Betray and Rebel

Chapter 2: Fearless

"Wait!" Zim felt an arm land on his shoulder. He turned around meeting eyes with the Crystalie that saved his life.

"What?"

"Are-are you sure about going up there? We don't know who's up there!" The Crystalie showed signs of distress and worry. Zim shrugged off her hand and stepped onto the first step. He watched pink translucent blood drip down the step and onto his barefoot.

"Yes...for all we know they could be the ones who freed us. Who gave us another chance to do the right thing." Zim turned around meeting the Crystalie's eyes. "And Zim is going to take that chance and not let go." Zim turned back around and sprinted up the steps the laser gun in his hands lowered for now.

Zim planted himself to the wall once he reached the last step. Three halls caught his attention. The left "Prisoner Unit 2". Straight ahead "S.I.R Unit". And the right "Main Hallway". Zim clenched his fist around the laser gun. Gir's dead gray eyes flashed through his mind. The words accompanying the image pushing him to go through the center hall.

"I'll wait for you master."

Zim ran through the hall his feet aching against the cold metal. His hands clenched tightly around the laser gun ready to shoot. Zim's eyes stung from the bright lightening of the hall. Zim felt his antennae perk up at the feel of someone behind him. His first thought was the young Crystalie girl, but his thought was shattered when a blue laser beam shot past him.

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE IRKEN SCUM!" The voice was loud and strong. Zim cursed to himself before taking off running once again. He needed Gir. He couldn't leave without Gir.

"I SAID STOP!" A beam shot sounded throughout the hall. Zim threw himself against the floor feeling the beams heat just above his antennae.

Zim heard the voice curse before a clank and heavy boots hit the ground. The chase was on. Zim stood and ran as fast as his broken body could. Zim felt slight joy rise when he saw S.I.R units being built at the end of the hall. Zim disregarded the running figure behind him as he stepped through into the threshold of the unit.

Zim stopped in the middle of the room looking for any sign of his S.I.R unit. Zim knew Gir wasn't the brightest, but he knew that Gir was always there for him and ready. Zim took one step forward, but before he could even lift his left leg a pain surged throughout his small body.

His screams echoed throughout the room as electricity ran through his body. Zim felt tears gather at the bottom of his eyes. His knees involuntary doubled sending him collapsing to the metallic floor below. Something fell from his PAK making him cringe at the empty feeling.

Footsteps sounded behind him, accompanied by panting. Zim blinked letting the tears fall freely from his eyes. He heard the footsteps stop behind him and pull something out. Zim took this chance to look around the room. Bins of finished S.I.R units were pushed off to the sides, but one particular red bin caught his eye. In big bold black letters it spelled out "TRASH".

Zim's antennae perked at that. He could hear the person behind him messing around with something, they were distracted. Zim took that chance and looked around for the laser gun. Thankfully it wasn't as far as he thought that would be. He used his antennae as a lookout. Zim slowly reached out his arm. The skin on his arm cracking from how damaged it was.

Then his antennae began to rattle. The person was looking at them. Zim quickly reached out when the person stepped out to reach for him. He gripped the gun turned onto his side and shot blindly. A spell or cures drifted through through the air accompanied by a sizzling sound. Zim hit his mark.

Zim quickly stood ignoring the cracking of his skin and the translucent blood dripping through said cracks. He limped to the trash bin and jumped in. Broken S.I.R units piled on top of each other. Zim dug through the S.I.R units looking for Gir. His pink blood dripping onto the S.I.R units below and around him.

"GET BACK HERE!" A pair of arms gripped his waist and began pulling.

Zim felt tears gather and fall once again as he struggled and searched. He just needed to find Gir and everything would be fine. Everything would be okay. He just needed his Gir.

"Please!" Zim sobbed. "Let me find Gir! And then I'll do anything!" Zim was ripped out of the trash and thrown onto the floor. His PAK hit the floor hard enough to send a jolt of pain through Zim's bones.

Zim couldn't give up now. He was too close. He gripped the side of the big bin of "trash" and tried to pull himself up. However his wounds had made him reach his breaking point. His skin was cracked and spilling pink translucent blood at alarming rates. His PAK was missing a peice and most likely dented. And most importantly he had failed Gir.

"I'm sorry Gir. Zim failed you." Zim stared at the floor as his body began shutting down.

"You didn't fail me." Zim felt tears streak across his face as he smiled.

"I did Gir. For Irk sake I see you right here in front of me even though you aren't." Zim said his voice breaking to emit hiccups and sobs.

Zim watched as the Gir before him squatted down and reached out. Zim expected nothing. Not even a gust of wind. So the feeling of cold hard metal with a familar touch startled him.

"I'm right here. Please don't cry master." Gir said his cyan eyes showing joy and sadness within them.

Zim reached up stroking the small robots cheek. "How-how did you get here?" Zim questioned a sob released soon after.

Gir stood straight and pointed behind Zim. "Mary helped me! He's like a superhero! He promised to rescue you!" Gir finished with a wide smile plastered across his features.

Zim stared at the floor once again. The one who shot him, who chased him, who hurt him. Was-

"Dib" Zim said without turning to meet the boy in question. Zim heard shifting behind him before he was lifted up. Now in his line of sight was Dib. Dib stared at Zim with guilt, sadness, and something Zim couldn't quite point out. Pity? No, definitely not.

Zim reached out stroking Dib's cheek just as he did Gir. "Dib-bitch." Zim said with playfulness and a hint of anger.

"Hi Zim." Dib said a smile spreading out onto his lips, but it didn't meet his eyes.

Zim knew it wasn't a real smile. He knew that Dib felt guilty and anger. Zim however still smiled back.

"Initiating system shut down for repairs in 20 seconds." The voice broke the trance between the two.

"20...19...18...17-"

"Zim? What's happening!?" Dib yelled holding Zim tightly.

"14...13-"

"Listen Dib my PAK is shutting down to repair itself and me. Just...don't lose me. I don't know how long it will take-"

"0...shut down commencing. Repairs in progress."

Dib watched as Zim's eyes dulled and closed. Dib felt Gir latch onto his leg. Tears streamed down Dib's guilt ridden face. He had done this to Zim. Dib tightened his hold on Zim's body and turned to walk out-

Click...click...click

Dib paused and looked down at Zim.

Click...click...click

Dib felt his heart beat pick up as the clicks continued. Dib felt as if he should be afraid of those clicks. So with speed he picked up Gir and began running to his ship.