Disclaimer: Truthfully, I never would have thought up Invader Zim. So…no, I do not own.

Summary: Zim has finally thought of the perfect way to stop Dib from interfering. But Dib isn't going to stop trying, even as he tries to find a way to reverse what Zim did to him.

'thought'

"speech"

-0-0- is a scene/character jump

Chapter 6

Zim was up to something. Dib knew it. He knew it!! But what, that was the question. None of Dib's spying could reveal the answer. Zim was being doubly careful on keeping this one a secret, which means that it was probably going to be the doom of the whole planet!

Sitting at his computer, disguise off as has become his custom when in his room, Dib narrowed his eyes as he surveyed his notes on Zim's behavior for the past couple of days. Other than the gloating, smug attitude the Invader held towards Dib because of his successful transformation, he hadn't done anything to clue in what his new plan might have been.

Tapping his claws together, Dib mused on his predicament. He was Irken now, but that did not change his plan on saving the Earth from the Irken Empire. Zim was unable to contact his leaders until Dib was out of the way, or 'cured', as the Tallest believed. Therefore, Zim had lost a small advantage. So Earth had been saved a little bit more time. Meanwhile, however, Zim was planning something that could, and probably would, prove disastrous for Earth.

How to find out though? Dib growled, tenting his claws in thought, leaning back. He had tried spying, breaking in, and implanting a recording device. What else was there to try? The recording device had worked, he had gotten the small robot…Gir…to put it in the house. The only problem was that Zim did not discuss his evil plots while it was up.

Wait…Gir!

Laughing at the sudden, obviousness and perfectness of his new plan to get information on Zim, Dib stood up and leaped out of his window, his spider legs extending to cushion his landing.

He activated his disguise and took off in the direction of Zim's house.

-0-0-

Zim was out, doing some mission or whatnot that would help with his evil-pixie-stick doom plan. Leaving Gir home alone, to guard the base.

You think he would have learned by now that that was a bad idea.

Gir was happily watching TV, munching a cookie from a plate next to him on the couch. When a knock on the door came, Gir looked up. Master? No…Master would not knock.

Maybe it was a pizza man!

Leaping up and pulling on his doggy-disguise, Gir ran to the door and opened it.

"Hellloooo?" He greeted, and saw Dib standing on his door step, hands thrust into his trench coat pockets. "HI!!!"

"Heya, Gir. Can I come in?" Dib asked, hoping Gir was the same friendly, little robot he had always been.

Gir was about to shout a loud 'yea!', when he hesitated. Master had said to guard the base…and Dib was Master's enemy…but Gir liked Dib…

Wait…what was he thinking about? It was something important…Hey! Big head boy was at the door! Maybe he wanted to come in and play?

"Come in!" Gir chirped, turning and climbing back onto the couch, removing his disguise and grabbing a cookie and scarfing it. He held one out to Dib, who accepted the cookie cautiously.

"Did you make these?" He asked warily. Knowing some of the tings that the little robot put into some of the stuff he made…well, it would make anyone nervous to eat anything.

"Nuh-uh!" Gir shook his head. "I bought these at the store." He pointed in a random direction.

Dib narrowed his eyes. Well, it was safe from that angle. But could Irkens eat cookies? Taking a cautious bite of the chocolate chip cookie, Dib sighed with relief when his mouth didn't burn. Mhm…it was tasty.

"So…Gir…I had a question." Dib began, wanting to get this done with before Zim got back from wherever he was.

"Mmm?" Gir looked up from the TV, crumbs falling onto the couch as he decimated another cookie.

"What is Zim up to?" He asked, hoping the robot knew anything.

"Oooh!" Gir went wide eyed. "Master is going to use the evil pixie stick to take over the humans!" At this point, Gir let lose a giggle.

Dib raised an antennae and a holographic eyebrow at the robot.

"Pixie…stick?"

"Yea! He has an orange pixie stick that he's gonna put in the food! The tacos! TACOS!!!" Gir got up and ran in circles, chanting 'taco, taco, taco!'

"Really now?" This was curious… "And what exactly does the pixie stick do?" Dib asked, but Gir kept running in circles screaming about his tacos. Growling a bit in frustration, Dib held onto his patience and tried a new method. "If you tell me, I'll give you a taco."

Gir stopped in his tracks, before turning and leaping up next to Dib on the couch.

"Taco!"

