Megami Joushou

As soon as GIR entered the ship he was headed for the control room, screaming "MASTER! MASTER!" yet again. Vermeil stood by, his expression tense, as the little robot put in a destination.

"Are you going to let him take us to his Master?" Megami asked gently, hoping to get off on a better foot this time.

Walking out, he answered, "I suppose." He turned slightly, his gait suggesting that he wanted her to follow. "I feel much more comfortable doing extended traveling in my own ship. And besides--" GIR came running out of the control room and headed down the hall. "--I want him to fix the warp module for me."

"You-- trust him to fix it?" Meg asked, biting a nail nervously. She wouldn't trust GIR to fix her a soda.

Vermeil laughed, sensing her unease. "If he wants to find his master... If he's even capable... He'll fix it." He shrugged. "And if not? We'll have to figure out another way to find the answers you seek. And I'll fix it myself. No worries."

Meg slowed a bit, watching him walk with such authority and assurance. Another trill ran up her spine, much like the one she had felt that day when he had "kissed" her hand...

'That day?' It was as if it had been years ago! But it was only 72 hours, tops... Meg snorted to herself. Maybe HE had in fact brainwashed her, not the humans...

Noticing that she was lagging, Vermeil looked her over with interest. "Do you like smeets, Megami?"

For the second time, he used her name. It was almost unsettling when he did...

"Smeets...? Oh, you mean children! Well..." she blushed. "I guess I do. They're kind of annoying sometimes... But... cute!" Megami smiled, noticing that he was giving her that strange look again. "I... I just felt sorry for the little guy, that's all."

"Why?"

"Because... he was so small.. and he was given such a BIG task..."

After examining her for a moment, he surprised her by actually nodding in agreement. "Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to entrust a smeet with something so important..."

Megami smiled earnestly. "I'm sure someday he'll be an awesome engineer. If, um, he can get 'fixed' that is."

They continued walking. The ship began to rumble and GIR came running past again.

"MASTER!!"

"See? All fixed." He gestured toward a nearby hallway. "Would you like a tour of a more advanced, better-looking ship?"

Rolling her eyes, Meg replied, "Sure."

And so they went. "This is the information center... if you want to find out ANYTHING, anything at all, you can find it here."

Megami plopped down on the chair in front of the main terminal and looked over the computer in awe. The Prince leaned over her, poking at a few buttons to turn it on. Having him so close in proximity to her gave her a renewed sense of ease.

"You were really awesome back there," she said quietly, smiling sidelong at him.

"Hmm?"

"The way you-- took charge like that, the way you spoke to them and told them to stick together-- that was so cool. I was impressed."

Verm shrugged nonchalantly as he straightened back up. "I'm always having to lecture them-- my people. So many of them... They don't understand that times have changed now. We-- we don't have the creature comforts we used to. We no longer have a home, you know..."

"So you just wander from place to place without settling?"

Folding his arms, Vermeil replied, "We can't settle. Wherever we go we're kicked out.. Killed... Sent away..."

"Have you ever had a stable home?"

"Some of us have... For a time."

Smiling sadly, Megami pressed, "I meant you PERSONALLY. Have you ever had a place to call home?"

Vermeil shrugged. "I grew up for a short time on Irk... Then I had to be moved somewhere so I would be safe from harm. And then... things.. Got crazy. After my parents died."

"Who were your parents?" Her antennae quirked. "How did they die?"

Turning away, Verm groaned, "Do we have to talk about this stuff? It's bad enough that I'm forced to live in their shadow day after day after day..."

"It must be tough."

"Nymphette--" For some reason there was a warning in his voice.

"To be the Savior of the Irken race. It must be hard for you..."

Vermeil shouted in laughter. "'SAVIOR?' Of the Irken race? Who fed you that line of bull? Your human friends?"

