Title: GIR, I Know What We're Gonna Do Today! (GIKWWGDT)
Chapter 8: Say You Hate Me
Characters: Zim, Phineas, Ferb, Isabella, Gaz, Adyson Sweetwater, Katie, Gretchen, Dib, Candace
Word count: 1634

Author's Note: There's slight Phinabella in here if you squint really hard and tilt your head like Castiel. The title for this chapter is a play on We The Kings' "Say You Like Me".
And yes, Adyson, Katie, and Gretchen are actual Fireside Girls. I did extensive research on them (I looked at their wiki pages), but they hardly have a role on the show, so I think they're in character... Is it bad that I spent 20 minutes choosing which girls I was gonna put in this story?
Thank you to everybody who's reading this! I can't thank you enough. Without your support, this story would never have gotten this far. That being said, I wouldn't mind a little constructive criticism while we're waiting for the next update, eh?

The UTP shimmered back into view a few seconds after Candace and Dib left, just as Phineas had predicted. "Ferb and I modified the UTP to return to the last universe it was in after a certain amount of time, in case someone was left behind. It'll stay here for five minutes at most, or until someone else enters it, then it'll return to the Game Slave universe," Phineas explained.

"Then why can't the Gaz-human come back on her own?" Zim interrupted. "I think even her tiny human brain must comprehend the concept of using the UTP to get back."

"Well, when we fixed the UTP, Ferb and I discovered a flaw" (Zim's eye twitched at the word) "in the system. To actually operate the UTP, you need the remote, which we have. This is where Isabella comes in. She and the Fireside Girls will go in the UTP with the remote, find Gaz, and bring her back here. When you're all united again, you can return to your own universe. The only problem with this plan is that you only get one chance. If we miss that five-minute time slot, Gaz will be trapped in the Game Slave universe."

"Is that really such a bad thing?" Zim remarked.

Phineas ignored him. "Isabella, the UTP can only transport four people at a time. Only three of the Fireside Girls will be able to go with you, otherwise it might overload."

Isabella had picked Adyson, Katie, and Gretchen. With Adyson's many skills, Katie's strength, and Gretchen's brains, they would make an excellent team. She took a deep breath, and packed a huge horseshoe magnet into her bag. When you were a Fireside Girl, you could never be too prepared. She shared a nervous glance with the other Fireside Girls accompanying her. When they finished packing, the troop leader prepared to give her girls a short pep talk. She climbed on top of a conveniently placed box and cleared her throat. Inspiring music began to play in the background. "Okay, girls. We're going to find Gaz and bring her back, even if she doesn't want to come! It could be dangerous and it might be a while before we find Gaz. But as Fireside Girls, we won't give up, no matter what! Are you ready?"

"Yes!" the other three girls yelled in unison. As one, they slung on their stylish pink packs and faced the UTP and the unknown universe reflected in it. They looked to each other for assurance and stepped through it, a determined look on the four girls' faces.

One flash of purple light later, they were gone. "Good... luck," Phineas murmured to now empty space.

Ferb laid a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder. "All we can do now is wait," the British boy said. Phineas nodded slightly and the two stared at the spot where the Fireside Girls had disappeared.

"So... do you have any more chocolate?" Zim interrupted their dramatic farewell.

Phineas pulled away from his brother and made his way back inside.

In another universe made of pixels, pigs, and pirate ships, the Fireside Girls dusted themselves off from the rough landing. The UTP sat a few feet away, almost glowing with energy. Isabella glanced at the remote and pressed a button, which made the UTP chirp just like a car being locked. After taking in their surroundings, a barren landscape with bare twigs of trees and a blood-red sky, the leader then turned to address her troop, "So where should we—"

A loud squeal, then a grunt interrupted her, causing the girls to run in the direction they heard the noises come from. They were met with an odd sight. Gaz was in hand-to-hand combat with an oversized pig with wings, fangs, and glowing red eyes. The pig got the upper hand and pinned the purple-haired girl to the ground, when the Fireside Girls sprung into action.

Katie wrestled the pig off; Gretchen produced a rope that Adyson used to hogtie the flailing animal in two seconds flat. Isabella ran over to help Gaz, who was slowly picking herself up off the ground. "You!" Gaz exclaimed, when she saw who had come to her rescue. "What are you doing here?" she asked, scowling at her.

