Dogs, Slugs and Train Tickets; Oh my!
By: Cartman's Girl

Notes: And here is your prize! THE STORY CONTINUES! Hurrah.

~*~

Gaz stared out from the window she was leaning on. Getting outside would mean she'd have to leap out onto the small shed below. Narrowing her eyes and gritting her teeth, Gaz pushed it open and leapt out. CLANG. Landing on the shed's metal roof almost caused her to slip off, but grabbing onto the railing she hoisted herself up and climbed. Once she got to the top, she stared. There was a long pipe running along the wall (running as in built against it, not running as in like it had many legs) and at the end of it was a metal ladder leading up.

"Ugh. Whoever designed this place should be shot in the head." Gaz growled to herself. She adjusted her pant legs, then took a deep breath and ran. As she ran across the pipe, the old and rotted parts meant to keep it in place dislodged. The pipe began moving away from the wall; but Gaz kept running. "YAH!" she leapt and grabbed onto the ladder, and the pipe crashed into the water below. She blinked her eyes open and began to climb. It's was taller then she thought, but she kept on climbing. For some unknown reason she felt someone tap the back of her head. Glancing behind her, she saw it.

Ms. Bitters was returning. So that's why she hadn't come down to dealt with the carnivorous spirit yet! …wait, that means she'd also see her! Gaz climbed up higher, until she was hidden from view. Above her, Ms. Bitters landed gracefully onto the railing, and released her shawl. Her human form remained, and she leapt off and into her room; followed by the three heads.

Well now she was stuck. The window she had climbed up to was locked. She pushed against it with her arm, and then began slamming her whole weight against the window. Still no luck. Unbeknownst to her, the little paper bird slipped off her back and through the windows, and unlatched it. The second Gaz slammed against it again; she fell straight through into the bathroom.

"…that was convenient." She muttered as she nursed her sore head. She stood up, and looked around the bathroom. It was as highly decorated as other rooms she had seen. Jewel encrusted bath, taps, sink… "Wait. This… is where Ms. Bitters gets… NAKED! AHH!" Gaz ran out of the bathroom as quickly as she could and skidded around a corner. She then ran into a room.

The room was… very bright and colourful. Pictures from story books dotted the walls, of knights, dragons, princesses, happy elves, a cowardly lion; a lot of different characters. The floor was like that of an insane asylum too. Mattress-like and bumpy. So were half of the walls too. Cushions and toys scattered the floor, and a massive bed took up some room in the corner.

"Whoa." Was the only thing Gaz could say. She then heard Ms. Bitters voice coming from the next room. Stealthily slinking over, she glanced out the door.

"You're all so greedy down there! What am I suppose to do with all of you?! I should turn you all into coal and get another lot of servants! That spirit's a Tallest Purple you fools... Fine, fine! I'll be down momentarily. Just don't let him eat anyone else." She was speaking to the skull, as she was before. Turning, Ms. Bitters put on a disgusted face. "Ugh. Dispose of Zim; he's bleeding all over the carpet."

"What?" Gaz whispered to herself. Then she panicked. Ms. Bitters was beginning to head in her direction. Without knowing what to do, Gaz leapt into a massive pile of pillows. Ms. Bitters entered.

"Where's Mommy's little boy?" she asked, in that playful yet evil sounding voice of hers. She glanced around the room, then at the giant pile of pillows. She began pulling some off, causing Gaz to scrunch down more. Ms. Bitters then lifted one pillow, revealing her 'baby'. Her baby wasn't even human. He was a massive, green dog. Well, either that or a robot that was poorly disguised as one. Stitching was evident down the middle of his head, but that's all we could see. His eyes were scrunched up and he was making whimpering noises.

"There you are!" Ms. Bitters' declared, "Hiding under those pillows again." He began whimpering louder, and the whole pile of pillows shook. "Oh I woke you again didn't I? I'll go doom myself for disturbing you then." Ms. Bitters gave the 'baby' a pat then put the pillows back. Hey I rhymed! I'm a poet and I didn't even know it! Ms. Bitters then turned to a light switch and clicked it. High above her, on the ceiling was a mural of the sun. It then began to slide away into the ceiling as the moon took its place, making the room dark with just a hint of light. Then shutting the curtains, she left. Gaz remained hidden in the pillows, then sighed heavily. She was about to climb out when a massive black paw appeared from nowhere and grabbed her arm.

