This was inspired of course by the new Invader Zim comics which I'm so pumped about and want to read as soon as I can. And since Dib/Lilo is one of my big guilty pleasure crossover ships, I had to create this entire AU of her handling the Dib from the beginning of the comics. Hope you enjoy reading this!
"He's what?"
"He refuses to come out of his room and he's gotten so smelly!"
"All because Zim left?"
"He won't stop looking at his all his computers, and he talks to himself, like a lot more then he use to."
Lilo bit the inside of her cheek nervously. Dib was always one to go overboard, but this? Sitting in a room all by himself like that would make him sick; Physically and mentally... especially someone who depended so much on social contact like him.
"Wait, how long has this been going on?"
"A couple of weeks"
"And you only called me now?"
"I thought he was gonna be ok, take a shower, move on with his life. But he just won't give it up."
"And he won't let anyone in his room? He's all alone?"
"No, he doesn't mind people going in there, but he stinks so bad..."
Lilo could hear Gaz shudder from the other side of the line.
"He's really disgusting, you know. I can't even go in there it's so bad. I just push his food into his room with a stick."
She tried to imagine it, Dib secluding himself to the his room, withering away in front of computers. The idea didn't seem foreign in comparison to the drastic measures Dib had taken before, but that didn't make this any healthier.
"Would you try talking to him or something? You could just talk to him online for all I care, but at least try to get him to take a shower? The stench is staring to leak out of his room."
"Well... I'll see what I can do."
Gaz just huffed in reply and hung up the phone without saying "Thank you", granted though, Lilo didn't really expect such a response from the other girl.
Hanging up the phone, Lilo slumped onto the couch and pulled out her laptop. As it loaded up and connected to Dib's computers she couldn't help but wonder what she was getting into. Sure Gaz could often be over-dramatic about rather serious situations, but at the same time she could be very uninvolved and apathetic when it came to her brother too.
When the connection was finally made and the side of Dib's face came into view, there was no doubt that Gaz had been understating Dib's state. His skin was so pale now it had a green-blue hue to it surrounded by the glow of LED lights, not to mention the irritated acne that coated his face in a greasy gleam. She could see his lips quivering as he mumbled reassuring nonsense to himself. Lilo almost felt like mourning when she saw the state of his hair. His signature scythe was a deflated ratty mess falling to the side of his face, and the rest of the matted tangled mess looked no better. But it was the change in his eyes that really unsettled her. Once warm, glowing amber eyes were now were empty, dulled and animalistic as they jumped from monitor to monitor desperately searching for an unseen monster.
Taking a breath Lilo tried to get his attention, "Uhh, hey! Dib?"
The sound seemed to catch Dib off guard and he spun over to look at his good friend.
"Lilo?" He asked, in a vacant voice that lacked the vigor it use to hold.
The complete full view of the boy was even worse then the side view. Now, Lilo could see bits and pieces of leftover food embedding themselves in his hair and clothes. Even just seeing the image of Dib, Lilo could tell he had to stink terribly. Sitting a room alone covered in filth certainly couldn't be doing anything healthy or sane for Dib, and it showed.
"Why are you calling? I'm sorry but I'm really busy at the moment..." As Dib talked, he'd try to keep eye contact with Lilo but his eyes would constantly leave her screen to any of the other numerous monitors decorating the room.
"I, um I just wanted to check up on you. How's it going?"
Dib gave a sickening cough before he began a rambling speech, "I know he wouldn't just give up on earth, this is like his life's work. Why would he just leave? Huh? That makes no sense. But no one believes me. Everyone says he's gone. Moved on. And so should I, but I know he's still here... Somewhere... Waiting." As he continued on, his voice grew quieter, with almost a reverence with it. "And so, I too wait."
