![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fardell24Upon arriving home, Daria got into the car that formerly belonged to her father, but which her mother said she and Quinn could use. She turned on the engine.
“Okay, let's do it!” Quinn said as she got in.
“Quinn, what are you doing?” Daria asked.
“I'm not gonna just sit here while you drive off to some far, unknown land to get your friends out of jail! What if something unexpected happens?”
“You're worried about me?”
“Let me rephrase that: what if something cool happens?” Quinn responded.
“Well, I suppose it would be smart in case there's some emergency,” Daria allowed.
“Great! I get to choose the music,” Quinn said as she turned on pop music.
“Isn’t there something else on?”
“Forget it. This is the only music I can listen to.”
“Well, can you turn it down?”
“You're not the boss of me! Now, are we busting your friends out of jail or not?”
“Of course,” Daria said as she pulled out.
Once out of Lawndale, Daria was driving slowly.
“Tense?” Quinn asked.
“No. There's a lot of stuff going on. You have no idea how complicated driving is.”
“It’s not that hard.”
“How would you know? Dah! A giant truck!” Daria said in panic.
“Pull over Daria,” Quinn said with annoyance. She wanted to get to Freemont with time to spare.
As they pulled away into the drought-stricken region to the west of Lawndale Daria wasn’t sure why she was allowing Quinn to drive. “I can't believe I'm doing this. I can't believe I'm letting you do this. I can't believe we're doing this. Hey, when did you learn to drive?”
“God, Daria, what do you think people do on dates?”
“Aren’t you terrified.”
Quinn thought for a moment. It was less terrifying than swinging from building to building through Lawndale. She was sure Daria hadn’t seen her come and go as SpiderGirl. She was rather careful about that. “It's all about attitude. You're too timid, Daria. I could do this all day.”
“Actually, I wouldn’t mind if…” Daria began before Quinn interrupted.
“Your turn,” Quinn said as she pulled the car over. ‘That hitchhiker could be an excellent distraction.’
“But you just started,” Daria began. “No way!” she said as she saw the hitchhiker. “We are not picking up some insane, murdering serial killer. How reckless can you get?”
‘Reckless?’ Quinn thought. ‘You don’t know the half of it!’ she thought.
“He's not a killer. I recognize him. It's... Stacy’s cousin from Memphis.”
“Mom would crucify us!”
“Right, but taking the car out for a hundred-mile joyride won't bother her at all. Face it, Daria, you're already accessorizing,” Quinn said.
“You mean, I’m an accessory.”
“Whatever. Look, lighten up. You drive and I'll keep him from murdering us.”
“Howdy, I sure do appreciate this,” the hitchhiker, Travis said.
“You’re not going to murder us, are you?” Quinn asked.
“Shoot, no!” Travis said.
“See? All you have to do is ask.”
As she pulled out again, Daria wasn’t sure. ‘Sure, Quinn knows how to handle herself, but Travis looks to be over twice her age.’
“So, you come from Lawndale?” Travis asked.
“Yes,” Quinn answered. “It’s a good town, but like, crime is increasing, you know?”
“I have heard about that,” Travis said in a strange tone.
“Not as bad as the town we came from in Texas,” Daria said.
‘I’d hope not!’ Quinn thought. That was one reason she was SpiderGirl. But something about Travis’s tone bothered her. ‘He probably knows something,’ she realised. “Like it’s in the news every night,” she said in a tone that implied that she had ignored Daria.
“I heard about that SpiderGirl. I don’t know what she’s about.”
“Like I’m not sure, either,” Quinn said. There was more truth there than she liked.
Daria sighed.
As they continued along, Quinn wondered what Travis knew about the crime situation in Lawndale. They had to stop somewhere, she realised. “Oh, Daria, if you see a sign for outlet shopping, you can pull over there.”
“But we do have to get to Freemont quickly, and don’t you want to get back in time for Buffy?”
“We won’t be long,” Quinn responded.
“I hope so,” Daria commented.
Twenty minutes later, they found such an outlet mall.
“I’ll just be in the bathroom,” Quinn told Travis.
“Certainly, I’ll be at that café.”
Quinn headed to the bathroom, but after doing her business, she changed to SpiderGirl, using a costume different to the one she had usually been wearing, then headed to the café.
Travis didn’t see it coming. One second he was waiting in line, then the next there was some kind of web around him and he had flown across the room. “SpiderChick?”
“SpiderGirl,” the other said in a low voice.
“This aint Lawndale!”
“No, it isn’t, but sometimes a hero needs to travel and gather information, you know.”
“What information?” Travis asked.
“Apparently there is a crime rind operating out of Freemont, leading to break-ins in Lawndale.”
“I don’t know anything about any crime ring, miss.”
“I heard otherwise,” SpiderGirl said.
“There are rumors, girlie, but that’s all.”
“Tell me these rumors.”
“Are you sure?” Travis asked.
“Yes!”
