Alternate ending to Dib Ship Rising. Enjoy

I… I can't…

"Ship! Control GIR"

"Yes Zim." I don't want to…

"Ship! Go to the moon and carve a picture of a taco in it, to infuriate the humans!"

"Yes Zim." No! Leave our moon alone!

"Ship! I'm going down to the lab to work on my most ingenious plan to conquer the earth, EVER! Stay here and clean the base."

"Yes Zim." I WON'T LET YOU CONQURE EARTH!

…It doesn't matter what I try… I can't disobey him.

"Ship! Disguise yourself and go to the earth store and buy a melon for my next experiment."

"Yes Zim. Do you want a watermelon or cantaloupe?"

"FOOL! You know I hate water. Get the loop-can one."

"Yes Zim right away." No! … Can't… help him…. Zim is evil! … Zim is… my master… I am … ikren NO! I AM DIB! I stop Zim! I… I… help… Zim. I am Irken technology. Zim is my master. NO! I HATE HIM! HE WANTS TO DESTROY US! I'M HUMAN! …aren't I?

I have thoughts… emotions… memories… I remember fighting him. I remember that time he was stealing organs from my classmates… and that time he ran for class president. I was against him. I fought him. … so why am I helping him?

"Hello, I'd like to buy ten cantaloupes."

"Sure thing!" THIS WOMAN! She's just smiling! What kind of kid buys 10 cantaloupes?! Even if I looked like a normal kid that would still be stupid! I mean Come On! But here she is. Just smiling and shaking melons to see how ripe they are. Does she not even notice that I'm 10 feet tall and metal!?

"Hey there ship. Long time no see."

Ship turned to find Dib, the real Dib, standing there with his hands in his pockets smiling sympathetically, wearing a white shirt and black pants, with his trademark black trench coat folded hanging off his arm. He was taller than the last time Ship had seen him; almost 5ft now. He was fuller in the shoulders and his head didn't look nearly as large. He was in human standards good looking, and as a teenager he must have all sorts of girls chasing him.

"Hello human."

Dib's smile faded. Ship turned and took the cantaloupes from the store woman. The glass of his windshield, the area where his face disguise hologram was displayed, slid open to allow him to drop the melons inside. Stowing the last melon, Ship walked around Dib and out of the store. The wall hadn't been repaired since the last time he'd been there so Zim wouldn't be able to yell at him for breaking the panels that slid out to be his scythe-shaped hair.

"Hang on a second!" Dib ran to catch up with Ship. Why does he always follow me… "Ship… I know I can get you away from Zim if you'd just let me try."

Ship made a sighing noise, looking down Dib. "I did… and you've tried. Would you let it go already? It's been years."

"Exactly!" Dib smiled at Ship. "I've had years of making him think I'm not chasing him. He's bound to have dropped his guard so I can"

"Just stop okay?! Zim is Irken. He doesn't age as fast as you and he hasn't noticed the years you've been gone." Ship threw his arms up in a fury. "I heard him just this morning talking about how you interfere with his plans all the time!"

"But.."

"You don't get it! I'll never be free of him. I am Irken technology. I was made to help Irkens." Ship dropped his arms and walked away.

Dib ran and stood in front of Ship, arms held out, blocking the way. "But you have My memories. There's no way you would want to help him. We're the same, you and me. "

"We're only the same because you programed me that way! I'm not you! I'm not anybody!" Ship swung his arm out and accidently smashed a guy in the face. "Shit… I'm so sorry are you okay?" He reached out a hand to help the man up but when the man saw him, he started screaming and ran away. Ship's arm slowly returned to his side, hands balled up in fists. "I don't belong with humans. Even if you could free me… then what? Tell me what would come next Dib."

"We'd figure something out! You and me together." Dib smiled but they both knew it was an empty promise.

"I'm not like you… I can't go anywhere or do anything that I want. I can't talk to the few people that these memories and emotions make me care about and miss, and I can't even get rid of these memories cause the computer chip that allowed my downloaded personality to be altered is broken!"

"Ship…"

"No! You don't get it! Thanks to you I have two sets of programing! One that Want's to protect Earth and one that is REQUIRED to help Zim destroy it!" Ship turned away crossing his arms.

"I…"

"Just forget it…" Ship turned towards the base, "Now if you'll excuse me I have some melons to deliver."

"Ship I'm sorry." Dib said it so quickly that Ship couldn't cut him off. Ship couldn't say anything. He knew Dib was sorry. He knew that Dib never meant for Zim to take control on him. Dib had tried to save Ship ever since that first day, he had given him new memories and tried to be friends, even after all the times Zim had remotely controlled Ship to try and destroy the human. Even after years had passed and Zim's plans had become more and more insane to the point that the alien never even got to try them out because of all the intricate details that he would forget, and he'd fail on his own so that Dib didn't even have to try anymore. Even then…

"Dib… if you really want to help me, there's one thing you can do for me that I can't."

"I'll do anything! You name it!"

"Then cry for me. Because you gave me emotions, but no way to release them."

Dib said nothing. His hands clenched into fists and two small streams ran down his face. There was nothing he could do, and it was entirely his fault.

Ship nodded before reaching into himself and pulling out a cantaloupe. "Here," he said, handing Dib the melon, "make sure Gaz eats something other than pizza once in a while." Dib nodded but said nothing as Ship turned and walked away.

Review please!