Chapter 3: School Changes
A minute after Sandi had wished herself to the end of recess; Jennifer Burns (a junior) found it and picked it up. "What is this?" She asked, in her soft and relaxed voice. She absentmindedly rubbed it. Jean then appeared. "Eep!"

"Your wishes are my commands," Jean said.

"So, you're the genie that they are saying that Sandi found?" Jennifer asked.

"I am," Jean said.


Jean and Jennifer approached the library and met with one of Jennifer's sophomore friends, Kristen Leung-Bell.

"Is that Jean?" Kristen asked. 'How did she get away from Sandi? She has to be around here somewhere,' she thought.

"Yes. I found the emerald," Jennifer said.

"Is it the genuine article?" Kristen asked, sceptically

"Yes. Jean appeared when I rubbed it," Jennifer said.

"That may be just a coincidence," Kristen said.

"Ok, I wish that the school buildings would shake for 12 seconds," Jennifer said, hoping that not too much damage would be caused by such shaking...


Elias was sitting against the Science Block, eating his packed recess when the building started vibrating. 'This is definitely unusual,' he thought. He decided to look for Jean. 'What are you up to now, Sandi?" he mused. He hoped that Sandi wasn't going to experiment with trying to change the fabric of reality...


Chipmunk and Anna were in the Science Block. "Why are we going up there a second time?" Chip asked as they started going up the stairs to the second floor.

"We haven't explored all of it," Anna said.

The buildings started shaking. Chip slipped and fell down a few steps, landing on her buttocks.

"Ouch!" she exclaimed. "Just what Lawndale needs; an earthquake!"

"Are you OK?" Anna asked. 'She looks ok, but one cannot be too careful, she thought.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Good thing I didn't break a leg. I would have been out of action for at least two months," Chip said.

"Good," Anna said. 'She is so focused on her track career, isn't she?" she thought. "Let's go," she continued, when the buildings stopped shaking.

"No, we need to go back down and see if people need help after the earthquake," Chip said.

"Good point," Anna said.


"See, Kristen, the buildings were vibrating," Jennifer said, a few moments after the buildings had stopped vibrating.

"OK, that is the emerald. But where is Sandi?" Kristen asked. "She had it in Business Studies."

"I don't know. It was just on the ground," Jennifer said. 'I'm sure she just lost it,' she thought.

"Sandi thought that if she wished herself to the end of recess that the emerald would also time-warp forwards," Jean said.

"So she is time warping forwards?" Jennifer asked.

Jane, having seen Jean with them, walked up. "So, here is the genie, but where's Sandi?" she asked.

"Time-warping through recess, apparently," Kristen said.

"Interesting," Jane said.

"Can I make a wish?" Kristen asked, wondering how powerful the genie/emerald combination was.

"Sure," Jennifer said, handing her the emerald.

'What is she doing?' Jane wondered.

"I wish for zero gravity to be in the school's buildings for the next minute and a half," Kristen said.

"No!" Jane said. Whilst Daria had told her about Ms Li being knocked out she didn't want to take any chances.

Jean granted the wish.


"No gravity! This is bad!" Elias said as he floated off the floor of the corridor in the Arts/Music/Home Economics Block in mid-stride. He started breast-stroking through the air, towards the corridor into the HSIE block. 'Much more difficult doing this in air rather than water,' he thought. He started launching himself off the walls to give himself more speed. 'I hope this is quick enough!'


The slumbering Ms Li slowly rose above the floor as her breathing gave her a push away from the now non-gravitationally attractive floor.


Kevin Thompson and his girlfriend Brittany Taylor were 'making out' in the library when the gravity vanished. Brittany noticed the lack of gravity and broke away from Kevin.

"Kevvy, something's wrong!" she said.

"What's wrong, Babe?" Kevin asked, practically clueless (a tautology when it comes to Kevin).

"There's, like, no gravity or something, we're floating!" Brittany said, with a squeak.

"Oh! Kevin said, finally noticing.

"I bet it has something to do with that Genie from yesterday," Brittany said, twirling the end of one of her pig-tails around her finger.

"What from yesterday, Babe?" Kevin asked.

"The genie. You did hear the rumours, didn't you, Kevvy?" Brittany asked. 'I am sure that he heard about it. Even if he didn't understand right away,' she thought.

"Um, sure," the unsure Kevin said.

The librarian approached the couple, who were slowly spinning after having moved around via grabbing the bookshelves. "You need to leave the library,"

"But, how?" Brittany asked.

"Climb along the shelves and then launch yourselves out the door," the librarian said.

"Are you sure?" Kevin asked.

"Yes," Michaela said.

"Sure," Brittany said. She immediately began moving. She was quite agile in the zero-g environment and was soon on her way.

Kevin, however, was a completely different story. He flailed about, sending books floating all over the place. The librarian had to grab him and drag him out from between the shelves.

"Sandi and Jean have gone far enough," she muttered.

Brittany reached the door and turned around. She waited for Kevin and the librarian to clear the area of the shelves.


Ted floated out a door and fell down. "Ow!" he said. He got up and then ran back through the door, from a standing start. "Aaaggggggggh,"


"Quinn? How do you think this could hap-pen?" Tiffany asked.

"I'm not sure, Daria or Elias may know," Quinn said.

"Ted! Wa-atch out," Tiffany cried out. Ted collided with Tiffany.

"Ow!" Tiffany said. Ted quickly removed himself from contact with Tiffany.

Elias entered the area where they were.

"Do you know how the genie could be causing this weightlessness?" Quinn asked.

"Haven't a clue," Elias said. 'The anti-gravity field would be rather complicated, and I wouldn't be able to explain how it would work if I tried,' he thought.


"The minute and the half has passed. The gravity should be back on inside the buildings," Jane said.

"Don't do it again!" Jennifer stated.

"Don't worry. I won't," Kristen said.


Chip and Anna fell onto the floor near the exit from the Science Block into the quad.

"Right. I need to find Sandi!" Chip said, annoyed.

"Is that such a good idea?" Anna asked.

Chip thought for a moment. "Maybe not, but it is a better idea than investigating science labs with Frankenstein qualities whilst other things are going on."

"Good point," Anna conceded.


Quinn, her friends and Ted had recovered from the gravitational restoration.

Stacy looked at her watch "There are 15 minutes to the end of recess."

"Let's scour the school for Sandi," Elias said.

"It may not be Sandi," Quinn said.

"All the more reason to look," Elias said.

"Let's go," Quinn said.

Elias, Quinn, Stacy, Ted, Tiffany left the area to look for Sandi and Jean.


Inside, the library was a mess. Brittany couldn't see Kevin or the librarian anywhere. "Kevvy?" she called.

