History Fanfic / InShortSupply

* EvilFeelsGood: The justification for the Irkens' ReligionOfEvil (see below). [[spoiler: Or "if we can't be happy, we'll make these feelings useful for our species".]]

* MathematiciansAnswer: When Keef asks Zim if he likes girls, Zim says no...because he thinks "girls" means "female human" and he doesn't like humans that way, at all. MistakenForGay ensues.

* MistakeForGay: Zim says no when he's asked if he likes girls, because of him thinking "girl" means "female humans". Like most Irkens, he's bi(for his own species).

* EvilFeelsGood: The justification for the Irkens' ReligionOfEvil (see below).

* [[spoiler: BizarreAlienBiology: At some point in their evolution- before they switched to sexless reproduction and PAKs-Irkens started to have congenital depression, prompting changes in their culture in order to cope with it and prevent mass suicide(which is why suicide is taboo).]]

* [[spoiler: BizarreAlienBiology: At some point in their evolution- before they switched to sexless reproduction -Irkens started to have congenital depression, prompting changes in their culture in order to cope with it and prevent mass suicide(which is why suicide is taboo).]]

* [[spoiler: BizarreAlienBiology: At some point in their evolution- before they switched to sexless reproduction -Irkens started to have congenital depression, prompting changes in their culture in order to cope with it and prevent mass suicide.]]

* [[spoiler: BizarreAlienBiology: Irkens at some point in their evolution- before they switched to sexless reproduction -started to have congenital depression, prompting changes in their culture in order to cope with it and prevent mass suicide.]]

* FailOSuckyname: No wonder Vermin has self-esteem problems.

"[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4018157/1/In_Short_Supply In Short Supply]]" is an ''InvaderZim'' fanfiction by [[http://www.fanfiction.net/~ckret2 Ckret2]]. In fact it is a [[UnequalPairing Zim/Purple]] [[MisterSeahorse mpreg]] epic.

The story manages to find ways that this all makes ''some'' sort of sense (or at least ''[[CrapsackWorld Invader Zim]]'' [[CrapsackWorld world]] sense) while [[AvertedTrope Averting]] or [[JustifiedTrope Justifying]] almost all the usual tropes you would expect. It is probably the most popular ''InvaderZim'' story on Fanfiction.net and has a large following, even among those who don't usually like slash or mpreg. It now updates only sporadically.

* {{Crossover}}: WordOfGod confirms that Agent Toadstool/"Uncle Denny" and Agent Gourdy are from other fandoms (though this does little to affect the plot). The former is probably [[spoiler:Denzel Crocker]] from ''[[spoiler:TheFairlyOddparents]].''

* MeaningfulName: In the story the Control Brains named Zim after a major religious figure just to satisfy his ego, though Bob thinks that it may mean [[TheMessiah something else]]. A few other characters have this as well, like Vermin (to represent his class) and some of the smeets.

* CrackShip: Zim and Purple, of course.

* ForTheEvulz: Zim and Purple go out to throw rocks at puppies in their spare time.
* FridgeLogic: Wait, doesn't GIR once get Zim to "dance" with him on the show without any apparent confusion?
** And if Irkens are so freaked out about suicide, why does Zim almost self-destruct in the first episode?
*** The suicide thing might not have anything to do with the self-destruct mechanism. I imagine the self-destruct is more for emergencies. After all, not pressing it could very well end in a painful, messy death anyway (possibly leading to the death of several other Irkens, depending), so why not take your possible killers out with you?
*** Self-destructing is probably looked on as more favorable and honorable than not botching a mission.

* OneSidedShipping: Keef==>Zim, the latter of whom is ObliviousToLove.

* DracoInLeatherPants: [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]]; the fic seems to make it a point to show that the Irkens really ''are'' doing horrible things to the rest of the universe, such as in the chapter set on the [[PlanetOfHats Conveyer Belt Planet]].

* StrangledByTheRedString: [[AvertedTrope Averted]]. Thirty chapters in Purple and Zim are considerably closer, but ''still'' acting like their usual, non-love-sick selves. Likewise there are so many side-plots that you can love this story even if you ''don't'' like the Zim/Purple romance.

