Meanwhile in the bathroom, Vanessa comes out of the shower, wrapping the towel around her and opening a cabinet to find her hairdryer missing. She blinked for a moment and looked in a couple of other cabinets. Some of the drawers. Nothing. Nothing that she needed at least.
"Hey! Where's my hairdryer?", she asked to no one.
Back in the lab, Phineas waved a fan back and forth over the mirror as Heinz used the hairdryer in the same manner.
"NOW we're picking up the pace!", Dr. Doof smiled.
"Yeah. Too bad we couldn't do this faster since you installed that self-destruct button on the pyrokinetic suite.", Phineas noted raising an eyebrow with a bit of a glare towards the doctor.
"Look! It's a habit!", Doof said defensively. "I don't mean to!"
Phineas paused for a moment, turning the fan off. He sat the fan down and picked up a yellow glove and placed it over his hand. He pointed at Heinz and a bolt of lightning flew from his fingertip around to zap Doof in the rear, causing him to jump and yelp in pain. Phineas tossed the glove aside again.
"That's for not taking my advice.", Phineas smirked, resuming his attention to the mirror. "I think it should be done now."
"You sure?", Heinz asked, rubbing where he got zapped.
"Yeah."
They turned off the fan and dryer and lifted the mirror up. It wasn't a very big full-length mirror but it was too big for Phineas to really help hang up so Heinz did so while Phineas directed to make sure it was straight.
"A.. A little to the left. No right!", Phineas said, trying to see it straight. "A. A bit of a tilt.. There! Right there!"
"Sheesh, are you helping me with projects or are you moving in with me?", Heinz half-joked. "You sound like Charlene."
Phineas chuckled and gestured for him to come over, "Well tell me whatcha think."
Heinz walked over to look at himself and then paused and cocked his head to the side a bit. He seemed a bit confused as he took a step forward and looked carefully.
"...I'm thinking that it's not working right.", Heinz simply.
"Why?"
"Well I'm seeing a suave, dark-colored, red-eyed, evil, somewhat handsome sorta guy being ruler of LOVEMUFFIN- The League Of Villainous Evildoers Maniacally United For Frightening Investments in Naughtiness.", Heinz said, almost laughing. "There's no way that's me!"
"Well it's supposed to be how you view yourself, right?", Phineas said with a small shrug.
"Oh yeah..", Doof noted with a nod. "Kinda forgot... Darn I look good!"
Phineas laughed a bit, "Well I'm glad for you then!"
"What do you see in yourself then? This oughta be interesting.", Heinz finally said, looking down at Phineas as he looked at himself.
In Phineas' line of vision, he saw something like Ohio Flynn with plenty of cool, helpful gadgets, going on crazy, fun, adventures with Isabella by his side. Phineas kinda smiled a bit, liking the thought plenty well and finding it being rather accurate, Phineas describe it to Heinz, leaving the part of Isabella out.
"Really? Well that'd make sense. Suits you just fine.", he chuckled. "Funny, when I see you in the mirror.. I actually... Well to be perfectly frank, I see a clowny Carebare."
"A what?", Phineas said, almost shocked, but still smiling.
"Well that's what I see! You're so perky and happy all the time! It's not really a wonder!", he laughed.
Phineas also laughed and then smirked, "Well it sounds better than what I see when I look at you in the mirror."
"What do you see?", he asked.
Phineas' smile quickly faded as he looked at the mirror, "...Honestly? ...I see you.. But very small. You're wearing all white. Kinda palish on the skin. And all alone in a black room."
"...Really?"
"Yeah... Kinda... Kinda curled up. Like the rest of the world's crashing down on you and you're left with nothing.", Phineas said.
After a moment of staring, Phineas felt he had to turn his head away. Lest he'd be left feeling as depressing as the picture seemed. Heinz sighed a bit, thinking it over. Odd how a kid would see him as that but after what's been expressed today, should there really be any surprise? He walked over to a table he had been working at and soon came back, placing a cloak over the mirror to hide the images. No one was wiser about what had Perry seen and what he had seen was very different from either one. With Doofenshmirtz, Perry had viewed him as something like the class geek. Dorky clothes. Dorky acne. Just no thick glasses or curly hair. Braces, yes. Very small, and very feeble. With Phineas, it was like seeing a small and American, Albert Einstien.. Minus the crazy hair. Obviously smart, but Phineas' features also showed a great deal of care and goodness. Something Perry wished wasn't exactly covered by a tarp. Ah well. It was his thoughts at least. He had that much.
"...Y'know, I think I'm gonna go see if that coffee's done brewing.", Heinz said after a moment of awkward silence.
He walked out and Phineas finally cleared his mind and looked back at the mirror. He took off the tarp and smiled again at what he saw. Doofenshmirtz came back into the room with a cup and a smile.
"I think it's gonna be the one.", he said. "It smells real good."
"Mm.. I'll say...", Phineas smiled, his nose, catching his attention.
The coffee smelled so rich and good. Almost already throwing the two into a small coffee shop with the live jazz bands and the free poetry, that's often thought of along side a good cup. Heinz gave a small sigh before finally taking a test sip. He allowed the taste to settle into his mouth before swallowing. He made no expression at first. Then his eyebrows furrowed together. His lips pursed as if he was thinking of spewing it back out. He looked down at the cup, as if he had drank sewer water and then looked at Phineas, pulling the cup closer.
