A/N: Hi! Hi! Hopefully you guys didn't worry too much with the few days delay. I had some homework I needed to finish up, but I was finally able to get this chapter done.
It's actually a meaty chapter too, which is kind of rare for me I know. This one did not want to stop writing itself. Haha. So there is at least a lot to make up for the wait. Right? Right?
I would like to thank SideshowJazz1, The J.A.M. a.k.a. Numbah i, Lilchamor and YuniX-2 for your reviews! I'm really glad you guys are enjoying it, and have come back to continue reading. It means a lot to me. Seriously, I like knowing if I'm messing up, or if you guys like where things are going. Aside from the occasional slight delay where I have to put some effort into school, I'm going to be working on two of my stories here. Hopefully twice a week if not more, but I'm excited to get my ideas down, and I hope you guys enjoy the ride I'm putting these two on!
Anyway, that's enough out of me for now. I'll let you go on and enjoy the chapter!
Helga watched curiously as Arnold made his way over to her after school as she stood in front of his locker. He didn't walk, more like stomped, awkwardly down the hall, a clumsy version of her, but she had to give him credit for getting into the role. Sid crossed in front of him though, and they both collided and landed toppled on the ground.
'Oh, boy. This should be good.' She couldn't help thinking, as she watched Arnold get up and dust himself off, an annoyed expression on his face. Sid crawled closer to him on his knees, and sat up in front of Arnold, clasping both of his hands together, probably begging for forgiveness. She could see this caught Arnold off guard. The expression he was holding softened for a moment; before he shook his head and the legendary scowl she was best known for crossed his features.
He said something to the fear induced boy, and waved The Five Avengers at Sid before going around him, continuing his trip to her.
"What are you staring at, um, Football Head?" He asked, when he was close enough. While he wasn't quite a flawless performance of her, he was still incredible. He had plenty of her ticks down, and some of which even took her off guard. She wasn't sure if that meant she was an easy read, or if he just knew her too well.
"Oh, nothing," she replied, finally closing his locker. "Just watching the amazing Helga G. Pataki in action. I have to admit it was pretty impressive to watch."
His blue eyes sparkled with a hint of joy at the compliment. "Whatever, it's not like I care to hear that from a shrimp like you." Which felt eerily like something she would say and do if Arnold actually gave her a compliment.
She really was just an easy read wasn't she?
"Anyway, Helga, would you want to escort me to the library? Ms. Grey's assignment seems kind of tricky. I want to, uh, do some research on it."
"Um, I probably have a million other things I can do right now, but…I, uh, guess I could go with you."
It was amazing to her that he knew how to respond to all of this, but didn't know how she felt about him.
Arnold really was the king of density.
Once they were far enough away from prying eyes, they dropped the act. Arnold watched Helga, noting the determination in her eyes. "So Helga, why are we going to the library?"
"Isn't it obvious? To see if we can find some sort of information on how we can return to our rightful bodies."
"You really think the library will have the answers?"
"Nope, but it's not like we have any leads. I'm just…trying to do something."
"You know that we're alone now right? You can stop talking like me," Arnold teased.
"Yeah, yeah say what you will, but I miss being the boss, not the person being bossed around. Being you sucks because you actually do people's dirty work for them."
"It can get…tiresome," he admitted. "But if I remember correctly, you said being me would be a piece of cake."
Her eyes widened. "I-it is."
He smiled, which seemed more like a knowing smirk on Helga's face. "Whatever you say."
They finally reached their destination, Hillwood Library, a few minutes later. They both took in the brick building in front of them, wondering if the key to the mystery of their predicament would really be found within it's domain.
"Hmm, so we're here," Helga said, walking into the building with Arnold behind her. The smell of old books hit both of their noses upon entry as they looked at the rows of books ahead of them. "I guess I didn't really think this through. What the heck are we supposed to look up? Freaky Friday as source material?"
"Freaky Friday wasn't reality Helga," Arnold replied.
"Switching bodies isn't realistic, Arnoldo. It's not like we're going to find the perfect book for us in the nonfiction section."
"You're…probably right."
"You two look as though you can use some assistance," a voice said from behind them, causing Helga to scream. They turned and saw an elderly lady with a large pair of bifocals on, watching them, her eyes enlarged in the lenses.
"Criminy lady! Some warning would have been great," Helga exclaimed, her heart beating loudly.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," she said, but the smile on her face gave both of them doubt. "I'm the librarian here at the Hillwood branch. If you're seeking something specific, maybe I can be of assistance?"
