Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Not enough…

Not enough power, not enough time, not enough inferior beings under his control. 

Zim grabbed his portable view screen from where it hovered in the air and threw it hard against the wall.

“Stupid Invader Larb!” He huffed. 

If he heard one more thing about how another invader succeeded in their planetary takeover before him he’d… well, he’d do… something. Violent. 

And the day had started so well. He’d been working hard to crush the Dib-stink in the revolting “Skool science fair” and he had won! Dib’s pathetic excuse for an alien tracker had been pathetic! And the judges had immediately disqualified Dib when the device went off at Zim, claiming that the big-headed child had just rigged it to make Zim look like an alien. On the other hand, Zim’s brain melter had been a brilliant success! So impressive he had been awarded First place and was declared a “junior scientist” by Professor Membrane. He’d gotten to rub Dib’s failure in his face and in front of his precious father. 

And he could have used that brain melter on the humans! If Gir hadn’t eaten it. 

Did stupid Larb have to fight off an indigenous arch nemesis at every turn? Did Spleen have a stupid weapon-eating, malfunctioning Sir unit? No. They didn't. They had up-to-date tech, battle tanks, and armies. Of course they were further ahead than him! 

Zim was trapped on this horrible, filthy, stink-rock. Having to outwit not just humans in general, but Dib . Dib was annoyingly smart for a human, but that still didn't make Zim feel any better to remember that a human child was constantly thwarting all his plans for world dominance. 

He had called the tallests earlier to share his victory with them and had been interrupted as they accepted a call from Invader Larb. Who had successfully conquered his third planet so far in this rotation . And he had done so by successfully melting the enemy's brains.  

That was going to be Zim’s new and brilliant tactic. Now he couldn’t melt the humans’ brains even if he still had the weapon. Old news. All that work, and nothing. 

Not enough.

Never enough. 

At this rate, the Tallests would be moving into the next phase of Operation Impending Doom 2 while he was still trying to wipe out mankind. Stupid STUPID mankind!

He drug himself to his kitchen and climbed into the toilet to travel down to the lab. His computer was saying something to him but he wasn't listening. 

He slunk gloomily into his lab bringing up his files of possible plans and ideas. Looking at them now, Zim realized that most of them weren’t even about destroying mankind. Just Dib. He huffed.

Destroying the Dib-stink is necessary for destroying the humans. 

Zim argued with himself. But that wasn't entirely accurate. It was more fun to fight with Dib. Each time Dib was knocked down it was a victory for Zim. And it wasn’t an easy victory either. Dib was smart and getting smarter all the time. Avoiding getting caught in the human's foolish traps was getting more tricky. Coming up with Dib-proof plans was getting harder. 

Zim was working! He was working hard and doing magnificent work! He was completely alone here on Earth with outdated, malfunctioning equipment, that he had to either build or repair himself! The Tallests should be singing his praises! Not Invader Larb! 

“Computer, show Irken reports of Invader Larb.”

Really? Seriously, Zim, there’s no point torturing yourself comparing-

“Obey me!”

The computer sighed and did as he was asked. Finally. Larb probably had a computer that did as it was ordered to. Computers and robots that obeyed without questioning him at every turn. 

Zim looked through the report. “Of course he's so far ahead! They keep giving him the easy planets! Home of the universe’s most comfortable couch, Planet Burrito, a planet of people made entirely of ice? You don't even need a brain-melting gun! Bring an antenna dryer and watch them melt!”

Zim was the one on the secret mission. Why did Larb get to have a whole day across Irken space devoted to celebrating his success and not him? Why couldn’t there be a Zim Day?

Zim felt a drop of moisture running down his cheek. He gritted his interlocking teeth, grabbing the first thing his hand landed on and throwing it against the screens. 

“I AM ZIM! I AM IRK’S GREATEST INVADER!!” He screamed before his legs gave out. He fell to his knees, tears running down his face. “Why is nothing I do good enough…”

Zim curled into himself on the floor.

“Zim will never be good enough…”

Chapter Text

Zim sat up, rubbing the tears from his eyes. The screen had gone black after he’d broken it with the wrench and he could see his reflection broken up in the shattered glass. 

Then it struck him. That’s what he was. 

Broken.

Useless.

Defective .  

His eye fell on the glow of his PAK in the warped reflection. 

10 minutes… it would only take 10 minutes … 

He reached around to his back and forcefully ripped the device off. It hurt, though not as much as he’d expected. Instantly his life clock was activated.

10:00

9:59  

9:58

9:57

9:56

Cables reached out from the Pak trying to reattach to him. Zim tossed it away from himself. Making sure it was out of reach if he lost his nerve. He wrapped his arms around his legs, closing his eyes. 

9:47

9:46

9:45

9:44

“10 minutes sure takes a while…” he grumbled. 

9:30

9:29

9:28

Zim sighed. He was starting to feel a little lightheaded but not much else. 

9:16

9:15

Perhaps he should try to do something in his last minutes alive? Send a message to the Tallests? One last report?

8:50

8:49

Oh, he was starting to feel sick now. He took a shaky breath and let it out with a sigh.

