Author's Note: Well, the people have spoken, and I will continue to write this until I'm either finished with it, or I get tired of it. Here's the third chapter everyone:) Also, I've been a fan of Billy and Mandy for quite sometime now, and if you pay close attention, there are some references to the show in some of the part of this fic. DEHEHEHHEHEH
Legal junk: I don't own Hey Arnold, but Nickelodeon does and Mr. Craig Bartlett created it. But this fic belongs to me. Clear? Good.
Chapter 3: The Journey Begins
Later…
"C'mon Gerald! Keep up with the pace for goodness sake!" Grandpa yelled at Gerald, noticing him was falling way behind of himself and Arnold. They were in much in haste as of now, running through one block after another, "The fifth graders have many spies around us, like The Jolly Olly Man and those pesky kindergarteners." He then turned to Arnold, and asked, "Is it safe?"
Arnold then patted his pants' pocket and nodded at him. The Ring was safe in his hands, and Grandpa nodded in relief.
"Never, ever put it on your finger!" Grandpa warned his grandson, "because the fifth graders are compelled to the power of greed." They then arrived at a corner where the pedestrian light showed red. They stopped at their tracks, and Grandpa gave Arnold one last piece of advice before he set his journey on meeting his old rival. "Always remember Arnold, the ring is ours, and nobody should ever get it from your hands! Now take care of yourself." Grandpa then walked away to home, leaving Arnold and Gerald alone at the corner, as they wait for the pedestrian light to turn green. They trekked through alleyways and streets. And as Arnold was about to cross a small road in front of him, Gerald stopped at his tracks, and said, "Wow…"
Arnold turned around, looking at his best friend perplexingly, "What?"
"If I take one more step, it'll going to be the farthest away from home without ever taking a bus." Gerald said, stunned.
Arnold chuckled disbelievingly, and reassured his friend, "C'mon man. We're embarking on a journey of a lifetime here. Who cares about taking some stupid bus?" As they walked away across the street and into a corner, a fifth grader emerged from an alleyway, slowly sniffing the scent of the four graders. He wasn't sure of the smell, and he just rode away. Thankfully it was the wrong direction.
+2 Arnold & Gerald evasion skills
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Grandpa swiftly arrives in his old rival's residence, with the thanks of his old and trusty steed, The Packard. After ringing the bell to his rival's house many times, his rival opened the door and greeted him a warm welcome.
"Jimmy Kafka…" Grandpa said his name with a distrusting, wary tone, as he shook his hand and put a smile on his face.
"Phil… uh… I've forgotten your last name." Jimmy replied back. After that, the both of them entered the house and into the living room, and Jimmy Kafka treated his guest with some prune juice and mashed potatoes. "So what are ya doin' here ya wily old coot? I don't remember of ever owing you some money."
"It ain't like that, you senile old man you." Grandpa replied back. "Look, I need to ask you a favor. Apparently, my grandson found…" Grandpa paused for a while, looking around with his shifty eyes. After making sure there was nobody around them, grandpa put his palm to the side of his mouth and whispered, "The Honeybees Cereal Decoder Ring."
"You don't say…" Jimmy acted surprise, stroking his chin. "Are you sure? Or has your feeble brain done told you sumthin' else?"
"That's the truth. And I know you know a guy who's been looking for that ring. I've gots the need to tell him about it."
"Really now? You know, that guy told me The Decoder Ring can fetch up to 200 thousand bucks, if it's in mint condition."
Grandpa raised his eyebrow in disbelief. The price of that ring was higher than he thought. He now regretted for ever telling his friend about the ring, as it might invite trouble. He should've kept it to himself and to his grandson. "All that for a piece of plastic?" he shouted and slapped his forehead, "Well I'll be darned… all these times it was with Pookie, right under my nose!"
"For goodness sake, calm down, Phil." Jimmy said to Grandpa. "It's not too late for you to give the Ring to me so I could give it to the guy who wants that ring." Jimmy grinned, and produced his hand so Grandpa could give it to him. Thankfully, subtlety was not Jimmy's forte, and Grandpa began to suspect some ulterior motive behind his oh so obvious evil grin. Man, how Grandpa would love to punch that ugly looking guy. "It'll be wise, my friend." Jimmy added further.
"I don't have it with me. And tell me, 'friend'." Grandpa replied distrustfully, narrowing his eyes at him, "Why the heck should I give it to you? Can't I just give it to the guy you know myself?"
"It'd be better if ya just give it to me." Jimmy tempted Grandpa once more, but Grandpa, in his infinite wisdom, greatly resisted it.
