38. Seasons of Love
"Where should we go now?" Spongebob asked. "We should probably prepare before going to the summit of our next objective moon."
"I say we hang out here for a while before we camp out someplace," Titan suggested.
Panning over to Pisces Planet, Makemake was inside the kingdom. He has the wellbeing of the throne room and set up a discussion with Phobos and Deimos.
"You know what I said," Makemake stated sternly, "one more fluke and who knows what punishment I'll decide for you two."
"Short discussion, huh?" Deimos responded. "For what we can apprehend, those Moon Warriors get stronger, but we get lucky if we do defeat them."
"No matter what, they're always going to be able to restore the zodiac moon cycle, even after a rematch," said Phobos, "and we're going to rematch them and block them off with a duel until they drop dead or decide to give in to your new royal order."
"Then why don't you two just simply kill those two Moon Warriors!?" Makemake questioned with seething rage and leaning his head closer to the duo.
"I don't think anybody could take you seriously if you're going to sound so spoiled," Deimos replied.
"If I may ask you, you're from Farside Planet, then why do you show support for us and give us the authority to guard the other eleven moons?" Phobos asked.
For their sake, Makemake holds in his anger. His frown becomes neutralized and he then responds, "You two are the best combatants, affordable enough to bring down any Moon Warrior and you two might have proven me wrong. Either I will back you guys up with Iapetus or the ultimate Gemini is guarding the eleventh, or even the tenth, moon."
"We need a better advantage, what do you got?" Deimos asked.
"I will create an attachment for your abilities," Makemake answered. "You can consider them upgrades once you each receive them in due time."
"What now?" Phobos said.
Makemake returned to lounging on his throne and replied, "I will direct the Farside soldiers to rearrange the conditions of the Pisconarchs, capture them or enlist them. The rest of our soldiers, part of this planet, will do some mandatory work with guarding this kingdom and making development plans for my next project."
From the outside of the kingdom, an upright amount of Pisconarchs were being shackled and sent to a trolley, with engine combustion chambers and blue waves forming when it floats. Among the victims was Halimede, with Proteus being his "chauffeur."
"So, we just had a new emperor?" Halimede asked.
"You're being liberated, so that would mean that you just got the memo," Proteus responded.
Meanwhile, Spongebob and co. were still spending the rest of their night at the hilltop and eating moon pies. Prendas was one of the two who didn't eat one while Umbriel decided to be distant from their little activities and just walked around with a frown.
"Come on Umbriel," said Titan. "Wouldn't a moon pie make you feel happier?"
"Don't you realize that I'm not hungry right now?" Umbriel asserted.
"Well, if it didn't work for Lee the first time, then I shouldn't have asked. It was only a suggestion," Titan replied.
"Don't be such a Debbie Downer and enjoy this treat like I am!" Lee said towards Umbriel and was given a stare from her afterwards. "Was that unnecessary?"
While Prendas and Patrick were sitting close to each other, Patrick starts talking it up.
"Do you want one?" Patrick asked.
"I'm diabetic," Prendas responded. "It wouldn't hurt so much for my strict diet, but I still don't want a moon pie."
"Hmmm…Spongebob knows how to make some good Krabby Patties. If he's still at the Krusty Krab, you could go for one of those," Patrick replied.
"I don't tend to eat hearty, meaty foods either," Prendas replied.
"Even though it's been long since I was in Goofy Goober, but maybe you can go for a goober sundae whenever you drop by at Bikini Bottom."
"I have a seanut allergy. In fact, I also happen to be lactose intolerant. Let's see….I also hate the taste of seaweed and kelp, I can't seem to digest anything that is wheat, most vegetables make me gassy so I'm certainly not prone to have that on my diet, fruit makes me hurl, and the concept of fish eating seafood is just flat out wrong to me. I think I'll go roll with Spongebob for a moment."
As Prendas walks over to the precise sea sponge, Patrick was puzzled and utterly speechless.
Patrick was at a loss for words until calling out to Prendas, "Well, I'm surprised to know that you're alive!"
Patrick then moves from his spot and settled close to Yin's side.
"This is going to be a blast, now that you're part of the team, right Yin?" He asked.
"Marvelous," Yin responded and started pointing upwards to the night sky when she saw a group of stars arranging. "Oh, I could see a constellation being formed."
After the stars were aligned, it becomes animated and turned into a star arrangement of Makemake's face.
"Surprised you guys, didn't I?" Makemake began. "You're all the ones that stopped my blackhole plan, but I'm not done with my next plan of getting rid of all of you. From the looks of it, now I know of Yang and Yin's secret abilities and that you guys have a new Moon Warrior on your side."
