SpongeBob SliderPants
Episode 4: Rule Atlantis, Atlantis Rule the Depths
(The episode opens with the sliders sitting together around a table in the Krusty Krab. SpongeBob is holding a Krabby Patty and slowly bringing it to his mouth. He takes a bite, closes his eyes in thought, then opens them. The others are looking at him in anticipation.)
SpongeBob: (despondently) No… It's all wrong.
Squidward: (throwing his tentacles up in the air) Why are we still trying this? This world doesn't even have a second Krusty Krab! How could it ever be our home!
Sandy: Aside from that, this is one of the closest worlds to home we've found so far. Y'all know that Bikini Bottom can change appearance faster than an acorn can fall off a tree, so there is no obvious reason this couldn't be our home. Trying a patty is just a good way to prove that worlds like this aren't home.
Plankton: Honestly, I'm having trouble believing that out of every world we've seen so far, not even one of them has a Krabby Patty like ours.
SpongeBob: I bet it's got to do with the secret ingredient. The last three patties I've had all looked exactly the same as our own.
Plankton: (leaning in with a smirk) Could you enlighten us as to what that ingredient might be, SpongeBob?
Squidward: (glancing at the timer) Can we continue this later, the timer's ready…
(The other sliders look over at Squidward. Sandy grabs the timer and they move outside. Sandy opens a portal and the group enter without another word. We cut to a portal opening in a forest and all the sliders flying out. After brushing herself off, Sandy looks at a nearby tree and sees a wanted poster nailed to it. Sketched on it is a hooded figure with the lines "Wanted: Robbing Hood" etched below.)
Sandy: (with a look of disbelief) Oh Lord… They got Robin Hood in this world?!
SpongeBob: Whose Robin Hood?
Squidward: Some heroic surface dweller who stole from the rich…
Plankton: (interrupting) Sounds like a hero I could get behind!
Squidward: (deadpan) Just to give his loot to the poor. In other words, the opposite of Mr. Krabs…
Sandy: That bout sums it up…
Plankton: And my interest is lost…
Sandy: Say Squidward, how do you know about Robin Hood?
Squidward: Are you saying I'm uncultured?
Sandy: No, not at all. Just curious…
Squidward: Well, if you must know…
(We cut to a passing peasant walking down a roadway. They overhear mumbled conversation and turn to the woods to see the sliders talking nearby. They run over to the group and exclaim…)
Peasant: (Addressing Squidward in surprise) Duke Squidington! You're back already from Neptune's summit!
Squidward: (confused) Um, yes… I have returned to… fetch my clarinet?
Peasant: (suspicious) What are you doing out here in the woods and not on the main route to your estate?
Squidward: (Trying to salvage the conversation) Me and my traveling companions have gotten turned around, thanks to our inexperienced navigator.
(Squidward glances at Sandy, and she notices that he means her.)
Sandy: (flustered) I don't know what yer trying to pull, but I ain't no navigator!
Squidward: (falsely praising) She's so modest, but it seems that this trip home may be too much for a novice like her.
(Sandy pouts and Squidward, now having a bit of verbal revenge for being dragged on this trip through the multiverse, smirks. SpongeBob and Plankton both look uncomfortable.)
Peasant: (convinced) Well! Since you're lost, I guess I can guide you back to the Squidington Estate! After all, I am your humble servant, Duke Squidington!
(The peasant bows to Squidward and leads them to the estate. The estate is a four-story building topped with several Moai statues of various sizes. This is surrounded by a garden filled with exotic plants. That too is surrounded by a metal fence that separates the estate from both the wilderness nearby and the hamlet of Bikini Bottom. The sliders look at the estate in awe. Squidward, knowing a version of him in a place that puts most of the homes he is seen on House Fancy to shame, begins to shed a few tears.)
Squidward: It's so beautiful!
Peasant: It's nice to see that even though you've spent decades here you can still see the beauty of your own estate! I'll leave you be, Duke Squidington and go inform the town of your return!
Squidward: (An idea pops in his head) Wait!
(The peasant looks at Squidward.)
Squidward: Inform the town that I, Duke Squidington, would like to invite every one of them to my estate tonight to celebrate my return with NO EXPENSE SPARED!
Peasant: (Eyes glowing in excitement) Will do, my lord!
