By animeninjaNIPPON
Professor Membrane put down the monkey wrench he had been using just as his "poor, insane son" skidded into view, still clutching the fanfiction papers for dear life. "Dad! I have to show you something!"
"Well," Membrane chuckled, "I was about to take a two-minute break anyway. What is it, son?"
"I was on the Internet," Dib explained, "and I found this site where people are writing romances involving me and Zim – you know, that alien boy in my class!"
"Oh, I'm sure it's all a misunderstanding." Membrane shrugged. "After all, you have a very common name, I think…"
"But the scenarios and stuff are the same! And they've included everyone I know…" Dib held up the papers for his father to see.
Professor Membrane took the papers with both hands and read the first page. When he finished that page, he put it behind the others and continued to peruse the story until he was done, his expression never changing. "Oh son, don't worry," he replied evasively, handing the papers back to Dib. "It's only fiction. This story has your little foreign friend going into outer space, for goodness sakes! It's clearly some sort of sci-fi fantasy!"
"But Dad!" Dib complained. "I'm NOT dating Zim! And he's not my friend!"
"There, there," Membrane said, patting Dib on the shoulder. "You shouldn't read stories that make you crazy. Why don't you go read a nice book, like 'Rub the Squirrel'?" To illustrate his point, Professor Membrane pulled said book out from behind his back and held it out for Dib to take.
Dib examined the cover. It bore a picture of a demented squirrel with a piece of real squirrel fur stapled to its belly. The edges of the book were greenish gray with mold. Not wanting to disappoint his father, Dib took the book and put it in his trench coat pocket.
"Now, run along," Membrane ordered. "I've spent twice as long on my break as I intended to." As he picked up a pencil, Dib sighed and retreated to his room.
Once in his bedroom, Dib printed off three other stories marked with the abbreviation "ZADR" and put them, along with the first story, into his backpack. "I'll have to study these some more tomorrow." He opened his dresser and pulled out his pajamas. He was about to put them on when something about the computer screen distracted him.
"I have to get to the bottom of this NOW!" he announced, to which Gaz yelled at him to shut up. "After all, this is a mystery of the paranormal! What else could it be?"
Once again, Dib was seated at his computer, browsing through the stories in the category titled "Invader Zim."
End of part two