"Don't forget your bucket helmet, kid." Karen said to her current customer, as she put a bucket on the little boy. "Have a nice day."
Not even a day after the formula was retrieved, Plankton, with the aid of the villains, out of boredom though, decided to build the restaurant. With Plankton's skills with machinery, evictions to the neighbors and a little mind control for inspectors and professionals, they were able to get the restaurant going.
The Chum Bucket was the same as it was in the Bikini Bottom, as it was shaped like a bucket, though Plankton's lab was not inside it. On front of the bucket read giant words 'Home of the Krabby Patty!'. Inside the restaurant, which was desolate at the moment, Plankton and Karen took the roles of cook and cashier. For Plankton, cooking was incredibly easy, since the patties were made from machines, as the sea creature just stood by them.
After a busy day, the syndicate members, apart from Azula, were the only ones left at the restaurant, each eating a patty. Apart from Kilgore, who can't eat, and Zim who found them disgusting. "Filthy Earth meat!" he complained.
"I'd never thought I would ever see this day!" Plankton excitingly exclaimed.
"This is delightful!" Crocker praised. "This beats any of my mother's filth she calls cooking! Though, why are you still calling this the Chum Bucket?" Crocker asked. "That doesn't at all sound like a name to lure people in!"
"Look, it's been the Chum Bucket since I opened it, and it will remain that way!" Plankton argued. "Besides, what else would you name it?"
"I still say we should go with MY idea!" Killgore shouted.
"For the last time, I'm not naming my restaurant Evil Burgers!" Plankton snapped.
"May I ask, what exactly do you hope to gain from this restaurant?" Azula asked, as she walked into the restaurant, interrupting the two.
"Oh hey." Ember greeted. "Thought you were still watching TV."
"As intriguing as that moving picture machine is, there's more pressing matters." Azula explained. "And since this whole building wouldn't have come to be without my assistance, I have the right to ask, what do you hope to gain?"
"Oh you'll see, Azula!" Plankton answered, as he pulled out a bucket helmet, and was on Azula's table. "Soon, I'll lure the whole town here, and with the aid of my Bucket helmets, all of the town will be under my control!"
As Plankton laughed, Azula wasn't at all impressed. Plankton's plan immediately reminded her of the tactics Ba Sing Se used to keep its people in line. Of course to her, using Earth Kingdom tactics wasn't something she was going to sink to. "So, your plan on conquering this world of yours is based upon the weak method of mind control?"
"Yes, and…wait, what do you mean weak?" Plankton's smile faded.
"Do you believe mind control is the only solution to gaining the bidding of others?" Azula asked.
"Well yes!" Plankton responded. "I mean, what do you expect me to do? Go door to door and ask them nicely?"
"It's what all villains do to gain power, when all else fails!" Crocker said.
Azula felt nothing but contempt for the two. "May I ask again, why are you two the leaders of this league?" she asked the rest of the villains.
"Why is this even such a big deal to you?" Plankton cried. "What's wrong with a little mind control?"
Azula turned to the villains, feeing annoyed about having to explain this to the villains. "Because there is no need for it. There's more honorable ways to gain power. My nation ruled with its superiority through fear through fear and respect. We should also do the same."
Plankton rolled his eye. "Who cares about being honourable? We're villains!"
Azula pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance. "Why do you insist on giving yourselves such a childish title?"
"Seriously, princess, what's with you? Why do you hate being called a villain so much?" Zoe asked.
Azula then spoke up for the rest of the team. "Because I believe there are no such things as 'heroes' or 'villains'. However, there's only one thing that matters in this world. Power. All of you shouldn't let yourselves be fooled by what weaklings consider right or wrong. They only wish to hold us back. We will not be known as 'villains'. We shall be known as rulers." Shockingly, the villains stared at Azula in surprise at her speech. Normally, they wouldn't have thought of the subject, especially if it came from someone they hardly knew, yet for some reason, there was a moment of silence as everyone contemplated Azula's words as they reconsidered their status as "villains". As in, each of them found themselves rethinking their places in the world and why they ever thought of themselves as villains to begin with. Some of them didn't see how what they were doing was wrong before joining the team.
"Why, HELLO!" Someone greeted, breaking the silence. Heading past the restaurant's doors was one of their neighbors, Rosa Casagrande, who had a plate of tamales. "Did I come at a bad time?" She asked. Plankton then jumped down to avoid getting spotted.
The scent of tamales caught on to Crocker. "I smell tamales!" He said as he walked and took the plate of tamales from Rosa, and began to chow down on the first one on top. "My, miss! These tamales taste splendid!" Crocker exclaimed.
Zoe then got out of her seat to also try the tamales. "Boy, the teacher here ain't kidding!" she said, as she continued to chow on the tamales, taking the plate.
"Glacias!" Rosa responded. "They are your welcome to the neighborhood gift! I would've given to you earlier, but my granddaughter told me you were busy. I believe you're the inventor who lives next door to us."
"Inventor?" Crocker asked, continuing to eat the tamale. He immediately remembered his encounter with Ronnie Anne. "Oh yes, I am the inventor!"
"And from the looks of it, you're also a restaurant owner!" She said, looking at the Chum Bucket.
"Restaurant owner? I don't even work-EEE!" Crocker screeched in pain as he saw Plankton step on his toe. "I mean yes, I own this dump, I mean, PLACE!" He bluffed with a fake smile. Knowing he was already living a lie at the moment, he decided to continue with it.
Rosa then saw Azula in back. "And I believe this is your daughter?"
Azula's eyes widened at this. "Let's set this straight: I am not related to this man, nor would I ever-"
"Why yes, she is one of my daughters!" Crocker said. As soon as Azula heard these words, she gave a Crocker a very angry, frightening death glare, while trying to resist smiting Crocker with her lightning. "Isn't that right?" Crocker said, with a fake smile.
Azula fumed for a moment before an unsettling grin appeared on her face. "Of course, Father." She growled through her teeth.
"Wait, you have more than one child?" Rosa asked.
Not knowing what to say, Crocker decided to continue with the lie. "Why um-YES!" Crocker lied before pointing towards Ember, Zoe and Zim. "Three daughters and-ONE BOY! If you're wondering why they don't look like me, it's because they're um…ADOPTED!"
"Say what?" Zoe asked, as her concentration was broken from the tamales.
"You've got to be kidding." Ember said.
"Why did I bother joining this meeting?!" Zim complained.
"Err, not my problem!" Kilgore said, jumping off the table.
"Say, you should meet my grandchildren! In fact, you should meet them and the rest of my familia tonight!" Rosa suggested. "I'll cook us a large dinner!"
Now, Crocker would hae easily declined this offer, absolutely dreading dinner with anybody besides his mother. Yet his mind was too distracted by the tamales, and hearing this new neighbor was cooking dinner, peaked his interest, while completely blocking out any other common sense at the moment.
"That sounds dreadful, and we would never have the time to-"
"Of course!" Crocker agreed, interrupting Azula. "That sounds splendid!" Azula's eyes widened again, as Plankton facepalmed.
"Oh well, see you tonight!" Rosa waved, leaving the alleyway as she headed back to the Casagrande apartment. However, as she stepped outside, she snickered to herself. "This will show them and my family!" she said.
As soon as she left, Azula looked absolutely aggravated by Crocker. Plankton then stepped on his shoulder, giving him a completely annoyed look. "Crocker." Plankton said. "I don't tell you this enough, but…YOU ARE A COMPLETE IDIOT!"
"Shall I finish him off?" Azula asked, as she began to bend lightning.
"No, don't kill him!" Plankton ordered. "We need him!"
"But what purpose does this fool serve? He's jeopardizing this league!" Azula answered.
"Sorry! I swear I would've told her to scram any other day! it's just…have you tried these tamales?!" Crocker excitingly said, taking the plate out of Zoe's hands. "It beats any of my mother's disgusting slop she calls casseroles! GAH!" Crocker screamed as Azula shot fire at the tamales, forming a large fire on the plate. "What gives?! That was a waste of good tamales!" Zoe shouted.
"Whatever, we are not going to any dinner!" Plankton argued.
"Well it's too late to back out now!" Crocker said.
"Too late to back ou-just cancel it and tell them to scram!" Plankton said.
"We are not going to partake in a feast with those neighbors for the sole reason that you enjoy that peasant's cooking!" Azula snapped.
"What?! That's not the reason!" Crocker bluffed.
"Then what is it then?!" Azula ordered.
