Chapter Three
Where am I?
Oh yes, the third bedroom…
How long has it been?
It can't have been that long; I just sat down for a second!
It's almost that time of rotation; I need to prepare for…
No, there's no time any more, what'll I do?
An internal sigh echoed throughout the tired mind.
Fuck it, what do I care? It's not as if I have to do anything anyway
Well, I'll need to eat but… I'll do that in a minute.
It's so cold.
Is it really cold? I thought I was too numb to feel. Let's see, it's 7 Celsius. Not that cold then, Pak must have gone into hibernation.
…Shit…
What was the restart command? I know this, come on. What the Blorch is the restart code!?
'Pak, run program 23ARP?'
Click click.
Good, good. It'll get warmer now, wonder what Skooge and Tak have been doing. If that Tak has set those weird laser birds with whiskers on me again, I swear I'll send her away with the next shipment! No, she hasn't done that recently, but I was out much longer this time. How many times have I shut down now? Six? Yeah, six sounds about right. Well, at least the next the next four rotations worth of shipments are already done, I can start on a new generator now.
Stupid meat sacks, all they ask for is a new piece of technology every year for their resources. They think I'm a super genius or something; their primitive minds seem so amazed with the disarmed Vortian technology. Well, it does feel right to have such power over the inferior species; it's the natural order after all.
'Pak has successfully rebooted, thermal management program activated.'
As a barely audible buzz signalled the Pak's reactivation, a groan left the throat of its host.
Muscles creaked from disuse; bones ached at the sudden movement. Minuscule motions grew to slow, careful shifts as the body steadily came back to life. Warmth flooded a freezing Zim's nerves; heated liquid rushing through his arteries letting him know his Pak was finally doing its job. Eyelids peeled apart to reveal tired maroon orbs, hands began gripping and releasing nothing against the carpeted floor and legs slightly stretched out to kick-start forgotten muscles.
Ugh, the joys of waking from a comatose state.
As gently as possible, Zim folded his body in half, shoulders almost touching bent knees to break his back off of the flaking wall. Bits of paint fluttered in the air around Zim as he rolled to his side onto the dust covered carpet, a moan escaping his dry lips as his body clicked and cracked with the new position.
"Ow… I really need to quit this hibernation crap."
"Master?"
Oh shit…
Zim's head snapped up as fast as his tired figure would allow, lekku flicked back and forth in a desperate attempt to determine where in the large room the voice had come from, eyes not yet fully adjusted to the burst of light searched as best they could. Finally landing on a small silver robot standing six feet away, Zim's eyes began to focus. He could make out two large, soft glowing lenses staring at his skinny form sadly from across the room, tiny metallic hands clutched a ripped pink pig plush. The little pink tongue that normally stuck out was nowhere to be seen, a sure sign of GIR's upset.
Zim could only wait for what was to happen next.
He knew all too well what came next. GIR had repeated the hideous act of affection in the exact same way for the five previous times, playing the scene out as if it was one of his 'emotional reunions' in those annoying dramas he used to watch.
This was gonna hurt, this was gonna hurt a lot.
"Master, is that you awakes now?"
"Hello GIR. Yes, I'm getting up now. I'm in a great amount of discomfort GIR so if you could not fling yours- Ooft! "
Too late, GIR had already begun flying towards his master before he had started speaking, longing to wrap him in a life-crushing embrace just in case he left poor GIR alone for the land of the dead once more.
"GIR! YOU'RE CRUSHIN' ME! Get off me now or so hel-"
Hiccups stopped Zim mid sentence, as they always did. GIR had always been like a younger sibling and even Zim couldn't help but feel bad for yelling at the little devil when he heard those heartbroken muffled sobs.
"Plea- *hiccup* please don't leaves me agains, *sniffling* I'm so lonely…*hiccup*"
Now that, that made his squeedily spooch clench. He hadn't meant to fall unconscious for so long but the little cries coming from GIR as he latched on his t-shirt couldn't help but make him feel a pang of guilt. The tiny machine only wanted Zim awake again, it wasn't like he was deliberately hurting him, and he just wanted to check that his master was safe. Who could truly hate something that cared so much?
"It's… fine, GIR. I'm fine. I won't leave you again, okay?" Zim soothed as best he could in his raspy voice, comforting had never been his forte.
"Mmm, you promise?"
"Yes GIR, I promise."
"Okay then, Imma goes to sleep now. Night master, don't go away…"
"Alright GIR, night."
Once Zim was certain that GIR wouldn't wake, he shifted GIR off of his lap, detaching little metal fingers from his clothing in the process. Using the wall as leverage, he attempted to stand on his wobbling, jelly-like legs. Walking was far more difficult than he remembered, damn limbs giving up on him after only three months of rest. Stumbling over to the window ledge, looking more like a newly born fawn than the proud irken invader he once was, Zim rubbed a circle of detestable grime off the glass with the edge of his sleeve so he could see outside. He needn't worry about anyone spotting him without his disguise; he was far, far away from any human settlement.
He'd picked this place for several reasons; its large fences enclosing a field sized garden, its numerous rooms of decent size rarely found in modern human housing, the acidic water wheel already fuelling the building, the violet walls, but the icing on the pastry was its location.
