Time Fixers: Nicktoons of the Future

Episode 7: United We Can't Stand

Plot: Darry and Maxwell have never gotten along since they met, and things don't get better when they're both paired on a mission together. But when SpongeCog kidnaps them, they must work together to escape his mysterious hidden base. Can the Nicktoons save Darry and Maxwell before SpongeCog kills them or they kill each other?

Part 1

It was a nice clear afternoon in Retroville; only this Retroville looked much more futuristic than the current one. Maxwell was outside, crossing a bridge that overlooked a busy highway and was hanging on the railing, looking over the edge. Accompanying him was a young man, who notices Maxwell take a deep sigh as he frowns sadly.

"What's up, Max?" the man asks, "I thought you'd be a little more excited that we get to hang out today."

"It's nothing," Maxwell answers, turning his head away.

The man playfully poked Maxwell's side and replied, "It sure doesn't sound like nothing."

This made Maxwell giggle a bit, but afterwards, he frowned again and answered, "It's just that some kids at school were making fun of me again, all because they say I'm not a genius like Dad."

"Who cares what they say, Max?" the man cheerfully replied as they walk over to a nearby bench and sit down, "You probably are a genius and you just haven't realized it yet."

Maxwell hugs his knees and adds, "But whenever I try to invent anything new, things go wrong...and I end up getting in trouble for it."

But the man suddenly chuckles and mentions, "I think you'd be surprised, but I used to hear stories that your dad used to invent things that would go wrong all the time and even put the town in danger."

This suddenly gets Maxwell's attention, "What?" he asked in surprise, "Really?"

"Yup. But you know...there is someone else I know who used to mess things up a lot when he was younger."

"Really? Who's that?" Maxwell asked in interest.

All of a sudden, a pair of blue eyes shoot open and it turns out to be Maxwell, who was laying on a bed in his room at the Turner house. He silently sits up over the edge of his bed and yawns with a somber expression. He suddenly hears Tammy cry out from downstairs, "MAX! Come down here!"

Maxwell rushes downstairs to find the twins in the living room, "What's going on?" he asked, "Is there an emergency? Do we have a mission to go on?"

But both of the twins smile as Tommy answers, "Mom and Dad are gonna be out."

"So Darry is gonna come over and babysit." Tammy finished with a giggle.

Maxwell frowned, "How is that an emergency?"

"We never said it was an emergency." Tammy mentioned.

"Though I do have 911 on speed dial in case you and Dar decide to kill each other." Tommy added.

Maxwell crossed his arms and frowned, "I don't see why I need a babysitter. I'm a grown-up."

"You're 11," Tammy mentioned.

"And a GENIUS." Maxwell furiously added.

"But Darry's fun to have around." Tommy pointed out. "I don't see why you can't get along with him."

"And I don't see why you guys CAN get along with him," Maxwell snapped back.

Tommy grabbed Tammy shoulder and swung her around so he can talk privately with her. "We're just gonna swim in the backyard today, so we'll have fun." Tommy whispered, "It can't be as bad as when we went to the arcade they had a pizza fight."

"You're right." Tammy whispered, "It can't get be that bad."

Once Darry arrived, they changed into swim suits and went to the backyard and filled their kiddie pool with water. However, while they had fun, things got to the point where Darry and Max got into another childish argument. They were both in the kiddie pool and trying to shove each other out of it. "You're taking too much room." Maxwell snapped.

"Hey, it's not my fault your giant head is in the way!" Darry argued.

"Well, it's your long scrawny legs that are taking too much room!" Maxwell yelled.

Tommy, Tammy, and Poof watch when Tommy mentioned, "You know, we could have wished for a giant pool."

"I was afraid more water would make it easier for them to drown each other." Tammy answered meekly.

They then see Darry splashing Maxwell. "What'd you get that medal for anyway? Being annoying?" he angrily asked, noticing Maxwell still wearing his medallion despite wearing only a swim suit.

"Hey, don't ruin it!" Maxwell yelled, covering the medal, "This is REALLY important!"

