Chapter 13: My Young Apprentice
Another year came and left. July hadn't begun yet, but there was the sharp anticipation of the coming summer holiday to keep the citizens of Danville on their toes and passing smiles to each other in the streets.
Perry was seventeen now, almost at the end of his teen years. His past year with Doofenshmirtz had been going well also. Doof didn't know who Perry really was, but he acted more like a close friend then a close enemy.
Frenemies. That sounded good.
Perry stretched his lithe body across the grass, rolling over so the sun warmed his soft belly. A hand rubbed it softly so the platypus let out a happy chatter. The hand rubbed a little harder. Perry's tail smacked on the ground with happy thuds.
"Wow Agent P, you're more like a platypus every time I see you. Of course that's every day so."
At the sound of the voice, the platypus rolled over on to his belly in a flash and was immediately back in his normal platypus stance. Karl smiled at him, wearing the same dorky purple glasses he always did. Perry knew he would have blushed if he could have.
"Sorry we couldn't talk to you by watch-wrist-communicator. The signal broke so, you know how that goes. Monogram sent me here so I could ask you about something."
The platypus raised his fur where an eyebrow would have been. Okay then ask what?
(**)
"His name is Terance Hawthins," the intern explained. Perry snuck off with Karl to his underground hideoout where he could explain what was going on. The young adult slid the portfolio at him, which the platypus flipped open, eyes scanning. The picture in the top corner was of a man with bright orange hair and familiar brown eyes. Perry sure didn't know him. He was twenty three years old, a former soldier of the Army, who was relieved after certain incidents.
"He has a real fighting spirit," Karl said. "I don't think he wanted to retire."
"So what can he do?" Perry asked. It was weird to talk after not for the past three years. How strange it felt to not make his usual animal chatter.
"He could be great use to us as an agent. He has a good amount of experience, a good attitude in work, and the real guy for this kind of job."
"Agent Terance," the agent tried out the name on his tongue. He looked up to Karl, who was watching with anticipation for his answer.
Perry flipped a little more through the portfolio, finally closing it and nodding at Karl with a smirk on his face.
"Great!" The intern scooped up the portfolio and slid the agent a form. "Just fill that out. We'll expect you at 8 on Friday."
The agent reached over and grabbed hold of Karl's sleeve. He looked over. "What is it Agent P?"
"What about my fam- host owners?" He quickly corrected himself. They didn't like him getting too attached to the family he had to stay with.
"Oh, don't worry about that Agent P. We've got it covered," Karl reassured. "Just show up on time."
Perry nodded and let go of Karl's sleeve, a smirk on his face. "See you later Agent P!" Karl called.
(**)
Friday morning arrived. Perry went in to the shaft that led him through the underground tunnels that went throughout the entire city. The tunnel pulled him to the OWCA entrance, spitting him out so he went through the air and landed on his feet. He dusted his hat off, placing it back on his head. Karl was standing waiting for him. "Welcome back Agent P. You haven't been here since when you were an apprentice were you?"
Agent P nodded, looking around reminiscently. It felt like he had returned home after a long and tiresome journey. "Follow me, we'll take you to the Changing room."
Perry followed along closely. There weren't many agents about, most of them were ones he didn't recognize. He could have sworn thought that he caught sight of Agent T (tiger) slinking through the halls with a slight limp. RJ and Brown didn't seem to be around either. Chester was out of sight as well, probably off with his nemesis. In the back of his mind, Perry wondered how Doof was doing.
(**)
Heinz Doofenshmirtz walked with a deeper slouch than what was normal for him, like the world was weighed on his shoulders. In his hands he held a bouquet of flowers. Vanessa was at Charlene's for the weekend so he didn't have to worry about her coming over. And Perry was off doing something else, he didn't know what. Some secret agent stuff.
Doof reached the far end of the graveyard, kneeling down to the small stone that was there. It wasn't much, just a litlte one, barely three feet high. On it was an inscribed word, just a word. No birthday, and only a day of death.
Kid
June 1 2006
"Sorry I'm late," Doof said sadly, barely a smile on his face. "I've been wanting to come for a couple weeks but I've been juggling work with my nemesis and being with my daughter that I haven't been able to find the time until now to come and visit." He placed the flowers in the small place to put them. He allowed tears to drip down his face as his smile faltered. "You're happy though. You're with your mother, right?"
He sat in quiet solace for several more moments, small traces of tears shining on his cheeks. The scientists wiped them away, holding back a sniff. "I better be going then. I'll see you next year Kid."
With a heavy heart, Doof stood to his feet and walked back to DEI, not minding the cold rain that drizzled down on him.
