Chapter 2: The Healing Process

So Ferb's body must now be exposed to this metaphasic radiation for a whole day, to remind you all. This means that the away team is going to have to spend the whole day on the planet's surface; to the Archimedes, then. For those of you who can't remember, that's the Captain's Yacht shuttlecraft…

The Archimedes landed on the planet's surface with supplies stored aboard for a day-long camping trip. They all stepped out and breathed in the clear and unpolluted air, looking up at the sunny and cloudless skies with awe. "It hasn't changed…" said Phineas in awe. "…for almost three decades…" said Isabella in return. "Let's get Ferb's body. He's in for one long tanning session" said Phineas with a quasi-smile. They brought his body out on the stretcher, and he was immediately exposed to the metaphasic radiation of the planet's atmosphere, which began to not only slow aging, but also reverse some of his severe injuries. "And now, Captain…" S'lar's voice said, reappearing, "…there are various herbs around the vicinity that have extreme anti-oxidative stress and anti-radiation-injury properties…since Ferb is unable to eat them in his unconscious state, you must inject their juices into him…it will take time before his heart will send these through his body enough for them to take their effect, as you must 'jump-start it', as you say…you will know how to find these plants, so I shall leave you to do what you must…"

"Isabella, bring out the heart jump-starter…thing…whatever it's called…" said Phineas. "Aye, sir." "Isabella, no formalities down here today, please." "Okay, Phineas" she said with a half-smile that still concealed a mood of seriousness for the task at hand. "Buford, monitor him with a medical tricorder." They brought their equipment out, warmed it up, removed Ferb's gray uniform undergarment (which was all he had on anyway), placed the device on his chest and sent the shock into it, Buford monitoring his bodily activity the whole time. "Again" said Buford until there was actual heart activity again within Ferb's chest. "Alright, Buford, monitor him until we get back with some plants. Call our commbadge every half hour and keep contact with the ship every hour." "Aye, sir." "No formalities necessary, Buford." "Alright…Phineas…" said Buford semi-begrudgingly. Phineas and Isabella then walked onward, scanning around with their tricorders for plants with anomalous nutritive properties and gathering them bunch by bunch. After about two hours of looking and gathering, they went back the shuttle and brought their plants to be blended up and injected into Ferb's bloodstream.

After injection, they waited, Ferb under the monitoring equipment of the shuttlecraft and the watchful eyes of the away team. "Buford…could I ask you to…watch him for us? I…we need to go off alone…" "I understand. You've got it. I'll call if there's anything wrong." "Come on, Izzy." "Coming" said Isabella in a mix of worry and sadness. Phineas walked with her until they reached a beach. Phineas sat down on the edge of the sand and closed his eyes, breathing deeply in a relaxed state. Isabella sat down next to him, a look of wonder yet worry on her face. After several seconds of silence, Phineas said "My brother… …he sacrificed himself for a noble cause…" before turning toward Isabella. "There have been many deaths from this war…and one casualty is already too many…but why did one of them have to be my brother himself? Sigh…I almost feel guilty of all the death this fighting has brought…" "Don't blame yourself, Phineas. You and Ferb brought us to the stars in less than a decade. There was no way you would've known—or any of us could've known—that a hostile species would be this savage…" "I've led many to their own deaths…" "They were willing to die for the defense of our home and loved ones." "And left their own forever…I know it's not truly my fault…but I feel at least a bit of the guilt falls on me somehow…sigh…I know I'm a man who likes to look forward, but this war has left me…a bit colder…a bit sadder…and yet our enemies don't care about their own lives…they'll lose theirs anytime, anywhere, as long as they further their cause."

"I must say I'm kinda disappointed in you, Phineas. Even when I've been near death, badly injured, or near a fate worse than death, you've always forgiven your enemies and never held grudges. I don't doubt you'd do the same now, but you've let your environment define you…you've allowed all that's been happening to turn you into a colder and maybe even more bitter person." Phineas put his head in his knees and just let the tears fall freely down his face. "A man can only take so much… …I know I've…had a good life…and that others…have not been as fortunate as I have…but my own brother's death, even if reversible like this one…makes me… …realize how fragile we all are…how short life is…I mean, I always knew that we should make the most of the day…but I never really thought about how little time we all may really have…" "Exactly", said Isabella. "They say you never know what you've got until it's gone…oh, you and Ferb were inseparable as kids…anyway, I trust S'lar's promise that he'll be revived. If anything, you should see this as all the more reason to look forward."

"You're right, Izzy…you're right…" Phineas then held her in a warm embrace that seemed like it lasted for eternity before they let go. "This beach hasn't changed…" said Isabella in a state of nostalgia. "I remember it like it was yesterday…sigh…one day, we're playing as kids on some faraway planet…the next, we're exploring the deeper reaches of space as a whole…now that's a pretty big leap forward" she said. "Buford to Captain and wife: half hour check-in." "Flynn here: we're on our way now. Flynn out. Well, I think we've burdened Buford long enough. Come on. Let's go back" said Phineas before Isabella grabbed his shoulder. "Wait. Before we leave just yet…" Phineas turned around as Isabella moved up towards him and softly placed her lips on his. He kissed back and they delayed their walk back for a few minutes. Eventually, they made it back, by which time it was late afternoon and Buford was sitting and reading a book while looking every so often to monitor Ferb's progress. "Welcome back, lovebirds" said Buford with a slight smile that incited small smiles from the couple. "How is he?" asked Phineas. "He's recovering, but now we gotta start removing wastes…yech…" "You can leave that to me. If you two won't mind stepping into the bushes while I, uh…take care of his business…"

So now, Phineas, Isabella, and Buford will have to camp out on the surface for the night and take turns monitoring Ferb's recovery progress. Read on and see how it turns out.