Daria
hung up from Jane, who had said that she would be at the Historia an hour
before the play started. ‘That’s a good time,’ she thought. Plenty of time to
continue gathering information on what had happened in Lawndale since
SpiderGirl first appeared. ‘Another two hours before Ted gets here with the
next senior,’ she thought as she headed back to her table to clean up.
“That
was quick,” Peterson said.
“We’ll
catch up properly later. I’m continuing my investigations, and the fourth
vigilante will be here, but I will talking to many people, so you can’t find
her identity that way.”
“I
can’t stick around anyway. I need to write my report on what happened, even if
I didn’t see much.”
“Got
it.”
Brittany
came downstairs after showering and writing in her journal about the rescue.
“Afternoon,
honey,” Ashley-Amber said. “You were out in that storm?”
“I
was running, when it came up.”
“I
see. Anyway, your father said that he might be able to make it to the play
tonight!”
“That’s
great!” Brittany said enthusiastically.
“Even
if not, Brian and I will be there.”
“I
hope he behaves himself.”
“I
will make sure he doesn’t cause a scene,” Ashley-Amber said as she put some
bread on a board.
“I
know you will.”
Quinn
went down to the hidden area of the basement, and looked at the various maps of
Lawndale she had placed on the walls. “I guess I need maps of the area near the
Lake too,” she mused. “In case Brit and I need to rescue people from there
again.” She wrote that down in a notebook.
After
showering, Sandi told her mother she would be at the Historia.
“Wait,
Sandi,” her mother said.
“Yes?”
“Sam
has been wanting to check out the bookstore there. Take him too.”
Sandi
sighed. “Yes, mother.”
“So,
you still sneaking out?” Sam asked, after Sandi had turned out on the engine.
“What
do you know?” Sandi asked.
“Not
much, just that you’re sneaking out. Mother is as she usually is.”
“Good.”
“But
she also says something about SpiderGirl and Daria sometimes,” Sam said as his
sister pulled out of the driveway.
“SpiderGirl.
She’s all hype. It’s Ninja Talon and now Dafoanairi who are doing the work.”
“You
think so? But SpiderGirl’s cool!”
“Sure,
she appears cool,” Sandi argued. “But it seems she plays up her status as
Lawndale’s first superhero. The others are more in the background.”
“Like,
the fourth vigilante. Her name is still unknown, what’s that about?”
‘About
keeping a low profile, while waiting for SpiderGirl to slip up.’
Daria
saw Sandi enter the café. She got up.
“How
did it go with Beck?” she asked quietly.
“Touch
and go,” Sandi answered. “But better than when I fought the Goblin.”
“I
heard he got away.”
“That
wasn’t my fault. I brought the ceiling of the cabin down on him then left.”
“I
see,” Daria said.
“Anyway,
we can talk on the roof, while my brother looks in the bookshop.”
“What
about your lunch?”
“I
can wait,” Sandi answered.
Up
on the roof, Sandi looked southwards, towards the Lake. The rescue operation
was a success, but her mother had a point about age and experience. That was
annoying. “But I will learn from this,” she said.
“And
what exactly have you learnt?” Daria asked.
Sandi
sighed. “That if you think a villain is down, you should make sure they’re
down.”
“I
doubt that is all.”
“I
know it isn’t. But what have you learned?”
Daria
looked to be in thought. “I learned that SpiderGirl might be someone I know. I
know she’s not you, and I know she’s not Jane. But that still leaves a lot of
people.”
“Like
that wouldn’t be too many, right?”
“I
know more people than you think. Everyone in all my classes. Most of the people
Quinn hangs out with, including Anna. All the people involved in the play. Most
of the people Jane hangs out with. That doesn’t include everybody.”
“Got
it,” Sandi said, as she turned around. “A lot of people. I’ll continue as I
have been.”
“Huh?”
“I
have used my powers to try to search for her, by going through the yearbook,
since just before I became the Enigma, except for when I searched for
Beresfield, Sam and Jane.”
“Isn’t
that risky?” Daria asked. “I saw what happened to you when you overextended
yourself on Thursday night.”
Sandi
shrugged. “It hadn’t happened before. But I now say the risk is worth it.”
“I
still don’t know why you need to confront her.”
“I
told you about that time just after the Fashion Club ended.”
“I
have a feeling there’s more to it,” Daria said.
“True.
It’s something I need to figure out,” Sandi said as she turned back to the
southern view. “Along with everything else.”
“Everyone
has things to figure out. That’s part of being human.”
“That
reminds me of something the Shadow said.”
“Which
was?” Daria asked.
“I
was telling her why I called myself the Enigma. That it reflects the fact that
I’m figuring things out. Then she said that SpiderGirl was the one who first
called her the Shadow.”
“Interesting.
When was this?”
“When
I first met her, the night before Groundhog Day.”
They
then were silent as they contemplated the view of their home.
It
wasn’t long before Sam came up looking for Sandi. “Stacy said that you would be
up here,” he said.
“You
want to go home?” Sandi said. “I was talking to Daria. I haven’t had lunch
yet.”
“Oh,”
Sam said. “I could look around the bookshop again?”
“Good
idea.” Sam then went back down.
“I
was going to stay up here a while,” Sandi said. “But I’m sure I’ll need to take
Sam home soon.”
