Author's Notes: And here we are again, I took a longer break then planned for the holidays, hope you all enjoyed yours!

Thank you for reading and please enjoy!

(Back with Tak…)

[2 months after the Megadoomer…]

As much as she wanted to do it, she knew she could not. As much as she hated Zim he was right, the Tallest would not believe her claims about him being defective. So as much as she would love to destroy him she would settle for this. Besides, it was not enough to simply destroy the defective swine. No, she would get at that spineless fiend by beating him at what he does best.

Invading!

Starting with the home of his new favorite human.

"Irken Tak, the Tallest will see you now." A rather tall Irken with dark emerald skin spoke.

His name was Muka, he was the new commander of the Tallest's royal guard, and due to his height; rumor of him being chosen as a candidate for the Tallests' newest successor had surfaced. Every 100 years three individuals would be chosen, these candidates would be presented to Lineage, the main control brain. Lineage was the first brain that any of the smeets ever saw and was responsible for pairing them with a PAK as well as their core task.

She was the one that gave every Irken their purpose in life.

She was also the one who was charged with the task of choosing the next Taller.

However, not just anyone could be presented to her, the candidates had to be not only Tall, but exceptional, with the purest of Irken blood running through their veins. They must be successful in their core purpose; they must stand apart and above the rest.

And just because you were chosen didn't mean that you would become the Taller. Sometimes Lineage would choose none of the candidates at all. This was the case when it came to Taller Spork, he had actually been a part of the eighth group of three that had gone to see Lineage. This was for good reason, Tallest Myuki had just established a new form of government for Irk. Reforming empires were always vulnerable to outside threats. This was why, Myuki would need a strong successor for the uncertain days to come. And Spork was very strong, if fact he was so strong, that when he finally become the Tallest the Irken race entered a new age of conquest, and enlightenment like no other. In fact, he had expanded the Irken Empire so greatly that Lineage felt that not one single Taller would be able to manage the still growing Empire.

So, Lineage had done something that had never been done before, she had chosen two! Tallest Red and Purple were already famous for being the first cloned twins born in Irken History, and now they were the first Irkens to rule together, and the two accomplished more than a single Tallest could ever hope to achieve.

Thus, proving her point, not just anyone could be chosen as the Taller. Most of this had to do with Irk's obsession with perfection. Irk was always improving to reach this impractical fascination, because of this the future candidates had an impossible task. They had to prove that only they alone could bring Irk to greater heights than those before them.

And how was a single candidate supposed to outshine the likes of Tallest Red and Purple.

There was only one Tak could think of, and it was not Muka.

There wasn't a single Irken who didn't suspect him to be one of the three chosen.

In all honesty, Tak had been surprised to hear that he had been overlooked as Spook's successor.

Of course, she was thinking of Zim, as much as she hated him she knew the Irken was very successful at his core purpose. She also knew that he possess the cleanest and purest of the Irken blood lines. So, it had perplexed her when two generals and a well-known commander had been chosen to be presented to Lineage. Zim had already become the scourge of not one but three galaxies and yet somehow he had been overlooked.

She had no doubt that his loyalty to them was to blame, Zim had been known to allow them to take credit for his work more than once in the academy. In fact, Tak was sure that Red and Purple only bothered with Zim because they needed him to survive. It wasn't uncommon, many talented Irkens gained a lot of their early successes thanks to a smaller allowing them to take credit for all their hard work.

What was strange was Red and Purple, kept Zim around, and even seemed to consider him a close friend. Yes, they had used him for their own success, but somewhere in the mist of the deceit the two twins had seemed to have grown a liking to Zim. Why else would they continue to keep him around? This of course only proved Zim's point, they would never believe her.

In their eyes Zim was perfect, heck if they could choose their own successor she knew they'd choose him in a heartbeat. So instead, she would simply have to settle for wounding Zim's pride. If she could steal this mission from Zim then she would be the one who would supply the resources to Operation Impending Doom 2. Her efforts would be the sole reason for winning this war, and that would make her look very good. So good that it just might eliminate the stain of being wrongly accused as a defective, that was her plan anyway.

"Tak." Red forced a smile as Tak entered the throne room of the Massive. It had taken the Megadoomer 2 months to catch up to the Massive, which was now overseeing the takeover of planet Meekrob. Which was not an easy feat, seeing how it was light-years away from Earth!

"My Tallest." Tak bowed, respectively. "Thank you for seeing me."