It was situated in a clearing at the centre of a supposedly haunted forest. Humans, with their stupid superstitions, refused to come close on the nonexistent chance that they would encounter a vengeful spirit or something, even the brave wouldn't dare venturing deep into the eerie maze of mossy trees in fear of becoming 'eternally trapped'. Zim didn't understand and he didn't care. All that mattered was that it benefited him and his minions. There was no need to chuck on a wig and contacts to leave the house; they could look out any of his windows freely without being spotted and experiments could be done outdoors on sunny days.
It was paradise for aliens looking to live out their secluded lives without being sliced open.
We shouldn't even be here; irkens don't belong on any planet which is seventy percent acid…
Zim turned his head left to face the door. He was well aware that GIR wasn't the only being in the household worried about his constant, prolonged 'napping'. In a strange way, it was almost touching to have people worried about his health, not that Zim would ever allow himself to admit that.
"Tak, Skoodge, Nar, Mimi, you can enter."
The sound of panicked shuffling could be heard through the thin panel of wood; clearly those on the other side were more than surprised to have their presence noticed by someone who was previously a vegetable. The shuffling ended and the door slowly creaked open, colourful orbs staring through to narrow gap with interest and slight embarrassment.
"Hiya Zim. How're you feelin'?" asked Skoodge as he stepped into the room, eyes quickly switching between the floor and the smaller Irken before him.
"Yeah, afternoon Zim. Hope GIR didn't break you too badly." Added Tak, acting as nonchalant as she could manage with her curiosity towards Zim's health stubbornly seeping through in the end.
"Hello, the both of you. Listening in on me, were you? I don't remember either of you sinking this low before I blanked out, something happen to the two of you during that time, hmm?"
"Look Zim, we've been worried." Stated Skoodge, concern clearly showing on his face.
"I wasn-" Argued Tak, still trying to keep her cover before being cut off by her fellow worrier.
"We were worried and when we heard you scream, we just had to check."
"Hmph."
Zim sighed, it may be pleasant having others care for your well-being, it was a pain in the backside dealing with them afterwards.
"Yes, I am well aware. Just don't stand outside next time and help me control the menace instead."
"Really? I thought the two of you just wanted to enjoy your very touching moment." Retorted Tak, an evil grin spreading across her face as she spoke.
"Anyhoo!" Zim announced in a suddenly cheerful tone, completely ignoring Tak's dig.
"I thought both of you should be aware that it's approaching that time again, so set your SIR units to guard the lower room and bolt the door. You would not want to be running rampant in the state you'll be in."
"Again!? It's like it just passed! I'm getting sick of locking myself downstairs with this pathetic excuse of an Irken." Tak burst out; Earth really was no good for their race.
"I'm not exactly pleased with the arrangements either, Tak. How can you be so sure Zim? I mean, you've yet to be wrong in your predictions but how are you always aware of it way before either of us?" Skoodge questioned.
He hated confronting Zim, especially after everything the little irken had done for him and Tak but he was always mystified by Zim's ability to sense events, he just had to ask. You know what they say, 'curiosity annihilated the carritoot'.
"I just know. I've been on this Irk forsaken planet far longer than the either of you, it is only logical that I have gained the ability to read Earth 'seasons'. Just praise Zim for his greatness and get to work storing provisions."
"Fine, but what is the 'oh so great Zim' going to do with himself this time? Surely you don't plan on staying out in the wood again? You were covered in burns and slashes when you came back. I don't know where you go but it can't be safer than here. Just be intelligent for once and lock yourself up in the attic for the cycle. Skoodge and I will be locked in the basement anyway, there's no risk."
"No risk? What if you two escape? What then? You are aware of how wild we become during this cycle, right? I'll be far safer out there than risking my precious body staying here with you two creatures! And you know what happens to the … smallest … of irkens in that situation. No way! I will not lower myself to anyone, I'll take my chances. We're wasting time, it'll hit in two turns of the planet. I'll see you both in 34 turns, take care of GIR for me and… give him lots of waffles for me before this turn ends." Zim finished, turning towards the kitchen to gather supplies.
After putting together a bag of irken imports, sweets, nachos, handcuffs and paste, Zim headed out the door, locking it behind him with the touch of his palm. Nothing would be able to enter or leave the building until he returned, having upgraded the building to an Irken proof fort as soon as they moved in. There was no point in purchasing a house if they were to accidentally destroy it soon afterwards, was there?
And so, after giving his residence one last glance, Zim turned on his heel and began walking towards the reinforced, human-and-weather-resistant fence. This would be the sixteenth time following this procedure. It was tiring and often left him aching all over but it was a price he was quite willing to pay to preserve the small shred of dignity he had managed to preserve throughout the rotations. He hoped it would last him for a while longer; perhaps it would grow if nothing happened in the future?
Well, no one is ever certain what is waiting for them just around the corner…
Here's chapter three! I know my Zim isn't in character here but I didn't really plan for him to be exactly like Zim from the TV immediately anyway. I wanted to show a glimpse of how he's changed over the years and hint at what occurred in his past, a slightly more broken yet matured Zim if you will.
But as the story goes on, I hope to see him change a bit too so if anyone reading this is thinking 'She hasn't kept him in character! I give up on this story! Harrumph!' Please don't go! I promise you'll like it if you stay with me for a bit! Just give a gal and her story a chance, I beg off you! And thank you InsanitysCandy and glowzilla48 for giving me lovely reviews within a day of my posting!
*Kisses the screen twice*
See? Told ya I'd do it cuz I always keep my promises!
*Runs off to write more chapters through the night, laughing maniacally*