Crocker started to think. "What if there's a silver lining to this?"
"Silver lin-what silver lining?!" Plankton screamed.
Crocker thought of something fast. "Now hear me out on this: So that way, we can pass off as regular citizens and throw away all suspicions we're villains!"
Azula felt absolutely dumbfounded at the idea. "You really want this fool alive?" Azula asked Plankton.
"Actually…I kinda see where you're going with this, Crocker!" Plankton agreed. "As bizarre and incredibly stupid, it may sound, this could work!"
"You can't be serious." Azula sneered.
"Hey, it's what Crocker said!" Plankton said. "There would be less of a chance of us getting caught in this puny world!"
"This town doesn't suspect us already!" Azula argued. "What makes you think pointlessly agreeing to a dinner would at all lessen those chances?"
"Also, if this dinner goes through, there is a good chance you could be befriending those neighbors, thereby, they'd be constantly in your way." Karen said.
"Yes, what this...machine just said." Azula said, feeling weirded out about the fact that the machine had a valid point.
"Actually, then that would make it sweeter! Then those fools will be crying like little whiny guppies when we unleash our plan on them!" Plankton laughed.
"FOOLS!" Zim suddenly shouted. "You expect me to eat MORE human food?"
"Meh, family gatherings aren't my thing." Ember said.
"If there's more of those tamales, I'm in." Zoe said.
Azula felt like her sanity was slowly decreasing, as she took a look at the other members. "You can't possibly tell me you're not actually thinking about passing off our league as a family."
"What other option would we use? We could mind-control a family here, but oh that's right, you don't like that!" Crocker mocked.
In response, Azula lit up her fists, making Crocker back away. "I should've known you'd be dumb enough to conjure up a plan such as this, and I could explain how not even the most brainless of people would believe our league is, nor would they ever resemble a family, but it would seem worthless."
"Look, if we play our cards right, we could pull this off!" Plankton said. "I mean, how hard would it be to pretend we're a family?"
Hearing this, Karen headed into the kitchen. "I'm taking the night shift."
"Count me in, leader's wife!" Kilgore said. "I can't bare to witness the embarrassment of this plan!"
…
The villains headed back to the base, as Crocker decided to help put together their "family".
"Fellow Syndicate, tonight, we shall become…the Crockers!" Crocker said.
"Sounds like some sort of hippie band." Ember insulted.
"Now, any suggestions on how exactly would we pass as a normal family?" Crocker asked.
"You mean you don't know this?" Plankton asked.
"Aren't you a teacher?" Zoe asked. "Don't you like, meet families all the time?"
"What, you mean like parent teacher conferences?" Crocker asked. "Why would I bother with those? They're all careless idiots who put too much belief in the flawed grading system anyways!"
"Well, I don't think you're going to get any answers with us." Ember said.
Crocker groaned. "You mean none of you know what makes a normal family?!"
"I was raised by two super villains." Zoe answered. "Not really the best example."
"I don't know mine, or if they even exist, and I don't care." Ember answered.
"I created my parents!" Zim added.
"Unbelievable! How is it that none of you know what a normal family is?!" Crocker groaned.
"Because we're all evil, you dunce!" Plankton answered. "What was your first clue?!"
"I stand corrected." Azula said, as she sat in a corner away from the couch. "None of you have any concept of what an actual family looks like, proving once again, that this plan is doomed to backfire."
"Well do you know what a family looks like, princess?" Crocker said.
"My family certainly isn't the best example either, for they were all once the royal family of the Fire Nation." Azula answered. "Now, I say cancel this little banquet!"
"Request denied, princess!" Crocker said, as held up separate sheets of paper. "By the way, you're not going in that! You look like you just came out of a nuthouse!"
"She did though." Ember said.
Azula stood up. "For once, I actually agree with you, supposed leader. This attire is nothing more than a painful reminder of that institution. I may not have any knowledge of the attire in this world, so I may need some assistance." She then pointed to Zoe. "You."
"Huh?" Zoe responded.
"Lead me to the nearest clothes market." Azula ordered.
Zoe sighed. "Eh, come along." She then jumped off the couch.
"You better not rob the place!" Plankton commanded.
"No promises." Zoe responded, as her and Azula left the apartment.
"I don't know about any of you fools, but I believe I'm all set." Zim said, pointing to his wig and eyes.
"What?! You're not going with that lazy attempt at a disguise!" Crocker shouted.
"Foolish leader." Zim said. "I know these humans, and they won't suspect a thing!"
"Zim, this isn't even your universe! These people are stupid, but they're not entirely brainless!" Plankton said.
"Your skin is green and you have no ears!" Crocker shouted. "How could anybody not question that?"
"Just simply refer to it as a skin condition!" Zim said. "Besides, your ear is on your neck! How has nobody questioned that?"
"Are you kidding? This ear has made me the butt of SO MUCH-" Crocker groaned and clenched his fists. "Now now, this isn't worth the energy!" he said to himself.
….
Azula and Zoe were on their way to the nearest clothes store.
"Can I ask Avez, why are you agreeing to this ludicrous plan?" Azula asked.
"Same reason as that Crocker, I want to eat that lady's cooking." Zoe answered.
"You'd really risk putting our league in jeopardy just for that woman's cooking?" Azula asked.
"Look, what is the big deal?" Zoe asked. "Do you just not like dinners or something?"
"Do you not understand? Our current goal is to conquer this world, yet we're squandering on this time as something as pointless as a dinner with our neighbors! We're risking exposing ourselves to those fools!"
"Yet staying away from them is better?" Zoe argued. "Even if everyone around us are fools, someone will catch on eventually. Take it from an Avez!"
"Look out!" Ronnie Anne, on a skateboard, was about to crash into Zoe. As she shrieked, Zoe quickly grabbed Ronnie Anne's face, as the skateboard she was on crashed nearby.
"That was one heck of a catch!" Ronnie Anne said, as Zoe put her down.
"You want me to erase that?" Sid Chang, Ronnie Anne's best friend said, as she held her phone, which was recording her friend.
"Yeah, let's not put that in the video!" Ronnie Anne agreed, as she turned to Zoe. "We so sorry! We're trying to film for a skateboard video contest."
"Say, I don't think we've met you two before." Sid said. "Are you guys new around here?"
"Um...sure?" Zoe answered.
"My names Ronnie Anne." Ronnie Anne said, shaking Zoe's hand. "And this is my friend Sid."
"Zoe." Zoe said, not looking impressed. "And this is my…sister, Azula."
Azula had an annoyed look. "Hello." She said as she gave a weak wave at them, which broke Ronnie Anne's smile.
"Eh, you gotta excuse her, she's just a little annoyed because our…father, making us eat with our new neighbors." Zoe answered.
"Say, Ronnie Anne." Sid said. "Wasn't your abuela having dinner with their neighbors too?"
"Say, you must be them!" Ronnie Anne pointed.
"You mean your father owns the Chum Bucket?" Sid asked.
Annoyed at how long this could drag, Azula stepped in. "Listen, we'd love to stay and socialize with you children, but that will have to wait until our banquet together, for we have other errands to attend to." Azula said.
Ronnie Anne and Sid were weirded out by Azula's cold attitude. "Oh-um, Okay then." Sid said.
"Smell you later, then!" Ronnie Anne waved, with a fake laugh, as the two walked away.
"You know, if there's anyone who's going to expose us, it's you!" Zoe said. "Would it kill you to speak like a normal girl?"
Azula laughed. "And what would define normal to you? Lowering ourselves to the standards of those beneath us?"
"Huh?" Zoe asked.
"What good would come from pretending to be something we are not? We have far enough power to conquer everyone around us, so why should we ever stoop to their level?" Azula asked.
Zoe still had trouble comprehending her words. "You know, I'm beginning to suspect you just don't like talking to people because you're bad at it." Zoe joked. "Say, is that why you don't want to go to this dinner?"
Azula began to feel annoyed, yet at the moment, she didn't have it in her. "You're lucky I value your presence over those other fools." Azula said.
"What? I'm only kidding!" Zoe said.
There was of course another reason to her sparring Zoe, which was mainly that she knew Zoe was right. Azula knew someone like her could never be normal. However, to her, that mindset was the biggest problem, and what made it worse for her, was that at some point, she did have a desire to be normal, or at least somewhat of a curiosity over it. Yet that curiosity was disproven after a day at a Beach House with her brother and former friends. As all of her attempts to blend in blew up right in her face, after that day, she realized she wouldn't stoop herself to that level ever again. Yet, in the present, it was impossible to follow up on that. Not only was she stuck with villains who could care less about her royal roots, but she was in an entirely different world, where because of her supposed allies, her only option was to pretend to be normal. She absolutely dreaded the thought of that, and yet, it was either this, or return home to an institution, where she is treated as pure scum from corrupt guards.