He uses his psychic powers to flip the pool over, causing them both to topple over. Tammy, Tommy, and Poof wince as they watch this. "Great," Tommy groaned dully. "Now what are we supposed to do for fun?"

Suddenly, they hear Maxwell laugh as he rushes passed them, holding Darry's swim trunks in the air. "Get back here!" Darry shouted as he crawled out from under the pool, but stopped when he noticed he wasn't wearing anything below the waist. Tommy covers Tammy's eyes and she covers Poof's. Darry blushed in embarrassment as he turns invisible.

"Poof, poof!" the fairy baby says as he holds a Recaller out to them, saying that someone was on the line.

Tommy takes the Recaller and says into it, "Hello?"

It was SpongeTron, "Hey guys. The commander needs you to come to HQ. He's made an important discovery and has a mission to assign us. Bring Darry and Max with you too."

"Uh...okay," Tommy responded, though the twins are a bit uncertain.

Tammy glanced over at Maxwell tugging Darry's swimsuit from an invisible force that was Darry trying to get his trunks back. "I guess we have no choice." she said in a defeated tone.

Later on, the Nicktoons had gathered at HQ and met up in the main lab where Jimmy was examining his portal machine. "So what's the prob, Commander?" Tommy asked.

"Nothing as a matter of fact." Jimmy answered cheerfully. "Especially since I've discovered a new world!" he shouted with his fists in the air.

The Nicktoons all react in shock and amazement. "Wow!" Tammy shouted. "A new world?"

"What's it like?" Tommy asked.

"Is it inhabited?" Maxwell asked.

"Any potential Nicktoons there?" SpongeTron asked.

"I don't know, Neutron," Darry said in uncertainty, "Don't you remember the last time you discovered a new world?"

"Whoa, Scottie's being cautious about something new?" Maxwell sarcastically asked, dully frowning at Darry, "How surprising."

"Wow, you're still here. How pleasant," Darry spat in disgust.

"If anything were to go wrong in a new world, you're most likely gonna be the cause of it, Scottie." Maxwell snapped, scowling straight up at Darry.

"It's DARRY, you little-" but he was interrupted when SpongeTron blew a loud foghorn.

"Thank you, SpongeTron." an exasperated Jimmy said, holding his forehead, "If you'll cease your quarrelling, I can inform you all that I still know nothing about this world, which is why I'm sending you five in to do a little investigating."

"You wanna send us into another universe we know nothing about?" Tammy asked cautiously.

"There's a chance we might get replaced with alternate doppelgangers who want to invade this world." Darry added.

"I'd be cool with that." Maxwell said with a smirk. Darry gave him a death glare as Maxwell stuck his tongue out.

"Couldn't you ask the other Nicktoons to do this?" Tommy asked, referring to Yuki and her team.

"I have them on a mission of their own." Jimmy explained, "But I have total confidence that you can all handle whatever's in there. Plus to take precaution, I've programmed your Recallers to bring you back here if anything goes wrong and I'll give you each a communications device that'll allow me to stay in contact with you the whole time."

"Don't worry, Commander." Darry assured; his voice now full of confidence. "We can handle whatever's in there. We haven't come across anything new that's beaten us before."

"I beat you last week at checkers." Maxwell pointed out.

"But I kicked your butt at target practice," Darry whispered back.

"I beat your record at eating the most corndogs," Maxwell hissed.

"I beat you at arm wrestling."

"Then I whooped your sorry butt at-"

"Okay! Okay! That's enough!" SpongeTron shouted as he pushed them aside, "Commander, I have a suggestion!"

"Yes SpongeTron?" Neutron asked.

"Since this is a new world, I suggest we split..." he winked at the twins, suggesting a plan as he continued, "Into pairs to cover more ground."

"Excellent idea," Jimmy nodded, "Okay team! Pick your partners!"

Before Darry and Maxwell could say anything, SpongeTron yelled out, "I call Tammy!" and grabbed her hand.

"And I pick Poof!" Tommy said as he holds up the fairy baby.

