Variable

Author: AvengersFan4Ever( )/dracosgirl400(deviantart)

Beta: ChaosCat01(deviantart)

Summary: Dib finds a new friend and another in an enemy. ZADF. But that isn't the full point in the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own IZ, or I would be rich! And have better grammar. The grammar being good (I hope) is thanks to my beta.

Her breath came out raspy as she grabbed the last of her possessions and stuffed them into her black duffle bag that she had enchanted to expand.

She threw open the door that lead into the dark hallway and peaked out, looking both ways before deeming it safe, and walked out of the room. She closed the door behind her as to not arouse as much suspicion. Her bare feet made no sound as she walked down the hallway, the dimly lit torches only lit a few feet in front of her. She whipped around her black hair hitting her face and getting stuck to the sweat that had formed on her forehead. She swore she had heard voices, shaking her head she continued sneaking out of the mansion that she currently resided in.

Taking a quick left around the corner she let out a gasp of surprise and activated her invisibility, she held her breath as the darkly cloaked patrol man walked by. Once he was gone she continued.

"Xerphena! Sweet-heart, where are you darling?" the sickly sweet sound of her mother was heard, walking in the opposite direction-away from the noise. She heard the opening of a door. "Shit…" Xerphena broke into a fast paced run.

She heard the alarm being triggered and the sound of chain mail clinking against armour and mad a dash for the door. Once outside and in the cover of the forest she finally took a breath of air.

-0-

Skool had been annoying, with Mrs. Bitters' never ending doom lessons. But his hi-skool was great. The teachers were all good in their own way, choices to follow the path he wanted.

Dib's scythe like hair bobbed up and down as he headed toward his next class, English. He actually enjoyed English, and writing. He was shocked when he had won the academic writing award during graduation, but according to most of the teachers he had a skill. Writing his new novel was great as well. Sure, it was hard work and stuff, but it was fun.

Dib entered the classroom only to be tripped by Torque. Glaring at the now laughing jock, he gathered up his books and walked over to the back corner of the room and plunked himself down in the desk. Though Dib might like English itself, he really does hate the class. Two blonds sat at the front flirting with two boys who sat behind them. It was annoying… they were annoying. Soon the bell rang… but space-boy, Zim, wasn't in class. 'Whatever' Dib had stopped caring about Zim once in was clear that he couldn't even control his own SIR unit, how was he supposed to rule a planet? Hunh?

The teacher, a young cheerful blue haired woman (the complete opposite of Mrs. Bitters), began the class. They were currently studying Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Making notes on the prologue he began.

Two households, both alike in dignity

In fair Verona where we lay our scene

From ancient grudge break new mutiny

Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean

From forth the fatal loins of these two foes

A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life

Dib slammed his head against the desk, for Shakespeare was somewhat boring, at least studying it was. But he took notes none the less.

Two homes very similar. Takes place in Verona. Old hatred new violence. Involves everyone. One lover from each side takes their life.

This was slowly getting more and more boring, sure it was better than a big-bang-nothing lesson but still really, Shakespeare! This guy probably wanted money, not to win over the hearts of millions and have so much meaning in the text, seriously people. He should be planning how to defeat an alien race not, find light/dark imagery. Wasn't saving the earth more important? Apparently not!

Pulling out his laptop, Dib activated the camera he still had planted in Zim's house; maybe he would be doing something interesting, like making up a new evil plan or… "MOTHER OF COW HE'S HOLDING IT!" The class swivelled to look at Dib only to laugh at him and his outburst. Dib flushed a bright red and then tried to hide when he heard words like 'loser' in between the gasps laughter.

"Mr. Membrane," the teacher (Ms. Armstrong) looked at Dib, unamused "Though I understand the excitement one can find in Shakespeare, please keep it to yourself." More laughter followed. Dib went back to his laptop to see Zim looking into the camera with a confused expression plastered on his face. Putting on his earphones he tried to hear what the alien was saying.

"GIR! What is this device?" Zim looked at it flipping it upside down and right side up making Dib slightly nauseous, but he continued watching.

"I love this show."

"NO! GIR! What is this device?! Tell ZIM!"

"Big headed boy gave it to me!"

"So… this belongs to the Dib- human. GIR! Did he say what it did?"

"He said it was to spy on your evil! But Mastah ain't evil."

"AHHH! He is spying on me in order to get my sqiddly spooch!" Zim threw the camera across the room where it most likely shattered-given that the video feed was cut off for Dib.