At that moment, Azula knew if she was going to gain what she wanted, she had to throw in somewhat of an effort again, even if she dreaded it.
….
It was night already, as Crocker was by the Casagrandes apartment door. He tucked in his tie, as he turned to his villains. "Are you all ready? Zim, put your bag back on in this instant!"
"No!" Zim snapped. "That bag smells like filthy burritos!"
"Well, your little disguise isn't an option either!" Crocker argued.
Zim held the paper bag, with the head of a smiling child drawn on it. Two eye holes were made where the drawings' eyes were. "As if this is better?" he smirked. "This is supposed to be my HEAD?!"
"Eh, just say you have acne and you're embarrassed to be seen in public!" Plankton said.
Crocker's eyes then turned to Ember, as they were on her blue ponytail, which was in constant motion. "Could you stop doing that with that hair of yours?" Crocker asked, ignoring Ember's words. "Put a hat on or something!" Crocker whined, as he checked his watch. "And where's Avez and that princess?!"
At that moment, Zoe and Azula entered the hallway as the villains. While Zoe was in her regular clothes, Azula had a new attire. On her was a red sweater, with orange flames front and center, that stopped over her waist. Black jeans covered her legs, as under them were red boots.
"Where have you two been?" Plankton asked.
"Apologies for the hold-up, we had to deal with a rude manager." Azula responded.
At that moment, the villains heard a fire truck pass by the building. "What did you two do?!" Plankton shouted.
"I swear, we just scared him, we didn't burn the place down!" Zoe defended, and then pulled out a wad of money. "I did steal from an ATM though."
Plankton grunted. "Forget it! Let's get this stupid dinner over with!"
….
Meanwhile, on the other side of the door, the Casagrandes were preparing themselves for the guests. By that I mean the usual pandemonium trying to get themselves together. As Frida chased her baby Carlitos, who was on Lalo, the rest of the adults were struggling to find the proper clothes to change into.
"Get yourselves together, my familia!" Rosa said, as Sergio attempted to use a fish hook to take one of the tamales. "They could be here any minute! And Sergio, no eating until the guests arrive!"
"BWAH! It's been hours!" Sergio exaggerated.
"Yo, little sis!" Bobby whispered to Ronnie Anne. "You think they're gonna bring more of those Crummy Yummies, or whatever they were called?"
"They're called Krabby Patties, Bobby." Ronnie Anne whispered back. "And I hope they do."
"Are you guys talking about those Patties?" Carlota asked. Because Ronnie Anne and Sid were among the first customers when the restaurant opened, she was able to bring a sample of the patty home.
"They taste like Heaven on a bun!" CJ, their second cousin said.
"Man, I would do anything to get a taste of one of those burgers again!" Carl, their third cousin said, who was on the couch playing with toys from his favorite superhero, El Falcone.
"Are you talking about Mr. Crocker's Krabby Patties, weren't you?" Rosa asked.
"Yes, abuela." Ronnie Anne answered, nervous though. She already knew how her grandmother felt about her own family praising another person's cooking.
"I see. They've been the word of the town lately." Rosa said, though she looked bit annoyed. "But tonight, let's forget about fast food, and enjoy some delicoso home-cooked food!"
At that moment, the guests knocked on the door. "That must be them!" she said.
…
"Remember: none of you be yourselves!" Crocker ordered.
He did not expect what was to come greeting him: Carlitos and Lalo, the family's dog. He immediately jumped on Crocker, which startled the gang. Plankton quickly jumped off of Crocker's shoulder before the dog could attack. "GAH!" he screamed, as the dog was happily licking him.
Carlitos flew out of Lalo's back, and landed in Zim's hands. "AH! DISPOSE OF THIS CREATURE!" Zim shouted, as he threw Carlitos. Though Zoe quickly caught the baby.
"Geez, it's only a baby!" Zoe said.
"I'm aware!" Zim responded.
As Lalo stopped, his attention was then on Plankton, standing in mid-view. Mistaking him for a bug, he began to growl. "Uh, nice doggy?" Plankton said, beginning to back away, as he knew he was about to be on the run for his life.
"Lalo! No growling at our guests! GAH!" Rosa ordered, as she screamed at Plankton.
"Hi?' Plankton waved, sounding confused. Rosa then pulled out bug spray, pointing the nossil at Plankton. "NO NO NO NO NO!" he screamed.
Crocker then blocked Rosa. "No, don't kill him!" he snapped. "He's Plankton, my ally! I mean, SERVANT! He's um..A ROBOT!"
"A robot?"
"Yeah, Abuela, he's an inventor, remember?." Ronnie Anne added.
"Oh. My mistake, Mr. Crocker." Rosa responded. "I thought he was a bug. Well come on in!"
As Rosa walked in, Crocker kneeled down. "You owe me one, Plankton!" He didn't spot the small villain. "Plankton?"
"You're on me!" he shouted, as Crocker heard it from his feet. Of course, Crocker squashed him.
"Geez, no wonder people confuse you for a bug!" Zoe joked.
"Yes, and call me that again, I might squash you like one when you're sleeping too!" Plankton threatened.
"Threaten me again, and I will blast you!" Zoe responded, pulling out her laser. But then tucked it back into her wrist as she noticed the door was open.
As the villains walked in, they were greeted by all the members of the Casagrandes. As Crocker got up from the ground, a snapshot of him was made, making him shriek. "What was that?!" Crocker whined.
"My apologies!" Aunt Frida said. "I always savor the moment with pictures! They can be so-BEAUTIFUL!" She then began pouring with tears. Crocker's eyes widened, as he was freaked out, and began to slowly back away.
"Geez, I don't want to know her problem!" Plankton whined. As Frida was crying, Ember grabbed the photo, handed it to Azula, and behind her back, she quickly incinerated it with her right hand.
Zoe immediately headed for the food table, as she grabbed the tamale plate with her hands, and bit into one.
Ember, Zim and Azula chose to remain silent, as the former and latter grabbed their feast, while Zim just sat on the dinner table completely aggravated.
"Zim, put your bag on, you look like an embarrassment!" Crocker commanded, as the family glared at him. "I mean, of course, nobody is saying that about you, son! You're beautiful just the way you are!" Crocker began to feel nauseated at that comment.
Zim in response, threw the bag in the air, as it landed on Sergio, who crashed into a tray of biscuits.
Meanwhile, Carl was thrown off by the sight of Zim. In his hand, he held an action figure of an alien minion. As he looked back and forth between Zim and the toy, he then gasped.
"CJ!" Carl whispered. "Do you know what that is?"
CJ's smile broke as he saw the action figure. "Oh no! That's not nice, Carl." CJ said.
"Oh come on, what would explain why he's green?!" Carl shouted.
"Maybe he was in an accident." CJ said. "I don't think an alien would walk around in public like that!"
As CJ happily left to the table, Carl took a deep breath. "Maybe CJ's right." Carl said. "No alien would wear a dumb disguise like that!"
Zim touched the mashed potatoes on his plate. "Why do they enjoy this filth?" he said out loud.
Frida then put baby Carlinos in his chair, as Zim shrieked at the sight of him. "STAY BACK!" he shrieked.
"You're really scared of babies huh?' Zoe asked.
"I do not fear these creatures!" Zim bluffed. "But I am not deceived by their looks!"
"Or maybe not!" Carl said. He then left the couch and ran to the table. "Hello."
"What do you want, child?!" Zim asked. "I mean…hello to you too."
Azula sat down beside Zim. In her mind, even if she looked calm, she felt completely annoyed. "I would've been better off staying with those machines." she told herself.
…
Meanwhile, turns out Kilgore wasn't exactly having the best time either, as he sat with the side of his face laying to the ground, completely annoyed near Karen, who decided to spend time with him venting. Of course, as she hung out with another machine, this meant she found someone to relate to. By him were three empty oil cans.
"It's like he always refuses to listen to reason!" Karen ranted. "Do you get what I'm saying?"
"I'm THREE IN EARTH YEARS!" Kilgore snapped. "GIVE ME A BREAK!"
However, Karen kept going. At that point, Kilgore was so annoyed by Karen that he decided to walk off. "I constantly give him advice that any competent villain would take, but instead, he chooses not to listen! Yet he only decided to take it when it came from that Azula!"
