NONE OF THE WISER 1/3
The doctor, noticing Plankton's discontent,
injected a painkiller into his IV.
Plankton's eye glazed over as the
medication took hold. "I feel...floaty," he
murmured, his usually sharp gaze clouded
with sedation.
SpongeBob nodded understandingly. "It's ok,
Plankton. The medicine is helping you feel
better."
Plankton giggled, his tiny body swaying
slightly with the effort. "Sponge Bob...you
know what?" His speech was slurred, his
thoughts scattered by the painkillers.
"You're...so...spongy," Plankton giggled, his
arm flailing in a lazy arc to poke at Sponge
Bob's side. His finger bounced off the soft
yellow like a spring.
Sponge Bob chuckled. "I've always been
spongy, Plankton. It's what makes me, me!"
He gently took hold of Plankton's waving
hand and held it still. "But, remember, you’re
going under for wisdom teeth removal."
The giggles grew more frequent, turning into
hysteric laughter. "Wisdom teeth," he
chuckled, "Why do they call them that? They
don't make you smarter, they just make
you...oh!" His laughter trailed off as he
winced, the pain briefly piercing through the
fog of the painkillers.
Sponge Bob's smile never wavered. "They're
called wisdom teeth because they come in
when you're older and wiser, Plankton," he
explained patiently. "But don't worry, you'll be
fine. The dentist is the best in Bikini Bottom."
Plankton's giggles turned into a low, throaty
chuckle. "Best...in Bikini Bottom?" He
squinted, eyelid drooping. "That's like being
the smartest kid in a school for jellyfish."
Sponge Bob couldn't help but laugh at the
ridiculousness of the statement. Plankton's
usual sharp wit was dulled by the
medication, leaving room for unexpected
silliness. "Well, you know what they say,
Plankton. In the ocean, even a sea
cucumber can shine if it tries hard enough."
Plankton's chuckles grew quieter as the
sedative began to fully take effect. His eyelid
drooped further, and a little drool escaped
from the corner of his mouth.
"Plankton, you're gonna be fine," Sponge
Bob reassured, patting him on the shoulder.
"Just close your eye and think happy
thoughts."
"Happy...thoughts," Plankton mumbled, his
voice trailing off as he drifted closer to sleep.
Sponge Bob watched with a mix of
amusement and concern. The usually
devious and scheming Plankton looked so
vulnerable, lying there giggling about sea
cucumbers and wisdom teeth. It was a rare
sight, one that made Sponge Bob feel a
pang of something unfamiliar.
The doctor and nurse returned, their
expressions professional but with a hint of a
smile at the sight of the odd couple. "It's time
to up the dosage," the doctor announced.
Plankton's eye snapped open. "Dosage?" he
slurred. "But, but, I'm already floating!" He
tried to sit up, his body moving in slow,
wobbly motions.
Sponge Bob chuckled, gently pushing him
back down. "It's ok, Plankton. You just need
to relax. The more you fight it, the less fun
it'll be."
The nurse adjusted the IV, increasing the
flow of. Plankton's body went slack again,
his eye rolling back into his head.
"Wooo...I'm going on a magic carpet ride,"
he mumbled, his voice faint and distant.
Sponge Bob couldn't help but smirk at
Plankton's dopey state. He'd never seen the
tiny villain so out of sorts, and it was almost
endearing. "Just keep floating, Plankton," he
said, patting his hand. "You're going to the
land of nod."
Plankton's eye rolled back into his head, and
he started to mumble incoherently. "Land
of...nod...sounds...like a...a...pirate's treasure
map," he babbled.
Sponge Bob watched him, a smile playing
on his lips. "Just think happy thoughts,
buddy," he said, his tone gentle.
Plankton's voice grew faint as the sedative
deepened. "Happy
thoughts...like...like...Karen's secret Krabby
Patty recipe," he mumbled, his mind
wandering into a cloud of oblivion.
Sponge Bob's smile widened. "Well, if that's
what floats your boat, Plankton," he said,
patting the sea creature's hand again.