"Ok, there are two pairs and the remaining two are..." Jimmy glances at Darry and Maxwell, "You guys, so you are now a team who has to work together."

"WHAT?!" Darry and Maxwell screamed when lightning and thunder struck suddenly.

SpongeTron picked up Baby Max and pulled him away from a machine, "Max, don't play with Daddy's weather simulator." he said in playful voice.

"You gotta be kidding!" Darry shouted, pointing at Maxwell, "I don't wanna be stuck with him!"

Maxwell pointed at Darry, shouting, "And I refuse to collaborate with Scottie!"

"That's NOT my name!"

"ENOUGH!" Jimmy yelled over them. "It's already decided, you two will be paired together. I expect you to act like a team the same as you would on any other Nicktoon mission. Am I clear?"

Darry and Maxwell hung their head and both said in a defeated tone, "Yes sir." but both glare at each other and scowl.

Then Jimmy smiled and added, "I think you two would make the perfect pair to work together. It's just like when Danny and I used to work together. With Maxwell's brains and Darry's brawn, you can get the mission completed with ease."

Maxwell chuckled, "I knew Scottie was missing something."

Understanding what he meant, Darry gave him a stink-eye while shaking his fist. Jimmy then typed on the controls and activated the portal machine, directing it to the new world he discovered. He then sent the Nicktoons through it after giving each group a small device that would keep them in communications with him and each other.

The world they are in looked like a huge desert with many large rocks and a colorful sky, but no sign of life or civilization. "Ooooh..." everyone said in interest.

A static is heard as Darry Phantom answered on the communication, "Jimmy?"

"So what does our new universe look like?" Jimmy asked.

"Hot..." Tammy said as Poof turned into a purple fan and fanned her.

"Vast," Tommy said, looking at the wide space.

"Rocky," SpongeTron said, scanning a rock for a sample.

"Desolated," Darry noticed when he asked Jimmy, "You sure we didn't travel a thousand years in the future?

"Negative," Jimmy answered from the device, "I'm pretty sure you're all still in modern time period. But it still wouldn't hurt for you to have a look around and see if you can find any signs of life."

Darry grinned and asked, "If we do find anybody, should we go for the, 'We come in peace' or 'Take us to your leader'?"

Maxwell rolled his eyes and replied, "Only if you wanna be put on an autopsy and studied for science."

Darry frowned and crossed his arms. "I was just kidding."

"Okay, how about this?" SpongeTron suggested, "Tommy and Poof will explore west, Tammy and I will explore the north area, and Darry and Max will take the east."

Everyone quickly agreed with the plan and the pairs took off in different directions. The pair of Darry and Maxwell scowled at each other and marched off together. However, they were not alone in the world as someone with inferred vision was watching them from afar and focuses on Darry and Maxwell as they leave together.

As SpongeTron and Tammy walk together, the robot appears concerned and asks Tammy, "You sure it was a good idea to send Darry and Max off together?"

"They need to get along at some point," Tammy pointed out, "I mean, we're supposed to be a team and teammates should stick with each other no matter what."

"Yeah, but...Darry still doesn't know the truth about Max. Maybe we should tell him. I feel kinda bad about leaving him out of it."

Tammy froze when she giggled nervously, "Truth? What truth? I don't know what you're talking about."

SpongeTron narrowed one eyebrow and crossed his arms. "Come on, Tammy. Max already told me that you and Tommy know who he really is."

"What?" Tammy said surprised, "You knew already?"

"Yeah. When I did a biological scan on him after the Syndicate's interference, I found out right away," SpongeTron explained.

"Well, I guess it's good that you know now." Tammy replied, smiling, but then considered, "But I don't think Max wants anyone to know. That's why we haven't told anyone else."

"They're gonna figure it out at some point, Tams," SpongeTron warned, "Though I'm surprised... Neutron hasn't figured it out yet...and he's a genius!"

"Yeah, and neither has his mom, Cindy." Tammy added. "Though you may have a point. After the mission, we should talk to Max about it. Maybe once Darry finds out the truth, he and Max will get along better."

