Chapter Text
The day had been completely normal at the Krusty Krab, not a thing had gone wrong the whole day, SpongeBob had been able to work to his heart's content, and Squidward had actually bothered to stay awake the whole day, since there was nothing to actively waste his time. Sure he was still reading his magazine and daydreaming of what would eventually come after he became successful, but he was attentive enough to keep the line at the register down...
...except none of that was normal!
Everyday there was some sort of shenanigans from Plankton's attempts to take the Secret Formula, some sort of hijinks that they—SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs—would have to work through to save the restaurant from going out of business. Nothing that a normal restaurant had to go through, but that was just the relationship between Plankton and Mr. Krabs for you...
...which made it all the more strange that nobody had seen Plankton all day.
Mr. Krabs had been constantly checking on the formula, even taking it out to check that it's still the real formula. It was. SpongeBob was tense and ready to defend the formula with his life, Squidward... was just being Squidward in that regard. Although SpongeBob did notice that the squid was more attentive than usual to the restaurant across the road.
It was only when the day was ending that Squidward finally spoke up on the topic as he was climbing out of the boat that made for the front counter. "Well, I guess the little guy just wanted to take a break for today. Even crazy megalomaniacs must need a day for themselves." He didn't seem overly concerned about it, just a little put off by the change from normality.
While SpongeBob was willing to believe Squidward's explanation, Mr. Krabs wasn't buying it. "You don't know Plankton's mind like I do, Mister Squidward. He's plannin' something, I just know it!" For as serious as the crab sounds, it's hard to take him as such with him pressed against the window like a dog.
"So what are you going to do then, Mr. Krabs?" SpongeBob asks.
"Simple Boy-o," the crab plops himself down at one of the tables, gaze firmly trained on the dark Chum Bucket. "I'm going to stay here until the bilgerat appears again!"
"So what are you going to do about your business trip for the next month? You said that you have plenty of potential sponsors and business partners in other cities lined up. But chances are they'll try and steal the formula if you take it with you," Squidward says. He's not questioning Mr. Krabs' resolve to actually stay for as long as it takes, because he knows he will. He's simply questioning the crab's ability to pass up boatloads of money coming in from not only new products, but new restaurants in cities that had more than 540 fish, like the Tech-Giant city of Titania.
As he expected, this is enough to make Mr. Krabs reconsider a thing or two.
"BLAST! Me formulur ain't safe with Plankton's whereabouts unknown! But that's just too much money to be giving up!" He starts sweating profusely as the weight of the decision bares down upon him. Squidward just facepalms and looks at the time, looking more and more ready to head home. Even SpongeBob can't help but agree that this is an extreme over-reaction, especially since the Krusty Krab was going to be on lockdown for the month anyway, so that Plankton couldn't get to the frozen patties in the fridge.
But just as the clock struck 8PM, Mr. Krabs had an epiphany, just as Squidward and SpongeBob finishes clocking out. "Mister Squid-“
"Can't do it." Squidward replies before his name is even out of the crab's mouth. Unsurprisingly this earns the Squid a nasty glare, but he simply returns fire without care. "I like to enjoy and relax during any time I get off, and keeping a formula safe from a megalomaniac potentially trying to get into my house isn't all that relaxing. And that's assuming I'll find it in myself to care enough in the first place to actually put it somewhere that I'll check on it constantly, because it's more than likely just going somewhere random until it's needed again." Mr. Krabs… couldn't find it in himself to argue with that one.
"Alright, fine." His gaze turns over to SpongeBob, who flashes him a salute without an ounce of hesitation. "Good." He turns back and looks out the window again. Nothing has changed. The Chum Bucket is still dark. "I'll bring the Formulur by tomorrow on my way out of town." He sits back down and stays looking at the Chum Bucket. "Until then, I'll be right here watching for the bilgerat!"
Squidward just rolls his eyes and walks out the door without any hesitation. SpongeBob lingers a little longer, watching the Chum Bucket and thinking about the reasons that Plankton might be absent. But after a while, he just decides that Mr. Krabs can handle it, like he usually does, and walks out of the Krusty Krab. But as he starts walking down the street he stops, a shiver going up his spine. He looks towards the Chum Bucket, with the distinct feeling that something bad is happening in there. He debates going to check on Plankton, but decides against it with Mr. Krabs still watching the restaurant; the last thing he needs is Mr. Krabs getting angry at him for doing things he isn’t supposed to be doing.
And so, despite his better judgement telling him to go check, he continues walking towards his pineapple house. Still, he can’t help glancing over his shoulder every so often. At one point he swears he sees Karen looking out the back window at him, only her screen seems to be decorated by a pink line rather than the usual green one, but she disappears before he can turn around to really get a good look. He quickly decides that it was his imagination and continues walking, now with the distinct impression that he’s being watched.
Once he turns onto Conch Street, he can see his Pineapple in the distance, and he can faintly see Squidward enter his own house. He continues walking, eager to get home and see Gary, only to trip over something on the ground and land straight on a rock by the side of the road.
Getting up, his face now indented in the shape of the rock — not that it hurt in any way, he looks towards what cause him to trip, only to find that he’d tripped over a relatively large box. Looking closer reveals it to be a box filled with computer parts, parts that, upon further inspection, look strangely familiar.
”Is-Is this… Karen’s head?!” Upon closer inspection and matching it with the other pieces in the box, SpongeBob is able to confirm his suspicions. But in receiving that answer, he is only left with more questions; Why was she here, in a box? Why did he think that he saw her in the Chum Bucket window if she’s here on his street in the box? What was he supposed to do with the situation?
He couldn’t just leave her here, he needs answers. Plus, his conscience wouldn’t allow him to leave her here, in the cold currents of nighttime Bikini Bottom, even if she is a robot that can’t actually feel cold. None of that even mentioning the fact that she's not even activated. So, he places her head back into the box and proceeds to take the whole thing the rest of the way to his house.