A Different World
(Chapter Six)
The next day Sandy talked Spongebob through the plan to free the prisoners and take down Plankton.
"Do you think you could explain things to me Sandy?" Asks Spongebob.
"Sure Spongebob. You're going to accept Plankton's offer to become a Plankguard, but you'll really be working for us. You'll kind of fake your way through things to gain Plankton's trust. This may be hard for you, but you may have to turn in a few innocent people, but this will lead you to where Plankton is keeping the other prisoners. Plankguards seem to have the most freedom around here, Plankton and his cameras don't follow them around as much. So when you gain Plankton's trust you won't be watched as much anymore. You will finally have the freedom to go where you want to when you want to." Says Sandy.
"That sounds great." Says Spongebob smiling.
Spongebob goes downtown to the main Planktopolis building. There was a Plankguard at the front of the room.
"Who are you and why are you here?" Asks the Plankguard.
"My name is Spongebob Squarepants, and Plankton offered me a job as a Plankguard." Says Spongebob.
"Alright you're going to be one of us. Right this way." Says the Plankguard.
As they walk down a hallway Spongebob thinks: This is my chance to see Plankton for real. All of my life I've only seen him through video.
The main Plankguard opens a door and Plankton is waiting inside, but he wasn't too happy when he was interrupted.
"Who dares enter my office; can't you see I'm running fear through the minds of the Planktopolites?" Asks Plankton angrily.
"My apologies sir, but we have someone here that says you gave him a job offer, a Mr. Squarepants." Says the Plankguard.
"Oh yes come in then Mr. Squarepants." Says Plankton.
The Plankguard leaves and Spongebob comes into the room and looks around for Plankton.
"Hello?" Asks Spongebob looking around.
"I'm over here at the desk." Says Plankton getting annoyed.
Spongebob's fear starts to disappear a little when he saw how small Plankton was.
"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't expect you to be so…" Spongebob was cut off.
"Don't say it! I get it I'm small. Don't think you can take advantage of me though; if anything goes wrong I will still have my Plankguards come and arrest you. Do you understand?" Asks Plankton angrily.
"Yes sir, but it's just that…I've never seen you in person before." Says Spongebob.
"There is a reason for that. Now are you going to get started working for me or are you just going to waste my time." Asks Plankton.
"Oh… I would like to work for you, but I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing." Says Spongebob.
"Oh wait actually you have to be trained, but I wanted you here because I wanted to talk to you. You did a great thing by turning in that criminal, I said you would be rewarded, but this is something you cannot tell anyone." Says Plankton.
"Ok what is that?" Asks Spongebob.
If you become a Plankguard… you get certain freedoms. You are free to go out past curfew, and go places without being watched, unless there is reason to suspect that you are a criminal." Says Plankton.
Spongebob makes up something that sounds good.
"That won't be necessary sir; all I want is for there to be no criminals running around in the streets." Says Spongebob.
"I like your spirit already. You'll make a great Plankguard." Says Plankton.
"I will do my best sir." Says Spongebob.
"What is your name again?" Asks Plankton.
"Spongebob Squarepants." Says Spongebob.
Ok but Spongebob I should have you know… if by some chance you are faking loyalty to get on my good side, and my Plankguards find out you will be arrested. Is that clear?" Asks Plankton.
"Yes sir." Says Spongebob.
"Great now train, learn your duties, and then arrest criminals." Says Plankton.
Plankton returns back to his work and Spongebob exits his office. He is escorted out by a Plankguard.
"Like he said, if you are a fake you will be arrested; we Plankguards are experts in finding fakes." Says the Plankguard.
Spongebob thinks of something smart to say back.
"I assure you sir… I will be a loyal Plankguard now could you please explain to me my duties?" Asks Spongebob.
"Oh yes of course." Says the Plankguard.
A few days go by and Spongebob learns his Plankguard responsibilities. The other Plankguards show him where the prisoners were being held. On one of his city patrols he saw someone out past curfew. This was his first test as a Plankguard to arrest someone.
"You! Who are you and what are you doing out past curfew?" Asks Spongebob putting on an act.
The man was old and scared, he had lost track of the time while walking his snail.
"Oh I'm Fred. I'm sorry Mr. Plankguard, but I was just out walking my pet snail and lost track of time." Says Fred shaking nervously.
"Are you aware that it is five minutes past curfew?" Asks Spongebob still putting on a tough guy act.
"Oh dear… my watch says it's only one minute past curfew… please give me another chance." Says Fred pleading.
"Five minutes or one minute… it doesn't matter! As soon as it is one second after curfew anyone on the streets will be arrested. You're coming with me sir you are under arrest for violating the curfew set by Plankton!" Says Spongebob.
As soon as he said that a bunch of Plankguards come out and tackled the old man to the ground. He tried to escape, but they started punching and kicking him until they had handcuffs on him. They also called the animal control and had his snail taken to an animal shelter. While the Plankguards were busy Spongebob snuck away quietly and ran to Sandy's treedome. He turned around and made sure that he was not followed before entering.
