Still not dead! Just having trouble finding the time to actually sit down and work out the rest of this story. BUT! This I have a really good feeling about how the rest of this is gonna turn out. Pretty sure next chapter is going to be considerably longer than this one, but somehow easier to write which is a little weird but hey it will probably be done quicker so 'yay'. Next chapter's in Dibs point of view!

ZIM.

This was an annoyance. Merely and annoyance I refused to let it be anything more than that. Dib had done nothing to break the rules of the truce. He obeyed the new parameters I had created on a whim and refused to so much as acknowledge my presence. Even worse he seemed entirely unconcerned by it. How could he think himself capable of Vaarshokk when he could disregard my presence so easily. Under its sway hatred would have consumed him so completely that such a thing would have been impossible.

Ridiculous.

And yet, somethings had changed. His natural loudness was gone, when the teachers spoke to him he answered only in brief concise answers and seemed, what was the term humans used, unsettled? He was never wholly patient but now his restlessness was visible. Dibs unease written out in the tapping of his fingers on the desk or the jittering motion his legs did like he wanted nothing more than to bolt out of class.

Then, in the hallway, something even stranger occurred. It was not as though I were purposefully watching the Dib-thing but you do not give you're enemy the benefit of the doubt ever and I was constantly vigilante for any attack the Dib might unleash while he thought I was unaware. One of the filthy humans made a passing comment and Dib's entire being seemed to seize up before he angled his head towards the offending boy. Not once in all of my time on this filth ball had I ever seen Dib give such a glare to anyone besides myself.

In that moment I was suddenly furious, a instant away from calling Dib out on such an obvious display of hatred that belonged to me and in that same instant I realized I was behaving just like a Irken would have to their Vaarshok. What the Dib hates had nothing to do with me. This was merely another bi-product of over exposure, it would pass. It had to pass.

Oblivious to me Dib continued to glare at the other earthling until he lost his nerve and bolted. Dib dropped his scowl and seemed almost confused. Had he not realized he was practically murdering his own kind with an expression? He turned and for the briefest of moments I thought he would break his own truce. Instead his vision went right over me as though I wasn't there and I refused to acknowledge the simmering anger I felt at being ignored. No I wasn't upset at not being acknowledged I was disappointed he hadn't broken the truce like the weak human he was. Weak and unworthy.

Nothing more.

Days passed this way, Dib growing increasingly more irritable, yet oddly the teachers only seemed to encourage this new behavior. As though they had not realized the Dib-human's slightly superior intelligence until now. Still he refused to so much as breath foul human air in my direction. If I placed myself directly in his path he simply altered his course. Things remained this way until a meal break one day, Dib had secluded himself behind the building to devour the filth all humans needed to continue to function. I had seated myself far enough to observe him without being seen, for my own protection of course. I couldn't afford to get complacent just because it seemed as though Dib was playing by the rules.

Dib always ate alone, research had placed humans firmly in the category of a group species preferring the safety of numbers and connections. Being alone on this planet meant one of two things. You were rejected, not allowed within the group and forced to go it alone, or you were the predator. The very reason humans protected themselves by forming groups. Dib had always been the former, rejected for not conforming the the standards of his fellow prey. How low must one sink to be rejected from this fallacy of a race as one of its own?

A shadow loomed over me dragging me from my thoughts and to the presence possible threat. It wasn't uncommon to be approached seeing as I ate alone as well, or at least it hadn't been. I had made it perfectly clear that any challenger faced a swift demise if they dared to challenge me and since torque I had not had another challenger. I was prepared to give out a sole warning when the shadow passed and I glanced up to see one of the larger more empty headed students making his way around the back of the school followed at a distance by a sizable amount of other human filth sacs.

It was Dib who had the challenger. I frowned in disgust, this human was wasting his time. Dib might have been more than happy to test his combat skills against me but he refused to fight his own kind. Choosing simply to run away like a wayward weakling, pathetic. As Dib took notice I waited for him to make his escape, the human put his lunch away calmly and stood but other than that made no other move. What was he playing at?

