Episode 18- Monsters In The Dark (Part3)

(Back with Zim…)

Zim and Koi faced off on the titled floor of the narrow school hallway. The area was wide enough for the two of them to fight, not that it matter with Zim grabbing Koi and smashing him into one locker after the other, indenting them into the walls.

He couldn't help the destruction; his anger had reached new heights. He knew the Tallest were despicable, but this…this was an act of pure evil. 'Releasing a berserk to roam free, if Koi wasn't so focused on me everyone else would be dead by now!'

The Tallest had not only put him in danger, but the humans and the Irkens who commonly visited the town below Zec.

'They are unfit to be rulers.' This much was true, but Zim still refused to correct them, they were no longer his problem. He had disowned them! He would kill Kio to protect himself and that was it!

No, he was doing this for her, he had to remember his promise to her.

"Promise me you'll protect him Zim."

"I promise, I will protect your brother with my life."

Koi finally manages to throw Zim off of himself, the force of his shove sends Zim into the lockers on the other side of the hall. The monster does not hesitate, charging after him.

Zim rolls against the smashed lockers, Koi misses him by a hair, the locker under his fist shatters from his blunt strength. Zim knows hesitation will be his own worst enemy, Koi was berserk; he had no mind for reasoning, or for thinking. If Zim stopped to think a single action through, then he was dead! So, without much thought, he lunged for Koi, allowing his Amon instincts to take over, trusting in his own will to survive.

It works, Koi is too slow to dodge, and soon Zim is above him, as they crash to the hard tile floor.

Koi hisses, claws thrashing out at the enemy, and many find their mark; cutting deep into Zim's torso and arms. However, Zim refuses to let him go, he bears his teeth one deep bite to the neck should snap the spine, killing Koi in an instant.

Koi sees his intention, and acts; lifting his hips and flipping them over, reversing their positions.

Zim claws him in the eyes, and finds his mark with at least one of them. Koi howls, and Zim kicks him across the hall. Zim breathed heavily, his glowing red eyes watching for movement, but he saw none. He approached the other slowly his eyes, and body reverting back to their normal form as he did so. "Koi?" he asked even though he knows good and well the beast has no ability to answer him.

At least not in English.

No answer.

Zim reaches his side, and bends down to check his work. "Koi?"

A clawed hand reaches up and grabs him around the throat.

The beast chuckles. 'Big mistake!' it hissed.

(Back with Dib and the others…)

He could hear their battle from several halls away, and it made him run faster.

What were the Tallest thinking? Who would make a monster and turn it loose in the city where both humans, and Irkens alike could be victimized! There was only one answer, the Tallest must be going berserk themselves. Either that, or they were more power hungry than he thought. He hoped the later was the answer, he really did!

Dib and the other's gasped as they reached a dead end! The schools back exit was blocked by solid steel bars.

"What do we do now?" Rachel screamed. There was tears in her eyes, how could anyone be so cruel? Who would make such a fowl monster on purpose!

"We can turn back, try another way." Mark tried to reason.

"No children." Goalit snapped, stepping in front of them protectively once more; his weapon at the ready. Leaving the children in between him and the barricaded door. "It's too dangerous, we must hold our ground here."

"Can't you use your PAK legs to cut through these bars?" Dib reasoned.

"Yes." Goalit answered, "But only after Zim kills Koi!" he reasoned. "He's locked in here too; we cannot let him escape. Once Zim is dead he'll start killing at random!"

"Why?" Rachel asked. "Why even care about Zim at all?"

"He's another Amon." Goalit explained. "And in Koi's mind he and Gir are the only things that stand a chance to stop him. They are a threat to his survival so he must eliminate them first."

"Zim will win right?" James asked hopefully.

"I hope so." Goalit said, "I really do!" And he meant it, but he knew Zim.

Zim had a problem with over thinking things, and a berserk never thought at all. If Zim stopped to think, he'd be done for!

"He has to win." He whispers. "He just has to."

(Back with Zim…)

Zim gasped for breath, but it was no use.

Koi's grip was tight around him like a vice, gripping him tightly, as he got to his feet, lifting Zim as if he was a rag doll.

Zim watched as Kio beard his own teeth, ready to deliver the final blow.

This was it; he was dead! 'I'm sorry Gaz.' He thought. 'I tried.' He should have known better than to let his guard down, he should have stayed in his beast form until he was sure the monster was dead. But he had not, and now it would cost him, or so he thought.

Gir acted at once, jumping up, and kicking the beast at full force.

The force sends him flying back into another set of lockers Koi lets go of Zim stunned.

Zim gasps for air, getting to his feet, he focuses, allowing the beast inside of him to take over again, and this time he would not revert back until he knew for sure. He gives Koi no time to recover, he rams into him grabbing his antennas and jerking them back to expose the enemy's neck.

