Cody
Christmas was coming, but I didn't feel happy.

Normally I would. Christmas is one of the most joyful times of the year and one of my favorite holidays, not to mention Atlantis sure knew how to celebrate it. Lights at every shop, trees decorated with amazing ornaments that could dazzle everyone. I was impressed by the quality, but nothing else, even though I tried to feel more, it just wasn't working.

Early today I strolled through the town with Selena. There were all sorts of treats and songs being sung. While the mermaid was having the time of her life, I put on the best smile I could, even though I didn't feel joy. I didn't feel anything.

Well, okay maybe I felt something. I felt a strange sense of sadness. Lonely... Longing? It was hard to place. I felt so alone, even though surrounded by so many people. I didn't get it until I went home. Until I entered my room, sat on the bed and looked left at the empty one next to mine. Though it took a long time, I finally got it. I was missing him. My brother. I didn't realize it, but this was still one of the first Christmas's without him.

As I stared at the ground, the sound of someone clearing their throats made my head shoot up. Not too far from my bed was Rasmus, his eyebrows raised.

"Cody? Are you feeling alright?"

Quickly, I put my nonchalant smile back on and waved it off. "Yeah, yeah. A little worn out to be honest. Lots of work this week. I think I'll turn in early. You go have fun! I know that you mentioned how much you wanted a peppermint latte. Don't even deny it."

The rooster eyed me carefully before giving in. "If you say so..." He started to leave the room, but stopped halfway. "Call me if you need me." Rasmus added.

As soon as he left my sight, my grin dropped and as did my heart. A hefty sigh escaped me as I glanced at the bed again. I closed my eyes and just rested them.

"Not up for Christmas cheer huh?"

My brown orbs shot open and I sprang up. Whipping around to where the voice came from, I found I was no longer alone.

A female was tall and lean, using the wall next to my nightstand as support. When I got up, a little grin appeared on her face. She had short black hair in a bob style haircut. Her skin was tan and her eyes multi colored, one green and the other red. She wore a red sweater, black pants and green sneakers. A pair of rectangular glasses with a slight cat eye feature to them were on her face.

"I-... Who are you? How did you get into the palace? Where did you even come from?"

The female chuckled, shaking her head. "Lots of questions huh?" Amusement was in her voice. "Well, you see, I got in because it's really easy for someone like me to go anywhere and do anything. Well, not anything but you get the point. The name's CS."

"CS? Does that stand for something or..?"

"Yep. CS, or the long and much more generic version, Christmas Spirit."

I gave CS a blank stare. "Riiiiight... Christmas... Spirit..." Suddenly, a laugh escaped me. "Oh I see! The sneaky sisters are pulling a prank on me because I wasn't celebrating it enough. Okay, very funny. I'm going to go n-"

"I'm not joking with you Cody."
"GAH!"

As soon as I turned away from her to leave, CS was suddenly right in front of me. Once again, I jumped back, a terrified sound leaving me.

"Wha-? Who?" I whipped back around to where she was a second ago and back, dumbfounded. A smile cracked on her face. As I tried to reason that somehow she was just really fast, I noticed something.

"Wait a second... I never told you my name."

When I opened my mouth to question it, guards burst into the room, Sharkco among them. "Sir! Are you okay? We heard you scream!"

I sighed, stepping forward and passing CS. "Got startled by this visitor. Who is she by the way?"

All of the guards looked around, then turned to each other. Eventually the shark spoke up. "What visitor?" My eyes rolled.

"Sheesh, are you people blind? She's standing right here!" I pointed to the intruder. Strange looks developed on their faces. "Sir... No one is there."

I blinked at turned my full attention to Christmas Spirit or so she called herself. A chuckle came out and her head shook. "Every time I have to do this... Listen Cody, currently only you can see and hear me. Everyone else can't do right now, you're looking kinda crazy right now."

After hearing this, I glanced back at the unsettled soldiers and grinned sheepishly. "Ah, sorry. I'm pretty tired right now. Must be seeing things... I'm gonna go to bed now so, uh, go back. I'm fine."

Though confused, they cooperated anyways and I was left once alone with her. I huffed. "Okay, what is going on? Why am I the only one who can see you?"

"Heh, well bud, let me tell you a thing. I'm purely here because you are not feeling the Christmas cheer and that's got to change. So they sent me. One of their best, to come and help you along."

