"Set that down right around there." Gustav said.

Sideblow put down a large vase of flowers in the middle of the O.W.C.A dining room.

"Actually, a little more to the right." Gustav said. "It's not centered."

"I can't believe Agent C and Agent F are getting married." Perry said. He and Pinky and Devon were watching Sideblow struggle with the flowers.

"Are you going to the wedding?" Devon asked.

"Wasn't invited." Perry said. "I don't know Agent C too well. Ferdinand and I have acknowledged each other's existence, but it's not like we're inseparable best friends."

"We're groomers, not equipment movers." Gustav suddenly said. "What are we even doing here?"

"Is the vase straight?" Sideblow panted.

Gustav eyed it critically. "Hm. Close enough. No one will notice."

"Of course no one will notice." Sideblow said under his breath. "It's a vase."

Gustav wiped his brow. "Whew. What a workout. Well, this place finally looks fabulous for a wedding. Good teamwork, Samuel."

Sideblow smiled.

"Teamwork?" Perry snickered. "Sideblow did practically all of it while Mr. Perfectionist belted orders!"

"Gustav's not so bad." Devon said.

Perry stared at him.

"Hey, pumpkin!" Sideblow called to Perry. "I heard you were nominated for General. That's big."

"That thing?" Gustav demanded.

Perry shrugged it off.

"You'd be a great General." Sideblow said. "Couldn't have picked a better agent. Whether you choose to do it or not, I'm super impressed."

"They certainly didn't pick him for his looks." Gustav sniffed.

"Of course not, Gustav. They picked him for his credibility." Sideblow said matter-of-factly.

Gustav reddened.

"FINE!"

"FINE!"

"FINER THAN FINE!"

"FINER THAN THE FINEST FINE!"

"FINER THAN ALL THE FINES COMBINED!"

"FINER THAN THAT!"

"FINER THAN THAT!"

Perry covered his ears.

"Boys!" Linda called. "Stop shouting!"

Ferb stormed downstairs. He plunked himself down in a kitchen chair and sulked.

"Ferb, honey, what happened?" Linda asked.

"Phineas wouldn't accept that I'm right." Ferb muttered.

"You AREN'T right!" Phineas shouted from upstairs.

"WHO ASKED YOU?" Ferb yelled.

"Boys!" Linda scolded.

Both boys stopped.

Perry climbed upstairs and padded into Phineas and Ferb's room.

"Hey, Phinny." He said.

Phineas was lying facedown on his bed. "Go away."

"What was that all about?"

"Ferb's mean."

"Come on. You two are best friends. You NEVER fight. Unless… oh no. Did you guys get into a fight over the fish again?"

"Her name is BLUBBLES!" Phineas snapped. "And no matter how many times I tell him, he ALWAYS leaves out the L!"

"Maybe you guys can take turns. One week the fish is named Blubbles, and the next week, Bubbles."

"Bubbles is a stupid name." Phineas said.

Perry decided it wouldn't be wise to tell Phineas that Blubbles was one letter away from Bubbles.

"Every fish is named Bubbles or something like that. I wanted our fish to be unique. And since she was chubby, I thought Blubbles was a good name."

"It is a good name." Perry said. "It's a great name."

"I never got to name a pet ever." Phineas said tearfully. "Candace named Bucky, Ferb named Goldie, and when we got you Ferb and I named you Bartholemew. But then Ferb thought of the name Perry. Well, I like that name, but I still wish I thought of it."

"Would you rather call me Plerry?"

Phineas threw a pillow at him.

"Sorry. It was a joke. I understand, Phinny. Have you tried talking to Ferb?"

"Have YOU ever talked to Ferb? It's like talking to a wall! He just stands there and stares at me like he understands, and then he turns right around and calls our fish Bubbles!"

"You guys are awesome." Perry said. "Best friends. I hate to see you two get all worked up over one thing. Don't be angry with Ferb. Just ignore him if he calls the fish Bubbles."

"You always take his side!"

"I've never taken sides in my life!" Perry said, shocked. "I always give you two equal turns with me. I play with both of you. I switch beds at night so you two both get to sleep with me."

"Well, your stupid job's more important to you than both of us."

"Wait a minute!"

"You're gone all the time and you don't care that we worry about you! You could blow up into a million pieces and you wouldn't think for a second about us missing you-"

"Well, it IS hard to think when you've just exploded."

"Why do you think everything's funny?" Phineas shouted.

Perry took a step back. Phineas was scary when he was angry.

"You know what? Take that stupid job! You'd be in charge of everything and you can make all the stupid jokes you want. At least I could TELL people my pet's a General instead of sneaking around! My pet does the coolest thing in the whole world and NO ONE KNOWS AND I HATE IT!"