"The pixie stick, Gir." Dib reminded, leaning back as the robot came closer, bright cyan eyes filled with happiness.

"Heehee…it's gonna let the master control all of the humans' minds!" Gir bounced up and down. "Where's my taco??"

"Thank you Gir, you have been most helpful." Dib grinned wickedly, giving the robot a small pat on his bouncing head. "I will go get you a taco now!" With that, Dib stood and took off, running out and closing the door, leaving a sad Gir behind, until the dysfunctional robot saw the scary monkey show and began watching it avidly.

About ten minutes passed and then Zim walked in, triumphant and happy with the progress he had made.

Yes, this plan would surely work! If he could slip the powder into the awful meat and fries of the several fast food places in town, he would soon control the minds of all humans who ate it!

And the way he did that was by letting them ingest the powder, which contained small nano-bots that would cloud their minds and transmit all of Zim's commands, forcing them to obey. They would do what he said, everything he said, believing it to be their own idea! It was perfect!

"Gir!" Zim commanded, and the robot looked up in surprise.

"Master! You are home! Did you bring me my taco?"

"Taco? Gir, what are you talking about?" Zim asked, frowning at Gir, who merely looked confused.

"Ooohh…" Gir blinked. "It was the big head boy, not you! Where is he? Where is my taco??"

"Big head boy? Dib? The Dib! He was here?" Zim cried, spinning around and examining his base for any signs of a recording device or tampering. Nothing…

"Where is my taco??" Gir wailed, looking under the couch cushions.

"Computer! Was the Dib here?" Zim demanded, tapping his foot and glaring at Gir as the robot ran around the house, looking for his non-existent taco.

"Affirmative," the computer answered.

"Argh! Did he take any pictures? Put any of his stupid spy-bugs in here?"

"Negative."

"Gir!" Zim cried, turning on Gir. "Gir! What did the Dib do while he was here? Why did you let him in??"

"I don't know…"

"You don't know what?" Zim asked, raising an antenna in question as he glared at his faulty robot.

"I don't remember why he was here!" Gir laughed, "He came and ate cookies with me…then he promised me a taco if I gave him a pixie stick!"

"A pixie stick?" Zim blinked, then his eyes widened in shock when he remembered what Gir had called his orange mind controlling powder. "Gir! Did you tell Dib about our plans??"

"Uh-huh…" Gir trailed off, realizing he had made a mistake. "Ooooh…"

"Gah! Gir!" Zim growled, before forcing himself to calm down. Getting mad at Gir was not going to help. So the Dib had discovered his genius plot…well, he had planned on dealing with Dib if the nuisance would try to interfere once the plan was in motion. He had not planned on Dib finding out about it before it was even started.

"I'm sorry!" Gir wailed, tears somehow welling up in his eyes.

"Gir," the robot kept wailing, though, not hearing Zim. "Gir? GIR!" Zim grabbed Gir and shook him slightly. "Gir! It's OK, alright? Just stop your pathetic crying!"

"You're not mad at me?" Gir sniffled.

Zim sighed. "No Gir, I am not mad at you. I would have liked it if you had NOT let Dib in the house, but that can not be helped now. But, in the future, do not disobey ZIM!!"

"Now…to the lab! I need to figure out how to stop the Dib from messing up my brilliant plan."

-0-0-

After hours of puzzling, searching, and plotting, Zim was no closer to finding a good way of keeping Dib occupied Everything he thought of he had already tried before, or would probably end up just causing more problems. Zim was getting frustrated. What was there that he could do that would keep Dib out of his plans and busy??

Hmm…last time the Dib's sister had stopped him from interfering…maybe Zim could do something that would make his sister keep him busy? But what? Hmm…

Suddenly with a new angle to plot from, Zim leaned back and began to laugh. He had thought of the perfect thing!

-0-0-

That day at school, Dib was even more anxious about Zim's plan. Judging by the looks the Invader shot him, something was up. Something real big was up.

When lunch came around, Dib hid himself and eavesdropped on Zim, who was talking discreetly to Gir through his little walkie-talkie thingy.

"Now Gir, remember! Our target is Dib's sister! She shall be our first test subject…" Zim whispered into the device, putting it away hurriedly as Gaz walked by.

