Author's Note: I'm pretty sure everyone has at least one or two fics that they've been planning forever. Will this is one of the ones I've been thinking about for awhile. I was trying to keep myself from starting on it until I finished Maze no matter how dull that story got. Well to make a long story short here's the prelude, and I might not be updating this for a long while because I am still determined to finish 'Maze'.
This is one of those before Zim came to Earth stories with a bit of a twist. Instead of writing one fic about when Zim was born, another about the Tallests, and yet another about Invader Skool I've just combined them all into one on going story. There's a lot of stuff I just made up randomly in here with nothing to go on and there'll probably be more so just try to be tolerant. And for future reference I think Drin and Smitch are about 9 Earth years old.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Invader Zim cast and associated settings.
***
"This is so boring!" complained Drin getting up out of his chair and starting to pace. "I hate nightshift in the nursery quad, especially with you." Drin's rival Smitch just rolled his eyes, an almost imperceptible insult among Irkens.
"Oh, that hurt," said Smitch sarcastically. Drin's "light-red" eyes glared into Smitch's purple ones.
"I'm just stating how wrong it is that the two tallest trainees have to be stuck on the Tedious Tube watch. Nothing happens in the incubator at night, the Computer's programmed to not let that happen. And all the brats are probably in shut down mode or locked in their modules," said Drin turning to examine one of the screen savers. "I mean, if we have to be up shouldn't they be teaching us something."
"Yeah, like how to run a government or make waffles," put in Smitch fiddling with the controls of one of the computers. Drin just glanced upward as if he seeking some sort of divine help, but seeing only the ceiling he went back to pacing. It was just wrong what was going on here. Sticking him, him, the tallest trainee and the one most likely to become Tallest (he was almost certain he was at least slightly taller than worthless old Smitch) on the Nursery Nightshift.
It had to be some sort of test to see if he could withstand the boredom without killing Smitch. Or it was just as likely that they wanted him to kill Smitch. Drin turned to glance at his long time rival and grinned maliciously, if that's what they wanted then he'd just have to bear it and strangle the annoying halfwit; what a pity. Drin sighed and plopped down in a chair, yeah a pity that he was making it all up. He and Smitch had been rivals sense they had been born at the same time, from adjacent tubes, as well as being the two largest Irken children since the first Tallest in recorded Irken history.
"This is about as much fun as first period history with Supreme Advisor Votch as guest speaker," muttered Smitch putting his elbows on the nearest console, accidentally hitting a button in the process. Almost simultaneously an alarm went off.
"Smitch! You stinkbeast! What'd you do?" yelled Drin jumping up.
"Nothing!" yelled Smitch defensively. "The button I hit starts the virtual log shredder! I definitely didn't start that alarm!"
"Smitch! You…you! Well I can't think of anything to call you right now but believe me I will!" Drin took a deep breath and focused his thoughts. "Alright, so the virtual log shredder has been set off and is probably wrecking havoc on vital birthing records but that's not our problem because that alarm means something's going on in the Incubator."
"It means to that a new child was born over 10 minutes ago and hasn't yet left the incubating room. Which is pretty hard to do considering they open up a trap door under you and send you sliding down that shoot," said Smitch examining a map on the main console. "I still have nightmares about that."
"You would. Anyway, it's impossible for anyone to be born at night. Isn't it?"
"Well, obviously it's not."
"Don't get smart with me. Shouldn't we go check it out?"
"Listen pink-eyes, don't tell me what to do. Besides, we aren't supposed to go in the incubator."
"My eyes are red! And when they told us not to go in the incubating room they didn't think anything would happen."
"So we're doomed either way."
"Unless of course no one finds out."
"I don't know…"
"Listen, if we just leave the infant in there and someone finds it Votch himself will deal with us and then we'll be dead; that's not an acceptable loss."
"Good point, let's go."
