A children's cartoon? Oh well, to each their own.
Not a child's cartoon. Remember that it was spun off from
Beavis and Butt-head, which was definitely
not for children.
MTV also aired it
way past most kids' bedtimes...
Chapter 5: Part 3
In the library, Quinn was leafing through an old issue of
Waif when one of her ‘helpers’ came up to her.
“Have you found something?” she asked.
The boy shook his head. “No, Quinn, there is a tornado outside of town...” he began.
Quinn interrupted him. “A tornado! Not even Sandi would do that! I have to go,” she said, and dashed out of the library.
Sandi was walking up Main Street when she saw pictures of the tornado on the screens of televisions on sale in a window of one of the stores. What caught her attention were the words; Tornado near Lawndale: Live on the screen beneath the funnel.
“That’s not good!” she said. She knew that Elias wouldn’t make such a wish, so she began thinking of others who would as she started running down the street.
Hecuba Residence
Andrea’s usual afternoon show was interrupted by the news break. ‘Of course, someone would be stupid enough to wish for a natural disaster,’ she thought. She soon left the house and headed down town.
Top floor of the Lawndale offices of Vitale, Davis, Horowitz, Rhiordan, Schrechter and Schrechter
Jim Vitale looked at the tornado funnel as it reached the outskirts of the town. ‘Whoever you are, Asshat, you are going to regret this!’ he thought.
Taylor Mansion
Brittany rolled off the bed, into the pile of clothes, as she heard the radio.
“Babe? What’s wrong?” Kevin asked.
Brittany glared at her boyfriend as she started re-dressing from the top down. “Didn’t you hear the radio!” she squeaked.
“What about it, Babe?” Kevin asked, pondering, as he sat up.
“A tornado!” Brittany said as she continued dressing.
“A tornado?” Kevin asked.
“You, know,” Brittany said. She paused as she reached for her nightgown, which was rather easier than the cheerleader’s uniform to put on. “’A scary storm that kills’?” she continued.
“Oh! So what, Babe?” Kevin asked.
“So what?” she threw his underwear at him. “So what!” She threw some of his football uniform at him. “It is approaching downtown Lawndale!” she said, squeaking higher than usual.“That’s what!” she threw more of the football uniform at him.
“Oh! But that’s no reason to stop, Babe.”
“Ooohh!” Brittany grabbed her hair bands and stalked out of the room.
“Babe?”
The Settlement
Helen answered the phone.
“
Helen! Have you heard the news?” Jake asked.
“Yes, Jake, the tornado,” Helen said.
“
Do you know where the girls are?” Jake asked.
“No,” Helen admitted, not sure what else to say.
“
Gaaggghh! I have to look for them!”
“Remember what happened in the hurricane, Jake!”
“
I told you, Trent distracted me!”
“Not the way he told it,” Helen said.
They continued their discussion, thus Helen wasn’t able to stop Jake leaving work to look for Daria and Quinn.
The other parents continued worrying whilst Jodie, Mack, Joey, Jeffy and Tiffany were planning their next move.
The tornado continued moving towards the main part of the town, ripping the roofs off parts of several houses, but mostly knocking power cables down, causing a series of power outages.
Elias chased after Dennis back and forth along the main street.
Howard Drive
Daria drove Trent’s car towards Casa Lane. In the car with her were Scarlett in the passenger seat and Tananda, Stacy and Samara in the back seat. Jane and Tom were following in his car.
Samara had just finished telling the group her role in the events at lunch time.
“Interesting,” Daria said as she saw Casa Lane as the car went around a slight curve in the road.
“So, you think that Elias would’ve lost the emerald?” Tananda asked.
“Absolutely, I know he wouldn’t wish for a tornado,” Samara said.
Daria parked the Plymouth behind the Tank in the Lane’s driveway. ‘Maybe the band is here,’ she thought.
Tom parked his rust bucket behind the Plymouth.
The seven teens exited the cars and went inside. They could hear Mystik Spiral practicing in the basement.
‘Interesting music,’ Samara thought.
Meanwhile at one of the Residence Halls at Lawndale State University, Jeremy Stanton was listening to the radio and heard about the tornado.
