A/N: Here is chapter 4 Haunted dreams. I hope you enjoy.
Disclaimer: I didn't create IZ or any of the show's characters, but they do make a good muse :)
...
Zim ran back to his base as fast as his little legs could go. He would have used his PAK legs if possible, but due to the current time of day, there would be a number of humans around to observe his 'extra limbs'.
It didn't matter now, because he was just happy to be away from that house.
What happened back there? Was it normal to go out of your own body and walk around in someone else's shoes?
"I'm sure humans go through this all the time. Yes, perfectly normal. Nothing to worry about."
But he wasn't human now, was he. He was running out of options. No matter what likely explanation he came up with, it back fired.
His house finally came into view like a friend he could rely on. He couldn't stop looking behind his back, having an uncanny feeling the girl was still following him, and that strange, disembodied voice.
The alien paused just before the door, panting heavily. His heart beat ferociously against his ribcage. This was no state for an Invader.
He checked behind himself again to see if the little girl followed him home. Well, if she did turn up, he could always do with a new test subject. Nick was great to work with, but he just didn't have it in him anymore. That flicker of magic was gone from his eyes. He was now a mere reflection of the boy he once was.
This little girl looked sweet and naïve enough. He could probably lure her into a trap with candy or something. He let it go for the time being, and looked up at his door with the toilet sign, and pushed himself through.
His door may fool most humans, but it still didn't keep that drunken hobo out the other night who had an urge to go...
He peered back out at the street again, shifting them around while making humming sounds. Satisfied that he hadn't been followed for the tenth time, he finally shut the door, and leaned against the interior.
A foul smell reached his nostrils next. He opened his eyes, and met a ghastly sight. GIR had thrown a house party consisting of two pot-bellied pigs, and a drunken hobo in a bath tub. Minimoose hovered in one corner upside down.
"GIR! What have I told you about house parties?!"
His little servant was nowhere in sight. But then he heard that crazy laughter from inside the kitchen.
Zim marched through the living room, trying to avoid the house guests in a tiptoeing fashion. His face scrunched up once he passed the hobo in the tub, who raised a beer to him in salutations.
"Hey, little man, wanna scrub my back?" he asked.
The Irken shuddered in disgust, and walked very far from the hobo.
He finally made it to the kitchen. GIR was shoving waffles down Nick's throat. The boy looked like he lost the will to live, despite that huge grin.
"This time they got worms and beetles in them," he told the overly satisfied boy.
Peanuts and soap didn't sound so bad now...
Zim looked from GIR to Nick, both intrigued and horrified.
"So, how d'ya like 'em?" GIR screamed down his face.
The probe in the boy's skull pulsated next, and then his grin stretched even wider.
"I love 'em! I never want this beautiful taste to leave my mouth..."
He cried tears of joy, though they were actually tears of sadness.
"Aw, you so sweet." GIR patted his head.
Nick's probed pulsated once again.
"GIR, what is Nick doing out of his test tube? Especially in the presence of another hyoomen. How could you? He could report back to the Earth authorities!"
Zim looked back at the hobo, who was having his back scrubbed by Minimoose. The moose-bot held the brush with great dexterity, despite those nubby feet.
"A little lower," the hobo said to the moose.
Minimoose did as he was asked, completely unaffected to the hairs on his back.
"Aw, but he looked so sad, like a fish. So I let the little fishy outta his bowl, and now we eaten some waffles! Wanna try?"
GIR held a waffle up to Zim's face.
The Irken winced. "Get that thing away from me!" He slapped the waffle out of his hand.
"Noooooooo!"
GIR jumped off the table in slow-motion, and caught the waffle before it hit the tiles. Then he shoved it down his throat, looking pleased.
Zim hunched up in the corner, as far away as possible from GIR and his waffles. The memory of throwing up his special waffles haunted him still, but he wasn't going to let go without a fight. GIR needs discipline.
Before he could act, a wet dripping hobo walked into the kitchen. Thankfully he had the decency to wear a towel. How nice of him.
