Chapter 19 – Into the Ventilation Ducts

Happy parked his car near the door, and he stepped out, walking toward the front door. Happy never cared of taking his bag inside with him. Inside the bag are seven certain toys: Utility Belt Jimmy Neutron, Alex, Clifford, Cody, Oscar, Sherman, and Agnes. "He didn't take the bag!" Alex alarmed.

"Happy must've been too focused on his task, that he forgot to take it with him." Sherman assumed.

"And we're stuck with a crazy, insane, and delusional Utility Belt Jimmy Neutron toy!" Agnes added, twirling her fingers around her ears to describe the utility belt Neutron's insanity.

Utility Belt Jimmy turned to Agnes, "So this SpongeBob guy, is he a friend you're trying to rescue?"

Agnes answered agitatedly, "Hello! Of course! I thought you're a genius! You think we're that idiotic?"

Utility Belt Jimmy reported, "We've got no to lose!" The utility belt space toy hopped out of the bag, then he runs to the door. He tries to open it, but it wouldn't budge. He climbed up to look out the window, and sees Happy inside the elevator, the doors closing before him. "He's ascending in the vertical transporter!" Utility Belt Jimmy hopped down to rejoin the others. "All right, everyone!" He pushed the red button, and rocket boosters come out of the jetpack/backpack. "Hang on, we're gonna fly through the roof!" He held onto Oscar and Alex's hands.

"Uh, Jimmy?" Alex asked in puzzlement.

"TO INFINITY...AND BEYOND!" Utility Belt Jimmy declared. He jumped up, in hopes of flying. Nothing happened. The attempts to fly through the roof were fruitless.

Oscar yanks his hand away. "What are you, insane? We're wasting time!" He stands on Alex's shoulders and he advised, "Help me with the lock." He reaches the car lock, and tries to unlock it. It wouldn't budge, even with all his strength, it's too tight.

Utility Belt Jimmy pressed the red button again, and the rocket boosters retract inside the pack. "I just don't understand. Somehow my energy cells have gone dry."

Unwittingly, Utility Belt Jimmy leaned his hand against against the car unlock feature. The car unlocks, sending Oscar, without his arms, flying backwards with a scream, landing upside-down headfirst into a cup holder, and Cody laughed tauntingly.

'Well, now that 'Jimmy' has unlocked the door to the car, we could now get out." Sherman said, making air quotations.

Utility Belt Jimmy kicked the door open, then landed on the parking lot. He pointed his laser , and surveys the area. Once the coast is clear, he runs to the door, then caught a glimpse of the elevator arm reaching the 23rd floor, meaning that Happy already arrived at the 23rd floor.

"Blast!" Utility Belt Jimmy banged his fists against the door. The toys gather around Utility Belt Jimmy, who reported his findings to the others,"Tough news, guys. He's on Level 23."

"This does happen to be a very big apartment building." Agnes said.

"How are we going to get up there?" Clifford asked.

"I have a feeling, maybe if we can find some balloons, we could float to the top." Alex replied.

"Well, there doesn't seem to be any balloon stands anywhere in the city. Even if we did find some, we would be floating up, but it would be turning to the point where we will risk our lives for the safety of us toys, especially if all of us are out in a big city Like the birds popping them as we're halfway up, then we will be falling several stories high. Way too risky." Sherman responded.

"That was just a suggestion, Sherman." Alex explained.

"Any more ideas to come up with?" Agnes asked.

"We got plenty of other plans, Agnes." Oscar answered to the little girl. "I say we stack ourselves up, push the intercom, and pretend that we are guys delivering some pizza." The toys were unaware that Utility Belt Jimmy ran off in a different direction.

"How would delivering a hot pizza all the way up to the 23rd Floor be possible?" Sherman asked with bafflement. "The elevator is pretty slow to reach the highest floor. It would be slightly cold by the time it reaches the top."

"How about a ham sandwich, with some French fries, and a hot dog?" Cody suggested.

"Well, how 'bout me?" Alex asked.

"You can be the toy that comes with the meal." Cody said.

"Aren't the bags and cartons of food with toys in them called kiddie meals? Besides, Happy Chapman's an adult and he has nothing to do with kiddie meals." Agnes interpreted.

