Disclaimer: This is a work of fan-fiction. This was NOT written for profit. I do NOT own any elements of Hey Arnold or Inuyasha. Hey Arnold was created by Craig Bartlett and is currently owned by Nickelodeon/Viacom. Inuyasha was created by and belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

Thank you.

A/N: LONG ONESHOT! Just a thing I wanted to try. There's currently no immediate plan to continue this, mainly because I don't really have time to write out a multichapter fic like I did in high school. Plus I have other stuff to do at the moment. I feel like I may continue it in the future though.

Gift For/Dedicated to my friends AJ Sky and Reyna Fortiz on the "SAVE HEY ARNOLD THE JUNGLE MOVIE 100,000 PEOPLE" Facebook page. They encouraged me to go through with this. ^.^

Enjoy!

Hey Arnold: Inuyasha's Universe

Written by: Brittany R./FoxieSango

Elk Island. For some reason I've always been drawn there; ever since I was a little kid. My grandpa would take me there every other weekend when I was younger...or maybe it was my dad. I can't exactly remember. My father's been gone so long I don't really remember what he looks like. So it could've been him; I know it was someone tall and strong who I looked up to. But the trips slowly stopped when I was around 10. Between school, homework, hanging out with friends, and sports, there just wasn't enough time in the day anymore. Also, the island wasn't so...quite as...mysterious. No appeal. It wasn't so big and, enigmatic anymore. It was simply an island, just off the pier of my city. I haven't really visited it in a while, only in passing. That is...until my 15th birthday. I don't know what drew me there, but I have not been able to pull myself away ever since. My name, is Arnold Phillip Shortman. This is my story.

She allowed the breeze of the day to caress her skin, taking her cares away on the wind with it...just for the moment. The sun's rays kissed her cheeks, and her furry, little blond ears twitched atop her head, subconsciously alerting her to all of her surroundings. Then...HIS voice reached her.

"Helga?"

"Ooh, speak my name again my love; just so I may bask your tone as it flows from your melodic voice and past your most precious of lips..." she swooned to herself.

"Helga?" she sighed again. It was little moments like this that she treasured. He was oblivious to her plight, but she liked it that way. He was her own secret, and she had grown to adore him so much that simply being in his presence soothed her to no end. But it also drove her mad when she had to put up a front to throw him off the trail.

"Once more, just once more. Let me be blessed to have his voice cascade across my ears once more. Then I'll be satisfied..." Three times was her limit. She'd only ever allow him to call to her name three times at once, that was as much as her heart could take before it exploded anyway.

"HELGA!"

"CRIMINIY! What IS it Footballhead? Can't you see I'm trying to catch some Z's up here?" The half dog-demon girl peered down at him from her place on a tree's branch, eyes narrowed in what was now her trademark scowl. However, Arnold was not phased.

"Would you come down here? I want to share something with you!" The blond boy cried.

"Keh! Ain't nothin' doin'!" She called back, folding her arms in her pink kimono and leaning back against the trunk of the tree. Her heart was pounding fiercely.

"C'mon! You know you want to!"

"No, I don't Arnold! I'm rather happy up here, so leave me alone would ya?"

"Lies, all lies. I'd give anything to not be so nervous near you my darling..."

"Helga! I think it's something you'll really like, please?"...damn it, he used the P-word. Helga sighed. She didn't understand, he always went out of his way to be nice to her. When would he give it up so their relationship could strictly be that of "acquaintances," not friends? She never wanted friendship, that was risky...and risk was too dangerous in her time. But Arnold extended an olive branch of peace, not giving up until he'd wormed his way into her heart somehow, beneath her rough, icy exterior. She hated him for it, and adored him at the same time. The girl let out a growl,

"Look, if I come down will you leave me alone?" She asked.

"Maybe...wouldn't count on it though..." Arnold said with a smile. She rolled her eyes and stood,

"Alright, fine! Geeze!" She gracefully jumped from the tree, her kimono flowing freely behind her. She landed just as softly, stood, and folded her arms within her sleeves again.

"Alright. What's so important you felt you had to bug me, Football head?" She asked. And he...that darn, dense boy just wouldn't stop smiling. He held out a small, black box to her. She was skeptical.

"A box? You called me down here for a box?"