8:38

8:37

8:36

The tallests didn’t need a note or report. They would probably celebrate the moment they discovered his body had decayed.

8:23

8:22

If he really wanted to kill himself properly he should destroy his PAK as well… 

8:19

8:18

8:17

Zim raised his head from his legs. He felt dizzy from the small motion. His strength was already draining.

7:40

7:39

He didn’t need to destroy his PAK. The Tallests would likely do that when they discovered he was gone.

7:27

7:26

“Ugh… why does this have to take so long?” Zim grumbled to himself. He really was starting to feel weak now. A fog moving into his mind.

7:18

7:17

Maybe Dib would find the Pak. He really should destroy it. Imagine if the human got his annoying… paws? Did humans have paws? That word didn’t feel right.

7:00

6:59

Zim really wasn’t feeling well now. His head hurt, his organs hurt. He slowly, almost drunkenly pulled off a glove. His skin was turning a sickly pale yellow color. Almost as ugly as the human skin. 

6:39

6:38

6 more minutes and Zim knew it was just going to get worse. Couldn’t he just pass out now? Why did death have to be this painful?

6:24

6:23

“Hngr...” he pulled himself forward. He knew he was too weak to stand but he could crawl. He fell on his face once he moved out of his sitting position. 

6:16

6:15

He groaned, pulling himself up on his elbows and dragging himself forward. “Ugh…” the PAK had flown further away than he thought. “No…”

6:04

6:03

6:02

“Must… Computer.. get…”

5:58

5:57

“Gir… my… PAK… NOW!”

5:51

5:50

Gir wasn't there. The computer wasn‘t responding. Zim drug himself forward again. “PAK…”

5:45

5:44

5:43

He was so close to the PAK. He could almost reach it but it still seemed so far away. He groaned, closing his eyes for just a moment. 

2:12

2:11

Zim felt a jolt of panic rip him out of his unconscious state. Words were no longer forming in his mind. Just a desperate burst to get his PAK back on as the instinct for self-preservation took over. 

1:59

1:58

He grabbed the edge of the PAK, dragging it closer. 

1:04

1:03

He pulled it over his head and let the PAK reconnect. 

Zim gasped, jumping to his feet. His body functioning properly again. The life clock disappeared…

And Zim collapsed to the floor again, overcome with pathetic sobs. 

“I… I can‘t even kill myself properly…”  He curled up into a tight ball on the ground.

Pathetic.

Useless. 

Worthless.

Chapter Text

7:18

7:17

Maybe Dib would find the Pak. He really should destroy it. Imagine if the human got his annoying… paws? Did humans have paws? That didn’t feel right.

7:00

6:59

Wait… The Dib… what if he found his way into his secret base?

6:51

6:50

6:49

What if the Dib was able to access the data from his PAK? From his lab?

6:45

6:44

No… he couldn’t let the Dib monster get his hands on his PAK! Imagine what he could devise from reverse engineering!

6:39

6:38

6:37

Imagine if the Dib found his crumpled body. Found him curled up in this undignified position. 6:31

6:30

He could just imagin the big headed boys face at finding his disgusting broken body curled up on the floor. The boy would have access to everything in his base. He couldn’t let him get his hands on that much information. He couldn’t let Dib win.

6:24

6:23  

“No! My...PAK! Cannot… loose!” He pulled himself forward. He knew he was too weak to stand but he could crawl. He fell on his face once he moved out of his sitting position. His head was fuzzy. His body was weak. Everything hurt. But he pushed up onto his elbows and pulled himself forward with renewed strength. 

6:10

6:09

Who cares what the tallest said? Or didn’t say! Zim didn’t need their approval! They were sad excuses for leaders anyway.

6:04

6:03

“I…” he drug himself forward. His PAK had traveled farther than he thought. 

5:57

5:56

5:55

“..am…” He felt so woozy, so weak. He was so close to the Pak. He could almost reach it. But… He was so tired…He just wanted to close his eyes... Just for a moment…

“Z-ZIM!!!” He gasped, grabbing the faintly glowing piece of machinery and pulling it over his head. The cables reached for his back and quickly reconnected. The clock disappeared and Zim gasped, the right color starting to return to his skin. He coughed a few times but soon he found himself laughing. 

He laughed at his own foolishness. He laughed at the Tallests for being so blind. He laughed at the very idea of being defeated by his own schmoop. And he laughed at the idea of the Dib ever winning!

“You won't get away that easy!” He pulled himself to his feet. “I will destroy you, Dib! I don’t need the tallests approval! I am Zim! And Zim. Shale. Rule !!”

Zim laughed insanely, collecting a few spying tools. His next plan would be brilliant ! And the Tallests would miss it. He would tell them about it, yes. He would continue making his reports. Finding the most inconvenient times to but in and make absurd requests!

But Zim would fight Dib.

And Zim would win.

Zim would destroy Dib. 

The tallests didn’t have to acknowledge his brilliance. ZIM knew that he was brilliant! And the Dib knew how dangerous he was. He would destroy Dib! And then he would take the Earth. Not for the tallests! But for himself !

“I AM ZIM!!!!!”