Soli Deo gloria
DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Phineas and Ferb.
Perry was sure that he wouldn't be noticed in the darkness as he flew up to the top of Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated! He landed on the floor, disengaged his jetpack, and looked around. It was noticeably quiet, and dark. Perry felt suspicious until he heard, "I'm in the kitchen, Perry the Platypus!"
Upon entering Doof's kitchen, he found Doofenshmirtz busy working on an inator of sorts. He held a screwdriver, with a toolbox on the table. Doofenshmirtz finished screwing in a screw and said, "Oh, there you are, Perry the Platypus! Yeah, still working on the inator. Had to go drop Vanessa off at her New Year's Eve party with her goth friends. Then I was hungry, and I had to come and eat something. Then, well, here we are." He waved his hands and sighed, dropping them. "Yep. Don't worry, though, 'cause I'm done!"
The doctor straightened and said, "As you will remember, Perry the Platypus, I do not particularly like New Year's Eve. It's too loud and it just brings along another year where I get beaten by you and my inators get destroyed every single day, every single week, for yet another year! It's depressing, Perry the Platypus, but I don't want to talk about that right now."
He hurried from behind the inator and said, pointing to a small little TV playing live coverage of downtown, "Anyway, they're having their stupid parade going through downtown tonight, and my brother, Roger, is going to be on one of the floats." The screen changed to show Roger at City Hall being interviewed by a reporter. Doofenshmirtz made fists and groaned in frustration. "Oh, he won't be smiling like that when I'm done! So, to humiliate Roger and to stop the new year from happening, I invented an inator, as I always do. Perry the Platypus, allow me to introduce you to the Blow-Floats-Up-Inator! It will stop his float, blowing it up, and upsetting the parade, causing Roger to not lower the acorn, so there will be no new year!" Doof stretched out his arms and finished with a "ta da!"
Perry looked a little bored—either that or he felt down because of the New Year's Eve party he was missing out on, making Doofenshmirtz say quickly, "'Course, it could just be called a laser or—or whatever, but I like my name for it, so don't judge it, Perry the Platypus! Don't judge."
Doofenshmirtz nodded excitedly and then noticing something out of the ordinary, said, "Whoops!" The tape from the junk drawer in his kitchen flew out to wrap around Perry several times, tying him up. Doofenshmirtz wiggled his finger and said with a smile, "Forgot about trapping you, Perry the Platypus." Turning to take his inator to the balcony, he said to himself, "Man, I must be getting old."
Meanwhile, Candace and Stacy, having gone downstairs, hid in a broom closet off the kitchen. Well, Candace was. Stacy stood outside it, her arms folded as she said, "Candace, this is really unnecessary, you know that?"
"Sorry, Stacy," Candace said. She leaned against the wall between the broom and the mop. "The entrance to the Panic Room is covered with snow shovels and stuff."
"I can imagine, but seriously, Candace. You're missing out on a great party—I'm missing out on a great party here!" Stacy said sternly. "Come on out and stop being such a recluse, or else."
"Or else what?"
Stacy sighed and putting a hand to her forehead, whispered to herself, "It's for her own good." In a louder voice she called, "Hey, Jeremy, I found Candace!"
Candace gasped when she heard Jeremy say, "You did? Great! I've been looking all over for her!"
Stacy waved her hand in beckoning Jeremy over, and at that moment, Candace flew out of the closet, nearly knocking Stacy over. She dusted herself off and said in a controlled voice, "Why, hello, Jeremy. Happy New Year's Eve!"
"Hey, Candace," Jeremy said slowly. He looked concerned as Stacy unsteadily stood up. "Is Stacy okay?"
"Don't worry 'bout me," Stacy said, her voice all strangled.
"Okay . . . are you two coming to the New Year's Eve parade this year?" Jeremy asked, a smile on his face. One of his hands was stuffed in one of his pockets while the other held a cup full of punch.
"Oh yes, most definitely. Wouldn't miss it for the world," Candace said excitedly.
"Cool, cool. The boys and I are going to leave early so we'll have time to set up our float with the instruments and stuff—you know, plugging in things and rehearsing," Jeremy said. "Let me know where you'll be standing in the crowd, 'kay?"
"Of course," Candace said. "We'll be near the end near the giant acorn."
"Sweet. Why is it a giant acorn?"
"Be glad it's not a meatloaf," Stacy pointed out. She straightened, looking much better than she did the moment before.
