Author's Notes: Okay so I'm not sure how I'm going to do Dark Harvest so I'm stalling by using another chapter for the sake of plot. Please don't kill me.
With that said please enjoy!
(One Month After Anabel's Return...)
Everything was different now,
Dib Membrane yawned loudly as the smell of bacon and eggs drew him out of a deep sleep. For a moment, the smells of a homemade breakfast seem out of place in the Membrane household. Then suddenly with a flash of movement he springs out of the bed eager to start the day. He threw on his favorite shirt and jeans in a matter of seconds before rushing down the stairs. It has been 30 days in counting and still for some reason he gasps every time.
"Dib slow down you'll trip down the stairs." Annabel lectured only to let out a big "oof" as her son rammed her with a big hug.
"Good morning Mom." He said. The word mom still got caught in his throat. He just couldn't believe she was back after all this time.
"Good morning." Annabel smiled and allowed herself to join in on the hug.
"Seriously?" Gaz asked from the kitchen table. "You do this every morning."
"So, this is not a normal human custom?" A girl sitting beside Gaz asked.
"No Dib is just being clingy." Gaz teased.
Dib pulled away from his mother and gave his sister the infamous 'I know where you sleep' glare.
"I don't think it's clingy." The girl from before said. "If my parents were here I'd do the same."
Dib allowed himself to get a better look at the girl sitting beside his sister. At a glance this rather pretty girl with blonde hair and bright blue eyes looked as normal as any human being. However, the truth was this girl was anything but human. Her name was Queen Luna, and she was the leader of the Magladies, a race of blue skinned humanoids with long pointed tails and flowing white hair. Of course, thanks to the small watch like device on her wrist she was able to appear more human.
Luna called it her "blending in" device, and from what Dib was told the Irken enemy had similar devices. Which were used to allow them to blend in with their targeted race. It amazed him that aliens had the capability to appear so normal. It also made him wonder if there were more aliens out there besides the ones that came here with his mother.
"Dib why don't you grab a plate and eat." Annabel suggested. "The bus will be here soon." Dib nodded and grabbed a plate before sitting down by Luna.
"Moon sweetie!" Annabel called up the stairs. "You're running late again!"
Luna smiled as her younger sister Moon came racing down the stairs seconds later, like her sister Moon was currently disguised as a human girl with blond hair and blue eyes. Today she had on an olive-green jacket with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, a pair of jeans and a gray T-shirt with a bright red Rebel Alliance logo on it.
Luna also wore a similar shirt and had explained to Dib in the past that it was the logo of the Galactic Alliance, a Rebel cell of several Alien races that were working together to fight Irk. Many of them if not all had lost their homes and their families to the Irken machine. They had once lived on Zoran, a desert planet just outside of the Milky Way galaxy where they were forced to flee to Earth.
Now the members of the Galactic Alliance were living in secret on Earth with the help of the Swollen Eyeball. Of course, Luna and Moon moved in with Dib and his family since they were used to being under Annabel's care. If anyone at school or around town asked about them Dib and Gaz were to explain that they were cousins who had recently moved in with them.
And now that the Membrane household was finished with all its repairs there was plenty of room for everyone, including 2 other new members who had yet to make it to the table. Of course, this came as no surprise to any of them.
"Lard Nar, Dad?" Annabel called this time towards the basement door. "Breakfast means family time!" Family time, it was now a very serious thing in the Membrane household, and no one was allowed to miss it.
"Oops that's my Que!" professor Membrane joked as he walked in from the basement. "Sorry Ann we were discussing the latest search parameters." He explained as he kissed his wife on the cheek.
"So, you still haven't found it?" Luna asked, sounding worried.
And rightfully so, for over 15 years the members of the alliance had been looking for pieces of a weapon that was said to be strong enough to destroy Irk once and for all. The AI's had hid the pieces here on Earth for safe keeping, however after years of searching one piece had yet to be found.
Dib wasn't sure how he felt about the news of a weapon that could destroy an entire race. Sure, he knew the Irken race was bad news, but to completely annihilate them? Surely there was another way to reach peace besides eliminating their entire race. Surely an intelligent race like the Irken's could be reasoned with, and yet all efforts towards peace had been halted. The Irken race was destroying every planet it got a hold of, and there were only so many of them that supported life.
