fardell24

4th

Excerpt from: Mysteries of Aurora
After spending some time at the café, Freya and Alexia went down into the gallery.

‘But where to start?’ Freya asked herself. She grabbed a pamphlet. “We’re on the top floor, which has artworks created in the modern era.”

“How is that defined?” Alexia asked.

“Since the beginning of the 19th Century.”

“That makes sense. The beginning of the industrial era.”

Freya looked at the pamphlet again. “Then the Early Modern Era is on the second floor. The Renaissance on the first floor and part of the ground floor, with the Medieval period, including the Nordic Era taking up the rest of that floor. Artworks from the Roman Era and earlier are in the basement.”

“Much simpler than the library.” Alexia commented. “But then the building dates from the Renaissance.”

“There’s probably some other building that got repurposed.”

They then entered one of the rooms and started looking.

Words: 148


Excerpt from: Spider Quinn
After talking to Brittany, Quinn went to the Lowdown office at the same time as Daria to find that Ted had found something.

“Confirmed, there is a death certificate,” Ted said as he turned from the computer.

“It has to be fake,” Quinn said.

“Not that I don’t believe you, but could he be…” Ted began.

“I don't think a ghost could finish off three pieces of cake and two cappuccinos,” Quinn said.

“I was just checking,” Ted said. “Given superheroes in Lawndale, one who swings from webs and another with telekinesis…”

“Still a leap from that to ghosts,” Daria said.

“True,” Ted said. He turned back to the computer. “But I found something else.”

Both Daria and Quinn looked his shoulders. “The doctor who signed the death certificate was also involved in various clinical trials with Oscorp around that time.”

“Oscorp,” Quinn considered. “It comes back to them.”

“So, they were here eight years ago,” Daria said. “What sort of trial was this?”

“I haven’t managed to find that information yet. What I have been able to find was heavily redacted.”

“Of course.”

“But I will keep looking,” Ted said.


As school let out, Daria found Sandi on the roof, looking out over the town.

Words: 206


5th

Excerpt from: Mysteries of Aurora
They then entered one of the rooms and started looking.


“This is very large,” Alexia said after they had looked at several paintings.

“It would probably take us years to properly appreciate all the artworks,” Freya said. “That’s how large the collection is.”

“And you say that some went missing?”

“Yes. A number of mysteries in Aurora’s history of Art.”

They spent over an hour going through the gallery before deciding they had enough for the time being (and Freya was finding herself overwhelmed).


Olivia entered the coffee house cafeteria across the Square from the Library.

Words: 96


Spider Quinn
As school let out, Daria found Sandi and Jane on the roof, looking out over the town. “You still looking for extracurricular activities?” she asked Sandi.

“Yes,” Sandi answered. “But it will take a while longer.”

“It’s best not to rush it,” Daria said.

“But, what did Ted find?” Jane asked.

Daria then explained what Ted had found.


At the same time, SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon arrived at the Historia after leaving the school earlier. “How are we going to do this?” Ninja Talon asked.

“We have to go inside, and find out if he’s there or not, and then we’ll rescue him,” SpiderGirl answered. If the father is there, I can web him up quite quickly.”

“But is it a good idea?”

“Leaving him there certainly isn’t.”

“Good point,” Ninja Talon responded. “Let’s do this!”

They then swung off towards the Morris’ house, in the northwest.


At the same tine Harry entered his father’s hospital room. A CD player was going, playing a recording of something by Chopin. The music triggered a memory of a conversation they had a few weeks earlier. He sighed, it wasn’t something he wanted to think about.


SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon arrived at the Morris’ place and looked at the house from one of the trees in the front yard. “The upstairs windows are probably unsecured,” SpiderGirl said. “There are many that aren’t next to trees.

Ninja Talon nodded and they then swung over to the roof. SpiderGirl then hung upside down from the eaves to check each window.

‘It’s amazing how she can do that,’ Ninja Talon thought as she watched.

SpiderGirl opened the third window she tried and looked into the room beyond and found that it was deserted. “This one,” she said quietly.


Ninja Talon led the way out of the bedroom they had entered through. The upstairs hallway didn’t look any less creepy.

Words: 313

Total: 763

The Enigma arrived at the Strawberry and started using the telescopes. Soon, she saw something. She recognised it straight away. ‘It’s the attacker, who destroyed the Lawndale Center on Friday night!’ The glider craft was moving slowly over the rooftops, looking for something. ‘Or someone, probably SpiderGirl as he seemed to be focused on her.’

She watched the glider move around for a while longer.


Ninja Talon also saw the glider in the distance, as she looked westwards from the Historia. ‘What can I do alone? I’d need SpiderGirl. But how to get to Glen Oaks Lane without drawing its attention?’ She decided to try anyway.’


The Enigma saw that it was closer to the downtown, rather than over a mainly residential area. ‘But that’s not really helpful, and I can’t get there quickly without a car.’ Was there one nearby? The parking lot had been empty, but that didn’t matter. She quickly ran down the stairs.


Once off the Historia, Ninja Talon quickly ran through the various alleyways that ran through the downtown area.


