Invader Zim - Lost Chronicles of Doom! - Continuous Novel

Chapter Thirty-Nine - Breakdown

Wait random thought: Has anyone else noticed that Peridot from Steven Universe acts almost exactly like Zim? Anyone?

A sturdy hand shook Zim awake furiously. He grumbled and turned the other way, frowning, his eyes still closed. "Wake up, you stupid Irken!" snapped Gaz. The hand shook him again. Zim slapped it away with his Pak arm as he sluggishly sat upright.

"This better be pretty darn important," the Irken spat. It really sucked, having to be woken up. Not that Irkens needed sleep. Zim was having a rather good dream for once, about Dib being beaten to a bloody pulp. He concealed his grin just thinking about it.

"It is 'pretty darn important', now get up and put on your stupid disguise!" Gaz retorted as she turned on one heel and stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

Wait, Zim thought, where am..... OH, GOOD TALLEST!! His eyes scanned the room, but Zim knew they weren't deceiving him. He just slept in DIB'S BED! Zim suddenly needed to puke. He hastily grabbed his disguise and skipped out of the room, his stomach threatening to leap out of his body.

"Took you long enough," said Gaz, though it only took a few seconds. "By the way, you snore like a person who has a cold. Which is saying something since you don't have a nose."

Zim frowned. "Are you suggesting that you actually watched Zim sleep?!"

"No." Gaz shrugged. "I thought that you wanted to know. So you'll never sleep again. Anyways, get some breakfast if you even eat and join me outside."

"Why?" Zim spat.

"Because we're going somewhere. You're as stupid as my brother!"

Zim thought he would literally spontaneously combust with his boiling, white-hot anger that seemed to take control of him. "Take. That. Back," he growled as softly as he could. His teeth were gritted. Was it really just a few minutes ago he'd been in this great world where he could do what he wanted? It seemed forever ago. He couldn't wait to sleep again, but a nagging voice pierced his mind. One little Irken boy fell asleep for too long, and the Control Brain was not very happy, Motherbot's voice said. He was then... well... little Zim, just promise me you won't get a habit of sleeping. Irkens were meant to do great and productive things, not to waste away. Please. The flashback ended and he frowned deeper. "Take it back," he repeated.

"Catch me, then," Gaz retorted. She then whipped outside and ran out into the city.

Growling, hissing, and cursing under his breath, Zim sped off after her, thirsty to slit her throat.

■■■■■

"Well?!" Tak spat at Therium. "Where is he?"

The Vortian cowered, shuddering, in the corner, his arms over his head. "I told yo-ou, we d-don't know! Green and-d Blue said all they saw was Z-Zim running away with this-s human girl!" he stammered unwillingly. His pale skin turned even brighter.

"What did the girl look like?" Tak pressed, softer now because she knew violence wouldn't get them anywhere. "Any details at all?" Therium whimpered. "No? Then I'm wasting my time. Goodbye, Therium," she concluded.

"NOOOO!!!" the Vortian screamed, knowing what was coming... he'd seen it happen to Lard Nar. "Please, Tak of Irk, don't..."

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're referring to..." she cooed, "but... maybe... if you talk I'll suddenly remember what will happen... and spare you... just maybe..." Again, Therium whimpered. "I know that you know, Therium. Consider spitting it out. I'll be back." The Irken walked out and softly closed the dungeon door behind her, enclosing the Vortian in the shadows.

■■■■■

Zim, gasping for breath and cradling a stitch in his chest, finally caught up to Gaz. They were standing in a shabby Bloaty's Pizza Hog restaurant and Gaz, who already ordered pizza, was sitting in a booth with a flickering light overhead. "I've got you. End of the line. Now, human, take it back!" Zim snarled viciously, marching toward the booth.

"Sit down! You know I can't finish an extra large jumbo combo pizza. And look, your side has those Fun-Dip things," Gaz growled back, calmer, but more forcefully.

"You're in no position to offer Zim some cruddy human food!" the Irken yelled, his voice rising dangerously.

Gaz raised her hand, hesitated, then slammed Zim's face into the pizza, pinning hin there. "Just eat. I didn't waste Dib's money for nothing. Besides, you're going to tell me something."

"GARRHH, THE SMELL!!" Zim groaned, as if he'd never heard her. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her raise an eyebrow. "What? Why would I tell you anything?" The girl's hand pressed harder, and Zim squealed in disgust. "ARE YOU INSANE?!" he screamed. "THIS WILL ONLY LEAVE THE WORLD IN DANGER! REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED IN ELEMENTARY?! THE BACON?!"

"Now who's trying to bargain. Oh, look," added Gaz with a malicious grin, "it's water! I'm so thirsty--oops!" The glass if water spilled and crashed into Zim's now greasy face. He whimpered, obviously trying not to scream even more. "I think you're ready. I'll say this slow: I. Need. To. See. Dib. Where. Is. He?"

One eye squeezed shut in the effort to assuage the pain, Zim said, "I sent... him to an... alternative di--OW DON'T PULL MY ANTENNA OW--an alternative dimension!!! It's unlikely that he'll ever--CUT IT OUT--that... wait, what was I saying? Oh, yes, yes. It's unlikely that he'll ever escape from it because the force was so strong." Zim's face spread into a grin. "If you want him, I'll be more than glad to send you there. It's my favorite, that world, so close to the Gargantis Array.... OUCH."

For Gaz had pulled his antennae multiple times. Tears trickled down Zim's cheekbones as he whimpered quietly. "Get him back," Gaz said quietly. "Get him back now. Or else... or else... well, you don't wanna know!" She gripped Zim by the scruff of the neck and threw him against the trash can, knocking in over.

"Get away from me! The insanity runs in the family!" screamed Zim, terrified, as he quickly scrambled up and attempted to run away, gripping his now falling off wig. But then a putrid smell permeated the restaurant, so foul that it forced Zim, retching, onto his knees. Gaz walked up to him, her mouth wide open. The pig curse Dib talked to Zim about... Zim thought.

A foot hit him square in the jaw, then the eye, then the chest. A yell went off somewhere--probably his yell, he had a feeling--and the lights, the sense of touch, the fear, all went dark, dark, dark...

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Don't feel like writing more. Eh. So what? Okay, well there's your chapter. Yay.