Chapter Seven: Unexpected
Zim watched snow falling from inside the small vessel. It was morning. More importantly than that, this was the worst Christmas ever. When Zim mentioned it earlier Skoodge agreed with him, and Skoodge loved Christmas. They were landed in some northern place on Earth, Zim hadn't bothered to see where they were, he only knew that there were humans here, and he didn't like it.
"Hey, Zim…why don't we go look around," Skoodge suggested. Zim wasn't strapped down anymore, he'd calmed down and didn't have the energy to kill Skoodge anymore.
"We don't because I don't like humans…" Zim grumbled. Skoodge was going to point out the hypocrisy in that, as Zim had loved a human, but decided against it. Best not to poke the bear.
Zim shivered suddenly and doubled-over in cold chills. Skoodge watched him and noticed how slick he was with sweat. He was getting steadily worse, and Skoodge was getting extremely worried now. "Zim…we should at least find someone who can help you…" Skoodge said softly, trying to convince Zim to leave the ship.
Zim started hacking and nearly coughed up a lung before responding. "No…I'm not going anywhere," Zim mumbled with as much hate in his voice as he could muster.
Skoodge sighed impatiently. "Look Zim, I care about you…I want you to be better…So let's go get you better, okay?"
"No…" Zim answered.
"It's what Dib would want…" Skoodge muttered. Zim sat still for a minute, thinking about that. Skoodge took advantage of the small moment. "Dib would want you to be healthy Zim. At least give him this. Let it be your gift to him." Skoodge didn't mention Christmas, although he really wanted to. He didn't want to anger Zim by saying that. But he couldn't help but say that last line.
Zim seemed to be thinking about that and right when Skoodge was sure Zim would brush off Skoodge's words and rant about something else, Zim opened the vessel door and stepped out.
Good Lord Jashin, Zim actually listened to me! Skoodge thought in a panic. Zim was actually doing something that wasn't his own idea or want. Skoodge got out hurriedly and rushed to Zim's side before he could change his mind.
Zim and Skoodge carefully avoided stepping in the bigger piles of snow as they headed deeper into town. There were humans everywhere, Skoodge didn't know where to start looking. "Zim!" Someone called. Zim didn't bother to turn around. Skoodge turned and saw a disguised Irken. She was small and red-headed with silver eyes. She was about Skoodge's size, but more limber looking.
"Oh, my god! I can't believe you're here, this is such a coincidence!" She yelled, running towards them. She hugged Zim hard from behind making him wheeze.
"Hi…Inx…" Zim mumbled. Skoodge remembered her from when he was secretly living in Zim's basement. Inx let go and walked around to see Zim.
"Oh!" She yelped, seeing how down Zim looked. "What happened?" She asked. Zim looked off to the side and seemed to be ignoring her now.
"He's sick…" Skoodge said for him. Inx finally seemed to notice Skoodge and looked him over.
"Hey look, a hobbit," She teased. Skoodge brushed it off.
"Do you know someone around here who can help?" He asked impatiently, Zim's bad mood rubbing off on him. "Someone who knows Irkens?"
Inx looked up thoughtfully and a light seemed to come on in her head. "Yeah, actually. He helps out a lot with Mau. He's kinda…grumpy though…" Then she added in a whisper, "And he's human."
"Oh great," Zim groaned, still looking off the other way.
"On the other hand…" She said quietly, grinning a little. She took Zim's hand and led the two of them down the street. They passed several huge buildings that looked abandoned and finally, when Skoodge was starting to wonder about Inx, they came to a big white building. The front looked like it was completely glass. She led them in and into some kind of waiting room with glass doors. She put both her hands on Zim's chest and pushed him into a seat. With her hands still on him she ordered, "Stay here."
Zim glared at her and didn't say anything, she seemed to take that as consent as she led Skoodge out and left Zim by himself. He looked around, the room was pretty empty, nothing to mess with. Quite boring. He wondered vaguely why they were there, but didn't feel like remembering. Why did Inx have so much energy? Who knows. Didn't she mention Mau? Yes. Where is Mau? Zim looked around again. Yep, still no one else in the room.
