(142 years ago,)

[Location: Planet Irk, War Room]

16 years…

It had been 16 years and young Zim was progressing at a somewhat appropriate rate, But Emperor Nax knew that as Nobility, Zim could do better. No, it wasn't his heritage that was lacking, it was him!

The Emperor, and his son Zim were in the War room, discussing a war strategy with the other Nobles. The planet they were to conquer was greatly powerful, and in honor of Zim's 16th birthday the planet Zink would be taken over in his name. Now that Zim was finally of age to start dictating on his own, his father thought the new planet would be a nice start for his son to start homing in on his independence, and ruling strategy, but Zim just wasn't having it.

Why?

Because he didn't want to rule a planet that he had no part in taking over. Zim wanted to help fight for the planet's surrender, he felt that since they were claiming it in his name that he should lead the front lines into battle.

Emperor Nax understood his frustrations, to a point. When he was a young prince he too wanted to earn the fruits of his army's labors. He wanted to say I did this, not say my army did this! But of course, it was simply not the Irken way. Only Irken soldiers gave their lives for the cause, the Nobles simply reaped the benefits from their efforts.

Zim did not like the sound of that, and he voiced it openly.

"Zim you are a Prince…" Emperor Nax lectured. "And one day you will be Emperor-"

"What if I don't want to be Emperor?!" Zim dared to snap at him. "What if I want to do something else?"

"And what else could you possibly do besides be the future leader of your people?" Emperor Nax snapped back.

Tallest Myuki flinched at their bickering, Prince Zim always chose the worse time to start arguing with his father. However, today's wrong time just so happened to be in front of the entire Nobility collective as a whole.

Zim did not mean to embarrass his father, ok maybe he did, but he had been asking for it; as he usually did. "Why can't you just understand?" Zim asked. "I don't want to be constantly in your shadow!"

"One day you will rule this kingdom, and then you can cast your own shadow." His father assured him.

"No I won't!" Zim argued. "All I'll be doing is sitting in your chair while everyone does the conquering for me!" Zim snapped. "They won't fear me, they'll fear my armies! Why be king if you can't have any of the fun!"

"Zim you are a leader, and leaders do not fight in battles, they lead them." Emperor Nax shouted.

Zim groaned in frustration. "Why can't you just understand?" Zim screamed. "I want to earn the right to call the planet mine. If I don't actually contribute to the war effort than how can I call it mine?"

"That is enough!" Emperor Nax shouted. "You are dismissed!"

Zim growled angrily but does as he's told; stomping out of the room in an enraged fit. Why couldn't father understand where he was coming from? Zim ducked out of a nearby window and climbed up a ladder that lead to the roof of the War room. "Being a prince is so boring!" he said with a huff.

"Boring?" a voice from behind him asked. "How can being royal be boring."

Zim turned to see his friend Skoodge, well he wasn't really a friend, more like someone he tolerated; after all the guy was pretty annoying. However, he was the only one who wasn't afraid to talk to him like he was normal. "That's easy for you to say, you're going into the academy." Zim snapped. "Where you will one day become a soldier, where you can earn your honor."

"Then have it taken away because someone else takes the credit." Skoodge pointed out.

"See that's what's wrong with our society Skoodge!" Zim snapped as the two laid down to look up at the stars. "I don't want to take credit for your work, I want to do it myself, but father won't let me earn my own planet!"

"Well maybe one day when you're Emperor, you can change that." Skoodge said.

"But I don't want to wait that long, I want to start making a name for myself now!" Zim argued.

"What if you just ran away?" Skoodge asked.

"Run away?" Zim asked. "Are you crazy? Father would find me, and even if he didn't. Where would I go?"

"You can come to the academy with me." Skoodge said.

"What?" Zim asked.

"Think about it, you're not really tall like the other Nobles, you're small; like me." Skoodge explained. "And none of the actual Soldiers have ever met the nobles. Me I'm lucky enough to be one of the few commoners to actually be born on Irk!"

"You really think no one will recognize me?" Zim asked looking hopeful.

Skoodge nodded.

Zim's face suddenly fell as he realized something. "Wait won't they noticed an Irken that isn't on the Academy rosters. They're not expecting a Zim in this year's beginning class!" he pointed out.

"Easy I'll hack into the Supercomputer main frame and add your name to whatever unit I'm in." Skoodge assured him. "They'll never notice you're an extra body."

"Really you can hack into the Supercomputer main frame?" Zim asked.

Skoodge nodded once more.

"You would do that for me?" Zim asked surprised.

"What are friends for?" Skoodge asked.

Zim smiled. "Thanks, Skoodge." He said.

"I'll really do it, tonight if you want me to." He said.

Zim bit his lip. "I don't know." He said. "I think I need time to think about this."

Skoodge nodded, understanding perfectly. "Just don't take too long. I leave for the academy tomorrow."

Zim nodded as he made his leave. "I'll think about it." He promised, and with those final words he retreated into the castle, and towards his room. Skoodge also made his leave, completely unaware of the glowing pink eyes that had been watching their every move.

