YOU ALL HAVE MY PERMISSION TO BEAT ME WITH A BASEBALL BAT!
Okay, I KNOW that I haven't been keeping up on the story. I'm SO SORRY! My brain traveled off to la-la land, and well...getting a bus out of la-la land is three times as hard as getting a bus out of Rock Bottom!
S.O.Lmaster, thank you SO much for your encouragement with the story, I'm glad you like it!
Paige Roberts; Thanks for reviewing D I'm glad you're enjoying the story as much as I am.
sbfan728 ; You gave me that PUSH I needed to catch that bus, thanks!
To all the rest...thanks for reviewing, and I PROMSE I won't take as much time getting chapter 4 up!
Chapter 3
Spongebob was led into the Chum Bucket by Manray and the Dirty Bubble. (note: when we left off, Sponge had just agreed to go visit plankton 0.o) The sight of the unkempt restaurant was well...unsightly. Cobwebs hung from the ceiling, dust was gathered on the floor, and off to one corner were some very precariously stacked bucket helmets. The sight was unnerving, and Spongebob soon found himself regretting walking through those doors.
Spongebob realized he'd been lingering when he heard a voice call from deep inside the all but abandoned restaurant.
"Come in Spongebob, come in!" the voice was easily Plankton's, mastermind behind the Chum Bucket.
A trembling sponge made his way further into the eery building, carefully sidestepping fallen chairs and other debris.
Spongebob reached a table, and on it sat a little green man, who, to most, would seem like a nobody, but to Spongebob, may just be the solution to his problem.
Plankton didn't linger over small talk. "I know why you're here," he began. "It's because there's a girl...no? A beautiful girl." he laughed and spun in a joyous circle. "But--" he stopped spinning, and stared at Spongebob. "You can't be with her. Well, the answer to your problems is here!" he cackled. "All you have to do, is become a air-breathing creature yourself, and BAM!" he lifted his hands up in the air. "Happily ever after!"
Spongebob allowed himself to stare, as the thought properly adjusted itself in his mind. "Y-you...you can do that?"
A smirk crawled across Plankton's face. "Kid, it's what I do for a living; you know, help hopeless helpless people, with no where else to go!"
Plankton suddenly broke into song, momentarily frightening Spongebob. "I admit that in the past I've been nasty
They weren't kidding when they call me, well, a witch
But you'll find that nowadays
I've mended all my ways
Repented, seen the light and made a switch
True? Yes.
And I fortunately know a little magic
It's a talent that I always have possessed
And here lately, please don't laugh
I use it on behalf"
Plankton eagerly pressed a button on his computer, and two fish clad in nerdy apparel and thick glasses appeared.
"Of the miserable, lonely and depressed
Poor unfortunate souls
In pain, in need
This one longing to be thinner
That one wants to get the girl
And do I help them?"
Plankton snapped his fingers, and again the screen on the computer switched pictures.
"Yes, indeed
Those poor unfortunate souls
So sad, so true"
Squidward and Gary slowly found their way toward the Chum Bucket, staring in through the window.
"They come flocking to my cauldron
Crying, 'Spells Plankton please!'
And do I help them?
Yes, I do"
As Plankton sang the next stanza, he shed a phony tear in mock pain.
"Now it's happened once or twice
Someone couldn't pay the price
And I'm afraid I had to rake 'em 'cross the coals"
Plankton pressed another button, and a set of bucket helmets dropped onto the fish's heads.
"Yes I had the odd complaint
But on the hold I've been a saint
To those poor unfortunate souls!"
While Spongebob was still recovering from the shock of the whole situation, Plankton hopped up on his shoulder. "Listen kid, here's the deal; I'll make a potion that give you the ability to breath air for three days. You got that?"
He made another image appear on screen. "Check this out, and listen close because this is the important part; before sunset on day number three, you've got to get this princess girl to fall in love with you, which means," Plankton cringed. "She's got to kiss you. BUT, not just any kiss, the kiss of true love!" he chuckled. "Sappy, I know...bear with me. Now, if she does kiss you, you'll get to stay on land forever, breathing air, happily ever after with your princess, blah blah blah..." he turned toward Spongebob, a smile playing his thin lips. "But, if she doesn't kiss you, you'll go back to breathing water, and then..." his mind seemed to drift off as he cackled maniacally. "You'll belong to ME!"
