Team SpongeBob

[TJ]

Team SpongeBob - Season 9: Divided

Ep.133 "Beginning Of The End" (Part 1)

ONE MONTH LATER

New Team SpongeBob Base, Left Shore

Following the destruction of Mainland, and their old HQ, Team SpongeBob moved to a smaller base. 

The team had redesigned a vacant warehouse on the outskirts of Left Shore.

We see Linda, Pearl, and Sandy arriving at the warehouse.

"Good, you're all here." SpongeBob said.

"Where else would we be on this fine morning." Pearl said, sarcastically.

"I just thought we all might wanted to discuss what we'd say in front of the board of trustees." SpongeBob said.

"Right, we have the meeting today with the Karate Island Board of Trustees." Sandy remembered.

"Yeah, the one that will basically decide whether our little team will be able to keep operating or not." Linda said.

"Don't think like that." SpongeBob said.

"We're all thinking it! They're gonna force us to disband." Linda said.

"Not that we've been much of a team lately anyway." Pearl said.

"We're not a team. Not without Shin and Patrick." Linda said.

"I miss them too, Linda. But we can honor their memory." SpongeBob preached.

"Oh, you miss them? Could of fooled me." Linda said.

"What does that mean?" SpongeBob asked.

"I'm gonna sit this one out." Sandy said, going over to a sitting area. Pearl followed after her.

"You didn't even show up to the funeral we had for Patrick and Shin." Linda said.

"I wasn't in a good place. I'm still not." SpongeBob said, bowing his head in shame.

"That means you couldn't say goodbye to your friends?" Linda asked.

"I failed both of them. My last words to Shin were basically me suspending him from the team. And I couldn't save Patrick. They wouldn't of wanted me there." SpongeBob said.

"Oh, STOP! STOP!" Linda yelled.

"You don't get it. I see that now." SpongeBob said, turning away from her.

"I get that you're indulging in self pity. That's not an excuse to run away." Linda said.

"I haven't ran anywhere. We've all been distant the past month. The truth is, none of us can stand to look at each other KNOWING we FAILED this island. Mainland was tore the fuck apart. We did NOTHING!" SpongeBob yelled, with tears escaping his eyes.

Pearl and Sandy looked over at him.

"Azarah outsmarted us. There was nothing we could do." Linda said, rubbing his arm.

"I know what we can do." SpongeBob said.

"What?" Linda asked.

"Find the other Divine Jewels. They're out there, and if people like Azarah get their hands on them, all hell will break loose on this world." SpongeBob said.

"I know you've been wanting to go after them, but we can't right now. The eyes of the island government are on us." Linda said.

Suddenly, a bell was heard.

"I had a bell system implemented. Someone wants to get in." SpongeBob said.

After a few minutes, SpongeBob arrived back to room with a woman who was dressed in tactical gear.

"Who are you?" Sandy asked.

"My name is Bonnie Morse." the woman stated.

"She said she was an agent of F.I.N." SpongeBob told them.

"How did you get the location of this warehouse base?" Linda asked.

"FIN has been keeping tabs on your group. We knew where you had relocated. A bit of a downsize, I must say." Bonnie said.

"We know." Pearl said.

"Why are you here?" SpongeBob asked.

"FIN doesn't know I'm here, first of all." Bonnie admitted.

"You came alone..?" Linda asked.

"Part of FIN's mission is to protect everyone in the world from supernatural threats. We have some of the finest trained agents in the world, but sometimes a threat is even bigger than what we can handle as non-metas." Bonnie said.

"So?" SpongeBob said.

"Director Kyle Reeves, ordered a few agents to capture a woman: Clarissa Clam." Bonnie said.

"What's so bad about this Clarissa Clam?" Sandy asked.

"May I use your computer?" Bonnie asked.

"Go right along." SpongeBob said.

Bonnie plugged a USB into the team's computer database. 

A picture of a deranged-looking woman popped up on their base's screen monitor.

"Clarissa Clam was injured in a lab explosion a year ago in a town called Roscow. The team of scientists at the lab tried to cover up the severity of the incident. This led to them performing an experimental surgery on Clarissa's body in order to heal her. The surgery was a success, but it left Clarissa with..abilities." Bonnie revealed.

"What kind of abilities are we talking?" Sandy asked.

"She gained the power of super sonic screaming and enhanced strength. She considered herself a freak, so over the past few months, she's been going after people who used to work at that lab. She's already killed six men, and each time, FIN has been too late to stop her. She's become a dangerous serial killer, calling herself the 'Black Clam'." Bonnie ended.

"So, you want us to take care of her, because we have powers?" SpongeBob figured.

"Exactly." Bonnie said.

"Technically, only two of us have powers now. We're a bit short staff." Pearl said, awkwardly.

"I'm sorry about the death of your companions. It's always heard to lose a man." Bonnie said, heartfully.

"We can take her. Where is she?" SpongeBob asked.

"One of the former scientist is named Henry McCall. He enjoys a morning coffee at Left Shore's City Park everyday. Lately, we've been getting reports of sightings of the Black Clam here in Left Shore." Bonnie said.

"Won't be long until she finds him and makes a move." Linda said.

"What time is it?" SpongeBob asked.

"9:34 AM." Pearl said, looking at her phone.

"Suit up." SpongeBob ordered.

-------

Left Shore City Park

At the park, we see Henry McCall drinking his morning coffee at a bench.

Wearing a cap, he looks around discreetly.

A man in a suit comes and sits next to him.

"I prefer to sit alone." Henry says 

"My name is Agent Clemmons. I'm with the Federal Investigative Nexus.." Clemmons says.

"FIN.." Henry said, with his heart pounding.

"Exactly. I'm here for your protection." Clemmons told him.

"Why would I need uh..protection?" Henry said, nervous.

"I know you fled Roscow. I know you've been trying to keep a low profile here in Left Shore. I know why." Clemmons whispered.

"We didn't mean for that woman to get hurt. We tried to save her, but she turned into something else." Clemmons said, nearly crying.

"Okay, but now Clarssa Clam is coming after you. There's been sightings of her here in Left Shore. Let us take you until you are safe." Clemmons asks.

"Fine." Henry agreed.

Both men got up.

"WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING!" a voice was heard.

Agent Clemmons and Henry turned around, seeing Clarissa Clam approaching them.

People began to run, frightened by Clarissa's monstrous look.

Three FIN agents arrived to back up Agent Clemmons.

"Ms. Clam, STAND DOWN!" another agent ordered.

Clarissa let out a sonic scream, which pushes back Henry and all the agents.

Henry hits a tree, screaming particularly loud.

Clarissa begins to walk over to him.

"This is gonna be fun!" Clarissa says.

Suddenly, we see the S-Jet flying from the sky.

The jet lands in the park, and the members of Team SpongeBob exit.

"Oh boy.." Clarissa says, walking towards them.

"Clarissa, we can't allow you to continue killing people." SpongeBob said.

"As if I need your permission." Clarissa said.

Clarissa immediately released a sonic scream.

The TS members dodged out of the way.

SpongeBob uses his super speed to try and hit her from the side.

Clarissa swings her arm, hitting SpongeBob far back.

"SPONGEBOB!" Sandy yells, running to him.

Linda shines her light into Clarissa's eyes.

"Fool! I don't need to see to scream!" Clarissa says, releasing another sonic scream.

Linda is pushed into the ground.

Pearl shoots an arrow at her, but Clarissa swats it out of her way, releasing yet another sonic scream. 

Pearl drops her bow, covering her ears from the piercing sound.

Director Kyle Reeves and more FIN agents show up, taking their shot at Clarissa with newly designed laser guns.

She dodges their attempts, fleeing. 

"After her!" Kyle orders his men.

The agents, including Clemmons, run after Clarissa.

SpongeBob, Sandy, Pearl, and Linda all get to their feet.

"Team SpongeBob, don't you know how to quit?" Kyle asks.

The FIN agents return.

"She's gone. We don't see her." Clemmons states.

"I'll use my speed. She couldn't of gotten far." SpongeBob said.

"No! Team SpongeBob, I appreciate that you guys think your the island's finest, but the destruction of Mainland paints another story. You cause mass mayhem wherever you try and help. Do everyone a favor, and STAY out of things. Or else the next metas my agency comes after will be all of you." Kyle threatens.

F.I.N moves out.

"That was a bust." Sandy said.

"We need to get back to the base." Linda said.

"Yeah, we'll focus on the Black Clam later." SpongeBob said.

--------

City Hall, Left Shore

Team SpongeBob later meets with the Board of Trustees in Left Shore's city hall.

The sole four members take their seats at a table, as Mayor Arthur King and Board leader, Amanda Wheeler, enter the room.

"Hello, Team SpongeBob. I'm sure you know that I am Amanda Wheeler." the woman announces.

"She's nicer than she sounds." Arthur jokes.

"No, I'm not." Amanda corrects.

"Why are we here?" Sandy asks.

"King Neptune is dead. Until Princess Mindy is officially certified for a leadership role on this island, the tough decisions are made by the Board of Trustees. We've come to a decision about you and your kind." Amanda tells them.

"What does that mean, exactly?" SpongeBob asked.

"I heard from Kyle Reeves of the Federal Investigative Nexus. I know about this morning with Clarissa Clam - a metafish with a sonic scream ability." Amanda said.

"We tried to apprehend her." SpongeBob said.

"Leading to a full out battle in a city park." Amanda said, shaking her head.

"Those FIN agents could of died if we didn't intervene." Linda said.
 
"But don't you see? This is exactly the type of stuff Karate Island can no longer tolerate. People with your powers exercising judge, jury, and executioner wherever they see fit, and without oversight." Amanda said.

"We've protected this island!" SpongeBob made clear.

"You and your band of comrades have run rampant throughout this island without supervision for nearly FIVE years! In that time, this island has seen war after war after war, centered around the shortcomings of your team, because heroes don't always save the day. Mainland was DECIMATED! It is a wasteland, because of the events that your little crusades have set in motion!" Amanda argued, passionately.

"I guess you're saying you don't appreciate a thing we've done!" SpongeBob accused.

"Don't get me wrong. This team has protected Karate Island. You've saved it countless times than I can count. However, the fact that all of it has been without proper supervision, has meant that terrible things happen in the process. Things the Board wants to prevent. That's why we have proposed a deal." Amanda said.

"What type of deal are we talking here?" Pearl asked.

"Your team comes under the control of the Board. We approve your missions, or assign you where we see fit. Every movement this team makes will be accounted for." Amanda explained.

"What's the alternative?" Sandy asked.

"We put your team out of commission. For good." Amanda said, leaving.

Team SpongeBob went quiet.

"That was a lot for you guys to take in, I understand. Just think about what she said." Mayor Arthur asked of them.

------

Team SpongeBob Warehouse Base, Left Shore

The team returns to their warehouse.

"Hey, did you guys notice anything funny when we were flying back in the S-Jet? Felt like something was moving in the back.." Pearl said.

"..Pearl, we can deal with your delusions later. Our team just got forcibly disbanded!" Sandy said, angry.

"No, we were given a choice." Linda said.

SpongeBob and Sandy turned around to her.

"A choice? To have our actions controlled by the island government?" SpongeBob asked, mocking her.

"We either disband, or we choose to be heroes under the same law that everyone else works under! Police officers, government officials, firefighters, the military.." Linda started.

" - There's a big difference! We protect this island from threats those other groups can't handle! Because we have powers." SpongeBob said.

"First of all, only two of us have powers now. Second, just because we have powers, doesn't mean we can't agree to supervision." Linda said.

"Where is this coming from, Linda? Did Amanda Wheeler really get to you back there?" Sandy questioned.

"Maybe Linda's right. If we work within confines, we can still do good on this island versus not doing anything at all." Pearl jumped in.

"Do you guys even hear what you're saying? I can't believe this!" Sandy said, storming off.

"I'll go talk to her.." Pearl said, taking off.

SpongeBob goes to look at reports on the monitor.

"SpongeBob, are you avoiding me right now?" Linda asked, walking after him.

"You seem to agree with the Board, so...maybe." SpongeBob said.

"SpongeBob, I've just been coming to a lot realizations lately." Linda said, tearfully.

"Like what?" SpongeBob asked.

"It's just, I didn't realize until Shin and Patrick died, and Mainland went to ruins, that we've possibly caused more bad than good. We take down one threat, another pops up." Linda said.

"That's part of the job." SpongeBob said.

"I guess death is too, right?" Linda said.

"Excuse me?" SpongeBob asked.

"We have lost so many friends. Maybe we didn't have to." Linda suggested.

"Having supervision wouldn't of prevented the death of our comrades, or any of the other bad stuff." SpongeBob said.

"Don't you get it! Our strength invites madness! You may not think there's been a correlation.. but I do." Linda made clear.

"DON'T WORRY! Soon enough, you'll be too dead to care." a woman's voice was heard.

SpongeBob and Linda turned around.

"The Black Clam!" Linda shouted.

"Pearl was right. Something was on the jet with us!" SpongeBob said, shocked.

"I managed to hitch a ride with your group back at the park. Idiots. All of you. Ha, ha, ha, ha!" Clarissa laughed.

SpongeBob used super speed to knock her down.

Clarissa got up, and let out a sonic scream at SpongeBob as he turned around.

SpongeBob was blasted into the wall.

"Linda ran towards her, shooting light beams.

Clarissa dodged. 

"Have another listen to my Clam Cry!" Clarissa said, releasing another scream.

Linda was blasted into some tech ware.

"LINDA!!!!" SpongeBob screamed, watching her body get electrocuted.

SpongeBob eventually passed out.
-------

In the warehouse basement, Pearl found Sandy.

"There you are." Pearl said.

Pearl noticed Sandy was looking into a box.

"What's that?" Pearl asked.

"After our base in Mainland was destroyed, me and SpongeBob recovered some things from out of the destruction. This box is full of tethered pictures of.. the old days." Sandy said.

"I remember this one. Me and SpongeBob were doing reconnaissance at this amusement park. I was so angry, because I didn't get any sleep the night before." Pearl said, letting out a laugh.

 

"Oh, oh, what about this one. We played a prank war at Spongy Towers, and Shin got covered in pie." Sandy said, showing Pearl.

Both of them laughed.

"Man, I miss it all." Sandy said.

"Back when things were simple?" Pearl asked.

"...Then again, when have things ever been simple for us." Sandy stated.

"You are absolutely right." Pearl smiled.

"Do you hear that?" Sandy asked.

The two women heard a sonic-like sound.

"It sounds like Clarissa's sonic scream!" Pearl said.

"Oh god, what if she followed us to the base somehow?" Sandy asked.

"She'd want us out of the way so she could freely continue her murder spree." Pearl suggested.

Sandy looked in another box.

"Some of your old arrows survived the destruction of the old base, as well. Remember this one?" Sandy asked, removing it from the box of arrows.

"This is one of the tranquilizer arrows!" Pearl said.

"I figured you could use it on Black Clam. If she's knocked out, we can apprehend her without hearing that ghastly scream of hers." Sandy said.

"Good idea. But if she sees my arrow coming, she could take it out before it touches her." Pearl said.

"Don't worry, I have an idea." Sandy said.

"What is it?" Pearl asked.

"I need you to travel through the vents." Sandy said, flat out.

Pearl looked confused.

-------

Back upstairs, Clarissa dragged Linda and SpongeBob's unconscious bodies, tying them up.

"Once I have the other two, I'll be able to kill all of you in one cry. Don't go anywhere! Like you could!" Clarissa laughed.

Clarissa walked into the hallway.

There were two bathrooms, and a door all the way at the end of the hall that lead to the basement.

Clarissa searched the bathrooms, unable to find anyone.

Coming out of the bathroom, she saw Sandy come up from the basement.

"Clarissa Clam! Nice to see you again." Sandy said.

"Where's your other friend? The one with the arrows?" Clarissa asked, walking towards her.

From above, Pearl quietly loosened the air duct with a screwdriver.

"She stepped out." Sandy said.

"No matter. I'll just settle for killing three of you with my Clam Cry." Clarissa stated.

"Clam Cry? That's what you're calling it? I mean, with a voice like that, you'd be better suited as a member of the Boys Who Cry than a supervillain, amirite?" Sandy joked.

"If you're trying out for a career as a jester, I'd recommend you get better material." Clarissa said.

Finally removing the screws and lining up a clear shot at Clarissa, Pearl picked up her bow and took out her tranquilizer arrow.

As Clarissa was about to release another Clam Cry, Pearl shot the arrow in her back.

Clarissa began to feel dizzy.

"Oh no! I thought you had something to say!" Sandy laughed, as Clarissa hit the ground

------

After Sandy and Pearl put a power inhibitor collar on Clarissa, they tended to Linda and SpongeBob.

"Linda, are you good?" SpongeBob asked, rubbing his ears.

Pearl had given Linda a bottle of water.

Linda took a sip.

"I'm good. I have light energy running through my veins - an jolt of electricity won't kill me." Linda said, handing the water to Pearl.

"I was just worried." SpongeBob said.

"Pearl, mind helping me take Clarissa off to the Left Shore Jailhouse? We'll call F.I.N along the way." Linda asked.

"Sure." Pearl said.

Linda and Pearl got Clarissa up, who had on the inhibitor and hand cuffs.

"When I escape, you'll all regret it!" Clarissa said, on the way out.

"Linda seemed... dismissive." Sandy said.

"Sorry, what? My ears are still ringing." SpongeBob said.

"It's just, Linda seems kind of pissed." Sandy said.

"This incident just further proved her point, in her perspective." SpongeBob guessed.

"She thinks powers are evil and need to be put in check, doesn't she?" Sandy asked.

"More or less. She doesn't trust what we are anymore." SpongeBob said.

"The Board wants us to sign tomorrow if we decide to take their supervision." Sandy said.

"I don't know if I can do it, but I think Linda's mind is firmly made up." SpongeBob said.

"Linda's a fool! We can't let her destroy this team!" Sandy said.

"Don't you see? It's already the beginning of the end." SpongeBob voiced.

"Of what?" Sandy asked.

"The path Shin started us on five years ago. He summoned me and you to this island, because we were meant to protect it." SpongeBob said.

"This started with the two of us. And if it has to end that way, let's go out guns blazing." Sandy said, hinting at a revolt.

"You're right. We have to defect from Linda and Pearl." SpongeBob said.

TO.BE.CONTINUED

[JacobLeBeauREAL]

Nice thing! Keep it up,mate!

[TJ]

Team SpongeBob - Season 9: Divided

Ep.134 "Beginning Of The End" (Part 2)

Team SpongeBob Warehouse Base, Left Shore

As the episode begins, we see SpongeBob talking with Bonnie Morse at the base.

Bonnie hands him a folder full of some type of files.

SpongeBob takes a look into the folder.

"Thank you so much for this tip, Bonnie. You could get in so much trouble with F.I.N for providing me with this." SpongeBob thanked her.

"No problem. I believe in this team, even if F.I.N and the Board don't. Besides, you guys brought in Clarissa for me like you said you would. This is my way of thanking you for that." Bonnie said, smiling.

"Well, this will definitely help." SpongeBob said, closing the folder.

"Be careful, SpongeBob. You know that this road you're about to tread won't be easy." Bonnie warned him.

"I'll take every precaution." SpongeBob promised.

Bonnie nodded, and then left the base.

"SpongeBob?" Linda said, walking into room.

"Linda? I didn't know you were here." SpongeBob said, surprised.

"I, umm,.. I got here about two hours ago. I was in the basement, sorting stuff out. It was a mess down there. I guess I lost track of time." Linda said.

"Yeah.. that happens." SpongeBob said, looking awkward.

"Was that Bonnie Morse? That F.I.N agent who asked us to capture the Black Clam?" Linda asked.

"Yes. I'm not gonna lie." SpongeBob said.

"Something tells me that she wasn't here on the books." Linda guessed, looking frustrated.

"She's trying to help us, Linda!" SpongeBob said.

"What's in the folder?" Linda asked.

"Bonnie managed to snag this from F.I.N's information vaults. In this folder, is information that may be able to lead us to the other Divine Jewels. The time jewel, the infinity jewel, and the power jewel." SpongeBob revealed.

"So what's in it?" Linda asked.

"Does that mean you agree with taking this on?" SpongeBob asked.

"SpongeBob, we have to sign the agreement with the Board today. Once we do that, only they can approve this." Linda said.

"They'll never let us take this on!" SpongeBob said.

"How do you know? SpongeBob, you need to start trusting the Board. They have good intentions, despite what you think." Linda said.

"I just don't known if I can sign." SpongeBob said, shaking his head.

"I'll ask them about us taking on the search for the other Divine Jewels. Maybe then, you'll sign." Linda said.

"I can't promise that. I just hate that this is coming between us." SpongeBob said.

"Speaking of us.. I thought we should talk about what you said before." Linda said.

"What did I say?" SpongeBob asked.

"Before the Mystic Caves incident, you said that we could talk about getting back together if we made it out alive." Linda remembered.

"So much happened that day, so I guess there was never time.." SpongeBob said.

"Yeah, a lot of stuff overshadowed that conversation we were supposed to have." Linda said.

"Do you want to get back together?" SpongeBob asked.

"I mean.. I don't know. There's a lot we should discuss. Later." Linda said.

"Yeah, later." SpongeBob said.

"Good. I'm gonna go to my apartment and watch a little morning TV. See ya, hopefully." Linda said, leaving.

SpongeBob sighed.

-------

Neptune's Palace

In the months following the attack on Neptune's Palace, the place had undergone construction.

Mindy arrived at the palace for the first time since she had awoken from her coma.

Several guards stood at the entrance.

"Madame, we're glad you could make it." a guard said.

"I plan to oversee this palace, and become this island's new Queen." Mindy said, backed by her own personal security.

"You?" the guard asked.

"Is there a problem?" Mindy asked.

"You may want to enter." the guard told her.

Upon entering the palace, Mindy was greeted in the front hall by a surprising face.

"What the hell? Triton?" Mindy asked, seeing her older brother.

"Mindy, how nice to see you again." Triton said, wearing royal robes.

"I don't understand. You had set out to explore the world years ago. No one in our family has heard from you since. Why are you here now?" Mindy asked.

"Our father is dead." Triton said.

"Yeah, I know. Especially since I was the one who traveled back to Atlantis to be by mom's side. I don't remember seeing you at the funeral." Mindy said, angrily.

"People process their griefs differently.." Triton said.

"Well, I'm back on Karate Island now, and I'm ready to assume the throne from our fallen father." Mindy said.

"You won't be assuming the throne. I will." Triton clarified.

"Uhh, you've been MIA for nearly a decade. I've been by dad's side on this island for over two years now." Mindy said.

"Half of that time, you were comatised - or so I've heard. While I was off exploring the world, I took several leadership positions in different communities. Me and dad secretly kept in touch, and I informed him of everything I was up to." Triton revealed.

"Okay, wow. So you have some leadership experiences? Doesn't mean anything. I'm next in succession on dad's will." Mindy told him.

"Nope. When you went into that coma, dad revised the will. He thought you would never wake up. He put me as the heir to the throne in the revision." Triton revealed.

"No, this can't be." Mindy said.

After a moment, a gentleman with a briefcase came to the front hall.

"Princess Mindy, I am Elijah Martin, your brother's legal counsel. I can provide evidence for the change in the will." Elijah told her, opening up his briefcase.

Mindy looked devastated, as Elijah pulled out the revised edition of King Neptune's will.

--------

Left Shore Cemetery

SpongeBob arrived at the gravestones of Patrick and Shin Fu, who were buried next to each other.

"...Hey guys. I know I didn't show up to the funeral, and I know I didn't come here sooner, but I'm here now." SpongeBob spoke.

"Umm, let me start with you, Patrick." SpongeBob said, taking a deep breath.

"You were my best friend. The bond between us meant so much to me. So much more than I could have ever said. I know I hurt you by kissing Sandy. I regret that the last year we spent together, we spent distant from each other due to a stupid mistake. I'm so sorry, buddy. I can never repay you for the years of friendship you gave me." SpongeBob said, letting out a tear.

SpongeBob turned his eyes to Shin's gravestone.

"Shin. What can I say? You started me on this path, six years ago. I named this team after myself without so much as a vote from you, Sandy, or Patrick." SpongeBob laughed. ".. But we all knew it was really you who was our leader back in the initial days. You taught me what it meant to lead, to turn compassion and love into strength and power, to be a worthy man. I was awful to you before you died. I wish you could hear me say it now.. that I apologize." SpongeBob ended, shedding more tears.

"SpongeBob, is that you?" Sandy asked, from behind.

"Oh..hey. Didn't know you were going to be visiting." SpongeBob said.

"Actually, I came looking for you. You weren't at the base, or your apartment. I figured you came here. Finally." Sandy said.

"I know I should of come a long time ago." SpongeBob said.

"You're here now. That's all that matters." Sandy said.

"I spoke with Bonnie Morse." SpongeBob told her.

"Did she give you the information we need?" Sandy asked.

"She did. She gave me a file on the location of this tribe on Karate Island that celebrates the Divine Jewels. They'll have the information we need." SpongeBob said.

"You look worried." Sandy noticed.

"Linda wants approval from the Board." SpongeBob said

"They won't give it to us, I'm telling you. Even if they do, our every move will be controlled and scrutinized. How can we save anyone like that?" Sandy questioned.

"There's also the matter of Debbie Rechid. She's been missing for over a month. We need the Universal Guardian on this, but she's decided to run away." SpongeBob remarked of Debbie.

"The military, island police, and F.I.N are all searching for Debbie. She'll be found, and when she is found, we'll be ready with information on the locations of the other Divine Jewels. We'll have the Guardian's help, I promise." Sandy said.

SpongeBob looked at her with uncertainty.

-------

Left Shore, City Hall

Linda and Pearl arrived at City Hall to sign for the agreement.

As they entered the large meeting room, they were greeted by Triton.

"Hello ladies, my name is Triton." Triton introduced himself.

"Triton? Like, like, Neptune's son Triton?" Pearl asked.

"Yes." Triton said, laughing.

"Your dad was a great man." Linda said.

"Thank you." Triton said.

"He worked with our team a lot. Was a great ally to us." Pearl said.

"I hope I can be just as much an ally." Triton remarked.

Pearl and Linda looked confused.

"Triton here is also signing something today!" Amanda Wheeler said, walking in.

"I'm taking my father's throne. About to make it official with ink and everything!" Triton joked.

"Wow, that's nice. I just thought that Mindy would be the one - " Linda started.

"No, no, no. Mindy isn't the heir to the throne, according to my father's will. Besides, Mindy just awoken from a coma." Triton said.

"Well it'll be great to work with you in the future." Linda said.

"Excuse me." Triton said, leaving to sign papers.

"This is a little unexpected, right?" Pearl whispered to Linda.

"Totally." Linda whispered back.

-------

Team SpongeBob Warehouse Base, Left Shore

SpongeBob and Sandy arrived at the base.

"Good, looks like Linda and Pearl aren't here." Sandy said.

"They're signing with the Board. They'll be expecting us." SpongeBob said.

"Trust me, Linda knows that me and you were never gonna sign." Sandy said.

"So why are we here?" SpongeBob asked.

Sandy walked over to the lab corner. SpongeBob followed after her.

"Alright, I've been working on something. Should come in use while we're on the run." Sandy said.

"What is that?" SpongeBob asked, seeing her pick up a small mechanical glove.

"This is an electrified glove. I was able to get my hands on a jellyfish, and from there I experimented ways to extract the stings they produce." Sandy started.

"Whoa, don't tell me you found away to use jellyfish stings to power this." SpongeBob said, excitedly.

"I did! I call it the Jelly Bite." Sandy said, holding the purple-colored mechanical glove in the air.

"I forgot how much of a mad scientist you were!" SpongeBob said.

"Thanks." Sandy laughed.

"This is great and all, but if we're going on the run, we'll need some extra muscle." SpongeBob said.

"Who were you thinking of?" Sandy asked.

"Aria Alamone." SpongeBob said.

