Time Fixers: Nicktoons of the Future

Episode 15: Confrontations

Plot: It's time for the Nicktoons to face their problems: SpongeTron can't stop thinking about SpongeCog X and decides to sneak off on his own to settle things with SpongeCog once and for all. Jimmy and his former comrades confront Eustace about his stolen schematic, and Darry, Tammy, and Tommy, force Maxwell to tell them the truth about the future.

Part 2

Back at Nicktoon HQ, Maxwell was still locked in the interrogation room with the Nicktoons and is sitting in a chair, having calmed down a bit. Tommy was sitting across from him, having offered him a milkshake. "Go ahead, Max." Tommy offered in a friendly voice. "Take a load off and forget about all this."

But Maxwell crossed his arms and turned away. "Thanks, but the last time I had a drink in here, SpongeTron kidnapped me. Where is he anyway?"

"He's probably still at the auto store." Darry assumed.

Tommy dully assumed, "Maybe he's buying something to get Java back. Wouldn't be surprised if she's stealing something of his right now."

"We're getting off subject here." Darry stated, "Tell us what you know about the future."

Maxwell looked away and muttered, "I... I don't know."

But Darry pounded his fists on the table and angrily demanded, "You do know something! Tell us the truth!"

"Darry!" The twins exclaim, stunned by his outburst.

"Well, how many times are we gonna have to save him and one of us gets hurt because he's hiding something from us!" As Maxwell sat there, looking guilty, Nano climbed out of his pocket and scurried on the table.

Tammy looked at him with an idea. "Of course." She looked at Maxwell, "You came here at the same time as Morph. So you must know who made him."

Maxwell picked up Nano and holds him as he answers, "Yes, that guy we saw was the one who sent him. It was gonna kill my dad in the past, so I had stop him."

"But why?" Tommy asked. "What does he have against your dad?"

"I... I don't know. He never really got along with him, but suddenly...he just went crazy and took over Retroville."

Tammy and Tommy gasped. "He's not a evil version of your dad who inhaled the Megalomanium and turned into a power-hungry dictator that took over the universe and made all of our parents miserable, is it?!" Tammy asked worriedly as Tommy clenched his teeth.

Darry stared at the twins oddly. "How the heck did you come up with that?"

Both Tammy and Tommy shift awkwardly as Maxwell answers their question, "Whatever that applies to, no. It's..." But before he could explain, Maxwell became frightened and trembled, "It's... someone you don't know, so you can't help me."

Junior gave a friendly smile and mentioned, "Even if we don't know who it is, he looked pretty scary in your memories, so maybe we can still help you."

"Junior's right." Tammy agreed.

"Yeah, just tell us what you know." Darry insisted.

Maxwell stood up and yelled, "I can't! Even you do come to the future, he's just gonna do the same thing to you like he did to my dad!" But he suddenly froze upon realizing what he said.

Everyone else fell silent, realizing why Maxwell really didn't want to tell them anything. But Junior asked, "You mean we're gonna sleep with our eyes open?"

Maxwell was close to tears as he answered, "He psychically attacked my dad and now he won't wake up, and there's the possibility that he will do the same to you guys."

"Who?" Tammy asked.

Maxwell took a long pause and his emotion made all the items in the room vibrate. But Maxwell uttered the name, "Eustace Strych." To this, the four Nicktoons gasp in shock and disbelief.

Suddenly, SpongeTron's vision turns on, and the first thing he sees is SpongeCog, who was standing close as he fiddled with SpongeTron's systems. Noticing that the good robot was awake, SpongeCog smirks and says, "Good, you reactivated."

SpongeTron realized his arms and legs (that had been reattached) are locked to the wall and he is still is in his robot form due to his cloaking device being broken. "SpongeCog! What are you doing?"

Before he could answer, the room shook and they heard growling. SpongeTron looks ahead to see SpongeCog X violently thrashing in a giant cell with laser bars. SpongeTron's eyes widen in horror as he stares at the monstrous robot. But SpongeCog gleefully explained, "My SpongeCog X is already a success, but then I thought if he is already powerful, how much stronger will he be with you?"

