A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! You guys rock!

Disclaimer: I do not own Invader Zim or any of its characters.

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Chapter 12: The Smeetarium

A Week Later...

The following days went like any of her normal work days. Except that Gaz's amount of chores had decreased dramatically. In fact, the only task worth calling a chore is to prepare lunch for her master. Gaz sighed as she flipped another page of a book she was currently reading in the Library Chamber. Because for some odd reason that she no longer had to do most of her past chores, Gaz spent most of her time reading and drawing. Zim thought is was a bit immature for her to be still drawing childish pictures of piggies, but he ignored that anyhow. Now that the previous Dinner Feast event has passed, everything returned to normal.

Suddenly a soft ringing sound was heard, and Gaz looked up from her book, startled. Then the palace doorbell rung and Gaz quickly ran to the door, opening it. She wasn't really expecting anyone besides for Zim, so she wasn't a bit surprised to find him standing there, with something in his arms and with an impatient look on his face. "Home early?" She asked with a raised eyebrow in a wife tone of voice from one of those family sitcoms series. "Yes, but I can't stay long." Zim replied as he walked into the warm palace. "You sound like my dad or something." Gaz said with an accusing tone in her voice as she followed him into the Main Chamber.

Zim turned around to face her. "Do I? Well, that is just one of the amazing talents of ZIM! Mimicking the voices of others!" He grinned toothily. He continued. "Anyways, I received a package while I was at my Command Base, and the package was Irken Smeet growth formula. Because that I'm the Tallest, I'm suppose to deliver the formula to the Earth Smeetarium." Gaz cocked her head a bit and asked, "Smeets?" "Yes, smeets. Don't you know what they are? I thought the syringe that was injected in you had given you information on Irken cultures! Surely you know what Irken babies are called!" Zim explained incredulously.

"I know what smeets are," Gaz said in amusement, "it's just that I didn't expect Tallests to have such...odd jobs. I mean, aren't there suppose to be some other workers whose jobs are to deliver Smeet growth formulas? Aren't Tallest suppose to have much more important roles than delivering baby food?" Zim's eye twitched a bit in annoyance but he said, "Well, many roles besides being a leader are entrusted upon a Tallest. However, I want you to deliver the Smeet Growth Formula..." Gaz's eyes widened at that. "What?! Why me? I don't even know where the Smeetarium is for crying out loud!" She protested.

"Which is why I'm giving you this holographic map." Zim said as he took out a scroll-like paper, "It projects the buildings, facilities and various factories that are in this area. The little dot in red symbolizes you, and this map is voice activated." Zim said. He cleared his throat and requested, "Show me where the Irken Earth Smeetarium is." Upon command, the map started to glow and a green-ish light poured on its surface. Many buildings appeared and then one of the buildings was outlined in blue. The words 'Irken Smeetarium' appeared below it. "See? So simple." Zim gave the package of Smeet formula to Gaz as well as the Holographic Map.

As she walked towards the door, a smile slowly crept across Gaz's face. Perfect. This was just the opportunity I was waiting for. Now that Zim has let me venture outside, I can run away and escape him and be free forever. Almost as if reading her mind, Zim appeared besides Gaz as she stopped briefly at the door, just as she had her right hand on the doorknob. "Hold it." He said in a police-whose-just-caught up-someone-speeding voice. He leaned in so close that their foreheads touched. Gaz's heartbeat sped up. "I know what you are thinking, Violet. Do you honestly believe that Zim, the almighty ruler will be outsmarted by his slave?"

Gaz backed away a bit and said, "What do you mean? I thought you wanted me to deliver this package to the Smeetarium." "Yes, yes I know that. But do you really think that I was going to let you go just like that? How stupid do you think I am?" Zim asked wryly with a raised eyebrow. Gaz just blinked bored, hiding her inner emotions which were: Dammit! So close! I was so freakin' close! Gaz, what is wrong with you?! Couldn't you have walked faster!? Sensing her inward disappointment, Zim smirked visibly and said, "I forgot that since this is your first time walking into the big, unfriendly conquered Earth, with no Zim around to protect you (Gaz growled slightly at this), you shall be needing this." He took out a bracelet of some sort and in one swift movement before Gaz could even protest, Zim slipped the bracelet onto her wrist, where it adjusted its size so that she couldn't take it off.

Gaz tried to pull it off, until Zim said in a bored voice, "Don't fight it, Violet. That bracelet will only cling on tighter. And you know how much I would hate to see such an ugly bruise on that lovely smooth skin of yours." Gaz felt sick to her stomach, and she swore in her mind that if they were younger and he made a remark such as that she would have hobbled right up his doorstep and socked his red eyeballs out of their sockets right then and there. But she was much older now, she reasoned, so an action like that would make her childish and immature. Still, she settled for a pout.