"Agh!" she cried out, and felt herself pulled towards something. She opened her eyes, and came face to nose with the 'baby'. "…whoa, you're bigger then I thought."

"What're you doin' in here?" he asked, his black ears lifting and his nose sniffing slightly.

"Um…"

"GASP. Yer a GERM, ain't ya?" he asked, "Yer one of dem nasty mean germies to make me sick!"

"Wait, what?"

"Germs are bad, m'kay?" he asked, then looked around with a paranoid look. "Mommy says they're EVERYWHERE, 'n that's why I've never been outta this room, 'n never had any play mates… until now." His voice took on a scary yet distorted tone at that last bit.

"Hey let me go! I have business to do! Important business!" she tried to pull her arm away, but it was no use.

"Play wif me, or I'll snap yer arm!" he clenched his paw around her arm, making Gaz squirm. She narrowed her eyes at him, and then opened her palm at him. It was still caked with dried blood.

"Look, GERMS! I have GERMS!" she cried out. There was a few seconds of shocked silence, until the 'baby' erupted into screams of hysteria. He released her and pulled the pillows down over him. Gaz rolled out from the pillows and looked out the doorway. The room was empty, except for Zim's body on the ground and the three bearded heads near him. "What're you doing?!" she screamed, the heads ignored her and continued to push against Zim's body. They were pushing him towards a great hole. Gaz hurried up and pulled one off and flung him across the room, kicked the other one and hit the other one away. Grabbing Zim's head she hauled him back slightly.

"Hey come on, wake up!" she shook his head, "Do you want to end up ground sushi or what?!" Then the bird attacked her. Gaz ducked, but the bird attacked again. This was the bird from before, with Ms. Bitters' head. She cawed and attacked again, and as Gaz was trying to get rid of the bird, the heads went back to pushing Zim. But then they all stopped. The ground was shaking. The door was kicked open, and the 'baby' heaved himself through it. The curtains snagged on him, and he fell out completely; taking the doorframe and curtains with him. He was about nine feet tall, green, black limbs and a diaper on. He had a collar around his neck with the name 'GIR' written on it in gold lettering.

"I'm not afraid of germs." He said snobbishly, Gaz smirked. By the way he reacted before it seemed he was pretty scared of them. The heads stared at him in shock, as did the bird. "Now PLAY WIF ME!" he cried out, stomping his foot. "Play wif me, or I'll cry 'n Mommy'll come 'n kill you." There's that demonic voice again.

"What a spoilt brat!" came a voice from nowhere. The paper bird lifted off Gaz's back; where it had been hiding all this time. It fluttered over to the ground, and what looked like Ms. Bitters grew from its place. She was transparent though. "Hmf. Still see-through. And what's with this get up?!" she looked down at herself in shock. GIR stared at her blankly.

"…Mommy?" he asked, confused. The new Ms. Bitters stared at him.

"You insolent dolt; can't you even tell me apart from your REAL Mother?" came the reply. And with that, she snapped her fingers. Before Gaz's eyes GIR transformed from his massive puppy-self, into a small baby mouse of the greenish-grey persuasion. The bird and bearded heads began looking worried, the bird took to flight. "There! Now your body matches your brain. Now!" she quickly spun around in mid air, snapping her fingers again. The bird was transformed into a hummingbird. A black one too.

"…w… who're you?" Gaz finally asked. She had been too dumbstruck to ask before. In the background the three heads bobbed up and down, and then leapt atop the other. They then morphed into another GIR, who sat and stared at the trio.

"I," said the Ms. Bitters, "Am Ms. Bitters' twin sister. My name is Tak."

"Tak?" Gaz asked,

"Yes. Tak. And I'm here to take back what belongs to me." Tak said, and as she spoke the Ms. Bitters physique melted away; revealing a creature much like Zim. Green, but she had purple eyes and a dress of purple/black stripe proportions.

"What do you mean by that?" Gaz asked, narrowing her eyes.

"This little creep," Tak walked up to her, staring down at Zim who was still unconscious, "He stole my pendant! My very magical pendant!"

"Oh get off, he wouldn't steal from you!" Gaz glared at the see-through Tak.

"Do you know why he became my sister's apprentice?" getting no response, she went on. "To steal her magic. Zim is a dirty little thief, he's been stealing her magic and now he's stolen mind." Tak then grinned demonically, "But little did he know there's a curse on it. Whoever steals it… dies."

"Dies?!" Gaz found herself worrying, and she had no idea why. "You can't kill him!"

