Despite all the confidence, Keef couldn't keep up with Minimoose. The power of his burning love couldn't compare to Minimoose's, and Zim's, burning hatred. Still, Keef couldn't give up. His existence was just to exact vengeance upon Minimoose for killing his partner. He trained just for this chance. He spent years watching as much heroic movies and believed in himself, his heart, and his organs as hard as he could. Yet, it wasn't enough. Keef was the one on the floor, while Minimoose stood tall, wielding a laser-blade right above him.
A burst of blue energy flew into Minimoose's arm. The mind-controlled Irken was taken aback and felt a shock where the blast impacted. Annoyed, he searched for the shooter, finding a human girl dressed in black, holding a raised blaster in one hand and a laser-blade in the other hand.
"Why did you have to interrupt me right before I stabbed him?" Minimoose said, "You don't even have any positive feelings for this pancake!"
Gaz didn't respond. She would've preferred it if her blaster wasn't just a fancy taser, but that didn't matter now. She just shot another blast at Minimoose. The bio-organic had to dodge the shot, but in that moment, Gaz had jumped at him. She thrust forward with her blade and Minimoose just barely blocked it with his own blade.
"I'll turn you into taco meat, human!"
The two backed away from each other only to jump forward and clash their blades again. Gaz drew her blade back first and launched a barrage of strikes. She attacked Minimoose from different angles. The moment he blocked her blade with his, she would pull back and attack from another side. She wasn't aiming for fatal spots, but it confirmed one thing: Gaz was faster.
Minimoose noticed this disadvantage. The human girl seemed faster than before, but he couldn't tell if Gaz actually got faster or if Gir was inhibiting his visual processing and reaction speed. Either way, Gaz was a threat and she knew it. Still, Minimoose had his own advantages.
After all the constant fighting, he only had three tendrils left, but that was all he needed. While he deflected Gaz's constant attacks, Minimoose snaked his tendrils behind the human, positioning them so they would strike from three different locations, then he attacked. Of course, Gaz never forgot about his tendrils. Gaz crossed blades with Zim, but this time, held the stance instead of pulling back. She pivoted to the side, blasting the first tendril with her stun laser, paralyzing the appendage, but the momentum of the limb slammed into the laser, knocking it from her hands. The second tendril attacked from below, Gaz used her boots to push it away. However, she was unable to avoid the third strike from above. She tried to move but the tendril ripped her sleeve, creating a cut along her right arm as it came down.
Gaz retreated back to examine the extent of the wound. Fortunately, it wasn't deep, but it did sting when she swung her sword. Her adrenaline made the pain trivial. She was about to leap back into the fight when she was stopped by another human.
"Wait, Gaz," It was Keef, still holding his own laser-blade, "Thanks for aiding me earlier, but I must be the one to fight Minimoose!"
"Keef, this is the worst time for you to be an idiot!"
"But you're weaker than me."
"Excuse me?"
"I have had intergalactic training."
"From the dumb dimension."
"And even though we share similar feelings, it's obvious that mine is greater!"
"I am going to stab you. It will hurt."
"Mios dios, you're both infuriating!" Minimoose attacked with two tendrils. Both humans were able to dodge it.
"Gaz, let's work together then!" Keef exclaimed, "We'll defeat him, with the power of our combined lo-"
"Don't finish that sentence or I drown your lungs in your own blood." Despite Gaz's attitude, she decided that she could use some help. "If you wanna help, then fine. You first!"
Gaz kicked Keef from behind, her sole planted against his back. With the power of Kor's boots, Keef flew forward, crashing into Minimoose.
Both beings were surprised. Minimoose quickly peeled the human off of him, but Gaz was already in front of him. She sliced her blade forward. Minimoose wasn't quick enough to deflect it and had to dodge, but the blade still left a wound across his cheek. Minimoose had to retaliate, but Keef was attempting a strike from behind. All he could do was quickly shove Gaz and move out of the way. Keef missed and landed right in front of Gaz, who proceeded to send Keef flying at Minimoose again with another kick.
Keef was unprepared, barely able to even point his laser-blade, but Minimoose saw it coming. He sent Zim's fist straight into Keef's face, sending him crashing behind the tyrant. Then Minimoose swung his laser-blade, knowing Gaz would attempt a follow up attack. The female ducked under the blade, quickly jumping past Minimoose and towards Keef. As he was barely getting up, Gaz kicked him again. She continued this tactic, blasting Keef towards Minimoose only for him to be deflected. Her hit and run tactic effectively nullified Minimoose's ability to utilize his superior strength. Keef was being thrown around faster and faster, turning the inter-dimensional human into a speeding pinball.