"Are you insane?!? She's in prison for killing Patrick and aligning herself with a murderous terrorist." Sandy shouted.

"I get that, Sandy. I really do. But she's the strongest metafish that I can think of at this moment who can provide us help." SpongeBob said.

"No. What about Tetra? Her vibration powers are almost as strong as Clarissa's sonic scream." Sandy suggested.

"Tetra is Mayor Arthur's sister. It would destroy their relationship if we asked her to run away with us to become a fugitive. Not to mention a PR nightmare." SpongeBob said.

"There's gotta be someone else." Sandy said.

"Trust me on this. Sandy, please." SpongeBob begged.

"I'll follow your lead. For now and for always." Sandy said, nodding.

SpongeBob smiled.

"Aria's being held at  Maxicoral. That place has a tight security." Sandy said.

"Not after we're done with it." SpongeBob said.

--------

Left Shore, City Hall

"It's an honor, King Triton." Amanda said, as Triton finished signing papers.

The other members of the Board raised there glasses, cheering for him.

"Linda, Pearl, where are your teammates?" Amanda asked.

"I think they need more time. But, me and Pearl are ready to sign." Linda said.

"Great. After this, you'll be under the management of the Board as a special Military strike team!" Amanda said, clapping.

The other board members clapped along.

"Before we sign, I wanted to know if you guys would approve a mission for our team." Linda said.

"What mission?" Amanda asked.

"We want to hunt down the rest of the Divine Jewels. We think we may have a lead.." Linda said.

Amanda's face scrunched up.

Another board member, Hamilton Richards, chimed in.

"I'm sorry, Linda. We have already put F.I.N on the mission of hunting down the Divine Jewels." Richards told her.

"Bro, not meaning to be rude, but F.I.N will be in danger they can't handle if they tread down this path. Best to leave it to our team." Pearl said.

"Actually, F.I.N can handle this much better than your team. They're precise, quiet, and efficient. If a time comes where they need your help, the Board will approve of it." Amanda told them.

Linda and Pearl looked unsure.

"Now, are you two going to sign?" Amanda asked.

Triton looked on, curiously.

Pearl pulled Linda into the hallway.

"Linda, I don't know about this. They won't even approve for us to hunt down the stupid jewels." Pearl said.

"I know, but remember what you said. If we work within confines, we can still do some good." Linda said.

"Versus not doing anything at all, I know." Pearl finished.

"So lets put on our big girl panties, and go in there and sign." Linda encouraged her.

"You're right." Pearl said.

Both of them went back in the room to sign.

-------

Maxicoral Penitentiary, Outskirts of Left Shore

SpongeBob and Sandy arrived at the Maxicoral Penitentiary - prison for some of the island's most deadly offenders.

The two were seen hiding behind some bushes a few feet away.

"It's cold." Sandy said, shivering.

"Quiet, we need to keep a low profile." SpongeBob whispered.

"What exactly is the plan here?" Sandy asked.

"Every Tuesday, Maxicoral gets a transfer of new prisoners. If I'm correct, a prisoner transport vehicle should be arriving in a few minutes." SpongeBob said.

"You've done your research, but how does that help us?" Sandy asked. 

"When the guards open Maxicoral's doors to bring in the new prisoners, I'll use my super speed to get us inside without being noticed." SpongeBob told her.

"What about once we're inside?" Sandy asked.

"..We wing it." SpongeBob said, gulping.

After a few minutes, the prisoner transport vehicle arrived.

As the prisoners were unloaded off the vehicle (each chained together), the guards opened the doors.

"Now!" Sandy said.

SpongeBob grabbed Sandy, and used his super speed to enter the both of them inside Maxicoral.

SpongeBob raced past officers in a flash, as he stopped in a dark corner.

"Alright, we're here." Sandy said.

"We need a diversion in order to successfully get Aria out of here." SpongeBob said.

"It would have to be something big." Sandy said.

"The control room" SpongeBob said.

"You want to release all the prisoners?" Sandy asked, shocked.

"Desperate times..." SpongeBob said, looking regretful.

SpongeBob speed-ed himself and Sandy into the Prison Control Room.

"It's a little cramped in here." Sandy said.

"Good, a computer." SpongeBob said.

"What's good about it?" Sandy asked.

"A database. Should tell us what cell Aria's being held in." SpongeBob said, searching.

"BINGO!" SpongeBob said, getting her cell block number.

"Go and get her. I'll look on the control panel and open the doors." Sandy said.

SpongeBob speed-ed out of the room.

"Alright, let's have a look here at this control panel." Sandy said.

Sandy saw multiple buttons that were used to open different floor's cells. 

"...And release." Sandy said, pressing all the buttons.

Suddenly, all of Maxicoral's alarms went off.

A moment later, four guards entered into the control room.

"I knew I shouldn't of took that pee break!" one of the guards said.

The four guards began attacking Sandy.

Sandy dodged their punches, using karate moves to overtake them.

One guard managed to grab her head from behind, slamming her face into a wall.

Sandy out-maneuvered him, eventually electrocuting him with her Jelly Bite. 

"Ahhh!" the man screamed, passing out from the pain.

Chaos erupted in the halls as prisoners were freed.

An all out battle between officers and convicts occurred.

Using super speed, SpongeBob quickly rammed pass all of them.

Finally, SpongeBob arrived in Aria's cell.

"What the hell!" Aria said, shocked to see SpongeBob.

"Your cell door is opened." SpongeBob said.

"I should of known your little team had something to do with this. But, I'm not leaving." Aria said, sitting tightly on her bed.

"Why not?" SpongeBob asked.

"This is a test, isn't it? I told Amanda Wheeler that I would stay in Maxicoral willingly. I belong here." Aria said.

"Maybe you do, but can you stop punishing yourself long enough to listen to me?" SpongeBob asked.

"I murdered your friend. I forced Debbie to take his life. What could you possibly want from me? Other than for me to suffer for the rest of my life in prison?" Aria asked.

"I want you to get off your ass and redeem yourself for what you did. I have a way for you to do that." SpongeBob said.

"Excuse me?" Aria asked.

"I hate you for what you've done, but SHOW ME that there's good somewhere inside you. Help me save this island." SpongeBob asked.

"I don't understand what's going on here." Aria said.

Suddenly, Sandy entered the cell.

"It's HELL out there. I had to fight my way through a bunch of people to even get to the women's side of the prison." Sandy said.

"Sorry for leaving you behind." SpongeBob said.

"No, I can handle myself." Sandy said, holding out her Jelly Bite.

"Aria, the Karate Island Board of Trustees has put limitations on my team. Linda and Pearl are signing right now to agree to those limitations." SpongeBob said.

"And?" Aria asked.

"If I don't find the rest of the Divine Jewels, the entire sea could be in big trouble. That's why me and Sandy have gone rogue, but we need some muscle while on the run, hunting these jewels." SpongeBob finished.

"You're the most powerful person we know right now who could possibly help us. Please, Aria. Do this for Shin." Sandy said.

"I can't, I can't." Aria said, crying. "I'm a murderer, not a hero." Aria weeped, shaking her head.

SpongeBob bent down, grabbing her shoulders.

"NONE of us can change what happened, or what we did, or the mistakes we made. But we can move forward. You say that you're no hero, but if you leave with us today.. you are a member of Team SpongeBob." SpongeBob told her. 
 
"Alright. For Shin." Aria said, standing up.

SpongeBob grabbed both Aria and Sandy, speeding them to the entrance of Maxicoral.

"They've locked the doors!" SpongeBob said.

Dozens of guards arrived at the entrance.

"HEY! STOP RIGHT THERE!" The guards said, pulling out guns.

SpongeBob used his speed to steal all of their guns.

"peels ot lla meht tup" Aria chanted a spell, putting all of the guards to sleep.

"How about this door, Ms. Magic." Sandy teased.

Aria let out a small giggle.

Using her dark energy, she let out a blast, breaking down the door.

SpongeBob grabbed onto the two women again, speeding all of them out of Maxicoral.

-------

Left Shore, City Hall

As Linda and Pearl finished signing with the board, another round of applause was let out.

Amanda entered the room, looking frantic.

"Amanda, everything alright?" Triton asked.

"We have a problem." Amanda said.

Everyone in the room looked worried.

"What's going on?" Linda asked.

"Linda, Pearl, there's been an incident at Maxicoral Penitentiary." Amanda revealed.

"An incident?" Pearl asked.

"Like what?" Linda questioned.

"A mass release of all prisoners out of their cells. A riot took place, and is actually still being sorted out. But, reports have come in that a speedster and a young squirrel woman were seen in the prison. One prisoner also remains unaccounted for. Aria Alamone." Amanda told them.

"SpongeBob and Sandy..." Linda said, softly.

"Your friends have done this?" Triton asked.

"They've gone rogue." Linda said.

"This is officially crazy." Pearl said.

Linda began breathing heavy, stepping into the hall for some space.

Pearl chased after her.

"Linda, are you okay?" Pearl asked.

"SpongeBob has no idea what he just started. I realize that I'll have to bring him in before he makes all of this so much worse." Linda said, looking overwhelmed.

TO.BE.CONTINUED

[Rebel the Wolfgirl]

Excellent opener, man. Very DC and Marvel-inspired.

[TJ]

Team SpongeBob - Season 9: Divided

Ep.135 "Abominations"

Stiffcreek, Karate Island

As the episode begins, we see Debbie enter a pub in a small town.

Dressed in a black cloak with her hood firmly covering half of her face, she receives stares and whispers from many of the people.

"She's weird"

"She's been roaming town for a few days" 

Debbie takes a seat at the bar counter.

"What'll it be, hun?" the bartender asks.

"Whiskey. On the rocks." Debbie said, keeping her head low.

"You don't look a day over eighteen. Let alone twenty one." the bartender said, staring at her.

Debbie pulls out a fake ID.

"Will this quiet you?" Debbie asks, as the bartender snatches the ID.

"Betty Johnson. Cute name. Exactly twenty one." the bartender said, handing it back to her.

Debbie receives her drink.

Taking a sip, she had a memory flash

Debbie jumped on Patrick, attempting to strangle him from behind.

"DEB-BIE!" Patrick struggled.

Debbie's eyes clenched shut, as she swallowed down more whiskey.

Suddenly, a gentleman in a suit comes in.

Taking a seat next to Debbie, he orders a whiskey as well.

"I see you can hold your liquor. I'm Kyle." the man said, revealing himself to be Kyle Reeves - the director of F.I.N.

"Go away.." Debbie said, in a whisper.

"Here you are, man." the bartender said, giving Kyle his drink.

"Why so hostile?" Kyle asked.

"I don't feel like talking." Debbie replied.

"You don't seem like you're from around here." Kyle said.

"Neither do you. Nice suit." Debbie said.

"I'm a well dressed gentleman, I like to think." Kyle said.

"I don't see much of that around these parts. Where are you from?" Debbie asked, suspicious.

"..Around the sea." Kyle said.

Debbie quickly jumps up, leaving money on the counter.

Two F.I.N agents in tactical gear come into the pub, blocking the front entrance.

"Debbie Rechid! Or should I say - the Universal Guardian." Kyle announced from behind her.

"Who are you?!" Debbie asked.

"Director of the Federal Investigative Nexus. I'm assigned to bring you in." Kyle responded.

Bonnie Morse enters from the back entrance.

"Everyone clear out!" Bonnie shouts at the customers.

The customers and bartender quickly exit through the back entrance. 

Debbie uses her empathy abilities to weaponize her anger, shooting a red energy beam at the FIN agents in the front entrance.

Kyle tasers her from behind, and Debbie falls to her knees.

Feeling a rush of adrenaline, Debbie emits a green aura, quickly getting up and turning around.

"Bonnie!" Kyle calls out.

Bonnie pulls out batons, attempting to strike Debbie.

Debbie dodges her attempts, using enhanced speed.

Emitting a red aura (anger), Debbie shoots a red energy beam at Bonnie - blasting her into an old jukebox.

Debbie quickly runs out the back entrance.

Kyle tends to Bonnie.

"Are you alright?" Kyle asks.

"I'm...fine.." Bonnie said, trying to ignore her back pain.

Coming out into a parking lot, Debbie sees a customer pull up.

"Hey, girlie! Get out of the way!" a male driver said.

"I need your car!" Debbie said.

"What?" the man asks, sticking his head out the car window.

Debbie shoots an energy blast at his windshield.

Glass shatters all over the man.

"GET OUT!" Debbie screams.

The man quickly jumps out of his car, running and screaming.

Debbie jumps in, taking off with his car.

Kyle runs out the back, seeing Debbie take off.

On his com, Kyle alerts other F.I.N agents in the area.

"She's taken off. Red shell shocker vehicle." Kyle describes the car.

Debbie drives the car onto the road, her hands trembling from nerves

"Driving is not exactly something I'm good at.." Debbie said to herself, as she struggles to maintain the car on the road.

Suddenly, Debbie got another memory flash

Patrick tossed Debbie off of him.

Debbie got up quickly.

Using the full extent of her powers, Debbie drained Patrick of his aura and his energy.

"AHHHHH!" Patrick weeped, before dropping dead.

"NO!" Debbie said, closing her eyes.

In an instant, Debbie's car accidentally hits another car.

The scene fades to black.

------

Unknown

Debbie's eyes open up.

She feels minor pain all over her body.

"..where am I..?" Debbie whispered, very weak.

She could feel that she was on top of some kind of medical table. From looking around, she guessed that she was inside some kind of hut.

A three-eyed man dressed in raggedy cloths approached her.

"Who are..you?" Debbie asked, faintly.

"I am Oculos." The man said, having a raspy voice. 

"I'm..De-Betty.." Debbie said, quickly giving her false name.

"Welcome to Kelp Forest, Betty.." Oculos said.

"KELP FOREST?" Debbie shouted, lifting up.

"Hey, watch yourself!" Oculus said, tending to her.

"I'm fine." Debbie said, clenching her ribs. "Just tell me, how did I end up in Kelp Forest? Am I in Bikini Bottom?" Debbie asked.

"There are multiple Kelp Forests, my dear, all around the sea." Oculus explained.

"Okay, so I'm still on Karate Island. Great. What happened to me?" Debbie asked.

"Car accident. You fell over the side of the road. You were found by the natives of Kelp Forest. You're injuries were initially gruesome, and it took a lot of work for us to retrieve you from the wreckage.

"WAIT, wait..initially? I mean, I feel like ass, but my body appears to be alright." Debbie said, staring down at herself.

"After we got you out of the wreckage, you were immediately brought into this hut. Most of your gruesome surface injuries were healed by the one we call, The Healer." Oculus revealed.

"The Healer?" Debbie questioned.

"The Healer was given a gift. He is able to use his gift to heal others. Visible wounds and broken bones alike. You may still feel some internal pain, but The Healer has given you a second chance at life, child." Oculus continued.

"That's great and all...but my next question is, what's up with the three eyes?" Debbie asked.

"Why don't you follow me out of the hut, child." Oculus motioned.

As she made her way out of the hut with Oculus, Debbie saw an entire village of people.

All of them had deformities, like Oculus.

The village functioned as a little society. People were cooking over an open fire. Others were handling manual laboring -  building more huts, collecting wood. Others tended to small children, who were also deformed.

"This...is an interesting society you got here." Debbie said, with her heart breaking.

"This is the result of the wars Karate Island has seen. All of Team SpongeBob's battles have left invisible survivors. People who became deformed, mentally or physically. People so ashamed of how they look, that they came to build a private society in the Kelp Forest of Karate Island." Oculus told her.

"What about you? How'd you get the three eyes?" Debbie asked.

"A few years ago, this island was ruled by a Queen. She was named, Cassandra. She intentionally set out to hurt the people of this island with a toxic gas spill. Most of those affected gained superpowers. Others gained deformities. I was one." Oculus revealed.

"Do you blame Team SpongeBob?" Debbie asked.

"I don't see how I can. Their battles have been devastating, but not the fault of their own. The true evil, is evil itself. Team SpongeBob are anything but." Oculus told her.

"I spent some time with them. They're great people." Debbie admitted.

"Why don't you come get some grub." Oculus said, leading her to the campfire.

Debbie sat on a large log, next to a woman with no mouth.

The woman had intense eyes, staring at her extremely hard.

"Hi..I'm Betty." Debbie said.

Others around the campfire looked at Debbie.

"She doesn't talk, hun. My name's Meduna." a woman with four arms said.

"Nice to meet you." Debbie said, flashing a smile.

"You can shake all four of my hands. Everybody does." Meduna said, laughing.

Debbie shook her hands.

"Meduna, don't freak her out. Nice to meet you, Betty." an old man said.

"We were worried about you after that scary incident you had. Gotta be more careful on the road, hun." Meduna said, laughing again.

"Yeah, I'll try that next time!" Debbie said.

"Betty should be pretty hungry." Oculus said.

"Oh, yeah!" Meduna said, stirring a type of stew in a big pot. "This is my son, Junas. Junas, hand Betty this bowl of stew." Meduna asked of her son.

Junas, who appeared to have only one leg, hopped over to Debbie with the stew.

Though bearing one leg, Junas appeared happy and lively. Not at all traumatized.

"Thank you, little man!" Debbie said.

After a few moments, a man walked into the camp, completely covered in purple rags and a black face mask.

Everyone's voices went silent.

People began to stare at Debbie.

"Oculus." the man said, in a lingering voice.

"Yes, sir?" Oculus bowed down in front of him.

"This young woman has to return to where she came from.." the man spoke.

Debbie walked over, slightly nervous.

"Who is this?" Debbie asked Oculus.

"This is, The Healer." Oculus revealed.

Debbie looked stunned.

"You..are an intruuuuder." The Healer said, with his monotonous, lingering voice.

"Umm, I'm pretty sure that you're the one who saved my life, and brought me here." Debbie stated.

"Youuu are right. Now it's tiiiiime for youuuu to goooo." The Healer told her.

"Maybe I belong here." Debbie said, crossing her arms.

"I think you know where you belong, Debbie." Oculus whispered.

Debbie's eyes widened.

"You know who I am?" Debbie asked.

"How could I not? You have responsibilities to return to, child." Oculus said.

"I don't even know how I would get out of here." Debbie said.

"Go with The Healer. He will lead you to yourself again." Oculus told her.

"Myself?" Debbie asked.

"Go." Oculus said.

Debbie saw that The Healer had already headed out of the camp.

Waving goodbye to the rest of the society, she followed The Healer out of the camp.

"Where are we going?" Debbie asked.

The Healer did not speak. He lead her into an opening, surrounded by trees and bushes.

He turned to her.

"What?" Debbie asked.

"Youu will now go hoooome." The Healer said.

"You know I'm the Universal Guardian. That's why you want me to leave. But I'm telling you, I belong here. I am.." Debbie started.

"An abomination?" The Healer asked, in a normal voice.

The man had taken off his face mask. He appeared to look 'normal'.

"Wow, I kind of thought you'd have five] eyes." Debbie said, shocked.

"But I look..normal? That's the word that crossed your mind, isn't it?" The Healer asked.

"I just...I don't know." Debbie said.

"These people that I lead. That look up to me. They were banished by society - emotionally. All because they look different or act different. They are considered abominations. But who are we to assign labels like that? To judge what's normal and what's not? What is normal?" The Healer questioned.

"I'm not sure, myself. But I know that I am broken, irregular. I killed two people. How could I be normal?" Debbie asked, beginning to cry.

"You need to let go of your self-hate. Those people back at the camp? They have. That's why our little society here works." The Healer said.

"But..how could they all accept themselves if they don't even go around other people?" Debbie asked.

"It's not about shame for them anymore, Debbie. It's about community. You, on the other hand...you have shame." The Healer expressed to her.

"I guess I do." Debbie said, shaking her head.

The Healer touched her shoulder.

"Show me how to leave." Debbie asked of him, as she wiped her tears.

"You are the Universal Guardian. You are able to go anywhere you want, if you just believe." The Healer told her.

Debbie closed her eyes, and began to think about Karate Island.

A white aura emits from her body, signifying emotional freedom, tranquility, and detachment.

A portal opens.

"Hey, I opened a portal." Debbie said.

"Step through. I have a feeling you will go where you are meant to." The Healer told her.

"Thank you, so much. Goodbye." Debbie said, standing in front of the portal.

"Until next time." The Healer winked.

Debbie stepped through.

------

Farmhouse, Dustyn, Karate Island

After stepping through the portal, Debbie appeared to be in some kind of farmhouse.

"..Where am I now." Debbie asked to herself.

"Hey! What are you doing here!?" a boy asked, leading a group of snails into their pen.

"I'm sorry! I'm a little loss. I just appeared here." Debbie said.

"Appeared?" the boy asked.

"Yes." Debbie said, looking flustered.

"Alright, Miss Appear, explain yourself." the boy joked.

"Man, why did the universe want me to come here." Debbie whispered to herself.

"I'm waiting." the boy said, looking serious.

"Sorry, I'm...Debbie. Debbie Rechid." Debbie told him.

"That name sounds...familiar." the boy said.

"You may know me as the new Universal Guardian." Debbie explained.

"Oh, yeah. You were all over the news when you arrived on the island. My name is Alex. Alex Jones." Alex said, coming up to her.

"Nice to meet you, Alex." Debbie said, shaking his hand.

"Is it true? That you have a whole bunch of cool abilities?" Alex asked.

"..Well, I just traveled through a portal." Debbie said.

"Wicked!" Alex cheered.

"You're a farmer?" Debbie asked.

"Family thing. Being the Universal Guardian must be way cooler, though!" Alex said.

"Has it's ups and downs.." Debbie said, looking around.

"Wait, are you aware that the entire island is looking for you?" Alex asked her.

"I know, I know. I shouldn't of took off, but some stuff happened that I couldn't deal with." Debbie said.

"That sucks. I know what it's like to run away." Alex said, seeming sad.

"Yeah, I've been struggling a lot lately. I just recently had an encounter with freakin' Big Brother." Debbie said.

"The government sent goons after you?" Alex asked.

"The best kind, next to Team SpongeBob. F.I.N." Debbie revealed.

"The Federal Investigative Nexus. Fun." Alex said, giggling.

"I'm supposed to be trying to take back my life. Be the Guardian again. But I can't. Not right now." Debbie said.

"You need somewhere to hide?" Alex asked.

"Desperately." Debbie laughed.

"The universe sent you to the right place. This is a small farming town." Alex told her.

"Where is here." Debbie asked.

"This is Dustyn." Alex said.

"Oh, this is pretty close to the last place I was in - Stiffcreek." Debbie explained.

"Will that be a problem?" Alex asked.

"No, it shouldn't be, right?" Debbie asked for reassurance.

"I'll take you to my home. My parents aren't there right now." Alex told her.

"Great." Debbie said.

-------

Federal Investigative Nexus, Base of Operations, Location Private

At the F.I.N base, Director Kyle Reeves entered the report room.

"Sir, exciting developments. We may have just closed in on Debbie Rechid." a computer scientist told him.

"No way, are you serious, Felix?" Kyle asked, rushing to the monitor.

Other scientists gathered around.

"What's going on?" Bonnie asked, entering the room.

"Alright, so my team has been working on this umm..Quantum Locator. Basically, it allows us to see where Quantum Energy is being unnaturally opened on the island." Felix explained.

"Like...teleportation." Bonnie asked.

"..Or portal creation, wormholes, that stuff. Anything or anyone that disrupts the normal flow of Quantum Energy to unnaturally place itself OR themselves in an alternate location." Felix finished.

"I got to admit, this is impressive." Kyle said.

"Where is she?" Agent Clemmons asked, walking in.

"The Quantum Locator has place her energy signature in a pretty lowkey town - Dustyn." Felix revealed.

"Load up a jet, Clemmons. You, me, Bonnie, and a few other agents are heading to Dustyn." Kyle ordered.

-------

Alex Jone's Home, Dustyn

Alex brought Debbie up to his room.

"Are you sure I'll be able to stay here? Ya know, secretly?" Debbie asked.

"My parents are never home, and they don't care what I'm up to. Ever." Alex said, looking a little sad.

"Thank you. Seriously." Debbie said.

"I'll bring up some sandwiches." Alex said, smiling.

"Cool." Debbie said.

"Oh, and can you throw this in my closet?" Alex asked, taking off his jacket.

"Yeah, sure." Debbie said, taking his jacket.

Alex left out.

Debbie opened up Alex's small closet.

She hung his jacket on a hanger.

"Hmm, what's this?" Debbie asked, seeing a medium sized box with a picture hanging out.

Debbie picked up the box, sitting it on Alex's dresser.

Inside were dozens and dozens of photos of a little girl. Some were of the girl as a tween.

"Who is this girl? She's pretty." Debbie thought to herself.

Alex came into the room, a plate of triangle cut sandwiches in hand.

"Hey!" Alex said.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to pry! I just noticed this box in your closet. It's filled with pictures of this little girl. Who is she? Your sister?" Debbie asked.

Alex looked close to tears.

"I'm so sorry. Did she die?" Debbie asked, her cheeks turning tomato-red.

"She's..alive." Alex said, piercing his eyes closed.

"Does she live here?" Debbie asked.

"Debbie, she's me, okay?" Alex revealed.

Debbie looked confused.

"That was me as a little kid." Alex said.

"Oh, you're trans." Debbie realized.

"I am. Female-to-Male Transgender." Alex told her.

"You look great! I'm assuming you're on testosterone? Ya know, hormone therapy." Debbie asked.

"Yeah, but I'm still pre-op due to my age. That means I have all the other features of a man except the one that really matters." Alex said, rolling his eyes.

"Hey, listen to me. Not having a dick doesn't make you any less of a man!" Debbie stressed.

"Thanks. Sometimes I get insecure." Alex said, sitting on the floor at the side of his bed.

Debbie sat next to hium. 

"Are you okay?" Debbie asked.

"It's just, I'm thinking about my parents now. They umm, can't stand to be around me because I'm trans. That's why they leave so much. I'm usually all alone." Alex said.

"Don't you have anyone?" Debbie asked.

"Besides the snails I tend to in the farmhouse? Nada." Alex said, letting out a sad laugh.

Debbie shook her head in heartache.

"When I came out to them, they called me an abomination! Cute, right?" Alex asked, sarcastically.

Debbie grasped his hand.

"If anyone's an abomination, it's me." Debbie told him.

"Why would you say that?" Alex asked.

"I killed two people." Debbie said.

"I've heard rumors about what happened at the Mystic Caves. No one really knows for sure." Alex said.

"This girl..witch..she took control over my mind. Forced me to kill a friend of mine." Debbie revealed.

"You can't blame yourself for that, you weren't in control. You didn't have autonomy." Alex said.

"Who says I didn't? I was told to kill another friend of mine, but I didn't. Why did I kill one friend and not the other if I was a mindless slave?" Debbie asked.

"Debbie, you were mentally compromised. It's not your fault." Alex said.

"The next kill was. I killed Azarah Alamone. I drained the energy from her spirit, like a monster. A killer." Debbie said.

"Come on, that woman was evil. She got what was coming. You saved the island." Alex told her.

"But was it really my job to decide who gets to live or die?" Debbie asked.

"You are the Universal Guardian. And look, morality isn't always black and white. There are shades of grey in ethics too." Alex said.

"You're a great guy, Alex." Debbie said, smiling.

"Is that why you're still holding my hand?" Alex asked.

Debbie blushed, moving her hand away.

"Sorry." Debbie said.

"No, no, I didn't mind." Alex said.

Over the next hour, Debbie and Alex continued to sit on the floor and talk about their lives, along with asking each other questions.

"So, one last thing.." Debbie said.

"Hit me." Alex said.

"So, what's your sexuality exactly?" Debbie asked.

"There are people who confuse sexual identity and gender identity. Trans people can be of any sexual orientation. I identify as straight. I love girls." Alex told her.

"You sound just like a straight guy!" Debbie said, laughing.

"And you? I don't like assuming that everyone is straight." 

"I'm straight, though I did have quite the girl crush on my friend, Pearl." Debbie joked, with both of them laughing.

