#refriedrambles

[refried-ghost]

Maybe he really was weak.

He'd put in his all, after all. He could cry injustice all he wanted, but it was just the way of the world wasn't it? And Skoodge, like he'd seen Zim do so many times, simply denied it. Unable to accept reality. Unable to fall in line. Unable to stay out of sight.

He done everything right. Everything a irken should do. Became everything an irken should reach for. But nothing could change the fact that he was short and ugly. He'd never accepted the unspoken rule that shorters weren't meant to be seen.

Nothing could rebuild their burnt bridges.

And he should have known that by now. He did know that now. But he should have sooner. He was too weak to face reality.

His antenna shifted uncomfortably in the hood. Eventually they ended up peeking out the front of it. A thick cloud cover had moved in quickly since he'd left Zim's base.

Normally he'd be terrified of being this exposed, but he just couldn't muster up the energy to care.

A pleasant smell he couldn't quite place began to waft through the streets. He kicked tiny pebbles on the pavement.

Skoodge couldn't go back. He'd decided to go to earth, to Zim, but still couldn't face the Irken. And honestly he just was lost.

A light breeze caught dandelion seeds.

He always had direction. Always had a goal. Had someone to prove himself to.

He took in little things as he stopped on the street corner. The broken slabs underfoot, the chunks of greenery in front of each dwelling, each with a different height of grass or mixture of plants, bird feeders, trees, fences, excited or cautious small creatures, telephone poles, stop lights and street signs.

It was nothing like Irk. In some ways it reminded him of Blorch. A sick feeling stirred in his gut.

There was a sting in his antenna which made him wince. He grabbed the appendage and gingerly checked it.

It was lightly steaming. He frowned and released it.

What was he now? What was he supposed to do? Did his life mean anything?

Would- would he be returned to the collective after his death?

What a morbid thought.

Little sprinkles of wetness began to color the concrete in front of him. Vaguely he heard shouting in the distance. A familiar voice. Skoodge bit his lip and crossed the street.

"GIR get back here!"

A giggle came in response.

Skoodge quickened his pace. They were heading back to the base from the looks of it. That meant he was in for a long walk back to the woods where he'd hid his ship.

Zim let out a pained hiss. The robot ran laughing acrossed the street. Skoodge looked back to see him pulling himself back up off the ground. His skin was sizzling? It was kinda hard to tell from this distance.

"Stupid earth rain," he grumbled wiping off his uniform. "I'm going home GIR! Put your suit back on!" He used his PAK leg to chuck it at the robot.

GIR goes from giggling to hitting the ground. He lets out a quiet oof. Zim quickly runs off. GIR jumps back into a stand, tossing the suit into the grass.

Skoodge began to walk away again as the robot caught sight of him.

"Hey!"

He ignored it.

"Where ya going? WHERE YA GOING?!"

Oh, wow, GIR was nothing like Champ. He sorta knew that alread, but... He shoved his hands into the pocket and kept his head down. Quiet metallic thuds hurried behind him.

The sprinkling died off just as slowly as it began.

"Ooo," GIR veered into the grass.

Skoodge relaxes a bit. He walked and walked. More checked out of his surroundings then before. A mental map popped into his head as he thought about the path he'd first taken to the base.

He jumped when something tugged on his hoodie. Fear shooting through him. Before he knew it he'd turned making eye contact with the culprit. A frowning SIR looked back at him.

"Why are you so sad?"

Skoodge couldn't speak. He took a breath shutting his eyes. Then looked back at the robot with a small smile. "I'm not sad. I'm fine."

GIR looked at him suspiciously. "Hmmmmm." He brightened up, lifting a hand full of dandelions to the Irken. "Here! Cheer up!"

Tears, which seemed to be assaulting him far more often now, prickled his eyes. His mouth gaped unsure of what to say. Hesitantly he reached towards the outstretched gift, but pulled his hand back.

GIR stood up, grabbed his hand, and placed the weeds in them. He giggled.

"I- Thanks... Thank you GIR."

#refriedrambles #Skoodge #gir #zim #everyone is running away

[refriedrambles]

Membrane seeing no hope to force his kids to take on his legacy clones himself once more! But this time he repeatedly transfers his memories into the clone. Suddenly Old Professor Membrane keels over but there is a bit of a snag he never changed his will and Membrane Jr is still very much a child sending him into the care of his Dib as Gaz has been unreachable for a minute.

#refriedrambles

[refried-ghost]

Zim freaked when Dib kissed him. Absolutely mentally checked out of the situation.

Red had asked when he did it. Explained things when he realized Zim didn't know what he was talking about. He wanted practice. He wanted to experiment. And he heaped praise on the smaller Irken.

Zim liked Red and Purple. Really really like them. So when Red talked about how it was something usually reserved for people closer then friends he immediately agreed. He couldn't allow Red to go to someone else for it.

