Volume 2 of Invader Zim and 11 or so Jhonen Vasquez comics, I'm back! Yaaaayyyy- ok, enough of that silliness. Insert apology of my slow updating-ness, even though it's only been about a month. I actually have had the idea for this for some time – in fact, I've known exactly how this whole series is going to end. Lo and behold, the thing that was stopping my progress was… the title. If you know me, you'd know I'm very picky on names. VERY picky. So much so, that it can hold back a whole project for months. I've been playing around with the name for this particular event, and finally picked something remotely livable. This installment is probably a good deal choppier then the last as far as considerably decent concept design goes, but blah blah blah… dang, I ramble FAR too much. I'd better stop here before something terrible happens – like me typing up a whole 1-page author's note. So without further ado…

Oh yes, and a quick note to all: this is the second part of my 'Dib Snaps' series. If you haven't read the first installment yet, I highly suggest you do so before you continue with this one. It'll make a good deal more sense to read them in order, I'm sure.

DISCLAIMER WITH A FORK: I have a for- gets pummeled by random fruit ow! Ey! Rubs head All right… the author of this fanfic does NOT own Invader Zim AT ALL. Now GO AWAY and let me eat my pie!

Mind Invasion

Chapter 1: A Relatively Cunning Idea

"Gaets, hand me the scalpel." The room was dimly lit; save the lone table positioned centrally, which was illuminated by a bright, white light. Upon the table laid a small, foreign creature – a creature that had yet to escape the gleaming eyes of one spiky-haired male, who loomed ominously over the table. The emotion of superiority and success filled him as another white-garbed man handed him a slender scalpel.

"I am about to make the first incision." The extending hand that clutched the scalpel quivered with glee as the instrument's sharp edge laid softly upon the green creature's torso. The man's heart beat faster as his eyes scanned up and down the creature's figure. This was it. The muscles in the man's arm tightened as his brain issued an order to be sent to that hand, to press the blade into the creature. It never got there, since once the command was half-way down the man's arm a loud clanging and clinking noise came from the darkness surrounding them. Instantly, large linked chains stretched out from the black unknown and wrapped themselves around all those who were alive within the room. Loud cracking noises were accompanied by snapping, squishing, and shrieking noises, as one by one the man's accomplices screamed in terror and immense pain before having their bodies crushed by the cold, steel chains. The world seemed to implode around him as he gasped for air through the chains that gripped him tight. The sound of a dropped scalpel came from somewhere; a light clinking noise was drowned out by the grinding sounds of metal against itself. As the chains tightened around him, they dragged him away from the solid and reassuring light. His cries and screams were a twisted combination of pain, desperation, fear and horror as he tried to figure out what was worse: dieing in such a gruesome or not accomplishing one of the greatest goals he had set out for himself in the earlier years of his life. He stretched out a free hand towards the dimming light as the metal links pressed harder against his body. These were the last things he could gather before the world went cold and black.

"AHHHHHHH!" Dib lurched forward as his heart raced nearly out of his chest. Eyes wide with horror, he sat in his bed panting – a weak attempt to catch his breath after the torture he was just subjected to… as well as his own demise. While he tried to re-assure himself that those events were nothing more then a dream, laughter echoed from the back of his mind.

Hahahaha…. Oh Dib, how your fleeting emotions amuse me!

Dib's right eye twitched while the cruel laughter seemed to bounce off the walls of his mind, making the sound twisted and far more evil.

"YOU SICK FREAK!" He shouted loudly as his hands tightly gripped his bed sheets in anger. "YOU…. YOU…" Words failed Dib's definition of his 'insane self'. Bid – although his name was nothing more then Dib's name in a mirror, Dib simply knew that Bid was not a part of himself. There was no possible way that he would abuse his own self. None of this fazed his evil half; and in his mind's eye he could see his reflection doubled-over in a hysterical laughing fit. Dib managed to calm himself down enough to speak at a normal level, without driving his dad or sister to shout back with some cliché comment. "That makes it 7 days in a row," he fumed as Bid recollected himself from the 'comedic' event, "that you've woke me up from a dream by killing me. And quite graphically, I might add."

It's incredibly amusing, you know.

"For you, perhaps." Dib bit his lip lightly. He found that he had been doing that a lot ever since he gained an insignificant other and now that very spot in his mouth was slightly chewed up.

Well, look at it this way: at least I'm not killing you in real life. But of course, if I did that then there'd be no fun for me, since death is a release; not a punishment.

"Sick freak…" Dib whispered to himself before hopping out of bed. He absentmindedly looked over to his clock and cussed – he'd woken up 10 minutes late! He cussed out loud before he could even catch himself. "Bid! Did my alarm even go off?"

Of course it did.

"It did? But – agh! Why didn't you wake me up?" Dib grinded his teeth. Those who commonly mocked him were one thing – Bid was in a completely different classification of annoying altogether.

I did, now didn't I? It just took me awhile to come up with a new creative way to bring you back to reality.

