(CW: even more death...in a kind of disturbing way.)

ZiM was a bit relieved when he woke up alone. He thought maybe it was just a dream—though, he wasn't exactly what dreams were like, since he never slept before. It had all been so weird, and he didn't know what to make of it... he did miss Dib, however, but didn't really want to talk to Pilot. He didn't want to face him.
Throughout the day he had tried to forget about it all, focusing on what was really important: what he would do now that he's on Earth for maybe forever.
Would he stay with Dib? Would he go to another place on Earth? He had been in the same place for six years now... maybe it was time to move. Maybe. What would Dib think? Would he come with him? Would he not like it? Would—
No, stop thinking about Dib, ZiM. This isn't about him, it's about you. Though, with what's coming up, I'm afraid you'll be as stupid as you are here.
What's important is that ZiM will be leaving.

ZiM paced back and forth in his house, alone, hours later, thinking the same thing over and over: "Will I leave? Will I leave?"
His answer would come, in 3... 2...

"ZiM!" A familiar voice came from his monitor, causing the Irken to snap out of his small trance. "ZiM, are you there?"

ZiM rushed into the main room, only to be met by Skoodge on the screen. "Yes! It is I! Eh, what are you doing here..?"

"So! Good news! I found an extra working ship on a nearby planet—I can send it to you, but.. you can't exactly go back to Irk. But don't worry, because it can go literally anywhere else! You don't have to be stuck on Earth any longer!" He smiled, sitting a bit close to the camera.

ZiM's eyes widened, and his shoulders relaxed entirely. "ZiM.. can leave?" His antennae slowly raised, and he hardly noticed the growing relief in his squeedlyspooch. "Really?"

"Yeah! Really! If I put in your location now, it could be there by tonight! You want it?"

ZiM's antennae shook a bit. "Yes, yes of course ZiM wants it! Yes!" He stood on the edge of his boots, his arms bent up in front of him. "Give to ZiiiiM!"

Skoodge laughed, "A 'thank you' would be nice."

"Oh, come on, ZiM thanks no one!" ZiM grinned. "But... thank you. Really."

"Sure, dude— oh, hey, I gotta go, I have another call!" Skoodge waved, then as quick as he came, he was gone.

ZiM stood there, staring at the screen playing white noise as his positive feelings hit him all at once. He didn't dare move; he was up straight, staring straight forward, feeling as if he was being held up by a tall string. He would be leaving soon, he would be able to do whatever he wanted.

Oh, but Dib.

He had to tell Dib.

When? School didn't start until tomorrow.. why rush it? Or, should it be rushed? When was ZiM going to leave, anyway? The ship would be there by that night, that gives enough time to say goodbye, right? Besides, that PAK numb-er was still attached behind his PAK—he needed to get it out.

Stop it. This was no time to think about him.

ZiM was finally going to start a new life.

That's what he needed, right? It's what he wanted? After the Tallest cut him off, he needed something else to do... he had thought going to serve another leader would fill the missing needs, but all it did was just make his longing worse. He wanted to do something else, not continue to do the same thing.
But obeying was what he was good at—it's what he was programmed to do.
But he has no one he really needs to obey, does he? He follows Pilot, but doesn't need to. He won't die without him, so why stay around?
It was time for something new, time for what he's been waiting for. He would stay alive to the end of the story.

It was a new life.

"Ohhh ZiiiiM!~" an eerie voice sung from the door. "I have some news for you!~"

ZiM tensed once more, knowing that the rougher, yet more smooth voice was, in fact, Pilot. While he was the one he spent the night with, he really wished for it to be Ghost who he said goodbye to. Ghost was softer, more caring... while ZiM was more used to the assertive, more aggressive nature of Pilot, he actually preferred Ghost's actions. They weren't anything he was used to as an Irken, and actually, he liked it quite a bit.
"Oh, Pilot, hello..." he huffed, trying not to think about their time together. "I, too, have news. I'm not sure how you'll take it, but I do not care."