"That bracelet functions for one and only one purpose; it is to track down its wearer's movements and whereabouts. So wherever you are, I can always find you." Zim laughed evilly.

"I hate you, Zim." She retorted and opened the door halfway. Before Gaz could step outside however, a strong hand forcefully turned her around and Gaz closed her eyes, expecting to be punished, but instead she felt a peck on her forehead. When she opened them, two gleaming ruby eyes stared intently down at her. If she wasn't mistaken, Gaz saw something in those ruby eyes. They seem to hold a mixture of various emotions. Wanting. Longing. (Gaz shivered inwardly) And lastly, if her eyes didn't fool her, concern and worry. "Er-" Gaz said, searching for the right words. Zim finished for her, "Just be careful."

"You really do sound like my dad." Gaz said as she stepped outside. The air was at a comfortable temperature. Zim smirked. "Well, just be sure not to try anything. And remember, I'll always be watching you.." He said in a singsong voice at the last part. This time however, Gaz gave him the 'evil-eye' before walking off, package in hand.

With the help of the Holographic Projectile Map, Gaz eventually found the Irken Earth Smeetarium. Zim has informed her that his home planet Irk has the original Smeetarium, and the Earth version one was based off of that. Gaz stopped in front of a large building where the word 'Irken Earth Smeetarium Center' was engraved on the wall above the double doors. A red-eyed and a green-eyed Irken were serving as guards. Expecting them to act all hostile and start probing questions at her, Gaz prepared to explain her reason for stopping by. Much to her astonishment, as soon as she said, "I came here to deliver the Smeet Growth Formula with orders by Zim", the two guards opened the doors and motioned for her to go in.

Gaz could not stifle an amazed gasp as she walked further into the Smeetarium. There were wires and various circuits and outlets, not to mention plugs and one or two claw-like graspers that decorated the room. Aside from that, the walls also had 'faces' on them. When Gaz walked closer she saw that the faces were marked on cylinder shaped tubes. From the syringe she has been injected with upon her first day of training, Gaz knew that Irkens developed from test tubes. Still, it amazed her to see the whole new advance process of Irken reproduction right before her eyes.

I wonder what the smeets look like? "All I could see are these faces!" Gaz said to herself. She knew from the syringe about Irken babies, but not their appearance. Though she expected them to look like miniature versions of the Irkens she sees around on this conquered Earth now. Gaz was so entranced in this thought that the movement of one of the claw-like graspers caused her to jump. However, she saw right away that it meant no harm and that it was just doing what it was programmed to do as it took one of the tubes that now had a smiling green face on it and slid it horizontally out of its slot.

Gaz gasp as she saw a baby smeet resting in its liquid filled containment. It looked so fragile and delicate. Not to mention much cuter than human babies. She let out a slight scream as the claw grasper smashed the tube open and probed two holes onto the unconscious smeet. Then she saw a round object being thrust onto the smeet's back. Gaz closed her eyes to avoid being blinded as an electrical shock awakened the smeet. Seconds later, a claw that shaped itself into a scoop and brush descended to the ground where the broken shards of glass were. It scooped up every glass visible and dumped them into a nearby trash compacter before retracting back to the ceiling and turning itself off.

The baby smeet blinked at Gaz and she stared back.

"Hi."

Was what Gaz said before the smeet freaked out and hid behind several boxes. Gaz knelt beside the piled up boxes and gently coaxed the smeet out. "Hey, it's okay...I'm not going to hurt you." She said as the smeet with purple eyes cautiously ventured out from the shelter of the boxes and looked uncertainly at Gaz.

What happened next surprised Gaz quite a bit. The smeet ran up to Gaz on its adorably small legs and hugged her waist and screaming, "I love you, mommy!" Gaz blushed and gently held the baby smeet, cradling it in her arms. "Wow, you're much cuter than the piggies I draw." She smiled. The smeet giggled but stopped when its belly rumbled. Its mouth quivered and it started crying. "Oh wait, you must really hungry! Good thing I brought this Smeet growth Formula." Gaz said as she let the smeet rest on her shoulder while she poured some of the powdery mix into a nearby bottle.

"Alright, I know that water is bad for you guys from all the times when Dib splashed water onto Zim which caused him to scream like crazy. But there has to be some sort of drinkable Irken liquid that could turn this power formula into nutritious drinkable substance for smeets." She said aloud as her eyes wandered over the various bottles on the supply table they were at. Instinctively, the smeet pointed to a bottle that had something written in Irken.

