Adaland: The land of Zeo

Chapter 1: 3 years later

- Mary Jane! Where are you?!

The young girl lifted her head slightly, looking away from the pencil drawing she was doing at the drawing board. She grimaced with annoyance, but chose to leave the pencil next to the paper as she straightened, turning to face toward the opened door. A tall, thin and nervous-looking woman entered the room lit by the morning sun that managed to break through the curtains.

- Drawing again in the half-light?

-Until this comes out I'll have to keep the curtains drawn, mother.

The frowning woman picked up the artbook to inspect the drawing.

- Metal structures? It looks like boys' stuff -she looked at the walls, where all sorts of paintings and sketches were hung -. It doesn't resemble anything you've done before.

- It's just an experiment -answered the girl with a shrug.

-Do you really think you can live of these?

- I won't be a painter mother, I've told you a hundred times. Adaland Art's University is the best on this side of the world, with all the specialties you can possibly imagine... so I want to study there and see how far I can go.

-That's a clear point. You sent your application without asking us first - the woman grunted.

- I knew you would say no.

- Of course we would say that! - exclaimed the woman planted in jars - Adaland is miles from here and we can not support you if you go that far

- I can do it alone - said the girl pulling out a number filled sheet of paper from a desk drawer -The University is public, so I don't need to pay tuition. Also, if I work at the Youth Center as I used to, everything will be okay.

- Let me see - asked the woman snatching the paper. She looked suspiciously at her daughter before checking the numbers.

- I don't know why you are so concerned if I can defend myself - she said casually, doing some stretching exercises - True that I never won a martial arts tournament, but...

- What concerns me is that you might be doing this only to see that William Cranston.

The girl almost fell forward at the mention of the name.

- Damn! - she cursed with a drop on the neck (>.<U) - I was silent often and I should have spoken. If not for my stupidity, at this point I would not have even half of the frustrations I've got.

- Careful with that tongue, Mary Jane Dupont! - exclaimed the shocked mother - See? I told you that guy and his friends were a bad influence.

- Of course not! Only father and you think that of them.

- How could we not think so? You always were a good girl until we moved to Adaland and started to run away in order to meet them

Mary Jane turned her back frowning, without uttering a word.

- Others can say what they want, but I stick to the facts - the woman insisted - You were hanging out with people much older than you!

- It's only a 3 years difference...

- In addition, Cranston has become very famous - interrupted her mother - He invented a lot of things...

- Complex systems, founded a laboratory... - the girl turned to her- I know all that.

- Such a young man is surrounded by any number of women willing to do anything for money, fame or both. Not that you're not pretty, but you're far from a supermodel.