Zim stepped back once Dib was done. Looking through him. And the near adult realized he fucked up. He began to mumble out an apology. Zim covered the human's mouth as his minds raced. He didn't want to ruin things. They been getting along so well. Someone was finally acknowledging him. Skoodge didn't count.

Purple gave him a look somewhere between disgust and pity. Zim couldn't look him in the eye. He knew Purple had stopped caring about him as much at one point. He never found out why. But that look made him squirm. Things were awkward between them. So much more then ever before. He was already uncomfortable sitting on Red's bed after what they'd done on it.

He felt dirty when he thought about it. He never told anyone that. He also felt proud. Proud that he was allowed to do that to Red when the only other person allowed to see him like that was Purple.

Zim also felt this had something to do with the growing strain between him and Purple. The taller never up it into words though so he was never quite sure.

Things would change if he allowed this. Things would change if rejected him. He wanted to be acknowledged he didn't want to be thrown away.

With a shaky breath he kissed the human back. It was a short peck. He quickly retreated from it covering his mouth with the back of his glove forcing himself to not aggressively wipe the stink from his lips.

He didn't know what he mumble out to the human as he retreated. Quickly leaving the ship. Needing to remove himself from the situation.

He wasn't sure why he's kissed Skoodge back at the base. The other Irken was taken aback, but didn't reject him. He didn't push things when Zim began to panic. He didn't force him to talk about. Was fully willing to act like it never happened if that's what Zim wanted.

And that was the worse part about it. Zim knew the Conqueror went back and forth between if his feelings were platonic or something more akin to what their Tallest shared. Skoodge had told him as much way back then, while they were training to be elites. Promised to never mention it again if that what Zim wanted. And he hadn't. Zim still punished him for it.

Zim left earth to avoid Skoodge. His excuse was half ass. His note riddled with lies.

Now he was here. In space with the human that cut him open. The one Skoodge saved him from. Just letting it happen.

Even after what happened Red still toyed with Zim. Guilt shining clearly. Some towards him. Most not. He wasn't gentle like he used to be when Zim didn't know why it made him feel dirty. No he took out his rejection and frustration on Zim. He'd brake down in front of him at random, sobbing and begging Purple for forgiveness even though he wasn't there.

It wrecked Zim to see him like that. It drove him to take the blame early on. Destroying what little bond was left between him and Purple. But Zim was sure he could repair it.

Purple didn't take Red back. If anything he seemed angrier with him. So it continued after that. Now mixed with love bombing. He'd praise Zim endlessly to the point the shorter was too overwhelmed speak while leaving him welts and bruises between his break downs. Sometimes he'd be gentle. Sometimes he encouraged Zim to take charge.

Zim felt like a stranger in his own skin. But did that really matter if he still had Red?

But it took it's toll. Zim had been slipping up a lot more because of it. His infamy grew with each fuck up. He was transferred to Vort.

It send Red spiraling. He begged and pleaded for him to stay. He wasn't being given a chose.

He missed 777. He missed Purple. And his base.

He wanted adoration, acknowledgement and attention and hated that in most cases it seemed to lead back into this. That's why he like Dib so much as child. He didn't look at him like that. Didn't expect that from him. Zim was willing to ignore the whole vivisection thing if they could go back to that.

777 was in prison.

Purple had convinced himself he hated him.

His base was in ruin.

All of that was his fault.

That box was open now. The horrors escaped out into the world. And there was no way to shove them back in.

He was gonna have to face this eventually. Abandoning everything hadn't worked. Dib found him. But he wasn't willing to yet.

#again apparently wasn't done #refriedrambles #messy messy relationships #zadr #razr #suggestive

[refried-ghost]

There was a deafening bang. Then the power went out. Purple froze in place. He'd never been in such total darkness before. It was unsettling to say the least. The chattering of the clutch quieted for a moment. 

A hand landed on Purple’s shoulder. He let out a horrified yelp and whipped around. Skoodge blinked at him, a hazy magamenta glow lit up some of his face. He put his hands up.

“Sorry, I didn’t-” Purple huffed.

“How are you doing that?” With a squint he jabbed his index finger into one of his cheeks.

“Doing what?”

Purple frown deepened. He motioned around Skoodge’s face. “This- uh, glowy thing.” He Thought for a moment then snapped his fingers, “Your eyes are radiating a faint light.” 

“Oh,” Skoodge looked down to his hand with a blink. The smaller smeet leaned to look around his back.

“Your PAK is doing it too.”

“Well, our eyes are switched out right?”

“Yeah…”

“So, it’s probably a PAK thing?”

“Hmm…” Purple looked around seeing a couple more faintly glowing smeets. “Probably. Do you think it’s a thing only some people can do or…”

“I don’t know.”

There was a strained grunt coming from one of smeets in the crowd.

“Stop it!” Purple shouted. “Whatever you’re doing is gross!”

“Purple,” Skoodge whispered, “what are you doing?”

