Disclaimer: I bet none of you even read these things, do you? I could just put "blah blah blahblabbity blah blah" in place of "I don't own shit," and no one would notice. . .

Author's Note: I've been reading a lot of "Zim kills Dib because Tallest say to, then cries because it turns out to be a trick" fics lately and, while not to say that they're not well written or interesting—I've enjoyed each one of them, and even wrote a piece like it myself ("Roses Are Red")— you have to admit it's getting a little cliché.


So here I go, exploiting it UNTIL WE CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! XD

However, in my defense, this time the story ends with what I think Zim should really do. :)

Enjoy!


Warnings for All Chapters: ZADR, dark themes, blood (duh).

Warnings for This Chapter: Character death.

Dedication: This chapter goes out for Phantom of Spades, who's works don't get NEARLY enough reviews.

XXX

Ketsueki

Nothing

XXX

. . . and I stood there, covered in it. From head to toe, bathed red in his essence—face sticky, legs trembling, fingers numb. But I was proud, for a moment. Relieved, for a moment. I was able to do it—I now knew that, despite it all, I could obey any command given to me; no matter what. Now they would have to admit that I was a superior soldier. Not only had I conquered Earth, but I had killed him; murdered my lover for "the good of the mission."

That was what they told me. "The good of the mission."

And I believed them.

I was a fool.

I turned to face them as the Massive landed. I watched them step out; standing tall and proud, I saluted them. Still dripping in the last of his remains, in the last of his life, I pledged my allegiance to them— the two who demanded him dead— the ray gun warm in my hand.

And they laughed.

Right in front of me, before my very eyes, they laughed so hard that they grew blue in the face—nearly falling off of the platform that was slowly lowering them to the ground, like precious cargo. They guffawed and choked and sniggered and gasped as I stood there, soaked to the bone, gazing in stupid confusion at the two whom I would have done anything—DID anything—for.

That's when they told me. Still pink with good humor and sick amusement, they told me that my entire life was a lie. That I wasn't really an Invader, that I wasn't really meant to overthrow the human's world. . .

That I had just murdered my only chance at happiness on the playful whim of Red.

And they kept laughing. They kept guffawing and choking and sniggering and gasping as I stood there, soaked to the bone, slowly coming to terms what had just taken place; realizing what I had known all along.

That they despised me.

I was nothing more than a game to them; my life was a source of fun. They didn't care that they'd just ruined the only good thing I'd ever known—they just wanted to know what sort of snacks the Earthians had.

And for the first time in my life, I truly hated.

I had to do something.

They began to walk away from me—ignoring me, forgetting me, oblivious to me— as I stared from that pool of death.

. . . A smirk.

Ignoring me, forgetting me, oblivious to me. . . Until Purple fell down dead!

Then Red cared! Hahahaha; then he turned; screamed; shrieked in horror at the blood now splattered across his face and body. Heh heh. . . I had never seen him look so stunned; so petrified; so very much like my human.

Like his whole fucking world had ended.

After a second or two he turned to me—dumbstruck—as if he were in a nightmare. And I grinned at him, tears streaming down my face, ray gun still raised and buzzing.

Then I said to him:

"How do you like it?"

Silence.

Zim cackled madly, serpentine tongue lashing out to clean his lips of the remaining blood. The other Irkens present cowered, gasping in fear and horror.

The Control Brains beeped and peeped decisively.

Irken Zim. . . In light of your crimes— Horrible Painful Overload Day One and Two, ignoring banishment, ruining Operation Impending Doom One, escaping from Foodcortia, the accidental death of Tallest Miyuki, the assassination of Tallest Purple, and for falling in love with a human— you are to be decommissioned immediately, by removal of your PAK.

The crowd cheered and whistled, watching excitedly as the guards did just that, rendering the small Invader useless. But despite this and his decomposing body, Zim still smiled—shooting a glorious glare at the mute and seething Red.

At least I won't be alone anymore.

Death.

And then Red had nothing.