The Enigma broke into the first car she found parked on a street near the Strawberry, hotwired it and sped off.


SpiderGirl awoke. She found that it was a little early. ‘Does that matter?’ she wondered before getting out of bed.

Up on the roof, she heard something near the downtown. She also heard a racing car somewhere to the northwest. ‘Street racing starting again?’ she wondered, before refocusing downtown. Her eyes widened as she realised what it was; the craft from Groundhog Day! She swung off in that direction.


The Enigma pulled up in an older street, close to where she had seen the glider craft. She leapt out of the car, leaving the engine running. She saw it down the street. She reached out with her powers and tried to grab it….

( Read More )

“Ah!” Daria called out as she reached the ground a little quickly.

“Sorry,” the Enigma said. “I’m still getting used to this.”

“But you have powers don’t you?” Daria asked as she let go. “I noticed something just then; our trajectory changed a little as we came to the ground.”

“Yes. Telekinesis,” the Enigma answered. Her hands then glowed with purple. “And energy projections.”

“I see,” Daria responded. “And you haven’t mastered them yet.”

“No,” The Enigma admitted. “But my mentor is continuing to teach me, despite not wanting me to do this.”

“I’m sure they’re looking out for you.”

“Yes. But let’s go. I’m sure you don’t want to take too long, given it’s a school night.”

“I’ll manage,” Daria responded.

They quietly walked quickly along the street.


They reached the Lawndale Center twenty minutes later. “My mentor and I helped during the situation,” the Enigma said.

“And the news reports focused on SpiderGirl, Ninja Talon and the Shadow,” Daria added as she wrote in her notebook. ‘Enigma’s mentor helped.”

“I hid behind that tree,” the Enigma said, pointing at a tree. “And I shot energy projections at the attacker’s craft. It was difficult, as I didn’t want to hit SpiderGirl and the other two.”

Daria wrote that down. “What did your mentor do?”

“She said that she found an out of the way place and held up the roof, where it was threatening to collapse, with her powers.”

“So, she’s not a vigilante?”

“No,” the Enigma answered. “At least not in Lawndale, and not recently.”

‘That might explain the strange debris patterns. If the Enigma’s mentor was intervening with telekinetic powers.’

( Read More )

09 A Part of the Journey
Quinn Morgendorffer wasn’t sure why Ted Dewit-Cinton wanted her to accompany her on his interview of Norman Osborn.

“Like, wouldn’t Daria be a better idea? You know her better,” Quinn said.

“She’d be too cynical,” Ted answered.

“That’s a good point,” Quinn conceded.

“And I know you’re branching out your interests,” Ted said.

“Mentoring Anna, Ben and Gerald is not exactly ‘branching out,’ Quinn said.

“Broadening your horizons then.”

“That’s right.”

“So would this be,” Ted said.

“So, when?”

“This afternoon, after school.”

“That would be good.”


Quinn looked at the large house Osborn had moved into on the southern edge of Lawndale. “Are you sure?” she asked Ted again.

“I have arranged it with him,” Ted explained.


“So, Mr. Osborn. What do you have to say about the rumors regarding secret labs at Oscorp?” Ted asked.

“Please, call me Norman.”

“OK, Norman. Are you going to answer my question?” Ted asked.

There then an interruption as a servant came in. “Excuse me Mr. Osborn, your son is on the phone.”

“I need to get this. I'll take it in the conservatory.”


“Looks like you hit a nerve there,” Quinn said.

“Just getting to the truth,” Ted said.

( Unknown to Quinn and Ted... )

Then there was an interruption

“Quinn!” It was Ted Dewit-Clinton, who had just entered the store.

“Ted?” both sisters asked at once.

“Hey Daria. Quinn. Ms. Li wanted me to talk to you about your project.”

“It’s called a project now?” Daria asked.

“Yes! Quite interesting,” Ted said.

“For the Lowdown?” Quinn asked, referring to the school paper.

“Yes. And for the yearbook. But for the Lowdown at first,” Ted answered.

“Oh,” Daria said.

“About, the project,” Quinn said. “It hasn’t had a good a start as I would have liked.”

“What do you mean?” Ted asked as he sat down.

Quinn then repeated what she had told Daria about Gerald running off.


“I see,” Ted said when Quinn had finished.

“But I still have Anna and Ben.”

“That’s true,” Ted said.

“So, you want to do an interview?” Daria asked.

“Not right now,” Ted said. “Tomorrow.”

“That would be best. Would after school be good?” Quinn asked.

“That would be good.”

“In any case. I want to be going. I need to think about things,” Quinn said.

“Sure,” Ted said.

“Are you sure?” Daria asked.

“I’ll see you at home,” Quinn said.

“OK.”

( Quinn then got up and left. )

19th

Excerpt from: Spider Quinn
It was then that Ted entered the library. “I haven’t come at a bad time have I?” he asked.

“Not at all,” Quinn said.

“Wait,” Gerald said.

“What?” Quinn asked.

“This is for the Lowdown?” Gerald asked.

“Yes,” Ted answered.

