Title: Helga's Most Brilliant, Ingenious, Stupendous, Plan EVER!
Author: TheyCallMeHelga
Genre: This story has everything! It's got romance! It will make you laugh, make you cry. There's adventure and drama! Even a little mystery…. Maybe even MORE than a little…This story is so super duper genius it will make your head spin!
Summary: Helga comes up with an ingenious plan to get Arnold to fall in love with her. What is it and how will it all work out?
Disclaimer: Yeah, Arnold and Helga aren't mine. Damn it:P
A/N: I've never seen "The Journal" episode (if there is one) I've only heard talk about it. All I know is that it's about Arnold finding Mile's journal. So this is how I would have made it. :D
Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukka! And a Joyous Kwanza! And Happy New Year!
Chapter Four: The Journal
Helga flipped through the book and opened it on a random page. Her eyes grew wide at her new discovery…
It appeared to be a journal!
Helga's eyes darted back and forth across the page, absorbing every word…
…2 January, We've made the decision to retire. We can't continue our travelling if we're going to start a family…
…7 October, Stella's going into labour. Her contractions started this morning… Helga made a disgusted face and quickly turned the page.
… It's a boy! We're naming him Arnold, after Stella's father…
Helga stopped and stared at the name on the page. Arnold. It leapt out at her like a lion after its prey. Helga skipped some more pages until another entry caught her eye.
…28 February, I'm in deep confusion. I don't know what I am to do. It's been years since I've seen Eduardo, yet this morning there was a knock at the door. It was Eduardo, he approached Stella and I and asked if it were at all possible for us to go on another mission. However, when I turned him down he persisted. He raved on about how important this mission is, that we would be saving man-kind. He said Stella and I are the only ones able to do it. I told him I would think about it. But how can I leave Arnold? I suggested to Stella that we bring him along. Though she bit back saying how he's just a baby and this mission is far too dangerous. I agree with her. He is only three years old. What are we to do?...
Helga's eyes widened. "This must be Mile's journal," she said aloud to herself. Mr. Smith was hiding this for a reason, she thought. It must hold some important information. "This is getting interesting…" She flipped through a few more pages.
…3 March, I went to see Dad today at the boarding house. He always gives such great advice, so I asked him what I should do. Father urged us to leave Arnold with him. He said Arnold will be loved and in good care here. "The world needs you. You're helping man-kind," he said. "Also it will only be for a short time till you and Stella come home." He was right. As usual…
Helga was beginning to realise exactly how complicated Arnold's life really was. She now understood how he came to live with his grandparents.
…5 March, Eduardo came by again today. He asked us if we had made up our minds yet. I told him we had. That we agreed to go on this mission. "However," I told him, "it will be our last. We're returning straight to Arnold once this is all over." He nodded and handed us the mission statement to read through. He said he'd come collect us in a week and that we should be ready. I think this is the only mission I haven't been ready for. I know Stella is feeling exactly the same. Stella and I are going to try our hardest, we're doing this for Arnold…
…11 March, We took him to Dad's boarding house today. Dad let him choose any room he wanted to live in. He chose the attic. He said it was because he liked the skylight. We all nodded and told him it was a good choice. We smiled for him as he grinned back and began jumping on the bed. Even though I was smiling I felt like crying…
…12 March, Today we are leaving. Eduardo will be here in an hour. The house feels empty, though it is only Arnold who is missing. Dad picked him up ten minutes ago. I keep reassuring Stella that Arnold will be fine while we're gone, he's in good hands. However, I pray that this mission will be completed quickly so we can return to Arnold as soon as possible…
Helga turned the last page over. There were no more entries. She sighed with over-whelming sadness and closed the book. She needed to find out where Arnold's parents had gone, however, a yawn escaped from her lips and her eyelids drooped heavily. Helga reluctantly put the book away on her shelf next to her little pink book and crawled into bed. Tomorrow she would spend the day reading the entire journal in the hopes that it might mention exactly where they had gone.
…..
"URGH!" Helga threw the book across the room in utter frustration. Finding where Arnold's parents had gone was proving to be harder than she first thought. Miles, it turned out, was very vague especially when it came to describing his mission. She read the entire journal for hours and hours. There was only one entry with very limited detail:
…I read through the mission statement earlier. Eduardo wants Stella and me to find the Zoa-Toa plant. That is going to be difficult. No wonder he needs us…
Zoa-Toa plant? What in Crimeny is THAT? Helga drew in a deep breath and crossed the room to retrieve the thrown book. She may not know what a Zoa-Toa plant is, but she knew someone who might…
"Hey, Nadine," Helga called the next morning as she was entering PS 118. "Wait up!"
Nadine stopped and blinked back in surprise. Helga didn't blame her. They weren't friends and rarely ever spoke to each other.
"Yes Helga?"
"I need your help with something," Helga couldn't believe she actually said that. She never needed anybody's help. Ever! Well, she'd never admitted it before, not even to herself, until now…
"You need my help?" Nadine asked, stunned.
"Yeah," Helga shifted from one foot to the other, "See, I'm doing this project for extra credit-"
Nadine burst out laughing.