(The peasant runs off to spread the news. Squidward turns to the rest of the sliders with a huge grin on his face.)
Squidward: (excited) This is a once in a lifetime opportunity! What are the chances that we end up in another world where we are literally royalty? We've spent weeks traveling like hobos and tourists, so tonight let's act like royalty and host the most extravagant party of our lives!
Sandy: This doesn't seem like you Squidward…
Squidward: (hyped up) Of course it doesn't! When have I ever been like this? (Gesturing to the estate)
Plankton: But what if we get caught?
Squidward: (Eyes glowing in excitement) What does it matter! Even if the worst happens, we can just slide away in a few hours!
SpongeBob: I haven't seen you this happy in a long time! There is no way we can pass this up!
Squidward: (like a kid at the Nickelodeon Resort) Exactly! Now let's party so hard that either we never forget tonight or can't recall a thing tomorrow!
(We now cut to a montage of the party, which resembles the one from the "Neptune's Ball" episode of the Patrick Star show. During this montage, we can see Squidward preforming in an opera room to an uncomfortable looking crowd, Sandy and SpongeBob gambling against each other and others, Plankton trying to steal some valuables, and the Patrick of this world in a butler outfit trying to clean up after the partygoers but making a bigger mess in the process. At the end, we see a title card that reads…)
French Narrator: One wild party later…
(We see the sliders and some other partygoers out cold. We zoom closer to Squidward to see him sleeping by a glass door leading out to a balcony. Suddenly, in the dead of the night, we see several shadowy figures ascend from below onto the balcony. They bust through the glass doorway, waking Squidward and several others. Before anyone can react, the shadow figures grab Squidward and spirit him away. We only hear his shrieks for a few moments before the kidnappers descend from the balcony and make their getaway. As the rest of the now wide-awake sliders come to grips with the situation, they find a single note resting where Squidward was. We then see Butler Patrick making a panicked phone call.)
Butler Patrick: Hello, police? Come quick! Monsieur Squidington's been squidnapped!
French Narrator: After a long crime scene investigation…
SpongeBob: (Desperate) Can we see the chief now? Squid… I mean Squidington's our friend. Please tell us if you have any leads.
Officer: Sorry, no can do. The sheriff is a stickler for the rules. If he caught me letting civilians interfere with an active crime scene, I'd probably be shot on the spot…
(The sliders look at him with a deadpan expression.)
Officer: That's a joke. Still, if I let you thro… Woah!
(The door behind the officer opens, sending them falling over. Out comes a muscular policeman, with a serious expression on his face.)
Muscle Officer: The sheriff would like to have a word with you three.
(The muscular policeman holds his hand out and opens his palm, revealing the sheriff, this world's Plankton.)
The Sliders: (in shocked unison) Plankton!
Sheriff Plankton: I see you three already know who I am! Still, a proper introduction is in order. My name is Sheldon J. Plankton, but you all can just call me Sheriff Plankton. Now who do we got here. (The sheriff inspects the sliders.) A sponge, some kind of land rodent, and… hey, are we cousins, cause you look just like me?
Plankton: (unsure) Sure, cousin sounds about right…
Sheriff Plankton: I knew a handsome fellow like you had to be family, who else but us Plankton have such rugged good looks. Still, I never knew Sir Squidington had friends like you.
Sandy: We're uhh… new acquaintances.
Sheriff Plankton: Sir Squidington's always been a socialite. Either way, you should come inside. I got some developments in the investigation that I need to discuss with you and the other witnesses.
(The sliders follow Sheriff Plankton inside. We cut to the sliders gathering with some other people, such as Butler Patrick, at the bottom of a grand staircase. Sheriff Plankton is brought up the stairs to a height where the people below can get a good glimpse of him. He then addresses the crowd.)
Sheriff Plankton: After a thorough investigation of the premises, my team has concluded that Sir Squidington's kidnappers are none other than Robbing Hood and his vile band of mercenaries. From their mode of entry, your eyewitness reports, and the ransom note, they have left no other conclusion as to who is behind this heinous crime.
Butler Patrick: (interrupting) What does the note say?
