A/N: I was surprised that I got such wonderful reviews. So I have decided I'll continue. Oh and by the way, let me explain Zim's new title!
Dona (pronounced Doe-nah) not Donna as in That 70's show. Sorry if that confused anyone. But it's a term I took from the English word Donor because I wanted a truly original word used as father, and not another language's. Unfortunately I don't ever recall any Irken words in the show… so I made one up.
I didn't want to use Dono, because that sounds really Japanese. And I think in Japanese it does mean miss. Not entirely sure on that one, but I liked the way Dona rolls off the tongue too. Dona… Hmm… Dona… YAY!
Warning: Contains… lots of crap really… like AlienxBoy mating that results in weirdness… compared to that everything is just peachy.
Disclaimer: Yeah, don't own… But I like to dream sometimes….
Summary: A story within a story… Love… what is it truly? Can it survive time and curses…? Zim and Dib have been wronged with secrets and promises must be broken or kept… What is happening? The only way to find out is to read…
Remember:
"Speech"
Thoughts/Memories
Time Breaks
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Chapter Two- The Names We Cry
There was a sunset… Beautiful… All colored in orange and pink… There stood a figure, blacking out the last rays of light. There was the crunch of leaves under boots.
"I thought I would find you here…" the booted-figure said. The other one didn't even turn toward the new arrival. "You always come here when you feel like pouting."
"I'm NOT pouting!"
The outburst was unexpected. A harsh panting could be heard through the wind rattling the leaves. Pale hands scrubbed over reddened orbs. The tall figure watched with keen eyes. "So all humans are this easily broken?"
"I'm not broken!" the pale one spun around with clenched fists.
"No, you're merely crazy," the emerald being pointed out with a smirk. The human flinched. It caused the taller figure to scowl. It stalked forward and tilted the human's head to look up at him. Being taller than his enemies was always a plus. "You give up too easily."
That comment rightfully earned him a stinging smack across the green cheek.
"Why the hell are you here?! Why do you keep following me like this?!" the angry voice made the pale cheeks flush. Fake grey eyes were pinned to the swelling lips.
"Because…No one gets to hurt you…" A gloved claw swiftly captured the human's chin once more. Eyes behind glasses grew wide at the close proximity of an emerald face. "No one but me…"
The first kiss against the background of a dark growing sky painted in the color of dried blood.
Irken Ship-Zim
The ship was big. It was almost like Last Port, but with many differences. There were no scientists there to observe and test Miz. He freely walked down the huge corridors that led to the main station where the cock pit was. Miz's footsteps echoed every time his shoes slapped on the meticulously clean floor, so he knew the only person was Zim at this whole station. It was obviously a self-sustained living environment.
There was a galley filled with foods to last an extremely long time. There were some living quarters and few labs were Zim was obviously testing something (Perhaps building a better robot to maintain this place when he couldn't). While almost enjoying the freedom of not been monitored, Miz had wandered straight to a small cove, gasping as his feet landed on something squishy.
"W-What is this place?" the boy asked, eyes glazing over the strange room. It was a little warmer than it was in the rest of the ship. But it was covered in many strange…things. Flora… trees… Beautiful things… There was a small fountain in the middle, streaming something cool down the marble decorations. The walls were paneled in strange green blocks, and a huge glass window loomed over the place, letting you have a gorgeous vision of the stars. To say it was beautiful would have been an understatement.
"OH! OH! I KNOW!" something squeaked, referring to Miz's earlier question. Miz jumped about half a foot in the air at the shrill voice that echoed in the peaceful room with out warning. He spun around to find the annoying robot from before.
"Oh… it's just you…" Miz said, mainly to himself. The silver and blue thing did a slight little dance as he pranced in beside Miz. The olive child looked around not knowing what to call these things. "What is all this… stuff?" The little android bounced happily.
"Master calls it a garden!" it squealed. Miz only nodded in response.
"What was your favorite part of Earth, Father?" the olive child had questioned one day out of the blue. Dib had not been listening that well and replied on automatic since he was attending to his children's injuries from their current experiment.
"The garden where I received my first ever kiss."
Miz didn't respond for a moment. Dib paused in his movements of wrapping Zag's newest burn. Finally, gold eyes turned up curiously. "Was the kiss you got from the person who made us?" At that young of an age, Miz wasn't hostile in his thinking. Dib only laughed nervously, tugging at his scythe hair.
