La Machine

The day was as normal as any day ever was at Dexter McPhearson's school. Dee-Dee, his blonde and ditzy sister, made sure that she was as annoying as possible around him, and Mandark Astronominov, his raven-haired rival in everything, continued to bicker constantly with him. There was also Douglas Mordechai, one of the few people Dexter trusted, and Nora Debussi.

Nora was a complicated beast. A transfer student who was practically guaranteed her family's fortune when she turned eighteen, Nora was an unspectacular-looking girl with freckles and a tendency to keep important things to herself and overreact to not-so-important things. However, Dexter had always been uncannily drawn to her intelligence. You could say that Dexter had a crush on Nora.

But Nora was one thing Dexter couldn't have. For one thing, Nora trusted Dexter like a little brother, holding no amorous affection towards him whatsoever. For another, Nora was Mandark's girlfriend, a fact that Mandark liked to rub in Dexter's face every once in a while.

Dexter was sick of it. He was sick of Mandark giving Dexter a cocky smile every time Nora wrapped herself around him. Sick of Nora talking incessantly about him. Sick of thinking that Mandark had beaten him in something so all-consuming.

Dexter was in a foul mood when he got home that day. He didn't know what he was expecting to see when he walked past Nora and Mandark in a secluded spot on the school grounds, but it didn't change the fact that what he saw made his stomach hurt and his head spin angrily.

Dexter tromped up the staircase, seething. Dee-Dee was skipping around in the living room and noticed Dexter's sadness.

"What's wrong, Dexter?" Dee-Dee inquired in her bright tone.

Dexter paused, his purple-gloved hand trembling on the railing. "…Nothing."

"That's a whole lot of nothing," Dee-Dee noted.

"Just Mandark," Dexter spat out. He'd never felt so much contempt for one person in his short lifetime. Hot jealously burbled inside of him, and his eyes narrowed.

Dee-Dee sighed. "Whatever."

She returned to her jubilant dancing while Dexter was left alone with his thoughts. He tried to busy himself by working in the laboratory, but the activities that used to bring such joy were now dull and pointless to him. Dexter wearily set down his wrench near Computer, his breathing shallow.

"Are you all right, Dexter?" Computer asked curiously.

"No, Computer, I am not all right," Dexter responded drearily.

"Would you like to talk about it?" Computer wondered.

Dexter paused. There were only three people in the world that Dexter could trust: Douglas, Nora, and Computer. Douglas was not one who swooned over girls or even remotely cared. Any time Nora had been brought up in their conversations, Douglas would scoff. And Dexter wasn't about to tell Nora about anything. Much as she had hurt him, it was unintentional, and Dexter did value her friendship.

Dexter sat down in front of computer. "Oh, Computer, my love, it is ridiculous! That beautiful girl that I was telling you about, Nora Debussi – she doesn't know how much she's breaking my heart!"

"I don't quite understand," Computer admitted.

Dexter inhaled slowly, his features contorting into an angered form. "Mandark took her. Nora is in love with my rival, that idiot." Dexter put extra emphasis on the word. "He's never beaten me before this, and to have him defeat me, especially concerning so important to me and my heart…"

Dexter trailed off. He regained his composure quickly. "But… I can't try to break them up. Then I lose Nora as a friend, and I don't want anything of the sort to happen."

"Why don't you invent something, to take your mind off of it?" Computer suggested in her soothing voice.

Dexter shrugged and wandered off to another part of the laboratory. Slowly, the beginnings of a plan formed in his head. He was soon smiling in a completely demonic manner. Dexter dashed back to the center of his lab.

"Computer!" Dexter cried cheerfully. "I have a wonderful plan! Quick, bring me the solder iron and some scrap metal!"

The solder iron and various pieces of metal fell down beside Dexter. He ripped some wiring out of a spool underneath one of the floor tiles, and found a microchip nearby. Dexter smiled.

"There's nothing wrong with a little escapism once in a while," Dexter justified his actions. Computer only watched blankly.

…

Mandark pressed his hand against Dexter's window quietly. He took a look in, his glasses reflecting in the moonlight. His raven black hair blended in with the night sky, as if it was one with the cloak of night. Mandark tried to prod the window open with his finger, but it was stuck. Mandark sighed. There he was, up on the roof of Dexter's house, feet precariously lodged in a gutter, and he couldn't open the window.

