Chapter 26: Clueless Fathers and Planets of Smiles

Heinz Doofenshmirtz sat curled in the command chair of the Conqueror-inator 2, trying to understand the basic functions of the ship. "Vannie…how do you?" He would begin, and she'd interrupt him with a sigh.

She would flip various levers, and switches then press several buttons. "There, Dad." She would say as she cracked her back.

"And what about…?" He would begin again, and she would roll her eyes.

"Just use the auto-Norm." When he only gave her a blank look, she pointed to a button on the far wall. "You see that giant red button?" He moved to press it, and she told him, "Don't press it." He dropped his hand and pouted like a scolded child. "You see that other giant red button?" She pointed to the opposite wall, equidistant from his chair. He moved to press the other one and she said, "Don't press it either." He gave her another pouting glare, and she sighed again. "Just press the gnome-shaped button on the console, Dad. That'll start the auto-Norm. Then you can be fully dependent on him like you always are. I know the last four birthdays and Christmases have been filled with gifts Norm found." Crossing her arms, she pressed the button on the wall to call for the elevator. "I'm going home to Mom." She declared as he pressed the button as she'd instructed. "Oh, and Dad?" She called over her shoulder to him, "I'm taking the last escape pod."

"Oh, that's alright." He waved her statement away, "There's a hidden one in the wall I build for Perry the Platypus." He smiled as the auto-Norm booted up. "Just because he's my nemesis doesn't mean I want him to die."

Rolling her eyes again, she let out a sigh. "Whatever, Dad. Just, whatever you do, don't press either of the two buttons, especially at the same time. And try not to get yourself blown up again." Then she slipped into the elevator and was gone.

As soon as Doof was sure that his daughter was gone, he managed, with some stretching, to press both buttons at the same time. The whole ship shook violently, and a proximity alarm started to sound. Shrugging, he moved out of orbit as the auto-Norm avoided it. Closing his eyes, he let himself relax, knowing that he'd find his nemesis soon.

Back aboard the vessel Freedom, Ferb gazed out the mess hall's large window, watching as the escape pod shot out of the Conqueror-inator 2, sighing as it slowly disappeared from sight.

Phineas placed a hand on his arm. "I'm sure you'll see her again, Ferb."

Isabella nodded and gave him a quick hug. "You certainly run into her often enough. Maybe next time you'll have a chance."

Phineas smiled at her and she wrapped her arms around the redhead as she returned his smile.

Ferb nodded quietly in agreement and, turning away from the window, gave each of them a small smile. "Thank you."

Isabella shrugged, still smiling bright. "No problem, Ferb. That's what friends are for."

"Friends? I've been programmed to trap you and your friends." A rude, mechanical voice declared. "Oh, it's you again. Finally come to visit me, have you? Well, it's a little late to mend this friendship, now isn't it?" The voice sniffed.

Ferb turned back to the window, where, at the speed they were travelling, they found the tower, cruising right along with them. "Oh, hello, Tower." He looked at Phineas and Isabella. "I wondered when this day would come. We've reached the edge of the galaxy."

"Yes, I suppose you have." The tower sneered, "You've also reached the end of your leash. You're trapped, and I suppose you'll just have to live with that, won't you."

Nova frowned. "I remember running into this guy on the way here. How do you know him?"

Odyssey nodded. "I too required access through the force field this individual has. What, by chance, is your relation with the rude defense tower that has a complex and mildly flawed design?"

Phineas let out a small sigh. "Ferb and I built it five, almost six, years ago. It wasn't designed to be a defense tower initially, but I suppose it fits now. Originally, it was supposed to be the ultimate escape tower, like Harry Houdini. Unfortunately, the day we tried it, it went a little crazy and started acting…rude all of a sudden."

"Because they had programmed it to trap them and their friends," Isabella started, "It encompassed the entire galaxy."

"It's a good thing Meap the alien is our friend," Ferb reasoned, "or we'd have been stuck on Earth this whole time."

"Thankfully, that cargo ship can't travel through the barrier." Phineas pointed out, "We don't have any way to get through."

"Putting aside the fact that no, both Odyssey and I have the ability to get through the barrier," Nova glanced over at the winged equine, "I doubt the cargo ship is travelling beyond it anyway."

Odyssey glanced back at the unicorn, an ineffable expression on his face. "Nova is correct. The location we are heading for is not beyond the barrier. If I'm not mistaken," He nodded in direction of the window, "it is directly before us."

"That is a lot of water." Baljeet said quietly as they all gazed out at the large, spherical planet entirely covered in water, breaking the silence.

Ferb pressed the button for the intercom. "Candace, does the computer have any records of this planet?"

As Candace replied, they all watched as the cargo ship began to draw in closer to the planet's surface. "Owned by Traveler's Paradise, the planet has recently become a home-away-from-home for many who decided to venture off-world. Considering the original name is unpronounceable to the human tongue, it is more commonly known to humans as—"

"The Planet of Smiles!" Isabella interrupted excitedly. "Or, the Smiley Face Planet, as I like to call it." She pulled out a book, the smile on her face seemingly hiding something. "Coined because of the two large islands on both sides and the small peppering of islands to the south, the Planet of Smiles is known for its rich, relaxing atmosphere. Travel between the larger islands occur hourly, and housing is made readily and affordable for the average middle-class citizen of first-world countries." She shut the book with a happy sigh, seemingly trying to hide something, as everyone gaped at her. "S-sorry, Captain. I guess I got a little excited there."

The orange-haired captain chuckled over the intercom. "It's no problem, Isabella. I guess you know more about it than the computer does, that's all."

"Isabella, how do you know so much about it?" Phineas asked, surprised.

"N-newest Fireside Girl handbook, o-of course." She said, her voice wavering slightly, "Th-the new version has an entire ch-chapter on it." Then she put the book away.

"What are the small islands used for?" Nova asked her.

"Oh, Traveler's Paradise left them to the original inhabitants of the planet, the aliens who named it and their descendants who still live there."

"That is the direction we ought to head in then." Odyssey reasoned. "Less crowded, and I doubt any alien creature would be allowed on Traveler's Paradise property."

"Candace, did you get that?" Ferb asked her.

"Affirmative." She responded. Over the intercom, the orange-haired captain could be heard rather faintly calling out, "Gretchen, set a course for—!"

The proximity alarm blared loudly through the intercom, causing a stereo effect as the rest of the ship soon followed.

"Candace, what's happening?!" Ferb exclaimed over the ear-splitting wail of the alarm.

"The sensors didn't pick up the asteroid before it was too late!" She called back, "It was pulled out of orbit by the rocking of a large ship! Brace yourself for impact, we're going down!"

Only seconds after her warning, they were all shoved to the floor of the ship as the two masses collided. Seconds after that, the supposedly fixed piece of space junk began falling rapidly. Its destination: the planet itself.