Okay everyone, this is the first time I'm posting in this part of FF.net. I usually go to the poetry section. It's HelgaJen here from the board, but my official name's "Serena G. Rose". It's a real-life pen name, wannabe future author thing. Anyway, hope you enjoy my first story!

Disclaimer: I don't own HA or any associated characters. So please don't sue me or anything, I'm not rich enough. You see if I was rich enough, then I would have probably brought HA anyway, and there would be no point in sueing me at all. So there!

Gino, G., and Geraldine
Chapter 1

I was hang-gliding over a huge open canyon. The wind blew through my blond hair, but not enough to take my hat with it. But, just enough to make me feel like I was flying with nothing holding me back. The gorge below was a beautiful array of red's, orange's, yellow's, and stunning golden browns. Then a bird flew towards me, and began to call my name...

"Hey Arnold!"

"Huh? What!?!" I blurted out, coming back to reality. I looked around, but instead of a breath-taking gorge, all I saw was my best friend Gerald, standing there waving his hand in front of my face. He had an annoyed look, and when he saw that I had finally noticed him, he folded his arms and started tapping his foot on the playground pavement.

"Come on man, the bell rang! It's time to go! Remember, only a half day today?"

"Sorry Gerald." We began to walk in. "I was just...thinking..."

He gave me a questioning look, "About what?"

I looked off into space, recapping the strange daydream I had. "Nothing, just daydreaming."

We reached our lockers, and the conversation continued as it usually would.

Hi, my names Arnold. I'm nine, a 4th grader. I've got a pretty average life I guess. Live with my Grandparents and a few...slightly "eccentric" people in a boarding house on Vine Street. I already mentioned Gerald was my best friend. There are other people I hang out with too. Sid, Stinky, Harold, Rhonda, Nadine, Phoebe, Sheena, Eugene...there all great kids. And there's Lila...*sigh*. Sorry, sometimes I get a little...not quite myself when I think about her. Too bad she doesn't "like-me-like-me". And oh wait...there's "one" more person I forgot to mention...

"Hey Football Head! How's trix?"

Helga...ugh, I really didn't want to deal with her right now. Then again, who does. Somehow I think there's something more to her, but sometimes...

"Hi Helga." I barely muttered.

She just scowled like she always had done ever since I could remember.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah...just don't get too close to me Bucko!" And with that, she stomped off and around the corner.

Gerald came up just then, "Hey man, Helga buggin' you again?"

I sighed, "Nah, just being herself. Come on Gerald, let's go practice some pitching a Gerald Field!"

Just then, something happened that I never ever expected in my entire lifetime. Especially since the whole "Sid" incident.

"Hey A'nold! Wait up!" It was Big Gino. No gang members around him, no threatened looking kid waiting to be shoved in a closet and threatened, near him. Just him, alone...

"Hello Gino. How are you doing?" Hey, it's just my nature to be polite to people, everyone deserves a second chance...right?

"Eh...listen A'nold, could I uh..see ya in my office please?"

I looked at him strangely for a second. Could Sid be in trouble again? No, Gino would have looked much smugger, and he would have "demanded" me to go with him. One of the other kids maybe, then why go to me? Could "I" be in trouble?! No, otherwise Gino would have had his goons with him...and he wouldn't have had that strange look on his face. It almost seemed to be nervousness, and perhaps...was that...fear?

"Um...sure Gino. Gerald, I'll be-"

"Forget 'about it!" Gerald replied in his best Mafia accent. Gino shot him a look. Just before he left he quickly whispered,

"Hey, if he gives you trouble, try Torvald...he owes ya a favor right? See ya!" And with that, Gerald left.

I turned to Gino, but he was gone. I looked around for a second.

"Gino? Where did you go?"

A small whisper responded.

"In here A'nold!"
I looked around, classroom door...poster...lockers...corner...closet...janitors trash can...then I took a double take at the closet. Gino could be seen through a small slit in the door way. He motioned for me to come forward, I stepped in. There I saw a Gino I'd never seen before.

"Gino what's wrong? Why do you need me? And where are your body guards?"

"A'nold, you gotta help me'!" he said in a sharp whisper.

"What Gino...what's wrong?"

"Franky G.'s out 'ta get me, and I need you help!!!"



What do ya think? Too long? Too short? Not descriptive enough? Too descriptive? OCC? Spelling and grammatical errors? Any suggestions for story line improvement? Please tell me! Thanx! Whatever you put though, please no spaming, it's called "constructive criticism".