A brief message to fans of Phineas and Ferb: You will love this chapter. Also, Isabella looks like her water sprite persona from "Excaliferb."

I recommend reading the previous chapter first.


Chapter Six: Vagueness is Coming Redux (Another Story)

Mystic Topaz

Beneath this, a sketch of a gemstone with light shining off it.

Upon first glance, this rare gemstone has the appearance of a simple white rock. But, look at it under a light source, and it will shine with every color of the rainbow. And, some colors that only bees and art students can see. Oddly, looking directly at it doesn't hurt your eyes.

It is rumored to maintain magical properties that improve the user's communication and self-expression skills.

This line was scratched out: Wish Stanley and I could have had this. I wonder how he's doing.

I decided to collect some samples for two main reasons:

1. Closer study.

2. Something far too personal (and, admittedly, sappy and cliche) to risk writing it down, only for Starclops to read it and taunt me for the rest of my existence.

This part was written by Starclops: Hey, I read your thoughts! You don't give me enough credit, man. I think it's really sweet, what your second reason is. For the record though, if you were doing this for anyone else, I would taunt you for the rest of your existence. Oh, I'll still taunt you. Just not that much. Love, Starclops


Ford walked cautiously toward the deepest part of the forest, where he knew the mystic topaz was waiting. Normally, he would have brought Tad with him, but this was something he wanted to do alone. His head buzzed with excitement when he finally arrived at his destination. This one part of the woods, where the gems seemed to be growing out of the trunks of the trees. One would think the sunlight reflecting off the white gems would be blinding, but strangely it wasn't. The variety of colors was actually quite beautiful.

But, he would admire them later. Right now, all he needed was a few samples. He reached up to grab one from off the trunk and pulled...pulled. He grunted in frustration then reached into his trench coat for the hammer he'd brought.

"Whatcha doin'?"

The high voice broke him out of his thoughts. He looked up and jumped back in surprise. He recognized the creature as a pixie. She was no bigger than his hand and resembled a human with long black hair and dark blue eyes. She wore a very short light purple dress with matching flats. Her wings were translucent and shaped like a butterfly's. Also, she was not there the last time he'd come here.

"Um...hello," Ford greeted awkwardly.

The pixie curtsied. "My name is Isabella. It is such an honor to finally meet you in person, Stanford."

Ford gasped. "You-You know my name?"

Isabella nodded. "Oh, yes. We all do." With that, she flew a little away and motioned for him to follow. "Come, come. We have much to discuss."

Ford paused, considering. He'd met many pixies back in Gravity Falls - they'd been one of the first paranormal creatures he'd encountered - and most of them were rather benign. And, the ones who weren't were all bark and no bite. Then again, he had no way of knowing if the pixies in this dimension differed from the ones in Gravity Falls. On the other hand, he did want to know how this pixie, and apparently other pixies, knew him.

The pixie turned around, still smiling, still friendly. "Are you coming?"

"Uh, actually, Isabella, I'm just here for some of the topaz-"

"Oh." She frowned. "I'm sorry, Stanford, but the mystic topaz is sacred to pixies. We don't let just anyone take it."

Ford frowned back. "I-I only need a little. No one will even know it's gone."

Isabella seemed to ponder this then smiled. "Well, a non-pixie can have some, if a pixie gives them permission. I'll grant you permission, Stanford. But, only if you come and let me show you something that I think you'll be interested in."

Sure, he didn't totally trust this pixie, and he didn't have to have the topaz...but she had definitely peaked his curiosity. He nodded. "Very well. What is you have to show me?"

"Come along."


They had been walking - or in her case, flying - silently for a while. Ford couldn't help wondering if he'd made a mistake and should turn back. But, that wasn't really an option. He had absolutely no idea where he was, so his only real option was following this pixie. Great.

To make matters worse, he kept noticing other pixies pop up here and there. At first, it was just one or two. Then, there were tiny pairs of eyes and softs flaps of wings everywhere. Word of a human in their territory must have traveled fast. Fortunately, they didn't seem hostile. Just curious. And, maybe a little intimidated. And, somehow they sounded familiar with him, as if he had come here many times before. He could tell by the little whisperings he heard from some of them. Well, some of the whisperings.

"Is that the one?"

"He's bigger than I imagined."

"Sv rh gsv lmv gszg droo hzev fh zoo!"

"What language is that?"

"It's atbash."

"Hey, where's Perry?"

In front of him, Isabella giggled. "Don't mind them. They're just excited to finally meet you."

"So, how do you pixies know me, anyway?" Ford asked.

Isabella stopped flying and simply hovered in front of a huge wall of trees that seemed to grow so close together that they touched, even seemed to be conjoined together, like an impenetrable barrier. Isabella turned to face him. "You will find out soon enough, Stanford. Just give me a moment to speak with the Guardi- I mean, the Watchers of the Sacred Text. We used to call them Guardians until...uh, recent discoveries."

Before Ford could ask what she meant by that, she flew a little higher, up to two male pixies who were sitting on a branch and talking. One of them had an oddly triangular head and bright red hair, and the other had a long face with a prominent - though not as prominent as his companion's - nose and green hair.

"Hi, Phineas," Isabella greeted. It seemed strange to Ford that she only greeted one of them. Maybe she was only familiar with one.

"Hey, Isabella," the triangular one - Phineas - said back. The green-haired one simply waved. Maybe Isabella did only know Phineas.

"Whatcha doin'?"

