Evil Spongebob
Chapter 7
In Plankton's lab, Plankton was free from his bubble, but he looked slightly bored. Sandy and Plankton had been fiddling around with the mechanics of the steel hat for quite some time.
It was just Plankton's bad luck that the squirrel was just as smart. Sandy seemed to have figured out that it had been more than just the remote that needed fixing despite his efforts to convince her otherwise. With the threats Sandy made, he had no choice but to comply into assisting her when needed and in order to get things completed in a timely manner.
That was the thing. Only when he was needed did he work while Sandy did most of the heavy work.
Once the hat was fully operational, Sandy and Plankton got to working on the remote. It didn't take long, in fact, it only took them at least a half hour.
"There we go! Just gotta tighten a couple of lose screws here and there and," Sandy gave the last screw a final twist, "done!"
"Well, we finished a lot faster than I thought." Plankton said, putting down his own screwdriver. Even though he did the least work, he was kind of impressed how Sandy managed to figure everything out.
"Yep! Nothin' that a couple of rewiring and science couldn't fix! Do you still have that hat?"
"No, it's still on the table. You barely let me touch it."
"That was just a test to make sure you didn't sneak up on me."
"Shoot. You mean I could of done that?"
"Heh, yeah right!"
Sandy took the remote and turned it over to its backside. She pushed in some of the wires that were sticking out and slid on the back covering.
"We should tell the boys that we got everything all fixed up."
But she didn't need to do much moving for she did see Mr. Krabs, Squidward, and Patrick all come in through the double doors.
"Ah, there y'all are!" Said Sandy.
"How's the repairs coming along?" Mr. Krabs asked.
"Take a gander for yourself." Sandy gestured a hand towards the hat and remote on the table, but no one other then her and Plankton knew what they were looking at.
"So does that mean it's almost done?" Patrick asked.
"It means that it is done." Sandy said. "Now we can get Spongebob and turn him to his righteous self again."
"Yippee!" Patrick jumped up and down.
Later when they arrived at Jellyfish Field; Patrick, Mr. Krabs, and Sandy arrived to see that there were two jellyfishers in the field who where captured by their own jellyfishing nets and had the hoops tightly squeeze around their arms and waist. For the couple, it appeared they had been capture from the bottom up. Their legs kicked in the netting as they attempted to twist themselves free.
Spongebob was there also, holding a lunch bag with one hand and with the other, a krabby patty that he moved around from under the male fish's eyes.
"Take a bite." Spongebob teased. "You know you want to."
The male fish leaned back. "Come on, man. I don't want a krabby patty!"
"Wait. Do you hear that? Here comes the plane. Zoooom!" Spongebob wave the krabby patty around and stopped at the guy's lips.
The male fish took a bite and chewed it. A single teardrop formed at the corner of his eye. "It's delicious!" He cried.
"Spongebob!" Mr. Krabs shouted from across the field.
His voice alerted Spongebob, and he turned his head to see Patrick, Squidward, and Sandy running up to him with Mr. Krabs running ahead; his claws lifted over his head in distress.
"What are you doing, boy? You're wasting me precious patties without sending a single cent to me pockets!" Mr. Krabs came to a stop and beckoned Spongebob forward. "Why don't you come with us, lad? We have something that will set your mind straight again."
"Who said I wanted to turn back? I want to be like this." Spongebob said.
"No you don't. You just don't see it because you're not yourself. Look, Sandy has already got the hat all fixed up for you."
Spongebob looked past Mr. Krabs towards Sandy holding the hat in a worried smile. Spongebob frowned.
"No, this isn't what you want! Look how far you've come!" His subconscious seemed to boom in his voice. He wanted nothing more than to listen to it; to feed into its every selfish desires. "Take over the Krusty Krab and then the Bikini Bottom!"
"No, you don't understand. All my efforts will be in vain. I want to be the best and only frycook!" Spongebob squeezed the lunch bag in both hands and started to hyperventilate.
"Calm down, lad. You're taking it all in too fast. You're already the best. In fact, you're the best there is! I couldn't ask for a better frycook to work at the Krusty Krab." Said Mr. Krabs.
"That's not good enough. I need to own it all! The Krusty Krab—the Bikini Bottom—everything! With my knowledge of the secret formula, no one can stop me! Not even you."
Mr. Krabs rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, but I know the secret formula too."
"Oh, right…" Said Spongebob. "Well then! I guess I'll just have to find some way to destroy you."
Mr. Krabs gasped. "You wouldn't!"
"Alright! I think that's enough!" Said Sandy. "Spongebob, you're acting stranger than a cucumber on Texas toast. I'm turning you back whether you like it or not."
Sandy held the hat at the ready, but Spongebob knew what she intended the moment he saw her hold it out.
When she approached him, he dodged out of the way right before Sandy could land the hat over his head.
Sandy tried again, this time taking a run after the sponge.
