The Spirit of Christmas
(Note that this fic takes place before Gone 2 and after Sandy's Adventure in the Land of Oz. Please R&R)
Chapter 1: Meeting Kelly Coon
"Ah, Bikini Bottom in the Holiday Season. Such a wondrous display of holiday cheer and goodwill toward men."
"Whoo hoo! Shopping spree!!!" said a fish on the street with shopping bags clutched in his fists. "Well I've been wrong before."
Spongebob Squarepants was at his house decorating for the Christmas season, but mostly for the arrival of Santa Claus. Squidward was busy trying to untangle the long line of Christmas lights, and was not having very much success. He was muttering under his breath in frustration. Patrick just simply hooked an ornament to his bamboo antennae. After he was done, Spongebob walked out his pineapple house to admire his work. "Picture perfect." he said. "Now to pay a visit to Sandy." Spongebob now was skipping merrily to Sandy's treedome humming a holiday tune along the way. Sandy, in the meantime, was decorating her oak tree with homemade ornaments made from various nuts and wooden carvings. Spongebob got his water helmet on and knocked on the door. Sandy answered it. "Oh, howdy Spongebob." she said. "What brings you here?" "Just coming to visit and to see what you're doing." said Spongebob. "Well," Sandy began. "I just finished decorating my oak tree. And I got everything ready for my pen pal's arrival." "You have a pen pal?" Spongebob asked. "Who?" "Her name is Kelly Coon." said Sandy. "She's a raccoon from West Virginia." "Where's that?" asked Spongebob. Sandy pulled out a large map out of nowhere. "It's a State on the East Coast of the United States." Sandy replied pointing to it. "Oh." said Spongebob. Then a knock was heard at the door. "That must be her." said Sandy. Spongebob smiled.
Sandy answered the door. In the doorway was a female raccoon of about Sandy's age. Perhaps younger. She wore a air suit like Sandy did. "Sandy!" she yipped happily. "Kelly!" Sandy shouted with glee. The two embraced in a hug. Spongebob smiled. He liked seeing Sandy happy. "How are you?" Sandy. "I'm doing great." said Kelly. "You've got a great place. Kelly took off her helmet and looked around. She then saw Spongebob.
"Who's this?" Kelly asked. "Oh, that's my buddy Spongebob." Sandy said. "Spongebob, meet Kelly. Kelly, Spongebob." Spongebob extended his hand. Kelly shook it. "Nice to meet you Kelly." he said. "Likewise" Kelly said. "Sandy has told me a lot about you." Spongebob laughed. "Really?" he asked. "Yep." Kelly answered. "She told me that y'all two do a lot of karate together." "Yep." said Spongebob. "You like karate?" "I'm more of a Tai chi girl." said Kelly. "So you'll be staying until when?" Sandy asked. "The 27th." said Kelly. "Well me and Sandy can give you a tour of Bikini Bottom if you'd like." Spongebob offered. "I'd love that." said Kelly. "Well, we'd better get you settled in first." said Sandy. Kelly stretched. "Now that you mention it, I could use a quick rest. It was a long trip." "I'll show you to your room." said Sandy. Kelly followed her, with Spongebob in too. Sandy showed them up to a small guest room, modestly decorated with a comfy looking bed in the corner. Kelly smiled and sat down on the bed. "You like?" asked Sandy. "Yeah I do." said Kelly. "Well you can expect the best from Sandy Cheeks." said Spongebob. "Thanks guys." Kelly said. Then her stomach growled. "Sounds like someone is hungry." said Spongebob. "Well I know a place that'll satisfy that stomach. The Krusty Krab." "Good idea." said Sandy. "The what?" Kelly asked confusedly. Spongebob gasped. "You've never heard of the Krusty Krab?" he asked. "It's the greatest restaurant in the sea." "Spongebob works there." Sandy said to Kelly. Kelly laughed. "Well then, I'll guess I'll take your word for it." she said. "But how will I eat underwater?" "That is a problem." said Sandy. "You're not used to eating underwater like I am." "You can have your meal to go." Spongebob suggested. "Great idea." said Sandy. "Why don't you come with us anyway?" said Spongebob. "You can meet my boss Mr. Krabs. And you can eat here." Kelly smiled. "Ok. Sounds good." she said. "Let me just get my suit on." said Sandy "And we'll be on our way." Spongebob nodded. They both sat down to wait for her. "So you're a friend of Sandy's?" Kelly asked. "Yeah." Spongebob said. "We've been friends for a while." Secretly though, he hoped they could be more. "Even thinking of Sandy makes me happy." he added. Kelly smiled knowingly. She had a feeling that his feelings for Sandy extended beyond mere friendship. Sandy then came back to Kelly's room with her suit on. "Ok," said Sandy "lets get goin'" Spongebob and Kelly hopped up and followed her out.