However, Koi is ready for this, and jerks his head forward. The force is so mighty that his antennas snap off, and his head continues forward head butting Zim in the face.

Zim staggers back, the force too great to shake off easily.

Quickly, before Zim could recover, Koi swiftly punched him in the solar plexus, knocking the wind out of the ex-invader, and stunning him for a brief moment.

The fight had taken them further down the hall dangerously closer to the others, if he died here they would have no time to hide, or react. The quick blow had opened Zim up for another attack and Koi obliged him, putting a simple sidekick into his stomach, doubling him over. Koi followed that up with a quick rising uppercut.

Dib and the other's winced at the sound, the fight was so close that they could see the shadows of the two Amons dancing on the wall in front of them, but they couldn't tell who was who! Was Zim winning? Did sure hopped so!

Zim knew he had to think fast, he spit out blood produced by the previous blow into Koi's face, blinding him momentarily.

Koi hissed, rubbing his one good eye trying to see.

Taking the opening and using the environment to his advantage, Zim back flipped onto the wall and pushed off towards him. The maneuver sent him front flipping towards the monster. Zim flattened his body out, feet first. Instead of colliding with his adversary though, he wrap his feet around his neck instead.

The maneuver caught Koi off guard as he was recovering his wits, once again.

Zim gave him an apologetic shrug, midair. As if to say, "sorry" for what was going to come next. He then used his momentum and jerked backwards, flipping himself along with his opponent into the ground.

There was a crushing sound of bone and Dib flinched. "Please tell me that was Koi's bones." He whispered.

Zim jumped away from the beast, and swerved around quickly, feeling exposed with the back to the beast. But one look at the enemy told him that there was no need to be frantic. Koi's neck had been bent at an odd angle, proving that it was the bone that had cracked by Zim's final move.

The berserk Koi was no more.

Zim stagger forward stopping to watch the flashing beacon in Koi's neck as it slowly faded away.

Dib watched shakenly, the down Amon had not gotten back up, and the other shadow had started moving towards them once again. "Zim..." he asked hopefully?

"Yeah it's me." Zim answered, reverting back to his normal form. His clothes were tattered, and he was cover in gashes, and blood, but he was alive! Gir stood off to his side, eyes now glowing his normal blue.

Dib rushed forward, and embraced him, surprising everyone (including himself) by the gestor. Had he missed the Irken that much? Yes, he decided he had!

Rachel follows his lead, and hugs Zim as well. "I'm so glad you're okay." She admitted.

"Why are you guys even here?" Zim snapped, pushing them off of him.

"We were worried." Rachel answered.

"Yeah Dib told us about Berserks" James cut in. "And we were worried that the actions of your people towards those scientist would…change you."

"Well you risked your lives for nothing." Zim snapped. "I am use to my people's antics."

"You're wrong." Mark snapped back.

"What?" Zim asked stunned.

"It wasn't a wasted of time." Mark corrected him. "We're a team, NO! We're you friends, and friends look after each other."

"He's right." Rachel agreed. "We should have never let you leave."

"You really mean it?" Zim asked Mark.

"Look all this time I thought you were sneaking out at night to report to the Tallest, because Dib here decided to withhold information!" Mark explained.

"No, I should have told you." Zim admitted. "I knew the Tallest would use their beast forms if they were ever attacked, I should have told you so you could be ready to face it, now that I'm leaving."

"So, you're still not coming back?" Goalit asked fearfully.

"No." Zim said bluntly. "I am done with this War." He pushed pass them, and pried the bars on the door apart like they were tissue paper, and opened the door.

"So that's it!" Dib snapped, anger suddenly falling over him.

"I'm done Dib." Zim hissed. "I have forgiven my people for many things, but I can't bare the sight of them! Not anymore!"

Goalit flinched at his words. However, in all honesty he couldn't blame him, he too was angry by their leaders' actions. He was also angry about the way their people continued to support them, out of fear, if they all rose together they could take out two Amons, even without Zim!

But they wouldn't, and that's what made Zim sick! They chose to stay in their miserable lives, and he was tired of trying to save ungrateful cowards who didn't want to be rescued. "They don't need me!" he hissed, moving to leave.

"What about Gaz!" Dib screamed. "Are you going to leave her to fin for herself too?"

Zim froze, Dib was right, he had promised to go back for her, and he had also promised…

"You promised to save her!" Dib yelled. "And you promised to protect me! How can you do either if you leave us now?"

He couldn't!

Zim's eyes narrowed, he had a promise to keep; no, he had several promises to keep. "I promised to protect you." He agreed. "I promised to save Gaz, and I promised to free your world, and I will." Zim turned to face them. "I will come back and complete these Missions."

Everyone gave a sigh of relief, however Zim wasn't finished.

"But I never promised to take the Tallest's place." Zim hissed.

"Sir please." Goalit began.

