Dad… I failed…"
Failure. That was something Zim understood. The alien paused, antenna cocked as he began to listen, eyes narrowed and stance rigid. Dib curled tighter against the arm of the couch, his trembling visibly rising in intensity.
"Sacrificed everything… Gaz… wish I could've… been a better… Zim…"
"What, Dib-monkey?" Zim had hissed out the words without thought, responding to his name. Dib fell silent, a soft whimper drifting through the air.
"Alien… I… don't know what, Zim… Wait… yeah…" Dib seemed to be troubling something out. He was still asleep, that much was clear, but his voice had become slightly more coherent, his mind responding to questions asked of him even when his consciousness was still trapped within the prison that held it, "I… never cared all that much about Earth…"
"Stupid-" Zim stopped himself before he yelled, seeing this state as an opportunity to gain information from his enemy, "Why did you fight ZIM, insufferable human?"
"It's hard… when no one cares about you…" Dib mumbled, his scythe shaped lock of hair, mussed from sleep, pulling back as he moved his head forwards against the sofa arm, "Such a discovery… everyone would care… Dad would… notice…"
"Dumb, inferior, Dib," Zim muttered, going back to pacing, eyes hard.
"Yeah…" The light from the windows, as the moon moved closer to the horizon, lengthened slowly, reaching out until it touched the edge of the couch. Within moments, it bathed the lids of the boy's eyes, and as if moved by some mysterious force they slit open, awareness returning slowly to those depths as they stared up at the clear light, seeing the round, merciless shape through the window, feeling the knowledge that it gave. The glasses set upon the boy's nose flashed as he moved his head slightly, his face completely illuminated by the ethereal light in the sky. Dib felt something deep within him fade out as he looked into the pale face, leaving him curiously free. He smiled, "Yeah, Zim, I am."
Zim bristled, turning back to the human, but shrieked as he saw a large shape loom in his vision, leaping towards him. The alien was knocked backwards form the force, hitting the floor hard, as Dib cried out in animal ferocity, hands encircling Zim's neck as he tried to squeeze the life out of his enemy. Zim thrashed, choking as the air was cut off from his system, his breath catching as he desperately tried to suck air through the closed passageway. Dib's eyes, unable to be seen through the reflection of light in his glasses, stared into the giant red orbs of his enemy, frantically willing the other to make a move.
Suddenly, Dib was thrown back, his small form flying with terrifying ease into the wall, a yelp of pain ripping through his throat at impact. The dark-haired boy slid down the wall, wincing and dazed, and barely managed to look up as Zim loomed over him, spider legs revealed and antenna slicked back against his head as he rose up upon them, murder in his gaze.
"Zim!" Dib sneered, his mouth quirking into a wry grin as he stood somewhat shakily. The alien snarled wordlessly, advancing a step, but Dib dodged under him, grabbing one of the thin ends of the mechanical legs and pulling it off the floor, causing Zim to lose balance and slam painfully into the ground. The enraged scream of the Irken followed Dib as he darted into the kitchen, looking up with a frantic gaze at the appliances there, trying to find one he could hide himself in. Suddenly, he found himself falling, and he hit the floor with a grunt, barely able to catch his breath before he was flipped over, the sharp, glinting end of the spider leg hovering over him, the red eyes beyond gazing with a rage so deep that it could not be expressed in words.
"Dib…" Zim snarled, the point of the leg slipping down an inch further as the alien met the boy's eyes. Dib waited, gaze steady, and suddenly Zim pulled back, eyes wide as he abruptly realized what the boy was trying to do; the trap that he had almost fell for.
"NO!" Dib screamed, all the anguish and loss that he had ever felt ripping out of his throat along with that single, heart-rending word. He lunged forward, hands grasping, and managed to grip the end of the retreating metal limb. Zim stumbled, red eyes narrowed as he frenziedly tried to regain his balance.
"Get off me, Dib-stink!" he demanded, whirling and skittering as he tried to dislodge the boy, the mechanical legs slamming into various household items as the two struggled. There was a screech of metal on metal, and abruptly Zim was jerked forward with a yelp as one of the thin ends of a spider leg slipped on the smooth tile below, others flailing wildly in an instinctual attempt to keep the Irken from falling. The attempt failed miserably, and Zim struck the ground with a painful jolt, groaning pitifully for a moment before he sat up, his eyes squinted in pain as he looked around, trying to locate the boy that he had been fighting with.
