SO FINALLY. I update with this epic chapter of epicness. However, as I said before, I've been spending lots of time abroad, travelling and learning more about the world. For example, the other day I saw bear in the wild. HOW AWESOME IS THAT.
Also I had major block for this, however, I am now back on track... hopefully. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this update!
The drive back to the skool was a blur. Dib couldn't think, not with this... massive revelation. This changed everything he knew about Zim, everything. He couldn't even justify himself as the defender of earth anymore, earth wasn't even under threat. Zim was just here to get rid of him, like he could be tossed to one side and forgotten about.
He didn't claim to understand a foreign culture like the irkens, but by any standards he knew what kind of damage that could do to someone. Zim was so far in denial about, well, everything that he'd become this person obsessed with victory. His talent and intelligence was cast so far into self doubt that he caused his own destruction on a constant basis in order to justify his ruler's judgement on himself.
His violence towards others, his lofty over-ambitious dreams, his constant, unyielding diligence to every word his leaders gave him.
And it was all for nothing. He'd never get the attention he wanted, he'd never be seen as the best, he'd never even be thanked for his work. He was alone, surrounded by robots who couldn't understand his thoughts and left on a planet filled with people who would only turn on him if he ever revealed himself.
Dib's frown deepened. Well, not anymore.
As he pulled back into the school parking lot, he practically leapt out of his car to go marching quickly to the reception. His mind was set, his new mission was clear. Help Zim get his life back.
By the time he got to his office, his genius intellect was already going into overdrive. He knew exercises he could run through to get Zim's confidence back, things he could do to help separate the complete authority of the Tallest from Zim's life.
But he knew that this was no easy task, Zim was clearly far older than he seemed and this was a very deeply ingrained mental block. Not to mention that either way, Zim was clearly a trained soldier. Dib had no idea what military practices they'd done to him to make sure he never revealed information to the enemy, which he most certainly was.
He paused suddenly, looking to the two and a half pages of ideas he had already noted down. How was he even going to get Zim to agree to half of this, heck, how was he going to even get Zim to talk to him properly again?
He sighed and leaned forward onto the table, linking his fingers together and resting his chin onto them. Dammit Zim, why did you have to be an alien with mental problems? Why couldn't you just be another girl who think she's fat when clearly not?
Well, he supposed that'd take the challenge out of it.
He decided to speak to Zim once again, or at least try too, it couldn't hurt after all. The last time he had tried to talk to him the irken had blown up in his face over his lack of conquering the earth... he supposed that this next meeting wouldn't go any better. He was starting to wonder if the 'genitally chip' method wouldn't be better replaced with 'heavily mallet'.
He buzzed his secretary quickly and asked to send a word to summon Zim to his office before he leaned back and began trying to mentally prep himself. This was going to become tough and fast.
Moments later, the door smashed open and there stood a very annoyed looking Zim. His purple eyes narrowed in anger as he stormed into the tiny office. "What is the meaning of this, Dib-stink? Why do you call Zim from his learnings?"
"Learnings?" Dib had to repeat the word just to make sure that Zim had said it before shaking his head. "Shut the door and take a seat, we have... a lot to talk about."
"We have nothing to talk about." The irken replied as he casually did as he was told. "You're a dirt-monkey and I'm the superior lifeform."
"I... well, how are you feeling today." The counsellor asked simply. He couldn't just leap right into it, 'oh by the way I know you're an exile'. Yeah, that wouldn't go down too well and he'd probably just damage the relationship he'd build up already.
No, this had to be broken... slowly, carefully. He would still have to wear Zim down slowly before letting him know.
"... today I am feeling cautious." Zim responded with narrowed eyes. "Because you never call me into your lair on this day."
"Yes, well, I believe we have some serious matters to discuss." Dib replied with an air of professionalism. He was trying to hide his guilt however, crushing the small alien's dream was something that he didn't find completely pleasant.
"Like the Poop Dog Spectre of Defeat?" The alien suddenly commented out of no where, immediately catching Dib's attention.
