Hillwood forest RP

Resisting the urge to say "I told you so", he refrained from it and helped steady her.

"I know you don't want help, Helga." He said sincerely. "I just don't want you to get even more hurt. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness."

"Shows what you know," she snorted and rolled her eyes, her mind immediately going to her father. She attempted to jerk herself out of Arnold's arms, but the pain made her clumsy and instead she tripped. Fortunately for her, she hadn't wrenched herself completely free of his grasp, and he caught her.

Phoebe sprinted back, dodging roots, a perfect crutch stick tucked under her arm. As she came around the corner of the tent, she caught a glimpse of Helga wrapped in Arnold's arms. Her hand flew to her mouth, but she backed into the shadow, letting them have their moment.

A sigh escaped the blonde boy's lips and he steadied her, almost embracing her. It was all part of cracking the code that was Helga G. Pataki. Every moment he found himself coming closer to cracking the code, it jumbled up and he had to practically start all over again.

"I know, I know, you have a different opinion on what asking for help means." He murmured, looking away. "But I don't think you're any less strong just because you need a little help. You're one of the strongest girls I've ever known, and I've always admired that about you. Don't think that just because you need help that you're weak and degraded, because you're not. ...You never have been."

((Alright, you two have fun. Phoebe will leave you alone for a bit, because I am going to bed. See you all tomorrow.))

(xD Oh ha ha, hatterlet. Good night, and see you later then. )

((Sorry...getting really into a chat with a coworker...who may or may not ask me out soon...hopefully will...scratch that, he just asked! YESSSS! ...ahem...))

Helga tried to hide her ever increasing blush at Arnold's words, but she found she got even more flustered. He always did this to her. Disarmed her, made the world feel safe and right...she both loved and loathed that about him. "Yeah, yeah, guess you're right," she tried to brush his words off. To her, it felt like the others were staring, even though they were all off in their own worlds. "...Thanks, Arnold," she muttered softly.

(Yay! Congrats, Pom! )

Arnold gave a tender smile and met her eyes for a moment. "You're welcome, Helga. Anytime."

For what seemed like hours, even if in reality it was only for a few seconds, he found himself looking into her eyes as they stared back at his own. They were so blue...granted, he knew they were blue, but had didn't often have much of a chance to really look into them and appreciate them. He hadn't realized that his near-embrace had tightened somewhat around her, all he could think of was how captivating her eyes suddenly were.

((Totally sneaking back in. Way to go POM!))

((Thanks, but we're having schedule conflict issues >.< Darn it...but bonus points, when we were passing around our cards that we draw random stupid things on to pass the time, he drew Arnold.))

For a moment, to Helga, it felt like the world had stopped turning. All that was left in it was herself and Arnold. Her blue eyes met his green ones, focusing on their intensity. She smiled in spite of herself.

A moment later, she heard someone in the group step on a branch, and it brought her crashing back to Earth. "Geez, why do you have to be so mushy all the time, Hair Boy?" she called loudly. She still had some issues with others knowing that Arnold was her biggest weakness. "Let me go and let's go find the Freak and Tall Hair Boy."

(( So much for going to bed. :/))

Phoebe heard Helga snap at Arnold, and deduced that it was now safe for her to return. She trotted from her hiding place and presented the crutch to Helga. "I hope this will help."

((At least the RP is active again...))

"Yeah, that'd be awesome, Pheebs, thanks!" Helga eagerly seized the make shift crutch and tested her weight against it. "Seems pretty sturdy. See, Football Head, I told you no one carries Helga G Pataki!"

Despite the situations at hand, he just grinned at her fondly. "Whatever you say, Helga."

(Hey, it happens to me all the time, hatterlet. xD It's so annoying, but eh, sometimes it just hits you.)

Hearing the conversation and moving around, Rhonda disentangled herself from her sleeping and made a quick fashion choice- they were in the woods, and she couldn't exactly run around and ruin something that was expensive. But then she didn't want to look frumpy... She sighed and simply replaced her clothes from the day before, they had dried in the night and were only a little wrinkled.