Minimoose couldn't react quickly enough. Keef at this point was more prepared and always had his blade drawn. He couldn't be ignored. The time Minimoose spent deflecting Keef was enough for Gaz to slash at him without much retaliation. Even worse for him, Gaz was getting more precise with each attack. Cuts became gashes, stinging pain ran through his body, and eventually Gaz was able to land a large gash across Zim's body.
The seconds wasted when Minimoose cried in pain was enough. He even dropped Dib's laser-blade. Gaz leaped behind Keef, who hadn't even landed yet from his last attack, and kicked him once more. By this point, Keef was barely conscious, he couldn't even properly hold his laser-blade and it fell as he flew, but even if Keef was incapable of killing Minimoose himself, he just needed to collide into the tyrant. Gaz jumped, to follow up on Keef's collision, but suddenly, Keef's body was turned around and collided into Gaz instead.
Minimoose had been waiting, for the right moment, the right angle. He had his tendrils slither around, looking for a place to attach to. When Keef came flying towards Minimoose, the tendrils pulled him back, giving him a few more seconds to react. He caught the human and threw him back with the same force towards Gaz.
Gaz landed against a slanted piece of rubble. Keef's was on top of her, his face beaten and was now merely dead weight holding her down. She moved him aside, but before she could stand up, Zim appeared in front of her. Both his hands pinned her shoulders down. The wounds she made of his face were still bleeding, the blood from the gash was dripping onto her clothes.
Gaz didn't say anything. Neither did Minimoose. Gaz probably wouldn't have heard anything he said anyway. Her heartbeat was pounding in her ears. She was stomping her feet, trying to escape with the power of her boots, but Zim was holding her down tightly. Her face was colored by the glow coming from his three tendrils, each holding a laser-blade; Keef's, Dib's, and her's.
The blades fell.
Minimoose was on the ground, newly fallen rubble appeared around him. He was slightly dazed and confused as to what happened. Gaz had fallen to the floor. She didn't know what happened either, but was glad to be alive. As she lied there, Minimoose began to rise. Gaz didn't notice the being behind her, something else had caught her attention. There were small rocks in front of her, rolling.
Suddenly the Mothership shook and Minimoose fell again. A slab of metal fell from above, landing between the two. Gaz kicked the debris and caused it to slam into Minimoose as he was getting up. Gaz found her blaster nearby. She picked it up, intending to blast Zim once he came within her sight, but as she took her first step, the Mothership was shaken again. By now it was obvious to Gaz. The ship was slanting. Another quake. More debris falling. Gaz grabbed hold of a bar jetting from the wall to prevent her from sliding. She looked around, she didn't think the ship could've looked worse as large sections of the ship had already collapsed or caved in. She also couldn't see anyone else. Not Daj, Keef, Kor, or Dib. She was alone, with no idea what was going to happen.
When the first quake happened, Dib, Kor, Skoodge, and Daj tumbled into a wall. Tel's transmission had stopped right before. Dib worked quickly to reestablish a connection.
"Tel! What the hell is going-" Another shake interrupted Dib, however, it didn't matter if Tel answered or not. Dib got to see what happened.
Dib was almost blinded by the sudden rays of light illumination the room. In front of Dib was a giant metal arm, belonging to a whiny, giant robot. At first Dib thought this was their chance to escape, but then he saw it. Across from the Dibship was a very large moose, in a stance that Dib recognized.
"RUN!" Dib shouted towards his allies. He ran past their cover, still holding onto Skoodge. Kor followed him, but Daj lagged behind. The Darvon had gone back to get Kry's body. The moose charged.
The Dibship took the impact, and Dib felt it. He fell on his face. Kor helped Dib up, but when he looked back, he couldn't find Daj or Kry. Half of the room caved behind them, the debris they took cover behind was now crushed by the Dibship.
Dib watched as the moose reeled back for another impact. When it happened, both Dib and Kor fell, along with chunks of metal from the floors above. Dib was too distracted by what was behind him, but Kor was looking up.
Kor shoved Dib as hard as she could. Dib landed on the side of a broken console. He looked back and saw piles of metal and wreckage where Kor was. Dib was alone with a Skoodge, grabbing the console next to him as if it would protect him. The Mothership was being pressured, then everything around him started sliding.
Dib could barely see the Dibship, the moose moved back. Dib knew that one more blow would collapse the ship, but there was nothing he could do. The moose charged, but at the last second, the Dibship moved away. It was fortunate for Tel, unfortunately Minimoose's ship lacked the capabilities to dodge.