"You want that money all for yourself, dontcha?" Grandpa yelled accusingly at him, standing up to intimidate Jimmy. "My wife found it, so it's mine! Uh, I mean, it belongs to the family! The money is going to my grandson's college fund, but mostly it's going to get me one of those fancy flat 42" plasma screen TV that I want so much! With HD support, DVD player and 7.1 surround sound system!"
Boss Battle: Jimmy Kafka / HP: 230 / MP: 40 / Weak against Sharks
And then, the both of them began to fight, in a geriatric old man fight sort of way. Most of the time it looked like a boxing match, but most of the time it also looked like two sissies in a slapping match. The fight went on from room to room, and each room was left a mess as soon as they left. As time passed on, the both of them began to get tired and were unable to trade punches. Jimmy then shoved Grandpa out from the front door and yelled at him, "I always knew I can take you out in a fight, Phil! I've always had!" he yelled, thumping his chest to show his masculinity and his dominant alpha male, "Oww! My chest!" he groaned in pain, and finally he slammed the door. Still, he wasn't finished, "I'm gonna get that ring, ya hear me? Mark my words! Heck, I'll even ask my grandson to steal it from your grandson!"
"Crazy old man…" Grandpa said, walking slowly to his car. "I've got to tell Arnold about this…"
430 Experience Points Gained! Grandpa Phil LEVEL UP! - LVL 5
Main Quest Added (Grandpa) – Tell Arnold about Jimmy's intention
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Still on their journey to Slausen's, Arnold and Gerald were seen walking through an old train yard someplace in the neighborhood, passing through old and rusty boxcars and cargo containers. "Hey, Arnold! Slow down a bit, man!" Gerald said to him, "Do you hafta be so quick?"
"Oh come on, Gerald!" Arnold replied back, smiling at him. "What's the worse that could happen to us?" And then, just so sudden, Park burst through from one of the boxcars and knocked Arnold over. His best friend Robert was not far behind and he barreled out knocking Gerald over. The ball in his hand slipped out and rolled away.
New characters add to party (Park and Robert)
"Arnold?" Park said as he looked at the person he knocked over, "Hey Rob, it's Arnold!"
"Hey, Arnold!" Robert replied back. Gerald then shoved him away and he immediately ran to his friend, "Get ya butt off him!" he said, hauling Park off him. "You're okay Arnold?" he asked him. Arnold nodded.
"What are you guys doing here?" Park asked them.
"No, the question is, what are you guys doing here?" Arnold asked, giving Robert his ball back, "You know it's not safe to play in the train yard!" he said back.
"You're being a ridiculous, Arnold." Park replied, "I mean, what's the worst could happen? There's nobody here!" Then just so suddenly, they heard a dog barking and lots of angry yelling voice.
"Who's been here?" one of them shouted angrily. "I'll get you crazy kids!" Another one replied, cocking his shotgun.
"I told you not to play in this place!" Arnold replied, "There're hobos here! RUN!" Well aware of the danger, the four kids then quickly ran for their lives, fearing that they might get mutilated by a pack of rabid dogs or get shot at by one of them crazy hobos. They then found themselves standing before a fence. But because the lack of time of finding an opening, they had no choice but to climb over it. They then finally took asylum in a huge storm drain, away from hobos' sight.
"I think they went that way!" One of them said.
"When I've got them crazy kids, I'm gonna make them sing a barbershop quartet song and throw peanuts at them!"
All four of them let out a sigh of relief after knowing they were finally safe. But, Arnold felt some tremor in the force. His instincts said that the worst was not over yet. As Gerald, Park and Robert continued on walking, Arnold still stood inanimately while looking down the storm trench. "I think we should get off the trench…" he said fearfully, and his friends turned to him. Then, a weak, squeaky sound can be heard, and a feeble trail of breathing sound following suit, coming up the road.
"Oh noes!" Arnold said, "It's the fifth graders! Quick! Get off the trench! Into the pipe!" Arnold ran up to one of the openings lined up on the trench's walls and motioned his hand quickly to tell his friends to get in. Arnold was the last one to go in, and he slowly closed the hatch, leaving some space for him to peek out. There was a screeching noise, and the demented squeaky noise stopped.
Arnold looked up through the small gap and saw a great looking bike and Wolfgang, the fifth grader bully, sniffing out the scent of the hiding fourth graders. He then leaped out from his ride, but fell down violently after misplacing his step. He was embarrassed, but glad nobody was there to see him. But Arnold and the guys were laughing softly. The tension was raised again when Wolfgang approached the culvert, and looked around, hissing and sniffing at it. He saw nothing but darkness. He wouldn't put his hands on the hatch to open it because it would dirty his sensitive fingers.