Zim recoiled into his little dark corner again once he saw the hobo.
"Hey, do I get some waffles?" the hobo asked GIR.
"Not until you've finished your bath! You still smell like a cow's anus." GIR looked down at Nick. "And people say I stink!"
Nick's eyes glazed over.
"Aw, come on, crazy robot dog thing, just one bite. That kid gets some." He pointed at Nick.
Nick gave him a warning glare.
"Nick smells good, like a fish! So he gets some of my waffles..."
GIR shoved another waffle into Nick's mouth, then moved his jaws to help him chew.
"You know what..." the hobo said, "I thought you were different from them other robots. But you're not!"
He out the kitchen next, screaming, with nothing but a towel on.
GIR jumped down off the table. "Wait... Heathcliff. Come back. Don't leave me, Heathcliff!"
He ran after the hobo, shouting "Heathcliff" all the way.
Zim appeared from his dark corner, looking very disturbed. "Madness..." he whispered, and then stood up to his full height.
"Computer! Clean up this mess. You were supposed to keep an eye on the base while I was at the skool. Why did you let GIR throw a house party? Tell me!"
"I'm not your maid, and since when was it my job to tell that stupid robot what to do?"
"Don't you answer me back. I am Zim, and you shall obey my lowly servant. So I order you to clean up this pig sty at once. The smell is giving me a headache."
There came a strange humming next, reverberating through the walls of the house as the computer took in what he said.
"I hate you."
Next, it released its arms from the wired ceiling above, and cleaned up the mess.
Zim let out a sigh, then slouched his alien butt on the couch. There was an imprint of GIR's butt in the upholstery already... He shivered.
He removed his wig and contacts, as it never felt so good. It was horrible concealing your identity all day, but he had to do it for the Empire. Otherwise, the humans would know of his true alien-ess (despite the fact he had been seen out-of-disguise countless times).
He thought about that weird vision again. Irkens rarely sleep. It's not a vital bodily function for them, but they still dream from time to time.
However, their dreams are usually made up of simulated images installed by the Control Brains, so they've rarely experienced that free will. He wondered if the vision he saw was like a real dream. It was so vivid.
Unfortunately, he's not aware that most dreams aren't very lifelike. They make perfect sense while you're asleep, but once you're awake, they are gone and forgotten. Zim could remember every detail of his experience. He could still smell the car's fuel...
Once again he recalled that sadness, and then those alien feelings circled through his chest.
But Zim wasn't a sensitive pansy. He was a cold, detached alien monster. That's why the Irken race was so successful. They had bred away those chemical reactions that caused a number of sensations such as love.
Love made you weak in the eyes of their race. If they weren't so detached from everything (well except for food — they love food), then they wouldn't have been able to kill all those nice alien races...
The computer was seeing the pigs to the door. It gave them a goodie bag each, made by GIR, and then pushed them out.
"Don't be a stranger now. Come back anytime."
Zim jumped off the couch and addressed the computer.
"Computer, I'm going down into the lab to call the Tallest. I haven't talked to them for a while. They must be worried by now. I should immediately inform them that Zim hasn't stopped being alive!" He made a beeline for the toilet next.
"Okay, your Majesty..."
Zim stopped then. "Your Majesty? I like the sound of that... so regal-like. From now on, computer, you must refer to me as 'Majesty'. Only you, and not GIR. Maybe Minimoose, and the Roboparents, too, I guess, wherever I put them last."
"Whatever, just go away."
Zim didn't hear him as he disappeared into the kitchen, which was now spotless and free of Nick. He climbed into the toilet and pulled the flush, then revolved until his spinning green form vanished.
GIR walked back into the house with a chocolate ice cream cone, and sat on his perfect imprint.
Instead of putting the Scary Monkey show on, he pulled out a book from his head titled 'Wuthering Heights', and began to read, even though he held the book upside down.
"This is my favorite book."
Minimoose shook his antlers. How in the world did GIR discover classic literature?
...
Zim stood before a giant monitor in his main transmissions room, which had two large pairs of eyes looking down with contempt. One pair was red, and the other purple.
