Reference to When Worlds Collide in this chapter *high fives self*

…

"You ready to go up a setting?" Pinky asked.

Perry gave a thumbs up, grinning. He lowered himself in readiness.

"He's already on setting five," Terry whispered to the Chihuahua. "I can't even get past setting four."

"He's certainly good," agreed Pinky.

"I can't get past three," added Cassie, who was standing with them. "But cats are better at climbing than jumping."

"Yeah, I guess we all have our strengths and weaknesses," said Pinky.

He switched on the machine.

Volgen nu! sang the two robots.

One dutch, two dutch

Queens of the double dutch

We skip better than you by that much

Watch our feet, our moves are sweet

Our double dutchin' won't be beat

While they sung, they twirled the Double Dutch ropes around in a complicated pattern and a fairly fast speed. Perry didn't miss a beat, though. The robots got through the verse six times before the two-year-old finally tripped and fell flat on his face. Pinky hurriedly stopped the machine. "That was pretty impressive," commented Terry as Cassie and Pinky helped Perry up.

To their surprise, Perry immediately pressed the reset button on the side of the machine and got back into positon.

"Same setting?" asked Pinky.

"No. Put it up to the highest."

"The highest?" repeated Cassie. "Perry, that's level ten; you only just completed level five!"

"Setting ten, please," Perry said firmly.

Cassie exchanged a look with Pinky and Terry. Pinky shrugged and turned the dial on the machine up to ten.

"Stop it immediately if he looks like he's going to hurt himself," Cassie demanded.

Pinky nodded. "Of course."

He gingerly switched on the machine.

Volgen nu! sang the two robots.

One dutch, two dutch

Queens of the double dutch

We skip better than you by that much

Watch our feet, our moves are sweet

Our double dutchin' won't be beat

All three agents were scared for Perry at first, but as the song went on, they relaxed. Perry's footwork mesmerised them. He was Double-Dutching like his life depended on it, and it was clear he was amazing at it. He almost looked like he was flying.

The machine was designed to come to a stop after twenty rounds of the song. Somehow, Perry managed to get to the end of those twenty rounds. He collapsed against the ropes, clearly exhausted.

Cassie rushed towards him and threw her arms around his neck. "That was amazing, Perry!"

"Thanks," panted Perry. "I wanted to get my stamina up."

"Well, it certainly worked," Cassie smiled. She linked arms with Perry. "Want to go for a walk?"

"Sure."

Leaving Pinky and Terry behind, they strolled out into the sunshine. Cassie dragged Perry in the direction of the climbing wall.

"Remember when you first arrived two weeks ago, when you kicked Peter's butt at this?" she said.

"I wouldn't say I kicked anyone's butt…"

"No, you did. Peter's the best at everything except climbing. You've been coming first at everything we've done, except climbing, which is the only thing I'm best at." Cassie suddenly looked concerned. "You won't beat me in climbing, will you?"

Perry also looked concerned. "I don't know, Cassie. I want to become OWCA's best agent but at the same time I really value your friendship and I don't want to lose you as a friend."

"Promise you won't beat me at climbing," Cassie said pleadingly. "Please. It's the only thing I'm good at."

Perry looked into his friend's face. "Okay," he consented. "I won't."

However, neither of them knew how short a time that promise would last.

…

Two days later, there was a climbing wall challenge. It was the top three: Cassie, Perry, and Peter, racing each other. Whoever won would be named best at climbing.

Perry was in turmoil. He thought he could go faster than Cassie but he didn't want to. Well, he wanted to be the best at climbing so that he could be the best at everything, but he also didn't want to lose Cassie's friendship.

Eventually, he decided that he would simply try his best and if that best meant he would win, then so be it.

Carl started the race. As soon as the clapper went off, Perry climbed as fast as he could. He actually felt confident that Cassie would beat him. He could try his best and still be recognised as the best at everything else.

He climbed with all his might and swung up to the top of the tower, expecting to see Cassie there. Instead, he watched as Cassie climbed up at least five seconds after him and sat next to him.

The look on her face was beyond hurt.

They waited until Peter had climbed up before the times were released. Cassie hoped with all her heart that Perry had not beaten her time of 1:33:21.

The time came up on the scoreboard. Peter's first: 2:09:87. Then Cassie's: 1:39:05.

Then Perry's:

1:32:11.

Perry and Cassie both felt their hearts drop. Cassie's hands flew to cover her mouth. Perry put his paw on her shoulder but she jerked away from him so violently that she nearly slipped right off the tower. Perry reached towards her but she actually hissed at him, like a domestic cat.

"I don't need your help!" she spat. "You lied to me! You promised you wouldn't take the most precious thing in the world away from me but you did! You liar!"

"Cassie-."

"Don't "Cassie" me!" the black tabby cat hissed, tears in her eyes. "I really liked you! I had a crush on you!"

Perry stared at her. "Cassie…"

"And it's easy for me to admit that now because I don't have feelings for you anymore! You promised you wouldn't beat me!"

"That's what this is about?" Peter scoffed.

"YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!" screamed Cassie, making Peter scoot backwards in alarm.

"Cassie, please calm down!" Perry begged.

"I won't calm down!" hissed Cassie. "You promised me and you broke your promise! I had no friends until I found that I was best at climbing! That gave me a link in with the cool kids like Peter, and for once I felt like I belonged! I had friends! I was the speedy cat who unforgettably broke the climbing record! Now I'm the forgettable cat who was beaten at the only thing she was ever good at! I've now lost my link to my friends, and I'm going to go back to being a nobody! I hate you!"

Perry felt like he had been stabbed. Cassie swung over the side of the climbing wall and started climbing down. Peter gave Perry a half-smug look. "You broke your promise?"

Perry turned to him, and Peter was shocked to see the little platypus crying. "I did!" he wailed. "I promised her that I wouldn't beat her record but I did! I betrayed her…"

Peter awkwardly patted Perry on the back. "How about we climb down?"

So they did. Pinky and Terry were there to meet Perry. "What happened?" Pinky asked. "Why is Cassie so upset? Is it because you beat her?"

"It's because I promised not to beat her record but I did," sobbed Perry.

Pinky and Terry exchanged a glance and then they moved in to hug the upset platypus.

"I've lost her friendship," Perry cried. "She hates me!"

"You have us, Perry," said Terry reassuringly. "We'll always be here for you."

…

:( think Cassie's just a diva? Or are you feeling sorry for her?