"I think it's raining." Debbie said, looking over at Alex's window

"Oh, it is. I love looking at the rain. It's soothing." Alex said.

Debbie walked up for a closer look.

"..OH NO." Debbie said.

"Debbie! What's wrong?" Alex asked.

"F.I.N is at your doorstep!" Debbie said.

Suddenly, the doorbell rung.

"Oh..wow." Alex said.

"I'm so sorry I got you into this! They must know I'm here!" Debbie said.

"Don't worry, I won't let them take you." Alex said.

"They'll use force, Alex." Debbie said.

"And so will I." Alex said, releasing blue electricity from his hands.

"Oh my lord, you're a metafish!" Debbie said.

"I was gonna tell you eventually." Alex said.

"What are you gonna do?" Debbie asked.

"Answer the door." Alex said, leaving the room.

Debbie looked frantic.

Outside, a few F.I.N agents waited outside for the door to be answered.

"If she's here, she'll put up a fight, sir." Clemmons said.

"That's why you're going to take this." Kyle said, handing a specialized gun to Clemmons.

"What is it?" Clemmons asked.

"Debbie's abilities are based in emotion. That's why I had Felix design a weapon to counteract her empathy powers. The bullets in that gun won't harm her, but they are coated with 'Dopamine Depletion Serum'." Kyle revealed.

"Draining her dopamine temporarily will make her lose access to her Empathy - and thereby her Guardian abilities." Bonnie realized.

"Exactly." Kyle said.

"I'm not sure I'm comfortable with this, sir. Kidnapping her and forcing her into a life that she is actively running from." Bonnie said.

"You're too much of a woman, Bonnie." Clemmons laughed.

"Excuse me? You sexist prick." Bonnie retorted.

"Hey, quiet down." Kyle said.

Alex opened his front door.

"Hello. My name is Kyle Reeves. We're operatives of the Federal Investigative Nexus." Kyle established.

"Okay, why are you here?" Alex asked.

"We know that you're harboring a runaway teenager." Kyle said.

"I'm not." Alex said.

"Maybe we can just look around. Confirm it." Kyle said.

Kyle and the other six agents brushed past Alex.

Alex closed the door.

"I'm sorry, but you won't be taking her." Alex said, shooting one agent in the back with an electric blast.

"WE HAVE A META ON OUR HANDS." Kyle shouted.

All the agents ran, scattering around the house.

Bonnie stayed to keep Alex at Bay.

Alex shot two electric blasts at her.

Bonnie dodged, moving side to side.

Bonnie did a cartwheel, pounding Alex in the head with her batons. 

Alex's body slammed into the front door.

Alex then shot a wave of electrical energy at Bonnie, pushing her down the hall.

Three agents explored upstairs.

Debbie heard their footsteps getting closer to Alex's room.

Debbie embraced Anger, stepping out of the room and shooting two red energy blasts at two of the agents, taking them down.

One agent turned around, pulling out a gun.

Debbie then embraced Adrenaline, using enhanced speed to tackle the agent all the way over the staircase.

Both of them hit the ground on the first level.

Bonnie tried whacking Alex with her batons again.

Alex grabbed both ends of the metallic batons, sending out an electric shock that knocked Bonnie out.

"DEBBIE! ARE YOU OKAY?" Alex asked, seeing she and the agent had fell.

"I'm fine. Adrenaline. Can't say so much for this guy." Debbie said, standing up.

"There are two more in this house somewhere.

"I can feel people's emotional energy." Debbie said. 

Debbie sensed Kyle Reeves and Agent Clemmons. 

"They're both letting off heavy levels of frustration. They're in the basement." Debbie said.

"My basement is through the kitchen." Alex said, leading her.

In the basement, Kyle and Clemmons were searching for Debbie.

"Debbie! We know you're here." Kyle said, using a flashlight.

"You can't hide forever!" Clemmons stated.

"YOU'RE RIGHT. I CAN'T." Debbie said, entering the basement, with Alex following

"I'll take Debbie." Clemmons said.

Alex and Kyle engaged in hand to hand.

"You're no martial artist, kid!" Kyle said, punching him out.

Using anger, Debbie shot red energy blasts at Clemmons.

Clemmons was blasted into some old boxes.

From behind, Kyle grabbed Debbie, holding onto her tightly.

"GET OFF ME!" Debbie yelled.

"CLEMMONS! TAKE THE SHOT!" Kyle yelled.

Clemmons took out the specialized gun, shooting Debbie in the chest.

Debbie felt weak.

Kyle let her go.

"What..did..you..do?" Debbie asked, falling to the ground.

"You won't be able to access your Guardian powers for a little while." Kyle said.

"Why..why are you doing this? Can't you just...leave me in peace. I don't want to be the Universal Guardian anymore." Debbie said.

"And we don't want you to be." Kyle told her.

"Wait, what? I..thought the point of capturing me was to force me to be the Guardian again." Debbie said.

"The Karate Island Board of Trustees wants you captured and put into custody." Kyle told her.

"Why?" Debbie asked, confused.

"You're a threat to this island according to the Board. I don't personally agree with it, but soon enough, metas all over the sea will be detained and put into protective custody." Kyle revealed.

"That's not what protective means." Debbie said, wide eyed.

"So THAT'S the truth?" a voice was heard.

"Bonnie.." Kyle said, turning around.

"I heard everything. F.I.N is going to help the Board round up metafish? I can't stand with this." Bonnie said.

"Bonnie, you're either with us, or against us." Clemmons spoke up.

Bonnie quickly pulled out a taser, using it on Kyle.

Kyle passed out.

"That's it!" Clemmons said.

Clemmons and Bonnie began to engage in hand-to-hand.

Suddenly, Alex began to awaken.

"HEY, GET DEBBIE OUT OF HERE." Bonnie said to Alex, while still fighting off Clemmons.

Debbie crawled her way over to Alex.

Alex put her arm over his shoulder, helping her out of the basement.

Clemmons kicked Bonnie in her stomach, then drop kicked her to the floor.

Bonnie quickly swung her legs, tripping him back onto the ground.

Upstairs, Alex had Debbie still, as they ran through the kitchen.

In the hallway, they were spotted by the other agents they took down previously.

"Oh no!" Debbie said.

"Okay, this way, this way!" Alex said, bringing Debbie into the downstairs bathroom.

Alex closed the bathroom door, locking it.

The F.I.N agents punched and kicked on the door.

"Alex, they'll get through!" Debbie said, sitting on the floor.

"I can take them!" Alex said, standing in front of her

"You can't fight, and they have guns. They won't hesitate to shoot you before you're able to use your powers." Debbie said. 

"What do you want me to do!?" Alex asked.

"There's a small window in here. Leave. Debbie said.

"I'll take you with me." Alex said.

"No." Debbie said.

Alex looked confused.

Back in the basement, Bonnie and Clemmons were still fighting

Clemmons slammed her face into a wooden box.

Bonnie kicked him from behind. She then tackled him using her legs, flipping his body across the floor.

Both of them got up, but Clemmons charged at Bonnie, holding her body against the basement wall.

"Sorry Bonnie! But women are WEAK!" Clemmons said.

"How can you say that when men have the greatest weakness of all?" Bonnie said, kicking Clemmons in the balls.

"OW!" Clemmons yelled, letting go of her.

Bonnie proceeded to knee him in the face.

Clemmons fell out.

"You're finished." Bonnie said, worn out.

Back in the bathroom, Alex tried to get Debbie to leave with him.

"Alex, I am weak. I can hardly move. Even if you did get me out that small window, we wouldn't get far like this. We'd both be caught by F.I.N. I need you to go." Debbie said.

"And do what?" Alex asked.

"Find Team SpongeBob. Let them know what the Board is up to. Let them know that I've been captured. Please." Debbie said.

"Alright, I'll do it." Alex said.

The F.I.N agents finally broke down the bathroom door, but Alex was already gone.

"You have me now." Debbie said, sadly.

TO.BE.CONTINUED

[TJ]

Team SpongeBob - Season 9: Divided

Ep.136 "Team Linda" 

Meeting Room, City Hall, Left Shore

Linda and Pearl entered the Meeting Room at City Hall. 

Triton awaited them at the long conference table.

"Linda, Pearl, great to see you." Triton said, giving an earnest smile.

"Will the Board be joining us?" Linda asked.

"Momentarily." Triton said, as both women took their seats.

"Great." Linda said.

"By the way, I was glad that both of you were able to attend my inauguration, last night." Triton remarked.

"It was a beautiful ceremony, sir." Linda said.

"Yeah. I think your speech really gave the islanders hope again." Pearl added.

"That's whats most important, Pearl. Hope. If I succeeded in assuring everyone that this island can get along without my father...then well, I'm already off to a great start." Triton said, nodding.

After a few moments, members of the Board began to occupy seats at the conference table.

"Alright, now that we're all here, I suggest we get straight to business." Amanda Wheeler said.

"Me and Pearl feel that it would be best if we go after SpongeBob and Sandy. We just need the approval from you guys. Because that's how this works now, right?" Linda asked.

"Yes. Your team is supervised by us, and we assign you the missions you'll take on." Richards said.

"With the final decision coming down to me." Triton chimed in.

"A circlejerk of authority. Great!" Pearl joked.

Linda looked at her disapprovingly.

"The Board approves of you going after SpongeBob. It makes the most sense. You guys know him best - including his powers and feats. He'll listen to you, since you all have a long history, after all. You'll need to convince him and Sandy to turn themselves in, and to turn over Aria Alamone." Amanda told them.

"We do have one little issue." Richards said.

"What's that?" Linda asked.

"There are only two of you. One of you doesn't even have abilities." Richards said.

"That doesn't mean anything." Pearl said.

"He's right, Pearl." Linda said.

"..What do you mean?" Pearl asked.

"I already had a contingency plan." Linda revealed.

"Care to share?" Triton asked.

"I'm curious myself." Amanda said.

"Give me permission to round up other metas to join my force. Just temporary soldiers to help me and Pearl bring in SpongeBob, Sandy, and Aria." Linda asked.

"I'm not so sure about this." Amanda said.

"Hold on, just a minute. If Linda and Pearl can provide good candidates, I don't see a problem." Richards said.

"The two candidates I have in mind are tied to the Island government in some form. Who could be more trustworthy?" Linda asked.

"One of those candidates is my sister, isn't it?" Triton asked.

Linda stared at him.

"It's okay. I approve." Triton said.

"Okay." Linda smiled.

"Alright, you may recruit your candidates. The Board will require a short profile on them before they are to start on this task. So hurry." Amanda told them.

"Thank you." Linda said, as she and Pearl left their seats.

------

Team SpongeBob Warehouse Base, Left Shore

Linda and Pearl arrived at the warehouse base.

"That went..okayish." Pearl said.

"It went great, Pearl. The Board is just trying to have order." Linda said.

"Right, now about these candidates..." Pearl said.

"I wanted to recruit Mindy, which you know already." Linda started.

"Yeah, and?" Pearl asked.

"Tetra King. Her powers are nearly unmatched." Linda said.

"Alright, so you'll meet with Mindy, and I'll meet with Tetra." Pearl said.

"Actually, I was hoping that you'd meet with Mindy." Linda asked.

"What? Why can't you?" Pearl asked.

"You know her better." Linda said.

"Yeah, I'm thinking there's something else going on here." Pearl said.

"I was the reason Mindy went into that coma. If I were to meet with her, it would just bring up harmful memories for her." Linda said.

"For her? Or for.. you?" Pearl asked.

"I don't want to hurt anyone." Linda said, turning her back.

"Mindy saved your life. Yeah, in the process she may have went into a coma, but she ended up saving you and the entire island! That's what heroes do. She's not gonna hold anything against you." Pearl stressed.

"Please, Pearl." Linda begged.

"Alright. I'll talk with Mindy, and you'll recruit Tetra. But just remember.. you are going to face her at some point in the very near future." Pearl said.

"I know." Linda said.

------

King Triton's Office, City Hall

Amanda Wheeler entered into Triton's office.

"Hello, Ms. Wheeler." Triton greeted, running over some papers.

"Sorry if the office is a little.. small. The palace back in Mainland is still being worked on, as I know you could tell when you visited last week." Amanda said.

"My sister, Mindy, showed up there actually. Was an interesting reunion." Triton said, almost laughing.

"Well, the palace reconstruction should be done soon. Just note that the rest of Mainland is still hideously destroyed. We have some recontruction groups up there, but progress has been slow. Azarah really did a number on the place." Amanda told him.

"Yes, yes, and all because Team SpongeBob miscalculated her." Triton said.

"Linda and Pearl are lovely young ladies. They'll bring honor to the name again." Amanda said.

"By bringing us their comrades. After that.." Triton hinted.

"We aren't sure what we'll do with them when the time comes." Amanda said.

"Every meta must be held. It's the only way to prevent more disasters." Triton said.

"In due time, we'll figure out the logistics." Amanda said.

"Also, my father's trident." Triton said, taking it out of the room's closet.

"Oh, I have a feeling about what you're gonna ask." Amanda said. 

"It seems there's no power left." Triton said.

"Neptune's trident was created specifically for him. A magic bond was made between Neptune and the spear. Only he could wield it." Amanda informed him.

"Hmm. Unfortunate." Triton said.

"I'm gonna let you wrap up." Amanda said, exiting.

--------

Mayor Arthur King's Home, Left Shore

Mayor Arthur King's personal security escorted Linda into his living chambers.

"Linda Lane! Nice to be in your company." Arthur said, lifting himself off of his sofa.

Arthur extended his hand out to her.

"Thank you for having me." Linda said, shaking his hand.

"So, what brings you by?" Arthur said.

"I was actually hoping to see your sister, Tetra. I know that she lives with you." Linda said.

"Tetra is around.. somewhere." Arthur said, letting out a laugh.

"I'm right here!" Tetra said, entering the room.

"Oh, see!" Arthur comments.

"Linda, it's great to see you. Are you joining us for early dinner or something?" Tetra asked, sporting an apron.

"Oh no. I didn't know you cooked." Linda said.

"Trying something new." Tetra said, giving a smile.

"I actually stopped by to see you. May we have a private conversation?" Linda asked.

"Sure, that'd be fine. Can you guys give us a moment?" Tetra asked.

Arthur and the security detail exited.

"I hope my big bro didn't talk your ears off." Tetra said.

"Oh nah. Mostly, I feel bad for him. I mean, he's the Mayor of Left Shore, so King Triton's ceremony taking place here the other day must of really blew his self esteem." Linda thought.

"Oh no, he's not a proud man. At least not like that. Besides, King Triton will be in his palace up in Mainland as soon as repairs are done up there." Tetra said.

"Anyway, I came here to ask for your help." Linda started.

"Is this related to Team SpongeBob?" Tetra asked.

"..Not Team SpongeBob.." Linda said awkwardly.

"I heard that SpongeBob and Sandy are supposed to be some big time fugitives now. A lot of people in Left Shore are pretty worried. We have no idea what's going on." Tetra said.

"SpongeBob has decided that he MUST go after those Divine Jewels. And he won't stop until he does." Linda told her.

"And I'm guessing the Karate Island Board of Trustees had a thing or two to say about that?" Tetra guessed.

"They want me and Pearl to find and detain SpongeBob, Sandy, and Aria Alamone." Linda continued.

"I'm guessing that's where I come in?" Tetra asked.

"We can't do it alone. Aria and SpongeBob's powers combined... could be hell for me and Pearl. Unless we had our own extra muscle." Linda said.

"As the Mayor's sister, I stand by following the law and practicing good citizenship. So, I'll help you bring your friends in." Tetra said.

"Thank you, Tetra." Linda said.

-------

Baxter Apartments, Left Shore

Pearl knocked on the door of Mindy's apartment.

"Whoa, hey." Mindy said, swinging her door open.

"This is a really nice building! It even smells good." Pearl said.

"Uh, come in. The Baxter Apartments are among the best in Left Shore." Mindy said, letting Pearl in.

"Yeah, I wanted an apartment here, but the price was just.. a little much." Pearl said.

"How did you know where I lived?" Mindy asked.

"Triton. Our new esteemed King." Pearl said.

"Right." Mindy said.

"So, I was just checking up on you. After you awoke from that coma, we were all so happy. Then all the bad stuff happened, and you've been kinda distant ever since." Pearl said.

"Truthfully, I blamed you guys for my father's death. I know that Azarah did it, but I couldn't help but think that if your team had a little more supervision things like that would turn out differently." Mindy said.

"You talk as if you were never a member of our team." Pearl noticed.

"I was a member, sure. For a moment in time. The year I spent with you guys meant a lot to me." Mindy said.

"So what's changed?" Pearl asked.

"That was the old Mindy. The one who went into a coma and never came out. I'm still trying to figure out who the new me is." Mindy expressed.

"Well look, the Board wants our team to be supervised now. Linda and I have agreed to it, but SpongeBob and Sandy have gone rogue. Help us right the wrongs of our past." Pearl asked.

"By doing what?" Mindy asked.

"Bringing in SpongeBob and his rogues." Pearl said.

"I can't access my telepathy, but I still seem able to perform telekinesis." Mindy told her.

"Does that mean you're in?" Pearl asked.

"I'm in." Mindy said.

"Let's seal it with a hug!" Pearl said.

Both of them hugged.

--------

Team SpongeBob Warehouse Base, Left Shore

Back at the base, Pearl arrives.

"Linda..?" Pearl asks.

Pearl sees Linda drinking a bottle of alcohol, while sitting up against a wall.

"Hey.." Linda said, putting the drink down.

"You look pretty down." Pearl said.

"I'm fine. I talked with Tetra. She's agreed to lend a hand. I finished my profile on her, and emailed it to the Board." Linda said.

"Mindy's a go too." Pearl said, sitting next to her.

"Great." Linda said, with her eyes trailing off.

"I've never seen you drink before." Pearl said.

"Yeah, well, my life's already gone to shit. Why not?" Linda asked.

"There are better ways to deal. Don't find comfort in a bottle." Pearl said.

"Where else would I find it? Everything the last five years.. has been one tragedy after another. Makes it hard to count your blessings." Linda said.

"How about the fact that we have each other? We've never been particularly close, but we're the last two left. And I'm here for you." Pearl said, rubbing her shoulder.

Linda wiped her tears, throwing herself into Pearl's arms.

"Thanks. I needed that." Linda said, as Pearl helped her stand up.

"Anytime. Now, why don't you help me edit my profile for Mindy so I can send a literal eleventh-hour email to them?" Pearl joked.

"Sure!" Linda said, laughing as well.

-------

Unnamed Town, Karate Island

Alex Jones is seen roaming through a town close from Dustyn.

"It's the dead of night. No one's gonna notice me." Alex said, adjusting his sunglasses.

"Hey, babe. Look! Sunglasses at night. Hahahaha." A random fish says to his husband.

Alex felt a strange relief.

"Oh no.." Alex said, noticing a Wanted Sign with his face and name.

Alex ripped the sign off of the post, which was seen by a group of gang bangers.

Alex quickly headed into an alley way.

As he made his way into the alley, a figure drops from above, onto the ground.

"What the hell." Alex said, letting electricity stem from his hands.

Coming from out the shadows, the figure appeared to be a woman.

"Who are you!?" Alex asked, nervously.

"Your lucky ticket to freedom." the woman said, as we see that it is Sandy.

"You look kind of familiar." Alex said.

"Sandy Cheeks. Member of Team SpongeBob." Sandy said.

"A lot of rumors about you guys right now. Hard to know who to trust." Alex said.

"Me and my partner heard that you were seen with the Universal Guardian - and that you have some pretty cool powers. You're a double win for us." Sandy said.

"You want me to join you? As in on the run?" Alex asked.

"It's an offer. I don't see why you would refuse. Especially with your circumstances." Sandy said.

"Alright. Only for Debbie." Alex said.

"Debbie? Where is she? Where is the Universal Guardian?" Sandy asked.

"Kidnapped." Alex said.

Sandy looked shocked.

Suddenly, two groups of F.I.N agents show up from both sides of the alley way.

"HANDS UP! My name is Agent Ridley, and you're both coming with us!" Agent Ridley yelled.

The agents raised their guns.

"There's two of us and ten of them. What do we do?" Alex asked, as he and Sandy put their hands up.

"Wait for the whoosh." Sandy said, smiling.

Alex looked confused.

In a flash, SpongeBob used his speed to collect all the guns from the F.I.N agents. He then stops in the center next to Sandy and Alex.

"LOOKS LIKE I'VE GOT YOUR TOYS!" SpongeBob said.

"It's the Speedster!" Ridley said.

"CHARRGGGEEE!" another agent said.

Alex shot electric blasts at several agents.

Ridley took a swing at Sandy. Sandy grabbed his arm and twisted it.

"AHHH!" Ridley yells.

Sandy, still holding on to Ridley's arm, bends it, steps on his shoulder, and wraps her legs around his neck. Ridley instantly comes crashing to the ground, as Sandy flips him over.

SpongeBob uses his speed to run down the rest of the agents.

"We need to go. NOW." Sandy said.

"Nice work, kid." SpongeBob said.

"Thanks, and it's Alex." Alex said.

"I wanna call you.. Lightning." SpongeBob said, twiddling his chin.

"Not now, SpongeBob!" Sandy said, pulling Alex along.

With that, the three take off out of the alley.

-------

City Hall, Left Shore

The following afternoon, Linda, Pearl, Mindy, and Tetra met with Amanda Wheeler in her private office.

"Ms. Wheeler, how are you?" Tetra asked, entering the room.

"I'm great. How's your brother?" Amanda asked.

"Doing fine." Tetra said.

"That's great. Now the four of you must be wondering why I called for you to come here." Amanda said.

"Yeah, I mean.. we just sent you the profiles last night. I was suprised that you were able to review them so fast." Linda said.

"Something happened last night that has sped up this entire process." Amanda told them.

"Of course something happened. Something's always happening." Pearl said, rolling her eyes.

"Let her talk." Mindy said.

"Last night, F.I.N operatives found a lead on a missing teenager with highly volatile abilities. When they found him, they soon discovered that he was in cahoots with
SpongeBob and Sandy." Amanda revealed.

"What?" Linda was confused.

"I don't even know what to say." Tetra spoke.

"SpongeBob, Sandy, and the boy attacked and bodied the F.I.N agents, and evaded custody." Amanda continued.

"We'll start our search for them. Today." Linda said.

"And who is the leader of this little strike team?" Amanda asked.

"Linda." Pearl said, confidently.

"Is everyone in agreement?" Amanda asked.

"Yes." Tetra said.

Mindy looked at Linda.

Linda looked back, nervously.

"Yes." Mindy said, at last.

Linda turned to the women.

"Alright, team. Let's bring them in." Linda said, embracing her new position.

[Rebel the Wolfgirl]

Damn, this season's getting good so far.

[TJ]

Team SpongeBob

Ep.137 "Sea Star Society"

Karate Island Forests

SpongeBob, Sandy, and Aria had made camp within the forests of Karate Island.

As morning came, Aria exited her tent.

Yawning and rubbing her eyes, she walked over to the campfire.

"What the hell? Who are you?" Aria asked, seeing Alex sitting on a log.

"I'm Alex." Alex greeted.  

Sandy and SpongeBob entered the campsite.

"Fresh fruit for everyone!" Sandy said, as she and SpongeBob dropped fruits on the ground.

"Oh, Aria.. you were sleep last night. You didn't get to meet Alex." SpongeBob said.

"Why is this boy here?" Aria asked.

"We told you before we left, that we were going to go after the wanted boy. The one that was seen with Debbie." Sandy told her.

"Right. So, is it true that you have electric powers?" Aria asked, staring at him.

Alex stood up.

"How about I show you?" Alex said, zapping electricity at a tree.

"Amazing, right?!? I'm calling him, Lightning." SpongeBob said, cheering.

"Oh, SpongeBob." Sandy said.

"No, no. I like it!" Alex said, excitedly.

"He gets one, and I don't?" Aria joked.

"Bad guys don't get codenames." Sandy said.

"..Except they do." Aria pointed out.

"Alright, Ms. Magic." Sandy yapped.

"I'm gonna go... walk around." Aria said, feeling uncomfortable.

"There's tension there." Alex said.

"She's a criminal. We only recruited her because of her power level." Sandy said.

"Sandy, while she's with us, maybe just not say anything to her? That would cut back on tension by one hundred percent." SpongeBob said.

"Yeah, whatever." Sandy said.

-------

F.I.N Headquarters, Location Classified

Kyle makes his way into the Technology room.

"Felix, how is that speedster weapon coming?" Kyle asked.

"Speedster weapon?" Agent Ridley questioned.

"Agent Ridley, you and your division got your asses handed to you the other night by SpongeBob and Sandy. Now, the reason they have an advantage is because SpongeBob's super speed is unmatched." Kyle started.

"Until today! I am putting the final touches on this thing!" Felix said, holding up a long energy gun.

"What is it?" Ridley asked.

"I call it the Speed Swiper! One energy blast is enough to stop a speedster dead in their tracks!" Felix explained.

"Cool. What's the science behind it?" Ridley asked.

"I managed to guestimate the amount of energy SpongeBob releases while running. That's what I worked the Speed Swiper off of. The energy blast from the Speed Swiper, and SpongeBob's super speed would both be at the same Thermal Equilibrium." Felix explained.

"Therefore canceling out his speed!" Ridley put together.

"Wow, two science nerds. I'm just standing here like a potato." Kyle said.

"Hey, how's Bonnie?" Ridley asked.
.
"I was just gonna check on her now." Kyle said, slightly frowning.

Kyle went down to F.I.N HQ's Prisonhold, entering Bonnie's cell.

"Sir.. you came to see me at last." Bonnie said, standing up.

"Why did you do it? Why did you try to blow the mission back in Dustyn?" Kyle asked.

"Wow. That's all you have to say? Not how I'm doing? How I'm feeling?" Bonnie said.

"That's not fair. Bonnie you knocked me out, and then attacked Clemmons. He's still recovering from a damaged nose!" Kyle argued.

"Oh PLEASE! Clemmons is a sexist jerk, and he was just waiting for a chance to fight me." Bonnie argued back.

"BUT YOU HAD ORDERS! And you didn't follow them. Bonnie, what's going on with you? You were my top agent, and now you're in a holding room." Kyle said.

"Maybe I don't agree with capturing metas!" Bonnie said.

"You think I agree with it?" Kyle asked.

"What happened to your moral fiber, Kyle? The way you used to do the right thing, and how you'd never compromise on your values? F.I.N's values." Bonnie stated.

"Bonnie, we don't make the right choices! We make the hard ones. The ones that keep civillians safe at night, but keep us tossing and turning from the moral ambiguity. It's always been that way, and always will." Kyle said.

"I don't know if I can continue here with that kind of mindset." Bonnie said, putting her hand over her mouth.

"Well, you go up in front of the Board today. You'll have to decide whether you want to re-align your loyalties with F.I.N, and they will have to decide if they'll let you."  Kyle told her.

--------

Karate Island Forests

Aria walked off from camp.

From behind, she heard someone calling her.

"HEY! ARIA, ARIA!" Alex called out.

"What do you want from me?" Aria asked.

"Come back to camp. Don't let anyone make you feel inadequate." Alex said.

"I don't feel inadequate, I just don't feel like a hero." Aria said.

"You're here helping SpongeBob and Sandy do the right thing. How could that not be considered a hero?" Alex asked.

"You don't know me." Aria said.

"Which is a good thing. You have a clean slate with me. And I'm sure if you rise to the occassion.. you'll get one with SpongeBob and Sandy." Alex said, smiling.

"Thank you." Aria said.

"We have to get back now. SpongeBob's about to go over our plan." Alex told her.

"Okay, let's go." Aria said.

"Wait.. what's that?" Alex asked, noticing something in the bushes behind her.

Aria looked in the bushes.

"It's a duffel bag." Aria said, looking inside.

Inside were pairs of clothes, and under them - a gun.

"A gun.." Aria said.

"Who could of left this here?" Alex asked.