The moose crashed into the ship. The already leaning construct was now falling, with everyone inside.
Dib thought his whole body was numb, or at least wanted it to be. He could still feel pain. When the ship fell he was holding onto the console with his arm wrapped around Skoodge. He dangled from it for a short bit until he fell, landing on Skoodge and knocking him and the Irken out. When he woke up, he was met with a terrifying sight, a giant moose head.
Like always, Dib freaked out. He screamed and stumbled away, but then realized, the monster wasn't moving, or even breathing. He couldn't see it from up close, but after moving back, he saw the giant metal pole, impaled through the body of the moose.
Dib was relieved, but quickly panicked again after realizing just how dire his situation was. Aside from Skoodge, he didn't know if anyone else survived. The ground that Dib stood on was nothing but broken pieces of metal and technology. He heard rumbling behind him. He turned to hopefully find one of his comrades.
Things never went that well for him.
Zim stood in front of Dib. Broken, beaten, and bloody. He was breathing heavily but his tendrils still functioned; two supporting his arms, and three on his back. A clunking noise came from behind him, it was a Sir unit, now completely deactivated, falling to the floor and no longer hindering Minimoose's functions.
Dib tried preparing himself for an attack, but the pain was getting to him. His legs wobbled and he realized he was breathing heavier than Zim. There was no way he could fight Minimoose with only one hand and a broken metal stump.
Minimoose moved forward but was stopped. A squishy arm was pulling Zim's leg. It was Kor, sprawled on the ground, trying to stop Minimoose, but she was too weak.
"Stupid worm," Minimoose said. He pulled the Fefian forward and tossed her to the ground. Then he began stomping on the immortal being. He was venting all his anger on the Fefian, crushing her stomach, over and over. Kor's blood was bursting from her body amongst her agonizing screams.
Dib had to stop this, it was too brutal. He moved one step, but his legs gave in and he collapsed. He didn't give up yet, he remembered he still had Zim's Dimension Box. He didn't care what weapon he'd draw. Anything, just as long as it was solid enough to hurt Minimoose, would've been good enough. He reached into his jacket to pull it out, but after searching through all his pockets, he finally realized. He lost it.
Minimoose gave one last stomp, this time crushing the Fefian's head. Kor laid motionless and had to slowly regenerate, but before she could completely heal, Minimoose moved towards Dib. Dib, for once, wasn't feeling fear, instead he was frustrated. Frustrated at his powerless state and inability to protect his friends and sister. He was cursing his name, not even alert of his own surroundings and its impending dangers, but neither was Minimoose.
Focused on killing the opponents in front of him, he failed to notice the laser charging at a distance. When it fired, he barely had time to dodge. He escaped the direct blast but one of his remaining tendrils was disintegrate within the large laser. It had to be one of Zim's subordinates. Minimoose had hoped the only survivors would be Dib and the Fefian, but if past events were anything to go by, it was just wishful thinking. Minimoose now knew that not only had another one survived, but they all had. All of them running on the same stupid luck that Zim has.
Several yards away was Daj, holding his Giant Fraction Blaster. He had found it amongst the wreckage when he woke up, and was just in time to stop Dib's death. His wounds and exhaustion made it hard for him to aim properly and he missed the tyrant. Minimoose looked down at the immobile Dib, decided to turn towards the bigger threat, and immediately began sprinting.
Daj aimed the blaster and fired more bursts of lasers but Minimoose dodged them all and was rapidly closing the distance. Daj's aim was getting closer to matching Dib's and he couldn't fight the Irken in close quarters in his condition. He held the trigger of the blaster, charging it to fire a powerful stream as Minimoose got closer. Before it went off, Daj aimed downward and jumped. The force of the laser propelled him into the air before Minimoose could reach him.
Daj didn't have long before he landed, and he had to make the most out of the seconds he had. He charged the laser and fired, shooting a less powerful, more accurate stream down towards Zim. Minimoose was running away, planning on colliding with the Darvon, but Daj's laser followed him.
Minimoose dodged, jumped, and ducked under the stream as Daj tried various ways to hit the Irken. However, despite his agility, once Minimoose stepped where Daj was landing, it would be an easy, point blank shot for the lizard. During the last couple of seconds of his descend, Daj was caught by surprise when Minimoose leaped into the air, colliding with the Darvon. Daj dropped his blaster and the two were sent crashing onto the hard ground.
"Stupid...drone..." Daj uttered. Minimoose lifted the Darvon with his tendrils and was about to crush Daj like Kor when a laser hit his back. Minimoose felt electricity course through him and his tendrils went limp. Before he could see his attacker and fist flew into Zim's face, knocking him backward. He saw his next opponent, but he already knew who it was even before he was punched. The other survivor, the most annoying one, Gaz.
