Chapter Two: Prophesized
Zim twitched and woke up to see Dib sleeping next to him. He calmed down, none of what he saw was real…just his brain messing with him again. The nightmares were getting worse, but he wouldn't tell Dib, not now. Not when they were on vacation and spending time together. Zim didn't want to ruin the occasion. Maybe when they found their new home…but not now. He looked up at the Dib in question, he was sleeping so soundly.
Zim thought about something he saw in his dreams. Kei…the damned bounty hunter. She said something about the Meekrob prophecy. It was said in their books that a human boy with scythe hair would lead them to victory against the Irkens. It could only be Dib that could be that boy. Zim had been careful about their location, no one in contact with the Meekrob knew of this planet. This was a completely safe place to hide out. It was a vacation, but only in some respects. Zim really didn't want to risk going back to Earth, but Dib was anxious to return at least once, so he would keep Dib as safe as possible.
He got up, careful not to wake Dib, and went to the couch. He flicked the TV on, almost missing how much Gir used to watch it, and flicked to the news channel. Zim was almost asleep again when he noticed something on the news and went to get Dib. "Your sister really is scary…" Zim whispered as Dib stared at the screen.
"She…how can she even do that? I mean, a war with the Irkens, it's insane," Dib uttered.
"She seems to have a good plan though," Zim told him.
"Yeah…but…even if she did team up with the Meekrob, does she really think she can win?" Dib asked, sitting down.
"I think she can…" Zim whispered. It was traitor talk against his people, but he didn't care anymore. He knew Gaz would win, she always did. A lot of people on Earth might die, but Gaz would win. But could the Meekrob win without Dib?
"Well…yeah," Dib agreed. Zim glared at the TV screen. With the Meekrob now utilizing Earth in the team-up, they would surely search for Dib. It was probably the reason they even united with Gaz, was because of the prophesy.
"Dib…I don't think we should go to earth…" Zim mumbled.
"What?" Dib said, shocked. He stood up dramatically. "Of course we have to go, now more than ever! I need to help Gaz," Dib finished, "Let's start back today, we should be able to make it back soon." Dib went off to pack, leaving Zim sitting on the couch dejectedly. If he hadn't chose to watch the news that morning, they wouldn't have to leave. If they weren't leaving, Dib wouldn't be headed towards danger. If Dib was headed towards danger, Zim wasn't sure how well he could protect Dib. So if Dib died by the hands of the Irkens because of the Meekrob…it was really all Zim's fault…just because he watched the news instead of going back to sleep.
…
"Dib…what do you plan on doing when we get there?" Zim asked, pulling his projector back on after a full week of not using it. He watched Dib beside him in the voot cruiser.
"I don't know…we need to find Gaz, first of all," Dib said, setting the course for Earth the way Zim had taught him to.
"She'll probably be surrounded by Meekrob…" Zim mumbled.
"What was that?" Dib asked, turning to Zim. Zim shook his head and looked out the window. They were falling into the Meekrob's trap. The Meekrob were the ones who'd sent the hunters to Earth, they'd set a bounty, and they were responsible for the deaths of many Irkens. Was that even important now? An ache started to form in Zim's head. Dib was being so stupid.
"Your sister is fine without us, Dib," Zim told him, "She's with the Meekrob and she can handle things herself."
"Zim…" Dib said darkly, "Please just stop. I know you don't know what it's like…to have family but…" Dib's voice cracked and he started to shake, "Gaz is my only family now. I have to be with her for this…this war. I can't leave her alone like this…" Zim saw wetness in Dib's eyes as he looked away from Zim coldly. Zim stayed where he was and looked the other way. Dib was right, Zim didn't know…he wouldn't pretend to know. Familial bonds seemed to matter a lot to humans…Zim had to respect that and do his best to protect Dib from Meekrob, and possibly other Irkens.
"Dib…the Meekrob…they have a prophesy about you…" Zim whispered, "You're supposed to win some war for them…" Dib finally looked at Zim, seeming to be angry.
"Then why are you trying to keep me away from them. If they need a leader I'll lead them, especially if it's against the Irken Empire," Dib said strongly. Zim shrank back.
"You can't win against them…you'll get killed…" Zim mumbled.
"No I won't Zim, is this because you're Irken?" Dib asked, getting angrier.
"Dib! The Irken armada is millions strong! Do you really think the tiny amount of humans and weak Meekrob can't stop them?" Zim asked in a burst of volume.
"Yes, we can Zim. Whose side are you on?" Dib asked, raising a brow at Zim.
