> Cinematic Adventures: The Spongebob Squarepants Movie
>  by extremeenigma02
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Queen Novo’s Dilemma
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

On a beautiful summer day in Equestria, a calm, gentle breeze whisked through the air and the cool blue ocean waves crashed against the shore of the beach. The Mane Six, including Spike, laid upon their beach towels. Taking advantage of this rare opportunity to just relax and enjoy the warm rays of Celestia’s sun shining brightly overhead. After all the adventures they’ve been through over the past few months, exploring different worlds apart from their own, it was nice for this group of friends to enjoy the beauty of the beach. Following the events of their previous adventure, the Equestria that they knew had changed to some degree.

When Erik and his minions (Dr. Gangle, Mr. Squelch, and Ms. Fleck) returned with them from Paris, it took a while for them to get fully acquainted with their new pony life. Learning how to live a life as ponies had it’s differences opposed to their human upbringing. Erik, especially, had to learn how to use his new unicorn magic, which fortunately improved after a few lessons from his beloved wife, the divine fashionista Mrs. Rarity.

Speaking of which, three months after their arrival, Erik and Rarity married in a beautiful ceremony in Canterlot. They had just recently returned from their honeymoon in Manehattan, known for its amazing fashion line and the greatest shows in Bridleway, especially musicals. The girls were especially glad Rarity could come with them today. After all, since Rarity and Erik had married, it became exceedingly difficult to find time to spend together.

But today, however, Erik had work to do at the Canterlot Opera House and he insisted that Rarity should have fun with her friends. This was another notable change upon their arrival: Princess Celestia gave Erik a job as the new director of the Canterlot Opera House, which was undoubtedly the perfect fit for him. Having practically ran an opera house in Paris, though never the true technical director, Erik was the most qualified. Fortunately, Ms. Fleck, Mr. Squelch, and Dr. Gangle were there to assist him with the ever-increasing workload, this way Erik and Rarity could always spend as much time together possible.

Today, however, even though Rarity enjoyed her company with Erik, she was most happy to be back with her friends. In a matter of speaking, it felt just like the good old days when they were much younger ponies.

You’re making them sound like they’re in their forties or something.

Just wait, my friend… Just wait…

“So… How was your honeymoon in Manehattan?” Twilight asked, curiously.

Rarity smiled, as she adjusted her sunglasses to peer over and look into her friends’ eyes.

“Oh, it was simply beyond magical, darling,” Rarity replied, sighing happily. “I almost didn’t want it to end.”


“Yeah, I bet you didn’t,” Rainbow smirked, suggestively.

“Oh my…” Fluttershy gasped, blushing madly.

“Nice goin’, Rainbow,” Applejack shook her head. “Now ya’ll gone and made poor Fluttershy blush.”

“I didn’t hear her deny it…” Rainbow chuckled.

“Oh come now, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity scolded, playfully. “No need to have such thoughts.”


“No kidding!” Pinkie agreed. “Although… That reminds me of the time Cheesy and I were rolling dough for this huge bake sale we were going to have last week. Then next thing you know, we’re—”

Twilight Sparkle knew where the story was going, quickly interjecting, and placing her hoof over Pinkie’s muzzle.

“Whoa now! No need to bring anything like that up girls. This is supposed to be a nice day at the beach, remember?”

“Yeah, not to mention there are children present,” Spike added.


“Oh, don’t be so hard on yourself little dude,” Rainbow teased. “Least we let you swim without floaties.”


“… Not ME! Them!”

Spike raised his claw toward the side, as the girls turned. Speaking of which, just a short distance away along the beach, there were three well known little girls: Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo, collectively known as the Cutie Mark Crusaders. There they were, frolicking and splashing in the cool, yet refreshing water. They laughed as they played, splashing each other over a game of water tag, just three kids having a grand old time.

“Yah know ya’ll,” Apple Bloom said, with a smile. “I gotta say this may just be the perfect day!”

“Yeah no kidding,” Scootaloo agreed. “Anytime I get to hang out with Rainbow Dash is awesome in my book.”

“It’s nice to be able to get out and have fun with Rarity,” Sweetie Belle added. “And not have to worry about screwing up something huge when she’s working.”

“Don’t it kinda upset ya at all, now that she don’t have much time for ya’ll anymore?” Apple Bloom asked, seriously. “Especially since she got married and all?”


“No, not at all,” Sweetie Belle smiled, quickly shaking her head. “In fact, I think it’s really cool having a brother-in-law. Erik is always there to keep me company while Rarity is working. Plus, he’s been teaching me how to sing.”

As a matter of fact, everything she said was true. Over the last few months, Sweetie Belle and Erik became the best of friends. Erik was able to help her with her homework when she needed it, it also helped that he was a genius. He even play with her when she wanted to have a little fun and shared pleasant conversations to help her through some difficult times when she was upset. To say the least, Sweetie Belle and Erik were just as inseparable as he was with Rarity.

Of course, not the same way, but still…

Would you stop that?

“You know what bugs me?” Scootaloo asked.

Her fellow crusaders lean close to her, showing they were listening intently.

“The fact they’ve been on four new journeys so far and they never invite us along!”

“Yeah, ah gotta say it is kinda disappointing,” Apple Bloom nodded. “I get left behind when mah sister’s off havin’ amazin’ adventures!”

“Yeah me too,” Sweetie Belle sighed. “I mean don’t get me wrong, it’s a good thing we’re able to avoid all the problems they’ve dealt with. But still, I wish we could go along sometimes and not just watch like spectators.”

BELCH!

Suddenly, the cutie mark crusaders turn as Spike gave a huge blech, blasting green fire. Out from the flames, a royal scroll with Princess Celestia’s seal emerged. Spike caught the scroll in his tiny claws before handing it over to Twilight Sparkle, who grabbed it with her magic. She unrolls the scroll, looking over the message as the rest of her friends waited in anticipation.

“What does Princess Celestia need help with now?” Spike asked.

Twilight looks over the scroll, with a confused look on her face.

“It says she needs us to travel to Seaquestria,” Twilight explained. “We are to meet with Queen Nova regarding their ancient pearl.”

“Seaquestria?” Every pony asked, in unison.

“Wonder what’s wrong down there?” Applejack wondered.

“Indeed, last time we were there the Queen banished us,” Rarity pointed out. “All because Twilight attempted to steal the pearl.”


“At the time, I thought it was the only way to save Equestria,” Twilight groaned.

“So, why would the Queen want us to come back all of a sudden?” Pinkie asked, curiously.

“I have no idea. But we better get going and find out.”

Unbeknownst to all of them, the three little fillies had been listening to the entire conversation and they all squeaked quietly to each other. Finally, this could very well be their one chance they were looking for. As the girls and Spike gathered up their belongings, preparing to leave, the Crusaders gallop toward them with huge smiles on their faces.

“Can we go too?!” They asked together.

“I think maybe it’d be best if ya’ll just head back tah Ponyville,” Applejack shook her head. “Fur safety.”

“Aww, come on Applejack!” Apple Bloom frowned. “We wanna help too!”

“I’m afraid Applejack may be right girls,” Twilight told them. “These adventures can get very dangerous; we don’t want anything bad to happen to any of you.”

“I must wholeheartedly agree with Twilight, Sweetie Belle,” Rarity nodded. “I couldn’t bare the thought if something awful happened to you. Why, I’d never live with myself.”

Rarity pulled her little sister toward her with a big hug, which Sweetie Belle tried to squirm out of. Finally, Rarity let go and Sweetie back up to stand by her friends.

“Rarity, we’re not little fillies anymore,” Sweetie argued. “We can do more than help.”


“I’m sorry girls, but I just don’t think it’s a good idea,” Twilight concluded.

The little fillies look toward the ground sadly, slowly starting to walk away.

“Alright then,” Apple Bloom said, sadly. “Guess we’ll just go on home.”


“It would just be nice to be treated like big ponies for a change,” Sweetie added. “Actually getting the chance to prove how helpful we are.”

“But I guess no matter what happens, every pony sees us as just three helpless little fillies who can’t care for themselves,” Scootaloo said, dejectedly.

In one final act of desperation, all three turned simultaneously and gave the biggest puppy dog eyes and quivering lips they could muster. The girls tried their best to look away, determined not to give in.


“Now Apple Bloom, you know that ain’t gonna work on me,” Applejack said.

“And Sweetie Belle, you know perfectly well how I feel about you trying to persuade me like that,” Rarity added.

Slowly, they all start to turn their heads and the fillies were not letting up. Their sad puppy eyes seemed to grow bigger; so much, they even started to whimper a bit.

Sweet Celestia, they don’t make it easy do they?

Yeah… We all knew this was coming…

“Alright, alright fine!” Twilight finally relented. “You can come!”

The three fillies cheered in joy, as they leapt into the air and placed their hooves in the center, for dramatic effect.

“Cutie Mark Crusaders to the rescue!” They cheered together.

<> 

Not too long after, the Mane Six, Spike, and the CMC paddled their way out into the deep waters of the sea. Once in position, Twilight pulls out a large conch shell.

“Alright, every pony ready?” Twilight asked the group.

They all nod in agreement, as Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash all turn toward the Crusaders.

“Now remember girls,” Rarity instructed. “No matter what happens, you three stay by our sides at all times.”


“We ain’t lettin’ ya’ll outta our sights,” Applejack added. “So no funny business ya hear?”

“Otherwise, you’ll get one hay of a flank-kicking from yours truly,” Rainbow threatened. “Even you squirt.”

The crusaders all nod their heads quickly. With that said, Twilight put her lips upon the conch and gave a big blow. The conch let out a loud horn that rippled the water. Not a moment later, a certain sea pony princess breached the surface of the water. When she saw who blew the conch, a loud gasp escaped her lips, her eyes widen with the biggest smile, and gave the group a massive hug.


“TWILIGHT! GIRLS!” She said, excitedly. “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh it’s so good to see you guys again!”

“You… Forgot… Me…!” Spike groaned.

“Oh of course, I never forget you little fella!” The sea pony said, still hugging. “You’re still so adorable, even as a little dragon!”

“It’s good to see you too, Skystar,” Twilight wheezed.

“Now could you kindly let us go darling?” Rarity begged. “I think my lung’s about to break!”

Princess Skystar quickly let the group go, giving them a moment to take a huge breath and crack a few bones back into place.

“Oops, I’m so sorry about that,” Skystar apologized. “It’s just been forever since you guys have been here. I really wanted to greet you properly.”


“By nearly crushing us?” Rainbow asked.

Twilight gave Rainbow a little tap upside the head, shaking her own as a way to say, ‘Keep quiet’.

“So anyway, what seems to be the big problem, Skystar?” Twilight asked.

“I think that’ll be best for my mom to explain to you. We need to get back to the kingdom at once.”


“Well, we’re ready whenever you are.”

Skystar nodded, slowly sinking below the surface of the sea. The group held their breath for a moment and followed closely. Skystar pulled out a bubble, filled with magic from their ancient peal. She quickly popped the bubble, allowing the magic to swirl around the entire group. When it finished, their hind legs and tail were gone, replaced with fish tails.

“I will never get over how simply divine these tails are, darling,” Rarity said, giddily hugging her tail.

“Not to mention, STILL SO AWESOME!” Scootaloo yelled happily, swimming a few loops.

“Well, we best be on our way,” Skystar said, urgently. “Mother is waiting anxiously for all of you.”

The group follow the sea pony princess, as she led them across the sea towards her kingdom. Soon enough, they came upon the kingdom of Seaquestriaa and they couldn’t help but stare in awe at all the sea ponies swimming by. Every time they visited this undersea world, it’s more amazing than the last time.

Skystar led them to the giant undersea palace, home to her mother, Queen Novo. They passed through the halls, toward the throne rom. A very nervous looking Queen of the Sea Ponies floated about, as though she were pacing back and forth.

“Mother!” Skystar announced. “I’ve brought Twilight Sparkle and the rest of the Elements!”

Queen Novo turns toward her daughter and the elements, as well as three little sea fillies floating in her direction. Seeing them approach made her breathe a sigh of relief.

“Thank goodness you are all here,” Novo sighed.

“So, what do you require from us your majesty?” Twilight asked.

“Something terrible has occurred here just yesterday. I need all of you to help us rectify it today.”


“What exactly happened?”

“Some pony stole the sacred pearl!” Novo stated.

The entire group gasped, both in surprise and terror. The pearl itself supplied Seaquestria with its power. If the pearl was stolen or fell in the wrong hooves, or worse, that meant big trouble for the entire kingdom.

“Now who in their right mind would steal the pearl?” Applejack asked.

“You know aside from—”

Pinkie Pie pulled out a giant foam finger, pointing toward Twilight as she whispered. Novo growled, glaring toward the lavender colored pony princess. She remembered far too well the last encounter she had with this group, especially her. Twilight chuckled nervously, as she pulled the foam finger off Pinkie’s hoof and shoved it in her mouth to keep her quiet.

“What Pinkie means to say your majesty is do you know who took the pearl?” Twilight asked, nervously.

Novo glared for a few moments before she finally relents, looking off toward the open ocean.

“All we know is that the perpetrator looked to be a filly. With pink fur and a bluish gray mane.”


The group turned toward each other, as they had a pretty good idea who she was referring to.


“COZY GLOW!” They all said.

“But what would she even want with the pearl?” Fluttershy whispered.

“I have no idea,” Twilight answered. “But whatever it is, I can guarantee it’s not good.”

“What do we do?” Sweetie Belle asked.

Twilight thought for a moment when an idea popped in her head. She turns back toward the Queen and slowly floats toward her.

“Your majesty, my friends and I have encountered this adversary you speak of before,” Twilight explained. “I believe we can help you get the pearl back.”

Novo slowly turned back toward Twilight, pondering for a moment. Indeed, the Elements of Harmony are more than capable of handling this situation of theirs, no matter the problem. She could only hope whatever they planned could work.

“I don’t exactly how you plan to follow her,” Novo said, uncertain. “The last we saw of her, she jumped through a portal during her escape.”

“Well, that’s simple actually,” Twilight assured. “I can use my magic to reopen whichever portal she jumped through and we’ll follow her through there. Once we do, we’ll bring her down and recover the pearl. She won’t even see it coming!”

Queen Novo though the plan over for a brief moment before she eventually sighed and decided to agree.  After all she didn’t have much of a choice.

“Alright, I’m entrusting all of you to track down the pearl and return it to us safely.  The very future of Seaquestria itself rests on your success.  Don’t make me regret this decision”

Twilight nodded as she sparked up her horn with her magic and shot a beam of light into an open area of water.  In doing so, it created a swirling portal of color and light.  The group of the Mane Six, Spike, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders all stared at it before they slowly entered into it one by one.  No pony knew exactly where this new journey would take them.  All they knew was that where ever they were going, adventure awaits.


> Bikini Bottom
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ahh… Bonjour, salut, and welcome to this quiet corner of the ocean floor, teeming with all the many kinds of undersea life. It is here we find the sub-marine habitat known as… Bikini Bottom. Let us observe now as the sun rises on a new nautical day. Here, we see an ordinary cluster of kelp. And here… A common clumping of coral. And here…

HEY BUDDY! Hold everything!

Uh… Who are you?

We’re the two narrators of this rendition!

Now see here monsieur. I’ve been narrating these parts for many years. That title goes to moi.

Why don’t you speak English pal…!

Now, now, now! Let’s not start another war! We are very sorry sir. We’re part of the Cinematic Adventures narrating team, perhaps a collaboration is in order?

Hmm… Well if you must insist.

*Motions the first narrator to the second*

American…?

Yes…

Well, this ought to be good… Let’s proceed:

A mass amount of bubbles explode throughout the clear blue water, as the portal opened. Out from this portal swam a group of multi-colored sea ponies and a pufferfish. Twilight emerged first, followed by Spike, the rest of the Mane Six, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Having never gone through a portal through the water before, they hurdled out the other side like torpedoes fired from a submarine.

CRASH!!!

The group dive headfirst into the sand below, groaning in pain. They all sat up, some with large amounts of sand spilling out of their mouths. 

“Is every pony okay?” Twilight groaned.

“When I can finally feel my face again, you’ll know,” Rainbow replied, feeling her face. “Nope… Nothing.”

“Is that what it’s like going through a portal all the time?” Scootaloo asked, shaking off the dizziness.

“Not usually darling,” Rarity replied. “Normally landings are much smoother and less painful.”

The group slowly pick themselves off the ground, as they continue to groan pain. As their eyes look ahead of them, they widen at the odd sight before them. There, nestled on a giant sand bed, laid what looked like a tiny town. There appeared to be some giant anchor in the middle, as well as a lighthouse and large propeller. The entire place looked as if it were made of junk thrown carelessly in the ocean, in a manner of speaking.



They all look toward each other in confusion, before floating toward the little sign attached to a stick, which appeared to look reminiscent of a life preserver. They read out the name of the town imprinted on it, and a rather odd name is was.

“’Bikini Bottom’?” Rainbow questioned.

“And some ponies think the names of our towns and cities sound weird,” Apple Bloom remarked.

“Now who in the world would name a town after a piece of swimwear?” Rarity asked.

“And why the bottom part?” Spike added.

Probably because if it were named for the top part, it wouldn’t really be a kid show.

… Okay, what is his problem?

Don’t ask… 

Ignoring her friends for a moment, Twilight Sparkle took the time to scope out the entire landscape of the ocean floor. Aside from the town, there was hardly anything out of the ordinary. Nothing but sand, rocks, and coral stretching for miles in every direction. 

“Why would Cozy Glow come here of all places?” Twilight wondered.

“Um, excuse me, Twilight,” Fluttershy spoke up. “I apologize for bothering you, but I was wondering what the next step of our plan is.”

“Well, it looks as if this little town is the only place we can go for the time being,” Twilight answered.

“I reckon we oughtta head down there, see if any of the locals can help us,” Applejack suggested.

“I just hope they don’t mind that we’re sea ponies,” Sweetie Belle said.

With Twilight taking the lead, the group swam towards the cozy little town. As they drew nearer, they noticed the few buildings residing just along the outskirts of town. Well, perhaps not buildingsper say: A singular rock, a Tiki house, and for some reason one house resembled a pineapple. Just seeing this particular house left them with many questions.

“Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?” Twilight asked, curiously.

“Beats me,” Rainbow Dash said, scratching her neck. “How do you even live in a pineapple in the first place?”

“Ah know what ya mean, Rainbow,” Applejack agreed, shaking her head. “Our farm’s called Sweet Apple Acres and all, but even we don’t live in no giant apple.”

“Yah can say that again, sis,” Apple Bloom nodded.

“I guess we may as well see if anyone’s home,” Twilight smiled. 

Twilight swam toward the pineapple house, as all her friends followed. When they arrived at the door, Twilight extended her hoof and gave a few knocks at the door. 

And here, this fruit is home to one of the most fascinating sea creatures of all. Aplysina fistularis—

What?

The yellow sponge!

“Oh hello!” He said, kindly.

The girls and Spike had to pick their jaws off the ground when they noticed who the inhabitant of this house was. Standing before them was a squishy, yellow sponge dressed in a nice white shirt and red tie. He wore brown square-shaped pant, complete with white songs and black shoes. He had a big happy grin on his face, which showcased his two buck teeth. After a moment of shock and confusion, Twilight finally said something.

“Oh—Well um—Hello there,” Twilight spoke, nervously.

“Wow, this is a fun surprise!” The sponge giggled. “Not every day I get sea horses knocking on my door; hmm, never met a talking sea horse though. Well, I used to have this one pet sea horse named Mystery… But that’s a long story.”

“Actually Mr. Talking Sponge, sir, we’re actually sea ‘ponies’,” Pinkie corrected, with a smile. “But it’s a common mistake. Anyway, I’m Pinkie Pie and we only just met but would you want to be friends with me?”

Pinkie Pie extends a hoof to shake his hand, the Sponge eagerly shook her hand so fast and they shook so hard the ocean began to swirl.

“Sure, I’d like to be your friend missy,” The sponge replied, happily. “I’m always glad to welcome new friends. And who are you guys?”

Once the two finally stopped, the group decided that this was indeed a good idea for introductions.

“Well sir, my name is Twilight Sparkle,” Twilight introduced, turning to Pinkie. “You already met Pinkie Pie.”

“The name’s Rainbow Dash,” Rainbow slid in, bragging. “Equestria’s fastest flier ever!”

“I’m Applejack, pleasure to meet ya,” Applejack tipped her hat.

“My name is Rarity, charmed to meet you,” Rarity bowed, gracefully.

“A-And I’m Fluttershy,” Fluttershy whispered, very quietly.

“I’m Spike,” The little dragon-turned-pufferfish introduced.

Soon it was the Cutie Mark Crusaders turn, as they swam up to greet the talking sponge with a wave.

“We’re Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo,” They introduced, in unison. “And we’re the Cutie Mark Crusaders!”

The sponge let out a very giddy, happy laugh after such an introduction.



“Well, it’s very nice to meet you all,” The sponge said. “My name is SpongeBob SquarePants; you can call me SpongeBob.”

“Wow, cool name!” Scootaloo complimented.

“Would you like to come in?” SpongeBob invited. 

The group nodded and SpongeBob leads them inside his home. From the inside, no one could tell this place was actually some fruit on the outside. It actually resembled a house complete with a living room, a kitchen, a bathroom, and just about everything a regular house needs. The group were amazed at it all.

“So, what brings you all to Bikini Bottom?” SpongeBob asked.

“Well, you see Mr. SquarePants…” Twilight began.

“Oh no, no, no, no. Please just ‘SpongeBob’ will do. Mr. SquarePants is my father, he’s a very nice guy.”

“Oh yes, of course,” Twilight chuckled. “Anyways… ‘SpongeBob’, we’re trying to find something very important for the underwater kingdom of our homeland’s Equestria. Seaquestria, to be specific.”

SpongeBob squinted as he rubbed his chin with his little yellow hand. Clearly he never heard of a place called Equestria before, certainly never met talking sea ponies either. Then again, with all the number of fish and odd creatures the sea has to offer, he really wasn’t all too surprised.

“Sorry, but I never heard of an Equestria before,” He remarked. “Not even a ‘Seaquestria’ before, but it sounds lovely. I should book a vacation there.”

“Well… That’s going to be tough,” Twilight replied, with a shrug. “It’s in an entirely different world… Or dimension.”

“Huh, that makes sense… No wonder I never heard of it. Any who, how did you gets even get here?”

“To make a long story short: An old enemy of ours stole a very important artifact from the underwater kingdom, the Queen entrusted us to get it back by opening a portal to this place.”

“Whoa…” SpongeBob gasped, surprised. “So… Since you’re here, do you guys have any place to stay?”

The group just shook their heads ‘no’. SpongeBob looked around his pineapple, before turning back toward the group with a big smile on his face.

“Well, I don’t know about any old enemies coming in these parts,” SpongeBob began. “But you’re more than welcome to stay here with me until we find that important artifact of yours. Then we’ll see about getting you guys back home.”

The CMC all got huge smiles on their faces, as they swam up toward SpongeBob.

“You really mean that?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“I sure do! It’s friends do for each other.”

“Ya’ll already see us as friends?” Apple Bloom smiled.

“Of course! As I said, I love making new friends in Bikini Bottom.”

The CMC all squealed in delight, as they hugged SpongeBob so tightly his head practically inflated from the pressure. But the little sea sponge giggled, as he hugged them back before they let go and SpongeBob resumes his normal shape.

“Say, how’s about I give you the grand tour of Bikini Bottom?!” SpongeBob offered.

“That would be wonderful, SpongeBob!” Fluttershy smiled.

“And super-duper helpful in our adventure too!” Pinkie added.

“Hmm… There’s only way to do this properly,” SpongeBob thought, scratching his head.

“In what way is that darling?” Rarity asked.

“… In song form!”

SpongeBob bounds up the stairs to his bedroom, as the rest of the group quickly follows him. Once he lands on his bed, he springs toward the ceiling bursting into a cheery song.



SpongeBob then lands on his feet just inches from the group.  A little blue snail with a pinkie shell with a purple swirl slithers up toward the bed where a little food bowl rested. This was Gary the Snail, who gave a cute little ‘meow’ like a cat, as SpongeBob heads down the kitchen to grab some snail food. Fluttershy, meanwhile, fawns over Gary and his cuteness.

“Aww, such a cue little snail. Yes, you are. Yes, you are!”

Gary smirked and started to purr as Fluttershy hugged him. SpongeBob then grabs a can of Gary’s favorite food as the CMC watch him at work.  SpongeBob gives a salute to the girls, who salutes back. Then he grabs the can opener and starts to open the can, swirling it while wiggling his hips.


After getting the can open, SpongeBob does a little dance with a laugh as he takes a scoop of the food onto a nearby spatula.  SpongeBob flips the lump of Gary’s food, sending it high into the air and it lands directly into Gary’s bowl with a splat. The little snail happily eats vigorously as SpongeBob hands Apple Bloom the spatula, as she waves it like an orchestra conductor.

As he sings, SpongeBob stretches his hand all the way across his home toward the bathroom. He then pulls his arm back, clutching a toothbrush, which he uses to brush Gary’s eyes much to Twilight’s surprise. When he’s done, he hands the toothbrush over toward Apple Bloom as she danced by… More like ‘floated’ by.

The group follow SpongeBob out of his house, as he starts to walk down the road. But first, he comes to a stop in front of the big rock. The rock itself slowly rose up until it laid on its side, as a single pink starfish, wearing green trunks, with purple splotches lying lazily on the bottom. This was Patrick Star, SpongeBob’s best friend in the whole ocean.

“Good morning, Patrick!” SpongeBob greeted cheerily.

“Is it morning already?” Patrick yawned.

“It sure is buddy and I’d like to introduce you to some new friends!”

Patrick leapt off the bottom of his rock, tumbling in front of SpongeBob and the girls.

“Patrick, this is Twilight, Rainbow, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Spike, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. Ladies… And gentleman, this is my best buddy Patrick!”

The group wave at the pink starfish, who upon seeing them, grew a huge smile and ran forth to hug them all in a bone-crushing embrace.

“Oh, it’s so exciting to meet new friends!” Patrick said, happily.

The group, aside from Pinkie, groaned at the force the way Patrick hugged them. When he finally put them down, they all took heavy breaths as Twilight helped them mend their broken bones.

“Yep, and I’m singing an opening number!” SpongeBob smiled.

“Ooh, ooh! I want a verse!” Patrick said, excited. “I want a verse!”

Patrick sits on his couch, trying to dance while seated. Then he grabs the remote control from behind his back.  Mid-verse, Patrick changes the channels with the remote control, which made funny audio effects.

“No, Patrick, it’s a beautiful day!” SpongeBob corrected.

“And a lot of things rhyme with rock, silly!” Pinkie giggled.

“I don’t think so,” Patrick shook his head.

“Oh absolutely,” Twilight nodded. “Clock, smock, electroshock…”

Suddenly, Rainbow Dash, SpongeBob, and Scootaloo gasp.

“Pop n’lock!” They said in unison.

The ponies and Spike join SpongeBob in an impromptu dance break, with Patrick and Rainbow Dash beatboxing. Just then, from out of the tiki house emerged a tall blue squid with a huge nose and wearing a tan shirt. He had a blank, bored look on his face, as he emerged from his house looking over his two neighbors.

“Would you two please keep it down?” He spoke.

“Good morning, Squidward!” SpongeBob and Patrick waved.

“Another day, another migraine…”

“It’s a great day, Squidward,” SpongeBob ensures. “In fact, I’d say this could be the best day ever!”

“You say that every day,” Squidward grumbled.

“And it’s always true! Bye, Patrick!”

Patrick waves goodbye to SpongeBob, as the latter locks arms at Squidward and smiles. The ponies and Spike couldn’t help but giggling.

“I’ll see you at work, Squidward.”

“What have I done to deserve this?”

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Squidward sir!” Fluttershy said, politely.

“Charmed…”

As the group follow SpongeBob down the road towards Bikini Bottom, they couldn’t help but think back to what Squidward sang of SpongeBob and Patrick. He didn’t seem to like them that much, even though they seem to be two of the sweetest creatures they’ve ever met.

“Hey SpongeBob!” Twilight called.

“Yeah, Twilight?” SpongeBob replied.

“Why does Squidward talk down to you guys like that? He doesn’t seem very nice at all.”

“Oh, that’s just Squidward being Squidward,” SpongeBob giggled. “Don’t worry, he’s not always this bad… Usually, he’s a lot worse.”

Twilight and the others turned to each other, as if that were crazy. Back in Equestria, that sort of rubbish would never fly at all. Nevertheless, they just let it go and continue to follow SpongeBob down the road.

We now follow SpongeBob past the treedome; home to a creature seldom seen here on the ocean floor: A squirrel.

*First narrator is hit with a image of a squirrel* Hey!

From Texas…

*A cowboy hat falls on the other narrator’s head* Hey, my favorite color!

Soon enough, they heard a loud explosion and they turn towards a giant tree dome, as a creature emerged from the entrance. Dressed in a suit that resembled an astronaut’s, but for the ocean, this was Sandy Cheeks, Bikini Bottom’s resident genius and yes, a squirrel. They arrived just as she was hard at work on her latest invention: A jet pack.

“Hiya, Sandy!” SpongeBob greeted.

“Howdy, SpongeBob!” Sandy waved.
Sandy adjusts the jetpack along her back.  The ponies and Spike clap after hearing that impressive high note. The squirrel genius turns toward the group, taken aback by this strange presence.

“What in chicken-fried tarnation are you?” Sandy asked.

“Pleased to meet you, Sandy was it?” Twilight replied, nodding. “Anyways, I’m Twilight Sparkle and these are my friends: Spike, Rainbow, Rarity, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Applejack.”

“Howdy ma’am,” Applejack tipped her hat.

“Pleased to meet ya,” Apple Bloom added.

“Hey! I recognize that slang anywhere!” Sandy gasped, excited. “I reckon you girls from Texas too!”

“Well, not in those words exactly,” Applejack shrugged.

“It’s kinda a long story,” Apple Bloom replied.

“Well, I sure’d like to hear it while you’re in town,” Sandy replied, then realizing. “’Scuse me, folks. Gotta get back to work on this here jetpack. Bye, SpongeBob!”

“Bye Sandy!” SpongeBob waved. “I’m off to work too, at the greatest restaurant there is!”

While Sandy Cheeks heads back into her tree dome, SpongeBob leads his friends as they continue to Bikini Bottom.

<>

Meanwhile, on one part of the road, there are two restaurants sitting practically across from another, the street in between. One was called the Krusty Krab, the sign on a burger, and the other had ‘Chum Bucket’ written on a ‘literal’ bucket shaped restaurant.

Ah yes, the Krusty Krab, Bikini Bottom’s most popular dining establishment, home to the Krabby Patty.

*The two narrators see a Krusty Krab appear* Ooh…

Owned and operated by Mr. Eugene Krabs.

Emerging from the restaurant is Eugene Krabs, or simply ‘Mr. Krabs’ himself. Short, red, and overweight with tall eyestalks, a crinkled red-brown nose, large claws, and short, pointy legs with spikes visible from the back of the neck. He wore a light blue shirt and purple pants with a black belt.

And across town, the least popular restaurant – the Chum Bucket, run by Sheldon J. Plankton.

Sheldon J. Plankton appears overlooking Krabs from the window through a telescope. As his name suggests, he’s a tiny planktonic copepod who can fit in the palm of one’s hand. He has stubby appendages and one yellow eye with a red pupil. He has two long, skinny antennae with four small green spikes sticking out and one thick black eyebrow. It should be noted he has no ears or nose, nor even fingers or toes. 

Hmm… Pint size.

Shh… *French narrator continues* Two arch-nemeses locked in a fast food Cold War.

Suddenly, a mobile computer screen with a thin line strolls toward Plankton. It speaks a feminine voice, as the line rumbles. This was Karen, Plankton’s ‘literal’ computer wife.

“With you, there’s always another plan,” Karen snarked.

“Quite, computer wife!” Plankton groaned. “This time, it’ll work! I’ll make everyone love my Chum Burgers through the power of hypnosis. It’s almost too easy…

Plankton pulls out a ‘Beginner’s Guide to Hypnosis’, while Karen hovers a magnifying glass in front of her husband for all to see.

“Soon they’ll all see; I may be small, but my genius is immense!” Plankton declared.

“Come on, Sheldon,” Karen replied. “It’d take forever to hypnotize this whole town.”

“You used to enjoy my evil schemes…”

“What can I say? After twenty years of marriage, the magic’s gone.”

Karen forms a frown on her screen, while Plankton groans. Meanwhile, the two rivals, unbeknownst to each other, are finishing their song.

<>

Unaware of what’s going on, SpongeBob leads his new friends across the street passing through Bikini Bottom. Along the way he greats a few familiar faces who happen to be crossing the street that day.

“Good morning, Ms. Mayor!” SpongeBob greets.

“Oh, pipe down, I’m governing here!” The Mayor brushes off, browsing through her phone.

“Good morning, Mrs. Puff!”

“SpongeBob, please!” Mrs. Puff screams. “I almost spilled my kel-accino.”

“Hiya, Larry the Lobster!”

The lobster in question, a muscular creature with the figure of a bodybuilder with blue swim trunks, walks by holding a barbell while groaning.

“Watch where you’re going, puny dude!” Larry calls out, in a surfer voice. “I’m getting these claws swole!”

“Ooh!” Pinkie gasped, as her eyes widen.

Pinkie flexes her bicep, which grew instantly huge making every pony turn wide eyed, but not as surprised as Larry.

“Hey, want to arm wrestle?” Pinkie offered, raising her eyebrow.

“Uh… Maybe later, little dudette,” Larry replied, before walking away.

As they continue down the street, SpongeBob passes another fish walking down the street with a cane.

“Hi, Old Man Jenkins!” SpongeBob called out. “Hellooo!”

“Get off my lawn!” The old fish yelled.

SpongeBob found himself on his lawn, jumping off and pointing happily at each thing he passes.

“Hello, lawn! Hello, street! Greetings, critics! Hello, narrators writing all my lines!”

The two narrators turn to each other and awkwardly wave with a smile.

“Hello, everyone reading at home! Hello, sky! Hello, flowers! Hello, Bikini Bottom!

Soon, all of Bikini Bottom’s residents emerge, dancing around the street as the Equestrians look around in awe.

SpongeBob hops along a beach ball, wearing shades and sunbathing.

BAM! By the time they reached the Krusty Krab, passing all the dancing fish along the way, SpongeBob had kicked the doors open. A smile is on his face as he casually walks in along with his new friends.

“SpongeBob reporting for duty!” SpongeBob salutes. “I can’t wait for another fine day at the finest eating establishment ever established… For eating!”

Seeing as it wasn’t open yet, not a customer in sight, the only other occupant the group could see was Squidward at the counter by the cashier station. As usual, he was less enthusiastic and especially not happy even as SpongeBob took a spatula and handed it to him.

“And here I thought it was a third-rate greasepot…” Squidward replied, deadpanned.