Which meant destroying Irk for good; just might be the only way to preserve the rest of the universe.
And yet Dib couldn't help but silently breathe a sigh of relief that the tool to defeat Irk had yet to be found. He was not the only one.
An elderly man about Dark Booty's age came out of the basement, His name was Lard Nar, and he was shorter than most humans, but that had to do with the fact that he was actually a Vort! The Vorts were once an ally of the Irken race until they were enslaved just last month by an Irken Invader known as Larb. Making him the only free Vort in the universe.
Lard Nar smiled full heartedly as Annabel presented him with a plate of fresh fruit. Vorts were not meat eaters and only needed plant-based foods to survive. Dib always found it amazing to observe the different eating habits of other aliens. And Lard Nar was always eager to answer any questions Dib had. And boy did he have a lot of them. The child was constantly asking Lard Nar about space and things like; did Vort have an Atmosphere?
And what were their seasons like? Did they even have seasons?
Upon hearing this question Moon and Luna had been very eager to hear what exactly a season was. Which surprised Dib to say the least. However, Lard Nar had explained that while Magladies home world resemble Earth the planet. Their home had more land then water and was currently in the middle of what humans would call an Ice age. This explained why Magladies skin was blue, it was due to the effects of the cold.
Of course, thanks to their time on Zoran they knew what hot felt like, and Dib had explained that warm weather meant, spring and summer on Earth while autumn and winter were saved for the colder parts of the year. Luna always thought it was so amazing how one planet could go through so many different weather changes. While Dib thought it was so strange that not all planets that supported life had multiple seasons.
"Do you think we'll ever find it?" Moon asked as Lard Nar set down beside her.
"I don't know." Lard Nar answered honestly. "And I'm not so keen on using it either." He added.
"No one wants to use it my friend." The final resident of the house, Richard said as he grabbed his own plate before sitting down beside Moon. Richard Page was Annabel's biological father who had join the Galactic Alliance when she was still a child. It always warmed Dib's heart to see so many people at the table, for so long it had been just him and Gaz eating together, but now things had changed. This mostly had to do with Annabel who decided that they should spend time as a family while they still had it. And after so many years of being apart Dib and Gaz couldn't help but agree.
And with Halloween just around the corner Gaz decided that they should have a Halloween party as their first family celebration. Of course, Moon, Luna and Lard Nar had never heard of Halloween, and found the tradition intriguing and yet confusing.
"So, you dress up like monsters and scary things and demand candy?" Luna had asked.
"And they have to give it to you?" Moon was just as surprised. Sure, she may not be human but like all ten-year-olds she fell in love with the confection known as candy. In fact, she told Dib that many races had their own versions of sweets including the Irkens. Dib always found it so strange that so many alien races could live light-years away from each other and yet have so many similarities.
Any way it wasn't long before Halloween became the most exciting subject in the Membrane household and for good reason. It was to be the first of many for all of them. For Gaz it would mark the one-year anniversary of hers and her Girlfriend, Peg's relationship. It was also the first holiday that the whole Membrane family would be enjoying together in a long time. But most importantly to Dib, Halloween would be the first holiday that he spent with his own boyfriend; Miz.
Dib smiled at the thought, he and Miz had been dating for a month now and a lot had happened since then. From near misses from alien adversaries to nearly being destroyed by super germs. The two had gone through a lot together and Dib was hopeful that they would go through so much more.
Suddenly a loud honk of a horn can be heard coming from outside.
Annabel looks out the window and stomps her foot as the school bus zooms by the bus stop without even stopping. "Not again." She moaned. "I was so sure I started breakfast early enough this time."
"It's okay mom." Gaz assured her. "We don't mind walking."
"I know it's just getting so cold outside." Annabel sighed. "Miz nearly froze his nose off last time."