"No!" SpongeTron yelled defiantly. "I would never let you do that! You better put that one big robot into three small robots!"

SpongeCog crossed his arms and turned away. "And why should I do that?"

"Can't you see? Your own robot brethren are suffering."

Spinning back around, SpongeCog retorted, "You actually think that? Please, even if I felt like putting them back to normal, what good will it do? They have no memory of being separate individuals, nor is there any way to bring it back."

SpongeTron's expression turns to shock and sadness. "But...machines have back-up...I have back-up."

"You think my master cared enough to have back-up for them? I couldn't even create a back-up for them. I'm a robot, not a scientist. Why do you think it took a year to create this?" He took out a wrench to examine it. "If I progress now, I can add you on in about…six months."

SpongeTron bowed his head in defeat as SpongeCog approached him, but the wrench was suddenly bit by Goddard, who gnawed on it as SpongeCog tried to shake him off.

"Goddard!" SpongeTron cried, happy to see the dog is okay.

The more SpongeCog tried to throw the dog off, the tighter he bit down. SpongeCog was thrown into a computer that broke down and caused the locks on SpongeTron to open, releasing him. SpongeTron and Goddard ran up to each other and the dog licks his face. "Goddard, thank goodness you're okay." SpongeTron said happily. "Now I'm really glad you came with me."

"How sweet," SpongeCog sarcastically states from atop a balcony. "I'll bet you taste just as sweet to SpongeCog X." He fires a laser at the panel on the wall and it shuts down the laser bars containing SpongeCog X. "Get them!" SpongeCog demands. "Now!"

SpongeCog X stomps out of its cage and growls loudly. It spots SpongeTron and Goddard and stomps toward them. SpongeTron backs away slowly and cautiously says, "Please SpongeCog 008...013...010, whichever one is in control. You have to have some of your original programming." SpongeCog X growled viciously and tried to snap at them, but Goddard quickly pulled him away.

SpongeCog laughed in amusement. "I told you it doesn't have a mind of its own. You're wasting time trying to talk to it."

As he tried to avoid the deadly robot, SpongeTron shouted back, "This is wrong, SpongeCog! What would your creator say if he found out you did this?"

Carelessly shrugging, SpongeCog replied, "I think he'd be proud of me, but disappointed that I didn't think of it sooner...when he was still living."

SpongeTron couldn't believe what SpongeCog was saying, "You're just as evil and heartless as he was!"

SpongeCog fakes tears, "Oh, thank you, but I think that's enough for compliments." He points toward SpongeTron and yells, "GET THEM!"

SpongeCog X growls and stomps toward SpongeTron and Goddard. The dog uses his ears to propel himself in the air and SpongeTron holds his tail, letting them both fly in the air.

As they hovered, SpongeCog X jumps, trying to snatch them with his jaw. SpongeTron curls his legs to avoid being bit, but then he looks down to see a small hole in the corner of the wall. "Goddard, over there, boy!" SpongeTron shouted as he pointed. Goddard flew them away from the robot and they ran into the small hole barely large enough to fit both of them. SpongeCog X scratched at the wall and pounded to break it open, but while he created rubble, he couldn't get at the small robots.

Back at Strych Manor, Jimmy finally returned to the others and narrowed his eyes at Eustace, who just faked a smile at him, "Ah, Neutron, I hope you're feeling better."

Jimmy moved in front of Eustace and pointed at him, "Cut the small talk, Strych, I wanna know one thing: Who is your business partner?"

Eustace responded, "I'm sure we already established that's classified information."

"He's capable of deciphering my own schematic, there's no record of any businesses currently in a partnership with anyone, he's given you access to MY portal technology, and he somehow knows when we are gonna show up here." The other adults stare in surprise while Jimmy asks, "Care to explain?"

Eustace seemed to be losing his composure, but quickly excused, "Oh, James, of course there's a reasonable explanation; he's just a very private person."

Timmy stared suspiciously, "Sounds to me like you don't even know who he is."

"Partnering with someone you don't even know doesn't seem like a very wise business decision." Danny mentioned.

Eustace groaned in defeat and responded, "Fine, maybe I don't know his true identity, but he did promise me success for my company, and how can I refuse that?"