Kevin then threw the table that he and the librarian had been under aside, sending books flying. "Here I am, Babe," he said. Brittany ran to him.


Daria walked up to Jane, Jean, Jennifer and Kristen. "So, where's Sandi?" she asked.

"Sandi is time-warping past recess. Apparently she didn't take into account the fact that the emerald wouldn't be following her," Jane said.

"Who was responsible for the zero gravity?" she asked.

Jane and Jennifer looked at Kristen.

"Bad idea, much of the school is now a mess," Daria said.

"Right," Kristen said, under the pressure of Daria's glare. "I wish that the mess created by the zero gravity situation would be resolved."

Jean smiled and granted the wish.


"How am I going to get this cleaned up by next week?" Michaela Daniels said, ignoring Kevin and Brittany's making out in the middle of mess. Then Kristen's second wish was granted. The mess started cleaning itself up. Kevin was oblivious to it, but Brittany did notice and broke off from him. "Wow!" she said.

"That's convenient," Michaela said when the process was complete.


"Ok, that was a bad idea," Kristen said, handing the emerald to Daria.

"Yeah," Daria said.

"Yeah, what would you wish for, Amiga?" Jane asked, with a smirk.

"A herd of beautiful wild ponies running free across the plains?" Daria stated. She was then surprised by the wish granting sound. "What?"

"Looks like you have made a wish!" Jane said.

"It was a cynical joke!" Daria said, to Jean.

"Remember, mischievous genie?" Jean said. Then a rumbling sound could be heard.

"Uh, oh," Daria said.


Ted, Stacy, Quinn, Tiffany and Elias exited the Music/Art/Home Economics Block into the fields behind the school as the mess caused by the zero gravity situation cleaned itself up.

"Wee are loooking heere?" Tiffany asked.

"It seems a good place to start," Quinn said.

"Hi Quinn." It was Torii. She was hiding behind the M/A/HE Block after having come down from the roof when recess began.

"What are you doing here?" Quinn asked.

"Hiding from Ms Li. I don't want her to find out about that emerald thing," Torii said.

"True," Quinn said.

"We think that Sandi has somehow lost it, and that someone else found it and wished for zero gravity in the school buildings," Stacy said.

"So you were in there when that happened?" Torii asked.

"Yes," Quinn said.

"We are aalsoo loooking for Jeean."

"I guess so," Torii said.

"I'm coming too," Brooke Peters said, from where she was nearby.

"Cool. The more people, the better," Quinn said. But then they heard a rumbling sound. And a horse procured by Daria's wish appeared. They all squealed and hugged each other tightly...

"This is not good!" Ted said.


"Uh, oh!" Daria said.

"What?" Jennifer asked.

"A large heard of wild ponies is approaching the school!" Daria said.

"A stampede?" Jane asked.

"That is highly probable," Daria said.

"Then wish the herd away!" Kristen said.

"I will," Daria said. She held up the emerald and wished. "I wish that the herd of wild ponies were somewhere far away from Lawndale!"

Jean looked at Daria quizzically and said. "You are thinking of a specific place, aren't you?"

The look on Daria's face (and her surface thoughts) answered Jean's question. "Granting wish!" she said with relish.


The herd disappeared from the back of Lawndale High School



Highland, Texas
The herd appeared behind Highland High School. Two moronic teen boys were sitting on a log near a fire-ant nest staring at said nest. They did not take notice of the rumbling at first.

"I miss Diarrhoea," one of them said.

The other one started to say something, but they then noticed the ponies bearing down upon them. They got up and ran away, screaming...



Lawndale
"The herd is now in Texas," Jean said.

"Good," Daria said with a smirk.

"You wished the herd to your old town, didn't you?" Jane asked.

"Am I that predictable?"


The herd disappeared. The group let go of each other. "Let's go before anything else serious happens," Quinn said.

"Definitely!" Stacy said.


"That wasn't good," Anna said, noting the disappearance of the herd.

"We must be prepared, especially if is a group of fellow seniors," Chip said.

"Definitely," Anna said, a bit absent-mindedly.

Chip was slightly concerned about Anna's absent-mindedness but her concern about the emerald overrode that. They exited the Science Block.


"Scarlett, Elias Howarth is approaching," Tananda Watts said.

"Don't worry, Tan," Scarlett Hawkins-Le Faye said. Tananda had warned Scarlett because she knew Elias had had a crush on her the previous year. It wasn't clear whether that was still the case...

"Have you seen an emerald, Sandi Griffin or Jean Jenner around here?" Torii asked.

"I guess that explains those ponies appearing and disappearing," Scarlett said, fingering her ankh in an attempt to not look at Elias.

Scarlett had known that that something was up since Wednesday afternoon. It was an intuitive sense. She knew that a series of events was going to change Lawndale permanently in the latter part of February.

"So, are you coming with?" Quinn asked.

"Sure," Scarlett said.

"I will come too," Tananda said.

They followed the other five into the quad between the M/A/HE and Science Blocks.


"Look! Jean is with Kristen, Jennifer, Jane and Daria," Scarlett said, when she sighted them near the library (which was still festooned in the streamers that Torii had wished for earlier).

"Then I am sure that is where the emerald is," Elias said.

"I am sure that it is," Scarlett said.

"I hope you are right," Quinn said.

"But where would Sandi be?" Stacy asked.

"No idea," Scarlett said.


Elias, Scarlett and Quinn jogged up the group near the library, with Stacy, Tananda, Ted and Tiffany trailing behind.

"Jennifer, did you wish for the zero gravity?" Elias asked.

"Actually it was I," Kristen said.

"Not a good idea, Kristen," Elias said.

"I'm aware of that now, Elias," Kristen said apologetically.

"Who wished for that stampede?" Quinn asked.

"That was Jean being mischievous," Daria said.

"OK," Quinn said.

"I wished the herd to a very deserving place in Texas though," Daria said.

Quinn got it. "You just had to torment those two one more time didn't you?"

"So, where is Sandi?" Stacy asked.

"Time-warping past recess," Daria said.

"Apparently the emerald wouldn't go with," Jane said.

"Okaay," Tiffany said.

They talked for a while, wondering about what would happen when Sandi reappeared. Jodie, Mack, Jeffy, Jamie and Joey joined them.


Two minutes before the end of recess, Tiffany had the emerald. "I wiish for a lot of raain," she said, wondering what would happen. The wish-ripples went up into the sky and cumulonimbus clouds immediately began concentrating over Lawndale. There was a clap of thunder.

"Tiffany!" Daria and Quinn exclaimed in unison. It began pouring. There was a flash of lightning close to the school.