Then the grunting smeet’s began to glow. He let out an excited gasp. “I did it!” The green eyed smeet jumped up and down with a clap. He was quickly surrounded by clambering smeets. Purple wiggled his way through them pushing as shoving as he went. Then he grabbed the smeet by the shoulders.

“How?” The smeet yanked out of his grip and Purple stepped back. “How’d you do that?”

“I just tried really hard!”

“That doesn’t explain anything?!”

“Yeah! Tell us!” Someone in the crowd shouted. The green eyed smeet looked around frantically backing up.

“I- I don’t-” he hiccuped.

“Oh!” Came a small voice. “I did it too.” Skoodge frowned at the round eyed smeet. “There was this… tingle in the back of my eyes when it happened.”

“Are you sure you should be telling them?” He whispered to her. She blinked at him.

“I think it’ll be fine,” she whispered back. 

Purple frowned and made his way back over to Skoodge. Then dropped down onto the floor. “Go on.”

“Just imagin-

The power came back on, earning a cheer from a pink eyed smeet. Then another deafening bang even louder from the last, but this one was followed by a large number of booms. The ground began to shake, wires dislodged from their places, whipped down, some tore raining sparks over the irken children, screams rang out as they shielded their heads. An explosion tore through the wall, the room was filled with smoke and rubble, the lights cut, only flame and sparks lit the place. 

When Purple began to process what possibly could have happened he realized he was being held, cradled and caged by Skoodge. Pak legs shining in the dim light. Tears fell on him, but the smeets eyes were tightly shut. Purple grabbed his shirt as he let out a sniffle of his own.

A blood curdling scream echoed against the metal walls.

#refriedrambles #tallest purple #skoodge #smeets #meats&metals

[refried-ghost]

Zim was in pain.

Everything hurt. His bones, his meat, his PAK. He didn't understand it. Occasionally he'd feel it's tendrils shift through his meat, dragging their tracks as they went, and breaking through the gristle that held them.

He was on fire and yet he was freezing. His body shook violently. Breaths were sharp, shaky, and quick. And he couldn't open his eyes. He thought he heard talking, but between the old damage to his antenna and eardrums and the complete overstimulation he simply couldn't make it out. The only sound he could truly make out were the violent pulsing of his spooch and the deafening whir of his PAK.

And he sweat. It soaked through his clothes and pooled thickly on the bed he was laying in. His tongue dangled out near fully when he'd slip out of consciousness. When his sharp inhales morphed into panting. An uncontrolled unwitting plea to replace the liquid he'd lost.

A metal tendril hung over Zim hesitantly, having been ordered several times not to touch him. GIR'd been thrown out the base before things had gotten quite as serious. When the irken was still moving around.

At first, they'd thought he had caught something. Some unknown terrestrial disease and Zim likely still believed that was the case.

In the first time in a long time he'd called his Tallest. And he begged they send him help. They send him anything. And they promised they would. But they promised it in that same way they promised him his mission. And this time he didn't bother to deny it.

The irken choked on his tears. Pain rippled through him with the every drop that formed, every contraction of his throat.

"Please, just tell me I'm going to be okay..." He looked towards the screen, unable to really see them through the liquid clouding his eyes. And there was a moment of silence. The shifting of clothes from the speakers and a hesitant breath.

"Don't worry Zim. Everything is going to be alright."

"Yeah! You can make it through anything," only a hint of vitriol made it into that sentence.

And that was the last time he'd seen the invader smile since all of this started. The Tallest stayed on the line with him for hours. The conversation obviously forced on their end, but they humored him. As they always did. No, certainly more than they usually did. They'd bring up old times, old schemes of his, how things could have gone if they worked out, what snacks they'd had recently. But Zim didn't talk much. He mostly cried, scratching the partial tears in his skin. Begged them not to hang up.

Eventually he stopped and just sat there. They stayed on the line, silent, waiting for anything to happen.

"Is- is he dead?" Tallest Purple asked.

He wasn't. Simply cationic.

"Put him in a bed or something," Red said turning away from the screen. "There are things we need to get to. Give us a report if anything happens."

And then they hung up. Computer did as he was told. He would have done it even if he wasn't.

Gaz had came over a few days later. He brother sooner then that, but Computer quickly removed him from the premises.

#refriedrambles #of clones and conspiracies #tw: illness

[refriedrambles]

"Zim?" That stupid voice called softly. He sat beside him. "A rough day, huh?"

Zim glared at him, before melting back to sorrow.

"Okay, okay. I probably shouldn't have said that. That's on me." A mug clinked against the floor. Skoodge carefully slid it over, steam rising in faint plumes. "We made some hot chocolate," he held an unopened tiny packet of colorful marshmallows out for him. "They're making one's with cereal themes now."

Zim stared for a minute. Then tore them from his hand and let them drop into the mug.

Skoodge smiled at him, carefully pulling his hand back.

