Recognition

"Talking"

'Thinking'

Stressed


Username: Tallest Z
Password: IM8ncient
ProcessingLogging Tallest Z, leader of the Irken Empire into the system…
Select DestinationEarth

She had logged into the system with no real destination. It was one of those days that she had no real job to do. All that she had to do wasmake sure the system was properly operating. She shuddered. Glitches and viruses were annoying. She stepped out of the booth and quickly switched on her hologram. It was sad that she had to log into a fake reality to parade around as Irken gone human. Z sighed and ran a hand through her hair. Her amber eyes searched the deserted streets and she frowned. A soft clicking caused her to turn towards the booth she came out of. Gir ran out with smoke trailing after him.

"Weehehe!" He screamed as he tumbled out.

"Gir?" Z questioned.

His cyan eyes turned to her and he quickly nodded his head. Z quickly picked him up and glared into his eyes. She didn't know how Zim would react to seeing this unit. Z also didn't know how Gir would react to seeing Zim. She knew that everything would hold up, but she didn't know how well.

'I can't risk it,' Z thought as she gazed at Gir.

"Gaz?" Gir questioned.

Her amber eyes widened before she closed them. The risk was too great, especially since her human disguise resembled her. There were differences, but they weren't that great. Z reached into her sleeve and pulled out another small chip. It resembled a small magnet. She placed it underneath his antenna and tapped it twice. His form blurred and he began to laugh. Z felt her shoulders relaxed when he was properly disguised. She was also relieved to see that it wasn't a bad costume, but an actual hologram.

"You look good," Z admitted with a sense of hope and pride.

"Aww, I wanted to be a mongoose," Gir whined.

"But you're a mongoose dog," Z replied as Gir brightened. He was just a unit disguised as a white dog with a brown patch over his left eye. She would humor him though.

"My Tallest!"

Her eyes widened and her attention turned to Gir. His fake ears perked up and his eyes began to search.

"My Tall-est!"

Gir began to fidget in her hold and Z shook him. He still continued to search, his eyes roaming. Z growled at him and firmly shook him; his eyes were on her.

"We're going to play a game Gir," Z quickly said. "Do you understand?"

"A game? I like games," Gir replied with a smile.

"We're going to pretend to be different people with Zim. I'm going to be Z and you'll be Rig," Gaz explained.

"Who'll master be?" Gir questioned in confusion.

"Zim's going to be Zim, but he's going to pretend that he doesn't know us," Gaz explained.

A hand tugged at her pant leg and she quickly spun around. He was hunched over quickly breathing. His violet eyes were staring up at her. His black hair was a bit frazzled, but it was Zim. Gir fell from Z's hands and land upon the cement with a clang. Zim looked to the dog and than to Z. Z watched as he stood up, brushed his uniform off, and saluted.

"Invader Zim welcoming Almighty Tallest Z," Zim quickly said.

"Why did you come here Invader Zim?" Z questioned.

His eyes widened and then darted around. The question had caught him off guard. Her location was far from his base. Zim ran a hand through his hair trying to think of something.

"I was out…wandering?" Zim offered, he questioned the excuse.

"Wandering?" Z snapped. "I'm no fool."

"You gots her mad now!" Gir laughed.

Zim's eyelids lowered as he turned his eyes to the ground below. One eye widened as he stared at the dog. He wondered why it could talk and why it was smiling so much.

"This is my Sir Unit, Rig," Z introduced.

"A Sir Unit my Tallest?" Zim questioned.

"Yes, he accompanies me," Z sighed.

"I watch her power down," Gir replied with a grin.

"So, why are you here?" Z questioned.

"I was wandering my Tallest," Zim answered again.

Z narrowed her eyes as she watched Zim. She knew that he wasn't as stupid as he tried to appear. Z knew she could hound him, he did think she was Irken. He believed this was his life. Z nodded and began to make her way to his base. Gir laughed and took off running ahead of her. Zim silently followed her. Gir came to the front of the base and stood still. His eyes remained upon the house and he stood there while they passed him by. Zim looked back at the dog in confusion and Z glanced over her shoulder. She knew this had to be a blow to Gir.

Gir darted past them and jumped to the door. He hung off the handle and twisted the knob. The door swung open and he swung inside. Z smirked as she watched Gir run off. They walked into the base and Zim shut the door. Gir was out of sight and Z turned to Zim once he turned around. Her eyebrow raised and she leaned against the nearest wall.

