Well, here's chapter 9! Hope you enjoy this more or less filler chapter!

Chapter 9: A Long Walk

An hour passed. After calming down and packing everything up, SpongeBob and Sandy continued their journey. They were sweaty and starving. They were both silent, deep in thought about their conversation the night before. SpongeBob was also thinking about his gift as Pure Spirit and his true love. Though he knew that he might not have a true love, he was still positive that she was out there. He thought about Sandy and how she opened up to him last night. She cared for him so much. Not to mention that he had felt different around Sandy lately by his frequent trances since they started their journey. SpongeBob put everything together and came up with one thought, Could Sandy be my true love, or does she want to stay as just best friends? He sighed, This whole true love thing is so confusing. Sandy was thinking about SpongeBob. She recalled all the good memories with him and their conversation the night before. She could deny it no longer. She was in love with SpongeBob. Butterflies filled her stomach at the thought, but she started to enjoy the feeling. She glanced at him and blushed. She couldn't help it. He sure was cute when he wore a straight face. She looked away, hoping SpongeBob didn't notice her staring.

Sandy checked the time; it was already three in the afternoon. SpongeBob wanted to break the silence. He tapped her arm, "Um, Sandy?" Sandy continued walking, still deep in thought. SpongeBob tapped her again, only slightly harder, "Sandy?" Sandy shook her head violently, breaking her trance, "Yeah, SpongeBob?" SpongeBob suddenly felt slight anxiety, but tried his best to keep cool, "Wanna play a little game with me? It's too quiet here." Sandy nodded, "Uh, sure, SpongeBob. Whatcha got in mind?" SpongeBob smiled, "Let's play I Spy! Uh, I'll start first." SpongeBob took a goofy stance, "I spy with my little eye, something, uh, blue." Sandy held back a giggle. She missed SpongeBob's childish side. Sometimes it caused her to reminisce her good ol' days as a kid. She looked around, "Um.." She knew that the ocean was too obvious. She looked at SpongeBob's body. All she saw that was blue were the lines on his socks, and his breathtaking irises on his eyes. She started staring at them, falling in a trance of her own. SpongeBob stared back, confused. He thought, What is she looking at? Is it something I'm wearing? SpongeBob looked down at his clothes. He saw nothing too noticeable. All he saw was some dirt from laying on the ground and singe marks from his fights at the Krusty Krab 2. "Sandy?" He waved his hands in her line of sight. She continued staring. SpongeBob started snapping his fingers, "Sandy? What are you looking at? Are you still playing?" Sandy broke her trance when he snapped. She lightly blushed, "Uh, sorry SpongeBob. I was just thinking about the nightmare is all. Um.. Is it the lines on your socks?" SpongeBob smirked, "Nope!" Sandy smiled and held back another giggle. She checked her suit. There were blue lines on her suit. Maybe that was what he was spying. She took the chance, "Is it the lines on my suit?" SpongeBob held back a laugh, "Which one, Sandy?" Sandy rolled her eyes, amused. She thought, That SpongeBob, making things harder for his amusement. She asked, "Is it the one on my left arm?" SpongeBob answered, "No!" Sandy was getting slightly frustrated. She hated losing, especially against SpongeBob. She asked, "Um, is it the one on my right arm?" SpongeBob laughed, "Yes!" Sandy gave him a funny look and sighed, "You love making things tougher on me, huh?" She joined in on the laughter, "I'd love to play more, but we got ground to cover." SpongeBob sighed. Even though he wanted to play more with Sandy, he knew she was right. They had to gain as much ground as possible. They both walked faster and continued with the journey.

SpongeBob stopped, spotting buildings in the distance. Sandy stared at him, confused about why SpongeBob stopped. She turned to the direction he was looking, and she saw the buildings in the distance. They looked at each other and suddenly held their stomachs in hunger. Neither ate since they left Bikini Bottom, so they started walking faster. They then noticed that the buildings looked abandoned and rundown. It appeared as an old Western-like town. A stone sign with faded words stood a few feet from the two. It read, "Welcome to Historic Gullible Gabriel's Gulch!" SpongeBob read the sign and looked at Sandy. Sandy was hit by nostalgia, "Wowee! I've never been to an authentic abandoned Western town in years! It reminds me of those classic Western movies I watched as a kid." SpongeBob was amazed. Sandy tapped his shoulder, "Well, it's best we continue. Let's hope there's an active town nearby so we can eat." SpongeBob nodded in agreement and walked forward.