Unblinking, Megami answered, "It's a commonly accepted fact that you are the Savior of Irk. Or they think you will be. You're their Prince! Do you deny it? I saw how those Irkens looked at you..." She smiled. "With reverence..."

"With FEAR." His face was suddenly full of malice. "I am someone to FEAR, Megami. Don't you forget that."

She didn't flinch. "I've never been afraid of you. Not really..."

In a blur of motion, he was on top of her, his hands on either side of the chair, his face mere inches from hers. His eyes were cold. "How about now?"

She could barely meet his eyes. Those damn EYES awakened something in her even she didn't quite understand. He was trying so hard to be menacing. Just as hard as he tried to be charming. It was all an act, every minute of it, and she didn't believe a word. Just like that little boy, he was pretending that he wasn't hurt. He didn't want to be phased out. He didn't want to be reincoded.

Megami giggled and kissed him between his big, red eyes. "You're so cute."

He reared back, rubbing his face awkwardly. "What was that?!"

"Oh Lord, don't tell me you Irkens don't kiss either!" She stood up and poked him right where her lips had just been. "You don't scare me one bit, Mister Vermeil. I don't think you really want to scare me, do you?" Putting her hands behind her back, she rocked on her heels. "Would you be letting GIR pilot this ship if you were so big and bad...? Would you have promised that I could believe in you?"

"The reality I force you to believe in may be harsh, Nymphette," Vermeil stated sternly.

Meg's face formed into a pout. "Why the change in tone all of a sudden? I was almost starting to like you."

Vermeil turned to leave. "Maybe it would be best for both of us if you didn't like me."

Megami smiled to herself as she watched him exit. Little by little, she would peel away that facade.

Spinning in her chair, she eyed the monitor screen. "I can find anything I want, eh?" The keyboard was covered in Irken symbols, most of which she had no hope of understanding. It looked so ADVANCED, moreso than any human technology! She stared at it for a moment, then jumped to her feet and ran to the doorway. After looking both ways down the hallway, she found that he quarry was nowhere in sight. "Dang, he's fast..." He would be annoyed at her, for sure... For some reason that prospect made her giggle. "Prince Vermeil, sir?" she called.

A moment of silence passed before his head popped up from around the farthest corner. "Don't call me that," he groaned, looking perturbed.

"What shall I call you then?" she asked ever-so-sweetly, bopping her eyelashes. He had answered her, meaning her words were of importance to him. It made her happy to think of it.

He glared. "Vermeil. Vermeil will do nicely."

"Vermeeeeiiiiillll...?"

"WHAT."

Jumping into the hallway excitedly and clapping her hands together, she exclaimed, "Teach me to read Irken!"

Stepping into plain view and walking back toward her, he replied, "Teach...?"

Oh, yeah... Irkens were never "taught" anything per se... They had all of their knowledge implanted into their Paks. "Irkens have the-- ability to learn, don't they?"

As Vermeil came to a stop before her, he answered, "Of course we do. Do you take us for fools?" Brushing his antennae away from his brow, he continued, "I was just curious as to why the Irken-hater wants to learn Irken all of a sudden..."

"For all your posturing, you don't really think of me as Irken, do you?" Megami said.

Vermeil was quiet for a moment, examining her closely. Finally, he relented. "We both have a lot to learn, don't we?" He walked back into the Info Room and his student skipped merrily behind.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Megami was surprised to find how similar in structure the Irken language was to English. After a week of learning alongside Vermeil, she began to pick it up on her own by examining contexts and filling in gaps. Verm, to his credit, was a decent teacher-- though his temper was quick sometimes. Whenever Meg just couldn't pick up a pronunciation no matter how many times he spoke it aloud, it was all he could do to not put his fist through the computer screen.

His patience only extended as far as teaching, however. No matter how many times Meg asked him questions about himself she was rebuffed. He had no interest in talking about his life even if it was somehow relevent to a lesson. He would occasionally ask something or other about her, but nothing really indepth. After a while she stopped trying to get more personal with him.

