Only the Beginning (A Hey Arnold! Fanfic)

Author's Note: 

This one shot is about how Helga met Arnold for the first time. We all know how it went (canon-wise) in the episode 'Helga on the Couch', but if I wrote it exactly like that, then it wouldn't have been original on my part, now would it? So, this story takes place before that event. If you want to, imagine it this way: THAT part of the episode happens after the happenings of this story (with some minor adjustments to fit this one, of course).

Also, Hey Arnold! and its characters all belong to Craig Bartlett and Nickelodeon. No money is being made from this story and no copyright infringement is intended.

Now onto the story! 

oooOooo

It was a strange and quiet night in the Pataki residence. Little Helga decided it was because her big sister, Olga, was playing a new song she had learned in the piano for their parents. She grudgingly admitted to herself that it was quite beautiful. Currently sprawled all over her bed, she listened to the song, which happened to be as sad as her.

Earlier that afternoon, she had drawn her family in a beautiful landscape, as precisely as a four-year-old could, anyway. She had dubbed it a masterpiece, one that deserved to be plastered all over their refrigerator, or as she called it, the food machine. Running all the way down to the living room, she showed her dad the painting, to which he responded with a "Whatever Olga."

"It's Helga, dad". But the sentence went unheard, since he loudly shouted at the football player on the TV to "Play like a man, you girly piece of crap!"

Deciding that her mom would probably respond better to her job well done, she went to the kitchen, where she was making dinner and drinking God knew what.

"Hey mom, look at what I did!" she happily exclaimed.

"Wow, honey, that is... Ugh. Need another drink."

And as her mom totally ignored her, she felt sad. Not for the first time, she wondered if they had brains, or if zombies really existed and had eaten them. Going back to her bedroom, she started thinking. If no one cared for what she did, like the beautiful piece of paper she had gripped tightly in her hands, then she wouldn't care either. Releasing the tears she had hidden from her parents, she ripped the paper in tiny pieces and threw it out the window.

Dinner time strolled by, and they could be seen gathered at the table, where Olga was excitingly telling them about the day she had had.

"..And then we went shopping, and Oh My Gosh! I just had to have it! So, when I came back, I started learning the song right away. That music book has come in handy, and it was on sale, too! It has so many songs I've wanted to learn. In fact, I can play the song I've been practicing right now! Want to listen?"

"Sure, Olga, we'd love too, honey" Miriam said, with all the happiness a mother could radiate for her daughter. Their father joined in, saying "I'm very proud of you, Olga. I can't wait until college. You'll be the very best, I just know it! A Pataki, through and through."

They stood and left the table, ignoring the dirty dishes and a crestfallen Helga.

She ran to her room, and cried what she thought of as currents of water cascading from her eyes.

Now, lying on her bed and listening to the song, she started drifting of to sleep.

That night, she had a dream. A very weird one. She was a princess, with a pink dress and a tiara on the top of her head. No heals, she disliked those. Instead, she wore tennis shoes, the color matching that of the dress. She thought herself pretty, with her big, blue eyes and blond hair tucked in a ponytail. Her unibrow didn't disturb her in the least. It was a part of her, how could it?