Mandark shook his head, letting his fingers feel around for the bottom of the window. He found it, curled his fingers under it, and pushed Dexter's window open. Satisfied, Mandark leapt into his nemesis' room, taking time to savor his victory. He thought of how good it was going to be when he snuck into Dexter's lab and ruined whatever he was doing – or if he took something from him! Imagine!

He'd be able to brag about –

Mandark stopped. It's hard to brag about something if you have so few friends. And Nora wouldn't be very happy to hear about it. She wanted Mandark to stop attacking Dexter, since the two of them were her closest friends.

He almost considered stopping, because of Nora. He didn't want to lose the best thing that ever happened to him, no matter how badly he needed to show up Dexter. Mandark briefly pondered what would happen to him if Nora wasn't in his life, and didn't like what he saw. Nora would probably be snatched up by someone he wouldn't be able to stand – like Carter Richardson, the popular surfer boy who had asked her out plenty of times before. Or Dexter.

Mandark seethed before realizing where he was and why he had come. He redirected his focus. The plan.

Mandark pulled a book out of the bookshelf, letting it fall onto the wooden paneling of the shelf. An electronic beep ringed in Mandark's ears, and the bookshelf swung open, granting him entrance. Mandark giggled as he snuck around the various white columns, hiding himself.

Mandark finally sighted Dexter. He was frantically working on some sort of new invention, and he looked really excited about the whole thing. By Mandark's calculations, he was close to finishing. It didn't take an idiot to figure out that taking his new invention would be a huge blow to Dexter's ego.

Mandark began to creep up on Dexter. Dexter stopped working long enough to sigh.

"Is there a reason you're here?" Dexter inquired blankly.

Mandark fumed. "You think you're so great! Well, one day, I'll defeat you for good, and then the world –"

"The world will be ruled by you, yes, very well then," Dexter interrupted mockingly. "I'm sorry, Mandark, but you're just an idiot."

Dexter put down his device, swiveling his chair around to look at Mandark, who was muttering some decidedly evil-sounding things. Dexter shook his head wearily.

"Look, can you just go home? I've had a bad day," Dexter pleaded lightly. Mandark narrowed his eyes.

"Yeah, I'll just – NO I WILL NOT GO HOME!" Mandark countered angrily. With a short dash, Mandark reached Dexter's new device and swiped it.

"What are you doing?!" Dexter cried out, trying to get his invention back. Mandark grinned snidely as he held it up in the air. Dexter could jump all he wanted, but he'd never be able to reach.

"Hah! Ha ha! A ha ha a ha ha!" Mandark laughed. It grated on Dexter's nerves. Computer, if she had thumbs, would have twiddled them. She felt useless.

"Give it to me!" Dexter cried.

"…I don't think so," Mandark responded, looking at it. "Hmm… wonder what this thing does?"

Mandark aimed the device at the ceiling and pressed a pulsing green button on its interface. Dexter tried to scream out a warning, but it was far too late. Mandark and Dexter floated up into the air, and, with a short burst of blue sparks, they disappeared.

A/N: I always HATED 'A Place of My Own'. It was, for a brief time, the story I wanted to tell. But I really wasn't ready to embark into the world of Dexter/Mandark, particularly when Vindaloo and The Rival were able to convey it so beautifully. When I lost the files to it in a virus attack, I didn't miss it. But I knew I wanted to continue the story of Dexter and Mandark in relation to Nora…

One fateful night about a month ago, I dreamed up a scene where Mandark and Dexter confronted each other in a wooded area, in Puritanical times, screaming about Nora and the whole situation being each other's fault.

The scene (which will be in the story, don't worry) became the story you're reading right now. This tale, I am confident, continues 'Something I Believe In Miracle Romance' the way I want it to… and although the whole story seems straightforward now, this whole tale will become a mess, just the way I like it. ;)

A/N 2: On an unrelated note, I would like to congratulate the few authors who have ventured into this fandom during my absence. I read most of your guys' stories, and I'm happy to say that I enjoyed all of them!

A/N 3: Okay, I know I'm getting grating, but I have to mention this – Dexter. His last name. Is it canonically McPhearson?

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Dexter's Laboratory. Can you imagine if I did? Lord, what a mess that'd be…