"I've never kissed anyone else Miz," the father replied. Zag, starting to become interested, tilted her head in question.
"But you've kissed us on the cheeks before we go to bed sometimes," she pointed out. Dib mentally groaned. His face was starting to blush.
"Well… the kiss I was speaking of is when two people, who are in love, kiss with their mouths together… It's a little complicated…" Dib started to explain awkwardly. Miz began to snicker under his hand.
"Father was in love!" the young hybrid taunted. Dib chuckled to himself at his son's naivety and childishness. Perhaps they wouldn't have to have that talk tonight after all.
"Yes… I was in love. And still very much am…" Dib lowered his head for a moment, feeling the beat of his heart. It felt so sober and stretched out. But somewhere, deep down in its hot center, he knew the pull of Zim kept tugging him through the next day…
Miz grew silent, regarding his father secretly. Zag swung her band-aid covered leg lazily. "You can be so stupid Miz…" his sister grumbled. Miz's gaze snapped up and he opened his mouth to insult her, but Dib interrupted them before it got too ugly.
"Zag, you'd better not pick up you Aunt's habits of making fun of others," he warned. Zag huffed, crossing her arms over her small chest.
"Well he is!" Zag continued. Dib gave her a stern look. Zag shrank back slightly. "Okay… I'm sorry Miz…" she mumbled. The father only sighed and shooed them off to bed. Miz and Zag trekked out in deep thought.
"Tell me why you say I'm an idiot," Miz demanded. Zag raised a nonexistent eyebrow.
"I didn't call you an idiot. I just said you're stupid," she corrected. Miz glowered at his sister. Zag sighed as she ended up looking down the hallways to make sure they were alone. Of course there was no one in sight, but that didn't mean there weren't cameras anywhere. Finally Zag turned back to her brother. "Miz… Haven't you wondered why we are here?" the girl asked.
"Well, father said--" he started but Zag held up her hand.
"I know he says that we're special and that we're helping a lost cause… But I meant… why we're here," she whispered lowly. Miz shook his head. Zag threw him a somber look. "Miz… father and an Irken fell in love… and we're the result."
Miz only looked at his sister blankly asking, "What are you getting at?"
"Oh for Pete's—" Zag took in a deep breath. Finally she shook her head. "Listen… just know that father is in a really delicate state… okay?" Miz was shocked at the pleading tone in his sister's voice. Her pink eyes seemed so sad, the boy could only nod.
Irken Ship, Hospital Wing
"You're doing better…" the voice was proud, and the gloved claw lay against the human's heart carefully. Dib could only smile, his hand attentively fingered over the one on his heart. Zag sat curled up in a chair watching the scene in an awe almost as Zim tightly held onto Dib's fingers.
"Um… Dona…" Zag tried her voice very small in such a big room. Zim glanced up lightly; not wanting to frighten her but Zag was staring intently at the floor. "I… um… It's only… Will he ever get worse…?" Zim blinked and Dib sat up easily and planted his feet on the ground. Zim stared at him, silently asking what he should do. Dib's expressive eyes told him to tell her the truth.
"Well," Zim sighed. "His system took a shock, plus over such a time, his body is worn down… But, now that he's back in my care… your father will be fine." Zag wiped away a tear before it could burn her. With a slight gasp she hugged her knees.
"G-Good!" she stuttered. Dib stood up and went over to his daughter, lifting up her chin as he did so. She squeezed her eyes tight while her father brushed away her bangs. "Miz and I- We- We thought you were doomed for a long time!" the girl confessed. Dib said nothing as she leapt into his chest, hoping to listen to his heart beat healthy for the first time in her life.
Zim leaned against his examining table, not knowing what he could do…
"MASTEH!" the little robot screeched, running in with a tailing Miz not that far behind. Zag made a slight squeak and she fell out of her father's embrace. Zim turned annoyed to the little blue metal piece of scrap.
"WHAT GIR?!" he growled as the thing latched on to his legs. Dib laughed loudly as the alien was thrown off balance as something else zoomed in and knocked Zim on the head. "GAH! MINIMOOSE!" Zag sat a little stunned, Miz seemed to smile evilly, holding onto his own bumped head. The blasted flying… thing had come in and attacked the boy in the garden, almost throwing him into the fountain.
