The Almighty Error.

Sector Seventeen.

Zims' Perspective.

After having been horrendously pinned by Dib-Stink and then finally being released, I make a run for the exit.

"Wait—Zim!"

I retreat from the lab as quickly as possible and return to the surface of my base, leaving the Dib down there. I didn't care if he was unsupervised at this point.

I needed to get out and have some fresh earthly air.

"Gir! If the Dib-Human comes up, tell him I went to...gather more materials!" It was the most poorly made lie, but the best I could come up with in the moment. "Don't tell him I'm going to the filthy human nature grounds!"

"Okie dokie! I'll tell him! Or...I won't tell him? I dunno! I'll do it right master!!" He squeals in his usual happy tone. I cant be bothered.

Distractedly grabbing the stupid ceramic clown puppy on my way out, I walk away from my base as quick as possible. I didn't even want to see it. Or anything for that matter. In the midst of my clouded actions and thoughts, I didn't even put my disguise on. Luckily, it was late at night which meant any humans still out and about wouldn't be able to tell anyways.

Swiftly making way to the nearby nature park and climbing up the highest hill to sit down on it, tears start to form within my eyes and I don't bother resisting their emergence.

"I never even had their respect in the first place... It was all a disgusting lie!!" I hiss up at the starry night sky, tightly gripping on my self-proclaimed trophy. "The only life-form that ever respected me in the first place was my damn enemy! A stupid human! Did you hear that, my Tallest?! A filthy, ugly, horrible human respects me more than you two ever did!"

Throwing myself onto my back not even caring for the discomfort of my Pak, I glare up at the sky above me with sheer hatred and hurt bubbling inside. My eyes began to sting from refusing to blink for so long, and I finally shut my lids and let out a puny whimper.

"What's the point of phase three, now?! What's the POINT?! There isn't one! You probably didn't even want this dumb rock in the first place!"

There was no purpose for me to conquer Earth. There was no reason to keep pretending to work with the Dib on some plan to save his planet.

There was no reason for my existence.

I felt worthless; What little motivation I had left had ceased to exist anymore. My body felt numb and yet still the pain and hurt of betrayal existed through that numbness.

"Zim?"

My antennas lift up at the familiar voice, making me jolt into an upright position but refuse to look at the cause of my name being called out. Gir must've slipped up and told him my whereabouts.

"Leave."

That stupid human never listens though. I hear his footsteps get closer, and he takes a seat next to me. I quickly turn my head away so he can't see the tears that have stained my cheeks.

"I'm sorry about your Tallest.. I didn't think hearing that transmission would hurt you that much again. I thought you were already past this stage since they turned on you after the Flor—"

"That was a lie. Err... I, was a lie. Well, lying..."

What was the use of keeping the real phase three a secret if there was no point to it anymore?