Arnold spoke up, grateful for the offered help. "Well, we're seeking-"
Helga quickly clasped a hand over her real mouth before Arnold could finish speaking. "A book! We're simply seeking a regular old run of the mill book for our..um, history homework! But for now we should be okay. Thanks, heh."
"Oh? Is that so?" She glanced between the two of them. "Well, if you need anything, anything at all. Let me know. I'll be glad to help you. It's why I'm here after all."
"Don't worry we will."
Once the librarian was gone, Helga released Arnold's mouth.
"What was that for?" Arnold asked, annoyed.
"That Nanny McPhee wannabe had warning bells written all over her," she said, as she physically shivered.
"I think you're over exaggerating. First, we can't tell our best friends, and now we can't even tell the librarian?"
Helga rolled her eyes. There was no way he could be this naive. "There's a method to my madness, Paste for Brains. Think about it," she said it slowly, as if she were talking astrophysics to a five year old. "Obviously, I trust our best friends more than I'd trust some creepy pasta granny, but the more people who know about this," she motioned between them with a finger. "The less chance we'll have of switching back because we'd just be two steps closer to the loony bin!"
He gave her a half lidded glace as if he thought she were the actual crazy one here. "Fine. So since you shooed away the librarian, where should we start?"
"That's easy, we'll just…uh, split up and search different sections?"
"Doesn't sound like much of a plan."
"Whatever! Just get on with it would you! We don't got all day!"
They each went their separate way and walked through rows of books. Arnold decided to check in the nonfiction section, just in case there did happen to be some references that they could use, even if they were simply make believe accounts. He flipped though a few that he found, and put them back when he found that they only spoke about the possibility of switching bodies, not any actual cases there of.
Helga, on the other hand, checked the fiction sections for any clues. She found a few books where the characters switched bodies, and even a well-worn copy of Freaky Friday, which got a short chuckle out of her. She was sure there were no fortune cookie shenanigans involved in their switch, so she put the book back where she found it with a sigh.
When they met up again they both were in low spirits and empty handed.
"Any luck?" Arnold asked.
"Gee, Arnold. Why'd you even have to ask? Can't you see the mountain of books in my hand?"
"A simple no would have been great, you know?"
"What can I say? I live to make your life difficult."
"I'm starting to see that."
Helga groaned, doing her best not to enjoy the sound. "It's completely hopeless. I'm going to be a pipsqueak, football headed, weakling for the rest of my life."
"Hey, that's me you're insulting."
"I always insult you," she shook her head. "That's not the point. I miss my life. My…stuff. Peace and quiet. Solitude. Heck, I want Phoebe back."
He could agree with her there. He missed Gerald, and his grandma and grandpa. "Yeah, we'll figure something out."
"And you can start with this if you want."
Both preteens felt a chill run down their spine as they turned their attention to see the bespeckled librarian again, waving a book in her wizened hand.
"Again lady?" Helga asked. "What the heck is your deal?"
"I just want to help," she said, with a faint smile on her lips.
"Do you have to be Hansel and Gretel witchy witch levels of creepy while doing it? I hate being snuck up on!"
"Why don't you two take this," she said, ignoring Helga's outburst. "Maybe it'll help."
They both glanced at each other warily. "And just what is it exactly?" Helga asked, returning her focus to the librarian.
"Potentially the answer to your problems."
Arnold looked at the book worriedly. He was starting to see Helga's point. Something was off about this librarian. At least it was if the goose bumps on his arms were any indication.
"Are you telling us it's a book that could…help us?" He asked.
"If you're willing to allow it to…I don't see why it would not."
He hesitantly reached out and tried to grab the book, only to have his hand slapped by Helga. "Ouch! Arnold!" He scolded through gritted teeth.
"Are you out of your mind? That thing could be dangerous."
"We're in a library and it's a book! How could it be dangerous?"
"Fine, just…do what you want," Helga said, folding her arms in front of her chest.
With one final irritated glance in Helga's direction, Arnold took the book out of the librarian's hands quickly before he lost his nerve. It was only once he held it that he noticed that he was trembling. Helga had definitely gotten to him. But the book didn't catch fire or magically open on it's own, or anything even remotely scary. It was just…a normal book. He wasn't disappointed, but he was relieved.
"See? Nothing bad happened."
"Yet," he heard her say under her breath. "What does it say?" She asked in a more normal tone of his voice.
"Um," he looked at the cover and squinted at the cursive letters. "It says, 'Switched: Being You and Starting A New Me'."
"Flip to the end," she instructed.
"Why?"
"We don't need to read through four-hundred pages of blech. We need the happily ever after of returning to our own bodies."
He nodded and did as he was told, reading the last few paragraphs. Once he was done, he frowned. "Hmm, it doesn't say anything about switching back."