Meanwhile, Darry was leaning on a large rock, pressing his ear against the surface and knocking on it as if trying to listen for anything inside. Maxwell stared at him until he yelled, "Quit messing around! We're supposed to be investigating!"

"What do you think I'm doing?" Darry retorted, "For all we know, some of the stuff in this place could be alive. There may be a secret passage way to a hidden village or a batcave."

"Or a mental institution you can check yourself into." Maxwell said, rolling his eyes.

Darry then shouted, "At least I'm trying to find something! All you're doing is just complaining about everything that I do!"

"Because everything you do is stupid, Scottie!"

"It's DARRY! D-A-R-R-Y! Five words, two syllables!"

Maxwell groaned as he turned away from him, "I can't believe someone like you turned out to be-" but paused in realization and stayed silent.

Darry caught on, "Huh? What were you saying?"

Maxwell turned to him with a glare and spat, "I'm saying you're a puerile ignoramus who's fatuous! I mean, stupid!"

He huffed and stomped away with Darry crossing his arms and shaking his head, "Man, where did he get that bad attitude from?"

Suddenly, he heard static from the communicator he was wearing and heard Jimmy's voice, "Darry, do you read me, over?"

Darry smiled and spoke into the device, "Phantom to Neutron, I read you loud and clear, over."

"Have you and Maxwell found anything yet?" Jimmy asked.

"So far nothing." Darry responded, "I don't think there's anything cool or interesting here, not even someone qualified as a Nicktoon."

"They're probably hiding, knowing that you're the one leading the team!" Maxwell shouted to him.

Darry got quickly annoyed and shouted back, "Maybe they're waiting till you're kicked out of the team!"

Hearing their arguing over the com made Jimmy lean his head on the desk in annoyance. Darry then heard Jimmy say, "I'll check with the other two groups. For now, look around some more and report anything you find."

Afterwards they were disconnected, Maxwell told Darry, "Now look what you've done, you made Neutron mad."

"I made Neutron mad?" Darry asked. "He happens to respect my leadership, unlike you."

"He just respects you cuz he's friends with your dad," Maxwell spat.

Darry glared, "Gonna say something about my superhero dad?"

"Only that considering who he is, you should be more responsible and take yourself more seriously! But of course asking you to do that would be like asking you to chew with your mouth closed!"

As the two argued, they were once again watched by someone with inferred vision who also seemed to have a targeting scope on Darry. "What do you know? You don't know me at all!" Darry shouted, "Brains and Brawn nothing, I'll never work together with you! And I bet you wouldn't be a genius at all if it weren't for that piece of tech in your head." This seemed to hit a sore spot for Maxwell as his eyes widen in anger. But Darry just continued, "And another thing-" but before he could finish, he screamed as he was struck in the back by a ray and he fell on the ground unconscious.

Maxwell seemed shocked by the sudden attack when he glanced up and gasped to see a strange robot that was eerily familiar, but red and black. It was none other than SpongeCog, "Surprised to see me, twerp?" the evil clone asked.

Maxwell didn't respond and just stood there, shaken by the menacing robot. But SpongeCog aimed the weapon at him, smirking. "But now that you've seen this much, I'm afraid I can't let you go now." He fired the weapon at Maxwell, knocking him out as well.

Soon, the three had disappeared and the only thing left was the communication device. "Darry? Come in, Darry!" Jimmy's voice called, "Can you read me, over! Darry! Maxwell!"

From HQ, Jimmy was trying his best to contact Darry and Maxwell, but was having no luck. "Gas planet, this isn't good." he muttered to himself as he pushed a couple buttons and spoke into the device, "Come in, Tommy, Poof, Tammy, and SpongeTron! Red alert! I've lost contact with Darry and Maxwell! Repeat, I've lost contact with Darry and Maxwell!"

Hearing this on their respective devices, Tommy, Poof, Tammy, and SpongeTron all gasp in shock for their missing friends. Tommy turned to his fairy and asked, "What do you think could've happened to them?"

