Disclaimer: Every character is owned by Craig Bartlett, and every shoujo manga cliche is credited to every amazing shoujo mangakas that inspired this story.

Hey Arnold: Shoujo Manga Reboot

Written by V. Vichi L.

Love is lost. Ooh… Love is lost.

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Came to the surface, a 16 years old blonde girl with a giant bow on top of her head, hidden under her bigger old cap. Her hair was styled in a pigtail, and she was wearing a pink shirt and a pair of jeans. There wasn't a little too unique physical appearance to be said—well, perhaps except for her bold unibrow—but then again, she's not the only person in the world to have such unibrow, so never mind—she's just your typical ordinary girl. However, as surprising as it might seem, it was her first day in school. Her family just moved all the way to this town, where she barely knew anything or anyone. But to heck with it, she had said, as she kicked a can out of her way.

Eventually, you would know that her name was Helga G. Pataki, and she was the very protagonist of this story. Her name might not hide a typically sweet façade that not everyone knew, but you might be wrong. She carried herself the way she liked it, and her golden locks didn't flow as prettily whenever she walked. Her eyes weren't exceptionally blue, and they didn't sparkle. From the description only, you might have hated the girl and decided not to like how her story proceeded.

Well, maybe you're right, because it was just another moment of entering a new school and meeting a new bunch of friends. Nothing interesting. However, upon entering the seemingly lonely gates (heck, she was late on her first day!), she was shockingly shoved by unknown hands. She yelped in pain when her back met with concrete surface of a wall.

Then, entering the scene, running in front of her, were two older guys with vicious (and stupid) grins.

"Move, girly!" the spike-haired guy yelled.

She scowled, opening her mouth to yell back before someone appeared before her.

"Are you all right?"

She turned her head and noticed a pair of big green eyes full of concern, unruly blond hair, and a football-shaped head of a guy holding out his hand. (Eventually, this guy would most likely be her love interest, but who knows? Because sadly enough, he didn't make a heroic entrance as he didn't exactly save her from those jerks like he was supposed to do. Oh well. So much for a good story starter.)

Helga blinked twice then decided to take his hand to help her stand up. They fell silent for a moment—him waiting for her to reply and her brushing the dirt off her dress. The guy bended over to see her face, asking one more time,

"Are you all right?"

She frowned. "I'm fine. Thanks for your help."

The guy seemed to be satisfied with her reply, and smiled in return. He then motioned her to walk with him, thus they entered the school side by side with no one around. He was kind of in a rush (of course, they were late) while she was walking lazily, apparently not looking forward to starting the school and meeting new people (beside three new people she had met earlier). The guy, probably noticing this, started the conversation again.

"I'm Arnold, what's your name? You're the new student, right?" he asked.

Yeah, of course, she's the new student, or else this story wouldn't have happened, Captain Obvious—Helga nodded. "Yeah. My name's Helga."

"Nice to meet you, Helga, and welcome to our school." Arnold grinned brightly. "In fact, we are kind of late." Time to state the obvious, Arnold. "Let's hurry up. You probably don't want to miss your first class, right?"

Right…

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She didn't get scolded because she was late (partly because Arnold was with her, she guessed, and the other part was because she's a new student and it was very unlikely for a new student—and a protagonist, mind you—to be scolded on her first day in school), and Mr Simmons the teacher quickly asked her to introduce herself in front of the whole class. It was annoying, but she had to. Luckily enough for her, Mr Simmons seated her behind the football-headed guy (of course), so she didn't have to feel so alone.

Why is that? Hmmm… Probably because, well, Arnold was meant to be her love interest so at one point she had to fall for him, or probably because Arnold was the only one she had known before she met anyone here, and it unknowingly made her feel… safer.

Weird, she thought.

(But of course it's not.)

The class went boringly as she had suspected; she wasn't really interested in learning at the moment. However, everything was turned up when the bell rang; everyone, and she meant everyone, was approaching her, asking questions as if she was the most interesting person in the world. She didn't like being asked too much, but she kind of liked the attention.

"So, where did you come from, Helga?" asked a tall girl with a brown straight hair, Sheena. She looked quite friendly.

"I'm from San Francisco. I moved here three days ago."

"Cool. I visited the Golden Gate Park," said a raven-haired girl with red shirt, Rhonda, "before shopping in LA, of course. It was a nice city, but I still prefer Paris of all cities."

