Time Fixers: Nicktoons of the Future
Episode 2: The Little Genius
Plot: With the plans for Jimmy's new invention in the hands of the hooded boy, the Nicktoons try to track him down to recover it. Tammy and Tommy recognize the boy from their previous experience and try to get him to open up about his identity. What the Nicktoons don't know is that Eustace Strych is interested in the boy as well and wants him for his own secret reasons.
Part 2
The next morning, Tammy and Tommy arrived in Retroville. "You think Jimmy got his schematics back from "MX-65?" Tommy asked his sister.
"If it is him, why doesn't he remember us?" Tammy asked, looking distressed. "Why doesn't he remember me?"
"You remember what a jerk he was." Tommy reminded her. "He's probably into someone else."
"Well, guess it's you and me who's gotta figure this out," Tammy stated.
"Us?" Tommy asked.
"We're the only ones who can understand him," Tammy explained, "Plus Dar's no help and SpongeTron's making it worse. I think we should talk to him when we're all alone."
"You mean like now?" Tommy asked as he pointed up ahead. Tammy turned to see the Retroville Park up ahead and sitting on a bench by himself was the blonde boy they encountered the previous day.
The boy reached into his pocket and noticed Jimmy's schematic still inside. He then unzipped his jacket and tugged at a medallion around his neck. "Mom…Dad…" he whispered with his eyes watering.
"Max!" Tammy called out; startling the boy as he quickly hid the medallion and zipped his jacket back up.
"What are you dweebs doing here?" he bitterly responded, turning his head away. "Why can't you just leave me alone?"
"Relax, kid, we're not with Darry or SpongeTron," Tommy assured, "We just wanna talk. There's some questions we want you to answer and my guess is you have questions about us too."
The boy thought about it for a while when he sighed, turning to the twins, "Fine, but I'll ask first. First off, how do you know me and that my name is Max?"
"Long story short: alternate universe where an evil dictator Jimmy fights against tough rebel commando Cindy and her fleets of rebel Nicktoons. The MX-65 we met there was a creation of Jimmy by obtaining Cindy's DNA, whose only purpose is to be the host of the Retroville Crystal."
"The weird thing is you two look alike," Tammy added, "You even have the same personality as him."
The blonde listened interestedly, "Huh, sounds intriguing. He did mention about possible alternate parallel universes with alternate versions of its inhabitants depending on how history was modified and how it affects them."
"So you're not really the MX-65 we met before?" Tommy asked.
"Duh! Of course not, whatever that means." the boy answered. "I already told you my name is Max, but since there's already a Max in your timeline, just call me 'Maxwell'. Why I'm here in the past is none of your business."
"But that schematic belongs to Jimmy." Tammy told him. "Aren't you technically stealing from your dad?"
Maxwell's eyes shrink in anger before yelling, "You say you understand, but you don't!" he jumped from the bench and ran away, "I don't need your help!"
He ran out of the park and ran across the street, not noticing the limo coming straight at him. "Max! Look out!" Tammy cried.
Maxwell turned to see the limo coming right at him without stopping. This caused the boy to scream in terror and the limo crashed without even touching him, completely destroying the front of the car. The driver gets out of the car; luckily he was uninjured, and stared in shock at the damage. "What is going on?" a voice from inside the limo shouts in anger.
Maxwell seemed to recognize the voice and gasped. "We gotta get outta here now!" he yelled to the twins.
"What? Why?" Tommy wondered when Maxwell grabs him and Tammy.
"Hold on!" Maxwell said as he concentrates. Tommy and Tammy feel a strong force around them when the three burst out of the sky.
Eustace came out of the car and asked his driver, "What happened here? What did we hit?"
"I don't know." the driver franticly answered. "It looked like a child, but he suddenly disappeared."
Seeing the damage to his car that couldn't possibly have been made had they hit a child, he daggers his eyes off in one direction and muttered, "So he's still here."