"[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4018157/1/In_Short_Supply In Short Supply]]" is an ''InvaderZim'' fanfiction by [[http://www.fanfiction.net/~ckret2 Ckret2]]. In fact it is a [[UnequalPairing Zim/Purple]] [[MisterSeahorse mpreg]] epic, and one that is '''''MUCH''''' BetterThanItSounds.

Again, this is much BetterThanItSounds; in particular the story manages to find ways that this all makes ''some'' sort of sense (or at least ''[[CrapsackWorld Invader Zim]]'' [[CrapsackWorld world]] sense) while [[AvertedTrope Averting]] or [[JustifiedTrope Justifying]] almost all the usual tropes you would expect. It is probably the most popular ''InvaderZim'' story on Fanfiction.net and has a large following, even among those who don't usually like slash or mpreg. It now updates only sporadically.

* AnimeAnatomy: As per canon, Irkens have no genitals, though apparently they did in the past. Zim and Purple have them surgically added in order to reproduce.

* MisterSeahorse: At least partially [[JustifiedTrope Justified]]: Zim has to have a sex-change operation in order to become pregnant, making him technically female. Of course human transsexuals can't conceive, but whatever.
* {{OC}}: Many, most notably Zim and Purple's children, as well as [[YourVampiresSuck Count Gwaednerth]], [[SadistTeacher Ms. Airy]] and [[NotEvenHuman Miss Fhtagn]].

* ScheduleSlip: For twenty-something chapters the author was very good at updating every Friday. Then she missed a week but was up the next. Then there was a three-month hiatus, a six-month one, and ''that'' was eight months ago. [[BlatantLies Not that we're counting]].

* YouFailStatisticsForever: Purple mentally [[LampshadeHanging ;ampshades]] how he and Zim could never make a real difference in the demographic problem but goes ahead with his plan anyway.

* BlueAndOrangeMorality: Virtuous Slarkism, one of the Irkens' religions, holds that good always leads to suffering, which they apparently take to mean that suffering itself is moral, with suicide considered a religious commandment.
* CrackShip: Zim and Purple, of course.

* EveryoneIsBi: Irkens, to the extent that they deem either homo- or heterosexuality to be ridiculously limiting. Nevertheless they may have a certain preference---Purple, for example, likes females more than males, despite "dancing" with both Zim and Red. Which [[JustifiedTrope makes sense]], considering male and female Irkens have [[TertiarySexualCharacteristics only minor physical differences]].

* HappinessInSlavery: Vermin, sort of. He wants to be considered an actual Irken citizen rather than a Vortian slave, but he honestly doesn't mind the fact that his planet has been taken over.

* MeaningfulName: In the story the Control Brains named Zim after a religious figure just to satisfy his ego, though Bob thinks it may mean [[TheMessiah something else]]. A few other characters have this as well, like Vermin (to represent his class) and some of the smeets.

* {{OC}}: Many, most notably Zim and Purple's children, as well as Count Gwaednerth, Ms. Airy and Miss Fhtagn.

* OneSidedShipping: Keef apparently has a crush on Zim.

* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: Purple, who risks humilation and other consequences because he thinks mating with Zim really is for the good of the Empire.
* ScheduleSlip: For twenty-something chapters the author was very good at updating every Friday. Then she missed a week but was up the next. Then there was a three-month hiatus, a six-month one, and ''that'' was eight months ago. Not that we're counting.
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Ms. Airy seems to exist just because Zim and Dib couldn't have Ms. Bitters anymore.
* UnequalPairing: Purple, of course, is the Tallest, while Zim is an Exile.

* OutOfCharacter: Shockingly [[AvertedTrope Averted]] to a large degree, though many have their characters expanded from the canon. Purple seems more competent than one usually sees in fanfictions, but this seems to be the author responding to his usual {{Flanderization}} into a helpless moron.
* SexEqualsLove: Either [[AvertedTrope Averted]] or just taking place ''really'' slowly, depending on how you look at it.

* YouFailBiologyForever: Mostly [[AvertedTrope Averted]], as Zim's pregnancies seem to make as much sense as a MisterSeahorse slash situation can. For example, because Zim and Purple both have XY chromosomes and at least one X is necessary for life, about a quarter of their eggs are stillborn.
* YouFailStatisticsForever: Purple mentally [[LampshadeHanging Lampshades]] how he and Zim could never make a real difference in the demographic problem but goes ahead with his plan anyway.)