‘There is something very familiar about this,’ he thought. He put aside his Biology notes and looked in his closet for his journal from when he was in 10th grade.
When he found it, he brought it over to the work desk and opened it.
He re-read about the Smithton genie incident that he had been involved in. “It may be possible that a genie has been found in Lawndale, and that events have started the same as back in '93!” !” he said to himself. 'I need to investigate what is happening' he thought. He closed the Biology texts he had been reading, and grabbed his room key, and then went to leave his room to go to the bus stop.
In Main Street, Dennis and Elias struggled for the emerald as the tornado bore down upon them, tearing signs off buildings.
The tornado was approaching the fighting duo.
“This is bad!” Elias grunted as the two of them were buffeted by increasingly stronger winds. Debris was swirling around them.
They struggled, Elias grabbed the emerald. “I wish that Dennis will be at home, that the tornado will completely disappear and that all the major damage would be repaired!”
The last word repeated around them as the emerald granted the wish.
The tornado disappeared, air moved such that the low pressure area in the middle of where the tornado had been was now normal pressure. The supercel vanished also, creating a break in the clouds through which the sun shone on part of the town.
Damage in Main Street and elsewhere in Lawndale was repaired, power cables were re-erected, restoring power in those areas affected by outages. The parts of roofs that were ripped off were restored.
Dennis vanished from Main Street at the same time as the tornado, leaving Elias holding the emerald in the middle of the debris strewn street.
He breathed a sigh of relief before wishing the debris off the road. He then went back into the bookshop, which he was still rather close to.
Casa Lane
Jane switched on the television in her rather crowded bedroom (as the TV in the living room still didn’t work). The local station was now showing Main Street with the Headline Lawndale Tornado Crisis Averted.
“So it’s gone now?” Tananda asked.
“It seems that way,” Daria said.
“It may be that whoever wished for the tornado got the emerald taken off them,” Scarlett said.
Everyone agreed with her.
“So, what happens now?” Tom asked.
“We could go back to the Pizza Place,” Daria said.
“I don’t think there would be much point to that,” Stacy said.
“Why not?” Samara asked.
“It would still be deserted, after the tornado,” Stacy said.
“That’s a good point,” Samara said.
“As much as I loathe to admit it, we may need to go to the Mall,” Daria said.
“Where else could we go?” Jane asked, with a sarcastic edge.
They hadn’t noticed that Mystik Spiral had stopped playing, and thus were surprised when Trent came into the room.
“Hey, Janie, how did things turn out... whoa, who are all these people?”
“Hi, Trent,” Daria said.
“Hi, Trent,” Tom said.
“I’m Stacy.”
“Stacy, He’s not your type,” Daria said.
“She’s Quinn’s friend,” Jane said.
Trent looked at Stacy “Oh, yes, Daria’s sister’s friend.”
Scarlett went up to Trent. “Is Jesse Moreno here? The way he plays in Mystik Spiral is cool!”
“He’s in the kitchen,” Trent said.
Tananda put her hand to her forehead “Scarlett, we don’t have time for your fan-girling!” she said.
Scarlett didn’t hear her. She squee-ed and left the room.
Trent turned back to his sister. “So, how did the genie thing go today?”
“A lot of stuff happened,” Jane said.
“You just missed a tornado,” Daria said.
“Someone wished for a tornado?” Trent asked, confused.
“But apparently someone else wished it gone,” Daria said.
“What else happened?” Trent asked.
The teens remaining in the artist’s room began to fill Trent in on the events at school.
Downstairs Scarlett saw Jesse with his other band mates, Max Tyler and Nick Campbell eating take away from Cluster Burger.
“Hi, Jesse, I’m your biggest fan!” Scarlett said as she approached the group.
“Cool.” Jesse said.
“But, he is not as criminale as I am,” Max said.
“You’re not criminale at all,” Nick said.
“I am so!” Max said.
“I remember what happened in Fremont, you were chicken when that Sheriff arrested us!” Nick said.
“When did this happen?” Scarlett asked.
“Late last year,” Nick said.
“I’ve only seen you at the Zon,” Scarlett said.