"So, everything is going swell, my Tallest. I'm not dead. Perfectly alive... Check it out!"
He danced around to prove he wasn't a corpse. He obviously had never seen the music video to Thriller (zombies can dance).
Purple sighed. "That was very thoughtful of you, Zim, to inform us of that grim fact."
The little Irken ignored him in his typical, oblivious fashion, and carried on talking.
"The invasion is going well. Nothing major to report besides the skool teacher's stench of death, and Dib's head having grown bigger since last Tuesday... Oh, and some lady cut in front of the line at the supermarket! She had no idea who she was dealing with. So I kidnapped her while she peacefully slumbered, and now she's my new primary test subject."
He looked over to the left at a hunched form. "Say hello to the Almighty Tallest, Lisa!"
The form revealed itself as a pale woman gnawing on a wire.
"Heh, I switched her brain with a mouse. Impressive, no?"
"Why exactly did you call us again, Zim?" Red asked. "We're sort of busy, y' know?"
"Yeah, we were in the middle of a really important meeting," Purple said. It was a meeting with food.
"I'm very, very sorry, my Tallest, but I'm just giving you a thorough report of the mission. You know the secret mission that you assigned to me, Zim?" He winked his right eye at the screen.
"Who are you blinking at?" Purple looked to Red. "Did he just blink at me?"
"Anyhow, I was about to tell you the news of my new PAK upgrade. My PAK was malfunctioning recently. I was deteriorating—"
"Did your PAK break? Were you unable to repair it?" Purple asked, anticipating a yes.
"Oh no, my Tallest. Everything is fine. I fixed my PAK, so there's nothing to worry about. Zim is feeling much better than new now."
Zim gave them a look as if he had a huge secret to tell. He hoped they would ask. Luckily for him, Red seemed somewhat interested, though he was really just bored. Zim did put strong emphasis on the words 'new' and 'better', so his plan should work.
"Better than new, huh?" the red-eyed leader asked. "Wait, why do I care? And where's my soda?!" he shouted at a tiny service drone that was too small to be seen on screen.
"I'm sorry, my Tallest, but the soda-making machine is broken again," the service drone peeped.
"Then go and fix it! Your Tallest is parched and needs a sip of soda! Right, where were we? Yes, why is it that you feel so much better than new, Zim? I may as well listen to what you have to say until I finally get my soda."
Zim stiffened, looking left and right to see if anyone was listening, and climbed up onto the control panel so the Tallest could hear him better.
"Zim has improved his PAK's sensory core!" he squeaked. "Now I have excellent eyesight, hearing, and taste! Though I'm not so sure about that last one; food still tastes the same... "
He looked on in thought, and then glanced back up at his Tallest. His face was serious now.
"We mustn't let this secret out, my Tallest. It could cause mass hysteria among the Irken crowd. Soon every Irken will want to be as powerful as Zim!" He gestured his arms in the air. "I thought that maybe all the other Invaders could have their PAKs upgraded too, so he or she can have improved senses. Which were discovered by me, Zim, and they shall be known as the Zim-sense! Then every Invader will follow in the mighty footsteps of Z—"
"Whoa, wait a minute... Did you just say you improved your PAK's senses? When did this happen? And you're absolutely sure about that 'tasting' thing? Being able to taste better would be nice," Purple said.
"Yes, my Tallest. I can see and smell the humans even better now, which isn't all that satisfactory, considering how bad they stink! And the things they get up to at night. How it sickens me..."
"Could you not sit so close to the monitor, Zim. It's hard not focusing on your face. No offense, but you have really bad skin. You should do something about that. Use face cream or something," Red suggested, giving Zim skin advice now. Odd.
"Oh... sorry, my Tallest." He climbed down from the control panel.
"And wipe the monitor too. You're spitting all over it," Purple said. "And you didn't answer my last question about that tasting thing!"
"Yes, anything for you, my Tallest. And sure, I was just lying. My taste buds have altered. You can simply taste all kinds of food even better now, such as donuts!"
