A/N This is my first Invader Zim fic. The idea for this story came from Avatar: The Last Airbender. If you've watched the last three episodes of ATLA season one, then you'll know what idea I'm using. I am inspired to write this because of three stories:

If Miyuki (IZ Fandom) by legi0nn

2: 45 AM (IZ Fandom) by legi0nn

Shattering Ice (ATLA Fandom) by DamageCtrl

You should check out the first two, and see the last one if you watch ATLA. I hope you enjoy my story and the others if you do read them. This is an AU. I do not own Invader Zim.

This story contains RaMyR, ZaTR, and PaTnR for the most part.

Chapter One

Coming of Age and Change

One more month, Miyuki thought bitterly. One more month equals one last chance. For freedom, for fun. Then…then I'll be arranged to marry some stranger within my status. Then I'll have to cook for him, clean for him, and assist him during his political whereabouts. Miyuki sighed. Sixteen years pass by so quickly. Many Irken females her age were excited about getting betrothed, but Miyuki was not. How could she when she knew no love was behind the marriage? How could she when she was being forced to marry someone she didn't know, or worse…someone she hated?

"One more month!" Miyuki's mother squealed in delight. "One more month until my lovely daughter will be paired to a lucky Irken male! Aren't you excited that you're sixteen?" Miyuki rolled her eyes as her mother danced around their home base.

"Sure," Miyuki muttered under her breath. Her mother was still jumping around, ecstatic about her daughter's coming of age.

"I can't wait for your betrothal at the Great Showcase! My daughter is going to be picked first, that's for sure!" Miyuki rolled her eyes again. The infamous Great Showcase…GREAT. A way to demean females by showing off their beauty, talents, etcetera. Then the parents of the new sixteen year-old males choose which female "suits" their taste. Higher ranking families ALWAYS pick first. After that, she has no choice but live with that Irken. Forever. But if the male isn't satisfied with her, he can just throw her away and demand a new bride. The idea disgusted her. How could her race sink so low?

"Ah…now the Great Showcase takes me back to my betrothal. When I was sixteen, I-" Miyuki didn't want to hear more of her mother's nonsense. She needed to take her mind off the Great Showcase. Miyuki walked towards the front of their base and opened the door.

"Don't you want to hear the rest of my story?" her mother asked. Miyuki shuddered at the thought.

"Maybe later," Miyuki said. Yeah right! "I just want to go hang out with my friends…that's all."

"Alright then! I would love to join you, but I'm sure your father wants me to stay at home." Miyuki nodded and headed out the door. Another thing about being a married female: your spouse controls where you go, what you do, etcetera. Poor Mom can't even leave the base without his permission. Not like I'd WANT her to come with me…but still. As Miyuki stepped out of her home base, she saw her friends having a jelly fight.

"Hey Miyuki! Want to play?" Tenn shouted as she threw a clump of jelly at Purple, who ducked. Instead, it splattered all over Red's face, who was reading a book on a table nearby.

"Argh! Why do I hang out with you guys?" Red asked, infuriated as he wiped the jelly off his face.

"Because you love us…" Purple said, smiling. Without warning, his face was soon covered in a blob of green jelly. Miyuki slightly giggled at Tak's small feat.

"Yeah, and it's not as if you have any other friends," Tak put bluntly as she hit Tenn with a blast of jelly.

"Whatever," Red grumbled. "Besides, my family is higher ranked than yours, shorty." Tak glared and grabbed a big lump of jelly in her left palm.

"Don't you dare-" Red warned, but it he got cut off with a SPLAT. His face was covered yet again, in slimy green goo.

"Ha-ha!" Purple teased, and then got hit by Tenn's fire. "Oof!" Red rolled his eyes, wiped his face, and tried to concentrate on his book.

"C'mon! Play with us Reddy Teddy!" Purple smirked. Red gritted his teeth.

"I hate being called that," Red muttered.

"But that's your nickname back when we were smeets!" Tenn hollered as she threw jelly at Tak.

"I hate it," Red stated once again. Purple grinned devilishly.

"Reddy Teddy," he crooned.

"Stop that!" Red commanded angrily.

"Reddy Teddy…"

"Stop that!"