Lilo couldn't help but shudder a little, she hated to see her friend like this. Usually he would talk with excitement or a sense of rebellion, but Dib spoke with no such enthusiasm. It was like he was only repeating phrases he originally said a few weeks prior. There was no denying it, Dib was in serious trouble. Maybe a first good step would be to get him to try and express his emotions and not just repeat his thoughts like a broken record. "Ok, but how are you feeling."
Once again, Dib seemed caught off guard by the statement, but then finally showed some signs of life. Granted it was a rude sigh paired with rolling eyes, but at least it was a signal that the old Dib Lilo knew was still in there.
"What do you think!? I feel like dookie." Dib sniffed indignantly, looking at all monitors except the one holding Lilo's face. "I'm tired, I feel gross, and-"
"Well if you feel gross why not just go take a shower and call it a night?"
Dib seemed slightly swayed by the words for a full second before, reverting back to his previous state. "No... No I can't leave everything unattended. What if he shows up while I'm gone?"
"Dib?"
"I'd never know, and he'd free to do what ever he wishes with the earth behind my back!"
"Dib?" The more he talked the more emotion grew in his actions, but if he was only going to try and shut Lilo out then this wouldn't be any better then the trance he was in earlier.
"He'd be free to destroy the planet!"
"Dib? You can't think-"
"And I wouldn't even know till it's too late!"
"Dib! Please just-"
"Earth would be doomed, and it would be all my fault! I can't fail earth! I can't loose all this to Zim!" His lips were shaking as he shouted. Off screen she could hear Gaz yelling at him to shut up, but he was deaf to her threats. "Something's coming... I know it, I feel it... But-"
"Hey Dib! Don't get me wrong, you're probably one of the best investigators I know. And you do usually have good gut instincts... But you won't be any help if your sick and exhausted when the time comes that something does happen."
"True, but-"
"Just go take a shower, I promise you'll feel better. You'll probably figure out a more efficient way to go about tracking down Zim, then whatever this is."
"But what about the monit-"
"If you send me links to all the cameras, Stitch and I can be on the lookout. We could all take shifts if you want, and then later we can figure out a more productive way to track Zim down."
Dib pondered the words while leaning back in his chair, eyes still glued on the monitors more out of instinct now then recognition. Finally, he forced his eyes shut, turned towards one of his keyboards and rapidly began typing.
"Ok, I'm sending you the links now. You sure you can-"
"We can handle it Dib.
"Ok, but if you have any questions or problems you have to let me know right away."
"Sure, don't worry about it!" In the corner of her screen suddenly several hundred links to the cameras appeared and began loading. "Ok, I got all the links! Geez, How many are there?"
"About 900." He replied casually. As he got up, he looked over all the monitors one last time, "Ok... Thanks for calling me up, by the way."
"No problem! I actually kinda wish I had time to call you up more, I've been getting really busy on the island, what with S.H.E.I.L.D.'s newly mandated immigration policies."
"Ugh! That sounds rough,"
"Yea so I've been kinda spread thin trying to get all the cousin's the proper dumb paperwork they need to legally stay on the planet."
"Hmph! They can worry so much about your friends, and yet they can't seem to ever nab a guy like Zim!" Dib noted bitterly.
"I know right? But that's why they let guys like you and me stick around! To get the little bad guys."
"Ha, I guess..." Dib yawned as he reached over towards what Lilo assumed was a end call button. "Well, I'll see you later..."
"Bye Dib! Take care of yourself, ok?"
He gave a small nod, "Yep, I'll try." And with that the screen went dark.
As she uploaded all the cameras to her one screen, she couldn't help but feel bewildered by Dib's initial plan and tactics. Granted she was only looking at one small over stimulating screen while Dib had hundreds of monitors to spread out the footage reels, but this was still very ridiculous and Lilo's eyes already felt strained.
"Dib, you sure are a trooper." Lilo muttered, beginning to organize the screens into groups of 100, "A whack-job with minimal rationality, but still a trooper for making it this far..." And as the screen began cycling footage, she couldn't help but frown at the thought of Dib having done this for several weeks without rest. "I hope he does feel better..."