"Poof." Poof responds with a shrug.

At the other end, Tammy asks SpongeTron, "You think they're alright?"

Despite the emergency, SpongeTron tried to remain positive as he answered, "I'm sure they're fine as long as they're together. Maybe they just dropped their device or something. After all, one is a half-ghost and one is a genius with psychic powers. I'm sure they can handle themselves fine."

Meanwhile, at a dark location, Darry groans as he opens his green eyes and his blurry vision starts to clear as he sees he is now sitting on the ground in a dark metal unkempt room with many random objects scattered around. He also notices he can't move his arms and he fully becomes aware of the situation when he sees his hands are chained high above him and he is wearing an electronic collar around his neck.

"Scottie?" Darry's eyes widen as he recognizes the voice and name, and turns his head to see Maxwell sitting across the room against the wall with his arms and body locked to the wall with a metal bar.

"Maxwell, what's going on?" Darry asked, trying to shake his hands free, but the chains were wrapped around too tight. "Where are we?"

"I don't know." Maxwell answered, "All I remember was seeing this scary robot that looked like SpongeTron."

"SpongeTron?" Darry questioned, confused by what he was saying, "But that can't be right."

Suddenly, the door opens and they heard metal footsteps approaching. From out of the dark hallway came SpongeCog. "Hello squishy." he greeted in a sadistic tone, "Long time no see."

"SpongeCog!" Darry cried as he glared, recognizing one of his (mostly SpongeTron's) archenemies.

"Thought you've seen the last of me, have you, ghost boy?" SpongeCog asked, glaring directly at Darry. "Well, I hope you haven't forgotten our unfinished business."

"I hope you don't mind me finishing our business with my fists." Darry stated as he changed into ghost form. But the minute he did, the collar around his neck beeped and released an electric shock around his body, causing him to scream in agony.

SpongeCog smirks as he sees this while Maxwell stares in horror and tries to look away. As he gets shocked, a white ring appears around Darry's waist and goes around his body, changing him into human form, which causes the collar to beep again and stop electrocuting him.

Darry pants as he leans back and weakly asks SpongeCog, "Wha...What did you do?"

"Oh, just placed a special collar that prevents your ghastly half from meddling with my plans," SpongeCog said, tapping his fingers together.

SpongeCog grinned with malice when he pointed at Maxwell and asked in wonder, "So who's the brat? Your new sidekick?"

"Sidekick?" Maxwell shouted in offense, "He's MY sidekick!"

Darry growled in annoyance and shouted, "Forget about him!" and glared at SpongeCog, "What's your deal? You have no reason to keep us here!"

"Ha!" SpongeCog laughed, "I have all the reason in the world! I'm sure you remember over a year ago that you're the reason I no longer have my master. Since all my other plans to avenge him has failed, I nearly fell into despair, until I discovered this world and found this hidden base that no one knows about. I made home here and prepared everything I needed to finally take you out, ghost boy."

"But if Scottie's the one you're after, why'd you have to drag me into this?" Maxwell cried out.

"A friend of my worst enemy IS my enemy!" SpongeCog hissed.

"Well, thankfully I'm not his friend, so maybe you can release me?" Maxwell asked until he dodged a red beam that shot above his head.

"AND you're a squishy, which I despise the most after Phantom!" SpongeCog shouted, pointing his plasma ray at Maxwell.

"You won't get away with this, you nutcase." Darry snapped back. "The Nicktoons will-"

"Will what? Find you?" SpongeCog asked in mockery, "They'll never find this place, and when they do, it'll be too late. That SpongeTron will lose you the same way I lost my leader." he then put his pointed claw on the side of Darry's face and dragged it down his cheek, cutting him, "But I'll have my fun by making sure you suffer first."

The two boys fell dead silent, but SpongeCog gleefully turned away and said, "Well, since no one is coming to rescue you, I may as well take a little break to charge myself and fuel up so I can properly enjoy the experience." he then walked out of the room, "See you soon."