In actuality, he hadn't eaten donuts since his upgrade.
Red smiled now. "I do like those donuts..."
He and Purple looked very intrigued. Zim was finally getting somewhere. Food always worked with his Tallest.
"So, as I was about to tell you before, I can use my new senses against the human race and listen to their governments' secrets. The humans are always having wars. Not as impressive as ours, of course, but I can find out what pitiful weapons they use against their enemies. It is sad that they fight their own kind. They should all unite as one great Empire, but the humans are stupid and lack common logic. Not like our mighty Irken race!"
"Hey, who's that little person behind you?" Purple asked.
"Eh?"
Zim turned around. No one was there. Well except for Lisa, chewing on wires.
"I don't see a little person," he said.
But he did feel a presence, like cold breath against his neck...
"It's right there behind you. Is it a smeet? It looks kinda young."
"My Tallest, I have no idea what you're talking about. There is no one else in the room." Zim gave the monitor an awkward glance.
"Are you calling me a liar? You know what happens to those who question the word of the Tallest, don't you, Zim?"
He gulped and cleared his throat. "Oh no, Zim would never do such a thing. But there is no one there..."
Purple was furious now. He turned to Red for support.
"Can you believe him? You can see the little person too, right?"
Red hadn't been paying attention, but he answered his question anyway. "Um, I really don't care anymore. I'm going to eat some food now. I'll leave you two here so you can argue about this 'little person'." He floated away.
"But it is there!" Purple yelled, getting frustrated. He didn't want to lose against Zim.
"You, service drone!" he called out next.
"What can I get for you, my Tallest?"
"Tell exile... I mean, Invader Zim that there's a little person behind him."
"I can't see the screen, my Tallest. I'm not as tall as—"
Purple grabbed the little drone by his collar so he could see the screen.
"There, can you see it now?"
The service drone strained his eyes, and then he saw it, a faint silhouette behind Zim's shoulder. It was a creature unknown to him, but he could see them, nonetheless, relieved that he didn't have to lie to his Tallest.
"Yeah, I can see it! Wait, she looks sad." His eyes shined over. "I'd recognize a sad face like that anywhere..."
Purple dropped the drone to the ground next, as he fell and hit his face. "You may be excused. Now go get me some donuts."
"Yes, my Tallest." His voice was heard off-screen again.
"You see, Zim? I was right. There is someone standing there. You should really have your house's security checked. Wait, on second thoughts, don't. Carry on as you are." He gestured to a technician to cut the transmission.
Zim was speechless. He didn't know what just happened. His Tallest couldn't be wrong. They never were, right?
He stared into the blank screen long after Purple cut the feed, but then he saw the shape of a girl behind his shoulder. He felt the hairs on his antennae stand on end, and turned around.
She had gone, but he noticed the room's temperature had dropped. His breath escaped from his mouth like a cloud, giving him a start. He fell back against his keyboard, feeling a tremor through his body.
He shifted his eyes across the room, hearing his own heart beating. It was so cold. The empty vacuüm of space couldn't compare with this chill.
There was no sign of the girl. The room wasn't very large. It consisted of a platform with wires all around, and his giant monitor.
A squeaking sounded in the corner next, and he jumped out of his skin. He looked again.
It was only Lisa, nibbling on a wire.
He let out a sigh, noticing the mist was gone. The room's temperature turned back to normal again.
Now he felt angry. That Earth brat had a nerve, breaking into his base.
He growled. "Computer."
He took a while to reply, but when he did, he was not the happiest of machines.
"What is it now, master?"
"Earth smeets are breaking through the outer perimeters, and now they are running around inside the base. It is your job to keep an eye on the house's security!"
"What are you talking about? No organic life form has gone through the house's perimeter. Everything's peachy as ever, sir."
"But... but I saw a girl. She was following me earlier today on the way home from skool. Even the Tallest saw her."
"A quick scan of the house confirms that you are the only living creature here. Well, except for mouse girl, and Neural Experiment number two thirty one, who, by the way, has been vomiting worms for the past half hour."