"There is our hero." Says Sandy.
"What did you find out for us today?" Asks Eugene.
"I found out the place where the prisoners are being held." Says Spongebob.
Everyone could tell that something was wrong.
"Hey what's the matter buddy?" Asks Patrick.
"Nothing." Says Spongebob.
"You do seem a little down." Says Sandy.
"It's just that… I had to act like a big tough guy that enforces Plankton's law, when really I'm a big phony. To get here without other Plankguards watching me I had to distract them. There was this poor old man that was out past curfew. I had him arrested and he was out just five minutes past curfew walking his pet. When he was arrested he was tackled to the ground by the other Plankguards and was beat up, they even took his snail to an animal shelter. I feel so guilty for what I did." Says Spongebob with his head down.
"But that was part of the plan remember Spongebob, you are supposed to arrest a few people, but since you know where the prison is we can free all of them." Says Sandy.
"Where is the prison anyway?" Asks Eugene.
"It is part of the mail office… there are secret rooms where the prisoners are being held, and they are not being treated to well either. Some of the other Plankguards go to their cells and beat them up just for fun." Says Spongebob.
"How many people are in there?" Asks Sandy.
"I would say about fifty or sixty." Says Spongebob.
"All of those people… imprisoned for no reason at all, but our job is to free those people and get them on our side. The more people we have against Plankton, the better chance we have of stopping him and his Plankguards." Says Sandy.
"There is one thing I'm worried about…" Says Spongebob.
"What's that?" Asks Sandy.
"Plankton says that are good at finding people that fake loyalty, so if they find out that I'm faking they'll arrest me for sure." Says Spongebob.
"Well what you are doing is working so far, just be careful Spongebob." Says Sandy slightly concerned.
One day while Spongebob is putting a prisoner in a cell he passes by Squidward.
"Squidward is that you?" Asks Spongebob.
"Yeah so what?" Asks Squidward angrily.
Spongebob need to talk to him about the escape plan so he looked around for other Plankguards. When he saw that there were no Plankguards around he went into Squidward's cell.
"What are you doing in here?" Asks Squidward angrily
"I came to… apologize… I'm sorry that I got you locked up in here." Says Spongebob.
"You're the one that turned me in!" Says Squidward.
"It was an accident… I was outside after curfew and… I had to get somewhere without being followed. When a Plankguard was about to arrest me I had to make up something so I told them that you were part of the BBFF." Says Spongebob.
"What is the BBFF?" Asks Squidward as he starts to look less angry and more confused.
"It stands for the Bikini Bottom Freedom Fighters." Says Spongebob.
"How would you know?" Asks Squidward.
"Because… I'm part of it. Listen when I heard you got arrested for self expression I felt terrible because even though you weren't part of the BBFF I still mentioned your name." Says Spongebob.
"It's your fault that I'm in here. Do you have any idea what I've been through?" Asks Squidward getting angry again.
"No I don't, but I'm sorry for whatever has happened to you… the BBFF is planning an escape plan. We're going to break everyone out of here and see if any of them will join us. The more members we have the better chance we have of taking down Plankton and his Plankguards." Says Spongebob.
"Ok so you're planning an escape?" Asks Squidward.
"Yeah." Says Spongebob.
"I just have one question." Says Squidward.
"What's that?" Asks Spongebob.
"How did you become a Plankguard?" Asks Squidward.
"Well Plankton gave me the offer, but since I'm a member of the BBFF I'm faking it." Says Spongebob.
Spongebob hears a big door slam on the other end of the hallway; it was more Plankguards with prisoners. Spongebob quickly exits Squidward's cell and continues to walk down the hall.
Squidward was still so mad since he found out that it was Spongebob that turned him in. He didn't even like Spongebob all that much before he was arrested. Now since Squidward had been beaten and tortured he hated Spongebob even more than he did before. He wanted Spongebob to know what it was like to be arrested and tortured so when he was sure that Spongebob was gone he got the attention of a Plankguard.
"Excuse me Mr. Plankguard." Says Squidward.
"What do you want another beating keep quiet in there you know prisoners aren't allowed to speak." Says the Plankguard.
"I'm aware of that, but I think there is something that you really must know." Says Squidward.
"Whatever it is I'm sure that it is not more important that what I'm doing now." Says the Plankguard.
"It's really quite an interesting story." Says Squidward.
"A story... no time for stories." Says the Plankguard.
"Oh but this is no story… it's more like information and facts actually." Says Squidward.
"You're information and facts are irrelevant. Now pipe down before I come in there." Says the Plankguard."
"But it's about a fellow Plankguard." Says Squidward.
"A fellow Plankguard?" Asks the Plankguard.
"Yeah… the new guy Squarepants… I've got some secret info on him that really needs to be shared with Plankton." Says Squidward smiling slyly.
"Tell me what I need to know." Says the Plankguard.
(Sorry about the long chapter, but I really got into it. Or let me know if it is not long enough. Oh… it's a cliffhanger.)