UPDATE: The first two chapters are modified and revised; I had developed ANOTHER case of writer's block on this story, so I have decided to edit and republish this entire story. Haven't written in awhile, and I deeply apologize AGAIN for my absence from my Pokemon story.. One thing led to another in life, and I got a big writer's block on that story.. but it shall be continued soon! (hopefully)…

However, I'm also a HUGE Hey Arnold! AND Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan, so what better way to exercise the writing part of my brain than combining both? Hey Arnold characters + AMAZING card game = Hey Arnold Characters playing an AMAZING card game! (duh..?)

Arnold+Helga forever! This fic takes place post-TJM, 6th-Grade era. Just a little time killer…

DISCLAIMER:::::: I do NOT own Hey Arnold OR Yu-Gi-Oh!, their characters, plot lines/ideas, etc… I am only credited for this story!

Chapter 1 It's Only a Fad... Right?

It had been almost a year since Arnold returned to Hillwood from the mysterious continent of South America, but he had felt like he hadn't missed a thing from being away from his hometown. He had spent almost all of his 5th grade year in San Lorenzo with his parents after being reunited with them during a class field trip, and thanks to a certain girl's help.

Despite his year-long absence, he and his friends never strayed from playing baseball and football as much as possible, and each weekend they all still hit the movies and the arcades. Heck, even he and Helga have gotten along a little better since his return. After what happened between them after him and his parents were finally reunited, for the first time since his infancy, he wouldn't have expected anything else. Although Helga still maintains her barriers of bullying and name calling, her subtle shift towards a more positive, relaxed and kind attitude is noticed by only a few. Despite Arnold and Helga finally recognizing each other's feelings about the other, they haven't really expanded into any kind of a relationship, and after everything that's gone on between them as kids, they find it even harder to be fully open about how they feel.

He felt a kind of safety after his hometown return that he'd always taken for granted before he had left for South America, and he felt the same of his friends. Being away from the kids he'd grown up with took its toll on him every now and then, but now that he was home, with his parents accompanying him, he finally felt complete, for the first time in his life.

He had also noticed a new trend going on in town once he had returned to Hillwood. It passed the time during recess and lunch, it was the source of sleepovers and get-togethers with friends, and it soon became so popular that tournaments were locally held at the game store down the street from Arnold's house. Kids were constantly trading and playing, and it was all in good fun. Duel Monsters was the biggest thing since The King Rules, and far surpassed it, since it was much easier to understand. Duel Monsters cards were also more affordable, and the game even had several total TV shows based on it.

It had even gotten so big in the east coast that Big Bob's Beepers, now Big Bob's Electronics, had already begun development of prototype Duel Arenas and Mini Duel Arenas, which consisted of 3D hologram-projection technology that operated based on the encryption codings found in authenticity stamps on the lower right corner on each Duel Monsters card. It also utilized the eight digit passcode located next to those stamps.

Arnold and Gerald found themselves playing one night in Arnold's room after a long week of school. Arnold's grandparents had just brought up some cookies and milk as the two were finishing up a duel.

"And your lifepoints go to zero Gerald! Man, you're a little rusty tonight, you doing ok?" Arnold asked as he gathered his cards and started shuffling. He had used a remove-from-play deck against Gerald's burn deck.

Gerald did the same. "Man, I'm not sure…. My deck is pretty balanced out… maybe it's just luck of the draw. And that isn't even your main deck! How can I get better if I can't even beat your backup?" Gerald started searching through his deck, looking for any flaws.

Arnold grabbed Gerald's deck and started browsing through it. The deck had card sleeves covered in flame decoration with a black background. "My main deck would have a lot more trouble with this. The deck I just used gets the job done faster. This kind of Burn deck relies on the opponent's disposal of cards, and the deck I just used avoids the graveyard, and lets me gain life points quickly…. My main deck is my best one, but because of how my main operates, your deck would have a much easier time playing out."

Gerald though about Arnold's words for a second as he received his deck back. "So what you're saying… is that I have to slow down my opponent? How could I do that?"

"Here-" Arnold stated as he got up, walked across his room and reached into a small box on his desk. After a second of searching for something, he walked back to his bed where he and Gerald just dueled. "Throw these in, they'll slow them down for sure."