Squidward banged on the window to the chum bucket. "Spongebob, no!" he shouted. But, either the windows were sound proof, or Spongebob was just too intensely focused to notice.
Plankton cleared his throat. "Of course, that means you'll never be able to see any of your friends or family again...but hey, you'll get the girl!"
Spongebob stared at the floor, as if wondering whether or not he should accept.
"Oh, I almost forgot!" Plankton said. "We haven't talk about payment. You know, I can't just give you the happily ever after potion, and walk away empty-handed."
Spongebob backed away. "We both know I can't give you the secret Krabby Patty formula..."
Plankton chuckled again, a habit he seemed to have taken on strongly recently. "I don't want the formula, you barnacle head! All I want...is your voice."
Spongebob took another step back, tripping over a overturned table. "M-my voice?"
Plankton nodded. "That's right! No more talking...singing...laughing..."
Spongebob's face went pale. "But without my voice...h-how will I..." he let his voice trail off.
"Ah, girls don't care for small talk! I mean really, with your handsome face and great personality, what girl wouldn't go for you?"
Plankton broke into song again. "The girls up there don't like a lot of blabber
They think a guy who gossips is a bore
Yes, on land it's much preferred
For men not to say a word
And after all kid, what is idle prattle for?"
Plankton began to throw things into a cauldron connected to his computer.
"Come on they're not all that impressed with conversation
They rather have you listen then conversate
But they dote and swoon and fawn
On a man who's withdrawn
It's he who gets his tongue who gets his girl
Come on, you poor unfortunate soul
Go ahead! Make your choice!
I'm a very busy organism. And I haven't got all day!"
An image of Sandy appeared in front of Spongebob, but when he tried to reach out and touch it, it disappeared.
"It won't cost much. Just your voice
You poor unfortunate soul
It's sad. But true
If you want to cross a bridge, my friend
You've got to pay the toll!"
A large gold scroll appeared directly in front of Spongebob.
"Take a gulp and take a breath
And go ahead and sign the scroll!
Manray, Dirty Bubble, now I got him, boys
The boss is on a roll!"
Spongebob took the floating pen in hand.
"This poor unfortunate soul!"
Spongebob clenched his eyes shut and, reluctantly, scribbled his name, "Spongebob Squarepants" onto the bottom of the scroll, and it disappeared.
Plankton's smile grew. "Beluga, sevruga, come winds of the Caspian sea,"
Spongebob covered his eyes with his hands in fright.
"Larynxis, glossitis
Etmax laryngitis
La voice come to me!"
The room was filled with lights of hundreds of different colors.
"Now sing Spongebob!" Plankton commanded.
Spongebob looked almost pure white. "I..I don't know that I can..."
"Well then...KAREN!" Plankton called, and as he did, two robotic hands emerged from the walls and began tickling Spongebob. He couldn't help but giggle, and instantly a smoky translucent hand pulled a golden object away from the sponge...and object that held Spongebob's laugh...and brought it toward a shell sitting on the counter.
Plankton cackled, as Spongebob was engulfed by a bubbled, and then mildly electrocuted. In a split second, the bubble was gone, and Spongebob was looking paler and paler.
Squidward realized he was drowning, and ran swiftly inside of the Chum Bucket and started pulling him upward towards the surface of the water, with Gary following closely behind.
Up on shore, Spongebob took his first breath of air.
-----
Back at the royal castle, Sandy was sitting on her balcony, trying to pick out the mysterious tune she'd heard only the day before, humming it over and over. "Ah, that voice!" she turned to Corneil, with a flustered expression on her face. "I just can't git it outta my head! We've been looking everywhere Corneil, where could he be?"
-----
Squidward and Gary had escorted Spongebob around back to the castle. The three of them were exhausted from the long swim, as Patrick ran up to join them.
"Wow, you guys beat me here!" he exclaimed. "I wanted something to make Spongebob feel better." He then realized that his spongy friend was sitting right there. He made a face. "Spongebob, you seem...I don't know...different..."
Spongebob nodded.
"Don't tell me, it's your shoes, right? Yeah, you got a new pair of shoes!"
Spongebob shook his head, wanting to speak, but lacking the ability.
Patrick seemed to be racking his brain--or whatever it was he had--for ideas. "Don't tell me, don't tell me!"