"I can, and will." Tak folded her arms, "He's a rotten little thief and deserves to be punished! Now hand him over." Tak ordered.

"No!" Gaz snapped. It was at this instant in which the fake GIR began trying to squish the real GIR. It was in this second that Zim snapped his red eyes awake, swiped his tail around and sliced the white paper bird in two. The real GIR and bird hurried over to Gaz and hid in her pocket.

"Oww… paper cut…!" Tak screeched as the see-through figure sliced into two and melted away. But due to his sudden movement, Zim's body slid into the hole.

"Zim you're falling!" Gaz grabbed his head trying to pull him out, but found herself pulled in after him. Gaz held onto him as the group fell. I say group since GIR and the bird were still with them. The drop was long, and Zim forced his eyes open. Down in the pit below, were the black ghosts that ran the restaurants. This is where they slept during the day. Before they splattered into them, Zim hauled himself up, flew above them and up through a large 'pipe'.

Gaz grabbed onto his horns to prevent from slipping off. It was in this instant that she got de-ja-vu. In her memory, she was underwater, the reeds washing up against her face. And a shoe… but as soon as she had seen it; it was gone.

~*~

Down in the broiler room Red was on his lunch break, and enjoying some nice soup. At that second, out from the fan above him, Zim, Gaz, and their two little hitch hikers slammed in through it. Red was startled and screamed like a girl, until he realised who it was.

"Gemmae!? What're you doing?!" Zim crashed up against the wall, blood still leaking out of his mouth and he looked distorted and angry as Hell. Gaz got up off the floor, and looked to Zim with wide eyes.

"Zim what's wrong with you?!" she asked. Zim glared at her, and then snarled in her face causing her to fall onto her back. He then coughed up blood again and collapsed onto the floor, exhausted.

"Eek, blood!" Red made sure he didn't step in it as he walked up to the two, GIR and the bird perched on his head. "Jebus, this looks serious." He said.

"Well what's wrong with him? Do you know?" Gaz looked up at Red, who narrowed his eyes.

"Well from my highly evolved brain I can pretty much guess he's bleeding from the inside. Y'know, internal injuries. And they're the hardest to fix!" Red explained, before grabbing a mop and began mopping up the puddles of blood.

"Umm... okay, okay… look Zim?" Gaz knelt down besides him and pulled out the mossy ball that the river spirit had given her. "Look, I got this from the River Spirit. I… uh, I guess it'll help you feel better, okay?" Gaz tried to open Zim's mouth, but his teeth were clenched tightly. "Open your mouth you idiot!" She growled in aggravation, and then bit some of the ball off. She chewed it up but then took it out. It was still green but not as hard, now it was soft and pulpy. Mmm. Pulpy. Red then leant over with a pair of his robotic hands and forced Zim's mouth open. Gaz threw the moss inside and held onto his mouth. "Swallow, swallow!" she growled.

Zim's eyes bulged, tears forming at the corner of his eyes. He snarled viciously, trying with all his dying might to shove Gaz off of him but it wasn't working. His legs scratched at the drawers, his tail slammed against the wall making some drawers fall out of their place. Then he vomited. Well, projectile vomit of one little blob more like. It shot out from his mouth as he had pulled his head away from Gaz, and it landed on the floor. The little audience of soot workers stared in amazement. Red looked at it, eyes widening.

"Gemmae look!" she glanced at it, and the black blob sizzled away. What was left was the gold pendant, and a slug sitting on top of it. Realizing it was out in the open, it squeaked and squirmed away. "GET THAT SLUG, GET IT!" Red screamed like an old lady. Gaz leapt down and began chasing after the slug.

"Come here you…" she stomped her foot at it, trying to squish it. Finally, SPLAT. She got it. Her hair stood on end for a second before flopping down again.

"…you squashed it! Quick!" Red leapt off from his box near Gaz, "Put your forefinger and thumb together!" Gaz did as he said; "Evil be gone!" he sliced his hand between her fingers and thumb.

"…what's that meant to do?"

"Well when you squish on a slug its bad luck, you have to do that before the bad luck rubs off and you might die a terrible, terrible death!" Red explained, and then shivered. "Oooh, very bad."

"…right." Gaz walked over and picked up the pendant, "I guess this is Tak's…"

"Tak's solid gold pendant!" Red gasped in awe, "Oo lemme touch it!"

