SpongeBob Squarepants (The Anime)

Chapter 8: Return to Sender

While SpongeBob and Squidward had it out, Sandy was working on her research.  What she wasn't expecting was a guest this late at night. 

Sandy was observing the Krabby Patty under a microscope.  She was standing outside by the picnic table while she worked.  She was tearing the meat apart as small as she could and watching the cultures.  She looks up as she hears the door to her dome open and close to see Patrick walking in.  

"Oh, hello Patrick.  Is everything okay?"  Patrick shakes his head.  "Well what in tarnation happened?"

"It's a long story.  You have anything to eat?"

"Huh?  Well, I guess I do in the tree.  Do you mind telling me what's troubling you?"

Patrick continued to walk into her home.  "SpongeBob and I got caught on our way home."

Sandy inspected her friend's body.  She noticed some bruises and cuts.  "I can see that, but you keep ignoring my question!"

He opened the fridge.  "Which is?"

"What in tarnation happened?!"

"We had to rush to the boating school... It was under attack by some robot!"

"Oh my.  You have any idea why?"

He pulled out a sandwich and began to eat.  He spoke with his mouth full.  "Well, that's why I came over.  We have no idea!  SpongeBob and I wanted to ask if you might have an idea.  But, he got caught up with Squidward, so it's just me.  

"What happened?!"

"Well, the place is completely destroyed now.  The survivors were close together and would've been killed if SpongeBob and I didn't step in.  It kinda looked like Plankton with the eye and the body."

"Plankton?..."  Sandy mumbled under her breath before continuing.  "Do ya reckon the feller is still there?"

Patrick nodded.  "I think so.  We left it torn apart."

"Can you show me?"  Patrick nods and leads sandy out of her dome and to the Boating school.  They ran to make ground before it was completely dark outside.  

Sandy and Patrick show up as the streetlamps turn on outside.  The tattered remains of the boating school are still smoldering from the fight that took place hours ago.  The lighthouse in the back is on the ground.  

"Here it is."  Patrick said.  "This is where we fought the robot.  It had some hostages in the back and tried to kill them."

Sandy walked to the pile of rubble Patrick was pointing at.  "Can you show me?"  

Patrick followed behind her.  He started to move around the scene. "It all happened right here."  He started to reenact the fight.  "SpongeBob was fighting like WREEEEOW!  And the robot fired it's lazers like PEW PEW PEW.  I came around the corner and went SHING SHING SLASH!"

"No no,"  Sandy interrupted.  "I meant just let me look at the area.  You know, get a closer look at the robot remains?"  

"Oh... yeah!  It was right over here!"  Patrick walked over to where the robot collapsed but stopped in shock at what he saw.  "Huh?  It's not here!"  He began to frantically look around.

"Calm down, I'm sure it's here somewhere.  Maybe it was in a different area."

"No.  I remember it was here.  This was the place where we took it down!  It has to be here!"  Patrick walked in a circle looking for the missing invader.  Before long, he slipped and landed face first in a puddle.  "Hey, who spilled their drink!?"

Sandy bent down and put her fingers in the substance that covered her friend's face.  "Hmmm..  Interesting."

"I'd say so, it tastes flat."  He started to lick the liquid.

"No don't drink it!  I think this is oil!  Or... something like it.  It has a different texture and feels... off... I don't know what, but something is off about this."

"Like what?"

"Well, for starters, the robot is missing and you said you and SpongeBob took it down.  How'd it move?!"

"Hmm... Maybe someone took it."  

"Maybe..."  Sandy took out a vial and scooped up some of the liquid into it before putting a cork on it."

"Are you taking some to drink with you?"

"No, silly.  I need to study it.  So I reckon' I can take some back to my lab and find out what's going on. At least part of the story.  

"oh... I thought it would go good with the Krabby Patty."

Sandy stood up. "What ya mean?"

"Well, whatever this liquid is would go good with the Krabby Patty you have back in your home."

"... How did you know I had a Krabby Patty?"

"I could smell it!  I am really good at telling what food is from miles away!"

"Well, good to know.  But no, this isn't for the Krabby Patty.  But... it does give me an idea." 

Before anything else could be said, Sandy heard something charging power.  She turned around and pushed Patrick down in time to see a robot send a laser straight at him.  Some smoke was visible on the street where the shot hit.  

"It's him!  It's the robot!"  Patrick shouted before standing and pulling out his sword.  

"Patrick, that's impossible!  At most Plankton clearly made more than one."  Sandy stood up and got into a defensive stance.  "Either way, it can't be allowed to keep standing!"  

In a flash, Sandy jumped in the air and chopped at the robot.  it made a large dent and knocked it aside.  It launched another laser as it stood, but Sandy dodged it and struck it again.  Before long, the light went out and Sandy stood down.  "See?  That wasn't so bad.  I can't believe you and SpongeBob were having problems."

"Well maybe you got lucky."

"Maybe you need more training.  Come on.  Let's get out of here before more show up.  The sooner I look into this, the better."  Patrick nodded and they ran back to their homes.  They would rest for the night and pick up where they left off, hoping to end what was starting.

Plankton laughed as he watched the short fight between his creation and the squirrel.  

"Man, that was easier than I thought."  He said as he looked at Karen's screen.  It read in big green letters, POWERS ASSIMILATED.  "I thought for sure I would have to hunt her down."

Karen spoke up, removing the lettering from her screen.  "I thought you were gonna put up more of a fight like last time."

"It's easier to get the squirrel to fight.  I needed flare with the dimwits to ensure I got their techniques!  With her, all I needed was an obstruction and an idiot to freak out!  Then just enough of a fight to get some response.

"Now, with their techniques copied, my army won't be stopped so easily anymore!  They will know every counter to every move every time!"  The green monster laughed again as the camera on the robot goes live again, catching Sandy and Patrick running away.  He rubbed his hands as he prepared the next phase of his plan.