Returning to Shell City, Patrick rolled over onto his side in his sleep. SpongeBob was still wide awake, but He was trying to sleep. Worry was plaguing the sponge's mind again. Now, for his friends back home. He felt the overwhelming urge to escape the bowl and help his city return to normal. Before Spongebob could even move, Patrick grabbed Spongebob into a hug.
"Don't go," Patrick pleaded in his sleep.
SpongeBob felt a smile creep over his face. SpongeBob gently hugged back.
"I'm still here, bud," Spongebob quietly reassured.
"I wouldn't get comfortable if I were you," Natalie's voice seemed to whisper. He turned to the sound, and there was nobody there. Then, a red glow enveloped the glass of the fish bowl, and cracks appeared.
"You don't scare me," Spongebob said firmly.
Natalie's laugh reverberated through the glass, making the cracks worse.
"I'm not here to just scare you," Her voice said with malicious delight, "I'm here to destroy you, once and for all."
"Why are you doing this," Spongebob asked worriedly.
"Augh," A familiar deep voice sighed, "He's so stupid!"
"Perhaps you don't understand," Natalie said, appearing before Spongebob in a black mist, "Allow me to make it clear to you."
She snapped her fingers, and suddenly music started playing.
Natalie then sang,
"To be honest, I thought you would get it by now.
To be blunt, I thought you would have known better.
I guess this will come as a shock.
You're so used to everyone being friendly to you; I don't think you know the meaning of contempt.
Well, I do."
She picked Spongebob up by his shirt collar, a crazed look in her eye.
Natalie continued singing,
"I hate you and all your friends.
Why do you give your love so freely?
I despise you and everything that you do.
You're just too happy.
I loath you; I feel disgusted by you.
I can't stand your squishy spongey body,
too weak to fight me,
yet you're a thorn in my side."
Natalie threw Spongebob to the wall of the bowl.
Natalie started to yell-sing,
"I hate you,
I hate you,
I hate you,
I Hate You,
I Hate You,
I Hate You,
I HATE YOU,
I HATE YOU,
I HATE YOU!"
Natalie practically screamed that last line. Then she was seething at Spongebob, breathing heavily. The music stopped abruptly
"Uhhh," Spongebob said sheepishly, "That's not an explanation."
Natalie facepalmed and snarled, "You're impossible."
Then an evil smile crept over her face.
"Then I suppose I will destroy you sooner than later," Natalie said.
Spongebob was confused, then startled as Natalie snatched him again. Then she lifted him, and she reached for the velvet box. Spongebob smacked her hand rather impulsively.
"No," Spongebob said firmly, "You can't use it."
"Why not," Natalie snarled.
"Because," Spongebob said rather quickly, "You're not a fish."
Natalie paused to think about it.
Natalie then asked, "How did you know that?"
Spongebob said calmly, "No fish I know has ears, and no mermaid I know has legs."
Natalie looked down at herself and dropped Spongebob. She pulled out the hand mirror and looked at herself. Spongebob wanted to peer over himself severely, but he knew better and backed away from Natalie to Patrick's side. Patrick was still sleeping soundly, apparently unbothered by the confrontation.
"Well," The deep voice bellowed, "He certainly observant to the obvious."
Natalie snarled and put away her mirror.
"Who else is here," Spongebob asked, "Are they another ghost?"
"Oh," She said sarcastically, "You like you don't know."
"I honestly don't," Spongebob replied.
"Then I shall introduce myself," The voice said. Suddenly, the cracks of the glass began to move, and Spongebob could only watch. A face formed from the lines in the glass. The face grinned, reviling rows of sharp and jagged teeth.
"I am Malum," It said, shaking the glass bowl.
"Goodness," Spongebob said and then realized, "I'm trapped, aren't I?"
"Yes," Natalie said, "You won't be going anywhere any time soon."
"Bikini Bottom will soon fall," Malum said rather defiantly, "And You, your little starfish friend and especially that annoying Aquairuis, are helpless."
They both started laughing. Spongebob then felt something squeeze him like a big bear hug. Even though the danger was closer, than it ever was, there was a comforting presence that kept Spongebob calm.
"But you're wrong," Spongebob said, Interrupting their laugh, "Sure, I may not know what all this weird magic stuff with you and Aquarius is about. I'm not even sure why I'm so important to him. But I do know you are wrong. I'm not helpless. I'm weak, sure, but not helpless. I am bringing Neptune's crown back to Biniki Bottom to save my friends, and there's nothing either of you can do that will stop me."
They looked at each other and laughed even harder.
Natalie asked rather mockingly, "Nothing we can do will stop you, aye?"
"I think you know the perfect spell to keep him out of the ocean forever," Malum said, "Natalie, my lovely little sorceress, show him what you can do."
"With pleasure," She replied. Then she pulled out the Scarlet red mirror and pointed it at Spongebob.
Natalie then recited, "Blackened Void, hear me now, Give me the power to destroy and reshape.
From this spell, let there be no escape.
Tar over their gills and give them some lungs.
I banish this creature of the sea to become a creature of the land.
May they no longer walk in the sea bed, but now walk on dry sand.
May Aquarius mourn forever more, That stupid Spongebob will be a sponge no more."
A red beam blasted our hero full force, kicking up the artificial rocks.