Chapter 5

Doofenshmirtz relentlessly chatted with Perry, who was driving his hovercraft. The semi-aquatic mammal had picked up the evil scientist from prison and they were currently heading over to city hall. Unfortunately for the platypus, the man hasn't stopped talking, going on about how he should joining him in the dark side, to which Perry has kept ignoring. Since the prison was quite far from any civilization, they had a few hours until they reached their destination. 'Only 13 hours left' his mind repeated.

He threw the man a look, having grown tired of his rambling, and decided to fill in on the evil scientist. He chattered, getting the attention of the man. He pressed a button on his small device and showed a photo of his red-headed owner.

"Oh, I know him," Dr. D recognized. "Good kid. Smart too."

Perry chattered, yanking the phone and pulling up another thing, then gave it back to the scientist. It was a wanted poster, the picture of Phineas on the front. Doof's eyes immediately widened.

"I didn't know he was a criminal!" He exclaimed. Perry shook his head and pointed at the man. "My fault?! How could it be-" Something must have clicked. "Oh! That time we were using illegal chemicals! The police must have identified him."

Perry nodded.

"Is that why you picked me up from prison? You want me to help you clear his name?" Doofenshmirtz guessed. Perry nodded and chattered. "Sure, but why do you? Do you know him?"

Perry didn't respond, but Heinz got the hint. He nodded, confirming his own theory, and remained quiet. That was until a few more thoughts popped into his mind. Though the most concerning one was how the boy was taking it.

"Ah, that's much better," Phineas grinned, wiggling all four of his fingers. He then turned to his brother, who was lightly stomping his feet. "How about you, Ferb?"

He stopped, looked up, then gave him a thumbs up with a small smile. The redhead turned to his friends and sister, who were also smiling seeing the boys back to their normal selves.

"Thanks, guys, we are grateful for your help," he smiled. "Especially me."

"No problem, Dinnerbell," Buford waved off. "Now, what do we do?"

"I could ask Vanessa if she knows a way we could get into the Mayor's office to convince him you're not a criminal," Candace offered.

"Oh! And we could create some super spy clocking devices so you stay out of trouble and have fun at the same time!" Isabella suggested next. Phineas shared a glance with his brother, quietly seeing the group unravel useless ideas.

He has to admit that they were good, but he needed something that might get him out of his pickle, though he doubts it. Especially with the ideas that they were suggesting. However, the redhead grows anxious as he remembered that their parents were going to be home the next day. He knows for sure that he wouldn't be able to live with himself if they knew.

"...Phineas?" The boy snapped back into reality when Baljeet waved his hand in front of his face.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" He apologized.

"We have a few ideas that might help you for a couple of days-" Phineas cut the Indian boy off with the fakest grin he could pull off.

"Actually, we won't need any more plans," he announced, getting bewildered looks from his friends and siblings. "Vanessa actually called me earlier to tell me that Dr. D just got out of jail and has been convincing the Mayor that everything is okay and to get me off of Danville's most wanted list. So, everything is cool."

Phineas slowly laughed as he intensely scratched his ear, being eyed by everyone there. Buford then Baljeet seemed to fall for it and left for home since it was noon already. Isabella questioned her beloved but trusted him, so she left too.

All that was left were the Flynn-Fletcher siblings. Candace crossed her arms and glared at her brother while the Brit narrowed his eyes at the boy. Phineas was so nervous that he began sweating a bit and even dug a small hole in the ground with his shoe.

"The Mayor hasn't been talking to his brother to getting you off of that list, has he?" The teenager finally spoke. Phineas gulped under her unbreaking stare.

"...No," he cringed.

"You, Phineas Flynn, are a horrible liar," Candace frowned, making him shake in fear a bit. He has never been so nervous are his older siblings before. It was like he was being interrogated by the two most top-notch detectives in all of Danville. "But I want you two to go to city hall yourselves and convince him."

"But I'll get arrested on the spot," Phineas pointed out.

"That's why you'll call Vanessa, she'll be able to get you in but you'll have to work your way to him," she answered. "I'll be here until mom and dad come home and keep them distracted until you come back without APB on your back."

They both nodded, mocked a salute, then grabbed their skateboards to ride off to the town hall. Ferb texted Vanessa on his phone to meet them there and she had agreed to help. The Brit narrowed his eyes once again when his attention landed on the focused redhead so he sped up his skating and smacked his brother's arm.

"Ow! What was that for?" Phineas yelped, rubbing his arm a bit.

"For lying," Ferb simply said.

"Well, what could I have done?" Phineas sighed, reverting his attention back to the sidewalk. "This is my problem to do deal with and isn't it breaking the law if you help a criminal avoiding jail? They'll just get into trouble. I honestly don't know why you or Candace are helping me."

"We are your family," Ferb stared at him for a second. "We don't care about the consequences. What matters is your safety."

Phineas smiled a bit.