"No!" Gaz held it tightly; "This belongs to Tak…" she then glanced over at Zim. During all the commotion, his dragon self had melted away and his er, 'human' form remained there. "Zim!" she hurried back up, and rolled him onto his back. "Hey! Earth to Zim!" Gaz shook him, but no reaction.

"Hmm. I think he just needs rest, I mean. If I had just gushed all that blood out I'd need to rest too." Red glanced around his once clean boiler room; now it was blood caked.

"I guess…" Gaz put a hand to her chin in silent thought. "Red, I think I know what I have to do." She said.

"You think it's time to break into a song?" Red asked.

"No. I have to go and take this back to Tak and apologise for Zim… maybe then she could fix him?" Gaz asked.

"Oh I don't know… I've known Zim since he first arrived here." Red replied as he began sponging up blood again.

"Really?" Gaz asked, "What was he like?"

"Well, didn't look like that, that's for sure." Red motioned to him. "He looked more human before, hair; normal eyes and skin colour. He just showed up one day, out of nowhere too. Then he got mixed in with Ms. Bitters, and decided to become her apprentice." With four arms cleaning, the other two took to the task of making a make-shift bed for Zim. "I warned him not to do it, that Ms. Bitters was a… well I won't repeat what I told him." Red grinned slightly.

"So… becoming her apprentice changed him?" Gaz asked.

"Something like that. I told him to go home, not to stay here. But he said he didn't have a home to go home to, so he stayed here. Over the years his human like appearance vanished and he became that." Red pointed at him. Gaz stared down at Zim, then back at Red.

"Well that's just weird." Gaz commented.

"I'll say." Red agreed as he laid Zim onto the make-shift bed he'd made of a thin mattress and a pillow.

"But I still have to do it; I'm going to go to Tak's." Gaz nodded.

"Ooohh… wait!" Red turned and hurried up to a set of drawers and began searching. Gaz then looked at the soot workers,

"Okay guys, I need my shoes and clothes." They chirped happily and hurried off. At that moment, Skoodge entered through the sliding door.

"Gemmae!" Skoodge shut the door behind him, "Where have you-wait, what happened in here?"

"Long story." Red called from his searching.

"Gemmae, everyone's looking for you." Skoodge said, looking to Gaz. "Ms. Bitters is furious! More so then usual. The spirit with all the gold, he's a monster! And he's eaten like three people already!" Skoodge glanced around nervously, "You never know if he's going to eat anyone else or what!"

"Yeech." Red said.

"And they say you're the one who let him in!" Skoodge whined slightly. He had to stare at the soot workers who were now bringing out clothes and shoes. Gaz blinked,

"I did let him in. I thought he was a customer or something." Gaz shrugged as she took her clothes and shoes.

"Ohhh boy, you're in BIG trouble then." Skoodge folded his arms.

"GOT EM!" Red suddenly screamed, causing everyone – except Zim – to jump.

"We're busy Red." Skoodge muttered, but Red hurried up, holding tickets.

"Here you go."

"Train tickets?! Where'd you get those?!" Skoodge was in total shock. Train tickets were hard to come across indeed

"I've been saving them for one hundred years… but I've gotten used to this place. Even you, Skoodge. Now, Gemmae. You want to get off at the sixth stop, it's called MiMi Main. Got that?" Red asked, as he handed her the tickets.

"MiMi Main, sixth stop. Yep." Gaz pocketed the tickets.

"What?! You can't go now! Ms. Bitters wants you up there on the double!" Skoodge declared, "If you just leave you'd be in more trouble then usual!" but neither were paying attention to him.

"See the train used to go back and forth, but now it's a one way road. Think you can handle that?" Red asked.

"Hello? Hey! Somebody listen to me!" Skoodge waved his hands hysterically.

"Sure. I'll walk back along the tracks if I have to." Gaz nodded, and then glanced to the side. "Dad and Dib'll have to wait then." She murmured.

"I'm Skoodge! Skoodge yeah yeah! Come on now! We have work!" Skoodge folded his arms and muttered things under his breath sulkily.

"Okay fine. Let's go deal with this Purple spirit." Gaz nodded to herself. She then turned to Zim and leant down besides him. "Okay Zim, listen? I'm going to be gone for a while, but I'll be back. All right?"

"…what's going on there?" Skoodge asked.

"Something you wouldn't understand. I think its love." Gaz whipped her head around and glared at Red, "Or friendship. I dunno, I confuse the two!" he grinned nervously.

[To be continued! Bleh, didn't like this one much…]