Take A Stand

by SLRisme

During a little game Purple is asked questions that make him think about how Red and him have been doing as Tallests- And he's not pleased with the outcome. The Empire is in distress and no one else seems to notice other than him. Things need to change for the better and that starts with the short Irkens. How does Dib come into play? And how will this impact the entire galaxy?

3. Of Forgotten Emotions

88888888

Hi guys! Trying to update quicker than I usually do with my stories, so- Hello. :P

A few quick things first and then we'll start-

xXDark-Rose-MariaXx- You can have/use her, that's perfectly fine with me, She's more of a filler character, I might use her maybe just this chapter one more time or in another chapter once more. Other than that she will not be given a name or any BIG personality traits, so you can do as you please with her. :) Tell me what you name her and all of that other cool stuff though, I'm a nosey person and want to know! :P

To Everyone Else- THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS! I really, really does mean a lot to me, more than a box of kittens! /Ahem. I might prefer the kittens, but that is not the case here./ So, thank you once more, I really am going to get to the part I need too, you guys, just might be a slow build is all. :/

So, thank you once again, hope you review, and let me start.

Listening To: Evanescence- Bring Me To Life

88888888

Title: Of Forgotten Emotions

Weeks have passed since Tallest Purple had contacted him and Zim's squeedily spooch still knotted to this day thinking about the event.

At first he hadn't cared, oh no, he just let it drop like nothing happened. When he had contacted the Tallests the next day to give them his new plan- 'Using Dib's big head I will attack a solar beam to the back of his head that will actually help to power up my ULTRA SOLAR MEGA BEAM BLOWIE… Up… Thing. Yeah.'- But there was only Tallest Red there. His Tallest had said that Tallest Purple had obtained some virus and was resting for that day. Zim understood, sometimes even the mightiest of all Irkens must suffer from a virus, including the Tallests.

The next day Zim called again and Tallest Purple was there. Or, at least the hollow image of Tallest Purple was there. This Tallest before him was jumpy, nervous, and though many others didn't notice Zim had caught the sight of the Tallest constantly tapping his fingers against his forearm. One second he would act compassionate, completely composed- And then the next second he would snap at some poor, pathetic Irken that was not as amazing as ZIM!

Something was terribly wrong with his Tallest and Zim needed to find out what it was, before the problem got to such a point that Tallest Purple may-

No. No, that was a forbidden word in the Irken Empire to even think of. It would never get to a point like that for either of his Tallests. Zim was worried is all, Tallest Purple had- Has been acting like this for weeks, it was scary to see.

"Well, Zim, you've been really quiet this class period. Thinking over your next plan to take over the world?

Oh yeah, Dib-stink shared this- Ehh- 'Homeroom' class thingy with him in their senior year of high skool. That's another thing Zim didn't get, why was it that these Earthlings called high skool kids seniors, yet those wrinkly, freaky, beady eyed old people were also called seniors? They looked nothing alike! Humans were such dumb creatures. The alien tilted his head backwards to pass at glare at the annoying human, Dib leaning over his desk with a glint in his eyes.

Obnoxiously, Zim used his pencil to push Dib's hands off his desk, as though too disgusted to touch the human himself.

"Ah, silly, DISGUSTING Dib. Zim forgot that we shared this class together. Tell me, why is it you still question Zim's greatness when you know that if Zim ever actually tried to take over the Earth it would be his in a matter of seconds?"

"Pfft- Like you old plans worked out soooo well."

"SILENCE! DO NOT QUESTION ZIM'S PLANS!"

"But… You never told me your plan."

"Eh? Oh, yeah. Okay."

Silence lingered on between the two until Dib just sat on top of Zim's desk, rubbing the back of his neck in awkwardness. Their teacher, who changed weekly since they were driven to insanity by the homeroom class, was currently gone, so the whole class was messing around once more. Homeroom was just a break from all of their other classes, but it seemed that this class was taking the worst toll on Zim. Zim had been quiet for weeks and had been seen staring in space, the look on his face-

It looked like someone just murdered one of his parents before his eyes. It was an awful sight.