"It's what's IN the box, silly." he said with a smile. Helga narrowed her eyes.

"What? Don't tell me you don't trust me," he said, pouting a bit. She sighed,

"Alright fine..." she took the box and slowly opened it, eyes going wide.

"Arnold...what is this?"

"It's a locket." He took out the gold, heart-shaped locket and held it up. It glinted in the sunlight.

"Okay. And what's it for?" He moved to stand next to her, his arm brushing against hers. She tried her hardest not to blush at his close proximity. The blond boy opened the locket by clicking the little clasp on the side. When it opened, on the left it held a picture of the two of them. It was an old memory of a spring day. Somehow, he had managed to not only take her pink ribbon out of her hair so that it hung loose in the breeze, but to also lift her by hugging her around the waist from behind as well. She was kicking in protest but was smiling and laughing at him. Gerald had taken the picture when Arnold brought his camera from his time to show everyone. Helga remembered that day well. It was one of their off days, where they didn't worry about La Sombra or looking for the pieces of La Corazon before he got them all. They were just, relaxing. She hadn't ever been able to really just relax until she met Arnold.

"It's supposed to hold snapshots of precious memories, and you keep it close to your heart so you never forget," Arnold said, moving behind her and clasping the chain behind her neck. Helga stared down at the locket in shock, gazing at the picture.

"Arnold, what are you giving me this for?" she asked. He shrugged,

"Just...because." he said with a small smile. She looked up at him in awe for a moment as he waited to gauge her reaction. Then, she caught herself, closing her eyes and turning her back to him,

"Keh! Yeah well...d-don't think this means I care about you or anything. I still think your a geeky football-headed weirdo!" She said, closing the locket and tucking it under the collar of her kimono. Arnold just chuckled,

"Whatever you say Helg-"

"GERALD!" A smack rang through the trees. The duo sighed...it sounded like Gerald had taken his flirting too far again. Both blonds looked to the forest as Phoebe came stomping from the trees, her face red. Gerald ran after her, a hand print mark on his face,

"Aw, c'mon Phoebes! I'm sorry, but I can't help it! You're so beautiful and..."

"You need to work on your self control Gerald! Hmph!" Phoebe said, folding her arms and looking away, her blush growing even more. Gerald sighed before looking at Arnold and Helga.

"You're a lost cause Tall-hair-boy." Helga said, shaking her head.

"Only when it comes to Phoebe, she is one foxy mama! Purrrrr!" Gerald said, grinning in her direction. She glared at him, but had trouble hiding the smile threatening to break from her lips. Then, Gerald looked serious.

"Anyway, are you sensing any more pieces of La Corazon, Arnold?" he asked. Arnold grasped the Green-Eyed pendant around his neck...it didn't respond.

"Nothing recently, but we should probably keep heading north. That's the direction in which I last felt it's energy," Arnold said. On his 15th birthday, he was drawn to Elk Island's shores on his way to school. He was following some...unknown force, almost as if he were in a trance. At the time he called it a gut feeling, but now he thought it was something much more. Once he reached the caves, the indescribable power pulled him towards a small cove, in which he found the amulet of the Green-Eyed people. He didn't know how it got there, nor did he really question it. But after putting the amulet around his neck, the ground he was on weakened like a sinkhole and he fell through, 500 years into the past.

Now, His grandfather had told him stories of the Green-Eyes, but it was in the past where learned the true significance of the amulet he wore around his neck. He was the only person who could read it and follow it's aura, no one else. It turned out his spirit was reincarnated from an ancient being that the Green-Eyes worshipped, and the amulet was a sacred relic. This meant he had to protect it with his life and soul, especially since all kinds of demons and monsters would come after him for it. This, is where Helga came in. She knew the time period better than him, and how to deal with monsters and demons. He needed her, and she needed him...for her own purposes. Their relationship started off rocky, but soon they reached an understanding, and as they travelled they came across Phoebe and Gerald, who also joined them on their journey. What was the journey you ask? Apparently, the ancient Green-Eyed civilization knew people would seek out La Corazon to use its power for evil, for selfish gain. So they broke it apart, and spread its pieces far and wide. Even if all the pieces were gathered together, only one person could harness it's power. That person, was Arnold.; and his team was on a mission to gather the pieces before La Sombra could.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's head North!" Gerald said, reaching his arms to the sky to stretch out the kinks in his back. So, they began walking. They had been moving for about an hour and a half when Helga paused, her little button nose picking up a whiff in the air.