Sheriff Plankton: (annoyed) I was just getting to that… The ransom note details the terms and conditions for Sir Squidington's release. In short, if any of you ever want to see him again, Robbing Hood demands that the Squidington estate cuts taxes on the citizenry of Bikini Bottom, donate around eight percent of the Squidington fortune to the Merry Charity Foundation, and pardon several criminals of all past and future crimes documented by the Bikini Bottom Sheriff's Department. It states that for every day after tomorrow that the kidnappers' demands are not met, another message will arrive here, and that message will include one of Sir Squidington's limbs. Finally, it says "We are watching, as soon as you've played your part, we'll do ours and release Sir Squidington right back where we caught him." With that, I will now be taking questions.
Plankton: (to himself) Maybe this Robin Hood guy is more interesting than I gave him credit for…
Sandy: (curious) How do we know that Robin Hood wrote that there note?
Sheriff Plankton: The note comes with his calling card. Literally… (He shows off a business card attached to the note.)
SpongeBob: (worried) How are you going to get him back?
Sheriff Plankton: If we had time, I would bring that cretin to justice. As typical for him, there is not enough time for that. I know from experience that Robbing Hood means business and will not hesitate to kill any that stand in his way. We at the Sheriff's Department will do our best to comply with pardoning the criminals listed in the ransom. I suggest that any of those here that manage the Squidington estate do the same and follow the other conditions. My associates can help make this as quick as possible to ensure Sir Squidington's safe return.
Sandy: (to the other sliders) Why don't we start our own investigation? I don't feel comfortable leaving Squidward's fate in the hands of Plankton. (Looking at Plankton) No offense.
Plankton: (nonchalantly) None taken.
(The sliders leave the room as the police try to console some people in the background. Outside, the sliders start talking.)
SpongeBob: What should we do now Sandy?
Sandy: I'd say we need to find someone of our own to interview.
Plankton: (thoughtful) We really need to stop getting separated like this…
Sandy: Yer right. Next time we get a breather, I'm going to make some tracking devices so we can find each other next time we get split up.
SpongeBob: That sounds like a good idea…
(Just then, out of the corner of their eyes, the sliders see Butler Patrick quickly making his way outside and hurrying away from the house.)
Plankton: Maybe seeing that sheriff version of myself is affecting my judgement, but I think we should tail Patrick!
Sandy: Sounds like there might be a little detective in ya Plankton. Now let's stop that star!
(The group tails Butler Patrick as he wanders out of the estate's gates, enters town, and begins walking down the streets. We see him enter the bank and then quickly leave with a large money bag. Afterwards, he enters an alleyway, where a shadowy figure awaits. The sliders watch for a moment before they enter and confront the two.)
Shadowy Figure: You didn't tell me there'd be others. The deal's off!
(The sliders try to close the distance as the shadowy figure runs off.)
Butler Patrick: Wait! (He begins running after the figure.)
Sandy: (tackles Bulter Patrick to prevent him from following the figure) What was that about!?
Butler Patrick: (upset) I was just about to buy Monsieur Squidington's freedom. Til you ignoramuses showed up! That was a Merry Charity Foundation representative and you scared him off!
SpongeBob: (confused) That didn't look like a Charity worker?
Butler Patrick: (angry) You three must have rocks for brains! Everyone around here knows the Merry Charity Foundation is Robbin Hood's front organization for money laundering. This was my one shot at getting Monsieur Squidington back safely. (worried) Oh Neptune, the king will have my head for sure…
Plankton: Can you tell us more about your relationship with this 'charity.' (Finger quotes the word charity for emphasis)
Butler Patrick: Sheriff Plankton! Sorry, I didn't realize it was you… Are you planning a sting on Robbin Hood's operation.
Plankton: (playing along with his part) Uh, sure. As long as you tell me what I need to know, we'll have Sir Squidington rescued by tonight.
Butler Patrick: Oh thank Neptune! Ok, here's everything I know.
French Narrator: Half an interview later…
Butler Patrick: The last thing you need to know is that while the Merry Charity Foundation has no real headquarters, I think I know where they might be holding Monsieur Squidington.
Plankton: (grilling him for more) Out with it! Where's their lair!
Butler Patrick: (flashback) A few years ago, back when they had kidnapped Lady Upturn for ransom, I was out in the Kelp Forest searching for truffles for Monsieur Squidington's latest dinner party. I went deeper into the forest than usual and by the cliffs I heard Lady Upturn screaming for help. Before too long, I saw some of Robbing Hood's Merry Men running towards a cave opening. I dove into the kelp to avoid being spotted and heard the screaming stop when her kidnappers made it in.