"Troops! Over here!" Utility Belt Jimmy had found a ventilation grate. With all of his might, he pulled out the cover and sets it against the wall. The other toys catch up.

"An air vent, huh? Why didn't we think of that?" Agnes asked facetiously.

"Us Space Boys always plan ahead, little girl." Utility Belt Jimmy said to Agnes. He turned to Alex, "Just like you said, lion man, in the shadows to the left. "OK, let's move!"

Utility Belt Jimmy ran down the tunnel taking lead, and Clifford, Cody, Oscar, Sherman, Alex and Agnes ran following suit. They are hoping they would find the elevator that would take them to the 23rd floor, but it would take some mazes and evidence to figure it out. Utility Belt Jimmy then talks into his open communicator. "Mission log. I have infiltrated enemy territory without any detection and we're making our way through the bowels of Darth Vader's fortress."

"Y'know, I think that Neutron aisle went to his head." Cody commented to Oscar.

"I guess you were right about how the way Jimmy is acting. He does believe that he is a real Space Boy because of his delusional behavior." Sherman said to Agnes.

"I caught wind of that, Sherman." Agnes replied.

They arrive at a fork of more vent tunnels. "Oh, no. Which way do we go?" Clifford asked.

Utility Belt Jimmy looked both ways, using the communicator as a scanner and pointed down a tunnel to the right. "This way!" Utility Belt Jimmy ran ahead, down the requested tunnel with the others following suit.

"What makes you so sure?" Oscar asked.

"I'm Jimmy Neutron: Space Boy! I'm always sure!" Utility Belt Jimmy declared.

They stop in their tracks as they hear a loud rumbling sound vibrating through the tunnels. Utility Belt Jimmy alarmed, "We've been detected! The walls, they're closing in!" Utility Belt Jimmy pressed his hands and back against the wall, under the pretense that Darth Vader saw that his enemy triggered an alert. "Quick, help me prop up green monster, or we'll be done for!" Utility Belt Jimmy knelt to the ground lifting up Oscar as a prop.

"Put me down, you imbecile!" Oscar yelled.

"Hey, guys, look! It's not the walls!" Oscar pointed behind them. "It's the elevator!"

Alex turned to see an open vent shaft emanating a bright orange light as the elevator finished its descent on its cables. Utility Belt Jimmy and the toys ran over to the elevator shaft and they all look up. From a toy's perspective, the destination is about 22 stories high, and they're currently on the first floor.

"I think Alex was right about the elevator." Sherman stated. The young bespectacled boy pointed to the shaft, "This might be the top of the car."

Utility Belt Jimmy came up with a brave plan. "Come on, we've got no time to lose!" He stretched out the compartment stretch line of his utility belt, the metal end unfolding into a grappling hook. "Everyone grab hold!" Utility Belt Jimmy tossed the hook end to Oscar, who catches it in his hand, then he withdrew two suction pads from the front sides of his belt, designed to stick onto iron substances like magnets. Utility Belt Jimmy jumps from the shaft and smashed his pads onto the magnetic bars of the shaft. With the pads holding his substantial weight, he starts climbing up with all of his might.

"Uh, Jimmy? Why not just take the elevator?" Cody asked.

"They'll be expecting that!" Utility Belt Jimmy called down, thinking that his enemy may still be on the loose. He continued climbing upward as the toys look baffled.

Agnes issued, "Well, I guess we'll have to follow him on that line from Jimmy's utility belt."

Outside, , the real Jimmy Neutron runs up to the apartment building to the front door, having once again donned an orange cone to get across the street. He stops short upon hearing distance voices nearby, and lifted up the cone. Jimmy looked down and caught a glimpse of small footprints leading to the open vent, the cover still propped against the wall. Every time he drew closer, the voices became more clearer. "Hey, Jimmy! Stop! Slow down!" Alex shouted in the distance.

Jimmy scrunched his face in determination, and he began to head inside to follow the group.