Suddenly, a flash falls out of the sky and lands on the ground in front of HQ. Maxwell let go of the twins and they both looked nauseated. "Don't ever do that again." Tommy groaned as he held his stomach.
The doors open and SpongeTron sees the three kids. "You found the criminal!" he called out in joy, "Quick, I'll wrestle him to the ground and you guys cuff him."
"No SpongeTron, he's fine." Tammy told him, "Max isn't here to cause trouble."
"'Max?'" SpongeTron questioned, hearing his name is the same as the baby's. "His name is Max?"
"It's short for 'Maxwell', bolt brain." Maxwell rudely explained.
"How dare you steal my little brother's name!" SpongeTron angrily shouted, "That's probably another thing you wanna change, isn't it?"
"He seriously can't figure it out?" Tommy asked Tammy. Tammy just shrugs.
"Dude, did Neutron put a paranoid chip in your system?" Maxwell asked, crossing his arms.
"Hardy har." SpongeTron laughed sarcastically. "Just give back the Commander's schematics you took and be on your way."
"No way!" Maxwell refused.
"But Max, Jimmy NEEDS that schematic," Tammy pleaded.
"That's supposed to help him create his greatest invention yet." Tommy added.
"I know..." Maxwell darkly responded.
But SpongeTron grabbed his shoulders and spun him around, facing him. "If you won't give it back, then I'm gonna have to take it." his right hand turns into a pincer and he was about to reach inside Maxwell's coat pocket.
But then a voice yells, "STOP IT!" they stop what they're doing and see Cindy standing at the door. "Who do you all think you are, gaining up on another kid?"
SpongeTron stammers, "But...Mrs. Neutron, this is the thief, remember?"
"Thief or no thief, he's still a scared little kid who's separated from his parents." Cindy said sternly as she spoke gently to the blonde boy. "Maxwell, why did you run away? I've been really worried."
Suddenly, Maxwell's expression changed to remorse and he timidly answered, "I'm...I'm sorry. I was just...scared. I didn't know what to do."
"Well, I know what we can do." Cindy said with a friendly smile as she grabbed Maxwell's hand and led him inside. "Why don't you tell me what your favorite food is and I can make it for you." They were surprised to see Cindy acting so motherly towards the boy, but SpongeTron became even more upset that they again failed to retrieve the schematics from him.
Soon, the three met up with Darry and with no other choice they decided to leave Maxwell alone while he ate some of Cindy's waffles she made for him. "So he still won't fork over the schematics?" Darry asked as they walk through Retroville, telling him the story. "What does a kid like him want with something like that? Do you even buy his story about him being from the future?"
"But what if it is true?" Tammy asked. "Could he be stealing it for an important reason?"
"What can be so important that he would steal from Jimmy Neutron?" SpongeTron asked in disbelief.
Afterwards a limo pulled up next to them again and the window rolled down to show Eustace Strych. "Nicktoons, I thought that was you. How's your mission going?"
"Oh, wouldn't you like to know," SpongeTron huffed and turned his back on him.
"So did you find this hooded menace?" Eustace asked.
"Actually, we-" Tommy was gonna answer until Tammy elbowed him hard, "Yeow! Nope, haven't seen him!"
"Oh, that's a real shame." Eustace said in fake sympathy. "I guess Neutron isn't having any luck finding him either. You all have such wasted potential working for him."
"Why would you think that?" Darry asked, confused about why he would say such a thing. "Jimmy does a great job training all of us. That's why he trusts us to keep everyone safe."
Eustace became irritated, hearing them compliment Jimmy again. "You all don't get it, do you? I'm asking you to join me."
SpongeTron was offended by this, and even Darry, Tammy, and Tommy are surprised. "What?" Tammy asked.
"That's right." Eustace continued to explain, "I can give you everything that Neutron can never give you in a million years. Fame, wealth, anything you want and more. All you have to do is ditch Neutron and I can be your Nicktoon commander." he opened the car door, expecting them to instantly come in, "What do you say?"