"Helga, what is it?" Phoebe asked.

"A demon."

"A dangerous one?" Gerald asked, reaching for Ofudas within his robe. Phoebe tightly clutched the hand-crafted nun-chucks around her hip (one of the many weapons she had on her person as a demon slayer).

"Relax, this scent's more of an annoyance than a threat. It's more like...sickeningly sweet. I'll handle it," Helga said, moving in front of the group. Still, they all stood their ground. It was then that a large cloud descended in front of them with a bright blue glow.

"Olga?" Arnold breathed. Helga scoffed,

"Olga," she hissed with a sneer, as the cloud dissipated before their eye. There, stood Olga Pataki, tall with two light blue streaks across her face and a light blue diamond atop her forehead. However, her expression was ANYTHING but stoic. She grinned and clasped her hands in front of her,

"Baby sister, I thought I smelled your scent! Come give your big sister a hug!"

"Get outta here Olga! Before your stench overtakes the flowers and they wilt!"

"Oh Helga, you're so silly! And look! You're still hanging around with those adorable, weak humans, how quaint!"

"HEY! FYI Olga, dear ol' dad MATED with a human and she was my mother, ya know!"

"Oh Helga, everyone knows she was just one of his harems. Besides he came to his senses and knew he couldn't let a little ol' human sully the family name," Olga said. She then leaned forward and added in a whisper, almost as if it were a secret, "Plus, she was a horrible drinker. Ew! Dropping ties with her was one of his best decisions." The older girl's face portrayed innocence even though her words stung. Helga growled lowly, tightly gripping the sword at her hip. Arnold reached out a hand to put on her shoulder to calm her but she hissed,

"Don't. Touch me, Arnold." With that, he pulled back. Helga unsheathed her sword and pointed it to her sister,

"You just think you're high and mighty, don't you Olga! Hmph, well remember...father disowned you when you didn't sway the lords of the South-Eastern Lands to merge with your lands. Oh-ho yes, he blew quite the gasket didn't he sis? Banned you for a few decades I believe since you let such an important arrangement fall through? You should've just married and been done with it. You're a disgrace to the bloodline in your own right." Helga said with a smirk. Olga frowned, and Helga could sense her older sister's aura pulsing angrily. She was losing her composure.

"You're on thin ice...baby sister. Olga Pataki bows down to no one, and I mean no one."

"Keh, yeah. Not even for dear ol' dad's reputation. Tsk, tsk, for shame sis. It'll take you a long time to get back in his good graces. I may have been born hanyou, but falling OUT of favor with the bloodline is far-far worse. At least he cared enough to give me this sword for protection. You, hah! He just left that little whip thingy around your wrist. You getting by far with tha-?" It was then the whip cracked, leaving a stinging sensation on Helga's cheek. Everyone gasped and Helga cried out as she grabbed her face.

"Helga!" Arnold cried out. Gerald and Phoebe shifted to a fighting stance, ready to charge. But Helga held an arm out. She narrowed her eyes at her sister and smirked as blood trailed down her cheek. She stuck her tongue out, catching the metallic taste on her tongue.

"Heh-heh...this is gonna be fun," she said, flexing her claws. With that she charged forward, and the rest of the confrontation was just blinding clashes of pink and blue light. Arnold, Gerald, and Phoebe watched on helplessly.

"W-Who's winning? Is she hurt? Can you tell?" Arnold asked.

"Arnold, my man. She's HALF demon. She'll be fine, her wounds always heal right away. ...but man the battle's getting kind of fierce." Gerald wasn't kidding. With each clash of pink against blue, a resounding vibrations could be felt on the wind that continued to blow roughly around them. The duo was also causing gashes in the ground beneath them, but no one could see who was landing the most blows. Arnold, Gerald, and Phoebe just felt more pressure as the fight moved closer towards them, and they backed up.

"I-it feels like it's getting worse..." Arnold said worriedly, holding an arm up to his face against the breeze. "Is there anything we can do?"

"They keep this up they're going to destroy the landscape..." Phoebe said. But it wasn't long before the two siblings broke apart, both covered in scratches. Olga looked like she had the most bruises, however she didn't look the least bit tired. Helga, was sporting less cuts but was panting like she was exhausted.