Kelly was so excited to meeting Sandy's friends. Along the way, they ran into Spongebob's best friend, Patrick Star. "Hey Patrick!" Spongebob called. Patrick smiled widely "Hi Spongebob and Sandy and uhh…" "This is my pen pal Kelly Coon." said Sandy. Kelly waved. "Hi Kelly." Patrick said. "Uh, why are you wearing a mask?" He said, pointing to her eyes. "Are you a burglar?" "No I'm a raccoon." said Kelly. Patrick was confused. "What's a raccoon?" he asked. Kelly looked at Sandy. "Is he always so…" "He's never seen a land critter besides me but he is a bit of a barnacle head." said Sandy. "Hey!" Patrick said. Spongebob chuckled. "We're on our way to the Krusty Krab." said Spongebob."Oooh, can I come?" Patrick asked. "Sure." said Spongebob. "Yay!" said Patrick. "But I hope that your new friend won't make off with anything. I've got my eyes on you missy!" Sandy glared at him, but Kelly chuckled. "Relax guys. Let's just have fun." she said. Spongebob chuckled along with them. "Kelly's right, let's just have fun." he said. Kelly smiled and followed her friends to the Krusty Krab.
When they arrived, they were in luck. The lunch rush had yet to start. "Whew, no long line." Sandy said. Kelly admired her surroundings. Everything was decorated for the Christmas season. "Spongebob where were you!?" a voice shouted. It was Squidward. "Relax Squidward, I was just visiting my friend here." he said, pointing to Sandy and Kelly. Kelly waved. "Who's that?" Squidward asked. "That's Sandy's pen pal, Kelly." Spongebob said. Kelly waved, though she got the feeling that this guy was a grouch. "There you are me boy!" Spongebob's employer Mr. Krabs called out. "Just in time for the lunch rush. I see you've brought some customers." Mr. Krabs chuckled heartily. "Oh, of course." Spongebob said. "Oh, this is Sandy's friend Kelly." he said. "Hello." Kelly said shyly. "A pleasure to meet you Kelly." said Mr. Krabs as he extended his claw. Kelly shook it. "So what'll you have?" Krabs asked. "Watch out Mr. Krabs!" Patrick said. "Kelly's wearing a mask. She could steal from you." "Nonsense Patrick." said Mr. Krabs. "I know a good customer when I see one. Especially if she's got money." "Well what do you serve here?" Kelly asked. "Why we serve the greatest food in the ocean." said Spongebob. "Krabby Patties." said Mr. Krabs. "Um, sure why not?" Kelly said. "Can I have that to go ?" "You most certainly can." Mr. Krabs said. "Spongebob, fix our guest a Krabby Patty to go." "Aye aye Mr. Krabs." said Spongebob. Spongebob headed to the kitchen to fix a meal for his friends. "So I bet y'all are excited about Christmas coming huh?" Kelly asked Mr. Krabs. "Oh you bet lass." said Mr. Krabs. "I'm especially excited for the free stuff I'll get." "Oh…" Kelly nodded, but frowned slightly, as though hearing that upset her. "You ok Kelly?" Sandy asked her. But before Kelly got a chance to say anything, Spongebob came bursting through the kitchen door with paper bags in his fists. "Here you go, two Krabby Patty meals to go." he said. "Thanks Spongebob" said Sandy. Kelly took a bag. Spongebob waved goodbye to them as they left. "I'll see you guys after work!" he called. "We can have that tour later." Sandy thanked him and her and Kelly left the restaurant. Kelly still had that disappointed look on her face while walking back to the treedome. "Kelly are you all right?" Sandy asked. Kelly sighed. "It's just what Mr. Krabs said." said Kelly. "About getting free stuff. That isn't what Christmas is about at all." Kelly felt a tear come to her eye. "It's like people have forgotten the real message of the season." she said. "They haven't forgotten." said Sandy. "They just don't know." "How can they not?" said Kelly. The two were finally home. "Let's go inside and I'll explain it to you." said Sandy. They went upstairs to the guest room. Kelly sat down on the bed.