“The ‘finest’ third-rate greasepot,” SpongeBob corrects, taking the spatula. “Where I am proud to be the Fry Cook of the Month.”

“Fry Cook of the Month!” Pinkie Pie gaped. “Wow, you must be the bestest fry cook in the entire ocean!”

“He’s the only fry cook!” Squidward yells, sighing.

“Where’s Mr. Krabs?” SpongeBob looks around. “I need to talk to him.”

“It’s ‘Take Your Kid To Work’ Day,” Squidward answers, nonchalant.

The ponies and Spike look around determining not only which one was Mr. Krabs, but also which one was his daughter. Apart from a crab in a sailor outfit entering the restaurant, which they guessed was the owner, they couldn’t recognize anyone that resembled him. All they could see beside him was some whale who is tall compared to the occupants. 

She has blonde hair in a ponytail with a pink scrunchie, a red heart shape on the bottom of her nose that turns to lips when she talks. Solid blue, oval-shaped eyes and six eyelashes each. Her outfit is a pink cheerleader dress with a purple skirt and the letter “P” stitched on front. She seemed unenthusiastic as she walked with him, as she was texting on her ‘shell-phone’.

“So, which one’s the kid?” Spike asked. “All I see by that crab is a whale.”

“Kid… That ‘is’ Mr. Krabs’ kid,” Squidward corrects. “That’ll be Pearl, Mr. Krab’s daughter.”

The group were surprised that the whale was none other than the Crab’s daughter. They had so many questions they wanted to ask, but something told them they’d only get a headache trying to figure it out. Not to mention, it was hard to think as Pearl walked, causing Krusty Krab to shake violently with each step.

“Soak it in, me darlin’ daughter,” Mr. Krabs replied happily. “One day, all this’ll be yours. As soon as you graduate high school, I’ll start you as manager.

“But Dad!” Pearl complains, with a deep voice. “I have my own dreams.”

“Like what? Listenin’ to that boy band fourteen hours a day?”

“They’re called the Electric Skates.”

Pearl twirls and steps aside, causing the Krusty Krab to shake violently again and the Equestrians could barely keep their balance even on fins.

“Uh, Mr. Krabs?” SpongeBob stepped forward. “If she doesn’t want to be manager, I know someone who would be great for the job.

“You?” Mr. Krabs asked, laughing. “My boy, a fry cook is all you’ll ever be. You’re just a simple sponge, and yet, you don’t seem to absorb very much.”

Mr. Krabs walked away laughing more heartily as SpongeBob looked on. Suffice to say, the ponies and Spike weren’t pleased.

“Well… How rude!” Rarity frowned.

“Yeah who does that guy think he is?” Rainbow asked. “Turning down an offer like that?”

“Yeah, that’s enough to make you sick, hey SpongeBob?” Scootaloo asked, turning to him. “Um… SpongeBob?”

But SpongeBob wasn’t really paying attention. He seemed to be in his own little world, while everything around him seemed frozen in place.

“SPONGEBOB!” Mr. Krabs calls out. “Get in the kitchen! It’s opening time!”

Before anyone had a chance to react, all of Bikini Bottom burst into the Krusty Krab as SpongeBob quickly ran to the side, grabbing his signature fry cook hat. All around them, the restaurant buzzed in activity as all of Bikini Bottom sang their hearts out.

“WOW!!!” Apple Bloom said. “Girls… I think we’re going to like this place!”

“You said it!” Sweetie Belle nodded.
> The Dream
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

We begin our story under calm blue waters, near the beautiful green island of Bikini Atoll. Beneath those tropical seas, we find the town of Bikini Bottom, a peaceful place where everyone is happy and-

Wait a minute! Hold your sea horses!

Things were usually happy in Bikini Bottom, but on this day, panic ensued across the streets. Sirens wailed; frightened fish swam in all directions. Police helicopters buzzed over the town; squad cars blocked the intersections. The situation was so bad, classes at the school of fish were cancelled!

Really?

Oh, come on! You try doing a joke about fish! See how easy that is!

In front of the Krusty Krab restaurant, a crowd had gathered. Mr. Krabs, the owner, was talking to the reporters. They clustered around, waving microphones under his nose, pressing cameras into his face.

“Can you tell us what is happening, Mr. Krabs?” A young Daily Clam reporter asked.

“Wait! Please settle down,” Mr. Krabs said, waving his claws. “One question at a time. Please! One at a time!”

“The people of Bikini Bottom want to know – What’s going on inside?” Perch Perkins, Bikini Bottom’s favorite newsman, asked.

“We’ve got a situation in there that I’d rather not talk about until my manager gets here.”

Suddenly, a sleek black sports car pulled up to the curb.

“Look!” Mr. Krabs cried. “There he is!”

All eyes – and eyestalks – turned to see SpongeBob SquarePants step out from the car. His face was somber, his eyes hidden behind sunglasses. In his hand, the determined sponge carried an important looking briefcase.

“It’s SquarePants!” A fish cried out, with awe.

After SpongeBob stepped out the car, proceeding to walk towards Mr. Krabs, a few other creatures swam out from behind him: Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo, all wearing sunglasses and business suits. They swam beside SpongeBob, as he approached Mr. Krabs and tore off his sunglasses.

“Talk to me, Krabs,” He said, in a commanding tone.

“It started out as a simple order,” Mr. Krabs sobbed. “A Krabby Patty with cheese.”

“What went wrong?” Scootaloo asked.

“When the customer took a bite-” Mr. Krabs choked, sobbing. “-there was no cheese! No cheese on the sandwich! This has never happened before!”

Mr. Krabs broke down, covering his eyestalks with his claws and sobbed. SpongeBob slapped him on the snout.

“Get ahold of yourself, Eugene,” SpongeBob said. “Agent Bloom, what’s the status on the restaurant?”

“Restaurant’s secure sir,” Apple Bloom responded. “Target is just inside that there door.”

“Agent Belle, any others inside the restaurant?”

“None at all, sir,” Sweetie Belle responded.

“We’re going in.”

Mr. Krabs stopped crying, sighing with relief. SpongeBob turned and faced the restaurant. Reporters and innocent bystanders backed away under his stern gaze. The crowd parted, making a path for him – a path leading to the front door of the Krusty Krab.

When SpongeBob and the CMC boldly entered the restaurant, the dining room was deserted. Except for one very frightened fish sitting alone at a table. On a tray before him sat a Krabby Patty with a single bite missing. Fearlessly, SpongeBob SquarePants approached the anxious fish.

“Who… Who are you?” The fish asked, shakily.

“I’m the manager of this establishment,” SpongeBob replied, in a businesslike tone. “These here are three of my best agents.”

The CMC said nothing, but they nod to the fish. SpongeBob slapped his briefcase case down at the table. The nervous fish jumped at the sound.

“Everything is gonna be fine,” SpongeBob assured, calmly. “Agent Loo, key please.”

Scootaloo reached into her suit pocket, pulling out a singular golden key and handed it to SpongeBob. SpongeBob inserted the key into the briefcase, opening it. The poor fish just shook his head.

“I’m really scared, man.”

“Could you three please keep the suspect calm?” SpongeBob asked.

“Yes sir!” The CMC salute, in unison.

They all swam toward the fish, who was having a really hard time keeping his cool under the pressure of this situation.

“You got a name?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Phil,” He answered, with a nod.

“You got a family, Phil?” Scootaloo asked.

The fish choked up, starting to cry. Apple Bloom waved her hoof in front of Phil’s face.

“Keep it together, Phil! Stay with me,” She said. “Let’s hear about that family.”

“I… I got a lovely wife and two beautiful children,” Phil stammered.

“That’s what it’s all about, Phil,” SpongeBob replied.

As Phil watched nervously, SpongeBob reached into his briefcase while looking toward Phil.

“I’ve only got one shot at this,” SpongeBob warned. “Gotta have the right tools for the job…”

SpongeBob paused, rifling through his briefcase.

“Bingo!” He whispered, looking up.

Slowly, SpongeBob pulled out a pair of shiny, golden tongs.

“Now I want you to do us a favor, Phil,” SpongeBob said.

“Wh-what?” The fish gasped.

“Say cheese!” SpongeBob and the CMC said, in unison.

Slowly, with an epic cinematic feel, SpongeBob positions a perfectly cut slide of cheddar cheese along the center of the bun. The CMC watch in anticipation, as Phil’s smile crosses his face, gratification forming upon his expression. Slowly… Slowly… Slowly…

BAM!!!

Minutes later, SpongeBob kicked the front door to the Krusty Krab wide open, pleased with himself. There he stood, carrying Phil safely in his arms and the CMC in an epic pose, side-by-side with the manager himself.

“Order up!” SpongeBob smiled.

All the customers cheered, flocking to fill the tables. SpongeBob and the Crusaders were carried into the air, high upon the crowd’s shoulders as they crossed through the town. Confetti fluttered like snow all around them, even the Mane Six and Spike were cheering from the sides.

“That’s ma sister ya’ll!” Applejack called.

“I’m so proud of you, little buddy!” Rainbow Dash added.

“You’re an inspiration to us all, Sweetie Belle!” Rarity cried, tearfully.

“Three cheers for the manager and his special agents!” Spike cried.

“Hip, hip – HONK!”

“What?” SpongeBob said sleepily.

“Hip, hip – HONK!”

<>

“SPONGEBOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

The dream was over as SpongeBob SquarePants sat on his bed, rocking a bit, and blinking his eye. The Mane Six, Spike, and the CMC had gathered around his bed, clutching their hooves to their ears as the alarm clock honked as loudly as a foghorn. 

“HONK!”

“SpongeBob! Can ya please turn that doohickey off?!” Applejack yelled.

SpongeBob quickly turned his alarm clock off before it honked again. The ponies and the little dragon all sigh in relief, as they uncovered their ears.

“Boy oh boy,” Spike sighed. “Nobody’s going back to sleep after that.”

“Hooray!” SpongeBob cried, throwing off his blanket. “Guys! I had that dream again.”

“What dream?” Twilight asked.

“Oh, that’s right! You’ve only been here a day… Anyway, ever since Mr. Krabs started building a second restaurant, I’ve been having this dream for the past few months. In my dream, I’m the new manager!”

“Well you certainly have good aspirations to manage this new restaurant,” Rarity admired.

“You know what’s funny?” SpongeBob asked. “This time, during my dream, you guys were there too! Three of you were my best agents!”

“Best agents, huh?” Rainbow Dash smirked, pointing to herself. “I’m one of the three, right? I know I’d make a great secret agent.”

“Actually… No.”

Rainbow Dash’s cocky smile disappeared, her eyes widening and her pupils shrinking to the size of pinpricks.

“NO?!” 

SpongeBob shook his head with a smile and pointing his yellow finger towards the Crusaders. They just looked at each other strangely, even looking around to make sure no one else was standing beside them. 

“Us?” They said, pointing their hooves at themselves.

“Oh sure! It made sense to me,” SpongeBob smiled. “You three are currently my new best friends… Just don’t let Patrick know I said that.”

“Wow, you girls are very lucky,” Pinkie Pie replied. “Or maybe that’s just the narrators subtle way of indicating who the ‘mane’ protagonists for this ‘Cinematic Adventure’ is going to be!”

Boo! *Hurls a tomato*

“Well, in any case, we’re mighty honored to be in a dream with ya, SpongeBob,” Apple Bloom said.

“Anyways, you said you’ve had this dream for months?” Twilight asked.

“Yep, and it’s finally coming true… Today!”

SpongeBob raced toward his calendar hanging upon the wall.

“Sorry about this, calendar,” SpongeBob said.

He tore away yesterday’s page and on the date at the bottom of the next page, the calendar read March 7th. SpongeBob stepped back, admiring today’s date.

“Today is the grand opening of the Krusty Krab 2, where Mr. Krabs is going to announce the new manager!”

“The Krusty Krab 2?” Rainbow Dash spoke, raising an eyebrow. “Might as well forget building a second restaurant and just have a renovation of the single place.”

“I know, right?” Spike agreed.

“Meow,” Gary said.

As SpongeBob admired the date, he turned as the little snail slid over to his side.

“Who’s it gonna be, Gary?” SpongeBob asked, thinking. “I know. Why don’t we ask my wall of three hundred-seventy four consecutive Employee of the Month Awards?”

The group all turns toward the wall SpongeBob was referring to and their eyes widen. Low and behold, there was an exact total of three hundred and seventy four posters of SpongeBob SquarePants, the same signature smile, and all of them saying ‘Employee of the Month’.

“SpongeBob SquarePants!” All 374 pictures of SpongeBob yelled.

“Boy howdy, that’s a mighty fine collection ya got there, SpongeBob!” AppleBloom replied.

“Ya’ll can say that again,” Applejack nodded.

“Hold on! 374 Employee of the Month pictures?!” Pinkie asked.

Pinkie Pie quickly pulls out a calculator from her mane and proceeds to punching in a bunch of numbers.

“Hmm… Lemme see: There’s twelve months in a year and SpongeBob has held the award every Month. Three hundred seventy four, divided by 12…”

“SpongeBob! You mean to tell us you’ve been working for the Krusty Krab for thirty years?!” Twilight asked, shocked.

“Wow, that was a pretty good guess, Twilight!” Pinkie smiled. 

“Well actually, if we’re going to be technical, thirty ONE years,” SpongeBob replied. “… And a couple months, but that’s just details.”

“Do you really think SpongeBob will actually get that promotion after all this time?” Fluttershy wondered.

“Of course, he will, he’s SpongeBob SquarePants!” Scootaloo replied. “It’s obvious no sea creature we know in this town works just as hard as our buddy here and Mr. Krabs has to be crazy not to give him the job.”

“Well, SpongeBob is really the ‘only’ creature we know,” Sweetie Belle replied. “But all the same SpongeBob, if you think this is your big day, you have our full support!”

“Hooray for me!” SpongeBob cheered.

SpongeBob quickly runs into the bathroom to get ready for work. As his friends wait outside, they could hear him singing, ‘I’m ready. Promotion! I’m ready. Promotion!’. 

Meanwhile, in the shower, SpongeBob removed the paper off a bar of soap. He proceeds to consume the entire bar, chews it up a bit, and swallows it. Then, he soaked the water through his body until he inflated so large-like, he could hardly fit the entire bathroom. Holding his nose and closing his mouth, SpongeBob made two fists and strained. Soon, bubbles and water poured through all his sponge holes as SpongeBob resumed his normal size, clean as a whistle.

The Mane Six and the gang watch as SpongeBob danced his way toward the closet, still thrilled about his soon-to-be promotion. He searched until he found the perfect square pants for this special day. Course, they were all the same square shorts and shirt he became well known for. But still, he managed to find an outfit he believed was his best and quickly got dressed. The ponies just turn toward Rarity, knowing she is more keen on fashion than most of them. She just turn to them with a look that said, ‘What?’.

After getting dressed, SpongeBob rushed back toward the bathroom. He takes out a toothbrush and squeezed the tube of toothpaste till he received just the right amount. He proceeds to brush his teeth, then his ears, and even his own eyeballs until they sparkled. SpongeBob admired his reflection in the mirror.

“Cleanliness is next to managerliness,” He declared.

“Managerliness?” Spike asked Twilight.

“Not a real word, Spike,” Twilight spoke. “But I do admire his enthusiasm.”

Soon, after the happy sponge gave little Gary his breakfast, he skips off to work. The Mane Six, the CMC, and Spike follow him out of the house as he sings:

“I’m ready. Promotion! I’m ready. Promotion!”

SpongeBob sang until he got to Squidward’s house, right next door. Before the group knew it, they witnessed SpongeBob opened the door and walk right in… Without even bothering to knock. They just turned to each other, silent and nervous, knowing a certain someone won’t be happy.

<>

Speaking of which, Squidward was enjoying the only thing he did enjoy on a typical workday – his morning shower. As he lathered himself up, he hummed a little diddy.

“La da dee, la da doo, la da dum. Lad da dee, la da doo, la da dum…”

Suddenly, Squidward felt something scratch along his back. He opens one eye and noticed SpongeBob, standing right next to him, in his shower.

“SpongeBob!” Squidward screamed, covering himself. “What are you doing in here?!”

“I have to tell you something, Squidward,” SpongeBob grinned.

But poor Squidward was in no mood to listen.

“Whatever it is, can’t it wait until work?”

“There’s no shower at work.”

Squidward wiped the soap from his eyes, the poor guy was getting angrier by the minute.

“What do you want?”

“I just wanted to say I’ll be thanking you in my managerial acceptance speech today.”

<>

Outside, the Mane Six and the rest were waiting anxiously outside Squidward’s house when they heard a loud ‘GET OUT’!!! They turn as SpongeBob flew straight out of the house, soared high in the air, and landed with a loud ‘SQUISH!’ next to a big rock.

“SPONGEBOB!” The CMC shouted, in unison.

Worried, they rushed toward SpongeBob SquarePants who seemed rather cheerful despite the nasty crash.

“Are you all right, buddy?” Scootaloo asked.

“Yeah, it’s all good,” SpongeBob replied. “I think Squidward’s a little cranky this morning.”

“Seems like that there squid’s always cranky in the mornin’,” Applejack noted.

“Actually, Squidward’s an Octopus, hence the six tentacles for legs and two of ‘em for arms,” Pinkie Pie corrected. “Can’t blame you making that mistake. Seeing as how even the two narrators got it wrong in the last chapter.”

Give me a break! I was working all night!

Easy, pal… Just take it easy… Let it go! Moving forward!

Just then, the big rock pops open and there was Patrick, SpongeBob’s best friend, stuck to the bottom.

“That sounds like the manager of the new Krusty Krab 2!” Patrick said, in his sweet, dopey voice. “Congratulations, buddy!”

Patrick hopped himself off the rock and gave SpongeBob a high five.

“Oh thanks, Patrick!” SpongeBob replied. “And tonight, after my big promotion, we’re gonna party till we’re purple.”

“I love being purple,” Patrick clapped.

“Hmm… Well, well, well,” Spike smirked. “A starfish with good taste in color.”

“Heh heh, he sure does,” Twilight chuckled. “Anyways SpongeBob, what do you boys have planned for tonight?”

“We’re going to the place where all the action is!”

The moment SpongeBob spoke, Patrick’s eyes bugged out.

“You don’t mean—”

“Yes, Patrick, I mean—”

“GOOFY GOOBER’S ICE CREAM PARTY BOAT!” SpongeBob and Patrick cheered, simultaneously.

Pinkie Pie’s eyes widen, and she gasped loudly, her whole mane stuck up in excitement.

“Did you say an ‘Ice Cream Party Boat’?!?!” Pinkie smiled.

“No, no, no… Not ‘an’ Ice Cream Party Boat… I mean THE Ice Cream Party Boat!” SpongeBob cheered. “The greatest eating establishment in all Bikini Bottom!”

“But I thought you said the Krusty Krab was number one eating establishment,” Fluttershy points out.

“For the Krusty Krab, yes! But Goofy Goober’s is the place where all the coolest fish, like us, attend for some of the best ice cream ever made. Patrick and I have been going to that old place since we were kids!”

“Ooh, ooh, ooh! Remember the ‘Goofy Goober’ jingle?!” Patrick asked, excitedly.

“You bet I do, Patrick! A five, six, seven, eight—”

Patrick clapped so hard, the rock came down and squashed them both. When it pops up again, SpongeBob and Patrick were both wearing their favorite headgear: Peanut-shaped Goofy Goober Hats.



The CMC and Spike, especially Pinkie, clapped their hooves enthusiastically while the rest just watched as the boys took a bow.

“Is it just me or does this place sound like one of those kiddie restaurants?” Rainbow whispered to Applejack.

“Furget it, Dash,” Applejack whispered back. “They’re on a roll.”

Just then, SpongeBob glanced at his watch and his eyes widen.

“I’d better get going!” SpongeBob gasped, pulling off his hat. “Bye Patrick. I don’t want to be late for my big promotion.”

“Good luck, SpongeBob!” Patrick said. “See ya girls!”

As he ran down the sidewalk to the Krusty Krab and sang ‘I’m ready! Promotion!’, Pinkie Pie quickly turned her head while the others followed.

“Hey Patty, you coming to the ceremony?!” Pinkie called.

“Don’t worry, Pinkie!” Patrick called. “I’ll be there; I’ve got a little surprise for SpongeBob!”

“Ooh… I do love surprises! We can’t wait! See ya!”
> Plankton and Cozy Glow
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, excitement was building before the Krusty Krab. The entire place was decorated with various, colorful balloons complete with a big banner which read, ‘GRAND OPENING’. Right beside the restaurant was a large tent, hiding a very special surprise for the citizens of Bikini Bottom.

All the residents of Bikini Bottom crowded around the big stage, many of whom are proud supporters of the Krusty Krab. Standing onstage was everybody’s favorite newsman, Perch Perkins, talking in front of a television camera.

“Hello, Bikini Bottom. Perch Perkins here, coming to you live from inside the Krusty Krab restaurant.”

The news anchor smiled into the camera, his teeth sparkling against the bright lens.

“For years, this was the only place to get a delicious and mouthwatering Krabby Patty – until today, that is!”

The announcement made everybody cheered, the townspeople roared with excitement and anticipation.

“That’s right, folks. Longtime owner, Mr. Krabs, is opening a new restaurant called the Krusty Krab 2,” Perch Perkins announced.

As the news anchor spoke, Mr. Krabs walked onto the stage, waving to the crowd. The huge tent pulled off along the building next to the Krusty Krab, revealing the newly constructed ‘Krusty Krab 2… Which looks exactly like the original restaurant… Right next door!

Wow… Talk about lazy writing.

Does your friend ever shut up?

Actually... No, he doesn't.

Everybody cheered again, as Perch Perkins continues.

“First of all, congratulations, Mr. Krabs!”

Mr. Krabs himself stepped up to the microphone.

“Hello,” He said. “I like money.”

“So, tell us, Mr. Krabs, what inspired you to build a second Krab restaurant right next door to the original?” Perch Perkins asked.

“Money.”

But not everybody was happy. Across the street, it was a very different scene at Plankton’s restaurant, the Chum Bucket. The place was a gloomy little shack, with walls in need of fresh pain and wobbling tables. As usual, the Chum Bucket was empty, not a single customer in sight. Plankton, the teeny-eensie-weensie owner (and longtime nemesis of Mr. Krabs), stood at the window. He watched the opening ceremony at the Krusty Krab 2 through a long telescope.

“Curses!” Plankton cried. “It’s not fair. Not fair at all! Krabs is being interviewed by Perch Perkins, and I’ve never had even ONE customer!”

Plankton got so angry, the giant vein along the back of his head nearly exploded.

“Don’t get all worked up again, Plankton,” Karen the Computer said. “I just mopped the floors.”

“Oh Karen, my computer wife,” Plankton sighed, shaking his head sadly. “If only I could have managed to steal the secret to Krab’s success – the formula for the delicious Krabby Patty.”

Plankton yearned for the secret formula so long, he imagined the bottle, with the written formula, floating over his head. He tried to reach for the bottle… But it fades away before his eyes.

“Ahhhhh!” Plankton screamed.

He began to pace across the room, back and forth, trying to think of a plan. Just then, he heard the sound of clattering in the back of the restaurant. The noise stopped his pacing, as the little guy turned towards the swishing back doors that appeared to have just opened.

“Karen, what in the world was that?” Plankton asked.

“Don’t look at me,” The computer responded.

Plankton slowly works his way toward the back of the restaurant, where it was pitch black. He could hear tiny clattering off to the side, and cautiously approached the light switch, which thankfully he installed at his own height. He quickly flips the lights on, and his one eye widens in amazement and shock by what he saw.

Off in the corner of his lab, crouched in a hiding position, was what appears to be a tiny little seahorse But clearly, this was unlike any seahorse Plankton has ever seen. It had the body of a horse yet the tail of a fish. It’s coat and scales were a light pinkish color, matching its huge eyes perfectly. The mane was a light grayish blue and very curled. While this discovery was shocking to Plankton, he was quite upset this creature was in his lab.

“What in the name of Davy Jones’ locker are YOU doing here?!” He asked.

The little sea filly held her hoof up to her mouth, signaling him to be quiet.

“Shh… Hiding,” She whispered.

“Well… Go hide somewhere else! This is private property!”

“I can’t, mister… I stole something very important, very precious. I’m pretty sure that those I stole it from are going to want it back… And they won’t be too happy when they find me!”

Plankton raised his eyebrow over his one eye in surprise. He didn’t know why this little creature would admit to committing a crime, and to him especially. Seeing as how the two just met on this day of all days. And yet… And yet he couldn’t help but feel intrigued at the same time.

“So, not that I care, but… Exactly ‘what’ did you steal?” He asked.

The little filly scoffed, with a light chuckle.

“Yeah right! Like I’d show you anything. How do I know you won’t run and tell someone what I’ve done! I’ll be in big trouble!”

“Oh, please!!! Like I’d want anything to do with any authority figures? After many attempts they made to stop me from doing the same thing!”

The little filly looked at the tiny single celled organism quizzically.

“What do you mean?” She asked.

“Well, you see, I myself have tried to steal something very important myself,” Plankton explained. “Let’s just say that once I finally have it, I’ll destroy my arch nemesis and take over this wretched little town!”

This seemed to put a smile on the little filly’s face, as she swam out of her hiding space.

“So… You like evil plots, too?” She asked excitedly.

“’Do I like evil plots’?” Plankton laughed. “Kid, there’s no other way to live! Sheldon J. Plankton’s the name, but you just call me Plankton.”

The little filly stuck out her tiny hoof, which Plankton shook with his even tinier stub.

“Pleased to meet you, I’m Cozy Glow. So… What exactly is it you’re trying to steal?”

Plankton scowled, his brow furrowed in anger, as he looks back out the window toward the large gathering over at the Krusty Krab.

“It’s the one thing I’ve never successfully stole… But it’s the one thing that’s the ley to my ultimate domination of this town: The Krabby Patty formula! Oh… If I had that formula, then people would line up to eat at my restaurant. I’ve tried to get it, kid. Lord knows, I’ve tried…”

As he spoke, Plankton led Cozy Glow and Karen to the back of his ‘Evil Laboratory’. Inside, electricity crackled from the huge metal rods, chemicals bubbled in large beakers. On the walls, hundreds of bottles lined up. Each bottle was marked, specifically:

Failure Number 87

Miserable Failure Number 190

Really Tragic and Horrible Failure Number 262

"Uh... How exactly did you try to take over this town?" Cozy Glow asked, looking at the bottles.

"Don't ask..." Plankton replied. 

Plankton ignored the various equipment and bottles, instead he walked toward a giant metal cabinet and opens the bottom drawer.

“I’ve exhausted every evil plan in my filing cabinet,” Plankton explained. “From A to Y.”

“A to Y?” Cozy Glow questioned.

“Yeah, A to Y. You know, the alphabet?”

“What about Z?”

“Z?”

“Z,” Karen added. “The letter that comes after Y.”

Plankton scratched his head, before flipping through his files.

“W… X… Y…”

The moment he found the aforementioned file, he froze.

“And Z!”

Plankton pulled out a thick folder marked with a big Z.

“Plan Z!” Plankton said triumphantly. “Here it is just like you said!”

Karen and Cozy Glow rolled their eyes as Plankton flips through the pages. Reading all about Plan Z.

“Oh… Boy!” He gloated.

When he was finished, he hopped around the evil laboratory. He was so happy; the tiny evil genius was practically giddy.

“Ohh… It’s evil!” Plankton sang. “It’s… It’s… Diabolical!”

He stuck his nose in the folder and gave a huge sniff.

“And it’s lemon scented! This plan has got it all!”

When Plankton closed the folder, his eyes glowed with an evil aura.

“This Plan Z can’t possibly fail!” He exclaimed.

“Where have I heard that before?” Karen sighed.

Ignoring his wife’s snarky remark, Plankton showed the plan to Cozy Glow. For an evil little pony herself, even she didn’t quite know what to make of it.

“So… How exactly is this plan going to help you?”

“Simple. As soon as Phase One is in action, piece by piece the plan will come together on its own. And once it all comes in full circle, I, Evil Genius Sheldon J. Plankton, will FINALLY rule the world!!!”

Cozy Glow thought over what he was saying, until a tiny twisted smile creeps its way along her face.

“You think I might be able to help with your evil plot?”

Plankton raised his brow again, smirking at her question.

“What could you possibly have to offer kid?” He asked.

Cozy Glow reached behind her, revealing the sacred pearl of Seaquestria. Upon seeing the large jewel, Plankton’s one eye widened hugely.

“This is the sacred pearl of Seaquestria, which gives the kingdom all its power. You allow me to conquer the world alongside you, and this baby will ensure not only dominion over this town, but my own world as well!”

Plankton thought over this plan, eventually deciding he liked what he was hearing. The possibility of ruling over not one, but TWO worlds at the same time was far too tempting. For when there’s another world, that meant an opportunity of expanding his ‘Chum Bucket’ business with a new line-up of potential customers. He smirks toward Cozy Glow, who in turn did the same.

“Kid, I think this is the start of a beautiful… Evil… Partnership,” Plankton grinned evilly.

He and Cozy Glow give another shake, signifying their official partnership. Then Plankton left the evil laboratory, sliding through the dining room.

“So, enjoy today, Mr. Krabs!” Plankton cried. “Because by tomorrow, I’ll have the formula. Then everyone will eat at the Chum Bucket, and I will rule the world!”

Plankton slid out the front door, shaking his fist at the people of Bikini Bottom.

“All hail Plankton! All hail—”

Suddenly, a giant foot came down on Plankton’s head, squashing him flat, like he was nothing more than… Well, Plankton.

The giant black shoe Plankton was stuck to the bottom of belonged to SpongeBob SquarePants himself. He was leading the group of seaponies on his way to work, and he’d been singing the ‘promotion song’ almost the entire time. But the moment he heard the ‘SQUISH!’ sound – and Plankton’s cries of agony – SpongeBob stopped.

“What is it, SpongeBob?” Twilight asked.

“Ew!” He said. “I think I stepped in something.”

“Well, scrape it off then,” Applejack told him. “We don’t wanna be late, sugar cube.”

SpongeBob slammed his foot down, wiping it on the ground.

"Aaaaaaaaarrrggghhh!" Plankton howled.

“Do y’all hear tiny screaming?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Get… Off… Of… My… Shoe!” SpongeBob grunted, wiping again.

"Aaaaaaaaarrrggghhh!"

“You know, I’m starting to hear it too,” Sweetie Belle nodded.

“Ditto,” Scootaloo agreed.

“I stepped in something gross,” SpongeBob said. “Now it won’t come off.”

“Not in something, ON something, you twit!”

SpongeBob lifts his shoe and found Plankton stuck to the bottom.

“Oh, sorry, Plankton.”

SpongeBob reached down and peeled Plankton off his shoe.

“Owwww!!!”

“Uh, SpongeBob… Who is that guy?” Spike points out.

“Oh, don’t worry,” SpongeBob brushes off. “It’s just Evil Genius Plankton, Mr. Krabs’ rival in the fast food industry.”

At first, the girls, especially Spike, nodded in understanding and were about to head off. But then they stopped at not only the mention of two keys, but how SpongeBob said it so nonchalant, like it was no big deal.

“Did he say… ‘Evil Genius’?” Fluttershy asked, silently.

“Are you on your way to the grand opening ceremony?” SpongeBob asked Plankton.

“No, I am not on my way to the grand opening ceremony,” Plankton sneered. “I’m busy planning to RULE THE WORLD!”

Then, Plankton laugh maniacally while the ponies and Spike looked on with a bit of concern, yet confusion how such a tiny organism could hold such a devious mind. SpongeBob just stared at him, blinking twice.

“Well, good luck with that.”

With that said, SpongeBob skipped away, singing, ‘I’m ready! Promotion. I’m ready! Promotion’ and all the while Plankton watched him, along with the ponies, going ahead.

“Goodbye Mr. Plankton, sir!” Sweetie Belle called out.

“Stupid kids…” Plankton muttered, shaking his head.

Yet all the while, as they made their way toward the Krusty Krab, Twilight Sparkle couldn’t help but look back toward Plankton with great concern.

“Um… SpongeBob?” Twilight spoke.

“Yes… Twilight?” SpongeBob smiled.

“Doesn’t it kind of bother you that you literally know an Evil Genius in your town?”

“That is mighty suspicious,” Applejack agreed. “Somethin’ bout him don’t feel right.”

“Oh, don’t worry about Plankton,” SpongeBob brushed off. “He’s actually not a completely bad guy once you get to know him.”

“Well maybe so, I know we shouldn’t be judgmental, I should know,” Rarity added on. “But still, we’ve only been here for a day and still have no idea where in Equestria, or rather where on ‘Earth’, that pearl ought to be nor Cozy Glow for that matter.”

“Yeah, the only ‘pearl’ anyone in this town knows about is Mr. Krabs kid,” Rainbow Dash replied. “Which I still don’t understand how that works, but whatever.”

“And if ‘world domination’ is on Plankton’s mind, what with the Pearl being so powerful—” Twilight continued.

“Oh girls, relax!” SpongeBob replied, casually. “Most of Plankton’s ‘evil schemes’ typically involve trying to one-up Mr. Krabs in fast food… And most of the time they never work. And don’t worry: Despite how exciting it’ll be to become the manager; I haven’t forgotten about your lost pearl. If this Cozy Glow is somewhere in town, she’ll probably try to blend in with the crowd who don’t know her. And with everyone gathering for the grand opening today, maybe we’ll be lucky to find her.”

“Here’s hoping,” Spike replied.

Eventually, SpongeBob and his new friends reached the newly introduced Krusty Krab 2. While the ponies friends seemed confused over looking at two buildings, nearly identical, and practically side-by-side, in SpongeBob’s eyes it was unbelievable. As a matter of fact, as the ponies looked over the crowd, noting the whole town had arrived, they made a real show over it. As if to say the new Krusty Krab 2 restaurant was cooler than the original.

“I tell ya girls, Mr. Krabs is a genius!” SpongeBob said. “No wonder he makes so much money.”

“’No wonder’ is right,” Applejack agreed. “Honestly, I can’t see what the big fuss is.”

“Maybe it looks the same on the outside, but it’s better on the inside,” Apple Bloom suggests.

“Just leave the thinkin’ up to me, lil sis. It’ll come eventually.”

Apple Bloom shrugged, as they joined the townspeople. Not the first time that Apple Bloom had a suggestion only for it to be turned down so quickly. But that’s just the life of being the younger sibling in the family.

“Welcome!” Mr. Krabs greeted. “Welcome, everyone, to the grand opening of the Krusty Krab 2!”

Mrs. Puff, the Pufferfish and SpongeBob’s Driving School teacher since… Well, for as long as she can remember (To her chagrin), inflated her puffy belly with a scowl, as she turned to Sandy Cheeks.

“I can’t believe we paid nine dollars for this!” She said.

“I paid ten!” Sandy replied.