The bell rang signalling that is was time for lunch. Dib grabbed his stuff and shoved it roughly into his bag before running up to the 3rd floor in order to put it away in his locker. Opening the locker and shoving his stuff in there he grabbed his wallet and computer before he headed back down to the lunch room.

Normally Dib sat alone in the far end of the cafeteria, but today the room was next to full and everywhere he looked was another person. Sighing he went to buy his food and hoped a table would clear out by the time he got back. No such luck, by the time he got his hotdog, fries and poop™ pop everyone was still there. Dib went to his usual spot and only found one person there. A girl he had never met before, she seemed to be intently shading something in her black spiral sketchbook.

"Excuse me." Dib said looking at her. The girl looked up at him. Dib noticed that she wore glasses much like him and had red-ish eyes. She also seemed to be quite gaunt, but this was understandable given that she wasn't eating anything. "Can I sit here?" He asked still looking at her.

"It's a public place, you can sit wherever you want." She looked back down at her sketch book and went back to shading.

"Thanks." He sat down and began to eat his lunch. They sat in silence for a little while before Dib broke it.

"Dib." He said holding out his hand. She looked up again and at him as if he was crazy.

"Dib?"

"Dib, that's my name." He said, smiling at her. She smiled back and took his hand shook it slightly. "I'm Reiko, but you can call me Rei-everyone does."

"Sooo, busy today huh?"

"Is it? I'm a transfer student, I wouldn't know."

"It is. Transfer? Where were you before?"

"Hunh, oh, I'm from England. My father was home schooling me but when his job took us here he put me into the public system." She smiled at him and looked back at her drawing. "How long have you been here?"

"I've been here my entire life actually. So, how are you liking it here?"

"It's okay I guess, I really don't know much about all of these dances and boyfriends." She said with a slight laugh, closing up her sketchbook, and stealing a few of Dib's fries. "Mine." Dib laughed and let her have them given that she doesn't have a lunch.

"I don't understand the dances either-that's why I don't go."

"No? I thought everyone went to these dances."

"Most people do, but I really couldn't care less about going and socializing with others. I've been told I'm not very good at it."

"I think your doing fine; you've kept me interested haven't you?" Dib laughed

"True, true."

"So, Dib, what do you do for fun hmmmmmm?" she looked at him raising one eyebrow and managing to look very creepy.

"That face makes you look like your going to eat my soul."

"What do you know? I just might." She said, managing to actually scare him, but he laughed it off.

"For fun? Well I write sometimes, and I also like chasing the paranormal."

"Paranormal? You mean like ghosts and stuff right?" She asked playing with the blue earring that was on her ear.

"Yeah, I'm more into aliens at the moment, but yeah."

"That's cool, I'm not all that into aliens but I prefer studying demons myself."

"Demons?"

"Yeah you know soul sucking creatures from hell? *cough*clowns*cough*" She said grinning.

"That's really cool! Say, what's your next class?"

"Ummmm…" Rei fumbled around in her bag looking for the timetable that the secretary had given her earlier that morning. "There you are you bugger. My next class is… Geography, in room 306."

"Me too. So, want to walk together?" Dib asked, actually liking the company that Rei brought.

"Why not? I just have to pass by my locker." She said getting up and slinging her bright orange bag over her shoulder.

"Lets go then." Dib smiled and they walked toward her locker together.

-0-

Left south hemisphere of spin. (Sept human months) 14 rotation, year 20 400 (2001 in human years).

I have been looking through many of the older texts but none of them speak of shards of destiny, the shards of life or even the shards of the heros. No reference what so ever. Not even in the ancient texts.

Earlier this day I went to speak with one of the human military persons. They told me it was confidential and they had no idea what I meant by the knights of Urinshen. I thought we were famous. Maybe it has something to do with these human's narrow sighted views. And the inability to see what was right in front of them.

I require more information on these earth customs. I have surmised that in order to do that I must gain a place in their hierarchy. So after some research, I have decided to work in a store that sells something called… cupcakes? Whatever these cupcakes are I will sell them and I will do it well! It has been decided!

It also seems that I will require a new designation… or name as the humans call it. Xerphena supposedly is not a normal name. Whatever, I'll make this new designation-name- Topaz, a gem, I like it, and it fits into the human month of my birth, not the Niekathan month but none the less the month of my birth.