"That is of no concern of mine, computer. I must find this girl. When I do, I will make her suffer for breaking into Zim's base. I can't be imagining things. I'm an Irken. Irkens never imagine. The very thought is revolting."
"Well, the Irken and human race do have similar brain waves. It is more than likely that you did imagine this Earth-child."
"How dare you compare the minds of my people to this race of... biped apes!"
"Sorry. I shall be more careful next time..."
"Just lock down the house's security, and properly this time. Soon the entire population of Earth will find their way into my secret base."
"With pleasure, sir."
Zim went back upstairs to see if GIR had left the door or a window open again. He didn't. Everything was shut tight. How could the girl have gotten inside?
He looked at GIR on the couch, who was very engrossed in his book.
"No... not Cathy..."
GIR ripped the page out of the book and ate it, crying the whole time.
Minimoose comforted the poor bot, and squeaked. Translation: "I know how you feel. That's how I felt when Ned Stark lost his head..."
"GIR, Minimoose. Stop reading that hyoomen filth, and guard the house of any intrusion. I want you to look out for a little girl with yellow hair."
"I think you mean blonde, like Marilyn Monroe! Boo boo bee dooo!"
An awkward silence ensued...
"Just keep an eye on the door, GIR, in case she comes back. And if she does, I will lock her away deep in the underground base, and perform all manner of horrible tests experiments on her. Hahaha! I wonder how a human would act with a jellyfish brain…" (Zim should really read a book on jellyfish facts).
"Okie dokie!" GIR ran into the kitchen for a chair, and pulled it in front of the door.
He sat on the chair and watched the door intently. "Look out for leprechauns..." he said over and over.
"No, not lep-re-cons: a mud-faced Earth brat. Oh, I forgot to give you something." He pulled out the powdered-scented doll from his PAK, and showed it to GIR.
GIR looked at the doll and gasped in delight. "I don't like it," he said.
"But it's a stupid doll with a funny smelling head. You like stupid smelling things."
"I do?"
"Yes, now take the doll already. It was taking Zim's Zimness away."
He threw the doll at GIR, who caught it in his hands.
"Aw, she looks sad."
"What are you talking about? It's made of plastic. It doesn't look... "
The room grew cold as he sensed a presence behind his back.
"Do you feel that, GIR?" Zim asked, looking around the room. The world outside turned grey and misty.
"Yes, I mean no. Wait... no."
"Do you, Minimoose?" he looked up to the floating moose, which hovered by the ceiling.
"Squeak." Translation: "no."
Zim heard footsteps next as the coldness lingered on his right.
"That's my dolly," a voice said.
Zim jumped back and hid behind GIR's chair. "Protect me, GIR, save your master from the invisible man!"
GIR went into defensive mode, as a bunch of weapons propelled out of his head. But then his eyes turned cyan once again.
"Wait, who my shooting at?" he asked.
"I-I can't explain. A voice, a presence, whisperings in my ear..." he shuddered.
"Aw, is poor mastah going crazy and hearing things? You just need to have some sleep and dream about monkeys eating tacos on the moon!"
Zim looked at GIR strangely, but considered what he said.
"Okay, I suppose you're right. It has been an exhausting day. I just need to recharge myself and let my mind and body rest."
Zim went down to the underground base and straight through the route to his sleeping chamber: a type of transparent sarcophagus like the one Snow White slept in.
However, unlike Snow White's, this one was filled with wires, which attached to Zim and his PAK. It was very scary and extra-terrestrial looking. Not like a Disney princesses' at all.
He climbed in and made himself comfortable. Funnily enough, this was an Irken's idea of a luxurious bed. The door to the coffin shut over him, and he soon felt sleepy due to the wires and the help of gas that flowed through the chamber. Eventually, he drifted off like a baby. How precious.
...
In his simulated dream, he was standing in a large, empty place that looked like a ball room. The outer corners were dark at first until the lights began to clear, revealing a ravishing room detailed with gold and brass walls.