"Hey, Zim?"

"What, meatbag?"

"I know we aren't friends and we try to kill each other here and there, and you're a jerk- But, you know, if you need anything, you can always come and talk to me."

Instead of the usual mocking laugh or the nasty glare, all Zim did was stare forward to everything, and yet, nothing at all. His arms were crossed over his chest, leaning back in his desk chair without a single care in the world. Or maybe the look on his face was full of all the care in the world, Dib really didn't know at this point. What he did know was that Zim's mood swing he had for weeks must have something to deal with the transmission he received from his 'Tallest'.

"Like Zim would ever come to you for help, Dib-stink."

It only made Dib sick to his stomach when he realized that the words weren't said with the usual disgust and malice, but with depression and some thought put into them.

…

(Back on Irk, hovering through the hallways of the Massive)

…

"Spill it, Purple, what's wrong with you?"

"For the last time, Red, I'm fine. I'm getting sick of you asking that same question."

"Well, if you told me what was wrong, maybe I would stop asking."

Tallest Red remarked, holding back a growl as Purple completely ignored him, signing all of the papers that were placed before him. The red eyed Tallest didn't say anything as Purple kept lifting his eyes away from the papers, a quick suspicious glance before going back to his signing. He had been doing that for weeks, and oh by the past Tallests, do NOT make Red start talking about his mood swings! Ugh! One second Purple would be the Purple he knew and then the next second he would be completely insane!

It was like talking to Zim!

Oh, well, that was rude. He wasn't that bad, but still. Still.

"Come on, I know something is wrong, you know you can tell me anything."

"I know I can, now stop being stoopid. You're acting as annoying as Zim."

Purple paused form his writing, eyes drifting forward to stare at nothing when that defect's name had left his lips. The Tallest shook his head, antennas flat against his head, two fingered hand reaching upwards to rub his eyes. Red frowned deeply; this wasn't the Purple he knew. This Irken before him seemed constantly stressed and never snacked with him anymore. This Irken would go to his chamber earlier than needed to 'recharge', yet he would be completely exhausted when they started their shift the next day. This Irken didn't joke with Red as much anymore and seemed to be constantly working, as though to get his mind off things.

No. This Irken before him wasn't his co-partner and best friend Purple. This was someone else.

"There, done. What else is there to do?"

"Nothing."

"What do you mean 'nothing'? Are you some kind of stupid? The job of a Tallest is never done!"

Red tilted his head backwards to look at Purple dully, opening his mouth to lazily reply-

"Well, let's see what you've done today… You went through the smeet facility to make sure there were no problems, went to the all five invader ceremonies to congratulate them on their new ranks, and did the filing our advisor is supposed to do. Let's not forget you also went over all twenty seven different types of battle optics to decide which one would be best for invading, actually answered the treaties that all these planets have been trying to make us do for weeks, went over the battle formats of the elite functions, and decided what food was and was not acceptable in certain rooms of the entire Massive."

Red paused form his talking for a moment, before adding-

"Oh, yeah, and you also contacted every single invader for an early Probing Day. Other than that, you haven't done much."

The pair of purple eyes narrowed, he opened his mouth to give back a sarcastic reply, but immediately closed it as his eyes widened. Red automatically turned his head to see what he was looking at and quickly caught the sight of two tall Irkens, their tallness didn't impress Red though, and a short, female Irken. Her yellow eyes were cast downwards, though still saluting the two taller Irkens. Both of them were sneering at her, one of them pointing an accusing finger at her trembling form.

Purple instantly snarled, realizing that it was the same guy he yelled at last time and the same small Irken. So, he brought a friend along, eh? Bring it.

"Can you believe this, Nik? This short Irken right here is said to be Tallest Purple's personal servant."

"What? That tiny thing? You're kidding, right? Why would a Tallest want this?"

