A/N: This story takes place after the events of Leni's and SpongeBob's Boating School Days and The Loud House: The 180. They're not essential to this story, but I figured it should mention it for continuity reasons.
On a bright and sunny Summer's day, Timmy and Lincoln are busy planning a way to get Lincoln's parents to vacation in Bikini Bottom without revealing that it's underwater.
"We're going need Sandy's underwater breathing, a brochure and convincing story," said Lincoln.
"I got a story," said Timmy. "Underwater theme park, everyone's…"
Timmy paused mid-sentence and pulled out a set of Crimson Chin trading cards of his pocket.
"How come you keep checking those cards every five minutes?" asked Lincoln.
"Just making sure I still have them," said Timmy. "I somehow lost them a long time ago and had to find them around Dimmesdale, space, the past, down my drain, my comic books, and my video games. Plus they're really valuable."
"Really? Where'd you get them from?" asked Lincoln.
"Well before finding them again throughout Dimmesdale and other strange places as I just mentioned," said Timmy. "I originally got them from a comic book convention."
Timmy thought back to the day he got the cards. He and his parents have just arrived at the Dimmesdale Annual Comic Book Convention.
"Now remember, Timmy, we meet back at this spot at 3:00," said Mom.
"Now if you need us, we'll be at the Legion of Super parents room," said Dad.
Timmy's parents ran off, pretending that they were flying, and Timmy walked around the convention.
"Ah, I love the smell of fanboyism in the morning," said Timmy.
"Hey, us too!"
Timmy turned around and was shocked that Cosmo and Wanda were floating in their fairy forms in public.
"What are you guys doing?!" Timmy exclaimed. "Someone's gonna see you!"
"Oh, calm down, Timmy," said Cosmo. "Everyone's in costume here. To them we're just some kids in costumes."
Suddenly, A kid wearing a cow costume approached them and said, "Nice fairy costumes."
"Thanks," said Cosmo. "Nice cow costume."
The kid walked away, leaving Timmy surprised that no one could tell that Cosmo and Wanda were real fairies.
"We're probably going to have to remind him of this in the future," Cosmo whispered to Wanda.
"So where's your costume Timmy?" asked Wanda.
"It's in my bag," Timmy said as he pointed to his backpack. "I'm not wearing it till the contest."
"What contest?" asked Cosmo and Wanda.
Timmy pulled a flyer out his pocket and handed it to his fairies.
"Impress Elmer Marmelman, creator of the Crimson Chin, costume contest," Cosmo read aloud.
"You impress the author, who needs to move out from his mother's house by the way, and the winner wins a set of limited edition, super rare, Crimson Chin cards," said Timmy.
"And that winner will be me!"
Timmy turned around and was shocked to find his evil babysitter, Vicky, standing behind him.
"Vicky?! What are you doing here?" asked Timmy.
"I'm here to win costume contest and those cards," Vicky said with a sinister smile.
"Why? You don't care about the Crimson Chin."
"You're right, I don't. But super rare cards have to be worth a lot right?"
Timmy was offended by what he just heard and said, "You don't deserve those cards! They deserve to be in the hands of a true fan and with the costume in my bag, I'm going to make sure that they do."
Timmy and his fairies walked away as an evil smirk crept across Vicky's face.
"We'll see about that," Vicky said with a chuckle.
Later that day, Timmy walked out of the bathroom and met up with Cosmo and Wanda and immediately realized something was wrong.
"Uh, guys, where's my bag?" asked Timmy.
"It's right here," Wanda said as she pointed her wand at an empty space.
"Nothing's there," said Timmy.
Cosmo and Wanda looked down and were shocked to find that Timmy's bag was gone.
"Well, it was here," said Cosmo.
"What happened to it?!" asked Timmy. "You guys were supposed to watch it while I was in the bathroom! How's it gone?!"
10 minutes earlier, Cosmo and Wanda dutifully watched Timmy's bag until an announcer approached them.
"Hey, you two!" said the Announcer.
"Who? Us?" asked Wanda.
"Yeah! You two have received enough votes to win the best fairy costume contest," the Announcer announced.
Cosmo and Wanda couldn't believe their ears. They hardly win anything.
"Now follow me to the fairy section so we can formally give you you're trophies," said the Announcer.
Cosmo and Wanda followed the announcer, leaving Timmy's bag unattended. Back in the present, Cosmo and Wanda hid their trophies behind their backs and started to whistle a suspicious tune.
"Never mind," said Timmy. "I wish I had my bag back."
Cosmo and Wanda raised their wands to grant Timmy's wish, but instead of granting it, the wands wilted.