"Yeah, true. Your parents going to be there?" Jeremy asked.
"Yeah, and Candace's brothers," Stacy said.
Candace looked grumpy at the mention of them. She folded her arms and said, her eyes darting about suspiciously, "I wouldn't be so sure about that."
"What?" Jeremy asked. "Am I missing something?"
"They plan on having the biggest fireworks display that Danville has ever seen," Candace told them both.
"Sounds cool," said Jeremy.
"Yeah, and totally bustable," Candace said. She strained her neck as she tried to peek into the kitchen, saying, "Wait, where are they?"
"Aren't they in the house?" asked Stacy.
"Wait a minute," Candace said, ignoring Stacy. "The boys aren't here. Where are they?" She pumped her fist. "This is it! Mom! Mom! Mom!" Candace darted past Jeremy and Stacy toward the kitchen in search for Linda.
"Is a bit redundant to say that I'm not too surprised about her behavior?" Jeremy asked Stacy.
She shook her head. "I'd be surprised if you were."
Perry, hopping fiercely to try to keep up with Doofenshmirtz on the way to the balcony, found the stars out. It'd be a perfectly lovely New Year's Eve, with some light snowflakes falling from some of the clouds, if Doofenshmirtz wasn't busy humming and reminding Perry that he was working.
"Ah, beautiful night, isn't it, Perry the Platypus?" Doofenshmirtz said. He donned a large jacket with a fur-lined hood and blew on his hands. The inator was brought against the balcony; Perry shivered.
He couldn't answer Doof. He was chattering, literally, for he was chilled to the bone in the below freezing temperature.
"Say, Perry the Platypus, you look cold," Doofenshmirtz couldn't help but point out. It was pointless to Perry for him to do that. Never mind that, for Doofenshmirtz glanced at his wrist, which had no watch on it, and said, "Well, it's only around nine. Let's head back inside."
Perry raised an eyebrow but hopped after him. Doofenshmirtz rubbed his hands together, saying, "Have I ever made you my famous hot cocoa? Well, it's not exactly famous, but just you wait, Perry the Platypus. It'll only be a matter of time before my magnificent recipe is discovered. . ."
Back at the party, Isabella, Baljeet, Buford, Irving, the other Fireside Girls, Phineas, and Ferb were all in the kitchen. The party intermingling around them, they stayed quiet and cheerfully chewed tortilla chips with salsa.
"This salsa, Buford likes it. Buford wants more!" Buford said, pounding the counter with his fist. The vibration caused Baljeet's chip to break in the salsa, making him sadly sigh.
"It's my mom's famous recipe," Isabella said. Perched on top of the counter, she wore a new and very pretty pink sweater.
"It's awesome!" Phineas said. He turned to Ferb and said, "I bet Perry would want a tortilla chip." He looked around. "Hey, where's Perry?"
"A little late in the day to be saying that, eh, Phineas?" Baljeet pointed out.
"What's the time? I have to log this in!" Irving said excitedly. Buford gave Irving a weirded-out look as the nerd, giggling, logged the time on his clipboard. "Nine . . . forty-two."
"Wow, it's that time already?" Jeremy said as he, Candace, and Stacy walked into the kitchen. He turned to Candace and said, "Well, I gotta go now."
"All right. I'll be looking for you!" Candace said excitedly.
Jeremy smiled, gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, and then hurried off to find his bandmates.
Phineas, Ferb, and the gang all watched with poker faces as Candace sighed and nearly melted to the ground, only not hitting it by being caught by Stacy.
"Okay, we need to work on keeping you near seating," Stacy said. She turned to the kids and said, "We're all going to have a big tournament of Skiddley Whiffers before we head off to the parade."
"Sounds cool," Phineas said, and the kids, all talking excitedly, passed Stacy on the way into the living room. She sighed. Candace still wore a love-dazed smile, Stacy's hands around her shoulders, and Stacy sighed and said, "Well, thanks for the help."
Some time later, Phineas was busy messing around with the Christmas music on a tape he and Ferb made. Ferb stood by the stereo, politely chewing a cookie. Technically, Christmas music was still allowed until New Year's.
Phineas tweaked it and said, "There we go!" as the stereo played a 'Deck the Halls' remix. Ferb tapped his foot to the music and Phineas nodded his head faster and faster as it picked up.