Merry Guard 1: Glad we've finally got some duct tape. That should keep the rich hag quiet.
Merry Guard 2: Thanks man, I've been getting sick of listening to her screaming these past few hours.
Merry Guard 1: No problem, I know how guard duty is and I don't envy your position. Let's just be glad this job will be over in a few days.
Butler Patrick: After that, I made like a jellyfish out of the forest and never looked back. (flashback ends)
Plankton: (faux anger) Why didn't you already report this to the police!
Butler Patrick: You should know better than anyone what they do to people that talk. I was afraid of being their next victim! I couldn't sleep for a week at the thought that they had seen me and were planning another 'Merry Accident' just for me… Or worse, I feared I would've been press-ganged into their Merry Crew.
(Patrick begins rocking himself back and forward, he's a nervous wreck.)
Plankton: (confused) What do you mean press-ganged?
Butler Patrick: (flashing back again) About a decade ago, when Robbing Hood began his reign of terror, I used to have a talented chef on my employ that was the most punctual sponge I ever knew. One day, he didn't show up for work. I forgave his absence that day, assuming he would return the next day. However, the next day passed without a word from him. (A calendar is shown flipping through the days in this scene) Then a week. Then a month. After having sent him numerous letters and making a couple house calls, I came to conclude he simply quit. It wasn't until around a year later that I found him in the kitchen, dressed in the green of Robbing's Merry Crew, stealing ingredients from the cabinets. He looked me in the eyes and softly said one thing…
Chef SpongeBob: I'm sorry.
Butler Patrick: (continuing where he left off) before he ran and took a flying leap out a window. I don't know what they did to that boy, but the brief glimpse I saw that day told me he had no choice in any of what he was doing. After having the locks changed to prevent him from getting back in, I took the day off and cried. Not only had I lost a chef, I had lost a friend…
Butler Patrick: (looking at Plankton with tears in his eyes) Can you stop them, Sheriff Plankton?
Plankton: (feeling sorry for Patrick) We'll do our best, citizen. (putting on a serious face) Now run along and get that money back to the bank. We'll begin our investigation of the forest and get them both back.
Butler Patrick: (gets up) Thank you sheriff…
(Butler Patrick takes the money and runs out of the alley. Plankton turns to the others with a confused look on his face.)
Plankton: Why did I feel… sad talking to that Patrick?
SpongeBob: It sounds like you're feeling sorry for him. (teasing) I didn't know you could be a big softie, Plankton.
Plankton: (angry) I will destroy you if you call me a softie again!
SpongeBob & Sandy: (giggling) Softie!
Plankton: (muttering to himself) You two better keep an eye open tonight…
Sandy: (stops giggling, wiping a tear from her eye) Heh… Alright little sheriff, let's investigate that lead you uncovered.
French Narrator: Two hours and fifty-eight minutes of walking later…
SpongeBob: (bored) Are we there yet?
Sandy: (annoyed) How do I know?! It's not like Robbing Hood's hideout is on any map! Now will you please stop asking me!
Plankton: Would you two be quiet! It's getting dark and… Wait!
(The sliders stop in their tracks. Plankton points at the cliff face.)
Plankton: I would have missed it if your arguing hadn't caused me to turn around, but if you look from my level, you can see that there's a gap in the rocks here. (Plankton runs over to the gap.) Let me just take a quick look on the other side. (Plankton crawls through the gap and speaks again a second after disappearing from sight.) It's a door! Quick, give the rock a push!
(SpongeBob and Sandy push on the rockface, causing the disguised door to open into a cave. They enter and all three begin looking around the lair. The main room seems to host a forge, kitchen, and some other amenities. Passageways are cut into the walls, leading to darkened unseen side rooms. In the center of the room, tied to a chair, is Squidward. Squidward's mouth is duct taped shut, but you can tell he is smiling now that he has been found. SpongeBob runs over to him and gives him a hug.)
SpongeBob: Squidward! I'm so glad we found you!
Squidward: (happily mumbling)
Sandy: Let's getcha outta here Squidward…
(SpongeBob and Sandy begins untying Squidward. Squidward's smile continues, until it turns into a frown. He then begins panicking as shadows are cast on the wall behind him. After Squidward gets off the chair, the other sliders turn around to see what Squidward is facing. At the doorway is the police, with Sheriff Plankton front and center.)