(**)
Perry got to the same room that he had been in when his transformation happened. Strapped to the bed was a huge man, tall with muscles clearly visible. His hair was dark with a faint stubble growing along his jaw. He turned his brown eyes to Perry, silently studying him. The senior agent nodded to his soon-to-come-apprentice, his own eyes calculating as he sized up Terance.
He was tough, sturdy, that much was obvious. This was a man that knew how to fight, and he was trained well. His eyes glittered with the past of fighting war, looking like he had stared Death in the eyes before coming here.
Agent P could tell though, this one was prideful, which was something that an agent shouldn't have. There of course was innocent pride in doing one's duty as an agent correctly, but if you get too prideful, you'll fall, as the saying goes.
"Pride before the fall," Perry murmured silently.
As the nurses came in to take Terance's blood, Perry tugged on Karl's sleeve. "How much does he know about me?" he murmured to him.
"Only what he'll hear from the other agents, and that you're called Agent P, and you're a platypus."
Perry nodded. "What animal has he chosen?"
"Turtle," Karl informed. "Although it sounds a little weird-"
"It's okay," Perry said. "Not many people choose a platypus either. I think I can handle a turtle."
Karl smiled, "That's one of the exact reasons we thought you'd be able to do this job Agent P. I'm gonna go get the inator warmed up."
Perry didn't watch Karl leave as he jumped up to the stool beside the bed to stand next to his almost-apprentice. The man looked over at him. It was the first time he'd ever seen a blue platypus. "You're going to be my mentor?" His voice was rough and gravelly, but below the tough outside, there was a curious child-like person below.
Agent P nodded and tipped his hat to him.
"Never met a platypus before."
Perry shrugged. It didn't feel right talking to him as he was still human. It was weird enough talking to Karl and Monogram when he had to.
"Can you talk?"
Perry paused, then nodded.
"Why don't you?" he asked again.
So many questions. Chester must have felt the same way. I was probably worse, being younger and all. Perry held up his hand, his palm facing Terance, as if telling him to slow down. All will be explained after this, he said with his eyes.
Terance seemed to get the message. He nodded a little weakly and faced the inator as it fired up. Perry recognized a flicker of fear in the man. He thought he would keep silent about it but the man turned to Perry again, the fear more obvious now. "Does it hurt?" he whispered.
Agent P blinked. Finding his voice he answered, "Not really. You'll feel it, but it won't hurt."
The man, reassured by his mentor's words, nodded and faced the inator again, his eyes and jaw set with determination.
He's a fighter, Perry observed.
The platypus backed away a couple inches on the stool, shielding his eyes with his arms as the light illuminated the room. He heard a gasp from Terance as the ray hit him. Perry didn't have any time to reflect on it, for as fast as the light had come was as fast as it left.
Perry lowered his arm, staring at what was now before him.
A turtle, bright orange with a green looking shell lay on the bed where a full grown man had been. Perry stared at him, anticipation at this young trainee rising in his chest. It was strange though, he'd be teaching someone who was five years older than him how to be a secret agent.
The platypus reached over to Terance, who's eyes were open and scanning the area. The now-turtle looked at his hand, which was now orange and scaly. "Did it work?"
"Welcome to the OWCA, Terance," Perry said warmly. He smiled at Terance, who looked up at Perry almost in shock.
"You got bigger."
Perry laughed and patted his head. "Can you stand?"
The turtle shakily got to his hind feet, wobbling a little. "Yeah, yeah I'm okay." Right as he said this he staggered, falling to all fours. Perry helped him up. Terance placed a hand on Perry's shoulder for balance. Both looked to the doorway as Monogram and Karl walked in. "Looks like it was a success! How do you feel Terance?"
"Fine," the turtle answered. "Healthy as a horse."
"Good. It seems it went perfectly. When do you think you can begin training?"
"I'm ready when you are," the turtle responded.
"Well that's not up to me. Agent P here is going to be your mentor. He'll teach you everything there is to know about being an agent of the OWCA."
Terance looked over to Perry, a shocked but pleased expression on his face. "Okay." Perry gave him an encouraging smile. "Can we start now?" he questioned.
"Are you up for it?" he responded.
"Of course!"
"Then we'll begin." Perry removed his arm from Tearance, jumping down on to the ground, landing on all fours. "Come on down," he said.
Terance peered down from the bed. It was more than double his height now. But the young agent didn't show any fear as he leaped down, landing on his back feet. "Okay, let's go."
"Not yet. Get on all four feet."
"Why?"
"Because you're a turtle. How many turtles do you see that walk on their back feet?"
Grudgingly, Terance got down to his front feet as well. He walked up to Perry. "But all the other agents I've seen here walk on their back feet."
