Quinn's Code (Daria AU): The Lab Mouse, the Geek and the Convention (Part 6)

[fardell24]

The two cars then arrived back at the Taylor's mansion, after driving across Lawndale, 20 minutes later.

Brian and Brittany went down to the basement. Shortly afterwards, Brittany emerged from the basement carrying a box, the same box that she had taken from the Morgendorffer's garage. “It's in here, Daria,” Brittany said.

“I wonder why,” Jane said.
“Good,” Daria said as she snatched the box away. She opened the box and looked at the mouse. “Of course.”

“What?” Jane asked. Jennifer repeated her question with an enquiring look. Daria showed them the mouse. “Oh! That creep!”

“He obviously did something,” Jennifer said quietly.

Daria closed the box.”Thanks for your help,” she said to Mack and the cheerleaders.

“You're welcome,” Mack said.

“Time to go,” Daria directed.

“Sure,” Jane said.


However, when Daria opened the door, she found Upchuck on the doorstep. “Ms. Morgendorffer, I know Brittany's here.”

“What is it to you? I'm sure that you have your project well in hand.”

“Indeed I do, but I need some input from her. Ms. Barch will fail us otherwise.”

Daria could see the truth in that statement. However something was 'off' about Upchuck's demeanour. “What aren't you saying?” she asked.

“Who cares? Let's go,” Jane said.

“Wait, Jane. Something's up,” Jennifer said.

“Probably,” Jane said after a little thought.

“Brittany doesn't want to see you, Upchuck!” Donna said.

“True,” Upchuck admitted.

“Kevin wouldn't like it when I tell him what you have been doing,” Daria said.

“That big lug? The worst that he would do is try to pummel me. I have taken karate.” Upchuck adopted a karate pose for emphasis.

“I guess...” Jane began.

“What do you have on her?” Daria asked, interrupting Jane.

“What?” Jane asked.

“What?” Upchuck echoed.

“It's obvious that you have something on her,” Daria said.
“Feisty!”

“What is it, Upchuck?” Jane said.

“I'm not saying!”

“Give it to me!” Brittany said, emerging from one of the side rooms.

“No!” Upchuck said.

“Yes!”

“Whatever it is, hand it over,” Daria said.

“Even if I wanted to, it's safely at home,” Upchuck said.

“Go there,” Daria said.

“No, Daria. Brittany, I will tell Kevin, if you don't come now.”

“So that's it,” Jane concluded. Jennifer nodded as she came to the same conclusion

“That's what?” Daria asked, confused.

“They cheat on each other, some of the time. He's caught Brittany at one of those times,” Jennifer whispered to Daria.

“Oh, then go and tell Kevin, Upchuck. Just leave Brittany alone,” Daria said.

“It isn't the usual type of cheating.”

Daria turned to Brittany. “It isn't an adult, is it?”

“Of course not!” Brittany answered, squeaking higher than usual.

“It's a teen, but not someone from Lawndale,” Upchuck said, placing the emphasis on the town's name.

“O-ooh!” Brittany had had enough. “So what if it's the Oakwood quarterback!”

Donna was shocked. “Sam Stack? But he's Kevin's biggest rival!”

“I know,” Brittany said in embarrassment and shame.

Donna saw the expression on her friend's face. “I won't tell him.”

“So, it comes out,” Daria said.

Donna shot a look of annoyance at Daria. “Thanks, Donna,” Brittany said.

“Now, it's time to go,” Jane said.
“Yes, I need to figure out what to tell Ms. Barch on Monday,” Daria said.


When Quinn, Cindy and Kristen left the convention for the day, they found that Tatiana was still sitting outside. “Why are you still here?” Kristen asked.

“I had planned to be at the convention all day,” Tatiana said. Her voice showed a mixture of boredom and exhasperation.

“So? There's are other things to do in Lawndale,” Cindy said.

“Not many!” Tatiana answered.

“Those options are still available,” Quinn said.

“I guess so,” Tatiana said.

“How are you getting home?” Cindy asked.

“My sister is picking me up,” Tatiana said.

“That's ok then,” Cindy said.

“We can wait, keep you company,” Quinn suggested.

“No need to do that,” Tatiana said.

“Oh, OK.”


Later that night, the Morgendorffers were having their usual dinner of microwaved lasagne.

“How was it at the Convention, Quinn?” Jake asked.

Quinn started into her description of events...


“...And then Tatiana was thrown out,” Quinn said as she continued her description of the convention.

“Well, she caused a disturbance. That's what happens when obsessions get out of control,” Helen said.

