When the ponies arrived back at the pineapple, Tropic sat by the window and waited for SpongeBob to come home all night, and the later it got, the more worried she became. What if SpongeBob was hurt?
What if he and Patrick were in some kind of trouble?
What if they never came back?
Sunny and her friends tried EVERYTHING to get Tropic to get away from the window and have some fun, but she seemed persistant to wait for SpongeBob to get home…
…and was persistant enough to wait all night until she fell asleep at the window.
When Sunny woke up the next morning and found her there, fast asleep with tears dried on her face, she knew that she had to do something. “Tropic…? Tropic… wake up.”
“Huh…?” Tropic yawned. “Sunny? What are you doing up?”
“You fell asleep here,” Sunny said, sitting beside her. “Were you waiting all night for SpongeBob?”
Tropic nodded slowly. “He usually tells me when he’ll be late… and he usually leaves me with Patrick and Arctic while he’s out. But… he never came back. What if something happened to him like something happened to my mom? What if… like her… he never comes back and leaves me alone again?”
Sunny felt her heart ache at that… Tropic was mortified at the thought of being left alone, like when their mother disappeared, leaving them with their abusive grandfather.
She had to find someway to ease the filly’s thoughts. “I don’t think SpongeBob would purposefully leave you alone,” she said, wrapping a hoof around the filly. “I’m sure there’s a good reason he never came home. Maybe he just fell asleep and wanted to get to work. Maybe we can start there… after I touch up your mane.”
“I don’t like anypony touching it… my grandpa always pulled it when he was scolding me,” Tropic admitted. “While Mama always combed it and took good care of it… he didn’t. He did Arctic that way too.”
“Pipp will do it if you ask her too. I’m sure she can even make you a brand new style you really like,” Sunny said. “Something to go with your little pendant. What do you think? Wanna let her try before we go check the Krusty Krab?”
Tropic looked down at her pendant with a worried look, but sighed and relented with a nod. “Okay… I guess I can try.”
After getting good and awake, Pipp was asked by Sunny to do Tropic’s mane, and immediately go to work. Turns out, Tropic loved having Pipp do her hair-- Pipp even had a star barrette to go with her pendant, and Tropic couldn’t stop looking at herself in the mirror.
She couldn’t wait to show it to SpongeBob.
XXXXXXXX
As the day continued, business began at the Krusty Krab 2. Mr. Krabs was on the lookout for new customers, spying on the town with a periscope. It was the start of a very busy day for the finest restaurant in Bikini Bottom… the second finest since the original.
At this moment, Mr. Krabs was teaching Squidward all the tricks of a manager. “Now, pay attention, Squidward,” Mr. Krabs informed. “As new manager, you’ve gotta keep a sharp eye out for paying customers.”
“Yawn,” Squidward spoke sarcastically. As Mr. Krabs peered through the periscope, an enlarged magenta eye peered back at him. “Hiya, Krabby Pants!”
Mr. Krabs gasped like a girl, dropping the periscope. In that moment, the office door swung open as the ponies and the sea-unicorn twins swam in. “Mr. Krabs, we need to speak to you,” Sunny said. “It’s about SpongeBob and what happened yesterday.”
“Sorry kids,” Mr. Krabs responded. “There’s a talking fee of about six bucks, plus tax, so... $6.28, if you please.”
This was enough to get Zipp to narrow her gaze and leap in front of him, her wing-like fins outstretched. “Listen, Mr. Self Absorbed, this is about Arctic and Tropic's caretakers, so if it's for them, I think you can make an exception for us, don’t you?”
“Uh… no problem, me dear,” Mr. Krabs responded nervously, and Zipp eventually backed down. “Sorry about that, Mr. Krabs, but we had to talk to you. Have you seen SpongeBob or Patrick?” Pipp asked. “They never came home last night, and the twins and us are getting worried.”