"That's only because they're here, and they're graduated agents. You need practice to walk on your back feet to prepare you when you have to go out in public. If you're staggering around everywhere on your four paws, the humans will think something is wrong with you. Now lets go."
The bright orange turtle began walking with his mentor. The platypus kept glancing at him to see how he was doing, which became apparent that Terance could adapt quickly. He kept his balance and a steady pace alongside Perry. The agent smiled at him. "See it's easy isn't it?"
Terance bounded a little faster so he was right next to Perry. "So how long have you been an agent?"
Perry thought back, "Oh, about five years now this summer."
"Wow. Who was your mentor?"
"Agent C. He was a cat. Taught me almost everything I know."
"Almost everything?" the curious turtle questioned.
"Half of what you learn as an agent is what I, your teacher will teach you. The other half is from experience and intuition. It all matters on who your nemesis will be and how you will learn to respond to them. My job is to teach you how to fight and how to survive. The rest is pretty much on your own."
"But I already know how to fight," Terance complained. "And I know how to fight. I don't need training."
"Oh really?" Perry said in amusement. "So do you think you could beat me?"
"Yeah! I could totally take you down right now!"
"Is that so?" The agent said, smirking. He stopped where he walked, turning to the turtle. He had led him to the outdoors where a large space was reserved for fighting. The grass was soft and perfect for this. "Then come at me. Right now." He angled his upper body down, and mischievous glint in his eyes.
Terance paused, looking at his mentor who was in an attacking pose, more of a taunt really. "Here?"
"Here."
"Now?"
"Now."
The ginger turtle blinked, shocked. At last he narrowed his eyes in determination when Perry growled at him, goading him on.
Perry remembered what it was like as a new species, without even a day's experience of getting used to new instincts that were wired through your body. He knew how Terance would react instantly to Perry's growl, a sign of aggression, a challenge.
And although the turtle didn't know it, he was completely weakened to his new instincts.
The turtle threw himself upon Perry, slashing out with his claws and going back to his hind feet. Perry sidestepped him, almost lazily and gave him a taunting slap with his tail. Terance jumped away. Perry watched, knowing that the instinct for the turtle to curl up in his protective shell was taking effect. But in every animal there was a fighting spirit that was ready and willing to defend themselves no matter what.
Terance jumped at Perry, who again merely stepped to the side, slapping him even harder with his tail. "Don't fight your instincts," the platypus hissed at his apprentice. "Let them flow. Use them to help you fight your opponent. Blindly rushing in never works."
The turtle faced his mentor, breathing heavily. A little growl curled past his lips. Perry made a few baby steps to the side, blue fur bristling and claws sheathed. The monotreme growled in return, brown eyes glistening fiercely. Terance's eyes flicked over his mentor, calculating. He got on to his front as well as his four paws. Perry felt a flicker of pride as Terance began to circle the platypus, who followed his movements carefully.
Terance growled, lowering his head as well. A smirk flicked on Perry's bill as the turtle jumped at Perry, but right as the platypus was about to step past him, the turtle switched direction and collided in to Perry's side, pushing him down to the ground.
"Got him!" the turtle thought in success as his so called 'mentor' was pushed to the ground.
"As if," the senior agent thought as he was pushed to the ground. He jumped away to the side so the turtle skid away on the smooth green grass. Not wasting a moment Perry jumped on him so Terance was on his back. He put his paw on the turtle's neck, a dark glint in his eyes. With the most careful pressure, Perry unsheathed his claws ever so slightly so they pricked Terance's reptilian skin. The turtle backed his head away, trying to avoid the claws that threatened to kill him.
"First lesson," Perry growled, bringing his head a little closer, "never pick a fight you don't know that you'll win."
Perry found that he wasn't surprised when a flicker of respect lit in the turtle's eyes.
Perry backed away, letting the turtle rise to his feet. He stood on his two feet, dusting himself off. "Sorry," the turtle apologized.
"No problem." Perry stood up, dusting himself off as well. He reached over and pushed Terance down to his four feet again. Perry smirked at him, patting his head. "You have a lot to learn my young apprentice."
"Whatever you say Obi-Wan."
hey guys! :D guess what? I'm not dead! :D XD
tomorrow (thursday) marks the last day of semester tests. And all I have is gym, so, i'm going to be at school for less than an hour and half, then I'm leaving. Then after that im leaving for a student leader winter retreat and I wont come back till saturday, so i'll upload the next chapter then, cuz im not bringing my computer with me. Thanks for waiting for me! :D
I guess im going through a star wars lapse. . . . which is good cuz the first movie is coming to 3D in a month-ish. :3 give me comments on that. Is anyone gonna go see it?