"Because you would make more money?" Tak assumed.

"No," Eustace answered, and then turned to Jimmy in anger, "So I could finally beat you! I have the most successful company in Retroville, but no. You have all the fame, all the technology, a beautiful wife, and the leader of three world saving groups. I've wanted to crush you under my foot for years."

Everyone was silent as Eustace smirks in Jimmy's scowling face. "He knows everything about you. I don't know how, but if he can give me the secret to your success, I'm willing to do whatever he needs me to do."

Timmy frowns and sarcastically says, "No way will that backfire."

Still frowning as well, Jimmy responds to Eustace's rant, "You know what, Strych, you may claim to have changed, but you're still the spoiled rich snob you always were. Only now you're getting assistance from some stranger who appears to be stalking me."

"And you have a day job." Timmy added, which gets him a satisfactory fist bump from Jimmy.

"Oh please, Neutron, I can pick out your flaws too." Eustace retorted. "Like who would you be without you Nicktoons team? What if you never met Turner, never used your technology to meet anyone else? What if your friends never got what made them special?"

The adults were in silent anger until Danny spoke up, "It didn't happen and it will not happen."

"Yeah," Tak agreed. "So we don't have to think about it."

"Hmph, you're right about that." Eustace replies as he looks at his watch to see a text message on screen, showing the words "Got it" from Java.

Meanwhile, SpongeTron and Goddard were still hiding from SpongeCog X, who was still trying to break through the wall to get at them. Getting annoyed, SpongeCog yells out, "Come out of there! X won't leave until it mauls you!"

SpongeTron then shouts back, "I don't know why you have to do this, but if this is because you miss your creator, then I'm sorry. I don't understand what it's like to lose someone and I don't understand why you even like him, but I do know this isn't the way to go about it!"

Unlike the previous times SpongeTron tried to talk to him, it seems that SpongeCog is taking his words into consideration. "Hmm, you're right. It is hard to understand how I feel. So I guess I should make you understand..." He then pushes a button on his wrist to create a portal. "...By killing YOUR creator!" Hearing this, SpongeTron's eyes widen in horror as SpongeCog flies in the air and shoots at SpongeCog X to make it go in the portal.

At Strych Manor, Java had brought Jimmy's portal machine into the basement and had set it in a corner. "There," Java said, wiping her hands. "I only hope that rich human pays me this time." But suddenly, the portal machine turns on and glows brightly. She shields her visor eye, but then sees a large robotic monster emerging from the portal. "AAAAHHH!" Java screamed in fright as she backed away, and then ran away to hide.

SpongeCog X sniffed the ground, trying to smell Java, but SpongeCog zapped him again. "Focus on the mission, X!" SpongeCog ordered, "Find the sponge and the human scientist!"

In the sitting room, the adults were still confronting each other until Tak feels the room vibrate and the liquid in the wine glass rippling. "Umm, guys?" Tak tried to warn them, but the shaking got heavier and the walls suddenly broke down with SpongeCog X emerging with a mighty roar.

All six men scream in shock with Jimmy turning to Eustace suspiciously, "Eustace, is this your doing?"

Eustace exasperatingly replies, "If it was, would I have had it destroy my billion dollar house?" SpongeCog X soon sets its electronic eyes on SpongeBob and lunges forward, trying to snap at the sponge with its metal jaw. SpongeBob yelps as he jumps back and reaches into his pockets, only to realize they're empty.

Jimmy tries to draw inventions from his belt, only to remember he has no belt. "My weapons!" Jimmy shouted, remembering he gave them up.

"Cosmo, Wanda," Timmy called for his fairies for help.

They appear, but Wanda reminds him, "Sorry, Timmy, but you made us give up our wands when we came inside.

Despite his defenseless comrades, Danny changes into ghost form. "Fortunately, I prefer hand to hand." He said, pulling away SpongeBob with his ghost manipulation.

Seeing his target gone, SpongeCog X turned to see its second target: Jimmy Neutron. Jimmy gasped and jumped out of the way as SpongeCog slammed his fist on a table where he could have been. "Hey, that was pure mahogany!" Eustace snapped at the robot, but ducked as SpongeCog X recklessly swung its arms around to hit Jimmy.

