fardell24

It's Jane Lane's sixteenth birthday, and she is having a Sweet Sixteen party with a twist. But she isn't prepared for a large number of her peers from Lawndale High to show up. Meanwhile, the other Fashion Club members are concerned about Tiffany.

Part 1
fanfiction.net: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14463418/1/

Archive of Our Own: https://archiveofourown.org/works/65004283/chapters/167128660

Suddenly, something happened. There was a rumble and the ground near the wave pool cracked. Brittany grabbed a bullhorn. “Everyone away from the pool!”

Then a large amount of lawn gnomes were launched from the crack.

“Gnomes! It’s Gnomageddon!” Spatula Man cried out, over the radio.

“Great!” Daria said as she took in the sight. “Definitely time to go.”

“But where’s Quinn?” Jane asked.

“We do need to find her,” Daria considered.


Quinn emerged from where she had disappeared into. She then ran around the side of the mansion and saw the lawn gnomes going everywhere. “Oh well!” She knew that Daria would be worried, so she decided to look for her.


It didn’t take long.

“There you are!” Daria said.

“Let’s go,” Quinn said.

“Yes, there are lawn gnomes everywhere!” Jane said.

“I saw them,” Quinn said.

They then left, heading towards the gatehouse.


“We can walk home,” Jane suggested, seeing that Trent wasn’t there.

“But my shoes are wet,” Quinn complained.

“Or we could wait for someone else,” Daria said.

“Good idea,” Quinn said.


It wasn’t long before someone showed up. “Are you ladies in need of a knight in shining armor?” Charles ‘Upchuck’ Ruttheimer asked.

“Could we take the armor and ditch the knight?” Daria asked sarcastically.

“Hey, it’s a package deal, toots,” Upchuck replied.

Daria shrugged.

“I guess so,” Quinn said.

“Let’s go,” Jane said.

They then got into the back seat and Upchuck then drove them back into Lawndale proper, albeit not without annoying commentary. “You will note, that the home of the Director of Public Works is built on unstable landfill…”

06 The Lawndale Files Part 1
It was Assembly time at Lawndale High. Principal Angela Li came to the podium. “Settle down, young people! Now, before the varsity interpretive dance team begins its performance – ‘History, We Are You’ -- we have a brief announcement from some special guests, agents...”

She was interrupted by the agents. “No names,” the male agent said.

“No credentials,” the female agent added.

“Students, we'll be brief. We've received some disturbing reports from this town, and we're asking for your cooperation.”

“Keep your eyes open. Watch for people who are different. They know who they are.”

“And with your help, kids, so will we.”


Quinn Morgendorffer was concerned. ‘I guess I’ll have to be more careful as SpiderGirl,’ she considered. ‘Maybe I shouldn’t have been in Freemont on the weekend.’ Things in Lawndale were getting worse. ‘Maybe?’


That afternoon Daria and Jane were thinking about the Assembly as they watched television.

“From outer space to in your face! Aliens walk among us! A Sick, Sad World exclusive.”

“Oh, look, they're going to explain the return of disco,” Daria said.

“The aliens aren't coming. They're already here. They could be your friends, your family. They act almost normal, but something's off.”

“Yes, the TV!” Jane said, annoyed. “If there were any aliens smart enough to come here, they wouldn't be stupid enough to come here.”

“There goes my trick ear again. What was that?”

( Read More )

Quinn was annoyed. Brittany’s audition, while rather good, wasn’t an excuse for Mr. O’Neill to not consider anyone else. She wondered what to do about it. Then it hit her. Sabotage! “She won’t know what’s coming!” she said darkly.


The fair was already underway when the Morgendorffers arrived. Both Quinn and Daria took leave of their parents. “Daria! Quinn!” Helen called.

“That’s funny, they were here a minute ago.”

Helen saw Linda Griffin approaching, along with her husband and children. “Linda. Tom!”

“Helen, Jake,” Tom greeted.

“Have you met, Sam and Chris?” Linda asked. “Kids, say hello to Mr. and Mrs. Morgendorffer.”

The two boys ran off. Sandi rolled her eyes.

“Too bad Quinn lost out to the Taylor girl,” Linda said.

“There will be other opportunities,” Helen said in a neutral tone. “The competition was fairly stiff.”

“That’s not the way I heard it,” Linda shot back.

‘Of course, Sandi would misrepresent it,’ Helen thought with a glance at the girl in question as she too, wandered off.


( Brittany arrived at the fair. )

Andrea entered Jane's room after some hesitation. She saw that there were many art supplies. “But is there a large tub of paint?” She started looking, being careful to put stuff back where she found it.


The area of the yard between the house and the gazebo was starting to get crowded, Daria noted as she noticed Angie lead Robert out of the house. She took a sip from the punch. 'At least it hasn't been spiked yet.' She then decided to go see if more people would come soon.


Charles knew it might be a bad idea but he approached the Fashion Club with his usual grin and a soda.


Quinn saw him coming. “Upchuck at 2 o'clock!”