“Well, they're not here. SpongeBob never showed up. Where did ye leave ‘em last?” Mr. Krabs asked. “We were meeting them at Goofy Goobers, and they promised they’d be home before it got too late,” Hitch said. “And SpongeBob usually never breaks a promise.”
Squidward snorted slightly, which drew their attention towards him. “Well, there’s your problem right there,” he chuckled. “You left two of the biggest idiots in the entire town on their own. If I had to guess, they’re probably lost in the Kelp Forests, or got eaten by some sort of sea-bear, or something even more ridiculous than that.”
This caused the twins to whimper nervously at what fate could have seized their friends, and Misty and Izzy hugged them from behind to comfort them. “Ah don’t pay any attention to Mr. Squidward now,” Mr. Krabs gently assured the twins. “I’m sure they’ll turn up somewhere.”
He returned to his periscope, keeping a close watch for more customers. Suddenly, something caught his attention. “What’s this?” he questioned. “King Neptune and Queen Skygrace areriding right toward the Krusty Krab at lunchtime!”
“Uh-huh,” Squidward mumbled, unimpressed. At this point, Mr. Krabs whooped with delight, his eyes lit up with dollar
signs. “The king's got money!”
“That’s strange… Queen Skygrace hasn’t visited in a while,” Arctic mumbled. “Maybe she wants to check on us?”
“If it was me, I would have come alone and not brought the king along,” Zipp said. “Something isn’t right.”
Outside, King Neptune stepped down from his carriage and turned to Mindy, who had a worried expression plastered on her face. “Stay in the coach with Princess Riverstream, daughter,” he said with a glare. “This won’t take long.”
“Daddy, please. I think you’re overreacting,” Mindy tried to convince her father. “Silence, Mindy. I know what I’m doing.”
The king turned and-- WHAM-- walked straight into the Krusty Krab sign pole. “OW!!” he groaned in pain. “Squire!”
“Yes, Your Highness?” the squire asked. “Have this pole executed at once!”
“Queen Skygrace?”
The queen turned to see Sunny and Misty coming out of the restaurant, and Riverstream squealed upon seeing them. “YOU’RE BACK!!” she said, hugging them tightly. “How have you been? Where’s Opaline? Is she back yet? Can we kick her flank like last time?”
“Whoa, slow down for a second, River,” Sunny said. “What are you guys doing here with King Neptune?”
“It’s a bit of a situation, Sunny,” Queen Skygrace said, “and we don’t have a lot of time to explain. It’s… bad.”
“I’ll stay with Mindy,” Riverstream told her sister, and Sunny and Misty followed King Neptune and the hippogriff/seapony queen inside to see what the fuss was all about.
XXXXXXXX
Meanwhile, before the King entered the dining room, Mr. Krabs ran around the restaurant. At one point, he changed all the prices on the menu board. “A hundred and one dollars for a Krabby Patty?!” Zipp cried. “That’s price gauging!”
“It’s with cheese, Ms. Zipp,” Mr. Krabs stated. “With cheese.”
Just then, the squire walked inside the Krusty Krab 2, announcing Neptune’s arrival with a horn fanfare. “Prepare thy common selves for his majesty King Neptune, and queen of the hippogriffs, Queen Skygrace!”
King Neptune soon entered the restaurant, as all the patrons bowed their heads. “There he is, Squidward,” Mr. Krabs said, awestruck at King Neptune. “The richest undersea monarch the world has ever known.”
“Then why is he wearing a paper bag on his head?” Squidward asked quizzically. “Actually… that’s a good question,” Hitch frowned. “Queen Skygrace!” Zipp swam to the queen. “It’s nice to see you again. What brings you by?”
“It’s… difficult to explain without the king getting riled up,” Queen Skygrace admitted. “You’ll find out in a moment.”
“Greetings, subjects,” King Neptune said, in a kingly voice. “I seek the one known as Eugene Krabs. May he present himself to me at once!”
“I’m Eugene Krabs, Your Highness,” said Mr. Krabs. “Would you like to order something?”