Once SpongeCog left their cell, Maxwell turned to Darry and asked, "This is gonna take a while, so... think you can tell me the story between you and SpongeTron's evil...but cooler twin?"

Darry gave an exasperated sigh and answered, "I may as well."

Meanwhile, back in Nicktoon HQ, Jimmy was still trying to locate the two missing Nicktoons. He had earlier called Danny and Sam about Darry's disappearance and they both rushed over, concerned about their son. After they finally arrived, Jimmy explained what had happened, and Danny was none too pleased. "What do you mean you don't know where they are?" Danny demanded to know, glaring heavily at Jimmy.

Jimmy stammered nervously, unsure how to answer until Sam pulled her husband back. "Danny, calm down and let me handle this." she assured him calmly. Jimmy sighed in relief until Sam suddenly punched him across the face and grabbed him by the front of his shirt, "What do you mean you don't know where they are?!" she yelled in his face.

"I explained it before." Jimmy responded as he got out of Sam's grasp and rubbed his sore cheek. "I sent them to an unknown dimension to explore,"

"Oh! So you sent my only son and his friends to a dark-mattered mysterious dimension beyond all control that you haven't heard of or researched yet?" Sam yelled, gritting her teeth, "Maybe next time you should put them on a spaceship and hurl them into the sun!"

This time, Danny pulled his wife back and calmly told her, "Sam, take it easy. This isn't going to bring Darry back."

Suddenly, the portal glowed and they all turn to see Tammy, Tommy, and SpongeTron step out from it. "We've looked as far as we can and we still can't find Darry or Max." Tammy explained.

Danny and Sam glare at Jimmy, but he nervously grins and assures them, "I'm confident that they're alright. As long as they're together, they can get themselves out of any situation." he playfully elbowed Danny, "Don't you remember, Danny? Brains and Brawn?"

"You mean Darry is gonna crush Max with his brawn and Max is gonna zap Darry's brain with his brains?" Tommy dully guessed.

"I know they're capable, but we should still find them." Danny stated, "They could be in danger."

"You better find them." Sam ordered Jimmy, glaring furiously at him as she rolled up her left sleeve, "Because Danny isn't the only one with brawn here."

Jimmy grinned nervously, now knowing another woman to fear besides his own wife. He cleared his throat and explained, "Hey, I have complete confidence in them. I know they're gonna get out and come back eventually..."

Back in SpongeCog's base, Darry had just finished explaining to Maxwell about the evil robot. "Wow..." Maxwell said, stunned by his story, "No wonder the bot has it out for you."

"No kidding." Darry replied, trying to pull his wrists loose from the chains. "Even though it's not even my fault."

"Well, what are you waiting for? Get us out of here so we can go home."

"Um, hello!" Darry shouted in annoyance, "In case you haven't noticed, I'm chained up here and I can't go ghost without being fried."

"Oh great," Maxwell groaned, "So much for Brawn."

Darry yelled back at him, "Well, why don't you use those Brains of yours to telepathically contact the others like you did in Strych's mansion?"

Maxwell responded, "I can't. I can only do it unless I can see who I'm talking to. I don't know how I did it last time."

Suddenly, Darry began whining and muttered, "I always thought I would die in the midst of an epic battle against an army of ax-wielding ghosts." then he cried out, "Not by an ax-crazy robot!"

"Hey, chill out, man. You're gonna be just fine. After all, I'll still see you in the fu-" but Maxwell froze in realization and bit his lower-lip.

"Huh? Did you say something?"

"I said stop acting like a baby and try and get us out of here before we die!"

"At least I'm trying to get out!" Darry complained, "You have the destructive mind powers yet all you're doing is complaining!"

"Hey, I don't have the power restraint collar, do I?" Maxwell spat.

"Ugh! What is wrong with you?!" Darry shouted, "Ever since we met, all you do is pick fights with me!"

Maxwell just scowled and yelled, "I don't have to tell you anything! Just leave me ALONE!" His yelling caused his psychic powers to levitate all the small items in the air and scatter on the ground, among them a small katana.

