This is a story all about (well you can probably guess who it is about) but before I get started I have a few things to talk about. The first two are about my writing abilities in general. No1 is that (despite my best efforts) I am not very good at spelling or punctuation so expect a fair amount in this piece of work (and any others I do). The other is that I am not very sociable so the interaction and dialogue between characters may seem clunky and unnatural (this likewise applies for any other work of fiction I may attempt).
Now for notes on the story itself (which means that these should just apply to this work). This story is all from the perspective of Candace and any direct thoughts of hers will be in italics to indicate. Also several events in this work will seem to come out of no-where, this is because Candace is not seeing the whole picture of the story she is in (namely what is happening between Perry and Doofenshmirtz). I will not usually elaborate on what Candace isn't seeing so you can better understand her confusion. However if an explanation of what is going on is vital to understanding the plot (I can think of at least one example of this in the story I have planned out) I will explain what is going on in an Author's note (and therefore not in the actual story). Finally, this story will start out as a series of one-shots (so I can have a good look into Candace's character as it is now) but will develop into a more connected story down the line.
Now that the notes are out of the way I can set the scene. This story begins in the summer where the rest of the series (other than the Christmas and Halloween specials) is set (assuming that all the episodes are set in the same summer and that anything that indicates otherwise is an error. It is set after all the episodes that have aired and diverges from cannon at this point (so any episodes released later than the date this note is published will not affect the story).
Another final note (I know that's silly but bear with me). When I uploaded this onto all the spaces between the italicised words vanished. I tried to put them all back in but I may have missed a few. At least you were warned.
—
"Ahhhhh!" screamed Candace as the pod she was standing on turned under her feet while the rocket powered fairground ride rolled down the street.
Soon the pod was spinning freely around under her forcing Candace to run in order to not fall off. Got to run. Got to run. Looking down she saw the children in the pod who seemed to be having the time of their lives despite the fact that this part of ride obviously wasn't planned ahead of its execution. What are they so happy about?
While looking down Candace also realised that ground was getting close again and she really needed to get off this group of pods. She looked across at the group of pods that were just leaving the ground, seeming so far away now that the time to jump had arrived. Come on Candace.You've done this before. Jump!
She jumped and landed on the closest pod of the group. However as she landed the pod she had chosen shifted violently, causing her to lose balance and throwing her onto the street below. "Ahhh!" She screamed again (in fact she hadn't stopped screaming since the ride started never mind the part where the top part of the ride had snapped off the tower on which it was situated and started its impromptu journey across Danville) as the ground came towards her.
She landed with a painful bump on the tarmac. Er. Well it wasn't the worst fall I've had. Though it certainly wasn't the best. She thought while feeling her side. She raised her head in time to see the circular ride hit a particularly sturdy sign, making it fall onto the jagged stump that had attached it to the rest of today's project, thus ending today's entertainment.
"All right everyone, the ride is over. Please leave in an orderly fashion." The enhanced voice of Phineas announced from his and Ferb's cockpit in the central spire. One by one the riders left their pods (a lot of them looking disappointed that their fun had ended so soon), a few shaken but none of them seemed to be noticeably injured. How come they get to be so lucky? Candace thought as her side throbbed again.
Just then she noticed her brothers climbing down from the cockpit, like the rest of their contemporaries they seemed unharmed by their recent adventure. Well, they're not injured at least but they're going to be in so much trouble for what they've done. She stomped off down the street towards them pushing through the crowd of kids who were heading home. "Out of my way, people!" she shouted in anger as she found her progress slowed. I honestly don't have time for this. She eventually left the crowd at the place where her brothers were inspecting the damage to their ride.
"Looks like we are going to need a sturdier material for our next idea, Ferb." Said Phineas investigating the jagged tear in the metal of the spire in front of him. Beside him, Ferb nodded. Next idea. There won't be a next idea, not if I have anything to do with it. She cleared her throat to get their attention.
"Oh hi Candace," Phineas remarked (as if if everyone involved in the conversation hadn't just been rolling down the street in an unstoppable wheel of doom), "Sorry about starting the ride when you were standing on that pod. I didn't notice you there, though I thought you kept your balance very well." (Candace had been climbing over one of the pods in an attempt to get to a good view central spire to take a picture of Phineas and Ferb when the ride had activated, forcing her to ride the ride while struggling to stand on top of a pod rather than in it.) In hindsight she realised there would probably have been able to get to a place with a good enough view that wouldn't have involved climbing onto the shifting slide, but she had been in such a rush at the time she hadn't been thinking properly. I know differently for next time now. No! No more times, next or otherwise, I'm ending this right now.