"That was definitely not a good idea!" Jane and Jennifer said. They both made actions to grab Tiffany. She slipped away, as the rain increased in intensity. There was another clap of thunder and lightning hit the football stands next to the school.

Most of the group immediately dashed into the library (off which the rain was stripping the streamers). Stacy and Kristen dashed after Tiffany towards the M/A/HE Block.


As she neared the Music/Arts/Home Economics block, Tiffany slipped over. The emerald fell out of her hand and rolled into a nearby puddle. "Oh no-oo!" she exclaimed. Stacy and Kristen came up. "The emeraaald, I've lost it!" she said.

"Oh no! Lawndale may flood!" Stacy said. Indeed, much of the quad was awash.

"Help me look!" Kristen said, as she stooped down. "Yuck!"


Daria, Quinn and Jodie walked through the footbridge from the Library. "It doesn't look good," Jodie said.

"Indeed, let's try to find Tiffany before she loses the emerald," Daria said.

"I am not sure what came over her. It's like the emerald may induce people to use it or something," Quinn said.

Daria and Jodie stopped. "That sounds familiar," Jodie said.

'Oh no! I hope that it is not like the One Ring,' Daria thought. "Unfortunately it is," Daria said.

"You mean that there is a book about that kind of thing?" Quinn asked.

"Don't worry. It's fiction," Daria said.

"The Lord of the Rings," Jodie said. Jean entered the footbridge.

"Don't worry, the emerald is nowhere as compulsive as the One Ring," she said.

"That's good," Jodie said.

"Is there a movie about this book?" Quinn asked as they started moving again.

"There are a few rumours, but there isn't one yet," Jodie said.

"Ok," Quinn said.


Kristen found the emerald at the bottom of a puddle. "Here it is," she said. She held it up for Stacy and Tiffany to see.

"Ok, wish that the rain would stop," Stacy said. However something else happened instead, The bell rang and Sandi emerged from the time-warp less than two metres away.


Sandi emerged from the time-warp. She immediately noticed that the emerald did not come with her. She also noticed the rain and that Kristen had the emerald.

"Kristen Leung-Bell, like, give me that emerald!" Sandi exclaimed.

"Eep!" Stacy said, she ran off towards the Music/Arts/Home Economics Block.

"Here it is!" Kristen said. She threw the emerald to Sandi and ran off, following Stacy.

"I wish that Tiffany and I were in class," Sandi wished.


Quinn, Joey, Jeffy and Jamie met in the history class. Mr. DeMartino was looking out at the flooding quad. "Why is it that students should find something so powerful!" he said.

"No idea, Mr. DeMartino," Jamie said.

"I wasn't talking to you, Mr. White!"

Sandi and Tiffany appeared, bringing with them some rain, and a patch of ground, including mud, grass and some puddles.

"I wish that the rain currently falling in Lawndale will stop," Sandi said.

"Wheeere is Jean?" Tiffany asked.

"She is talking to Daria and Jodie," Quinn said.

"But now the classroom is a mess!" Mr. DeMartino said.

"Really, Jean's mischievousness is going too far," Sandi said. She was wondering about what happened earlier, when the emerald didn't come through the time-warp with her.

"Wish it clean, Ms. Griffin!" Anthony said.

"Of course," Sandi said. She then wished the classroom clean and her and Tiffany dry.


Stacy ran through the corridor towards the classroom. She and Kristen were late to History.


"So, it is only going to get worse?" Daria asked Jean.

"Much worse," Jean said. Daria crossed her arms and stared at her. "I can't predict what will happen," she continued.

"Actually, you have been talking as if you do know what is going to happen," Daria said.

"Like you have some foresight or something," Jane said.

"Golly, you're good, Daria," Jean said.

"And?" Daria prompted.

"And I got the information from time travellers back in the sixties during an 'incident' over in Oakwood. All that I'll say about this afternoon is that I won't be leaving the school with Sandi," Jean said.

"Who are you leaving with?" Jodie said.

"I am not saying anything further," Jean said. She then vanished, going to the History classroom.

"Daria, she didn't say that the emerald won't leave with Sandi, just that she won't be leaving with Sandi," Jane said.

Daria smirked "There's wiggle room,' she said. She led the way to class.


Stacy and Kristen entered the History classroom. "Ms. Leung-Bell. Ms. Rowe, you're late!"

"Sorry! There was a lot of rain!" Stacy said.

"Apology accepted," Mr. DeMartino said.


An hour after recess, Ms Li came to. "What just happened?" she asked herself. She looked around at the office. It was a mess, both from the shorting out of all the equipment and the brief zero gravity. She glanced at the clock. It was stopped at 9:35. She looked at her watch. The digital component was blank, but the analogue component was also stuck at 9:35.

"Great! This will be very expensive to fix!" she said. 'Unless, of course, those rumours have a basis in fact!' she thought. She examined the equipment again. It was quite dead. 'I will have to use the phone in the faculty lounge,' she thought. She left the office.


Ms Li entered the Faculty Lounge. It was empty, except for the barely noticeable Head Maths teacher, Jasper Ewing. She went over to the phone. She called the technicians whom usually worked on the school's technical issues.


After talking to the technicians the Principal went to the computer in the faculty lounge. She then logged out and then logged in using her administrator's password. She soon found that the school's backup server, in the basement beneath the library, was still up. She didn't know that it too was affected by Jean's tampering the previous morning. She soon found that all of the information from that morning, (including recordings of the aborted questioning of Andrea and Torii) were there.

"Good," she said.


Around the same time, a delegation of the Glen Oaks Mice approached the oak tree in the Morgendorffer's backyard.

Captain Jaywi was surprised when one of the mice spoke. "Excuse me, Varmittan Squirrel Captain, we need to talk about the genie," the mouse said.

The squirrel jumped! "Don't just come up like that! It's just as well I have been briefed on your existence, otherwise I would have been frightened," Captain Jaywi said.

"Of course," the lead mouse said.

"What is it that you wanted to discuss?" Captain Jaywi asked.

"About the genie. It is highly likely that this situation will get out of control," the lead mouse said.

"The records that the Emperor has access to seem to indicate that," Captain Jaywi said.

"We have discussed the matter and agree that the humans, specifically this 'Sandi' person cannot be trusted with the emerald that this genie is associated with."

"That is obvious."

"The emerald thing must be taken from the 'Sandi' person and hidden from the humans, before more wish events occur," the lead mouse said.

"And what will happen then?" Captain Jaywi asked.

"What do you mean?" the lead mouse asked.

"How do I know that any of the mice in Lawndale won't be tempted to use it for themselves? It may be as bad as the High School principal having it," the squirrel said.

"And you suggest that the squirrels hold it for 'safe keeping'?" the mouse asked.