Zim tried to spend his time thinking about anything else, anything other than what happened. His head was spinning and he kept loosing track of his thoughts. He could be…Dib couldn't. No…it must be a lie. Yes, Skoodge was lying. That's it. Skoodge lied, but why? Does it matter? Zim leaned back and leaned his head on the wall and closed his eyes.
Dib is still out there…somewhere. Zim just had to find him. Like that time that Dib was kidnapped by the FBI…or whoever that was. He really was gone, but when Zim got back, there Dib was, sitting on the couch. Maybe if Zim went home right now, Dib would be there on the couch again. He'd have to make something up to get Skoodge to let him go.
"Nice holograph…" Someone said. Zim thought back…he missed the sound of a door opening. He looked up. It was some old guy with a cane. He looked like one of the shaggier humans, definitely a drinker…or a drug abuser. He was unshaven and unkempt.
"Piss off," Zim mumbled, leaning back again, closing his eyes and hoping the stranger would leave him in peace.
"Nope," The human chirped unhappily. Zim groaned, but didn't move otherwise. "So…you just here to die, or get better?"
Zim raised his middle finger in the direction of the voice and ignored him.
"Ohhh, the finger, I'm so scared," The voice said. Zim felt his presence move and sit in the seat next to him. "I have a question, are you a spy?" The man asked sarcastically.
"Do you have nothing better to do than annoy people, stu-pid human?" Zim asked angrily.
"Not really," The man admitted. Zim turned his head the other way, away from the annoying human. "So, I've been told you lost a loved one…I didn't think Irkens could love."
"Leave me alone…" Zim mumbled tiredly. He didn't have the energy to deal with this asshole.
"Ignoring your problems won't make them go away," The man pointed out. "I'm a problem, I won't go away if you ignore me…"
Zim growled but thought about how to respond. "What the hell does it matter what side I'm on? I hate all the sides…I'm on my own side," Zim stated. It was true, he hated the humans, hated the Irkens, hated the Meekrob and even the resistance. The man next to him made a low whistle.
"Nice decision, I think your side's winning," He said sarcastically, referencing Zim's current weakness.
"What am I supposed to do then?" Zim asked, getting steadily more pissed off at this person.
"Do whatever you have to, to survive," The man said easily.
"And that is?" Zim asked.
"Follow your heart?" The man suggested weakly. There was a long awkward silence in which neither of them spoke. "Okay. Irken. No heart. Fine, I don't know what you have to do…but you're suppose to."
"I'm defected…" Zim whispered. He didn't know what he needed, and he probably wouldn't. And how was he not surviving right now?
"Ah, I see. So you're more human than I thought," The man said. Zim opened his eyes and turned to look at the man, he was staring off in space, as if he were thinking of a way out of a difficult situation.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Zim asked gruffly.
"Nothing…" The man said, seeming to give up on Zim.
"What's your name?" Zim asked, curious to know who the hell this annoyance was.
"Gregory," He said, leaning back more.
Zim looked up at the ceiling and thought about their subject a few minutes. "What I need is to die…" Zim whispered.
"How come? Because you're in pain?" Gregory asked, "Because you can't decide what side you're on, so you're giving up?"
"Because there's no point to living anymore…" Zim told him. What point could there be when there was nothing left for Zim to care about now.
"Point?" Gregory asked, seeming to be riled up now. "Since when was there a point to begin with? There's no point to this war, there's no point to this damn hospital. There's no point to existing because we'll all die in the end. But we can't die."
"And why is that?" Zim asked, who was this man to object Zim's opinion.
"Because…those people that brought you here care about you…so you can't die," Gregory said quietly.
"That's it?" Zim asked with a laugh. "You think I care what they do? They liked Dib…and that's it…"
"Dib…it that the one that died?" Gregory asked, already knowing the answer. Zim grimaced and turned away again. "Look, everyone looses people, everyone dies…you just have to deal with it."