There were oil paintings of past Tallest covering the walls. The effect was very creepy. Even human oil paintings are scary, seeing those soulless eyes of the dead watching your every move. Now imagine if those were life-like paintings of deceased Irkens.
Despite the old-fashioned style of the room, especially from a futuristic alien race, Zim still wore his ordinary Invader's uniform. Even some of the Irkens on the walls bore space suits and armour. However, the very oldest of them had renaissance-styled clothing. Makes you wonder how old their race really is.
Zim looked around very impressed, until he heard the sound of his own tongue. He turned quickly, and saw a bunch of other Irkens on the far side of the room by a buffet table. But none of them were eating the food. It was just simulated food for display only.
He knew some of them from the Academy, as it looked like a party of about seven to eight Irkens. They must be sleeping at the same moment as him.
Zim approached them, not looking too pleased to see his fellow Invaders.
"Hey, what are you all doing in the amazing dream world of Zim? Get out!"
No one was listening, though he did capture the attention of two Irkens conversing with each other. Their facial expressions were stoic, not caring in the least about anything or Zim.
"What are you talking about? This is our entire dream. The Control Brains always connect our dreams, because it saves less time to do it individually. There are over 12 trillion of us, so it's understandable," said the female Irken.
Zim looked genuinely taken aback. "Oh... Zim did not know that until now. Well, carry on with whatever you were doing. I must get some punch!" He left for the buffet table.
"Did he just say he was Zim?" asked the same female. Her name was EI. "Please don't tell me I'm sharing a dream with ex-Invader Zim. I was hoping this would be a pleasant dream."
"Maybe he'll manage not to blow up this dream simulation," the male replied. His name was Kim.
"If he doesn't blow anything up, then I'll eat my head," EI said.
"That sounds interesting. I bet seven monies you have to eat your head if Zim doesn't blow us up."
"You've got yourself a deal."
EI and Kim shook hands, and then took a sip of their drinks.
At the table, Zim picked up a cup and put it in the punch bowl, but the cup went right through the liquid. He didn't realise the punch was simulated, as he kept forcing the cup into the bowl.
"Why must this be?!" he yelled.
A purple-eyed female approached his side, looking quite amused.
"You know the punch isn't real, right? It's there for display."
Zim looked at her like she just struck him or something.
"Zim did not need to be informed of the punch's nonexistence. He can figure it out himself."
"Is that why you kept shoving your cup into the bowl, willing for the punch to be real? You're such an idiot, Zim."
"How do you know my name? Tell me!" he yelled, pointing a finger at her.
"We both did Invader training together. I'm Invader Zee, or did you manage to blow up your brain too and forget who I am? Besides, you call yourself Zim all the time. You did just before. What a moron..."
"Zim has never seen you in his life. How dare you accuse him of having memory loss."
"Are you being serious? How could you not remember me?! We grew up together. Our incubators were right next to each other. We use to bang on our tubes and play the Morse Code. That game is so lame now... We were both last in everything too, because of the 'Z' in our names. And the Irken alphabet doesn't even have a Z," Zee remarked, confused.
"I still don't know who you're talking about," Zim said nervously, trying to get away from this girl who clearly liked to talk.
"You also pushed in front of me for a SIR unit during the great assigning for Operation Impending Doom II. But I'm not the kind of Irkenette to hold a grudge..."
"Well, whoever you are, I can see why you remember Zim. I'm very flattered that you acknowledge my superior identity. So I congratulate you, soldier." He gave her a salute.
There was an uncomfortable silence between them as crickets chirped, but Zee broke it with her next question.
"Soooo... how's your banishment, I mean Invasion going, Zim?" The other party guests must have been too boring to make small talk with.
"Since you asked, my Invasion is going amazingly well due to the brilliant efforts of Zim! That's why the Tallest gave me..." Zim looked around to see if anyone was eavesdropping, and leaned in close to Zee, whispering, "a secret mission. Don't tell anyone!"
Zee flinched. "What is wrong with you? That went right down my antenna, you little—"
"Little? Zim isn't little; he's a mighty soldier with a power that no other can parallel."