“What’s with the weird stuff happening in Lawndale this week anyway?” Max said, trying to change the topic.
Quinn arrived at Lawndale Second-hand Bookstore. Elias saw her enter. “Don’t worry, Quinn, the emerald is safe. I have it back,” he said.
“Not worry? There was a tornado!” Quinn said.
“Dennis is at his house now. I doubt that he would come back here,” Elias said.
“There are still many others in Lawndale who could do such stuff, and Sandi is still on the warpath.”
“I guess so. I will wish for a pair of walkie talkies so we can keep in touch if something happens, and even if it doesn’t.”
Quinn was then in thought.”I suppose so,” she said.
Elias wished for the walkie talkies and gave one of them to Quinn.
“I suppose this will do,” Quinn said, she wasn’t sure about going back to the library, with what had just happened.
“Are you ok?” Elias asked.
“If Sandi comes, tell me, Ok?” Quinn asked.
“Sure, Quinn,” Elias said.
“Cool,” Quinn said as she headed out of the bookstore and back towards the library.
Dennis appeared outside his house, scaring Robyn, his younger sister.
“Dennis! How did you appear like that!” she asked, with fear in her voice.
“There’s a genie in Lawndale,” Andrea Hecuba said from the footpath in front of the Monk’s property.
“Of course you would know,” Dennis said.
“Give me that emerald. Someone like you doesn’t deserve it!” Andrea said.
“A-Andrea! I don’t have it. Elias Howarth has it, he wished me here!”
“Really? Where is he then?”
“He’s in Main Street, at the Lawndale Second-hand Bookstore,” Dennis said.
“Right,” Andrea said as she dashed off.
Dennis then went to the footpath and waited until Andrea was in the distance before following her.
“Dennis! Wait!” Robyn called as she followed her brother in turn...
At 4:33, Sandi ran into Elias outside Lawndale Second Hand Books. “Elias. I, like, wound not have wished for a tornado! Give me the emerald back!”
“It was Dennis Monks!” Elias said. He ran into the store.
Sandi followed him, only to find that he had wished himself elsewhere. “Damn!”
Elias appeared in the Borders bookshop in Cranberry Commons, scaring the wits out of his friend Louisa Moore. “You have the emerald?” she finally asked.
“Yes,” he said.
“Why are you teleporting around in a suspicious manner?”
“Sandi was chasing me, and after that tornado, I wasn’t going to take any more risks.”
“Good point,” Louisa said.
“Yeah,” Elias said, prior to contacting Quinn about what had just happened.
The Settlement
They were still worrying about the tornado, when one of the waiters came over.
“What do you mean, the tornado’s gone?” Helen asked.
“That is what they said. The tornado just vanished,” the waiter said.
Helen thought. “Sounds like someone just wished it away,” she said.
“I concur,” Andrew said, after reading the message on his phone.
“Thank goodness,” Elizabeth said.
“But there would be damage,” Steve said.
“Possibly minimal,” Zara said.
Helen looked at the clock on the wall. “4:40! I’m sorry, I have to get back to work!” she said.
“If it hasn’t been affected by the tornado!” Elizabeth said. Her expression seemed to say ‘Where do you think you’re going?’
“Oh, believe me, the firm will be running regardless of natural disasters,” she said.
Elizabeth moved aside and Helen began to leave the restaurant. “I’ll call you later tonight,” Elizabeth said.
Helen nodded and ran outside, confident that most of the parents would act as discussed...
“Um, Joey? I think we also should be going, if we are to get to the Morgendorffers by 5:00,” Jeffy said after Helen had ran out.
“We are?” Tiffany asked, quietly.
“I think so,” Joey said.
“We are going to talk to Daria about what we have found,” Jeffy said.
“But we haven’t found aaany thi-ing,” Tiffany said.
“We are going to tell Daria about what the parents discussed,” Jeffy said
“Okaay.”
“Let’s go,” Joey said.
“Mommy, I will be at Quinn’s house.”
“That’s OK, Tiffany. I will be there about 7:30,” Frances said.
“Cool,” Tiffany said. She gave her Mom a hug and then followed Joey and Jeffy.