Tak ran over to the robot and with a large vase overhead and smashed it over SpongeCog X into pieces, doing no damage, but getting the robot's attention. "You twit! That thousand dollar vase was irreplaceable!" Eustace snapped again.

Part of the ceiling began to crumble and large pieces began to fall toward Eustace, but Jimmy quickly tackles him out of the way. Eustace responds by shoving Jimmy off of him, but the latter adds, "You know, there'd be a minimization of collateral damage if you return our weapons to us."

Danny flies around SpongeCog X and fires ghost rays at it, but it left no effect. "I can use a weapon right now!" He commented.

Down in the basement, Java is still hiding until she sees the portal machine glow and releases SpongeTron and Goddard. "We made it!" SpongeTron cheers, but looks around. "Weird, this doesn't look like the lab." Goddard barks at him and he replies, "You're right. We have to save our creators. They felt a loud rumble from upstairs and ran as fast as they could to find their inventors while Java quietly watched.

SpongeCog X roared as it tried swiping its claws at SpongeBob, but Danny quickly turned them both intangible to avoid the hit. Eustace's butler arrives, carrying an armful of the Nicktoons' gear. "It's about time." Eustace snapped, "Give the Nicktoons their weapons so they can destroy that thing." He then whispers, "And hopefully each other."

SpongeCog 001 hides behind a piece of rubble and sees Eustace and his butler possessing the Nicktoons weapons. He draws his laser and aims. "Oh, no, you don't!" He was about to fire until he was suddenly tackled by SpongeTron flying with his rocket boots.

The laser fire goes in between the two humans, causing Blix to drop the gear and they are caught by Danny's ghost manipulation. "Heads up, guys!" He shouts as he tosses them to his friends. Jimmy catches his utility belt and attaches it around his waist. But then, he notices the two robots fighting each other. "SpongeTron?" He asks until he sees his dog happily approach him. "Goddard?"

SpongeCog X stomps around and tries to go after Jimmy again. Eustace quickly stands up and runs away down the hall. SpongeBob throws bubble bombs to stop the large robot, but it had no effect. Even Jimmy's tornado blaster did nothing and Tak had to shoot a string of magic around Jimmy to keep SpongeCog X from chomping him.

SpongeTron and SpongeCog resumed their fight as they squared down the hall, throwing each other against the walls, destroying it in the process. "How long are you gonna keep this up?" SpongeCog asked as he threw a punch.

SpongeTron dodged and shouted in response, "I don't care how long it takes because what you're doing is wrong!"

He threw both his fists at SpongeCog, who grabbed both and tried to push him back. "And what you're doing is STUPID!" He finished by kicking SpongeTron against the wall. SpongeTron slid on to floor and SpongeCog slowly approached him. "Hmph, no wonder Java dumped you."

Hearing SpongeCog mock him about his former love-interest again made SpongeTron growl in anger and releases a bunch of missiles all over the place. Java secretly watched the confrontation while avoiding the explosions and debris flying everywhere. A scuffed up SpongeCog appeared from the smoke and approached SpongeTron. "You can blow me up all you want, but as long as X tears apart your creators, I'll be satisfied." SpongeTron attempts to punch him, but SpongeCog digs his claws into his counterparts fists as he concludes, "Right after I tear you apart!"

Right when he was about to jab SpongeTron in the face, Java came out and yelled, "Stop!"

The two square robots immediately stop fighting and turn to the squirrel robot. "Java!" They both exclaimed.

"Are you boys really trying to kill each other over me?" Java asked in flattery.

SpongeCog pushed SpongeTron aside and replied, "You're on the market now, so of course. You can't honestly be rooting for the bot who dumped you because he can't accept the fact that you're a criminal."

Java glanced over at the downed SpongeTron before answering, "No...I can't." She holds SpongeCog's hands and smiles, "That's why I choose you now, CutieCog." Seeing his enemy and love-interest together, SpongeTron could feel his mechanical heart breaking along with all the other injuries he had. SpongeCog and Java lean forward to kiss, but the moment their lips touch, an electrical shock hit SpongeCog. His body short-circuits and SpongeCog falls out of Java's arms and onto the floor deactivated. Java smirks with her arms crossed. "Best kiss of my life." She sarcastically says, turning her head away.

