Notes: So, fun fact, I wrote this literally 10 years ago, in 2005. I made sure to do some heavy edits to it recently here in order to put it back online. It used to be on my account when I first started writing fanfics as Invader Zim was one of the first fandoms I ever wrote for. I'm so happy Jhonen is now doing the comic series. I get to fall in love with IZ all over again.
...
Zim stood in the middle of a forest, a dense, shadowy forest that was located just a few yards behind the local High Skool. He shivered from the cold, standing, waiting under a tall oak tree.
The burning acidic fluid that showered down upon the earth had drove him here where he now felt helpless and alone. Foolishly, he had forgotten his weekly ritual of bathing in paste. He didn't know why but lately he had become very distracted, not being able to focus on anything of importance anymore.
'Why does it have to get so cold on this filthy, disgusting planet?!' Zim thought shivering. 'Even Timero 2 wasn't this cold!'
The rain continued to pour from the sky. Zim glanced up noticing that that stinking dirt child had strolled over and into the wooded area.
Hands casually shoved into the pockets of his favorite black trenchcoat, he paused surveying the area, having not yet noticed the alien, his sworn enemy.
'Ahh... Dib.' Zim thought, taking a step backwards and moving further behind the protection of the thick trunk of the tree to hide himself.
Dib had watched Zim run frantically through the pouring rain and out back of the school into the forest not five minutes ago when classes had let out. It was raining and Dib knew, he knew that Zim hated when it rained. It wasn't just the loud, resounding sound of the thunder or the flashes of lightning or even the occasional high winds that were sometimes stirred up due to severe thunderstorms. Mainly, it was just the fact that the alien was allergic to water, a substance which covered most of the planet. It was amazing that he had chosen this planet, out of all other planets, to visit and attempt to take over. Who in their right mind would go somewhere they knew they were allergic?
Dib didn't have to walk very far before spotting said alien shivering beside a tree. He stepped forward a bit more to stand under the shelter of the heavy tree branches, staring at him for a moment, happy to be out of the heavy downpour. It seemed like it was getting worse.
"Hey... " Dib tried to start a conversation in the only way he knew how. He cringed at how awkward he sounded.
He was pretty sure his alien friend wasn't in the best of moods right now either. Why had he even followed him here? What was the point? Surely, there were more interesting things he could be filling his afternoon with. Inwardly, he shrugged. It's just what he does, he supposed. Every single day. He gave up long ago trying to understand why.
Almost predictably, Zim glared menacingly at The Dib.
The Dib simply smiled and stood in place observing him as the pouring rain began to pick up, showering down around them, the branches serving as a temporary shelter against the small thunderstorm.
"Go away!" Zim seethed at the boy, turning his back to the human.
"No paste today or something? Or are you just scared of the thunder?" Dib leered trying to get a rise out of the Irken. He loved fighting with him. It just made his day.
A clap of thunder sounded nearby and as the sky flashed with a bit of lightning, the alien quickly dove to the ground covering his pathetic half drenched wig with both claws.
Another clap of thunder and a few flashes of bright lightning sent the Irken mounted against the tree, hugging it tightly.
Now the Dib-pig didn't exactly understand why he'd rather stand in the rain with an alien menace than go home and watch cartoons. They were eighteen now, seniors in high skool for only about two weeks so far. Though they had once been enemies, he liked to think of Zim as not a friend but at least an acquaintance now. An acquaintance that you sometimes like to yell at from across the hallway. An classmate you sort of wanted to torture both emotionally and sometimes physically by setting up elaborate pranks designed to both humiliate and anger the person.
Unfortunately, there was an incident with the Tallests that had crushed Zim's spirit, destroying his previous self confidence and pride. Lately, it seemed like he preferred to stay away from Dib completely, what with his constant avoidance of him.
Zim looked up, glancing in curiosity at his human companion.
Dib blinked back at him.
Zim's expression of confusion changed to one of annoyance, his violet contacts twitching slightly at the sudden movement from squinting his eyes.
The bespectacled boy looked around nervously, feeling uneasy under his glare.
The Irken waved a finger at him. "You... you're planning something, aren't you?!"
"Oh, gimme a break." Dib sighed, glaring back at the alien in aggravation. "I'm not worried about you and your threat to humanity anymore, Zim. You told me yourself, remember? The Tallests blocked your calls and told you to stay here on earth. Your voot cruiser exploded for heaven's sake! It's over."
"Besides... " Dib chuckled. "It's not like you were ever gonna take over the human race anyway! You can't even manage to keep yourself safe and out of the rain."
Zim angrily stared off into the distance, remaining silent and crossing his arms across his chest.
"Wait, I know what this is about! Y-you're not still mad about lunch, are you?" Dib cocked his head to the side contemplatively. His black, pointy hair flopped to the side. "I mean, I didn't intend for the whole cafeteria to start a food fight-"
"You flicked corn at me!" Zim interrupted, pointing one clawed finger against the boy's nose.
The Dib-monkey huffed as Zim turned away from him angrily.
The rain began to slow tremendously before stopping entirely. Zim noticed this and cautiously crept out from under the tree. Contact covered eyes studied the sky above before the alien spun around to sneer at his Dib-friend.
"Looks like your plan failed, Dib! I'm going back to my base now to figure out a way to... to... uhh... to destroy you!" he yelled, stomping around the side of the skool and over towards the street.
Dib raised an eyebrow before sighing in exasperation. "Geez, what mood swings... I wish he'd just get over the whole banished thing and get back to normal. Still, I don't know if I'd be able to deal with being banished from my home planet. That's gotta be rough."
He slowly crept forward, following Zim out to the street and watched as he walked down the road which would lead to his base. Dib waited until he could no longer see the alien, until he turned down a street corner several blocks away, before turning and heading the opposite direction towards his own home.