Dib's POV

"So do you want to go first, or me?" I reach out to the notebooks and pens he was nice enough to provide; he knows me so well. I look up to find his smirk.

"Seeing as you're ready to go, you may ask first." He adjusts in a more comfortable position, and I do the same. We sit in complete silence for a few moments; Zim in patience, I in thought. Well… I might as well get right into it.

"What is life like on Irk?"

"Good choice, Dib." He sighs softly, clearly thinking back to his time on Irk. "Let's start from birth. Every smeet comes from a tube. When the time is ready, the tube is broken and the PAK is attached. You then go into training; every smeet is trained in the basics, and the data from your PAK determines where you go from there. Some are scientists, others prepare the food, a good many become slaves to the Tallest, but most become invaders. Our planet is bent on conquest, and so we need as many disposable soldiers as possible. I think we all know that, deep down. But still we hope and dream on being the next great invader. That's all our life is, all we need to feel accomplished…"

He falls silent, and I don't know if I should say something or not. In all my experiance, a silent Irken is never good. But before I can decide, he snaps out of it.

"Anyway! Life is full of conquest and crushed dreams. Next question!"

"Ummm…" My mind goes blank at his fast comeback, and it takes a few seconds to get another question in my head. "Tell me about your PAK." Okay, maybe not so much a question, but he takes it in stride.

"My PAK is my lifesource. Without it, I cannot live for more than ten minutes, and life is next to impossible if it's broken. It heals me, and so much faster than your inferior skin." He smirks, the previous moment seemingly forgotten for now. "It allow for defense, as well as other advantages over other species. It has all of the Irken's data from the moment since birth. And mine… allows for me to have emotions. It's what makes me a defect." He starts spacing out again, and I hurry to distract him before he's lost.

"So you come from a tube? Not from a parent?"

He returns to his normal mood. "I'll count that as one question, lucky for you. And no; live birth hasn't been used in centuries. To do so would leave and Irken out of commission for months, and it has the potential to create attachment. Irkens need nobody. So instead, the extract everyone's DNA and insert them into an almost literal gene pool. Two are combined at random, and a smeet is created. Now, seven questions to go."

"Wait… so do you still have the reproductive organs?" I don't realize what I've said until it's out, and I blush. He stares at me, shocked by my bluntness. "What? If I'm not going to dissect you, I have to figure out your anatomy somehow!" He shakes his head at my defense.

"Very well, human. You have full right to ask anything right now. And to answer… no. At least, not for males. The Tallest had scientists take out the male reproductive organ, leaving all Irkens with the female one. DNA can still be taken, but no natural pregnancy is possible.

"Oh." What do you say to that? Sorry that your planet is fucked up?

"Eh… it's for the best."

"How?"

"I don't really know. We're just preached against such things from smeethood. Don't create attachments, be ruthless killers, allow nobody to touch your lekku…" He sighs and sinks into the couch. I just sit there. I knew they were against it, deep down, but to hear it…

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's the way of our like. It's like how bees sting or how cats meow. It is how it is."

"Okay, but how do you feel about it? About everything?" He glances at me out of the corner of his eyes.

"Due to my new emotions- a lot of different things. I'm sad, like really sad that I was banished. Everything I ever wanted died with a single transmission. Yet, I'm happy that I still have you. Being alone sucks." He dips his head down, breaking eye contact. "I also feel guilt and regret. Both for taking you and for how I've treated you all these years."

"You regret taking me?" He winces.

"Yes. If it has hurt you, yes. I've spent years doing that, but I'm now aware of how it affects you. Don't think I'm blind and can't see the scars on your arms."

"How-?!"

"You've been careless, allowing a sleeve to slip up your arm a few times in my presence. And you take off your coat at night, leaving them exposed." He suddenly grabs one of my arms, and yanks the sleeves up before I can stop him. I try to pull away, but he holds it there, staring.

"Zim…"

He drops it and turns away. I can see a tear sliding down his cheek.

"It isn't your fault."

"Isn't it?!" I jump at the outburst, but recover quickly.

"No- it's not. Actually, you're the reason it isn't worse. I don't know how much longer I would've survived without you. You are the only one who even acknowledges my existence. Our fights… I lived for them. Everyone else…"

"I've been treated like shit my entire life. Sure, you treated me bad as well, but it's always been different. Our rivalry, our fights, had purpose. Everyone else bullied." He's still turned away, but he relaxes.

"You still have about five questions left, human."

"I'm done. No more." He's surprised, but takes it.

"Very well. Let's eat lunch, and then…"

"And then you go." I smile softly, and he returns it.

I glance down at the notebook in my hand, filled with new information given, pages filled with notes and drawings I managed to jot down.

Then I toss it to the side.