As SpongeBob and the others pushed their way to the front of the crowd, the ponies saying, ‘Excuse me’ and ‘Pardon me’ along the way, they spied Mr. Krabs. The proud owner had his claws raised, as he prepared to cut the ceremonial ribbon and official declare the new restaurant open for business. 

“Before we begin with the ribbon cutting,” Mr. Krabs continued. “I’d like to introduce our new manager.”

“Yes!” SpongeBob shouted, dancing in a circle. “Yeah! Now we’re talkin’!”

“Omigosh, omigosh, omigosh, omigosh, omighosh!” Pinkie hopped. “I’m so excited, I could pee!”

The ponies and Spike turned toward Pinkie wide-eyed, before slowly scooting away along with the other townspeople. Squidward, who reluctantly sat next to SpongeBob, released a deep sigh silently hoping this will be over soon.

“Ahem… Well, anyway,” Mr. Krabs began. “The new manager is a loyal, hardworking employee…”

“Yes!” SpongeBob said, sticking his thumb to his chest.

“Here it comes, SpongeBob!” Scootaloo said, anxiously.

“… And the obvious choice for the job,” Mr. Krabs added.

“That’s so true!” Sweetie Belle cried, holding her cheeks.

“And it is a name you all know—”

“Yes… Yes…” Apple Bloom clapped her hooves.

“—A name that starts with an S.”

“That’s me!” SpongeBob crowed.

“Oh quit the torture and say it already!” Spike called out, as Twilight turned to him. “What?”

Mr. Krabs rolled his eyes, before he proceeds.

“Please welcome our new area manager… Squidward Tentacles!”

Behind Mr. Krabs, a huge banner with Squidward’s face was lowered from the ceiling. Another banner unrolled below, which read: ‘CONGRATULATIONS, SQUIDWARD’! To say the girls and Spike were shocked was a MAJOR understatement.

“WHAT?!” The Mane Six shouted.

“WHAT?!” The CMC shouted, equally shocked.

“WHAT?!” Spike gasped.

Both Narrators: WHAT?!

French Narrator: Eh… Saw that one coming…

“YES! YES!” SpongeBob screamed.

The ponies and Spike turned to the side, as SpongeBob jumped up and down like the crazy yellow sponge. He quickly turns toward Squidward.

“Better luck next time, buddy. Woooo-hoo!”

“Uh… SpongeBob?” Apple Bloom tried to speak.

But SpongeBob didn’t hear her. He just leapt onto the stage, nearly knocking Mr. Krabs aside.

“Yeah! All right! Hooray for me!” SpongeBob cried.

“Oh my…” Fluttershy whispered, lowering her head.

“This is not going to be good,” Twilight spoke, nervously.

Before the stunned crowd in the audience, SpongeBob spoke into the microphone.

“People of Bikini Bottom, as the manager—”

“Ah… SpongeBob,” Mr. Krabs said, tapping his shoulder.

“Hold the phone, folks. I’m getting an important news flash from Mr. Krabs. Manager stuff. Go ahead, Mr. K!”

Mr. Krabs leans in, whispering something in SpongeBob’s ear. As the yellow sponge listened, he unintentionally repeated his words into the microphone.

“I’m making a complete what out of myself?”

Mr. Krabs cringed, whispering further.

“The most embarrassing thing you’ve ever seen?” SpongeBob repeated, loudly.

Mr. Krabs whispered one more time.

“And now it’s worse because I’m repeating everything you say into the microphone?”

This was confusing for SpongeBob, while the Mane Six and their friends just slapped their hooves over their faces.

“Ooh… SpongeBob…” Rainbow Dash moaned, shaking her head.

“I can’t bear to watch…” Rarity added, covering her eyes.

“Oh, for crying out loud, SpongeBob!” Mr. Krabs yelled. “You didn’t get the job.”

SpongeBob’s jaw dropped; his eyes went wet… Even underwater. Still, he couldn’t believe his own ears, the worst five words an employee can ever hear. SpongeBob’s heart just sank.

“What…?” He squeaked.

“You… Did not… Get… The Job…” Mr. Krabs repeated, with emphasis.

“But… But why?”

Mr. Krabs sighed, as he placed an arm around SpongeBob’s shoulders.

“SpongeBob, you’re a great fry cook, but I gave the job to Squidward because being manager is a big responsibility, and… Well… Let’s face it – he’s more mature than you.”

SpongeBob looks up toward Mr. Krabs with the saddest eyes the little sponge could make.

“I’m not mature?”

“Oh, lad,” Mr. Krabs said. “I mean this in the nicest of ways. But, well, there’s a word for what you are… Er… Ah…”

Either Mr. Krabs couldn’t remember the word, or it was difficult even for the money-making fast food owner to say it, if only not to hurt the little sponge’s feelings. Needless to say, the crowd decided to help him out.

“Dork?” A fish suggested.

“No wait… That’s not right,” Mr. Krabs shook his head. “Not ‘dork’…”

“A goofball?” Pearl suggested.

“Closer, but no…”

Soon a bunch of random fish, even an old lady, began throwing out suggestions.

“A ding-a-ling?”

“Wing nut?!”

“A Knucklehead McSpazatron!”

With every insult thrown at SpongeBob, the little sponge grew even more depressed and discouraged. Tears formed in the CMC’s eyes, feeling so bad for their friend.

“Okay, that’s enough!” Mr. Krabs commanded, patting SpongeBob’s back. “Look, what I am trying to say is… You’re just a kid. And to be a manager, you have to be a man. Otherwise, they’d call it a kid-a-ger. You understand-ager – I mean, do you understand, SpongeBob?”

“I guess so, Mr. Krabs,” SpongeBob mumbled.

Heartbroken beyond description, SpongeBob climbed off the stage as the whole town, including the Mane Six and the others, looked on. Pinkie Pie was so sad, her mane deflated like a balloon. As the little sponge trudged away, Mr. Krabs called to him, but SpongeBob couldn’t hear anything. He was just too sad… So sad, in fact, he sang a rather depressing tune.

“I’m ready… Depression…” SpongeBob sang, with a sigh. “I’m ready… Depression…”

“Oh poor SpongeBob…” Pinkie cried, her tears floating to the surface.

“What a low blow, for the little feller,” Applejack added. “All that hard work for nothin’!”

“Mature Squidward may be,” Rainbow Dash replied. “But hardworking and loyal… Nah, I don’t see it.”

“I can do without the audio commentary, pony girl,” Squidward muttered.

“You know, girls,” Apple Bloom said, to her two friends. “I truly feel sorry for SpongeBob.”

“I know what you mean,” Scootaloo nodded. “All that work and he gets turned down for having a childlike personality.”

“I can’t imagine how this could get any worse,” Sweetie Belle replied. 

“HOORAY FOR SPONGEBOB!”

Suddenly, everyone looked up and saw Patrick Star, parachuting down from the sky. SpongeBob’s best starfish friend was all covered in balloons from below the neck and just above the kneecaps. He dragged a giant banner for a parachute, which read ‘HOORAY FOR SPONGEBOB!’. 

“Patrick, look out!” Twilight shouted.

But it was too late. Patrick crashed right into the giant Squidward banner, sending the whole stage crashing to the ground. The crowd scattered in panic, running as far away as possible. The ponies were suddenly caught by Squidward’s banner, as everything fell apart. In the midst of the wreckage, Patrick burst through the banner, his dopey sweet voice calling out:

“HOORAY FOR SPONGEBOB!” Patrick cried, looking around. “Where did everybody go?”

Several heads popped from out of the banner, as the ponies and Spike looked at Patrick with an annoyed expression.

“Oh, hi guys!” Patrick replied, cheerfully. “Did you all catch that?! How did SpongeBob feel?”

“Patrick… Buddy…” Spike spoke, taking a deep breath. “We need to talk…”
> Goofy Goobers
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that evening, the good citizens of Bikini Bottom slept in their beds ready to greet the new day. All… Except two figures out in the night. That night, Plankton and Cozy Glow launched their evil plan. Using a helicopter jet pack, Plankton flew through the night while Cozy swam close behind. It didn’t take long before he saw his final destination just before him.

“Heh, heh, heh, heh!” Plankton chuckled. “It’s time to put Plan Z into effect.”

“How exactly are we doing this?” Cozy Glow asked.

“Simple: We steal the most prized possession of the sea and blame it all on Krabs. Once that’s done, everything falls into place.”

“Okay… Where do we start?”

Plankton lands upon a dark hill, shutting off his jet pack. He stares out towards a magnificent structure: A beautiful castle, composed of seashells and pearls, standing right before him.

“Our evil plan starts right here,” Plankton informs Cozy Glow. “At the undersea castle of King Neptune!”

Cozy Glow gazes upon the giant underwater sandcastle, with a rather unamused look.

“Eh… I’ve seen better.”

Chuckling with glee, Plankton floats toward the castle’s biggest window, taking a quick peek inside. He gestures to Cozy Glow, motioning her to be quiet. The two stares into the window, noticing that court is in session. Upon his giant throne sat the great merman himself, King Neptune, ruler of the entire sea. He had a long red beard and giant fish tail. His mighty trident is held in one hand and upon his head sat his golden crown. To Plankton, the king seemed enormous.

Next to the huge king is his little daughter, Mindy, a very pretty mermaid with big eyes behind a pair of glasses matched only by a bright smile. 

The squire enters the court, blowing his horn. He unrolls a scroll, reading from it.

“Royal court is now in session,” The squire announced. “Bring the prisoner forward.”

Two tough-looking guards enter carrying a defeated-looking fish, bound in fin-cuffs.

“Soo…” Neptune began. “You have confessed to the crime of touching the king’s crown?”

“Yes, but…” The fish squeaked.

“But what?!” King Neptune yelled.

“But it’s my job, your highness. I’m the royal crown polisher.”

“Well… I guess that means I can’t execute you. Twenty years in the dungeon it is!”

“Daddy!” Mindy cried, horrified.

She quickly swam over to the fish, unlocking his fin-cuffs. The fish bowed politely.

“You’re free to go.”

“Bless you, Princess Mindy,” The royal polisher thanked.

The little fish swam away, as fast as he could. But in his mind, the royal polisher was definitely looking for a new job after tonight.

“Mindy!” King Neptune roared. “How dare you defy me?!”

“Why do you have to be so mean?” Mindy questioned.

“I am the king!” Neptune said, pounding his trident on the floor. “I must enforce the laws of the sea.”

“Father, I wish you’d try a little love and compassion instead of these harsh punishments.”

“That would be nice,” The squire added.

The king bonks the squire on the head with his trident.

“Squire, clear the room!” Neptune demanded. “I wish to speak to my daughter alone.”

Everyone leaves the court, as Neptune and his daughter remains. King Neptune reached up and pulled off the heavy crown, revealing his shiny bald head, the crown he shows toward his daughter.”

“What is this, Mindy?” The King asked.

“Your crown?” Mindy answered, uncertainly.

“And what does this crown do, Mindy?”

Mindy thought about it, for a moment or two.

“It covers your bald spot?” Mindy guessed.

“It’s not bad!” The King bellowed, defensively. “It’s… Thinning!”

After Neptune calms down, he sets his crown upon the royal pillow and leans forward. Plankton took notice, turning towards Cozy Glow.

“Alright kid, teleport me behind that crown!” Plankton requests.

Cozy Glow turns toward the one-eyed creature, with an ‘Are You Serious?’ expression.

“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not a unicorn!” She snipped. “I ‘can’t’ do magic even if I wanted to!”

“Well excuuuuse me, princess!” Plankton mocked. “What can you do to get me in there?”

Cozy Glow turns toward the room, paying special attention towards Mindy. A small, evil smile forms upon her face as her eyes narrowed.

“I know just what to do,” She smirked.

“Yeah?” Plankton asked. “What’s that?”

“Just get ready to sneak in on my signal.” 

Plankton nods, while Cozy Glow casually floats through the window and into the castle. Preparing herself, she dives straight toward the castle grounds, crashing onto the floor with a hard ‘THUD!’, which caught the attention of both the sea king and his daughter.

“OW!!!” Cozy Glow cried out. “OW-OWIE-OWIE! Some pony help me, please!”

Mindy quickly swam towards the tiny sea filly, scooping her up in her arms like a worried mother.

“Oh my, you poor little creature,” Mindy spoke, concerned. “Are you alright?”

“I-I-I don’t know! I think I broke my fin… It hurts so bad!”

“Mindy! Put that filthy creature down right this instant!” Neptune demanded.

“Father, how could you possibly say that?!” Mindy spoke, glaring at her father. “This little creature needs our help!”

Oh please…” Cozy Glow whined. “Won’t help me?”

“This is what I mean by love and compassion,” Mindy spoke. “We don’t need to be harsh and demanding!”

“Oh, just have the guards escort it to a hospital,” Neptune brushed off. “She’ll be fine!”

As the two argue back and forth, Plankton spies on the group and noticed Cozy Glow flapping her wings rapidly. Realizing that was the signal, he sneaks into the room and climbs onto the crown’s pedestal. He chuckles sinisterly as he watched Cozy Glow at work, the little filly in question looks over with an evil smile and a wink. Plankton grabs onto the crown, using his jetpack to fly out of the room. Once she noticed he was gone, Cozy decided it was time to leave.

“You know what?” Cozy said quickly. “I feel better already!”

“Are you sure little one?” Mindy asked, concerned. “That was quite a fall.”

“Oh yes, I’m quite certain! Thank you for your concern, your majesty.”

Cozy Glow quickly swam out of Mindy’s hold, toward the window after Plankton. Once the little filly was gone, Neptune decides to get back to what he tried to explain to his daughter.

“Anyway Mindy… This crown does much more than cover a slightly receding hairline. No, this crown entitles the one who wears it to be in charge of the sea. One day, you will wear this crown.”

Mindy, looking horrified, grabs her head.

“I’m gonna be bald?!”

“Thinning!” Neptune cried. “Anyway, the point is, you won’t wear it until you learn how to rule with an iron fist. Like your father.”

King Neptune reached for his crown, his hand grabbing the royal pillow instead. He placed the pillow onto his head. Mindy just stared.

“Dad, your ‘crown’,” She points out.

With the pillow drooping over his ears, Neptune picked up a gilded hand mirror and gazes into it.

“What the…?!” Neptune yelled.

The King frantically looked around the throne room, but it was all true… The crown was gone.

“MY CROWN!!!!”

Neptune jumped from his throne, roaring with anger, howling like a kid who’s favorite toy was taken from him.

“Someone has stolen the royal crown! GUARDS! MINDY! HEEEEELLLLLP MEEEEEEE!!!”

Meanwhile, Plankton and Cozy Glow flew from the castle, carrying Neptune’s crown, laughing to themselves.

“I got it!” Plankton cheers. “I GOT IT!”

“’WE’ got it!” Cozy Glow corrected.

“WHATEVER!!!”

As they flew back to Bikini Bottom, they pass over Goofy Goober’s Party Boat! Making their way through the entrance, unaware of what just happened, the Mane Six and their friends enter the facility and are overwhelmed by the sight before their eyes. The joint itself was rocking; the music was blasting. A crowd of young fish chow down on delicious Goofy Goober’s Ice-Cream Treats, as the staff rushed from table-to-table, delivering towers of ice cream.

While all the ponies and Spike tried to make this out, Pinkie Pie’s eyes widen, and her jaw hung so low it threatened to fall off. She had never seen so many delicious treats, especially from under the sea. There was ice cream covered with globs of chocolate, piles of whipped cream up top. There was ice cream covered in sprinkles, nuts, cherries, strawberries, even seaweed toppings. At one table, there was the biggest banana split she had ever seen, five flavors of ice cream with two big bananas. 

“Girls… I’ve died and gone to heaven!” Pinkie Pie spoke, tearfully.

In the midst of all the fun and eating, an announcement was made off the Goofy Goober Clock on a wall.

“Hey, all you Goobers, it’s time to say howdy to your favorite undersea peanut, Goofy Goober!”

The curtains part way and before the screaming kids is Goofy Goober – a large mechanical peanut – dancing in all his peanut glory.

“Howdy, Goofy Goober!” The Kids cried out. 

“Hey, fellow Goofy Goobers!” Goofy Goober tips his hat, tapping his toes. “Time to sing!”

And as he sang, the audience cheered.

Before the eyes of the ponies and little dragon, everyone sang while scarfing down ice cream, all having a good time.

“Oh Celestia…” Rainbow Dash moaned. “It is a kiddie restaurant!”

“Tell me about it,” Spike agreed. “It’s like an endless kid’s birthday party here!”

“I know, isn’t this great!” Pinkie smiled.

“Focus girls,” Twilight informed. “Keep your eyes open; SpongeBob’s supposed to be here tonight.”

“Can I help you folks?”

The group turns as an employee, with a deadpan expression, stares upon the group carrying menus in his fins.

“Uh beg yer pardon, sir,” Applejack spoke. “We’re here to meet a friend of ours! You ain’t happen to see a little yellow sponge come in?”

“You mean the sad little man in a tie and buck teeth, crying about how sad his life is?” The employee described, bluntly.

“That’s… Oddly specific,” Rarity replied.

“Yeah, that’s SpongeBob!” Sweetie Belle cut in. “Do you know where we can find him?”

“… Yeah, in the back,” The employee pointed, before walking away.

“Thanks, mister,” Apple Bloom thanked.

The group quickly swam their way through the row of singing kids toward the ice-cream bar at the back of the facility. They didn’t have to look far as they found the sad little sponge, sitting alone, crying on the counter. As if this wasn’t miserable enough, the little sponge sang.

SpongeBob (Sings):
Why can’t they see? 
I wore my good shoes and I’ve got my tie on.
Maybe it’s me,
Am I just a simple sponge you can’t rely on?

I’ve been waiting patiently
To be the sponge I’m meant to be!
Won’t anyone believe… In… Me???

The SpongeBob then planted his head on the wooden counter, as the group silently floats toward their depressed little friend.

“Hiya SpongeBob,” Rainbow spoke.

The sad little sponge turns toward the motley group, his eyes red from crying as tears flowed on his cheeks.

“Hi… Girls,” SpongeBob whined.

“Aw… Don’t be sad, sugar cube,” Applejack said.

“I’m not sad…” SpongeBob assured, wiping his eyes. “This old boy just needs to get it together, that’s all…”

“Perhaps darling, don’t you think it would be better if you didn’t think about it?” Rarity suggests.

“… I can try,” SpongeBob spoke.

SpongeBob stares into nothing for a moment, his arms on his sides. Then eventually, a smile forms on his face.

“Hey, you know, I actually feel a little better,” SpongeBob said.

“Atta boy, SpongeBob!” Pinkie smiled. “See, everything’s going to be super-duper!”

“Yeah! I don’t even remember why I was sad!”

“HEEY!” Patrick shouted, sitting at the bar. “It’s the new Krusty Krab 2 manager!”

“PATRICK!!!!” The group shouted.

But it was too late. SpongeBob bursts into tears again, plopping his head onto the bar table. The CMC, the Mane Six, and Spike swam beside SpongeBob trying to comfort the poor sponge.

“Aww, don’t cry,” Apple Bloom assured. “It’s gonna be alright.”

“Things will get better,” Sweetie Belle added.

“Totally!” Scootaloo agreed. “Besides, who wants to be a crummy manager anyway?”

“… ME!!!!!!” SpongeBob cried, slamming his head on the counter.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle glare toward Scootaloo, who just shrank down sheepishly.

“Wow, the pressure’s already setting in,” Patrick said.

“No, Pat, you don’t understand,” SpongeBob said. “I didn’t get the promotion.”

“WHAT?!” Patrick shouted, in shock. “Why?”

“Apparently, that money grubbin’ boss, Mr. Krabs, thinks poor SpongeBob ain’t manager material,” Applejack fumed.

“Manager material? You mean like polyester?”

“Wut? Noooo…”

“Mr. Krabs thinks SpongeBob is just a kid,” Twilight said. “That he’ll never be more than a fry cook.”

“I ‘can’ hear you,” SpongeBob cried.

“What?” Patrick cried, slapping his head. “That’s insane.”

“I know!”

“Well, saying you’re a kid, it’s like saying I’m a kid!”

“Here’s your Goober Meal, sir,” A waiter said, placing a tray in front of him.

“I’m supposed to get a toy with this,” Patrick said, suspiciously.

The waiter tossed Patrick a stuffed peanut, which he cuddles.

“Thanks!”

“Oh yeah no,” Spike said, sarcastically. “There’s nothing about you that screams kid that’s for sure.”

“Exactly!” Patrick nodded. “And I’ll tell you what, SpongeBob. I don’t think the problem is you not being the manager.”

“It’s not?” SpongeBob asked.

“No… You just want some respect, I get that. I got a lot of great ideas, but no one ever pays attention—”

“We’re getting off topic,” SpongeBob sighed. “I’m gonna head home, Pat. The celebration’s off.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’m not in a Goober mood.”

“You want us to walk you back home?” Fluttershy asked.

“No, it’s okay,” SpongeBob shook his head. “You guys have your fun; I’m just gonna go to bed and lie in the dark.”

“Okay, see you later buddy,” Spike said.

Just as SpongeBob rose from his bar stool, starting to turn and walk away, the waiter returns with a towering ice-cream sundae.

“And here’s your Triple Gooberberry Sunrise, sir,” The waiter told Patrick.

“Yum!” Patrick said, rubbing his tummy and licking his lips.

“Wow!” The ponies and Spike say, in unison.

As the group looks in awe, the wonderful scent of sundae reels SpongeBob back in.

“A Triple Gooberberry Sunrise, huh?” SpongeBob asked, sitting back on the stool. “I guess I could use one of those.”

“Now you’re talking!” Patrick cheered, slapping his friend’s back. “Hey, waiter! We need another one over here!”

The waiter places a giant sundae in front of SpongeBob.

“There you go.”

SpongeBob and Patrick cheer, as they began to eat. Spoons were flying; ice cream splattered everywhere. Unfortunately, any ice cream that wasn’t eaten got splattered all over the waiter. When all was done, SpongeBob and Patrick sat back on their chairs, two humongous burps escape from their mouths. 

“Boy, Pat, that hit the spot!” SpongeBob said, rubbing his tummy. “I’m feeling better already.”

“Yeah…” Patrick sighed.

“Yah see SpongeBob?” Apple Bloom smiled. “Y’all can have fun with us right here and just forget about today.”

“Yeah!” Sweetie Belle said, happily. “We’re all here to cheer you up!”

“After all, what are best friends for?” Scootaloo asked.

“Ooh… I think I feel a SONG coming on!” Pinkie cheered.

“Oh great… We’re in another musical,” Rainbow Dash sighed.



“Hey guys, I have an idea!” Pinkie spike.

She stretches the bar stools, forming a circle around SpongeBob and Patrick, making it look like a bathtub.

“I love me some bubbles in my bath,” SpongeBob sighed.

“I love me some bubbles ‘anywhere’,” Patrick nodded.

SpongeBob then starts taking the stools and forms a dome of sorts.

“Okay! Since you’re so into bubbles, I’m gonna make the biggest, baddest bubble ever!”

Sure enough, a giant bubble emerges as SpongeBob continues to sing from inside. All the others are either dancing or singing in harmony in their own bubbles, while Patrick just floats around with a dumbfounded expression on his face.

Reality returns as it turns out parts of the song was a dream sequence. Still, the group got a huge laugh out of it as they hugged each other. True, SpongeBob was ‘still’ upset for not getting the promotion he really wanted. But he knew that so long as he had his best friends by his side, he could always be smiling.

“Well, I don’t know about the rest of you,” Twilight spoke. “But I think it’s about time we head back to the pineapple.”

“Oh yes, we do need our beauty sleep,” Rarity agreed. “What with Cozy Glow still out and about, we’ll need to expand the search.”

“Aww come on, big sis,” Sweetie Belle begged. “Can’t we stay a little longer?”

“Please…” Apple Bloom and Scootaloo joined.

“Now y’all know what we just said?” Applejack reminded. “We said y’all would stick close to us, right?”

“You know, they can hang out with us for a while,” SpongeBob offered. “We’ll bring them back before it gets too late.”

“I guess that doesn’t sound like a bad idea,” Fluttershy said.

“Are you kidding? That’s a GREAT idea!” Pinkie cried. “How often do you get to have a party in a big boat?! With tons of ice cream, parties, music, all sorts of fun and…”

Twilight quickly covers Pinkie’s mouth with her hoof, ceasing her constant rambling.

“Well, I don’t see a problem with them staying with SpongeBob and Patrick,” Rainbow Dash said. “We can trust them.”

Applejack and Rarity both turn toward each other, deciding what to do. With a shrug, they turn back with a smile.

“Well, alright,” Applejack spoke. “But don’t y’all stay out too late now.”

“And you better not return with a sugar rush,” Rarity warned. 

The CMC, along with SpongeBob and Patrick salute, as if silently saying ‘We understand’. Nodding with approval, the girls and Spike swam out of the party boat back to SpongeBob’s. Once they made sure they were gone, they turn to each other with sly grins.

“We’re getting’ hopped up on sugar, ain’t we?” Apple Bloom asked mischievously.

“Oh… Yeah!” Patrick nodded.

“Waiter!” SpongeBob called. “Let’s get another round over here.”

Two more Triple Gooberberry Sunrises appear, as the friends gobble them up in a flash. It didn’t take long before the sugar got into effect, as the group felt a little jazzed.

“Oh, Mr. Waiter!” SpongeBob called. “Two more, please.”

As the ice cream kept coming, the group just kept eating while the deadpanned waiter was covered in ice cream. All the bowls piled up, till they were stacked sideways. Soon enough, the sugar was driving them utterly bonkers as they got rowdier by the minute.

“WHOO!!!” The CMC cheered.

“Waiter!” SpongeBob cried, splattering ice cream everywhere.

“Oh, waiter!” Patrick called.

“Waiter!” Apple Bloom called, sing-song.

“Wait-toor!” Sweetie Belle slurred.

“Waiter!” Scootaloo yelled angrily, pounding the table.

“Wai-ter! Wait-ter! Wai-ter!” They chanted in unison.

“Why do I always get the nuts?” The Waiter groaned, rolling his eyes.

Totally crazed from a sugar high, SpongeBob, Patrick, and the girls were goofier than Goofy Goober himself. SpongeBob leapt onto the stage, grabbing the microphone, while draping an arm over the big mechanical peanut.

“All right, folks!” SpongeBob shouted out. “This one goes out to my five bestest friends in the whole world! The CMC... Patrick… And this big peanut guy!”

“I love this peanut guy!” The sugared-up Apple Bloom shouted.

“It’s a little ditty called…”

“WAIIII-TERRRRRRRR!!!!” They all shouted.

SpongeBob and Patrick sang loudly and out of tune, driving all the customers away. The CMC kept eating ice cream until they turned purple and fainted onto the floor.

<>

The very next morning, SpongeBob Squarepants woke up at the bar. Someone was shaking him, making the Party Boat spin before his eyes.

“Hey… Hey, get up…”

When SpongeBob’s eyes adjust, it turns out to be that disgruntled waiter trying to wake him up.

“Hey, come on, buddy,” The waiter said. “I want to go home.”

SpongeBob opened his eyes and blinked shut, the light hurt. Slowly, he sat up and looked around. From what he can make out, it looked like Goofy Goober’s… Except it was deserted, except for a guy sweeping peanut shells off the floor. A head pops out from a pile of peanut shells, a little yellow sea pony who’s red mane got loose, and her bow was disorganized.

“Where am I?” Apple Bloom wondered, dizzily.

“Come on, kids,” The waiter said, as he helps SpongeBob to his feet.

“Urgh… My head…” SpongeBob groaned.

SpongeBob resembled someone who looked so drunk, with the facial hair and red eyes, he nearly passed out. But the waiter barely caught him when he felt something bump his legs. He turns as Scootaloo wobbles around dizzily.

“Kid, I’m trying to get out of here,” The waiter complained.

“I’ll take a Double Fudge Spinny—”

But the waiter cut Scootaloo off with a foot onto his lips.

“Listen to me,” He said. “It’s eight in the morning. Go scrape up your friends and get going.”

“Our… Uh… Friends?” SpongeBob mumbled.

The waiter points toward Patrick and Sweetie Belle, lying on the floor snoring. Pat’s starfish arms and legs were spread out, while Sweetie Belle laid upon his stomach like a cat. They were all covered in ice cream, from head-to-toe.

“Patrick! Sweetie!” SpongeBob cried. “Hey, what’s up, guys?

“We got hearts, as strong as horses,” Sweetie sung, sleepily. “We got hearts, as strong as horses…”

Then, SpongeBob fell on his face while the waiter rolled his eyes in annoyance. Suddenly, SpongeBob jumped to his feet again.

“Wait! You said eight o clock!” He cried, panicking. “I’m late for work! Mr. Krabs is gonna be…”

But then, in an instance, an angry look spread upon SpongeBob’s face. Even the CMC, recovered from their own stupor, just enough to share the same feeling that is running in his mind.

“Mr. Krabs…” They hissed, disgustedly.
> Onward to Shell City
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the day continued, business began to boom 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 becoming 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 light cerulean eye was caught in his sights.

“Mr. Krabs?” A squeaky voice asked.

Mr. Krabs gasped like a girl, dropping the periscope. In that moment, the office door swung open as six very anxious sea ponies, along with a pufferfish, swam inside.

“Mr. Krabs, we need to speak to you!” Twilight said urgently. 

“Sorry missy,” Krabs responded. “There’s a talking fee of about five bucks.”

Rainbow Dash growled, swimming toward the greedy crab and spun him around. She grabs him with her hooves and pins him against the wall with great force. The way the seapony snarled made Mr. Krabs utterly terrified.

“I think you can make an exception for us, don’t you?” She growled angrily.

“Uh… No problem, me dear,” Krabs nodded quickly.

Rainbow put the frightened restaurant owner down, before swimming back toward the rest of her friends while trying to cool off.

“Ya alright there, Dash?” Applejack asked concerned.

“Yeah sure,” Rainbow huffed. “Sometimes that Krabs makes me wanna hit something… Preferably him.”

“Well… I didn’t wanna say nothin’, but… I kinda felt the same.”

“I’m really sorry about my friend, Mr. Krabs,” Twilight apologized. “But have you seen Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, or Scootaloo?”

“No why?” Mr. Krabs asked.

“They never returned to SpongeBob’s home last night,” Rarity stated worriedly. “We are ever so worried about them.”

“Well, where did ye leave ‘em last?”

“Last time we saw them, we left them to hang with SpongeBob and Patrick,” Spike answered. “We were meeting them at Goofy Goobers, and they promised they’d look out for them.”

Squidward snorted slightly, which drew their attention towards him.

“Well, there’s your problem right there,” He chuckled. “You left them with two of the biggest idiots in the entire town. If I had to guess, they’re probably lost in the Kelp Forests… Again.”

This made the girls very nervous, the possibility that the three little fillies were lost in this huge ocean was a terrifying thought. Mr. Krabs just shrugged Squidward off.

“Ah don’t pay any attention to Squidward now,” He assured. “I’m sure they’ll turn up somewhere.”

He returns to his periscope, keeping a close watch for more customers. Suddenly, something caught his attention.

“What’s this?” He asked.

His eyes were not deceiving him: There he was, King Neptune, riding a carriage pulled by a pack of sea horses. Next to the king himself sat his only daughter, Princess Mindy.

“King Neptune is riding 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.

“He’s got money!”

<>

Outside, King Neptune stepped down from his carriage and turned to Mindy.

“Stay in the coach, daughter,” He said. “This won’t take long.”

“Daddy, please. I think you’re overreacting.”

“Silence, Mindy. I know what I’m doing.”

The king turned and – WHAM! – walked straight into the Krusty Krab sign pole.

“OW!” The king yelled angrily. “Squire!”

“Yes, Your Highness?” The Squire asked.

“Have this pole executed at once!”

<>

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?!” Twilight asked, in shock.

“With cheese, Ms. Twilight,” Krabs said. “With cheese.”

“That’s the biggest rip-off ah’ve seen since the Flim Flam brothers brought that doohicky tah Sweet Apple Acres!” Applejack shook her head. “Nearly done run us outta business back then!”

“Ooh, you mean the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000?” Pinkie asked excitedly.

“Pinkie, I swear if you start singing that song—” Rainbow groaned.

Pinkie (Sings):
Well you’ve got opportunity in this very community—

WHOOP! Applejack’s hoof instantly planted right into Pinkie’s mouth, instantly cutting off the song.

“No…” Applejack said. “Just… No…”

“Mmph!” Pinkie groaned.

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!” The squire declared.

King Neptune soon enters the restaurant, as all the patrons bow their heads. 

“There he is, Squidward,” Mr. Krabs said, awe-struck. “The richest undersea monarch the world has ever known.”

“Then why is he wearing a paper bag on his head?” Squidward asked.

“Actually… That’s a good question,” Twilight admits.

“Greetings, subjects,” King Neptune said, in a kingly voice. “I seek—”

Suddenly, Neptune was interrupted by the squire’s second fanfare. He blew and blew until the king finally stuck his finger into the horn, silencing it.

“Oh, sorry,” The squire apologized.

“Ahem! Greetings, subjects. I seek the one known as Eugene Krabs. May he present himself to me at once!”

“I’m Eugene Krabs, Your Highness,” Mr. Krabs stepped forward. “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. The King points his trident at Mr. Krabs, as the Mane Six brace themselves.

“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:

I STOLD YOUR CROWN.
SIGNED,
EUGENE KRABS

P.S. MY SEAPONY ACCOMPLICES AND I HAVE HIDDEN THE CROWN SOMEWHERE AND YOU SHALL NEVER FIND IT!

Krabs blinked in astonishment, as he read the words. At the very mention of their involvement, the Mane Six themselves were shocked.

“W-W-W-Wait a minute!” Twilight objected. “How does that even prove took the crown? We never even knew about a King in this city until today!”

“Yeah… Just how do we know that ‘you’ are even the real King Neptune?” Pinkie asked, inquisitively. 

The King was appalled by Pinkie’s statement, offended as his expression showed.

“You insubordinate little sea creature! I am the one and only King Neptune and I’ll prove it. SQUIRE!!!”

Swimming quickly without hesitation, the Squire approaches Pinkie Pie and hands her a picture of the King himself. Pinkie takes the picture and studies it closely, even pulling out a pair of reading glasses from her mane. She looks at the picture, then back at the King, then to the picture… But shook her head.

“This doesn’t look like you,” She stated.

Sighing in annoyance, the King takes hold of his big nose and proceeds to blow. All at once, his physique suddenly changes right before the ponies eyes. Matching the description of the picture given to Pinkie Pie, the King Neptune before them had longer red hair and beard, including a mustache, a smaller nose, redder eyebrows a more chipper physique, and even a golden belt with a seahorse in the center. All that was missing was his red coat and that paper bag.

“Whoa!” The ponies gasped.

“… I’m sorry, I take back what I said,” Pinkie said.