Perry swallowed. "Phin…"

"Go AWAY! I don't want to talk to you! And if you run into your FAVORITE, Ferb, tell him our fish is named BLUBBLES!"

Perry quickly left the room.

"I made a giant bowl of ice cream!" Larry said.

"I'm not hungry."

Larry sat down next to Perry and mashed the ice cream thoughtfully with a spoon. "Not even for doubly-chocolatey caramel awesomeness?"

"No." Perry said.

"Ya know what I've noiticed 'bout you?" His twin said. "Ya always say ya aren't hungry when you're upset. Whadja have for breakfast?"

"Nothing."

"Den eat!"

"I had a big lunch."

"Whadja eat for lunch?"

"Larry!"

"Okay, okay." Larry sighed. "I just hate seein' ya like dis. Gettin' all woiked up over your owner. Sounds like da anger talkin', if ya ask me. He was in a fight. He didn't mean any of dat, what he said to ya."

"If he really wants me to take the job, I mean, I should." Perry said. "I didn't take it in the first place because I took him into account."

"What about Ferbsy?"

"I didn't ask him." Perry said. "But he seemed pretty cranky too. I think I've just been messing those two up. I haven't been a good pet to them."

"Shut dat trap of yours. You're talkin' crazy. You know what we do to people who talk crazy? We feed dem ice cream."

"I told you, I don't want any!"

"Right. Because you aren't hungry. Listen, lil' bro. Your owners love ya. Dey don't wantcha to take dat job. And neidder do I, ta be honest. Ya love your woik. You tell me dat all da time."

"I don't want to talk, Larry. I just need a nap." Perry lay himself across the couch and closed his eyes.

"Shoire, take up da whole sofa. I don' need any room." Larry said sarcastically.

Perry mumbled a response and rolled onto his belly.

He felt Larry put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's gonna be okay, little bro." Larry said. "You'll figure dis out."

"I can't believe this." Monogram said. "It seems like just yesterday you were a cold, hungry stray, looking for a home…"

Perry stood next to him and looked at the ground. Two pigs he didn't know were loading his things into a van.

"It doesn't seem that long ago, does it, Carl?"

"No, it doesn't, sir."

"I know. As if just yesterday, he was toddling around the agency, chewing up papers… as if we had just trained him to walk and use the litterbox…"

"That's enough remembering." Perry chattered.

"Perry, I am SO proud of you." Monogram said.

Perry squinted. Was Monogram actually crying?

He supposed the huge change was throwing everyone out of whack. Doofenshmirtz hadn't taken the news very well and had ushered him out of Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated with hardly a goodbye. And Perry himself was feeling strange. For some reason his mind wanted to remind him of every single happy moment he'd had working as a field agent.

"I always knew you would grow up to do great things." Monogram said.

The pigs closed the trunk, and Monogram gave Perry a salute. "Go on now."

Perry saluted him back.

"Oh, what the heck." Monogram grabbed him up in a hug. Perry returned it.

"You'll do great." Monogram said tearfully.

Perry should have been impressed with the giant mansion he was to live in, but his mood was blocking everything out.

When the car arrived, a greyhound rushed out of the mansion's golden double doors to greet them. He opened Perry's door and saluted him. "General Platypus. Welcome."

"Hi." Perry said, returning the salute.

"I am Gordon. Would you like me to take your bags in?"

"There are a lot of them."

"No matter." Gordon turned back to the mansion and barked. Six cats came outside and started unloading the car.

"Would you like a tour of the house?" Gordon asked.

"A tour, a map, whatever." Perry said. "Looks like I'd get lost either way."

"It's actually quite easy to get around in." Gordon said. "Follow me."

"And this is the dining room." Gordon said, leading Perry into a gigantic, elaborately decorated room. "We will serve whatever you please, of course. Just say the word when you're hungry. I hope you don't mind, the servants eat at this table after their work is over."

"I don't mind at all. That table's big enough for a bunny's family."

"That does conclude the tour." Gordon said. "All forty-seven rooms are accounted for. You've found your own room pleasant enough?"

"Yeah, it's like a house. That's definitely enough breathing room."

"You didn't seem happy with it."

"I know… it's just… I've had a long day, is all."

"Of course." Gordon nodded. "Understandable. It's a lot to take in."

"Um… can you remind me where my room is?"

Gordon nodded. He took him out of the kitchen and up a giant velvet staircase. He pointed to a large door down the hall.

"Would you like me to wake you at a certain time in the morning?"

"No. I'll wake up when I wake up. Thanks though."

"What would you like for breakfast?"

"I dunno. What's your favorite breakfast?"

Gordon looked a little surprised by the question. "Well, I do recommend the French Toast. Your cook makes excellent French Toast."

"I'll have that, then. Thanks." Perry went into his room and closed the door. He flopped down on his giant bed, exhausted.

Gordon was right. It was a lot to take in.