"What? I don't understand, what do you mean 'They'? Why me? Are there more of you?"

CS snickered. "You want to know the whole package huh? Okay, here we go." The powerful being took in a deep breath before speaking.

"We are a collection of spirits. Once living, but died and became something more. We have our own society and set of systems for it all to work. You see, my kind can only be like this because when alive, we had powers and it amplified once dead to be what we are know. What we become depends on what we are and how we died, or rather when. I had a lot of inner power and died on December 25th, or Christmas Day as you know it. This allowed me to become a Christmas Spirit, a rare race. Why you? Because Cody, you invoked us with your intense feelings. They sent me to help you along,"

Her multi colored eyes flickered. "In any way possible."

I stood there for a moment before speaking. "Well that's not ominous at all." I joked getting a grin out of CS. "Anyways, how are you planning to do this?"

The grin turned to a smirk. "I am so glad you asked. We're taking a little trip."

Before I could react, her fingers snapped and we were gone in a flash of bright light.

When it faded, my eye sight cleared and I could see again. I glanced around at the rock environment and recognized it immediately. "We're on the outskirts of Atlantis... Why?"

There wasn't much around other than mountains of pine trees and Christmas lights up. "So you took me to buy a tree? Seriously?" CS laughed, shaking her head.

"Oh no. It's not that simple. Now here's the deal Cody, we aren't exactly in your time any more." I blinked, knitting my eyebrows together. "What do you mean?"

"We're years in the past, but not many. Far back enough to where you haven't come back to Atlantis but your friends still exist and are just a tiny bit younger. Now King, I have a proposition for ya."

"A proposition?"

"Yes sir-y. Cody, you can't get back to your time without me and I need some tasks done. Some people aren't having the best Christmas so I need a hand to change that. Here's the deal: You do all the tasks under my circumstances, and I'll send you back home. Deal?"

I hesitated, but nodded. "Deal."

She grinned wildly, power flickered from her body. "Great. Let's get started. First things first."

The energy traveled to her hand and CS shot a beam at me. I attempted to dodge it but the delayed reaction wasn't in my favor. It hit me and a burning feeling swelled throughout me until it consumed my entire body, then faded. When my eyes opened again, I felt... Odd.

CS seemed satisfied with her work. "That turned out perfectly." My mind filled with confusion. "What do you- HOLY CRAP!" I exclaimed when I looked at myself.

Where my flippers and feathered body should have been was replaced with skin and a T-shirt. I wore a blue shirt and jeans with sneakers on.

"WHY AM I HUMAN?" I demanded. CS just continued to snicker at my reaction. "Well, I can't have you wandering around as the King of Atlantis so now you're Cole, regular human Cole." I gave her a hard look. "Don't worry, its temporary. You'll be a penguin before you know it, just get the tasks done."

I sighed. "Fine, what's the first task?"

Before she said anything, a different, familiar and hushed voice interrupted us. "Look at that! Told you we'd be fine."

My mind filled with a sudden realization at who it was, rushing over to a tree and peeking around to confirm it. I was right, only one person had that voice. "That," CS strolled over. "Is your first task."

"KrakenKid? Are you kidding me?" I hissed. CS shrugged, but kept a smug smile. "Just watch." The black haired girl nodded in his direction.

Though it might have been the past, the kraken still looked the same. His purple arms signaled a different being to follow. Though I expected it to be Illithids or CannibalCrab, instead it was a much smaller purple Squid, who hastily joined the others side. I watched carefully as they approached the field of trees.

"In case you don't know, that's Baby Blooper, his son. Quite young isn't he?" I sighed. "So what, am I supposed to stop them from doing something bad or what?" CS only chuckled. "Keep watching. When you feel a strong need to step in, do it. You'll know when the time is right." I nodded and kept silent.

"So Blooper, which one do you like?" The father's arm surveyed the trees. Blooper seemed to think for a moment, then chose one near them. "This one?" The child confirmed. KrakenKid then pulled out a saw and began to cut down the tree. He's stealing tree? Is this it? I turned back to the spirit but she only stared back. ... Something tells me this isn't it. I huffed and kept watching from the safety of a bushy tree.

As the KrakenKid sawed through the trunk, the pine tree became lopsided, now leaning to one side. Blooper didn't seem to notice the shadow looming over him. It took me a moment to realize what was happening, but I was too late to notice.