"I don't know, but I'm gonna put it back." Aria said, returning it.

Aria and Alex returned to the campsite.

"Welcome back, you two." SpongeBob said.

"We're ready to hear what you have to say." Aria said.

SpongeBob, Sandy, Alex, and Aria sat around the campfire.

"This is a file I got from a friend, Bonnie Morse. Inside is information on a tribe of starfish here on Karate Island, including their location." SpongeBob revealed.

"Who is this tribe?" Aria asked.

"They're called the Sea Star Society. They celebrate divinity." SpongeBob told them.

"Which includes the Divine Jewels?" Sandy asked.

"These may potentially be the only people in the world who have an idea where a Divine Jewel is located. Their society has been study them for generations." SpongeBob said.

"Alright then, they're our best bet." Sandy said.

"Their location is not far from here." SpongeBob said.

"Great. We'll start heading out." Sandy said, standing up.

"Wait, guys." Alex said.

"What is it?" SpongeBob asked.

"What about Debbie? She told me to find you all, and to let you know about her capture. We can't just ignore that." Alex said.

"We love Debbie. And as much as we want to rescue her.. this mission takes priority." Sandy said, regretfully.

"But what if the Board doesn't stop there? What if they go after other metas?" Alex asked.

"Well, they're already after us." Aria said.

"Alex, if you want to back out of this now, you can." SpongeBob said.

"No. Debbie would want me to help you guys. I know it." Alex said.

"Good. Let's get going." SpongeBob said, taking off.

"Um, Sandy. Just another question." Alex said, grabbing Sandy's arm.

"Yeah, what is it, kid?" Sandy asked.

"How do you uhh.. breathe. Without like a helmet?" Alex asked, blushing from embarrassment.

"Oh, well in 2010, I got some surgical gills implanted in my throat." Sandy said, giggling.

"Oh." Alex said.

"Come on, we need to catch up with the others." Sandy said, as they both took off.

-------

Board Room, City Hall, Left Shore

Bonnie Morse and Kyle Reeves entered the Board Room at City Hall.

Bonnie was dressed in a sleek red and black pantsuit.

"Hey, don't be nervous." Kyle said.

"Hard not to be with these handcuffs on." Bonnie said.

"Sorry. Just a formality." Kyle said.

"Everything always is." Bonnie sniped.

Kyle pulled out her seat for her.

Board members Amanda and Richards entered, taking their seats.

"Hello, Bonnie Morse. Today, me and Richards here will be reviewing the actions you took in Dustyn." Amanda said.

"Actions that could be considered as treason." Richards added.

"Why don't we dial back here?" Kyle spoke.

"Mr. Reeves, I know that Morse is one of your favorite agents, but what she did was serious. She almost compromised the capture of Debbie Rechid." Amanda said.

"A teenage girl who is suffering from trauma." Bonnie said.

"A Universal Guardian who was running from her responsibilities." Amanda said.

"What? You guys don't even want her to be the Universal Guardian. You're plans are just to lock up all metas." Bonnie said.

"We just want regulation, not tyranny." Richards told her.

"And you'll go as far as to strip people of their natural born rights in order to achieve it?" Bonnie questioned.

"We're not the ones on review here. You are." Amanda said.

"How loyal are you to F.I.N?" Richards asked.

"Extremely." Bonnie said.

"Yet you attacked a fellow agent." Amanda said.

"He had been provoking me for some time." Bonnie said.

"Provoking how?" Amanda asked.

"If I may chime in, Clemmons had been showing signs of sexism. He often liked to oppress Bonnie due to her gender." Kyle said.

"So, this was just some pent up aggression. Taking out a personal vendetta on an agent you had beef with?" Amanda asked.

"..Yes." Bonnie said, unsure.

"As a woman in power, I can tell you that it wasn't easy for me to get to the position I'm in today. I faced a lot of sexism, a lot of glass cielings. However, you cannot let that cause you to lose your cool. How you fight back is by being better." Amanda said.

"I totally agree. I lost my mind because of my personal issues with Clemmons. I'll never let this happen again." Bonnie stated.

"We're willing to let you back into F.I.N. Of course, if the Director is." Richards said.

"I am." Kyle said, winking at Bonnie.

"On a condition." Amanda said. 

"What?" Bonnie asked.

"You keep what you learned to yourself. No one can know that we're considering a mass detention of metas on the island." Amanda told her.

Bonnie looked torn.

"Okay. I won't say a word." Bonnie said.

"You're dismissed." Amanda told her.

Kyle and Bonnie left.

-------

Sea Star Society, Tribal Camp

"I think this is the place." SpongeBob said.

SpongeBob, Sandy, Alex, and Aria arrived at a gatepost.

"Look at the sign." Sandy said.

A withered looking sign had words from an unknown language on them.

"I can clear this up." Aria said.

"What, is she gonna chant a spell?" Alex asked, laughing

Sandy and SpongeBob looked at him, dead serious.

"Oh.." Alex said.

"hsilgne ot ngis siht nrut." Aria chanted a spell.

The sign turned to English.

"OHH!" Alex said, shocked.

"It's says Sea Star Society. We're here." SpongeBob said.

The four walked pass the gatepost.

"It's quiet.." Sandy said.

Suddenly, all four of them were shot in the neck with darts.

"SpongeBob!" Sandy yelled.

The group immediately collapsed and passed out.

"..Wh-at? Where am I?" SpongeBob asked, awakening.

"SpongeBob! They've captured us!" Sandy said.

SpongeBob saw that all four of them were tied to giant crosses in the middle of town.

Surrounding the crosses, were crowds of chanting Starfish. All of them cheering for the 'intruders' to be burned alive with fire. 

"BURN THE INTRUDERS! BURN THE INTRUDERS!" the tribe chanted.

"HOLD, PEOPLE." a woman's voice was heard.

The woman stood on platform, in front of the crosses.

"Let these outsiders explain themselves." the woman said.

"We're Team SpongeBob." SpongeBob spoke.

"Some of us." Sandy added

Aria rolled her eyes.

"Who are you, ma'am?" SpongeBob asked.

"I am Queen Ennet. The leader of this tribe. However, none of you are in a position to be asking questions." Queen Ennet said, holding a staff.

"We're here in search of information. Please, you're all our only hope." SpongeBob remarked.

"..And what could possibly be so important that you'd invade our land?" Ennet asked.

"The Divine Jewels." Sandy spoke.

"The foul witch speaks of the Jewels!" a tribe member said.

The other Starfirsh began to talk amongst themselves, in shock.

"QUIET!" Ennet commanded.

Everyone went silent.

"Team SpongeBob. The last I heard of you, was that you all were in search of a woman who had come into possession of a Divine Jewel." Ennet said.

"Azarah Alamone." Aria said.

"The woman wreaked havoc with it. Slaying King Neptune, and destroying a whole town. This is why no one must ever become aware of these jewels. The need for their power is too great a desire to resist. Burn these savages!" Ennet said. 

Servants of Ennet's were getting ready to torch the crosses.

"WAIT!" SpongeBob yelled.

"There is nothing you can say to me that I would want to hear!" Ennet said.

"Look, we came all this way so that we can get the information we need to find these jewels and make sure they are NEVER to be used by ANYONE." SpongeBob said.

"You have to trust us!" Alex said.

Ennet thought it over.

Tapping her staff down, she seemed to be embracing some kind of energy.

"Very well. I will trust the four of you." Ennet said, as the tribe members were shocked.

"Okay, now can you let us out of these ropes?" SpongeBob asked, trying to budge his hands.

--------

Left Shore

Kyle and Bonnie got onto a F.I.N sanctioned Quickjet.

"Strap in. It'll be a long ride back to the base." Kyle said.

Bonnie and Kyle strapped in.

"Sir, why did you let the Board think my reason for betrayal was about the stress of workplace sexism?" Bonnie questioned. 

"Simple. I appealed to Amanda's womanhood, gave you a just cause in the eyes of the Board, and turned Clemmons into the villain and you the hero - fighting the patriarchy." Kyle answered.

"So basically.. you saved my job?" Bonnie asked.

"Yes. If they thought you weren't in line with the capturing of metas, they would have forced me to let you go from F.I.N. Possibly put a whack on ya." Kyle said.

"WHAT?" Bonnie said.

"I'm kidding about the whacking part! ..Mostly." Kyle said.

Bonnie shook her head.

"So do you really believe in this 'capturing of metas'?" Bonnie asked.

"It's not my call. We do what the Board and the King commissions us to do." Kyle told her.

"That sucks." Bonnie said.

"And don't get any fancy ideas about passing this info along to Team SpongeBob.. or should I say Team Linda." Kyle said.

"Why would I ever do that, sir?" Bonnie asked.

"A file went missing at the HQ. Thought I wouldn't catch that, did you?" Kyle asked.

"I have no idea what you're talk- "

"Save it, Bonnie. The file was about the Sea Star Society. The only people in the world who celebrate the Divine Jewels. A week later, SpongeBob and Sandy go on the run. I'm not stupid. Where are they going, Bonnie?" Kyle asked.

"I don't know, sir." Bonnie denied.

"You know. And I know." Kyle said.

"Why won't you fire me, then?" Bonnie asked.

"I see the potential in you. The promise that you have. I'm not letting that slip away." Kyle said.

Bonnie looked at him with tears in her eyes.

"No matter how much hell you give me." Kyle said, smiling at her.

--------

Sea Star Society, Tribal Camp

SpongeBob, Sandy, Aria, and Alex were lead into Queen Ennet's Royal Tent by her guards.

"This is very nice." Alex said, staring around.

"Thank you, young man." Ennet said.

A man entered the tent after them.

Team SpongeBob, this is Elder James.

"Nice to meet you." SpongeBob said.

Elder James shook their hands.

"Such fine young heroes." Elder James said, giving a weak smile.

"He's very old." Aria whispered to Alex.

"That's right, young lady. He is 105." Ennet told them.

"I can sense that he'll definitely have the knowledge we seek." Sandy said.

"You're very intuitive, young squirrel. Elder James, will in fact, be the one to give you the information you need." Ennet revealed.

"Great, we should get started." SpongeBob said.

"Not so fast. This information comes with a price." Ennet said.

"I knew this was too easy. What do you want?" Sandy asked.

"If it's money, I'm sure not the one who's gonna give it." Alex said, humorously.

"Our tribe is in trouble. There's a man, named Pagon who is threatening it. You defeat him, we give you the information you want." Ennet offered.

"That's why you stopped your servants from burning us alive, isn't it? Not because you trusted us, but because you saw us as a tool you could use." Sandy called out.

"You're not exactly wrong, but I did make sure you were worthy. I have a connection with A'la'la. The spirit of judgment. She lets me know who my tribe can trust. I call upon her through my staff." Ennet told them.

"Fine, we'll play your games. But we need more information." SpongeBob said.

"Our tribe used to have a King. My husband, Pagon. For thousands of years, our people have had a connection to the Divine Spirits of A'la'la, and O'tatus - the spirit of power." Ennet started.

"I've heard of those spirits, but I was sure they were just myths." Aria said.

"The spirits pass their abilities on to succeeding generations of Kings and Queens. Something went wrong this time. Pagon proved to be unfit for the power that O'tatus provided him. He went mad, and stormed away from our society." Ennet explained.

"So why is he a problem now?" SpongeBob asked.

"Every night for the last few weeks, he comes back to the village and kidnaps someone. My guards have been unable to stop him. Those who've tried.. have died." Ennet ended.

"I'm so sorry." Sandy said.

"That's just awful." Alex added.

"How can we stop him?" SpongeBob asked.

"The power of O'tatus can be turned off by destroying the Energy Stone at Spirit Mountains. Here's a map." Ennet gave SpongeBob.

"Okay. We'll end this." SpongeBob said.

"But be warned.. Pagon is within the forests, and he has forces from an enemy tribe on his side." Ennet told them.

"We'll be fine." Sandy said.

The gang exited the tent.

"Alright, we need to split up." Sandy said.

"What do you mean? Why?" SpongeBob asked.

"Pagon attacks at nightfall. The sun is already going down." Sandy noticed.

"You're right. Pagon will be here to kidnap someone. Two of us will stay here and fend off the village, while two others will hunt down the Energy Stone." SpongeBob said.

"It has to be me. I can destroy it with my own magical powers." Aria said.

"Excuse me, heroes. A few belongings of yours." a servant said, dropping off their travel packs.

SpongeBob got a book out of his.

"This is Shin's old spellbook. Could be of some use to you." SpongeBob said.

Tears were brought to Aria's eyes.

"Thank you." Aria said, putting it into her own travel pack.

"I'm gonna go with her." Sandy said.

"Good idea. Me and Alex will stay here for defense." SpongeBob said.

Aria and Sandy started to take off.

"Sandy, wait.." SpongeBob said.

"Yeah?" Sandy asked. 

"Be safe.. out there." SpongeBob said.

"I will." Sandy said, putting on her Jelly Bite.

--------

After ten or so minutes, Alex and SpongeBob headed out to the area of the last attack.

"A young boy was playing by this here river. Out of the trees over there, Pagon came and snatched him up." a guard of the queen told them.

"We'll wait here for Pagon." SpongeBob said

The guard took off.

"Sun's getting real low." Alex said.

"That's why we have to be on guard, kid." SpongeBob said.

"Right." Alex said.

"You look like you could use a suit." SpongeBob said.

"A super suit? Are you serious? I'd love that!" Alex said.

"Maybe one with a lightning streak on it?" SpongeBob asked, with a smile.

"It'd have to be a blue and black suit. I think those two colors compliment each other." Alex said, staring at SpongeBob's.

"I know someone. They designed mines here." SpongeBob said, waving his hands over his body.

"Thanks. By the way, what's up with you and Sandy?" Alex asked.

"I don't know what you mean." SpongeBob said.

"Pretty obvious there's something there, and I haven't even been around long." Alex laughed.

"Me and Sandy, huh? I don't know. For so long I didn't want anything to be there." SpongeBob said.

"The heart wants what it wants, square dude." Alex winked.

In the forest, Sandy and Aria were making their way to Spirit Mountains.

"We turn here." Sandy said, reading the map.

"I wonder if we'll run into Pagon." Aria said.

"I doubt it. The coordinates on this map circumvents the area he usually arrives in the village from." Sandy said.

"Queen Ennet is one smart lady. So are you." Aria said.

"Pardon me?" Sandy asked.

"You decided to come with me so you could analyze me. Threat assessment, miss Cheeks?" Aria questioned her.

"Well then, you appear to be as observant as I am." Sandy said.

"I have a very good eye." Aria said.

"Really? Cause you were blind to you mother's evilness for.. how long?" Sandy asked.

"You're a bitch, you know that?" Aria asked, as she stopped walking.

"Bitches get shit done." Sandy said, walking ahead of her.

Aria rolled her eyes. 

Back at the village, SpongeBob and Alex continued to stand guard.

"This is getting boring. I wish Pagon would just show up already!" Alex said.

Suddenly, the two saw something moving in the forest.

"What is that?" SpongeBob asked.

"It's far away, I can't tell. Wait.. it's definitely a figure of someone." Alex said.

"It's Pagon. Looks like you spoke up the devil." SpongeBob said.

SpongeBob grabbed onto Alex, speeding both of them into the forest.

"PAGON! STOP!" SpongeBob said, as he and Alex arrived.

"Who are you!" Pagon said, in a sinister tone.

"That doesn't matter. We're not gonna let you terrorize those people anymore." SpongeBob said.

"I can't help myself. I need more!" Pagon said.

"More of what? What is he talking about?" Alex asked to SpongeBob.

"I don't know, but it's time to fight." SpongeBob said.

SpongeBob speeded into Pagon, but he was pushed back into a tree.

"SpongeBob!" Alex yelled.

Pagon remained unmoved. He then started to walk forward.

Alex shot bolts of electricity at him, but Pagon's body just seemed to absorb the attacks.

Pagon immediately punched Alex over by SpongeBob.

"UHH.." Alex grunted, landing on his back.

SpongeBob speeded him and Alex behind a tree.

"What the hell?" Alex said, confused.

"I don't know. I think the Spirit of Power allows Pagon to absorb attacks." SpongeBob said.

"Kinetic energy." Alex said.

"The more we hit him, the stronger he becomes." SpongeBob said.

We switch perspectives back to the girls.

Sandy and Aria arrive at the Spirit Mountains.

"That was a long tread up the mountainside.." Sandy said.

"I could of transported us up here, but I thought your legs could use the work out. I mean, they've been in my ass all day." Aria sniped.

"Just shut up already." Sandy said, sighing.

As the girls entered the cave, they saw a large stone. The stone emitted blue, red, yellow, and pink energy.

"The energy surge is strong!" Aria said, feeling weak.

"Aria, are you sure you can do this?" Sandy asked.

"I won't fail like I did the day Mainland was destroyed. I couldn't absorb the energy from the generator!" Aria said, disappointed.

"This is different. That was energy from a Divine Jewel." Sandy said.

"It isn't different. I'm weak. I'll never be Shin." Aria said.

"No one's asking you to be. Do you hear me?" Sandy asked, pulling Aria's chin to her. "I came with you, because I want to see what YOU'RE made of. Not because I want you to be Shin. Or because I don't trust you." Sandy said.

"But you don't trust me." Aria said.

"Prove me wrong. Stop sinking in self pity, and SHOW me that you're a hero." Sandy said.

Aria took off her travel pack

Reaching inside the bag, she pulled out Shin's spellbook.

"Spells are stronger than regular magical energy. Just have to see which one would be best." Aria said.

"I don't think we have long." Sandy said.

As Aria flipped through the pages, she came across a spell.

"Found one." Aria said.

"HEY! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?" a voice was heard.

A group of Starfish entered the cave with spears.

"They must be the rival tribe working with Pagon." Aria said.

"I'll hold them off. Get to the spell!" Sandy said.

"tcejbo siht morf ygrene eht ekat I sdrow eseht htiw." Aria began to chant.

Sandy powered on her Jelly Bite 

"We don't want to make this hard!" a man said.

"I do." Sandy said, charging at them.

One of the men swung at her with his spear.

Sandy used her legs to straddle the spear out of his hands.

"tcejbo siht morf ygrene eht ekat I sdrow eseht htiw, tcejbo siht morf ygrene eht ekat I sdrow eseht htiw, tcejbo siht morf ygrene eht ekat I sdrow eseht htiw!" Aria continued to chant.

Back by the village, SpongeBob and Alex stepped from behind the tree.

"Out of my way, and I'll let you two live!" Pagon said.

"You're mad with power, but I'll size you down!" SpongeBob said.

SpongeBob ran around Pagon with his superspeed, creating a whirlwind around him.

"You won't win this, Sponge!" Alex yelled.

"I JUST NEED TO SLOW HIM DOWN UNTIL THE GIRLS DESTROY THE STONE!" SpongeBob yelled, continuing to run around him.

Back at Spirit Mountains, Sandy battled the rogue Starfish with the spear she got.

Dodging their blows, Sandy managed to hit all of them down.

"Missed one, sweetie!" a man said, whacking Sandy in the head with the back of his spear.

"Ow!" Sandy said, dropping her spear.

The man tried to strike her again.

Sandy dodged out of the way, performed a cartwheel, and electrocuted the man with her Jelly Bite.

"tcejbo siht morf ygrene eht ekat I sdrow eseht htiw" Aria chanted one final time.

Aria absorbed the energy, and the stone broke down into dust.

Aria began to cough, waving her hands through the dust.

"You did it!" Sandy said.

"I am Ms. Magic, aren't I?" Aria teased.

"Hey, it kinda works." Sandy said, smiling at her for the first time. 

Sandy and Aria heard voices from deeper in the cave.

"Help! Help!" the voices called out.

"Come on." Sandy said, as she and Aria raced down the cave.

The girls saw dozens of women, children, and men trapped behind a metal jail inside the cave.

"Hey! We're gonna get all of you out of here, and back to your village." Aria said.

"Yeah, we're heroes." Sandy said, nodding at Aria.

Back by the village, SpongeBob stopped speeding around Pagon.

"FOOL! You'll never get the best of me ... " Pagon said, suddenly feeling weak.

Pagon fell to his knees.

"I think the girls did it!" SpongeBob said.

"Lets see!" Alex said.

Alex zapped Pagon with a blast of electricity. 

Pagon passed out from the shock.

"They did it." Alex said.

---------

Within an hour, Aria and Sandy brought back all the kidnapped people to the village.

The tribe of Starfish cheered for the gang.

"Wow, earlier they cheered for our deaths, and now.. they're praising us as heroes." Alex said.

"We're a forgiving people!" Queen Ennet said.

"Lucky us, I guess." SpongeBob said.

"How forgiving can you be of me?" a voice was heard.

The guards, holding Pagon in chains, brought him in front of the Queen.

"Pagon.." Ennet said, shedding a tear.

"I'm so sorry. The power quite literally went to my head. I did what I did, but I wasn't me! Whatever I became wanted more energy. So, I kidnapped others." Pagon said.

"What were you going to do with them?" Sandy asked.

"Absorb their life energy." Pagon said, shamefully.

Ennet began to cry.

"I'm sorry, but I hereby banish you from our society." Ennet told him.

"I can accept that, but I'll always love you." Pagon said.

"Take him away." Ennet told her guards.

They did so.

SpongeBob, Sandy, Aria, and Alex grouped in the Royal Tent.

Elder James arrived to give them the information they need.

"For centuries, the Divine Jewels have been studied extensively by the Sea Star Society. We have documented their power levels, everything they're capable of doing." Elder James said, handing SpongeBob a book.

"Was this written by you?" SpongeBob asked.

"Yes. We've held onto it for over fifty years. Now, I pass it on to you young heroes." Elder James said.

"Thank you." Sandy said.

"What about locations?" SpongeBob asked.

"Those aren't in the book." Elder James said, sadly.

"That's why we came.." Aria remarked.

"Like I said, we've studied these jewels for centuries. They are evasive.. very much so. We have managed to track down one. The Power Jewel." Elder James told them.

"Where is it?" SpongeBob asked.

"Ancient Ruins in Bikini Bottom." Elder James revealed.

"I didn't know Bikini Bottom had an ancient ruins.." Sandy said.

Elder James provided them a detailed map with the site of the ruins.

"This means a lot." SpongeBob said.

Queen Ennet entered the tent.

"Young heroes, before you leave.. my people have a surprise for you." Ennet said.

"I know 'surprise' means we're not supposed to ask what it is, but.. what is it?" Alex asked.

"A little token of appreciation before you go away." Ennet smiled.

The gang exited, walking with Queen Ennet to the center of the village.

The Starfish were all in festive outfits, dancing around a giant fire.

Celebratory music played as refreshments and drinks were also served.

"I think we should make the most of tonight." SpongeBob said, smiling.

The gang began to dance around the fire with the Starfish.

Queen Ennet watched from a distance, happy that her village and people were safe again.

[TJ]

PLACE YOUR BETS IN THE POLL! 

Whoever chose right will receive a 1000 doubloon prize.

TUNE IN ON SUNDAY TO FIND OUT.

[TJ]

Team SpongeBob - Season 9: Divided

Ep.138 "Vs."

Karate Island Forests, Team SpongeBob's campsite

SpongeBob races back to the campsite, using super speed.

"SpongeBob! Where have you been!?" Sandy asked, as SpongeBob's speed put out the campfire.

"Sorry about the fire.. " SpongeBob said, holding a box.

"What's in the box?" Alex asked, walking over.

Aria walks over to the campfire as well.

"Don't tell me that's Alex's costume?" Aria asked, excitedly.

"I speeded off to a friend in Left Shore that designed our costume, Sandy." SpongeBob said.

"Do you know how dangerous that was? What if you had got caught out in Left Shore? Where would that have left us?" Sandy questioned.

"Whoa, whoa, calm down. I'm a speedster! I don't GET caught!" SpongeBob laughed.

"And this friend of yours is just gonna keep quiet about seeing you?" Aria asked.

"His name's Joe, and he's very trustworthy." SpongeBob promised.

"I hope you told Joe that I said hi." Sandy smiled.

"I did." SpongeBob said.

"So, my suit is in that box?" Alex asked.

"It's yours, buddy." SpongeBob said, smiling.

Alex opened the box.

The suit was black with white outlining, and a white lightning bolt on the chest plate.

"I know you asked for blue in there, but he's low on material these days - and I was in a rush." SpongeBob said

"It's perfect. Thank you." Alex said, nearly moved to tears.

"It feels good to be a hero, doesn't it?" Sandy asked, patting his shoulder.

"It does." Alex spoke.

"Congrats on the suit!" Aria said, giving him a hug.

"I'm gonna take a leak, guys." Sandy said, walking off into the woods.

--------

F.I.N Headquarters, Location Classified

Seeing the lights still on in the Lab, Director Kyle entered.

"Felix, what are you still doing in here? It's pretty late." Kyle asked.

"SIR, I MADE A BREAKTHROUGH!" Felix said, jumping up and down

"Wait, wait, wait. None of that, none of that. What breakthrough?" Kyle said, grabbing his arms.

"Okay, I upped the capabilities of the Quantum Locator, and I MAY have just tracked SpongeBob using his super speed." Felix revealed.

"Felix.. are you saying, that you FOUND SpongeBob and his rogues?" Kyle asked.

"Yes!" Felix said.

"This is great! This is great! Where are they?" Kyle asked.

"That's the thing.. the Quantum Locator works slowly when it comes to tracking super speed. Now, it should be able to determine a full location for SpongeBob's whereabouts as early as tomorrow morning." Felix explained.

"I just hope he and his group are in one place for at least the next eight hours." Kyle said.

Felix shook his head.

"Come tomorrow morning, I'm gonna get in touch with Team Linda." Kyle said.

---------

Karate Island Forests

In the forest, Sandy was seen grabbing a duffel bag out of a bush.

"So, it's yours!" Aria called out, coming out of a shady area.

"Aria! What the hell?" Sandy was freaked.

"You're usually a little more observant." Aria said.

"So, you followed me out here? .. To watch me pee?" Sandy asked.

"Me and Alex knew about the duffel. There's a gun inside, Sandy." Aria said.

"And you just assumed it would be mines?" Sandy asked.

"I got pretty good at reading you too." Aria said, giving a sly smile.

"And here I thought we were starting to warm up to each other." Sandy said, rolling her eyes.

"What's the gun for, Sandy?" Aria asked.

"We're ON THE RUN, and you're asking me what the gun is for?" Sandy asked.

"We're not trying to kill people, are we?" Aria asked.

"As if you have ANY qualms about killing." Sandy sniped.

Aria felt hurt.

Sandy looked remorseful.

"I'm trying to protect us, okay? All of us." Sandy said.

"I'm gonna head back to camp." Aria said, leaving.

Sandy sighed.

After a few minutes, Sandy returned to camp, putting the duffel in her tent.

Sandy then went into SpongeBob's tent.

"Hey!" Sandy greeted

"Hey, what's up. How'd you know I didn't nod off and fall asleep?" SpongeBob asked, smiling

"I know you. You're not an easy sleeper." Sandy said, laughing.

"Yeah. Sorry I was gone all day." SpongeBob said.

"No, it's fine. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow." Sandy said.

"Yeah, taking off to really get this search started." SpongeBob said.

"You think we'll find what we need in Bikini Bottom?" Sandy asked.

"Completing this mission is a long shot, I know. But, we've faced longer." SpongeBob said.

"Certainly. It's crazy to think about how this all started with the two of us." Sandy said, lying next to SpongeBob, inches away from his face.

"Yeah. Along with Shin and Patrick." SpongeBob said.

"I miss them so much." Sandy said, almost shedding a tear.

"Me too." SpongeBob said, breathing heavy.

"At least we have each other, right?" Sandy asked.

"That's what I want to thank you for. You've followed me, and been by my side, and gone along with everything I've set in motion. I have never known a more loyal person." SpongeBob said.

"Well, loyalty is kinda easy when you really love someone." Sandy said, with her lips inching closer to SpongeBob's.

"You love me?" SpongeBob asked.