"Glad to see nothing has changed," Dib said as the alien wrestled on the floor with his unmanageable androids. Zim glared while Dib stuck out his tongue.
"Don't look so smug human…" he grumbled as he managed to kick Gir into a corner, where he proceeded to roll around happily. Minimoose clung to his shoulder; Zim simply left it, knowing it would be no use trying to pry it off. Miz scowled as he walked over to his father, holding his arm to his side.
"Father," Miz interrupted. Dib looked down to see his son holding his arm. A purple colored substance seeping between four fingers.
"Miz! What happened to your arm?" Dib exclaimed, bending down to get a good look. Miz sighed and pulled away carefully. Zag walked up to also see her sibling.
"Dad, it's just a burn. I already torn the skin off before it could corrode," he sourly said. Dib straightened a little. Miz sighed and continued, "That's what I came in here for. I just need some solve and a band-aid." Zim had paused to see the interaction, his invader mind already running its normal questioning nature.
"How did you get a burn?" he asked. Miz turned to him indolently. Zim was taken aback but the cold nature in his child. For a moment a small flicker of something went off in Zim's heart at the knowledge these were his children. His and Dib's.
"Minimoose- as I'm assuming that monstrosity is called- hit me, and I landed in your fountain… which leads me to wonder what an Irken is doing with water and Earthen plant life…" Miz trailed off, turning back to his father. Dib had wide eyes as Miz brushed past him to grab the open drawer behind his father which held supplies for small aches and pains. "I'll be exploring some more." With a wave over his shoulder, Miz began bandaging his burn, leaving rudely through the open passage way.
Zag growled, causing both adults to gape at her in surprise. "That moron! What is his problem now?!" the daughter questioned under her breath. "Miz- wait up!" she called as she began to move her legs toward the doorway. Zim stepped forward without realizing.
"Hey!" he shouted out. Zag halted for a moment, turning back to her Dona. Zim made a slight noise at her but quickly shook his head to rid the fuzziness from it. "If you get lost just press the nearest red button on the wall and it'll contact whoever is closer to you."
"Cool," Zag said with a grin. Quickly she flounced out to go find her brother. Zim took a breath in and seemed to visibly relax. Dib had a small smile on. He walked forward and came to rest right into the alien's torso. Zim looked down with a serious expression. His arms came around and held tightly to his human. Zim antennae collapsed on his head in a more relaxed position as Dib shook a little.
"It hurt a lot… How much I missed you," the human whispered. Zim buried his emerald face into the raven hair. He breathed in the scent of Dib. Taking note how it changed over such a long time. He knew of the brine and blood spilled in an instant. There was a constriction on Zim's heart… if an Irken had one.
"I should have killed them all!" Zim hissed mainly to himself. Dib shook his head, feeling his fingers getting caught along the fabric of Zim's faded red shirt.
"It would have done you no good," Dib mumbled. Zim pulled back the human carefully. His crimson eyes searched over the thin body, momentarily pausing to stare at the tired amber eyes. Zim kept his face as morbid as possible.
"Still… I don't feel like justice was served," Zim admitted. With a sigh, the alien leaned forward, connecting their foreheads together. "I killed them you know… My Tallest…" Dib leaned a little closer.
"You…?"
"For meddling…" Zim voice was darker now. His eyes glittered cruelly. As always, the raven was entranced.
"But I still don't…" he breathed out. The Irken closed his eyes, pushing toward the soft lips belonging to the male beneath him. It was slow… Everything was suspended and for a moment, nothing was significant outside their world. But Zim stepped back before it got too heated, leaving Dib to whimper quietly. "Zim…?"
"I've told you before… No one hurts my Diblet," Zim smirked as he tugged on the gravity defying hair. "No one but me that is!"
Dib rolled his eyes good naturedly.
With Miz and Zag
"Stupid…" Zag cursed as she carefully wrapped up her brother's wound. Miz was silent, letting her rant. Otherwise, he would probably fuber up his bandage job. "For the love of… MIZ ARE YOU LISTENING?!" Miz jumped and glared at his sister.