SpongeTron was about to speak their refusal to Eustace in his most overly-dramatic way until Tammy suddenly spoke up, "Sorry Mr. Strych, but we're not interested."
"Neutron may not be as rich and successful as you, but he's still the leader of the Nicktoons." Tommy added.
"And no ticket to any college is gonna make us reconsider." Darry seriously added.
While SpongeTron was surprised by this, Eustace frowned angrily by their refusal. "You've made a mistake by rejecting my offer. That boy in the hood is nothing but trouble; he'll change your lives unless you bring him to me. Which is all the more reason you should join me."
"Change?" SpongeTron asked in fear. "I knew it!"
"Sorry, but the answer is still no." Darry responded, "Jimmy is and always will be our one and only leader." They soon walked away, but SpongeTron lagged behind, pondering about Eustace's warning that Maxwell's change-bringing ruining their lives.
Meanwhile, Maxwell was sitting in the interrogation room again and was this time being talked to by Jimmy Neutron. "Okay Maxwell, I'm gonna ask this again: Where are your mother and father? And why won't you give me back my schematics?"
"Didn't your nice wife say that you weren't supposed to interrogate me?" Maxwell reminded.
"I gave my word that I wouldn't resort to execrable ways of making you divulge the needed information." Jimmy explained. "But you still won't leave until you return my schematic."
"Your inconsequential tactics are never gonna make me confess!" Maxwell shouted until he slapped his forehead, "Darn, not again!"
Jimmy was surprised by the boy's high vocabulary, but remained focused. "What is your mission objective?" he firmly asked.
"Confidential."
"Where did you originate?"
"Not gonna disclose any information." He retorted, turning his head and crossing his arms.
Jimmy growled at the boy's stubbornness until SpongeTron walked into the room carrying a tray with two glasses of purple flurp.
"So any luck with talking to Maxwell?" SpongeTron asked, giving them both the drinks.
"Negative." Jimmy answered as he took a sip of the purple flurp.
Maxwell took a sip and smiled, "Wow, I've never tasted original purple flurp before. High fructose corn syrup, vanilla extract, grape flavoring, and 15 teaspoons of sugar." but then he growled and pounded the glass on the table. "Not again!"
Jimmy was weirded out by his behavior and quietly asked the robot, "SpongeTron, did you put a truth serum in the flurp?"
SpongeTron gasped, "I wouldn't dare put something in the drink of a small child!"
"But then..." suddenly Jimmy's eyelids droop and he begins to yawn, "...how is it that…he's..." he then leans on the table and dozes off, "…Hebetudinous."
SpongeTron had a guilty look as he turned to Maxwell to see he has fallen asleep as well. "Well, not a small child who's the direct cause of change," SpongeTron said quietly as he looks at the sleep serum he has put in the purple flurp. He picks up Maxwell and carries him under his left arm. "I'm sorry, Commander. But this is for everyone's own good." he said to the sleeping genius before leaving with Maxwell.
Outside, Darry, Tammy, and Tommy were heading toward HQ. "I wonder if Jimmy managed to get Maxwell to give him his schematic." Tammy asked.
"I don't know." Darry replied. "But can you believe that Eustace Strych guy? He really thought we'd leave Jimmy and go work for him."
Tommy chuckled a bit. "Yeah, and he thought we'd go against Jimmy and bring him Maxwell. I wonder why he's so interested in him. Sure he attacked Eustace, but he can't send a kid his age to jail." They stop when, up ahead; they see SpongeTron exiting HQ with the sleeping Maxwell in his arms and use his rockets to fly off into the sky.
"Hey, what's ST doing with Maxwell?" Darry wondered.
"Yeah, I thought he didn't like the dude," Tommy added.
Soon, the three realize in horror as they chorused, "You don't think?!"
