Chapter 1 - The Life and Times of Dib Membrane

Dib Membrane was thought to be completely insane by many. After all, in the average person’s point of view Dib’s rants about the paranormal were anything but normal.
The young boy had hardly any support in life. His father was hardly home and wouldn’t believe a word his son had to say about the paranormal.
“Just be normal and study real science, how can you believe this stuff anyhow?” his dad pestered many a time.
But Dib’s reply was always the same “I know I’m right dad” he said “just wait until I prove it!”. The boy’s eyes would flash with determination beneath his spectacles.
His father just shook his head and let out a soft sigh. Then turned and walked away, most likely to work on some invention to show of the scientific community.
That was just hardly a few months before Invader Zim came into his life. At the age of 10 years Dib could easily tell Zim was an alien. From his green skin to his way of referring to “the pieces of human filth!”.
Of course nobody believed him. After all, he was “that crazy kid”. Yeah, the one that ranted constantly about ‘aliens’ or ‘Bigfoot’ or even ‘ghosts’.
Dib and Zim were constantly at each others throats. Dib was smart but he often found himself thwarted by Zim’s surprisingly advanced technology. That and the fact Zim just had to always over do things.
As the years passed Dib grew and so did Zim. Despite the young Irken(as Dib learned his race was called)being deemed for quite some time as one of the shortest.
“How did you even grow? You aren’t supposed to grow taller so fast!” remarked Dib rather bitterly one day.
His enemy merrily smirked “I have no idea, perhaps your filthy food or your odd atmosphere that’s doing this” he had remarked.
The war waged for many years. Into their junior year of Hi-skool even. Then Zim seemed to stop all of a sudden. Became withdrawn and snapped at anyone who dared talk to him.
Dib, being the ever inquisitive guy he was, did his best to find out why. After a few cuts and even a broken arm later Zim caved.
“This wasn’t a real mission anyways, Gir can hardly be called a robot. He was made from scraps....Zim is unworthy of his kind. That is why I’m here” the Irken spoke sadly.
For the first time in his life Dib felt...sorry for the alien. “I’m sorry” he murmured. Zim looked up, shock can be seen through his contacts. “You...what?” he asked.
Dib growled “I said I was sorry! I...I feel kinda...bad that you were treated like this” he grumbled. Zim looked shocked.
“You feel bad for me Dib-stink? That’s rather pathetic, but then again that is what you are no?” Zim looked up at Dib from his seated position. Dib opened his mouth for a sharp reply.
But none came. “You’re right” he muttered “I’m pathetic, even for human standards”. Before his enemy could speak Dib turned and ran off.
A year later and the two could finally call each other friends. Zim had actually given Gir to Dib at one point. “He’s driving me insane! Can you please take him off my hands” he had said.
Dib agreed. He couldn’t help but be fascinated by Gir. Despite the robots constant hyper activeness. “So...never found out what the ‘G’ standed for eh?” Dib asked one day.
“Nope!” the robot cheerfully replied as he played with his rubber ‘piggy’. Dib smiled “how about I give it a meaning?” Dib asked.
Gir looked up in surprise “really?” he asked. Dib nodded, the robots light blue eyes teared up slightly. “Thank you...I..I love you”
Dib smiled “the ‘G’ will stand for.....‘Generational’” he said. “Why?” asked Gir. Dib looked at him “well...first off generation means a group of people born around the same time.....got it?”
The little robot paused before nodding. “Good, Generational can mean the same thing or even refers to a different generation. A different generation is a group of people born in a different time than you were” explained Dib.
Gir waited a bit more “so...I’m...a different...generation of robot?” he asked, Dib nodded. “Is that good?”. Dib frowned slightly, should he tell him that in his case it wasn’t?
He regained his smile “sure it is Gir” he said. Earning a “Yippie!” in return. After gaining enough information about Gir. Dib decided it was time to give Gir a proper brain.
After gaining his Irken friends permission Dib made and installed a custom chip. It didn’t do much, just made Gir more logical and slightly more obedient.
Dib went as far as creating his own version of a S.I.R. He called is a F.I.R. “Female-issue Information Recovery” that’s what the name stood for.
Why a female? Dib figured he’d try something different. This all happened in a span of one year. At 17 Dib was living a relatively good life. He had Zim as a friend and for once he had someone who was there for him whenever he needed it.
You see, Fir was cleverly made. She was as obedient and intelligent as a S.I.R unit. But still had some of G.I.R’s hyperness and optimism.
She was modeled after Gir, but was slimmer and her eye glowed purple when in obedience mode. Which she wasn’t in often. In free will mode her eyes were a bright pink.
She often voiced her opinion and showed compassion towered Dib. Dib grew to love her like the sister he’s never had.
Speaking of Gaz....she had moved away from home the previous year. Leaving Dib alone with his father(when the professor was there any ways).
Then...just before Dib turned 18 his life came crashing down again. Turns out the Tallest had been replaced recently. By two new tallest.
Both had redish pink eyes, but one was female while the other was male. Surprisingly, the female(by the odd name of ‘Leo’)was much more ruthless than Tallest San, the male.
Tallest Leo decided Zim was of much better use working as an official invader. Especially with his increase of height and decrease of insanity.
Zim was very reluctant to leave however, he had been hardly requesting technology from them! However, the issue it seems was that Tallest Leo wanted Zim back before he grew any taller.