A month later, however, came the sweet smell of success. As they were looking over GIR's head at the navigation screen, a message popped up near the top.

"Proximity warning," Megami read aloud with little trouble. "What's that mean?"

Vermeil looked to her. "It means we're within ten odasecs of our destination." He smiled. "You read that pretty quickly, didn't you?"

"I guess I did!" Meg laughed. "I didn't even have to think about it!" Without hesitation she turned and hugged Vermeil tightly. "I did it! I can read Irken all by myself!" His body stiffened, and she instantly regretted what she had done. Pulling away, she murmered, "I'm-- I'm sorry."

Vermeil folded his arms over his chest, looking down at the floor for perhaps the first time she had ever seen. "That's okay. Just.. don't do it again."

Blushing, Megami felt the need to escape. She decided to make good use of her newfound confidence in the Irken language and ran out to the Information Room. Sitting down at the computer, she popped the "on" button and watched the screen spring to life as if it were the most interesting thing she had ever encountered.

Why was she so upset all of a sudden? Silly Vermeil... Silly MEGAMI! Why did she expect him to laugh and hug her back and celebrate with her? He was Irken. Irkens didn't have dumb things like relationships and love and family and friends. Maybe they were smart for being that way. She shouldn't be wasting her time with Vermeil. She needed to find her parents! Burying two hands in her trenchcoat pockets, she whispered, "Give me strength, Uncle Dib--!"

Uncle Dib was her only friend now, other than GIR. His memory, her only companion. And that was okay with her.

"Uncle Dib--! I want to know about him. All about the stuff mama wouldn't tell me..."

He was a universal hero. Surely she could find some information about him on the Interplanetary Database! Feeling giddy, she sparked up a browser (Kennepos, it was called. She could read Irken now!) and managed to find a link to the Database. She signed onto a search engine and typed the word "Dib."

Sure enough, hundreds upon thousands of entries popped up....

...and she couldn't read a single fucking one of them.

"...You can only read IRKEN, dumbass," Megami sighed to herself. "Everyone hates Irkens. Nobody else in the universe speaks or writes in Irken." She leaned back against the chair in exhasperation, and finally thought to narrow the search down to Irken-only entries.

There were few. Of course, most Irkens these days wouldn't publicize their existence by uploading things for the universe to see.

Most of the articles only mentioned Dib in passing. It was his lover, Zim, that the majority of Irkens chose to write about. By the way they saw it, Zim was a short, ugly Irken with a defective Pak that had developed a homocidal streak. Because he was shunned by his race for his inadequacy, the only place he was accepted was on the backwater hole of a planet called "Earth."

Earthlings were very short and weak in comparison to the rest of the universe... But they were conniving little bastards! Dib, with the help of Zim's stolen Irken technology, convinced the rest of the universe that Irkens were evil and they deserved to be destroyed!

Every article she read had the same story. Some were exact, word-for-word, as if the authors of the two different sites had gotten together and decided on the one version... Even if they were both published at radically different times. It was a little too convenient.

Sighing, Meg wondered if she could find anything in English. There were a few more sites... She was pleased to find that not all of the humans in the universe were in Nirvana. Their articles were no better, though... According to some of them, Dib singlehandedly defeated the Irken race with only his fists, and he died peacefully at the ripe old age of 79. Though that would have meant he did all those heroics when he was 60...

There were a lot of sites speaking out against Membrane, too. Megami was surprised to find so much new information about Nirvana and the human race... Membrane must have obviously been blocking any outside information from getting to her.

"Dib died like a coward!" proclaimed one link. Affronted by this, she immediately clicked on it...

...and the video loaded up on her screen.

Not only did this one have sound, but also the quality was much better. And she could read the text scrolling at the bottom of the screen... It was indeed a big production at the time. It was being broadcast to every planet that was part of the "Irken Empire," which apparently encompassed thousands of planets and systems.

