Sailor Helga Prequel - Arnold and Helga's Past in the Future [COMPLETED]

Chapter 4

Arnold was in the market with his folks, Stella and Miles, attempting to barter goods in exchange for food. His parents were much better at this than he was (hence the occasional swiping of bread loaves), so it wasn't long before he began to loiter about, scoping vendors where he could exercise his four-finger discount.

Eventually he came across a shop where the door was open but no one was tending to the wares. As he entered and began pilfering items, Arnold heard voices coming from another door at the back of the shop. He tiptoed over and peeked inside; it was a cellar, and a group of men, including the shopkeeper were sitting in a circle on the lower level of the shop.

"Won't be long now," said one of them.

"Aye," responded another. "The longer we stand idle, the closer we are to the Moonies moving in and taking us over by force."

"It's already begun," said a third. "One of their own has come to make their claim on our kingdom. I've heard this "diplomatic mission" is really nothing more than a front for their hostile takeover."

"Okay, then it's settled!" chimed in the shopkeeper. "This reign of tyranny ends tomorrow night! We storm the castle and overtake the throne by force!"

"And the surviving princess?" asked a man.

"What princess?" said the shopkeeper. All the men joined into a laughter that was not at all joyous, full of ill intent.

Arnold backed away from the cellar door, inadvertently bumping into a stand and knocking items over in a deafening crash.

"Who's up there?!" barked the shopkeeper. Arnold did not want to be seen when he appeared through the cellar so he ran out of the shop as fast as his feet could carry him.

He even ran by his parents in his haste to get away. "Hey Arnold!" yelled Miles. "Where are you going?!"

But Arnold was on a mission. He knew that the kingdom of Last Haste would soon be under siege by its own people. It was up to him to spread the news before it was too late, and he knew just who to tell.

Gerald saw him about a mile away from his post; a strange-looking kid with a football-shaped head running toward the palace as though he was being chased by a pack of ravenous wolves.

Of course, he stopped him as he got in front of the palace gates. "Whoa, whoa – where's the fire, kid? Can I help you with something?"

"You've got to let me in!" Arnold said between sharps gasps of air for breath. "They're planning this attack on the kingdom! They want to take over and I don't know what they plan on doing to the princess so I've to go in and warn her!"

"Attack?" Gerald frowned. Sure, there have been rumours of a rebellion, but more often than not it was a small drunken group of dissenters that just needed to be brought back in line. Still, any threat to the throne had to be brought to their attention.

"Ah, get lost, kid!" said the other guard keeping watch with Gerald. "We don't have time for your stupid pranks!"

"Actually, maybe I should take this to one of the higher-ups, just in case..." said Gerald. "You never know."

The other guard sighed. "Whatever."

"I'll go with you!" said Arnold. As he attempted to follow, however, Gerald promptly stopped him and turned him around.

"Uh-uh," he said. "Go home. Let the grown-ups handle this."

"But-!"

Gerald pointed in the opposite direction. "Home."

Arnold sighed and trudged away.

"What's his problem?" said the other guard.

"I don't know....I think that kid is kinda bold..."

The guard scoffed. "You would!"

"Hey, man – why do you always have to be in my grill?"

As the two guards had it out or one another, Arnold took advantage of their distraction to climb the wall on the side of the palace and enter through an open window on one of the upper floors.

"...Anyway, forget you!" Gerald said finally, and walked into the castle.

Meanwhile, Arnold's window climb found him in a mid-sized chamber with a bed and a vanity table. At table, Princess Helena was brushing her hair. Arnold fell to the floor, alerting her of the intrusion.

Helena head whipped around in alarm, and when she saw Arnold, she belted out an ear-shattering scream.

"No no no – don't do that!" Arnold stood up and walked toward her, freaking her out further. She threw her brush at him, hitting him on the head. "Ow!"

When that didn't deter him, Helena ran to another part of the room where a pile of pink books were stacked on the floor. She then proceeded to whip the books at him.

At this point, Bridgette burst into the room. "What is going on in here?!" She spotted Helena in mid-throwing position, with Arnold on the ground, shielding himself. "YOU AGAIN?!"

"I can explain-!"

Bridgette was having none of it. She crossed the room in a few angry steps and pulled on his ears, lifting him off the ground. "You are in so much trouble...let's go!"

Helena watched as Bridgette practically dragged Arnold by the ear out of her chamber.

The guard outside had heard the commotion and contemplated investigating, until something materialized before him.

There was a giant orb of white light that appeared, then dissipated, leaving behind three figures. Two were cats, which straddled the third: a teenage girl. She was wearing a blue schoolgirl uniform and had long, pink hair, done up in two large, puffy ponytails.

The smaller of the two cats – a grey kitten – hopped into the arms of the pinked-hair girl as she surveyed her surroundings, unaware of the trembling guard.

"We're here," she said.