Sheriff Plankton: Good job you three! You discovered Robbing Hood's laboratory! We'll take things from here.
SpongeBob: Here that Squidward! We saved you and helped Sheriff Plankton stop Robin Hood! How's that for heroics!
Squidward: (mumbles in a panic until he realizes that his mouth is still duct taped shut. He rips it off and yells…) Sheriff! No, you don't understand! That's Robbing Hood!
(The other sliders turn to the police in confusion. Sheriff Plankton rolls his eye and removes his sheriff hat. Underneath it is a little Robin Hood style hat. The other cops do the same, revealing little green caps like Plankton's.)
Sheriff Plankton: (fake surprise) Whoops! Looks like the amoeba's out of the bag! Isn't it obvious that I can be both, Sir Squidington? Then again, you're not Sir Squidington, are you?
Squidward: Huh, how would you know that?
Sheriff Plankton/Robbing Hood: You just told me, not Squidington. Then again, I expected as much after our first interrogation. You somehow managed to get basic facts about your own life wrong, like how do you forget your own granny's name?! The only logical explanation is that you were not Sir Squidington. I was just going to let you go after you agreed to play your part as Squidington a bit longer so that you could be safely returned and gift the police department a generous reward. Then you could just (gestures) disappear. However, it's obvious you four now know too much. For the crime of messing with my schemes, I sentence you all to a lifetime of servitude in my Merry Crew!
Sandy: (mockingly curious) And how do ya plan to do that?
Robbing Hood: Easy, I'll do to you what I've done to the rest of my crew.
(The other Merry Crew members have now surrounded the sliders. Some are dressed as cops, some as ordinary citizens, and others have already shed their disguises and are dressed as Robin Hood like characters. Four of them pull out caps identical to the ones they all are wearing.)
Robbing Hood: You see, I invented these caps after realizing I would never be able to conquer the world alone. With a bit of hypno scent extracted from the forest around us and a bit of money spent on a tailor, I constructed the first of my mind control hats! For the past decade, I've been slowly subverting people across this realm and building up my duo reputations as both a lawmaker and lawbreaker. Yesterday, a small-town cop and thief. Today, a sheriff and mafioso. Tomorrow, an emperor and dark lord!
(Robbing Hood cackles evilly. Plankton interrupts him with a question.)
Plankton: (casually) So… cousin, before you try to control my mind, can you at least tell me why you are bothering with a charity organization between all of this?
Robbing Hood: Oh, that's easy. I want my Robbing Hood persona to have a good reputation as well. The Sheriff already has a good reputation among the rich, even though all my investigating is just a setup to get some info for the next heist. If Robbing Hood didn't do anything other than steal from the rich, I would just be another thief. So, I give a good portion of my riches to the people to gain their support and in some cases allegiance. At least until they find out allegiance is enforced by mind control, a lot of them are not happy about that part. (Robbing Hood shrugs and laughs.)
Plankton: (turning to Sandy) You know Sandy, I think I get the appeal behind Robin Hood now. He's awesome!
Sandy: (upset) This guy isn't anything like Robin Hood! First, (gesturing to Robbing Hood) he's supposed to be the good guy while the sheriff is the bad guy. Second, they are supposed to be different people! Third, Robin Hood is not supposed to monologue!
Robbing Hood: (annoyed) Fourth, the name's not Robin Hood. It's Robbing Hood!
Sandy: (rolls eyes) At least this guy is just as cocky as the Robin Hood I know. (Sandy looks at the timer and begins speaking sarcastically.) You know guys, as much as I'd love to hear more of fake Robin Hood's monologuing and get mind controlled to follow his every whim, the timer says we can move on. Y'all ready to go?
Squidward & SpongeBob: Yes!
Plankton: But I've got so many questions!
Sandy: Sorry Plankton… (Sandy opens a portal.) But the ayes have it.
(The sliders all jump through the portal. Even Plankton joins after a moment's hesitation. Robbing Hood, seething with rage, yells…)
Robbing Hood: Seize them!
(Robbing Hood runs into the portal and jumps through. Before any of the Merry Crew can join, the portal closes. As soon as the portal closes, we see the Merry Crew stop. After a second, they all wig out and collapse. Another second passes before they start groggily getting up. One of them comes to the realization that Robbing Hood's mind control has been broken.)
