Chapter Eleven
M. Krabs is steaming with rage, as he watches SpongeBob and Mme. Puff run backstage. He takes the center of the stage.
"Listen up!" He called out. "This maniac's terrorized us for too long. He's vandelized me property, chased after an uninterested girl, and worst of all, he demanded money from me! I say we do something about it!" As an answer, everyone let out an angry, ritious cheer. "Grab any weopon you can and follow me!" M. Krabs leads what's left of the audience, the police, the chorus, the orchestra, Pearl, and Patangi down to the Phantom's lair. They all grab pitchforks and torches and form an angry mob.
Meanwhile, down below, the Phantom and Sandy are in the boat, crossing the underground lake. The Phantom furiously propells the boat onwards. He is in a jealous, hurt frenzy. He sang:
"Down once more to the dungeon of my black despair! Down we plunge to the prison of my mind! Down that path into darkness deep as he..."
"Hey, watch it," Sandy warned.
"I was going to say 'heck'. No one understands my pain."
"Aren't we being a little overdramatic?" Sandy asked.
"You know why I'm forced to live down in this dump?" He spat, bitterly. "Because everyone hates me! They all hounded me out because of my abhorrent face! I did nothing wrong. They failed to recognize my talent, because they couldn't look past my deformity. No kind word from anyone! No compassion anywhere!" As they row on, SpongeBob and Mme. Puff are making their way down.
"He lives across the lake, Monsieur," she told him, pointing . "Well, good luck." The puffer fish turns to head back up.
"Wait, aren't you coming?" SpongeBob questioned.
"I'm not risking my life," she replied. "See ya!" She goes back from which they came.
"I'm ready... No I'm not!" SpongeBob whimpers. "Come on De SquarePants, do it for Sandy!" He plugs his nose, then plunges into the lake. He has a spaz attack.
"Help me! I can't swim!" He screams, flopping around. He stops when he realizes the water only rose to his knees. "Oh, whew." he wipes his forehead in relief. As he continues on his way, he hears the mob singing in a chorus:
"Track down this maniac, he must be found! Track down this maniac, he must be found! Hunt out this cepalopod, who runs to ground! Too long he's preyed on us, but now we know: The Phantom of the Krusty Krab is there, deep down below... He's here: The Phantom of the Krusty Krab... He's here: The Phantom of the Krusty Krab..."" They are marching through the candle lit corridors, struggling to find a way into the lair.
"Hey, I think I found it," the fish who played Passarino, called. He walks into, what he thinks is a passage way, but is actually a giant sea monster's mouth. "It's pretty dark in here." He lights his torch and the sea monster sneezes him out.
Meanwhile, the gate to the lair descends, as the boat arrives. Sandy is now in a Victorian style wedding dress, and the Phantom is in his usual tux. The doll of Sandy sits crumpled on a large throne. The Phantom drags Sandy roughly out of the boat. She frees herself with a blow to his jaw, and backs away. He rubs it, as he stares blackly out front.
"I'm not about to let myself be manhandled!" Sandy confirmed. "What exactly is your plan here?"
"This face poisons our love," the Phantom replied, not really answering her question. He takes the bridal veil from the doll, and moves slowly towards her. "My own mother loathed me. The minute I was born, that old bag slapped a mask right on my face." Sandy felt her heart ache for him. He places the veil on her helmet.
"Hey, waddaya..." she protests. He sings:
"Pity comes to late, turn around and face your fate: an eternity of this before your eyes!" He points at his deformed face. Sandy groans in frustration. She coldly looks into his face.
"You don't get it. I'm not afraid of your deformity. It's not your face that's ugly, it's your soul!" They turn their heads upon hearing panting. SpongeBob arrived at the gate.
"Wow," he panted. "It's a long way down here."
"Oh, a guest!" The Phantom announced. "What an unparalleled delight!"
"It's even worse up close," the sponge adverted his eyes from the Phantom's hideous face. "Please let Sandy go, Phantom," SpongeBob pleads, grasping the bars of the gate. A mixture of fear and desperation seized him.
"Your lover makes a passionate plea!" The Phantom says to Sandy, dryly.
"SpongeBob, get outta here!" Sandy shouts at her fiancé, afraid for his life. "I can handle this."
"But I love her, and really want her back," begged the Vicomte, ignoring his love. "Show some compassion."
"The world showed no compassion to me!" The Phantom snarls furiously at SpongeBob.
"Can I come in? We could work this out."
"Be my guest, sir..." The Phantom says dryly. He gestures, and the gate rises. SpongeBob runs right to Sandy. She tries to tell him to get back, but it's too late. His foot gets caught in a snare, and it pulls him upward with a slide whistle sound effect. He hangs upside down by his ankle. The end of the rope appears to be suspended in mid-air. The Phantom lets out his honking laughter. Once he's finished, he turns to Sandy and sings:
"Start a new life with me, buy his freedom with your love! Refuse me, and he hangs there forever! This is the choice. This is the point of no return...!" SpongeBob frantically tries to free himself, but to no avail. He sobs.
"Help me Sandy!" SpongeBob cries in panic. Sandy's anger at all the Phantom had done, built up. She furiously rips the veil from her helmet.
"You've gone to far this time!" She yells at her teacher. She kicks him in the shin. He grabs it, and hops on his other three legs. "You've stalked me!" She karate chopped him in the stomach. He lets out an 'oof.' She continues to beat him, as she lists off his wrongdoings. "You've threatened SpongeBob, terrorized and bullied everyone, and you've made a creepy doll out of me! You lied to me! One by one I've watched illusions shattered...!" No matter how much she struck him, he managed to stay on his feet.