SpongeTron stared in surprise by how she tricked SpongeCog, but he couldn't help but smile for how she did it for him. "Java," he said tearfully as he stood up and grabbed her hands. When the two were about to kiss, they suddenly hear a crash and SpongeTron realizes that SpongeCog X is still at large. "I'm sorry." SpongeTron says to Java, "But my creators need me."

Java smiled as her arm turns into a blaster. "Think you need a hand?"

Goddard came between them, barking. "He's right." SpongeTron replied, unleashing his Robo Chargers, "We need all the help we can find."

While SpongeCog X still rampaged, Danny flew around it, firing ghost rays, Timmy fired his star flinger, and SpongeBob karate chopped it; but the robot was not fazed by the attacks. Tak approached Jimmy and told him, "It's no use. Nothing we do is working."

Jimmy tried to think of something that can bring down the impenetrable robot, but nothing came to mind. His thought process was interrupted by someone calling his name, "Neutron!"

Eustace suddenly ran up to him, holding something in his hands. "I was saving this for demolition of that parking garage to build my new smart phone store, but this may be more useful here."

"What is it?" Tak asked, not recognizing the small metallic wired device that came with a trigger.

Jimmy's eyes widen as he realizes it as an explosive. "A detonation device?"

Eustace proceeded to explain, "With just enough firepower to blow it to smithereens."

Jimmy thought this over and narrowed his eyes, knowing what had to be done. But before he could give his answer, SpongeCog X growled and lifted its paw toward the three. "Look out!" Tak yelled as they try to move. Tak and Eustace leapt forward and the latter falls forward, dropping the bomb and its trigger.

Jimmy gets his coat stuck in SpongeCog X's razorblade claws. "Jimmy!" Timmy, Danny, and SpongeBob called out in worry.

When the robot lunged its metal jaws to take a bite of Jimmy, the genius opened his eyes to see SpongeTron standing between them, holding SpongeCog X's jaw still with his strength. "SpongeTron?" Jimmy asked with surprise and relief.

"Run, Commander," SpongeTron urged. "I'll handle this." Jimmy reached into his belt and pulls out his beamsword that he uses to cut the end of his coat to free himself from X's claws. As he struggles to keep the robot's jaw from closing on him, SpongeTron says, "You may not be what you once were, but I can tell you're all suffering."

While the humans were lying on the ground, watching the confrontation, Java runs past them and picks up the discarded bomb. She then throws the bomb in SpongeCog X's mouth and grabs SpongeTron, jumping on top of a pillar. SpongeCog X swallowed the bomb in confusion. But in anger, he growled and leap into the air, jaws raised for the kill. SpongeTron looked sadly at SpongeCog X as he holds up the trigger. "I'm sorry, my fellow brethren..."

Realizing what's happening, Jimmy yelled to everyone in the room, "Guys, take cover!" Jimmy, Timmy, SpongeTron, Tak, and even Eustace and Blix crouched down and covered their heads. Danny stood in front of them and turned the whole group intangible. The bomb went off with a big fiery explosion, sending pieces of metal everywhere along with sending the mansion into ruin.

Once it died down, SpongeTron held Java in his arms as he opened his eyes to see what happened. He looks at the Java and smiles, "Thanks for everything, Java. I couldn't have done this without you."

"Don't thank me, Spongy-Poo." Java coldly says, "This was just a job." She kisses him on the mouth without warning and shocks him into unconsciousness.

Back at Nicktoon HQ, Maxwell finally finished explaining to everyone the circumstances of the future and why he came here. Darry then asked, "Okay, let me get this straight: You got the neural intelligence device from future Jimmy, but somehow the future Eustace Strych made his own, turned evil and took over Retroville, sent Morph to the past to kill the past Jimmy, and is now working with his past self to capture you?"

Maxwell dully responded, "Yes, Scottie, thanks for repeating everything I just said."

"Working with your past self to overthrow your rival and change the future..." Tammy pondered, "What a twisted yet cunning evil plot."

"Does the present Eustace know about this?" Tommy wondered.

