Epilogue

Epilogue 1 - Highland: A Stone Moves On

"Yowtch, what the?" Butt-head sprang off the half-ruined sofa as soon as his rear hit the cushions. "Did you put a pin under my ass again, you butt-munch?"

His best and only friend, Beavis, gazed up with his usual half-aware stare. "Heh heh, forget to take the staples out of your new shorts?"

Butt-head saw a glint on the cushion and picked up a familiar-looking piece of cut glass set in a silver holder. Its point up position had caused him to launch off the sofa.

As he rubbed his offended rump his brain worked in coordination. Where had he seen this before?

"It's that thing Daria wears," he concluded out loud.

"Hey, that's Diarrhea, cha-cha-cha's," Beavis said obliviously. "Can we, like, pawn it for beer money?"

"We should give it back to her, I guess," Butt-head concluded. "She did, like, help us get those C-pluses in science." He would never admit it to Beavis but he was proud of that good grade.

Butt-head was trying to remember something. Oh yeah, "We can't give it back. She came over here a couple days ago to tell us she was moving."

"Yeah, yeah, then we can pawn it."

"She sat there," Butt-head reached a conclusion about how the crystal got into a position to poke him.

Still, he remembered that Daria was very protective about this bauble. He had never seen her take it off and he remembered how hard her boot met his shin the first, last, and only time he made fun of it.

Maybe he should try to get it back to her; where was she moving again? Lunkdale? Yeah, that was it but where was Lunkdale? Oh, well, if she lost it, that was just her tough luck. Finders, keepers.

He shook his head and bounced the heavier-than-it-looked pendant in his hand. It was pretty but he doubted he could get the price of a six-pack from pawning it.

Butt-head decided that he would keep it and no need to tell Beavis who would forget in a minute or two anyway. Keep it but obviously not wear such a femmy thing. Maybe get a bag for it and put it in his pocket? Yeah, that's it. He settled down on the sofa after checking for further sharp, butt-threatening objects. Their favorite head-banger heavy metal show was just starting.

Epilogue 2 - Lawndale: Promise Set in Stone Fulfilled

"It's beautiful, amiga," Jane said as she took the dark red gem hung on a gold chain out of the gift box. She admired it flashing dark red rays which were reflected in the wide, high mirror of Daria's room.

"Gem quality garnet stone, my friend." Daria told her. "Of course, I expect you'll pawn it for art supply money right after prom, Lane, so don't get too attached."

"And when my first best-seller pays big, you're getting ruby." Daria promised her mentally.

Daria helped Jane put on the necklace. It went perfectly with Jane's signature bright red lipstick and Jane's golden qipao-style gown with slits cut as high as an elephant's eye.

Jane returned the favor by fastening a silver chain around Daria's neck. A flawless quartz crystal pendant hung near Daria's heart sending sparkles of color over her sleeveless green gown of a more demure style than Jane's leggy wear.

They stood side by side looking in the mirror, both embarrassed that they were actually admiring their outfits.

Jake's voice boomed up the stairs, "Daria, Jane, your dates are here."

Jane spoke up, "I can't believe we're letting carriers of the dreaded Ruttheimer genes take us to prom. There are just too many things all wrong with that. Jane's little brain is getting all schloompy."

"Ruttheimer-Schmutheimer," Daria said. "Let's go and dance like there's not a care in the world."

Daria reconsidered as Jane smirked and prepared to comment, "And strike one of those last comments."

The partners in crime linked arms and descended the Schloss Morgendorffer stairs to an accompaniment of oohs and ahs from the assembled audience. Quinn led the exclamations and was quickly trying to fill up the memory chip of her new digital camera.

Jane and Daria only had eyes for Brett and Brad who only had eyes for them. They would have been okay with almost any attire the boys had chosen but were pleasantly surprised by the sight of the Ruttheimer brothers in classic black tuxedos.

The guys seemed to know something was required of them at that point. Brett stepped up to Jane and fastened a corsage; Brad following to pass a flower to Daria.

As the quartet posed in various permutations for an admiring Quinn, Trent Lane cocked his head from side to side.

"Whoa, Janey, Daria, you look good. I never went to my prom. Hmm, I wonder if it's too late for me and Monique to go."

"Yeah, Trent, I think it's too late for you and Monique to go." Jane informed him. "But maybe you and Spiral can play for us next year. Get your name in now."

"And Jane and I can be elected prom royalty on the faux gay ticket." Daria thought to herself.

Eventually the foursome made it out the door. They walked to their limo arm in arm: Brett and Brad on the outsides squiring and protecting their dates.

Jane leaned in close to Daria and confided, "I was dubious about all this and especially your sanity but, you know, putting on this necklace somehow took away my nerves.

Let's hit the prom and party like it's 1999."

"Yeah Jane," Daria gave her a rare, wide smile. "Stones have a way of doing that."

THE END