Work Text:
Here are the players numbers.
Arnold: 001
Gerald: 002
Helga: 003
Sid: 004
Rhonda: 005
Harold: 006
Stinky: 007
Eugene: 008
Pheobe: 009
Curly: 010
Brainy: 011
Miles: 012
Simmons: 013
Principal Wartz: 014
Olga: 015
Dr. Bliss: 016
Gertie: 017
Phil: 018
Mr. Hyunh: 019
Wolfgang: 020
Chocolate Boy: 021
Oskar: 022
Patty: 023
The Jolly Olly Man: 024
Stoop Kid: 025
Bob: 026
Lorenzo: 027
Sheck: 028
Now let's get started...
Every person walking up the stairs towards the next round was trying their best in calming their nerves due to the intensity of the previous games as well as that intermission.
For Red Light, Green Light, the people that lost were Harold, Sid, and Eugene.
For the Honeycomb Challenge, Chocolate Boy, Wolfgang, Helga's dad Bob, Oskar, and Brainy were the ones to fall.
And finally for that fatal intermission, Lorenzo, the Jolly Olly Man, Dr. Bliss, and Simmons were the ones to not make it out alive.
Everyone was thinking the same thing: What was the next challenge and how many more of them must die before this madness is over?
After a while of walking for what seemed to be hours, the guards stopped which caused the remaining contestants to stop at a pair of white doors.
As two of the guards opened the doors, another guard spoke as he turned to the group. "Congratulations on all of you for making it this far. The next challenge is Tug-of-War."
One of the guards that opened the door spoke up. "You all have 5 minutes to choose your teams before the round starts."
That scared the remaining 14 contestants, they would have to compete against each other in order to survive this and go home rich. A fact that they knew of since these games began.
The guards left the room as they waited in the room where the next challenge would commence.
Knowing that they only have a limited time before the game began, the remaining contestants began to pair up.
Team 1 was Arnold, Gerald, Helga, Pheobe, Rhonda, Stinky, and Arnold's father Miles,
Team 2 was Curly, Patty, Mr. Hyunh, Stoop Kid, Olga, Sheck, and Principal Wartz.
As for Phil and Gertie, since their son and grandson were on the same team and since the other team has already been selected, they chose not to participate as the guards took them away to some unknown location.
"Good luck everyone, I'll be watching your performance." The old man called out as he was being escorted away by the guards.
"Good luck Kimba." Gertie said. "You too Miles."
With Phil and Gertie gone, both teams entered the room.
Immediately, they realized that they were on 2 very high platforms to show how serious the game is.
"Oh dear." Mr. H said. "This is going to be tough."
"You said it." Principal Wartz said as he looked at his students knowing the worse outcome.
The guards escorted Team 2 to the other platform in front of them.
After the team was on the other platform, one of the guards spoke up so that the remaining contestants could hear him. "The rules of this game are simple. Pull the other team off the platform and win. You all have 5 minutes to do so."
"The team that wins is the one that moves on to the next game." Another guard said as most guards began to leave the room.
Arnold's team grabbed onto the rope as Curly's team did the team.
Both teams looked at each other tensely. The stakes of the game both winning and losing being apparent.
BANG!
That was the sound of the guard's pistol going as that cemented for the game to begin.
As Arnold and the rest of his team began to pull on the rope with all of their might knowing that they'll die should they lose they quickly found themselves at a disadvantage.
Arnold being the leader of the team as well as the team's strategist Pheobe quickly noticed something as they were slowly but surely being pulled to the edge of their platform.
Curly's team had the strength advantage due to having strong people like Principal Wartz, Patty, Mr. Hyunh, and worse of all Sheck on the opposing team.
"Arnold, I hope you're coming up with a plan man!" Gerald said urgently as he tried to maintain his feet on the ground and his grip on the rope despite the rope burns that he was certainly getting.
"I can't hold on!" Pheobe said as she could feel her strength leaving her arms.
"Me neither!" Rhonda said as she could feel her muscles begin to strain from the game.
Arnold needed to think of a plan and fast. Helga, Miles and Stinky were beginning to falter despite being strong in their own right. Gerald, Rhonda, Pheobe were trying everything to not give in despite their own lack of strength yet made up for in cooperation with others.
Looking towards the team ahead of him he saw different looks on their faces.
He saw a sad look on Wartz's face, a crazed look on Curly's face, there was a stoic look on Patty's face, a nervous look on Mr. Hyunh's look, a scared look Olga had on her face, Stoop Kid had a grumpy look on his face, and a devious look on Sheck's face.
This gave him an idea. An idea that he didn't like using but seeing how his life and not to mention the lives of his friends were at stake, he felt like this was the only option he had.
"Guys, I got a plan. Follow my lead." Arnold instructed his team.
"About time Football Head." Helga said with a smirk her on her face.
Whatever Arnold was planning might be enough to save them.
Clearing his throat, he called out to the other team. "Hey Principal Wartz!"
Hearing his name being called caused the large to shift his focus a bit. "Yeah?"
"Is this what you want?" Arnold called out. "To kill some of your remaining students to save yourself? What would Mr. Simmions think of you doing that?"
The principal looked to the side as he thought about this.
Getting an idea on Arnold was doing, the others joined in. Gerald called out to Stoop Kid.
"Stoop Kid, I know that each of us are going to die when we lose these games, but have you ever thought about watching us over from that great big stoop in the sky?"
Hering that caused Stoop Kid to halt his pulling on the rope for a second.
Helga then called out. "Olga, are you really willing to send your own baby sister to her doom, especially after we already lost Dad?"
Olga quickly dropped the rope in shock at what her sister said.