“I guess so,” Quinn said. She considered that it was a possiblity that Tatiana was obsessed.

“How was your day, Daria?”

“The usual,” Daria said, deciding not to give anything away. (She hadn't been able to get the mouse to respond to any stimuli. It had just lay there, shaking. She knew she had to out Brian to Ms. Barch somehow, but without naming him.)

“You must have done something. I notice that Kevin isn't here, watching the pigskin channel,” Helen said.

“Yeah, where is he?” Jake asked.

“Jake! Let me ask!”

“Sorry.”

“He has finished his part of the project,” Daria said.

“Are you sure?” Helen asked.

“Of course he has,” Daria answered.

“I know that you went somewhere today,” Jake said.

“I go somewhere every Saturday,” Daria said. 'At least since we moved here.'

“I suppose,” Helen sighed.



Sunday, November 26, 2005
Quinn, Cindy and Kristen arrived at the convention for the second day. Quinn was wearing the Ichigo outfit again. “What do you think will happen today?” Cindy asked.

“It probably will be as exciting as yesterday,” Kristen said.

“What make you say that?” Quinn asked.

“Tatiana is here,” Kristen said, pointing her out.

“Tatiana? Weren't you banned for four years?” Quinn asked.

“I was, but it's not fair!”

“You think you could change their mind by being here?” Quinn asked.

“Possibly!” Tatiana said.

“I don't think it would work,” Kristen said.

“Sorry,” Cindy said, as they went in.

Tatiana sighed.


Daria, Jane and Jennifer were in the garage, with the mouse. “It's hopeless. He hasn't touched his food,” Jennifer said.

“I know what to say to Ms. Barch,” Daria said.

“The truth?” Jennifer asked.

“Without mentioning Brian by name,” Daria said.

“Good,” Jane said.

“So, what are you saying to Ms. Barch?” Jennifer asked.

“You'll find out tomorrow,” Daria said. Jennifer nodded.

“But what'll happen to the mouse?” Jane asked.

“I have no idea what Ms. Barch will do with it,” Daria said.

“True, maybe one of our classmates?” Jane asked.

“But which student would want a traumatised mouse as a pet? It wouldn't be worth it,” Daria said.

'I guess so,' Jane thought.



Monday, November 27, 2005
Ms. Barch's class was in session. “Brittany, Charles. You're up.”

Brittany and Upchuck carried their cage to the front. It contained a hamster tube leading to the cheese.

“We started with...” Upchuck began.

Ms. Barch interrupted. “Shut up, Charles. Brittany, did you go with negative or positive reinforcement?”

Upchuck gulped. He hoped Brittany would read from the cue card that he had given her.

Brittany took out the card that Upchuck had printed out for her. “We used positive reinforcement to train the mouse to find the right way to the food in the center of the maze,” she said. Unfortunately she sounded dull.

Ms. Barch took the cue card off Brittany. “Who wrote this?” she asked.

“It doesn't matter,” Brittany said, knowing that if she did tell the teacher that it was Upchuck who wrote it, that she would fail.”

Ms. Barch came to that conclusion anyway, but didn't want to fail Brittany. It was the best that she had done since she started at LHS the previous year. “OK, Brittany, you get a B-.”

“That's a relief,” Upchuck said.

“Not you, Upchuck! You get a D-!”

Upchuck groaned.

“Daria and Kevin.”


“In conclusion, this mouse -- through no fault of my own, Brittany -- was repeatedly abused by a ten-year-old boy. As a result, the mouse's primary response to everyday stimuli is fear. Similar reactions also occur in humans. Take the mugging victim, beaten with nunchuks in an alleyway. As he, or she, recalls the attacker's face -- his scraggly goatee and cheap, dangly earring -- she learns to hate and fear all men, regardless of age, race or taste in jewelry,” Daria said as she concluded her presentation.

“Really?” Kevin asked.

“Don't interrupt, hateful scum. Excellent job, Daria. You get an 'A.'”

“All right!” Kevin celebrated. Too soon...

“Not you, you man. You get a 'D.'”

“All right!” Kevin said. It was still his best lab grade ever...


Kevin met Daria in the hallway after class. “You know, Daria, I really liked hanging out at your house and working on the maze thing.”

“Yeah, the week just flew by. It was like you were hardly there.”

“Thanks.” Kevin paused. “Hey, Daria?”

“Yes?”

“I'm having a big party Friday, and I want a lot of cool people there. Could you...”

“Yes?” she asked with slight hope.

“...ask Quinn if she could make it?”

“No, Kevin, you can ask her yourself,” Daria said in reply.

“Um, OK.”