Gerald took the cards from Arnold. One was a Continuous Spell card and had a dark picture of some sort of machinery on it. The other was a Flip Effect monster, with a picture of a pink worm with a large white needle on its head. "Level Limit Area-B? Haven't seen this one before… and Needle Worm? I've heard about this one but I've never seen it…."

"Your deck works best while stalling your opponent, so Level Limit works great."

Gerald continued to look at it. "All Lv. 4 or higher Monsters stay in Defense mode? That's pretty cool!"

"It's a good combo with your Lava Golem," Arnold replied. "It should help you out a lot."

"And this Needle Worm is awesome!" Gerald continued. "If I have all my good traps out, or even just one or two, five cards going to the graveyard will deal a lot of damage!"

"Yeah, and it also shortens your opponent's deck. Try to find a couple more worms and throw those in too. This helps a lot in any Burn deck. If you can get all 3 flipped, almost half of your opponent's deck is gone."

"Thanks bro, even in this card game craze going on around town, you're still always helping somebody out." Gerald said, as he took out a couple cards from his deck and placed his new cards in the sleeves. "But at least no one's dressing up in weird costumes…"

"That's exactly why I didn't play The King Rules…" Arnold replied. They both laughed as they shuffled their decks in preparation for another duel. Arnold used his main to show Gerald his point, and Gerald had won, but Arnold's deck was built very well, so it took him awhile.

Across town that night, even Helga G. Pataki, the meanest, toughest girl in school, who most thought wouldn't be caught dead playing a trading card game with dweebs and dorks, (despite her elite connection with the company investing millions into new technologies for the game), was in her room completely rebuilding her deck. For the past few months, she had been playing in the shadows, nowhere near anyone that she was in normal contact with each day. Almost everyone at school had no clue that she too was picking up on the game.

Big Bob surprisingly gave her some cash for her recent birthday, (meaning Helga was surprised he had even remembered her birthday), and she decided to spend it on cards that would make her deck even more powerful than it already was.

"Finally, my weapon is perfect," she said to herself, placing the deck softly in front of her. The neon pink sleeves were bright enough to see through walls. "Now, even in this stupid card game, I'm more powerful than everyone else! One step closer to world domination!"

"Are you sure it was wise to spend all your birthday money on trading cards?" Phoebe asked, concerned if these spending habits would carry into Helga's teenage years. "Why not save at least some of it for something important you might need in the future?"

"Well Pheebs, you only live once, and the only thing I've ever really done is writing. This game is actually pretty cool, so I might as well enjoy it even more by pumping up my deck with these insane cards my dad got me! Besides, I have enough paper to build a life-sized airplane, so I'm not going to buy any more.…" Helga shuffled the deck, placed it in a Deck Box, and put it in her front pocket of her backpack.

Phoebe grew even more concerned of her friend's apparent irresponsibility of her possessions. "Helga, are you really going to bring those expensive cards to school on Monday?" Phoebe asked. She didn't think it was so wise for a sixth grader to bring something worth so much money to school.

"Why not? Everyone else plays at school, and I've even noticed myself controlling what I say to others a little better…. I guess the game helps me vent my emotions through a harmless competition. So what if people give me weird looks? If they do, that wouldn't make much sense since THEY also play the game. Besides, maybe this game will somehow even help my chances of getting together with…" Helga faded off a bit, remembering her alias for Arnold- "..ice cream..?"

Phoebe thought for a second. She did realize that Helga had toned down her outbursts and her attitude since the game acquired her interest. For the first time in awhile, she's seen Helga actually, happy? At least, not since she had reunited Arnold with her parents a year before. Phoebe had second thoughts on her opinion of the game, and as she watched Helga beaming while she immediately took her deck out of her bag and jetted through it, taking out a couple cards in the process, Phoebe saw that maybe Helga was right. After all, Arnold was the reason why Helga had always had her defenses up, always protecting her image with over-the-top actions, attitude, and words. Maybe this game would give her a way to vent her emotions through something else other than the center of her emotional life. Plus, the game did look a little fun… maybe Phoebe herself might even get involved in it.

As it got later in the night, Helga eventually stopped rummaging through her deck, realizing that if she made too many changes to it, it wouldn't perform well. She planned on entering a local tournament the next weekend, so she wanted her deck primed and polished for it.

But little did both Helga and Arnold know that night that soon, this game would be taken to a whole new level. And they would both learn a lesson they'll never forget.

Well, that about does it for the first chapter! Please leave as many reviews as possible!

-MoltresFeather