Disclaimer: These characters belong to the Nickelodeon Animation Studios and Jhonen Vasquez.

Hello guys, hope you all are doing well this new year. The story below happens just a short time after Dib's conversation with Tak.

Based on artwork by cosmixed called Discouraged

May God bless you all.

The walk home was a slow one. Yet Dib still wasn't sure if he should really blame himself for what happened. It was quite possible that Tak was still planning something. She had tried to drain the earth's core for crying out loud. It was quite possible she had decided to work with Zim and the two were in cahoots. Yup, that could have easily been it.

Still, though, the feeling in his gut didn't completely disappear.

As he reached his front door he felt… a disturbance, almost like a shift in tension… like something… or

"What did you do!?" Came the yell from his sister as he opened the door.

That explained the disturbance, but as to why she was angry…

"Listen Gaz I'm not really in th…" Began Dib but his sister was on him the moment he shut the door.

"What'd you do to Zim?" She asked as she shoved him against the door.

"What? How'd you find out about that?" He asked as he unsuccessfully tried to escape her hold.

"Answer the question." Was all she said in reply.

"Listen he was doing something to the water supply and I had to sto…"

"He was simply experimenting on a way to become more resistant to rainwater." Gaz interrupted.

"What? How do you know that?" Asked Dib as his sister released him.

"He told me…"

"Oh, and you just believe…"

"He's been trying for weeks." Said Gaz. "He's been experimenting with a way to stop or at least lessen the burn rainwater gives him."

At this Dib went silent for a moment. He hadn't actually checked to see what Zim was doing, he just assumed he was poisoning the water supply or something like that. However, he definitely was not convinced that he was simply trying to become more resistant to rainwater.

"Since when did you two become friends?" Asked Dib as he stood up.

"We had the tournament today…" Replied Gaz. "…And Guess who had to cancel because his body was too "damaged" as he put it to play video games. So I had to withdraw."

"Oh, yeah…" Said Dib. "…I forgot."

At this, his sister simply gave him the death stare for about 15 seconds. She then walked to the kitchen.

Dib sighed, having realized she wasn't going to beat him up or anything like that. However, the relief was short-lived as he came to a realization.

If Zim really wasn't doing anything then that means…

…Tak! He thought as he slapped his forehead. However, there was nothing he could do about it now. He had accused her of working with Zim and she had obviously taken it very personally.

However, in truth Dib still wasn't sure about her. She had returned to earth almost a year prior and seemingly just wanted to stay here, but she still acted strangely at times and never seemed to fully be honest with Dib. Sure they had become friends over the past few months, but she still seemed distant, like she was hiding something.

So perhaps he wasn't exactly off the mark about her possibly still trying to take over this planet.

Or maybe he wa… oh he was so confused.

He did know one thing however, he wasn't going to stay here. He knew Gaz's fuse was a rather short one…

…and he didn't want to be around when it went off.

"Well, what do we have here?"

Dib wasn't in the mood. "I'm just going to sit here and pray and think for a bit if you don't mind."

With that, he sat on the ground as there was no chair in the room, at least not one he would consider sitting on.

"Aw come on?" She insisted. "Tell your old buddy here about your problems."

"Old buddy? Really?" Replied Dib.

"Fine, past enemies."

"Past?"

"You really are in a mood aren't you?

"Just leave me alone okay!?"

Dib heard no response so he said a prayer and then proceeded to really think about everything that had transpired.

…For about two minutes.

"So, what'd you do?"

"Really?" Dib responded.

"Last time I checked you were the intruder here."

"Listen I just…" Said Dib before realizing how pointless this was.

"It's Tak okay." He said finally.

"What did you do to Tak!?"

"What? Nothing…"

"You lie! If you as so much as…"

"Tak's! Fine! It's just we were talking…"

"Ah, now that's the problem right there…"

"Shut up!" Before letting out a big sigh.

"Ok…" His companion said. "…I'll listen, but if I don't like what I hear I can't make any promises."

Dib thought for a moment. He wasn't actually sure if it was best to talk about this with her, but…

"Well, there isn't much…" He said finally. "…We were talking and I sort of just handled the conversation badly."

"Details boy."

"Well, Zim and I got into something and Tak was advising me to actually make sure that Zim is actually up to something evil before barging in and trying to stop him. And I kind of…

…accused her of being in cahoots with him."

There was a silence in the room. Then…

"Ha! Ha!" His companion burst into laughter. "Really, in cahoots with Zim!?"

"What?"

"Well, kid…" She said after laughing. "…Why would Tak of all irkens be working with Zim?"

"I don't know, it just…"

"Listen Kid." She interrupted. "I get it you are always paranoid of the going on of aliens, but you have to realize most including the armada don't even really care about this planet."

"Then why would they send Zim to invade it?" Dib asked.

"I'm not answering that kid… or to be honest I can't it's in my programming not to really let out Armada secrets to any non irken without my master's consent. Listen I have Tak's personality, but I'm not Tak. Trust me if I were I doubt I would give you the time of day."

"You're listening to me now." Said Dib.

"That's because for now I'm stuck in your garage with mostly just you and preferably you're sister to talk to." Replied the ship.

"Now as I was saying…" She continued. "…Has it not once even once occurred to you why I stay here?"

Dib thought about it for a moment. It was true this ship could basically fly itself, but it chose to remain in his garage.

"Okay, I'll bite. Why?" He Asked her.

"Because…" Responded the ship. "…I don't really have anywhere to go."

Dib wasn't sure how to take that. It didn't seem logical. Tak was here so why didn't the ship just go back to her?

"What do you mean?" He asked finally.

"Sorry kid expanding on my point before, I literally can't give you certain information about irken society or laws or ways etc… without Tak's permission." The ship replied.

"But, I can tell you this. Tak isn't here to invade. She's here because… because…. Be…"

"Why? Why is she here?" Asked Dib noticing the ship's struggle.

"Err…. Error unable… error…" Was all that came out of the ship.

"What's going on?" Asked Dib.

"oh…" Replied Tak's vessel. "…Guess I can't tell you that either without Tak's permission. Huh… didn't know that."

"What!?" Dib exclaimed.

"Hey don't get mad at me…" Said the ship. "…Why don't you just ask her?"

Dib thought for a moment but knew even if he did he probably wouldn't completely trust the answer.

"I… think…" Said Dib as he sat down against the ship. "…I just don't know anymore…"

"Join the club kid." Replied the ship. "Tak hasn't known for a long time."

Dib looked at the ship. He then pressed the back of his head against the glass.

"You're human butt is dangerously close to my windshield there." The ship warned.

Dib sighed.

"What is with you and butts!?"

Thank you for all who made it to the end. Don't forget to leave a review.

May God bless you all.