Seeing the weapon, Darry smiles and exclaims, "That's it! That's what will get me out of here." He tries stretching his legs to grab the sword with his feet so he can cut the chains around his wrists, but can't pick it up.

Darry sighed in defeat until he glanced at Maxwell. "Maxwell, use your powers again!"

"Why should I, Scottie?" Maxwell stuck a tongue out.

"It's Dar-" Darry took a deep breath and sighs. "Look, fighting with each other is not gonna help us get outta here. If we work together, maybe we can." Maxwell just scowled and stayed silent. He then stared at the sword and it levitated off the ground, floating toward the chains binding Darry's wrists. Darry clenched his fists, feeling nervous about the sword flying near his hands. "Please be careful." he muttered to Maxwell. Maxwell breathed in and out as he focused. The sword lifted up and slices the chains in half, freeing Darry. Darry grinned. "All right, Maxwell!"

Maxwell smiled, hearing his praise, but huffed and turned away. Darry leaned down and reached his freed hands to find scattered items that he can use to unlock the cell. "Hurry up, Scottie!" Maxwell shouted, "SpongeCog could be back any minute."

Darry narrowed his eyes and muttered, "It's Darry." but then he smiled and picked up the small key to the door. "Got it!" then he ran over to Maxwell in order to free him from the bind pinning him against the wall. "Maybe I can still phase you out from there."

He grabbed Maxwell's shoulders while the latter cried, "Scottie, don't-" and the minute Darry turned him intangible, Darry's collar shocked both him and Maxwell while they screamed and Darry quickly pulled him off the wall as they fell backwards on the floor. "You idiot." Maxwell scorned, "I tried to tell you not to do that."

Darry sat up and replied, "I got you free, didn't I? I just thought-"

"You NEVER think before you act. He was right about you."

"Like you've ever considered the consequences before you try to do something that'll move things along."

Before Maxwell can retort, they suddenly felt the ground tremble beneath their feet. "What was that?" Maxwell asked, now looking scared.

"I don't know." Darry answered, trying to be calm. "But we better get moving." He grabs Maxwell's hand and leads him towards the exit.

Back in HQ, Jimmy was at his computer while the Nicktoons look over him. "Have you found anything yet?" Tammy asked.

"Nothing." Jimmy answered. "I can't find any traces of life anywhere. It seems like this world is uninhabited. I can't even find a way to trace Darry and Maxwell."

"Maybe I should call the other Nicktoons." SpongeTron said, taking out his Recaller. "Yuki might know what to do."

Suddenly, Danny Phantom flew through the portal and told everyone, "I've flown all over the place twice and I haven't found either one of them."

"How is it you were able to locate the world and not Darry?" Sam asked Jimmy.

"I dunno," Jimmy confessed, "To be frank, I was busy in my lab when the portal turned on by itself. When I checked what went wrong, that's when I discovered that new world."

"Wait, so a new world just popped up in your portal with no explanation and you first DECIDED to send a party to explore it?!" Sam glared at him.

"Hmm..." Tammy said curiously after hearing this story, "Seems to me that the only way to go back to that world is for someone on the other side to open a portal to this one."

"But the only people who can do that is us," Tommy added when he holds out the device, "With our Recallers. Darry and Maxwell have theirs so they should have come back by now."

"You're right." Jimmy replied, "But it appears that they've been disconnected somehow, so I can't even track their location. If only I had another way to track them."

"DNA!" SpongeTron cried out.

"What?" They all ask, wondering what he meant.

"If we can't find them through their technology, what if we find them through their human traits?"

"And how are we gonna do that?" Tommy wanted to know.

Jimmy quickly understood. "I see what you're saying, SpongeTron. It's a longshot, but it's the only chance we got. I can run a diagnostic scan to see if there's anyone there, matching their DNA in that world. But I'll need a sample."

"Danny can get something from Darry back home." Sam explained as Danny quickly rushed back home.

"What about Maxwell?" Jimmy asked the Nicktoons. "Do you have anything like a strand of hair or a fingernail from him?"