When she was close enough, Spongebob dropped to the ground and Sandy tripped over him, landing on the ground. She wiped the grass off her air helmet and spat as if the grass had gotten in her mouth even if the helmet had protected her.
"Fine! You want to do this the hard way? Then we'll do this the hard way!" Sandy placed the hat over a hook by her hip and jumped back on her feet like she hadn't just been tripped.
She moved forward with a series of karate chops, getting Spongebob a couple times on the head.
Squidward, Mr. Krabs, and Patrick backed out of harm's way, observing the scene with wide eyes while the couple trapped in their jellyfishing net took the opportunity to get up on their feet and hop away.
"Take this! And that!" Spongebob tried to karate kick her, but Sandy easily leaned to the side to dodge it.
"Hah! That ain't gonna do you any good!" Said Sandy, grabbing his leg at his second attempt before she pulled and knocked him off his standing leg.
Sandy pushed him down with one hand while her other went for her hip in order to grab the steel hat; however, Spongebob wasn't going to let himself be defeated that easily which is why when Sandy grabbed the hat, Spongebob kicked it off her hand and sent it flying in an arc perfectly over Squidward's head.
"You look good, Squidward." Patrick complimented.
"He's right. In fact, maybe this hat could help make you less grumpy." Mr. Krabs added a laugh to his joke.
Squidward looked unimpressed and was to open his mouth to say something, but then Spongebob not only kicked Sandy to the side, but her pocket as well where she kept the remote. Upon doing so, he activated the hat and Squidward became stiff as a board, and his pupils shrunk.
Suddenly, Mr. Krabs wasn't laughing anymore. "Are ye feeling alright there, Squidward?"
When there came no response, Patrick grabbed him and rocked him back and forth on his feet. "Squidward? Hellooo? Squidward?" He released him and looked at Mr. Krabs. "Mr. Krabs, I think Squidward turned into a statue."
After he had said that, Squidward shook his head and was animated again, but there was something strikingly different about him. His lips turned up into a smile, and he took a deep inhale of the evening air.
"Isn't today just gorgeous?" His tone was calm but cheery, and he wrapped a tentacle arm each around Patrick and Mr. Krabs, surprising them both. "It's even better knowing I get to spend it with the greatest of friends."
Patrick sneakily retrieved a camera from his pocket and began recording.
Squidward then let go of them and took a big leap forward, landing on two knees, and stretching his arms out to the side while the evening sun beamed over him. A few clams swam over and landed gracefully over his outstretched arms.
Mr. Krabs frowned disapprovingly. "On second thought, I think I liked him better before."
But when Sandy had accidentally smacked Squidward's nose while dodging a kick, the clams all fluttered away from fright, and the hat he wore had fallen off his head, landing near Patrick's feet.
"Sorry Squidward!" Said Sandy, keeping her focus. "You might want to stay out of the way!"
Spongebob smirked as he took the opportunity to try out his new move that he'd been saving. "Here comes my mega-clean-super deluxe-combo karate chop!"
Spongebob's arm spun in complete circles. "Huu-yah! Yah! Yah! Yah!"
The move took Sandy off guard, and couple of those circle chops managed to get her right on the arm. Luckily Spongebob wasn't that strong otherwise that could of ended a lot worse. Still, it was enough to leave a sting.
"Nice try!" Sandy said as she then delivered a kick to his side that made him wobble.
"Hey, that was pretty good."
"Thanks! You know what goes good with that?"
"No, what?"
"My triple spin and a slam!" Sandy performed the move so quickly it became a blur, but she managed to lock Spongebob in place with her sitting on his back and legs pressed at his sides. She looked out in front of her at Patrick who now held the hat. "Now, Patrick! Put the hat on Spongebob!"
Patrick approached them, slightly anxious.
Spongebob lifted his head, popped his arm off, and grew another one, lifting a shaky hand towards Patrick. "No!"
Surprised, Sandy pressed his arm down regarding Patrick more frantically. "Yes!"
"Sorry buddy," Patrick lifted the hat out in front of him. "But this is for your own good!" He closed his eyes as he placed the hat over Spongebob's head.
With a button press on the remote from Sandy, electricity surged through Spongebob's body, and he struggled to move as if his whole body had been wrapped tightly. He shook and everything seemed to come together into a mesh of colors. Once the shaking had ceased, a pair of hands turned him over on his back.
His head throbbed and his vision moved in and out of focus. The first thing he noticed once everything came into focus was Sandy sitting over her legs beside him and Patrick standing at his other side. Both were looking at him as if to make sure everything was alright.
In front of Spongebob, Mr. Krabs and Squidward had also approached just as worried, creating a circle around him.
Spongebob groaned, placing a hand over his head to keep the world from spinning as he sat up.
"Oh...whoa...what happened?" Spongebob asked.
"You turned evil and wanted to take over the Bikini Bottom as the best and only frycook." Answered Mr. Krabs.
"Some unusual activity was happening in your brain from this heres hat, but I managed to fix it right up for you." Smiled Sandy.