In Happy's apartment, Happy is packing up boxes for the trip to Japan, whilst talking on his cell phone. Everything is divided into 6 individual packages, and his goal in life is to sell each and every piece of them directly to the Watanabe Toy Museum. Each box has every single piece from his SpongeBob's Roundup collection, and he had worked hard to get himself prepared for the biggest opportunity to get his collection to the museum to entice his plan to increase his wealth once and for all. Sitting on the floor near the wall is a green suitcase with the toy versions of the characters from the SpongeBob's Roundup series, lying in rectangular custom-fitted foam insulations to prevent them from any damage. True to form, Happy wanted the best for last; he intended to hand-deliver and sell the toy versions of SpongeBob SquarePants, Sandy Cheeks, Cindy Vortex, Spirit, and Farquaad to the toy museum custodian, so that they can scrutinize revenue.

"To overnight six packages to Japan is how much?" Happy loaded more boxes on his hand cart, and he continued to talk to the airport. He cringed at whatever answer was given to him," What? That's in yen, right?" Happy asked. "Dollars?! D'oh!" Happy nearly had a heart attack. He loads up more boxes on his hand cart. "You are deliberately taking advantage of people in a hurry. You know that?!" Happy said. The man on the other end kept talking as Happy said, "All right, all right! I'll do it! All right, fine! I have the stuff waiting in the main lobby and you better be here in 15 minutes, because I have a plane to catch, alright?"

The door closes and once the toy collector was gone, the Roundup gang toys, stuffed into their foam insulations come to life. Cindy whooped, "WHOO-HOO! We're finally going! Can you believe it?!" Spirit got up to sniff at the foam.

"You betcha, Cindy." Sandy replied. "I am so looking forward to this big trip! This is going to be great!"

"That's custom-fitted foam insulation you'll be riding in while in the plane, Spirit!" Farquaad laughed excitedly. "Just think, first class all the way."

"You know what?" SpongeBob sat up, a thoughtful look on his face and his spirits brightening. "I'm actually excited about this! "I mean it! I really AM!" SpongeBob was unsure at first, but now he is full of excitement and thoughtfulness expressing at the idea of going to the museum, and he was more than willing to do so.

"And why shouldn't you be?" Farquaad whooped, jumping out of his foam bed.

SpongeBob, Cindy, and Sandy, and Spirit hop out from their foam beds and they begin to square dance playfully. Cindy laughed, "Swing your partner do-si-do! Look at ya, dancing sponge and squirrel!"

Farquaad giddily rocks his box back and forth. "Look! I'm doing the box step!" SpongeBob and his Roundup Gang laugh as Spirit chases his own tail. Nothing could ruin this playful moment. Even SpongeBob himself would never bore kids one he's implanted in one of the toy exhibits of the Watanabe Toy Museum.

Back in the elevator shaft, Utility Belt Jimmy is still climbing up the elevator shaft with his suction pads. Alex, Cody, Sherman, Agnes, Clifford, and Oscar are still holding onto the line from the utility belt. This act of planning was more life-risking than the toys ever thought.

A few coins slide out from Cody's back. "Uh-oh." Cody called down to the direction where the coins are falling to. "Hey, heads up down there!"

One coin bounced off Clifford's head. "Whoa! Some coins are fallin'." A quarter and a penny land on Oscar's eyes. "Hey!" He brushes them off, letting them fall down the shaft. "How much farther, Jimmy?"

"Half...way…there." Utility Belt Jimmy groaned as he struggled to lift the next suction pad.

Alex was having his own situation. He effortlessly tries to hold on, but he's already running down on dexterity. "My paws can't hold on much longer!" Alex began to slip and the lion slides down, colliding into Cody, Sherman, Agnes, Clifford and Oscar down to the grappling hook.

"Too…heavy."Utility Belt Jimmy groaned as the suction pads slide down due to substantial weight. He paused, getting an idea. "What was I thinking? My anti-gravity servos!" Utility Belt Jimmy pressed on his belt, and it went on in a blue light, along with hydraulic whirring. From what he would believe, his anti-gravity servos would create an anti gravity field that would levitate him to any height. He smirked to his friends, "OK! Hang tight, everyone! I'm going to let go of the wall!"

"WHAT?!" The toys exclaimed with shock.

"He wouldn't!" Oscar protested.

"One…"

"He would." Cody issued.

"Uh-oh." Sherman gulped.