He looked at his own and blew on it. Zim hissed at the heat, but forced it down anyway.

"Oh boy. Maybe I should've waited for them to cool off before bringing them over," he said wincing. He took a drink of his own.

Zim slammed his empty mug down.

"That was quick. Are you hungry? GIR made cupcakes."

Zim looked at him. Skoodge took another sip, maintaining eye contact. Zim looked at the mug. Skoodge followed his gaze to it, then looked back up to him. Slowly holding it out. After some hesitation Zim plucked it from his hands. Skoodge watched him take a small sip. Then fiddles with his gloves.

After a while, "welp," he slapped his knee as he struggled up. "I'll bring the cupcakes down." He picked up the empty mug. "Take your time, Zim. Scars fade." He smiled softly before turning away.

#refriedrambles #isn't the best fic #skoodge #zim #everyone is running away #downfall eiraftp fic

[refried-ghost]

It was only once. Perhaps it could have been called an accident. She wanted to think so. She doubted it was. But once was more then enough.

Gaz was six when her father smacked her brother.

The force of the blow sent him to the ground in an instant.

It was an innocent question.

It was her fault.

She never should have told him what she was thinking. She knew their dad was weird about the woman they'd never so much as heard whispers of. But as soon as her worries left her lips. He'd pulled her off the bed and down the stairs determined to get answers from the man.

When Gaz saw the man shake, she'd always assumed it was from sorrow. Grief. She'd assumed her dead or somewhere far far away. Thoughts of dragons, spies and other bad guys holding their mother captive plague her nightmares. If they came for her what if they came for Gaz as well. On one hand she wished they would. Then finally she'd meet her. And she's be everything she every wanted. Loving, kind, attentive. Always there to read her bedtime stories, good night kisses, cheer her on when she got an A in class, safe from those bad guys on the other side of the bars.

She'd care. She'd be family. Real family.

But that would leave Dib and dad all alone. She didn't want that. Dib. He tried sometimes. When he wasn't to focused on sneaking magazines and books about the paranormal passed their father. When he'd notice her he'd try to give her the attention she rarely got. But he was only a kid. And the Professor didn't allow that sort of nonsense in his house back then.

She loved them both. She didn't want to abandon them.

Constantly she seeked her father's approval, despite his purposeful ignorance. He was far too busy, he'd say. But when he did acknowledge her everything seemed right in the world. So she worked and worked and worked to get that attention.

Despite the hours that passed as they waited at the door, Dib's determination didn't wane. Gaz was bored and tired by now, but it was hardly the first time she'd waited for him like this.

"I think we should got bed," she said looking to the floor.

"No! We're gonna get answers. Me and you," he smiled at holding her hand. "We'll make him tell us!"

Dib screamed as their father tore his room apart. He begged him to leave them alone. To let him keep even one of them, but the man remained firm. "Dibromide, these are going to rot your mind!" Gaz flinched as she heard something crack against the floor. "They have already." She knew not to ease drop, but her curiosity always won out. "What's so wrong with science, son?! Why fill your head with this, this nonsense instead?" Her brother wailed sickingly as his prized possessions were taken and destroyed.

It wasn't the first time. And she hadn't thought it'd be last. But-

The door open. Startling Gaz awake once more. Dib shot up. And moonlight silhouetted their father.

"It's nearly midnight," he crossed the doorway and flicked on the light, "what on earth are you two still doing up?" Once the door shut, he really came into view. With a sigh he reached to pick them up. Dib, however pulled them away. Gaz knitted her brow. She wanted to be carried to bed. He'd almost certainly give her a good night kiss then.

"Dad we need to talk," the boy said. Another sigh and the man scratched his scalp. She definitely wasn't gonna get a good night kiss now.

"Dib now really isn't the time, I stayed late at the lab and haven't had a day off in months." He picked up his overly stuffed briefcase once more and pushed passed them.

"There's never a time! You make your own schedule! But this needs to happen. You need to tell us dad!" Dib followed his father, pulling Gaz after them.

"What? What do I need to tell you?" He threw his hand up and turned on his heel. The boy stopped in place and took a deep breath.

"Who is our mom? And what happened to her? Why isn't she here?!"

Gaz didn't want to be here. This was a mistake. She just wanted Dib to be quiet and get to their rooms. But she stayed silent, the tension felt like hands on her throat. And their father shook.

The brief case dropped to the ground and he reached for his skull. Gloved hand pressed into it with as much for as he could muster, but Dib paid no heed. The beat of silence far to long for the impatient child.

"I. Don't. Know." Their father hissed out. "STOP ASKING!"

Gaz started to hiccup and hid behind her brother.

"THAT BULLSHIT!" Gaz grabbed him and mumbled for him to stop. "How can you THE WORLD'S GREATEST SCIENTIST with photographic memory really tell us you don't know?!" He pointed at man. Then he froze. "Are we adopted?" It was quiet. More so then her pleas.

