SpongeBob's Perfect Pineapple Playhouse

The Witch and The Sponge

SpongeBob was sleeping peacefully when he was awakened by a blast from his fog horn alarm. He turned off the alarm with a smile.

SpongeBob started singing, "Good morning, world and all who inhabit it!

Good morning, Gary!"

Gary replied, "Meow."

SpongeBob turned to the camera and said, "Good morning, Children."

An unseen audience cheerfully said, "Good morning, SpongeBob!"

SpongeBob continued singing, "What a wonderful day today!"

He jumped out of bed and went downstairs.

"What a wonderful day today," He sang as he entered the living room dancing, "Just a wonderfully perfect day!"

"Today, we'll learn about the Letter W and the number 6," Spongebob said.

The audience cheered.

Trapped in a Dream

A heart monitor was beeping as it showed its readings. SpongeBob lay on a hospital bed, asleep. His breath was being regulated by a tube attached to an oxygen tank.

His friends and family gathered around him, concerned. Purple Doctor Fish entered the room, and right behind was Detective Fish.

Detective Fish introduced himself, "Thank you for your patience; my name is Samuel Maximus. I'm part of the paranormal division for the police department."

Spongebob's Dad, Harold Sqaurpants, approached Samuel.

Harold said, "Thank you for coming. This is confusing, but maybe you can shed some light."

"Just start at the beginning," Samuel said, opening a notepad to take notes.

"I'll start," Sandy said, "It all started when I told Spongebob about lucid dreaming."

The detective wrote something down.

Sandy's Flashback (part 1)

Spongebob asked, "What's lucid dreaming?"

"It's when you fall asleep, and you become aware that you are dreaming, " Sandy explained, "Then you take control of the dream as you sleep."

"That's amazing," Spongebob said.

Sandy smiled warmly at the sponge's pure response.

Spongebob then asked, "Can anyone have a Lucid Dream?"

Sandy said, "Oh, for sure! But, it takes a lot of practice."

"I'm going to try to Lucid Dream," SpongeBob declared.

He then buried himself in research, learning everything he could about how to Lucid Dream. He eventually stopped researching and started practicing.

Interruption

Samuel asked, "How did you know he was practicing?"

"Well," Sandy explained, "This is going to sound crazy, but he visited me in my dreams to show me his progress on the dream he was making for himself."

Samuel asked, "How did you know that it was the real SpongeBob and not a dream clone of SpongeBob?"

"Oh, that's easy," Sandy explained, "he's visited me in my dreams before."

Samuel was a bit caught off guard; then he shook it off to ask, "What did he show you exactly?"

"Well," Sandy said.

Sandy's Flashback (Part 2)

SpongeBob showed her a perfect replica of his house, but everything was made of felt.

Sandy asked, "What is this place?"

Spongebob answered, "This is my new playhouse!"

Sandy asked, "Your new playhouse?"

"Yeah," Spongebob said, "I made it for you and all my friends to have fun."

Sandy asked, "For me and everyone else?"

Spongebob nodded.

"That's so sweet," Sandy said.

Spongebob asked, "Do you want to add a few things?"

Sandy asked, "A lab to experiment in?"

The next night, he showed her an extensive lab with lots of cool stuff. Sandy squealed with glee and willingly played along with SpongeBob. SpongeBob would pretend to talk to an audience so they could greet Sandy. Sandy would then teach some rudimentary Science through an experiment. I had a pleasant night's sleep for a few weeks.

The Start of the Oddness

"Then," Sandy explained, "for a few nights after, I started to have terrible nightmares."

Samuel asked, "How is that relevant?"

Sandy explained, "I had described my nightmare to SpongeBob in the waking world. He kinda freaked out."

Samuel asked, "What was the nightmare about?"

Sandy answered, "I dreamt that a villain called the Puppet Master was forcing me to do some unsafe science experiments. By controlling my every move because I had been transformed into a felt puppet."

Samuel said, "Oh, I can see how that's related and why he would freak out."

Sandy nodded.

Samuel asked, "Did he help you stop this Puppet Master in your nightmare?"

Sandy answered, "In a way, yes! He gave me full control of the lab into my Dream!"

Samuel wrote something down.

Samuel asked, "Has anyone else dreamt of this Puppet Master or the playhouse?"

Patrick answered, "SpongeBob showed me the Playhouse next!."

Patrick's Flashback

SpongeBob had excitedly come to Patrick in his dreams and showed him the Playhouse.

SpongeBob asked, "Anything you want to add?"

