one thing's universal, life's no dress rehearsal

[stagemanagers]

[Prom night! The greatest night of your young lives if you watch any Western high school media from the past 60 years. The looks, the music, the copious amounts of fancy snacks, the sore feet from dancing heels and then spending the rest of the night in bare feet- it’s all part of the bigger package.

The courtyard and the roof have both been decked out in a special way for tonight, despite no one really seeing Hester or anyone/anything else decorating. There are round tables set-up in both places, covered in yellow-gold tablecloths. Some of them have platters of snacks laid out on them, one has a large punch bowl that never seems to empty no matter how many drinks are taken from it.

On the roof there’s an extra table with pencils, small slips of paper, a box wrapped in gold wrapping paper and a notecard labeled Song Requests. Just write a song, pop it in the box and within a few minutes it starts playing! Weird, there doesn’t seem to be a sound system anywhere...

Red paper lanterns have been strung around the outline of the roof and between stakes in the courtyard, granting soft romantic light for a night to remember. Put on your best costume shop formal wear, get ready to lose your shoes after an hour and sneak in liquor even though most of you are of age.

After all…tonight belongs to you.]

Comments

[employeeoftheyear]

[Spongebob was uncertain if he would even be wanted after his stunt he pulled yesterday. He knows he fucked up badly, and even after all the tears and apologies he worries that he would have still be seen as an unwanted presence. That him just being there would open wounds for everyone else.

And the fact that he was still pretty banged up from yesterday, but frankly it was a minor factor in him thinking he shouldn't go.

But with gentle encouragement from Orpheus he decides at least go. Just to show everyone that he was still here and still alive.

He owes his family that much.

After a quick trip to Elle, he shows up at the prom exactly when it starts. His outfit should look sort of familiar to some people, stilts and all. He specifically asks for some eyeliner and his wig has a ponytail.

And, for the first time since Connor, he has his nails painted. Black with glittery accents this time. It was his little way of letting his lost family knowing that he won't forget them.

He sits back from the party, for the most part. Spongebob sits at one of the tables, with a ukulele on his lap. He plucks at the strings with his one good hand as he watches the festivities.]

[mcfife]

[What is that outfit. It's so...unlike Spongebob. Angus can't help but worry about the choice in color, but the eyeliner does resemble Salieri's. He can't fault the man for wanting to remember him.

Angus takes a break from dancing and slides onto the table, thankfully not knocking over any plates, and removes his lion mask.] You play?

[employeeoftheyear]

[Spongebob smiles brightly at Angus. It's his way of showing that he's relatively okay.]

I do! Or... I did. It's hard to play ukulele with one hand.

[He looks, slightly worried, at his broken arm, before looking back up at Angus.]

I guess this means I am really a human, huh?

cw visual hallucinations

[mcfife]

For now, at least. [Angus can't promise much, but he knows that if Spongebob is transformed one way, then he can be turned back.] But we are getting out of here soon. All of you will.

[He glances down at the mask, his hands itching with an invisible rash. He rubs them roughly on the fabric of his pants and checks them again. Just skin, for now.]

If you can't play...can you sing?

[employeeoftheyear]

You really think we're close to finding a way out?

[He doesn't seem skeptical, more genuinely hopeful. Like he's allowing himself to believe that maybe he has more options than dying with someone else or dying alone in this school.

After a concerned look at Angus scratching at seemingly nothing, he perks up.]

Of course! The car crash might have wrecked my body, but it didn't wreck my vocal chords at least!

[mcfife]

[Spongebob's smile has returned. It isn't as physically demanding of a quest as questing to the northernmost region of Caledonia, but the reward heals more than a Legendary Enchanted Jetpack on its own.]

We have a plan. I think...I suppose I might remember more about The Phantom and The Wizard, if I was killed. [By a sweet alien and Maya's friend. Even if he wasn't responsible for Claudine, it pains him.] We are standing closer together than before. And your arm will heal. We all can recover from this week.

[employeeoftheyear]

Yeah, I think the Wizard's getting worried! I mean there's gotta be a reason why the Wizard is directly attacking us like this instead of threatening us with maybes!

[He pauses when he talks about how they can recover from this week. He's not entirely sure if he's talking about the motive, or what Spongebob did yesterday.

Spongebob looks up at Angus; a determined look on his face.]

I promise I will never give up on you guys ever again. I know we can do this if we stick together now!

[Truthfully, he has no idea if they can but

He thinks he's starting to understand his role on the team.]

[mcfife]

[Angus clasps a hand on Spongebob's shoulder - the one not attached to a broken arm. He's got it. He's got his spirit back.]

We aren't giving up on you, either. Even if you do not have a home, you have us. Hell, you have many homes you can move to after this.

[employeeoftheyear]

You... you really mean that, Angus?

[Admittedly, Spongebob never thought what he would do if he got out of here and Bikini Bottom was destroyed. He didn't want to think about being alone, not having his friends to support him.

So this offer hits him. Not exactly like a truck, but like he was lost and a kind stranger decided to give him some shelter and food. Like he truly felt safe for the first time in a month.]

[mcfife]

[Angus nods vigorously.]

We have magic in our universe. Perhaps no talking sponges, but what man knows the entire sea? You may find more of your kind in the ocean, or you can befriend any other creature that lives there.

[If anyone offers Spongebob a home, it has be a place where it's alright that he's not entirely human. Else, he will forever be a stranger.]

And, well, we do have volcanoes, but in the era I'm in, we've got pirates and monsters in unknown waters, we have gods and wizards, we have mermaids and dragons. It may not be home, but I hope it can be close enough.

