Ok, so I'm an IZ fan. Not a fanatic because I have yet to see all the episodes. Anyway, this fic is just something I've been typing up. As of typing this intro, I have 7 chapters completed. Characters of interest are Dib, Zim and Gaz obviously, Gir, Tak, MiMi, and oddly enough (maybe even a Fanfic first), Lizard Boy. Couples are DaTr, ZaGr, Dib and Zita for a period, and hinted GaMr. LB will end up with someone, too. So read and enjoy.

Dib chased his arch nemesis, the Irken Invader Zim, towards the abandoned district of the city. The Invader had grown in the years since his arrival, and though not near as tall as the 16-year-old Dib, he was taller than either his sister, Gaz or half the other children at the skool.

"Listen, Dib-stink!" Zim called back to the paranormal investigator, "This game of ours has gone on for several of your pitiful Earth years, and a few superior Irken years as well! What do you say to just backing off and I promise I won't destroy you or the Gaz-human?" Zim asked, turning a corner into an alleyway.

"What's the matter, Zim? Afraid I'll expose you for the alien scum you are?" Dib asked in his snarky tone, enjoying the chase a little too well. "Not at all, Earth-stink! But I can't help but notice that in the four years I've been here, you've yet to expose me to anyone!" Zim laughed viciously as Dib emerged around the corner.

"Yeah, but you've failed to conquer Earth because of me as well!" Dib retorted. Zim growled as legs emerged from his PAK and he began to scale the walls of the alley with them. The old brick crumbled under his weight and he plummeted to the ground, landing gracefully on his spidery appendages.

Dib looked up in awe at the coming debris. He was startled by it. In a flash of an instant he saw his entire life flash before his eyes. Everything he'd ever done: most of it chasing Zim or other paranormal studies, but some happier memories like his time with Tak, or a few family outings, or the time he dated Zita for a month, or when he dated Gretchin for two. Things he'd experienced in small measures and never would again.

A sound of thunder erupted in his ears and he was dead.

Or at least that's what he thought until he opened his eyes and saw he was several feet above the ground. He looked back to see, of all people, Zim keeping him from dropping those few feet from their position on Zim's PAK legs.

"Z-Zim… You s—saved me…" Dib let out in measures of disbelief.

Zim quickly dropped the human in disgust. Why had he rescued the miserable pig-smelly that constantly interfered with his plans? What in the name of Irk could make him do that?

"Oh, thank you Zim!" Dib was overcome with emotion. The near-death experience left him a bit more unnerved than it usually did and he was speaking faster than he could think. "Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!"

Zim, his legs receded into his PAK, began to take a few cautionary steps backwards, worried at Dib's irrational behaviour. "Dib-human; what is the matter with your words? They seem… unnaturally grateful coming from your pathetic mouth!" Zim insulted rather than asked, but Dib was still continuing his ranting thanks.

And then Dib said it. It slipped out of his mouth and caught the attention of his nemesis. Dib had been so involved in his thanks he hadn't noticed the words, but Zim had: "I owe you a life debt!"

Dib realized what he said and immediately stopped. Zim grinned viciously and approached him. "What was that, Dib-human?" He asked in an intrigued, menacing tone. "N-nothing Zim!" Dib lied. "LIES! Tell Zim what this 'life-debt' is or I shall reveal to the Gaz-human who saved over her pitiful filed game!" Zim threatened.

Dib cleared his throat. Serving his archenemy was probably a better alternative than whatever his sister would do to him for overwriting her game data the one time he decided to play it. He hadn't touched another game yet out of fear and guilt. "Very well, Zim. I shall tell you what a life debt is." Dib began reluctantly out of defeat.

"A life-debt is where one person's life is saved by another and the saved owes the saver his or her services until the life debt is repaid." Dib described in varying tones to try and make it seem unappealing, but Zim understood the concepts of human slaves very well.

"So you owe me your life in services?" Zim asked with a wide smile. Dib scowled but nodded slowly. "Excellent!" Zim shouted to the heavens. "From now on, Dib-human, you are to refer to me as the Almighty Zim! And I shall refer to you as Dib-drone." Zim declared. Dib growled but agreed. It could be worse.

"You shall also do my homework! Zim has better things to do than to busy himself with the disgusting Earth-papers to be graded." Zim ordered. Dib agreed because, well, it wasn't hard to copy his answers onto Zim's paper.

"Furthermore," Zim continued, "you shall help Zim in claiming this pitiful dirt-rock." Dib was shocked. "I'm not helping you conquer Earth!" Dib retorted. Zim smiled. "Ah, but pitiful human, your life is indebted to me. Do my bidding or I'm afraid I shall collect said debt." Zim said. Dib quirked an eyebrow. "Are… are you threatening to kill me?" Dib asked. Zim laughed. "I could, I am ZIM! But no. I would rather inform your sibling, the fang-haired one, of the game incident and she'd more than likely do you in. You're out of the way and Zim avoids capture for the crime." Zim explained. Clever bastard.

Dib thought long and hard about it. Perhaps he could use this to his advantage. If Zim used him in his plans he could potentially botch them up and cover it by saying he is a weak human. Then Zim's ego would come into play and he'd be lost in a rant.

"Very well, Zim. I accept your terms. I assume after Earth is conquered I am relieved of my debt?" Dib asked. Zim looked surprised for him to submit so easily. "Of course, human. And if you don't try anything, I might even reward you with, I don't know, the province of Chicago?" Zim mustered up a city from geography. Dib noticed the suspicious tone in Zim's voice.

"Anyway, Dib-human," Zim said as he called for his malfunctioning SIR to pick him up, "I require your services tomorrow, after school." Zim ordered. Dib glared at Zim. "Tomorrow's Saturday, Zim; no school." Dib stated. Zim let out a trademark dumbfounded "Heh?" Before rethinking the plan. "How about tonight and tomorrow? More work can be accomplished!" Zim asked.

"Zim, I have family that might miss me! It could be… Suspicious!" Dib lied. In all honesty, he just didn't want to bother with being Zim's lackey so soon and didn't know what his father would say. Zim shrugged. "Just tell your parental units it is, how the pig-smellies say, a 'sleepover'." Zim suggested. "We're sixteen, Zim! I don't think my father would fall for that!" Dib groaned.

Dib was forced to attempt the ruse thanks to the life debt. "Dad?" Dib asked over his wrist communicator. "Who is this?" Professor Membrane responded back over the communicator. "It's your son! Dib!" Dib responded in surprise. "Oh yes! The insane one…" Membrane muttered thoughtfully to himself. "Anyway, I was wondering if I could sleep over at a friend's house tonight." Dib ventured. "Of course, son. It's good for you to socialize with your peers. I thought you were calling about some alien again. Man am I relieved!" Membrane chuckled before the transmission ended.

Dib's face was wide in a mixture of awe and a tiny bit of disappointment at his father. "Well, Dib-human, I suggest you join me back to the base for the plans to be written up." Zim smirked victoriously. Gir had arrived and was in the middle of chatting with a fire hydrant about squirrel tacos, whatever that was. "Gir! Prepare for transport back to the base for the Dib-human and myself!" Zim ordered. Gir turned red and saluted. "Yes, my master!" He exclaimed before returning to his normal ecstatic self.

Zim got on the green dog's square head and put Dib on the robot's shoulders. Immediately they rocketed into the air and headed for Zim's base.

Chapter 1 Complete! Please R&R.