"I traded them away to Prendas anyway," said Candy.
"You better not have been bringing harm to the rest of the Pisconarchs," Yang argued to the constellation manipulation of his highness.
"Oh dear warrior, I already did punish most of them," Makemake responded. "When the time comes, prepare to try and beat the heat. While you're all still trying to restore the moon cycle, just remember that I still have an eye on all of you….12 shades of me are glimpsing an eye on you all!"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sandy asked angrily.
"I better stop chatting with you Moon Warriors," Makemake continued. "Also don't forget that you're all part of a discrete group of "honor" and I am the master! Be warned when you each try and stop me the next time we convene!"
The conversation ends as the technique formed by Makemake dissipates from the ordinary starry sky.
"You know, who's going to take him seriously?" Titan questioned. "Let's all prepare for the next morning."
"Yeah, what he said…." Yang said nervously. "So I'll agree that he doesn't sound so sincere, for one with the highest degree of power."
The Moon Warriors then camped out near the summit and called it a night. Everyone except Umbriel has gotten up before the next morning arrived. Titan peered back inside to see her dozing around.
"Good old Umbriel….sort of," Titan whispered. "She's probably not going to be stubborn as she was for the rest of the missions. Umbriel! Are you getting up yet!?"
By the volume of his voice, Umbriel's eye lit open and placed her pillow on her face.
"Oh…." Umbriel was saying before shifting her tone, "I guess I'll get ready. Just don't pressure me."
After Umbriel became prepared, Spongebob and co. strolled around in the city heights of Basin Borough.
"Now, the Capricorn moon is our next objective," said Yang. "It's located somewhere in a pier. Depending on the place of the summit, it seems illogical when I think about it."
"So, it turns out that you and Yin are the other two Moon Warriors the whole time," Titan interrupted while looking through the Pisces Planet history book. "I was the leader before I departed, so we just stick to yours truly doing the leadership role."
"I'm a higher-ranked specialist in Moon Powers than you are, technically," Yang argued. "I think I'll be the leader from this point."
"Are you guys forgetting who was once named Moon Warrior #1?" Squidward questioned, butting in the conversation. "At least give me a chance at being the leader!"
"Yeah, brag all you want," Yang responded. "You'll get used to the trooper gig."
"Whoever is leader is the one who has this device," said Spongebob, shoving his watch-like gadget bearing arm in front of the group members. "Under that circumstance, I think it's fair that I'm the still the leader."
"And since Spongebob managed to have contact with Magnus, I have a reason to return to my research on him," Titan added.
"Hey, I can see some of our old friends over there!" Spongebob uttered.
That was when Spongebob pointed over to Sao, Miranda, Galileo, and Celeste standing around town and the group started toddling over to them.
"Whoa, what brought them here!?" Titan questioned.
"How's it going? We definitely haven't seen you four in a while," Spongebob greeted and offered them a shake for his hand.
"Looks like we're not the only ones stuck here from our home planet," Galileo proclaimed.
"For sure, I'm here because I lost track of Solid Shell when I got transported to Pisces Planet before returning to this world," said Sao. "I'm not in my disguise currently, so I have to make sure Solid Shell doesn't flip and all when I see him."
"And we're all in this mess because the new emperor," said Miranda. "You can call us "The Resistance!""
"I've heard that team name numerous times, sounds iffy," Lee commented.
"Then you can call ourselves the "Freedom Fighters,"" Miranda replied.
"That's also a name that tells me that I've heard of it all before," Lee replied.
"Then let's mix things around a bit, does the "Freedom Resistance" work for you?" Galileo suggested.
"If you guys are implying that you're literally resisting freedom, then that makes little sense."
"What do you think of "The Furious Four""? Celeste asked.
"Don't tell me that you guys are actually so tense to be well-suited with that title."
"Here's one idea I've had in mind that I'm really tempted to share: somebody tell Lee to shut up," said Sao. "Seriously though, I think we have the perfect name: we are the Gladiators of the Rising Stars. Like it, love it."
"Great, now that we have our name, why don't we tell these folks where we're heading?" Miranda asked towards Sao.
"Before you guys talk that up, aren't you guys performing illegal alien acts by wandering around the ocean without a cause?" Titan asked.
"Technically, I was commissioned to seek Moon Warriors, but I was too docile and decided to hang around until I got tired of the underwater world," Sao explained. "It's a good thing I never returned. It was also a good thing I learned of cloaking by the time I was going to be encountered by Solid Shell and forced into his gig, or else he bounds and gags me."
