k im binge reading this and i just gotta say right now how dare you do to zim. like, oh my gosh, you ripped his figurative heart in half? great job this whole thing has been an absolute blast to read but holy shit dude. as a person who also has a counselor and mental issues can i just say that i dont care if dib is a genius cause hes the biggest dumbass in the universe. talk about making the biggest mistake of your life. oh my gosh. the moment i saw that dib thought he was gonna break into that house again i new he was dead. and when zim was standing behind him it just reaffirmed my thoughts. i dont care if hes literally alive he is dead. i dont know what youre gonna do next but i swear that if zim isnt feeling at least a little bit better by the end of this i swear that i'll be very upset but also still compliment you because this was very well written and this was joy to read ;(

I read this fic when I was 12 and first discovering what fanfiction was back in 2012. It was actually the first fic I’ve ever read (and yes! I was full on dweeby and obsessed over Invader Zim! The first show that taught me what fandom was LOL). I read all the way up to chapter 3 or 4, and I remember how UTTERLY in love I was with this. I don’t remember if I ever commented even back then how in LOVE I was (if you see any 12yo esque comments from 2011-2013 era, THAT WAS PROBABLY ME LOL). An older Dib as a counselor to Zim had me adorinh it, I would gush and fawn over how, in an adults perceptive Dib gives, annoying but CUTE and HARMLESS zim was.

Now I’m 18 in 2017, where I talked to some friends over twitter, having nostalgia over Invader Zim phases (and finding out about the ongoing 2015 comic series LOL) and wonder, oh man I need to read some of those old fics bc I am FEELING city. I remember this fic in particular and in one quick google search, I find it and see the completed sign and just...wow. I read the entire thing in the span of two days, in between doing college applications and honors calc homework, i read this in my breaks and fell full faced in love all over again. In love with Invader Zim again and I just felt 12 again, curled up on my bed again, staying up so late and not minding bc im young happy and have so much energy. This fic is basically reminder of my childhood and I’m so happy you continued and finished it, so happy that even if it took so you, that you had the strength to finish. Im in my honors calc class now, finished with a midterm, and finished this fic and im just EMOTIONAL. I LOVED the ending and understood each reference (PSYCHONAUGHTS WAS MY FAVORITE GAME)

I feel like a kid again, thank you for that. This fic means so much to me and THANK YOU FOR WRITING IT!

I know that this fic has been finished for a year now, and I've only read the first chapter thus far, but this is one of the most interesting AUs I've seen in awhile. It's kind of hard to find decent ones with a lot of potential...

I stumbled across this fic hoping to find a quick read and move on. I had never been so unexpectedly hit with the sheer masterpiece that was this story. You tackled the subject of zim's insecurities and fake mission in a way I've never seen before, and I was captivated the whole way through. Yes, sometimes your writing became clunky in certain spots, but that's the only criticism I have for this. This story was character drivin, something the show and comic excel at, and this important detail allowed the characters to sound natural and in character. And the shift in moods were smooth and believable, I legitimately cried when zim was betrayed and was about to press the button a chapter later. I have never seen an AU story of Invader Zim like this, and I highly doubt I ever will again. This is seriously my favorite IZ fic of all time ️

I loved this! LOVED THIS WAY MORE THAN I THOUGHT I WOULD! AH, SO BEAUTIFUL! THANKS FOR THE ENJOYMENT I GOT OUT OF THIS!

Your story is very interesting. There's so much difference between the dynamic between Zim and Dib by making one mature. I liked the insight on Zim's psychology and I don't know, I can't ever help but see the cute little bastard as anything other than a little boy. Gaz was too nice but I liked her, and I can excuse the "Too nice" for maturity. The ending was heart-warming and the hilarious cliff-hanger. Dun...dun...dun!

This was really good.
Zim is going to be horrible to deal with .
Dib has created a monster!

dude, we need a sequel with Tak please! and not to mention how Zim does, I know you said you ain't gonna but I'm still gonna be annoying and ask just as my way ta show how much I liked your work :D

-BANSHEE SCREECH- LOVED IT

Okay, I haven't read the chapter yet but the title is making me nervous ** I'll hit enter after reading.

I TOLD MYSELF I'D TAKE A BREAK AFTER THIS CHAPTER. I LIED. FUCK. NEED TO KEEP READING

its so good i had to re read it aHHHH

Oh my gosh! I'm so happy I could be here for this moment! I honestly think this is the first time I've seen an abandoned fic actually be finished. To think... If I had gotten into this fandom even a year ago I never would have known the end! That's super amazing to me.

When I first started this fic I wasn't sure I'd be a big fan, especially when I skimmed the author's notes and it said you hadn't really come up with a plot yet, but I stuck with it because I saw progress in every chapter. There was something new, and something set into motion at the beginning and end of each chapter. In your final note you said you thought the scene with the Tallest wasn't necessary, and perhaps that's true, but I enjoyed immensely that Dib had a PLAN. There was a plot. A sub-plot, a very small one that only spanned the length of a chapter or two, but it was there nonetheless. And this sub-plot was brought up because of a natural progression of the story, for the most part it was actually pretty logical. Dib needed to speak to a parental figure and he'd heard of these leaders/someone Zim respected and decided to turn to them. It makes sense, honestly, it really does. I mean, aside from the whole hey-a-human-is-contacting-an-alien-race-billions-of-lightyears-away-and-they're-completely-foreign-and-lack-of-freaking-out-over-ALIENS thing, it was pretty on point.

- As a side note I wanted to point out a thought I had during that scene. I was wondering why they would even bother talking to Dib, I mean, they could shut down the transmission at any time, and it occurred to me that it was because even to this less-evolved life form they couldn't help themselves from laughing at Zim's expense. Any reason they could get to laugh at Zim, they would take it. It's likely as soon as they got bored with the conversation with Dib they would have just ended the transmission. Although that wasn't explicitly stated in the fic, I feel like it was implied, and that's pretty cool B)

You know, the moment I got to the chapter that you picked up this fic again, I could tell almost instantly that there had been a time lapse. What a difference 5 or 6 years can make, huh? And it was that chapter that I knew I was committed to the story. Before then I could have given it up with very little qualm, but at that chapter I was HOOKED. You've improved a lot.

The emotions you explored in this story were intense. At first I was unsure how I felt about Dib always treating Zim like a child. I mean, he could certainly pass as a child because of his height and behavior, but he wasn't, not really. And he wasn't even human to boot! But Dib did finally notice and acknowledge that not only was Zim a (childish) adult, but a soldier. He noticed that and worked it into how he acted with Zim. It was great development and fun to read and realize.

I'm glad I stuck around to finish this and I'm glad I happened across it after you'd come back to it. Seems I have some pretty good fortune! Thank you for writing this, even after you struggled with it for so long. I can understand how writer's block goes, trust me, and your efforts to overcome it haven't gone unappreciated.

I'm interested in following you on Tumblr too. You seem like a pretty awesome person and we share a number of interests.

Thanks again for your story.
Keep writing and stay strong!

This was such an enjoyable read. I'm sad it's over!

This was interesting and fun to read. I really like how you psycho-analyzed Zim. Good job!

I actually cried. I loved this so much. Dude this was wild from start to finish, I can't believe how well you constructed the plot and delivered the story. This is amazing and I love it so much. Gr8 job m8.