Cedars of Lawndale
Jennifer returned to Kristen’s room. “It took a while to get him, but he’s coming,” she said.
“Cool,” Kristen said.
“By the way, it appeared that someone wished the tornado away,” Cindy said.
“How do you know?” Jennifer asked with a raised eyebrow.
“The way they described it. A tornado doesn’t disappear like that,” Cindy said.
“They also said that the major damage was repaired,” Kristen said.
“That’s good,” Jennifer said as she sat down next to Cindy.
Casa Lane
Trent took in what the teens had told him about their day at Lawndale High. “Hmm, everyone in Lawndale is going to know that strange stuff happened by tomorrow night, if not sooner,” he said.
“That’s obvious. But I don’t know what we can do about it,” Daria said.
“Other than keep looking for the emerald,” Jane said.
“Obviously,” Daria said.
Stacy looked at her watch. “4:45, we have to meet Tiffany, Joey and Jeffy at your house, Daria,” she said.
“Not till five, we have a few more minutes,” Daria said.
“Daria, it’s going to take a more than a few minutes to get a group this large, which now includes Mystik Spiral, to move,” Jane said.
“Good point,” Daria said. “Right, let’s go now,” she said, getting up off the bed.
Downstairs, Scarlett was tired of the bickering between Max and Nick. She had also tried to talk to Jesse but he seemed to be focussed on his band mates. She was looking through the Lane’s cupboards trying to find some food when she heard soft whispering near her ear. “Roger!” she leaned further into the cupboard. She turned looked back. The band mates didn’t appear to have heard the mouse talk. “What is it?” she asked.
“The genie, do you think it is dangerous?” Roger the Mouse asked.
“No more dangerous than anything that we have already encountered,” Scarlett said.
“Oh great!” Roger said, clearly remembering what he and Scarlett had experienced over the past year and four months.
“Don’t panic! I’m sure that the situation will be under control soon,” Scarlett said.
“Oh, sure!” Roger said.
“Hey, what are you doing there?” Jesse asked in the background.
“Nothing,” Scarlett said, whilst Roger ducked back into one of her pockets. She stood back up.
Sandi ran into the library. She started looking for Quinn.
“
Quinn to Elias, over.”
“What’s that about?” Louisa asked.
“Quinn is helping me in this situation,” Elias said. He picked up the walkie-talkie “Report, Quinn, over.”
“
Sandi is here, in the library, over,”
Elias thought for a moment. “Whatever happens, don’t tell her that I’m in Cranberry Commons, over.”
“
I won’t tell her, over,” Quinn said.
“That would be great, Quinn. Thanks,” Elias said. He put the walkie talkie away. ‘I hope that she won’t,’ he thought.
“So, you want Sandi to be running all over Lawndale all afternoon?” Louisa asked.
“Maybe,” Elias said.
‘That seems like a good plan,’ Louisa thought as she took a sip from her drink.
“Yeah,” Elias said with a smile.
Sandi had overheard Quinn talking on the walkie talkie. She came up to her.
“Gee, Quinn...”
Quinn dropped the copy of
Waif in surprise.
“...you are, like, in contact with that emerald snatcher, Elias, aren’t you?”
“No comment, Sandi.”
Sandi glared at Quinn.
Quinn easily caved under the pressure. “Fine! I am, so what?”
“Where is he?” Sandi asked, getting to the point.
“He’s in High Hill’s Park,” Quinn said with a nervous giggle.
“Right.” Sandi said in disbelief, “Give me that walkie-talkie!” She stepped forwards lunged for said item.
Quinn backed up. “Sandi! We can’t fight in the library!” She quickly handed the radio device over.
“Sandi, to Elias, where is your location?”
“
I am at the Lawndale Fruit Market,” Elias said.
Sandi gave the walkie talkie a dubious look, but decided to head in that direction anyway. “Fine!” she said. She turned to Quinn. “I will not, like, forget your part in this!”
“I know you won’t,” Quinn said, with another nervous giggle. She watched as Sandi stalked away.
‘I know the Fashion Club won’t survive this intact,’ she thought. She picked the copy of
Waifback up and waited for any of her helpers to come back with genie information.
