Disclaimer : I do not own Invader ZIM, its characters, or anything associated.

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.:. Small and Worthless .:.

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There's red all over. Crimson in the machinery rusting along the floor, scarlet in the blood dripping down into sloppy pools at my feet. Ruby, when I look down and see my own reflection bleeding back at me.

I could feel the weak, flimsy skin cooling where I gripped it, that red staining my skin in the mockery of an Earthen holiday. I hear the laugh more than feel it, watching the body crumple on the floor. I step away so it doesn't touch me, sickened by the scent and sight.

His dead eyes gaped up at me through their cracked cages. The look of betrayal made me smile, albeit bitterly.

What did he expect? The game was over. He had to know it was coming; there was no purpose for him now. He knew that. It was practically a favor. I doubt he ever expected such mercy from me.

I turned away, kicking a piece of fallen equipment to the side, ignoring when it crashed against the wall. A blue bulb rolled back to my feet, asking too many silent questions. Scowling, I pushed away the twisting under my skin, stepping forward and hearing metal snap beneath my feet.

Turning my nose in the air with practiced arrogance, I trudged past the broken communicator, glass falling from the screen like foolish tears. I hacked my way to each floor, sparking wires lying like a jungle of carcasses in my path. Amongst the rubble I had once taken pride in, my ship gleamed hopefully, unmarred.

Grunting with the effort, I crawled inside. I sat there, gazing at the controls I had come to know, to perfect. I saw my immaturity, the naivety of an invader loyal to his empire. Glancing upwards, I spotted scratch for the first time on the now imperfect surface. I saw the arrogance of a mistake, too contemptuous to recognize his own faults. I saw a joke who had never realized he was so pathetically funny.

I pushed buttons, flicked switches I had memorized all my life. Without seconds, I was airborne, shooting upwards out of the grinning hole called the roof. The ground shrunk away, my base, and for so long my almost home, faded into the mesh of grays and browns. The stars welcomed me coldly, observing my departure with distant, apathetic glows.

Once out of the atmosphere, I steered the ship around, staring back at a planet I used to claim. My blood pounded in my veins; the last time I had been in this position, I was alight with excitement, my soul burning with determination. Now, my sorrowful eyes narrowed, and I condemned the earth for all it had done.

This was supposed to be my chance, my one single opportunity to prove myself, my value. They were supposed to be proud of me, awed by my intellect and strength.

I gripped my seat, clawing when the pain flooded and carried me under, as excruciating as real water could be.

It wasn't fair.

I took in the shameful clouds of smoke cloaking dull oceans and filthy, dying land. The humans didn't need me to destroy their pitiful race; they were completing the task finely themselves. I was unnecessary.

Images of the horrid galaxy washed over my mind, the other bodies overshadowing the earth's disappointing visage.

It was such a small planet, tiny compared to so many others. Practically worthless. That's what our law was, correct? All small things have no purpose, no place. We're supposed to bow to those larger, taller than us.

ZIM doesn't matter.

I don't matter.

I'm just small...small and worthless.

Like the planet, like my dreams, like the aspirations I once clung to.

I shifted the ship with a sloppy twist of the hand. The view blurred, morphing into an oblivion of darkness and no place to go. A few minutes were wasted simply floating there, empty and insecure about their futures.

Abruptly, I slammed the controls forward, and my cruiser blasted forward, probably looking very much like one of those heartless stars. No destination awaited me. I slipped into the black void and my own despair.

I was small and worthless.

But if nothing else, I was loyal.

Perhaps they'd have the decency to praise me for it.

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Author's Note : I really liked this one, so I hope you do too. It may be a little OOC, but I hope not too much based on the circumstances. I wanted to allow people to draw their own conclusions on it, so I won't say much.

Just please review, because I would appreciate it more than anything.