"Yeah, I'm stupid, I heard," he muttered. Zag sighed, rubbing her eyes. The squeaking Minimoose hovered over her head. Miz glared at that thing too.
"You don't have to be so angry…" Zag said. Miz crossed his arms, turning to look somewhere other than the girl. "We're no longer on Last Port. So there are no more experiments. And now, Father will get better."
"I'm hungry," Miz blurted out. He began to walk down the hallway. Zag slapped her forehead in frustration. She padded along beside her brother. It was then that Minimoose began squeaking erratically. Zag turned to see what the problem was. Immediately she let out a scream. Miz spun back and gasped as well…
"Zim!" an angry voice rose over the debris of a demolished voot cruiser. "What the hell!" A head of dark hair popped up, his brow cut and glasses askew. The alien gave a nervous laugh as he dodged a flying fist.
"Listen human," he said, avoiding the punches with ease. "I warned you about what would happen when you flew Tak's ship." Dib growled and launched forward Zim made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a whine, but he would forever deny it.
"You were the one who uploaded the virus!" the human's face was flushed. Zim paused for a moment to look at the human's adorable expression.
"You know you're cute when you're mad?" he asked. Dib was startled and stopped trying to hit the green one in front of him.
"I'm what?" Dib questioned, voice raising an octave. Zim grinned widely.
"Undeniably cute!"
Dib was then taken by surprise again, receiving a kiss on the cheek.
"Next time you want to fly, come to my place!" Zim winked before using his spider legs to scurry away into the distance. Dib's face turned a very lovely shade of ruby. After five minutes the human's mind rebooted and the words sunk in.
"WHAT?!"
Irken Ship- Zim- Hospital Wing
Dib was lying down, resting his eyes as weird memories drifted in and out of his brain. His last one made him chuckle quietly. Zim turned away from his screen, tilting his head back to look at the Dib. "What's so funny?" he inquired.
"Just a memory…" Dib murmured as he snuggled deep into his alien-scented blanket.
"LIES!" Zim exclaimed. Dib covered his ears. The emerald being calmed down and went back to his screen, a feeling not sitting right in his gut. "This is so strange…" he spoke to himself. With a click or two of brightly colored buttons the screen clicked back to a separate part of the ship. "Everything seems fine… but why do I feel…"
Suddenly Dib gasped. The invader quickly shot up and caught the human as he jerked forward. Zim helplessly held onto the bespectacled male's shoulders as Dib fisted his shirt where his heart was. "Something's wrong…" Dib whispered. Then a dread filled both their bodies. "It's Zag!"
Zim quickly slammed his fist against a red button on the wall. In an instant a screen flickered on in front of them, showing them the galley. Miz was crouched behind a counter, trying to keep from getting blasted by a laser gun. Zim pressed the button again and the hologram disappeared. "Stay here!" Zim commanded as he laid Dib back down.
"But—"
"No! Stay, I'll handle it," the alien's tone was firm so Dib had to nod in defeat. Zim grimly turned and sprinted out the door and down the hallways. Dib then sighed and uncrossed his fingers from behind his back.
"Computer!" the human barked out. "Locate the nearest air dock that leads to the kitchens!"
The Kitchens
Miz felt like throwing things. Hard, sharp things. If only I paid more attention! He jumped as a blast sent pots and pans skidding around him. The olive boy jumped over a pan, another shot whizzed right past his hand. The closeness made him lose balance and go tumbling among the shining items around him.
The clank of metal clashing against metal alerted him to the presence of the hostile being in the room. With a grunt, Miz heaved himself up and picked up a skillet. He swung it around. The thick sound of flesh meeting steel made him gag. "Give me back my sister!" he yelled.
He pulled back to smack the creature again, but the gloved claws ripped the would-be weapon out of his grip. "Why you little—" the classy voice was cut off as Zag began to beat furiously against the metallic legs holding her hostage. "Cut it out!" the enemy demanded. Zag soon began to kick.
"Let me go, you Irken Slime!" she shrieked. The "Irken Slime" glowered as she pulled out another meaner looking weapon. Zag gasped as it was pointed directly at her. Miz straightened his spine, ready to leap at her if necessary.
Lucky for them, an emerald blur rushed past, slicing off the spider leg with his own; it let Zag fall safely into her Dona's arms. Miz stepped back in shock and the female Irken also went slack in her furry.