The other larger human got closer shouting aggressively but Dib seemed oddly unaffected, he looked, bored. When the rolling mass of putrid made to swing at him Dib simply stepped aside and followed through with a simply blow that had the other bouncing off the wall and reeling in pain on the ground. Dib continued on without a backwards glance, easy as breathing. Except the human behind him didn't stay down. He clamored up and made to attack Dib again, it didn't matter as the out come was no different from the first time. Dib barely acknowledged the attack as he threw his opponent back into the dirt. Then considering for a moment he left the full wait of his boot drop on the fall en's gut using it like a stepping stone to carry on in the direction of the school.

There was a sharp crunch and I was made forcefully aware that my snack had met its demise at my own hands. I was angry, shaking with it in a way I was not often. It was only because the Dib had shown such was actually low enough to fight his own kind. I was disappointed that my rival had such low aspirations, yes that was it. This had nothing to do with the way Dibs look of fierce joy when his opponent hit the ground for the second time. I consoled myself even as my snack disintegrated further in my grip.

My disappointment did not stop me from observing Dib regularly, I had to be cautious always. Rarely did Dib venture into the city and even more unusual that his destination was anything other than his fathers laboratory. So when Dib took to a different route through the city I realized this might be the move I had been waiting for him to make. Now that he thought I was unaware he would strike but I would not let him get the upper hand.

That was how I found myself on the rooftops observing Dib as he walked. Dib moved with a confidence no one should have amidst the festering cesspool of a city. Ahead of him several humans prowled like wolves. Their stances were relaxed but predators recognize predators even lesser ones. Yet Dib pressed forward.

He must have noticed them, even his recent streak of not fleeing from battle wouldn't account for this. Infuriatingly Dib did not move one but instead allowed himself to be trapped, backed into the alley were the third wolf waited. What could be going through that abnormally large head of his? Had he finally lost the last shreds of his sanity?

One of the men made a move and suddenly Dibs reasoning became clear. These humans were no more a threat to him than to myself. He was toying with them, moving between the three of them with ease and an almost ecstatic expression of his face. I knew that expression, coveted it. That was the face Dib made only when he thought he was victorious and I found no greater joy in tearing that expression from his face.

Dib had no right showing that face to anyone else.

I hated him, this stupid sniveling human who dared to fight me. Hated him for thinking he was even worthy of having me as an enemy. I hated these pathetic weak humans for daring to challenge him. The last of the attackers was taken out so suddenly half a moment passed before I realized it was my own doing. I should do the same to Dib, would do the same, right now. He was no different than any other being on this planet it would be easy.

Only I could not, instead I stood their frozen like

This was ridiculous. Shameful. Irkens did not hesitate! We are sure in our actions to the conclusion and yet here I was skirting around the enemy like a coward. Disgraceful. Irkens do not act this way!

But then.

Irkens do not enslave their own race to their whims

Irkens do not plot to kill their overseer's.

Irkens do as they please.

If I as an Irken chose to do something than that is something that an Irken does, only the control brains had the power to tell me differently.

Dib had proven himself a worthy opponent, my inability to turn my back on him even now proved that.

He was not Irken but, and though I loathed to even think it, he was worthy of the title Vaarshock.

"Very well Dib, I will acknowledge your claim but give me even the smallest sign of weakness and I will destroy you."

"Dib!"

The retched human didn't even have the decency to flinch like a proper earth worm at the sound of my voice. He remained facing the opposite direction casually maneuvering things around in his locker. Turning your back on your Vaarshokk, if not for this retched truce he would be slain in an instant for such a transgression.

"I've decided tonight to lift the ban on contact."

This time Dib did flinch if only slightly, a smallest shift in the shoulders and the sound of crumpling paper but still he remained, stubbornly facing the other way.

"We will meet at the base to discuss terms of renegotiation immediately after school," I received no reply but it didn't matter, I knew he was listening, "You will be their."

He gave no reply to that either and I did not wait for one. He would be there I was certain of it.

All that was left to do now was wait.

Alrighty then, yeah not a long chapter but an important one! Also I've layed out the rest of the story and its gonna be 10 chapters and maybe an epilogue if I'm feelin' froggy. Super psyched to write whats next.