Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold or any of the characters. Hey Arnold is the property of Nickelodeon and Craig Bartlett.
Hypno-Love
Chapter 9: The Next Day
Previously
'Goodnight my sweet prince, I shall see you in the morning..."Helga said in an infatuated voice, even blowing him another kiss before leaving.
"Mm..." Arnold blushed brightly by her actions, and closed his window once he was sure she went back to her own cabin.
The boy soon laid on his bed once more, his cheeks still red and his stomach still in knots. This entire day had to be the most bizarre, confusing and outright stressful he has had since...EVER!
And he still had to go through this all over again, tomorrow!
"Just bare it until Monday...just bare it until then..."Arnold reminded himself.
He eventually managed to go to sleep that night, all the while, still anticipating and worrying over what will happen tomorrow.
Present Time
Arnold did not know where he was or how he got here. He does not know what this place is either. He was walking down a road that almost seemed endless, on his left was a large lake but on his right was endless darkness.
'What is this place?...'Arnold said out loud.
"Hello? Anyone here?...'Arnold called, his voice echoing but he got no answer.
He walked a little more, for how long, he is not sure, until he spoke up again.
"Hello?...'Arnold called again as his voice echoed.
-Giggle~
Arnold suddenly heard a faint giggle echoing around this strange place as looked around.
"Hello? Who's there?..."Arnold called but got no answer, he just heard more of these giggles echoing.
He started running, trying to find the source of it all. As he kept running, the giggling kept getting louder and louder.
"Hello? Who are you?...'Arnold called, until he stopped and started panting a bit.
He then saw that all the giggling had lead him to a strange stage, though the seats were all empty, just like the stage.
"What is going on here?...'Arnold asked out loud, wondering what's going on.
Suddenly, he heard that giggle again, and looked up. At the end of the stage, he saw a shadowy figure in the dark, but the silhouette looked familiar.
"Huh?...'Arnold asked out loud.
Soon the figure walked towards him and he was surprised to see who it was.
'Helga?..."Arnold asked in a confused voice.
He was confused, even more when he saw her expression. She wasn't scowling or looking mad, if anything, she looks...happy?
She was smiling and had a sparkle in her blue eyes as she looked at him.
"Hello darling, I have been waiting for you...'Helga said in a sweet voice, confusing Arnold.
"What are you talking about?..."Arnold asked, not understanding any of this, even more when Helga took his hand in her hand.
Before he could protest, he suddenly saw what looked to be swirling circles all around them, the kind that are affiliated with hypnotism. He looked down and saw that he and Helga were standing on one too...
One in the shape of a heart?!
"W-What?..." Arnold exclaimed as he realized that Helga hasn't let go of his hand….and she is not planning to.
"Oh, Arnold…"Helga said in a happy, loving tone as Arnold couldn't move as the many hypnotic swirls suddenly got bigger and engulfed the both of them in a twister…until the one beneath their feet opened up and he and Helga began to fall.
"AHH!..."
Arnold suddenly jolted awake, looked around panting and sweating a bit, only to see that he was in his room of the rented cabin. He managed to calm down a bit when he saw that he was no longer at that strange place.
"Man ,what a weird dream..'Arnold said as his nerves came back to control...only for the memories of yesterday to come to his mind.
He is pretty sure that it wasn't a dream...of Helga becoming hypnotized, following him around, holding his hand, calling him pet names and kissing him of all things...but maybe there is still a chance that it was just a dream...
"Hm..."Arnold felt an unwanted flush on his face as he felt uncomfortable thinking about Helga's actions to him under her hypnotized state, even more since he knew that she had no control over her own actions.
Though...maybe it was just a dream...maybe-
KNOCK KNOCK!
Arnold snapped out of that thought process as the door opened up to reveal his grandparents, who were already up and dressed for the day, and in his grandma's case, she is dressed up as a cowgirl.
"Morning Arnold...'Grandpa Phil said to his grandson.
"Howdy Tex...'Grandma greeted him in her fake southern accent.
'Morning grandpa...grandma...'Arnold said before he yawned and stretched.
"Slept well?...'Phil asked and Arnold didn't know how to answer him.
"Well, I had a pretty weird dream...but nothing major...'Arnold said to his grandparents and Phil sent an annoyed look to his wife.
