Another day another chapter. Gee, I wonder what SpongeBob's been up to since he traded places with the prince and went off to do nothing of particular interest until this very moment.

Let's find out…

Chapter 4: Living the High Life

Inside the Chum Bucket, Plankton was sitting at his desk, looking depressed as he leaned on the surface, giving a heavy sigh. On the wall, his computer wife noticed his behavior and asked, "Is something wrong, Honey?"

Plankton gave a groan as he responded, "As I am cursed to have my restaurant just across the street from the Krusty Krab, I am also cursed to witness my archrival, Krabs, sell food to actual royals."

"What else is new?" Karen replied in an annoyed tone, hearing the same answer her husband always gave for the same obvious reason. "It's not any different from the millions of other customers he gets."

"This time's different." Plankton retorted. "An actual prince tasted his food. It will only increase his business by ten folds. The only way I can match up is if I steal that secret formula. Neptune knows what I can do this time in order to succeed."

Outside, the garbage cans behind the restaurant were being dug through by SpongeBob's pet snail, Gary, who was looking for a decent meal to hold him off until his owner feeds him. He sniffed around, but stuck his tongue out in disgust being that it was the Chum Bucket's garbage. He suddenly felt the ground beneath him rumble and he turned his eyestalks to see a tank was driving down the street, approaching the area with the Chum Bucket and the Krusty Krab. Inside, a large muscular and middle-aged fish in a military uniform and many badges was sitting in the middle while a couple of soldiers were operating the large vehicle.

One soldier was looking through a telescope before saying, "The prince's caravan is out of range, General. They must have gone back toward the palace, sir."

"What?!" the general shouted angrily. "THAT IS ABSURD! We as the royal army are assigned to protect the prince on his travels should anything happen to him! What if His Highness were assassinated while we were miles behind?! WHAT THEN, PRIVATE?!"

The private trembled as he answered with a salute, "Sir…Understood, sir!"

"Now the rest of you shrimp find us a place to grab some food to go!" the general ordered. "If we hope to catch up with His Highness by the time he reaches Luau Bottom, WE BETTER BE FUELD!"

The soldiers quickly drove the tank to the closest fast food restaurant they could find, and it just so happened to be the one where a certain stop could make a single-cell organism's dreams come true.

"Warning!" Karen's screen flashed, "Customers approaching."

"You're kidding." Plankton said in disbelief.

At the drive-thru window, Plankton hopped on the sill and saw the tank stop in front of it. The general pokes his head from the top and shouts, "You, tiny commoner, do you sell food here?!"

"Ooh, a royal military army." Plankton said with a joyous smile. "As a matter of fact, sir, we do. We sell the highest quality food here…"

"SHUT YOUR YAP, PEASANT!" the general shouted. "Just hurry up and get us whatever you got, we're on a tight schedule here!"

"Y-Yes, sir." Plankton answered nervously with a salute before hopping from the window to prepare the food.

"Are those really customers willing to buy your chum?" Karen asked in complete disbelief that someone would knowingly stop here to purchase lunch.

"Yes, isn't it fantastic?" Plankton said happily. "Krabs may have gotten the high command, but I got the ones who protect those in command."

"You do realize they're not from here, and probably don't even know your food tastes like garbage that's been out in the sun too long."

"Shh!" Plankton hushed. "Don't ruin this for me, Karen."

After the chum was served and Plankton was given large sums of money- which gave him joy since he had never been given even a cent for his chum. As the tank left with their lunch, it suddenly stopped when a familiar figure made his way into the road. Gary looked toward the commotion and his eyes widen in shock to see it was his owner- or what appeared to be his owner.

"WHAT ARE WE STOPPING FOR?!" the general's voice yelled from inside the tank.

The prince turned toward the tank and gave an amused smile. "Dear ol' General Tubbs." He said quietly with a smug smile, "Behind schedule as always. He's fortunate Father hasn't fired him yet."