KrakenKid was not.

As the tree tipped over to the same side as the child, a voice cried out. "BLOOPER! GET OUT OF THE WAY!" And a purple body dove from the trunk to the child, shoving him out of the way but putting himself in danger. No one could stop as the tree crashed on the kraken.

My brown orbs widened in shock. For a second, there I was, frozen, but I regained all senses when a groan came from the tree. Going against what I thought of him and bolted over.

"Hey! Are you okay?" In my panic, I still managed to remember that I wasn't me anymore, but rather normal-guy-Cole. The being shifted uncomfortably from under the huge plant, hissing in pain. "No, yeah. I-I'll be fine. J-Just go back where you came from and forget everything you saw Mr. Atlantean."

Though I didn't get it the first time, soon it hit me: KrakenKid didn't want to be found out by Atlantis. He was still a wanted man.

Okay Cody, acting skills: On.

"Don't be stupid, let me get this tree off of you! Its got to hurt."

A laugh came from him. "Well, you aren't wrong but seriously, I can handle this just let me-" As I swam to the other side of the fallen tree, I found KrakenKid trying to squirm out of the other side and failing. As he grunted in frustration, his yellow eyes met mine and fear filled them. Crap, how convincing can I be? I paused.

"L-look, I can explain-"

"You're him! KrakenKid!"

"No! No I'm not!"

"Please, I could recognize you anywhere! Any Atlantean could!"

"I-... Okay fine! Maybe I am but please don't call the guards! I just need this tree and I'll go home!"

I hesitated, glancing up at CS for answers. She just stared me down as if to say, What will you do Cody?

Ideas flew though my mind before I settled, letting out a mini sigh. "No." His eyes widened, fear now pulsating in them. "I'm going to help you." With those words, the emotion changed to confusion. "What?"

I answered by getting down to his level and using whatever strength I could manage to lift the tree off his body. When I did, the kraken slipped out from under it and I let it drop.

KrakenKid dusted himself off, but paused. "Thanks..." His voice trailed off. I only waved it off. "No problem. Now let's get this tree back."

"... What?"

I rolled my eyes. "Come on Kraken, you really think I'd let you carry this tree back in your state? You have scrapes and bruises all over your body. Let me carry it half way at least."

The kraken hesitated but gave in. "Fine... Come with me."

While walking back, KrakenKid held his son's hand the whole way through. We mostly trudged in silence with only small talk along the way. He asked me my name, which I told him Cole. CS followed, beaming at me. I must have made the right choice.

As we came closer, the kraken stopped. "Here is fine." I nodded, dropping the tree on the ground and finally noticing how tired I was. "There you go!" I nodded at it.

He nodded back, then said something.

"Hey, uh, Cole?" I peeked up. "Thank you... For everything. I-..." He paused, peeking down at his son.

"It's my first time doing Christmas just the two of us... His mother... I'm not going into detail but I don't have her around anymore. I was..." KrakenKid chuckled. "I was so set on making Blooper here have the best time ever that I didn't realize what a toll this whole thing took on me. So... Basically, thank you. I really needed that."

As I left, CS started talking. "Task one, completed. Good job, I was worried that your past with him would interfere with it. Anyways, number two, here we come." With another snap, we teleported somewhere else.

We appeared at the entrance of the lab, the huge door with a wheel in front of us. Turning to CS, I raised an eyebrow. She nodded inside. "Go on. Task two awaits. Should be a lot easier."

I gulped and plunged into the lab, walking down the long marble hallway, then hearing distressed shouting. "HOW DOES THIS EVEN WORK?" The Irish accent gave it away. Taking a deep breath, I followed it.

By the cages and on a table was the mad scientist himself. On the table itself was a halfway wrapped box, along with tons of tape and wrapping paper. Professor Pikalus was too busy frantically putting it together to notice me. "How does anyone do this? Come on! She'll be here any minute!"

I prepped myself once again and interrupted his work. "Excuse me but do you need some help there?" Without even looking at me, his head slammed on the table. "YES! TAKE IT!"

Getting out of the seat, the male shoved it towards me. I snickered but began to fix the wrapping anyways. "Why in such a rush?" I asked. Professor huffed.

"The person in giving that gift to will be here any second and I need that wrapped! It needs to look good." I nodded along.