"Pookie, I told you those peanut butter and pickles cookies you made were no good, they gave the kid strange dreams...'Phil said in annoyance.
'Don't go making fun of my family recipes!...'Grandma said in annoyance while grandpa just grumbled under his breath.
Arnold just got out of bed, while Grandma marched out of the room in annoyance over grandpa's comment over her cooking...again.
"Anyway short-man, the other borders just left to go do their own thing and breakfast is on the table and don't worry, it's a normal cheese sandwich...'Phil said to his grandson, who yawned again.
"Thanks, grandpa...'Arnold said.
"You better hurry and get ready, your little friend with the pink bow and the one eyebrow is waiting outside..."Phil said and Arnold's eyes widen when he heard that.
"What did you just say?...'Arnold exclaimed in shock.
"I said your friend with the bow and the eyebrow is here, she came about a minute ago and asked if you were awake, I told her that you were still sleeping and that I'd check up on you..."Phil said.
Arnold was frozen on the spot, tried to fight down his blushing and address his grandfather in the most normal way that he can muster.
'So, Helga is here?...outside?...'Arnold asked slowly and Phil nodded.
"Yep, that's right..."Phil said to his grandson.
"Uh...grandpa, if you don't mind answering me...exactly how long Helga was there and...exactly how did she ask you that?...'Arnold asked in a careful tone and Phil raised a brow at what he asked, before answering him.
"As I said, she came just now, about two minutes ago and her exact words were : "excuse me, Arnold's grandpa, is Arnold up yet?..." and that's about it...'Phil said.
'Why so curious, short-man?...'Phil asked and Arnold flinched, before he tried to save some face.
"No reason...I'll be ready in a moment..."Arnold said to his grandfather, who sent him a strange look, before leaving him be.
Arnold let out a sigh and then looked out the window and just as his grandfather said, Helga was at their front door, waiting for him...and the fact that she didn't look mad was an indicator of her current, unusual mood.
"Guess, it wasn't a dream, after all...'Arnold sighed as he decided to get ready for the day and eat his breakfast.
He is going to need all the energy he can get if he is going to deal with Helga again today...
Outside
Arnold had showered, got dressed, quickly ate his cheese sandwich and gathered all of his composure before he went outside and was soon face to face with Helga G. Pataki.
'Oh darling, good morning...'Helga said in her lovey dovey voice and Arnold groaned out loud.
And it looks like she was still under hypnosis.
'Darn it, I was hoping she might have snapped out of it after a good night's sleep...'Arnold muttered under his breath before addressing the smiling girl.
"Good morning Helga..how are you feeling?...'Arnold asked, for the sake of being polite.
"Wonderful, now that I am with you, my love..."Helga said in that loving tone and Arnold groaned.
"It's only until Monday Arnold...you'll survive...'Arnold thought to himself ,while Helga kept giving him that funny look while she continued under her hypnotic state of being.
"Did you sleep well, my darling?..."Helga asked sweetly and Arnold sighed once more in exasperation.
"Helga, I told you not to call me "darling", I told you that it feels weird...'Arnold said in exasperation to the pig tailed blonde girl.
Helga still sent him that smile, but she suddenly had a confused look in her eyes.
'Well, what can I call you, my beloved?..."Helga asked, actually sounding rather docile right now.
Arnold blinked when she asked that, before he waved it off and addressed her.
"Just call me Arnold or even "Football Head"...just not that..."Arnold said in a tired voice.
"Okay...Arnold..."Helga said in a simple voice, surprising Arnold.
"You mean it?..."Arnold asked, almost surprised.
Even in her normal state of self, Helga hardly ever calls him by his real name, just an endless series of insulting terms, but this version of her just agreed to call him by his name because he asked to...
It's kind of weird.
'Sure, if it will please you..."Helga said, as if it was obvious.
"Oh, okay...good...'Arnold said simply.
It didn't take long for Helga to go back to giving him that lovely dovey look and she took a few steps closer to him, and Arnold instinctively took a few steps back, out of fear that she would repeat what she did yesterday to him...
"So...Arnold...'Helga said in a coy sounding tone, almost as if she is flirting with him or something.
