Invader Dib

Chapter 1

"Erm, my Tallest... I have been studying science extensively for the past ten years with Lard Nar's assistance. Just recently I built a prototype of my very first invention: a water balloon launcher! I brought it with me, do you wanna see it?"

Miyuki rolled her eyes. "Sure, whatever."

At that, Dib pulled the balloon launcher out of his backpack and strapped it on. Then, he launched a water balloon a few feet in front of him, where it landed with a pathetic flop. Laughing nervously, Dib ran over to the balloon and stomped on it to get it to burst.

"Like I said, prototype, but you get the picture."

Miyuki paused for the longest time, weighing over her thoughts in silence. Then, finally, she spoke.

"To be honest, I was expecting worse. Very well. Consider yourself enrolled in the junior class. I shall escort you to the academy's entrance. You can change into my old uniform, which I left in your locker."

Dib could barely contain his excitement. He ran right up to Lard and hugged him.

"I did it! I'm gonna be a scientist!"

Lard smiled, hugging him back and trying to hide his sadness.

"Yes, you're going to be a great scientist. I'm proud of you. Make sure you visit me if you're ever on Vort, okay?"

After a moment, the two parted ways. Dib was a bit unsure about being alone with Miyuki. He wasn't used to being apart from Lard. But this was important, and he had to keep a brave face.

The Irken leader led him down a staircase, leading into an underground chamber beneath the planet's metallic surface. The first thing they saw was a long hallway filled with lockers.

"Here we are, locker 901. Your classroom is the first one on the left. Best of luck to you, Dib."

Miyuki left, and Dib opened the locker to find a light blue uniform, with a pair of long black gloves and black boots. It was very much like the attire he saw all Irkens wearing. He also took note of the two holes positioned over the upper back of the uniform, leaving room for where a PAK would be inserted.

Admittedly, Dib didn't know too much about Irkens. Just that they're fierce warriors, are not to be messed with, and their PAKs are extremely important to them and cannot be removed for prolonged periods of time.

He couldn't imagine having a metal dome constantly attached to his spine, getting chills and back pain just thinking about it. But the Irkens seemed largely unfazed by it. It was completely normal to them.

Not wasting any more time, he made his way to the classroom, and was met with the sight of a bunch of tiny Irken Smeets sitting at their desks.

Dib knew better than to run up and hug them, but he'd be lying if he said he didn't want to. Violent as they are, Irkens are quite cute, especially when they're babies.

The entire class stared at him with big bug eyes of various colors. There were looks of confusion, disgust, and even fear from some. Once again, Dib was an anomaly. There wasn't a single other being like him in the galaxy.

"Oh. You must be Dib, the new alien student. Great. Just so you know, you won't be getting any special treatment here, even if the Tallest insisted you take this course. Now, sit down!"

The class instructor was an older, very bitter Irken. She looked like she would rather be anywhere else but this classroom, but her job mandated otherwise. A truly miserable existence.

It took a minute for Dib to even find an empty desk. The class was packed with Smeets, and almost every desk was filled. He managed to find an empty one, but that presented another problem. All of the desks were built to seat Irken children, who were all much smaller than him. As such, the desk was too small for him to comfortably fit.

"Um... are there any bigger desks?"

The instructor scowled.

"All of the bigger desks are in the adult classroom. That's the only desk you have. Don't be ungrateful. Sit down!"

Dib nodded, looking at the desk in front of him uneasily. Maybe if he sat down slowly and didn't apply too much pressure, it wouldn't be too bad.

He lowered himself into the chair, his knees pushing up on the desk and making a creaking sound. The Smeets around him continued to stare in judgement.

He finally settled into an awkward and painful position, trying desperately to hold himself up without relying on the seat's fragile support.

"Now that our newest student's pathetic display of incompetence is over, we can begin today's lecture. Our topic of discussion is how to go about making our weapons more destructive. Does anyone..."

Dib immediately tuned out the lecture as he could feel the desk starting to give way from under him. He held his breath as the support beams bent out of shape, leaning back until they finally snapped, causing him to hit the floor with a thud.

"Dib! You've been in this class for five minutes and this is already your second disruption. One more outburst from you and you'll be sent to the detention cell."

He sat up, nodding frantically.

"Yes, of course, I'm sorry."

The instructor glared at him from across the room.

"Then why are you still sitting on the floor?"

Dib looked around nervously. There wasn't another available desk.

"Uh... my desk broke... where am I supposed to sit?"

"And there's your third disruption. DETENTION!"

The instructor pulled a lever on the wall, making a hatch on the floor open up underneath Dib, sending him tumbling into another room below.

All he could do was lie on the floor in pain for a minute. He didn't bother to look around, but the room was cold and dark like a jail cell.

"Great... how long am I gonna be in here?"

Suddenly, he heard something crash nearby.

"Eh? Who goes there!?"

Dib could feel his blood run cold. He wasn't alone. There was someone in the cell with him. And considering he was in Irken detention, they likely weren't friendly.

He wanted to at least try and take control over the situation, but he physically couldn't bring himself to sit back up. So, all he could do was wait for his cell mate to show themself.

The sound of thin metal legs clanking against the floor echoed off the walls as the Irken approached. Soon, he was hovering right over Dib's face, suspended in the air by his PAK legs.

"What... are you?"