"I get it... Done!" I handed it over grinning. "How did you- Oh never mind that, thank you! Ohhhh, you are a true life saver!" The Irish man exclaimed, hugging the box tightly. Only seconds later, another Irish voice called out, more feminine this time.

"Niall? Paging Professor Niall, your wonderful mother is here!"

A huge grin broke out on his face. "Ma! For the last time it's Professor Pikalus!" He called and rushed up to meet her. Just as she stepped into sight, I felt myself get teleported again.

"Whoa! A little warning next time!" I shook my head. CS shrugged.

"We needed to get going. Task three is happening right... Now!"

My surroundings was the royal district, expensive houses everywhere and before I could as what she meant, a body slammed into mine and the two of us crumbled, the sound of papers scattering became very apparent.

"Crap! Sorry!" They called to me as they got up. Eyes flickering back open, I was face to face with Selena. The mermaid quickly helped me up and started to retrieve the papers she dropped. I gathered some as well and handed it back.

"I think these are yours." The mermaid snatched them but thanked me. I got a glimpse of it before it was out of my sight. "Sheet music? Are you going caroling?"

"Well... Sort of. Me and my sister are going to sing to our Dad to cheer him up. He always gets down around this time of the year. Anyways, I got to go, we need to-"

Before she rushed off, Selena ceased everything she was doing and just thought to herself.

"Hey stranger? You wouldn't happen to want to come with us? We needed a lower part anyways and since you're already here..."

Ah, that's Task Three. "Yeah, I can do that. What are we singing?"

The mermaid told me along the way as we arrived at the large house. Sam, the other mermaid, was already waiting there.

"Finally! Did you get the music?" Selena nodded. "Good. Now- who's this?" Sam's eyes turned to me, inspecting carefully.

"Remember how you said we needed a third lower part? He can help."

Though Sam looked skeptical, she shrugged it off. "Fine." Selena passed out the music and once we all went over it, she rang the doorbell and stepped back.

A blue merman with blonde hair answered. Almost instantly, I could tell this was their father. Though he looked most like Selena, Sam had some slightly noticeable features that matched his. As he paused, we started.

"Silent night~ Holy night~" We started to sing the classic Christmas song through. As we did, something flicked in his eyes.

When the piece finished, all was silent until he came close and pulled the pair into a hug. Tears streamed down his face as his eyes shut tightly. "You sing just as beautifully as your mother..." The merman mused, sniffing.

Pulling away, tears now was on everyone's face, even mine. The older male sniffed again. "I'm so lucky to have girls like you. Thank you. All of you."

The family entered the house, and I was gone again.

"You are on a roll Cody! In fact, you're almost done. However, almost means that Task Four still needs to be done. Get in there!"

"Uhhh... I'm not to sure about this CS... This is a lot more dangerous than the rest."

Task Four took place in the Conch Command and there I was, on some ledge in the middle of the shell. The spirit rolled her eyes, making a 'Tsk' sound as she did. "Don't worry bud, you'll only be here for a second. Now get in there! Chop chop!"

Though the giant shell intimidated me, I swallowed the fear and walked in.

Inside was some sort of restaurant, tables and chairs everywhere, but no one was there. By the kitchen to the left, a large crab was frantically chopping up carrots. When he turned, the crab nearly jumped out of his skin but soon relaxed.

"Finally! Someone sends me help. You there! Can you cook?" I shrugged. "That's good enough, get over here and please finish these carrots off! I need to peel the lettuce."

I shot a look at CS, who smirked and gave a thumbs up. Okay, first KrakenKid and now CannibalCrab. Dang, what are these missions even for?

I shook it off and quickly started to work. "So," I attempted small talk. "What are you cooking for?"

He sighed. "I'm cooking for a bunch of friends and my cousin. Normally, my cousin is the one who cooks but I just had to give him a break and say I'd do it. Of course at the time, it didn't occur to me that not everyone wants to eat crab and I actually had to make other stuff. By the way, what goes with meat? Like a side dish maybe?"

"... Chips?"

The crab stopped in his tracks and face planted. "CHIPS! HOW COULD I FORGET CHIPS? Ohhhh man I'm an idiot..." His head shook as he chuckled.

"I mean, if I fail this, I can't prove myself."

"Prove yourself?" I echoed.