"You will tell me what you were doing around the area of my location,"Z growled.

Zim nervously scratched the back of his head and walked over to the couch. He jumped up and sat down. Z watched as he removed the wig and contacts. She kept her hologram on.

"I was searching the booth," Zim explained. She tilted her head to the side and her amber eyes narrowed.

"Why would you search the booth?" Z stiffly questioned.

"I have questions my Tallest," Zim simply answered.

'Questions?' Z thought. She knew that wasn't a good sign.

"Your mission is stay upon Earth, there is nothing you have to study," Gaz sighed.

"But my Tallest!" Zim protested. "Humans vanish in the booths!"

"Booths?" Z questioned.

"I have found many more all over the planet," Zim answered.

"You been tracking them," Z blandly sighed.

"Yes my Tallest," Zim answered. "I feared that someone might be trying to track the Irken Empire."

"Invader Zim," Z seriously interrupted. "You will ignore these booths."

"My Tallest?" Zim questioned.

"Your orders are to ignore these, if you don't you will be banished?" Z growled.

He sat there stunned into silence. Zim blinked and gazed at her. Z stood and Gir ran into the room. He slammed into her leg and smiled up at her.

"Gaz! I want a taco!" Gir shouted.

"Not now," Z gritted out.

Zim blinked again and looked to Z. She sighed and grabbed Gir before she walked over to the door. It was time to go and she left him sitting in the room alone. The sun had gone down and he had not moved from his spot on the couch. Zim blinked and he pushed off the couch. He stood at the edge and watched as it rose from the ground. Zim stepped onto the platform and sighed as he was lowered into his labs. He sat at the main computer and gazed at the blank screen.

"Computer, show me the booths," Zim ordered.

There was something going onwith the booth and he wanted to know. Too many humans had vanished and reappeared for his comfort. He didn't understand how that was possible considering humans didn't have that type of technology. Pictures of booths appeared on the screen and he frowned. Z knew about this, the way she acted proved that to him. He knew that she was one that used the booths. She had vanished on more that one occasions and so did other Irkens upon the Massive. There had also been Entias upon Dementia that vanished. It was strange and he wanted to figure it out.

"Gaz," Zim muttered.

That little dog had called her that, and so had he once. The similarities confused him and so did the memories. He pressed a button and focused on the booth that Z had left in. Something was there, he just didn't know what.


She had been sitting in the kitchen for hours. Gir had been repeatedly playing a song. Gaz gritted her teeth and slammed her head against the table. The bang caused Tak to glance up from the book she was reading. Her left antenna rose up in confusion as she watched Gaz. She scoffed and went back to reading. Her eyes darted back to Gaz and she noticed the girl wasn't sitting up yet. Tak turned and watched Gaz wondering what was wrong with the human. She wondered if it had something to do with that pod. Tak stood up deciding it was time to get answers. Gaz didn't move and Tak took a seat.

"Finally decided to die?" Tak questioned. Gaz didn't move or respond. Tak tapped her fingers against the table wondering what was going on.

"Or have you died?" Tak muttered.

Gaz finally lifted her head and scowled at Tak. Her hands gripped the edge of the table and she pushed herself away. Her footfalls were heard as she walked away. Tak raised an antenna at the silent exit. Tak stood up and walked the way Gaz had gone. Gaz's bedroom door was shut, but the room with the pod wasn't. Tak stepped into the room and shut the door. She turned the lock and stared at it. Tak stepped closer to the pod and opened it. Her hands pulled it open and she gazed at the wires. Tak scoffed and her PAK opened. A thick wire slithered out and plugged into the system. A set of goggles emerged from her PAK and she heard a sound.

Tak scowled when she saw that she needed a password. She quickly hacked past the code and found streams of data surrounding her. A bright light surrounded her and she found herself fading. She slammed her eyes shut and when she opened them, she was stuck inside a small booth. Tak stumbled out of the booth and her violet eyes widened. She was outside. Tak glanced around the area and she pushed herself to her feet.

"Zim's base…it's there," Tak whispered as she took a step closer.

The base was there, everything was real and she couldn't understand how. Tak looked at the houses and found that no one was on the street. The legs from her PAK extended and she launched herself onto the roof. She crouched low and gazed at the house wondering what was going on. Tak snuck onto his roof and vanished down the sides of the house. The tips of her legs charged and lasers shot off the head of the gnomes. Tak smirked and moved to the window. Everything was in place; it was like nothing had happened to the place. She moved to the door and placed her hand upon the knob. Tak went to twist it and the door was swung open and she was pulled into the house.