She never liked the idea of him as tallest from when she first heard about him. She soon found out that he actually be-friended a human! What more he had given up on world conquest.
This was all explained to Dib in what he had called “The Last Battle”. Irkens, big rough Irkens to be exact, came to arrest Zim. ‘For disobeying his Tallest’ was the charge.
Zim fought back, Dib fought along side him. The fight was rather big, considering the fact that the charges had grown from disobedience to murder.
Dib never got to see their ends exactly. He had been knocked aside and forgotten. Haven being felled by a blow to the head. The Irkens had no use to waste energy on the human, which is why Dib was spared.
Dib figured he just didn’t put up enough a fight. When he woke up his head was hurting like crazy! He called out weakly for Fir but no answer came. He called out again, voice stronger now.
He rummaged through the wreckage that was Zim’s base. The first body he found was that of his F.I.R’s. He fell sobbing, she was hardly recognizable. A pile of melted waste. Dib knew he could make another F.I.R unit, but it would never be the same.
After an hour and a short burial he braced himself to move deeper. There were fighting marks every were, lazer burns and slashes that were made by someone’s PAK.
The next body he found was Girs...the poor little robot. He too had been melted, tears were sprung to Dib’s eyes. He gulped and promised himself to bury Gir later. But he needed to find out the one questions nagging in his head.
What became of Zim?
Dib continued searching. He stumbled across a few Irken bodies, none were Zim’s. The teenage boy moved down into Zim’s lab. He gasped at the sight before him.
The lab itself was completely destroyed, not a thing was whole in the lab. But it wasn’t the lab that exactly horrified Dub the most.
It was Zim. He was on the floor, bleeding very badly. His blood was a strange navy. It was pooled around the tall Irken. Dib ran over with a gasp and knelt beside his friend.
He grabbed the Irken in his arms. He buried his head in the aliens chest, crying. “Dib” murmured a weak voice.
Dib’s head shot up “Zim?” he asked in disbelief. The Irken nodded weakly. One pinkish red eye was creaked open. “Zim...I’m so sorry....I....I actually got knocked out before I could do anything...I...I’m such a weakling” said Dib.
Zim sighed “no” he croaked “it’s not your fault...I shouldn’t have opposed them so fiercely. It’s not like there was no choice.....”
Dib shook his head “no...no...I didn’t help you when I could...I could’ve helped you fight them off!” he sobbed.
“Don’t cry Dib...Zim’s end was meant to be like this” said the Irken in a very soft voice. “No it’s not Zim! I can’t believe all the time we’ve wasted feuding, then were finally friends and...this happens” sobbed the teenaged human.
Zim let out another soft sigh “I..can’t..convince..you otherwise” the alien managed “but I’d...like you to know....I wouldn’t have...any...other..human...as a friend....you....were like....family....even...if you didn’t help much....you took care....of Gir....you helped cheer me up....now I get....the human’s...lust for love....it feels good to be....close to someone...Dib.....I...love you” gasped out Zim.
Then just like that...the Irken fell limp in Dib’s arms. Dib felt numb with shock. “No..Zim..no...you can’t die...you’re the Almighty Zim! You can’t!” he cried. “Why? Why you...why not me? No Zim...no!”.
Dib let out a long wail “NOOO!!!” he screamed. Then collapsed sobbing, Zim still in his arms.
After a good long cry Dib finally force himself up. He took the Irken and left, he carried his friend...no...friend wouldn’t be the right word. His love...yes...his crush. He carried Zim to the back yard of his base, burying the Irken.
After a good long stay at his grave Dib finally moved. He was about to walk away when he remembered Gir.
A part of him just wanted to leave...he needed rest and he needed to wash up. He was covered in Irken blood. Plus you could see a little of his own ruby blood on his head.
But another part of him told him to go back and give the little robot a proper burial. Gir deserved it after all.
With a sigh Dib willed himself back into the house. And picked up the twisted remains of the robot and buried him. It was twilight by the time Dib got home. He collapsed upon the couch and fell asleep immediately.
His dreams were highly unpleasant. He woke up at 5 a.m in a cold sweat, hyperventilating.
He stumbled blindly up the stairs “shower” he muttered. He quickly stripped down once inside the bathroom. He stepped into a nice hot shower.
He felt rather sick...fully nauseated in fact. ‘They’ll ask questions for sure’ he thought ‘what am I to do?’.
After much thought Dib made up his mind. He packed his suitcase and left his home forever.
Dib moved from job to job. He was very depress and never willed himself to do much of anything. At the age of 22 Dib was found dead in his apartment.
The cause of death, a bullet through the head. Who did it? Himself.
So ends the life story of Dib. When one looks at his story it becomes apparent he had hardly a year of true happiness. And hardly two years of peace. 20 out of the 22 he lived was miserable or strained.
What became of his father? Well....he was highly disappointed in his kids. He became depressed himself. Soon, he became a heavy drinker. He spent his money on alcohol and eventually, wasted away a forgotten bum.
As for Zim’s base...it’s still there. An investigation team eventually came and recovered the bodies. This was hardly a week after the death of Professor Membrane. They recognized the bodies as that of an alien species.
“He was right” they muttered “Dib Membrane was right”. Dib’s name became famous after that. It’s kinda sad that it took 5 years after his death for people to finally notice.
But that’s life....Dib’s life.