The stars. Ever watching. Ever changing. The night sky lurched into different shades and forms. It never remained. The stars were beautiful, majestic, with a sense of alluring possibility. But as a certain Irken watched the constellations, he had other words for them. To him, they were ugly reminders of his mission and how earth had turned into a hostile prison. His plans often failed or miserably never came close to their real glory. He missed seeing another Irken. A creature like himself. And he missed being close to his home planet. When he first came to earth he was full of eager readiness and pride. But now, more than ever, he was feeling very homesick. He had to think of any other plan to destroy earth before Dib had a chance of ruining it. His spine tingled uncomfortably as the stars twinkled in mockery above his earth base. Too many nights he had been having the same nightmare. And often he strove to keep himself awake just so that he could evade the black tormenting visions. An Irken generally doesn't need a bed as they rarely sleep unless they are sick or injured. But every Irken must nap for at least a few minutes during the day or night or they would simply shut down. And Irkens dreamed. And that was something he found unpleasant. For weeks now he had been conjuring up the same nightmare. He would wake to find himself in a laboratory full of humans but their eyes were red and they carried scalpels and razor sharp knives. Standing amongst the dark silhouetted humans was his mortal enemy; Dib. And he laughed every time with the same look of pleasure and excitement to see the alien's guts spilled on the autopsy table. As the knife went in, Zim woke, shivering and babbling to himself. They got worse every time he dared to shut his bright eyes. He didn't know what to do. Even Gir could no longer comfort him with his childish laughs and his gentle, caring voice. For a while he began to believe that these powerful visions were warning him of the approaching future. And that if he didn't do something soon, Dib would have his wish come true.
Zim swallowed hard and peered up at his computer screen. He had been so tired that often he dozed on his desk. He drew out a sigh and closed the roof above him. He hated the stars.
It was too dark. Dib feared it though he refrained from telling anyone. He knew the monsters that lurked in the shadows and the demons flailing across the watery moon. He was walking as quickly as he could back home. It had been a long day at his new job and boy didn't he hate it. Back when he was a child he wanted to become a paranormal investigator. Now all he was, was a computer person. In fact, he wasn't sure what he was now. All he did was answer phones and sit at a very old computer all day. The boredom he felt seemed to seep under the doors and within minutes of walking in, he was yawning his head off. Fighting to keep himself awake seemed like a daily battle.
For a few more paces he entered his well-known neighborhood and spotted his house just ahead. He had grown considerably since junior school and his scythe of hair had grown down to his back. It must have been seven years since he last saw Ms. Bitters. After Junior school he went to high school and studied science and the paranormal. But now all he had was a crummy job and a crummy income. It left him feeling defeated and somewhat jealous of his father. Pro. Membrane had strove for his dreams and had become what he had always wanted to be. And he was happy. But for Dib he felt lost and lonely. He wanted a chance to do something. To prove himself that he was better. But how? He had given up tying to expose Zim. It was still his dream but who would ever believe him? He was fed up of being called a nutcase and crazy so he decided to let it drop. If Zim had any intelligence at all and wanted to rid the universe of this planet once and for all, he would have done so by now. So was he really a threat? Or just a nuisance?
"Evening, Gaz." He muttered dishearteningly when he closed the door to shut away the dark night.
"You're late." She said nonchalantly, eyes plastered to the television screen. Her new Xbox seemed to have lightened her life by a fraction.
"Work." Her brother stated glumly. "And it's just horrible. You can't believe it unless you're there, experiencing the same boring conversations and the depressing humans…"
"You're starting to sound like that irritating Zim."
"Yeah, sorry." Dib took his trench coat off and hung it on the wall. "At least the first day's over and done with." He sat on the cream sofa beside her. Gaz turned her game off and switched to another channel.
"I'm making dinner." She said with gritted teeth as if the very thought of it made her want to be sick. "Any requests?"
"No, I'm okay. Work made me lose my appetite. Thanks though."
She nodded. "Dad's not gonna be home for hours yet. He's inventing a new robot or something for domestic use. I think it's a waste of time." And she left for the kitchen without waiting for a reply.