"You guys are so busted! Do you think you can just build a giant…a giant…" Her voice trailed off as she realised that she had no idea what she was looking at. The part of the ride she could see (and that was all that mattered as section it had snapped off from had just made it significantly taller) seemed to be a central spire, where her brothers had sat controlling the contraption, with ten mechanical limbs branching off of it like some sort of giant metal spider. At the end of each of the limbs was a group of five enclosed pods where the riders would sit as they were spun around the mechanical arm while the arms spun around the central spire. Attached to each of the pods there were also a pair of rocket boosters (which had thankfully cut off as soon as the top of the ride had snapped off) though Candace doubted any other version of the ride had those additions. "A giant Thing." She finished gesturing to the ride lying in the middle of the road so they would have no doubt as to what she was talking about. What is that thing, in any case?
As if he could read her thoughts Phineas replied, "Its a Condor ride. In fact I believe it may be the largest Condor ride in the world. Or, at least it was."
"A Condor ride?" Inquired Candace genuinely confused as to what he was talking about. Looks highly bustable whatever it is.
"A ride made t first appeared in the 1984 New Orleans world fair, though that one didn't hold as many people as ours nor did it have any rocket boosters on it." Said Ferb as a way of explanation. Ha, I knew those were their own additions. Such a typical thing for them to add, and so bustable.
"Yeah, we added those because it was kind of slow without them." Added Phineas, now that Ferb had said all he was going to say for today. Okay, I wanted to know what it was but that is way more information than I'm interested in.
"You doofuses. Don't you think that maybe, maybe, the reason your Condor ride split in two was because of the fact that you strapped rockets to it!" Shouted Candace as she realised the likely consequences of her brothers' 'improvements'. This is the most bustable thing they've ever done . When mom sees this they will be in so much trouble.
"I don't think so. We had Baljeet check our math, the structure should have withstood twice the power that we put on it. To be honest, we don't know what caused it to break off but it was fun though. Ferb, I think from now on that should be part of any ride we make." Ferb nodded his approval to what his stepbrother was saying.
"It doesn't matter how it fell off," replied Candace, incredulous about whether it really hadn't been some sort of fault with her brothers' designs, "Look at the damage it caused."
Phineas looked around himself. "What damage Candace?" he said confusion entering his voice.
What damage? Can't they see the street? She looked around at the strangely undisrupted street she was on. Amazingly the ride had missed everything as it had rolled. Wow, what are the chances? It doesn't matter, the sign surely.She looked up at the sign they were standing under, that too did not have a mark on it. "What on…" she began, but then she read what was inscribed on the sign 'Indistructocorp: Makers of the strongest signs on the planet!' "Typical." In fact the only indication of what had just happened was the Ride itself. That's still here.
"Ha, you may have got lucky about that, but the ride is still here. And when mom sees that you're going to be so busted." She ran back up the street towards home.
—
She arrived at home out of breath (only slightly though, she always had been a very good runner) having ran the whole way (and having not realised just how far the ride had rolled). Things would be so much simpler if I had my own car. Speaking of cars there's mom's." She thought noticing the car in the drive way "She's back from doing the shopping. Excellent, the boys will be busted for sure. She composed herself as much as she was able and ran into the house.
Her mom was in the kitchen unpacking the shopping when Candace burst in. "Candace, not one phone call or text about the boys all day. I'm proud of you." (Candace had been planning to call her mom when she had finished taking her picture and actually had her phone out but then the ride had started and she had lost her grip on the phone which had fallen onto her backyard).
Candace grabbed her mom's arm and started to drag her towards the kitchen door. "Yeah, yeah. You're so proud. You must come and see what Phineas and Ferb have done."
Linda sighed, "I should have known better than to get my hopes up. What is it this time?"She put down what she was holding though and began to follow Candace out of the house (albeit with a highly disappointed look on her face).
"It was a giant ride. A Condor Ride I think they called it. Anyway, it had rocket boosters. And then it snapped off. And then it started rolling down the street. And then there was this sign which the ride hit. Though it remained strangely intact. Anyway. You must come and see it." Rambled Candace, too giddy to care about proper sentence structure.
"Another ride, Candace. You should really come up with some fresher ideas, the giant fairground contraptions are getting kind of old." Said Linda, as Candace dragged her out of the front door, obviously not listening to what her daughter was saying. You may laugh now mom. But you won't be laughing when you see what they've done. Then you'll see that I was always right. Yes you will. It won't be like the last times. I mean that ride is way too big to disappear. Isn't it?
Candace left her mom by the drivers side door of the car then eagerly got into the passenger side, while Linda reluctantly got behind the wheel. "Hurry mom. I'll show you the way. It's not that far. Oh, they are so busted."
Linda looked at her bouncing daughter and shook her head. "It's going to be like any other day, isn't it?" Still, she started the car and began to reverse out of the drive.
"No, no its not." Because I've got them this time. I hope… Oh, hurry mom before its too late.Linda finished getting out of her drive and began to follow her daughter's escatic directions.
—
"Now, Candace. Where is this giant, rocket powered ride that is lying in the middle of the street again?" Asked Linda indicating the street they were currently looked frantically around, sure that she must have given incorrect directions. She then saw the familiar sign and realised that they were on the street she had been on when she told the boys off. Only this time it was missing the highly bustable ride that she had been meaning to show.