"I was gonna kill myself…a long time ago," Zim admitted, just wanting Gregory to shut the hell up, "Dib stopped me, Dib's the only reason I'm alive…."
Gregory and Zim sat in silence, absorbing the moment. "So Dib was the only thing you cared about…" Gregory observed. "Irkens typically only live to serve their masters. Just serve the Irken empire again," He suggested.
Zim laughed. "My Tallest have abandoned me…they think I'm dead right now…they sent me on a suicide mission and expected me to never make it."
"Then suck it up," Gregory said harshly, "Your lover's dead, you're dying, and your country left you. So what? Tragedies happen…you have to keep going anyway."
"Why?" Zim asked.
"Because the rest of the world isn't going to stop just because you have," Gregory told him sternly. Zim thought about that.
"I don't give a shit about the rest of the world," Zim mumbled.
"Fine, it'll kill you if you don't watch out for it."
"How…" Zim asked.
"How what? Be specific," Gregory said quietly.
"How do you keep going?" Zim asked. Gregory sat back and thought about that.
"Find something to hold onto…and let go of it," Gregory stated.
"What?" Zim looked over at Gregory in confusion. Let it go? Wait…let what go? Suddenly, the click of high heels could be heard down the hall. Zim sat up and looked at the door.
"There you are," The woman sighed. She was tall with black, bouncy hair and a stressed out expression. "You have a patient, you know."
"Duh," Gregory slurred, "He's right here." Gregory pointed to Zim. The woman looked at Zim and seemed to understand.
"Well, get to work, House," She instructed, clicking off with her heels.
"Who the hell was that?" Zim demanded.
"My boss, but who cares," Gregory, whose name was apparently also House, said uncommitted. Zim slumped down, he didn't ever want to get up. Not now or ever. He was too tired. He heard more people coming and saw Inx and Skoodge show up.
"Good, here's the parents," House grunted. Zim laughed, letting his eyes slip closed again. Skoodge looked worried, like usual, but so did Inx now, her usual calmness and energy gone. It might have worried Zim, and he might have asked what was wrong, but he was so exhausted, he just wanted to sleep and maybe try to glimpse Dib through the curtain the separates death and dreams.
…
Their encampment was just outside D.C. It had been a two weeks since the incident with Zim and Rin, but Dib hadn't had word from Gaz since then. Numbly, Dib went on, counting days, waiting. He had hurt people, even killed some. He didn't know if those people were good or bad, but his troop had cheered him on and celebrated. It didn't matter to him, Dib felt empty. This must have been how Zim felt about war, no wonder he never talked about it.
He also felt somewhat guilty. After raids, his men had sent various women to his tent at night. Dib accepted them, but it meant nothing to him, he barely remembered any of their faces let alone their names. Maybe Zim wouldn't have cared anyway.
As Dib continued to think, he went with a couple of men to the D.C. Hospital. One of their mean had been injured and now they were visiting him. Dib didn't pay any attention or say a word. Condolences from he wouldn't have mattered anyway. He just waited until he could go back to his tent and get drunk again.
On the way out they went slowly, or maybe Dib's mind was the slow one. He observed the clean white walls and glass panels, just praying Zim was near. That if he closed his eyes for a minute, Zim would be there when he looked up. But no, all he saw was white walls. Justas they were exiting, Dib thought he heard something, it sounded like angry yelling in the distance. For a moment, Dib suspected it was Zim, but he reminded himself that Zim was gone and not coming back.
…
"FILTHY HYUMAN! Get the hell off me!" Zim yelled at the nurse. He wasn't hoarse anymore and was pretty sure everyone in the building could hear him right now.
The nurse squeaked, then edged to the door and ran down the hallway. Zim stood by his roll-y bed thing, slightly out of breath after running the nurse off. He was gradually getting better, bit by bit. House was doing good, he wouldn't be happy about Zim's behavior though. He already had Zim wearing his holograph all the time, but he simply wouldn't allow for the humans to touch his pak. He didn't care if the woman was specialized in Irken technology, or even that she was only going to check Zim's stats with it.