"Oh yeah!" Phineas said as the music filled the house. It made the party atmosphere grow in the crowds of sweater-wearing, laughing people, all except for Candace. She sat cross-legged on the floor next to Stacy, who sat cross-legged as well. They were in front of a game board, playing against Baljeet, Isabella, Buford, and two of the Fireside Girls.
"YES!" Stacy said as her shoe moved ahead. She turned to Candace, who had her fists holding up her head. "Cheer up, Candace."
"I will when we can go. AGHH, why is the evening of the last day of the last month always the longest?" Candace groaned.
"Because you're watching the clock more. Duh, Candace. Everyone knows when you look at the clock more, time goes slower," Stacy said as Baljeet rolled the dice.
"Guess so," Candace said.
"Hey, cheer up. I'm sure that time will pass when you focus on something. Like this game. It's Skiddley Whiffers. You're bound to win!" Stacy said excitedly.
"Well, I can beat you," Candace nodded.
"Yeah, just win one and you'll feel better."
"I won again!" Stacy said, fist-pumping. Candace, who once again had her face supported by her fists, gave Stacy a look. It was Stacy's fifth straight game in a row that she won.
The rest of the kids started to set up the game again when the moms all appeared, all dressed in wintry wear, ready to go out into the cold and brutal world for the sake of tradition and entertainment. "Kids, time to head to the parade," Linda said.
Candace giggled, pumped her fist, and said, "Yes!" She stood. "I get to see my Jeremy!"
"Best hurry then, if y'all want good seats," Phineas said, looking up from the game, which was now getting put away instead. He asked Ferb, "Got the plans for the fireworks, bro?"
Ferb nodded, so the two of them followed their parents and friends and sister to the car. Lawrence took the the driver's seat, saying, "Hurry up, now! Hopefully it'll get less chilly when we get there."
"Turn the heater on," Linda said.
They drove through the Tri-State area, Christmas songs playing softly, the heater on to create muggy heat in the car. Lawrence focused on driving, Linda was busy watching the city pass by, and Candace was not trying very hard to restrain herself from having fan girl/excited girlfriend flails.
"It's going to be so great!" Candace said as they hurried into a parking garage. As soon as the car was parked, Candace jumped out, and jumping up and down by the open door, yelled, "C'mon, c'mon! We need to hurry!"
"Calm down, Candace!" Linda said as she and Lawrence closed their car doors.
"Oh, let her be excited, luv," Lawrence said as he and Linda, side by side, walked behind Phineas and Ferb, who trailed the overly excited Candace, "it's New Year's Eve, after all."
"True," Linda said.
A few minutes later, they were all at their spot in front of the antique store. All of their friends were there' Stacy found Candace, who was at the front of the sidewalk, only hindered from going on the street by a long yellow rope separating the crowd from the floats.
"Are they here yet? Are they here yet?" Candace said excitedly, looking from left to right.
"It's not for a few more minutes, Candace. We are at the end of the line, after all," Stacy said as she joined her friend's side. Her hands grasped the ropes, and looking around, she spotted the giant acorn in front of City Hall. "Oh, there's the acorn."
Candace turned to look at it as well. "Huh. Looks bigger on TV."
"Doesn't everything?" Stacy said matter-of-factly.
Candace's head went from shoulder to shoulder. "True."
Occupied by the oversized nut, neither Candace or Stacy noticed the little huddle Phineas, Ferb, and the gang engaged in. "All right, Baljeet and Buford take the lower right hand corner. Isabella, you and Irving take the lower left hand corner. Fireside Girls on the other two corners, and Ferbooch and I are taking the front. Are we clear?" Phineas asked.
"Clear as a glass, Phineas!" Irving said quickly as Isabella, Baljeet, and Holly agreed.
"That's one of the saddest and stupidest things I think you have ever said," Buford said with a blink.
"It was spur of the moment, Buford. If I had been given notice beforehand, I'm sure I would have come up with something else," Irving said, adjusting his pink glasses. He wore a set of blue earmuffs. He frowned as everyone darted off to their positions, leaving only Isabella.
She sighed. "All right, Irving. Let's head to the roof."
"But, of course. Does Mademoiselle want a hand?" Irving said. He held out his arm in a crooked position, trying to smile very prettily.
Isabella cleared her throat. "You know what, I'll pass."
She walked to City Hall, her hands in her pockets, leaving Irving hanging. "Oh, all right then," and he quickly hurried after Isabella.
Thank you for reading!