The man composed himself as much as he could. But he still shook.

"No. You're not. Please. Just stop." He kneeled down collecting the brief case. He turned to walk away. "Don't bring this up again."

"What happened dad? Why do you hate her so much?"

Gaz's ears rang from screams that follow. One was words she was sure, but she didn't know what was said. When she opened her eyes again Dib was the floor holding his red cheek in shock.

When her father shook. It may have been out of sorrow and grief. But it was that day she learn it was mainly rage.

Her father wasn't shaking anymore. No he was frozen. Then he took a step back. Then another. The brief hit the floor a second time as his gaze moved from his son to the hand he struck him with. He held it away from him and covered his mouth.

Then he flinched at the stifled hiccuping from the floor. She looked back to her brother who was getting up slowly facing away from the man. His nose was bleeding. His glasses broken.

"Dib, I'm so sorry, I didn't- I don't know what came over me. Are you okay?" The man stepped towards. Dib scrambled up wiping his face and running out the door. "Son! Wait please!" Their father rushed out after him.

Gaz was alone in an empty house, crying because she knew this was all her fault.

It was only once, but it changed all of them.

Now. A slightly older Gaz laid in bed unable to turn off her brain, unable to hold back her anger. A slightly older Dib stayed up plotting an alien's down fall whilst trying to get back into the Swollen Eye forums after yet another ban. Long since giving up on his father. The newcomer to their little unit, Zim sobbed into a pillow thinking about friends he can no longer deny hate him with every fiber of their beings. And wondering if he deserves to start over. And a seemingly ageless Professor glances to long forgot corner of his home lab as he plans the next family dinner, feeling as if something isn't quite right.

They were family. As real of one as she was going to get until she was an adult and made her own.

But she still wondered about her mother.

#refriedrambles #unedited as always but this one is a bit more scattered #tw: blood #tw: child abuse #tw: emotional abuse #of clones and conspiracies

[refried-ghost]

GIR didn't know much right after his assembly. But deep in his circuits a part of him squirmed. His body felt wrong. He couldn't stand to be still any more. So the rest of him did something about.

He punched his head back and forth, a satisfying rattle escaped it. He also started whooping. And he felt so much better. The feeling was still there deep down, but the distraction was calming, fun even. And then his "master" spoke.

"Um. Is it supposed to be stupid?" A cautious tone, but it hurt none the less.

"It's not stupid, it's advanced," the purple one said. That made him feel better. If irkens that tall were saying that it must be true! He still disliked the situation though. The feeling that came from it. How a few words could make the squirming morph in a disturbing writhing.

He did what worked a second ago, and made a distraction. He bounced on his head.

It was uncomfortable being in the ship with his "master". He felt so... small, yet it was so cramped. From his little perch on the seat he watched the ships quickly flick out of view. He wished he knew their names.

"Okay GIR! Our mission begins now. Let us rain some Doom upon the filthy heads of our Doomed enemies," he really seemed to like that word. And GIR had an idea before he'd even finished talking.

"Imma sing the Doom song now!" It was a brilliant idea, really.

#refriedrambles #gir #imma dig into this later right now if just here far from anything close to finished

[refried-ghost]

Is my sleep scheudule completely fucked? Yep.

Is this piece finished? No, but the lineart is.

Mermay Day 3 Zim! He was suposed to be day 1, but those fins man. Mini Moose was only added cause I knew I didn't have the time to finish the line art yesterday.

I will finish this eventually, but it's getting shoved to the back burner for now. I got a lot of stuff to draw currently.

#mermay #zim #ghostiedoodles #refriedrambles #gir #mini moose #invader zim

[refried-ghost]

"Why would she ask that?" He hadn't intended to voice the thought. Had realized he did until-

"Ask what?" The computer probed frustration pouring from it's voice. Zim shouldn't have opened his mouth. But the irken was oblivious to the mechanical arms obvious struggle to remove GIR from his wires.

"Nothing. No one asked anything."

A deep sigh came from the machine. He flinched as an arm snaked quickly towards him. He wasn't expecting the gentle pat it gave his forehead. Well as gentle a head pat a cold mechanical arm could give.

"You never just rest."

Zim looked towards the ceiling confused at the shift in attitude.

"There's no reason to. An idle irken is a worthless irken. Rest is earned. And unnecessary."

"You contradicted yourself. And I disagree on all accounts. Rest is amazing. It used to be one of my favorite things. You should give it a try."

A pillow was dropped on top of him earning a surprised yelp. Once he's regained his bearings a blanket had already been wrapped around him.

"Computer!" The arms readjusted the pillow and toppled him over onto it mid shout. He pouted into the fabric, before the fight drained out of him.

"Just try to stop thinking. Let yourself sleep."

He couldn't though. The first not the second. He thought about the Red and Purple and how he always fucked everything up. His mistakes repeated over and over in his mind. And he thought about Gaz and their dinners and the stupid human boy who actually respected him. Saw him as the threat her tried to be. Not the failure he really was.