"No, I will free Earth, and then I will join the Ancients." Zim snapped. "Because they are worth my time, you are free to join me, but I refuse to help cowards who wish to stand by as these monsters continue to destroy everything including their own!"

"Zim please…" Dib whispered.

"I am not changing my mind." Zim hissed. "Now we better go, the beacon gave off our position, the Tallest will know Koi is dead, they will come for us." He ran out the door then, and the group had no choice but to follow him.

Goalit felt the tears as they ran down his face, and he let them fall. He had failed his Ancestors, Zim their last hope of peace would not budge, he had made up his mind, and as far as he was concerned the Irken race was already dead!

(Back with Captain Ogre…)

[Location: Tallest's Castle]

{Time: 02:30 AM}

He really hated his job.

Captain Ogre stepped into the throne room shakenly. "Sirs." His voice was but a whisper.

"He won didn't he?" Red asked. "Zim is still alive."

"Yes" Captain Ogre answered, fearfully but to his surprise the Tallest seemed more relieved than angry. "You're okay with this?"

"Having them both around was painful." Purple explained. "Besides, we already have another plan in play."

Tak suddenly stepped out of the shadows, the human girl Gaz was by her side.

"Gazline Membrane." Red exclaimed. "Are you ready to save your family?"

Gaz took a deep breath, this was it, she was about to lead the love of her life to his certain doom, but she had too. They had gain the trust of the Tallest, for only then could they begin to build an army within the walls of their city. She nodded. "Just as long as we can be together again, in our home."

"You have our word." Purple assured her.

"Then I am ready." She told them.

Red, and Purple smiled wickedly, they already had a new plan, and this time the Renegades wouldn't see this one coming!

Tak's communicator buzzed silently. "Please excuse me, my Tallest." She and Gaz bowed. "But I must prepare Gaz for her role in next week's events.

"Very well." The Tallest spoke as one, and the two left the throne room.

Tak answered the call once they were a safe distance away. "Talk to me Sir." She answered knowing it was Goalit in a second.

"It's bad." Goalit's voice came as a whisper.

"What happened?" Tak asked.

"Zim's finally reached his limit." Goalit answered. "He's done with all of us, he's saving Earth and then he's leaving."

Gaz's eyes widen. "Where is he going?" she asked frantically.

"Where is he going?" Tak repeated her question, knowing that she was too far away for Goalit to hear her.

"He's going back to the Ancients; he's going to live with them." Goalit answered.

'He's leaving me.' Gaz knew that he would, after all Tak had explained to her that Zim had a higher calling, but now he was throwing it away; all because some bullies pushed him down a few times. That wasn't the Zim that she knew, the Zim she knew always got back up!

No matter what.

"I have to talk to him." Gaz said.

"You can't!" Tak whispered, hoping Goalit couldn't hear. "For our plan to work we have to be convincing, talk to Zim now and they will know we don't mean it. And if the Tallest don't see a look of shock on Zim's face we are screwed Gaz!"

"Then you better do something!" Gaz hissed. "Because I will not stand by and allow Zim to give up on his people! If he's going to leave me, then he's going to do it for something noble damn it!"

"Okay, fine; but we can't get involved!" Tak hissed, then spoke into the communicator once more. "Try to get through to him and if you can't find someone who will we need him to follow through with this!"

"I'll try." Goalit's voice sounds grave. "But I doubt he'll listen. They've really ticked him off this time."

"Tell him to grow up!" Gaz hissed, even though she knew Goalit could not hear her.

Tak could feel her worry, she was masking it well behind her anger, but Tak could still see it. Gaz was worried about Zim, and if Tak was being honest then she'd admit that she was worried about him too. 'What's going through your head now?' she wondered. 'You've always been so stubborn no matter what they all thought, and now when we need you to be you suddenly change.' Of course, she wasn't surprised, that was totally Zim's nature! He always fell short of the mark the moment you start depending on him, yes she knew his type.

But it was out of her hands, after she and Gaz pulled this stunt of theirs she'd be out of the Resistance for sure!

"Promise me you'll find a way." She whispered.

"Tak why do I have the feeling you leaving us." Goalit asked.

"I'm about to do something really stupid." She admitted. "And it might make Zim feel more hatred towards us."

"Tak don't do anything rash." Goalit ordered.

"Just promise me you'll find a way." Tak whispered.

"I promise." Goalit answered, even though he wasn't even sure how he would fulfill it.

However, a promise was a promise, and it was a promise he planned to keep.

Episode 18- Monsters In The Dark (Part3) END!

Author's Notes: Tak and Gaz have revealed their plans to betray the Renegades, will their betrayal spell out the end of our favorite hero's? And will Goalit find a way to change Zim's mind?

Tune in Next week to find out!

Shout-out(s): Again, I give this shout out to all my loyal readers, I'm looking at you invader Johnny!