"Now Zag," said a boastful voice. "As courageous as it is to insult your opponent in the face of danger; try and remember that you are also part Irken. Otherwise, you'll end up like your father, and as cute as he is, he's simply human." Zag brought her pink orbs up toward a more narrowed, darker pair hued in blood.
"Still rambling nonsense, I see," the Irken said, weapon lowered, but not completely faced away from Zim. Zim cautiously put down his daughter, pushing her behind him.
"Tak, haven't seen you in a long time," Zim curtly greeted. Tak ignored it like always.
"I didn't think it was possible," she said airily looking about. "But you have gotten so much worse since the last time I saw you." Zim chose to look dubious.
"Just tell me why you've come," he ordered. Tak's antennae twitched at the gruff demand.
"How dare you…" she growled. Then she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "As much as I hate you- no loath is probably a better word- I have come to repay your favor."
Miz watched as the female, he was guessing she was named Tak, tugged down a corner of her jacket, showing a faded scar that disfigured her shoulder. It made the boy gasp and stumble over a few crushed plates under his feet. Zim stood, expression not changing. Tak drew up her jacket again, covering the horrid scar.
"You're a wanted criminal, Zim," her voice broke the eerily silence like a boom. "They don't know how you did it. Fixed up you PAK I mean. But… the new Tallest are afraid. .. And they will come after you."
"Let them!" Zim snarled. Zag felt her knees tremble and she clutched on to the fabric of Zim's outfit. The pull of tiny fingers made him settle down some. Tak watched with uninterested purple eyes.
"That wasn't what I meant," Tak informed. "You're too precious to the Armada to be dead."
"Damn the Armada!" the Irken roared. "They were the ones who abandoned me! Wasn't it you who told me that too?! After they lied, they taunted, they tortured me, why would I go back to them?!" Tak's gun flew up and pointed straight at Zim's head.
"Calm down," she warned in a frighteningly steady voice. Zim scoffed, spider leg's unfurling behind him. Zag fell back and on to the floor. Miz quickly rushed to her aide. Together they slid behind a counter for safety.
"Why won't they let me go Tak?" he growled. Tak shook her head. Zim flexed his claws.
Prisoner escape! Sector 5 is-GAK!
Explosions surrounded around the buildings. The prisoner just zipped in and out of the range of fire. The color of azure blood littered the entire Massive Ship. It would only be a few more moments before he could enter the port bay and leave…
"Stop right where you are Zim!"
The voice caused the emerald prisoner to hesitate and swivel back to the opponent holding a hand cannon aimed directly at his vital areas. The crimson eyes were treacherous, showing death.
"You're in the way…" the tone could have almost been accusing if there wasn't a hint of wonder in it.
"I'm not afraid of death Zim," the female answered, gravely turning off the safety. The click made Zim's antennae shiver. "You've just murdered."
"So have they," was the swift reply.
"It was for the best," a sorrowful tone echoed around the flashing pod bay.
"Do you want to see, Tak?" there was the sound of paper being unscrambled. Pictures, depressing and terrifying, fluttered to the floor. Tak bit back bile as it rushed up her larynx. "That's all I have left they said…" glinting crimson eyes "And that was a lie."
"There has to be some kind of misunderstanding—"
"There is none! You said so before remember?! They lied! So they've died! And now, I'm going to get what was stolen from me…" The emerald Irken voice grew softer. Tak swallowed as she regained her balance.
"Believe me, I pity you, but I won't let you get away!" Tak cried as she squeezed the triggered. But Zim was too fast for her this time, he moved. She shot again with dead set eyes. "I promise, you won—"
A pain filled scream cut off the rest of her words.
The prisoner's claw dug deeply in her shoulder, fanning out to tear the skin. Jade flesh slapped against the sterile linoleum flooring. Rivets of blue fluids twisted around the claw embedded inside the female. Tak's eyes were wide and glazed. Her digits twitched and the laser fell with a dull thud. Zim chuckled to himself.
"Consider this a favor…" his mouth breathed over her wound as he closed his hand into a fist. "You can live another day to fulfill your promise." In a slow wrench, his claw came out, flinging tendons across the bay. Tak's mouth opened and a high pitched cry pushed out of her chest.