"Trust me kid.. You don't wanna drink this..", Doofenshmirtz said. "It's.. It's REALLY bad. Very bitter. Not.. not at ALL what you'd want.."
"Oh.. Really?", Phineas asked, feeling discouraged.
"Oh yeah. Really sure about it.", he nodded. "In fact, I think you should just let me have the pot. I'll take care of it. I'll make sure it's disposed of."
Phineas blinked for a moment when he finally caught on.
"Wha-? Hey wait a minute! You're lying about it!", Phineas exclaimed. "I wanna cup!"
"Oh no way, boy! This is mine!", Heinz smiled, holding up the cup out of reach as Phineas attempted to grab it.
"Come on! I wanna try!", Phineas whined, trying to reach.
"Nuh-huh! It's WAY too good for you!", he laughed.
Phineas laughed as well and then headed for the kitchen and poured his own cup. He took a sip and gave a big sigh as he melted into it's good, rich flavor. It tasted even better than it smelled and it was as simple as that. Unfortunately such a good moment was soon ruined by Vanessa walking in, hair still dripping wet, clothed, and scowling.
"Dad! Did you take my hairdryer?", Vanessa asked, obviously pissed off.
"Uh...", Doofenshmirtz began slowly, knowing the trouble he was in.
"Dad, you know that was my special hairdryer from Tokyo!", Vanessa complained. "And right while I was taking a shower?"
"But Vanessa! First of all, be glad that I AM your father instead of Phineas or Norm going in and getting it. And secondly, Phineas and I had to use it to dry the mirror faster! Look look! Tell me what you see!", he said quickly, guiding her over to it. "Look! Look! See? It's a mental mirror! It shows how you see yourself and others."
Vanessa glanced over at the mirror but soon her attention was caught in it. She stared curiously at the reflection, moving her arm up to make sure it was real.
"...Yeah, you see? It's weird, isn't it?", Doof continued.
"Whatcha seeing?", Phineas asked.
"...I'm seeing me..", Vanessa simply said. "Except I'm in a prison..."
Heinz's eyes widened, hearing this.
"Prison?", he repeated.
"Sorta... Black and white room. Ball and chain on my ankle.", Vanessa sighed. "If this mirror's supposed to show how I see myself... That's pretty accurate."
"Wait... You see yourself as...trapped?", Phineas asked.
"On a number of occasions, yeah.", Vanessa shrugged. "But it's life. I guess I'm used to it. At least I'm not some old ugly hag."
"Mm.. I guess that's true.", Phineas said before handing the hairdryer back. "Here. You can have it back. Sorry we took it without permission."
"Thanks Phineas.", Vanessa nodded before turning to her dad. "By the way, Dad. Did you see Uncle Roger at the competition earlier? I forgot to ask when you got back."
Heinz sighed a bit, obviously irked by the question as did his answer clearly show, "Yes. Yes I did. Not much said. But I did see him."
"Kay was just wondering. I thought I heard he was sick today.", Vanessa shrugged before walking out.
'Yeah when isn't he sick?', Doof thought bitterly to himself.
After Vanessa had left, Phineas took another swig of the coffee before noticing Heinz's disposition.
"...Dr. D? You okay?", he asked.
"Oh yeah. Fine. Peachy keen.", Doofenshmirtz said sarcastically before going back to the notebook he was writing in earlier and looking back through the list. "Why should I be upset?"
"...Well why are you then?", Phineas asked. "Mayor Roger?"
Doofenshmirtz remained silent for a moment. His mind was churning. He looked at the list. At the accomplishments they had gained. Finally an idea settled on his mind. He only wondered if he could pull it off with Phineas being young, impressionable, and smart. Vanessa on his heels. His nemesis prowling around somewhere. And his knowledge and hatred of his brother being the subject of conversation.
"...Yeah.. Yeah Roger's really annoying.", he finally said. "...In fact Phineas.. Now that he's on the mind... What if we uh... What if we built a machine that could... Well have you ever had someone who's annoyed you and you really wished that they understood just how much it annoyed you?"
"Uhm... Not really...", Phineas shrugged. "Maybe once, but I can't really think of a situation right now."
"Well.. What if we made a machine that could.. It helped people understand how much they annoyed you. Make them actually FEEL that kinda... pain they bring on you.", Heinz said, trying to piece his words together right, slightly catching Perry's attention.
"You mean like...empathy?", Phineas asked, clueless to the plot and curious to see if he's hearing right.
"You could put it like that.", the older shrugged.
"So.. You wanna build a machine.. that makes Roger feel how much he's annoyed you in the past?", Phineas asked.
"Yyyyyeeees.", Heinz said slowly, making sure it was all on the fine lines that he could form to his advantage. "Yes. That's completely it! I'm so glad you could relate to me!"
"...Well.. Well I suppose we could do something like that... But how could we hit Roger so he'd understand?", Phineas asked.
"Leave that to me.", Doof smiled a bit. "In fact, I'll handle most of the design. Got a great plan for it. Just follow my lead.. Kay?"
Phineas nodded, buying it all without a doubt. Perry began to piece one and one together and soon saw what was coming, but only hoped he was wrong. He tried to reassure himself that there wasn't anyway that Doofenshmirtz would go that far. Nor would he try to push a kid like Phineas there. He's too simple-minded. It'd never happen.
'...right?', he asked himself, doubtfully.
I don't know if I'm being too obvious about the plot line from here on out, but I hope everyone still enjoys the story. Thank you so much for the reviews and the faves and whatnot. n_n-d