So here's the second to last chapter. It's not very much action, unlike the next (last) chapter, just a lot of dialog. However, it's important dialog. Hope you all enjoy! :)

Phineas POV

If it wasn't for the ninja suit I was wearing I'm sure I would've fallen from the ceiling edge I was perched on. Not because of the blinding white light –well, maybe because of the blindly white light– but most because of the sight that appeared afterwards.

I couldn't even begin to imagine how Vanessa was feeling.

Because of the suit, I'm able to see where Perry was –in a rather uncomfortable, upside-down position by the door– so when he wasn't there anymore, I started to panic, wondering what the light had done, but then I saw him. Perry. As a platypus.

He looked strange standing on two legs. (What platypus stands on two legs?) Then he looked even stranger as he pulled out a small, brown fedora hat and placed it on his head. Where did that even come from?!

"Hello Perry the Platypus." Zane smiled coldly.

Perry growled, though it was more like an angry chattering noise, in response.

"Perry! Such vulgar language!" the fish said amusedly. His apparent glee at the situation diminished as he turned to look at some computer screens. "Where're your friends, Perry? Hiding somewhere?"

Perry chattered again.

Laughing, Zane inched closer to him. "Of course I don't think you're going to tell me. I'm quite smart, you know." He laughed again. "What am I saying? Of course you know!" He shook his head, a playful smile on his face. "But they are no matter. I'll find them eventually. It's you I really want right now."

Perry made to move, but as soon as he took a step, he crumbled to the floor. Vanessa gasped, her hand reaching for Perry, but she drew it back after a moment, remembering the importance of staying hidden.

Zane tut-tutted. "You're quite weak at the moment, Perry. I'm surprised you're still standing, frankly, but I wouldn't do anything too strenuous."

Rather than answer him with a growl or chatter, Perry resided to stare at Zane coldly. At least he hadn't lost his fight in him; I felt proud.

"You," Zane pointed to one of the many robots. "Pick him up and follow me."

At first, he struggled, but it was obvious that it was getting to tiring, so Perry eventually let himself be carried away.

Of course, Vanessa and I followed them.

"My plans are coming together, Perry," Zane said as he walked –well, as his enhanced fishbowl rolled– into the hallway. "I just needed a few more supplies, which will arrive soon by the way, and soon, they whole world will be underwater."

My head snapped to Vanessa. Both our eyes were wide.

Perry chattered, forcing our attention back to Zane's voice.

"Of course the other animals don't know. Unless they're aquatic, they have no clue what I'm actually planning to do. I thought you'd have already figured that out."

They continued walking in silence with Vanessa and I followed, also in silence.

x~X~x

"So what d'ya think?" Zane asks when we finally –finally– enter a room.

Perry doesn't answer, but I don't think he could've even if he still had words. I still have the ability for speech and I stillcouldn't think of anything to say – not that I could've anyway; gatta stay hidden and all.

The room was massive and dome-shaped. The entire ceiling, and parts of the wall, was made entirely of glass – expect for the support grid of course. Everywhere I looked there were robots, constantly moving machines and/or fiddling with them. Vanessa and I (actually the suits) had to keep finding new places to hide. The strangest part was that we were underwater. How did we get underwater? (Not that I'm complaining too much – the view is wonderfully colorful with the exotic fish and coral reefs.)

"This is what the word will soon look like. Beautiful, isn't it?"

Suddenly, the view isn't quite as appealing to me.

There's a moment of (almost) peace as Zane looks out into the water, a surreal expression calming his face, making him appear like an innocent fish. Then it's gone, and he no longer seems innocent with the chilling grin widening his fishy face.

"This is where you'll stay while I take over the world." He gestures to a cage that the robot promptly goes to and unceremoniously dumps Perry into. "Then, once I'm King of the world, I'll keep you around until I get bored of you."

I wasn't near here, but I swear I heard the quiet growl Vanessa made at Zane's statement.