As Zim heard the clicks of familiar heels, he started to feel self-conscious that he only had a flimsy white robe thing that seemed to Zim to be on backwards. It was way too revealing. Irken uniforms covered nearly all of the skin as was standard. Humans liked showing off their oddly colored skin way too much.
"What the hell?" The female asked, walking into Zim's room.
"She…woke me up…" Zim told her. The nurse had tried to touch Zim's pak while he was passed out, so out of years of paranoia, he had leapt out of bed away from her and started yelling without thinking about it. It seemed foolish now, when he looked back. But the humans were even more foolish.
"Yeah, Zim, well you can't just scare everyone away. We're only trying to help," the Dr. Woman said pleadingly.
"Then…" Zim tried to think of a witty comeback for that and failed. "I thought you guys specialized in Irkens…Lord Jashin, never touch an Irken's pak…that should be rule one…" Zim started to pace, energy building up.
"We're trying our best…your attitude's not helping," She snapped at him. Zim didn't like this woman, and he was pretty sure she didn't like him either. She folded her arms and watched Zim. "What's that pak thing for anyway?" She asked.
"Ask Skoodge…" Zim grunted.
"Are you even trying? Do you want to get better or not?" She asked.
Zim didn't answer, he didn't know the answer. He wasn't trying, and he wasn't too sure he wanted to be better either. He just wanted Dib.
The click of heels told him the woman left. Zim kept pacing. The tiny little room was making Zim stir crazy.
…
Skoodge didn't really like these humans. Human were okay normally, but these…they seemed so curious. And Irken training told him that was bad. Zim had tons of Irken training drilled in his head…no wonder he hated humans so much. Every Irken instinct and training bit seemed to point humans out as something bad and evil. Especially Christmas.
Inx sat next to Skoodge, but she didn't seem dislike the humans. Rather, she seemed like she wanted to help them. She was blessed not to have the training Zim and Skoodge had…Skoodge was blessed not to have the training Zim had. They sat in silence for a while, watching the humans work.
"Hey, Inx…where'd you come from anyway?" Skoodge asked. Inx blushed and looked away for a moment.
"I…I was born…naturally," She admitted.
"Naturally?" Skoodge asked, "That doesn't happen often."
"Yeah…my mother died because of it…and my father was dead before my birth…" Inx told him, "He was killed in battle. Kei knew my mother and rescued me before the Empire could find me."
"Wow," Skoodge sighed. That was incredible. Inx seemed completely normal for an Irken, her eyes were an extremely rare color…but Skoodge had assumed that was done surgically somehow. But hearing her story, blue-gray eyes for a naturally born smeet seems somewhat normal.
"Yeah…I grew up on all sorts of planets. I never once knew the ways of Irkens…only how paranoid Kei seemed to get sometimes…" Inx said, voice trailing off as she submerged herself in memory.
"Zim and I are much older than you, I think…I'm glad there's someone who didn't have to be a part of the Empire," Skoodge said quietly.
"Yeah…" She whispered, "But now with this war…I just wish we could reach peace…where no one's fighting…not even the Irkens…"
"Maybe we can," Skoodge said optimistically, "You never know how things will come out."
…
Zim sat in bed again, waiting. The blonde male was supposed to be here. House told Zim to 'play nice', whatever that meant. Finally, after a long wait, a blonde male in a suit came and sat in the chair next to Zim. "Hi there, I'm Chase," The blonde said, extending a hand for what they called a hand-shake. Zim glared, refusing to move. He cleared his throat and put his hand down, seeing Zim's burning hate. "So, I'm supposed to stay here with you a while, how about that, huh? Sounds like fun," He said, as though Zim were a child. Zim glared, out of all his tormentors, none of them treated him like a child before.
The human squirmed awkwardly, Zim imagined him dying under his gaze. Burning and screaming…yes, this did sound like fun now. "You've been on Earth for a while now, anything you like about it?" The blonde one asked. Zim picked up on his odd accent, it was different than a normal human accent, but the vowels sounded lazier somehow.