As Karen kept venting, Kilgore then opened another can of oil.
…
The dinner itself felt awkward. None of the villains were socializing with them, as they all remained silent while eating. Zoe, Azula and Ember remained quiet, while Zim didn't touch anything on his plate. Plankton on the other hand, had nothing to eat, because of the family's belief he was only a machine. Lalo continued to growl at him, as his paws were on the table. "Do you mind, you dumb mutt?!" Plankton whined, but then looked around the table. "I mean, good doggy!" he added in a bored tone. He then looked at Carlos, and turned to Crocker.
"You know, this guy looks like you if you actually took some grooming." Plankton whispered to Crocker.
"What? This imbecile resembles NOTHING LIKE ME!" Crocker whispered very loudly. "Besides, I would never be caught in those clothes! He looks like a human turtle!"
"I actually can hear you two." Carlos said.
"No you can't!" Crocker responded.
"We all can. You all have been quiet the whole time." Maria said.
"Ummm!" Crocker continued stuffing himself with the food. "This is just some amazing food!" Crocker praised, raising his plate trying to throw off the family.
"Glacias, Mr. Crocker!" Rosa thanked. "I'd figure I'd give you and your family some variety! What do the rest of you think?"
"It's…decent?" Ember responded.
"Decent? What don't you like about it?" Rosa said.
Ember felt thrown off by this. "I said it was decent, lady! I didn't say it was bad!" she responded.
"Sorry, I guess to me, it sounds muoy stressful seeing nothing but those patties all day." Rosa said.
"We don't just eat patties all day!" Ember snapped back.
"Eh, try being a teacher." Crocker said.
"You're a teacher too?" Carlos asked.
Crocker's eyes widened. "I mean, I used to be?"
"That's wonderful. I, myself, am a professor. Say, what do you enjoy most about teaching?"
"Why, shattering the dreams of all the children!" Crocker laughed. Though nobody was laughing on the table. "Why that was a joke of course! By shattering, I mean restoring and motivating them to go beyond the limits of society! Heh heh!"
"A teacher? My little nini here told me you were an inventor too!" Bobby said. "How do you even balance all that?"
"Simple, he doesn't have a life!" Plankton laughed, along with the family. Crocker pretended to chuckle, all while looking offended at Plankton.
"You know, my friend Sid is a wiz at building robots." Ronnie Anne added, trying to stop the fight. "Maybe she could help you with some of your inventions."
"What?! Me working with a puny child?!" Crocker snapped, and then laughed, but then stopped. "It's uhhh..too dangerous!" He gave another fake smile.
Meanwhile, Carl had his eyes completely on Zim. As Zim didn't even bother to eat his food, both of their eyes remained on him, though while CJ had a smile remaining on his face, Carl gave a suspicious stare at Zim, who was completely annoyed. He had to sit next to Baby Carlitos, who was chewing on a toy.
"Filthy creature." He muttered to himself, as he then noticed Carl starring at him. "What? What are you staring at, Earth child?"
"Carl, CJ, stop staring at…I'm sorry, what is your name?" Frida asked.
"I am Zim!" he greeted.
"Nice to meet you, Zim." Frida responded.
"Zim, huh? What, is that short for something?" Carl asked.
"No." Zim answered. "It was a name programmed by…my parents!"
"What do you mean, programmed?" Ronnie Anne asked. "Are you a robot too?"
"That would kinda explain a lot!" Carl said.
Not liking where Zim was heading, Crocker decided to intervene. "It's actually just a nickname!" Crocker bluffed. "His real name is um…Carl? Yes, it's Carl too!"
"That's nice! You two already share something in common!" Frida said to her son. "Maybe you can have a playdate with him."
"What? I don't want a playdate with him!" Carl whined.
"Carl!" Frida snapped.
Zim looked bored in response. "What? I'm in agreement with this fool!"
"Zim!" Plankton growled.
"I mean, oh no, you hurt my puny feeling, boo hoo hoo!" Zim bluffed, still with a blank expression.
"I'm curious, since Carl-"
"I prefer to be addressed by Zim!" Zim said, cutting off Maria, Ronnie Anne and Bobby's mom.
Maria chuckled at this. "Since Zim brought up his parents, do you have a wife, Crocker?"
"Wife? I don't have a wife!" Crocker answered, with his eyes on his food. "Why would I bother wasting my time and money on something as useless as marriage? It all ends in crumbles anyway!"
Maria felt saddened by this, as Hector, Rosa, Frida and Carlos glared at Crocker.
"What?" Crocker asked, looking at the table.
"Mr. Crocker, my mom kinda…!" Ronnie Anne couldn't finish her sentence, feeling genuinely annoyed at Crocker.
"Awkward!" Zoe whispered.
"My apologies. I uh…didn't mean those last words." Crocker said, also feeling awkward. "In fact, I HAD ONE TOO!"
"Didn't you just say you-"
"THAT WAS GRIEF! I'm still…SAD over it!" Crocker bluffed.
"My apologies for Crocker's behavior." Plankton apologized. "Those inventions rattled his brain! Sadly, she left him because of his careless inventions! You know, I'm even surprised he was able to even find a wife in the first place!"
"What are you implying with that?" Crocker asked. "Are you saying I couldn't-I mean yes, I'm surprised too, but oh well, at least I'm not married to a computer! Though Plankton here is!"
None of the family laughed at this. "That's kinda cute!" Carlota praised.
Plankton looked at Crocker. "Haven't you forgotten?" Plankton taunted. "I'm a robot, you boob!"
"Why um…yes! He got lonely, so I constructed him a wife!" Crocker said. "A lonely small fry like deserves some of that putrid love!"
Plankton chuckled in response. "Call me small fry again and I'm disintegrating you!" He added still with a fake smile on his face.
"Aww, you built him a wife?" Frida asked. "That's so sweet, it makes me wanna-AHHH!"
The tears from Frida's eyes began to strike with Plankton at the table. "Gee lady, is it that time of the-I mean, careful, your tears are beginning to hit me."
"My apologies!" Frida cried, wiping a tear in her eye.
Carlota turned her attention towards the three "daughters"."So Zoe, Ember and Azula!" Carlota greeted. "I dig your clothes? Where did you get them?"
"I don't know, it's been years since I can remember." Ember answered.
"I stole them." Zoe blurted out, but then caught herself. "I mean, I bought them at a thrift store."
"How about you Azula?" Carlota asked.
Like Azula thought before, she knew she had to put in the effort. "I recently acquired these at the nearest business, with the aid of Zoe here. I believe it was from what you call, a thrift store of some sorts."
"The one with that crazy rude manager?" Carlota asked. "That's the one place I always dread shopping."
"I don't think nobody in this town should worry about him anymore." Zoe said. "My friend, I mean, big sis here scared him off."
"Really? How'd you do that?" Ronnie Anne asked. "He scares everybody in this town!"
"Because, he made the mistake of threatening me, along with my fellow…sister. So I gave him a warning, in which if he ever shouts those threats again, his business, along with himself, will be reduced to nothing but ashes." Azula answered, as she gripped her fists.
Carlota and Ronnie Anne's eyes widened by this, along with Zoe's.
"She'll get him fired!" Zoe quickly defended.
"Yes, in short terms, I threatened to fire him." Azula said.
"I'd figure it was that." Ronnie Anne said, still looking quite disturbed.
"Seriously, could you tone it down with your big words?" Zoe asked.
Azula felt annoyed at herself. Great, now I might be the one to ruin everything for this league, she thought to herself.
"Hey Ember." Ronnie Anne said, noticing her guitar in the back. "You like playing the guitar?"
"What do you think?" Ember responded, still focusing on her food.
"McClain, I mean, my child, stop being yourself!" Crocker commanded. "I mean, being rude."
Ember sighed. "Yes, I like playing the guitar."
"You know, our city is always looking for gigs. We even have a block fiesta coming up! I'm sure there are a ton of places that would love you!" Carlota suggested.
"I'm sure they would. I'm sure you mortals would all love to be under my control." Ember said. "I mean um...don't talk to me!"
"Did she just call us mortals?" Ronnie Anne asked.
"Oh, that's just her funny way of talking!" Plankton corrected, as he laughed and then turned to Ember.
"Yeah, Ember here just hates people!" Zoe mocked.
"I don't hate people, dipstick!" Ember responded. "I just don't like talking to them! It's the adults I hate!"