Random Merry Crew Member: (looks at their own hands) I'm… free. I'm free! Ah ha ha, thank Neptune I'm free!
(Other people come to the same realization. Some cheer, some jump for joy, and some hug each other. In the corner of the screen, we see one sponge reawaking and coming to his scenes. We zoom in to see him say this.)
Chef SpongeBob: (yawns) Uggh… It feels like I've been sleepwalking for years… (He looks out of the cave at the setting sun.) Oh no! I'm going to be late for work! (He runs out of the cave.)
Another Merry Crew Member: (gets up and chases after Chef SpongeBob) Wait! I think you're forgetting something!
(We then cut to another world where the sliders fall out of the portal. The four exit the cave, which in this world is chrome plated, and see a forest of holographic kelp. The four stare at the forest in wonder before Robbing Hood emerges from the cave behind them and draws a tiny bow at them.)
Robbing Hood: You four better explain where I am right now or I'll shoot!
Sandy: Whatcha gonna do with that little bow ya got? I bet it wouldn't even scratch us?
Robbing Hood: (angry) Oh yeah! Tell that to my cousin! (Robbing Hood looks at Plankton with an evil grin.) From where I'm standing, I can pierce any of your friend's vital organs before you have the chance to take a step.
Plankton: (deadpan) He's got you there.
(Plankton raises his hands in surrender. The other sliders quickly follow suit. Before anyone says another word, SpongeTron C flies down from the sky, wearing the hall monitor uniform from season one's "Hall Monitor." SpongeTron C is one of the 486 clones SpongeTron has in the season one's "SB-129". He pulls out a laser hammer and takes a warning shot at Robbing Hood. He begins speaking to Robbing Hood in a robotic voice.)
SpongeTron C: Cease your hostility, organic lifeform. Bahaha. (SpongeTron C pulls out a manual.) According to section 14a of the Law of Robotics, Bikini Bottom 4017 edition, an organic threating other organics in a robotized world with a bow is to be arrested and tried back in the courts of 41st century+ Bikini Bottom in worldline 12,311,999. This law is enforced across all robotized Bikini Bottoms in the known multiverse, with exception of any that explicitly overturn the stated law. Since this world's Bikini Bottom falls under that jurisdiction, you have the right to remain silent.
Robbing Hood: (drops weapon) What… What's happening!?
SpongeTron C: (grabs Robbing Hood and handcuffs him) Until such time as you have been found rehabilitated, a restraining order has been filed on behalf of your victims. You will be returned to this world after your sentence, whatever it may be, has been completed. To guarantee a speedy trial, you will be processed on the date of… (SpongeTron C eyes go staticky as he looks up the date.) Friday, January 13th, 4023. After booking is complete, you will then be transported to the next available court date. (He switches back to a normal SpongeBob voice.) Now let me get you into your comfy chair and buckle up the little softie for our trip to (gestures) 'the Future.'
(SpongeTron C straps Robbing Hood into a booster seat and brings him into a time machine like the one from "SB-129". As the door closes on the time machine, Robbing Hood yells out…)
Robbing Hood: I'm not a softie! Let me go! Help, this is kidnapping!
(The irony of Robbing Hood wanting to be saved from kidnapping is lost to himself. The door closes and the time machine disappears into the future.)
Plankton: Welp, you don't see that every day.
Squidward: Bit too Deus ex machina for me. What just happened.
Sandy: (scratching her head) It seems some time traveling SpongeCop showed up to stop a crime that's based on a law that hasn't been written yet. I don't know what the chance of that was, but I guess in a large enough multiverse, even crazy stuff like that's bound to happen.
SpongeBob: Huh, that went over my head… Say, what do you think happened to all those people we left behind in the last world?
(We cut back to Robbing Hood's world, with a caption on the lower part of the screen reading two and a half days later. We see Butler Patrick first reunited with Chef SpongeBob as they give each other a big hug on the front step of the Squidington manor. We pan out a little to see the real Squidington getting out of his carriage after a long trip back from Neptune's Summit. He looks over at SpongeBob and Patrick hugging and rolls his eyes. We then cut over to a podium at this Bikini Bottom's town hall, where one of the formerly mind controlled cops takes the stage and begins addressing the crowd. This fish, who it turns out is the chief of police, mulls over what to tell the crowd before deciding on what to say.)
