Okay, so I know I should have been writing for my other story but this just came into my mind, actually has been going round for some time and I had to try it on. Been writing on and off for this idea for some while and after tonight's bout of inspiration I was actually quite happy and wanted to share it to know everybody's thoughts on it. So it would make me more than happy to know what you think about it. Take it as a character study on Helga and the possibility of her being actually quite passionate about dancing and ballet. We saw a still of her doing Ballet in the episode "The Big Scoop" so that's where the idea came from. Hope you enjoy.

Helga had been secretly doing ballet since she could remember. Even though her parents had won the most negligent parenting awards -when it came to her, at least- since the day she was born, making it an undisputed win for 16 long years; they were very good at knowing what where the things that their little ladies would need to do to grow up to accomplish their expectations. While Olga's focus had always been on the academic side and many other intellectual pursuits (as well as anything that would grant her some notoriety among the general public, like charity, volunteering, academic music, politics, etc), Helga had always been more creativity driven. She had tried and done almost everything that constituted an arts or liberal arts related lesson.

Finding the hard way she has a little patience for painting and drawing, a knack for arts and crafts but nothing more, no interest in sewing, crocheting, knitting or embroidering, and a little aversion to doing music seriously because how much she relates it to Olga's piano recitals she had been making her way in the world of extracurricular obligations marked by Big Bob and Miriam. Her academics where never suffering, though that she attributed to the fact that the school system was deficient at best and her with her superior intellect was obviously far beyond it, but she had never been motivated to concentrate on them until the day came to prepare for college applications. Her interest had been always been more focused on poetry, creative writing, literature, cinema, stage related disciplines and even comedy. And if she was being honest, she could carry a tune pretty well with her voice even if she disliked training in music. She was good at (and enjoyed them immensely) sports also, sadly that made her in the eyes of her parents and everyone else much the tomboy and no matter how much Big Bob had wanted a son instead of a daughter, she wouldn't be the replacement of that, she had to be a little lady, much to her chagrin.

So when someone suggested to Bob that maybe Ballet would help soften the bad attitude his 5 year old had he had taken it on thinking that maybe it would work, and maybe help bring home more prizes and awards when he learned it could be consider somehow like a competitive sport, and Helga, simply agreed to it. For several reasons if she may add, mainly because it would mean more time outside of home, more time away from Miriam's stupor and Bob's concealed abandonment; secondly, it would give her something to do on the lazy afternoons, and finally because it was art, and everything artsy was a calling to her.

That's how she ended in Madam Margot's dance academy. Her mother took her there one Monday afternoon right after school. It was one of the few times that Miriam actually took the time to not drink a smoothie after lunch to pick her up and take her by the hand somewhere. She now believes that Miriam had her by the hand with the fear that her little tomboy of a daughter would make a run as soon as she saw what the whole picking you up and taking you downtown was about. However, Helga was actually excited about this little development. She had had a classic horribly boring day at kinder terrorising her classmate that still couldn't read and mocked her desire to go to the reading corner of the classroom during some of their recesses. Yes, she enjoyed a turn at the swings or playing ball like anyone but today she had wanted to read because she had learned a new word the day before and the only thing that had come out of that had been a concert of sniggering comments and paper balls courtesy of fat and dumb Harold. Of course this had meant she had to turn into mean Helga once again and stand her ground. She would not be mocked, even if it meant she would have to do the mocking. After this scenario the idea of doing something new and different had sound interesting. At least this was something she knew none of her classmates where doing and none of them would be able to mock her about it, it also helped that she had heard her parents talk about how this school downtown and further away from their neighbourhood was way better than the little run down studio close to her house. She really didn't understand all of that but she knew that not close to home meant less chances to running into someone from school and as far she could be from them the better, specially today.

Since the moment they crossed the door she had been sceptic, excited but sceptic. They must never know that you care, first rule in the Helga G. Pataki Rule Book. If they know they can use it against you. Scepticism and distrust almost turned into a tantrum when Miriam forced her into a leotard, thighs, ballet slippers and a freaking flimsy skirt. How dare she dress her in something as ridiculous as that get up, at least it was pink. She then took her from the locker room to a big salon full of mirrors… and more little girls. They looked dumb too. Miriam let go of her hand and then took off, god know where because she is more than certain that she wasn't among the other mothers looking through the window. She didn't care after the teacher started the lesson.