"Well!" Hector said in annoyance.
"These teenagers, I swear!" Crocker muttered to himself.
"Her parents were rough." Zoe told the Casagrande children in front of her.
Ember didn't realize that she was so annoyed her hair was a flame again, which Carl was staring at.
"What?" Ember asked, looking annoyed.
"Whoa! Your hair is actually moving!" Carl pointed out.
Ember, feeling embarrassed, stopped her hair from moving. "Oh yeah um…that happens."
"McClain, I mean, um, young lady, I told you to put a hat on!" Crocker shouted. "You're going to make these fools think you're abnormal! No offense! Um, WE EXPERIMENTED ON HER!"
The adults eyes widened by this. "You experimented on your daughter?" Carlos asked.
"He means it was an accident!" Plankton corrected. "She was busy doing her stupid teenage things when it happened, and that's why her hair, um, does that! "Why would he do something as careless as experiment on his own son? Crocker you FOOLISH BOOB!"
"To be honest, it kinda isn't really abnormal, Mr. Crocker." Carlota defended.
"What do you mean?" Crocker asked, looking stumbled.
"Yeah, CJ and I know several tricks with the hair." Carlota said.
Plankton looked away from her. "Wow, these people really are oblivious." He told himself, as he shoved a grape in his mouth.
"Whoa, you can eat?" Bobby asked.
Plankton spit out the grape in response. "Nope! I can't taste, sadly!"
"Don't worry, I felt bad for you, so I know what you can eat!" Bobby said, as he put a tiny cup of oil and a tiny plate of cogs on the table.
"You serious, kid?" Plankton asked.
"What? Don't you machines like oil and nuts?" Bobby asked.
Plankton then sipped the oil, coughing in disgust on it. "Um..it's cold!" he bluffed to Bobby. As Lalo continued to growl at him, he then spit the oil at the dog's nose. He then chewed on the cog, easily biting the top without breaking his teeth. "Just like my dinner at home." He muttered to himself.
"Since you're new here, Zoe, do you plan on going to Caesar Chavez Academy?" Ronnie Anne asked.
"Nah, I'm good." Zoe answered. "School really isn't my thing, outside of showing up and my mamas bribing the teachers."
Ronnie Anne felt confused by this. "Your mamas bribing the teachers?"
Zoe then realized what she said. "I meant myy..last parents…used to bribe, teachers."
"Your previous parents, used to bribe teachers?" Frida asked.
Zoe suddenly felt calm. "Why yes, I was. I don't want to talk about it."
"And why not?" Carl asked. "What, were they criminals?"
"Carl, Zoe said she didn't want to talk about it, so we should respect that." Ronnie Anne said.
Zoe smiled, as she then decided to put on an act. "Actually, they were criminals!"
The family gasped in response.
"Zoe, I believe this isn't proper dinner discussion." Plankton said, as he jumped on her shoulder and leaned to her ear. "What the heck are you doing, kid?!"
"Shut up, boss." Zoe whispered. "And they were terrible! I thought I could love them, but they didn't love me back!"
"You're pushing it! This isn't some lame soap opera!" Plankton complained, still towards her ear.
"They didn't let me join in on the…I mean, they weren't there for me! They kept all the bank robberies and crimes to themselves!"
"Could you be any more obvious you're a villain?!" Plankton shouted.
"Why do you keep whispering in her ear?" Carl asked.
"I'm um, trying to calm her down!" Plankton bluffed. "Nothing to be bad about um, sweetie!"
"Your mothers used to rob banks?!" Carlota asked, feeling shocked.
"Oh my lord." Maria said. "That sounds tragic!"
Once again, Plankton was amazed the family fell for it. "Barnacles, these people are stupid!" Plankton said to himself.
"It was! In fact, I was lying! These clothes were stolen! They stole them without paying! How can they do such an immoral act?!" Zoe put her head on the table as she pretended to cry.
"Oh you poor thing!" Frida said, comforting Zoe as she wrapped her hands around her.
"Get your hands off me!" Zoe snapped. "I mean…sorry, I'm too in distress!"
"Hey, hey it's fine Zoe!" Ronnie Anne said, getting off the table. "We're not gonna judge you based on what you said about that family!"
"You mean it?" Zoe bluffed.
"Yeah. You do sound pretty cool to hang out with anyways!" Ronnie Anne said.
"You know, I think you should have her join Caesar Chavez Academy." Maria suggested to Crocker.
"What?!" Zoe growled. "I'm not going back to any school!" She then saw Ronnie Anne, and pretended to cry again. "What will they think of me?!"
"She sounds like one of those sappy movies my parents watch." Carl said to himself.
"Carl, what is wrong with you?!" Carlota whispered.
"You actually believe this? For all we know, she and her family are criminals, and those Riveras are the good guys!" Carl answered.
"You don't know her, Carl, so shut up!" Ronnie Anne angrily responded.
"Well neither do you!" Carl shouted.
He brushed it off as he continued to have his focus on Zim. "So Zim, how come you're not eating?" he asked.
"I'm, how do you say it, not hungry!" he answered.
"Not hungry?" Rosa asked. "Why is there something wrong with my food?!"
"No, Earthling, I mean uh…whatever your name is!" Zim answered. "I'm…really not hungry!"
"Are you sure it's that, or maybe it's because you crave something else?" Carl asked.
"That's enough, miho!" Frida snapped. "He'll eat when he wants to!"
"I'll see it when I believe it!" Carl said.
"Alright then!" Zim responded. "You want me to feast on your cooking? Then I SHALL!" Zim grabbed a nearby fork, and stabbed it into the mashed potatoes. He then raised the fork into his mouth, and hesitated there. He was downright terrified of putting what he calls, human filth in his mouth, as his arm shook at this. "Well?" Carl said with a smirk.
"My Tallests, is that a flying dog outside?!" Zim bluffed, as Carl, and surprisingly all the family turned their heads out the window. Zim then tossed the fork to the side. "MMMM!" Zim bluffed. "That certainly wasn't human filth!"
Zim felt a bit calm getting away with this. Then he noticed Carlitos staring at him. "You saw NOTHING!" Zim shouted and pointed at the baby, as the baby stared at him. "I mean, MMMM!"
"Thanks, have some more!" Rosa dumped more food on the plate, widening Zim's eyes.
"I did not request more food!" Zim whined.
"Sorry, Zim." Rosa apologized.
"Why um..of course I knew that!" Rosa sweated, sounding nervous. "I just love having guests, and I don't like food going to waste!"
"Mom, are you alright?" Maria asked.
"I'm fine, Maria!" Rosa answered.
Zim then turned to the baby again. "Just wait until tonight, you vile creature!" Zim threatened, as the family saw him pointing at the baby again, who still had a smile on his face.
"What?! I was…making a compliment!" Zim bluffed. "He has…eyes."
"I know, aren't they precious?" Frida added.
"Yes um…precious." Zim gagged at this comment.
"Say, Mr. Crocker, what exactly got you into the restaurant business?" Hector asked.
"Hector, can we not speak about their-" Rosa stopped as she saw her family. "I mean, go right ahead! Enjoy more of my food while you talk about yours!" she said, popping more food on the table.
Plankton's eyes widened, as Crocker had no idea how to answer to this, as he wasn't prepped. "I, uh..well.." Crocker tried to think of an answer quickly, but nothing came to mind.
"He actually inherited it from an old friend!" Plankton answered for him.
"I see, so you inherited it as opposed to actually cooking it!" Rosa said.
"Yeah, that is correct!" Crocker bluffed. "He was an old friend of mine!"
"His name was um…Sheldon J…Lankton!" Plankton corrected.
"Really?!" Crocker whispered annoyed. "Your name?!"
"They don't even know it's my full name, and they're all idiots! Calm down!" Plankton both whispered and shouted.
"What about his name?" Hector asked.
"Nothing really!" Plankton bluffed with a fake smile. "Crocker's just being foolish again!"
Crocker felt annoyed by this. "Actually, I believe that's an error! The formula was actually founded by some guy named uh.. Mr. Babs! Lankton was just some bad guy constantly trying to steal his every week because he can't cook and doesn't have a life!"
Of course, Plankton tried to hold back annoyance as Crocker was saying this. "Oh silly, Crocker! You're getting your facts riled up! Lankton was the real creator of the formula! Krabs, I mean, Babs was just some jerk who stole his fame and glory!"
"Uh, what are those two talking about?" Bobby asked.