"Go ahead and beat me all you want," said the Phantom. "I'm used to this kind of thing!" Sandy froze, her arm mid-karate chop. She instantly felt horrible for what she had done. She wasn't going to get anywhere with this method.
"Violence isn't the answer," SpongeBob piped in, confirming her thought. Sandy ceased her attacks, and tried reasoning with him another way. She sang:
"Angel of Music... why this torment? When will you see reason...?" The Phantom sang:
"Marry me and he goes free!" SpongeBob sings:
"Don't marry him, Sandy! Oh, I fought so hard to free you..."
"Yes, you must be exhausted," the Phantom sarcastically retorted. Sandy, trying to appeal to the Phantom's better nature, while simultaneously fighting the urge to battle him, sang:
"Angel of Music... you deceived me, I gave my mind blindly..." She crouches to the floor, at his feet, and begs him to free SpongeBob. He bends down to her.
"You try my patience, make your choice!" He stood up and turned his back on her, in deep thought. Sandy sits there, reflecting for a moment, while the Phantom awaited his answer. This poor soul had known nothing, but pain and rejection his entire life. Her heart ached with sympathy. She did love him, but not in the way he wanted. Not the way she loved SpongeBob. Resolution hit her. Maybe she could show him the love and kindness, he had never received. Show him she did care. It was worth a shot. She had to hurry, SpongeBob couldn't hang there forever.
"Hello?" Said sponge called out. "Blood rushing to my head here!"
"Just hang in there, dude." Sandy answered. SpongeBob laughed at her unintentional joke.
"Oh, I get it!" Sandy stands up and moves towards the Phantom. She sings with growing emotion:
"Pitiful creature of darkness... What kind of life have you known...? Neptune give me courage to show you, you are not alone..." She removes her air helmet and sets it on the floor. Then she grabs his shoulder, spinning him around to face her, and kisses him long and full on the lips. The Phantom's eyes go wide in shock, completely stunned. SpongeBob watches in horror and amazement, as she embraces him. Sandy finally pulls back, and puts her helmet back on, gasping for air. She looks sorrowfully into the Phantom's eyes.
"All he wanted was love," SpongeBob sniffled. The Phantom stands there, gazing at Sandy. Guilt flooded him. He really had caused so much damage, just to win her heart.
"Oh, barnacles," he groaned. "Now I have to do the right thing." He walked away from Sandy, in shame. He picks up a pair of giant hedge clippers, from no where, and moves towards the upside down Vicomte. He cuts the rope, and SpongeBob falls down on his head. He stands up, looking at the Phantom in confusion.
"SpongeBob!" Sandy exclaims, and rushes over to hug him.
"Just leave me and go!" The Phantom ordered. "Don't let them find you. Take the boat." The angry mobs' voices are heard in the distance. They are getting closer. They sang:
"Track down this maniac, he must be found! Hunt out this cephalopod, who runs to ground!" Sandy wanted to make sure the Phantom was okay. She tried putting a comforting hand on his shoulder, but he yelled:
"Go now and leave me!" Sandy and SpongeBob run off towards the boat.
"I knew he wasn't all bad," said SpongeBob. The Phantom crumples on the floor, sobbing. Beside him are his mask and the sea monkey music box. It starts up, playing the "Masquerade" tune. He sings along:
"Masquerade... Paper faces on parade... Masquerade... Hide your face, so the world will never find you..." He wipes his tears. "I can't believe after all the trouble I went through, I lost her. I guess I was never meant to be happy." He spun around to see Sandy had returned. Her face had 'I'm sorry,' written all over it. She takes off her ring and gives it back to the Phantom.
"It would never have worked between us," she said. As he takes the ring he sings:
"Sandra, I love you..." Tears fell down her cheeks, and she hurries off. The Phantom sticks the ring in his pocket. In the distance he hears the two young lovers' duet. Sandy, half singing to SpongeBob, half to the Phantom, as they rowed away:
"Say you'll share with me, one love, one lifetime... say the word and I will follow you..." SpongeBob sang:
"Share each day with me..." Sandy sang:
"...each night..." They both sing:
"...each morning..." Fresh tears fall down the Phantom's deformed face, as he picks up Sandy's veil. He sings, looking after her:
"You alone can make my song take flight... It's over now, the music of the night..." He looks at us. "Seriously, it's over. Nothing more to see here." Just as he says this, he hears a 'psst.' He looks around him, finding no one.
"Down here!" He looks down to find M. Plankton at his feet. He had followed the Vicomte down, and witnessed the whole thing.
"Waddaya want?" The Phantom asked, impatiently.
"To offer you a deal. I'll pay you to leave this place, and come haunt my opera house," M. Plankton offered.
"Sorry, but I'm redeemed now," the Phantom replied, flatly. He lets the veil fall, and he walks towards the throne, where his cape is draped. He sits in it, wraps his cape around himself, and disappears just as the mob finally finds their way down.
"Wait! I'll find you better girls to kidnap!" M. Plankton attempted, but the Phantom was already gone.
"Where'd he go?" M. Krabs asked. The mob let out angry grumbles.
"You mean I brought my pitchfork for nothin'?" A male fish whined.
"Hey, what's that?" Patangi pointed to the cape on the throne. He goes over and strips the cape off. In the Phantom's place, is his white half mask. Patangi picks it up and tries it on. "Look at me! I'm the Phantom!" He runs around yelling 'Boo!' at everyone. After unsuccessfully searching for the Phantom, the mob clears out, leaving the lair empty for good.
A/N: One more chapter to go! We'll find out what SpongeBob and Patrick thought of Squidward's story.