Maxwell fell silent for a bit until he answered, "I... I don't know."

Darry got an annoyed frown as he insisted, "Come on, Max. If you want us to help you out, you have to tell us everything you know."

"I really don't know." Maxwell tried to hold back his tears as he buried his face in the table and pleaded, "Please, you gotta stop Eustace, you gotta save the future, you gotta save my dad."

Tammy calmed him down by grabbing his hand. "Of course we'll help you, Max. That's what friends are for."

Maxwell lifts his head up in surprise. "I'll help you too." Junior added, "I'll bet even my Nicktoon team will help."

"Saving the future," Tommy said with an excited grin. "How awesome is that?"

"Looks like I'll find out about that statue after all." Darry agreed.

Maxwell was both surprised and touched; he hugs Tammy, and then Junior hugs both of them. They are then joined by Tommy and Darry. "Too bad SpongeTron's not here." Darry mentioned, "I'll bet his day isn't nearly as exciting as ours."

After being knocked out by Java, SpongeTron's systems came back online and the first thing he sees is Jimmy, who fixed him. Smiling with relief as he kneeled down to the robot's side, Jimmy says, "SpongeTron, thank goodness you're okay."

"Commander?" SpongeTron asked, "Where's Java?"

Jimmy answered, "She's not here." He then raises his eyebrow in disappointment, "But Goddard did tell me everything you did."

SpongeTron grits his teeth nervously, knowing he would be in trouble for running off into danger on his own. But Jimmy continued, "I'm not happy about what you did, but I am proud of you for saving the day even though it was hard for you."

SpongeTron stands up with a dejected sigh, "I think I understand now why you shut me down for all those years, Commander. I was mad about that, but now I know I wasn't ready for the world then. Maybe when SpongeCog wakes up, he'll realize how good humans are and how wonderful their world is." Jimmy smiles at the sentiment, but SpongeTron suddenly moved in his face and fiercely whispered, "But don't do it again."

They were then interrupted by Eustace clearing his throat. "Ahem, I'm sorry for interrupting your tender moment, but aren't you forgetting to thank me for lending you the equipment to destroy that robot?"

Jimmy stood up and awkwardly placed his hands in his pockets. "Yes, I suppose we should thank you for the assistance." He reluctantly said, turning his head away. "And sorry for the damage."

Eustace just smiled and responded, "It's no problem. I can always buy another one." Then he adds, "Though I do wish I could repay you all for your help. How does 500 sound?"

Jimmy frowned and asked, "How about instead of money, you give me back my schematic?"

Timmy sheepish grinned and added, "We wouldn't mind the money though."

Eustace shrugged his shoulders and replied to Jimmy, "Oh Neutron, I would love to, but that would require hours of sifting through rubble and I just don't have that kind of time."

This was the final straw for Jimmy and he moved into Eustace's face and stated, "I've tried to be civil to you, Eustace, but enough's enough. I know you have my schematic, I know you're working with some unknown assailant, and we know you're plotting to do something with Maxwell. But now that we have our weapons back, we can force you to confess everything."

Everyone seemed to agree to this, but Eustace did not look threatened, "Are you sure about this, Neutron? Because the press will hear about this damage, and I can tell them that I was attacked by a robot only to be rescued by the heroic Nicktoons or that you all barged into my home and attempted to assassinate me. It's your choice."

Hearing Eustace's threat, Jimmy narrowed his eyes and commanded, "Nicktoons, let's go." He began to walk away while SpongeTron and Goddard followed him. With reluctance, the other adults begin to follow him as well while SpongeBob daggered at Eustace before following from behind.

Eustace had a smug smile on his face as he watched the heroes retreat his property. But then, his eyes widen when he realizes that he needed to check something. Making his way through the rubble of his mansion, Eustace found the stairs leading to the basement and noticed Jimmy's portal machine sitting in the corner. "Excellent, the robot squirrel did it." Eustace snaps his fingers to signal his butler, "Blix, pay the robot." He then smirks, "You better watch out, Neutron, because your future is about to unravel.

The End

Would this be called a victory? You can decide that? Please review and stick around for the next story "Temporal Chaos" coming soon.