"That is one option," Captain Jaywi said cautiously.

"The same argument could be made about the squirrels," one of the other mice said.

"True," Jaywi said.

"Still, something must be done! We can figure out what happens to it later!" the lead mouse said.

"Also true," Captain Jaywi said.

The squirrel and the mice continued their discussion.


As the main lunch period began, Elias went to his locker and grabbed a couple of Babylon 5 videos out of it.


Anna and Chip left Economics and decided to look for Sandi, rather than going to the science block.


As he entered the informal meeting of the Science Fiction Club, Elias was met by 'The Head' (So named for the MTV superhero character prominently displayed on all the shirts he wore.)

"Is it true?" 'The Head' asked.

"Is what true?" Elias asked.

"About the genie?" 'The Head' asked.

"Yes, that is true. Haven't you seen that extra floor?" Elias asked.

"But could be a scheme of Li's accomplished via smoke and mirrors, couldn't it?" 'The Head' asked.

"Possibly, you could ask Upchuck whether that would be possible. But I have actually seen the genie, and there was that zero gravity happening earlier today."

"I was outside, and I will talk to Charles about it," The Head said. He stepped aside, allowing Elias into the room.


Elias returned the Babylon 5 videos to the Science Fiction Club's VHS library. "Did you enjoy those episodes?" Jenna Oberton-Schwartz, who had checked the videos back in, asked.

"Definitely, Clark doesn't know what is coming to him," Elias said. He was curious as to the rest of the series though. "Is the Earth Civil War arc as good as the Shadow War arc?"

Jenna smiled and said "That would be telling."

"That's ok," Elias said. He thought of something. "Do we have any genie related fiction here, given recent events?

Jenna wasn't as sceptical as The Head. "We do have some Fantasy works here, but I am not sure whether they would have a genie as an important character.


A few minutes later their search had come up negative. "Oh well, I'll just borrow this Conan," Elias said.

"Good choice," said Jenna, a large Robert E. Howard fan.


Anna approached Sandi from behind, in a crowded corridor, and grabbed the emerald off her ...or at least tried to. "What are you doing?" Sandi and Chip said in accidental unison. (Most of the other students dispersed...)

"I wish I was near the library, with this emerald," Anna said. She and the emerald vanished.

"This is not good!" Chip said.

Sandi glared at Chip. "Talk, you like, betrayer of a Track Star!" she said.

"I had no idea that Anna wanted the emerald for herself," Chip said, nervously.

"Oh, Really?" Sandi asked sceptically.

"Honest!" Chip said.

"Right! You are going to help me get that emerald back!" Sandi said.

"How?" Chip asked.

"Come with me!" Sandi said, with an expression that said; 'This is non-negotiable!'


Elias was eating his packed lunch near the library with his friend Samara Collins when Anna appeared out of thin air.

Samara was taken aback. "Now I have seen everything," she said.

"Why does she have the emerald?" Elias asked.

Anna turned to Elias and Samara. "Why should that Sophomore Fashion Geek have it?" she asked.

"I don't have an answer to that," Elias said.

"But did you just grab it off Sandi?" Samara asked.

"Yeah, I did. So what!" Anna said defiantly.

"Look," Samara said, to Elias. He looked where she was pointing and saw Sandi and Chip emerge from the main building using the exit near the Cafeteria.

"This is going to be a very long lunch time," Elias said.

"I suppose so," Samara said.


Chip ran ahead of Sandi towards the library. "Sandi's on the warpath," she shouted as she approached.

Anna handed the emerald to Elias. He saw that Sandi had noticed that manoeuvre...

"Yikes!" he said, running away, around the library and then towards the M/A/HE Block.


Elias exited the M/A/HE Block into the HSIE block. He saw that Sandi was close behind him.

"Like, give me that emerald, Elias!" Sandi shouted. 'Et tu, Elias,' she thought, remembering the most recent Shakespeare play that Mr O'Neill had tried to teach the sophomore class.

'I can't keep running, I have to give it to someone else,' he thought. 'Someone I can trust.' He thought for a second. "I wish that I was where Jennifer Burns is," he said. He vanished from Sandi's view.

Sandi skidded to a stop. 'One does not need an emerald to know where a specific person is,' she thought. She closed her eyes and concentrated. "Finndu mann sem heitir: Jennifer Burns," she said.

Sandi's awareness reached outwards. She hoped that 'Burnout Girl' was relatively close. The locate ability was not reliable at distances greater than 100 meters.

At first she perceived the area at the intersection between the two buildings of the school, however within a few seconds she was perceiving all of the Music/Arts/Home Economics block and the northern half of the HSIE block, as well as part of the Quad and the sports facilities. She found Jennifer (with Elias) outside a history classroom two thirds of the way down the HSIE block on the second floor 110 meters away.

"Right," she said, snapping back to herself. Normally she would rest after such an experience (at least that was what her mother had drilled into her), but she dashed off.


Near the HSIE block, Scarlett froze. 'That's strange' she thought. It was like a presence had briefly appeared around her. 'Strange things are definitely afoot in Lawndale this month. I hope that it's linked to the genie. Two separate things would be too much to deal with.

"Something wrong?" Tananda asked.

"Something," Scarlett said enigmatically.


Jennifer was surprised (almost scared) when Elias appeared out of thin air. She recovered quickly. "Why do you have the emerald?" she asked.

"A senior took it off Sandi, and to escape her wrath she gave it to me. Sandi thought we were in collusion," Elias said.

"So you wished yourself here?" Jennifer asked.

"I ran off first, but she followed. Then I wished myself here," Elias said.

"Ok, but what now?"

"Keep it out of her hands?" Elias asked. 'It may be for the best. There is no telling what she may eventually think of,' he thought.

"Maybe," Jennifer said, thinking.

Whilst Jennifer was in thought, Elias saw Sandi up the corridor. "Yikes!" he said.

Jennifer looked in that direction. "Yikes, indeed," she said. "I'll take the emerald, keep it out of her hands."

Sandi was running in their direction. "Done!" Elias said, handing the emerald to Jennifer. Jennifer immediately ran off.

"Burnout Girl! Give me that emerald!" Sandi called.

Jennifer grimaced, she hated that nickname. 'Just because I'm relaxed a lot of the time...' She found the stairs. "I wish for zero gravity inside the school buildings, whilst Sandi is inside them, until the end of the lunch," she leapt down the stairs; "from now," she said. The wish was granted...


The Head found Upchuck, otherwise known as Charles Ruttheimer III, down the hall from the classroom where the Science Fiction Club held its unofficial meetings.

"Charles? May I ask you a question?" he said.

"Ask away, my Head fan friend," Charles said.