But the King did not answer, maintaining his stoic look. But then his cheeks began to puff out, turning red, and his eyes bulging as if he was trying to hold his breath. Finally, he gasps before reverting back to the King they were introduced to, even with the paper bag that just reappeared on his head.

Don’t ask us how this works… PLEASE don’t!

“Phew!” The King sighed. “Can’t seem to hold it together like I used to.”

“It’s that age catching up with you,” Pinkie noted, nodding.

“Tell me about it, de-de-de-de-de-DON’T TRY TO DISTRACT ME! Relinquish the royal crown to me at once, or you ponies shall be forced to witness to the very nasty things I can do with my trident!”

A bolt of electricity shot from the trident, as the ponies reeled back from the intense power.

“But… But this is crazy!” Mr. Krabs stammered. “I didn’t do it!”

“Neither did us!” Spike added. “My friends and I are many things, but we’re NOT thieves!”

Just then, the phone rings and the answering machine soon picks up.

“Ahoy, this is Eugene Krabs,” The answering machine spoke. “Please leave a message.”

After the beep, a gruff voice began to talk.

“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.”

Mr. Krabs frantically tried to shut off the answering machine, but it just keeps going.

“Also, can you please thank those love sea ponies for telling us where we can sell it? I sold the crown to a guy in Shell City, and I just wanted to say thanks again for selling me the crown. That’s Neptune’s crown… Which is now in Shell City. Goodbye.”

Panicking, Rainbow Dash ripped the phone off the wall and hurled through the window. But it was too late. When they turned back, King Neptune’s face was consumed with rage as he heard every… Single… Word.

“Heh, heh, heh,” Mr. Krabs chuckled nervously. “Don’t you just hate wrong numbers?”

To say King Neptune was unamused was an understatement… In fact, he slowly started to rage like a volcano about to erupt.

“MY CROWN IS IN THE FORBIDDEN SHELL CITY?! WHAAAAAAA!!!”

Neptune’s scream shook the very walls of Mr. Krab’s new restaurant, as the ponies looked on nervously.

<>

At that exact moment, inside a phone booth on the other side of Bikini Bottom, Plankton and Cozy Glow listened with glee, as the results of the incriminating phone call went into effect.

“Plan Z! I love Plan Z!” Plankton cackled, after hanging up the phone.

“Now we move to step two of the plan, right?” Cozy asked.

“That’s right, kid! Come tomorrow, this entire town will be eating out of the palms of our hands!”

Cozy Glow cleared her throat, folding her arms and glaring at Plankton.

“… And hooves,” Plankton groaned, with an eyeroll. 

<>

“WHAAAAAAA!!!!”

The King screamed throughout the Krusty Krab 2 until he could bellow no more. He lowers his flame-throwing trident menacingly towards Mr. Krabs and the Ponies.

“Prepare to burn! Starting with you… KRABS!!!”

“Wait, King Neptune!” Krabs whined. “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?”

*Insert Belch Effect here*

A loud belch turned all eyes toward the front door. There stood SpongeBob SquarePants and the Cutie Mark Crusaders, still slightly crazed from the night before. Among the four, SpongeBob was still very angry especially towards Mr. Krabs.

“I’ve got something to say about Mr. Krabs!” SpongeBob announced.

“Y-Y-Yeah! And this time, he’s got back-up!” Apple Bloom slurred.

But when Apple Bloom was pointed, she was actually looking outside of the restaurant with her tail towards the crowd. Scootaloo cleared her throat, as Sweetie Belle turned Apple Bloom back inside the restaurant.

“Oh… And THIS time, he’s got back-up!” Apple Bloom repeated.

SpongeBob stumbles about as he reached to the front of the gathering. The Crusaders, meanwhile, swam in a disorderly manner towards their sisters, who suffice to say looked peeved.

“Apple Bloom!” Applejack whisper-yelled. “Where in the name of Celestia y’all been?”

“We were up all night worried sick about you,” Rarity scolded.

“Just wait till we get home,” Rainbow snarled. “You’re gonna get it!”

“Hey!” Scootaloo shouted, in a dragged-out way. “YOU said we could stay with SpongeBob and Patrick! That’s on you!”

“Don’t get sassy with me, young lady!”

“SpongeBob, me boy, you’ve come just in time,” Mr. Krabs said, interrupting the banter. “Please tell King Neptune all about me.

SpongeBob faced the king, clearing his throat before putting on his best smile.

“I have worked for Mr. Krabs for many years,” SpongeBob slurred. “And always thought he was a great boss.”

“You see?!” Mr. Krabs smiled. “A great boss.”

“Until… Today!” Sweetie Belle declared, hiccupping.

“Yeah, since we now realize he’s not a great boss!” Apple Bloom added. “In fact, Mr. Krabs is nothing but a GREAT… BIG… JERK!!!”

“That’s right! And he’s uh… He’s uh…” Scootaloo stammered. “And he’s fat! Fat-fat-FATTY!!!”

As Mr. Krabs shrank under every word these girls said, SpongeBob ‘really’ let him have it.

“I deserve that manager’s job! But you didn’t give it to me because you say I’m a kid!” SpongeBob yelled. “Well, I am 100% man! And this man has got something to say to you. Girls, wanna give me a hand?”

“No… We’ll give you six hooves,” Apple Bloom said. “Right girls?!”

“You bet!” The two crusaders nodded.

They all swam up besides SpongeBob and together they all stuck their tongues out, giving Mr. Krabs the longest, nastiest, wet raspberry Bikini Bottom has ever seen.

“There, I think we’ve made our point,” SpongeBob said calmly.

King Neptune looks around, while Mr. Krabs stands there in complete shock.

“Anyone else? No? Well, then…”

King Neptune lowered his crackling trident once more – Aiming right at Mr. Krabs! Mr. Krabs shook in his shell, when a bolt of lightning burst from Neptune’s trident and struck Mr. Krabs in the backside. Mr. Krabs howled and hopped around the restaurant, smoke pouring from his pants.

“Ooh! Me pants are on fire!” Mr. Krabs screamed. “Me underwear’s on fire! I’M ON FIRE!!!”

Mr. Krabs quickly dives into a tub of water to put out the flames. As his bottom sizzled, he sighed with relief. 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, jumped in front of his boss. As he tried to reason with the King, Rarity quickly takes a changing wall, surrounds the tub, and fixes Krabs in a conveniently second set of clothes, the original burned to ashes by Neptune’s power.

“I’m flattered you would do this on my account,” SpongeBob said. “But being manager isn’t worth killing Mr. Krabs over.”

Suffice to say, Neptune’s eyes grew stormy as his rage grew.

“Quiet, fool!” He hollered. “Mr. Krabs stole my crown, and now it’s in Shell City. That’s why he must die. As for his seapony accomplices… Well, I actually haven’t decided what to do with them… But it’s going to be bad!”

“Dude, doesn’t it seem harsh to kill someone over a crown?” Rainbow Dash asked, scratching her head.

“You don’t understand,” Neptune shook his head. “My crown is a symbol of my king-like authority!”

“Well, I am a Princess where I come from,” Twilight noted. “If any pony can understand, I would.”

“Totally!” Pinkie added. “She practically had to go to a world of humans to regain her crown and that thief ends up becoming one of her students? Who knew?!”

The King paused for a moment, then leaned toward the ponies to whisper.

“Well, between you and me… My hair is thinning a bit.”

“Thinning?” Rarity questioned.

“Oh, Your Highness, I’m sure it’s not that noticeable,” SpongeBob assured.

The King considered SpongeBob’s words. Then, standing tall, Neptune pulled the paper bag off his head. The glare on his bald spot was so strong, it practically blinded everyone.

“Bald! Bald!” SpongeBob screeched.

Everyone in the restaurant pointed at the chrome dome, shouting ‘Bald!’ over and over. Half the two even shielded their eyes, while Neptune’s cheeks went red. He quickly placed the bag back on his head.

“All right, all right!” King Neptune said, turning to the ponies. “See? I can’t go anywhere without my crown nowadays! And without it, none of my subjects will ever take me seriously again!”

SpongeBob, understanding how important the crown was to the king, tugged at Neptune’s beard.

“King Neptune, sir?” SpongeBob asked. “Would you pare Mr. Krabs’ life if I went to get your crown back?”

“You! Go to Shell City?!” Neptune bellowed, before laughing out loud. “No one who’s gone to Shell City has ever returned.”

“Um, Your Majesty,” Fluttershy spoke. “When you say ‘ever’ do you mean as a figure of speech or…?”

“I literally mean ‘ever’, period, full stop, exclamation point!”

Whimpering, Fluttershy floated backwards toward her friends, shuddering at the thought.

“Besides, what chance would you have?” The King asked, towards SpongeBob. “You’re just a kid.”

“But I’m not a kid!” SpongeBob whined. “I can do it.”

Neptune simply shook his head, tapping SpongeBob’s behind with his long trident.

“Run along. I have a crab to cook.”

Then, once more, Neptune aimed his trident at Mr. Krabs

“NO!” Mr. Krabs screamed.

“NO! I won’t let you,” SpongeBob said, standing before his boss.

“Me neither!” Twilight Sparkle jumped in, determined.

“Me too!” The ponies and Spike said.

“Really?!” Mr. Krabs said, joyfully.

“Hey, we ain’t pleased with your money-grubbin schemes,” Applejack replied. “But not even you deserves to be burnt to a crisp!”

“Very well then,” King Neptune replied. “I’ll punish you all!”

SpongeBob hugged Mr. Krabs, who hugs SpongeBob back. The ponies, even the CMC, stand close together expecting the worst to come. Sensing they were in big trouble, they all screamed in unison.

“AAAAHHHHHHHH!!!”

Just then, Princess Mindy appears blocking her father’s aim.

“Daddy stop it! Can’t you get through one day without executing someone?”

“Mindy, I told you to stay in the carriage!” Neptune said sternly.

“Where’s your love and compassion?” Mindy asked.

She soon takes SpongeBob by the arm.

“Look at this little guy. He’s willing to risk his life to find your crown and save his boss.”

“But, daughter, I…” Neptune began.

“Please, Father? At least let him try. 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!’. King Neptune sighed in defeat, ultimately surrendering to his daughter’s request.

“All right. Very well, Mindy. I’ll give him a chance. But when you little champion fails to return; I get to cook this crab for good!”

“Goodness!” Rarity gasped, horrified.

Mr. Krabs began to shake again, fearing for his fate.

“And as for you,” Neptune informs SpongeBob. “Be back here with my crown in exactly ten days!”

“He can do it in nine!”

All of a sudden, the group turns as Patrick Star entered the restaurant and spoke up.

“Patrick, what are you doing?!” Spike asked.

“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 can make things worse.

“Six it is, then,” The King commanded.

“Fi-ve!” Patrick gasped.

“Patrick, please!” Twilight whisper-shouted.

“Shh!” SpongeBob hushed his friend.

“Until then,” The King continues, 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 blasts 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!” Squidward screamed.

He hurried to Mr. Krabs’ side, pounding the ice imprisoning him.

“Oh no, this is terrible! Who’s gonna sign my paycheck?”

“Seriously pal?!” Rainbow cried, exasperated.

“Come along, Mindy,” King Neptune commanded.

The Mighty Monarch of the Sea turned on his heels, storming out the front door. But before she left, Mindy hurried over to speak with SpongeBob and Patrick.

“Listen, you guys, the road to Shell City is really dangerous!” Mindy warned. “There’s crooks, killers and monsters everywhere!”

“Crooks?!” Applejack gasped.

“M-M-M-Monsters?!” Fluttershy shuddered.

While SpongeBob’s eyes went wide, Patrick just stared at Mindy, completely awestruck. He had never seen a mermaid before – let alone one so beautiful.

“And what’s worse,” Mindy added. “There’s a giant Cyclops who guards the outskirts of the city and preys on innocent sea creatures!”

With each word SpongeBob, Spike, and the ponies shook at the description.

“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!”

“She’s purty, SpongeBob,” Patrick whispered.

There was no denying it, the Starfish was completely smitten by Mindy’s beauty.

“Here, take this,” Mindy said.

She hands SpongeBob a sack tied at the top.

“Ooh… What’s in here?” Pinkie asked.

Before Mindy could reply, she takes a peek inside the bag. A huge wind blew out, nearly tearing Pinkie’s face off. Mindy quickly seals the bag, while Pinkie seemed to have a permanent grin, her cheeks pushed out.

“Breezy!” Pinkie replied.

“It’s a magical bag of winds,” Mindy explained. “I stole them from my father.”

“Oh, she’s bad,” Scootaloo replied. “I like her!”

“Me too,” Patrick spoke, goofy. “You’re hot!”

The mermaid chose to ignore the Starfish for the time being.

“Once you find the crown, open the bag of wings and you’ll be blown back home.”

“Gee, thanks Mindy!” Apple Bloom said.

“Mindy!” King Neptune yelled, from his carriage.

“I’m coming!” Mindy called back, before facing the sponge. “Good luck, SpongeBob!”

Mindy turned to go when the sponge realized something.

“Wait! How did you know my name?”

“Oh, I’m gonna be queen of the sea one day,” Mindy shrugged. “I’ve learned the names of all the sea creatures.” 

“No kidding?!” Pinkie replied, pulling Twilight along. “My bestie Twilight Sparkle here is a princess back where we come from!”

“No way! You’re a Princess!”

“Yeah, yeah… I get that reaction with every pony,” Twilight smiled.

“Well, let me just say this Princess Twilight—”

“Just Twilight is fine, thank you.”

“Okay, Twilight, I personally believe that neither you nor your friends had anything to do Daddy’s crown. Although it’s strange, we did have this one sea pony come into the castle the other night and for a moment I thought she might be with you.”

“Hold the phone!” Sweetie interrupted. “This sea pony, did she have red eyes? Blue mane and a pink coat?”

“That’s exactly what she looked like,” Mindy nodded. “And I swear I saw a ‘Rook’ symbol on her fins.”

“COZY GLOW!!!” The CMC spoke.

“You know her?!” Mindy asked.

“Yeah… Y’all could say that,” Apple Bloom nodded, glumly. “Ya wouldn’t know where she is, would ya?”

“Haven’t seen her since last night. But if you’re looking for your friend, I’ll be sure to keep a look out and keep you informed while you find the crown.”

“Friend is a strong word,” Scootaloo grumbled.

“Ooh! Ooh! Miss Mindy,” Patrick spoke shyly. “What’s my name?”

“That’s easy,” Mindy replied. “You’re Patrick Star.”

Patrick’s cheeks turned red, as he blushed shyly from head to toe before fainting like a lovestruck fool.

“MINDY!!!” The King roared.

“I gotta go,” Mindy said, smiling. “I believe in you guys.”

“Thanks, Mindy,” SpongeBob called.

They all watched as the mermaid princess swam away, probably the one inhabitant in town who surely believes in the ponies’ innocence. As the king and his daughter left, SpongeBob approaches his now frozen boss.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Krabs. Patrick, Squidward and I…”

“Pass!” Squidward said, walking out the door.

“Eh, ah… Patrick and I—”

“Hi!” Patrick waved.

“—We are gonna 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. But SpongeBob SquarePants wasn’t discouraged at all. In fact, he was filled with sheer determination.

“Now hold on right there, sugar cube,” Applejack stepped in. “If ur goin’ to get the crown back, we oughtta be goin’ with y’all!”

“Yeah, so what if that pickle-puss squid won’t tag along?” Rainbow added.

“Octopus,” Pinkie and Rarity corrected.

“Whatever… The point is if we’re going to prove that we didn’t steal that crown, I say we go to Shell City ourselves and help our friends get it back.”

“I don’t know… Go to Shell City and risk doom with the cyclops,” Fluttershy replied uncertainly. “Or stay here and risk the wrath of a king who thinks we took it.”

“Don’t you worry about a thing, darling,” Rarity assured. “As long as we stick together, we’ll take on any obstacle thrown at us.”

“And we’re comin’ along too,” Apple Bloom spoke, standing with her two friends.

“Girls, I really don’t know about this,” Twilight spoke.

“Oh, come on, Twi!” Scootaloo whined.

“We’re SpongeBob’s friends too!” Sweetie Belle added.

“No, I mean I don’t think we should be doing this! We don’t have a map to Shell City; we don’t even have a plan when we get there.”

“There’s only one plan we do have, Twilight,” SpongeBob spoke up. “We’re getting that crown! Come on, guys!”

SpongeBob and Patrick hurry to the back of the Krusty Krab 2, with the ponies and Spike following close behind. SpongeBob unlocks a secret door behind the deep fryer. The door swung open and they leap onto the poles. A full minute later, both were in Mr. Krab’s secret basement.

“It sure is pretty dark down here,” Spike said, nervously.

“I know it is,” SpongeBob replied. “But here we are!”

“I didn’t know any of this was down here,” Twilight spoke, looking around. “What was Mr. Krabs doing with all this space?”

“Let’s just say Mr. Krabs keeps a lot of secrets,” SpongeBob whispered. “Shh! But you didn’t hear it from me.”

Eventually, SpongeBob led his friends through another hidden door into another dark room.

“Feast your eyes, my friends,” SpongeBob announced.

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,” SpongeBob replied, explaining. “Mr. Krabs uses it for promotional reasons. Let me show you some of its features…”

As they step around the giant burger wagon, SpongeBob points 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 group, minus Twilight, exclaimed.

“Yeah, wow!” SpongeBob agreed. “Well come on, let’s go!”

“Hmm… I still don’t know,” Twilight spoke, with concern. “What’s supposed to be a simple recovery mission has suddenly turned to a life-threatening venture. Even if we could go, there’s a 25% chance of success whereas 75% is likely we’ll be kidnapped by crooks or eaten by monsters.”

“And you’re the fearless leader of the group because…?” Rainbow asked.

“But we need you on the team, Twilight,” SpongeBob insists. “Patrick’s the brawn and your friends all have special skills, but you have to handle the brains part. Because you’re right, we have no clue how to get to Shell City, and time is running out really, really fast… But no pressure. Because I know just how to get you to come…”

“Ooh… I feel a motivational song coming!” Pinkie said, sing-song.



To show how committed Twilight Sparkle is to the quest, she casts an extension spell that expands the interior of the Patty Wagon. This way, they could all fit inside the wagon together. One by one, they all hopped in with more determined looks on their faces. As SpongeBob hops into the driver’s seat, Patrick looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

“Hey! I thought you didn’t have a driver’s license.”

“Wait… Y’all don’t have a license?!” Applejack asked.

“Eh… It’s a long story…” SpongeBob replied, sheepishly. “Fortunately, you don’t need a license to drive a sandwich.”

“Makes perfect sense to me,” Pinkie shrugged.

They all fasten their safety belts, as SpongeBob turns the ignition key, 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 Patty Wagon roared up the exit ramp, as the garage door opens. Sesame seeds flew everywhere, the Patty Wagon flying through the back of the Krusty Krab 2.

“Shell City, here we come!” The group yelled in unison.

Then SpongeBob pressed the Patty Wagon’s fuel pedal to the grilled leather floor. In a cloud, the Patty Wagon hurtled down the roadway at top speed as the road to Shell City officially begins.
> On the Trail
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As SpongeBob SquarePants, along with Patrick Star, the Mane Six, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders raced toward Shell City, neither one knew something horrible was taking place in Bikini Bottom. At this moment, inside the Krusty Krab 2, poor Mr. Krabs stood frozen in place, retaining that same expression of fear. Above the restaurant’s front door, the bells chimed as two sinister figures stepped into the restaurant: Plankton and Cozy Glow.

“Ding-a-ling!” Plankton said, marching with an evil grin.

The Chum Bucket’s owner approached Mr. Krabs, Cozy Glow following close behind.

“Hey, there, old buddy – Freeze!” He cried.

“Urgh… Puns!” Cozy Glow groaned, slapping a hoof to her face.

Chuckling at his own bad joke, Plankton sat down at the table across from Mr. Krabs.

“I’d like one secret formula to go,” He told his rival.

“And I’ll take a large drink,” Cozy Glow added, jokingly.

When Mr. Krabs didn’t move, Plankton laughed.

“No, no,” He said. “Don’t trouble yourself, Krabs. I’ll get it.”

Plankton ran into the kitchen, practically tearing the place apart. A few minutes later, he emerged as his stubby arms gripped a little bottle, the label reading ‘SECRET FORMULA’. Plankton walks right past the Krab-cube and approaches the front door.

“Hey!” Cozy Glow called out. “Where’s my—”

Before Cozy Glow could finish, Plankton hands her a large drink which she proceeds to sip. But then her eyes went wide, and she spit the beverage out.

“Hey, what gives?! This is Diet soda!”

“You weren’t specific on the details, kid,” Plankton called out.

“Hmph… Jerk!”

“Well, I’d like to hang around, but I’ve got Krabby Patties to make… Over at the Chum Bucket!” Plankton laughed manically. “Plan Z, I love ya!”

“Okay, we got the formula,” Cozy Glow spoke. “What happens now?”

“Now… Bikini Bottom is ours!”

Still laughing, Plankton leads Cozy Glow as they leave the restaurant behind. Inside his block of ice, a single frozen tear rolls down Mr. Krabs’ cheek before it hits the ground. Everything he worked for snatched away from him and nothing he can do… He can only hope SpongeBob and the others retrieve that crown… And fast!

<>

The engine sizzled like a Krabby Patty frying on the grill, as the Patty Wagon rolls up one side of the hill and down another. The headlights lit up along a sign directly in front of them, which read: ‘COUNTY LINE’.

“Check it out girls,” SpongeBob said. “We’re almost there; you know what that means?!”

While driving, the boys, the CMC, and even Pinkie Pie started singing the Goofy Goober song, which they’ve done over and over… And over again.

“I’m a Goofy Goober, yeah! You’re a Goofy Goober, yeah! We’re all Goofy Goobers, yeah! Goofy, goofy, goober, goober, yeah!”

The rest of the ponies, especially Spike, groan while holding their ears shut trying to block the annoying song out of their brains.

“Two hours…” Rainbow moaned. “They’ve been singing… That song… For TWO HOURS!!!”

“Any idea how we get ‘em tah stop?” Applejack asked.

“Maybe not,” Twilight shook her head. “But I know the next best thing.”

Twilight’s horn glowed with its mystical purple aura, as she cast her spell. Within a moment, there was complete and utter silence for the rest of them. They all sigh in blissful relief that they no longer had to hear that annoying song for another hour.

Eventually, SpongeBob spied a gas station just up ahead of the county line. Past the county line, Bikini Bottom’s beautiful landscape is replaced by barren locations. SpongeBob pulls up toward the pump and hons his horn to wake up the two hick gas station attendants. One of them wore overalls with FLOYD on the pocket, while the other fellow’s name tag read LLOYD. They gawked at the Patty Wagon and it’s driver, a little sponge wearing an aviator’s outfit for some reason.

“Fill ‘er up, please,” SpongeBob requested.

“What’ll it be, fellas?” Floyd asked. “Mustard… Or ketchup?!”

Floyd and Lloyd slap their knees and crack up laughing, rocking in their chairs.

“Are they laughing at us?” Patrick asked.

“More like laughing next to us, heh-heh!” Pinkie giggled.

“Well they’re bein’ downright rude is what they’re doin’!” Apple Bloom pouted.

“Don’t worry, girls,” SpongeBob raised a hand. “I know how to handle the rural folk.”

SpongeBob steps out of the car, facing the two gas station attendants.

“I assure you gentlemen that this vehicle runs on high octane unleaded,” SpongeBob informed, coolly. “The mustard goes in the windshield washer.”

The gas station attendants watch as SpongeBob proceeds to demonstrate. He carefully lifts the mustard nozzle and filled up the windshield waster container. When it was full, he closed the container and hung the nozzle back in its place. But the two hicks just laugh harder.

“You see that Lloyd?” Floyd cackled. “The mustardgoes in the windshield washer!”

SpongeBob was not amused as the two men approached.

“Where’re you dumb kids heading, anyway?” Floyd added.

“Kids?” Patrick said angrily. 

“Easy big guy,” Spike held him back. “Don’t stoop to his level!”

“For your information, we are not kids,” SpongeBob replied, matter-of-factly. “We are men and we are on our way to Shell City.”

“Shell City?” Floyd asked, wide-eyed. “Ain’t that the place guarded by a killer Cyclops?”

“That’s right,” SpongeBob replied.

Floyd and Lloyd suddenly stopped laughing; a serious expression spread across their faces.

“Lloyd, take off your hat in respect,” Floyd said grimly. “Respect for the dead!”

They both laughed again, while the girls glared at the two attendants.

“You buncha dipsticks ain’t gonna last ten seconds over the county line!” Floyd said.

“Dipsticks?!” Rarity gasped. “Why I never!”

“Look buddies, I can clear a whole sky in ten seconds flat!” Rainbow bragged.

“Right, because we only heard that the first dozen times you said that!” Twilight replied, sarcastically.

“Oh yeah?” SpongeBob asked. “We’ll just see about that!”

SpongeBob and Patrick hop back into the car gunning the engine. They drove across the county line… When an armed thug, with a crowbar, stops them.

“Out of the car, everyone,” The thug said.

“Oh, sorry,” Fluttershy apologized softly.

The entire group climbed out of the Patty Wagon and the thug hopped in. He guns the engine, driving away in a cloud of bubbles.

“How many seconds was that?” SpongeBob asked.

The gas station attendants check their watches.

“Twelve,” Lloyd answered.

“In your face!” SpongeBob, Patrick, and the CMC cried.

They all slapped their knees and laugh just like Lloyd and Floyd. Patrick starts making a loud noise with a blow horn.

“That’s what I’m talking about,” SpongeBob gloated. “Yeah!”

“Twelve is two whole seconds more than ten!” Scootaloo gloated.

“Yeah!” Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom cried.

“Who’s the kid now?” Patrick asked.

Laughing, SpongeBob, Patrick, and the ponies walk away deep into the country line. SpongeBob runs around Patrick, flapping his arms like chicken wings as Patrick continues to honk the aerosol can. As they disappear around the corner, Floyd looks at his friend.

“They’re dead,” Floyd said.

The group continues to laugh as they walk down the road, the CMC gives each other a high-five, while Patrick honks his can once more. The rest of the group follows close behind.

<>

Back in Bikini Bottom, The Chum Bucket was suddenly the most popular restaurant in town! Customers lined up around the block to get into the now new eatery. As a matter of fact, Plankton had done a brilliant job with the redecorating. The walls had been freshly painted, the floors redone, and the furniture was brand-new. But the biggest draw of all was that the food was… Delicious.

Once again, reporting on T.V., Perch Perkins stands in front of the restaurant while a crowd enters the Chum Bucket.

“Perch Perkins here with an incredible news flash,” Per Perkins announces. “Plankton is selling Krabby Patties at the Chum Bucket. How is this possible? Let’s find out.”

As Perkins steps inside, Plankton draws a crowd with a bullhorn welcoming the new customers.

“That’s right folks, step right up!” Plankton shouted, through a bullhorn. “The Chum Bucket is serving Krabby Patties; get ‘em while they’re hot and delicious! Plenty for everybody!”

Just then, reporter Perch Perkins sauntered into the Chum Bucket and approached Plankton.

“Excuse me, Plankton,” He said. “Perch Perkins, Bikini Bottom News. Can I get a minute?”

“Anything for you, Perch,” Plankton answered, with a phony smile.

“All of Bikini Bottom wants to know, how did you get the Krabby Patty?” Perch Perkins asked.

With the microphone shoved under his nose, Plankton proceeds to offer his story.

“Well, Perch, before my dear friend Eugene Krabs was frozen by King Neptune,” Plankton said, wiping a phony tear. “I’m sorry. He confided in me a secret wish. ‘Sell the Krabby Patty in my absence at the Chum Bucket,’ he said. ‘Don’t let the flame die out’!”

Plankton sobbed, as Perch Perkins seemed touch. 

“By the way, act now and you get a free Chum Bucket helmet with every purchase!” Plankton added brightly. “Here you go, Perch.”

Plankton proceeds to plant a bucket helmet on Perch’s head, the words ‘Chum Bucket’ written on it.

“Thanks,” The newsman said.

“Bucket helmets for everyone!” Plankton announced.

Plankton starts throwing bucket helmets to all the customers in the Chum Bucket.

“My helmet!” A male fish cried happily.

“Here you go mister,” Plankton said to another fish.

“Thanks!” A fish said.

“Here’s yours, ma’am,” Plankton offers a helmet to Mrs. Puff.

“Why, thank you,” Mrs. Puff said.

“Helmets for the whole family!” Plankton cried out.

He circles a big table, placing a bucket helmet on everyone sitting there.

“Thanks Plankton!” The newly bucket-helmet-headed family said.

With a wave to all his new customers, Plankton ran into the kitchen where Cozy Glow and Karen were conducting some form of experiment. Plankton hoots and hollers at his success, which drew the attention of the little filly and his computer wife.

“What’s got you so pumped?” Cozy Glow asked.

“Well thanks to that secret formula,” Plankton smiled victoriously. “My restaurant has become the most popular eating establishment in the entire ocean!”

“Well then, I suppose you got what you wanted,” Cozy Glow said. “But what about what I want? We had a deal!”

“I told you before, kid. In helping me get what I want, we’ll find a way to get exactly what you want.”

Cozy Glow gave a wicked smile, as she turned back to her experiments.

“You know, I’m actually really glad you mention that because with all these materials I found in your lab, I may be on my way to finding exactly what I need.”

“Oh… And what would that be?” Plankton asked curiously.

“Hey, if getting that secret formula was your business, what I want is my business alone,” Cozy Glow smirked evilly.

“You cheeky little… Oh alright, you can use whatever materials you need,” Plankton said. “You just finish helping me with my devices, then the rest is yours.”

Plankton then turns to Karen.

“Karen, baby, I haven’t felt this giddy since the day you agreed to be my wife.”

“I never agreed,” Karen replied.

Plankton merely ignored her, as he continued on with his evil ways.

“Evil Plan Z is working perfectly,” Plankton said. “Nothing can stop me now!”

“Yeah… I hate to be the one to say this,” Cozy said. “But while you were busy cooking your Krabby Patties, I’ve actually been keeping track of that meddling Twilight Sparkle and her little band of misfits. Apparently, they, along with that SpongeBob guy and his pink friend are going after the crown.”

“What are you talking about?” Plankton asked.

“The little sea pony is right,” Karen explained, displaying her screen. “My sensors indicate that they’re going after the crown. If they make it back, Neptune might discover some fingerprints.”

“Guess that means I’m off the hook,” Cozy Glow chuckled.

“Not to mention a tiny set of hoof prints,” Karen added.

Karen stared at Plankton’s stubby hands and Cozy’s tiny hooves.

“Tiny fingerprints and hoof prints,” She added. “Stubby, tiny fingerprints and hoof prints.”

“Okay, okay, we get it!” Cozy Glow snapped.

Plankton stared down at his hands, frowning as Cozy Glow did the same with her hooves… Then Plankton put them in his pockets.

But how could Plankton have…?

Don’t ask… Just don’t…

“Any more brilliant ideas, genius?” Cozy Glow asked, sarcastically.

“Evil Plan Z is way ahead of you, kiddo,” Plankton assured. “I’ve already hired someone to take of those two and the pony friends. He’s a vicious, cold-blooded predator. The biggest, scariest dude who rides a huge motorcycle! And his name is… Dennis.”

<>

Miles away, a hitman wearing sunglasses travels on his motorcycle down the road. On the front, his license plate reads I KILL U and the bottom of boot reads YOUR HEAD HERE. Approaching the gas station just near the county line, the huge motorcycle pulls up to the pump. 

Cutting the engine to a rumble, the big scary dude, Dennis by name, spied a spot along the concrete. He removes his sunglasses, revealing another pair as he crouched down and picks up a tiny speck on the ground.

“Sesame seed,” He murmured.

“Hey, mister!” Lloyd hooted. “Does that hat take ten gallons?”

The gas station attendants smack their knees and laugh some more. Dennis, very annoyed, stomps up to them and tears their lips off. The hillbillies look at each other before falling flat on their backs.

Dennis then looks over the county line, toward the barren wastelands. He proceeds to sniff the air.

“Mustard…”

Hopping back on his bike, Dennis revs up the engines and drives away in pursuit of our unsuspecting heroes. Floyd and Lloyd look on timidly, seeing that this was no laughing matter, that those two boys and their friends were in real trouble now.
> Thug Tug
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As dusk settled upon the ocean floor, SpongeBob SquarePants, Patrick Star, and all the ponies…

Ahem!!!

… AND Spike… Trudged along rather sluggishly down the road. They had been walking ever since crossing the county line, which by now was miles behind them. Needless to say, their stamina and resolve quickly dwindled. They tried to sing and cheer to keep up their spirits, but they were just too tired and very sweaty. By now, Patrick’s blow horn stopped working and he tossed it behind him.

“Going on…” Patrick coughed.

“Yeah!... Huff…” SpongeBob wheezed. “Moving on… Puff…. Just keep going…”

“We’ve… Ugh… Gotta keep… Huff… Going…” Apple Bloom groaned.

“Gotta… Get that… Whoo… Crown!” Scootaloo moaned.

“Yeah… Right… Sweet… Sweet victory…” Sweetie Belle added.

“Are we there yet?” Patrick whined.

“We must be close by now,” SpongeBob hoped.

Finally, the group stopped walking after an exhausting set of hours. Rainbow rubbed her tired front hooves, even her fins were sore from flapping about the ocean.

“After all this walking, you better hope so,” Rainbow moaned. 

“Don’t you mean, after all this swimming?” Pinkie joked tiredly.

“… Not now, Pinkie!”

Just then, SpongeBob spotted a sign up ahead and his eyes instantly lit up.

“Hey, guys! Look. We’re doing great! Shell City’s only five days away!”

Sure enough, reading the billboard, which was partly hidden by seaweed, it clearly read, ‘SHELL CITY, ONLY FIVE DAYS’. 

“Hate tah burst your bubble there, SpongeBob,” Applejack points out. “But yah might wanna look again.”

Sure enough, a slight breeze blew the seaweed away – and the rest of the sign was uncovered.

“-BY CAR?!” The group said tiredly.

Patrick slapped his head, SpongeBob’s shoulders sagged, and Rarity burst into tears.

“That’s it!” Rarity whined. “I… simply… cannot… even! I have nothing! Mr. Krabs is doomed! I’m so sorryyyyyyyy-y-y-y!”

“And here we go with the whining,” Rainbow groaned.

“At this rate, we won’t even make it back to Bikini Bottom in six days,” Twilight said. 

“If only we still had our car,” Fluttershy sighed.

“I know what you mean,” Spike nodded. “I just can’t believe we gave that up so easily! I mean we clearly had the numbers advantage; sure he had a crowbar…”

“Guys, look!” Patrick interrupts, grabbing SpongeBob’s arm. “Our car!”

Low and behold, it was indeed the Patty Wagon, parked in front of a beat-up, sunken tugboat. Music and voices seemed to come from inside the tugboat, which was called the ‘Thug Tug’.