It made Arnold nervous.
'What?...'Arnold asked.
"It's such a lovely day today, and I was wondering if you would please join me at the board walk?...'Helga asked as she fluttered her eyelashes, hoping to coax him into agreeing.
Arnold registered what she just asked and after the events from yesterday, he responded by shaking his head in a "no".
"I don't think that's a good idea, Helga..."Arnold said to his blonde classmate.
He didn't have time to mess around like this, he just wanted to check on Helga to make sure she didn't do or say anything crazy and he wanted to look up more information on how to undo hypnotism...He doesn't have time for this.
Helga, however, actually dropped her flirtatious smile and almost looked upset for some reason.
"But why not?..."Helga asked and Arnold sighed.
"I already told you yesterday Helga, you are under hypnotism and I don't want you to act out again, besides, I need to look up how to fix you..."Arnold said to the blonde girl, who wasn't giving up.
Seems that hypnotized or not, Helga is not giving up when she wants something and right now, she wants to go have fun on the board walk...with him of all people.
"Please, Arnold..."Helga said as she took his hand again, sending him a pleading look.
It actually made Arnold feel bad. If it wasn't for the fact that she was under hypnotism and the fact that he knows her so well, he might have agreed to go with her, but...but now...
"I don't think it's a good idea Helga...You are under hypnotism and I don't want you to kiss me like you did yesterday..."Arnold said, expressing his feelings on the matter.
Helga blinked when she heard this, looked nervous but then her eyes widen a bit.
"Was the kiss really that bad yesterday?..."Helga asked and Arnold flinched at how she said that.
He saw the almost hurt look in her eyes and Arnold...his natural sympathy started acting up and he just didn't like seeing a girl unhappy, even Helga.
'Helga...it's not that, it's just that you kissed me without asking and it made me feel uncomfortable, okay..."Arnold admitted.
Helga, despite being under hypnosis, sent him a considering look.
"If I promise not to kiss you without asking...then will you come with me?...'Helga suddenly asked and Arnold blinked in confusion.
He sent her a strange look. Just yesterday, Helga was all over him, kissing him despite his protests and right now, she is saying she will try and control herself if he agrees to go with her.
Something is off here...
"Are you serious? Yesterday, you wouldn't stop kissing me and now you are promising to control yourself?...'Arnold asked and Helga sent him a docile look.
"I do want to kiss you Arnold...but I don't want to make you uncomfortable...I just want to spend time with you.."Helga said, actually sounding sincere.
It surprised Arnold.
"Please, Arnold..." Helga asked, her blue eyes even shimmering a bit.
Arnold couldn't believe that he is actually thinking it over. Regardless of how you look at it, the hypnotist won't be back until Monday evening and today is Sunday and he had come to Lake Hillwood with hopes of playing on the rides, the games and admiring the beauty of the lake. He still wants to but with Helga how she is right now, he doesn't know if she will be able to control herself...but she does look sincere, despite her hypnotism.
And she is still one of his friends, even if she can be a pain in the neck sometimes...okay, most times but that doesn't mean he doesn't care about her.
'Should I?...'Arnold thought, before he looked at Helga, who was still giving him puppy eyes of all things to get him to say yes.
He didn't know which was stranger...her making puppy eyes to make him say yes...or the fact that they are actually starting to work.
"I can't believe I am going to say this..."Arnold muttered before he addressed her... "Alright Helga, I guess we can take a walk down the boardwalk and do some games, but you have to promise me that you will not go all love crazy like you did yesterday...'Arnold said in a serious tone of voice.
Helga soon had an ecstatic smile on her face and even did a squeal of excitement, clearly happy that he finally agreed to spend the day with her.
"Aright, come on Arnold...'Helga said as she grabbed his hand and soon started pulling him to the boardwalk.
Arnold sighed as he hoped he didn't make the wrong choice here...
-To be continued-
Next time on Hypno-Love
It's NOT a Date!
REPLIES to my loyal and totally awesome reviewers:
Invader Johnny and Rose Tiger: You can say that again, my friend :)
Smooth Pancakes: That's alright, it happens...
Cool Girl-Pataki: Thank you :)
Deep Voice'06: LOL!
:) Till next time beautiful people, remember to read and review :)