The two young rivals wondered through the endless rows of unborn Irkens. It was eerily quiet in the incubating room; the only sound came from the robot arms going about arbitrary tasks. Just when they thought they couldn't take the silence anymore they came to the row the control room computer had designated as the source of the problem. Sure enough the remains of one of the birthing tubes lay on the floor but there was no sign of the infant. One of the robot arms whirred by and went about the task of cleaning up the mess, keeping the incubating room sterile. Drin was just about to suggest they head back to the control room and pretend nothing had happened when Smitch suddenly grabbed his arm and pointed at the mechanical one. Sure enough, the metallic limb was sporting an unusual little green bump.
"Sweet mother of Irk," muttered Drin crouching down to examine the tiny Irken that was clinging to the robot arm. It was a male, which wasn't at all uncommon, but it was so small. Drin was fairly certain that he was tiny even for a baby. Other than that he was the picture of what Irkens considered a good-looking kid.
"He's so cold," muttered Smitch as he tried to pry the little guy off the arm. Immediately the miniature Irken snapped into life. Letting go of the arm on his own accord he whirled around to face Smitch.
"What are you doing?" he asked imperiously. He obviously wasn't intimidated by their size like most Irken children would be. Drin watched him with growing interest as Smitch desperately tried to explain that the robot arm was not his mother.
Smitch was being to soft, thought Drin. He ought to be helping the little Irken get used to respecting superiors and taking orders, and judging by his size he'd have a lot of both. Still, he could almost understand Smitch's desire not to upset the child. 'He's so tiny,' Drin thought to himself. Drin couldn't help smiling when the feisty babe bared his little fangs and kicked Smitch's knee. 'Though he obviously doesn't know it,' he added silently.
"What's your name?" asked Drin interrupting Smitch who for his part looking more relieved than annoyed.
"I am ZIM," declared the little Irken proudly. Drib grinned at that.
"Well Zim, we have to get you to the nursery before we're all in trouble."
"The nursery? Is that where I will be equipped for my mission?"
"What mission?" asked Smitch cluelessly.
"To be the greatest Invader ever, I would like to start immediately please." Smitch and Drin looked at each other. They knew young Irkens had much of their basic survival information programmed into them right at birth but few took it to heart quite so quickly.
"Of course," said Drin in the smooth tone of voice that he had recently perfected.
"Good," chirped Zim.
Drin just shrugged to Smitch and stood up, Smitch quickly followed suit. The odd little trio started off out of the incubating room. Smitch glanced down at Zim who had to run to keep up and wondered if he should carry the little guy. Then again, he figured Zim might take that as an insult.
Smitch glanced at the clock in the incubating room. It was early morning, too early in fact to actually have the title morning. His and Drin's shift had ended a few minutes ago; he should have been heading off to bed. Glancing at Zim and then Drin he decided he didn't mind all that much. He'd probably never see Zim again, and Drin of course was still his hated rival. Except, Drin wasn't acting so mean right now. And when they left Zim in the Nursery he found himself saying 'See you later Zim' and believing that he would.
***
AN: Well there you have it. I promise I'll get started on finishing my other fics real soon. I figure one of the hardest things about starting a fic is coming up with the first line. And since I have half a page left here's a few of my favorites.
'Invader Dib' (by Scribe E): "Time to wake up! Time to wake up!" Dib awoke to the loud sound of his father's personal alarm clock; a slow moving robot which kept yelling in your ear until you woke up or died trying.
'Abuse' (By ArmandLeg): Dib looked at the car parked in front of his home with wide eyes. No, she couldn't be here, not now.
'School Dayz' (By Nik Nak not a Zim fic): I stood there looking at my mother and Bulma-san in total disbelief. I mean sure, we did do a bad thing but this was really extreme! It's not like we meant to chi blast the school down.
I know there are a lot more good openings out there but believe me when I say I don't have time to write them all down. If you can find some more I might put them at the end of my next chapter. If I used your fic and now you're mad feel free to rant at me just as long as you review.