Hi everyone, it's SOLmaster here and I have returned with a new SpongeBob SquarePants story, which is a sequel to one of my other SpongeBob SquarePants fics. That was written, like...ten years ago, and while I have always wanted to write a sequel to it, all the plots and ideas I came up with and wrote just weren't good enough. However, I eventually found the story I wanted to tell, and I finally bring it here for you to read and hopefully enjoy. If you haven't, you might wanna check out the first "Yellow Avenger" story that comes before this one, if not, you can still have fun reading this.

Before it begins, I just wanna say that this story is dedicated to Stephen Hillenburg, who created such an amazing show. Without his influence, I certainly wouldn't be here on this site or would have written all the fics that you all enjoy so much. I thank him for giving me the inspiration to try and reach for my dreams and for bringing so much joy to my childhood.

Enjoy the first chapter...

The Yellow Avenger 2: The Square Knight Returns

Chapter 1: I Don't Know

In dark city where sunlight never reached that part of the ocean, past a 90 degree drop, a lone mail truck drives by and throws a small box onto the ground in front of a building and drives away. A green sea creature with a large eye, big lips, and wearing blue shorts walks by and sees the package addressed to Rock Bottom. Curious, he opens it and his single eye widens to see its contents.

Crammed into the box was a yellow sponge wearing a red mask and a purple cape with a long collar. He groaned in agony until he pops out of the box, shaping himself back to normal. He wobbled back and forth as he held his aching head. The confused Rock Bottom citizen sees that the sponge is also wearing a blue jumpsuit, a utility belt, and black gloves and boots.

"My head…" The superhero sponge muttered, "Ugh, where am I?"

The dweller speaks in his native tongue. "Who *pfft* are *pfft* you? *pfft* and why *pfft* were you *pfft* in *pfft* that box? *pfft*"

The sponge paused a minute before answering in a bewildered voice, "I…don't know."

Seeing his costume, the stranger then asks, "Are you *pfft* some sort *pfft* of party clown? *pfft*?"

In the same dazed voice, the sponge in the mask responded, "I don't know."

He then looks down at himself and notices his costume, reading the letters on his chest, "SW?" he holds his head and ponders, "The last thing I remember is a phone…and a picture."

"I think *pfft* you need *pfft* a drink. *pfft*"

The odd yet kindly stranger led the sponge to a small bar. The sponge took a seat at the counter where a large burly bartender fish handed him a mug. "Here's your diet kelpsy." He said in a gruff voice minus the raspberries.

"Thanks *pfft*." The sponge replied in a depressed voice. He then ponders to himself, "'SpongeWalter'? 'SpongeWhite'? 'SpongeWarren'?" he yells out in dismay, "Ugh! Any of those could stand for 'SW'!"

The same stranger who brought the sponge to the bar then asks, "So why *pfft* areyou *pfft* dressed *pfft* like that? *pfft*"

The sponge replied in the same accent, "I don't *pfft* know. *pfft*" he was about to take a sip of his drink until he saw his masked face reflected in the liquid. He uneasily put the drink down and stood up while backing away. "Something doesn't add up."

He then notices his utility belt full of items. "Maybe something in here will give me a clue." He starts pulling random items out of the compartments such as a grappling hook, a bottle of bubble soap, a spatula, a superhero's guidebook, and a jellyfish net. None of those brought back any memories. When he was about to give up hope, he finally pulls out a krabby patty and drops it in shock, catching the attention of everyone in the bar. Staring at the sandwich with its lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and buns; his eyes widen in shock, "WAIT! IT'S ALL *pfft* COMING BACK *pfft* TO ME! *pfft*" he shouts while gripping the sides of his head.

His memories flood back to him from the very beginning. It was a beautiful peaceful night in Bikini Bottom; all things were quiet on Conch Street until the sounds of familiar laughter emerge from SpongeBob's pineapple home. Inside SpongeBob's library, the titular sponge and best friend, Patrick, were lying next to each other across the floor surrounded by comic books based on the adventures of their favorite superheroes: Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy.

"Oh, boy!" SpongeBob said with excitement as he turned the page. "This is getting good."

"I know." Patrick said with a giggle. "Let's see if he can beat Toxic Malice now."

They look at the page of the old superhero as SpongeBob reads the speech bubble, "'Your reign of terror over the ocean is over, toxic fiend!'"