The question was: Were they kind and benevolent rulers or cruel dictators?

"Why are you watching this?"

Vermeil's low voice made her jump at least a foot. She paused it and turned to him. "I'm-- trying to find the truth."

"What truth?"

"I want to know what really happened... To Dib. To the Irken race..."

His eyes were cold. "Turn it off."

"Wha--?"

"I said TURN IT OFF!" This time he did lose his temper, and put a fist through the wall. Megami pulled her legs into the chair, wrapping her arms around them and looking up at him with big, shiny eyes. She was visibly shaking... She couldn't bring herself to move. Furious, he took a step towards her.

"Please!" she sobbed, burying her head in her arms, trying to hide. "Please! Have mercy!"

The words him him like a slap in the face. He stopped his jaw slack. Those words... Coming back to haunt him...

'Have mercy....' he had said. 'Please.... Just end it...'

"I couldn't bring myself to."

Megami peeked up at him, her antennae perking.

"I-- could never bring myself to. I would never... Hurt you, Megami. I... I could never..."

She wiped her eyes. So like a child...

Rubbing his face in exhaustion, Vermeil said, "I-- grew up watching that reel. Every morning, afternoon and night, I was forced to see it..."

"How horrible!" She quickly turned and closed the file. She tried in futility to clean her face. Her nose was runny. "I stumbled across it in my mom's-- Valerie's-- computer and-- it was so horrible for me to watch."

Suddenly Verm reached out and wiped the snot from her face. He looked curiously at it and Megami couldn't help but laugh. "That's mucus. It protects my nose from bad stuff. So, like, bad stuff doesn't get inside." She began feeling a little grossed out by his interest in it. "Humans regard it to be-- uh-- disgusting."

Grinning viciously, Vermail answered, "Then it must be wonderful! --ACK--" He shook his hand quickly in the air and used an instrument from his Pak to clean it off. "--It started to burn!"

"I guess so, yeah. It's moist. It's got water in it."

Vermeil opened his mouth to reply, but GIR came on over the intercom. "Arrival at Solstice in approximately two Grentnels..."

"Solstice...?" Vermeil asked curiously, quickly heading for the control room. Megami followed.

As they walked, Megami cautioned to say, "Thank you."

"...hmm?"

"I never... Thanked you for teaching me Irken."

He looked at her and smiled. "It was no trouble at all. Kept me from getting bored on this trip, really..."

His eyes were so incredibly tired. She wished she could take all of his cares away... "I'm sorry you had such a sucky childhood."

Vermeil shrugged. "I can't complain, really... I mean, I always had my guardians taking care of me..."

"But you're always so sad."

"Whatever gave you that idea?!" he laughed. "I'm not sad at all." When Megami didn't answer, he stopped and turned to her. "Look... I... I HAVE been moody lately..."

"Ever since we met those Irkens."

They entered the control room. "They're so stupid... It's frustrating..."

A small yellow planet was devouring most of the screen. "We're almost there, Master!" GIR burbled as he clapped his hands excitedly.

"Solstice... It must be uncharted; I've never seen it on a map."

GIR turned to Megami and handed her a little metal orb. "Put this in your nose so you can breathe!"

"You breathe through that thing on your face?" Vermeil asked, perplexed, as Meg (with difficulty) inserted the object.

She felt it grab onto the inside of her nose and spray a burst of cool air into her throat. "As if breathing through your Pak is any less weird?"

In ten minutes they were within the planet's atmosphere. It was dry, rocky, and covered with sand. There was absolutely no sign of civilization.

"Did you get it wrong?" Vermeil said aloud toward GIR. "It's uncharted because nobody lives here, maybe..."

"It's a small planet. Let's fly around and see if we can't find anything," Megami stated, smiling hopefully at the view screen. They didn't fly for long before spotting a small ship parked in the middle of an expanse of flatrock.