"I love you." Sandy repeated.

SpongeBob kissed Sandy.

Both of them began to shed their clothes, as they embraced each other with more kisses.

--------

F.I.N Headquarters, Location Classified

Team Linda (Linda, Pearl, Mindy, and Tetra), arrived at the F.I.N HQ.

The ladies met with Director Kyle in the lounge.

"Ladies, welcome to HQ." Kyle said.

"I think this is the first time we've been here.." Linda said, with Pearl agreeing.

"Well, now that Team SpongeBob isn't a vigilante organization.. you get a little more perks." Kyle said.

"Team Linda now." Linda said, crossing her arms.

"Alright, we came all this way so early in the morning. What do you have for us." Mindy asked.

"We've found SpongeBob." Kyle revealed.

"Oh, wow. I mean, we've been looking, but we just hadn't gotten any leads." Linda said.

"That's okay, because we've covered it. Now, you ladies will help bring them in." Kyle said.

"We're leading this operation." Linda said.

"No, you're not. You four are gonna be our tool of surprise." Kyle said.

The women looked confused.

"Just tell us where they are, Mr. Kyle Sir." Pearl remarked.

"Karate Island Forests, not too far from the Karate Island Airfield." Kyle revealed.

"Could they be planning to leave the island?" Tetra asked.

"That's certainly a possibility. Especially since we believe that they had contact with a society of starfish who celebrate the Divine Jewels." Kyle told them.

"We'll need to move fast." Linda said.

"My people are loading up three Quickjets. I'll check on the progress." Kyle said, leaving.

"That was heavy.." Pearl said.

"We're really about to bring in our friends." Tetra said.

"Hey, Tetra, if you have any hangups about this, it's okay. We all do." Pearl said.

"I want to see SpongeBob and Sandy face justice for their treachery. Even heroes have to abide by rules and regulations." Tetra said.

"That's what I keep telling myself too." Pearl said.

"Wanna look around the HQ with me? Might take our minds off of it." Tetra asked.

"Sure. Seems like a one in a lifetime chance." Pearl laughed.

"Pearl!" Linda called out.

Pearl had already left with Tetra.

"Uh, so Linda.." Mindy said.

"Yeah?" Linda asked, nervous.

"I.. I just noticed you don't talk to me much. Sometimes you actually avoid looking my direction." Mindy laughed.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know I was so obvious." Linda said.

"Is there a problem?" Mindy asked.

"Yes! I'M the problem. I put you in that coma." Linda said, shaking her head.

"Linda, no. I saved your life. Yeah, in the process.. something tragic happened to me, but it was MY choice. You on the other hand, didn't have a choice in what happened to you." Mindy told her.

"You really mean that?" Linda asked.

"From the bottom of my heart. It's time for you to start believing it too." Mindy said.

"I still feel so wrong." Linda said, turning her back.

"Linda.. I don't have to have my telepathy to guess that maybe what you're feeling so wrong about, isn't me." Mindy said.

"What do you mean?" Linda asked, turning back to her.

"You're using the guilt you feel about what happened to me to cover from the guilt you're feeling about this rift in Team SpongeBob. This division." Mindy suggested.

"We should catch up with Pearl and Tetra." Linda said, deflecting.

In the Lab, Kyle approached Bonnie.

"Big mission today." Kyle said.

"You worried about me tanking it?" Bonnie asked.

"No, I want you to lead it." Kyle told her.

"Oh.." Bonnie said.

"Wait, what? No fair. I thought that would be a role given to me at last." Agent Ridley said, coming toward them.

"I have a better role for you. Keep the Speedster at bay on the field." Kyle said.

"Are you serious? Are you giving me the-"

"SPEED SWIPER!" Felix said, handing him the energy gun.

"So cool." Ridley said.

"Agent Bonnie, Agent Ridley, you'll both take a Quickjet and a crew of five along with you." Kyle ordered.

"Are the jets loaded up?" Bonnie asked.

"Show time." Kyle responded.

-------

Karate Island Forests

At the campsite, Aria came sitting next to Sandy on a log.

"Hi." Aria said.

"What do you want?" Sandy asked, packing her duffel.

"Earlier this morning.. I saw you coming out of SpongeBob's tent." Aria divulged.

"Wow, is this gonna be your new habit? Spying on Sandy?" Sandy asked.

"I was taking an early morning leak. We got a long day ahead of us. That's when I saw. Did you spend the night in there?" Aria asked.

"What are you implying?" Sandy asked, starting to blush.

"Oh, come on. Just between us girls." Aria said.

"We're not friends." Sandy said, rolling her eyes.

"Not like we have a lot of choice for company." Aria said.

"Fine. Me and SpongeBob slept together." Sandy whispered.

"Did it hurt?" Aria asked.

"He was gentle." Sandy said.

"OH MY GOD, NO! I just meant, did it hurt for you to tell me that?" Aria laughed, kind of squicked out.

"Okay, this convo was a bad idea." Sandy said, laughing.

SpongeBob and Alex joined Sandy and Aria around the campfire.

"Alright, I have four ear-coms here, which we'll need to talk to each other when at distance." SpongeBob said.

SpongeBob gave them out to Aria, Sandy, and Alex. 

"A tight fit, but it's in there." Aria said, playing with it.

"Alright, here's the plan. We need to get to Bikini Bottom as soon as possible. In order to get off the island, we'll steal a jet from the Airfields - which are is not too far from here." SpongeBob told them.

"Great, we'll be thieves too." Aria said.

"Not like we could of brought the S-Jet. But once we're off the island, I think we'll have a much easier time completing our mission." SpongeBob said.

"There's still the matter of the other jewels. We have no idea where the last two could even be." Sandy said.

"We'll figure it out." SpongeBob said.

"..And how long will that be? Cause, we can't just leave Debbie in F.I.N's hands forever." Alex said.

"One thing at a time, Mr. Jones." SpongeBob said, standing up.

"Let's go." Sandy said.

Suddenly, the foursome heard the sound of engines.

"Something's coming from the sky.." Sandy said, looking up.

Two F.I.N Quickjets were seen flying in the sky.

In one of the Quickjets, we see Bonnie piloting. In the other, Agent Ridley is piloting. 

"We start shooting NOW." Bonnie says, over coms.

Both of the jets started shooting energy beams.

"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!" SpongeBob yelled.

Sandy runs into her tent. 

Alex begins shooting strips of lightning at the jets.

Bonnie and Ridley maneuver the jets out of the way.

"SpongeBob! Use your speed!" Aria yelled, putting a barrier around herself.

SpongeBob uses his super speed to create a giant whirlwind, that manages to damage the Quickjets.

Both of the jets crash into the campsite.

An engine blast occurs that pushes SpongeBob and Alex onto the ground.

Sandy exits the tent.

Aria drops her barrier.

"They're getting out!" Sandy yells.

F.I.N agents step out of the jets.

"SpongeBob! Come peacefully." Bonnie said, with a slightly injured leg.

"Bonnie, how could you?" SpongeBob asked.

"None of this is personal, BELIEVE me." Bonnie said.

"ROUND THEM UP!" Ridley yelled.

"SpongeBob, take them all out." Sandy said.

As SpongeBob started to use his speed, Agent Ridley hit him with the Speed Swiper.

"AAHH!" SpongeBob yelled, getting hit with an energy blast.

Sandy made her way over to Ridley, using a karate kick to knock the gun out of his hands.

Ridley took a swing at Sandy, but she dodged and kicked him in the stomach.

Aria uses dark energy on the agents.

Bonnie uses her batons to try and hit Alex.

"Second time, you and me, huh?" Bonnie teased.

"I thought you were different!" Alex said.

Bonnie whacked him across the face with a baton.

Alex shot back with an electric blast.

"They're all down!" Sandy said.

"We need to go!" SpongeBob said, getting up.

SpongeBob, Sandy, Aria, and Alex raced further into the forest, coming across a large opening.

From afar, they could see four women running towards them.

"LINDA?" SpongeBob questioned.

Linda, Pearl, Mindy, and Tetra appeared in front of SpongeBob's crew.

All of them standing side by side on their respective teams.

"This has been a long time coming." Linda said. 

"F.I.N knew they weren't gonna win back there. It was a trick." Sandy said.

"Linda.. I know how mad you must be." SpongeBob sad.

"I am livid. You've made of fool of heroism, yourself, and WORST.. our team." Linda yelled.

"From where I'm standing, we're not a team anymore." SpongeBob said.

"Who's fault was that? You broke a convict out of prison, laid waste to dozens of federal agents, and continue to act without rules and regulations!" Linda said.

"Ya know what, Linda? The talking is getting boring. We have some place to be. Get out of the way, or we'll go through you." Sandy said.

"No. We're bringing you all in. if it's a fight you want, you won't win." Linda said.

"How's your speed, SpongeBob?" Sandy asked.

"I think it just came back." SpongeBob said.

Both sides of heroes charged at each other.

SpongeBob used his speed to push Linda back.

Pearl shot her arrows at Sandy, who did multiple flips to avoid them.

Aria came face to face with Tetra.

"What do I call you?" Aria asked.

"My friends call me Tetra, my victims call me Tremors." Tetra responded.

Tetra used her seismic abilities to make the ground shake.

Aria stumbled a bit.

Tetra then blasted Aria with a sonic wave.

Alex shot a bolt of electricity at Mindy.

Mindy used her telekinesis to separate the bolt into two halves.

The two electricity streams hit two different trees, knocking them down.

Pearl and Sandy jumped out of the way as they were almost hit.

Sandy uses acrobatics to jump over the fallen tree.

Pearl shoots another arrow at her.

Sandy impressively kicks it out of the way.

Linda shoots light energy at SpongeBob, who is blasted backwards while running.

"You may be fast, but nothing's faster than the speed of light!" Linda said, shooting more light beams at him.

SpongeBob used his speed to try and move away from them.

As SpongeBob got closer to her, Linda shined a large, focused beam of light energy that blinded SpongeBob.

"I can't see!" SpongeBob screamed.

Linda punched him down.

Tetra kept up blasting Aria with her sonic waves.

Having enough, Aria's eye pupils turned black.

"pu reh eit dna esir seniv" Aria casted a spell.

A hoard of vines ripped out of the ground, tying Tetra in them.

"Enough!" Aria said.

Mindy uses her telekinesis to launch tree branches at Alex.

Alex creates a wall of electricity, which disintegrates the branches.

From behind Mindy, Aria shoots a blast of dark energy at her, knocking her out.

Pearl swings her bow at Sandy, but Sandy dodges.

"I can't believe you! I can't believe you're on Linda's side in all this." Sandy said.

"I've had my doubts, but I'm doing what's right in the end." Pearl said.

"Us too." Sandy said.

"Can't agree there." Pearl said, trying to take aim.

Sandy performs a karate kick, knocking Pearl's bow out of her hand.

Pearl and Sandy engage in hand-to-hand fighting.

Sandy punches Pearl, and catches her around the neck.

Pearl flips Sandy over.

Sandy gets up, pulls out a gun, and shoots Pearl in the left side of her chest.

The gun shot is heard by everyone, as they all pause.

"PEARLLLLLLL!" Linda yells, dropping the handcuffs that she was going to put on SpongeBob.

SpongeBob regains consciousness. As his vision returns, he sees Linda run over to Pearl's body.

Sandy backs up, dropping her gun.

Linda throws herself by Pearl's body.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Linda yelled at Sandy, who backed up more

Pearl coughs up blood, as her wound leaks out.

Tetra uses her seismic abilities to create a sonic wave from her entire body, allowing her to break out of the vines.

Mindy gets up, running over towards Pearl.

"Sandy! What'd you do?" Aria asked.

"Sandy, you did this?" SpongeBob asked, noticing the gun a few feet away.

Tetra starts calling for help, as Linda and Mindy use a cloth to put pressure on the wound.

"Guys, this is our escape. We have to go now!" Sandy said.

"Are you insane!?" SpongeBob said.

"She's right, SpongeBob! We need to take the Quickjet that they came here in." Alex said.

SpongeBob, Sandy, Aria, and Alex take off

The beaten F.I.N agents make their way to the area.

"WHAT HAPPENED?" Bonnie yelled.

"Sandy shot her!" Linda cried.

"Guys, they escaped." Tetra noticed.

Linda looked disappointed and furious. 

"They get no more second chances." Linda said, with an angered expressions.

In the sky, a Quickjet takes off.

"They grabbed the only working jet." Ridley said, face-palming.

"We need to get out of here soon, or Pearl could die!" Mindy said, with fear.

On the jet, SpongeBob was the pilot, as Sandy and the others buckled up.

"HOW COULD YOU!" SpongeBob yelled.

"It wasn't personal. It was strategic. We needed a big enough distraction to steal their Quickjet and GET AWAY." Sandy explained herself.

"PEARL COULD DIE!" SpongeBob yelled, with spit flying out his mouth.

"Focus on the wheel right now!" Aria said.

"SpongeBob, I am a TRAINED SHOT. Trust me, Pearl won't die." Sandy tried to assure him.

"You can't know for sure." Alex chimed in.

"Besides, we won. We got away." Sandy said.

"If she dies, Sandy.. you'll regret it." SpongeBob said.

"Is that a threat?" Sandy asked.

"A promise." SpongeBob said, intensely. 

TO.BE.CONTINUED

[Rebel the Wolfgirl]

Nice. Team SB won.

[TJ]

Team SpongeBob - Season 9: Divided

Ep.139 "Fallout"

Left Shore General Hospital, Left Shore

We see Pearl being rushed into the hospital on a gurney, with Team Linda following behind a hoard of doctors and nurses.

"PEARL! YOU'RE GONNA MAKE IT!" Linda cried out.

One of the doctors pushed Linda back.

"OFF OF ME! SHE'S MY FRIEND!" Linda yelled.

"She's in bad condition, and there's nothing you can do. Let us do our jobs." the doctor said.

"Linda, he's right." Tetra said, worried.

Linda stepped back.

The girls watched Pearl's gurney take off to the operating room.

Agents of F.I.N, including Bonnie and Ridley, enter the scene.

"I wonder what her odds are." Ridley said.

"DON'T say that!" Linda yelled.

"Sorry." Ridley said.

"Linda, we have to face the fact that this isn't good." Mindy said.

"I know." Linda said.

Suddenly, Mindy began rubbing her head.

"Are you okay?" Tetra asked.

"Just a headache." Mindy said.

Board member, Amanda Wheeler, entered.

"Linda! What happened?" Amanda questioned.

Suddenly, paparazzi flooded in, along with reporters.

Other staff members tried to do damage control, but the ground floor of the hospital was becoming an overcrowded mess.

Amanda pulled Linda off to the side.

"I'm so sorry, but we didn't get them." Linda said.

"How did SpongeBob and his rogues escape?" Amanda questioned.

"Me and the girls almost had them. We'd all gotten into a huge fight, but everything took a turn when Sandy shot Pearl." Linda revealed.

Mindy began to hear piercing sounds in her head. 

Clenching her eyes shut, Mindy took off outside.

Tetra followed her, both of them pushing through others.

"Mindy, are you okay?" Tetra asked, running up to her.

"It was loud in there." Mindy said.

"Are you sure that's all?" Tetra asked.

"Yeah, yeah. I was hearing too many voices at once!" Mindy said, blowing it off.

"With your ears? ... Or in your head?" Tetra asked.

"What are you implying?" Mindy asked.

"You're telepathy could be on it's way back." Tetra suggested.

Mindy just stared at her.

Back inside, Linda and Amanda talked more.

"SpongeBob and Sandy got away on the only working jet, so it took forever for F.I.N to send more." Linda said.

"Which made Pearl's condition worse?" Amanda questioned.

"Exactly. I'm so worried about her." Linda said, nearing tears.

"This is not the time to cry. I entrusted you, Linda. Instead of serving me Team SpongeBob's heads on a platter, you created a media circus due to your incompetence!" Amanda yelled.

Amanda walked over to some reporters, leaving Linda upset.

------
F.I.N Private Prison

Debbie is seen strapped in a metal chair, as a man comes towards her with a syringe.

"Please don't!" Debbie cried out.

"I'm sorry, young lady. I wish I could set you free. I can't." the man said, putting the syringe in Debbie's arm.

"AHHH!" Debbie screamed.

After that was done, Debbie was taken back to her cell by F.I.N prison guards.

The guards tossed her carelessly into her cell.

Debbie landed on her hands, pushing herself up.

"Who are you.." Debbie asked, seeing a new woman in her cell.

"Excuse me?" the woman asked.

"Sorry, it's just... I had a different cellmate before I got taken." Debbie said, sitting down on her bed.

"My name is Victoria Chrome,.. but everyone calls me the Ice Queen." Victoria said, revealing herself as the Ice Queen from Season 2.

"Nice to meet you, Victoria.. I guess. Why are you my new cellmate?" Debbie asked, analyzing the power inhibitor around her neck.

"Had some issues with my own cellmate. So, they put me here. I hope me and you don't have those same issues." Victoria said, threateningly.

"Of course not, I'm an angel." Debbie said, frightened.

"Uh huh. What's your name?" Victoria asked.

"Debbie." Debbie said.

"No inhibitor?" Victoria asked.

"Oh. Well, one wouldn't work on me." Debbie said.

"Interesting. Why is that? Every meta in this prison is only being held due to the inhibitors. What's the deal with you?" Victoria questioned.

"I'm not just any regular meta. I'm the Universal Guardian." Debbie finally admitted.

Victoria looked shocked.

"I've only heard legends about the Guadian. Didn't believe it was a real mantel."  Victoria said.

"Well, it is. F.I.N is suppressing my Guardian powers with Dopamine Depletion Serum. I get injected every couple of days. I think they're trying to capture all metas." Debbie told her.

"Open season on people with powers, huh? Well, it's certainly a brave new world out there." Victoria said, peering out of their small window.

"Not brave. Scared." Debbie made clear.

-------

Left Shore General Hospital

Linda stood outside Pearl's operating room, and paced back and forth.

"Hey, you need to stop worrying." Tetra said, coming around the corner.

"Tetra, hey.." Linda said.

"I brought you a coffee." Tetra said, handing it to her.

"Thanks. The operation is taking awhile. I'm scared." Linda said.

"She'll pull through. She's a tough girl." Tetra said.

"I know, I know. But, how did it get to this? How did we get here? Fighting our friends, and Sandy shooting Pearl?" Linda questioned.

"It's horrible what's happened, I know." Tetra said.

"We've all been allies for years. Family. Now, Pearl's life could be on the line." Linda said.

"Have you called her father?" Tetra asked.

"I did. He's gonna try to make arrangements to get here. But, I didn't downplay how bad it is. He know she could be dead before he makes it here." Linda said.

"I think we just need to have faith. We owe Pearl that much." Tetra said.

A few seconds later, the doctors exit the operating room.

"Doctor Drake, how is she?" Linda asked, with her heart beating.

"I'm so sorry.." Doctor Drake said.

"Don't." Linda said, beginning to cry.

"Linda, she's on life support. The gun shot trauma left her with a brain injury. If she had gotten here earlier, there could of been time to reverse the damage her internal organs took." Doctor Drake told them.

Tetra hugged Linda, who started to cry profusely.

The medical staff let them be.

"We can still save her." Linda said, collecting herself.

"How?" Tetra asked.

"Mindy." Linda said.

------

Left Shore City Hall, King Triton's Office

"Why are you here?" Triton asked of his sister, Mindy.

"I don't want you to disband the team." Mindy said.

"Mindy, do you know how wild today has been? I've tried to keep my statements vague, but the press is pushing for more story." Neptune said.

"So, just tell them to shut up!" Mindy said.

"It's NOT that simple! More than ever, the public is growing afraid of the antics of Team SpongeBob.. of metas." Triton yelled.

"What are you implying? That we should be locked up?" Mindy asked.

Triton looked unnerved.

"..Triton? That's not what you're thinking, right?" Mindy asked.

"Why would I be thinking that? My own sister is a meta." Triton said, turning away from her.

"That's sweet, bro, but we both know you couldn't care less about me." Mindy said.

"All you care about is me not disbanding this 'Team Linda' thing." Triton said, staring her in the eyes.

"Because I believe we can bring in SpongeBob and Sandy. I want justice for Pearl. For what they did to her." Mindy stated.

Linda and Tetra stormed in.

"SHE'S RIGHT. You can't take us out of this!" Linda said.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Triton yelled.

"We came for Mindy. But I'm glad we arrived when we did." Linda said.

"You and your team failed to bring in Team SpongeBob. Why should I give you all a second chance?" Triton asked.

"Because we're not gonna give SponeBob a second chance. Once we find him again, there will be no feelings in the way." Linda said.

"Are you saying you'll kill them?" Triton asked, looked interested.

"I'm saying that I'll do what it takes." Linda said, in a dark tone.

"How is the Pink Arrow?" Triton asked.

"Oh yeah. Mindy, she needs you." Linda said.

"What do you mean?" Mindy asked.

"Pearl's on life supprt." Tetra revealed.

"BUT you can bring her back." Linda said.

"How?" Mindy asked.

"Telepathy." Linda said.

"Linda.. I can't. I told you." Mindy said.

"Earlier today, it seemed like you were hearing people's thoughts. Maybe it's coming back." Tetra said.

Triton looked odd.

"Is this true?" Triton asked.

"Could be. I don't know." Mindy said.

"Just try. Pearl deserves that much." Linda said.

"Maybe don't force her.." Triton said.

"Are you okay, King Triton? You seem a little shaky?" Tetra said.

"What?" Triton asked.

"Sorry, it's just I can feel vibrations. Even subtle ones." Tetra said.

"I'll do it.." Mindy said, after thinking over.

Linda smiled.

-------

F.I.N Private Prison

In her cell, Debbie closed a book she was reading.

"Are you awake?" Debbie asked Victoria.

"What do you want, little girl?" Victoria asked, sitting up.

"Sorry, I was just wondering about you.." Debbie said.

"Sounds kinda gay. I already have me a bitch in here." Victoria joked.

"Okay, noo.. I was wondering why you're in here. That's all." Debbie said.

"So, you're nosy." Victoria said.

"Hey, I told you about me. I'm bored. Just distract me." Debbie asked of her.

"Without this inhibitor.. I can manipulate cold energy." Victoria revealed.

"Ah.. Ice Queen." Debbie realized.

"I thought I was invincible. I thought I could grab power. And I almost did. I murdered a lot of people before Team SpongeBob stopped me." Victoria revealed.

"So, Team SpongeBob put you in here. Interesting." Debbie said.

"I figured you had some history with them." Victoria said.

"I do. They're friends of mine.. or were." Debbie said.

"You think they're coming to save you, don't you?" Victoria questioned.

"I know they're coming to save me." Debbie said.

"Live in your dream world. Reality will come for you soon enough, little girl." Victoria smiled, laying back down.

Debbie went into deep thought.

-------

Left Shore General Hospital

Mindy, Linda, and Tetra entered the operating room.

"Dr. Drake gave us a half hour." Linda said, closing the door.

"I'll see what I can do." Mindy said.

"We believe in you, Mindy." Tetra said, smiling.

Mindy put her hand over Pearl's head.

Closing her eyes, she tried to connect with Pearl's mental state.

As Mindy opened her eyes, she suddenly found herself in a bright-lit school hallway.

"Where am I?" Mindy asked.

Mindy saw a woman standing in the middle of the hallway.

"..Pearl?" Mindy called out.

Pearl stood still.

"Pearl!" Mindy said, touching her arm.

Pearl suddnely snapped out of it.

"Hey, Mindy... where are we?" Pearl asked.

"Pearl, you were shot! I'm here to help you wake up." Mindy stated.

The two girls heard an electric-sound.

Standing before them was a man dressed in a yellow and black costume.

"Hello, Pink Arrow. I've been waiting for this rematch." the man said.

"Who is that?" Mindy asked.

"That's The Buzz. When I joined Team SpongeBob, he was one of the first villains I battled. He attacked my high school." Pearl said.

"Wow, okay.." Mindy said.

"Why is he here?" Pearl asked.

"Your mind can't process the attack your body recieved, so it's reacting. Kind of like having a nightmare when something external is bothering your body while you're asleep." Mindy explained.

"ENOUGH TALKING! I WANT MY REVENGE!" The Buzz said.

The Buzz shot out a spark of electricity from both hands, frying the lights in the school.

The hallway became very dark.

"Where is he?" Pearl asked.

"I don't know. But, we need to run." Mindy said.

Both girls ran into the gym.

The Buzz appeared from the other side, shooting a spark of electricity at Mindy.

"Mindy!" Pearl yelled, trying to help her up.

"The ball rack.." Mindy said.

Pearl shot an arrow at the locked Basketball Rack.

Mindy used telekinesis to levitate the balls towards The Buzz.

The Buzz shot at the balls with electricity.

"He's producing a lot of electricity." Mindy said.

"That's a good thing!" Pearl said.

Pearl shot an arrow at the sprinklers above.

All of the sprinklers in the gym went off, causing The Buzz to electrocute himself.

Mindy blasted him with telekinetic energy, as he hit the wall.

Both Mindy and Pearl felt themselves vibrating.

"PEARL!" Mindy yelled, opening her eyes in real life.

Pearl's vitals picked up, as the machine started to sound off.

"Mindy, you did it!" Linda said.

"She did it!" Mindy said.

Linda, Mindy, and Tetra hugged, as Linda called out for Dr. Drake.

Fifteen minutes pass, and Dr. Drake exits Pearl's operating room.

"We're gonna have her transfered to a resting room. She's been coming in and out of sleep, but the good news is that she will make it through." Dr. Drake revealed.

The girls cheered, as Dr. Drake left them alone.

"Should we go in and see her?" Tetra asked.

"She's probably too weak for that. We should leave her to rest." Linda said.

"Linda! There's someone here for Pearl." Dr. Drake said, coming back around

"Really? I didn't think her father would of gotten here so soon." Linda said to the other girls.

Linda made her way to the nurse's desk.

"Wait.." Linda said, seeing a handsome young man standing there.

"Hello!" the man smiled.

"PINTAR?" Linda asked, hugging him.

"I'm so glad to see that you're okay." Pintar said.

"Me? What about you? Your own mother put you into a coma, because you saw me alive." Linda said.

"I woke up about a week ago. I was prepared to learn that my mother had totally ruined the island, but I was surprised to learn that she had died." Pintar said.

"We believe Cassandra committed suicide. I'm so sorry." Linda said.

"Why? She held you hostage for a year. Making your friends believe that you were dead." Pintar said.

"She was still your mother." Linda said.

"I know. But now I'm going to define my life without her. I came here, because I heard about Pearl." Pintar said.

"She's too weak to see anyone right now.. especially you." Linda said.

"Alright, I'll wait." Pintar said.

"Thank you." Linda said.

Pintar took off, as Mindy and Tetra walked up to Linda.

"Who was that?" Tetra asked.

"An old ally." Linda said.

"So, I think I know where we need to go next." Tetra said.

"Where?" Linda asked.

"The place where SpongeBob got the information on the Divine Jewels. The Sea Star Society." Tetra said.

Linda nodded her head in agreement.

NOTES:

• Debbie is being held in a F.I.N prisonhold.
• The Ice Queen (Victoria Chrome) makes a return appearance, last being seen in Season 2. It is revealed that she has also beeing imprisoned with F.I.N
• The Buzz, a villain from Seasons 5 and 8, returns as a mental illusion. 
•  Mindy's telepathy returns.
• Pintar returns after last being seen in Season 7.
• The White Queen (Cassandra), from Seasons 6 and 7, is mentioned.

[TJ]

Team SpongeBob - Season 9: Divided

Ep.140 "Ruins"

Sea Star Society, Tribal Camp

The S-Jet is seen landing before the entrance of the Sea Star Society village. 

Two guardsmen stood in front of the entrance of the village, wielding spears and shields.

Linda, Mindy, and Tetra exit the jet.

"Sorry about the abrupt landing!" Linda called out.

"HOLD!" one guard said.

Linda, Mindy, and Tetra took pause.