The question hurt. It hurt so much. He wanted to say yes. But if he did what would that mean about him mission. About all the effort he'd put into win them back.

Some part of knew it was fake from the beginning. Something thought up on the spot to get rid of him. A mercy of not putting their real feelings into words. Purple had already. He'd made himself clear and that was before what happened to Spork. Red though. He felt guilty. He used Zim. Feigning ignorance the one time Zim willingly took the blame. The one time it wasn't actually his fault.

But a large part of was desperate to fix things. Partly believing his mission genuine. Partly believing it a purposeful opportunity. A final chance from the one who didn't hate him. Who still wanted to be friends. From the irken he looked up to, but was too much of a coward to face the possibility of a life without his best friend.

Red valued Purple more then he did Zim. Despite what he'd done to him. Zim had fleeting thoughts of confronting him. Or about telling Purple what really happened. But Zim chose this path. Sure he hadn't realized where it lead at the time. But he still chose it. And he knew that would only make things worse.

"Are we friends?" The question echoed threw his head. No. Not anymore. Not with Red and Purple at least.

He choked out a sob curling in on the pillow.

But they weren't the ones who asked.

No. That was the Gazling. The human he could tolerate. The one he made dinner with in the absence of her father. Dib would show up screaming out why Zim was in his house. It either end in a fight or Gaz making him back off. He'd try to reason with her. She'd get him to run off. On the rare occasion he'd settle down enough to eat with them.

Those days between the boys' squabbling Zim would catch the girl smile slightly as they all sat at the table and ate. For reason it would remind him of Purple. Before everything. After the taller finally warmed up to him.

He wanted to be friends. But he didn't know if he could.

"Good night, sweet dreams," the Computer whispered as he finally cried himself to sleep.

#refriedrambles #of clones and conspiracies

[refried-ghost]

Everyone had left.

Well everyone that could. Skoodge remained thankful for Computer's seeming disinterest and had been kicking around the idea of repairing his more neglected parts. He'd ask first of course. But he hadn't mustered the motivation to talk to anyone else yet. Not- not after everything.

He took a shaky breath and focused on the vent cover infront of him.

He didn't want to... To keep wasting away like he had been for the past few weeks.

It clattered to the ground in his moment of brooding.

"Sorry," he whispered nearly inaudibly.

"Whatever."

After returning the cover to it's place Skoodge made his way up to the surface. He swiped a couple of things from the fridge knowing they wouldn't be missed and settled in the living room.

Earthen food was good. Not great. But so much better then the things he was force to eat on Blorch. Their was pang of regret and frustration. Why'd he have to go through everything he'd ordered from Foodcourtia? He'd ordered so much planning to save it for a while. A little treat to remind him of the home he'd never return to. But instead he'd done something he'd only ever done once or twice before.

He binged. His cruiser now littered with the discarded wrappers in it hiding spot. None of it was left. And he didn't have the coding or equipment to make anything similar.

The room brightened suddenly stirring Skoodge from his mind. Nothing was out of place. No one appeared. No new sounds. He glance to the window. A bird whistled it's song.

Earth was interesting. From what little of it he'd seen. He felt a tug.

"Hey, Computer," he began hesitantly.

"What?" Exasperation was clear in it's voice.

"Could you help me with a disguise?"

"Can't you do that yourself?"

"I don't have that kinda equipment anymore..." He thought for a moment. "I mean I could steal some clothes but..."

The machine sighed. A metal tendril whipped out out the ceil dropping something on his head.

"It's got a hood," it stated. The ex invader uncovered his face. It was a grey piece of fabric. Stained much like his uniform, despite his repeated efforts to remove it. He looked up to the ceiling a slight bitterness swirling within.

"Thanks."

#refriedrambles #everyone is running away

[refriedrambles]

PAK dissonance was something a little more then half the population ended up experiencing at one point in their lives. Skoodge was one of them.

This was nothing like the first time.

[add all the scenes that happen on top of each other, the piggy incident as PAK, looking down at Zim checking out from pain on a call with the Tallest as computer, admiring his new red eyes as Red, moving his gaze from the floor trying to ground himself and seeing Krysa crouching down touching the floor blinking rapidly, as Vortian feeling betrayed by Larb as irkens begin to round them all up, a giant rubber piggy the size of a planet looming over head, Krysa slapping him so hard she breaks her hand as she tries to keep him from stabbing himself more getting stabbed herself in the process while he's only aware of faint tingle in his cheek and something wet and warm spilling from his mouth and running down his chin, a random human surgeon during as surgery asking for a tool, his PAK beginning to over work itself, being feet behind himself. No paragraph breaks. Filter back through them skipping and repeating.]

But he was him now again. Mostly. He was all those others when it happened, but somewhere underneath he was still Skoodge. Skoodge only stopped being for a fraction of a second.