"I hope that is it." Gas replied back as she took the bottle and poured the liquid into the powdered formula. Seconds later, Gaz was watching a smeet drink happily from the bottle. "I wonder if Zim was as cute as you when he was a smeet." Gaz said and smiled at the image of Zim as a smeet. However, her thought was shattered when a voice on the over head speakers called, "Smeet Number 54751-4126 should report to the Job Assigning Center immediately!" Gaz heard a slight whimper of fright as the smeet looked upwards nervously.

"Go On." She encouraged and nudged the smeet gently.

The smeet smiled and took the bottle with it as it went to the door marked Job Assigning Center. It waved at Gaz before it disappeared behind the door. Gaz sighed sympathetically. "Poor little thing. I can't believe they have to work as soon as they are born." With that, Gaz left the Smeetarium and headed for the Tallest Palace where she knew that Zim will be expecting her return.

It was right at that moment when a surge of power rushed through Gaz's veins and she decided to play the most ultimate role she could think of. Teenage Rebellion.

Or something like that.

She could run away from that palace, free from Zim's instructions, free from his orders and commands, and most of all, free from sexual harassment. Not that Zim actually HAD sexually harassed her before...or maybe he did? Gaz's mind flashed to that one time when she was reaching upwards towards the tallest shelf of books when she caught Zim leaning backwards on the sofa, peering underneath her short skirt. That was why Zim had a slightly noticeable hand print on his cheek. Though you couldn't really see it. Gaz shivered a bit as that scene replayed in her head.

(Flashback)

Zim was reading some instructions on how to boost the defensiveness of one of the latest Mechanical Assault Robots that were shipped to him from Irk. The Tallests Red and Purple had actually come to respect him as an invader once Dib was gone so that he could no longer interfere with Zim's plans to send a signal to the Massive, bringing it to Earth. After seeing a close-up of Earth and its useful natural resources, the Tallests chose to conquer it. Also, during that time, Zim had grown considerably and he was an inch taller than Red and Purple. Unfortunately, Red and Purple suffered and died from an Earthly disease as soon as they set foot on this planet. It turned out that Zim, during his stay upon Earth, has developed a strong immune system to the planet's diseases. Zim smiled as he looked up from his instruction manual.

Gaz was granted some hours of freedom in which she could do whatever she wanted, as long as she had Zim's supervision (That jerk). She didn't mind that, because both of them wanted to use the Library Chamber anyways. Gaz looked around the varieties of books on the different levels of shelves as Zim was reading whatever it was that he was reading. Suddenly, Gaz spotted a book that spiked her interest on the top most shelf. Grabbing a ladder and walking upwards, Gaz took the book and started to descend. Only, she made eye contact with Zim just as she turned her head over her shoulder and discovered that he was peeping under her skirt.

"And I thought the whole-sneaking-into-my-bed-ordeal was a perverted act!" Gaz screamed before advancing on Zim while pulling her sleeves up.

(End Flashback)

"That dirty, perverted creep! Is that all he ever thinks about?!" Gaz said to herself as she walked slowly away from the Palace. Gaz did not care where she winds up, she just wanted to be away from him. Zim. However, little does Gaz know, she was being monitored by the invisible signals that were being sent out as the bracelet that clung to her wrist sense that the distance between it's hostess and her rightful destination grow more and more farther apart...

Back at Zim's Palace

Zim paced back and forth, waiting impatiently for Gaz's return. Then a green-eyed Irken soldier bursted through the palace doors, panting as he breathed out, "Its...it's your slave, my Tallest. You sent her to deliver something and you have informed me and my unit to keep watch on her through that tracker bracelet's signal. Right now, our computers have detected that the signal is getting weaker as we speak. This can only mean one thing, your majesty. Your slave has escaped and is on the run!"

"What?!?" Zim roared, "I thought I could trust her! This whole thing was suppose to be a test!" The green-eyed Irken soldier blinked and suggested, "Sir! My unit and I are currently stand by. Should we go and form a search unit?" Zim looked thoughtful at that. "No...I believe I'LL take care of this. Violet will no doubt be punished..." Zim paused. "Soldier Mirks, you go back to your unit base, I'll need one of your Hover Ships though." Zim said. "Yes, sir! What type of Hover Ship do you require?" Soldier Mirks inquired.

"A Tracker." Zim replied darkly. Soldier Mirks saluted him and marched off, leaving Zim to think about HOW he was going to punish Gaz. Suddenly an evil grin slithered across his face as his ruby crimson eyes narrowed. He sadistically chuckled as he said, "Oh yes. THAT plan ought to be...amusingly delightful."


A/N: Uh-oh...Gaz has decided to run away...what fatal consequences could this act lead to? Don't forget to review!