"Nothing, they're just being embarrassments again." Ember responded, as the two argued. "Do you guys really gotta argue about this now?!"
"He started it!" Crocker and Plankton pointed at each other, but then smiled at the family.
"This cannot get any more worse." Ember muttered to himself.
"What other kind of inventions do you even make anyways, Mr. Crocker?" Bobby asked.
"Why, I actually create hunting contraptions!" Crocker happily said. As soon as Plankton heard those words, his eyes widened as he fell flat on the table. "Oh Neptune." he muttered to himself.
"There's your answer." Zoe responded.
"Dare I ask what this is about?" Azula asked herself.
"Hunting contraptions?" Frida asked, sounding worried. "For animals?!"
"No, not for those things-for FAIRY-GAH!" Before Crocker can finish, Plankton jabbed his hand with a fork. "Whoopsie! I dropped my fork!" Plankton bluffed, as his eye was turned to Crocker, angrily glaring at him.
"Fairies?" Carlos asked. "The mythical creatures?"
"You hunt fairies?" CJ asked.
"Crocker!" Plankton gritted his teeth.
"I meant fairies as in…boats!" Crocker bluffed. "Yes, ferry boats!"
"You build hunting contraptions for ferry boats?" Hector asked. The members of the crew on the side were embarrassed to see the conversation.
"Not ferry boats, but as in…enemy boats?" Crocker attempted to bluff.
"Yep, those inventions definitely rattled you!" Plankton interrupted. "Try not to listen to him! I mean, hunting fairies? That would be even more embarrassing than stealing secret formulas!"
"I swear, when this is over, I'm going to shove you in-" Crocker stopped his threat as he saw the family. "Why, of course! Why would I be talking about fairies? Though let's say if I did.."
"NOPE!" Plankton quickly said, covering his mouth. "Not proper dinner conversation!"
"You have an interests in boats then? Well, I should've known that! I wouldn't expect a teacher to take a hobby in hunting a creature I personally believe is mere fiction." Carlos said. "I'd put them up there with ghosts."
Ember rolled her eyes at this.
"MERE FICTION? LET ME TELL-"
"Crocker, I swear to NEPTUNE!" Plankton shouted.
"I mean, yeah, they're boats." Crocker bluffed, as he then grit his teeth and twitched his eye.
"BWAK! What a loon!" Sergio insulted, as he was flying over Plankton.
"Try putting up with him." Plankton said. In response, Crocker flicked the two away from him.
"For real, Zoe, not that it's any of my business." Ronnie Anne asked. "But does your Dad really hunt fairies?"
Zoe didn't know how to respond. "He's uh, definitely become pretty loco."
Azula turned to Ember. "What exactly are these fairies?" she asked her quietly.
"I don't know, these creatures he constantly shouts about all the time." Ember responded. "I think they give wishes to dumb kids or something."
Azula was a bit curious about this concept. However, her thought process was thrown off by Carl, who jumped on the table.
"What are you doing with my baby brother?!" Carl shouted, as Zim was carrying him off, near the open window.
"What? I'm just…holding it, I mean uh, him!" Zim said. "What did you think I was going to do? Dispose of him with the use of grotesque experiments?"
"Next time, we leave this loon behind!" Plankton whispered to Crocker, after jumping on his shoulder.
"Oh forget it, I'm tired of this! Are you an alien?!" Carl asked Zim.
"Miho!" Rosa called.
"What? How are none of you seeing this? He's GREEN!" Carl shouted.
"It's a skin condition!" Zim bluffed.
"But you have no ears!" Carl whined. "I don't think that's what comes with a skin condition!"
"Actually, there exists rare skin conditions that are similar to Zim's case, some even more severe." Carlos defended.
"Besides, we experimented on him too!" Crocker answered, and then his eyes widened. "On accident!"
"You mean, Zim had an accident too?" Bobby asked.
"Why yes! The brain damage was pretty severe!" Plankton corrected.
"Does that explain why he doesn't even talk like a human?" Carl asked.
"Why would I stoop down to your human language?" Zim responded. "I mean, yes I'm smart. It was a result of…the experiment!"
"I think you're lying!" Carl snapped.
"Kid, we just gave you an answer! It was the accident!" Plankton defended.
"And you! I don't think you're a robot at all!" Carl said, poking his stomach. "I think you actually are some talking sea animal!"
"Carl, that is ridiculous!" Carlos said. "No sea creature can possess the ability to talk."
"Yeah, what he said!" Plankton pointed, as he bit into another cog. He then felt a pain in his teeth, which made his eye widen.
"And you know what else I believe?" Carl asked.
"Miho, sit down!" Rosa said, as she held her shoe with them.
"None of you are an actual family!" Carl said.
Crocker quickly responded to this. "Why, of course we aren't! Just because we look different doesn't mean we aren't family!"
"Ever heard of adoption kid?" Plankton asked.
"No! That's not what I meant!" Carl shouted. As this was going down, while Zoe and Zim were amused by this and Ember continued to eat, while Azula remained quiet.
"Carl, stop it!" Ronnie Anne shouted.
"You know what I think?!" Carl cried. "You're all a bunch of villains!" As Carl stood on the table, the family was all appalled by this. "He's just some crazy mad scientist looking for fairies, she's a criminal with a family of super villains, she's a dead girl, she's…"
Azula gave Carl a very threatening glare, which suddenly sent a shiver down Carl's spine. "Don't hesitate." Azula said. "What were you about to say?"
Carl began to sweat in fear. "I don't know who the heck you are, but you're evil too, and Zim here is an alien!"
"Oh I see. Just because I dress in black means I'm a criminal!" Zoe bluffed, then pretended to look tear up. "You think I'm like my family...my OLD family!"
"I don't have the slightest clue of why you would believe such things about us." Azula bluffed. Of course, now that she saw the family wasn't believing the truth, she decided to join in. "We may be abnormal, but we are not these villains you perceive us as!"
"Listen to how she's talking!" Carl shouted. "WHO TALKS LIKE THAT?!"
"That is ENOUGH!" Rosa shouted, as she pointed to her room. "MIHO, GO TO YOUR ROOM NOW!"
"But Abuela, you have to-"
"I said NOW!" Rosa angrily said, as the family looked angrily at him.
"Fine!" Carl shouted.
"We'll discuss this tonight along with your punishment!" Frida said.
"I believe you!" Sergio squawked, as the family turned to him.
"Then go with him, Sergo!" Bobby ordered.
"Not fair!" Sergio then followed Bobby into the room.
"My apologies for my grandson, he's seen far too many of those toons on the TV!" Rosa said.
"I see, that contraption that airs those moving pictures can be quite investing." Azula said.
"That's a bizarre way of describing a TV." Ronnie Anne said. "It's like she hasn't seen one."
"Probably because…she never saw one!" Plankton responded. "Yeah! Her last family didn't allow TV. Thank goodness, we took her in, isn't that right?"
Normally, Azula would've threatened Plankton as soon as he brought up anything about her life prior to this, but since she was in on the act, it didn't matter. "Yes." Azula responded. "That is correct." However, Plankton's last words didn't leave her head.
"Yeah, I'm really sorry for my cousin." Ronnie Anne apologized to Zoe. "Thank goodness my friend Lincoln isn't here. They would've never shut up about you guys!"
"It's fine." Zoe responded.
"Say, after today, you want to hang out sometime?" Ronnie Anne asked.
"Uhhh…" Zoe didn't know how to respond to this.
"What's the matter?" Ronnie Anne asked.
"I don't think anyone has ever asked me to hang out before." Zoe answered. This time, this wasn't actually a lie that was a part of her act. There was an ounce of truth of this. Though this really isn't anything Zoe was sad about, as she hardly cared about making friends with anyone around her, or at least those who weren't villains. In fact, she was the most threatening kid at school, that all the other students stayed away from, and she was fine with this. However, at this moment, it really did strike her that she was never asked this, yet something about this feeling felt so right.
"Sure." Zoe answered, as she formed a blank expression on her face.
"Sweet! There is a ton of stuff we can do!" Ronnie Anne said. "Like we can hang at out Lucha Libre Robots club!"
"That's actually a thing?" Zoe asked, sounding excited at the thought.
"Yes, me and Sid came up with it!" Ronnie Anne responded. "You think it sounds cool?"
"Why of course I do! I mean I fight those giant metal things!" Zoe stopped. "With...my own robot of course! I don't mean physically!"
"You have your own robot?" Ronnie Anne asked. "That is awesome! Does your dad build your robots for you?"