"You know how that there is now an extra floor on this building?" the Head asked.

"One would have to be blind to miss something like that," Charles said, wondering what his friend was getting at.

"Would it be possible for Ms. Li to hide its construction while making it appear that there is a normal roof on the top of the building?"

Charles thought for a moment. "It would be nearly impossible," he said.

"Really?"

"Consider the sunlight, and the shade cast by the building each morning and evening. If the construction of the additional floor was hidden from view from the ground, or across the quad, the construction and whatever is hiding it would cast an additional amount of shade on the ground and the other buildings."

"And you would be at the school early or late enough to know this?"

"Of course I am, extra credit you know, and to view some of the luscious ladies as they arrive or leave!" Charles said, adding his customary growl.

"You said nearly impossible."

"Yes, it would be possible to use mirrors to redirect the sunlight, and that of the lovely moon and stars, around the construction zone, but such a rig would be very expensive, and someone would notice it at that point." Charles' voice dropped to a whisper "It would also be out of the budget range of any public high school principal, even that of our Machiavellian Ms Li."

"So you are saying that there is a genie?"

"Occam's Razor, my friend, Occam's Razor."

Then Jennifer's wish was granted. Both Charles and 'The Head' started drifting upwards.

"Also; note this occurrence, do you feel any harness?" Charles asked.

"No!" The Head said, distressed.

"We are feeling like we're in space, or in free fall, not like we're being suspended. This is way beyond the abilities of any stage magician, even those of the great Houdini himself."


The Cafeteria Daria and Jane were eating lunch, when Brittany came up to them. "Hi, Daria, Hi Jane," she said.

"Hi Brittany, what is it?" Daria asked, seeing that the cheerleader had a quizzical expression on her face.

"Um, you know what happened at today's recess?" Brittany asked.

"Yes?" Daria asked.

"And that there is a genie?" Brittany asked.

"Yes?" Daria asked, wondering what Brittany was getting at.

"So, do you think that this is going to, like, change things in Lawndale?" she asked.

Daria and Jane looked at each other, wondering how to answer Brittany's question. Daria spoke first. "Most likely it is."

"Um, any idea how much?" Brittany asked.

"I don't know Brittany. It depends on who gets the emerald and what they wish for," Jane said.

"Also on who finds out about it. For example, if there is no telling what would happen if Ms. Li for instance, finds out about it," Daria said.

Brittany thought, twirling her hair, and came to a conclusion. "Eep!"

"Exactly," Jane said.

"Don't worry, we have a plan to distract her," Daria said, trying to be reassuring.

"Quinn thought it up," Jane said.

That wasn't reassuring to Brittany. "Eep!"

Daria glared at Jane. "It is actually a good plan," she said, as Jane shrugged.

"So, even though you think there are going to be drastic changes, you are, like, trying to keep them from getting too drastic?" Brittany asked.

"Yes," Daria and Jane said. However, at that moment, Jennifer's wish was granted.

"Not again!" Brittany squealed.

"Great! Now we have to institute Quinn's plan!" Jane said.

"What sort of plan is it anyway?" Brittany asked.

"A distraction," Jane said.

"For it to work, we will have to get her out of the building," Daria said.

"Let's go!" Brittany exclaimed. She pushed (jumped) off the table towards the doors, sending the table into Daria and Jane's laps.

"Ouch!" they said, as they tried to scramble past the table.


Quinn, Stacy, Tiffany and Joey were walking on the lower floor of the HSIE block. "So far, so good, nothing has happened this lunch time," Stacy said.

"But we have to be vigilant, Stacy. Sandi may wish for something unusual at any time. Also, don't forget that most of our fellow students have heard about Jean and/or the emerald by now," Quinn said.

"They maay taake the emeraald off Sandi?" Tiffany asked.

"Yeah, and there is no telling what would result from that," Quinn said.

"But, what about Jean's mischievousness?" Joey asked.

"That's one reason why we must be vigilant, Joey," Quinn said.

"I guess so," Joey said.

Then Jennifer's wish was granted.

"Oh no! Not again!" Stacy exclaimed.

"Great, and Ms. Li is up and about! Quick, somehow we need to get her out of the building and initiate the plan!" Quinn said.

"Oh no!" Stacy exclaimed, prior to fainting.

"Tiff, bring Stacy. Joey, help Tiffany. I'll try to find Ms. Li," Quinn said.

"Okaay,"

"Cool, Quinn," Joey said as he held one of Stacy's shoulders.

Quinn was already quite ahead of them, practically bouncing off the walls, floor and ceiling.

"But how is she going to get Ms. Li out of the building by herself?" Joey asked, confused.

"Stacy? Staceee?"


Andrea was surfing the internet from a workstation on the library's upper floor, when the gravity went out. 'Great! This is going too far. What is that Sandi up to?' she thought. Feeling nausea, she slowly 'walked' away from the computer.


Jennifer reached the bottom of the stairs and grabbed the door. She looked back. She saw that Sandi was not yet following her. 'But she will,' she mused. She looked out into the corridor. She could see a mass of students struggling to move in the zero g environment. She crossed the corridor to a classroom and went inside.


Elias watched Sandi struggle to follow Jennifer towards the stairs. He slowly moved in the opposite direction.


Jennifer exited the building through the window and then watched for Sandi through the classroom.

"What is going on?" Kristen asked.

"Oh," Jennifer said, and filled Kristen in on what had occurred.


"The genie, we must find her," the Head said, in distress, a minute after the gravity had gone out.

"Enjoy this experience whilst it lasts, my friend," Upchuck said.

"I don't want to enjoy this experience!"

"Feeling sick?"

"Yes!"

"Hmm, I'll try to help you outside then," Upchuck said.

"Good!"


Brittany, Daria and Jane exited the cafeteria and went towards Ms Li's office.


Sandi got to the bottom of the stairs and saw Jennifer outside through the classroom. She slowly moved out into the corridor and closed the door. She jumped off the door as fast as she could.


"Sandi is coming," Kristen said. Jennifer handed her the emerald.

"Take it, I'll hold her off!" Jennifer said.

"Are you sure?" Kristen asked.

"I am sure," Jennifer said, as Sandi approached the window.

"OK," Kristen said, she ran off, towards the library.

Sandi then exited the window feet first. As she cleared the building she somersaulted forwards and landed on her feet with only a slight stumble. Once she was outside, the gravity was restored inside.

"Give me that emerald!" Sandi deadpanned.

"Kristen has it," Jennifer said.


The Head and Upchuck fell to the floor as gravity resumed.

"Ow! But that is better," The Head said.

"I need to find that Jean!" Charles said. He growled "Feisty!"

"Take me outside first!"

