She hadn't reported Slugworth to the authorities (or her parents), realizing after the fact that she most likely had grossly over-reacted. Revealing she had soundly thrashed him would only embarrass her.
Helen and Jake were both ecstatic upon Daria's news of being one of the golden ticket recipients. As Daria had predicted, Jake wanted to come, but after his enthusiasm for the trip segwayed into a rant about his father forbidding Jake from eating any chocolate, Helen nixed the idea. She almost suggested going herself, but remembered that she would be spearheading a sizable case for her firm for the next six months, and the factory tour would take place in a mere three months.
She was resistant to Daria's suggestion of Quinn being the one to accompany her at first; Rita, Amy, and even Erin were considered, but Daria (subtly reminding her mother of the animosity between her and her two siblings) managed to cement the idea of Quinn going along with Daria. (Daria being 18, she was old enough to keep Quinn chaperoned anyway).
Quinn, naturally, was aghast at the idea of both going to a chcolate factory, as well as being seen in public (with the news media, no less) with her sister. Helen finally persuaded her to go, with the promise of Quinn borrowing Helen's gold card and touring the finest designer's clothing stores London had to offer.
Daria hadn't foreseen the increase in popularity at school she experienced as a result of being the first golden ticket winner. Her teachers all congratulated her (with Ms. Li making a point to boast about it to the whole school via the PA system), whereas many of the students pestered Daria to take one of them. Even after she explained only family members were permitted to join her, some of her fellow students persisted. Kevin Thompson was the most persistent of these; his constant haranguement of Daria caused Brittany to break up with him seven times, and he only left Daria alone after she threatened to tell Ms. Barch.
After Kevin relented, the weeks seemed to fly by, and Daria soon found herself waiting with the other four winners (and their family members) outside the gates of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory.
"Hey, Mom, we're on TV!" one of the children, a boy Daria's memory told her was improbably named Mike Teevee, said. "Hi, everybody in Marble Falls! Hi, Billy! Hi, Maggie! Hi, Fishface! How do I look?"
"I wonder how Fishface looks," Daria muttered.
As the reporters gave last-minute on-the-spot interviews to the other contest winners (with Daria's death-glare keeping them away, and Quinn hiding behind a long head-scarf and sunglasses), the clock began to strike ten.
Willy Wonka was not quite what Daria anticipated, but then, she didn't know what to expect. (She had Googled him, but had turned up little she hadn't learned from Jane's story). He wore a red top hat and a purple overcoat, and walked with a pronounced limp and a cane. As he made his way down the cobblestone path, his cane became wedged between two of the stones, and before he took notice he kept hobbling forward. He came to a dead stop after another foot or two, and as he began to topple, the crowd (including Daria, to her surprise) took in a collective breath of fear and anticipation.
Halfway down, Wonka transformed the fall into a somersault, from which he stood up energetically, inspiring the crowd to applaud in appreciation. (Daria, however, pursed her lips, only a little impressed). "Thank you, thank you! Welcome, my friends. Welcome to my chocolate factory." He beckoned to the five contest winners. "Would you come forward please?"
Before Daria and Quinn could make their way forward, they were almost knocked over by a large man with his daughter in tow. "Veruca first!" he cried out. "Get back, you! Come on, veruca sweetheart!" Daria scowled at Veruca Salt, who saw Daria's face and stuck her tongue out before following after her father.
Once she regained her footing, she noticed Slugworth out of the corner of her eye. She instinctively reached for the can of pepper spray in her pocket; Slugworth saw this, winced, and retreated into the anonymity of the crowd. After being sure that the menacing man had truly disappeared, Daria made her way with the other contestants through the gates. Quinn saw the non-verbal exchange between Daria and the strange man, but chose to wait until a more opportune time to ask Daria. ('Opportune' meaning 'annoying for Daria').
"Welcome, it's nice to have you here," Wonka greeted. "I'm so glad you could come. This is going to be such an exciting day, I hope you enjoy it. And now...would you please show me your tickets?"
Veruca Salt, naturally, was first. "I'm Veruca Salt," she announced.
"My dear Veruca, what a pleasure," Wonka purred. "And how pretty you look in that lovely mink coat."
"I've got three others at home," she bragged.
"Mink is sooo wrong," Quinn pointed out.
"Who asked you?" Veruca sneered, pushing past Wonka after handing over her golden ticket.
"And Mr. Salt, enjoyed to see you, sir. Would you just step over there for a minute," he said, gesturing towards the factory entrance. Wonka greeted the next two children with varying degrees of enthusiasm. The last child before Daria finally approached him.
"I'm Mike Teevee," he introduced himself. Before Wonka could say anything else, Mike (who was dressed in the 60s version of a cowboy's outfit) drew a toy pistol and pretended to fire it into Wonka's gut. "WHAM! You're dead!" he declared. Daria let out a small smile at this act of bravado.
"Wonderful to meet you, Mike!" Wonka said, shaking Mike's free hand. "And Mrs. Teevee, how do you do? What an adorable little boy you have."
"Thank you," she smiled.
"Just over there," he gestured to where the others were waiting.
"Daria Morgendorffer," Daria said, handing her ticket over to Wonka. Before Quinn could react, Daria seized her sister in one arm and pulled her close. She dragged Quinn around to face the gathered crowd. "And this is my SISTER, Quinn!" she announced, a large shark's grin on her face.
"Damnit, Daria! That wasn't funny!" Quinn shrieked, pushing her sister's arm off her.
"Delighted to meet you two. Overjoyed, enraptured, entranced; are we ready? Yes! Good! In we go!" Wonka led the ten souls into the factory, a musical fanfare following them until the door shut behind them, closing off all sound from the outside world.