The stinging, knife like pain, made her fall to her knees, clutching her injury by instinct. Her breathing went uncontrolled and shallow. Zim moved back, pivoting away from the other Irken. He glided to the guidance system and punched in numbers to open the doors so he could get his new ship.
Tak, all the while, watched with blurry vision, vowing to return Zim's favor one day.
…
"Looks like I can return the favor in tenfold," Tak smiled as she began to squeeze the trigger. Zim meant to move out of the way, and probably could have too, but the sudden battle cry of a human made them both jump. Out of the air dock, fell Dib, right on top of Tak.
Tak let out a yelp of astonishment, smacking her cranium on the floor. Both had landed in a heap of arms and legs on top of silverware. Dib groaned as he rolled off of her and onto a pan. Zim let his barrier down as he rushed over to try and assist Dibby. "Didn't I tell you to stay?!" Zim scolded as he picked up the human, who kicked at a defenseless cooking instrument on the ground.
"Yes," Dib answered honestly, eyes glancing around.
"Then why didn't you stay?" Zim interrogated with hands up in the air.
"Crossed my fingers," Dib simply explained by crossing and uncrossing his fingers. Zim glowered as Dib quickly scampered away from him once he spotted his children. Zag cried out and quickly bounded into his arms. Miz jogged up and latched onto Dib's midsection. Zim let out a breath as he observed their wellbeing intact.
Then he twisted back to the unconscious female Irken in his kitchen. "GIR!" he shouted through his communicator. "Come here and take of this." Gir saluted his master and toddled off the screen. Dib turned to the alien relieved.
"I think I should put them to bed…" Dib spoke softly. Zim nodded and watched his human smile as he walked out with the kids. Then Zim rubbed his head as it ached. Gir strolled in carrying a piggy plushie and a wheelbarrow.
The little robot sang irritatingly as he loaded Tak up. Zim shuffled out with Gir and they both put her back into her ship, Gir throwing in the piggy as well.
Zim had set coordinates to some distant planet and closed the door. He leaned against the door as it shut, exhausted not only physically but mentally. "Why can't they just leave me alone…?" Zim thought out loud while massaging his temples. "What have I done wrong?"
"Nothing master," the little blue android answered while plopping down next to Zim. "You just fell in love!" Zim looked up to see Gir shining giddily. With a sigh, Zim pet it him on the head. The thing let out a low purr.
"Thank you, Gir…" he mumbled
Miz and Zag's Bedroom
Zag was curled up, and almost dozed off. But Miz wasn't even close to it. His father rested on his bed as well. "It was scary father…" the olive child confessed. Dib felt his brows scrunch down in concern.
"I'm sorry… I wish we could have known Tak was here sooner…" Dib whispered. Miz shook his head as he sat up. Dib watched him quietly.
"No, not her," he explained. "It was him; he was the scary one…"
"Zim?" Dib questioned in a gasp. Miz nodded.
"I thought for certain he was going to kill her…" Miz voice and eyes went far away. His arms wrapped around himself like he was freezing. Dib looked at the floor to get the image out of his head.
"It was only to protect you," Dib replied. Miz grunted as he flung off his blankets to stand in front of his father.
"Don't you see?!" he hissed out. "Don't you get it?!" Dib stood cautiously as Miz paced the room hurriedly. "He could have easily snapped her in half! H-He's psycho! You didn't see the scar he gave her! You didn't see!" Miz pointed at his father, finger quaking. Dib fluidly pushed Miz's hand down and brought him in close.
"It'll be okay…" Dib murmured. Miz shook his head, burying himself in his father.
"I don't understand you father…" Miz admitted inaudibly. "He is your everything?"
And then Miz fainted.
A/N: And thus I end chapter two. This chapter is about three pages shorter than my last, but that is only because there is now more detail in the memories. And now Miz had a memory scene too!
I recently found out the name Miz isn't as original as I thought it was. But then again, it's an easy name to come up with. Still, I love my Miz. I feel so bad for Zim. I emotionally abuse characters all the time. What is wrong with me, I wonder…
I beat up on Tak too. I don't hate her, it's just… she got beat up. –Shrugs- I don't know why. It just happened.
Okay then! Loves to my wonderful reviewers! Loves all! –Kissu-