General Tubbs pokes his head out from inside the tank and yells at the top of his lungs, "WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING, PEASANT! I HAVE HALF THE MIND TO LOCK YOU IN JAIL UNTIL YOU'RE MOTHER TURNS 80!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." The prince said as he shook his head. "You should be careful of what you say, General. You might not have any idea of who you're talking to."

After the prince got off the road and the tank passed by, one of the soldiers came out from inside and threw a piece of chum at the back of the prince's head just for giggles. As the soldiers laughed while driving away, General Tubbs yelled out, "Nice one, private!"

The prince simply stood there as chum dripped off his head. "How rude." He said with a dull frown. Gary then slithered over to check on the well-being of his owner, sniffing the prince's right hand. "Well, hello there, little snail, come to clean off your superior being? Never seen anything like you up close, you're not diseased-ridden, are you?"

When he tried to pet him, Gary suddenly hissed at the prince and angrily turned away with his nose up. The prince stared at him and dully said, "Even the animals are rude."

Meanwhile, back in the traveling carriage, SpongeBob was still masquerading as the prince while Wenston fed him a coral fry. As SpongeBob chewed, he said, "Thank you, my good man."

"Ahem," Wenston said, a bit confused. "Forgive my rudeness, Sire, but I don't believe I've ever seen you talk with your mouth full or slouching ever so sloppily."

SpongeBob quickly caught his mistake afterwards and immediately sat up and swallowed his food. "Oh, heh eh eh eh." He said with a nervous chuckle. "Sorry…Winston. I had almost forgotten my princely manners. Cuz, after all, I'm a prince."

"It's 'Wenston'…" he dully corrected. But before Wenston could question him any further, the sounds of trumpets were heard and a voice from probably the driver announces, "We have reached Luau Bottom!"

SpongeBob screeched in excitement as he pokes his head out the window and takes in the sights. He had half-expected a town with a castle to be like the villages in his story books and TV shows, but it was almost like his hometown Bikini Bottom only a bit cleaner, fancier, and civilians looked like they had a lot more money and were more educated than most. Many passersby smiled and waved at SpongeBob, most likely mistaking him for their prince. The sponge grinned and waved back joyfully in a manner that would be most uncivilized for a prince to do.

As SpongeBob continued to hang out the window look at the pretty sights, Wenston stared in amusement. "Oh, Your Highness." He said with a chuckle. "You're behaving as if it were your first time here." But then he pulled SpongeBob back into the carriage. "Forgive me, but I must remind you that it is not well-mannered of a prince to hang out of his landau." But then he held his chin, "Come to think of it, I've never had to remind you not to do that, and you know not to let anyone outside the castle know your location."

"Oh, right," SpongeBob said with a nervous chuckle. "I definitely knew that. I just…wanted to make sure everything was in place since I left. I am a prince after all."

Wenston chuckled sarcastically, "Just like your father."

"The king!" SpongeBob shouted as he stuck his head out the window again. "Where?" much to Wenston's surprise.

The carriage soon drove through the palace gates and stopped in front of the large palace doors. The driver opened the carriage door, but as soon as he did SpongeBob jolted out and ran into the castle.

Inside, he ran up the velvet red carpeted stairs and found the main throne room, where the king, and next to him, the prince would be seated. The room was so wide that SpongeBob immediately thought you can have a ball like they do in fairy tales.

"Wow," SpongeBob said in amazement. "It's even better than I imagined."

SpongeBob hopped on the throne and sunk comfortably in his seat. He gave a relaxed sigh and said, "A fella could get use to this. Now all I need is a foot massage." Then as if on cue, a servant appeared and placed SpongeBob's right foot on a stool, took off his shoe, and started massaging his foot. "Oh yeah…" SpongeBob said as he sunk lower into his throne with a relaxed sigh.

Later on after a nice foot massage and pedicure, SpongeBob rushed up the stairs and entered one of the chambers to find a large bed, a few paintings of what looked like himself on the wall, and a large wardrobe. "Wow, this must be the prince's chamber- or in other words, my chamber. Ha ah ah ah ah."