Patrick suggested, "Ooh, a Sunday bar!"

The next night, SpongeBob redesigned the kitchen to include a Sunday bar with ice cream and toppings. Patrick played along when SpongeBob used the ice cream to teach his invisible audience numbers and letters. Patrick learned a little, too.

It was a peaceful night for a few weeks, but then Patrick started having nightmares. The Puppet Master forced Patrick to stand in a freezer with empty boxes and tubs where ice cream should have been.

Back to the Present (part 1)

"It was terrible," Patrick sobbed.

Samuel asked, "What happened when you told SpongeBob?"

Patrick replied, "He started panicking and was very apologetic. He promised he would make it stop."

Samuel asked, "How did SpongeBob help it stop?"

Patrick replied, "He took it from his playhouse and put it in my dream."

Samuel wrote something down, muttering, "Staring to notice a pattern here."

Samuel, the detective, asked, "Anyone else?"

Mr. Krabs answered, "Aye, I had seen the Playhouse."

Mr. Krabs' Flashback

SpongeBob excitedly showed Mr. Krabs his Playhouse. Mr. Krabs was impressed.

SpongeBob asked, "Anything you would like to add?"

Mr. Krabs asked, "Can I have a navy room?'

The next night, SpongeBob showed Mr. Krabs a boat-themed room with navigation tools. He gladly played along with SpongeBob and his imaginary audience. He taught a few basics on navigating with maps. It was a lovely night's sleep for a few weeks.

Then, the nightmares came. The Puppet Master would put Mr. Krabs on a boat in dangerous waters and force him to ram the ship into jagged rocks. He would sink every time.

Back to the Present (part 2)

Samuel asked, "What happened when you told him?"

Mr. Krabs answered, "He was scared stiff."

Samuel asked, "Did he help you stop the Puppet Master from terrorizing you?'

"Aye," Mr. Krabs answered, "He gave me my room in my Dream."

Samuel wrote something down.

"I also encountered the Puppet Master," Squidward said, "But the weird thing is I never visited SpongeBob's Playhouse."

Samuel asked, "Then why do you think you were having a similar nightmare?"

Squidward answered, "When I told SpongeBob, he said he had made a place for me in the Playhouse. But he also made some felt copies of me."

Samuel said, "I see."

Samuel wrote something down.

Bombshell

Samuel turned to Harold and Margaret SquarePants and asked, "Is there anything you can tell me about your son that may explain these events?"

Harold answered, "Honestly, I can't think of a thing."

Margaret sighed and replied, "Samuel, I might have an explanation."

Harold looked at his wife in concern and asked, "You think it's time?"

Margaret answered, "It's now or never, honey."

Samuel raised an eyebrow.

Margaret explained, "When SpongeBob was born, he had surgery to remove his heart."

Samuel asked, "Why did they have to remove his heart?"

Margaret answered, "It was made of hardened stone and couldn't pump right. He could have died before he even took his first breath. But before they could give him a new one, something miraculous happened. He had somehow regenerated his heart to be soft."

Samuel asked, "How is that relevant?"

Margaret answered, "No other sponge has ever done that. I believe my son may have a power unlike anything anyone has ever seen."

Samuel wrote something down.

Samuel said, "I think I've heard enough."

Samuel's Conclusion and Solution

Samuel Maximus then put away his notebook. He sighed and rubbed his temples.

"I think I may have an explanation and a solution," Samuel said, "But you are not going to like it."

"We're open to anything at this point," Harold said.

Samuel said, "He's a reality bender, and he's made himself a dream so sweet and nice he doesn't want to wake up. But at the same time, he isn't going to use his power against his close friends. So the. Puppet Master is broadcasting his subconscious fear into real nightmares. He must have gone into a coma to protect you and keep his Dream."

Patrick asked, "So what can we do?"

Samuel replied, "You have to convince him he's in a nightmare so he'll want to wake up.'

Squidward asked, "But how?"

Samuel replied, "I know a spell that can send in one person who hasn't been there to go in and convince them to wake up."

Squidward said, shocked, "That means me."

Samuel said sorrowfully, "I'm sorry, but it's the only way."

Squidward asked, "What do I have to do?"

Samuel answered, "You have to get a hold of an instrument and play a song of awakening."

Squidward asked, "A song of awakening? How do I play that?"

Samuel handed Squidward the music sheet and said, "Here you go, this is the song of awakening."

Squidward looked it over and sighed, "Fine, let's get this over with."