Dib smiled at the memory. Last week Miz and Peg had shook things up by walking over to his house instead of the other way around. And Miz looked like a frozen Popsicle when he came through the door, a sight which sent Dib into a laughing fit. Of course, Miz responded to his laughter with one of his famous outburst, declaring his hatred for the cold and everything in it. He also vocalized that if Dib wanted to keep his tongue he better stop laughing this instant.
Lard Nar was also smiling at the memory, he had not expect such behavior from the child, mostly because he knew he was Zim in disguise. Lard Nar had known Zim when he was Dib's age and they had once been close friends. That was until Zim betrayed Lard Nar in order to save his own skin.
And in their time apart Lard Nar had feared that Zim would be as cold and vile as any Irken. However, he was pleased to find that Zim was just as he always had been.
Such a fact gave him hope that maybe just maybe this time around Zim would make the right decision and stand up to his people. Lard Nar looked to Annabel knowingly, besides him, only the AI's and Mrs. Bitters knew who Miz really was. Of course, he wanted to tell the rest of his allies the truth, but he feared that exposing Zim would do more harm than good. The Galactic Alliance thought Irkens were only capable of evil and would not give Zim a chance if they knew he was really Irken. Plus, Zim himself was not ready to embrace his true defective nature and exposing him now could cause him to run and disappear altogether.
And if that happened; it would be Vort all over again.
No! This time things would be different! He would convince Zim to do the right thing. Not just for those who suffered under Irk's thumb, but for the Irken race as well. In less than 3 months' time the Taller and future ruler of Irk would be announced and he was sure that Zim would receive the title. And if Lard Nar could not convince Zim to change his people for the better then the AI's would use their weapon to eradicate the entire Irken race!
And yet even though he knew this knowledge he felt powerless, Zim chose Irk over him the last time, and he was bound to do it again. But Dib, things were different with him, and Lard Nar didn't have to understand everything about the human race to know what was going on. He could tell by the way Zim talked to the boy; his body language said it all. To Zim, Dib was more than part of his cover…
He actually had feelings for the human, feelings that ran deeper than just a mere friendship.
Lard Nar smiled; Dib was the key to converting Zim, he just knew it. After all, Zim was a clone of Tallest Zorn and he himself had allowed his actions to be influenced by the one he loved. Still Lard Nar could not help the fear that naturally settled deep within his gut. So much was riding on this, and the fate of the universe was a lot to place on a 17-year old's shoulders.
Lard Nar had already made this mistake before he had expected too much from Zim at that age. Was it right to do the same to Dib now?
The sound of the doorbell ringing causes Dib to jump to his feet, he races to answer it knowing good and well that he looks way to eager. And yet he can't seem to help himself; with every passing day of their relationship his feelings only grew stronger. And even though a part of him was saying he and Miz were taking this relationship a little too fast, he couldn't stop himself. It was like he couldn't breathe when Miz wasn't around, like he was forced to hold his breath until he saw him again.
Dib opened the door to find a very cheerful Peg embracing him. "Happy Halloween!" She exclaimed giving him a furious bear hug.
"Peg." Dib groaned obviously disappointed that she wasn't who he thought she was. "Halloween is next week." He reminded her.
"A true believer celebrates all month long!" Peg said as a matter of fact. Today she was wearing a Jack 'O lantern shirt with an orange skirt and black leggings.
"Peg you must be freezing." Annabel said as she noticed the thin leggings.
"I believe in suffering for art." Peg assured her.
"Well, I don't!" a voice declared shoving his way through them in order to get inside.
Dib smiled as Miz bulldozed threw him; apparently Miz showed affection by being as mean as possible. Dib, however, is beginning to understand it as a form of endearment. Miz is not mean because he's evil. No Miz was mean because he had a hard time letting people in, and his rude behavior was his best source of self-defense. Dib once thought this had to do with the fact that someone had hurt Miz in the past.
However, Dib had learned it was actually the complete opposite; Miz had hurt a close friend of his badly, and now he pushed everyone away in hopes of never doing it again. Nevertheless, Dib was determined to help Miz see past this and finally forgive himself, a task easier said than done.
"It is freezing out there!" Miz continued ranting. "And you are crazy to think otherwise."
