Chapter One

In Danville, USA

It was the end of another boring summer for Phineas Flynn. Every day he would build the same thing out of Tinker Toys; a friend. He had just finished constructing another one when he heard something outside. He walked through the door and sprinted to his secret hiding place in the bushes so he could see what was going on. Phineas picked up his binoculars and saw that across the street, a big moving truck followed by a small minivan was pulling into the house straight across from his. He began to hope that the neighbors had a kid his age. His hopes were confirmed when a small girl hopped out of the minivan. She had long raven-black hair, and she wore a hot pink bow on her head. She turned his way and he quickly ducked beneath the cover of the bush. Phineas hoped they hadn't seen him spying on them, and he cautiously peeked through the branches.

He saw her whisper something in her mother's ear, and the woman nodded, smiling. The girl looked both ways and then skipped across the street. Phineas didn't know what to do. There was no way he could get back to his house without being spotted, but he also didn't want her to know he'd been spying on her. He rummaged around for something so it would look like he had been doing something else, but the girl had already skipped over to him. Oh well… he thought.

"Hi," the girl said in a high voice. "My name is Isabella Garcia-Shapiro. What's yours?"

"Hi," Phineas replied, a little nervously. "I'm Phineas Flynn."

She cocked her head to one side and said, "That's kind of a funny name. I like it, though." Isabella noticed the binoculars before Phineas could hide them. "Were you… spying on me?" she asked.

"Heh heh," Phineas laughed nervously, and then replied: "Uh… yeah. I was curious about what was going on."

She shrugged. "Yeah, I would have done the same thing if I were you." Phineas sighed with relief. "So, anyway…. What'cha doin'?" Isabella asked.

"Um… I was building with Tinker Toys inside my house before you came."

"Cool! Can I see?"

"Uh…. Wait here."

Phineas ran inside and dismantled the wooden friend. He quickly turned it into a replica of Isabella, life size. He then sprinted back outside where she stood, examining his mother's flower garden.

"So, you want to see what I built?" Phineas asked.

"Sure," Isabella replied. She followed him inside the house and gasped with delight when she saw the statue. "You…you just made this?!" she said in surprise.

Phineas nodded, a little sheepishly. "Do you like it?" Isabella nodded her head fervently in reply. "You want to build something with me?" he asked.

"Okay," she said happily.

They sat in front of the couch and set about building several separate skyscrapers that eventually connected. Phineas thought to himself, Yes! I have a friend now! He grinned as he built.

In Chelsea (London, England)

Emily was preparing to go shopping with her mother for school supplies. Kindergarten started the next week, and she was excited to go with Ferb. She heard her mother calling her downstairs, and she ran to see what her mom was going to tell her.

"Emmy, honey, I just got a call from Mr. Fletcher. He said that he and Ferb are coming by in a few minutes to say goodbye."

Emily was shocked, and the look on her face said so. "They're l-leaving? Why are they leaving?"

"I don't know, Emily. He didn't tell me. But he said that they are moving to a town called Danville in the United States." Emily took a step back.

"In the States?! But that's so far!" she cried.

"I know it is. But we can't do anything about it, sweetie." Mrs. Kinney sighed.

At that moment, they heard a car honk outside the house. "That must be them," Emily said in a voice that had no trace of its former excitement. She walked out the door but ran to the car when she saw Ferb get out.

"Em, I have to leave," said Ferb. One of his hands was curled around something.

Emily normally hated it when Ferb called her "Em", but now she didn't care. "Ferb, why do you have to leave?" she asked sadly.

"I don't know yet. But I promise that I'll write you. Here," he said as he gave her what he had been holding in his hand. Emily took it and looked closely at the heart-shaped locket Ferb had just given her. "That's so you don't forget me," he told her as she opened it. There was a recent picture inside of them both laughing over some joke. A tear ran down Emily's cheek.

"I have to go," Ferb said again. He got into the car quickly before he started crying too.

"Goodbye Ferb!" Emily shouted after the rapidly departing car. She proceeded to run to her room and fall on her bed, sobbing.