"She's gotten stronger, much stronger," Olga thought.

"Damn-it, nothing's taking her down!" Helga thought. She dug her left foot into the ground behind her right, ready to charge again. Olga, also bent her knees a bit, preparing to lunge, when Arnold ran in front of Helga.

"S-stop it please!" he cried. Both girls froze.

"What the hell? CRIMINY! Football-head, get out of the way!" Helga shouted. Arnold ignored her.

"Olga, please. If you were passing this way, there had to be something you wanted. What is it? We've...got a lot of ground to cover ourselves," Arnold said, really just not wanting to risk Helga getting injured anymore. Even if she was stronger than him, and could handle more pain, he hated when she was hurt at all. He had to stop this. Olga stood straighter.

"Aw, how sweet. Look's like your little boyfriend's worried about you baby sister." Olga crooned. Helga blushed fiercely,

"W-what? Nothin' doin'!" she cried angrily. Olga just giggled and smiled at Arnold,

"You look like a sweet boy...for a human. And what do you think you can do for me?"

"I-I don't know. Maybe we can help you with...whatever you're looking for?"

"You want to HELP HER? ARNOLD! You traitor! Get outta the way so I can pound her into oblivion! She deserves it!" Helga cried. Arnold stood his ground. For a moment there was silence. Then Olga spoke, her countenance serious,

"Where did you all last encounter La Sombra?"

"What?" Phoebe asked.

"Why?" Gerald added.

"He has...something of importance to me. I must retrieve it. I know you all encounter him frequently. Point me in his direction."

"Olga you idiot! Don't you think if we knew where he was we would've taken him down ourselves by now?" Helga cried.

"All I want to know...is where you last encountered him. That's all." Olga said. The quartet looked at each other. Arnold and Helga locked eyes.

"Helg-"

"FORET IT! She's a full demon! She wants to know where he is she can sniff him out herself. WE'RE NOT HELPING HER!" She cried, resheathing her sword and folding her arms. "Criminy, I swear I'm surrounded," she whispered to herself. Olga rolled her eyes,

"Oh Helga...tsk-tsk. Baby sister, you really should work on that attitude of yours. It's not becoming for a young lady," Olga giggled.

"SHUT-UP! DAMN, YOUR SO ANNOYING! JUST GET OUT OF HERE"! Helga cried. Olga smirked,

"Hmph...you should keep your defenses up sister dear. You'll never know who you'll run into...or when. Next time I see you I won't go so easy on you." Olga said in a sing-song voice, glowing a bright blue before her cloud encompassed her and she flew off.

"...well...in retrospect all of that was probably a waste of time." Phoebe said, trying to contemplate if there was a real reason behind Olga's visit.

"Anything dealing with Olga is always a waste of time," Helga scoffed with her arms folded.

"Still...I wonder if she was merely testing you for something bigger she may have had planned..."

"Look, she knows not to mess with me. Helga G. Pataki will NEVER be a pawn in anyone's schemes. She knows that by now." Helga said...before cutting her eyes around to Arnold in a glare. The teenager suddenly stiffened and gave a sheepish grin from ear to ear. He was in for it now... Gerald whistled,

"I'm tellin' ya, Arnold is a bold man. Stopping a fight between a female demon and half demon...they could've killed him," he said to Phoebe. And Arnold knew Gerald was right, the girls could have killed him. Heck, they might as well have; Arnold could feel Helga glaring daggers at him and he felt like she was burying him six-feet-under with her eyes alone. He shuddered.

"N-now Helga..."

"No! YOU listen to me and you listen GOOD paste for brains!" She marched up to him and grabbed his collar. "You stepped in the middle of a battle that was NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS YOU IDIOT! Do you understand you could have been KILLED?...ARGH! I don't know WHAT you were thinking you MORON! Iditotic GEEK BAIT! That's just it! You WEREN'T thinking WERE YOU? I swear you're such a PAIN Arnold! Criminiy! Next time I get into a fight with Olga, DON'T INTERFERE, or you'll be SORRY? YOU HERE ME?" She cried, bopping him on the head (not enough to hurt him, but enough to get her point across). Arnold winced and grabbed his cranium.

"Helga! I just didn't want you to get hurt anymore and..."