“NAY!!” King Neptune roared angrily. “I’m on to you, Krabs! You have stolen the royal crown, you cannot deny!”
Thunder and lightning followed his each and every word., and the ling pointed his trident right at Mr. Krabs. “For, clever as you are, you left one damning piece of evidence at the scene of the crime!”
King Neptune held out the scroll, several words written in bold, which Sunny read out loud. “I stole your crown, signed Eugene Krabs?!”
“Relinquish the royal crown to me at once!” the king boomed. “But… But this is crazy!” Mr. Krabs stammered. “I didn’t do it!”
“Mr. Krabs may be a lot of things,” said Misty, “but he would never steal!”
“That’s what I tried to tell him, Misty,” Queen Skygrace said, “but he hasn’t listened to a word I said. I was hoping something here would convince him otherwise and we could continue the search.”
“Okay…” Pipp nodded slowly. “But like what?”
Just then, the phone rang and the answering machine picked up soon afterward. “Ahoy, this is Eugene Krabs,” the answering machine spoke in Mr. Krabs' voice. “Please leave a message.”
After the beep, a gruff voice began to talk from the speaker. “Hi, Mr. Krabs. This is Clay, the guy you sold Neptune’s crown to. Yeah, I just wanted to say thanks again for selling me the crown. You know… Neptune’s crown.”
Misty and Izzy shrieked at that, and Mr. Krabs frantically tried to shut off the machine, but it just kept going as King Neptune's gaze narrowed more and more. “I sold it to a guy in Shell City, and I just wanted to say thanks again for selling me the crown. Neptune's crown.”
“Oh, good grief,” Zipp muttered before she grabbed the phone cord in her teeth causing the phone to be unplugged. “...which is now in Shell City, goodbye,” the voice said before hanging up. When the group turned back, King Neptune’s face was consumed with rage as he heard every… single… word. “Heh heh heh…” Mr. Krabs chuckled with sweat pouring. “Don’t you just hate wrong numbers…?”
No one was prepared for what came next. “MY CROWN IS IN THE FORBIDDEN SHELL CITY?! WHAAAAAAA!!!” Neptune’s scream shook the very walls of Mr. Krab’s new restaurant, as the gang braced themselves from the shaking. At that exact moment, inside a phone booth on the other side of Bikini Bottom, Plankton listened with glee, as the results of the incriminating phone call went into effect. “Plan Z! I love Plan Z!”
The king screamed throughout the Krusty Krab 2 until he could bellow no more. He lowers his flame-throwing trident menacingly towards Mr. Krabs. “Prepare to burn, Krabs!”
“Wait, King Neptune!” Mr. Krabs pleaded. “Please, I’m begging you! I ain’t a crook! Ask anyone, they’ll vouch for me!”
“Very well then,” King Neptune agreed, lifting his trident. “Before I turn this conniving crustacean into fishmeal, who here has anything to say about Eugene Krabs?”
“We would!” Izzy volunteered, and was about to speak before the king glared down at the ponies. “Young travelers, as much as I appreciate your… enthusiasm, I’m looking for more… FISHY subjects to vouch for the criminal at large.”
“Oh, crud…” Hitch gulped. “Where are we gonna find someone to vouch for Mr. Krabs who won’t say the wrong thing just cause they’re terrified of the trident-wielding crab burner?!”
Suddenly, a loud belch turned all eyes toward the front door. There stood SpongeBob SquarePants, still slightly crazed from the night before and looking upset. “I’ve got something to say about Mr. Krabs!” he said as he staggered in through the door. “SpongeBob? Where have you been?!” Tropic said. “We’ve been worried sick about you!”
“I don’t think he’s in the state or mood to talk right now, little one,” Queen Skygrace said gently as the ponies swam to the side to avoid any damage this might cause. “SpongeBob, me boy, you’ve come just in time,” Mr. Krabs said in relief. “Please tell King Neptune all about me.”
“Oh no…” Sunny groaned. “I have a bad feeling about this.”