"We actually did have the authority before we suddenly had a new emperor, so we're all in the clear unless the opposing forces decide to take us away," said Celeste.
"Onto the main subject, we each thought we unwind and go to the beach in Crystalline Coast," said Miranda.
"You guys head on over there while we have to go straight to the Capricorn moon summit as soon as possible," Titan responded.
"Come on Titan, don't we need a little vacation from the blood and sweat of all our previous duels?" Umbriel asked.
"If you insist that we should take a breather…." Titan was saying and gave a little moment of silence to wrap his thoughts around, "I guess we can go and make you guys feel less lonely."
"Excellent!" Miranda said. "Now do your little thing, Yang…or Yin."
"The things I do for you people…" Yang said to himself and momentarily speaks up to say, "If it's a luau you guys want, let's go."
Through the courtesy of Yang and Yin's teleportation ability, Spongebob and co. were warped directly into the beach area of Crystalline Coast. They could see the beachgoers bathing themselves near the sun and others doing all sorts of activities there.
"So, this is some kind of beach episode we're having now?" Squidward asked.
"Let's just unwind for this one time, we could go for a day at the beach," said Spongebob.
"I'm already thinking of catching some waves and riding through the riptides!" Sandy said, grabbing a surfboard conveniently. "Strangely, I don't leave without one of these."
"Did you guys know that the seaside of Crystalline Coast is considered one of the finest places for love?" Celeste said. "I'm going to go canoe riding."
"Count me in!" Squidward said, walking over to Celeste's side, "You wouldn't mind hanging out with me, right?"
"Cousins first," said Galileo and went over to Celeste's side as well. "If you're thinking of making a move with her, don't."
"I'll have you know that it was merely a friendly gesture!" Squidward replied. "What are we waiting for? Let's head out to sea!"
When the three started going out to shore and after Sandy started drifting through the waves, Patrick says to Yin, "While they're at it, we can spend some time with each other, is that alright with you?"
"Sure we can….but I'm not too fond of that," Yin responded.
"Combat partners first," Yang uttered, going over to Patrick and Yin's side. "I like playing this type of love game."
After that, Patrick, Yang, and Yin head out to the snack bar while the other members of the resistance and Moon Warriors team stood on the seaside, still trying to think of how they could spend their day.
"Say Umbriel, how about we go out for a canoe ride too?" Titan suggested.
"What are you getting at?" Umbriel asked.
"I'll show you what it's like!" Titan said and grabbed her arm to drag her over to the nearest wooden canoe on shore.
"If this is a place for romance, then this is how I'm going to go around relationship-hunting," said Prendas. She walked over to one of the beach umbrellas.
"Sounds interesting, I'll back you up!" Candy said and immediately went to her side.
"I'm just going to practically do nothing," said Lee, "how about you, Spongebob?"
As Lee walked away, Spongebob stood on the sandy surface, all alone.
"I guess I'm on my own for this little vacation," Spongebob said. Entrapping himself into his thoughts, his voice then echoes to him: Or you could just wait until Sandy is done with her surfing. Not only that, you can't just sit around, you always seem to seize the day! Well….whatever I can do is the choice I've made.
The current main perspective shows Patrick, Yang, and Yin sitting around at the snack bar.
"So, what do you two want to talk about?" Patrick said, sipping through his cold soda.
"Well…isn't it funny how alike Prendas and Pandora are, like they're clones of some sort?" Yang proclaimed.
"Lame," Patrick responded and peers closer to Yin, "Tell me about you, there are a lot of things that I need to know."
"Truthfully, I'm a typical boring person who doesn't really like to tell and rather show," Yin replied. "Yang on the other hand is pretty dynamic in comparison. One secret I got underway was the fact that I'm technically married to Makemake and he forced me into tying the knot. I'll admit that there's more classified stuff about me, and I'm not going to bother telling you them, Patrick."
"That's okay. There's one thing important that I want to tell you," Patrick replied. "When I first encountered you, I was madly in love with you. I didn't have the nerve to tell you until now. I'm in love with you and I could do anything to protect you and win your affection. Now here's a question I want to ask: do you want to be in a relationship with me?"
"I'm sorry Patrick…but I'm too joyous about this type of commitment. Now that's another secret I got underway: I'm just not attracted to you."
"Oh… "Patrick said softly and expressed a frown. "But if you're not going to be married to what's-his-face anymore, then who you will be in love with now?"
"You have a point. I'll decide when I know that I'm in love," said Yin. "For now, please understand that I'm not interested with being in a relationship with you."
