Not really sure about how this one turned out. I might actually keep continuing it in another story, if I can figure out what to write, and how to write it, because I have a few rather vague follow-up headcanons.

Edit: If you started following this story because I said that I may follow it up, don't expect a whole lot. This will remain a two-shot, and if I write more along this vein, it will be in a separate story. I dunno if this site will notify followers of this update, but I guess this is the only way to let you know. I really appreciate that you enjoy my work enough to find out if I write more!

The first time Perry Fletcher, aka Agent Perry the Platypus, met Heinz Doofenshmirtz, it was a process, and it didn't start with the first time they saw each other face-to-face.

It started with a transfer.

He had just made it into the England branch of the OWCA, hadn't even had his first mission yet, when his uncle decided to move to the States. Perry was loath to leave his family behind (or rather, to let his family leave him behind). And that was how he ended up in the Tri-State branch.

Doofenshmirtz was his very first mission as a secret agent. An assigned nemesis. According to Major Monogram, Heinz Doofenshmirtz was a bad apple through-and-through, but after looking through his new nemesis' file, Perry had his doubts about that. The so-called evil scientist had a string of 'inators' that were mostly harmless, bordering on the ridiculous.

He decided that some research was in order.

Perry was meticulous in all his endeavors. He disliked jumping into something without knowing the exact situation, and he especially disliked having only one source for his information. Finding things out first-hand was always best. His mother used to say that he should be an investigative reporter. Perry had liked the idea at the time, but things have a tendency to change. At least he got to wear a fedora either way.

He began to tail Doofenshmirtz, trying to figure out what he was like – how he interacted with people, how sinister his intentions really were. The answer was rather bumbling, dreadfully clueless, often petty, and anything but malignant. And, Perry realized with a pang of sympathy, secretly very lonely.

Still, he decided it was best to be wary. This was only in his normal day-to-day routine. He could be very different while going through with his evil schemes. It was unwise to underestimate anyone, and there was a reason this man was on the OWCA's villain list. People had hidden depths, and Perry was still inexperienced. He didn't want to be caught off guard just because this man didn't seem entirely like a proper villain.

He mulled it over as he sat behind the day's newspaper in a local coffee shop, watching Doofenshmirtz over the top of it. The doctor stiffened and looked around, and Perry snapped the paper back up. According to the records, Doofenshmirtz had only been a registered villain for a few years, and hadn't accomplished anything of notable evil in all that time. Perhaps it was possible to keep it that way with minimal violence. Perry smiled slightly as an idea formed. After all, why make a true enemy if you didn't have to?

Later that afternoon, he rode an elevator to the top floor of the strangest skyscraper in the city. The soles of his practical but classy shoes clicked softly on the tiles of the long hallway, squeaking slightly when he stopped. He straightened his hat, adjusted his tie, took a deep breath, and knocked on Doofenshmirtz's door.