Queen Candace is Out, Peace!
It was just another boring day on Mars. Ever since she had chosen to stay here, she had woken up every morning hoping she was on Earth. Back where she belonged.
Nonetheless, Candace couldnt imagine fitting in if she ever went back. She would just be the freaky alien girl- literally.
But the most peculiar thing about today was that as she was sitting down in her royal throne, the aliens ran off. She eyes them curiously, and as she was about to walk away one grabbed her hand and dragged her off into hiding.
Candace stared at him, about to ask for an explanation but he covered her mouth before she could talk. He pointed into the distance, and she had to squint her eyes to see what the problem was. But in the distance, she saw purple sparks, and two boys appeared out of nowhere.
Phineas and Ferb! Candace thought.
Although she had forgotten English, she hadn't forgotten names. Especially theirs. Candace jumped out from behind it and ran over to her two brothers, assuring the others that everything was alright.
"Phineas! Ferb!" She shouted, running over to the two of them and wrapping them in hugs.
"Candace!" Phineas shouted, tears in his eyes as he hugged back, "We missed you so much! Mom has totally gone insane, you won't believe it!" He eyed Candace's confused face and understood. He turned to his brother, "Ferb. Do you mind translating to Candace for me? I believe she's forgotten how to speak English."
He nodded and proceeded to explain everything to his sister. He even apologized for breaking her request and returning to Mars, saying they missed her and couldn't resist. She just shook her head and said it was nothing.
"Apparently, she's been wanting to leave in the last two days after her decision to stay on Mars. She said she's missed us terribly and apologizes for running away. She hopes we will forgive her."
Candace stared at them in hope, because what if they didn't forgive her? Wait, why would they even come to Mars if they weren't going to forgive their sister? Were they going to tell her that her friends and family didn't miss her at all?
Phineas smiled at his sister and gave her a thumbs up. She smiled in relief and hugged him close, tears of joy falling down her face.
At least her lifelong dream had come true. She had been reunited with her brothers (even if she couldn't understand them. Or at least, Phineas).
Silently, she sat them down and introduced her to her royal court.
"Mila, Nokle, Dufl, Sete, Oma, Kilo…" She pointed to each one, and the boys greeted them with a handshake.
"Candace?" Phineas piped up. The redhead turned her head to face her brothers, awaiting to hear what he had to say.
"Um…" He looked at his brother, "Ferb?"
Ferb (out of nowhere) handed Phineas a English to Martian dictionary. He flipped a couple pages before finding the phrase he needed, "Domii kala cuerpo nuoo laka nnnn, Candace?" He said, hoping he had pronounced the words correctly.
"Mete kala." Candace replied sadly, "Szhi lala mudda rikki, Phineas."
Yeah, he had said it right.
He had asked Candace to return home with them, but she had declined because she was afraid that she would no longer fit in. Phineas frowned and scooted closer to his sister, grabbing her hand.
He pulled out his phone and pointed to three video attachments. Candace opened them and started to cry again when her best friend Stacy's face appeared on the screen.
"Candi, this is ridiculous. You've been missing for two years and I can't stop thinking about you! Look, I'm sorry if you thought I was avoiding you. I promise I wasn't! The point is, I'm your best friend and I love you. I miss you. Please, please, please come back."
This made Candace cry harder (The video was subtitled in Martain, courtesy of Ferb). She clicked on the next video, and it was from her good friend Jenny.
"He-ey, Candace." She said in her smooth, hippie voice, "So like, I really miss you. Your brothers told me why, and I want to go ahead and say that I wasn't avoiding you. I was just at the dentist. Anyway, I miss you Candi. Everyone does. Peace out, girl."
She clicked on the next video. This one was from Jeremy.
"Oh, um, hey Candace. Ever since you left girls have been hunting me down because they think I'm single."
Candace sighed.
"-It's kind of annoying really, given that you're my girlfriend and all."
Girlfriend?
Jeremy cleared his throat and continued to speak, "I... uh, I probably shouldn't have said that. Without asking you, I mean. I miss you." He smiled, "I love you." He said, obviously thinking the camera was off.
Candace squealed with delight.
"See, Candace? So many people miss you." Phineas said, translated by Ferb.
Candace nodded. The most important people in her life missed her and wanted her to come home. How could she say no to that?
"Moha kli-"
Reading her mind, Ferb handed her a Martian to English dictionary. She took it and smiled, he was always one step ahead.
