I think I'm Dumb or Maybe Just Happy (Invader Zim x Reader)

1. There Were People Back Home Who Tried Talking To You

"Where am I?"

You find yourself looking around at your surroundings. You were sitting on top of a folded cardboard box in a dark alleyway. Around the corner, you could see tall buildings, bright lights, cars, and lots of people. You were mildly relieved that none of these people seemed to want to hurt you. None of them even acknowledged you.

That was strange. If nobody had kidnapped you, what were you doing in the middle of the city? You had no memory of how you got here. Getting up you noticed that your schoolbag was still with you. You picked it up and opened it with some curiosity. There was no more than what you left in it before. Some notebooks, a pencil case, your most recent sketchbook, a few small objects you had taken to school with you since you had nowhere else to put them, your phone, and a lunchbox.

You just now realized how hungry you were. Sadly, there was nothing in the box. Your starvation brought your mind back to your senses. You were left stranded in the middle of a town you didn't recognize, with no food, no home, no friends, and nobody to take care of you.

You weren't scared just yet, that was until you took a few steps into the sidewalk and noticed some street performers. It wasn't too much fear but realizing that you would have to earn your own money from the public turned your insides the wrong way around. You had some stage-fright. You were relieved that currently, this was your biggest concern.

You followed them into the park and placed your lunchbox on the ground. You hesitated for a few moments before singing what was currently one of your favorite songs.

After a few minutes of awkwardly standing by yourself and desperately wishing for this to end, your lunchbox was halfway full with money. You weren't entirely sure if this was from any actual skill or if you should be grateful for these strangers' pity. Regardless, you were satisfied with what you earned and quickly hid it away. You didn't want to seem too paranoid, but there was no way you were going to leave all that lying around.

Who knows how dangerous this place is? Your parents were always more cautious when we were outside at night. People seemed like they needed the money here, judging by the state of the buildings and the number of people performing in this park. You grew up in a poor country. Although your parents had managed to provide you with a comfortable life, they hadn't been so lucky in their childhoods. Mom lived in a pretty dangerous area when she was young. Yet they were both quite wary of poorer neighborhoods. You felt bad for worrying at all but pushed the thought out of your mind.

You managed to find your phone. You pulled the bag's strap over your shoulder and made your way to the nearest cafe. You figured they might have free wi-fi. You connected your phone to the internet and started looking for a place to stay. You didn't have too much money and you still needed to eat. It had to be somewhere cheap. You looked up to tell the waiter your order and glanced out the window as they left.

"Does this place feel familiar?" You asked yourself out loud and paused for a moment.
"Well, yeah, It does. I know how I feel. I just don't know why. I've never been here before."

The waiter came back with your (f/d) and (f/f). You thanked them politely before they turned to leave.

"Hey! Sorry, I- What's this place called?"
"Oh, yeah. We're in Detroit."

You took a few moments to process that information. There is no way you were in a cartoon, especially not this cartoon. You thanked them again and looked back at your phone the instant they left. You scrolled through the names of the hotels and inns. Almost all of them had some misspelling. You furrowed your eyebrows thinking back on this show's 'Skool'. You weren't sure whether to be excited or terrified.

- .. -- . -....- ... -.- .. .--.

The door opens in front of you. You stopped yourself from placing your bag by the door and held it aloft in one hand. You considered turning back and sleeping in that alleyway. You were used to living in a messy house but this crossed the line.

You remembered telling Mom that it felt more like home when it was messy, yet the floor reminded you of a story Mom had told you.

She'd bought a house as an adult. She hadn't been there for a while. When she arrived, the ground had been covered with frogs. She said that she couldn't see the floor underneath. When she tried to step in, the frogs started jumping. You chuckled and shook your head at the thought.

You wondered if the dirt would hop away beneath your feet if you walked in. At least that way you wouldn't have to do chores. I suppose it's time to prove Mom right. You really will have to do things in life.

You sighed and dropped your bag. You take your hand off the doorframe and make your way towards the bed. You pull off the sheets hoping that cockroaches hadn't called dibs on the mattress. Thankfully, there was nothing by an uncovered mattress underneath.

You fantasized for the first time ever about cleaning supplies. You hoped Professor Membrane had invented some futuristic vacuum that could remove all bacteria from any surface on the first try. You looked it up on your phone. You had gotten the wi-fi password at the reception.

They were selling a nice one at a nearby store. It didn't quite fit your description but it was good enough. You held up the bed's sheet and cover and looked them over. You glanced back towards the door and wondered if you could ask for a clean towel. Dad worked at a hotel. If it was like that in real life, imagine what it's like here.

"Of all the fiction I could have ended up in, it just had to be a satire cartoon." Although you were disappointed at the filth, you couldn't help but be annoyed at yourself for talking about Invader Zim that way. You might stop complaining by the time you meet the characters. Maybe.

There were only three rooms. The only furniture in the living room was a small coffee table, a bed, a couch, and a TV.
There were balconies along the kitchen's walls and one in the middle. In the kitchen were a fridge, an oven, and a sink. No walls were separating these two rooms. The last was simply a small bathroom with a toilet, shower, sink, and a trash bin.

That was enough for you but you did want to customize it later. You took the rest of your money and went back to the shops. You bought some food for tomorrow, that vacuum you'd seen on the internet, and some new bedsheets and a pillowcase.

You were practically holding back tears as you handed the cashier the last of your money. They didn't seem to care but you didn't blame them. Customer service workers go through a lot.

You forced yourself to clean the house to the best of your ability. You changed the bed into the new fabric and stored the food away. You called the 'Skool' and asked to be in Ms. Bitters' class.

You were going to need to introduce yourself tomorrow and do some more public performances. You weren't excited about it but you needed the money. You didn't necessarily want to but knowing your parents they must have already lost all trust in you while simultaneously being on the verge of a heart attack. You didn't want them to be too worried. You were fine, just a little tired.

For some reason, the text you wrote wouldn't send. You tested the other things on your phone. The internet seemed to be working fine, except for sending texts. You were beginning to worry but you didn't struggle to stay calm. In one way or another, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. How could you not be excited about being in your favorite cartoon, even if only for a few days? Now that you thought about it, you had no idea how long you'd be stuck here.

You turned on the camera. You struggled to phrase your words. You managed to tell them you were okay and were handling things well. You hoped you'd be able to send it to them soon enough.

"I'm gonna have a lot of explaining to do when I come back home... An entirely different reality. How am I gonna explain this?"

.- -..-. -.

Title's lyrics:
twenty one pilots - Ride (Official Video)