Zee looked irritated, realising it was a bad idea to come talk to him. She hadn't spoken to him since their young smeethood, anyway.
Irken Academy was like high skool for the Irken race. Zee was popular, as Zim wasn't. That's probably why he didn't remember her. She had disowned him because he wasn't cool like her and the rest of her gang.
"Whatever, Zim, I'm done talking with you now. You're obviously still the same loser you were back at—"
"But I haven't finished telling you about my secret mission!" He ran around in front of her, blocking her way.
Even though Zim was an inch shorter than her, she still felt wary of him, mostly because he was a psychopath known for his impulsive streaks of insanity.
She really regretted coming over to talk to him now (though she was bored with all the other Irkens, because they were losers). She looked around, and spotted someone who wasn't so much of a loser.
"Hey, look, there's... what's his name... Flobee!"
Flobee looked over. "Did someone call me?" he asked.
Zee took her chance and ran over to Flobee. She almost knocked him over in desperation to get far from Zim.
"I did! How you… um … old friend?" she said, forgetting his name again.
She helped steady him back on his feet, but Flobee looked at her peeved.
Zim watched her furiously. "She won't get away that easy. She should feel honored to hear the secrets of Zim!"
Zim jumped up on the table and addressed every Irken in the room. His feet went right through the pretend food, since they were a hologram.
"I am Zim, lord of all dream worlds, and I order you to listen to me or suffer my wrath!"
They all looked up, unaffected by what he said, but they were still annoyed because he ruined their party.
"What does he want?"
"I hope he doesn't blow us up."
"Who invited him, anyway?" Zee called out, blaming it on the girl next to her.
"Silence! How dare you talk among yourselves about the mighty Zim!"
You!" Zim pointed to an Irken with a band-aid across his forehead. "What is your name again? Can you guess who the Almighty Tallest have entrusted with their most important mission?"
"My name's Spleen, you midget, and no one cares. Go back to Foodcourtia."
Everyone laughed, but Zim boiled with rage.
"You dare refer to Zim with such—" he stopped. There was something standing behind the crowd of Irkens. He could only see a mop of blonde hair until one Irken stepped aside.
Her face came into full view. Zim froze as his eyes grew to the size of saucer dishes. It was her, inside his dream. How did she get inside this simulation?
She stared back at him with unmoving eyes, which locked only on Zim. It was the first time he saw her face.
Her lips began to move next, mouthing something, but he couldn't hear her speak, nor did he want to. All her hair was matted and covered in blood. Her skin was also grey with dark rings beneath her eyes.
Zim's skin paled while she stared right through him. Next, he fell from the table and crawled back to the wall, which had a long picture of Tallest Miyuki looking down on them.
He couldn't help but detect that look of hatred on her oil-painted features, as she glared down with contempt. Across from this wall was a similar picture of Tallest Spork, looking just as resentful.
"Stay back!" Zim shouted at the girl. He had never seen anything as frightening as this human child. In fact, it was her lack of humanity that seemed to scare him the most.
She looked dead. Just a reflection of the person she once was, like residue energy. Wait, he recognised those words, but where from?
Then it hit him. It was a phrase he found in a book about ghosts...
Residue energy = ghost.
It was a stupid book that belonged to Dib who lost it, but he was intrigued to read it even so. That was how he got the idea to pretend he was a ghost with GIR and Minimoose to trick Dib. But this time it was real.
He huddled in the corner and buried his head in his arms. "Just stay away, leave me alone!" he whimpered.
The other Irkens looked at each other confused, but they soon lost interest and dispersed. There were no obscurities in Zim's and the ghost girl's path now.
He tried to wake up from this nightmare. That's what this was, just a nightmare. The humans have them all the time... So he shut his eyes and held his hands over his lids, rocking back and forth.
The girl's face reappeared behind his lids mouthing more words. He recognised a word on her lips. It was help. Then he heard her saying it.
He grew furious. He wasn't going to let her win. He was Zim, and he would never forget.