Beyond all her expectations, good and bad, she actually enjoyed it a lot. Like with all physical activities she thrived on movement and exercising. The activities demanded an effort from her and the whole of her concentration. More so if she was aiming for the teacher best praises. She would give a well done to the girls who did a more or less good job and an excellent to those who did really well. If you were really good she would throw a laugh and a clap along with an excited squeak, she wanted to get a many of those as she could. They felt nice along with the accomplishment of excelling at something new. By the end of the day she had decided that this Ballet thing was really worth a shot and she wouldn't be bothered to go there even if it meant learning a new further route, she wasn't going to count on Miriam's good grace of taking her there for much longer if she knew her at all.

She begun attending because of her parents whim but kept on going much longer than anyone ever hoped for because of the enjoyment she got out of the exertion. Though no one in the world would call her a really disciplined girl, there was something inside her that called her to excel at things that required constant practice and dedication. She wanted to demonstrate to everybody that she was good at this, and more than anything each new lesson she found new things to try to master: tendu, plié, chasse, jeté, battement, pas de bourrée, pirouette, pointe work, jumps, turns, choreographies, etc. And she thrived on being good, and mastering this and that. With time that transformed in a deep enjoyment in the art itself, an exhilaration that came about her whenever she started working and a connection to something deep within that whenever she danced with all her heart.

To tell the truth ballet didn't softened her at all, in fact it hardened even more. The strength she got out of every movement, every sequence, every lesson and seminar she took, of every competition she went to, every award she brought back home was immeasurable. Thus crushing Big Bob's desires to have a more ladylike daughter, one that more resembled his perfect firstborn, notwithstanding she was able to bring him some very appreciated awards, the price she had to pay for keep going to lessons besides doing all the other extracurriculars she took on to remain as much as possible outside of her house. With time she dedicated herself so that she had reached advanced level before many of her classmates and was presented with the option of taking it as a professional interest, meaning she would have to abandon Madame Margot's academy and move on either to a private tutor or a much better much more expensive school. Or, on the other hand, if she decided to keep it as a hobby she could keep going to the lessons that had already turned boring enough for her and give up on the idea of the professional future her teachers wanted to follow and her parents discouraged for her.

She was divided for a moment as to what to do. It was definitely not an easy choice when she begun high school to give up her after school lessons but she was certain, as much as she enjoyed her lessons and the recitals and the dancing, that her future was in no way in the stage or in the point of a pointe shoe. She had been a few months into her freshman year when she decided that Ballet dancing would remain one of her many, barely acknowledged talents but she just knew that the name Helga G. Pataki would not be renowned as one of a prima ballerina of the Met or Bolshoi. Though some times entrapping and even if she was able to imagine herself dressed up in the finest silks and most gorgeous tutus, illuminated by the lights that make the thousand crystals in your costume shine like stars, she was simply not made for that, and that was fine. More and better, and even more fitting, would come for her she just knew.

It had been a month since she abandoned the academy when she literally ran into the Ballet club in her school. She had never thought that her high school, that was actually high on art programs for a public institution, would have one. One that was managed by the most demanding and strict teacher that Helga had met in her life. She excused herself saying that a good after school extracurricular would look amazing in a college application and joined in. Entering was not easy, as she came to learn later only the best were in attendance, Madame Bertrand made sure of that. Most of her classmates were actually people considering on making a career out of it and were there only because it meant more lessons and with an excellent renowned teacher to top it off. She may not want to become a professional dancer but there was no reason not to keep enjoying herself through dance.

The only thing she regretted was that their recitals had little attendance from the school, something that was a little of Mme. Bertrand's doing, aiming for them to be attracting to people actually interested in the art and not lousy high school students and lovey dovey parents of the students. And actually what was bothersome about that was that Arnold would never have an opportunity to watch her dance before they parted ways after school was finished. She may not want to share what she did with all her classmates but she surely would love to show that football head what she was capable of. Still, after all the time that had passed she was glad this kept on being her little secret and no one was able to taint this for her. Dancing was hers and hers alone and she was able to be strong, fearsome, aloof Helga sans the vulnerabilities that showcasing this side of her could bring.