Slow Progress, Quick Changes

Chp. 8 Abduction

20th July XXXX 19:11 (Earth time)

Yet again, another trip through out the stars. Zim started to question his patience for seeing the same stars over and over again, feeling a minor headache coming on, yet it didn't stop the tall alien from relishing his victory of humiliating Red. A slight rumble of giggles erupted from Zim as he continued to rethink the whole scenario again and again- however the giggles didn't last long, his wide grin faltering his green, petal lips to a mere flat line, his eyes narrowing with hints of melancholy within the artificial optics. The extra terrestrial shook his head, the sadness being replaced with anger directed at himself.

What type of Irken treats his leader like that?!

Zim didn't even notice that he reached The Massive due to being deep in thought, doing the usual routine of opening the tail pipe and docking, making his way to his room. A lot more faster than usual.

Upon reaching his room, the automatic door slid open, Zim walking in looking vexed, too many thoughts flying around in his mind like a mad tornado causing havoc, words and phrases said by a specific leader repeating as if he was permanently attached to Zim's lithe body, whispering dark taunts into his antennae, rolling off his serpent like tongue.

"Shut up," Zim growled deeply and lowly, sitting down at the side of the bed which Dib wasn't currently occupying, forgetting that the human existed for a moment.

"I didn't say anything!" A cracked, male voice broke Zim out of his ugly and tainting thoughts, bringing him back to reality. Dib managed to pull himself up into a sitting position, keeping hold of the warm covers as if his life depended on them. The humans eyes were slightly sunken in due to the lack of sleep he has had through this journey, his face pale and ill looking, hair messy and slightly dirty at the roots.

The alien snorted, feeling no need to explain his thoughts. Why would he start now to confess his own personal and emotional problems? Especially to his enemy.

Zim turned his torso to the left to face said enemy, his hard gaze softening into more of a questioning stare, his eyes narrowing.

"Why are you naked?" The Irken questioned dully, a claw gesturing at his body. It took a few seconds for Zim to find that Dib tossed his clothes to the side of the bed. Despite the many times the pair have fought and even ripped clothing - Dib being the victim in ripped clothes as Zim naturally has the advantage with his claws - they haven't seen each others skin properly.

The humans reaction comes off as embarrassed, pulling the cover closer to him and nearer his neck to cover his body.

"I'm not entirely naked..." Dib remarked, "I have trousers on."

"Right," Zim drawled his response, finding he didn't have the social capability to continue a conversation like that. "Well, you better get used to the idea of me seeing you with less clothing, I'm going to bed."

"This bed?"

"Naturally," The alien scoffed, his headache becoming slightly worse. Zim theorized Dibs stupidity was getting to him. He flicked off the light switch so that the room was dark, however the dull light from distant stars provided enough for Zim to see the outline of furniture and objects. Slipping his boots off, he swiftly tucked himself in bed, turning away from Dib, a long sigh escaping through his nose as he finally felt relaxed, though the weight from his mind never lifted an inch.
Zim could feel Dib's stare burning into the back of his head, he tried to ignore it but he felt himself grow awkward.

"So," Zim started, wondering if a 'light hearted' conversation could break the tension between them, "why did you panic about me seeing you nude?"

Dib almost choked at the bizarre question. "I-" he cut himself short, stopping to actually think about why he 'panicked' as Zim described. "I don't know... it's sort of 'taboo' to be nude in front of people in a way, yet there are some people who simply don't care about what society thinks. Yet those people can go to extremes..." Zim's reply was a mere 'hmm', muffled by the covers that covered his mouth. A silence was present before the human started talking again. "What about your species?"

"It's practically a sin," Zim mumbled, "there was once a tall Irken who exceeded in everything, the best of the best, favoured by the previous Tallests; he was pictured as 'perfect' by Irken society." Zim squeezed his eyes shut and gripped the covers as he remembered that Irken – he knew he was the best, he loved to relish in his glory. "Then a few rebellious Irkens did a prank that involved him being stripped of clothing and covered in goo in front of everyone during an assembly. He was later found trying to rip off his own PAK; a suicide attempt."