Pilot walked in, sat on ZiM's couch, and motioned for ZiM to come over. "Ohh.. somethin' troubling you, ZiM? Well, aside from that chip I put behind your PAK... allow me to get that for you." ... "Mm, it will require for me to remove your PAK, just for a second."

ZiM narrowed his eyes, but stiffly began to walk over. "Alright.. just for a second." He sat on Dib's knees, sighing. "ZiM is going to leave the planet."

Pilot blinked, pressing a button on ZiM's PAK to loosen it. "...yes, you are, aren't you?"

"Yes. I don't know when; tonight, tomorrow, the day after... but I am leaving the planet, and I do not intend to come back." ZiM waved off the timer that appeared in his vision, not even noticing that, due to the dampener, the timer was a lot lower than ten minutes.

Pilot set the PAK down beside him. "Interesting... and you're alone?"

"GIR and Minimoose are still out together."

"Well, all that works well with my news!" He ran his fingers up ZiM's bare back, causing ZiM to shiver. "Loooong ago.. when we first made our little deal... I brought you pieces to build a nice shiny weapon to use against the people of Earth, remember?" Pilot's hands ran down ZiM's antennae, practically petting them.

"...yes, you did.." ZiM started to think, remembering what had happened so long ago.

"Well, did you ever finish?"

"I did..! I didn't think you needed it anymore, so I just left it in the kitchen..."

Pilot sighed, shaking his head. "Of course I still need it... but, thank you, ZiM! And with that, it's time you know!" He stopped petting him. "Your services are no longer required."

"...services?"

"Oh, yes! Remember? I brought you supplies and killed for you, and you built me a pretty gun and provided me with... certain needs. I'd say we're pretty repaid by now, hm?"

Something inside of ZiM started to sink. "...you only needed me for your own advantage?"

Pilot wrapped his arms around the bug, holding him close. "Of course! Did you really think I cared about you?" He laughs a little, swaying with him still in his arms. "Well, I did, a little, I must admit... not as much as Ghosty boy actually does, but enough to notice your worth... however, that worth is gone now, and so is the world's need for you. I'm almost sorry you won't be able to safely leave... but you did want to leave this world, didn't you?"

More things in ZiM just started disintegrating, and his feelings began to boil in a strange mix. "No.. what? Eh? D-Dib— Pilot— w-what're you—" and then he realized.
It wasn't just his feelings disintegrating.
ZiM quickly looked back at his countdown timer, realizing he only had a minute left.
The air in ZiM's chest started to go in and out, and his head got lighter by the second. "No— no— please—" he kicked his legs, swung his arms, did anything to try to get out of Pilot's hold as he was literally melting. "PLEASE!" He cried out, sinking pink eyes filling with tears of fear. "GIVE IT BACK! PLEASE!"

Pilot only huffed, annoyed by the struggles and noises of the pathetic little alien. Well, not only from ZiM, but he was also annoyed by the pulling feelinh at the back of his head. He wasn't the only one who wanted to be free. Holding onto ZiM with one arm, he takes the PAK with his other, and threw it to the ground. In one swift kick, Pilot's boot heel crushed the Irken's life force right underneath him. As ZiM screamed, Pilot growled at the continuing tugging at the back of his head... then, decided, 'why not?'

Pilot's scars began to flicker away, and every cut and tear got fixed. His hair grew out, and his skin tanned...

And the first thing that Ghost saw as he came to life, was his former enemy, now former best friend, turn to dust in his arms.

I am so sorry that I lied to you.

Dib sat there, alone.

Alone.

Entirely.

Quiet.

Still.

Shaking.

Quivering.

Horrified.

Responsible.

Disbelieve.

Refusing.

Crying.

Crying...

Crying...

"Oh. Oh,"

A voice in his head called,

"Isn't this amusing?"