SpongeTron soon reaches a large manor and lands at the front door, ringing the doorbell until it was answered by an old butler. "Hi, you know Eustace, right?" SpongeTron greeted with an uneasy smile, "What am I thinking? Of course you know Eustace, why else would you be here working for him?" when the butler just stood there unamused, SpongeTron continued, "Listen, I have that hooded menace he's been looking for. If you can give him to Eustace, I'm sure he'll be happy."
He hands Maxwell to the butler and then leaves without another word while the butler carries Maxwell and closes the door. SpongeTron then left the property and smiled proudly as he walked down the street. "Well, 001, you saved the day and your friends' lives." But then he stops in front of his three friends who are glaring at him with their arms crossed. "Oh, hey guys." he greets in a friendly voice. But their expressions don't change. "What's...going on?"
"SpongeTron, did you give Max to Eustace Strych?!" Tammy yelled in panic.
"That's right!" SpongeTron answered proudly, wiping the dust off his hands, "Now we don't have to worry about that jerk...or any changes EVER AGAIN!" SpongeTron raised his arm, expecting something, "Uh, hello? Mission accomplished? Don't you wanna congratulate me with praise? High-five? A fist-bump?" He was answered when Darry punched him in the face, knocking him back. SpongeTron sat up, stunned by what happened. "That wasn't the reaction I was expecting."
Darry shook out his hand that was aching from hitting SpongeTron's metal body, but his anger did not disperse, "SpongeTron, what were you thinking?! Don't you realize what you've just done?!"
"You don't even know why Eustace wants Max!" Tommy yelled as well.
"I just got rid of the thing that was changing our lives and drifting us apart!" SpongeTron argued. "Besides, what does it matter what Eustace wants Maxwell for? He's probably just gonna give him a lecture about not attacking people. He might even find Maxwell's parents for him."
"Max is from the future." Tammy reminded.
"Even better." SpongeTron said optimistically. "Since Maxwell's parents aren't in this timeline, Eustace might adopt Maxwell as his son and he can spend the rest of his days as a spoiled little rich human boy and live happily out of our lives forever. Problem solved, wanna go to the arcade?" he was about to take a step forward until Darry stopped him.
"Dude, have you even thought about the main objective of our mission?" Darry reminded.
"Yes," SpongeTron pointed out, "Find the hooded changeling, retrieve Jimmy's schematics, and get rid of him ASAP!"
"Okay genius, if you accomplished those, where's the schematic?" Tommy asked.
SpongeTron became dumbfounded when he realized his error. "Tartar sauce." but then brightened up, "Well, let's grab the schematic from Maxwell and leave him out of our lives forever."
He tries to open the front door until he realized it's locked. "What the?" he asked and tried to pry the door open, but couldn't for some reason. He started banging on the door, but there was no answer, not even from Eustace's butler.
"I guess no one's home." Tommy thought.
"That can't be true." Tammy realized. "SpongeTron just dropped off Max here."
"Oh well, let's just leave Eustace be and get going," SpongeTron shrugged as he walked away, "Who knows? Maybe Neutron has a backup of his schematics." However, Darry stops the bot from leaving.
From inside the house, Darry Phantom phased through the wall with Tammy and Tommy each in one arm and SpongeTron on his back.
They look around the foyer, but see no one in sight. Darry flies them to the living room, then upstairs with a long hallway with a bunch of rooms. "This place is so enormous, it's gonna take all day to find where they are." Darry pointed out.
SpongeTron jumped on the ground. "It looks like no one's home. Better get going before we're caught trespassing."
Suddenly, Darry's eyes widen when he hears Maxwell's voice in his head, 'Somebody help me. I don't wanna be here.'
"Do you guys hear that?" Darry asked.
'Get me out of here!' Tammy and Tommy hear Maxwell's voice as well.
"I hear Maxwell too!" they both said simultaneously.
"I don't hear anything." SpongeTron said, confused. "What are you talking about?"
"Maxwell is somewhere in this house." Darry realized. "It sounds like he's in trouble. We have to find him."