It all happened at once. All of it dragged on forever. It was over in second.

In reality according to the clock on his info tablet, 10 minutes had passed.

His PAK was forced into maintenance mode. The device used still hanging from it.

Somehow he was sure his PAK had little to do with what he'd just experienced, but looking down at the puncture whole in his gut still pouring out blood he understood why Krysa had done it.

His PAK legs laid inactive on the smeared with pink and red blood.

Krysa was swearing in every language she knew.

It didn't hurt. He touched the wound, a muted tingle came. The same kind as in his cheek.

His sense of linear time still hasn't fully corrected itself. He was Skoodge. He was a few others.

It felt like he was apart of and experiencing a bunch of different realities stacked up on each at once. Well, that's the closest he could place the feeling into words.

Krysa crouched down to look at his wounds first aid kit in hand.

The lights cut and an alarm went off bathing every thing in a yellow light.

"ALL SYSTEMS CRITICAL! ALL SYSTEMS CRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-" the electric voice and alarm stuck holding a tone. The lights stopped rotating and began to buzz.

Krysa yanked him with her as she ran.

The ships halls were eerily empty.

Lights began to explode in rapid succession.

They were in the ship bay. Some were still running doors open. No one was there. Behind them one of them exploded.

Krysa threw Skoodge the rest of the way to his inactive ship. "TRY TURNING IT ON!" He did so.

It seemed fine? This thoughts were still only half there. His hands missed as he tried to grabbed the wheel. There was a noticable heat on his back.

She threw herself into the ship took the wheel getting them into the air and screamed at him, "REBOOT YOUR PAK!" He looked back to see a scorch mark in the back of the chair. His eyes widened.

They were out, a hole blown in through all the docking bay doors. The ship behind them didn't stop exploding.

Krysa slammed the dash with her fist. Shaking. Holding back tears. Biting down far too hard.

Skoodge's PAK was in his tingling hands completely inert. His ship quickly attaching life support.

She looked at him and with a shaky breath tore it out of his hands and set it on the floor. "You're melting your gloves, Skoodge." She pulled him into a hug.

He was Skoodge.

"I think I might puke," the human admitted.

#refriedrambles #Skoodge #oc shit #those squeaky shoes #div point #everyone is running away

[refriedrambles]

(Here's one of the few lines I've written for Being Fired that is definitely gonna be kept in some form)

“Away with you!” (Zim)

“Oookay. Why?” (S)

“Question me not, Skoodgling." Zim turns away from said Irken, a gloved finger still hushing him. He pulls away as a thought hits him. "Eh, save a place for me as well. Now go!” Zim points to the line and runs off.

#refriedramblings #refriedrambles

[refried-ghost]

When the door opened to the Tallest's Chamber Red knew something was wrong. Nothing he noticed triggered the feeling, but he tensed nonetheless.

The guard next to him was quick to notice. He immediately angled himself to look in the room. He didn't notice anything either, but was sure he was missing something from the Tallest's obvious hesitance to enter.

He tapped the Tallest's arm breaking him from his trance and entered. Thoroughly scanning the room. He checked under the table, in the canopy bed and beneath it and behind everything but didn't find anything, but a mostly full bag of snacks spilled on the table.

"My Tallest?"

Red entered uncomfortably. "Continue the search," he said floating over to Purple's door.

The Guard nodded entering the rec room. It was far more cluttered. The simulation chamber was inactive, but he still opened it up anyway. Empty. He moved the hand crafted puppets out of the way searching every nook and cranny he could find and came up empty.

He moved to the bathroom across from the rec room on Purple's side. Also empty most things in here only emerged when in use, so it was a much quicker process. Only the drier really needed to be checked.

Tallest Red emerged from Purple's room with the same iffy look he had everytime he went in there.

"Is the Tallest alright?"

"He wasn't in there." And that made the guard pause.

"He wasn't in there my Tallest?" Concern was quickly turning to panic.

"Have you checked my room yet?" He said with a raised brow.

"I- No," he swallowed. "I have not yet."

"He probably in there then or the upper cafeteria."

"I haven't seen anyone leave the chambers since I started my shift."

"Did you see him come in?"

"Yes. I did, my Tallest."

Red exited the bathroom. The Guard quickly when to his door. "It's fine. He does this all the time." He said looking down to the guard. He tensed noticing a blinking light behind him. In the right corner of the chamber nestled nearly behind the bed, near the bathroom.

He opened the door holding his breath.

"My Tallest?"

"Search. Now. Computer, call more guards and the enforcers." He rushed of to the escape pod hatch.

It didn't make sense. It didn't make any sense. He opened it only to find it empty. He could see clearly down the chute until it bend.

He moved away. He should have been notified when the escape pod was used. But maybe... Maybe it was out for maintenance. He should have notified for that to but these things were easy to forget. He began to calm himself.