The counsellor paused for a second, considering if he should continue his original line of questioning or if he should press on this new issue. His guilt won out and he decided to ask about the 'Spectre of Defeat'. "What? Poop Dog?"
Zim suddenly seemed paranoid and he looked from side to side. "Yes! We were given a mission in class today, to go out and document every animal we could find on the skool grounds." His fist clenched. "However, I knew I had to document the MOST animals to win the prize! But when searching, I fell out of one of your pitiful earth-trees." He growled loudly at this memory before continuing. "And then the Poop Dog Spectre of Defeat approached me and told me I'd never win the prize!" His rage seemed to be building almost uncontrollably at this point. "He told me I was pathetic and not worthy of the prize! BUT I SHOWED HIM!"
Dib sat and nodded at the whole thing, listening intently. The boy had clearly been hallucinating, however, after falling out of a tree one could only assume he would.
"I documented EVERY ANIMAL ALIVE!" Zim cried out in victory and held his hands up in joy.
Dib blinked slowly. "... okay. Well, that was very useful of you Zim." Every animal? No way, he couldn't have done... could he?
"Yes! But the prize, OOOH the prize." His hands clenched back into tight fists and his voice lowered. "It was nothing but a can of TUNA."
... Wow. Dib knew the skool budget was low but not that low. Than again, he knew that Zim's teacher was Mrs Bitters who seemed to be some kind of immortal being of darkness who existed only to torment children. It was no surprise really to think that she would give the children some useless task and reward them with something even more useless.
However, he also realised that to someone as competitive and as driven to detail as Zim, this could be rather... infuriating. Hell, he'd be infuriated if he'd got a can of tuna after documenting everything on earth.
"I'm sorry about that, Zim." Dib replied with a simple shrug. "Did you talk to Ms Bitters about it?"
"Why would anyone talk to that old hag about anything?" Zim quickly sniped back before sitting down again. "I hate her. I hate everyone. I hate this insane, stupid planet."
The older man almost laughed at the sudden burst of teen angst from Zim. Seeing the 'I hate everyone' comment come from such a small guy and not only that, a small alien invader was almost priceless.
However, Dib kept his composure and instead, only smiled. "Come on Zim, there's got to be something about this planet you like." Especially if he was going to stay here forever.
"No. I hate everything about this place." The irken sat down heavily and crossed his arms once more.
"Not one thing?" He pushed, wanting to have SOMETHING that Zim could hold onto once he delivered the rather crushing news of his exile. "What about the food?"
"NOTHING." Zim spat as his eyes flicked back to the human. "What part of 'I hate everything' do you NOT understand, stink worm?"
Dib sighed and leaned back. Delivering the news was going to be far harder than he originally thought. How was he supposed to console Zim without some kind of positive to keep his mind on track? Without something to guide him on to, Zim would fall into a depression... or worse, a rage. The counsellor knew it wasn't wise to anger someone who could also blow half the planet away with the touch of a button.
"Well Zim, I think I should set you some homework." He was playing a risky game here, but he had high hopes it'd pay off. "I want you to find something about earth that you like."
"... that I like?" Zim raised an eyebrow... or looked like he was trying to anyway. Dib could only imagine those strange, ant-like antennae of his rising instead.
"Yes, by Thursday I want something that you actually like and if you find something you like, I'll give you a reward. A good one! Not a can of tuna, I promise." He realised now that he was failing to tell Zim the truth, and therefore, he was kind of lying to him. However, in his mind he justified it by reminding himself that this was to help Zim when the shock came.
As Zim left the room with a very thoughtful look on his green face, Dib only hoped that whatever he liked wasn't too dangerous.
There's probably a ton of errors in this chapter, I just wanted to get it out and stop it from being in development hell. I got the inspiration about the 'poop dog' bit by just watching the show, which is an amazing help.
No references in this I'm afraid D: Ahh well.
Happy 4th of July everyone! Hope you enjoyed reading, tell me what you think! Laters!