"I…yours!" Zim said suddenly. Dib's eyes softened as Zim got frustrated with himself. "Dib, I know the Irken Empire…you can't win. The Meekrob…I don't know what they'll do with you once they find you but…it can't be good. They're just as bad as Irkens…"
"You're just saying that because all your life you've hated the Meekrob and every other species out there…" Dib pointed out. Zim sat back and shut his mouth, he'd hated the Meekrob all his life, but was that really why he felt so bad about joining them? "Thanks for the support Zim," Dib mumbled angrily.
The rest of the flight home, Zim tried hard to figure out what was right. He hated the Meekrob, and he hated the Empire now too…Dib wanted to join the Meekrob, so Zim should join them too. But would they just let Zim just waltz right in and help them plan? The Meekrob were smart, smart enough to see through a little holographic projector. What was Zim supposed to do?
…
"I'm bored again…" Purple moaned. They sat in the console of the Massive, waiting to arrive at Earth. Zim said it had taken six months to reach Earth, they hoped he was right and not just miscalculating again.
"Yeah…me too," Red said next to him. "We're already at war…what else is there to do?"
"Torture our favorite subject?" Purple asked excitedly.
Red grinned. "Yeah."
…
Earth looked a lot like Irk now, to Zim anyway. Tons of spaceships, who knew where they came from. Zim recognized them from planets other than Meekrob. But that was Gaz, always surprising. Dib landed and looked around. There was a huge convention center nearby where a sign said a debriefing was taking place, surely Gaz would be there. "Hey, Zim, there it is, let's go," Dib said, starting to take off.
"Actually, I think I'm gonna go get supplies from my base," Zim said in a hurry, taking off in that direction. Dib blinked in surprise but continued to the convention center, he figured Zim wouldn't want to come.
The base was entirely intact. Some things had been stolen, but he figured it was Gir. After he packed a bunch of high tech weapons in a transport, he was about to head back out and find Dib, when a transmission came in. "Hey Zim," Tallest Purple cooed at him.
"My Tallest!" Zim exclaimed, saluting them out of habit and peering up at them. He was suddenly glad he'd taken off his disguise when he came in. "I-I heard we're at war with the humans? Eh…finally!" Zim stared at them awkwardly, hoping it didn't show.
"Yeah, yeah," Tallest Red waved off. "We have a very special mission for you."
"R-really? What is it?" Zim asked, actually getting excited. The Tallest grinned.
"We understand that there a Meekrob on Earth, we want you to assassinate their leader," Red ordered.
"W-what?" Zim asked hollowly. He would be caught before he could get near their leader. They would all see through him and capture him. How could his leaders order him to do this?
"You heard us," Purple teased. "Or are you a traitor?"
"No, sir!" Zim barked. They grinned even more.
"Good, now go get that Meekrob," Red said encouragingly. The transmission ended.
…
Red and Purple sat in their console laughing. "I can't believe it, I think he's really gonna do it!" Purple yelled.
"No way, Zim's not that stupid!" Red defended. A moment of silence, and they started bursting out laughing again. "Yes he is!" Red exclaimed happily.
…
Zim stared at the screen where his Tallest had been. How could they order him to do such a thing, why would they do that? And how would Dib react to this, what would he think of Zim? Zim couldn't do this, he couldn't betray Dib by attempting this. But he couldn't disobey the Tallest either, this was his chance to prove his loyalty and gain their trust once and for all. But was their trust really something Zim wanted? He held his head in his hands, why did this have to be so confusing. He had to find Dib, he had to find him and confess this to him.
He pulled on an antenna, where was Dib? Convention hall, right? Zim switched his projector back on in a hurry and rushed out to find Dib. The convention was huge, tons of humans all over the place. Zim rushed passed them, searching for the scythe hair he knew so well. He saw a few of the floating fish-like creatures that were the Meekrob. But he ignored them, but they didn't ignore him.
Zim suddenly saw humans staring at him as well. He recognized people he'd known for years staring at him in a way he hadn't seen before. He let himself listen to what was being said and shuddered. Apparently today they were discussing how Irkens disguised themselves and how to find an Irken in hiding. He noticed Gretchen and Zita and even Keef glaring at him with hatred. Panic ran through his mind and before he could reach him self-destruct button, a hand snatched his wrist behind his back and kept his hands apart.
Through the struggling, yelling, fighting, and glaring…Zim didn't catch a single glimpse of Dib anywhere.
…
"Gaz…I'm so glad to see you…" Dib said with relief. Dib stood before what looked like a metallic throne with cords and technology hooked up to it.