Dib sighed and sunk into the hard cushions of the sofa. Why was he feeling so terribly lonely? A commercial came on about fried bacon and he narrowed his eyes at it in disgust. Shortly following it, Mysterious Mysteries of Strange Mystery came on. However he found himself too distracted to watch it. Bored even now, he took off his glasses to clean them with the corner of his azure shirt. Gaz returned with her food. Pizza no less. It rifted hot steams of nauseous burnt meat and Dib couldn't help but make fake vomiting sounds.
"Grow up." She growled. Gaz was never the best cook. In fact she was worse than Dib. Yet despite this she had grown a taste for burnt food.
Dib laughed. "What you do, put it in a fire?"
"I suggest you leave." She sat down and munched on a slice. "Go chase Zim or something."
The mention of the Irken's name made Dib's mind drift into a rivulet of memories. Zim had been inactive for months now without coming up with any new plans. What was he up to? If anything?
He closed his eyes as the lashing memories smothered him. He missed the junior school years, chasing Zim, threatening him and failing to complete homework for Ms. Bitters. His childhood had been a strangely happy one. If Zim had never come to earth, he wasn't sure what he would have done. But that alien inspired him to protect his home and to investigate further into the paranormal. For now the fights to expose him were over. But the war was not. One day. Maybe, all glory would be his. It was still his dream. No matter how impossible it seemed.
And now he did see why everyone thought of him as crazy. A little kid chasing after a green kid proclaiming that he was saving the world. He shook his head at the memories as if to disperse them from his mind. Why was Zim so quiet lately anyway?
The next morning, Dib was running to work, late as it was. "Oh please, I can't be fired now!" He gasped as he rounded a corner, then another and dashed past the old SKOOL. "I take back what I said about it last night! I need the money!" Though his father was well-off, he wanted to support himself, be more independent. It made him feel more grown-up.
Zim pondered in front on his computer. Ideas had been running through his head but none of them seemed to be any good. Gir loyally sat beside him in his dog suit, chewing on a bone he had found from a child's back garden.
"Gir, careful. You might choke on it." He said without evident emotion. His eyes shone against the lights above. What else might conquer earth? A giant beam cannon pointing directly at the planet? Or something else? There had to be a way. Admitting defeat was far from his thoughts.
"What are we having to eat tonight?" Gir asked curiously, quickly growing bored of the bone.
"You can have whatever you want." Zim replied quietly.
"Yaah!"
"But don't go mad."
"Ohhh." Gir whined, tongue wagging at him pleadingly.
Zim avoided the lure in his eyes. "No begging." He rested his chin against the palm of his hand. "I haven't called the Tallests in weeks. They're probably wondering what I'm doing. Maybe they're worried?" Gir coughed on the bone. "GIR! I told you to be careful!"
"Sorry."
Zim gazed back up at the computer screen. He had been giving the Tallest's mundane reports for too long. What if they were getting tired of waiting for him to weaken the planet for the Armarda? He was letting them down, day by day, month by month. Zim clenched his hands into fists. Destruction on earth would have begun on day one if it hadn't have been for Dib ruining everything from the moment he started learning about human filth.
The robot made a small yawning noise and went to the upper floor. Probably to watch the television. Zim watched him leave. Gir was incompetent and annoying sometimes. But on the other hand he was great company.
Stretching his limbs and having enough of work for one day, he joined Gir up top and sat watching the mindless TV show. The program was rather gross, even for Gir. It was a reality TV program that showed humans doing horrible things to each other like someone riding a motorcycle into a shop, another trying to stab people on a golf course. Zim watched in disbelief. Gir kicked out and laughed everytime someone got hurt. Zim trailed back to thinking for a new plan to conquer earth. But first he had to get rid of Dib once and for all. And perhaps the nightmares would disappear with him? But how could he exterminate such a menace and erase his very existence? It had to be something simple… something not obvious. His eyes drooped from all the thinking. He was just so tired.
Gir suddenly sprung to life and went into the kitchen. He returned swiftly with a sausage gripped in his black paws. "Want some?" He asked his master, "I wanted jam but it exploded…"
"No, Gir, I'm busy plotting." He retorted tiredly. However, his mind suddenly clicked when he noticed the food. "That's it!" He cried, "I will food poison him so bad, he'll die horribly slowly and painfully!" Zim burst into ominous laughter. Gir joined in with the maniacal cries of joy. "I'm SO amazing!"