To make matters even worse, cockroaches and rats began scurry in and out of the pipes and the guys were grossed out by them. Still, they remained silent and waited for Wolfgang to leave. Arnold was beginning to enter into a state of trance, being tempted to wear the ring as his finger strained towards it. Gerald realized this and he quickly reached over and hit Arnold on his arm, promptly startling him out from the trance. He quickly jerked his finger away from the Ring. Noticing that Wolfgang was looking away from the hatch, Park quickly threw his ball out to distract him. Wolfgang foolishly took the bait and whirled away, following the sound. Once the danger was over, the gang made a break for it and ran far away to an alley some five blocks from the trench.
+3 Arnold, Gerald, Park & Robert evasion skills
Whilst still catching his breath, Park asked his friends, "What was that all about?" Arnold knew why Wolfgang was looking for him, but he didn't reply back. He just stared deeply the Ring in his palm, heavy in thought.
"Wolfgang is looking for you, isn't it?" Robert asked Arnold, "Is it something he wants?"
"Look," Arnold replied, dodging the question, "Gerald and I need to go to Slausen's. I'm sorry that I dragged you into this, but if you don't want to get stuffed inside of a trash can, you guys better come with us." Robert and Park looked at one another. They had no choice but to follow Arnold and Gerald to Slausen's. Hopefully there they'd find the answer why Arnold and Gerald were being hunted.
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Quest Completed (Arnold and Gerald)
It was right past afternoon, and light rain begin to drizzle. Thankfully, Arnold, Gerald, Robert and Park finally arrived at Slausen's Diner in time. They went in and sat at the farthest place from the front door. Then, a middle-aged waitress with a cigarette in her mouth walked over to them, "Kids! Four kids! What ah youses doin' heah?" she asked, "Dontcha moms make lunch for yah?"
"We're just here to eat ma'am." Arnold replied back. "My Grandpa promised me that he's coming."
"Well, ain'tcha cute." The waitress playfully pinched his cheek, much to Arnold's annoyance, "Well, this slop house ain't have much stuff like them fast food rest'raunts, but it'll satisfy ya… uh… what's ya name, hon?"
In realization that there were probably spies in the midst inside of the diner, Arnold then deliberately adopted a false name to conceal himself. "Alfred. My name's Alfred."
"Alfred?" All of his friends thought incredulously. Of all the names in the world he had to take that one stupid name?
"Alfred, eh?" the waitress puffed a smoke. "So, who's ya Granddad? Is he just as good lookin' as ya are hon?"
"My Grandpa's name is Phil. Where is he? He's supposed to be here now."
"Phil?" The waitress said again, tapping the ash off from the cigarette. "Oh yeah, I remember him." again, she puffed a cloud of smoke out, "Really old guy, bald, and a pair of chins that looks lak a butt. Tah cheapskate hasn't paid his tab since the 1970s." The children were shocked, and they began to produce a worried face. "But it's okay though. I ain't going tah ask ya to pay fah him." she then made ready her notepad and her pen, "So what can I get ya kiddies?"
HP & MP fully restored!
After having their lunch, they sat and waited for Grandpa to arrive. Park was getting bored, so he got up from his seat and went to a shiny new slushie machine at the counter. Arnold meanwhile, was getting worried, and so was Gerald.
"He'll be here Gerald. I know it. Grandpa won't break his promise." Arnold said unsurely to him.
Park then came back from the counter with a fresh new slushie in his hands, which he set down on the table reverently.
"What's that?" Robert asked.
"This my friend, is a Big Glug." Park replied, smiling at him.
"It comes in those enormous cups?" Robert replied incredulously, pointing at it. "That's it, I'm getting one!" he exclaimed, and happily he skipped to the counter.
Gerald was feeling uneasy, after he noticed a person who kept staring at them since they arrived. He was very alarmed by his presence, and decided to tell Arnold about it, "That guy keeps staring at us ever since we got here. What up with that, yo?"
Arnold was alarmed himself. Though he felt something familiar with that person, but he couldn't quite place his finger on. He had that familiar green hat, but it couldn't be Sid since he wears it properly, and not backwards like Sid should. The mysterious stranger then lowered the shade down, making his appearance even more ambiguous. Arnold then saw the waitress walking towards him, and immediately called her, "Uh, ma'am? That kid in the corner, who's he?"
"That kid with tah green baseball cap? Dunno." She shrugged. "He keeps telling everyone he's a 'Vampire Slayer' fer sum reason. You kids and ya imagination…" she smiled as she shook her head, and left.
"Vampire Slayer?" Arnold said to himself. It sounded very familiar to him. Where had he heard of that name before? Shrugging it off, Arnold then took the Ring out from his pocket and started to play with it. He was bored. Then he could hear a whisper, a sound, a voice that tempted him to use it.