His blue eyed friend sneered, poking the small Irken in the forehead, actually leaving a dark green mark.

"So, tell me, shorty, why would Tallest Purple want YOU as his personal servant? I thought you had to be a certain height to be his personal servant?"

"I… I don't know. Please, I just want to go and do my job, I didn't mean any harm."

"Yeah, but we do. I hate the fact that someone as short, annoying, and ugly as you would get a position as the Tallest's personal servant when you aren't even the height required!"

The pink eyed Irken struck his hand out, black gloved hand going across the cheek of the smaller Irken, knocking her to the ground. Before Red could even process what was happening Tallest Purple was gone in an instant, now hovering before the two Irken males. Before any of them could say a single word Purple used both of his two fingered hands to grip their collars, pulling them up into the air. A sadistic sneer was across his face, eyes narrowed dangerously at the two.

"M-M-My Tallest!"

"Sir, my Tallest! We- We were- We…"

"I know, just about to go out of an air lock! I told you last time that if you picked on my personal servant one more time it was air lock time."

"It- I… We- She's so short though! She not tall enough to-"

"And she does her job better than you do yours! Who cares about her height when she actually does the work? I'm so sick of THIS! Such of these stupid rules, sick of morons like you always yapping and whining and blah-blahing all the time. I mean…"

Red did nothing but stand there as Purple dragged the two Irkens away to find the nearest air lock, ranting away as he did so. His squeedily spooch twisted and knotted suddenly, standing as stiff and cold as a pole would in the harsh winters of the Gleekashore race. He turned his head sideways to glance at the fallen Irken girl, who was still laying against the ground, hand on her cheek.

Did- Did he just say who cares about height?

…

(Back on Earth, Zim's laboratory)

…

"Computer!"

"Whhhaaattt?"

The voice of the base's computer whined, Zim looking at the computer screen to glare at it, though ignored the comment. On the large screen were blueprints of an updated Voot Cruiser, the Irken nodding his head in admiration at the design. Impressive, very impressive, Zim was actually very proud of his design. He should buy himself a cookie later to congratulate himself on such a design.

"Tell Zim- Are the designs on the Voot Cruiser almost ready?"

"Yes, but they won't be finished until later tonight."

"Mastur! Why do you need to update the shippy thingy bobby?"

"Simple, Gir. I must adventure off to the Massive; Zim must check on his Tallest and see if everything is going well! In order to do this trip though the Voot Cruiser must be updated, it took about six months to get to Earth- BUT Zim does not have the amount of time to do such a long, horrible journey! SO- I'm fixing up the Voot Cruiser to make the trip about three or four days."

"Ohh!"

"Yes, praise Zim, prraaiisseee meeee! It IS an impressive feat."

"Can I come too?"

Zim paused form his plans, passing a sideways glance at his Sir Unit.

"No. You have to stay here and make sure that the beaver doesn't eat any of my lasers. He's been trying to for the past week, I think he's plotting against me."

"Who will keep my company when the evil mutant cow people come to attack me?"

Zim paused form his task once more, noticing that Gir was actually trembling and looking around the lab with wide eyes, as though evil mutant cow people were about to attack him right now.

"Ehh- Computer will still be here to make sure you're safe!"

"Don't bring me into this. I'm not Gir's babysitter."

"SILENCE!"

"But… But I'll miss you!"

Tears were now filling the unit's eyes, the Irken rubbing a hand against his tired face, not in the mood to deal with Gir's insanity. Patting a place on his lap the robot immediately went into duty mode, running as fast as he could towards his master. Seriousness was quickly gone as Gir jumped into his master's lap, giggling hysterically as Zim rubbed the top of the unit's head. Years ago he wouldn't have done this, but being with Gir for so many years Gir was like-

Forget it. Zim also wasn't in a mushy mood.

"Think of Zim leaving as a getaway, time away from each other."

"I'mma throw a party when you're gone. It's gonna have tacos and cupcakes and pie and beef and goldfish and vampires. You're gonna miss the paarartty, even Millie the chicken is going to come!"

