Let's do another update on this story, shall we? If Arnold hadn't listened to his dark side already... oh boy, here's where Arnold lets it completely take over his mind.
"Where am I going to get eight hundred dollars..." Arnold muttered to himself as he arrived at the boarding house. He opened up the door, and stepped aside as the animals, including his pet pig Abner, ran outside the door. The football headed kid then went inside and shut it as he heard his grandfather's voice.
"That you, Shortman?" Phil called out.
"Yeah, it's me. Sorry I'm late getting back. I've been visiting with Lila and Lulu." Arnold said as his grandfather walked in.
Phil laughed as he said, "Ah, I see. Couldn't wait to meet up with your girlfriend, huh? Heh heh, I remember when I was your age and I was finding myself flirting with an out-of-country girl at your age."
Arnold nodded as he noticed a few checks in hand. "Are those the rent checks for the month?"
"You better believe it. It's been pretty easier since we only have four people living in this boarding house." Phil said. "Well, you live here too, but you're family."
Arnold followed Phil into the other room as Phil removed a picture from the wall to reveal a hidden safe. Arnold watched as Phil started to move the dial around. Normally Arnold would turn away at this point, but for some strange reason, this time, he was paying attention to the way Phil was moving the dial around, stopping at certain numbers before opening the safe up and putting the rent checks away before putting it into the safe. "There, that should do it until tomorrow, when the bank opens. Always remember Shortman, keep the money you're paid hidden safe. Nobody would ever suspect to look in there."
"Speaking of money..." Arnold paused nervously. "I was wondering if I could have my allowance a little early this week."
"Already?" Phil asked in surprise. "Goodness, Shortman, whatever for?"
"Well, you remember the girl I like, right?" Arnold smiled nervously.
Phil's eyes lit up as he said, "Oh! Intending to buy a gift for your sweetie, huh? Well, I suppose I could, but remember, you don't get it on Saturday like you regularly do."
"I understand that." Arnold nodded.
"Well, you've been good for the last couple of months, and you know, I think you deserve it a little early." Phil laughed as he pulled out his wallet and started counting up the money. "Here you go. Eight dollars and twenty-five cents, as per allowance agreements."
"Only eight dollars?" Arnold's dark side growled as Arnold accepted the money.
"Don't be rude!" Arnold's shoulder angel frowned.
"Er, thank you, Grandpa." Arnold said as he took the money.
"You're welcome, Shortman. Hope that'll be good enough for your sweetie!"
"Yeah, let's buy her a plastic ring!" Arnold's dark side let out a raspberry. "Dang it, old man! Ask to raise your allowance!"
"Well, I think it might. I'll check the money I've saved up in my room and we'll see where we go from there." Arnold said as he started to go up.
"Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. I believe Pookie's making grilled fish and chips!" Grandpa said.
"Thanks." Arnold said as he went upstairs to put his backpack and the money aside for dinner later.
Meanwhile, over at the empty Pataki household, a huge rock was thrown at a window, breaking it in the process as Fifi came over and nudged the glass off. Carefully, she climbed through the window and started to pull out a note pad. Fifi paused as she said, "All right, let's see, how did she talk before? Hmmm... 'Dear world...' no, no... you know what, I ain't so good at this thought process. I'll just write something short and simple, and to the point."
Quickly, she wrote something down as she gave a nod. "Okay, now to find some tape to tape the note by the entrance staircase..."
After a quick search around the kitchen, she smiled as she got out the tape. "Ah, here we are... and now... for the fun part to begin..."
Fifi quickly found the gas valve behind the stove as she quickly turned it on, then hightailed it out the door before taping the note to the bottom of the staircase. Fifi gave a nod as she pulled out a book of matches. "And now, for the final touch..."
Fifi nodded as she lit the match up with fire and threw it into the broken window in the house. Then, before anybody could ask, she high-tailed it out of there, so nobody had seen her.
Thus, when people in the neighboring houses heard the explosion inside the Pataki household, most were looking out the windows in concern, wondering what had happened as someone had called the police to investigate the exploding house on their block.
Unknown to what was going on outside the boarding house, Arnold was counting up the money he had saved up after dinner as he groaned.
"Only thirty-five dollars..." Arnold sighed. "Well, I guess I could buy her a candy ring..."
All of a sudden, he felt himself being slapped... but as he looked around, there was nobody here... but his shoulder angel and his shoulder devil. The shoulder devil growled as he said, "Are you kidding me? You should have asked for a raise when you had the chance!"
"Now, now, as WRONG as Arnold was for doing those despicable acts, I think it's good for the boy." Arnold's shoulder angel said as he turned to Arnold. "Arnold, I'm sure you had your fun, but don't you think maybe you've had enough of Lulu for one week?"
"Are you kidding? You can NEVER have enough Lulu in his life!" Arnold's shoulder devil rolled his eyes. "She expects something expensive, and something expensive we NEED to get!"
"But we only have thirty-five dollars." Arnold's angel said as the boy watched the two argue.
"Thirty-five dollars... or maybe... more?" Arnold's shoulder devil smirked, turning to Arnold. "I've seen you watch your grandfather putting that money in the safe. You saw the combination and the numbers they stopped at. Why not dip yourselves in a little... loans, hm?"
Arnold's angel's eyes widened in horror as he said, "You are not suggesting- NO! Absolutely NOT! That is the rent checks from the boarders! We are NOT stealing the rent checks! Or ANYTHING, period!"
"I'm not suggesting that! What do you take me for?" Arnold's shoulder devil said as he turned to Arnold. "Listen, you need money, GET money! Just check your grandfather's safe. Surely, there's some of his life savings in there..."