"YOU?" She laughed, clutching her sides. "You're doing an assignment for extra credit?"
Helga scowled at her. She stopped laughing but a small smile still played on her lips. "Well what do you want me to help you with?"
"It's on the 'Zoa-Toa' plant. I believe you are the plant expert, so have you heard of it?"
Suddenly Nadine turned serious and a new energy over took her. "The 'Zoa-Toa' plant? Of course I've heard of it! It has AMAZING healing qualities. The plant can be used in most medicines and the percentage of healing success is far above average. It's around ninety-seven to ninety-nine percent probability of full recovery…"
"Yeah, yeah." Helga rolled her eyes and scoffed. What a know-it-all! "So where does it come from? Is it anywhere near here?"
"Well, the 'Zoa-Toa plant is extremely rare. When man had first discovered its magical ability to cure the sick and wounded they tore up all the plants they could find and brought it back to their science labs, however they did not consider that their actions would lead the plant to endangerment. Scientists and Botanists have declared it as an endangered species and is now under protection. The 'Zoa-Toa' can only be found in one place, San Lorenzo in Ecuador. I hear that botanists and scientists are there now, attempting to repopulate it."
Helga felt her heart speed up. She felt happiness swell inside her. She felt the world begin to spin. She couldn't believe it. She now knew where Arnold's parents had gone!
Nadine gave her a curious look. "Helga, are you okay?"
Was she okay? Of course she was okay! She was better than okay! She was GREAT! She knew where Arnold's parents were and Arnold will fall madly in love with her!
Helga couldn't help herself. She threw herself forward and grabbed Nadine into a tight hug.
"Thankyou, Nadine," she said with a grin, beaming. "Thank you SO much!"
"Er…no, uh…problem," she struggled from Helga's grasp. Once she was free she shot Helga a terrified last look before quickly running off to class, as far as possible from Helga. Helga barely noticed. She was too happy. Happier than she had ever been. Her dreams were finally coming true! Arnold was going to fall in love with her and-
Arnold!
She had to tell Arnold!
Helga shoved aside her daydreams and pushed her way through the crowded corridor.
"Outta my way, Geek-bait!" Slamming a kid into his locker. "One side, Moron!" Another kid went flying into a trash can. She didn't care, she had to find Arnold.
She finally spotted him by the drinking fountain.
"Hey, Football-head!" she gasped, breathlessly, reaching his side. "I need…I need…"
Arnold looked up at her. She was panting and gasping for breath.
"What's wrong, Helga?" She grabbed the sleeve of his jumper.
"I need to tell you something!"
Concern filled his dazed blue eyes. "Sure Helga. Come, sit over here," He directed her to an empty classroom, ordered her to sit down and waited till she caught her breath. "So, what is it you need to tell me?"
"Arnold," she said in a voice quite unlike her own. It was filled with happiness and excitement. The use of his first name also took him by surprise. It was all too much. "Arnold, it's about your parents."
"Wha- what about them?" He looked down at her, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"I know," she looked up at him, her brown eyes wide and gleaming. "I know where they are!"
She was kidding. She had to be. Helga didn't know anything about his parents. It was probably a prank. That's right. Helga's up to one of her old tricks. She was trying to mess with his mind, well he wasn't going to let that happen today.
"Helga," he said, shaking his head. "I don't think…"
Helga didn't understand it. The way he was looking at her. He wasn't gazing at her in adoration like she expected him to. No, he had a bored and tired expression on his face, like he couldn't be bothered putting up with her ranting and ravings.
It dawned on her. He doesn't believe me!
"Arnold, you don't understand!" she pleaded. "I'm telling you the truth. Look!"
Arnold watched her shove her hand into her pocket, pull out a book and thrust it toward him.
He carefully took the book from her hands and inspected its leather cover curiously. "What's this?"
"Just read it," Helga replied.
Helga watched him open the book and bit her lip nervously. She couldn't even begin to imagine what would be going on inside that football shaped head of his.
Arnold looked down at the page and began to read.
…It's a boy! We're naming him Arnold, after Stella's father…
His eyes grew wide and a lump began to form in his throat with the stunning realisation that he was reading his father's journal. With every word he read an enormous amount of mixed emotions began to swell within his body. He felt his chest tighten, his pulse quicken, his eyesight blurred fighting back the tears that threatened to spill. He could barely get his head around the fact that he was holding his father's journal. It made him slightly dizzy just thinking about it. He was reading his father's very words, thoughts, and memories. He gripped it tightly, afraid that if he were to let it go that it would all disappear. Arnold gulped, blinking back tears.
"S-so," he said once he finally could find his voice again. "You said you know where they are?"
"They're in San Lorenzo in Ecuador. They went there to search for some rare endangered plant and repopulate it."
"Oh," said Arnold, his heart sinking in disappointment.
"What's wrong, Football-head?" asked Helga, noticing his lack of enthusiasm. "I thought you'd be jumping over the moon now that you know where your family is."