"Oh no! Gaz!" Dib gasped, running up and glaring at Zim. "I know what you are up to! And I'm not going to stand for it!" He hissed, before running over to sit beside Gaz, keeping a watchful eye on Zim the entire time she ate her lunch.

"What is wrong with you?" Gaz muttered, elbowing her brother harshly in the side, causing him to yelp and scoot over a bit. "Why aren't you eating?"

"I'm…not hungry, Gaz. And there is nothing wrong with me." Dib said defensively, turning back to keep Zim in sight and make sure he stayed away from Gaz. Dib was not going to let that idiot alien do anything to his sister! He will stay by Gaz's side until Zim gave up on it!

Little did he know that that is exactly what Zim wanted him to do, as the little alien smirked at him from across the cafeteria. Oh, how easy it had been to pretend to call Gir while Dib was near, knowing the interfering pest would listen in on it.

This was going well.

-0-0-

Gaz was getting irritated. Dib was not leaving her alone! Ever since lunch, he was practically stalking her every move, shadowing her steps when she went to the Krazy Taco to get herself a burrito.

She was getting really, really irritated.

"Gah! Would you just leave me alone??" She finally snapped, turning on her brother where he stood, watching every shadow carefully, as if expecting something to pop out and attack them.

"Because Zim is going to…ZIM!!!" Dib began, before interrupting himself and pointing at Zim, who could be seen entering the Krazy Taco, a conspicuous tube of orange powder held in one hand.

"I need to stop him!" Dib proclaimed, shooting forwards. Gaz frowned, crossing her arms and glaring.

"I will destroy you, Dib…" She muttered, itching to wrap her hands around her brother's scrawny neck and just…twisting...

She tapped her foot as she watched the ensuing battle between Dib and Zim.

Dib cursed when Zim hit the holographic projector, causing it to static for a moment. Dib panicked, praying that Gaz wasn't paying attention to notice the brief moment where his disguise had dropped. He really was going to have a check done on the stupid thing, and maybe try and upgrade it. Dad had said it was a prototype, but still! It turned off or glitched too many times. Yes, he'll have to spend a few hours trying to fix its habit of turning off at the wrong time.

Success!! Dib finally got a blow through, knocking the tube to the ground, where it shattered and immediately got soggy in someone's spilled cola.

"No!!" Zim cried, eyes wide. That had been his only batch. Maybe he should have made more? But…no…drat! His perfect plan, Dib was supposed to be out of the way! Now the plan was ruined, the nano-bots gone!

Cursing Dib, Zim darted away. Maybe he had saved the formula, but he's been known to forget to do that...oh, by the Tallest! He had better have remembered to save that formula!

Dib let him go, brushing dust off his trench coat. He turned and looked around. Gaz was gone…oh well. With a sigh, Dib headed home.

-0-0-

"Hello, Son."

Dib spun around, eyes widening in surprise. His dad should still be at work…

"Dad? What are you doing home from work so early?" He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. What was his father doing back from the labs?

Gaz appeared behind the professor, sipping out of a juice box. She gave Dib a look he couldn't describe, but one that sent chills down his back. She knew something…wait…did she see him without his disguise? Maybe…but…she wouldn't have told dad…would she?

Actually, she probably would…but…dad wouldn't believe her! He wouldn't…

At that moment, the door bell rang. Professor Membrane walked over and opened it, to reveal several figures.

"A-agents of the Swollen Eye? Dad, what is going on?" Dib asked, panic beginning to rise in him. What were the agents doing here? He hadn't talked to them or gave any report to them in a long time…you'd think they'd be rejoicing since they had pretty much told him they didn't believe him about Zim.

"I'm sorry, Son. If only I had believed your wild stories, maybe it wouldn't have come to this. I say this is all my fault. Or at least a portion of it is." Professor Membrane said sadly, shutting the door behind the agents and walking over to stand near Dib.

"Agent Mothman, we also need to apologize for not believing you. However, this is a good chance for us to follow and complete your dream." The head Agent stated, also walking forwards.

"What do you mean? My greatest dream was to capture Zim and prove to the world that aliens were real…" Dib answered, his panic rising to new heights. Under his hologram disguise, his antennae were flattened to his head in fear and nervousness.

"Exactly."

With that, Professor Membrane reached out and yanked off the holographic projector from around Dib's neck.

With the loss of the small object, Dib was revealed for what he was…Irken.

-0-0-

End Chapter.

Oh dears. What is going to happen now? cackles