Dennis and the Strangler were on the other side of the town. Plankton briefed them the day before by telling them that Gullible Gabriel's Gulch was one of five towns that cut straight through the path to Planktopolis 2. Flats was in one town, Robo-Commander was in another, Manray was in a third, a huge robot army in the fourth town, and Dennis and the Strangler in the fifth. Through Dennis's walkie-talkie Plankton's voice was heard, "Status report, Dennis." Dennis took the walkie-talkie out of his pocket, "Nothing yet, Boss." Plankton then commanded, "Stay alert. Squarepants should be there soon. It has been a day since he was last seen, so he must be on the way. Spread out and patrol the area. Over and out." Dennis put his walkie-talkie away and turned to the Strangler. He ordered, "Tiny wants us to split. Look for a good spot to hide in and wait for my signal. When I see the sponge, I'll ambush him and you come from behind and finish him off. Got it?" The Strangler nodded affirmatively and walked off. Dennis went the other direction and started looking around.

Plankton tossed his walkie-talkie aside. Karen, who was next to him, informed, "Plankton, this just in, Neptune's daughter is captured and sent straight into the dungeon." Plankton smirked, "Perfect! This plan, Karen. This is the one! I can't be stopped!" Karen interrupted, "I wouldn't say that." She showed on her monitor of SpongeBob and Sandy creeping around Gullible Gabriel's Gulch. Plankton sat down and relaxed, "Relax, honey. I expected this. I got the Strangler and Dennis patrolling the area. They won't get far. Even if they did, they won't beat me." He began to laugh evilly until a bug landed in his throat. He coughed and wheezed for a while until the bug was coughed up. Plankton grumbled angrily, "I can't believe I almost got bested by a bug."

Patrick was asleep on the cell floor. Squidward was in the same cell, pacing. He was thinking about trying to escape, but he forgot about his brief plan when he heard the cell door opening and shielded his eyes at the light. The guard pushed a figure into the cell, "Oy, prisoners! You got a little roommate." Squidward rubbed his eyes to get used to the light and checked who the prisoner was. Mindy looked in her cell and spotted Squidward looking at her and Patrick, still sleeping. Squidward asked, "Princess Mindy?" Mindy sighed, "Yeah. It's me." All of a sudden, hearing her voice, Patrick shot up and yelled, "MINDY?!" Mindy jumped then calmed down quickly realizing it was Patrick. She sighed, "Yeah, it's me Patrick." Patrick gave a love-struck sigh, and Mindy couldn't take the hint. Squidward gave Patrick an annoyed look, then turned back to Mindy, "Let me guess. You sent SpongeBob to save us all again." Mindy nodded, "Yes. He's at it again." Squidward sighed, "Hopefully he actually takes this seriously. Is anyone with him?" Mindy took a moment to guess. She answered, "SpongeBob mentioned someone. I'm pretty sure it's someone named Sandy. I don't know who or what she is, but hopefully she's capable in helping SpongeBob save us all." Squidward questioned, "Why? What's going on out there?" Mindy sighed, "Robots took over every town and city in the ocean. SpongeBob is on his way here as we speak to restore my father's throne." Squidward gasped, "You mean my home is destroyed?!" Mindy nodded, "Pretty much everything in Bikini Bottom is destroyed now." Squidward gasped, "Oh, all my paintings! My cozy bed! MY CLARINET! NOO!" He burst into tears.

Suddenly, Mindy heard a voice coming from another cell, "Mindy?" Mindy gasped, "Daddy?" She yelled, "Where are you?" Neptune turned from the other cell, "Mindy, are you okay? Are you hurt?" Mindy yelled back, "Yeah, Daddy, I'm fine." Neptune sighed with relief, then asked, "What's happening out there, daughter?" Mindy answered, "The robots occupied and destroyed every town in the ocean, Father. I sent SpongeBob to save us again." Neptune sighed. Never had he thought this would happen to the world around him. He was also hopeful that SpongeBob would save them all again.

Chapter 10 will be up soon! Stay tuned!