"Oh, Helga, it's not that at all," he could feel the tears coming back again. He wiped his face on his shirt sleeve and continued. "Helga I really appreciate what you've done for me. I can't believe you of all people would do this for me. It's just…it's just that, how am I ever going to see them if they're all the way in Ecuador?"
"Oh," Helga looked down at her shoes and cursed herself inwardly. She was so excited about finding out where Arnold's parents were and getting him to fall in love with her that she didn't even stop to think how she'd even get him to see his parents.
"Helga?" Arnold knelt down to her level and forced her to look back into his eyes. "Thank you so much, for the journal and everything. I may not be able to see my parents, but at least I have something to remind me of them." Arnold watched her carefully as she sighed and smiled back at him. A genuine smile. He was about to ask her why she had done this for him when she pushed him back and stood up.
"That's great, Arnoldo," The smile had vanished so quickly and replaced by her usual smirk that Arnold had to think twice about it being there in the first place. "But I gotta go to class now if you don't mind." And in the blink of an eye she was gone.
Arnold sat down in the seat she had just vacated and signed, staring down at the diary she had just given him. He had to say this was definitely one of the most strangest and emotional days yet.
The classroom was buzzing with noisy students while Mr. Simmons was trying to keep them all under control. However, Arnold had zoned out completely and did not notice. He had no idea what was happening around him. He didn't care either. All he cared about at that moment was the brown leather bound book in his hands. His father's journal.
He flipped the pages and allowed his nose to capture the unusual scent that wafted from the pages. It was familiar and oddly soothing. It smelt of days that had long since past. It smelled of summer days and rainy nights. It smelled of Christmas and candy, of fairytales and flowers. It smelled of freshly baked cake and newly cut grass, it smelled of many wondrous things he knew that he'd never again get to experience with his parents.
The scent drifted through his nose and stung his nostrils, bringing tears to his eyes. This book alone made him realise how much he missed his parents. This book captured his history with them and he wished so much that he could have had a present with them too.
I could have if they hadn't run off, he thought bitterly.
Stop thinking like that! He told himself. He always knew they were out on some secret mission. His grandfather always reminded him, especially on days when he missed them particularly, that they were out saving man-kind. Arnold didn't know what he meant back then, and it was still hard to digest now.
Arnold brought his sleeve to his face and attempted to brush away his tears and cover his red, tear-streaked face. However, with the book sitting in front of him, reminding him how close he was to finding his parents yet never being able to get to them brought on even more tears. Arnold buried his face in his hands and hopped no one would notice.
"Hey, Arnold!" A voice called to him, making him jump. It was stinky. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Stinky," he lied. "Just… allergies."
"Y'know what can cure allergies, Arnold?"
"No, what?"
Stinky pulled out a small tub from his backpack and slid it onto Arnold's desk.
"Lemon puddin'!"
Arnold looked down at the tub with sour look on his face.
"Thanks, Stinky," Arnold forced a smile onto his face. "But I don't want any. You keep it."
"Okey dokey, Arnold." Stinky shrugged and took back the tub of lemon pudding. "Mmm… lemon puddin'."
Arnold sighed and drifted back into his thoughts. He found his mind drifting to Helga. She was the one who had given him the book. It was hard for him to wrap his mind around. How was it possible that she, of all people, to do something like this for him.
Of course it's possible, he reminded himself.
There had been many times when she had done good things for people, surprising everyone, especially Arnold. It was a rare thing to see, but it still happened. And now, she continued to surprise him.
He needed to talk to her. He needed to get a few things straight. Like how on earth did she get the journal? How did she even know it existed? It was all so bizarre.
Arnold opened the journal again and began to read it. He wanted to know everything about his parents that Grandpa Phil either couldn't or wouldn't tell him. He wanted to find out the truth!
…..
Helga sat in class staring yet again at the back of Arnold's head. She scowled. She felt like she had failed. She felt like she had made an idiot out of herself. After all that hard work she would never get Arnold to his parents and therefore he would not fall in love with her. She felt like crying, worse than crying. She felt like grabbing a small kid and pounding him in the face until she felt better. Though there weren't enough kids in the school to pound to make her feel any better.
She dropped her chin into her hands. It wasn't fair! Why did Arnold have to be SO difficult! WHY is it the only thing he needs is something SO hard to get! Why couldn't it be something easy? Why couldn't it be something money could buy? She had enough of that! Hell, she could probably BUY Ecuador with Bob's money.
Hang on!
Helga sat up straight in her seat and thought hard. What if…yes, it could work!
She grinned to herself, mischievously. Yes, she knew a way to get Arnold what he wanted!
…..
A/N: Oooooohhh! Helga and her sneaky ways! Wonder what she has up her sleave THIS time! Mwahahahahahahaaa! And NO she isn't going to literally BUY Ecuador… I don't think Bob's Beeper Emporium would make that much money! Hahaha… be pretty cool if it did though, hmm… anyway please let me know what you think and REVIEW! Or else how will you find out what Helga will do next? Hmm?
Also I don't know where San Lorenzo is. But I DO know that Arnold's parents mission is somewhere in Central America, there a quite a few different San Lorenzo's so I chose Ecuador. :D
Anyway, let me know what you think :D:D REVIEW!