"Creative? You call chains creative? Heck! Each time you kill me you involve chains somehow! It's like an obsession!"

Hardly. I simply find it ironic that you die by the same thing you used to imprison me; your reactions each time are well worth the effort.

"Whatever…" Dib hastened to change out of his pajamas and into his conventional blue shirt and trench coat. He hurried downstairs and wolfed down his breakfast; almost as if he were trying to get away from a part of himself that lingered in his mind.

Why can't you just leave me alone?

Dib dropped his backpack beside his desk as he slumped glumly into his chair. His hands fidgeted as his vision swept back and forth across the room. It wasn't fair that he was late because his other half was far too stuck up to even help them both get to school on time. Ms. Bitters blasted him with a few, well rehearsed words, and Dib nodded.

"Have you anything to say for yourself this time Dib?" The boy responded with a few words that involved the word 'Bid' and 'jerk', but the rest of his statement was inaudible due to mumbling. Satisfied with these two words, Ms. Bitters growled quietly before returning to her lesson on the environment. Of course, she used the word 'implode' several times – the kids didn't think much of it since they had gotten used to it, but as far as nature and implosions go, the two didn't seem to fit together all that well. Dib looked over to his left, and stared distantly out the window. It had been two long, winding weeks since he had gotten out of the hospital. Life seemed awkwardly hard to get back into the swing of things. He sighed as his focused gaze blurred, and spaced out into thought like he always had. Like nothing had changed. But things had changed; he was now in two pieces instead of one. Unity is such a great power, especially within one's own mentality – that was no longer the case, however. It was hard to figure that such a change could warp everything; nothing felt normal anymore. His sister had gone back to being her game-obsessed and apathetic self, Zim had gone back to his devious and arrogant self, but… he stroked his desk once with his left hand. It just felt so fake…

"Today, we will have a pop quiz on what you learned in class today." The class groaned in unison, "Take out your pencils and clear off your desks now!" The class obediently did so, although a good number of them protested. Ms. Bitters picked up a rather large stack of white papers, and began handing them out to the class. As the stapled papers landed on Dib's desk, he detachedly glanced down at it and read the fist question: "What is an ecosystem?" Like a mindless drone, he picked up his pencil and began writing his answers. His saddened nature blocked out everything from around him as depression washed over him.

…the complexity of simplicity itself is staggering. Even the tiniest, most mundane features of anything and everything is so profusely designed. There is nothing left out. Just so, behind the concepts one faces in everyday life, there are vast, numerous factors that aren't even considered into a basic calculation…

Dib's eyes raised as the edges of his mouth curved downwards. Of all times, Bid had to start talking now.

"Will you please shut up? I'm trying to work here." He whispered, but loud enough for his other self to hear. In his mind he could see Bid writing in his book as he spoke. Taking a moment to pause, the red-eyed one looked up from his book.

Your thoughts aren't exactly on mute either. I can hardly think it here. I was just trying to spell out a very complex concept, and suddenly I start hearing things about ecosystems and plant life. Really, Dib. That stuff is worthless compared to my work!

"Not important? What the heck! It's a test!" Several students from the class looked up from their papers and at Dib at the outburst. All their faces read the same: they were all related to how crazy Dib was. Some quiet snickering came from several areas of the room. Even Zim took a chance to give Dib a questionable glance. "Whoops, did I say that out loud?" Dib mumbled as he slouched in his chair. He knew he didn't need an answer; he could easily read the truth off his classmate's faces.

"Dib, be quiet!" Ms. Bitters barked from her desk, "Test time is not talk time!"

"I'm sorry, Ms. Bitters. Bid was distracting me." She raised an eyebrow in a perplexed way. This was certainly a new excuse.

"I don't care for your imaginary friends, Dib."

"But he's not imaginary, he's my… my…" his voice trailed off as he glanced downward, "…other self." The teacher growled dismissively.

"Well, in that case, both of you be quiet."

Yes ma'am

Dib stared at the wall in front of him dully at Bid's sarcasm before returning his focus to his test. Maybe there was something he could gain out of this predicament. Ms. Bitters seemed to take that 'excuse' fairly well – although it was true. He smirked slightly.

"I guess I'll get something out of this whole experience after all…" his voice was hardly audible, but he didn't quite feel like revealing his intentions to bid just yet. There would be plenty of time for that later…

End Chapter 1

And that's that. For now, at least. If you want to know (or not) I just finished counting out the number of installments this series will have. It should have about 7, IF I manage to finish them all. I have a big history of incomplete works, so don't get too excited. This Wednesday (10/20) we'll finally get IZ volume three from Gemini (I recall someone placing a review about the Gemini Jetpack in Waterloo. Yes, that's the one I'm talking about – lo and behold) I have a Jhonen Vasquez themed manga in the works, and I'm about 3 panels away from completion. It should be done soon, so check back to my website to see that if I get it up. It's got 10 panels on it… tries to think of other ways to bribe you… aw, well. Forget it.

Ciao for now!