“No!” Gerald said.

“Oh great!” Quinn groused.

Words: 47

12th

Excerpt from: Spider Quinn
“It hurt too, because I was about to say something about my grief,” Quinn said.

“How did that come up?” Daria asked.

“Ben is interested in forensic medicine and I brought up how I was looking at medical texts after his heart attack.”

“Oh.”

“So, he then dashed off!” Quinn said in a sad tone. “What can I do?”

“I’m not sure,” Daria admitted. “What was he interested in?”

“He had a book on the Solar System,” Quinn answered.

“So, either science in general or Astronomy in particular.”

“From what I got. I’m not sure.”

“Then I’m not sure how to help. If he doesn’t want help…” Daria said.

“Or maybe he thought I was unloading on them.”

“There is that too,” Daria said. “But I could suggest some kind of field trip, if Ms. Li would allow it.”

“Maybe she would. But where?”

“If Astronomy in particular, the planetarium.”

“Oh! Duh!” Quinn said.

“But if science in general. There are forests around Lawndale as well as the Zoo and arboretum.”

“All good ideas,” Quinn said as she took notes.


Then there was an interruption

“Quinn!” It was Ted Dewit-Clinton, who had just entered the store.

“Ted?” both sisters asked at once.

“Hey Daria. Quinn. Ms. Li wanted me to talk to you about your project.”

“It’s called a project now?” Daria asked.

“Yes! Quite interesting,” Ted said.

“For the Lowdown?” Quinn asked, referring to the school paper.

“Yes. And for the yearbook. But for the Lowdown at first.”

Total: 249

( 12th )

Total: 501

A New Kid’s Dance Party While a Tree Grows Part 2
Annoyed at the garbage spilled all over the driveway, Jake stopped re-entering the house on account of his wife still being on the phone with her sister.


“Honestly, Rita, I don't care if Mother's paying for your new family room.”

“Maybe she can get a new family to go with it.”

“What? ... That was Daria. She's, uh, practicing for a school play.”

“A salesman's got to dream, boy,” Daria continued.

Jake chose that moment to re-enter the kitchen. “Damn neighbor's dog got into the trash again! Now there's garbage all over the street! Next thing you know there'll be abandoned cars on the front lawns!”

“I'll run out and pick up some cement blocks before they're all sold out,” Daria said.

“Jake, calm down.” Helen turned her attention back to Rita. “Rita, I'll have to call you back. ... Yes, I will! ... Very, very soon.” She hung up.

“Helen, do you know what happens when property values collapse?”

“Is it anything like when good pets go bad?” Daria asked.

“What if we can't get a decent price when we sell this place? You think we're going to move in with your sister?”

“Or should I also pick up a copy of the Jonestown bartender's handbook?” Daria snarked.

Helen was annoyed at both of them. “Oh...!”

Jake popped open a soda, which sprayed all over him. “Yaaa-ah!”

“Jake, you're being ridiculous. Nothing is going to affect the value of this house short of an earthquake.”

“We're on a fault line, too?!”


While Jake was panicking about property values, Quinn was having a crisis of her own. Sandi was attempting to sabotage the Dance Committee meeting by making silly suggestions... “I think we should decorate the gym like the inside of the Concorde.”

“Um, it's a cute idea and everything, but I'm not sure there would be much room to dance, and...”

Sandi interrupted her. “Gee, Quinn, if you're not going to listen to ideas from your own dance committee, maybe you should just plan the dance alone.”

“Don't be silly...” Quinn began.

Sandi interrupted. “So now I'm silly?”

“I meant, it would be silly for me to plan the dance alone when I have such a talented committee. I know the four of us can come up with something really fun!”

“But I already did come up with something really fun.”

“But it's just... well, not practical.”

“Maybe I should just have my own party, since you obviously think I'm postal.”

“I don't think you're postal!” Quinn projected, annoyed at Sandi for derailing her efforts.

“Come on. I know a really nice insane asylum.”

“Sandi, I think what Quinn meant is..” Stacy began.

Sandi glared at her.

“Eep!”

Sandi got up. So did Stacy and Tiffany.

“But I need you guys!”

“Then next time, maybe you'll act like it,” Sandi said, sounding almost sincere.

Quinn knew that she was not. ‘Why is she trying to sabotage this anyway?’

“Sorry, Quinn,” Tiffany said as she and Stacy stepped out into the hallway.

Quinn sighed. She looked at her clock. There was another hour until her big date.


( Day 2 )

After homeroom, Sandi, Jean, Quinn, Stacy and Tiffany had history. Sandi and Jean met Quinn, Stacy and Tiffany.
 
“There you are, Sandi!” Quinn said as she approached the history classroom. “Who is this?” she asked, referring to Jean.
 
“This is Jean Jenner. She is on exchange from England and is staying with my family,” Sandi said.
 
“That is so cool!” Stacy said.
 
“Yeaaah. Very cooool,” Tiffany said.
 
“You didn’t say anything about this,” Quinn said.
 
“It was, like, a surprise!” Sandi said. ( She then noticed Mr. DeMartino approaching )