"Who are you?" the other guard asked.

"We're a special operative troop under Karate Island authority." Linda said, pulling out legal papers.

"We understand your village may have been visited by fugitives a few days ago." Tetra said. 

Suddenly, a woman approached the entrance.

"I knew we'd be visited today by disgruntled forces." Queen Ennet said, holding her staff.

"Who are you?" Linda asked.

"I am Queen Ennet, and my village has been trying to change the way we greet outsiders. However, we don't take too kindly to threats." Queen Ennet made clear.

"We're not here to threaten you. We need information. I'd prefer to receive it before the sun goes down." Linda said, looking up.

"I am Princess Mindy, the daughter of the late King Neptune, and sister of the current King Triton." Mindy addressed.

"Hoping to connect with me, because we share royalty in common?" Queen Ennet asked.

"We just need your help. Give us the information we want, and we'll turn right back around." Mindy said.

"Very well. What do you heroines seek?" Queen Ennet questioned.

"Team SpongeBob. Did they visit your village?" Linda asked.

"No." Queen Ennet said.

"She's lying." Tetra said.

"How dare you make that accusation." Queen Ennet denied.

"I sense and control vibrations. I can tell when people lie by the beating of their heart. But, if you want to continue to give us false answers, you should know that Princess Mindy is a telepath." Tetra threatened.

Queen Ennet looked unnerved.

"Now, the truth. Where is Team SpongeBob?" Mindy asked.

-------

Bikini Bottom, Poseidon's Forest

Team SpongeBob lands their stolen Quickjet in the uncharted Bikini Bottom forest.

As the gang exits the jet, they take in their surroundings.

"Way too dark." Aria said.

"..And muggy." Alex added.

"Start a fire." Sandy said.

"Are we seriously camping out here all night?" Aria asked.

"I agree with Aria. We're close to the ancient ruins." Alex said.

"We're also tired. We're going in the morning, but right now we need to sleep. We have no idea what's waiting for us." SpongeBob remarked.

"SpongeBob's right." Sandy said.

"Would you stop dick-riding me all the time." SpongeBob said, angrily.

Sandy looked shocked.

"I'm.. gonna go pick out a good camp spot." Aria said, walking off awkwardly.

"I'm gonna.. go uh... get the new tent supplies." Alex said, rushing off back to the Quickjet.

SpongeBob felt guilty.

"Are you gonna apologize?" Sandy asked.

"Are you?" SpongeBob asked.

"I didn't do anything wrong!" Sandy said.

"You SHOT our friend!" SpongeBob said.

"It was a strategic play. We NEEDED a distrac-"

"STOP! Okay, just stop! It wasn't just business. It was YOU shooting a close, personal friend of ours!" SpongeBob yelled, holding back tears.

Sandy looked remorseful.

"Pearl... you shot, Pearl. She could be dead right now." SpongeBob said.

"YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW THAT? I tried to pull off a non-lethal shot, but YOU WERE RIGHT. There's no way to know for sure. Instead of making me feel like shit, maybe we can worry a little bit more about all the craziness at hand!" Sandy yelled.

"Exactly how I feel. Until I know Pearl is alive, you are dead to me." SpongeBob said, walking to the Quickjet.

Sandy walked over to the spot Aria picked out for camp.

Aria was seen using her magic to make a fire. 

"Nice spot." Sandy said.

"Everything okay with you guys?" Aria asked.

"You know it's not." Sandy said, looking sad.

"It's just, this seems like bad timing. Ya know, after you two... slept together." Aria said.

"Bad timing. That seems to be a constant with me and SpongeBob." Sandy said.

------

Left Shore General Hospital

The next morning, Bonnie visited Pearl in her hospital room.

Pearl appeared fragile, but awake.

"Hi, Pearl." Bonnie said, standing at the door with flowers.

"Hi, come in." Pearl said softly.

"These flowers are from everyone at F.I.N. We felt bad that you almost died because of our incompetence." Bonnie said.

"No, come on. I'm in this line of work to no fault of my own." Pearl said.

"I'm glad you have a positive attitude." Bonnie smiled.

"I was a little surprised that you were in on the whole 'capturing' thing. I mean, we all thought you'd be on SpongeBob's side." Pearl said.

"It's complicated. I made some mistakes a few weeks ago. Well, not a mistake in my view, but.. I almost lost my job. I thought that the only way to still do some good, would be to roll with the punches. At least for now." Bonnie explained.

"That's exactly how I felt." Pearl said.

"Oh, and you have another visitor. He was kind enough to let me come in first." Bonnie said.

"He? My dad is here?" Pearl asked.

"Uh, no. A young man. He wanted to surprise you." Bonnie said.

Bonnie walked out.

"Wait.. Bonnie!" Pearl called out.

Suddenly, Pintar entered her room.

"Oh my goodness.." Pearl said, close to tears.

Pintar smiled.

-------

Bikini Bottom Forests

SpongeBob, Aria, Alex, and Sandy made their way to the ancient ruins.

SpongeBob kept up reading the map.

"Any reason you couldn't of just sped ahead of us?" Aria questioned.

"I have this theory about how F.I.N and Linda found us." SpongeBob said.

"How?" Alex questioned.

"I believe they somehow tracked me using my speed." SpongeBob said.

"Theoretically, they could track the particles in spacetime you leave behind as you're zooming from one place to the next. The technology would have to have been advanced, though." Sandy said.

"Do we really doubt that a billion dollar agency like F.I.N can do advanced?" SpongeBob asked.

"I guess not." Sandy said.

After a few minutes, SpongeBob and the gang arrived at their intended destination.

"Should be a little beyond these trees." SpongeBob said.

Suddenly, SpongeBob couldn't walk further anymore.

"Sponge, what's wrong?" Alex asked.

"Uh, I can't walk pass." SpongeBob said.

Sandy and Aria tried.

"He's right, something 'invisible' is blocking us." Sandy said.

"It's a barrier. An invisble barrier." Aria said.

"Who would put that here!?" Alex asked.

"Someone who didn't want a Divine Jewel found." Aria said.

"Aria, you have to break the barrier." Sandy said.

"Can you use one of the spells from Shin's spellbook?" SpongeBob asked.

"No! Guys, when Linda and F.I.N ambushed us, we left all of our travel packs at the old camp. Containing all our personal items." Aria said.

"So, you don't have the spellbook?" SpongeBob asked.

"Hold on, we're not out of luck. I took a few days to memorize portions of the book. I have a spell for barrier-breaking." Aria said.

"Great!" Sandy said.

"Alright then, we might actually get this jewel." Alex said.

Alex, SpongeBob, and Sandy stepped far behind Aria.

Aria began to chant a spell.

"Break the barrier, unleash the hold, all secrets come out from the fold. dlof eht morf tuo emoc sterces lla , dloh eht hsaelnu, reirrab eht kaerb." Aria chanted.

The barrier became visible for a moment, and then evaporated before their eyes.

"Lets go get this jewel." Aria said, turning to the gang.

"YES!" SpongeBob said.

The four made their way to the entrance of the Ancient Ruins.

"I'm a little nervous." Alex said.

"Everything will be fine." SpongeBob said, walking through.

The gang looked around.

The site was filled with statues and busts of majestic-looking fish.

"These are of the Fish Gods. The ones from legend." Aria said.

"They're beautiful statues." Sandy said.

"My mother always used to read me bedtime stories about them." Aria said, getting emotional.

"Could they have actually existed back during the first appearance of the Divine Jewels?" Alex questioned.

"I doubt it. But, nice sentiment." Aria said.

"There's a small temple up ahead." Sandy said.

The gang approached the temple.

"There's a code to enter through the door." Alex said.

"We don't have time for this." SpongeBob said.

"You could use your speed to phase through. I don't think F.I.N could track that, right?" Sandy asked.

"I don't know.." SpongeBob said.

"If you phase through, the door will become unstable on a molecular level. Alex could then destroy it using his powers." Sandy said.

"Alright. I'll risk it." SpongeBob said.

SpongeBob put his hands to the temple door.

Vibrating himself, he phased through.

"Incredible!" SpongeBob said.

Suddenly, the door exploded in on him.

"Oh! Sorry, Sponge!" Alex said.

"Fair warning next time, Mr. Jones?" SpongeBob asked, rubbing his head.

The inside of the temple was dark-lit, but in the middle, there was an Orb sitting ontop a platform.

"An orb." Sandy said.

"The jewel could be inside." SpongeBob said.

"I don't think it'd be as simple as just taking it." Aria said.

"Lets find out." Sandy said, walking up to the platform.

"Sandy, wait!" SpongeBob said.

"Done too much of that!" Sandy said, walking forward.

Sandy grabbed the Orb.

Suddenly, her arm started to turn to stone.

"SANDY!" SpongeBob yelled.

"I can't let it go!" Sandy said, becoming covered in stone.

"No! NOOO!" SpongeBob screamed, rushing to her body.

------

Left Shore General Hospital

"Pintar! You're awake." Pearl said, crying.

Pintar hugged her.

Pearl tried to get out of bed.

"Hey, hey! Wait!" Pintar said.

"I don't care about my stupid condition! I just want to be with you!" Pearl said.

"I know, I know. When I woke up, all I wanted to do was get to you as well." Pintar said.

"How long? How long have you been awake?" Pearl asked.

"A little over a week." Pintar said.

"So, you must know about Cassandra." Pearl said.

"Yeah, I found out that she committed suicide." Pintar said.

"I'm so sorry." Pearl said.

"Everyone keeps saying that, but I'm not sad. She was a horrible woman. An even worse mother. I feel nothing for her." Pintar said.

"That's similar to what I felt for my dad two years ago. A year later? I patched things up with him. I realized that life is short, but love lives on forever." Pearl said.

Pintar shed a tear.

"There's.. there's some things I can never say to her. Things I wish I could." Pintar admitted.

"That's okay." Pearl said, grasping his arm.

"Thanks." Pintar said.

"When I get out of here, maybe we can go on a long overdue date night." Pearl laughed.

"Pearl.. I.."

"Too soon? Sorry." Pearl said.

"No, it's just.. I don't think we should." Pintar said.

"What do you mean?" Pearl asked.

"I think we should let each other go." Pintar struggled to say.

"Pintar, I.. I waited for you for over a year." Pearl said.

"I know. But, like you said. It's been over a year. I need to go and figure out who I am with all these changes I woke up to. And you have already moved beyond me. You need to focus on your life right now." Pintar told her.

Pearl began crying.

"Where will you go? Will I see you again?" Pearl asked, whimpering.

"Of course you will. But, I need to find somewhere I belong. It's not here on Karate Island anymore." Pintar said.

"I'll always love you." Pearl said, smiling.

"And I'll always love you." Pintar said.

The two shared a final kiss.

"You be safe out there." Pearl said, as Pintar walked off.

Pintar just turned around and winked.

Pearl watched as he walked out the door.

"Goodbye, Pintar." Pearl said, smiling.

-------

Ancient Ruins, Bikini Bottom Forests

"Aria! Can you help, here?" SpongeBob asked.

Aria stared at the stone-encased Sandy.

"Hmm.. I have a spell for this." Aria said.

"It's so cool to have a witch on the team!" Alex said.

"!esrever ,esrever ,esrever" Aria chanted.

The stone effect reversed.

Sandy dropped the Orb.

"Oh my god!" Sandy said.

"Are you okay? I was so worried." SpongeBob said.

"Were you now?" Sandy questioned.

SpongeBob looked at her with an intensity.

Alex shot an electric blast at the Orb.

The Orb opened up.

"There's a jewel inside!" Aria said.

"According to the book the Society gave us, the Power jewel is green." SpongeBob said.

"This must be it." Sandy said.

SpongeBob picked it up, and closed it.

"Let's get out of here now." SpongeBob said.

The four ran out of the temple, however a surprise awaited them.

Linda, Mindy, Bonnie, Ridley, and Director Kyle Reeves stood some distance away.

"Oh shit.." Alex said.

"SpongeBob, it's over." Linda said, standing in the middle.

"Did they track your speed?" Sandy questioned.

"This was too fast." SpongeBob said.

"They talked to the Sea Star Society." Sandy said, realizing.

"Doesn't matter how we got here. What matters is we're taking all of you in." Kyle said, holding the Speed Swiper.

"SpongeBob, steer clear of Kyle. He has the speedster weapon." Sandy said.

Sandy, Aria, and Alex charged at the opposing side.

"Take no prisoners!" Linda yelled, as her side charged.

Linda shot a light beam at Sandy.

Sandy jumped up, missing it.

Alex shot a lightning blast at Linda.

Linda did a cartwheel, avoiding the strike.

SpongeBob speeded over to Kyle.

"You're bold!" Kyle said, raising the Speed Swiper.

Aria used dark energy to put a hold on the gun.

Mindy shot a telekinetic blast at Aria.

"UHH!" Aria grunted, hitting the ground.

SpongeBob used his speed to run as Kyle shot out a blast.

Bonnie tried to strike Sandy will her batons.

Sandy kicked one of the batons out of Bonnie's hands.

Bonnie took a step back, as Ridley tried to swing at Sandy.

Sandy grabbed his wrist, twisting it.

Sandy then kicked Ridley in the face.

Alex shot an electric blast at Bonnie's baton.

"Ouch!" Bonnie yelled, as it electrocuted her hand.

Sandy kicked her in the stomach, and then flipped her over.

Linda shot a light blast at Alex, as he hit the ground as well.

Kyle took another aim at SpongeBob with the Speed Swiper, hitting him.

"SpongeBob!" Sandy yelled, avoiding Linda's light beams.

Aria tried to use her powers to help, but Mindy used her telepathy to put a pyschic hold on Aria.

"YO-UR..NOT...THE ONLY ONE..WITH PSYCHIC POT-ENTIAL!" Aria said, unleashing dark waves of energy at Mindy.

Mindy saw her father, Neptune.

"Dad?" Mindy asked, being tricked.

Aria shot a blast of dark energy at her.

Meanwhile, Linda finally blasted Sandy, who was launched backward.

"We're not gonna win this today!" Alex said, over coms.

"Sandy, I'll hold Linda. Alex will hold Kyle. Get SpongeBob out of here." Aria said.

Linda picked up the Orb from SpongeBob.

"Thanks." Linda said.

Aria pulled Linda back with a magic spell.

Sandy ran over to SpongeBob.

"Come on! We gotta go!" Sandy said.

Kyle took another aim with the Speed Swiper.

Alex kept pelting him with electric blasts.

The ground started to shake.

"Oh no, it's Tetra!" Sandy said.

Tetra ripped out of the ground, making a grand entrance. 

"GO! We'll hold Tetra!" Aria yelled at Sandy and SpongeBob.

SpongeBob and Sandy escaped.

Aria and Alex shot their blasts at Tetra, who made a vibrational barrier.

Tetra then released a surge of sonic energy, knocking out Aria and Alex.

"Two down, two to go." Tetra said.

In the forest, Sandy and SpongeBob walked as quickly as they could.

"Can you walk without my support now?" Sandy asked.

"The feeling in my legs is starting to come back." SpongeBob said.

The ground began to shake.

Once again, Tetra ripped out of the ground.

"Your new signature move, Tetra?" Sandy asked.

"I get more powerful by the day. You and SpongeBob get more STUPID." Tetra said.

"I'll fight her." Sandy said, taking SpongeBob's arm off of her shoulder.

"Just surrender, guys! I don't want to hurt you." Tetra said.

"Don't worry, you won't." Sandy said.

"Because you're not gonna catch us." SpongeBob said, finally using his speed to get him and Sandy away.

"Dammit!" Tetra said.

SpongeBob speeded him and Sandy into the stolen Quickjet.

"SpongeBob, you need to go back and get our friends!" Sandy said.

"I'm not fast enough right now. Even what I did just now took a lot out of me." SpongeBob said, out of breath.

Sandy looked sad.

"Sandy, they sacrificed themselves for us. We can't let that go in vain! Now get us out of here!" SpongeBob yelled.

SpongeBob buckled in, as Sandy started up the jet.

With that, the Quickjet blasted off, away from the Bikini Bottom Forests.

NOTES:

• Team Linda and F.I.N capture Aria and Alex. SpongeBob and Sandy escape.
• Pintar and Pearl reunite, but bid each other farewell.
• The Power Jewel is found, but is in the possession of Team Linda and F.I.N.
• First appearance of Bikini Bottom since Season 8.
• Main Characters Absent: Debbie

 

[Rebel the Wolfgirl]

Dang, this is good.

[TJ]

Team SpongeBob - Season 9: Divided

Ep.141 "Game Change"

King Triton's Office, City Hall, Left Shore

Linda and Tetra arrive in Triton's office.

"Congrats, ladies! The entire island is applauding your victory today." Triton said, clapping.

"Thank you, King Triton. But, unfortunately SpongeBob and Sandy escaped." Linda told him.

"No matter. You still captured Aria Alamone and the kid with electric based powers. Without those two, SpongeBob's little syndicate is nothing." Triton remarked.

"Wouldn't put anything pass SpongeBob's super speed, OR Sandy's genius intellect." Linda replied.

"Speedy and smarty. A dangerous combo, sir." Tetra joked.

"By themselves, their efforts will simply be 'cute'. Trust me, nothing more will come from SpongeBob's little revolt. Now, you ladies have the two known Divine Jewels in possession, correct?" Triton asked.

"Yes, yes, sir. We brought them over like you requested." Linda said.

Tetra opened a bag, taking out a shell (which encased the Dark Jewel), and an Orb (which encased the Power Jewel).

She sat them on King Triton's desk.

"Excellent. These will be locked in a storage compartment of the new Mainland Palace." Triton told them.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa.. the new palace in Mainland is finished?" Linda asked.

"That's correct. The rebuilding task force over in Mainland has done stunning work in repairing not just the old Palace, but all the destroyed homes and land structures." Triton revealed.

"Wow, they must of gotten so much work done in such a short amount of time." Linda said.

"When will citizens be able to move back into the city?" Tetra questioned.

"Give or take a few months. But, I will be moving into the Palace today." Triton revealed.

"That's great. And these Divine Jewels certainly need to be somewhere safe." Linda smiled.

"Anything else?" Triton asked.

"Well, me and the girls kinda wanna stay together. Ya know, be the legacy of what Team SpongeBob should of been." Linda asked.

"Team Linda is a special ops troop under the Board. You guys are more than free to work as agents of the government for however long that it interests you." Triton approved.

"Thank you, Triton. You're an amazing new leader. And we won't fail you." Linda said.

"And one day, we'll bring back SpongeBob and Sandy." Tetra told him.

"No doubt." Triton said, flashing a smile.

------

F.I.N Private Prison

Aria is seen in her prison cell, wearing a power inhibitor around her neck.

"In jail, again." Aria said, sighing.

Suddenly, the guards opened her cell, throwing in Alex.

"Ouch! You guys could stand to be a little gentle!" Alex yelled.

As the guards locked the cell, Alex sat on a bed opposite of Aria's.

"Alex? They finished processing you too?" Aria asked.

"Yeah. Quite an uncomfortable process." Alex said.

"Wait, why did they place you in my cell?" Aria asked.

"Don't care to share the space?" Alex asked, jokingly.

"No, I just mean, I thought they'd put you on the men's side of the prison." Aria explained.

"Well, they know I wasn't born a man, so they put me here in the women's side." Alex told her, looking frustrated.

"What? That is SO trans-phobic." Aria said, outraged.

"Yeah, but it's likely just an excuse to keep the two of us together." Alex said.

"They'd want to keep an eye on both of us. They know SpongeBob and Sandy could be coming." Aria said.

"Do you think they'll come?" Alex asked.

"I think they can't do this without us." Aria said.

"Wait.. Debbie could be here!" Alex said.

"I didn't see her on this floor, but she could be on another." Aria said.

"Yeah, me neither. But, if SpongeBob and Sandy are coming - this could be good for rescuing her." Alex said.

-----

Team SpongeBob Base, Left Shore

The next morning, Tetra and Mindy coming storming into the Team SpongeBob base.

"LINDA! LINDA!" Tetra called out.

The two ladies see Linda coming out from the back rooms.

"Girls, when I gave you the passcode to the base, that didn't mean you had to come in so early in the morning." Linda said.

"Linda, this is important. Have you watched the early morning news?" Tetra asked.

"No. I got up around five this morning to come here and do some renovations. I wanted the base to have a new feel now that it's gonna be for Team Linda." Linda said.

"Well this morning certainly wasn't the one to disconnect from the rest of the world." Mindy said.

"You're talking in circles. What's going on?" Linda said, taking off gloves.

"Our esteemed new King released an Executive Order this morning." Tetra said.

"Ordering for all metafish with dangerous powers to be detained and held by F.I.N." Mindy revealed.

"You're kidding me!?" Linda asked.

"No." Tetra said.

"Dangerous powers is kind of broad." Linda said.

"Exactly. There are protests going on right now in front of City Hall." Tetra said.

"Mindy, I need you to try and reach your brother. Make him realize that this is idiotic." Linda said.

"Yeah. Why don't you accompany me?" Mindy asked.

"I will." Linda said.

------

City Hall, Left Shore.

In front of City Hall, a massive crowd of thousands were seen protesting.

News reporters were seen interviewing citizens at the protest, who were fearful of their loved ones being taken away from them.

News reporter, Jeff Finney is seen interviewing a woman.

"This type of persecution based on the unchangeable differences of others, is simply a violation of rights." the woman said.

"Do you have a relative or friend with abilities?" Jeff Finney asked.

"My brother, and I'm so afraid of what could happen to him at this time." the woman replied.

From above, the citizens notice the S-Jet, and immediately began chanting Team SpongeBob.

The S-Jet lands in a field next to the City Hall building.

Linda and Mindy exit.

The two woman are let up the stairs of City Hall by police officers.

From the above platform, Linda speaks to the citizens.

"I swear that me and my team will do all that we can to protect the CIVIL RIGHTS of everyone." Linda shouts to them.

The crowd begins to roar and cheer, as Linda and Mindy enter City Hall.

Boardwoman Amanda Wheeler, is the first to greet them.

"Instead of egging them on, you could of asked them to calm down and leave" Amanda said, giving them a mean look.

"Amanda, WHAT THE HELL." Linda said.

"You're angry.. for no reason." Amanda said.

"Detaining people because they have abilities? Do you know how ridiculous and discriminatory this is?" Linda asked.

"Not ALL metas. Just dangerous ones." Amanda said.

"Do you know how broad that is? What constitutes as dangerous to you guys?" Mindy asked.

"Are you gonna lock US up now?" Linda asked.

"STOP IT." Amanda yelled, as other Board members looked on.

"Where's my brother?" Mindy asked.

"He has another engagement. I'm sorry you won't be able to talk to him." Amanda said.

"He's sure been avoiding me a lot, lately." Mindy said.

"I can't speak on King Triton's personal relations." Amanda said.

"But the Board certainly just blindly approves of his professional opinions, don't you?" Linda asked.

"Tell me this wasn't my brother's idea." Mindy asked.

"We all felt it was best to weed out the dangerous. After all, the antics of metafish caused the destruction of an entire land. When do we start protecting ourselves from walking threats instead of just sitting by passively while they find new ways to disrupt our ways of life?" Amanda asked.

"The number of metas on the island is only at one hundred and fifty. It's not even a big deal." Linda said.

"The destruction of Mainland shows different, Linda. Karate Island has the highest population of powered people in the world. It's no coincidence that we also have the highest number of tragedies too." Amanda pointed out.

"This is wrong. And I won't let it continue." Linda said, pointing at her.

Linda and Mindy charged out.

------

F.I.N Private Prison

We see Debbie reading a book in her cell.

"I heard some new inmates came in last night." Victoria said, lying back on her bed.

"Oh?" Debbie asked.

Suddenly, a guard came to open their cell.

"Ms. Chrome, you have a visitor." the guard said.

"Me? A visitor?" Victoria asked, confused.

Victoria was taken to a dim lit visiting room.

She was surprised to see King Triton on the other side of the table.

"Are you sure you want to be left alone with her, King Triton?" the guard asked.

"Yes. I'm sure." King Triton said.

The guard closed the door.

"So.. our new King. In the flesh." Victoria said.

"You should be more grateful to be in the presence of royalty." Triton said.

"I'm guessing you're not here to give me a pardon. So, cut to the chase." Victoria said.

Triton looked at her with an intensity.

"Come on. Over the years, tons of political leaders, including Neptune, have visited me - thinking I could provide them information on a criminal or criminal organization We don't all know each other, ya know." Victoria said.

"Then be lucky that I'm not here for that." Triton remarked.

"What are you here for?" Victoria asked.

"I've heard the stories about you. Your past as the formidable Ice Queen." Triton said.

"And?" Victoria asked, rolling her eyes.

"You're likely the most powerful prisoner here. That's exactly why I've sought you out." Triton told her.

"Now I'm confused." Victoria said.

"I'm building a secret society - or syndicate, of sorts. One that will join me in controlling everything." Triton explained.

"You're already in control of the entire sea." Victoria said.

"Not the sea, my dear. The entire universe." Triton said.

"I don't have the power to help you do that." Victoria said.

"No, but you can certainly help me get such power." Triton told.

"I'm listening." Victoria said.

"There are these things called the Divine Jewels. I have two in my possession, but only when all four are combined, will I have the ability to take control over the universe as we know it." Triton revealed.

"Interesting.." Victoria said.

"My plans?" Triton asked.

"No, the fact that the world has a secretly evil King. How can I be sure this is legitimate?" Victoria asked.

"I'm legit." Triton assured.

"Who else is gonna be apart of our little society of chaos?" Victoria questioned.

"Another prisoner here. Clarissa Clam. She has a voice that can kill dozens in one scream." Triton said, with a smile.

"You realize you'll have to break us out of this shithole?" Victoria asked.

"That's the beauty of it. I won't have to do anything." Triton hinted.

Before leaving, he slipped Victoria a small paper card, with an address on the back.

"See you soon." Triton said, winking.

-------

Team SpongeBob Base

Linda and Mindy arrived back at the base.

"Tetra, who is this?" Linda asked, seeing an unknown woman.

"Uh, first off.. how did talking to the King go?" Tetra asked.

"It didn't." Mindy confirmed.

"But Amanda Wheeler certainly had a lot to say." Linda noted.

"This woman right here is Pama Cruz. She's a family friend of Arthur and I. She reached out to me, so I brought her here." Tetra started.

"Why?" Linda asked.

"My daughter was taken this morning by F.I.N agents." Pama spoke.

"I'm so sorry. What are her abilities?" Linda asked.

"She's able to fly at super sonic speeds." Pama told them.

"That doesn't sound dangerous at all." Mindy said.

"Just as I expected. They're lying just to round people up." Linda said.

"Guys, we have to stop this." Tetra said.

"And we will." Linda said.

"I know where they're going." Pama said.

"Excuse me?" Linda asked.

"I have a power too. No one has ever discovered this, because mine is easy to keep under wraps." Pama said.

"You never told me this, Pama." Tetra said.

"Now you know why." Pama said.

"What's your power?" Mindy asked.

"I have a psychic connection with my daughter. It seemed to have started when I gave birth to her during the toxic spill back in 2012." Pama told them.

"I'm sorry you were affected by that." Linda said.

"Where is your daughter?" Mindy asked.

"I'm sensing that she's still in the truck. They're driving her on an empty road." Pama said.

Mindy touched Pama's head.

Using her telepathy, she was able to visualize the location.

"I got it. K.I-Route 425." Mindy told them.

"Alright. Let's go." Linda said.

"I'm gonna stay here. I think I want to do some research on my brother's history." Mindy said.

"That's smart. We have a high powered computer system, so help yourself." Linda said.

"Me and Linda will bring your daughter back." Tetra told Pama.

"Thank you." Pama said.

"Are we taking the S-Jet?" Tetra asked.

"I have something more lowkey in mind." Linda said.

------

Quickjet

We see SpongeBob and Sandy inside the stolen Quickjet.

"I feel like we've been flying forever." Sandy said.

