Prisoner of War

Into the Base

AN – I'm creative :D

The only thing left behind was the soft, unending hiss. It filled him, horrified him, ominously leered above and consumed him. Ah well, he had so much work to do. He turned slightly to look behind him, glassy eyes washing over broken machines and dangling wires. He didn't know why the Megadestroyer had exploded like that, but the reasoning behind it didn't matter. He kicked aside a piece of metal and rubbed his head in frustration. He felt something and looked at his hand off-handedly. Blood. The wound didn't bother him and he simply brushed aside the trails that began slipping down his cheek. It was nothing, least to an Irken invader. He had so much work to do.

Zim sighed and picked up a stray piece of melted plastic. He looked it over and tossed it to the side.

"Gah…this'll take days to fix. Gir."

The little robot snapped up from his place under a massive pile of rubble. His eyes automatically glowed red and he saluted.

"Yes, my Master!"

"Go upstairs and guard the house while I do the necessary repairs. And if Dib comes, give him this."

With a grin, Zim handed his robot minion a small box that had a pretty ribbon tied around it. Gir gasped and snatched it away, hugging it lovingly and laughing.

"Aw, Master! You didn't have to! I lurves it, thank you so much!"

"No, Gir. It's for the Dib."

Gir looked up at Zim, then at the box, up again, and then to the ground. He sniffed and sulked to the elevator to do as his master said. Dib got all the surprises. Pff.

Zim sighed after Gir left, pulled out a box of tools, and began his treacherous and time-consuming mission.

-

Days passed, and with the ringing of a new school bell, Dib was clenching onto his desk like death. Zim wasn't here again. He hadn't been in class for 5 days, and that wasn't counting the weekend. His eyes were huge as his mind tested all the reasons for why Zim would be gone. He knew something was going on. He knew Zim was up to some new evil plot to destroy mankind. His eyes twitched spazmatically, and just as Ms. Bitters started the day's lecture, his hand shot up and waved furiously in the air. Bitters sighed frustratedly.

"Yes, Dib?"

"Ms. Bitters, can I go home?"

"You just got here. You can't leave because you think the classroom smells like a dying cow."

"Uh, no, I'm really sick."

She stared blankly at him.

"Is your blood supply dangerously low due to some recent abrasion and/or trauma?"

"…no…"

"Are your organs missing and/or exploding due to bacterial cysts?"

Dib glanced down without moving his head and looked back at the dark teacher.

"…well, not really…"

"Are you vomiting blood?"

Dib blinked and made smacky noises as he tasted his mouth.

"Uh, no…"

"Are you unconscious?"

Dib barely rose an eyebrow at the question, but he got an idea. He slammed his head on the desk and fell quiet. Ms. Bitters sighed again and pointed to Torque Smacky.

"Drag him to the nurse's office and tell her he can go home."

Torque moaned but complied nonetheless. He picked up Dib and dragged him down the hall to the nurse's office, left him by the door, and returned to the classroom. Dib waited for a moment, knowing and doubting that the nurse would even notice he was there, and once Torque was gone, he grinned and jumped to his feet.

"Too easy."

He ran down the hall and through the double doors that lead to the outside world, and to his next big heroic save. This would be the day! Yes, it would certainly be the day! He'd foil Zim's next evil plot against humanity and prove to the world, his existence. Man that'd be cool.

As he ran down the street, his grin grew with each fleeting step. Mankind would be doomed without him, that was for sure. With the crescendo of flamboyant thoughts and wishful dreams, so did breach the green house on the horizon. Evil and dark in its little nook, so desiring for the eyes and attention of the suspicious, it loomed like the monstrous abode it was. Dib stormed up to the door and slammed his fist into it.

"Zim! I know you're up to something!"

Nothing. Dib glared and hit the door again.

"Come on Zim, you coward! You won't destroy mankind while I'm around!"

Silence again. Dib raised an eyebrow and looked behind him at the motionless gnomes. Zim must really be up to something if he didn't even notice he was here yet. He growled and whipped around to kick at the door.

"Come out you Alien! I know what you're up to, and it's not happening! Not on my watch! Protector of Earth, avenger of Peace! You wo-"

He stopped when he noticed a high-pitched humming coming from down the sidewalk. Looking back, he gasped when he saw Gir trotting up the path to the door. The little robot stopped and looked at Dib, who stared back without knowing how exactly to react. The robot slowly walked around him, watching him carefully, and slowly reached up for the doorknob. In a second he threw an open-mouthed smile at Dib just before he opened the door and trot inside. Dib's eyes snapped opened, and he looked at the door. He glared at it but quickly turned his attention to the door Gir had forgotten. Rushing inside, he stopped and looked around quickly to find where he should start first.

