Yesteryear: Home

"Turn in soon, Dib-monkey," Zim instructed, approaching the boy. "My computer's predicting a dust storm tonight."

Dib nodded—rather awkwardly, as he was lying on his back. "I'm spending as much time as I can outside of your cramped little Poot Runner."

"Voot Runner," the Irken corrected forcefully, "And what are you doing?"

"Looking at the stars," the boy answered simply.

"Why…?"

"Because…they're…fascinating?" Dib turned to him. "Don't you ever look at the stars?"

"No," Zim said, "I've flown through them plenty of times."

The human smiled a little. "For once I envy you, Zim."

His companion scoffed. "Not that much to see up there."

"Of course there is," Dib gazed again, longingly, into the sky. "Especially since…Earth's out there."

"Ohhh," the alien rolled his eyes. "Of course it is." He followed the boy's gaze to the misty, blue-and-green planet and snorted. "I'm glad to finally get away from that filth-ball for some time."

"Why are we here?" Dib looked again at him, sitting up. "All this time no one's told me. It's not like I don't have plenty of mystery in my life lately already."

Zim did not make eye contact or even look away from Earth, and he took the longest time before answering.

"You will know in good time, Dib-creature."

The child opened his mouth to ask something more, but seeing the look on Zim's face, let the matter drop. He turned back to the stars, and after a minute another thought came to him.

"…Zim?"

"Heh?"

"Do you ever get…" he inhaled. "…homesick?"

"Eh?"

"You know, homesick," Dib sat up and made eye contact. "That is, do you ever miss your home and wish you were there again?"

Zim looked rather confused. "Why would I miss that earthly hovel of mine—amazing as it is—when it's on such a pitiful planet?"

The human shook his head. "No, I meant…" He looked to the cosmos again, this time gazing far from Earth. "I meant Irk. Do you ever miss Irk?"

The alien's antennae flicked, but only for an instant.

"No," he said in a most unusual tone. "No, no, I miss my job; that's what I miss. This little excursion wasn't exactly in my plans until I found—er…Anyway, as amazing and superior a planet as it is, no, I do not miss Irk. I'm an invader, and an invader's place—" He turned to the Voot Runner. "—is in the stars."

He began walking towards the Voot to prepare for the next day. But he stopped short, and without turning to see if Dib was looking, pointed to the sky in a much different direction.

"And you're looking the wrong way. Irk's out there."

Author's Note: I think that last part was inspired by a one-shot I once read.