"That-that's awful!" Dib cried out, sadness creeping onto his face at the sheer dire of the story, many questions floating around his head. "Did he live?"

"Yes, oh yes did he live. Better than ever," Zim sighed out, turning over on his back, looking up at ceiling, occasionally glancing over at Dib, who looked more relaxed and less rigid. "The Irken I just described to you was Tallest Red."

"I..." Dib fully sat up and looked down for a moment, his face full of confusion. "Just wow... I never would've guessed."

"A lot of people assumed he was really a 'defective' until he progressed through the ranks, which is why Red is very prejudice against 'defectives', because he acted like one once and the memory forever burns within his mind."

Dib looked down, letting the information brew in his mind. He smiled, thinking of how his eleven year old self would've been excited to hear such information about an alien leader of a high technological advanced empire. Yet here he is, taking the sensitive information respectably, acknowledging the harsh reality of the Irken empire.

"Irkens are... interesting yet strange creatures," said Dib, finding that was all he could muster up.

"And yet you humans get a red face when someone sees you naked."

The witty remark made them chuckle long and lightly, the serious subject being pushed far back into their minds as their smiles widened and their bodies became relaxed. The pair continued to talk about topical subjects, comparing their home planets on a variety of things and gaining a laugh or two. While it was fun while it lasted, the pair eventually felt the fatigue settling in their bodies, mumbling a quiet 'goodnight' while they both slipped into a peaceful rest.

21st July XXXX 03:21 (Earth Time)

It was as dark as the emptiness of space on the great Irken ship known as the Massive and it was no different for the room the two high elite Irken soldiers were assigned to raid. They stealthily tip toed in and stopped dead in their tracks upon nearing the bed.

"What is that?" One of the soldiers asked, hoping his comrade would know an answer.

"How am I suppose to know?" Said comrade whispers back harshly, giving his partner a nasty glare. Both their artificial optics return to the bed, specially the foreign being in question as 'it' stirs and lets out a deep sigh, flopping onto its back and letting it's milky white arms flop to either side, revealing a great amount of skin on its torso. The Irken soldiers are taken back at the sight, optics widening.

"What is it doing!? What should we do!?" The elite started to panic before he was swiftly hit at the back of the head by his comrade, a sour look taking place as his comrade's patience was wearing thin.

"We take this 'thing' back to My Tallest as a present; the reward is most likely phenomenal!"

Soon enough the pair – who weren't that short for Irkens – lifted the foreign being out of bed and dragged him quickly out the room, soon enough the being started to thrash and scream, causing the Irken soldiers to act quickly by zapping the distraught being with a electrical rod – a device which most Irkens who are closer to royal ranks or guards have with them.
"That was close," one of them mumbled, as the pair continued to drag the 'thing' hastily the board room where a specific leader would be waiting patiently.

21st July XXXX 06:01 (Earth Time)

Zim's body twitched slightly as he slowly awoke from his deep sleep, his body not feeling at all rested. Whether it was because he slept for longer than usual or just the sheer amount of travelling he has done over the past few days. The answer was not clear to the tall Irken currently as he felt that the bed was empty bar him.
Panic rose up in Zim as he shot up and looked around hastily for his human companion, finding no sign of him other than the clothing he left on the floor, which seem to have been moved a lot further away from the bed.

Then a thought crossed the aliens mind.

"He couldn't of..."

I know, I know that this chapter was rushed, I know that I haven't updated for 3 months, I know that I have 3 homeworks due for tomorrow and have barely scraped the pile but eeyyyy I updated.
I would love to promise that I will be quicker to update but I don't enjoy not keeping promises... so... we'll see

R&R, a recent review made me finish this chapter so it does actually help~