"Oh, you haven't heard? At least SOMEONE hasn't." He sighed and stopped. "I might as well tell you, you're going to find out eventually. A little while back, I got a Nintendo 64."

"Really? I love those!"

"Yeah, I did too. Would have been amazing if I didn't have a addictive personality. You can guess what happened."

"Dang man. How bad did it get?"

"18 hours a day until KrakenKid got fed up with it and smashed it. Needless to say, I need to earn back his trust. This is the first step in doing it."

I nodded as we worked. Within half and hour, we did it. I grinned at my work. "Great! Thank you so much, everyone's going to love it!" Taking a few plates, he started to move up the stairs. "I'm going to take a couple up there."

Once out of sight, CS finally spoke. "Good job Cody. Task Four done which only leaves one left. Are you ready?" I gulped a nodded. The light consumed me.

I creaked open my eyes to find a small town with all sorts of creatures moving around and going about there day. Blinking, I squinted. "We're not in Atlantis anymore are we?" I looked over to the spirit, getting a nod.

"Correct. We're in the OverWorld, but still underwater. The last mission is here in that house." CS pointed towards a fairly big house. "Do what you can."

Raising an eyebrow at her choice of words, I shook it off and knocked on the door of the place in question.

A certain hybrid answered the door, peering out. Looking me up and down, they spoke. "Te adiuvare possum?" I blinked.

"Uhhhh... What?"

The female cleared her throats and tried again. "Sorry, I said, May I help you?" I made an 'Oh' sound and nodded. Opening the door wider, she let me in.

The house had many things scattered about, but she led us through it. "Sorry, I wasn't expecting visitors but, what can I do for you?"

I hesitated, thinking fast. "I'm lost." The half snake understood.

"Hold on... I know I have a map here somewhere. You can make yourself at home while I look for it."

As she left the room, I made my way to the couch and seated myself down. For a while, I just sat there before a strange looking book caught my eyes. She did say make yourself at home... I grabbed the book and decided to open to a random page. As I read, I noticed that this was not a regular book, it was a journal. Tanith's journal.

"Okay, I think the map might be-" She fell silent at the sight of the book. My checks turned red and I immediately put it down. "Sorry! I didn't realize it was a-" Tanith cut me off.

"It's okay..." She slithered over and picked it up, sitting down besides me. Her blue eyes glazed over the page. "It's just some silly writing anyways... I used to be in wars you know."

"Used to?"

"Well... Yes. Used to. I'm taking a break but..." Her head shook. "I think I miss it, though I don't know why. I have no one I'm doing this for anyways." She drooped down. "I don't really have anyone come to think of it... I have some friends but, they aren't really the people I go to everyday or anything."

I pondered for a while before saying something. "Maybe you miss helping people?" I tried.

For the first time since I saw her, she smiled. "Maybe." A laugh escaped her. "Thanks, uh-"

"Cole."
"Thank you Cole. I better find that map."

As she left the room, everything faded around me. I had done it.

My eyes flicked open and I on my bed. Sitting up, CS was smiling not too far away.

"Good work Cody! You completed the little tasks and as I promised, you're back home, and in the right body."

Looking down, I was relieved to see she was right. My feathers were back. I grinned, but then something occurred.

"What was the point of this?" Her eyebrows raised. "You didn't get it?" My head shook getting her to sigh. "Looks like I have to give if to ya straight huh?"

Taking a deep breath, she sat next to me.
"Cody, when I found you, you were mopping about Joe, your brother who left and lost touch of what's important. I showed you five different scenarios, all of them you helped people gave a good day instead of a terrible one, like how it would have gone. Cody, what do you think in trying to tell you? Think about each situation and your own."

I thought for a moment. "I think... You're telling me that even though people or things in our life are gone, or if we feel like we are failures, we can't let that stop us from being happy and that," I looked at her and smiled wider. "Even if people are gone, we need to look around at what we have. At who we have, and appreciate them. We need to look on the bright side."

CS nodded. "Finally! Welp, my job here is done. Go have fun with who you still have."
*******************
So I made this cute little chapter as a part 2. There will be one last part.

Dang, this took a long time! Sorry if it's a little off, I'm totally fried right now and making and editing this took a lot out of me.

Anyways, I hope you liked it! Be sure to comment what you think! Bye!

--JustAnAtlantisWritet