𝖢𝖮𝖬𝖤 𝖳𝖮𝖦𝖤𝖳𝖧𝖤𝖱 𝖻𝗒 𝖭𝖾𝗎𝗋𝗈𝖥𝖺𝖻𝗎𝗅𝗈𝗎𝗌 part 9 Karen sighs. "It's almost noon, Plankton. Remember your biannual dental x-rays? We gotta get going. Sandy could you stay with Chip? We won't be too long." Karen helps him get ready, her movements efficient and caring. She knows the dentist can be a sensory trigger for him. Arriving at the dentist's office, the receptionist smiles politely. "Ah, Mr. Plankton," she says. "We've been expecting you." Plankton simply nods as they enter the waiting room. He starts rocking. Karen notices, her hand on his shoulder. "It's ok," she whispers. "Mr. Plankton?" The dentist's gentle voice echoes through the waiting room. Plankton and Karen follow the dentist to the x-ray area across the hall. Plankton's heart races as he's led into the room, his eye darting around, taking in the cold, sterile environment. The dentist, a squid named Dr. McTentacles, notices his distress and tries to soothe him. "It's ok, Mr. Plankton," he says gently. "It's a quick x-ray and you'll be done!" Plankton nods, trying to compose himself. "You're going to be ok," Karen whispers as the dentist prepares the machine. He allows the x-ray film touch his mouth, biting down as the images light up. Dr. McTentacles then removes the film. "All done! I'm gonna go back and look at these," he says, going out of Plankton's earshot with Karen in tow. "Mrs. Plankton," he starts, his tentacles tapping a screen. "Your husband's wisdom teeth are growing in. They're looking a bit... misaligned," he says, showing the images to Karen. Karen nods, her eyes scanning the x-rays. "What does that mean?" she asks, trying to keep her voice even. "It means," Dr. McTentacles says, "that they might cause some discomfort, or even other potential problems. We must consider extraction. I know he has sensory issues, so we'll need to approach this carefully." Karen nods. "When should we do it?" she asks. "As soon as possible," the dentist replies. "But we'll have to talk to Plankton about it. Make sure he's comfortable with the process. It's important that he feels safe." Karen nods again, her mind racing with the implications of surgery for Plankton. "We've got inhalational sedative/anaesthesia available, which should make it easier for him." Karen's eyes widen with relief at the mention of sedatives. "That... that sounds good," she says. "How soon can we...?" "We'll need to schedule another appointment," Dr. McTentacles says, his tentacles still tapping at the screen. "I have tomorrow open. It can be done here in my office, under unconsciousness." Karen nods, trying to absorb the information. She glances back at Plankton, his eye flickering as he looks around the room. "Tomorrow's fine," she says, her voice tight. As they walk back to the waiting area, Plankton's hand finds hers, his grip tight. "What did he say?" he asks, his voice strained. Karen's heart aches as she looks into his worried eye. "It's your wisdom teeth, dear," she says gently. "They're coming in a bit... funny." Plankton's grip on her hand tightens. "What does that mean?" he asks, his voice high with anxiety. "It means they might cause you some pain," Karen explains, keeping her voice calm and soothing. "But we're going to take care of it, okay? In the morning, we'll come back and the dentist will remove them." Plankton's eye widens in fear. "They're going to give you gas to help you sleep through it," Karen explains, her voice calm but firm. "You won't feel a thing. It's like... a nap. A nap that makes your mouth feel better when you wake up." Plankton nods, his grip loosening slightly. "A... a nap?" he repeats, his voice quivering. "Okay," he says, his shoulders dropping. Karen can see the trust in his eye, and she feels a wave of relief wash over her. "Come on," she says, her voice gentle. Plankton nods, his gaze on the floor as they leave the dentist's office. Once home, Plankton retreats to the corner of their bedroom, as Sandy and Chip come in. "So Karen, how was his dentist?" Sandy asks. Karen sighs. "We have to get his wisdom teeth out," she says. "Tomorrow early in the morning. You and Chip can be in the waiting room. They gave special permission to let me be with Plankton during the procedure." Early the next morning Karen drove them back to the dental office. Chip stayed with Sandy in the waiting area as Karen and Plankton followed Dr. McTentacles to his surgical exam office. The room was colder than the last, making Plankton shiver. Karen held his hand tightly, whispering reassurances. "It's okay, just a nap," she reminded him. The nurse, a crab named Nurse Cherry, looked at him with kind eyes. "Let's get you set up," she said, helping him onto the chair. Nurse Cherry placed a mask over his face, and he started to breathe in the sweet smelling gas. "Just a nap," Karen murmured, her voice getting further away. The room began to swim, and Plankton's body felt like it was sinking into the chair. The last thing he knew was the sound of his wife's comforting presence before everything disintegrated into nothing. Plankton's body grew limp as the anesthesia took hold.