Ten minutes passed.
"So you just told Spongebob about the Santa Claus thing?" asked Kelly. "Yeah, I did." Sandy said. "I didn't think he would understand the whole thing." "Well Santa does play a big role." said Kelly. Kelly sighed. "You know what I want for Christmas?" Kelly asked Sandy. "What's that?" Sandy asked. "That the people of this town will know and understand the true meaning of Christmas." said Kelly. Sandy smiled. She then had an idea. "Maybe you'll be the one to tell them." she said. "Me?" Kelly said. "Yes you." Sandy said. "Think of it, your faith is stronger than anyone I've met. Who better to do it?" "But I'm just one girl." said Kelly. "Never doubt that a single person can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Sandy said. Kelly smiled. Sandy hugged her. "But for now, let's eat. I'm starvin'." "Ok." said Kelly. She took a bite out of her Krabby Patty. "Hey this ain't half bad." "Best burgers this side of the Mariana's Trench." Sandy said. They both shared a chuckle. Kelly, while she was eating was thinking. Thinking of a way to tell the story of Christmas to the whole city. Nothing came to mind.
As nighttime came, Sandy was already asleep. Kelly was awake on the other hand. She was still thinking of a plan. Still nothing. She thought maybe if she could play some holiday music, it would help. Kelly didn't want to wake up Sandy. So she put on her air suit and went outside of the treedome with a blue guitar in her hands. A little chilly outside but Kelly didn't care. She brainstormed ideas on how to teach people the real meaning of Christmas. Her thoughts kept wandering back to the birth of Christ. Kelly smiled. She sat on a nearby rock. Kelly started to play the guitar and she began to sing.
O Holy Night!
The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees!
Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine,
the night when Christ was born;
Her singing echoed through the night. While others were sleeping, one was awake. Spongebob. He was awake because he was busy writing a letter to Santa Claus.
Dear Santa,
This Christmas, I'm not asking for much.
I just want to the chance to spend the holidays with all my friends. Especially Sandy.
And that Sandy's pen pal Kelly will enjoy her stay in Bikini Bottom and that her Christmas wishes come true.
-Spongebob
Kelly's singing began to drift into his ears through the open window, catching his attention. "Hmm? What's that?" he said to himself. "Led by the light of faith serenely beaming, With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand. " Kelly continued to sing."Who is that?" Spongebob wondered. He continued to listen. Soon the song had ended and the environment was silent once again. "Wow that was so pretty." said Spongebob. "I wonder if anyone else heard that music?" Spongebob thought about this while heading to bed.
Kelly put her guitar away in it's case. She was tired, and decided to go back inside. She entered the house and took off her suit, then changed into her pajamas and kneeled down to pray.
"Lord, I ask you to help me share your story with the others, so that they may know you, and the true meaning of Christmas. Amen." She then slid into bed and allowed sleep to take her.