Spongebob returned a weak smile. "Thanks Sandy," he said softly. Sandy grabbed his hand in comfort, but then the memories started to flood his brain all at once. He grabbed his head again as he sorted through everything he had done. "Oh barnacles! I remember! I trapped everyone in bubbles, didn't I? Even all of you. I even plotted," Spongebob gulped in horror, "to make a dentist appointment at 8:00 A. M. on Thursday!"
"But that's the time you start work." Said Mr. Krabs.
Spongebob gripped his chest. "That's part of what made it so evil...and I was even going to destroy you, Mr. Krabs."
"It's fine, lad. Well, maybe not the part where you wanted to destroy me but uh—we all had a sense that something wasn't right with ye." Mr. Krabs replied. "But now that you're back to normal, things can return to the way they were starting with you working at the Krusty Krab first thing tomorrow morning."
Spongebob got up on his feet and saluted. "Yes sir!"
"Oh Spongebob! I'm so glad you're back!" Patrick ran to hug Spongebob.
Spongebob gave a comforting smile as he hugged Patrick and patted his best friend on the back.
"Me too, pal."
Once they broke from their hug, Spongebob turned to Squidward. "Also sorry about your art, Squidward. I hope you can forgive me."
"Are you kidding? Of course I forgive you!" Squidward nearly knocked Patrick over to the side as he wrapped his arms over Spongebob, surprising him. "We'll still be friends even if it's forever and ever!"
"Yes, we will Squidward, yes we will." Spongebob laughed wholeheartedly. "Wow, I don't believe I ever seen this side of you before."
Patrick, who had been recording this, lowered the camera down and gave a thumbs up.
"Whoa, this camera works great!"
Mr. Krabs looked uncomfortable. "Erm—I forgot. That hat had made Squidward a little...how would you put it? Nutty?"
Sandy chuckled. "It's okay, Mr. Krabs. I'll turn him right back in a jiffy."
Sandy went behind Squidward and placed the hat over his head. "Now I'll just deactivate the effects and set him to normal." She turned a knob on the remote and again Squidward seized up before he could start to move again.
"H-Huh?" Squidward held his head for a few seconds before darting his gaze from side to side.
"Welcome back, Squidward." Said Sandy.
"Back? Wha—where have I gone?" Squidward asked, confused.
But everyone just laughed.
"What's so funny?" Squidward asked.
Later on when the sun was just about to go down, Squidward had walked ahead of Spongebob and Patrick as to not mingle with their obnoxious conversation. He tried to drown out their conversation about today's events with his own thoughts, but it wasn't enough to stop him from hearing it anyway.
Patrick laughed. "Remember when you tickled me so hard I passed out?
"Oh yeah!" Spongebob said, recalling that memory. "My fingers got so sore from all the finger wiggles."
"Or how that time you made a perfect Krabby Patty which also made me pass out?"
"I did do a pretty good job on that Krabby Patty, didn't I? I was so proud of that!"
Squidward exaled sharply through his nose. "Oh, will you two shut up already? I've been hearing you two talk about every little thing that occurred today since we left!"
"It's okay, Squidward. We can talk about the time you called Mr. Krabs and I the greatest friends." Patrick said.
"No, I didn't I-"
"And the time you forgave me for ruining your paintings." Spongebob smiled.
"I did what now?" Squidward quirked a brow.
"You know, when you were telling me enthusiastically that you forgive me for all the horrible things I've done and that we'd be friends forever?" Said Spongebob, trying to jog Squidward's memory.
"And ever." Patrick added with emphasis.
He flicked his tentacle in denial. "I did no such thing. You numb skulls are making it all up inside your head, so forget about it."
"We're not making it up. I have it all on camera." Said Patrick. "Do you want to see it?"
Squidward balled his tentacles into fists. "No, I don't want to see it!"
"Oh! I do!" Spongebob cheerfully leaned to the side to looked at the small screen behind the camera.
Patrick played the video and the audio that played only made Squidward's eyes widen to the point of lines forming under them. That's right. He did tell Patrick and Mr. Krabs they were his greatest friends. He did tell Spongebob they'd be friends forever and ever. He was so elated about it too!
"Okay, you can turn that off now." Squidward said.
"But we're getting to the best part." Said Spongebob.
"Here it comes." Patrick said.
In spite of himself, Squidward dared to take a peek at the camera's screen.
He saw himself...hugging Spongebob, of all people.
"Oh yeah! Squidward gave me a hug." Spongebob said.
Squidward's eye twitched. Knowing those two boneheads, they would make him relive that moment in the future. Brilliant.
He didn't even dare catch up to them as they skipped merrily down the road, talking about how that recording will go well with their so-called "friendship collection."
Squidward was going to need to take a bath...a long one.
Author's Note: We reached an end, folks. Even though I've been writing for years, I'm happy to finally post my first fanfic on this site. Until next time. :)