"You are lucky we've decided to see you at all." Red hissed. "If it were not standard protocol to hear you out we would have you executed at once."

"You've made quite a mess of things." Purple spat at her taking over. "Zim is currently carrying out a secret mission."

"Yes my Tallest I know." Tak assured respectfully. "And I had no intention to jeopardize his work at first." She lied.

"Then what changed?" Red hissed.

"Zim was the reason why I had missed the trial for the final exam." She revealed. "He saw me as a threat to his future position and he tried to have me killed." This wasn't a total lie, but it also wasn't the full truth.

"So, he sabotaged you?" Purple asked.

Tak nodded.

Red smiled. "I thought he looked a little smug when your disappearance raised the alarm."

"Who knew he could be so sinister." Purple praised. "I mean you think you know a guy and bam!"

Tak did her best not to roll her eyes, yes it was obvious to her now that while they took credit for much of his work, they still saw Zim as a saint.

"Go on." Purple insisted.

"I managed to survive, but word of me being defective had spread, and I panicked." She admitted. "So, I hid on Hobo 13 for a while until I felt ready. My plan was to face him, beat him and prove I was superior, thus winning back my spot in the collective."

"But what were you doing on Earth?" Purple asked.

"I found it by chance." Tak revealed. "After I left Hobo 13 I knew I still needed to wait for my opportunity with Zim to reveal itself, but with so many Irken soldiers being sent to Hobo 13 I knew it was only a matter of time before I was discovered. So, I ran and luckily found a planet that Irk had not yet discovered. But then I saw Zim and feared he had come to finish me off."

"So, you engaged him." Red said, he really hated listening to females talk and hoped to draw this story to a close quickly.

"Yes, But he soon explained that he had no time for me, that he was there on special orders, so I stepped off for the time." Tak answered. Again, not a total lie.

"So, what changed?" Purple growled. "Zim's reports have been nothing but of you causing him trouble!"

"While observing him I noticed he had found himself deep in some trouble." Tak admitted.

"Trouble?" Red asked looking lost.

"We haven't heard of any trouble." Purple voiced.

Tak sighed. "It's just as I feared. Zim hasn't told you just how awry the mission has gone. Not that I blame him he does have a reputation to keep."

"What are you talking about?" Red asked.

"Sir in my time on Earth I have seen not only members of the Galactic Alliance but several AIs as well. Not only that, but the humans have their own force of Native warriors that have took up arms with our enemies."

"Zim never told us any of this." Red admitted. This was true, while Zim had told them about the small resistance on Earth, and that there were sightings of the AIs there. He had reported that they were currently hiding on the Planet Zoran. Zim had failed to report that said AIs had returned and with the Alliance in tow.

Suddenly reports of scouts finding the planet Zoran abandoned was starting to make sense.

"He's been secretive before, but never on anything this big." Purple agreed out loud.

"I confronted Zim about it." Tak continued. "I even offered to help him get out of this, it wasn't his fault that the enemy was there, but he wouldn't hear it. He wanted to complete the mission himself, said it would make him look all that more amazing if he was able to defeat the alliance and the AIs all by himself."

Purple looked to Red fearfully, suddenly a lot of Zim's strange behavior was starting to make sense as well. How he always looked on edged and like he hadn't slept in days.

"Finally. I decided that the only way to save the mission was to relieve Zim of his assignment all together. So I challenged him for it. Zim hated this obviously and sent for the Megadoomer to eliminate me. Seeing no other choice, I allowed it to bring me here. I knew you would have no choice but to hear me out, and at least this way you would finally know the truth."

"And this is truth based on what?" Red challenged. Of course, he would side with Zim, even if her claims did make sense.

"I have proof." Tak said, her Sir Unit, Mimi presented them with a disk that when placed into a nearby holo screen reveal several pictures of the AI's and known members of the Alliance, including the humans Anabel and Richard, and the accursed Magladies. It also showed them speaking to several other humans, no doubt the native warriors of Earth that Tak had talked about.

Finally, a picture of a boy in his late teens showed up. He had black, scythe-like hair, he wears a black trench coat, a blue shirt with a ghost on it and jeans with combat boots.

Tak smiled, telling the Tallest about Dib was the icing on the cake.

"Who is this?" Purple asked.

"This is the son of one of the main members of the Alliance." Tak revealed. "Anabel Membrane."

"Her?" Purple asked. He had never met the female himself, neither had Red, but she was well known as the face of the Alliance. Red and Purple knew that she had a commander, Rumors talked of a Vort leading the Alliance, but no one ever got close enough to ID him. But they knew her capture could finally lead to answers.