"Oh no, not that wilting sound!" said the fearful 10-year old. "That's usually followed by…"
Suddenly, Da Rules poofed over Timmy's head and fell on top of him. Wanda opened the Da Rules and said, "According to the comic-con section of Da Rules, that would count as helping you win a competition."
"But it was STOLEN!" Timmy yelled from under the heavy book.
"The comic-con section is a very unforgiving section," said Cosmo.
Timmy tossed Da Rules off of him and shouted, "I've got to find my costume before the contest begins or else I won't be able to impress the author, who needs to move out of his mother's house, and win the cards! Or worse, Vicky will win them!"
Timmy imagined the horrible things that could happen if Vicky won the cards, each scenario worse than the last. With those thoughts in mind, Timmy ran off to search for his bag. An hour later, the tired 10-year old staggered over to Cosmo and Wanda and fell over.
"Didn't find it, huh?" asked Wanda.
"I wish I had my bag back," Timmy mumbled.
"Sorry, Timmy," Cosmo apologized. "Da Rules says we can't."
Timmy jump back on his feet and yelled, "Rules?! Who cares about Da Rules?! I wish I didn't have to follow those stupid…"
Suddenly, from the corner of his eye, Timmy noticed Vicky walk through an unauthorized door. Vicky walked up the step and walked onto the lighting apparatus of the building.
"Let's see you win the competition without your costume," Vicky said with an evil chuckle.
"Aha!"
Vicky turned around and was surprised to find Timmy behind him.
"I knew it was you, Vicky!" said Timmy. "Though I had to run throughout the entire convention first. Now hand over the bag!"
"I got a better idea," Vicky said as she held the bag over the edge. "You know what happens at this exact time of the convention, right?"
"You wouldn't…"
Vicky dropped the bag and Timmy watched it fall into the realistic (acidic) alien blood display.
"NOOOOOOOOO!" Timmy screamed as the bag melted before his very eyes.
"Good luck winning the contest now, twerp!" Vicky said before walking off.
Soon, Cosmo and Wanda poofed by Timmy's side to console him over the loss of his costume.
"Cheer up, Timmy," said Wanda. "I'm sure you can find a new costume in time for the competition."
"But I spent weeks working on that costume," said Timmy. "It was perfect! Plus, the completion starts in a few minutes. I don't have time to get another good one!"
"Well, you shouldn't give up," said Cosmo. "A true fan never gives up. Why, I remember the time I tried to get the creator of my favorite comic book to wave at me."
"And he eventually did?" asked Timmy.
"No, he got a restraining order," said Cosmo. "But as a fan, I still refuse to give up. Because true fans don't give up. That's what I am a fan."
"Fan…" Timmy mumbled.
At that moment, Timmy got an idea of what to wear as his costume for the competition. Later that day, the competition was almost finish and Vicky seemed to be the favorite to win. Soon, Elmer called Timmy up to the stage and Timmy walked on wearing… his usual clothes. The entire crowd laughed at him and Elmer asked if he knew if he wasn't wearing a costume.
"I am wearing a costume," said Timmy. "My costume is that of the average fan. I mean what comic book creator or any creator in fact, would be anything without his fans. Fans are what keep the creator going and stick by him even if there's a tiny dip in his work. For having fans is the greatest gift of being a creator!"
Vicky snickered at Timmy's speech, but Elmer felt differently.
"He's right," said Elmer. "No one liked my earlier work… not even my mother. It felt so good to have people appreciate my work when I made the Crimson Chin and the fans are what keep me going… not to mention helping me not get kicked out of my room."
Elmer handed Timmy a trophy and the prized Crimson Chin cards, before his mother called for him.
"Elmer, let's go!" Elmer's mother called. "It's time for my spa appointment!"
"Yes, mother…" Elmer embarrassingly replied.
Suddenly, Vicky jumped on the stage, angry that she lost.
"Hold on!" Vicky snapped. "It's not fair that he wins by doing nothing!"
"Well it's not fair that you destroyed my original costume," said Timmy.
Suddenly, a swat team dropped onto the stage, grabbed Vicky and carried her away.
"What was that?" asked Timmy.
"The comic-con police," Elmer answered. "They arrest anyone who breaks the convention code, like destroying someone else's costume."
"Should have went to them," Timmy muttered.
"Elmer!" Elmer's mother yelled. "Let's go! My bunions' aren't getting any younger!"
"You seriously need to move out, dude," said Timmy.
"I know…" Elmer mumbled.
Back in the present, Lincoln looked to his left and asked, "I'm not the only one who noticed how different things were back then, am I?"
"And so I won the card, Vicky got arrested and I finalized the design to my costume," said Timmy. "It was a pretty good day. Anyway, let's get back to planning the vacation."