"That looks like a Gorami vessel," the Princes observed coolly. "They're a friendly race. Let's land and talk to them."

As they disembarked they found a short creature approaching from a few miles away. Megami watched it in fascination; it was covered in a dark blue tunic made from some wooly material, and its head appeared to be near the left shoulder. It moved on hundreds of little legs beneath its stocky body.

"Hail, Goramian!" Vermeil called. "Do you take up residence on this planet?"

"Only temporarily," it answered as it approached. Its voice was feminine; a series of bubbly noises. "I've been questing for fourteen Garyaims, but I plan on finding the Prophet soon!"

It came to a rest before them and Vermeil offered something to it from his Pak. Refreshment, maybe? It took the small packet handily with a long appendage that emerged from its stomach area. "Do you seek the Prophet as well? I daresay this is the first time an IRKEN has come here for enlightenment."

She (?) spat out the word "Irken" as if it were a bad taste in her mouth. Megami, semi-accustomed to Vermeil's mannerisms, noticed the slightest flick of an antenna at this treatment, but he betrayed no other reaction and the old woman spoke on. "Perhaps an Irken is best equipped to be saved by an Irken."

"The Prophet you seek is Irken?" Megami asked, her childlike curiosity withheld no longer.

The woman could have been affronted, but Meg didn't know enough about her species' body language to tell. "Haven't you heard of the Oracle?!" she cried, shuffling her many feet. "He only saved the entire universe from -- well -- his own kin."

"Really? But --"

"After the Gospel of Dib was published millions of faithfuls have sought THIS planet. The promised land. Solstice. And sought the Prophet; sought his words of wisdom. It is said that those who see the Prophet will never know pain or sorrow again."

"'Gospel of DIB'?!"

Most certainly becoming aggravated, the Goramian cried, "Are you a complete and utter fool?! Have you never read the Gospel of Dib?!"

Vermeil pushed himself between her and the woman. "Pay her no mind, Gorami sister. She was a slave I picked up in Vesabar. She hardly knows how to pour a drink yet."

"Ah. I should've known," the woman growled. "Kind of stupid, eh? The dumb ones are good for sex." It clicked at Vermeil (a conspiratorial wink, perhaps?) and shuffled away back to its ship.

The look on Megami's face could have killed an ox.

"Pay that old bat no mind!" Vermil cried, grinning sheepishly. "I was just trying to get her out of our faces. " He guided her away from the ship before her glare caused it to implode. "She's wrong anyway. Dumb girls are no good in bed. I like reciprocation..."

Megami's jaw dropped. "ExCUSE me?!"

"MASTER! WHERE ARE YA?!"

Glad for GIR's interference for once, Verm pointed to him and said, "One can infer from the fact that 1) she hasn't seen any other Irkens and 2) the Prophet is Irken that the Prophet is this Master GIR seeks."

Thoroughly distracted from her previous offense, Meg cried, "But she had been seeking him for, like, fourteen Garyaims and hasn't found him!"

"That's only about three years," Vermeil laughed.

Biting her lip, Megami said, "That's still a long time! Maybe this Prophet dude doesn't WANT to be found."

"I would assume he doesn't. But we're going to find him anyway." He looked down at GIR. "Where exactly IS your Master on this planet, SIR unit? You've been tracking him rather well for all this time."

GIR walked about ten feet away and looked out over the horizon, standing perfectly still. They both watched expectantly as the wind blew wildly around them. After five minutes had passed, GIR turned back to them and said...

"...Gee... I dunno!"

Vermeil sighed, lowering his head into his hands. After a moment of reflection, he looked to Megami and said, "Well... Why don't we split up? You and GIR go one way and I'll go another. If one of us finds him we'll send up a flare as a signal."

"Sounds good to me!" Megami cried, hopping in place. "If neither finds him let's meet back here at sunset." She looked to GIR. "Which way shall we go, GIRectory?"