Dib stiffened a laugh, and Zim gave him a warning look; honestly, he would never understand how this child could enjoy his company so much. He was seriously trying to push the child away, but the more he tried the closer they seemed to become. He knows this relationship has gone too far as it is, and yet like Dib he can't seem to control the urge to be by the other's side.
Lard Nar does his best to not draw attention to himself, as he stiffens his own laugh. Miz is wrapped in a heavy winter coat and wearing thick gloves. This of course, doesn't surprise him. Irkens could never handle the cold in fact anything under 80 degrees felt uncomfortable to them. This had to do with the fact that they had little to no body fat to help regulate their core temperature.
Zim notices Lard Nar's reaction but does his best to ignore it even though deep down he wants to interact. Something they haven't done since the Vort arrived to Earth. Most of his refugees had acquired human disguises and were hiding among the human populist something he had yet to inform the Tallest. Zim knew he could get in a lot of trouble for not telling them that the Galactic Alliance, a known enemy of Irk had set up base on his assigned planet. And yet he was hesitant to report it, and it was all Lard Nar's fault!
If the Tallest saw him, they would recognize him as the Vort scientist Zim was supposed to kill! His loyalty to the empire would be under severe scrutiny if they were to find out. Something Zim could not afford; He had worked too hard and had done so many unspeakable things in order to appear normal. He could not be found out now, otherwise it would all be for nothing!
Of course, Lard Nar was only a fourth of the problem, Dib obviously was another, and then there was Tak who had grown quiet for the past month. But even the Irken who was bent on revenge was not the greatest danger to him. For the fourth and last problem was also the greatest, The AI's were on Earth, and the one known as Sari seemed to be watching his every move. He wasn't sure how, but he could feel her watching him, and yet he still could not bear to tell the Tallest. Even though he was sure Lard Nar knew who he was, even though he knew the AI could destroy him with a single blow.
He refused to admit that he had been compromise, such a thing would put a blemish on his otherwise perfect record. Something he as a defective could not afford! The truth was he was in way over his head, but like a true Irken he refused to accept defeat! He would overcome this mess he was in one way or another, obviously his best bet was to kill Lard Nar like he was supposed to all those years ago. And yet even after a century and a half Zim could not bring himself to do it. Heck he couldn't bring himself to look at his old friend much less finish the job. And yet ignoring him was impossible because Dib found him so amazing!
He was constantly asking him questions about space and Aliens even though Zim was making it pretty obvious to everyone that he wanted nothing to do with him. Dib thought this had to do with how Miz had dealings with an Irken back in Egypt where he learned that he couldn't trust other humans much less aliens. And yet Dib couldn't help but be curious, and deep-down Zim couldn't blame him.
For he too had once been that curious child that asked Lard Nar so many questions about the defective world. A world that seemed so much more familiar then his own in more ways than he'd care to admit.
"Well, I guess we better go before we're late again." Luna said giving her sister a hug. Since Moon was only ten she went to the Elementary school on the other side of town and usually got a ride from Annabel.
Zim wasn't crazy about Luna but naturally she had been welcomed into their group dynamic with little to no hesitation from Dib and the others. It wasn't that Zim hated the Magladie race. He honestly didn't have an opinion about them, having only met a few, Luna just acted so high and mighty all the time. Sure, he understood that she was the heir of her people, but Luna was too upstanding for Zim's tasted. As royalty she looked down on others, something Zim could tolerate when it was directed at someone else, but to look down on an Irken was asking for trouble. And sometimes Zim had a hard time controlling himself.
And he wasn't the only one who noticed, many of the human students at school thought she was stuck up and full of herself because she spoke with authority. Naturally, Dib defended her saying it would take time for her to learn how to act human. Zim knew he was right, the girl was a child after all, one from a long line a royalty she didn't know how to act around commoners.
Peg had a different opinion, she thought Zim didn't like her because their personalities were too similar and in a way they were. Zim too was full of himself, and as an Irken he was rightfully supposed to be. Luna was just nicer about it, which seemed to play on his nerves for some reason.
