Keri: An idea I've been throwing around for a few weeks.

Warning: Original charters X3

Disclaimer: Invader Zim are belong to Jhonen; Kibt and Valle are belong to me.

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It was mid afternoon on the planet Irk. The largest of the three suns was already set and the second and third were quickly following suit. The first few stars were coming out, winking gently at the planet as the moon rose up overhead. Most Irkens were in doors by now – only a few of the students that had yet to leave for Devastis and a handful of guards wandered the streets.

There were few places left on Irk that weren't covered by harsh steal, and Kibt had found one. The training hand-to-hand combat arena of the only above-ground school on the entire planet. The area was hardly used, considering the school trained those who were preparing to be trained to become scientists.

The young male Irken lay on the dirt-covered hill, reading from a book almost as big as he was. It was covered in a brown leather-like material and the pages were yellowing. The book smelt not of Irk, but of another planet, one Kibt only knew from the book itself. He turned the pages gently with a gloved hand, sighing as he read the information for the millionth time - he just couldn't get enough. There were pages in the back of the book for when the author updated his own copy; the new information would appear on those. Red eyes scanned the Irken text, studying the pictures. He shifted uncomfortably in his lab coat, wishing he had ordered one with a high-collar like his peers. Paranoia warned him of the older, taller Irkens approaching him long before he heard them.

"Well, well, well," the leader said, his voice biting, "look what we have here." He stood roughly five feet tall, his friends only reaching four. They were a frightening sight. Their lab coats fashionably ripped and shredded, only a few wore goggles and they only wore them on the tops of their heads. Some wore no gloves, others with gloves with no fingers. There were six of them. All cowered in fear as the walked passed, they were allowed to do whatever they pleased because of their height.

One of the females snatched his book, flipping through it. "Oooooh, Ginto, look!" she giggled cruelly.

One of the males looked over her shoulder before taking the book for himself. "My oh my, is that? I think it is! The Defect? Looks like shorty here has a crush on The Defect!" they crowded around to get a look at the book- all except the leader. They had to make sure it was true before they laughed, cackling at poor Kibt's embarrassment.

"Give that back!" he said, standing. It made no difference, he was one of the shortest Irkens at the academy, there was no way he'd be able to over power the tallest ones. He tried desperately to get his book back, he knew better than to open his spider legs at them.

The leader took the book, looking at the picture the page was opened to. The old photograph filled the entire page. It was night, the moon was low, The Defect was in a crouched position, his spider legs open and crouched like his regular legs. It was a silhouette image, but his red eye pierced the darkness, glaring at the person who dare set eyes upon him. He spat on the book, snapping it shut and dropping it to the dusty ground. He kicked Kibt and turned to leave. "C'mon guys, let's go get some snacks."

The group made sounds of agreement, each kicking Kibt and spitting on the book. They followed the taller Irken, laughing at they're own meanness.

The young Irken was quick to recover though, coughing and rubbing his spootch. He would have a bruise there, he always did. He went to his book, pulling a rag from his pocket as he wiped the clear-pink saliva off of it. He opened the book to the picture, gently rubbing away the spit, although a pink stain was left behind. He sighed and looked into the insane red eyes.

"Oh Zim," he said quietly, "I don't think you're a defect." He hugged the book to his chest, sighing shakily. Oh how he wished that Zim were there. No body had seen him in years, he had up and disappeared one day five years before Kibt was born. The book had said that he had gone into hiding do to the fact that his Earthanoid-lover had died, causing him to become depressed and possibly even more insane.

But he refused to believe it. Zim was not insane, he was not a defect, he was amazing! Too good for the Irken Empire. Too smart, too misunderstood. But Kibt understood him. All Zim had wanted was to become Tallest, and when he couldn't be, he decided he would do all he could to make his Tallests happy. Sure he had made a few mistakes, but he was a smeet. He just needed guidance, just needed some help.

Kibt stood, collecting the book in his arms, sighing and nuzzling his cheek into the front of it. He made his way through the city to his small apartment building. Irkens were given homes based on height and he had narrowly avoided being short enough to be forced into living on one of Irk's small moons – only one of which could actually be seen from Irk. The Irkens on the moons were forced to share homes – two to three in one building. The class of height Kibt was in – average – allowed him to live by himself, but the home was small and they were all stacked and cluttered together in one area. Anyone who was above average or tall tended to have their own home, bigger than the average Irkens', and they were more evenly spaced.

He climbed the four flights of stairs to his apartment, unlocking the door and flicking on the lights. In front of him was a small living room which consisted of a couch, a table, a TV, and a light, behind that was the kitchen-dinning room combo. To his right was a door leading to his bed room and a sanitation room. He undressed and slipped into bed, yawning. He placed the book next to his head and fell asleep.