“Wow, talk about convenient!” Sweetie Belle smiled.

“Guess the narrators really wanted to move the plot along rather than have us trudge on all day,” Pinkie said.

Well, we could’ve… But then the movie would drag at this point…

Yeah… Let’s try to avoid that dilemma…

“Nevertheless, we simply must hurry,” Rarity cried. “That thug who stole our car may come back at any moment.”

But just as they reached the Patty Wagon, they noticed something important was missing.

“The key!” SpongeBob cried.

“Where do you think it is?” Patrick asked.

Suddenly, a fish is kicked through one of the Thug Tug windows and lands next to SpongeBob, Patrick, and the group. The terrified fish had many broken bones, his leg barely twitches. They turn toward the broken window.

“This looks like a nice place,” Pinkie Pie replied.

“I know right?” Patrick asked gleefully.

SpongeBob and the others weren’t sure they should take their word for it. The entire place itself resembled that one bad joint folks would be wise to stray away. Cautiously, the group of friends crept toward the window, peer inside, and their suspicions were confirmed. Inside, it was a disaster: Thugs fighting, some of them drunk, and some just playing pool. Everything was either cracked or splintered, the dim lighting made everything look red. “R.I.P.” is spray painted along the wall with a knocked-out fish just below it (Though he looked as if he could be dead).

They peered their eyes toward a sea of tough-looking thugs until SpongeBob spotted the very same thug who stole the Patty Wagon. The ski-masked fish with the open jacket was shooting pool amongst the other fish. Hanging from his belt, SpongeBob spotted a gleaming spatula, the key that runs the Patty Wagon.

“There it is guys. The key!” SpongeBob cried. “Now, how are we gonna get it?”

“I know,” Patrick suggested. “Walk in and ask him for it.”

“Oh sure, if we ask nicely, he’d sure to give us the key back,” Pinkie stated rather giddy.

“WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?!”

The sound of punching and painful crying could be heard throughout the joint, as a massive brawl broke out. Everyone and every pony just sat wide-eyed and terrified as they heard the punches make contact.

“That might just be the worst idea I ever heard!” Scootaloo said.

“What about that time we tried getting our Cutie Marks in stock-broking?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“…Okay, second worst idea.”

“I agree with the girls, Patrick,” SpongeBob shook his head. “That’s a terrible idea.”

“Sorry,” Patrick spoke, downcast.

“I know!” SpongeBob spoke, snapping his fingers. “I’ll go in and create a distraction, and you get the key.”

“Ooh! Ooh! Wait!” Patrick cried, enthusiastically. “I wanna do the distraction!”

“Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Can I help too?” Pinkie offered, bouncing side to side. “Can I? Can I? Can I? Huh? Huh?”

“Okay,” SpongeBob shrugged. “I guess it really doesn’t matter who does the distraction.”

“Alright Pinkie, here’s what we’re gonna do,” Patrick whispered.

The Starfish leans in, whispering into her ear for a moment before pulling back and winking at each other. Reminiscent of an old Western movie he likely saw, Patrick puffs out his chest as he bursts through the swinging door. He boldly steps inside with Pinkie following close behind. The rest of the group waited outside the Thug Tug, watching the duo go in. 

“Ten bits says this is stupid and it’s totally gonna fail,” Spike whispered to Rainbow.

“No reason to bet on something you already know, little dude,” Rainbow answered.

“Okay girls,” Rarity informs the CMC. “You all stay right here we get the key; Spikey-Wikey, you watch over the girls for me.”

“You can count on me, Rarity,” Spike nodded.

“Aw, but we want to be part of the action!” Scootaloo groaned.

“Sorry kiddo,” Rainbow replied, patting Scoots head. “But this place isn’t exactly fit for kids. We can handle the thugs, but we can’t risk getting you three caught in the chaos.”

“But-but!” Apple Bloom protested.

“No ‘buts’,” Applejack said, firmly. “Stay put.”

SpongeBob sneakily crept behind the two pink friends, trying his best not to be seen. The others snuck along with him avoid bits of broken glass and teeth that were on the floor. The CMC sat on the sea floor, their heads laying on one hoof each with a ‘hmph’ as Spike floated beside them watching the girls. He could see they clearly stood out like a sore thumb, but the sooner they got the key then the sooner they can leave. Eventually, Pinkie Pie and Patrick Star found themselves at the center of the room amongst the oblivious tough guys minding their own business.

“Can I have your attention please?!” Pinkie shouted.

The music stopped, as all heads turned toward the pair. Dozens of mean-looking eyes stared at the goofy starfish and the pink party pony, waiting for one of them to speak.

“My big friend has something he’d like to say,” Pinkie continued. “Take it away big guy!”

The Starfish stood silently for a moment, cleared his throat, took a deep breath, and spoke…

“I have to use the bathroom,” Patrick announced.

Without making a sound, the ponies and Spike turned wide eyes as if thinking, ‘WHAT?!’. The thugs looked toward the starfish awkwardly over that request, till one of the thugs, the boat jacker himself, points toward a door by the phone booth.

“It’s, uh… Right over there.”

Just then, as Patrick Star made his way to the restroom, the thug at the pool table looks down. There was SpongeBob himself, trying to reach for the Patty Wagon key hanging from his belt. SpongeBob looks up at him for a second, then turns to the ponies who wave their hooves while mouthing ‘improvise!’. SpongeBob starts scuffing around on the ground, pretending to pick something off.

“Stupid contacts,” SpongeBob mutters, holding imaginary contact. “Oh, there it is. I better go wash it off.”

As SpongeBob SquarePants bolts toward the restroom, the Mane Six followed closely behind.

“HEY!”

The Mane Six paused mid-swim, frozen in place. For a moment, they feared they had been exposed or perhaps being in their seapony forms they were not permitted to be in their establishment. Slowly and reluctantly, they turn around as their worried expressions faced the fish who called out to them, in this case the bar tender. If they can just see the looks on their faces, nervous was a big understatement.

“You’re going into the ‘men’s’ room,” He pointed out, gruffly. 

It took a moment for their eyes to acknowledge the sign that read ‘Men’s Room’ with a male fish at the bottom, then turning their eyes toward the ‘Ladies Room’ sign.

“Oh… Right,” Twilight said. “Of course… Our bad. Come along, girls.”

“Oh you girls go on ahead,” Pinkie ushered. “I think I’m just going to hang out around here.”

“Whatever you do, just don’t do anything rash,” Rainbow advised.

Pinkie waves it off with a smile as the girls enter the ladies rest room one by one. As they do so, Pinkie Pie makes her way over to the bar counter and plants her flank on a conveniently empty stool. Leaning on the bar, she eyes toward the bartender who’s been cleaning a broken mug.

“I’ll have a milk please,” Pinkie requested.

“… Excuse me?” The bartender asked, raising a brow.

“Oh, sorry… Chocolate milk. Make it a double.”

The bartender just stares at Pinkie Pie, before turning toward a regular who merely just shrugs his shoulders.

<>

Seconds earlier, while Pinkie Pie was talking with the bartender, all the girls had entered the ladies room. But the moment they closed the door behind them and turned to the front, their eyes went wide with fright and terror. For what they saw before their eyes, it was so disturbing, so disgusting, and disturbing no words could describe the nerve wrecking sight. 

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!” Rarity screamed.

<>

Much, much later, Patrick was just going to the bathroom on the men’s side. He just finished when SpongeBob SquarePants barged in and the little sponge was not happy.

“Patrick!” SpongeBob cried. “You call that a distraction?!”

Patrick jolts up, flushing the toilet. He turns to SpongeBob after realizing his error.

“Well, I had to go to the bathroom,” Patrick replied sheepishly.

SpongeBob looks down at his hands, which were filthy from fumbling on the floor earlier.

“Well, I got my hands dirty for nothing.”

SpongeBob pumps the soap dispenser, and the top is pushed off by pressure from bubbles forming inside it. They pop out one at a time, floating around the bathroom.

“Patrick, check it out!” SpongeBob cried, pumping some more.

“Whoa!” Patrick gasped.

“Hooray! Bubble Party!” The boys cheered.

The boys began squirting more bubbles, as they floated around the bathroom and ragtime music plays while they dance. Patrick juggles the bubbles, as SpongeBob offers some more. Then, SpongeBob lays on his side and balances one on his foot and Patrick balances one on his head. As they giggle and lather up, some of the bubbles start leaking through the restroom door and into the pub. Suddenly, the music stops when they heard a scream.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!”

The boys froze in place, turning toward one another.

“What was that?” SpongeBob asked.

“I don’t know,” Patrick answered.

“Hey! Who blew this bubble?!”

Outside the bathrooms, the bartender, Victor by name, saw a bubble floating nearby and pops the bubble with a punch.

“You all know the rules!” Victor shouted.

Soon all the patrons in the bar began reiterating the rules in unison.

“All bubble-blowing babies will be beaten senseless by every able-bodied patron in the bar.”

“… Bar,” Pinkie said, falling behind.

All the regulars turn and glare toward Pinkie Pie, who looks back sheepishly.

“What? I’m new here.”

“Right…” Victor said. “So, who blew it?!”

Inside the bathroom, SpongeBob and Patrick could hear all the yelling going on in the bar. They frantically tried to pop all the bubbles before they got caught.

“So… Nobody knows?” Victor asked, eyeing around.

“Maybe it was…” A tough guy asked.

“SHUT UP!”

Victor hurls a chair at the guy, knocking him out cold. Outside, the CMC and Spike, who’d been spying the whole time, cringed at the sight when they saw SpongeBob and Patrick peeking from the bathroom door. They quickly motion their arms, silently urging them to get out.

“Somebody in here ain’t a real man!” Victor continued.

SpongeBob and Patrick attempted to sneak out the door, but Victor spotted them.

“You! We’re on a baby hunt. And don’t think we don’t know how to weed ‘em out. CHUCK! Get those girls out of the bathroom!”

A random scary thug makes his way toward the girls bathroom door and bangs on the door violently. The door silently creaks open as the Mane Six slowly step out, unsure of what’s happening. Poor Rarity had to be carried out by Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, the fashionista’s eyes were like pinpricks.

“I… Hate… Dive-in… Bathrooms!” Rarity muttered.

“Now, everybody line up!”

Everyone in the tugboat lined up, even the ponies reluctantly joined the line beside SpongeBob and Patrick. Once everyone was in a neat row, prepped for inspection, he turns to his disc jockey.

“DJ! Time for the test!”

The DJ gives a thumbs-up to Victory, bumbles behind the speaker, and plays a CD.

“No baby can resist singing along to this,” Victor snarled.

Sure enough, the Goofy Goober theme song begins to play as the ponies and their friends turn to each other nervously.

“SpongeBob, it’s the Goofy Goober theme song!” Patrick whined nervously.

“I know!” SpongeBob said, in a raspy voice.

The music began to play – loudly – and SpongeBob and Patrick struggled desperately against the urge to sing along. As the song goes on, Victor walks down the line to see the patron’s responses to the song. One of the tough guys coughed and Victor rushes toward him, pointing angrily.

“It was you!” Victor accused. “You’re the bubble-blowing baby!”

“No, no!” The thug insisted. “I only coughed; I swear!”

Victor points with two fingers from his eyes to the thug’s, showing that he’s watching him. As he walks on, the tough guy sighs in relief.

“Wow… And I thought I was too quick to make assumptions,” Pinkie replied.

As Victor moved down the line, not a single soul had cracked yet.

“DJ! Turn it up louder!” Victor call out.

The music swelled, filling the tug with the perfect sing-along tune. Sweat poured from SpongeBob’s head, his foot began to tap, but he managed to step on it with his other foot. The girls turned to Patrick; the poor Starfish was ready to break at any time.

“Don’t sing along, Patrick,” Applejack whispered.

“I’m trying,” Patrick whined. “Trying so hard!”

Just then, a shadow looms over the ponies. They look up to see Victor tower over him, noticing their struggle not to sing.

“What’s the matter little seaponies?” Victor growled. “Don’t you know the words?”

“Noooo…” Fluttershy whispered, timidly. 

Whether Victor knew Fluttershy was lying or not, he takes advantage of their concerns. He proceeds to sing mockingly…

“I’m a Goofy Goober, yeah! You’re a Goofy Goober, yeah! We’re all Goofy Goobers, yeah!”

Spike and the CMC watched as the boys couldn’t take it anymore. The Mane Six look away as the boys opened their mouths to sing, when…

“Goofy, goofy, goober, goobers, yeah!”

The disc scratched, the music stops, and someone had cracked… But it was neither SpongeBob, Patrick, nor any of the ponies… Though they came very close.

“Well, well, well,” Victor laughed.

As Victor walks away, SpongeBob and Patrick breathe a sigh of relief. The ponies turn as Victor rushed toward Siamese twin fish.

“Which one of you babies was it?” Victor questioned.

“Uh… It was him!” The Twins pointed at each other. “It was him! He did it! I’ve never even eaten at ‘Goofy, goofy, goober, goobers, yeah!’”

The Siamese Twins cover each other’s mouth, realizing the words coming out of their mouths. 

“Well,” Victor said, with a nasty grin. “Looks like we got ourselves a double baby!”

The thugs surround the twins, crack their knuckles, and lunge at them in unison. With everyone running around, the Siamese fish trying to escape, the ponies aid SpongeBob and Patrick in escaping the Thug Tug. They knew they were safe once they were as far out of the tugboat as possible.

“Man, that was a close call,” SpongeBob sighed.

“Yeah, but we still didn’t get that key,” Twilight pointed out. “How are we going to get to Shell City now?”

“You mean this key?” Pinkie asked, revealing the spatula from her mane.

All the ponies, including Spike and the boys, gasped as Pinkie showed the key sticking out of that poofy mess of hair. Pinkie Pie merely smiled, showing her pearly whites.

“The key!” SpongeBob cried. “Pinkie, how did you get that?!”

“I believe a certain pony friend of ours would call it misdirection,” Pinkie replied casually. “Course, I can’t take all the credit. It was actually Patrick’s idea!”

They all turn to Patrick Star, who looked side to side not catching on.

“Huh? Me?” Patrick asked, dumbfounded.

“Yeah, big guy!” Pinkie continued. “I figured you’d forget your brilliant idea, luckily my mind’s a steel trap. Just needed the right moment to let that idea free and next thing I know, I managed to snag the key while no pony was looking.”

“See? My ideas are worth listening to,” Patrick smiled.

“You can say that again,” Spike replied.

“See? My ideas are—”

“Okay, boys!” Rarity interrupts. “Let’s get out of here before they notice we’re gone.”

Nodding, they quickly dash back toward the Patty wagon and start the engine. The Goofy Goober theme song blasts out of the speaker. Rainbow Dash turns off the sound system, pulls out the CD, and smashed it between her hooves. The pieces land right next to two broken bottles, as the Patty Wagon speeds off into the night.
> Frog Fish
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back in Bikini Bottom, the very next morning, Plankton and Cozy Glow’s nefarious plot was kicking into high gear. Unaware of their intentions, a certain grumpy octopus was about to find out. But in the meantime, Squidward pops his head out of the window of his tiki home, in a more chipper mood than usual.

“Too bad SpongeBob’s not here to enjoy SpongeBob not being here,” He laughed to himself.

With SpongeBob and Patrick not around, nor any of those friends that they met, Squidward was committed to make the most of what he believes to be the perfect day. He runs down the stairs and out the back door, which opens like a garage door. Deciding it be a good idea to go for a little ride around town, he hops onto his recumbent bicycle and pedals down the road. He hums a little tune to himself as he rode off down the street when he saw something rather odd: A fish with a Chum Bucket on its head. Not a real chum bucket of course, but still a bucket-shaped helmet.

“Morning!” The fish greeted.

“Some people have no taste in headgear,” Squidward muttered to himself.

Suddenly, he stops at an intersection and glances at a husband and wife with their baby in a stroller, showing it to another fish, who shakes a rattle at the giggling baby. All of them have helmets on their heads, he could see chum buckets everywhere. 

“Huh? Babies too?” Squidward spoke, horrified. 

At the traffic light, he rides up to another fish driving in her boat. But this was no ordinary fish, it was Mrs. Puff, the driving instructor. She too was wearing a Chum Bucket helmet.

“Excuse me, Mrs. Puff, but where is everybody getting that horrid headwear?”

“Who said that?” Mrs. Puff asked, looking around in confusion.

“Down here.”

Mrs. Puff looks down and finds Squidward right below her vehicle.

“Oh! Squidward! Well, I got it at the Chum Bucket. Plankton’s giving them away free with every Krabby Patty.”

“Chum Bucket?” Squidward cried. “Free? Krabby Patty? Plankton? Giving? With?”

“That’s right,” Mrs. Puff called, as she zoomed away.

“Hmm… Something smells fishy around here,” Squidward thought, scratching his bald head. “And for once it isn’t my laundry.” 

Squidward pedaled right over to the Chum Bucket as fast as he could. Sure enough, the place was hopping with customers walking in and emerging with bucket helmets. Inside the restaurant, Plankton stood high on a ladder looking out over the masses of fish.

“Oh, how long I’ve been waiting for this day?” Plankton sighed blissfully. 

Just then, Cozy Glow comes floating from the kitchen with Karen following closely behind.

“So, what’s the status kid?” Plankton asked. “I’ve waited for you long enough.”

Cozy Glow growled under her breath. She had been talked down to like this all her life, but still she did not appreciate the manner one bit. She was the one doing all the work on this scheme, whereas all Plankton did was bossing her around like a child. Nevertheless, she just grit her teeth and put on a fake smile.

“Everything is ready to go,” Cozy said, through her teeth. “All you have to do is punch the code.”

Plankton released a victorious evil laugh upon hearing the news.

Excellent! After today, this entire town will be eating out of the palm of my hands!”

“What about me?” Cozy asked. “Don’t forget I helped too.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Plankton brushed her off. “Just smile and look pretty, kiddo. You’re cuter when you’re not so… Angry.”

But Cozy Glow was starting to get so mad her coat began to change from its usual pink coat to one fiery red. Just as she was about to explode, Squidward burst through the door and spotting Plankton high atop his pedestal.

“So you’re selling Krabby Patties, eh, Plankton?”

“That’s right, Squidward,” Plankton said, grinning smugly. “And there’s a free bucket helmet with every purchase. Care for one?”

“No!” Squidward said. “You may have hoodwinked everyone else in this backwater town, but you can’t fool me. I listen to public radio.”

Plankton made a very bored and very ‘blank face’… Face.

Wow… Now that’s some lazy writing.

Oh, shut up!

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Plankton asked.

“It means you set up Mr. Krabs!” He cried. “You stole the crown so Neptune would freeze him, and you could finally get your stubby little paws on the Krabby Patty formula.”

Plankton gave Squidward a wounded look, staring at his hands. But the crusty old cephalopod wasn’t buying it.

“It was you all along! But you made one fatal mistake; you messed with my paycheck. I haven’t solved the whole bucket-helmet giveaway part yet, but I’m gonna report you to the highest authority in the land, King Neptune!”

“We’ll see about that, Inspector Looselips,” Plankton said sinisterly.

Plankton laughed like some stubby-fingered madman. Squidward was about to turn away when Cozy Glow got in his path.

“Who the barnacle are you?!” Squidward asked.

“Sorry Swillbird,” Cozy Glow replied. “We’d hate for you to miss the premier of Plan Z. You could say it’s a really evil part.”

Before Squidward could react, Plankton is already typing keys before pushing the button on Karen.

“Now activating helmet brain-control devices,” Karen said.

“Huh? What?” Squidward babbled, confused.

A satellite goes up on the Chum Bucket and before Squidward knew it from every home, in every shop, and all over Bikini Bottom, something strange was happening. All at once, an antenna rises out of each customer’s bucket helmet, which covers all their heads, one by one. With a buzz and a click, the helmets proceed to take control of everyone’s minds. Soon, they all stand up, and spoke in drone voices.

“All hail Plankton!” The Bikini Bottom denizens chanted. “All hail Plankton!”

“What’s going on here?” Squidward gasped, eyes widen.

“Seize him!” Cozy Glow shouted.

“All hail Plankton! All hail Plankton!”

“I’m getting outta here!” Squidward cried.

The Octopus tries to make a break for the door, but soon an army of bucket heads burst in and corner him.

“All hail Plankton! All hail Plankton!”

Cornered, Squidward screams in horror as Plankton and Cozy Glow’s slaves capture him. Soon, slaves poured from their homes and shops. From under rocks, from under reefs, and from the trenches, all the sea life marched together, chanting:

“All hail Plankton! All hail Plankton!”

Cozy Glow ran to the window, peering through Plankton’s telescope. There they were – Her boss’ army of mind-controlled bucket heads. From outside, the crowd spoke in one voice.

“All hail Plankton! All hail Plankton!”

“Yes, chant for Plan Z!” Cozy Glow shouted, with glee. “Plan Z! HA-HA!!!”

“Who can stop me now?!” Plankton laughed evilly. “Who?!”

“All hail Plankton! All hail Plankton!” 

<> 

Meanwhile, out on the open road, SpongeBob SquarePants, Patrick Star the Ponies, and Spike sped along the highway. They were laughing loudly over their triumphant escape from the Thug Tug, as well as something Patrick just did.

“Come on, Pat,” SpongeBob urged. “One more time.”

“Yeah Pat!” Sweetie Belle laughed. “I’ve never laughed so hard in my life!”

“Me neither!” Apple Bloom added.

“Pretty please, just one more?” Scootaloo begged.

“Okay,” Patrick smiled.

Patrick stood up and began imitating the bartender from the Thug Tug.

“We’re on a baby hunt and don’t think we don’t know how to ‘weed ‘em out’!”

“Weed ‘em out!” SpongeBob cried.

“What a jerk!” Patrick yelled.

“How about when he was all like, ‘Well, looks like we’ve got ourselves a double bubble-blowing baby!’” Scootaloo laughed.

“And then we were like, ‘It wasn’t us! It wasn’t us!’” Apple Bloom added.

SpongeBob, Patrick, and the CMC started laughing hysterically. Meanwhile, the scenery around them began to change. They were passing piles of skulls and bones, but neither of the aforementioned group noticed. The only ones were the Mane Six and Spike, looking horrified by the sight of the landscape.

“Girls, where did we just drive into?” Twilight asked, scared.

Fluttershy peeks her shaking head from behind her.

“I-I-I-I don’t know,” She shuddered. “But I-I-I r-r-really d-don’t like it h-here!”

“This place is spookier than the Badlands back home,” Spike added, fearfully.

Meanwhile, SpongeBob, Patrick, and the fillies kept laughing and had no idea what was going on around them. They kept laughing until the car shook violently. Naturally, the boys were completely oblivious of the fact they drove over a mountain of bones.

“Whoa! The road’s getting kinda bumpy here,” SpongeBob commented. 

“No! You think?!” Rainbow asked, sarcastically.

It didn’t take long for the Patty Wagon to make it over the bumpy bones and back onto some smooth road. But it didn’t change the frightening sight they rest of the gang saw all around them.

“You know, SpongeBob,” Patrick said. “There’s a lesson to be learned from all this.”

“What’s that, Patrick?” SpongeBob asked.

“A bubble-blowing double baby doesn’t belong out here in man’s country.”

“Pardon me!” Rarity gasped. “I’ll have you know there are more women than men in this car!”

“Oops, sorry Rarity!” Patrick apologized.

“Yeah… Wait!” SpongeBob realized. “We blew that bubble.”

“Then don’t that make y’alll double bubble-blowing babies?” Applejack asked.

The boys stared off in the distance, as if contemplating the thought, when suddenly Patrick spots an ice-cream stand.

“Hey look!” Patrick pointed. Free ice cream!”

The entire group turns to the side; indeed, there was a tiny ice cream stand randomly sitting off the side of the road. Of course, the girls and Spike all looked at it suspiciously.

“This seems just way too convenient,” Twilight pointed out.

“No kidding,” Rainbow nodded. “I mean who the kay has an ice cream stand all the way out here?”

“Somethin’ ain’t right here,” Applejack said, narrowing her eyes. “I reckon it’s a trap!”

“Who cares?!” Pinkie screamed. “FREE ICE CREAM! Pull over, SpongeBob!”

“Oh, boy!” SpongeBob exclaimed.

SpongeBob turns off the main road, pulling up right next to the ice-cream stand. He jumps out of the car and into a pile off bones, oblivious to the skulls around him as he kept walking. At one moment Patrick and the girls look around at the pile of bones.

“How you doing?” Patrick asked a skull. 

“Hey Patty, check this out,” Pinkie replies, picking up a skull. “Alas, poor Squidward! I knew him, Patrick.”

Patrick giggled goofily and clapped his hands together. But the rest of the girls looked a bit uncomfortable.

“Um… Pinkie…” Fluttershy spoke up.

Suddenly, as Patrick took another look at his surroundings, it’s as if something dawned on him and the worry began to grow.

“Wait a minute… Wait a minute… SpongeBob!”

“Yeah?” SpongeBob called out.

“Make mine a chocolate!” Patrick shouted.

“Make that three please!” Pinkie shouted.

“Got you covered!” SpongeBob assured.

SpongeBob then approaches the ice-cream stand, run by a seemingly sweet old lady.

“Three, please.”

“Certainly,” She said.

A few minutes later, the old woman hands them three big sloppy sundaes.

“You kids enjoy.”

“Actually, we’re men, lady, but thanks,” SpongeBob said.

SpongeBob grabs the bowls and turns to Patrick.

“Okay, Patrick, let’s…”

SpongeBob tries to leave the ice-cream hut, but it seemed the old lady wouldn’t let go. SpongeBob begins to tug and pull, but it felt as if his hands were stuck on the bowl like glue.

“Uh, you can let go no. I said, let go, please.”

Suddenly, the ground began to rumble, as SpongeBob struggled to get away. The walls of the ice-cream stand fall one by one and the old lady herself looked less and less than what she seemed.

“Ugh! Ugh! What is this?” SpongeBob cried. “What kind of old lady are you!?”

Just then, her wig and glasses fell off.

“Eww!” SpongeBob squirmed.

Suddenly, SpongeBob felt himself lifted off the ground and he screams at the sight around him. Snapping fangs came out from the ground, two bulging eyes soon emerged staring toward SpongeBob. 

“AAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!” SpongeBob screamed.

A huge frogfish emerges from the ground, revealing that the old woman was just its tongue.

IT’S A TRAP!!!

The ponies and Spike look out from the car and scream in unison, as Patrick spots the monster from the mirror. The frogfish was just about to eat SpongeBob when Twilight Sparkle uses her magic to grab onto SpongeBob and quickly pull him off as Patrick pulls the Patty Wagon in reverse.

“Did you get the ice cream?” Patrick asked, oblivious.

The frog fish roars, causing SpongeBob and Patrick to stare in fear.

“I WANNA GO HOME!!!” Fluttershy cried.

“Step on it, Patrick!” SpongeBob yelled.

Patrick steps on the gas, the steel-belted pickles spun in the dirt, and the Patty Wagon raced away at top speed from the pursuing frogfish. The wagon’s flag is lost in the process, all the passengers scream as SpongeBob clings to the dashboard as he looks over his shoulder.

The Wagon’s a convertible – no roof…

Yeah… Didn’t quite plan that well, didn’t they?

<> 

Meanwhile, back at the Thug Tug, a motorcycle pulls up with a roar and a cloud of sand. Sitting in the saddle was the really big scary dude, Dennis the Bounty Hunter. He scans the area, searching for clues, until he finds one: Remnants of popped bubbles lying on SpongeBob’s footprint in the parking lot.

“Hmmm…” He grunted. 

He dips his hand into the bubble, unmasking the red scarf over his mouth. He blows into the liquid, forming a bubble. Images of SpongeBob and Patrick giggling appear in it. Suddenly, all of the thugs appear.

“Hey!”

Dennis turns around as Victor the Bartender emerges from the Thug Tug’s doorway. 

“You may not know it, cowboy, but we got a rule around here about blowing bubbles.”

Victor snaps his fingers, and more than a dozen thug fish appear. Every single one spoiling for a fight as they proceed to chant the rule. As they do so, the thugs surround Dennis as Victor walks right up to him.

“All bubble-blowing babies will be beaten senseless by every… able-bodied… patron…”

The thugs trail off as Dennis punches Victor, who screams and flies all the way back to the Thug Tug. The tug tilts back and quickly sinks. Dennis tipped his cowboy hat and speeds away on his motorcycle, hot on our heroes’ trail, as the Thugs watch in fear.

<> 

Around that same time, SpongeBob, Patrick, and their friends were still fleeing from the frogfish, who was gaining on them. The hungry, fanged mouth was about to swallow the Patty Wagon as the old lady popped out of the monster’s mouth.

“Come on, kiddies, have some ice cream!” The Old Woman cackled.

The group screams once more, the CMC hug each other tightly while leaning back.

“I’ll let you pet Mr. Whiskers!”

A little phony cat on the tongue pokes out of the Frog Fish’s mouth, meowing like a cat. They all scream at it.

“That’s not a cat!” Rarity screamed. “That’s not a cat!”

“Jump for it, Patrick!” SpongeBob cried.

They all leap from the Patty Wagon just as it flew over the edge of a cliff. The jaws of the Frog Fish snap shut, swallowing the Patty Wagon. The monster smiles, making a yummy noise… Only to realize it leapt right over the deep trench with nothing holding it up. And things only got worse…

The group watched as a tongue wraps around the Frogfish and a gigantic eel eats the Frogfish whole, like a tiny goldfish, and slowly dives back into the deep. They all just stood there, staring with disbelief into the abyss.

“Well, we lost our car again,” SpongeBob sighed.

“Never mind the car, where’s the road?” Patrick asked.

Patrick’s voice echoes the word ‘Road’ across the trench. The echo turns out to be Patrick repeating as the group stares at him.

“Patrick…” Twilight spoke.

“R… Sorry,” Patrick said.

Using her wings, Rainbow swims her way up above her friends and looks out toward the horizon.

“Hey guys! I can see the road over there!” Rainbow shouted.

“Yeah, there’s the road,” SpongeBob watched.

Unfortunately for the group, while they could see the road just on the other side of the trench… There was a slight catch, as they all looked down.

“On the other side of this deep, dark… dangerous…”

“Hazardous…” Patrick said, seeing a fire.

“Hazardous…” Applejack repeated.

“Monster-infested…” Scootaloo adds, seeing a tentacle and hearing a roar.

“Y-Y-Yeah, monster-infested…” Apple Bloom gulped.

“… Trench…” Sweetie Belle squeaked. 

“Hey, guys, look!” Patrick points. “Here’s the way down.”

Patrick points toward a flight of stairs leading down into the trench.

“But it’s dark…” Spike points out.

“And f-f-f-f-frightful!” Fluttershy whimpered.

They all just stand near the stairs, well more like float, as nasty growls and snarls rose from below the darkness. 

“Well, we’re not gonna get the crown standing here,” Patrick said, cheerfully. “On to Shell City.”

Patrick began to step onto the stairs, leading right down into the trench. But a monster growls making him stop. He is shocked at first, but he proceeds to step on it over and over, making more growling sounds. Even Pinkie Pie is intrigued.

“Hey, girls, it’s making noises!” Pinkie said, cheerfully.

She proceeds to join Patrick and starts hopping up along the stair, almost making a melody with the growling noises.

“Hey SpongeBob, you gotta try this!” Pinkie said, turning. “SpongeBob?”

But by this point, SpongeBob had turned around. The whole group saw his shoulders slump, a frown formed on his face, and he walked away as if he were about to leave.

“Hey, where are you going?” Patrick cried. 

“I’m going home, Patrick,” SpongeBob sighed.

“Ya mean yer quittin’?” Applejack asked, in shock.

“But ya just can’t!” Apple Bloom insisted

“What about Mr. Krabs?” Patrick asked.

“What about us?” SpongeBob shouted, turning to Patrick. “We’ll never survive in that trench. You said it yourself, this is man’s country. And let’s face it, Pat. We’re just… Kids.”

“But you’re not kids!” Scootaloo shouted. “You’re grown men!”

“Open your eyes, Scootaloo!” SpongeBob cried. “We blow bubbles, we eat ice cream. We worship a dancing peanut, for corn’s sake! We don’t belong out here!”

“We do not worship him,” Patrick said.

SpongeBob pulled down Patrick’s shorts, causing the ponies and Spike to reel back. Before their eyes, the starfish was wearing Goofy Goober underpants.

“SWEET CELESTIA!!!” Rarity gasped.

“MY EYES!!!” Rainbow shouted, folding her eyes.

“NOT IN FRONT OF THE KIDS!!!” Twilight begged, trying to cover the CMC's eyes.

“Take a good look, girls!” SpongeBob said sternly. “Patrick’s been wearing the same Goofy Goober Peanut Party underpants for three years straight!”

“Three… Years… Straight…” Spike spoke, puffing up.

“Yeah! What do you call that!?” SpongeBob asked.

“Worship?” Patrick sobbed. “You’re right, SpongeBob. We are kids!”

Patrick runs off while sobbing, but he falls down as his shorts were still down around his ankles.

“Please, pull your pants up, Patrick,” Fluttershy told him.

“Look girls, you wanna go off and put your lives at risk, go on ahead,” SpongeBob brushed off. “Patrick and I are going home.”

“But SpongeBob…” Sweetie Belle teared up.

“But you can’t go home!”

Suddenly, the whole group looks up as Mindy rode a coach driven by seahorses.

“Mindy!” SpongeBob and the girls cried.

“Mindy?!” Patrick and Spike asked.

Spike released the air from his pufferfish body while Patrick struggled to pull his pants up, only to fall down again.

“Uh… How much of that did you hear?” Spike asked.

“I heard enough, Spike,” Mindy replied.

“Did you see my underwear?” Patrick asked, pulling his pants up.

“No, Patrick.”

“Did you want to?”

Patrick was about to pull down his shorts when Rarity uses her aura to stop him.

“No, no, no-no-no-no!” Rarity shouts, eye twitching. “… No!”

“Look, guys, you may be kids, but you’re the only ones left who can get that crown.”

“Okay, first of all, we’re not kids,” Pinkie corrected, then thinks. “Although technically we might be considered teenagers in one realm even though we’re slightly older here. It’s never been fully explained~”

“Wait a minute! Wait a minute!” Twilight interrupts. “Mindy, what do you mean… The only ones left?”

“Things have gotten a lot worse since you left Bikini Bottom,” Mindy explained.

The mermaid princess opens a magical clam, which opens up revealing the state of Bikini Bottom.

“Or should I say, Planktopolis!”

<> 

Mindy showed them, through the mirror, of what become of Bikini Bottom. Plankton and Cozy Glow laugh diabolically as they forced a whole bucket-headed army of mind-numbed slaves to build a huge monument in Plankton’s honor… And a slightly smaller one for Cozy Glow. 

“All hail Plankton!” The Slaves said.

“Work harder!” Cozy Glow cried, snapping a whip. “Work harder!”