"Of course," Charles said, as he started leading his friend towards the exit into the quad.


Daria, Jane and Brittany were approaching Ms. Li's office as the gravity resumed.

Brittany and Jane landed on both feet, but Daria landed on her behind. "Ouch!" she exclaimed. Jane helped Daria to get to her feet.

"The gravity is back!" Brittany said.

"But there is no telling how long that would last," Daria said.

Brittany twirled her hair "You're right!" she concluded.

"And Ms. Li may already be aware of the happening," Jane said.

"True," Brittany said. They continued towards the office.


Quinn fell as the gravity resumed.

"Ouch!" she exclaimed. She then got up and continued running down the corridor, dodging people as she went. "Excuse me!"


The shock of falling brought Stacy to. Joey and Tiffany were relieved.

"Now, to follow Quinn," Joey said.

"How maany more times, are weee going to float?" The effects of being weightless made Tiffany more confused than usual.

"Guys? Where's Quinn?" Stacy asked, wondering where Quinn had gone.

"She went ahead to try to get Ms. Li out of the building," Joey said.

Stacy could hear his confusion. "Let's go and help her," she said.


Chip and Anna were still near the library. They had argued and were now looking at each other uncomfortably.


"Give me that emerald!" Sandi demanded.

"Kristen has it," Jennifer said, with some hesitation.

"Great!" Sandi exclaimed. She looked and saw Kristen near the library, heading towards the science block. "Is this like, a conspiracy or something?" she asked. 'wouldn't surprise me,' she thought.

"I don't think so," Jennifer said.

"I think it is!" Sandi said. 'She is definitely hiding something.'

"It isn't," Jennifer insisted.

"Right," Sandi said.

She attempted to run off, and would have, had not Jennifer tackled her...


Charles and the Head exited the Science block. However, Kristen crashed into Upchuck and dropped the emerald!

"Ms. Leung-Bell, I didn't know you cared!"

"Leave me alone, Upchuck!" Kristen growled, whilst The Head shook his head. She then realised she had dropped the emerald. 'If I've lost it, maybe Sandi won't find it,' she thought. However, she didn't want Upchuck to have it either... 'That would make this situation worse for all the girls...'

"What have you lost?"

It wasn't Upchuck. It was Kristen's friend Cindy Brolsma, who was walking up behind the uber-unpopular male and his Alien Invasion cartoon fan friend.

Neither Kristen nor Cindy noticed The Head blushing in embarrassment as Cindy approached.

Kristen decided to get it out into the open. She looked at Cindy and said; "The emerald, the cause of all this mess. Jennifer gave it to me, and then I ran into Heffner Junior here."

Upchuck grinned 'If I find it first, I can wish Jean here!' he thought. Of course that was not all he thought...

'The Head' started backing away. He didn't want to mess with powers beyond his comprehension (and he didn't want to embarrass himself any more than he had possibly had already in front of Cindy, either - not that he would admit that, of course).

Charles, Cindy and Kristen started looking for the emerald.


Brittany, Daria and Jane arrived in front of Ms Li's office, at the same time as Quinn. Quinn was panting.

"Eeeewww! Sweat!" she said. She noticed the other three. "Good, you're here. I don't have to get her out by myself."

Brittany opened the door and looked into the badly lit mess. The others followed her. "What happened here?" Jane asked.

Daria flipped the switch, the light didn't come on. "No idea, but it looks like everything in here is broken," she said.

"She isn't here!" Brittany squeaked.

"Nine thirty five," Jane said, looking at the clock.

"Quinn, wouldn't you say that was shortly before we got here before recess?" Daria asked.

"That would be about right, Daria," Quinn said.

"Yes, Quinn, we got here about nine forty, and smelt the knockout gas. I guess that whatever happened that it happened at nine thirty five," Daria said, as she leaned against the desk.

"Great deduction, Morgendorffer, but where would Ms Li be now?" Jane asked.

"Not sure, but the most likely place would be the faculty lounge," Daria said.

"Good idea," Jane said. She agreed that was the most likely place where Ms Li would be. She and the Morgendorffer sisters left the office.


Andrea exited the library and saw many students heading for the Quad. 'That is to be expected,' she thought.


Sandi and Jennifer were still fighting on the ground when Mr. DeMartino came up to them.

"Well, Well, what do we have here? Ms Burns and Ms Griffin, mudwrestling!" He said, almost shouting. He was secretly amused by the antics. Anyone who would knock Sandi down a few notches was good in his book (Although Jennifer rarely got above a C in History, that at least was a lot better than Kevin!).

Sandi let go of Jennifer's hair and jacket and got up. "Mudwrestling, oh no! I'm dirty. My clothes are ruined!" Sandi whined. "She turned to Jennifer, who was getting up. "This is all your fault!" she accused.

"It is not! You have been irresponsible with that emerald! Bringing it to school and letting the genie be mischievous!"

"Me, irresponsible! You are the one wishing for zero gravity!" Sandi said.

"Enough!" DeMartino said.

The two quarrelling teens turned to the history teacher.

"Tell me that you know where that emerald is, Sandi!" DeMartino said.

"You know about it?" Sandi asked.

"Of course I do, Ms. Griffin. I'm not stupid, like a certain QUARTERBACK!"

"Oh, yeah, like earlier," Sandi said, as she remembered Mr. DeMartino asking her to wish the classroom clean after recess.

"Now, where is it?" DeMartino asked.

"Kristen Leung-Bell has it. She went in the direction of the Science Block," Jennifer said.

"Very good, Ms. Burns, Let's go," he said. They started going in that direction, and Sandi ran off ahead.

"Wait!" Mr. DeMartino said.

"No use, events are out of control," Jennifer murmured as Sandi ran around the Library.

"What was that, Ms. Burns?"

"Events are getting out of control. Yesterday at recess, the genie said that always happens."

"Interesting," Mr. DeMartino said.


Brittany, Quinn, Daria and Jane approached the Faculty Lounge at the same time as Tiffany, Stacy and Joey.

"Ms. Li wasn't in her office?" Stacy asked.

"No, her office was a mess, and she was nowhere to be found," Jane said.

"Sand-di did wish thaaat the stuff in theeere would break," Tiffany said.

"Oh, yeah," Stacy said.

Daria looked at Tiffany.

"Whaaat? I do take notice sometimes," Tiffany said.

"Right!" Brittany said.

'Just not a lot of the time,' Daria thought. "When would you say that this was?" she asked.

"I wasn't paaaying attention to the ti-ime!" Tiffany said.

"Nine thirty five," Stacy said. "The second hand reached the twelve as the minute hand reached the seven, when Sandi completed the wish."