Oddly though it seems that these humans celebrate the day that they came into the world. Odd, but I guess I can give them my birth date. It seems as though I must go now. But diary, keep this safe so I don't forget.

~Xerphena

-0-

Sir, it is time to head to the skooling building.

"The great Zim knows this!" Zim pulled on a new pair of boots and headed out toward his new hi-skool. He knew that the Dib-human would be suspicious of him today and he couldn't afford to arouse any suspicion. Yesterday he had found the Hyooman's spying device and had destroyed it. Pitiful earth technology is nothing compared to the power that is Irken engineering. He stopped at the bus stop and waited for the skool bus to come. He was slowly joined by other meat-worms as they all talked and smelled like Hyooman. Zim turned away from them and got onto the bus looking all high and mighty as he went to sit in the back of the bus.

"Hiya, Zim!" Keef sat down wearing something very similar to the last time he had seen him.

"Hello Keef." Zim said with a forced smile on his face.

"How's Dib doing?"

"Why would the great ZIM know how the PATHETIC Dib-worm is doing?"

"Well you two are friends right?" Keef countered, looking at Zim with that same derp like expression.

"…"

"Zi-"

"YOU'RE LYING!" Zim yelled at Keef pointed accusingly at said boy.

"No, remember you two hugged? That means you two must be friends!" Keef said looking at Zim and smiling. Before Zim could say anything else, the bus stopped near the Dib-human's house. Dib boarded the bus with another human Zim did not recognize.

The Dib sat across the aisle from Zim with his new friend. He seemed to be laughing about something. Zim felt some sort of weird tug at his squiddly spooch but ignored it.

"Shut up." The unknown girl said to Dib only causing the hyooman to laugh.

"What? All I said was that it is cute that your dad walks you to the bus stop."

"You're making me blush."

"Ha!" Dib pumped his fists in the air. "Victory."

"Shut up, Dibhoven."

"No you, Reiko." Dib said poking her in the arm. This spawned a poking contest.

Zim felt it again, the weird pull in his squiddly spooch. But he was to busy staring at the Dib with his friend. Anger filling him up, 'Why isn't the Dib fighting me?'

"Hey, Zim?" Keef said poking at the Irken's arm.

"What is it worm monkey?!" Zim glared at the boy seated beside him.

"Do you know who that is?"

"I thought you would know." Keef shook his head, signalling that he didn't know the human.

"Hmm," Zim thought about the human. She seemed normal enough, she smelled no worse than Dib did. That's saying something considering that Dib smells pretty good. For a human.

The bus stopped at the skool. The banners around were signalling that today is the first football game.

-0-

"Hello, Dib worm. I found your spying device by the way. Not very clever, Zim knew it was evil right away."

"That's cool."

"I have began a new plan Dib, you'd better be prepared, for you will meet your doom!"

"That's cool Zim, now go away."

'How dare the Dib ignore me? He will pay. HE WILL PAY!'

-0-

Dear Diary,

It seems that these 'Cupcakes' are little frosted treats of some form. Very odd. They taste quite good, but none the less I have decided that they will NOT help me find the shards. But diary, fear not for I have found one. Supposedly dear Hydraan had left them with a race of alien. Odd but effective.

It seems that this race is using it to power their main plant and using it to make super weapons and cloaking devices. I require the shard so I will be getting at it soon. But the object is heavily guarded and that small rebellion that the Irken's have against them isn't making this any easier. None the less I will get a hold of it, then I will go after the others.

~Xerphena

-0-

"Invader Zim reporting." The Irken spoke form the screen above the Tallest's chamber.

"Hello Zim." Tallest Red looked at Zim, completely unamused.

"My Tallest, I have important information. The human that has been causing so much trouble is no longer in the picture, so I will most likely have the planet taken over soon, my Tallest."

"That's good Zim. You keep on doing that, or whatever."

"Yes, my lords. Invader Zim signing off." The screen turned black and the tallest went back to eating doughnuts.

-0-

AN/: Here you have it-the first chapter. I hope you like it, if not then too bad. This is a Invader Zim fanfic if you haven't figured that out by now. Xerphena is my fan character, her personality is based after me… and slightly Fi form Skyward Sword. Anyways, review! And tell me if you like or don't like Xerphena/ Reiko. Yerp. That is all. Oh, and the Shakespeare quote is from the prologue lines 1-6.

~Avengersfan4ever.