"But he's the cause of this change." SpongeTron mentioned. "He's the reason we're gonna tear apart."
"What makes you think we're gonna tear apart?" Tammy asked.
"Have I not said it again and again?" SpongeTron asked. "It's this change. Ever since he showed up, it's been obvious that we're gonna disband, go onto different paths, and never fight crime or hang out ever again."
"Change is a part of life." Darry pointed out. "You can't stop it. The only one tearing us apart is you."
SpongeTron seemed baffled by this when he scoffed, "Now you're blabbering nonsense! No way I'm the cause, and you know why? Because I'm not affected by this...change."
"Not affected?" Tommy repeated, growing a smile. "Dude, when we met, you were a hostile robot bent on destroying us to get revenge. You've changed since then, was that a bad thing?"
SpongeTron thought about it when he remembered that event, "Oh yeah..."
"And Jimmy Neutron," Tammy added, "He was unwilling to find a girl to settle down with, especially with Cindy. But look at him now! He's not just a great inventor, but good husband and loving parent. If we hadn't changed that, Max wouldn't have been born."
SpongeTron was silent a bit, "Well, you have a point."
"Don't forget me. I was hesitant to control my Ghost Rage because I thought I would harm everyone I know and care about," Darry continued, "If it wasn't for you guys, I wouldn't have had the courage to change myself and control it so we could defeat Dark Dan once and for all."
"Okay...maybe those changes aren't so bad." SpongeTron admitted. "But remember what happened to the original Nicktoons? They changed and they separated. What if we end up like that?"
"So what if we do?" Tammy asked. "Don't forget that if they hadn't, our dad, Darry's dad, SpongeBob, and Tak wouldn't have had us or the Cadets and we all wouldn't have become Nicktoons ourselves."
"That's true." SpongeTron admitted, brightening up. "I always thought change was a bad thing, but I never thought any of those things were changes that made things better for us."
"And more change will be coming." Darry added with a smile. "But good or bad, we'll be ready for it and the one thing that won't change is us being friends."
SpongeTron now smiled in happiness and the group tenderly embraces. But the three humans suddenly hear Maxwell's voice again, 'Will somebody come into the basement and help me?!'
Darry narrows his eyes and asks the twins. "You guys ready to go downstairs to save Maxwell?"
Tammy and Tommy nod in determination as Darry grabs the three. But SpongeTron was confused, "Wait, what makes you think he's there?"
Below the manor was a large basement with a lot of machines and what appeared to be weapons. Maxwell was tied up with rope and inside a large tank, crying out, "Let me out! You can't keep me here!"
"Be quiet, you obnoxious brat." Eustace warned and tapped on the glass. "You know already that your powers won't do any good against the maxi glass containing you. I've already won."
Maxwell looked helpless until his eyes widen in surprise and smirked, "You really think so?"
"I KNOW so." Eustace replied smugly. "Just like he said, getting rid of you will ensure my victory for years to come."
Suddenly, he was pushed to the ground by a ghost ray and he turned around to see Darry holding Maxwell, having freed him from his containment, and was surrounded by the rest of the Nicktoons.
But Eustace did not seem intimidated by their arrival. "Well, well, well, Nicktoons." he said, dusting himself off. "Come to reconsider my offer. I thought you already had, given that you delivered that troublesome child to me."
"We're still on Team Neutron!" SpongeTron angrily pointed out. "And I may have made the mistake of bringing him to you, but I'm here with my team to take him back!"
"How could you do this, Eustace?" Tammy asked. "You're the head of the successful Strych Enterprises. How could you capture Max and do this to him?"
"Like you say, that's classified." Eustace replied with a smirk. "Though things would go a lot smoother if you Nicktoons would join me. Your parents made the mistake of refusing my offer years ago, but unfortunately you're just like them."
"Strangely, I find this as a compliment," Darry stated when he cleared his throat, "Nicktoons...GO!"