Luna personally didn't see the need to keep a low profile, nor did she understand the human social ladder, and these two things alone was why she was having trouble. For example, she once nearly got in a cat fight with Trina Home the Queen Bee of the School simply because Luna did not understand why she got to be the popular one. As the "Queen" of school she should be nice and treat her subjects fairly. Zim spent the whole day trying to explain to her that she wasn't really the Queen of the school. That "Queen Bee" was just a term used to describe her, and her royal highness still didn't get it!
Still Zim did his best to accept her since the rest of the group was so found of her. And if Zim were being honest he'd had to admit that Dib was probably right: A child needed time to learn. Zim simply did not have the patience to put up with it.
Not that his patience was really the issue, no the truth was Luna's personality had nothing to do with it. No deep down, Zim knew what it was about her that really bothered him. She and her sister was like Lard Nar, they shared a piece of his past. For he was the one who enslaved her people five years ago and stole away her childhood.
He was the reason that her parents were…
Zim shook his head forcing the thought away…no he would not think about that. He would bury it away with the rest of the lies that filled his past like dangerous webs.
"You guys have a good day." Annabel told them.
"Okay Bye." Gaz said pushing everyone out the door. Sure, she loved the fact mom was back, but she could be so clingy sometimes.
A cold breeze flashed by them as they started the journey to school, and Zim walked close to Dib in hopes as using him as a shield. It works for the most part, and he even allows the child to hold his hand. A habit that Dib seemed to develop overnight. Something he thought was rather strange since his first crush had used his sexuality to openly humiliate him.
Zim however decked anyone who even looked at them the wrong way something Dib found rather sweet and encouraging. It also helped that his super scary sister was in a similar relationship, and no one would dare look at her the wrong way. Zim seemed to have adopted a similar reputation among his fellow school mates, like Gaz ticking Miz off was just asking for trouble.
Dib could remember the time Zim had beat Torque, the school bully nearly senseless for pointing and laughing at them holding hands once. And no one dared to step in, it was moments like this that Dib was reminded that Miz could be dangerous at times, but he also found the gesture sort of sweet. It was nice to have someone willing to fight for you. Besides having a scary boyfriend had its benefits for the first time ever Dib felt like a normal kid. He was no longer the weird guy who talked about aliens.
No now he was the guy with the scary hot boyfriend, and while he hated when Zim started fights he had to admit it was a step up from "Crazy Alien Kid!"
Zim on the other hand was not so accepting of his recent behavior, the truth was he had become quiet possessive over the Dib which in Irken terms meant his feelings for the child were getting more serious. Something he could not afford, and yet he continued to encourage this relationship.
Why?
Because for once in his life Zim can say without a doubt that despite all the lies he was happy. Truly happy, something he had not been in a long time. He knew the new norm that he had found himself in couldn't last much longer, and yet he couldn't help but milk it for all it was worth.
It was Vort all over again!
Still Zim found a smile slip on his face he would allow himself to indulge a little while longer, besides the enemy was closing in on all sides so it wasn't like he could do much work anyway.
However, a certain Irken female was tired of watching and waiting for the enemy to make the first move.
"Meow." Mimi warned her as they watched from the bushes on the side of the road as they had done for 30 days straight.
"I know it's risky." Tak told her in a harsh whisper. "But I am tired of waiting." She admitted. "If the enemy won't make the first move; I will." She explained. "All I have to do is distract them."
"Meow." Mimi asked.
"How?" Tak echoed. "Simple the enemy already knows Irk is here."
"Meow." Mimi taunted.
"So, all I have to do is show the humans that Miz and Zim are one in the same." Tak reasoned.
"Meow." Mimi reminded her.
"I'm not exposing us; the human government doesn't believe them about aliens." Tak reminded her Sir unit. "All I have to do is expose Zim in a way that only the Swollen Eyeball and the Alliance find out."
"Meow?" Mimi asked.
"How does that help us?" Tak sounded offended. "Easy." She answered. "Once Zim is exposed they'll be so busy trying to catch him that they'll never see me coming." Tak laughed evilly at the thought. After days of laying low, she was finally going to shatter the peace around her.
And she knew the perfect way to do it!
-To Be Continued