"... You wouldn't know what to do if we weren't helping anyway," Ferb added with a smile of his own. He chuckled lightly as he watched Phineas' jaw drop to the floor so he sped away.

"I would totally know my plan!" He exclaimed. He laughed when he heard his brother yell a "no you wouldn't" back at him. Noticing his brother going faster, the boy realized that it was now a race to city hall, so he started kicking the ground for the extra speed. Just as he was beside him, he smirked at a surprised Brit. "See you at city hall, slowpoke Flecther!"

Ferb faked an offended gasp then quickly followed. Soon enough, they arrived at their destination with a tie. They look over when a familiar goth appeared next to them. Ferb quickly shakes his head before he starts to go into his romantic fantasy.

"Hey guys," she greeted.

"Hey Vanessa," Phineas replied as Ferb waved a bit. "So, how are we getting in?"

"Easy." She gestured her hand and guided the two boys into the city hall with no worries. She stood there and looked around, seeing nothing that might stop them. They continued down the halls and climbed multiple floors until they reached the door that led to the Mayor's office. "There you go."

"Well that was, uh," Phineas raised his eyebrows.

"Easy," Ferb finished.

She shrugged. "No one usually guards this place. Well, I have to go. Good luck, Phineas," she smiled. "Later, Ferb." Vanessa ruffled his green hair before walking out. Unfortunately, her action made the Brit go into his wonderland.

"Ferb?" Phineas waved his hand in front of his brother's face, seeing that he wasn't paying attention. It must have snapped him out of it because he was rapidly blinking his eyes to focus. "Ready?"

Ferb gave a thumbs up. They simultaneously opened the doors to reveal Dr. Doofenshmirtz talking to Mayor Doofenshmirtz. The two adults turned to the two awkward kids.

"Kid?" Heinz raised his eyebrows.

"Dr. D? I thought you went to jail," Phineas commented.

"Well, I was, but my nemesis broke me out," he answered. "Or rather, picked me up."

"So, what are you doing here?" The two kids proceeded to the table but if they had noticed, a panicked teal platypus was hiding behind a potted plant not too far from them. Doof gestured to the man a bit.

"Well, I'm here convincing my brother to let you off the hook because you didn't have anything to do with the illegal chemicals since you were only working on the frame," he lied. The jobs were actually the other way around but Roger Doofenshmirtz didn't need to know that.

"So…," Phineas trailed off, looking at the Mayor. Roger was quietly looking at the boys, switching his attention between the two. "Mayor, I really want to apologize for what we have done. I knew what was the consequences of using the chemicals but I decided to use it anyways," the boys told the truth, receiving subtle head shakes from his brother, the doctor, and pet platypus. "I wanted to make a special gift for my friends but I guess the surprise was on me, I guess."

The Mayor hummed in thought before slapping his desk as he stood up. "Well, Phineas, it's okay and you are forgiven!" He exclaimed.

Everyone stared at the man with wide eyes.

"That's it? I mean, thanks, but, really?" Phineas questioned.

"Of course," Roger nodded, walking around his desk to look at the boy. "You didn't do anything wrong. They are just regular chemicals, nothing illegal about them. It's just a title we put so no one blows up anything then that'll cost a pretty penny."

"But what about the police?" Heinz raised an eyebrow. The Mayor made a face and waved his hand a bit.

"They go after anyone who 'breaks the law'. It's just so they have something entertaining to do since there isn't much crime happening around Danville."

"So, you're saying that I was never really a criminal and the chemicals were never illegal but that didn't stop the police to come after me?" Phineas spoke slowly, his eyebrows knitted together.

"Yes, and I could tell you that when the police found about what you did, they couldn't have waited to throw you in jail so you learned a lesson!" He laughed.

Phineas took a deep breath. Heinz glared at his brother's antics. Ferb's eyes were the widest they had ever been. And Perry had recorded everything and sent it to Major Monogram.

"So, now that's over, get out of my office," Roger said happily before pressing a button that opened a trap door that sent everyone down a tube and land outside.

"You could have at least put a throw pillow down here!" Heinz shouted, landing at the bottom as the two boys collapsed on him. A second later, a platypus slid down without a fedora and landed on them all.

"Oh, there you are Perry," Phineas smiled, grabbing the semi-aquatic mammal as he and his brother got off of the man, who stood up as well. Phineas sighed, looking at the city hall. "Well, I guess it's over."

"This is why I should be Mayor and not Roger!" The evil scientist cried out to the windows. He sighed and looked back at the kids. "Well, I have to get home and check how Vanessa and Norm are doing."

"Okay." Phineas smiled. "And thanks for helping me out, it means a lot."

"We'll call it even for all the times from helping me out," Dr. D smiled and started walking off. "See ya, kids!"

"Bye!" Phineas then turned to his quiet brother.

"Let's go home," Ferb smiled. Phineas didn't need to respond to agree. They both grabbed their skateboards and rode off to the suburbs in peace.

The End