"Yeah? You should have stayed away, idiot," Gaz said rudely.
"But Gaz…you're my sister, I have to be here…" Dib said in defense. Gaz glared at him.
"You don't really know what the prophecy is about…do you?" Gaz asked with bored eyes.
"N-no…" Dib said, wondering how she knew about the prophecy.
Gaz sighed and pushed some buttons. "Do you love that moronic alien boy?" Gaz asked in a change of subject.
"Zim? Yeah…" Dib murmured, watching a screen drop down from the ceiling.
"Well, you should have listened to him," Gaz hissed, pushing a final button and turning toward the screen. Dib turned too, watching patiently. A dark room appeared, it looked like a prison cell, in the center, tied in chains was…no…it couldn't be.
"That's…that's…" Dib couldn't bear to say it. Zim had his eyes closed as he kneeled under the weight of the metal chains. The Meekrob hadn't bothered to take Zim's projector.
"Yup," Gaz confirmed, "I don't need you Dib, I have the whole world here behind me. And I have the Meekrob, along with several other planets now. Stop thinking I can't do this…because I'm not alone." Dib stared at the screen darkly. Zim didn't want to come to Earth at all, he wanted to save himself from the Meekrob and fly to another planet.
"He's so selfish…" Dib whispered. Gaz glared down at him. "He wanted to move somewhere else instead of letting me help you…he just wanted to save himself…"
"God you're stupid…" Gaz sighed. "I don't need your help…" She leaned her head on her fist and watched Dib from her perch.
"What about the Meekrob then? They have a prophecy about me, that I'm going to win a war for them! I can't let them down, I have to lead them!" Dib pleaded to Gaz.
Gaz looked frustrated. "That dumb alien didn't bother to tell you…now I have to! The Meekrob don't want you to lead them, Dib!" Gaz yelled, "They want to sacrifice you to their Gods for luck!"
Dib stared at her in horror. "What…?"
"Yeah you idiot. Zim wasn't keeping you from leading, he was keeping you from dying! The idiot probably didn't think of himself, he was thinking about you…not that I care…" Gaz said, adding the last part quickly. She grinned. "You'd better run before I tell the Meekrob you're here…they'd give me quite a lot of money…"
Dib ran, he didn't know where he was running, but away. He had to get far away from Gaz and her evil. She was so malicious. Dib saw it now, Zim wasn't being selfish, he was caring for Dib. And Dib accused him of not understanding…made Zim feel guilty. Now Zim was in a prison cell because of Dib…Zim was doomed yet again because of something stupid Dib did.
The street Dib was running down was abandoned. All the houses were dark, no one lived in them anymore. They were all mindless slaves to Gaz…and knowing her, they probably loved serving her. All of a sudden a ship landed right in front of him. He hadn't been paying attention and was surprised when a familiar voice called down to him. "We know who you are, we want to help. Get in the ship," Rin called to him. She grabbed Dib's hand as he blindly climbed in the ship, momentarily forgetting that Rin was bad.
…
The walls of the cell were dark and reminded Zim of harder times. He just shut his eyes and knelt, and tried to think of better things. When the Meekrob began their plans for him…he would need those nice thoughts just for him to last. He heard a clink of metal and opened his eyes again. A door on the other side was opened. He peered at it, trying to see who opened it. "Hey…Zim…" The maniacal voice said.
"Hey…Mau…" Zim said, grinning. The insane little Irken came over to Zim and started to undo the chains. He wasn't wearing his disguise anymore and Zim could see his dark green skin and bright red eyes. He had all of the common characteristics of an average Irken, but Zim knew he wasn't average at all.
"The birds…the birds are swimming…" Mau mumbled with insane joy and malice. Zim always loved Mau's insane, yet innocent nature. It reminded him of Gir. Mau could say things that made no sense, but he always helped in the end. Like now, he was helping Zim escape.
"They are swimming, Mau, they are," Zim encouraged. They finished and Zim followed Mau out the door and down the hall. He remembered Mau from Invader training, before Mau went insane. Zim didn't know what caused Mau to be like he was, but it must have been bad. Zim hoped all those things were blocked from Mau's mind…it was one thing to lose your mind, it was another to be trapped in memories with no mind to escape.
Finally they reached an escape pod that led somewhere else. They both got inside and Mau started up the small vessel. Zim worried for a minute that Mau wouldn't be able to work a ship, but it was just a small escape vessel. The thing probably only had two coordinate settings. Zim relaxed a bit and watched Mau setting up the system. "Two birds…one stone…" Mau whispered.