- - - -

Kibt sat in the back of the class, reading his book as usual. A boy sat next to him, he was only a foot tall. He was only a smeet, but he was smart enough to be taught with those that were six time his age. Blue eyes glanced from the teacher to Kibt, then back to the teacher. "Psst, Kibt." He said quietly, his hands – which were folded together in front of him – twitched.

"What Valle?" He pulled the book away from his face to look at the other. Valle wore a lab coat like all the other students, only his had a purple trim. He wore goggles to cover the marks around his eyes – he was only half Irken. But the Empire didn't need to know that.

"Please, please put the book away," he glanced over at him. "Professor Skoodge will write you up this time I know he will. For the sake of your permanent record, please at least pretend to be paying attention!"

"You're on to talk about permanent records Mr. My Daddy Works for the Resisty," he said albeit a bit playfully. He smiled at the horrified look on Valle's face. "Besides Skoodge isn't really a professor, he's trained as an invader and the only invader who can teach me anything is Zim." He sighed dreamily into his book.

Valle huffed, turning his attention back to the front of the room. "Zim's not even a real invader," he muttered.

"Don't you ever say that again!" Kibt yelled, standing on his chair. He froze as the class turned around to look at him. The tallest Irkens were in the front, going to the shortest in the back. He heard a few giggles along the lines of 'Isn't that Kibt? The Defect lover?' and 'Aww, look how short he is!' and 'Wow, no wonder he loves Zim- they're both crazy!'

Skoodge, who had gained a few inches from his time on Earth, turned to Kibt as well. "Mister Kibt, please sit down. Oh, and see me after class, would you."

Kibt sat in his seat as the others laughed (except for Valle of course). He hung his head so no one would see the yellow-blush on his cheeks. "Yes Professor."

After class everyone ran to their respected after skool activities, all except for Kibt. He picked up his book and walked to Skoodge's desk at the front of the rows of desks, chairs, and lab equipment. He sat in the "I'm in Trouble" chair in front of Skoodge's desk.

"Kibt," he said after he had placed a few things in their proper cabinet, "I'm very concerned with your work ethic. You show up late – and you're lucky I don't lock you out like I'm supposed to – you never turn in work, you don't pay attention in class, you're always getting into fights with taller, stronger Irkens than you. You're a frighteningly intelligent boy, yet you put all your energy into reading that book over and over and over again. It's starting to scare the other students as well as the faculty. And the Tallests are beginning to wonder if you have your PAK on right."

"So because an Irken is in love everyone automatically labels them a defect?" he snapped. "Maybe I don't put forth effort because I don't want to. Maybe I'm bored with this education plug! I feel like a smeet who's ready to train but has to sit in the new-born room: lots of things to play with, but all of which I'm too smart for!" he pulled his legs onto the chair, curling into a ball.

"Zim isn't coming back to Irk, Kibt!" Skoodge said harshly, standing. "Everyone else has welcomed that, why can't you."

"Don't say that! You can't possibly know whether or not he'll come back!" tears were pooling in the corners of his eyes. He didn't want to hear this. He wanted to live in his fantasy world were Zim loved him, where he would take care of him. Where he could believe that he would grow tall because Zim had been able to. Where they lived happily ever after in their own home with no one to call either of them defects, where people respected them.

"I know because I was his friend, I wrote your book! If anyone would know it would be me!" he met Kibt's surprised look with a passive one. "I and Zim were class mates, as close of friends as you and young Valle are. I always wanted to learn while Zim thought he knew it all- wise beyond his years. Trying to best those that he knew he couldn't but be damned if he'd give up. No, someone would have to die before he gave up." He sighed, relieve memories long buried. "You can't live your life for an impossible dream. Zim wanted to become tallest more than anything in the universe, to rule and to be loved, but he was a defect, so he had to give it up.

You are a young smeet, barely ready to go to Devastis, and yet you think Zim would come back just for you. Well he's not going to. He loved an alien - an inferior being – you must give up your dream as he did his, for it's a childish dream. I know I'm being harsh but it is true." He walked over to the now sobbing Kibt, placing an arm around him. "Go home. Hide the book, burn it, put it away, whatever you need to do. But kick the habit. You don't need him and he certainly doesn't need you. You could do great things if you just let the past be."

Kibt pushed Skoodge away. "I don't believe you! He will come and we'll be together and be happy! You'll see!"

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Keri: Don't worry Mary Sue haters, there's a surprise ending X3 Oh, and most chapters will be shorter than this.