Yep, I'm using this for advertising. God, I'm shameless. :\
Full fic should start being posted in November or December.
ADDENDUM: Probably would have helped if I'd actually posted this :/. Still, it's still the 21st in America, so I've still got a chance of getting away with it...
Review replies;
unknown20troper: I'm glad you liked it! Vagueness is fun. XD Thanks for reviewing.
TweenisodeOrange: Oh bugger, I've been rumbled. :D Thanks for reading!
Movie-Brat: More likely then not, Vyse will appear before the month is up. Thanks for the review!
Zim'sMostLoyalServant: Well, the Critic had to turn up somewhere. :) Bus Drivers can be a bit odd, sometimes (or maybe its just where I live). Thanks very much!
Cartooniac55: I felt Squidward had suffered enough. :) I might just make a followup to this, but we'll see. Thanks!
21/10/10 – Send in the Troops [A Snippet of Future Works]
Colonial Decree Fourteen, in the name of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, VR.
As of now, the licence is to be risen to ₤6 a month, in punishment for the recent burning of the Empire Hotel. The Ringleaders of the burning, when found, are to be sentence to lifetime imprisonment. Also, the Nickelodeon Railway Company is demanded to repay its loans within four weeks or be nationalized by the government. From this day forth, miners caught without licences will be barred from taking possession of a licence. Finally, a full government inspection on the state of Shantytown is to be made, pending military garrison.
Hereby signed on the date of twelfth of June, Eighteen-Fifty-Two,
Eugene H. Krabs, Governor.
"HOW DARE THEY?
"
Jimmy looked up as Dr. Wakeman stormed into his office in a fit of rage.
"Remember those grants the Governor gave us?" she growled.
"Yes," Jimmy replied.
"Well, he'd like them back within the month!" Dr. Wakeman roared.
"What?"
"I know," Dr. Wakeman growled, "Who does he think he is?"
"Is it a new decree?" Jimmy asked.
"Of course," sighed Dr. Wakeman, "The gold miners aren't gonna like it, either."
Dr. Wakeman handed Jimmy the details of Colonial Decree Fourteen. He read it over, a grim look on his face.
"Way I see it, one of two things will happen," he noted, "The miners will go nuts over this within two weeks, maybe less. The soldiers will be sent in, and something big will happen. Either the governor will back down and the past three decrees will be quietly dropped or…"
"Or what?"
"Does the word…revolution mean anything to you?" replied Jimmy, darkly
The Inspection was made the same day, and the fury of the miners became known.
One of the inspectors was assaulted with a large stick.
The Inspectors soon made their report. They had been informed, by Special Constable Walker no less, that the miners were completely out of control, and that the army would need to re-establish order in Shantytown.
Captain Frederic Isak Showsenhower's 50th Regiment was currently sitting doing nothing in the Capital. Who better to restore order to a town of angry miners then the legendary veteran of the Opium Wars, Captain 'Freakshow'?
"Found anything?"
"I've said 'no' for the past year and a half, what makes you think I'm gonna say 'yes' today?"
Wanda chuckled as Timmy continued to look around the deep, dark mine cavern. It was slow and dangerous work – some guy had actually drowned in mud a few weeks back – but there was still no profit.
Timmy rolled his eyes and called out, down the tunnel.
"You found anything?"
"What do you think?" Danny called from the darkness.
Timmy crossed his arms and turned his head. Something caught his eye.
It was an item on the ground, yellow and gleaming.
"G-gold," he breathed, reaching out.
"Now there's where I left my wand!"
Cosmo reached out and picked up his wand.
"So, you found anything yet?" he asked.
There was a pause.
"Why have you got that murderous expression on your face?"
"Why," Timmy snarled, "Why do we keep up this…"
"LICENCE!"
AJ's yell tore into Timmy's mind, and he scowled. He climbed up to display the piece of paper to the trooper.
"Yep, this is genuine," AJ replied,' See you tomorrow, Tim-"
"Whose side are you on?"
AJ did a double-take, taken aback by his friend's question.
"Excuse me?"
"Are you with Walker or with us?" Timmy asked, "Because I don't think I want to follow his rules anymore."
"Timmy, that's insane!" AJ gasped, "Walker will throw you in jail…"
"Dude, no-one's gonna accept these licences for much longer," Timmy growled, "If we're gonna do something stupid, the traps are gonna be the target."