SpiderGirl took in what Travis was saying. Some of it was contradictory, but she got the gist of it.
SpiderGirl rushed off as quickly as she had appeared, leaving Travis bewildered. He didn’t notice Quinn arriving less than a minute later.
“Travis?” she asked in concern.
“I’m fine, you still want to shop?”
“Yes.”
Daria was impatient, but it turned out that they had only wasted twenty minutes. “Are we ready to go now?” she asked.
“Yes,” Quinn answered.
An hour later, they pulled up at a bar, less than 20 miles from Freemont.
“Thank you both kindly. Bye, now.”
“Good luck with your audition!” Quinn said. She got back in the front seat. “What a nice guy... and talented.”
“Yes, he's mastered the art of sticking out his thumb,” Daria said.
“And we'd never have met him if you'd had your way. I don't think you're a cowgirl at all.”
Daria noticed that the radio station hadn’t changed. “I thought you couldn't listen to country music.”
“Oh, yeah. Thanks for reminding me,” Quinn said as she changed the station back. The pop music would help her think about what she had to do in Freemont.
“We made it!” Daria said as she pulled up outside the Freemont Sherrif’s Office. “I did it. I got us here in one piece.”
“Slowly,” Quinn complained.
“But surely. Now, let's deal with the law,” Daria said. But then she found that she couldn’t find the money. “Oh, no. This is very bad. Very bad.”
“What’s wrong?”
“That cute cowboy stole our money.”
“Remember when we stopped at that outlet mall? I gave the money to Travis,” Quinn explained.
“That money was for Jane and Trent.”
“I know, but he got me a new outfit.”
“You spent all of Jane's money on clothes?” Daria asked.
“Of course not! I lent the rest to Travis for a bus ticket home. Don't worry, he's gonna repay us when he gets back.”
“You moron. How are we supposed to get Jane and Trent out of jail?”
“I told you something unexpected would happen,” Quinn responded.
They returned to the bar where they had dropped the cowboy off.
“What are you going to say to him?” Quinn asked.
“What am I going to say to him? You're going to tell him the truth. You gave him money that wasn't yours and you need it back.”
“Oh, Daria. Are we that desperate that we have to resort to the truth?”
“When this is all over, remind me to run screaming into the night,” Daria said as they came up to the bar door.
“Okay, maybe this wasn't such a great idea,” Daria said.
“It's just a bar. They're all alike,” Quinn said. She could see that there were hardly any troublemakers there.
“How would you know.”
“What do you think people do on...” Quinn began before Daria interrupted her.
“Never mind,” Daria said. She then went up to the bar.
“Okay, let's do it!” Quinn said as she got in.
“Quinn, what are you doing?” Daria asked.
“I'm not gonna just sit here while you drive off to some far, unknown land to get your friends out of jail! What if something unexpected happens?”
“You're worried about me?”
“Let me rephrase that: what if something cool happens?” Quinn responded.
“Well, I suppose it would be smart in case there's some emergency,” Daria allowed.
“Great! I get to choose the music,” Quinn said as she turned on pop music.
“Isn’t there something else on?”
“Forget it. This is the only music I can listen to.”
“Well, can you turn it down?”
“You're not the boss of me! Now, are we busting your friends out of jail or not?”
“Of course,” Daria said as she pulled out.
Once out of Lawndale, Daria was driving slowly.
“Tense?” Quinn asked.
“No. There's a lot of stuff going on. You have no idea how complicated driving is.”
“It’s not that hard.”
“How would you know? Dah! A giant truck!” Daria said in panic.
“Pull over Daria,” Quinn said with annoyance. She wanted to get to Freemont with time to spare.
As they pulled away into the drought-stricken region to the west of Lawndale Daria wasn’t sure why she was allowing Quinn to drive. “I can't believe I'm doing this. I can't believe I'm letting you do this. I can't believe we're doing this. Hey, when did you learn to drive?”
“God, Daria, what do you think people do on dates?”
“Aren’t you terrified.”
Quinn thought for a moment. It was less terrifying than swinging from building to building through Lawndale. She was sure Daria hadn’t seen her come and go as SpiderGirl. She was rather careful about that. “It's all about attitude. You're too timid, Daria. I could do this all day.”
“Actually, I wouldn’t mind if…” Daria began before Quinn interrupted.
“Your turn,” Quinn said as she pulled the car over. ‘That hitchhiker could be an excellent distraction.’
“But you just started,” Daria began. “No way!” she said as she saw the hitchhiker. “We are not picking up some insane, murdering serial killer. How reckless can you get?”
‘Reckless?’ Quinn thought. ‘You don’t know the half of it!’ she thought.
“He's not a killer. I recognize him. It's... Stacy’s cousin from Memphis.”
“Mom would crucify us!”
“Right, but taking the car out for a hundred-mile joyride won't bother her at all. Face it, Daria, you're already accessorizing,” Quinn said.
“You mean, I’m an accessory.”
“Whatever. Look, lighten up. You drive and I'll keep him from murdering us.”