"No!" Arnold's angel slapped Arnold's devil. "There are better ways than that. Arnold, think about it. You don't need the money. Just buy something very, VERY nice, I'm sure Lulu would appreciate it, even if she IS a temptress..."
Arnold groaned as he held his head, not sure of what to do as he looked at the clock. It would only be at least an hour or so before bedtime. He pulled out his homework as he started to write down. Arnold's angel smiled, "Good idea. Get your mind off everything, do your homework. Who knows, maybe even GOING TO SCHOOL would be a good idea. I'm sure Lulu can wait..."
"She won't wait! We made a promise!" Arnold's devil frowned.
"A promise in which I DIDN'T want part of, thank you very much!" Arnold's shoulder angel crossed his arms.
Arnold's shoulder devil frowned as he tapped his foot on imaginary ground... then his eyes lit up as he smirked, getting an idea.
As Arnold was going to sleep later that night, he started to have a dream... a very, VERY good dream.
Arnold and Lulu were sitting on a bench together as Lulu was laying her head down on his lap and patting himself on the leg. Arnold smiled as he said, "Lulu, you're the most beautiful girl that I've ever met in my life. I don't know what I would do without you..."
"Oh, my wonderful Arnold, you're such a sweetie..." Lulu smiled as she was getting up. "Say... I bet you would like another session, wouldn't you say?"
"A-another session?" Arnold blushed.
"You know..." Lulu said as she took off her shirt, revealing herself in her bra. "Our routines... that we are just oh so making daily..."
Arnold's eyes lit up in delight as he felt his "Shortman" waking up. "Oh! I think I see where this is going?"
"I bet you'd love to have me on your bed right now, feeling my panties, licking my stomach, kissing me everywhere... and your little friend in mine." Lulu giggled as she was about to lift her bra up.
Arnold started to nod eagerly.
"Well..." Lulu smiled... before putting her shirt back on. "I'm afraid you won't be getting any..."
Arnold's eyes dimmed in shock as Lulu frowned, "I was REALLY hoping you would give me an expensive gift, and what do you give me? A little candy ring on my finger?"The football headed kid then noticed the candy ring on Lulu's finger as she sighed, "I mean, it tastes fine, but I was really hoping for a beautiful, elegant, very expensive necklace. I'm afraid that you won't be getting some unless I have a beautiful necklace on my neck. Come on, Arnold. Give me the good stuff..."
Arnold shook nervously as he felt himself shake...
And then, he woke up as he lifted himself out of bed. He looked over at the clock to see that it was one in the morning. It was then Arnold's shoulder devil appeared as he whispered, "Bad dream? Well, there is a way to get rid of that bad dream... make sure you have enough money... you know you want to..."
Arnold nodded as he got up and started to sneak downstairs. Fortunately, everybody was asleep around this hour, so nobody heard a soul as Arnold was downstairs.
The next thing he knew, Arnold found himself in the room where the safe was as Arnold carefully removed the painting from the wall and started to move the dial around, remembering the numbers they stopped at. 24... 55... 19. He heard the safe click as he opened it up. Arnold's eyes widened as he noticed the rent checks were there, but aside from it was a lot of money. Arnold's eyes widened as his shoulder devil whistled. "There must be... what, ten to fifteen thousand dollars? I'm sure your grandfather won't miss a thousand."
Arnold smiled as he started to reach for the safe... before his eyes widened, as he started to retract his hand back. This wasn't right! He didn't want to steal from his own grandfather! He trusted him.
"Come on, pal. Your family is one thing, but Lulu is forever." Arnold's shoulder devil said.
Arnold hesitated as his hand was inside the safe, circling around.
"Take it..."
Arnold winced as he wasn't sure what to do...
The next morning, Arnold was getting out of the room, all dressed up and ready to go as he had his backpack ready for the day as he went down and quickly had some cereal. As he ate, Phil came in as he smiled, "Up early, Shortman?"
"Yeah, I figured I may as well want to get my studies done as quickly as possible." Arnold nodded.
"All right. Well, don't forget to come right home after school. Remember, it's taco night!" Phil smiled.
"Don't worry, I won't forget!" Arnold smiled as he had finished up his cereal. "Well, I better be going. I have a lot of school work to do."
"No worries. See you tonight!" Phil smiled as Arnold nodded, running out the door.
As Arnold took a deep breath, he looked around, noticing Gerald wasn't here yet. He nodded as he started going the other direction. Arnold's shoulder angel and shoulder devil appeared on Arnold's shoulders, the former in confusion. "Aren't we waiting for Gerald?"
"Why bother? We're not going to school today. Lulu, remember?" Arnold's shoulder devil said.
Arnold's shoulder angel frowned. "Are you kidding me? Even after all this, we... what are you even buying her? We don't have enough money for the necklace!"
"Au contraire, pussy cat." Arnold's dark side snickered as Arnold looked over in his pocket and pulled out a few hundred dollar bills.
Arnold's shoulder angel blinked in confusion. "Where did you get that money? I don't rem-"
His shoulder angel then gasped as his eyes widened, before turning to Arnold's shoulder devil, who was holding an innocent grin. "You're behind this, aren't you?"
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Arnold's shoulder devil said innocently.
Arnold looked at the money he collected as he sighed. He couldn't believe he actually stole money from his grandfather... but he did have a girlfriend to impress!
And with that said and done, ladies and gentlemen, Arnold's descent to the dark side continues, with nobody aware that Arnold's heart has turned dark. Next time, we'll check up on Phoebe and Gerald and Arnold and Lulu! As for Fifi destroying the Pataki household, that will also be explained... next time! Tune in next time!