"His name is Dib Membrane, and he is an exceptional warrior." Tak revealed. "True he is green in the ways of war, but he is still in training. Zim revealed to me during one of our battles that he could one day be a worthy opponent."

Purple shook his head, Zim was always known for letting the enemy live, and even allowed them small victories during his missions. His reasoning was that he enjoyed the challenge and he had been allowed to get away with it since he always cleaned up his mess.

However, it would seem their old friend had finally bit of more than he could chew.

"Say we believe you." Red questioned. "What do you suppose we do?"

"Zim is an exceptional invader." Tak reasoned. "He simply does not want this blemish on his record, and I can sympathize with that, but my Tallest, things have gotten out of hand. Please, let me clean up this mess. No one has to know that Zim got in way over his head."

"You mean you would fix this for him?" Purple asked. "After what he did to you?"

Tak smiled. "I would have done the same thing had the roles been reversed." She admitted. "Besides, I don't want revenge." She said. "This is about getting what I deserve. A chance to prove that I am Invader material."

Red sighed but nodded. "Very well, but this is still Zim's mission." He revealed. "You may continue challenging him for it and that is all. If you win we will reinstate you as an Invader, but if Zim conquers this planet first you will be sent to Planet Dirt to work in the trash heaps."

"And no damaging the planet!" Purple growled. "We need those resources and this mudball is very fragile."

"Has he answered yet?" Red suddenly snapped at a soldier who was working at the communication hub.

It is then that Tak realizes they have been trying to contact Zim. "Has he been dark since I left?" Tak asked.

"Yes." Muka answered, he was still at her side.

"Not surprising." Tak said. "The enemy had figured out his disguise by then." She revealed.

Red suddenly looks very angry. "You cost him his cover!"

"It was not my intention to…" Tak began.

"Now thanks to you the AIs could be hunting him down, he may already be dead for all we know!" Red screamed.

Tak is taken aback, she knew the Tallest thought highly of Zim, but this level of concern was not what she expected. She had been convinced that they only saw Zim as something to exploit, and perhaps he was at the beginning. Zim, however, was no longer a smaller, now he was almost as tall as them. Not only that, but his continued success made him a likely winner in Lineage's eyes.

It is then that she sees it. This had been their plan all along. Zim's every chance at success had been their way of paying him back. They had every intention of making sure Zim was chosen as one of the candidates, they wanted him to be their Taller. That's why he got the most impressive and dangerous tasks, it was so he would stand out. To be called the scourge of nine galaxies was not an easy feat. Several fleet commanders and Invaders had laid claim to several enemy planets across multiple galaxies, but never was one of them know across more than five.

And Zim wasn't just known, he was feared.

"If this blows up in his face you are the one who will be held responsible." Purple revealed. "Zim cannot afford to fail a mission the year of the choosing!" Red snapped confirming her suspicions.

Of course, this also meant her success would be given to him too.

Either way Zim would win, oh sure he'd have to ease things over with the Tallest for keeping secrets, but she was beginning to realize that this was nothing new. Yes, Zim was right to not fear her coming here. The Tallest had sided with him just as he said they would.

But she could still win. She smiled as her eyes fell on Dib. If she couldn't wound his pride then she would go for something far more damaging…

THE HEART!

(Back with Dib…)

[Another Month Later…]

He didn't think it possible, but somehow the world had manage it…

Somehow after all the near-death experiences of organ harvesting and deadly super germs; the world had manage to turn back to normal. In a matter of three months Dib's life had almost went full circle. For example, once again he was alone, and once again everyone saw him as the crazy kid. Weirder still Miz had been erased from most of the student body. When Dib had told Lar Nard of this he wasn't surprised.

"Irken's have mind control and mind erasing technology." He revealed to Dib when he asked days ago. "Some beings like you, and me are not affected by it, while others may be effected by one or the other."

Dib shook his head in disbelief of it all now, just two months ago he was happy, and now…Dib looked at the empty desk closest to the door of Mrs. Bitters Class. For the first month of Zim's disappearance he had refused to give up. He had search everywhere, even at Miz's house only the house was gone, leaving nothing but a whole in the ground where it once was. He had reported this to Dark Booty.

"No doubt his base was here." Lar Nard had said.

Dark Booty had called him in to investigate when he saw the large crater.

Dib was floored, he had been standing above a secret alien base all this time and he had never known. It still got under his skin how he had allowed himself to trust Zim.

