Here's the next chapter of "The Yellow Avenger 2". Last time, SpongeBob realized someone is contaminating the Krusty Krab's buns and with the restaurant now shut down, SpongeBob needs to step up as the Masked Sponge to save the day. But how will he do it?
Enjoy…
Chapter 7: A Dead End
"Good evening, Bikini Bottom." News anchor, Perch Perkins announced from his news desk, "This is Perch Perkins coming to you live with news of a third mutant attack this week. Earlier today, local resident and cashier, Squidward Tentacles, was the victim of a contaminated krabby patty that mutated his body and caused him to go on a rampage. Thankfully, he was brought back to normal thanks to the combined efforts of the Masked Sponge and the Masked Squirrel. Squidward Tentacles is now resting uncomfortably at the Bikini Bottom Hospital, and with more than enough proof of the link between the mutations and krabby patties; Krusty Krab owner, Mr. Eugene Krabs, is now behind bars and is facing charges of harm to the public. However, Krusty Krab fry cook, SpongeBob SquarePants, fled during the chaos and has not yet been seen. Police are currently searching for the wanted fugitive, and the Krusty Krab remains closed. This could also spell the end for the famous krabby patty."
Watching the news report in his home was Patrick Star, who quivered his lip at hearing the report. "No, no, NO! No more krabby patties?!" he cried out in panic. "What will I eat?! What will I live for?!"
Before he can start crying, he heard a knock at what he presumed to be his front door. Patrick got off the couch and lifted his rock up to see no one in sight, other than a few police officers staking out SpongeBob's home.
"Hmmm…" Patrick pondered to himself. "I wonder when SpongeBob will get home so he can meet up with all those police officers."
However, he was unaware that SpongeBob was peering from the top of his rock, dressed in his Masked Sponge uniform. Quietly, he slides off the top and slides down the bottom to sneak into Patrick's home. Once the Masked Sponge was safely in Patrick's living room, he started to tiptoe to a different room until he was greeted with, "Hi, Masked Sponge."
SpongeBob winced when he turned to see Patrick had noticed him sneaking in. But Patrick quickly became star struck when he realized just who he was talking to. "Huh?!The Masked Sponge in MY home?"
"Heh eh eh eh." SpongeBob nervously giggled, "That's right, Patrick. It's me, the Masked Sponge, apparently."
'I should be happy that my best friend sees me as a hero.' SpongeBob narrated. 'I was hoping I could sneak into Patrick's house so I can change back into SpongeBob without him knowing. Then I could still be SpongeBob during the day with Patrick hiding me, and be the Masked Sponge at night while saving the Krusty Krab. But if I change back into SpongeBob now, he'll figure out my identity and I'll be in more trouble.'
"I'm glad you're here, Masked Sponge." Patrick said as he got close to the Masked Sponge. "There are no more krabby patties and my friend, SpongeBob, is missing."
Not wanting his best friend to be upset, SpongeBob holds Patrick's hands and assures him, "Oh, Patrick, SpongeBob's not missing. He's just laying low for a while until the heat's off."
"The heat is off cuz there's no one making krabby patties anymore."
"That's why I'm here. I'm gonna find out who's responsible for the mutations, clear the Krusty Krab's name, and beat the guy responsible for this. Till then, I would like to request that I have the honor of staying in your home for the time being."
Patrick was in stunned silence for a moment. "Wow…" he became excited and jumped up and down, "I'm gonna call everyone and tell them the Masked Sponge is staying at my house!"
He was about to head outside until SpongBob screamed; "NO!" once Patrick stopped, SpongeBob calmly explained, "You don't need to do that, Patrick. Let's just keep this between us."
"Well, can we keep this between us and SpongeBob?" Patrick innocently asked. "I'd like to finally introduce you to him, but he ran away."
"Don't worry, Pat. SpongeBob will be back soon. But you can't tell anyone that I'm staying here so keep this a secret between just the two of us," Gary's eyes pop out of his cape collar and the sponge adds, "…and Gary. I'm…watching him while SpongeBob is away. Pleeeease?"
Patrick was silent for a moment until he breaks out in joyful tears. "The Masked Sponge...staying with me? Dear Neptune, I can't believe it. No one is gonna believe it."