"Hmm?" Zim knew nothing Mau said made much sense, but there was always some sort of point to them. He wondered what this point was. The machine fired up and they started to go up into space. Zim watched the world below disappear as blackness overcame them. Zim wondered how long they would be in the escape pod…hopefully not long. If Mau was as bad as Gir, it could be a long trip.
After a while, Zim saw another ship, it was bigger than the voot cruiser, but no where near the size of the massive. It must be where they were headed towards. "Mau…where are we headed?" Zim asked unconsciously, not expecting an answer. Mau responded by taking the controls, shutting off the autopilot, and increasing speed. "Mau…Mau don't do that," Zim warned. He tried to take the controls, but Mau shoved him off, laughing crazily.
They spiraled towards the ship at an alarming speed. Zim gave up and ducked below the control panels, trying to find the safest place in the tiny vessel. He heard the crunching of glass and electric crackle of the controls and engine being smashed. And he heard Mau's demented laughter. All of a sudden, his view cut to black, and the cries of victory from the insane one ceased.
…
"What the hell was that?" Dib asked, feeling a lurch in the ship and hearing metal grating against metal. Inx looked at the monitors to her right, her glassy gray eyes reflecting the screen.
"Mau's back…and something tells me Zim let him drive," Inx said darkly. Dib took off running towards the loading bay where Zim would be. He wanted to make sure Zim was alright, he wanted to make sure Zim knew how sorry he was.
Someone stopped him just before the loading bay doors though. "Hey kid…where you going?" Lloyd asked, blocking the door. Lloyd was the captain of the ship. He wore black pants made of some kind of material foreign to Earth, and a red button-up shirt. He kept a white scarf wrapped around his neck at all times that matched his white gloves and boots. He had pitch black hair that looked scruffy and worn from battles. His expression, something between angry and bored, like Gaz. And it never changed, it was like he hated the world but put up with it anyway.
"Someone landed, I'm going to see them…" Dib said, he disliked this man…this man standing in his way. Zim was the only person he'd ever disliked instantly, but this man was an exception. He just seemed evil to Dib. He squinted at Dib.
"Just remember…we're protecting you, so don't go thinking you can just waltz around like you own the place," Lloyd said before moving aside. Dib called him tons of things in his head and rushed into the loading bay. What he saw shocked him.
It looked remotely like a ship, but it was crushed and deformed. Dib could see Mau struggling to get out, he looked uninjured. "H-hey, where is Zim?" Dib asked shakily. Mau looked at him as if just noticing him.
"Submarine…birds can't swim…birds win…" Mau said disjointedly. Dib stared into the mess of a ship and started digging through the rubble, dislodging Mau in the process. Dib panicked.
"He has to be here, he has to be here somewhere…" Dib breathed crazily. He lifted one big part of the ship that hadn't crumbled and saw him. He was lying with his back leaned against what used to be the consol. His projector was flickering back and forth between human and Irken. Zim was passed out and there was blood on his temple. "Zim!" Dib yelled. He tossed the piece of ship over and held Zim in his arms, ushering him to life.
Zim was alive, yes, his pak proved that. But he was completely limp and wouldn't wake up. Dib switch the projector off, keeping Zim in his Irken form. The slick green blood on his head was scaring Dib. He held Zim close and tried not to panic more than he was. He kept telling himself Zim would be okay, over and over again. Even as the others came to see what was going on, he kept reciting his mantra in his head. Even as they helped carry Zim to the med bay, he kept lying to himself.
"Dib…" Rin called to him. "Come with me." Dib turned around to see the Irken in her disguise, her white bow glistening against the bright lights of the med bay. Dib followed her, not sure why he was taking her orders rather than staying with Zim. He figured Rin had something important to say and trusted her. Maybe she would help Zim.
They finally reached a dark room filled with computers. Rin went to one of them and sat in front of it as if to start doing something, but she just sat there and stared at the blue, glowing monitor. "I have a secret I want to tell you," Rin said in that emotionless tone of hers.
"O-okay…" Dib said, sitting down. He watched her, she almost seemed to glare at the screen.
"I'm not what you think I am," Rin said mysteriously. Dib wondered what she meant when he saw her holograph projector in her hand. She clicked a switch on it and set it on the table. Dib stared at it, not sure what she meant by the action. But it slowly sunk in, she'd switched the projector off. It was turned off and sitting on the table before her. Yet she still looked human.
"H-How?" Dib asked. "Are you…human?"
