Author's Note:

HEY GUYS IM BACK LMAO

So first of all sorry for just like vanishing for like a year and a half? I was so determined to keep up a regular schedule with this thing but I read over the first attempt several months ago and was like... Oh Geez and decided to rewrite it! This time I'm not gonna promise to keep a consistent schedule with it because not only am I in school now doing about 40 hour days with that I'm also working two seperate jobs a day SO yeah I'm not gonna bother. I will, however, do my best. I'm still super invested in this story and love it to death so I'm gonna do my best to get it out there. Just like before I super super appreciate anyone who follows/leaves reviews/likes etc. I love getting input so much and I'd love to know if you think this first chapter is better than the last one! I'll post the next chapter next week Tuesday, cuz I do have that one written already. So this week I'll work on the chapter after that and see if maybe I can keep this on some semblence of a schedule.

Anyway thanks for your support and patience guys, hopefully this version is better and you enjoy it! I didn't copy anything so it shouldn't be boring hopefully? Love you nerds 3 3

November 15th, Wednesday

Dib took slow, deliberate footsteps toward the door of the library, walking with a confidence he didn't feel. He looked around, squeezing the book he held tighter to his chest.

There was something… unnerving about giving someone a gift they weren't expecting. But he was determined. This was important to him, regardless of how his friend felt about it.

It was with that sentiment that he took a deep breath and headed into the library.

He didn't even bother looking to see where Zim was- they had a little table in the corner that they almost always sat at when they met up before or after school- he just headed straight for the corner.

And there was Zim, completely oblivious to his surroundings with his eyes rapidly scanning the pages of some book he was reading. It wasn't until Dib leaned on the table right next to him that he noticed there was someone else in the room with him. He looked up at Dib and blinked.

"Oh, hello."

"Don't act like you're surprised I'm here, I asked you to meet me," Dib laughed a little, peering over at the pages of the others book. Zim quickly closed it and stood up.

"Did you need something in particular, Dib-thing or did you just wish for the presence of the great Zim?" The words were sincere enough, but the playful look that Dib had grown accustomed to long ago was still in the alien's eyes.

Rolling his eyes, Dib shook his head. "Actually I wanted to, uh, well, give you something." Zim's antenna twitched a bit, only barely giving away his surprise, but he didn't say anything. It seemed, however that he noticed the large book in Dibs arms, still kind of shielding his body, giving away how nervous he was.

"I don't know if you remember, but as of today you've been here on Earth for five years. Human years, obviously since that's what I measure time in but, uh. Yeah. And I don't know if you really care, but. Well. I do. Even if we spent the first two and a half years kind of trying to kill each other," the boy laughed a little and Zim smirked at him, obviously still curious but, shockingly, patiently listening to everything he had to say. "I'm still really glad you're here."

There was a pause as Dib released his grip on the book in his arms, "Don't be a jerk about this now, but… I know you've kinda always been into drawing and art and stuff and I was really grateful that you were finally willing to show me some of it. So… I don't know, I wanted to give you this," he finally blurted, maybe a little too forcefully holding the object out at arms length for Zim to take.

The alien looked properly startled now now, his already big eyes got even bigger and he tilted his head. A short moment passed before Zim looked away from the book and up at Dib, whose arms were still outstretched, but now he looked a little embarrassed. Zim just pointed at the book and said. "This is… A gift then. For Zim?"

Dib nodded.

With a surprising gentleness, the Irken took the book out of his hands. Slowly he pressed his hand against the cover, then opened it from the middle.

"A sketchbook," he said. There wasn't much of an expression on his face, but Dib could hear the slightly high tone of his voice. He spoke in a kind of… Soft way, that Dib rarely heard. It made the human smile and all the tension that had been in him before drifted away. Somehow, in spite of all the differences in them, he understood the much larger meaning behind such a small gift.

"Yeah. If you're willing, I'd like to see more of what you make. I think it's really cool that my best friend is an artist. Maybe that's silly-"

Zims face still had that strange wondrous look to it, like he didn't quite believe what he was holding. He interrupted Dib with a much firmer tone. "No, Dib-thing," he looked up again. "I will never dispute that you humans are silly creatures," he said with a bit of a smirk, "This, however, is a very… kind gesture. Thank you.

Dib couldn't help the huge, silly smile that grew on his face. "Yeah, of course, I, uh, I've gotta go home now, Gaz got on my case about the dishes this morning, do you want to walk with me or?"

Zim picked up his book and pushed his chair in, making that same smug face as he responded, "I will grace you with my presence as we make the journey home, yes."

"I hate you, you obnoxious little weirdo."

The two did not walk far together, the had to seperate just a few blocks from the school. Dib turned away and waved with his back to his friend, calling over his shoulder, "see ya tomorrow."

Zim stood there for a moment, watching Dib walk away, putting headphones over his head now that he was alone, his backpack falling over just one shoulder, with the collar of his trench coat turned up on just one side because the silly human never bothered fixing it.

Something about the image made Zim smile. He hugged his new sketchbook tighter to his chest. Suddenly he turned on his heel and started running toward his house. He knew exactly what he wanted the first picture in this book to be.

As soon as he got home he headed straight for his lab. He waited impatiently for it to take him down to the basement and was already opening the book as he left it, hurrying to his desk. Immediately he reached for his drafting pencil and his hand flew over the page, making light, angular marks on the page in a haphazard order. His focus was entirely taken by the image in his head.

Something like three hours must have passed by the time the alien put the pencil down. The drawing wasn't complete, he still wanted to ink and color it, but the draft was done.

He stood and looked at it, slowly starting to smile. Yes, this he would show to Dib. This he was proud of.

With a quiet sigh, Zim turned around, forcing himself to take the necessary break to be able to come back to his piece later, but before he could even take a step away, the giant monitor lit up.

The alien jumped, jerking back around the face the screen in a stiff salute- there were only two people who had ever or could ever contact him through his computer.

"My- My Tallests!"

"Invader Zim," Red started, addressing him coldly. It undeniably scared the smaller Irken. Nothing of the usually mocking ruler's voice was left, only a cruel, dismissive, anger. "I have a question for you, Zim."

"Sir…?"

It was Purple who spoke now, the same change in attitude as his partner had. "What have you done in your entire, pathetic little life to earn yourself the honorable title of 'Irken Invader?"

The question hung in the air of the lab like a miasma of thick gas. Zim struggled to breathe through it. "I don't… understand, sir-"

"You have failed at even the simplest of tasks presented to you," Red said sharply, cutting him off almost just to prove that he could. "Even this little 'Earth…' a true Invader would have been ashamed of taking five days to conquer such a weak people. You haven't accomplished the task in five Earth years."

Purple continued, "We cannot allow such incompetence to mar the title of Invader, or allow your failures to impact the appearance and reputation of the Great Irken Empire."

"We are revoking your status as Invader, Zim. Not only that, but we are revoking your rights as an Irken citizen. We refuse to let you damage the great name of Irk any further. You are not an Invader. You are no longer even an Irken. You are, and will forever be alone on a planet of those who pose a life threatening danger to you. This is your punishment."

"If you ever attempt to contact anyone on Irk, or under the flag of the Irken Empire, we will hunt you down and put an end to your useless life. This will be the consequence of any attempt to harm us, the Empire, or in any way try to endanger the secrecy of the outside universe to the planet of Earth. Earth is where you will stay until the day you die. Goodbye, Zim."

With tiny click, the transmission was cut off. Zim was left to stare at his own reflection in the empty darkness of the screen.