SpongeBob faced the king, clearing his throat before putting on his best smile. “I have worked for Mr. Krabs for many years. And always thought he was a great boss,” he slurred. “See?” Misty chuckled nervously. “A great boss!”
“I now realize that he's a great... big... JERK!!!” SpongeBob then shouted, which caught the group offguard. “I DESERVED THAT MANAGER'S JOB!! But you didn't give it to me, because you say I'm a... KID. Well, I am 100%... MAN! And this... MAN... has got something to say to you…”
With that, the sponge was giving Mr. Krabs the longest, nastiest, wet raspberry Bikini Bottom has ever seen. “There, I think I've made our point,” SpongeBob said calmly. King Neptune looked around, while Mr. Krabs, the queen, the Equestrians and the sea-unicorn twins there in complete shock. “Anyone else? No? Well, then…”
King Neptune lowered his crackling trident once more-- aiming right at Mr. Krabs when a bolt of lightning burst from Neptune’s trident and struck Mr. Krabs in the backside. “Ooh! Me pants are on fire!” Mr. Krabs screamed. “Me underwear’s on fire! I’M ON FIRE!!!”
“Misty, Izzy, Hitch, quick! Move that water tub over, fast!” Sunny ordered, and the three ponies used their tails to flick it over. Mr. Krabs quickly dove into the tub, immediately putting out the flames. King Neptune laughed, as he aimed his trident once again. “And now, Eugune Krabs, you… will…”
“WAIT!!”
Before the king could unleash another lightning bolt, SpongeBob SquarePants snapped out of his stupor and jumped onto the king's nose, confusing him. “I’m flattered you would do this on my account,” SpongeBob said. “But being manager isn’t worth killing Mr. Krabs over.”
“Quiet, fool!” the king commanded the sponge. “Mr. Krabs stole my crown, and now it’s in Shell City. That’s why he must die.”
“No offense, but doesn’t it seem harsh to kill someone over a crown?” Hitch asked. “You don’t understand,” Neptune shook his head. “My crown is a symbol of my king-like authority! And… between you and me… my hair is thinning a bit.”
“Thinning…? People’s hair can do that?” Arctic asked innocently, only for Tropic to shush her out of fear. “Oh, Your Highness, I’m sure it’s not that noticeable,” SpongeBob assured. The King considered SpongeBob’s words, and then, standing tall, Neptune pulled the paper bag off his head. The glare on his bald spot was so strong, it practically blinded everyone. Everyone in the restaurant, except the Equestrians, the queen and the twins pointed at the chrome dome, shouting ‘Bald!’ over and over while Neptune’s cheeks went red, and he quickly placed the bag back on his head. “All right, all right!”
“Well… that is a bit of a problem. But I’m sure it’s nothing we can’t find a solution for,” Sunny assured… just as SpongeBob came up with a solution. “King Neptune, sir? Would you spare Mr. Krabs’ life if the ponies and I went to get your crown back?”
“Huh?” Hitch and Misty blinked, but the others seemed to agree with the statement. “You all? Go to Shell City?!” Neptune bellowed before laughing. “No one who’s gone to Shell City has ever returned.”
“Um, your majesty? When you say ‘ever’ do you mean as a figure of speech or…?” Misty asked nervously. “I literally mean ‘ever’, period, full stop, exclamation point!” King Neptune said with loads of emphasis. “Besides, what chance would you all have? You’re just ponies and a kid.”
He quickly threw SpongeBob down, but Izzy was there to catch him as the group stood together. “Hey, these ponies can do quite a lot!” Zipp huffed. “And SpongeBob’s not a kid! We can do it if you just give us a chance!”
“Run along. I have a crab to cook.”
Then, once more, Neptune aimed his trident at Mr. Krabs, causing him to scream before SpongeBob ran to his defense. “NO!! I won't let you!”
“And neither will we!” Sunny declared, and the ponies, even the twins, stood in front of their friends “Very well then,” King Neptune replied. “I’ll punish you all!”