Gaz stood firm in front of her enemy. Minimoose didn't see great signs of fatigue or weakness like he saw in Dib. If it wasn't for the blood and dirt on her face and clothes, she would've looked completely refreshed. The stun blaster she held was smoking, it was damaged from the fall and had only been good for one more shot. She disposed of the weapon and balled her hands into fists.
Gaz didn't give Minimoose another moment to breathe. She rushed him. Minimoose jumped away, letting Gaz's boot crush the rubble behind him. He picked up a large piece of wreckage and threw it at Gaz. Instead of dodging, Gaz ran towards it and jumped. She used the midair piece as a step and flew forward, swinging her leg forward in order to kick Zim's head in.
Minimoose didn't run either, instead bracing himself. He sent Zim's fist forward, colliding with Gaz's boot. Both beings were pushed back by the force of the impact. When Gaz got up, the boot Minimoose punch was broken. At the same time, Gaz had crushed the tendril supporting Zim's left arm, leaving him one-handed, but Minimoose was willing to trade his host's arm in order to reduce Gaz's mobility. However, for Minimoose, this battle was going on for too long, and Zim's comrades were as tenacious as their leader, he would not last with one arm. He needed a weapon.
"Ugh, what on Irk happened?" A small being popped up near Minimoose. It was the last relatively healthy Irken in the universe, Skoodge. "What's this contraption that I hit my head on?"
From behind his back, Skoodge pulled out the Dimension Box. Minimoose was quick to notice.
"Give me that box you little bug!" Minimoose yelled.
"Huh? My Tallest?! You lived!"
"Si, si, now give it!"
"Wait, Skoodge!" Across from Skoodge stood Dib, having barely recovered enough to stay standing, "Don't do it! He's not Zim anymore!"
"But he looks so much like my Almighty Tallest!" Skoodge said.
"Shut up, Dib-worm!" Minimoose yelled.
"He even condescends your weak body like he always does!"
"Skoodge, listen to me! As of recently, your are the only remaining actual Irken alive!" Dib began, "You are no longer bound by your society's dictatorial rules! You are your own Tallest! You can make your own decisions!"
"I-I can?"
"Yes, and if you give him the Box, you'll doom the rest of your race and the universe!"
"I-I-"
"Oh mios dios." Minimoose decided to interrupt this existential crisis, "Skoodge! Pig-boy is lying to you! Give me the box!"
"Yes my Tallest! HOO-HA!" Within a second, Skoodge switched from panicked uncertainty to obedient servitude and threw the box towards Minimoose, to Dib's horror. Minimoose caught the box and laughed maniacally, but during all this time, Gaz was recovering. She jumped him from behind, sending him to the ground. Having being able to only hold the box with one hand, he dropped the box, sending it flying.
Minimoose got up, but Gaz was trying to restrain him. A few more seconds and Gaz might have even suffocated him, but his tendrils had regained their function, and he pried himself from the human. He looked at the spot where the box should've landed, but instead of an inter-dimensional device, he saw a human running away.
Dib reached into the Dimension Box, trying to feel for a weapon, but all he felt was empty space.
"How does Zim work this stupid thing? AHH!" Suddenly Dib fell backwards, something had hit his legs from behind. Minimoose had tripped Dib using the nearest object, Skoodge. Minimoose ran at Dib. Deciding he didn't want to die just yet, he diverted Minimoose's attention, "Daj!"
Dib threw the Dimension Box towards the Darvon. Daj had just been getting up, still shaken and sore from Minimoose, so he wasn't very aware of his surroundings when Dib shouted his name.
"Huh?" The box clonked Daj, bouncing off his hard head and knocking him back down.
"...God dammit." Dib said in despair. On the other hand, he had succeeded in drawing Minimoose's attention away from him, and despite Daj's negligence, Minimoose didn't get the box just yet.
Before Minimoose could reach the box, a semi-transparent hand grabbed the box when it landed. Kor had fully regenerated was able to keep the Dimension Box away from Minimoose. It escaped his clutches for only five seconds.
"I got it! AHHHHHHHHH!" Kor was an easy target. Without the mobility of her boots or power of her gloves there was no way she could dodge of resist Minimoose's tendril when it grabbed her.
"Don't let him get that box!" Dib shouted.
"Uh, uh," Kor thought of the first thing to do with the box, but Minimoose already guessed it. Kor tried to reel her arm back to throw the box but she was restrained by the second tendril. If she dropped it then she might as well be giving it to Minimoose, so she went with a different idea. She ate it.