“No resting!” Plankton shouted. “This monument celebrating my glory isn’t gonna build itself.”

“MOVE FASTER!”

<> 

“Oh, my gosh! Guys, look!” SpongeBob cried, horrified. “Plankton’s turned everyone we know into slaves.”

“Squidward…” Rarity gasped.

“Sandy…” Applejack and Apple Bloom said, in unison.

“Mrs. Puff…” Pinkie added.

“… Even Gary!” SpongeBob gasped.

“Meow Plankton,” Gary meowed.

“And he’s not alone!” Scootaloo pointed. “Look who’s beside him!”

“COZY GLOW!!!” The ponies and Spike gasped.

“Should’ve known that Plankton was up to something,” Sweetie Belle said. “Now Cozy Glow’s involved.”

“Can’t your father do something?” SpongeBob asked Mindy.

“My father’s too distracted by his bald spot to do anything,” Mindy shrugged.

<> 

Turns out Mindy wasn’t kidding, as the magical clam shows Neptune’s bald spot about to be sprayed by the Squire with hair growth spray.

“Squire, will you hurry?” Neptune demanded.

The Squire nervously closed his eyes and accidentally sprays Neptune’s eyes, which grows hair. Neptune screams in pain.

<> 

Mindy closed the clam while the ponies and Spike shake their heads.

“I’m not going to comment on this,” Spike sighed.

“So you see, you can’t quit,” Mindy insists. “The fate of Bikini Bottom rests in your hands.”

“Technically, most of us have hooves or fins…” Pinkie corrected. “Oh pickles! Now Mud Briar’s starting to rub off on me.”

“But… But we’re just…” SpongeBob pleaded.

“Hey. It doesn’t matter if you’re kids,” Mindy continued. “What’s so wrong with being a kid, anyway? Kids rule!”

“Exactly!” Apple Bloom agreed.

“We may be small, but we’re tough!” Scootaloo added. “We’re tenacious!”

“Just tell us what to do SpongeBob, we’ll do it!” Sweetie Belle urged.

“You don’t need to be a man to do this,” Mindy tells SpongeBob. “You just gotta believe!”

Mindy swims up into the sky, along with the Cutie Mark Crusaders, before coming down.

“Ya know… The squirts are right!” Rainbow Dash agreed.

“We ain’t quittin, not now!” Applejack added. 

“We’re going to Shell City because we believe we can make it!” Rarity declared.

“We are?” Fluttershy asked, then corrected herself. “Uh—I mean—Yes! Yes, we are… I guess…”

“We believe we can do this!” Twilight told the boys. “What do you say?”

“I believe,” SpongeBob said, throwing his fist in the air

“That’s the spirit!” Mindy approved.

“I believe that… Everybody I know is a goner!” He finished.

SpongeBob suddenly bursts into tears, as Patrick starts crying too.

“OUR HOME IS GONE!!!” Patrick cried, sniffling.

“Come on, guys,” Mindy said.

But SpongeBob and Patrick were inconsolable. All the Princess, the ponies, and Spike could do was watch as they collapsed to the ground, crying in hysterics.

“Um… Guys?” Fluttershy asked.

Their crying got so bad, they started spraying tears into each other’s mouths.

“Ew!” Rarity and Sweetie Belle shuddered.

“… This is going to be a long day,” Rainbow shook her head.

“Agreed!” Applejack nodded.

<> 

“Meanwhile…” The French Narrator spoke

Dennis crashes through a bunch of skulls, laughing maniacally as he looks forward to getting his hands on his targets. One of the skulls turns into a skull-and-crossbones symbol, his intent to kill greatly strong and he was getting closer and closer…

<> 

By this time, SpongeBob and Patrick were cradling each other – and still crying. Mindy, the ponies, and Spike had been watching them cry, unsure of what to do.

“How long have they been at crying?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“’Bout thirty minutes,” Apple Bloom shrugged.

“Our heroes, girls,” Scootaloo sighed.

“I know,” Pinkie came in. “Even Shaggy and Scooby weren’t this terrified.”

“Oh boy,” Mindy mumbled to herself. “Hmm… Think, Mindy, think.”

“This is so stupid!” Rainbow Dash muttered. “Why don’t we just go on and get the crown while they go home? They could never survive out here.”

“Rainbow Dash!” Applejack muttered. “Shame on you! Just because these guys are… Young at heart… It don’t mean we just abandon ‘em like that.”

“Even if we did go on ahead, there’s nowhere for them to go,” Twilight Sparkle pointed out. “They can’t go back to Bikini Bottom or they’ll be brainwashed. At the same time, they can’t stay here or who knows what other monsters will get them?”

It was then, while the ponies weighed their options, Mindy suddenly came up with an idea.

“Actually, Rainbow’s right,” Mindy shrugged.

“WHAT?!” The ponies and Spike say in unison.

Even SpongeBob and Patrick stopped crying long enough to turn to Mindy.

“A couple of kids could never survive this journey,” Mindy continued. 

SpongeBob and Patrick turns toward each other, and they cry again.

“That’s why I guess I’ll just have to turn you into men!”

Suddenly, smiles spread across their faces, as the boys stopped crying and began jumping up-and-down.

“You can do that?” SpongeBob asked. “How?”

“Yeah… How?” Scootaloo asked, suspiciously.

“With my mermaid magic,” Mindy said, with dazzle.

“Mermaid… Magic?” The Mane Six ask in unison.

“Shh!” Mindy shushed.

“Did you hear that, Patrick?” SpongeBob asked excitedly. “She’ll use her mermaid magic to turn us into men!”

“Hooray!” SpongeBob and Patrick cried, sing-song. “We’re gonna be men! We’re gonna be men! We’re gonna be men!”

“Although… I might need a little help with this spell,” Mindy pondered, turning to the ponies. “Twilight… Rarity… Would you be willing to share your magic and help me out with this?”

“But Mindy, to perform an age spell is…” Twilight began, then realized. “Oooh! I get it!”

“Why yes!” Rarity replied, catching on. “We’d be delighted to help with the magic.”

“Ooh! Ooh!” Sweetie Belle jumped in. “Can I please help, Rarity? Can I? Can I? Please?!”

“Sweetie Belle, I’m flattered… But it’s a bit of complex spell and I don’t think…”

“Oh go on, Rarity,” Mindy insists. “The little lady has got to get some life experience if she wants to be as good as magic as you. What has she got to lose?”

Rarity turns toward her little sister, who gives her the biggest puppy dog eyes she can pull together. Then Rarity turns back toward Mindy and Twilight Sparkle. Twilight Sparkle nods approvingly, while Mindy winks her eye.

“Oh… Well, if you insist. All right, Sweetie Belle. We’d be delighted for you to help.”

Sweetie Belle squeals excitedly as she joins up with Twilight and Rarity, as they stand beside Princess Mindy.

“Good. Now, let’s get started,” Mindy said, turning to the duo. “Close your eyes.”

SpongeBob and Patrick Close their eyes.

“Are we men yet?” SpongeBob asked, impatiently.

“Not yet,” Mindy said.

Mindy points toward the ground leading the ponies to some seaweed strands. The group started getting the idea and picks up the two biggest ones they could find.

“Now, uh… Spin around three times,” Mindy instructed.

SpongeBob and Patrick spin around, as if they were performing ballet.

“I think it’s working,” SpongeBob said excitedly.

“Oh, something’s working all right,” Rainbow muttered.

“Good. Now, keep your eyes shut,” Mindy said.

Mindy motions for Twilight, Rarity, and Sweetie Belle to work their ‘magic’. The three merely close their eyes and glow their horns, merely having their auras light up. While they conjure the ‘illusion’, Mindy takes the two blades of seaweed from the others.

“With my mermaid magic and my one tailfin,” Mindy replied, as Patrick giggles. “We command the two of you to turn into men!”

The ponies then proceed to ignite smoke around SpongeBob and Patrick, as Mindy places the seaweed onto the two goofballs.

“Now… Open your eyes!” Mindy told them.

That’s just what SpongeBob and Patrick did, opening their eyes yet feeling slightly puzzled.

“I don’t feel any…” SpongeBob stopped, upon seeing Patrick’s ‘mustache’. “Oh, my gosh, Patrick, you have a mustache!”

“So do you!” Patrick gasped.

“Wow!”

SpongeBob and Patrick play with each other’s “mustaches”. The other ponies did their best to keep a straight face, which was easier said than done for some.

“I really wanna say somethin’,” Applejack admitted.

“Aw, let ‘em go big sis,” Apple Bloom insists. “Think of it like a ‘Good Lie’.”

“… Apple Bloom, that’s an oxymoron.”

“So now that you’re men, can you make it to Shell City? Mindy asked.

But SpongeBob and Patrick were too busy adoring their ‘mustaches’.

“Guys!” Twilight called out.

“Yeah?” SpongeBob and Patrick said, in unison.

“Boys… Now that you’re men, can we make it to Shell City?” Twilight repeated Mindy’s question.

“Heck, yeah!” They both shouted.

“Are men afraid of anything?” Rarity asked.

“Heck, no!” They answered.

“And why?” Mindy asked.

“Because we’re invincible!” 

“Yeah… Wait, what?” Rainbow spoke, wide-eyed.

Before they knew it, the two boys, while pumping their fists in the air, raced to the cliff’s edge… And jumped!

“I never said that!” Mindy cried.

But it was too late.

“SPONGEBOB! PATRICK!” The CMC shouted.

All the ponies and Spike, along with Mindy, swam to the trench and looked down. Already their goofy friends were swallowed by the darkness, but they could hear them cheering their way down.

“Come on, every pony!” Twilight shouted, flying down. “We must save them!”

“Move your tail, Fluttershy!” Rainbow called out, following Twilight.

“Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness!” Fluttershy whimpered, while flying.

The rest of the group, especially Scootaloo who couldn’t fly, made their way toward the stairs of the trench and swam down as fast as they could. Mindy looked on as everyone in the group disappeared into the depths of the trench… All except for Spike, who nudges on Mindy’s tail.

“Yes?” Mindy asked.

“Um… This might sound silly but…” Spike replied, twirling his fins. “But can I borrow one of those mustaches?”

Rolling her eyes, Mindy hands Spike one of the seaweed ‘mustaches’ and Spike sticks it firmly against his upper lip.

“Thanks!” Spike spoke, then raced off the trench. “COWABUNGA!!!”

Spike immediately plummeted from the edge, rather than taking the stairs. Mindy looks down as Spike’s cheers fade into the darkness. Then she turns toward the readers and raises her eyebrow.

The three narrators look toward each other and just shrug back to Mindy.
> The Cyclops
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

SpongeBob and Patrick continued to fall at a very rapid pace. But at the heat of the moment, neither one cared about anything. With their newfound ‘mustaches’, all was right in the world. They felt in this one particular moment they could do absolutely anything, as they performed a set of ‘tough guy’ moves.

“Yeah!” SpongeBob cried, flapping his arms.

“Heeee-yah!” Patrick screamed, spinning end over end.

They fell and they fell and fell for what seemed like hours, which in reality was only a minute or two. Soon as the thrill was gone, SpongeBob looked down and his eyes widen when he realized what they had just done.

“Patrick?” Spongebob spoke.

“Yeah, buddy?”

“Why did we jump over the edge instead of taking the stairs?”

“Bec… Ah… Well… Huh…” Patrick replied.

Finally, they both look down and just noticed the very bottom was rushing up to meet them – really, really fast! They hugged each other, closing their eyes, and screaming as they realized they were falling toward their doom.

Meanwhile, the ponies and spike swam as fast as they could. While Twilight, Rainbow, Fluttershy, and even Spike zoomed down after their jump, the rest were smart enough to swim down the stairs rather than jumping over the edge. As they swam, they finally caught up to SpongeBob and Patrick, watching them hug each other and screaming as they got closer to the ground.

“What do we do now Twilight?!” Pinkie called out, urgently. “WHAT DO WE DO?!”

Twilight’s mind raced as she tried thinking of the quickest means to rescue her friends of this frightening predicament. But time was not on her side and the pressure was building. She looks down and noticing the ground approaching quickly she shoots a beam of magic toward the cliff wall, hoping it would do something. When the blast made contact, it produced a long seaweed branch that stuck out from the stone wall.

“Seriously?!” Rainbow shouted. “That’s your big rescue plan?!”

“It’s the best I could do under the circumstance!” Twilight retorted.

“I really don’t think a stinking’ branch is going to help here!”

“Ooh, I can’t look!” Fluttershy cried, folding her wings across her face.

“Wait Fluttershy, look!” Spike pointed.

The rest of the group turns toward the side seeing SpongeBob and Patrick caught by the branch, slowing their fall until they came to a soft, careful landing upon the ground. The group sigh in relief, seeing they are okay, as Twilight and her three friends pull back into a loop preventing themselves from a hard landing. The rest of the group finally reached the bottom of the steps, panting a bit from the long swim down before rejoining their two best friends, who kept screaming.

“Guys! GUYS!” Scootaloo cried out. “You’re alright!”

“You can stop screamin’ now,” Apple Bloom assured.

“You’re safe!” Sweetie Belle added.

While SpongeBob stopped screaming, looking around their surroundings, Patrick just kept screaming.

“Patrick,” SpongeBob spoke.

The sea star snapped out of his screaming fit, turning toward SpongeBob and the Sea Ponies. 

“Huh. Are we dead?” Patrick asked, unsure.

“No Patrick,” Fluttershy smiled. “We are all completely safe.”

“She’s right, buddy!” SpongeBob said. “We’re safe and sound at the bottom of this trench.”

Looking around, the group wouldn’t exactly call this place safe. They could hear a whole horde of monsters growling and roaring in the distance, bones littered the ground, and the only direction they had to go on was a single sign pointing further into the trench. Fluttershy squeaked, hiding behind her friends, while the CMC did the same. The only ones that didn’t seem nervous at all were SpongeBob and Patrick.

“The mustaches worked!” Patrick said happily.

“You know what this means?” SpongeBob asked excitedly. “We are invincible!”

“Well, I wouldn’t say that darlings,” Rarity said, shakily. “Seeing as how if it weren’t for Twilight just now, you might have ended up flat as pancakes on this—”

But the fanfare of brass instruments, from out of nowhere, interrupted Rarity and the two boys paid no attention to what the fashionista said. They were far too amped up and excited with the prospect of getting to Shell City with their new ‘mustaches’. The boys started singing along to the beat as they marched through the mysterious trench, their group of friends following closely behind.



During the song, an eel flips them in the sky and was about to eat them. The ponies and Spike scream, when a squid catches them but crashes in a tall piece of coral. They end up sliding down coral, flying across three slow monsters, and falling in a sea-through fish. Yet while the group tried to leave as fast as they could, the two ‘men’ were unfazed. They casually marched through the monster’s gut to the other end, twiddling their new mustaches.

The group find themselves walking between a group of sea urchins, the ponies look on cautiously keeping the men surrounded.

An urchin rips Patrick’s shorts off, as Applejack quickly folds her hat over Apple Bloom’s face.

They walk over volcanoes that switch on and off, as Spike tried to dodge some of the flames. Soon some of the CMC start hopscotching over the lava rocks, completely caught up in the rhythm. SpongeBob and Patrick just marched on as if nothing could stand in their way.

Patrick skipped through a patch of stinging jellyfish, who were so surprised, they ended up stinging one another! The ponies, Spike especially, were astounded with their new self-confidence, believing nothing could stand in their way.

They dodge a monster’s head, a green hand, and a monstrous boulder, even dodging a giant crab who couldn’t get a chance to pinch any of them. Giant sharks and snapping great sponge-and-starfish-eating sea turtles were no match for SpongeBob and Patrick, though to be fair Rainbow Dash used her offense to draw them away from the distracted pair. Meanwhile, the two had the time of their lives, dancing over shark snouts and using the turtles’ shells for surfboards.

They soon approach a road, which turns out to be a big, blue, one-eyed angler fish’s fin, as enormous fish surrounded the group. Everywhere they turned, the scariest predators they had ever seen loomed over them. But then the ponies and Spike hear a noise and turn as SpongeBob and Patrick start dancing and slapping their bodies, as if doing the Hambone. 

“Yeah, go, Pat!” SpongeBob cheered.

The moment they broke into their amazing dance routine, the monster fish stared in awe and amazement. He beckons other monsters to watch this display: A green 3-eyed fish and a red squid, a purple one-eyed angler fish joining later. A big orange fish, a purple lobster/dragon, a green one-eyed monster with 3 arms on its head, a snail with eyes on its shell, a big yellow monster with an eye on a stalk and a clam with one eye in its mouth. Even the ponies and Spike were too distracted to notice all the scary monsters.

Finally, all the monsters realized there was no use trying to eat the boys, not even the girls (And little Pufferfish). Since the two made their ‘manliness’ clear, they decide instead to join in the festivities even the Mane Six and their friends sang along.

Soon the whole trench sang and danced, even the biggest, meanest monsters joined in the fun. They picked up SpongeBob and Patrick in celebration, carrying their newfound friends through the depths and rooting for them to save the crown. 

“I’d comment on the sexism of that song,” Rarity muttered. “But least we’re safe.”

“Hey guys, look!” Rainbow pointed.

They all turn as Rainbow pointed toward a large sign which read:

Shell City: Dead Ahead

“HOORAY!” The CMC cheered.

“We’re so close now, girls!” Apple Bloom cheered.

“Yeehaw!” Applejack cheered.

“We did it, guys!” SpongeBob declared. “We made it past everything! Even the hideous, disgusting monsters.”

When the monster fish overheard SpongeBob, they all gasped. Their feelings hurt; they quickly swam back to their trench.

“Aw come on, SpongeBob!” Applejack scolded. “That wasn’t necessary!”

“Not you guys!” SpongeBob called out. “You guys are awesome!”

Pinkie Pie quickly swam up in front of the monsters, sending them on a screeching halt.

“Huh?” The monsters said.

“I just want to say you guys are totally super-duper, mondo, mega, ultra, awesome!” She cheered. “If we ever come back here, I promise you an invitation to a super huge party I got planned!”

The monsters smile and cheer at the prospect, as they walked back into the trench happier than they were before. SpongeBob flashed them a big thumbs-up and slapped Patrick on the back, as the CMC came up alongside them.

“Come on, y’all!” Apple Bloom said. “Time’s a wastin’!”

“We gotta get the crown, save the town, and Mr. Krabs!” Sweetie Belle added.

“Woo-hoo!” Scootaloo cheered.

“Well, Patrick, we should be there in one more verse!” SpongeBob said, taking Patrick’s hand. “Come on, every pony! Let’s get the crown!”

SpongeBob and Patrick (Sing):
Now that we’re men…

“Finally.”

The song was interrupted as the group came to a halt, as a lone frightening figure stood before them. Staring wide eyed at where the voice came from, there he stood alongside his motorcycle and cracking his knuckles. 

He had a muscular physique, light olive-green skin. He wore a black cowboy hat, red bandana covering is mouth, an angry skull belt with cracks at the top, sunglasses, a knife necklace around his neck, leather black pants, light gray shoulder pads, a black ripped vest, and black biker boots on his feet. On his right hand-shaped fin is a black, fingerless glove trailing a few inches from the wrist, covered in spikes. Under his right shoulder pad, a gray flap, overlapping a darker gray flap.

Probably should’ve went into this much detail when he first appeared.

Oh, shut up!

“I got you right where I want you,” He spoke, gruffly.

“Um… Who are you?” Twilight asked.

“Name’s Dennis,” He answered. “I was hired to exterminate you.”

“You’re gonna exterminate us?” SpongeBob said fearfully.

SpongeBob and Patrick look at each other for a moment… Before bursting out laughing. They laughed and laughed till their faces turned blue. The ponies turned toward the pair, then back at Dennis, who was clearly unamused.

“Listen, junior, I don’t know who you’re working for, but you caught me and my friends here in a good mood today,” SpongeBob said, catching his breath. “So I’m gonna let you off with a warning, since obviously you don’t know who you’re dealing with here. Step aside, and we can forget this whole thing.”

“Um guys,” Spike spoke fearfully. “I really don’t think bragging is going to help us here.”

“Oh, you’ll forget the whole thing, all right,” Dennis spoke. “Once I get you!”

SpongeBob’s eyes narrowed, unamused. 

“Well, we tried to warn you, pencil-neck. Now it’s time for you to feel the awesome wrath of our mustaches!”

“SpongeBob, I’d stop if I were you!” Scootaloo warned.

“You mean these?” He asked.

Dennis reached out and ripped the boys’ fake mustaches off of their faces. SpongeBob and Patrick whimpered while feeling their cheeks in horror.

“I thought you still had a piece of salad stuck to your lip from lunchtime.”

Dennis throws the seaweed dramatically to the ground, the seaweed land after a slight spin. SpongeBob and Patrick watch with wide eyes, slowly turning toward Twilight and Rarity with hurt looks.

“We’re really sorry guys,” Twilight apologized.

“We just wanted to give you the confidence to keep going,” Rarity said sadly. “So you could finish your quest.”

“Th-they were fake?” SpongeBob stammered.

“Of course they were fake!” Dennis said. “This is what a real mustache looks like.”

For a brief moment, Dennis unmasked himself, clenching his face until he turned purple. Suddenly, a bushy mustache pushed through the skin over his upper lip. Patrick and SpongeBob were left speechless, even the ponies and Spike stared wide-eyed.

“Is he a mermaid?” Patrick asked.

“I don’t think so, Patty,” Pinkie answered.

“All right,” Dennis snapped, folding his bandana back. “Enough gab!”

“What… Are you gonna do to us?” SpongeBob asked anxiously.

“Plankton was very specific,” Dennis answered.

“Plankton?” The ponies asked.

“For some reason, he wanted me to step on you.”

“Step on us?” The CMC shivered.

“Yeah! That way you’ll never find out he and some kid stole the crown!”

SpongeBob and Patrick look at each other again, this time more scared. The ponies and Spike did the same, only their suspicions of the scenario had been confirmed.

“Uh… Perhaps I’ve said too much,” Dennis replied.

“No… Actually you said enough,” Twilight answered nervously.

Dennis lifts his boot and the group gasps as long spikes popped out. He holds his foot over the boys, as they stood trembling with fear.

“That’s a big boot!” Patrick cried.

“Oh no you don’t!” Rainbow cried.

She quickly rushes in front of them, as the other ponies join in. The CMC try to reach their friends, but Spike holds their tails back with his jaw.

“If you’re gonna stomp our friends, you have to take us out too!” Rainbow warned.

“We won’t let you hurt them!” Twilight added.

“Pick on some creatures you own size, you big brute!” Rarity spat.

“Humph… I was going to save you sea ponies for later,” Dennis replied. “But, what the barnacle? I’ll take you all out. Don’t worry, this’ll only hurt a lot!”

The exterminator laughed and laughed maniacally.

“I love this job!”

But just as Dennis was about to stomp on the group, before Rainbow and Applejack could make a move and just as Twilight and Rarity’s horns began to glow, a giant shadow loomed behind him and…

WHAM!!!

A humongous giant boot squashed Dennis flat. The whole group gazed with awe at the bigger boot. Patrick got really scared, so scared he tried to run away, but the CMC broke free and held Patrick. 

“Bigger boot!” Patrick screamed.

“Wait, Pat!” Apple Bloom said. “It’s okay, it’s okay!”

“Yeah, this bigger boot saved our lives!” SpongeBob spoke.

“Yay!” Patrick cheered.

“Thank you, stranger!” The CMC said politely.

They all looked up toward the owner of the boot – a giant scuba diver breathing heavily over them.

“Uh… Stranger?” SpongeBob spoke.

The scary giant did not reply. But he did move closer, until he towered over the group. The giant had a big metal helmet with bubbles coming out of it. He looked down at them with one eye. One eye? ONE EYE!!!

“It’s the Cyclops!” SpongeBob screamed.

“EVERY PONY, SWIM!!!” Twilight shouted.

The entire group ran, or swam, as fast as they could go while screaming in terror, but it was all for naught. With his big boots clomping on the ground, the Cyclops rushed down and swooped SpongeBob, Patrick, and the CMC in his colossal grip.

“AHHHHHHHH!!!” They screamed.

“APPLEJACK!!!” Apple Bloom screamed. “HELP ME!!!”

“HELP US, RARITY!” Sweetie Belle shouted.

“RAINBOW, HELP!!!” Scootaloo screamed.

But it wasn’t long before the Cyclops stuffed them in some dark, scary looking bag over his shoulder.

“APPLE BLOOM!!!” Applejack shouted.

“SWEETIE BELLE!!!” Rarity added.

“SCOOTALOO!!!” Rainbow cried.

The Cyclops turned on heel to leave, but the Mane Six and Spike came at him like tornados. Applejack, Rarity, and especially Rainbow Dash were beyond mad.

“Let go of our sister!” Applejack called.

“You won’t get away, you monstrous brute!” Rarity cried.

“LET ‘EM GO, RIGHT NOW!!!” Rainbow Dash demanded.

As they swam closer, the Cyclops turned around and gave a giant swing of his large hand. While he didn’t actually hit the girls, the force of the swing knocked them head-over-fins. They screamed as they spiraled out of control, before crashing into the rest of their friends. When they finally pulled themselves together, they looked around for where the Cyclops went, but he completely vanished.

“Where did they go?” Rarity asked frantically.

“I’m not sure!” Twilight answered, equally frantic.

“Come on!” Spike urged. “Maybe we can spot him from the surface!”

Together, they swam as fast as they could toward the ocean surface. When they finally broke through the water, they looked around to see if they could find where the Cyclops took their friends and the Crusaders. After looking around, seeing nothing but miles of ocean, they realized there was nothing they could do. Applejack, Rarity, and even Rainbow Dash were upset, dawning on them that the Crusaders were taken from them right from their watch.

“No…” Applejack cried. “No! No! NOOOO!!!”

“Argh!!!” Rainbow slapped the ocean. “I should’ve been faster; now they’re gone!”

“My poor baby sister,” Rarity cried. “What are we going to do now?”

Suddenly, a noise drew the group into silence as they turned toward a figure approaching them. From the side, they squinted their eyes until they could make out a rowboat sailing from the distance. A single passenger steered the oars ahead of them and by the looks of it he appears to be a pirate. He wore a purple coat, a black hat, an eyepatch over one eye, a hook for a hand, and had a bushy black beard.

“I swear pirates get no respect in this cocamamy world these days,” He muttered to himself.

“Hello! Excuse us sir!” Twilight called. “Can you help us?!”

The pirate in question looked around, seeking the source of the voice that just spoke to him. When he finally turned around, spotting the sea ponies and the pufferfish, he was so shocked he fell backward into the water. He pulls himself back into the boat, soaking wet, as he looks at them in amazement.

“What be ye little creatures?” He asked amazed.

“There’s no real time to explain sir,” Twilight said.

“Aw please, no need be callin’ me sir now,” He brushed off. “The name’s Patchy.”

“Patchy the Pirate?” Rainbow asked uncertain.

“Aye lass, the very same,” Patchy nodded.

“Look Patchy, we really need your help,” Rarity urged. “A monster came and kidnapped our sisters and our friends, SpongeBob and Patrick.”

Hearing those last two names, Patchy gasped loudly and his one eye widened to the size of a bowling ball.

“You know SpongeBob SquarePants?!” He asked excitedly.

The ponies all look toward each other nervously, before returning their gaze to the over-excited pirate.

“How do you know him?” Rainbow asked.

“I’m his number one fan in the whole wide world,” Patchy said proudly. “Been dyin’ to meet him for ages!”

“Do you by any chance know where Shell City is?” Fluttershy asked. “That’s where we were going.”

“Of course lass, I know where Shell City is,” Patchy nodded. “It’s just right along the beach, not too far from me home of Encino. Well, come along lassies! I’ll lead you to shore!”

Sighing in gratitude, the sea ponies and Spike swim beside Patchy the Pirate as he quickly steers the rowboat back and paddles his way toward ‘Shell City’ rowing as fast as his arms could go.

“Hang on, guys!” Twilight called out. “We’re coming!”
> Shell City
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eyes begin to stir, and moans leave their lips, as three little fillies woke up to find themselves lying on a lumpy bed of pink, red, blue, and yellow rocks. Their eyes tried to adjust to the bright light shining above them, as if this were the first trace of daylight after a period in the dark. By the time their vision adjusted, the three sea-fillies took a moment to search their surroundings swimming around.

BAM!

“OW!” Apple Bloom groaned.

Her two friends turned as Apple Bloom felt an invisible wall in front of her. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle then searched around, feeling the exact same surface. As their heads turned around, they realized they appeared to be in a giant glass bowl, filled with water, inside some form of cabin or shack. Suddenly, they remembered what happened and turned to the side finding SpongeBob and Patrick fast asleep on a bed of tank pebbles across the way.

“Guys!” Scootaloo yelled to them. “Guys, wake up!”

SpongeBob and Patrick both shot their eyes open, sitting up.

“Huh?” SpongeBob grunted, rubbing his head.

“Are we dead?” Patrick asked.

“I don’t think so,” SpongeBob answered.

“No, we’re not dead,” Sweetie Belle called out. “But we are definitely in huge trouble.”

“We’re all in a big ol’ pickle!” Apple Bloom added.

SpongeBob inspects the scenery inside the giant tank, picking up a few of the rocks, which to him looked pretty strange.

“Artificially colored rocks?”

Patrick also picks up one rock, but instead of observing it like his friend, he just threw it in his mouth and eats it.

“Mmm… Strawberry.”

“Patrick, that is just way beyond gross,” Scootaloo cringed.

“Ah’ve eaten my fair share of strange concoctions,” Apple Bloom agreed. “But even ah think that’s just… Yuck!”

“You can say that again,” Sweetie Belle gagged.

SpongeBob got up, stretching his limbs.

“Well, let’s go, girls. I don’t know where we are, but—”

“SpongeBob wait!” Sweetie Belle called.

BUMP!

Too late. SpongeBob had walked right into the giant invisible glass wall of the fishbowl.

“What is this?” SpongeBob asked.

“It’s some kind of wall of psychic energy,” Patrick said, tapping the glass.

“No, Pat, it’s a giant glass bowl!”

“We’re all in fishbowls!” Sweetie Belle explained.

“Now ah know how mah old goldfish, Mr. Gillson, felt bein’ stuck in a giant bowl,” Apple Bloom said, randomly.

SpongeBob looks around, trying to see if there was a way out of their predicament. Least to his relief they weren’t alone. Because aside from their three friends, who were merely stuck in another bowl, his eyes spots something else.

“Hey girls, there’s some fish folk!” SpongeBob pointed.

In fact, the place had more fish folk than Goofy Goober’s Party Boat on its busiest night! There were fish all over this shack.

“Oh thank Celestia!” Scootaloo sighed in relief.

“Hey y’all!” Apple Bloom called out. “Can yah help us outta here?!”

“Please!” Sweetie Belle yelled. “We need your help!”

“Hey! Over here!” SpongeBob waved.

“Hey!” Patrick cried, jumping up and down.

But all the fish just stared straight ahead, as if they were ignoring them.

“Hey, you guys?! Help!”

“A little help here!” SpongeBob shouted. “We’re stuck in this—”

Then, all at once, SpongeBob’s eyes bugged out when he realized exactly what was going on. All the fish in this place were completely lifeless, knick-knacks on shelves and nooks. There were some seahorses like the CMC but bigger, a puffer fish, even fish dressed like a mariachi band. But they all had ‘one’ thing in common.

“Wait a second,” SpongeBob said. “Those fish! They’re all… All… All dried up!”

“S-S-So y-yah mean?” Apple Bloom shook.

“Yep, those fish are… Dead.”

“Dead…?” Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle repeated.

The three girls huddled together, while SpongeBob and Patrick held onto each other while shaking in fear. It was at this moment, however, that they all felt they weren’t alone. Slowly turning around, they all stared right into the fact of the giant scuba Cyclops, the beast who kidnaped them, spying on his prisoners.

“AAAAHHHHH!!!” They all screamed.

They all swam around their fishbowls, screaming in terror, while a deep, booming laugh from the Cyclops shook the walls of their prison. The giant monstrous scuba diver walks toward the far corner of the room, as they all stared in sheer horror.

“What’s he gonna do with us?” SpongeBob cried.

“Ah don’t know,” Apple Bloom shook. “But it ain’t gonna be good.”

“Why did we even come on this adventure in the first place?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“I wish we’d just stayed home,” Scootaloo quaked. 

They watched as the giant takes out a small toolbox and opens it.

“OH NO!” SpongeBob yelled, trembling. “He’s going for his evil instruments of torture!”

The Cyclops soon takes out a bottle of glue and another bottle with plastic google eyes.

“Glue?” Apple Bloom shrieked.

“Googly eyes?” Scootaloo trembled.

Stuttering gibberish, Sweetie Belle’s eyes roll back, and she leans backward as if to faint. But being underwater, she was floating to the top of the bowl till the two girls pulled her down.

They all watched with dread, as the giant glued a pair of googly eyes onto a dried-up clam. He then puts a hat on the clam’s head and a tiny plastic phone onto the little dried-up guy’s hand. Sweetie Belle recovers just as she sees the man add the finishing touch.

“Wut is he doin’?” Apple Bloom asked.

“He’s making a humorous diorama of…” SpongeBob began.

Finally, the giant hunt a little paper sign around the clam’s neck which read—

“Alexander Clam Bell?!”

The poor sponge, starfish, and sea fillies couldn’t believe their eyes at what they were witnessing.

“Guys, he’s killing sea animals and making them into smelly knickknacks!”

“And I think we’re next!” Sweetie Belle screamed.

“You think so?” Patrick asked.

By then, the giant reached into the fishbowl and pulled Patrick out.

“Paaaaaatrick!” SpongeBob and the CMC yelled.

Then another hand reached in, clutching the poor sea sponge.

“NOOOOOO!”

“SPONGEBOB!!!” Apple Bloom screamed.

“PATRICK!!!” Sweetie Belle bellowed.

“NOOOOO!!!” Scootaloo cried out.

The giant drops the two boys onto a table, directly under a bright, hot light of the heating lamp. Instantly, Patrick and SpongeBob started to sizzle under the intense heat.

“The heat is so intense from this lamp that I can’t move,” SpongeBob said, weakly.

“Tell me about it,” Patrick said, practically parched.

They heard the Cyclops laugh and stomp away, but they could not escape. The heat from the light slowly dried them out and the boys were growing weaker by the minute. The Cyclops laughed maniacally, as he loomed over the CMC. The girls shivered and held onto each other, fearing he was coming for them. He slowly reaches his hand toward the girls, as they closed their eyes anticipating for the worst.

But nothing happened… As the girls slowly lift their eyes, to see the Cyclops’ hand was only inches away. Yet he just stood there, staring at them through his helmet and not making another sound. Then, before their eyes, he slowly reels his arm back and turns around. He picks up a book, and steps into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

“Phew!” The girls sighed in relief.

“That oughtta give us just a little bit of time,” Apple Bloom spoke.