"No…I'm not human nor Irken…" Rin said sadly. "I'm…I'm an android…"
"Really?" Dib asked in surprise.
"Yes. I'm an android designed by a human many years ago…I was stolen twenty years ago and brought to Irk. I joined the resistance a few years ago," Rin said, looking at the screen still.
"…wow…" Was all Dib could say. Rin was a robot, like Gir…. He remembered the first conversation he had with Rin. "Do you really have an emotion blocker?"
"No…but Kei did have an emotion chip she was going to implant in my circuits…" Rin said sadly.
"…Oh…" Dib whispered. He thought about the past events. "Wait…I thought you were a bounty hunter!"
"I wasn't…Neither was Kei…none of us knew that she turned against our pacts. She recognized you from bounty posters and I suppose her old habits overcame her…" Rin told him.
"So she really was good again…but she went back to bounty hunting at the last minute…" Dib reasoned.
"Yes…" Rin confirmed. They sat in silence for a minute as Dib thought about all of that.
"If you're an android…what are your functions?" Dib asked curiously.
Rin smiled. "I'm a singing unit…I can perform other functions…and haven't preformed my vocal functionalities in many years, but that was my original design purpose…" Rin told him.
"A…singing unit…" Dib echoed. That was weird for an android. But not every piece of machinery had to be a weapon, right? "That's cool…"
…
"Do you think Zim's dead?" Purple asked in a bored tone.
"Probably…" Red responded.
"Kinda sad…we can't mess with him if he's dead…" Purple said, a little disappointed. Red shrugged.
"We'll find someone else…" Red comforted.
"Yeah…but Zim was so…fun!" Purple exclaimed.
"Well…there is Earth to destroy," Red suggested. Purple grinned.
"Yeah!" Purple agreed.
…
"I think he'll wake up soon enough…" Rin told Dib, attempting to comfort him.
"Yeah…" Dib agreed.
"There wasn't much damage done to his body, I think he's fine," Rin said.
"No offense Rin, but you're a singer, not a doctor…" Dib said quietly. Rin shrugged and sat down. Dib left to use the bathroom, leaving Rin alone in the room with Zim.
As Dib left, Rin picked up a glass of water. It was Earth water, she thought they'd done well to get water from their planet. She slowly poured it into Zim's mouth, trying to revive him by keeping away dehydration.
…
Dib heard yelling and ran back into Zim's room. Zim was leaning over the bed retching and shuddering. Rin was holding a glass and watching with what looked like fear in her eyes. Dib went to Zim, ignoring Rin. "Zim, Zim are you okay?" Dib asked frantically. Zim leaned into Dib and shivered. Dib noticed the subtle streams of smoke coming from Zim's mouth. He remembered the glass in Rin's hand.
"Rin…what did you do?" Dib asked, trying to be calm.
"I…gave him water…" Rin said innocently.
"Earth water?" Dib asked. Rin nodded. "Get. Out," Dib ordered. Rin left quickly, obeying Dib. Dib held Zim tighter when he saw the flecks of dark green blood on the floor. "You'll be okay…" Dib whispered, rubbing Zim's back and easing Zim to laying down. Zim shuddered at the movement, but Dib held him and made the shuddering change to just light shivering. "You're okay…" Dib whispered again. At least Zim was conscious. He buried himself in Dib's shirt, clinging to it.
Rin didn't know what she was doing when she gave Zim poison, and Dib knew that. She was just trying to help. Dib would have to explain Irken things to her later. Zim didn't seem to blame her either, and he seemed to be coming back from the poison all right. A button on his pak was flashing; Dib supposed that meant the pak was healing him. Sending out nanobots to heal the flesh affected by the acid. "Zim…I'm sorry…" Dib said, apologizing for more than one thing. "I'm sorry I didn't trust you and…Gaz, she…well…" Dib stopped trying to explain himself, he knew Zim wouldn't care.
Zim looked up at Dib and grinned. "Sex now?" He asked in a wheeze.
…
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…
…
He he. I love Zim. I love Rin too so don't kill her!
I don't remember if I mentioned it or not, but anyone know what Rin is based on? Vocaloid! I would have used Kaito, but I was watching a lot of Rin videos. I'm sooo addicted to Vocaloid right now, I love the song Dark Woods Circus! Oh, and "Wide Knowledge Of The Late, Madness,"!
Eeeee! I love all of you! Do I say that too much? Too bad, cuz you guys are awesome! Thank you so much so the support of reviews and favorites and alerts! I feel so loved. 3