"Fine…." Patrick replied. "I would usually remind myself that there's plenty of other fish in the sea. You're an alien, but still. Maybe someday, I will make love with someone such as a beautiful mermaid. What do you think?"
"Find someone. Other than that, your wild imagination is rather charming, but that's it."
It was now sundown as the sky was preparing to dim. Prendas and Candy were then shown bathing under the sun. As it turns out, Prendas didn't have any luck with trying to woo any of the beachgoers.
"Nobody seemed to be interested in you, huh?" Candy said.
"I gave it a shot. Who knows who is interested in my own tastes and charm anyway?" Prendas responded and literally held onto the charm around her neck.
"Do you ever have the thought that Titan and Umbriel is quite a pair?" Candy asked. "They seem like the couple that could hook up, you know."
"I don't know them as much, but I could make an agreement with that," Prendas replied. "I hear that you're a journalist."
"And I never thought I'd spend some fun in the sun time with a somehow-controversial writer. Should we leave? It's getting dusk."
"Don't you want to see the lovebirds getting themselves into the moment?" Prendas replied, referring to Titan and Umbriel out in the horizon.
Panning over to the couple, riding on the canoe, Titan and Umbriel buckled close to each over.
"Is this a date?" Umbriel asked. "You can be honest."
"Umbriel, it's time that I would express my feelings to you," said Titan. "When we first talked, you were haughty and stubborn. Even before you'd think about rearranging your personality, I like you. Even more honestly, I'm in love with you."
"That's sweet, for an alien being," Umbriel replied. "I don't know how the standards of my usual aquatic self being in a relationship with a Pisconarch are going to work."
"Who says it needs to matter? Do you love me back, Umbriel?"
"Because I didn't say this before – Wow, just wow. If I was in love with you, I can tell you how I find you so charming. For a Moon Warrior in battle, you have great moves….I guess."
Titan lays Umbriel closer to him and then says, "This would be the part where we seal a special kiss."
"That sounds savvy. I like that."
As Titan and Umbriel were about to exchange a kiss, it gets blocked due to Titan and Umbriel's armor being activated. Titan gives a bump into her armor and ends up balancing out from the canoe and getting himself wet.
"What was that?" Umbriel asked.
"Sorry, I was being clumsy," said Titan. "Since it's late, shouldn't we find a place to camp out here and leave?"
"Sure it's late, but what about the moment we were going to have?" Umbriel replied.
"Forget about the kiss, we can shoot some other time," Titan concluded and began swimming away from shore and into the soft moisture ground.
"Oh Titan, sometimes you can even be so unpredictable," Umbriel said to herself and paddled away from the ocean with the canoe and followed after Titan.
While Umbriel was paddling out of the ocean, Sandy could be seen with Spongebob on her surfboard, having a little chat with each other.
"What if I told you I wanted to be in a relationship with you?" Spongebob asked. "I'm not too sure about that, but I've been thinking about it."
"A sea sponge and an underwater squirrel being sweethearts sound so bizarre, from what I'm thinkin'," said Sandy. "Because you're friends with a girl squirrel wouldn't mean we're compatible, right?"
"Strange relationships happen, Titan and Umbriel is a likely pair, don't you think?" Spongebob replied. "I'm usually not that lover type of guy, but I'm aware that I've never dated or even been on a date."
"Don't worry about it," Sandy replied. "Someday, we'll both know whether or not we could be in a relationship."
After that, Sandy paddled away on her surfboard with Spongebob while Squidward, Celeste, and Galileo were now shown, still on their canoe.
"We can be in a relationship, what do you think?" Squidward inquired.
"Just don't act like you're going to force me into it," said Celeste. "Otherwise, I'd say no, I'm not in love with you. I hope you understand."
"Yep, this certainly was a waste of my time," Galileo said while paddling the canoe.
Out from a distance, a giant wave could be seen building up and rising higher and coming even closer to the three.
"That's a massive wave I'm looking at there," said Celeste. Suddenly freaking out, she then exclaims towards her cousin, "Get us out of here! We can't row any farther!"
With the giant tidal wave coming close, Galileo paddles faster and faster to try and reach back out of shore.
"Damn it Leo, where did you learn to paddle!?" Squidward barked and snatched the second paddle from Galileo, "Give me this. If I save you from that disaster, will you be able to love me, Celeste?"
"No, I'm fine, don't-!" Galileo said before the wave completely caught up with the trio.
The wave crashed into the canoe and the water flowed through Squidward, and Celeste, and Galileo, causing them to be engulfed and sunk underwater.