2 Days Later.
It was a Wednesday and Dib was struggling in his new office. He had to answer calls and ring up people to offer the company's services and goods. And some people were just so rude! They shouted at him and swore until he ended up slamming the phone down. The other employees seemed to observe him from a distance and he felt as if he was being tested. He didn't even want to be here. But money was money and he needed it. Gaz was doing far better than he was. A few days before, she had interviewed for a job that tested games before they came out onto the market. With her determination and gaming skills they had excepted her in no time. Now she was earning more than her brother.
Dib clicked penuriously on his mouse. He felt like such a loser. At least he could go on the Internet while no one was looking.
Zim marched up a sterile clean corridor with an evil green on his face. Only minutes ago he had secured a day of work to be closer to his arch nemesis. He had found out where Dib worked by following him. Then he took up an interview and was accepted for a day's trail and a day was all that he needed. Now he was in the very same building as Dib. So far his plan was going smoothly, in fact, it was going better than he had hoped. In his PAK he carried the deadly hotdog, the tool for Dib's demise.
He opened a door leading to office 12 and saw the human that had caused him so much distress over at a computer in the corner of the room. His grin widened even further. Without being noticed he sat at his own computer numbered 9 that was opposite Dib's. For the next few hours he pretended to work. No one looked his way. His human disguise was obviously better than he thought.
Eventually, Dib, looking pale and agitated, left his seat for the staff toilets. Taking advantage of his absence, Zim left his chair and put the hotdog beside his keyboard. Holding his laughter in, he returned back to his place.
It was ten minutes into lunchtime by the time Dib came back from his toilet break. He saw the hotdog almost immediately when he sat down. He looked around suspiciously and noticed Zim for the first time. He jumped from where he sat. "Zim! What are you doing here?"
"Same thing as you." The alien complied. "Work."
"You don't need a job. You're just here so you can spy on me!"
Zim chuckled. "Let's just say I'm checking up on you."
Dib narrowed his eyes at the alien, hatred crossing his soul like mud lurking in a sparkling lake. What did he want? He turned back to the computer, feeling nervous and stressed. Now he had his old enemy watching him! Great. He thought. Now what?
His gaze rested on the hotdog. Either Zim had left that there or another employee. But why would Zim be giving him food? Unless someone had given it to the alien and since he was allergic, gave it to Dib? And he was hungry. He had missed breakfast and the temptation of a hotdog made his stomach growl. Besides, he never brought his own lunch in.
A few minutes passed and he could resist no longer. He took the hotdog and opened his mouth, ready to take a bite and sink his teeth into the meat when he suddenly heard a scream and a voice yelling at him to stop. Dib did instantly and dropped the hotdog. He looked around and saw Zim standing up on his chair, eyes wide with confusion and shock. "What's going on?" Dib shouted, throwing the food into the bin, "what are you up to?" He tried to make himself sound very urgent and demanding. He was fed up of these 'games.'
Zim didn't know. He had been so close to victory. But at the very last second he had screamed 'stop.' Why? Why!
Zim left his seat and ran out the office without a further word. He heard the whispers of mockery, defeat and failure. Some part of him told the stinking human to stop and he didn't know why. Was he losing control?
He walked out of the building, fuming in anger. Another plan had miserably ended, this time because of him, not the enemy.
After a brief walk, he trekked up his front garden and arrived inside his base. Gir was still in his dog suit, eyes glued to watching the rubbish that was on TV. Zim threw off his disguise in distaste and then banged his head against the wall. "Why?" He shouted, "it was perfect and I was the one who screwed it up!"
"Can I sit on your head?" Gir asked, oblivious to his master's disdain.
"No!" And with that he went down the toilet to sit at his computer. Yet he only stared dismally at the screen. Striking emotions of sadness and ire hit him like tidal waves preparing to drown him. He didn't get it. What made him shout 'stop?' He was a second away from killed Dib once and for all. "I hate myself."