Of course, everyone tried to convince him it wasn't his fault. That Zim had played him and that he was very good at tricking others. And that Dib was only a child, of course he would try to see the best in everyone, even a monster like him!

"You know I really wanted your plan to work." Annabel had told him just last night.

"What plan?" Dib asked.

"To get Zim to join us." Anabel said. "Don't get me wrong it scared me that you were around him, after all the horrible things I had heard about him, but I knew that having an Irken on our side may finally win this war."

Dib shook his head. "I thought I knew him, but I knew nothing." He sighed. Then he had idea. "Mom you said you heard awful things about Zim." He said.

Annabel nodded.

"Tell me everything."

And she did, for the most part, but Dib ended up having to go to some of the refugees to hear some of the more gruesome details. Dib had hoped that hearing this would make him finally see Zim for what he was, A monster! But he just couldn't picture Zim doing all those terrible things. The Zim he knew was dangerous yes, but he also valued life, and had several lines he just wouldn't cross. Like how he refused to kill his friend Lar Nard for his people, or refusing to kill Dib because he was a child. He felt that killing innocents was low and cowardly. And then saving Dib, taking a blow for him that would have surly caused his own death, because he cared.

Yes, Dib knew Zim cared about him, but that only made his betrayal hurt all the more. If Zim had been smug and rubbed his stupidity in his face then surely that would be better than this. Because the truth was far worse, Zim cared about him, and every time Dib begged him to join forces, the Irken looked genuinely torn, like he wanted to. Like he seriously was considering it, but in the end Dib could not convince him.

Long story short Dib had failed, he had lost Zim to Irk just as Lard Nar had done before him. Zim may care about him, may even love him, but his loyalty to his leaders mattered more.

And worst still after all the lies, and all the deceit; he couldn't bring himself to hate the Irken Invader. In the months that went by he found himself missing him more and more. Whether he was Zim or Miz, the invader always made him feel special, and more importantly wanted. At first he was disgusted with himself for falling for an alien much less one bent on enslaving them all. However, the more he thought about it the more obvious it became. Of course, he'd fall for an alien; with his obsession for the paranormal it was no wonder that he hadn't fallen for a Vampire or a zombie man at this point.

But all jokes aside the more he thought about it the less he hated him, and Dib barely hated Zim to begin with. Sure, he knew from the beginning Zim was the enemy, but hatred was never an emotion he felt for Zim even at the beginning. No what he felt was wonder, and curiosity that had slowly turned into admiration, then gratitude. Even now after the bug-eyed insect had stabbed him in the back all he felt for Zim was love.

And that was why the betrayal hurt that much more because he knows that if he had just said one thing differently he could have swayed Zim, and the Irken just might be beside him right now. He tried to imagine that. He and Zim, pretending to be Miz as they tried to get through school all while saving the world and more importantly the universe from the evil Tallest.

It was a silly thought but imagining him and Zim running from a mob of Irken soldiers while trying to make sure they and more importantly their homework didn't get incinerated brought a smile to his face.

At the moment Mrs. Bitter's was droning on about the doom of the universe. It was funny how she had been giving secret subliminal messages about things he had been screaming about for years and he was just now figuring it out.

"Of course, the rise of filth will only enrage the masses." She exclaimed. She had been going on and on for about an hour now, but no one was listening to her. Most accepted Mrs. Bitters rants for what it appeared. A crazy old woman who has been here far too long whose finally going mad. Dib, however, knew she was talking about the rebellion. After Zim left, the refugees has increased their efforts in finding the last piece of the AIs super weapon as well as increasing their numbers for the upcoming war.

Now that Tak had no doubt told the Tallest they were here they no longer bothered hiding and while Annabel, Luna, Moon, Lard Nar, and Richard stayed on Earth to find the last piece. The rest of the rebels and refugees set off across the galaxy to liberate prisoners of Irk with the help of Prisoner 777, or Trawl, Lard Nar's cousin.

He would supply them with ideal places to hit, access codes to get pass blockades and free prisoners. Dib was amazed that a prisoner would have such vast information, and once asked Lard Nar about it.

"Some prisoners are given special clearance and privileges in exchange for their loyalty." Lard Nar revealed. "My cousin had given up the hiding place of our nobility in order to win their favor."

"That's awful." Dib said bluntly.

