Chapter 16

The Naked Zim

"No!" Lorne yelled. He leaped at Zim. "You fool!"

Zim felt the air get knocked out of him as the two of them stumbled away from Krimskep's giant fist. The ground thundered, and the pavement cracked under such a formidable weight.

"Why'd you do that?!" Zim yelled. "It was working!"

"No," Lorne said. "The Rinkan Stone would have worked only if we were still setting up the trap. It was going to be used to lure Krimskep here into our trap, but he beat us to the punch. It's the Stone that he wants. You were just about to give him the one thing that he needs to conquer this world!"

"Oh," Zim said. "Then I got this thing out from under the Dumpster for nothing?"

"Look out!" Bruni shouted.

Zim and Lorne looked up just in time to see the giant fist coming for them again. Lorne jumped away into the Dumpster, and Zim rolled out of Krimskep's path at the last second.

"I took my clothes off for this?!" Zim shouted. He scraped his pale, tender flesh on the hard, pebbled pavement.

Krimskep roared and punched the Dumpster aside. It crumpled and went flying. Everyone heard a brief cry from within, but then there was silence.

As Zim scrambled for his clothes, and Bruni, Brandon and Fitz tried to help him, Angel and Spike met back to back in the fray. They worked at cutting down more of the beasts. Both were covered with blood, some of it their own, the rest belonging to their enemies. Gunn's arms were tired as he continued cutting and parrying with his hubcap axe. The weapon was dulled from all of this action, and it looked like it was about to fall apart.

Illyria had no problem with the Sleshta Skatz. She beat them back as they advanced. It was almost to the point where she could block the portal. Occasionally one would slip through, but for the most part she held them at bay.

Connor slashed a Sleshta Skatz's throat and bathed in its blood. He closed his eyes so none of it would blind him. Unfortunately, when he did this, he missed the Sleshta Skatz coming up from behind him. With a grim thrust of its blade, the beast tore Connor completely in half.

"No!" Angel cried. His fighting became even more frenzied.

"Gunn!" Spike yelled. "Behind you!"

Gunn whirled around, and a Sleshta Skatz brought its sword down on him. Gunn managed to get the axe up, but it was lopped in half by the force of the beast. Two of his fingers rolled away, but he still had the handle, and he pushed it into the Sleshta Skatz's face, squishing out one of its eyes. The beast shrieked, and its other eye popped out from the pressure. It stuck to Gunn's eye patch, burning it away.

Gunn screamed as he recalled Future Booze Jesus' prediction about getting his eye back and not liking it when it happens. His face ignited, and he started battering away at his cheeks. As he did this, another Sleshta Skatz approached, but Spike stood between them. Their swords clashed.

"Come on, Charlie," Spike said. "I can't save you forever."

Zim, now wearing his jeans and shoes, looked out at all the destruction and desolation that had once been Mullin's. Bodies were strewn everywhere, and how many had Team Angel lost? Even Brandon, Fitz and Bruni were stuck in the fight as they desperately fought off a single Sleshta Skatz with whatever junk they could get together.

Krimskep towered over Zim, eyes burning, and he knew this whole thing was fucked. He should never have gone to Tailgaters. He should have never gotten involved in this horrible mess. Why hadn't he just stayed home? In bed?

The giant grumbled something in its language, and though Zim did not understand it, the warning was pretty clear in Krimskep's tone. He wanted the Rinkan Stone, or Zim and his friends would die.

"I give up," Zim said. "It's just not worth it. Just make our deaths quick, okay?"

And he threw the Rinkan Stone up to Krimskep, who caught it in a deft flick of his wrist. There was a triumphant roar from above.

"Zim!" Angel yelled. "What did you do?!"

"I gave him the Rinkan Stone," Zim said.

"You what?!"

"Zim! You've just destroyed the world!" Brandon yelled.

Zim sighed. "See? I told you guys I'm not good at this."

Everyone gritted their teeth as Krimskep prepared to rain death upon the world.