They look at the next panel which shows a villain made out of black glowing slime, complete with evil cape. SpongeBob then read the villain's speech bubble, "'Mwa ha ha! I don't think so, Mermaid Man! For I have a trick up my sleeve and it will be your end!'"

At the bottom of the page, Patrick read the last note, "'To be continued'."

SpongeBob closed the comic book and cheerfully asked, "Wasn't that exciting, Patrick? To think that tomorrow, the new issue will be out and we'll see Mermaid Man triumph over the forces of evil."

"We have to wait till tomorrow?" Patrick asked in slight panic as he held the sides of his head. "What are we supposed to do till then?"

While he too did not enjoy the wait for the climax of his favorite Mermaid Man comic book, SpongeBob was patient enough to know it would all be worth it. So to keep his best friend at ease, SpongeBob suggested, "Well, we could look over the other Mermaid Man Adventure comics just to tide us over."

This immediately made Patrick jump in excitement, "Yippee! I can find them!" he quickly pulled a random cardboard box off the shelf and dumped the contents out. "Are they in here?"

But rather than comic books, a blue jumpsuit, black boots and gloves, a red mask, and purple cape was strewn across the floor. SpongeBob's eyes widen in horror as he immediately recognized the old costume.

Patrick picked up the cape and wondered, "What is all this stuff?"

SpongeBob snatched it out of Patrick's hand and held it close, hoping he would not make a connection between him and the suit. "N-Nothing, Patrick." SpongeBob nervously explained with a slight chuckle. "Just some old clothes I outgrew years ago."

Patrick picked up the suit and noticed the "MS" emblem sewn onto the chest. "Hey…this kinda looks like what that old Bikini Bottom superhero used to wear. What was his name again?"

He then picked up the red mask and stared at it. This made SpongeBob bite his lower lip anxiously, fearing that the thing he gave up long ago would come back to bite him.

"Mask…" Patrick said out loud as he pondered over the mask and held it up, getting a view of it and SpongeBob together. "…sponge." As he looked at both the mask and his best friend, he repeated, "Mask…sponge…mask sponge." His eyes widen in realization as everything suddenly comes back to him, "Oh, my gosh! SpongeBob, you're-"

Before he could state his deduction, SpongeBob quickly tried to explain, "I'm sorry, Patrick! I wanted to tell you long ago, but-"

But SpongeBob was not able to finish as Patrick excitedly concluded, "SpongeBob, you're dressing up as the Masked Sponge for Halloween this year?"

This wasn't the accusation SpongeBob was prepared for and instead he got confused, "Huh?"

Patrick scratched his head as he mentioned, "I always wondered what happened to him."

SpongeBob was surprised that Patrick still hadn't figured out the truth. He thought maybe it was time he told him, "Umm, Patrick?"

"You know, you kinda look like him, SpongeBob. If you only your head was more square and you wore a mask."

"Actually, I, uh…"

Still not being given a chance to explain, Patrick waved to SpongeBob as he started to leave, "Well, good night, SpongeBob. See ya tomorrow."

After Patrick left the pineapple, SpongeBob sighs in relief as he picked up his Masked Sponge uniform and put it back in the box. "I wanna tell Patrick." He said to himself. "But there's just something in me that just won't let it out."

Before he can close the box, he just stares at his suit with wide eyes as he remembers all the heroic deeds he had done while he wore it. "It was pretty exciting when I was the Masked Sponge." SpongeBob said with a grin. "I felt just as awesome as Mermaid Man."

His nostalgic feeling was interrupted when his pet snail slithered behind him. "Meow." He said with a concerned expression.

"Gary!" SpongeBob exclaimed in surprise, not expecting him to appear so suddenly. "I was just putting this back where it belongs."

"Meow," Gary replied, now appearing skeptical.

"Of course not." SpongeBob responded as he closed the box and put it back on the shelf. "I would never don the suit again. The Masked Sponge is retired after all. Besides, my first and only career is fry cooking." He gains a warm smile as he holds his heart. "After all, those krabby patties need me more than this town does."

Feeling satisfied with his master's decision, Gary slithered out of the library and SpongeBob followed while saying, "Well, it's bedtime."

As he shut off the light and closed the door, he peeked inside one last time at the box that contained his superhero suit as if it were calling to him to put it on once more. But he promised he wouldn't and he had other obligations to himself. He wondered if Mermaid Man ever had this problem.

I know it's not much yet, but this is just to set up all the stuff that goes down in the next chapter. Hope you leave a review and stick around for more...