Looking around –actually, he technically just swam around his fishbowl– Zane yelled out, "Alright. All of you, leave us!"

It was almost scary the way the robots left the room. There must've been thirty of them, and in less than thirty seconds, they all had squeezed themselves through the small door.

Vanessa caught my eye. Whoa, she mouthed. I nodded in agreement.

For a few minutes, everything was eerily silent. Zane kept wondering around the room, inspecting this machine or that machine – his computerized fishbowl-thing was making beeping and whirring noises whenever he got next to a machine, his computer screen filling with numbers and words.

I tried to come up with a plan that would save Perry, stop Zane, and get us out of there, but the best I could come up with was grab Perry, take Zane out of his fishbowl, and then leave. It wasn't the most flamboyant plan, but it should still work, especially with the ninja suits. Unfortunately, I never got to test it out. Just as I began to explain the plan (silently) to Vanessa, Zane ruined it by speaking.

"So," he said ominously. "It's just you and me now." Zane paused. "Don't you ever miss the past, Perry? When things made much more sense and all we had to worry about was getting to training on time? When we used to be friends?"

Perry chattered angrily. I got the feeling he was saying "No".

"Well I do." Zane sighed. "I mean, look at us! We used to be friends, best friends, Perry! What happened?"

Again, Perry chattered angrily. He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Oh, that's beside the point," the fish said airily. "And I wouldn't have killed you. Just everyone else."

I was torn between curiosity and really not wanting to know. I didn't have much of a choice between the two options since Perry and Zane continued without saying any details – well, Zane didn't offer much explanation at least.

"You know, if you join me, I won't kill you," Zane said quietly. "I'd even help you with your problem."

Cocking his head, Perry chattered confusedly.

Zane chuckled. "Why, the problem AWACA won't help you with! Look at yourself Perry. Do you really want to be a platypus?"

I watched Perry flinch, my heart breaking. Sneaking a glance at Vanessa, I could see the sorrow on her face. I wanted nothing more than to give her a comforting hug, but I knew this wasn't the place or the time.

"See this machine?" Zane rolled over to a contraption that looked similar to a dream catcher. "This will split you. The half of you with human emotions toward that girl will be placed in your human body, and the rest of you will be in your platypus body. It would be a win-win!"

I could see the wheels in Perry's head turning; the hope in his eyes as he glanced around the room, knowing that Vanessa and I were somewhere.

Then, it all shut off. His eyes turned cold and I was at a complete loss as to why.

This time, when Perry chattered it wasn't angry, it was down-right deadly. Zane laughed, but made no further comment.

I nearly jumped out of my skin when Vanessa appeared beside me.

Why didn't he take the option? I mouthed out.

Vanessa looked heartbroken. Because, she whispered, Zane would only kill the human part and still keep the platypus part until he got bored. He was only toying with Perry.

I blinked, my eyes going wide as that sunk in. Perry was doomed no matter what. Oh.

I watch the scene quietly; reserved. Zane continues laughing. It's a calm laughter, but it chills you to the bone. Perry continues starting. His gaze is determined and strong…yet I can see the white flag. He won't let Zane hurt us, his friends, but in Perry's eyes, he had already sacrificed his own life.

The loud BANG! of the door was deafening. I look down to see a robot coming in, some sort of parcel in his robot hands.

"Thank you," Zane says, but it sounds automatic and not genuine. His computer fishbowl reaches for the parcel using an arm not unlike the robot's own. As soon as they're alone again (minus Vanessa and I of course), Zane turns to Perry. I could already tell he was about to gloat.

"You see this? You see this, Perry?" he holds up the package. "With this, my plan is complete!" He moves over to a machine. More robot-like arms appear and begins assembling the new piece to the machine. When he appears finished, he sighs forlornly.

"You know, Perry." He turns around, a strange gun-looking thing in one if his robot-arms. "I guess I'm bored of you already."

He never got the change to pull the trigger.

Vanessa is someone I do not want to mess with, especially with those heels.