"Absolutely nothing," Zim answered, finally speaking. The human seemed surprised, but not shocked.
"Really? Not even…ice cream?" He asked, as though that would appeal to Zim's apparently child-like wonder.
"Especially not that…" Zim grunted, crossing his arms and trying to stare the human to death.
"Oh…" The human mumbled. "Well, there's got to be something you like here."
There used to be something, or rather, someone. But Zim wasn't going to benefit the human with that knowledge. "Nope."
The human fidgeted a little more, all the while enduring Zim's death glare. Mr. Blonde human with strange accent finally started to examine Zim with his eyes. Zim could see his eyes tracing along the long scars on Zim's arms.
"Where are all those from?" The blonde human asked, gently touching Zim's skin. Zim shuddered as he remembered the last time he'd been asked that. The human, Chase, seemed worried about Zim's reaction. "You don't have to tell me though," He said quietly, misinterpreting Zim's discomfort. Zim was going to tell him, but if the humans was going to let the subject drop, then why not.
"Your hair is longer than is typical for human males," Zim pointed out, the length of it had been bothering him. Chase merely laughed and brushed his hair away from his face.
"And you're very straightforward," Chase countered, grinning at Zim with strange eyes.
"Of course," Zim huffed.
"Say, can I-" Chase extended his hand towards Zim's back.
"No." Zim jerked away and glared daggers at Chase. Not even Dib had tried to touch his pak before. Well…maybe sometimes in bed. But this was a filthy inferior hyuman!
"Okay, okay," Chase said, taking is hands and putting them in the air in submission. Zim kept glaring, but Chase still didn't seem to notice. "Changing the subject," Chase sighed, "Aren't you a bit…young to be in a war?"
"Irkens prepare for war since birth. Most sent out to fight at ten…Irk years anyway," Zim told him, if anything, he said it to repulse Chase and make him leave him alone. But Chase seemed interested.
"And how old are you?" Chase asked, his brow furrowed in deep thought.
"17…Irk years," Zim said awkwardly. It was so foreign and…wrong to be telling this low human all this information. But maybe he really honestly wanted to help. Then again, how long had it taken Dib to get this much info from Zim?
"How many earth years?" Chase asked.
"…167…" Zim said, looking the other way. He heard Chase blow out a big breath and lean back.
"Is that old for Irkens?" Chase asked.
"Pfff, no," Zim answered, also starting to wonder what 'old' was for Irkens. "About average. We can live a lot longer, but most tend not to."
"…because of war?" Chase guessed. Zim gave the smallest of nods. Silence stretched into an awkward silence. Zim started to count stripes on the wall. He hoped Chase would forget his duties here and leave. "Can I see you?"
"What?" Zim turned to see Chase staring at him. Zim's thoughts led him somewhere perverted and he was about to call a nurse or someone to help when Chase explained.
"I've never seen an actual Irken…or any alien. Can I see you without the holograph?" Chase asked, extreme seriousness lining his face.
Zim let out a harsh bark of a laugh. "Stupid human, why would I let you see my glory? You won't ever see-"
Chase ripped Zim's projector in half as he told it from Zim's neck. Zim promptly returned to green, hairless and red-eyed. His hands even went back to being three-fingered. Zim's eyes widened as he held the bits and pieces of his holograph projector.
"You FILTHY IDIOTIC EXCUSE FOR A LIVING CREATURE!" Zim yelled manically, examining the fragile remains closely. Zim sighed heavily, Gaz had fixed this, all that time ago. And she had done it in a way that was completely foreign to Zim. It was now broken forever and Zim would have to borrow Skoodge's if he was to make another one. But all his tolls were back on the ship…the one that had exploded. Zim sighed again, it was hopeless.
Finally he glanced over at Chase again. He was staring at Zim, mouth agape, seeming to be mystified. "Yes, I'm green. Amazing, I know," Zim said, wanting the human to stop.
"Wow," Chase finally breathed out, "And you have…" Chase pointed at Zim's head.