"I'M. NOT. HUMAN! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU?"

"I KNOW! BUT I STILL CARE!"

"I DON'T CARE!"

"BUT I DO!"

"UGH! YOU'RE IMPOSSIBLE!" Helga ran her hands through her blond locks and stormed off.

"Where are you going?"

"TO BLOW OFF SOME STEAM! DON'T FOLLOW ME!" She cried, using her claws to swiftly slice down a tree that she passed on her way into the forest. The tree slowly fell over to the ground with a loud THUD. The trio just stood, staring after her.

"Yep, you're a bold man Arnold. Bold and crazy." Gerald said.

"That Arnold is the most ridiculous... infuriating...meddlesome...UGH!" The blond haired inu-hanyou sliced down a few more trees. She then took a deep breath.

"He bugs the living HECK out of me! Criminiy!" She ran a hand through her bangs before leaning her back up against a nearby tree, eyes closed.

"And yet..." her eyes opened, she pulled out the heart shaped locket he'd given her, which had been hidden beneath the collar of her kimono and resting against her chest.

"And yet he's the sweetest, kindest, most caring boy I've ever met," she ran her thumb over their picture.

"...I don't understand how someone so...dense can be so sweet. He's not like other people. He's not as shallow or selfish or naive...how did he manage to bypass all of that growing up? And come out so...so...pure? Ooh, Arnold my love, I don't deserve to be in your presence...yet you continue to put up with me and my insane antics. Why, is a mystery I'll never solve. I'm not worth it, I'm simply not worthy of you my darling...and as a half-demon in this age it is sinful for a being like me to cherish any memory we have together...but I can't help it. I love you. I love you so much...and yet you must never know, lest it'll be your downfall. ...But if you ever get in the way of me fighting again I'm gonna pound that adorable football-head of yours FLAT! Putting yourself in danger like that WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? You know how uncontrollable I can be in a fight! And Olga's not as innocent as she looks...you idiot! Angelic, flaxen-haired idiot! I'd never forgive myself if you were hurt. Somehow, you must know that Arnold." the girl sighed, closing the locket and placing it back under her collar; its cool metal soothed the heated pace of her heart, as well as her soul. She closed her eyes once more...before the pungent stench of dirt and soil assaulted her nose. She sniffed again before furrowing her brow, and when she opened her eyes several pieces of lint were floating in front of her.

"Oh..."

"-snort-"

Helga turned her head just slightly to her left...and there she saw him. In a white robe and white pants, stained with dirt and dust, mud marks smudged on his face and in his hair...was

"Arnie."

"...Helga. -snort- Hey." She stood straighter, arms at her sides as she faced her old flame.

Arnold, Gerald, and Phoebe sat side by side on a nearby hill, their back turned to the forest Helga had retreated to. They wanted to give her space and time to cool off, but...

"She's been gone an awfully long time."

"Let it go my brother."

"I'm just saying, do you guys think I should go an apologize to her?"

"On the contrary Arnold you were just expressing your concern earlier. In actuality, Helga's the one who should be coming to apologize to you," Phoebe said, polishing one of her swords that she kept chained to her hip.

"I-I know...but I feel like...I undermined her independence or something...somehow..." he ran a hand through his blond locks haphazardly. Gerald throw and arm around his shoulder,

"Arnold...face it. Helga, is like a lion. She's fierce and dangerous. Provoking her only leads to pain. But you wait until she's cool and calm...then, and only then, can you gain her trust and tame her." Gerald said, waving a hand across the air in front of him for effect. Arnold raised an eyebrow,

"How'd you come up with that one?"

"A monk is full of wisdom my friend," Gerald said, as his hand that was in the air subtly came down behind Phoebe, moving towards her rear. Of course, she promptly punched his face.

"Looks like you need more wisdom on how to properly treat women," she said. Gerald just sighed,

"I'm so abused." Arnold laughed at his friends nervously before looking back to the woods.

"...Ya know, I'm just gonna make sure she's alright. I won't rile her up or anything but...I just wanna be sure," he said, making his way towards the trees. Gerald shrugged,

"Alright, it's your funeral man," he said, before leaning over to whisper sweet nothings in Phoebe's ear. Phoebe blushed but sighed in agitation. She appreciated his attentions, but just wished they weren't so...well, crude. She didn't know what she was going to do with him. She'd often considered using one of her weapons to teach him a lesson, but she didn't want to hurt him too badly. After all, she did like the guy. Like, she liked him-liked him...she was just to shy to say anything...for now.