"Completed the wish? What else did Sandi wish for?" Jane asked.

"For Ms Li to fall asleep and for her to get lost if she attempted to look for Andrea, Torii or myself," Stacy said.

"I guess that may have happened, she has gotten lost," Daria said as she opened the Faculty lounge door.


Cindy and Kristen saw Sandi running from behind the library. "Yikes!" Kristen exclaimed.

Upchuck turned to the duo. "What?" he asked. He also saw Sandi. "Oh, a challenge!" he said.

Cindy saw the emerald and grabbed it before Upchuck could get it. She stood up. "I found it, but now I have to go," she said, she went back into the science block.

"Ms. Brolsma! Wait!" Upchuck said, he tried to follow her but was tripped by Kristen, whom then blocked Sandi from also attempting to enter the Science block. "Feisty!" Upchuck moaned.

"Like, let me pass, Kristen!" Sandi said.

"Do you want to be weightless?" Kristen asked.

"No choice!" Sandi said.


Mr. DeMartino and Jennifer saw the altercation as they approached.

"Mr. Rutthiemer never ceases to amaze me!" DeMartino said.

"I guess so," Jennifer said. Upchuck had always annoyed her. She found his come-ons a simple annoyance though, unlike Kristen, who seemed to take offense at them.

"Ms. Griffin! Do not run off again!"

"Like, yeah right!" Sandi said, she backed up and ran and attempted to jump over Kristen. She also used the 'purple lightening' power as she passed her. Kristen fell down in shock.

"What was that!" she said.


Inside the science block, Cindy ran to the stairs. She reached them as Sandi entered the building...


"Daria, what is your reason for being here?" the head Art teacher, Claire Defoe, asked.

Jane followed Daria into the room. "We're looking for Ms. Li. She wasn't in her office," she said.

"Only Ms. Barch and Mr. O'Neill were in here when I arrived, they were rather embarrassed by my intrusion and didn't say anything about Ms. Li," Ms. Defoe said, with a shudder.

"Cool thoughts, a river running to the ocean," Daria murmured.

"Ick!" Jane said.

"Eeeewwww!" the Fashionable Trio said, from outside.

"Why are you looking for Ms. Li?" Claire asked.

"Surely you have heard the rumours about today and yesterday?" Daria asked.

"About a genie?" Jane added.

"Definitely, the unusual events seem to be getting worse," Claire said.

"We don't want Ms. Li getting a hold of the genie," Quinn said as she came in.

"She would make this school, and maybe the town, worse!" Stacy said, as she followed.

"It would be really baaad! Like ,worse than with Sand-di," Tiffany said.

Ms. Defoe was in thought. "I see what you are getting at," she said.

"Ms. Li's office is completely wreaked," Daria said.

"Like, all her equipment is broken and stuff," Brittany said.

"Uh, yeah. Where would she go if her office is out of commission and she is not here?" Daria asked.

Ms. Defoe thought again. "Either the Language Arts faculty office, or the server-room in the basement," she said.

"Language Arts?" Stacy asked.

"Server room in the basement?" Daria asked. She knew there was a server room in the library, but had not heard about one in the basement.

"There is one. I'm not sure what it's used for though," Ms. Defoe said, her tone telling the students (even Tiffany) that she did know what it was used for (or at least suspected).

"Great!" Daria deadpanned.

"Now we have to search two places!" Jane said.

"The sooner we leave, the sooner we will find her," Daria said.

However, before they could decide anything else the gravity was negated as Sandi followed Cindy into the science block.

"Not again!" Brittany said.


Elias and Samara met in the Arts level of the Arts/Musc/Home Ec block. Samara had followed after Sandi had gone into that building. Elias had gone back after he was sure that Sandi had followed Jennifer down the stairs.

"Where's the emerald now?" Samara asked.

"Jennifer Burns has it," Elias said.

"What happens now?" Samara asked.

"We hope that Lawndale survives this crisis. I don't want to live in a post-apocalyptic county," he said.

"Neither do I," Samara said. Then the gravity was negated for the second time.


Cindy crawled along the hand rails, up the stairwell to the second level of the science block. She could hear Sandi's exclamations as she attempted to reach the staircase, she was almost on her heels.

As she exited the stairwell, Cindy looked up the corridor for the stairs up to the new floor. "Come back down here and give me that emerald, Cindy Brolsma!" Sandi called up the stairs.

"Yeah Right!" Cindy yelled back. She pushed herself away from the door from the stairwell, down the corridor, towards her destination, slamming the door in the process. 'That will slow her down a bit,' she thought.


Cindy emerged into the new floor. "This does feel weird," she said. A senior member of the Science Fiction Club had overheard Chip and Anna talking about the new floor in class and had told Cindy about it.

She didn't particularly want to go into any of the more Frankenstein-ish of the new science labs, but she figured that there would be at least something she could use to stall Sandi.


Andrea, having talked to Chip about what had happened at the beginning of lunch, left the area of the library and headed towards the Music/Arts/Home Economics Block.


After four minutes of looking for Cindy amongst the creepy classrooms in the new floor of the science block, Sandi found her near the back of one of the creepier rooms examining various equipment.

She saw that Cindy had a Bunsen burner going (the flame looked like a ball, but still functioned in the zero-g environment), heating an unknown mixture in a test tube, in one of the many fume hoods that were spaced around the edge of the room.

"Cindy!" Sandi exclaimed.

"Eep!"

"Give me that emerald. I found it, and I won't use it to change Lawndale for the worse!" Sandi said.

"I wouldn't either!" Cindy retorted. 'I am sure that her definition of 'for the worse' would be different to mine,' she thought.

"Oh, Really?" Sandi asked.

"Really," Cindy said. They stared at each other in a stand-off for about fifteen seconds, before Sandi launched herself through the door, towards Cindy.

Cindy moved aside at the last second, causing Sandi to crash into the bench that Cindy had been holding on to.

"Ouch!" Sandi exclaimed. She glared at Cindy whom was moving along the bench, carrying the equipment that she had been gathering.

"Yikes!" Cindy exclaimed. She grabbed the emerald. "I wish for a door that will open to anywhere else in this school."

The wish was granted. The bench, and windows, parted and a door appeared. The door had a more medieval look than the rest of the doors on floor, but it still wouldn't look out of place elsewhere in the school.

"Cool, I didn't think that would work," Cindy said, before opening the door and pulling herself though it. The door closed before Sandi could follow her.

"Great!" Sandi said. She tried to think about how the door worked. 'I guess she intended it so that the person just thinks about their destination within the school.' She thought about following Cindy to wherever she went and tried the door.

The door didn't open, no matter hard she tried. Even applying her largest amount of telekinesis on the handle didn't work. 'Stupid door.'