"Hey, Arnold! Hey, Arnold! Hey, Arnold! Hey, Arnold! Hey, Arnold! Hey—" the voice said repeatedly. It sounded just as the same as his alarm clock.
"Arnold!" Somebody said his name, and Arnold snapped out from his reverie. He looked around and saw Robert at the counter, talking to the waitress. "Sure I know an Arnold! He's the bestest friend a guy could have! Sure, he may be a goody two shoes boy scout and all," the waitress laughed, "But hey, it works for us!" Arnold realized that Robert may just have blown their cover, and he immediately rushed towards the counter to stop Robert from babbling even further.
"Robert, shut up!" Arnold scolded him, dragging him away.
"Call me!" Robert shouted at the waitress. And as Arnold dragged him friend away, he accidentally slipped on someone's shoe and fell back, tossing the Ring into the air. He managed to get it back, but somewhat awesomely, it slipped onto his fingers. Shaq would've been proud. Unfortunately, the fall knocked him out cold. People began to crowd around him, gasping in surprise. There were several attempts to revive him. But even though he was unconscious, he was pretty much alive inside, and he was now in some creepy dark location with the CEO looking at him with an evil, scary look.
"You cannot hide sonny! The Ring will return to my hands! You will never get the reward money!"
Arnold backs away, terrified of his ugly look rather than his foreboding message. He groped for the Ring, as he was unable to tear his gaze away from his hideous eyes. He finally managed to pull the Ring off from his finger, and he finally gained his consciousness back, finding himself looking at Sid, fanning him with his cap.
"Sid?" Arnold said in disbelief, "Where did you come from?"
"I was in the diner the whole time, you idiot!" he then put his cap back on, backwards this time.
"That was you?" Arnold replied back, still in disbelief, "Man, you look totally different when you wear your cap right!"
"Really? That means it works!" He then reversed his cap to the right position, with the shade in front. "I can avoid seeing if I wish. But to disappear entirely, that is a rare gift."
"Whoa!" Arnold exclaimed again, "You really do look different!"
"What? You're scared or sumthin'?" Sid asked.
"…A bit."
"Yeah right. But I do know what you're afraid of." Then suddenly, the door to the men's bathroom burst open, and Sid immediately drew his rubber sword. Gerald, Park and Robert rushed in, confronting the still mysterious (to them) kid.
"Let go off him, man!" Gerald yelled at him, Or I'll have you, honkey!" he insulted Sid, referring to his big nose that if being pressed, it could make a loud honking sound, just like in the old cartoons.
Sid stood down, lowering his sword. "Dudes, it's me!" he then turned his cap backwards once again.
"SID?" Gerald, Park and Robert said in shock. "Man, you look totally different when you wear your cap right!" Park said to him.
"Yeah, I've heard of that before." Sid replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "Listen guys, we have to go. They're coming."
"Who's coming?" Robert asked, alarmed.
"The fifth graders."
"What?" Park replied, getting scared.
"They were once fourth graders just like us." Sid replied, telling them the origin of the Fifth Graders, "Then the Cereal Company gave to them nine Rings of Power. Blinded by their marketing strategy, thinking wearing those rings is cool, they bought the cereal without question. One by one they fell into the darkness. But their Rings aren't as valuable as the Ring in your hands, Arnold. Now they are slaves to their greed. They are the Fifth Graders, Arnold. They want the Ring to themselves. Until they get that Ring, they'll never stop hunting you."
New character adds to party (Sid)
After a while, they then left the diner and resumed their journey. Arnold was disappointed that Grandpa wasn't there, and he had no choice but to follow Sid, since he might have a clue to his whereabouts. "Where are you taking us man? Do you know where Arnold's grandpa might be?" Gerald asked.
"I dunno myself. But I do know someone who might know where he is."
"Really, who?" Arnold asked.
"We're going to the abandoned dockyards in the Liberty District. Gerald, you know where I'm taking you guys to."
"Of course!" Gerald slapped his forehead. He had totally forgotten the significance of that place. "Why didn't I think of it before? Fuzzy Slippers told me about it! We're going to see Bridget and her spy organization, guys!"
Quest Updated (Arnold, Gerald, Sid, Park and Robert) – Head over to the Liberty District and meet with Bridget the Spy Girl
Ah, finally another story to put Bridget and her spy agency in! She's also one of the most underused character in the fanfic community, sadly. So I'm doing my part expand her character - She's so awesome. Park and Robert, two of the many Hey Arnold characters that have never gotten any recognitions or lines whatsoever, will too, enjoy a major role in this story.
Stay tuned for the next installment where the gang finally reunited once again in the Council of Bridget and set forth on a journey with the Fellowship of the Decoder Ring!