Hearing this made all of them scream in horror, and Neptune would have finished them off if Queen Skygrace hadn't interfered. “Neptune, stop it at once!” she growled. “These brave young ones are my friends, and more importantly, the twins are my subjects! We can’t do anything to them since they haven’t done ANYTHING to deserve it!”
“Who’s side are you on, Skygrace?” Neptune scowled. “Mine or the criminals’?!”
“She’s right, Daddy!” Mindy agreed as she and Riverstream came in. “Can’t you get through one day without executing someone?”
“Mindy, we told you both to stay in the carriage!” Neptune said to his daughter sternly. “We tried to, honestly,” Riverstream said. “But then you were about to cook my friends!”
“Where’s your love and compassion?” Mindy asked, picking SpongeBob up. “Look at this little guy. He’s willing to risk his life to find your crown and save his boss. And the ponies are willing to help, despite not being from here.”
“But daughter, I…”
“Please, Father? At least let them try,” Mindy said. “What have you got to lose? Might I remind you of your special problem?”
Mindy reached up and pulled the bag off her father’s head. The crowd of customers screamed ‘Bald! Bald!’ one of them even shouting ‘My eyes!’. “All right…” the king said. “Very well, girls. I’ll give them a chance. But when you little champions fail to return, I get to splatter this crab all over the walls!”
“Huh?!” the ponies gasped. “And as for you,” Neptune informed SpongeBob as the sponge, all the ponies and Mr. Krabs were backed into the wall. “Be back here with my crown in exactly ten days!”
“He can do it in nine!” Patrick Star entered and spoke up. Then, much to their horror, the day numbers got lower and lower. “Eight!” the king called. “Seven,” Patrick boasted. “Six!”
“PATRICK!!!” the group shouted, tackling him. On the ground, Mr. Krabs placed his claw over Patrick’s big mouth before he could make things worse. “Six it is, then,” the king commanded. “Fi-ve!” Patrick raspily spoke. “Patrick, shush!”
“Until then,” the ling continued, lifting his trident, “the crab shall remain frozen where he now stands!”
“No! Wait!” Mr. Krabs shouted, throwing his claws up. “I’m begging you--”
But it was too late... an icy ray blasted from Neptune’s trident, cooling the Krusty Krab 2’s dining room. “Humph, who turned on the AC?” Squidward asked. The, he spied Mr. Krabs-- only this time, his boss, standing in the midst of the chilly restaurant, was now encased in a block of ice. “Mr. Krabs!”
He hurried to Mr. Krabs’ side, pounding the ice imprisoning him. “Oh no, this is terrible! Who’s gonna sign my paycheck?”
“Huh… for a second there,” said Zipp, “I thought there was a hint of sympathy in that heart of his.”
“Come along, girls,” King Neptune turned on his heels, storming out the front door. But before they could leave, Mindy and the royal sisters approached the questing heroes before they left. “Listen, all of you,” Queen Skygrace said, “the road to Shell City is going to be more dangerous than our last adventure.”
“There’s crooks, killers and monsters everywhere!” Riverstream agreed. “Worse than Opaline and Burger Beard put together!”
“And what’s worse,” Mindy added, “there’s a giant Cyclops who guards the outskirts of the city and preys on innocent sea creatures! Don’t let him catch you, because if he does, he’ll take you back to his lair, and you’ll never be seen again!”
The twins and SpongeBob trembled at this while the ponies tried to remain calm themselves… and Patrick just stared at Mindy with a dumb look. “She’s purty, SpongeBob.”
“Here, take this,” Mindy said, handing them a sack. “What’s in here?” Misty wondered, and SpongeBob opened it, only to have a large gust of wind blow in their faces. “It’s a magical bag of winds,” Riverstream explained, tying the bag. “Mindy stole them from her father.”
“You’re hot!” Patrick told Mindy, and she choose to ignore that for now. “Once you find the crown, open the bag of wings and you’ll be blown back home.”