"I…"
"Are you with us or against us?"
AJ paused, his mind racing.
"I…I don't know," he said at last, shaking his head.
"Well, you better decide," Timmy grunted, climbing back into the mine.
AJ stared for a few seconds, before walking slowly away.
The train wound its way through the hills, its sound echoing for miles around. On board were the red-coated legions of Freakshow's Fiftieth Regiment. They sat in uncomfortable second-class coaches, knowing that, if it weren't for desired uniform cleanliness, they'd be in the open wagons of the third class.
In a first class carriage at the front of the train, Freakshow was engaging in open conversation with Walker.
"Don't worry, Constable," he stated, "Together, we shall give out our ultimum. Those miners can behave…"
"Or be destroyed," Walker finished, grinning evilly.
Spongebob and Patrick were stuck. Again.
They'd been digging mine tunnels without putting up supports behind them, so naturally, it had all caved in as they went along.
At last, however, the ground above them gave way and they broke through into daylight and fresh air.
"Freedom!" Spongebob panted, kissing the ground, "Sweet freedom!"
"We should start using those 'support' thingies," Patrick gasped.
"Don't tell me y'all buried yourselves again?"
Sandy chuckled and shook her head as she walked over.
"We might have…" Spongebob mused.
"Maybe…" Patrick added.
"You've gotta start using supports," sighed Sandy, "Not that it really matters, for all the gold we're findin' round here."
"I don't even have enough to pay the licence," groaned Spongebob.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you," Patrick said, brightly, "They're raising the licence price thing."
"WHAT?" Spongebob and Sandy gasped.
"Yup, it's now six pounds instead of four, why?" Patrick shrugged, "Oh, and they're sending in these weird…amy guys…to help the troopers."
"Amy? Wait, you wouldn't be sayin' army, would ya?" Sandy questioned.
"Oh yeah, that's it!," Patrick grinned, snapping his non-existent fingers.
Sandy gave an annoyed grimace.
"Tartar Sauce!" Sandy yelled.
Evidentially, some of Spongebob's behaviours had rubbed off on her.
"Patrick," Spongebob asked, "Why didn't you tell us this earlier?"
"I didn't think it was important."
His friends glared at him, exasperated.
Two hours later, the miners were watching a sight that did nothing to help their mood.
The Fiftieth was parading proudly into Shantytown, barely acknowledging the angry miners lining the streets. Their uniforms were smart and clean, deliberately well kept to show their 'superiority' over the disgruntled masses.
"This is just low," Sam muttered.
She, Danny, Timmy, Cosmo, Wanda, Spongebob, Patrick and Sandy were among the crowd, watching in annoyed, somewhat enraged silence.
"How can we just let this happen?" Wanda muttered, shaking her head.
Danny looked down, no longer wanting to look at the soldiers. He sighted a large rock on the ground.
You know you want to… a voice in his head tempted.
Danny glanced from the rock to the soldiers.
He grinned.
Bending down, he picked up the rock and got ready for an overarm throw.
"Danny, what are you doing?" demanded Sam.
"Don't you know?" Danny replied, matter-of-factly, "I'm talking about a revolution."
He hurled the rock at the soldiers. It hit one of them in the arm, causing him to cringe and grasp the bruise.
Sam bent down and picked up her own rock.
"If we get arrested, I'm gonna kill you," she threatened, grinning herself.
She then hurled the rock at the soldiers.
Timmy grinned and picked up another rock as Danny and Sam grabbed fresh ones from the ground.
"Timmy, what are you doing?" Wanda gasped, "Cosmo, help me out here!"
She sighed as her husband threw a stone alongside the others.
Before long, Spongebob, Patrick and Sandy had joined in. The soldiers became confused, anxious and irritated as the frenzy of rock throwing spread through the crowd. Before too long, even Wanda had joined in.
The soldiers continued to march, while being scratched and bruised by the rocks.
"Arrest them!" Walker barked.
A handful of troopers, both on horseback and on foot, dashed onto the street, prepared to make arrests.
"Scatter!" Danny yelled.
The crowd ran.
Walker's troopers were lost in the crowd of miners, laughing and throwing insults as they fled. By the time they were gone, the soldiers had devolved into a bewildered mass, their uniforms stained and dusty from the rocks.
"They'll pay for that," Walker growled, "They'll pay dearly…"
Incidentally, troopers are cops. Just thought I should tell you.