Samuel gave Squidward a potion and said, "This should put you to sleep, but drink it slowly."

Squidward opened the bottle with a deep breath and took a deep drink. When the last drop slid down Squidward's throat, he felt no difference at first. Then, a wave of sleepiness washed over his mind. His body relaxed, and he fell asleep on the floor. Margaret gently slid a pillow under Squidward's head and a blanket over Squidward's body.

Samuel then waved his hands, and a blue, glowing string came from Squidward's head to Spongebob.

Into the Dreamscape

Squidward felt like he was floating as he whizzed through space. It was fun. Then, suddenly, he stopped. He saw he was floating above the adorable felt set SpongeBob had created. But he wasn't in there yet. Squidward then felt like he was being watched.

Squidward looked around, and Bill Cipher was in the sky-like void with Squidward Tentacles. The all-seeing triangle was also here.

"Oh hey," Bill said, turning to Squidward, "Squidward, glad you could make it! I didn't know you could enter the Dreamscape like me!"

"Well," Squidward explained, "I had a little help. But it seems like I need a final push."

Bill asked, "A final push?"

"Yeah," Squidward said, then asked, "Do you think you can help?"

"I already tried on my own," Bill explained, "But he won't let me in right now."

Squidward thought momentarily and asked, "Can you put me inside that plush version of me?"

"I can certainly try," Bill said. Then Bill grabbed Squidward, and a surge of static overcame Squidward. It made everything fuzzy for a few moments. When the world became the focus, Squidward held a clarinet before a small crowd of puppet versions of his friends. Spongebob was upfront, and his smile seemed strained.

Squidward then started playing the Song of Awakening. As he played, the Dream started crumbling around Squidward and SpongeBob.

"No, wait," Spongebob pleaded, "Please, Stop!"

Squidward felt his puppet body being pulled on, but He willed his body to keep playing.

"Stop it," Spongebob said, tears prickling his eyes. His plush body started morphing as the Dream was crumbling. He covered his ears, trying desperately to keep his Dream up. But, the music was warping everything. Spongebob did what he could to protect himself and Squidward as the happy Dream unraveled. The Puppet Master confronted Spongebob. The Puppet Master was Puppet SpongeBob but had a big, unnaturally wide smile. Spongebob became terrified at its giant size.

SpongeBob was on his knees sobbing, begging, "Leave them alone, don't hurt them. Don't let me wake up."

Squidward stopped playing and got between SpongeBob and the Puppet Master.

"Spongebob," Squidward said softly, "Wake up, end this."

"No," Spongebob whimpered, "It's not fair. It's too messy out there, and I can't repair it without compromising your free will. I wanted a break from Natalie and Malum trying to destroy you and me, guys."

Squidward said, "You can't hide from your problems until they disappear, SpongeBob. It would be best if you acted on solutions. If we're bothering you, you need to tell us."

The Puppet Master disagreed, "Stay with me, SpongeBob, we can have such fun together!"

Squidward said, "I know the real world is messy, SpongeBob, but you don't have to face it alone. Or did you forget you had friends who care about you?"

The Puppet Master scoffed, "They're just toys for us to play with! Specks in the.."

Suddenly, he was interrupted by a blast of blue fire to the face! Bill had finally gotten into the Dream. He was hellbent on one thing: destroying the Puppet Master. Puppet Master was surprised and threw a ball of fluff back at Bill. The two fought like this for a while.

SpongeBob sighed, "I didn't forget. I didn't want you or anyone else getting hurt in a way I couldn't reverse."

Squidward did his best to smile when he replied sweetly, "You're too hard on yourself. I know you purposely hold yourself for our sake. But you need to let go before things get out of hand."

SpongeBob sniffed, "But you could get seriously hurt."

Squidward countered, "But it could also be the best thing ever."

Squidward took SpongeBob's hand in his tentacle and pulled him up to his feet. SpongeBob hugged Squidward tightly immediately, and Squidward hugged him back.

"Thank you," SpongeBob said. The Dream faded way as Bill finally defeated the Puppet Master.

The small blue, glowing thread returned to Squidward as he and SpongeBob slowly aroused from their slumber.

The group in the hospital cheered! SpongeBob stifled a yawn as his parents and Patrick hugged him tightly.

"Careful guys," SpongeBob said rather sleepily, "Don't crush me."

He chuckled as he was let go. SpongeBob stood up from the bed and approached Samuel.

"Thanks for your help, friend," SpongeBob said.

Samuel tipped his hat and said, "All in a day's work."

Samuel then left the room.