“Mindy!” King Neptune yelled from the carriage. “I’m coming!” Mindy called back, before facing the sponge. “Good luck, SpongeBob.”
“Wait! How did you know my name?” SpongeBob asked. “Mindy’s gonna be queen of the sea one day,” Riverstream said. “Skygrace and I told her all the names of our friends, and she’s memorized all the other sea creatures.”
“What’s my name?” Patrick spoke, raising an arm. “That’s easy,” Mindy replied. “You’re Patrick Star.”
Patrick’s cheeks turned red, as he blushed shyly from head to toe before laughing dorkily and fainting like a lovestruck fool. “MINDY!!!” the king roared. “I gotta go,” Mindy said, smiling. “I believe in you guys.”
“We all do,” Skygrace smiled and bowed her head before they left. “Thanks, your highnesses!” SpongeBob waved before turning back to his frozen boss. “Don’t worry, Mr. Krabs. The ponies, Patrick, Squidward and I--”
“Pass!” Squidward said, walking out the door, prompting SpongeBob to change his wording at the very last second. “Eh, ah… the ponies, Patrick and I--”
“Hi!” Patrick waved before SpongeBob finished speaking. “--are gonna get that crown back and save you from Neptune’s wrath. You’ve got nothing to worry about. Your life is in our hands.”
Mr. Krab’s frozen face looked down at them. Even through the thick layer of magical ice, they could hear the restaurant owner groan. “Are you sure we’re ready for this?” Tropic asked. “I-I don’t know how I feel about monsters and a cyclops…”
“Trust us, Tropic, we have to go,” Zipp said. “Otherwise this town is gonna burn with Mr. Krabs and us in it!”
“Well… I guess so…” Arctic said, and this fueled the group’s determination. “All right, guys!” Sunny said. “Let’s go get that crown!”
Everyone rushed to the back of the building, where SpongeBob unlocked a secret door behind the deep fryer. The door swung open and they leapt onto the poles and flew down the slides. A full minute later, all of them were in Mr. Krab’s secret basement. Eventually, SpongeBob led his friends through another hidden door into another dark room. “Feast your eyes, my friends.”
Flipping on the lights, the group’s eyes pop out at the sight before them: a vehicle built to resemble, if not look like, a Krabby Patty. “What is it?” Patrick asked. “The Patty Wagon,” Bella replied. “Mr. Krabs uses it for promotional reasons. Let me show you some of its features…”
As they step around the giant burger wagon, SpongeBob pointed out and explains all the details. “Sesame-seed finish, steel-belted pickles, grilled-leather interior. And under the hood, a fuel-injected French-fryer with dual overhead grease traps!”
“Wow…” the others and Patrick muttered. “Yeah, wow,” SpongeBob nodded, but then Zipp noticed something. “Hey… what about us? There’s only room for you and Patrick!”
“Lucky for us…” SpongeBob said, pressing a button and letting another cart, shaped like a sub sandwich, to pop out the back. “We have this extra carrying wagon!”
“Awesome!” Hitch laughed, and everyone hopped in and buckled their seatbelts just as Patrick realized something. “Hey! I thought you didn’t have a driver’s license.”
“You don't have a license?” Zipp blinked. “Eh… It’s a long story…” SpongeBob replied. “Fortunately, you don’t need a license to drive a sandwich.”
SpongeBob turned the ignition key of the Patty Mobile, in which case it’s a spatula. The fryer under the hood boils, the smell of French Fries shoots out the exhaust pipe. Then, the vehicles of choice roared up the exit ramp, as the garage door opened. Sesame seeds flew everywhere, the Patty Wagon flying through the back of the Krusty Krab 2, the ponies and sea-unicorns smiling and holding on for their lives, shouting alongside their friends. “Shell City, here we come!”
Then SpongeBob pressed the Patty Wagon’s fuel pedal to the grilled leather floor. In a cloud of sand, gravel and the Patty Wagon hurtled down the roadway at top speed as the road to Shell City officially began.