"What do you want, Arnie?" Helga sighed, folding her arms in the sleeves of her kimono with a bored look on her face. However, her look couldn't rival Arnie's if she tried. His expression was worse than boredom...and worse than indifference...it was just...empty; like he was looking at nothing. He snorted.

"I've add over 1,839 pieces to my lint collection. I counted. -blink, blink-," the pale boy blinked his right eye first, then his left. Helga had to suppress a shudder.

"Um...yeah, I can see that." Arnie's lint collection was floating all around them, and the quantity seemed like it had increased since she last saw him. There was a pause.

"Helga, I love you. I want us to spend every waking moment together."

"Arnie. I-...we can't. There's nothing there anymore."

"I want us to be together."

"Look, Arnie. Maybe, once upon a time...maybe. But, I realized that, back then I didn't, LOVE you. I was just...fascinated because, I thought you were interesting. But after what you did to me-how you treated me, there's no way I can be with you."

"-snort- you can't be with Arnold." That caught her attention. She raised her voice,

"Excuse me? What difference does that-I-I don't see how that's any of your business!" she put her hands on her hips angrily.

"He's just a copy of me. -snort-. That's all. That's why you think you love him."

"He's NOTHING like you, okay? He never ignored me and he's never tried to use me as his pet just because I'm stronger than him and half inu! And he accepts me as I am rather than thinking he could use some sacred power to change me!"

"-snort- you know no one will ever accept you as you are."

"I didn't need you to rub it in, Arnie," there was quiet. Years ago, La Corazon had at one point fallen into Arnie's possession and society deemed him as keeper/protector of the ancient stone. Arnie was a weakling, but every time demons or monsters came at him for the relic, he would just sic Helga on them. She ended up like more of his gaurd dog than a girlfriend. At first, she had been drawn to him out of curiosity of how he just enjoyed simple things: counting, lint, dirt, mud. She thought that he appreciated the smaller details people took for granted in life, and as a closet romantic she thought this showed promise for something deeper. But it didn't, it was just shallow on the surface. And Arnie never tried to get to know her as herself, or show interest in her. He just used her and then wanted to change her. Eventually she came to her senses and sought to use La Corazon to become a demon and to prove to Arnie nothing was wrong with her powers. That was all she'd wanted, was to prove herself, until she got to know Arnold...

**Flashback***

"You don't have to prove yourself to anyone."

"Gosh, you have just NO IDEA do you football-head?" they were sitting by a river. Arnold picked up a flat stone and threw it across the water. He called it 'skipping stones;' something he and his buddies did in his era. Helga was intrigued by it. They'd been travellng together now for about 5 months.

"I'm just saying, what do you care what others think of you?"

"I just...it matters, okay? Half-demons are looked down on in this day-and-age, and women are suppressed. I've got the worse of both worlds, Arnold. I want to rise up and prove to people how powerful women and half-demons can really be, and I need La Corazon to do it!"

"Well, I don't think you have to use La Corazon for that. I mean, you're already pretty powerful just as you are. And...well...if you did become a demon, that would get rid of your human heart too, won't it?" he asked, worry lacing his voice. She shrugged,

"A small sacrifice if it'll make me stronger."

"I think your heart's already strong as it is. It's amazing. When I watch you fight, with the moral guidance of protecting people, your moves are ten times more sharp than your opponents'. They just fighting blindly. Honestly, I think your heart is your greatest weapon, I'd be sad if you lost it. I like it. And if no one else does...well, then screw'm." he said, smiling at her. "You're great the way you are, Helga." Helga's eyes grew wide at the boy before she felt heat rising to her cheeks. She turned her head.

"Keh, whatever. You...you don't know what you're talking about. Besides, who asked for your opinion anyway?" she shot back, though she felt warm and empowered by his words. He shrugged and picked up another rock.

"I'm just sayin'," he countered. Then he took her hand and pulled her up; wrapping his left arm around her waist and holding her right hand, he helped her skip her first stone across the river. It was one of the first moments she'd ever just felt...free. Free of worry and cares. Just free.