Plankton's words grew softer, turning into a
series of slurred mumbles. "Mm, Krabby
Patties...so...so...scrumptious." His eye
remained closed, but a small smile tugged at
the corners of his mouth.
The doctor and nurse exchanged a knowing
look. "Looks like he's almost ready for the
procedure," the doctor said, nodding to the
nurse who began preparing the surgical
equipment.
Sponge Bob's smile grew. He leaned in
closer to hear the last of his friend's delirious
words. "And...and...the secret
ingredient...is...wuv.." Plankton's mumbles
turned into snores, and Sponge Bob had to
stifle a laugh.
The doctor and nurse moved around the
bed, setting up the instruments for the
surgery. The doctor, a stern-looking fish with
a white lab coat and a stethoscope around
his neck, checked Plankton's vitals. "He's
ready," he said, nodding to the nurse who
had administered the anesthesia.
As Plankton drifted off into sleep
Sponge Bob squeezed his hand. "You're just
going to sleep for a little while, Plankton. It's
time for your wisdom teeth to come out."
Plankton's hand went limp in Sponge Bob's.
Sponge Bob watched the doctor and nurse
with a mix of curiosity and apprehension.
He'd never seen a surgery before, not even
on TV. The doctor nodded to him. "You can
stay if you want."
Sponge Bob nodded bravely, gripping the
railing of the bed. He didn't want to leave
Plankton's side. The doctor and nurse began
to work, their movements swift and precise.
The room was filled with the clanking of
instruments and the occasional beep from
the heart monitor.
The doctor leaned over with a scalpel, and
Sponge Bob had to look away. The thought
of someone poking around in Plankton's
mouth was too much, even if it was to make
him feel better. He focused on the wallpaper,
a pattern of cheerful fish and bubbles, trying
to block out the sounds of the surgery.
He heard the doctor's voice.
"Everything's going smoothly, Sponge Bob.
Nothing to worry about."
Sponge Bob nodded. He peeked over at
Plankton, whose mouth was now open wide,
filled with a series of metal instruments that
gleamed under the harsh surgical lights. The
nurse was busy suctioning out who knows
what, keeping the area clear for the doctor to
work, all while Plankton’s fully under
anesthesia.
"Almost done," he announced. Sponge Bob
looked back at the bed to see the doctor
carefully sewing up the small incisions in
Plankton's gums. The nurse was already
preparing the recovery room, laying out soft
gauze and a cup of water.
When the surgery was over, the doctor
stepped back with a nod of satisfaction. "It
went well," he said, turning to Sponge Bob.
"He'll be out for a while, but he'll be good as
new when he wakes up."
Sponge Bob let out a sigh of relief, his grip
on the bed rail easing. "Thank you, doctor,"
he said, his voice sincere.
The nurse moved to the bedside, checking
Plankton's vital signs. "You can stay with him
if you'd like," she offered. "He'll be waking up
soon."
Sponge Bob nodded gratefully, taking a seat
beside the bed. He picked up Plankton's
hand again, giving it a gentle squeeze. The
doctor and nurse began to clean up, their
movements swift and efficient.
The doctor and nurse finished up their work,
the room now a symphony of orderliness
and cleanliness. The doctor turned to
Sponge Bob with a kind smile. "He'll be out
for about an hour. You can even talk to him
while you wait if you'd like." Sponge Bob
nodded, even if Plankton couldn't
understand him at the moment.
The nurse dimmed the lights, leaving
Sponge Bob alone with his thoughts and the
gentle sounds of Plankton's snoring.
A soft beep from the heart monitor brought
him back to reality. Plankton's chest was
moving faster, and his eyelid began to twitch.
Sponge Bob sat up straight, gripping his
friend's hand tightly. "Plankton, wake up," he
said gently.
The snores grew less frequent, and his body
began to stir. His eye fluttered open,
focusing on Sponge Bob with a confused
gaze.
"Wh...where...what happened?" Plankton
slurred, his mouth feeling thick and
uncooperative.
Sponge Bob offered a warm smile. "You had
your wisdom teeth removed, buddy. You're
all done," he said, his voice gentle.