"Ferb and I were just wondering what we should do today. There's a world of possibilities, you know."

The green-haired one - Ferb - nodded in agreement. Not much of a talker, perhaps? Or, maybe he was mute?

"Well, boys," Isabella looked down at their visitor, "I think he might give you an idea."

The male pixies - What had she called them? Watchers, right? - gazed down at him in awe. The staring went on for so long that, uncomfortable under the three tiny blue gazes, Ford smiled and awkwardly waved at them.

Phineas grinned and looked over at his male companion. "Ferb, I know what we're gonna do today." All three pixies flew down to Ford, the redhead with a huge grin on his face. "At long last, we meet!"

"Dr. Stanford Filbrick Pines, PhD," Ferb said with a thick British accent. "It is an honor to meet you."

"How do all know who I am?" Ford asked calmly, even though not knowing was driving him mad. "What's going on?"

Phineas laughed. "You really don't know about the Sacred Text, do you? Someone should really fix that." He gestured to Ferb. "Luckily, my brother and I are just the ten-year-olds to do it."

Ten-year-olds? "Aren't you two a bit young to be in charge of something with 'sacred' in the title?"

It was Ferb who responded. "Actually, in pixie-years, we're in our mid-thirties."

"Hm." Ford shrugged. "Fair enough. So, what exactly is all this about?"

The two males turned to the wooden wall. "You're about to find out," Phineas informed. A faint tweeting and even fainter humming sounded against Ford's ear, and he flinched as a what appeared to be a teal and orange hummingbird hovered beside him. Phineas turned around and smiled. "Oh, there you are, Perry. That's Perry. He's my and Ferb's pet hummingbird. He doesn't do much, but he's a really great friend." Ford could have sworn Perry smiled at that. Phineas returned his attention to the wall. "Now, Stanford Pines, prepare yourself for what you are about to see!"

The Watchers raised their arms to the wall, and they glowed with a soft blue light as they chanted something Ford didn't understand.

"Noom fo srewop htiw

Nus fo srewop dna

Yaw eht thgil i

Eno nesohc eht rof

NOLEMRETAW YM!"

The lines on the wall's bark morphed before Ford's eyes, turning into symbols that he didn't recognize.

Phineas translated them. "According to the Sacred Text, there will come a day in the future when a dark power will rise and threaten the entire multiverse, as we know it. But, there is a man in this world who will rise against him. And, that's you, Stanford Pines."

You have a great destiny ahead of you, Stanford Pines. Ford was reminded of the night Bill had informed of his destiny. To defeat an unknown power and save the multiverse. Stanford couldn't believe he'd forgotten it. "But, how do you know it's me?" he asked.

"Instincts," Isabella answered. "Our magic allows us to know when a Protector or someone incredibly important is near, and you just happen to be both. It's because of our magic that we know your name, as well."

Ford nodded, storing that information for later. "So, can you tell me anything else about this dark power?"

Phineas looked over the Text. "Not much. But, I can tell you that someone you know is deceiving you. A Destroyer is lurking where you least expect and will strike where it hurts you most. And, no, I don't think the Text is referring your...lower regions."

"Just to be clear," Isabella whispered solemnly, "all this is coming from the most cheerful guy I know."

Ford swallowed hard, chills trickling down his spine. His mind wandered to warnings he'd received from Bill, the vision Bill had shown him. Even now, he could feel his future-self's agony. What horror awaited him?

Phineas and Ferb turned around. Their bodies were no longer glowing, and the markings on the bark returned to normal. "I wish we could tell you more, Ford," Phineas said, frowning. "But, your destiny is your own, and it is not our place to say anything more."

"Well, thank you for telling me as much as you did," Ford said, forcing the negative memories to the back of his mind.

"Now then," Isabella said, "I believe I have a promise to deliver on." She held out her arms to him, and he glowed white as she chanted,

"Tnaw uoy tnaw ekat

Esaelp uoy tahw evael

Cigam sa gnol sa

Seert eht no sniamer"

His body returned to normal, and Isabella lowered her arms. "There. You now have permission to take some of the Mystic Topaz."

Ford forced a smile, trying to hide how unsettled by all of this he really was. "Thank you, Isabella. I promise you, I only need a small sample."


Pixies

These tiny humanoid creatures reside deep within the Hirsch Forest, and I was fortunate enough to befriend a few, who were more than happy to tell me a few things about their species.

Drawings of Phineas, Ferb, and Isabella, their names underneath their respective sketches.

Their wings beat at an average of 300 times per minute. Ferb judo-flipped me when I tried to get a closer look at his wings. Incredible strength! Phineas and Isabella told me Ferb's the only pixie they knew of that could do that without magic! Note to self: Never get on Ferb's bad side.

Apparently, there is at least one "spontaneous musical number" each day in a pixie colony. This would explain why some of them randomly started singing about one of them having squirrels in her pants. Don't ask.

Sketch of Perry the Hummingbird wearing a fedora and looking determined. An arrow pointed to the fedora, labeling it "ODD."

Some of them keep small forest creatures as pets. Isabella has a MALE mouse named Pinky (poor little guy). Phineas and Ferb have a pet hummingbird named Perry. Could have sworn I saw him don a fedora and fly off. May need to investigate.

XFIHV BLF, KVIIB GSV SFNNRMTYRIW!


I have a job now, so there probably won't be as many updates. But, don't worry. I will definitely be continuing this. Just not as quickly.

Keep voting on my poll, and review!