Chief of Police: (clearing throat) Ahem… I am proud to announce that the menace know as Robbing Hood has been stopped. (We briefly pan over the crowd as many cheer over this news while others sulk.) Sadly, in the process of raiding Robbing Hood's lair, we lost our beloved Sheriff Plankton. (Some no's and other surprised expressions can be heard from the audience.) He died heroically in the line of duty… (Some sobs are heard from the audience.) and will be dearly missed by all who knew him. Plans for Sheriff Plankton's memorial, which will include memorials for all who were lost to Robbing Hood's schemes, are in the works and will be announced in the coming weeks. While most of Robbing Hood's Merry Crew managed to escape in the chaos, with Robbing Hood gone we can assure everyone that his reign of terror has ended!
(More cheers are heard from the audience as we cut to black. We see the word Anger on the darkened screen.)
French Narrator: Back home…
(We cut to the interior of a café to see Karen chatting away with her Gal Pals: Mrs. Puff, Pearl Krabs, and Flibberty Gibbet. Karen is still upset about Plankton's disappearance.)
Karen: (angry) I can't believe he would just disappear without saying goodbye! Did he ever even love me?! (Karen begins crying.)
Mrs. Puff: (trying to comfort) Karen… I know how you feel. When my husband disappeared, I could only think the worst about him. As the days went by though, I realized that he loved me and would never abandon me like that. Finding out what really happened to him broke me for years, but I eventually managed to find a way to move on. I know what you're going through Karen; you can always talk to us about it.
Karen: (still upset) There's the difference between us! I don't know what happened to him, nor do I know what happened to the rest of them! How am I supposed to find this so called (finger quote) 'closure' when I don't even know what happened to the four of them!
Pearl: (trying to chip in) At least we have Patrick's testimony about the night of their disappearance, plus the missing hole in Squidward's wall tells us whatever happened wasn't intentional.
Karen: How's that supposed to help? All that tells us is that they disappeared into thin air that night. For all we know, they could've blown up, got abducted, or maybe even found a pathway to some perfect world where they'd never want to come back! I would just like a sign that no matter what happened, Plankton did his very best to make it back to me! (Karen sobs.)
Flibberty Gibbet: Karen, in all those years I was separated from the Gal Pals, I held out hope that we could go back to the ways things were before our big falling out. Look at me now though, sitting here with my Gal Pals again after all that time! If I can hold out hope that I would be able to return to you, I think you can hold out hope that your husband and our dear friend Sandy will return too. (Flibberty holds out her hands for Karen to hold.)
Karen: (holds Flibberty's flippers and looks her in the eyes) Yeah, its only been a few weeks after all… I'm sure they'll walk through the doors any day now… (Anger flares in Karen's screen and she starts yelling…) And announce that the two of them are getting married! I swear if Sandy steals my hubby, I'll destroy those two with their own inventions!
Mrs. Puff: (annoyed sigh) Dear Neptune…
(We cut over to the Krusty Krab, where we see Patrick at the cash register flossing his teeth with a dollar bill while Mr. Krabs tries juggling manager responsibilities with fry cooking. He sees Patrick being Patrick, stops cooking and exit the kitchen to scold Patrick.)
Mr. Krabs: (yelling) Patrick! What is the meaning of this!
Patrick: (taking the dollar out of his mouth) Sorry sir! I just got off my lunch break and needed to get some Krabby Patty meat out of my teeth.
Mr. Krabs: I don't pay you to floss Patrick! I pay you to sell me food! I swear if you weren't the only person in town willing to work the register, I would fire ye right now!
Patrick: (getting angry) It would help if you offered to pay above minimum wage! The only reason I'm still here is because of the free Krabby Patties and the promise I made to SpongeBob to sub in for Squidward whenever he's sick.
Mr. Krabs: Sick? Sick! Patrick, the two of them have been missing for weeks and all you can say is they're sick! For all we know they've skipped town and left us both high and dry! Who knows, they could've given Plankton the formula and started their own restaurant on the other side of the ocean! Plus, who said I was giving ye free Krabby Patties!
Patrick: (angry) After all the years SpongeBob has loyally worked for you and you still accuse him of sabotage! SpongeBob is the best friend a guy can ask for and you have the guts to call him a common thief! The guy let you sell his soul multiple times and yet he still looks at you like a father! Have you no shame! If your daughter went missing, what would you do?!