"Reddy Teddy…"

"I told you to stop!"

"Reddy…TEDDY…"

"That's it!" Red yelled. He scooped a handful of jelly in his palm and shoved it down Purple's throat. Purple's face twisted as he gagged on the nasty jelly.

"Hey Red! That was uncalled for! You know that jelly is inedible!" Tenn shouted as everyone rushed over to Purple's side.

"That was really cold," Tak declared, staring harshly at Red. Purple's face was priceless as he coughed up the slimy goo. Tears began to swell up in his eyes.

"YOU HURT ME!" Purple sniffed. Red just rolled his eyes.

"You're so sensitive," Red uttered matter-of-factly.

"You should apologize to him," Miyuki told Red, who just stared blankly at his book.

"Fat chance," Red grumbled.

"You're so mean Red!" Tenn screamed. "If it wasn't for your status, you'd be an outcast like Zim!" Both Red and Tak shot her a fierce look.

"Zim isn't an outcast!" Tak blurted out. She felt all eyes on her, and Tak crossed her arms.

"You guys are all smeets! All of us are sixteen, and you still have smeetish jelly fights!" Red hissed. Don't remind me, Miyuki thought sourly.

"Excuse me, Mr. Spoiled Jerk!" Tak screamed. "But jelly fights prepare us for the battlefield! Plus they're fun, which is a new term to you."

"Well couldn't you go to the training area or somewhere less annoying? Don't you Irkens have examinations?" Red asked, peeved.

"We already passed our examinations," Tenn stated matter-of-factly. "We are all qualified for battle. That's excluding you, Purple, and Miyuki." Miyuki sighed. Once Tenn and Tak get married, they'll be forced to go with their husband to conquer a distant planet…while I stay here discussing politics. All because I'm taller…

"Hey guys," Miyuki said desperately. "Let's not fight, c'mon. We only have a month before we are all separated." Purple wiped a remaining tear from his eye while Tak and Tenn nodded. Red just crossed his arms.

"Skoodge! Skoodge! Hey! Hey! Hey! Skoodge! SKOODGE!!!" Zim yelled at the top of his squidily spooch.

"Uh Zim…I'm right next to you," Skoodge said. Zim turned around to face his friend.

"Oh, YES! In one month Skoodge, we shall be INVADERS!" Zim declared, as if to the heavens.

"Uh Zim…"

"DON'T INTERRUPT ME!" Zim shouted. "Anyways, in one month, we will be assigned a planet to conquer! Isn't it exciting? And it will also be the crowning of the new Tallests!"

"Uh Zim…" Zim shot Skoodge a callous look. Skoodge sank back into his outfit.

"Oh…very well. What is it Skoodge?"

"You didn't pass your examination. You can't be assigned a planet unless you pass," Skoodge uttered sympathetically.

"WHAT? How can that BE?" Zim shrieked, panicked. "If I don't pass before the month is up, I'll have to wait another year before I get assigned!"

"You should begin training immediately," Skoodge told his concerned friend.

"YES! I mustn't fail! For I am ZIM!!!!" Skoodge waved as Zim ran towards the training area.

"Wait!" Zim hollered as he turned to face Skoodge.

"Yes, Zim?"

"Did…you um…pass?" Zim asked as his antennae twitched. Skoodge nodded sadly. Zim sulked as he headed towards the training area.

How could I not have passed? Zim thought miserably. I was so sure! Why wasn't I informed SOONER?

(Flashback)

The examination area lied in remnants of falling debris…

"Soldier Zim! You destroyed the entire examination test field! BEFORE the examination!" the tester exclaimed.

"I know! Impressive, am I right?" Zim asked proudly.

"You have failed your test, Zim!"

(End Flashback)

"I just don't understand how I didn't pass…and why nobody bothered to tell me…" Zim sighed. "I just don't understand."

A/N This is more of an introduction than an actual chapter, though the chapters will probably stay the same size as this one. If anyone is wondering when Gir and Mimi will make their appearances, they will eventually. I plan this story to be at most…twenty chapters? Maybe? Well for right now, I'm just going with whatever I type…xD. How was it for my first IZ fic? Did I keep most of them IC? I hope so xD!