I'll be gone this whole week (22-29) so I'm going to update now. (Do I even have a schedule anymore?) I hope you all like this. And guess what! It's longer!

(also, I think this might be one of the last few chapters)

Perry POV

"I'll just have to take it from you."

My blood froze. I knew Zane better than anyone. After all, we truly had been best friends. (Emphasis on had.) I knew what he meant. It wouldn't be pretty.

I remember our conversations. Most of them revolved around humans, but that was normal. Every animal talked about being human. They get all the perks, they get to own us, they think they're smarter than us, they get all this stuff that we can't. Many animals hate humans. I did at first; I wouldn't be an orphan if it hadn't been for the humans. Zane had always talked about, since he knew he couldn't become one, how he'd rather overpower them.

All of them; not just the bad guys.

He was only a fish (a zebra fish), but even back then I knew he'd find a way to do it. He was just that smart and that motivated. He'd always tell me, "We fish have no real purpose outside of the ocean. Humans keep us as pets and the only time we'd be of any real use to the agency would be underwater. Of course, they never expect us to stay in the water, where we belong. Major Monogram wants us to come back. Back to where we don't belong."

I'd shared his beliefs too, just not as extreme as he did. I'd fantasized about taking over the world, making it so the animals were equal to the humans. We'd get along, all of us, and the world would be, well, better.

Zane didn't want that though. He'd rather have the roles be revered. The humans be the incompetent pets while the animals ruled the world. Zane even admitted to me that when (he never used if) he finally accomplished his goal, he'd drown the world with water; not an inch of air left. I tried to make him see reason to that particular aspect. If he covered everything with water, how would the non-aquatic animals survive? Even though I can swim in water, I need land too. Zane, of course, wouldn't listen. It became so bad, this obsession of his, that he was evicted from the agency.

"Only bad guys obsess with taking over the world," Major Monogram had said. "You guys are here to stop that. To keep the natural order of things."

Until I got a family of my own, I never understood what he was talking about. Then I become a member of the Flynn-Fletchers. They showed me… Love. I felt love with them. All of them, even Candace, sometimes, cared about me. I began to realize that humans don't mistreat their pets as often as Zane claimed. Even the government sometimes uses animals for their operations. Mainly dogs, but I've heard they've used birds and even dolphins before. Just because the humans didn't realize that each and every one of us had potential doesn't mean we shouldn't use it anyway. "And that," Major Monogram told me, "Is why the AWACA was formed. To assist the government without them even knowing."

Soon, I forgot about Zane and all his crazy ideas. I realized how foolish they were. Humans were meant to be in charge while we were meant to be in the background, helping them and returning the love they've sent to us.

Looking back, I remember the first time an agent disappeared. Zabrina the Zebrule. We'd looked for her, but it wasn't the first time an agent just went AWOL. A few months later, two more agents left. Over the course of my years at the agency, many animals had disappeared – more than the usual amount, or so I'm told. I can't believe no one ever realized they all began with 'Z's – or at least, most of them did.

Not all the animals here were former agents though; there's too many. Some of them must've been wild animals that Zane just picked up.

I wonder if any of them realize Zane's actual plan. He must've told them that he was going to "right the wrongs for them" or something. Z isn't very popular letter. Not many names or animals begin with Z.

But I know his true purpose. Zane plans on ruling the world, and I know he'd rather kill himself than consider allowing the humans to live peacefully. No, they'd become slaves in Zane's new world. I can't let that happen.

"You're taking nothing away from me," I said firmly.

Zane laughed, a manacle sound coming from his tiny fish body. "Perhaps I'll just take your breath away then."

I tilted my head in confusion. "What?"

Then the greenish-yellow gas filled the room. Zane rolled away on his computerized chair laughing while the rest of us began choking. My brain had time to register So this is what he meant before my lungs couldn't take it anymore. I didn't even feel myself crumbling to the ground; I'd already passed out.

x~X~x

I woke up to my head being cradled in Vanessa's lap. I had a pounding headache, but I sat up any way. Everyone else appeared to be awake.

"What happened?" I asked.

"We're not sure," Vanessa admitted. "After that gas, we all just kind passed out and woke up here."

"Where are we?"