"Give me that," Helga snatched the book from him, and skimmed though the last few paragraphs. "Crap, I was hoping you were wrong. This author never actually got to the ending. The MC stays switched."
"I don't like the sound of that."
"Neither do I, but it is the first book I've seen without a clear ending where the characters switch back. Perhaps the MC overlooked the obvious and got stuck, but the reader could figure it out the answer if they look close enough."
Arnold thought about the librarian's words, 'Potentially the answer to your problems.' "Yeah, that's probably how it is. At least it's more of a lead than square one right?"
"I concede that point." Helga admitted grudgingly. "I guess we got to thank that spooky librarian for it though."
Arnold looked around, but the librarian was nowhere to be found. "Huh, where is she?" He asked.
"How the heck should I know?" Helga quickly threw back, looking around too. "Maybe she retuned to the front desk?"
"That makes sense. Let's go."
When they made it back to the front, a younger librarian was at the desk checking in books. They approached her.
"Hey, excuse me." Arnold said, catching her attention. "But where's the other librarian? The elderly lady with the large glasses?"
The young lady looked at him as if he were crazy. "No such lady works here I'm afraid. I'm the only girl who works here at all actually. Believe it or not, the rest of my coworkers are men."
"Har, har, very funny, sister," Helga said, growing a bit uneasy. "Now where is she?"
Annoyance flitted across the girls face. "I just told you, I'm the only female. Aside from me, Rick and Bobby are the only other two on duty today, and neither is an elderly lady. You must have run into a visitor or something."
Arnold and Helga looked at each other again. The weight of the book in Arnold's hand grew heavier. "W-well isn't that something," Helga said, finally to break the silence. "She doesn't work here. Isn't that funny, Helga?"
Arnold nodded, clenching the book tighter. What did that mean exactly?
Helga simply gulped, her current green eyes wide with unhidden fear.
After checking the book out, Arnold and Helga raced out of the library feeling disturbed.
"I knew it, I knew it!" Helga exclaimed, panting from the short exercise. Curse Arnold's lack of physical anything. "I had bad vibes from the start."
"She was probably…just a guest."
"She called herself the librarian, Arnold," Helga said, holding back her hysterics. "She offered to help us find a book!"
"Well, it doesn't matter. We did get a book, right?"
"Ugh, you and your optimism. Don't forget that stupid little book doesn't actually solve our problem."
"Baby steps, Helga. We have to start somewhere even if it is a fail."
Grr, she hated that he was right. But his words reminded her of something else. Something she almost forgot after going on a trip to spooksville.
"By the way, don't forget our other problem either."
"Hmm, what's that?"
"We have to bathe today. We don't have any other choice."
"Bathe?" He blinked, as if dumbfounded. As if hygienic thought never once bounced around in his brain.
"Yes, you know the thing that involves water and soap?"
He began to think about it, but quickly stopped himself when he realized he was visualizing undressing himself...as Helga. His cheeks heated. "You want us…to do that?"
She resisted the urge to shake him. "Doi, Arnold."
"Together?"
Her eyes widened and she felt her cheeks heat. Together? What the heck was he going on about? And so casually?
"No! Not..together. Alone. It has to be alone."
"Oh."
She watched him warily. She already hated having to trust him in her house with all that dynamite of material of her obsession still practically in sneeze distance around him, and now this? Why weren't they switched back yet?
"No peeking Arnold." She said evenly, and watched as her whole entire face turned red.
"I-I would never!" He said, shaking his head profusely. "Scouts honor!"
"Good," she nodded once firmly, but she was blushing too. This didn't escape Arnold's attention.
"You don't peek either."
"P-peek? Me? Pfft, i-its not like there would be anything for me to peek at."
Arnold shimmied back and forth on his feet, not meeting her eye. "There could be some things...if you looked, so you better not look."
Wow, she did not expect him to say something like that, not in a million years. Some things…like what? No Helga, ol' girl! Do not allow yourself to think about him like that! Respect his wishes. Relax, breathe, you got this!
"You got it Arnold," she said, glad her voice sounded steady in his rich tone. "I'm not even the least bit tempted."
"Neither am I."
They both avoided making eye contact with each other.
It was definitely going to be a long night.
A/N: Sorry that it kind of ends on a cliffhanger. I promise to do my best to get the next chapter to you guys as quickly as I can.
If you would like to, feel free to review or critique this chapter! I love reading thoughts and ideas, and I'm a firm believer that I still have a lot I can work on as an author. I'll also give you a mention(if you don't mind of course) and possibly even comment slightly on your review as well. (:
I love you guys for sticking through this with me, and until next time, tata!
