A few of you may remember this story. I took it down cause I felt like I couldn't keep up with it. It's back up though and not gonna be down any time soon!
-Africa, 1914-
Ohio Flynn and Rhode Island Fletcher had finally arrived at their destination. The only problem was getting into the old stone temple that stood before them.
"Alright Rhode. Let's take in the surroundings and see if there isn't a key or something we could use to open the doors.", Ohio ordered, earning a thumbs-up from his green-haired partner.
As they looked about, taking opposite directions from each other, Ohio noticed a small pedestal a few yards off. It didn't have any markings on it, but it did have an odd shaped key-hole in it.
"Hey Rhode! I think I found something!", he called out and continued as his partner came over. "Look see? It goes down a bit. It needs like, one of the artifacts or something."
"Whatcha doin?", a familiar voice said from behind.
Rhode and Ohio turned around to find Isabella Garcia-Shiparo walking over with a curious smile on her face. Ohio returned it with a sly smile of his own as he relaxed, seeing the girl approach him.
"Hey Isabella. Just trying to recover the last artifact.", he explained.
"Well maybe you'd get a lot closer if you had a certain little something.", she said, pulling out exactly what they had needed for the pedestal.
Ohio was surprised to see she had found it, since he and Rhode had assumed Doofenshmirtz caught it first, but then sighed some in annoyance.
"Alright. What's the deal?", he asked, knowing there had to be one for her assistance.
"Can't charm me with a date.", Isabella said, stroking a hand over it as she pondered the question with pleasure.
"Why? Cause the last one was just too good?", Ohio retorted, sending them back into what they had always done. All the way back since the Temple of Juatchadoon.
"Heh. Not exactly, Ohio.", she said as she walked over. "Tell ya what. Lay off on the joking around and I'll CONSIDER helping."
"Oh for goodness' sake, can we please just get in?", Rhode asked impatiently. "Or should we have Dr. Doofenshmirtz come in and join us in these little negotiations?"
"Here's an idea, Isabella. How about you help us, and I'll help you learn to have a better weekend han sitting at home crocheting doilies?", Ohio continued, ignoring Rhode.
"Or how about I help you and you finally give me a slice of the cut?", Isabella finally admitted, making Ohio roll his eyes.
"You don't even know if we'll win this.", he retorted. "Afterall, Doof could catch it first."
"Yeah, but that's why I'm expecting my pay checks from YOU.", Isabella came back with. "Who else would be SO fiendishly smart enough to get it first?"
"I'm just saying, I can't make any promises. Just the deal."
"Well that's the deal. So either go with it or- Hey!"
Rhode, no longer able to stand going through these means of discussions, snatched the artifact from Isabella and placed it on the pedestal. It pushed inward and the large stone door began to open. Glancing at one another, Ohio gave an over exaggerated low bow to the ground with a wave of his hat.
"Ladies first.", he said with a smile.
"It's about time you learned some manners.", Isabella snapped back as she walked inside.
"OW! ...That never gets more painful.", Ohio winced as he stood back up, placing his hat on his head.
The trio made their way inside and through the temple. After finally managing through various traps and snares, they made their way to the heart of it all.
"Hey look! There's the-", Ohio began before another trap sprang catching him and Isabella in a net and Rhode in one by himself. "Ow! What the-?!"
"Welcome to Africa, Ohio Flynn!", Doofenshmirtz said as he stepped up from the shadows. "How nice of you to drop by!"
"Doofenshmirtz! How did you get here before us?", Ohio asked in bewilderment.
"Ah I just took the backdoor.", Doof indicated to the door behind him that stood ajar. "But I had to wait to make sure I got you three taken care of. Lest we were to.. y'know. Have a repeat of Egypt."
The older man cringed as he remembered the fight-scene there but shrugged it off, took the artifact, and began to make his getaway.
"Ohio, we gotta do something!", Rhode called out.
"I have a knife in my back pocket.", Ohio said, starting to reach for it.
"No, stop that!", Isabella exclaimed.
When they were caught in the net, she was held over top of him. As Ohio reaches for his knife, he has to push himself up which would end up pushing himself into Isabella. A bright red blush sprawled across the young girl's face as Ohio looked at her expectantly.
"So...what's your proposition now?", he asked with a wide smile.
"That I'm gonna kill you after this.", the girl growled as she reached down and took the knife herself, her face becoming even redder. "So don't get comfortable."
"There's a shame. Not a bad view here.", Ohio said as he crossed his feet casually.
Rhode had to turn away with a cringe as Ohio yelped in pain. A girl who wore boots, was never someone to upset. After breaking the net free, the trio ran out to find that Doof had already stolen away the artifact and was cackling in triumph. The young red-haired kid threw his hat on the ground in frustration and yelled back at the older with a shaking fist.
"CURSE YOU DOOFENSHMIRTZ!", he yelled out. "CURSE EVERY DOOFENSHMIRTZ THERE EVER WILL BE!"