The Nicktoons prepared to attack Eustace and approached him. He growled and backed away, taking a device out of his pocket. He touched the screen and an electric force field appeared between them, shocking the Nicktoons once they ran into it.
Maxwell gasped in shock and fear while Eustace gloated, "You think you can defeat me in my element? I've had everything installed here to keep nosy do-gooders like you out!"
He then taps on the handheld screen again, making the force field disappear. "Let's test how the RA-Unit does on destroying you four."
His robot from Tech-Con comes out from inside a large closet and marches toward the exhausted Nicktoons, prepared to finish them off. But as Maxwell watches, his expression becomes filled with more terror as his eyes flash with a memory of having seen that robot before. "No...NO!" Maxwell cried out, "Not again...NOT AGAIN!" his yell caused the entire room to shake and a psychic force to push back everyone into the walls, including the RA-Unit.
Maxwell grits his teeth and pounds on his head as if trying to stop himself, but his powers still go out of control. Tammy sees Maxwell drop to his knees, struggling to get control. She quickly gets up and runs to him, having a hard time trying to move past the psychic energy around him. Once she gets close to him, she stretches out her arm to him until she's touching his shoulder. Suddenly, she hears Maxwell's voice in her head, 'Why are you trying to help me, even after all that I did?'
"Because you're my friend," Tammy replied with a warm smile, "No matter what time period you come from. Whether you're MX-65 or a baby, you're still the same Max I've always known."
'So...you really know who I am?' Maxwell's voice asked in surprise.
"Yes!" Tammy assured him, "And we can help you. You just have to trust us." Suddenly, Maxwell takes a deep breath and his powers die down. But Maxwell falls unconscious afterwards and Tammy catches him before he falls.
Eustace sees the two kids defenseless, believing he has a chance, "RA-Unit, attack!" he commanded.
The RA-Unit released a barrage of missiles. But before that happens, SpongeTron steps in. He grabs a tiny black ball from his wrist and throws it, releasing a smokescreen.
SpongeTron, Darry, and Tommy ran over to Tammy and the unconscious Maxwell. "Get us outta here, Poof!" Tammy cried out. Poof transforms from a magic rifle to his normal form and waves his wand, causing them to disappear in a pink cloud.
The missiles explode at the spot, but the Nicktoons and Maxwell, were long gone. Eustace growls in anger and kicks the RA-Unit repeatedly. "Not again! Not again!" But then he sees a folded up piece of paper on the ground. He picks it up and unfolds it and stares at the contents, which cause him to smile slyly.
Sometime in HQ, Maxwell is in bed with electrodes on his body so Jimmy can analyze his condition with the Nicktoons, Cindy, and Timmy watching.
"His body seems stable," Jimmy noticed, "Quite intriguing though."
"What is?" Darry asked.
"According to the neuro-scans, his IQ is 500 and is slowly increasing," he explained.
"He's got an even higher IQ than you, Jimbo," Timmy chuckled.
"That may also explain the strange mind powers," Darry added, "When Maxwell was in danger, he spoke to us in our minds."
"Interesting," Jimmy noted, "However, this is not a normal condition. An average being cannot have their IQ heightened instantaneously or continue to grow."
"Says the genius who increased his dumb friend's intelligence and nearly made his head explode," Cindy dully recalled.
"So how is it that Max is a super genius?" Tammy curiously asked. "Does it have anything to do with...genetics?"
"Not sure. Though for some reason, the effects seem vaguely familiar," Jimmy said, trying to recall something. Then he realized, "Unless..."
Jimmy walks over to the sleeping Maxwell. He turns his back over and lifts his shirt. Jimmy gasped in shock, followed by SpongeTron when he saw it. "Jimmy, is that?" the robot asked in astonishment.
"It is..." Jimmy said dumbfounded as the others peek to see what the bot and genius are awestruck at. On the nape of Max's neck is a strange device implanted on him. Its tech seems too foreign and advanced for this timeline however.