She's a snob, Helga thought.

"Hey, Helga, whatcha movin' here for? I reckon everybody will stay happy at where you were," said a tall guy with a big and pointy nose, Stinky. He kind of looked like a vampire.

"My father's business. I didn't wanna move either," she replied, shrugging. Or because she was destined to move so that she could meet her one true love, but hey, just an opinion.

"Yeah! I would like to walk around the Hollywood sign. It will be like a dream!" A curly red-haired guy, Eugene, said in a sing-song voice as he clasped his hands dreamily.

"Um, it's in Los Angeles, Eugene," said the tall brunette girl.

"Oh."

(Badum tss.)

"But…, isn't there a Broadway?" asked a guy with a green cap and a long nose, Sid.

Helga smirked. "It's a street with all kinds of entertainment that some of your parents would probably like to see."

Everyone felt silence.

"Never mind."

(Humor, everyone.)

"Hey, guys, come on. Let the new girl breathe," said a tall-haired guy, Gerald, waving his hand to ease the crowd, and everyone apparently agreed and left her alone.

And then, eventually, came Arnold with sudden sparkles and all kinds of flower swaying imaginatively around him. Helga took in his presence with silence, not noticing that there were suddenly two pink blushes that crept on her cheeks.

"See you at the cafeteria, Helga."

"Um, sure." Unconsciously, she was rubbing her hands under the table nervously.

"Konnichiwa, Helga. You wanna eat lunch together?" A petite, dark-haired girl with glasses asked, and she nodded in agreement.

Her name was Phoebe, and she (would soon become Helga's very best friend) was cool. Helga was relieved that Phoebe didn't bombard her with too many questions so that she could eat her lunch without getting interrupted. However, she noticed that Arnold wasn't your typical ordinary guy. Everyone seemed to like him, not to mention that there were girls giggling and surrounding him. He was a popular guy, to be said.

"I notice you've been staring at Arnold, Helga," said Phoebe suddenly, though still focusing on her lunch.

"Huh?" Helga automatically frowned and looked away. "No, I have not." Of course, she needed to be the typical tsundere protagonist, so she had to be in denial most of the time.

"Well, your eyes clearly stated otherwise," she said calmly.

"Well, I wasn't the only one!"

Phoebe looked up at her and giggled. "Indeed. He always gains attention though he may seem very ordinary."

"Arnold isn't ordinary."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing." Her frown deepened as she stabbed her potato with her fork. "He helped me up when I was shoved on to the ground by an older guy this morning."

Phoebe smiled. "Yes, that's why he is popular. He is very kind."

"Really? That's it?"

(—not to mention he's pretty cute, Pheebs.)

"Why, yes. He's kind to everyone, no exception. Even to those who are mean to him," Phoebe replied.

"Does that explain the stupid girls?" She rolled her eyes.

"Yup."

"Gee. So much for a kind guy."

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Meantime, in a huge mansion full of luxury and beauty, a girl was sighing to herself. Her body was shaking, but she tried to hold herself from falling apart. She had to do this, no matter what. It's been almost ten years, and she had had enough. They were meant to be, she was sure of it, and she would do anything to regain her place beside him.

(In other words, introduction: the bitchy, selfish, conflict-starter, protagonist's rival. Hear, hear.)

She walked to the mirror, and in it, she saw the beauty itself—a sight of a girl with dark green dress and flowing red locks. She used to braid it, but now she let her hair fall as she'd grown up. She was no longer six years old, she was sixteen.

And her dream was about to come true.

Love is not lost.

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AN:

Hey guys! I'd been meaning to write a HA fic when an idea finally popped into my head, so there you go. Was I the first to think of it AND upload it here? Tell me! I hope it didn't suck because I still have so many things going! (Not to mention that this will be my FIRST comedy/romance fic, so pardon the corny humors *bows*) So yeah, this story is meant to adapt every cliché things in shoujo manga. I had included some obvious facts in this chapter (hope you noticed) and will include others in next chapters. However, I promise to keep everyone in character and only modify some if needed.

If you have suggestions about the clichés, feel free to leave it in your review! I am looking forward to continuing this, so please pump my motivation to do so by leaving a review! Thanks for reading :D

Love,

V. Vichi L.