Pale fingers pulled the wallet from his pocket, a bright smile on his face as he bought the item Zim had asked for. Taking the bag and tucking the money back in his jeans, he headed out the door, turning down the road towards his new home. Humming to himself, he window shopped on his way, stopping to admire a sleek black trench coat. His was old and ripped and didn't really fit anymore, but he didn't have nearly enough money to buy it. Sighing, he ran the rest of the way home, wanting to get praise from Zim.

Amber eyes stared longingly into ruby as the Irken took the items from Dib. He reached up and ruffled the boy's hair in appreciation before heading back down to his lab. Dib smiled brightly and, once Zim was out of the room, began to sing a little tune. His life was pretty damn good and he couldn't be happier. But something started to bug him again.

'Don't listen…' Dib stopped and shook his head, trying to get rid of the voices. 'He's bad.' 'He's an alien.' 'He wants to kill you.' Dib sat down and began to draw again, pulling his attention away from the voices that lied. But it didn't stay there long.

'He hates you.'

"No he doesn't." Dib was glaring at the table now, a deep frown on his face. "He's told me time and time again how much he enjoys me. He doesn't hate me." He waited a few minutes, waited for the voices to flare up again, but they stayed quiet. Satisfied with this, he began to draw again. This picture was looking far better than all his other ones, so the smile that had disappeared came back to life on his face.

'You have to believe me Dib.'

With a frustrated yell, he threw the pencil down against the table, gripping his head and shutting his eyes. They wouldn't leave him alone. Why was the medicine wearing off so soon? What was wrong with him? Getting up, he slammed his hand down upon the speech button.

"Zim, the voices are back. Zim, I really need you. I'm really sorry but-" Zim cut him short with an okay and Dib frowned sadly, letting the button go. He waited at the elevator, tapping his foot and switching from leg to leg, anything to keep his attention somewhere other than his mind. When Zim appeared, Dib's frown didn't leave his features. Zim walked him over to the couch and handed him a glass of water. He pulled a bottle from his pocket and handed him three pills.

"That should take care of them. I'm going to make a stronger batch so that they stay away. I'm also working on a permanent cure for it, alright?" He placed a hand on Dib's head, inwardly tossing his cookies at the affectionate gesture. He hated all that gooey stuff he saw on the tee vee, but if it eased the Dib's mind into his control, than he'd have to suffer a bit. All for the sake of the Irken Empire, yes?

Dib looked up at Zim after he had taken the pills. "Alright." Looking down at the floor, he knew he shouldn't ask what he was about to. Last time Zim refused to see him for a full week. It was horrible, but he wanted to know. "Are you going to be coming up soon?" His eyes never left the floor, wincing a little in preparation for the Irken to yell at him.

"Soon." Zim was tired and frustrated and didn't plan on working for more than another hour. His plan, no matter how brilliant it was, was taking a long time to complete. He hadn't had any decent sleep in the past week, but that was partially to…other activities as well. "In about an hour, okay Dib?" Raising to his feet, he headed back towards the elevator. "If those somehow wear off, tell me." With that, he disappeared beneath the floor, leaving Dib alone again.

It wasn't good that those pills wore off so quickly. That meant that he was getting stronger. If he broke loose, his plans would be ruined completely. He needed a way to restrain him fully, at least until the Earth was under Irken control. He would use tomorrow to plan out the retrovirus. Tonight he was going to complete the plans for his second step in world domination.

This was surely the greatest plan any Irken had ever come up with. It was simple enough a smeet could accomplish it, yet dangerous enough it could blow up the entire Earth and Irk in one big explodey ball of DOOM if not executed correctly. The slightest miscalculation would end everything in this small universe called 'The Milky Way'. He loved it.

The dangers that came with his plans gave him such thrills and chills it was near orgasmic. Nothing could compare to the rush he received when he lit off an entire cart of fireworks that 4th. Nothing could override the giddy excitement he felt when he blew up half of the skool with himself still inside. No, nothing could ruin the scares that ran threw him when he let loose that monster dog last Halloween and it chased everyone including himself. Just thinking about it sent chills up his spine and brought a devilish grin to his face.

His nimble claws flew across the Irken keyboard, typing in code after code into his modeling program. He was planning the schematics for the bombs he'd be creating. Everything had to be precise. Everything had to be flawless. All of it, right down to the size of the detonator. He was so involved in his work that he didn't notice the time. By the time his eyes rose to glance at the clock, it was one a.m.

"Dammit."