"What is that?" Timmy asked. "And what's it doing on this kid?"
"It appears to be a neural implant that is increasing the intelligence in his brain. It also must be the cause of his psychokinetic abilities."
"But Turner's right. Who would attach it on a kid like Maxwell?" Darry asked, almost appalled by the discovery.
"Yeah, and how do you know about this?" Tammy also asked, looking at Jimmy.
"I don't know how he has it." Jimmy admitted, "I never intended for it to..." but he stops himself when he realizes what he's saying.
But Cindy crossed her arms and angrily demanded, "Jimmy, you know something about this, don't you?"
Jimmy ultimately relented and revealed what he knew, "That device is similar to the one I was planning to invent. It was a harmless neural device that could increase one's intelligence. I planned it all out on those schematics I showed Timmy and SpongeTron, but it would still take me years to build and perfect. However, I had never planned for the IQ to continuously increase or give PSI abilities, much less attach it to a child."
"Wait, so you're saying...THAT'S your world-changing invention? And you attached this to a kid as your test monkey?!" Cindy yelled out.
"No, no!" Jimmy flailed his arms, "I mean, yes, that may be my invention, but even if it was, why would I implant it on a harmless kid?"
"So if that is your planned invention years from now," Darry pondered when he figured it out, "That's undeniable proof that Maxwell IS from the future!"
Then SpongeTron realized, "And since he appeared at the same time as Morph, then Morph must be from the future too!"
"Let me get this straight," Timmy wanted to make sure, "So Morph is a robotic assassin from the future sent to the past to kill you; and Maxwell, who is also from the future, was sent to stop Morph from killing you and to steal the schematics of the planned invention that's latched onto him." He groaned as he rubbed his temples, "Ugh, time travel's giving me a headache..."
"If that's Jimmy's invention, how did he get it on him?" Tammy wondered. "And how did he come here from the future?"
Suddenly, Maxwell begins to stir and he wakes up. "What happened?" he asked in a tired voice, "Where am I?" he then sees everyone surrounding him, "What'd I do?"
"Perfect, you're awake." Jimmy said as he looked directly at Maxwell. "How did you get that device attached to you? And why did you take my schematic for it?"
Maxwell becomes timid and asks, "So...you all know the truth?"
"Afraid so," Cindy answered with an empathetic shrug.
"That you're from the future? Of course we do." Darry asked, getting excited, "How gnarly is that? That means you really know everything that'll happen years from now." he got close to him and whispered, "So about that statue of me..."
Maxwell stayed silent until he finally spoke up, "In the future...all of you are dead." Hearing this, everyone gasps in horror. But Maxwell smiles and adds, "Gotcha!" and jumps off the bed while receiving glares from the others.
"I thank you all for the help you've given me, but now that I got what I wanted, it's time for me to..." he reached into his pocket and was about to unzip his jacket until he stopped and began feeling the inside of his empty pockets, becoming more and more frantic as he did. "Jumpin' Jupiter, where did it go?" Maxwell asked in panic, feeling deep inside his pockets. "It can't be gone."
"Are you talking about Neutron's schematic?" Tommy asked.
"My schematic?" Jimmy asked, his voice growing more shocked, "You mean you lost it?!"
Max gets tears in his eyes as his hands shake. "I...I didn't mean to. I don't know what happened. I can't go home without it."
"No Maxwell, it's my fault," SpongeTron took the blame; "I was obsessed with this change tearing me and my friends apart and blamed you for it. This all happened because of me."
Maxwell turned his head away and scowled, "No kidding."
"What SpongeTron means is that he's sorry for the way he treated you." Tammy quickly added, "And all of us wanna help you in any way we can."
Maxwell turned away and replied, "There's nothing you can do. I'm stuck here unless I can find that schematic. The Nicktoons I know are back where I live and your commander hates me now."