"We all do awful things for the greater good." Lard Nar whispered. He looked sick, and Dib knew why. The Vort is upset, Zim's decision to not help them has forced them to use their only remaining plan against the Irkens. A plan that involved finishing the weapon and purging the universe of the Irken race. Of course, helping to start the genocide of the people of a once good friend was making him sick. Even Dib didn't feel right about it.

However, not everyone shared their feelings. Some of the refugees were glad to be rid of them and couldn't wait to get started. None of those who stayed behind on Earth shared their opinion. In fact Luna feared that their new boldness would only enrage the Irkens which was What Mrs. Bitters was really going on about.

Dib looked to Queen Luna knowingly. After Zim left she had been transferred to Dib's class so they could keep any eye on each other. This was because Miz had always been Dib's partner, and now that he had been revealed to be the enemy he needed a new partner to watch his six.

Okay so that had been Dark Booty's reasoning, but he knew she was really there to keep an eye on him in case Zim tried to contact him. Now don't get Dib wrong he like Luna, and she was really starting to fit in. Sure, everyone thought she was a little strange when she first arrived, but she had won them all over with her charms and grace. She had organized a food drive for thanksgiving and had rallied several of the students to help her. She had volunteered for the Christmas party Committee and even ran a toy drive. Again, several students were motivated to help.

Dib had never seen so much buzzing activity and cooperation from his fellow students. This year's party had been better than any he had ever attended. Too bad he didn't go; the holidays were awful for Dib now; he couldn't help but be reminded of Zim every time. He had been looking forwards to spending the holidays with his boyfriend. From introducing him to family traditions and opening up presents to watching New Year fireworks.

Instead, he found himself walking through the motions, which wasn't fair to his mother who hadn't seen him or spent a holiday with him and their family for literal years! And now the worst holiday had rid its head to mock him with its literal love.

"Mrs. Bitters can we celebrate Valentine's now?" Zita asked hopefully. "Some of these are starting to smell." She pleaded.

Ms. Bitters sighed. "Go ahead! Pass out your Valentine's meat slabs! It's traditional..." She mumbled.

Everyone opened up their desk, pulling out slabs of meat, save for Dib and Luna. Gretchen giggled nervously and walked over to Dib's desk with an arm FULL of meat slabs.

"Gee…thanks." Dib admitted happily.

"I left my meat at home." Luna mumbled as Aki walked over to her with a tray full of heart-shaped meat.

"You can use mine." Aki said. "I made extra just in case."

Luna smiled politely; she was too nice to point out her people were vegetarians.

Dib then raised a hand. "Ms. Bitters! I read that long ago back in the 70's and 80's people used to give out cards and candy on Valentine's Day. How did the whole meat thing get started?"

"You don't wanna know." Ms. Bitters told him. She then sighed. "You know…I had a valentine once." She said nonchalantly. She sighs romantically then, and everyone gives her a strange look all but Gretchen who kept piling the meat on Dib's desk.

He smiled at her nervously, it was no secret to him that Gretchen liked him, it was obvious she had feelings for him, but he wasn't really into girls. Heck he wasn't into guys anymore either, but how could he tell her that she just couldn't compete with Zim? A guy who stabbed him in the back and somehow still managed to hold all his affection!

Then an alarm went off and a red light came out of the ceiling, flashing madly as a phone emerged from Ms. Bitters' desk. She picked up the phone and listened intently.

"Ehh, another one?" She sighed, then hung the phone up quickly, then burnt it. "To celebrate overcrowding in school, a new student will be joining the class." Ms. Bitters informed them all.

FWOOOOOSH!

Suddenly A large, futuristic red jet landed outside of the school. It had a picture of a hotdog on the front and was labeled "DELISHUS WEENIE" in various places. All the kids gathered at the window as a girl walked out and quickly headed to the school building. It was then that a shadowy cat with red eyes and horn-like ears slithered up to the windowsill. It looked down at Dib, eyes narrowing and widening, then ghosted away. A moment later, with a flash of light…

She was there, the girl had short dark blue-ish purple hair in a bob cut, very pale skin, black eyeliner, dark purple eyeshadow, black pants, and a pair of silver stud earrings. Finally, she wears a dress that contains four different shades of purple and blue with black leggings.

Dib looks at her inquisitively, something is very strangely familiar about her, though he can't say why. He knows he's never seen her before, he was sure of it, that it until she spoke.

"Hi! My name's Kat! I'm new here!" she announced as the jet's engines revved to life and jet off through the air.

Dib's eyes widen, he knew that voice all too well.

The girl gave him a sly smile.

Dib gulped; the new girl was TAK!

-To Be Continued