Spongebob blew a huge puff of air at Patrick.
Squidward finally blew a fuse. "He's got lungs, you idiot!" He shouted. "He gave his voice to Plankton so he could be with that stupid girl!"
Spongebob made a face, expressing his distaste for Squidward's statement. Squidward crossed his arms and huffed.
"Meow." Gary explained.
"Yeah, all that, and with only three days to do so!" Squidward finished. "Oh, what would Mr. Krabs say about this?" He yanked Spongebob into the air, causing his sodden clothes to rip completely off. Spongebob fell right back down onto the ground.
"Very nice," Squidward stated sarcastically, tossing the torn garments. "That's it, we're marching straight back to the Krusty Krab like I should have done as soon as..."
Spongebob intercepted him, tugging desperately on the annoyed octopus' shirt.
"Don't look at me like that, Squarepants!" Squidward said, recoiling. "We're going back right now so you can go home with all the normal fish! Go home and just..."
Spongebob's lip quivered and his eyes teared up, the perfect picture of innocence. Squidward let his shoulders sag. "Go home, and just be miserable for the rest of your life." He sighed. "Alright, fine. We'll stay."
Spongebob smiled and squeezed his guide with delight.
Squidward sat down, head on his hands. "I have got to stop letting him make me feel bad." He murmured.
In the meantime, Patrick had been digging through some old rotting wood and ship pieces. He eventually picked up a sail. "Now Spongebob, first thing's first. If you want to be a land creature, your first step is to dress like one!"
-----
Far along on the other side of the beach, Sandy and Corniel were holding a bit of a conversation, when Corniel picked up an oddly familiar sound. "It can't be..." he whispered to himself. "I think it is!" And then, much to Sandy's surprise, he took off running.
"Corniel? Corniel!" She began running after him. "Come back!"
-----
Patrick and Gary took a quick scan of Spongebob, who had the sail wrapped around his body. It was a bit long, and it drug slightly on the warm sand.
"Wow Spongebob, you look great!" Patrick observed, leaning back and forming a frame with his hands.
"Wonderful." Squidward stated, sarcastically.
At that instant, the sound of a rapid approach could be heard rounding the rocky cliff. A small yellow-colored dog came dashing from behind the formation. "Ah ha, so it IS you!" he cried out, running toward them.
Patrick and Squidward dove underwater, and Gary crawled quickly into one of Spongebob's makeshift pockets.
Corniel started to bark, startling Spongebob. Spongebob jumped up onto a rock, cowering from the unfamiliar noise.
Sandy followed closely behind. "For heaven's sake, Corniel, what's gotten into you?" She glanced up toward the rock, where Spongebob was perched timidly. "Oh," she muttered, a faint smile crossing her lips. She clamped Corniel's mouth shut. "Sorry about him," he said. "He's been acting really strange the past few days."
"Look who's talking," Corniel murmured indignantly.
Sandy looked up at Spongebob's face, meeting his mesmerizing blue gaze. "You look...familiar," she ventured. "Have we met before?"
Spongebob smiled, and nodded excitedly.
"I knew it!" She exclaimed. "You're the one...the one who swam me back to shore!" She sighed under her breath. "You saved my life. What's your name?"
Spongebob opened his mouth to speak--but, nothing came out.
Sandy made a face. "What's wrong?" she asked, quietly.
Spongebob looked at the ground and shrugged, closing his mouth.
"Oh...you, you can't talk?" Sandy asked, disappointedly.
Spongebob shook his head sadly.
"Oh, well then," She heaved a great sigh. "I guess you couldn't be who I thought y'all was."
Corniel and Spongebob threw each other irritated glances. Spongebob stood up, making a huge swimming motion with his arms.
"You swam?" Sandy asked in surprise.
Spongebob shook his head, and made a heaving motion like he was dragging something. In the middle of his attempted charade, though, he lost his balance and tumbled off of the rock.
Sandy caught him just before he hit the ground, and for a moment, they stared into each other's eyes. "Y'all must have really been through something," Sandy muttered.
Spongebob nodded, still enchanted with her gaze.
"Well, I'm gonna help ya!"
Sandy supported the shaky sponge, and the two began a trek back to the castle. Spongebob threw one more glance backward at his friends. Patrick gave him a huge thumbs-up, winking, and Squidward sat moping. Oh, what a trip this would be!