The starfish grabbed SpongeBob and held him in a tight hug. SpongeBob managed to choke out the words, "Remember to keep this a secret, buddy. You wouldn't want bad guys coming in after us, right Patrick?"
Patrick suddenly understood and shook his head. "Oh, of course not, Masked Sponge. Especially after seeing how you beat up Squidward earlier just because he looked ugly."
As much as SpongeBob loved Patrick, he hated being reminded of what happened earlier. "Uh, yeah…don't want that again."
"If only SpongeBob were here to see this."
This comment only made SpongeBob sadder since he now knew that he could no longer go back to being his real self. "Yeah…" he sadly agreed, "If only he were."
Gary just rolled his eyes at now having to live in hiding with his disguised owner and his ever oblivious best friend.
Soon, night fell in Bikini Bottom and a certain superhero decided to use it as a cover to confront his number one suspect: the only person in Bikini Bottom who would want to taint the good name of the Krusty Krab. In the shadows, the Masked Sponge dove behind the Chum Bucket and stood back against the wall. 'So close yet so far.' SpongeBob's voice narrated, 'Once I bust the criminal, I'll have saved the day and still be ALIVE!'
"Shhh!" the Masked Sponge hushed, "I'm trying to be stealthy here."
'Sorry.'
The Masked Sponge reaches into his utility belt and takes out his grappling hook. He fires it at the top of the Chum Bucket and begins scaling up the side of the restaurant.
Inside the Chum Bucket, Plankton was showing charts to his computer wife, Karen. "So, with this plan, I'll be sure to-"
He was cut off when the air vent popped off and the Masked Sponge dropped to the ground ungracefully on his face. But wanting to salvage a cool entrance, he springs to his feet and faces Plankton and Karen. With his hand held out, SpongeBob declared, "Not so fast, Plankton!"
While in complete shock, Plankton immediately recognized the superhero from his last encounter with him. "The Masked Sponge!" however, he quickly remembered that he knew exactly who the Masked Sponge was. "Well, well, SpongeBob. Haven't seen you wear that silly costume in a long time."
The titular superhero was unfazed by this, however, and declared, "Cut the small talk, Plankton. I know you have something to do with the krabby patty mutations."
"Krabby patty what-tations?"
The computer monitor on the wall explained, "He means the mutations caused by the krabby patties. The news has spread all over town and the uproar has made krabby patties outlawed."
"Oh yeah, that." Plankton said in feign surprise. "Hearing that the Krusty Krab was shut down and that Krabs is rotting away in jail was the highlight of my day."
"Don't act so innocent, Plankton!" SpongeBob shouted as he pointed at Plankton. "You put something in the krabby patties that turned people into monsters, shut down the Krusty Krab, and got Mr. Krabs arrested!"
"As much as I would love to take credit for such splendid work, I'm afraid I had nothing to do with sabotaging the Krusty Krab this time around. But I am taking advantage of Krabs's downfall by being the only open restaurant in town."
"And yet you still have no customers." Karen pointed out.
Plankton quietly snapped at her, "Shh, Karen, you're making me look bad."
Hearing that Plankton was not responsible this time around, SpongeBob reacted in surprise with his eyes widening and his hand trembling as he tried to point. "But if you didn't do it, how did…"
"Oh, don't act so innocent, you masked buffoon. I know the police are after you. Everyone believes you tainted the krabby patty formula and caused all those mutations." Plankton pondered over this and accused, "Could this be the work of you preventing me from achieving my goal or you trying to achieve your goal of being a world famous superhero by giving yourself monsters to fight?"
SpongeBob gasped in shock, taken aback by this accusation. "That…that's not true!" His eyes water as he begins to crying, "I just wanted to help everyone and honor Mermaid Man…" he begins to uncontrollably sob, "And now everyone hates the real me and I've lost everything!"
As SpongeBob loudly cries, Plankton grits his teeth in annoyance, and Karen sarcastically states, "A crying superhero. Just what the world needs."
