A/N: Ready for another update on this one, you guys? =3 I sure hope so. X3 Here's Chapter 3 for those of you waiting. =3 Feedback be much appreciated. ^^
Through the Fire and Flames: Chapter 3
Zim: Me (For a change. XD)
Dib: LinnechaRose
Beta: CattGregory
Warnings: I hesitate to say extreme OOCness in this story because to be perfectly honest, we're trying to keep them in character this time around. I will say, however, that there might be a few minor scenes in which OOCness comes across. So yeah. Don't expect them to be perfectly in character. Just assume that we're doing our best to TRY and keep them in character.
Rating: M for later chapters
Disclaimer: We do not own Invader Zim, nor any of the characters from it. We do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Silently sneaking out of his house, Dib made his way outside, welcoming the calm night air. At least at night, nobody was out to make fun of his head or call him names. For this, he was thankful.
He walked down the dully lit sidewalk, hands jammed in his trench coat pockets. He looked up at the night sky, seeing the thousands of stars and their brilliance. Long having given up his dream of becoming an astronaut, he sighed out heavily as he directed his attention back to the path in front of him, walking with slow steps.
Gaz truly hated him. After they had gotten home from school, she immediately locked herself in her room, occupying herself with her Game Slave. He attempted to get her attention by knocking on her door, and asking if he could talk to her. She simply threw a very blunt object at the other side of door, signaling for him to leave her alone.
His father truly didn't care for him. He had tried getting a hold of him an hour or so afterwards, desperately needing someone to talk to. He eventually got through, but only to one of his dad's "people". He had asked the man if his dad was available at the time. The man merely looked at him oddly, then casually said "Um, I don't recall Professor Membrane having a son, although I think he has a daughter." He gave up on trying to talk to his dad.
Zim was...Zim. Dib hated Zim, and Zim hated Dib. They've hated each other ever since the very first day Dib saw him step foot in their class room. But for some reason, he couldn't shake off the feeling of thinking he really hurt Zim with his hateful words today. He didn't know why he felt that pinch of guilt. He had every right in the world to go off on him like he did. But it wasn't like Dib, no, not at all. Something inside of him just snapped, beginning during the counseling session. He didn't quite know what caused him to snap, but he was pretty sure it was because of his bottled up emotions.
It was time for a change.
He had walked upon a familiar looking wooded area, with an adjoining open grassy field. The tall grass swayed peacefully with the wind as the full moon shined brightly from above, casting a dim heavenly light over the vacant field. It was certainly a beautiful sight.
He sighed as he knelt down to the ground, taking a seat next to a large log. It was too bad he didn't have someone to share this with. Then it hit him.
This was the same exact field where his old counselor, Mr. Dwicky, had accompanied him years ago in an attempt to expose Zim for the rotten alien he was. Having had all the evidence on his video recorder and handed it to his councilor, Dib watched as Dwicky had decided to join the Plookeshians on their conquest through space, and had taken the footage with him. Dib couldn't help but smile and shake his head at the memory.
He rather missed Dwicky after he had left. He was the only person who had witnessed aliens with him, other than Gaz. But Gaz didn't care. She didn't care about anything. Dwicky, however, had showed him compassion for his beliefs, even if he did think Dib was crazy at first. And although he was a counselor, he seemed...different than the others. He was sincere, willing to help him with his problems. Yeah. He certainly missed him, especially now.
The air around him suddenly became still. Too still. He raised his head slowly, adjusted his glasses and looked around. The grass in the field stood completely unmoving now. He stood up and glanced at the tops of the trees, noticing how still they were as well. How very strange...
Suddenly, the entire field lit up, dimly at first, then got increasingly brighter. Dib looked up in panic, not being able to tell what the source of the light was. He hurriedly ran over and hid behind a tree, hoping to be out of sight of whatever it was.
The light got brighter and brighter until finally it was almost too bright to look at. Whatever it was, had made its way to the open field he had just been staring out at. Then as quickly as it happened, the blinding light dimmed down, finally disappearing completely. Dib peeked his head around the trunk of the tree he was hiding behind, curious as to what it was. He couldn't believe what he saw.
It was the Plookeshian's space ship, the same one he had seen years ago. Giant and metallic, it stood a midst the field, the moon light reflecting off its surface. Then out of nowhere, the entrance door of the ship slowly made its way open, providing a stairway exiting the ship. At the top of the stairway stood two dark figures, one rather tall, the other short in comparison. Dib blinked a few times, trying to make out the identity of the silhouettes.
"Thanks for dropping us off here. I know coming here was a ways out of your way." the voice of the taller silhouette said before stooping down low to scoop the smaller figure into his arms bridle style. The smaller of the two didn't protest, rather clinging to the taller male tiredly and closing his eyes to sleep. Frail in appearance, he didn't look like he could be any older than 11 or 12 year old. "Give us just a month's time. We'll be ready to head on out again then." he then said to some figure still on board the ship.
The inhuman figure's eyes seemed to glow in the darkness before nodding its head in approval and backing up into the ship some more.
Meanwhile, Zim hovered in his ship just a little ways away, eyes wide as he looked down from above at the large ship hovering just off the ground and preparing for take-off again. What WAS that? Forgetting about Dib for the time being, he decided not to stick around and find out first hand. He'd return to the lab and perform a scan of the Earth from the space station he had orbiting the planet. If another alien had landed, he'd know right away.
A/N: And there you have it for Chapter 3. Linnecha will now respond to our one reviewer last chapter. ^^
To Pilpols:
Linnecha: Don't worry. Dib won't resort to killing himself. He's too strong for that. ^^
And thank you! There's much more to come.
Well, until next time, you guys~