"Bu-bu-bu-but." Stammered Candace, still trying to see if, maybe, it was hiding behind a lamppost or something. How did it just vanish? It was so large.
"I mean Candace, really? Don't you think a giant out of the control ride would cause a little damage?" remarked Linda, once Candace had given up searching in frustration. Just then Phineas and Ferb walked out of a nearby ice cream parlour, licking an ice lolly each. "Oh look there's the boys. Hey, would you like a ride back to the house?" Linda shouted through an open car window. Candace only glowered at them.
"Sure thing mom." Replied Phineas as he and Ferb got into the back seats, obviously being careful not to drip any of the lolly on the seats. "Candace, it sure was nice of you to get mom to come pick us up like this." Said Phineas as Candace turned in her seat to continue to stare accusingly at the two. What did you do?
"Okay. What did you do with it?" interrogated Candace as Linda started the car again and began to turn around. I swear. If I don't find out what happened here…
"With what, Candace? Oh the ride." Replied Phineas, seemingly just noticing that there was no longer a massive heap of metal blocking the rode. "We didn't do anything to it Candace." When he was finished Phineas went back to concentrating on not dropping his snack. Oh, you did some thing you little twerp, and when I find out what it was… Calm down, getting angry now won't help matters. And he's probably telling the truth, they usually don't have anything to do with their inventions disappearing. Strangely Candace found the idea that they were innocent much more maddening than if they really had done something spite her.
"I must say dear." Said Linda now that she had finally got the car turned around. "It is nice to be dragged somewhere other than the backyard." The backyard, why didn't I remember that? The rest of the ride. Not as good as her seeing the main part of it, butsurely still enough to get them busted.
"Of course mom. To the backyard." Ordered Candace, not remembering (and nor would she care if she had remembered) that they were heading home in any case.
Linda sighed again and began driving back up the road.
—
Linda stopped in the driveway as Candace jumped out and ran to the gate leading to the backyard. "Look mom. Look" She said throwing open the gate while staring intently at her mother. Why is she moving so slowly?
Her mom eventually arrived and took a good gaze at the view Candace was presenting. She then turned to her beaming daughter. "Candace, I'm tired and again there's nothing here." She then turned to head back into the house. What? thought Candace as she turned around to take in the sight of a normal backyard.
"Bu-bu." Oh, stop it. Her thoughts interrupted mid stammer. Why am I even surprised anymore? If the top of the ride had vanished, there was no-way the rest of it would still be here.
By now Linda was in the house and her voice drifted out to Candace, while the latter was still staring forlornly into the backyard. "Now, I know some of you have already had some snacks but I think you could do with some pie now. What do you say?"
"Yeah, that sounds great mom." Replied Phineas, who by now had finished his lolly. Before he followed Ferb into the house though he went over to his sister. "I'm sorry it disappeared sis. I honestly don't know what could have happened to it." Then he to turned to go inside and enjoy some pie. You're sorry. Thought Candace bitterly, Why would you be sorry that you didn't get busted? But her anger faded when her brother disappeared from view. "Oh, there you are Perry." She heard Phineas remark a few seconds after he got into the house.
Candace smiled sadly at that. Mom was right. This was like any other day, right down to the catch-phrases. It was stupid of me to think that it would turn out any differently. With a last, longing look at the backyard she began to head in as well. Well at least now this is all over I'll be able to call Stacy. That should cheer me up. Oh wait, my phone! She turned around again, having just remembered that she had dropped it when the ride had activated.
Oh no, oh no, oh no. I can't afford to lose another one. I don't know whether I'll be able to get Phineas and Ferb to make me one again. Her panic ended when she saw her phone on the grass. It looked to be in perfect condition. The disposable camera next to it (which she had been trying to take pictures of her brothers on and which had also fallen out of her hand when the ride started) was in distinctly worse shape.
She picked up a part of the shattered camera frame and examined the many cracks and fractures than now lined its surface. She looked down at the film that was lying spilled out onto the backyard and could instantly tell that there was no-way any pictures was going to be extracted from it.
Strangely, after all that had happened today she wasn't shocked or too upset over the latest development. After all she had anticipated that this would happen and made proper damage control. She then picked up her phone to see whether her intuition was right. As compared its intact structure, and from holding it she was sure it was intact, to the pieces of camera scattered below her she realised that she had done the right thing. Amazing. Oh well, it's better to lose a cheap five dollar camera than a phone. I'll definitely be using disposable cameras from now on.
Then, much happier than she had been a few minutes ago because of her victory over the Universe, she turned around to go and enjoy whatever snacks her mom was preparing and to afterwards call Stacey to tell her that the new plan had worked out. So, today was different after-all. A couple more ingenious insights like this and I'll have them busted for sure, was the last thing she thought as she entered the house.