SpongeBob walked over to his bed and jumped on top of it. It had to be the most comfortable bed he had ever laid in. The blankets were so soft, he was sinking right in. But now was not the time for a nap, he immediately sat up and hopped out of bed.

Just for fun, SpongeBob opened up the wardrobe, letting a bunch of clothing and items fall out. Soon, SpongeBob was standing on a small footstool in front of a large mirror, wearing a ton of royal robes, a large crown on his head, and holding a scepter. "If only Patrick could see me now." He said with a proud smile

But then, he turned around and saw a sword placed decoratively on the wall. He squealed in excitement and hopped on the floor, still wearing his royal outfit and grabbed the sword off the wall.

He pointed the blade out and shouted, "Halt! You dare to cross paths with the royal prince! Well, prepare to feel the taste of my blade!" He then flings the sword across the room and it stabs into the wall…narrowly missing the top of Wenston's head.

SpongeBob yelps in shock, realizing his mistake, but Wenston just smiles and chuckles as he moves away from the sword. "Nice shot, Sire." He then walked over and gave a quick bow to SpongeBob before adding. "I must say, you're quite chipper today."

SpongeBob chuckled nervously as he replied, "Sorry, Wenston. I guess I'm excited to be home." Then then took a seat on a small chair made of soft cushion as he gave a relaxed sigh. "I never realized being a prince can be so wonderful."

Wenston cleared his throat and calmly said, "With all due respect, Your Highness, as much as I would like you to relax after a long journey. I must inform you that your royal army has arrived and wishes to check in with you."
"Royal army?" SpongeBob questioned as his eyes pop open and sparkle while he smiled, "I have a royal army?

"Yes, the one that was following you on your travels as extra protection." Wenston then said under his breath, "Fine job they did at that too…"

"Oh, ha ah ah ah, that royal army." SpongeBob said with a nervous grin as he stood up. "Of course I would like to meet them."

"Follow me, Your Highness." Wenston replied annoyed as he led SpongeBob downstairs.

Back in the throne room, General Tubbs and a group of his soldiers were waiting patiently in the throne room until Wenston arrives with SpongeBob- who they think is their prince.

"Greetings Your Majesty." General Tubbs says in his most humble tone as he and the soldiers kneel on one knee before him. "We are pleased to see back home safe and sound."

"Ooh, thank you, my good man." SpongeBob replied with a huge grin. "Please arise." He chuckled at this as if it were something he had always wanted to say. This gave him a strange glance from Wenston.

After he and his men were standing straight up, General Tubbs continued, "We apologize for our delay in escorting you home. We assure on your next journey, we will not fall behind again."

SpongeBob gasped in excitement, "We're going on another journey?!" but Wenston cleared his throat and SpongeBob took the hint at his "unprince-like" behavior. "I mean, uh, think nothing of it, General. I still had a pleasant experience in my travels. I was especially fond of the common folk- especially a certain fry cook that works at the quaint restaurant we stopped at."

"Bless you, Your Highness." The general said with a salute, along with his men. "Please excuse us."

After the army left, Wenston turned to SpongeBob, "While I admire your tolerance. I must say I would've punished them severely for their neglect to protect you."

But SpongeBob just waved off, "Now Wenston, let's not be tyrants here."

"Yes, Sire." Wenston said, rolling his eyes. "Well, now that you are settled in, shall we begin your royal assignments?"

Hearing this, SpongeBob's face froze in shock, "Royal assignments?"

"Yes, of course." Wenston reminded as he took a rolled up piece of parchment out from inside his coat, "With your father currently ill, you must pick up the royal's duties as his heir. Surely, you knew that."

"W-Well, of course I did." SpongeBob quickly said as he stood up. "As a prince, I will resume my duties as Prince of Luau Bottom. I mean how hard could it be?"

But his question was answered when Wenston unfolded the paper and it stretched all the way to the floor and rolled ten feet across the carpet. "Oh…" SpongeBob said with a look of dismay.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and leave a review telling what you think so far because there's more to come.