"Two…"

"NO! NO! DON'T DO IT! DON'T DO IT, JIMMY!" All of the toys protested.

"YOU CAN'T DO THIS!" Agnes yelled.

"THREE!"

Utility Belt Jimmy jumped backwards and made a bold pose for liftoff, leaving behind the suction pads. Instead of flying up, gravity took over, and Clifford, Alex, Cody, Oscar, Sherman and Agnes all screamed as they fell down the abyss...

...only to crash. Why was it?

"TO INFINITY AND BEYOND!" Utility Belt Jimmy declared triumphantly. He was on top of the band of disoriented toys, consisting of Alex, Clifford, Oscar, Cody, Sherman, and Agnes...right on top of the elevator. The elevator rises up, reaching the label marked '23' painted on the wall. "Approaching destination. Reengaging gravity!" Utility Belt Jimmy turns off his utility belt, and the elevator stops at its destination. Utility Belt Jimmy goes between walls, and he points his watch laser, to scan for any enemies lurking, and no one is before them. Since the coast was clear. He turns it off and faces the others. "Area secure." he replied.

All of the toys responded with groans of dizziness. Their bodies shook, and their eyes swirled around. Sherman dizzily staggered to Agnes, "That was one heck of a climb, wasn't it."

"You can say that again." Agnes groaned. She collapses onto the tunnel ground.

"It's OK, troops. The anti-gravity sickness will wear off momentarily. Now let's move!" Utility Belt Jimmy ran down the vent tunnel, once again taking the lead. Sherman gently helped Agnes up to continue their mission.

"Remind me to glue his helmet shut when we get back." Oscar groaned woozily. As they recuperate from their disorientation, the toys were unaware that the real Jimmy hides in the elevator below, clapping his hands and feet against the bars. He's almost there with his friends.

In Happy's apartment, SpongeBob and his friends are playing "SpongeBob's Roundup." The Roundup Gang are still having a little playtime before their big trip to Japan. SpongeBob is inside a box as if the flaps were saloon doors. "How 'bout giving me a little intro there, guys?" SpongeBob winked. He retreated back.

"Introducing the high riding-est sponge cowboy around…" Cindy presented.

"You forgot rootin-tootin-est!" SpongeBob called out from inside the box.

Cindy sniggered and resumes the presentation. "The high-riding-est, rootin-tootin'est sponge cowboy hero of all time…."

"Sheriff SpongeBob SquarePants!" Sandy and Cindy concluded. The cardboard flaps swing open, revealing SpongeBob swaggering out with a cocky smile. The pull-string sponge came out looking like a smooth guy, before pointing his finger to the right with a wink. He struts over to his posse with a sly grin.

"Say, little missies, y'notice any trouble around these parts?"

"Nary a bit. But not with Sheriff SpongeBob around." Cindy laughed.

"Wait, wait, wait, I got it. I got it! This is great!" SpongeBob said eagerly, getting an idea. "OK, the bandits got those critters tied up in the burning barn, and now for the best part!" SpongeBob runs back over to the box, pretending it's a burning barn. "'Help us! The farm's on fire!'" he said, mimicking the imaginary critters who are in trouble. "I got ya, critters!" SpongeBob said, in his deep heroic voice. He runs inside the box, and said, "No need to worry." He comes back out, carrying packing peanuts as if they were the critters. "Sheriff SpongeBob SquarePants saves the day again!"

"YEEE-HAW!" Cindy whooped.

"Now, where's my noble steed, Spirit?" SpongeBob asked. "I have to ride off into the sunset…" He was cut off, when Spirit scooped him on his back. "Ride like the wind, Spirit!"

Spirit rears up too high, causing SpongeBob to slip off, along with his saddle. Spirit covers his nakedness, and tiptoes away, flashing a sheepish grin, showing his teeth. "Watch it, wait, wait. I'm ticklish, OK?" SpongeBob asked, chuckling.

"Oh, you are?" Cindy smirked mischievously. Cindy and Sandy ran their fingers through SpongeBob's body to tickle him, causing SpongeBob to laugh while trying to pull away. "No, no, wait, please, no! No, no, no, stop! Stop!"

Farquaad laughs at this. Nothing could ruin another playful moment.