“Wha-at?” Tiffany asked, oblivious, as Stacy started hyperventilating.

Sandi turned to the approaching menace.

“Hello beautious maidens.”

“Charles! You had best turn away before something happens,” Sandi said.

“Feisty!” Upchuck said, but didn't move.

Sandi glared at him as Quinn put herself in a fighting stance.

“Feisty!” he said before leaving.

“He shouldn't be bothering us!” Sandi declared.

“We can probably do something, that will humilate,” Quinn pondered.

Sandi had an idea. “Something...” she said with a smirk.


( Daria opened the door. )

Mega Mall Tribulations
Lawndale High October 26th, 10:24 AM
“In Economics, we call this flow,” Mrs. Diane Bennett said. “We have a scenario of supply and demand, where a new demand is created by a previous supply. Does everyone follow?” She paused, waiting for the class to answer. “Can anyone give me a concrete representation of this abstract theory?” She paused, again before calling on the new student, “Daria.”


‘Why is she calling on me?’ Daria wondered. She sighed and said. “Concrete? Then I’ll go with the mall, the repository of greed in today’s consumerist culture.”

“Very good, Daria. The mall is a very beautiful illustration of all these economic principles. In fact, it would make for an excellent field trip,” Mrs. Bennett said.

‘Field trip!’ Daria thought with slight panic.

“All right! Field trip!” Kevin said. He leaned over to Daria. “Where are we going, man?”
Daria looked down and didn’t answer the quarterback.

“Daria?” Kevin asked.

“We'll visit that brand new Mall of the Millennium. It's a perfect emblem of a modern day economic structure.”

Daria shook her head. She didn’t like that idea at all. She had enough trouble with a normal mall when she had to go to one.

“What’s wrong, Daria? It’s your idea, and it’s perfect,” Mrs. Bennet.

“I second Daria,” Jodie Landon said. “The mall can be dangerous influence on today's teens, and the crowds can be intimidating to those who are introverts.”

“We'll take a vote. All in favor of a class trip to the mall next Friday instead of our usual surprise quiz?”

Most of the class raised their hands.

“Those opposed,” Bennett asked.

Daria, Jodie and a girl wearing a paint splattered red sweater raised their hands.

“This is great! Kevin and I love going to the mall during school,” Brittany said.

Mrs. Bennett frowned.

“I mean, between classes. I mean... what do I mean, babe?” Brittany added.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Bennet,” Daria said. “I can’t go to the Mall. I get anxious around large groups of people.”

“But you’re with a large group of people right now.”

“And I’m anxious every morning when I see the crowd in front of the school.”


( Read More )

( 9th )

Total: 480

( 2nd )
Total: 483

Part 3
Crew Neck, October 4th, 7:32 PM
Daria walked towards Brittany’s mansion. She had already seen several of her fellow students as she had walked through the gated estate. She still wasn’t sure why it was that she had decided to come. It certainly wasn’t to keep an eye on Quinn. ‘They won’t notice one girl who is trying to blend into the background,’ she thought as she came to the Taylors’ property line.

No one was waiting at the door when she arrived. She could hear the music. It seemed Brittany was a fan of the Backstreet Boys. She walked in and looked around. She quickly found Quinn talking to three boys nearby.

“So, I said, just because people are cliquey and snotty is no reason not to like them.”

She didn’t hear what the boys murmured, as she walked further into the party. ‘They will quickly find that I’m a clique of one.’


She quickly found the snack table. “Wow, two kinds of chips,” she said to herself. “Flat or ridgy?”

She grabbed a couple of the flat ones and ate them. A boy with red hair and a lecherous grin approached. ‘Uh oh!’

“Chuck Ruttheimer here, and you are.”

“Nobody,” Daria shot back as she made herself scarce.


( Read More )

Mysteries of Lawndale – Night of the Coffee House Part 5
“You’re here just in time,” Helen said to her daughters as they entered the kitchen. “Dinner is ready.”

“You know these things can go into the evenings,” Daria said.

“But not often. You can’t solve every crime you come across, Daria.” Her older daughter may have been a successful detective in Highland, but she there were times when she did fail.

“Of course not!” Daria said with slight annoyance as she sat at the table. “But I was getting somewhere… I just need to think about it more.”

“How was your day, Quinn?” Helen asked.

“It was great. The Anime Club meeting was good, and I was able to join the relay team.”

“That’s great!” Jake said.

“That’s good, Quinn.”


After dinner, Quinn began to read Lawndale in the Post War Years 1945 – 1985.



Thursday, October 16th, 1997
Daria arrived at the Lane’s house at 7:45. Jane was yawning as she sipped at her coffee. “I don’t think you can do much in half an hour,” she said.

“No, but I will get copies of the sketches to Officer Peterson after school,” Daria responded.

“I doubt Ms. Li would approve of that use of any of the school’s photocopiers.”

“She doesn’t have to know.”

“Of course,” Jane said. She went to get the sketches.


( Daria then went to the phone. )