She thought of other ways of following Cindy, including the 'locate ability'. 'Unfortunately it is likely that she is further away than Burnout Girl was earlier,' she thought.

She remembered the previous time that she had attempted to use the ability for a distance much greater than 100 metres.


5 years earlier
Sandi had just used the 'locate ability' for the first time following her mother's coaching (looking for Sam in a different room in the house) and she was eager to try it again.

"That was, like, cool," Sandi said.

"Sandi, remember to keep it a secret!" Linda said.

"Like our other abilities, of course!" Sandi retorted. Her mother had told her about some ancestors whom had been burnt at the stake because of their abilities, back in the late 17th Century.

Linda just glared at her daughter, as if to say 'don't use your sarcasm on me, daughter!'

"How far does it work?" Sandi asked. She was curious as to how away she could possibly detect someone.

"Approximately 100 meters, any further and it is vague. The greater the distance, the less chance that you would find them," Linda said.

Sandi decided to try to find one of her friends. She remembered the Icelandic words and spoke, "Finndu mann sem heitir: Stacy Rowe!"

"Sandi!" Linda started, but she saw that her daughter was already using her ability, so she didn't interfere.

Sandi's awareness reached outwards. At first she perceived the Griffin residence at 512 Grandstaff Drive. As her awareness reached outwards the street-scape of Lawndale grew more vague. Half a minute later she perceived Stacy's house at 324 Eichler Street, as if in a dream, and only in black and white.

She snapped out of it, rather exhausted. "So, tired," she said.

"What did you see?" Linda asked.

"I only saw her house. Black and white. Very blurry," Sandi said quietly. She felt like she needed to go to sleep.

Linda told Sandi that the ability uses a lot of energy, especially if it is used over 100 meters.


Present Day

After she had recalled those events, Sandi decided to try to open the door into the Library and then try to locate Cindy.

She grabbed the door handle whilst thinking about going to the Library.


In the middle of the upper floor of the Library bookshelves parted and the door appeared, Sandi then opened it from the new floor of the Science Block.

She held the door open and moved so that she was in the doorway. "Finndu mann sem heitir: Cindy Brolsma!"

Once again Sandi's perception expanded over Lawndale High. There was slight confusion where the two perception fields overlapped between the Science Block and the Library. Before the fields could enter the Science Block or the Library, Sandi found Cindy (rather vaguely) in the cafeteria.


Like earlier, Scarlett could feel 'something' surrounding her. "What is going on here?" she asked.

"Same as before?" Tananda asked.

"Yes, I don't know what to make of it," Scarlett said.


The few students still in the Cafeteria were surprised when a door suddenly appeared in the wall and opened.

Once she sighted Cindy, Sandi launched herself through the door.


Earlier
"Not again!" Brittany said, when the gravity was negated for a second time.

"Now we have to find Ms. Li," Daria said.

"But we have to split into two groups," Jane said.

"One group to the Server Room in the basement?" Stacy asked. 'I don't want to go down there,' she thought.

"Yes, and the other to the Language Arts faculty office," Daria said. "One has to wonder, why that faculty office? Why not another one?"

"Ms. Li taught Language Arts before she became Principal," Claire said.

"That is a good a reason as any, I guess," Jane said. (She had wondered if Ms. Li may have been an Art teacher.)

"So who goes in which group and to where?" Joey asked.

It was decided that Tiffany, Ms Defoe, Jane and Joey would go to the Server Room in the Basement and that Daria, Quinn, Stacy and Brittany would go to the Language Arts faculty office.



Kristen opened her eyes and saw Jennifer, Mr DeMartino and even Upchuck, looking at her with concern. She sat up. "What was that? I feel like I have been electrocuted," she said rubbing her arms.

"I did smell some ozone after she shocked you," Jennifer said.

"I hope that she did not wish for Powers!" Mr DeMartino said.

"Wouldn't put that past her," Kristen said as she stood up. She noticed that she was speaking slower than usual. 'At least I am not as slow as Tiffany,' she thought.

"Feisty!" Upchuck said, after his customary growl.

"What was that?" Kristen said with a growl of her own, turning to Upchuck. 'He just doesn't get it!' she thought.

"I mean, who wouldn't wish for powers?" Upchuck said.

"I know what you would wish for!" Kristen said.

"Ms Leung-Bell, enough!" Mr. DeMartino warned.

"Somehow, I don't think that Sandi wished for the power," Jennifer said.

"How else would you explain it?" Kristen asked.

"Some other weirdness, if a genie exists who knows what other mythical creatures exist?" Jennifer asked.

"Would explain some historical oddities in Lawndale," Mr. DeMartino said.

"Huh?" Kristen asked.

Upchuck nodded, as he had actually listened in class when Mr DeMartino was going over local history.

"I suppose it would. The House of Bad Grades maybe, possibly Metalmouth..." Jennifer was about to mention more Lawndale-based urban legends, when Mr DeMartino glared at her.

"That enough of that, Jennifer!" he said.

"Sorry," Jennifer said, she knew that the history teacher was touchy when it came to mentioning that particular urban legend in his presence.

"What are we going to do about about it?" Kristen asked, not sure how the local urban legends that she knew of would be connected to Sandi's mysterious power.

"Keep an eye out for other unusual happenings that cannot be explained by the genie?" Jennifer wondered.

"Good idea, Ms. Burns!" Mr. DeMartino said.

"What else do we do now?" Kristen asked.

"Wait and see what happens next," Mr DeMartino said.

They continued talking about various possibilities for about five more minutes.


Claire, Jane, Joey and Tiffany arrived outside the basement Server Room (it being below the Faculty Office, with the stairs being just down the hall).

"We have to be careful. The floor in front of the door has pressure sensors that will set off an alarm," Claire said.

"But weee don't have to use the flooor," Tiffany said.

"True, but the gravity may return at any moment," Claire said.

Tiffany realised that the art teacher was right.

"Right, we use the walls to get to the door and then push it open!" Joey said.

"Amazing," Jane murmered. Joey was more intelligent than she gave him credit for.

Joey heard her. "I don't strategise with Mack for nothing. Unlike Kevin, who blunders through each game," Joey said.

"Right. That what I get for only seeing you chase Quinn," Jane said.

"Are weee going iin-side, or not?" Tiffany asked.

"Of course we are. Jane and Joey just got distracted," Claire said.

"I rarely do," Jane said. Of course there was the time she had stood up Daria to go out with Tom the first time, but otherwise she usually wasn't distracted. "Let's do it," she said.


The art teacher and her three accompanying students slammed open the door to the Server Room.

"Too late, I know that Jeannie Jenner is a wish granting genie!"