**Flashback Ends***

Helga growled at Arnie. She would never let anyone demean Arnold after all he had taught her.

"You just wanted to keep me around as a weapon. Then you figured once you understood La Corazon's power, you could be your own weapon and I'd just wait on you hand a foot like a good wench," she shook her head and continued,

"I'm the wrong kind of girl for that Arnie." He frowned and stepped forward menacingly,

"Listen Helga, I won't rest until I have your heart. It's rightfully mine. -snort-. You were my girl first. If I can't have you, no one can." he said, blandly. Helga bent her head in a frown and glared at him.

"I. AM. Not. Your. Property. And unless you have any information on La Sombra, I suggest you get outta here." Another pause.

"-blink-blink-...he was last seen in the western lands. He plans to use Arnold and his powers to make him stronger. But I'm going to find him first. And if you happen upon our battle don't want you interfering."

"Don't want me to...why you-you can't control me Arnie! I don't take orders from-"

"And don't forget what I said Helga. -snort-. You'll always be mine, no one else can have you. And if Arnold tries to take you from me...he's gonna pay." Arnie gave an evil grin, but Helga just rolled her eyes as he called his lint-balls forward to lift him up and away. Helga scoffed and rolled her eyes,

"That guy doesn't know who he's dealing with."

"Helga?" She whipped around. She'd be so distracted with Arnie she didn't even sense...

"Arnold! Geeze, what are you doing sneaking up on me football-he-..." her eyes grew wide as she took in his hurt expression.

"W-wait...how much of that did you..."

"...i think...the ending was enough," he said softly.

"Ending?"

"And don't forget what I said Helga. -snort-. You'll always be mine, no one else can have you. And if Arnold tries to take you from me...he's gonna pay."

"That damn Arnie! I bet he knew Arnold was listening the whole time. Oh my love, you have to know it doesn't mean anthing!"

"Arnold..."

"I uh...I'm sorry. I should probably go," he made to leave when she moved, quick as lightening, and grabbed his wrist. Something pulsed through her at the skin on skin contact, but there was no time for that at the moment.

"We... need to talk." she said softly. Arnold was quiet, but nodded.

The two teens sat on a nearby log that was big enough for the two of them.

"You know I told you not to follow me, right? Geeze, honestly Arnold, why is it so difficult for you to follow directions? You're so hard-headed!"

"I was worried."

"Why? I can take care of myself, you KNOW this."

"I know, I know. I can't help it. I worry about you and, i just wanted to make sure you were okay. But if," he swallowed hard, "if i had known you were, meeting with Arnie, I wouldn't have intruded or-"

"Criminy Arnold, do you always jump to conclusions this quickly?" she rolled her eyes. He didn't answer.

"You really are a wet-blanket, you know that hair-boy?"

"Me? I wasn't the one sneaking of to have some tryst with..."

"Woah, woah, WOAH! Hold the phone! FIRST of all, you don't raise your voice at me bucko! Second of all, it WASN'T a tryst! Thirdly , You shouldn't have been spying in the first place! And fourthly, even if it WAS a tryst, it's not any of YOUR BUSINESS! God, I'm tired of all these guys thinking that they can run my life! I can make my own decisions, Arnold!"

"I KNOW THAT! I just...I just..."

"Just what? What could possibly be making you act this way? This ridiculous!" she threw her hands up in frustration, not noticing Arnold was getting frustrated too.

"I just don't want you to forget me!" Arnold cried, clenching his eyes shut. There was silence.

"Wha- Arnold, what are you talking about?" Helga narrowed her eyes and tilted her head in confusion, "Have you completely lost it?" Arnold ran his hands over his face. He sighed.

"...look. Our battle with La Sombra is getting closer by the day."

"Yeah? So?"

"And...we don't know what's gonna happen after it...I...might not be able to keep coming here," Arnold whispered. Helga raised her brow. The thought had crossed her mind once or twice, but she always pushed it out of her conscious as quickly as possible, it was too depressing. Arnold looked at her, and was quiet. He reached out and gently untied the ribbon from her hair; Helga's blond locks cascaded down her shoulders like waterfalls. He smiled sadly.

"I hear you you know. Sometimes at night, when you think I'm asleep. Your poetry. I love it, especially on the new moon, when your human side takes over." She blushed even more, wondering if he'd ever heard her gushing over him. She kept quiet.