"Where are we?" Candace parroted. "Oh, it's no big deal really. Just in a non-active volcano, tapped in a cage, suspended fifty feet in the air, above water than has killer mechanical sharks, and the only way to get out would be to jump in to that ledge and fight past those creepy body guards and then do God know what else!" She sat down and began to cry. "I'm never going to see Jeremy again!"

I blinked, not quite sure how to take that in. Apparently no one did. We all sat (or stood in Phineas and Isabella's case) in utter silence save for Candace's lamenting. Finally, Ferb scotched closer to his sister and began rubbing soothing circles on her back. I'm not sure how long we stayed there, but after what seemed like forever, Isabella perked up.

"Wait!" she said, sounding way too cheerful for someone in our situation. "We've got this, remember?" She held out a bag. I had no idea where it came from nor what was in it, but apparently Phineas did.

"Oh my gosh!" he exclaimed. "How could we forget about that?"

"What is it?" I asked.

He opened the bag and showed me its contents.

"Oh," I said, then something in my head clicked. "Oh!"

x~X~x

Soon, every one of us was wearing ninja suits, chewing gum that kept us invisible, and walking over a rope made of licorice.

How on earth did I forget about those items Phineas and Ferb had collected? We brought them just in case something like this happened!

We snuck past the guards and continued sneaking until we reached a safe corridor. (At least, we assumed it was safe.)

"Now what?" Candace hissed.

Once again, they all turned to me. This time, I already had a plan.

"You find out a way to get out of here and back to the real world while I find Zane and stop him."

"I'm coming with you," Vanessa said immediately. I smiled, knowing that she was going to say that.

"I'm coming too," Phineas piped up, which was actually surprising. I thought he'd want to stay with Isabella. At my slightly shocked and confused look, he said, "You're going to need all the help you can get."

I hesitated. When I said stop Zane I actually meant I was going to out-and-out kill him. There is no way I'm letting Zane live with that crazy plan still in his head. It's better for everybody if he was stopped permanently.

"I don't know," I began, but then Phineas showed me his wrist, with the bracelet on it. I knew he wasn't going to take no for an answer, and if he remembered (even if it wasn't everything) the horrors of that non-existent future, than he might as well come.

"Okay," I nodded. "Let's go."

x~X~x

The ninja suites were amazing. Even as an agent, I'd never felt this flexible and stealthy. I told Phineas that, and he had said I could keep the suit. We fell into silence after that, all of us knowing that my future wasn't actually certain. Once we finished this, and I know we will win, I only have two options.

Stay human or go back to being a platypus.

Both have their pros, both have their cons. One has way more benefits, but the other one is seems more likely to be the "right thing to do". To put it simply: Either I stay with Vanessa or I continue saving the world. It's actually a tough decision.

I decided to not think about it. For now at least.

"This has got to be the place," Vanessa said once we reached a door.

The sign said "DO NOT ENTER. PERSONEL ONLY. THIS DOES NOT MEAN YOU."

We quietly opened the door, letting our suites take over and hide us.

I looked at the room, wondering what all the machines were for. Zane stood (or hooved in his computer-savvy fish bowl) in the middle of the room, muttering to himself. Robots scurried around the room, meddling with all the machines. When Zane spoke loud enough to be heard, his words startled me.

"I know you're there Perry! Might as well come out."

I didn't. The suit wouldn't allow me to be seen, but I also didn't want to. However, I did speak.

"How did you know?"

Thankfully, Vanessa and Phineas knew to stay quiet.

"I know you well enough," Zane answered. "I knew you'd escape, and when I saw the door opening, I knew you were here." There was a pause. "Where are you?" he asked, sounding genuinely curious.

"I doubt you'll find me."

Zane laughed, all traces of innocent curiosity gone. "Oh, I wouldn't be so sure. Computer. Activate machine number 5-5-3-9. Activation code Delta-4-Beta-9."

One of the machines –I couldn't tell which one– began whirring. Suddenly, the whole room lit up in a bright white light. When it died down, I didn't notice anything different.

Except I was naked.

Well, not naked, but the suit was gone.

So were my clothes.

So naked.

But I'm not naked.

And I'm small?

Yes, I'm small.

And I'm…on the ground?

Oh crap.

"Do you like it?" Zane laughed. "My machine reverts everything back to its original form."

My heart was beating faster and faster. Looks like I didn't have to decide between Vanessa and the world.

"And after all," Zane continued. "You were originally Perry the Platypus."

It was decided for me.