Sheck noticed the morale in his team dwindling so he spoke up. "What do you fools think you're doing?! You're really giving this game to those bunch of brats! Get me through this and I'll pay you all handsomely."
"Don't listen to him!" Pheobe shouted. "Patty, what would Harold think if he saw you kill more of his friends!"
"Mr. Hyunh, think of your daughter." Miles called out to his fellow housemate. "Are you really willing to throw the rest of us under the bus, especially after Arnold and Gerald did everything to reunite you with her?"
That statement had the Koren man instantly drop his hands.
"Curly!" Rhonda said, feeling herself about to throw up from what she was going to say next. "Are you really going kill someone who... L-LOVES you?!"
Curly instantly dropped the rope upon hearing that question.
"Don't you dare quit, you idiots!" Sheck said as he struggled to pull the rope when the rest were having emotional difficulties within themselves. "I will not be dragged down because you morons are listening to those bunch of snot nosed brats' words!"
"Shut up already you big donut hole!" Helga shouted to the German businessman before addressing to the others on his team. "Are you guys really going to listen to someone who has tried to destroy our neighborhood once? Who knows if he wins this game, he won't try to do it again for kicks!"
That caused everyone to remember something. They were on a team with a guy who nearly tore down their neighborhood and would've succeeded if not for the determination and efforts of Arnold, Gerald and Helga. Why are they risking their necks for someone like Sheck? Sure, it as to save their own lives but still.
"What kind of team are you?!" Sheck asked angrily.
Looking back, he paled at his teammates' expressions.
Angry and full of determined. If they were going down anyway, they are going to least take Sheck down with him.
"Kids. Mr. Hyunh." Principal Wartz said as he cracked his knuckles. "We may go down but let's make sure he goes down with us!"
"I can't agree more." Mr. Hyunh said as he ganged up on the German man.
Sheck tried to back up but everyone was advancing on him like a pack of wolves.
"Don't you dare-!" Sheck began only to get punched in the face by an enraged Olga.
"This is for nearly killing my baby sister!" Helga's older sister shouted.
Patty tackled the large man from behind and got his arm in a lock. "This is for nearly destroying our neighborhood!"
Curly jumped onto Sheck's back and began to repeatedly slam his head into the floor. "It's because of you that I was nearly separated from the one I loved."
Not to mention almost taking away my stoop!" Stoop kid shouted as he repeatedly kicked Sheck in the head.
"Also, nearly putting me and other hard workers out of business!" Mr. H said as he held onto his other arm.
However, as Olga, Curly, Stoop Kid and Mr. Hyunh tried to restrain Sheck's upper body they forgot his legs.
"Enough!" Sheck shouted as he used his legs to lift himself up almost throwing everyone off of him, but they did their best to maintain their hold onto him.
However as exactly what the principal planned as with a yell of his own, he tackled Sheck of the platform as everyone else was still holding onto him!
"NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Sheck shouted as he couldn't prevent his own demise.
"I'LL WATCH OVER YOU BABY SISTER! I LOVE YOU!" Olga shouted as she fell. "I'LL TELL DAD YOU SAID HI!"
"I LOVE YOU RHONDA!" Curly shouted his love for the rich girl much to her discomfort.
"GOOD LUCK YOU GUYS!" Patty shouted as she fell to her doom. "I'll TELL HAROLD YOU GUYS MADE IT OUT OKAY!"
"TELL MY DAUGHTER OF ME, ARNOLD!" Mr. Hyunh requested loudly to the football headed kid.
"I'LL WATCH OVER YOU GUYS FROM THAT BIG STOOP IN THE SKY!" Stoop Kid declared
"BEST OF LUCK TO ALL OF YOU!" shouted Principal Wartz. "I'LL BE WATCHING OVER YOU ALL MY STUDENTS!"
As everyone on the opposing team fell to their doom, the other was wide eyed at what they witnessed.
More of their friends gave their lives for them.
"Contestants 010, 023, 014, 015, 019, 025, and 028 have been eliminated." said the referee.
"We won?" Rhonda said in disbelief.
"I think we did Princess." Helga said with a smirk.
"Woohoo! We did it!" Gerald cheered as he embraced Pheobe causing her to blush.
Pheobe sighed in relief of having survived another challenge.
"Thank goodness." Stinky said as he dropped to the floor, exhausted after all that intensity.
As the others were celebrating, Miles was doing his best to try and comfort Arnold who had a thousand-mile stare on his face.
"Arnold?" Miles said as he knelt down and place a hand on his shoulder.
"They're gone Dad." Arnold said as tears went down his face. "They're dead thanks to me."
"No son, don't think like that." Miles said as he embraced his son. "They chose do what they did."
"Yeah but-" Arnold began but was cut off by Helga who was overhearing their conversation.
"But nothing Football Head." She said, placing a hand on his other shoulder. "Look Arnold, this was going to end in 2 ways. Either we lose and those guys had to live with it, or they go down to save the rest of us. If you want to try and do right by them, then let's honor them and get through these hellish games."
Arnold wiped away his tears. Despite Helga's rather blunt and harsh words, the saint of Hillwood knew that she was partially speaking both out of concern for Arnold and also out of grief over just lost her "perfect" sister Olga. And considering that she also lost her father she felt like this wasn't time for waterworks.
"You're right." Arnold said as he got up. "Thanks Helga."
Embracing her tightly, Helga blushed as she was tempted to push him off of her, but she thankfully resisted that temptation, so she doesn't accidently push Arnold off the platform. So, she decided to let him have this.
"Don't mention it Football Head." Helga said as she rubbed her love's back.
4 games down 3 more to go.
As the victors of this game were escorted away, all that was on their mind. was:
What will the next game be, who's next on the losing chopping block, and do I have what it takes to win it all?