The guard was probably just not paying attention when Purple left. It was fine everything was fine.

"My Tallest?" The incompetent guard said.

"Yes," there was a bite to his tone. He floated to the other escape pod hatch.

"I sent for reinforcements." Red gave him a hard look. With a shaky breath he continued, "The Computer didn't respond."

It felt he'd been hit.

#refriedrambles #everyone is running away

[refried-ghost]

It happened a little before they'd became elites. They were bonafide irken soldiers. And there group began to splinter. Purple and Skoodge had a fight about Zim. Zee left everyone in her dust, being noticed by someone important and rush into invader training. Purple wasn't ever really close to Tenn, but Red was. But again he had that sad boy bullshit going on like always.

Sure they were friends now, pretty close ones too but he always felt a sort of hostility from his bunk mate. Zim was around of course, but Purple really wished he wasn't. Especially since Skoodge chose him over himself. It- it was a stupid thing for him to bring up.

He was lost in thoughts like these as he maintain his unlawfully modified blaster. He'd named it. He named most of his weapons.

Something plopped down beside him on the bed. He jumped nearly flinging the weapon across the room. Red was quick to grab it though.

Purple breathed deeply as he tried to calmed himself, "What the fuck? Why would you do that?"

Red chuckled quietly.

Purple punched him in the arm. "Don't laugh! You seriously could have mess up Muzz." He pulled Muzz away from Red and quickly put it back together. Then hid it way.

"S-so, Pur I've been, uh-" he nervously tapped one of his palms with his claws. A substitute for his tick, but also something he did when he was trying to calm his stutter. "I've been thinking..." He got more frustrated with ever fumble. It was almost certainly worsening the stutter. Purple didn't point it out.

"You do that?" Despite his high collar covering his mouth, Pur could tell he was frowning further. Red punched him back not so gently.

"Yeah. I do that... " He trailed off.

"What about?"

Red squirmed avoiding his gaze. He pulled down his collar.

To be honest Purple liked the scar. Zim did too. It was cool. He always wanted to touch it. He knew better then to ask. He knew it was a huge sore spot for Red. How he blamed it for his stutter and the paranoia. Totally wasn't the trauma of being attacked like that while so young and small. But it was always a treat to see.

Red squirmed, going between looking Purple in the eyes, around the room and he wasn't quite sure but he thought his gaze lingered on other parts of him. But it was hard to tell with him. Red could just as easily be looking through him then looking at him.

Purple sighed looking away. He knew Red hated it when people stared. He didn't want him to go back to covering his face.

But as he did a hand slipped behind his head. Red was instantly hovering over his lap. His other hand adjusted the angle of his head. And with eyes tightly shut he kissed him.

As soon as it happened it ended, Red's eyes went wide and he scrambled quickly away. As if the kiss had been stolen from him instead. He paled and bolted all before Purple had any sort of chance to react.

His face exploded with heat. Phantom weight lingered on him. He could still feel the texture of his scar, his impossibly soft lips on his own rough ones.

Purple covered his face and fell back on his bed with a squeak.

Fuck, he really wanted to touch that scar now.

#refriedrambles #rapr #meats&metals

[refried-ghost]

He'd finally done it! He'd captured Zim!

The Irken struggled on the table he was strapped to, obviously panicked. But still he fought, uselessly. Pathetically. Refusing to ever accept the human's victory. That didn't change the fact Dib stood above him basking in it.

"Impressive!" His father exclaimed, looking down at his soon to be former foe. The boy wasn't sure how, but his smile grew wider, brighter.

"You actually did it." Gaz said. She wasn't thrilled. But he hadn't expected her to be.

"This will be a break through in our understanding of SCIENCE!"

"I know! Isn't it exciting?!" The boy was positively giddy.

"It is indeed son!" Dib hadn't realize the man had gotten behind him. He was setting something up.

His attention turned back to the irken. A giggle nearly escaped him as it struggled to hold back tears. He almost regretted the gag, but doubted his family would be having this conversation if Zim were screeching.

His smile faltered and turned to his father.

"I was right."

"You were! I'm surprised."

"Dad. Why didn't you believe me?"

His goggles as always, annoyingly hiding his expression. But his body language, frozen mid-action aside from the snap of his head toward Dib spoke volumes. His movement were careful when they resumed as if lost in thought. Likely conjuring some sort of half assed excuse for his neglect and maliciousness of tossing him to The Crazy House for Boys without an ounce of guilt.

"Dib. I- I understand that you might hate me-" was this going how he'd thought?- "and I don't blame you if you do." He approached Dib like one would a frightened animal. "Nothing I could say could excuse how I've treated you over the years. I should have believed you." He placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I should have listened. I'm sorry son."

Dib didn't breath. Wide-eyed. This was actually happening. He looked back up to the man.

"I don't forgive you."

#refriedrambles #don't know if i should like continue incomplete scenes with reblogs or new posts #everyone is running away