"Let go of me!" Tak shrieked and she readied her claws for attack.

She was flung away and she spun around ready to pounce. Her violet eyes narrowed and than bulged as her mouth dropped. Tak's stance went limp as she gazed at the Irken in front of her. She didn't know whether to be happy or furious.

"Zim!" Tak growled.

"Identify yourself!" Zim ordered as his crimson eyes narrowed.

"You idiot!" Tak growled as he scowled. "You know me!"

"I assure you Irken," Zim began. "I don't."

"It's me! Tak. You ruined my chances at being an Invader by trapping me on Devastis," Tak explained with a frown.

"You speak craziness," Zim brushed off as he placed his hands on his hips.

"You stopped my plan to conquer Earth with those humans Dib and your friend…Gaz," Tak continued.

Zim's antenna perked at the name. He had heard it too many times for it to be coincidence. Zim's eyes focused on Tak and he looked her over. The implant in her head seemed familiar. He watched as an Irken uniform flashed over her own and his eyes narrowed.

"What do you know about…Gaz?" Zim questioned.

Tak reached into her shirt to pull out the picture and found it gone. She looked to Zim and sighed.

"Not much…just that you two seemed to be friends," Tak mumbled unsure of if she should keep talking.

'Why doesn't he remember?' Tak wondered.

Her eyes darted to the door wondering if she should leave. Tak noticed him thinking and she stepped toward the door. His eyes were glazed in thought. Tak took another step and the floor squeaked. Zim looked up her and she froze.

"Tak…Planet Dirt," Zim softly mumbled.

Zim looked to her again and his eyes narrowed. His head was pounding in pain. He looked to Tak again and his eyes narrowed. Tak could see vague recognition within his crimson eyes. Tak quickly jumped toward the door and waved her arm in front of her. She vanished from sight leaving a confused Zim.

Tak ran down the street searching for somewhere. She spotted the booth she fell out of and she ran toward it. Tak froze and screamed as pain shot through her body. Data appeared before her eyes and she screamed again.

Her eyes snapped open and she was back in the room. Gaz was holding the wire attached to her PAK in the hand. Her amber eyes were narrowed and full of rage. She grabbed Tak by her antennae and threw her out of the room. Tak hit the wall and winced, the shock of being pulled from something and thrown into a wall had slowed her. Tak rolled to her side and Gaz's boot slammed where her head would have been. Her violet eyes widened and she jumped to her feet. She dodged another kick from Gaz and rolled into the kitchen.

"Are you crazy?" Tak shrieked.

"What did you do?" Gaz growled. "What have you done?"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Tak screamed.

Her amber eyes darkened in anger as her fists balled up. She shook and Tak swore she saw tears in the human's eyes. Tak balled her hand preparing to fight.

"What did you do to Zim?" Tak questioned.

Gaz's eyes quickly looked away and stared at Gir sitting on the couch. She didn't need to answer or talk about this. Tak grinned and softly laughed. She took a step toward Gaz. Now was the time for answers.

"I saw him. He was real and he didn't know me or your name," Tak went on to say, her smirk turned devious.

Gaz remained silent and looked to Tak. Her amber eyes were caught in a stare. She didn't look angry anymore, just confused.

"What did you do to him?" Tak asked again.

"Stop it," Gaz softly hissed.

"Stop what?" Tak questioned.

"Taunting…you're taunting about what you don't know," Gaz growled.

"Maybe you should tell the truth," Tak growled back with a scowl.

Gaz stood up and softly laughed, "You wouldn't know."

"Explain," Tak demanded.

Gaz's eyes darkened and she replied, "You wouldn't know what it's like to lose yourself...you couldn't understand the feelings."

"Couldn't understand?" Tak questioned. "Is it because I'm not Zim?"

Tak's eyes widened and she listened to Gaz's laughter as she vanished down the hall. Tak leaned against the counter wondering what it was like.


Author's Note:

There's more to Zim's vanishing act than his PAK being defective. I didn't mean to make it seem like he died because of defects, because he didn't. I believe the defects could cause him to malfunction more(if possible), but not fully die.
I'm going to work Gaz and Tak's relationship more and add Zim into the mix to finish his story.

Thanks to those who review and those that challenge me to write better