"I took over from you a couple of hours ago." SpongeBob said, with a giggle.

"And before that, it still felt like forever. Where are we going again?" Sandy asked.

"We're here." SpongeBob said.

Sandy looked out to see pink skies and electrical currents flowing.

"Holy shit. This is Selleria." Sandy said.

"Homeland of The Atom Queen, herself." SpongeBob said.

The Quickjet lands near a large cabin.

Antrix exits the cabin, upon seeing SpongeBob and Sandy.

"I didn't know if you'd still be here or not." SpongeBob said, walking toward her.

"Selleria is the Earthly-base of operations for me and a few others of the Space Regime. I spend a lot of time in this place." Antrix told them.

"Well, we're glad to see you. We honestly had no other place to go." Sandy said.

"What is it now? Are you guys having another issue with a villain that can manipulate spacetime? Or maybe another friend that needs to return to his own dimension? OH, or maybe you guys have found the Universal Guardian at last." Antrix said, slightly snarky.

"You know about Debbie being missing..." SpongeBob said.

"OF COURSE I DO." Antrix yelled.

"Debbie took off, my team was in a depression after our friends died, and now we're fugitives running from Karate Island." SpongeBob said.

"All of that didn't leave you with a lot of free time to find the Guardian, did it? Luckily, the Space Regime has done the work for you." Antrix said.

"What? Really?" Sandy asked.

"It took us a long time, but we are certain that Debbie can be found in a Private Prison sponsored by F.I.N." Antrix told them.

"Does the Space Regime not have warriors that can negotiate the Universal Guardian's release?" SpongeBob asked.

"The Regime does not want to overstep during these politically charged times. With Neptune's death, a reappearance of the Divine Jewels, and other conflicts going on - our hands are too tied." Antrix explained.

"Leaving us.." Sandy said.

"Yes. You and SpongeBob must rescue Debbie yourselves." Antrix said.

"I don't know if we could pull off another prison break." SpongeBob said.

"The universe is depending on you. We fear there may be tides rising that won't crash easily." Atrix warned.

"What are you saying?" Sandy asked.

"That you all must help the young Universal Guardian complete the quest of collecting the Divine Jewels. Or this universe may be in for a war that hasn't been seen in over a millennia." Antrix told them.

"We'll do it." Sandy said.

"Sandy..."

"Don't worry, SpongeBob. I have a plan." Sandy said.

------

KI-Route 425, Karate Island

Agents Ridley and Clemmons of F.I.N were driving the prison truck, filled with seven metafish.

"So, is it good to be back, Clemmons?" Ridley asked, driving.

"I don't like to talk during these type of things." Clemmons said, rudely.

"Ya know, word is that you're a raging misogynist." Ridley said.

"What gave that indication?" Clemmons asked.

"The broken nose that Bonnie left you with." Ridley noted.

"It's healing." Clemmons said.

"Are you?" Ridley asked.

"Bonnie overreacted! And she almost lost her job because of it." Clemmons stated.

"Yeah, well.. next time be more respectful of others." Ridley said.

Suddenly, the truck began to shake.

"Dude! Instead of lecturing me, WATCH the road!" Clemmons yelled.

"That wasn't me!" Ridley said.

The road began to shake again.

"..Tremors." Clemmons realized.

From behind, Linda and Tetra were on sleak black motorcycles, as they also wore black clothing.

Linda shot out a light blast at the truck's wheels.

Tetra used her vibrational abilities to keep the truck from tilting over.

As the truck came to a smoky stop, Clemmons and Ridley jumped out.

Clemmons ran around the side, while Tetra ran up to Ridley.

Ridley tried to punch her, but she moved quickly and blasted him with her powers.

Linda used her light energy to destroy the back of the truck.

Inside, seven kids sat tied up, and with inhibitor collars.

"These are all children." Linda said, shocked.

Ridley came behind her with a gun.

"Stop right there, light witch." Clemmons said.

Linda ripped off her mask.

"You caught me. I'm here to free these children." Linda said.

"I'm assuming you know of the Executive Order." Clemmons said.

"These children aren't dangerous. You KNOW that." Linda said.

"King's orders. And the Board's. You're overstepping here, Linda." Clemmons said.

Tetra came from the side, ready to blast Clemmons.

"Tetra, don't!" Linda said.

"Linda, but.."

"No, we'd be committing treason. Our group doesn't work like that. We're not Team SpongeBob." Linda said.

"I thought we at least had a conscience, though." Tetra retorted.

"Both of you need to leave, while I call this in. Walk away now, and I might even leave your names out of this little incident." Clemmons ordered.

"We're gone." Linda said.

Tetra looked upset.

Both ladies got on their motorcycles and left.

-------

Team SpongeBob Base

Linda and Tetra returned to the base.

"Where is she?" Pama asked, rushing up to them.

"I'm so sorry." Linda said.

Mindy walked over.

"You didn't save her, did you?" Mindy asked.

"We would of been committing treason.." Linda said.

"You would of been SAVING an innocent little girl!" Pama cried.

Tetra shed a tear.

"I'm gonna go now. Nice to know that Team Linda doesn't have anyone's back. Where's SpongeBob, again?" Pama snarked, leaving out.

"I'm gonna call her later." Tetra said.

"Don't. I fucked up." Linda said.

"Why?" Tetra asked.

"I'm trying to abide by the rules here." Linda said.

"Sometimes you have to break them. I thought you understood that today at City Hall." Mindy asked.

"I did. I do. But, you guys are sounding just like SpongeBob and Sandy right now." Linda said.

"Maybe the same reason why Team SpongeBob didn't work... is the same reason Team Linda won't." Tetra said.

"Right now, I think we may need it to." Mindy said.

"What do you mean?" Linda asked.

"I did some research into my brother." Mindy said.

"What did you find?" Linda asked.

Mindy put up images on the big monitor.

"He's done work with several charity groups over the years. That much I already knew. It was some new info that honestly has me suspecting something." Mindy said.

"What?" Tetra asked.

"Images of Triton - spending time with the Sea Star Society." Mindy said.

"They celebrate Divinity." Tetra said.

"And the Jewels." Linda noted.

"Coincidence? I think not." Mindy said.

"You think he's been after the power of the Jewels?" Linda asked.

"Yeah, but for some reason, the Society didn't tell him where to find one like they did for SpongeBob." Mindy said.

"Maybe they suspected what we're suspecting right now." Tetra said.

"This isn't enough evidence to suggest that Triton is a bad guy." Linda said.

"The next piece of evidence might. I had to dig hard to find this one." Mindy showed them on the monitor.

"He founded a group?" Linda asked.

"Yeah, in 2013. A group, or task force to combat homeland terrorism. He called it 'Every Villain Is Lemons'. Named after this process they had. For every one lemon a person brought, the proceeds would go to this Task Force. The group disbanded after a year when concerns were raised that it might have been engaging in illegal practices." Mindy said.

"There's more, I'm suspecting." Tetra said.

"The initials - they spell out EVIL. E.V.I.L was a group I traced back to the early 80s, who committed awful crimes against the government in order to get information on the Divine Jewels." Mindy said.

"So you think our King Triton is pulling a fast one over everyone?" Linda asked.

"Don't you?" Mindy asked.

Linda looked distraught.

-----

Private Chambers, King Triton's Palace

King Triton's legal counsel, Elijah, entered his private chambers.

"Triton, what are you doing in here? Everyone's arrived in the Throne Room for the celebration of the Palace's opening." Elijah said.

"I know, I know. I'll be right down. I just need a minute." Triton said.

"Alright." Elijah said, leaving.

With an evil glare, Triton looked down at his phone.

Picking it up, he dialed a number.

"Plankton, everything should be in position. It's time for E.V.I.L to rise once more." Triton said, smiling.

 

NOTES:

• The end of the 'Divided' arc.
• King Triton has released an Executive Order that calls for the detainment of dangerous metafish.
• Aria and Alex are being held at the F.I.N Private Prison.
• King Triton is revealed to be an antagonist, as he assembles a group of villains with the intention of collecting the rest of the Divine Jewels.
• The second and last arc of the season will adapt the E.V.I.L super-villain team from SpongeBob Squarepants.
• Plankton is name dropped at the end of episode, revealing that he is working with King Triton. Plankton was last seen during Season 8. 
• The Atom Queen, Antrix returns, last being seen in Season 8. 
• Main Characters Absent: Pearl

[TJ]

Aaaand now, it's time for the second arc of the ninth season. Enjoy!

 

Team SpongeBob - Season 9: Rise of E.V.I.L

Ep.142 "Royals"

Team Linda Base, Left Shore

Linda, Mindy, and Tetra were seen at the rebranded Team Linda base.

"You fixed this place up nicely." Tetra said, looking around.

"Thanks, but my interior design skills aren't why we're all here." Linda said.

"My brother." Mindy said.

"If we wanna prove that Triton is shady.. possibly evil, than we need to go straight to the source." Linda said.

"The source?" Tetra questioned.

"Triton himself." Linda said.

"You want me to read my brother's mind, don't you?" Mindy asked.

"Yes." Linda nodded.

"My telepathy isn't as strong as it was before I went into the coma. I am just beginning to get back in tune with it." Mindy said.

"Mindy, I've seen you what you've been able to do with it since you got it back. You woke Pearl up, and held Aria on the battlefield." Linda said.

"Yeah, and that little witch is no easy opponent." Tetra said.

"I think you can do this." Linda said.

"You're right. I mean, I have to." Mindy said.

"The island's counting on all three of us." Linda said.

"I'll travel to Mainland today, and visit my brother at his castle." Mindy said.

-----

Selleria

SpongeBob and Sandy were seen in Antrix's large cabin in Selleria.

SpongeBob checks on Sandy out back.

"Hey, I have some food on inside." SpongeBob said.

"Not hungry." Sandy said, working on small machine.

"I feel like you've been out here for hours." SpongeBob said.

"I can't get enough of these pink skies." Sandy said, sarcastically.

"Antrix was called in by the Space Regime. So, just us two for now." SpongeBob said.

"I'm busy." Sandy said.

"What are you working on again?" SpongeBob asked.

"I told you - a reverse generator." Sandy said.

"You didn't actually tell me what it's supposed to do." SpongeBob said.

"Do you have to be here?" Sandy asked.

"What is your problem?" SpongeBob finally asked.

Sandy stood up and turned around.

"YOU! One minute we're partners in crime who infiltrate prisons, and the next minute.. you can't even look me in the eye." Sandy said.

"You shot Pearl. I don't know who you are anymore!" SpongeBob voiced.

"SpongeBob, we had sex. Do you know how much it hurts that you're just ignoring that?" Sandy asked.

"I know we haven't talked about it, but you know why." SpongeBob said.

"You're milking this Pearl thing so that you don't have to confront what's going on between us. This is what you always do! You run from what's between us. Why?" Sandy questioned.

SpongeBob shook his head, turning around.

"I'll NEVER be Linda! I realize that." Sandy shouted.

SpongeBob walked into the cabin.

-----

Triton's Castle, Mainland

Two guards enter Triton's throne room.

"Sir, your sister has arrived to see you." a guard said.

"Oh? Um.. tell her I'm busy." Triton said, polishing portraits of himself.

Mindy entered anyway.

"Excuse me!" the guards said.

"Stand down! I'm family, and I need to see my brother immediately." Mindy said.

"Leave us." Triton said to his guards.

The guards left.

Mindy walked over to Triton.

"Nice castle. Cute throne too. Is that made of gold?" Mindy questioned.

"Why are you here?" Triton asked.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to get in the way of you hanging your portraits up. I just thought I'd drop by." Mindy said.

"I'm aware you don't agree with my policies." Triton said.

"No one does. Arresting metas just for being who they are? It's wrong." Mindy said.

"Dangerous metas. And we're just holding them to try and work out a solution to de-power them." Triton said.

"So.. now we're talking about a 'cure'?" Mindy asked.

"If possible." Triton said.

"Why are you really doing this?" Mindy asked.

Mindy tried to read his mind, but there was resistance.

Triton smiled.

Suddenly, another guard entered.

"What now?" Triton asked.

"The Queen has arrived." the guard revealed.

Both Mindy and Triton looked stunned.

Queen Amphitrite walked through the doors.

"Mother?" Mindy asked.

"Mom.." Triton said.

"Queen. At least for now." Amphitrite said, giving her son a stone cold glare.

-----

F.I.N Private Prison

Debbie and Victoria were seen in their cell.

The doors opened.

"Time for dinner." Victoria said.

The two walked into the cafeteria.

Victoria was immediately pulled by another woman.

"Victoria?" Debbie asked, confused.

Suddenly, Debbie saw Alex and Aria walk into the cafe.

"What the hell." Debbie said.

"Debbie? DEBBIE!" Alex screamed, running to her.

Debbie and Alex hugged.

"How are you here? Why?" Debbie asked.

"Sit with us over here." Alex told her.

"Wait, do you realize this is the girl who made me her slave?" Debbie asked.

"I'm sorry about that." Aria said.

"Debbie, there's a lot to explain. Just come with us to the back table." Alex said.

"I'm trusting you, Alex." Debbie said, walking with them.

Victoria was pulled to a corner table with Clarissa Clam.

"Who are you?" Victoria asked.

"Clarissa Clam." Clarissa said, sitting down.

"Clarissa? Oh.. you're the one Triton told me about." Victoria whispered.

Victoria sat across from her at the table.

"King Triton visited me too. Told me about you." Clarissa said.

"I thought he'd find some way to break us out, but he said he wouldn't need to." Victoria said.

"Yeah, he told me something similar. Now we wait." Clarissa said.

"Are you really willing to work for this man? Be his evil servants?" Victoria asked.

"Aren't you? Think of the power he could help us achieve. It could be enough for me to put Team SpongeBob AND F.I.N into the ground." Clarissa said.

"You have beef with those groups too." Victoria noticed.

"They put me in here, when I was only trying to get justice for what happened to me." Clarissa said.

"What did happen to you?" Victoria asked.

"Some co-workers of mine at a science facility.. they tried to cover up my near-death after a science experiment gone wrong. They saved me, but in the process.. made me a monster." Clarissa said, holding in tears.

"Soon enough, this world will belong to us, and not them. Don't worry." Victoria said.

-----

Triton's Castle

Mindy was seen on her cell phone in the hallway.

"Linda, hey." Mindy answered.

"We called to check up on you. Did everything go as planned?" Linda asked.

"For some reason, I can't get into his head." Mindy revealed.

"Maybe it was too early to send you in." Linda said, disappointed.

"No, it's something more. I think he's 'resisting' me somehow." Mindy said.

"You're a strong telepath. I would know. You can do this." Linda said.

"If my mother ever leaves." Mindy said.

"What?" Linda asked.

"Gotta go. Don't want to seem suspicious." Mindy said, hanging up.

Mindy walked into the Dining Room.

"Just in time. The cooks just brought out our dinner." Triton said.

Mindy took a seat next to Triton.

Across the table, Amphitrite looked at her children. 

"Look at you both. All grown up." Amphitrite said, sipping a glass of wine.

Everyone duginto their plates.

"So, mother, what are you doing here?" Triton asked.

"I missed your inauguration, and your palace opening party. I just wanted to finally pay my respects to you. You are the new King after all." Amphitrite said.

"Not like you're particularly pleased about it." Triton said.

"I just think this position was one Mindy deserved." Amphitrite said.

"Thank you, mother." Mindy said.

"Just stop. You don't care about Mindy. All our family has ever cared about is power - and exerting it over others." Triton said.

"Excuse me?" Amphtrite felt offended.

"You're mad because dad's death rendered you a Dowager Queen. You have no more political power left." Triton said.

"You are so off the mark." Amphitrite said.

"Mother, I think you should leave." Triton said.

"Don't be rude, Triton. She flew aleady here from Atlantis." Mindy said.

"No, don't worry, Mindy. I have reservations at a hotel in Left Shore. I figured this all would happen." Amphitrite told her.

Mindy appeared sad.

"Goodbye, my loves." Amphitrite said, getting up and leaving.

"I'm gonna go freshen up for bed." Triton said, leaving as well.

-----

F.I.N Private Prison

In the cafe, Debbie is seen sitting with Alex and Aria.

"Alright, what happened? Did you find Team SpongeBob like I asked?" Debbie questioned Alex.

"Yes. I joined them for a bit while they were on the run." Alex revealed.

"I think I briefly heard something about them being fugitives.. at least some of them." Debbie said.

"Aria was working alongside them. Her, me, SpongeBob, and Sandy traveled across the island's forest in search for a group that had information on the Divine Jewels. They pointed us toward an ancient ruins in Bikini Bottom that held the Power Jewel." Alex explained.

"So, how'd you end up here?" Debbie asked.

"We got captured. Risked our freedom for SpongeBob and Sandy." Aria interrupted.

"I wasn't talking to you." Debbie rolled her eyes.

Aria sighed.

"So, you explicitly mentioned SpongeBob and Sandy. Where are the others?" Debbie asked.

"Debs.. Team SpongeBob has split. Linda's actually the one who led the charge to capture all of us." Alex revealed.

Debbie looked bewildered.

"So much has happened since I ran away." Debbie said.

"None of that matters now, because SpongeBob and Sandy are coming. They'll break us out. When they do, it might be best to have the Universal Guardian in league." Alex said.

"I can't face them. Not knowing what I've caused." Debbie said, feeling empty.

"Debs, you didn't cause any of this.." Alex said.

"If you're looking for someone to blame.. blame me." Aria said.

"Your mother." Debbie reassured her.

Aria felt relieved.

-----

Triton's Castle

While Triton was in the bathroom, Mindy decided to sneak into his private quarters.

"Now that's a comfortable looking bed." Mindy said, looking at his comforter.

Mindy continued to look around, searching for something to prove his evilness.

Opening his closet, she saw Neptune's trident.

"Is this.. dad's trident?" Mindy asked.

Mindy saw that the trident had been tampered with. There were now four incisions running down the base of the spear.

"What are you doing?" a voice asked from behind.

Mindy jumped.

"Triton!" Mindy said, awkwardly.

Triton appeared in a nightrobe.

"I thought my guards assisted you out. WHY are you in my room?" Triton asked.

"I have a question for you. Why the incisions in the trident?" Mindy asked.

"Hand that over, and LEAVE." Triton demanded.

"And WHY can't I read your mind?" Mindy asked, attempting again.

"Trained my mind to block telepathy." Triton revealed, smirking.

Mindy quickly pushed him into the wall with a telekinetic blast.

Triton passed out on the floor.

"Can't block my telepathy if you're knocked out." Mindy said.

Mindy touched Triton's forehead, and used her powers to read his thoughts.

Mindy was suddenly pulled into a strange memory of Triton's.

[Flashback Begins:

A 12 year old Triton is seen with Amphitrite in his room.

"How could you? What would possess you to get into a fight at school?" Amphtrite asked.

"Maybe I'm not perfect!" Triton said.

"Oh trust me, I know you aren't. Triton, we have your father's political career to think about. Behavior of this type can't be afforded... especially now with your grandfather passing down his title to your dad." Amphitrite emphasized.

"I'm sorry." Triton said.

"Why can't you be like your sister? That girl is so talented, and respectful, and bright." Amphitrite went on.

"Admit it, mom. You like her better than me, because she can move shit with her mind!" Triton blurted out.

Amphitrite slapped him.

"No dinner for you, tonight." Amphitrite said, walking out.

Triton began to shed tears from his eyes.

A few moments later, his grandfather, Poseidon, comes into the room.

Poseidon closed the door silently, and then locked it.

"Your mother came at you again, didn't she?" Poseidon asked, straightening his back.

Triton shook his had, quite sadly.

"That's alright. We'll make you feel bad. Like last time." Poseidon said.

Poseidon unbuckled his pants belt.

"Why don't ya help an ol' man out." Poseidon said.

Triton helped take the belt off.

Poseidon slid down his pants and put Triton's face into his pelvis.

"...Just like that." Poseidon said, moaning. 

Flashback Ends.]

Mindy let go of Triton's thoughts.

"Oh my god!" Mindy said, feeling repulsed and shocked.

Overwhelmed, Mindy began to cry.

From behind, Mindy was hit over the head with the trident.

The assailant was seen to be Trident's legal counsel, Elijah Martin.

"Look what you did to your brother, girl. Always the royals." Elijah said, watching over both of the unconscious siblings.

-----

Selleria

Antrix walks into the cabin, seeing SpongeBob laid out on her couch.

"Mr. Squarepants." Antrix said, softly.

SpongeBob lifted himself up.

"OH, you're back." SpongeBob said.

"I am. Where is Sandy?" Antrix asked.

Sandy also returned to the cabin, carrying a small machine in her arms.

"Is that a generator?" Antrix asked.

"I call it a reverse. This machine emits a frequency that actually shuts down other electronic systems in nearby environments." Sandy said.

"So, what's the plan?" SpongeBob asked.

"The private prison that F.I.N owns has a watchtower - or rather, panopticon where I can hook this machine up. Once I start the machine, it'll send the frequency out." Sandy explained.

"..The frequency will disable all electrionical systems in the prison." SpongeBob realized.

"Wait.. this will free powered criminals from their cells AND their power inhibitors." Antrix cautioned.

"It's a gamble we have to take to save Debbie." Sandy reasoned.

------

Team Linda Base, Left Shore

"Linda, we have a visitor." Tetra said, walking in with Clemmons.

"Clemmons. What the hell are you doing here?" Linda asked.

"You guys called for a F.I.N agent." Clemmons said.

"Oh, right. I just didn't realize they'd send their most hated agent." Linda said.

"I too prefer Bonnie." Tetra said.

"Well look, I'm here. What's the issue?" Clemmons asked.

"Investigate our King." Linda blurted out.

"What?" Clemmons asked confused.

"We have reason to believe that he's shady, and Mindy's with him right now trying to get proof, but I don't think she'll have any luck." Linda said, handing him a file.

"The stuff in this file doesn't prove anything." Clemmons said, reading it over.

"Better to be safe than sorry, right?" Tetra asked.

Clemmons sighed.

"Say you'll do this for us? Please?" Linda asked.

"You girls have done a solid for F.I.N lately. I will take this case." Clemmons said.

"Off the books?" Linda asked.

"We don't want to attract too much attention to this right now, ya know?" Clemmons justified.

"Yeah, that's smart." Tetra said.

Linda nodded.

"I'll need your number. Ya know.. for updates I might provide." Clemmons asked, awkwardly.

"Give me your phone." Linda said.

Clemmons handed it to her.

"Just so you know, this is the only reason you'll ever get my number." Linda said, rolling her eyes.

Clemmons took his phone.

"Yeah, got it." Clemmons said, leaving.

"I'm worried about Mindy." Tetra said.

"It is getting late. I hope she knows what she's doing." Linda said.

Tetra nodded in agreement.

-----

Triton's Palace, Mainland

Triton was seen talking with Elijah in his private quarters.

Elijah gave him a glass of water.

"Thank you." Triton said, rubbing his head.

"She must of dug hard." Elijah noticed.

"She's know everything.. and more." Triton said, walking over to his mirror.

Elijah sat on Triton's bed.

"Where is she now?" Triton asked.

"Me and a couple of the guards moved her to the hidden dungeon. Don't worry, she won't be escaping. No one is going to blow your secret. Not when our society has come this far." Elijah said.

"It's the rise of E.V.I.L." Triton said, reflecting.

"You look a little down, sir." Elijah said.

"My sister saw a memory of mine. One that I had worked so hard to forget." Triton said, sitting his glass on a dresser.

"I don't like seeing you in pain. I truly hope you feel better." Elijah said.

"I think you can help with that." Triton said, smiling.

NOTES:

• The beginning of the E.V.I.L arc.
• Queen Amphitrite makes her first appearance in the series.
• Through use of her telepathy, Mindy ends up discovering all of King Triton's secrets.
• It is implied that Triton was emotionally and sexually abused as a child.
• The former King Posiedon makes his first appearance in the series through flashbacks. It is revealed that he passed his title onto his son, Neptune.
• Sandy has built a device that is able to shut down power/electrical systems, which she and SpongeBob will use to free their friends from F.I.N's prison.
• Alex and Aria finally find Debbie within  F.I.N's Private Prison.
• Linda and Tetra ask Clemmons to investigate Triton.
• Main Characters Absent: Pearl

[TJ]

Team SpongeBob - Season 9: Rise Of E.V.I.L

Ep.143 "Breakout"

Dungeon, King Triton's Palace

Triton enters the palace's underground dungeon.

Mindy is seen tied up on a stone chair, with her wrists binded as well.

"I sure hope you were fed breakfast." Triton said, smiling.

"I will not degrade myself to allowing someone to feed me like an infant." Mindy said, wiggling her hands.

"Very well, then you may starve." Triton said.

Mindy tried to use her telepathy against her brother, scrunching her face intensely.

"Don't be silly, sister. I had my guards use a serum that nullifies your powers temporarily. You'll be getting daily treatments while you're my captive." Triton said.

"Triton, you have to STOP. You have to abort your plans. You have no idea of the hell you're about to unleash on this world." Mindy pleaded.

"I know what I'm doing..." Triton said.

"This is because of our family, isn't it?" Mindy asked.

Triton looked unnerved.

"I touched your memories, Triton. A large portion of them. I know what grandfather did to you. I know the pain you felt when you told dad, and he said not to 'ruin his chances' at becoming the new King. What you're doing now... is trying to take back the power that was taken from you in your childhood." Mindy expressed.

Triton shed a single tear.

"Nice analysis, sister. However, I am feeling no pain over my past. I feel hope and promise for my future." Triton said, walking out.

"TRITOOOON!" Mindy yelled.

-----

F.I.N Private Prison

Aria and Alex are seen in their cells.

"I don't think I can take another day here." Alex said.

"They'll come." Aria said, sitting up.

"At least we've found Debbie." Alex said.

Alex watched as Aria stared into blank space.

"Everything alright?" Alex asked.

"I just... feel a weird sense. Like, something's gonna happen today." Aria said.

"But, the inhibitor is suppressing your powers, right?" Alex asked.

"Yes, but as a witch, there's just some things I can feel in my soul. Vibes, energies. I don't know how to explain it, but it's almost as natural as breathing." Aria said.

"Well, if anything does happen... let's hope it's not bad." Alex said.

-----

Quickjet

On the Quickjet, Sandy was piloting.

"Are we almost there. The sun's getting kind of low." SpongeBob said, staring out the window.

"Might work out better for us with the sun down." Sandy said.

"True. The best stealth is night stealth." SpongeBob said.

"Yup." Sandy agreed.

"Hey, I know that we should probably have that conversation about... ya know." SpongeBob addressed.

"Maybe it's not the time." Sandy said, nervous.

"When is it ever the time, for us?" SpongeBob questioned.

"True. So, how'd you feel about it?" Sandy asked, keeping her eyes on the skies.

"I mean, it was something that I definitely felt was building up between us. You know that I'm asexual, so choosing to be intimate with you in that way... it did mean something to me. And I hoped you enjoyed it." SpongeBob spoke.

"I did. A lot." Sandy blushed. "But, even if it was something we both don't regret... I know that you'd rather be with Linda." Sandy said.

"I never said that." SpongeBob said.

Sandy's heart fluttered. 

"So, do you want to finally try it? A relationship between us?" Sandy questioned.

"I think that's a question we should save for after the mission." SpongeBob said.

"You're right. We're here." Sandy said, landing the jet on a hill near F.I.N's Private Prison.

Sandy and SpongeBob got off the jet, with Sandy holding the machine in her arms.

"That watchtower over there." Sandy said.

"It's within the gates.. which are closed." SpongeBob said.

"That's no problem. You can phase us through with your speed." Sandy said.

"Riiiiiiight, that new trick I learned." SpongeBob said.

SpongeBob grabbed onto Sandy, and speeded them both off.

-----

Left Shore General Hospital, Left Shore

Pearl was seen in her hospital bed, lying still and appearing very bored.

Suddenly, her room door opened.

Pearl lifted up.

"Dad!" Pearl said, happily.

