Truthseeking

Disguise Hunting

He shook his head, eyes locking back onto the water as he thought.

"Zim's contacts wouldn't be usable even if we did find them, and the wig, it probably got wrecked and washed away in the water. " Zim noted, more so to himself than Dib.

Dib made a loud groan of what he could only imagine was disappointment.

"Well… you're gonna need a disguise one way or another, and I don't think we can keep you in.. That. " Dib Stated, gesturing to the messy outfit.

The irken nodded, knowing he could barely tolerate wearing the wacky clothing items.

"What do you have in mind then? Zim does not have any spare disguises. " He replied smartly, not admitting that he actually had no ideas, and wanted advice from the human.

Dib thought for a second, staring at the pinkish, red sky that the town always seemed to be misted with.

"Tak had some sort of holographic disguise didn't she? Can you make something like that? " He questioned, facing Zim once more.

Zim wasn't actually quite sure on why he didn't have one like Taks, all Invaders usually had them. But for some reason that he couldn't grasp, he chose to wear a wig and contacts.

"Er, I did have the resources to make those kind of disguises, yes but GIR had gotten into-" He froze, realising that he had left the robot in his base, alone with no supervision.

"GIR! Ohmytallest he must've burnt the base down! " Zim rambled in horror as he realised the consequences of what he had done.

"... Oh, right.. " Dib mumbled under his breath.

The human seemed to understand why he was so horrified, seemingly calmer though.

"We can check on him after we run to the store..? " Dib offered, sounding unsure.

Zim hesitated before he nodded, realising that they'd probably get to the store faster than his base anyway.

His antenna twitched as he tried to dismiss the anxiety that started to swirl in his squeedlyspooch, silently hoping that his computer had handled the robot.

The walk to the store was relevantly silent, an unsaid peace between the two.

"Maybe we could get you a new disguise, " Dib decided to suggest, slicing through the quietness.

The irkens antenna pricked, in both confusion and interest at his words.

"Like I mean- buy you a new one. New wig, new contacts.. Maybe new clothes too. The ones you've got on aren't in the best shape and.. " He trailed off at the last words, but Zim already knew what he was about to say.

He thought for a while as the shops slowly got closer in his vision, wasn't it betraying the empire if he wore something other than his uniform by choice? Invaders weren't permitted to change into anything other than their uniforms under any circumstances.

But he wasn't an Invader, not anymore.

Zim winced at the small reminder, then shook it off.

"Yeah. Sure" Zim agreed, more out of impulse than choice.

Dib seemed slightly surprised, but didn't say anything as they walked in the store.

The store was recently sized, in irken standards at least, aisles side by side, stacked with various human items.

Dib led them to a particular aisle of the store, its shelves lined with many different colourful products, stopping when they reached a particular section- the wigs.