"Thatta way!" GIR squealed, running off toward the sun. Waving, Megami followed.

Vermeil smiled and began walking in the other direction.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The hot desert air was beginning to make his eyes dry out. Blinking and rubbing his forehead, Vermeil checked the sun's position in the sky. His Pak told him he had only been walking for an hour but it felt like forever.

How fresh would the Betrayer be when they met? All he had to do was get in one good shot. But he knew this guy was wily. He would resort to any number of tricks to get ahead. What if he killed Vermeil instead?

"Pff. Wouldn't be so bad," the Prince muttered to himself.

There was nothing for miles but a mountain growing ever-larger over the horizon. Vermeil knew he had to be going the right way; he sensed the Betrayer's power... He was on the right track, moreso than Megami and that stupid robot!

Megami. He blinked tiredly. For the first time he wondered about how she would feel if she discovered her quarry was dead. She would be crushed. Her answers would be further away than ever...

Momentarily the Prince considered turning back. He would just convince her to move on. Now that he knew where Solstice was, he could come back later, without her...

No. Not an option. He had to kill this guy. Kill him fast and get rid of the body. Then he'd just go back to the Nymph and make up a lie. She would trust him. She would believe his words. She'd be better off...

As he came closer to the base of the mountain he heard a faint hum. Pausing, he bent down and felt the ground. It wasn't what he expected; the dirt-covered expanse wasn't earthen, but metallic. The mountain wasn't really a mountain at all... Running up to the side and pressing himself against the rock wall, he sidled his way around, feeling for any sort of purchase he could. There had to be a door or something...

After he traveled about fifty feet he discovered something even better... Just around the corner he saw a shadow, growing ever longer as he approached... "Let's do this," Vermeil growled, taking off at a full sprint. In under a minute he was on top of his prey, in the air, legs emerging from his Pak and ready to strike... to decapitate in one clean move.

His adversary turned in an instant, flipping backward and delivering a perfect kick directly to Verm's jaw. As he fell back the Betrayer spun and punched the Prince in the chest, throwing him to the ground on his face.

Before Vermeil could lift himself back up, a heel was pressing into the back of his neck. He grunted in pain as all four of his spider legs were ripped out of his Pak. Carelessly and with little effort, the more experienced combatant pushed him to the side, leaving him sprawled on his back.

"A tepid attempt," the Betrayer growled in a low voice. "You're just a smeet. Come back in fifty years and try again." Short as he was compared to Vermeil, his shadow was cast entirely over Verm's prone form, swallowing him whole.

Hatred was clear on the Prince's face. "You don't deserve that much time, DEFECT!" He was instantly on his feet again, a dagger drawn. As he went to slash across the other Irken's throat, the weapon was knocked from his hands. Grabbing his wrists, the Betrayer flipped him over onto his back, arm twisted awkwardly behind him.

"As always, I, the Defect, get the best of the taller man." His eyes narrowed. "Perhaps it is *I* who is perfect and you all who are, in fact, flawed."

"MURDERER! BETRAYER!"

"Don't get yourself so worked up," he replied. "You would shame your parents with this behavior." He laughed, letting go of Vermeil's arm. "Amateur. You didn't even bring any Amber. Did you really think I'd let you sneak up on me? I saw you coming half an hour ago."

Again the boy was at his feet, but before he could catch his breath two figures appeared over the horizon.

"MASTERRRR! Oh Master! I've found you!"

His antennae perked and he turned to see GIR and Megami approaching quickly, happiness clear on their faces. "GIR?!"

Now. You could do it now. He's off-guard...

...but Megami would see. SHIT! You're weak!

"Vermeil! You found him first! Why didn't you send up a flare?"

"I... I was-- about to..."

Taking a wary step back, the elder Irken eyed them all in one glance. "What -- is the meaning of all this?"