“This doesn’t look too good, Patrick,” SpongeBob spoke weakly.

The poor undersea sponge barely had a voice, as if he hadn’t had a drink in centuries.

“You mean we’re not gonna get the crown, save the town, and Mr. Krabs?” Patrick asked weakly.

“I don’t even think we’re gonna be able to save ourselves, buddy.”

Just then, SpongeBob’s arm snapped off, falling onto the desk. The girls cringed at the sight, as they watched helplessly from their imprisonment. Patrick, with little strength he had, grabs for the arm, and carefully placed it back onto SpongeBob.

“Thanks,” SpongeBob said, turning to Patrick.

“Don’t mention it,” Patrick thanked.

All the while, the girls could only watch sadly. The very lives of their dear friends were slipping away and for all they could do, all seemed fruitless.

“There’s gotta be a way outta here!” Apple Bloom said, worriedly. “We can’t sit here doin’ nothin’!”

“Even if we got out, there’s no way for us to turn back into ponies!” Sweetie Belle pointed out.

“But we can’t them die!!!” Scootaloo shouted, streaming tears. “We just can’t!”

But by this point, the majority of the trio had stopped talking. They were busily listening to possibly the final conversation between SpongeBob and Patrick.

“Well, it looks like what everybody said about us is true, Patrick,” SpongeBob said, sadly.

“You mean that we’re attractive?” Patrick asked.

“No, that we’re just kids. A couple of kids way over their heads!”

The group shook their heads hearing such talk, especially coming from SpongeBob SquarePants.

“That’s not true!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “You’re the bravest guys we’ve ever seen!”

“Scoots is right!” Apple Bloom added. “You guys are just as courageous as any grown up we’ve met in our lives! And that’s saying a lot… WAY a lot!”

“Thanks for trying to cheer us up girls,” SpongeBob thanked, sadly. “But… We were doomed from the start. I mean, look at us! We didn’t even come close to the crown; we let everybody down. We failed.”

‘But you failed no one!” Sweetie Belle said, sympathetically. “We all did the best we could. No pony or sea creature can ever take that away from you.”

While the fillies tried to reason with the two, Patrick stared blankly toward something.

“Shell City…” Patrick said to himself.

“Yeah, we never made it to Shell City,” SpongeBob agreed.

“Shell City…”

“Exactly, buddy. Yeah, the place we never got to.”

“Shell City…”

“Okay, now you’re starting to bum us out, Patrick.”

“No, look at the sign!”

All at once, Patrick pointed the group toward something above. Before their very eyes, it was a sign they failed to notice before which read:

“’Shell City: Marine Gifts and Sundries’.”

“Shell City is a gift shop?” SpongeBob asked confused.

Suffice to say, the three little fillies were just as surprised as their spongy friend.

“I thought this would be an actual city!” Scootaloo said.

“But if this is Shell City, then where’s the…?”

As SpongeBob lifts his head, the girls turn their faces to his direction. Happiness beamed before their eyes when they saw the…

“CROWN!!!” They all exclaimed.

Sure enough, there it was: King Neptune’s crown, in all its glory, sitting on a cushion. The fillies cheer, hugging each other in their fishbowl, while SpongeBob and Patrick smile with glee. There was pure joy in their eyes.

“Neptune’s Crown!” SpongeBob said. “This is Shell City!”

Satisfied, their heads slammed back onto the desk. Suddenly, it did not matter how dehydrated they were. All that mattered, in one moment, they found what they were searching for: ‘Shell City’ and the crown.

“Pat, we did make it!” SpongeBob sighed.

“Yeah, I guess we did!” Patrick said, happily.

The two best friends, with little strength they had, turn their heads toward the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

“Sweetie Belle… Scootaloo… Apple Bloom…” SpongeBob began, teary-eyed. “Can you make a promise to us?”

“Yes, SpongeBob,” Sweetie Belle answered, tearfully.

“Anything…” Scootaloo whispered, sadly.

“What is it?” Apple Bloom asked.

“When we die… Which will be very shortly… Please get the crown back to Neptune. Stop Plankton and Cozy Glow, Bikini Bottom… Needs you now.”

The crusaders struggled not to cry, making it hard for them to answer. But they nod their heads, doing their best to offer a reassuring smile.

“We’ll get the crown back, SpongeBob,” Sweetie Belle assured. “We promise.”

“Good…” SpongeBob sighed, happily. “I know you all can do it… I mean… We did all right for a couple of goofballs…”

SpongeBob and Patrick smiled, as they both shed a single tear, which slithered down their bodies before joining together to form a heart.

SpongeBob (Sings):
I’m a Goofy Goober, yeah!

Patrick was quite surprised, hearing SpongeBob sing. The tone was weak, but still he gave it his all. Eventually, SpongeBob joins his best friend in singing their favorite song… One last time…

SpongeBob & Patrick (Sings):
You’re a Goofy Goober, yeah!
We’re all Goofy Goobers yeah!
Goofy… Goofy… Goober… Goober… Yeah…

Before the very eyes of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick Star shriveled up till only a normal sponge and a normal starfish laid before them. The girls, shocked beyond words, began to cry and their tears floated to the surface. Their new best friends, having died before their very eyes, it was too much to bear.

“SpongeBob… Patrick…” Scootaloo wept.

Poor Scootaloo cried as she never cried before. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom bawled together. They couldn’t believe something this bad could happen to two of their friends.

“It ain’t fair!” Apple Bloom sobbed.

“It can’t end like this!” Sweetie Belle cried.

“There must be a way to fix this!” Scootaloo wept.

As the three fillies continued to cry, they had no idea they backed into the glass wall and caused the bowl to shake. They quickly stopped crying for a moment when the realization hit them. They all bump the wall again and sure enough the bowl started to rock to the side. All at once, an idea came to them.

“Girls, we gotta ram the wall as hard as we possibly can!” Apple Bloom said, determined.

“Yeah, we’re getting out of here right now!” Sweetie Belle nodded.

“We can still save our friends!” Scootaloo added.

The Crusaders, joined together, backed to the far side of the bowl and with as much force as possible, they swam at top speed to the other side and knocked hard against the wall. The force caused the bowl to move towards the edge of the table it sat on. Seeing their plan was working, they repeat their process until eventually the force pushed the bowl off the side of the table and it shattered to a billion pieces. 

Fortunately, the girls were all right as the water splashed everywhere, even towards the electrical outlet the lamp was plugged into. This caused a short-out and the lamp shuts off, as smoke rose toward the ceiling.

“Girls look!” Apple Bloom said loudly.

The girls all looked toward the ceiling, as the smoke caused the sprinklers to turn on. Water rained down on everything in the store – including SpongeBob and Patrick. Their bodies soaked up the water, and in no time the two Goofy Goobers woke up! SpongeBob looks down at his hands, just as soft and spongy as ever.

“Hey, we’re alive!” SpongeBob exclaimed.

“But how?” Patrick asked.

“Down here you guys!” Scootaloo called.

SpongeBob and Patrick looked over the edge, their eyes see the three sea fillies on the ground by the broken fishbowl.

“Girls!” SpongeBob cheered. “You did it!”

“We couldn’t let y’all die,” Apple Bloom said.

“We love you guys so much,” Sweetie Belle smiled.

“You’re our best friends,” Scootaloo added. “We couldn’t bear to lose you.”

SpongeBob and Patrick both smiled at them, completely touched by their words of friendship.

“Thank you, girls,” SpongeBob thanked them. “There’s no way we could have done this without your help.”

“Come on, every pony,” Apple Bloom said determined. “Let’s get that crown!”

“Right!”

The boys jump down and ran across the wet floor towards the podium where the crown rests. Water still poured down from the sprinklers, as the group made their way to the crown and tried to lift it.

“On three, guys!” SpongeBob cried. “Ready?”

“Ready!” The girls and Patrick said, in unison.

“One… Two… Three!”

The crown flew into the air, with all of them still hanging on. SpongeBob was taken by surprise.

“Hey, it’s lighter than I thought,” SpongeBob said.

“Yeah, it’s almost like we’re flying!” Scootaloo added.

“Uh… Guys…” Sweetie Belle spoke, wide-eyed.

Then, they realized neither of their feet touched the ground. SpongeBob blinked, and when he opened his eyes again, he was staring into the face of the Cyclops and so were the others.

“AHHHHHH!!!”

The giant held the crown in his enormous hand. When he saw SpongeBob, Patrick, and the CMC hanging there, he was mad.

He roared angrily, toward the two stupid sea creatures and three little seahorses who wrecked his shop. He was ready to squash them when suddenly he hears a sound from outside. The window of the shop shatters to pieces as the Mane Six and Spike, assuming their original forms, jump through the window.

“Let… Them… Go!” Twilight demanded.

“You’re going down, you giant idiot!” Rainbow growled.

The Cyclops turned toward them, roaring in anger again. Now a group of multi-colored mini horses (And a Dragon?) bust through the window of his store. He marched over, intent to grab them. But Twilight and Rarity charge their horns and blasted a huge explosion of magic throughout the room. When the light cleared, the room shook intensely.

“What’s happening?” Patrick asked.

“I don’t know,” SpongeBob answerd.

“Guys, look!” Spike pointed.

The entire group, even the Cyclops looked around the room in shock. All the sea animals he dried up, all 1,007 sea creatures, came to life including: The pufferfish, the mariachi band, the seahorses, 3 starfish bearing a strong resemblance to Patrick, some octopi, and jellyfish, even 3 lobsters strongly resembling Mr. Krabs and Larry the Lobster, reaniminated and staring angrily at the Cyclops…

The narrators take a deep breath and adjust their fingers…

A swordfish, a yellow fish, a hammerhead, a light blue fish, three starfish, an indigo fish, an octopus, and a golden fish appear in the foreground, growling at the cyclops.

“Whoa…” Rainbow Dash said. “Now that’s… Awesome!”

“Oh my!” Fluttershy gasped.

A lobster taps the Cyclops’ shoulder, drawing the Cyclops’ attention. The lobster pulls out some google eyes and a tube of glue.

“Uh oh…” The Cyclops said.

The lobster sprays glue into the Cyclops’ eye. He falls over as the sea creatures start attacking him. The puffer fish puffed up and stuck him with their little points. The sea horses neighed and stomped over the giant. The clown fish attacked his shins; the clams snapped his butt and made him yelp. And the Mariachi fish… They just shrug and continued playing. All the while the Shell City sea creatures continued to snap, gash, finned, pretty much beating up the cruel one-eyed monster who tortured them.

“I heard of a ‘fish frenzy’, but this is ridiculous!” Pinkie joked.

“Come on, every pony!” Twilight yelled. “Let’s get out of here!”

“Uh… Twilight?” Apple Bloom calls out.

Twilight stops and looks down, noticing that the Cutie Mark Crusaders were still the size of little sea fillies.

“Oh… Right,” Twilight replied, with a sweat drop.

Using her magic, she is able to revert the Cutie Mark Crusaders back to pony size… Or at least ‘foal-sized’. Now the group make their way out of the shop, while SpongeBob and Patrick grab for the crown and meet up with the group at the dock.

“How do you like that?” Pinkie replied. “We started this adventure on the beach and here we are!”

“SIS!!!” Apple Bloom cried.

“RARITY!!!!” Sweetie Belle shouted.

Their older sisters, especially Rainbow Dash, turned as the Cutie Mark Crusaders raced toward them and the older ponies opened their arms out. They laughed and cried, as Applejack and Rarity hugged their little sisters and Rainbow Dash, ignoring her own tomboyish attitude, lifted Scootaloo into the air before drawing her in for a hug.

“I thought I would never see you again my little gemstone!” Rarity cried, kissing her sister’s forehead.

“Oh sugarcube, yer safe!” Applejack smiled.

“We’re so sorry we worried you,” Scootaloo cried. “We just thought—We just thought—”

“It doesn’t matter right now,” Rainbow interrupted. “We’re together again squirt.”

As reunions were in order, Twilight smiles as families came together before looking down as SpongeBob and Patrick approached with the crown.

“We’re so glad you boys are all right,” Twilight said.

“Yeah, well you can thank your friends over there,” SpongeBob replied, acknowledging the CMC. “We’d have been goners if they hadn’t rescued us.”

Suddenly, all was quiet. The older sisters, even Rainbow Dash, looked down toward the CMC in shock.

“You… Saved their lives?” Rarity asked.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders turned toward each other before facing the older ponies.

“We’re sorry we tend to cause trouble, big sis,” Apple Bloom spoke, shuffling her hooves. “We wanted to prove we can be big ponies, but we keep messin' things up.”

“But our friends were in danger and we couldn’t wait for you to rescue us,” Sweetie Belle added. “We had to save ourselves so we could prevent those two from dying. We just had to do something.”

“Please don’t be mad,” Scootaloo spoke softly.

The ponies look toward each other for a moment. Then they turn back to the Cutie Mark Crusaders with warm smiles.

“No… We’re the ones who oughtta apologize,” Applejack sighed, pulling her hat off. “I know I always treat you like yer still a baby, but I can’t stop ya from growin’ up no matter how hard I try.”

“What you did for those boys was the bravest thing you girls have ever done,” Rarity added, turning to Sweetie Belle. “I'm glad you came along.”

“And I couldn’t be any more prouder of you, little buddy,” Rainbow Dash spoke, ruffling Scootaloo’s mane.

“Well done girls,” Spike nods with a smile.

The ponies resume hugging each other, as SpongeBob and Patrick look on with teary eyes. But then a thought came to the girls.

“Say… How did you guys get here so fast anyway?” Scootaloo asked.

“Oh! Well we actually had some help,” Twilight explained, turning around. “Our ride’s just over… Huh?”

Twilight Sparkle motioned toward a boat near the dock when her eyes went wide. There was the rowboat that the whole group took to get to Shell City, but a certain ‘pirate’ was missing. They rush toward the rowboat and find a single note left on the seat.

“Gone to Lunch,” Twilight read. “Be back later!!!”

“Aw, come on!!!” Rainbow Dash groaned.

“Yeah, talk about a waste of a cameo,” Pinkie Pie replied. “A shame, that Patchy the Pirate guy seemed very nice.”

“Who’s Patchy the Pirate?” SpongeBob asked.

“Never mind, never mind!” Rarity interrupts. “We got to get the crown back to Bikini Bottom and we don’t have time to wait!”

“But it was a long way to get here from Bikini Bottom,” Fluttershy points out. “We’ll never get back in time!”

“Wait! I have an idea!” SpongeBob speaks up. “Patrick, you still have that bag of wings?”

“I sure do!” Patrick said.

Patrick shows a lump on his butt. He and SpongeBob laughs, even the CMC get a chuckle out of it… Until Patrick pulls out the bag.

“Here you go.”

The laughing stops immediately, as SpongeBob and the ponies stare at the lump with wide-eyed. Rarity, on the other hand, couldn’t stop her one eye from twitching.

“Ah bu… Ah bu… Ah bu… Ah bu… Ah bu…” Rarity muttered.

“What?” Patrick asked, confused.

“Nothing, nothing!” Twilight interrupts. “SpongeBob, please go over the instructions.”

“Right!” SpongeBob salutes, reading the instructions. “Let’s see, it says here, ‘Step One: Point bag away from home.’”

“Okay,” Patrick says, pointing the bag away.

“’Step Two: Plant feet firmly on ground.’”

“Right!”

“’Step Three: Remove string from bag releasing the winds.’”

“Check!”

Patrick pulled the string tied around the bag. A rush of wing explodes from the bag, the force snapping the sack out of Patrick’s hand, and it sailed away like a balloon full of air! Patrick stared at his empty hands in surprise.

“Well, that sounds simple enough,” Twilight replied, obliviously. “All we have to do is hitch a ride on the boat, use the winds for extra speed, and we should be back in Bikini Bottom just in time to return the crown to King Neptune.”

“Sounds like a plan,” SpongeBob nods, tucking the note in his pocket. “All right, Pat. Let’s do it for real.”

“Uh, SpongeBob?” Patrick spoke sheepishly.

SpongeBob and the gang turn around, as Patrick points to their bag. There was the bag of wings, hurling through the sky, far out to sea like a deflated balloon. It was heading toward Bikini Bottom and home – without them!

“NOOO!!!” The ponies and Spike shouted.

They chase after the bag, but it’s too late… The now deflated bag had now fallen into the water.

“What did you DO, Patrick?!” Twilight asked.

“I’m sorry, I made a booboo!” Patrick apologized, tearfully. “I was... I just thought... I was following the instructions… And the bag got loose… It was an accident! Please, I’m so sorry.”

“Oh, no!” SpongeBob cried. “How will we ever get back to Bikini Bottom now?”

The group sighs, their heads hanging loosely, as their one chance to get back safely was now gone.

“I can take you there,” A friendly voice said.

The gang suddenly look up spotting a man running toward them across a white sandy beach. The man’s head was a mass of black curls, his face rugged and tanned, muscles hard and rippling. He wore a bright red swimsuit and carried a flotation device. His smile brighter than the California sun.

“Who are you?” SpongeBob asked.

“I’m David Hasselhoff,” The man in the swimsuit replied.

“GASP!!!” Pinkie shouts, wide-eyed. “Special Guest Star David Hasselhoff?!”

Random cheering and applause is heard, as David Hasselhoff looks around and smiles at an unseen audience. A clipboard with an autograph paper is handed to him, but he just smiles and pushes it aside with a shake of his head. There was even a random ‘Hooray!” heard in the background.

“Um, Mr. Hasselhoff, sir?” Fluttershy spoke shyly. “Do you know how a steer a boat?”

“Boat?” Hasselhoff laughs heartily. “The way we’re going, we won’t need… Boats.”

<> 

Moments later, the buff lifeguard swims like a torpedo toward Bikini Bottom with mighty strokes. Upon his back were SpongeBob, Patrick, and even their ponies friends…

Ahem!

… And Spike… Resuming their sea-pony forms so they could join their friends. And with the group, King Neptune’s crown safe within their grasp.

“Go, Hasselhoff!” SpongeBob shouted.

“Next stop, Bikini Bottom y’all!” Apple Bloom shouted.

“YEE… HAW!!!” Applejack cheered.

<> 

Sometime earlier, Patchy the Pirate had just returned to his boat by the boardwalk. He slurps an ice-cold soda in one hand and pierced to his hook is a hotdog with all the trimmings. 

“I’m back!!!” Patchy cried. “Sorry, I’m late! You won’t believe how long that line was—”

But as Patchy the Pirate looks around, not a trace of a pony or dragon, not even a little yellow sponge, was around to be seen.

“Huh… I thought they’d have found SpongeBob by now…”

“YEE… HAW!!!”

Confused, Patchy turns toward the ocean seeing an object zooming away at top speed. Hurling his hotdog aside and dropping his now empty cup, he takes out a tiny telescope from his coat pocket and positions it to his one eye. Adjusting the lens, he spots a man in a red swimsuit zooming far across the sea. And on his back, SpongeBob and all his friends riding in the distance with the crown.

Wide-eyed, the telescope dropping from his one hand, Patchy clenches his fist like an anime star.

“Hasselhoff…”
> Spongebob vs. Dennis
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the ponies and Spike raced their way back with the crown, things were getting worse in Bikini Bottom. By now, the enslaved citizens continued to work nonstop on the many statues of Plankton in the city. And all the while chanting, “All Hail Plankton”. Meanwhile, inside the Krusty Krab 2, Plankton walks in toward the poor, still-frozen Mr. Krabs.

“Well, Krabs, you know what today is?” Plankton asked.

The mad ruler of Planktopolis looks toward the calendar. The date reads March 13th.

“Sorry about this calendar.”

Plankton rips the page from the calendar and cruelly tosses it into the wastebasket.

“March 14,” Plankton read. “Wait, that’s not right. It should say, ‘The day that Krabs fries!’”

Plankton laughs evilly, when the sound of an approaching carriage caused him to stop gloating for a moment. Plankton looks out the window and spots King Neptune’s carriage just pulling up. The squire walks out first, followed quickly by a very upset King Neptune and his daughter, Mindy. 

“Guess who’s here,” Plankton chortled, opening the door. “Greetings, sire. Glad you could make it. I got the crab set up here for ya!”

Inside the ice, Mr. Krabs shivered as time was running out. Plankton pulls up a chair and has a seat.

“Ready on my end.”

“Right then,” King Neptune spoke, then turned. “Who are you again?”

“Me?” Plankton answered, with a phony smile. “Oh, I’m just a concerned citizen waiting to see some justice. This crab must pay for his horrible crimes on our good city.”

In the darkness, a pair of eyes are watching and a groan escapes from that spot. But otherwise, the onlooker remains unnoticed as the evil Plankton eyes Mr. Krabs.

“Might I suggest aiming for his head, Your Highness?”

<>

Meanwhile, David Hasselhoff cut through the ocean waves, gliding across the sea like a motorboat. As he swam, he passed a fisherman’s dinghy. The incredible force of his wake rocked the boat and threw the poor fisherman into the water.

Sitting onto his back, SpongeBob, Patrick, the ponies, and Spike all hung on as they raced for home. Just up ahead, they spied a familiar green island.

“There it is every pony!” Apple Bloom shouted. “Bikini Bottom’s just under that there island!”

“WHOO-HOO!!!” Scootaloo cheered.

“Hooray for Hasselhoff!” SpongeBob cheered. “Nothing can stop us now!”

“You know what guys?” Twilight asked happily. “I think we’re going to make it in time!”

“After everything we’ve been through, what could possibly go wrong?” Pinkie asked.

This caused every pony to turn their heads toward her, staring at her with serious expressions.

“What?”

“Pinkie!” Apple Bloom shouted. “Why would y’all say that right now?”

“That’s exactly what ponies say right BEFORE something bad happens!” Sweetie Belle shook her head.

“Why now of all times?!” Scootaloo said, with an eye roll.

“Aww, come on girls. If anything bad was going to happened, I’d feel it with my Pinkie Sense~”

Just then, Pinkie Pie started to shake uncontrollably. Every pony rolled their eyes as they looked at her.

“Let me guess,” Applejack spoke. “There’s a doozy coming, ain’t there?”

“Y-Y-You b-b-bet!” Pinkie said shakily.

“Unidentified object off the hindquarters!” Patrick cried.

As the group watched, something seemed to stream across the ocean and was gaining on them fast.

“Is that…?” Rarity began.

All of a sudden, a giant boot, the Cyclop’s boot, emerged from the ocean.

“Bigger boot?” SpongeBob said. “But how?”

The Cyclop’s boot quickly caught up with them all and stops just behind Hasselhoff’s foot. From the bottom is a green, smudged smear, much like Plankton’s earlier when SpongeBob stepped on him. From it, the splotch of green peels off and morphs back into Dennis with his sunglasses smashed, his clothes tattered and his teeth jagged.

“AHHHHH!!!” The group screams.

“It’s Dennis!” SpongeBob and the CMC yelled.

“Did you miss me?” Dennis smiled wickedly.

“Nooooo….” Fluttershy squeaked, fearfully. 

<>

Back inside the Krusty Krab 2, a fish drummed a sad tune as King Neptune prepared to punish Mr. Krabs. Plankton sat off to the side in a beach chair, eating popcorn and enjoying the exciting show.

“This is the best seat in the house!” Plankton gushed. “All right, Neptune, let’s get it on!”

King Neptune rose up to his full kingly height, aiming his trident at Mr. Krabs.

“Eugene Krabs,” The King said. “Your six-day reprieve is up! And it is time for you to die!”

Krabs rapidly sweat mounds of ice cubes, he tried to tell him, ‘Please, I didn’t do it’, but he could barely talk, and the King didn’t hear him.

“There is nothing else I can do,” The king continued.

Just then, Princess Mindy appeared at her father’s side.

“You can give SpongeBob and his friends a little more time.”

“Except give SpongeBob and his friends a little more time… What?”

Neptune realized what he just said, then turns toward his daughter.

“Mindy, will you butt out?!” King Neptune bellowed angrily. “I won’t have you stalling this execution.”

“Stalling?” Mindy said, wounded. “I’m not stalling anything.”

“Yes, you are.”

“No, I’m not.

“Yes, you are!” The king roared. “You’re it right now!”

“Doing what?”

“Stalling!” King Neptune cried.

“No, I am not,” Mindy insisted.

“Yes, you are!”

“No…”

“Yes!”

“I’m stalling.”

“Yes.”

“Stalling?”

“Stalling!”

“Stalling.”

“Stalling!”

Plankton shook his head, sighing.

“Oh, boy…” He muttered.

The evil leader of Planktopolis was losing patience with this pair. Suffice to say, some pony wasn’t doing better as the figure in the dark twitched her eye.

“I’m not getting paid enough to do this!” The figure spoke.

<>

Back above the ocean, aboard Hasselhoff’s back, things were not going smoothly for SpongeBob, Patrick, and the Equestria team. Dennis had them cornered, slowly and menacingly approaching them. He removes his damaged sunglasses, so he can look them straight in the eyes while his shadow looms over them.

“Now… Where were we?”

“Patrick, run!” SpongeBob cried.

But Patrick stood his ground – or rather, Hasselhoff’s back.

“No,” He said. “I’m tired of running. If we run now, we’ll never stop.”

“For once, Patrick’s right, partner,” Applejack agreed. “We ain’t runnin’ now or ever!”

“Yeah, I’ve been looking to kick someone’s flank the past six days and I ain’t holding back!” Rainbow declared, holding her hooves up. “A.J… Tail me!”

Nodding, Applejack grips Rainbow Dash’s ‘tail’ fin with her teeth. Rainbow clenches her eyes, fighting tears, as Applejack swings her round and round like a lasso before releasing her straight towards Dennis.

“YAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!” Rainbow shouted.

Rainbow Dash plops herself around Dennis, swinging her front hooves against Dennis’ face at rapid speeds. Though her attacks make their mark, Dennis barely flinches from the rapid-quick punches. At the last moment, Dennis quickly grabs Rainbow’s right hoof, squeezing so hard that Rainbow winced as she felt the bones start to crack. Dennis effortlessly hurls Rainbow behind him, as she massages her injured wound.

Seeing Rainbow Dash taken out, Applejack glares at Dennis and snorts a bit of air. She then bounds toward Dennis with her two front hooves. She reels back aiming to buck him…

SLAP!

Except her tail fin ends up slapping Dennis beneath the chin. Not hard enough to break teeth, but enough that he felt his chin sting rubbing a bright red spot while he glared down at the cow pony.

“Uh, heh-heh!” Applejack chuckled nervously. “Forgot about that part.”

Unamused, Dennis grabs Applejack by the tail and hurls her so hard she flew into the air. She screams while flapping her front legs wildly, while all the ponies look on in horror.

“APPLEJACK!!!” Apple Bloom cried out.

Gasping, Rainbow sees her friend in danger and her eyebrows furrow. Raising her wings, fortunately dry, she quickly zooms up into the sky like a rocket on the fourth of July. Rainbow flies as fast as she could, the tears streaming from her eyes from the velocity, holding her front hooves out to reach her friend. Applejack flew until she felt the gravity start to pull her down as she saw herself falling toward the open ea.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!” Applejack screamed.

“I GOT YOU!!!” Rainbow shouted.

Rainbow zips toward Applejack and catches her in the nick of time. Rainbow hovers over the air, with Applejack in her arms. Applejack’s Stetson hat lands atop of Rainbow’s multi-colored mane as she looks down at an awestruck country pony.

“Hey!” Rainbow said, looking at her.

“Hey…” Applejack spoke, her cheeks blushing.

Their eyes gaze toward each other, the bright sun shining over them. The two ponies lean their heads toward each other, their eyes closing, their lips forming…

“RUN, SPONGEBOB!!!”

A deep male voice causes the girls to turn realizing their friends were still in danger.

“We should probably go save our friends,” Rainbow Dash replied.

“Good idea!” Applejack agreed.

“Hang on!”

Rainbow Dash then zooms off back toward Hasselhoff, with Applejack holding on as tightly as possible. 

<>

Meanwhile, having finished off two of his opponents, Dennis brushes his hands. Just then, he heard a bellowing yell and turns as Patrick charged toward Dennis with his arms flailing loudly.

“FLYING FISTS OF~”

But the biker merely whacks the little starfish, sending him flying through the air and landing on Hasselhoff’s foot, holding on for dear life.

“RUN, SPONGEBOB!!!” Patrick yelled.

“Stay behind me girls!” Fluttershy called toward the CMC.

Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie leads the Cutie Mark Crusaders across Hasselhoff’s back to safety, while SpongeBob screams and runs under Dennis. Dennis turns and pulls the knife off his necklace, intending to stab them.

“AAAH!” Dennis cried, clutching his shoulder.

He feels a burning sensation as if someone blasted him. He turns around and ducks as more magic beams are fired at him. Twilight and Rarity keep him distracted with beams firing from their sizzling horns. Soon enough, Dennis tries using his knife to block the beams, using the metal sides to reflect the beams into the air while stalking towards the ponies.

“That brute doesn’t know when to quit!” Rarity cried.

“We need to keep trying!” Twilight shouted, mid-fire. “Just till we get to Bikini Bottom!”

“I’ve got this!” Spike shouted.

He plops between the girls and bounds high into the air with all his strength. An eyebrow is raised as Dennis looks at the little fish. Spike inhales deeply, his pufferfish body expanding, then he expels a blast of flames while shooting his spines out. The flames catch Dennis in the face causing him to lean back. By the time Spike lands back on the ground, he assumes his regular form.

“Ha!” Spike taunted. “How do you like that you big bully?!”

Suddenly, moans and groans cause Spike to look side to side. His eyes widen when he sees that his spines contact Twilight and Rarity. Several spines caught Twilight on the side, while many hits Rarity’s face, which barely moved except for one twitching eye.

“Uh… Oops!” Spike smiled, sheepishly.

Rubbing his face, growling angrily, Dennis looks up and sees SpongeBob desperately trying to keep up with the other girls. Deciding to ignore the others, Dennis races toward his target. In the meantime, the group slides down Dennis’ behind and the exterminator nearly stabs them but pierces his knife through the behind.

“Ooh!” Hasselhoff cried. “Take it easy back there, fellas!”

“SORRY!” Pinkie shouted.

In the meantime, Dennis was coming closer and closer. The spikes in his boots gleaming. The group was trapped, the ocean waves churning between the lifeguard’s mighty legs.

“We gotta jump to the other side!” Apple Bloom said. “It’s the only way!”

“I’ll never make that jump!” Scootaloo shook her head. “In case you girls don’t notice, I CAN’T fly!!!”

“No… But I can,” Fluttershy spoke up.

Scootaloo looks up with teary eyes as Fluttershy warmly smiles, helping Scootaloo onto her back.

“Hold on!!”

Fluttershy pushes herself with all her might and takes off flying to the other leg while Scootaloo hangs on. While not a flying seapony, Pinkie nevertheless helps Apple Bloom onto her back.

“Hang ten, possible cousin!” Pinkie instructed.

Pinkie then bounces toward the other side until all that remained was SpongeBob and Sweetie Belle backing away from Dennis.

“Sweetie Belle! SpongeBob, jump!” Apple Bloom shouted.

“Come on, kids, give it up!” Dennis warned. “Dennis always gets his man.”

SpongeBob looks down toward Sweetie Belle, who looks petrified toward the scary fish. SpongeBob takes a deep breath and turns toward Dennis.

“I’ll never give up, Dennis!” The plucky sponge cried.

He grabs Sweetie Belle, holds her tightly close to him, and jumps just when Dennis tries to grab them.

“NEVER!!!!!!!”

Time seemed to move slowly as SpongeBob bounded toward Hasselhoff’s other leg. Sweetie Belle screaming as she hugged the yellow sponge tightly, shutting her eyes. But eventually, time resumes once they reached the other side.

“Yay!” SpongeBob crowed. “We made it!”

“Uh… SpongeBob!!!” Sweetie Belle points.

Apparently, so did Dennis, who somehow reached the other side behind SpongeBob.

“You’ve got guts, kids. Too bad I gotta rip ‘em outta ya.”

“Look, Mr. Dennis, sir,” Pinkie spoke. “Maybe we can cut a deal.”

“We don’t know what Plankton’s paying you,” SpongeBob added, digging through his pants. “But if you let us go, I can make it worth your while.”

SpongeBob pulls out a wad of bills, handing it to Dennis. Dennis swaps the dollars swiftly.

“It’s gonna take a lot more than five…!” Dennis looks at the bills. “What is this?”

“That, sir, is five Goober Dollars,” SpongeBob told him. “Legal tending at any participating Goofy Goober—”

But Dennis the dollars aside and grabs SpongeBob by the throat. Thinking quickly, Sweetie Belle uses her magic and levitates… A bottle of ‘soap bubbles’ with a blow wand.

“Hey Dennis!” Sweetie Belle calls out. “BUBBLE PARTY!!!”

Sweetie Belle holds up the wand, spraying soapy bubbles toward Dennis’ eyes, the bubbles bursting on contact.

“My eyes!!!” Dennis screamed. 

Dennis clutches his eyes and hurls SpongeBob over to the side. SpongeBob screams and wails before he is caught by a pink arm. 

“I got you, SpongeBob,” The brave little starfish said.

SpongeBob climbs aboard the lifeguard’s foot until he was next to Patrick, clinging to the heel.

“Thanks, buddy!” SpongeBob said.

Suddenly, Dennis appeared, standing over them. His spiked boot rose above their heads, ready to stomp them flat with his cleated boot.

“Uh, thanks a lot.”

“That’s it!” Dennis said, his eyes sore. “I’m through messin’ around! See ya later, fools!”

“YEE……. HAW!!!”

Turning around, Dennis is suddenly whacked hard in the face by a firm hoof from Applejack, thrown at high speeds. As Applejack slides along Hasselhoff’s leg, Dennis spins around on one foot, before…

WHAM!!!

Rainbow Dash slams her hooves into Dennis’ stomach, making his eyes bulge out and air escapes his lips. Smirking, Rainbow then reels back and slaps Dennis upside the chin with her fin before flying off to join the group. Dennis is slightly dazed, as he struggles to keep balance. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash lands beside Applejack who just reunited with her sister, Apple Bloom.

HONK!

Suddenly, they look up and see that Hasselhoff was swimming straight towards a catamaran.

“EVERY PONY, DUCK!!!” Applejack shouted.

All the ponies, Spike, and even their two goofy friends managed to lean down. Dennis just recovered, only to see the approaching catamaran, and screams. 

WHAM!!!

Dennis is struck by the catamaran, falling into the sea to his presumed demise.

“See ya!” Patrick said, waving.

“PHEW!!!” Rarity sighs, twitching from the spines. “I hate epic adventures…”

<>

Meanwhile, back in Bikini Bottom – er, the Evil Empire of Planktopolis – Mindy and King Neptune were still arguing inside the restaurant.

“So you think… I’m… Stalling.”

By now, King Neptune had enough of it, as he clenched his fists in fury.

“GAH!!!” Neptune roared. “Where am I, in Crazytown? I have had enough of this nonsense! Mindy, you are to wait in the carriage until the execution is done!”

