From Rivalry To Passion-Chapter 1

Dib glared at his rival from his spot across the room, his ever-intense stare not once letting up as he battled for dominance in the staring contest that had started between the two of them and had been going on for nearly an hour now.

"This is all your fault..." he muttered, half to himself and half to the disguised alien staring just as intensely back at him.

Antennae twitching beneath his wig at the silent statement, the Irken scoffed at those words. "ZIM is not the one who brought a water gun to school, worm-baby. If anyone is to blame for landing us in detention, it's YOU!" he jabbed a finger in the human's direction, standing abruptly from his seat.

"Zim! How many times do I have to repeat myself?! No leaving your seat during detention! Now sit back down before I add on another fifteen minutes to your time here!" the teacher in charge scowled and pointed to Zim's seat from his spot at the front of the classroom.

Growling, Zim reluctantly returned to sitting back down at his desk, grumbling beneath his breath about how that teacher would be the first to go once he conquered the Earth. At least, the first to go after the Dib-monkey, of course.

Baring his teeth when he noticed said human snickering at his expense, he considered using his PAK to do away with the boy nuisance now, while he had the chance to. But he couldn't risk exposing himself like that. Not when he'd already dedicated six years to blending in with these humans and perfecting his disguise.

As stupid as they were, he'd encountered a few close calls over the years, prompting him to change his disguise some as a means of appearing more "normal."

Although he had grown during his time here on Earth, it didn't change the fact that he was currently the shortest in their class, these humans he'd been the same height as at one point growing like trees and towering above him now. He tightened his fists at the thought. How could such a stupid race grow so quickly? Even the Dib-human had outgrown him by at least a full head. It made his blood boil thinking back to the time the human had first flaunted his greater height at him.

From that point on, he had tried not to let it show how much the others height bothered him. Rather, he held his head up high and pushed forward with that same heir of superiority he often times displayed even amongst his own race.

When the detention bell finally rang, he stood from his seat with a silence that spoke volumes. He was done dealing with humans today, the very thought of remaining in their presence for even one second longer than he had to making him want to yank his own antennae out. How he had managed to survive on this planet for so many years without going insane was beyond him, though it was painfully obvious to him at this point that he had very little choice in the matter but to live among them.

He cringed at the memory of the last transmission he'd sent out to his leaders. After nearly six months of ignoring him, they had finally answered his calls. Little did he know they only answered him to confront him with the truth of his so-called "mission."

At first, he thought they were just joking when the word "exile" had come up. After all, how could they exile him of all Irkens? But after the exchange of a few choice words which ended with the Tallest hanging up on him and blocking all further communication, it finally began to sink in, slowly but surely.

Another month passed in which he desperately attempted to get a hold of them. But with each blocked signal he sent out, he began to lose hope. Perhaps he really HAD been exiled to Earth.

Shaking that thought from his head, he tried not to let himself become lost to that possibility. After all, the last thing he needed was for the Dib-human to find out. He'd take it to his grave before he let on that his mission was a fake. And even with the reality of his situation blaring loudly inside his antennae, he wouldn't allow himself to just give up on his mission so easily. He would take over this dirt ball of a planet if it was the last thing he did. No human, or even his leaders for that matter, would stand in his way of planetary conquest.

He'd prove his worth one way or another, even if he had to do so on his own terms.

Watching in silence as the Irken stood to leave the classroom, Dib, meanwhile, glared after said alien as he hurried to make his retreat back home. Something was different about the Irken, something he couldn't quite place his finger on. Sure, he was still the same egotistical little bastard he'd been ever since first arriving on Earth, but somehow he seemed more focused than before.

He considered whether that had anything to do with how long he'd been on Earth for but quickly shook that thought from his head as he went to begin walking home himself. Perhaps HE was the one who had lost his focus, for no longer did he chase after Zim in the hopes of gaining fame and glory. Rather, he did it more so to keep himself busy. Their usual fights had become occurrences they could set their watches to. Confrontations which neither side could ever gain the upper hand in. He wished for something new to happen.

Staring down at his feet as he walked the lonely trek back to his house, Dib sighed as he wondered whether he really WAS just wasting his time chasing after Zim.

"Maybe dad was right...I can't keep doing this for the rest of my life. Not if I don't have anything to show for it, at least..." he sighed again, having been considering for a while now why it was he even continued to chase after the other when he had little interest in actually exposing said alien to the world.

In less than two years time he'd be entering college and forced to decide what it was he wanted to do with the rest of his life. Could he really continue to chase after a childhood dream he'd had little success fulfilling over the past six years?

He tried to remember what his dreams had been BEFORE Zim showed up on Earth.

"Heh...Too bad they don't offer electives on studying alien culture." a small smile crept onto his face at the thought before falling away just as quickly.

Zim was the closest he'd ever get to learning more about space and what other species existed out there.