"Your poems are amazing. So passionate, like when you fight. This fire blazes around you and...sometimes I'm scared to come near you but...you...well...for some reason I...I'm just drawn to you. And, I don't want to lose that. I don't want to lose this... I-I don't want to lose you."

"A-arnold..." she was choked up, didn't know what to say.

"The locket...it's so you'll remember me in case, I can't come back. ...if...if you want to remember me," he said softly before standing with his back to her. Helga was speechless. She didn't know all these thoughts had be plaguing her precious football-headed love god. He was being so open with her, and here she was still afraid to tell him how she felt. She looked down at the dirt. There was more silence.

"...I don't like Arnie. I mean, we're not a...thing. We were once but...not anymore. He's still head-over-heels for me; it's not mutual though," she said. Arnold said nothing. She stood and walked to him, touching his shoulder. He turned to face her. She had a smirk and was trying to hide her worry with her eyes,

"Arnold. Heh, you're some piece of work hair boy, you know that?" she took his hands and turned them palms up, her pink ribbon lying between his fingers.

"I couldn't forget you if I wanted to Arnold, you don't make it easy and you really get under my skin. But, you've taught me a lot," she closed his hands into fists, her own covering his.

"You were...the first person to ever really compliment me on my bow. Ever. The only person who...ever really just talked to me and considered my feelings. I don't know why but, I appreciate it." She felt her heart beating fast, she almost felt dizzy. She couldn't reveal too much now, she had to keep it light or else she'd faint.

"So..." she swallowed, "So, w-would you stop worrying? I-I'm not gonna forget you and you're not gonna forget me. I hate to admit it but...well...you're not half bad. Ya know, for a football-headed geek. It'd be impossible to forget you," she laughed. Arnold blushed an felt his own heart increase too. He knew what she was trying to say: He did meant something to her.

"But if you ever undermine me again I'm going to pound you into next week, GOT IT?" She asked, shoving o' betsy under his nose. His eyes grew wide, but he laughed and pushed her hand away.

"Whatever you say, Helga," he said. Then, before he lost his nerve, Arnold pulled Helga into a warm embrace and held her tight. She stiffened, not knowing what to do, before slowly hugging him back. The girl basked in his essence during the little time she had, and swooned silently. Then she pushed him away,

"Alright, alright, don't get all mushy on me! Sheeh!" she dusted away invisible dirt. Arnold just smiled at her.

"C'mon, let's get back to the others," she said, folding her arms and walking ahead of him. He immediately followed her.

And it went unbeknown to either teen, that the one they cared about so deeply loved their soul in return. The blond boy and blond girl became a bit closer that afternoon, hoping that one day they'd be able to express their true feelings before fate was cruel enough to tear them apart.

...But fate wouldn't be that cruel right?

After all, it was what brought them together in the first place...

***END***

Author's Note: OHHHHHH EMMMMMMM GEEEEEE THIS IS SO MUCH LONGER THAN I ORIGINALLY INTENDED! _ Ugh! Okay. So, INUYASHA IS MY ALL TIME FAVORITE ANIME EVER IN THE HISTORY OF FOREVER! And I've been in a pretty serious Hey Arnold mode. Now a lot of times when people connect Hey Arnold to Inuyasha, they connect characters by gender. However, I usually connect characters by PERSONALITY! So Helga, to me was a LOT LIKE Inuyasha: Rough life growing up, tough exterior, soft on the inside, an annoying sibling that gets on their nerves, etc. Arnold...OMG Arnold is SUCH a male Kagome: seeing the good in people, kind heart, pure, looking on the bright side, believing the good in Helga over the bad. etc.

It was fun playing with their character shifts in this one. I think I did this crossover justice.

So, in case you didn't get it:

Helga: Inuyasha

Arnold: Kagome

Gerald: Miroku

Phoebe: Sango

Olga: Sesshomaru

Arnie: Kikyo

La Sombra: Naraku

La Corazon/Amulet: both take place of Shikon No Tama.

The idea is Arnold travels back and forth through the caves of Elk Island.

...so, YEAH! There you go! lol! Hope you enjoyed it. =)

-Brittany Reid/Rika/FoxieSango/WallynSimonsGirl