“Howdy, I sure do appreciate this,” the hitchhiker, Travis said.
“You’re not going to murder us, are you?” Quinn asked.
“Shoot, no!” Travis said.
“See? All you have to do is ask.”
As she pulled out again, Daria wasn’t sure. ‘Sure, Quinn knows how to handle herself, but Travis looks to be over twice her age.’
“So, you come from Lawndale?” Travis asked.
“Yes,” Quinn answered. “It’s a good town, but like, crime is increasing, you know?”
“I have heard about that,” Travis said in a strange tone.
“Not as bad as the town we came from in Texas,” Daria said.
‘I’d hope not!’ Quinn thought. That was one reason she was SpiderGirl. But something about Travis’s tone bothered her. ‘He probably knows something,’ she realised. “Like it’s in the news every night,” she said in a tone that implied that she had ignored Daria.
“I heard about that SpiderGirl. I don’t know what she’s about.”
“Like I’m not sure, either,” Quinn said. There was more truth there than she liked.
Daria sighed.
As they continued along, Quinn wondered what Travis knew about the crime situation in Lawndale. They had to stop somewhere, she realised. “Oh, Daria, if you see a sign for outlet shopping, you can pull over there.”
“But we do have to get to Freemont quickly, and don’t you want to get back in time for Buffy?”
“We won’t be long,” Quinn responded.
“I hope so,” Daria commented.
Twenty minutes later, they found such an outlet mall.
“I’ll just be in the bathroom,” Quinn told Travis.
“Certainly, I’ll be at that café.”
Quinn headed to the bathroom, but after doing her business, she changed to SpiderGirl, using a costume different to the one she had usually been wearing, then headed to the café.
Travis didn’t see it coming. One second he was waiting in line, then the next there was some kind of web around him and he had flown across the room. “SpiderChick?”
“SpiderGirl,” the other said in a low voice.
“This aint Lawndale!”
“No, it isn’t, but sometimes a hero needs to travel and gather information, you know.”
“What information?” Travis asked.
“Apparently there is a crime rind operating out of Freemont, leading to break-ins in Lawndale.”
“I don’t know anything about any crime ring, miss.”
“I heard otherwise,” SpiderGirl said.
“There are rumors, girlie, but that’s all.”
“Tell me these rumors.”
“Are you sure?” Travis asked.
“Yes!”
SpiderGirl took in what Travis was saying. Some of it was contradictory, but she got the gist of it.
SpiderGirl rushed off as quickly as she had appeared, leaving Travis bewildered. He didn’t notice Quinn arriving less than a minute later.
“Travis?” she asked in concern.
“I’m fine, you still want to shop?”
“Yes.”
Daria was impatient, but it turned out that they had only wasted twenty minutes. “Are we ready to go now?” she asked.
“Yes,” Quinn answered.
An hour later, they pulled up at a bar, less than 20 miles from Freemont.
“Thank you both kindly. Bye, now.”
“Good luck with your audition!” Quinn said. She got back in the front seat. “What a nice guy... and talented.”
“Yes, he's mastered the art of sticking out his thumb,” Daria said.
“And we'd never have met him if you'd had your way. I don't think you're a cowgirl at all.”
Daria noticed that the radio station hadn’t changed. “I thought you couldn't listen to country music.”
“Oh, yeah. Thanks for reminding me,” Quinn said as she changed the station back. The pop music would help her think about what she had to do in Freemont.
“We made it!” Daria said as she pulled up outside the Freemont Sherrif’s Office. “I did it. I got us here in one piece.”
“Slowly,” Quinn complained.
“But surely. Now, let's deal with the law,” Daria said. But then she found that she couldn’t find the money. “Oh, no. This is very bad. Very bad.”
“What’s wrong?”
“That cute cowboy stole our money.”
“Remember when we stopped at that outlet mall? I gave the money to Travis,” Quinn explained.
“That money was for Jane and Trent.”
“I know, but he got me a new outfit.”
“You spent all of Jane's money on clothes?” Daria asked.
“Of course not! I lent the rest to Travis for a bus ticket home. Don't worry, he's gonna repay us when he gets back.”
“You moron. How are we supposed to get Jane and Trent out of jail?”
“I told you something unexpected would happen,” Quinn responded.
They returned to the bar where they had dropped the cowboy off.
“What are you going to say to him?” Quinn asked.
“What am I going to say to him? You're going to tell him the truth. You gave him money that wasn't yours and you need it back.”
“Oh, Daria. Are we that desperate that we have to resort to the truth?”
“When this is all over, remind me to run screaming into the night,” Daria said as they came up to the bar door.
“Okay, maybe this wasn't such a great idea,” Daria said.
“It's just a bar. They're all alike,” Quinn said. She could see that there were hardly any troublemakers there.
“How would you know.”
“What do you think people do on...” Quinn began before Daria interrupted her.
“Never mind,” Daria said. She then went up to the bar.