[employeeoftheyear]

[Spongebob smiles as he listens to Angus. He loved his friends unconditionally, sure, and he trusted them with his life. But it's still a pleasant surprise when someone pulls a selfless act like this.

That's what he loves about being himself. The world was just full of neat little surprises that will find a way to brighten his life.]

It'll be plenty, Angus, thanks. And don't worry, I already know plenty of my kind right here.

[He looks at Angus and smiles, before gesturing to everyone else at the prom.]

ukelele!!

[comeandfindme]

[ In her normal clothes, because someone got a bit of a late start to the prom, Peregrine takes a somewhat awkward seat by Spongebob. She catches sight of his nails and feels her heart squeeze, but she tries her best to push it down. ]

I wish I could hear you play. Live music, might...sound pretty good right now.

[employeeoftheyear]

[Spongebob seems the tiniest bit surprised to see Peregrine approach him, but he smiles all the same when she sits down next to him.]

Me too, I'm really sad that I won't be able to play any music for awhile... But I guess it's my punishment for doing something that stupid yesterday, huh?

[He laughs, before it awkwardly trails off. He sits there in silence, for a moment]

Oh Neptune, I'm sorry I never got to thank you for mending my arm yesterday! That was really nice of you to do even though you were...

["Upset with him"? "Scared"? "Dealing with your own thing"? He's not exactly sure how to describe Per's outburst yesterday but she should probably quickly guess what he was talking about.]

[comeandfindme]

[ Her thoughts on everything are a little muddled. She's still annoyed as hell with Spongebob, still somewhat mad. But her long rest today and her talk with Janis have her a little less...prickly, in general. ]

It's fine, we all had a lot of things on our minds. [ Obviously, Peregrine— ] Are you feeling any, like...better, today?

[employeeoftheyear]

I am! Yesterday was kinda a wakeup call for me I guess.

[He falls silent, his smile turning more wistful.]

I told you yesterday that I've been feeling like I've been useless to this team, and that nothing I've been doing has been helping. But seeing how scared you guys yesterday, and everything, it made me realize something.

[He leans against Peregrine.]

... I don't care if I don't add anything to the team, I just wanna stay with you guys.

[comeandfindme]

[ Oh... Peregrine stills for a moment before relaxing. ]

You are so slow. That is you adding stuff to the team. We... We love you. That's more than enough.

cw visual hallucination

[employeeoftheyear]

I am?

[Suddenly, Spongebob finds himself teleported back to Bikini Bottom. To everyone freaking out over the volcano. To everyone looking to find an excuse. He knows it can't be real but everything feels so real.

"...If you keep going like this, it won't matter either way. There won't be anything left to save!"

"Deep thoughts, SpongeBob, but we’re kinda busy here —"

"I’m not finished! At a time like this, we should be coming together. Instead, you're all looking for someone to blame, or to follow, to exploit, or control!"

"You're all so scared for yourselves that you're turning against each other! And that's just as dangerous as any volcano."

"It doesn't have to be like this. We might only have seven minutes left, but we could make them the best seven minutes ever,"

"Like I said before, SpongeBob, the world's a horrible place filled with fear, suffering and despair. And you didn't believe me!"

"I still don't! Just look at the sun... It's still shining! And look at the kelp... It's still... kelp-y. Look at us... We still have each other!"

When he's brought back, Spongebob finds tears running down his face again, this time tears of joy. How foolish was he, to remember that and see it as a sign to give up, and not a sign that there's still hope in the world. That no matter what happens they're still friends who love each other.

He rests his head on Peregrine's shoulder, quiet for a moment. Just savoring the fact that they still have time together.]

I love you too, Per. Thanks for not giving up on me.

[comeandfindme]

...Never. [ Finally, finally she feels like part of her can start to relax. Even if just a little. ] I may be pissed. I may yell, or scream. But...I'm not gonna give up on you.

[ Not again. She's not going to let anything get in the way of how much she loves these people. ]

You never had to do anything. Just be with us.

[employeeoftheyear]

I promise, I promise I'll always be here with you. You're like a family to me. You're all great and even if it turns out my town survived the volcano, you'll always be my family. A-and I can't wait for us to get out so I can show you all my friends. And I wanna visit your home too, and everyone's home. And I want us to have sleepovers and celebrate holidays together and...

[He's babbling again.]

[comeandfindme]

Spongebob.

[ Even Peregrine knows this is babbling. ]

I understand. I get it. ...Me too. How weird would it be to just...visit Bikini Bottom?

ukulele

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[Oh..... how fancy. But Cass would trade it all away to see Spongebob looking the way he normally does. All happy-go-lucky and schmaltzy.

She takes a break from mingling with the others to venture his way. She's trying very, very hard to not look at his other hand.]

How's the arm doing?

[Fuck.]

[employeeoftheyear]

[He smiles warmly at Cass, seemingly unbothered by the question.]

It still really hurts, but I'm glad I'm still alive! Really I didn't even know I had bones until yesterday; I don't know how you vertebrates handle it.

[... Hopefully Cass is used to this by now.]

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[She has to be by now.]

...Heh. Only you could say something like that and it would make sense, Spongebob. [Well, him and maybe Shorty.

Hm.]

Hey, uh, do you remember that one song you played weeks ago? Something about living in the sea...

[employeeoftheyear]

[He smiles.]

Of course I remember my favorite song from my favorite movie! Why do you ask?

[feudalladyshandmaid]

Well...

[She glances from him, to the ukulele in his lap.]

Think you could teach it to me?

[That would be a fun way to spend the evening, right?]