There was a thick, pain-filled gurgle, and Zim's eyes shot over to the corner, where a small, ragged lump lay, barely twitching. The Irken sneered, gathering his legs under him, but slipped once again, almost pitching into a wall before he managed to stop himself. Expectantly, Zim waited for the other to rise, to resume what he had started or to throw the old, familiar insults that the Irken was so used to and had come, secretly, to look forward to countering. When no more movement came from Dib's corner, Zim moved forwards, eyes narrowed in puzzlement.
Suddenly, he stopped, red eyes becoming impossibly wide as his foremost spider leg slipped again, though this time the metallic limb left a trail of dark liquid where it skid. Zim stepped back; all his extremities trembling as he finally saw the dark pool growing around his enemy. The boy on the floor shuddered once more, a gasp escaping him, and hesitantly, Zim poked him with one spider leg, shivering slightly as he saw the dark stain covering the end of the metal limb.
The prod served to roll the boy over, and as Zim looked into cracked, broken glasses, the eyes behind them seemed to light up with life for a moment. Dib moved one hand downwards numbly, feeling the gaping hold in his stomach where one of the metallic limbs had managed to impale him as Zim flailed, his hands covered in gushing blood as he brought them, trembling, to his face. Those tawny eyes blinked slowly as the boy assimilated the information, and with an agonized sigh he nodded, looking up thankfully into the frightened, shocked red eyes of his enemy. His hand fell back limply as his strength ebbed away onto the cold, unfeeling tile.
"Thanks… Zim," he gasped, the words seeming to take all his energy as his chest heaved up and down, trying and failing to draw another breath, "No… no… regrets…"
"Dib…?" Zim choked, unable to believe that, after all this time, he had actually succeeded in destroying his rival. He backed up further, shaking his head slightly. Dib's eyes met his for a moment, a tired gratitude echoing within them as they began to fade away, the pool of blood on the floor growing steadily, taking the boy's life with it as it emptied out of him. Finally, his eyes closed, and he seemed to sigh contentedly. His tense, agony-ridden body fell back limply, appearing to deflate as a last heaving breath escaped it.
Zim, dazed, managed to stumble into the living room before he collapsed numbly, his spider legs not even bothering to pull back into his Pak as he stared blankly at the floor, still refusing to believe what had just happened. The more logical side of him told him to rejoice, to celebrate the death of the last bit of resistance against the enslavement of the Earth. He should have been glad; he knew he should have been. He could finally overtake this pitiful ball of filth and gain the respect of his Tallest…
But would the planet really be worth taking over, now that the only force that made trying to take it worthwhile was gone?
"Victory for Zim…" he said weakly, not even trying to stop it as a tear escaped one of his large, blood red eyes, splashing on the tiled floor and fragmenting into thousands of pieces, each lit up by the cold, merciless rays of the moon's light as it lowered itself down through the trees to disappear under the dark curve of the Earth below.
Comments? Questions? Rants? Please review!
As is customary with me upon completing a story, I will now post the lyrics to the song that inspired it.
There was no point while I was writing this where I was not listening to this song. I had my CD player set on repeat until I finished each chapter.
And the song NEVER GOT BORING!
'Missing' by Evanescence
...
Please, please forgive me
But I won't be home again
Maybe some day you'll look up
And barely conscious you'll say to no one
Isn't something missing?
You won't cry for my absence I know
You forgot me long ago
Am I that unimportant?
Am I so insignificant?
Isn't something missing?
Isn't someone missing me?
Even though I'm the sacrifice
You won't try for me not now
Though I'd die to know you love me
I'm all alone
Isn't someone missing me?
Please, please forgive me
But I won't be home again
I know what you do to yourself
I breathe deep and cry out
"Isn't something missing?"
Isn't someone missing me?
Even though I'm the sacrifice
You won't try for me not now
Though I'd die to know you love me
I'm all alone
isn't someone missing me?
And if I bleed, I'll bleed
Knowing you don't care
And if I sleep just to dream of you
I'll wake without you there
Isn't something missing?
Isn't something...?
Even though I'm the sacrifice
You won't try for me not now
Though I'd die to know you love me
I'm all alone
Isn't something missing?
Isn't someone missing me?