"My Master! I missed you sooooo!" GIR cried happily, jumping into the air and the man's arms. "We lookeded all over the universe and I talked to a psychic cow and then my head was covered in chocolate and--"

As GIR babbled on, the Irken held him at arm's-length. "I don't understand..."

Megami ran up to him and he took a frightened step back, dropping GIR to his feet on the ground.

"Are you the Prophet? GIR's Master? Are you the Prophet AND GIR's Master?"

The Irken looked silently at Megami and then over her shoulders at Vermeil. Pure hate still burned in his eyes, but his posture spoke of defeat. He wasn't about to try anything.

"You... could say that... Yes..."

"Oh! I'm so happy!" Megami squealed, holding out a hand. "My name is Megami. Megami Membrane! And I have so much I want to ask you!"

"Megami... Membrane...?!" He grabbed her extended hand but not to shake. He felt her cool skin, the material draped over it from her clothing... and realized that she was wearing... It.

Dib's trenchcoat.

"I... am an orphan. Or so I've been told." Meg plowed on excitedly, barely noticing the attention that was being paid to her clothing all of a sudden. "All I have ever had is GIR, and..."

Nodding slowly, not quite sure where it was all going, the Irken replied, "I... sent GIR to Nirvana with Valerie and Gaz. Gaz was... Dib's sister..."

"You knew Dib?!" Megami cried happily. "Oh, I can only imagine! I've heard so much about him. I wish... I had been able to meet him..."

Understanding began to dawn in the Irken's eyes. "Dib... and I... were... very close friends." Megami stood, enraptured. "I was there with him when... he died..." That old pain gnawed at his insides again and he quieted.

"You're Zim!!" She reached out and grabbed the cloth of his shirt. "You were Dib's lover!"

Gently, though with a firm grip, Zim removed her hands. "Dib... had a few lovers."

The look on his face was almost unbearable, so Meg tried to soften the blow of her words. "I understand how hard it must've been... Having a human lover. I've lived on Nirvana with humans all my life, being full of Irken blood... Never knowing my parents..." Her voice cracked and she stopped.

Vermeil shoved his hands into his pockets. He couldn't keep them from shaking...

"'Never knowing?'" Zim said incredulously. "Then... I understand. I know why you're here. You're looking for your mother, am I correct? Using GIR?"

Megami began to wring her hands anxiously. "You know who my mother is?!"

His lip curled a little. "Yes. She was little more than an acquaintance, but... I know how she thinks. She must've become pregant... Yes, then when you were born she dropped you off with Dib's family... So she would be free of the responsibility. I'm sure she knew they'd take you."

Being told that your mother didn't want you can be a traumatizing thing, but having even that kind of a mother was better than none at all.

Zim turned and walked toward the mountain, snapping his fingers and causing a door to appear in its side. Gir attached himself to Zim's torso and Megami followed dutifully as Zim walked inside. Hesitating momentarily, Vermeil finally decided to go in as well.

"What was her name? What did she look like?"

After a short walk through a hallway leading down, they entered a small room mostly taken up by a computer. There was only one chair; Zim sat down on it and crossed his legs before him, looking at Megami and Vermeil. It was clear that the subject was already beginning to tire him. "Why don't you go meet her yourself? She still has the same Pak ID, I'm sure... You could hunt her down." He gestured at Vermeil almost dismissively. "You have an Irken ship, correct? You could track her with that."

Considering that he was such a noble figure admired the universe over, Megami thought he sure looked miserable. Dib's death must have truly devastated him. Even after all these years, could one still mourn a lover?

He didn't look much like in the vid Megami saw. His eyes were dark and cold, like Vermeil's. Only the top of his head from the eyes up could be seen; the collar of his tunic was pulled up over his mouth and whatever the tunic didn't cover on his limbs was wrapped in bandages. A delicate white scar wrapped around his cheek from the area beneath his right eye, like a spider web.