She made her way out of the tent into the sunlight streaming through the branches, stretching and running her fingers through her hair. "Please tell me there's a plan for us to get out of here today."

(( Sorry for the delay, had to regroup from spring break and get used to school again. XD ))

Phoebe nodded at Rhonda.

"I believe there is, Rhonda. Arnold found a map that Gerald had- he found a road that may lead to town!"

"All right, what are we still wasting time for?" Helga hobbled a little on her crutch, but maintained her balance. "We should probably get moving, we'll be moving slow enough with my leg being busted and there's no way I'm getting left behind..." she took a determined step forward before pausing. "Uh...Pheebs, I couldn't read the map, which direction are we supposed to head in?"

Phoebe smiled. "It's on the other side of the lake. If we head that way, we should eventually come to the road." she said.

((wish I could do some more to keep the RP going but Eugene's not exactly a leading character))

Eugene woke up when he heard a few kids talking about Gerald and Curly. He had been sleeping outside all night. The red-haired boy stretched his arms and yawned. A noise that sounded like a large branch just broke in half echoed through the forest. "Agrw, my back," he whined to himself.

He got up on his feet and after a few limps and another stretch he ran over to the group of kids that had gathered around Arnold.
"Hey guys, what's up? Gosh, isn't it the most beautiful morning?", he yelled along the way.

He reached the group and listened to the new plan.
"Sounds great! Let's get packing then," he smiled, optimistic as always.

He turned around to head off to help out with the tents, but soon remembered something. He walked over to Arnold again, "Almost forgot! Happy birthday, Arnold!" Today was his birthday after all. He gave the guy a manly hug and a pat on the back and backed off again. "Now, let's get moving, you guys! We'll be back home in no time!"

(Sorry folks, I got a little too distracted with some things over the past day or so. Sorry about that! ^^; Let's get this show on the road. Heh heh, get it? xD)

"Thanks, Eugene." Arnold murmured appreciatively to Eugene's birthday wish. "Let's go, we can definitely make good time before it gets dark." He looked at the map, reading it over, and then handed it over to Phoebe. "We'll have to be careful, we don't know what we might find out there."

I just hope Gerald and Curly are all right...wherever they are.

Phoebe folded the map, tucked it in her pocket, then went to her tent to retrieve her backpack. Shouldering the bag, she rejoined the group.

"Alright, is everyone here? Are we ready to go?"

Rhonda hooked her pack over her shoulders, and slung her purse high up on her arm.

"I'm sure Gerald and Curly are fine, Gerald's smart and Curly... Well no animal in their right mind would approach him, so he's probably fine." She flipped her hair back and took a deep breath. "I'm ready, are we leaving the tents here?"

"Already on it!" Harold called from behind the far left tent as he pulled up a spike and the whole thing crumpled to the ground. "Though, we better not have to use them again. My back is killing me. And I'm still hungry - when's breakfast?"

"Can you forget about your stomach just once, Pink boy?" Helga rolled her eyes. In her opinion, this was shaping up to be a lousy birthday surprise for Arnold, and after all he'd done for everyone, it just wasn't fair. Shouldn't my beloved be able to catch a break on this, the most wonderful day of the year, the anniversary that football shaped head of his first came into the world? she thought to herself. When I get ahold of Curly and Gerald, they're meeting the Five Avengers and Ol Betsy for this lousy wild goose chase.

(XD Oh, Helga. She's too much.)

Arnold dug into his bag for a moment, and produced a couple of granola bars that his Grandmother had insisted he pack to bring along. He tossed one of them to Harold. "Here, Harold. You can have one of these to tie you over until we hopefully get to the next town."

Phoebe smiled at her small knot of friends as they prepared to go on yet another wild expedition. Even as she smiled, however, a horrible sense of guilt was gnawing at her stomach. She was sure that Gerald's disappearance was her fault. However, she could not allow her guilt to keep them from going.

"Alright everyone, I think the road is that way." she said, gesturing. Without looking back, she began plodding towards the far side of the lake. Even though the distance to the road did not look very fary on the map, she had a feeling that it would not be a short trip.