"No worries, Maxwell, Jimmy doesn't hate you for losing his schematic. Right Nerdtron?" Cindy asked him.
"Actually, I'm a bit upset," Jimmy admitted until Cindy socked him in the arm, "Ow! I mean, you're always welcome aboard, Maxwell."
"Thanks, but no thanks," Maxwell said, "If I stay here, it will act too suspicious, especially for enemies that are after me. I should stay at a place that a bit more inconspicuous."
"I hope you don't mean in a cardboard box in an alley." Darry assumed.
Maxwell chuckled sheepishly as he added, "They're not so bad if you have a lot of newspapers."
Tammy felt sorry for the blonde boy, but then she smiled with an idea, "Wait! Max, our dad has a room for rent! You can stay with us!"
"With us?" Tommy questioned in surprise.
"Hold on!" Timmy intervened. "It's nice of you to offer, Tammy, but I can't rent a room to an eleven-year-old."
"I have cash," Maxwell said, holding out a large wad of bills, to everyone's surprise.
"Well, I guess until we solve this matter, you're moving in with us." Timmy said with a smile. "And I'll only charge you forty dollars a month."
"Sweet," Maxwell shrugged.
"Well, it's not official yet, but you seem to have the skills and potential to be part of the Nicktoons," Jimmy stated, "Unfortunately, the slots are already filled in the Cadets, but maybe you can join them?" he gestured to Tommy, Tammy, Darry, and SpongeTron.
Maxwell stared in surprise, "You want me to join the Nicktoons?"
"It's up to each of them to decide," Jimmy explained and turned to the Nicktoons, "So whatdoya say?"
Tommy and Tammy grinned at each other. "We're in!" they shouted in joy as they high-five each other.
"I guess the team has enough room for one more member," Darry said with a smile.
Maxwell grinned at the three humans until he glanced at SpongeTron, wondering what he has to say. The robot was silent at first, but he then smiles and answers, "This is a change that I am definitely happy with." He hugs Maxwell, happy to have the strange boy on their team. "Just don't make any changes that'll affect us and tear our friendship apart," SpongeTron joked with a wink.
Maxwell sighed, "Dude, I'm from the future and I can assure you...that you guys are gonna be friends for a very, VERY long time."
Hearing this made the robot hug him more, followed by Tommy, Tammy, Darry, and Poof who appears and cuddled into the group hug.
Jimmy, Cindy, and Timmy watch happily when Jimmy frowned in concern, "We may have to keep an eye on him," he said seriously, "Especially with that device in his hands. I wonder though who the culprit was that placed the gadget into him...and if he's the same person who sent Morph to kill me. Why was he sent to the past? Why is he after my schematic?"
"I think the more important question is who HAS your schematic now?" Cindy asked.
"And why is Eustace so interested in Maxwell?" Timmy asked, having heard the Nicktoons' report on their last battle.
At his quarters, Eustace is talking to his mysterious boss on the screen, "I was unable to get rid of that brat and persuade those Nicktoons to join me," Eustace scolded, "However, I was able to retrieve this..." he opened the schematics, looking intrigued, "My, my, it seems Neutron has BIG plans for this device and now it's in my grasp."
"It is in BOTH our grasp." the shadowed figure on screen responded, "With that device, your victory will be assured for years to come."
"I'll have my workers start production on it immediately." Eustace said, placing it in his coat pocket. "I guess Neutron and his team of Nickstooges are soon to be out of commission."
"Not yet. The child with the PSI powers is still present. He has the completed model on his body. Capture him and remove the device, and he nor the Nicktoons will stand in your way."
"Don't worry." Eustace responded with a calm smile. "I'm sure once Neutron realizes I have the plans to his precious gadget, he's sure to give me whatever I want." He and his mysterious boss finished with a hearty laugh.
The End
Time to get the adventure started. With Maxwell on the team, what new things will come for the Nicktoons? Review what you think and find out in the next story, "Mother Nature's Revenge".