(Hours later with Zim)

[Location: Zim's room]

Leave… Stay… Leave? Zim groaned in bitter frustration. If he ran away and got caught, father would kill him, but then again if he managed to pull it off he'd finally be free. He'd finally get to be the Irken he wanted to be; he'd finally get to be himself! Did he dare to dream that it was possible, that this plan might actually work?

"You know you're crazy if you think it will work." A voice said.

Zim turned to see the source of his greatest annoyance. "Maz? How many times have I told you not to spy on me!?" he snapped.

Maz, a much younger version of Zim laughed softly. "It's not my fault you make it so easy." Maz sneered, his pink eyes shining with wicked pride. "I thought the older siblings were supposed to be the smartest!"

Zim shivered at the word "Siblings" and for good reason. About ten years ago, the pain in his neck known as his younger brother Maz; had been brought into the world. Their father had said Zim needed some motivation in his life. And a younger brother determined to take his birthright as the next Emperor of Irk just might give him that extra boost.

Or at least his Father had hoped so, but Zim had decided long ago that he didn't want to be king, he wanted to make a name for himself; he wanted to be a soldier.

Why?

Because soldiers didn't have to sit and learn boring lessons about firm Irken discipline. Soldiers didn't have to pretend to be something they weren't with their father's eyes watching their every move. No soldiers didn't know any of their parents, soldiers were free, and soldiers that graduated the academy could get any job they wanted. Well they had to be good at it, but at least they had some variety; and at least they got to travel and see other worlds. Zim had never left Irk, never seen beyond its greasy air-filled skies.

"You know you should go." Maz said, breaking through his thoughts.

"What?" Zim asked in disbelief. "You want me to go?"

"Well duh!" Maz said. "This way we both get what we want. You get to be a soldier, and when you're never found, Father will make me his heir! It's perfect!"

Zim thought it over, he had a point; they would both be getting what they wanted. "So, you really want me gone that badly?" he asked.

"Hey, it's either this, or one day you'll find that I've skewered you with a sword for your throne brother." Maz pointed out the obvious.

Zim rolled his eyes. "Well I supposed this is a less bloody solution." He admitted. "I'll do it!"

"Good now get packed, the sooner you leave the better." Maz hissed.

"Wow I can feel the love brother." Zim scoffed in a joking manner.

Maz laughed at his efforts to lighten the mood. They could both be in a lot of trouble if Father ever found out! "Then don't let him." Maz said as if reading his mind.

"It's your job to make sure he never finds me." Zim argued.

"Fine." Maz agreed, "But never tell me where you are, it will be far easier to lie to father if I really have no idea."

Zim nodded his agreement. He was doing it! He was actually going to leave this horrible place and chart his own course!

(The next Night...)

[Location: Ship boarding docks of Planet Irk]

He couldn't believe he was doing this!

Zim could feel the excitement building up inside of him as he boarded the ship with Skoodge. He had to have some kind of death wish to actually be dumb enough to try this. Still, here he was on his way to the academy. Zim smiled as the ship soon took off, and hurtled them into the unknown, and far away from his father's rules!

"So what are you going to do?" Skoodge asked, breaking Zim away from his thoughts.

"Do?" Zim asked.

"What are you going to do?" Skoodge repeated. "You know when you get out of the academy what job do you want?"

"Oh that." Zim said. "I don't know I've never had the choice before." he admitted. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to be an Invader." Skoodge said proudly.

"OOOH what do they do?" Zim asked.

"They go to enemy planets and disguise themselves as the enemy, then they learn all the planets weaknesses and report them to the Tallest so that the Armada know how to take them down." Skoodge explained.

"Hey that's pretty neat." Zim admitted.

"Yep some of the Invaders even take over the entire planet by themselves before the Armada even gets there." Skoodge went on.

"Really they're allowed to do that?" Zim asked. Skoodge nodded. "That's it!" Zim exclaimed. "That's what I want to be!"

"Really?" Skoodge asked.

"Yep I'm going to be an Invader!" Zim exclaimed.

"You an Invader?" one of the soldiers walking in the ship stopped to laugh at his words. "Sorry pip-squeak but that jobs for serious soldiers. You're not even big enough to be a janitor drone!"

Zim wanted to rip his throat out, but he stopped. If the soldier knew who he really was he would not be talking to him this way. The prince smiled. 'Finally, a clean slate!' he thought. 'Now I can make a real name for myself.' "I'll show you!" Zim vowed to the soldier. "I'm going to be an Invader!"

"Yeah, sure you are." The Soldier scoffed, before walking away.

Zim just let him go, his smile growing. 'I'll show him.' He vowed. 'I'll show them all!'

"Invader Zim..." Skoodge whispered and laughed. "It's got a nice ring to it Hu?"

Zim nodded. It sure did!

-To Be Continued

Notes:

Thanks for reading and please review. The next chapter will be up soon.

Until then this is...

Emily signing off :)