"No." Zoe responded, dreading this idea. "I um..do. In fact, his name is…Sanchez!" Zoe answered, but then looked anxious, since she brought up the name of an actual robot she knew who normally rampages through Miracle City. What the heck am I gonna do? I can't squeeze him here, she thought, as what popped in her head was the image of Great Lakes in ruins. Also, she couldn't return home with the thought of her parents. But then she thought back to Kilgore.
"Actually, he's right here with me, he's…" Zoe tried to scan for Kilgore. "Not here!" She then leaned to Ember.
"Where's that Killgore?" she asked.
"He stayed with Karen." Ember answered. "You're just realizing this now?"
"Right!" Zoe said. "Turning back to Ronnie Anne. He's at home, probably recharging his batteries!"
"BUH NUH!" a voice shouted outside the window, which got everyones attention. It turns out Kilgore was outside the open window, with squinted eyes. But before anyone could spot him, Karen's extended metal arm grabbed him, and headed back down the apartment.
"What was that?!" Rosa asked.
"Was that that puny toy?!" Plankton shouted.
"What toy?" CJ asked.
"Oh nothing really." Plankton bluffed.
"So yeah." Ronnie Anne continued the conversation, not knowing what to say of what she just heard. "Sounds like you'd be a pro in our club."
"I'm sure of it." Zoe said.
"Man, I wonder how much we have in common!" Ronnie Anne said. "Ever heard of Twelve Is Midnight?"
Two seats next to her, Azula, still in her chair, stared in disapproval at the two. While she still stuck to the entire groups act, she didn't like seeing Zoe socialize with Ronnie Anne. She knew this wouldn't amount to much in the end, if the group ever succeeds in taking control of the planet. However, she knew she couldn't step in the way like last time, especially since it's clear that the Casagrandes couldn't see through their lies.
"You know, we should hang out too, Ember and Azula!" Carlota sugged. "Are you two in or what?"
"I'm busy." Ember immediately responded, as Carlota then turned to Azula.
"As am I." followed Azula.
"I'm curious what are you into?' Carlota asked.
"Excuse me?" Azula asked.
"Do you got any hobbies or something?" Carlota re-iterated.
Azula couldn't think of an answer. She couldn't even make up a lie or exaggerate like the rest of the villains, and she especially didn't at all feel comfortable of bringing up anything related to the life prior to this. Yet she knew just saying she didn't have any wasn't a valid answer either.
"What's the matter?" Carlota asked.
Zoe then noticed Azula looking nervous. "She um…she's had a tough life." Zoe bluffed.
"Oh no, her too?' Carlota asked.
"Yes. Her um…parents forbid her from doing fun stuff." Zoe said. "She's pretty behind on the times."
Azula still couldn't come up with an answer to this. She couldn't agree or disagree, especially since once again, her prior life was brought up. Even if it was fabricated, she had no clue what to say.
"You know, I can help you catch up with the times!" Carlota said. "I don't mind it! I help my little cousin with that all the time! I'm quite famous on the web already!"
"Oh lord, another one of them!" Crocker whined, rolling his eyes, then he saw the family glare. "Yay!"
At this moment, Azula still didn't know what to say. "I can help you with anything, whether it's tv shows, movies, music, or even the best clothes stores and cosmetics!" Carlota continued.
"I don't know what any of those things are." Azula blurted out.
Zoe looked awkward at this. "Yeah she was really sheltered!"
"It's fine." Carlota said. "I even have CDs you can borrow. In fact, I think you would like Alisa Barela!"
"I don't care!" Azula shouted, as she slammed her fist on the table. "I don't care about your interests and whoever this Alisa Barela person is!" The entire table was silent. The family starred at Azula, along with Zoe and Ember. Even Crocker and Plankton had a worried look on their face. Zim however, still looked bored. "I mean, I need to wash up." Azula responded. As Carlota's smile faded, the former princess left to the bathroom.
"Geez!" Ronnie Anne said.
"I might've overwhelmed her." Carlota said.
"These fools really are among the same." Zim told himself, as he was about to put a glass of water to his face, but then threw the glass to the side of him. He didn't realize the family wasn't distracted at that time. "I'm not thirsty either!" Zim remarked.
"Why did you toss the cup?" CJ asked.
"It was contaminated!" Zim bluffed.
….
Azula stood by the sink in the bathroom, with her hands laying on it. "What did I get myself into?" she asked herself. She took some deep breaths to calm herself. She hated feeling like this. She was so used to being in control. To be this vulnerable to a family of nobodies was just...
"Azula."
Azula looked up from the sink to once again see her mother in the mirror. She scowled. "What do you want from me?"
"I'm your mother, Azula. I only want what's best for you."
Azula chuckled. "Let me guess. You think I should just go out there and try to make friends with these peasants, don't you?"
"Isn't that what you'd like? To be able to make friends without controlling them with fear? To not feel like a monster?"
"You just want me to be weak, don't you?!" Azula then snapped.
Ursa shook her head. "I only want what would make you happy."
"The only thing that would make me happy is if you STAYED OUT OF MY LIFE!"
"Are you okay?"
Azula's eyes widened as she turned to see CJ standing at the door, giving her a weird look. She glanced back at the mirror to see her mother was gone. She took a moment to compose herself. "I'm fine."
"Why were you shouting at the mirror?" CJ asked.
Azula bristled, resisting the urge to snap at CJ. "You know, it's usually a bad idea to nosey into someone's business."
"Oh. Ok then." CJ said before leaving her alone.
Azula headed back to the dinner table, as the entire table was laughing. In her mind, she had enough of this, and had to find a way to end the dinner fast.
"So, just to be clear, you don't actually think we're villains, right?" Plankton asked.
The older Casagrandes chuckled. "Why would we?" Hector asked.
"Your familia doesn't stick out from the rest to us!" Rosa added happily.
Plankton at the moment, felt astounded by this. They have done nothing to show they're a real family, yet they still convinced this one they were. The plan was working, which put a grin on his face.
"Oh thank goodness!" Plankton said, jumping on Crocker's shoulder. "It's a shame all of you will become my future slaves!" He then said with a serious tone, as the family didn't know what to say. He then laughed again to pretend it was a joke, as the adults in the family did too.
"SEE? HE'S ADMITTING IT TO YOU!" Carl screamed from across the doorway.
"Carl, get back in your room!" Frida shouted, as Rosa threw her shoe to the door. Carl closed the door to dodge it, as the shoe came bouncing back to Rosa.
"We seem about the same! We're just two crazy families cramped together who love each other dearly!" Bobby said.
"Not even close." Ember said to herself.
"I know! My own mijja, Maria, went through the same thing when she was a child!" Rosa added.
"Mother, let's not talk about that." Maria said.
"You know, you guys seem like a cool family, Crockers!" Bobby said. "It's great our Abuela invited you guys over! I'm surprised she doesn't do this more often." At the moment, Azula took note of those words. "Say, you got any of those Krabby Patties on you?" Bobby asked.
"AHEM!" Rosa glared at Bobby, as the abuela's grandson looked annoyed at him. "Not right now of course! We have my Abuela's delicious food!"
"and I'm sure our guests are already having a fine time here!" Rosa said. "In fact, I prepared more food."
"Well, why didn't you say so?" Zoe responded. "Bring it on."
"Actually, I believe we should be going now! Don't you think so, Crocker?" Plankton said.
"But you've just gone to the entrée!" Rosa said, bringing more food onto the table. "Besides, I've got more tamales! I'm sure you need this after seeing those filthy Patties all..I mean, eat!"
"Never mind then!" Crocker said, as he continued eating the food. Suddenly, he heard a rumble in his stomach. "Ooh!" Crocker cried. "I think I ate too fast! I must use your toilet!" Crocker immediately ran to the bathroom.
"If I spend one more minute in this dreaded human prison!" Zim whined.
"My apologies for keeping you here. I guess I just don't want this night to end!" Rosa said.
"You're lying." Azula said bluntly. Rosa's own family were startled by this, as the villains had their attention on Azula now.
"Excuse me?" Rosa responded.
"You're clearly hiding another motivation."
"Azula, what are you doing?" Plankton asked.
"What? What other motivation would I have?" Rosa asked.
"Judging by what this grandson of yours said about your neighbors, I believe you only invited us for the sole reason that our father owns a restaurant."
"Why yes of course." Rosa denied, as she continued sweating. "I mean, it wasn't just that! I like meeting new neighbors, yet I especially adore meeting other cooks."