"I'm here to help!" Isabella answered. She roundhouse kicked the pig in its face and it fell over, squealing and oinking in defeat.

Gaz groaned, "Is this about me yelling at you earlier today? Look, I don't need your help. I live for this. I can handle the vampire pigs myself." She began to storm off, but an exploding pig dropped from the sky and latched itself onto the girl's back. The built-in bomb on its back showed 0:15, and counting down.

Gaz struggled to get rid of it; Isabella tore it off and tossed it into the air where it exploded not a second too soon. "That was twice that I helped you. I think a 'thank you' is in order," Isabella commented, a little coldly. She immediately regretted it, her expression softening into an apologetic one.

The other girl snorted, "Please. Don't make me laugh." She began to walk away from the group of Fireside Girls.

"Wait!" Isabella cried. "Don't you see? Without our help, you don't stand a chance of getting out of here. We just want to help." She held out her hand and put on her best pleading puppy dog face.

Gaz's scowl deepened. "And why would you want to do that?"

The Fireside Girl's eyes widened. "Why wouldn't I?"

Gaz didn't answer. Instead, she awkwardly dusted herself off and pushed past the Fireside Girls to where they left the UTP, just a few yards away. "So how do we get out of here?"

"Well, the UTP..." Isabella trailed off, realizing that the space where the UTP was just minutes ago was now empty.

Gaz frowned at the grainy, sand-colored soil. "It looks like it was right here." She pointed at a circular indentation in the ground.

"But... where did it go?" Katie asked.

"I think... we have to beat the game to get out," Gretchen slowly said.

"What makes you say that?" Gaz half-sarcastically asked, not really caring for the answer.

"That!" The girls' eyes followed Gretchen's finger and were met with a shocking sight. Bunches of vicious pigs, some with wings and fangs, others with bomb fuses and countdown clocks, were perched in the stick thin trees.

Gaz gasped, fully opening her brown eyes in curiosity. These were the pigs she had battled so many times in her game, right here in front of her. They were a lot bigger in person. And they all had their eyes on them.

"Don't make any sudden movements or loud noises," Isabella whispered. "Let's just slowly back away..."

This was easier said than done, as proved by accident-prone Adyson. The girl tripped over a rock, threw out her arms, and shrieked. By the time she hit the ground, the vampire pigs were on them like frosting on cake. "Don't scream! It makes them angrier!" Gaz screamed over the pigs' snarling.

"How do you know that?" Isabella yelled back, while trying to fight off two pigs. "How do you even scream in a video game?!"

"It was in the Game Slave special online edition cheat codes and tips!" Gaz answered, wrestling with a particularly chubby pig and pushing it to the ground. "And the combination is X-Y-X-Y!" She got the pig on the ground and pinned it down, causing it to squeal for mercy. Gaz being Gaz, she showed it no mercy and kicked it into a tree, where it lay for a few seconds before dissolving into 0s and 1s.

The rest of the girls defeated their opponents; in the few seconds of silence that followed while the other pigs closed in on them, they formed a back-to-back circle facing the ugly, snarling animals. "Fine," Gaz growled, never taking her eyes off of them.

"What?" Isabella asked from her position next to her. The girls were forced closer together as the pigs tightened the circle around them, their squashed snouts and curled claws reminding Gaz of evil smirks and long, dirty fingers.

"I said fine. You can help. But don't expect me to be happy about it," the purple-haired girl growled.

Isabella smiled to herself and attacked the closest vampire pig in response.

"Dib, check on cameras 2, 3, and 4," Candace commanded. Dib nodded and gave a thumbs up after checking the set up they had throughout Candace's room. More cameras were strategically placed all around the backyard and the rest of the house. "Which shirt would look better on camera?" The girl held up two identical blouses.

"Definitely the one on the right. Although the one on the left really brings out your hair color," Dib answered.

Candace studied both for a while before saying, "Hmm, I think I'll just go with the one I'm wearing."

Dib nodded from across the room where he was setting up another camera overlooking the backyard. "I think this idea of yours is brilliant! I never would have thought of it."

Candace shrugged. "I tried something like this once before, but it kind of backfired..."

"But these are news reporters we're talking about here! Live! On TV! Once they get footage of Zim and your brothers working on the UTP, we'll have proof that will be broadcasted live across the Tri-State area! Anyway, enough chit-chat. Are you ready?"

Candace smirked. "Of course."