Tommy and Tammy stare at each other silently, not having any kind of DNA they could think of. SpongeTron then turns to see Baby Max asleep in his walker. He backs away slowly and says, "Why don't I put Max in his room and I'll see what I can find."

Meanwhile, Darry and Maxwell were still walking down the halls of the base. Suddenly, Darry shoves Maxwell around a corner and pins him to the wall. Maxwell glared, but they see SpongeCog walking down the hall. They then feel the ground shaking again, causing Maxwell to cling to Darry's leg.

SpongeCog was not affected by this though. "I better go check it out." and he walked off down the hall.

Once the robot was gone, Darry notices Maxwell still clinging to his leg in fright. But once Maxwell sees him looking, he quickly shoves him away. "That was close." Darry whispered. "We better hurry and find a way out of here before SpongeCog or those weird earthquakes kill us."

"Y-Yeah," Maxwell nodded as he followed Darry.

Darry then cracked a smile and added, "I can't wait to tell Yuki and my parents about this. They're so gonna freak out."

Maxwell rolls his eyes and replies, "I'm sure they will."

Darry turns his head to Maxwell and asks, "Speaking of which, do you have any family?"

Maxwell froze until he spat off, "Of course I have a family!"

"Really?" Darry curiously asked, "What are they like?"

"Like it's any of your business, Scottie." Maxwell retorted with his arms crossed, marching in front of Darry.

Darry pouted and muttered to himself, "So much for playing nice..."

As they walked down the halls, still fuming at each other, Maxwell unknowingly trips on an invisible wire that was connected to each side of the wall. Darry then sees tiny holes in the wall open up and release a bunch of needles. "Maxwell, look out!" he shouts, jumping on top of Maxwell and pinning him to the ground as the needles shoot out at the other wall, revealing that they were actually syringes containing a strange liquid.

"Get off of me!" Maxwell screamed as he tried to get out from under Darry, but as he stood up, he suddenly noticed Darry still lying on the ground, looking groggy. "Uh...Scottie?" Maxwell asked, waving a hand, "Are you alright?"

"I...can't move." Darry says as he looks behind him and sees one of the needles in his backside.

Maxwell took the syringe out and looked at it closely. "It appears to be just a form of sedative. It'll wear off, but you won't be able to ambulate for a while." Maxwell shakes his head and suddenly frowns, "I mean way to go, Scottie! Now how are we gonna get out of here?"

Darry frowned and responded tiredly, "Maybe now would be the perfect time for you to start pulling your weight around here...by pulling my weight for now."

Maxwell cringes and growls angrily and grabs Darry by his arms and lifts the rest of his body using his telekinesis.

As Darry tries to stay awake, he tries to make conversation again as he asks Maxwell, "So what's it like in the future that you're from?"

Maxwell just frowns and answers, "It's no different from being here."

"But it's probably more advanced, right?" Darry guessed, "If it's 10 years from now, then all of us must be adults, right? What do we look like in that era? And SpongeTron, is he the same? What about our parents?"

"Don't know, don't care, irrelevant."

"Why is Eustace Strych after you? Did you do something wrong to him?"

"Let's just both agree that he's a creep." Maxwell responded in an uncaring tone.

"Who sent you into this time period anyway? And who put that neural device in your head? Was it some bad guy who was trying to experiment on you so you escaped here to get away from him?"

These particular questions seem to strike a nerve with Maxwell and he yelled, "Cease with the questions!" and it broke his concentration, dropping the immobile Darry onto the ground.

Darry looked up to see Maxwell crouched on the ground, pouting. The teen yelled to him, "Can't you get over here and help? And what's wrong with you? Why can't you just tell me about yourself like a normal friend would?"

Maxwell scowled at him and responded, "You're forgetting that we're not friends."

"No kidding. You don't even know anything about me."

Maxwell turned away from him and muttered, "I know you..."

Yeesh, awkward much? What more awaits the two in the fortress of doom? Please review and stick around for Part 2.