Mr. Krabs walked in with flowers, trying to hold in happy tears.

"I'm so glad you made it through!" Krabs said, sitting the vase of flowers down.

Mr. Krabs hugged Pearl.

"I really needed this." Pearl said, embracing her father.

"I'm so sorry I didn't get here sooner, but I had a lot to put off while I made arrangements to get here." Krabs explained.

"I know, I know. You're here now, and that's all that matters." Pearl said.

"So how do you feel..?" Krabs asked.

"Honestly, I feel so much better. I just wish they can give me the go ahead to sign out of this place." Pearl said, sighing.

"They didn't say when you can leave?" Krabs asked.

"They said they want to keep check over me a little longer, but I'm getting frantic. I need to be out there helping Linda and the girls. All this stuff I'm hearing about rounding up metas, and... and.. Sandy and SpongeBob are still on the loose." Pearl explained.

"Sweetie, you just need to breathe. Take everything one day at a time. Your recovery is important." Krabs stressed.

"I get that. I really do." Pearl said.

"But, your heart's in this til the end, huh? I realized a long time ago that I could never change that about you." Krabs stated.

"The fact that I'm willing to risk my life in a dangerous semi-profession?" Pearl asked.

"The fact that you're a hero." Krabs remarked.

Pearl looked at her father with joy, as he finally understood her.

-----

F.I.N Private Prison

Agents Clemmons and Ridley were seen driving up to the Private Prison.

"Why are we here again?" Ridley asked, in shotgun.

"I told you. Off the books investigation of King Triton. Last week he visited a woman here, according to a bud and informant of mines." Clemmons explained.

"You have buds?" Ridley asked, humorously.

"Ridley..." Clemmon said, shaking his head.

"Annnnnyway, so what if he visited a woman?" Ridley asked.

"This woman is a high profile criminal known as the Ice Queen." Clemmons said.

"Ohhh, the Ice Queen. Why would he meet with her?" Ridley asked.

"Exactly what I'm gonna find out." Clemmons said.

Suddenly, he stopped the car.

"What? We're almost there." Ridley said.

"Sorry, it's just... something in the hills." Clemmons said, looking out the window.

"Is that... a Quickjet?" Ridley asked.

"Looks like it. Why would it be parked in the hills?" Clemmons questioned.

Ridley shrugged.

"I think we may have to pause this mission for a new one." Clemmons said, getting out the car.

Meanwhile, SpongeBob and Sandy arrived inside the Watchtower.

"Hey!" Two F.I.N guards shouted, raising their guns.

SpongeBob snatched the guns with super speed.

"Sandy, you may." SpongeBob prompted her, and taking the machine.

Sandy smiled, and then started to beat up the guards.

"I looove when she does that." SpongeBob said to himself, watching her with amusement.

Sandy tied up and muffed the guards in a corner.

"Alright, here." SpongeBob said, handing Sandy the machine.

Sandy hooked the machine into the Watchtower control system.

"Let's hope this crap works!" Sandy said.

The device turned on, and Sandy presses a button.

A blue-colored electromagnetic wave generates from the watchtower, powering down all technical systems inside the Private Prison.

Inside the prison, Victoria is seen on the floor being beaten by F.I.N guards in Solitary Confinement.

Suddenly, the lights go off.

"What the hell!??" One of the guards said.

Victoria felt as her power inhibitor turned off.

"...Victoria..." one of the guards said, scared and nervous.

"...ICE QUEEN!" Victoria said, standing up and releasing a blast of icy cold mist.

The three guards were completely frozen.

Victoria tilted them over, shattering them into pieces on the floor.

Victoria then blasted her way out of the room.

-----

Team Linda Base, Left Shore

Tetra is seen arriving at the base.

"Linda, any word from Mindy yet?" Tetra asked.

"It's been nearly two days. Nothing." Linda said, finishing up report scanning.

"She's in trouble. You know that." Tetra said, extremely worried.

"I know." Linda said.

"Then what do we do?" Tetra asked, aggressively.

"It's time to break the rules. We're going to storm Triton's palace." Linda said.

"About damn time." Tetra remarked.

-----

F.I.N Private Prison

SpongeBob and Sandy are seen coming back to the hill.

"Did you hear all the commotion? All of the prisoners are breaking out." Sandy said.

"Including our friends.." SpongeBob said, looking pale.

"What's wrong?" Sandy asked.

"There are villains in there that we just freed. And they likely didn't leave the guards alive on their way out." SpongeBob suggested, looking terrified.

"ALL of this will pay off in the end." Sandy said, as they arrived at the Quickjet.

"Are you sure? Or did we just make a GIANT mistake?" SpongeBob asked.

"I'm sure." Sandy said.

Sandy grabbed SpongeBob, giving him a kiss.

Suddenly, SpongeBob was shot in the leg.

"AHHH!" SpongeBob screamed, falling to the ground.

From behind the Quickjet, Clemmons and Ridley came out, holding guns on the two.

"Hello there! I knew something was off..." Clemmons said.

"You bastards!" SpongeBob said, on the ground.

"I'm Clemmons. That's my buddy, Ridley." Clemmons greeted.

"If you're gonna shoot us then DO IT. No need for meaningless introductions." Sandy said, looking pissed.

"You're a tough one... aren't you?" Clemmons asked.

"Tough enough to rip both of your assholes out." Sandy threatened.

"Bet you're not bullet proof, though." Clemmons said, shrugging.

Ridley gave a nervous laugh.

"What he said." Ridley added, awkwardly.

"That's the problem with people. They think a gun makes them strong, or powerful. Without that thing, you wouldn't last one go with me." Sandy stated.

"Then let's take the guns out of the equation, shall we?" Clemmons said, tossing his gun.

Ridley did the same.

"Ridley, let's show this girl how it's done. THE OL' FASHIONED WAY." Clemmons yelled.

"I'm not a girl! I'm a WOMAN!" Sandy remarked.

Sandy immediately came at Clemmons with a punch.

Clemmons dodged her punch, kicking her in the leg.

Sandy stood fortified, as Ridley grabbed the back of her head.

Sandy did a back flip and wrapped her legs around Ridley's neck, pulling him to the ground and choking him out with her legs.

Standing up, Sandy avoided a punch from Clemmons.

Clemmons backed up.

Sandy did a cartwheel, kicking him in the chest.

Clemmons was sent to the ground.

Sandy tried to jump on him, but he rolled out of the way.

Sandy stood up, but Clemmons tripped her back down.

Clemmons grabbed the back of Sandy's neck, lifted her up, and punched her in the stomach.

"AHHH!" Sandy shrieked.

Sandy elbowed Clemmons in the nose.

"BITCH!" Clemmons shouted, with a bloody nose.

Clemmons quickly punched her in the face.

Sandy's vision went blurred, as Clemmons grabbed her entire body and threw her over to the side of the Quickjet.

"SAAANDDDYY!" SpongeBob shouted.

Sandy's body violently hit the Quickjet, as Clemmons kicked her in the chest.

Sandy coughed up blood.

Clemmons grabbed her up, choking her intensely.

Sandy struggled to breathe, feeling lightheaded.

"Usually, I hate the sound of a woman choking on me... if you know what I mean. But in this case, I think I quite enjoy it." Clemmons said, smiling.

"NOOOOOO!" SpongeBob yelled, reaching his hand out.

Sandy grabbed his arm with both hands, twisting it off her neck.

"OUCH!" Clemmons yelled.

Sandy performed an uppercut punch on Clemmons, backing him off.

With great force, Sandy then punched Clemmons on the right side of his chest.

Clemmons felt his heart take the hit, as he slowly fell to the ground.

Hitting the ground, Clemmons passed out.

"Now who's the bitch?" Sandy remarked, spitting out her blood on his face.

SpongeBob looked at her in amazement.

"You are INCREDIBLE." SpongeBob said, fidgeting from the pain of his leg wound.

"I know, I know." Sandy said, while collecting the guns the men tossed.

Sandy helped SpongeBob stand up, walking him into the Quickjet.

Inside the Quickjet, Sandy got an old shirt from a compartment.

"Tie this around your leg. I'm gonna go stand outside and see if I spot Aria or Alex.

"The prisoners will probably leave out through the forest on the other side." SpongeBob said

"If I don't spot them within a few minutes, I'll go and search the forest." Sandy said, running out of the Quickjet.

In the forest, we see Victoria running.

"HEY!" a voice was heard.

Victoria turned around.

Clarissa appeared.

"I was wondering where you were." Victoria said.

"You have that paper?" Clarissa asked.

"Yup. Triton wants us to go to this address." Victoria said, pulling the small paper from out of her bra.

"How do you think he pulled off the power outage?" Clarissa asked.

"I don't think he did. I think he knew someone else would." Victoria said.

"Whoever it was, I thank them. I hated wearing that power inhibitor." Clarissa said, rubbing her neck.

"Yeah, speaking of... we're both free to use our natural gifts again." Victoria said, evilly smiling.

Victoria frosted a thicket of bushes with her ice abilities.

"You're... cold." Clarissa playfully remarked.

"I showed you mine, you show me yours." Victoria said, smiling.

"You might regret that you asked." Clarissa said.

Clarissa turned around and released a loud, piercing sonic scream which had enough power to knock down three whole trees.

"OUCH! MY EARS!" Victoria said, angrily.

Clarissa turned toward her, laughing.

"I told you." Clarissa said.

"Triton informed me that you had a voice that could kill dozens... but hearing it for myself is worse than anything I could of imagined." Victoria said, collecting herself.

"Sorry, Frosty. Now let's get going." Clarissa said, walking ahead.

"Don't call me Frosty!" Victoria said, running after her.

In another part of the forest, Aria and Alex are seen.

"That was carnage in there!" Aria said, freaked out.

"I wish we could of done something..." Alex said.

"I know, but it wouldn't of done us any good to be outnumbered." Aria said.

Aria and Alex saw more prisoners running through the forest.

"I wonder where they'll all go." Alex said.

"I know where WE need to go." Aria said.

"WAIT! Where's Debbie? Alex asked.

"She was right behind me!" Aria said, looking around.

"She took off. She didn't want to be with us." Alex said.

"It's not us she didn't want to be with. It's her former friends." Aria said.

"SpongeBob and Sandy have no ill will toward her. I just wish she knew that." Alex said.

"Right now, we need to find them." Aria said, taking fur out of her bra.

"Is that... fur... from your bra?" Alex asked, confused.

"I took hair samples from Sandy and you a long time ago in case our little group ever got split up for some reason." Aria said.

"Okay, first off... WHEN?" Alex asked.

"While you weren't paying attention." Aria said, looking in another direction.

"Okay, second... what are you planning to do with Sandy's fur?" Alex asked.

"I am going to use a location spell. Using hair or biological material from a person can enable a magic user to open a portal to their location." Aria explained.

"It's so cool that you're a witch." Alex stated, excitedly.

"I hate that term." Aria said.

Aria began to chant her spell.

"etacol etacol etacol" Aria chanted.

Back on the hill, Sandy saw a portal open.

Stepping through was Aria and Alex.

"You guys found us!" Sandy said.

"Location spell." Aria said.

"Are you good?" Alex asked.

"Me? What about you? I was just about go and search the forest on the other side." Sandy said.

"Prison was, well... about how you'd think it would be." Alex said, humorously.

"Sandy, where's Bob?" Aria asked.

The three suddenly heard him groan from inside the Quickjet.

"He got shot in the leg!" Sandy said, rushing inside.

Aria followed after her.

Alex stopped mid-run.

"...Are those... unconscious men?" Alex asked himself.

Inside the Quickjet, Aria used a magic spell to tend to SpongeBob's wound.

SpongeBob let out a sound of relief.

"Thanks." SpongeBob said, feeling better.

Alex arrived inside.

"You okay, dude?" Alex asked.

"Am now." SpongeBob said.

"Aria... how many dead?" Sandy asked.

"A lot of the bad prisoners killed the guards." Aria said.

Sandy looked remorseful.

"We need to fly out of here." Sandy said, taking the wheel.

The Quickjet was seen flying away from the area as the gang strapped themselves.

-----

King Triton's Palace

Linda and Tetra were seen riding their motorcycles to the Palace gates.

Tetra blasted the gates open with her vibrational blasts.

The palace arms started to ring, as several guards came outside.

Linda and Tetra jumped off their rides, shooting their powers at the guards.

Blasting their way into the Palace, they took on even more.

In the underground Dungeon, Mindy could hear loud commotion.

"Could it be?" Mindy asked aloud.

Back upstairs, Linda and Tetra had blasted down all of the guards.

"I've never had easier fodder." Linda said.

"Same here." Tetra agreed.

Elijah Martin was seen turning their corner.

"Stop there!" Elijah said, pointing a gun.

Tetra used her powers to vibrate the gun apart.

Linda grabbed Elijah and pinned him to the wall.

"Where is Mindy?" Linda asked.

"How should I know?" Elijah asked.

"You're Triton's closest advisor and confidant." Linda said.

"You'll have to ask Triton when he returns. He stepped out for a little bit." Elijah said.

"You can tell us, or I can vibrate your body apart like I did your gun." Tetra said.

Elijah looked at the remnants of the gun on the floor.

"...Oh poop. Fine." Elijah said.

A few moments later, the dungeon door was blasted open by Tetra.

Linda and Tetra stepped through.

"Mindy!" Linda cheered.

"About damn time." Mindy said.

"Better late than never?" Tetra questioned.

"Just get me out of these binds." Mindy said, rolling her eyes.

NOTES:

• Sandy and SpongeBob freed all of the prisoners from F.I.N's Private Prison, including villains, criminals, and people held by the Metafish Executive Order.
• Mr. Krabs makes his first appearance of Season 9.
• Sandy, Clemmons, and Ridley engaged in a two-on-one fight, with Sandy being the victor.
• SpongeBob, Sandy, Aria, and Alex have all reunited, which Debbie is on her own again.
• Linda and Tetra lead a siege on Triton's palace and find Mindy tied up in an underground dungeon.
• Main Characters Absent: Debbie 

 

 

 

[Rebel the Wolfgirl]

Nice.

[TJ]

Team SpongeBob - Season 9: Rise Of E.V.I.L

Ep.144 "Absolute Power"

Underground Dungeon, Triton's Palace

Tetra and Linda had finished untying Mindy.

"My brother has at least seventy guards. How'd you get past them?" Mindy asked, collecting herself.

"We may have totally bodied them." Tetra said, humorously.

"Wow. All for me?" Mindy asked.

"Why did Triton lock you up?" Linda asked.

"He had built up some kind of telepathic resistance. I used my telekinesis to knock him out, and then I was able to get inside his head." Mindy revealed.

"Lemme guess.. totally evil?" Tetra asked.

"Like you wouldn't believe. Guys, he's planning on using the power of the Divine Jewels to take control over the universe." Mindy told them.

Linda and Tetra stared at each other.

"It gets worse. He's assembled a group of super villains. A society of followers." Mindy told them.

"Of course. He needs help finding the final two Divine Jewels." Linda said.

"He made four incisions into my dad's trident." Mindy revealed.

"That scepter Neptune used to carry?" Tetra asked.

"If he puts all four Divine Jewels inside the scepter, he'll be able to control the entire universe." Mindy said.

"And OUR stupid asses gave him the Dark Jewel and the Power Jewel." Linda stressed.

"We didn't KNOW he was evil." Tetra said.

"I should of seen something." Linda said.

"Me too. It was really suspicious how he just returned out of thin air and took the throne." Mindy said.

"Aren't the Jewels being kept inside this palace?" Tetra asked.

"Yes. The Collection Room." Mindy revealed.

"We have to get to them. NOW." Linda said.

The ladies ran out of the dungeon.

-----

Quickjet

Inside the Quickjet, we see SpongeBob piloting.

"Where exactly are we going, Bob?" Alex asked.

"I'm curious to know that too." Aria asked.

"Mainland." SpongeBob simply said.

"That deserted wasteland?" Aria asked, making Alex smirk.

"You're planning to storm Triton's palace, aren't you?" Sandy figured.

"Is this true, SpongeBob?" Aria asked, raising her voice slightly.

"I figured that if we stormed Triton's palace and take him hostage... we'd be able to work out a deal with the island government." SpongeBob explained.

"You want to trade Neptune's life for the two Divine Jewels - and cleared criminal records." Sandy guessed.

"Are you insane?" Aria asked.

"Aria's right! We CAN'T kidnap the King of the Ocean." Alex agreed.

"GUYS, we are quite literally running out of options. This is a last ditch effort. If all of you are against it, LET ME KNOW, so I can go ahead and do this alone." SpongeBob voiced, quite passionately.

Sandy, Aria, and Alex all entered deep thought.

"Fine. I'm in." Sandy said.

"Kay, whatever." Alex said.

"... I'd rather be surrounded by you guys than by greasy prison convicts, so count me in too." Aria agreed.

SpongeBob nodded his head.

"Oh... did you guys see Debbie inside the private prison." Sandy asked.

"We did. Explained everything to her." Alex answered.

"Then where is she?" SpongeBob asked.

"She's running. Again." Aria blurted out.

"She's afraid of facing you guys." Alex explained.

Sandy sighed.

SpongeBob shook his head.

-----

Collection Room, Triton's Palace

Mindy, Linda, and Tetra made their way to the palace's collection room. 

"The Divine Jewels should be here." Mindy said, walking in.

The women looked around.

"The glass containers in the middle of the room..." Tetra pointed out.

The girls walked over.

"Empty..." Mindy said.

Suddenly, the ladies heard the door slam behind them.

All of them gasped, turning around.

Triton stood before them.

"Looking for THESE?" Triton asked, raising his scepter.

The scepter had two of the jewels inside two of the incisions.

"Triton, you don't have to do this." Linda said.

"Brother, listen to me. Set the trident down, turn around, walk out of here, and NEVER look back." Mindy said.

"Giving up all my power so easily? I don't think so." Triton said.

"Enough bargaining, he's not listening. Triton, hand over the scepter or we'll blast you into next week." Tetra said.

The three took fighting stances.

"Unfortunately, I don't desire to kill you all yet. Oh no, I have different plans for the three of you." Triton said.

Triton raised the scepter, calling upon the power of the Dark Jewel.

Dark energy quickly into the soul of the three women. 

"You now serve me." Triton said, grinning.

-----

Mountainside, The Forbidden Lands, Karate Island

Victoria and Clarissa arrived at the Mountainside of The Forbidden Lands.

"There's a bunker built in." Victoria analyzed.

"I can see that. Looks like a pass code is required for entry. Did he give you one?" Clarissa asked.

"Afraid not." Victoria replied.

"LADIES!" a voice was heard, treading uphill.

The two saw Triton approaching.

"Where the HELL have you been? I'm not a patient woman." Victoria said.

"Neither am I." Clarissa agreed.

"Sorry, sorry. I had a few loose ends to tie up." Triton said.

"And that would be?" Clarissa asked. 

"Our good friends, Team SpongeBob." Triton said.

"Ya know, I half signed on to this so I could get an opportunity to kill them once and for all." Victoria stated.

"I want them to get their just desserts as well." Clarissa agreed.

"You ladies should be grateful. SpongeBob Squarepants and Sandy Cheeks were the two who broke you out of prison, after all." Triton revealed.

"So it was them..." Victoria said.

"How'd you know they would lead a breakout?" Clarissa asked.

"They had comrades in the prison. It was only a matter of time." Triton told them.

"I met one. Debbie Rechid - the Universal Guardian." Victoria said.

"When do we get to kill SpongeBob and his cronies?" Clarissa asked, impatient.

"Linda Lane and her girl group will do that for us. My sister had figured out my plans, which alerted Linda Lane and Tetra King. The three attempted to rob me of the Divine Jewels, but I was quicker. I used the power of the Dark Jewel to possess their souls." Triton revealed.

"Where are they?" Victoria asked.

"Back at my palace. Team SpongeBob will be there soon." Triton said.

"How do you know?" Clarissa asked.

"Because, they have no other choice left." Triton said.

"And the possessed women will be waiting for them... instead of you." Victoria noted.

"The perfect bait and switch." Triton said, with a smile.

In the sky, a suit of armor was scene heading towards mountainside.

"What the hell is that?" Victoria asked.

"Not to worry, ladies." Triton said.

"Who is that?" Clarissa asked.

"An associate of mine. Plankton." Triton revealed.

Plankton's armor landed in front of the three, as the suit opened up.

Smoke released from inside, as Plankton hopped out.

"MAN! That thing definitely needs a few more test runs." Plankton said, coughing.

"You're... small." Clarissa said, raising an eyebrow.

"YOU DON'T THINK I KNOW THAT? That's why I invented, the Planktron." Plankton said, motioning at his suit.

Plankton's suit of armor was colored green and yellow, and had a sleek design.

"Alright, iron man. What's your stake in all of this?" Victoria asked.

"Plankton too has a score to settle with Team SpongeBob." Triton told them.

"May we see this underground base now?" Clarissa asked.

Triton walked over to the bunker and entered the pass code.

"2-0-1-0." Triton told them.

"Is that in reference to the year, 2010?" Victoria asked.

"All will be explained in time." Triton said, as the bunker opened.

-----

Triton's Palace

SpongeBob landed the S-Jet near the palace.

"Something's happened." Sandy noticed.

SpongeBob, Sandy, Aria, and Alex exited the jet. They immediately saw the unconscious bodies of dozens of guards.

The four analyzed the scene.

"These blast spots... they're residue from Linda's light beams." Sandy said.

"I thought I recognized them." SpongeBob said.

"What the hell happened?" Alex questioned.

"That's what me, you, and Sandy are going to find out." SpongeBob said.

"Did you just forget my name, or...?" Aria asked.

"Aria, I need you to stay out here in case we run into some kind of trap inside." SpongeBob said.

"Alright." Aria said.

SpongeBob, Sandy, and Alex ran inside the palace.

"There was a fight in here too." Sandy said, as the three ran to the Throne room.

The three entered the Throne room.

Linda is seen sitting on Triton's chair, with Mindy and Tetra next to her on both sides.

"... Linda." SpongeBob said.

"We figured it would only be a matter of time until you showed up." Linda said, standing.

"SpongeBob, their pupils are black." Sandy said.

"They're possessed." SpongeBob said.

"Exactly." Sandy replied.

"ENOUGH TALK. You came here to hurt our King. For that, you will all suffer the consequences." Tetra spoke.

"You guys don't know what you're saying!" SpongeBob said.

Linda, Mindy, and Tetra walked toward them.

"Well that's alright, because we don't need words to KILL YOU!" Linda said, shooting a light blast at SpongeBob.

"SpongeBob!" Sandy yelled.

Sandy ran up to Tetra, as the two engaged in hand to hand.

Alex shot a lightning blast at Linda, who did a backflip to avoid it.

Sandy tried to strike Tetra, but was pushed back by one of her vibrational blasts.

SpongeBob, getting up, tried to use his super speed, but Mindy stopped his motion with her telekinesis.

"Youuu, cannn't HOLD ME for looooong!" SpongeBob said, struggling to move.

As Alex attempted to shoot another lightning blast at Linda, she used her light powers to temporarily blind Alex.

"AHHH!" Alex shrieked, falling to his knees.

Tetra began blasting more sonic energy at Sandy, who was on the floor.

Sandy screamed, as Tetra's energy ripped into her body.

SpongeBob, finally breaking Mindy's telekinetic grip, speeded into her.

Mindy fell to the floor, but got back up.

As SpongeBob tried to speed back at her again, Mindy knocked him out with a telepathic attack.

"STOP!" a voice was heard, running into the Throne room.

Aria arrived and began chanting a spell.

"These girls are cursed by something divine, pull the darkness out of their minds! sdnim rieht fo tuo ssenkrad eht llup ,enivid gnihtemos yb desruc era slrig eseht!" Aria chanted a spell.

In an instant, dark energy was seen coming out of Linda, Tetra, and Mindy's bodies and into Aria's hand.

"Uhhhh!" Aria shrieked, trying to control the energy she absorbed.

"...Guys?" Linda asked, snapping out of it.

"One more second, and you would of ripped me to shreds." Sandy said to Tetra.

"I'm so sorry, I don't know what came over me!" Tetra said.

"It was Triton. He did this to us." Mindy said, using her abilities to wake SpongeBob up.

SpongeBob quickly speeded away from Mindy.

"Whoa! It's okay... Aria brought us back to ourselves." Mindy said.

"How did this happen?" SpongeBob asked.

"Triton." Linda told him.

-----

Triton's Underground Bunker, The Forbidden Lands

Inside the bunker, Triton gathered Plankton, Victoria, Clarissa, and dozens of his acolytes inside a meeting room.

"Finally, all of us are together." Triton spoke, sitting at the head of the table.

"You didn't tell us about your...uh...robed friends." Victoria said.

"My acolytes are my loyal followers. They've been at my disposal for years." Triton said.

The acolytes did a bow before taking their seats.

"Are they also silent?" Victoria asked.

"Quiet men and women, yes." Triton said.

"Enough yapping! Time is money! At least that's what an old friend of mines used to say." Plankton spoke.

"I want to thank all of you. Not just for agreeing to help me, but for daring to take something so incredible." Triton said.

"Take what, exactly?" Clarissa asked.

"Absolute Power." Triton said.

Everyone nodded.

"You see, that's what this is all about. Shaping this world in my view." Triton said, holding out his trident.

"What do you hope to accomplish by doing that?" Victoria asked.

"This world is at an imbalance, and I feel that it is only about to get worse. My goal is to prevent that." Triton said.

"By taking absolute control over the entire universe. Smart." Victoria said, flashing him a smile.

"Of course, I can't have an empire without an army." Triton said, gesturing to Plankton, Clarissa, and Victoria.

"The rise of evil. I like it." Plankton said, laughing maniacally.

-----

Triton's Palace

"I think my vision is finally coming back." Alex said, rubbing his eyes.

"Sorry, kid." Linda said.

"So, let me get this straight... Triton made away with the two Divine Jewels and he is assembling a group of villains to help him find the last two?" SpongeBob asked.

"It was a lot to take in for us too." Tetra said.

"We have to STOP him! Linda, it's time we reunite as a team. To handle this together." Sandy said, looking at her.

Linda seemed emotional.

Suddenly, we see troops of Karate Island Military begin to surround Neptune's Palace, along with F.I.N agents.

Director Kyle Reeves is seen stepping out of a truck. He has a loudspeaker microphone.

"TEAM SPONGEBOB! WE KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE." Kyle spoke.

Inside the Throne room, the team heard.

"Oh no, F.I.N is here." Linda said.

"IF YOU DO NOT EXIT WITH YOUR HANDS UP, WE WILL BLOW THIS ENTIRE PALACE UP." Kyle spoke.

"They want to take us in." Mindy said.

"We CAN'T surrender! Not now, with Triton out there." Sandy said.

"I think we have to." Aria said.

"The witch is right." Tetra said.

"I prefer Ms. Magic." Aria said.

"Anyway, guys... I've studied law extensively. It'll work out better for us if we TURN ourselves in." Tetra said.

"How could you think that?" Sandy said.

"Sandy, she's right. This is the end of the line. We have to give ourselves up peacefully in order to hold onto any cards we may have left." SpongeBob.

"OH, suddenly you're all about alternative options?" Sandy said to SpongeBob.

"Lets put this to a vote!" Linda yelled.

Everyone looked at each other, nervous about how this proceeding would go.

NOTES:

• Triton is revealed to have a secret bunker in The Forbidden Lands.
• The first appearance of The Forbidden Lands since Season 7.
• Triton's team of super villains assembles for the first time. This team includes Plankton/Planktron, Victoria Chrome/Ice Queen, and Clarissa Clam/Black Clam. He is also revealed to have a dozen acolytes.
• Plankton makes his first on screen appearance of Season 9.
• Triton reveals that he is after absolute power in order to set the world in his vision. 
• Team SpongeBob and Team Linda are trapped inside Triton's palace as the island military and F.I.N surround the place.
   

[Rebel the Wolfgirl]

Nice, teenj.