"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" he screamed, catching the attention of every Irken in the room. His voice sounded dangerous.
He got up from his pitiful position and jumped over the table to confront the ghost, or whatever she was. But she was gone. The spot where she once stood grew dark.
Zim breathed raggedly, staring at the dark spot with fierce eyes.
"I know you're there," he hissed. "I can still sense your disgusting presence. You can't hide from me because I will find you. I'll rip every scruffy strand of hair from your ugly head! I'm not afraid. Stay away from Zim!"
He felt strange as his heart sank to a bottomless pit. It was like his own cruel words hurt his feelings somehow.
Next, he heard sniffling, followed by a small whimper, and then the sound of retreating steps.
Zim's smile grew wicked, exposing those sharp, cruel teeth. He knew he struck a nerve. The girl wasn't coming back.
"Yes, run away. If I ever see you again, I will destroy you! And don't think I'll hesitate because you're a child, or should I say dead child... Hahaha!"
His heart broke once again, as he had to clutch it with his hand.
He tried to force back a sob, knowing these feelings had something to do with her. She was manipulating him somehow with her ghostly powers.
"Who are you talking to?"
He could hardly see his fellow Invaders now, as the room grew dark. They appeared as faint shadows.
"Couldn't you see her?" he asked the darkness.
"See who?" a female voice said.
"That hyoomen smeet; she was just here. She's been following me everywhere."
"What's a hyooman?" asked the same female.
"They're the race he's apparently trying to annihilate. How's that going for you, Zim?" Then he heard them laughing.
He wasn't sure who they were. They may have been Spleen and Zee, but their faces were dark.
Their voices grew faint as they disappeared. He was alone now in the room, as the light finally vanished.
How did he get into such a dark place?
A/N: well, what's Zim going to do now? Call Ghost Busters? Or maybe the Ghost Whisperer, which he is himself now. That's why I called this story Clairvoyance. I never said in the definition that it can be described too with mediumship (the ability to see or communicate with those who have passed).
I tend to have a lot of scenes that have nothing to do with the main plot of this story. If that's stupid, I'll stop putting so much in.
Btw, the hobo in this chapter is not the same one in the series, who kidnaps that guy. If he were he probably would have said something like this: "I remember when my robot dog threw a crazy house party one day after skool too, and fed waffles to my test subject. And the whole ordeal turned me into a hobo..." I don't know where I was going with this.
Oh, and GIR loves Wuthering Heights now. Classic literature rocks! Yes, and Minimoose has also read Twilight, whether you love it or not...
Update: Minimoose originally explained how he felt sad when Edward dumped Bella, but I changed it to Ned Stark losing his head. Reason why? Twilight is old news now. It had its time in the limelight, so I fail to see the humour now. I wrote that in 2011 when it was still big. Games of Thrones is a big deal, in the TV and literature world. I doubt it will ever get old. Game of Thrones is awesome; I can see Minimoose as a real fan.
Not much is seen of the other Invaders' personalities, so I just went by instinct and created my own. Now Zee's a bitch, Spleen too, and EI likes to eat her own head (btw, she had to eat her head and give seven monies to Kim because Zim didn't blow anyone up). Kim is also the first Irken you see in the Nightmare Begins. I thought he deserved a part; he opened up the first scene of this incredible show. Praise him!
Plus, it does look like Zim pushes in front of Zee to get a SIR unit, but he was in front of her before in that scene. Flobee is seen in that line too.
I've never mentioned, but if you noticed, I always pictured EI to have her own flask of tea in that part, which she shared with Kim because he's her buddy. Otherwise, you would have wondered where she got the tea if the food on the table wasn't real. I'm guessing they win points in their dreams from good behaviour or something. Thus, it gives them the offer to eat and drink while they're asleep.
I watched a show the other day about haunted castles. It was scary, and one expert used the term 'Residue Energy,' saying that a ghost was nothing more. I thought it was a cool term, though I think maybe they still have conscious thought. Suppose there is a limbo where deceased souls go that can't get to the other side. Though this depends on what you believe in.