When Sanity Is Lost: A ZaDr/Zim x Dib fanfic AU

Puppet On String

-Dib's POV-

The door opened without warning, startling me. When no one entered, I decided to poke my head out and look around. The hallway was deserted. I had my pants on, but I definitely wasn't going to wear my shirt. I wandered down the hall and noticed that the lights were flickering. Something must be drawing a lot of power. An Irken bumped into my leg and seemed in a panic. I picked them up before they could go far. "Hey! What's wrong with the lights?" They flinched but shakily answered. "Master wants us to attack the planet..! I'm just following orders!"

I dropped the Irken and ran down the hall. Damn it, Zim! Why are you so set on destroying Earth?? Was that why he was saying goodbye? "Argh! He's so difficult!" I yelled to myself, nearly tripping over myself as the lights completely blacked out for a few seconds.

I heard a commotion to the left when the lights kicked back on, though still flickering. I followed the noise until I found a large room, with many Irkens at computers, and in the view was earth, Irken ships flying down towards it. I saw the large chair in the center of the room, and someone was sitting in it. I ran up to it and looked, only to see an unfamiliar Irken. His head was resting limply on his shoulder, and he appeared to be sleeping. 

In the stranger's lap was a familiar robot, who didn't seem to notice my presence, seemingly preoccupied, eyes running dozens of numbers and strange sequences at once. That must be why the power is shoddy. "Gir," I said, drawing the rest of the Irken's attention. They all shushed me at once.

I glanced at them, and then back at the two in the chair. "Someone better tell me what's going on-" One Irken motioned me over, keeping her eyes on Gir, fear in her eyes. I began walking over, watching my head to not bump Gir's outstretched arm. "Sorry about your planet, human." she began. I glanced out of the large window and saw areas of the planets were red with fire. "Why not just stop it?" I asked in worry and anger. "M-master won't let us protest. We would suffer worse than death for that treason." she shook visibly.

"Where is he then? Where is Zim?" I crossed my arms, glancing back at the chair. "Because whoever that is, is not him." The Irken looked at the chair. "I'm afraid it is, human. Master said that He was feeling unwell." I paused and looked back at her. "What do you mean? Who's a master here other than him?"

Before she could answer a metal arm grabbed her by the head and launched her across the room. "That would be me, Dib," Gir said, arm retracting. "Gir? Why did you do that to her?" I said in shock, walking over to him. "Disobedience, simple as that. Zim taught me well, wouldn't you agree?" he said, smiling. "Although, He had too many flaws." Gir looked back at the strange Irken whose lap he sat upon. 

"What are you saying? And who is that anyway? Only Zim was as tall as that one is." Gir reached up and patted the Irken on the cheek. "As I said, he was flawed in many ways. He wanted this." I now stood by the chair. I reached down and touched the Irken's bare hand, which was cold as ice. "Is he alive?" Gir shook his head. "Not yet. I decided to hold off on waking him back up. The old Zim is dead, though. An Irken cannot survive without their Pak."

I suddenly felt sick. "What are you saying?" Gir sighed in obvious annoyance. "You dull-witted humans. What I'm saying is that the Zim you knew is gone. Dead. By his own volition, of course." Now I felt even worse. Zim is dead? "Why didn't you stop him? I thought you cared about him! at least to some extent..." Gir stared at me with those red admonitory eyes. "I care very much about my master. That's why I'm doing this." he replied, motioning to 'Zim'. "With the right amount of meddling with his Pak, I will be able to distort or completely erase bits of his memory and perhaps personality, so he can be the leader and dominator I know he can be."

 The robot stood and leaned 'Zim' forward, so his Pak was exposed. "I think he was fine how he was! maybe a little temperamental, and he obviously has some mental issues as well, but-" Gir cut me off with a mocking laugh. "You humans are flawed more than he was, no wonder you don't see the problems I see." Gir latched an arm on the Pak and his eyes returned to green, numbers of 1's and 0's spiraling around. "Hey! Don't touch him!" I shouted, ripping his metallic hand away. 

The top of his head opened, and a gun came out of it, aimed at me. "I ask that you not interfere." I was about to protest when shouting on a speaker came on. "Master, we are having trouble on earth..!" one of the Irken's said quickly. Gir's eyes turned back to red and he jumped off down and walked over. "Let's see what this interference is." A video appeared of a live feed, and I saw none other than my dad. "Dad..." I mumbled under my breath.

I knew he could manage, for now, so I took the chance I had and grabbed up the cold, limp body. I tossed it over my shoulder and ran out of the command deck. The lights had returned to normal now. I had to get to my ship. There was so much going on in my head but I had to remain vigilant.

Mechanical arms came out of the walls and reached for me, and it took everything I had to dodge them, all the while not dropping the alleged Zim. The intercom came on, and Gir's Voice rang throughout the mothership. "Dib, I'm giving you a chance to Return Zim to me. Comply or you will die where you stand."

"Fuck you, robot! I'm not letting you alter his memories!" I yelled, and I guess he heard me, and the claw's arms changed into razors and guns, which began to fire at me without hesitation. "Stop it, Gir! You're gonna hit him!" I gasped after a blast from a gun nearly hit Zim, and to my surprise, the weapons stopped and turned back into arms before coming after me again. 

At least what he said about caring for Zim was true.

I picked a room and ran inside, hoping to find my ship, but it was just a bare room with broken glass and slime on the ground. If there were any arms in here, they weren't attacking, so I ran in. The door shut behind me, and I facepalmed. "Idiot, you went right into a trap," I mumbled to myself.

I walked over to the slime, now just waiting to be captured. I set the body down and stares at the slime. I smelled it, and it smelled the same as the body. Curious.

I glanced around and saw a weird machine. "Why'd you go quiet, Gir?" I said aloud but received no response. I continued poking around. I must have bumped something because the machine came on and seemed to rotate around as if looking for something. I watched for a moment, then looked at the body. I hauled it over to the machine, which locked on to him immediately, and a beam shot from it, hitting his body. 

I watched in wonder as this new Irken opened his eyes, which were light orange in color. Not like Zim's red ones. He looked at me, and just kind of stared. I felt a bit awkward, but at the same time, I couldn't bring myself to set him down. I just continued to hold him like a princess. 

"H...Hey, Zim. Do you remember me?" I asked, watching for any reaction. The Irken squinted before his eyes widened. He gasped and looked himself over. "Flawless." That was all he said. His voice was different, too.