His Pak was very small, sitting unassumingly near the hollow of his throat where the collar ended. It blinked a few times and the computer behind him popped out a small disk. He handed it to Megami. "Here's her info. I doubt she'll be hard to find... She has no shame, and she's never hidden herself even after Irkens became hunted throughout the universe..."

"Lucky her," Vermeil said before he could stop himself. For the first time, they both turned their attentions to him.

"She's foolish," Zim told him firmly. "It's much better these days to keep to yourself, I think..."

Vermeil laughed derisively. "Even the Almighty Zim, loved the universe over as the Destroyer of Irk? I should think you would be out absorbing all those accolades and not living in a mountain in the middle of nowhere..." He folded his arms and looked around. "Have any of your followers actually spoken to you in person?"

"Not a one, and that's the way I like it. They come here constantly, trying to figure out where I must be... Some don't even think I'm really here in person at all; just in 'spirit.'" Zim leaned back in his chair. "They all want something from me. Salvation, hope, whatever else... I don't owe them a damn thing and they'll never get anything from me either!"

"That being said... You can't imagine how much I appreciate this," Megami said quietly, holding the disk closely to her. She was obviously trying to disperse the tension in the room. "You will always be in my thoughts and prayers, Mister Zim..."

Waving a claw, the Irken rasped, "Very well... Very well... Now, please go. You remind me of things I've tried very hard to forget..."

She gave a wave and turned on her heel, flashing an encouraging smile at Vermeil. His expression seemed a little hopeless.

Two steps after she began to depart she heard a voice...

"Byyyye Megami!"

"What?" she asked, turning back. Oh... That's right... GIR was with his Master now. He wouldn't be coming. Tears filled her eyes. "Oh! GIR!! What will I do without YOU?!" She ran and pulled him into her arms as Zim looked on curiously.

"I'll miss you and your high-pitched voice!" GIR cried, hugging her back. "You sounded like a big birdie!" She collapsed into sobs.

Vermeil took a step toward her. "Megami..."

"Have you and GIR been companions for a long time?"

"Since... I was a baby," Megami sniffled. "Everwhere I go, he goes with me..."

Zim nodded contemplatively. "I see. For a long time in my younger years, it was that way with GIR and I as well... He can be helpful at times." He folded his arms. "But I can see that you've become attached to him."

"I love him!" Megami replied tearfully.

"Then I propose we make a trade."

"...trade...?"

Zim stood and began to usher them back outside. When they were out he pointed at her. "I know it must be very important to you, but..."

For a moment, the statement hung as Zim struggled for words.

"...I... would be willing to trade GIR... for that coat you're wearing."

It took a moment for Megami to process the request. Then she realized... Of course... She was wearing DIB's coat he owned from the age of sixteen up until near his death. Zim had probably seen a lot of him in that coat...

"I think that's a fair trade," Megami finally agreed, removing the article from her body.

Vermeil grabbed her arm. "Are you sure you want to give that thing up? You're always wearing it..."

"You just want to get rid of GIR!" Meg laughed, grinning at him. He wasn't aware of its significance. She looked down at his arm momentarily. "Oh my Gosh! You're bleeding!"

Vermeil blanched. Always a quick one, that Megami... It was then that she noticed his discarded legs at the wayside. "Oh My God! Vermeil!?"

"I'm -- not hurt, Megami..."

"Oh, not at all. Never," Zim interjected, the whisper of an evil smile on his face. "Vermeil and I were just sparring a little, right Vermeil? It's something Irken males like to do."

Zim had caught on to the fact that Megami was not aware of Verm's intentions. Anger could not have been more evident on the younger Irken's face; Zim had another one-up on him. And it was another reminder of how weak he was; subjugated by a female! Megami, for her part, seemed satisfied by this explanation.

"Take care of Miss Membrane, GIR," Zim instructed as he took the coat from her hands. He closed his eyes and pressed the cloth against his face.

Megami sighed sadly. Even if none of Dib's family respected his memory... There was someone out HERE that did.