Plankton attempts to look sympathetic as he urges, "Come on, SpongeBob, dry those tears. Since you're currently out of work…not to mention I know your secret identity…how would you like a job working for me at the Chum Bucket?" he turned around and picked up a sheet of paper. "I'll just need you to sign this contract and-"
He was cut off by a creaking sound and turns to see the Masked Sponge attempting to make a sneaky exit out the front door. With a nervous chuckle, SpongeBob says, "Sorry…I thought we were done." As he makes his way outside, he adds, "Sorry for the misunderstanding."
After the Masked Sponge was gone, Plankton sighs in defeat and tosses the contract aside. "I hope he dies in the line of duty."
In the city, the Masked Sponge was walking down the streets while he sulked at coming to another dead end.
"The only bad guy in Bikini Bottom with a grudge and a motive against the Krusty Krab and he didn't do anything." SpongeBob complained to himself. "I wonder if the Masked Squirrel has found anything out. If only I knew where to find her." He suddenly gets a dreamy smile on his face and says, "Just thinking about her makes me smile."
He looked across the street to see Bubble Bass carrying a large box that was somewhat obstructing his view and caused him to trip on a crack in the sidewalk.
The Masked Sponge immediately sprang into action. "Saving now, romance later."
Before Bubble Bass could fall face first on the concrete, his fall was stopped by the Masked Sponge who stood underneath him and used all his strength to push the heavy weight fish back onto his feet.
"There you are, good citizen." SpongeBob said in a cheery tone.
"The Masked Sponge…" Bubble Bass said while rolling his eyes and added in a most insincere tone. "I suppose you want me to thank you for that little rescue."
The sarcasm blind sponge just replied, "No need to thank me. All in a day's work- or night's work, ha ah ah ah."
"I'll thank you after you give me enough money to move out of my mother's house so I can quit my lame job."
"Gee, I'd love to help you out with that, but I got my own problems. Maybe the Masked Squirrel is having better luck than me."
Suddenly, Bubble Bass took interest. "The Masked Squirrel? You mean the obvious suspect?"
SpongeBob smiled brightly as he asked, "You know where she is?"
"Don't be ridiculous, of course not. I only know that she's the one who's obviously behind making krabby patties illegal."
"What?" SpongeBob asked in shock before angrily demanding, "Don't you go accusing her of anything!"
"Aren't you supposed to be the superhero here? These mutations only started after she showed up, so it's pretty clear that she's behind it all and is trying to pin the blame on someone else."
SpongeBob's face went into shock, not wanting to believe that his fellow superhero and crush was the villain this time around. "No…it can't be. I- I have to talk to her to know for sure."
Bubble Bass smirks and mentions, "Hmm, something tells me you like this female superhero."
This causes SpongeBob to blush in embarrassment, which he tries to hide by pulling his cape collar over his face. "Wha…well, I…I-I don't…"
"It must hurt knowing that she might be responsible for such a crime and that she will never be into you."
Still red in the cheeks, SpongeBob started to become depressed by his words, "It does hurt."
"Good, use that."
"Use what?"
"If the truth's what you want, I know how you can get her sing."
SpongeBob became love-struck again as he sighs longingly, "I'll bet she has a melodious voice."
"First off, stop doing that." Bubble Bass demanded with an annoyed frown. "If you wanna get a girl to like you enough to want to tell you everything, act like you don't care."
This only made SpongeBob confused. "Don't care?"
"You're a superhero, so that gives you an advantage. You don't have actual superpowers, so that's drawback. But if there's one thing that makes superheroes popular, it's their brooding behavior."
"Broo-ding?"
"You know, act aloof and serious. Girls dig guys with tortured souls who act all dark and gritty."
"Really?" SpongeBob asked, excited at the idea of knowing how to get the Masked Squirrel to fall for him. But then, he looked unsure if someone like him can pull it off, "Well, I don't know."
Bubble Bass put an arm around SpongeBob. "Trust me, Masked Sponge. You'll be doing everyone a favor. Showing off your dark and serious side will make you more popular with everyone, including the ladies. Plus it's the brooding superheroes that are almost never killed off."
He then picked up the large box and walked away, leaving the SpongeBob awestruck at this very helpful advice. Growing a smile across his face, SpongeBob says, "Popular and never killed off? Well, if brooding is what'll help me find the Masked Squirrel and save the Krusty Krab, then brood I shall!"
I hope you are enjoying the story. Please review and share your thoughts on what you think so far and stick around for the next chapter.