"Or because you envy them." Azula corrected, sounding bored as she did it.
"You have to pardon my, uh, Crocker's daughter!" Plankton said. "Teenagers huh?"
"You've made it clear this whole dinner that you didn't invite our family for a warm welcome, but rather to show off." Azula added.
"What? Me? Why would I think like that?" Rosa asked, beginning to sweat.
"Because you're so passionate about your own meals, you dread the mere thought of your own family enjoying food outside of your own."
"Azula, you're gonna BLOW IT FOR US!" Plankton shouted.
"So you invited us here with the intention of trying to convince us, and remind your own family, that your cooking is superior." Azula continued. She still remained on the table, looking at her nails in boredom.
"I…I…I…IT'S TRUE! IT'S TRUE! IT'S ALL TRUE!" Rosa hysterically shouted.
"Wait, what?" Plankton asked.
"YES! I'M SORRY!" Rosa cried.
"So this was about their restaurant?" Hector guessed.
"Man, I should've known this was going to happen!" Ronnie Anne whined.
"How the heck did you get that out of her?" Plankton asked. "I wouldn't have guessed that!"
"She's been asking everyone here their opinions on her food all night and seemed rather irritated when they didn't give her a satisfying answer. It was rather obvious." Azula responded.
"All I hear around me is about that Krabby Patty! Our neighbors, our customers at the Mercado, everyone is in love with that sandwich!" Rosa cried.
"You mean you're actually jealous of us?" Ember asked.
"I am not jealous!" Rosa shouted. "Alright, I AM!"
"But mother, why would you feel this way?" Maria asked.
"Yeah Abuela, you are crazy for your cooking!" Ronnie Anne said. "You believe nothing from any restaurant could ever combat you!"
"Did you eat a Krabby Patty?" CJ asked.
"Actually, mijjo. I did." Rosa answered.
In her mind, she had a flashback to a time she bought a Patty. Normally, she would never buy any fast food, as she showed no preference for it. She preferred her hand made meals rather than something she saw as lazily made processed food. However, Azula's statement about the power of the patty wasn't an exaggeration, and neither was Rosas about how popular it was. EVERYONE has tasted the patty, despite the Chum Bucket being a day open. Being tired of this, Rosa decided to pay a stranger to buy a patty. By the time she tried it, she had a new experience. As if she was being taken to another realm.
"It made me think something I've never had. It…almost put my own cooking to shame." Rosa said. "I thought this dinner would convince both you and my familia."
"So, because you found someone better than you, you can't let anybody else enjoy it?" Plankton asked. "Lady, you sound like meeee-ister Babs!"
At that moment, Crocker walked out of the bathroom at the moment, with a piece of toilet paper stuck to his foot, as everyone glared at him. "What? What did I miss?" Crocker asked. "Were we exposed?"
"Mr. Crocker, you have a decent family, and I didn't mean to ruin our dinner!" Rosa apologized. "I'm sorry for being so selfish. I hope you have it into your heart to forgive me."
"What the heck are you talking about lady?!" Crocker responded, sounding confused.
"Rosa here only invited us because she's jealous of our patties!" Plankton said.
"Why would she?" Crocker asked. "Her food is much better than those Patties!"
"Really? You think so?!" Rosa happily said. "Yippee!" She began to dance as she lifted her dress with her fingers. The villains were weirded out by this, as her own family didn't know what to say.
Rosa then stopped her dance. "Whoops! That might've been a bit too far!"
"Seriously lady, you got problems!" Plankton pointed.
"I'm sorry for all this!" Rosa apologized. "I shouldn't have let this jealousy gone to my head."
"It's fine, Abuela." Ronnie Anne responded. "We know how much your food means to you."
"I just…I just can't fathom my family thinking my cooking isn't good enough for them." Rosa said sadly.
"All because they like someone elses food? What a load!" Plankton shouted out loud. "I mean, go on!"
"What are you talking about, Abuela?" Carlota argued. "Nothing would ever top your cooking!"
"Yeah. Those Krabby Patties are great and all, but we would never choose that, or anything over your cooking!" Ronnie Anne added.
"Because they're not from you!" CJ complimented.
"Forget about that Yum Trumpet place! They're certainly not from you Abuela!" Bobby said, as he turned to the neighbors.
"Oh my grandkids, come here!" All five of them hugged their grandma.
"Barnacles, this is corny!" Plankton whined. "Let's get out of here!"
"Geez, if this is what a normal family sounds like, I want no part of it!" Crocker said to himself, as he was putting left overs on a plate at the moment.
Azula gave the family a peculiar look. Something about seeing the family hug saddened her a bit. "Looks like our family is leaving this banquet." Azula said, trying to shove those emotions away.
"Finally!" Zim agreed. "This whole dinner has been exhausting!"
"We oughta be going now." Plankton said. The family quickly agreed as they began to head towards the door.
"We should eat again sometime, Crockers!" Rosa responded. "I really do want to make-up with another dinner sometime!"
"Look lady, we don't care about what happened!" Plankton said. "Just as long as you don't go barging into my restaurant stealing my formula! Anyways, we're heading out!"
"It was a pleasure to have you, Crockers!" Carlos waved.
"See you later, Zoe!" Ronnie Anne waved.
Zoe gave a fake smile. "See ya, Ronnie Anne!" Zoe said with a fake wave.
Carlitos waved at Zim, as the alien gagged at this.
…
"So that didn't turn out a complete failure!" Plankton pointed out.
Azula tried to hold her words. "I'll admit." Azula confessed. "I underestimated the ignorance of those neighbors. By the way, I request none of you ever bring up my home life ever again."
"Looks like we got those Casagrandes fooled!" Plankton laughed.
"Except now they view us as friends." Azula said. "Especially with Avez and that Ronnie Anne."
"Don't worry, Azula." Zoe said. "It ain't anything special. She's just another fool to me."
"I don't know about that, kid." Ember said. "You sounded pretty genuine with her."
"Yeah, it's called an act!" Zoe scoffed. "AKA, what we were all doing!"
"I just can't believe those patties made someone jealous!" Plankton said. "Which means...YES! I'm finally living Krabs' success, baby! Seriously though, what a stupid family!"
"What about that kid?" Ember asked. "He's the only one who figured us out."
"You forget though, the rest of his family is stupid!" Plankton laughed. "And we overpower the little brat! We got nothing to worry about!"
"What about the baby?" Zim asked. "We should dispose of him!"
"We are not destroying a baby because you're scared of him!" Plankton said, as the family walked down the stairs. "All they ever say is "Goo goo gah gah! You're scared of that?"
"You do not know what they're capable of!" Zim responded
….
Before the villains returned to their apartment, Plankton had to close the restaurant for the night. However, he was shocked when he pushed the doors open.
"WHAT THE BARNACLES?!" Plankton shrieked.
The counter was covered with dented and crushed oil cans. On the counter was Kilgore passed out, with a grin on his face. Karen was busy sweeping up the oil cans.
"What the heck happened?!" Plankton shouted.
"Kilgore got ahold of the oil stash." Karen said.
"Karen, you were venting to him, weren't you?" Plankton asked.
The computer sighed. "You boys can never listen to anyone." Karen said to herself.
"Yeah, this is your problem, small boss!" Zoe said, as the other villains left.
"Actually, it's your problem!" Plankton pointed to his wife. "This better be finished by tomorrow morning!" He then exited the restaurant. "Crocker, you got any other leftovers? I had nothing to eat but metal!"
Karen sighed again. "I really should stop putting up with this."
"BUH NUH!" Kilgore exclaimed, as he rolled off the counter.
Despite her calm demeanour, Azula felt relieved to have finally finished that dinner. Now there was only one thing she needed to focus on. The restoration of her father's powers, which would then lead to his return to the throne.
Yet despite this though, she couldn't help but think about the Casagrandes. She didn't often have the opportunity to be around a normal family. She didn't know why but being around them made her feel like she was missing something. She shook her head. The only thing she was missing was her birthright as princess of the fire nation. She just needed to focus on putting things back to normal. It was best that she didn't let anything else distract her.
Yet unknown to her, not all of the Casagrandes were off her back. At that moment, Carl stood on the balcony, looking through binoculars, as he examined the walking villains. "I know you guys are villains! And I will prove it to my familia!" he said to himself, as he stopped looking through the binoculars.
"Carl, go back to your room this instant!" Carlos shouted.
"Alright, dad!" he shouted.
My apologies for this taking so long. Quarantine can take a ton from you.