He stood up, stretched, and decided to head back to the restaurant to check on the team.
He quickly changed into his sailor-style uniform, grabbed his keys, and headed out to his new black 1968 Dodge Charger.
As he drove toward the Krusty Krab, he opened his System with a thought.
[Name: Kevin Harlan ]
[Age: 24 ]
[Species: Human(Noide)]
[Current Form:Real Human (Reality Aura: MAX)]
[Powers: • Toon Magnet (Ink Libido) – Level 2 ]
[• Toon Compatibility – MAX (Switch forms at will) ]
[• Foodgasm – MAX ]
[• Appraisal – MAX ]
[Toon Essence: 320/100 (Ready for multiple Upgrade)]
[Harem: Holli Would ]
Kevin immediately upgraded
[Upgrading 3 times (300 TE spent – 20 TE remaining)]
[ Kronk's Spinach Puffs Recipe: A savory, flaky pastry filled with spinach, three different cheeses, and a secret blend of herbs and spices. Light, golden, and incredibly addictive perfect as an appetizer or side dish.]
[ Jake the Dog's Bacon Pancakes Recipe: Fluffy pancakes infused with crispy bacon bits, maple syrup, and a hint of butter. Sweet, savory, and ridiculously comforting. The perfect breakfast or brunch item that pairs beautifully with the restaurant's nautical theme.]
[ Jellyfish Egg x12: Jellyfish are gelatinous, free-swimming marine creatures with stingers commonly found throughout all oceans of the SpongeBob world. While they can produce a substance known as jellyfish honey, jellyfish primarily produce jellyfish jelly. The flavor of the jelly varies, but most commonly is stated to be strawberry flavored.]
Kevin raised an eyebrow at the screen. The two new recipes looked excellent, he could already imagine adding them to the menu. But the Jellyfish Eggs made him pause. He remembered how those creatures worked in SpongeBob's world. They could produce jelly that might be turned into jam, but he had no idea how to hatch or raise them.
Suddenly, a small box materialized in the back seat of his car, complete with a sticker of a cartoon jellyfish and a bright red "Fragile" note.
Kevin glanced at it in the rearview mirror and muttered, "I'm definitely going to need advice on this."
_______
Fifteen minutes later, he pulled into the restaurant parking lot at 9:28 AM, thirty-two minutes before opening.
He grabbed the jellyfish egg box from the back seat and walked inside. Squidward was already at the register, lazily wiping it down.
"Morning, boss," Squidward greeted him in his usual deadpan tone. "The packages you ordered yesterday are already in your office."
"Thanks, Squidward. Can you tell SpongeBob to meet me in the office? I need his help with something."
Squidward nodded and headed toward the kitchen.
Kevin entered his office, set the egg box on the table, and noticed the two other delivery boxes waiting for him, the new flat-screen TV and the radio he had ordered.
He grabbed a cutter and carefully opened the jellyfish egg box first.
Inside were twelve individual transparent pods, each containing a single egg floating in water. The eggs were translucent pink ovals with a distinct circle insid. Half pink and half orange.
Knock! Knock!
"Come in," Kevin called.
SpongeBob bounced in cheerfully. "You needed me, boss?"
Kevin picked up one of the pods and showed it to him. "SpongeBob, I need your advice. I want to raise these jellyfish so I can eventually harvest jelly for the restaurant. Do you know how to take care of them?"
SpongeBob's eyes widened with pure joy. "A jellyfish egg?! Boss, I know everything about jellyfish!"
He quickly pulled out his notepad, scribbled furiously while muttering to himself, then tore off the page and handed it to Kevin.
SpongeBob's Jellyfish Care Guide:
1. Keep each egg in its water pod in a warm, well-lit spot (not direct sunlight).
2. Feed them tiny bits of plankton or mashed seaweed once a day.
3. After 3–4 days they will hatch into baby jellyfish.
4. Once grown (about 2 weeks), they will start producing jelly naturally. Collect it by gently squeezing the jellyfish stinger.
5. Warning: Adult jellyfish can sting if scared. Keep them happy with music and bright colors.
Kevin read it carefully. "This is perfect. Thank you, SpongeBob."
"No problem, boss! Anything for jellyfish!"
Kevin smiled. "Actually, I have one more favor. Can you help me bring those two big boxes out to the dining area? I want to set up the TV and radio before we open."
SpongeBob saluted. "Aye aye, captain!"
They carried the boxes out. Kevin used the cutter to open them. The first was a large flat-screen TV, the second a sleek radio unit.
They mounted the TV on the side wall so customers could easily see it from most tables, and placed the radio in a custom cabinet below it.
Kevin plugged everything in and tested the radio, tuning it to Spicy City WS 97.1, Raven's channel. He wanted to listen to her stories while working.
He then saw Margaret flipped the "Closed" sign to "Open" while Eileen was already outside, cheerfully handing out flyers to passersby.
Kevin headed to the kitchen with SpongeBob. Colette looked up from the prep station and greeted him with a small smile. "Good morning, boss."
Kevin washed his hands and said, "Morning, Colette. I'll be trying some new recipes today. I'll need both you and SpongeBob to taste-test and give me your honest reviews. These might end up on the menu."
Colette nodded, looking intrigued. "Of course. I'm ready whenever you are."