𝖢𝖮𝖬𝖤 𝖳𝖮𝖦𝖤𝖳𝖧𝖤𝖱 𝖻𝗒 𝖭𝖾𝗎𝗋𝗈𝖥𝖺𝖻𝗎𝗅𝗈𝗎𝗌 part 10 Karen felt his grip on her hand loosen, his body relaxing completely as his eye finally closed. She watched as Nurse Cherry and Dr. McTentacles exchanged nods of confirmation. Plankton was asleep. So they put the IV in as they remove the mask. The mask had now been replaced by the clear plastic IV tube, snaking into his arm, keeping him asleep and pain-free. Karen watched the surgical instruments glint in the bright lights, watching his mouth open wide, his face slack and unaware of the invasion happening. The nurse had explained that he'd wake up disoriented or loopy, so Karen held onto his hand. She watched as Dr. McTentacles' tentacles moved with precision, his beak working in sync with the tools to pull the wisdom teeth out. Karen's gaze was locked on her husband's face. Plankton remained still, the only indication that he was alive being the soft snores that escaped his open mouth. The surgery was quick, Dr. McTentacles working efficiently. Karen felt a mix of fear and admiration as she watched the tentacles dance around Plankton's mouth, pulling and poking with a grace that seemed almost inhuman. The teeth were out in no time, and the nurse handed them to the doctor in a trash bin before removing the IV. Nurse Cherry then moved to stitch him up. "Dissolving sutures," she said, producing a tiny bottle and a needle. "They're designed to dissolve over time, reducing the need for a follow-up appointment." Karen nodded, her gaze fixed on the nurse's hands as she began the meticulous task of sealing Plankton's gums. The stitches looked like tiny threads of spun sugar, disappearing as they were woven into the fabric of his mouth. Each stitch was placed with the utmost care, as if Nurse Cherry was crafting a delicate piece of art. As the surgery concluded, Karen felt the weight of anxiety lift slightly. Plankton's breathing remained steady, his snores growing softer. She watched as Dr. McTentacles' tentacles retracted, the surgical tools placed back into their respective trays with a satisfying clink. The nurse, with a gentle smile, began to pack Plankton's mouth with gauze. It looked so foreign, those stark white cotton squares, nestled against the redness of his gums. Karen felt a swell of protectiveness as she watched them carefully tuck each one into place. When Plankton started to drool in his sleep, a tiny line of saliva snaking down his chin, Karen couldn't help but smile despite the gravity of the situation. The sight of him so defenseless and at peace, contrasted sharply with his usual hyperactive self, brought a tenderness to her heart. She reached over with a soft cloth and gently wiped it away. The surgery had gone well, better than she had dared hope for. But now came the next part- recovery. Nurse Cherry had warned her that Plankton might have some funny reactions to the anesthesia. "It can affect people differently," she'd said, her voice gentle. "Some get a bit... loopy." Now, as Plankton's snores grew quieter and his breathing evened out, Karen couldn't help but wonder what the nurse meant by "loopy." Would he wake up babbling nonsense, or maybe think he could fly? "Don't worry," the nurse whispered to Karen as she cleaned up the surgical area. "It's normal. The anesthesia can make people say and do some pretty strange things. Just remember it's not him, it's the drugs." The nurse then let Sandy in. "Chip's still in the waiting room." Sandy went over by Karen. Sandy's eyes searched Plankton's sleeping face, his features relaxed in a way she'd never seen before. He looked almost... peaceful. "What happens now?" she asked Karen, her voice hushed. Karen's gaze never left his face. "We wait for him to wake up," she said. So Sandy simply held Karen's other hand, offering silent support. Plankton's mouth was swollen as he slowly roused from his drug-induced slumber. His eye fluttered open, his pupil dilated and unfocused. "Wahh... wh-wha was’at?" he slurred. Karen chuckled, relief washing over her. "It's okay, dear," she said, her voice soft. "You had your wisdom teeth out." Plankton's eye widened, his mind a foggy haze. "Teethies?" he mumbled. He reached a tentative hand to his mouth. "Don't touch," Karen said, smiling. She knew the feeling of confusion was part of the anesthesia's charm. "M'head's allll... swimmy," he murmured, his speech slurred from the surgery and numbness. "It's okay," Karen assured, her voice soothing. "You're just waking up from your nap. Remember?" Sandy watched as Plankton blinked several times, his eye struggling to focus. "Yeah, the... the tish," he said slowly, his voice still thick. Karen nodded. "That's right. Now, let's get you sitting up," she said, gently helping him upright. As Plankton's vision cleared, he looked around the room, his gaze finally landing on Sandy. His face twisted with confusion before he spoke. "Ishii?" Sandy's expression was a mix of concern and curiosity. "Hi, Plankton," she said, her voice tentative. She didn't know what to expect from his post-surgery state. Plankton squinted at her, his eye unfocused. "You... youw heaw?" he asked, his voice still slurred. "Yes," Sandy said, her smile gentle. "It's me, Sandy." Plankton's gaze searched her face, then seemed to clear a bit. "Oh," he said, still groggy. The nurse returned with instructions for his recovery. "Keep the gauze in for an hour, then remove it. We put extra of the dissolving stitches in due to his history of spasms. Take it easy today. Plankton can nap, and just soft foods." Karen nodded. Plankton, still a bit out of it, giggled to himself. "Soft food," he murmured, his eye still unfocused. "Nurse, didst you shay... jelly?" Karen and Sandy couldn't help but chuckle at his slurred speech. Nurse Cherry nodded, smiling. "Yes, jelly is perfect," she said.