Mr. Krabs: (about to blow his top off) Are ye threatening me Pearl!
Patrick: (just as angry as Krabs) NO! I'm just saying, we know nothing about what happened to them and yet you're acting like they're the ones that wronged you! For all we know, they could be being held captive by Plankton right next door and we've done nothing to help them!
Mr. Krabs: (defusing) Yer right Patrick… I let me anger get carried away. I miss them too ye know… I just want to know what happened.
Patrick: (sad) Yeah… I wish I had stayed out a little later that night just so I could know what happened. I had seen Sandy visiting SpongeBob earlier that day and if I had known that that was the last time I would see them, I would've joined them. But I just had to finish that box of Kelpos and play with the dumb prize inside. Why am I like this…
Mr. Krabs: I know how you feel me boy… I've done many things I've lived to regret. Thank you though for preventing me from making another regret by sullying me own memory of SpongeBob…
(The Krabby Patties cooking on the kitchen stove catch fire, causing fire alarms to go off. As customers flea in panic, Mr. Krabs continues.)
Mr. Krabs: (tries smiling despite everything currently happening) Tell ye what… How about I go put out that fire and we finish the workday, then we can plan on breaking into the Chum Bucket and searching for any sign of SpongeBob… and Squidward I guess…
Patrick: (with a smile) That sounds nice captain…
(Mr. Krabs runs into the kitchen to put out the fire as we cut to the credits.)
When Worlds Diverged: The first world in this episode is the closest world to the Sliders' home that they've seen so far. If it wasn't for the secret formula getting split differently between Mr. Krabs and Plankton during their fight in season five's "Friend or Foe", then it's likely that the Sliders may have stayed here awhile before figuring out more obscure differences. Or maybe one of their doppelgangers would have made an appearance to confirm the difference like in the Sliders episode "Post Traumatic Slide Syndrome." In Robbing Hood's world, we see a society set between the time of Robin Hood and the present day, roughly in the equivalent of the late 19th century. The Squidward of this world is Duke of Bikini Bottom and the surrounding areas, but he's out of town at Neptune's Summit during this episode, leading to Squidward briefly taking his place. He hired the Patrick and SpongeBob of this world to work as head butler and head chef up until this world's Plankton mind-controlled SpongeBob into his Merry Crew. Plankton, otherwise known as Sheriff Plankton and Robbing Hood, has a lower level of tech to work with, so instead of building robots he used his knowledge of local plants to create a mind-controlled army like in The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. He is not able to rush it like our Plankton so he instead has been slowly subverting positions of power (using interpersonal skills that are higher than our Plankton's) over the last decade. Even though his mind control has ended after his mysterious disappearance, those under his control decided to preserve his public legacy as Sheriff Plankton not only because he was a hero to many in Bikini Bottom, but because the less questions are asked about the connection between Robbing Hood and Sheriff Plankton, the better off everyone will be. The last world at the end of this episode will be revisited and expanded on in the next episode, so I hope you tune into this segment next time to find out more!
Author's Ramblings: When I was writing this chapter, I had no real idea how it would go when I started it. This was the first chapter that I started without knowing how it would end. It didn't help that I got two bouts of writer's block over the last half of the year, slowing down progress on this chapter. By the time I figured out a plot, summer was over, and I started my busiest school semester I've had in a long time. I learned some important lessons during this hiatus and figured out exactly where I want the rest of this story to go. I've learned that writing should be fun for the writer, or else you the reader will know I didn't put my heart into it. I also learned from Fionna and Cake as well as Minecraft Story Mode that each part should serve to drive the story forward. So as of today, I want to say that we are halfway through this story! I originally planned on writing 10 episodes, but since I have no ideas beyond a name for the next two episodes, it'd be best to cut them out and move straight into the latter half of the story. That way, I can continue to enjoy bringing this story to life and you can enjoy the more important parts of this tale!
For anyone wondering why Patrick isn't quite braindead in this story, I feel for the type of story I'm trying to tell I need Patrick to have some level of cognizance to be able to grasp what is happening around him. Otherwise, how can he believably be impacted by the disappearance of some of his closest friends? I hope you've enjoyed this early Christmas present from me to you! Next time, I hope you're ready to see the King of Clarinet makes a miraculous comeback!