"Antennae, yes…I know," Zim grunted, turning back to the broken equipment. "Flirk…this must be like, the third time…" Zim sighed. He tried to piece it back together with his hands and failed. "Asshole…" Zim hissed.
"S-Sorry…" Chase mumbled, scooting back a bit. Zim ignored him and tried to think of ways to get tools. Skoodge perhaps?
Chase gradually eased himself out of the room, ignoring his duties given to him by the evil Doctor woman, whose name Zim had learned to be Cuddy.
"Zim…" Someone hissed from the doorway. Zim looked up and was pleased to see a familiar face. "I always did like you better without your disguise you know."
"Yeah, I know," Zim said easily, putting the bits of metal on the nightstand for the moment. The Irken female before him demanded all his attention. "How'd you get here, Kita?" Zim asked, gazing up at the perfection that was Kit. She had a soft, light green glow, lighting up her deep, royal purple eyes. Her antennae here curly at the ends and were always swept back. Her posture was as wonderful as ever. Straight as a pin, like a professional soldier. Her pink and orange flowing uniform that of a teacher.
Kita came a little closer to him, her eyes reflecting the soft light in the room. "I found a way, when I found out my favorite little Invader was in trouble, I flew over as soon as I could," She said, pouting a little at Zim's misfortune. Zim winced at being called little, but beamed because he was her favorite. And she called him an Invader, a bonus.
"I didn't think I'd ever see you again, Kita," Zim admitted, blushing at his folly.
"I know, Zim, after what the Tallest did, I didn't think we meet again either," She said softly, gazing down at Zim with sad eyes. Kita was tall, not as tall as the Tallest of course, but enough that Zim admired her natural height.
"But you're here now, Kita, that's great," Zim said, beaming up at her. She smiled a little, even though it was a half smile and didn't quite reach her eyes. Zim didn't notice the sadness her expression held though. "But…now what should we do?" Zim asked.
"You need to get out of here, Zim, anyway you can," She whispered hastily, as thought someone might come in and take her away.
"Why?" Zim asked. Skoodge and Inx were here, making sure that everything was fine. Zim didn't see the trouble.
"Because, humans can't be trusted. You trusted one and just look what's happened," She nearly hissed. "And that Skoodge, he's a traitor. I bet he's plotting with those humans right now to kill you. And Inx, pfff, she's just waiting until she can do it herself." Zim gaped at her.
"R-Really, Kita?" Zim asked. Kita nodded sadly. "Thanks for telling me…" Zim said. Now he could be on the watch. Kita smiled slightly, seeming to be proud of Zim.
…
Skoodge and House stood outside Zim's room, watching him through the glass wall. "So, who's Kita?" House asked.
"A long time ago, she used to be one of our instructors," Skoodge explained.
"Yeah?" House asked, prompting Skoodge to go on.
"Well, she was the only one who was ever nice to Zim…I mean, all the other instructors were pretty harsh on him, because he was so small. But Kita felt sorry for Zim, and went easy on him…" Skoodge said quietly, remembering Kita from years ago.
"So, what happened?" House asked, not taking his eyes off Zim.
"Well…the Tallest got a lot of reports from the other instructors on Kita's behavior. They really didn't like how soft she appeared," Skoodge said. He fiddled with the hem of his uniform. "So…she was tried…"
"And?"
"The Tallest put her to death."
…
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Gah! So dramatic! Any time I watch House it seems that the person hallucinates, so, what does Zim HAVE to do? Lawl. I meant for there to be more in this chapter. Oh well, more for later! I also meant for the scene with Chase to be a lot different…. but that just couldn't happen, so he gets freaked out and runs away instead. ^-^. I don't much like Chase.
Bleh, anyway. I hope you enjoyed and didn't hate it. Please don't strangle me! I will stay in by my computer side forever until this is fixed! Lawl. I love you all, and I thank you for your support!
Also, check out my sisters awesome Zim fanfic: Forsaken! By NikkiNaive! I don't know how to do links :( Or I would. But read it!