“But Daddy…” Mindy implored.

“NOW!!!”

Thunder and lightning flashed; the trident crackled with energy. Mindy scurried outside as fast as she could, while Plankton stuck his tongue out at her. To be extra certain the princess won’t interfere, Neptune fired a blast from his magic trident. Chains and padlocks appeared, sealing the doors and windows.

“Ha, ha, ha!!!” Plankton chuckled.

Outside, Mindy bashed the doors.

“No, no, no!” Mindy cried, looking up. “Oh, SpongeBob, girls, wherever you are, you better hurry.”

<>

Finally, Hasselhoff swims past a familiar island. He turns over his broad shoulders at his passengers.

“Okay, fellas, this is where you get off. Bikini Bottom’s directly below.”

“But we’ll never be able to float down in time,” SpongeBob cried, looking at his calendar.

“Who say anything about floating?” Pinkie asked.

Pinkie reached up into her mane, pulling out a slightly bigger version of her party cannon. The entire group stare at it in awe as Hasselhoof picks it up in his hand, while grabbing the crown. SpongeBob, Patrick, and the ponies hang onto it.

“All hands, on deck!” He said.

Then he positions the crown, along with all of them, inside the party cannon aiming it straight toward the water. Most of the group were squeezed in together unable to move. SpongeBob and Patrick end up wedged behind their friends, but they could still see the ocean.

“Hang on, guys!” SpongeBob cried.

“What choice, do we have?” Twilight responds.

“Oh wait, hang on a second, you guys!” Hasselhoff called out.

“What’s the problem darling?” Rarity called back.

“This cannon has a fuse on it! I don’t have any matches or anything to light it to fire.”

“… Ooh!” Pinkie gasped, realizing. “I pulled out the wrong party cannon.”

“PINKIE!!!” The group shouted.

“Now what do we do!!” Rainbow moaned.

“It’s a good thing I have plenty!” A voice called out.

Hasselhoff turns toward the side, while several ponies manage to peek their heads from the cannon. Before their eyes, they see a certain pirate in a rowboat, now with a speedboat engine attached to the back, speeding towards him.

“Patchy!!” The girls cried from inside.

“Aye! Ye didn’t really think I’d miss this party did ye?” Patchy smirked.

Before long, Patchy shuts off the engine and turns till he’s right beside Hasselhoff.

“Hasselhoff…” Patch replies.

“Patchy…” Hasselhoff greeted back.

"PINKIE!" Pinkie shouted, peaking from the cannon.

The two grown men turn toward the sea pony, who eyes them one by one. She chuckles nervously then sinks back into her cannon. 

Patchy reached into his coat pocket and pulls out a box of matches. He pulls one out and held the box in his hook hand. He quickly struck the match and lit the giant fuse in the back of the cannon. The ponies quickly duck back deep into the cannon, as it was only a matter of time before ‘blast off’. 

<>

Far below, in the heart of Planktopolis, Mr. Krabs’ execution was about to commence. King Neptune warms up his trident, slowly powering it up. The tip of his staff sparks with energy. All Mindy could do is watch helplessly through the window.

“Eugene Krabs,” King Neptune began.

“No!” Mindy gasped.

“Yes!” Plankton cried.

“The time has come—”

“No!”

“Yes…”

“-for you-“

“No!”

“Yes!”

“-to fry!!!”

Bolts of thunder leapt from the trident; the air in the Krusty Krab 2 crackled with power.

<>

Meanwhile, upon the ocean’s surface, the group was ready to launch like torpedoes out of the cannon, the fuse getting smaller and smaller.

“Good luck, me little ponies!” Patchy called out. “Tell SpongeBob, I said hi!”

BOOM!!!

In a split second, the entire group, along with the crown, were fired straight through the ocean’s watery depths. Spinning wildly, giving the group the ride of their lives upon the crown, they scream like children as they plunge toward the Krusty Krab 2. The crown smashed through the roof, along with the whole gang.

Just as Neptune fired his blast, just as Krabs is about to be fried, the crown blocks the ray, and it deflects toward the shiny surface. 

<>

Whereas of this moment, Hasselhoff is floating on his back while Patchy the Pirate lounges in his rowboat.

“Aye, we done good, Hasselhoff,” Patchy spoke.

“Yep!” Hasselhoff agreed, lazily. “We’ve done…”

BOOM!!!

The blast from Neptune’s ray hits Hasselhoff and the force was so strong, Patchy fell backward from his rowboat and splashing into the water. 

“Ow…” Hasselhoff groaned, slightly singed.

Patchy reemerges from the water, gasping and coughing salt water. His hat floating on the water and his hair was down.

“Aye! What just happened?!”

<>

“Hooray!” SpongeBob cheered. “We made it!”

“We did it! We did it!” The Cutie Mark Crusaders cheer, with a victory dance. “We did it!”

“We made it!” The ponies cry out.

King Neptune lifts his crown, holds it close to his chest, and practically kisses it.

“My Crown!” Neptune cried. “My beautiful crown!”

Just then, Mindy came flying through the double doors.

“SpongeBob! Patrick!” Mindy cried, hugging them. “I knew you could do it!”

“Thanks Mindy,” SpongeBob said. “But actually, we have these ponies and their friends to thank too.”

SpongeBob acknowledges to the ponies and Spike, but mainly toward the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They smile warmly toward the happy sponge.

“If it weren’t for them, we never would’ve gotten here in time,” SpongeBob concluded.

“Aw… SpongeBob!” Sweetie Belle said.

The girls join in and hug the fry cook, as the rest of the group join in. Just then, they hear some slow clapping and turn around toward Plankton.

“Oh, yes,” Plankton added, sarcastically. “Well done, SpongeBoob.”

“Sorry to rain on your parade, Plankton,” SpongeBob answered, sarcastically.

“We know about your evil scheme, Plankton!” Twilight spoke. “Now we’re giving you ONE chance: Surrender peacefully, free the citizens of Bikini Bottom, and return the pearl and your partner to us!”

“Oh, I’m afraid I can’t do that, princess,” Plankton mocked. “My parade shall be quite dry – under my umbrella!”

Plankton quickly pulls a cord that is hanging above him.

“Umbrellaaaaaa?” The group asked.

Suddenly, they turn back toward Neptune, who was still kissing his crown. In that moment, a trapdoor in the ceiling that says, ‘King Size’, opens up and a chum bucket helmet falls out landing right onto King Neptune’s head. He struggles to get it off, but the helmet is latched tightly.

“Daddy, no!” Mindy cried.

“Daddy, yes!” Plankton said.

Plankton pulls out a remote control with only a big, red button on it. As Neptune struggles, Plankton pushes the button and an antenna emerges from the top of the helmet, making a humming sound. All at once, King Neptune’s brain goes numb, his body quickly stiffened, and he speaks these words only.

“All hail Cozy Glow,” Neptune spoke.

This caught Plankton’s attention, as he whipped his head around toward the enslaved king.

“Wait, what?” Plankton said, pushing the button. “This must be a mistake; that’s not supposed to happen!”

“It’s no mistake, Sheldon…”

The entire group turns to the side, as Cozy Glow swam out from the shadows smiling evilly. In her hooves is a small little remote in her hooves, as she stared them all down.

“COZY GLOW!!!” The ponies and Spike shouted.

Cozy Glow laughed menacingly as she swam closer to the group. 

“That’s right!” Cozy Glow said, smugly. “It’s me! The real brains of the operation… This place belongs to me now!”

“What the heck are you talking about kid?” Plankton asked. “We had a deal!”

“Sorry partner,” Cozy replied. “But this deal just got canned!”

Before Plankton could reply, Cozy Glow swung her tail and smacked Plankton across the room. The single celled organism screamed as he flew across the room and crashed into the inside of a jar. Suddenly, a lid is put on top and twisted tightly as Plankton looks up and gasps. His wife Karen, with a bucket helmet on her screen, under the spell of the mind control.

“All hail Cozy Glow,” Karen spoke.

“What?! No!” Plankton shouted. “Karen, my sweet, sweet wife! Don’t listen to that brat; listen to your husband!”

But it was no use, Karen was now under control of a sociopathic filly and now Plankton was trapped under his own plans. The Equestrians look toward the pair then back toward Cozy Glow.

“Oh, by the way, were you looking for this?!” Cozy Glow holds out her hooves, revealing the pearl.

“Queen Nova’s Pearl!” Rarity gasped.

“It was you!” Sweetie Belle glared.

“Figured you’d stoop this low, Cozy Glow!” Twilight frowned. “First, you betray Equestria and turn every pony against each other. Then, you steal a kingdom’s prized artifact. And now, you help an evil maniac put his plan together and take it as your own!”

“Oh please, you really think I’m stupid to think I’d actually ‘help’ him?” Cozy laughed. “I only agreed to be his partner so I could use his lab to create my own mind-control technology. And once I got exactly what I needed it was all too easy to kick him to the curb like yesterday’s garbage!”

Cozy Glow then swam over to Neptune, plucking his crown off the ground where it landed. With the ancient pearl in her other hoof, she uses its magic to shrink the crown down to her size and positions the pearl in the center. She then places the crown on her head before turning back to the group with a look of triumph.

“And now, you will all bow before the new Queen of the Seas… And soon to be QUEEN OF EQUESTRIA!!!”

Cozy then pushes the button on her remote, as all the bucket-headed fish smash through the windows of the restaurant. Quickly, they surround SpongeBob, Patrick, Mindy, the Equestrians, and the frozen Mr. Krabs, leaving them with no place to go. Neptune points his trident at them, flames sparking out. Now our heroes were trapped, pinned against the wall, with no chance of escape. This may very well be the end of our heroes, as Cozy Glow smirks evilly with the pearl glowing in her new crown
> Goofy Goober Rock
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Mane Six, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Spike, Mindy, SpongeBob, and even Patrick found themselves pressed against the wall. The entire population of Bikini-Bottom, now mind-controlled slaves, had our heroes surrounded. Even King Neptune stood among the masses, his flaming trident pointed directly at them. All the while, Cozy Glow stood high and might with the crown, with the pearl positioned in the middle, placed upon her head.

“Looks like this might be it, you guys,” Apple Bloom shook.

“I never thought it would end this way,” Sweetie Belle whimpered.

“If this is the end, I want you guys to know I’m really happy I met you girls,” Scootaloo said sincerely.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders huddled together in one group hug. The older ponies pat their backs, doing their best to comfort the young trio.

“Don’t y’all worry now,” Applejack assured. “We’re gettin’ outta this mess somehow!”

“We promise we won’t let anything happen to you,” Rarity added.

“SpongeBob, what happened?” Patrick asked.

“Cozy Glow cheated,” SpongeBob answered.

“CHEATED?!”

Cozy Glow found the word so surprising, she jumped off one of the tables. She floats toward the group, specifically towards SpongeBob and Patrick. Without turning away, she raises a single hoof.

“Hold on there, baldy,” Cozy Glow commanded.

On her command, Neptune remains still, lowering the trident.

“You know what you’re problem is, boys?” Cozy Glow spoke. “You don’t know when to grow up and face the facts! You think life is like a game of kickball on the playground? That it’s all nonstop fun and games? Face it: Not a single one of you can ever truly defeat me, not even your precious little pony friends? And you know why I have the crown and you don’t?”

“Cuz you’re a cheater!” Apple Bloom shouted.

“And a traitor!” Sweetie Belle added.

“And compensating for something!” Scootaloo concluded.

“No! No! And… I have no idea what you’re talking about…” Cozy Glow answered. “But NO! You know, it’s actually ironic. I was here in Bikini Bottom the entire time, right under your noses, and you didn’t even try to find me! What? Did you suddenly give up on the first day and decided to play with your new undersea friends?!”

Cozy Glow laughed at them mockingly, while the Cutie Mark Crusaders glared at the gloating filly before them.

“But all joking aside,” Cozy Glow replied, calming down. “I didn’t want things to end like this; after all, I really did ‘like’ you girls.”

“That day at the school,” Twilight spoke up. “That was ‘no’ accident; you really did try to turn us all against them!”

“Only to prove how easy it is to turn friends against each other!” Cozy Glow stated. “That’s the one thing you never understood, Twilight Sparkle! You have all the power in the world, more magic than a Unicorn and more flight power than a Pegasus, and OBVIOUSLY stronger than an Earth Pony! But instead, you hold back! You allow creatures to walk over you, and all because you think you can just be friends with ‘every’ pony.”

“We gave you friendship because you wanted help!” Twilight argued. “You spoke your concerns through your heart!”

“I had to vomit those words because I couldn’t stomach it! But I knew that was the only way to win you over! And by drawing your attention on your filly friends, it would keep you off my back so I can focus on my real goal! I never wanted to learn friendship from you; I’m the genius who sees friendship as a ‘power’ to bend others to my bidding. What would I need with ‘friends’ who will forget you or a family who neglects you from the day you were born?!”

“The words of a sad miserable filly who doesn’t know what friendship means!” Spike shouted.

“SHUT UP!!!”

With a blast from the pearl, Cozy Glow fires toward Spike. But luckily Twilight draws him aside and the others duck, as the beam forms a hole in the restaurant, barely inches from Mr. Krabs. A bead of sweat, instantly frozen upon emerging, falls from the frozen boss’ brow.

“Face it, Twilight Twinkle!” Cozy Glow continued. “I have the power; I’m the Queen who reigns supreme. While you, and your pitiful friends, are just kids. The stupidest kids in Equestria, Bikini Bottom, and the universe!!!”

Cozy Glow bursts into a maniacal laugh, even King Neptune and the bucket-headed fish join in. The whole restaurant is filled to the booming round of laughter and mockery. While most of the group glares toward Cozy Glow, cautiously waiting to make their move, SpongeBob slouches down.

“I guess you’re right, Cozy Glow,” SpongeBob said, defeated. “I am just a kid.”

“SpongeBob, NO!” The CMC urged.

“Well duh! I’m right about everything!” Cozy Glow bragged. “Now Neptune, time to kill… Starting with that sponge.”

“And you know,” SpongeBob continued. “I’ve been through a lot in the past six days, five minutes, twenty-seven-and-a-half seconds. And if I’ve learned anything during that time, it’s that you are who you are.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever!” Cozy Glow brushed off. “Now Neptune, if you please~”

But SpongeBob just kept talking, and while speaking, motioning to some of his friends, the pink shade around Cozy’s face grew redder and redder as her impatience grew.

“And no amount of magic, mermaid or ponies or managerial promotion or some other third thing can make me anything more than what I really am inside: A kid.”

Everyone in the group looks down sadly, feeling sorry for the little Sponge. But Cozy Glow was getting anxious.

“All right! Great, fine!” An antsy Cozy Glow cried. “Now, back against the wall! I got enemies to fry!”

Just then, SpongeBob pulls out a microphone from Pinkie Pie’s mane and begins to talk over it.

“But that’s okay!” SpongeBob shouted, through the mic.

“Wait! How did you~”

“Because I did what everyone said a kid couldn’t do. I made it to Shell City, and I beat the Cyclopes, and I rode the Hasselhoff, and I brought back the crown!”

“Ahem!” Spike cleared his throat.

“… With help from my friends!” SpongeBob corrected. “Brains… Brawns… And though I didn’t bring much to the table… The THIRD other thing!”

“All right, we get the point!” Plankton moaned, beating his head against the jar.

Then, as the group looks around, dry ice smoke surrounds the group and a spotlight falls on SpongeBob. Pinkie suddenly gets an idea and practically drags the group toward the side.

“So, yeah, I’m a kid!” SpongeBob cried. “And I’m also a goofball! And a wing nut! And a Knucklehead McSpazatron!”

“Hey!” Cozy Glow coughed. “What’s going on here?!”

“But most of all, I’m… I’m… I’m…”

Eyes wide, everyone waited for SpongeBob to tell the world what he truly was.

“ENOUGH ALREADY!!!” Cozy shouted.

Cozy once more fires a beam of energy from the pearl, hurdling towards the little sponge. When all of a sudden…



A great force propels the beam toward Cozy Glow, hitting her and sending her flying into the wall leaving a gaping hole. Standing in the center of the spotlight, SpongeBob jumped up sporting sunglasses and a heavy-metal attitude. Rock music plays in the background as the Equestrians, somehow, sported their ‘Rainbooms’ rock outfits and began playing on their instruments. Even the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Spike got involved, singing background with the CMC sporting their old rock look and Spike in a ‘Blues Brothers’ suit, complete with sunglasses and a hat. All the while, SpongeBob kept singing.

As SpongeBob sings and the group rocks out, pointing towards the crowd of bucketheads, so much was going on around them. The music is so loud it expands from the Krusty Krab 2, to Bikini Bottom, and through the vast of space over the Earth, which appears to be made of clay. SpongeBob jumps atop of the clay Earth when a UFO with an alien floated by. It briefly stops and SpongeBob jumps into the ship, flying off screen. 

Then the Earth turns over revealing SpongeBob’s face on the other side, before the scene transitions to a brick wall with a large vent. A spotlight moves around before focusing on SpongeBob, who sneaks forward, wearing a green toque. SpongeBob stops at part of the brick wall with the sing labeled “JAIL!” and a TNT plunger near it!

SpongeBob pushes the TNT plunger, causing an explosion to destroy the wall. Several toys come running out, as Pinkie rides a toy horse shouting ‘WEE!’.

The scene transitions to SpongeBob wearing a black fedora and standing beneath something.

It turns out the band is standing beneath Patrick, who has grown to a huge size, wearing fishnet socks and black boots with heels. During the song he kicks his right leg, spins around, claps, and does a split.

Spike pulls down his shades and shows a surprised expression. Along the background of ice cream, SpongeBob moves backward in a forward slithering motion.

During the verse, SpongeBob opens his mouth and stretches out his tongue. A smaller SpongeBob slides across his tongue, with tinier Cutie Mark Crusaders and even Twilight Sparkle in her birthday dress…

NOT that kind of birthday dress… Pervs…

SpongeBob and the CMC don top hats, dress outfits, bowties, star-shaped sunglasses, and canes (all colored white, dancing while swinging the canes and shouting scats. Meanwhile, Twilight just dances goofily to the beat.

Eventually the scene shatters back to the Krusty Krab 2, where SpongeBob holds the same pose as when he stopped dancing.

The word ‘ROCK!’ written in pink is shown on the background of a grass field with a large stone on it. The force of the riff sent the jarred Plankton flying backward, crashing into Karen the Computer, the jar and the bucket shattered to pieces and leaving Plankton sticking to her screen like chewing gum.

In the meantime, Cozy Glow had just recovered from being forced into the wall, bits of wood sticks to her mane and there’s a smudge on her coat from the blast.

“What just happened?!” Cozy moaned.

Suddenly, Cozy Glow notices SpongeBob singing and dancing, while the Equestrians are backing him up with their instruments.

“Oh, this just isn’t right!” Plankton moaned, turning to Karen. “Karen?”

But while Karen the Computer was freed of her mind-control, she found herself dancing along.

“You got to admit, this song’s catchy!” Karen replied.

“You’re dance moves look fun!” Cozy spoke, the pearl glowing. “But I’m still in control! SLAVES, SEIZE HIM!!!”

The slaves crowd around SpongeBob, shouting ‘All hail Cozy Glow!’ over and over. But a few seconds later, SpongeBob bursts out in a wizard outfit with a purple hat and robe, both covered in peanuts, and tall white shoes. He starts playing the electric guitar beside Rainbow Dash, though his guitar had the letters ‘GG’ on its head, obviously standing for ‘Goofy Goobers’. He slowly goes up in the air while Plankton and Cozy Glow look at is ascent.

“What is this magic?!” Cozy cried.

“WHOO-HOO!!!” Pinkie and Patrick cheered.

“GO SPONGEBOB! ROCK FOR YOUR LIFE!!!” Rainbow shouted.

As SpongeBob plays the electric guitar, its head stock lights up. The music is so overpowering, a laser beam blasts out and one by one the helmets are destroyed. Plankton and Cozy Glow watches horrified as SpongeBob frees the bucket-headed army.

“Noooooooooo!!!!” Plankton and Cozy shout.

“Yeaaaaaahhhh!!!!” A fish cried. “I’m free; I’ve been freed!

“My precious helmets!” Plankton shouted.

“Ha!”

“Oh!”

“Yee-haw!”

“Meow.”

Every familiar face before the group was freed thanks to SpongeBob’s guitar playing skills. From Squidward to Mrs. Puff, from Sandy to Gary. SpongeBob blasts the Krusty Krab 2’s antenna, breaking the helmets on all the slaves outside.

“WHAT’S HAPPENING?!” Cozy Glow shouted.

“His chops are too righteous!” Plankton shouted. “The helmets can’t handle this level of rock ‘n’ roll! Karen, do something! Karen?”

Plankton looks for her, only to find her surfing through the crowd. But Cozy Glow was only getting angrier and angrier.

“All right, that’s the last straw!” Cozy shouted. “No pony ignores me, NO PONY!!! Neptune, I command you to…”

But all of a sudden, a beam from SpongeBob’s guitar hits Cozy Glow sending her straight toward the king. She hits his bucket so hard, not only does it break into a billion pieces, but the crown falls off her head. It hits the ground, knocking the pearl off its position.

As King Neptune snaps out of it, Mindy picks up his crown and hands it to him.

“Here you go, Daddy,” Mindy smiled.

Dazed, Cozy sees the pearl and desperately reaches for it. But a figure swoops the pearl before she can touch it. She looks up and her eyes widen as the CMC loom over her, Scootaloo tossing the pearl in her hoof with a smug.

“It’s over, Cozy!!” Apple Bloom declared.

“Time to send you back where you belong!” Sweetie added.

“YOU’LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE!!!” Cozy shouted, waving her hoof.

Cozy Glow quick turns away and makes a break for the entrance. Plankton sees her trying to get away.

“YOU DOUBLE-CROSSING, LITTLE BRAT!!!” Plankton shouted, chasing after her. “COME BACK HERE, SO I CAN SPANK~”

The two villains just reached for the front door, when it suddenly burst open. Before they could react, a flood of freed fish swarmed into the restaurant stampeding over the pair.

“Look, it’s the wizard who saved us!” A fish shouted.

“Out of my way, fools!” Plankton shouted.

“Ow! Stop it!” Cozy shouted. “You can’t hurt me; I’m the Queen!!!”

But their cries were ignored, as all the fish gathered toward SpongeBob and his band. They stomped all over the pair in the process.

“Ow! Ow! Oww!”

“I…OW… HATE… OW… THIS… CITY!!!” Cozy shouted.

<> 

A few hours later…

Life in Bikini Bottom resumed to normal – more or less. Plankton, now squished into the texture of cookie dough, cover with shoeprints, was picked up by the police and placed in a cage. It is unknown if the same happened with Cozy Glow, but for now the police have a fugitive in custody.

“Come on, I was just kidding!” Plankton implored. “Come on, you guys knew that didn’t you? With the helmets and the big monuments… Wasn’t that hilarious, everybody?”

But there was no talking with the police, even the Equestrians frowned toward Plankton after all the trouble he put them through.

“It was that pony, she’s the real enemy!” Plankton continued. “It was her fault; it was her idea! I swear!”

But Plankton’s cage was already placed in a police car, as it starts driving away.

“I WILL DESTROY ALL OF YOU!!!” Plankton declared.

And just like that, Plankton was gone, like a fallen scoop of ice cream on a hot summer day. The ponies looked on as the car drove into the distance.

“Where are they taking him?” Twilight asked.

“The Institution for the Criminally Tiny,” Sandy answered. “A fitting place for that varmint!”

“Reckon’ he’ll be locked away for a long time?” Applejack asked.

“Given all the miserable shenanigans that happens around here,” Squidward muttered. “No… I’ll give him a season.”

Meanwhile, back in the wrecked Krusty Krab 2, King Neptune had a heart-to-heart chat with his daughter.

“Well, Mindy,” The King spoke, smiling. “I have to admit, you were right. Your compassion for these sea creatures proved a most admirable trait. Without it, I would have never again seen my beloved crown. I think you’re going to make a fine ruler of the sea one day. Now, let’s go home.”

The King turned to leave when Mindy stops him.

“Daddy, haven’t you forgotten something?” Mindy asked.

“What? Oh, yeah,” The King turns to Mr. Krabs. “Eugene Krabs, I forgot to unfreeze you.”

The King fired his trident, unfreezing Mr. Krabs – only he was now a human instead of a crab.

“What the…?” Mr. Krabs looked at himself.

“Oops!” Neptune cried. “I guess I had it set to ‘real boy’ ending.”

Embarrassed, Neptune fiddled with his trident before resetting it to the appropriate function. He fires again, turning Krabs back into his old krusty self.

“YIPPEE!” Mr. Krabs cheered.

“Oh, I’m sorry for falsely freezing you, Krabs,” King Neptune apologized. “And may I say, sir, you are a very lucky fellow to have in your employment such a brave, faithful, and heroic young lad.”

“Indeed he does,” Rarity nodded, looking around. “Say, where is SpongeBob anyway?”

“Oh there he is, up there!” Pinkie pointed.

Sure enough, there was SpongeBob, in his wizard outfit, hanging over the group from a rope.

“Eh… It was kind of cooler when it actually looked like magic,” Rainbow criticized.

“I’m on it,” Patrick said, bringing SpongeBob down.

As Patrick helps SpongeBob, King Neptune prods Krabs with his trident.

“Go to him now, Krabs,” The Monarch of the sea said. “Embrace him.”

Mr. Krabs walks over toward SpongeBob, as he and the Equestrians turn to him.

“SpongeBob, my boy,” Mr. Krabs said. “I’m sorry I ever doubted ye. That’s a mistake I won’t make again.”

“Oh, Mr. Krabs, you old soft-serve,” SpongeBob said, blushing.

Eh… I don’t know about that part.

French Narrator: Shh! Don’t spoil ze moment!

“And now, SpongeBob, I’m going to do something that I should’ve done six days ago. Mr. Squidward! Front and center, please.”

Squidward comes forward as Mr. Krabs proceeds with his announcement.

“I think we all know who rightfully deserves to wear that manager pin.”

“I couldn’t agree more, sir,” Squidward agreed, removing his pin.

The residents of Bikini Bottom burst into cheer.

“Hooray for SpongeBob!” The Cutie Mark Crusaders cheered.

“Wait a second, everybody,” SpongeBob spoke, seriously. “There’s something I need to say first. I just don’t know how to put it.”

“I think I know what it is,” Squidward spoke, putting an arm on SpongeBob’s shoulder. “After going on your life-changing journey, you now realize you don’t want what you thought you wanted. What you really wanted was inside you all along.”

“Are you crazy!” SpongeBob cried, snatching the pin. “I was just going to tell you that your fly is down!”

Squidward’s eyes widen, as SpongeBob puts on the pin, a huge grin forms on his face, and he gives a huge cry.

“Manager! This is the greatest day of my life!”

SpongeBob jumps in the air in excitement, as the ponies and the baby dragon swam up and gave him one massive group hug.

“Ain’t no one better deserving than y’all, SpongeBob,” Applejack complimented.

“Yep!” Rainbow smirked. “About time they finally realized what you can bring to the table, little square dude.”

“And that’s management skills!” Pinkie cheered. “Not the polyester.”

“And thanks to you,” Scootaloo added, holding the pearl. “We can finally give Queen Nova her pearl back. Couldn’t have done it without you.”

“Aw, shucks girls!” SpongeBob smiled, realizing. “Sorry I couldn’t help you catch Cozy Glow.”

“Yeah, we figured she’d get away somehow,” Twilight nodded. “But don’t worry: If and when she shows up in someone else’s world, you can be sure we’ll be ready for her.”

Just then, a sudden shift in the ocean causes all eyes to turn to the side. All of Bikini Bottom soon noticed a vortex of green bubbles swirling around. SpongeBob and Patrick look at it with wide eyes, while the ponies and Spike smile, knowing exactly what this means.

“Well, looks like we’re leaving,” Twilight sighed.

“Aww, you sure you have to go?” Patrick pouted.

“Can’t you guys stick around a little longer?” SpongeBob asked.

“Gee, we’d really love to SpongeBob,” Fluttershy answered. “But we have friends and family to get back to in Equestria and we miss them.”

“I’ve been away from my husband far too long already,” Rarity nodded. “I really can’t wait to get back to him.”

The Crusaders all swam up to SpongeBob and Patrick, wrapping them in a huge hug which the little sponge and sea star happily returned.

“We’re really gonna miss y’all something fierce!” Apple Bloom said.

“You’re the best friends any pony could ever ask for,” Sweetie Belle added.

“Don’t ever forget about us, okay?” Scootaloo smiled.

“How could we possibly forget you guys?” SpongeBob giggled.

The group hug it out once again, as the rest of the Mane Six and Spike join in. After a few more minutes, they finally let go. The ponies and the baby dragon turn towards the portal, ready to go home. Just as they were about to enter, SpongeBob ran out in front of them.

“Wait! Before you guy, there’s just one more thing I’d like to share for you guys.”

“What’s that buddy?” Spike asked.

“You’ll see…” SpongeBob smirked.

The happy little sponge gave a shrilling whistle and soon all the citizens of Bikini Bottom joined together. This adventure, with all of his new friends, was so fun and exciting there was only one proper way he could send them all off… By singing.



Soon SpongeBob started breaking into a small dance, as the group started to clap their hands, as the ponies and Spike looked on.

SpongeBob approaches the Cutie Mark Crusaders with a smile, and they share a laugh.

SpongeBob approached Mindy the Mermaid, imitates the way she swims, and she returns the gesture with a laugh.

The song is so moving that some of the ponies, even Spike, broke into tears which floated toward the surface.

“Oooh-kay, it’s getting sappy!” Rainbow rubbed her eyes. “We really gotta go.”

“Ta-ta, Bikini Bottom!” Rarity waved. “Until we meet again.”

“Yeah, we better be goin’,” Applejack declared.

“Goodbye, SpongeBob!” Apple Bloom waved. “Goodbye, everyone!”

The citizens of Bikini Bottom all wave goodbye as the Song was wrapping up. The ponies and Spike all wave goodbye in return. One by one, they slowly turn back to the portal and enter as the blinding light shone. All the while, the citizens of Bikini Bottom started counting down.

“Five… Four… Three… Two…”

“… One…” SpongeBob spoke softly.

<> 

The portal opens to the Kingdom of Seaquestria, as Queen Nova and Princess Skystar paced around the throne room anticipating their return. When they saw the little sea ponies and the dragon/pufferfish, the pair quickly swam to their sides.

“Are you guys alright?” Skystar asked, concerned.

“What of the pearl?” Nova asked. “Were you able to recover it?

Twilight reached behind her, revealing the pearl which she presents to the sea monarch with a smile.

“I believe this is what you’re looking for,” Twilight joked.

Queen Nova grabs the pearl from Twilight’s hooves, swimming back toward its resting place. She gently places the pearl back in its place and all at once an overwhelming change is felt throughout the entire kingdom. A sense of peace is felt once more, as the sea ponies all breathe deeply, knowing that their pearl was once more back where it belongs. Nova turns to the group with the biggest smile on her face.

“Thank you all so much. You’ve returned our national treasure to us and restored peace to our kingdom once again. How can we ever repay you?”

“Just promise us you’ll keep the pearl safe,” Twilight answered. “That’s all the payment we ever need.

“Oh, we promise all right,” Skystar giggled. “From now on, it won’t ever leave our sight.”

“So, what will you all do now?” Nova asked.

“Well, ah believe it’s time we all mossied on home,” Applejack smiled, placing her hoof around her sister.

“Indeed,” Nova smiled. “Well then, should any of you ever wish to visit us again, you are more than welcome. Even you, Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight blushed a little, trying to hide it in her mane. But it was already seen by every creature in the group, who all laughed. Skystar led the group toward the surface, where they all transformed into their original forms.

“Well, it was fun seeing you guys again,” Skystar smiled. “Be sure to come back again soon!”

“We certainly will!” Fluttershy smiled.

“Yeah, for more super-duper fantastic spectacular nautical undersea adventures!!!” Pinkie added, gleefully.

The ponies and Spike all trot back onto the beach, giving one final wave to Skystar, who sank back into the ocean.

<> 

The group made their way back to Ponyville, where once a large group of ponies gathered at the home of Twilight Sparkle. Upon seeing them all, the group ran forward and greeted every pony. The CMC spoke with the foals about their adventures, which Twilight shared with her family. And Rarity ran right into Erik’s arms, the two sharing a passionate kiss. All the while, the Princess of the Sun and the Moon watched over from the side, smiling. However, their smiles quickly fade when a thought came to them.

“What do we do now?” Luna asked seriously. “Now that Cozy Glow has escaped, sister?”

Princess Celestia walks over toward one of the windows of the palace, gazing out toward Ponyville. She took a deep breath, releasing a mighty sigh.

“I am not quite sure what to do, Lulu. This new threat of not only Tirek, Chrysalis, and Cozy Glow, but also this Mysterious Benefactor of theirs has me quite concerned.”

“Do you have any possible idea who could be behind this?”

“That I do not. But I do know that whomever it is, they will not stop until they see Equestria burn.”

<> 

Meanwhile, deep in the Badlands of Equestria, a certain little foal reappears in a blinding flash of light outside a huge cave carved into a dark mountain. Looking around, making sure she’s not seen, she silently enters the cave. As she walked in, she stumbles into a large caver at the end, fashioning into some type of lair. Standing beside a large circular stone table stood her evil changeling and centaur companions.

“Did you find what we sent you to get?” Tirek asked.

Cozy Glow merely walked toward the table, reaching behind her to pull something. What she unveils made both creatures stare in awe. It appeared to be a tiny glass box, with some form of glowing energy inside. She carefully placed it onto the table and backed away as they all stare in amazement.

“So, this is the element needed for mind control, is it?” Chrysalis questioned.

“You bet it is,” Cozy nodded. “I worked with that goofy shrimp for days trying to perfect this element. Now, it’s all ours.”

Just then, a wicked sounding chuckle alerted their attention to another figure entering the champion: The Mysterious Benefactor, slowly entering the room. All the creatures bow in respect to them. The hooded figure approached the glowing glass box, lifting it in a magical grasp. From under the hood, the small glimmer of a smile could be seen.

“Excellent, little one,” They chuckled. “We knew we could count on you. Chrysalis, do you have the other ingredient we asked you to gather in your last venture?”

The Changeling reached behind her, pulling out a small glass jar filled with protoplasm she managed to stow away from Spooky Island before they were all returned. She slid them over to the Benefactor, who also picks them up with their magic. They approach a small shelf off the side, placing both containers side by side staring with wicked satisfaction.

“Perfect… Now, all we need is the final property and our work can truly begin. Soon enough, all of Equestria shall fall before the might of the Dark Order of Magic.”

The figure laughs wickedly, as the other cohorts laughed along with them. The sky seems to darken, the thunder cracked as their evil laughter could be heard for miles. One thing was absolutely certain:

Dark days are coming…