"Have fun. Just don't invite Dib. I want him to suffer in uninvited pain."

Through Zim's insane laughter he never heard the sound of a camera clicking, never seeing the pair of glasses glinting within the laboratory's dim light.

…

(Back on Irk, in the hallway)

…

"You just seem to have the worst luck."

The yellow eyed Irken glanced away from the floor to look at the face of Tallest Purple, quickly saluting him with unshed tears. Do not cry in front of your Tallest, it was just a little hit… The Tallest frowned deeply, dismissing her salute as she pulled herself off the cold ground. Purple glanced over her uniform, noting how short she was and how her uniform was a wreck.

"Listen, go to Corridor 876 on the fifteen tier, and tell them to get you a Personal Servant Drone uniform, Tallest Purple is the one making you do this. You'll need to make sure the uniform is purple, alright? Not red, 'cuz that would be stupid. And also-"

There it was- That twitch again. Red raised one eye higher than the other when he physically noticed Purple twitching his neck to the side, as though something shocked him. He knew what happened after this. The change in mood would now come along. This has been going on for the past couple of weeks now, it was kinda scary.

"-Remember that what I have just done for you is a miracle! Pfft- Look at how short you are, you're lucky that you aren't my foot stool! Short, short, Shorty Mac Short Fry should be your name. You're so short that- Well; who cares, you're just short! Get out of my face! Go get your new robes now!"

"Y-Yes, my Tallest!"

She was gone in a matter of seconds after his cry.

Red spoke not a single word as Purple leaned against the hallway wall, sighing miserably with a hand against his face. Hearing the sound of metal clinging together Purple automatically lifted up his head to see his best friend with his arms crossed over his chest. A frown was now on his face and the other Tallest echoed the same frown, both looked liked that they were looking into a mirror of themselves with different clothing.

"Now- Want to tell me what's going on?"

"I'm fine. I don't understand why you keep doing this. Wanna just go and get some-"

There it was again, the twitch in the neck again, except this time Purple's left eye closed for a moment.

By the past Tallests… Was he in pain?

The sneer was now gone form his face, replaced with an expression that was a mixture of pain, misery, and exhaustion.

"I… I don't wanna go over this now, Red, we will talk about this. One day. Not today though. Please, I just want to go and recharge."

Antennas flat against the back of his head, Red nodded at his desperate words, mouth now in a straight line.

The pair of purple eyes turned to look any where but at his co-partner, turning his back to hover towards his own chamber. The trip to his chamber was long, cold, almost as though even the walls were bitterly mocking him of this disaster. Purple felt himself losing control and it seemed that it was happening more often now. Ever since he had become Tallest all he ever felt was happiness, sure, annoyed when Zim called or out of donuts. He had always been happy though.

Now though…

It seemed that whatever was wrong with him was constantly messing with his moods. One second that pure joy and blissful happiness he had always felt as a Tallest would be back within his grasp. If something happened though that happiness- That blissful, ignorant joy- Would be taken away from him like a laser would be taken from a smeet. He felt angry, constantly being mocked, seeing the mistakes that were being made in his empire.

He missed the blissful ignorance, yet when he had felt his newest mood swing he felt the powerful surge of many emotions. Purple felt rage like water was being poured onto his head and it was slowly seeping through his head like acid. He felt sorrow for shorter Irkens like he was the one going through every single stupid situation they went through. He felt the up-most pride when he saw the short Irkens get up after every single situation without sparing a single tear. This side was more thoughtful, more caring, and definitely knew something was wrong with the Irken Empire. He felt more… What was it...?

He felt more…

Alive.

And that was a feeling that he hadn't felt in absolute years.

…To Be Continued…

88888888

So, this was pretty much just a filler chapter! Told you, I'm slowly getting to the main action point, so sorry about this, you guys!

Please review, tell me what was liked/disliked, all that jazz!

Have a fantastic day!

88888888