Kor had dropped the box and let it fall into her mouth. Minimoose was not happy. He held Kor in front of him, the box already inside her stomach.
"Oh no, how will I ever take the box from your squishy, breakable body?" Minimoose said tauntingly. Kor now thought eating the Dimension Box might have been a bad idea.
Minimoose pressed Zim's hand against Kor's stomach. The hand dug through Kor's skin, inserting Zim's hand through the stomach and into the fluids as Kor screamed. Dib charged at Minimoose, but was quickly kicked and knocked down. Minimoose grabbed the Dimension Box drifting within Kor and ripped it out. Kor stopped screaming. Minimoose was about to make her scream more.
Dib was scared, but he couldn't run. After what he did to Kor, to Kry, to Daj, to Gaz, and even Zim, he couldn't abandon them. He had to do something, but he had no weapons except for a stumpy robot-hand, and Minimoose had a near limitless supply within his hands. He looked around, even a rock would be helpful, but then, he found something much better than a rock.
Minimoose held Kor above him. She had stopped bleeding, and wondered what Minimoose was gonna do to torture her more.
"So what, are you gonna rip me in half or something?" Kor said with malice.
"No, you'd just come back and be annoying," Minimoose look at the Dimension Box, a smile appeared on his face as he thought of a sufficient punishment for the persistent Fefian. The box let him pull anything out, but he also realized that he could put anything in, "I hope you like eternity in a pocket dimension!"
Kor's eyes widened and she grew scared, she could immediately tell what Minimoose was planning. She struggled but couldn't escape his tendrils. He raised the box, but didn't stuff her just yet.
"Don't be stupid, Dib-worm," Minimoose spoke towards the human sprawled on the floor. It had taken him time to position since he had only one hand. He used the ground and his chest as support and his hand was placed on the trigger of Daj's Giant Fraction Blaster.
"Let her go," Dib demanded.
"Use your brain, human, do you think you can actually hit me? I know about your extraordinary ability to miss every shot, and you know that I am fast enough dodge. So I'll ask again, do you really think you can hit me?"
"I-I..." Dib already knew the answer, and so did Minimoose.
"Pull the trigger, Dib-monkey, fire the laser. I will dodge it, then I will grab you, then I will twist your squishy, weak neck-" Minimoose stopped. He had barely saw her. Quickly he raised an arm, just in time from preventing his throat from being choked. It was Gaz.
Gaz had been avoiding Minimoose's line of sight. Without both her boots working, a direct assault would leave her too vulnerable, so she waited for a moment to attack. She made one leap, grabbing Minimoose from behind. She wrapped one arm around his neck, but Zim's single working arm blocked it. She couldn't choke him, but she had her other arm around his body to restrain him. Minimoose couldn't shake her with a broken arm. He tried to move his tendrils, but they were also restrained, Kor had grabbed both of them and hung on them.
"Let me go!" Minimoose yelled. It had to be now, Gaz was using all of what remained of her strength to hold onto him.
"Dib, shoot now!" Gaz's order shocked Dib.
Dib's hand was shaking. "What! I can't, you're-"
"Stop worrying about me! This is our only shot to kill him!"
"No! Don't listen to her, Dib!" Minimoose was getting scared. He was constrained and at that range, it would be very hard for even Dib to miss.
"Shut up!"
"Gaz, please! You're-you're being stupid!" Despite his protests, Dib still kept his finger on the trigger.
"Just shoot him!"
"Don't do it, human! Listen to your puny heart feels!" Minimoose pleaded, "What kind of brother would shoot at his little sister?"
"Dib, please! I want him dead! No matter what...but...I promise, I'll be fine. Shoot!"
"What?" Dib's finger couldn't stop shaking. Gaz's voice had wavered, Dib didn't confidently believe Gaz was telling the truth. The only way Gaz was going to be okay was if she let go at the last second.
Minimoose felt slightly optimistic upon hearing Gaz's words. The only way she could dodge a laser blast would be to release him at the last second, most likely with her remaining power within the boot. It would be short, but enough time for him to dodge as well.
Gaz wasn't going to let go at the last second. Her last boot had died when she leaped behind Minimoose. She couldn't outrun a laser even if she wanted to, but she was willing to say anything to make Dib shoot.
"Trust me."
Dib pulled the trigger. He was reluctant and even closed his eyes after he fired, not wanting to know if he had made a mistake. Minimoose braced himself, ready to jump once Gaz let go, but as the laser drew closer, Gaz remained steady and unmoving, and fear within Minimoose grew.