Gaz is Spirited Away
Written by: Cartman's Girl

Notes: Well, here it is. The final chapter to the whole thing. I do hope you enjoyed it.

~*~

The natives were restless – if you are to call workers natives. The bathhouse was still and quiet, the only noise was that of squealing and snuffling. Pigs had been brought from the pen, and were being contained in a small pen. Boars and piglets squealed away in the cramp room, but kept their noise to a minimal.

"Look – there they are!" cried out Skoodge. Where was he? He was on top of the surrounding roofs! As were a lot of the workers, even Red was out of the broiler room with a few soot workers on his shoulders. Ms. Bitters stepped out of the shadows, firmly held in her hand was a rolled up piece of paper.

"Seems everyone's here." Zim said as they touched down. Gaz glanced at him,

"Why's that?" she asked.

"I don't know, go find out!" Zim shooed at her.

"So! I see you failed to bring him back with you!" Ms. Bitters called out. The little hummingbird took to flight again, carrying the mouse. He flew higher in front of Ms. Bitters, and thus released GIR who, as he slammed his feet onto the ground was back to his normal giant self.

"Momma!" he declared. Everyone looked pretty shocked at how he'd just seemingly appeared from nowhere – as did the bird.

"My baby!" Ms. Bitters cried out, "Did they do HORRIBLE things to you?! Are you traumatized?" she paused, blinking. "Wait. When did you start standing up on your own?"

"She did what you wanted Bitters." Zim called out as he stepped onto the bridge, "Now, tear up Gemmae's contract and let her family go."

"Humph! Not so fast young man!" Ms. Bitters called out, "She has one more test!" This caused everyone to moan and complain from their places on the roof, and inside the building. "SILENCE!" she screeched; and everyone either hid or shut up. Or wet themselves, as Red did.

"Stop it Momma." GIR ordered suddenly, causing Ms. Bitters to stare at him wide-eyed. Maybe the first time he's spoken, let alone tell her off? "Me 'n Gemmae had so much happy fun stuffs!"

"…b-but sweetie, a deal is a deal…" Ms. Bitters replied, in a voice which sounded stretched.

"If yew upset her… I'm not gonna like yew anymore." GIR folded his arms and nodded. The bird replied with a 'caw!'

"Bitters!" Gaz stepped forward, "You're right. A deal is a deal." She walked across the bridge and stopped in front of Ms. Bitters. "I'll do your stupid test."

"Nice to see you've come to your senses." Ms. Bitters smirked, then looked at GIR. "This will only take a minute!" with that she walked towards the pigpen. Gaz glanced at GIR,

"It'll be fine – believe me." Gaz found herself stood at the front of the pig pen, "So what am I supposed to do here?"

"Pick out your father and brother from these pigs. If you guess correctly you can all go back to the human world. Guess wrong, and your family will be cooked and eaten while you remain as my worker forever." Ms. Bitters explained.

"Oh." Gaz stated. She looked at the pigs. By now some were sniffing at the ground hungrily and a piglet was chewing on the string hanging down from the surrounding mesh. From somewhere, the Jeopardy thinking song began to play.

"Time's up!" Ms. Bitters cried out and the music screeched to a halt. "Now. Choose!"

"Pft, you must think I'm some kind of idiot or something." Gaz scoffed, "Because none of these pigs is Dad or Dib." She pointed out.

"Is that your final answer?" Ms. Bitters asked,

"Yes, I lock in A. None." Gaz grinned back at her. Ms. Bitters paused; and the contract burst into flames in her hands. The pigs stopped what they were doing and transformed into workers! Wow, wish I could do that.

"YOU GOT IT!" they declared. All around Gaz the workers cheered and hollered, throwing confetti, rice, and other assorted party favours.

"Fine!" Ms. Bitters called out, "Get out of here!" she shooed at Gaz, who grinned and curtsied in a teasing way.

"Thanks, Granny." With that she ran off, and stopped and waved to everyone who was still waving and cheering. Zim then grabbed her hand and lead her through the restaurants. "But where's my family then?" she asked.

"When you answered correctly they woke up on the human side of the hills. They're looking for you right now." Zim explained. They came to the steps, but now the water was all gone. As if the flood had never happened.

"Wait. Wasn't there an ocean here?" Gaz asked.

"That dried up when you answered too. Now look… when you leave, don't look back. No matter what. Just keep going, and don't look back until you're through the waiting rooms." Zim instructed.

"…what about you?" Gaz asked.

"Hey, do not fret for Zim! I'm off to have a talk to Ms. Bitters, and get out of being her apprentice." He paused, and noticed Gaz's somewhat worried expression. "I'm fine now, I know my name. But you, you have your world and I have mine. Now get going before I make a scene." Zim shooed at her. Gaz smiled, yes, she actually smiled a genuine one here. No smirk or grin.

"Thanks Zim. I'll miss you. Uh, I guess…" she shrugged. Zim smiled back.

"Y'know, the adventures of a human girl and a river spirit amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. See ya around kid." Zim grinned at her. Gaz poked her tongue out at him, and then headed down the stairs.

~*~

"Gaz!" Dib called out, looking under a rock, "Nope, she ain't here! Can we go now?"

"Now now son, we can't leave your sister in this place! Who knows what kind of hobos come out here at night!" Membrane declared. Dib rolled his eyes,

"Dad, hobos don't live in the hills."

"There she is!" Membrane pointed. Dib looked up, and there Gaz was, making her way down the hillside.

"About time! We've been calling your name for hours!" Dib called out. "Well okay maybe not hours, but seconds!"

"It's not right to wonder off like that young daughter, you might end up lost!" Membrane said, shaking a finger at her general direction. Gaz stopped as she got to the bottom of the small hill and stared at the two. They really had no memory at all of being the pigs. To them, maybe just a few minutes had ticked by; and not days.

"All right all right, sorry." Gaz grumbled as she walked up to them.

"Now, let's get going. The movers are bound to be there by now!" Membrane pointed out, and started heading back into the waiting building. Dib followed, but Gaz remained for a second or so. Resisting the urge to look back, she forced her way through the passageway after her family. Eventually they came out of the tunnel to the waiting car.

"What the?" Membrane asked. The car was covered in leaves and twigs, as if it had been left alone for days! Gaz smirked, "What kind of a joke is this?"

"Ah forget it Dad – maybe it's the hobos messing around." Dib jokingly said.

"My God son, you're right! Everyone in the car, you don't want any hobo germs!" Membrane opened the door and brushed some leaves and twigs out and got in. Dib leapt in the front too. Gaz didn't, for she was staring into the dark tunnel they had just come through. Membrane leant out the car's window and called out to her.

"Come along Gaz! Time to go!" Gaz nodded then turned and hopped into the back of the car. Membrane backed up, did a U turn and went back they way they came. Gaz sat up in the back seat, watching the tunnel get smaller and smaller until all she could see was the green bushes and trees again.

"A new house, school and city. I guess to you it is a scary thing, but there's nothing to be afraid of." Membrane said. Gaz sat down in her seat, wrapping her hands around the skull necklace which neither of them had noticed.

"I think I'll be fine." She said with a nod. "I'm going to be just fine."

"Say that now, wait until you have to rescue me from certain DOOM for your own good!" Dib declared dramatically. Gaz blinked.

"What does that mean?" Dib paused, tapping his head.

"…nevermind."

[The END!]