Before he could begin any plans, Gir landed heavily in front of him and held out a hand.

"Halt, Intruder!"

Dib jumped at the move, but relaxed, obviously not seeing the robot as a threat.

"Look, I just want to find out where Zim's been."

Gir took off the hood to his disguise and grinned.

"Oh, Master's been fixing his lab place. The chicken 'sploded and made things bad."

Dib stared blankly at Zim's minion and raised an eyebrow. He decided it best to ignore.

"Well, can I…uh, see him?"

"Yep, this way."

Gir marched towards a desk, which lifted and exposed a small elevator to the lower levels. Dib hopped in, and the mechanisms kicked into gear. Once down, the door for the elevator opened and exposed a large expanse of machinery and foreign languages. Dib's face simply dropped. Sure, he had been in here before, but then he had a planet to save, and a sister to protect. This time, the only threatening thing in sight was a little robot that couldn't even remember to lock the door. This was heaven, and he couldn't see enough. He stepped forward and gazed about, eyes so wide and filled with awe. He would never get over seeing the various levels of Zim's base, it didn't matter how many times he saw the alien machinery, or how well he figured out the programming. This was his life, his whole reason for existence, his entire meaning to life, his everything. Without the wonder of space, he was…

A flash of red, a glint of devilish metal, and only a single word could come to mind. Shit.

Instinct made him jump back, and when Dib landed, he whipped around in time to see his attacker. It wasn't really much of a surprise, but he still pointed a hard finger at the alien.

"Zim!"

Zim mimicked Dib's move perfectly, posing dramatically and pointing harshly at the other.

"Dib!"

"Zim!"

"Dib!"

"Gir!"

The two enemies looked at the robot, who was grinning proudly. His smile didn't fade the longer they stared, so Dib turned back to Zim and haughtily folded his arms.

"I knew I'd get in eventually."

"But you've already been in here before."

Dib blinked.

"Oh yeah…but no! This time, I've got proof! You'll never take over the earth after I show these to the Swollen Eyeballs!"

"Err! Dib! That's it, I'm going to destroy you now!"

Zim launched himself at Dib, tackling the earthling to the ground. They wrestled around, with Gir sitting off to the side watching. Zim's amazing hand-to-hand combat skills seemed limited in comparison to Dib's, but they fought on, nonetheless. Gir popped another handful of popcorn into his mouth as the computer spoke up.

"Wow. Just, wow."

"Mhmm."

"There's no depth into this at all. Why are they even fighting? I mean, come on. The author's not even trying anymorAAHH!"

The two pointlessly fighting enemies slammed into one of the main counsels, pushing buttons and breaking various levers. A sequence started up and sent a partial transmission to some unknown place. While the sequence loaded, Zim slashed through wires and tubes, hunting after Dib who had gotten a bit of a head start. With a burst of metallic enhancement, Zim quickly caught up with Dib. With a swift move, he shot out one leg and slammed it into the human's side. With a scream of surprise, Dib lost balance and tumbled deeper into the labs. He slammed into cold plastic, but before he could actually figure out where he was, Zim's foreboding, spidery form loomed behind him. He whipped around, realizing now that he was in a giant tube of some sort, and saw Zim's brilliant red eyes glowing magnificently against the darkened base. Dib backed up against the wall and watched helplessly as Zim's figure consumed his only escape. A devilish grin sat upon the alien's face as his voice started, so low and devious it made Dib's skin crawl.

"Foolish Earth creature. You tested and tried Fate's patience, but now, you pushed too far. This is the end, Dib. Your irritating meddling will no longer hinder Zim. The Earth will be ripe for the taking with your head…not on, your neck, no more. Ha!"

"No!"

Dib's yell only made the alien laugh more and continue with his assault. Dib pressed ever harder upon the plastic behind him, and his eyes darted all around. No way out! There wasn't even a chance he could attack Zim armed and poised for destruction. Zim's laughter morphed suddenly into an insane roar of sorts as he lunged towards the opening, obviously set on pinning Dib and dealing the final blow. However with his spider legs still exposed, the joints caught on the edges of the tube, including a keypad that beeped and whirled in response to the rough treatment. Zim fell back on his butt and looked up, realizing his mistake. He glared up at Dib, but before the human could run away again, the tube suddenly glowed brightly, and within a flash, Dib was gone.

Within an instant Zim had jumped to his feet, his training leading him to ready himself, but with seeing that his enemy had completely vanished, Zim blinked. His eyes widened and his utter confusion was blatantly strewn across his face. After another moment, he realized what had happened. He screamed and fell to his knees, beating his fists against the ground.

"Curse you Dib. Curse you!"

His echoing voice never reached his nemesis, so deep within the abyss of a universe unknown. In a world quiet, still, dark...

…Alone.