Daria
nodded. “You’ll see the play tonight?” she asked.
“Yes,”
Sandi answered. “By myself. With Mother and Sam next week. I’ll see you later.”
Daria
watched Sandi go down and then turned back to looking at the town herself. She
took out a notebook. “Lawndale, Lawndale, SpiderGirl’s appeared, Now things are
changing…”
It
was 6:00 when Jane arrived at the Historia and saw Daria waiting for her in the
café. “Daria!”
“Jane!
I’m glad to see you here.”
“You
thought I wouldn’t come?”
“I
had some doubts,” Daria said. “But I know you are resilient.”
“I
did have a few words with the FBI shrink, and she said that I might get
flashbacks at some point,” Jane said with a shrug. “But I figure if they
happen, I could immerse myself in my art even more.”
“That’s
one way of dealing with it.”
“The
way I have dealt with my parents being rarely home.”
‘She
has said that she and Trent have raised each other before,’ Daria thought.
“Anyway,
let’s order dinner. I’m sure tonight’s going to be busy.”
“Definitely.”
The
Taylors arrived at the Historia not long afterwards. Brian was being
uncooperative as usual. “I don’t see what’s so important,” he said.
Steve
was annoyed. “You’re here because it’s important to your sister.”
Brian
grumbled. “I wasn’t asked about it!”
“You
didn’t need to be,” Brittany said. “Just keep quiet and watch.”
Brittany
was still annoyed at Brian as she went up to order for her family. ‘Kevie’s not
here yet!’ she groused to herself.
She
had ordered when she felt someone tap her on the shoulder. She turned around.
“Sarah Robyn?” she asked in surprise.
The
girl gave her a slip of paper. Hi Brittany. When I learned that you were in
the play, I knew I had to see it.
‘Still
can’t speak,’ Brittany thought. “Thanks for that,” she said.
Sarah
Robyn wrote something else. Is it true that there were kidnappings in
Lawndale this week.
“Yes,”
Brittany answered as she looked towards where Jane was eating with Daria. “But
SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon rescued them.
That’s
good! I have been following their adventures as much as possible, especially
after Groundhog Day.
“Yes,
that was shocking.”
And
the brownouts.
“Those
too.”
Quinn
saw Brittany talking to Sarah Robin. ‘Of course, I only interacted with her as
SpiderGirl. I suppose I could try meeting her that way after the play, but I
don’t think that would work.’ Her thoughts were then interrupted by someone
tapping her shoulder. She turned around. “Wolfgang? What do you want?”
“Here,”
Wolfgang said, as he handed some flowers to her.
“Um,
Wolfgang? I’m not interested,” Quinn said as she handed the flowers back to
him.
“You’re
not?”
“No,
I’m not.”
“Oh,”
Wolfgang said in a crestfallen tone.
“But.
I’m sure there’s someone here who might want to watch the play with you.”
“I’ll
look for someone then.”
Quinn
watched as Wolfgang left. ‘I hope he finds someone who will appreciate his
attempts.’
At
the same time, Kevin was getting ready to leave, when his mother blocked the
door. “Mom?” he asked.
“You’re
not going to that play,” his mother said.
“But
I bought a ticket, and I promised Brit I would be there.”
“But
haven’t you been saying that girl has hardly been around lately?”
“Yes,
but I promised her I’d be there,” Kevin said.
“What
is this play about anyway?”
“Daria
said that it’s about change. Like how she and others have been changing.”
“Change,”
his mother considered. “Well, you know that I don’t like that girl.”
“You
want Brit to change? She’s already changing. Daria’s tutoring her, and she’s
more into martial arts now.”
“That’s
good, but I want another change.”
“But
there are other girls,” Kevin said.
Charlene
considered that. She looked around to be certain that her husband wasn’t in
earshot. “You may be confident as the school’s quarterback, but you know that I
don’t want that to be your future. Nor do I want you to be stuck in this town,
where a colorful superpowered vigilante is giving it hope in a time of
increased crime.
“But
I want to see the play.”
“Just
not tonight, especially given the events around the play. Wait until next
week.”
“Fine!”
Kevin said, when he saw that his mother was serious and was certain to make him
do some chores he wouldn’t like if he did find a way to sneak out. “I won’t
go.”
“Good!
Now, can you help me with dinner?”
“Yes,”
Kevin answered. ‘I hope Brit forgives me.’
Brittany
looked at the time. Kevin wasn’t coming. She was annoyed.
“Brit?”
Brittany
turned and saw that it was Quinn.
“It
seems Kevin’s not coming.”
“It
could be that he forgot,” Quinn said.
“That
is very likely!”
“But?”
“But
also, I have been thinking that he isn’t the one for me,” Brittany said.
“All
I can say is, do you what you think is right.”
“Thanks,
Quinn. But for now, I have a play to act in!”
“Go
break a leg!” Quinn said with a giggle.
“Thanks,
Quinn.”
Soon,
Jane sat near the Taylors and saw that Ashley-Amber had her hands full with
Brian’s squirming. ‘It seems Steve doesn’t want to have deal with his son’s
behaviour.’ She then focused on the stage.
It
wasn’t long before the curtain went up and the second performance of the play
started.
At
the Giant Strawberry, Mysterio was looking at the Historia through one of the
telescopes. “I will be back!” he said.