"Let's go then!" Phineas declared. Grabbing Candace's hand, he ran her over to the portal. But then-
"Arimnabop! Arimnobop!" Two Martians shouted, blocking the portal.
"Niop! Shoolksie!" Candace shouted, but it was too late.
They raised their feet and smashed the portal to pieces.
"Niop, Niop, Niop!" She shouted, running over to the broken pieces. Tears ran down her face as she looked down at it.
Phineas frowned and looked around the planet. A thought popped into his head, and Candace noticed it.
"Phineas…?"
He smiled at his sister then at his brother, "Ferb, I know what we're gonna do today."
Candace didn't have to understand English to know that her brother was already cranking wheels in his mind.
"I'm going to go start constructing. Ferb, y'think you could-?"
Ferb pulled out a Martain to English dictionary.
Phineas smiled, "Always one step ahead. I should be done in about 38 minutes." He said, waving goodbye to his siblings as he ran off.
Candace looked at Ferb, and he grabbed her hand and led her to a rock, and as they both sat down, he began to help her to (re)learn English.
Phineas ran back and dragged the two over to the portal he had managed to scrape up. It wasn't pretty, but it worked. That was the important thing.
Phineas and Ferb grabbed their sisters' hand and tugged her quickly into the portal before the Martians could grab her.
The portal materialized them just a few blocks away from their old home. She swooned with happiness but squealed when she saw a giant Martian about to run through the portal, determined to save their Queen.
"Oh-wee! Oh-wee!" It cried angrily. One reached out to grab her brothers, but Candace stood protectively in front of them and threw her crown at his largest eye. It screamed angrily at the pain, wobbling back and covering its eye.
It bounced off the eye like a boomerang and smashed the portal to pieces.
"Well, that sure was convenient." Phineas observed, "Thanks sis."
Candace smiled at him and ruffled his hair, "Your welcome."
Yes, Candace had managed to learn small, everyday phrases, but she still needed to learn a whole lot more before she could hang out with her friends again.
Phineas grabbed her hand and walked her home, motioning her to stand still while he went and grabbed Mom.
"Phineas and Ferb!" She heard her mother yell.
Candace winced.
They were so in trouble.
"Whatever you have to show me, it can wait. I want an explanation, young men!"
Eventually, they got Mom to come outside.
Phineas motioned for Candace to come forward. Linda Flynn-Fletcher stared at shock at the sight of her missing daughter.
"Candace?" She gasped, looking for the boys for an explanation. Phineas and Ferb exchanged looks of happiness and smiled as they watched their Mother walk over to her. She began to pat down Candace like a security guard, trying to make sure she wasn't hallucinating.
"Candace!" Her Mother shouted angrily, "Do you know how worried we all were? You've been gone for two years, missy! That is not acceptable, do you understand me?"
"Sorry." Candace apologized, "No."
"What isn't there to understand? You practically gave everyone in the Tri-State Area a heart attack!"
Candace eyed her brother for help. Ferb nodded and stepped forward, "Candace no longer understands you. She has forgotten how to speak English." He said.
Candace looked at her Mother, "Sorry."
"Doesn't speak English, huh? Then how does she know how to say that?"
"We managed to teach her some basic English words to get her started. Y'know, stuff like Sorry, thank you—" Phineas began to explain.
"You're welcome?" She answered, wondering what exactly she was being thanked for. Phineas shook his head and grabbed her hand, "We should probably take Candace to her room. She's been through a lot today."
"Sorry." Candace repeated, giving her Mother a pleading look.
Linda shook her head and moved aside so her children could enter their house. Phineas, still holding Candace's hand, led her to her old bedroom.
She had expected it to be extremely dusty and full of spiders. But no, it was surprisingly clean.
She looked at Phineas for an explanation.
"Mom cleaned it every day since you left." He said.
Candace flipped through her Martian to English Dictionary and smiled when she found the translation.
Candace yawned, and walked over to her closet. It was only mid-afternoon, but the redhead had gone through a lot today, and her brothers didn't blame her for being tired.
She pulled a purple pajama top and matching pants out of her closet and smiled kindly at the boys, who understood.
"Goodnight Candace." Phineas said, waving goodbye to his sister.
She waved back and changed quickly before going to bed.
It had been such a long time since they saw their sister.
And now that she had returned, the boys couldn't have been happier than they were right now.
