A/N: I don't own Hey Arnold, the show belongs to Craig Bartlett.

CW for mentions of violence, but don't worrythere won't be descriptions of kids getting hurt.

Eleven-year-old Helga stared at Mr. Simmons's wall clock, waiting with bated breath for 3:20 PM. It was the first Monday in June, and Helga was ready to trash-can some fourth-graders.

"Before I dismiss you all," Mr. Simmons said, "I want to remind everyone about safety. The Trash Day tradition might sound like fun, but horseplay can end with someone getting hurt. Remember—"

RINNNNG! Mr. Simmons was cut off by the final bell.

Half of his students dashed into the hallway, and headed to the fourth grade locker hall. They met up with the boys from the other fifth-grade class, which included Park, Iggy and Joey. Helga was the only girl participating—unless you count the girls she planned to trash-can.

"WHERE ARE THE FOURTH GRADERS?" Curly shouted.

"We must've missed them," Park said.

"Or they're hiding," Helga suggested. "Cowards! All you fourth-graders are cowards!"

"Are not!" said a muffled voice. A door swung open, and a boy entered the hallway. "I'm not afraid of some girl!"

Helga grabbed both of the boy's puny arms and stuffed him into a nearby trash can.

"What—NO!" The boy barely put up a fight.

Helga dusted off her hands. "Alright, who's next?"

Then a teacher, Mrs. Lavallee, stepped out of the open doorway. "Kids, please. Enough of this roughhousing."

Helga looked over the teacher's shoulder. "They're all still in class!" Helga shouted.

The swarm of fifth-graders ran past the teacher. The fourth-graders screamed, and some tried to flee, but Curly grabbed a tiny boy and tossed him like a sack of flour. He used the only trash can in the classroom, so Helga had to drag a girl into the hallway.

"Let me goooo," the younger girl whined, as she desperately tried to escape Helga's grip. "You'll regret this! My dad is a cop!"

Helga snorted. "Too bad I don't care." She arrived at a trash can and tossed the girl into it.

The fourth-grader pulled herself up on the rim, pouting in a way that reminded Helga of Jigglypuff. "You're not afraid of juvie? Or my brother?"

Helga chuckled. "Oh, your brother? What is he, a wrestler?"

"Worse. He's a sixth-grader."

Helga laughed harder. "Oh no, not a sixth-grader! I'm so terrified!" She was being sarcastic, of course. She actually was concerned about juvie, but doubted she would end up there over this.

"Uh...Helga?" That was Harold's voice.

Helga turned around to find him gaping at her. "What? What's wrong?"

"Do—do you know...who that little girl is?"

Helga blinked. "Uh, her dad's a cop?"

Harold's hand trembled as he pointed at the younger girl. "She's...Wolfgang's...little sister."

It felt like Helga's heart stopped beating. No. NO!

Suddenly pale and fearing for her safety, Helga took the fourth-grader out of the trash. "Yeah, well, funny thing about that...turns out I'm actually allergic to dying, so if you could not tell him that would be really nice."

Wolfgang's sister smirked. "What's in it for me?"

"Uh...candy? I could give you candy!" Helga dug around in her dress pocket. "Well, I...don't have any on me..."

"Do my chores!" demanded Wolfgang's sister.

Helga laughed nervously. "Right, chores! I'll do your chores!"

"You'll start today," the younger girl said. "I'm supposed to wash the dishes tonight, but it looks like it's your turn, Unibrow!"

Still pale, Helga nodded. Anything's better than certain death, right?


Helga hadn't seen Wolfgang's house before, and she hadn't expected it to look so normal. It was a three-bedroom, single-story house, surrounded by fresh cut grass, boxwoods and azaleas.

"Nice place," Helga said. She wished Arnold could see these plants; gardens always made him happy. "Are your parents home?"

"My dad is on patrol until nine, but my mom is home. I'll tell her you're my study partner."

"Fine with me, Jigglypuff." Helga paused. "Wait, what's your name again?"

"It's Destiny." Her eyes narrowed. "Who the heck is Jigglypuff?"

Helga held her hands up defensively. "A really cute pink thing! It's a compliment, I swear!"

Destiny scoffed. "Whatever, Unibrow." Destiny rang the doorbell.

Helga had been informed that Wolfgang had gotten suspended, so she wasn't surprised when he answered the door. She was, however, shaking in her shoes.

Wolfgang glared at the two blonde girls. "What is she doing here?"